《Genius Club》 Chapter 1: The Beginning ¡°Are you telling me you have the same dream every night, waking up precisely at 00:42?¡± The man¡¯s voice, slightly muffled by his cartoon cat mask, held a mix of amusement and disbelief. He stared at Lin Xian. ¡°Man, that¡¯s wild! You could do anything¡ªtake out bad guys, engage in all sorts of risky escapades. Just the thought of it gives me a rush!¡± Click. The man smoothly inserted a magazine into his handgun and cocked it. ¡°But tonight, forget those dreams. I¡¯m about to show you some real excitement.¡± He gestured across the street to a bank. ¡°My crew has already cracked the door open. Let¡¯s make our move!¡± Lin Xian adjusted his Ultraman mask and stood up. ¡°What should I call you?¡± ¡°Everyone in the underworld knows me as Big Cat Face,¡± he said with a grin, his mask squeezing his cheeks into a cartoonish bulge. ¡°But you, you can call me Brother Face.¡± ¡°What¡¯s my role tonight, Brother Face?¡± ¡°Your time as a password expert hasn¡¯t come just yet. For now, just stick close and don¡¯t wander off.¡± Shuffling footsteps filled the air as Lin Xian followed Big Cat Face to the bank¡¯s entrance. ¡°Is everything ready?¡± Big Cat Face inquired of one of his men, who nodded in confirmation. Without warning, Big Cat Face pressed his gun against the man¡¯s forehead and fired. Blood splattered against the wall. He casually wiped the gun¡¯s muzzle, then clapped Lin Xian on the back. ¡°One less share to distribute.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t he one of your guys?¡± ¡°He had sticky fingers. Couldn¡¯t risk it,¡± Big Cat Face said, leading the way inside. As they reached a corridor fork, another masked man was tampering with an electrical box. ¡°Is it disabled?¡± Big Cat Face pressed. Click. ¡°Done. The alarms are off,¡± the man confirmed. Bang! Another gunshot went off, splattering blood over the electrical box. ¡°Brother Face, you¡¯re really making me nervous,¡± Lin Xian noted, eyeing the fallen body. ¡°This one was clean, but he fancied my wife and kept hitting on her. Couldn¡¯t let that slide.¡± ¡°Must be tough being you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it! One less share. Isn¡¯t that great?¡± Lin Xian shrugged off his arm. ¡°You¡¯re not planning to off me too for all the money, right?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Big Cat Face thumped his chest, handing Lin Xian a bundle of C4 explosive. ¡°Here, if you think I¡¯ll double-cross you, just trigger this and take us both out. Fair enough?¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Lin Xian nodded, accepting the explosive. They proceeded until another accomplice approached. ¡°Boss, the main power is cut¡ª¡± Bang! Yet another casualty as brains splattered everywhere. ¡°Brother Face, just how many are we splitting this with?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lump me with them. This was my first, and last, time meeting him.¡± She approached the box labeled ¡®Lin Xian,¡¯ discarding her equipment for the mechanical lock. ¡°What¡¯s inside?¡± Lin Xian peered over. ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You know this Lin Xian then?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Why open his box?¡± ¡°Too many questions,¡± she dismissed him, focusing on the lock. Lin Xian suggested, ¡°Try 19990320.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°My birthday?¡± She paused at the odd reply, then tried the combination anyways. Click! Nothing. ¡°I should¡¯ve let him shoot you,¡± she muttered. As they bickered, power restored and alarms blared. ¡°Time¡¯s up,¡± Lin Xian checked his watch. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll try again tomorrow.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be a tomorrow here,¡± she scoffed. ¡°There will for me,¡± Lin Xian grinned. ¡°I can return every day.¡± With a flash of white light, the world vanished. ... A night breeze fluttered the curtains. Moonlight streamed in, and distant sounds of nightlife filled the air. Nearby, water ran through pipes. Lin Xian lay in bed, checking the time with the electrical clock on his bedside table¡ª [00:42:01] ... [00:42:02] ... [00:42:03] ... [00:42:04] This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 2: Cat ¡°What was up with tonight¡¯s dream? So chaotic...¡± Lin Xian rubbed his arms, shivering as the cold night wind crept through his room. He had just awakened from a bewildering dream featuring Big Face Cat, an Ultraman mask, and a captivating secret agent. It was a mix of amusement and annoyance. ¡°It felt like being in a movie directed by a bunch of clowns... cough, cough.¡± He coughed, realizing the chill might be more than just a dream residue. Last night, he had forgotten to close the window, and the brisk early winter breeze was unforgiving. Securing the old sliding window, he muffled the lively market sounds from below. With the wind barred, the room grew slightly warmer. Lin Xian poured himself a cup of hot water, sipping slowly as he gazed at the glowing full moon. ¡°What on earth is inside that safe with my name on it?¡± he wondered aloud. Since he could remember, Lin Xian had been haunted by the same dream, night after night. Regardless of his age, whereabouts, or daily events, he always found himself in a familiar, yet inexplicable square once he drifted into sleep.ALL new chapters on It was peculiar because Lin Xian was certain he had never visited this square in reality. Yet, it felt intimately familiar; after more than twenty years, he knew every nook and cranny¡ªeach child playing, every tree lining the paths, even each blade of grass seemed like an old friend. Initially, the recurring dream terrified Lin Xian. The same faces, the same cityscape, the same scenarios replaying endlessly. It felt like a prison from which he could not escape. Acquaintances would become strangers, and the deceased greeted him anew each day. No matter the upheavals he caused, the dream realm reset itself by the next cycle. He was trapped in a perpetual loop. He had discovered early that this dream world always ended at exactly 00:42, at which time he would awaken. So, he devised a strategy: if he stayed awake until 00:42, the dream would elude him. This method proved effective during his childhood, keeping the dreams at bay as he stayed up late. However, as he matured into his teenage years, his perception shifted. He began to embrace the dream¡¯s constancy. In the real world, he was bound by rules and consequences, but his dream world offered a liberating chaos. He could engage in reckless driving, confrontational brawls¡ªfree from repercussions. This nightly escapade became his secret playground. As he grew accustomed to the dream, it evolved from a nightmare into an enticing adventure. While his peers were engrossed in simple online games, Lin Xian was diving into intense scenarios like ¡®Extreme Sports,¡¯ ¡®Sleeping Dogs,¡¯ and ¡®Stalker 3¡ä in his sleep. With this newfound appreciation, Lin Xian no longer resisted sleep. He would rush through his homework just to return to his nocturnal adventures, much to his parents¡¯ delight, who mistakenly thought he had become more disciplined. Silence enveloped the third-floor conference room as everyone lowered their heads in dread. Li Juan was livid. She picked up a design and slapped it back down. ¡°Our new brand is supposed to appeal to a youthful, feminine audience! Why is there a fox in black stockings wagging its tail?¡± She turned her glare to the girl beside Lin Xian. ¡°Do you even understand our brand direction? The bunny you designed is cute, but why the floral scarf and cotton coat? My grandmother dresses more stylishly!¡± Li Juan continued, ¡°Mr. Zhao has made it abundantly clear repeatedly¡ªwe want a brand image akin to Hello Kitty! Everyone knows Hello Kitty!¡± Beside Lin Xian, a burly colleague muttered, ¡°For this salary, they expect Hello Kitty...¡± ¡°What was that, fatty?¡± Li Juan snapped. ¡°N-nothing, Miss Li! I meant Hello Kitty is perfect, truly the best!¡± he stammered nervously. As Li Juan ranted, Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts drifted back to the safe in his dream. An eight-digit password... what could it be? What was inside? Perhaps something related to Hello Kitty? Or a cat? Amidst the chaos, Lin Xian found himself doodling on his notepad¡ªa simple, yet charming cartoon cat, reminiscent of the mask on Big Face Cat¡¯s face. The irony of that mask¡¯s simplistic yet lively sketch hadn¡¯t escaped him. ¡°Hey?¡± His colleague leaned over. ¡°What are you drawing, Lin Xian?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 3: Time ¡°Kitty cat? Wow, it¡¯s so cute!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s colleague exclaimed as she admired the simple sketch he had drawn. Her excitement was palpable. ¡°Lin Xian, why haven¡¯t you shown this fantastic design to Sister Juan?¡± ¡°What???¡± Lin Xian was taken aback. The room¡¯s focus instantly shifted to them, especially the design department colleagues, whose eyes widened with anticipation. ¡°What? Let me see!¡± Quick footsteps approached as Li Juan hurried over, her usual calm demeanor replaced by thinly veiled anxiety. Though Director Zhao remained silent, her stern expression conveyed her displeasure. Snap! Li Juan snatched the draft from Lin Xian¡¯s hands. Her expression softened as she examined the sketch, her breath steadying, and the initial fury in her eyes dying down. ¡°You... this is...¡± Li Juan struggled to find the right words. ¡°This... I think it¡¯s quite good!¡± The room fell silent, shocked by Li Juan¡¯s sudden praise, given her reputation for being notoriously critical. She walked over and placed the draft in front of Director Zhao. ¡°Director Zhao, take a look. This is Lin Xian¡¯s design for our new brand.¡± As she laid the draft down, everyone craned their necks to get a better look. The sketch depicted a cartoon cat¡¯s head, simple yet expressive. Despite being just a drawing in black pen, the cat¡¯s personality seemed to leap off the page. ¡°Wow, Lin Xian¡¯s design has a unique charm and delicacy.¡±ALL new chapters on ¡°I think it¡¯s even cuter than Hello Kitty. Kitty is too prim and doesn¡¯t have a mouth, but Lin Xian¡¯s cat has a youthful, vibrant vibe.¡± ¡°Young, girlish, ageless, energetic... it perfectly matches our new brand¡¯s essence! Lin Xian, why didn¡¯t you show us this sooner?¡± ¡°A good brand image must be simple but recognizable, and easy to spread. Lin Xian¡¯s cat rivals icons like Kitty, Mickey Mouse, and Doraemon.¡± ¡°So tonight, if I wear the Ultraman mask again, Big Cat Face will surely appear.¡± He closed the windows to keep out the cold and added an extra blanket. Setting his alarm, he placed his phone on the bedside table and turned off the light. ¡°Time to sleep.¡± A hot summer breeze stirred as he woke, carrying the fresh scent of green leaves. Lin Xian opened his eyes to find himself in a brightly lit square filled with playing children. ¡°Hehe, catch me! Catch me!¡± ¡°Take this! Ultraman slide tackle!¡± ¡°I want candied hawthorn! Waaaah!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go home! I want to play more!¡± ¡°Mommy, I want to ride a bike!¡± Lin Xian glanced up at the electronic billboard displaying the time: [August 28, 2624] [21:37:17] [21:37:18] [21:37:19] [21:37:20] This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 4: Coco Lin Xian always found one aspect of his dreams particularly absurd: they were set on August 28, 2624¡ªa date 600 years in the future. Despite this, the lifestyle and technology mirrored those of 2022. How could human progress remain completely stagnant for six centuries? In his dreams, he scoured libraries and the internet for answers, but all historical information was frustratingly vague. There were no detailed records of lottery numbers, ancient events, or significant news stories. The available histories felt as flimsy and fictional as poorly written novels, failing to satisfy his curiosity. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because your imagination is limited,¡± his friend suggested during one of their discussions. ¡°Dreams are constructed by the brain using what it knows. It can¡¯t create what you don¡¯t know. Maybe watching more sci-fi movies would expand your horizons.¡± Lin Xian found this explanation reasonable. Yet, even after immersing himself in countless sci-fi films, his dreams remained unchanged. He eventually reconciled with the illogical setting, musing, ¡°Dreams, by nature, are fictional. Perhaps their irrationality is what actually makes them rational.¡± Yesterday, he had arranged to meet Big Cat Face at ten o¡¯clock. Now, it was time to take action. Lin Xian approached two boys engrossed in their game, shouting ¡°Ultra Kick!¡± and ¡°Ultra Elbow!¡± as they playfully chased each other, their masks occasionally slipping from their faces. Lin Xian seized an Ultraman mask that had fallen to the ground and slipped it on. Suddenly, two sharp whistles cut through the air. Before he could react, a strong hand clamped onto his arm and yanked him forward. ¡°Found you, bro! This square is swarming with kids wearing Ultraman masks; you¡¯re a tough one to find!¡± Lin Xian looked up into the familiar cat mask, recognizing the face beneath it. ¡°Come on, follow me! The car is over there, and my buddy is already at the bank,¡± Big Cat Face urged. Lin Xian hesitated.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on ¡°Hold up Brother Face, I have a question,¡± he said. ¡°Shoot,¡± Big Cat Face invited. ¡°That cartoon character on your mask, what¡¯s its name?¡± ¡°This?¡± Big Cat Face pointed at the caricature on his mask. ¡°It¡¯s Coco Cat. Haven¡¯t you heard of it? It¡¯s pretty popular.¡± ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly up-to-date for your age,¡± Lin Xian teased. ¡°My daughter adored this cat. Bought her all the toys,¡± Big Cat Face reminisced. ¡°Alright then,¡± Lin Xian responded, releasing Big Cat Face¡¯s hand. ¡°I forgot something. You head to the car; I¡¯ll catch up in a minute.¡± ¡°What are you doing? We don¡¯t have all day!¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s booming voice startled him as he approached, practically dragging Lin Xian out of the store. He slapped a thousand-yuan bill on the counter, declaring, ¡°Keep the change!¡± and ushered Lin Xian into the car parked just outside. As the car roared to life, Big Cat Face glanced at the doll in Lin Xian¡¯s arms. ¡°You think that¡¯s going to help you crack the code?¡± ¡°Just give it to your daughter,¡± Lin Xian suggested, placing the doll on the dashboard. Big Cat Face¡¯s demeanor changed abruptly; his fierce look softened, and he fell silent, focusing on the road ahead. After a few tense seconds, he spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Did your daughter grow up?¡± Lin Xian asked casually, resting his chin on his hand. ¡°She died,¡± Big Cat Face responded, his voice thick with emotion. ¡°Been dead for years. Only made it to six.¡± ¡°Was it an accident?¡± Lin Xian inquired softly. ¡°No,¡± Big Cat Face replied abruptly, slamming on the brakes. ¡°She was murdered.¡± ¡°Why would anyone¡ª¡± Lin Xian started, but Big Cat Face cut him off, pointing to the bank across the street. ¡°Brother, we¡¯re here. Time to focus. Let¡¯s rob this bank, and I¡¯ll finally avenge my daughter. We can talk more later.¡± He loaded his gun, adjusted his mask, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s do this, brother! Get the job done!¡± Big Cat Face exited the car swiftly, heading towards the bank with a determined stride. Lin Xian remained in the vehicle, watching Big Cat Face disappear into the distance. Beside him, the Coco Cat doll sat silently, a stark reminder of the day¡¯s gravity. Lin Xian recalled a detail from his dream the previous night: ¡°The bank vault is full of safety deposit boxes, not a single penny in cash, Big Cat Face...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 5: The Deal ¡°Come on, get out of the car already, brother! Why are you dragging your feet?¡± Big Cat Face called out impatiently, noticing Lin Xian lagging behind. Rushing back, Big Cat Face yanked open the car door, urging Lin Xian, ¡°It¡¯s almost midnight, man! We need to move!¡± Lin Xian sighed heavily. His original plan for the night was simply to sketch the Coco Cat mascot, not to partake in a bank heist. However, Big Cat Face had other plans and managed to drag him along. Resigned, Lin Xian muttered, ¡°Well, since I¡¯m here,¡± and jumped out of the car to follow his companion. As they approached the bank¡¯s entrance, the night was alive with rustling sounds. ¡°Is it done?¡± Big Cat Face inquired, addressing one of his men who nodded affirmatively in response. A sudden loud bang reverberated through the air, and blood splattered against the wall. Casually, Big Cat Face wiped his gun clean, remarking, ¡°Now there¡¯s one less person to split the money with.¡± Lin Xian gave a nonchalant nod. ¡°People like him, who can¡¯t be trusted, are better off not sticking around.¡± Big Cat Face froze for a moment, then turned to Lin Xian, puzzled. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Just look at his face. It practically screams ¡®untrustworthy.''¡± ¡°Really, brother?¡± Big Cat Face scratched his head, still confused. ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s keep moving.¡± They reached a corridor junction where another masked accomplice was busy cutting wires. ¡°Alarm system is now disabled!¡± he declared triumphantly. Another loud bang ensued, and the electrical box was stained with blood. Lin Xian sneered, ¡°That guy, always hitting on his boss¡¯s wife, got what he deserved.¡± Big Cat Face jumped, startled. ¡°You knew about that too? Who¡¯s been leaking these things?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious, no one needed to leak it. His face was an open book.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? His face gave away that much in the dark?¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving you a way out here. Take it, or I¡¯ll spill everything.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s move. We don¡¯t have all night.¡± They continued, encountering a heavyset man emerging from an underground passage. ¡°Boss¡ª¡± he began. Bang! Before he could finish, Big Cat Face shot him, turning to Lin Xian, who remained silent. ¡°Do you understand why I had to do that?¡± Big Cat Face queried. ¡°No clue,¡± Lin Xian replied, shaking his head. ¡°I did,¡± came a clear female voice from behind them. Big Cat Face turned to face her¡ª Bang! Lin Xian felt a sharp pain on his shoulder as blood and bone fragments splattered him. ¡°Thrilling,¡± Lin Xian muttered, wiping his ear as adrenaline surged through him. He pushed Big Cat Face¡¯s body aside, the metallic taste of blood lingering. Unlike his dreams where he¡¯d been shot at by snipers, experiencing it in reality was starkly different. A woman approached with light footsteps. ¡°Why did you lie to Big Cat Face?¡± Lin Xian inquired, confronting her. ¡°What lie?¡± the woman responded tersely, her gaze sharp. ¡°You told him there would be money and gold here, but you were really after the safes, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Just mind your business,¡± she snapped back, turning away to focus on a particular safe. Lin Xian rubbed his neck, recalling his dream where this very woman had saved him from Big Cat Face. Here she was again, intervening at a critical moment. It was curious why this ruthless woman would save him not once, but twice. ¡°Why did you save me?¡± Lin Xian pressed. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± she retorted coldly. ¡°You¡¯re not making this conversation any more enjoyable,¡± Lin Xian remarked, a hint of frustration in his voice. Ignoring him, the woman proceeded to a safe that bore Lin Xian¡¯s name. She set aside her small computer and began tampering with the lock. ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal,¡± Lin Xian proposed, stepping closer. ¡°Tell me why you saved me, and I¡¯ll open this safe for you. It¡¯s a win-win.¡± The woman chuckled. ¡°You think wearing an Ultraman mask makes you a password expert?¡± ¡°I¡¯m better than a password expert,¡± Lin Xian countered confidently. ¡°Why should I trust you?¡± ¡°Because,¡± Lin Xian said, removing his mask and meeting her gaze squarely, ¡°I am Lin Xian.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 6: CC The room was heavy with silence, and the atmosphere was tense and uncomfortable. ¡°Actually...¡± the woman spoke first, breaking the quiet. ¡°Ever since I saw you impersonate me in the square and jump into the car with Big Cat Face, I thought you were crazy.¡± ¡°Has the misunderstanding been cleared up now?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Now, I¡¯m even more convinced!¡± she replied, her tone dripping with disbelief. Lin Xian spread his hands in resignation. ¡°So, you still don¡¯t believe me? But since you¡¯re here to steal Lin Xian¡¯s safe, you must have done some homework on him, right? Don¡¯t you know what he looks like?¡± He pointed to his face. ¡°Take a good look. Compare my face to the photos from your research. See if they match.¡± The woman shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t research the owner of this safe. I have no idea what Lin Xian looks like.¡± Lin Xian was at a loss for words. He never imagined proving his identity would be so challenging. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter who you are,¡± she continued, her arms crossed as she stared at the formidable mechanical lock. ¡°If this were an electronic lock, I could crack it in minutes. But it¡¯s an 8-digit mechanical lock, and neither brute force nor listening techniques will open it quickly.¡± She faced Lin Xian. ¡°So, your identity is irrelevant. You could be anyone. But if you can open this safe, you¡¯re my partner.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Lin Xian extended his hand. Despite his desire to verify her story first, he had no means to prove he was Lin Xian. He had to compromise. ¡°What should I call you?¡± he inquired. ¡°CC,¡± she replied, shaking his hand briefly. ¡°Just call me CC.¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on Lin Xian noted the lack of normal names among the characters in his dream. ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± CC asked, looking at him intently. ¡°Let¡¯s try important dates from my life,¡± Lin Xian suggested. ¡°We¡¯ll go through them one by one.¡± Together, they tried every significant date Lin Xian could recall while CC manipulated the lock. But success eluded them. ¡°Not even my mom¡¯s birthday...¡± Lin Xian muttered, disheartened. CC shook her head. ¡°How about your grandmother¡¯s birthday next?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know my grandmother¡¯s birthday,¡± Lin Xian confessed. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell I¡¯m being sarcastic? We¡¯ve already tried the birthdays of your seven aunts, your uncles, and even your dog! Think of something else,¡± CC chided him. ¡°Why does it have to be a date? An 8-digit code could be anything,¡± she added, looking puzzled. ¡°I! Don¡¯t! Care!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not thrilled to share this, but it¡¯s for the best!¡± Lin Xian shouted back, pointing at the safe. ¡°19990707! Her birthday!¡± He felt foolish, revealing such a personal secret. ¡°Hurry!¡± CC quickly dialed the code and yanked the latch. It didn¡¯t open. ¡°The code¡¯s wrong!¡± The alarm continued: [00:41:47]. ¡°20150609!¡± Lin Xian yelled, covering his ears. ¡°What¡¯s this date now? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s the day you confessed!¡± CC shouted over the noise. ¡°Just enter the code!¡± ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± [00:41:56]. CC gritted her teeth and slammed the latch with all her might. It still didn¡¯t open. Lin Xian felt his energy ebbing away, his vision blurring as he stared at CC by the safe. She turned to him, her eyes filled with contempt. ¡°Liar.¡± [00:42:00]. BOOM!!! A blinding white light enveloped everything... Lin Xian awoke in a clean, orderly bedroom, early on a winter morning. He opened his eyes, the vivid memories of the dream still lingering. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 7: Analysis Tonight was unusually quiet. Perhaps it was due to the cooler weather or the early closure of the street market below. Lin Xian lay awake, staring at the ceiling, enveloped in his blanket, reluctant to expose any part of his skin. The sensation of being laid bare, his deepest and most embarrassing secrets visible to all, sent shivers across his skin. Restlessly, he wrapped the blanket tighter around himself. Memories of adolescent blunders, particularly those involving first crushes and young love, resurfaced¡ªmemories he preferred to forget. ¡°That¡¯s so damn embarrassing,¡± he muttered. He wouldn¡¯t have revisited those memories if it hadn¡¯t been absolutely necessary. Thankfully, it was all just a dream. Tomorrow, everything reset; no one would remember. Yet, the incorrect code for the safe in his dream made him question if it was even his. ¡°Forget it,¡± he decided, throwing off the blanket and sitting up. ¡°Time to get to work.¡± After all, dreams weren¡¯t real; the real world demanded his attention. Slipping into his pajamas, he turned on his desk lamp and started sketching the Coco Cat from his dream. Its design was simple yet elegant, allowing him to quickly produce detailed sketches from various angles¡ªfront, side, and back. He meticulously captured every detail from his dream, from the limbs to the outfit. ¡°Perfect,¡± he remarked, cleaning his workspace. ¡°This is ready to submit tomorrow.¡± As he sketched, thoughts of Big Cat Face surfaced. Over the last few nights, Lin Xian had pieced together the conflict between Big Cat Face and the password expert, CC. He started a new sheet: [Story Outline] Big Cat Face¡¯s daughter, only six, was murdered. He sought revenge and needed a lot of money. CC, the password expert, needed to access a bank vault to retrieve something from Lin Xian¡¯s safe. CC tricked Big Cat Face into thinking the bank held a fortune. They planned to rob it together. Big Cat Face intended to eliminate the others to keep all the money for himself. CC planned to betray Big Cat Face once inside, as there was actually no money in the vault. The next day, at the company meeting room, everyone was stunned by the sketches spread across the table. ¡°This... wasn¡¯t it just a rough sketch yesterday? How did he complete all these detailed views overnight? They¡¯re production-ready!¡± one colleague exclaimed. ¡°Are you kidding? Just because Lin Xian only showed us a rough sketch yesterday doesn¡¯t mean he hadn¡¯t started much earlier! With this level of detail, he must have been at it for months,¡± another added. ¡°It¡¯s adorable! I¡¯ve never seen such a cute cat design! I told you yesterday that Lin Xian¡¯s cat has potential. Once it¡¯s refined and colored, it could rival Hello Kitty!¡± ¡°From a professional standpoint, this cat¡¯s design is decades ahead. No girl could resist this charm! Lin Xian has truly outdone himself,¡± another colleague remarked. Typically, with President Zhao Ying Jun present, discussions were subdued. But today, Lin Xian¡¯s designs sparked an uproar of excitement. First, the speed of his work; then, the quality. Some might suspect plagiarism if they didn¡¯t know Lin Xian better. Today, Zhao Ying Jun, dressed in sharp black office lady attire, exuded a sharp presence. Yet, as she reviewed the drafts, a smile of satisfaction spread across her face. ¡°This is an exceptionally excellent brand image, far exceeding my expectations,¡± she declared. ¡°It¡¯s clear Lin Xian dedicated a lot of effort to this cat¡¯s design. It seems a waste to use it merely as a mascot or in advertisements. I have some new ideas.¡± ¡°But first... we need to name this adorable cat.¡± Zhao Ying Jun turned to Lin Xian, her eyes approving. ¡°Since you designed her, you should name her!¡± All eyes turned to Lin Xian. His colleagues in the design department discreetly gave him thumbs up. ¡°This cat¡¯s name...¡± Lin Xian pondered, noting the banner reading ¡°Rhine Brand Image Design 7th Discussion Meeting. ¡°Since our new brand is Rhine... let¡¯s call her ¡®Rhine Cat.¡¯¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 8: Rhine ¡°Rhine... Rhine Cat?¡± Could it be that simple? That casual? Murmurs swirled among the colleagues. ¡°Isn¡¯t Rhine Cat perfect?¡± Lin Xian explained. ¡°When crafting a brand image, the name should enhance the brand¡¯s recognition. I can¡¯t think of a better name than Rhine Cat.¡± ¡°Indeed, Rhine Cat is excellent,¡± Zhao Ying Jun concurred. ¡°Linking this cat with our brand gives us a significant edge.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t overlook your talent for this contribution,¡± she added, then clapped for attention. ¡°I have an important announcement about a new personnel appointment!¡± A personnel appointment? The room quieted, everyone tensing in anticipation. Zhao Ying Jun held up the Rhine Cat design draft. ¡°The potential value and prospects shown by Lin Xian¡¯s Rhine Cat design are undeniable. Using it merely as a promotional mascot would be a waste.¡± ¡°I plan to establish a dedicated department for the IP development of Rhine Cat. From now on, Rhine Cat won¡¯t just represent Rhine Cosmetics but will stand as an independent IP entity.¡± ¡°We envision Rhine Cat merchandise, animations, dolls, clothing, and various licensed products. This expansion will boost our brand¡¯s influence, benefiting our cosmetics market.¡± ¡°This new department, temporarily named the Rhine Cat IP Development and Operations Group, will operate at the same level as our formal departments and report directly to me. And the leader of this group... will be Lin Xian!¡± Boom¡ª Lin... Lin Xian? A key department under President Zhao¡¯s direct supervision led by someone as young and inexperienced as Lin Xian? Yet, after the initial shock, everyone reconsidered... Wasn¡¯t this exactly what Lin Xian deserved? He had created Rhine Cat and demonstrated his abilities for this role. Thunderous applause filled the room! Colleagues swarmed Lin Xian with enthusiastic congratulations: ¡°Fantastic, Lin Xian! You¡¯re a team leader now! Transfer me to your department; I¡¯ll work under you!¡± ¡°Lin Xian, you owe us a celebration tonight! Your status and benefits are now on par with Sister Juan¡¯s, and your salary must have tripled!¡± ¡°At the team leader level, who cares about salary! Think of the performance bonus... several times the salary! And don¡¯t forget the company policy that grants you copyright revenue too! So, no excuses, Lin Xian, tonight you treat!¡± ¡°Team Leader Lin! Remember us when you¡¯re rich and successful! You¡¯re now the youngest team leader in our company, with a limitless future!¡± Surrounded by excited colleagues, some were nearly ready to lift him into the air in celebration. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll treat everyone. Let¡¯s calm down.¡± Honestly... Even Lin Xian was surprised by Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s decision. His tenure at the company was less than a year. ¡°Do your best, Lin Xian.¡± Zhao Ying Jun approached, her smile warm. ¡°I¡¯m really impressed by the cat you designed and have great faith in your talent. I hope you can help MX Company explore new commercial frontiers.¡±Re?a?d new chapters on etics are ultimately replaceable consumer goods, but culture and art endure through history.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s check out the Coco Cat dolls again, see if there are any new styles.¡± With Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s high expectations, he couldn¡¯t afford to disappoint at work. That toy store had a whole shelf dedicated to Coco Cat dolls, in various sizes and styles, along with keychains, pendants, and stationery. As the head of the IP Development and Operations Group... how could he pass up such a perfect ¡°stocking up¡± opportunity? Lin Xian walked straight into the toy store, heading for the Coco Cat shelf. However¡ª ¡°Where are the Coco Cats?¡± On the shelf before him, there wasn¡¯t a single Coco Cat in sight! All he saw were various unfamiliar dolls. A chill ran down Lin Xian¡¯s spine. An indescribable fear spread through him. It had changed... The dream had changed! For over twenty years, thousands of nights, every dream had been exactly the same. Children always fell at the same spot, the broadcast repeated the same news, even the leaves blown down by the wind landed in the same place, without deviation. But now. The toy store was the same. The shelf was the same. But the Coco Cat dolls that should have been there were all gone! The sudden unfamiliarity was suffocating. ¡°Is this still my dream?¡± Lin Xian turned around quickly. He saw the shop assistant standing behind him, smiling. ¡°Sir, how can I help you?¡± ¡°...I¡¯m looking for a Coco Cat doll. It used to be displayed right here.¡± ¡°Coco Cat?¡± The shop assistant tilted her head, puzzled. ¡°Sir, you must be mistaken.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve never sold any Coco Cat dolls in this store!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 9: Change ¡°Have you ever heard of Coco Cat?¡± Lin Xian asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice. ¡°Uh... never heard of it,¡± the sales clerk replied, scratching his head in confusion. ¡°Are you sure about the name? We have all sorts of toys here. Maybe describe it for me, and I can help you find it.¡± Lin Xian paused, then exaggerated his facial expression to mimic that of Coco Cat. ¡°It looks like this.¡± Recognition lit up the clerk¡¯s face. ¡°Ah, now I know what you¡¯re talking about! Follow me, we¡¯ve got it right here.¡± He led Lin Xian to a towering, brightly lit shelf in the center of the store. ¡°Here you go! All of these!¡± The shelf, stacked ten levels high, was brimming with plush toys. ¡°Is this the cat you meant?¡± The clerk beamed, pointing at the toys. ¡°This one¡¯s our best-seller! Been popular for a century and it¡¯s still in high demand. But you¡¯ve got the name mixed up. It¡¯s actually called¡ª¡± ¡°I see it.¡± In that moment, Lin Xian felt a chill as if doused in ice water. He stared at the hundreds of identical toys on the shelf, each one returning his gaze. A large sign proclaimed: Centennial Best Seller! Century-long Hit¡ªRhine Cat Outside, the early morning square was deserted. Shops around were dark, their lights off, doors shut. Only the hum of nocturnal insects and the distant cries of cicadas filled the warm night air, lending it an eerie tranquility. Sitting on a bench, Lin Xian felt a profound disconnect from everything around him. Everything seemed surreal, out of place. He opened his hand to look at a Rhine Cat keychain, the only item he could afford. It was a perfect replica of the Coco Cat from his dreams, except for the name. ¡°Why did it change?¡± Lin Xian muttered to himself, his unease growing. This wasn¡¯t just fear or dread¡ªit was a disorienting sense of loss, of not being in control anymore. He had always seen himself as a god in his dreams, where he was all-powerful and the world bent to his will. Now, he felt like a character in The Truman Show, trapped and observed. Suddenly, at exactly 00:42, the world flashed with a blinding white light, and everything seemed to burn away. The night wind blew, stirring the curtains wildly. Lin Xian realized he had forgotten to close the window. ¡°Forgot to close the window again...¡± he murmured, pulling his blanket closer, but it did little to ward off the internal chill. Lin trusted Gao Yang deeply. He had only ever shared the secret of his recurring dream with him. ¡°Here we go!¡± Gao Yang returned with beers, placing them on the table and popping them open. ¡°Drink up, it might calm you down. Now tell me, what¡¯s happening.¡± They clinked bottles and took a long drink, the cold beer briefly grounding Lin Xian. ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Lin Xian started, setting down his beer. He recounted his journey, from the encounter with Big Cat Face, to creating the Rhine Cat based on his dream, to his shock when everyone in his dream had overnight forgotten Coco Cat, now only recognizing Rhine Cat. ¡°Uh-huh, uh-huh,¡± Gao Yang nodded, his face tense yet thoughtful as he sipped his beer. ¡°So, you sketched a cat, and it showed up in your dream.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t get it at all!¡± Lin Xian exclaimed, frustration evident. ¡°I¡¯ve been explaining this whole time and that¡¯s what you took from it?!¡± Suddenly, Gao Yang leapt up, yelling and pounding the table like an excited sports fan. ¡°Whoa, calm down!¡± Lin Xian stepped back, only to see the whole bar erupt in cheers. ¡°He scored! Messi is amazing!!¡± ¡°Great job, Argentina!¡± ¡°Messi! AAAAAH!!!¡± Lin Xian turned just in time to see the bar¡¯s big screen replay a goal. ¡°You weren¡¯t listening at all!¡± ¡°I was, I swear!¡± Gao Yang laughed, sitting back down. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ve known each other twenty years. You¡¯ve told me about your dreams hundreds of times. It¡¯s always the same!¡± ¡°The point is, why did it stay the same for twenty years and only change today?¡± Lin Xian pressed. Gao Yang drained his beer and set the cup down with a thud, fixing Lin Xian with a serious look. ¡°Let me tell you why.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 10: The Suit ¡°Have you ever watched the movie Inception?¡± Gao Yang asked, pouring himself a drink. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s one of my favorites,¡± Lin Xian replied, curious about the sudden reference. ¡°A person¡¯s dreams are controlled by their subconscious. You know what the subconscious is, right? It¡¯s that part of your mind you¡¯re not actively aware of, but it still influences your actions, feelings, and dreams.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°So, our subconscious impacts our dreams without us realizing?¡± ¡°Exactly. People can deceive their hearts, even their minds, but¡ª¡± Gao Yang paused dramatically, ¡°¡ªthey can never deceive their subconscious!¡± Gao Yang glanced at the big screen behind him, then back at Lin Xian. ¡°Does that make sense?¡± ¡°Sure, I get the concept,¡± Lin Xian affirmed. He understood Inception well, but he wondered how it related to his own dreams. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing¡ªyour subconscious has evolved!¡± Gao Yang exclaimed, finishing his beer. ¡°Tell me, what would you name this cat now, in your subconscious?¡± ¡°Rhine Cat,¡± Lin Xian responded after a thoughtful pause. ¡°Right! If your subconscious aligns with that, then the dream version must update too!¡± ¡°Is it that straightforward?¡± Lin Xian asked skeptically. ¡°Just that simple,¡± Gao Yang confirmed. Still unsure, Lin Xian queried, ¡°Can we really rely on movie logic for this?¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on Gao Yang laughed, showing his phone. ¡°It¡¯s not just movie stuff. This client of mine, a well-known psychologist from Donghai, shares insights on social media. I¡¯ve learned a lot from her posts.¡± Lin Xian glanced at the psychologist¡¯s social media page, filled with professional insights. ¡°Really, you might be overthinking it,¡± Gao Yang said nonchalantly. ¡°It¡¯s common for real-life elements to blend into dreams. It¡¯d be more concerning if it were the other way around!¡± ¡°Will do,¡± Lin Xian replied, turning to leave. ¡°Wait, Lin Xian,¡± Zhao Ying Jun called him back. ¡°You graduated from Donghai University, right?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Zhao.¡± ¡°Do you own a suit?¡± ¡°Just one for interviews.¡± ¡°Go next door to the Brioni store and pick out a new one,¡± she instructed, rifling through some papers. ¡°There¡¯s a science fundraising dinner tonight. You¡¯re accompanying me. I¡¯ll text you the details.¡± Stunned, Lin Xian found himself outside her office with the door closing sharply behind him. Why was he chosen to accompany her? Whatever the reason, it seemed to be part of his new leadership role. In his office, Lin Xian quickly delegated tasks to his team before heading to the upscale mall Zhao had mentioned. Inside the Brioni store, he was greeted by an elegant saleswoman who informed him of the brand¡¯s prestigious history. Lin Xian chose a sleek black suit, marveling at the quality compared to his interview attire. ¡°How much is this one?¡± ¡°Ninety-six thousand yuan,¡± the saleswoman replied. Lin Xian almost gasped. The price was staggering. Just then, a senior manager approached, apologizing for any confusion. ¡°Miss Zhao has arranged everything. Please, follow me to see our premium selection.¡± Relieved yet overwhelmed, Lin Xian followed, stepping further into the world of the elite. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 11: The Banquet The sales associate was promptly dismissed by the female manager, who then ushered Lin Xian towards a secluded back room of the store. This hidden space was tucked away at the end of a long corridor, marked by a door with no sign, just a sophisticated password lock. ¡°Mr. Lin, please, after you,¡± the manager gestured, unlocking the door and allowing Lin Xian to enter first. The room they entered was awash with bright lights, highlighting the European-style wooden furniture that adorned the space, exuding a vintage charm. Dominating the center were three glass cases, each showcasing a finely crafted suit. ¡°These are the crown jewels of our collection, each crafted by over eighty artisans through more than two hundred meticulous processes,¡± the manager explained with a hint of pride. ¡°Given your expertise, I¡¯ll spare you the mundane details. Which one catches your eye? I¡¯d be happy to arrange a fitting.¡± She continued, ¡°Ms. Zhao mentioned you¡¯re accompanying her to a banquet tonight. I¡¯d recommend the suit on the left for the occasion¡ªit¡¯s vibrant yet informal.¡± Lin Xian considered the leftmost suit, a deep blue-black ensemble that radiated quality far surpassing those on general display. ¡°I¡¯ll try this one,¡± he decided, trusting the manager¡¯s recommendation. Once dressed, Lin Xian examined his reflection in the mirror. The suit transformed him, making him feel like he belonged to the upper echelons of society. ¡°This will do nicely. Please pack it up,¡± he affirmed. ¡°Certainly, Mr. Lin! May I suggest a tie to complement your suit?¡± ¡°Yes, please,¡± Lin Xian agreed. Later, as Lin Xian left the store with the suit neatly boxed¡ªa precaution to prevent wrinkles and damage¡ªhe marveled at the care taken for such premium attire. ¡°It¡¯s really delicate,¡± he mused, almost as if he were carrying a treasure. ¡°Typically, he brings her to every event. Strange she¡¯s not here tonight. She¡¯s quite beautiful,¡± Zhao Ying Jun added, scanning the room. Lin Xian nodded, disinterested in local gossip. ¡°Look there,¡± Zhao Ying Jun pointed to a man standing alone, dressed casually with unkempt hair and fogged glasses. ¡°That¡¯s Professor Xu Yun from Donghai University. Ever heard of him?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian admitted. Donghai University was vast, and he barely knew the professors from his own department. ¡°Professor Xu Yun has been chasing a pipedream¡ªresearching hibernation pods. Despite years of effort, he¡¯s barely scratched the surface theoretically, let alone made any practical breakthroughs.¡± ¡°Is he the only one pursuing this research? It sounds quite futuristic,¡± Lin Xian remarked. ¡°He is,¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled. ¡°Because of his outlandish focus, he¡¯s been marginalized in the academic community. Even his students and colleagues have abandoned him.¡± ¡°Despite everything, he holds onto his deputy professorship, continuing his research in obscurity.¡± ¡°But, life has a way of surprising us,¡± Zhao Ying Jun continued, her tone shifting as she swirled her wine. ¡°Recently, while failing yet again, he stumbled upon a new chemical compound.¡± ¡°This compound, when mixed with water, creates a breathable, water-resistant film, completely safe for skin contact.¡± Zhao Ying Jun picked up a fresh glass of wine, her eyes gleaming with excitement. ¡°This might be a setback for his pod research, but Lin Xian, do you understand what this could mean for our skincare industry?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 12: Science ¡°Breathable and water-locking... isn¡¯t this just a moisturizer?¡± Lin Xian, working in MX Corporation¡¯s design department, knew a bit about cosmetics and skincare despite his primary focus being design. The chemical substance accidentally developed by Professor Xu Yun seemed underwhelming at first. In today¡¯s industrial sector, many materials and coatings already offer 100% waterproofing and breathability. Thus, this substance seemed nearly worthless industrially. However, in the skincare field, it was a different story. The three primary demands of skincare products are whitening, wrinkle removal, and moisturizing. No product on the market currently offers long-lasting moisture retention. You can¡¯t smear industrial material on your face, can you? Typically, moisturizing involves multiple steps: a layer of essence water, a layer of lotion, and a layer of moisturizing cream. This not only feels cumbersome and heavy but also uncomfortable. Professor Xu¡¯s chemical, however, addressed these issues: 1.Thin enough: A single molecular layer retains moisture and allows the skin to breathe without any noticeable residue. 2.Self-repairing: The substance isn¡¯t inherently waterproof or breathable; it forms a film only when it interacts with water molecules. This means that even if some is rubbed off during daily activities, it automatically repairs itself by bonding with water molecules in the air. 3.Absolute waterproofing and breathability, zero evaporation: While not essential for daily use, such efficiency is highly beneficial. 4.Harmless to the skin: This is especially crucial for users. Consequently, what seemed useless in scientific and industrial contexts becomes a revolutionary product in the skincare market. It was bound to be a hit. ¡°I understand,¡± Lin Xian said slowly. ¡°If we can secure the rights to this substance and use it as the flagship product for our new brand, Rhine Cat, it could redefine the skincare market. We¡¯d be unmatched in moisturizing.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded. ¡°Several global beauty giants have offered Professor Xu astronomical sums. Some have even proposed a million-dollar licensing fee.¡± Lin Xian took a deep breath. A million dollars just for licensing was indeed significant. As an industry insider, he recognized the substance¡¯s potential value. Securing exclusive rights could potentially monopolize the moisturizer market. Zhao Ying Jun dabbed at her lips with a handkerchief. ¡°See, Lin Xian? He¡¯s always like this. Today was a good day, comparatively.¡± Lin Xian had never really interacted with Zhao Ying Jun before and had always thought of her as somewhat aloof. However, he now saw her challenges firsthand. She had to maintain her poise and negotiate, despite personal feelings. The company needed to grow, and employees depended on it. At 23, navigating the business world was no easy feat, yet her colleagues only saw her power, not her struggles. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Professor Xu trade his ¡®failure¡¯ for funding?¡± Lin Xian pondered aloud. ¡°With financial backing, he could better his research conditions and potentially make significant discoveries.¡± Zhao Ying Jun sighed. ¡°It¡¯s his pride and stubbornness. After facing long-term mockery, he can¡¯t bear to commercialize his work.¡± ¡°The scientific community often shuns greed for money and power,¡± Zhao Ying Jun explained. ¡°To them, integrity and breakthroughs matter more than financial gain. To Professor Xu, this substance might represent a painful reminder, not a treasure.¡± She looked at Lin Xian thoughtfully. ¡°You¡¯re a Donghai University grad. Can you think of a way to help?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Lin Xian was taken aback. He recalled a scene from Journey to the West where a minor character is hopelessly outmatched. What could he, a junior employee, offer against industry giants? ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± he replied, understanding why Zhao Ying Jun brought him to the banquet. She hoped his alumni status might bridge a connection with Professor Xu. Maybe she had overestimated his influence, but he was determined to try. After all, he couldn¡¯t just dream up solutions¡ªhe had to make them happen. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 13: Chu Shan He The banquet began promptly. As the last note from the violins faded, conversations hushed, and all eyes turned to the grand staircase at the center of the hall. Chu Shan He made his descent with a broad smile, wine glass in hand, sweeping his gaze across the room. ¡°Welcome, everyone! Tonight, we¡¯re graced with the presence of esteemed scientists and brilliant entrepreneurs. It¡¯s truly an honor for my humble home! Hahaha...¡± The hall burst into applause. Lin Xian, who had only seen Chu Shan He from behind earlier, now observed his full demeanor. Sharp eyes set above a square, distinctly chiseled face gave him a striking appearance. His youthful looks had aged into a dignified charm. Despite being over fifty, Chu Shan He radiated a vigorous energy. His warm smile was backed by a quiet authority that commanded respect effortlessly. As the applause waned, he advanced to the hall¡¯s center, his voice resonant and commanding. ¡°For years, I¡¯ve held that science and technology are the pillars of productivity! Our lifestyle and national prosperity owe much to scientific progress and the relentless dedication of researchers!¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on He continued, ¡°The advancements in every industry are underpinned by science. The unsung heroes, those laboring behind the scenes, deserve our utmost respect and recognition!¡± ¡°I consider myself merely a fortunate man, having made my mark in Donghai. My contributions pale in comparison to those of our esteemed researchers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why tonight¡¯s gathering is not just a banquet but a fundraiser for science! I hope the young entrepreneurs among us will join in supporting scientific advancements. Let¡¯s bolster our nation¡¯s scientific pursuits!¡± ¡°Enough talk¡ª¡± With a flourish, Chu Shan He set down his glass and raised an index finger. ¡°The Shan He Group will donate 100 million to the Donghai City Science Development Fund!¡± The announcement left the room in stunned silence, followed by a surge of applause and cheers. President Chu¡¯s generosity was beyond expectation. As the traditional dance portion began, the center of the hall cleared for dancing, while high-end snacks were served at tables around the edges. The orchestra resumed, their music filling the elegant space. Chu Shan He had slipped away, and Professor Xu Yun had left at the dance¡¯s commencement. Most guests took to dancing. A few lingered at the tables, enjoying refreshments and conversation. Zhao Ying Jun sat at a dining table, elegantly nibbling snacks and sipping wine. Lin Xian stood behind her, noting how many guests seemed keen to invite her to dance. Realizing his presence, they smiled and turned away. ¡°Should I move further away?¡± Lin Xian whispered. Zhao Ying Jun dabbed her lips with a napkin, her eyes still closed. ¡°If you move away, what was the point of bringing you here? Sit, eat something.¡± The rest of the evening passed quietly. Zhao Ying Jun remained contemplative, likely strategizing on how to win over Professor Xu Yun. Her significant donation seemed aimed at currying favor. Lin Xian felt it was a futile effort; Professor Xu Yun was notoriously stubborn. Perhaps if Chu Shan He intervened... But given his stature, he was unlikely to plead on Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s behalf. They simply weren¡¯t on the same level. Lin Xian ceased his musings. In the realm of these giants, he felt like a minor, inconsequential figure, unable to influence or impress. In his dreams, he was a powerhouse in the city. But here in Donghai, he was just another face in the crowd... This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 14: Breaking the Deadlock The evening banquet wrapped up around 9 PM. Lin Xian returned to his apartment, discarded his formal attire, and refreshed himself. Seated quietly at his desk in his bedroom, he was lost in thought. The day¡¯s events had left a deep impression on him. Despite residing in the same city of Donghai, the disparity in lifestyles was stark. Billions were tossed around as mere pocket change in discussions. Their lives seemed like scenes from a fairy tale, each person playing the role of royalty. It was all very real, yet felt more fantastical than any dream. A realization struck Lin Xian. The true outsider in that opulent Golden Hall wasn¡¯t Professor Xu Yun¡ªit was himself. Professor Xu belonged there with his remarkable talents and accolades. On the other hand, Lin Xian fit into that world only by virtue of the expensive suit he wore¡ªa gift from Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°I¡¯m way out of my league,¡± he whispered to himself. He remembered Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s question: ¡°Which man wouldn¡¯t want to be Chu Shan He?¡± Indeed, who wouldn¡¯t envy Chu Shan He? The man spent lavishly yet commanded immense respect and wielded influence that could shake the globe. Every man dreams of leveraging wealth to perform grand acts for their nation and people, aspiring to become heroes celebrated by all. Yet, many falter at the initial hurdle of lacking wealth. Clutching his head, Lin Xian¡¯s eyes wandered to two white papers on his desk, remnants of a recent analysis involving the mysterious Big Cat Face and CC from his dreams. One paper was labeled [Story Flow], outlining the conflicts and disputes between the two. The other, [Unsolved Mysteries], posed three puzzling questions: 1.What exactly is hidden in the safe? 2.What is the combination to the safe? 3.Why did CC save me? Her demeanor towards me is oddly subtle and peculiar. The first question was an enigma. Even in his own dream, Lin Xian was clueless about what could be so crucial to lock away in a bank vault. Yet, CC¡¯s actions indicated its immense importance to her. 2.Form an alliance with Big Cat Face to set a trap for CC at the bank¡¯s warehouse. 3.When CC shows up, use tactical advantage to overpower her and extract the information. ¡°I can¡¯t do this solo, but with Big Cat Face on my side, we could manage a two-on-one confrontation,¡± he thought, spinning the pen between his fingers. His objective wasn¡¯t to harm CC but to compel the truth from her. Once he had his answers, they could part ways amicably. Glancing at the clock, it read 9:45 PM. He usually met Big Cat Face around 10 PM, so there was still time if he managed to drift into sleep swiftly. He turned off his bedside lamp and lay down, eyes closing in anticipation. ... A familiar hot summer breeze brushed against Lin Xian¡¯s face, carrying the dry scent of the season. He opened his eyes to a familiar scene, lit by the glow of an electronic display reading 9:54 PM. ¡°I need to get the Ultraman mask quickly,¡± he thought, watching two boys playing nearby, shouting ¡°Ultraman kick!¡± and ¡°Ultraman elbow!¡± as they sparred. These kids were old acquaintances from Lin Xian¡¯s childhood. Back when he was smaller, he¡¯d often join them in their superhero games, always ending up as the underdog. Now, towering over them, he felt like their elder brother, although the boys remained engrossed in their timeless game. ¡°Ultraman kick!¡± ¡°Ultraman elbow!¡± The boys continued their play, leaving their masks momentarily unguarded on the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Lin Xian stepped forward and picked up the Ultraman mask. ¡°Key item, get!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 15: Murder Lin Xian adjusted his rubber band and donned his mask. From that moment, he became the code expert, a persona necessary to intercept Big Cat Face before the real expert, CC, could intervene. He spied the spot where Big Cat Face had parked and saw a stout figure in the recognizable Rhine Cat mask scanning the surroundings. ¡°Big Cat Face!¡± Lin Xian called out as he approached. Big Cat Face spun around, startled. ¡°How do you know who I am? I didn¡¯t tell...¡± ¡°Listen,¡± Lin Xian cut in, closing the distance. ¡°I know your name, and I also know you plan to betray everyone, keeping all the money for yourself.¡± ¡°I would never do such a thing!¡± Big Cat Face retorted. ¡°But you¡¯ve been deceived by the code expert. There¡¯s nothing in that bank vault; you¡¯re being manipulated.¡± ¡°And who exactly are you?¡± Big Cat Face reached for his waist, panic evident. Lin Xian was quicker, his hand pressing down on the gun at Big Cat Face¡¯s side. ¡°If you¡¯re seeking justice for your daughter, you need to trust me. I know where the real money is in this city.¡± ¡°You know about my daughter?¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s voice wavered, caught off guard. Lin Xian swiftly confiscated the gun and tucked it into his own pocket. ¡°Get in the car.¡± As they sped along the highway, Big Cat Face frequently glanced at Lin Xian through the rearview mirror, the tension palpable. ¡°Um... brother,¡± Big Cat Face began uneasily, ¡°what¡¯s really going on? Are you the code expert or not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Lin Xian confessed after a pause. ¡°Then what the hell¡ª¡± Big Cat Face started, anger flaring up. ¡°I can help you get the money, the money you need for your daughter¡¯s sake.¡± They pulled up near the bank, with one of Big Cat Face¡¯s men tampering with the lock. ¡°There he is, working on the lock. Let¡¯s move,¡± Big Cat Face urged. ¡°Hold on,¡± Lin Xian restrained him, a question lingering. ¡°About your daughter. I heard she was murdered at six. Why? Who would kill a child?¡± Big Cat Face looked away, troubled. He lit a cigarette, the mask still covering his face. ¡°It¡¯s a tough memory,¡± Lin Xian continued gently. ¡°But maybe I can help more than you think. Not just with the money.¡± The van filled with smoke, creating a somber atmosphere. ¡°It¡¯s hard to talk about,¡± Big Cat Face finally said, his voice hoarse. ¡°But we¡¯re out of time now.¡± ¡°Tell me,¡± Lin Xian insisted. ¡°I¡¯ve cracked this bank before. We¡¯ll make up for any lost time. Trust me.¡± ¡°It was years ago,¡± Big Cat Face began, his tone filled with grief. ¡°Despite my appearance, my father was a celebrated mathematician, a Fields Medal winner.¡± ¡°I was often away for work. My daughter stayed with him. One night, she developed a sudden fever. In a rush to the hospital, they were hit by a truck. It was no accident but a deliberate murder!¡± ¡°My father was the target, and my daughter was collateral damage. Why would anyone want him dead? He was just a scholar.¡± Lin Xian placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. ¡°Who was behind it? You mentioned an organization.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an elusive group,¡± Big Cat Face exhaled another puff of smoke. ¡°After all this time, I only know their name.¡± ¡°And that name?¡± Lin Xian prompted. Big Cat Face crushed the cigarette underfoot, bitterness lacing his words. ¡°Genius Club.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 16: Speed Run ¡°Genius Club?¡± Lin Xian raised an eyebrow, puzzled by the name. It sounded more like a pretentious academic group than a criminal syndicate. ¡°What exactly is this organization? What do they do?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Big Cat Face responded, shaking his head. ¡°How many members does it have? Are they all high-IQ geniuses?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Big Cat Face repeated, his head shaking more vigorously. ¡°I really don¡¯t know anything about them. I couldn¡¯t find out anything!¡± He looked serious. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for a random tip-off, it¡¯s like they don¡¯t exist at all! I can¡¯t figure out how they¡¯ve managed to stay so hidden.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been investigating for years! But now, I have no idea who they are, where they are, or what they¡¯re planning. The only thing I¡¯ve heard is¡ª¡± He turned to Lin Xian, his eyes solemn. ¡°The rumor is that only the richest, the most brilliant geniuses, and the most influential people get an invitation to join the Genius Club.¡± ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Lin Xian nodded, grasping the severity of the situation. ¡°So you robbed the bank to get the funds, but your ultimate goal is to secure an invitation from the Genius Club to infiltrate their headquarters and seek revenge for your daughter.¡± ¡°But honestly, Big Cat, if the entrance criteria are as strict as you say, just robbing a bank might not be enough.¡± Big Cat Face sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a gamble. That rumor isn¡¯t even confirmed; it¡¯s all hearsay. But what other choice do I have?¡± ¡°I know robbing a bank alone won¡¯t cut it, but with that money, I might be able to orchestrate something bigger. It¡¯s a sliver of hope for revenge.¡± He checked his watch. 00:07. His expression darkened. ¡°Are you sure we still have time?¡± ¡°I trust you, but I want to check the warehouse to make sure there¡¯s really no money there.¡± Lin Xian pulled out his gun, checked the magazine, and reloaded. ¡°Relax, Big Cat. I promised to make up for lost time.¡± ¡°Can you run? Follow me!¡± They jumped out of the car, Lin Xian leading with Big Cat Face close behind. Lin Xian loaded his gun and aimed at the guard by the door¡ªBang! ¡°Ahhh!¡± screamed Big Cat Face. ¡°Can¡¯t leave dishonest guys alive,¡± Lin Xian muttered, heading towards the bank. Soon, they reached the warehouse. Lin Xian took some C4 from behind Big Cat Face and placed it on the code-locked door. ¡°Run!¡± They sprinted away as explosions rocked the door¡ªBoom! Boom! When the dust settled, Lin Xian checked his watch. 00:09. ¡°I did okay, right, Big Cat? I think that was the fastest route.¡± ¡°Excellent! Let¡¯s never do this again!¡± Jumping into the warehouse, Big Cat Face cursed loudly. ¡°That code expert lied to me! Not a penny here! What now?¡± Lin Xian motioned towards the passage. ¡°First, we move your henchman¡¯s body from there. He¡¯s about your size.¡± They dressed the corpse in Big Cat Face¡¯s clothes and placed the Rhine Cat mask on it. ¡°All set,¡± Lin Xian clapped his hands, pleased with their disguise. ¡°You¡¯re a genius, bro!¡± Big Cat Face, now unmasked, had a red mark on his face from the mask. ¡°What¡¯s my next task, bro?¡± Lin Xian handed him a handgun. ¡°Take this, hide behind the safe, and wait for my signal.¡± Everything was ready, just waiting for the target to appear. Lin Xian paced, checking his watch. At 00:20 in his previous dreams, CC had shown up. At 00:21, he shouted into the darkness. ¡°Come out! I know you¡¯re there!¡± Seconds later, a slim figure in an Ultraman mask appeared, tilting her head as she looked at Lin Xian. ¡°And who are you?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 17: The Gambler ¡°I¡¯m your friend.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t recall having a friend like you,¡± CC replied coldly. Thud! Lin Xian kicked the corpse on the ground. Blood trickled from the Rhine Cat mask, pooling beneath it. He stepped aside, giving CC a clearer view. ¡°The enemy of my enemy is my friend.¡± CC remained silent, her gaze fixed on the Rhine Cat mask adorning the corpse, taking in every detail. ¡°You lured Big Cat Face here with tales of hidden money and gold bricks in the warehouse,¡± Lin Xian circled around to the other side of the body, facing CC. ¡°Once the truth was revealed, a showdown was inevitable. It was uncertain who would survive.¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve eliminated this threat for you, doesn¡¯t that make me your friend?¡± CC clutched her gun, her stance tense. ¡°Why should I trust you?¡± Lin Xian gave a slight smile, slowly lifted his gun, then flipped it, presenting the handle toward her. He tossed it across the warehouse floor. ¡°Does this demonstrate my sincerity? Now, I want to see yours.¡± ¡°We share a common goal¡ªto crack open Lin Xian¡¯s safe. You can take whatever you find inside; I just want the information.¡± ¡°You need to decide quickly. The power will be back soon, and once the alarm sounds, our window closes.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, CC mimicked Lin Xian, throwing her gun away as well. It arced gracefully¡ªThud. Her gun struck the safe with a dull clang and rolled to a stop. Click! A gun barrel pressed against the back of CC¡¯s head. Big Cat Face slowly emerged from his hiding place behind a cabinet. ¡°Liar.¡± CC stared at Lin Xian through her mask, her eyes filled with deep disappointment. ¡°What... what did you say?¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s eyes widened in panic. ¡°Something crucial for me?¡± CC¡¯s smile was cryptic as she watched him. ¡°Consider this¡ªif the safe had nothing of value to you, why would I involve you? I want to open it for both our benefits.¡± In an instant, realization dawned on Big Cat Face. ¡°An invitation!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Are you saying it contains an invite to the Genius Club?¡± CC remained silent, her smile enigmatic. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her!¡± Lin Xian intervened, seeing Big Cat Face¡¯s confusion escalate. ¡°She¡¯s bluffing. She doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s in the safe any more than any of us!¡± ¡°Do you dare to bet?¡± CC challenged Big Cat Face directly, her eyes piercing. ¡°This could be your only chance.¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s face flushed with a mix of doubt and anticipation. He glanced between CC and Lin Xian, then back at the safe, unable to decide whom to trust. Bang!!! A deafening gunshot echoed through the warehouse. Big Cat Face¡¯s head burst open, his body collapsing like a felled tree! Lin Xian staggered back in shock... CC¡¯s hair flowed loosely around her shoulders, the red ribbon that had bound it fluttering slowly to the ground. In her hand was a gun, previously concealed within her hair. Thud. Big Cat Face¡¯s body hit the ground heavily. ¡°Take a guess... will I kill you?¡± CC advanced toward Lin Xian, gun aimed and ready. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 18: The Genius Club Click. Lin Xian felt the searing heat of a gun barrel pressed against his forehead and sighed in resignation. Big Cat Face was proving to be a monumental fool. The situation had quickly spiraled out of control. Cornered, CC had bluffed in a desperate attempt to extract information from Big Cat Face. To everyone¡¯s surprise, he had taken the bait. CC didn¡¯t actually know what was inside the safe or Big Cat Face¡¯s true intentions. Yet, in a moment of pressure, he blurted out, ¡°An invitation! Is the safe holding an invitation to the Genius Club?¡± His slip-up was glaring, exposing his involvement. Considering his father was a Fields Medal laureate, his lack of sharpness was shocking. Following his inadvertent revelation, Big Cat Face seemed to freeze up. Meanwhile, CC, while appearing to surrender with her hands behind her head, was stealthily reaching for the gun concealed in her hair bun, prepared to end the standoff. ¡°Go ahead, shoot,¡± Lin Xian urged, weary. His plan had crumbled; any further delay seemed futile. ¡°You¡¯re the most reckless person I¡¯ve ever met,¡± CC declared from behind her Ultraman mask. ¡°First, you impersonated me, got into his car, and now this mess. Aren¡¯t you afraid of dying?¡± ¡°Enough talk. Just do it,¡± Lin Xian said, closing his eyes, resigned to his fate, but then added, ¡°But I still want an answer to my question. Since you¡¯re about to kill me, can¡¯t you let me die knowing?¡± ¡°What do you want to know?¡± CC inquired, still aiming her gun at him. ¡°I need to understand if there¡¯s any connection between us,¡± Lin Xian said, opening his eyes to look into hers. ¡°It¡¯s obvious we¡¯ve met before, right? There must be a reason you haven¡¯t killed me yet. If you kill me now, I won¡¯t complain. So, can you tell me honestly¡ª¡± his gaze fixed intensely on CC, ¡°Have we met before?¡± CC lifted her gun slightly, eyeing him seriously. ¡°No.¡± Bang!!! The gunshot echoed loudly. The sharp scent of gunpowder filled the air, and a ringing noise engulfed Lin Xian¡¯s ears. Pain surged through his ear¡ªbut just his ear? Lin Xian¡¯s eyes flew open... He wasn¡¯t in his familiar bedroom; he was still in the warehouse surrounded by safes. The gun had shifted at the last moment, the bullet grazing his ear and embedding in the wall behind him. Blood trickled from his ruptured eardrum. ¡°You still won¡¯t kill me?¡± Lin Xian was baffled. After all his provocations, she had killed Big Cat Face without hesitation. Why spare him? ¡°Time to sleep, got work tomorrow.¡± Lin Xian turned over for a dreamless night. ... The next day. At the reception, Lin Xian met a colleague from the production department. ¡°Lin, your sample of the Rhine Cat plush toy is ready. Here¡¯s the first one.¡± The colleague handed him a meticulously crafted toy, its fluffy tail particularly charming. ¡°It¡¯s excellent,¡± Lin Xian praised, promising to collect more for his office later. ¡°Hey, Lin! Heading to Zhao¡¯s office?¡± the receptionist called out. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°A lady left an invitation for Zhao this morning. Could you take it?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Lin Xian accepted the dark red card, sealed with red wax, its intricate seal impressive. ¡°Is Zhao invited to a wedding?¡± he wondered. Turning the invitation over, a chill ran through him as he remembered Gao Yang¡¯s words: ¡°What¡¯s so strange about seeing things from reality in your dreams?¡± ¡°Wait until something from your dreams appears in reality. That¡¯s when it really gets interesting!¡± With a sense of foreboding, Lin Xian read the embossed golden words on the back of the card¡ªGenius Club Invitation. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 19: The Invitation Genius Club... The moment Lin Xian read those words, everything around him seemed to fade away. The bustling hall around him vanished, replaced by an endless ringing in his ears. His breathing grew heavy, as if he were a dolphin diving deeper into the icy depths of the sea, burdened by weights. Tap, tap, tap, tap.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on ¡°What¡¯s up? Why are you just standing there?¡± Snapped back to reality by a familiar voice, Lin Xian turned to find Zhao Ying Jun standing behind him. She was clad in a sleek black coat, her diamond earrings glinting under the light. ¡°Rhine Cat? Is it finished?¡± Zhao Ying Jun took the Rhine Cat plush from Lin Xian¡¯s hands, inspecting it closely. ¡°Not bad. It¡¯s even cuter than I imagined. The craftsmanship is impressive. We might consider a long-term partnership with this factory.¡± She playfully flicked the little tail attached to the plush. Noticing Lin Xian¡¯s distracted demeanor, Zhao Ying Jun pointed to the dark red card he held. ¡°Is this for me too?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, yes...¡± Lin Xian, momentarily disoriented, handed her the card reflexively. She examined it thoroughly before heading towards the elevator, Rhine Cat plush in tow. ¡°President Zhao looks stunning today!¡± ¡°Yeah, and she never wears the same outfit twice! Always so stylish!¡± ¡°Her elegance is natural, something we can only dream of.¡± ¡°And above all, she¡¯s incredibly talented and capable! She¡¯s just perfect!¡± After Zhao Ying Jun disappeared into the elevator, the receptionists at the desk whispered among themselves, their tones a mix of admiration and envy. Lin Xian stared at his empty hands, the texture of the dark red card still lingering in his memory. ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Xian turned to leave, but he had another motive for this meeting. The design drafts were just a pretext; he needed to understand the true purpose of the ¡°Genius Club¡± card. Was it an invitation, an advertisement, or a mere prank? ¡°Oh, President Zhao, one more thing,¡± Lin Xian said, feigning a sudden recall. ¡°This morning, you left in a hurry, and I forgot to mention...¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked up from her writing. ¡°That red card you took with the Rhine Cat plush,¡± Lin Xian explained, ¡°wasn¡¯t mailed; a woman delivered it in person.¡± ¡°Oh, that.¡± Zhao Ying Jun resumed her writing without much concern. ¡°Is it... an invitation?¡± Lin Xian asked tentatively. ¡°It¡¯s an invitation,¡± she replied nonchalantly, then continued signing documents. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°No, nothing.¡± With a bang, the heavy security door closed behind him. Outside, Lin Xian¡¯s heart raced with excitement. It was indeed an invitation! Just as he had dreamt the previous night, it had come to pass. What could this mean for him? This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 20: Contradictions Lin Xian¡¯s mind was in turmoil. He was absolutely certain he had never encountered the ¡°Genius Club¡± before¡ªnot in real life, and certainly never received an invitation from such an organization. The name had first been whispered to him in last night¡¯s dream by Big Cat Face. He had dismissed it as a figment of his overactive imagination¡ªa bizarre concoction cooked up in his dream. But now, hearing about it in the waking world unsettled him deeply, making him feel like a character in a prewritten play, his strings pulled by unseen hands. ¡°No, I have to uncover the truth,¡± he resolved. Back at his office, Lin Xian shut the door and began piecing together his thoughts. The journey into this mystery had started with last night¡¯s dream where he first met Big Cat Face, who painted the Genius Club as a secretive society, buried in the annals of history without leaving a trace. With a deep breath, Lin Xian recalled more details shared by Big Cat Face: The Genius Club was responsible for the death of Big Cat Face¡¯s father and daughter. Their primary target had been his father, a distinguished mathematician and a recipient of the Fields Medal. The club remained shrouded in secrecy. Despite years of dogged investigation, Big Cat Face had unearthed little about its hierarchy, members, goals, or whereabouts. Rumors suggested that only the wealthiest billionaires, the brightest geniuses, and the most powerful figures were granted invitations to this elusive club. All the information Lin Xian had was secondhand from Big Cat Face, its reliability uncertain. From what he gathered, the Genius Club seemed to be an elite, mysterious, and powerful group. Whether they were outright criminals was up for debate, but given their involvement in premeditated murder, they were hardly angels. Delving deeper, Lin Xian pondered if the Genius Club targeted intellectual giants, given Big Cat Face¡¯s father was a Fields Medalist. The hypothesis was a stretch but not implausible. Everyone knew the Nobel Prize was the pinnacle of scientific accolade, except in mathematics, which celebrated the Fields Medal as its highest honor¡ªoften dubbed the Nobel of math. Frowning, Lin Xian felt increasingly perplexed. If Big Cat Face was correct, only the cre?me de la cre?me¡ªbillionaires, geniuses, and power brokers¡ªreceived invites to the Genius Club. How then did Zhao Ying Jun qualify? Though a promising young entrepreneur, she didn¡¯t fit the bill of a top billionaire, an unparalleled genius, or a significant power wielder. Even in Donghai City, figures like Chu Shan He didn¡¯t meet such lofty criteria, let alone Zhao Ying Jun. Yet, she had an invitation, which she flaunted right under Lin Xian¡¯s nose. The contradiction was glaring! ¡°Gao Yang, we need to talk,¡± Lin Xian said with urgency. ¡°What¡¯s up now, bro? Is it about that bizarre dream again?¡± Gao Yang¡¯s voice was drowned in background noise akin to a bustling marketplace. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before¡ªdreams are just dreams! They¡¯re figments of your subconscious! Unless they start leaping into reality, they don¡¯t matter!¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s happening!¡± Lin Xian sighed, feeling the irony. The commotion on Gao Yang¡¯s end came from customers negotiating at a car dealership where he likely was making sales. ¡°Look, I¡¯m swamped right now; I¡¯ll swing by tonight, and we¡¯ll sort this out,¡± Gao Yang quickly wrapped up and hung up. Throughout the day, Lin Xian sat at his desk, spinning a pen in his fingers. His curiosity about the Genius Club was piqued¡ªnot just as a figment from his dream, but now as a tangible mystery. Was there any link between Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s real-life invitation and the Genius Club from his dreams? Were they one and the same? To verify this, he needed to inspect the invitation Zhao had received. The truth would then unveil itself. Unfortunately, another chance to see that invitation seemed unlikely. That morning, Lin Xian had watched Zhao Ying Jun secure the invite in her office drawer, guarded by two password-protected locks. He wasn¡¯t a real-life hacking expert; sneaking in was out of the question. In his dreams, he might have used C4 to breach the office, but real-world consequences were far more severe. ¡°What other way can I see that invitation?¡± Lin Xian pondered, still clueless. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 21: The Lottery 9:00 PM After a long day of overtime, Gao Yang arrived at Lin Xian¡¯s apartment and collapsed onto the sofa with a heavy sigh. ¡°Okay, Lin Xian, let¡¯s hear it. What¡¯s the scoop?¡± Lin Xian, seated across from him, began from the top. He explained how he had persuaded Big Cat Face to join his cause during a dream sequence, uncovered the heart-wrenching truth about his daughter¡¯s death, and discovered the existence of the sinister Genius Club responsible for her murder. He detailed Big Cat Face¡¯s bank heist strategy to secure an invitation to this elusive club, climaxing with Lin Xian spotting an invitation himself at his workplace. ¡°Mhm, mhm,¡± Gao Yang nodded, sipping his water, his face a mask of pensiveness and tension. ¡°I get it,¡± he said. ¡°You get it?¡± Lin Xian repeated, raising an eyebrow. Bang. Gao Yang slammed his glass down, fixing Lin Xian with a serious gaze. ¡°It¡¯s fundamentally about the subconscious!¡± ¡°The subconscious, really?¡± Lin Xian scoffed. ¡°When in doubt, blame quantum mechanics? Can¡¯t explain something, blame parallel universes? I¡¯ve been talking for an hour, and you boil it down to ¡®the subconscious¡¯?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same!¡± Gao Yang cut in, eager to explain. ¡°Remember that time at the bar? I was in a rush because of the World Cup and didn¡¯t clarify. The subconscious is more complex than you think!¡± ¡°Simplify it for me.¡± ¡°Think about it¡ªsometimes you see or hear something, then it slips your mind. But is it really forgotten? No, it lingers in your subconscious. That¡¯s why you have feelings of de?ja? vu.¡± Lin Xian stood, dismissing the notion with a wave of his hand. ¡°That¡¯s too far-fetched. Save it for a novel. I¡¯m done with this conversation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not pseudo-science!¡± Gao Yang insisted, pulling Lin Xian back to the sofa. ¡°Let me give you an example.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Ever had a song feel familiar, but you can¡¯t remember where you heard it?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s happened.¡± ¡°Or seen a stranger who seems familiar, or a place that feels oddly recognizable?¡± ¡°Sometimes, yes.¡± ¡°During your daily commute, you see countless faces. Over the years, you¡¯ve had numerous classmates. Can you remember every face or the passengers from this morning¡¯s subway ride?¡± ¡°Of course not, who could?¡± Smack! Gao Yang slapped his thigh, pointing at Lin Xian emphatically. ¡°That¡¯s it! Human memory is unreliable, especially with distant memories. But the subconscious holds onto much more, like faces, music, places. That¡¯s why things sometimes feel familiar.¡± Lin Xian headed to the bathroom to freshen up. ¡°Keep it down out here. Don¡¯t interrupt my sleep.¡± ¡°Make sure you get it right!¡± Gao Yang called after him. ¡°And try to dream the exact score too¡ªwe could win big!¡± ¡°...If I can find it in the dream. Don¡¯t hold your breath.¡± ¡°You can look it up online in your dream! It takes a second.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried that. You think I¡¯ve been idle for twenty years?¡± Lin Xian rinsed and spat out the toothpaste foam. ¡°I experimented with the lottery in middle school, trying to dream up winning numbers.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Nothing! I found nothing useful¡ªno lottery, current news, or stock info... The internet in dreams is useless.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Gao Yang grabbed a snack and turned on the TV, lowering the volume. ¡°Logically, online information should be archived forever. There should be traces. But since your dream is fictional, it figures.¡± Lin Xian dried his face. ¡°My dream isn¡¯t that simple. There¡¯s too much I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Facts will prove everything! Go dream!¡± Completing his routine, Lin Xian retired to his bedroom. He turned off the light, cocooning himself in his blanket. ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± A familiar summer breeze whispered through the room as Lin Xian closed his eyes. He awoke in the familiar plaza, surrounded by the usual bustle and the chirping of cicadas. Lin Xian glanced around. The electronic billboard displayed the date: August 28, 2624 21:54 Lin Xian scratched his head, wondering. ¡°Where can I find the results of the 2022 Qatar World Cup?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 22: The Truth and the Illusion Lin Xian scanned the park and noticed a middle-aged man kicking a soccer ball around with his kid. Dressed in cleats and a team jersey, the man was clearly a huge soccer fan. Lin Xian thought he might be able to help with his question. ¡°Hey,¡± Lin Xian called out as he approached. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but could you help me with something about soccer? I¡¯m especially curious about the World Cup.¡± The man chuckled and pointed at his jersey. ¡°You¡¯ve asked the right guy! I¡¯ve been a soccer fan all my life. Haven¡¯t missed a single World Cup game as long as I can remember!¡± ¡°Ask away, little brother. Players, games, or even the juicy gossip¡ªI¡¯m your man!¡± Perfect. This guy seemed both knowledgeable and eager. ¡°Thanks! Could you tell me who won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar? Was it Argentina?¡±ALL new chapters on The man¡¯s smile vanished, replaced by a sharp glare. ¡°What are you playing at? How would I know something from hundreds of years ago? You can¡¯t even find that info online!¡± ¡°Please, calm down,¡± Lin Xian reassured him politely. ¡°I¡¯m working on a school project and I just need some historical background. Any idea where I could find those records?¡± The man shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a tough one. You might try the library.¡± With that, the man walked off with his child. The library... Lin Xian looked up at the bright moon. Too late for that¡ªit was already closed. Maybe a bookstore would still be open. Since his dream was set in the year 2624, finding results from a soccer match 600 years ago meant digging through history books. ¡°Bookstore...¡± Lin Xian muttered, trying to remember. He knew the city well, having explored most of it over the last two decades, but most bookstores would be closed by now. He needed one that was open 24/7. Then he remembered one on Sky Street. ¡°It¡¯s open late,¡± he recalled. Decided, he hurried to the bus stop. Bang! ¡°Ouch!¡± Lin Xian bumped into a burly man wearing a mask with a giant cat face on it, who growled, ¡°Watch it!¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Lin Xian responded casually. Recognizing the man, Lin Xian smiled and patted his shoulder. ¡°You should watch your back too. Don¡¯t want to be caught off guard again.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact score. I only know the finals were between Argentina and France, and Argentina won the cup.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Gao Yang stood, grabbed his jacket from the couch. ¡°I¡¯m off to buy more lottery tickets.¡± ¡°You already bet on Argentina?¡± ¡°Just a hundred! If you dreamt Argentina won, I should up my bet.¡± ¡°But it was just supposed to be a fun bet!¡± ¡°Go big or go home!¡± Gao Yang zipped up his jacket and headed out the door. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s late. Aren¡¯t the lottery shops closed?¡± ¡°Some of them pre-print tickets to sell during the game. I¡¯ll find one of those.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go overboard. It¡¯s not guaranteed.¡± ¡°I know, I know!¡± Bang! The door slammed behind him. Soon, Gao Yang returned, out of breath, clutching a stack of tickets. ¡°Five thousand yuan! That¡¯s my whole month¡¯s pay. If I win, it¡¯s champagne and car models at night; if I lose, I¡¯m on dock duty!¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°From a fun bet to all-in¡ªthat escalated quickly.¡± Gao Yang flopped down and turned the TV back on. ¡°Come on, big win! Messi, don¡¯t let me down!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 23: Getting Rich The match between Argentina and Croatia began with Argentina showing dominance, securing a 3-0 victory and advancing to the finals. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!¡± Messi fell to his knees on the field in joy. ¡°!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhh¡± Gao Yang echoed the excitement, rolling across the living room floor in ecstasy. ¡°We won! Holy crap! Lin Xian, we¡¯re rich!!¡± Gao Yang jumped up and grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s hand enthusiastically. ¡°Comrade Lin Xian! Our bright future is in your hands now!¡± Lin Xian pulled his hand back. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who just said my dreams were nonsense, not actual glimpses into the future?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Gao Yang scratched his head, glancing at the heap of lottery tickets on the coffee table. ¡°I guess I need more evidence before making any conclusions. So, what about tomorrow¡¯s semi-final between France and Morocco? Who¡¯s winning?¡± Lin Xian thought back to his dream. ¡°Argentina will clinch the championship by defeating France in a penalty shootout. That means France is winning tomorrow. Are you really planning to bet again? Maybe you should quit while you¡¯re ahead.¡± Gao Yang flashed a mischievous grin as he gathered the lottery tickets. ¡°No worries, I¡¯ve got this figured out. I¡¯ll be here tomorrow for the match!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t... I need some sleep.¡± ¡°Oh, come on, you¡¯ll be awake at 00:42 anyway. Stay up and we can verify your dream!¡± The following night, Gao Yang showed up as promised, flaunting a thick stack of lottery tickets. ¡°Look at this! The tickets from yesterday netted over ten thousand! I put in another thirty thousand today betting on France! Lin Xian, if France wins, we could be looking at seventy to eighty thousand!¡±FOlloow newest stories at ¡°And if they lose?¡± ¡°Quiet! Don¡¯t jinx it!¡± Lin Xian tapped gently on the door, which swung open to reveal a room crowded with high-end gifts and floral arrangements, each bearing cards from major global cosmetic brands. It appeared Zhao Ying Jun was right; despite considering his discovery a failure, the wider industry valued it highly. By the window, a multi-functional hospital bed held a frail girl, her limbs thin and muscleless, resembling a delicate porcelain doll. Lin Xian stood silently at the doorway, absorbing the sight. Even with regular stretching, the girl¡¯s muscles would have atrophied beyond functional recovery. As Lin Xian watched, Professor Xu Yun completed a series of rehabilitation exercises with his daughter before turning to face him. ¡°Take the gifts away; this room is overflowing as it is.¡± Lin Xian placed his gifts by the door, addressing the professor softly, ¡°Please look after yourself as well. These supplements are for you.¡± Professor Xu adjusted his glasses and scrutinized Lin Xian. ¡°Are you a student at Donghai University?¡± Lin Xian nodded, curious about the professor¡¯s intuition. ¡°Yes, I graduated from there.¡± ¡°Did you host the anniversary and freshman welcome events?¡± Again, Lin Xian nodded, impressed by the professor¡¯s memory. ¡°Yes, that was me for three years.¡± Professor Xu¡¯s expression softened. ¡°I thought you looked familiar. I recall seeing you at Mr. Chu¡¯s banquet.¡± Perhaps due to a natural affinity for his students, Professor Xu¡¯s demeanor was unexpectedly warm today. He gestured for Lin Xian to come closer to the bed¡ªa surprising invitation, as Lin Xian had braced for a quick dismissal. Approaching the bedside, Lin Xian gazed at the pale girl lying there. ¡°Young man...¡± Professor Xu addressed him solemnly, ¡°Do you know why I refuse to sell that so-called failed product?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 24: For My Daughter Lin Xian shook his head, uncertainty clouding his expression. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Professor Xu. At the banquet, you mentioned that your principles prevent you from endorsing a flawed product. But I feel there¡¯s more to it than just that.¡± Professor Xu fell silent, removing his glasses and cleaning them with his shirt. ¡°When my daughter was four, she had a terrible accident on a slide and became a high-level paraplegic, essentially leaving her in a vegetative state. Experts worldwide told us there was no hope for her recovery.¡± He paused, locking eyes with Lin Xian. ¡°That¡¯s why I started researching the hibernation chamber. It sounded far-fetched, even absurd, but someone had to try.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t continue with the hibernation chamber, it might take decades, even centuries, before someone else picks it up. But my daughter doesn¡¯t have that time. She¡¯s been bedridden for ten years. How much longer can she wait?¡± A bitter chuckle escaped his lips. ¡°Before I developed that unsuccessful prototype, no one was interested in hibernation research or even visited my daughter at the hospital.¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on ¡°Now, they visit every day. Cosmetic companies are pouring money into my research. But do they really care about the science? No... they¡¯re just after the profits from the chemicals.¡± ¡°Professor Xu, maybe that isn¡¯t entirely bad,¡± Lin Xian interjected, finding an unexpected connection with Xu Yun. ¡°Selling that chemical could provide the funding you need for more research, better equipment, and advanced labs. Wouldn¡¯t that ultimately benefit your work?¡± Xu Yun shook his head resolutely. ¡°You underestimate the complexity.¡± ¡°I know my limits. A groundbreaking project like the hibernation chamber, capable of revolutionizing the world, can¡¯t be achieved by one person, one lab, or even one country alone.¡± ¡°I never expected to succeed with the hibernation chamber by myself. That would be delusional. My aim is to spark interest, to show that solving the hibernation problem is achievable.¡± ¡°If I can resolve even one component, like the chamber¡¯s filling fluid, it could attract more scientists and institutions to the field. That¡¯s when the hibernation chamber might become a reality within a few decades.¡± ¡°And my role is to ignite that spark.¡± Leaning down, Xu Yun tenderly adjusted his daughter¡¯s blanket, tucking her in carefully. ¡°But what would happen if I marketed that flawed product?¡± ¡°Right now, no one wants to invest in hibernation research. It doesn¡¯t provide instant satisfaction, visible results, or immediate hope.¡± Lin Xian saw the vast scope of Professor Xu¡¯s vision. Yet, he felt that Xu Yun¡¯s resolute stance might not be enough to shift the profit-focused academic culture. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m wrong, Professor,¡± Lin Xian cautiously suggested, ¡°but your integrity alone might not be enough to redirect focus from profit to pioneering science.¡± ¡°Why not sell the chemical? Show that there can be profits in advancing hibernation technology. Maybe that will bring young researchers back to this field.¡± But Xu Yun remained steadfast. He patted Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder, his voice heavy with meaning. ¡°You might think I¡¯m stubborn or outdated, but I must protect my daughter. I can¡¯t risk the scenario you propose.¡± ¡°If researchers start with a profit motive, how long will they stay committed without seeing results, possibly for years or decades?¡± ¡°The hibernation project won¡¯t yield quick breakthroughs. I¡¯ve worked alone for ten years without theoretical progress. I understand the hardships of this path better than anyone...¡± ¡°Unless I¡¯m completely defeated, I won¡¯t sell the chemical. If young researchers join the hibernation study, I hope their motives are pure.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, I need to save my daughter. That¡¯s my priority. We need to attract more dedicated, altruistic talents to this research. Only then might we find a solution soon. My integrity may not change much, but I refuse to let corruption start with me.¡± ¡°One day, you¡¯ll be a father, and you¡¯ll understand. Please tell President Zhao to stop bothering me. I believe she¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°I hope... this is our last conversation.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 25: All In After finishing his speech, Professor Xu Yun courteously asked Lin Xian to leave. ¡°Take care of your health, Professor,¡± Lin bid farewell without delay. Through a slight opening, he caught a final glimpse of the professor by the hospital bed, tenderly holding his daughter Xu Yi Yi¡¯s frail hand and sharing lighthearted stories from the past week. The following day, Lin Xian arrived early at Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office to discuss his encounter with Professor Xu Yun. ¡°Professor Xu Yun is even more obstinate than we anticipated,¡± Zhao Ying Jun remarked, propping her head on her hand and knitting her eyebrows together. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s far too overly cautious,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°While his concerns have some merit, they aren¡¯t completely rational. I attempted to persuade him, but he steadfastly refused to sell the chemical compound unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary. He¡¯s unwilling to initiate the profit-driven trends in scientific research.¡± ¡°Under such stress, it¡¯s hard for him to trust, which explains his rigid views,¡± Zhao Ying Jun sighed deeply, her eyes briefly closing. ¡°People can¡¯t always choose wisely. Sometimes, you don¡¯t realize a path leads nowhere until you¡¯ve walked its length.¡± ¡°But let¡¯s not be quick to judge since we¡¯re only outsiders. From his perspective, what he¡¯s doing to save his daughter may seem justified,¡± she remarked, meeting Lin Xian¡¯s eyes with resolve. ¡°We should drop the matter and not trouble Professor Xu Yun further.¡± Lin Xian nodded in agreement. Since they couldn¡¯t assist with Xu Yi Yi¡¯s treatment, it was best to ease the professor¡¯s burden. ¡°We should rethink the initial products for the Rhine brand,¡± Zhao Ying Jun pondered aloud. ¡°You¡¯re free to go, Lin Xian. Thanks for your effort.¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on ¡°As for the Rhine Cat plush toys, they¡¯re in full production,¡± she added. ¡°Next, we need to develop 3D models for future animations and ads, and finalize its voice, slogans, and personality traits.¡± ¡°Why not? Sometimes, you just have to trust your instincts!¡± Gao Yang chuckled. ¡°Didn¡¯t your dream show Argentina clinching the World Cup?¡± Lin Xian nodded, recalling the dream¡¯s book. ¡°Yes, it said Argentina triumphed in a penalty shootout against France.¡± Bang! Gao Yang¡¯s hand slammed onto the lottery machine, startling the owner. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t print that ticket yet!¡± Pulling Lin Xian outside, he asked urgently, ¡°Did you mention a ¡®penalty shootout¡¯?¡± ¡°Yeah, why?¡± Lin Xian responded, puzzled by his friend¡¯s sudden anxiety. Taking deep breaths, Gao Yang¡¯s complexion lightened with relief. ¡°Good thing you mentioned that... I almost lost everything!¡± ¡°Just a bit more and my 60,000 yuan would have been gone!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 26: Reasonable or Not? Gao Yang lit a cigarette and began explaining to Lin Xian. ¡°If Argentina and France end up in a penalty shootout, we shouldn¡¯t bet on Argentina to win. Instead, we should bet on the game ending in a draw!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lin Xian asked, clearly puzzled. Gao Yang used his hands to emphasize his point. ¡°A soccer game has three stages: regular time, extra time, and penalty shootouts. A win during regular time ends the game. If it¡¯s a draw, they go into extra time. If it¡¯s still unresolved, it goes to penalties, and they keep shooting until there¡¯s a winner. But bets on soccer are typically settled based on the score at the end of regular time!¡± Realization hit Lin Xian. ¡°So, if it goes to a penalty shootout, it means regular time ended in a draw. That¡¯s why we should bet on a draw?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Gao Yang nodded, giving a thumbs up. ¡°You catch on quick! This bet has excellent odds. Look, I¡¯ll cover the losses. You¡¯ve already helped me win a lot. If we win, the money¡¯s yours; if we lose, I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Despite his initial hesitation, Lin Xian was swept into the betting shop by Gao Yang¡¯s excitement. Under his friend¡¯s persuasive insistence, Lin Xian reluctantly placed a bet of 30,000 yuan on the match ending as a draw. Gao Yang, ever enthusiastic, took Lin Xian¡¯s phone and confirmed the hefty bet using facial recognition. Gao Yang himself gambled 60,000 yuan, doubling down on their joint venture. The odds were set at 3.7, meaning if the match ended in a draw during regular time, Gao Yang would net 220,000 yuan and Lin Xian, 110,000 yuan. The match began at 3 a.m., and Lin Xian struggled to stay awake through the initial minutes. Argentina quickly gained the upper hand with an early penalty, followed by another goal. By the 80th minute, they were comfortably ahead at 2-0. A sheen of sweat coated Gao Yang as anxiety took over. ¡°What¡¯s happening, Lin Xian? This isn¡¯t what we predicted! Unless France pulls off a miracle, there¡¯s no way they¡¯ll equalize in just ten minutes!¡± Suddenly, France¡¯s star player Mbappe found the net. Before Gao Yang could even react, Mbappe struck again, scoring a rapid second goal! ¡°And the technology levels, they¡¯re similar to now, in 2022... How do you make sense of that? Do you really think the world 600 years from now won¡¯t have evolved?¡± Confused, Gao Yang shook his head, then made a sudden decision. ¡°Stop! Let¡¯s sort this out!¡± He grabbed paper and a pen from Lin Xian¡¯s bedroom, determined. ¡°This is too chaotic... Let¡¯s organize our thoughts to figure out your dream!¡± ¡°How?¡± Lin Xian asked, reaching for the paper. ¡°Just like we discussed¡ªdreams don¡¯t have to be logical, but reality does. The real world is logical, orderly, and verifiable.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s list the illogical aspects of your dream. Write them down one by one.¡± ¡°If these points don¡¯t hold up under scrutiny, contradict themselves, or fail to cohere logically... then we can definitively say it¡¯s just a dream. All coincidences.¡± Nodding, Lin Xian took the pen, a sound method to apply reverse reasoning at hand. He titled his paper¡ªIllogical Aspects of the Dream As he began writing, he felt a surge of inspiration. He¡¯d always dismissed the inconsistencies in his dream because, after all, it was just a dream. Now, trying to align the dream world with the real world, the irrational elements stood out more starkly than ever! This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 27: Sharing the Spoils Lin Xian and Gao Yang wrapped up their discussion, summarizing the key questions they¡¯d listed. They deleted some trivial issues that could be logically explained, leaving the following points: Illogical Phenomena in the Dream: 1.The dream world is stuck on August 28, 2624, and is destroyed at 00:42 every day, repeating this day indefinitely. 2.You can¡¯t find news, lottery results, or information from hundreds of years ago on the computer network. 3.Technological development in the dream mirrors 2022, with unchanged living standards and lifestyles. What have scientists been doing for 600 years? 4.No matter the destruction, even if the city is blown to pieces, everything resets the next day, and the city appears brand new. 5.Humans are unaware of the catastrophic event at 00:42. Everything happens suddenly, with no preparation. The more they looked at the unreasonable aspects on paper, the more absurd they seemed. ¡°Your dream has way too many bugs!¡± Gao Yang exclaimed, pointing at the first issue. ¡°Time can¡¯t just stop and loop the same day infinitely. This alone proves your dream can¡¯t be a real world.¡± He moved to the second point. ¡°Erasing all data from the internet is impossible. Anything that¡¯s ever been online leaves traces. Otherwise, how would people dig up celebrities¡¯ scandals?¡± Next, he pointed at the third issue. ¡°I take back what I said earlier; this one is the most absurd! Six hundred years and no technological advancement at all? That¡¯s impossible. Even in sixty years, our lifestyle would change drastically!¡± Then he pointed at the fourth issue. ¡°This defies the laws of energy and material conservation! If such a city existed, where everything resets no matter how much it¡¯s destroyed... it¡¯s like something out of Hogwarts!¡± Finally, he pointed at the last issue. ¡°With our current astronomical technology, we can accurately calculate meteor trajectories, solar aging, and cosmic radiation. How could we be unaware of a catastrophe that would destroy the Earth? Have all the astronomers died?¡± Gao Yang spread his hands, looking at Lin Xian. ¡°I think there¡¯s no need to worry anymore. There are too many unreasonable things in your dream that don¡¯t make sense in reality!¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t speak. He agreed that these illogical phenomena couldn¡¯t exist in a real world. But many details in his dream suggested it wasn¡¯t a fabricated illusion. There were things beyond his understanding, knowledge he had never learned, and objects he had never seen but felt incredibly real. ¡°This can¡¯t just be a fictional dream.¡± ¡°You know, Lin Xian, you always overthink everything. Why live so stressed? Some things just fade away if you let them be.¡± ¡°Like a Christmas tree.¡± Gao Yang shook his head. ¡°Forget it. No point arguing with you. Your fashion sense is still stuck ten years ago.¡± ¡°Who looks like they¡¯ve traveled from ten years ago?¡± Gao Yang took off his sunglasses, looking serious. ¡°Enough joking! I came to talk business.¡± ¡°Business? About my dream?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Snap! Gao Yang snapped his fingers, smiling confidently, and pointed at Lin Xian. ¡°Trust me!¡± ¡°This time, I have a foolproof way to uncover the truth about your dream!¡± ¡°What¡¯s your brilliant idea now?¡± Seeing Gao Yang¡¯s confidence, Lin Xian was amused. Honestly, he had lost hope in Gao Yang¡¯s ideas about his dream¡¯s truth. ¡°Forget it, Gao Yang.¡± Lin Xian waved his hand, not wanting to discuss it further. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I have my plans; just leave me be.¡± ¡°Wait! Trust me one more time! Just once more!¡± Gao Yang pleaded, holding up his right index finger. ¡°I swear! This time, it¡¯s foolproof! It will definitely prove your dream is fake!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 28: The Psychologist ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about this, Lin Xian,¡± Gao Yang said, his expression serious as he grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm. ¡°In psychology, I¡¯m just an amateur. Everything I told you before came from my WeChat. Remember that psychologist I mentioned before? I sold her a car once and showed you her posts.¡± Gao Yang reminded him as he pulled out his phone and opened WeChat to display a photo of a middle-aged woman in a white lab coat. She had a warm smile, gray hair, and a fresh appearance that made her seem kind and approachable. ¡°So, you want me to see this psychologist?¡± Lin Xian guessed, blinking. ¡°Exactly!¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not necessary. I¡¯m not sick, so stop worrying about me,¡± Lin Xian waved off the suggestion. He knew Gao Yang might think he had a serious problem, but he felt confident in understanding his own situation. ¡°Come on, it won¡¯t hurt to listen! Dr. Liu is a professional!¡± Gao Yang argued, opening a webpage and searching for Dr. Liu¡¯s name to show Lin Xian her impressive resume. ¡°Look! Dr. Liu specializes in subconscious, dream, and cognitive studies. Instead of us guessing every day, it¡¯s better to let an expert explain it,¡± Gao Yang insisted. ¡°You have to trust science and authority! Dr. Liu charges 3,000 yuan an hour for consultations, which reflects her expertise and authority!¡± ¡°3,000 yuan an hour?¡± Lin Xian stood up, astonished. ¡°Why not just rob a bank?¡± ¡°Is now really the time to worry about money?¡± Gao Yang retorted, pulling Lin Xian back into his seat. ¡°I¡¯ll cover this cost for you! I made a lot of money from the World Cup thanks to you. For your mental health, this expense is worth it! I¡¯ve already booked the appointment. Let¡¯s go!¡± An hour later, Gao Yang dragged Lin Xian to Dr. Liu¡¯s psychology clinic, located in a serene lakeside villa near the university town¡¯s scenic area. ¡°I heard each villa here costs a billion,¡± Gao Yang whispered. ¡°Psychologists really make money!¡± Dr. Liu smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate this question. Even today, there isn¡¯t a complete theoretical method to accurately distinguish between reality and dreams. Most recognition and judgment still come from human intuition.¡± ¡°In psychology, we call awareness during a dream a lucid dream. Almost no one realizes they¡¯re dreaming. Only a few people, in very rare cases, might become aware they¡¯re dreaming.¡± Aware of dreaming? Lin Xian had never considered this. He always knew when he was dreaming because his dreams were distinct, always replaying that day. As soon as he stood in the square, he knew it was a dream. Lin Xian turned to Gao Yang. ¡°You never realize you¡¯re dreaming?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Gao Yang answered. ¡°I¡¯m normal, unlike you! Normal people don¡¯t realize they¡¯re dreaming unless they wake up.¡± ¡°Honestly, sometimes my dreams are absurd, like going back to high school or being chased by dinosaurs... But no matter how ridiculous, I don¡¯t realize I¡¯m dreaming until I wake up,¡± Gao Yang explained. Dr. Liu nodded, taking notes. ¡°Gao Yang is right. Most people¡¯s dreams are chaotic and absurd, like disjointed snapshots. Yet, most still don¡¯t realize they¡¯re dreaming.¡± ¡°But Mr. Lin, your case is highly unusual. You not only realize you¡¯re dreaming every time, but you also remember how your dream starts each day, and your dreams aren¡¯t absurd, almost identical to reality.¡± She looked at Lin Xian seriously. ¡°This is a dangerous signal. Both worlds are real enough that if one day you lose the reference to distinguish between reality and dreams... you know what will happen, right?¡± ¡°At that point, you won¡¯t be able to tell reality from dreams.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 29: Breakthrough Dr. Liu¡¯s concern was clear, and Lin Xian understood why. He hadn¡¯t shared the full extent of his experiences with her, which made his situation appear more dire than it was. Deciding to steer the conversation towards more practical matters, Lin Xian asked, ¡°Dr. Liu, how can I be sure that my dreams are just that¡ªdreams, and not reality?¡± Dr. Liu responded with a reassuring smile. ¡°It¡¯s actually quite straightforward. While it¡¯s common to confuse dreams with reality while asleep, most people can distinguish between the two once they¡¯re awake.¡± Curious, Lin Xian pressed, ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Dreams often include familiar people but depict them acting out of character,¡± Dr. Liu explained. ¡°When you wake up, you can simply compare their behavior in your dreams with their real-life actions to see the discrepancies. This is a simple yet effective way to differentiate.¡± To illustrate her point, Dr. Liu gestured towards Gao Yang with her pen. ¡°For instance, if you dreamt Gao Yang suddenly became a woman and proposed to you, would you still think that was real once you woke up?¡± Lin Xian frowned. ¡°Definitely not. That would be a complete nightmare.¡± Dr. Liu chuckled before continuing, ¡°Here¡¯s another scenario: imagine waking up to find out your cosmetic company has switched to manufacturing rockets and spaceships. Would that seem plausible to you?¡± ¡°Not at all. I¡¯d have to be out of my mind to believe that,¡± Lin Xian replied, catching on. He realized that for most, distinguishing dreams from reality was simple. They just needed to wake up, reflect on the absurdity of their dreams, and immediately recognize the fiction. However, Lin Xian¡¯s situation was unique. His dreams never included anyone he knew from real life, a fact he hadn¡¯t considered significant until now. Over two decades of dreaming, and not once had a familiar face appeared, not even his childhood friend, Gao Yang. Why? Lin Xian¡¯s answer was a resolute ¡°No.¡± ¡°And what about fictional characters or celebrities? Have they ever featured in your dreams?¡± The room sunk into a thoughtful silence after the question, which now weighed on their shoulders. Attempting to lighten the mood, Gao Yang joked, ¡°Dr. Liu, don¡¯t get the wrong idea. Lin Xian isn¡¯t being difficult on purpose. I¡¯ve known him a long time, and he¡¯s usually pretty grounded in reality.¡± Dr. Liu removed her glasses, cleaning them before looking warmly at the two. ¡°I believe you both. Each case is unique, and it sounds like Lin Xian¡¯s is particularly complex. A breakthrough is often needed to help patients distinguish dreams from reality.¡± She continued encouragingly, ¡°That breakthrough usually involves a memorable person from the dreams. Lin Xian, think back¡ªcarefully and thoroughly. Is there anyone who seems even remotely familiar?¡± Taking a moment, Lin Xian closed his eyes, delving into his memories. Then, it hit him¡ªthe masked girl, CC. He didn¡¯t know her face, but her voice struck a familiar chord. He couldn¡¯t pinpoint where he¡¯d heard it before, amid the daily noise, but it was a clue. Opening his eyes, Lin Xian declared, ¡°There¡¯s someone whose voice seems familiar. Tonight, in my dream, I¡¯ll find out who she is behind that mask.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 30: QQ Snap! Gao Yang snapped his fingers, his face lighting up. ¡°I get it!¡± ¡°You get it again?¡± Lin Xian raised an eyebrow, skeptical. ¡°Absolutely! If someone in your dream looks exactly like someone you¡¯ve seen before, it confirms the dream isn¡¯t real. Guaranteed!¡± ¡°Echoing my thoughts from five minutes ago?¡± Lin Xian chuckled.Rread latest chapters at Dr. Liu laughed and nodded at Gao Yang¡¯s excitement. ¡°Exactly right, Gao Yang.¡± ¡°If we dream about someone and they exist just like that in real life, we simply compare and analyze their actions. It¡¯s straightforward to discern the reality of the dream,¡± Dr. Liu explained. ¡°It¡¯s not that complex, Gao Yang. Help Lin Xian apply this when you get back. I¡¯m confident it¡¯ll address his psychological issues effectively.¡± Gao Yang clapped Lin Xian on the back, grinning. ¡°Though I wish your dreams were real... if this clears your mind, it¡¯s worth it.¡± ¡°Hopefully,¡± Lin Xian sighed, feeling a mix of hope and resignation. After wrapping up their session, Lin Xian and Gao Yang left Dr. Liu¡¯s office. ¡°So, was the 3000 yuan well-spent?¡± Gao Yang asked as they walked out into the sunlight, his grin infectious. ¡°I told you, Dr. Liu is the expert! We¡¯ve wasted so much time with ineffective methods. She figured it out instantly.¡± Lin Xian gave a resigned smile. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. Just shows it¡¯s easy to make money from the wealthy.¡± Lin Xian smiled wryly. ¡°Hard to predict, really.¡± ¡°Back then, we wouldn¡¯t expect a ¡®Dragon King¡¯ or ¡®Asura Chen Bei Xuan¡¯ to show up. But five years can change a lot. If you organize it, I¡¯ll be there to support you.¡± Lin Xian took a gulp of beer, then eyed Gao Yang thoughtfully. ¡°The real challenge is... do you even have everyone¡¯s contact info? How will you notify them?¡± ¡°Through our old QQ group, you caveman!¡± Gao Yang looked at him with playful disdain. ¡°Remember? We all used it back in high school, though it¡¯s been quiet for years.¡± ¡°Oh, right. I haven¡¯t logged in forever,¡± Lin Xian admitted, focusing back on his skewers. After starting his job, he hadn¡¯t felt the need to check QQ. Gao Yang continued, reminiscing as he wiped beer foam from his lips. ¡°You were quite the show-off with your QQ account in elementary school. Everyone had nine-digit numbers, but you snagged an eight-digit one with a sun icon!¡± Lin Xian laughed, remembering. ¡°That was from my cousin in the city. He got into QQ early and grabbed all these short numbers.¡± Suddenly, Lin Xian¡¯s beer mug slammed down, startling Gao Yang with a splash. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Gao Yang dodged the droplets, puzzled by his friend¡¯s sudden intensity. But Lin Xian was deep in thought, his eyes fixated on the disappearing foam. Eight... digits... Eight-digit number. A realization dawned, connecting to the safe with eight dials he¡¯d been puzzling over. ¡°I see... now...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 31: The Code As Lin Xian experienced a flash of insight, it felt as if he had stepped out of a dense fog into clear daylight. In his persistent dreams, a bank vault always needed opening. This vault had eight numbered dials. Lin Xian had long believed the code was tied to a personal date¡ªa birthday, an anniversary, or another significant occasion. Yet, he had missed a more evident possibility¡ªQQ numbers. QQ was a foundational part of digital life for Lin Xian¡¯s generation from elementary through middle school. Back in the ¡¯80s, early internet users secured QQ numbers consisting of just eight digits. Was it just a coincidence that the vault in his dreams used a similar code? It seemed highly unlikely. While lost in these thoughts, Gao Yang waved his hand in front of Lin Xian, breaking his concentration. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s up with you? You¡¯ve zoned out. What are you mumbling about?¡± Lin Xian brushed it off with a quick shake of his head, reaching for his wine glass. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really. Let¡¯s just focus on our meal.¡± After dinner, they went their separate ways. Gao Yang opened a taxi door for Lin Xian, saying, ¡°Looks like we¡¯re heading in different directions. Take care of yourself.¡± Lin Xian nodded, settling into the taxi and rolling down the window to wave. ¡°See you soon.¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on As Gao Yang flicked away his cigarette, he gripped Lin Xian¡¯s hand firmly. ¡°Let me know when you wake up from that dream. If it¡¯s all just a dream, I¡¯ll stop worrying.¡± ¡°Sure, see you,¡± Lin Xian responded, somewhat distracted. Home by eight, Lin Xian had time to ponder Dr. Liu¡¯s hypothesis further. A refreshing shower helped him think clearer, reinforcing his belief that he had previously met CC, or at least heard his voice, even if his conscious mind had forgotten. Gao Yang was right; his subconscious was indeed trying to remember through his dreams. The officer chuckled dismissively. ¡°Seems minor, but we¡¯ll handle it.¡± ¡°But he has a gun!¡± Lin Xian blurted out, adding urgency. The officer¡¯s demeanor instantly changed, radioing for backup as they cautiously approached Big Cat Face. ¡°Freeze! Hands where I can see them!¡± Within moments, Big Cat Face was subdued, and Lin Xian, escorted by another officer, watched as they uncovered a gun and C4 explosives. ¡°This is serious; stay down while we get more help,¡± the officer ordered, now fully alert. Lin Xian, witnessing the swift escalation, asked quietly, ¡°Can I get my mask back?¡± The officer yanked the Rhine Cat mask from the arrested suspect and tossed it to Lin Xian. As Big Cat Face began to protest, a black hood muffled his objections. Mask in hand, Lin Xian whispered, ¡°Key item acquired.¡± Pulling the mask over his face, he adjusted it for a snug fit. ¡°From this moment on, I am Big Cat Face.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 32: Playing a Role Lin Xian made his way to the plaza¡¯s western edge, aiming to meet up with CC at their designated spot. It wasn¡¯t hard to spot her¡ªshe was dressed in black, form-fitting attire beneath a plaid trench coat. Her dark brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail, secured with a red satin ribbon, and she wore an Ultraman mask. It was unmistakably CC. The last time they¡¯d met, in the bank vault, she¡¯d looked more like a covert operative, entirely in black. Today, she seemed to have added the trench coat to blend in better at the plaza. Her hair wasn¡¯t just stylish but functional; hidden within that voluminous ponytail were two guns¡ªone at her waist, the other ingeniously concealed within her hair. ¡°What a dangerous woman,¡± Lin Xian thought as he approached, scrutinizing her meticulously. She was slender, around 165 cm tall. Yet, something felt off... No spark of recognition, no familiarity. Had he really met her before? The contradiction puzzled him. He was certain he¡¯d heard CC¡¯s voice before, yet he couldn¡¯t fathom forgetting someone with such a distinctive presence. ¡°Best not to dwell on it,¡± Lin Xian decided. He continued his approach. Ghost or not, her true identity would be clear once the mask was removed. ¡°Hi,¡± Lin Xian greeted her from behind, watching as she turned to face him. ¡°Password expert?¡± he inquired. CC surveyed him from head to toe but remained silent. After a moment, she gave a slight nod. ¡°What should I call you?¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°Everyone calls me Big Cat Face. You can call me Brother Face,¡± he responded, pointing to a van parked nearby. ¡°The car¡¯s over there. Follow me.¡± As he started to walk back, he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re called Big Cat Face?¡± CC questioned. ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian replied, without turning. ¡°And everyone calls you that?¡± ¡°Correct.¡± CC continued to scrutinize him. ¡°But your face isn¡¯t big at all. Why would anyone call you Big Cat Face?¡± A gentle summer breeze lifted the red ribbon on CC¡¯s head and fluttered the corner of her trench coat. Silence hung between them, the tension palpable. Lin Xian suddenly realized the complexity of his pretense as Big Cat Face. This role wasn¡¯t something a mere mask could conceal. CC was sharper and more cunning than Big Cat Face, whose identity had been easily fooled due to his naivety. Even without knowing Big Cat Face¡¯s exact appearance or voice, CC¡¯s instincts signaled that Lin Xian didn¡¯t fit the profile of a typical desperado, much less a bank robber. Fortunately, she was only suspicious for the moment; he hadn¡¯t been fully figured out. There was still a chance to turn things around. Lin Xian stood tall and slowly faced her. CC¡¯s hand was still on his shoulder, her other hand inching towards her gun... ¡°You¡ª¡± Bang! A bullet struck his forehead, splattering blood across the wall. ¡°Nice shot,¡± CC remarked, impressed by the swift, precise action. ¡°But why did you kill your own man?¡± ¡°He was dishonest. Can¡¯t keep those around,¡± Lin Xian stated simply. As they rounded a corner, another masked figure rose in surprise. ¡°You¡ª¡± Bang! Another clean headshot! ¡°And him?¡± CC asked. ¡°He messed with the boss¡¯s wife. Think we can trust him?¡± CC looked stunned. ¡°He... betrayed you?¡± ¡°No, the other boss. Our mutual boss,¡± Lin Xian clarified as they advanced, a shadow darting from the basement. Bang! CC instinctively stepped back as Lin Xian executed another perfect shot. ¡°How did you become so good?¡± she asked, touching her own weapon. ¡°No secret. Just a lot of practice,¡± Lin Xian replied, nodding towards the silver vault door. ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn, password expert.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 33: Confession CC hesitated only for a moment before holstering her pistol and approaching the coded door with her compact computer in hand. She skillfully pried open the lock cover to reveal the circuit board inside. After some adept tinkering, she connected the wires and began typing commands into her computer. About ten minutes passed... Beep beep! A soft sound signaled the password light changing from red to green, and the heavy steel door swung open. CC stood up, gesturing toward the now ajar door. ¡°It¡¯s open. You go first.¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on ¡°You go first,¡± Lin Xian insisted politely, aware that entering first could mean walking into a trap. ¡°No, you first. Your role is more important,¡± CC countered, motioning him forward. ¡°No, no,¡± Lin Xian waved dismissively. ¡°Your skills are crucial here. You should go first.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one in desperate need of money? Go ahead, take what you need.¡± ¡°Ladies first, always.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t carry the gold bricks.¡± ¡°Then start with the lighter gold bars.¡± ¡°In that case, I should find a bag first to carry more.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, I left my bag in the car too. How careless of me.¡± ¡°If you really need the money, don¡¯t be so modest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that urgent, actually.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± CC chuckled. ¡°This sounds like a bad deal. We both unmask, I get the code, and what do you get?¡± ¡°I want mutual trust.¡± Lin Xian lied smoothly, unable to reveal his true motives. ¡°Deal.¡± CC turned and kicked the door wider open, walking inside. She paused at the safe labeled ¡°Lin Xian¡± and saw the eight-digit mechanical lock. Dropping her computer, she shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s a mechanical lock. Are you sure you know the combination? This safe looks ancient.¡± Lin Xian nodded confidently. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time.¡± He removed the elastic band from his head, discarding the small Rhine Cat mask. Facing the Ultraman-masked CC, he questioned, ¡°Do I look familiar to you?¡± CC shook her head blankly. ¡°Should I recognize you?¡± Lin Xian decided not to dwell on it. It was clear CC had seen him before but was playing coy. ¡°Your turn,¡± he urged. CC glanced around the warehouse¡ªno cameras. She holstered her pistol and reached behind her head, slowly pulling off the elastic band. The mask slid off, revealing her youthful face framed by dark brown bangs. Her delicate eyebrows and bright eyes gave her a cold but lively look, enhanced by a small beauty mark by her left eye. Her unmasked appearance revealed a high nose and lightly closed lips, her natural beauty evident without makeup, making her look unexpectedly young, perhaps a high school girl. Now fully unmasked, the answer Lin Xian sought stood right before him. Who is she? Lin Xian stared at CC, temporarily stunned. He had expected a familiar face, something to refute his suspicions. But he recognized no one. Yet, her voice was familiar. How could that be? ¡°Hey, why are you just standing there?¡± CC frowned, glaring at Lin Xian. ¡°Now, tell me the combination to the safe.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 34: Temporal Butterfly CC glanced at her watch, her patience wearing thin. ¡°Can you stop daydreaming? It¡¯s already 12:30! We¡¯ve wasted enough time!¡± Lin Xian snapped out of his reverie, shaking off his thoughts. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m a man of my word.¡± He stepped forward, his fingers hovering over the safe¡¯s dials. ¡°I should have realized this sooner. You¡¯re right; I shouldn¡¯t have just thought about dates. Common eight-digit numbers aren¡¯t that rare.¡± CC looked at him, puzzled. ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Click, click, Lin Xian expertly adjusted each dial. ¡°In my life, I really only remember two long numbers: my phone and QQ numbers, and weirdly, MC Stone¡¯s QQ number too.¡± CC¡¯s confusion deepened. ¡°Who exactly are you talking to?¡± Click. Lin Xian turned the final digit and faced CC with a slight grin. ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured out what¡¯s in the safe.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and skepticism. ¡°It¡¯s probably some cringe-worthy memento from my teenage years.¡± Lin Xian chuckled, remembering his embarrassing QQ statuses. ¡°If the password is indeed my QQ number... it would make sense that those things are in there.¡± CC looked at him like he was insane. ¡°Are you nuts? If my appearance scared you, I apologize. Do you need an ambulance? I can dial 120.¡± Lin Xian laughed and shook his head. ¡°Once the safe is open... you¡¯ll see.¡± With that, he clenched his fist and struck the lock¡ª BANG!! CC held her breath, her anxiety palpable. ... The blaring alarms were deafening, and a blinding white light engulfed everything, reducing everything to ashes. ... ... Lin Xian awoke with a start, sitting up in bed, soaked in sweat. He threw open the window, letting the icy winter wind refresh his mind. ¡°Dr. Liu was wrong,¡± he muttered, staring into the dark, starless sky. ¡°Gao Yang too.¡± Lin Xian was convinced¡ªhis dreams were not mere figments of imagination but visions of a potential future 600 years ahead. Although predicting soccer outcomes was compelling, it wasn¡¯t conclusive proof. If only he could check a few Double Color Ball periods. But sadly, his dream internet offered no current data or lottery numbers. It was perplexing. Clearly, he needed a new strategy to verify the reality of his dreams. Lin Xian closed his eyes, thinking. The chill sharpened his thoughts. He could set aside all mysteries for now¡ªCC, Big Cat Face, the Genius Club, the safe. His top priority was to find definitive proof that his dream world was the real future. He needed an indisputable answer! Opening his eyes, his gaze fell on the papers scattered across his desk, designs for Rhine Cat fluttering in the night breeze. Rhine Cat, formerly Coco Cat. This was the only change in his two-decade unchanging dreams. Lin Xian believed this was a crucial clue. He needed to re-evaluate it. He picked up a sketch, examining the lifelike Rhine Cat. The design might be copied, but the name change was his doing. If this was a successful temporal butterfly effect... it suggested he could use dream information to alter reality, thereby changing the future and affecting the dream world. If he could test this theory again, it would prove beyond doubt that his dreams were indeed the real future world! ¡°Relying on heaven and earth is less reliable than relying on oneself.¡± Instead of waiting for known future facts, it was better to trigger a temporal butterfly effect himself, causing the dream to change because of his actions! This would be the definitive proof! Lin Xian gazed at the solitary full moon. ¡°This time, I¡¯m taking the initiative.¡± He resolved to trigger a temporal butterfly effect once more, to change the future! This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 35: Morning Meeting Despite the setback in the dream validation experiment, it inadvertently opened a new avenue of opportunity, proving not to be a complete failure. Lin Xian felt as though he had evolved from a leaf aimlessly floating down the stream to a butterfly poised to start a storm. Now, in 2022, even a subtle flutter of his wings could set off a transformative tornado 600 years in the future! The astonishing power to traverse time and reshape the future was now within his grasp. ¡°Is it actually possible?¡± Lin Xian pondered, staring at his empty right hand before clenching it into a fist. ¡°There¡¯s only one way to find out.¡± He shut the window, and warmth slowly reclaimed the room. Overcome by drowsiness, Lin Xian yawned. ¡°I¡¯ll tackle this tomorrow. Today¡¯s Monday, and I have a morning meeting to attend.¡± Switching off the light, he nestled into his bed, quickly succumbing to a deep, dreamless sleep. The following morning, MX Company¡¯s senior meeting room, situated on the 10th floor, bustled with the presence of over twenty mid-to-high-level executives gathered for the routine Monday morning meeting.FOlloow newest stories at Zhao Ying Jun, the company¡¯s founder, mandated that all team leaders and senior managers attend these meetings to report on the prior week¡¯s activities and strategize for the upcoming week. Previously, Lin Xian, merely a regular employee, would not have been invited to such high-level meetings. However, now as the head of the Rhine Cat IP Development Team, he reported directly to Zhao Ying Jun and sat alongside other department heads. At the long conference table, Zhao Ying Jun presided at the center, flanked by three vice presidents, with department heads and team leaders arrayed around. As the newest and least experienced leader, Lin Xian occupied a seat at the far end of the table. Suddenly, Wang, the marketing team leader, slammed his hand on the table, disrupting the silence. ¡°I disagree!¡± For a brief moment, it seemed Zhao Ying Jun was alone in her decision, except for Lin Xian, who remained engrossed in his notebook. Only he and Zhao knew that Professor Xu Yun had categorically refused to sell the chemical. Yet, hearing Professor Xu Yun¡¯s name again sparked an idea in Lin Xian¡¯s mind regarding his ¡°Rewrite the Future Plan.¡± He remembered the professor, who had endured personal tragedies and professional skepticism but never ceased his research in cryogenics, hoping to someday revive his comatose daughter. ¡°Maybe I can assist Professor Xu Yun,¡± Lin Xian mused, eyes narrowing. He might be uniquely positioned to aid the professor. In the future, even if cryogenic technology is still emerging, there could be significant theoretical advancements. Helping Professor Xu Yun could not only potentially save his daughter but also accelerate technological progress in the future. It was a scenario where Lin Xian¡¯s theories could be tested: The dream world truly represents the future 600 years ahead. The butterfly effect in time is real; changes now could reshape the future. It was a win-win-win situation! Suddenly, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s forceful bang of her folder on the table silenced everyone. ¡°We needn¡¯t discuss this further.¡± She stood, asserting, ¡°If the Rhine brand¡¯s highlight is merely a cream, it¡¯s not worth our focus. We aspire to establish a comprehensive beauty empire, not just sell moisturizers. Professor Xu Yun might aid us once but can¡¯t sustain us indefinitely. We must develop our own core technologies. R&D, elevate your efforts, find our unique edge.¡± ¡°Meeting adjourned!¡± With that, she strode towards the door, her heels echoing authoritatively. As she reached the doorway, she paused, the tension palpable. She turned, her gaze sweeping across the room to the far end. ¡°Lin Xian, come to my office.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 36: The Seal Tap-tap-tap-tap... The sound of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s high heels echoed through the hallway as she exited the meeting room, leaving behind a tense silence that felt like it squeezed the air out of everyone¡¯s lungs. The tension only eased once the elevator doors closed behind her, and the team collectively sighed in relief. ¡°Phew... That glare could cut glass. Brother Wang, you¡¯re the only one brave enough to stand up to her like that. Seriously impressive!¡± an employee remarked, breaking the silence. ¡°Brother Wang, you really said what we were all thinking. Why scrap a perfectly good plan? Professor Xu Yun hadn¡¯t finalized anything with any other company, so we still had a shot,¡± another chimed in. ¡°We¡¯re on a tight schedule with the launch of the Rhine brand. Developing a new product at this stage is impossible. Everything was planned around Professor Xu Yun¡¯s moisturizing cream formula.¡± ¡°Without his authorization to produce the revolutionary new moisturizing cream, I¡¯m worried the Rhine brand launch could flop. Such a shame for the adorable Rhine Cat mascot...¡± The mood in the meeting room grew somber and tense, a mix of disappointment, confusion, and helplessness hanging in the air. One by one, the employees sighed deeply and left the room, their morale visibly deflated. After the room cleared, Lin Xian quietly collected the Rhine Cat figurines from the table and returned to his office. He then boarded the elevator and pressed the button for the 22nd floor, feeling apprehensive about the reason behind Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s summons. Standing before the familiar double-locked door, he heard her tired voice through the intercom. ¡°Come in.¡± The door clicked open, and Lin Xian stepped inside, closing it softly behind him. The office was as he remembered¡ªimmaculate yet somehow stagnant, like a well-preserved relic. Bypassing the sofa and coffee table, he noticed a thin layer of dust on the glass surface, a testament to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s relentless work ethic. Everything seemed ornamental except for her cluttered desk. She was busy with paperwork when Lin Xian approached. Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Perhaps a secretary could help manage these things.¡± She flicked her hair back, dismissing the idea. ¡°I prefer handling it myself.¡± Finding the document she was looking for, she handed it to Lin Xian. ¡°Here, take this and make the necessary adjustments. Let me know when you¡¯ve updated it.¡± After leaving her office, Lin Xian felt a distinct divide between their worlds. As he walked to the elevator, he fondled the object in his pocket¡ªa significant find. He couldn¡¯t resist a smile; it was the first time he had taken something tangible like this, and it was exhilarating. Back in his office, he locked the door and exhaled deeply. ¡°First time stealing something in real life... quite the rush.¡± He extracted a small, flat, red wax seal from his pocket. Holding it up, he noted it was slightly larger and thicker than a coin, not entirely round. This was the seal from the Genius Club invitation he had briefly held before Zhao Ying Jun reclaimed it. Made typically from a resin and paraffin blend, such seals were used for closing letters and invitations with a distinctive personal touch. Flipping the seal over, he braced himself for what might be revealed¡ªa link to another realm, a glimpse into a mysterious, possibly darker world. The front bore a simple circular stamp, a right hand pointing upward etched within it, and two words clearly inscribed below: Genius Club. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 37: Daytime Dreams Lin Xian¡¯s English was flawless in this case. ¡°Genius Club...¡± he murmured, turning the wax seal between his fingers. He moved to the window, inspecting it under the sunlight. The seal glowed a deep red, featuring a design of a strong hand with an outstretched index finger pointing directly at the sun, as if piercing the blazing orb. It was unsettling yet strangely assertive. ¡°This must be their emblem,¡± Lin Xian mused, clutching the wax seal tightly. Since receiving the invitation, this was his first tangible encounter with anything from the Genius Club, marking his closest brush yet with the secretive organization. What could this symbol represent? Mimicking the emblem, Lin Xian extended his right hand, palm facing him, and pointed his index finger skyward. It felt like a professor stressing a critical point, yet it carried an undeniable command, as if it could order the world to kneel. He slipped the seal into his jacket pocket. Keeping the seal at the office wasn¡¯t safe; it was better hidden at home. A troubling thought then struck him: ¡°If the wax seal is separated from the invitation, it means... Zhao Ying Jun has already opened and read it.¡± Lin Xian gazed out at the sprawling city skyline, deep in thought. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun had seen the invitation... Was she indifferent? Curious? Or possibly... has she already agreed to join the Genius Club?¡± A shiver ran down his spine. If Big Cat Face¡¯s information was accurate, the Genius Club was undeniably sinister. What could possibly motivate Zhao Ying Jun to join such a group? What were her intentions and plans? The room seemed to grow colder. Yet, Lin Xian reminded himself not to dwell on these suspicions just yet. His views of the Genius Club were solely based on Big Cat Face¡¯s claims. Given Big Cat Face¡¯s shady background, taking his word as the absolute truth wasn¡¯t wise. ¡°I should verify the credibility of the dream first.¡± The dream¡¯s nature was still unclear, as were Big Cat Face¡¯s statements. It was too early for conclusions; he needed to proceed cautiously. ¡°Right now, the priority is to aid Professor Xu Yun in his research and alter the future!¡± Libraries, being non-profit entities, often held rare, specialized books, serving as reservoirs of knowledge. Lin Xian was familiar with the library¡¯s location in the dream world; he had passed the imposing, round, twin-towered structure many times, a quiet landmark in the dream city. The library closed early, around five or six in the evening. Nighttime research wasn¡¯t an option; he had to visit during daylight hours. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll need to dream during the day.¡± Lin Xian recalled the earliest time he could enter the dream world from his youth¡ª12:42 PM. Before this, no matter how early he went to sleep, he wouldn¡¯t dream at all, enjoying only deep, dreamless slumber. But at 12:42 PM, he¡¯d immediately be transported to the dream world, standing in a familiar square. 12:42 PM to 12:42 AM. These 12 hours were the only time Lin Xian could spend in the dream world each day. Outside this window, he couldn¡¯t dream. After delegating some tasks at his team¡¯s office, Lin Xian took a leave of absence and headed home. He grabbed a quick lunch along the way. Once home, he quickly freshened up and lay down for a nap. Glancing at the clock, it read 1:20 PM. ¡°The library in the dream probably closes around five or six. If I sleep now, I have about four hours there, which is plenty.¡± He drew the curtains, darkening the room. Lin Xian nestled into the blanket, closed his eyes, and whispered: ¡°Sleep, and let¡¯s get started!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 38: The Library As Lin Xian stepped into the dream, a wave of intense heat enveloped him. The sudden rise in temperature made his skin tingle, and sweat began to bead on his forehead. ¡°It¡¯s so hot!¡± Lin Xian muttered, blinking against the bright light. The loud chirping of cicadas filled the air, and the sun blazed fiercely overhead, causing the shadows at his feet to shrink away. He squinted up at the sky. The sun dominated, too brilliant to gaze into without seeing spots. Rubbing his eyes, Lin Xian dropped his gaze. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a daytime dream in ages. Not used to this heat at all.¡± He guessed the temperature soared above 40 degrees Celsius, a sharp contrast to the wintry chill of the real world. He hurried to the shade of a nearby tree, welcoming the slight relief from the sun. Glancing at an electronic bulletin board, he noted the date and time: August 28, 2624, 13:33 ¡°Only half past one. Plenty of time left,¡± Lin Xian thought, wiping sweat from his brow with his sleeve. He was keen to reach the library, anticipating the comfort of its air conditioning. The normally bustling square was eerily quiet, likely due to the oppressive heat. Lin Xian walked in the shade to the bus stop and caught a bus to the library. Despite spending 23 years visiting this dream, Lin Xian rarely frequented the library. With only three to four hours of dream time daily, he preferred engaging in more thrilling activities or tackling significant challenges rather than browsing through books. Numerous reports, historical records, critiques, and news articles later, he found a common scapegoat: societal issues. Complaints like ¡°A flawed education system fails to recognize true genius¡± and ¡°Schools don¡¯t teach anything useful, wasting potential talent¡± were rampant. Other criticisms pointed to the lack of young scientists and how academic cliques often sidelined talented scholars. His eyes settled on one particular entry: ¡°An Analysis and Prospects of Hibernation Technology¡± by Bill Michaelson ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± he said, noting the location: 3rd Floor, Science Literature, Section C, Shelf 67, Level 7. He ascended to the third floor and found the book precisely where it was supposed to be. ¡°¡®An Analysis and Prospects of Hibernation Technology,¡¯¡± Lin Xian read aloud, hoping the material would be comprehensible. The book was old yet well-preserved, indicating it was seldom read. Lin Xian settled into a seat by the window and began to read, intently focusing on retaining crucial information for Professor Xu Yun. The text simplified complex terms and chemical processes, making them accessible. It explained that human hibernation involved reducing physiological and cellular activities to a minimum, utilizing low-temperature freezing techniques. However, the primary challenge was preventing ice crystal formation, which could destroy cell structures during freezing. As he turned the page, Lin Xian pondered, ¡°How can we overcome the ice crystal issue?¡± He continued reading, eager to find a solution that could revolutionize hibernation technology. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslationRread latest chapters at Chapter 39: Ice Crystals According to the pages, Dr. Michaelson, renowned as the ¡°Father of Hibernation,¡± revealed a groundbreaking solution to preventing ice crystal formation in cells at subzero temperatures. His innovative approach involved a high-oxygen liquid that, when inhaled, permeates the bloodstream and integrates deeply with the water molecules within cells. This integration prevents the water from freezing, even at temperatures as low as -200¡ãC, thus significantly reducing cellular activity and addressing the critical ¡°ice crystal problem¡± in hibernation science. ¡°Impressive, truly groundbreaking,¡± Lin Xian marveled, though the science largely eluded him. On the following page, Dr. Michaelson elaborated further: ¡°The resolution of the ice crystal issue brings us a step closer to perfecting the liquid solution for hibernation pods. However, the full development of hibernation technology is still beyond our immediate reach. This technology, with its potential to alter global dynamics, cannot be realized by any single nation or institute alone. It requires a collaborative global effort and significant investment to achieve breakthroughs within a decade or more.¡± Lin Xian reflected on these words as he gazed out the window. ¡°No wonder Professor Xu Yun insisted that developing hibernation pods demands international cooperation,¡± he mused. Scientific progress is a slow and steady accumulation of knowledge, fraught with missteps and detours. He speculated whether the technological stagnation in the dream world over six centuries might stem from misguided efforts. After over two hours of intensive reading, Lin Xian managed to identify key elements in the preparation of the hibernation pod¡¯s liquid. Although the concepts were complex and largely beyond his grasp, his goal was not complete comprehension but rather to ¡°scan and copy¡± the information with his eyes for application in the real world. ¡°How much of this Professor Xu Yun can understand and utilize will depend on his expertise,¡± Lin Xian thought to himself, acknowledging his own limitations in the sciences. He remained in the library until six in the evening, just as the staff began closing up. Seizing a moment of inattention, he discreetly tucked the book under his clothes and smuggled it out. He then settled in a nearby tea shop to continue his studies into the night, recalling the last time he had worked this hard was during his preparations for his art school entrance exams. This task was challenging for Lin Xian, an art design student with limited background in physics and chemistry. He found himself unable to fully understand many of the chemical equations and formulas; they were merely patterns to be copied. However, he managed the textual descriptions with more ease. It took only a moment for Lin Xian to recognize him: Chu Shan He, president of the Donghai City Chamber of Commerce, renowned for his 200 million yuan donation at the science development fundraiser. ¡°What¡¯s he doing at Donghai University?¡± Lin Xian wondered, recalling Chu Shan He¡¯s longstanding support for Professor Xu Yun and the professor¡¯s deep respect for him. A realization struck him: Chu Shan He might also be seeking Professor Xu Yun today. Concealing himself behind a tree, Lin Xian remembered the wax seal bearing the Genius Club emblem and Chu Shan He¡¯s generous contribution at the fundraiser. ¡°If Zhao Ying Jun received an invitation from the Genius Club, then surely Chu Shan He, with his influence, did too.¡± Gripping his manuscript, Lin Xian watched Chu Shan He¡¯s commanding presence beside the Maybach. ¡°Why hadn¡¯t I noticed this crucial detail earlier? If anyone in Donghai City is worthy of the Genius Club, it¡¯s definitely Chu Shan He!¡± ¡°Why is Chu Shan He here now?¡± Lin Xian mused, sensing an undercurrent of danger. ¡°What is his true intent?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslationRread latest chapters at Chapter 40: The Princess The Genius Club remained shrouded in mystery, its secrets closely guarded. Lin Xian¡¯s only clue was the invitation Zhao Ying Jun had received. Spotting Chu Shan He in such an unexpected place, Lin Xian felt like an ant caught in a dark vortex, utterly disoriented. ¡°Let¡¯s just watch and see what Chu Shan He is up to,¡± he thought, concealing himself behind a tree to observe unnoticed. Many Donghai University students were also present, making it easy for Lin Xian, a recent graduate, to blend in. Unlike him, they showed no surprise at the arrival of three luxury cars and the appearance of Chu Shan He¡ªthey were quite accustomed to it. ¡°Chu Shan He is here to drop off his daughter again. He really spoils her,¡± one student commented. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he just drive onto campus? With his status, no security would dare stop him,¡± another wondered aloud. ¡°It must be because his daughter opposes it. Otherwise, given how much he dotes on her, he¡¯d drop her right at her dorm door,¡± another added. ¡°Having such a clingy father must be annoying, even if he is a domineering CEO,¡± a girl remarked. ¡°Chu Shan He¡¯s influence goes beyond that of a typical CEO. He¡¯s practically untouchable in Donghai City, but his daughter seems to be the only one who can sway him,¡± another girl noted. Lin Xian eavesdropped on these exchanges, realizing he had misunderstood Chu Shan He¡¯s presence; he was not there for Professor Xu Yun but to drop off his daughter. Lin Xian had previously heard Zhao Ying Jun mention Chu Shan He¡¯s fatherly affection at a party, but he knew little about Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter and had no particular interest in her until now. He had wondered about Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter, and what he saw was both unexpected and fitting. It seemed Chu Shan He had raised her well, pampered but not spoiled. Across the road, Lin Xian watched as she took the school bag from her father and waved goodbye, then jogged towards the campus gates. Her bouncy ponytail captured his attention, and he watched until she disappeared inside. Once she was gone, the smile vanished from Chu Shan He¡¯s face, replaced by his usual stern expression. He signaled to his bodyguards, who got into the cars. The three luxury vehicles then departed in formation. The surrounding students started talking louder, many joking that whoever could win the ¡°little princess¡¯s¡± heart would have a bright future. They encouraged each other to try, but their words were cautious, respecting Chu Shan He¡¯s authority. ¡°Alright, show¡¯s over, back to business,¡± Lin Xian muttered, holding the document as he walked into the campus with the crowd. With his misunderstanding about Chu Shan He resolved, Lin Xian felt relieved. The enigma of the Genius Club could wait. His priority now was to deliver the hibernation materials to Professor Xu Yun, rewrite the future, and alter his dreams. Riding a campus bike, Lin Xian quickly located the laboratory building. After confirming with the security guard, he went to the second floor and found Professor Xu Yun¡¯s lab. Through the window, he saw the disheveled man working at a microscope, wearing a lab coat and thick glasses, just as he had in the hospital. Professor Xu Yun was deeply absorbed in his work, oblivious to Lin Xian¡¯s presence. Taking a deep breath, Lin Xian approached the slightly open lab door and knocked. ¡°Knock, knock!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 41: The Manuscript The wooden door creaked as Lin Xian gently pushed it open, the sound slicing through the silence of the lab. Professor Xu Yun, deeply absorbed in his research, glanced up with a frown, perturbed by the interruption. Lin Xian, feeling a touch embarrassed, offered a polite bow and a sheepish smile. An unwelcoming glare met him from across the room. ¡°Young man, didn¡¯t I make myself clear at the hospital? How do you not understand?¡± Lin Xian shook his head as he entered. ¡°Professor Xu, there¡¯s been a misunderstanding. I¡¯m not here regarding the chemical substance, nor am I representing MX Company. Our CEO clarified in the meeting that our new product launch will accommodate other products, so we won¡¯t bother you about this matter anymore.¡± Hearing this, Professor Xu Yun¡¯s expression eased slightly. He lowered his gaze back to the microscope, delicately adjusting the fine focus knob. ¡°Then I appreciate your company¡¯s understanding. If only every cosmetics company had someone as considerate as Miss Zhao.¡± Lin Xian stepped forward, placing the neatly arranged documents on the lab table. ¡°Professor Xu, I brought these documents about hibernation pod fillers for you. When you have a moment, perhaps you could review them. The information might inspire and support your research.¡± Professor Xu Yun was taken aback. Adjusting his glasses, he looked incredulously at Lin Xian. ¡°You...¡± He paused, then continued, ¡°You mentioned you graduated from the School of Art and Design?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°You understand the field of hibernation?¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on ¡°Only the basics...¡± ¡°Then where did these documents come from?¡± Lin Xian paused before answering slowly, ¡°That, I cannot reveal.¡± Professor Xu Yun sighed and chuckled. ¡°Young man, I appreciate your intentions. But science is a complex field, especially scientific research, which cannot be reduced to simple terms or quick breakthroughs.¡± In the days that followed, Lin Xian devoted his time at MX Company to redesigning Rhine Cat, and his nights to exploring the dream world, visiting various bookstores and video stores in search of more material on Rhine Cat, seeking inspiration. As the launch date for the Rhine brand¡¯s new product neared, the pressure mounted across all departments, with Lin Xian feeling it acutely. One night, back at the Donghai University laboratory, Professor Xu Yun, drenched in sweat and with his heart racing from excitement, scrutinized the microscope in what was yet another grueling experiment¡ªhis final attempt to conquer the ¡®Ice Crystal Challenge.¡¯ Wiping sweat from his brow, he removed his lab coat, threw it over a chair, and stretched before resuming his observation. The computer beside him displayed a steadily decreasing temperature. As the temperature dropped, ice nuclei began forming at the edges of the microscope¡¯s view, and from these nuclei, beautiful, sharp ice crystals started to crystallize. Professor Xu Yun¡¯s heart raced. He clasped his chest, eyes glued to the living cell in the microscope¡¯s field. The cell was still moving; its membrane intact, its fluid flowing slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t freeze... Don¡¯t freeze...¡± he whispered a prayer. The temperature continued to drop, hitting -16 degrees Celsius. Suddenly, tiny ice nuclei formed inside the cell, quickly giving rise to six symmetrical, snowflake-shaped ice crystals that rapidly spread, piercing the fragile cell membrane. The plump, active cell instantly deflated like a punctured balloon... its fluids turning to ice. Everything froze. The once lively cell was now a frozen specimen, sealed amidst a field of snowflake crystals. Thump. Professor Xu Yun collapsed into the chair, spent. He stared blankly at the ceiling, his voice hoarse with defeat. ¡°Failed again...¡± Removing his glasses, he set them aside and leaned forward, rubbing his eyes. As he reached for something to wipe them with, his gaze fell upon the stack of manuscript papers on his desk¡ªmessy yet meticulously written, with the words ¡°Ice Crystal¡± starkly prominent at the top of the first page. As if drawn by a force, he reached out and picked up the manuscript. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 42: Stealing and Theft Xu Yun picked up the manuscript, his actions tinged with a sense of desperate irony. ¡°Desperate times call for desperate measures,¡± he murmured to himself. The idea that a student from an art college might solve the complex ice crystal issue was as ludicrous as imagining Van Gogh repairing a lithography machine. Nevertheless, Xu Yun adjusted his glasses and began to pore over the manuscript with intense focus. Initially, he thought the young man had simply conducted a decent amount of research. However, as he delved deeper, his expression grew more serious. ¡°He understands this? How did he come up with this?¡± Xu Yun muttered in disbelief. He cleared his cluttered lab table, placed the manuscript squarely in front of him, and sat up straight, ready to delve into the finer details. ¡°Something is missing here,¡± he mumbled, puzzled. ¡°How did he arrive at this conclusion? The process seems a bit disjointed, but it somehow connects.¡± The manuscript appeared fragmented and somewhat incomplete. He flipped through it carefully, checking for any pages that might have been misplaced or bound incorrectly. Finding none, he scratched his head and continued his analysis. Beads of sweat formed on Xu Yun¡¯s forehead as he progressed. ¡°This manuscript... it¡¯s truly remarkable!¡± As a seasoned professional, he recognized from just the initial pages that, despite its logical leaps and occasional flaws, this was a legitimate piece of research. It wasn¡¯t a fabrication or the work of a novice; it was underpinned by experimental data and real scientific parameters. The first part of the manuscript was straightforward, covering basic concepts. Yet, the latter sections introduced ¡°novel ideas¡± that Xu Yun had never contemplated. He turned another page, revealing sections dense with chemical equations, formulas, molecular structures, and experimental data¡ªthis was the treasure he had been seeking! Without hesitation, Xu Yun sprang into action. He cleared his mind and began meticulously following the experimental data and procedures outlined in the manuscript. It provided detailed parameters and reaction formulas, which facilitated straightforward replication. Though some equations seemed disjointed and there were noticeable gaps in the methodology, Xu Yun¡¯s extensive background in this field allowed him to bridge these gaps intuitively. It didn¡¯t take long for him to prepare the anti-ice crystal substance, reputed to bond deeply with water molecules. Xu Yun set up a microscope and a freezing box, prepared to conduct a live cell experiment. Taking a deep breath, he initiated the temperature reduction in the freezing box. 3¡ãC, -8¡ãC, -17¡ãC, -27¡ãC... As the temperature plummeted, Xu Yun¡¯s heart raced. Ice crystals began to form on the glass walls of the freezing box, but the live cells under the microscope remained active. The cytoplasm still flowed slowly, showing no signs of freezing or crystallization. ¡°Where did you get this information?¡± ¡°That¡¯s something I can¡¯t disclose.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t disclose?¡± Xu Yun paced around the lab, deep in thought. Lin Xian had never claimed the research as his own and admitted his limited knowledge. So, the manuscript had to have come from another source. ¡°It must be that Lin Xian received this from someone else,¡± Xu Yun speculated. He considered two possibilities: 1.Lin Xian was entrusted by someone to deliver the manuscript. 2.Lin Xian had illicitly copied confidential data from a foreign research institute. ¡°Both scenarios seem implausible.¡± Xu Yun frowned, continuing to ponder. He knew no other domestic research into hibernation technology besides his own. If a leading scientist wanted to assist him, why use such a roundabout method? And stealing secrets from a foreign institute? Lin Xian was no spy capable of such feats. For now, these mysteries remained unresolved. Xu Yun returned his attention to the manuscript, focusing on the chemical and molecular formulas. If he followed the steps exactly... ¡°Can I really create the hibernation chamber fluid in one attempt?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 43: The Unexpected Visitor Xu Yun was determined to save his daughter. The moral implications of other issues, like possibly stealing Lin Xian¡¯s manuscript, seemed trivial. His primary focus was preparing the hibernation chamber¡¯s filling fluid, an urgent necessity given his daughter¡¯s dire condition. With resolve, he set up the experiment according to the manuscript¡¯s instructions. But problems emerged soon. ¡°This chemical equation isn¡¯t right,¡± he muttered under his breath. As dawn painted the sky with streaks of light, Xu Yun, scratching his head in confusion, struggled with the stubborn chemical formula. He tried several adjustments, but each attempt failed. Even skipping steps to proceed with the next part of the process proved fruitless. ¡°This chain reaction is inevitable, but it... it seems incorrect.¡± His glasses fogged over as he pondered. The manuscript had proven accurate in earlier tests¡ªlike the successful crystallization experiment. However, this particular reaction refused to behave as expected in the laboratory setting. What was the issue? Xu Yun considered two possibilities based on his extensive research experience: the chain reaction¡¯s formula might be incomplete, perhaps missing some initial steps or specific conditions that Lin Xian hadn¡¯t documented, or the equation itself could be incorrect, possibly misrecorded by Lin Xian. ¡°What should I do?¡± he pondered aloud. He debated whether to solve the puzzle independently or to seek clarification from Lin Xian. Despite the all-nighter, fatigue hadn¡¯t touched Xu Yun. He paced back and forth in the lab, deep in thought. Eventually, his concern for his daughter, teetering on the brink of respiratory failure, hastened his decision. ¡°I must get Lin Xian¡¯s assistance.¡± After a moment of contemplation and cleaning his glasses, Xu Yun resolved, ¡°However, I need to keep this data under wraps. Regardless of his motives, Lin Xian meant well. I can¡¯t let this drag him down.¡± Unfortunately, Xu Yun didn¡¯t have Lin Xian¡¯s direct contact and barely remembered that he was employed at MX Company, under Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s leadership. ¡°It seems I¡¯ll need to visit MX Company to locate Lin Xian.¡± Glancing at his phone, he noted the time¡ª8:30 AM. He quickly donned his coat and drove towards the city. An hour later, he arrived at the bustling reception of MX Company. On the 22nd floor, Zhao Ying Jun stood abruptly. ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡°Absolutely! Please hurry! This could be pivotal for our company!¡± Minutes later, Zhao Ying Jun, flanked by three vice presidents, strode into the VIP room, her team tense with anticipation. Xu Yun represented a significant opportunity for their upcoming Rhine brand launch. ¡°Why has Professor Xu Yun come?¡± Zhao queried as she approached Manager Wang. ¡°No clue, Ms. Zhao. He just showed up without prior notice!¡± Nodding, Zhao turned to her vice presidents. ¡°Let¡¯s not mention our intent to purchase the chemical compound authorization just yet. Let¡¯s hear him out first.¡± The vice presidents agreed, sensing the gravity of Xu Yun¡¯s unexpected visit. ¡°Flexibility is key,¡± one whispered. As Zhao Ying Jun entered the VIP room with a welcoming smile, Xu Yun rose to greet her. ¡°Ms. Zhao, I apologize for my sudden appearance.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need, Professor Xu,¡± Zhao replied graciously. ¡°How can we assist you today?¡± ¡°I urgently need to see Lin Xian. Could you direct me to him?¡± Zhao was taken aback, not expecting Xu Yun¡¯s urgent request to see Lin Xian, especially given his exhausted demeanor. Maintaining her composure, she reached for her phone. ¡°Of course, Professor. Please have some tea while I contact him.¡± ¡°No, please,¡± Xu Yun interjected earnestly, standing. ¡°Take me to him directly. I need a private conversation.¡± The vice presidents exchanged puzzled looks. What could be so urgent about meeting Lin Xian directly? This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 44: History Zhao Ying Jun was taken aback. Just days earlier, during a visit to the hospital to see Xu Yi Yi, she had witnessed Professor Xu Yun sternly instruct Lin Xian never to approach him again. She had assumed that was the end of their interaction. Yet now, the respect and politeness in Professor Xu Yun¡¯s demeanor towards Lin Xian were confounding. Initially, Zhao Ying Jun had thought to dissuade Xu Yun, but his apparent eagerness changed her mind. ¡°Alright, Professor Xu, please follow me,¡± she said, stepping aside to let him exit the VIP room. ¡°We¡¯ll head to Lin Xian¡¯s office on the 17th floor.¡± Xu Yun nodded. With no hesitation, he followed Zhao Ying Jun into the elevator. As the elevator doors shut and began to ascend, three deputy managers and Team Leader Wang were left gaping at the VIP room door, struggling to process the scene. The group exchanged puzzled glances. ¡°What... what exactly is happening?¡± one deputy manager finally blurted out. ¡°Professor Xu Yun is always so composed and revered. Seeing him this agitated, it¡¯s as if he¡¯s seen a ghost,¡± another added. ¡°Before, just getting an appointment with Professor Xu Yun was an ordeal. And now he¡¯s here in person? It¡¯s unprecedented.¡± ¡°And he¡¯s personally seeking out Lin Xian? What could this mean?¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t possibly be about that Rhine Cat project, could it? That seems far too trivial...¡± Ding¡ª The elevator reached the 17th floor, its doors opening with a chime. Zhao Ying Jun led Professor Xu Yun straight to the open door of Lin Xian¡¯s office. ¡°Lin Xian, Professor Xu Yun is here to see you,¡± she announced. ¡°Hmm?¡± Lin Xian, who had been fine-tuning a model of the Rhine Cat on his computer, looked up to see Professor Xu Yun wearing a complex expression. Anticipating the professor¡¯s intentions, Lin Xian greeted him with a slight smile. ¡°Hello, Professor Xu. Long time no see. How¡¯s your research going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s progressing well, quite well,¡± Xu Yun responded, seeming momentarily lost for words. Zhao Ying Jun, catching the cue, formally introduced them again. ¡°Professor Xu Yun, this is Lin Xian. You¡¯ve met before.¡± She added, ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two. Call if you need anything. I¡¯ll be outside.¡± After exiting and closing the door, Xu Yun secured the lock and approached Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian, thank you for still calling me ¡®teacher¡¯... I hope you won¡¯t hold my previous behavior against me.¡± Lin Xian shook his head, signaling no hard feelings. Xu Yun smiled as he stepped out. ¡°Apologies for any disruption today.¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head, looking towards Lin Xian. ¡°No issue at all, Professor Xu. MX always welcomes you. We¡¯ll arrange your transport back to the university and keep your business card handy for future contacts.¡± ¡°Thank you, but I drove myself.¡± As Xu Yun prepared to leave, he felt compelled to add, ¡°Miss Zhao, as I told Lin Xian, I¡¯ve gained significant insights from his assistance. If my research leads to a major breakthrough, I¡¯ll freely provide that chemical substance to your company.¡± Zhao Ying Jun was momentarily stunned by this revelation. She glanced at Lin Xian, her expression filled with unanswered questions but quickly regained her composure and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s excellent news, Professor Xu. MX is honored to receive your endorsement. We sincerely hope your research succeeds.¡± Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun then escorted Xu Yun to his car, watching as he drove away. As the vehicle turned the corner, Zhao Ying Jun turned to Lin Xian with a chuckle. ¡°How did you manage that?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t say much,¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°Just a few words.¡± ¡°A few words?¡± Zhao Ying Jun laughed. ¡°Since when is Professor Xu Yun so easily swayed?¡± Lin Xian scratched his head, looking towards the winter sun. ¡°People change, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°What in this world doesn¡¯t? Hearts, society, the present, history, the future... all are in flux.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded thoughtfully. ¡°You¡¯re right, but one thing remains constant.¡± A gust of wind swept past, stirring the fallen leaves. ¡°History doesn¡¯t change,¡± she murmured. ¡°It¡¯s written by the victors.¡± Her black coat billowed as she walked back to the building. ¡°History never changes.¡± The cold winter wind whipped up the leaves and debris, forming swirling patterns. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s high heels clicked in the distance, fading as she rounded the corner of the parking lot. Lin Xian watched her depart in silence. ¡°History does change,¡± he whispered, his eyes fixed on the swirling leaves. He wasn¡¯t just speaking of the known past but of a future stretching from 2022 to 2624. Now, with the time-space butterfly effect confirmed, for a future 600 years ahead, one thing was clear¡ª¡±I am history.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 45: Confirmation Leaves swirled on the ground, scattered by the wind, and drifted away. Lin Xian turned and left the parking lot, his thoughts already shifting to his next steps. Back at the office, Lin Xian headed straight for his desk, pulled open a drawer, and retrieved a manuscript marked by Professor Xu Yun. The document was speckled with red circles highlighting potential errors and omissions in the copied chemical reaction formulas. Deciding against returning to work that afternoon, Lin Xian planned a unique endeavor¡ªhe would enter his dream world during the day and correct these mistakes at the library within his dream. ¡°And... there¡¯s something more important I need to confirm.¡± Pacing around his office, manuscript in hand, Lin Xian was deep in thought. Professor Xu Yun had solved the ice crystal problem, and he knew it was only a matter of time before the news spread. This solution would alter the trajectory of history, necessitating a rewrite of future developments. ¡°If my previous hypothesis is correct, then the future world in my dream should exhibit some detailed changes. Just like how the Coco Cat in my dream turned into the Rhine Cat after I renamed it in the real world.¡± Pausing by the window, Lin Xian gazed out at the bustling street below. In the original timeline, Dr. Michaelson solved the ice crystal problem in 2477. However, in this altered timeline, Professor Xu Yun had made the breakthrough in 2022. This change posed a significant question: Would Dr. Michaelson still be revered as the ¡°Father of Cryonics,¡± or would he now share this recognition with Professor Xu Yun? A sense of certainty filled Lin Xian: ¡°The history books in my dream will undoubtedly change. This will confirm that I can alter history and reshape the future.¡± As the cold wind howled outside, shaking the steel window frames, a butterfly appeared at the periphery of Lin Xian¡¯s vision. Its slight flutter seemed capable of stirring a storm across centuries. Once home, Lin Xian ordered takeout, ate quickly, and prepared to dive into his dream world to verify his theory. Was the butterfly effect in motion? Had history and the future truly been rewritten? His upcoming dream promised answers. After reviewing the corrections marked by Professor Xu Yun, Lin Xian lay down, his mind focused on the task ahead. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°The Genius Club is shrouded in mystery, a dark abyss beckoning to swallow anyone who peers too closely...¡± Lin Xian quickly shook off the chilling thoughts, ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on it. After all, the invitation was for Zhao Ying Jun, not me... why should I be so concerned?¡± With Dr. Michaelson¡¯s book gone, Lin Xian needed a new angle. He believed someone would eventually step into Dr. Michaelson¡¯s shoes, solving cryonics for good. Science never regresses, after all. He returned to the library¡¯s first floor, found an available computer, and searched for the ¡°current state of cryonics technology.¡± The computer lagged, caught in a battle with its antivirus software. Eventually, the page loaded, revealing that a significant advancement in cryonics occurred around 2200 when Academician Gao Wen developed a crucial fluid for cryogenic chambers, but no other breakthroughs had followed. ¡°As expected, the cryogenic chamber itself hasn¡¯t been perfected yet.¡± This result didn¡¯t surprise Lin Xian; the flawed information he provided Professor Xu Yun had minimal impact, merely accelerating some developments by two centuries. ¡°Academician Gao Wen.¡± This new titleholder intrigued Lin Xian. Perhaps in his next dream, Professor Xu Yun would be recognized as the true pioneer. ¡°The wheel of fortune turns. When I bring back Academician Gao Wen¡¯s papers, perhaps next time, Professor Xu Yun will be acclaimed as the Father of Cryonics.¡± Imagining a future where Xu Yun¡¯s discoveries in 2022 led to starships and interstellar travel 600 years later, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but think: ¡°By then... The world in my dream will certainly be more intriguing, right?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 46: Token of Appreciation Lin Xian was brimming with excitement to explore the new dream world. For over twenty years, he had been revisiting the same dream. Despite its depth, its allure had diminished. Now, with confirmation that this dream represented a real future world six centuries away, concerns about CC and the mysterious safe had faded. CC was a stranger from a distant future, separated by 600 years. Perhaps, the familiarity in the voice was merely coincidental. Regarding the safe in the bank vault... ¡°No wonder I couldn¡¯t crack the password,¡± Lin Xian mused, scratching his head. ¡°It might not even be my safe. It would be strange if I could guess the password just like that.¡± The name Lin Xian wasn¡¯t unique; it was quite common. It was anyone¡¯s guess which Lin Xian from history the safe might belong to. He closed the webpage and accessed the library¡¯s book management system, searching for Gao Wen¡¯s publications. He discovered four titles: ¡°An Overview of Hibernation Technology¡± ¡°Prospects and Technical Challenges of Hibernation Pods¡± ¡°Detailed Explanation of Hibernation Pod Fillers¡± ¡°Prospects of Hibernation Technology By-products¡± The third title was exactly what he needed. The catalog provided the book¡¯s location on the third floor, albeit on a different shelf. After jotting down the location, Lin Xian rode the elevator to the third floor and quickly located Gao Wen¡¯s ¡°Detailed Explanation of Hibernation Pod Fillers.¡± He settled at an empty table and began to read. The concepts in Gao Wen¡¯s work paralleled Dr. Michaelson¡¯s research. It seemed this was the universal approach to hibernation pod fillers. Lin Xian quickly identified the critical chemical formula involved in the necessary chain reaction. ¡°Just as I suspected, I had mixed it up with other formulas.¡± Identifying the key components made the remaining corrections straightforward. ... After two diligent days, Lin Xian corrected all transcription errors and updated the essential chemical formulas he had previously overlooked. ¡°Phew...¡± With the final word penned at his bedroom desk, Lin Xian exhaled deeply and leaned back in his chair. ¡°All done.¡± He lifted the three pages of the revised manuscript from his desk, confident in their accuracy. Glancing at his phone, he noticed it was past 4 AM. ¡°Congratulations, Professor. Your relentless work is about to bear fruit.¡± ¡°With the development and publication of this hibernation pod filler, research in the field will ignite globally. Soon, hibernation pods will be a reality.¡± ¡°And then, Xu Yi Yi can use one to seek future treatments. I¡¯m confident future medical technology will be capable of healing vegetative states.¡± The mention of his daughter sparked hope in Professor Xu Yun¡¯s eyes. Gratefully, he clasped Lin Xian¡¯s hand, expressing his deep appreciation. ¡°I won¡¯t keep you any longer, Professor.¡± Lin Xian collected his coat, ready to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll grab breakfast then head to the company. If there¡¯s any issue with the manuscript, just call me.¡± ¡°Wait, Lin Xian,¡± the professor called, retrieving a thick document bag from his cluttered desk and handing it over. ¡°This is a token of my appreciation.¡± Curious, Lin Xian accepted it, noting its weight. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked, intrigued. Professor Xu Yun¡¯s smile held a hint of mystery. ¡°Open it. I believe you¡¯ll find it very useful.¡± Useful? Lin Xian¡¯s curiosity peaked as he untied the bag and sifted through the contents. At the top was a handwritten ¡°Exclusive Authorization Letter¡± stating: ¡°This authorizes Mr. Lin Xian... exclusively... free of charge...¡± signed by Professor Xu Yun. ¡°This is...¡± Lin Xian was stunned. ¡°This grants me exclusive rights to a chemical compound coveted globally!¡± Though unofficial, the handwritten document was legally binding. Surprisingly, the exclusive rights weren¡¯t for MX Company or Zhao Ying Jun; they were bestowed upon him. ¡°Professor... are you sure about this?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 47: Authorization Lin Xian was a bit baffled. He pulled out the first page of the authorization document, unveiling several experiment data and reports underneath, as he had anticipated. These were instructions for crafting a specific chemical compound.Vissit for updates ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention that we should only consider marketing this chemical once the hibernation chamber¡¯s liquid is fully developed?¡± Lin Xian inquired. Professor Xu Yun chuckled, patting Lin Xian on the shoulder. ¡°As a seasoned scientist, I immediately recognized the authenticity of your earlier manuscript. Moreover, now that you¡¯ve helped pinpoint and amend errors in the formulas, I can complete the hibernation chamber¡¯s liquid soon. Perhaps even tonight, you¡¯ll hear some promising news from me.¡± ¡°So, finalizing the hibernation chamber liquid is just a matter of time. What¡¯s the harm in launching this product now or a few days later?¡± Lin Xian then turned back to the ¡®Exclusive Authorization Letter.¡¯ ¡°But Professor Xu, there¡¯s no mention of pricing or revenue sharing in this authorization letter. And the authorizer here...¡± Professor Xu Yun folded the authorization letter, gathered the other documents, and placed them into a file bag, which he then handed to Lin Xian. ¡°Since I¡¯ve given you exclusive rights, everything now fully belongs to you, including all profits. You set the selling price.¡± ¡°As for what I sold it to you for...¡± Professor Xu tapped the manuscript Lin Xian had brought. ¡°Haven¡¯t you already paid me? Quite generously, too!¡± Soon after, Professor Xu stopped Lin Xian from saying anything more and ushered him out of the lab. ¡°We¡¯ll sort out the formal authorization letter later. Take these documents to your company¡¯s R&D; they¡¯ll make sense of them.¡± With that, he closed the lab door behind him and resumed his work. Holding the substantial file bag, Lin Xian was stunned by his sudden fortune. According to Zhao Ying Jun, just one such authorization could fetch a million dollars, not to mention future profits. Becoming a multimillionaire overnight was something he hadn¡¯t anticipated. Yet, this was also a show of kindness, perhaps even gratitude, from Professor Xu Yun. Refusing outright would be rude. Besides... ¡°Once Professor Xu Yun successfully completes the hibernation chamber liquid, he might win a Nobel Prize or receive a national grant. The world will value him as a treasure, and he¡¯ll hardly lack funds.¡± After mulling it over, Lin Xian decided to accept this generous offer. Clearly, good deeds eventually pay off. The atmosphere in the meeting room was despondent, filled with sighs. However, Zhao Ying Jun remained composed, listening patiently to each team leader and taking diligent notes. Lin Xian watched her, admiring her calmness. He had always respected Zhao Ying Jun, who had treated him well and fostered a positive atmosphere at MX Company. This time... He decided to lend her a hand. He planned to monetize the authorization anyway, and selling it to another company made less sense than offering it to Zhao Ying Jun. Plus... Lin Xian was curious about the contents of the Genius Club invitation Zhao Ying Jun had received. This was his chance to deepen Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s trust in him. If one day she trusted him enough, perhaps he¡¯d learn the office¡¯s password or even stay alone in that office. Then, he could sneak a look at the invitation. Yes, Lin Xian intended only to take a covert glance, never to expose his curiosity to Zhao Ying Jun. Considering the worst case... If Zhao Ying Jun was already a member of the Genius Club, and if it was an organization that needed to remain hidden, then showing overt interest could be risky. Safety first. Survival was paramount. After the logistics report, Zhao Ying Jun turned to Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian, it¡¯s your turn. What do you have to say?¡± Lin Xian nodded, pushing the hefty file bag to the center of the table. ¡°Everyone has misunderstood President Zhao. We¡¯ve been advancing this quietly, and you all know about Professor Xu Yun¡¯s recent involvement with our company.¡± ¡°This morning, I secured exclusive rights to his chemical compound at Donghai University.¡± The room went silent, all eyes on him, wide with astonishment. ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian smiled slightly. ¡°We can now resume the ¡®Professor Xu Yun Moisturizer Project¡¯.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 48: The Safe Lin Xian¡¯s declaration hung heavily in the air, sending a ripple of tension through everyone present. The Vice President shot up from his seat, his voice tinged with urgency. ¡°Lin Xian, are you certain about this?¡± Lin Xian nodded confidently, and the Vice President scrambled forward, clutching a document bag. With careful hands, he drew out an ¡®Exclusive Authorization Letter¡¯. ¡°This signature... it¡¯s definitely Professor Xu Yun¡¯s. It¡¯s authentic!¡± He pored over the letter with growing excitement. It explicitly transferred all rights and interests in a chemical compound to Lin Xian at no cost, making him the sole decision-maker. The Vice President¡¯s expression turned to one of stunned disbelief as he faced Lin Xian. ¡°Lin... Lin Xian, this letter gives you full rights!¡± ¡°It¡¯s merely a preliminary draft,¡± Lin Xian remarked, downplaying the significance. ¡°Professor Xu Yun has been preoccupied and delegated this to me.¡± ¡°He trusts us to use it first. We¡¯ll revise the formal documents when he has the time.¡± This clarification settled over the room, making sense of the situation and earning Lin Xian nods of respect for securing Professor Xu Yun¡¯s endorsement and averting a crisis at MX Company. ¡°It¡¯s too generous of you all,¡± Lin Xian modestly brushed off the wave of praise from the team leaders and the Vice President, insisting his contribution was minor. However, his humility only fueled their admiration, and applause filled the meeting room for a prolonged period. The R&D team leader, engrossed in thick stacks of research data and notes, eventually looked up to confirm, ¡°It¡¯s all accurate, Ms. Zhao. This includes the chemical¡¯s preparation and safety measures... It aligns perfectly with our initial findings. We can proceed with all prior approvals and ensure the product launch is on track.¡± In moments, the meeting room¡¯s atmosphere had transformed completely. A surge of renewed energy propelled everyone, their morale skyrocketing as they prepared to dive back into their work with renewed vigor. On the 22nd floor, Zhao Ying Jun leaned back in her office chair, addressing Lin Xian across the desk. ¡°You¡¯ve not only resolved a major issue for the company but for me personally as well. I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡± Lin Xian shook his head, playing down his role. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much, honestly. Perhaps Professor Xu Yun places a lot of trust in our mentor-mentee relationship.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for one to be installed,¡± she said, making a call. ¡°Keep these documents, the contract, and the authorization letter locked up. Losing them would cause serious issues.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all for now. You can return to your work,¡± she concluded. With the heavy security door closing loudly behind him, Lin Xian left the office. He sighed, wondering about his continued involvement with the Genius Club. Staying with this company kept him connected to that circle. Two days later, several employees from a safe company arrived at his door. ¡°Hello, Mr. Lin.¡± They installed a meter-tall steel safe. ¡°This uses a dual-lock system, needing both a key and a dial to open. It¡¯s very secure,¡± one employee explained, handing him the keys. ¡°What if I lose the key or forget the combination?¡± Lin Xian inquired. ¡°If you lose the key, a locksmith might help, but if you forget the combination, opening it would be nearly impossible,¡± the employee chuckled. ¡°Its internal mechanisms are quite complex.¡± Lin Xian tapped the safe thoughtfully. ¡°And if I forget? What if the contents are vital?¡± The employee scratched his head, ¡°Well, there¡¯s one last option...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 49: Hibernation Pod ¡°What method?¡± Lin Xian inquired, his curiosity piqued. ¡°Destructive force,¡± the technician from the safe company explained. ¡°We once had a client with a similar problem. Their financial manager was involved in a car accident, and the company urgently needed to access the documents inside their safe. So, they transported the entire safe to a scrapyard and used an oxy-acetylene cutting torch to open it.¡± ¡°This safe is constructed from solid steel. Ordinary tools or crowbars won¡¯t do the trick, and even explosives can¡¯t breach it. Only an oxy-acetylene torch, with its intense high-temperature flame, can cut through it. It¡¯s a last-resort solution.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s interest was clearly aroused. ¡°What kind of torch did you mention again?¡±Ree?ad latest novels at ¡°An oxy-acetylene torch. It uses high-pressure acetylene gas to produce a flame that can reach up to 3000 degrees Celsius, capable of melting and cutting through steel. It¡¯s a common tool in industrial applications.¡± After the explanation, the technicians handed Lin Xian a form to sign, left a manual and a contact number, and then departed. ¡°Oxy-acetylene torch...¡± Lin Xian muttered to himself. The dream safe, with his name inscribed on it, was rusty and peeling, clearly made of steel. A flame that reached 3000 degrees would render it as fragile as tofu. Lin Xian had hoped to enter his dream soon and use the torch to cut open the safe, but his plans were thwarted by an unexpected rush of work. He found himself swamped, often working late into the night, leaving no chance for dreaming. Days passed without a single dream. It wasn¡¯t just him feeling the strain. The entire company was under pressure, with everyone pulling all-nighters. Even Zhao Ying Jun, usually so impeccable, now sported faint dark circles under her eyes. One afternoon, just as Lin Xian completed a task, his phone rang. He was surprised to see the caller ID. ¡°Professor Xu Yun?¡± It had been several days since their last conversation. Could there be new developments? Lin Xian answered the call eagerly. ¡°Professor Xu Yun?¡± ¡°Lin Xian! Do you have time right now?¡± Professor Xu Yun¡¯s voice was brimming with excitement. ¡°I need you to witness a historic moment!¡± Professor Xu Yun¡¯s invention, though primitive, was a significant breakthrough¡ªit could reduce metabolic activity by thirty times. If this proved stable, external time would pass thirty years while the mouse aged just one year, effectively allowing it to ¡®travel¡¯ to the future. Yet, the real challenges in hibernation technology were not just about inducing freezing but also about ensuring successful thawing and reawakening. ¡°The true test isn¡¯t just freezing, it¡¯s about the revival process,¡± Professor Xu Yun elaborated. ¡°Now, you¡¯ll witness a genuine historic moment. We¡¯re about to revive this mouse that has been in hibernation for 40 hours at -60 degrees Celsius.¡± Lin Xian watched intently as Professor Xu Yun carefully adjusted the controls, gradually warming the pod. After about half an hour, the temperature inside the pod reached ten degrees Celsius. The mouse began to move, clawing at the walls of the pod in a frenzy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± reassured Xu Yun. ¡°The liquid¡¯s high oxygen solubility supports normal breathing, even when inhaled, though it feels quite uncomfortable. It¡¯s designed to ensure the animal can breathe without suffocating, though I haven¡¯t tested this personally.¡± Then, Xu Yun drained the pod and gently removed the mouse, detaching all the electrodes. Now free, the mouse shook off the remaining liquid and energetically darted around the lab. ¡°Amazing,¡± Lin Xian exclaimed, astonished. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe it was in a near-death state for 40 hours at -60 degrees.¡± The marvels of science were evident. A human would not survive such conditions, yet here was this lively mouse, bounding about. Xu Yun smiled, a mix of relief and triumph on his face. ¡°There are many hurdles yet to overcome, but the successful hibernation and revival of this mouse validate the effectiveness of the pod and the fluid. The theoretical foundation is solid.¡± Seeing Xu Yun¡¯s joy, Lin Xian was moved, knowing this could bring hope for his comatose daughter. Curiously, he asked, ¡°Professor Xu, how long do you think it will take to develop a fully operational hibernation pod?¡± Xu Yun pondered the question thoughtfully. ¡°Difficult to estimate. Perhaps decades, maybe less. But today, we¡¯ve taken an essential first step.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 50: The Dream Project Lin Xian couldn¡¯t shake the worry that plagued his mind. The haunting image of Xu Yi Yi lying comatose in a hospital bed constantly intruded on his thoughts. His greatest fear was that she might never witness the realization of the hibernation pods. Professor Xu Yun, however, appeared remarkably composed. With a light-hearted chuckle, he said, ¡°Creating the kind of hibernation pods you see in sci-fi movies, the ones that allow for centuries of sleep, is going to take us quite a while.¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s a lost cause. Most people aren¡¯t preparing for long space trips. Someone like my daughter, Yi Yi, or cancer patients in critical stages only need another decade or two¡ªjust enough time for medical advancements to catch up.¡± Pausing to watch a mouse scurry across the floor, Xu Yun continued, ¡°According to my calculations, with adequate funding from the government, we could have a prototype in two to three years that would slow human biological processes by tenfold.¡± ¡°Reducing biological activity by ten times is a significant achievement. For Yi Yi, spending ten years in such a pod would mean she¡¯d only age one year. Meanwhile, medical science might advance enough to even enhance the pod¡¯s capabilities.¡± Impressed, Lin Xian nodded. ¡°When do you plan to go public with these findings, Professor Xu?¡± ¡°Not for another week at least,¡± replied Xu Yun, shuffling his papers. ¡°But expect an announcement soon.¡± He then handed Lin Xian a document. ¡°While researching, I discovered a byproduct and sent it for verification to a colleague at the National Aerospace Research Institute.¡± The document was filled with complex molecular formulas that were beyond Lin Xian¡¯s comprehension. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s a novel aluminum-based compound. This could lead to new, highly durable, corrosion-resistant, and heat-resistant aluminum alloys, pivotal in aerospace technologies. I plan to publish these findings too. The potential applications could revolutionize several technological fields.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Xian acknowledged, recognizing the significance of such interdisciplinary progress. ¡°I¡¯ll let you get back to your research then. I¡¯m looking forward to your publication.¡± A few days later, three pieces of exciting news circulated. First, headlines across various media platforms announced, ¡°Professor Xu Yun from Donghai University cracks major hibernation technology challenge.¡± This breakthrough indicated that such futuristic technology, typically reserved for science fiction, might soon become a reality. Every major news outlet featured Xu Yun: He felt like a character in a video game, leveling up rapidly, his attributes skyrocketing with each achievement. But he knew Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s strategy. She offered him immense power to keep him at MX Company, aware that he might otherwise consider leaving. However, Lin Xian had no intention of leaving. He valued MX Company and respected Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s leadership. Moreover, leaving would mean losing the only connecting clue to the coveted invitation to the Genius Club and the mysterious organization behind it. Until he explored what the invitation entailed, he decided to stay with MX Company. ¡°One last thing,¡± Zhao Ying Jun added, glancing at Lin Xian, ¡°your new office on the 20th floor is ready. It¡¯s much larger than your previous one. Feel free to check it out.¡± With that, she dismissed him. Exiting Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office, Lin Xian felt the world shift around him. His team had expanded, he had full control over personnel decisions, his salary matched that of a vice president, and a spacious new office awaited him, complete with a safe and potential royalties from the new chemical discovery. ¡°Leveling up too quickly,¡± Lin Xian mused, rubbing his neck as he approached the elevator. The elevator doors opened on the 20th floor, revealing his new office. It was triple the size of his previous one, featuring a separate resting area, a large coffee table, a long sofa, bookshelves filled with greenery, a luxurious desk, a high-end desktop, and a laptop. Everything was a significant upgrade from his setup on the 17th floor. Lin Xian moved his personal items into his new office, adding personal touches to make it feel like home. Settling into the executive chair, he relaxed and thought, ¡°No more late nights.¡± ¡°Tonight, I can finally dive into the dream and open that safe!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 51: Unity is Strength Previously, Lin Xian discovered from the safe company staff that an oxy-acetylene torch could forcefully cut open a safe. This revelation meant that the safe in his recurring dream was also vulnerable to this method. He booted up his computer and began his research. According to online resources, the oxy-acetylene torch is a popular high-temperature gas cutting tool used across various industries. Its primary use is in cutting through irregular steel shapes like coils, ingots, and frames, which are often tricky to secure. The process involves two high-pressure liquefied gas tanks¡ªone containing acetylene and the other oxygen, the primary fuel for the torch. These tanks connect via a hose to a high-pressure spray gun. When adjusted to the correct pressure and gas ratio, and ignited, it produces a potent ¡°flame blade¡±¡ªakin to the flame from a windproof lighter, but significantly larger and longer. At the center of this high-speed jet flame, temperatures soar to 3000 degrees Celsius, well above steel¡¯s melting point of 1500 degrees Celsius. This intense heat easily melts steel, allowing for swift, effective cuts. Lin Xian watched several videos on video-sharing platforms demonstrating safe cutting with oxy-acetylene torches. In every instance, the torch¡¯s white-hot flame sliced through the safes effortlessly, emitting a shower of tiny, glowing metal sparks. Within mere seconds, the safes were breached. The edges of the cuts, glowing with residual molten steel, seemed almost to concede defeat to the overpowering heat. Lin Xian knew the safe from his dream well. Its paint was mostly chipped off, revealing layers of rust beneath¡ªa clear sign of its steel composition and age. Given steel¡¯s melting point, cutting the dream safe with an oxy-acetylene torch would pose no difficulty. Further research confirmed the widespread availability and mature technology of oxy-acetylene torches. They could be found at construction sites, steel markets, and even online. Small roadside shops crafting steel frame billboards typically possessed such equipment. ¡°If it¡¯s this common, it should be easy to find one in the dream too,¡± Lin Xian mused. He recalled how, during elementary school, he and his friend Gao Yang would pass a street lined with billboards. The workers there used both electric welders and oxy-acetylene torches. The intense light and heat from these tools forced the workers to wear heavy goggles. The accidental glances Lin Xian and Gao Yang stole at the flames left spots in their vision, similar to looking directly at the sun. Finally shutting down his computer, Lin Xian began contemplating his strategy for that night¡¯s dream: ¡°Locating an oxy-acetylene torch in the dream should be manageable. The challenge lies in transporting such bulky and complex equipment to the bank vault.¡± The tanks were hefty, requiring two people to carry each one¡ªhence, a minimum of four individuals was needed for the task. Additionally, hoses, spray guns, and goggles were essential, meaning five or six participants were necessary to execute this plan. ¡°Five or six people... Where can I find so many allies in the dream?¡± He considered his potential allies¡ªBig Cat Face and CC. Even if they set aside their past conflicts and collaborated, they would still fall short in numbers. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± A familiar summer breeze caressed his face as he entered the dream. It had been some time since Lin Xian had felt such warmth in a dream, his body instantly responding to the temperature. He glanced at a nearby electronic sign: [August 28, 2624] [21:42] Everything around him¡ªpeople, scenes, and the environment¡ªremained unchanged. However, Lin Xian anticipated significant developments once Professor Xu Yun¡¯s research was published, propelling human technology forward. He speculated about the potential transformations in the square, envisioning changes in technology levels, building architectures, lifestyles, and even children¡¯s toys. ¡°The dream that has been consistent for 23 years is finally on the cusp of transformation.¡± ¡°Will this square still exist? What will the surroundings look like?¡± As he pondered the inevitable changes, a sense of reluctance washed over him. ¡°While there¡¯s still time... let¡¯s open the safe. I¡¯m quite curious about what¡¯s inside.¡± He noticed two boys abandoning their Ultraman role-play nearby. Lin Xian stepped forward, picked up a discarded Ultraman mask, and donned it. Approaching a burly figure disembarking from a van, he called out: ¡°Big Cat Face!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The figure, masked as Rhine Cat, turned. Lin Xian placed his hand on Big Cat Face¡¯s shoulder, leaning in to whisper: ¡°Listen carefully, I have something important to tell you...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 52: The Three of Us ¡°Come on, hurry up!¡± Lin Xian called out. ¡°She tricked me!¡± Big Cat Face exclaimed from inside the van, turning to Lin Xian, who was adjusting an Ultraman mask. ¡°Brother, you know about my family and my three underlings. I can tell you¡¯re no ordinary person. I trust you! But you mentioned leading me to a massive stash of gold bars. Is that really true? I¡¯m not doubting you, but where in this city could we possibly find so much gold?¡± Earlier, Lin Xian had intercepted Big Cat Face in the square, inviting him into the van for a detailed conversation. Armed with superior knowledge, Lin Xian quickly earned Big Cat Face¡¯s trust. The next step was to persuade him to set aside past grievances and collaborate on his plan. Facing Big Cat Face, Lin Xian nodded, ¡°Why would I lie after sharing so many secrets with you? I know this city inside out. I know exactly where the hidden money is. There are people here whose wealth isn¡¯t stored in banks, and they wouldn¡¯t dare report a theft to the police. Stealing from them is our safest bet.¡± ¡°But...¡± Lin Xian glanced at his watch and shook his head, ¡°At this hour, it¡¯s too late. We¡¯ll have to make our move tomorrow.¡± ¡°What¡¯s one more day?¡± Big Cat Face laughed heartily, clapping Lin Xian on the back. ¡°Tomorrow it is! So, what¡¯s the plan for today?¡± Lin Xian opened the van door and stepped out. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll fetch our password expert. Remember our agreement: I¡¯ll lead you to the money tomorrow, and you can settle your score with her, but today, you follow my orders.¡± After leaving Big Cat Face¡¯s van, Lin Xian closed the door behind him and adjusted his mask. He crossed the square and soon spotted CC. She looked the same as always, dressed in a long black trench coat, her hair pulled back tightly, slender as a model, with the Ultraman mask as their secret signal. ¡°CC,¡± Lin Xian approached her directly, ¡°let¡¯s keep this brief. Our goal is to crack open the safe in the bank vault labeled ¡®Lin Xian.¡¯ This won¡¯t be easy. Your portable computer can bypass the vault¡¯s electronic lock, but the safe has an old-fashioned mechanical lock, which makes your hacking skills irrelevant. We won¡¯t manage to open it before the main power is restored.¡± ¡°Trust me, I know that warehouse and that safe better than you. I know how to get it open, and I¡¯ve already handled Big Cat Face. If you want into that safe... join my team. Let¡¯s work together.¡± CC eyed Lin Xian warily but listened intently. Then, stepping back, she assessed him once more. ¡°I¡¯m in,¡± CC finally responded, crossing her arms. ¡°But only if you¡¯ve really dealt with Big Cat Face. He¡¯s not someone to take lightly.¡± Lin Xian lowered his arm, gesturing towards the van parked nearby. ¡°Welcome aboard. Let¡¯s go; I¡¯ll introduce you to our third teammate.¡± With his advantage in intelligence, everything proceeded smoothly. Lin Xian slid open the van¡¯s rear door, gestured for CC to enter first, then climbed in after her, pulling the door shut from the inside. Bang! The rickety door closed, causing the whole van to shake. For a moment, no one spoke. Three unlikely characters sat silently together in a van. Big Cat Face peered into the rearview mirror, observing the backseat. He saw two stern Ultraman masks facing forward, and in the corner of the mirror, a distorted Rhine Cat mascot squeezed into a smile amid layers of fat. This trio was absurdly mismatched! ¡°Ahem!¡± Big Cat Face cleared his throat and turned around, peering through the small holes in his mask at the twin Ultramans. ¡°So... can someone explain what¡¯s happening? Female Ultraman, you don¡¯t need to be so guarded. Our issue is resolved, and as for the money, the male Ultraman said he¡¯d handle it.¡± ¡°Male Ultraman, aren¡¯t you leading us tonight? Why don¡¯t you lay out the plan?¡± Lin Xian collected his thoughts and spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s skip the small talk and get to work. Big Cat Face, you head to the east side¡¯s building materials market first. We need to find that oxyacetylene cutting torch. If it¡¯s not there, circle back to the south¡¯s advertising market. We need the equipment to cut open the safe.¡± Vroom¡ªthe van started up, heading towards the building materials market. Throughout the journey, no one uttered a word. Lin Xian sat calmly. He clasped his hands over his stomach, watching the streetlights recede steadily, like the passing of time, like a recurring dream. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 53: The Motley Crew After an exhaustive search, the trio finally located an oxy-acetylene cutting torch at an advertising store. With a cylinder each of liquid acetylene and liquid oxygen, Lin Xian and Big Cat Face made two trips to load the heavy tanks into their van. Meanwhile, CC gathered the gas hoses and the torch, managing to nab three welding masks from a neighboring store to ensure clear visibility during the cutting and prevent any retinal damage. ¡°I grabbed a lighter too. We¡¯re all set,¡± she announced. Lin Xian checked his watch, noting the time they had lost. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the bank!¡± He, Big Cat Face, and CC climbed back into the van, fastening their seatbelts. Everything was proceeding smoothly. Boom¡ª The van vibrated as it restarted. During the drive, Lin Xian reminded Big Cat Face of an important detail: ¡°Cat Face, remember, there¡¯s no cash in that bank vault. Hold off on taking out your three guys. We need them alive for now. We can¡¯t lug these cylinders by ourselves. We need your guys to help carry them.¡± Big Cat Face nodded, his hands steady on the steering wheel. ¡°Everything¡¯s arranged. Don¡¯t worry. But keep it under wraps that the vault¡¯s empty. They¡¯re here for a payday. If they suspect there¡¯s no loot, they won¡¯t stick their necks out for us. Just follow the plan, and I¡¯ll manage my crew.¡± ... Soon, they pulled up at the familiar bank entrance. Checking his watch again, Lin Xian frowned at the late hour caused by their equipment hunt. He swung the van door open. Three masked accomplices were already there, waiting.Fi?ndd new updates on Two of them grabbed the acetylene cylinder while Big Cat Face and another hoisted the oxygen cylinder. Lin Xian juggled three welding masks in one hand and the torch and hose in the other. CC, carrying only the password-cracking computer, appeared travel-light by comparison. The six of them stood ready at the bank¡¯s entrance. ¡°Go!¡± Big Cat Face commanded. The hastily formed eclectic group marched into the bank. They reached the vault door without issue, the silver keypad ominously illuminated. The three masked men chattered excitedly: ¡°Once this job¡¯s done, I¡¯m heading straight home to get hitched!¡± CC¡¯s grip on her gun relaxed slightly as she glanced at Lin Xian. He gestured reassuringly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, CC. Go work on the vault door. A wise man doesn¡¯t get involved in family matters. His crew, his rules.¡± CC paused, then holstered her weapon and turned to the vault door, her computer in hand. Lin Xian observed Big Cat Face, who was flicking ash off his cigarette. Kicking at a corpse, he finally asked the big man: ¡°Have you always been this hard? Or did it start after your daughter died?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t recall...¡± Big Cat Face bit his cigarette, grinning wryly. ¡°I wasn¡¯t like this as a kid. Neither were they.¡± He gestured towards the dead men. ¡°Back in our village, we were brothers. Sure, we weren¡¯t saints, but we weren¡¯t heartless either. But the world changes people. Money complicates loyalties. When we were broke, we were brothers; with money, everyone¡¯s motives emerged.¡± He paused, looking at Lin Xian. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right. If my daughter were still here, maybe things would be different. If she were alive, I¡¯d live a decent life, be there for her school meetings.¡± ¡°But there are no ¡®ifs¡¯ in life. It¡¯s just this¡ªliving for revenge. Nothing else matters.¡± Lin Xian stayed silent as Big Cat Face snuffed out his cigarette. Life can change. With Professor Xu Yun¡¯s paper poised to advance hibernation technology significantly, the future and reality might shift dramatically. When the butterfly effect in time and space activates, not just for Big Cat Face, but For CC, everyone in this heist, the future six centuries ahead, even the entire dream world, things will be radically different. Will Big Cat Face remain a merciless criminal? Will CC still be a code cracker? Will the Otter Brothers keep dueling in the square as usual? Uncertainty reigns. But change is inevitable. ... Beep, beep. The vault door beeped twice, then clicked as the lock indicator turned from red to green, swinging the heavy door open. CC looked back at the men. ¡°The door¡¯s open!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 54: A Different CC CC skillfully decoded the lock mechanism, flung open the door, and surged forward. Trailing behind her, Big Cat Face hefted an acetylene canister, while Lin Xian entered with caution. Stepping into the bank vault, Lin Xian froze in surprise. ¡°What?¡± he gasped, eyes sweeping across the rows of gleaming, new safes mounted along the walls. ¡°What¡¯s happened here? When did they change?¡± His memory painted a picture of old, chipped, and rusted safes, a stark contrast to their current pristine condition. He hurried to a safe labeled with his name, tracing his fingers across its sleek, polished exterior. Thump! Frustration boiled over, and Lin Xian struck the safe, his thoughts echoing Professor Xu Yun¡¯s discovery: ¡°In my research, I stumbled upon a byproduct. I sent it to a colleague at the Aerospace Institute, who confirmed its properties. It¡¯s an aluminum compound, forming an alloy that is extremely hard, corrosion-resistant, and heat-resistant, potentially useful in aerospace. I¡¯d planned to publish this data on the aluminum alloy. While its exact applications are not yet clear, it could revolutionize various technologies.¡± Clang! His mask and torch clattered to the ground. ¡°We¡¯ve been duped.¡± CC and Big Cat Face looked at him, confused. ¡°Duped? By whom?¡± Pointing at the nameplate on his safe, Lin Xian sighed. ¡°We were tricked by Lin Xian himself.¡± Big Cat Face and CC exchanged bewildered looks, but Lin Xian grasped the implications of this time-space anomaly and the resulting butterfly effect. ¡°Time-space changes are unpredictable,¡± he realized. Although he intended to alter the future, the results were not always beneficial. In this case, his earlier interventions had unexpectedly led to the current predicament. The brand-new safes were a direct consequence of his actions 600 years prior, which had inadvertently triggered a time-space shift. Originally, the safes in the bank vault were made of aged iron, their paint nearly chipped away, and their interiors rusty, easily qualifying as museum artifacts without proper care. However, his historical meddling led Professor Xu Yun to discover a new aluminum alloy during his research on hibernation fluids. Although Lin Xian was unfamiliar with the exact properties of this alloy, Professor Xu Yun had described it as highly durable, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant¡ªqualities later affirmed by the Aerospace Institute. If this patent went public, industries, including safe manufacturers, would swiftly adopt the new aluminum alloy. Observing the untouched, shiny safes, Lin Xian understood the alarming logic: his past actions had rebounded disastrously in the present. But why did the new aluminum alloy prompt a time-space shift, whereas the hibernation fluid did not? What was the critical difference? He didn¡¯t know the cost of the new aluminum alloy, but it seemed prohibitively expensive. Ordinary safes wouldn¡¯t justify this expense, hence Big Cat Face and CC¡¯s astonishment. Ignoring their surprise, CC took the torch: ¡°Let me try.¡± Again, the intense flame filled the room, but regardless of the angle or duration, the safes remained intact, unyielding like timeless relics. ¡°This is bizarre!¡± Frustrated, Big Cat Face loaded his gun and fired twice at another safe. Closer inspection revealed not a scratch; the surface was still pristine. ¡°This stuff is too tough!¡± Clang! CC dropped the torch and helmet, wiping sweat from her brow. They all recognized the futility of their efforts. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is my fault,¡± Lin Xian admitted. However, CC shook her head, her gaze not blaming but understanding as she looked at Lin Xian: ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. I see how much you wanted to open this safe, but it just wasn¡¯t possible.¡± Lin Xian was taken aback; he had expected CC to glare at him and accuse him of lying, as she had in the past. This was the first time she had spoken to him so kindly, suggesting her feelings for him were quite positive this time. Removing his mask, Lin Xian faced CC: ¡°It seems impossible to break the safe by force. Guessing the password is our only option. I can¡¯t explain everything now, but I understand more, have more chances, and am closer to the correct answer.¡± ¡°So, CC, can we share information?¡± Lin Xian stepped closer, his expression earnest. ¡°Our goal is the same¡ªto open this safe. I can answer your earlier questions and tell you about the Lin Xian I know. In return, can you share any clues, information, or hints about this safe? If you provide critical tips... perhaps I can guess the password!¡± After a moment of contemplation, CC nodded slowly through her Ultraman mask: ¡°Okay.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 55: The Revelation CC¡¯s sudden shift in attitude took Lin Xian by surprise. For the first time, she appeared genuinely patient and open. This change was likely due to the recent developments between them. Their previous interactions had been marked by tension, suspicion, and conflict, making any peaceful exchange seem improbable. However, now united by a shared objective, they experienced an unexpected camaraderie. Despite their failure to unlock the vault, they had acquired something much more significant: CC¡¯s trust. She was now prepared to divulge information, something she had previously withheld. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll start,¡± Lin Xian began, leaning against the cool metal of the vault. He embarked on a narrative of his life, starting from his college graduation to his everyday work routine. However, he was only halfway through when CC stopped him. ¡°That¡¯s enough. You don¡¯t need to continue,¡± she interrupted, shaking her head. ¡°The Lin Xian you know isn¡¯t the same person who owns this vault.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Lin Xian asked, puzzled. He harbored doubts about whether the vault was truly his. Yet, a part of him hoped it belonged to him, possibly from the years 2032 or even 2042. This seemed plausible, considering the current year was 2022, and he had never used the vault. Therefore, he wouldn¡¯t know the password. But CC was resolute. ¡°Because... it¡¯s too mundane,¡± she sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know the real Lin Xian. I don¡¯t know any Lin Xian at all. But I can tell that the one you describe isn¡¯t the owner of this vault.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°Since you¡¯re not interested, it¡¯s your turn to answer my question.¡± CC nodded and leaned back against the vault. ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start. My memories have been a jumble since childhood. It feels like my mind contains memories that aren¡¯t mine, yet they are part of my life. It¡¯s as if... there¡¯s another version of me from a different world.¡± ¡°Is it a dream?¡± Lin Xian inquired. CC shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s definitely not a dream. These memories are fragmented and unclear, but they are certainly not dreams.¡± ¡°Could it be parallel worlds?¡± Lin Xian pressed on. CC paused for a moment before nodding slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s hard to explain. I¡¯ve consulted doctors, and they suggested it might be delusions or dissociative identity disorder. But these fragmented memories feel too real to be mere fantasies. That¡¯s why I wanted to prove their validity.¡± She turned and pointed at the vault bearing Lin Xian¡¯s name. ¡°In those memories, a middle-aged man with long, messy hair and a bushy beard told me he left something for me in this vault. He said¡ª¡± Click! The circuit reconnected with a sharp sound. Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Whoop! Time-Space Shifts Are Uncontrollable This realization had caused Lin Xian considerable trouble. He had believed that leveraging future resources could benefit him and improve the future. However, reality proved otherwise. ¡°Changing the future is unpredictable... it might backfire and harm me,¡± he noted, resolving to consider the consequences more carefully before attempting to alter reality again. Time-Space Shifts Require an Irreversible Anchor Point Lin Xian pondered why Professor Xu Yun¡¯s new aluminum alloy had triggered a time-space butterfly effect while the hibernation chamber fluid had not. The answer was simple: ¡°You can¡¯t unspill water.¡± The aluminum alloy had been dispatched to the aerospace research institute, destined to influence various industries over the next 600 years. Even if the institute attempted to monopolize it, it would inevitably seep into the public domain. From the moment it was shared, it became an irreversible anchor point, initiating the time-space shift. Conversely, the hibernation fluid remained unpublished, existing in a ¡°Schro?dinger state¡± with only Xu Yun holding the original paper. There were multiple ways to prevent its publication. Lin Xian himself could persuade Xu Yun to alter the disclosure method. Xu Yun had previously sought his opinion, and Lin Xian believed Xu Yun would heed his advice. Therefore, the hibernation fluid had not yet been ¡°spilled,¡± and no time-space shift had occurred. ¡°Time-space shifts need an irreversible anchor point... interesting. I thought it would be real-time changes,¡± Lin Xian contemplated, sensing more rules and principles governing these shifts. CC Has Memories That Don¡¯t Belong to Her This was a challenging concept, but Lin Xian understood it, having experienced similar confusion in his dreams. He was uncertain if CC suffered from delusions or a dissociative disorder. Her memories were incomplete, fragmented shards. To ascertain their reality, CC risked opening the vault. ¡°This parallels my own quest to verify dreams, seeking truth and answers,¡± he reflected. The Bearded Man in CC¡¯s Memories Sounded Like Him This revelation was pivotal. ¡°No wonder CC didn¡¯t harm me before and exhibited a strange trust... it¡¯s because of my voice,¡± Lin Xian realized. This clarified her prior behavior. Although CC did not know him, his voice resembled someone from her memories, inciting her curiosity and trust. Yet, Lin Xian was certain the bearded man wasn¡¯t him. ¡°Firstly, I can¡¯t live for 600 years. Secondly, many people have similar voices. Her voice is familiar to me too. Lastly, and most importantly¡ª¡± Lin Xian touched his clean-shaven chin, frowning slightly. ¡°I would never grow long hair and a beard... never.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 56: An Qing Lin Xian sat in his office, reflecting on how he would look with messy hair and a burly beard. Resting his chin on his hand, he thought deeply. ¡°Could it really be that the safe isn¡¯t mine?¡± he wondered. He had tried every conceivable eight-digit combination¡ªimportant dates, strange sequences like 26240828, 0042, and various others, even backward and in random orders. Yet, he hadn¡¯t missed a single date. ¡°People don¡¯t set passwords they can¡¯t remember, especially not just a string of numbers. There must be some meaning behind it,¡± he reasoned. ¡°If this safe really belongs to some other Lin Xian who just shares my name, I¡¯ll never crack the code in my lifetime.¡± Yawning widely, Lin Xian struggled with the fatigue from countless sleepless nights. Barely managing to sit up straight, he felt a wave of drowsiness crash over him. His eyelids grew heavy. ¡°I should get some sleep,¡± he mumbled to himself. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it more at work tomorrow.¡±Ree?ad latest novels at The next morning, Lin Xian arrived at work on time. The office was abuzz, the atmosphere reminiscent of a New Year celebration. Following the successful launch of the Rhine brand, all sectors of MX Company had seen explosive growth, resulting in pay raises for everyone. This sparked a festive spirit, almost like a golden age had begun. These days, work was light, and everyone looked forward to the celebratory banquet at the Victoria Club on Saturday night. The Victoria Club, one of the top three venues in Donghai City, was entirely booked by Zhao Ying Jun. All employees connected with the Rhine project were invited to this grand event. The buzz was well-deserved. The presales of the Rhine moisturizing cream alone had helped MX Company surpass its sales targets for the first quarter of 2023 before the New Year had even arrived. They had already achieved their sales goals for the next year¡¯s first quarter, a tremendous feat. Lin Xian, now dubbed the ¡°Father of the Rhine Cat,¡± briefly became an internet sensation. But such fame was fleeting. In the shadow of the adorable Rhine Cat mascot, Lin Xian¡¯s identity was of little consequence¡ªmuch like the unknown designer of Hello Kitty. Upon reaching his floor, Lin Xian pressed the elevator button for the 20th floor. The logistics department had just finished setting up his new office. When the doors slid open, he found the 20th floor much quieter than the bustling 17th floor. This floor was reserved mainly for those reporting directly to the vice presidents. Stepping into his office, Lin Xian admired the upscale furnishings and layout. He was particularly pleased with the expanded space and additional features in the reception area, such as a tea machine, a small tea table, and various potted plants. The resting area even boasted a bed with a high-end mattress, still wrapped in plastic and emitting a faint formaldehyde scent. ¡°Better air this place out a bit,¡± Lin Xian thought. He fully opened the window in the resting room, then closed the door behind him and settled into his new leather chair. Suddenly, the office door banged open. ¡°Lin Xian, deliver this invitation to Professor Xu Yun,¡± said Zhao Ying Jun as she entered without knocking. Lin Xian looked up, startled. It was typical of Zhao Ying Jun¡ªshe was one of the few who dared enter offices unannounced. ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Lin Xian replied, standing to take the red invitation. Zhao Ying Jun glanced at the sketch on the desk and nodded. ¡°Nice drawing,¡± she commented. ¡°Thanks,¡± Lin Xian responded, a bit puzzled. ¡°It looks just like her,¡± Zhao Ying Jun added, almost as an afterthought. Lin Xian stepped back, bewildered. ¡°You know who I drew?¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked up, a hint of surprise in her tone. ¡°Are you joking, Lin Xian? Everyone in the Donghai business circle knows who she is,¡± she continued, pointing at the smiling girl on the paper. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter...¡± ¡°Chu An Qing?¡± Lin Xian finished, his voice tinged with astonishment. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 57: Side Effects ¡°This is Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter?¡± Lin Xian asked, his voice filled with disbelief. Zhao Ying Jun glanced at him as if he had said something incredibly stupid. ¡°Why are you so surprised? Didn¡¯t you sketch this yourself?¡± ¡°No, no... I didn¡¯t sketch her!¡± Lin Xian quickly clarified, waving his hands to emphasize his point. ¡°I don¡¯t even know Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter. I¡¯ve never met her, so how could I possibly know what she looks like? Why would I draw her?¡± To clear up any confusion, Lin Xian rotated the drawing ninety degrees so Zhao Ying Jun could see it properly. Pointing to a tiny detail in the sketch, he said, ¡°See? There¡¯s a teardrop mole right here by her eye.¡±FOlloow newest stories at Zhao Ying Jun nodded, still looking puzzled. ¡°Chu An Qing does have a teardrop mole at the corner of her eye. What are you trying to say?¡± Frustrated by the misunderstanding, Lin Xian explained, ¡°President Zhao, I honestly don¡¯t know Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter. This is actually the first time I¡¯m hearing her name from you. You mentioned her once at the science fundraiser, but she wasn¡¯t there that evening. I¡¯ve never seen her and have no idea what she looks like.¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled softly, realizing her mistake. ¡°Alright, I misunderstood.¡± She then pointed at the invitation in Lin Xian¡¯s hand, changing the topic. ¡°This is the invitation to Saturday evening¡¯s celebration banquet. You should give it to Professor Xu Yun immediately. If he¡¯s attending, we¡¯ll need to arrange his transportation.¡± Lin Xian nodded, examining the high-quality invitation with the MX company logo printed on the back. ¡°I¡¯ll deliver it to him right away.¡± As Zhao Ying Jun turned to leave, she paused and looked back at Lin Xian. ¡°By the way, although I¡¯m not a fan of office romances, we do have some nice girls at our company. If you¡¯re considering dating, maybe think about someone more achievable.¡± Lin Xian was taken aback, realizing Zhao Ying Jun assumed he had a romantic interest in Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter. He quickly tucked the drawing into his black notebook. ¡°I really have no intentions like that, President Zhao. I just felt like sketching because I hadn¡¯t done so in a while. If they look similar, it¡¯s just a coincidence.¡± Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t respond, merely nodding and saying, ¡°Alright, get back to work, Lin Xian.¡± ... Lin Xian took a taxi to Donghai University. With Xu Yun¡¯s rising fame, security at the gate had tightened, barring media and journalists to prevent disturbances. Thanks to his youthful appearance, Lin Xian managed to slip through security. Upon reaching Professor Xu Yun¡¯s lab, he found it deserted. A phone call revealed that Xu Yun was at the hospital with his daughter. Holding the invitation, Lin Xian decided it was best to deliver it personally rather than by phone, out of respect for Xu Yun¡¯s recent achievements and his more available time with his daughter, thanks to the completion of the hibernation chamber¡¯s fluid. He took another cab to the affiliated hospital and found Xu Yun in his daughter¡¯s immaculate room, performing stretches on her limbs, all the while smiling and discussing his research with her. He shared that the first simple hibernation chambers would soon be ready, potentially allowing her to wake in a future where she could be healed and live a full life. Upon Lin Xian¡¯s entry, Xu Yun greeted him warmly and introduced him to his daughter, ¡°Yi Yi, this is Lin Xian, to whom we owe much. He¡¯s been crucial in both my research and your future chances of waking up.¡± ¡°Yi Yi, when you wake and start anew, I might not be here. Make sure to visit Lin Xian often. Or, if you wake after a long hibernation... you might have to call him Uncle Lin Xian.¡± Both men chuckled at the thought, pondering how long Yi Yi might sleep¡ªshe could even end up calling Lin Xian ¡®Grandpa¡¯ if decades pass. ¡°Professor Xu, why not consider hibernating alongside Yi Yi? Then, you could both enjoy the future together.¡± Xu Yun¡¯s response was gentle but tinged with sadness. ¡°There¡¯s something I haven¡¯t told anyone yet. It will be public once my research is published and peer-reviewed...¡± He looked solemnly at Lin Xian. ¡°Do you know... what the biggest side effect of hibernation is?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 58: Storm Approaching Lin Xian shook his head, puzzled by the question. ¡°Hibernation has side effects?¡± The notion was unfamiliar to him. In science fiction films, hibernation was depicted as a miraculous cure-all¡ªsleep for centuries without any issues. However, after listening to Professor Xu Yun¡¯s insights, Lin Xian realized it was more complicated than he initially thought. ¡°Every medical procedure carries some risk. Can you name a treatment that doesn¡¯t have side effects? Especially something as intricate as human hibernation¡ªit¡¯s bound to have its challenges,¡± the professor remarked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Professor Xu,¡± Lin Xian responded. ¡°What exactly are the side effects of hibernation? Do they impact bodily functions?¡± Professor Xu shook his head, tapping his temple thoughtfully. ¡°The most significant risk is memory loss due to the prolonged inactivity of brain signals,¡± he explained. ¡°Physically, there are no adverse effects; even muscle degradation can be countered with physical therapy. However, memory impairment from brain dormancy is unavoidable. Our current understanding suggests that hibernation significantly slows down physiological responses, but brain activity relies on intricate neural stimuli. The longer the hibernation, the more severe the memory loss. Typically, any hibernation exceeding twenty years could result in complete amnesia.¡±Vissit for updates Stunned by this revelation, Lin Xian pondered the implications. Although his expertise was in humanities, the concept of memory loss seemed logical, and it was a subject seldom explored in his favorite sci-fi stories. ¡°Science fiction doesn¡¯t always align with reality,¡± he realized. Professor Xu gently stroked his daughter¡¯s delicate arm, smiling tenderly. ¡°Honestly, it doesn¡¯t matter if Yi Yi forgets me. She¡¯ll start afresh, whether or not she remembers her aging father.¡± ¡°But the thought of forgetting her is unbearable for me,¡± he confessed, his voice tinged with emotion. ¡°Yi Yi was full of life in her youth. My memories of her are precious and far too scarce; losing any would be devastating.¡± ¡°And what about our emotions? Waking up as strangers, devoid of any past connections¡ªthat¡¯s a terrifying prospect.¡± Xu Yun offered Lin Xian a comforting smile. ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I¡¯ve decided against hibernation. I¡¯ll treasure my memories of Yi Yi for as long as I live. Every moment will be dedicated to perfecting the hibernation technology for her future.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, if you¡¯re around when Yi Yi wakes up... please look after her.¡± Lin Xian quickly objected, ¡°No, no, no. I can¡¯t take on such a responsibility!¡± ¡°Professor, don¡¯t be so dark,¡± Lin Xian tried to reassure him. ¡°The future of science is unpredictable. Maybe they¡¯ll find a solution to the memory problem. You need to stay healthy... what father wouldn¡¯t want to see his daughter¡¯s life unfold?¡± ¡°Who might that be?¡± Lin Xian inquired, intrigued. ¡°Someone you know,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied, her smile broadening. ¡°Chu Shan He.¡± Lin Xian was taken aback. ¡°Chu Shan He? His attendance is unexpected.¡± ¡°Not for us,¡± Zhao Ying Jun clarified, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Chu Shan He isn¡¯t just interested in our modest achievements. He¡¯s coming primarily to honor Professor Xu.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been a long-time supporter of the professor¡¯s work. As a passionate advocate for science, he¡¯s eager to personally congratulate him.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t stay long, though. Chu Shan He is always composed and dignified. Likely, he¡¯ll give a brief speech, pay his respects to the professor, and leave before the meal.¡± Lin Xian nodded, understanding the dynamics. Chu Shan He¡¯s attendance was a tribute to Professor Xu and a testament to his respect for the scientific community. ¡°This MX Company banquet is certainly attracting notable figures,¡± Lin Xian remarked. ¡°Having Professor Xu was impressive enough. Chu Shan He¡¯s presence adds significant prestige.¡± Zhao Ying Jun paused, giving Lin Xian a meaningful look. ¡°Indeed, our banquet is of great significance.¡± ¡°Remember the science fundraiser? Chu Shan He often brings his beloved daughter to major events, almost as if he¡¯s showcasing her... ensuring everyone recognizes her beauty.¡± ¡°And so...¡± She glanced at Lin Xian. ¡°Chu Shan He won¡¯t be arriving alone. He¡¯s bringing his daughter, Chu An Qing.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 59: The Gathering ¡°Chu An Qing is coming too?¡± Lin Xian wondered aloud, feeling more like he was organizing a mahjong team than a simple dinner. What had begun as a modest celebration was rapidly turning into a major event, with an eclectic mix of attendees. Traditionally, inviting family members to such a gathering was a sign of respect and underscored the event¡¯s importance. It wasn¡¯t surprising that Chu Shan He would bring his daughter. What did seem odd was Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s knowing smirk. Clearly, the confusion surrounding that drawing hadn¡¯t been resolved. ¡°Ms. Zhao,¡± Lin Xian began, feeling it necessary to clarify things, ¡°I think we should address this directly to avoid any future misunderstandings.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Zhao Ying Jun encouraged. ¡°That painting was something I did casually. Any resemblance to Chu An Qing is purely coincidental. Plus, we all know who Chu Shan He is. His daughter is so young... I wouldn¡¯t dare have such thoughts.¡±ALL new chapters on Zhao Ying Jun laughed. ¡°I understand. Just be aware of the potential complications. Chu Shan He isn¡¯t just a business leader; he wields considerable influence. He¡¯s not someone you want to offend in Donghai City.¡± ¡°And as for whether Chu An Qing looks like your drawing... you can see for yourself at tomorrow¡¯s celebration dinner.¡± Lin Xian nodded, curious about this coincidence. He would find out soon enough at the dinner. After leaving Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office, he went back to work. That afternoon, after finishing work, Lin Xian met Gao Yang at their favorite small restaurant. Gao Yang, bursting with enthusiasm, removed his coat and exclaimed, ¡°Is it true, my friend? Are you taking me to the Victoria Club for dinner? Their buffet is famously expensive!¡± Lin Xian chuckled, brandishing the red invitation card. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true.¡± Gao Yang grabbed the invitation, his eyes lighting up as he read it. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered what delicacies the wealthy indulge in to justify such prices!¡± ¡°By the way, Lin Xian, we¡¯ve both been swamped lately. I never got to ask about your last psychiatrist visit...¡± Gao Yang pocketed the invitation, turning to Lin Xian with curiosity, ¡°Did you get to the bottom of it? Did you uncover anything about that girl?¡± Lin Xian paused, setting down his chopsticks, and nodded. ¡°Yes, I did. Dr. Liu confirmed it. My dreams are just dreams, nothing more.¡± They stepped outside, where the cold bit sharply. Two attendants quickly opened black umbrellas to protect them from the falling snow. Zhao Ying Jun glanced at her watch, rubbing her arms, ¡°He should be here any minute. He was at the last intersection when I called.¡± She smiled at Lin Xian, ¡°Getting Professor Xu Yun to attend is quite an achievement. Apart from Chu Shan He, only you could have managed it.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve done for Professor Xu Yun, or why he feels so indebted to you, but I¡¯m grateful for your help during MX Company¡¯s difficult period.¡± Lin Xian shook his head modestly. ¡°I¡¯m just doing my part for the company.¡± A taxi turned the corner and approached. Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun stepped away from the shelter of the umbrella as the taxi halted. ¡°Professor Xu, welcome,¡± Lin Xian greeted, opening the taxi door. Professor Xu Yun shook hands with them both. ¡°Miss Zhao, thank you for this kind invitation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our pleasure, Professor,¡± Zhao Ying Jun returned the smile. ¡°Please, let¡¯s go inside. It¡¯s chilly out here.¡± Looking dapper in his suit, Professor Xu Yun stomped the snow from his shoes on the red carpet before heading inside with them. Lin Xian followed, casting a glance back at the taxi and the snow-laden tracks it left behind. Something felt amiss, but he couldn¡¯t quite place what it was. ¡°Lin Xian?¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s voice called him back to the moment. He turned to find her and Professor Xu Yun waiting. ¡°Come on in,¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled, motioning towards the cheering crowd inside, ¡°The banquet¡¯s about to begin.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 60: The Princess and the Dream Professor Xu Yun¡¯s arrival electrified the atmosphere. With the main guest present, the celebration could officially begin. Initially, Zhao Ying Jun planned for Professor Xu Yun to deliver a few words, but the professor politely declined. So, Zhao Ying Jun took the stage to deliver the opening remarks, highlighting the remarkable sales and achievements of the new Rhine brand and expressing gratitude to every employee for their hard work. ¡°Today¡¯s success of MX Company and the Rhine brand¡¯s fantastic launch wouldn¡¯t be possible without the efforts of every one of you. But if we had to name the person we owe the most gratitude to... I believe we all have the same answer in our hearts.¡± As Zhao Ying Jun finished speaking, the room erupted in applause. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned toward Lin Xian, filled with recognition and admiration. They knew that without Lin Xian, there would be no celebration today. Whether it was designing the Rhine Cat or securing Professor Xu Yun¡¯s authorization, Lin Xian¡¯s contributions to MX Company were undeniable. Now, the entire company saw Lin Xian as the ¡°vice president,¡± and many even felt that Zhao Ying Jun was too conservative in not promoting Lin Xian directly to the vice president¡¯s position. As the applause died down, Zhao Ying Jun extended her arm toward Lin Xian: ¡°Now, let¡¯s welcome Team Leader Lin Xian to the stage to deliver our New Year¡¯s greeting.¡± Amidst cheers and applause, Lin Xian walked up to the stage, smiling as he took the microphone: ¡°Thank you, leaders and colleagues, for your recognition. First, I must clarify... the success of the Rhine brand belongs to everyone here. There is no distinction of greater or lesser contributions. Like everyone else, I just did my job.¡±FOlloow newest stories at ¡°Because we all did our jobs well, the Rhine brand could have such a successful launch. Therefore... each one of us is a hero of today¡¯s celebration!¡± ¡°2022 is about to end, and in this year...¡± Having served as a host during his university years, Lin Xian¡¯s stage presence was solid. Coupled with his trained voice, everyone listened intently, deeply moved. When Lin Xian finished his New Year¡¯s address, the hall was filled with another round of enthusiastic applause, expressing admiration and respect for the youngest team leader and the company¡¯s brightest young star. Then came the banquet. Exquisite dishes, fine wines, and an array of desserts were brought in by the waiters and neatly placed on the long tables. The luxury and delicacy left everyone in awe. Abalone and lobster were merely appetizers in the grand feast at the Victoria Club. Top-tier ingredients, prepared by world-renowned chefs, filled the air with mouth-watering aromas. Professor Xu Yun, though not accustomed to such occasions, couldn¡¯t help but be infected by the joy around him. A few glasses of wine and the relief of having achieved significant results in his research quickly immersed him in the festive mood, sharing many stories from his younger days with Lin Xian. Shortly after the feast began, Gao Yang finally arrived, fashionably late. ¡°Respect!¡± he shouted in greeting as he hurriedly made his way to Lin Xian, then dashed towards the lobsters to start eating. He had meticulously planned his route through the buffet to make the most of his stomach space and savor the finest delicacies. ¡°Can I sneak away with two bottles of red wine?¡± Gao Yang whispered to Lin Xian while holding a lobster claw. Finally, he understood... Why Zhao Ying Jun had instantly recognized CC¡¯s sketch, saying it was Chu An Qing... Because these two girls were simply identical! No. Not just similar, not just alike, They were exactly the same! Chu An Qing, walking towards him, was a perfect match for the CC who had smiled back at him in his dreams! What was going on? How could there be two people in the world who looked like they were copied and pasted? Moreover, separated by 600 years of time! A myriad of mixed voices echoed chaotically in Lin Xian¡¯s mind¡ª ¡°Mr. Lin, are you sure you can distinguish reality from dreams?¡± ¡°CC, just call me CC.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the girl you drew Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter... Chu An Qing?¡± ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°Do you know... what the biggest side effect of hibernation is?¡± ¡°At that time, you won¡¯t be able to tell reality from dreams.¡± Under the bright lights of the hall, Lin Xian¡¯s vision blurred. He stared at the approaching, smiling girl, their eyes meeting as Chu An Qing waved at him... And she gave him a sweet smile. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 61: Ive Seen You Before Lin Xian observed the woman in front of him. Her sweet, charming smile was so genuine that it reminded him of the smile CC had worn in his dream. However, Chu An Qing¡¯s glance at Lin Xian was brief. She quickly shifted her attention back to the others, smiling and waving with grace. Taking a deep breath, Lin Xian realized Chu An Qing seemed unaware of who he was, treating him with the same polite, detached manner she extended to any other guest. The resemblance to CC was uncanny, almost as if copied and pasted, causing Lin Xian to question his initial impressions.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on Before he could ponder further, Chu Shan He, accompanying Chu An Qing, approached with a booming laugh. Zhao Ying Jun was the first to greet him. ¡°Mr. Chu, your presence honors us, especially considering your busy schedule.¡± Chu Shan He, in a jovial mood, replied with a laugh. ¡°Not at all. The weather was terrible, and the traffic even worse. Please accept my apologies for our tardiness.¡± Zhao Ying Jun then turned to Chu An Qing. ¡°An Qing, it¡¯s been a while. How¡¯s university life treating you?¡± Chu An Qing giggled, her eyes sparkling, her smile radiant. ¡°Thank you for asking, sister. It¡¯s been fantastic.¡± Her father glanced at her affectionately, then addressed Lin Xian. ¡°This young man seems quite promising. Is he a key member of your team?¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled and nodded. ¡°Mr. Chu, you flatter us. This is Lin Xian, the mind behind the Rhine Cat. He¡¯s our youngest department head. It¡¯s quite the coincidence. Lin Xian also graduated from Donghai University this fall, just like Professor Xu Yun and An Qing. Fate seems to have brought us together today.¡± Hearing Lin Xian¡¯s university, Chu Shan He¡¯s eyes lit up with approval. ¡°Just graduated, young man? Which department?¡± ¡°The School of Art and Design,¡± Lin Xian replied honestly. ¡°What a small world!¡± Chu Shan He laughed heartily. ¡°An Qing is also in the School of Art, majoring in dance. She¡¯s been passionate about it since she was little and even performed at the freshman welcome event¡ª¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Chu An Qing interjected, her cheeks coloring. ¡°Please, don¡¯t bring up such minor details...¡± She then turned to Lin Xian with a bright smile. ¡°Hello, Senior Lin Xian. I¡¯m a freshman this year. My name is Chu An Qing.¡± Lin Xian returned her smile and nodded. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± After exchanging more pleasantries with Zhao Ying Jun, Chu Shan He led his daughter to Professor Xu Yun, with Zhao Ying Jun and Lin Xian, wine glasses in hand, trailing closely. Upon spotting his benefactor, Professor Xu Yun was visibly pleased. He quickly set down his glass and warmly shook Chu Shan He¡¯s hand. ¡°Professor Xu, congratulations! Your perseverance has finally borne fruit, and your research has succeeded!¡± Chu Shan He offered his congratulations first. Professor Xu Yun, looking at him with gratitude and admiration, responded, ¡°Mr. Chu, your generous support over the years has been invaluable. I will find a way to repay your kindness when the opportunity arises.¡± Chu Shan He waved away the gratitude. ¡°Your contributions to science and our nation are far more significant than any support I provided. Congratulations again, Professor Xu. Here¡¯s to even greater achievements!¡± To claim they weren¡¯t the same person... Lin Xian found such a coincidence hard to accept. Even considering futuristic technologies like cryo-sleep capsules, which might exist 600 years from now, provided no rational explanation. But... There had to be another explanation, which he needed to investigate further before drawing any conclusions. For now, he resolved to enter the dream world and find CC as soon as possible. As Chu Shan He and Professor Xu Yun continued their spirited discussion, Zhao Ying Jun suggested to Chu An Qing. ¡°An Qing, shall we grab some snacks?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As they prepared to move, Zhao Ying Jun turned to Lin Xian. ¡°Come along, Lin Xian. Let Mr. Chu and Professor Xu have their discussion.¡± ¡°You and An Qing share the same university and department. As her senior, you might have some experiences to share with her.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He had little to contribute to Chu Shan He and Professor Xu Yun¡¯s conversation and felt out of place just standing there. He had been looking for an opportunity to excuse himself. He followed the two women. From his vantage point, he could see Chu An Qing¡¯s fair neck and soft shoulders. Her off-shoulder dress revealed smooth, jade-like skin. On Chu An Qing¡¯s delicate left arm, Lin Xian noticed a small, shallow scar about the size of a coin¡ªthe only imperfection on her otherwise flawless skin. Such a scar was a typical remnant of childhood BCG vaccinations in the country, varying in size with individual physiology. This distinctive, vaccine-induced mark could serve as a reliable identifier. ¡°Senior Lin Xian.¡± Chu An Qing turned around, her bright smile catching Lin Xian off guard. He quickly composed himself and returned her smile politely. ¡°What can I do for you, Miss Chu?¡± ¡°Just call me An Qing.¡± Her eyes clear, she looked up at him and blinked, ¡°I¡¯ve actually seen you before!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 62: 00:42 ¡°I¡¯ve actually seen you before!¡± This revelation caught Lin Xian off guard. Logically, their paths should never have crossed. They both attended the same university, but Lin Xian graduated in July, and Chu An Qing started in September¡ªa nearly perfect misalignment. Before today, the closest they likely were was the distance from the stage to the outer wall of the field during the military training opening ceremony. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t recall any other time their paths might have crossed. ¡°I¡¯ve actually seen you before...¡± Lin Xian echoed, his brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°Where could that have been?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t in person...¡± Chu An Qing explained, her voice soft, smile gentle. ¡°In our stage performance classes, our teacher often shows us recordings of past performances by our seniors. These include various school celebrations over the years. Before each performance, there¡¯s always an emcee introducing the acts, and one male emcee appeared quite frequently.¡± ¡°The moment I saw you today, I thought you looked familiar, and even your voice seemed known to me. I just remembered now¡ªthe male emcee was you!¡± ¡°Senior Lin Xian, did you often host these school events? I have a good memory, so I usually don¡¯t get it wrong.¡± Lin Xian then understood their connection. ¡°Yes, that was probably me,¡± he responded with a smile. ¡°During my four years at Donghai University, I frequently hosted various campus events. The teachers back then gave me many opportunities to practice.¡±Ree?ad latest novels at ¡°You¡¯re too modest, Senior!¡± Their conversation then flowed effortlessly. They chatted about school, teachers, campus anecdotes, and gossip¡ªthere seemed to be no end to their topics. As they talked, Lin Xian felt somewhat dazed. It was as if he wasn¡¯t talking to Chu An Qing, but to CC. In his dream, he and CC leaned against the safe, chatting like old friends. For CC, Lin Xian might have been a temporary teammate, but for Lin Xian, the repeated encounters with CC felt like talking to an old friend. And now, chatting with Chu An Qing felt just as natural and uninhibited. It was indeed surprising. Was it because this affluent girl was naturally friendly, or was he seeing her as a reflection of CC? He couldn¡¯t figure it out, but chatting with her felt quite natural. That was until Lin Xian inadvertently looked up and saw Zhao Ying Jun watching them with a kind, maternal smile that only a father would show when encountering a boy he deemed a threat! Lin Xian quickly masked his own smile and looked around, trying hard to find something to move them out of the way. He noticed the Rhine Cat mascots placed nearby and got an idea. ¡°There are many Rhine Cat mascots over there, An Qing. Would you like to pick some to take home?¡± ¡°Can I?¡± Chu An Qing looked around at the various Rhine Cats with interest. ¡°I see many styles that aren¡¯t available in stores.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled. ¡°An Qing, pick the ones you like, and I¡¯ll have them sent to your car.¡± ¡°Hehe, then I¡¯ll gratefully accept!¡± Chu An Qing took Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hand and walked to the outer area. ¡°I¡¯ve always liked the Rhine Cat, but I couldn¡¯t complete my collection of the first seven designs...¡± Watching them walk away, Lin Xian breathed a sigh of relief and glanced to the other side. Professor Xu Yun and Chu Shan He were still deep in conversation. ¡°I probably don¡¯t have anything else to do here.¡± Lin Xian stopped paying attention to the events and went to find Gao Yang, who was enjoying the food and drinks. [00:42] Lin Xian paused. Boom!!!!!!!!! A loud crash and a violent impact came from the front! A dark car suddenly appeared in the night! At a crazy speed, it hit Professor Xu Yun, sending him flying several meters away! Thud. He landed heavily on the ground, motionless. ¡°Professor Xu!¡± ¡°Professor Xu Yun!¡± Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun shouted in shock. Zhao Ying Jun, in her high heels, ran towards Professor Xu. Lin Xian looked at the taxi driver. Mask! Hat! Sunglasses! Completely covered! It was the same person who had driven Professor Xu here! ¡°Get out of the car!¡± Vroom¡ªroar!!! Before Lin Xian could approach, both the dark car and the taxi sped off, tires screeching, quickly disappearing around the corner. Lin Xian ran towards Xu Yun. ¡°Professor Xu!¡± His heart ached, and his vision blurred. A gruesome gash ran from Xu Yun¡¯s head to his abdomen... his split skull showing no signs of life, large amounts of blood gushing from his body... ¡°Professor Xu...¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice was hoarse. The spreading blood stained the snow red. Xu Yun¡¯s pupils were dilated with no signs of breathing... This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 63: The Culprit ¡°Professor Xu!!¡± The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood, making Lin Xian¡¯s scalp tighten. A strange sense of detachment washed over him, and a sharp ringing in his ears drowned out all other sounds. Despite witnessing countless bloody scenes in his dreams, seeing a familiar person die in front of him¡ªtheir lifeless body sprawled on the ground¡ªwas something Lin Xian could never get used to. This was reality. There were no resets or do-overs here. Once someone died, they wouldn¡¯t be back the next day with a smile. The man on the ground had just begun to see hope for his daughter¡¯s awakening... but before he could enjoy any joy, he departed this world in sorrow. At the hospital, Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun sat silently on a bench outside the emergency room, both frowning deeply. Bang. The door of the emergency room swung open, and a masked doctor in surgical scrubs emerged. ¡°Doctor, how is Professor Xu Yun?¡± Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun hurried over. The doctor closed his eyes and shook his head. He then read from a report: ¡°The injuries were too severe. His skull shattered, his brain and chest cavity exposed, deep wounds all over, massive blood loss... By the time the ambulance got to him, he was already declared dead at the scene.¡± He handed over a form and looked at them. ¡°Which one of you is family? I need a signature here.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Doctor, neither of us is family. Professor Xu Yun¡¯s parents died when he was young, his wife succumbed to an amniotic embolism, and his only relative, his daughter, has been in a vegetative state for many years at the affiliated hospital of Donghai University.¡± ¡°Then who are you?¡± the doctor inquired. ¡°I was Professor Xu¡¯s student,¡± Lin Xian replied.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published on The doctor sighed. ¡°A student¡¯s signature won¡¯t suffice. Contact the university and have someone in charge come over to sign.¡± Half an hour later, the police arrived with the vice principal of Donghai University. She gestured to the parked Alphard minivan outside. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll have the driver take you home.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°You go ahead, Ms. Zhao. I need to stay here a bit longer.¡± Zhao Ying Jun sighed and left. ¡°Take the day off, rest at home. I¡¯ll handle things for Xu Yi.¡± Her high heels clicked as she exited the hospital lobby, stepping into the parking lot and driving away. A cold wind blew through the gap in the glass doors, dropping the temperature several degrees. Lin Xian didn¡¯t feel the chill despite his lack of a coat. Perhaps his body and soul were already frozen. He leaned against the hospital¡¯s white wall, slowly sliding down until he was sitting on the cold floor, staring blankly at the patterned tiles. ¡°Lin Xian, there you are!¡± The glass door opened again. Gao Yang hurried over, attempting to pull Lin Xian up. ¡°What are you doing sitting here? Get up!¡± But Lin Xian was immovable, like a dead fish. Gao Yang sighed and sat down next to him. ¡°Don¡¯t be so sad, Lin Xian. You¡¯re making me feel down too. Professor Xu Yun¡¯s sudden death is a great loss. But accidents like this... no one can control them.¡± ¡°No...¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°This wasn¡¯t an accident...¡± Now, he finally understood. Professor Xu Yun¡¯s death was likely a consequence of his own actions¡ªaltering reality and rewriting the future. Had he not interfered with the course of history, Professor Xu would have remained a ridiculed, mediocre ¡°clown scientist,¡± unlikely to achieve anything significant. No one would have bothered to kill such an inconsequential man. But with Lin Xian¡¯s help, Professor Xu had completed the cryostasis fluid centuries ahead of its time, planning to make it freely available to the world. Under these circumstances, there were too many reasons and motives for someone to want him dead. ¡°This wasn¡¯t an accident...¡± Lin Xian repeated, clutching his head in agony. ¡°The real culprit behind Professor Xu¡¯s death... it might be me!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 64: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes ¡°You! What are you even talking about, Lin Xian? This isn¡¯t your fault!¡± Gao Yang patted Lin Xian on the back, trying to snap him out of his daze. ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up. Not everything is your responsibility. The police will catch whoever did this. Just wait and see.¡± Lin Xian looked up but remained silent. Gao Yang didn¡¯t know the full story, so naturally, he couldn¡¯t fully understand. Lin Xian chose not to share too much; he sensed danger ahead and didn¡¯t want to pull Gao Yang into it. ¡°Come on, Lin Xian, you¡¯ll catch a cold if we stay here any longer.¡± Gao Yang helped Lin Xian to his feet and brushed off his clothes. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian whispered. Gao Yang called a taxi and escorted Lin Xian back to his apartment. Concerned, he made sure to accompany him all the way to his door. ¡°Feeling any better, Lin Xian? Don¡¯t blame yourself. Inviting Professor Xu to the celebration was a thoughtful act! You need to stay strong!¡± ¡°If you really want to help, try to remember everything about the incident: the license plate, the driver¡¯s appearance. Help the police find the killer and get justice for Professor Xu!¡± Lin Xian nodded. During the ride home, he had some time to think. Like Gao Yang suggested, instead of dwelling on what he couldn¡¯t change, he decided to transform his grief into determination and help find Professor Xu¡¯s murderer and whoever was behind it. He knew more than the police and was closer to the truth, capable of spotting clues they might overlook. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m feeling better now,¡± Lin Xian assured him. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave then.¡± Gao Yang waved goodbye and advised Lin Xian to get some rest soon.FOlloow newest stories at But Lin Xian didn¡¯t go to bed. He wasn¡¯t tired at all. Instead, he took a cold shower, the icy water sharpening his senses. ¡°Who killed Xu Yun?¡± Lin Xian mused as he dried off, got dressed, and sat at his desk. Normally, those threatened by Professor Xu¡¯s invention of the hibernation chamber, such as pharmaceutical giants and capitalists, were prime suspects. Xu Yun¡¯s breakthrough could disrupt their markets significantly. But... ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Lin Xian mused, shaking his head. These capitalists are shrewd¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t make a move against Xu Yun unless it was beneficial. He recalled something Big Cat Face had once shared: ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by my appearance. My father was a renowned mathematician and even won the Fields Medal. When I worked away from home, my daughter stayed with him. One night, she fell ill, and he rushed her to the hospital. But then...¡± ¡°But then... they were hit by a truck. It was no accident¡ªthey were targeted.¡± ¡°My father was a scholar, never involved in any disputes!¡± ¡°They are a secretive group, elusive, leaving barely a trace. I¡¯ve searched for ages and found only a name.¡± Lin Xian turned on his desk lamp, his mind racing. A mathematician, a midnight accident. Now, a scientist, an accident at 00:42. ¡°I need to find out whether Big Cat Face is being truthful about the Genius Club.¡± If Big Cat Face had lied, that would narrow down Lin Xian¡¯s search. But if the story was true... If the Genius Club really was behind his father¡¯s murder, if his father really was a Fields Medal laureate, if the timing of the accident was precise... Lin Xian turned on the bathroom light, contemplating. ¡°Then at least I have a starting point to uncover Xu Yun¡¯s true killer.¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s information could be the key, indicating a connection to his father¡¯s death. After his nightly routine, Lin Xian got into bed and turned off the lights. Whoosh! He was greeted by the familiar summer breeze, the familiar heat, the familiar sound of cicadas. Lin Xian opened his eyes in the dream world, just as he had left it. ¡°Ultra kick! Ultra elbow!¡± Two kids in Ultraman masks tussled in the square, their masks falling to the ground. Lin Xian walked over, picked up a mask, and put it on. Then he spotted the burly figure stepping out of a van. ¡°Big Cat Face!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The man, his face round and wearing a Rhine Cat mask, turned. ¡°Uuughhh...¡± Lin Xian sighed deeply. He was tired of having to repeat the same conversation. ¡°What do you want? How do you know me?¡± Big Cat Face looked at Lin Xian, reaching toward his waist¡ª Smack! Lin Xian caught his hand. ¡°I hope this is the last time I have to say this. Listen carefully...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 65: Genuine ¡°Hurry up!¡± Inside the van, Big Cat Face pounded on the steering wheel in frustration. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she tricked me!¡± He turned to Lin Xian. ¡°You¡¯ve known about my three underlings since we met. That¡¯s when I realized you¡¯re no ordinary guy. I trust you!¡± ¡°But you said we¡¯re heading to a stash of gold bars. Is that for real? I¡¯m not doubting you, just wondering where we could find so much gold in the city.¡± Lin Xian nodded and pointed ahead, signaling Big Cat Face to keep driving. ¡°It¡¯s real. I wouldn¡¯t lie to you. We¡¯re both after the same thing, really.¡± Money, right?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian corrected with a shake of his head. ¡°Money is just a means to an end. My ultimate aim aligns with yours. We both seek¡ª¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s face lit up with realization. ¡°Wait, you mean you¡¯re also after an¡ª¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian confirmed. ¡°I too need an invitation to the ¡®Genius Club¡¯!¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Big Cat Face choked on his drink, the van swerving to a stop at the roadside. ¡°What the heck is that?¡± he scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m chasing an invite to the Genius Club?! Genius! What¡¯s this Genius Club you¡¯re talking about?¡± Lin Xian laughed softly. ¡°Calm down, why so tense? I know even the grim details of your father¡¯s death, right? Obviously, I¡¯m aware of the club¡¯s real name.¡± ¡°You know about my dad?¡±Vissit for updates Lin Xian studied Big Cat Face¡¯s reactions carefully. ¡°Yes, your father was a physicist, murdered by someone driving a car from the Genius Club.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Big Cat Face snapped. ¡°He was a mathematician! A Fields Medal laureate! And it was a truck, not a car! Man, can I trust you at all? Your facts are all messed up!¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°Your daughter is dead too.¡± Mention of his daughter made Big Cat Face¡¯s expression freeze. He eyed Lin Xian warily. ¡°You know about my daughter as well?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian affirmed. ¡°Your father was taking her to school one morning when they were both struck by a truck.¡± ¡°At school? No way!¡± Big Cat Face exploded. ¡°It happened at night!¡± ¡°Now I see. You¡¯re a fraud! I actually fell for this!¡± ¡°I see it.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the wealthiest guy around here?¡± ¡°Li Cheng,¡± Big Cat Face answered promptly. ¡°He¡¯s the richest in the city and one of the richest in the country!¡± ¡°Wrong,¡± Lin Xian corrected. ¡°Officially, yes. But include his secret assets, and he¡¯s among the world¡¯s wealthiest.¡± ¡°Li Cheng isn¡¯t as clean as he seems. He¡¯s involved in human trafficking, drug dealing, among other crimes. He deserves the death penalty.¡± Big Cat Face was stunned. ¡°No way! That scumbag is into all that?! No surprise he¡¯s loaded. He¡¯s making a killing!¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Such dirty money wouldn¡¯t be safe in a bank. The gold bars in that villa are just a fraction of his wealth, but enough to fill your van.¡± ¡°And with money like that, you grab it and don¡¯t look back. He wouldn¡¯t dare complain or even peep about it.¡± Lin Xian pointed at a black car by the villa. ¡°Li Cheng always has bodyguards, but when he visits his mistress, it¡¯s just him and his trusted driver.¡± ¡°The mistress is in on it too, involved in his crimes for years.¡± ¡°We just handle the driver, control Li Cheng and his mistress, and take what we want.¡± Big Cat Face snapped his fingers. ¡°Got it. Solid plan! You sure know your stuff, bro!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve hit this place before, it¡¯s like an ATM to me.¡± ¡°So are we playing Robin Hood tonight? Taking down villains?¡± Big Cat Face chuckled. ¡°Feels great! Sometimes I dream of being a hero, fighting for justice. It¡¯s a rush!¡± Lin Xian waved him on. ¡°Tonight, you won¡¯t need to dream. We¡¯re making it happen.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 66: The Ruthless Bandit Lin Xian moved forward, his gun poised and ready. ¡°Hey... hey! Are we really just walking up like this?¡± Big Cat Face widened his eyes in disbelief but followed Lin Xian without hesitation. Lin Xian halted in front of a sleek black sedan. Bang! He fired suddenly! The action was incredibly swift! Before anyone could react, Lin Xian¡¯s precise marksmanship shattered the car window, the bullet finding its mark in the driver¡¯s head! ¡°Holy crap! Who shoots like that?¡± Big Cat Face exclaimed, astonished. The driver wore a look of confusion, unaware of how his life had ended so abruptly. ¡°Catch.¡± Whoosh¡ª Lin Xian tossed the handgun to Big Cat Face. Then, he opened the car door and removed a black pistol from the driver¡¯s belt. ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs.¡± The villa was large, yet Lin Xian navigated it with ease, quickly arriving at a bedroom door. Bang! He kicked it open. ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± A man and a woman in bed screamed, startled. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Lin Xian ordered, aiming his gun at them. After securing the room, Big Cat Face quickly tied the couple with a bedsheet. Lin Xian sat down on the bed, ¡°Cat Face, bring the van around. Check the garage, basement, wine cellar, and the underground pool... they¡¯re full of gold bars, bundles of cash, and jewelry. Load them up and let me know when you¡¯re done. I¡¯ll keep watch here.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Big Cat Face grabbed the keychain from a table and dashed downstairs. Lin Xian checked his watch. It was just past midnight. Their mission for tonight was nearly complete, and they would leave by 00:42. Though Big Cat Face was loading up, Lin Xian knew that the world would end in 42 minutes. But avenging his daughter was Big Cat Face¡¯s lifelong pursuit, and Lin Xian allowed him to savor this moment. With time to spare, Lin Xian took in the room¡¯s lavish decor. The bedroom was large, ornately furnished. In one corner, a desk displayed several photo frames featuring Li Cheng with various globally recognized figures. Lin Xian was familiar with Li Cheng¡ªan old ATM¡ªno, an old friend. He had known him for the past twenty years and had often seen these photographs. Among them were many prominent individuals. Lin Xian fired, sending Li Cheng into a scream of terror! But he wasn¡¯t hit. His eyes shifted and saw his mistress had somehow freed herself from the ropes, her lifeless body now slumped over the nightstand with a bloody hole in her head. In the half-open drawer of the nightstand, the silver handle of a handgun was visible... Lin Xian pressed the hot gun barrel against Li Cheng¡¯s forehead. It was scorching! Faced with this merciless assailant, Li Cheng dared not move. ¡°I-I-I¡¯m not lying to you! I really haven¡¯t heard of this club you mentioned!¡± ¡°She-she-she freed herself and tried to grab the gun! It had nothing to do with me! I¡¯m being honest! Ask me anything, I¡¯ll tell you! Take whatever you want!¡± Now Li Cheng understood. His mistress had somehow untied the bedsheet around her hands and reached for the gun... But who could have predicted! The bandit¡¯s shooting was too fast and precise! He hadn¡¯t even seen any movement to raise the gun... not even a glance, just a split-second headshot! ¡°Ge... Genius Club, right? Let me think! Let me think!¡± Li Cheng¡¯s face was drenched in sweat. His hands tied behind his back, he couldn¡¯t wipe away the sweat, and dared not move as he recalled rapidly... ¡°Genius Club... Genius Club...¡± His expression twisted in agony as he kept muttering. Eventually, he opened his eyes, tears streaming. ¡°I... I really can¡¯t think of anything, I¡¯ve never heard of this club¡¯s name!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been to many clubs, all sorts... but this one you mentioned, I really have no memory of! I¡¯m not lying! I¡¯m genuinely scared! I¡¯m tied up like this... why would I lie to you?!¡± ¡°Still pretending?¡± Lin Xian sneered coldly, ¡°Fed up with living? This photo is irrefutable proof of the Genius Club!¡± ¡°Wha... what?¡± Li Cheng¡¯s head throbbed, he squinted at the photo. ¡°This, this, I really don¡¯t know what you mean!¡± Li Cheng was on the verge of tears. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re asking! Can you give me a hint? If I knew what you were asking, I would definitely tell you!¡± ¡°Li Cheng, I¡¯m giving you one last chance to explain.¡± Lin Xian pointed to the frame, at Li Cheng¡¯s hand pointing straight to the sky. ¡°What does this gesture mean?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslationFi?ndd new updates on Chapter 67: Farewell ¡°That¡¯s just a normal photo pose!¡± Li Cheng sobbed, tears mingling with streams of snot as he desperately pleaded, ¡°I swear, I¡¯m innocent! If I¡¯ve wronged you, then kill me! But I honestly know nothing about this so-called Genius Club!¡± Lin Xian regarded him with a cold, unyielding gaze. He knew Li Cheng well; their paths had crossed many times. Li Cheng was unmistakably a coward. Yet, his mistress displayed fierce loyalty to him, repeatedly risking her life to protect him. Despite this, Li Cheng never once reciprocated her sacrifices, staunchly adhering to the belief, ¡°Each bird flies its own way in times of trouble.¡± Extracting information from Li Cheng proved straightforward. A threat to his life was all it took for him to divulge everything he knew, often preempting the questions. His current state of terror suggested he was genuinely clueless. Suddenly, Li Cheng¡¯s face lit up with recollection. ¡°I remember now! There was a whole set of photos! A renowned international photographer took them. There¡¯s an entire album! Do you want to see it? It¡¯s in that cabinet, bottom drawer! I swear, I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± His voice was laced with genuine fear as he pointed frantically toward the wardrobe. ... Lin Xian approached the cabinet, opened the drawer, and discovered the album Li Cheng had mentioned. It was elaborate, adorned with gold and silver threads, and featured an indecipherable signature on the title page. As he flipped through it, each page revealed Li Cheng in various ¡®boss¡¯ poses. Li Cheng hadn¡¯t lied¡ªthe photos matched the one in the frame in terms of clothing, background, and lighting. Photos depicted him seated, standing, arms crossed, hands in pockets, standing straight, and even pointing skyward. Were they professional photos? Headshots? Portraits? Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure what to call them, but they resembled the types of photos typically used by sales consultants¡ªreal estate agents, car dealers, insurance brokers, credit card agents¡ªall had them. Lin Xian turned to the page where Li Cheng pointed to the sky. Indeed, within the context of the entire album, that pose looked completely normal. ¡°What do you hope to learn from this?¡± At that moment, Big Cat Face, covered in dust, entered the room.Ree?ad latest novels at ¡°Let me handle this.¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Four shots consecutively struck Li Cheng¡¯s legs. ¡°Ahhhhh!!!¡± Li Cheng¡¯s screams filled the mansion, the carpet quickly staining red. ¡°Will you talk now?¡± Big Cat Face aimed the gun at Li Cheng¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡ªI¡ªI really don¡¯t know! I swear, I¡¯ve never even heard of any Genius Club!¡± Bang! Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, another shot rang out, the white bedsheet turning red, and silence ensued. ¡°He really didn¡¯t know,¡± Lin Xian confirmed, understanding Li Cheng better than Big Cat Face did. If Li Cheng hadn¡¯t confessed by now, he truly was ignorant. ¡°Take care.¡± Lin Xian waved. Vroom¡ª The van rumbled to life, its engine roaring as the tires slowly started to turn. ¡°Hey!¡± Lin Xian called out. ¡°Huh?¡± Big Cat Face hit the brakes and leaned out the window. ¡°What¡¯s up, brother?¡± Lin Xian stuffed his hands in his pockets. ¡°Just one last question. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Hey, we¡¯re brothers! Ask away!¡± In the background, midnight cicadas sang their mournful tune, while the courtyard pond rippled quietly. Lin Xian fixed his gaze on Big Cat Face. ¡°Do you remember... exactly when your father and daughter were hit?¡± ... Big Cat Face¡¯s smile vanished, replaced by a somber expression. He pulled out a cigarette, placed it between his lips, and lit it. Taking a deep drag, he exhaled a cloud of smoke. After a long pause, he spoke, his voice breaking, ¡°I¡¯ve watched the surveillance footage at the intersection over and over.¡± He clenched the cigarette tightly. ¡°So, the exact time of the accident, the moment they died... I will never forget. Every minute, every second.¡± He exhaled another swirling cloud of smoke and glanced at his watch. ¡°It¡¯s just about now.¡± Lin Xian raised his watch, and in unison with Big Cat Face¡¯s solemn tone, ¡°00:42¡± Boom!!!!!! A blinding white light engulfed everything. ... ... In a corner of his bedroom, Lin Xian opened his eyes. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 68: Truth and Lies Lin Xian rose from his bed and flicked on the light switch. He made his way to the bathroom, splashed water on his face, and looked at himself in the mirror. ¡°How unexpected,¡± Lin Xian murmured, glancing at the clock. ¡°It¡¯s already 12:42 AM.¡± This revelation was both surprising and somewhat expected. He dried his face and returned to his bedroom, settling at his desk. Twirling a pen between his fingers, he became lost in thought. This dream had been particularly enlightening, sharpening all the clues and ideas he had. ¡°First, I need to confirm the authenticity of the information.¡± One fact was undeniable: Big Cat Face¡¯s story about his mathematician father and daughter being killed by a truck at 12:42 AM was true. However, the claim that ¡°only the wealthiest, most brilliant, and most powerful individuals receive invitations to the Genius Club¡± was false. Lin Xian¡¯s mind raced with thoughts, ¡°With this verified information... I can uncover many truths.¡± He switched on his desk lamp, pulled out an A4 sheet of paper, and began writing: Deduced Truths Professor Xu Yun¡¯s death is definitely linked to the Genius Club. Lin Xian was convinced that both Xu Yun¡¯s death and the tragedy of Big Cat Face¡¯s father were connected to the Genius Club. The fact that Big Cat Face mentioned the ¡°Genius Club¡± was no mere coincidence. Earlier, Lin Xian had scoured the internet and found nothing substantial about the Genius Club. The search results were cluttered with game references and similarly named TV shows... but nothing related to the Genius Club as mentioned by Big Cat Face. ¡°I¡¯m really curious how Big Cat Face stumbled upon this name,¡± Lin Xian pondered. He planned to probe Big Cat Face more thoroughly in the next dream. In a previous dream, Big Cat Face was in a hurry to flee. Lin Xian had asked multiple questions, but Big Cat Face insisted they would talk later as escaping was more urgent. Clearly, he was desperate to secure his safety. Nevertheless, the death of Big Cat Face¡¯s father was definitively connected to the Genius Club; there was no doubt about it. So... a mathematician dies in a truck accident at 12:42 AM, and a scientist dies in a car accident at 12:42 AM. Despite these two incidents occurring 600 years apart, the identical timing and the victims¡¯ profiles suggest a high likelihood of the same perpetrator. Thus, Xu Yun¡¯s death is likely connected to the Genius Club as well. Now, the question was, what was this ¡°connection¡±?Ree?ad latest novels at Did the Genius Club orchestrate these murders, or was there another reason that led Big Cat Face to discover the Genius Club¡¯s name from the murderer? But, on the other hand... ¡°Then Zhao Ying Jun...¡± Thinking of his boss, who was heroic and naturally beautiful, Lin Xian was puzzled: ¡°What special quality does she have... to receive an invitation from the Genius Club?¡± With this in mind, Lin Xian picked up his pen again and wrote the third deduction in his notebook: Zhao Ying Jun did receive an invitation from the Genius Club, but whether she joined or participated in this murder remains unclear. Actually, this conclusion had occurred to him earlier. Lin Xian just hadn¡¯t thought deeply about it before. The previous information about the Genius Club was unclear, difficult to differentiate between truth and falsehood, and filled with contradictions, making it hard to judge accurately. But now things were different. Although 99% of the Genius Club¡¯s mysteries remained hidden, at least 1% of the information was clear. And it was this precious 1% that allowed Lin Xian to deduce these three crucial clues in his notebook. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun...¡± He stared at the familiar name in the third conclusion. ¡°Why did she receive an invitation?¡± Lin Xian rested his chin in his hand, pondering... There must be some special reason why this mysterious and small-membered Genius Club acknowledged Zhao Ying Jun. Thinking about it, Zhao Ying Jun was indeed mysterious. Lin Xian had interacted with her frequently, but when it came to knowing her... He knew nothing besides her age and name. Lin Xian was surprised to realize how little he actually knew about Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°To uncover the reason behind Xu Yun¡¯s death, to further clarify the Genius Club¡¯s purpose and nature, there¡¯s only one way...¡± He opened the drawer. From the deepest part, he pulled out a wax seal with the Genius Club emblem. The round wax seal glowed a strange crimson under the desk lamp, reminiscent of blood, like the setting sun. ¡°What was written on that Genius Club invitation?¡± Lin Xian wondered. What¡¯s the content? Where¡¯s the meeting place? When¡¯s the meeting time? What¡¯s the club¡¯s purpose? Gazing at the hand pointing straight to the sky on the wax seal, Lin Xian squinted his eyes: ¡°I must find a way... to see that invitation!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 69: Trust Despite lacking concrete evidence, the Genius Club remains the prime suspect in the murders of Big Cat Face¡¯s father and Professor Xu Yun. Known for their secretive operations spanning six centuries, their consistent execution methods suggest their involvement in these recent killings. With this suspicion in mind, Lin Xian decided to proceed with caution. ¡°The Genius Club is my starting point,¡± he resolved. ¡°If they¡¯re innocent, I¡¯ll find inconsistencies to clear their name as I investigate. This isn¡¯t just about a misunderstanding; it¡¯s about murder, and I need to find the killer.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s only lead was an invitation from the Genius Club, found in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office drawer. It was unclear if Zhao was a member, but examining that invitation could reveal many answers.FOlloow newest stories at ¡°This is the only way forward,¡± he murmured to himself. He returned the wax-sealed invitation to the drawer and began to strategize. It was critical to access the invitation without raising Zhao¡¯s suspicions. If the Genius Club was indeed involved in the murder, even a slight hint of his investigation could be perilous. ¡°If Zhao isn¡¯t a club member, my investigation carries less risk. But if she is, any error could be fatal,¡± he thought, planning his next moves discreetly. Lin Xian grabbed an oven tray from the kitchen, burned all documents and notes related to the Genius Club and his investigations, and disposed of the ashes in the toilet. ¡°Extreme caution is necessary. Leave no trace,¡± he reminded himself sternly. Feeling relatively safe, Lin Xian appreciated the precautions Professor Xu Yun had implemented. The professor had deemed the manuscript dangerous and had protected Lin Xian by keeping no records in his name. The original manuscript was destroyed, and Lin Xian was never mentioned to outsiders. Professor Xu Yun¡¯s cautious approach had inadvertently shielded Lin Xian, who felt lucky that their private meetings had remained secret. ¡°I must continue to be careful. My safety this time might just be luck,¡± he thought, closing his eyes to focus. His plan was clear: Assume the Genius Club¡¯s involvement in the murder. Start the investigation with the invitation from Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s drawer. Accessing Zhao¡¯s office undetected meant cracking the code to her security door, known only to her. Seeing the amounts, he was momentarily stunned. He knew the 26 million was the authorization fee MX Company had initially offered Professor Xu Yun, but the sales commission exceeding 10 million was unexpected. The presale of the moisturizer had clearly been a huge success. ¡°You won¡¯t receive all of it,¡± the finance leader clarified, pointing at the 15 million. ¡°We¡¯ll deduct personal income tax for the sales commission and deposit the net amount in your bank account. The 26 million will be transferred directly, but you¡¯ll need to report it in your personal income tax app by March.¡± ¡°The presale numbers were outstanding. It might take a few months to fulfill all the orders, but you¡¯re essentially set for life,¡± the finance leader commented with a grin. ¡°Retirement?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Not yet. There¡¯s still much I want to achieve.¡± His real motive remained hidden; seeing the invitation was crucial. He couldn¡¯t let Zhao think he was disinterested in further work, which was key to gaining her trust and accessing her office. ¡°Lin Xian, prepare yourself,¡± Zhao Ying Jun instructed. ¡°We¡¯re attending Professor Xu Yun¡¯s memorial service this morning. All executives will be there. Go home, change, and wait for my call.¡± As she reached for her coat, her sleeve accidentally knocked over a stack of documents. As they bent down to collect the papers, Lin Xian glanced at them, but found nothing of value. ¡°Ms. Zhao, isn¡¯t it time to hire a secretary?¡± the finance leader suggested. ¡°Someone to help organize your files and keep your office in order. It would save you a lot of time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been burned before, so I¡¯m cautious now,¡± Zhao replied with a resigned smile, dismissing the idea of trusting someone new so easily. ¡°Dismissed,¡± she said as she left to change. As the heavy security door thudded shut, Lin Xian and the finance leader descended in the elevator. Lin Xian thought, ¡°If I could become Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s secretary, that would be the safest and most convenient way to access the invitation and investigate the Genius Club.¡± He didn¡¯t actually desire the secretary position, but it was undoubtedly the best way to monitor Zhao¡¯s activities, learn the security code, and keep an eye on her actions. ¡°Ms. Zhao must have had a serious reason for her distrust,¡± Lin Xian mused, turning to the finance leader. ¡°What happened that made her so wary of hiring a secretary?¡± As his curiosity peaked, he awaited the response, eager to understand more about the woman whose trust he needed to gain. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 70: The Genius The head of the finance department had been with MX Company since its inception, working alongside Zhao Ying Jun from the very beginning. Most of the vice presidents and middle managers were seasoned company veterans too. MX was a young company, and rapid advancements like Lin Xian¡¯s, who had only been with the company for a few months, were rare. ¡°Ah, regarding that...¡± The finance head chuckled softly. ¡°Actually, the specifics are a bit unclear. When the company started, President Zhao had a young female secretary who was fresh out of college. She was highly competent, and President Zhao held her in great esteem and trust.¡± ¡°But then, something happened... President Zhao abruptly dismissed her. She was furious then, and we were too apprehensive to inquire.¡± ¡°Subsequently, she installed a password-protected door in her office, the code known only to her, and she hasn¡¯t appointed a new secretary since.¡± ¡°We privately suspect that the young lady did something to let President Zhao down. Perhaps she stole trade secrets, embezzled funds, or compromised President Zhao¡¯s personal privacy?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not certain... What¡¯s evident is that President Zhao prefers to manage her cluttered, dusty office on her own rather than hire another secretary. Despite our attempts to convince her otherwise, she remains adamant.¡± Ding¡ª The elevator doors slid open on the 17th floor, catching Lin Xian off guard as he realized he hadn¡¯t pressed the button for his destination. After the finance head exited, Lin Xian pressed the button for the 20th floor and returned to his office, pensively twirling his pen. If he could secure the role of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s secretary, it would be an ideal position to discreetly and effectively delve into the Genius Club. Yet, it seemed Zhao Ying Jun was not ready to trust anyone enough to fill that position. ¡°So, back to square one...¡± he muttered. ¡°I need to devise a strategy to gradually gain Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s trust.¡± Half an hour later, Zhao Ying Jun, three vice presidents, and Lin Xian climbed into an Alphard business car and headed to the Donghai City Funeral Home.Fi?ndd new updates on Upon arrival, Lin Xian spotted a group of fashionable young people at the entrance, each clutching an elegantly bound book. What¡¯s going on here? A funeral home, stylish youths, a best-selling book, Xu Yun¡¯s memorial service... These elements seemed incongruous. ¡°What are they doing over there?¡± inquired one of the vice presidents, also noticing the unusual scene. Success had come to him, but it was met with a memorial hall filled with wreaths rather than applause. It was a sorrowful reality. ¡°Bow once!¡± Lin Xian joined Zhao Ying Jun and the vice presidents, bowing deeply. He had read that morning¡¯s news. The culprits responsible for Xu Yun¡¯s death were still at large, with the police seeking information from the public. They hadn¡¯t managed to locate the culprits or even the vehicles involved¡ªit was as if they had vanished. ¡°Bow twice!¡± Lin Xian looked at Xu Yun¡¯s grayscale photo again, bowing deeply. He felt a profound responsibility towards Xu Yun and his daughter, Xu Yi Yi. While others insisted it wasn¡¯t his fault, Lin Xian knew better. Xu Yun¡¯s demise was a direct consequence of his own actions, which had altered the course of time and space, transforming the world and impacting Xu Yun¡¯s destiny. Lin Xian was uncertain of what he could do for Xu Yun. Perhaps his only recourse was to apprehend the perpetrators and ensure that Xu Yi Yi could rest peacefully in her cryogenic chamber as planned. ¡°Bow thrice!¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes and bowed once more. Suddenly, the group of Ji Lin¡¯s fans outside erupted into excited chatter, their voices loud and energetic. This lively atmosphere starkly contrasted with the solemn music inside the memorial hall. Lin Xian turned around, his expression somber. A black business car door swung open, revealing a young man with slightly curly hair, a distant gaze, pale skin, and a weary demeanor. Their eyes met, and the half-lidded eyes of the young man stared back intently at Lin Xian. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 71: Butterfly ¡°He¡¯s so handsome! Even better than in the photos!¡± ¡°Mr. Ji Lin, can we have your autograph?¡± ¡°Congratulations, Mr. Ji Lin! I love your work, Broken Bridge!¡± ¡°Can we take a photo with you?¡± As soon as Ji Lin stepped out of the car, he was immediately encircled by a swarm of young fans, all vying for his attention. He paid them no mind and headed straight for the funeral hall. Behind him, a few staff members from the funeral home hurried to keep the crowd in check, preventing any disruptions. ¡°Quiet, please... Please don¡¯t gather here.¡± ¡°This is a memorial service; please show some respect.¡± ¡°Respect the deceased and keep the noise down.¡±Fi?ndd new updates on Once inside the funeral home, the clamor from outside began to fade. Ji Lin walked through the hallway, his eyes locked on Lin Xian. Hands in his pockets, he slouched as he moved, his face expressionless. Lin Xian returned the gaze. As the fans had pointed out, Ji Lin was strikingly handsome. Despite Lin Xian¡¯s aversion to such delicate terms, he found it apt for the boy approaching him with his sharp, clear features. Ji Lin was not particularly tall, standing around 1.75 meters, and was quite slender. His posture made it difficult for Lin Xian to gauge his true height. Pale as snow, his complexion lacked any hint of a healthy flush, lending him a frail, languid look. His long, slightly curly black hair partly obscured his eyes, adding a touch of disheveled grace. His pace was slow, his expression blank. Yet, his gaze never strayed from Lin Xian, his eyelids half-lowered as if he were barely awake, exuding an air of fatigue and indifference. He resembled a fading sea otter, sinking slowly into the depths of the ocean¡ªand he wasn¡¯t sinking alone. His empty, weary eyes seemed like a net, dragging Lin Xian down into a dark abyss... ¡°Lin Xian?¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s gentle voice snapped him back to reality. He turned to see Zhao, a few steps ahead, beckoning him. ¡°Stop daydreaming; we need to go.¡± Lin Xian nodded and followed the vice presidents through another corridor. Before rounding the corner, he looked back at Ji Lin, who continued his slow trek toward the funeral hall, hands still in his pockets, his hunched figure moving step by step, his gaze fixed forward, unchanging. ¡°......¡± Lin Xian realized he had been mistaken. That guy hadn¡¯t been staring at him. His eyes weren¡¯t drowsy or myopic. It had all been Lin Xian¡¯s own misinterpretation. Later that evening. ¡°Hey-yo!¡± Gao Yang threw an empty beer can into the river with all his might. Plop. The can made a small splash as it hit the water, then floated away with the current. ¡°How about that, Lin Xian! Hehe~ How would you rate that?¡± Gao Yang chuckled triumphantly. Gao Yang flipped the fish tofu, opened another beer, and offered a toast. ¡°To Professor Xu Yun!¡± Clink. After toasting, Gao Yang downed his beer, then crushed the can and tossed it across the Huangpu River¡ª Splash. It flew farther this time, making a larger splash before sinking. ¡°Let¡¯s toast to your manners first.¡± The riverside barbecue wrapped up early. Neither could stand the cold, and they soon called it a night. Back home, Lin Xian felt dizzy and sniffled. ¡°Shit...¡± he muttered. ¡°Am I getting a cold?¡± He quickly showered in hot water and drank two packets of herbal tea. Then, turning off the lights, he went to bed. Lin Xian pondered. Where was the hot, dry summer breeze he¡¯d known for over twenty years? Where were the cicadas and the playful children in the square he¡¯d heard for so long? Why was it so quiet tonight? He opened his eyes¡ªBrick walls, low houses, narrow alleys, lanterns, stone tiles, moss... All around him were makeshift homes, haphazardly packed together. Crowded, outdated, silent, desolate... It looked like a poor, backward village. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lin Xian looked around, startled by the flickering tungsten bulb in a nearby window. Everything had changed. No square, no children playing, no bustling shops, no electronic billboards, no bright streetlights. ¡°Where am I?¡± He turned, finding himself still on a winding stone road lined with uneven, low-built houses. The narrow lanes seemed designed without any thought for vehicles. He looked around, but the chaotic buildings blocked any broader view. ¡°Could it be...¡± His heart sank. Had he traveled to another timeline? Another world? What year was it? Lin Xian turned and spotted a small corner shop lit by a large yellow bulb, reminiscent of scenes from 80s and 90s TV shows. He hurried inside. An elderly man in a white vest laughed, munching sunflower seeds, fanning himself, and watching a bulky television. ¡°Dear viewers, the evening news brings you the time!¡± On the low-resolution TV screen, a smartly dressed female news anchor smiled at Lin Xian and announced: ¡°The current time is August 28, 2624! Ten o¡¯clock sharp!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 72: Disruption August 28, 2624... It was the same day, but time within the dream remained unchanged, even though the entire dream had transformed dramatically. ¡°Hold on a second.¡±ALL new chapters on Lin Xian leaned against a moss-covered stone wall, pressing a hand to his forehead as he thought intensely. The Butterfly Effect of Time and Space was at play again. The dream had experienced Temporal Changes. But what had triggered these changes? What was the source? Where was the anchor point? When had the butterfly flapped its wings? He opened his eyes, recalling the news he had watched before falling asleep the previous night: ¡°Donghai University is currently processing and organizing the research materials and unfinished papers of Xu Yun, which will be published globally according to Xu Yun¡¯s last wishes.¡± ¡°Perhaps this is the reason,¡± he mused. His heartbeat slowed, and a sense of security that had briefly slipped away began to return. This was still his dream, undoubtedly. Although he hadn¡¯t checked today¡¯s news, it appeared that Donghai University had indeed published Xu Yun¡¯s research. ¡°Even if it hadn¡¯t been published yet, just the fact that an official organization had taken charge of Xu Yun¡¯s research would make that moment an Irretrievable Anchor Point,¡± he reasoned. Official organizations are extensive and reliable; the publication of Xu Yun¡¯s research seemed inevitable. Without their involvement, the research and incomplete papers might have stayed in the lab, unbacked-up and vulnerable to sabotage. Yet, the butterfly had still flapped its wings, leading to temporal changes. This time, the butterfly¡¯s wings flapped so vigorously that they triggered a storm, transforming the future world 600 years later into something entirely new. From a temporal logic perspective, this was understandable. But the issue was¡ª ¡°Why has the future¡¯s technological level regressed?¡± Lin Xian looked around. The technology, economy, and living standards here were far too primitive. In previous dreams, although they were also slightly behind, they resembled the modern metropolis of 2023 that he knew. But now... even his grandfather¡¯s house from his childhood had more advancements! At least his grandfather had paved roads. Here, the winding stone paths were too narrow for cars, and even riding a bicycle would be a challenge. Inside the small shop, everything was wrapped in old, greasy paper: tungsten light bulbs, thermos liners, shoelaces, crude hardware, colorful shampoos, and a variety of unappetizing snacks. What had happened? How did the year 2624 come to resemble the 1980s or 90s? If, after Xu Yun¡¯s paper was published, the dream world had evolved with starships and space elevators, Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t have been surprised. That would make sense. Even Professor Xu Yun had suggested that once the hibernation pod was introduced, the world order might be rewritten, and human technology would advance rapidly, leading to unimaginable futures. But instead of rapid advancement... why the regression? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t convince himself or accept the reality before him. Even if the technological level had remained the same after Xu Yun¡¯s paper was published, and he was still ¡°born¡± in that square, he could accept it. But the publication of the paper leading to a technological regression of decades! ¡°What happened over these 600 years?¡± Inside the small shop, an elderly man in a vest stopped fanning himself and looked at the tall, uncertain young man at the door: ¡°What¡¯s the matter, young man? Looking to buy something?¡± Click. In a lakeside villa in the suburbs of Donghai City, a massive crystal chandelier brightened the living room to daylight brightness. ¡°If you¡¯re home... then turn on the lights...¡± A wrinkled, dry hand moved away from the light switch. The elderly man closed the door, walked in, and looked at the pale young man squatting among scattered books: ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times, this is bad for your eyes... Your nearsightedness is already severe. Or do you think reading by moonlight is cool? You should be past that age by now... Ji Lin.¡± Ji Lin was engrossed, not saying a word. He held a Mathematics Monthly magazine in one hand, a pencil in the other, swiftly scribbling on the side pages. Swish¡ª He quickly finished, tossing the magazine aside. He then picked up the February issue of Mathematics Monthly. The old man stepped forward, picking up the discarded magazine. It was the January 2022 issue of Mathematics Monthly. Since no one had lived in the villa for a long time, the ordered magazines and newspapers were neatly piled in the living room. The old man turned to the page Ji Lin had been writing on... It was a Sudoku Puzzle, a very challenging mathematical game. A Sudoku grid has nine squares, each divided into nine smaller squares. Given certain known numbers and solving conditions, using logic and reasoning, you fill the remaining squares with numbers 1-9. Each number must appear only once in each row, column, and square. It¡¯s a game that tests intelligence and mental calculation, even world-class experts take three to four minutes to solve such high-difficulty puzzles. Whoosh¡ª Ji Lin tossed the February issue over. The old man looked down... The page also featured an irregular high-difficulty Sudoku, and in the time it took to pick up and flip through the magazine... Ji Lin had already solved it. Looking up, under the moonlight, Ji Lin had picked up the March issue of Mathematics Monthly, flipped to the side page, and began solving a new Sudoku. ¡°Actually, even if you hadn¡¯t come to Xu Yun¡¯s memorial, I planned to bring you to Donghai,¡± the old man seemed accustomed to Ji Lin¡¯s indifference, speaking to himself. ¡°Xu Yun... He shouldn¡¯t have died.¡± ¡°If he shouldn¡¯t have died, then how did he die?¡± Ji Lin¡¯s pencil moved across the magazine, not lifting his head, responding quietly for once. ¡°Because someone killed him!¡± The old man¡¯s voice was hoarse with gritted teeth. ¡°I know Xu Yun too well... He¡¯s a good person but not very talented. Not even ten Xu Yuns, a hundred thousand Xu Yuns, could ever have developed the hibernation pod solution in their lifetime!¡± ¡°So?¡± Ji Lin blinked, tossing the March issue to the ground, the Sudoku completed without any erasures. ¡°So, someone tampered with everything!¡± The old man pulled a rolled-up list from his pocket and tossed it to Ji Lin. ¡°I suspect someone is... Disrupting History!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 73: A Good Person Ji Lin didn¡¯t reach for the list on the table. Instead, he spun his pencil around, pulled out the April issue of Math Monthly from his backpack, and flipped straight to the Sudoku page. He began penciling in numbers methodically. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always found the way you talk a bit odd,¡± he said quietly, his eyes not leaving the page. ¡°You always speak about the future, yet you keep referencing history.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how I talk; it¡¯s not really important,¡± the old man responded, wandering over to the floor-to-ceiling window. He stared out at the moon, a hint of redness in his eyes. ¡°Xu Yun... he was the most cherished student I ever had.¡± ¡°I can see that,¡± Ji Lin muttered, his attention still on his Sudoku. ¡°You even promised him your daughter¡¯s hand in marriage. To ensure he¡¯d accept, you told him she was your niece. But that wasn¡¯t entirely a lie, was it? Because she doesn¡¯t know she¡¯s actually your daughter from a careless youthful affair.¡± The old man spun around, his eyes wide in shock. ¡°How did you find out? I¡¯ve never told anyone that.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Ji Lin put down the magazine, his face serious. ¡°Ever since you adopted me, my ¡®sister¡¯ has taken care of me. Though I call her sister, she¡¯s been more of a mother to me.¡±ALL new chapters on ¡°It¡¯s not hard to see she¡¯s your illegitimate daughter. You¡¯ve kept it well hidden, though. Even she doesn¡¯t know the truth.¡± ¡°Have you told her?¡± the old man asked, his gaze intense. ¡°No, why would I?¡± Ji Lin shrugged, grabbing the May issue of Math Monthly and turning to the puzzles. ¡°She once complained to me about how you were forcing her to marry Xu Yun, calling him a bookworm she disliked.¡± ¡°But after they spent more time together, she started to find him quite pleasant, and they ended up marrying. You really went all out for their wedding.¡± The old man was silent for a long moment before sighing deeply. ¡°Xu Yun¡¯s death... it pains me more than anyone could know. I must find the person responsible!¡± ¡°When your sister died in childbirth, Xu Yun threw himself into his research on the hibernation chamber. I tried everything to dissuade him, but he wouldn¡¯t listen.¡± ¡°Frustrated, I kicked him out, hoping he¡¯d return eventually. But his death¡ªit was that meddler, someone who disturbed history!¡± ¡°Xu Yun wasn¡¯t destined to solve the hibernation chamber¡¯s fluid problem. Not even the world¡¯s top scientists could manage that alone!¡± ... The old man¡¯s expression darkened once more. ¡°Things shouldn¡¯t have turned out like this...¡± ¡°I always hoped Xu Yun would return. Many investors wanted to back his research, but I turned them all away.¡± ¡°I thought he¡¯d hit a dead end and come back. Even though your sister passed away, I treated Xu Yun like my own son.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no difference to me. You¡¯re adopted, and if I had my own child, I would treat him no differently than I treated Xu Yun.¡± ¡°When Xu Yi Yi had her accident, I was devastated, perhaps even more so than Xu Yun. Since you know all this, I¡¯ll be straightforward. She was my granddaughter, and I wanted only the best for her.¡± ¡°I flew in every expert I could from around the world to Donghai City. But not one could offer hope for her recovery.¡± The old man closed his eyes and bowed his head. ... The Sudoku puzzle in the August issue lay untouched as it fell to the floor. ¡°So, can you tell me now?¡± Ji Lin picked up the September issue but didn¡¯t open it. For the first time, he stopped his routine and faced the old man directly. ¡°Why... did you kill Xu Yun?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 74: The Wrong Problem ¡°Because...¡± The old man gritted his teeth and declared, ¡°Because Xu Yun also... disrupted history.¡± ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not asking you that. Don¡¯t you think I already know?¡± Ji Lin twirled the pencil in his fingers, his gaze fixed on the old man. ¡°I¡¯m asking why you feel the need to eliminate these people who disrupt history.¡± The old man was silent for a long stretch before he finally spoke. ¡°Ji Lin, you¡¯re unusually chatty today. You¡¯ve never probed this deeply before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it wasn¡¯t Xu Yun who died before.¡± Ji Lin glanced at the rolled-up list on the floor. ¡°You gave me this list to identify the history disruptors, right? It seems excessive.¡± ¡°There are only two or three hundred names here. Why not just eliminate them all? Why bother identifying the specific culprit? This meticulous approach doesn¡¯t suit your usual style.¡± ¡°No!¡± The old man¡¯s voice was stern. ¡°We cannot harm the innocent!¡±Ree?ad latest novels at Ji Lin chuckled. He opened the September issue of Mathematics Monthly, flipped to the Sudoku page, and resumed his puzzle. ¡°See... there¡¯s still something you¡¯re not telling me.¡± ¡°With all your talk of righteousness, one might mistake us for some justice league.¡± He paused his pencil, staring up at the old man. ¡°You killed my parents, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ji Lin!¡± The old man¡¯s voice escalated. ¡°I¡¯ve told you countless times! I didn¡¯t kill your parents! It wasn¡¯t me, even if it wasn¡¯t an accident!¡± ¡°Stop lying.¡± Ji Lin smiled, his head bowed as he continued with the Sudoku. ¡°I¡¯ve uncovered the truth.¡± ¡°Then you need to dig deeper!¡± The old man was livid, his veins prominent. ¡°If this is the quality of your investigations, I suggest you give up your career as a detective novelist! What a joke!¡± The room fell silent. Only the sound of the old man¡¯s labored breathing and Ji Lin¡¯s pencil moving across the paper filled the air. ¡°Enough.¡± The old man waved dismissively. ¡°Stop playing games, Ji Lin. I won¡¯t divulge more.¡± ¡°But I can assert one thing¡ªthis is the only way it must be done! We have to adhere strictly to achieve our ultimate objective¡ª¡± ¡°To secure an invitation to the Genius Club!¡± Swish. Ji Lin completed another Sudoku puzzle, tossed the magazine to the floor, and grabbed the October issue of Mathematics Monthly. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°Pinpoint the history disruptor... Once verified, I¡¯ll arrange for their removal!¡± ¡°Every death paves our way into the Genius Club. Our goals align in this.¡± ¡°You are the brightest mind I¡¯ve ever encountered, the ultimate genius. I¡¯ve always believed you¡¯re closest to reaching the Genius Club. So... aid me, Ji Lin, and in doing so, you aid yourself.¡± Swish. Ji Lin dropped the November issue of Mathematics Monthly and rose slowly... ¡°I¡¯ll locate that individual.¡± He raked his tousled hair and walked toward the bedroom. The old man exhaled slowly. He glanced at the November issue on the floor... To his astonishment, the Sudoku puzzle was incomplete. Only about half the numbers were filled in, with several errors, yet the puzzle remained unsolved. ¡°How strange...¡± The old man sighed. ¡°A Sudoku you couldn¡¯t finish?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I couldn¡¯t solve it. The puzzle was flawed.¡± Ji Lin yawned, rubbing his eyes. ¡°If the puzzle is incorrect, it¡¯s unsolvable.¡± The old man was intrigued. He picked up the December issue of Mathematics Monthly, turned to the Sudoku page. Prominently displayed was an ¡°Apology Statement¡± from the magazine, apologizing for the previous issue¡¯s printing error and correcting the numbers. The old man smiled triumphantly, setting aside the magazine. ¡°As expected... You¡¯ve never let me down! If only you weren¡¯t so slothful, you¡¯d be quite the favorite.¡± ¡°Sloth.¡± Ji Lin opened the bedroom door and entered. ¡°I despise that codename. I wasn¡¯t the last to join the organization. Why didn¡¯t you assign me something nicer? I dislike ¡®Sloth.''¡± ¡°Then strive harder!¡± The old man¡¯s patience had waned tonight. ¡°Understood...¡± Ji Lin yawned once more, closing the bedroom door. ¡°Goodnight, Pride.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 75: Changes and Anchors Thud, thud, thud... Lin Xian paced back and forth in his bedroom, his mind now calm and focused as he pieced together crucial insights. First, he confirmed: The dramatic shifts in the dream world were triggered by the release of Professor Xu Yun¡¯s research papers, creating a time-space butterfly effect and a [Temporal Shift]. He had checked his phone for news.Vissit for updates Just the previous night, Donghai University had released all of Xu Yun¡¯s research data as planned. This included solutions to the ice crystal issue, incomplete papers on hibernation pod liquids, and experimental data on hibernation byproducts. Now, this data was accessible worldwide. This had been Professor Xu Yun¡¯s intention, and following his passing, Donghai University had honored his wishes. The release incited a global scientific frenzy, with labs everywhere racing to verify the data. The data was accurate; the formula for the hibernation pod liquid was swiftly replicated. Despite the incompleteness of Xu Yun¡¯s papers, the essential data and records were available, enabling the world¡¯s top scientists to fill in the gaps easily. Just two hours later, the country¡¯s Academy of Sciences had successfully synthesized the hibernation pod liquid and began mouse experiments. Soon, labs worldwide confirmed Xu Yun¡¯s findings and the groundbreaking nature of his invention. Even now, nearing midnight, the internet buzzed with updates. The United States reported successful hibernation and thawing experiments on mice, with all vital signs normal. Many institutes shifted their research focus to hibernation technology. The Academy of Sciences also announced the creation of a hibernation research institute in Xu Yun¡¯s name, promising significant investment to develop the technology and produce practical hibernation pods within a few years. Numerous awards, nominations, and other acknowledgments from various research entities followed. Everything unfolded as Professor Xu Yun had envisioned. Though he was no longer alive, the spark of hibernation technology he ignited was now a widespread blaze. With global collaboration on developing hibernation pods, Lin Xian was confident they would soon be a reality. He believed in human potential and unity. But... ¡°Why, despite the rapid advancement of hibernation technology, has the technological level in the future regressed?¡± This perplexing fact puzzled Lin Xian. It was his second confirmed fact¡ª Instead of speculating, he planned to enter the dream the next day and seek answers directly. That would be the most reliable and efficient approach. ... Exhausted from pacing, Lin Xian sat at his desk, summarizing the third fact he had realized. Temporal shifts indeed had precise [Anchors]. These specific events at particular times determined the occurrence of temporal shifts, following a recognizable pattern. Simply put, it¡¯s when the time-space butterfly flaps its wings. Only when the butterfly flaps its wings at a certain moment can it stir up a future tornado of ¡°change¡± 600 years later. This concept wasn¡¯t difficult to grasp. The first temporal shift¡¯s anchor was when Lin Xian renamed Coco Cat to Rhine Cat. At that moment, the time-space butterfly flapped its wings, rewriting the future and triggering a temporal shift. The second shift¡¯s anchor was unclear, but he suspected it was linked to when he placed the manuscript in Xu Yun¡¯s lab, or when Xu Yun first conducted the initial experiment. From that moment, the time-space butterfly flapped its wings again, and the Father of Hibernation changed from Academician Gao Wen. The third shift¡¯s anchor was when Xu Yun sent the new aluminum alloy sample to the Aerospace Research Institute. From that moment, time, history, and the future began shifting, affecting even the material of the safe in the dream. The fourth shift¡¯s anchor was when Donghai University¡¯s research institute received, organized, and released Xu Yun¡¯s research data and incomplete papers. Once official organizations became involved, the possibility of the data being lost or stolen was nullified, making the event ¡°irreversible.¡± This time, the temporal shift was extensive and transformative. Unlike previous minor shifts, this one had a broad scope and a significant impact, essentially resetting the future world without a trace of its original state. Lin Xian believed this shift was intense not just because of the hibernation pod liquid but also likely due to Xu Yun¡¯s miraculous chemical substance, the new aluminum alloy, and other interconnected events, causing a more potent time-space butterfly effect. ¡°Though I don¡¯t understand why technology regressed, the theories about temporal shifts are definitely correct.¡± Resting his chin on his hand and twirling a pen, Lin Xian felt he had a faint grasp of the rules governing time, history, and the future. These changes likely followed certain axioms, formulas, patterns, or laws. ¡°How should I summarize and classify these concepts of the time-space butterfly effect, temporal shifts, and anchor points?¡± If he could truly master these patterns, it would be a formidable power capable of transcending time! Lin Xian pondered for a long time, then stopped twirling his pen. He unscrewed the cap. At the top of the blank sheet, he wrote¡ª[Temporal Laws] This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 76: Laws of Time and Space Lin Xian pondered the concept of the laws of time and space, realizing it perfectly captured his musings. ¡°There must be numerous other laws of time and space that I¡¯ve yet to observe or deduce,¡± he thought. ¡°For now, I can only identify three...¡± He resumed writing, noting down the three laws of time and space he had formulated: Laws of Time and Space Temporal Butterfly Effect: Any action in the present can ripple through history, causing changes¡ªminor or major¡ªin the future. Small alterations might go unnoticed, while significant ones could transform the world. Temporal Disturbance: Human interventions in history can disrupt the original timeline, leading to changes in the future. These disruptions are known as temporal disturbances and are unpredictable. Disturbance Anchor Point: Certain times and events that reach a critical threshold can trigger visible temporal disturbances. These are known as disturbance anchor points. Lin Xian reviewed the laws he had documented. Something seemed off. He examined them again and pinpointed a potential conflict between the Temporal Butterfly Effect and the Disturbance Anchor Point. ¡°Does every action necessarily lead to a temporal disturbance?¡± he wondered. If every minor action could trigger a significant future disturbance, then his dream wouldn¡¯t have remained consistent for 23 years. For instance, winning the Youth City Parkour Championship for three consecutive years was impressive, yet it seemed to have no impact on the future. The world 600 years later appeared unaffected by his victories. Lin Xian¡¯s eyes settled on the half-filled glass of water on his desk. He pondered, ¡°Would drinking this water now change the world 600 years in the future?¡± ¡°Certainly not,¡± he concluded. ¡°Unless I consumed an absurd amount of water right now, which would either be fatal or severely impair me. In that scenario, I wouldn¡¯t marry or have children, effectively ending my lineage. The absence of future Lin family scientists and criminals might indeed initiate a temporal disturbance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the magnitude of change. Not every butterfly effect is powerful enough to influence the future. Routine actions like washing my face, brushing my teeth, or taking a bath would dissipate over 600 years, creating no significant ripples.¡± He realized he needed to introduce another principle to his laws of time and space. Lin Xian picked up his pen once more and added a fourth law: Temporal Elasticity Time and space possess an inherent elasticity, meaning not every butterfly effect will trigger a disturbance. Only changes that accumulate sufficiently or are of significant magnitude can overcome this temporal elasticity, causing disturbances that influence the future. Lin Xian speculated that the longer the timescale, the greater the temporal elasticity, making it harder for disturbances and changes to manifest. This elasticity also behaves with inertia, smoothing out over long time spans and becoming less reactive. However, since the concept of inertia wasn¡¯t fully proven, Lin Xian decided not to include it in his writings. ¡°That¡¯s it for now,¡± Lin Xian said as he capped his pen. [Temporal Butterfly Effect] [Temporal Disturbance] [Disturbance Anchor Point] [Temporal Elasticity] These were the four laws of time and space he had identified so far. Perhaps more laws awaited discovery as he delved deeper into his dream world. ¡°Maybe these laws are as potent as planes, tanks, and cannons in the realm of time and space,¡± Lin Xian mused. He closed his eyes and imagined bombing Donghai City with planes, tanks, and cannons, reducing it to ruins, and reverting human technology to the late 20th century¡ªhow challenging would that be? Extremely difficult. It isn¡¯t just about the firepower; even if Donghai City were destroyed with nuclear weapons, technology would eventually rebound. Moreover, if an adversary pursued such a strategy, they would face the country¡¯s formidable defenses. With strong air and sea defenses, could anyone truly devastate Donghai with conventional warfare? But he could easily find out by asking someone. ¡°Thief! Catch the thief! Young man, please help!¡± Behind him, the anxious voice of a middle-aged woman called out. Turning, he saw a well-dressed lady gasping as she pursued a fleeing thief. The thief, donning a black hat, muttered curses under his breath. It was the same thief who had robbed the convenience store and killed Lin Xian with a knife the previous night! ¡°Can¡¯t you rob a different village?¡± Lin Xian was exasperated. This thief consistently targeted the same village, burglarizing the old man¡¯s store at night and snatching the lady¡¯s handbag during the day. ¡°Get lost!¡± The thief elbowed Lin Xian aside and sprinted down a narrow path. The lady, breathless, grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm. ¡°Young man, I can¡¯t run anymore! Please help...¡± Having been murdered by this thief the day before, would Lin Xian let him escape today? Obviously not! ¡°Okay, ma¡¯am, just wait here.¡± Whoosh! Lin Xian activated his parkour skills, weaving through the paths, vaulting over walls, and quickly catching up to the thief. ¡°Take this!¡± ¡°Aah!¡± A flying kick brought the thief to the ground, pinning him. This time, Lin Xian was cautious. Instead of immediately grabbing the handbag, he reached for the thief¡¯s waist, found a gleaming knife, and flung it far away. Clang. The knife clattered down some steps. Believing it was now safe, but¡ª Swish! Another flash of cold steel¡ªthe thief had drawn a second dagger! ¡°Dual-wielding?¡± Luckily, Lin Xian was ready and quickly dodged backward. What¡¯s with this world? In his last dream, CC wielded two guns. Now, this thief brandished two knives. Does everyone feel this insecure? ¡°You!¡± The thief growled, rubbing his neck in pain, advancing with the dagger. ¡°Always interfering, huh?¡± Lin Xian backed away and suddenly found himself at a dead end. ¡°Damn it!¡± The thief¡¯s face contorted with rage, his dagger waving threateningly. ¡°Today, I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!¡± ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re teaching a lesson to?!!!¡± A booming voice resounded from a nearby alley. Boom!!! A stack of firewood at the alley entrance was kicked aside! A burly figure, flanked by three fierce-looking followers, emerged. Swish! The leader flicked out a long baton. ¡°Spit!¡± He spat out his cigarette, his face twisted with anger as he glared at the thief. ¡°Stealing on my turf... You¡¯ve got guts!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 77: Brother Cat Face ¡°Big Cat Face!¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Even in the tumultuous dream world, he found himself face-to-face with Big Cat Face. The surreal experience of encountering an old friend in such an unusual place filled Lin Xian with an impulse to embrace him. ¡°Eh?¡± Big Cat Face squinted, eyeing Lin Xian with suspicion. ¡°You know who I am?¡± ¡°Damn!¡± The thief, realizing he was outnumbered, turned to flee. ¡°You think you can get away?¡± Big Cat Face swung his stick, tearing the thief¡¯s shirt, then swung again, disarming the knife from his grip. ¡°Nice moves!¡± Lin Xian exclaimed awkwardly, attempting to draw closer. Behind them, three of Big Cat Face¡¯s followers lunged at the thief, pinning him to the ground. Big Cat Face picked up a handbag from the dirt and handed it to the burliest of his followers. ¡°This is Granny Li¡¯s bag. Return it to her. If we¡¯re taking protection money, we need to keep the peace around here.¡± The burly follower nodded and scurried off. Lin Xian stared at Big Cat Face, astonished by his transformation into a somewhat heroic figure. As Lin predicted, the shifts in time-space not only alter historical events and future prospects but also reshape personal destinies. Now, Big Cat Face appeared less like the ruthless bandit Lin Xian once knew and more like a rough-and-tumble neighborhood guardian, albeit one who still collected protection fees but committed to good deeds. Shing¡ª A sudden flash of light startled everyone, and the two followers holding down the thief screamed. ¡°Boss! He¡¯s got another knife!¡± Lin Xian spun around just in time to see the thief pull a second knife from his boot and dash off. ¡°Impressive...¡± Lin Xian marveled, intrigued by the small village¡¯s resident expert in multi-knife combat. ¡°Don¡¯t let him escape!¡± Big Cat Face commanded, clapping Lin Xian on the shoulder. ¡°Help us out, buddy. Cut him off!¡± With that, he and his followers sprinted after the thief. ¡°Okay...¡± Lin Xian agreed, still unsure of his role but buoyed by Big Cat Face¡¯s presence, which lent a bizarre comfort to this dream landscape. Engaging with local figures was part of navigating dreams, and the new Big Cat Face seemed a worthy acquaintance. His naive, straightforward nature made him an ideal source for information. Lin Xian dashed ahead, outpacing Big Cat Face and his crew, and intercepted the thief. ¡°Wow?¡± Big Cat Face and his followers gaped. ¡°What was that move?¡± ¡°Boss! He¡¯s flying!¡± Navigating the narrow alleyways, perfect for parkour, Lin Xian swiftly caught the thief again. ¡°Gotcha!¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A flying kick sent the thief sprawling. Lin Xian frisked him thoroughly. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re a nine-knife master...¡± ¡°Hahaha! Look at this guy¡ªhe actually fell for it!¡± Er Zhuzi¡¯s laughter rang out, reminiscent of a cackling goose. ¡°I¡¯m joking, buddy. Meeting the family isn¡¯t the real perk,¡± Big Cat Face waved dismissively. ¡°The real perk of joining is¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m in,¡± Lin Xian declared decisively. ¡°No need for details, Brother Face, count me in.¡± He scaled the wall, flipped over, and landed smoothly. ¡°How¡¯s that, Brother Face? When do we go to your place?¡± Er Zhuzi straightened up, his face blanching. ¡°Boss, we can¡¯t bring him!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Big Cat Face questioned. ¡°He¡¯s after the wife! He¡¯s up to no good!¡± Er Zhuzi exclaimed, clearly distressed. ¡°Nonsense!¡± Big Cat Face dismissed the accusation, draping an arm around Lin Xian¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I trust this guy! From now on, he¡¯s one of us, the Big Cat Face Gang!¡± ¡°Really, can¡¯t we just call it the Cat Gang?¡± He protested. ¡°Cat is the ideology, Face is the metaphysics.¡± Lin Xian halted, baffled by Big Cat Face¡¯s use of such philosophical terminology. In their last encounter, Big Cat Face¡¯s English fluency was understandable in a modern cityscape. But here, in this backward, impoverished village, such terms seemed completely out of place. Even if he misused them without understanding their actual meaning, it was still strange to hear them. ¡°Where did you pick up those terms?¡± Lin questioned. ¡°My dad mentioned them,¡± Big Cat Face replied, lighting a cigarette. ¡°Is your dad a philosopher?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t know the first thing about philosophy. He¡¯s just a primary school math teacher, but he¡¯s fixated on this old book he found in a tomb.¡± ¡°A book from a tomb?¡± ¡°Yeah, really old, surprisingly well-preserved,¡± Big Cat Face mused. ¡°What¡¯s it called?¡± Lin pressed, curiosity piqued. Big Cat Face took a drag from his cigarette, scratching his head. ¡°I think it¡¯s called ¡®Introduction to the Universal Constant.''¡± Lin Xian was taken aback. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like an ancient text. It seems too sophisticated.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, I don¡¯t know much about it!¡± Big Cat Face appeared annoyed, glaring at Lin Xian disdainfully. ¡°I see you¡¯re a bookworm too! Don¡¯t end up like my dad!¡± ¡°After he got into that book, he went mad. Quit his job, locked himself up at home, and kept muttering to himself like a lunatic.¡± ¡°Muttering what?¡± Lin gripped Big Cat Face¡¯s arm, his expression grave. If the Genius Club might have been involved in the disappearance of Big Cat Face¡¯s father, his research, that book, and the universal constant could be what they feared most. This information was crucial for his current predicament. ¡°What was your dad muttering?¡± Lin Xian pressed, shaking Big Cat Face¡¯s arm urgently. ¡°Quick, Brother Face, tell me.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslationRee?ad latest novels at Chapter 78: Donghai ¡°Enough!¡± Big Cat Face shouted, shoving Lin Xian back. ¡°Do you ever stop? Question after question! Are you some kind of walking encyclopedia? Why do you need to know everything?¡± Lin Xian recoiled but remained curious. ¡°Is your dad in good health?¡± Big Cat Face snorted, taking an angry drag from his cigarette. ¡°He¡¯s fine! Just gone a bit mad with all his studies. Locks himself up all day!¡± These scholars, the more they study, the crazier they become,¡± he continued, passing the cigarette to Ah Zhuang. ¡°Yeah,¡± Ah Zhuang agreed, taking a puff. ¡°Scholars just babble nonsense. Learning a trade is far better.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Er Zhuzi chimed in, taking a puff before passing the cigarette to San Pang. ¡°Scholars are unreliable, not straightforward.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to start working early and marry well, like my sister-in-law,¡± San Pang added, smoking the last of the cigarette. Big Cat Face nodded. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t even want my daughter to continue her studies. It¡¯s better she starts working and finds a good match.¡± Lin Xian realized the truth of the saying that economic foundations shape superstructures. In this impoverished area, limited perspectives prevailed. These four men were likely illiterate or semi-literate. He decided it was futile to press Big Cat Face further and thought it best to speak directly with his father. In this dream-like reality, Big Cat Face¡¯s father was still immersed in math. ¡°Can I visit your father? I¡¯m also interested in math. I¡¯d love to learn from him.¡± ¡°Why not! You¡¯re a friend now; it¡¯s no trouble,¡± Big Cat Face replied, checking his watch. ¡°But it¡¯s too late today. He lives a bit far, and I promised my son I¡¯d bring home roast chicken for dinner.¡± ¡°You have a son?¡± Lin Xian was surprised. ¡°Yeah, my youngest¡ªhe¡¯s six. My daughter wanted a sister, but we had another boy instead,¡± Big Cat Face said, his face brightening. ¡°He can be a handful but also pretty cute.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Big Cat Face clapped Lin Xian on the shoulder. ¡°You seem to be drifting. Why not stay at my place? We¡¯ve got extra rooms, and you can join us for dinner.¡± ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll take you to see my dad on my motorcycle. You¡¯d never find his place alone.¡± Lin Xian nodded, grateful for Big Cat Face¡¯s hospitality. Dinner would be an opportunity to learn more about this world. Meanwhile, he was curious about ¡°An Introduction to the Universal Constant¡± and Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s obsession with it. ¡°Alright, tomorrow then,¡± Lin Xian agreed, planning to follow Big Cat Face¡¯s lead in the next cycle of this seemingly endless dream loop.ALL new chapters on ... ¡°I don¡¯t want to work! I want to continue studying!¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s daughter argued. ¡°If I don¡¯t study, what will my future hold? I don¡¯t want to end up like you!¡± ¡°Let it go, Brother Face,¡± Lin Xian interjected, clinking glasses with Big Cat Face. ¡°Support her dreams. Knowledge can change fate. Does Niuniu want to be a mathematician or teacher like her grandpa?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a teacher,¡± she pouted. ¡°What do you dream of becoming?¡± ¡°My only dream is to leave this place! I want to live in New Donghai City!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s glass paused mid-air. ¡°New Donghai City?¡± ¡°No, just New Donghai City,¡± Big Cat Face corrected as he ate. ¡°Are you confused?¡± ¡°What do you mean by New Donghai City? Isn¡¯t this Donghai?¡± ¡°This is Old Donghai.¡± ¡°And where¡¯s New Donghai?¡± Big Cat Face looked at Lin Xian as if he were clueless. ¡°Are you joking? You really don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I truly don¡¯t,¡± Lin Xian insisted. Sighing, Big Cat Face stood, pulling Lin Xian upstairs. ¡°You must be messing with me!¡± On the rooftop, the reality of their location became clear. Below was the old, dilapidated village; in the distance stood a vibrant sci-fi city encased in steel. The stark contrast between their humble surroundings and the advanced metropolis was overwhelming. ¡°There! That¡¯s New Donghai City!¡± Big Cat Face pointed to the neon-lit skyline, where futuristic skyscrapers and flying vehicles illustrated a world apart from their own. Stunned, Lin Xian absorbed the breathtaking view. This dream, blending past and futuristic realities, was a vivid reminder of the enduring power of human aspiration and innovation. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 79: The Moon New Donghai City. Lin Xian stood mesmerized, captivated by the awe-inspiring sight of advanced technology before him. Despite the changes in the timeline, technological progress had not only persisted but soared, fulfilling Professor Xu Yun¡¯s dreams. Yet, Lin Xian believed that after six centuries, advancements should have been even more dramatic, surpassing the impressive state of New Donghai City. Nonetheless, this city was a leap ahead of his initial visions, boasting technology a century more advanced than anything he had ever imagined. ¡°This truly is a city of the future,¡± Lin Xian whispered in awe. ¡°It¡¯s breathtaking.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so breathtaking about it?¡± Big Cat Face retorted with a scoff. ¡°Maybe for them! We can¡¯t even touch what they discard.¡± Turning, Lin Xian observed the dim lights of their own village, a stark contrast to the vibrant neon glow of New Donghai City. The city seemed like a realm of fantasy. ¡°So,¡± Lin Xian began, addressing Big Cat Face, ¡°the hibernation pod is a reality now?¡± ¡°Hibernation pod? Yeah, I¡¯ve heard they have those in New Donghai City,¡± Big Cat Face replied dismissively. ¡°But what good is high-tech to us? They relish it while we get scraps.¡± ¡°Why has the world turned out like this, though?¡± Lin Xian pondered. ¡°Is it because the hibernation pod allows the affluent to extend their lives indefinitely, hoarding wealth and knowledge, leading to this disparity?¡± ¡°Or perhaps the capable have chosen to hibernate, delaying their contributions and causing society to regress?¡± Lin Xian mused aloud. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Big Cat Face shook his head. ¡°All I know is, since my grandfather¡¯s days, the world has always been this divided.¡± Lin Xian fell silent, recalling a saying: ¡°Death is the great equalizer. Only death can prevent the cementing of social strata and truly progress civilization.¡± He nodded in agreement silently. In Lin Xian¡¯s time, many cyberpunk games and films depicted futures not unlike his current reality. Where had the development skewed? Not a historian nor a sociologist, Lin Xian could not unravel it. Yet, it was clear the technology had advanced as anticipated. Reflecting on anomalies in the ¡°first dream,¡± Lin Xian had wondered if the Genius Club had stifled technological growth, perhaps even eliminating scientists. Such a scenario seemed illogical; it benefited no one, not even the Genius Club. If the Earth were doomed at 00:42, as indicated by the ominous white light, wouldn¡¯t the Genius Club perish as well? ¡°I¡¯m not sure of their purpose or activities. They¡¯re shrouded in so much mystery they might as well be mythical.¡± ¡°Sometimes I wonder... Is it really an evil organization? Or is it just misunderstood?¡± Big Cat Face looked perplexed. ¡°What are you getting at? Can you simplify? What does this club do?¡± ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know,¡± Lin Xian admitted. ¡°The only thing certain is their symbol.¡± Raising his right hand, he pointed upwards. ¡°Their emblem is a right hand pointing to the sky.¡± Big Cat Face scoffed. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding! I thought you were serious!¡± Lin Xian looked at his hand, surprised. ¡°Have you seen this symbol?¡± ¡°Who hasn¡¯t? It¡¯s been around for centuries!¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Just look up!¡± Lin Xian followed his gaze upward. August 28, 2624. Lunar calendar: July 16. A full moon hung in the sky, perfectly round like a polished disc. And there, across the moon¡¯s surface, stretched a vast shadow from north to south, almost bisecting the moon. The shadow formed the shape of a right hand pointing upwards. Exactly like Lin Xian¡¯s gesture. ¡°Huh.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 80: Concealment Lin Xian stared at the Genius Club logo sprawled across the moon. It looked eerily like a gigantic black hand, mocking him from the night sky. Just moments before, Lin Xian had convinced himself that in this futuristic world, the Genius Club had either dissolved or been wiped out by the rapid advancements in technology. He was mistaken. Not only had they survived, they had become more audacious, etching their emblem directly onto the lunar surface. ¡°What is that?¡± Lin Xian asked, pointing toward the moon. ¡°The moon!¡± ¡°I mean the black shadow on the moon. Is it a projection, or is there really a building that large spanning from the north to the south pole?¡±Ree?ad latest novels at ¡°That¡¯s unclear,¡± Big Cat Face replied, shaking his head. ¡°The moon has looked like this for centuries. Ever since I was young, it¡¯s always had that mark, so it never struck me as unusual.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky today. The full moon on the sixteenth day of the lunar cycle makes the pattern quite visible. When it¡¯s not full, it¡¯s harder to see. Sometimes, the angle even makes it resemble a middle finger.¡± ¡°The problem isn¡¯t that, Big Cat,¡± Lin Xian said, gazing back up at the ominous moon. ¡°The problem is that even if the moon has looked like this since you were born, it¡¯s clearly artificial. Centuries ago, the moon certainly didn¡¯t look like this.¡± ¡°I know that!¡± Big Cat Face rubbed his arm, pulled out a cigarette from behind his ear, and lit it with a match. ¡°The dark pattern on the moon is obviously man-made, but who did it and which nation they were from remains unknown.¡± ¡°There are various theories. Some suggest a nation built a colossal black structure on the moon as a display of power, shaped like an outstretched hand with an extended index finger.¡± ¡°Others think a wealthy artist created the design using a light-absorbing or non-reflective material to make it visible from Earth.¡± ¡°There¡¯s even a theory that it¡¯s the work of aliens... but come on! That¡¯s a tale for kids! Aliens with human-like hands? Five fingers? I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Lin Xian let Big Cat Face¡¯s theories go in one ear and out the other. Because he knew the truth. The sinister shadow on the moon was most likely the handiwork of the Genius Club. Bizarre and presumptuous, just like Lin Xian¡¯s impressions of this enigmatic organization. But such a massive lunar project couldn¡¯t have escaped historical documentation. ¡°Big Cat, aren¡¯t there any records in history books?¡± ¡°History books?¡± Big Cat Face laughed derisively. ¡°People like us aren¡¯t even privileged enough to know our own history...¡± He gestured toward the brightly lit New Donghai City, visible a few kilometers away. ¡°History and knowledge are monopolized by them. If you want access to genuine history books, you¡¯d need to enter New Donghai City, where there are bookstores and all kinds of advanced technology.¡± ¡°So, young man...¡± Big Cat Face exhaled a stream of smoke, his gaze complex as he looked at Lin Xian. ¡°I don¡¯t oppose my daughter pursuing an education. If she could study in New Donghai City, I¡¯d sell everything I own, even myself, to support her!¡± ¡°But studying here in our village... what¡¯s the point? We lack genuine knowledge or history here... Even if you go to school, what you learn is devoid of real substance.¡± Lin Xian nodded, understanding the complexities of familial decisions better than to offer unsolicited advice. ¡°I understand, Big Cat. My apologies.¡± He offered a reassuring smile. ¡°If I ever make it into New Donghai City, I¡¯ll blast a hole in that steel wall. Then... you lead the villagers in to grab all the good stuff!¡± ¡°Hahaha, keep dreaming!¡± Big Cat Face clapped Lin Xian on the back. ¡°Always the dreamer! Come on, let¡¯s get a drink!¡± As they descended the stairs, Lin Xian took one last look at the cyberpunk-esque New Donghai City and the moon branded with the Genius Club logo before entering the house. ¡°Trust me, your Brother Face here has influence. With my backing, the boss will definitely let you join.¡± ¡°But until then, don¡¯t ask too many questions. Every line of work has its rules. I can see you¡¯re sharp, but even sharp minds can¡¯t bend the rules.¡± Since Big Cat Face laid it out so clearly, Lin Xian didn¡¯t press further. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that in his previous dream, he used ¡°tomorrow¡± to fend off Big Cat Face... and now the roles were reversed, with Big Cat Face using ¡°tomorrow¡± on him. But Lin Xian wasn¡¯t in a rush. As long as he didn¡¯t trigger significant time-space shifts, this dream could extend indefinitely. He could afford to unravel these mysteries slowly. For now, he simply needed to collect information. Lin Xian raised his glass. ¡°You have a boss above you?¡± ¡°Not a boss, the boss. We work for him,¡± Big Cat Face clarified. Clink. They downed their drinks in one go. Big Cat Face showed Lin Xian around the house, including the bathroom. After Lin Xian freshened up, he was guided to a clean, orderly bedroom. ¡°Get a good night¡¯s sleep. Don¡¯t wander around; it¡¯s unsafe out there,¡± Big Cat Face advised. ¡°Understood, Big Cat,¡± Lin Xian responded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I¡¯ll definitely go out! With such an obvious hint... not venturing out would be a disservice to his curiosity. Besides, he was in a dream. Who sleeps in a dream? He had tried before, and it was impossible to sleep in a dream. ¡°Goodnight, Brother Face.¡± ¡°Goodnight, little brother.¡± Lying on the stone bed, Lin Xian kept his eyes open, attuned to every sound in the house. Big Cat Face¡¯s wife seemed to be chopping radishes in the kitchen, likely preparing them for breakfast. Their daughter and younger son were also chuckling and drifting off to sleep. There was no noise from Big Cat Face; he must have already left. Finally, when the house fell completely silent, Lin Xian rose and quietly opened the door. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 81: In the Deep of Night The house was eerily quiet, interrupted only by the gentle snoring of Big Cat Face¡¯s youngest son. The silence was otherwise unbroken. Lin Xian crept cautiously down the stairs, striving to make no sound. He was certain Big Cat Face was concealing something. Though Big Cat Face had acknowledged this, he intended to introduce Lin Xian to his boss tomorrow and involve him in their plans. But Lin Xian couldn¡¯t wait until tomorrow. At dinner, Lin Xian had glanced at the calendar. It was still August 28, 2624. This confirmed that although he hadn¡¯t witnessed the apocalyptic white light at 00:42 yesterday, the world had likely been obliterated by it. The cycle persisted, the dream continued, and only the world had altered its facade. Click. Click. Click. Lin Xian tiptoed through the living room, navigating around the clutter left by Big Cat Face¡¯s boisterous son. Fortunately, Mrs. Face had managed to tidy up before bed. Yet, despite her efforts, the small, cramped nature of the house remained unchanged. Finally, Lin Xian reached the front door. Creak¡ª¡ª The door squeaked open, causing Lin Xian to tense. He glanced back, but there was no stir from Mrs. Face or the children. Lin Xian carefully locked the door behind him. He didn¡¯t plan to return, and it seemed prudent to deter any potential thieves. Turning, he embarked down the winding, uneven path, unsure of his destination in the disorganized sprawl of makeshift houses that blocked every view. No wonder he hadn¡¯t spotted the new Donghai City or the distant black skyscraper during daylight. ¡°Living here too long would drive anyone mad,¡± Lin Xian muttered to himself. Disoriented without the moon¡¯s guidance and unable to discern east from west, he chose a direction at random and began to wander. Soon, he found himself at the small market where Big Cat Face had once purchased roast chicken. The area was bustling, hardly navigable for vehicles. According to Big Cat Face, all resources in this world¡ªknowledge, history, technology¡ªwere monopolized by the inhabitants of the new Donghai City. Lin Xian struggled to grasp the structure or rules of this world, unable to comprehend such a convoluted development trajectory. The physical proximity of the old and new Donghai belied a vast cultural and technological gulf as if it were as distant as Earth from the Moon. But Lin Xian, from 600 years in the past, knew the true appearance of the moon. What was this black hand shadow? An enormous structure across the moon¡¯s poles? A light-absorbing material? Whatever it was, it transformed the moon into an ¡°art piece.¡± Regrettably, to fully comprehend it, Lin Xian would need access to the archives in new Donghai City. ¡°But it truly is an art,¡± he thought, admiring the moon from an artistic standpoint. Due to tidal locking, the moon¡¯s rotation period matches its orbit around Earth. This means... ¡°The moon always shows the same face to Earth. We never see its far side.¡± Thus, the emblem of the Genius Club could rise nightly, ever visible from Earth, a constant presence in the lunar cycle. Lin Xian gazed towards the brilliantly lit, massive sci-fi city of New Donghai. Even at this late hour, it buzzed with activity, a city that never slept. Did its residents not require sleep or rest? What kind of lives did they lead? Immortality? Eternal youth? Or had they replaced their bodies with cybernetic parts, like characters from films and games, becoming fully mechanized? Lin Xian didn¡¯t know. ¡°But I have to see it for myself.¡± He glanced at his watch. 00:41:41 If this dream adhered to the rules of the ¡°first dream,¡± there were just 19 seconds left before the apocalyptic white light would obliterate everything, waking him in his bed. But with such advanced human technology, was it possible they were oblivious to this impending disaster without any means of prevention? Lin Xian looked up at the bustling New Donghai City, everything as usual. He looked down at his watch¡ª00:41:57...00:41:58...00:41:59... Suddenly, a faint fragrance of camellias drifted through the night air. Tap. A hand rested on Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 82: The Vanishing Vehicles Boom! Boom! Boom! A blinding white light erupted with impeccable timing, consuming everything in its path. Lin Xian opened his eyes and found himself in the corner of his bedroom. He turned to inspect his right shoulder, feeling as if a hand had rested there just before the white light exploded. The light obliterated everything with such intensity that it was impossible to see clearly. Before he could even raise his head, all was destroyed. Who could it have been? Lin Xian sniffed the air, catching a faint scent of camellia. Although not a researcher himself, his work in cosmetics had made him familiar with various fragrances, and he recognized this one immediately. Gao Yang had once mentioned, ¡°In this dream, the white light still obliterates everything, and humans remain blissfully unaware.¡± He had explained that modern astronomical tools were advanced enough to detect gravitational waves and extraterrestrial threats. ¡°Prevention might be another story, but we wouldn¡¯t be completely blindsided like in the dream.¡± Now, in his second dream, 600 years of technological evolution had birthed a cyberpunk metropolis like New Donghai City, with cars flying and robots scuttling. Yet, strangely, there seemed to be no advancement in astronomical observation. ¡°That¡¯s unrealistic,¡± Lin Xian muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. The eerie black hand shadow on the moon suggested that humans in this future world had mastered large-scale lunar constructions centuries ago. If they could leave such marks on the moon, why hadn¡¯t they ventured beyond the solar system or constructed space cities after so many years? It didn¡¯t add up. Lin Xian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Even with time-space alterations and rapid technological strides, their level of advancement still seems underwhelming.¡± Was building a sci-fi city like New Donghai City or creating a massive black hand on the moon harder? Clearly, the latter. Yet, perhaps constructing a colossal structure on the moon using light-absorbing materials was more about cost and effort than about technological capability. ¡°Forget it,¡± he decided, dismissing his musings. ¡°It¡¯s better to visit New Donghai City directly to check historical records or consult a real-world astronomy scientist. That¡¯s more reliable than mere speculation.¡± He rose to use the bathroom. As water gushed from the faucet, Lin Xian splashed his face. Having slept from five in the afternoon to one in the morning, he felt rejuvenated. Back in his room, he sat at his desk to consolidate what he had learned from the dream and to plan his next moves. Confirmed insights: Following the publication of Professor Xu Yun¡¯s paper, technology in the dream world advanced dramatically. New Donghai City¡¯s tech level now surpasses our current era by decades. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Lin Xian responded calmly, feeling financially secure with his earnings far outpacing his expenditures. With the unfolding mysteries of the Genius Club, Xu Yun¡¯s demise, the Universal Constant, CC, and Chu An Qing, he was more focused on uncovering truths. ¡°In fact, this cat is quite popular among university students as well,¡± Lin Xian mentioned his need to visit Donghai University that afternoon. ¡°So our counselor has asked me to give a short lecture to the students, sharing my design experience.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a great opportunity,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied. ¡°Promote our company while you¡¯re there. If any students show interest in working with us, we can prioritize their applications. Thanks to you, I now hold Donghai University¡¯s top students in high regard. We need more talented individuals like you.¡± She stood up, picking up her coat. ¡°You head to the university this afternoon. Just ensure the company¡¯s affairs are in order. I¡¯m also out this afternoon; I have a gathering to attend.¡± ¡°A gathering?¡± Lin Xian thought of the vast black hand shadow engulfing the moon in his dream world. ¡°Yes, an afternoon tea with a group of musicians,¡± Zhao Ying Jun clarified, selecting a scarf from the cloakroom. ¡°I¡¯m discussing a theme song for Rhine Cat¡¯s marketing video with a composer. This cat¡¯s influence keeps growing, far exceeding our expectations. Any related merchandise flies off the shelves as soon as it¡¯s launched, and our distributors are clamoring for more. Despite several factories working overtime, they can¡¯t keep up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m cautious not to dilute such a strong intellectual property, so I¡¯ve chosen only top-tier plush toy manufacturers, though few meet my standards,¡± she added, choosing a blue scarf and returning to her desk. ¡°You¡¯re giving a lecture at Donghai University, right? Have the logistics department deliver a truckload of Rhine Cat plush toys. Hand one out to each student attending your lecture as a gift.¡± ¡°No, really, that¡¯s unnecessary,¡± Lin Xian protested. ¡°It¡¯s just a small lecture organized by our counselor... at most a few dozen attendees, no need for so many toys.¡± ¡°Just take them. You don¡¯t have a car, so let logistics handle it,¡± Zhao Ying Jun insisted. ¡°Although you aren¡¯t officially representing the company, we must consider your image. A business car will pick you up, and a small truck will carry the Rhine Cat toys. Think of it as a promotional opportunity and give them away for free.¡± Unable to decline her generous offer, Lin Xian reluctantly agreed. Boom. The office¡¯s double-layered security door closed behind him. Lin Xian grabbed his black notebook with the speech outline and headed downstairs. Sitting in the business car, he observed the familiar scenery along the route he had often taken to meet Xu Yun. Regrettably, he would never see Xu Yun again. Remembering the professor, Lin Xian felt a wave of nostalgia. Xu Yun was a good person, misunderstood by many but undeniably a dedicated scientist. To this day, the culprit responsible for Xu Yun¡¯s accident remains at large. The incident sparked widespread outrage online, putting immense pressure on Donghai¡¯s police force. Yet, they found no clues. In a city bristling with surveillance cameras, it was baffling how those two cars had vanished without a trace. Lin Xian rested his chin on his hand, puzzled. ¡°How did those two cars just disappear?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 83: The Lecture As Lin Xian gazed out the car window, the school gates came into view. Thanks to the counselor¡¯s foresight, the security guard promptly raised the barrier, allowing their cars to enter the campus without delay. ¡°Why are we heading to the auditorium?¡± Lin Xian asked as he caught up with the counselor, who was leading him toward the largest lecture hall in the art department, a grin on his face. ¡°Hold on,¡± Lin Xian said, grabbing the counselor¡¯s arm. ¡°I thought you said this was going to be a small seminar.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a talk,¡± the counselor reassured him, continuing to pull Lin Xian forward. ¡°Does it really matter if it¡¯s for a few people, a few dozen, or a few hundred? You¡¯ve addressed thousands at the school¡¯s anniversary. This is no different.¡± ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect so many attendees. I figured a hundred at most, so I reserved a regular classroom. But it turns out every girl from freshmen to seniors wants to come!¡± ¡°Actually, the entire audience is female. Not a single male,¡± the counselor revealed with a mischievous smile. ¡°Some are here for the Rhine Cat, and some might just be here for you!¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Lin Xian scoffed. ¡°Who would come for me? What¡¯s so special about me?¡± ¡°What¡¯s not special?¡± the counselor assessed him. ¡°You¡¯ve got the looks, the height, the charisma! And how much are you making from those Rhine Cat royalties?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen a dime yet.¡± ¡°It must be a significant amount! With the toys and merchandise flying off the shelves, you¡¯re definitely a millionaire¡ªand so young! Handsome, wealthy, a senior¡ªof course the girls are curious!¡± ¡°Enough with the flattery,¡± Lin Xian shrugged off the counselor¡¯s hand. ¡°You just didn¡¯t want me to back out. I¡¯m here now, I won¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°Fantastic! You¡¯re a lifesaver!¡± The counselor beamed, giving him a thumbs-up. ¡°Dinner¡¯s on me tonight! Thanks to you, I¡¯ll be a hero to all the freshmen!¡± As they entered the lecture hall, the counselor clapped his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s give a warm welcome to the outstanding graduate of 2022, the star of our school¡¯s anniversary events, the creator of the Rhine Cat, and an executive at MX Company¡ªyour senior, Lin Xian!¡± Applause filled the packed hall as Lin Xian stepped forward, his smile broadening. It felt like stepping into a spider¡¯s web. While the art department already had a female majority, he had never seen it this densely packed, filled with sweet perfume and vibrant enthusiasm. ¡°Hello, everyone,¡± Lin Xian greeted. ¡°Hello, senior!¡± The roomful of young women responded, their giggles mingling with the sight of waving Rhine Cat plushies. ¡°Alright, alright, everyone, just a moment,¡± he calmed the crowd. ¡°Let me get WeChat up.¡± Balancing his black notebook in one hand and his phone in the other, Lin Xian unlocked his screen. Thud. His notebook slipped from his hand and hit the floor. ¡°Senior, your notebook,¡± a girl said, picking it up and handing it back to him. ¡°Thanks.¡± Lin Xian placed the notebook on the lectern while he held up his phone for the girls to scan. ¡°Hey, senior, did you drop this paper too?¡± another girl asked as she picked up a folded sheet that had slipped from the notebook. She unfolded it and gasped, ¡°Oh my gosh!¡± Her exclamation captured everyone¡¯s attention, drawing their eyes to the sketch on the paper. Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes widened, her cheeks flushed with color. Lin Xian inwardly cursed. He suddenly remembered the sketch he had made of CC, which Zhao Ying Jun had seen him drawing. In his rush, he had folded it and tucked it away, forgetting all about it. And now, it had fallen out right in front of Chu An Qing and all these girls. This is a disaster! ¡°Lin Xian... Lin Xian,¡± the girl holding the sketch stammered, her eyes darting between Chu An Qing and the drawing. ¡°Isn¡¯t this... Chu An Qing?¡± The familiar face on the sketch, with its crescent eyes, dimples, and distinctive beauty mark, was unmistakable. The girl was stunned, her voice trembling as she asked, ¡°Senior, did you draw this?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 84: The Painting Boom! The hearts of the gossiping girls throbbed with excitement! Their eyes shimmered, sparkling as though adorned with pink blossoms. ¡°Isn¡¯t that An Qing? The drawing is stunning!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening here? Could it be...?¡± ¡°The details are so precise, just like An Qing! Is this a model sketch? Hehe, when did you sketch this?¡± ¡°Are Senior Lin Xian and An Qing...?¡± The girls stared at the flustered Lin Xian and the blushing Chu An Qing, their faces gleaming with mischievous grins. Lin Xian felt a surge of panic. How could he possibly explain? He had drawn CC, but Chu An Qing and CC were identical! Moreover, CC wasn¡¯t even from this era. Even if he told the truth, who would believe him?Yo?ur favorite stories on Honestly, he wasn¡¯t too worried about being misunderstood, as he had already graduated, and rumors wouldn¡¯t affect him much. But Chu An Qing was just a freshman, already known as the campus¡¯s little princess. If damaging rumors spread, how would her peers see her? Lin Xian knew all too well how crucial a girl¡¯s reputation was at school. Even baseless rumors could turn into sharp thorns, wounding innocent girls. He took a deep breath. Since he was the cause of the issue, he felt compelled to address it. ¡°Listen, everyone, this is¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, I asked Senior Lin Xian to draw this for me. I¡¯m sorry you all saw it.¡± Chu An Qing smiled gracefully, retrieving the drawing from one of the girls. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be finished so quickly. I thought it would take a few more days.¡± The girls widened their eyes, looking at Chu An Qing in confusion. What was happening? ¡°It was during MX Company¡¯s celebration banquet a few nights ago.¡± Chu An Qing folded the drawing, addressing her classmates. ¡°My dad took me there because I enjoy lively events, and President Zhao of MX Company was very kind to my dad, allowing me to participate in their fun lottery.¡± ¡°And I won this~ hehe, the prize was a portrait by Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Though it was done as a little joke, Senior Lin Xian agreed immediately and promised to sketch me. I didn¡¯t expect it to be ready so soon.¡± Chu An Qing waved the folded drawing, her smile bright and joyful. Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes twinkled playfully. ¡°I know it¡¯s not me you drew. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not that self-absorbed.¡± Lin Xian was taken aback. Could she really be so understanding? Chu An Qing unfolded the drawing again. ¡°Although it resembles me closely, I know it isn¡¯t me you drew.¡± ¡°We just met a few days ago. How could you have sketched me? You don¡¯t need to explain. You must have drawn someone else, right?¡± She closed the drawing, giving Lin Xian a knowing look. ¡°Was it an old classmate? Or just a random sketch?¡± Lin Xian scratched his head. ¡°It was an old classmate.¡± Lin Xian smoothly fibbed. Sometimes a lie was necessary to prevent awkwardness. Maybe Chu An Qing was intentionally giving him an escape. ¡°This drawing was completed before I met you, over several days.¡± ¡°Her image just came to mind, so I sketched her. I didn¡¯t expect her to look so much like you... It was a surprise to me too.¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Chu An Qing nodded in understanding. ¡°That explains your puzzled look when I arrived at the banquet. I didn¡¯t think much of it then. Now I understand, hehe... you were reminded of your old classmate!¡± Lin Xian laughed and nodded. Once a lie is told, it often leads to more lies to maintain it. ¡°In that case, I should return this to you, Senior Lin Xian.¡± Chu An Qing handed the folded drawing back to Lin Xian, her smile warm. ¡°She must be very important and unforgettable to you... Here, you should keep this safe.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 85: Another Time, Another You ¡°Understanding is key,¡± Lin Xian murmured as he carefully folded the painting and tucked it back into his black notebook. He planned to dispose of it once he left, aware that keeping it could only invite trouble. He found Chu An Qing genuinely easygoing¡ªhumble, considerate, and full of empathy. In his mind, Lin Xian awarded her personality top marks. Whenever he embarrassed himself, she was there to assist, providing a graceful way out without a hint of smugness. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but envy Chu Shan He for having such a thoughtful daughter. He wondered if he might have one like her someday. ¡°Can you sign my Rhine Cat?¡± Chu An Qing asked with a giggle, offering a Rhine Cat doll. ¡°This bun-haired, cheongsam-wearing Rhine Cat is my favorite. Maybe someday, when you¡¯re a world-famous designer, this autographed cat will be worth a fortune! But I wouldn¡¯t sell it. Having the creator¡¯s signature makes it incredibly meaningful.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Xian responded, taking the Rhine Cat. He signed his name on the fabric tag, laughing, ¡°Honestly, this is the first time I¡¯ve signed a Rhine Cat. You¡¯re the first to ask. Usually, people just appreciate the cat and don¡¯t care about the designer.¡± ¡°Really? Could you add ¡®NO.1¡ä on it too? That would make it even more special!¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Lin Xian said, his mood lifting. He added a small ¡°NO.1¡± below his signature, marking it as his first-ever autograph. However, he doubted there would be a second. Unlike novels, designers rarely drew attention outside their industry. Even with icons like Hello Kitty, few knew it was created by Yuko Shimizu or that it was a Sanrio product. ¡°Here you go,¡± Lin Xian said, handing back the Rhine Cat. ¡°Thank you, senior!¡± Chu An Qing took the doll and waved. ¡°I¡¯m off then.¡± ¡°Take care,¡± Lin Xian replied, waving goodbye. He sighed in relief; having a rational, easygoing person like Chu An Qing around prevented potential misunderstandings. If she had been a spoiled brat, she might have made trouble by misinterpreting his actions. ¡°Chu Shan He raised his daughter well,¡± Lin Xian thought appreciatively. Back home, Lin Xian freshened up quickly. It was only 5:10 PM, earlier than his last dream entry, but starting early was advantageous. He drew the curtains, climbed into bed, and closed his eyes. ... ... ... Without the familiar summer breeze or the cicadas¡¯ piercing calls, Lin Xian felt uneasy. The self-built houses around him blocked out the sunlight, casting a cool shadow over the village¡ªa surprisingly comforting atmosphere. Opening his eyes, Lin Xian found himself successfully back in the dream, in the narrow, crowded village. He checked his watch: 5:32 PM. About ten minutes remained until the thief who would steal Granny Li¡¯s handbag appeared. Hiding in an alley, Lin Xian leaned against a brick wall, waiting for the ¡°Three-Sword Style Master¡± to show. This was his quickest link to Big Cat Face. As time ticked by, finally... ¡°Stop¡ªstop thief! Stop... stop the... thief!¡± Granny Li¡¯s panting voice echoed from outside the alley. Lin Xian flexed his wrists, readying himself. ¡°Finally, you¡¯re here... Roronoa Zoro!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 86: The Gang ¡°Help! Thief! Someone, help!¡± Mrs. Li¡¯s frantic cries echoed through the alley. Whoosh! A man dashed by, clutching a handbag under his arm, his head shaded by a black hat. This was the notorious ¡°Master of Three Blades,¡± the very thief Lin Xian had been diligently tracking. Emerging from the shadows of the alley, Lin Xian accidentally collided with Mrs. Li. ¡°Young man!¡± she gasped, clutching his arm for support. ¡°I understand,¡± Lin Xian assured her with a calm nod. ¡°My... my bag...¡± ¡°It¡¯s handled.¡± Carefully, Lin Xian helped her lean against the wall. ¡°Mrs. Li, please stay calm and wait here. San Pang will return with your handbag shortly.¡± With no further ado, Lin Xian deployed his parkour skills and vanished into the labyrinth of narrow lanes. Left behind, Mrs. Li murmured, bewildered, ¡°I... I hadn¡¯t even finished speaking...¡± Lin Xian raced through the twisted alleys, predicting the thief¡¯s escape route with ease¡ªa path he had learned through past encounters. He could have apprehended the thief sooner but chose to wait until he reached a familiar dead-end alley. That¡¯s when Lin Xian made his move. ¡°Gotcha!¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A precise flying kick toppled the thief. Swiftly, Lin Xian disarmed him, confiscating a dagger from his coat, another from his belt, and a third from his boot, discarding each with a clatter. He then used the thief¡¯s belt to secure his hands. Boom! Big Cat Face burst through a barrier of firewood that blocked the alley¡¯s entrance. ¡°Dare to steal in my territory!¡± He advanced menacingly, flanked by three formidable underlings. ¡°Damn¡ª¡± His tirade halted abruptly as he stared in astonishment. Before him lay the man in the black hat, now pantless, his hands tied with his belt, squirming on the ground. Beside him stood Lin Xian, looking rather pleased with himself, the gleaming daggers scattered at his feet.Ree?ad latest novels at ¡°You...¡± Big Cat Face pointed first at the thief, then at Lin Xian. ¡°Which one of you is the villain here?¡± Big Cat Face sighed, his disappointment evident. He clasped Lin Xian¡¯s hand. ¡°I saw something special in you and wanted you in our gang. But the gang votes democratically. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He fished out some money, handing it to Lin Xian. ¡°For catching the thief. If you¡¯re ever hungry, look me up.¡± ¡°Wait, Big Face,¡± Lin Xian interjected, puzzled by the turn of events. He pointed to the subdued thief. ¡°I managed to bring him down solo. That proves my worth. My skills could benefit the gang. Let me demonstrate.¡± With a quick movement, Lin Xian scaled a wall, executed a double flip, and landed gracefully on a second-story ledge. ¡°Wow!¡± Big Cat Face exclaimed, astonished. ¡°Big Brother, how¡¯d he do that?¡± Lin Xian jumped down, dusted off, and flashed a confident smile. ¡°So, Big Face, do you think I¡¯m cut out for this?¡± Big Cat Face nodded, swayed by the display. Ah Zhuang gave a thumbs up. ¡°Big Brother, he¡¯s got skills. We need someone like him.¡± Er Zhuzi, however, remained unconvinced. ¡°He¡¯s too sneaky! Climbing into people¡¯s homes? No way!¡± A split vote. San Pang, now the deciding factor, nodded. ¡°He should join.¡± ¡°Done!¡± Big Cat Face declared, beaming. ¡°From today, you¡¯re one of us. I knew there was something about you. And those climbing skills are just what we need.¡± Apologizing for the earlier confusion, he asked, ¡°Tell me your wish, brother. If it¡¯s within my power, it¡¯s yours.¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s directness resonated with Lin Xian. ¡°Big Face, your father teaches elementary school math, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Does he study an ancient manuscript called ¡®Introduction to Universal Constants¡¯?¡± ¡°You know about that too?¡± Lin Xian nodded, smiling. ¡°I¡¯m here out of admiration for him. I¡¯ll do anything you ask, but I have one simple request... Can you introduce me to your father? I have some math questions for him.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 87: Dad Cat ¡°You want to meet my father?¡± Big Cat Face was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected such a request from his young companion. ¡°My dad¡¯s not himself these days,¡± he explained. ¡°He¡¯s been overwhelmed by his research. Mom says he locks himself in his room all day, avoids us, and doesn¡¯t let anyone in. It¡¯s like he¡¯s somewhere else.¡± ¡°And...¡± Big Cat Face glanced at his watch. ¡°And I promised my son I¡¯d pick up a roast chicken for him today. Tell you what: why don¡¯t you join us for dinner tonight? You don¡¯t have a place to stay, so you can crash at mine. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll take you to see my dad on my motorcycle.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make it today, Brother Face!¡± Lin Xian tugged at his arm. ¡°It won¡¯t take much time. Just drop me at your dad¡¯s, then you can go get your son¡¯s chicken. You don¡¯t need to stick around.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really curious about math and have some questions for your father. It¡¯ll be quick, okay?¡± Brother Face pondered for a moment. ¡°Alright.¡± He scratched his armpit absently. ¡°I did promise I¡¯d make it up to you. As your big brother, I can¡¯t break that promise.¡± ¡°Ah Zhuang, take this thief to the police. I¡¯m taking Lin Xian to meet my dad.¡± Ah Zhuang approached, giving Lin Xian a quick glance, and whispered, ¡°Boss, what about tonight...¡± Big Cat Face gestured dismissively. ¡°Business as usual. We¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ... Big Cat Face led Lin Xian back home and uncovered his motorcycle, an old model yet meticulously clean, showing it was well cared for. In this economically depressed and technologically lagging village, the motorcycle was a treasure. ¡°Put on the helmet.¡± He tossed a helmet to Lin Xian. ¡°Really? This cautious?¡± Lin Xian fastened his helmet, surprised by Big Cat Face¡¯s insistence. A former bank robber now worried about helmet safety? ¡°I need to set a good example for my kids!¡± Silence continued. ¡°This isn¡¯t right!¡± Big Cat Face looked baffled, turning to Lin Xian. ¡°Mom going out is one thing, but Dad never leaves. Since he figured out that Universal Constant, he¡¯s barely left his room, except for necessities!¡± He shook his head in disbelief, then inhaled deeply, puffing up his chest¡ª ¡°Dad¡ª¡± ¡°Keep it down, Big Cat!¡± An elderly man appeared from the next house. ¡°Uncle Wang?¡± Big Cat Face recognized the man. ¡°Where are my parents?¡± ¡°You silly boy... your folks were picked up this morning. Your family¡¯s heading for big times!¡± Big times? Big Cat Face and Lin Xian exchanged puzzled looks. ¡°Uncle Wang, who took my parents? Why wasn¡¯t I told?¡± ¡°They had to leave quickly. Someone invited your dad to a scholarly forum. Your dad¡¯s about to bring great honor to your family!¡± ¡°Hah...¡± Big Cat Face snorted. ¡°Uncle Wang, you made it sound like a lottery win! He¡¯s just going to a forum. You got me all excited over nothing.¡± ¡°Haha, you naive boy!¡± The old man fanned himself, chuckling with glee. ¡°This is better than any lottery, a million times better! For the first time in centuries, someone from here is invited into New Donghai City!¡± ¡°What?! New Donghai City?¡± Big Cat Face and Lin Xian were shocked. New Donghai City. Lin Xian frowned. It was believed that no one from their area could enter that sprawling, futuristic city, separated by 200-meter-high iron walls. ¡°But... Uncle Wang! Are you serious? This isn¡¯t a joke, right?¡± Big Cat Face was incredulous. ¡°Why would I lie?¡± The old man¡¯s expression turned solemn, pointing to the distant, towering city. ¡°This morning, around seven, several cars descended from the sky! They courteously collected your parents! By now, they¡¯re probably enjoying a lavish feast over there!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 88: The Universal Constant Lin Xian stared at Old Wang, feeling an icy shiver crawl down his spine. In a recent dream, Big Cat Face¡¯s father had been awarded the Fields Medal for his work on ¡°Introduction to Universal Constants¡± before his untimely death at the hands of the Genius Club. If the Genius Club was still operational in this dream, and Big Cat Face¡¯s father had indeed recalculated the Universal Constant, there seemed little doubt they would target him. The invitation to enter New Donghai City now appeared less of a privilege and more of a deadly snare. Lin Xian glanced at Big Cat Face. ¡°You said it was impossible to enter New Donghai City.¡± ¡°That¡¯s absurd!¡± Big Cat Face responded, a mix of bewilderment and denial in his voice. ¡°For years, no one has breached the gates of New Donghai City! Not even in myths! My dad¡¯s just an elementary school math teacher. Why would they invite him? Our world and New Donghai City are realms apart. Surely they¡¯ve already solved whatever he¡¯s working on. What could he possibly offer them?¡± Old Wang looked over dismissively at the troubled duo. ¡°Look at you two, panicking. You¡¯re never going to amount to anything!¡± He then turned to Big Cat Face. ¡°You should be thrilled. Maybe your dad will bring the whole family over once he¡¯s back. Soon you¡¯ll be looking down at us from behind those steel walls!¡± He reached into his pocket and threw something. ¡°Catch!¡± Big Cat Face caught it¡ªa set of keys. ¡°Your parents left these with me before they left. They¡¯ll return tomorrow and asked me to look after the dog and pig. But since you¡¯re here, you might as well handle it. Make sure they¡¯re fed until your folks are back.¡± With a wave of his fan, Old Wang disappeared inside. Big Cat Face and Lin Xian looked at the keys in silence. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Big Cat Face announced, pointing to a closed wooden door. ¡°This is his room. Go ahead and look.¡± Lin Xian nodded and pushed the door open, the rusty hinges groaning. Stepping back, Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°42... 42... 42...¡± Everywhere¡ªon the walls, ceiling, furniture, even the floor¡ªthe number 42 was scrawled in various sizes. Large 42s encased smaller 42s, and within those, even tinier 42s filled the curves and lines. ¡°This is...¡± A chill ran through Lin Xian as he cautiously entered the room, surrounded by millions of 42s. Big Cat Face¡¯s father had descended into madness, marking the number everywhere, even on the bedsheets. Lin Xian felt engulfed by the endless 42s. ¡°See? I told you he¡¯s gone mad,¡± Big Cat Face remarked, his expression somber as he followed inside. ¡°Lately, he¡¯s been grabbing everyone, obsessively repeating¡ª¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s expression blanked, his gaze distant. ¡°42... It¡¯s everywhere.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 89: The Mystery of 42 ¡°Did I scare you?¡± Big Cat Face, initially intimidating, suddenly burst into laughter. ¡°Look at you, all frightened! My dad was just like that. Ever since he delved into that universal constant stuff, he¡¯s gone a bit crazy. He used to grab random people on the street, all sweaty and shaking, and spout nonsense.¡± ¡°He scared so many kids around here. The neighbors complained all the time, so my mom had to keep him inside for a while. Then, suddenly, he just shut down and locked himself in his room, refusing to come out.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen those numbers on the wall, right? It¡¯s complete madness... I have no idea why those folks in New Donghai City invited my dad to their academic forum. It¡¯s like watching the sun rise in the west.¡±Yo?ur favorite stories on Big Cat Face¡¯s revelations did little to calm Lin Xian¡¯s nerves. The whole situation was utterly bizarre and almost incomprehensible. The only thing he could deduce was that the universal constant must be the number 42, but what did that mean? What was its significance? He was completely baffled. Given that Big Cat Face¡¯s father had been studying the book ¡°Introduction to Universal Constants¡± for years without any problems, only to be taken away suddenly after a supposed breakthrough, something was clearly wrong. It appeared that there were people who wanted his research, possibly to keep it hidden. It seemed that discovering the universal constant had deeply affected Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s mind. After arriving at the constant 42, he seemed to have descended into madness. With these limited clues, Lin Xian could only make basic guesses. As for the deeper reasons, he was utterly lost. ¡°Big Cat, where is the book ¡®Introduction to Universal Constants¡¯ that your father was studying? Where does he usually keep it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s normally on his desk... I haven¡¯t really noticed. Let¡¯s look around.¡± They searched the room thoroughly, but despite their efforts, they couldn¡¯t find the book. There was not a single piece of draft paper or any notes from his research. ¡°That¡¯s strange... This room has never been this tidy; it¡¯s always been cluttered.¡± The moment his dreams stopped was at 00:42, and the exact time Professor Xu Yun was struck was also 00:42. No matter how he looked at it, the recurrence of the number 42 was too frequent to be coincidental! ¡°42 holds an extraordinary significance.¡± Lin Xian sat down on the floor, his chin resting on his hand, fixated on the wall covered in 42s. He examined each one closely, even the smallest figures filling every crack. If Big Cat Face¡¯s father was merely insane, he wouldn¡¯t have cared about the precise size or placement of the numbers. He could have just scribbled randomly. However... After studying the entire wall, Lin Xian made a shocking discovery¡ªnone of the 42s overlapped! No two 42s intersected. Though they appeared chaotic, they followed some pattern, some underlying principle! ¡°This isn¡¯t mindless scribbling. He hasn¡¯t lost his mind.¡± A madman couldn¡¯t meticulously ensure that every tiny 42 was separate. There had to be a message here, some hidden truth! Lin Xian moved closer, squinting, his eyes fixed on the wall of 42s. Big and small, each 42 meticulously placed. He leaned in, his eyes nearly touching the wall, staring at the smallest 42 in a crack: ¡°42... what¡¯s the secret?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 90: Blind Spot As the sun dipped below the horizon, Lin Xian watched from a window as a gigantic black hand bizarrely cleaved the moon in two. The spectacle never ceased to amaze him. ¡°How absurd...¡± No matter how often he saw it, the altered moon continued to frustrate Lin Xian. He had never imagined that the Genius Club would brand it with their emblem¡ªa concept beyond any scenario he could have conjured in his writings. Yet, it was quite ¡°genius¡±¡ªpeculiar and bold, aligning with his perception of the Genius Club. Their emblem now marked the moon, a right hand with the index finger pointing upwards, visible to anyone on Earth gazing skyward. Baffling, yet impressive. Reflecting on this, Lin Xian realized his limited knowledge about the Genius Club. A particular detail troubled him: they had killed Xu Yun but hadn¡¯t seized his research data. However, in the dream world, they had kidnapped Big Cat Face¡¯s father along with all his research... ¡°This means... the Genius Club isn¡¯t interested in Xu Yun¡¯s research but fears what Big Cat Face¡¯s father discovered¡ªthe universal constant, the true meaning of 42.¡±Yo?ur favorite stories on Lin Xian rose, his theory taking shape. Perhaps this universal constant, 42, was indeed the Genius Club¡¯s biggest vulnerability. Exiting the room, he ascended to the rooftop of the two-story building, a space cluttered with clotheslines and potted plants. Overlooking the neon-lit expanse of New Donghai City in the distance, he felt the weight of heaven and earth merging. The universal constant 42 was still decipherable. Surveying the glowing cityscape, Lin Xian thought, ¡°If the Genius Club systematically executes these scientists at exactly 00:42, it implies Big Cat Face¡¯s father will still be alive until 00:42 on August 29, 2624.¡± ¡°As long as we infiltrate New Donghai City before then and locate Big Cat Face¡¯s father, we can unlock the meaning of the universal constant 42.¡± Another race against time had begun... Lin Xian connected the dots between his unique dream, the recurring white light that obliterated the world at 00:42, and the motives of the Genius Club¡ªall tied to the enigmatic number 42. He looked at the moon, now marred by the black hand, and then into the vast cosmos, echoing Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s oft-repeated words: ¡°42... it¡¯s everywhere.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s resolve hardened as he surveyed sprawling New Donghai City. ¡°It¡¯s crucial that I go to New Donghai City.¡± After awakening from his latest dream, Lin Xian had outlined two primary goals. One was to ascertain the significance of the universal constant 42 from Big Cat Face¡¯s father. The other was to delve into New Donghai City, seek the accurate historical records, and comprehend how this future world had evolved. Now, with Big Cat Face¡¯s father taken to New Donghai City, these objectives seemed to converge. Today¡¯s most significant revelation from his dream was that the universal constant was indeed 42. But what did 42 signify? Why was it 42? What relevance did it hold? These questions remained the foremost mysteries in Lin Xian¡¯s mind. ¡°Hey! What are you doing up there? Come down!¡± He glanced below. Big Cat Face had finished tending to the pigs and dogs in the courtyard and was gesturing for Lin Xian to descend. Lin Xian detected a slip in Big Cat Face¡¯s words. ¡°So... your father obtained the book from New Donghai City? How did he manage that? Isn¡¯t your village completely isolated from the city?¡± Big Cat Face clamped his mouth shut, his face blanching as if he¡¯d revealed too much. ¡°Oomph... Brother, I can¡¯t explain this to you.¡± ¡°Come on, Big Cat Face.¡± Lin Xian grabbed the roast chicken. ¡°Aren¡¯t we brothers? Why keep secrets from me? Tell me, does this have to do with your secret night missions with A Zhuang and Er Zhuzi?¡± Big Cat Face fell silent, his gaze locked on the roast chicken, lost in thought. After a moment, he nodded resolutely. ¡°Brother, I admit, I¡¯ve been concealing something.¡± Big Cat Face was always forthright. ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to keep it from you indefinitely. I planned to disclose it over dinner. Since you¡¯re asking now, I¡¯ll be upfront.¡± ¡°We have a superior, and we¡¯ve been working for him. I was set to introduce you to him tomorrow. If he approves, you can join our operations, and I¡¯ll reveal everything, including the book¡¯s origins. I¡¯m confident he¡¯ll value your skills. But until he approves, I can¡¯t say more. Please understand.¡± Big Cat Face spoke earnestly. It was the same story as before¡ªhe mentioned a superior, secret missions, and planned to introduce Lin Xian ¡°tomorrow.¡± Tomorrow never seemed to arrive in this future world. ¡°No, I need to meet the superior today.¡± Lin Xian was determined, gripping the chicken leg firmly. ¡°I¡¯m confident in my abilities. Take me to the superior tonight, and I¡¯ll join your operations.¡± ¡°Not tonight, brother! It¡¯s too late!¡± Big Cat Face slapped Lin Xian¡¯s hand away. ¡°Hey! Let go of the chicken leg!¡± Unperturbed, Lin Xian narrowed his eyes with a smirk and tugged slightly more at the chicken leg. ¡°Alright, fine. I¡¯ll take you, but first, we need to deliver this chicken.¡± ¡°Understood, Brother Face.¡± Lin Xian released the chicken leg and climbed back onto the motorcycle. Despite the jesting, if someone like Er Zhuzi could pass the superior¡¯s test, Lin Xian was certain he could too. Once he met the superior and joined the secret missions, he¡¯d unearth the origin of the book. Then, he could locate another copy, identify the author, and track him down in 2023. This approach was arduous, but simpler than sneaking into New Donghai City to find Big Cat Face¡¯s father. ¡°Who was the genius who authored the ¡®Introduction to Universal Constants¡¯ 600 years ago?¡± The motorcycle halted in front of a large courtyard. Green tiles, red walls, and an imposing wooden gate radiated wealth. The grand courtyard stood out starkly in the impoverished village, like an imperial palace among a slum. ¡°We¡¯re here, brother. That¡¯s our superior.¡± Big Cat Face led Lin Xian through the gate, calling out, ¡°Boss! I brought a new recruit to see you!¡± A man watering plants turned around, his smile exuding scholarly elegance. Lin Xian looked up and couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. ¡°Li Cheng?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 91: The Boss As Lin Xian walked down the road, a whirlwind of questions surrounded him: Who exactly was the ¡°boss¡± that Big Cat Face had referred to? He considered countless possibilities, each one casting the boss in a positive light. After all, in this dream world, Big Cat Face had morphed into a benevolent villager. Despite his rough exterior, his actions had won him the villagers¡¯ respect and affection. It seemed clear that Big Cat Face had transformed into a champion of justice. Therefore, it only made sense that his boss would be a figure of righteousness as well. Big Cat Face was known for his straightforward and honest nature, lacking the cunning to play both sides. However, the reality before Lin Xian was starkly different. Standing in front of him, with a friendly smile, was none other than Li Cheng¡ªthe infamous villain from his first dream, a man known for his immense wealth and wicked ways. Despite Li Cheng¡¯s present aura of respectability, which contrasted sharply with his past as a flamboyant nouveau riche, Lin Xian recognized him immediately. This was undeniably Li Cheng! In the first dream, Lin Xian often stole money from Li Cheng¡¯s villa, where the latter conducted affairs with his mistress. When a car was needed for a high-speed chase, Lin Xian would head to the villa¡¯s underground garage, stocked with luxury vehicles. Li Cheng, though a coward, was always cooperative, while his mistress showed fierce loyalty, often intervening to save him¡ªuntil she met her end under Lin Xian¡¯s gun. Just a few days earlier, in Lin Xian¡¯s last journey through the first dream, he and Big Cat Face had stormed Li Cheng¡¯s villa. They had killed the mistress and, after attempting to extract information about the Genius Club from Li Cheng, Big Cat Face had executed him too. Now, seeing them converse like old friends required a significant mental adjustment for Lin Xian. Still, considering that shifts in time and space could alter destinies, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible for Li Cheng to reform, much like Big Cat Face had, and align with justice. Throughout five thousand years of history, many had been ¡°heroes in chaos and villains in peace.¡± Li Cheng had clearly thrived in both, rising to become a top boss. ¡°Hahaha! Bet you didn¡¯t see that coming!¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s laughter filled the air. ¡°Hey, my boss is none other than the famous Boss Li! I¡¯ve been working for him since I was a kid, along with Ah Zhuang and Er Zhu.¡± Pride shone in his eyes as he spoke of Li Cheng. So, Lin Xian had been right... In this second dream, Li Cheng had indeed transformed into a respected, virtuous person. ¡°Boss Li! This is my new little brother, Lin Xian. He¡¯s got some serious skills!¡± Big Cat Face introduced Lin Xian enthusiastically, giving him a hearty pat on the back. ¡°Hello, Boss Li,¡± Lin Xian greeted, managing a smile. The irony was palpable. In the first dream, he had frequently held Li Cheng at gunpoint. Now, he was being introduced to him as a brother. ¡°Lin Xian...¡± Li Cheng appraised him with a smile. ¡°You seem quite talented! You must be well-educated. Big Cat Face, he must have other extraordinary qualities, right?¡± ¡°Of course! I have a good eye for talent!¡± Big Cat Face quickly led Lin Xian to the courtyard wall, gesturing excitedly. ¡°Quick, Lin Xian... Show Boss Li a flip! A difficult one!¡± ¡°But luckily, there are great people like Boss Li, determined to change the world outside the walls¡ª¡± Big Cat Face gestured towards a section of the giant steel wall of New Donghai City. He urged Lin Xian to look through the telescope. Lin Xian did so, focusing on the indicated area. It was a garbage processing plant at the base of the wall. In comparison to the towering, extensive steel barrier, the plant seemed minuscule. ¡°But on closer inspection, several similar plants were visible, each playing a part in a larger scheme of waste management.¡± ¡°That looks like a garbage processing plant? New Donghai City incinerates all its trash?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Yes, and they won¡¯t even let us scavenge their waste,¡± Big Cat Face confirmed, lighting a cigarette. ¡°And our task...¡± He took a puff and continued, ¡°Is to sneak into Plant 221 tonight and retrieve whatever useful items we can find. Any book, newspaper, even small toys... in our deprived area, these are treasures.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Lin Xian nodded, grasping the situation more fully. ¡°So, Brother Face,¡± he turned back to Big Cat Face, ¡°that book, ¡®An Introduction to Universal Constants,¡¯ your father had, it was taken from New Donghai City, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Big Cat Face, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, grinned. ¡°But that book was actually pilfered from the garbage plant by Boss Li when he was younger. I was too young then to remember the details.¡± ¡°Are there more copies, or was it just the one?¡± Lin Xian inquired. ¡°Hard to say. You should check Boss Li¡¯s warehouse,¡± Big Cat Face suggested, pointing towards several nearby warehouses. ¡°Brother, this is the real benefit of joining us! We work for Boss Li, so we have access to the items stored in the warehouse!¡± ¡°That warehouse over there is where Boss Li keeps the books. Over the years, through several generations¡¯ efforts... we¡¯ve managed to rescue quite a few books from the garbage plants. You might find an old copy of ¡®An Introduction to Universal Constants¡¯ there.¡± ¡°Who knows... you might discover something valuable,¡± Big Cat Face added, his tone hinting at the potential treasures hidden within. Lin Xian nodded, ready to explore the warehouse. ¡°Wait,¡± Big Cat Face halted him, pointing to another building. ¡°We need to go to that warehouse first,¡± he said with a chuckle. ¡°Why?¡± Lin Xian was curious. Big Cat Face grinned mischievously. ¡°Don¡¯t you plan to join our operation tonight? As the first step... you need to pick a mask!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 92: MX ¡°Mask?¡± Lin Xian asked, his brows furrowing in confusion. ¡°Why do we need masks if we¡¯re on the same team?¡± he questioned further. ¡°Is it really necessary, Brother Face?¡± ¡°Yes and no,¡± Big Cat Face replied with a shrug. ¡°Masks aren¡¯t really for safety. They¡¯re more about tradition.¡± Big Cat Face flicked his cigarette to the ground and stamped it out. ¡°Around here, everyone wears cartoon masks. It¡¯s like an unwritten rule. You see someone with a cartoon mask, you know they¡¯re here for business, not trouble. It helps avoid any panic or confusion.¡± ¡°When we see someone else wearing a cartoon mask, we just nod and keep moving. No one bothers anyone else. We respect each other¡¯s space, whether we know them or not.¡± ¡°When in Rome...¡± Lin Xian murmured, following Big Cat Face into another warehouse. As night enveloped the sky, the lights of New Donghai City twinkled in the distance. Click. Big Cat Face flipped the warehouse light switch, illuminating piles of children¡¯s toys. ¡°There are plenty of masks here¡ªUltraman and others. Pick any. It doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± ¡°What mask do you wear?¡± Lin Xian asked curiously. In his first dream, Big Cat Face had worn a Rhine Cat mask. But what about now, 600 years later? Was the Rhine Cat still popular? ¡°I wear this one.¡± Big Cat Face lifted a robot mask off the ground. It looked similar to a Gundam, though it was a different series. ¡°My son loves this robot-fighting show.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian noted, appreciating the personal connection in Big Cat Face¡¯s choice. As Lin Xian sifted through the toy pile, his eyes caught on a cat mask. ¡°Rhine Cat.¡± Seeing his own design, the Rhine Cat, in this strange new dream, filled him with a sense of deep nostalgia. He cleaned the dust off the mask and polished it until the playful face of the Rhine Cat stared back at him. A smile lit up his face, thrilled to find his creation so far from home. ¡°Are Rhine Cat toys still popular now?¡± ¡°They sure are!¡± Big Cat Face chuckled, scratching his armpit. ¡°The Rhine Cat is one of the few toys that has remained popular in both new and old Donghai. It¡¯s famous worldwide. My daughter was crazy about it when she was little. I used to pick these toys out of the junkyard and clean them up for her.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t put the Rhine Cat mask down, each detail reminding him of his craftsmanship. He made up his mind. ¡°I¡¯ll wear this one tonight.¡± ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you a bit old for that?¡± Big Cat Face scoffed. ¡°A grown man in a Rhine Cat mask? It¡¯s almost laughable! People will think I¡¯ve taken in a foolish child. No serious man would wear such a childish mask!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s perfect,¡± Lin Xian countered firmly. ¡°If this cat has been popular for 600 years and is still a hit in New Donghai, then it¡¯s a powerful brand. Never underestimate the impact of a globally recognized icon.¡± ¡°It is well-designed and cute, I¡¯ll give you that,¡± Big Cat Face conceded. Lin Xian donned the mask, followed Big Cat Face out of the warehouse, and eyed his large silhouette. ¡°Face, you wouldn¡¯t guess who designed this cat.¡± ¡°How could I not know?¡± Big Cat Face turned around, his expression confident. ¡°Everyone on Earth knows it¡¯s the mascot of MX Company.¡± Dignified. The twin towers seemed like a giant anchor, stabilizing the massive city. In 600 years... What changes could have transformed a modest domestic cosmetics company into a global supergiant capable of building a futuristic city? What was the history? How did it get to this point? Who now controlled Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s once sole proprietorship, the company she built from scratch? Suddenly, Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. He thought of a terrifying possibility... The world now, in 2023, was vastly different. With the advent of hibernation technology in 2023, humanity had entered an era of rapid technological advancement. No one could predict the future of technology or how the world would change. Professor Xu Yun had optimistically estimated that within a few years, they could develop a hibernation pod reducing life activity efficiency by 90%. But human potential is limitless. Who could say for sure? If the hibernation pod was developed soon, as per the most optimistic estimates... The more Lin Xian thought about it, the more terrified he became, feeling increasingly cold. He looked up... At the moon split by a giant black hand¡¯s shadow, At the black right hand pointing skyward, At Big Cat Face¡¯s father, who died under a truck in the first dream, At Xu Yun¡¯s corpse split in the snow at 00:42 on New Year¡¯s Day, At Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s Genius Club invitation, At the mouse that successfully hibernated for 40 hours and woke up in Xu Yun¡¯s lab... ¡°Face.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice was low, staring at Big Cat Face. ¡°Who is the current president of MX Company?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 93: An Old Friend Returns Lin Xian wrestled with a troubling thought. He couldn¡¯t decide whose name he wanted Big Cat Face to mention. Was it Zhao Ying Jun? The idea that Zhao Ying Jun might still control the imposing twin skyscrapers of MX Company in New Donghai City unsettled him. He hadn¡¯t expected this possibility, yet it seemed entirely plausible. After all, Zhao had founded MX Company and overseen its growth. The company¡¯s logo, unchanged, hinted at her enduring influence. Furthermore, the development of hibernation pods between 2023 and 2624 suggested that Zhao could have used one to survive 600 years, further expand MX Company, and even contribute to the construction of New Donghai City. Zhao Ying Jun was also a member of the Genius Club, a group influential enough to leave marks on the moon. For them, crossing 600 years would be a minor feat.Yo?ur favorite stories on This led Lin Xian to wonder if the secretive Genius Club, known for its global reach and futuristic ventures, was orchestrating everything. Were they behind the mysterious black handprint on the moon, the rise of cities like New Donghai City, and other extraordinary events beyond the steel walls? The motives and plans of the Genius Club remained elusive to Lin Xian, adding layers to the mystery. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Big Cat Face confessed, shaking his head. ¡°We know so little about what¡¯s really happening inside New Donghai City. Despite all our efforts to gather intelligence, we¡¯ve come up almost empty. Wait until you see the warehouse¡ªit¡¯s nearly bare, and most of the books are useless.¡± Relieved that Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s name hadn¡¯t come up, Lin Xian stared at the illuminated twin skyscrapers of MX Company and pondered. If not Zhao, then who was in charge? Why had a cosmetics company shifted its focus to urban development? The questions multiplied. ¡°Big Cat, where might we find records on MX Company¡¯s history or a company profile?¡± Lin Xian asked. Big Cat Face pointed to the warehouse they had visited earlier. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if there¡¯s anything valuable in Boss Li¡¯s warehouse. Those books were salvaged from New Donghai City¡¯s waste management facilities. If we¡¯re lucky, there might be something about MX Company. But remember, we also need to find my dad¡¯s book, ¡®Introduction to Universal Constants.''¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t find what we need, we might have to abandon this quest. The real history books are probably only available in New Donghai City¡¯s bookstores, which we can¡¯t access. It¡¯s a dead end.¡± ¡°Maybe if we meet my dad sooner, he could bring some books back. Though, it¡¯s a long shot. It¡¯s amazing he was even invited to their seminar. They wouldn¡¯t let him take books out.¡± Lin Xian nodded, and together, they re-entered the warehouse. Creeeak¡ª However, he was now part of the group. He had met the boss, and it would be impolite to leave. Besides, his ultimate goal¡ªto penetrate New Donghai City¡ªremained. At Big Cat Face¡¯s home, his wife warmly greeted them, reheating the dinner and serving it up. Big Cat Face opened a bottle of wine, claiming it would fortify Lin Xian for his first mission. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lin Xian,¡± Big Cat Face chuckled, clinking glasses with him. ¡°Just follow my lead. You¡¯ll meet Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang soon enough. They¡¯re all good guys.¡± Lin Xian smiled inwardly. Not familiar? He knew them all too well... He had previously clashed with thieving Ah Zhuang, seductive Er Zhuzi, and treacherous San Pang. It seemed Ah Zhuang and San Pang had reformed. Only Er Zhuzi remained unchanged, still eyeing Big Cat Face¡¯s wife. As the night progressed, the children slept, and Big Cat Face¡¯s wife began preparing radishes in the kitchen for the next day¡¯s pickles. Big Cat Face checked his watch, finished his wine, and clapped Lin Xian on the shoulder. ¡°Brother, grab your mask. It¡¯s time to go!¡± Riding on Big Cat Face¡¯s motorcycle, they arrived at Li Cheng¡¯s house about twenty minutes later. In the spacious courtyard, Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang were already masked, resembling cartoon animals. Big Cat Face donned a sleek mecha helmet. Lin Xian held the small Rhine Cat mask in his hands, feeling a mix of emotions. For the moment, he was part of the Face Gang, Big Cat Face¡¯s philosophical ally, Li Cheng¡¯s trusted subordinate, and a martial arts expert recognized by Ah Zhuang and San Pang. But this was temporary. Tomorrow, in another dream, these same individuals would become strangers once again, suspicious and cautious. ¡°If only time could keep moving forward,¡± Lin Xian sighed, yearning for just one more day in the present. Once he re-entered the dream, he could approach Big Cat Face¡¯s house casually, call him ¡®Brother Face,¡¯ and ask for a motorcycle ride as if they were still old friends, enjoying the warmth of freshly kept food and laughter. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 94: The Plan A slender girl dressed in black approached Li Cheng, removing her mask to reveal a delicate face that bore a striking resemblance to the woman beside him. ¡°Dad, this mask is really uncomfortable. Where did you put the one I was wearing yesterday?¡± Li Cheng laughed, patting his daughter on the head. ¡°Your sister was playing with it and broke it. You¡¯ve got a keen eye, Ning Ning. I replaced it with a similar one, but you still noticed.¡± Ning Ning pouted. ¡°They might look alike, but the elastic feels different. I knew it right away.¡±Yo?ur favorite stories on ¡°Please forgive your sister¡¯s antics,¡± Li Cheng said with a chuckle. Ning Ning put her mask back on and turned to Lin Xian, examining him closely. ¡°And who is this?¡± Big Cat Face stepped forward to introduce Lin Xian. ¡°Ning Ning, this is Lin Xian, our newest team member. He¡¯s just as skilled at climbing as you. Now you have a partner!¡± He then turned to Lin Xian, ¡°This is Ning Ning, Li Cheng¡¯s eldest daughter and a key player in our operations. She¡¯s our expert in scaling walls and snatching the loot while we manage the getaway.¡± Ning Ning extended her hand, ¡°Nice to meet you, Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you too,¡± Lin Xian replied, shaking her hand. For a moment, Lin Xian mistook Ning Ning for CC because of her Ultraman mask and their similar statures. However, a closer look revealed Ning Ning¡¯s jet-black hair, unlike CC¡¯s deep brown. Ning Ning¡¯s features were more mature and captivating, similar to her mother¡¯s, whereas CC and Chu An Qing looked more youthful and innocent. Ning Ning¡¯s hand was calloused, unexpected for a girl from a wealthy family, indicating her frequent engagement in physical activities. ¡°Ready for a challenge?¡± Ning Ning asked, sizing up Lin Xian. ¡°Good. If you hear this whistle¡ª¡± Big Cat Face whistled sharply, mimicking a bird, ¡°¡ªretreat immediately. Drop everything and regroup here, no matter what.¡± They stealthily advanced through the woods towards the waste disposal plant. As the incinerators¡¯ roar intensified, Lin Xian noticed Ning Ning lagging behind. ¡°Ning Ning¡¯s back there, boss,¡± Zhuang pointed out. ¡°Hurry up!¡± Big Cat Face urged. Soon, Ning Ning caught up. Arriving at the high wall, Big Cat Face checked his watch. ¡°Remember, prioritize books, then electronics, and everything else as planned,¡± he reminded Lin Xian. Lin Xian looked up at the imposing wall, which stood eight to nine meters tall¡ªa daunting challenge even without the patrolling drones. Big Cat Face watched the drones, waiting for the perfect moment. ¡°Now!¡± he shouted. He braced himself against the wall as his lieutenants quickly formed a human pyramid. Ning Ning sprinted up, her athletic frame agile and quick. The scent of camellia flowers drifted towards Lin Xian as she passed. Wait. Lin Xian sniffed again. The scent had changed. This isn¡¯t Ning Ning¡¯s smell! ¡°Hey!¡± Lin Xian started to shout a warning, but the woman in the Ultraman mask had already scaled the wall and vanished over the top. ¡°Lin Xian, climb now! There¡¯s no time!¡± Big Cat Face urged, his face flushed with effort. Gritting his teeth, Lin Xian dashed forward, climbed the human pyramid, and made his way over the wall. He landed amidst old furniture inside the plant, only to feel a gun pressed against the back of his head. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 95: The Vault Buzz... Buzz... Buzz... A surveillance drone hummed nearby, ending its temporary break in surveillance. Before scaling the wall, Lin Xian had already sensed, through his sharp sense of smell, that the girl in the Ultraman mask was not Li Ning Ning. Reflecting on recent events, Lin Xian recalled how Li Ning Ning had briefly lagged behind during their forest trek, only to catch up quickly. Given her agility, it was unlikely she¡¯d fall behind even for a minor delay like tying a shoelace without communicating it to Big Cat Face and the others. Li Ning Ning was not one to act independently. This led Lin Xian to one conclusion: Li Ning Ning had been ambushed in the forest, and her attacker had stolen her mask to impersonate her! This deception reminded Lin Xian of the time he had disguised himself as Big Cat Face. The woman who ambushed Li Ning Ning was meticulously prepared. Their similar statures and attire¡ªboth wearing black, form-fitting clothes with their hair tied back¡ªmade the disguise simple. The Ultraman mask effectively concealed her face, especially in low light. The impostor was cautious, avoiding speaking or moving to the front of the group, instead remaining quietly at the rear. Big Cat Face and the others were preoccupied with their watches and the drone¡¯s path, oblivious to Li Ning Ning¡¯s replacement. The woman impersonating Li Ning Ning had a specific objective: using Big Cat Face and the others as human shields to infiltrate the waste treatment plant. This scenario was something Lin Xian had encountered repeatedly in his ¡°First Dream.¡± Given her familiar build and skills, it was highly probable that the woman who ambushed and impersonated Li Ning Ning was CC. Then prompted by Big Cat Face, Lin Xian no longer hesitated; he sprinted and scaled the wall. Confirming his suspicion was crucial, even if his own life seemed inconsequential in his recurring dreams. ... As he leaped down from the wall, he felt a gun press against the back of his head. His earlier shout of doubt had tipped off the woman, revealing her cover. Although she might be CC, to Lin Xian, she was a known ally, someone he had worked with and even chatted with by a vault. However, to CC, Lin Xian was merely a stranger and an associate of Li Ning Ning. With her cover blown, she was in a precarious position and could fire at any moment. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous,¡± Lin Xian said calmly. ¡°I¡ª¡± Whoosh¡ª Before he could finish, the person behind him darted away like a rabbit, vanishing before he could even turn around. Buzz... Buzz... Buzz... The drone¡¯s propellers grew louder as it neared. Big Cat Face had mentioned that all robots and equipment in this waste treatment facility were programmed for specific tasks and were essentially ¡°blind,¡± lacking true perception. However, the drones possessed surveillance and alarm capabilities and patrolled within a 20-meter radius of the wall. Detection had to be avoided at all costs. The person who had just fled was clearly aware of the patrolling drones. Lin Xian quickly darted deeper into the waste treatment facility, jumping and rolling until he found refuge under an overturned sofa, successfully evading the drone¡¯s watchful eye. He glanced at his watch; it read 00:05. There were 12 minutes left until his scheduled rendezvous with Big Cat Face. Though curious about the ¡°imposter woman¡¯s¡± true identity¡ªwhether she was CC¡ªmore pressing issues demanded his attention. Searching for items like ¡°Introduction to Universal Constants,¡± ¡°History of MX Company,¡± or information on MX Company¡¯s CEO in this setting was akin to looking for a needle in a haystack. With no immediate option to infiltrate New Donghai City, he felt compelled to try.Ne/w novel chapters are published on Watching the drone¡¯s position carefully, Lin Xian moved a few steps further, exiting the 20-meter surveillance zone near the wall. He glanced toward the monitoring room at the center of the waste treatment plant. It was empty; the uniformed supervisor had likely gone to change shifts. A new supervisor would arrive at 00:20, giving him a narrow window to act. Despite his disregard for his own life and lack of plans to escape, he had only about 20 minutes to sift through the refuse. Though the supervisor was likely unarmed, Big Cat Face had warned that the drones¡¯ weaponry was lethal, not to mention the specialized security robots on standby. The steel door slammed shut. Lin Xian looked over. These garbage trucks were bringing trash from the city¡¯s transfer stations to the waste treatment plant outside the city for processing. Lin Xian watched as the garbage trucks unloaded, dumping all kinds of trash just like the piles around him. And then¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian saw a very familiar sight. Square, shiny, solid, and sturdy, looking almost new... They were the same safes with names written on them from the bank vault in his First Dream! ¡°Why are they on the garbage truck?¡± Lin Xian was puzzled. He was too familiar with these safes. In the First Dream, he had tried countless times to crack their codes but never succeeded. Later, he had planned to cut them open by force but ended up making them invincible due to uncontrollable time-space changes, transforming their material into super-hardened aviation alloy. He cautiously moved to a new hiding spot to continue watching. Unlike other garbage trucks, this one was dumping a large pile of aluminum alloy safes, with very little household trash. Moving a bit closer... Lin Xian saw more clearly. His earlier guess was right! The aluminum alloy safes had eight combination dials! He could faintly see names engraved on them! ¡°To find what you seek...¡± Lin Xian timed his move, sprinting to a closer hiding spot near the garbage truck. He was curious if these safes would still have his name on them. If they did... it might mean that the contents were extraordinary, surviving even the massive time-space changes of the future world. Continuing forward, he moved like a motorized rat, using parkour skills, unafraid of dirt or stink, diving and hiding as needed. Finally! He reached a hiding spot closest to the garbage truck and the newly dumped safes¡ª Click. A small handgun emerged from behind the cover, pressed firmly against Lin Xian¡¯s forehead! The familiar scent of camellias, the familiar Ultraman mask, the familiar deep brown tied hair, the familiar slender figure in black tight clothes, and the familiar voice: ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± A sweet voice, like that of a finch, came from behind the mask. A smooth, delicate hand lifted Lin Xian¡¯s Rhine Cat mask, pulling it off¡ª ¡°Humph.¡± The woman behind the Ultraman mask chuckled softly: ¡°It¡¯s really you!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 96: Another Perspective Boom! Boom! Boom!Vissit for updates A brilliant white light burst forth at 00:42, obliterating everything in its path, accompanied by a sly smile. ... ... ... Lin Xian¡¯s eyes fluttered open in the stillness of his bedroom. He lay there, staring at the dark ceiling, the memory of those amused crescent-shaped eyes lingering in his mind. ¡°CC,¡± he whispered softly, his voice a mix of emotions¡ªnostalgia, perhaps, or the comfort of reconnecting with an old friend in a strange place. Regardless, he had encountered CC once more. The world of his second dream had shifted dramatically. Many things were different, yet some familiarities remained. He struggled to understand these changes through the lens of space-time; maybe the ¡°patterns¡± and ¡°rules¡± were woven into the fabric of space-time, still beyond his grasp? Lin Xian pondered why CC had appeared at the garbage disposal plant. Her goal was clear: to unlock the safe bearing his name. ¡°Unyieldingly persistent, in every dream,¡± Lin Xian mused. This consistency suggested more than mere curiosity from CC; there was a deeper, personal story driving her determination to open that safe, even risking her life for it. CC¡¯s mysterious presence was as impenetrable as ever. How did she know the safe would be at the garbage plant tonight? Lin Xian wondered, scratching his head. Whether she was impersonating Li Ning Ning or manipulating Big Cat Face and Er Zhuzi as unwitting accomplices, her actions were clearly calculated and deliberate. Unlike the impulsive Big Cat Face and his crew, CC likely had specific knowledge about New Donghai City that led her to the safe¡¯s location tonight. Big Cat Face¡¯s father had liberated the ¡°Introduction to Universal Constants¡± from the garbage plant, thus accessing profound knowledge. Lin Xian admired the old man¡¯s intellect; however, the book was likely just the beginning of his exploration into these themes. Mathematics, driven purely by intellect and analytical thought, forms the bedrock of all sciences, accessible only to the truest of geniuses. Unfortunately, Lin Xian had observed at the garbage plant that the residents of New Donghai City seldom engaged with books; they likely possessed more advanced means of gathering information. Lin Xian had failed to find the ¡°Introduction to Universal Constants¡± or any materials from ¡°MX Company¡± at the garbage plant. ¡°It¡¯s like searching for a needle in a haystack,¡± he concluded. In his next dream, he planned to collaborate with CC to uncover ways to infiltrate New Donghai City and locate those elusive texts. Reflecting on New Donghai City, Lin Xian envisioned the formidable X Twin Towers, the most striking feature of the second dream, even surpassing the mystique of the Universal Constant 42. Unlike the abstract concept of the Universal Constant, MX Company was concrete; Lin Xian had worked there for over six months and had risen to the position of vice president. The fact that MX Company not only survived but thrived over 600 years, evolving into a behemoth capable of constructing a sci-fi metropolis, was astounding. ¡°It¡¯s almost unbelievable,¡± Lin Xian mused. Another troubling thought lingered: Could Zhao Ying Jun still preside over MX Company 600 years in the future? Considering her receipt of the Genius Club invitation and the advancements in cryogenic technology, it wasn¡¯t beyond possibility that Zhao Ying Jun could be alive in the future. ¡°Moreover, the founding of the sci-fi New Donghai City by MX Company remains an enigma,¡± Lin Xian pondered. Why establish a walled city? Why focus on MX Company? What was the fate of New Imperial City and New Hangzhou City? The second dream world held much for Lin Xian to explore. CC¡¯s unexpected reappearance had marked a breakthrough. He hadn¡¯t anticipated encountering her in this second dream; though he had hoped for it, the coincidence seemed almost too perfect. It appeared as if time and history had certain inevitabilities that wove the future into a new narrative. Lin Xian suspected that the safe with his name had been in existence for centuries, surviving 600 years of history intact. ¡°Or perhaps it was placed not long before 2023,¡± he considered. ¡°Maybe my future self put it there, years or even decades from now.¡± Lin Xian entertained the notion that if the safe was indeed set by his future self, deciphering the password might not be as challenging as it seemed. ¡°We¡¯re the same person; why complicate things?¡± he chuckled. Even if it wasn¡¯t his usual password of 19990320, it should relate to him in some manner. ¡°If the safe was indeed placed by my future self, there¡¯s another way to discover the password,¡± Lin Xian resolved, glancing at the white paper that summarized his discoveries. He set it aside and picked up a fresh sheet, ready to pen a letter to his future self. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 97: Einstein Lin Xian was deep in thought. He needed to figure out if the safe was truly meant for him or if the connection to his name was just a coincidence. ¡°All I need to do is send a message to my future self,¡± Lin Xian mused. ¡°If I ever set a new password for an aluminum alloy safe, it must always be the same. I wouldn¡¯t ignore advice from my younger self.¡± Why argue with his own past? Realizing that a letter might not be necessary¡ªas long as he committed to this decision, his future self would likely follow through¡ªLin Xian still considered the importance of a written reminder. ¡°Writing it down might be wise, just in case I forget decades from now,¡± he reasoned, recalling Professor Xu Yun¡¯s warning about potential memory loss associated with hibernation. If he were to forget this agreement during such a time, today¡¯s decision would be futile. So, he began to write: ¡°To my future self, Hello. This is Lin Xian from 2023. When you choose a password for an aluminum alloy safe in the future, please use 29990203. You might steer clear of our usual birthday for security reasons, but I trust this password is secure enough. 0203 is our lunar birthday, and 2999 adds a thousand years to our birth year. It¡¯s easy to remember. Keep it simple for yourself! If you are indeed the one who sets this safe¡¯s password in the future, remember 29990203! Commit it to memory!¡± After finishing the letter, Lin Xian capped his pen and reviewed his words. The whole exercise felt strange, even slightly absurd, but it served its purpose. From that moment, he was resolute: ¡°No matter what happens or what significant dates I encounter, I will always set the aluminum alloy safe¡¯s password to 29990203!¡± He reiterated this commitment to himself multiple times. Okay. It was now firmly ingrained in his memory. Einstein was connected to the concept of a universal constant through his infamous cosmological constant, introduced in his younger days to account for a static universe. This constant, inconsequential on a galactic scale but significant on a cosmic scale, was later renounced by Einstein himself, who considered it his greatest mistake. One hand fighting the other¡ªa compelling scientific narrative. Yet, Lin Xian knew Einstein¡¯s cosmological constant had no connection to the universal constant 42. Suggesting to Einstein that ¡°the cosmological constant is 42¡± would be nonsensical. This too led nowhere. Lin Xian turned off his phone, realizing that understanding the true significance of 42 still necessitated infiltrating New Donghai City as planned. He moved to the kitchen, crumpled up the A4 paper with his thoughts, placed it in a baking tray, and watched it burn. Safety first. These notes revealed his intent to delve into the Genius Club and the universal constant 42, which opposed the Genius Club. If discovered, he could face a fate similar to Professor Xu Yun¡¯s orchestrated accident. ¡°Xu Yun was a distinguished scientist, warranting a meticulously planned accident at 00:42.¡± ¡°But what about someone like me? Who knows how they¡¯d deal with me.¡± Considering the Genius Club¡¯s potential control over history, extreme caution was essential. Additionally, the positions of MX Company and Zhao Ying Jun remained ambiguous. ¡°Walking on thin ice...¡± After incinerating the papers, Lin Xian flushed the ashes down the toilet and headed back to bed for a nap. The next morning, Lin Xian skipped work. After dining at a nearby mall, he visited a private cinema. Unlike regular theaters, this one offered private rooms where patrons could watch old films on demand. After scanning a code to pay, the attendant smiled and handed him an iPad to select a film. ¡°What movie would you like to watch? We offer a broad range of old movies, all authorized, in HD, complete with official extras,¡± the attendant said. ¡°I¡¯ll watch this one, The Hitchhiker¡¯s Guide to the Galaxy.¡± Lin Xian responded, scrolling through the options. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 98: The First 42 in the World ¡°The Hitchhiker¡¯s Guide to the Galaxy¡± is a widely acclaimed and influential science fiction film that Lin Xian had seen many years ago. At that time, after a conversation about dreams with his friend Gao Yang¡ªwho had confessed to being unable to envision the future and thus unable to dream of it¡ªLin Xian had thrown himself into a marathon of sci-fi movies and novels, including this iconic film. To be honest, Lin Xian hadn¡¯t found the film particularly engaging initially; it seemed rather mediocre, and he felt no inclination to watch it again. But something was different today. After a vivid dream the previous night, he decided to revisit the film in his private cinema. His reason was specific: this film was where the number 42 first caught public attention. With a drink in hand, Lin Xian entered his private screening room where the film was already playing. ¡°The Hitchhiker¡¯s Guide to the Galaxy,¡± a 2005 adaptation of Douglas Adams¡¯ novel, is known for its quirky humor and eccentric road-movie vibe. The early parts of the film, which depict the construction of an intergalactic highway requiring the demolition of Earth, might now seem lackluster. Following Earth¡¯s destruction, the protagonist joins an alien on a series of galactic adventures, which unfold in an episodic manner. Lin Xian watched in silence until the film reached its most famous and widely discussed segment: On a distant planet, a highly advanced civilization sought the ultimate truth of the universe. They built Deep Thought, the most sophisticated supercomputer ever, to solve this mystery. Billions watched as the question was posed to Deep Thought: ¡°What is the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything?¡± After several indicators flashed, Deep Thought responded, ¡°This calculation is immense. Please return in 7.5 million years.¡± When the appointed time came, civilizations across the universe reconvened, eager for the answer. Amidst high anticipation, Deep Thought finally declared, ¡°The ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything is 42.¡± The scene ended abruptly, plunging into silence before shifting to the next narrative arc. ¡°42...¡± Lin Xian murmured, replaying the scene. The film offered no further explanation about the significance of 42, abruptly cutting away¡ªa decision made because, humorously, the director had no explanation either. This riddle of the universe was beyond any Earthling¡¯s comprehension¡ªnot the director¡¯s, not the audience¡¯s, and not even Douglas Adams¡¯, who left the question deliberately vague and enigmatic in his narrative. ¡°The road ahead is long,¡± he muttered, rising from the sofa and pushing the door of the private room open. .... Creak¡ª The sound of a door opening at a lakeside villa in the outskirts of Donghai City broke the silence. Sunlight streamed in through the open door, casting beams across the dust-laden air, creating a dazzling effect. ¡°Don¡¯t open the windows during the day, don¡¯t turn on the lights at night... Ji Lin, when will you heed some advice?¡± an elderly man complained as he entered, leaving the door ajar¡ªthe only source of light in the otherwise dark house. The natural light was a welcome change from the artificial, he thought, as the warmth touched his skin. The living room was more cluttered than before, with magazines and newspapers strewn all over the floor. Ji Lin, sitting cross-legged among the piles, was absorbed in the glow of his laptop screen, which cast a ghostly pallor over his face. The sunlight narrowly missed his feet, leaving him enveloped in shadow. ¡°Are you glued to that floor? Need me to water you?¡± the elderly man quipped, his tone mixed with concern and irritation. ¡°I heard from the butler you haven¡¯t left the house in days, not since my last visit.¡± ¡°He mentioned you ordered some plush toys online? My gosh... you¡¯re turning into someone I don¡¯t recognize.¡± ¡°So, what are you working on, Ji Lin? Are you really working?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 99: Pride’s Hypocrisy Ji Lin kept his gaze fixed on the laptop screen, scrolling through news articles with a steady flick of his mouse wheel. ¡°I¡¯ve reviewed the list you provided. None of the entries match,¡± he stated. ¡°The list must be incorrect... you need to dig deeper for more clues,¡± the old man responded, his tone exasperated yet filled with unwavering trust in Ji Lin¡¯s judgment. Ji Lin¡¯s insights were beyond reproach. This young man had never erred or let him down. The old man continued, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve ruled out everyone on the list, it¡¯s time to find new leads. Track down this individual who¡¯s tampering with history. You won¡¯t solve this by sitting at home. Do you expect him to simply show up at our doorstep?¡± Ji Lin let out a soft sigh, a slight smile appearing on his lips. ¡°Pride... you must really underestimate the person disturbing history to suggest that.¡± ¡°Why do you think that?¡± the old man questioned, his brow furrowing. ¡°You mentioned this person assisted Xu Yun with the hibernation pod fluid. Now, with Xu Yun¡¯s unexpected death, unless they¡¯re a fool, they¡¯ll be extremely cautious, avoiding any exposure.¡± The old man turned away. ¡°So, you¡¯re suggesting we shouldn¡¯t alarm him? You want him to lower his guard so he¡¯ll make a mistake?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my point,¡± Ji Lin coolly retorted, shutting his laptop and facing the old man. ¡°I¡¯ve been pondering... how can we confirm someone is actually distorting history?¡± He paused, letting the question hang in the air for a moment before adding, ¡°How do we define the original course of history? And what constitutes a disturbance to it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s complex, not easily summed up in a single sentence. Your guidelines stipulate we cannot harm the innocent. If we mistakenly kill someone, we forfeit any chance of receiving an invitation from the Genius Club.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the old man agreed. ¡°We must be absolutely certain that he¡¯s interfering with history and gather solid evidence before taking action.¡± ¡°Do you know the original historical timeline?¡± Ji Lin pressed, scrutinizing the old man. ¡°Of course not,¡± the old man admitted with a shake of his head. ¡°If I did, I wouldn¡¯t need your investigative skills. I could handle it myself by comparison.¡±Ne/w novel chapters are published on ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re being arrogant,¡± Ji Lin remarked, spreading his hands. ¡°Without knowing the original history or its path, how can we ascertain someone is altering it? Are we to rely on mere intuition?¡± ¡°Speak up, Pride. Without clear standards, how can I begin my investigation?¡± Ji Lin chuckled, looking downward. ¡°You see, you¡¯re still concealing something crucial from me. Your knowledge about the Genius Club isn¡¯t as limited as you claim.¡± ¡°Since you refuse to disclose more, let me guess.¡± Ji Lin stood up, paced towards the old man, and circled his chair. ¡°Every time you justify an execution with ¡®distorting history,¡¯ yet you never provide solid proof. It¡¯s as if you¡¯re shooting arrows without having drawn the targets, or perhaps... you don¡¯t actually know what the evidence is, what it means to distort history. Instead, someone has instructed you¡ª¡± ¡°This person is distorting history, go eliminate them.¡± ¡°And each time, your methods are strange, even outlandish. You insist on car accidents at precise times. It¡¯s as if you¡¯re deliberately drawing attention. So, I see two possibilities.¡± Ji Lin paused, placing his left hand on the old man¡¯s shoulder, peering into his dry eyes. ¡°Either you¡¯re imitating someone else¡¯s methods, hoping to earn a spot in the Genius Club by doing so, blindly adhering to these tactics without understanding their purpose.¡± ¡°Or you¡¯re performing for an audience, making it evident you carried out these killings, like a test orchestrated by the Genius Club.¡± The old man closed his eyes, maintaining his silence. Ji Lin smiled, straightening up. ¡°There¡¯s a third possibility.¡± He wrapped his arm around the old man¡¯s neck, placing three fingers on his carotid artery. ¡°These individuals you claim are distorting history are targets assigned by someone within the Genius Club. They promised you something in return, which is why you blindly follow their commands, like a dog obeying its master.¡± The old man¡¯s heartbeat quickened as Ji Lin whispered in his ear. ¡°Pride... who are you serving like a dog in the Genius Club?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 100: Cat and Mouse Game ¡°Enough, Ji Lin,¡± the old man murmured, slowly opening his eyes. ¡°Release my neck.¡± With a gentle but firm motion, he removed Ji Lin¡¯s grip and stood up. He paused to gather himself before walking toward the expansive window. The soft click of his polished leather shoes punctuated the silence as he moved. He gazed at the thick curtains, tracing the intricate silk patterns with his eyes before speaking softly, ¡°I don¡¯t want our relationship to be marred by deceit and manipulation.¡± ¡°Neither do I,¡± Ji Lin responded, his hands buried in his pockets. ¡°So why not just tell me the truth? Do you really think I¡¯d betray you after all these years? We¡¯re like grasshoppers tied to the same string.¡± He paused, then continued, ¡°You raised me. Despite our differing goals, we¡¯ve both worked tirelessly to secure an invitation to the Genius Club. Doesn¡¯t that count for something? Doesn¡¯t it speak to our trust? Or are you worried that revealing the truth might compromise our chances?¡± A heavy silence fell between them. Finally, the old man turned, his hands clasped behind his back, and faced Ji Lin. ¡°I¡¯m unsure. But I cannot afford to take that risk.¡± He swallowed before adding, ¡°You are brilliant, Ji Lin, truly a genius. But even geniuses can err. They misjudge situations and face problems they can¡¯t solve. You must trust that our actions are justified. Everything we have done is correct.¡± Ji Lin scoffed. ¡°So we¡¯re the good guys now? Only children talk in terms of heroes and villains.¡± ¡°And what do adults talk about then? Convictions?¡± the old man replied, his gaze steady. ¡°It¡¯s about what you believe.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d prefer to remain a child,¡± Ji Lin retorted, slumping into the chair the old man had vacated, crossing his legs. ¡°Convictions sound too much like hypocrisy to me.¡± ¡°But no one can stay a child forever, Ji Lin.¡±Vissit for updates Ji Lin¡¯s eyes drifted to the crackling fireplace. ¡°If, as you claim, eliminating those who distort history is right, does that make their actions wrong?¡± ¡°One last question.¡± Ji Lin looked at the old man, outlined against the moonlight streaming through the window. ¡°How do we prove someone is distorting history? It seems we lack an original timeline for comparison.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your challenge, Ji Lin,¡± the old man said, looking down. ¡°This person is different from the others. The previous disruptors were likely unintentional. But this one... I believe he¡¯s actively meddling with history. We don¡¯t yet know his motives or his intentions. Proving his interference is the hardest part. But I believe you¡¯ll figure it out. Maybe you already have.¡± ¡°You¡¯re good at shifting responsibility.¡± Ji Lin didn¡¯t respond. After years together, they understood each other too well. ¡°But I might need to leak some information about us, about the Genius Club. Are you comfortable with that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s acceptable,¡± the old man replied, ¡°as long as it helps us prove his interference with history. Some sacrifices are necessary, but we must not harm the innocent. That is paramount.¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired of your inconsistent morals,¡± Ji Lin stretched lazily. ¡°This will be a challenging battle. We seem to have the upper hand, lurking in the shadows while he¡¯s exposed. But in reality, we¡¯re constrained by too many rules. We must substantiate his interference without alerting him to our motives. Otherwise, we might be the ones to fall. If he truly has the ability to alter history, eliminating us might not be difficult for him. Once we begin our investigation, he¡¯ll become aware and go into hiding. It¡¯s a reciprocal hunt.¡± ¡°I believe in you, Ji Lin.¡± The old man was confident. ¡°You¡¯re the brightest mind I know. This disruptor may have capabilities we don¡¯t understand, but he can¡¯t outsmart you. He probably hasn¡¯t sensed the danger yet. So... there¡¯s no reason we should lose this cat-and-mouse game.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too optimistic, and arrogant.¡± Ji Lin returned to his earlier spot, lying amid a stack of magazines. He rested his head on his hands and eyed the Rhine Cat mascot on the bookshelf. ¡°I¡¯ve made it clear. This cat-and-mouse game is mutual. In our hide-and-seek with this disruptor, whoever reveals their identity or intentions first... loses.¡± The Rhine Cat¡¯s cheerful, cute expression, with its bun head and cheongsam, was striking. ¡°I do love playing games.¡± Ji Lin pinched the Rhine Cat¡¯s ear, lifting it in the air and observing its eyes wobble. ¡°In this cat-and-mouse game... Who¡¯s the cat, and who¡¯s the mouse?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 101: The Beginning ¡°Sir, how was the movie? Did you enjoy it?¡± A young attendant greeted him with a warm smile as he stepped out of the private cinema lobby. ¡°It was fine,¡± Lin Xian replied, adjusting his glasses. ¡°I watched it a long time ago and felt like seeing it again today.¡± ¡°You must love sci-fi! Check this out!¡± The attendant grinned, pulling a poster from under the counter. It featured a vibrant collage of famous sci-fi movie characters with a large, deep blue ¡°42¡± prominently in the background. ¡°Is this for me? Your service is impressive,¡± Lin Xian inquired, intrigued. ¡°No way!¡± The attendant quickly folded the poster back up. ¡°This is a collector¡¯s item! I just got it yesterday at the Donghai Exhibition Hall.¡± Lin Xian raised an eyebrow. ¡°They sell things like this at the Donghai Exhibition Hall?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the attendant nodded eagerly. ¡°I¡¯m a huge sci-fi buff too. My favorite is ¡®The Hitchhiker¡¯s Guide to the Galaxy.''¡± As they discussed their shared interest, the attendant became even more animated. ¡°Since you¡¯re here for an Adams film, you must be a dedicated fan, right? Most of our visitors prefer romances, comedies, or Hollywood blockbusters. It¡¯s rare to meet someone who appreciates classic sci-fi films. If you¡¯re a fan of ¡®The Hitchhiker¡¯s Guide to the Galaxy,¡¯ you should definitely check out the Donghai Exhibition Hall. They¡¯re currently hosting a sci-fi exhibition with rare manuscripts and first editions from renowned authors, including some of Adams¡¯ notes and sketches.¡± This piqued Lin Xian¡¯s interest. ¡°Douglas Adams¡¯ original manuscripts? From ¡®The Hitchhiker¡¯s Guide to the Galaxy¡¯?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The attendant confirmed, glancing at his phone. ¡°Tomorrow is the last day of the exhibition, so you should go soon if you¡¯re interested.¡± ¡°Is there a special significance to the number 42?¡± Lin Xian asked curiously. The attendant laughed. ¡°Not really! Adams chose that number to add mystery and humor to the story. It doesn¡¯t have a deeper meaning, but it¡¯s become a popular sci-fi reference. For instance, in the Marvel movies, the main universe is numbered 42, and it¡¯s also mentioned in ¡®League of Legends.¡¯ And in ¡®Spider-Man 2: Across the Spider-Verse,¡¯ the spider that bites the protagonist comes from Universe 42, marked with the number 42.¡± Lin Xian nodded, impressed by the attendant¡¯s enthusiasm and detailed knowledge. ¡°Thanks for the suggestion. I¡¯ll try to visit if I can.¡±Ree?ad latest novels at ¡°If you like movies this much, why not get a membership card? Then you can visit more often!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll consider it,¡± Lin Xian replied as he walked out into the bright midday sun. The cycles of stars and the rotation of the moon and sun continued. Yet, in a dream world 600 years in the future, time was eternally frozen on August 28, 2624. There, time did not flow. The world was perpetually stuck at 00:42, the moment of its destruction. Again, 42. Why is it always 42? Lin Xian headed directly for the glass case displaying Douglas Adams¡¯ original manuscripts. Inside were many valuable items, with a bound replica available for viewing. Though the handwritten notes were in English, Lin Xian¡¯s proficiency allowed him to grasp their essence. Adams was a sci-fi writer, not a scientist, making the notes accessible. The content of the manuscripts was intriguing, reflecting Adams¡¯ quirky and imaginative mind. Soon, Lin Xian found the notes about the number 42. Adams¡¯ explanation was straightforward: ¡°I can¡¯t explain it. When I was writing the stories in ¡®The Hitchhiker¡¯s Guide to the Galaxy,¡¯ 42 was the first number that popped into my subconscious. It has no special significance to me or anything else. It was just the first number I thought of...¡± He described his intention for the supercomputer¡¯s answer to be dramatic, surprising, and convincing. And 42 was the number that instantly came to mind. From Adams¡¯ notes, it was evident that 42 was a random choice, a spur-of-the-moment decision meant to serve the story¡¯s twist. But Lin Xian focused on a key term¡ªsubconscious. He recalled Gao Yang¡¯s words: ¡°Do you understand the subconscious? It¡¯s something you aren¡¯t aware of, but it influences your actions, emotions, and dreams! You might think you¡¯ve forgotten something, but your subconscious remembers, leading to feelings of de?ja? vu.¡± Lin Xian closed the manuscript replica and placed it back in the glass case. He gazed at a photograph of Douglas Adams on the wall. If Adams really thought of 42 from his subconscious, as Gao Yang¡¯s psychology suggested, it might indicate that Adams had encountered the universal constant 42 somewhere. If that¡¯s true, the Genius Club¡¯s influence might stretch further back in history than Lin Xian had imagined. Lin Xian closed his eyes, envisioning a river flowing eastward, culminating at 00:42 on August 29, 2624. Where did it begin? Lin Xian felt he was on the verge of uncovering something significant. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 102: The Sorrowful Genius Lin Xian pondered how he could uncover when and where Mr. Adams first encountered the number 42 or the concept of the universal constant. He believed solving this mystery was vital. However, Mr. Adams had died in 2001. Confirming whether he knew about the universal constant 42 was now impossible. The dead don¡¯t speak... ¡°It seems I¡¯ll have to explore the dream world of New Donghai City, seek out Big Cat Face¡¯s father, or find the book ¡®Introduction to Universal Constants¡¯ to truly understand what the universal constant 42 signifies,¡± Lin Xian mused. He shook his head. This journey had been nearly fruitless, yielding no conclusive information. He turned to leave¡ª ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± As he pivoted, he encountered a familiar face ¨C she had a fluffy brown high ponytail, bright, lively eyes, slightly parted lips expressing surprise, and a tear mole under her left eye like a unique signature. ¡°...An Qing.¡± It took Lin Xian a moment to recognize and say her name. ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Chu An Qing covered her mouth, suppressing a laugh. Her eyes transformed into crescent moons, and her cheeks revealed two adorable dimples. ¡°Senior Lin Xian, who did you think I was?¡± ¡°Ah...¡± Lin Xian faltered, realizing she was joking. ¡°Did you think I was the girl you admired in high school?¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Lin Xian raised his hand to interrupt her. ¡°I did sketch that girl, but I never said I liked her. The drawing was merely for practice, and she and I had no connection.¡± He sighed internally. One lie leads to many. He had actually sketched CC, but since CC wasn¡¯t from their era, he had invented a fictitious high school classmate as a cover story. Chu An Qing looked exactly like CC. Without this fabrication, explaining the sketch would be impossible. ¡°So, are you here for the sci-fi exhibit too?¡± Lin Xian changed the subject. ¡°No,¡± Chu An Qing shook her head and pointed down the corridor. ¡°I was at the oil painting exhibition over there. I just happened to pass by this hall and thought I¡¯d look around. I didn¡¯t expect to bump into you. What a coincidence!¡± Lin Xian nodded. It indeed was a coincidence. He glanced toward the corridor where various oil paintings were displayed, confirming Chu An Qing¡¯s statement. Turning back, he took a moment to notice her attire today. This was their third encounter: the first at MMMMMMX Company¡¯s celebration, the second at a Donghai University lecture hall, and now, unexpectedly, at the Donghai City Exhibition Hall. Today, Chu An Qing wore a casual outfit. With the weather warming, she had shed her bulky winter clothes. She sported a bright, light blue hoodie paired with a gray short skirt and flesh-colored tights, giving her a vibrant, youthful look. Her slightly thick-soled boots made her appear taller and more slender than in their previous meetings. ¡°Did you come here alone?¡± ¡°Yes, I had no classes this afternoon, so I decided to visit. I¡¯ve always been drawn to painting... though I can¡¯t seem to master it, no matter how much I practice.¡± Chu An Qing chuckled, glancing at Lin Xian. ¡°But you, Senior Lin Xian, have such a knack for drawing. Have you thought about trying other forms of art besides sketching?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not particularly passionate about drawing,¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°But I don¡¯t mind it. I practiced sketching because it was part of the college entrance art exam. My academic scores weren¡¯t stellar, so to get into a good university here in Donghai City, I had to take the art route.¡± ¡°Do you like Donghai City?¡± ¡°Why... is there such a portrayal of Einstein?¡± She blinked and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Einstein was a successful and respected scientist with high academic stature. Why does he appear so sorrowful and depressed in this painting? Do you know the background of this painting?¡± Surprisingly, Lin Xian nodded once more! This amazed her¡ªhow did this senior know everything? He was like a walking encyclopedia. Lin Xian began to explain the artwork. This was one of the advantages of watching numerous sci-fi films; he had picked up a bit about nearly everything. ¡°Einstein¡¯s later years were indeed filled with melancholy and depression.¡± Lin Xian began narrating while studying Einstein¡¯s lifeless gaze in the painting. ¡°Einstein believed that his mass-energy equivalence formula had opened Pandora¡¯s box, granting humanity access to uncontrollable nuclear energy, which led to the creation of nuclear weapons and the deaths of millions.¡± ¡°But his concerns extended beyond that. He worried about the future of humanity, fearing that if another global war erupted, countless nuclear weapons would be unleashed, potentially causing human extinction and the end of civilization.¡± ¡°Though his fears might seem exaggerated now, in 1952, such concerns were well-founded and reasonable.¡± ¡°Once these thoughts took hold, he couldn¡¯t escape the cycle of guilt and regret, which led to his reclusive and depressed later years.¡± ... Lin Xian¡¯s serene narration captivated Chu An Qing. Soon, they finished touring the exhibition hall and walked to the entrance of the Donghai Exhibition Hall to say goodbye. ¡°Thank you so much for today, Senior Lin Xian. I learned so much new knowledge!¡± ¡°It was nothing, really.¡± After watching Chu An Qing get into a car, Lin Xian hailed a taxi to go home. After a simple dinner and wash, he checked the time. Five-thirty. It was the perfect time to sleep, and if he fell asleep quickly, he might catch the three-knife thief in his dream, join the Face Gang, and follow the plot to meet CC at the garbage disposal site. Lin Xian changed into his pajamas, lay down, and closed his eyes. ¡°Come on, CC,¡± he thought, imagining the smiling face of either Chu An Qing or CC. ¡°I have so many questions to ask you...¡± ... ... ... Still not feeling any of the sweltering summer breeze, Lin Xian opened his eyes in the quiet countryside, surrounded by chaotic self-built houses. He walked to the corner of an alley. In the distance, he heard Aunt Li¡¯s gasping voice, shouting: ¡°Catch¡ªthe thief! Catch... catch the... thief!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 103: Shattered Memories ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea,¡± San Pang said, nodding in agreement with Lin Xian¡¯s proposal to join the Face Gang. ¡°Alright! It¡¯s settled then!¡± Big Cat Face exclaimed, his laughter booming as he clapped Lin Xian on the shoulder. ¡°Brother, from today, you¡¯re one of us! The first time I saw you, I knew we were meant to be allies! Our gang could really benefit from someone with your wall-climbing skills!¡± ¡°Sorry about the earlier misunderstanding, brother. To make it up to you...¡± He paused, his eyes gleaming with excitement. ¡°Tell me, what do you desire? Anything at all, as long as it¡¯s within my power, it¡¯s yours!¡± ¡°I want to meet Boss Li,¡± Lin Xian declared firmly. ¡°I want to be part of your operation tonight. I¡¯m committed to preserving humanity¡¯s history and knowledge, and I¡¯m willing to risk my life for it. I just need to secure one more book for the people of Old Donghai.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Big Cat Face slapped Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder in admiration. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit! Boss Li will definitely see your dedication!¡± The plan proceeded flawlessly. Having impressed them the day before by capturing a thief, Lin Xian had not only earned a place in the Face Gang but also gained Li Cheng¡¯s approval to join their nighttime operation at the waste disposal plant. As dusk approached, they gathered at Li Cheng¡¯s house. Lin Xian wore a Rhine cat mask, Big Cat Face sported a mech mask, and Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang were fully equipped. Lin Xian surveyed the courtyard and noticed Li Ning Ning approaching, her elegant figure striking as she removed her Ultraman mask. ¡°Dad, this mask is uncomfortable. Where¡¯s the one I wore yesterday?¡± Lin Xian observed Li Ning Ning, noting her model-like physique, similar to CC¡¯s¡ªflawlessly slender. Despite the cold of winter, Chu An Qing, slightly curvier than CC, had stood out in her evening dress at a recent banquet. Chu An Qing was considered more conventionally attractive, but both CC and Li Ning Ning had the ideal figures for runway models, albeit possibly too slender for some preferences. Yet, these differences in appearance were trivial in the grand scheme. Chu An Qing was adored as Donghai¡¯s princess, cherished by Chu Shan He who ensured she led a balanced and healthy life. But CC... Lin Xian knew very little about her past or her family. Beyond her name, CC was an enigma. Tonight, that might change. According to the plan from the previous night, upon meeting CC today, Lin Xian aimed to: Confirm if she was Chu An Qing, despite his reservations. Discover where she had seen him before. Learn how CC knew about the intelligence concerning New Donghai City and the safe being transported to the waste plant today. These were his primary objectives for the evening. If time allowed, he also planned to inspect the safe bearing his name. Having left a note of advice for his future self, he trusted he wouldn¡¯t deceive himself and would handle this matter with the seriousness it deserved. ¡°Are you sure you can handle this?¡± Li Ning Ning asked skeptically. ¡°The wall at the waste disposal plant is over eight meters high. Even with the three of them forming a human ladder, that only gets us about four meters up. We still need to scale another four meters... Normally, this task is suited for the lighter girls. Can you really manage it?¡± Lin Xian gave her a reassuring smile, interrupting his train of thought. ¡°Of course, no problem. I¡¯ve climbed plenty of walls before. But you, um... just be careful.¡± He thought about saying more but decided against it. If Li Ning Ning became overly cautious and left no opening for CC to ambush her, he might not encounter CC that night, which would be a setback. He studied Li Ning Ning¡¯s captivating face, noting the natural seductiveness similar to her mother¡¯s, which was immensely alluring. No wonder she could have caused a stir among ancient nobility. In contrast, CC and Chu An Qing exuded a pure, untouched beauty, like a lotus rising unstained from mud, pristine jade, or a freshly bloomed pear blossom. Preferences varied. Thanks to the clearer environment, the moonlight revealed that the woman¡¯s hair had shifted from black to dark brown. ¡°CC.¡± Lin Xian slowed his pace, drawing nearer to the woman in black. ¡°I know it¡¯s you.¡± She immediately halted, bending slightly, her gaze fixed on Lin Xian. ¡°Relax,¡± Lin Xian calmly removed his mask, allowing the moonlight to illuminate his face. ¡°You¡¯ve seen me before, right?¡± Seeing Lin Xian¡¯s face, the woman¡¯s tense posture softened somewhat. She slowly straightened and nodded. ¡°You can talk.¡± Lin Xian gestured towards Big Cat Face and the others, who had advanced ahead. ¡°I¡¯m a recent addition, not really one of them. We probably share similar objectives¡ªaccessing that safe with my name on it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t expose you. When they form the human ladder, we¡¯ll climb over together. But I have many questions for you. Shall we exchange information?¡± She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Alright, but I get to ask first. I have many questions for you too.¡± Her voice sounded familiar. Lin Xian was taken aback at how CC had agreed so readily. He had anticipated more resistance... but things were progressing smoothly. ¡°No problem, you go first,¡± Lin Xian said nonchalantly. He had numerous opportunities to gather information from CC; there was no rush. Besides, their questions probably overlapped. Who initiated the conversation didn¡¯t matter. His direct approach might make her cautious, but it was a risk worth taking. ¡°Hey! What are you two doing? Hurry up!¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s distant shout echoed. Lin Xian gestured forward. ¡°We¡¯ll discuss this further away from them.¡± A few minutes later. The group reached the waste plant¡¯s wall, concealed in the shadows of the trees about thirty to forty meters away. They were slightly early, so they waited for the 00:04 surveillance blind spot. Big Cat Face focused intently on the patrolling drones. Six drones followed their predetermined routes, and he closely monitored for the blind spot. He frequently checked his watch. Despite consistent checks, the blind spot appeared daily at 00:04 for exactly one minute. But any deviation could prove disastrous. Li Cheng had repeatedly warned Big Cat Face. Never be complacent. Always verify the blind spot before taking action. If the drones¡¯ patterns changed, it would spell disaster. Thus, Big Cat Face watched diligently. Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang stretched, readying themselves to form the human ladder and catch the items tossed over the wall. Lin Xian and CC stood about seven to eight meters behind them, close enough to avoid suspicion but far enough to converse privately. Once assured of safety, CC moved closer, her gaze fixed on Lin Xian through the Ultraman mask. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Lin Xian inquired. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to describe, but I didn¡¯t encounter you in reality or a dream...¡± Moonlight reflected in CC¡¯s eyes, revealing her perplexity. She lifted her head, gazing at Lin Xian. ¡°It¡¯s a memory... not from this world.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 104: CC and An Qing ¡°Memories from another world?¡± Lin Xian immediately recognized the phrase. It had first surfaced during his initial dream encounter with CC, where she mentioned having fragmented memories that seemed alien to her. One vivid memory stood out¡ªa long-haired, bearded middle-aged man whispering that all secrets were hidden in Lin Xian¡¯s safe. This enigmatic memory connected CC to Lin Xian, and she had even remarked on the similarity of the man¡¯s voice to his. That was all she had revealed at the time. During their first meeting in the dream, Lin Xian had persistently questioned CC about whether she recognized him or remembered his face. Her answer was always a firm ¡°No.¡± Even when threatened with a gun, she adamantly denied knowing him. However, during their second dream encounter, CC changed her story, admitting that she had seen him in her disjointed memories. Was CC deceiving him during their initial meeting? Or was there a deeper truth she hadn¡¯t disclosed? ¡°Can you describe what you¡¯re experiencing?¡± Lin Xian asked, keen to understand CC¡¯s perspective. ¡°Since childhood, my memories have felt like a jigsaw puzzle,¡± CC explained softly. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to explain, but it¡¯s as if my mind contains memories that aren¡¯t mine, yet they seem as though I¡¯ve lived them in another world.¡± ¡°These disjointed memories have always felt real. I can see myself in them, but the scenarios and faces are unfamiliar, things I¡¯m certain I¡¯ve never experienced before. That is, until¡ª¡± CC¡¯s eyes met Lin Xian¡¯s. ¡°Until I met you today. Now, some of my memories include you.¡± ¡°What kind of scenes are they?¡± Lin Xian inquired, intrigued.Ree?ad latest novels at ¡°They¡¯re random and fragmented,¡± CC responded, ¡°mostly featuring you, me, and someone we call ¡®Big Cat Face¡¯ trying to open a safe with a flamethrower. We never succeeded.¡± ¡°It¡¯s odd... I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve never experienced this, and it couldn¡¯t have happened in our reality. Yet, these memories strike me as extremely vivid, even though my rational mind rejects them. It¡¯s a contradiction.¡± ¡°And now, here you are, real and recognizable. How can these fragmented memories exist?¡± Lin Xian remained silent, grappling with the implications. He had considered various scenarios where CC might know him, but her retaining a memory fragment from their first dream was unexpected! He observed ants scurrying from their nest, briefly touching antennae... The event CC described with the safe had occurred in one of their earliest dream interactions. For Lin Xian, it had been just days ago. Yet, CC claimed these memories had been with her since birth. She had always dismissed these memories as mere fiction¡ªat least until the reality of Lin Xian challenged her long-held beliefs. ¡°Hey, say something,¡± CC urged, noticing his silence. ¡°About these fragmented memories? Do you know anything?¡± ¡°Do you also recall a memory involving a long-haired, bearded man saying that all truths and past events are locked in the safe?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Yes, you seem to know quite a bit,¡± CC responded, surprised. ¡°Do you understand more? Can you explain these memories to me?¡± ¡°I want to open that safe, to uncover the truth about everything, to understand my past, and to grasp what¡¯s happening to me.¡± Lin Xian followed her gaze toward the skyscrapers piercing the clouds. From their position, the MX Twin Towers at the center of New Donghai City were obscured. Yet, to Lin Xian, every skyscraper seemed as enigmatic and formidable as the MX Towers. ¡°But isn¡¯t it too dangerous for you?¡± Lin Xian voiced his concern. ¡°Isn¡¯t it irrational to risk your life just to satisfy your curiosity or discover a potentially irrelevant truth?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± CC acknowledged calmly. ¡°But I have to do it.¡± Her eyes, intense and piercing, seemed to penetrate through the walls, to the garbage trucks and the safe inside. ¡°I¡¯m not driven by mere curiosity. I need to confirm something essential to me.¡± ¡°More important than your life?¡± Lin Xian questioned. ¡°More important than my life,¡± CC affirmed without hesitation. ¡°What¡¯s inside that safe... might define the meaning of my life.¡± Lin Xian contemplated CC¡¯s words, trying to decipher their significance. What could be inside that safe... The mystery deepened. CC believed the contents of the safe were related to her. Lin Xian considered the safe his. If both were correct, the safe might contain something he had placed there for the future, intended for CC. But when had he done that? Could he have used some method like a cryo-chamber to travel to the future? What had he stored for CC? Could the bearded man in her memory be him? He glanced back at the towering walls of the garbage disposal plant, recalling the aluminum-alloy safe being unloaded from the garbage truck the previous day. He suspected the answers might well lie within that safe. ¡°Do you have any other questions?¡± Lin Xian asked CC. CC shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s your turn. Ask away.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He had many questions for CC. But one was most pressing... ¡°CC,¡± Lin Xian asked, his voice muffled by the mask of Rhine Cat, looking at the figure separated from him by 600 years and two timelines. ¡°Is your real name Chu An Qing?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 105: Ning Ning ¡°Of course not,¡± CC blinked through the holes of her Ultraman mask. ¡°Why would you think that¡¯s my name? Your question is really odd.¡± ¡°Do you have clear and continuous memories from birth until now?¡± Lin Xian pressed on. ¡°For instance, do you know who your parents are, their names, where you were born, where you grew up? Do you have consistent memories of all the events in your life over the past few years?¡± CC showed no particular reaction to the name Chu An Qing, which Lin Xian had anticipated. If she truly was Chu An Qing, who had traveled six hundred years into the future via a hibernation pod, she wouldn¡¯t recognize the name, considering Professor Xu Yun had mentioned that severe memory loss was a major side effect of hibernation. Under such conditions, questioning CC about Chu An Qing, Chu Shan He, or events from six hundred years ago was futile. If she had indeed undergone hibernation for six centuries, she would have forgotten everything prior. Therefore, it was more sensible to assess the continuity and completeness of her memories. If CC was unsure about her memories from birth to adulthood, it could indicate hibernation. A significant gap would suggest this possibility. However, if CC had a complete and continuous recollection of her life, understanding her connection to Chu An Qing would necessitate a different approach. CC chuckled. ¡°Yes, I know who my parents are, where I was born. Do you find my name strange, prompting these questions?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t born here. My parents are overseas immigrants, and I grew up abroad. Brooklyn, that¡¯s my birthplace and home.¡± ¡°I came to New Donghai City seeking Lin Xian¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always lived in Brooklyn, adjacent to New New York City. In terms of living conditions, Brooklyn is similar to Old Donghai, but New Donghai City is obviously more thriving and modern than New New York City.¡± Lin Xian was familiar with Brooklyn, the largest of New York City¡¯s five boroughs and a significant community hub for immigrants in the U.S. Although he wasn¡¯t sure what Brooklyn would be like in this alternative reality six hundred years later, from CC¡¯s description, it resembled Old Donghai¡ªa modest village next to a futuristic metropolis like New Donghai City, New New York City. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t concerned with these specifics. Since CC claimed to have a complete memory of her childhood and knew her parents, it suggested she was likely native to this futuristic world, possessing intact and continuous memories from birth to the present. She had been born into Brooklyn¡¯s immigrant community over a decade ago and had grown up there. Thus, it seemed unlikely that CC was Chu An Qing or that she had traveled from six hundred years in the past via a hibernation pod. Lin Xian paused to consider, then addressed CC again. ¡°Are you certain you¡¯ve never used a hibernation pod? Think carefully because it¡¯s known to cause memory loss. You might have used it and forgotten about it.¡± ¡°How could that be? I¡¯m not foolish. If I had used something like that, wouldn¡¯t I know?¡± CC retorted. ¡°Besides, those pods are only found in the new cities, right? How would I have access to one? It¡¯s probably just a myth that they exist in the new cities... What odd questions are you asking?¡± ¡°Do you have any circular scars, indentations, or marks on your left arm?¡± Lin Xian inquired further. ¡°No, I¡¯ve never been injured. I don¡¯t have any scars on my body.¡± ¡°Do you no longer receive BCG vaccines?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± CC shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a vaccine... I thought you¡¯d ask me something more significant. Why all these personal questions?¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian was shocked by the revelation. ¡°Li Ning Ning is only eight or nine?¡± So mature, yet with such an enticing gaze. Is she naturally charismatic? ¡°She appears that way at just eight or nine?¡± Lin Xian still couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Humph! It¡¯s all thanks to my sister-in-law¡¯s natural beauty and good genes!¡± Er Zhuzi boasted proudly. ¡°Ning Ning¡¯s attractiveness is all inherited from my sister-in-law! You, stay away from her! You were practically leaning on her!¡± Ah Zhuang also scoffed, glaring at Lin Xian. ¡°That¡¯s disgraceful, Lin Xian. How could you? It¡¯s disappointing! San Pang, what do you think?¡± San Pang wisely shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right.¡± Three votes against. ¡°You guys are really nosy...¡± Lin Xian muttered, stepping to the right to distance himself from CC. ¡°Focus! We¡¯re approaching the surveillance blind spot! Get ready!¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s shout quieted everyone down. Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang resumed their positions, either stretching or warming up, preparing for the upcoming action. Big Cat Face also got ready, beginning to stretch his muscles. As the central figure of the human pyramid, he bore considerable pressure and responsibility. Despite his flaws, Big Cat Face was a reliable leader for the group. He kept a vigilant eye on the patrolling drones, watching as they approached, intersected, and moved away. He checked his watch. 00:04. ¡°Now!¡± The surveillance blind spot appeared! Big Cat Face yelled, his face reddening with exertion. ¡°Form the human pyramid!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 106: Vital Intelligence Big Cat Face sprinted toward the garbage disposal plant, his cheeks jiggling with each step, displaying a strength akin to a wild beast. In no time, he was up against the black wall of the plant, standing firm like a sturdy pillar. ¡°San Pang!¡± At the shout, San Pang leapt, landing solidly on Big Cat Face¡¯s broad shoulders. ¡°Amazing!¡± Following his lead, Ah Zhuang climbed atop San Pang, bracing against the wall for support. ¡°Er Zhuzi!¡± Quick and agile, Er Zhuzi completed the human tower with seamless precision. Lin Xian watched in amazement. He had witnessed this ¡°team technique¡± before, but yesterday¡¯s flurry of activity hadn¡¯t allowed him to fully appreciate it. Today, with a clear view, his excitement surged, reminiscent of his favorite childhood cartoons where heroes combined to form a giant robot. ¡°Ning Ning, jump now! Hurry!¡± As Big Cat Face supported his teammates, his face flushed red from the strain. CC, wearing an Ultraman mask, caught Lin Xian¡¯s nod. She leaped gracefully, landing lightly on Er Zhuzi¡¯s shoulders. Then she crouched, tensed, and vaulted over the eight-meter-high wall. ¡°Lin Xian, your turn!¡± Commanded by Big Cat Face, Lin Xian backed up, then charged forward, using his parkour skills. His approach relied on brute strength and momentum. With a powerful leap, he climbed to Er Zhuzi¡¯s shoulders, executed a double jump, and gripped the wall¡¯s crevices to flip over smoothly. Thud. He landed safely. Surveying the area, Lin Xian noted it was cluttered with old sofas and discarded furniture, much like the day before. The tall steel walls loomed ahead, their massive doors shut tightly, and the absence of garbage trucks made the silence unusual. Recalling yesterday¡¯s observations, Lin Xian deduced that the garbage trucks operated autonomously, hinting that New Donghai City might heavily utilize automation, potentially minimizing manual labor through robots and AI. ¡°Hide quickly, a drone is coming.¡± CC¡¯s urgent whisper snapped Lin Xian out of his thoughts. They darted behind a garbage mound for cover. Buzz... Buzz... Seconds later, a surveillance drone scanned the area. They were safely hidden. Lin Xian checked his watch. 00:05 ¡°There¡¯s plenty of time.¡± He motioned towards the surveillance room, currently unoccupied. Based on his observations from the previous day, the shift supervisor, easily recognized by his Bluetooth headset, would soon arrive and take his place in the control room, often accompanied by laughter. Accepting her explanation, Lin Xian acknowledged that, in this dream, CC¡¯s access to conventional weaponry was limited. This made sense¡ªif someone like Li Cheng couldn¡¯t obtain a firearm, how could she? ¡°Let¡¯s run; the new supervisor will arrive soon, and we can¡¯t afford to delay.¡± With urgency, Lin Xian and CC dashed towards their designated hiding spot, racing against time to reach the safe before the new supervisor¡¯s arrival. As they moved, Lin Xian recalled the operation¡¯s timeline: 23:00 ¨C Big Cat Face¡¯s team leaves Li Cheng¡¯s house. 23:20 ¨C They reach a vantage point on a small hill, setting up and then advancing towards the garbage plant wall. 23:25 ¨C CC, using the tranquilizer gun on Li Ning Ning, dons her Ultraman mask and takes her place. 00:00 ¨C The garbage plant supervisor exits the control room for a shift change. 00:04 ¨C The first surveillance blind spot appears; Lin Xian and CC scale the wall into the garbage plant. 00:13 ¨C Li Ning Ning, rousing from the tranquilizer, finds Big Cat Face, who realizes the switch and blows the whistle to alert Lin Xian of impending danger. 00:20 ¨C The new supervisor arrives and settles in the control room, laughing as usual. 00:25 ¨C The steel doors open, and the convoy of garbage trucks, including one carrying the needed aluminum alloy safes, drives out. 00:28 ¨C The designated truck unloads the safes at the empty lot and departs. The plan was consistent unless Lin Xian chose to intervene. But his influence was limited; the trucks¡¯ programmed routes and the supervisors¡¯ set shift times were immutable. As they neared their hiding spot behind the garbage mound, Lin Xian noted the empty lot ahead where the safes would soon be dropped. Counting down... Only 14 minutes remained until 00:42, when the dream would shatter under the white light, leaving scant time for Lin Xian and CC to crack the safe. Boom¡ª Behind them, the steel gate rumbled open. One by one, garbage trucks filed out, each navigating to its assigned spot. The truck carrying the safes approached, reversed, and adjusted its position. The axles groaned, and the massive hopper began to tilt. Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Dozens of shiny, brand-new aluminum alloy safes tumbled out, scattering across the lot. Each safe featured eight combination dials, crafted from the same material, with a silver nameplate engraved with both long and short names above the dials. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 107: Encounter ¡°You really guessed right.¡± CC stared, wide-eyed, at the dozens of aluminum alloy safes scattered before her. She had doubted Lin Xian¡¯s judgment earlier, but now the proof was undeniable. ¡°How did you do this? I looked into it... The dumping locations for these garbage trucks are calculated in real-time. Sometimes, a single truck has to unload in two different locations. How did you manage to predict that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated to explain and not really important.¡± Lin Xian glanced toward the distant monitoring room, where a new supervisor was chuckling to himself. As long as they remained cautious, they should be safe.Vissit for updates ¡°Quick, find Lin Xian¡¯s safe. We¡¯ve got only 14 minutes.¡± ¡°Why just 14 minutes?¡± CC asked, puzzled. ¡°That¡¯s also complicated... Just trust me on this.¡± Lin Xian quickly crouched and hurried forward. Every second was precious; there wasn¡¯t time to lay out the entire situation to CC. Besides, any explanation given today might just be forgotten by tomorrow, rendering it pointless. ¡°You search that way; I¡¯ll look over here. Keep low so that the supervisor doesn¡¯t spot you.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± After witnessing Lin Xian¡¯s expertise, CC seemed to trust him more, dutifully crouching and heading in the opposite direction. They both began their search for the safe. Wei Sheng Jin... Wang Shuo... In the chaos of the scattered safes, Lin Xian noticed two familiar names. In the bank warehouse from the first dream, all the safes were embedded in the walls. These two safes were positioned right next to his own. Especially Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s, which was immediately to the right of his. Previously, CC had used an oxy-acetylene torch to cut open the safes, starting with Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s, cautious not to damage their contents. However, to their surprise, the new aluminum alloy¡ªa robust aerospace material¡ªresisted the 3000-degree torch as if it were trivial. Finding the safe turned out to be easier than Lin Xian had anticipated. A quick glance at the names was enough to rule out the incorrect ones. Moreover, they were lucky; none of the safes were lying flat with their nameplates obscured, making their search much more efficient. Only two safes were face-down, but they were propped up on others, allowing the nameplates to be visible by merely crouching. They examined every nameplate. Yet, Lin Xian still couldn¡¯t locate his own safe. He looked over at CC, who was crouching and moving towards him. ¡°Did you find it?¡± CC shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯ve checked them all. Lin Xian¡¯s safe isn¡¯t here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lin Xian surveyed the number of safes around them and compared it with his memory of the bank warehouse. ¡°The numbers don¡¯t add up. There should be at least a hundred, maybe even two hundred.¡± ¡°That means the rest of the safes haven¡¯t arrived yet.¡± ¡°Um... well...¡± Lin Xian hesitated. ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s talk about something else.¡± He turned to CC. ¡°Since you¡¯ve been around here for a long time, can you give me any tips on how to infiltrate New Donghai City? Any clue that could help me get in... Even if it¡¯s risky, just tell me.¡± ¡°You want to enter New Donghai City?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I need to find two books and some materials there. These items probably aren¡¯t at the garbage disposal plant; they must be in New Donghai City, so I have to get there.¡± ¡°To find two books?¡± CC blinked in disbelief at Lin Xian. ¡°You¡¯d risk your life to enter New Donghai City... just for two books?¡± ¡°Just as you do,¡± Lin Xian countered. ¡°Besides, what¡¯s the difference between New Donghai City and here? Why is everyone so scared to go in?¡± Lin Xian shifted his position, leaning against the stacked safes. ¡°Is New Donghai City heavily guarded? Or are there identity recognition devices everywhere that can instantly detect and eliminate outsiders?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± CC admitted, sitting atop an aluminum alloy safe and gazing up at Lin Xian. ¡°No one has successfully infiltrated such a city. Or maybe some have... but they couldn¡¯t get out and died inside; no one really knows, at least I don¡¯t. I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± ¡°Maybe, as you say, it¡¯s heavily guarded. Or maybe it¡¯s just an illusion. But who¡¯s willing to take that risk?¡± CC chuckled, looking at the towering steel walls resembling a vertical abyss. ¡°Everyone has only one life; no one wants to gamble with it.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re quite the gambler,¡± Lin Xian retorted. ¡°That¡¯s because I have reasons more important than life itself, so I must take the risk,¡± CC turned back to Lin Xian. ¡°But your reason for finding two books doesn¡¯t seem significant enough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true,¡± Lin Xian smiled, gazing up at the vast, endless steel wall. ¡°My life isn¡¯t worth much; I can afford to gamble.¡± ¡°Not worth two books?¡± ¡°Not even worth a piece of paper.¡± Pfft¡ª CC laughed, her eyes behind the mask curving into crescent moons. ¡°You¡¯re quite the joker. But honestly, it¡¯s a pity. If you had met me earlier today, you wouldn¡¯t need to think about breaking into New Donghai City to find those books.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lin Xian stood up straight, leaving the safe he was leaning against. ¡°What would have happened if I met you earlier?¡± CC took out the small ¡°Bluetooth earpiece¡± and weighed it in her hand, smiling. ¡°If you had met me earlier, I could¡¯ve told you... At Garbage Disposal Plant 314, a large batch of water-damaged books was to be delivered tonight. You could have found your books there.¡± ¡°Too bad... It¡¯s definitely too late now.¡± ¡°They must have been burned to ashes by now.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 108: The Smiling Face ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s demeanor shifted to one of seriousness as he fixed his gaze on CC. ¡°Are you telling me that tonight, a shipment of water-damaged books is headed to the 314 Waste Disposal Plant? Can we trust this information?¡± ¡°Absolutely, it¡¯s trustworthy! Have you forgotten?¡± CC picked up a gadget resembling a Bluetooth headset and waved it before him. ¡°This device keeps tabs on the operations of various waste disposal facilities, including the routes of garbage trucks and their transportation schedules. How could it be wrong?¡± ¡°I make it a point to verify the task lists of several local waste disposal sites daily. I scrutinize them very closely and wouldn¡¯t miss a detail. The 314 Waste Disposal Plant is nearby, right in the same district as the Time Bank, so it¡¯s particularly on my radar. Their schedule last night included a note about dispatching a special truck to collect water-damaged books.¡± ¡°Let me double-check that for you.¡± CC attached the device to her ear. Her eyes glazed over, her pupils darting back and forth as if she were interfacing with something unseen. ¡°There we have it.¡± CC¡¯s eyes refocused, and she began to explain to Lin Xian: ¡°To put it simply, a major bookstore in the Eastern District had a pipe burst on the second floor, soaking the books below. They¡¯ve settled their issues with the insurance company, and now they¡¯ve scheduled special trucks to haul away the damaged goods.¡± ¡°The time... let me check, the 314 Waste Disposal Plant has arranged for four large trucks to handle the books. That implies a substantial quantity, needing four trucks.¡± ¡°Their departure time... and they¡¯re set to arrive at the plant at 23:19. I got the time a bit off. Given the late arrival, they likely haven¡¯t started the incineration process.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve already missed the window for today¡¯s shift change at the supervisor¡¯s station. Even if we head to the plant now, it¡¯s too late. Besides...¡± CC glanced at the control room monitor showing the plant supervisor. ¡°Getting out of here still poses a challenge. I plan to hide out until tomorrow¡¯s shift change, then make my escape. I¡¯m not sure what your plans are.¡± ¡°Thanks for the info, it¡¯s a real lifesaver,¡± Lin Xian stood, resolute. ¡°About that safe... if I ever make it inside New Donghai City, I¡¯ll see what¡¯s inside for you.¡± CC looked puzzled, tilting her head at Lin Xian. ¡°The next batch of garbage trucks is due soon. They¡¯ll be transporting the safe shortly. What are you implying?¡± ¡°I need to leave,¡± Lin Xian checked his watch. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°Home.¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! At exactly 00:42, a brilliant white light erupted, incinerating everything in its path, casting a brief illumination before plunging back into darkness. He explained that he had organized a high school reunion for the fifth day of the lunar new year at a hotel near their university, Hangzhou No.1 High School¡¯s new campus. But! He had posted the event in their class QQ group, and no one had replied! Not a single person! He had been obsessively checking the group every minute for the last half hour, and the silence was deafening! As class president, this was mortifying! He needed to save face! ¡°So, Lin Xian, please log into QQ right away and back me up in the group! Say you¡¯ll attend! Mention how much you miss everyone! Surely, they¡¯ll react if you do!¡± ¡°What standing do I have...¡± ¡°The founder of Rhine Cat! Sure, you¡¯re not a celebrity, but your creation is famous! Who isn¡¯t aware of Rhine Cat now? Isn¡¯t that enough to make a splash? Come on, don¡¯t leave your old class president out to dry, making me look bad!¡± Reluctantly, Lin Xian reinstalled the QQ app. After a series of verification challenges, he finally managed to prove his identity and logged in. Upon accessing his account, he was bombarded with spam messages from compromised accounts of classmates and proceeded directly to the high school group chat. The only message there was from Gao Yang: ¡°Class Reunion Notice.¡± Indeed, half an hour had passed, and there was not a single reply. Following Gao Yang¡¯s instructions, Lin Xian crafted and sent a message: ¡°Hey, everyone, it¡¯s been too long! We definitely need to catch up! See you during the holiday!¡± However... After waiting a few minutes, there was still no response. Lin Xian called Gao Yang back: ¡°Give it up. No one uses QQ anymore. You¡¯d be better off using WeChat and reaching out to people individually. You¡¯ll eventually get through to everyone that way.¡± Gao Yang reluctantly accepted this reality. Just as they ended the call, a QQ notification pinged. Someone had finally responded in the group. Lin Xian checked the chat¡ª ¡°Absolutely, Lin Xian! I¡¯ll be there!¡± The message was from an unknown name and profile picture. Following it was a simple, mysterious smiling face: ^^. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 109: Time Bank Tang Xin. Lin Xian stared at the unfamiliar profile picture and name on his phone. ¡°Who is this? Do we have a girl named Tang Xin in our class?¡± He scrutinized the profile picture again. It showed a cute kitty cat with the name Tang Xin. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t recall anyone by that name. He tried to view the girl¡¯s photos on her QQ space but found it locked. Opting for a direct approach, he messaged Gao Yang on WeChat: ¡°Who is Tang Xin? I don¡¯t remember anyone by that name in our class.¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal that you don¡¯t remember,¡± Gao Yang replied. ¡°She was a transfer student who only joined us for a few days in sophomore year before moving abroad. She joined the QQ group back then, and I didn¡¯t have the heart to remove her. She¡¯s been inactive all these years, so I forgot about her too.¡± ¡°Does someone who was only in our class for a few days really need to come to the reunion?¡± ¡°Why not? The more, the merrier. She might have made friends with some of the girls in our class. Everyone¡¯s welcome. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re short on food.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian mused. If Gao Yang felt that way, he wouldn¡¯t dwell on it. Yet, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this girl¡¯s reply seemed directed at him specifically. He had no memory of this girl and didn¡¯t see someone who was around for just a few days as a true classmate. He closed his phone without responding in the group chat, deciding it was best not to overthink. ¡°I wonder how many will show up to this high school reunion after five years.¡± Truthfully, Lin Xian was excited. Many friends from high school had drifted apart after college, and he was eager to reconnect. After preparing, Lin Xian headed to his company to interview recent graduates. His team had a hefty workload, and Zhao Ying Jun had instructed them to expand to thirty or forty members, all chosen by Lin Xian. The interviews lasted longer than anticipated. As a recent graduate himself, he empathized with these new grads. He listened patiently to each candidate, promising to notify them within two days of their results, pass or fail. He found seven or eight promising candidates to whom he planned to extend offers in the coming days. After wrapping up the interviews, Lin Xian returned to his private office, brewed some tea, and relaxed. Sipping his tea, he gazed out at the bustling cityscape. The business district where his company resided thrived, surrounded by the headquarters of numerous renowned companies and banks, all housed within impressive skyscrapers. ¡°Bank...¡± Lin Xian recalled something from his dream last night about CC mentioning Time Bank.Yo?ur favorite stories on He remembered the name. CC had mentioned that aluminum alloy safes were transported from this bank. Time Bank had declared bankruptcy for unknown reasons, alerting safe owners to retrieve their belongings by August 28, 2624. If unclaimed, the safes would be discarded, explaining their appearance in the junkyard in his dream. ¡°When was Time Bank established?¡± Lin Xian pondered. If the safe was indeed his, it must have been stored after Time Bank¡¯s founding. Even if the bank had undergone acquisitions, name changes, or restructuring, the name Time Bank remained a clue. Lin Xian searched online for Time Bank. Predictably, there were no results. She really needed a secretary but was more resistant to the idea than anyone else. Her previous secretary must have hurt her deeply, making it difficult for her to trust anyone. Zhao Ying Jun took a sip of her tea and placed the glass cup on the desk. ¡°Lin Xian, I need you to prepare a document on Rhine Cat, detailing its image, style, and design background. I¡¯ll show it to the composers I¡¯ll be meeting.¡± ¡°Although Rhine Cat is very successful and popular, some composers might misunderstand its image.¡± Composers? Lin Xian recalled Zhao Ying Jun mentioning a meeting with composers to discuss creating a theme song for Rhine Cat. ¡°Did the last composer not work out?¡± Lin Xian asked. She nodded and smiled wryly. ¡°He thought Rhine Cat¡¯s image was too childish and said he¡¯d never written a theme song for a cartoon character before. So, he declined.¡± Childish... Though it stung a bit to hear Rhine Cat described that way, it was true. Seeing Lin Xian¡¯s silence, Zhao Ying Jun smiled. ¡°It¡¯s normal. Every composer has different strengths and preferences. Collaboration should be mutual.¡± ¡°Your Rhine Cat is perfect. Its popularity and sales in both the kids¡¯ and mature markets are proof. If we ever fail in the cosmetics market, we could easily pivot to toys.¡± Lin Xian knew she was joking, so he didn¡¯t pursue it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the theme song. We have many more composers to talk to.¡± Zhao Ying Jun took another sip of her tea and said, ¡°I hope to find the best composer for Rhine Cat. I think it¡¯s worth striving for. I called you here to prepare all the information about Rhine Cat so we can present it well to the top composers.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian agreed. At that moment, he understood why Chu Shan He pampered his daughter so much. He also loved Rhine Cat and wanted only the best for it. Back in his office, Lin Xian compiled all the information on Rhine Cat, focusing on its image and design background, and sent the electronic file to Zhao Ying Jun. After that, he left work. He had important things to do in the dream world tonight. Garbage Dump No. 314, Four garbage trucks arriving at 23:19, Carrying tens of thousands of water-damaged books, A treasure trove of history and knowledge! ¡°I hope to find the two books I want most among them.¡± Lin Xian washed up, turned off the lights, and lay in bed. He closed his eyes and turned over. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 110: Destiny ¡°I think we can pull this off,¡± San Pang said, nodding in agreement with Lin Xian¡¯s idea to collaborate with the Face Gang. ¡°Fantastic! It¡¯s a deal then!¡± Big Cat Face cheered, clapping his hands and laughing loudly. He slung an arm around Lin Xian¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Brother, from today onwards¡ª¡± ¡°I get it, Brother Face. From now on, I¡¯m with the Face Gang, upholding the ideals of Cat Ideology and advancing the philosophy of Face. We¡¯ll fight for the preservation of human history and knowledge!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Big Cat Face was taken aback. ¡°Brother, are you giving a speech? You nearly broke into song!¡± ¡°But...¡± He erupted in laughter. ¡°I admire your passion! You¡¯ve got flair! You speak right to my heart! A true soulmate!¡± ¡°So tell me, brother, what do you desire? Anything I can do, I¡¯ll make it happen!¡± ¡°I want to meet Boss Li,¡± Lin Xian stated earnestly. ¡°I¡¯ve got a crucial tip. Tonight, at Garbage Disposal Plant No. 314, they¡¯ll be receiving a large delivery of water-damaged books. So, for tonight¡¯s mission, we should consider intercepting those books.¡± ¡°Really, brother?¡± Big Cat Face, always direct and trustworthy, readily believed Lin Xian, which Lin Xian valued. ¡°Hmm... this is significant. I can¡¯t decide alone.¡± Big Cat Face paused, then made a decisive gesture. ¡°Let¡¯s go see Boss Li together. He¡¯ll make the call. If your info is right and there really are loads of books to recover, it¡¯ll be worth altering our plan.¡± ¡°But if we switch targets, we¡¯ll need to scout the location early, adjust our route for the patrol drones, and spot the surveillance blind spots.¡± Half an hour later, they reached Boss Li¡¯s courtyard. After some deliberation and inevitable negotiations, Boss Li furrowed his brow, stroking his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Garbage Disposal Plant No. 314, you say? That¡¯s quite a trek south of New Donghai City.¡± ¡°Distance isn¡¯t the problem. The real issue is whether we can rely on this information. It¡¯s not that I distrust you, Lin Xian, but as the head of our operations, I need to ensure the safety of my team. Whether you¡¯re a newbie or a seasoned member like Ah Zhuang or Er Zhuzi, I have to be cautious.¡± Boss Li was understandably wary. Scaling the plant¡¯s walls on his own was impossible for Lin Xian, not to mention evading the complex drone patrols and on-site supervisors. He needed the Face Gang¡¯s assistance, especially their human ladder. Lin Xian needed to persuade Boss Li: ¡°Boss Li, I know it¡¯s risky to hit an unfamiliar plant. But my source is solid, and the potential reward is huge.¡± ¡°Especially since they¡¯re expected to deliver a significant number of water-damaged books to Plant 314 tonight. This stash could include a wealth of historical and academic texts, far more than we¡¯d get in years of raiding.¡± ¡°Our usual target for tonight mostly deals with domestic and construction waste, including junk from defunct banks. It¡¯s a waste of our time if you trust me.¡± ¡°But at Plant 314, I¡¯m certain about the time: 11:19 PM. Four large garbage trucks will drop off tens of thousands of water-damaged books. We can exploit the shift change at midnight to snatch a large number.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Lin Xian faced Boss Li. ¡°I know you¡¯re primarily concerned with safety, and you should be. A single error could be disastrous. Normally, you¡¯d prefer a familiar site.¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s meticulousness impressed Lin Xian. It seemed he had inherited some mathematical prowess from his father. Perhaps everyone has unique talents and gifts. Different times, circumstances, and encounters dictate whether these talents shine or fade. Indeed, circumstances make heroes. The cool summer breeze rustled through the forest, carrying the fresh scent of leaves, the rose aroma from Ning Ning, and the acrid smell from the plant¡¯s incinerator. Lin Xian glanced at the girl beside him. Her silhouette reminded him of CC, especially in the black bodysuit, slender and tall. Yet, she appeared noticeably younger and less seasoned. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ning Ning, donning an Ultraman mask, turned, her bright eyes meeting Lin Xian¡¯s through their masks. ¡°Nothing.¡± Lin Xian shifted his gaze to the formidable steel barrier ahead. What kind of lives did the girls of New Donghai lead? Luxurious? Noble? Wealthy? Certainly not like Ning Ning, in her prime years, crouching outside a foul-smelling garbage plant, risking her life for a few soggy books. ¡°I don¡¯t like this world as it is,¡± Lin Xian murmured. ¡°Me neither.¡± Ning Ning fiddled with the tree bark beside her. ¡°But this is our fate. What can we do if we don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°Do you believe in fate?¡± Lin Xian questioned her. ¡°No.¡± Ning Ning peeled off a large piece of bark and regarded Lin Xian. ¡°If I believed in fate, would I be doing this?¡± ¡°I think we shape our own destinies. If you don¡¯t try, nothing changes. But if you do, you might change everything.¡± She tossed the bark at a passing drone. It was too light and thin, falling far short of its target. Lin Xian watched the bark fall, initially crumpled but slowly unfolding due to its resilience. It mirrored Ning Ning¡¯s spirit. ¡°I like how you think,¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Big Cat Face turned, glaring at Lin Xian. ¡°You! What are you liking? I¡¯m warning you, brother! Ning Ning is only ** years old, watch it!¡± ¡°Do you ever tire of this joke?¡± Lin Xian was annoyed. ¡°I was just talking to her! Must you always interfere?¡± Er Zhuzi stood tall¡ª ¡°Shut it.¡± Lin Xian cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t bring up the sister-in-law.¡± ¡°Quiet!¡± Big Cat Face commanded, his face stern. He watched two approaching patrol drones, taking a firm stance. ¡°The surveillance blind spot is nearing... focus... Get ready to move!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 111: Heaven Envied Talent ¡°Er Zhuzi!¡± Big Cat Face shouted, his face reddening from the effort. Er Zhuzi leaped into the air and landed gracefully atop the human ladder, completing the final piece of their human pillar.Vissit for updates This was true human art. Despite it being the third time Lin Xian had witnessed this incredible performance, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the ingenuity and teamwork of the Face Gang. Their level of cooperation surpassed what any ordinary team could achieve. ¡°Ning Ning, you go first!¡± Following Big Cat Face¡¯s command, Li Ning Ning adjusted her mask and dashed forward. With the agility of a cat, she made several quick jumps, using an external martial arts technique that Lin Xian couldn¡¯t identify, to vault over the eight-meter-high wall. This wall served as a grand stage where each member showcased their unique talents. Perhaps due to her youth and lightness, Li Ning Ning was much more agile than CC or Lin Xian himself. Lin Xian relied on momentum and brute strength to scale walls, gripping the brick seams with his fingers, while CC primarily depended on technique. Li Ning Ning¡¯s movements were a mystery to Lin Xian, a manifestation of her natural talent and the advantages of being young. ¡°Lin Xian! Hurry up!¡± With the strain evident in his voice, Big Cat Face called out, supporting the weight of two or three others above him. Lin Xian summoned his strength and speed, leaping over the wall with a powerful jump. ¡°Lin Xian, over here.¡± Having already found cover, Li Ning Ning waved Lin Xian over. Once concealed, Lin Xian checked his watch: 23:47 They had infiltrated earlier than previous times. However, it wasn¡¯t yet time for the guard shift, so they had to wait. The shift change wouldn¡¯t happen until between 00:00 and 00:20. Big Cat Face had also mentioned that their escape¡¯s blind spot in the surveillance would last only 30 seconds after 00:19. Thus, Li Ning Ning and Lin Xian had only 19 minutes to rummage through the garbage. Lin Xian was indifferent, but Li Ning Ning needed to depart by 00:19 because the new surveillance guard would arrive at 00:20. Discovery would mean the end. The guard would trigger the alarm, and escape would become impossible. Hence, they waited for the current guard to leave for the shift change. ¡°Lin Xian, look over there! So many books! This is incredible!¡± Li Ning Ning exclaimed excitedly. To her, those books were as precious as gold. She grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm, pulling him in the direction she had pointed. Sure enough, there were four heaps of books. Thousands of books in various sizes and colors piled up, forming a small mountain. From their vantage point, they couldn¡¯t tell if the books were water-damaged; they saw only a mixture of colors. CC¡¯s intelligence was spot on. At 23:19, four large garbage trucks had dumped these water-damaged books, offloading them into four distinct piles. This garbage disposal plant bustled with robots and automated machines sorting, transporting, and incinerating waste, but they hadn¡¯t yet processed these piles of water-damaged books. In 12 minutes, the surveillance guard would head to headquarters for the shift change. All the robots and automated machinery here were oblivious to human presence, allowing Lin Xian and Li Ning Ning free rein to explore the book heaps. ¡°Ning Ning, I need your help with something.¡± Lin Xian turned to Li Ning Ning, who was donning an Ultraman mask. ¡°There are two books that are very important to me. If you find them while searching, please call out to me or throw them my way.¡± ¡°Sure, what books?¡± He opened the book to the author¡¯s introduction. Since 2617, this man had been the CEO of MX Company, his bio adorned with a lengthy list of titles and accolades. Lin Xian skimmed it without much interest. The details in this book confirmed that, 600 years later, the CEO of MX Company wasn¡¯t Zhao Ying Jun. For some reason, Lin Xian felt reassured by this. Deep down, he didn¡¯t want Zhao Ying Jun to be the antagonist, nor did he want to encounter an old acquaintance from 600 years ago in the future world. The thought was unsettling. However, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t disturbed that CC and Chu An Qing looked alike. Beyond their appearances, the two had almost nothing in common. Just a brief conversation made it impossible to see them as the same person. The differences were stark! They might look identical when still, but their movements and speech revealed immediate, clear distinctions. It was a strange sensation indeed. ¡°Hmm...¡± Lin Xian contemplated the bald man on the cover, pondering. Had he misunderstood Zhao Ying Jun and the Genius Club? Despite lacking definitive proof, he still believed the Genius Club was a nefarious organization. But would a benevolent group project its logo onto the moon? That seemed too audacious, too ¡°evil.¡± Yet, this was merely Lin Xian¡¯s subjective judgment. The facts were unclear, and he couldn¡¯t jump to conclusions based on his prior knowledge. The black hand shadow on the moon was certainly the work of the Genius Club. And Zhao Ying Jun, the CEO of MX Company, had received an invitation 600 years ago. So, it seemed likely that the Genius Club-controlled MX Company was behind the construction of New Donghai City. The man who calculated the universal constant, Big Cat Face¡¯s father, had also been taken there. In his initial dream, Big Cat Face uncovered evidence linking his father¡¯s death to the Genius Club. With all these clues overlapping, it was easy to infer that MX Company was essentially under the Genius Club¡¯s control, leading to the creation of a vast sci-fi city like New Donghai City. But upon further reflection, this conclusion wasn¡¯t rigorously substantiated. There was still no concrete evidence. It was all Lin Xian¡¯s conjecture. ¡°Anyway, it seems that 600 years later, MX Company has no ties to Zhao Ying Jun. But building a massive sci-fi city like New Donghai City couldn¡¯t have occurred overnight. During that period, MX Company must have undergone several leadership changes and reorganizations.¡± ¡°So... when did Zhao Ying Jun lose control of the company? Or did she maintain control over MX Company for a long time?¡± Curious, Lin Xian opened the book to the preface. ¡°Me and MX¡± The preface seemed irrelevant. At least to Lin Xian, it was. He wasn¡¯t interested in how this bald white man had grown MX Company. He was only interested in its history. Flipping through the pages, he finally reached the crucial information. The book stated: MX Company was founded in 2020 by Zhao Ying Jun, who started from scratch in Donghai City, turning it into the colossal MX Company. Under Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s wise leadership, MX Company rapidly ascended to prominence in the domestic cosmetics industry and began gaining international recognition. However, heaven envies talent. This page ended here. Anxious, Lin Xian quickly turned the page. What happened? Why did it end with ¡°heaven envies talent¡±? Turning the page, the first sentence hit Lin Xian like a bolt of lightning: Just as the company was reaching new heights, Zhao Ying Jun was tragically killed in a shooting incident, dying at the age of 23. Subsequently, MX Company was taken over by the Zhao family from the capital, undergoing significant personnel changes and business reorganization. From then on, MX Company embarked on a new path! This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 112: The Choice A shooting incident? An accidental death? Lin Xian stared at the ominous words. ¡°Did Zhao Ying Jun really die so young?¡± He focused on the phrases [a beauty¡¯s passing], [died at 23] was a cruelly short lifespan. Lin Xian scratched his head, uncertain of his emotions. Accidents and death were daily realities, yet it felt different when it involved someone he knew, someone he interacted with almost daily. They had even spoken in her office earlier that day. If the book had claimed Zhao Ying Jun died at 30 or 40, it wouldn¡¯t have seemed so shocking. But 23? That was far too young. More importantly, Zhao Ying Jun was 23 now... Was her death imminent? Lin Xian gazed at her name on the water-damaged book. He never imagined he would find a friend¡¯s death date written in a book from 600 years in the future. Whistle! Whistle! Outside the wall, a sound like a bird call echoed. Lin Xian checked his watch. 00:18:24 Big Cat Face was probably signaling that it was time to move. They had to leave before 00:19 when the surveillance blind spot would last only 30 seconds. ¡°Lin Xian, we need to go! The surveillance blind spot is only 30 seconds starting at 00:19!¡± Ning Ning called, rushing toward the wall with a stack of books. Lin Xian quickly flipped through the biography again but found no further useful details. The book briefly mentioned the founding of MX Company and Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s accidental death, then reverted to a self-indulgent tone. ¡°Lin Xian! What are you doing? Hurry up!¡± Ning Ning ran back to drag him away. ¡°Stop reading! We can read it outside!¡± Lin Xian was taken aback that Ning Ning had come back for him. He thought she would have already scaled the wall. He hadn¡¯t planned to leave, preferring to find a hidden spot to read the book thoroughly. ¡°Hurry, we¡¯re running out of time!¡± Ning Ning grabbed his arm, pulling him through the trash heap. Lin Xian tucked the book into his waistband and followed. However... Buzz! Buzz! The buzz of a drone¡¯s propellers grew louder as it approached quickly! Ning Ning¡¯s return had delayed them; they were about to be caught in the drone¡¯s surveillance range! ¡°You go first.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ning Ning was startled. The next second, Lin Xian lifted her up and used himself as a makeshift ladder, boosting her over the wall. ¡°Climb over!¡± That invitation was his only connection between his reality and his dreams. Lin Xian felt that all the mysteries might be linked to the Genius Club. He couldn¡¯t afford to lose this vital clue. ¡°I can¡¯t let Zhao Ying Jun die.¡± Lin Xian lifted his gaze. ¡°Her death would severely hinder my investigation.¡± He twirled the pen in his fingers. Losing Zhao Ying Jun would sever his only clue, his only link, his only chance to delve into the Genius Club. Moreover, he was curious whether preventing her death might alter the future. Would New Donghai City remain walled? Would the MX Company towers still dominate the city center? Lin Xian disliked the dystopian world of his second dream. Ning Ning and many others did as well. The twisted future seemed less appealing than the underdeveloped world of his first dream. ¡°So...¡± ¡°If Zhao Ying Jun doesn¡¯t die young, could the future and New Donghai City change?¡± Considering the laws of time and space and the butterfly effect, Lin Xian saw a high probability. If he could prevent her untimely death, it would establish a temporal anchor point. If this temporal change could break the 600-year cycle, it might trigger a butterfly effect, altering the future and the dream world. ¡°It¡¯s worth a try.¡± At the very least, he couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch her die. Professor Xu Yun¡¯s horrific death was still fresh in his mind. Lin Xian didn¡¯t want to witness another friend¡¯s demise. If Zhao Ying Jun were a villain, it might be different. But she had shown no signs of wrongdoing. He couldn¡¯t judge her based solely on a Genius Club invitation and Big Cat Face¡¯s suspicions. Though Lin Xian regarded the Genius Club as a potential adversary, he entertained the possibility of misunderstanding both the club and Zhao Ying Jun. The true nature of the club and her alignment were still unknown. Overall, saving Zhao Ying Jun outweighed the risks. ¡°But I must ensure my safety first.¡± Lin Xian stopped twirling the pen, staring into the dark night outside. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun received the Genius Club invitation, and the club¡¯s nature remains unclear. I mustn¡¯t reveal my intentions or that I know her fate.¡± ¡°Dreams are my greatest secret and weapon. I can¡¯t expose my knowledge of the future.¡± When planning to save Zhao Ying Jun, he needed to be cautious and discreet, adhering to three principles: Don¡¯t inform Zhao Ying Jun of her impending death or reveal his foresight. Avoid suspicious, abrupt actions to keep her safe. Ensure she naturally and inconspicuously escapes the shooting incident. Staring at the words ¡°accidental death¡± on the paper, Lin Xian recalled Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s incident, Professor Xu Yun¡¯s tragedy, the future world with its blackened moon, and MX Company¡¯s towering buildings. He shivered. Was Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s death truly an accident? This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 113: The Judge of Life and Death Lin Xian lifted his gaze to the sky, where the moon hovered, partially hidden by drifting clouds. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun,¡± he pondered, ¡°this woman is shrouded in too many mysteries.¡± Though unassuming in appearance, she had received an invitation to the Genius Club. Her company, MX Company, began as a modest cosmetics brand but had morphed into a massive conglomerate, pioneering the construction of steel cities in a future era. Moreover, there was the mysterious Zhao Group in the capital... ¡°What web has she become entangled in?¡± Lin Xian whispered to himself as he propped his chin with his hands while sitting back in his chair, ¡°Zhao Ying Jun is a woman of many secrets, and these secrets are vital to me.¡± To alter her destiny and change her predetermined end, he first needed to uncover the circumstances of her demise. The details of her death¡ªthe event, the time, the place¡ªwere all crucial. Only with a clear understanding of these elements could he hope to save her with certainty. In that moment, Lin Xian felt akin to a judge of life and death, yet his role was not to condemn but to rescue, to rewrite Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s fate as prescribed by the cosmic ledger of life and death. He stared at the sparse lines he had jotted down on a sheet of blank paper. The information he had was scant. In the self-aggrandizing autobiography titled ¡°Me and MX,¡± the CEO spent 99.99% of the text glorifying his own achievements, leaving a mere 0.01% about MX Company. Within that sliver, only one sentence pertained to its founder, Zhao Ying Jun: ¡°Just as the company reached its peak, Miss Zhao Ying Jun met a tragic end in a shooting incident at the stroke of midnight, at the tender age of 23.¡± The specifics of her death¡ªwhen, where, why¡ªremained undisclosed... Had MX Company not thrived for 600 years, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s brief mention and her obscure demise would likely have been lost to the annals of history. ¡°So, these critical details... I must investigate them myself.¡± Solving a mystery with such scant information from 600 years in the future was no small feat. Yet, he clung to one vital clue. Lin Xian circled the phrase ¡°at the age of 23¡± on his paper. It was a significant clue. Zhao Ying Jun was currently 23, the same age when Lin Xian had joined the company the previous July. She wasn¡¯t immortal; she couldn¡¯t remain 23 indefinitely. ¡°If the record states she was 23 at her time of death, then her demise must occur before her 24th birthday.¡± This logic seemed sound unless the historical record was flawed, in which case, even divine intervention couldn¡¯t aid Zhao Ying Jun. Lin Xian checked his phone for any information on MX Company and interviews with Zhao Ying Jun. The company had gained substantial domestic fame, and as a young CEO, Zhao Ying Jun attracted considerable media attention. He quickly discovered her birth date¡ªJanuary 15, 1999. ¡°January 15? That¡¯s alarmingly soon!¡± He glanced at the digital clock on his nightstand. It displayed: January 12, 2022 00:37 ¡°...What a coincidence?¡± Lin Xian mused, organizing his thoughts. The historical record explicitly stated that Zhao Ying Jun died at 23, a detail unlikely to be erroneous, especially considering it came from the boastful autobiography of MX Company¡¯s CEO. An error in documenting the founder¡¯s fate would be absurd. Viewing it from another angle, given that Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s death involved a shooting, it would be a major event in Donghai City, likely documented extensively by the police and reported widely due to her high-profile status. Thus, the ¡°at the age of 23¡± detail was probably accurate. How to proceed? Lin Xian stood and paced his bedroom. ¡°I¡¯ve figured it out.¡± ... The next morning, Lin Xian arrived early at the company. He organized his work materials, ready to present them to Zhao Ying Jun. Unfortunately, she was out for the morning and would not return until the afternoon. He waited patiently until then. On the 22nd floor, in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office. ¡°Very good,¡± Zhao Ying Jun remarked after reviewing Lin Xian¡¯s report, nodding with approval. ¡°You continue to handle everything impeccably.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Lin Xian responded evenly, his gaze fixed on Zhao Ying Jun, who seemed oblivious to her looming fate. ¡°Do you have time tonight?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Zhao Ying Jun inquired, tidying the files on her desk without looking up. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian nodded, his expression earnest. ¡°I¡¯ve reserved a table at a fine restaurant. I¡¯d like to invite you to dinner tonight.¡± Zhao Ying Jun paused, a pencil slipping from her grasp and rolling off the desk. The spacious office fell silent, the only sound the rustling of dry leaves from a potted plant. A breeze seemed to stir from nowhere. ¡°You want to take me to dinner?¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, setting aside her files. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and smiled at Lin Xian. ¡°Is there a special reason?¡± Lin Xian nodded, ¡°I want to thank you for your support and the opportunities you¡¯ve provided. You¡¯ve played a significant role in my career, and I wish to express my gratitude. You¡¯ve given me numerous chances to demonstrate my abilities, shaping my present circumstances.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Zhao Ying Jun resumed organizing her desk. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary. Your achievements stem from your own efforts and talent, not my influence. If anyone should be grateful, it¡¯s me, for your contributions during MX Company¡¯s challenging times.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s another reason,¡± Lin Xian quickly added, anticipating her reluctance. He needed a more compelling justification. ¡°Oh?¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked up, curiosity piqued. ¡°Go on.¡± Lin Xian hesitated, then disclosed, ¡°I¡¯m considering leaving MX Company.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 114: Something Special Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s smile vanished as she straightened up, fixing her gaze on Lin Xian. ¡°Leaving MX Company? That¡¯s rather sudden... Do you have other plans? Are you thinking about joining another company?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± Lin Xian replied calmly. ¡°I¡¯m considering starting my own venture.¡± ¡°Have you thought this through?¡± ¡°Not completely,¡± Lin Xian admitted, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m a bit confused right now. A lot has happened recently. I¡¯ve gained some capital, but... I¡¯m unsure what to do next or how to proceed.¡± ¡°I admire your achievements in the business world at such a young age. I aspire to do something similar, so I¡¯m thinking of taking this chance while I¡¯m young and have the resources to start my own business. Of course, I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m quitting MX Company right away.¡± Realizing he had piqued Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s interest, Lin Xian continued cautiously, ¡°I still feel I lack experience. I don¡¯t know much about business or management. Rushing into starting a business now wouldn¡¯t be wise.¡± ¡°I still want to learn more from you, acquire more skills. There¡¯s no rush to start a business, but having a plan and direction beforehand is crucial.¡± ¡°That¡¯s actually why I wanted to have dinner with you. If you don¡¯t mind... I¡¯d like to discuss this with you tonight, to hear your opinions and advice.¡± Lin Xian used the possibility of leaving MX Company as leverage against Zhao Ying Jun. It was her major concern. He held half the copyrights of the Rhine Cat, and his departure might prompt a renegotiation of ownership. Furthermore, Lin Xian¡¯s innovative designs were the real value behind the Rhine Cat. Additionally, Professor Xu Yun¡¯s authorization of a magical chemical substance was in Lin Xian¡¯s possession. He could withdraw MX Company¡¯s authorization at any time and grant it to other cosmetic companies. This posed a real danger to MX Company. These issues were manageable as long as Lin Xian stayed with MX Company. However, if he ever left, the timing and impact of these potential problems would become critical. Lin Xian had no intention of leaving MX Company; he hadn¡¯t even received the Genius Club invitation yet. But without using this leverage, Zhao Ying Jun wouldn¡¯t have agreed to dinner. If she accepted the dinner, her schedule would change, altering the course of events. If the shooting happened tonight, Zhao Ying Jun could avoid it, thus changing the history that led to her premature death. ¡°Hmm...¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Your concerns are valid. If you have plans for a business or ideas for commercial development, I can certainly share some of my experiences¡ªthough they¡¯re more lessons learned from failures.¡±Yo?ur favorite stories on ¡°But I¡¯m sorry, Lin Xian,¡± Zhao Ying Jun leaned back in her chair. ¡°Tonight isn¡¯t possible. I already have an appointment.¡± She pulled out some documents Lin Xian had prepared about the Rhine Cat. Zhao Ying Jun had mentioned showing them to other composers. ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ve arranged a meeting with a top domestic music producer to discuss the Rhine Cat¡¯s theme song. We scheduled it late because he has another dinner first. I need to wait for him to finish before we can meet.¡± ¡°I appreciate your talent, but expertise is necessary. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let your creation down. I¡¯ll find a top composer.¡± Lin Xian coughed and said earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m not just talking. I taught myself guitar in college.¡± ¡°Self-taught?¡± ¡°I actually composed a song that I think suits the Rhine Cat. I even wrote the lyrics while designing the character, but never showed it because I didn¡¯t think it was necessary,¡± Lin Xian lied convincingly. ¡°Really?¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You wrote the lyrics too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That sounds... interesting,¡± she smiled, still skeptical. ¡°Why don¡¯t you grab a guitar from the storeroom and perform it for me?¡± ¡°Sure, why not.¡± Lin Xian had already prepared for this. Moments later, the staff brought him a guitar. Lin Xian tuned it and played a simple chord progression while Zhao Ying Jun watched, half-believing. ¡°I¡¯ll start now.¡± Lin Xian was not a composer, and his guitar skills were basic. But he could manage a simple chord progression. His confidence stemmed from the ¡°mental pollution¡± of the first dream. He often visited a toy store in that dream and nearly memorized all the designs of the Rhine Cat. The Rhine Cat was enormously popular in the future. Its merchandise filled store shelves, and a catchy theme song played repeatedly in the background. Lin Xian knew the song by heart due to its incessant repetition. It was an earworm, permanently lodged in his mind. Under Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s attentive gaze, Lin Xian played and sang the catchy and memorable song. After finishing, Lin Xian set the guitar down and looked at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°How was it?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 115: A Blank History Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s face was a canvas of emotions¡ªsurprise, joy, and confusion blending together. Finally, she nodded firmly. ¡°Lin Xian, I must admit, I¡¯ve underestimated you. Your talents span music, painting, and more.¡± ¡°Painting is just a hobby, nothing special,¡± Lin Xian replied, standing up. ¡°If you like this song, we could use it as the theme for ¡®Rhine Cat.¡¯¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to ensure it¡¯s well represented since I designed it,¡± he added. Zhao Ying Jun saw no reason to object. As the CEO, she was aware of the risk of Lin Xian possibly branching out on his own. ¡°That sounds fine to me,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I do like it. And since it¡¯s your creation, you should have the final say.¡± Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure if her agreement was genuine or just for convenience, but she agreed nonetheless. Following that, Zhao Ying Jun called the music producer¡¯s agent to cancel their planned meeting for that evening. ¡°So, Lin Xian, since my evening is now free, would you prefer to have dinner tonight or tomorrow?¡± ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Lin Xian answered promptly. ¡°I should have mentioned it earlier today.¡± With Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s schedule already cleared, pushing the dinner to tonight seemed pointless. It was better to wait until tomorrow to keep her safely away from the planned shooting incident. ¡°Alright,¡± Zhao Ying Jun stretched leisurely. ¡°I¡¯ll head home and rest then. It¡¯s been ages since I last had a good night¡¯s sleep.¡± ¡°Make sure to find a studio tomorrow and get a professional recording of the theme song. We¡¯ll pass it directly to the singer afterward,¡± she instructed. ¡°Will do,¡± Lin Xian nodded, then exited her office. Bang. The sound of the heavy double-locked door echoed as it shut, dividing their worlds once more. Around 5 PM, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s business car rolled out of the company grounds, heading towards her home. From behind the office blinds, Lin Xian watched. She was leaving earlier than ever. Typically a workaholic, she packed every minute with tasks, handling almost everything personally. However, today was different. Lin Xian¡¯s impromptu performance of the ¡®Rhine Cat¡¯ theme song had upended her schedule. Her usual routine and historical trajectory had shifted. If the assassination was set for tonight, the bullet would now miss its mark. Neither the assassin nor Zhao Ying Jun would wait for the other. Given her residence in a highly secure neighborhood in Donghai, she should be safe. Lin Xian checked the time. Almost 5:30 PM. If he went home now, he¡¯d miss his chance to prevent the theft at the 314 garbage dump and miss the night¡¯s operation planned by Li Cheng. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep in the office.¡± The office had a rest area, free from formaldehyde and odors, suitable for an overnight stay. He needed to check the dream world at the 314 garbage dump to see if Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s history had altered. ¡°If tonight¡¯s the shooting, the autobiography should reflect changes. The butterfly effect might even erase the existence of the bald CEO, MX Company, or even New Donghai City.¡± Lin Xian headed to the rest room, drew the curtains, and settled onto the new bed... ¡°Lin Xian! I found it!¡± Across a stack of books, Li Ning Ning called out. ¡°Throw it over!¡± Whoosh... Slap. The autobiography landed at Lin Xian¡¯s feet. ¡°That was thrilling.¡± It was his first flawless mission involving book theft. Books secured, No casualties, Mission accomplished perfectly. ¡°Perfect,¡± he whispered. Feeling a sense of accomplishment and pride, he savored the moment as if he had fought for human history and knowledge. ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Big Cat Face asked, intrigued. ¡°Perfect.¡± ¡°Yo! You know foreign languages too!¡± Big Cat Face chuckled. ¡°Teach me a few words!¡± ¡°Forget it; you¡¯re not the linguistic type.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t underestimate me! I¡¯m great with languages! Teach me something!¡± ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Big Cat Face echoed, smirking. ¡°Fancy!¡± They lingered on the hill, basking in the success of their haul, laughter filling the air. Li Ning Ning remarked it was their most successful raid in years. Lin Xian sorted through the books scattered on the ground. Science, textbooks, engineering blueprints, academic texts... Indeed, these were treasures for Li Cheng and those beyond the steel walls. But... ¡°Why no history books?¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t recall seeing any history books among the soggy heaps. How could a massive bookstore, flooded with tens of thousands of books, lack even one history book? ¡°Ning Ning, did you see any history books in there?¡± He knew it was a futile question¡ªif she had seen any, they would be here. ¡°Have you ever found history books at the dump?¡± ¡°No,¡± Li Ning Ning shook her head. ¡°Not a single one.¡± Lin Xian frowned... This absence wasn¡¯t random. In a chance search at the dump, missing history books could be overlooked. But in a vast bookstore, with both of them searching, to find not one history book was beyond strange. ¡°This isn¡¯t normal.¡± Lin Xian glanced at Big Cat Face, who was joking with Ah Zhuang and Er Zhuzi... The intel about history books in New Donghai City had come from Big Cat Face. Reflecting on it, he probably assumed too much. He thought since New Donghai City had everything, it would naturally include history books. But now, it seemed they were all mistaken. History books were absent, not just here but seemingly everywhere in the future world. ¡°Why is this?¡± Lin Xian pondered. He looked up at the full moon, noticing the black silhouette of a hand pointing skyward: ¡°Does this world... have no history?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 116: The Date of Death BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! At precisely 00:42, a blinding white light enveloped everything, consuming history as time itself swallows the past. Lin Xian awoke to the musty scent of old furniture. Disoriented, he scanned the unfamiliar room, then sat up and drew back the curtains to reveal a nearly full moon. Amid stacks of waterlogged books, not a single history book was to be found. This was bizarre. Were history books deliberately withheld from circulation? Was history being manipulated to prevent people from learning about the past? What could be the purpose? Rubbing his head in confusion, Lin Xian pondered, ¡°History has already occurred. Its main roles are to educate, warn, and foster understanding. It¡¯s not considered ¡®useful¡¯ knowledge. Unlike engineering, physics, and other sciences, history has no productive or destructive power; it¡¯s static and unalterable.¡± Then he remembered something Zhao Ying Jun had mentioned, ¡°History doesn¡¯t change.¡± A chill breeze whisked through the sealed room, sending a shiver up Lin Xian¡¯s spine. What if history could be altered? Revisiting his previous thoughts, he considered that from a temporal perspective, history could indeed be destructive. For someone capable of changing history, it could become the ultimate weapon of time. ¡°Like me,¡± Lin Xian realized. With a precise and detailed history book documenting every significant event, time, location, and impact, he might reshape the future as he desired. This was mere speculation, yet even minor manipulations of the temporal butterfly effect could have terrifying consequences. For instance, if Lin Xian disliked the future depicted in his second dream, with its towering walls in the new metropolis, he could trace its origins. He could identify who first proposed the metropolis concept and why, trace their lineage back to 2023, and determine who gave birth to this visionary centuries later. By preventing this individual¡¯s ancestors from meeting, he could obliterate the steel cities of 600 years hence. While radical and challenging, Lin Xian knew it wasn¡¯t impossible. This was just one simple example. With detailed historical records, the possibilities were endless. ¡°Could it be that to prevent such alterations, the future world tightly controls history, creating historical gaps?¡± This thought fascinated Lin Xian. He believed the true history was preserved somewhere, controlled or concealed as it might be. Even if fragmented and chaotic, traces of history must exist. In his first dream, though details were vague, the list of World Cup champions had survived. Even lacking specifics, that too was history¡ªa trace of the past. Zhao Ying Jun raised her glass in response, smiling warmly. ¡°And I am fortunate to have a team member like you.¡± They sipped their wine, then continued their discussion, touching on the Rhine Cat project, Xu Yun, and other topics. Lin Xian learned that Zhao Ying Jun had postponed a meeting with a director to dine with him tonight. Her schedule was packed, meeting with composers one day, directors the next, and artists thereafter. Reflecting on her hectic life, Lin Xian realized such a demanding routine was far from the commanding CEO lifestyle he had imagined. ¡°Sometimes, taking it easy isn¡¯t so bad,¡± he thought but kept these thoughts to himself. Outwardly, he remained the ambitious professional, always prioritizing advancement at MX Company. After dinner, Zhao Ying Jun offered Lin Xian a ride home, but he declined, citing plans with friends nearby. He had chosen the restaurant close to her home for safety reasons, ensuring she wouldn¡¯t have to travel far at night. Caution was always prudent. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be off,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said as her driver closed her car door. Rolling down her window, she smiled at Lin Xian. ¡°Thanks for dinner. The caviar was indeed excellent.¡± ¡°Goodbye,¡± Lin Xian waved as her car pulled away. She was only a five-minute drive from home. Checking his watch, he noted it was just past 9 PM, far from ¡°midnight.¡± ¡°Tonight, everything should be fine.¡± The next day, Lin Xian checked his phone for news about Donghai, scanning for any reports on shootings or related incidents. ¡°Nothing.¡± Shootings were rare and heavily reported in this country. If something had happened in Donghai City involving Zhao Ying Jun, it would have made the headlines. This meant the predicted shooting incident that could have ended Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s life hadn¡¯t occurred. Checking the date on his bedside clock, Lin Xian noted, January 14, 2023. ¡°Tonight... is Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s date of death.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 117: The Pull of Fate Lin Xian sat up in bed and pulled open the curtains to let the warm sunlight in. Despite the brightness, he felt a chill. He vividly recalled a book from 600 years in the future that foretold Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s fate: she was destined to die at 23 in a midnight shooting. Tonight, at midnight, she would turn 24. ¡°So, according to history, Zhao Ying Jun won¡¯t live past tonight,¡± Lin Xian murmured to himself. It was January 14, 2023, at 10:00 AM. Only 12 hours remained until Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s foretold demise. How could he save her? Two days ago, on January 12, Zhao Ying Jun had planned to meet a composer but canceled to record the theme song for Rhine Cat. Yesterday, she intended to meet an animation director but instead had dinner with Lin Xian. Today, she was supposed to meet a female singer about the song. He couldn¡¯t keep making her cancel her plans. That would raise suspicions. Lin Xian wondered if Zhao Ying Jun might be a member of the Genius Club. His life was at stake, too. But was there a way to save them both? At MX Company¡¯s 22nd-floor office, time seemed frozen. Two days prior, Lin Xian had played the guitar on the sofa, wiping it down with a paper towel¡ªthe cleanest spot in the room. ¡°Is the demo ready? Did you finish it?¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked up from her documents. ¡°Almost,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°I spoke to the recording studio. They said it should be ready this afternoon.¡± ¡°Good, get it as soon as you can,¡± she instructed, eyes back on her files. ¡°Do you want to come with me tonight?¡± Lin Xian was taken aback. ¡°Can I?¡± With instructions clear, Lin Xian went to the underground garage, found the designated spot with the remote, and revealed a blue convertible Bentley Continental GT. This rare car boasted a 6.0L twin-turbo engine with over 650 horsepower. Lin Xian, though not a car owner, was well-versed about this model. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s choice reflected her immense wealth. Why did she work relentlessly despite her fortunes? Lin Xian started the Bentley, the engine¡¯s roar stirring memories of his dreamt driving adventures, which far surpassed this real-world experience. ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± he muttered, shifting the car to manual and speeding out of the garage. He carefully turned on all the vehicle¡¯s systems, determined to return the Bentley unscathed. He thought about his promise to buy a car from Gao Yang¡¯s dealership, planning to keep it soon. Despite his dreams¡¯ thrills, real-world luxuries seemed less exhilarating. Driving to the recording studio, Lin Xian felt in control of the evening, poised to ensure Zhao Ying Jun escaped her predicted fate. Later, after picking up the demo, Lin Xian returned home to get ready for the party. At 7:30 PM, he picked up Zhao Ying Jun, who was dressed to match the blue Bentley. ¡°Why a convertible? It¡¯s not that warm,¡± Lin Xian commented, admiring her sapphire earrings and blue dress. ¡°This party is special. The car fits the theme,¡± she replied, setting her purse on her lap. ¡°It¡¯s a casual business party. We¡¯re just meeting the singer. If you approve of her voice, we can finalize everything tonight,¡± she added as they drove off. Lin Xian nodded, driving them to the venue. The location was remote, but light traffic allowed a smooth journey. As evening fell, Lin Xian parked the impressive Bentley at the entrance, opening the door for Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Ms. Zhao, we¡¯ve arrived,¡± he announced. She elegantly exited, lifting her dress slightly, and entered the golden hall. Lin Xian checked his watch: 8:00 PM. Four hours remained until midnight, her 24th birthday, and her supposed escape from fate. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 118: Ordinary As they entered the hall, Zhao Ying Jun immediately spotted the female singer they were scheduled to meet. The meeting went smoothly. The singer, known on stage as Ilk, was actually named Miaoke. Lin Xian was familiar with her work; her melodious voice was an ideal fit for the Rhine Cat brand¡¯s theme song. Zhao Ying Jun had meticulously planned this. Miaoke listened to the demo, lavished praise on it, and was quite taken with the song. The collaboration was agreed upon with enthusiasm, efficient and straightforward, just as Lin Xian had hoped. Shortly thereafter, the formal portion of the ball commenced. Waltz music filled the air, and elegantly dressed couples took to the dance floor, twirling gracefully. Knowing Zhao Ying Jun typically avoided dancing at such events, Lin Xian prudently stayed at the sidelines with her, munching on snacks.Ree?ad latest novels at Zhao Ying Jun consistently turned down dance invitations, even from numerous distinguished men. With Lin Xian by her side, she didn¡¯t even need to directly refuse anyone. Most attendees, noticing her with a male companion, respectfully kept their distance. Lin Xian knew his role well; he was there to sit, eat, drink, and shield her. Yet, a few eager minor celebrities and models occasionally approached to ask Zhao Ying Jun to dance. Lin Xian had to admit these men were quite charismatic and polished, resembling statues, some even being foreign models. It was clear they were drawn by Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s affluence, possibly looking for opportunities. For those who were overly persistent, Zhao Ying Jun wouldn¡¯t even offer a glance, and Lin Xian would curtly decline for her: ¡°Sorry, President Zhao is quite exhausted.¡± Those men reluctantly walked away, casting frustrated looks back at Lin Xian. ¡°Do you find this ball dull?¡± Zhao Ying Jun questioned, nibbling on snacks and sipping wine while observing Lin Xian, as the music intensified. Lin Xian didn¡¯t visibly react. ¡°It¡¯s alright, not much different from Chu Shan He¡¯s events.¡± ¡°The difference is vast; they¡¯re entirely different leagues,¡± Zhao Ying Jun corrected, her gaze sweeping over the dancers. ¡°Do you know the most lavish, high-profile event in Donghai City¡¯s business circle each year?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s the New Year¡¯s Eve banquet hosted by Chu Shan He on the 28th of the lunar month,¡± Zhao Ying Jun explained with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s where the real power players gather. You should see it.¡± Suddenly, the music halted abruptly. The dancers stopped, turning their attention towards the entrance. Several police officers, stern-faced, had blocked the entryway. The leading officer surveyed the crowd. ¡°Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Sorry for this interruption,¡± the officer announced. ¡°Please stay put and cooperate with our investigation for your safety.¡± It was just past nine. Lin Xian had planned to continue his chat with Zhao Ying Jun a bit longer before driving her home. But why were the police here? ¡°I can tell,¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled. ¡°You need more practice.¡± ¡°Will do,¡± Lin Xian replied, merging onto another highway. The night breeze played with Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hair. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± she began softly, ¡°I really appreciate all your help recently. Without you, the Rhine Cat project, Professor Xu Yun¡¯s authorization, and the theme song collaboration might not have been this successful.¡± She glanced at him, her eyes reflecting the neon lights outside. ¡°You¡¯re very capable, not just talented, but in every way. I admire that.¡± Lin Xian smiled, maintaining his speed. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be appreciated by you.¡± The powerful car smoothly merged onto the main highway. ¡°If one day you decide to leave MX Company, I¡¯ll support you,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, looking ahead. ¡°As you said, you have your ambitions. I respect that.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m curious,¡± she continued, her smile bright as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, letting the wind play with it. ¡°Honestly, I used to think you weren¡¯t very ambitious. You seemed so laid-back and ordinary, just doing your job well, which was enough for me. But lately, you¡¯ve been more proactive, more involved. It¡¯s like you¡¯ve found a goal. Can you tell me why?¡± The speed limit was 80 km/h, but they were going faster. Lin Xian hesitated. Was Zhao Ying Jun testing him, suspecting his motives, or merely showing concern? He knew he had changed since Xu Yun¡¯s death. He wasn¡¯t a hero, but he felt compelled to uncover the truth and identify the killer. He was certain the killer was linked to the Genius Club. His actions were indeed calculated, aiming to gain Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s trust to access the coveted invitation in her office. She was right; his transformation had a purpose. But how to articulate this? ¡°I¡¯ve tasted success,¡± Lin Xian finally said, eyes on the road. ¡°For 23 years, my life was ordinary. My biggest achievements were winning a city parkour championship in high school and hosting a few college events. Maybe I was content because I never had real aspirations. Now, I crave success and don¡¯t want to live an ordinary life.¡± Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t immediately reply. She reclined in her seat, closing her eyes with a sigh. ¡°Alright.¡± A few minutes later, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s phone chimed. She checked the message. ¡°Miaoke is home safely,¡± she informed Lin Xian. ¡°I asked her to let me know when she arrived.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Lin Xian noted, focusing on the road. ¡°You know Miaoke?¡± a raspy voice suddenly inquired from behind. On a high-speed highway, this was alarming! Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun turned, shocked. A disheveled man emerged from the narrow back seat, clutching a crumpled bouquet of flowers. He produced an old double-barreled shotgun from among the flowers, aiming it at Lin Xian¡¯s head. ¡°Turn around and drive,¡± he demanded, his eyes wild and voice harsh. ¡°Take me to Miaoke now!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 119: Speeding Wildly BOOM!! A blue Bentley raced down the elevated expressway like a missile. Lin Xian felt the cold, hard metal of a double-barrel shotgun pressed against his forehead, sending shivers down his spine. He had often fantasized about such scenarios, but now, faced with the reality, he was frozen with fear. ¡°Turn back, you idiot!¡± The ragged man cursed, pressing the gun barrel even harder against Lin Xian¡¯s forehead. His instability was palpable. Lin Xian wisely focused and kept driving. ¡°Calm down,¡± Zhao Ying Jun pleaded, her voice shaking. ¡°Let¡¯s talk this over. Just put the gun down.¡± ¡°Shut up!!!¡± The disheveled man yelled, pointing the shotgun at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°No more talking! Take me to Miaoke! I need to see her now!!¡± The cold wind rushed past Lin Xian¡¯s ears as he skillfully steered the vehicle, sizing up the situation. It became painfully clear... The vulnerability of a convertible was obvious¡ªits lack of security! Remembering the police¡¯s advice at the party, Lin Xian put the pieces together: Firstly, the singer Miaoke had gone public with her relationship, which this crazed fan couldn¡¯t handle. Armed with an antiquated shotgun, his intention was to confront her, even at the cost of his life. Aware of Miaoke¡¯s schedule and her presence at the party, he concealed the gun within a bouquet of roses, wrapped in bright paper. He likely planned to enter the party with the bouquet and then target Miaoke. However, the police were tipped off early and averted the attack. The man must have seen the police entering from the parking lot, so he quickly found a hiding spot... That spot turned out to be this luxurious Bentley Continental GT Convertible. With other cars locked and covered, this convertible was his only option. The back seat of this sports car, meant for pets or small items, barely accommodated the scruffy man as he hid under the seats to escape police detection. His initial plan was probably to wait for Lin Xian to park, then escape. But hearing Zhao Ying Jun mention that Miaoke was already home, and knowing they knew her... he enacted a desperate plan, forcing them to turn around and drive to Miaoke¡¯s immediately. At this moment, Lin Xian recalled a line from an autobiography written 600 years in the future... ¡°Just as the company was soaring, Ms. Zhao Ying Jun was tragically killed in a shooting incident, dying at midnight at the age of 23.¡± Lin Xian understood the sequence of events. He had initially thought the shooting occurred while Zhao Ying Jun was en route home from the party, inadvertently getting involved. But he was mistaken. The attack wasn¡¯t en route home but was planned near Miaoke¡¯s residence! When the police showed up, the party abruptly ended around 9 PM, and everyone dispersed. The criminal, hidden in the back of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s Bentley, went unnoticed. While driving, he emerged and, at gunpoint, demanded to be taken to Miaoke. Upon arriving at Miaoke¡¯s residence, something went awry, and it likely resulted in Zhao Ying Jun and Miaoke being murdered by the man. Lin Xian¡¯s initial plan to avoid the expected shooting by taking a different route, driving along the outer ring of Donghai to ensure safety, proved futile. The real threat had been with them the entire time in the back seat! Now, they were in a perilous situation, with the criminal pressing the shotgun to Lin Xian¡¯s head, insisting they find Miaoke. ... ¡°Hey, let the lady out of the car. I¡¯ll take you to Miaoke,¡± Lin Xian suggested as he took an exit off the elevated highway, preparing to make a U-turn. ¡°Standing up like this isn¡¯t safe; the police might see you. Why don¡¯t you sit in the passenger seat and keep the gun on me? Let the lady go first.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zhao Ying Jun widened her eyes, puzzled by Lin Xian¡¯s sudden plan to safeguard her. ¡°Nobody gets out!¡± The criminal sternly adjusted the gun, tossing the bouquet onto the back seat and gripping the shotgun with both hands, aiming at Lin Xian¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t stop! Keep going! Hurry up!¡± As Lin Xian slowed at a red light, the criminal jabbed him with the gun. With no other choice, Lin Xian accelerated, made the U-turn, and re-entered the elevated highway. As he steered, he exchanged a glance with Zhao Ying Jun. Their eyes met, but their expressions were filled with uncertainty and fear. Unaccustomed to such extreme peril, Lin Xian hesitated to make any sudden moves. However, he kept an eye on the road signs whizzing by, planning his next steps. The criminal seemed determined to die, indifferent to his own life or the lives of others, hell-bent on a deadly showdown with Miaoke. Bang!! The gun went off, shattering the dashboard glass! The vehicle¡¯s warning lights lit up, and all the control systems and driving aids failed! Due to the sudden stop, the criminal was thrown between Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Lin Xian shouted to Zhao Ying Jun, then floored the accelerator again! VROOM! VROOM! VROOM! The tires screeched, the smell of burning rubber filled the air! The 650-horsepower Continental GT shot forward like an arrow from a bow¡ª Bang!! The sudden acceleration flung the shotgun away, and the criminal couldn¡¯t hold on, falling back into the rear seat. ¡°Lin Xian!¡± Zhao Ying Jun saw the criminal pulling out a knife and quickly threw her handbag at him. ¡°Ignore him! Hold on tight!¡± Lin Xian had seen it all through the rearview mirror... The explosive acceleration had pushed the speed to 200 km/h in seconds. Up ahead was a sharp left turn, impossible to make at this speed. Not turning would mean crashing into the wall! Turning would mean flipping over! ¡°Lin Xian! Look out!!¡± Zhao Ying Jun screamed as the guardrail rapidly approached. ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Lin Xian shouted one last time, then bit down and floored the gas! He yanked the steering wheel to the right¡ª This was a move he had practiced countless times in his dreams! This was a skill he had perfected in his dreams! The power was enough! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The Bentley Continental GT mounted the curb and hit the noise barrier, sending the car body nearly vertical! But the speed kept climbing! The end of the turn was approaching¡ª Whoosh! The car flew over the guardrail, soaring through the air! Everything went quiet... No tire screeching. No collisions with the guardrail. No engine roaring. Just a blue Bentley convertible soaring through the night sky, illuminated by the bright moonlight, with Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s screams filling the air... flying toward the opposite elevated highway. They made it! Lin Xian gripped the steering wheel tightly, staring intently at the approaching highway¡ª Snap. ¡°Huh?¡± Below the highway, a young man taking pictures of the moon with his girlfriend frowned at the photo he had just taken... Under the dark night sky, a convertible flew from one side of the elevated highway to the other, with a man and a woman inside. The man gripped the steering wheel tightly, and the woman covered her eyes. At the moment of the shot, their car had just leaped into the center of the full moon, turning the beautiful moonlight into a romantic backdrop, wild and spectacular. ¡°James Bond?¡± The young man scratched his head, looking up at the convertible that had flown over the moon and was crashing onto the other side of the elevated highway. ¡°Donghai 007?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 120: The Leap Over Donghai BOOM! The $700,000 Bentley Continental GT landed with a heavy thud! Despite its advanced suspension system, the harsh impact sent a shock through Lin Xian¡¯s tailbone. He slammed on the brakes and yanked the steering wheel sharply, causing the car to fishtail under the intense pressure. Screech! Screech! Screech! Unidentified parts scraped against the concrete, sending fierce sparks flying. Lin Xian gripped the steering wheel tightly, adjusting swiftly to keep the car from flipping. Once stable, he utilized the side friction of the tires to decelerate¡ªa technique he had mastered in his dreams over a decade; it felt almost instinctual. Finally, the once roaring blue beast now lay silent, having skidded out a dramatic semi-circle before coming to a halt. ¡°Phew...¡± Lin Xian exhaled deeply, his palms slightly sweaty as he released the steering wheel. He turned to check the back seat. Empty. The thug had clearly been ejected during the chaos. Only a crumpled bouquet of roses remained, hanging from the back door and swaying gently against the metal. The colorful wrapping was torn, and multicolored ribbons fluttered in the breeze. Lin Xian glanced at Zhao Ying Jun. She was breathing heavily, eyes closed, clutching her chest. ¡°You... alright?¡± Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t respond immediately. Her face showed a mix of relief and disbelief, her breaths quick and shallow. After a moment, she slowly raised her head, staring at the overpass thirty meters away... They had just soared over it. The road was initially a spiraling downhill exit, gradually descending. But Lin Xian had propelled the Bentley up the guardrail and sound barrier of the overpass at over 200 kilometers per hour, launching them through the air. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s eyes widened. She couldn¡¯t recall the leap over the thirty-meter gap. All she remembered was the car landing with a crash and spinning wildly before stopping. ¡°You...¡± Her breathing steadied, and she bit her lower lip, turning to Lin Xian: ¡°You said you weren¡¯t good at driving?¡± ¡°I might have exaggerated a bit.¡± ¡°This is a bit?¡± She chuckled weakly, clearly not amused. ¡°How could you? Are you crazy? Do you realize what you just did?¡± ¡°Of course, I do...¡± Lin Xian shifted to ease his sore tailbone and shrugged: ¡°But we had no choice. That thug was desperate. He wasn¡¯t going to let us go easily.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. I feel a bit nauseous. I need to get out and walk.¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked pale, clutching her chest. She tried to open the car door, but it was jammed. She turned to Lin Xian: ¡°Open the door.¡± Lin Xian attempted his door, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. He pointed to the damaged dashboard: ¡°Maybe something malfunctioned, or the door is damaged.¡± ¡°So how do we get out?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing special,¡± Zhao Ying Jun laughed softly, as the flashing red and blue lights of police cars and ambulances approached from the other side of the overpass. ¡°Just sharing some life lessons...¡± Woo-woo-woo-woo-woo. Police cars and ambulances arrived, their lights bright against the night sky. Zhao Ying Jun turned around, leaning on the guardrail, looking up at the moon. January 14, 2023. Eight days until the Lunar New Year. Seven days until New Year¡¯s Eve. Five days until the Donghai Business Association¡¯s New Year Gala. An ordinary day. A day with a beautiful moon. ¡°Tonight¡¯s moon is beautiful,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said softly. Lin Xian stood behind her, looking at the bright moon. ¡°Yes,¡± he sighed sincerely, ¡°this kind of moon is indeed beautiful.¡± Beep beep. His digital watch beeped twice, marking the hour. Lin Xian checked it. 00:00 He breathed a sigh of relief. Midnight had passed. It was now January 15, 2023. Zhao Ying Jun had safely made it through January 14, past her 23rd birthday, avoiding the recorded accidental death. She might still face accidents in the future... But for now, history had changed. She would no longer be remembered in a biography 600 years later with the words ¡°died at 23.¡± Today was the start of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s new destiny. And the first day of her 24th year. Lin Xian stepped toward the wrecked Bentley, picked up the bouquet of roses left by the thug, and tidied it up. Making the wrinkled, leafless roses look more presentable, the crooked paper and ribbons at least resembling a gift. ¡°Though it¡¯s not quite appropriate, but...¡± Lin Xian handed the tidied bouquet to Zhao Ying Jun, smiling, ¡°Happy birthday.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 121: Donghai 007 This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Zhao Ying Jun stood in surprise, staring at the crumpled bouquet. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she picked it up, gently cradling it in her hands. ¡°This is quite the surprise,¡± she remarked, her expression softening. Carefully, Zhao Ying Jun examined the wilted roses, adjusting each stem to recreate a graceful arc. Lin Xian watched her, noticing a relaxed smile on her face, something he wasn¡¯t used to seeing. She was usually so consumed with work, her brow perpetually furrowed in thought. To him, she often seemed more like a machine¡ªefficient, precise, flawless. But now, as she smiled, she looked genuinely joyful, the smile transforming her into a vibrant 24-year-old. A gentle breeze played with her shoulder-length hair and made her crystal blue earrings glint like a constellation under the moonlight. After a moment, Zhao looked up at Lin Xian, her smile broadening. ¡°This might be the most unique birthday gift I¡¯ve ever received.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± Lin Xian responded, smiling back. ¡°It¡¯s probably not as elaborate as the ones you¡¯re used to.¡± Given Zhao¡¯s background as a wealthy heiress, her usual birthday gifts were nothing short of lavish and opulent. ¡°Those gifts...¡± Zhao turned away, her gaze drifting to the shimmering reflection of the Pearl Tower on the water. ¡°I can barely remember them. There were just too many.¡± Her eyes snapped back from the waterfront. ¡°But this bouquet... I think I¡¯ll remember this one for a long time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said abruptly, turning so quickly her hair swirled around her. The fragrance of her shampoo lingered in the air as her high heels clicked toward the police car. The police quickly located the culprit and the discarded shotgun. Despite tumbling from the elevated bridge, the criminal survived with minor injuries but faced a lengthy imprisonment due to his actions. A tow truck hauled away the mangled Bentley Continental GT, and a police car escorted Zhao Ying Jun and Lin Xian back to the station to give their statements. ¡°You two again?¡± the officer exclaimed, recognizing them immediately. Lin Xian nodded at Officer Liu, the same officer who had taken their statements during the incident at the hospital involving Xu Yun. ¡°Do you two have some sort of magnet for trouble?¡± Officer Liu joked as he settled down with his notebook. ¡°Do you mean... a Conan Syndrome?¡± Lin Xian quipped. ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± Officer Liu laughed. ¡°Just kidding, though. As a cop, I¡¯d prefer our paths crossed less often¡ªit¡¯s usually not under the best circumstances.¡± They quickly recounted the evening¡¯s events, and their statements were soon recorded. ¡°Alright,¡± Officer Liu concluded, closing his notebook and standing. ¡°That¡¯s all for now. We have your contact info and will reach out if needed.¡± ¡°But I¡¯d suggest staying cautious for a while... avoid risky areas. There¡¯s always a chance of backlash, though nothing¡¯s certain. We¡¯ll inform you if any threats emerge.¡± Both nodded and exited the station. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s driver was already waiting with a sedan at the entrance. ¡°Get in, Lin Xian. We¡¯ll drop you off first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± By the time Lin Xian arrived home, dawn was breaking. He stretched, his body aching, then took a hot shower and collapsed into bed, staring at the ceiling. Reflecting on their wild drive over the bridge, the entire episode felt surreal. It was his daring, no-hesitation attitude that had made their escape possible. Any pause could have spelled disaster. As sunlight began peeking through the curtains, Lin Xian thought back to their conversation at the railing. Zhao had unexpectedly opened up about her family, her parents, and her motivations for starting her business¡ªdetails she hadn¡¯t even shared with her closest associates. ¡°She trusts me,¡± Lin Xian realized. ¡°Our relationship is definitely evolving.¡± ¡°One step at a time,¡± he thought, turning off the light and drifting off to sleep. Lin Xian¡¯s sleep was interrupted around noon by his ringing phone. Gao Yang¡¯s name flashed on the caller ID. ¡°Hello?¡± Lin Xian answered, still half asleep. ¡°Donghai 007!¡± As he put down his phone, WeChat pinged again. It was a message from Chu An Qing. Chu An Qing: Video Chu An Qing: Lin Xian, senior! Is that you and Zhao Ying Jun in the video? I¡¯ve seen her driving that blue car! Without even opening the video, Lin Xian knew which scene it was¡ªhe had seen that moonlit Bentley and elevated bridge image far too many times. He filled Chu An Qing in on the situation. Chu An Qing was astounded. ¡°This... this is more thrilling than a movie! No wonder everyone¡¯s calling you Donghai 007! Are you good at driving?¡± ¡°Just a bit.¡± ¡°Haha! Could you take me for a spin sometime?¡± ¡°You¡¯d have to ask the Bentley first.¡± ¡°What does the Bentley say?¡± ¡°The Bentley¡¯s totaled.¡± ¡°....¡± After wrapping up the chat with the always-cheerful Chu An Qing, Lin Xian prepared for work. At the office, the buzz was all about ¡°Donghai 007¡± and ¡°Leap of Donghai.¡± Everyone had seen the car in the parking lot and figured that Zhao Ying Jun and Lin Xian were the daredevils involved. As Lin Xian entered, he felt every eye on him, their faces wearing mischievous grins. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked, uneasy under their stares. ¡°You¡¯re a legend,¡± said Wang from marketing, slapping Lin Xian on the back. ¡°Zhao is usually so punctual... Today, she¡¯s late because of you.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®because of me¡¯? I was a victim too...¡± Lin Xian retorted. The criminal had jabbed him several times with the shotgun, and his head was still throbbing. ¡°Zhao went to the hospital,¡± mentioned Sister Juan from design, passing by with a smile. ¡°She hurt her leg, but it¡¯s nothing serious. She should be back later today.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Must be from the crash.¡± ¡°You crashed into her?¡± Wang leaned closer. ¡°The car crashed...¡± Lin Xian sighed. ¡°Why does everything sound so twisted when you say it, Wang?¡± ¡°It was a close call, and I just couldn¡¯t stop the car. I never planned to jump the bridge; it wasn¡¯t a game...¡± Wang chuckled and pulled Lin Xian aside, lowering his voice. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been with Zhao from the start. She¡¯s never been out alone with any man before you! You¡¯re the first!¡± ¡°The driver doesn¡¯t count?¡± ¡°The driver is just the driver, and you¡¯re you. Don¡¯t you see? I¡¯m not saying Zhao loves you!¡± ¡°Then what are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Zhao trusts you! That¡¯s a big deal!¡± Wang¡¯s face turned serious. ¡°I have some news for you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I visited Zhao at the hospital this morning. She mentioned that with the company expanding, she¡¯s thinking about promoting a secretary!¡± Wang grinned and clapped Lin Xian on the back. ¡°She¡¯s very interested in you!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 122: The Weight This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°Secretary?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise as he faced Brother Wang. ¡°Boss Zhao has always been against hiring a secretary. Did she change her mind?¡± ¡°It seems she¡¯s been considering it for a while but couldn¡¯t find anyone she trusts enough,¡± Brother Wang explained, a knowing smile playing on his lips. ¡°You might have heard about her last secretary¡ªthough we don¡¯t know the details, it likely involved leaking sensitive company information.¡± ¡°Since then, Boss Zhao put a password lock on her office and banned everyone from entering, even the cleaners. She¡¯s the only one who knows the code. Clearly, she doesn¡¯t trust easily!¡± ¡°But maybe because you¡¯ve been solving a lot of her problems recently, she seems to trust you more. We¡¯ve been around long enough to see that she really values your contributions.¡± ¡°So...¡± Brother Wang draped an arm around Lin Xian¡¯s shoulders and chuckled. ¡°Seize this opportunity, Lin Xian! Making money might be easy for you now, but keeping it is another story. Without sound planning and business skills, money can disappear quickly.¡± ¡°Many heirs waste their fortunes on frivolous pursuits. But when they try to invest or start businesses, they usually fail and lose it all. It¡¯s not unusual.¡± ¡°Boss Zhao is a savvy businesswoman. Working as her secretary, you¡¯d gain invaluable business insights and experience. That¡¯s crucial for you right now.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t set in stone yet. She¡¯s still thinking it over. Just keep this between us, okay?¡± After their conversation, Brother Wang left. Lin Xian headed straight to his office on the 20th floor and settled into his chair. ¡°Unexpected benefits,¡± he mused. According to Brother Wang, Zhao Ying Jun was considering appointing him as her secretary. Given his current position, this was indeed welcome news. He had been striving to earn Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s trust. Following yesterday¡¯s risky car race, which seemed to significantly increase her trust in him, and the surge in business with the launch of the new Rhine brand, she likely needed more help. So, she thought of him for the secretary role. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t privy to what Zhao Ying Jun and Brother Wang had discussed, but since it was mentioned, Zhao Ying Jun would likely discuss it with him soon. All he could do was wait. ¡°Finally, a chance to see that Genius Club invitation!¡± Lin Xian leaned back, deep in thought. For too long, the investigation into the Genius Club and Professor Xu Yun¡¯s murder had stalled, plagued by uncertainties. Seeing the invitation could clear up many mysteries. He imagined what the invitation might contain¡ªa basic introduction certainly, but even a brief one would be critical. It could reveal the nature, purpose, and members of the Genius Club. Would it also specify the time and place of their meetings? ¡°The more information, the better,¡± Lin Xian reasoned as he opened his eyes. The enigma of the Genius Club wasn¡¯t just an abstract concept; the mysterious black moon in the sky, 600 years in the future, also puzzled him. Was the 2023 Genius Club the same as the 2624 one? Did they share the same goals? What kind of long-term, significant plan could span 600 years? Where exactly was the Genius Club based? How long had it existed? It was so minor... it felt like something had changed, yet nothing had changed. New Donghai City still existed. The world continued its distorted development. Inside and outside the steel walls remained two completely different worlds. Big Cat Face still collected property fees. Li Cheng still fought for humanity¡¯s history and knowledge. Nothing had changed. However, for individuals and the relationships between individuals, many lives have changed because of this. At least, the MX Company likely didn¡¯t last 600 years. ¡°Interesting,¡± Lin Xian thought, reflecting on the fateful father-daughter duo. ¡°But... it¡¯s not bad.¡± Thud! Lin Xian jumped off the roof, using the window ledge to slow his descent, landing steadily. He stood up and faced Big Cat Face. ¡°Brother Face, does the MX Company still exist in this world?¡± ¡°MX Company?¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s face jiggled as he shook his head. ¡°Never heard of it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this Rhine Cat the MX Company¡¯s mascot?¡± Lin Xian shook the Rhine Cat mask. ¡°What¡¯s the origin of this Rhine Cat then?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s just a toy...¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s eyes were clear. ¡°I never looked into its origin. This thing is quite popular in New Donghai City. I used to steal some toys and clean them up for my daughter.¡± ¡°As for it being a company¡¯s mascot... I¡¯ve never heard of that.¡± Well. It was the expected answer. In the future world, the Rhine Cat had reverted to its state from the first dream. Its history, founders, and the MX Company had all faded into oblivion. This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°Let¡¯s go, bro! Hurry home for dinner! We still have work to do tonight!¡± Big Cat Face pulled Lin Xian onto the motorcycle and handed him a helmet. ¡°Buckle up!¡± ¡°Got it, law-abiding citizen.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Vroom! Big Cat Face¡¯s rickety motorcycle sputtered out black smoke as they left Li Cheng¡¯s courtyard. As silence enveloped the area, the green bamboo leaves rustled in the summer breeze, sparrows hopped around the brick cracks, and two cats jumped from the second-floor balcony, chasing the fluttering sparrows. Thud! A soft sound, a slight tremor of the green tiles. A slim girl, dressed in black with her brown hair tied back, crouched like a cat on the roof corner. Her gaze followed the fading black exhaust, locked on the man holding the Rhine Cat mask. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 123: Time Reversal This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°Whatever happens tonight, our goal is the same.¡± It was midnight. Outside Disposal Plant No. 221, Lin Xian stood beside CC, watching the patrolling drones flutter above. In recent events, Lin Xian had successfully connected with CC. This time, he refrained from asking personal questions¡ªhe already knew what he needed to know. Instead, he fielded many of CC¡¯s questions, increasing her goodwill toward him. He turned to her, ¡°You mentioned you have something crucial to confirm, which is why you¡¯re intent on opening Lin Xian¡¯s safe. You believe what¡¯s inside could define the purpose of your life...¡± ¡°Can you share what¡¯s so important? I might have information you don¡¯t, perhaps we can crack the password together.¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯d rather not say.¡± CC¡¯s response was the same as before, her head shaking, ¡°This is my personal secret, and I¡¯m not ready to share it with anyone. Besides, since you also want to open the safe, everything will be clear once we see what¡¯s inside.¡± Lin Xian sighed inwardly. She remained tight-lipped. It appeared that enhancing her goodwill wasn¡¯t the solution. If CC considered the contents of the safe as significant as her life¡¯s meaning, then they were paramount. He realized he still needed to figure out how to access the safe. However, according to the current plot, there was no direct access to the safe¡ªno chance even to glimpse it, much less try passwords. ¡°I won¡¯t keep anything from you any longer.¡± Lin Xian crossed his arms, watching Big Cat Face practice martial arts moves some yards away. He whispered, ¡°The safe won¡¯t arrive at the disposal plant until 00:57.¡± ¡°I knew that.¡± CC responded flatly, ¡°There are two batches of garbage trucks headed to Time Bank today, delivering safes to the plant. It¡¯s predictable which truck has Lin Xian¡¯s safe. We just have to wait a bit inside.¡± Lin Xian grinned, ¡°You can¡¯t wait.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because the world will end at 00:42.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± CC chuckled, turning to him, ¡°You must be joking.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who dismissed your memory fragments as a joke?¡± Lin Xian retorted, ¡°You¡¯ve accepted bizarre fragments from another world. Why can¡¯t you believe the world might end at 00:42?¡± ¡°Given all you¡¯ve disclosed and appeared in your memory fragments, you should know I¡¯m not joking.¡± Lin Xian concluded, but CC appeared indifferent, ¡°Even if it¡¯s true, what difference does it make? Can you stop the apocalypse at 00:42?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then why worry about it?¡± CC blinked, eyeing Lin Xian, ¡°Or do you have another method to open the safe?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s smile broadened, ¡°If I can infiltrate New Donghai City this afternoon and locate Time Bank, I can find the safe with Lin Xian¡¯s name and attempt to open it.¡± ¡°This afternoon?¡± CC frowned, ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°There¡¯s much I can¡¯t explain, but I possess that capability. So... do you have any tips on how to infiltrate New Donghai City?¡± ¡°No.¡± CC shook her head, ¡°No one in their right mind would dare enter New Donghai City. Even if you manage to get in, what next?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like leaping over the dragon gate. Entering New Donghai City doesn¡¯t grant you residency. To them, you¡¯re less than human. They¡¯d dispose of you like vermin.¡± Reality was undeniable. Seeing the safes arranged just as Lin Xian had described, CC seemed to believe in his ¡°superpower.¡± ¡°Alright, I concede you have abilities beyond my understanding.¡± She lowered her head, her chin resting on her hand, pondering Lin Xian¡¯s words seriously, ¡°If the world will end at 00:42, we can¡¯t wait for the trucks arriving at 00:57.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just about waiting for the trucks. It¡¯s already late. We have only ten minutes left until 00:42. Whatever we plan, it¡¯s too late now.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Lin Xian nodded, looking at CC, ¡°That¡¯s why I said earlier¡ªif we want to open that safe, we must infiltrate New Donghai City by noon today, get to Time Bank in time, and open the safe.¡± CC removed her mask, her sweat-drenched bangs sticking to her forehead. She used the mask as a fan to cool down. This was the first time in the second dream that CC had removed her mask. She still looked just like Chu An Qing. ¡°But it¡¯s already night.¡± CC was puzzled, ¡°How can we turn back time to noon? It¡¯s impossible... Besides, if you really could turn back time, why not go back further, to hundreds of years ago, when the safe was first stored?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t explain now. We don¡¯t have the time.¡± Lin Xian checked his watch. 00:30 Only 12 minutes remained before the dream ended. He urgently needed CC to disclose how to infiltrate New Donghai City. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve confirmed it, can you tell me? How do we infiltrate New Donghai City?¡± CC nodded. She had made a promise to Lin Xian, and she wouldn¡¯t break it. She pulled out a ¡°Bluetooth earpiece¡± from her pocket, identical to those worn by monitors in the disposal plant¡¯s central control room. This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Every worker at the disposal plant had one of these devices for communication, task assignment, and updates. Lin Xian surmised it worked like a phone but operated differently. ¡°I swiped this from the disposal plant before.¡± ¡°You can skip that part, just get to the point.¡± ¡°Every time the garbage trucks return to New Donghai City, they pass through a checkpoint.¡± CC pointed to the rising steel gate on the steel wall. The disposal plants were fully automated, with robots, unmanned vehicles, and drones operating around the clock in an orderly fashion. The garbage trucks returned to New Donghai City after unloading to collect new trash. CC continued, ¡°Aside from the steel gate, there¡¯s an internal security door. All garbage trucks undergo a live detection process to prevent stowaways from sneaking into New Donghai City.¡± ¡°Is this information reliable?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Absolutely!¡± CC rolled her eyes at Lin Xian, holding up the Bluetooth earpiece, ¡°I was about to explain, but you interrupted... The garbage processing protocols are detailed in the work manual. Though I haven¡¯t been inside, this device contains daily security check logs.¡± Lin Xian nodded, glancing at his watch again. 00:32. The dream would end in ten minutes. He needed CC to speak quicker. ¡°Since you mentioned that, it implies you have a way to bypass or evade the live detection.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± CC looked at Lin Xian, ¡°but only I can do it, you can¡¯t.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 124: CCs Secret This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°Well, let¡¯s hear it. Can you do it or not?¡± Time was running out; the dream was about to end. Lin Xian was growing impatient with CC, pressing her to reveal her plans. CC twirled a device in her hand that resembled a Bluetooth headset. ¡°This gadget can remotely connect to the biometric security door. It needs to be within a certain distance, but as long as we can crack the password quickly, we¡¯re in.¡± ¡°Once we get the door¡¯s password, we can skip the security check. It seems like it¡¯s meant for internal use.¡± Lin Xian nodded, understanding the situation. CC¡¯s plan involved sneaking into New Donghai City by hiding in a garbage truck and entering through the steel gate. Although there was a biometric security door inside, CC, a skilled password cracker, could use the headset-like device to hack the door¡¯s password remotely. If they managed to crack the password before the biometric system activated, they could safely enter New Donghai City. The plan was fraught with danger. Any slip-up could be fatal. However, Lin Xian valued his life less than the possibility of success. He was prepared to take endless risks in the dream world if it meant a chance at success. ¡°I get it,¡± Lin Xian said, taking off his Rhine Cat mask and standing up. He stared at the distant steel gate. ¡°Your plan is logical,¡± he began. ¡°The real challenge is...¡± ¡°We need someone who can crack the password.¡± He gazed at CC. ¡°That¡¯s where you come in.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± CC replied, her smile mischievous as she shook her head. ¡°I just shared the method. I didn¡¯t say I¡¯d join you. I told you because we traded information earlier, nothing more.¡± ¡°You said this safe was more important than your life.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one thing to risk your life, another to throw it away.¡± CC brushed her bangs back, looking earnestly at Lin Xian. ¡°Maybe I wasn¡¯t clear before. Cracking a password isn¡¯t always possible within our time limit. I know how the garbage trucks operate because of the data on this device. I¡¯ve never been inside. I don¡¯t know the exact security procedures or the biometric system.¡± ¡°In theory, bypassing the biometric scanner by hacking the password could work. But can we be sure it¡¯ll succeed?¡± Lin Xian sat next to CC on the safe. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, eyeing him suspiciously and scooting away. ¡°I¡¯m thinking...¡± Lin Xian stroked his chin thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯m considering how to convince you that the world ends at 00:42, that time can reset, and there¡¯s no tomorrow, just endless todays.¡± ¡°Why does sitting next to me help? Can¡¯t you think over there?¡± CC stood and leaned against a stack of safes, watching Lin Xian. Trust was the issue here. Lin Xian sighed internally. Gaining CC¡¯s trust was vital, not just now, but also in her past iterations from earlier in the day. It was a formidable challenge. He trusted the accuracy of CC¡¯s information. Yet without her expertise, they couldn¡¯t hack the security door. Was learning hacking himself in a few months feasible? Unlikely. Even if he picked up the skills quickly, obtaining CC¡¯s specialized device was another barrier. It seemed simpler to convince her to trust him. ¡°CC,¡± Lin Xian said earnestly, ¡°the man in your fragmented memories, the bearded, long-haired middle-aged man, it might be me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Then why does the voice fit?¡± ¡°Lots of people sound alike.¡± ¡°My name is Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Maybe you should just call yourself Safe, then. It¡¯d be more straightforward.¡±Chee?ck out latest novels on ¡°This afternoon, I¡¯ll find you and reveal this secret. If your earlier self hears it and trusts me, then we can proceed with our plan to infiltrate New Donghai City.¡± ¡°So, this secret is the key to gaining your trust. Think carefully about what you hold most dear. I don¡¯t need personal details, just something that, if mentioned accurately, would convince you to trust me.¡± ¡°Can you think of any secret that would make you risk everything to sneak into New Donghai City?¡± CC pondered deeply. Perhaps she already trusted Lin Xian. Maybe she was just seeking a lucky break. For the current CC, sharing a convincing secret wasn¡¯t a burden. ¡°VV,¡± she finally said, looking up at Lin Xian. ¡°The bearded man¡¯s name is VV.¡± ¡°VV,¡± Lin Xian echoed. ¡°If I tell your earlier self this name, she¡¯ll trust me?¡± ¡°She should,¡± CC nodded. ¡°This name means a lot to me. If you mention it now, I¡¯d trust you.¡± ¡°So I think my past self would too.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Thanks for the secret. Where will you be this noon and afternoon?¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°I¡¯ll be hiding in the woods behind Li Cheng¡¯s house.¡± CC chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m buying into your story. You¡¯d make a great speaker or host. Your words are strangely compelling.¡± ¡°You have good judgment,¡± Lin Xian replied, checking his watch. 00:41:37 Just in time. He had 23 seconds before the world ended to secure CC¡¯s trust. ¡°Look at your watch,¡± he urged. ¡°In 20 seconds, the world ends.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe it,¡± CC murmured, yet she raised her wrist and watched the second hand tick. ¡°Counting down to the world¡¯s end is bizarre... it feels like this world is unreal.¡± ¡°Ever seen The Truman Show?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± CC appeared puzzled. ¡°A movie.¡± Lin Xian smiled and waved. ¡°If we never meet again, good morning, good afternoon... and good night.¡± BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! As predicted, a blinding white light enveloped everything. 00:42:00 Lin Xian awoke in the corner of his bedroom. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 125: The Invitation This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Recently, the weather had warmed up, prompting Lin Xian to switch his heavy bedding for something lighter. This morning, he easily tossed aside his thin quilt, slid into his slippers, and stood up from his bed. ¡°VV,¡± he murmured, the name lingering in his thoughts.Ree?ad latest novels at The name VV wasn¡¯t too surprising when CC mentioned it, fitting well within their world of mysteries. However, the real conundrum lay in CC¡¯s description of VV as a middle-aged man with long hair and a beard. At times, Lin Xian wondered if this man could be him in the future. It was a wild guess, lacking any solid proof, just pieced together from the cryptic name and a voice eerily similar to his own. The scant details made the image fuzzy, yet CC¡¯s intense reaction suggested a deeper significance. ¡°This VV character is crucial to CC for some reason,¡± he pondered. Perhaps this mystery was linked to the secret CC fiercely protected, the one she hesitated to share. ¡°Let¡¯s not get too caught up in this now,¡± Lin Xian whispered to himself, taking a drink from his desk and screwing the cap back on tightly. Each dream revealed fragments of information, pulling minor confessions from CC. He was satisfied with these incremental insights. His latest strategy was to leverage the name VV in their upcoming meeting on August 28, 2624, to strengthen their partnership faster. Gaining her trust and demonstrating his genuine intentions, he hoped to utilize her skills as a password cracker to access New Donghai City. ¡°We¡¯re finally making progress,¡± Lin Xian thought, pacing his room with his hands behind his back. Since his second dream about New Donghai City, he had been fixated on exploring it. After many days of planning, his strategy to infiltrate the city was nearly perfected. He was convinced that the answers he sought were hidden within its confines. Lin Xian closed his eyes briefly, organizing his goals for the city: With CC¡¯s help, find the abandoned Time Bank and crack its safe. Search bookstores for historical texts to understand the developments over the past 600 years and uncover the identity of the mysterious figure on the moon. Locate the book ¡°Introduction to the Universal Constant,¡± note the author¡¯s details, and find him in 2023. Investigate the whereabouts of Big Cat Face¡¯s father and delve into the enigma of the universal constant 42, potentially exposing the secrets of the Genius Club. After addressing some concerns with MX Company and Zhao Ying Jun, Lin Xian felt lighter and more immersed in his dream explorations. Simultaneously, his real-world investigations into the Genius Club were progressing steadily. He was on the brink of cracking Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office password. The possibility of soon unveiling truths in both his dreams and reality gave Lin Xian a sense of impending clarity. ¡°It¡¯s time for another dream,¡± he yawned, settling back into bed and snugly wrapping himself in the quilt before closing his eyes. The next day, Lin Xian decided to skip work. He had received a WeChat message from Zhao Ying Jun about Miaoke recording the theme song for Rhine Cat, and the mysterious Director V would be attending. Zhao encouraged Lin Xian to come and share his creative insights. Zhao nodded in approval and instructed the studio manager, ¡°Go with this version, then.¡± The manager seemed surprised. Miss Zhao hadn¡¯t even listened to it herself but trusted Lin Xian¡¯s judgment so implicitly? This level of confidence was telling. Nonetheless, he was relieved to wrap up the task successfully. The quality of the song and the singer was indeed exceptional. Afterward, Lin Xian met with Director V and the animators in the tearoom to outline the specific visual elements for Rhine Cat. These were scenes and motifs he had already seen in his dream. Lin Xian had absorbed a plethora of animations and visuals related to Rhine Cat, and now he simply needed to translate these vivid memories into instructions for the director and animators. But this tapped out his reservoir of ideas. All the designs, toys, and sketches he had provided were the last remnants of his memories related to Rhine Cat. ¡°I hope there¡¯s a Rhine Cat toy store in New Donghai City,¡± Lin Xian thought, weary from creative exhaustion. After the meeting, Director V and the animators approached Zhao Ying Jun, praising Lin Xian¡¯s contributions: ¡°Miss Zhao, you¡¯ve got a real gem here! His creativity and ideas... truly remarkable!¡± ¡°And he composed the theme song himself? What a versatile talent... Your team really is stacked!¡± Zhao smiled faintly, her eyes on Lin Xian, who was chatting with staff in the adjoining room. ¡°Yes... I am indeed fortunate.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Later, Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun headed back to the office. With the Spring Festival holiday approaching, there was much to organize and finalize. Lin Xian found himself unusually busy, moving from the recording studio to the office and working until past six in the evening to clear the backlog. Now overseeing a team of over forty, the workload was immense, a testament to Rhine Cat¡¯s immense popularity. Even in a world where the future was uncertain and history possibly rewritten, Rhine Cat¡¯s allure remained undiminished. ¡°I am not history,¡± Lin Xian mused, reclining in his chair and gazing at a Rhine Cat figurine on his desk. ¡°You are history.¡± The phone rang just as he finished his thought. The caller ID indicated it was from Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office. ¡°Lin Xian, come to my office,¡± her voice came through, sounding cheerful. ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Xian responded, hanging up. Was she calling to discuss the new secretary appointment? On the 22nd floor, a soft thud echoed as the heavy, double-layered security door opened. ¡°Come in,¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s voice directed through the intercom. Lin Xian entered her stark office. The sun had set, the sky was a deepening gray, and night was encroaching. Bright lights in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office contrasted sharply with the gloomy Donghai City skyline outside. He passed a dusty tea table and a sofa, the potted plants bearing withered leaves, and approached her desk. ¡°Miss Zhao, you called for me?¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded, sliding a dark red folded card across the desk¡ªsquare, adorned with dark golden patterns, and sealed with wax. ¡°This is...¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened in curiosity. ¡°Congratulations, Lin Xian,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, a slight smile playing on her lips. ¡°This is your... invitation!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 126: The Trap This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Bright white incandescent lights flooded the room, casting a glow on the dark red invitation card. The wax seal reflected an eerie red hue, making it difficult for Lin Xian to discern the emblem¡¯s details.Ree?ad latest novels at Lin Xian, composed as ever, glanced over at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Is this meant for me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she responded, her earrings catching the light and sparkling. A playful glimmer lit her eyes. ¡°Are you surprised?¡± ¡°A little,¡± Lin Xian acknowledged, stepping forward to retrieve the invitation. Upon touching it, he realized something was off. This wasn¡¯t a standard Genius Club invite like Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s; this one felt more opulent, crafted from something beyond mere cardstock. He examined the embossed seal closely, quickly recognizing the prestigious name: Donghai Chamber of Commerce. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Chu Shan He to send you an invite,¡± Zhao Ying Jun mused, leaning back in her chair and resting her chin on her clasped hands. ¡°Their New Year¡¯s Gala is quite the event, normally exclusive to chamber members.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not strictly limited. Chu Shan He does extend invites to a select few social leaders and influential figures around Donghai. It¡¯s his event, after all; he has the freedom to invite whomever he pleases. But you getting one...¡± She paused, smiling wryly. ¡°I¡¯m puzzled. Do you have some sort of personal connection with Chu Shan He?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Lin Xian replied, equally baffled. Why would Chu Shan He invite him? He wasn¡¯t a chamber member, a renowned figure, nor did he have any personal ties to Chu Shan He. Their only interaction had been a brief encounter at an MX company event, a mere formality due to Zhao Ying Jun. Such a minor exchange couldn¡¯t possibly warrant an invite. It surely couldn¡¯t be linked to his recent escapade on the overpass. Lin Xian dismissed the notion. Chu Shan He wouldn¡¯t extend an invite over such a trivial matter. ¡°I¡¯m at a loss,¡± Lin Xian admitted, shaking his head. ¡°Could it possibly be related to you?¡± ¡°Unlikely. What are you thinking, Lin Xian?¡± Zhao Ying Jun laughed lightly. ¡°I don¡¯t wield any influence over Chu Shan He.¡± ¡°But it is definitely intended for you. This afternoon, someone from the Shan He Group delivered my invite and specifically handed over this one for you.¡± ¡°Open it,¡± she encouraged him. Breaking the wax seal, Lin Xian unfolded the invitation. It was formally worded, providing the specifics of the Donghai Chamber of Commerce¡¯s New Year Gala at Chu Shan He¡¯s private club, scheduled for 7 PM the day after tomorrow. His name was prominently displayed in bold, calligraphic strokes, though he couldn¡¯t confirm if it was Chu Shan He¡¯s own handwriting. ¡°Quite elaborate,¡± Lin Xian commented, closing the invitation. He wasn¡¯t inclined to attend. Events like these didn¡¯t interest him, and as an internal gathering, he¡¯d likely feel out of place. Nevertheless, he had cultivated an image of ambition for Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s sake¡ªa refusal might conflict with that persona. ¡°Since it¡¯s from Chu Shan He, it would be impolite to decline,¡± he concluded, waving the invitation lightly. ¡°And I happen to be free that evening.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded in agreement. ¡°Rubbing shoulders with such prominent figures could be advantageous for your career.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you at the gala.¡± Bang. Pride nodded. ¡°It¡¯s the New Year. I need to visit Brooklyn, but there are other matters to address. The fallout from Xu Yun¡¯s research has been extensive... much remains to be done.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve always had a fondness for Brooklyn,¡± Ji Lin observed. ¡°I have old friends there,¡± Pride admitted, tipping his hat. ¡°I owe them my respects.¡± ¡°For as long as I can remember, you¡¯ve visited Brooklyn every year at this time,¡± Ji Lin noted. ¡°Indeed,¡± Pride¡¯s voice softened, tinged with age and melancholy. ¡°Since the summer of 1952. It¡¯s been many years.¡± ¡°I can barely remember their faces, but the memories of our time together remain vivid, as if it were just yesterday.¡± Ji Lin noted the wistfulness in Pride¡¯s tone. ¡°You seldom talk about friends. I assumed Xu Yun was your only one.¡± ¡°Everyone needs friends, Ji Lin, even you,¡± Pride said, opening the door to leave. Warm yellow light from the courtyard enveloped him as a black-suited driver waited by a running Lincoln, signaling the brief nature of Pride¡¯s visit. ¡°One last thing,¡± Pride turned back, his silhouette framed by the golden glow. ¡°I¡¯ve asked Envy to assist you in my absence.¡± ¡°Assist or supervise?¡± Ji Lin inquired. ¡°Assist, Ji Lin. Despite my grumblings, you¡¯ve earned my approval.¡± ¡°Appreciate the endorsement,¡± Ji Lin said, placing a Rhine Cat plush on the desk and facing the door. ¡°But could you send someone else? I¡¯m not fond of Envy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Pride chuckled. ¡°Envy isn¡¯t fond of you either. But it¡¯s your job to get along.¡± Ji Lin yawned and scratched his head. ¡°So, when is Envy arriving?¡± ¡°Not now,¡± Pride replied. ¡°Envy will join you after the New Year.¡± ¡°After the New Year?¡± Ji Lin laughed. ¡°Our evil organization takes holidays?¡± ¡°If only you showed such enthusiasm more often, Ji Lin,¡± Pride commented, stepping out. ¡°Envy is home for a class reunion.¡± With a dry, wrinkled hand, Pride closed the door behind him. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 127: CC and VV This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Lin Xian stepped back into his office, clutching an invitation. He couldn¡¯t understand why Chu Shan He had sent it. From every perspective, he didn¡¯t see himself as qualified to attend the New Year¡¯s Eve banquet at the Donghai Chamber of Commerce. He felt unworthy of such recognition. Yet, deciding to attend wasn¡¯t a bad move. It was crucial to uphold his image as the ¡°Tiger of MX¡± in front of Zhao Ying Jun. He glanced at his watch¡ªit was already 6:30 PM. Even if he dozed off right now, he wouldn¡¯t make the scene involving the ¡°Three-Knife Thief.¡± Lately, his dreams had diminished in value. His exploration in the second dream had progressed to a new phase¡ªbreaking into New Donghai City. ¡°Looks like noon naps are in my future,¡± he mused. In his previous night¡¯s dream, CC had said she would wait in the woods behind Li Cheng¡¯s house until evening. By using the code word ¡°VV,¡± he could connect with her, and they¡¯d commence their plan to enter New Donghai City. ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m taking a well-deserved break,¡± Lin Xian resolved. He stretched, switched off the lights, and exited his office. ... The following day, around noon. After a simple lunch at home and some television, Lin Xian felt sleepy. He checked the time: 2:30 PM. His usual time for entering dreams was 12:42 PM. To make sure he could nap today, he had stayed up late the previous night. Falling asleep took longer than usual since he wasn¡¯t accustomed to daytime naps. He closed the curtains, lay down, and shut his eyes. ... ... ... A harsh summer heat beat down, the cramped, makeshift houses blocking any breeze. Despite the sweltering heat of noon, Lin Xian opened his eyes and hurriedly moved to the shade, feeling the temperature significantly drop. He checked his watch: 2:51 PM. Falling asleep at noon took longer than expected. ¡°First order of business, I need to locate CC in the woods behind Li Cheng¡¯s house.¡± Lin Xian surveyed his surroundings. Li Cheng¡¯s house was a fair distance away. Running there would take too long. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll be the Good Citizen of Los Angeles today,¡± he muttered, heading towards Big Cat Face¡¯s place. Big Cat Face¡¯s motorcycle, although old and rickety, was still a bike. In this dilapidated village, it was as esteemed as a Ferrari. Big Cat Face, the local tough guy, always left the key in the ignition, confident that no one dared steal it. ¡°Time to give Big Cat Face a lesson in security,¡± Lin Xian thought. ¡°He¡¯ll learn what ¡®it¡¯s hard to guard against a thief in one¡¯s own home¡¯ really means.¡± Thud! Exiting the alley, he collided with a man in a black hat. ¡°Move!¡± the man snapped, shoving Lin Xian against the wall before grabbing his fallen wallet and rushing away. ¡°Damn,¡± Lin Xian muttered, recognizing the man as the Three-Knife-Style Thief who had been targeting locals. ¡°What¡¯s with this village?¡± Lin Xian pondered. The thief¡¯s relentless devotion to his work reminded him of CC. No matter the changes in the world, her objective remained unchanged: cracking Lin Xian¡¯s safe. This thief seemed to harbor a deep love for the village, stealing relentlessly, day and night. ¡°CC!¡± he called out. Silence. ¡°CC!¡± he tried again. Still nothing. ¡°I¡¯m VV!¡± After a moment, a figure dropped from the trees, leaves swirling. Lin Xian saw her distinctive oval face, the mole under her left eye, and her slender frame. It was CC. Startled, CC asked, ¡°Are you VV?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian admitted truthfully. ¡°How do you know the name VV then?¡± she demanded. ¡°The you from tonight told me,¡± Lin Xian explained, recounting their upcoming interactions, including her planned disguise as Li Ning Ning, the human ladder trick, and the awaited but never arrived safe at the junkyard. He detailed the junkyard¡¯s traffic patterns and described fragments of her memory. The key was that VV, the name, was a code given by her future self to build trust. ¡°VV is that long-haired, middle-aged man, right? He probably sounds like me. I think he might be me, but I can¡¯t prove it yet,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°Any questions? If not, let¡¯s plan our next move.¡± CC pondered for a long while, about ten minutes. Lin Xian waited patiently; such an unbelievable situation needed careful consideration. For CC, switching from a carefully laid plan to trusting a stranger was daunting. This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the safe with my name arrives at the junkyard at 12:57, but this world ends at 12:42?¡± CC asked, her brow furrowed. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Exactly. You¡¯ve almost got it right. Whether you believe me or not, I need to break into New Donghai City to access that safe. Waiting at the junkyard is pointless; there¡¯s no reason for me to lie about that.¡± After a moment, CC nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯m not entirely convinced, but you knowing the name VV and details about the junkyard that were only released this morning is persuasive.¡± She extended her hand. ¡°Shall we team up? I need your skills to enter New Donghai City.¡± CC hesitated, then shook his hand. ¡°You¡¯ve predicted many of my actions. I¡¯ll trust you.¡± ¡°But the real challenge now...¡± CC crossed her arms, looking towards the distant, barren cityscape. ¡°To sneak into New Donghai City using the garbage trucks, we first need to enter the junkyard.¡± ¡°Locals like Li Cheng and Big Cat Face live off stealing from the junkyard using the human ladder method. It¡¯s clunky but effective.¡± ¡°But just the two of us...¡± ¡°How do we build a human ladder and scale the eight-meter wall of the junkyard?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 128: The Growing Gang! New Members! This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°Who said it¡¯s just the two of us?¡± Lin Xian grinned at CC, pointing to the motorcycle behind them. ¡°Hop on.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± CC asked, a mix of curiosity and worry in her eyes. ¡°To meet our big boss.¡± Vroom¡ª Lin Xian started the motorcycle with a swift kick. He glanced at CC. ¡°Just follow my lead and do exactly as I tell you.¡± ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± she asked. ¡°Not much,¡± Lin Xian mused. ¡°Our gang members are easygoing. They¡¯ll believe whatever we say. Just stick close.¡± Put-put-put-put-put! The motorcycle sputtered black smoke as they bounced along the rugged dirt road. Earlier, CC had informed Lin Xian that at 9:11 PM, two garbage trucks would leave the waste processing plant, taking their usual route past the abandoned Time Bank. Lin Xian mentally noted the time. That meant if they managed to sneak onto the garbage truck by 9:11 PM, they could hitch a ride into New Donghai City and get dropped off near the Time Bank. Of course, this depended on CC cracking the password in time, bypassing the biometric scanner, and safely unlocking the security door. This mission could very well be a one-way trip for both of them. Lin Xian didn¡¯t seem to care; he didn¡¯t place much value on his life. But CC¡¯s willingness to risk everything for this operation surprised him. It seemed the name VV meant more to her than her own life. Thump! A sudden bump nearly sent CC flying off the motorcycle. She quickly grabbed onto Lin Xian, then leaned back to maintain some distance. ¡°Can you tell me about you and VV?¡± Lin Xian shouted above the wind¡¯s roar. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± CC replied coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t be so distant,¡± Lin Xian coaxed with a smile. ¡°Actually, the future you spilled some beans earlier, just not the whole story. Maybe VV is connected to me too.¡± ¡°Humph! Nice try,¡± CC laughed softly. ¡°I would never reveal secrets about VV. Lying will only make me trust you less.¡± ¡°I believe you because you mentioned VV¡¯s name, and that was shock enough. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have believed your tale.¡± ¡°But even if I were to believe what you said, I wouldn¡¯t divulge more about VV.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian refocused on the road, letting the conversation drop. Despite the time difference, past and future, CC was sharp enough to catch his lie. The past involving VV was clearly her most treasured and painful memory. He couldn¡¯t guess the secrets hidden there, but they likely weren¡¯t joyful. CC obviously held some resentment towards VV. Given her reluctance to discuss it, Lin Xian would have to rely on piecing together future bits of information. The motorcycle sped onward. Thump, thump, thump! Three more bumps had CC clinging to Lin Xian again. ¡°Can you drive more smoothly?¡± CC complained. ¡°Stop clinging so tight!¡± Lin Xian retorted. ¡°Your hair... it¡¯s tickling my neck.¡± ¡°You think I want to?¡± CC grumbled, pushing herself away once again. However... Thump! Another bump. Once more, they found themselves pressed together. ¡°Are you doing this on purpose?¡± CC scowled. ¡°You¡¯re so self-centered... What would I gain from this?¡± Lin Xian muttered. Thud! A small fist thumped Lin Xian¡¯s back. ¡°Why don¡¯t you drive, and I¡¯ll sit at the back?¡± Lin Xian suggested irritably. ¡°Can you just cooperate a bit?¡± CC huffed but remained silent. ¡°I know someone who looks just like you,¡± Lin Xian shouted over the wind. ¡°That¡¯s the oldest pickup line ever.¡± ¡°See! That¡¯s what I wanted to say! You know the biggest difference between you two?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it,¡± CC cut him off sharply. ¡°The biggest difference is you¡¯re so self-centered and arrogant!¡± Lin Xian yelled into the wind. ¡°She was a princess, beloved by the entire city. Yet, she never acted as vain as you! She never assumed every man was out to get her.¡± CC, dressed in a sleek black outfit, stepped forward with graceful movements. Her model-like stature cast a long shadow in the setting sun. She smiled, her eyes forming graceful crescents, and faint dimples appeared. Her delicate features resembled a blooming white pear blossom. She raised her slender right hand and waved to everyone. ¡°Hello.¡± San Pang stood up straight, his nostrils flaring like a steam engine. He stepped forward and firmly shook Lin Xian¡¯s hand, eagerly asking, ¡°Is she your girlfriend?¡± ¡°No.¡± San Pang sneered, eyeing CC with skepticism. ¡°We don¡¯t welcome women in the gang. This is a joke! Other gangs would mock us! I vote no to her joining.¡± Big Cat Face nodded in agreement. He hadn¡¯t expected Lin Xian¡¯s partner to be a woman. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with women?!¡± Ah Zhuang stepped forward, his voice rising. ¡°Change is necessary! If we don¡¯t evolve, we¡¯ll become extinct! I vote yes! Let this heroine join!¡± ¡°Damn!¡± Big Cat Face was taken aback, tapping Ah Zhuang on the head. ¡°Where did you pick up such words? That¡¯s not your usual style!¡± San Pang glanced at CC, then at her charming smile, and nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea.¡± Big Cat Face turned and thumped San Pang on the head. ¡°You agree again? Learned to make quick decisions, huh?¡± In short... Two votes in favor, one against. ¡°Alright.¡± Big Cat Face nodded reluctantly. ¡°We¡¯re a democracy. So, welcome to the gang! What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°CC.¡± CC couldn¡¯t help but laugh, looking at Lin Xian. ¡°Your friends are entertaining. Why not call it the Cat Gang instead of the Face Gang?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a deep philosophical question,¡± Lin Xian whispered, joining Big Cat Face, Ah Zhuang, and San Pang in a round of applause. ¡°Welcome to the gang!¡± ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m honored.¡± ... ¡°Hmm... this gadget does look like something the waste plant supervisors use.¡± In the courtyard of Li Cheng¡¯s residence. The burly Li Cheng examined the Bluetooth earpiece-like device and handed it back to CC. ¡°You cracked this? You can monitor all the operations at the waste plants in New Donghai City?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± CC explained, ¡°You can track the departure and arrival times of all the garbage trucks, along with their tasks.¡± ¡°Tonight at 11:19, a shipment of water-damaged books will be transported to the waste plant,¡± Lin Xian informed Li Cheng, getting straight to the point. ¡°Boss Li, this is a golden opportunity. While they may not be historical texts, there are many other valuable books and materials. The drone patrols are the same as usual. It¡¯s the perfect time for you to steal the books.¡± Li Cheng nodded. Seeing the Bluetooth-like device, he had no doubts about their claims. ¡°Thank you for this crucial information. What do you need from us? I¡¯ll assist with whatever I can.¡± Lin Xian and CC exchanged looks and laid out their plan. They aimed to infiltrate Waste Plant 221, a facility that Big Cat Face and his crew had long targeted. Two garbage trucks would leave at 9:11 PM, offering an ideal chance to sneak into New Donghai City. If they managed to bypass the security door, the truck would transport them directly to Time Bank, where they could disembark and crack the safe. All they required was some manpower and a human ladder. Big Cat Face and Li Ning Ning didn¡¯t need to join them on the perilous mission. Once they were inside, Big Cat Face and Li Ning Ning could head to Waste Plant 314 to pilfer the books. It was an exchange of information for aid. This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Li Cheng was taken aback by their daring plan to breach New Donghai City, but after witnessing their resolve, he consented. ¡°See, we¡¯ve got our ladder,¡± Lin Xian told CC. CC bit her lip and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re impressive. At first, I doubted you were really Lin Xian... but now, with all these incredible events unfolding, you might actually be him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Lin Xian grinned. ¡°While we should rely on science, phenomena that defy explanation aren¡¯t necessarily unscientific. Maybe the safe and VV in your thoughts are both connected to me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± CC shook her head confidently. ¡°You¡¯re nothing like VV.¡± Not alike? CC¡¯s words brought Lin Xian back to his thoughts of her and Chu An Qing... Identical in appearance, different in personality, not the same individual. If so, what about the middle-aged man with the beard and himself? Could they be the same? Same voice, possibly similar in other ways, but not the same person. What could it mean? Clones? Lin Xian shook his head, puzzled. But he sensed that if he could unravel the mystery between CC and Chu An Qing, he might also discover the secret of his own enigma with the bearded man. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 129: Safe and Sound This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Big Cat Face signaled for everyone to don their masks and climb into the van. Lin Xian effortlessly fixed his well-worn Rhine Cat mask over his face. CC opted for an Ultraman mask, the same one he¡¯d worn during their last adventure. This ritual whisked Lin Xian back to their first dream, where the trio had first squeezed into this van¡ªa memory he cherished dearly. Yet, today, the van felt even more cramped, bustling with Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, San Pang, and Li Ning Ning. Li Ning Ning chose an Ultraman mask too, albeit slightly different from CC¡¯s. She positioned herself next to Lin Xian, with CC on his other side. As they jolted along the dirt road, the van swaying, a mix of white camellia and rose scents filled the air, lulling Lin Xian towards sleep. He reminisced about their second dream. At precisely 00:42, a hand had rested on his shoulder, carrying the delicate scent of white camellia. That had to be CC. Logically, CC should have been at disposal plant 221 then, overseeing the unloading of the safe. Only one possibility remained... Had he not joined the Face Gang, neither Li Ning Ning nor Big Cat Face would have faced delays, preventing CC from intervening. This could have jeopardized a plan back in old Donghai. Sure, other factors could have derailed Big Cat Face¡¯s plans, compelling CC, upon recognition, to act. ¡°We¡¯re here. Everyone out!¡± Big Cat Face announced as he parked the van on a dirt slope. They all got out. Masked, the group lined up to gaze at the distant neon lights of New Donghai City. To Lin Xian, it mirrored scenes from his favorite tales¡ªlike the Akatsuki attacking Konoha or Zhang Mazi battling bandits. Sometimes, he felt privileged. It was as if he had access to another dimension, a fantastical realm where adventures were limitless. This was an experience he could never have in real life, yet now he was living it daily on the fringes of New Donghai City. He wondered about the purpose of this unique dream. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s words under the moonlight resonated with him: ¡°Follow your passion, something you¡¯re devoted to, not to prove anything to others, but because it¡¯s worth your very life.¡± Was there truly such a calling for him? Recently, Lin Xian¡¯s outlook had begun to shift. He had previously regarded many things as trivial, like the recurring dream, the impending apocalypse, the elusive tomorrow... These concepts had seemed distant. 600 years away. Why should they matter to him? Whether they entailed destruction, deformation, joy, or pain¡ªhow did they affect him? As long as he was satisfied and free, that was enough. As long as he could explore and express himself, that was enough. But now... his perspective was evolving. Immersed in the events, new insights emerged¡ªhe had once seen Big Cat Face and CC as mere NPCs, devoid of emotion. But now, he inexplicably viewed them as friends, real beings with feelings and lives. And not just them. Many others as well. At disposal plant 314, despite knowing that everyone would perish at 00:42, he still dashed through the drone¡¯s fire to assist Li Ning Ning over the wall, saving the defiant girl who refused to accept her fate. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t explain his actions. Even aware of their inevitable doom, why risk everything to save someone who had mere minutes left? 20:42 The seven of them crouched outside the high wall of disposal plant 221, silently waiting for the drone¡¯s blind spot. This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°Here, take this.¡± Li Ning Ning pulled a small sachet from her pocket, handing it to Lin Xian. He examined it. It was a small, handmade sachet, about half the size of a bank card, slightly hard, as if filled with tiny grains. On both sides of the sachet, the words ¡°Safe and Sound¡± were neatly embroidered. The creator clearly possessed excellent sewing skills. ¡°I really admire your courage,¡± Li Ning Ning whispered. ¡°Over the years, I¡¯ve heard countless people boast about venturing into New Donghai City and accomplishing various feats... but you¡¯re the first I¡¯ve seen who truly dared to try.¡± ¡°I wanted to convince you not to go. It¡¯s very dangerous. But my dad tried to dissuade you for ages, and you still insisted... which means entering New Donghai City must be incredibly important to you. Maybe... even more important than your life.¡± Lin Xian nodded. Li Ning Ning smiled, looking at the sachet in Lin Xian¡¯s palm: ¡°This was sewn by my mom. I¡¯ve had it for many years, and it¡¯s always kept me safe.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too precious. You should keep it.¡± Lin Xian attempted to return the sachet to Li Ning Ning. But Li Ning Ning shook her head. Her slightly rough hands enveloped Lin Xian¡¯s larger ones, gripping them tightly around the sachet embroidered with ¡°Safe and Sound.¡± ¡°Lin Xian,¡± Li Ning Ning gazed up at him, ¡°Stay safe.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 130: Doraemons Dream This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°Thank you,¡± Lin Xian said, accepting the small, calming pouch with a nod. He slipped it into his coat pocket, offering a warm smile. ¡°Is there anything you want from New Donghai City, Ning Ning? I could bring you a gift.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about that,¡± Li Ning Ning laughed lightly. ¡°I just want to blow this city up.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Lin Xian responded softly. He looked up to see CC standing with her arms crossed, wearing an Ultraman mask. Her eyes sparkled warmly through the mask¡¯s eyeholes. ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± CC replied with a chuckle, looking away. ¡°It just seems you¡¯re quite popular with the girls.¡± ¡°Focus! We¡¯re near a surveillance blind spot!¡± Big Cat Face interjected, his command bringing silence to the group. They tensed, watching a drone fly by before moving on. ¡°Now!¡± ¡°Ah Zhuang! San Pang! Er Zhuzi!¡± With swift coordination, Er Zhuzi completed their makeshift human ladder. ¡°Hurry up and climb, you two! Watch for guards!¡± Big Cat Face yelled, his face turning red. Lin Xian and CC exchanged a quick glance, nodded, and climbed the human structure, vaulting over¡ª Thud. Thud. They landed safely atop a heap of discarded furniture, then sprinted twenty meters to a safer spot, away from the drone¡¯s reach. ¡°Safe,¡± Lin Xian murmured. He peered into the monitoring room. Inside, the guard was unaware of any disturbances, the noisy junkyard masking their movements. Lin Xian blew a few short bursts on his whistle. Tweet¡ªtweet tweet¡ª Big Cat Face quickly responded. Their next mission after reaching disposal plant 221 was to infiltrate plant 314 to steal books. ¡°You¡¯re pretty agile,¡± CC noted, eyeing Lin Xian. His leopard-like speed and agility were surprising. ¡°I¡¯m actually better with firearms,¡± Lin Xian admitted. ¡°But without guns here, I can¡¯t show you.¡± ¡°I have an animal injector, but it¡¯s non-lethal, just injects through the skin.¡± ¡°Keep it. It¡¯s our only weapon.¡± Boom¡ª As they spoke, the steel gate of the wall opened... Garbage trucks, loaded to the brim, began to exit. ¡°This batch of trucks is our target,¡± CC declared, attaching a Bluetooth-like device to her ear. ¡°After dumping, they¡¯ll return to New Donghai City by 9:11 PM. We just need to pick one.¡± She pointed to a nearby truck, ¡°Let¡¯s take that one. It¡¯s close, and there¡¯s no risk in sneaking in.¡± Lin Xian checked the monitoring room again. The distracted guard hadn¡¯t noticed them. ¡°Go!¡± They scrambled through the garbage, weaving between cover, until they reached the truck. The trucks were large, the gaps in the dump bed just wide enough for concealment but cramped for two.Yo?ur favorite stories on ¡°You go in first,¡± Lin Xian directed CC towards the gap. ¡°They won¡¯t miss us,¡± he realized. This deviation from his plan¡ªriding directly to Time Bank¡ªwas thwarted by unexpected tight city security; the outer junkyards were just a facade. ¡°We need to take action,¡± Lin Xian decided, noticing CC holding the animal injector. ¡°That¡¯s too slow and non-lethal... they have real guns, put away your toy,¡± he advised. ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± CC asked. ¡°We eliminate them,¡± Lin Xian suggested with a grim gesture. This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°They¡¯re relaxed, unaware of any danger... this is our chance for a surprise attack.¡± ¡°If we succeed, we take their weapons and uniforms to infiltrate the city.¡± ¡°And if we fail?¡± CC considered the risks. ¡°Then we try again tomorrow. No big deal,¡± Lin Xian grinned, unfazed. ¡°Got a knife or something?¡± CC pulled out a sharp knife from her waist and another small one hidden within her hair tie, camellias scenting the air. ¡°Are you Doraemon?¡± Lin Xian joked. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Never mind, it¡¯s not important,¡± Lin Xian dismissed, taking the regular knife and leaving the smaller one for CC. ¡°The guy checks from the left, the woman from the right. We¡¯ll ambush them at the truck¡¯s blind spot. I¡¯ll take the guy, you handle the woman. Quick and lethal!¡± ¡°Understood,¡± CC nodded, positioning herself. Lin Xian had no doubts about her; she was a skilled killer, unfazed by danger. Himself? He was equally confident. The inspectors approached, chatting about office politics. Reaching the truck, they split to check each side. ¡°If this leaks, it¡¯s bad for his promotion.¡± ¡°Once one knows, everyone knows,¡± they laughed, unaware of the imminent threat. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Two muffled thuds! Lin Xian and CC struck swiftly, slashing the inspectors¡¯ throats before they could react. Blood sprayed, marking the truck like cyberpunk graffiti. ¡°How about you, CC?¡± Lin Xian checked. ¡°No issues here,¡± she confirmed, the threat neutralized. ¡°These guys were too complacent,¡± Lin Xian observed. ¡°Never expected intruders.¡± ¡°Yeah... it¡¯s been centuries since anyone dared enter. Plus, the live scan at the gate makes it nearly impossible,¡± CC added, peering through the gap. ¡°So, what¡¯s next? Change into their uniforms and sneak in?¡± she proposed. ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian confirmed, securing a gun and feeling a surge of confidence. He looked toward the neon-lit city skyline. ¡°It¡¯s time to shake things up.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 131: Introduction to the Universal Constant This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation In his second dream, Lin Xian felt an odd sense of comfort holding a gun, like it was part of him. He and CC were dressed in guard uniforms, stained with blood that blended into the dark fabric, leaving an annoying stickiness behind. ¡°We need a better way to hide blood next time,¡± Lin Xian mused thoughtfully. CC glanced over, her mind elsewhere. Lin Xian¡¯s predictions about the future had been unsettlingly accurate. Initially skeptical, CC¡¯s doubts were slowly fading. After cleaning up quickly, Lin Xian checked their electronic badges. He flipped through a magazine, surprised that bullets hadn¡¯t changed much in 600 years. They were a bit different in size but still kinetic, not the futuristic lasers or energy beams he had imagined. ¡°Maybe my theories were right,¡± Lin Xian whispered. ¡°What do you mean?¡± CC asked, intrigued. ¡°This place, New Donghai City... it might just be a facade,¡± Lin Xian speculated, gazing at the horizon. Vehicles of various sizes flew through the sky in organized layers, like fish in a tank. The scene looked advanced but superficial. Reflecting on this, Lin Xian realized that the city, projected 600 years into the future, didn¡¯t showcase technologies beyond his understanding. Buildings were taller, cars flew, and machines were smarter, but fundamentally, the progression of technology wasn¡¯t as revolutionary as he expected. If this were 2064, such advancements would seem plausible, but in 2624? Lin Xian felt a pang of disappointment with New Donghai City. It wasn¡¯t the futuristic utopia he had envisioned. It seemed as though someone, perhaps the Genius Club, was intentionally suppressing technological development. Lin Xian looked up at the moon, noting the dark silhouette of a hand pointing skyward. What was their ultimate goal? With a loud clang, the gate swung open after they swiped their badges. Lin Xian and CC entered New Donghai City, surrounded by skyscrapers stretching into the clouds. Even the shorter buildings were imposing, making Lin Xian feel small, like a frog at the bottom of a well, unable to see the full picture. It was overwhelming. New Donghai City felt similar to the old one, perhaps even more claustrophobic. The intense light pollution filled the cramped urban space, nearly blinding. Lin Xian marveled at how adaptable humans are; the residents seemed to have grown accustomed to, or even prefer, this blinding urban landscape. ¡°Look at those people,¡± CC whispered, pointing to the passersby. ¡°Their fashion is quite odd.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably due to cultural isolation,¡± Lin Xian suggested, though he knew that wasn¡¯t quite the correct term. As he suspected, centuries of isolation had shaped a distinctive culture and fashion standard in New Donghai City. Men of all ages sported flamboyant opera attire, as if ready to turn any street into a stage, while women¡¯s fashion displayed a quirky, youthful twist. Their entire look¡ªclothes, hairstyles, accessories¡ªoozed a childlike charm, reminiscent of middle school or even elementary school styles. CC frowned. ¡°There¡¯s something unsettling about it.¡± ¡°Fashion trends evolve,¡± Lin Xian reasoned, recalling his cousin who was once a prominent figure in their town¡¯s ¡°Shamate¡± subculture. The women around him had dressed just as lavishly as those in New Donghai City. Nowadays, it¡¯s referred to as Harajuku style, though Lin Xian preferred to call it ¡°Christmas tree¡± style, due to the excessive decorations reminiscent of the Victorian era. ¡°Something else is off,¡± Lin Xian observed, studying the men and women around them. ¡°Have you noticed how unusually attractive everyone is, almost like statues... unnaturally so.¡± ¡°True,¡± CC agreed, her initial focus on their attire shifting as she noticed their exceptional beauty. Such appearances should be rare, but here, everyone was stunning. Lin Xian felt an eerie sensation... Were they even human? In 2023, cosmetic enhancements were advanced. It was not surprising that 600 years later, such incredible beauty technologies were prevalent, making it difficult to guess anyone¡¯s real age. ¡°It seems there are no elderly people here,¡± CC noted quietly. ¡°Not on this street, anyway.¡± ¡°Or perhaps... they¡¯re all old,¡± Lin Xian speculated, finding the city stranger by the minute. Dating here must be more complex than playing a game of Werewolf. Luckily, their uniforms helped them blend in, avoiding the curious stares of the locals. ¡°And check for any history books. I¡¯ll browse around here.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± CC quickly headed for the computer at the counter. Lin Xian scanned the signs hanging from the ceiling... Drawing Area, Children¡¯s Area, Textbook Area, Video Area... He toured the first floor but found nothing related to history. Returning, CC reported, ¡°Any history books?¡± ¡°None,¡± CC replied, shaking her head. ¡°Odd... Such a large bookstore, yet no history section. I even searched the database¡ªthere¡¯s not a single history book.¡± ¡°What about Introduction to the Universal Constant?¡± ¡°Found it. Second floor, ancient books section, shelf three, level three.¡± Ancient books? Lin Xian was puzzled. This should have been categorized under academic materials. Knowledge shouldn¡¯t be labeled as ancient or modern. With questions swirling in his mind, Lin Xian and CC ascended to the second floor and quickly located the book. The cover featured a conspicuous review¡ª ¡°This is a worthless, error-filled academic work, but it miraculously survived in an ancient tomb for 600 years without decaying... Perhaps it¡¯s a miracle of love, a testament to an undying affection from six centuries ago.¡± ¡°What is this nonsense?¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t understand. A scholarly work, dismissed as a romantic relic? He noted the harsh words on the cover: Worthless. Error-filled. Was this book truly that flawed? Had it been demoted from academic relevance to an ancient curiosity due to its supposed inaccuracies? Had Big Cat¡¯s father pursued his studies in vain? Lin Xian found this hard to accept. He removed the plastic wrap, opened the cover, and checked the author¡¯s bio... The picture showed a young academic, about 25 or 26 years old, with black-rimmed glasses, resembling a university student. The bio read: Liu Feng, born April 1996 in Shanxi, X Country. Entered Shanxi University¡¯s Mathematics Department in 2014, earned a master¡¯s degree in 2021, and then dedicated his career to studying the Universal Constant, culminating in this publication. Born in 1996... Just as Lin Xian suspected. The original author of Introduction to the Universal Constant was from his own time. This was an exciting discovery. If Lin Xian could reach out to the original author with his knowledge about the Universal Constant 42, perhaps he could unlock more secrets. This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Despite the disparaging review, Lin Xian remained skeptical. As Big Cat once remarked... how credible are most experts? The Genius Club¡¯s involvement in the murder of Big Cat¡¯s father was the ultimate academic indictment. Lin Xian flipped through the book, absorbing complex theories, until he reached the last page... where he found a printed card, seemingly included with the book. Had this card also been unearthed from the tomb? He pulled out the card... The handwriting was delicate but shaky: Dear Feng Feng, Although I missed the meteor shower... I¡¯ll still make a wish for you from the heavens. One day, everyone will recognize the significance of the Universal Constant. It¡¯s unfortunate I won¡¯t be there to see it. Take care of yourself. ¡ªForever loving you, Qi Qi This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 132: A Miracle Spanning 600 Years ¡°What is this?¡± Lin Xian wondered aloud, turning the card over to read the back. It explained that the book had been discovered in an ancient tomb with this card inside, later restored and printed with the book. The tomb contained the remains of a young woman who archaeologists believed had written the card as a farewell to her lover before dying of an illness. Lin Xian flipped the card back to its front. The handwriting was delicate yet firm, filled with deep sadness. The woman¡¯s wish was simple: she wanted recognition for her book, Introduction to Universal Constants. Sadly, even 600 years later, as the world faced an impending apocalypse, scholars still dismissed the book as flawed and unimportant. Yet, their enduring love and the book¡¯s preservation touched many hearts. ¡°Qi Qi...¡± Lin Xian murmured, thinking it might be her name. He wondered if she had somehow survived into 2023. He planned to visit Liu Feng, the book¡¯s original author, in Shanxi after New Year¡¯s, hoping to meet this resilient girl, Qi Qi. But if the book had been published, why was there no trace of it online? Suddenly, alarms blared through the bookstore. ¡°Lin Xian, we need to go!¡± CC shouted. Nodding, Lin Xian dropped the book and sprinted with CC towards the ground floor. As they exited, two robotic police dogs leaped at them! Bang! Bang! Lin Xian drew his gun and fired, the dogs¡¯ heads exploding in sparks and metal, their bodies twitching on the ground. CC, wide-eyed with her gun still holstered, watched in shock. Then¡ª Bang! Another shot rang out. ¡°Get down!¡± Lin Xian shouted, pulling CC aside in a swift motion. Crash! Crash! A jet ski-like vehicle crashed down, its uniformed rider bearing a fatal wound, blood and brain matter splattered around. ¡°Get on!¡± Lin Xian unfastened the rider¡¯s seatbelt and pushed the body off the vehicle. ¡°Do you know how to drive this?¡± CC asked, climbing onto the back seat. ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± Lin Xian hopped into the driver¡¯s seat, grabbed the handlebars, and figured it resembled an electric scooter. ¡°Hold tight!¡± CC wrapped her arms around Lin Xian. He revved the throttle and yanked the handlebars¡ª Vroom! The vehicle surged with power, lifting them skyward! ¡°Woohoo!¡± Lin Xian yelled, exhilarated. ¡°Lin Xian! Look behind us!¡±Ree?ad latest novels at CC, still holding onto Lin Xian, turned to see drones with green lights approaching fast. ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Lin Xian stepped out of the cab, greeted by the brilliant lights of a grand clubhouse. Familiar faces from TV and newspapers were everywhere, mingling and laughing as they entered. It hadn¡¯t been long since his last visit to one of Chu Shan He¡¯s charity galas, yet here he was, poised among them once more. A soft, manicured hand tapped his shoulder. ¡°Why are you just standing here?¡± Lin Xian turned around and was immediately struck by the scent of Chanel¡¯s jasmine rose perfume. The light caught the diamond and ruby earrings that Zhao Ying Jun wore, making them sparkle brilliantly. She passed by him in a rose-red, off-shoulder evening dress, her heels clicking on the floor. ¡°I noticed you were lost in thought when I got out of the car. What was on your mind?¡± ¡°Nothing much,¡± Lin Xian replied with a smile, catching up to her. ¡°Just marveling at how quickly time passes. It¡¯s almost the New Year already.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zhao Ying Jun agreed, walking beside him into the hall. ¡°It¡¯s been six months since you graduated from Donghai University. You probably didn¡¯t expect to accomplish so much so soon.¡± Lin Xian nodded. Just six months earlier, he had started at MX Company as an intern and had quickly been promoted to a full-time position. The success of the Rhine Cat mascot had catapulted his career forward unexpectedly. He was excited to see the surprise on his relatives¡¯ and friends¡¯ faces when he returned home for the New Year. The hall was alive with activity. Soon, Chu Shan He and his wife made their entrance, dressed elegantly, signaling the official start of the banquet. ¡°In the past year, we¡¯ve said goodbye to old friends and welcomed new ones. We live in times of constant change...¡± Chu Shan He¡¯s deep voice filled the room as he delivered his New Year¡¯s speech. He reflected on the year¡¯s highs and lows, achievements, and poignant moments, even mentioning Xu Yun with deep emotion. His words held the audience captivated, their faces showing nothing but respect. Lin Xian observed Chu Shan He¡¯s wife, Su Xiu Ying, standing gracefully behind him, her expression one of pride and joy. As his loyal partner, she kept a low profile, focusing mainly on their home. Chu Shan He was known for his strong family values, which made him seem more approachable and sincere. Although Lin Xian didn¡¯t know much about Chu Shan He¡¯s family life, the couple¡¯s warm interaction suggested a deep and loving relationship. This close family bond likely played a role in shaping their daughter Chu An Qing¡¯s generous nature, as parents are indeed a child¡¯s first role models. Following the speech, the room burst into applause. Other prominent members of the Chamber of Commerce spoke and then came the award presentations, adding to the celebratory atmosphere. As the official proceedings concluded, music began to play and servers distributed exquisite dishes. The center of the room was cleared for dancing. It was time for the traditional dance. Most attendees had brought their partners or families and gathered on the dance floor, eager for the music to start. This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Up on the second floor, the orchestra conductor gave the signal, and the music intensified, with strings and brass instruments heightening the excitement. ¡°Tango?¡± Lin Xian recognized the melody of ¡°Por Una Cabeza,¡± a classic tango tune. The lively song brought back memories. He had expected the evening to start off slow, but the upbeat tango was perfectly suited for a celebration focused on joy. The guests were already familiar with each other, so there was no need for a slow dance to break the ice. But Lin Xian was there primarily as Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s plus-one, her protective escort for the evening. He was quite happy to sit on the sidelines, munching on snacks and politely declining any dance requests. ¡°Hey.¡± Zhao Ying Jun called out to him. ¡°Hmm?¡± Lin Xian turned to her. Under the ornate ballroom lights, intricate shadows played across her gown, her earrings swinging gently, mimicking the movements of dancers. She stood before him, her eyes shining with anticipation as she looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Can you dance?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 133: Girlfriend The deep, resonant sound of a cello melded with the trembling vibrato of a violin, elevating the mood and making Golden Hall¡¯s atmosphere resonate. Several couples twirled past, their flowing gowns whispering against each other, leaving a trail of perfume and soft light in their wake. Lin Xian was slightly taken aback. Zhao Ying Jun had never danced before. ¡°I know a bit,¡± he responded. ¡°Would you dance with me?¡± ¡°Sure.¡±Chee?ck out latest novels on Zhao Ying Jun tiptoed forward, placing her left hand on Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder before gliding past him, spinning halfway. Lin Xian stepped to the left, extending his left arm to support Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s waist, completing the elegant turn. The cello¡¯s sound softened as the solo violin¡¯s strings pulled at the heartstrings, with Zhao Ying Jun moving deftly to the rhythm, each step timed perfectly. Lin Xian followed seamlessly, his right hand on her slender waist, their left hands clasped, gliding effortlessly across the dance floor. Learning tango isn¡¯t hard. At Donghai University¡¯s School of Arts, ballroom dancing was a popular elective, quickly filling up due to its demand. The School of Arts had a higher female to male ratio, making the few male students quite popular as dance partners, perhaps contributing to the course¡¯s popularity. Lin Xian managed to enroll during his sophomore year, spending that year as a frequent dance partner. Perhaps because he was a well-liked host, had good looks, and was tall, many girls preferred practicing with him, often waiting in line for their turn. That year was exhausting. From the moment he entered the dance studio until class ended, it was a constant whirl of spinning and supporting. He thought he had danced all the tangos of his life in that semester. Yet, today brought another opportunity. ¡°You dance really well,¡± Lin Xian genuinely complimented. Zhao Ying Jun smiled. ¡°You¡¯re not too shabby yourself.¡± Their dance steps were skilled and intense, yet their bodies never touched, a testament to the essence of tango, which lies in the pull and push of the steps. A master¡¯s tango resembles playing the piano, while a novice¡¯s is more akin to practicing Wing Chun. ¡°Does Donghai University teach tango?¡± ¡°They teach the basics, nothing this complex,¡± Lin Xian replied honestly. ¡°Then how did you get so good?¡± ¡°This dance piece is famous,¡± Lin Xian explained, pulling them back to the center of the dance floor. ¡°It¡¯s been used in many movies. Directors love this piece. If there¡¯s a tango scene, it¡¯s often to this song, ¡®Por Una Cabeza.¡¯ I¡¯ve watched it enough times to learn.¡± ¡°Like which movies?¡± Zhao Ying Jun inquired, looking up. ¡°Scent of a Woman,¡± Lin Xian answered. ¡°A great movie with an iconic dance scene.¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, watching the other dancing couples. ¡°I¡¯ve seen that movie. The lead actress is beautiful.¡± ¡°Gabrielle Anwar,¡± Lin Xian noted. ¡°Though she¡¯s aged since then.¡± ¡°Everyone ages. No one stays young forever.¡± Zhao Ying Jun released Lin Xian¡¯s left hand, spinning gracefully on her high heels to the music, then rejoining his hand. ¡°It seems you really enjoy movies. You know a lot about them. Are you particularly interested in film?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± he replied as the music was reaching its crescendo, the solo violin gently fading out. ¡°I¡¯ve just watched a lot of movies.¡± ... Since both women suggested it, he couldn¡¯t decline outright. He resigned himself to being a mere dance partner without emotion. ¡°I mainly learned traditional dance; I¡¯m not that good at ballroom,¡± Chu An Qing laughed, stepping closer to Lin Xian. ¡°I might need you to teach me!¡± As the previous song ended and a new one began, the hall lights dimmed, and the warm lights swirled around. The lively, brisk violin ensemble began, accompanied by trumpets and trombones, creating a cheerful atmosphere. The ¡°Voices of Spring Waltz,¡± a classic waltz, started. Chu An Qing looked up at Lin Xian, who was a head taller. The rotating lights danced in her eyes, drawing bright star rings. Lin Xian extended his right hand, and Chu An Qing¡¯s elegant fingertips touched his as they stepped onto the dance floor. The light, crisp plucking of the violin strings filled the hall with the essence of spring, like the song of a nightingale. As couples on the dance floor twirled, cellists joined the accompaniment, enriching the spring motif. Even though Chu An Qing modestly claimed she wasn¡¯t good at ballroom dancing, the gap between amateur and professional was evident. Her ¡°not good¡± seemed master-level to Lin Xian. Dancing with her was far more challenging than with Zhao Ying Jun. But fortunately, the waltz was simple, requiring minimal footwork, mostly turning, with any complex moves falling to the female partner. Lin Xian only needed to provide a stable ¡°frame.¡± Gradually, more people noticed the professionalism on the dance floor, making way for the little blue princess to showcase her skills. Her light blue dress flowed in the air, her graceful movements painting a vivid scene. It was breathtaking. ... In a corner of the hall, Zhao Ying Jun held a glass of red wine, swirling the vivid liquid, smiling as she watched the blue flower dancing in the center. ¡°May I have this dance?¡± A young voice called from behind. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a bit tired,¡± Zhao Ying Jun declined without turning around. But something felt off. The voice sounded too young. She turned, seeing a young man with slightly curly hair, dressed in a black suit and bow tie, looking somewhat weary, half-bowing with a smile. Zhao Ying Jun was taken aback; this was someone unexpected. ¡°Ji Lin?¡± She stood up politely, noticing the young man standing straight. Even with her heels, she was taller. ¡°What a surprise to see you here.¡± ¡°You recognize me?¡± ¡°Mr. Ji, you¡¯re a celebrity now. There have been many reports about you recently.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a coincidence, Miss Zhao, I recognize you too.¡± Ji Lin smiled, holding up his keychain with a cute Rhine Cat charm. ¡°I love your company¡¯s cat. I want to write a story for it, so I came to ask for your authorization. Can I have it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Zhao Ying Jun caught the joke in his voice, responding playfully. ¡°But Rhine Cat¡¯s authorization isn¡¯t cheap... if you take it to the Oscars, I can offer a discount.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate,¡± Ji Lin chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning to accept the award myself. But if you could pass a message to the designer, asking for a Gothic style Rhine Cat, I¡¯d appreciate it.¡± ¡°Why not tell him directly?¡± Zhao Ying Jun pointed to Lin Xian, dancing with the little blue princess. ¡°He¡¯s the creator of Rhine Cat. You can talk to him directly. He likes you and might take your suggestion.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s him,¡± Ji Lin squinted at Lin Xian, dancing happily with Chu An Qing, then turned to Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Wasn¡¯t he dancing with you earlier?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then may I boldly ask...¡± Ji Lin pointed at Chu An Qing, intrigued. ¡°Which one of you is his girlfriend?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 134: Hypocrisy Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, glancing at Ji Lin. ¡°President Chu Shan He invited you here, and you don¡¯t even recognize his daughter, do you?¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve been overseas for quite a while and haven¡¯t really kept up with the local scene in Donghai,¡± Ji Lin replied, meeting Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s gaze. ¡°So, are you his girlfriend?¡± Zhao Ying Jun laughed softly, crossing her arms. ¡°Mr. Ji Lin, it¡¯s quite rude to pry into someone¡¯s personal life. Is this a common trait among mystery writers?¡± ¡°It seems to be a popular belief, but maybe I¡¯m just naturally curious.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, your curiosity is off the mark this time,¡± Zhao Ying Jun remarked, leaning back and sipping her wine as she observed Lin Xian and Chu An Qing dancing and laughing. She shook her head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m just his boss.¡± Upstairs, the orchestra conductor¡¯s hand danced with intensity. Amid the robust drumbeats and rapid violin strings, ¡°Voices of Spring¡± climbed to its climax and concluded with a definitive last note. The dancing stopped, and the crowd burst into enthusiastic applause for Chu An Qing, who stood at the center in her elegant gown. While some clapped just to flatter, her performance truly deserved the praise. Lin Xian felt slightly awkward. After waving to the crowd with Chu An Qing, they headed towards Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s table. ¡°Lin Xian, you dance so well!¡± Chu An Qing exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re not just talented in design and hosting, but in dancing too!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not exaggerate,¡± Lin Xian responded with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not that great at dancing.¡± ¡°Oh, please, you¡¯re just being humble!¡± Chu An Qing teased, walking backwards in front of him with her hands clasped behind her. ¡°After your talk at our academy, all the upperclassmen couldn¡¯t stop talking about you! They said you were quite popular, with lots of girls interested in you. Why didn¡¯t you date anyone? What kept you so busy?¡± Lin Xian was caught off guard. What had kept him so busy in college? Those four years seemed to have just flown by. ¡°Probably lost in my dreams,¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°Dreams can be quite captivating.¡± ¡°Do your dreams include a golden house?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian answered. ¡°And beautiful women?¡± ¡°Well, sort of,¡± Lin Xian pondered, thinking of CC and Li Ning Ning. ¡°I¡¯m jealous; your dreams sound wonderful,¡± Chu An Qing sighed. ¡°I often have nightmares.¡± ¡°What kind of nightmares?¡± ¡°All sorts, but I usually forget them when I wake up. They¡¯re quite scary, though. I wish I could dream like you.¡± As they laughed and talked, they reached Zhao Ying Jun. Lin Xian noticed a new face behind Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Miss Zhao, who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Let me introduce him,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said as she set her wine glass down. ¡°This is the brilliant detective I mentioned earlier, Mr. Ji Lin. You might have seen him at Professor Xu Yun¡¯s memorial, but you probably didn¡¯t notice each other then.¡± ¡°Ji Lin, meet Lin Xian, the genius behind Rhine Cat and our company¡¯s leading creative mind. He¡¯s the brains behind everything Rhine Cat.¡± ¡°Hello,¡± Ji Lin extended his hand. ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Lin Xian shook his hand, noting its softness, much like a woman¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m a huge fan of your Rhine Cat design,¡± Ji Lin commented, holding up a keychain with a Rhine Cat doll wearing a cheongsam and bun. ¡°Could I get your autograph?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°Just call me Lin Xian. We¡¯re about the same age; no need for formalities.¡± After signing the keychain, Chu An Qing giggled at the Rhine Cat doll. ¡°Great minds think alike! I love the cheongsam and bun style too! But you have Lin Xian¡¯s second autograph. I got the first one, marked NO.1!¡± He nodded. ¡°I drank, you drive,¡± she tossed him a red and black car key. Catching it, Lin Xian recognized the classic design. Ferrari keys always had this old-fashioned look, less sophisticated than even electric bike keys. It was unexpected. He hadn¡¯t thought Zhao Ying Jun would drive such a conspicuous car to a business event, or that she wouldn¡¯t have her driver today. In the nearly empty parking lot, a red Ferrari LaFerrari stood out, low and sleek. ¡°Nice car,¡± Lin Xian admired. He thought the Bentley Continental GT was impressive, but the LaFerrari was something else. Limited to just 499 units worldwide, it was valued at over 20 million yuan, often fetching even higher prices on the resale market. Its V12 engine outclassed the GT¡¯s, boasting over 900 horsepower and capable of reaching 60 mph in just three seconds. ¡°With your driving skills, you deserve to drive a great car,¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled, walking around the LaFerrari as its scissor doors lifted slowly. ¡°Take me for a spin, show me what you can do.¡± Lin Xian walked around the car, ensuring no one was lurking nearby. He climbed into the driver¡¯s seat, still cautious from past experiences. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°Anywhere,¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s face was slightly flushed from the wine. ¡°I drank a bit too much, need some fresh air.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t quite read her. Tonight, Zhao Ying Jun seemed different, as if burdened by something. Even during their conversation, her responses were sometimes hesitant. He planned to drop her off and head home early. Now, she wanted to go for a drive? The Ferrari¡¯s naturally aspirated engine roared to life, its distinct sound a stark contrast to turbo engines. Ferrari¡¯s designers had always favored naturally aspirated engines for their unmatched auditory experience. The red taillights streaked through the night as the LaFerrari sped down the road, heading towards the outskirts of Donghai. ¡°Is your hometown Hangzhou?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked. By the Huangpu River, where Gao Yang had once taken Lin Xian for a barbecue by the lake, the LaFerrari, doors up, was parked nearby. Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun leaned against the railing, watching the river flow. ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°When do you plan to go back?¡± ¡°In a couple of days, after I pick up a few things.¡± ¡°That makes sense. Donghai and Hangzhou are close; there¡¯s no need to plan too far ahead.¡± Zhao Ying Jun pulled her coat tighter, looking up at the moon obscured by clouds. The weather was turning, with low clouds hinting at an impending rainstorm. After a long silence, Zhao Ying Jun turned to him. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about something for days, wondering how to bring it up given your current circumstances... it¡¯s a bit difficult to say.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°About your job change.¡± A distant lightning bolt split the sky, followed by a rumble of thunder. The thick clouds swirled, blocking the remaining moonlight. Donghai darkened, the riverside lights struggling to cut through the gloom. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± Zhao Ying Jun raised her gaze to his, her dark eyes mirroring the starless night. ¡°Would you... consider being my secretary?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 135: Zhao Ying Juns Password ¡°I don¡¯t mean to make you my full-time secretary,¡± Zhao Ying Jun quickly clarified, seeing Lin Xian¡¯s initial surprise. She looked earnest as she explained, ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this quite a bit. You¡¯re financially independent. Your quarterly income surpasses that of many large companies¡¯ annual earnings. It wouldn¡¯t be right to just have you as a secretary. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve hesitated to bring this up.¡± ¡°Though you¡¯re technically under me at MX Company, you might as well be the real boss considering everything you¡¯ve contributed. I¡¯ve wondered what we¡¯d do if you left... how the company would evolve. But that¡¯s a separate issue.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve discussed your ambitions to start your own business, to learn business strategies, gain experience, and avoid needless mistakes. It¡¯s crucial, and I support you. The best way to learn is undoubtedly as a CEO¡¯s secretary.¡± ¡°A secretary, like a CEO, handles tons of business data, including confidential information. You¡¯d be involved in decision-making and strategic planning. Often, a minor decision could dictate the company¡¯s future. You can¡¯t learn this stuff in any other role... only through hands-on experience. Even I and Chu Shan He learned by constantly trying and failing.¡± ¡°Since I¡¯ve brought this up today, I want to give you some advice from the heart. You¡¯ve been a huge help recently, so sharing my insights and experiences with you is only fair to help you on your entrepreneurial path.¡± ¡°Think about this proposal. If you¡¯re interested, maybe you could try being my part-time secretary. It wouldn¡¯t disrupt your daily activities.¡± Zhao Ying Jun spoke sincerely. Lin Xian had never heard her speak so extensively at once. It was clear she had mulled over this conversation for a long time. She made a compelling point. From an outsider¡¯s view, asking someone as wealthy and skilled as Lin Xian to be a secretary might seem ridiculous. That explained her hesitance and concern about his potential misinterpretation or feeling undervalued. A part-time secretary. Zhao Ying Jun had indeed thought this through. She wouldn¡¯t demand all his time, mostly needing help with confidential tasks, allowing him flexibility. Recognizing his desire to learn and advance, Zhao Ying Jun offered him this role. Lin Xian had been anticipating an opportunity like this. ¡°I¡¯d be honored,¡± Lin Xian responded with a smile. ¡°I appreciate your trust, and I¡¯m confident I¡¯ll perform well.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled softly, turning to view the colorful night scene across the river, visibly relieved. She relaxed her arms, resting them on the riverbank railing. ¡°I thought you might say no.¡± ¡°I might have before,¡± Lin Xian confessed quietly. ¡°But now, I see things differently. I want to acquire genuine skills, and working as your secretary is definitely the quickest way to learn. What should I start with?¡± ¡°Just keep up your current duties,¡± Zhao Ying Jun answered, facing him. ¡°But I might need you more often. With the company growing, I can¡¯t handle everything myself. I¡¯ll rely on you for many tasks.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll also start involving you in some confidential company issues. We have an initial plan, but we¡¯ll fine-tune the details later.¡± ¡°And if you find the time, I¡¯d appreciate your help in organizing the office. Not constantly, just when possible. A tidy office improves the atmosphere. Just make sure it¡¯s only us who go in there. We need to be careful.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°By the way, remember the office door¡¯s password,¡± Zhao Ying Jun mentioned, rubbing her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s 32375246.¡± ¡°That seems complex. Any special significance?¡± Lin Xian thought about recording it on his phone but decided against it for security reasons, repeating the number internally to memorize it. ¡°It¡¯s just random,¡± Zhao Ying Jun gave a faint smile. ¡°Meaningful passwords are too predictable and easy to crack. An arbitrary one is much safer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s hard to believe, but I guess you just picked it randomly.¡± Clang. Clang. Clang. The midnight elevator was ominously quiet, each cable¡¯s friction echoing loudly. It was past 12:30 AM, and the company was deserted. Even if someone was around, it didn¡¯t matter. As Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s secretary, it was reasonable for him to be in her office anytime. Besides, she valued privacy, so there were no cameras in the 22nd-floor corridor or her office. No one knew his intentions. As the elevator doors slid open, Lin Xian stepped out into the dimly lit corridor, the keypad¡¯s blue light glowing in the darkness. He approached the door, each step echoing on the floor. The short walk felt like an eternity, from the first time he saw the invitation to entering the password now. He typed the eight-digit password: 3, 2, 3, 7, 5, 2, 4, 6. Click! The double-layered door opened with a familiar thud. Pushing open the heavy door, he stepped into the dark office, the rain drumming on the floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the space with a metallic scent. No lights. No moonlight. Only the standby white dot on the computer monitor flickered. Boom! Lightning momentarily illuminated the room like daylight, the rain turning the windows into a blurry screen. Inhaling the damp air, Lin Xian walked straight to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s desk. He remembered the Genius Club invitation was in the right drawer. He pulled it open, rifling through the contents. Empty. He tried another drawer. Still empty. Bending down, he opened the file cabinet beside the desk. ¡°Ha...¡± A woman¡¯s soft laughter echoed behind him. Boom! Another lightning strike. Lin Xian spun around. On the side sofa, a woman with crossed legs and swinging high heels watched him. She wore a trench coat, her blue earrings swaying lightly, a smile playing on her lips. ¡°Lin Xian, what are you looking for?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 136: The Yellow Finch A flash of lightning briefly illuminated the room. Lin Xian jumped up, heart pounding, as he recoiled in shock. Someone else was lurking in the office! Initially, the sight of high heels and earrings led him to believe that Zhao Ying Jun was waiting for him, possibly as part of a trap laid by the Genius Club. However, a closer look at the woman¡¯s face made him realize she was not Zhao Ying Jun. She was fuller and appeared older, likely in her thirties, contrasting sharply with the 24-year-old Zhao Ying Jun. Though her face wasn¡¯t clear, her beauty was undeniable, especially her crystal blue eyes that seemed almost otherworldly, their depth akin to endlessly flowing molten glass. Relieved that she wasn¡¯t Zhao Ying Jun, Lin Xian found the prospect of confronting a stranger less daunting than someone familiar. It seemed less threatening. But then he wondered... Zhao Ying Jun had secured the office with a complex password known only to them. How then had this mysterious woman gained entry? Her presence raised questions about her intentions and whether she was an ally or adversary. Lin Xian remained silent, observing her as she sat on the sofa. Outside, the sound of rain against the glass began to wane. As the rain let up, the curtain of raindrops cleared from the window, and the clouds parted. The obscured waning moon emerged, casting a slanted beam of moonlight into the office, illuminating the rhythmic sway of the woman¡¯s high heels. ¡°Are you looking for this?¡± Her voice broke the silence as she picked up a dark red invitation from the sofa, waving it nonchalantly. The invitation, half-opened, fluttered like a clamshell. It bore no wax seal. Golden characters on the back glimmered faintly in the moonlight. With that, she turned to leave. Her silky hair brushed against Lin Xian¡¯s cheek, carrying the sweet scent of white camellias. Lin Xian inhaled deeply. This scent... although slightly different from CC¡¯s, was unmistakably white camellia. ¡°What exactly is your purpose?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°How can I get a real invitation?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡± Lin Xian chuckled, tossing the invitation onto the desk: ¡°If you won¡¯t tell me anything, then you can wait at the Genius Club forever.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell you, Lin Xian.¡± She paused, turning her head, ¡°I just can¡¯t. You¡¯re already very close to the answer... Instead of questioning here, why not go back and ponder the laws of space-time? The laws of space-time are much more crucial and stringent than you think. Almost all the answers are hidden within them... But for now, your grasp of space-time laws is too superficial. Especially the law of space-time elasticity... It¡¯s a critical law, why not delve deeper into it?¡± Listening to her words, Lin Xian felt his certainty ebbing once more. The term ¡°space-time elasticity¡± was his own creation, something he had theorized and summarized himself. No one else had mentioned it before. Yet this woman knew it intimately. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± Lin Xian squinted at her retreating figure. ¡°A mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the yellow finch behind...¡± She smiled, opening the coded door: ¡°Next time we meet, just call me Yellow Finch.¡± Bang! The heavy coded door closed firmly. The moonlight finally broke fully through the clouds, flooding the office with a frosty glow. The digital clock on the desk displayed the time¡ª00:42 End of Volume One: The Yellow Finch, to be continued. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 137: Happy New Year The office of Zhao Ying Jun was enveloped in silence, broken only by the methodical ticking of a clock. Under the gentle wash of moonlight, Lin Xian scrutinized an invitation from the Genius Club. ¡°Dear Ms. Zhao Ying Jun, You are cordially invited to... witness... the unveiling of a new product...Yo?ur favorite stories on Included below were a URL and a QR code.¡± Lin Xian extracted his phone and scanned the code, which redirected him to the Apple 2023 Spring Launch Event page. ¡°Damn it,¡± he whispered under his breath. His efforts to infiltrate Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office now seemed futile; the invitation was nothing but a clever ruse. In recent days, Lin Xian had harbored doubts about the legitimacy of the invitation and its recipient, Zhao Ying Jun, whose credentials appeared mismatched for such an event. The thought of an ancient, clandestine organization distributing invitations in such a haphazard manner was highly unlikely. Only now did he acknowledge the invitation¡¯s falseness, feeling a sting of foolishness. ¡°That woman. ¡®Yellow Finch,''¡± he muttered, contemplating the clearly fabricated name. Names, whether genuine or not, are mere labels. It was evident now that this woman¡¯s intention in delivering the fake invitation was to pique his curiosity about the Genius Club. Regardless of whether Zhao Ying Jun disclosed the invitation¡¯s contents or he discovered them on his own, the outcome would be the same¡ªthe mention of the Genius Club aligned too neatly with his recent dream. But the lingering question was her identity and her motives. She had professed neutrality, yet she offered neither aid nor information. Lin Xian paused, reflecting on the residual warmth of the couch¡ªa sign of her prolonged presence. Initially, he mistook her for Zhao Ying Jun during a flash of lightning. Although they shared similarities, subtle differences marked their appearances. Zhao Ying Jun possessed an elegant oval face, while this woman¡¯s features were rounder, her eyes a striking blue amidst distinctly Chinese features, suggesting a mixed heritage. Her mature demeanor contrasted with Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s youthful 24 years. ¡°Who is she?¡± Lin Xian pondered, unable to deduce her identity. ¡°Remarkable... your efficiency is impressive,¡± she commented. Lin Xian smiled, placing the watering can aside. He had tidied the office thoroughly¡ªsweeping, wiping down surfaces, and organizing¡ªefforts befitting a diligent part-time secretary. He planned to address any remaining tasks after the New Year. ¡°Do you need these?¡± he gestured towards a pile of miscellaneous items on the coffee table, the fake invitation lying atop. Zhao Ying Jun skimmed through the pile, then shook her head dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s all redundant. Dispose of it as you see fit. The company is officially on holiday now. You should leave early to avoid the holiday traffic.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As he disposed of the trash, Lin Xian retained the counterfeit invitation, considering its potential insights. At the train station, Lin Xian felt a surge of anticipation. Although Donghai and Hang City were merely a short distance apart, he hadn¡¯t visited home in a year. Laden with fine wine, cigarettes, and an assortment of gifts for his parents, he prepared for a festive reunion. At home, he skirted around specifics of his financial success, knowing his parents¡¯ modest inclinations. He proposed buying them a city apartment for retirement, but they preferred the familiarity of their neighborhood. Nonetheless, he left them with a bank card, which his mother swiftly concealed. With the advent of New Year¡¯s Eve, Lin Xian immersed himself in the festive preparations, a brief respite from his convoluted pursuits. As the celebrations commenced, he hoped to avoid any unintended consequences that might ripple through time. As the clock struck midnight, fireworks illuminated the sky, heralding the traditional Chinese New Year. His phone vibrated with a message from Zhao Ying Jun: ¡°Happy New Year.¡± Simple yet timely. As he prepared to respond, his phone buzzed with additional messages from colleagues, all commenting on Zhao¡¯s unprecedented New Year¡¯s greeting. Recognizing it as a group message, Lin Xian replied courteously: ¡°Happy New Year to you too!¡± He then stepped outside, the sky ablaze with colors, as Hang City celebrated the lifting of the fireworks ban. Amidst the spectacle, another message from Zhao Ying Jun appeared on his phone, unnoticed as it blended into the night¡¯s festivities, the screen eventually fading to black. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 138: High School Reunion New Year¡¯s Day The small town buzzed with New Year¡¯s festivities. Lin Xian stood in the courtyard, responding to Chu An Qing¡¯s New Year¡¯s greeting when¡ª ¡°Hey, bro!¡±Chee?ck out latest novels on Gao Yang burst in with a loud ¡°Happy New Year!¡± and playfully bumped bellies with Lin Xian. ¡°Done with family celebrations?¡± Lin Xian asked, seeing Gao Yang for the first time in days, despite them living in the same complex. ¡°Yeah, just finished a marathon of traditions and visits,¡± Gao Yang confirmed. Lin Xian¡¯s mother invited them inside and offered snacks, commenting on their appearances. ¡°It¡¯s been a year since I last saw you two. Lin Xian, you¡¯ve kept in shape. But Gao Yang, you seem to have put on a few pounds!¡± ¡°Auntie, you always know just what to say!¡± Gao Yang laughed, throwing an arm around Lin Xian¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Lin Xian has to stay fit; he¡¯s the top male model at his company. The female executives love him!¡± ¡°Stop spreading rumors,¡± Lin Xian warned, shrugging off Gao Yang¡¯s arm to avoid any misunderstandings about his career. Lin Xian¡¯s mother laughed and said, ¡°You boys are at the right age to start looking for partners. They don¡¯t need to be from Donghai City; traveling is so easy these days.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Auntie!¡± Gao Yang said, grabbing some sunflower seeds. ¡°Lin Xian has plenty of options. At our upcoming high school reunion, several girls were asking about him! Tang Xin, Wen Jing, Li Ling...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not gossip,¡± Lin Xian cut in. ¡°Is everything set for the reunion on the fifth? How many are coming?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say exactly; people are indecisive, but about thirty have confirmed, including our class advisor.¡± Thirty was a good number, considering their class had about fifty to sixty students. In college, Lin Xian had forgotten many faces and remembered only a few names. He was curious about Tang Xin, who had moved abroad soon after school started. Why would she attend a reunion after such a brief time with them? ¡°Do you remember Tang Xin?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°What does she look like now?¡± ¡°No idea,¡± Gao Yang shrugged. ¡°I just know she¡¯s female.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask anyone about her?¡± ¡°Who to ask? She wasn¡¯t well-known to us.¡± Gao Yang casually tossed some sunflower seed shells. ¡°Why the interest? You¡¯ll see her at the reunion.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± New Year¡¯s Festivities The following days were filled with visits to relatives, traditional activities, and late-night sessions of drinking and card games. Needing some rest, Lin Xian went to bed early on the third day. That night, he dreamt of a quiet, poor village. He borrowed Big Cat Face¡¯s motorcycle to enjoy the night scenery of New Donghai City from afar. Arriving at their usual spot near the garbage treatment plant, he found it unusually empty, wondering if Big Cat Face and the others had changed their plans or if something unexpected had happened. ¡°Not impossible,¡± he thought, though it wasn¡¯t crucial to his plans. Soon, CC would join their group as the sixth ¡®Saint Seiya,¡¯ reuniting their odd crew from his initial dream. January 5th, Evening, Guihe Hotel ¡°Just luck,¡± Lin Xian downplayed. ¡°I plan to move to Donghai City after the New Year,¡± Tang Xin revealed, adjusting her bag. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely need your guidance since I¡¯m not familiar with the area.¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± Lin Xian assured her, patting Gao Yang on the shoulder. ¡°Gao Yang is there too. Feel free to reach out. We¡¯re classmates, after all; don¡¯t be a stranger.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Tang Xin responded, her smile sweet. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed at all, Lin Xian. I recognized you right away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a memory...¡± Tang Xin¡¯s warmth was disarming, especially since Lin Xian had no recollection of her. Yet, she remembered him clearly from their brief days as classmates five years earlier. ¡°Absolutely! You made a strong impression,¡± Tang Xin giggled, showing a bright, confident smile. ¡°Do you remember...¡± ¡°Whoa! Lin Xian, look! A Rolls-Royce! Whoa!¡± Gao Yang¡¯s sudden shout drew their attention. Lin Xian turned to see a striking black and purple Rolls-Royce Phantom arriving at the hotel. Hotel attendants quickly approached as a man in a sleek suit with slicked-back hair stepped out, adjusting his collar confidently. ¡°Lin Xian... Dragon King Asura Chen Beixuan is here,¡± Gao Yang whispered. ¡°Who?¡± Lin Xian whispered back. ¡°Zhou Duan Yun! Don¡¯t you recognize him?¡± Lin Xian blinked in surprise. Zhou Duan Yun, once a quiet, simply dressed student, was now unrecognizable as a polished businessman. ¡°Gao Class Rep,¡± Zhou Duan Yun greeted Gao Yang warmly, extending his hand. ¡°Zhou Duan Yun! You¡¯ve really made it big!¡± ¡°Just business. Didn¡¯t have time to change. Didn¡¯t want to be ridiculed for my appearance.¡± Zhou Duan Yun then turned to Lin Xian with a smile, offering his hand. ¡°Lin Xian, long time no see. You¡¯re still as sharp-looking as ever.¡± ¡°And you seem more mature than any of us,¡± Lin Xian noted. It seemed everyone remembered him distinctly. Was he genuinely that memorable? ¡°So, where are you working these days?¡± Zhou Duan Yun inquired. ¡°In Donghai, just making a living,¡± Lin Xian replied casually. ¡°Really?¡± Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°I¡¯m planning to move to Donghai City after the New Year too!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 139: The Mentor ¡°Hey! Looks like everyone¡¯s moving to Donghai!¡± Gao Yang burst out laughing when he learned Zhou Duan Yun was planning to start his career there too. ¡°Everyone¡¯s showing up! Haha, we can even play a full game of Mahjong now!¡± ¡°Alright, you two are the last to get here. Now that we¡¯re all together, let¡¯s head upstairs. The biggest private room at the east end of the second floor¡ªit¡¯s packed with our classmates!¡± Zhou Duan Yun turned to Tang Xin with a smile. ¡°And who might this lovely lady be?¡± ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Tang Xin,¡± she replied with a warm smile. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Duan Yun.¡± ¡°Oh! Tang Xin!¡± Duan Yun exclaimed, his face lighting up with recognition. ¡°I remember you! You joined us in our sophomore year but then left for abroad after just a few days.¡± Lin Xian and Gao Yang shared a look, both impressed by Duan Yun detailed memory. ¡°What kind of memory wizard is this guy? It¡¯s like he¡¯s from that ¡®The Brain¡¯ show,¡± Gao whispered. Tang Xin seemed pleasantly surprised and laughed lightly. ¡°I¡¯m actually flattered. I was worried about coming to this reunion, thinking maybe no one would remember me.¡± ¡°Haha, beautiful people are always memorable. Ladies first,¡± Duan Yun said, showing a genuine smile as he held back the curtain, inviting Tang Xin to enter first. ¡°Thank you,¡± Tang Xin acknowledged, then waved to Lin Xian. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up with you in a bit, Lin Xian.¡± Watching the two enter the elevator, Gao Yang teased Lin Xian with a mischievous grin. ¡°You¡¯re really lucky, Lin Xian! Tang Xin didn¡¯t even glance at me once! She¡¯s clearly here for you!¡± Lin Xian stayed quiet, knowing Gao Yang well enough not to need formalities. He was aware of Tang Xin¡¯s interest, which was obvious to anyone paying attention. But what was her real motive? He recalled Tang Xin trying to speak to him earlier, only to be cut off by Gao Yang¡¯s loud interruption. ¡°You...¡± Lin Xian sighed, turning to Gao Yang who was holding a crumpled list. ¡°Did you check that list? Is everyone accounted for?¡± Gao Yang gave the list one final check and nodded, tucking it away in his pocket. ¡°All 41 of us are here, even more than I expected. Thankfully, the room is big enough for everyone.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s head up then.¡± The large private room on the second floor buzzed with excitement. Classmates, not seen for five years, happily caught up. They gathered in their usual groups, filling four tables with laughter and chatter. Zhou Duan Yun was surrounded by classmates in the center of the room. ¡°Duan Yun, is that Rolls-Royce outside yours? We saw it from the window. You must be doing well!¡± ¡°Hey, Duan Yun, how did you make so much money so fast? Someone said you won the lottery right after graduation. Is that true?¡± ¡°And I heard you dropped out to join some pyramid scheme... Any truth to that? If you¡¯ve got a legit way to make money, you gotta share with us, man!¡± Zhou Duan Yun maintained his calm demeanor, gently patting a classmate on the back. ¡°I wasn¡¯t very social in high school, which led to a lot of rumors. Yes, I¡¯ve made some money, but it¡¯s all been above board. I believe in earning money honestly.¡± ¡°If it could, I might be in line for a Nobel Prize,¡± Tang Xin laughed. ¡°But unfortunately, memory loss is a deep, neurological issue beyond what drugs can fix. Besides, memory loss isn¡¯t considered a major side effect in our field. It¡¯s relatively harmless compared to other issues.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian nodded, understanding the different perspectives. To Professor Xu Yun, memory loss was a critical issue, but to medical researchers like Tang Xin, it was less concerning. ¡°So, there are other, more harmful side effects?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Xin confirmed. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m honored to be joining this research institute in Donghai.¡± ¡°They should be honored to have you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Lin Xian. This institute is very special,¡± Tang Xin¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Guess who invited me. It¡¯s his private institute, but it¡¯s as prestigious as many national institutes.¡± ¡°An important international expert?¡± ¡°More than that,¡± Tang Xin leaned in, whispering, ¡°He was Professor Xu Yun¡¯s mentor.¡± Professor Xu Yun¡¯s mentor? Lin Xian remembered Zhao Ying Jun mentioning how Xu Yun had been marginalized for his focus on hibernation pods, which eventually led to his downfall. How could this mentor now take credit? ¡°Did you ever ask him why he pushed Xu Yun out?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t bring myself to ask,¡± Tang Xin admitted with a wry smile. ¡°But I sense he deeply regrets it.¡± ¡°What are you two whispering about over there? Time for another toast!¡± Gao Yang¡¯s booming voice interrupted them. Lin Xian and Tang Xin looked up to see everyone waiting, glasses raised. ¡°Didn¡¯t we just toast?¡± Lin Xian sighed. ¡°What¡¯s the occasion now?¡± ¡°To this moment!¡± ¡°And the next moment?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll toast to that too!¡± Amidst laughter, they all raised their glasses, celebrating the moment with another round of drinks. They had indeed had quite a few drinks. Just as Gao Yang burped, a waiter approached him. ¡°Mr. Gao, we need to confirm, are you sure you ordered 41 bowls of bird¡¯s nest porridge?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Gao Yang replied, confused. ¡°One bowl per person, 41 bowls. What¡¯s the issue?¡± ¡°But...¡± the waiter hesitated, looking around the bustling room. ¡°There are clearly 42 people here...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 140: Curiosity Gao Yang slammed his hand down on the table, clearly frustrated. ¡°This is ridiculous! Our class reunion was supposed to have exactly 41 people! Who¡¯s this 42nd person? Is a ghost going to show up next?!¡± Next to him, Xia Yuan coughed sharply and grabbed Gao Yang¡¯s arm. ¡°Relax, Gao Yang. It¡¯s New Year¡¯s, no need for ghost stories.¡± Lin Xian perked up, intrigued by the mysterious number. He squinted at Gao Yang. ¡°How many people are actually here today?¡± Gao Yang stood up quickly. ¡°41, of course! It would be the same even if the king showed up!¡± He pulled a crumpled list from his pocket and handed it to Lin Xian. ¡°See for yourself.¡± Lin Xian looked over the wrinkled paper, which had names checked off in three columns, ending at 41. Everyone was accounted for. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Gao Yang began counting out loud, pointing at each table. ¡°1, 2, 3... 39, 40, 41!¡± He glared at the waiter. ¡°See? Exactly 41!¡± Lin Xian sighed and turned to Gao Yang. ¡°Did you count yourself in that?¡±Yo?ur favorite stories on ¡°Huh?¡± Gao Yang scratched his head, then realized his mistake. Laughter filled the room. Lin Xian pointed out that Gao Yang had left himself off the list. ¡°You never cease to amaze,¡± Lin Xian laughed. Gao Yang chuckled awkwardly and sat down. ¡°Oops, my bad! Waiter, we need 42 sets, please! Ha!¡± He raised his glass. ¡°Let¡¯s toast to our reunion!¡± ¡°And you owe three drinks for that mistake, class president!¡± another classmate shouted, sparking more laughter. Lin Xian smiled as well, though his thoughts were elsewhere. The number 42¡ªit was an error this time, but it kept appearing. Was it still just a coincidence? Two people at the reunion seemed out of place: Tang Xin and Zhou Duan Yun. Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s presence made sense¡ªthey hadn¡¯t been close in high school, but a lot can change in three years. Lin Xian¡¯s vague recollection of him wasn¡¯t unusual. But Tang Xin was a different story. They had only shared a few days as classmates, practically strangers. Yet, Tang Xin recognized him immediately and with confidence. It puzzled Lin Xian. It reminded him of his visit to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office. There, Yellow Finch knew everything about him, even things he hadn¡¯t shared, like details about space-time laws. What was happening? Could people read his mind? Or was his life broadcasted like in ¡°The Truman Show¡±? Encouraged by Gao Yang, Lin Xian took another drink as a fruit platter arrived. He¡¯d drunk too much; his head spun. The mix of alcohol and swirling thoughts pushed him to act. He¡¯d been too passive, ensnared in various schemes. With the Genius Club clues exhausted and Yellow Finch warning of imminent danger in a ¡°cat and mouse¡± game, Lin Xian¡¯s only lead was the recurring number 42. He wasn¡¯t sure if the earlier miscount was a hint, but it was time to explore more. He planned to visit the university to meet the author of ¡°Introduction to the Cosmic Constant.¡± ¡°How did you get here tonight?¡± Lin Xian asked Tang Xin as they reached the entrance. ¡°I came by taxi,¡± Tang Xin replied, pointing to a waiting cab. ¡°I¡¯ll take one back, too.¡± She waved, her smile warm. ¡°I¡¯ll see you back in Donghai City!¡± Lin Xian nodded and smiled back. ¡°Take care getting home¡ªit¡¯s late.¡± Out of habit, he glanced at his watch. 00:41. Suddenly anxious, Lin Xian quickly grasped Tang Xin¡¯s delicate wrist. ¡°Hey?¡± Tang Xin looked back in surprise, puzzled as Lin Xian held her wrist a bit too tightly. Lin Xian, still feeling the effects of the alcohol, managed a smile. ¡°Actually... there¡¯s something I want to discuss.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Tang Xin replied, her demeanor still graceful despite the suddenness. ¡°Should we find a different spot, or...?¡± ¡°Here is fine,¡± Lin Xian said, carefully keeping her away from the curb as he let go of her wrist. Recalling Professor Xu Yun¡¯s untimely death, he felt a protective instinct surge. It was nearly 00:42, and given Tang Xin¡¯s research on hibernation, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t shake a nagging worry. With the taxi driver distracted and no other cars in sight, Lin Xian¡¯s caution might have seemed excessive. But just to be safe, he decided to wait until after 00:42. If his suspicions were correct, the killers struck only within a minute-long window each night. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lin Xian?¡± Tang Xin asked, playing with her short hair and rocking on her heels, smiling curiously at him. Lin Xian refocused, meeting her gaze. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been curious about.¡± ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± ¡°You mentioned earlier that the side effects of hibernation aren¡¯t just about memory loss but something more severe.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Tang Xin chuckled lightly, relaxed. ¡°Are you really that curious?¡± ¡°Just a bit,¡± Lin Xian admitted with a smile. ¡°Could you explain it to me?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 141: Completely Wrong ¡°Right now, it seems like there are still plenty of side effects from hibernation,¡± Tang Xin noted, smiling slightly. ¡°However, the international research community holds Professor Xu Yun¡¯s work in high regard. They tend to downplay the side effects to avoid public confusion.¡±Vissit for updates ¡°It¡¯s typical for pioneering work in a new field to have its flaws. If it were perfect, what would be left for scientists like us to do? But that¡¯s hard for the general public to grasp... People prefer to hear about successes and idealize figures like Professor Xu Yun.¡± Tang Xin tapped her temple. ¡°You know, long-term hibernation, due to the lack of ongoing stimulation to the brain and nervous system, leads to decreased brain activity and varying levels of memory loss.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s more severe than just memory loss. Hibernation isn¡¯t like dreaming; it drastically reduces bodily functions in an unnatural way. If the brain and nervous system are unstimulated for too long, they will suffer irreversible damage and decay.¡± ¡°So... I¡¯ll cut to the chase, Lin Xian. If someone hibernates for over ten years, they¡¯ll face more than just memory loss. They could become... mentally impaired.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Mentally impaired?¡± This was an outcome he hadn¡¯t considered. Perhaps even Professor Xu Yun hadn¡¯t foreseen such drastic side effects, possibly because he died too soon to explore further. He was right about one thing, though: without electrical stimulation, the brain¡¯s nervous system could sustain irreversible harm. Muscles might atrophy and then recover with rehabilitation, but nerve cells and brain cells... they don¡¯t regenerate. Once they die, they¡¯re lost forever. You¡¯re born with a certain number of brain cells, and once lost, they don¡¯t regenerate. It seems Tang Xin¡¯s assertion about the most significant side effect of hibernation¡ªirreversible damage to brain cells and neurons¡ªmight be accurate. ¡°But mental impairment isn¡¯t the worst outcome,¡± Tang Xin continued, still smiling at Lin Xian. ¡°If the hibernation extends to around 20 years, the individual will most likely become... a vegetable.¡± ... A vegetable. Those somber words jolted Lin Xian slightly. His thoughts turned to Xu Yi Yi. Professor Xu Yun¡¯s primary motivation for developing hibernation technology was to rescue his daughter, Xu Yi Yi, who was in a vegetative state. But now, ironically... Tang Xin¡¯s research suggests prolonged hibernation could render individuals vegetative, with no hope of awakening. This... Lin Xian was speechless. Yet, Tang Xin¡¯s casual demeanor suggested her research might have uncovered solutions to these issues. ¡°Becoming a vegetable... that¡¯s quite troubling,¡± Lin Xian said with a soft chuckle. ¡°Many use hibernation pods to leap forward decades or even centuries in hopes of curing diseases. Some are already vegetative. It¡¯s like fate playing a cruel joke.¡± ¡°But... does your research actually solve these side effects?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still theoretical,¡± Tang Xin chuckled. ¡°But I¡¯m optimistic. My work on Alzheimer¡¯s drugs was nearly my academic downfall... My thesis was almost rejected.¡± ¡°But thanks to Professor Xu Yun¡¯s trailblazing efforts, my seemingly irrelevant research gained attention. I¡¯m truly grateful and hold great respect for him.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Lin Xian nodded, gaining a better grasp of Tang Xin¡¯s work. Life certainly has its unexpected twists. ¡°Good luck with your research.¡± So, where did this book originate? Why was it buried in a coffin? And why, despite being considered insignificant, did Big Cat Face¡¯s father find something substantial in it? The answers probably lay with the author, Liu Feng. Lin Xian held a small note with Liu Feng¡¯s details: born in April 1996 in Shanxi, entered Shanxi University in 2014, and obtained a master¡¯s degree in 2021. At 28 years old, Liu Feng was just four years Lin Xian¡¯s senior. Using a book from 600 years in the future to trace its author 600 years in the past was an intriguing prospect. Merging with the flow of returning students, Lin Xian blended into the campus crowd, heading straight for the library. The library maintained annual ¡°Graduation Yearbooks,¡± compiled by departments, containing student names, photos, and faculty details. Due to their fewer numbers, the graduate student yearbooks had more comprehensive information. This was why Lin Xian targeted the library. Quickly, he located the ¡°2021 Graduate Yearbook of the School of Mathematics¡± and found Liu Feng¡¯s name along with his advisor¡¯s group photo. The photo wasn¡¯t crowded. Apart from the smiling advisor at the center, a few students in graduation gowns clustered around. Lin Xian immediately recognized Liu Feng. Short, stern-faced, clutching his diploma, and standing on the periphery. His appearance matched the image from Lin Xian¡¯s dream: bespectacled, sporting a simple haircut, embodying the typical top student but somewhat detached, fitting Lin Xian¡¯s image of academic researchers. Lin Xian snapped a photo of the page with his phone. He then noted the advisor¡¯s name: Associate Dean of the School of Mathematics, Qi Yan. ¡°Hmm...¡± Lin Xian pondered for a moment. Given that Qi Yan was still the associate dean in 2021, it was likely he hadn¡¯t retired yet, since it was only 2023. Approaching him to learn more about Liu Feng seemed wise, and with some luck, he might even get Liu Feng¡¯s address or contact details for a direct visit. ... Upon reaching the School of Mathematics building, Lin Xian saw Qi Yan¡¯s official photo on the first-floor bulletin board. He appeared relatively young, definitely under 60. Following the leads, Lin Xian located Qi Yan¡¯s office, where the associate dean was busy grading papers. Lin Xian introduced himself and his purpose... Surprisingly, the associate dean warmly welcomed Lin Xian for a chat. Lin Xian had braced for a cold shoulder, but perhaps because he was a recent graduate, the older professor naturally felt a connection with students. ¡°Liu Feng was an exceptionally talented student. I taught him since his undergraduate days,¡± Qi Yan recounted, sipping his tea and sighing. ¡°It¡¯s a shame. I always told him that there wasn¡¯t a promising future in pure math research, especially for someone from a modest background like his. He would have been better off focusing on applied math, settling down, and building a stable life.¡± ¡°But he was fixated on Universal Constants, determined to study them... Not even Einstein, who dismissed the existence of Universal Constants later in his life, could sway him. The academic world remains divided on whether Universal Constants even exist.¡± ¡°So you see, dedicating oneself to a concept whose existence is uncertain... What¡¯s the point? If Liu Feng had made a breakthrough, it would be a different story, but after three years of indulging him in graduate school, he still came up empty.¡± ¡°Professor Qi, what exactly is a Universal Constant? Is it the same thing that Einstein rejected?¡± Lin Xian inquired, genuinely curious. ¡°Not at all,¡± Qi Yan shook his head, taking another sip of tea. ¡°That¡¯s what frustrates me the most. I have no idea what he was researching.¡± ¡°Not just me¡ªLiu Feng himself didn¡¯t fully understand what the Universal Constant was.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not the most significant issue,¡± Qi Yan turned to Lin Xian, his eyes reflecting a deep regret. ¡°Liu Feng¡¯s theory... is completely wrong.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 142: A Genius Beyond Time Lin Xian heard the phrase again: ¡°completely wrong.¡± In six hundred years, math experts would label The Introduction to Universal Constants the same way Professor Qi Yan had dismissed Liu Feng¡¯s work: as a ¡°completely wrong.¡± Those words could devastate any scholar. But then, Lin Xian thought, perhaps because everyone believed The Introduction to Universal Constants was incorrect and worthless, it survived for 600 years, even avoiding the Genius Club¡¯s attention. Had the Genius Club deemed it significant, Liu Feng¡¯s drafts wouldn¡¯t have endured. From this angle, maybe even the Genius Club didn¡¯t fully grasp the Universal Constant or the significance of the number 42. It wasn¡¯t until the year 2624 that Big Cat Face¡¯s father solved the mystery of 42, finally understanding its truth and power. It¡¯s intriguing that something deemed incorrect could actually be the most accurate. The result, being 42, wasn¡¯t the crucial part. The real questions were why 42 and what it represented. Undoubtedly, the one who could unravel this mystery was Big Cat Face¡¯s father, the only one in history who truly understood. The next best source might be the original author, Liu Feng. Since Professor Qi Yan also regarded The Introduction to Universal Constants as flawed, Lin Xian saw no point in arguing. He got Liu Feng¡¯s address and departed. He also discovered that Liu Feng and Li Qi Qi, both from underprivileged backgrounds similar to orphans, met and fell in love while working part-time during their studies at Shanxi University. After graduating, Liu Feng pursued further education while Li Qi Qi worked to support him. Tragically, just as Liu Feng completed his master¡¯s and they were planning their wedding, Li Qi Qi was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, often called the king of cancers due to its bleak survival rates. No wonder, Lin Xian thought, recalling the small note in The Introduction to Universal Constants 600 years later¡ªit must have been Li Qi Qi¡¯s farewell message. ¡°I hope I can still meet a living Li Qi Qi,¡± Lin Xian mused, clutching Liu Feng¡¯s address. ... Liu Feng¡¯s home was in a remote part of the county, indicative of his modest means. It was dark by the time Lin Xian arrived. Navigating through a maze of makeshift homes, Lin Xian struggled to locate Liu Feng¡¯s place. Then, an iron gate creaked open, revealing a man in a yellow helmet and vest, pushing a motorbike with a large delivery box. The uniform was unmistakably that of a food delivery worker. Looking solemn, Liu Feng continued, ¡°Qi Qi is in the late stages of her illness. She doesn¡¯t have much time left. I want to spend these final moments with her.¡± Lin Xian noted the despair in Liu Feng¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to find out if your Introduction to Universal Constants is correct?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Liu Feng replied firmly. ¡°Both in theory and in practice, it¡¯s flawed.¡± ¡°Sorry, I have to go,¡± he said, hopping onto his motorbike and disappearing into the night, leaving Lin Xian alone with his thoughts. Lin Xian considered that Liu Feng once harbored hopes and ambitions, but life¡¯s harsh realities had shattered his dreams. Not every struggling artist becomes celebrated like Van Gogh after death; Van Gogh himself wasn¡¯t recognized during his lifetime. Perhaps Liu Feng¡¯s work was too pioneering, misunderstood even 600 years later, deemed a sentimental relic rather than a piece of scholarly work. This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation. Lin Xian remembered a quote about the genetic pioneer Mendel: ¡°A genius beyond time often faces loneliness and disdain.¡± In this world, it seemed Lin Xian was the sole believer in The Introduction to Universal Constants. Even Liu Feng had lost faith after facing continuous rejection. The clouds parted, and moonlight shone over the desolate suburb. Most of its inhabitants were laborers, and the area was quiet at this usually bustling hour. Then, from Liu Feng¡¯s humble home, a door creaked open, and moments later, a wheelchair emerged. A frail girl in a white beret and coat, wrapped in a blanket, struggled to wheel herself to the courtyard¡¯s center, her gaze lifting to the night. When she noticed Lin Xian, she smiled weakly and nodded. This fragile figure, barely more substantial than a shadow, had to be Liu Feng¡¯s partner, Li Qi Qi. Lin Xian smiled back, standing by the low wall, maintaining distance. ¡°Hello, Qi Qi. Can we talk?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 143: Waiting for a Meteor Shower ¡°Who are you?¡± Li Qi Qi, sitting in her wheelchair, blinked at Lin Xian. Her voice was soft, and she looked fragile. The moonlight made her face seem even paler.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°I¡¯m Lin Xian, a friend of Liu Feng,¡± Lin Xian introduced himself. ¡°Actually, we just met recently.¡± Li Qi Qi tilted her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard Liu Feng mention you. When did you two meet?¡± ¡°Just now,¡± Lin Xian answered honestly. ¡°About ten minutes ago.¡± Li Qi Qi chuckled, her smile making her seem more approachable. ¡°You really are interesting. Not many people want to be friends with Liu Feng. He¡¯s a good guy, but he¡¯s a bit odd.¡± ¡°I heard about you from Teacher Qi Yan,¡± Lin Xian explained. ¡°So...¡± Li Qi Qi listened patiently and then smiled at him. ¡°So, you also believe that Liu Feng¡¯s ¡®Theory of Universal Constants¡¯ is correct?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°We might be the only two who believe that. I¡¯m curious, though. Why does Liu Feng, the creator of the theory, not believe in his own research? When I mentioned it to him earlier, he just calmly admitted it was wrong. That¡¯s not how a scholar should feel about their own work.¡± ¡°Because... it really seems to be incorrect,¡± Li Qi Qi said, looking down. ¡°Proving a theory correct in all situations is very difficult. But proving it wrong is easier¡ªjust one incorrect instance is enough.¡± Her words surprised Lin Xian. He had thought that since she wrote those words on the card, she must firmly believe in the theory, even irrationally. But hearing her now, she didn¡¯t seem so certain. ¡°Do you think the theory is wrong?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wrong,¡± Li Qi Qi shook her head. ¡°But Liu Feng and Teacher Qi have conducted many experiments, and every time, the results were the same... proving the theory wrong.¡± ¡°Even after graduation, Liu Feng researched it for a long time, but no matter how many times he tried, the results were always wrong, never right.¡± Lin Xian understood now why Liu Feng had that attitude. He had thought Liu Feng, like Professor Xu Yun, was misunderstood and unsupported. But that wasn¡¯t the case. Both Liu Feng and Teacher Qi had tried countless times to verify the theory, but all results were disappointing, proving it wrong. Liu Feng¡¯s problem wasn¡¯t about sponsorship, funding, or labs. It was that his theory was fundamentally incorrect. Like waiting for a plane at a dock, Liu Feng¡¯s research direction was wrong and would never yield the right answer. But if everyone thought the theory was wrong, why did Li Qi Qi still believe it was correct? ¡°You still believe the theory is correct despite all the evidence?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Yes, because the derivation of those Universal Constants is just too beautiful,¡± Li Qi Qi smiled sweetly. ¡°I can¡¯t understand all of it, but it feels like music.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t major in math, but in astronomy, we use a lot of math and physics. All correct formulas are beautiful¡ªEuler¡¯s formula, the Pythagorean theorem, the mass-energy equivalence... they are all so elegant.¡± ¡°No,¡± Li Qi Qi shook her head. ¡°He didn¡¯t even try to send it to a publisher. He thinks it¡¯s wrong, so he wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°Liu Feng doesn¡¯t believe in himself, so he wouldn¡¯t seek recognition or be interested in my support.¡± But if the book wasn¡¯t published, where did the copy from 600 years later come from? ¡°Sorry, I need to go back inside,¡± Li Qi Qi said, coughing weakly. ¡°Take care,¡± Lin Xian waved. ¡°Goodnight.¡± At 2 AM, the sound of a motorcycle approaching filled the yard. Liu Feng entered the house, taking off his delivery helmet. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± Li Qi Qi turned her wheelchair to face him, smiling. On the table were two simple dishes and a bowl of porridge. ¡°You should rest earlier. You don¡¯t need to prepare food for me. I can eat anything,¡± Liu Feng said, hanging his helmet on the wall and taking off his delivery vest. ¡°I slept all day. I can¡¯t sleep all the time,¡± Li Qi Qi said, inviting him to sit. ¡°The food¡¯s been reheated several times.¡± Liu Feng sat down, taking the chopsticks she handed him and started eating. ¡°It¡¯s going to get colder soon. If you go outside, wear more clothes.¡± Li Qi Qi nodded, watching him eat. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of myself. By the way, I met an interesting person tonight and had a nice chat.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk to strangers. It¡¯s not safe,¡± Liu Feng said, eating a slice of cucumber. ¡°I¡¯m not a child,¡± Li Qi Qi said, annoyed. ¡°And he wasn¡¯t a bad person. He was very nice.¡± ¡°How do you know he¡¯s nice?¡± ¡°He said the ¡®Theory of Universal Constants¡¯ is correct,¡± Li Qi Qi said happily. Liu Feng¡¯s chopsticks paused mid-air, a piece of potato dangling. After a moment, he resumed eating. ¡°Believing the theory makes him a good person?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Li Qi Qi nodded. ¡°To me, it does.¡± ¡°You...¡± Liu Feng sighed, smiling weakly. ¡°By that standard, the whole world is bad. Including me.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 144: A Gift for Qi Qi ¡°Isn¡¯t his name Lin Xian?¡± Liu Feng asked, pausing to swallow his food and take a large sip of porridge. ¡°Yeah, that sounds right,¡± Li Qi Qi nodded. ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s from around here. Maybe he¡¯s from one of the southern provinces.¡± ¡°Probably Suzhou or Hangzhou,¡± Liu Feng agreed. ¡°I had a college roommate from there, and Lin Xian¡¯s accent is similar. But why would he travel all the way to Shanxi? Do you think he came looking for you?¡± ¡°Definitely not,¡± Liu Feng chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m no renowned scientist. My research has been disproved over the years. I appreciate Lin Xian¡¯s gesture, but I can¡¯t accept his help. It¡¯s not right to take funding for something that¡¯s incorrect.¡± ¡°Besides, as Professor Qi Yan used to say, even if my Universal Constant theory was correct, what good would it do? It has no practical application, not here and not even on a cosmic level.¡± ¡°Professor Qi used to joke that my work was too futuristic, advising that humans shouldn¡¯t worry about the Universal Constant until we can venture beyond the Milky Way.¡± ¡°I still hope you¡¯ll keep working on the Universal Constant,¡± Li Qi Qi murmured, watching Liu Feng devour his meal. ¡°It¡¯s such a beautiful theory; it can¡¯t be wrong. Maybe you just need a little more time to prove it.¡± Liu Feng sighed deeply. ¡°Math isn¡¯t a marathon. Stubbornness won¡¯t make a wrong calculation correct. In mathematics, if something is proven wrong, then it simply is.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s drop this topic,¡± Liu Feng said, setting his utensils down and smiling. He took Li Qi Qi¡¯s hand. ¡°I saw the latest forecast from the observatory. There¡¯s going to be a Geminid meteor shower on December 14th, with up to 150 meteors an hour! And it¡¯ll be dark enough without much moonlight to spoil the view.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be as dazzling as you might hope, but it¡¯ll be the most significant meteor shower in years. Just take care, and we¡¯ll go somewhere high up to watch it!¡± Li Qi Qi smiled weakly. ¡°December 14th... that¡¯s so close to the year¡¯s end. The doctors said I might not last till then...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to them,¡± Liu Feng cut in, gently wiping her tears. ¡°You can make it. This meteor shower could be just for you. Don¡¯t give up, Qi Qi.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she whispered, squeezing his hand tightly. The next morning, Liu Feng dressed in his clean uniform, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and started his motorcycle to head to his tutoring job. ¡°Hey, good morning.¡± He looked up to see Lin Xian leaning casually against the wall near the gate. ¡°Lin Xian.¡± As Liu Feng approached the tall figure, he asked, ¡°Do you live around here?¡±Vissit for updates ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I came here just to find you.¡± ¡°Are you planning on visiting me three times?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the biggest joke I¡¯ve heard,¡± Liu Feng scoffed, turning away. ¡°Why come to me if you know the answer?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see why soon. For now, trust me, I wouldn¡¯t travel this far for a joke.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about Qi Qi, but think about what she really wants.¡± Lin Xian stepped closer. ¡°You two are like the couple in O. Henry¡¯s ¡®The Gift of the Magi,¡¯ focusing on the wrong things.¡± ¡°She wants to see you thrive, return to your research.¡± ¡°You say that easily,¡± Liu Feng bristled, revving his bike. ¡°What else can I do? Cure her? Make the meteors fall sooner? You know what the doctors said.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Qi Qi asking me to research. It¡¯s you. If research could conjure meteors, I¡¯d never stop. But right now, what use is math? What can you offer but words?¡± Lin Xian sighed. ¡°Why does Qi Qi want to see the meteors?¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s loved them since she was a child. It¡¯s her dream.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°What more is there?¡± Liu Feng glared. Lin Xian was silent, knowing something Liu Feng didn¡¯t: Li Qi Qi wanted to see the meteors to make a final wish for him before her time ran out. ¡°Fine, it¡¯s just a meteor shower.¡± Then, Lin Xian lifted the delivery box on Liu Feng¡¯s bike and dropped a heavy bag filled with cash inside. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Liu Feng tried to remove the money. ¡°Just stay home with Qi Qi,¡± Lin Xian insisted, pressing down on the box. ¡°Forget tutoring and deliveries for now. Wait for my call.¡± ¡°Wait for what?¡± ¡°Wait for me to give Qi Qi a real meteor shower,¡± Lin Xian said, pointing upwards with a hopeful smile. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 145: Make a Wish The next day, Liu Feng skipped class and his usual delivery job. ¡°Today... you¡¯re staying in?¡± Li Qi Qi, seated in her wheelchair, eyed him with curiosity. For the last two years, Liu Feng hadn¡¯t missed a single day of work. He was always on the move, like a machine that never stops. Li Qi Qi had often urged him to take a break, but to no avail. Seeing him at home today was as surprising as the sun rising from the west. Liu Feng smiled and shook his head as he bustled about the kitchen, whipping up a meal for Li Qi Qi. ¡°I¡¯m staying home for a few days. I¡¯m worried about your safety with that lunatic bothering us.¡± Li Qi Qi chuckled. ¡°You mean Lin Xian? He doesn¡¯t strike me as dangerous. If he were, he would¡¯ve shown his true colors by now.¡± ¡°And besides, what do we have to steal? We¡¯re broke.¡± ¡°I know, it¡¯s weird,¡± Liu Feng said, lowering the heat under the porridge and taking off his apron. ¡°He¡¯s fixated on that ¡®Introduction to Universal Constants¡¯ book. I don¡¯t see where his confidence is coming from.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told him he¡¯s wrong, but he won¡¯t accept it. It¡¯s bizarre.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give back that money he left us next time I see him. Since I can¡¯t help him, I shouldn¡¯t keep his money.¡± ¡°What did he talk about with you yesterday?¡± Li Qi Qi asked, maneuvering her wheelchair to help set the table. She had watched their conversation from the window. Liu Feng paused, then continued setting the table without a word. ¡°Just small talk,¡± he replied eventually. That day, staying home with Li Qi Qi, Liu Feng noticed just how much her condition had deteriorated. She consumed painkillers constantly, like they were mere snacks, but still, her pain would resurface, leaving her pale and sweating. Liu Feng hadn¡¯t realized it had gotten this severe. Filled with regret, he picked up the nearly empty bottle of painkillers and shook it. ¡°Qi Qi...¡± His voice was laden with sorrow. ¡°When did it get this bad?¡± Li Qi Qi coughed weakly and managed a smile. ¡°Cancer does that. It¡¯s just some pain, nothing more.¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°You should have told me,¡± Liu Feng said, his face etched with concern. ¡°It¡¯s really not always this bad. Today¡¯s just worse, and you happened to be here.¡± Liu Feng turned away, heart heavy. They had been together since university; he knew her too well. This was just a kind lie. She had been enduring her pain quietly, always showing her best side whenever he was home. He now understood the sad look she had when she talked about the upcoming meteor shower. With her condition... she might not make it that far. Her situation was worse than what the doctors had indicated. ¡°I was thinking...¡± Liu Feng choked up as he took her hand, ¡°of proposing during the meteor shower.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not kids anymore. Why bother proposing?¡± Li Qi Qi laughed softly, leaning in to embrace him. ¡°I can¡¯t hold you back...¡± But then, the wheelchair under his hands trembled. ¡°Feng Feng... look! A meteor! It¡¯s a meteor!¡± Qi Qi¡¯s voice broke through her sobs. Liu Feng looked up, astonished. A slow-moving, yellow-tailed meteor streaked across the sky, its brilliance outlasting any typical meteor. One meteor. Three meteors. Five meteors. Ten meteors. Dozens. Hundreds! A cascade of yellow meteors filled the sky, their long tails resembling fireworks, illuminating the night. Liu Feng and Li Qi Qi were speechless, their eyes wide with wonder. This was no ordinary meteor shower. It was like something out of a fairy tale, either heralding the end of the world or fulfilling a heartfelt wish. ¡°Meteor shower...¡± Li Qi Qi¡¯s vision blurred with tears, the meteor light shimmering off the droplets, casting a sacred glow around her. ¡°Make a wish! Quick, make a wish!¡± Qi Qi closed her eyes, her hands clasped at her chest, whispering fervently. Liu Feng watched in awe, mesmerized by the shower of meteors. He couldn¡¯t fathom how Lin Xian had achieved this. This artificial meteor shower was more spectacular than any natural one. No natural meteor shower could send hundreds of meteors cascading across the sky, each lasting nearly a minute. Even after Qi Qi made her wish and opened her eyes, the meteor shower persisted. The meteors wove a dream catcher in the sky, capturing the girl¡¯s wish. ¡°This isn¡¯t a real meteor shower...¡± Liu Feng, ever the scientist, felt compelled to acknowledge the reality. But Qi Qi, with her background in astronomy, knew this too. Yet, at that moment, all her pain seemed to vanish. She smiled, took Liu Feng¡¯s hand, and placed it on her cheek. ¡°This is a real meteor shower,¡± she said joyfully. ¡°Just as I imagined.¡± ¡°So wonderful, letting me make such a long wish.¡± Liu Feng looked down at Qi Qi. ¡°What did you wish for?¡± Qi Qi shook her head. ¡°If I tell you, it won¡¯t come true.¡± She smiled, her eyes reflecting the fading meteors. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve prepared a gift for you for a long time, but I never found the right moment to give it to you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Liu Feng was taken aback. ¡°Wait a second. No peeking!¡± Qi Qi wheeled herself into the house. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 146: Miracle Zion People¡¯s Park Children ran around excitedly, tugging on their parents¡¯ sleeves and pointing upwards with wide eyes. ¡°Look, a shooting star! The sky¡¯s filled with them!¡± shouted one child. ¡°Wow! This meteor shower is even cooler than the ones in cartoons!¡± another added enthusiastically. ¡°One, two, three... there are too many to count! There must be over a hundred!¡± a little girl exclaimed. ¡°These shooting stars are awesome! They don¡¯t look anything like what our teacher described... they¡¯re like a giant comb!¡± a boy noted. Flash West University, Playground Students on the track and grass stopped their activities, mesmerized by the breathtaking meteor shower above. ¡°Where did all these shooting stars come from?¡± one student wondered aloud. ¡°Was there a meteor shower predicted today? I don¡¯t think I heard anything about it... and something this big would have been in the news!¡± another responded. ¡°Are these even real shooting stars? They¡¯re too large, last too long, and move too slow...¡± a third student observed. ¡°They look way too close, and the angle is all wrong. What¡¯s going on?¡± another puzzled student asked. Videos of the meteor shower quickly went viral on social media. Residents of Zion buzzed with excitement, but those in other regions were baffled, comparing the stunning display on their screens to their own clear night skies. ¡°Why can¡¯t we see the meteor shower? Aren¡¯t they supposed to be visible across the northern hemisphere?¡± someone posted online.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°Nothing here either! Is Zion using special effects or something?¡± another person speculated. ¡°This is weird! Is the meteor shower only over Flash West? Did some millionaire set this up?¡± someone else guessed. ¡°Meteor showers aren¡¯t something you just create, right? What¡¯s happening? Is there an official statement?¡± another person questioned. Meanwhile, in the sky south of Zion, 4000 meters up Several Big Bear 100 planes flew in formation. In the lead plane, Lin Xian sat in the cockpit, listening to the radio. How was this possible? He had never approached any publishers because his theories were considered incorrect¡ªno one would dare publish them. He opened the book to find his photo and a brief biography on the title page: ¡°Liu Feng, born in 1996, entered Shanxi University¡¯s Mathematics Department in 2014. Graduated with a master¡¯s in 2021, focusing on universal constants, culminating in this book.¡± Yet, the publishing page was blank. No publisher, no pricing... ¡°Hehe, I had it printed through Taobao,¡± Li Qi Qi confessed, sticking out her tongue playfully, her breath weak, her eyes half-closed as she looked up at Liu Feng. ¡°Right now, no one wants to publish it, no one believes in it, and this is the only copy in the world...¡± ¡°But I believe that one day... this book will be translated into many languages, found in every bookstore alongside works like ¡®Relativity,¡¯ ¡®A Brief History of Time,¡¯ and ¡®From One to Infinity.''¡± ¡°I believe it will,¡± Li Qi Qi forced a smile, leaning back in her wheelchair, looking at Liu Feng with blurry eyes. ¡°Because I... made a wish...¡± Li Qi Qi whispered faintly. Liu Feng¡¯s hands trembled as he turned to the last page. A small card was tucked there, its black ink still fresh, obviously written by Li Qi Qi just moments before. Reading it, Liu Feng¡¯s tears flowed freely. He quickly placed the card back, afraid his tears would smudge the fading ink. ¡°Feng... I¡¯m so cold...¡± Li Qi Qi whispered faintly. Liu Feng moved to push her back inside, but as he wrapped her icy hands under the blanket, he realized something. ¡°Feng... hold me...¡± she murmured. Kneeling beside the wheelchair, Liu Feng hugged the frail, weightless Li Qi Qi tightly. ¡°So beautiful...¡± Li Qi Qi murmured, gazing up at the sky, her eyes losing focus. She seemed to envision the meteor shower from moments ago, and rows of ¡°Theory of Universal Constants¡± displayed in bookstores, its neat, elegant formulas lining the shelves. ¡°So beautiful...¡± With a serene smile, Li Qi Qi slowly closed her eyes. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 147: The Closed Loop Just outside a small town, in a secluded dip in the land, was a natural forest. Its variety of trees and early spring flowers made it seem almost like paradise. Lin Xian and Liu Feng stood beside a freshly dug pit holding a wooden coffin. Inside, Li Qi Qi lay still, her face set in a peaceful smile. Liu Feng had hired a funeral service company to handle the burial. Using modern equipment, they dug the pit, transported, and buried the coffin efficiently. In this fast-paced, industrial world, even the solemnity of death had become transient, like dust in the wind. After the funeral company left, Liu Feng and Lin Xian stood by the grave with shovels nearby for later use. ¡°This is the spot Qi Qi chose last year,¡± Liu Feng said, his eyes red and swollen from crying. Li Qi Qi had been his only family. Somehow, the human mind finds a way to shield itself, allowing for a strange calm in the midst of overwhelming grief. Liu Feng¡¯s voice was steady, emotionless, as if he was either instructing Lin Xian or just talking to himself. ¡°In our country, it¡¯s traditional to return to one¡¯s roots after death. But Qi Qi, who grew up in an orphanage, had no roots. My family has an ancestral grave, but since Qi Qi and I weren¡¯t married, she couldn¡¯t be buried there.¡± ¡°Qi Qi had been weak since she was a child. No one wanted to adopt a sick child, so she stayed at the orphanage until she went to university. She never really had a place she could call home,¡± Liu Feng explained. ¡°I thought you two were married,¡± Lin Xian quietly said from behind. Liu Feng shook his head. ¡°I proposed several times, and we almost got married after graduation. But once Qi Qi was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she turned down every proposal.¡± ¡°She knew her time was limited and didn¡¯t want to be a burden,¡± Lin Xian suggested, stepping closer to look at Li Qi Qi¡¯s serene expression in the coffin. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what she said,¡± Liu Feng admitted, looking down, his messy hair hiding his eyes. ¡°But I always hoped she¡¯d have a real home. Now, even in death, she has nowhere to belong.¡± ¡°Qi Qi was afraid of cremation. She wanted a quiet burial here, without any ceremony, and hoped I would visit when I could. She picked this spot after the doctor told her she didn¡¯t have much time left,¡± Liu Feng¡¯s voice broke. Lin Xian listened quietly, allowing Liu Feng to express his grief. He knew that grief could make people either withdraw or talk nonstop, as Liu Feng was doing now. ¡°My condolences,¡± Lin Xian offered, placing a hand on Liu Feng¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You must live well, carrying Qi Qi¡¯s regrets and hopes. That¡¯s why I came here today.¡± Liu Feng seemed so distraught, one might worry he¡¯d follow Qi Qi to the grave. But he had to keep going. Lin Xian had spent 30 million yuan on a meteor shower to show Liu Feng how deeply Qi Qi had loved him, hoping it would inspire him to continue living. He hadn¡¯t expected Qi Qi to pass away so suddenly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything rash,¡± Liu Feng assured him, looking up. ¡°I have to live well, for Qi Qi¡¯s sake.¡± ¡°No, you go ahead,¡± Lin Xian declined, settling next to Liu Feng on a nearby rock, both watching the sunset paint the sky with fiery hues. ¡°Thanks for being here today,¡± Liu Feng said, his eyes not leaving the sunset. ¡°I haven¡¯t smoked in a while. It tastes as bitter as I remember.¡± ¡°It gets easier,¡± Lin Xian smiled lightly. ¡°Some people I know treat smoking like it¡¯s nothing.¡± Liu Feng chuckled and after a few more puffs, stamped out the cigarette. ¡°You¡¯re really here for the Universal Constant, aren¡¯t you?¡± he inquired. ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian confirmed. ¡°Why is it so important? Can you explain it to me?¡± Liu Feng asked, the fading light illuminating his face. ¡°Everyone, from teachers to Einstein, has deemed it incorrect. I¡¯ve run countless tests myself¡ªall inconsistent, all failures. It seems like a scholarly mistake, yet you¡¯re so invested in it. Why?¡± Liu Feng pressed. Lin Xian looked towards the horizon where the sun was nearly set and said, ¡°Like you mentioned, I don¡¯t fully grasp the math or the Universal Constant itself. Academically, once something is disproved, it¡¯s usually accepted as wrong. However, I believe not everything in the universe operates on absolutes. Some phenomena, even after failing thousands, millions, or billions of times, might only need to succeed once to be considered valid.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Liu Feng questioned. ¡°Many things,¡± Lin Xian replied, listing on his fingers. ¡°The origin of life on Earth, the formation of the first amino acid¡ªall these were the result of endless reactions over billions of years, successful just once, yet they sparked life. Even if it was a chemical anomaly, it still led to life.¡± ¡°Right and wrong are relative,¡± Lin Xian continued. ¡°In any case, life emerged on Earth, both miraculously and incidentally. It just needed to happen once.¡± ¡°It only needs one instance,¡± Lin Xian added, his expression earnest as he faced Liu Feng. ¡°I believe the Universal Constant is similar. Even if everyone says it¡¯s incorrect, even if it remains so for decades, centuries, or fundamentally so, it doesn¡¯t matter. It just needs to be right at a crucial moment.¡± Liu Feng looked at Lin Xian, perhaps swayed by his unconventional reasoning, or maybe just puzzled. ¡°If the Universal Constant is right just once, what¡¯s the use?¡± ¡°That¡¯s hard to pinpoint,¡± Lin Xian mused, reflecting on the beginnings of life, the survival of species post-extinction events, the evolution of early hominids, the rise of technology, and a future 600 years away when a white light reshapes the world. ¡°Perhaps your Universal Constant needs to be accurate just once¡ªto save the world,¡± Lin Xian murmured, closing his eyes as he spoke. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 148: Straight Ball Liu Feng gazed at Lin Xian, speechless. He had never thought his explanation of the Universal Constant was anything special, let alone something that could save the world. Yet the man before him always seemed wrapped in mystery and intrigue. Reflecting on that extraordinary meteor shower, although Liu Feng was skeptical about Lin Xian¡¯s claims, he was somewhat persuaded. ¡°Can you explain what the Universal Constant is?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Well, I know Einstein described it as just a regular constant in his gravitational field equations. But do you really buy that?¡± Liu Feng replied. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Liu Feng declared firmly. ¡°I think... Einstein was not being truthful.¡± ¡°Not truthful?¡± Lin Xian raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Einstein eventually renounced the Universal Constant, calling it his biggest blunder. Are you suggesting he intentionally misled us? That he was hiding something?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Liu Feng affirmed, nodding. ¡°It makes no sense that Einstein would dismiss the Universal Constant outright. His original research neither proved nor disproved its existence.¡± ¡°Why deny it so vehemently? Einstein¡¯s behavior in his later years was odd, not typical of a scientist.¡± ¡°Some say it was because he was older, facing hardships and persecution, which led him to act irrationally toward the end.¡± ¡°But... I can¡¯t shake this feeling that Einstein was deliberately evasive about the Universal Constant. Sometimes, it seemed like he was trying to mislead us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re veering off topic,¡± Lin Xian interjected, reiterating his main concern. ¡°What I really need to understand is, what exactly is the Universal Constant? What does it mean?¡± Liu Feng fell silent for a long moment before shaking his head. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t explain it either. My experiments suggest the Universal Constant might not be correct. Honestly, I¡¯m not sure it exists or what its purpose is.¡± ¡°Perhaps, as you mentioned, only by verifying the Universal Constant can we begin to unravel its mystery.¡± ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian wasn¡¯t surprised by this revelation. Aware of Liu Feng¡¯s lack of progress, he continued, ¡°So, even if I revealed the solution to the Universal Constant now, you couldn¡¯t confirm it?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Liu Feng confirmed. ¡°It¡¯s like pi. The number itself isn¡¯t the focus. What matters is what it represents. Pi is known as 3.14, but it¡¯s not called pi because it equals 3.14.¡± ¡°The Universal Constant is similar. It could be any number... But without understanding why, what¡¯s the point? In mathematics, knowing the answer outright is useless. The journey is more significant than the destination.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian stood up, outlining his plan. ¡°I¡¯ll set up a specialized lab for you in Donghai City with ample funding and resources to continue your research on the Universal Constant.¡± ¡°But for now, you¡¯ll need to keep working from home. Wait for my call. Once everything is in place, I¡¯ll bring you to Donghai City.¡± ¡°What do you have to sort out first?¡± Liu Feng asked, curious. ¡°I¡¯m gearing up for a strategic game,¡± Lin Xian replied with a smile. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not even sure what my own strategy is. But for our safety, I need to ensure there¡¯s no imminent danger before you start your research.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts turned to the unresolved murder of Professor Xu Yun. How could he allow Liu Feng to delve into the Universal Constant with such a mystery hanging over them? They were now bound by a common cause. If Liu Feng were targeted due to his research, Lin Xian could be next. Perhaps the threat didn¡¯t come from within their Genius Club. Yet, as Yellow Finch had ominously noted in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office, ¡°Even if you avoid trouble, it finds you. Maybe you haven¡¯t noticed... but your game has already begun.¡± Lin Xian decided to wait for the right moment to uncover any hidden threats. Only by eliminating them could he proceed safely. He hoped the mysterious enemies and Xu Yun¡¯s killers were the same group. He had deduced their pattern: as long as he stayed off the streets at 00:42, he could avoid harm. Yet, he remained vigilant. To date, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t pinpoint why they targeted him. The only link he suspected was the manuscript he¡¯d given Xu Yun. But since Xu Yun had destroyed that manuscript, there shouldn¡¯t have been any exposure. So, what drove their focus on him? Lin Xian was still puzzled. ... After ensuring Liu Feng was well-funded and committed to the project, Lin Xian left Shanxi and returned to Donghai. They met at a well-known western restaurant near Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s house, famous for its quality and flavor. Lin Xian had made the reservation. ¡°This is delicious,¡± Tang Xin remarked, enjoying the caviar and smiling at Lin Xian. ¡°It¡¯s better than the Western food overseas.¡± ¡°That means it¡¯s not authentic,¡± Lin Xian teased. ¡°It¡¯s tasty because it¡¯s not authentic!¡± Tang Xin was in high spirits, looking particularly attractive tonight. Her makeup was flawless, her outfit carefully selected, and she had even switched to high heels. She must have gone home to change after work, unlike Lin Xian, who had come straight from the office in casual attire. ¡°You have no idea how awful the food is overseas!¡± Tang Xin continued. ¡°For international students, missing food from the home country is a big deal. Every time I come back, I order loads of takeout and eat until I¡¯m stuffed. And I visit all the food stalls near the school.¡± ¡°Which school? Hangzhou No. 1 High?¡± Lin Xian cut into his steak, looking at Tang Xin. ¡°The food stalls outside our school were top-notch. They had to be excellent to survive the competition.¡± ¡°Yes! Even though I wasn¡¯t at Hangzhou No. 1 High for long, I missed those stalls for years!¡± Reflecting on the past, Tang Xin¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t want to transfer at that time... but I was too young to decide, and my parents moved me to the U.S. even though I cried a lot.¡± ¡°But Lin Xian, I was really surprised you remembered me! I thought you wouldn¡¯t recognize me at all. I was so nervous about the reunion, I almost didn¡¯t go... but I really wanted to see you.¡± ¡°Oh? Was I that memorable?¡± Lin Xian saw Tang Xin steering the conversation back and played along. With Gao Yang absent, no one would interrupt their chat. ¡°Hehe, I guess you forgot,¡± Tang Xin rested her chin on her hand, gazing at Lin Xian without a hint of disappointment. Lin Xian chuckled awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Did something happen between us?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing major, really. You probably wouldn¡¯t recall,¡± Tang Xin paused, then added, ¡°But it¡¯s something I¡¯ve remembered for a long time.¡± Tang Xin lifted her head, smiling at Lin Xian. ¡°During a PE class, I got my period unexpectedly. It was my first time, and I wasn¡¯t prepared, so I panicked, not knowing what to do.¡± ¡°It was summer, and my pants quickly showed the stain. I didn¡¯t know what to do, so I stood against the wall, too embarrassed to tell anyone since I was the new student.¡± ¡°But then you saw me and without a word, took off your jacket, wrapped it around my waist like a skirt to cover the stain, and went back to playing ball.¡± ¡°Really... you probably don¡¯t remember this, but for a young girl, it was an embarrassing and distressing moment. Your jacket felt like it saved my life.¡± Lin Xian felt a bit embarrassed after hearing Tang Xin¡¯s story. ¡°I did that?¡± He laughed awkwardly. Although Tang Xin recounted it vividly, Lin Xian had no memory of it. He didn¡¯t consider it significant. Helping classmates, especially girls, was normal behavior for him. But such acts were typical of him. ¡°You¡¯re making it sound more heroic than it was,¡± Lin Xian said with a smile. ¡°It was just classmates helping each other, nothing extraordinary.¡± ¡°Maybe I just happened to be there. Many classmates would have helped you. Everyone was kind.¡± ¡°The girls especially. They were all wonderful. Even the guys, like Gao Yang, would have stepped in if they saw you in trouble.¡± Was she still thinking about him because of that incident? Lin Xian considered it trivial. However... Tang Xin giggled, resting her cheek on her hand. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s not a big deal. Many people would have helped.¡± ¡°But...¡± Tang Xin played with her fork on the table, her cheeks flushed from the wine, looking at Lin Xian. ¡°But at that moment, it was you I encountered.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 149: Returning to New Donghai Lin Xian set his fork down and picked up his wine glass, taking a sip. He was a bit taken aback by Tang Xin¡¯s forthrightness. Was this normal behavior for someone returning from abroad? It was undeniable that Tang Xin was straightforward; she shared her thoughts freely and without hesitation. It was evident she held a special fondness for him and didn¡¯t shy away from expressing it. Her feelings were similar to those of Zhou Duan Yun and many others; they all cherished vivid memories of their teenage years, some of which were unforgettable. As Zhou Duan Yun had explained, his current endeavors were an attempt to overcome the feelings of inadequacy he had experienced in high school. For Tang Xin, a simple act of kindness Lin Xian had shown back then had become a cherished memory of her youth, one she still held dear. This was likely what people referred to as the ¡°white moonlight¡± effect. Lin Xian hadn¡¯t expected to be someone¡¯s ¡°white moonlight.¡± ¡°We were classmates; helping each other was natural,¡± Lin Xian remarked, setting his wine glass back down and smiling at Tang Xin. ¡°It was true back then, and it remains true now. Since you¡¯re new to Donghai City and still finding your way around, don¡¯t hesitate to reach out to either me or Gao Yang for help. We¡¯ll do our best to assist you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that,¡± Tang Xin chuckled, sitting up straighter as she continued enjoying her meal. ¡°As you mentioned, I don¡¯t have many friends or relatives here in Donghai... and after being abroad for so long, I¡¯m still adjusting to being back. But my colleagues are wonderful; they¡¯ve been very supportive and helped me settle in.¡± ¡°What do you usually do in your free time?¡± Lin Xian inquired casually. ¡°Like, after work, how do you spend your time?¡± ¡°One of my colleagues found out I play the violin well, so they introduced me to the Donghai Symphony Orchestra. They were looking for violinists.¡± Tang Xin took a bite of her salad and glanced at Lin Xian. ¡°I¡¯ve been playing the violin since I was young and was part of the school orchestra while studying abroad. The interview with the Donghai Symphony Orchestra went smoothly, and they invited me to join their rehearsals. So, I spend my spare time practicing the violin and attending orchestra rehearsals. I really love music; it makes me happy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fantastic,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°You are very talented. Being part of the Donghai Symphony Orchestra shows your violin skills are quite impressive.¡± ¡°Hehe, I won¡¯t be modest about that,¡± Tang Xin giggled. ¡°If you¡¯d like, I can play for you sometime. I¡¯m quite confident in my violin skills!¡± ¡°Sure, that sounds great,¡± Lin Xian replied politely. ¡°And there¡¯s the dream to consider.¡± Thinking about his perilous situation in New Donghai City gave Lin Xian a headache. He had been too preoccupied recently and hadn¡¯t managed to enter the noon dream to meet CC. They needed to approach Time Bank soon, their entry point into the operation. The next day, after finishing his morning duties, Lin Xian had a quick lunch and returned home. Lying on his bed, he quickly fell asleep. In the dream, he followed the usual routine: first finding CC in the woods behind Li Cheng¡¯s house. After convincing her, they headed back to Old Donghai, joined the Face Gang, persuaded Li Cheng to build a human ladder, hid in a garbage truck, and successfully infiltrated New Donghai City... ¡°There¡¯s still a lot of blood on the clothes,¡± Lin Xian noted as he and CC changed into the uniforms of two inspectors they had just assassinated at a checkpoint. Despite his carefulness while slitting their throats, he couldn¡¯t avoid staining the uniforms with blood. It was sticky and uncomfortable. ¡°It¡¯s unavoidable when you slit throats,¡± CC remarked from the other side of the garbage truck, now dressed in the female inspector¡¯s uniform and tucking a handgun into her waistband. ¡°This is too conspicuous. We¡¯ll be discovered sooner or later,¡± Lin Xian mused, scratching his chin. When he had escaped on a flying motorcycle previously, he had noted the busy area near Time Bank, filled with people and vehicles. If they walked around in these bloodied uniforms, they¡¯d definitely attract attention. Moreover, the security system in New Donghai City was more stringent than he had anticipated, with patrols of mechanical dogs and guards in many areas. Having gone through so much trouble to enter the dream, Lin Xian didn¡¯t want to be shot and wake up midway through his mission. At least he needed to try the password at Time Bank. He looked over at the neatly parked garbage trucks in the yard and had an idea. ¡°We could continue hiding in the garbage truck,¡± Lin Xian suggested to CC. ¡°These trucks are programmed to go to Time Bank. They only stopped here for the inspection. So, we just need to find the switch or the corresponding control to let the trucks continue their journey.¡± ¡°Then we can hitch a ride in the garbage truck and get to Time Bank without any risk,¡± CC agreed. ¡°That¡¯s a good plan. It shouldn¡¯t be too hard,¡± she replied, heading toward the control room. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 150: Hide and Seek Everything was going according to plan. CC, the password expert, quickly navigated the computer systems. Once he confirmed the actions, the checkpoint gates began to open slowly. The idle garbage trucks rumbled to life, lined up neatly, and rolled out of the gates. ¡°Quick, get in,¡± urged Lin Xian. He and CC squeezed under the dumping section of a garbage truck, heading towards Donghai City. As they progressed, the garbage trucks veered off the planned route. Eventually, only two trucks continued towards the Time Bank. Screech¡ª After about 20 minutes, their heavy truck came to a sudden stop. The force of the stop pushed Lin Xian and CC together. They peeked out; the truck ahead was stopped right at the bank¡¯s entrance, theirs just behind. Above, the large sign reading ¡°Time Bank¡± loomed, with some English beneath. The sign was off, unlike the other illuminated signs around, adding a neglected feel to the scene. ¡°We¡¯re finally here,¡± Lin Xian sighed after their rough ride. CC blinked, puzzled. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that smooth? It actually went really well.¡± ¡°It cost me countless lives to get here,¡± Lin Xian said with a dry laugh. For CC, it was a straightforward task. But for Lin Xian, starting from the garbage dump, he had ¡®died¡¯ many times to finally reach this point. They climbed out quietly and peeked from behind the truck towards the bank¡¯s entrance. In front of them, several robots were busy moving aluminum alloy safes from a warehouse, loading them onto other trucks. A man, likely the supervisor, sat smoking nearby, his legs crossed. ¡°The gunfire would be too loud; it might draw the patrol mech dogs,¡± CC whispered, pulling out a tranquilizer dart from his pocket. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him.¡± ¡°Okay, show me what you¡¯ve got,¡± Lin Xian said, confident in CC¡¯s abilities. CC crouched and moved silently, sticking close to the walls as he approached the smoking man from behind. ¡°Mm¡ª!¡± In a swift motion, CC covered the man¡¯s mouth and nose and pressed the tranquilizer dart against his neck! After about twenty or thirty seconds, the man¡¯s body slackened. CC held him until he was completely unconscious, then gently laid him against the wall. ¡°No wonder this tranquilizer is so potent,¡± Lin Xian remarked as he joined CC. In hospitals, surgical anesthesia, except for the inhaled type, usually takes time to take effect, and the dosage needs careful control. But with animal tranquilizers, high doses seemed to do the job quickly. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Lin Xian. They sneaked past the robots loading the safes and entered the bank¡¯s warehouse. Since the bank had been bankrupt for some time, most valuable items had already been removed. After today, the remaining safes were essentially unclaimed.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) The robots, lacking an alarm system, automatically avoided obstacles and people, showing advanced user-friendliness. They quickly reached the area filled with safes. ¡°Long time no see,¡± Lin Xian murmured, looking at the gleaming safes. He felt nostalgic; he had dealt with these daily in his first dream. Today, he had come full circle. Originally, these safes were embedded in the walls, but now they lay scattered on the floor. They made their way to the back of the warehouse, and soon, they found the safe labeled with Lin Xian¡¯s name. ¡°This is it!¡± CC exclaimed, crouching to work on the combination lock. Click. Click. ¡°If Time Bank was founded in 2023... when did I store things in the safe and set the password?¡± Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure if he was one of Time Bank¡¯s first customers, but it was a possibility. Lin Xian had searched the internet before but found no information about Time Bank. That means maybe in the coming months, Time Bank will be established no later than New Year¡¯s Day 2024. ¡°This might be the link that connects 600 years of time!¡± Lin Xian had always wondered if there was a way to hide something from 600 years ago and retrieve it 600 years later. But in the first dream and real life, there were no common coordinates, no corresponding places. Even if he buried something, it would be in vain. The second dream was even more different from the real Donghai. But now it was different. As long as Time Bank was founded in 2023, he could open a safe there, easily transporting items from 600 years ago to 600 years later! Though he couldn¡¯t think of anything that would be useful after 600 years, having a link was better than none. ¡°If only there was a way to send something from 600 years in the future back 600 years, but... time doesn¡¯t flow backward.¡± Lin Xian leaned against a dusty metal cabinet, pondering his next steps. For now, the safe couldn¡¯t be opened. But Lin Xian didn¡¯t mind. One, Time Bank would be founded soon, and the answer would be revealed. Two, if his future self didn¡¯t want his present self to open the safe, there must be a good reason. Lin Xian believed his future self wouldn¡¯t deceive himself; he must have a purpose, so he deliberately set an unbreakable password. ¡°So, I¡¯ll put the safe aside for now and patiently wait for Time Bank to be established in 2023.¡± ¡°The focus now is on the cat-and-mouse game Yellow Finch mentioned and the Genius Club invitation.¡± These two things. One was a crisis he faced, the other was the key to solving all mysteries. Both were equally important. But both were also without any leads, not knowing where to go or what to do next. Clearly, Yellow Finch knew all the answers. She spoke with certainty but chose to be cryptic. Of the two, Lin Xian was more concerned about the cat-and-mouse game. A cat-and-mouse game, essentially, is hide-and-seek. Since Yellow Finch gave him this hint, it meant he was about to, or already, fall into some danger. Lin Xian was somewhat aware of this. If the cat referred to the person who killed Xu Yun, they could easily trace the ¡°interest relationship¡± between him and Xu Yun. Although these interests didn¡¯t directly prove anything, they indicated some undisclosed secrets between them. Those secrets might be what the killers cared about most. Fortunately, Xu Yun had destroyed the manuscript he gave Lin Xian, so the killers shouldn¡¯t find direct evidence of his research assistance. But that wouldn¡¯t stop them from suspecting him. Why did they kill Xu Yun? Unknown. Would they kill him at 00:42 too? Uncertain. ¡°But at least one thing is certain,¡± Lin Xian thought, looking out the window at the robots loading safes onto the garbage trucks. He recalled the hide-and-seek games he played with friends in the residential complex as a child. ¡°Since it¡¯s hide-and-seek, they¡¯ll come out to find me, right? They¡¯ll have some contact with me?¡± He closed his eyes, recalling the people who had recently appeared around him, either actively or passively. ¡°Who could it be?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 151: Showdown Lin Xian¡¯s mind swirled with memories of countless faces... Ever since Xu Yun¡¯s death, Lin Xian had met many new people. He interacted with designers, industry experts, business associates, and attended school reunions, meeting old friends and strangers alike. With so many new contacts, it was hard to tell who was truly friendly and who had hidden agendas. ¡°I need to see things differently,¡± Lin Xian mused, closing his eyes for a moment. In this complex game of hide and seek, he felt at a disadvantage. As Yellow Finch had pointed out, while he was out in the open, his adversaries lurked in the shadows. ¡°It¡¯s easier to dodge a threat when you can see it. How can you consistently protect yourself from an unseen thief? To win this game, I have to outsmart them first.¡± Time was of the essence. Lin Xian reopened his eyes, resolute. ¡°The first one to reveal themselves loses.¡± Outskirts of Donghai City Tonight, a usually dimly lit villa was fully illuminated. Ji Lin was sorting through a heap of printed papers. These were documents from Donghai University, retrieved from Xu Yun¡¯s lab. After Xu Yun¡¯s sudden death, the university decided to digitize and release his documents publicly, as per his last wishes. Among these, Ji Lin focused on the handwritten notes. A Rhine Cat doll signed by Lin Xian sat on the nearby table. The signature, magnified, showed a mix of Chinese characters, English letters, numbers, and symbols. Handwriting, much like fingerprints, is unique. The way one applies pressure to strokes, curves numbers, connects letters, and sequences their writing can reveal their identity¡ªmaking it a powerful tool in criminal investigations. Ji Lin squinted at the last document on the table, analyzing every mark. Exhausted, he flung the document onto the floor and reclined in the sea of papers, hands behind his head, gazing up at the opulent crystal chandelier. Beep beep. A buried phone vibrated with a new message. Ji Lin retrieved it. The message from Envy read: ¡°He¡¯s back in Donghai.¡± Ji Lin¡¯s fingers flew over the keyboard to reply: ¡°Begin.¡± Next Few DaysNe/w novel chapters are published on Lin Xian had been busy wrapping up all the accumulated work since the term started. He managed his tasks and those assigned by Zhao Ying Jun. Despite being her part-time assistant, Lin Xian committed to his role wholeheartedly. Zhao Ying Jun placed great trust in him, sharing company secrets and business insights generously. For Lin Xian, who had never been involved in high-level business dealings before, her mentorship was like learning a secretive martial art¡ªtypically, such knowledge is guarded closely in the competitive business world. Lin Xian was deeply appreciative of Zhao Ying Jun for this invaluable training. These business skills were essential for his current predicament. He had plans, including costly research by Liu Feng, requiring significant financial backing¡ªsomething royalties and licensing fees alone wouldn¡¯t cover. Eventually, Lin Xian would need to leave MX Company to generate substantial income to support Liu Feng¡¯s research on the Universal Constant 42. What exactly the Universal Constant and 42 represented remained unclear even to Liu Feng. In the future, Big Cat¡¯s father would extend Liu Feng¡¯s initial research over more than a decade to unravel 42. Lin Xian didn¡¯t expect immediate breakthroughs but knew the sooner they uncovered these secrets, the better. Understanding the mystery of 42 would arm Lin Xian with a powerful tool against the Genius Club, helping solve many puzzles and ensuring his safety. However, before he could fund Liu Feng or seek justice for Xu Yun, he had to eliminate the hidden threats lurking around him. The memory of Xu Yun¡¯s tragic demise haunted him still. For now, Lin Xian knew he must tread carefully. Becoming wealthy too quickly or using novel methods from his dreams to make money could expose him to grave risks. So, Lin Xian devised a careful three-step strategy for himself: ¡°So, what are you into these days?¡± Gao Yang inquired. ¡°A bit of everything,¡± Duan Yun replied with a grin. ¡°You missed our graduation photo shoot... Rumor had it you won the lottery. Is that true?¡± Gao Yang asked after a few drinks. Duan Yun finished his drink and wiped his mouth, ¡°Between us, yeah, I got lucky with the lottery. Used that to kickstart my business.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so jealous!¡± Gao Yang raised his glass in a toast, ¡°Pass some of that luck our way!¡± ¡°Yeah, share some of that good fortune!¡± Tang Xin laughed, lifting her glass. They all toasted. ¡°And what about you, Tang Xin?¡± Duan Yun turned to her. ¡°I work at the Donghai Revival Pharmaceutical Research Institute,¡± she replied. ¡°Oh,¡± Duan Yun chuckled, ¡°I know your boss!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Tang Xin was surprised. ¡°He¡¯s a big name, used to mentor Professor Xu Yun. You know him?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve done some deals. But honestly, I find him too arrogant,¡± Duan Yun stated bluntly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard different,¡± Tang Xin shrugged. ¡°I think he¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s so great, why did he abandon Xu Yun?¡± Lin Xian chimed in, unable to hide his disdain. He was deeply aware of Xu Yun¡¯s struggles and held no fondness for his mentor. ¡°You seem to hold a grudge against this man,¡± Tang Xin observed. ¡°Were you close to Professor Xu Yun?¡± ¡°Somewhat. Xu Yun taught at Donghai University, not directly to me, but my company did business with him. I met him a few times,¡± Lin Xian shared, his gaze fixed on his drink. ¡°He also has a daughter in a coma. Sometimes, it feels like misfortune follows him.¡± Bang! Gao Yang slammed his fist on the table. ¡°That reminds me! It¡¯s been a while since the New Year, and they still haven¡¯t caught Xu Yun¡¯s killers!¡± Clearly inebriated, Gao Yang cursed loudly. ¡°Those scumbags! Killing an innocent scientist? They should go after the real criminals! If they catch them, it shouldn¡¯t just be a quick execution¡ªthey deserve to be tortured!¡± He looked around at his friends, seeking agreement, ¡°Right? Isn¡¯t that right?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 152: The Plan ¡°I agree with you!¡± Zhou Duan Yun laughed heartily, pouring more wine for Gao Yang. They clinked glasses and drank up.Vissit for updates ¡°They sure can hold their liquor,¡± Tang Xin commented with a smile, looking over at Lin Xian¡¯s wine dispenser. ¡°You¡¯ve had quite a bit too. Are you doing alright?¡± ¡°I can handle it. My tolerance is pretty high,¡± Lin Xian replied, pouring himself another glass. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re so into hibernation technology, Lin Xian. Is it because of Professor Xu Yun?¡± Tang Xin asked, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. ¡°Not exactly,¡± Lin Xian said as he refilled his cup. ¡°I just feel bad for Professor Xu Yun¡¯s daughter. I hope she lives to see the day when the hibernation chamber becomes available. Here¡¯s to the success of your project. A lot of patients are counting on it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it my all,¡± Tang Xin promised, raising her glass to meet Lin Xian¡¯s. Lin Xian hadn¡¯t expected Tang Xin to drink tonight since she was the only woman there and it wasn¡¯t a business meeting. He thought she might not feel the need to drink, but she proved to be quite a drinker herself. Zhou Duan Yun and Gao Yang, clearly tipsy, kept the drinking going. After finishing two bottles of baijiu, Zhou had the driver bring over two more, with no signs of stopping. Having reached their limit, Lin Xian and Tang Xin left the others to their drinks and started chatting. Tang Xin talked about her orchestra¡¯s upcoming performance at the Donghai City Music Festival and invited Lin Xian to come. Although symphonies weren¡¯t really his thing, Tang Xin was so enthusiastic, especially about the performances by many stars, that he agreed to attend. It wasn¡¯t until the restaurant staff informed them it was closing time that Gao Yang and Zhou Duan Yun called it a night. They had been drinking since 8 PM and continued into the early hours of the morning, clearly well-matched in their drinking stamina. Downstairs, Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s driver held the door of a Rolls-Royce Phantom open for him and Gao Yang. Since the car had four seats, Duan Yun offered Gao Yang a ride. Lin Xian planned to take a cab with Tang Xin. ¡°Lin Xian! When are you going to buy a car from me?¡± Gao Yang called out from the Rolls-Royce. ¡°When I find the time. Don¡¯t worry, I keep my promises,¡± Lin Xian waved back. ¡°Let¡¯s grab a cab,¡± Tang Xin suggested, pointing to a taxi by the curb. Lin Xian¡¯s vision was slightly blurry from the alcohol, making everything feel a bit delayed, like the world had slowed down. The street was quiet, and once Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s Rolls-Royce drove off, there was little sound other than the restaurant staff cleaning up. As Tang Xin reached for the taxi door¡ª Smack! Lin Xian grabbed her hand. ¡°Huh?¡± Tang Xin turned, surprised by Lin Xian¡¯s grip. His hand was warm, and she noticed his wristwatch showing 12:42 AM. ¡°Lin Xian?¡± Tang Xin blushed, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger. ¡°How about we chat a bit more?¡± Lin Xian suggested with a smile. ¡°Sure,¡± Tang Xin replied, looking down the road. ¡°Should we find a quieter place?¡± ¡°Here is fine.¡± ¡°Here?¡± Tang Xin looked around, puzzled. ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like a great spot for a chat. I know a quiet bar nearby. Want to try there?¡± Lin Xian checked his watch again. 12:43 AM. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± He let go of her hand and opened the taxi door for her. Then he got into the front passenger seat. Maybe he was just being overly cautious? Inside the cab, he looked at the driver¡ªa perfectly ordinary middle-aged man. ¡°Where to?¡± The driver flicked his cigarette away and awaited their destination. ¡°Here,¡± Tang Xin showed the driver an address on her phone. ... In the music bar, a singer softly played guitar and sang a folk song. Lin Xian and Tang Xin found a quiet corner, sipping their drinks while Tang Xin shared stories about her life, work, and humorous anecdotes. Lin Xian mostly smiled and nodded, still thinking about the quiet road and the normal taxi. All signs indicated he had been overly paranoid about the significance of 12:42 AM. He had just discussed this with Tang Xin, and now Chu An Qing was handing him a ticket? What a coincidence! ¡°Are you performing?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Chu An Qing nodded excitedly. ¡°I have a ballet performance. I wanted to thank you for dancing with me at my dad¡¯s New Year¡¯s party. This festival is incredible!¡± ¡°Not just me, but several acts from Donghai University! Famous singers and orchestras too! You¡¯ll love it!¡± Lin Xian smiled. Did the waltz at the party give her the wrong impression about him? He wasn¡¯t much into musical performances; most of his musical knowledge was from movies, and he wasn¡¯t particularly skilled at dancing. ¡°Thanks for the ticket. I¡¯ll try to make it.¡± ¡°Great! See you later, Lin Xian!¡± She left as quickly as she arrived, waving goodbye. Lin Xian examined the VIP ticket. Given Chu Shan He¡¯s influence, it wasn¡¯t surprising she could secure such a ticket. Her ballet performance was probably helped by connections too. ¡°But maybe not,¡± Lin Xian thought. He shouldn¡¯t judge too quickly. Her excellent dancing at the New Year¡¯s party showed she had real talent. If given the perfect stage, she could truly shine. ... Later, at a fancy French restaurant, Tang Xin placed her handbag on the seat next to her, facing Zhou Duan Yun across the table. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to invite me to dinner.¡± ¡°Just classmates catching up,¡± Zhou Duan Yun replied, signaling the waiter to begin serving the appetizers. ¡°You mentioned something about Lin Xian?¡± Tang Xin probed. ¡°Why the rush? The appetizers aren¡¯t even here yet,¡± Zhou Duan Yun teased. ¡°Don¡¯t tease me,¡± Tang Xin said, unfolding her napkin. ¡°Just tell me what you wanted to discuss.¡± ¡°Do you like Lin Xian?¡± Zhou Duan Yun asked directly, looking her in the eye. ¡°Sorry to be blunt, but it seems like you do. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to hide,¡± Tang Xin responded softly. ¡°I¡¯m not a teenager. Liking someone is normal at my age. It¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of.¡± ¡°I do like Lin Xian,¡± she admitted, pushing her hair back. ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect you to take such an interest. We haven¡¯t known each other long, only met a few times. I thought you¡¯d be busy.¡± ¡°We¡¯re old classmates,¡± Zhou Duan Yun said, lifting his glass. ¡°I¡¯m not just gossiping. I want to help you.¡± ¡°Help me?¡± Tang Xin was taken aback. ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I think relationships are something personal. No need for outside help.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand the dynamics of the Donghai business circle,¡± Zhou Duan Yun sighed. ¡°You have no idea how many women are interested in Lin Xian. You don¡¯t know your competition.¡± Zhou Duan Yun shook his head, ¡°Let me be honest...¡± He set down his glass and looked seriously at Tang Xin. ¡°You don¡¯t stand a chance.¡± ... The two sat in silence for a moment. The waiter quietly brought the first appetizer and left. Tang Xin sniffed, crossing her arms and leaning back. ¡°Zhou Duan Yun, that¡¯s quite rude. Did you invite me just to insult me?¡± ¡°Not at all. You misunderstand,¡± Zhou Duan Yun said, clasping his hands on the table. ¡°I care because we¡¯re classmates. I¡¯m on your side.¡± ¡°Then what do you mean?¡± ¡°I want to help you,¡± Zhou Duan Yun smiled. ¡°I have a plan that will guarantee you win Lin Xian¡¯s heart... Interested in hearing it?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 153: Good and Evil ¡°Are you new to Donghai City? How do you know so much about Lin Xian?¡± Tang Xin asked, curiosity clear in her gaze as she looked at Zhou Duan Yun. Zhou Duan Yun paused, taking a bite of his meal before answering. ¡°Well, whether you¡¯re in Donghai City or anywhere else, business gossip travels fast. I may be new around here, but I¡¯ve picked up quite a bit from what people say.¡± ¡°Lin Xian is a known figure in the Donghai business scene, but it¡¯s not really for his skills. It¡¯s mostly about the company he keeps,¡± he explained, offering a knowing smile. Tang Xin became attentive as she perked her ears. Zhou Duan Yun cleaned his mouth with a napkin, then continued, ¡°Lin Xian¡¯s boss, Zhao Ying Jun, is the CEO of MX Company and the sole heir of the powerful Zhao family from the capital. Despite their different backgrounds, there¡¯s a lot of speculation about their relationship.¡± ¡°They were seen dancing together at the New Year¡¯s Eve party. Zhao Ying Jun isn¡¯t known to dance with just anyone, and yet she chose Lin Xian. It¡¯s quite telling,¡± he remarked. ¡°Given your interest in Lin Xian, I looked into it and found something interesting.¡± Zhou Duan Yun glanced up at Tang Xin. ¡°Lin Xian now serves as Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s personal secretary, a role she hasn¡¯t needed filled in years. Most folks at MX Company think there¡¯s more than work between them. Where there¡¯s smoke, there¡¯s usually fire. Even if they¡¯re not openly dating, it¡¯s clear the lady has a soft spot for Lin Xian.¡± Tang Xin remained silent. She hadn¡¯t heard any of this from Lin Xian, and she hadn¡¯t asked either. ¡°That¡¯s Lin Xian¡¯s private life,¡± she eventually spoke, her gaze drifting towards the neon lights outside the window. ¡°I don¡¯t think Lin Xian has romantic feelings for Zhao Ying Jun,¡± Zhou Duan Yun commented, smiling. ¡°Do you know Lin Xian well?¡± Tang Xin turned back, facing him. ¡°You two don¡¯t seem very close.¡± ¡°True,¡± Zhou Duan Yun acknowledged with a nod. ¡°But we were high school classmates for three years, and we had a long conversation yesterday when I dropped off Gao Yang. I¡¯ve gotten a pretty good read on him.¡± ¡°Lin Xian¡¯s biggest strengths are his kindness and willingness to help others. He¡¯s always been like that, even back in high school. But that¡¯s also his greatest weakness.¡± Zhou Duan Yun paused, squinting a bit. ¡°Lin Xian is too generous. He finds it hard to refuse anyone. He often takes on more than he should because he wants to help, which sometimes puts him in tough spots.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a flaw,¡± Tang Xin replied, smiling. ¡°Yes,¡± Zhou Duan Yun smiled back. ¡°In high school, he was always the one others turned to for help. He helped me a lot too. I was from a poorer family, sat at the back of the class, and was quite introverted. Not many noticed me.¡± That night, in a dream. Lin Xian¡¯s exploration of New Donghai City was advancing. CC had expertly cracked the password to a large chain bookstore. With the right code, Lin could stay there all night without triggering any alarms. Books are treasures in any era, and though the bookstore lacked the historical volumes he needed, he believed history leaves traces in all kinds of books. Even if major events were obscured, he could still piece together the general timeline from smaller details. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t a superhuman AI; poring over books for clues felt like searching for a needle in a haystack. He also tried getting closer to the city center, intrigued by the towering, illuminated skyscraper and the powers ruling New Donghai City. However, he encountered two significant obstacles... First, security increased nearer to the center, with many real police officers patrolling. As an ¡°outsider,¡± he stood out from the ¡°locals¡± due to differences in appearance, behavior, and attire. Even in their clothes, he still looked out of place. New Donghai City had evolved in isolation for centuries, developing its own unique culture and norms. Bypassing mechanical dogs and robots was one thing, but real police posed a different challenge. Lin Xian¡¯s attempts to blend in kept failing. Second, he tried stealing a flying bike to penetrate deeper into the city but invariably set off alarms at a certain point. He suspected a localized detection system. On the ground, high walls separated different districts, barring passage. ¡°I¡¯m stuck,¡± Lin Xian muttered, scratching his head. It felt like playing a game and getting stuck on a level or lost in a maze. Progress had stalled, and there were no guides to assist. Trial and error, marked by numerous failures, seemed the only path forward, but it was slow and frustrating. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll spend more time at the bookstore,¡± he decided. The bookstore housed many books about New Donghai City, covering various aspects. Perhaps he could unearth details about the security system. As for CC, they usually split up after passing through the checkpoint, each focusing on their tasks. Lin Xian had tried bringing CC to hack the city walls¡¯ security, but the equipment was too advanced for CC¡¯s ¡°Bluetooth headset¡± to connect, let alone breach the defenses. That afternoon, Lin Xian was idling in MX Company¡¯s office. Ding-dong. A message from Tang Xin appeared on WeChat. ¡°Do you have time tonight, Lin Xian? I have something I want to give you.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 154: Within the Light Cone As they stepped out of the movie theater, Tang Xin stretched and beamed. ¡°That movie was amazing! My coworkers were right on the money with their recommendation!¡± Lin Xian nodded in agreement. ¡°Yeah, it was even better than the first one.¡±Chee?ck out latest novels on Tonight was Tang Xin¡¯s way of thanking Lin Xian for a favor he¡¯d done for her recently. After a lovely dinner, she had surprised him with tickets to ¡°The Wandering Earth 2.¡± Lin Xian had been thrilled. He had wanted to see the movie during New Year¡¯s but couldn¡¯t find the time. After the holiday, he had been busy with Liu Feng in Shanxi, then back in Donghai. Now, he finally had a moment to relax. The film was a true sci-fi spectacle, depicting a future where, by 2075, humanity had harnessed fusion engines to propel Earth through the cosmos. In stark contrast, the real future, 600 years later in New Donghai City, seemed much less advanced with its Victorian-era cosplay. Lin Xian noticed that the technological level in New Donghai City had improved somewhat since 2023, but it was hardly what he had hoped for. He had imagined a steel city mastering controlled nuclear fusion, tapping into limitless energy. Yet, the reality was a letdown. Local bookstores still sold books that claimed controlled nuclear fusion was a distant dream. Today¡¯s use of nuclear energy was limited to nuclear batteries. While both nuclear batteries and controlled nuclear fusion tapped into nuclear power, the difference was massive¡ªlike comparing a large battery to one that never ran out of charge. Back in 2023, nuclear batteries were already powering things like the Voyager 1 space probe, launched in 1977. Over 600 years, humanity seemed to have only polished old technologies rather than breaking new ground. Lin Xian suspected a hidden force was stifling technological growth. Was it the Genius Club? The ones behind Xu Yun¡¯s death? Or someone else? He felt he was close to finding out. ¡°If the apocalypse really hits, what will we do?¡± Tang Xin pondered aloud, looking up at the cloudy sky. ¡°Even though the helium flash in ¡®The Wandering Earth¡¯ isn¡¯t due anytime soon, no one can predict the future. How would we handle the end of the world?¡± Lin Xian thought about the destructive white light he¡¯d learned about from 600 years in the future. ¡°Most people wouldn¡¯t even see it coming,¡± he replied quietly. ¡°If we can see and prevent a disaster, maybe we can survive¡ªlike in the movie, moving Earth. But if it¡¯s something sudden and unpredictable, worrying won¡¯t help. We¡¯d never see it coming, and by the time we did, it would be too late. People would just disappear in their sleep.¡± Taking the ticket, Lin Xian noticed it was a special seat. Usually, performers got regular seats, but Tang Xin had managed to secure something special. Unlike Chu An Qing, the local princess with her influential dad, Chu Shan He, Tang Xin had to work hard for such perks. Had she not mentioned it, Lin Xian might have forgotten. ¡°I¡¯ll be there,¡± he assured her with a smile. ¡°Even though I¡¯m not big on music, I wouldn¡¯t miss supporting an old classmate.¡± ¡°Hehe, then I better play well!¡± Tang Xin¡¯s face lit up with joy. Lin Xian pocketed the ticket, now holding two special seats for the concert, including the one from Chu An Qing. He decided to bring Gao Yang to avoid any awkwardness, hoping to arrange adjacent seating. Whether from Chu An Qing or Tang Xin, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t turn down such kindness. The next day, Lin Xian placed both tickets in his office drawer before heading to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office with some files for their regular meeting. They had a lot of confidential company matters to discuss. Entering Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office, they got straight to work. Lin Xian¡¯s frequent visits had become routine, and working together, they were more effective, with Zhao Ying Jun seeming less stressed recently, a change noted by many around the office. A person¡¯s mood really does reflect in their emotions. When work calms down, so does the stress. ¡°Lin Xian, are you into music and dance?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked unexpectedly. ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian was caught off guard. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I suppose.¡± Why was Zhao Ying Jun asking about this now? Did she know about Chu An Qing giving him a concert ticket? Perhaps Chu An Qing had told her. They were known to be close, and it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Chu An Qing had invited her as well. ¡°Someone gave me two tickets to the Donghai City Music Concert, tomorrow night at the Oriental Art Center.¡± Zhao Ying Jun pulled out two familiar-looking tickets from her drawer and placed them on the desk, smiling at Lin Xian. ¡°Would you like to go with me?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 155: The Battlefield Lin Xian was at a loss for words. What was going on? Previously, both Chu An Qing and Tang Xin had given him tickets to the same concert, which was already a delicate situation... Since they were both performers, he just had to sit in the audience, so there wasn¡¯t much conflict, and he could handle it. He figured he could bring Gao Yang along, using both tickets, which seemed reasonable enough. ¡°Since I had an extra ticket, I brought a friend.¡± Why not? But now, things were becoming more complicated... Zhao Ying Jun had also given him a ticket, and clearly, she wanted to attend the concert with him! There was no avoiding it! Moreover, rejecting her wasn¡¯t an option because he had already agreed to go with Chu An Qing and Tang Xin. If Zhao Ying Jun saw him there, it would be incredibly awkward. Ugh. What a mess. Lin Xian felt unjustly burdened. He hadn¡¯t done anything to deserve this, so why was he caught up in such problems? But... ¡°Sure, I have nothing planned for tomorrow night.¡± Lin Xian took the ticket from Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hand. As expected, it was a special seat, seemingly designed to complicate his life even further. He decided to accept it for now and figure out a plan later. Zhao Ying Jun smiled with satisfaction. ¡°See you tomorrow night then.¡± ... ¡°Hahahahahahahaha!!!¡± In the small fried rice restaurant, Gao Yang laughed uncontrollably, showing no sympathy. ¡°This is a battlefield! I want to see chaos!¡± He slammed his hands on the table, as thrilled as a baboon might be after a victorious fight. ¡°Getting three tickets at once is just too absurd! Being popular isn¡¯t always great!¡± Lin Xian looked at the three tickets lined up on the table, feeling the irony of the situation. ¡°So what¡¯s your plan? Where are you going to sit?¡± Gao Yang asked, eagerly anticipating the drama. ¡°There are three tickets, but only one me. I can only sit in one place.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I need your help.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Gao Yang suddenly stopped laughing, his expression turning serious as he caught on to Lin Xian¡¯s plan. ¡°I get it. You want me to use two of the tickets.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°It would be best if you could bring someone else too. Since I promised Zhao Ying Jun, I have to sit next to her.¡± ¡°And since Zhao Ying Jun and Chu An Qing know each other, I don¡¯t need to lie. I¡¯ll just be honest. If I run into Chu An Qing, I¡¯ll tell her the company gave me a ticket, so I passed my original one to a friend¡ªyou.¡± ¡°As for Tang Xin¡¯s ticket... that¡¯s a bit tricky. Among the three, Tang Xin probably had the hardest time securing a special seat since she¡¯s not as well-connected. But fortunately, she doesn¡¯t know Chu An Qing or Zhao Ying Jun, so you can bring any friend or colleague to take her seat. If she asks, I¡¯ll figure out how to explain.¡± ... He checked the special seating area... and realized his worry was unnecessary. Although labeled as special seats, the first 20 rows were all designated as such, providing a wide range. It took Lin Xian quite a while to locate his seat. ¡°I¡¯m being overly cautious. Chu An Qing and Tang Xin might not even know where their tickets place me.¡± That¡¯s why Lin Xian arrived early, knowing Tang Xin had to rehearse and do her makeup in the afternoon. He planned to meet her backstage. Led by Tang Xin, Lin Xian smoothly made his way to the performers¡¯ backstage area. Today, Tang Xin was dressed in a black evening gown, her makeup refined, perfectly complementing her role as a violinist. ¡°Our piece is the ninth one, relatively early in the program.¡± Tang Xin greeted Lin Xian with an unwavering smile. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I saw the program. Your performance is the longest, quite prominent.¡± ¡°Hehe, I hope I do well tonight.¡± ¡°You will.¡± Lin Xian reassured her. ¡°You joined the orchestra and became the lead violinist. That speaks volumes about your talent.¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s strange to me.¡± Tang Xin chuckled softly. ¡°I don¡¯t know why everything has gone so smoothly, from the auditions to the rehearsals, joining the official team, and becoming the lead violinist. Even I can¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just lucky.¡± Lin Xian joked. ¡°Anyway, things going well is always a good thing.¡± ¡°Lin Xian... Could you wait for me at the theater entrance after the performance tonight?¡± Tang Xin¡¯s voice softened, a hint of shyness as she scratched her cheek. ¡°I have something to give you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lin Xian agreed without hesitation. He had something to discuss with her as well. ¡°It might take a while.¡± Tang Xin smiled apologetically. ¡°After the curtain call, I need to pack up, remove my makeup, and change clothes... It could take some time.¡± ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll wait at the theater entrance.¡± ¡°Lin Xian senior!¡± An unexpected voice interrupted their conversation. Lin Xian turned his head, looking past Tang Xin... Sure enough, it was Chu An Qing, her voice light and pleasant. ¡°Aren¡¯t you performing today?¡± Lin Xian inquired. ¡°My solo piece was rehearsed yesterday.¡± Chu An Qing chuckled. ¡°Today¡¯s rehearsal is for group performances, and wearing the ballet costume too early would wrinkle it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Lin Xian nodded. Tang Xin glanced between them, then back at Lin Xian, curious. ¡°Lin Xian, who is she?¡± ¡°Ah, let me introduce you.¡± Lin Xian gestured toward Chu An Qing, then turned to Tang Xin. ¡°This is my junior at Donghai University, Chu An Qing.¡± Then he pointed at Tang Xin, addressing Chu An Qing. ¡°And An Qing, this is Tang Xin, a violinist in the Donghai Symphony Orchestra and my... high school classmate.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 156: Tang Xin ¡°Hey, Tang Xin!¡± Chu An Qing grabbed Tang Xin¡¯s hand, her smile bright and warm. ¡°I had no idea you were Lin Xian¡¯s high school classmate! What a small world!¡± Tang Xin smiled back. ¡°So, you¡¯re the ballet dancer everyone talks about. They were right; you are as beautiful as they said!¡± ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re too kind, Tang Xin.¡± Just then, a staff member approached and signaled to Lin Xian. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s time to start. Please take your seat.¡± Lin Xian nodded and excused himself from the two girls. Tang Xin and Chu An Qing, now chatting eagerly, bonded over their mutual connection to Lin Xian. Though their acquaintance with Lin Xian was brief, discussing him energized their conversation. ¡°By the way, Tang Xin, can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Sure, what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit embarrassing. I¡¯m not sure if I should ask, but I¡¯m really curious.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Tang Xin encouraged, finding herself liking the lively girl. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Chu An Qing took a deep breath and tied her hair back, revealing her elegant neck. Striking a pose like one from a sketch, she beamed, her cute dimples on display. ¡°Tang Xin, was there a girl in your high school class who looked like me?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Tang Xin was taken aback. After a pause, she studied the radiant girl in front of her. Chu An Qing was strikingly beautiful, more so than any young girl Tang Xin had encountered before.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) She had a pure and refreshing presence that made her instantly likable. Tang Xin thought back to her high school classmates, trying to recall faces from past reunions. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anyone like that.¡± ¡°Really? No one?¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s face flushed, her heart rate picking up. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t recall,¡± Tang Xin said with a reassuring smile. ¡°If there had been someone as pretty as you, I definitely would have remembered.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s been a while, and I transferred schools just a few days after starting. So, I might not be the best person to ask. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing really! I just heard Lin Xian mention it once,¡± Chu An Qing quickly changed the subject and excused herself. ¡°I need to get ready for makeup and hair.¡± ¡°Okay, see you later.¡± Tang Xin waved her off, smiling, without giving the conversation much more thought. Lin Xian returned to his special seat as the audience began to filter in. Soon after, Zhao Ying Jun arrived, sitting beside him with her handbag. ¡°Lin Xian, you¡¯re here early.¡± ¡°Yeah, I wanted to say hi to a high school friend who¡¯s performing today.¡± ¡°Which performance?¡± Beep beep! A car horn sounded across the street. It was late, and the street was mostly empty, the sound distinctly noticeable. They looked up to see a Rolls-Royce Phantom parked by the sidewalk. Zhou Duan Yun stepped out and waved, grinning. ¡°Hehe, speaking of him, here he is,¡± Tang Xin turned to Lin Xian with a delighted expression. ¡°Wait here; I¡¯ll go get it!¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Lin Xian was puzzled, not sure what they were up to or how they had grown so close. But they were all classmates and had shared meals, so it wasn¡¯t that strange. Tang Xin ran towards the car. Behind him, he heard the sound of running footsteps. Lin Xian turned to see Chu An Qing, now changed, holding a red phone. ¡°Lin Xian, where¡¯s Tang Xin?¡± Chu An Qing approached breathlessly. ¡°She just went to get a call and forgot her phone,¡± Lin Xian explained, pointing to Tang Xin, who was crossing the street. ¡°Tang Xin!¡± Chu An Qing called out and chased after her. Suddenly, Lin Xian saw a speeding taxi at the end of the road, coming fast with its lights off. He realized the imminent danger. ¡°Get back!¡± he shouted, but it was too late. As Lin Xian yelled, Tang Xin was already in the middle of the street, turning to look back at Chu An Qing. Boom!!! Lin Xian used all his strength to pull Chu An Qing back onto the sidewalk. But in that next moment, Tang Xin was hit by the speeding taxi, thrown into the air. ¡°Tang Xin!!¡± Lin Xian and Chu An Qing fell onto the sidewalk, splattered with blood. Chu An Qing looked at the blood on her white dress and fainted. Lin Xian felt as if the world had gone silent. Then¡ª Thud. Tang Xin¡¯s body hit the cement road, blood pooling around her. ¡°Tang Xin!!!¡± Lin Xian scrambled to his feet, rushing to her side, his heart breaking. He cradled Tang Xin¡¯s broken body. The taxi didn¡¯t stop, vanishing around the corner. ¡°Tang Xin...¡± Lin Xian felt her body go limp in his arms. He looked into her eyes, seeing them darken, much like Xu Yun¡¯s that New Year¡¯s Eve. Slowly, Tang Xin¡¯s broken left hand lifted, brushing against Lin Xian¡¯s face. ... Her arm dropped, lifeless, leaving only bloodstained marks on Lin Xian¡¯s cheek. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 157: Birds of a Feather Hospital A gurney covered with a white sheet rolled through the hospital lobby, its wheels clattering softly on the tiled floor. Gao Yang, who had been anxiously waiting, rushed up to the doctor, bombarding him with questions. Lin Xian sat on a hospital bench, his face buried in his hands, elbows propped on his knees. He remained still, overwhelmed by his emotions, yet his thoughts were beginning to crystallize. Ever since Tang Xin was struck by that taxi, a deep-seated rage Lin Xian thought he had extinguished long ago flared up again. It was an irrational, fierce anger! Tang Xin¡¯s death mirrored Xu Yun¡¯s exactly. She died at the same time, in the same way. Lin Xian had always suspected that he might be the target of these killers, but he never imagined that Tang Xin was their real target all along! However, this case differed from Xu Yun¡¯s. Due to his close relationship with Tang Xin and their regular interactions, Lin Xian could piece together the clues more easily. Initially, Lin Xian had noticed many odd things about Tang Xin, but at the time, he hadn¡¯t thought much of them. But now, if he connected all these strange details... Lin Xian¡¯s eyes snapped open, haunted by Tang Xin¡¯s words from the past: ¡°After New Year¡¯s, I¡¯m heading back to Donghai. A well-known figure in the medical field has invited me to his research institute. I hesitated for a long time... but finally agreed.¡± ¡°You¡¯d never guess who invited me. It¡¯s Professor Xu Yun¡¯s old mentor!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been working on Alzheimer¡¯s research for a while without much luck... But Professor Xu Yun pioneered new hibernation research. Suddenly, my previously unnoticed work is gaining attention.¡± ¡°A colleague, who knew I played the violin, recommended me to the Donghai Symphony Orchestra. They just happened to need a few violinists.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but everything¡¯s been falling into place¡ªfrom the orchestra audition to the rehearsals, and now I¡¯m the lead violinist. It all seems too good to be true.¡± ¡°Lin Xian... can you meet me at the theater entrance after tonight¡¯s concert?¡± ¡°Oh, why hasn¡¯t it arrived yet? Zhou Duan Yun is so slow! Lin Xian, wait here while I fetch it!¡± ... Everything seemed perfectly normal. Just a graduate landing a job. She benefited from Xu Yun¡¯s research, which made her once-ignored thesis now crucial for addressing the side effects of hibernation. She just happened to move to Donghai, met Zhou Duan Yun at a reunion, and they planned a surprise gift together. Was all this mere coincidence? Absolutely not! ¡°This was a meticulously planned murder from the start!¡± Lin Xian clenched his fists. These killers had the ability to precisely control the time of death to 00:42... Click. The light switch flipped, pulling the pale-skinned boy from his pile of books, shifting from moonlight to the chandelier¡¯s bright glow. Hmph... The man at the doorway snorted coldly: ¡°Tang Xin is dead.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Ji Lin responded quietly from among the books. ¡°When will you kill Lin Xian?¡± ¡°When we find proof he tampered with history,¡± Ji Lin didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Why is it so hard with Lin Xian?¡± The man at the door frowned. ¡°Why could we kill Tang Xin so easily, but need to gather evidence for Lin Xian?¡± ¡°Zhou Duan Yun, if you have a problem, talk to Pride,¡± Ji Lin looked up, his gaze sharp: ¡°Actually, if you¡¯re dissatisfied, you don¡¯t need to come to Donghai or be part of this plan.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Zhou Duan Yun scoffed. ¡°Could you have killed Tang Xin at 00:42 without me?¡± ¡°Why not? It just takes more effort,¡± Ji Lin replied coolly. ¡°Your main role wasn¡¯t just to call Tang Xin at 00:42... I have subtler ways to ensure she stands on the road at 00:42 without exposing you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s expression darkened, his glare intensifying. ¡°I intentionally made Lin Xian suspect you,¡± Ji Lin stood, his hands in his pockets, walking over to a table with a glass of water. ¡°Your biggest role... is to be Lin Xian¡¯s target.¡± ¡°You used me as bait?¡± Zhou Duan Yun cursed. ¡°You act so well, isn¡¯t it a waste not to be the bait?¡± Ji Lin picked up the glass, smiling at Zhou Duan Yun. ¡°I must admit, even though I don¡¯t like you much, you¡¯re the most deceitful person I¡¯ve ever met. Have you seen the movie ¡®Catch Me If You Can¡¯ with Leonardo? You can deceive better than the protagonist... There¡¯s nothing genuine about you. I guess Pride spared you because of this.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re all that, huh?¡± Zhou Duan Yun sneered, his veins throbbing, feeling deeply insulted. ¡°Why bother gathering evidence to kill Lin Xian? If it weren¡¯t for him aiding Xu Yun, why would Xu Yun¡¯s research be in his hands? It¡¯s so obvious! Why do we need evidence? Just kill him! Cowards!¡± ¡°Then go ahead, no one¡¯s stopping you,¡± Ji Lin spread his hands. ¡°See if Pride lets you off again.¡± Zhou Duan Yun took a deep breath, narrowing his eyes at Ji Lin: ¡°Now I understand... why I disliked you from the start.¡± ¡°Is it because I pitied you and didn¡¯t let Gluttony shoot you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because your attitude is just like Lin Xian¡¯s!¡± Zhou Duan Yun glared at Ji Lin, ¡°Disgusting.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ji Lin shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips, ¡°Even though I only met Lin Xian once, I think he¡¯s a decent guy, aside from our conflicting interests.¡± ¡°Ha, you two could definitely be friends.¡± Zhou Duan Yun stormed out, slamming the door behind him, ¡°Birds of a feather.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 158: Declaration of War ¡°Zhou Duan Yun chased that taxi,¡± Gao Yang sighed. ¡°You were so caught up with Tang Xin back then, you probably missed it. The moment the taxi left, Duan Yun jumped into another car and instructed the driver to follow.¡± ¡°I reached out to him earlier. He said he couldn¡¯t catch up, and the taxi got away, but he recorded a lot on his dashcam. He plans to take the footage to the police. That should help them track the taxi down.¡± Lin Xian stayed quiet. He was almost sure Zhou Duan Yun had a hand in the attack on Tang Xin. But they were smart about it. Duan Yun had neither a clear motive nor direct actions linking him to Tang Xin¡¯s murder, so even a police investigation would likely come up empty. Sharing his suspicions with the police would only be seen as conjecture without solid proof. If Zhou Duan Yun and Xu Yun¡¯s mentor were behind the murders of Xu Yun and Tang Xin, then they were also toying with him. Like Xu Yun and Tang Xin before him, he was on their hit list, just a matter of time. What baffled Lin Xian was his own involvement. Xu Yun and Tang Xin were renowned scientists specializing in hibernation; he wasn¡¯t a scientist and had little in common with them. Was his knowledge of the future, used to assist Xu Yun, the reason he was targeted too? He recalled Tang Xin¡¯s cheerful smile, her timid glances, her boldness, and her admiration for him. ¡°I absolutely cannot let them get away with this!¡± The next day, at Chu An Qing¡¯s hospital room. Lin Xian pushed the door open. Sitting up in bed, Chu An Qing brightened. ¡°Senior Lin Xian, you¡¯re here. I was just about to call you.¡± Lin Xian set the get-well gifts on the bedside table. ¡°No worries. Just focus on getting better. How are you feeling?¡± Chu An Qing scratched her head, a bit embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m actually fine. I just faint at the sight of blood. My dad¡¯s making a fuss, insisting on all these tests. But really, I¡¯m okay.¡± Her expression then shifted as she looked at Lin Xian. ¡°What about Tang Xin?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°She didn¡¯t survive. She died in the accident.¡± Chu An Qing sighed. ¡°My dad mentioned the police are on it. They have the escape route and car footage. They¡¯ve found some leads.¡± Lin Xian remembered Gao Yang¡¯s words about Zhou Duan Yun providing the footage. He had expected the car involved to vanish like the one used in Xu Yun¡¯s murder. But according to An Qing, the police had significant leads this time. ¡°That¡¯s unexpected,¡± Lin Xian commented. ¡°What else did your dad say? Can the police catch the killer?¡± ¡°My dad said they¡¯ve been struggling with Xu Yun¡¯s case, so there¡¯s extra pressure. They¡¯re trying everything...¡± Chu An Qing stood up. ¡°Especially since Tang Xin¡¯s case might link back to Professor Xu Yun. They¡¯re desperate. They even brought in a top external investigator.¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m ¡°An external investigator?¡± Two days later, Tang Xin¡¯s parents came from Hang City. They organized her funeral and collected her ashes from Donghai City¡¯s crematorium. Her parents, still young and once vibrant, were now heartbroken, initially weeping uncontrollably, then numbed by their loss. Tang Xin¡¯s younger brother, still in college and three years her junior, took care of the formalities. With his sister gone, he had to stay strong. Lin Xian and Gao Yang spoke with Tang Xin¡¯s family, though the conversation felt hollow. The dead couldn¡¯t return. A few days later, Tang Xin¡¯s ashes were interred. The sound of the funeral receded across the fields, and bits of burnt paper money fluttered away in the spring breeze. In just days, the lively girl had become a mound of earth, soon to be forgotten. Decades might pass, and many classmates might forget Tang Xin. She had come and gone in a flash. Alone in the field, Lin Xian walked towards a small, barely half-meter-high mound, one of the few marked graves in the area. With policies to preserve farmland, more graves would eventually merge back into the earth. Standing in the muddy field under a blood-red sunset, Lin Xian gazed at the grave. After a long moment, he bowed his head and spoke softly, ¡°Tang Xin... your research could have changed the world for the better.¡± ¡°But there are those who oppose change. They see science and uncertainty as threats.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know their motives,¡± Lin Xian stared at the setting sun. ¡°But no matter their reasons, they aren¡¯t justified.¡± He laid a bouquet on the grave and stood up. ¡°Wait for me,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll expose them, and then I¡¯ll come back to visit.¡± He turned, leaving the crimson sky behind. The spring wind caught the edge of Lin Xian¡¯s jacket, rustling the young crops, swaying the green willows by the field, and stirring the lilies on the grave as if in agreement. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 159: The Gift ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± The day after returning from Hangzhou to Donghai, Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s sleek Rolls-Royce Phantom rolled up in front of MX Company. He walked into Lin Xian¡¯s office and settled onto the sofa, his gaze locked on Lin Xian. ¡°I know you¡¯re hurting, but... these things happen. I¡¯m really shaken up by Tang Xin¡¯s passing too.¡± Duan Yun sighed heavily, his hands clasped together. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to tell you earlier because I thought it might upset you more... but Tang Xin had a present for you that night. I helped her choose it and left it in my car. That¡¯s why she was outside when the accident occurred.¡± Taking a deep breath, Duan Yun continued, ¡°Honestly, if anyone is to blame, it¡¯s me.¡± Lin Xian sat silently at his desk, resting his cheek on his left hand while absentmindedly spinning a pen with his right. He remained quiet. Meanwhile, Gao Yang and Tang Xin¡¯s brother were at the Donghai Public Security Bureau, delving deeper into her death. To them, Tang Xin¡¯s death suggested a broader conspiracy, as if several plots were converging on her. Yet, in the grand scheme, Tang Xin was just one of many victims. In this city alone, about 500 car accidents occur daily, resulting in four deaths and 30 injuries. That¡¯s just one city. Globally, around 3,200 people die from car accidents each day. Tang Xin was merely one of them. Her death seemed minor compared to the enigmatic demise of Professor Xu Yun. Without the parallels to Xu Yun¡¯s case, Tang Xin¡¯s death might have gone unnoticed in Donghai. No one ponders about the other 3,199 people who die in car accidents each day, their whereabouts, or their moments. Gao Yang and Tang Xin¡¯s brother found out from the police that the suspect vehicle was still at large, and there was insufficient evidence to proceed. They were advised to wait for the final police report. Lin Xian and Zhou Duan Yun had also been interviewed by the police, and they had been forthright. It seemed to be a straightforward case of a girl getting hit by a car while retrieving a gift, resulting in a tragic accident... But that was only because of the prior unresolved case of Professor Xu Yun. Without Xu Yun¡¯s mystery, Tang Xin¡¯s case might have easily been dismissed. But could there be a link between Tang Xin¡¯s and Xu Yun¡¯s cases? The police were unsure because, again, there was no concrete evidence. Investigations depend on evidence. Without it, it¡¯s impossible to determine the nature of a case unless someone confesses, making their confession the evidence. Xu Yun was struck by a black Audi at 00:42:02. A taxi fled the scene.Yo?ur favorite stories on Tang Xin was hit by a taxi at 00:42:41, with no other vehicles fleeing. One might suggest there¡¯s a pattern, a similar operation. But that¡¯s speculative, and the police aren¡¯t convinced by conjecture alone. So, it boils down to evidence. These days, Lin Xian often stands at the curb at 00:42, testing his safety. The point was the act of burning something! After a while, Duan Yun left. Lin Xian watched him leave the parking lot through the blinds. This guy... What was he truly after? Everyone, including Lin Xian himself, used to think of him as successful. But successful in what? Reviewing their shared past, he realized he knew very little about Duan Yun. Whether it was his reserved, withdrawn days in high school or his current success, Lin Xian knew almost nothing concrete about him. He didn¡¯t believe in inherent evil. If Zhou Duan Yun had truly gone from a poor kid to a potential murderer, something must have triggered that change, and that trigger could be the key to everything! Ding-dong. A few minutes after Zhou¡¯s departure, Lin Xian¡¯s phone buzzed with a message from WeChat. It was from Chu An Qing¡ª ¡°Senior Lin Xian, are you free for lunch tomorrow? My dad wants to invite you over. He said he wants to share a drink with you. My mom¡¯s preparing a feast!¡± Chu Shan He inviting him over? That was unexpected. In a world where dining out is common, home invitations usually mean one of two things: Either it¡¯s too costly to eat out, or the relationship is particularly close and personal. Clearly, Chu Shan He wasn¡¯t trying to save money. After thinking for a moment, Lin Xian replied: ¡°Sure, I¡¯m free tomorrow.¡± Chu Shan He¡¯s influence in Donghai City was unmatched. He even knew about the secret agents the local police hired. Since Chu Shan He felt indebted and wanted to thank him, Lin Xian saw no reason to decline. Accepting might provide valuable insights later on. Perhaps, at some point, Chu Shan He could offer Lin Xian exceptional help in navigating Donghai¡¯s complexities. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 160: An Outsider The Next Day at Noon A business car pulled up to Lin Xian¡¯s neighborhood, sent by Chu Shan He. As the car arrived at Chu Shan He¡¯s impressive estate, Lin Xian stepped out, greeted warmly by Chu Shan He, his wife, and their daughter.Ne/w novel chapters are published on e! Lin Xian, my wife has been looking forward to meeting you,¡± Chu Shan He said warmly. ¡°Hello, Auntie,¡± Lin Xian replied, smiling at the elegant woman. He had met Su Xiu Ying, Chu Shan He¡¯s wife, at the New Year¡¯s banquet hosted by the Donghai Chamber of Commerce. Su Xiu Ying, dressed in an apron and clearly busy with cooking, stood next to her husband and daughter, radiating a warm and inviting aura. ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯ve been eager to meet you,¡± Su Xiu Ying said with a bright smile, inviting him inside. ¡°An Qing always talks about you. It¡¯s great to finally meet you in person. You truly live up to your reputation.¡± Chu Shan He gave Lin Xian a quick tour of the home, showcasing his collection before leading him to the tea room. ¡°Lunch will be ready soon, but first, let¡¯s enjoy some tea and talk,¡± he suggested. Once the tea room door was closed, Chu Shan He skillfully handled various tea tools to brew a pot, explaining the tea¡¯s origin and his insights on tea culture. After some light conversation, Chu Shan He put down his cup and turned to Lin Xian seriously. ¡°Lin Xian, there¡¯s something I need to discuss with you. I hope you won¡¯t refuse.¡± ¡°What is it, Mr. Chu?¡± Lin Xian asked. Chu Shan He placed a bank card with a note beside Lin Xian¡¯s teacup. ¡°This is a small token from me and Auntie Xiu Ying. It¡¯s not much, but please let us know if you ever need anything. We¡¯ll do whatever we can to assist you.¡± His implication was clear: accept the money, but remember the favor. Feel free to ask for help anytime. Lin Xian understood but slid the card back. ¡°Mr. Chu, I appreciate your kindness, but I can¡¯t accept this money.¡± Lin Xian faced Chu Shan He. ¡°An Qing and I are just classmates and friends. It was natural for me to help her. I don¡¯t think such help between friends should be compensated. Also, An Qing might not have mentioned, but the girl who passed away was a close friend from my high school. I even attended her funeral in Hangzhou.¡± Chu Shan He nodded, understanding the situation¡¯s gravity. Chu Shan He paused. ¡°Tang Xin¡¯s death was a crime of passion.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Lin Xian objected, finding it unbelievable. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to accept,¡± Chu Shan He said, ¡°but the evidence suggests Tang Xin¡¯s personal life was complex. I haven¡¯t told An Qing because, to her and you, Tang Xin was an exemplary woman. This conclusion is difficult to accept.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t just difficult¡ªit¡¯s unbelievable,¡± Lin Xian said, his world turning upside down. ¡°Tang Xin wasn¡¯t promiscuous. How could the police draw such baseless conclusions?¡± Lin Xian knew Tang Xin well enough to refute such claims. He wondered if Chu Shan He thought he was just another one of her admirers. ¡°Mr. Chu, I can¡¯t accept these findings. I knew Tang Xin well. Besides, chat logs alone can¡¯t be definitive. Could they have been tampered with? Is there no chance someone is trying to defame her?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s suspicion deepened. If Tang Xin¡¯s death marked the end of her story, why would anyone attempt to damage her reputation now? As for the dashcam and chat logs provided by Zhou Duan Yun, Lin Xian doubted their authenticity. For someone who had meticulously planned a murder, fabricating evidence would be straightforward. ¡°You¡¯re correct, Lin Xian. That¡¯s why the police haven¡¯t released the findings,¡± Chu Shan He nodded. ¡°But I believe the truth will eventually come to light. An Qing probably told you, she¡¯s terrible at keeping secrets. The Donghai police have brought in an outsider to help with the investigation.¡± ¡°This person is incredibly skilled. Since joining, he¡¯s solved many unresolved cases and gained everyone¡¯s trust. He¡¯s leading the Xu Yun and Tang Xin investigations and is extremely capable.¡± ¡°Can you tell me who this outsider is?¡± Lin Xian inquired. ¡°I¡¯ve said so much already, so I might as well tell you. You might know him by name,¡± Chu Shan He said with a grin. ¡°He¡¯s a young, bestselling author, renowned as a genius detective¡ªJi Lin.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 161: Family ¡°Ji Lin?¡± Lin Xian echoed, surprised to hear the name. ¡°Are we diving into a ¡®Detective Conan¡¯ plot now? How can a detective, who rarely leaves home, really help the police solve crimes?¡± It seemed like a desperate move. But... Listening to Chu Shan He, it became clear that Ji Lin was highly respected by the Donghai Police Department for solving numerous complex cases, showcasing his significant crime-solving skills. ¡°The Donghai police trust Ji Lin for a reason,¡± Chu Shan He noted, seeing Lin Xian¡¯s skepticism. ¡°Ji Lin has been assisting our domestic police for some time. Previously, he was active internationally, aiding our police in several cross-border cases. The Donghai police sought his help again, and the results have been positive.¡± Lin Xian stayed quiet, absorbing the information. He trusted Ji Lin¡¯s capabilities¡ªthe Donghai police¡¯s confidence in him was proof enough. However, Lin Xian was certain that Tang Xin wasn¡¯t capable of deception. Though his judgment was subjective... Given the mysterious and unlikely circumstances surrounding Tang Xin¡¯s death, the cause was hard for Lin Xian to believe. The main concern was Chu Shan He mentioning the police had solid evidence and identified a suspect. Where had this evidence come from? Had Lin Xian misread Tang Xin, or was the evidence crafted so perfectly that it deceived both the Donghai police and Ji Lin? ¡°Sometimes, we¡¯re fooled by illusions,¡± Chu Shan He sighed, continuing, ¡°Even with my experience in business, I¡¯ve often misjudged people. It¡¯s inevitable. Our emotions can cloud our judgments.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s tough to accept what happened to Tang Xin, but the police rely on hard evidence. I haven¡¯t seen the details myself, but I¡¯m confident that when everything is revealed, the truth will be clear.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, it¡¯s tragic about your classmate, but you shouldn¡¯t feel guilty, as if it¡¯s your fault. Life is full of such disappointments. As you grow older, you¡¯ll face more of these situations. It¡¯s important to move on and not dwell too much on the past.¡± Chu Shan He gestured for Lin Xian to take out his phone. ¡°Let¡¯s exchange numbers. You saved my daughter, and I owe you one. If you ever need anything, just call me. In Donghai, there¡¯s little I can¡¯t handle. I¡¯ll do my best to help you.¡± Lin Xian nodded and exchanged contacts with Chu Shan He, realizing the value of this connection. A loving home breeds success, as seen in Chu Shan He¡¯s life. This explained why Chu An Qing was so cheerful and likable; only a nurturing family could raise such a person. Lin Xian¡¯s respect for Chu Shan He grew as he witnessed his deep family values, despite his hectic schedule. In Donghai, Chu Shan He held significant power, but at home, he was humble and engaging. He joked with Su Xiu Ying and let Chu An Qing tease him, playfully lamenting his low standing in the family while clinking glasses with Lin Xian. This warm atmosphere reminded Lin Xian of Big Cat Face¡¯s home, bringing him comfort. ¡°Lin Xian, are you from Hang City?¡± Su Xiu Ying inquired, passing him a bowl of rice. ¡°Yes, Auntie, but not directly from the city, from a nearby county.¡± ¡°Hang City¡¯s beautiful,¡± Su Xiu Ying remarked. ¡°I haven¡¯t visited in years. Are your parents still there?¡± ¡°Yes, they used to work in state enterprises but retired after restructuring. Now they run a small business,¡± Lin Xian shared. ¡°Are you an only child? Any siblings?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m the only one.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Chu An Qing, who had been restraining herself, finally spoke up, frowning at Su Xiu Ying. ¡°Why are you asking him so many personal questions?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the harm in chatting? It¡¯s not that personal,¡± Su Xiu Ying retorted, giving Chu An Qing a look to quiet down. She turned back to Lin Xian, smiling. ¡°Are you seeing anyone, Lin Xian? Do you have a girlfriend?¡± Chu An Qing choked on her rice at this question! This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslationNe/w novel chapters are published on Chapter 162: Su Su ¡°No, Auntie,¡± Lin Xian replied with a smile. ¡°I just graduated six months ago and recently started working. I really don¡¯t have time for a relationship right now.¡± Cough, cough... cough! Chu An Qing quickly took a sip of water, trying to stop the rice that had gone down the wrong way. She elbowed her mother gently. ¡°Mom, stop asking! Senior Lin Xian might get embarrassed!¡± ¡°Hehe, men should focus on their careers, but family is equally important,¡± Chu Shan He said, raising his glass to clink with Lin Xian¡¯s. ¡°However, you can¡¯t rush these things. Starting a family is a major step, and it¡¯s all about destiny.¡± Chu Shan He then smoothly switched the topic, and the meal continued joyfully. During this time, Lin Xian observed another facet of Chu Shan He¡ªa caring father and husband. This deepened his respect and admiration for him. He came across as warm and responsible, and it was clear why he was so respected. After they finished eating, Lin Xian excused himself, saying he had work to do in the afternoon and left. Chu Shan He had his driver take Lin Xian home, and the trio waved him off at the villa¡¯s entrance. ¡°Lin Xian, call me if you need anything,¡± Chu Shan He offered. ¡°Do visit us often! I have many more recipes to share with you,¡± Su Xiu Ying chimed in. ¡°Drive safely, Senior Lin Xian!¡± Chu An Qing called out. Lin Xian waved back as the car pulled away from the estate. Watching the car disappear around the corner, Chu Shan He nodded in approval. ¡°He¡¯s a good kid¡ªethical, kind, well-mannered, and polite. No wonder Zhao Ying Jun thinks so highly of him. He truly is a rare talent.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Chu An Qing grinned, feeling proud. ¡°I told you, Senior Lin Xian is impressive! Many seniors and teachers at our school look up to him. He¡¯s a celebrity at Donghai University! He used to host all the events there. Even the current hosts were trained by him!¡± ¡°Yes...¡± Chu Shan He agreed, nodding. ¡°He certainly has the poise and charisma of a great host. Talent really does stand out, no matter where you are.¡± ¡°I like him too,¡± Su Xiu Ying added, then turned to Chu Shan He. ¡°Remember what I mentioned earlier. If there¡¯s a chance, try to set them up.¡± ¡°What?¡± Chu An Qing nearly leaped up, flustered. ¡°Set up who? I¡¯m still¡ª¡± ¡°Your aunt,¡± Chu Shan He clarified calmly. ¡°She¡¯s not getting any younger, and she¡¯s always causing trouble, making us worry. She¡¯s fantastic in many ways but a bit too reckless. A stable man might calm her down.¡± ¡°Huh? My aunt?¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re not seriously considering setting up Senior Lin Xian with my aunt, are you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you today?¡± Su Xiu Ying gave Chu An Qing a puzzled look. ¡°Such unladylike behavior! I asked Lin Xian about his situation because he¡¯d be a good match for your aunt. They¡¯re close in age, just a few months apart. Normally, no guy can handle your aunt¡¯s strong personality, but I think Lin Xian could. He¡¯s dependable and compassionate.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying there¡¯s anything wrong with Lin Xian!¡± Chu An Qing protested, overwhelmed. She turned to her father. ¡°It¡¯s my aunt who¡¯s the issue! Dad, you can¡¯t do this to Senior Lin Xian! She doesn¡¯t deserve him!¡± ¡°Oh, please. It¡¯s up to them, not you,¡± Chu Shan He chuckled, dismissing her concerns. ¡°We¡¯re just introducing them. Whether it works out is their decision. Besides, Lin Xian isn¡¯t getting any younger. He should think about settling down. He¡¯s an only child, and his parents are retired. They¡¯re probably looking forward to grandchildren.¡± ¡°And your aunt, always stirring up trouble, needs to settle down too. She¡¯s only four years older than you. I¡¯ve known her all her life, since I practically raised her alongside you. How could I not care about her?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s head inside. Next time I see Lin Xian, I¡¯ll bring it up. Xiu Ying, why don¡¯t you talk to Su Su about him, and we can arrange for them to meet?¡± Su Xiu Ying nodded and began walking inside with Chu Shan He. Snap. Clack. Chu An Qing grabbed hold of Chu Shan He¡¯s shirt with one hand and Su Xiu Ying¡¯s arm with the other. They turned to see her serious expression. ¡°I¡¯ve been here often, almost like home,¡± Su Su replied, popping another piece of gum into her mouth. Ahead, a group of officers surrounded a thin, pale boy. ¡°Ji Lin! Thanks to you, we solved this decade-old case! We never expected the culprit to be in such an unexpected place...¡± ¡°Ji Lin, can you help me with this old case? It¡¯s been unsolved for years, and I¡¯d like to close it before I retire.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to help us first?¡± ¡°Come on, guys! Don¡¯t forget why Chief invited Ji Lin. We need to focus on Professor Xu Yun¡¯s case!¡± Su Su¡¯s friend, amazed by the commotion, stepped aside, watching the boy surrounded by officers. ¡°Wow, he¡¯s so handsome... Su Su, did you see him? He looks like he stepped right out of a manga!¡± ¡°Handsome, sure,¡± Su Su replied, without even looking back. ¡°But too girly for my taste.¡± In the parking lot, Su Su started the red McLaren with a roar, speeding toward the exit. ¡°Why are you speeding here?¡± her friend yelled. ¡°I don¡¯t like driving slow.¡± ¡°Stop! The barrier is still down!¡± Her friend screamed as the McLaren didn¡¯t slow down. Instead, it sped right under the barrier, which was too high for the low car. The security guard came out, scratching his head in confusion. ¡°How am I supposed to handle the parking fee...¡± ¡°Haha! See? Isn¡¯t it cool?¡± Su Su laughed, patting the steering wheel. ¡°That¡¯s why I love this car¡ªit¡¯s low enough to go under barriers!¡± Her friend, teary-eyed, replied, ¡°I want to go home.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. I booked a hotel. Let¡¯s rest and head out again tonight.¡± Su Su yawned, merging back onto the highway. ¡°By the way, Su Su, won¡¯t it be a problem that you hung up on Mr. Chu?¡± Her friend looked concerned. ¡°He¡¯s your brother-in-law, but he¡¯s still Chu Shan He! Aren¡¯t you afraid he¡¯ll get mad?¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Su Su said with a smirk. ¡°I was his first investor. He wouldn¡¯t get mad at me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Her friend was puzzled. ¡°He¡¯s been successful for years... how could you be his first investor? And the Shan He Group isn¡¯t even publicly traded.¡± ¡°That was nearly twenty years ago,¡± Su Su explained, blowing a bubble. ¡°Back then, Chu Shan He was struggling. He had married my sister, but his business failed, and he lost all their money, including my sister¡¯s dowry. He owed a lot, but he always treated me well, buying me things and taking me out. So, I broke my piggy bank and gave him all my savings.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t much, just a few thousand yuan. I remember he got teary-eyed, picking up the coins with me. He promised that no matter how successful he became, I¡¯d always have a share. I thought he was just saying that, but he kept his word. Now, I can¡¯t even spend all my annual dividends.¡± Her friend gasped. ¡°Wow, your brother-in-law is really incredible, keeping such a promise. Most adults wouldn¡¯t take a child¡¯s piggy bank seriously.¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a decent guy,¡± Su Su admitted, turning onto another highway. ¡°But he can be a real nag. It¡¯d be better if he didn¡¯t.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 163: The Bait MX Company, 20th Floor, Lin Xian¡¯s Office Lin Xian sat at his desk, spinning a pen thoughtfully, mulling over what Chu Shan He had said earlier. The current evidence held by the Donghai City Police suggested that Tang Xin, a woman with a complicated personal life, was the victim of a revenge killing. Dashcam footage and chat logs from Tang Xin¡¯s phone seemed to support this idea, making it appear legitimate. But what if... What if all that evidence was fabricated? Could Zhou Duan Yun and his partners be behind it? That raised another question¡ªWho were Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s partners? So far, Zhou Duan Yun had avoided all blame. Aside from Lin Xian, no one suspected him. But Lin Xian¡¯s suspicions were just theories, without solid proof. He needed more clues. Lin Xian tapped his desk rhythmically. For now, he seemed safe. Maybe Zhou Duan Yun and his partners had marked him but hadn¡¯t decided to move against him yet. What were they waiting for? He had to act fast. The key lay in the fake evidence used against Tang Xin.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) ¡°I need to see that evidence myself,¡± Lin Xian thought, eyes closed. Approaching the police directly wouldn¡¯t work; they wouldn¡¯t listen to him, much less show him confidential evidence. So... ¡°Maybe I can talk to Ji Lin directly.¡± Lin Xian had only met Ji Lin once, but they had a good chat at the Donghai Chamber of Commerce¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve party. Ji Lin was a fan of the Rhine Cat brand, and Lin Xian admired his books. Perhaps Ji Lin could offer insights the police couldn¡¯t. Lin Xian opened his browser and started searching for news about Ji Lin. With the upcoming Oscar ceremony, Ji Lin was often in the entertainment news. Everyone was wondering if he could win the Best Screenplay Oscar. This was unprecedented for someone from the country. As he scrolled, Lin Xian noticed Ji Lin had been more social lately, attending many events in Donghai City. His promoters were likely boosting his visibility. Lin Xian learned from a past collaborator that Ji Lin would be at a book fair soon. He planned to meet him there. Two Days Later Outside the Donghai City Library, the book fair was lively. After the events, Lin Xian followed a publisher backstage and found Ji Lin. ¡°Hi, Ji Lin.¡± ¡°Lin Xian?¡± Ji Lin turned, surprised. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡± ¡°Do you have a moment?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk privately. If you¡¯re busy, we can find another time.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m adopted. My sister and I aren¡¯t blood relatives.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Lin Xian pondered Ji Lin¡¯s complex family ties. ¡°So, you¡¯re here to find Xu Yun¡¯s murderer?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Ji Lin confirmed. ¡°Though not related by blood, Xu Yun was like a brother. He inspired me a lot as a kid. I owe it to him.¡± ¡°I grew up with few friends. Besides my sister, Xu Yun was significant to me. Sadly, he¡¯s gone, and his murderer is free. I stayed in Donghai to solve this.¡± Lin Xian now understood Ji Lin¡¯s sudden involvement in the police investigation and his connection to Xu Yun. ¡°That¡¯s why I get where you¡¯re coming from,¡± Ji Lin said, turning to Lin Xian. ¡°Seeing Tang Xin maligned and murdered must be hard for you. The police haven¡¯t gone public with the information yet.¡± ¡°But facts are facts, and evidence is evidence. Once the murderer is found, the truth will come out.¡± ¡°If you doubt our work, I can show you the unpublished files. See for yourself.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lin Xian was startled. He hadn¡¯t expected access to confidential police information. ¡°Technically, no,¡± Ji Lin smiled. ¡°But for you, I¡¯ll make an exception.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°Honestly, even if you hadn¡¯t come to me today, I¡¯d have reached out to you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There are aspects of Xu Yun¡¯s case that tie back to you. I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re involved, but there are odd connections. I need to know... why are all profits from Xu Yun¡¯s chemical research under your name?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 164: Getting Involved ¡°Is this an official interrogation?¡± Lin Xian asked. Truthfully, Lin Xian had always regretted one particular decision. If he had not accepted Professor Xu Yun¡¯s authorization back then, he might be in a much better situation now. It wasn¡¯t a criminal matter or anything requiring an explanation, but with Professor Xu Yun no longer alive, justifying the authorization for this chemical substance was difficult. In reality, he had exchanged a manuscript for a hibernation fluid from the future to get this authorization. Revealing this could likely cost him his life. This was the main reason Lin Xian felt trapped in this ¡°cat-and-mouse game.¡± He had reflected on this several times in recent days. If only he had not taken that authorization. But dwelling on the past was pointless. Moreover, he had been in close contact with Xu Yun before his death. Even without the authorization, suspicion would likely still fall on him.Chee?ck out latest novels on Fortunately, Xu Yun had managed to destroy his manuscript, which kept Lin Xian safe from exposure. ¡°Of course not,¡± Ji Lin replied with a slight smile, looking down. ¡°If there¡¯s something you can¡¯t discuss, you don¡¯t have to. It¡¯s your personal matter, and you have the right to privacy.¡± ¡°I must admit, this isn¡¯t a criminal issue, so even the Donghai police can¡¯t force you to respond. You have the right to refuse.¡± ¡°My question is just casual conversation between friends. It¡¯s not official, similar to how I bent the rules to show you the evidence about Tang Xin. Tang Xin matters to you, and Xu Yun matters to me. To find his killer, I don¡¯t want to overlook any potential clues.¡± Ji Lin¡¯s tone was friendly but direct. He implied that if Lin Xian wanted to access confidential information about Tang Xin, he would need to cooperate. This was an informal agreement, not a formal interrogation. Lin Xian understood this. He wasn¡¯t a suspect or guilty of any crime, so he didn¡¯t have to explain anything about Xu Yun¡¯s authorization to anyone. Yet, he was not afraid to discuss it. He had anticipated such a situation and had a response ready. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯d rather not discuss it,¡± Lin Xian said, turning away as if troubled. Ji Lin nodded and checked his watch. ¡°It¡¯s time for me to head back to the Donghai Police Station. Want to come along? I promised to show you the evidence in Tang Xin¡¯s case.¡± Lin Xian agreed and joined Ji Lin in his car. Everything was unfolding smoother than expected¡ªmeeting Ji Lin, managing the discussion about Xu Yun¡¯s deal, and now heading to the police station to see evidence regarding Tang Xin. It all went according to plan. As the car drove silently, Lin Xian reflected on Tang Xin¡¯s words and his own experiences. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why everything¡¯s going so smoothly,¡± Tang Xin had said about her surprising success. Lin Xian pondered this as Ji Lin¡¯s car entered the police station, the parking barrier moving like a guillotine. At the special investigation unit, Ji Lin handed Lin Xian a stack of categorized documents. ¡°These chat records are from Tang Xin¡¯s phone. You can¡¯t take photos or remove them, but feel free to examine them here as much as you need.¡± Lin Xian was suddenly struck by a realization! Just like Tang Xin, he might be unwittingly caught in someone else¡¯s meticulously laid plans, manipulated into actions that felt like his own decisions. As Ji Lin¡¯s car turned into the Donghai Police Station, a chill of foreboding settled over Lin Xian. What if his current path was also part of a larger, hidden agenda? In this moment of clarity, Lin Xian knew he had to stay vigilant, parsing every detail for signs of manipulation or control, much like the orchestrated events in Tang Xin¡¯s life. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 165: The Trap Lin Xian picked up the stack of documents and flipped through them. They were mostly printed WeChat conversation records, neatly organized by date. His conversations with Tang Xin were included. Clearly, these were from Tang Xin¡¯s phone. But something didn¡¯t add up. His own chats seemed normal, but the conversations Tang Xin had with other men were startling. She appeared to be a completely different person in those exchanges. Lin Xian scanned for any inconsistencies but found it difficult. The typing style, punctuation, and even the emojis she often used matched perfectly. Just from looking, it was impossible to discern if they were genuine or fabricated. It was hard to believe if these were all fabricated, the amount of effort Zhou Duan Yun and his team must have put into making them look authentic was staggering. However, as Lin Xian continued to read, he finally spotted an error! At exactly 00:42, he remembered a night when Tang Xin was supposedly chatting intimately with a man. These messages were exchanged nightly at exactly 00:42. But Lin Xian clearly recalled on the night of their class reunion, he was with Tang Xin at 00:41, talking to her for a while. During that time, she couldn¡¯t have possibly used her phone! Also, during a dinner in Donghai City with Gao Yang, Zhou Duan Yun, and Tang Xin, he had pulled Tang Xin aside at precisely 00:42 for a brief chat. She didn¡¯t use her phone until they got into a taxi, where she then showed the driver directions to the bar. So the question arose¡ªif Tang Xin didn¡¯t use her phone around 00:42 on those nights, how could she have sent those messages to another man? Obviously, they were forged. Lin Xian turned to the last page of the documents. More suggestive messages were there, some even between Tang Xin and Zhou Duan Yun, where he mentioned preparing a gift for her later that evening. That was the end of the stack. Given the false messages at 00:42 on those specific nights, Lin Xian was certain all these records were fabricated. Yet, he kept his thoughts to himself. Something felt off. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ji Lin noticed Lin Xian¡¯s quiet demeanor. ¡°Is it hard to accept that Tang Xin had a hidden side? You saw your chats with her. They weren¡¯t explicit, but there was a bit of flirting.¡± Lin Xian remained silent, not willing to argue. Those were the facts. He was still processing the fabricated chats and pondering Ji Lin¡¯s involvement in today¡¯s events. ¡°As you mentioned, Lin Xian, chat records aren¡¯t conclusive proof. If something feels off, let us know. We can investigate further.¡± Lin Xian nodded and requested, ¡°Can I look through them again? I didn¡¯t review them thoroughly before.¡± ¡°Of course, take your time,¡± Ji Lin responded, leaning back, arms crossed, watching Lin Xian closely. Lin Xian noticed Ji Lin¡¯s intense gaze but pretended otherwise, carefully flipping through the documents again. He seemed meticulous about each page... but his real focus was on just two pages, though he had to appear casual to avoid raising suspicions. Finally, he reached the records from their class reunion. Chats with Gao Yang and several other men were there. This time, Lin Xian clearly saw it. At 00:42:12, Tang Xin sent an extremely explicit message to a man: ¡°I miss you so much, can¡¯t wait to see you.¡± He quickly flipped the page. That message had to be false. At that moment, Tang Xin was with him, holding his hands. How could she have sent that message? Since this message was fake, it validated his suspicions about the others. Lin Xian continued to flip through the documents consistently until he reached the night they dined in Donghai City. The same scenario unfolded... 00:42:47. Did he suspect Lin Xian and sought to catch him unprepared? To find a flaw? Or was there another motive? Regardless, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t take the risk. ¡°Goodbye.¡± He opened the office door and left. If Ji Lin had an ulterior motive, he should have stopped him. Lin Xian¡¯s earlier explanation linking him with Xu Yun had vulnerabilities, but Ji Lin didn¡¯t probe them. Lin Xian found Ji Lin puzzling. On his way, he reflected... Yellow Finch had indicated his cat-and-mouse game had begun, with him as the mouse. So, who was the cat? Zhou Duan Yun was definitely involved. What about Ji Lin? According to his hypothesis, the cat would eventually find him. If the murders tied to ¡°hibernation research,¡± they might seek to confirm his involvement with Xu Yun. Xu Yun died because of hibernation research, Tang Xin for the same reason. If proven he was also involved, would they target him next? But many researchers worldwide studied hibernation. They couldn¡¯t eliminate them all. What were the criteria for the assassins? At the entrance of the Donghai City police station, Lin Xian hailed a cab. He wasn¡¯t sure if Ji Lin was part of the ¡°cat.¡± But he believed if Ji Lin was the cat, he would encounter him again. If not, they likely wouldn¡¯t meet again. Donghai City was vast. Without a specific reason, crossing paths with someone was unlikely. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not.¡± The taxi moved off, Lin Xian glanced back at the receding police station. He admired Ji Lin¡¯s books. They say a writer¡¯s personality is evident in their work. Ji Lin¡¯s books portrayed him as a decent person, not a ruthless killer. But who could be certain? In the suburbs of Donghai City, by a lakeside villa. ¡°Did you fail?¡± Zhou Duan Yun sat on the sofa, spinning his car keys, taunting Ji Lin, who was surrounded by a pile of books. ¡°Is this mouse so elusive?¡± ¡°He¡¯s smarter and more cautious than I anticipated,¡± Ji Lin responded softly. ¡°But also more vulnerable than I expected... I thought he had the capability to silently alter history.¡± Ji Lin glanced up at Zhou Duan Yun. ¡°Yet here you are, safe and sound. I thought Lin Xian might try to eliminate you.¡± ¡°You!¡± Zhou Duan Yun hurled his keys in frustration. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you miscalculated! I wouldn¡¯t have collaborated with you if not to eliminate Lin Xian!¡± ¡°There are two possibilities,¡± Ji Lin lowered his head. ¡°One, I was wrong. The person altering history isn¡¯t Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Two, it is Lin Xian, but his powers are limited. He can¡¯t act freely and is still bound by the realities and laws of our world.¡± ¡°What do we do now?¡± Zhou Duan Yun asked impatiently. ¡°He¡¯s cautious, and we don¡¯t know the original history. How can we prove he altered it? It¡¯s an impossible task!¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Ji Lin stood from his heap of books. ¡°If we can¡¯t ascertain the original history, then let¡¯s fabricate a history of our own...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 166: A Fake History ¡°A fake history?¡± Zhou Duan Yun asked, puzzled. ¡°What do you mean? How can history be fake?¡± ¡°History is just a record of events that have already happened,¡± replied Ji Lin. ¡°But when Pride talks about making history, he¡¯s really planning future events.¡± Zhou Duan Yun nodded, understanding now. Pride, the powerful old man, always talked about history as if it wasn¡¯t tied to the past. Zhou Duan Yun suspected Pride was following someone else¡¯s orders, but he never dared to ask. He knew Pride was capable of destroying anyone who crossed him. Pride¡¯s actions were always mysterious to Zhou Duan Yun. It seemed like he was either killing people or planning to kill more. Yet, Zhou Duan Yun wasn¡¯t overly concerned. Working with Pride had given him opportunities he had always dreamed of. He felt he deserved these opportunities and saw working for Pride as a means to gain more. ¡°I get it,¡± Zhou Duan Yun said finally. ¡°You want to create an event from nothing and make sure it happens. Then, in the future, it will be remembered as history.¡± ¡°Exactly. It has to happen to become real history,¡± Ji Lin agreed. ¡°But how can you be sure Lin Xian will get involved?¡± Zhou Duan Yun asked. ¡°He¡¯s very cautious now. He might just ignore your fabricated events to stay safe.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t,¡± Ji Lin assured, looking at the fake chat logs on the table. Both were crafted messages from Tang Xin, sent at 00:42, suggesting a secret affair. ¡°If Lin Xian finds out that someone will die on the streets at the same time as Xu Yun and Tang Xin, he can¡¯t ignore it. That¡¯s just who he is.¡± Zhou Duan Yun chuckled. ¡°What if he isn¡¯t that compassionate?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about compassion,¡± Ji Lin corrected him, shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s about the challenge. If we give him a chance to catch us, he won¡¯t let it slide.¡± Meanwhile, at MX Company, Lin Xian was in his office on the 20th floor, looking into the research institute where Tang Xin worked. He was trying to find information about its director but was coming up empty. Thinking it over, he decided to change his approach. Tang Xin had once mentioned that the person who invited her to Donghai was Xu Yun¡¯s former mentor. So, Lin Xian started searching online for ¡°Xu Yun¡¯s teacher.¡± ¡°President Chu?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°No, why? Is there something he needs?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Chu An Qing hesitated, not wanting to bring up her aunt¡¯s matchmaking schemes. ¡°My parents might want to introduce you to someone.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve never been set up before.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never been on a blind date?¡± Chu An Qing asked, intrigued. ¡°No, I only graduated last year. Plus, I don¡¯t have any family here.¡± ¡°So, what kind of girls do you like?¡± Chu An Qing leaned in, thinking of her bold aunt. ¡°Do you like cool girls?¡± ¡°Cool girls?¡± Lin Xian thought of CC, then looked at Chu An Qing, who reminded him of her. ¡°Yeah, cool girls are interesting.¡± Chu An Qing cleared her throat. ¡°I mean, girls who like racing, are quick-tempered, argue a lot, and are confrontational.¡± Thinking of CC¡¯s feisty nature, Lin Xian found it annoying but somehow endearing when looking at Chu An Qing¡¯s sweet expression. ¡°It¡¯s fine, as long as they¡¯re good people.¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s heart fluttered. Could Lin Xian really be interested in someone like her aunt? ¡°Found it,¡± Lin Xian announced, flipping to a graduation photo from Xu Yun¡¯s PhD ceremony. The faded picture showed a younger Xu Yun laughing, standing next to an older man with white hair who looked at him with pride. ¡°This must be Xu Yun¡¯s mentor,¡± Lin Xian mused, noting the name under the photo: Ji Xin Shui. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 167: Thief Shouts Catch the Thief ¡°Ji Xin Shui?¡± Lin Xian repeated the name, finding it unusual. ¡°Ji Xin Shui,¡± Chu An Qing confirmed, her eyes widening. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that name before!¡± ¡°You know him?¡± Lin Xian asked, curious. Chu An Qing nodded. ¡°Yeah, my dad talked about him once. His name stuck with me because it¡¯s so unique. My dad loves science and follows a lot of scientists, especially those from Donghai City. He practically knows every one of them.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s interest grew. ¡°Did your dad ever support Ji Xin Shui¡¯s research financially?¡± Chu An Qing shook her head and smiled. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t need funding from my dad. Mr. Ji Xin Shui is actually pretty wealthy, maybe even more so than my dad.¡± Wealthier than Chu Shan He? Lin Xian blinked in surprise. That was saying something. If he was richer than Chu Shan He, he must be among the country¡¯s wealthiest. Though Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure about Chu Shan He¡¯s exact fortune, he knew there were many rumors about his wealth. Seeing Lin Xian¡¯s intrigued expression, Chu An Qing continued, ¡°My dad told me Ji Xin Shui had a rough start. He wasn¡¯t well-respected in the research community and was even shunned by some at Donghai University. But he eventually made a breakthrough. He published a bunch of important research papers and really made a name for himself in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. He even became the head of the research institute at Donghai University.¡± So, it¡¯s one of those classic rags-to-riches stories, Lin Xian mused. Never underestimate someone young and struggling. Ji Xin Shui¡¯s journey reminded him of Xu Yun, who also faced academic exclusion but later rose to prominence. ¡°If Ji Xin Shui was Xu Yun¡¯s mentor from his grad student days to his research career, they must have been really close. In this graduation photo, Ji Xin Shui looks at Xu Yun with such affection, almost like he¡¯s looking at his own son,¡± Lin Xian observed. Chu An Qing nodded. ¡°Exactly. My dad mentioned that Xu Yun and Mr. Ji were like family. Mr. Ji even introduced Xu Yun to his future wife, who was his niece.¡± That explains a lot, Lin Xian thought as he listened to Chu An Qing. Chu Shan He¡¯s strong relationship with Xu Yun was well-known. He had supported Xu Yun financially for ten years, and Xu Yun was deeply grateful. The details Chu An Qing shared probably came straight from Xu Yun. But one piece of the puzzle was missing. If Xu Yun and Ji Xin Shui were so close, why did their relationship deteriorate over hibernation research, leading to a decade-long silence? For ten years, they lost contact. Xu Yun relentlessly pursued his research, which tragically led to his death after Lin Xian handed him a manuscript that resolved a critical issue with the hibernation chamber. Xu Yun¡¯s death triggered a series of events. Tang Xin arrived in Donghai City at Ji Xin Shui¡¯s invitation for research. Ji Lin sought revenge for Xu Yun, and Yellow Finch warned Lin Xian about a deceptive game, hinting at Tang Xin¡¯s imminent death, likely implicating Zhou Duan Yun as one of the conspirators. Lin Xian set his pen down. ¡°That¡¯s roughly how these people are connected.¡± Yet, something still didn¡¯t quite make sense. Lin Xian had suspicions about Ji Xin Shui and Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s involvement in Tang Xin¡¯s murder. But if Xu Yun and Ji Xin Shui were as close as father and son, could Ji Xin Shui really harm Xu Yun? ¡°Maybe,¡± Lin Xian thought, realizing it was futile to look for humanity in a killer. If one could murder a stranger for a cause, they might kill a family member for greater gains. Continuing this thought, if Ji Xin Shui did harm Xu Yun, then Ji Lin¡¯s quest for revenge in Donghai City was either because he was kept in the dark or he was knowingly pretending. Lin Xian pondered this for a long time. Ji Lin wasn¡¯t naive. He was a globally recognized genius detective who had assisted the Long Kingdom police in solving several international cases and had quickly resolved many complex cases in Donghai City. ¡°So, if even I, an average person, can suspect Ji Xin Shui and Zhou Duan Yun, how could Ji Lin, with his superior intelligence and investigative skills, not see it?¡± Lin Xian slammed his pen down on the table. Suddenly, everything clicked. He had uncovered the biggest oversight in the entire case. With all the obvious clues, Ji Lin hadn¡¯t accused Zhou Duan Yun or Ji Xin Shui. He hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility of fake chat records and used them to test him! Thankfully, Lin Xian had been cautious and hadn¡¯t cleared Tang Xin¡¯s name prematurely. It was a deep trap, crafted to ensnare him. ¡°It seems the Donghai City police aren¡¯t as inept as I thought,¡± Lin Xian mused, calming himself and staring into the dark night sky. ¡°Someone is deliberately misleading the investigation... A thief shouting ¡®Catch the thief!''¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 168: Zhou Duan Yun Lin Xian stared at the paper filled with his intricate reasoning. He couldn¡¯t guarantee all his subjective speculations were correct. After all, all his deductions hinged on one hypothetical premise¡ªXu Yun¡¯s death involved Ji Xin Shui. If this was true, all his deductions were valid. If not, all his theories were mere paper talk. To prove this premise, there was one direct breakthrough. If he could prove Zhou Duan Yun had a close relationship with Ji Xin Shui, they were likely accomplices. Because currently, Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s suspicion couldn¡¯t be cleared. So, whoever was associated with Zhou Duan Yun was also suspect. ¡°Directly investigating Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin is difficult. Right now, I don¡¯t have the capacity to confront them head-on. In contrast, investigating Zhou Duan Yun is much simpler,¡± Lin Xian thought as he propped his chin up. After all, he and Zhou Duan Yun were classmates, and many people in Hangzhou knew Zhou Duan Yun well, making the investigation easier. If his reasoning was correct, then Zhou Duan Yun and Ji Lin were both pretending to be kind while waiting for him to slip up. Their seemingly good intentions were just a facade. Since the enemy had already targeted him, there was no point in hiding any longer. Objectively, Lin Xian still had three advantages: Ji Lin¡¯s attempts to probe him indicated they hadn¡¯t found any evidence of his involvement in Xu Yun¡¯s hibernation research. Thus, he was temporarily safe. He knew they only killed through car accidents at 00:42. This specific method was easy to avoid. Just stay indoors at night. He had some powerful cards to play¡ªwhether it was his 600-year-old dreams or the massive favor owed by Chu Shan He. At the right moment, these could turn the tables. In Donghai, Chu Shan He¡¯s word was law; even Ji Xin Shui wouldn¡¯t dare challenge him. ¡°Once I deal with these people, I need to quickly develop my own influence.¡± Now, Lin Xian had a rough plan for the future. Develop himself, ensure Liu Feng could safely research the Universal Constant 42, find a way to get an invitation to the Genius Club, and use his dreams to gather more intelligence and control. But to implement these plans, he needed to win this urgent cat-and-mouse game. He recalled what Yellow Finch had said in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office. She said she couldn¡¯t tell him how to get an invitation to the Genius Club. But she appeared at the perfect time and hinted at the cat-and-mouse game. Perhaps... this game was the key to the Genius Club invitation! ¡°I must find a way to win this game,¡± Lin Xian muttered as he took a large baking tray from the kitchen and burned all his reasoning papers. As the flames spread through the paper, Lin Xian smelled the distinctive stench of cremation¡ªa smell etched into human genes as a warning, signaling danger. In just two or three months, Lin Xian had smelled it twice. He and Gao Yang stood by when Tang Xin¡¯s brother received his sister¡¯s ashes from the funeral staff. It was Lin Xian¡¯s first close encounter with cremation. He never imagined a human body would take two hours to burn to ashes at such high temperatures. Every minute of those two hours was unbearable. A living classmate reduced to half a jar of ashes. What could make Zhou Duan Yun abandon his humanity to kill one classmate and attempt to kill another? ¡°Wait for me.¡± Amid the flickering flames, Tang Xin¡¯s smiling face emerged. Lin Xian spoke slowly and clearly: ¡°None of you will escape!¡± ¡°Hunan University?¡± Lin Xian was surprised. ¡°Zhou Duan Yun got into such a good school?¡± Hunan University was a prestigious 985 and 211 school! Lin Xian¡¯s mediocre grades getting him into Donghai University was already considered a miracle. Zhou Duan Yun, consistently at the bottom of the class, getting into a 985 university without any special talents... This was beyond miraculous. ¡°Sir, how come you never mentioned such an amazing feat?¡± Lin Xian was puzzled. Knowing his teacher¡¯s personality, he would have boasted about such a gifted student, maybe even inscribed Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s name on the blackboard to show off his teaching prowess. Yet, he never did. Why? The teacher pursed his lips, silent. He walked to the office window, opened it, and lit a cigarette. After a few puffs, he flicked the ash outside and seemed to make a decision, sighing: ¡°Lin Xian... Since you asked, I can¡¯t lie. This has been weighing on my mind for a long time.¡± He turned, looking at Lin Xian: ¡°Do you remember Zhou Duan Yun? Poorly dressed, from a poor family. His father died early, and his mother raised him alone. I¡¯ve seen her bring him bedding. A skinny rural woman, also bullied in her village... They were really pitiful.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He had heard about this. But he remembered no one in class bullied Zhou Duan Yun; everyone was quite friendly. ¡°Such kids need face and value their dignity.¡± The teacher took another puff and continued: ¡°When I collected the acceptance letters, Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s mother personally brought Hunan University¡¯s letter to me.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t know how to use a phone, so she took a long bus ride to the school. She brought a big bag of eggs and a sack of peanuts.¡± The teacher¡¯s hand shook slightly as he spoke: ¡°To this day, I don¡¯t know how that tiny woman carried those heavy bags so far... But she was so happy, so proud. She kept talking about Hunan University, saying her son finally succeeded and wouldn¡¯t be bullied anymore.¡± Lin Xian listened quietly as the teacher¡¯s face darkened. He stubbed out the cigarette: ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to say. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell the truth. Watching a mother, who raised her child alone through so much hardship, be so excited and proud... I just couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You mean...¡± Lin Xian was at a loss for words. He had guessed the truth. The teacher nodded, looking at Lin Xian: ¡°As teachers, we knew your exam results before you did. Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s score was only 300-something...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 169: Mother ¡°Only 300 points?¡± Lin Xian remembered clearly that when it was their turn for the college entrance exams, scoring just over 300 wouldn¡¯t even secure a spot in a vocational college, let alone Hunan University. ¡°Yes,¡± the homeroom teacher confirmed, his eyes showing a hint of sadness. ¡°That year, everyone submitted their applications online. With his score, he didn¡¯t even meet the cutoff for vocational colleges, so he couldn¡¯t apply anywhere. Getting into Hunan University was impossible. No university would have accepted him.¡± Lin Xian understood the gravity of the situation. He sifted through the file box, stuffed with printed photos of college acceptance letters. He recognized many familiar names and found his own, along with Gao Yang¡¯s vocational college acceptance letter. At the very bottom, there was a single folded piece of paper. Lin Xian unfolded it... Just as he suspected. It was Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s acceptance letter. Hunan University, Computer Science. From just the printed photo, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t determine if it was authentic or counterfeit. It had all the essential features, including the principal¡¯s signature and the school¡¯s red seal. But in this digital era, creating a fake acceptance letter is easy¡ªjust some Photoshop skills and a color printer. However, a counterfeit acceptance letter is pointless... Bringing the letter to the school is merely a formality. The crucial aspect is whether the school has your acceptance information on file. Even if you lose the letter, you can still enroll at the university. Thus, Lin Xian began to piece together the story about Zhou Duan Yun¡ª He probably forged the acceptance letter either out of pride or some other motive. Since Zhou Duan Yun wasn¡¯t very social in class and kept to himself, nobody really paid attention to him. When the homeroom teacher requested photos of everyone¡¯s acceptance letters, Zhou Duan Yun likely hesitated to share his. However, his mother discovered the letter and traveled a great distance, beaming with pride, to show her son¡¯s acceptance letter to the homeroom teacher. The homeroom teacher knew the acceptance letter was forged because he was aware of Duan Yun¡¯actual scores. Life often contains more failures than successes; glamour and legends are exceptions. Even autobiographies of the famous selectively reveal truths, let alone the life of an average person. The homeroom teacher informed Lin Xian that he had heard these details from Zhou Le. Zhou Le and Zhou Duan Yun grew up in the same village, attended a local college in Hang City, and worked in the county after graduating. He often kept in touch with the homeroom teacher. After bidding farewell to the homeroom teacher, Lin Xian reached out to Zhou Le. Zhou Le had missed the class reunion due to New Year commitments, so Lin Xian used the opportunity of passing through to invite him for a meal. Lin Xian was well-liked in high school, and Zhou Le was excited to meet. They found a quiet spot for a drink at noon. Classmates always have endless stories to share. Zhou Le was curious about the reunion, and naturally, the conversation drifted towards Zhou Duan Yun... the star of the reunion. ¡°You¡¯re from the same village?¡± Lin Xian inquired. ¡°Yes, though we share the surname, we¡¯re not from the same family line,¡± Zhou Le clarified after a sip of his drink. ¡°Zhou¡¯s father died young from illness... their family was very poor. In rural areas, without a strong family head, they were often victimized.¡± ¡°I only learned about this later. Zhou¡¯s family¡¯s fields were gradually seized by neighbors, almost forcefully. Every time they plowed, they¡¯d encroach a bit more, leaving Zhou¡¯s family with very little.¡± ¡°The same happened with their house plot. Neighbors took advantage when Zhou¡¯s family couldn¡¯t afford to build. But what could Zhou and his mother do? They had no support and were consistently bullied.¡± ¡°How did they manage to survive?¡± Lin Xian asked. Hearing Zhou Le¡¯s story, Lin Xian understood why Zhou Duan Yun had been so impoverished back then, even lacking decent clothes. Land disputes are common in rural areas, often leading to conflict. But without a father, Zhou had no way to stand against aggressive neighbors. ¡°Duan Yun¡¯s mother was incredibly strong...¡± Zhou Le sighed deeply. ¡°She cultivated abandoned land nobody else wanted, planting peanuts.¡± ¡°After some time, when the land became fertile, others would claim it back, and she¡¯d have to start over with new abandoned land... That¡¯s how Duan Yun¡¯s mother tirelessly worked to support him.¡± ¡°She grew peanuts, one by one, just to provide for Duan Yun.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 170: Good Night Lin Xian leaned back in his chair, setting down his chopsticks, and fell into a thoughtful silence. In front of him, a plate of boiled peanuts mixed with sesame paste gluten noodle lay untouched. The sight made him think of how a poor rural woman, constantly bullied, managed to make a living from barren land to raise her son, Zhou Duan Yun. It sounded like a sad story, but it was a harsh reality showing a mother¡¯s fierce determination. ¡°Did he really win the lottery?¡± Lin Xian asked carefully. ¡°Absolutely!¡± Zhou Le replied eagerly without hesitation. ¡°He definitely hit the jackpot! How else do you explain his sudden wealth? You wouldn¡¯t believe how rich Zhou Duan Yun became!¡± ¡°Did Zhou Duan Yun himself ever admit to winning?¡± Lin Xian asked further. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Zhou Le laughed, refilling his cup and taking a big gulp. ¡°Who would admit to winning the lottery? Everyone would be on your doorstep asking for money! The whole village believed he won, even though he denied it. His denials only made us more convinced he was lying.¡± ¡°That must have been a turning point in his life,¡± Zhou Le mused, munching on some peanuts. ¡°Luck has a way of kicking in when you hit rock bottom. He got into a prestigious university and won the lottery, turning into a local celebrity. No one dared to bully him then. Instead, people started giving him gifts, hoping he¡¯d remember them when he made it big.¡± ¡°What a dramatic turn of events,¡± Lin Xian commented thoughtfully. ¡°Weren¡¯t you skeptical about his university acceptance? His grades were terrible; how did he manage to get into such a good school?¡± ¡°At first, we were all skeptical,¡± Zhou Le admitted. ¡°But then our teacher sent out a message congratulating everyone on their school placements. It seemed legitimate.¡± That explanation shed light on the dramatic changes in Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s life. His lies, initially meant to protect him and his mother from ridicule, had completely altered how the villagers treated them. They went from being outcasts to being respected almost overnight. In essence, nothing had changed about their circumstances, yet everything had changed in the villagers¡¯ eyes. Life was peculiar in that way. Admit to winning the lottery, and no one believes you. Deny it, and everyone assumes you¡¯re hiding something. Lin Xian pondered how Zhou Duan Yun must have felt, living a life based on lies, accepting gifts, and pretending to attend university. Was it the sweet taste of deceit that colored his success? Or did the changing attitudes of the villagers reveal their true character to him? Zhou Duan Yun seemed to be a man living behind several masks. ¡°So what happened after that?¡± Lin Xian asked, eager to know more. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Zhou Le shrugged, sipping his drink. ¡°Zhou Duan Yun and I weren¡¯t really friends. Lots of people in the village bullied him, and I... I never stood up for him. We weren¡¯t close.¡± ¡°Looking back, I feel guilty. We were classmates; I should¡¯ve helped him. But you know how it is¡ªby the time you realize you should¡¯ve done something, it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°Some things seem significant when you¡¯re young, but trivial as an adult. And sometimes, it¡¯s the opposite.¡± Zhou Le set down his cup, wiping his mouth. ¡°Got nothing to do this afternoon? Come over to my place.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± Lin Xian declined casually. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go see Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s mansion!¡± ¡°Mansion?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s interest was piqued. ¡°Yeah, he built it last year after making it big. He bought the land next door and built a nine-story mansion for his mom! It¡¯s like a castle!¡± Curiosity won over Lin Xian. He hadn¡¯t discussed enough with Zhou Le and wanted more details about Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s life post-university, the years that still remained shrouded in mystery. Lin Xian knew the stories about the lottery win and the university were lies. Zhou Le didn¡¯t know, but Lin Xian did. The supposed startup money from the lottery was another lie. ¡°Donghai University,¡± Lin Xian responded. ¡°Donghai... That¡¯s far from Hunan University, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lin Xian nodded. To someone who had perhaps never left the village, the distance seemed vast. To her, Hunan University was the pinnacle of academia. ¡°Did Zhou Duan Yun come home for the New Year?¡± he asked. ¡°Not this year,¡± she replied, shaking her head. ¡°He¡¯s been very busy. He usually comes home every year, not just for the New Year, but often. He¡¯s a very filial son, always calling me, buying me things, and sending goodnight messages every night. I¡¯ve never heard of anyone else¡¯s child doing that.¡± ¡°Every night?¡± Lin Xian was surprised. ¡°Every single night?¡± He himself found the idea daunting. He knew his own mother would appreciate it, but it felt somewhat awkward to him. In this regard, he admired Zhou Duan Yun. Sending a nightly goodnight was perhaps harder than building a nine-story mansion. ¡°Yes, every night! Look!¡± she exclaimed, showing him her phone and the WeChat chat with Zhou Duan Yun. Lin Xian took the phone. Every night without fail, a message read: ¡°Mom, good night.¡± Sometimes, ¡°Rest early, Mom.¡± or ¡°I¡¯m going to bed, Mom.¡± He scrolled quickly through the chat history. The conversation was repetitive, almost exclusively goodnight messages. For anything important, they would call. Who uses WeChat to chat with their mom all day? Certainly not Lin Xian. ¡°Every night, without fail,¡± Lin Xian muttered, scrolling back through the messages, which soon blurred into a sea of similar short texts. He was already back to July 2022, and still, it was just goodnight messages. Curious, he continued scrolling, eager to see when this routine started. ¡°I wait for his goodnight every night before I sleep,¡± she said, her smile broadening as she looked at Zhou Le. ¡°I always tell him, Zhou Duan Yun is the best child in the world!¡± Lin Xian reached back to 2021, still encountering the same nightly messages. It seemed endless. Then, suddenly, amidst the short texts, two long messages stood out. Lin Xian stopped scrolling and went back. He was intrigued. Why these long messages all of a sudden? He found them from October 17, 2021, at 4:26 PM: ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t hide anymore... Call the police for protection! The person trying to kill me is Ji Xin Shui!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 171: The Truth Comes to Light Lin Xian¡¯s thumb hovered over the phone screen. ¡°Mom, the person who wants to kill me is Ji Xin Shui!¡± He stared at the message Zhou Duan Yun had sent his mother at the end of 2021, utterly shocked. He had pictured countless scenarios about how Zhou Duan Yun and Ji Xin Shui might be connected. Logically, shouldn¡¯t they be partners, accomplices, or even boss and subordinate? But this suggested they were enemies. Lin Xian read on. Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s mom hadn¡¯t responded right away, probably because the message was sent in the afternoon. Two hours later, Zhou Duan Yun sent another text: ¡°Mom, I was just playing a game of Truth or Dare with my friends. Don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± Then, their usual nightly goodnight texts continued, with nothing seeming out of the ordinary. Lin Xian scrolled up and down a few more times but found no other useful information. He exited the chat and handed the phone back to Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s mom without a word. She was happily chatting with Zhou Le. Walking around the room, Lin Xian thought about the two messages he had just seen: ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t escape... call the police for protection! Ji Xin Shui is trying to kill me!¡± and ¡°Mom, it was just Truth or Dare, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± No way this was just a game. Zhou Duan Yun was a devoted and caring son, as his mother described. He wouldn¡¯t joke about something this serious. Any decent kid wouldn¡¯t make up something that would cause their mom such stress. And no mother would want to get a message like that. Plus, even if Zhou Duan Yun had played a bad joke, he wouldn¡¯t have waited two hours to explain it. Usually, he¡¯d clear things up in ten minutes. So, Lin Xian concluded: ¡°Zhou Duan Yun lied!¡± But this lie must have been forced. At that time, he was in serious danger. He either made Ji Xin Shui mad or got caught doing something wrong. Around 4 PM when the first message was sent, Zhou Duan Yun truly thought Ji Xin Shui was out to kill him. He urgently warned his mom about the danger, named the supposed killer, and told her to call the cops. This was typical for Zhou Duan Yun. He adored his mom. After making some money, his first move was to better her life. When in trouble, her safety was his priority. But then, something changed in those two hours. Zhou Duan Yun got out of immediate danger from Ji Xin Shui. ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian thought, ¡°he didn¡¯t just escape. If he had just fled, he could hide temporarily but not forever. And what about his mom? If Zhou Duan Yun had truly escaped, why was he still openly walking around in Donghai City, almost challenging Ji Xin Shui? It didn¡¯t add up.¡± Thus, it seemed Zhou Duan Yun didn¡¯t escape from Ji Xin Shui; perhaps they struck a deal, became accomplices, or Ji Xin Shui spared him but made him a follower. But ultimately, the why mattered less than the what. He now fully understood what Yellow Finch meant by: ¡°You don¡¯t have to seek trouble; it will find you. You might not see it yet... but your cat-and-mouse game has already started.¡± Indeed, trouble had found him, and it was now a constant companion. Zhou Duan Yun, a seemingly friendly classmate, was practically glued to his side. Ji Lin, a genius with high IQ posing as a friend, had infiltrated the Donghai police and earned their trust. Ji Xin Shui, a globally influential figure, was too powerful for Lin Xian to confront directly. And these were just the enemies he knew about. Who knew how many other unseen threats were out there? This cat-and-mouse game was daunting. The power imbalance was severe. He felt like a mouse on thin ice, surrounded by cats with glowing eyes, waiting for him to slip so they could pounce. His situation was dire, but at least now he knew who the murderers were, preventing him from falling into their traps. He had gained some leverage. The next step was figuring out how to turn the tables, bring these murderers to justice, and avenge Professor Xu Yun and Tang Xin! Soon, Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s mom finished her chat with Zhou Le, who then stood up to leave with Lin Xian. Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s mom brought out a large bag of peanuts, insisting Lin Xian take them home. ¡°Auntie, we young people don¡¯t really cook. They¡¯d just spoil if I took them. Better you keep them,¡± Lin Xian said politely. But Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s mom followed them to the yard, placing the big plastic bag in Lin Xian¡¯s hands: ¡°Auntie¡¯s peanuts are tasty, take them home for your family!¡± She gestured to the vast yard full of peanut plants: ¡°I grow so many just to stay busy. Haven¡¯t eaten a single one in ages.¡± Recalling how she and her son had eaten unsold peanuts that were nearly spoiled during tough times, she smiled: ¡°We ate so many back then, I feel like I¡¯ve had my fill for a lifetime...¡± Finally, unable to reject her kindness, Lin Xian accepted the peanuts. After a brief visit and some light conversation at Zhou Le¡¯s house, Lin Xian caught a cab to the train station, carrying the large bag of peanuts onto the high-speed train back to Donghai. Stepping out of the station, the sky was dark, and a light rain was falling. Standing in the rain, Lin Xian looked towards the brightly lit Donghai City in the distance... It seemed this game of hide and seek had truly begun! This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 172: The Dead Man It was a dark night on the outskirts of Wolfsburg, Germany. Beep. Beep. The parking lights of a white Volkswagen flickered briefly, accompanied by the soft click of the doors unlocking. A man in a white lab coat with a scruffy beard emerged from a nearby laboratory. He opened the car door and drove off into the night. The road ahead was dark, illuminated only by the car¡¯s headlights and the occasional reflective road sign. In these sparsely populated areas, the infrastructure was minimal, the roads stretching wide and straight with hardly any traffic. This was a familiar scene for the man; his late work hours meant he rarely saw other vehicles. Compared to the bustling cities of Asia, Europe¡¯s population density was quite low. Suddenly, a warning light on the car¡¯s dashboard flashed on. The tire pressure monitor indicated that the right rear tire was rapidly losing air. ¡°Could it be a flat tire? Maybe I ran over a nail,¡± he thought. He pulled over, switched on the hazard lights, and stepped out to inspect the tire using his phone¡¯s flashlight. A nail was indeed embedded in the tire. But this wasn¡¯t a major issue for him. In Wolfsburg, the hometown of Volkswagen, changing a tire was a skill shared universally, almost as instinctive as a baby knowing how to nurse. He opened the trunk, grabbed the car jack, and began changing the tire. Boom! Out of the darkness, a Hummer with its lights off sped towards him, smashing into him and pinning him between the two vehicles. Blood splattered everywhere as his body was gruesomely crushed. Boom... The Hummer reversed and disappeared down the dark road. From a nearby rooftop, an old man and a young man observed the scene in silence. Ji Xin Shui checked his wristwatch. 00:42:58 00:42:59 00:43:00 ¡°His research, like Tang Xin¡¯s, was nascent. How did the Genius Club recognize its potential and predict its success?¡± ¡°That¡¯s their strength. Their mystery!¡± Ji Xin Shui declared, his eyes glowing with respect. ¡°They¡¯ve never failed, never been wrong. My success and position are testament to that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite the enigma,¡± Ji Lin chuckled. ¡°Same lines, over and over. Well, my visit is over. Make sure to erase all traces of Dr. Ponsmike¡¯s work, especially any documents related to room-temperature superconductors.¡± ¡°No problem. We¡¯re professionals,¡± Ji Xin Shui replied dryly. ¡°One last thing,¡± Ji Lin added, looking intently at Ji Xin Shui. ¡°You¡¯re certain it¡¯s acceptable to sacrifice our own if needed, but not harm innocents?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Ji Xin Shui nodded. ¡°They were already doomed. Envy, Greed, Gluttony, Wrath... I resurrected them. Except you, they¡¯re dispensable.¡± ¡°Death was their destiny. Their current lives interfere with history, much like Xu Yun and Tang Xin, albeit to a lesser degree.¡± ¡°I gave them a second chance. I understand this better than anyone,¡± Ji Xin Shui stated. Ji Lin nodded, aware of Ji Xin Shui¡¯s ruthless streak. He refrained from killing unnecessarily, concerned it might jeopardize his standing with the Genius Club. But his logic was sound; the others were supposed to be dead, their lives now merely granted by Ji Xin Shui. ¡°Pride, have you forgotten your origins?¡± Ji Lin suddenly asked. ¡°Hmm?¡± Ji Xin Shui looked puzzled. ¡°Remember, you were once an unknown at Donghai University,¡± Ji Lin smiled. ¡°Your life was transformed by the Genius Club.¡± ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Ji Xin Shui frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t it clear?¡± Ji Lin continued, gazing at the distant blinking Volkswagen. ¡°You altered the lives of Envy and Greed, making them expendable. But what about you? To the Genius Club, are you also just a pawn?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not like them!¡± Ji Xin Shui¡¯s voice rose. ¡°Stop trying to trap me, Ji Lin.¡± ¡°Why not test it with Lin Xian¡¯s case?¡± Ji Lin suggested, waving the research documents. ¡°I may not understand Dr. Ponsmike¡¯s work, but I recognize its potential. Do you realize what room-temperature superconductors could lead to? The ultimate breakthrough.¡± ¡°What would that be?¡± Ji Xin Shui asked, his brow furrowing. ¡°Controlled nuclear fusion,¡± Ji Lin declared, his eyes fixed on the industrial landscape of Wolfsburg. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 173: Forged History ¡°Controlled nuclear fusion...¡± Ji Xin Shui paused, searching for the right words. ¡°You mean using a room-temperature superconductor to create a strong magnetic field, and using that field to contain the scorching plasma, tackling the issue of managing the intense heat from nuclear fusion?¡± Despite being out of active research for years, Ji Xin Shui, once a respected scholar, still understood the complexities of controlled nuclear fusion. The use of tritium as a fuel for nuclear fusion was nearly perfected in theory. The main hurdle was managing the immense heat generated by the fusion process, as no existing material could withstand such extreme temperatures. The best approach seemed to be using a strong magnetic field to contain the superheated plasma, allowing the reaction to occur without any material contact. However, another challenge presented itself. To maintain a strong magnetic field, superconductors needed to be kept below minus 100 degrees Celsius. Any higher and the superconductivity would cease. Thus, the challenge was to simultaneously maintain a system with plasma at millions of degrees and another with superconductors at sub-zero temperatures. If room-temperature superconductors were developed, it would simplify the entire system significantly, making sustainable, controlled nuclear fusion a real possibility. While other problems would undoubtedly emerge, if Dr. Ponsmike¡¯s research into room-temperature superconductors proved successful, it would mark a major advancement in achieving controlled nuclear fusion. ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Knowing Ji Xin Shui¡¯s academic background, Ji Lin didn¡¯t delve further. ¡°Even though it¡¯s a minor breakthrough, once this material is unveiled, it will cause as much buzz globally as Xu Yun¡¯s invention of the hibernation chamber fluid.¡± Ji Xin Shui turned to Ji Lin. ¡°So, you¡¯re planning to use this to lure out Lin Xian? Is this your ¡®forged history¡¯ plan?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Ji Lin confirmed. ¡°Right now, according to the actual timeline, Dr. Ponsmike secretly developed the room-temperature superconductor. But since we¡¯ve eliminated him, only we and the Genius Club members are aware of this. You¡¯re great at keeping secrets, and you wouldn¡¯t share unnecessary details with Gluttony and Envy. Even Gluttony, who was merely our driver for the operation, doesn¡¯t know this real piece of history. Based on this, we can fabricate a false history.¡± Ji Lin raised a document in his hand. ¡°We¡¯ll introduce someone as the pioneering scientist behind the room-temperature superconductor, then replicate Dr. Ponsmike¡¯s assassination at 00:42.¡± ¡°Controlled nuclear fusion could revolutionize human civilization. The murder of such a pivotal figure will certainly make history. If Lin Xian, as we suspect, can manipulate historical events, he¡¯ll discover this fake scientist¡¯s death.¡± ¡°In that case, Lin Xian will probably use this setup to try and trap us. Each time a scientist arrives, and every night at 00:42, Lin Xian will be vigilant, waiting for our move so he can apprehend us.¡± Ji Xin Shui nodded in understanding. ¡°If we invent a scientist and Lin Xian still manages to save him, it suggests he indeed possesses some extraordinary ability to foresee or alter the future.¡± ¡°To ensure we collect solid proof, we¡¯ll add two more layers of security on the day we execute the fake scientist,¡± Ji Lin whispered. ¡°Pride, use your connections to bring two real scientists to Donghai City that night. We¡¯ll have our impostor and the two legitimate scientists appear in three different places. Let¡¯s see which one Lin Xian tries to save.¡± ¡°If he rescues the impostor to catch us, then our suspicions about him are confirmed.¡± Ji Xin Shui chuckled. ¡°Ji Lin, this is why you¡¯ve been provoking Lin Xian, right? By murdering Tang Xin right before his eyes and challenging him openly, you¡¯re forcing him into a confrontation. Otherwise, if he remains hidden, we can¡¯t touch him.¡± Ji Lin nodded. ¡°Now the question is, who will pose as this fake scientist?¡± ¡°Greed,¡± Ji Xin Shui suggested casually. ¡°He¡¯s a charlatan in academic circles. I turned his life around, made him rich and famous, but he¡¯s just a shallow man. After all the benefits he¡¯s reaped, it¡¯s time he paid his dues.¡± ¡°Has Gluttony met Greed before?¡± Ji Lin asked. ¡°No,¡± Ji Xin Shui smiled. Su Xiu Ying glared at her troublesome sister. ¡°You¡¯re going on this blind date, whether you like it or not! I¡¯ve found a good candidate. He¡¯s tall, handsome, and has great character! If he likes you, consider yourself lucky!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you to marry him, but at your age, it¡¯s time you met decent men, learned to be a good woman, a suitable wife, and did something meaningful.¡± ¡°If you want your card unfrozen, you¡¯ll go on this date tonight! Your brother-in-law set it up, so no tricks!¡± She handed Su Su a business card for the restaurant. ¡°7 PM, second floor, don¡¯t be late!¡± Su Su turned away, annoyed. But she knew arguing or being stubborn wouldn¡¯t work with her sister. To get her card back, she had to go on this date. She grabbed the card. ¡°I¡¯ll go, but if I don¡¯t like him, don¡¯t come crying to me!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so full of yourself,¡± Su Xiu Ying scolded. ¡°He might not even like you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re joking!¡± Su Su flipped her bright yellow hair and laughed. ¡°Do you know how many guys are after me?¡± ¡°Are they decent?¡± Su Xiu Ying looked skeptical. ¡°I don¡¯t even give them a second look! They¡¯re not worth it!¡± ¡°Are they decent?¡± Su Xiu Ying pressed. ¡°You know what they want, right?¡± ¡°Obviously!¡± Su Su shrugged. ¡°All they see are my looks and my money. What else could they want? Maybe they¡¯re hoping to get close to my brother-in-law. You think your choice is any different?¡± ¡°This one¡¯s different,¡± Su Xiu Ying smiled confidently. ¡°He¡¯s noble, not greedy, exceptional in every way. You¡¯ll see. Don¡¯t mention our relationship. Your brother-in-law kept your identity a secret to avoid pressure. Just say you¡¯re a friend¡¯s daughter.¡± Su Su snorted, looking at the restaurant card. She knew the place; the caviar was excellent, a favorite spot among her friends. ¡°Fine, but you better unfreeze my card after. Who is he, and what does he do?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the deputy general manager of MX Company, young and promising!¡± Su Xiu Ying beamed. ¡°His name is... Lin Xian!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 174: The Blind Date 7 PM. Lin Xian sat in a familiar Western restaurant, a place he¡¯d visited twice before. First, he¡¯d come with Zhao Ying Jun, and the second time, he¡¯d dined with Tang Xin. Now, he was back again, this time for a blind date arranged by Chu Shan He. What a twist of fate! That morning, Chu Shan He had woken Lin Xian with a phone call. Curious, Lin Xian answered and found Chu Shan He getting straight to the point. He had a friend¡¯s daughter around Lin Xian¡¯s age and thought they¡¯d make a good match. ¡°Lin Xian, it¡¯s time you thought about settling down. Building a career and finding a partner can go hand in hand. You¡¯re alone in Donghai, and my friend¡¯s daughter is both beautiful and from a good family. It could be good for you two to meet. If it clicks, great. If not, no harm done.¡± So, it was a blind date. Rubbing his eyes, Lin Xian sat up in bed, pondering this unexpected setup. His only knowledge of blind dates came from over-the-top skits online, which depicted them as near-apocalyptic encounters. Currently, his life was a whirlwind of personal challenges and dangers. How could he even consider dating? Yet, declining Chu Shan He¡¯s well-intentioned offer without giving it a chance seemed impolite, especially given Chu Shan He¡¯s status. Plus, building a good relationship with someone as influential as Chu Shan He could only help him as he was still establishing himself in Donghai. Considering the pros and cons, Lin Xian agreed to the date. After all, a blind date was merely dinner with a stranger¡ªno strings attached.Fo?llo?w new stories at ¡°Haha, excellent,¡± Chu Shan He responded cheerily over the phone. ¡°Let¡¯s set it for 7 PM. I¡¯ve reserved the entire second floor of the restaurant for privacy. Just go, talk, and order whatever you like. No pressure.¡± Lin Xian appreciated Chu Shan He¡¯s approach, respecting his feelings without making him feel obligated. After hanging up, Lin Xian sighed. He was too kind-hearted, a trait his friend Gao Yang often pointed out as both a virtue and a flaw. After a short nap, Lin Xian washed up and headed to the restaurant. He was familiar with the first floor from his previous visits but had never been to the second floor, which boasted a similar layout with an expansive view from its floor-to-ceiling windows. Upon his arrival, the manager greeted him warmly, ¡°Mr. Lin Xian, welcome. Mr. Chu has arranged everything. The entire second floor is yours tonight. Let me know if you need anything.¡± Nodding, Lin Xian checked his watch. It was 7 PM, but his date hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Given Donghai¡¯s notorious rush hour, a delay was understandable. He passed the time watching cars stream into the parking lot below. It was early spring, the days were lengthening, and by 7 PM, dusk was giving way to night. The restaurant buzzed with activity, luxury cars filled the first floor, while the second floor remained a quiet enclave for his private event. Finally, as darkness enveloped the sky and the restaurant¡¯s lights twinkled on, footsteps echoed up the spiral staircase. Tap, tap, tap. They were steady, confident steps. The first thing he saw was bright yellow hair and a bubble of gum popping loudly. A young woman dressed casually in a baseball cap, white T-shirt, light jacket, and denim shorts made her way up. Lin Xian felt a breath of summer as she approached. Screech¡ª She walked directly to Lin Xian¡¯s table, pulled out a chair, and sat down with a confident air. ¡°You¡¯re Lin Xian, right?¡± she asked. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Yes, hello, Su Su.¡± Despite her tardiness, Lin Xian was unperturbed. Life happens. The attentive manager soon arrived with menus. Lin Xian handed one to Su Su, saying, ¡°Take a look and see if there¡¯s anything you¡¯d¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re not suitable,¡± Su Su interrupted bluntly. ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian stared at the girl in front of him, puzzled. Is dating always this quick nowadays? The manager was equally baffled, looking back and forth between Su Su and Lin Xian, unsure of what to say. He had witnessed many blind dates here, but none had concluded so swiftly. What was going on? Zhao Ying Jun blinked, confused. Renting out an entire restaurant didn¡¯t seem like Lin Xian¡¯s style. She thought she knew him well after all this time. He was typically low-key and not one to squander money like those wealthy young men. ¡°You go park. I¡¯ll check this out.¡± Zhao Ying Jun instructed her driver, grabbed her purse, and entered the restaurant. Meanwhile, in the parking lot, a red McLaren¡¯s scissor door lifted. Su Su, still on the phone, climbed in, balancing the phone between her neck and shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m done here. I¡¯ll come find you,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re too quick!¡± her friend exclaimed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just go in for the blind date? How are you done already?¡± ¡°Haha, I told him we¡¯re not suitable and left!¡± Su Su laughed triumphantly. ¡°I even took pictures as proof! My sister just wanted me to go on the date, then she¡¯d unfreeze my card. I went, didn¡¯t like him, totally normal! Problem solved!¡± ¡°Haha... but isn¡¯t that awkward? At least have dinner first! The guy must be hurt and disappointed.¡± ¡°Who cares!¡± Su Su chewed her gum, recalling the polite young man. ¡°Though... he did seem kind of quiet, maybe a bit sensitive.¡± ¡°Then go comfort him!¡± ¡°No way!¡± Su Su started the roaring McLaren and glanced at the second floor¡¯s glass windows. ¡°If he¡¯s upset, he¡¯ll get over it. I¡ª¡± She spat out her gum. ¡°Wah?!¡± Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°This guy¡¯s a player! He¡¯s on another date already!¡± From her vantage point... the spacious second-floor restaurant, Lin Xian was still seated there. But now, a poised, attractive woman was opposite him! The woman was also dressed up, clearly there for a date! The worst part, Lin Xian was talking and laughing with this woman! Even the food had arrived! What was this, a speed-dating event? Were there girls lined up downstairs? Was he picking brides? Did he think he was a king? ¡°So low!¡± Su Su gagged. ¡°I¡¯m disgusted! Am I just a backup?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on, Su Su?¡± her friend asked. ¡°My blind date! He¡¯s got another girl lined up! Wow... I thought I¡¯d only see this in dramas. Turns out, it happens in real life!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m watching from downstairs! I just left, and he¡¯s already on another date! This guy¡¯s a master at time management, not wasting a minute!¡± ¡°Haha, you got played.¡± ¡°Played my foot! I¡¯m pissed!¡± Bang! Su Su slammed the door and stomped back towards the restaurant. This was too much! ¡°Hanging up!¡± she told her friend angrily, glaring at the couple laughing and chatting on the second floor. ¡°If they hit it off... I¡¯ll change my last name from Su!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 175: No Taking Leave Ten minutes earlier, the sharp clicks of high heels echoed through the empty second floor of the restaurant. Lin Xian glanced toward the staircase. Why is she back? Did she forget something? He peeked at the table where Su Su had just been. There was nothing left behind. She hadn¡¯t even set down her handbag or removed her coat. Clearly, she didn¡¯t plan to stay. He wasn¡¯t troubled. It meant he didn¡¯t have to explain anything to Chu Shan He. Having her uninterested was actually a relief. The sound of high heels grew louder, and Lin Xian looked up at the staircase again. ¡°Huh?¡± He blinked in surprise, ¡°Ms. Zhao?¡± This was unexpected... Lin Xian thought Su Su was returning, but it was his boss, Zhao Ying Jun. Today, Zhao Ying Jun looked particularly sharp in a sleek black outfit with a white coat draped over her shoulders. And those must be silver earrings... Lin Xian¡¯s gaze subtly shifted to her earrings. Just as he thought, the anti-counterfeiting label was intact. Zhao Ying Jun had dressed up formally for dinner. She probably came straight from work. The restaurant was near her house, so stopping by for dinner made sense. As for why she headed directly to the second floor... Lin Xian glanced at the large floor-to-ceiling window beside him. The view outside was clear; she must have seen him from downstairs. While pondering this, Zhao Ying Jun approached him. ¡°Waiting for someone, Lin Xian?¡± ¡°No, just myself.¡± Lin Xian stood up, smiling. Zhao Ying Jun raised an eyebrow, ¡°Just you? Booking such a big space?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Lin Xian explained, ¡°Chu Shan He booked this place. He wanted to introduce me to a friend¡¯s daughter. But... it seems she wasn¡¯t interested. She left as soon as she sat down.¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled softly. ¡°This girl has no taste, not even giving you a chance.¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°Considering she¡¯s from Chu Shan He¡¯s circle, her family must be wealthy. It¡¯s normal for her not to be interested in someone like me. I expected this might happen.¡± ¡°So... the blind date is over now?¡± Zhao Ying Jun gestured toward the chair Su Su had been sitting in. ¡°Mind if I join you? It¡¯s crowded downstairs.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Xian gestured for Zhao Ying Jun to sit. ¡°Order whatever you like. It¡¯s on Chu Shan He tonight.¡± Zhao Ying Jun removed her coat, and the manager promptly took it, hung it on a nearby coat rack, and pulled out a chair for her. He then handed her a menu. ¡°Ma¡¯am, what would you like to order? I¡¯ll have the kitchen prepare it.¡± Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t look at the menu and directly ordered a few dishes, then smiled at Lin Xian. ¡°Since you brought me here last time, I¡¯ve been coming often. I even got a membership card. It¡¯s close to my place, and I really enjoy a few of their dishes. So, when I work late, I come here to eat.¡± ¡°No wonder,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I was surprised to see you here today. The food is indeed good.¡± They chatted for a few minutes, and the appetizers arrived quickly. It was clear the manager was right; they reserved the best ingredients and chefs for the second floor, especially since Chu Shan He had booked it. Special treatment was expected. In Donghai, Chu Shan He¡¯s name was a golden ticket. Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun were enjoying their meal, chatting and laughing, when suddenly¡ª Boom, boom, boom, boom! A blonde woman burst in, slamming her hands on the table. Though Lin Xian kept smiling, he sighed inwardly... This situation was too complicated. It was easier dealing with his usual enemies of Ji Lin and Duan Yun. The nearby manager, doubling as a waiter, had been standing there for a while... He could see the situation was tense! Chu Shan He had specifically instructed him to take good care of Lin Xian, so he felt obligated to act. But now... the atmosphere had grown tense! This was too much. He had to do something to ease the awkwardness. He approached with a menu, smiling, and handed it to Su Su. ¡°Miss, would you like to order something?¡± ¡°No need for a menu!¡± Su Su pushed it away, looking at the waiter. ¡°Bring me everything on the menu!¡± She huffed. This guy had played her, so she¡¯d make him pay. ¡°But, but...¡± The manager was sweating. ¡°Miss, the three of you can¡¯t possibly eat that much. Our country promotes not wasting food... Besides, the table can¡¯t hold that many dishes.¡± ¡°Then bring the most expensive items and fill the table!¡± Su Su glared at the waiter. ¡°Hurry up!¡± ¡°Alright, but...¡± The manager looked at Lin Xian, unsure of what to do. ¡°Just do as she says,¡± Lin Xian said, still smiling. It¡¯s not much money... Besides, Chu Shan He was covering the bill tonight. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have the kitchen prepare it!¡± The manager quickly left. He realized it was better not to get involved. Standing there, he¡¯d only be a tool for the angry girl and make things harder for the guy. ... Soon, the food was served. Zhao Ying Jun quietly ate her ordered dishes, intending to watch the drama unfold, but the other two remained silent. Su Su was still fuming, eating in silence, her knife and fork clashing loudly. Lin Xian had given up... If they weren¡¯t talking, neither would he. He focused on his meal. The whole second floor of the restaurant was silent, except for the sound of clashing cutlery, creating the illusion of a fierce battle. The manager hid in a corner by the stairs, not daring to approach... The intense sound of clashing cutlery made it seem like a fight could break out at any moment! Please, don¡¯t let them fight... Those knives and forks were sharp! ... Soon, Zhao Ying Jun finished her meal. She wiped her mouth with a napkin, closed her eyes, and said: ¡°At this rate, it seems I won¡¯t get my turn today, huh?¡± Su Su said nothing, her cutlery still clashing loudly. ¡°I¡¯m full. You two carry on. I won¡¯t interrupt.¡± Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter anymore. ¡°Huh?¡± Su Su looked up, confused, at Zhao Ying Jun. The latter stood up, speaking softly. ¡°I just joined the table for dinner. I¡¯m not here for a blind date. Lin Xian isn¡¯t the type you think he is. So, no need to be angry. It¡¯s just a blind date. If it works, great. If not, no hard feelings. Part ways amicably.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not here for a blind date!?¡± Su Su was stunned. ¡°Then why are you sitting here? What¡¯s your relationship with him?¡± Zhao Ying Jun put on her coat, looking down at Su Su, ¡°I¡¯m his boss.¡± ¡°You two played me!¡± Su Su jumped up. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± Zhao Ying Jun ignored Su Su, putting on her coat, grabbing her handbag, and looking at Lin Xian. ¡°You¡¯ve missed many days of work. There¡¯s a lot waiting for you.¡± She pointed at Lin Xian with her index finger. ¡°Be in my office tomorrow morning. No taking leave.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Xian replied. Satisfied, Zhao Ying Jun hummed lightly, pleased, and walked away in her high heels. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 176: Go Ahead and Try If You Think You Can! Watching the woman who claimed to be Lin Xian¡¯s boss walk away with a smirk, Su Su felt both frustrated and humiliated. It was clear that the two had teamed up to mess with her, especially that arrogant woman. Since she was Lin Xian¡¯s boss, he obviously wouldn¡¯t dare ask her to play along in a charade. That whole act was her own improvisation, meant to embarrass Su Su! It made her look ridiculous... like she was jealous over a man! What a joke! Su Su felt as if ants were crawling all over her skin. She had never been so embarrassed. ¡°She only came up because the first floor of the restaurant was full, and she saw me eating here on the second floor,¡± Lin Xian explained without prompting. He was introduced to her by Chu Shan He for a blind date. Out of respect for Chu Shan He, Lin Xian felt compelled to clarify. ¡°You had just left, so she didn¡¯t see you and thought I was eating alone. It¡¯s just a coincidence and a misunderstanding, don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ¡°Is she really your boss?¡± Su Su asked, looking intently at Lin Xian. ¡°Yeah,¡± Lin Xian confirmed. ¡°She¡¯s the CEO of MX Company.¡± ¡°She¡¯s so young!¡± Su Su exclaimed. She knew of MX Company¡ªshe used their moisturizing cream, which was far superior to the expensive luxury brands she had before. It was a breakthrough in skincare technology. But she never paid attention to business news, and her friends, all spoiled rich girls, didn¡¯t discuss such things. Learning that the CEO of MX Company was about her age was a shock. ¡°And so pretty.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian agreed. Zhao Ying Jun had stood up for him today, so he felt it was right to praise her a bit. ¡°And she has a great personality. Everyone at our company admires her.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Su Su glared at Lin Xian. ¡°Are you trying to say I have a bad personality? You two don¡¯t need to pretend to be nice! Just by looking at you, I can tell there¡¯s something shady going on! Be honest, do you want to mooch off a rich woman?¡± Lin Xian chuckled but didn¡¯t respond. People are hard to compare without contrasts, he thought. Before, he thought Chu An Qing had a great personality compared to CC. But now, compared to Su Su, Chu An Qing seemed like an angel with her high emotional intelligence and charm. Talking to Chu An Qing was always pleasant; she never made anyone uncomfortable. Even when he lied about that sketch, she had covered for him seamlessly. Su Su, on the other hand, was like a firecracker... very hard to get along with. Anyone who married her would have their hands full. ¡°What¡¯s that look for!¡± Su Su straightened up, sensing Lin Xian¡¯s disdain. ¡°Are you going to deny it?¡± ¡°Hey...¡± Lin Xian sighed, looking at her helplessly. ¡°Since your father is friends with Chu Shan He, you should know Chu An Qing, right?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Su Su responded without hesitation. ¡°How could I not know An Qing? I am her¡ª¡± She stopped abruptly, remembering her sister¡¯s warning not to reveal her true identity to Lin Xian. It was crucial for unfreezing her bank account; she couldn¡¯t mess it up. ¡°Hm?¡± Lin Xian looked at Su Su. ¡°Go on, what are you to An Qing?¡± ¡°I-I was introduced by her father for this blind date,¡± Su Su stammered, trying to cover up. Lin Xian was speechless. ¡°You really are a repeater, repeating exactly what I said.¡± ¡°Why did you bring up An Qing?¡± Su Su quickly changed the subject. ¡°I just meant that An Qing has a great personality, very likable. You could be friends and chat more.¡± Bang! Su Su slammed her hand on the table. ¡°I¡¯m not short on people who like me! And I warn you, don¡¯t even think about hitting on An Qing, or Chu Shan He will throw you into the river to feed the fish!¡± Lin Xian decided there was nothing more to say. He asked, ¡°Are you full?¡± ¡°I¡¯m full of anger because of you!¡± ¡°Then shall we go home?¡± ¡°You!¡± Su Su was fuming. This blind date had made her feel like a clown from start to finish. She had planned to leave gracefully, but this jerk had dismissed her first. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go home yet... we could catch a movie,¡± Lin Xian suggested. ¡°It¡¯s a bit loud. Can you close the window?¡± ¡°That¡¯s called engine noise! It¡¯s supposed to be loud! You¡¯re so ignorant.¡± Su Su floored the gas pedal, launching the car with a burst of speed! She didn¡¯t even wait for the parking gate to lift, just sped under it thanks to the car¡¯s low profile. She glanced at Lin Xian... nothing! No reaction at all! Didn¡¯t this maneuver deserve some surprise? Gritting her teeth, Su Su vowed to make him gasp. She turned onto the highway. ¡°Wait, this isn¡¯t the way to my place. You¡¯re going the wrong way,¡± Lin Xian reminded her. ¡°Shut up. There¡¯s too much traffic over there.¡± ¡°But what does that have to do with taking me home?¡± Lin Xian was exasperated. What was she up to? Roar! The McLaren¡¯s engine roared as it sped up, heading for the less crowded outskirts. The speedometer climbed rapidly! 120, 140, 180, 200 kilometers per hour! At 200 km/h, the wind outside was like a sharp blade! Su Su squinted her eyes and glanced at Lin Xian. Now he must be panicking, right? ¡°Move left,¡± Lin Xian said lazily, half-asleep, leaning against the window. ¡°Huh?¡± Su Su was speechless. Wasn¡¯t he too calm? This was the city highway, and they were going 200 km/h! At 160 km/h, her previous passengers were terrified. And yet, this guy seemed ready to doze off. However, something more surprising happened! Zoom¡ª Even at 200 km/h, a red car overtook them like a ghost! Its speed was impressive! Both Su Su and Lin Xian were stunned. That car must be going at least 240 km/h! Who was so fearless? The red car overtook them, then provocatively slowed down, flashing its indicators. Lin Xian recognized it. It was a Ferrari LaFerrari, just like Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s. Seeing the license plate... ¡°What the heck?¡± Lin Xian straightened up. What was going on? That Ferrari was Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s! He had driven it in the rain before! Was Zhao Ying Jun not home? She couldn¡¯t have gone back to the office just to take out the Ferrari for a joyride, could she? That was impossible. Up ahead was a left turn. At 200 km/h, any turn was sharp. Su Su braked hard. But the Ferrari didn¡¯t slow down... it drifted around the corner, tires screeching! ¡°What the heck!¡± Both Su Su and Lin Xian exclaimed simultaneously. That driving skill was incredible! Now Lin Xian was sure the Ferrari driver wasn¡¯t Zhao Ying Jun. She didn¡¯t have those skills! Whoever was driving was a master. Who was it? The Ferrari¡¯s key should be in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office drawer. Only he and Zhao Ying Jun knew the code. ¡°Wait!¡± Lin Xian realized. There was one more person who knew the code! Yellow Finch! The mysterious woman from that rainy night in his office! The person in that Ferrari was likely Yellow Finch! ¡°Catch up with her!¡± Lin Xian shouted. He had many questions for Yellow Finch and couldn¡¯t let her get away. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do! I was going to chase her anyway!!¡± Su Su, infuriated by the day¡¯s events, floored the gas pedal, following the red Ferrari. ¡°You¡¯re doing it wrong,¡± Lin Xian said as Su Su struggled with another turn. ¡°You¡¯re losing speed in the curves. You need to drift to keep up.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Su Su was sweating, gripping the wheel tightly as she overtook two cars. ¡°You can¡¯t overtake like that!¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but advise. ¡°You¡¯re slowing down too much! Look at the Ferrari; they¡¯re cutting in smoothly. Why are you driving so cautiously?¡± ¡°What are you yelling about!¡± As the Ferrari pulled further away, Su Su couldn¡¯t take it anymore and slammed her hand on the wheel. ¡°If you think you can do better, go ahead and try!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 177: Yellow Finchs Purpose ¡°Absolutely!¡± Lin Xian exclaimed with enthusiasm. He had been eagerly waiting for this chance! Earlier, while watching Su Su¡¯s questionable driving, he had nervously seen the Ferrari disappearing into the distance. He had been itching to take the wheel himself and chase after Yellow Finch. But he couldn¡¯t just seize control; it was Su Su¡¯s car, after all. Now that she had offered him the chance, Lin Xian was more than ready. ¡°Quick, pull over and let me drive.¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Su Su stared at him like he had gone crazy. ¡°This isn¡¯t a toy. Driving isn¡¯t as simple as just hitting the accelerator.¡± ¡°Oh, please, just pull over!¡± Lin Xian urged, pointing to where the red Ferrari had vanished around the corner. ¡°If you delay any longer, we¡¯ll never catch them. Can you live with that humiliation? Will you be able to sleep tonight if we don¡¯t catch them?¡± Su Su was momentarily speechless. He had a point. She had never felt so insulted. No one had ever dared to be so bold in front of her. She needed to overtake them. Complying, Su Su slowed the car and pulled over. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but smirk internally. Su Su was predictable. Logic and reason were futile with her; a bit of reverse psychology worked perfectly. Click. Su Su unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out. She gave Lin Xian a stern look as he settled into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°You better not mess this up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll restore the honor of your Wind God!¡± Lin Xian reassured her as he buckled up and watched her close the car door. Vroom!!!!! The engine roared as Lin Xian slammed the gas pedal, the force pinning them back in their seats. In that moment, Lin Xian felt a deep connection with the car, perfectly in tune with its immense power and sensitive steering. Years of dream racing had honed Lin Xian¡¯s instincts. He was in complete command, managing the car¡¯s power and reaction time with ease. The McLaren Wind God burst forward like a sprinting antelope, accelerating rapidly into the traffic ahead. ¡°Watch out! There¡¯s a car right there!¡± Su Su screamed. They were in the slow lane after pulling over, and several sluggish vehicles blocked their path to the left. Accelerating this aggressively in such traffic was risky. To Su Su¡¯s amazement, Lin Xian swiftly turned off all driving aids on the dashboard. The car switched to full manual mode, even the basic stability control was disabled. Despite the hectic traffic, Lin Xian kept his foot on the gas. The McLaren weaved through cars like a swift snake, dodging obstacles at high speed and still accelerating. Su Su was stunned. This was still her car, but it now behaved like an entirely different beast, skirting through traffic faster than she could have ever imagined. It surpassed any racing game she had played. Quickly, the McLaren Wind God shifted from the slow lane to the fast lane, now reaching speeds of 160 kilometers per hour and still increasing. Ahead was a sharp left turn. Lin Xian showed no signs of slowing down. Su Su tightened her seatbelt, a mix of fear and excitement taking hold. Being a passenger was drastically different from driving. At this speed, she wasn¡¯t sure how they¡¯d make the turn safely. She looked over at Lin Xian. He appeared calm and collected, his face showing no sign of stress. A red light halted Lin Xian as the Ferrari disappeared into the hospital¡¯s parking lot. Lin Xian had been here twice before, both times visiting Xu Yi Yi¡¯s ward and Xu Yun. Was Yellow Finch¡¯s visit connected to Xu Yun or Xu Yi Yi? She always seemed to lead him to something significant, never revealing her intentions directly. As the light turned green, Lin Xian drove into the hospital parking lot. He wasn¡¯t concerned about losing Yellow Finch; she was clearly guiding him. He parked near the hospital entrance. The red Ferrari was already there. Lin Xian got out of his car. ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± Su Su called from the passenger seat. ¡°I¡¯m visiting someone. Thanks for the ride. I¡¯ll head home on my own. Bye.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Su Su¡¯s voice trailed off as Lin Xian walked briskly away, leaving her sitting in the car, her expression uncertain. ... Lin Xian approached the Ferrari quickly. The door was unlocked. He pressed the handle, and it swung open automatically. The car was empty, no sign of Yellow Finch. ¡°Always so mysterious,¡± Lin Xian muttered, feeling the warm leather seat, proof that Yellow Finch had just departed. The car keys were left on the dashboard, secured under a napkin. He picked up the napkin. Written in lipstick on it was a message: ¡°Remember to return the car.¡± Lin Xian sighed. Yellow Finch really treated Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office like her own, taking keys and driving cars freely, similar to his actions with Li Cheng in the dream world. Stepping out of the car, he scanned the area. Yellow Finch was nowhere to be seen. Finding someone in the dark was nearly impossible, especially someone as elusive as Yellow Finch. Yet, he was certain she had brought him to Donghai University Affiliated Hospital for a reason, likely to provide some crucial information, as she had before. The only person in the hospital connected to him was Xu Yi Yi. Lin Xian remembered the frail girl, a shadow of her former self, lying in her hospital bed. After Xu Yun¡¯s death, Lin Xian hadn¡¯t visited her, though he knew Zhao Ying Jun would take good care of her. His guilt and remorse had kept him away. He had promised himself he¡¯d visit her once he caught Xu Yun¡¯s killer, to share the news. He also vowed to place her in a hibernation chamber once it was invented, fulfilling Xu Yun¡¯s last wish. But these were just his excuses for delaying the inevitable. ¡°....¡± He sighed deeply. He should have visited Xu Yi Yi long ago. ¡°No matter what,¡± Lin Xian thought, looking up at the lit windows on the 17th floor. ¡°I should visit Xu Yi Yi¡¯s ward.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 178: Bury Me on the Moon Lin Xian walked into the hospital and took the elevator to the 17th floor. As the doors closed, he remembered his last visit to Xu Yi Yi¡¯s hospital room on December 29, 2022. Two days later, during the New Year¡¯s Eve party, Professor Xu Yun was tragically killed at 12:42 AM, right in the street. Since then, Lin Xian had focused on tracking down the killers. Over the months, his efforts paid off. He uncovered hints about something called the Universal Constant 42.Ne/w novel chapters are published on Though he didn¡¯t fully understand what 42 meant or how it was used, the fact that Big Cat Face¡¯s father died 600 years later because of it hinted at a terrifying secret. He even tracked down the author of ¡°Introduction to the Cosmic Constant.¡± It was only a matter of time before he cracked the mystery of 42. Once everything was safe, his plan was to bring Liu Feng to Donghai City, set up a lab for him, and let him delve into the secrets of 42. With that knowledge, Lin Xian would be ready to face his enemies. For now, he had pinpointed the killers: Zhou Duan Yun, Ji Lin, and Ji Xin Shui were definitely behind Xu Yun¡¯s murder. He just needed solid proof to bring them to justice. Ding¡ª The elevator stopped at the 17th floor, and Lin Xian headed straight to Xu Yi Yi¡¯s room. ¡°Huh?¡± The door was slightly open. Inside, a stranger stood by Xu Yi Yi¡¯s bed, doing rehab exercises on the sleeping Xu Yi Yi. Lin Xian could only see his back. The man wasn¡¯t tall but looked strong, like someone used to physical work. His hair was neatly combed, and he had a hint of stubble on his clean-shaven chin. He carefully lifted Xu Yi Yi¡¯s thin leg, bending and stretching it gently, just like Professor Xu Yun used to do. Lin Xian watched silently. The man¡¯s commitment to Xu Yi Yi¡¯s rehab made Lin Xian think he might be a nurse hired by the hospital. But then again, he didn¡¯t really look like a nurse. Soon, the man finished the exercises and noticed Lin Xian at the door. ¡°Sir, who are you?¡± he asked politely in broken Mandarin. ¡°I¡¯m a friend of Professor Xu Yun,¡± Lin Xian replied, pointing to the bedridden Xu Yi Yi. ¡°I came to visit Xu Yi Yi. And you are...?¡± The man smiled, turned around, and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m Zheng Cheng He, a relative from the next room.¡± He pointed to the left wall. ¡°My sister has been sick and in the hospital for years. Because our rooms are next to each other, we got a lot of help from Professor Xu Yun. Professor Xu Yun was a big help to us. Recently, he shared many of his techniques with us. My sister and I are very thankful to him.¡± He looked at Xu Yi Yi with concern. ¡°After Professor Xu Yun¡¯s accident, I worried Xu Yi Yi might feel lonely, so my sister and I often come to chat with her and help with her rehab.¡± Lin Xian nodded politely. Zheng Cheng He and Professor Xu Yun shared a common struggle¡ªone with a long-term hospitalized sister; the other, a daughter in a vegetative state. Clearly, Professor Xu Yun was kind to this brother and sister, inspiring Zheng Cheng He to help with Xu Yi Yi¡¯s rehab. As Lin Xian got closer to the bed, he noticed the left side of Zheng Cheng He¡¯s face was covered in scars. Some scars ran from his neck to his ear, looking pretty scary. Even though they had healed a long time ago, they were still raised and red. In contrast, the skin on his right side was unmarked. ¡°What happened to your face?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Oh, I was bitten by a dog when I was a kid,¡± Zheng Cheng He replied, touching the scars with a smile. ¡°I was careless and got bitten by a neighbor¡¯s dog.¡± ¡°Speaking of birthdays, Xiang Yue, your fourteenth is next month. What gift would you like? I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± ¡°Hehe, I don¡¯t want gifts,¡± Xiang Yue said playfully. ¡°I¡¯ve always had one wish. You know what it is, but you always say no.¡± Zheng Cheng He¡¯s face turned serious as he shook his head. ¡°No, I can¡¯t agree to that wish because I believe you¡¯ll get better.¡± ¡°But what if I don¡¯t? Please promise me!¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t. I¡¯ll do everything to cure you, no matter what.¡± Their exchange caught Lin Xian¡¯s attention, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask Xiang Yue: ¡°What¡¯s your wish?¡± Xiang Yue looked at him with hopeful eyes and smiled. ¡°I want my brother to bury me on the moon when I die.¡± This left Lin Xian speechless. Was this just a child¡¯s innocence, or did she not understand the reality of death? No wonder Zheng Cheng He couldn¡¯t agree. No brother would make such a promise. As long as there was hope, he would keep fighting. Lin Xian took a deep breath and held Xiang Yue¡¯s hand. ¡°You probably won¡¯t need to go to the moon.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Xiang Yue asked, surprised. ¡°Because soon, the first hibernation chambers will be available,¡± Lin Xian explained, smiling. ¡°Do you know about hibernation chambers? Professor Xu Yun invented them. Once you go to sleep in one, you could wake up decades or even centuries later.¡± ¡°Right now, we can¡¯t cure your illness, but in the future, with advances in science and medicine, it will probably be easy to treat.¡± He glanced at the frail figure of Xu Yi Yi. ¡°Professor Xu Yun planned to send Xu Yi Yi to the future for her treatment. You could go together and become friends when you wake up.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t give up on yourself, Xiang Yue. Talking about death upsets your brother.¡± At that moment, Xiang Yue¡¯s eyes seemed incredibly mature, making her seem wise beyond her years. She sighed softly, looking out at the moon. ¡°But... I really want to go to the moon...¡± ¡°Why the moon?¡± Lin Xian asked, intrigued. ¡°Because my brother told me that¡¯s where our parents are,¡± Xiang Yue replied, biting her lip and blinking back tears. ¡°I really want to see them...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 179: Taxi Explaining that your parents live on the moon isn¡¯t easy. That¡¯s what Lin Xian found out as he tried to make sense of Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s unusual belief. Zheng Xiang Yue, nearly fourteen, seemed to think like a much younger child, around seven or eight years old. Could it be because she¡¯d spent most of her life in the hospital, never going to school or exploring the world outside? It wasn¡¯t that she wasn¡¯t smart; Zheng Xiang Yue was actually quite clever. ¡°Xiang Yue, time for your check-up!¡± a nurse called from outside the room, signaling that it was time for her to go. Zheng Cheng He carefully set his sister down, and she waved cheerfully at them before following the nurse out. ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Zheng Cheng He apologized after she left. ¡°My sister has been in and out of the hospital since she was very young. She thinks about things in a simple way, like a kid might.¡± ¡°When she was little, she used to ask me where our parents went after they died. I told her they went to the moon. I said, ¡®Whenever you miss them, just look up at the moon. They¡¯re watching over you from there.''¡± ¡°She really took it to heart and believed it. Even as she grew up, she held onto that idea. She even dreams of being buried on the moon so she can be with our parents and keep an eye on me every night.¡± As he shared this, Zheng Cheng He sighed deeply. ¡°But I can¡¯t lose Xiang Yue. She¡¯s all the family I have. If one of us has to go, it¡¯ll be me. I can¡¯t bear the thought of her going before me.¡± Lin Xian gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. In front of his sister, Zheng Cheng He always appeared strong, but now, his vulnerability was evident. Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s condition was more serious than he let on. Congenital heart disease, a silent killer, often gives no warning signs. A sudden attack could be fatal, and so patients like her couldn¡¯t leave the hospital and required constant monitoring. Lin Xian had noticed earlier that although Zheng Xiang Yue seemed to move freely, wires could be seen peeking from under her sleeves, likely connected to monitors that would alert the staff if her heart rhythm became abnormal. As Zheng Cheng He had mentioned, children with severe forms of this disease rarely lived long. Making it to their teens was nearly miraculous, and for Zheng Xiang Yue, every birthday could be her last. ¡°Technology is improving quickly; keep hope,¡± Lin Xian encouraged him. ¡°You know about Professor Xu Yun¡¯s research. Those hibernation pods he¡¯s working on could make managing Xiang Yue¡¯s condition much easier in the future.¡±Fo?llo?w new stories at ¡°Thank you,¡± Zheng Cheng He nodded with gratitude. ¡°What should I call you, by the way?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Lin Xian. Just Lin Xian is fine. You¡¯re older; no need to be formal.¡± The hospital was a reminder of the world¡¯s suffering, which Lin Xian couldn¡¯t alleviate on his own. Each floor was filled with patients like Zheng Xiang Yue, all fighting against time. This was the harsh truth of life: birth, aging, sickness, death¡ªthese were natural forces no one could escape. That¡¯s why the work of Professor Xu Yun and his colleague Tang Xin was so crucial. Their success with the hibernation pods could potentially change humanity¡¯s fate, giving people the ability to bypass time and grasp new opportunities. Yet, some, like Zhou Duan Yun, were trying to stop them. What did they gain from hindering human progress? Lin Xian had thought about this without finding any answers. Perhaps, as Yellow Finch hinted, the answers were in the Genius Club, and joining it might reveal them. Why had Yellow Finch brought him here today? There was always a deeper meaning to her actions. Could he have missed something important? The hospital¡¯s private rooms, especially in a crowded city like Donghai, were rare and costly. Considering Zheng Cheng He and his sister¡¯s background as orphans with little money, how could they afford such expensive care? ¡°You drive well,¡± Su Su said, showing a QR code for her WeChat contact on her phone. ¡°Add me. Let¡¯s go racing sometime!¡± Lin Xian smiled, ¡°I told you, I don¡¯t own a car.¡± ¡°You!¡± Su Su¡¯s expression changed instantly. She clenched her teeth. ¡°Ungrateful jerk! Hmph!¡± Vroom!!! The McLaren roared away, leaving a cloud of exhaust behind. ¡°Well...¡± Lin Xian scratched his head, ¡°I really don¡¯t own a car. This Ferrari isn¡¯t mine.¡± The next day, at MX Company on the 22nd floor, Lin Xian walked into Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office. She paused her work and looked at him curiously. ¡°How did your blind date go yesterday?¡± she asked. ¡°It ended after you left,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°We had nothing to talk about. Clearly not a match.¡± Zhao Ying Jun blinked. ¡°Are you planning to stay in touch?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t exchange contacts,¡± Lin Xian answered. ¡°I see.¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, picked up a pen, and resumed her work. ¡°Chu Shan He probably set it up for a friend. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°You said there was a lot of work for me... What is it? I¡¯ll get started.¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s not much work. We¡¯re not that busy lately; everything is on track.¡± Zhao Ying Jun pulled a stamped A4 paper from the file cabinet. ¡°Yesterday afternoon, the Donghai police sent this transfer order. It¡¯s addressed to our company, but whether you go or not is up to you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Lin Xian frowned. ¡°A transfer order?¡± ¡°Yes, they want to assign you to the special investigation team for Xu Yun¡¯s case.¡± Zhao Ying Jun handed him the A4 paper. ¡°Take a look.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 180: Going to the Moon ¡°A transfer request? Why would the Donghai City Police Department send me a transfer request? I¡¯m not even a detective.¡± Lin Xian scrutinized the letter. Stamped with the official seal of the Donghai City Police Department in the bottom right corner, it was addressed to MX Company at the top. The letter was formal, informing MX Company that they required Lin Xian¡¯s help on a special investigation team for the Xu Yun case for a month, possibly extending if needed. ¡°Why do they suddenly want me?¡± Lin Xian mused aloud. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied, shaking her head. ¡°They usually keep details of these cases under wraps until they¡¯re completely solved. Remember, you don¡¯t have to accept this transfer if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes were drawn to the red seal on the document. It was out of the ordinary for the Donghai City Police to request someone with no investigative experience. There was only one explanation: Ji Lin must have recommended him. Clearly, Ji Lin had arranged this invitation to join the investigation team. Now in a significant role, Ji Lin wielded substantial influence within the police department, capable of orchestrating such maneuvers with ease. It felt like a setup. Lin Xian had figured out that Ji Lin, along with Ji Xin Shui and Zhou Duan Yun, were involved not only in the murders of Xu Yun and Tang Xin but were also plotting against him, including a plan to stage a car accident at 00:42. This was the kind of cat-and-mouse game Yellow Finch had mentioned. Recently, Lin Xian had been actively gathering information about his adversaries, who were likely doing the same about him. Ji Lin¡¯s request seemed like a direct challenge, aiming to discover Lin Xian¡¯s secrets through daily interaction and teamwork. ¡°Hold on,¡± Lin Xian paused, thinking. His investigations into Ji Xin Shui and the past dealings with Zhou Duan Yun had been accidental. Ji Lin wouldn¡¯t know he was already on their trail. From Ji Lin¡¯s point of view, Lin Xian was still oblivious to his role in the murders and continued to play the concerned officer, ostensibly focused on solving Xu Yun¡¯s murder while grieving over Tang Xin. So, the upper hand was still Lin Xian¡¯s. He had more information. Should he accept the invitation? Lin Xian hesitated. Real life wasn¡¯t like a dream; there were no second chances. The old saying went, ¡°To catch the tiger¡¯s cub, one must enter the tiger¡¯s den,¡± but entering Ji Lin¡¯s territory alone was risky. Ji Lin was cunning and would undoubtedly set numerous traps. However, having identified Ji Lin, Ji Xin Shui, and Zhou Duan Yun, the next logical step to expose them required close proximity to collect more evidence. In this strategic game, it was about who could exploit the other¡¯s errors first. The stakes were high, but so were the potential rewards. He should pretend to fall into Ji Lin¡¯s trap, then turn the tables. ¡°If Ji Lin can set traps for me, why can¡¯t I set a counter-trap?¡± Lin Xian thought. ¡°I¡¯ll think it over,¡± Lin Xian pocketed the transfer request and turned to Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Professor Xu Yun was a great mentor to us, and if I can help the police solve his murder sooner, I want to contribute.¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m Zhao Ying Jun nodded, ¡°It¡¯s your decision.¡± ... After leaving Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office, Lin Xian checked his watch. It was still early, not yet noon. Knowing Zheng Cheng He drove a taxi during the day, he figured Zheng Xiang Yue would be alone in the hospital. Lin Xian knew her birthday was next month. She didn¡¯t have much time, but she was still here. ¡°Your birthday¡¯s coming, and you¡¯re proving them wrong,¡± Lin Xian assured her, squeezing her hand. ¡°You¡¯re going to grow up strong and beautiful. Trust yourself and science. They¡¯re making advances all the time.¡± ¡°You love the moon, right? Why not dream of being an astronaut?¡± he suggested. ¡°An astronaut?¡± she pondered, tilting her head. ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian affirmed. ¡°You could travel to the moon, see Earth from space. It would be incredible.¡± He linked his pinky with hers. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll wave to us from the moon. We¡¯ll be watching.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± she giggled, making the pinky promise. ¡°Is your brother coming tonight?¡± Lin Xian asked, steering towards his main interest. ¡°Yes, he finishes his shift at six,¡± she nodded. ¡°He¡¯s mostly working days but sometimes at night too.¡± ¡°He¡¯s very dedicated,¡± Lin Xian noted. ¡°What did he get you for New Year¡¯s?¡± ¡°We watched fireworks together, and he surprised me with a Rhine Cat doll at midnight. I love Rhine Cat!¡± she beamed. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Lin Xian thought, relieved. Considering the distances involved, if Zheng Cheng He was with her at midnight, he couldn¡¯t have been involved in the accident at 00:42 that killed Professor Xu Yun. He couldn¡¯t be in two places at once, and Zheng Xiang Yue wouldn¡¯t lie about something so important. That was reassuring. Lin Xian hoped Zheng Cheng He, the caring brother, was genuinely good. He looked forward to the day they could proudly watch Zheng Xiang Yue wave from the moon. ¡°What do you want for your birthday?¡± Lin Xian asked, ready to celebrate. ¡°I want to go to the moon!¡± she declared firmly. ¡°But you can¡¯t go right now,¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°No one¡¯s doing manned moon missions currently.¡± ¡°Yes, they are! They¡¯re selling tickets to the moon now!¡± she insisted. ¡°Really?¡± Lin Xian was skeptical. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not just a game?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s real! I saw it on the news,¡± she insisted, rushing to fetch her phone. She returned with her phone, showing him a news screenshot. ¡°See, I told you it¡¯s real!¡± she said triumphantly. Lin Xian took the phone, still doubtful, and read the headline: ¡°SpaceX CEO, the world¡¯s richest man Elon Musk, announces moon travel tickets on sale, with only ten seats available!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 181: The Real and Fake VV ¡°A ticket to the moon?¡± It sounded like an outrageous idea at first. But as Lin Xian examined the ticket and saw the name ¡°Elon¡± printed on it, he began to reconsider. Elon Musk. A globally recognized genius. He was the mastermind behind several groundbreaking projects: founder of SpaceX, head of Tesla, initiator of Starlink, and a pioneer in the quest to colonize Mars. Ten years ago, his plans seemed overly ambitious, even impossible. Yet a decade later, many of his bold predictions had become a reality. Not only had he advanced reusable rocket technology, but his company had also changed global perceptions of space travel. Gone were the days when rockets were considered failures due to minor errors. Now, rockets were designed with numerous safety backups, allowing them to function even if multiple engines failed. In 2021, Elon Musk made headlines by selling four tickets for a space trip, successfully sending four tourists 500 kilometers above Earth for a three-day excursion. This event cemented Elon Musk¡¯s reputation. Until then, only three countries had achieved manned spaceflight. Now, a private enterprise had joined their ranks. Following this success, Elon Musk started selling tickets for Mars colonization trips. Though mostly promotional, considering his track record, who could doubt his vision? Often dubbed the Iron Man of Silicon Valley, he seemed capable of turning any vision into reality. According to the article Zheng Xiang Yue showed him, Elon Musk had sold out a second batch of space travel tickets, with the next flight planned for the following year. Capitalizing on this success, he was now offering tickets for moon trips. While manned moon missions were still complex, they were less challenging than Mars missions. Elon Musk believed moon trips could begin within a few years. The price for a moon trip ticket was a staggering $12 million, over double the cost of a space trip ticket, equivalent to more than 84 million yuan. Currently, a $2 million deposit was required, with the remainder due a year before the launch. Two million dollars converted to about 14 million yuan. Lin Xian noticed Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s eyes widen in excitement. Such an amount¡ªher brother would never earn that even if he worked non-stop! And that was just the deposit. The total was another 70 million yuan. Clearly, Zheng Xiang Yue had a limited understanding of finances, having never left the hospital. ¡°This seems like just a promotional gimmick,¡± Lin Xian handed the phone back to Zheng Xiang Yue. ¡°You might not know much about Elon Musk. He¡¯s famous for his plans to colonize Mars. But right now, it¡¯s still a long shot.¡± ¡°This moon travel scheme doesn¡¯t even have a fixed launch date, suggesting it¡¯s not quite ready. It might be all talk.¡± ¡°Instead of banking on this uncertain plan, you should focus on your treatment, wait for a heart transplant, or the success of the hibernation research. Then we could become astronauts and visit the moon ourselves!¡± Lin Xian was slightly taken aback by CC¡¯s words. Today, CC seemed more open and even a bit endearing. He thought this change was due to their interactions since entering the dream. Initially, unfamiliarity led to inevitable arguments or conflicts. But now, Lin Xian knew this part of the story well. He understood everything CC was willing to share and didn¡¯t worry about what she kept to herself. This led to CC¡¯s growing fondness for him. From CC¡¯s perspective, Lin Xian was knowledgeable, reasonable, and incredibly capable. He selflessly helped her, providing valuable information and safely bringing her to the safe. Without expecting anything in return or competing for the combination to the safe. Naturally, CC¡¯s attitude towards Lin Xian improved significantly, even leading to trust. ¡°You probably can¡¯t help,¡± Lin Xian remarked. ¡°It¡¯s a matter concerning another world and another time.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± Lin Xian paused, then, as if speaking to himself, casually said: ¡°There¡¯s a group of people who killed my friends. I don¡¯t know their motives, but now it seems they¡¯re targeting me, wanting to kill me too.¡± ¡°Are you going to run away?¡± CC inquired. ¡°Running isn¡¯t an option... Where would I go?¡± Lin Xian found an aluminum alloy safe to sit on and continued: ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not easy to kill me. They need evidence, and... I don¡¯t want to run. Those people were close to me, and they died in front of me. I can¡¯t just leave; I want revenge. But so far, I haven¡¯t found any evidence of their crimes, so I can¡¯t bring them to justice. Instead, they¡¯ve infiltrated the police, gained control, and even invited me to join the investigation team.¡± ¡°Did you join?¡± CC stopped turning the dial and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Not yet.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m still hesitating. Joining the team would give me a chance to get close to the killers and gather evidence. But it also gives them a chance to get close to me. In the police station, their territory... it¡¯s dangerous for me. I might be caught before I find any evidence and be killed.¡± ¡°Are you scared?¡± CC stood up. ¡°Scared? No.¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not scared. I¡¯m just worried that without the perfect plan, I might not only fail to avenge my friends but also lose myself.¡± After that, neither CC nor Lin Xian spoke. After a few seconds, CC crouched down again, turning the dial, trying to open the lock but failing. ¡°This problem of yours, I might not have any advice or answers,¡± CC said amid the clicking sounds. ¡°Only you know how dangerous your situation is. As an outsider, my words might not help. But... I can tell you a story.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Lin Xian looked up. CC, seeming resolute, pursed her lips and met Lin Xian¡¯s gaze. ¡°VV.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslationNe/w novel chapters are published on Chapter 182: Lin Xian vs. Ji Lin When Lin Xian heard the name ¡°VV,¡± he felt a jolt of tension. VV was described as a middle-aged man with long hair and a beard, and his voice was eerily similar to Lin Xian¡¯s. VV once hinted to CC that all the secrets she needed were locked away in a safe, making him a crucial yet mysterious figure in their lives. Despite Lin Xian¡¯s repeated attempts to get information about VV from CC, she always remained tight-lipped, saying it was personal and she¡¯d rather not talk about it. Today, though, she seemed more willing to open up, possibly feeling a newfound closeness to Lin Xian, and began to reveal more about VV. ¡°Your voice and his have haunted me since I was young,¡± CC paused, stopping her work on the safe to focus on her story. ¡°I used to wonder if you were him. But the timeline doesn¡¯t add up.¡± ¡°I first met VV when I was eleven, and he was already a middle-aged man. When I remember you with the safe, I¡¯m my current age¡ªand so are you. It doesn¡¯t make sense that I aged normally while you became younger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just not logical. If VV is still out there, he¡¯d be at least in his forties now. But I never met him at eleven in my past life.¡± ¡°But...¡± CC¡¯s eyes wandered, her face troubled. ¡°Today, you¡¯ve talked about things like time loops, the end of the world, predicting the future... After hearing all that, why should I stick to normal logic?¡± ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian cut in, ¡°do you think I could be VV?¡± CC shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I can¡¯t fully believe it, but there are undeniable similarities.¡± ¡°Things like courage, strong beliefs, and a bold approach to danger. VV¡¯s memory has really influenced who I am. He¡¯s like a hero to me, someone I¡¯ve always wanted to be like.¡± ¡°But,¡± CC added, her voice changing as she stared straight at Lin Xian, ¡°there¡¯s one big difference between you two.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Lin Xian was genuinely curious. ¡°VV was much colder than you,¡± CC replied sincerely, her expression darkening. ¡°He was serious, reserved, and carried a deep bitterness. He did everything with a detached efficiency, whether it was ending a life or saying goodbye.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if those traits are good or bad, but I do admire his determination and fearlessness. That¡¯s part of why I came all the way from Brooklyn to join you in sneaking into New Donghai City.¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m CC tapped the aluminum safe, which emitted a hollow sound. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong; I¡¯m not trying to compare you directly to VV. I actually prefer your personality. But sometimes, you seem split: one moment decisive like VV, the next hesitant and unsure.¡± Lin Xian recognized the truth in her words. He had two sides: the daring dream version and the cautious real-life version. The dream Lin Xian was bold and indifferent to danger, much like VV. In contrast, the real Lin Xian was gentle and thoughtful, always considering his actions carefully. These two versions of him¡ªone like VV, yet not; the other truly him, yet different. But he couldn¡¯t blame himself for this split personality. If his real life involved endless rebirths and time loops like in his dreams, he wouldn¡¯t need to be so cautious either. ¡°I understand,¡± Lin Xian said, his eyes drifting to the rising moon. ¡°If VV were here, he¡¯d definitely be leading the fight against the killer, right?¡± CC nodded. ¡°I might not like someone as cold as VV, but if there¡¯s a cause worth risking everything for, it¡¯s worth it. Risks don¡¯t always pay off, but if you never take them, what can you expect?¡± ¡°What happened at the end of that memory?¡± Lin Xian checked his watch¡ªit was 00:40, nearly time to wake up¡ªand pressed for more details. ¡°You seem torn. You admire VV but also resent him, especially how he left you. Did he abandon you at eleven?¡± ¡°You got it,¡± CC chuckled, though there was a hint of bitterness in her laugh. ¡°He was supposed to tell me the combination to the safe but never did. Even when I begged him to take me with him, he left me alone in the wild.¡± Lin Xian stayed quiet, watching Ji Lin closely, trying to figure out his angle. After yesterday¡¯s discussion with CC, Lin Xian felt less anxious. Hiding was useless. Whether at home or in the police bureau, Ji Lin and his colleagues, like Ji Xin Shui and Zhou Duan Yun, were clearly onto him. He decided it was better to confront them directly. ¡°With this new evidence, we need to re-investigate Tang Xin¡¯s case,¡± Ji Lin explained, opening a folder on his desk and linking it to another case. ¡°Given the similarities between Tang Xin¡¯s and Xu Yun¡¯s cases, we think the same person or group might be responsible.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°But what does this have to do with my transfer?¡± ¡°You were the last person to see Professor Xu Yun alive,¡± Ji Lin stated. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Lin Xian acknowledged. ¡°And you were also the last to see Tang Xin on the night she died,¡± Ji Lin added. ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Lin Xian confirmed. ¡°So, Lin Xian... if someone could precisely control the death times of Xu Yun and Tang Xin, timing them around 00:42, you would be the prime suspect,¡± Ji Lin said bluntly. Lin Xian frowned. ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± ¡°After Xu Yun¡¯s death, you inherited all his patent earnings, becoming a millionaire overnight. You benefited the most from his death, with only a vague promise to care for Xu Yun¡¯s daughter in return.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°So, you suspect me. What about Tang Xin? What did I gain from her death?¡± ¡°When Tang Xin died, you were seen saving Chu An Qing at the theater. You brought them together backstage, and as a result, you were welcomed by Chu Shan He, the most powerful man in Donghai City. I don¡¯t know the exact amount of money or favors he offered, but you clearly benefited from Tang Xin¡¯s death.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian said calmly. ¡°So you think I¡¯m responsible for the deaths of Xu Yun and Tang Xin.¡± Ji Lin spread his hands. ¡°Honestly, Lin Xian, I never personally suspected you. But given your involvement and the coincidences surrounding the benefits you gained, the Donghai police can¡¯t help but be suspicious. If I didn¡¯t bring you in, they would start investigating you soon, potentially harming your life, freedom, and reputation.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re inviting me to join the special investigation team?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Ji Lin confirmed. ¡°This is your chance to clear your name. You knew Tang Xin and Xu Yun better than anyone, possibly even understanding the killer¡¯s motives. By joining us, you can prove your innocence and seek justice for your classmate and Xu Yun. It¡¯s a win-win.¡± ¡°Do you accept my invitation?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Xian smiled, his determination clear. He stood and extended his hand to Ji Lin. ¡°I¡¯m here to catch the killer.¡± Ji Lin stood and shook Lin Xian¡¯s hand with a smile. ¡°From today, we are colleagues.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 183: Living Together ¡°Alright, Lin Xian, you need to go home and pack some personal items today,¡± Ji Lin said firmly. ¡°Our special investigation team is moving into high gear. We¡¯ll be working around the clock until we crack this case, so we¡¯re all going to live here. There are dorms set up for us in the back.¡± ¡°We have to live here?¡± Lin Xian was caught off guard. ¡°The transfer letter didn¡¯t mention that.¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Lin Xian replied, shaking his head. ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect the team to be on such a strict schedule. I thought I¡¯d be able to go home.¡± Ji Lin chuckled lightly and gave Lin Xian a reassuring pat on the shoulder. ¡°Now that we¡¯re working together, I can be honest with you. Keeping you here all the time is also a way to protect you.¡± ¡°Protect me?¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°Is someone out to get me?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± Ji Lin clarified. ¡°It¡¯s to help prove you¡¯re not the murderer.¡± ¡°Earlier, I mentioned we don¡¯t have any solid leads on the deaths of Xu Yun and Tang Xin,¡± Ji Lin continued. ¡°You were the last person seen at both scenes, you knew the victims well, and somehow, you ended up benefiting from their deaths. That makes you a suspect.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no evidence you did anything wrong, but from the police¡¯s point of view, when a case isn¡¯t progressing and you¡¯re connected to both incidents, it¡¯s natural for them to be suspicious.¡± ¡°By staying here, if we solve the case while you¡¯re with us, great. If not, and similar incidents happen while you¡¯re here, it¡¯ll show you couldn¡¯t be involved. That should clear your name.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t answer right away. This was unexpected. He had thought if Ji Lin was behind this, he¡¯d brought him here to catch him slipping up. But it seemed Ji Lin was keeping him close under the guise of protection, watching him day and night. It felt less like a precaution and more like house arrest. ¡°Are you planning to handcuff us together next? Maybe even share a bathroom?¡± Lin Xian joked, tossing his black notebook onto the table. ¡°Do you think this is some kind of magical death notebook?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been watching too much TV,¡± Ji Lin laughed. ¡°Try to see it from my point of view and the pressure the Donghai police are under. The public is unhappy with their lack of action. They need to show they¡¯re doing something.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be completely restricted. If you need to go out, that¡¯s fine, but I¡¯d prefer to come along. That way, if something happens, I can vouch for you.¡± ¡°I hope you stay focused on catching the killer. The sooner we do, the better it will be for both of us.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian agreed. If he was stepping into the lion¡¯s den, he might as well understand Ji Lin¡¯s motives. Both were pretending, both were watching. Staying close might actually be to Lin Xian¡¯s advantage. As Ji Lin tried to figure him out, Lin Xian was also sizing up Ji Lin. It was a battle of wits, seeing who could piece the puzzle together first. ¡°I¡¯ll go get my stuff now,¡± Lin Xian said, preparing to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll be back tonight. It¡¯s hot, so I won¡¯t need much.¡± ... Later that night, Ji Lin lay on his bed, hands behind his head, eyes shut, while Lin Xian, wearing headphones, scrolled through his phone, waiting for 12:42 to pass. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sleeping, Lin Xian?¡± Ji Lin rolled over to look at him. Under the glow of his phone, Lin Xian could see Ji Lin¡¯s alert eyes and the dark circles beneath them¡ªhe was clearly a night owl. ¡°You¡¯re up too?¡± Lin Xian removed his headphones and propped himself up. ¡°Am I keeping you awake?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Ji Lin sat up as well. ¡°I just can¡¯t stop thinking about the case. Something doesn¡¯t add up.¡± ¡°What¡¯s bothering you?¡± Lin Xian turned off his phone, plunging the room into darkness save for the moonlight streaming through the curtains, which softly illuminated Ji Lin. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why the killer schedules the crimes at exactly 12:42 a.m.,¡± Ji Lin shared. ¡°Both Tang Xin and Xu Yun died at that precise time. What¡¯s the significance?¡± ¡°Hard to say with killers,¡± Lin Xian replied casually. ¡°Maybe it holds some personal meaning for them, like how some leave symbols at their crime scenes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than that,¡± Ji Lin countered. ¡°Setting a specific crime time draws attention and could give away their next move. It¡¯s risky.¡± ¡°What do you think it means, then?¡± Lin Xian inquired. ¡°It might be a ritual or a challenge for someone,¡± Ji Lin paused, then added, ¡°My parents also died at 12:42 a.m.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lin Xian was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected this or considered the deeper implications of the timing. ¡°Was it an accident?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ji Lin shook his head. ¡°It was a shooting. They were murdered on their way home at that exact time. After that, I was left an orphan until a well-known figure adopted me.¡± ¡°Ji Xin Shui,¡± he said, locking eyes with Lin Xian. ¡°Ever heard of him?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 184: Spy Within a Spy Lin Xian knew all about Ji Xin Shui. A year ago, Ji Xin Shui had invited Tang Xin to Donghai to work on her research. He had also confronted Zhou Duan Yun, sparing his life instead of ending it.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m Ji Xin Shui, the ex-director of Donghai University¡¯s research institute and Xu Yun¡¯s mentor, had introduced Xu Yun to his future wife. However, he had controversially kicked Xu Yun out of the institute over his work on hibernation. Ji Xin Shui was connected to the mysterious deaths of both Xu Yun and Tang Xin. To Lin Xian, Ji Xin Shui was just another puppet master like Zhou Duan Yun. Since Ji Lin shared Ji Xin Shui¡¯s last name, Lin Xian suspected they were related and possibly working together. Now, Ji Lin was openly discussing their relationship... What was his goal? Was this a test? A trap? Or just a way to see what Lin Xian knew? Debating seemed pointless now. Ji Lin had asked a question, and Lin Xian needed to answer quickly. Should he show he knew something, play dumb, or admit everything? After thinking it over quickly, Lin Xian decided to acknowledge his knowledge. ¡°Yes, I know him.¡± ¡°Really? From where? The news?¡± Ji Lin seemed interested. ¡°Tang Xin mentioned him,¡± Lin Xian said calmly. ¡°At our high school reunion around New Year¡¯s, she told us she was going to work at a research institute in Donghai, invited by a well-known person¡ªJi Xin Shui, Xu Yun¡¯s mentor. She spoke well of him in our later talks, even mentioned how her colleagues had helped her find other jobs, like one with a symphony orchestra.¡± Lin Xian thought it risky to pretend he didn¡¯t know anything around Ji Lin, who was smart and calculating. If Ji Lin had orchestrated everything involving Xu Yun¡¯s and Tang Xin¡¯s deaths and the invite to the investigation team, then denying knowledge of Ji Xin Shui could be risky and pointless. It was safer to be honest, especially since Tang Xin had really talked about him. ¡°So, you¡¯re Ji Xin Shui¡¯s adopted child?¡± Lin Xian asked directly. ¡°And I¡¯m confused about your connection to Xu Yun. The sister you mentioned, is she his biological daughter or adopted?¡± ¡°She¡¯s his niece, but we grew up together.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s strategy was similar¡ªambush the criminals at the crime scene, making sure their vehicle couldn¡¯t escape. Past failures happened because the culprits¡¯ vehicles vanished without a trace. By blocking potential escape routes, they could capture the drivers and potentially end the murder spree. But as Lin Xian twirled his pen and watched Ji Lin present at the meeting table, doubts remained. Was Ji Lin involved himself? If they caught the driver, would Ji Lin, along with Ji Xin Shui and Zhou Duan Yun, the suspected masterminds, really avoid being blamed? Meanwhile, at Chu Shan He¡¯s mansion, in the dining room, a family dinner was happening. Su Xiu Ying served Chu Shan He a bowl of soup. ¡°It¡¯s been days, and there¡¯s no news from Su Su. How did her date with Lin Xian go? Did it work out?¡± Chu Shan He chuckled. ¡°Let the young ones handle it. Too much probing might pressure Lin Xian. Relationships need a natural connection. If it¡¯s meant to be, it will happen. If not, we can¡¯t force it.¡± ¡°Probably didn¡¯t work,¡± Chu An Qing snorted. ¡°Aunt Su has never been the dating type. She¡¯s always shunned boys, and when she interacted with them, it was usually to outdo them in some competition. She¡¯s hardly the type to settle down. Besides, Lin Xian, with his refined demeanor, wouldn¡¯t match well with someone as wild and spontaneous as Aunt Su. It¡¯s a mismatch.¡± ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Su Xiu Ying smiled. ¡°I know Su Su well. In the past, she stormed off from every blind date, cursing and fuming. But this time, she came back late, sober, and had spent the evening with Lin Xian, talking for hours. When she got home, she was unusually calm, just mentioned the date was over and asked me to unlock her bank card as we agreed, then left quietly.¡± ¡°What? Aunt Su said nothing more?¡± Chu An Qing was surprised. ¡°That¡¯s so unlike her. Something¡¯s off.¡± ¡°Every pot has its lid. Let¡¯s not interfere too much,¡± Chu Shan He advised, putting down his chopsticks. ¡°It¡¯s normal for there to be no news. Lin Xian¡¯s been assigned to the Donghai Public Security Bureau, working on the special investigation team for the Xu Yun case. He¡¯s very busy, living in the dorms, rarely able to go out.¡± ¡°That busy?¡± Chu An Qing looked concerned. ¡°It¡¯s unavoidable,¡± Chu Shan He replied. ¡°The pressure on Donghai Public Security is immense. With two consecutive scientist murders and no leads, everyone¡¯s stressed, hoping to break the case or at least find some clue. So yes, Lin Xian and his team are swamped.¡± ¡°I understand...¡± Chu An Qing took her phone, opened Lin Xian¡¯s profile, and checked his social media¡ªno updates for days. Their chat history was just as barren. She sent a message, hoping for a response. ¡°Senior, still busy? Have you had dinner? Dad mentioned you were transferred to the special investigation team.¡± Lin Xian responded quickly. ¡°Not yet. Everyone else has gone to eat. Ji Lin and I are staying late to work.¡± Ji Lin, of course. Chu An Qing knew him; he was not only a brilliant detective but also a well-known screenwriter. They had met at the New Year¡¯s banquet, and her father often praised Ji Lin¡¯s contributions to the investigation team. ¡°Skipping meals isn¡¯t healthy,¡± Chu An Qing thought, seeing the leftover food in the kitchen. She packed meals for two. ¡°I¡¯m heading out for a bit!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 185: Friends ¡°Hey there, Lin Xian!¡± The sudden greeting broke the quiet, making Lin Xian and Ji Lin look up from their work. Chu An Qing was standing at the doorway, grinning widely. ¡°An Qing?¡± Lin Xian raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± They were in a restricted area of the Donghai City Public Security Bureau, dedicated to the Xu Yun case¡ªa place usually off-limits to the public. Then it clicked for Lin Xian. Chu An Qing was Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter, and he had considerable influence in the bureau. It made sense that she could easily gain entry here. There were likely very few places in Donghai City that could keep her out. ¡°My dad said you¡¯ve been working late and might have missed dinner, so I brought you guys some food. Eating on time is important!¡± she declared, stepping into the room. She placed a stack of lunch boxes filled with beautifully prepared dishes in front of Lin Xian. ¡°Wow, lucky us...¡± Ji Lin muttered, eyeing the food enviously. ¡°There¡¯s one for you too!¡± Chu An Qing announced, handing another meal to Ji Lin and giving them both chopsticks. ¡°Dig in!¡± ¡°Thanks a lot,¡± Ji Lin said, clearly touched. He was surprised she thought of him, especially since they had only met once at a holiday party. Without hesitation, he started eating. Lin Xian didn¡¯t start eating immediately. Instead, he got up, grabbed a disposable cup, and poured her some hot water. ¡°How did you manage to get here so late?¡± ¡°The driver dropped me off,¡± Chu An Qing replied with a smile. ¡°Eat up before it gets cold!¡± Lin Xian nodded, picked up his chopsticks, and joined Ji Lin in eating. The food tasted familiar¡ªit was definitely Su Xiu Ying¡¯s cooking. She had a special touch with rice, making it perfectly textured, neither too dry nor too sticky, and somehow more flavorful than usual. ¡°This is amazing,¡± Ji Lin said, swallowing a bite. ¡°Did you cook this? It¡¯s excellent. You¡¯d make a great wife and mom one day.¡± ¡°Really? I helped my mom with it!¡± Chu An Qing beamed with pride. ¡°What part did you help with?¡± Ji Lin asked, curious. ¡°I washed the veggies and set the table!¡±Geett the latest novels on ...¡± Ji Lin continued eating, then added, ¡°Well, those are important tasks too.¡± Lin Xian chuckled softly. He admired Ji Lin¡¯s sharp mind, but even Ji Lin seemed slightly taken aback by Chu An Qing¡¯s straightforward response. ¡°I¡¯m learning to cook,¡± Chu An Qing added, blushing a bit. ¡°Next time, come over for dinner. I¡¯ll cook just for you! And, my birthday party is in a few days, on March 28th! I¡¯m inviting some friends. Lin Xian, you should definitely come!¡± ¡°And yours, Ji Lin? When is it?¡± An Qing asked. ¡°May 3rd.¡± ¡°Perfect! We have time to plan. Lin Xian and I will make up for all the missed gifts over the years!¡± Ji Lin glanced at the calendar on the desk, noting the upcoming operation with the two rogue scientists and the impostor set for April 12th. If Lin Xian¡¯s skill at foreseeing and altering future events held true, Ji Lin wondered if he¡¯d even make it to his next birthday. ¡°Will you get me a birthday gift?¡± Ji Lin asked Lin Xian directly. Lin Xian glanced at the calendar. Just over a month till May 3rd. How long would their dangerous game last? When would they collect enough evidence to take down their enemies? He hoped to resolve everything before May 3rd, allowing him to leave sincere gifts at Xu Yun and Tang Xin¡¯s graves. ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Xian replied, not wanting to dampen the mood. ¡°Thanks in advance,¡± Ji Lin said, looking forward to it. After chatting for a bit longer, An Qing had to leave. Lin Xian helped her pack up and walked her out to her car. Ji Lin waved goodbye and returned to his desk. He picked up the black notebook Lin Xian had left behind on his first day, calling it his ¡®death note¡¯ jokingly. Opening it, Ji Lin found notes about Lin Xian¡¯s work, a handwritten copy of his university lecture, and details about Xu Yun¡¯s career, including graduation dates. These notes confirmed Lin Xian was also investigating Xu Yun¡¯s murder. That¡¯s why Ji Lin had previously asked him if he knew the name Ji Xin Shui, Xu Yun¡¯s mentor, during a late-night conversation. Lin Xian had admitted knowing the name and its significance. ¡°Lin Xian...¡± Ji Lin murmured, flipping through the pages. ¡°Have you seen through my trap, or have I misjudged you?¡± So far, Ji Lin had found no evidence supporting his suspicions about Lin Xian. Despite probing, Lin Xian had remained open and trustworthy. Ji Lin eyed the calendar: April 12th and May 3rd were circled. ¡°Please don¡¯t be the one...¡± He muttered, pulling out a sketch from the back of the notebook. The drawing showed a girl with dimples and a mole near her left eye¡ªChu An Qing, who had just invited him to her birthday. ¡°What gift should I get her?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 186: The Gift ¡°So... our mission today is to pick out a gift for An Qing?¡± Lin Xian asked, watching Ji Lin carefully browse the gift section of the mall. It felt surreal, like watching the sun rise in the west. ¡°Do we really need to spend an entire afternoon on this? We¡¯re so busy; it feels like a waste of time.¡± ¡°Think of it as a break for the team. We¡¯ve all been putting in extra hours,¡± Ji Lin replied gently, examining a Barbie doll gift set from every angle before setting it aside. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we should look for something more grown-up? An Qing is turning 19, not 9,¡± Lin Xian commented, feeling out of place amid the childish, colorful gifts. ¡°What do 19-year-old girls even like?¡± Ji Lin looked up, his expression serious. ¡°I¡¯ve never given a gift before, so I¡¯m not sure what to pick.¡± ¡°How would you handle a gift-giving scene in one of your stories?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°I¡¯d probably skip the details and keep the birthday gift scene short,¡± Ji Lin replied. ¡°You really are something... But I don¡¯t think you need to overthink it,¡± Lin Xian scratched his head and moved towards the luxury displays. ¡°A birthday gift is just a gesture. It doesn¡¯t need to be perfect. It¡¯s the thought that counts.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but...¡± Ji Lin followed, looking around. ¡°Since it¡¯s my first time going to someone¡¯s birthday party, I want to pick something she¡¯ll actually like.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know her that well. How can you be sure what she likes?¡± Lin Xian smiled wryly. ¡°Understanding a woman¡¯s heart is like finding a needle in a haystack. Sometimes figuring out what they like is harder than solving a case.¡± ¡°That might not be true,¡± Ji Lin said, staring at Lin Xian¡¯s back. ¡°Actually, Chu An Qing is quite straightforward.¡± March 28. That day, Ji Lin and Lin Xian had assisted the Donghai City Public Security Bureau¡¯s Criminal Investigation Division in cracking a tough cold case. Despite their usual ease in finding crucial clues, their special unit was struggling, leading to low morale mainly due to a lack of evidence. ¡°If only we could locate those vehicles involved,¡± a female team member lamented. ¡°How can those vehicles just vanish in a city full of cameras?¡± another member sighed. ¡°Cameras have blind spots,¡± a male team member countered. ¡°If the vehicles stuck to main roads, we wouldn¡¯t lose them. The intersection cameras are interconnected, but they always disappear exactly in the blind spots and are never seen again.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Ji Lin turned to Lin Xian, who was idly spinning a pen. ¡°How do you think those vehicles disappeared?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe anything truly vanishes into thin air,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°Those vehicles were either hidden or moved in some extraordinary way.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Ji Lin asked, intrigued. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Lin Xian admitted, shaking his head. ¡°But you see it in movies. Like in ¡®Fast & Furious,¡¯ where they hide cars in plain sight.¡± ¡°If they used a method like that, hiding the car under a truck in a blind spot, then hauling it into the truck¡¯s container... our tracking would end there.¡± ¡°I checked the footage of the Audi and the taxi. They vanished near the outer city, where container trucks abound. It¡¯s like hiding a tree in a forest¡ªdifficult to spot, especially after so much time.¡± ¡°So... our best strategy is to intercept those vehicles right away,¡± Ji Lin concluded, folding his arms. ¡°We should collaborate more closely with the research department. If we can track every scientist researching hibernation in Donghai City, we could set up roadblocks to catch those vehicles.¡± ¡°We must ensure the scientists¡¯ safety first. We need to predict which scientist the perpetrator will target next at 00:42. That¡¯s our only chance to advance the case.¡± Everyone agreed with the plan. Lin Xian, too, was waiting for the next 00:42 incident. At that moment, the driver who killed Xu Yun and Tang Xin would reappear, and he was determined to catch him. Lin Xian twirled his pen, watching Ji Lin organize the papers on the table. Follow the leads, find solid evidence. Zhou Duan Yun, Ji Lin, Ji Xin Shui... None of you will escape! ¡°Meeting adjourned,¡± Ji Lin announced, standing up. Their gifts were both recommended by the store clerk and were not cheap. Lin Xian didn¡¯t expect Ji Lin to switch to a painting instead. ¡°I think she¡¯ll like this more,¡± Ji Lin whispered back. ¡°It¡¯s rare to give a birthday gift. Might as well make it something she¡¯ll really enjoy.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure she¡¯ll like it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident about this painting.¡± He turned to Chu An Qing. ¡°Happy birthday, An Qing. But don¡¯t open this painting now. Save it for later as a surprise.¡± ¡°Okay, Ji Lin. Thank you for the painting!¡± Chu An Qing was eager to open it but set it aside to continue opening other presents. The birthday party was joyful and relaxing. Lin Xian and Ji Lin had a great time. Lin Xian was surprised by Ji Lin¡¯s behavior that night. He had thought Ji Lin wasn¡¯t one for lively gatherings, given his solitary and reserved nature. But it seemed everyone sought connection and joy deep down. Ji Lin gradually joined in, playing games with everyone. Later, the girls chatted about gossip, school, and TV shows, while Lin Xian and Ji Lin moved to the rooftop balcony on the villa¡¯s third floor, lying on lounge chairs under the moonlight. ¡°I think you and Chu An Qing make a good pair, better than Zhao Ying Jun,¡± Ji Lin said suddenly. Lin Xian almost choked on his juice. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ji Lin lay back, turning to look at Lin Xian. ¡°What¡¯s your relationship with Chu An Qing?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Lin Xian answered honestly. ¡°But Chu An Qing clearly doesn¡¯t think so,¡± Ji Lin observed with interest. ¡°She really likes you. It¡¯s obvious.¡± ¡°Have you ever been in love?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ji Lin shook his head. ¡°Then how can you be so sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read a lot. In stories, the romantic plotlines are like this,¡± Ji Lin turned his gaze back to the sky. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m a bit disappointed in you tonight. I expected some big drama.¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°Reality isn¡¯t like stories. What should I be doing, according to your stories?¡± ¡°In stories...¡± Ji Lin blinked and continued. ¡°You¡¯d do something grand and romantic, like setting off fireworks to light up the whole city. You know Chu An Qing would love that, but you didn¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°Have you been reading ¡®Dragon Clan¡¯?¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°Your fantasy is a bit small. Why not summon all the heroes in the world to give Chu An Qing treasures and then descend on a giant eagle? Isn¡¯t that more interesting than your story?¡± Ji Lin laughed, getting the reference. ¡°¡®The Return of the Condor Heroes,¡¯ Yang Guo and Guo Xiang.¡± He sighed softly. ¡°Spending time with you, I find we get along well. You¡¯re interesting, and I enjoy our talks.¡± ¡°All these years, I mostly stayed in my room, solving math problems, reading, writing, watching the news... I rarely went out. The outside world seemed uninteresting to me.¡± ¡°But now... attending Chu An Qing¡¯s birthday party and chatting with you is quite nice.¡± He sat up, moonlight highlighting his pale face. ¡°Can you tell me... what gift you¡¯ll give me for my birthday?¡± ¡°No spoilers,¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°You¡¯ll know on your birthday, May 3rd, right? I¡¯ll get you a gift.¡± But first... Lin Xian¡¯s smile faded as he gazed at the rising moon. You have to live until then. Though he seemed to get along with Ji Lin, Lin Xian never wavered in his resolve to avenge Xu Yun and Tang Xin. Ji Lin, if you are the killer... I won¡¯t show mercy. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 187: Blood for Blood ¡°Lin Xian! Ji Lin! Come down quickly!¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s voice echoed from the bottom of the stairs. It was late, and Lin Xian and Ji Lin were just wrapping up their conversation on the rooftop. They made their way down to the villa¡¯s first-floor hall when¡ª Click! Chu An Qing suddenly appeared in front of them, flashing a peace sign with a wide smile. The sound of a phone camera shutter filled the air. Lin Xian and Ji Lin, a bit startled, saw Chu An Qing¡¯s classmate holding the phone, laughing. ¡°Got it, An Qing! This group photo is epic! You three look like you could be on a magazine cover,¡± the classmate said, still chuckling. Chu An Qing turned to them, playfully sticking out her tongue. ¡°You guys are always so serious. You never want to take photos, so I had to catch you off guard! It¡¯s my first birthday party on my own; I wanted to capture some memories!¡± Lin Xian laughed. That explained it. Chu An Qing had been trying to get photos all evening. But Lin Xian and Ji Lin had been avoiding the group photo. Generally, guys aren¡¯t eager about taking pictures, especially around girls who are eighteen or nineteen. For 24-year-old Lin Xian, the age difference made it awkward. Ji Lin probably felt the same, which was why they had retreated to the rooftop. Meanwhile, Chu An Qing hurried over to her classmate to see the photo.Ree?ad latest novels at In it, Lin Xian and Ji Lin looked surprised, while she struck a confident pose. The photo captured a spontaneous, warm moment. ¡°This birthday was a blast! You all better come next year too!¡± The party soon wound down. Chu Shan He¡¯s driver ferried all the classmates back to Donghai University in a large van. Lin Xian and Ji Lin left in Ji Lin¡¯s car. As they passed Ji Lin¡¯s dark, empty house, he murmured, ¡°Let¡¯s have my birthday party here, like Chu An Qing did.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Lin Xian responded nonchalantly, resting against the window. ¡°But I¡¯ve never thrown one,¡± Ji Lin added. ¡°I never had a birthday party because I didn¡¯t have friends... No friends meant no point in having one.¡± Lin Xian looked at him. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s also because you lost your parents so early. If they were still around, they¡¯d have made sure to celebrate your birthday every year.¡± ¡°By the way... since you know your parents were murdered, have you ever sought revenge? Did you find the people who killed your parents?¡± Ji Lin paused. ¡°No... I¡¯ve been searching for my parents¡¯ killers but haven¡¯t found them yet. The killers of my parents and those of Xu Yun and Tang Xin don¡¯t seem to be the same, even though they all died at 00:42. The details suggest different culprits.¡± ¡°So, there might be two groups operating at 00:42? One killed your parents, and the other killed Xu Yun and Tang Xin?¡± Lin Xian clarified. He wasn¡¯t focused on the physics talk. Instead, he pondered whether Leon¡¯s discovery was part of the history he knew. Without the aluminum alloy and cryogenic fluid, Leon couldn¡¯t have achieved his breakthrough. So, if this was now public knowledge, had his dream world shifted as a result? Lin Xian suspected it had. Such a significant discovery might create ripples that alter time and space. Perhaps, 600 years in the future, humanity had mastered nuclear fusion and launched into interstellar travel. Where would he be born then? In the ruins of Old Donghai or on a spaceship crossing galaxies? He needed to check his dream world to confirm. But there was a complication... Ji Lin was glued to the news next to him. This guy seemed to monitor Lin Xian almost all the time, staying up to talk with him until the wee hours. For safety, Lin Xian never dared to enter his dream world with Ji Lin around. Once in the dream, he couldn¡¯t wake until he either died or it was 00:42, regardless of external events. He learned this as a child when his panicked parents rushed him to the hospital late one night. Luckily, he woke just as they arrived at 00:42, avoiding further drama. The doctors, after a full check-up, declared him simply a deep sleeper. No matter what, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t risk exposing any weakness to Ji Lin. Even though dying in the dream could end it prematurely, the symptoms upon waking¡ªincreased adrenaline, flushed skin, and a racing heart¡ªwere too noticeable. If Ji Lin saw those, it would spell trouble. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to slip into the dream world in a few days. There will be opportunities,¡± Lin Xian thought. Neither he nor Ji Lin could maintain their wary standoff forever. Perhaps both were biding their time, waiting for the right moment to catch the other off guard and gather enough evidence to come out on top. Lin Xian discreetly started looking up more about Academician Leon on his phone. Leon had rapidly ascended within Ghana¡¯s scientific ranks, moving from a university lecturer to a celebrated academician, renowned for his brilliance. He wasn¡¯t just a genius; he was dubbed a ¡°mad genius¡± for his unconventional research methods and eclectic interests. While most scientists focused on one field, Leon dabbled in whatever intrigued him. This might make him appear scattered or unfocused. Yet, he excelled in every area he explored, achieving multiple breakthroughs and earning the title of a true polymath. This time, his success with room-temperature superconductors followed a recent invention in food safety testing. People marveled at his innovative spirit and endless energy, the epitome of the archetypal mad scientist. Lin Xian stared at a photo of Leon. He was surprised. Chubby, bald, and stocky, Leon didn¡¯t fit Lin Xian¡¯s image of a scientist. Unlike others like Xu Yun and Liu Feng, who looked the part of researchers even at a glance. ¡°Regarding Leon, I¡¯ve never seen a scientist who looks less like one,¡± Lin Xian remarked. Ji Lin gave a small smile beside him. ¡°Don¡¯t judge a book by its cover, Lin Xian. What does Leon look like to you?¡± ¡°A chef, definitely a cook,¡± Lin Xian replied. Ji Lin¡¯s smile waned slightly, and he nodded thoughtfully. ¡°You have keen eyes.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 188: The Show Begins ¡°Geniuses really do exist in this world, and their appearances have nothing to do with their jobs,¡± Ji Lin began, his tone shifting. He used his phone to project several news screenshots onto the large screen behind him for the team to see. ¡°Recently, scientific research has advanced quickly. Due to Xu Yun and Tang Xin, we believe that the next targets for the murderers will probably be scholars and experts in hibernation technology.¡± ¡°These are the scientists I¡¯ve identified who have made significant breakthroughs or show great potential in hibernation research. Take a look.¡± As Ji Lin gestured, the team looked up at the screen displaying a dozen leaders in the field of hibernation. Some of these scientists had developed groundbreaking hibernation devices, others had formulated maintenance drugs, some had proposed new theories, while others had innovative ideas for the recovery phase after hibernation. Clearly, these individuals were leading the field. The team speculated that they were likely to be the next murder victims. Lin Xian noticed that most of these scientists were from other countries, with only three from their own, but all were working overseas. A colleague next to him also noticed this and asked Ji Lin, ¡°But Ji Lin, most of these scientists are overseas, and we can¡¯t monitor their movements. If the murderer targets them, we won¡¯t be able to set up an ambush in time. And there are too many of them to protect!¡± Ji Lin nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right. Our resources are limited, and so is our jurisdiction. Outside of Donghai, we can¡¯t just call up local police forces. Plus, the 00:42 incidents have only occurred in Donghai, and local authorities are keen to keep it that way.¡± ¡°But our chances are also limited. If we don¡¯t catch the murderer at the next crime scene, we might never get a lead on them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided we need to split up.¡± He paused, then continued with a serious look. ¡°I have some connections in the international police community. I¡¯ve assisted with many cases abroad, and they respect and are willing to collaborate with me.¡± ¡°So, I plan to use my influence abroad to organize ambushes and capture operations, while the rest of you will stay in Donghai to try to trap the murderer here. We can¡¯t let them get away this time.¡± Ji Lin¡¯s announcement made everyone¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°Wait, Ji Lin... you¡¯re leaving Donghai?¡± ¡°This is so sudden!¡± ¡°Why go overseas now? Have you found a clue?¡± ¡°There must be a reason for Ji Lin¡¯s decision. He probably has a specific scientist in mind.¡± Everyone was surprised by Ji Lin¡¯s departure, but after some thought, they trusted that Ji Lin wouldn¡¯t abandon them or flee from danger. He had a good reason. Indeed, Ji Lin nodded, stood up, and pointed at a photo of a white-haired elderly man on the screen, working in a lab in Japan. He was a pioneer in low-temperature freezing studies and currently led their hibernation project. ¡°This leader in Japan has been traveling a lot recently. I think the murderer might target him next, so I need to go to Japan to coordinate with local police and set up an ambush.¡± The team nodded, understanding Ji Lin¡¯s logic. Given the number of potential targets worldwide, if the murderer was operating internationally, it made little sense to stay only in Donghai. Ji Lin was the only one with the necessary connections and influence to handle such tasks abroad. For the team staying in Donghai, Ji Lin might be leaving, but he left a detailed plan of action. They just needed to follow it carefully. However, Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts were elsewhere. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Ji Lin was up to something. Though Ji Lin¡¯s plan to catch the murderer abroad sounded plausible¡ªsince not all crimes would happen in Donghai¡ªLin Xian still suspected Ji Lin might be the murderer. Was Ji Lin simply playing a more elaborate game of cat and mouse? Suddenly, Ji Lin caught Lin Xian¡¯s gaze. He smiled, looked around, and said, ¡°Even though I invited Lin Xian here, you¡¯ve all seen his skills through our work together. He¡¯s solved many tough cases with us. His sharp analytical skills are obvious to everyone.¡± ¡°And now, the most crucial task is to predict the murderer¡¯s next moves and set up an ambush. Lin Xian, having been at two crime scenes, has a strong instinct and can be trusted. So, while I¡¯m away, I hope you¡¯ll rely on Lin Xian¡¯s judgment in identifying potential targets. I¡¯m confident he won¡¯t let you down.¡± After Ji Lin spoke, the others nodded in agreement. They trusted Lin Xian; he had proved himself by solving numerous cases and was well-respected among his peers. ¡°Are you really going?¡± ¡°Here¡¯s your birthday gift.¡± Lin Xian brought out a large foil-wrapped package with a big pink bow from behind him. The gift inside seemed almost as large as Zheng Xiang Yue herself! But it didn¡¯t seem too heavy as Lin Xian lifted it with ease. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s so big!¡± Zheng Xiang Yue dived towards it! It was soft, and she sank into it. ¡°Brother Lin Xian! Can I open it now?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°It¡¯s your birthday gift; it¡¯s all yours.¡± Zheng Xiang Yue eagerly untied the bow and tore off the colorful foil, revealing a soft toy inside. ¡°It¡¯s a huge Rhine Cat! I¡¯ve never seen one this big!¡± Her eyes widened in disbelief at the massive Rhine Cat toy. She tried to hug it several times but couldn¡¯t wrap her arms around it due to her short reach. Finally, Zheng Cheng He lifted both her and the giant Rhine Cat onto the bed. ¡°Thank you so much, Mr. Lin Xian.¡± Zheng Cheng He sincerely thanked Lin Xian. ¡°Xiang Yue has always loved Rhine Cat toys. I¡¯ve bought her many... but I¡¯ve never seen one this big in any store.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s a limited edition. There are only two in the world,¡± Lin Xian explained with a smile. ¡°When we first designed this toy, the factory made two samples for us to review. But the production cost was high... our boss didn¡¯t want to sell expensive items, so the project was put on hold.¡± ¡°Now, the Rhine Cats on the market are all smaller. This large prototype was never released, and I took it from the warehouse for Xiang Yue.¡± ¡°Wow! Only two in the world!¡± Zheng Xiang Yue hugged the huge Rhine Cat, rolling around happily. ¡°Who has the other one?¡± ¡°The other one...¡± Lin Xian He remembered the MX company¡¯s celebration party where Chu An Qing won the other giant Rhine Cat toy. He gently patted Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s head and said, ¡°The other one belongs to another little princess. You both are princesses.¡± Zheng Xiang Yue giggled, clutching the Rhine Cat tightly, reluctant to let go. After they finished the cake and cleaned up, Lin Xian prepared to leave. ¡°Mr. Lin Xian, how did you get here?¡± Zheng Cheng He inquired. ¡°I took a taxi.¡± ¡°Let me drive you back.¡± Zheng Cheng He smiled and pointed towards the parking lot outside the window. ¡°My taxi is parked out there. I took the day off to celebrate Xiang Yue¡¯s birthday, but I should get back to work. Let me drop you off at your office first.¡± Lin Xian agreed. Zheng Cheng He usually worked day shifts as a taxi driver, and it was his usual working hours now. The two said goodbye to Zheng Xiang Yue and made their way to the parking lot. Zheng Cheng He opened the car door, and Lin Xian climbed into the front passenger seat. ¡°Mr. Lin Xian, where to?¡± ¡°To the Donghai City Police Department,¡± Lin Xian answered. With Ji Lin gone, Lin Xian¡¯s schedule had become even busier, especially as he adjusted to his new responsibilities. Zheng Cheng He started the car and pulled out a mask and sunglasses from the glove compartment. Seeing this, Lin Xian sat up. ¡°Do you always cover up like this when you drive?¡± ¡°I have to...¡± Zheng Cheng He gave a wry smile and pointed to his right cheek. ¡°My right face is covered in scars. I don¡¯t want to scare my passengers...¡± Lin Xian said nothing, simply nodding in understanding. ¡°Okay.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 189: Clearing the Name ¡°Did the police check your taxi company after those accidents?¡± Lin Xian asked Zheng Cheng He, who was bundled up and focused on driving. ¡°One taxi was involved in Professor Xu Yun¡¯s death, and another in a recent incident with a female scientist. Were your company¡¯s drivers investigated?¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± Zheng Cheng He responded, maneuvering the steering wheel. ¡°Every taxi in Donghai City has a unique identifier, and the newer ones are equipped with real-time tracking. It¡¯s simple to verify their whereabouts through the platform.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been closely following Professor Xu Yun¡¯s case. The taxi involved was counterfeit, modified to look authentic but wasn¡¯t a registered cab... so they never found it.¡± Lin Xian watched Zheng Cheng He in silence, taking in his serious demeanor. ... After Lin Xian was dropped off at the Donghai City Police Department, Zheng Cheng He returned to his usual duties.UppTodated from Lin Xian quickly got involved with his team¡¯s investigation. They were sticking to the plan Ji Lin set: predict the next scientist¡¯s murder for 00:42 and lay a trap to thwart the attack, safeguard the scientist, and apprehend the driver. Predicting the next victim and the exact timing of the attack was the real challenge. Since Ji Lin¡¯s departure, Lin Xian enjoyed more autonomy. He briefly entered his dream world to see if anything had altered, but everything was as usual. Both old and new versions of Donghai City appeared unchanged, leaving Lin Xian puzzled. He expected some alterations in the timeline due to the invention of room-temperature superconductors. Maybe this technology was always meant to be, he thought, confused by the intricacies of time-space. Their team had set several traps already, but the scientists crossed the street at 00:42 unharmed, with no murder attempts. Although relieved, the team was anxious to catch the perpetrator soon. ... April 10th, morning. Inside the task force meeting room at the Donghai City Police Department, a male team member highlighted the photos and profiles of five scientists on a projection screen. ¡°Donghai City is hosting two major scientific banquets and a symposium on April 12th. The next day, a significant hibernation lab will have its inauguration, attended by several leading scientists,¡± he explained. ¡°We¡¯ve been monitoring these potential targets with no incidents so far, but we can¡¯t relax on the night of April 12th at 00:42. We suspect these five scientists might be at risk.¡± Pointing at the first two photos, he continued, ¡°These experts in hibernation will be at the banquets. It¡¯s uncertain if they¡¯ll be targeted at 00:42, but they are crucial for our surveillance.¡± Next, he highlighted a middle-aged, overweight scientist. ¡°This is Professor Leon from Canada. His work on room-temperature superconductors has been groundbreaking. He¡¯s attending the symposium and a dinner afterward. We can¡¯t dismiss the chance of an attack on him.¡± Finally, he focused on the last two scientists. ¡°They¡¯ll be at the ribbon-cutting on April 13th. Their plane lands at midnight on the 12th, making them especially vulnerable at 00:42.¡± Nighttime at the bookstore in New Donghai City. Lin Xian was familiar with the place. He used the cashier¡¯s computer to search for the names of the five scientists arriving on April 12th. The book search system was advanced, capable of searching within the content of books, not just titles¡ªa stark contrast to libraries in 2023. Given New Donghai¡¯s advanced technology, this was not surprising. First, he searched for the four scientists linked to hibernation research but found nothing noteworthy. It seemed that over 600 years, their relevance had faded to nothing. Curiously, Lin Xian searched for Xu Yun and found numerous entries describing him as the pioneer of hibernation, with extensive commentary. One entry mentioned his death in a traffic accident but no more details. Next, he tried searching for Tang Xin but found nothing. ¡°600 years is long enough to erase any trace,¡± Lin Xian mused. Only historic figures like Xu Yun and Einstein endured over centuries. He even checked his own name, finding nothing and chuckled to himself. MX Company and even the popular Rhine Cat were insignificant compared to the legacies of Xu Yun¡¯s hibernation technology or Einstein¡¯s theories. With little expectation, Lin Xian entered Professor Leon¡¯s name and hit enter. The screen refreshed with numerous entries, more than for Xu Yun. ¡°This guy was important,¡± Lin Xian noted. Leon¡¯s work on room-temperature superconductors was a stepping stone to controlled nuclear fusion. Though not the pioneer of nuclear fusion, he played a critical role in its advancement. However, Lin Xian¡¯s anticipation turned to confusion as he read through the entries. Contrary to his expectations of praise, the references were overwhelmingly negative. Leon was labeled a fraud, a thief, despicable, among other harsh criticisms. ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± Lin Xian wondered. In 2023, Leon was celebrated as a visionary, his theories and data validated by numerous institutions. How had his reputation plummeted in future histories? Digging deeper, Lin Xian found a revealing entry: ¡°... Three years after Leon¡¯s accidental death, Dr. Ponsmike vindicated him, prompting a reevaluation of his life and work. Once the truth was uncovered, Leon¡¯s deceitful actions came to light...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 190: The Final Battle Begins Dr. Ponsmike? Lin Xian stared at the summary, completely confused. He wanted more details but found only a teaser. Determined, Lin Xian found the book ¡°Prospects of Controlled Nuclear Fusion Technology¡± on the bookstore¡¯s second floor. He grabbed it and began to read. ¡°So, that¡¯s the situation...¡± The book revealed that Academician Leon was a fraud and a thief. All his research was stolen, a truth hidden until three years after his death when Dr. Ponsmike¡¯s research notes were found, exposing Leon¡¯s deception. Lin Xian reread the section to grasp the timeline better: Dr. Ponsmike, a German scientist, was relatively unknown. Meanwhile, Academician Leon of Ghana University gained fame for his so-called discoveries. However, Leon had actually murdered Dr. Ponsmike, claimed his research as his own, and rose to international acclaim. After Leon¡¯s death in a car accident, the discovery of Ponsmike¡¯s notes, identical to Leon¡¯s publications but more detailed, confirmed the theft. ¡°So, Dr. Ponsmike was the real genius behind the room-temperature superconductors, and Leon was a fraud,¡± Lin Xian concluded, closing the book and pondering. Now, a new question emerged... If the same person killed Dr. Ponsmike, Xu Yun, and Tang Xin, why create and kill a fake scientist? It was puzzling. ¡°I need to look up real-world data about Dr. Ponsmike¡¯s death,¡± Lin Xian decided. He searched the book but found nothing helpful. After all, six hundred years had passed since Leon and Ponsmike¡¯s deaths. Lin Xian stayed in the bookstore until 12:42 AM, when a blinding light transported him back to reality. ... Upon waking, Lin Xian immediately turned on his computer to search for information about Dr. Ponsmike¡¯s death. Dr. Ponsmike was a mystery with scant online presence. Switching to a German search engine, he found a critical news piece: On March 3, 2023, Dr. Ponsmike died in a car accident on the outskirts of Wolfsburg, with the responsible vehicle still missing. ¡°This confirms it; he died recently.¡± This matched the future book¡¯s description perfectly. These details pointed to Ji Lin, Ji Xin Shui, or Zhou Duan Yun as possible perpetrators. ¡°Was Academician Leon involved in this murder?¡± Recalling the book¡¯s accusation against Leon, Lin Xian found it hard to confirm. Still, Leon¡¯s possession of Ponsmike¡¯s research linked him to Ji Lin and Ji Xin Shui. ¡°If they were co-conspirators, why set up a self-destructive scenario?¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes, letting small clues connect in his mind: Ji Lin had set a trap for Tang Xin, drawing Lin Xian into Xu Yun¡¯s special investigation team, then quickly vanished before Leon¡¯s arrival in Donghai. Ji Lin had insinuated the next target would be a hibernation scientist, steering attention away from other fields. His colleagues were convinced another hibernation scientist would be next. Initially a mere tool for Ji Lin, Lin Xian had unwittingly built a reputation, solving cases and winning the team¡¯s trust through Ji Lin¡¯s strategic clue drops. With Dr. Ponsmike dead for nearly a month and Leon having just published his paper, Ji Lin had orchestrated follow-up actions and left Donghai, leaving Lin Xian to deal with the aftermath. Ji Xin Shui had previously attempted to kill Zhou Duan Yun, and together with Ji Lin, they had plotted against their own family member, Xu Yun. If they could target their own, it was no stretch they¡¯d eliminate associates for their goals. Most crucially, they had murdered the genuine scientist, Dr. Ponsmike, then handed his research to their accomplice, creating the facade of the fraudulent scientist Leon to die in Donghai. This was clearly a calculated diversion and bait! ... Suddenly, Lin Xian¡¯s eyes flew open, grasping the truth. ¡°I understand now.¡± Taking a deep breath, he realized Ji Lin¡¯s intricate scheme over the months.UppTodated from Ji Lin had crafted a fake scientist as bait, giving Lin Xian some sway with Donghai police to draw him into saving the counterfeit scientist. ¡°Ji Lin, your schemes are wicked.¡± Lin Xian recognized the long, complex game the mastermind had played. Normally, without his ability to see the future, Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t have focused on Leon but on the hibernation scientists. ¡°I trust you,¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled. ¡°If it¡¯s something interesting, tell me later.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Lin Xian approached, selecting the red Ferrari key: ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡± Recalling a thrilling rainy chase and a recent high-speed pursuit on the overpass with Yellow Finch, Lin Xian grinned: ¡°I like this Ferrari.¡± ... VROOM!!!! The roaring LaFerrari screeched to a stop in Chu Shan He¡¯s courtyard. Chu Shan He approached: ¡°Lin Xian, what¡¯s so urgent that we needed to meet in person?¡± ¡°Mr. Chu.¡± Lin Xian exited the car, facing Chu Shan He: ¡°I need your help with a complicated issue.¡± He knew Chu Shan He wouldn¡¯t turn him down. After previously saving Chu An Qing, Chu Shan He owed Lin Xian a substantial favor, so he wouldn¡¯t refuse any reasonable request. ¡°Hahaha...¡± Chu Shan He laughed heartily, patting Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder and inviting him inside: ¡°In Donghai, nothing¡¯s too challenging for me. I¡¯m glad you sought me out. Whatever it is, let¡¯s discuss it inside. I¡¯m here to help!¡± ... That evening, in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, within a traditional wooden Japanese-style house, Ji Lin sat at a tea table while Zhou Duan Yun leaned against the wall, both awaiting someone. ¡°Greed is so slow,¡± Zhou Duan Yun grumbled. ¡°He¡¯s practically dead; don¡¯t rush him,¡± Ji Lin replied calmly. ¡°He¡¯s had his fill of life¡¯s pleasures. His life¡¯s been worthwhile,¡± Zhou Duan Yun remarked, picking at his nails. ¡°A fraudulent academic nearly winning a Nobel Prize... It¡¯s bizarre.¡± He then looked at Ji Lin: ¡°What if Lin Xian doesn¡¯t take the bait tomorrow? What if he¡¯s too scared?¡± Ji Lin shook his head: ¡°He has a strong sense of duty. Especially with a chance to catch the killer, he won¡¯t back down easily.¡± ¡°If he were fearful, he wouldn¡¯t have joined the task force. Clearly, while we aim to catch Lin Xian, he¡¯s more eager to catch us. He¡¯s probably tired of our games, seeking vengeance for Xu Yun and Tang Xin.¡± ¡°So, we just need to see if Lin Xian stakes out near Leon tomorrow. The task force members will focus on hibernation scientists, as we¡¯ve directed them.¡± ¡°In this case, if Lin Xian still insists on watching Leon, it proves he has some ability to foresee and alter the future. Then we have valid grounds to eliminate him.¡± ¡°The day has finally arrived,¡± Zhou Duan Yun chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ve been anticipating this.¡± Creak¡ª The sliding wooden door opened. A bald, overweight man entered, looking at the two young men: ¡°Ji Lin, I¡¯m traveling to Donghai tomorrow. Why meet here in Japan?¡± He then glanced at the man next to Ji Lin: ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°This is Envy; you haven¡¯t met yet,¡± Ji Lin introduced, pointing to the bald man: ¡°This is Greed. You joined the organization later, so this is your first introduction.¡± ¡°Academician Leon, pleased to meet you,¡± Zhou Duan Yun said, shaking Leon¡¯s hand. ¡°Close the door,¡± Ji Lin instructed, setting his teacup down and focusing on Leon: ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s operation is critical for Pride. If you mess up, Pride will be very displeased... Remember every word I say.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 191: Greed and Gluttony Inside the bustling Donghai City Police Department, the Xu Yun Task Force gathered in their designated meeting room. The air was thick with tension and anticipation as they prepared for a crucial operation. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s April 12th. We need to finalize our plan for the early morning operation,¡± stated a male team member firmly, gesturing towards the photos displayed on the projector screen. ¡°These are the five scientists who will be out on the streets at exactly 12:42 AM tomorrow. To keep our operation under wraps and avoid tipping off the killer, we can only hit two locations at the same time. I¡¯m against calling in extra officers from other departments,¡± he added, setting a tone of caution. ¡°We¡¯ve had a lot of information come in today. It¡¯s time to make a choice. Let¡¯s vote on which scientist is most likely to be the target at 12:42 AM,¡± he proposed. The room quickly reached a consensus; all fingers pointed to the scientists working on hibernation projects. It was evident from Ji Lin¡¯s insights and the common threads in Xu Yun and Tang Xin¡¯s cases that the killers were targeting those researching hibernation. Lin Xian confidently singled out one of the hibernation scientists. ¡°I think targeting the two scientists at the airport is a stretch. Donghai City Airport is too busy, and with its internal roads sealed and a well-organized taxi area, staging a car accident there seems implausible.¡± ¡°Our main efforts and resources should focus on the two scientists attending the science banquet,¡± he suggested. The team members nodded in agreement. The team member leading the presentation manipulated his phone, removing the photos of the two scientists scheduled to arrive at the airport from the display. Now, only the two hibernation scientists set to attend the academic banquet and Leon, the scientist studying room-temperature superconductors, remained on screen. ¡°I think we can rule out Leon,¡± the presenter suggested. ¡°Firstly, he¡¯s not a hibernation scientist. Secondly, he¡¯s been to countless scientific events worldwide without incident. The likelihood of the killer choosing to strike him here in Donghai is slim. Plus, we¡¯ve seen no scientists from other fields attacked. With our limited staff, let¡¯s concentrate on the two hibernation scientists. Thoughts?¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Lin Xian was quick to raise his hand. ¡°Leon doesn¡¯t fit the victim profile based on Ji Lin¡¯s analysis. He¡¯s probably safe. We don¡¯t need to include him in our watch.¡± Meanwhile, in a traditional Japanese-style building in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, Leon was snacking at a wooden table, chuckling. ¡°So, all I need to do is play my part at tomorrow night¡¯s banquet and be at the crosswalk at 12:42 AM?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Ji Lin confirmed with a smile. ¡°Just make sure it¡¯s believable. No real accidents, though.¡± Ji Lin showed him a picture on a tablet. ¡°This crosswalk behind the banquet hall is your mark. Make sure to check it out before the event.¡± ¡°The fourth white line from the south¡ªthat¡¯s where you¡¯ll stand at 12:42 AM, and don¡¯t move. Gluttony will drive a taxi past that line, but as long as you stay put, you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°The Donghai police are concentrating on the hibernation scientists. If Lin Xian can foresee Greed¡¯s demise, he¡¯ll either try to prevent it or catch the killer in the act.¡± ¡°As long as he makes an appearance, for any reason, it proves he can foresee and alter the course of history,¡± Ji Lin concluded after a pause. April 12th, 2 PM. Ten hours before the Xu Yun Task Force¡¯s operation. Lin Xian drove his Ferrari to the Donghai University Affiliated Hospital. He picked up a small bouquet of lilies from the passenger seat and headed to the 17th floor. He entered Xu Yi Yi¡¯s hospital room, exchanged the wilted flowers in the vase for the fresh lilies, and placed them neatly on the table. Approaching Xu Yi Yi¡¯s bed, he saw the girl who had been in a coma for ten years. Her frail form bathed in sunlight appeared as pure and delicate as the lilies. ¡°Yi Yi, tonight everything comes to an end,¡± he whispered, mimicking Xu Yun¡¯s tender manner as he tucked her in. Noticing the strong breeze, he partially closed the window. ¡°I promise to catch the person responsible for your father¡¯s death,¡± Lin Xian vowed, his hand tightening around the bedrail. ¡°I¡¯ll bring them all to justice. None will escape.¡± With a final glance at the peaceful Xu Yi Yi, he turned to leave¡ª ¡°What the¡ª?¡± At the door, an unexpected figure appeared. He was a sturdy man with a face marred by scars but a gentle smile. ¡°Mr. Lin Xian, visiting Yi Yi again?¡± It was Zheng Cheng He, the elder brother of Zheng Xiang Yue, the girl in the neighboring room. Lin Xian glanced outside where the sun was still high. He faced Zheng Cheng He again. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be at work? Shouldn¡¯t you be on the day shift?¡± ¡°Ah, the night shift driver ran into some trouble, so we swapped,¡± Zheng Cheng He explained, his smile deepening the scars on his right cheek. ¡°I¡¯m on the night shift today.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslationRee?ad latest novels at Chapter 192: I Am Not Inferior to You Lin Xian quietly observed Zheng Cheng He from a corner of the room. To be honest, Lin Xian had always felt uncertain about Zheng Cheng He, who seemed strong yet kind. He couldn¡¯t understand why Yellow Finch had deliberately led him to the hospital that one time. Initially, Lin Xian thought it was a hint that Zheng Cheng He was responsible for the deaths of Xu Yun and Tang Xin. But later, Zheng Xiang Yue told him her brother had been with her the entire evening of New Year¡¯s Eve, even giving her a gift at midnight. It was impossible for one person to be in two places at the same time without the power to teleport. This meant Zheng Cheng He couldn¡¯t have been at the hospital and also involved in the accident that killed Xu Yun. So, Lin Xian no longer considered him a suspect. Yet, now, Zheng Cheng He¡¯s sudden shift to a night job driving made Lin Xian question his true motives. Was it a deliberate move or just a coincidence? Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure. But one thing was clear: whether Zheng Cheng He was guilty or not, this wasn¡¯t the moment to confront him. Lin Xian was using this opportunity to draw out Ji Xin Shui, Ji Lin, and Zhou Duan Yun. Arresting Zheng Cheng He prematurely would be pointless. Ji Lin was clever enough to have cleared any traceable evidence. Even if they found something incriminating on Zheng Cheng He, the others would likely escape, leaving him to take the fall, and the trail would go cold. Furthermore, Zheng Cheng He¡¯s sister was currently hospitalized. Whether he was the culprit or not, he wasn¡¯t going anywhere. That confrontation could wait. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t let anything disrupt his plan tonight. ¡°Take care,¡± Lin Xian finally said in a low voice. He grabbed his coat, gave Zheng Cheng He a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and left the hospital room. He hoped he wouldn¡¯t run into Zheng Cheng He at tonight¡¯s crime scene. Despite everything, he didn¡¯t hold any bad feelings toward him or his sister; in fact, he felt a degree of sympathy. Zheng Xiang Yue idolized her brother, seeing him as her hero. Discovering he was a murderer would devastate her more than her own health issues. ¡°Please don¡¯t let it be you, Zheng Cheng He,¡± Lin Xian whispered to himself as he exited the hospital, climbed into his Ferrari, and drove away from Donghai University¡¯s affiliated hospital. Tonight was crucial. It was a direct confrontation between him and Ji Lin. The task force had suggested bringing in extra officers from other departments to monitor the scientists, but Lin Xian had declined, fearing it would expose their plan. If Ji Lin sensed the trap because too many of his associates were under watch, he might not proceed with his next move. And without that, how would they catch him? Lin Xian was confident in his safety; he had a good grasp of his adversary¡¯s habits and tactics and had identified key players. He believed their current approach was bold but necessary. ¡°We can¡¯t hide anymore,¡± he thought as he flicked on his Ferrari¡¯s headlights and sped onto the highway. ¡°Let¡¯s face this head-on.¡±Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m Midnight came, and the Donghai Public Security Bureau was a ghost town; all its members were deployed in the field. ¡°Group A is in position. The barrier is up.¡± ¡°Group B has eyes on the target in the banquet hall.¡± Alone, Lin Xian listened to the updates crackling over the walkie-talkie. He had no official duties tonight, just to remain on standby¡ªa role that suited him just fine as the clock approached the hour. As the clock struck twelve, Lin Xian decided it was time to move. He left the office, jumped into the Ferrari parked outside, and drove off into the night, gripping the steering wheel tightly as he headed to where Academician Leon was expected to be. He had memorized every detail of the venue¡¯s layout. All he needed to do was wait at a strategic spot and catch the culprits in action. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t concerned about Leon¡¯s safety; the man was no innocent bystander and was deeply entangled with Ji Lin. Whether Leon survived the night or not, Lin Xian was more interested in the driver, the one assigned to execute the hit. In previous cases, the drivers had vanished without a trace after completing their tasks. This time, he was determined to follow the car himself, confident in his unmatched driving skills. ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Then do it,¡± Ji Lin offered his phone to Zhou Duan Yun. ¡°Call this number, and the bomb under Gluttony¡¯s car will go off. Given their proximity, both Lin Xian and Gluttony will be killed. Go ahead.¡± He held out the phone again. Zhou Duan Yun hesitated, his expression tense, but he didn¡¯t take the phone. ¡°Ji Lin...¡± he said through clenched teeth, ¡°You really are just Ji Xin Shui¡¯s loyal puppet!¡± ¡°And what about you?¡± Ji Lin countered, staring at Zhou Duan Yun. ¡°What are you, Zhou Duan Yun? In my eyes, you¡¯re just a deceitful coward.¡± Bang! Zhou Duan Yun kicked over the tea table. ¡°I¡¯m not the person I used to be!¡± ¡°The current you?¡± Ji Lin scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re only alive because of Pride¡¯s mercy. Without Pride, you¡¯re nothing.¡± ¡°You spit back your bitterness from childhood here, repaying kindness with betrayal, all because Pride felt pity for you.¡± The room fell silent except for the sound of tea soaking into the tatami and Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s heavy breathing, which echoed like a malfunctioning bellows. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me, Ji Lin,¡± Zhou Duan Yun said sharply, pointing at Ji Lin. ¡°I¡¯m not inferior to any of you! Never have been! You all just got lucky, born into decent families with money! Your easy lives are just due to good fortune, not your efforts!¡± ¡°You grew up without worries, supported by your parents. You could write because you had books! Lin Xian had friends because his confidence came from his family¡¯s status. He could afford to treat friends and buy gifts!¡± ¡°Do you think all these are your accomplishments? Nonsense! You were just luckier, born into better circumstances!¡± Ji Lin smirked, unfazed. ¡°At least you still have a mother. I lost both my parents.¡± ¡°Who took you in, Ji Lin?¡± Zhou Duan Yun laughed bitterly. ¡°It was Pride! Ji Xin Shui, wealthy as he is, adopted you! If my mother had adopted you, with her feeding you peanuts every day, wearing worn-out clothes and shoes, too embarrassed to join gym class because everyone laughed at you... what would you have written then?¡± ¡°So, you have no right to look down on me,¡± Zhou Duan Yun said fiercely, sliding the door open and turning back to glare at Ji Lin. ¡°If you had lived my life, you might not have done as well as I did.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 193: The Taxi Driver Bang! Zhou Duan Yun stormed out of the house, slamming the sliding door so hard it bounced back open. His footsteps echoed as he walked away, his presence quickly fading into the distance. The chilly evening breeze of Siguo Island seeped in, making Ji Lin shiver slightly in his thin clothes. He got up, walked over, and gently slid the door closed, shutting out the noisy wind. The room fell quiet. Leaning against the wooden wall, Ji Lin closed his eyes and sank into deep thought. He was almost certain that Lin Xian was the one tampering with history, despite lacking direct evidence. There were just too many suspicious things about Lin Xian; if it wasn¡¯t him, nothing else made sense. But Ji Lin held onto a tiny hope¡ªit was only a 99% certainty, after all. He hoped he was wrong. He hoped the truth was in that remaining 1%. But deep down, he knew such miracles were rare. Ever since he was a kid, Ji Lin had never gotten a math problem wrong. When he learned his parents were mathematicians, he dove into math, solving problem after problem. Sudoku was his favorite. Surrounded by numbers, he felt close to the parents he couldn¡¯t remember. He believed he had a natural gift for numbers, proven time and again by his flawless Sudoku solutions¡ªexcept for that one in the November 2022 Math Monthly, which had a printing error. But with Lin Xian, there was no error. Lin Xian being at the crime scene tonight in his Ferrari was enough proof that he had anticipated Leon¡¯s death. Earlier tonight, Ji Lin had made calls to the Xu Yun task force, inquiring about their assignments and Lin Xian¡¯s whereabouts. Lin Xian had been in the office until nearly midnight.Fo?llo?w new stories at For a moment, Ji Lin thought he might have made a mistake, that perhaps he had misjudged Lin Xian. But it turned out his initial suspicion was correct, just like every math problem he had ever solved. It was unexciting. Too easy. He picked up his phone and opened an online shopping app. His cart was filled with birthday decorations, toys, and games. He had never organized a birthday party before and was trying to replicate the setup from Chu An Qing¡¯s party he¡¯d attended. He could have hired professionals, but Ji Lin wanted to do it himself. This was his first birthday party, after all, even if he was already 22. ¡°...¡± Ji Lin sighed softly. Then his phone rang. The caller ID read ¡°Pride.¡± He answered, and Pride¡¯s slightly hoarse voice came through. ¡°Envy just called. He¡¯s confirmed that Lin Xian is definitely meddling with history,¡± Pride said. ¡°He always has news fast.¡± Ji Lin chuckled, ¡°He can¡¯t wait for Lin Xian to meet his end tomorrow. He¡¯s been holding a grudge since high school over something minor. I¡¯ve always told you, I don¡¯t like Envy. He¡¯s too extreme, hardly human.¡± ¡°You two aren¡¯t much better,¡± Pride replied, sounding tired. He had grown weary of playing peacemaker between Ji Lin and Zhou Duan Yun. ¡°Not everyone can be friends. I suggested you try with Envy only for work reasons. Now that the job¡¯s done, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± ¡°So, when are you planning to deal with Lin Xian?¡± Pride asked. Ji Lin paused, hesitating. ¡°You don¡¯t have a plan yet? That¡¯s not like you. By now, you usually have everything mapped out. Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t even picked a time.¡± ¡°May 3rd night,¡± Ji Lin finally said, ¡°Or early morning of May 4th, at 00:42.¡± Pride paused. ¡°More than 20 days from now... that¡¯s fine. Lin Xian requires careful planning. Send me the location later. I want to see it happen.¡± His breath quickened, the smell of burning gasoline and gunpowder thick in his nostrils, reminding him of the stench of mud after a rain. As he neared the driver¡¯s body, the odor of burnt flesh sent a primal warning through his brain. The driver¡¯s sunglasses were crooked, but his mask and hat still shrouded his face. His broad shoulders reminded Lin Xian of Zheng Cheng He, whom he had seen earlier that day. Memories of Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s words echoed in Lin Xian¡¯s mind: ¡°My brother isn¡¯t irresponsible; he¡¯s protecting me! He¡¯s a hero!¡± ¡°I want my brother to bury me on the moon when I die because he said our parents are there... I really want to meet them.¡± ¡°My brother always says good is rewarded, and evil is punished. This world is just like that!¡± ¡°I hope my brother can get a ticket to the moon.¡± Zheng Cheng He. Was this his way of punishing evil? Lin Xian stopped and bent down. With a swift tug, he pulled off the driver¡¯s mask. The driver¡¯s face, dark and bloodstained under the moonlight, was unlike any local. His thick lips, large nose, and smooth skin revealed a stranger¡ªcertainly not Zheng Cheng He, the scar-faced, humble man he had met. Lin Xian whirled around as a crowd began to gather on the highway. Something was terribly wrong. If Yellow Finch had led him here and it wasn¡¯t to expose Zheng Cheng He, then what was she really trying to tell him? ... ¡°Thank you for riding with us. Please take your receipt.¡± At the lively bar street, Zheng Cheng He handed a receipt to a passenger who, chuckling, tossed a red bill on the seat and disappeared into the neon night with two women. ¡°Driver! Over here!¡± A group of tipsy young women hailed Zheng Cheng He. He drove up, started the meter, and asked, ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°Uncle, take us to Julu Road!¡± A girl in the passenger seat giggled, looking at him. ¡°Uncle, why the sunglasses at night? Can you even see?¡± Zheng Cheng He nodded with a smile. ¡°It helps against the high beams. Makes it safer.¡± ¡°Wow, uncle! You¡¯re pretty buff!¡± remarked the girls, noticing his muscular build for the first time. ¡°Did you work out a lot?¡± ¡°I used to be bullied. Working out was to protect my sister,¡± Zheng Cheng He shared softly. ¡°To protect your sister? That¡¯s sweet. You must really spoil her,¡± the girl complimented, giving him a thumbs up. ¡°Absolutely,¡± Zheng Cheng He responded, his smile warm. ¡°She¡¯s my everything.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 194: The False Ending The atmosphere in Chu Shan He¡¯s tea room was thick with tension. As he poured a fresh cup of tea, Chu Shan He kept his eyes fixed on Lin Xian. ¡°The Donghai police found a lot of incriminating evidence on the dead driver¡¯s phone,¡± Chu Shan He said. Lin Xian nodded, sipping his tea before setting his cup down gently. ¡°The driver was a retired U.S. Special Forces soldier named Sergeant Sam. Even after his retirement, he continued to carry out covert operations for the U.S. The data we decrypted from his phone suggests he was behind the hit-and-run killings of Xu Yun and Tang Xin.¡± He shook his head in frustration. ¡°These assassins are experts at creating fake evidence. The doctored chat logs involving Tang Xin show just how skilled they are at deception. My plan was to collaborate with you to intercept that taxi or truck outside Donghai¡¯s jurisdiction.¡± ¡°But given the bomb that was already planted,¡± Lin Xian continued, ¡°it¡¯s clear they never meant for Sergeant Sam to survive, whether or not I intervened last night. That taxi was set to blow up right where it did.¡± ¡°So, we can¡¯t trust the so-called evidence on Sergeant Sam¡¯s phone at all. It¡¯s obvious the assassins arranged it to absolve themselves and falsely close the murder cases.¡±Geett the latest novels on Chu Shan He nodded in agreement, refilling Lin Xian¡¯s cup and then adding fresh water to the tea stones. ¡°I agree,¡± Chu Shan He replied, ¡°but without solid proof, we can¡¯t demonstrate that these records are fabricated. The police will accept the evidence from Sam¡¯s phone at face value, especially since it confirms that he killed Academician Leon.¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, the Donghai police are under immense pressure,¡± he added. ¡°With three scientists murdered precisely at 00:42, they need to resolve these cases to maintain public order and respond to community concerns.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Lin Xian replied with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s why I turned to you for help. It¡¯s the only way to keep this investigation moving forward.¡± ¡°I¡¯m deeply grateful, Mr. Chu, for your trust and unwavering support,¡± Lin Xian said sincerely. Chu Shan He waved off the thanks. ¡°Lin Xian, you saved my daughter; I owe you my support. It¡¯s my duty to assist you in solving the murders of Xu Yun and Tang Xin, for justice, the safety of future scientists, and the advancement of our national research. Even without any obligation, I would still stand by you in this just cause.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to explain everything to me. I trust you, and sometimes less is more. Just keep me informed about the next steps, and I¡¯ll be ready,¡± Chu Shan He assured him. His smile widened as he added, ¡°I¡¯ve contributed a lot to our country and the scientific community over the years. I have enough influence to support you beyond Donghai. Right now, my main concern is your safety.¡± Chu Shan He paused, then asked, ¡°When you first shared your plan to lure out the killers by making yourself a target, I had mixed feelings. It¡¯s a risky strategy. Are you sure they¡¯ll come after you personally?¡± As he entered the building, he was greeted by thunderous applause. Lin Xian paused, surprised. The lobby was crowded with leaders, colleagues, officers, and others from various departments, all clapping and smiling with gratitude. ¡°Well done, Lin Xian!¡± The chief approached, clapping Lin Xian on the back. ¡°Thanks to you, we cracked the serial killings case! If not for your insight into the killer¡¯s real intentions, we would have failed again and become a national joke!¡± ¡°But now, thanks to your cleverness and bravery, we¡¯ve caught the killer responsible for the deaths of Professor Xu Yun, Miss Tang Xin, and Academician Leon! We¡¯ve provided answers to the people of Donghai, the nation, and the world!¡± Cheers erupted again as colleagues congratulated Lin Xian. ¡°It¡¯s amazing, Lin Xian! You figured out Leon was the real target!¡± ¡°You must have kept the plan to yourself to avoid leaks, chasing the killer alone.¡± ¡°Although the enemy chose to end it all by suicide, we got valuable information from his phone.¡± ¡°The special investigation team on Xu Yun¡¯s case finally completed its work successfully! Great job, everyone!¡± Amidst the celebration, a familiar figure emerged¡ªJi Lin, who had returned faster than expected. He approached Lin Xian, shaking his hand. ¡°Congratulations, Lin Xian, on capturing the killer and returning victorious.¡± ¡°Welcome back, Ji Lin,¡± Lin Xian replied, shaking his hand. ¡°When did you return? So soon?¡± ¡°Does it seem fast?¡± Ji Lin smiled. ¡°I feared I was late and missed your moment of glory.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Lin Xian smiled back. ¡°You¡¯re just in time.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 195: Narrow Encounters The celebration at the Donghai Police Station lasted well into the night. Relief and joy filled the air as the officers began to disperse. The tension that had been building for weeks finally lifted, leaving everyone in a lighter mood. Insults and criticisms had flooded their complaint mailboxes daily, but that was now behind them. With the case closed, it was time for them to bask in well-deserved accolades¡ªflowers, applause, and commendations. From today, the Xu Yun Task Force was officially disbanded. It still existed in name, but its purpose had concluded. The team members returned to their regular duties, and the entire department was busy wrapping up their work on the serial murder cases. Lin Xian walked back to the shared dorm room he had lived in before joining the task force. With the team disbanded, he also had to move out. The room had been silent for days. Ji Lin¡¯s belongings were gone; he had taken everything when he moved to Japan. Lin Xian¡¯s toiletries were still there, but he hadn¡¯t stayed in the room for some time. He flipped on the light switch. The empty room stirred a sense of nostalgia within him. Everyone thought the horrific events were completely behind them. Lin Xian knew better¡ªit wasn¡¯t over yet. There was still one final act before the curtain would fall. Who would take the final bow? That remained to be seen in the last showdown. Lin Xian packed his belongings, turned off the light, and took one last glance at the room he had shared with Ji Lin for over two weeks. Bang. The door shut behind him. MX Company, 22nd Floor, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office, Lin Xian placed the Ferrari key on Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s desk. ¡°All finished with it?¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked up with a smile. ¡°You really pulled off something big.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve heard then?¡± ¡°Of course, such good news travels fast. Even though the police haven¡¯t announced it officially, I bet the whole city knows by now.¡± Zhao Ying Jun rested her chin on her hand, observing Lin Xian. ¡°The Donghai City Police must be treating you like a hero. You¡¯ve really helped them solve a massive problem.¡± ¡°Thanks to your car,¡± Lin Xian pointed at the key. ¡°Without it, I might have been outrun by the criminal, and none of this would¡¯ve been possible.¡± ¡°You seem to really enjoy driving.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Lin Xian admitted with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s probably the only thing I excel at.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too modest,¡± Zhao Ying Jun countered, leaning back in her chair. ¡°You have many talents, and it¡¯s obvious to everyone. A good horse deserves a good saddle. If you like the car, keep it. I don¡¯t use it much; I have a chauffeur.¡± ¡°No, no, I always end up returning it in a mess. I¡¯d feel bad keeping it,¡± Lin Xian chuckled, then quickly changed the subject. ¡°But I really appreciate the loan and your trust. I can¡¯t offer much in return, but a friend recommended a great restaurant. How about I treat you to dinner?¡± Zhao Ying Jun pondered briefly, then smiled. ¡°Dinner isn¡¯t necessary. If you really want to thank me, how about a different favor?¡± ¡°What do you need?¡± Lin Xian asked, intrigued. Zhao Ying Jun toyed with the Ferrari key on her desk. ¡°After joining you in those high-speed chases, I¡¯ve grown to like the thrill. How about you teach me how to drive like that? Drifting and high-speed maneuvers seem really cool.¡± Lin Xian blinked, surprised by her request. ¡°Are you sure? Street racing can be quite dangerous.¡± Meanwhile, on the first track of Tianma Racing Track, a fiery red McLaren Senna skidded through the final turn with an exaggerated drift, its low-profile tires scraping the ground before stopping sideways on the track. The scissor door opened. Su Su removed her helmet, shaking her bright yellow hair back into place, and looked at her instructor. ¡°So, how was it?¡± Her instructor, beside her, gave a double thumbs-up. ¡°Fantastic! Absolutely fantastic, Su Su! You¡¯re the most talented female racer I¡¯ve ever trained!¡± ¡°But I feel like I¡¯m still not hugging the inside of the turn enough.¡± ¡°How could that be?¡± the instructor exclaimed. ¡°This is already top-notch! Even professional racers can¡¯t get their cars¡¯ front to scrape the inner turn. This isn¡¯t ¡®Initial D¡¯ or ¡®Crazy Kart.¡¯ Nobody can drive that perfectly. You¡¯re already doing amazing!¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Su Su smacked her lips. ¡°But I saw two people recently who were even better. They were driving on a busy highway, handling their cars better than on a racetrack. Their turn skills were so precise, their headlights almost kissed the curb.¡± ¡°Hahaha... You must be mistaken,¡± the instructor laughed awkwardly. ¡°That¡¯s impossible... purely an urban legend.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m off. See you next week.¡± After the instructor got out, Su Su called her waiting friend into the car, and they waved goodbye as they drove off the first track. ¡°Alright, Miss Su Su, see you next week!¡± The instructor waved enthusiastically, knowing she was a valuable client who tipped generously. Su Su¡¯s friend grabbed a box of bubble gum from the McLaren¡¯s glove compartment, popping one into her mouth. ¡°Su Su, you¡¯ve been coming here every week to practice since that Ferrari incident. It must have really fired you up.¡± Su Su snorted. ¡°The Ferrari was fine... I¡¯m just pissed at that date. He acted all cool and then left. It was disgusting! For the first time, I asked someone to scan my WeChat QR code, and he dared to refuse me?! Such nerve! If I see him again, he won¡¯t get off easy!¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be mad,¡± her friend chuckled, offering her a bubble gum. ¡°Donghai City is huge. How likely is it you¡¯ll run into him again? Whether it¡¯s that Ferrari or that date... I bet you¡¯ll never see them again!¡± Roar!!!!!!! As they passed the outer edge of the second track, a red blur, trailing black smoke from its tires and roaring with high RPMs, zoomed by, leaving them wide-eyed and gaping. Both women craned their necks to look at the disappearing car on the second track... That familiar red color, That familiar model, That familiar taillight! ¡°Damn!¡± Su Su gritted her teeth. ¡°What a narrow encounter with an old enemy!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 196: Yellow Finch and Ying Jun As the Ferrari sped around the curve, its engine thundered, leaving a trail of tire smoke behind. The car¡¯s drift wasn¡¯t flawless, but that hardly mattered¡ªZhao Ying Jun had handled everything herself. Steering, shifting gears, timing¡ªevery aspect was under her control, and Lin Xian hadn¡¯t interfered at all. ¡°You¡¯ve really got a knack for this,¡± Lin Xian commented, impressed by Ying Jun¡¯s swift progress. It had been less than half an hour since her first hands-on drifting lesson, yet here she was, confidently navigating the turns on her own. Although her technique still needed refining¡ªshe tended to slow down too much in the turns and didn¡¯t hug the track edges closely¡ªher rapid improvement was undeniable. Just half an hour earlier, she¡¯d been struggling with the basics like gear shifting, and now she was pulling off drifts like a natural. ¡°Your instinct for driving is excellent,¡± Lin Xian complimented sincerely. ¡°Maybe you can¡¯t explain the mechanics or the feeling behind your actions, but you¡¯re already shifting and steering like it¡¯s second nature.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ying Jun¡¯s face lit up with a smile at his praise. ¡°I thought I was still making a lot of mistakes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing incredibly well,¡± Lin Xian reassured her, his tone genuine and free from any hint of patronization. Up until now, Lin Xian had considered another driver, known only as Yellow Finch, the best female driver he¡¯d encountered. He recalled an encounter with her; she was in Ying Jun¡¯s Ferrari, which she had seemingly stolen. They met unexpectedly on an overpass, and she had driven with exceptional skill, effortlessly overtaking Lin Xian and his companion, Su Su, who was driving a McLaren at the time. Yellow Finch¡¯s driving was not just skilled but intuitive, a blend of natural talent and extensive practice. Despite being in her thirties¡ªa time when society might expect her to be more domestic¡ªher driving rivaled Lin Xian¡¯s own, which had been sharpened by numerous perilous experiences. Yellow Finch¡¯s driving style was eerily similar to his, and Lin Xian had once thought this might be a deliberate provocation. However, she had disappeared as mysteriously as she had appeared, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions that Lin Xian was eager to resolve. Watching Ying Jun tackle another curve with growing assurance, Lin Xian wondered about a potential connection between her and Yellow Finch. Could they be linked across time or space? He briefly entertained the idea that Ying Jun and Yellow Finch could be the same person in different eras, akin to how, in a distant future, someone might resemble Chu An Qing. However, he quickly dismissed this theory. Their physical appearances were distinctly different¡ªYing Jun¡¯s features were sharp, her face almond-shaped, while Yellow Finch had softer features and a round face, not to mention her striking blue eyes, a rarity in the country. As Ying Jun completed another turn, Lin Xian noted her meticulous attention to detail, even in her choice of earrings that matched her outfit perfectly. He remembered Yellow Finch¡¯s last sighting on a rainy night; she had worn a beige coat with blue earrings¡ªan odd fashion choice that Ying Jun would never make. ¡°What if you tried wearing a beige coat with blue earrings?¡± Lin Xian asked suddenly, curious about her reaction. Ying Jun frowned, clearly not fond of the idea. ¡°That would be a weird mix. I don¡¯t think I could pull that off.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think so?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ying Jun replied, glancing at Lin Xian. ¡°Do you like such mismatched styles?¡± ¡°No wonder she¡¯s behaving like this,¡± Ying Jun laughed. ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian agreed, trying to refocus on the task at hand. ¡°Let¡¯s not get distracted. Racing side by side is risky. We should slow down and let her take the lead.¡± But before he could say more, Ying Jun pressed the accelerator, the Ferrari¡¯s engine roaring as she pursued the McLaren. ¡°Hey, hey,¡± Lin Xian exclaimed, tightening his seatbelt, taken aback by Ying Jun¡¯s sudden competitiveness. Normally reserved and composed, she was now showing a fiery side. As the cars wove through the track, Ying Jun¡¯s natural talent shone. Although Su Su had more experience and a slight edge in skill, Ying Jun was quickly catching up. ¡°Let¡¯s not push it,¡± Lin Xian suggested. ¡°Safety first. You¡¯ll surpass her with a bit more practice, no need to prove anything now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not concerned about winning or losing,¡± Ying Jun responded, her voice firm. ¡°I¡¯ve faced defeats before, but I refuse to lose to her.¡± Lin Xian looked into her determined eyes, reminded of a conversation they had while driving a Bentley GT. Ying Jun had once told him, ¡°I don¡¯t live for them. I don¡¯t need to prove anything to them. That¡¯s what I want you to understand too, Lin Xian. Do what you love, for your own satisfaction, not to show something to someone else.¡± Now, seeing her determination, Lin Xian felt a renewed understanding of her words. Placing his hand over hers on the steering wheel, he said, ¡°You know, the Ferrari has a ¡®death mode.''¡± He flipped the Manettino switch to the most extreme setting, disabling all electronic aids. ¡°Hit the gas, and don¡¯t let up,¡± he instructed, guiding her hand on the gear shift. ¡°We¡¯ll take this on together.¡± Ying Jun nodded, a determined smile crossing her face as the Ferrari surged forward, ready for whatever challenge lay ahead. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 197: Surprise ¡°Su Su, they¡¯re catching up!¡± Su Su¡¯s racing partner shouted, his eyes wide with panic as he glanced at the rearview mirror. A Ferrari was closing in fast, its sleek design looking almost predatory. The engine of their McLaren roared in response, surging forward with renewed determination. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking,¡± Su Su whispered to herself, remembering the first time she saw the Ferrari in action on that overpass. Zhao Ying Jun had been behind the wheel then, and Su Su had been deceived by her earlier, seemingly unimpressive performances. The real competition had begun. Since that day, Su Su had changed. With her coach¡¯s strict training and her relentless practice on the track, she felt ready to challenge the Ferrari. As they approached a sharp curve, the Ferrari took the turn flawlessly, speeding past and overtaking the McLaren with ease. No matter how hard Su Su pushed, Zhao¡¯s strategic driving kept her either blocked or forced to slow down. It was as if the Ferrari could anticipate and counter every move she made. Frustration mixed with determination tightened Su Su¡¯s grip on the wheel. Inside the Ferrari, Zhao Ying Jun smiled triumphantly. Lin Xian, seated beside her, had one hand on hers, helping with the steering and shifting gears, while his other hand managed the electronic handbrake. Despite their awkward driving position, their teamwork was enough to keep the less experienced Su Su behind. Throughout the race, the McLaren never managed to overtake the Ferrari. On the final stretch, Zhao Ying Jun skillfully blocked the McLaren, weaving provocatively across the lanes, mimicking Su Su¡¯s earlier taunts. Laughing, Zhao Ying Jun drove off the track and out of the parking area. ¡°Racing is really exhilarating,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, grinning at Lin Xian. ¡°It is. You should teach me more when you have time,¡± he replied with a warm smile. ¡°Definitely,¡± Lin Xian agreed, his mind wandering to old tales of martial arts masters mentoring promising disciples. He realized how rewarding it was to mentor a talented student. That evening, Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun had dinner at a restaurant he had booked in advance. They discussed the recent arrest of a notorious criminal and Lin Xian¡¯s temporary assignment at the police station. ¡°This case is complex. The government will likely get involved to uncover who¡¯s behind these murders, possibly extending the investigation to the USA,¡± Lin Xian said, pausing with his fork mid-air. ¡°But they¡¯ll keep it quiet,¡± he continued. ¡°Accusing the USA without solid evidence could provoke unwanted international backlash. The government is always cautious with sensitive matters. Within our jurisdiction in Donghai, these three murder cases are considered closed.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded, understanding the delicacy of the situation. ¡°Now that the police work is done, shouldn¡¯t you get back to your regular job? It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve seen my secretary,¡± she teased. Lin Xian chuckled, a hint of resignation in his tone. ¡°I¡¯ll return soon. Just let me have a little more downtime.¡± But deep down, he knew it wasn¡¯t over yet. Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts drifted to Ji Lin. Recently, Ji Lin and his associate, Zhou Duan Yun, had gone quiet, as if they had disappeared. He speculated about their next move. They weren¡¯t in any rush, and neither was he. After all, if Ji Lin wanted something from him, he would come calling, even if it meant inviting him out at midnight. No one else would dare. Except maybe Ji Lin, Zhou Duan Yun, and Ji Xin Shui. ¡°I¡¯ll be ready,¡± Lin Xian silently vowed. A few days of calm followed, then Lin Xian received a call from Chu An Qing. ¡°Senior, May 3rd is coming up. It¡¯s Ji Lin¡¯s birthday! We need to think of a gift for him!¡± Checking the calendar, Lin Xian marveled at how time flew. It felt like just yesterday they had celebrated Chu An Qing¡¯s birthday, and now Ji Lin¡¯s was approaching. Should he really get him a gift, given their complex history? Chu An Qing was bursting with enthusiasm. ¡°I¡¯m heading over! Let¡¯s go shopping!¡± Chu An Qing hesitated, her eyes flickering away. ¡°Ah... his painting? I¡¯ll show you sometime! Hehe...¡± Lin Xian nodded and handed back her phone. ¡°Send me the original photo. I¡¯ll sketch it in the next few days, and then you can color it. We¡¯ll decide later whether to frame it or not.¡± That evening... Lin Xian pulled out a sheet of drawing paper back in his home. Opening the photo on his phone, he began sketching. Sketching himself and Chu An Qing was straightforward and familiar. But when it came to capturing Ji Lin¡¯s distinctive features and his characteristically lazy eyes, Lin Xian found himself struggling, unable to accurately replicate Ji Lin¡¯s unique appearance. Memories of Xu Yun, lying in the street, her body mangled and blood flowing, came flooding back. He remembered Tang Xin, her eyes empty, trembling, leaving bloodstains on his face. Snap. Lin Xian tossed the pencil onto the table, where it rolled off and shattered on the floor. ¡°No, I can¡¯t do it,¡± he muttered to himself. The accumulated anger and bitterness made it impossible for him to prepare a birthday gift for someone he considered a murderer. The idea of drawing a picture for Ji Lin, a man he associated with such violent acts, was beyond him. Moreover, the thought lingered that Ji Lin¡¯s birthday celebration could well be a setup for something more sinister. ¡°I¡¯ll persuade Chu An Qing to pick a different gift,¡± Lin Xian resolved, opening his eyes to gaze at the bright moon outside. In his mind, an enemy remained an enemy, a murderer a murderer. A blood debt demanded a blood payment. Ring ring... ring ring... The sudden sound of his phone ringing cut through the silence of the room. Ring ring... ring ring... He glanced at the clock. It was precisely 12:42 AM. And the caller was Ji Lin... Lin Xian answered the call, his voice steady. ¡°Lin Xian, I knew you wouldn¡¯t be asleep,¡± Ji Lin¡¯s voice came through calm and clear. ¡°How did you know?¡± Lin Xian asked, a tinge of curiosity in his voice. ¡°Because you always stay up late,¡± Ji Lin replied simply. Lin Xian remained silent for a moment. During their time at the Donghai Police dorm, he had indeed formed the habit of staying awake until past midnight to disrupt any predictable patterns that could be used against him. ¡°What do you need, Ji Lin?¡± Lin Xian finally asked. ¡°I was wondering if you have time tomorrow afternoon,¡± Ji Lin continued, his tone casual but perhaps holding an undercurrent of something more. ¡°I¡¯ve bought a lot of decorations for the house, and they¡¯ve all arrived. If you¡¯re free, would you like to come over and help set up the living room? My birthday is coming up, and I promised everyone a party. But, honestly, I have no experience in organizing something like this, so I could really use your help.¡± ¡°Ji Lin,¡± Lin Xian paused, weighing his words. ¡°What are you planning for your birthday?¡± ¡°Anything will do. You said you wouldn¡¯t tell me in advance,¡± Ji Lin chuckled on the other end. ¡°It¡¯s almost here. Don¡¯t spoil the surprise. Just... let it be a surprise.¡± Lin Xian glanced at the half-finished sketch on his desk, Ji Lin¡¯s face still missing from the drawing. ¡°A surprise...¡± He replied, a mix of resignation and determination in his voice, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll wait and see.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 198: Angelica The next afternoon, Lin Xian arrived at the Donghai Lakeside Villa District, just as he had planned with Ji Lin. After getting out of the car at the entrance, he began walking inside. The internal roads were spacious, just as he remembered. The road in front of Ji Lin¡¯s villa was the widest and straightest, perfect for sports cars. The main road within the villa area had many manhole covers, especially concentrated in front of Ji Lin¡¯s villa. Each side of the road had two manhole covers, spaced about ten meters apart. Manhole covers are common in urban areas due to the various underground pipelines, such as sewers, gas lines, water pipes, electrical conduits, and communication cables. These manholes facilitate maintenance and repairs. In residential areas like this, most of the manholes are for sewers or sewage wells. Wide roads are ideal for large sewage trucks to come and clean regularly. This necessity is universal, whether in upscale villa districts or ordinary residential areas. No matter how luxurious a community is, if the sewage wells are not regularly cleaned by sewage trucks, blockages are inevitable. Lin Xian walked slowly, observing the manhole covers placed ¡°just right¡± along the road. He chuckled to himself and shifted his gaze away.Fo?llo?w new stories at When he reached the front of Ji Lin¡¯s villa, Lin Xian rang the doorbell. ¡°Welcome,¡± Ji Lin quickly opened the door and smiled at Lin Xian standing at the entrance. ¡°Come on in. Your help is greatly appreciated.¡± He led Lin Xian into the house. The living room was relatively tidy, but it was unlikely that Ji Lin had cleaned it himself. Someone as wealthy as Ji Lin probably had a housekeeper or a maid. Otherwise, given Ji Lin¡¯s self-care abilities, he would likely starve. The living room floor was covered with various decorations, colorful props, and numerous uninflated balloons. ¡°Are you trying to turn your house into an amusement park?¡± Lin Xian asked, puzzled. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit much for a birthday party?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Better to be over-prepared than under-prepared,¡± Ji Lin replied casually. Lin Xian scanned the luxurious villa with large floor-to-ceiling windows. It was decorated in an opulent Nordic style and even had a fireplace that was more for show than for use. ¡°I usually like to sit here,¡± Ji Lin pointed to a spot on the wooden floor. ¡°Normally, this living room is filled with books and newspapers. I love books. Sometimes sleeping among them makes me feel more at peace than sleeping in a bed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my bedroom,¡± Ji Lin pointed to a room on the first floor across from the living room. ¡°Typically, bedrooms are on the second floor, but I¡¯m too lazy to go upstairs. I rarely go up there; it¡¯s more convenient to sleep on the first floor.¡± Lin Xian and Ji Lin entered the bedroom. Although the bedroom was not small, it was clearly not proportional to the villa¡¯s size. It seemed that, as Ji Lin mentioned, this bedroom was converted from other first-floor rooms. Normally, the bedrooms would be on the second floor. The bedroom¡¯s setup was extremely simple, with only a desk, a bed, and an en-suite bathroom, and little else. ¡°This fits my stereotypical impression of you,¡± Lin Xian teased. He walked to the desk, where two photo frames were placed. He picked up one. It looked like a family photo with a father, mother, and a little boy standing in front. But Lin Xian quickly recognized one familiar face¡ªXu Yun. The man standing on the right in the back was Xu Yun from his younger years. Lin Xian had seen Xu Yun¡¯s younger self in the Donghai University graduation album, and it was unmistakably him. Apparently, Xu Yun had been very happy back then; his face radiated youth and cheerfulness. ¡°Me?¡± Lin Xian was taken aback. ¡°Yes,¡± Ji Lin continued, setting the photo back down. ¡°Remember how you drove alone to chase that suspect? If that bomb hadn¡¯t gone off, you would¡¯ve tried to stop the taxi with your sports car, right? Maybe even flip it?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Lin Xian admitted, recalling his readiness to use Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s Ferrari to intercept the taxi. A well-placed hit could indeed flip a taxi due to the car¡¯s low center of gravity and centrifugal force, but he never got the chance as the taxi exploded first. ¡°Angelica would do the same,¡± Ji Lin stated. ¡°In the movies?¡± Lin Xian inquired. Ji Lin shook his head, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. ¡°In real life too. She¡¯s just as daring.¡± ... After leaving the bedroom, Lin Xian and Ji Lin began decorating the living room. With everything from decorations to board games available online, setting up was straightforward and quick. In just an hour, they had transformed the room into a festive, welcoming space, perfect for Ji Lin¡¯s upcoming birthday. ¡°You¡¯ve really gone all out,¡± Lin Xian noted, impressed by the array of games and decorations. ¡°I researched a lot online,¡± Ji Lin admitted. ¡°Everyone suggests board games for parties. We had so much fun with them at Chu An Qing¡¯s birthday, I thought we should have them too.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°Playing games in a group is always more enjoyable.¡± ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Ji Lin said as he arranged the games, ¡°I don¡¯t have many friends to invite like Chu An Qing does. If you have any friends you¡¯d like to bring, feel free.¡± In Donghai, Lin Xian¡¯s social circle was limited. ¡°Aren¡¯t Chu An Qing¡¯s classmates coming?¡± ¡°They are, but it¡¯s a small group, and all girls,¡± Ji Lin replied. ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Xian smiled, thinking of someone he could invite. ¡°I do have a high school classmate here in Donghai. Mind if I invite him to your party?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Ji Lin smiled warmly. ¡°The more, the merrier. I¡¯d rather have a lively house than a quiet birthday. Can he make it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check,¡± Lin Xian said, pulling out his phone and showing Ji Lin the contact name. ¡°Who is it?¡± Ji Lin leaned in curiously. ¡°Zhou Duan Yun.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 199: The Seven Deadly Sins Ji Lin¡¯s irritation flashed briefly, a quick wrinkle of his brows, and then disappeared. Lin Xian caught it¡ªa small, involuntary reaction that revealed more than words could. Lin Xian had planned this moment. So far, he had no concrete evidence linking Ji Lin to Zhou Duan Yun. On the surface, they appeared as strangers with no obvious connections. Despite his growing suspicions, Lin Xian lacked tangible proof. But Ji Lin¡¯s momentary lapse, that fleeting look of annoyance, confirmed it for Lin Xian. Ji Lin knew Zhou Duan Yun, and there was history between them.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m This was a critical breakthrough for Lin Xian, more than he had hoped for from his small test. With Ji Lin present, Lin Xian nonchalantly pressed the call button on his phone. Silence followed, eventually broken by the operator¡¯s mechanical voice: ¡°The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later.¡± Lin Xian hung up and turned to Ji Lin with a casual comment, ¡°My classmate¡¯s a big entrepreneur, always busy. If the call doesn¡¯t connect, he¡¯s probably in a basement garage or an elevator.¡± ¡°Or maybe he¡¯s abroad,¡± Ji Lin replied smoothly. ¡°If he¡¯s out of the country and hasn¡¯t enabled roaming, you¡¯ll get that message.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian nodded, pretending to be uninformed about such details. It didn¡¯t matter; he had already extracted the information he needed. Deciding to probe further, Lin Xian asked, ¡°Ji Lin, do you know of Zhou Duan Yun?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ji Lin answered nonchalantly. ¡°I saw it in Tang Xin¡¯s chat records on her phone. She and Zhou Duan Yun were planning a gift for you together. Of course, I remember.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s lips twitched slightly. Ji Lin was quick on his feet, always sharp. His reply was seamless, logical, and delivered with an unnerving calm. Indeed, Ji Lin was a detective of considerable repute for good reason. ¡°If he¡¯s abroad, then my classmate probably won¡¯t make it to your birthday party,¡± Lin Xian remarked with a chuckle. ¡°What a pity.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no big deal,¡± Ji Lin shrugged off the comment. ¡°Do you have any other friends?¡± ¡°Just one, really. I have a childhood friend who works at a 4S dealership here in Donghai City. Want to invite him? He might demolish your cake in two bites.¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Ji Lin scoffed, amusement flickering in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve ordered a three-tier cake. Even a hippo couldn¡¯t finish that in two bites.¡± Lin Xian remembered his friend Gao Yang from a recent celebration at the MX company, who had devoured lobster like it was his last meal. In some ways, Gao Yang could indeed rival a hippo in appetite. ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian conceded. ¡°I¡¯ll invite him. He¡¯s easy to persuade with good food.¡± After excusing himself, Lin Xian went to the bathroom to wash his hands, gathered his belongings, and headed toward the door. He took one last glance at the festively decorated living room. The room was bright and cheerful, adorned with colorful decorations. It had the air of a victory celebration, though Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure for whom the celebration was meant. ¡°Pride,¡± he announced, setting down the piece. Then he picked up a green one, ¡°Envy,¡± followed by a red, ¡°Wrath,¡± a white, ¡°Sloth,¡± a yellow, ¡°Greed,¡± a brown, ¡°Gluttony,¡± and finally, a purple, ¡°Lust.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right; all the Seven Deadly Sins are born from human desires. But you¡¯ve overlooked one crucial detail,¡± Ji Lin stated, picking up the black piece again and positioning it in front of the others. ¡°Pride, your own actions are also driven by desire, the most dominant of all sins.¡± ¡°Perhaps... you are a pawn as well.¡± Ji Xin Shui laughed off the suggestion, his head shaking in dismissal. ¡°Ji Lin, you think too much. Once you receive that invitation from the Genius Club, everything will become clear. For now, your focus should be on keeping Lin Xian here until 00:42 on May 3rd.¡± ¡°Maintaining his presence from the beginning of your party until 00:42 will be challenging. Without a valid reason, Lin Xian will become suspicious. He¡¯s not easily fooled. How do you plan to ensure he stays?¡± Ji Lin, now seated at the chess table, manipulated the yellow and brown pieces thoughtfully before looking back at Ji Xin Shui. ¡°Remember our initial conversation? I asked if you minded if I leaked some information to the disruptor to trap him, and you agreed.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Ji Xin Shui nodded firmly. ¡°For someone destined to fall, a little extra information is inconsequential. Just make sure Lin Xian meets his end at 00:42.¡± ¡°Then rest assured, I have a plan to keep him here,¡± Ji Lin confirmed with a nod. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to the spectacle,¡± Ji Xin Shui remarked as he walked toward the door, donning his black felt hat. ¡°I¡¯ll find a suitable place nearby to watch.¡± Meanwhile, at the estate of Chu Shan He, Lin Xian and Chu Shan He were huddled over a hand-drawn map of the lakeside villa area in the reception room. Lin Xian pointed to four circles marked in red on the map. ¡°These sewer covers are crucial to our plan.¡± Chu Shan He acknowledged with a nod. ¡°Understood.¡± He then looked up, his expression serious. ¡°I¡¯ve verified Ji Xin Shui¡¯s entry records; he¡¯s definitely back in the country. However, there¡¯s no sign of Zhou Duan Yun re-entering. His last known departure was from Donghai City to Japan, with no subsequent entries.¡± Lin Xian leaned back, his face thoughtful. ¡°While it would be ideal to capture them all together, we have to work with what we¡¯ve got. Securing Ji Lin and Ji Xin Shui will be a significant victory for now. Zhou Duan Yun and others can wait.¡± Chu Shan He, leaning back similarly, interjected with a note of concern. ¡°Lin Xian, there¡¯s a legal nuance we must consider. Under our laws, if someone is merely suspicious without concrete evidence, we can only detain them for questioning for up to 24 hours.¡± ¡°If we find relevant evidence, the detention can be extended. However, given the complexity of your plan, I¡¯m worried,¡± Chu Shan He continued, his arms crossed. ¡°Ji Lin is clever, and Ji Xin Shui is both influential and resourceful. When you revealed their involvement, I was astounded. Ji Xin Shui¡¯s global standing in the medical field could complicate things. They might have already safeguarded their tracks.¡± ¡°Proving a connection between them and any attempt on your life, like the taxi incident on May 3rd, will be challenging,¡± he added. ¡°I trust your judgment about their guilt, but trust alone won¡¯t suffice in court. We need solid evidence for a conviction.¡± ¡°So,¡± Chu Shan He concluded, pausing for emphasis, ¡°if we detain them but fail to produce conclusive evidence within 24 hours, and they offer no confession, what then?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 200: The Opening Chu Shan He was right to be worried. If there had been any solid evidence that Ji Lin or Ji Xin Shui were involved in a murder or planning one, the police would have already detained them for questioning. Yet, their records remained spotless, both publicly and secretly.Fo?llo?w new stories at Sergeant Sam had taken responsibility for all the incriminating evidence. Even if the investigation progressed, it would likely lead to a false trail in the USA¡ªa diversion masterfully set up by Ji Lin. In this context, as long as the taxi driver who hit Lin Xian wasn¡¯t Ji Lin or Ji Xin Shui, they had a solid alibi. They could easily distance themselves from the incident without any direct implications. Given Ji Lin¡¯s cunning and Ji Xin Shui¡¯s resourcefulness, navigating such a situation was straightforward for them. Lin Xian had anticipated this too. Determined to bring these culprits to justice and to seek retribution for Xu Yun and Tang Xin, he had been planning meticulously for a long time. ¡°Mr. Chu, I understand your concerns,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯ve been stressing the importance of making the taxi incident look fatal. We need to establish their intent to kill to even consider pressing charges for attempted murder. It¡¯s crucial to prevent them from slipping through our fingers.¡± ¡°However, that alone isn¡¯t enough since Ji Lin hasn¡¯t been directly involved in this affair. But don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll find evidence linking Ji Lin to the crime. If they plan to carry out this assassination on the night of May 3rd, Ji Lin will have to get involved to ensure my demise.¡± ¡°As we¡¯ve discussed before, I will only give Ji Lin the opportunity to act against me. If he doesn¡¯t take it, I won¡¯t collaborate with anyone else. So... I can¡¯t give you any guarantees right now because I don¡¯t know Ji Lin¡¯s exact plan. We¡¯ll need to adapt as things unfold that night. However, you can be assured, I won¡¯t let our collective efforts go to waste. I¡¯m confident that I can force Ji Lin to reveal his intentions.¡± Chu Shan He nodded in agreement. ¡°I trust you. No need for further explanation.¡± ¡°An Qing will also be at Ji Lin¡¯s birthday party on the evening of May 3rd. However, my family imposes a strict curfew, so she¡¯ll need to be back in her dorm by 10 PM. The party should end by then.¡± ¡°So, from 10 PM to 12:42 AM, nearly three hours... what¡¯s Ji Lin¡¯s plan to keep you there? I¡¯ve been wondering about this, and it doesn¡¯t make sense. Surely, you two won¡¯t just sit around and chat for three hours, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m puzzled too,¡± Lin Xian admitted. ¡°I have no idea how Ji Lin plans to detain me. I¡¯m just as curious about his tactics.¡± ¡°But knowing Ji Lin and his intellect, I¡¯m confident he¡¯s got something up his sleeve if he¡¯s planning to finish me off on his birthday. All we can do now is prepare on our end and wait for the day to unfold.¡± The days quickly passed. On the evening of May 3rd, at 6:30 PM, Gao Yang stepped out of a taxi dressed sharply in a suit and tie, his hair slicked back as he surveyed the opulent lakeside villa neighborhood. ¡°Time to impress some college girls!¡± ¡°Hold on...¡± Lin Xian stepped out of the taxi and grabbed Gao Yang¡¯s arm. ¡°Remember, this is Ji Lin¡¯s birthday, not a college mixer.¡± ¡°You mentioned Chu An Qing¡¯s classmates would be here, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And they¡¯re studying at the art college? Majoring in dance? All tall and stunning?¡± ¡°Yes, they are... but focus, please.¡± ¡°Perfect!¡± Gao Yang beamed, pulling out an elegantly wrapped gift from behind his back. ¡°This should impress Ji Lin. I need to mingle with those dance majors to make up for my missed college days!¡± ¡°Please stay focused.¡± After settling the taxi fare, Lin Xian and Gao Yang walked up to the villa. As they approached, two large septic trucks were leaving the area, their presence marked by a lingering stench. Gao Yang waved away the odor. ¡°Even in upscale areas, septic issues happen?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± he quickly denied. ¡°I was the class president; I knew everyone. There was no one as charming and pretty as you, honestly!¡± He set his drink down. ¡°Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.¡± ... After Gao Yang departed, Chu An Qing let her hair fall back into soft waves. She bit her lip, pondering the sketch hidden in her room. So, Lin Xian had lied... She had believed Lin Xian¡¯s tale about a classmate resembling her. But Tang Xin had also mentioned that no such girl had been in their class, though she had only been there briefly before transferring. If Gao Yang, Lin Xian¡¯s lifelong best friend and class president, didn¡¯t recall such a girl resembling her, then... Her heart pounded as she recalled Lin Xian¡¯s uneasy expression when the sketch fell. Could it be... that the girl in the sketch was her? ... In the kitchen. A pale-faced Gao Yang approached Lin Xian. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Lin Xian asked, noticing his friend¡¯s distress. Moments earlier, Gao Yang had been lively, mingling with the guests. ¡°Lin Xian, we¡¯ve got a problem.¡± Gao Yang looked genuinely terrified. ¡°I might end up thrown into the Huangpu River by Chu Shan He.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Lin Xian was baffled. ¡°Explain yourself. How could you possibly offend him?¡± ¡°Just hear me out.¡± Gao Yang pulled Lin Xian aside, ensuring their conversation remained private. ¡°You¡¯re not going to believe this...¡± ¡°Spill it.¡± Gao Yang¡¯s face was a mask of worry. ¡°I think Chu An Qing has a crush on me!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Lin Xian felt as if he had turned to stone. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± Ji Lin emerged from the kitchen, holding a tray of appetizers. ¡°She doesn¡¯t like you.¡± ¡°Whoa! Where did you come from?¡± Gao Yang jumped, startled. ¡°You scared me!¡± ¡°Chu An Qing does like someone,¡± Ji Lin said casually as he passed by. ¡°But it¡¯s definitely not you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief...¡± Gao Yang wiped his brow, feeling a sudden surge of relief. ¡°These young women today are so daring. Times sure have changed.¡± ¡°I think you might need a reality check,¡± Lin Xian said, exasperated. He grabbed some utensils and motioned for Gao Yang to follow. ¡°Stop being dramatic and let¡¯s go... the party¡¯s about to begin!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 201: Wishes ¡°Happy Birthday!¡± The room echoed with the harmonious chorus of the birthday song, lit only by the soft glow of candles flickering around a cake. Applause filled the air, and heartfelt birthday wishes were directed at Ji Lin, who was celebrating his 22nd birthday. Turning 22 was almost bittersweet for Ji Lin. It was his first real celebration, a stark contrast to even the poorest families who somehow managed to acknowledge their children¡¯s birthdays each year.Fo?llo?w new stories at Lin Xian joined the applause, observing Ji Lin¡¯s mix of slight embarrassment and genuine happiness. It was clear he was both shy and delighted by the attention. ¡°Ji Lin, come on, make a wish and blow out the candles! You have to wish for something before you blow them out!¡± Chu An Qing, buoyed by high spirits alongside a few other girls, encouraged him to make his wish. Ji Lin paused, unused to this kind of attention. After a moment, he looked at the candlelit cake and said quietly, ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve never really had any wishes. Apart from not having parents, my life¡¯s been pretty good. I¡¯ve had everything I wanted materially.¡± ¡°Ji Lin... you shouldn¡¯t say your wish out loud,¡± Chu An Qing gently reminded him. ¡°It won¡¯t come true if you do.¡± But Lin Xian raised his hand, interrupting her. ¡°Let him say it. It seems like he wants to share.¡± Ji Lin had always come across as reserved and reluctant to socialize, often appearing cold and solitary. Over time, Lin Xian had come to understand that Ji Lin¡¯s solitude was more of a shield, a way to protect himself when no other options seemed available. A simple, childlike birthday party might seem more suitable for a teenager like 19-year-old Chu An Qing or even a young child, but for Ji Lin¡ªa globally recognized bestselling author, Oscar-winning screenwriter, and master of mystery at 22¡ªit felt oddly fitting. ¡°So, Ji Lin, your wish is to experience failure!¡± Chu An Qing exclaimed, clapping. ¡°What a unique wish... That¡¯s the difference between a genius like you and ordinary people like us. We find failure difficult and sad, but for you, it¡¯s a valuable experience and material for your work.¡± The other girls focused on Gao Yang, their eyes sparkling. ¡°Gao Yang, you¡¯re amazing. You¡¯re so knowledgeable.¡± ¡°Where did you learn all this? Do you enjoy reading?¡± they asked, clearly impressed. ¡°Wow... The adult world is so complex. Only Gao Yang could understand Ji Lin¡¯s wish,¡± they murmured among themselves, their admiration for Gao Yang evident after his impressive ¡°explanation.¡± ¡°Hahaha, I was just showing off...¡± Gao Yang laughed, scratching his head. He pulled out his phone and showed them his social media feed. ¡°I learned this from a psychologist¡¯s social media. Look, Dr. Liu is the most famous psychologist in Donghai City. She posted this today, quoting the British writer.¡± ¡°I like to read her posts and learn some psychology. It¡¯s quite useful¡ª¡± Gao Yang then patted Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Lin Xian used to have these weird dreams and was really troubled. I took him to see Dr. Liu.¡± ¡°Dr. Liu diagnosed him quickly, and with just a few words, she solved Lin Xian¡¯s problem! Isn¡¯t that right, Lin Xian? Dr. Liu is really good!¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense.¡± Lin Xian kicked Gao Yang under the table, signaling him to keep quiet. Across the table, Ji Lin remained silent, his gaze fixed on Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian.¡± It was the first time Lin Xian saw Ji Lin¡¯s eyes fully open, their gaze sharp and intense. ¡°Have you... seen a psychologist?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 202: Friends ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian admitted, not hiding anything. Gao Yang had already shared so much, so there was no point in denying it. To prevent Gao Yang from revealing more, Lin Xian quickly took over the conversation, explaining his visit to the psychologist: ¡°Back then, our company was launching a new product, and the Rhine Cat brand was under a lot of pressure. I was extremely stressed, dealing with sleepless nights and constant headaches. Out of desperation, I agreed when Gao Yang suggested seeing a psychologist.¡± ¡°My sleep eventually got better, and things started to normalize. But I don¡¯t think it was the psychologist who really made the difference. It was more about our MX company¡¯s product succeeding and Rhine Cat getting a positive response. Once the pressure lifted, my sleep improved too.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s explanation made sense, and Gao Yang, having known him for years, understood Lin Xian¡¯s reluctance to discuss the psychologist. So, Gao Yang quickly changed the subject: ¡°People tend to forget how good their doctors were once they feel better. I pushed you to see a psychologist because I was genuinely worried about you. You were overworking yourself, getting dark circles under your eyes just like Ji Lin. If you kept losing sleep, it would¡¯ve really hurt your health!¡± ¡°Ji Lin, you should also try to reduce your late nights. Your dark circles are pretty noticeable. I¡¯ve known friends who died young from overwork. You have so much life ahead and money to enjoy¡ªit¡¯d be such a waste to lose that.¡± Chu An Qing jumped in, ¡°Hey, it¡¯s a birthday party, why are we talking about such grim stuff? That¡¯s bad luck!¡± ¡°Enough already... Look, the candles are almost gone. Ji Lin, make a wish and blow them out!¡± Everyone¡¯s attention shifted to the cake as they noticed the candles were about to burn down completely, prompting Ji Lin to make his wish. With a swift puff, Ji Lin blew out the candles, and the gift-giving began. Gao Yang was the first to present his gift¡ªa men¡¯s belt. Lin Xian knew Gao Yang¡¯s primary reason for attending was to impress some female university students, making the belt a convenient choice, more of an entry ticket to the party. However, Ji Lin didn¡¯t mind. He enjoyed the celebration, unwrapping Gao Yang¡¯s gift and holding up the belt. His smile was genuine as he thanked Gao Yang: ¡°Besides the books Xu Yun gave me as a kid, this is the first real birthday gift I¡¯ve ever received.¡± Gao Yang felt a twinge of guilt. ¡°If I¡¯d known, I wouldn¡¯t have gone first...¡± he muttered to Lin Xian. Next, it was Chu An Qing and the other girls¡¯ turn. They presented a variety of delightful items, some even handmade, which Ji Lin deeply appreciated. Several were immediately treasured and found spots in his room. Chu An Qing handed over a high-end neck massager, explaining, ¡°Your slight hunchback might be from all that writing and reading. This should help.¡± She had initially planned to give a sketch and watercolor painting she discussed with Lin Xian. However, Lin Xian had recently told her he was too busy to draw, so they settled on separate gifts. In truth, Lin Xian¡¯s relationship with Ji Lin was a fac?ade. Beneath the cheerful surface, a dangerous game of cat and mouse unfolded. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t bring himself to create art for a murderer. Moreover, Ji Lin was responsible for the deaths of Xu Yun and Tang Xin. No matter how friendly their interactions seemed, to Lin Xian, it was all a pretense, a means to seek justice for Xu Yun and Tang Xin. ¡°This is for you,¡± Lin Xian said, offering his gift¡ªa small box containing a unique Rhine Cat keychain. Ji Lin¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The Rhine Cat keychain was styled in a gothic fashion. The petite, adorable Rhine Cat wore a black top hat, adorned with stars and teardrops painted on its face, making a whimsical expression. It was dressed in a witch-like black outfit, complete with black-and-white striped candy socks. ¡°This version isn¡¯t for sale,¡± Lin Xian smiled, looking at the quirky Rhine Cat. ¡°It doesn¡¯t fit with Rhine Cat¡¯s brand image, so it¡¯ll never be released. It was handmade by a team member who loves crafting Rhine Cat fan art. I thought you might like it, so I secured one just for you.¡± Ji Lin chuckled softly, not saying much. He picked up the gothic Rhine Cat for a closer look. Truth be told, he wasn¡¯t a fan of the gothic style. He had only mentioned it during the New Year¡¯s party to get closer to Lin Xian, as a way to analyze Lin Xian¡¯s artistic style. It was merely a ruse. Yet unexpectedly, Lin Xian had remembered. ¡°Thank you,¡± Ji Lin murmured quietly. He stood and placed the unique gothic Rhine Cat keychain on the high TV cabinet. ¡°I¡¯ll treasure it.¡± After the gift exchange, everyone indulged in the cake, engaging in lively conversations and laughter. Ji Lin had underestimated Gao Yang. The cake, sourced from an obscure but skilled baker, was a masterpiece, and Gao Yang ate with gusto, devouring a substantial portion of the three-layer cake and living up to his reputation as a glutton. Once everyone was satisfied, it was time for games. Ji Lin had prepared several board games, and the fun was contagious. After completing one game, Chu An Qing spotted an intriguing game box. ¡°Let¡¯s try the guessing game!¡± she suggested excitedly. Everyone seemed interested. As the game neared its end, Chu An Qing was down to the last three trivia cards. Except for Lin Xian and Ji Lin, all other participants had been eliminated. Everyone watched the scoreboard intently. Their scores were tied, and neither had missed a single question. ¡°Next question!¡± Chu An Qing read from the final trivia card, ¡°In a certain Japanese anime, there is a notebook that can kill people if their names are written in it. What is this notebook called?¡± Ding! Ji Lin buzzed in, turning to Lin Xian and softly said, ¡°Death Note.¡± ¡°Correct!¡± Chu An Qing moved to the penultimate question, ¡°What was the first Hollywood film introduced to China?¡± Ding! Lin Xian buzzed in, ¡°True Lies.¡± With only one trivia card left, Gao Yang and the nearby girls were sweating with nervous anticipation. These two must be prodigies! Chu An Qing glanced at the last trivia card and chuckled nervously, ¡°This final question is much simpler than the rest... It¡¯s all about who¡¯s quicker.¡± Gao Yang and the others leaned in to peek. They all exhaled in relief. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s too straightforward. Even I know this one.¡± ¡°No challenge at all, given the hints.¡± ¡°An Qing is right; it¡¯s purely about speed.¡± Everyone turned their attention to Lin Xian and Ji Lin, seated at the table. Their scores were even, and this last question was simple. Whoever pressed the buzzer first would win the trivia game! ¡°Question!¡± Amid everyone¡¯s anticipation, Chu An Qing read the final card, ¡°There¡¯s a term that generally refers to two people who share a deep, like-minded relationship. It¡¯s also the title of a famous song by singer Zhou Huajian and the codename for the antagonist in the renowned manga ¡¯20th Century Boys.¡¯ What is this word?¡± Everyone widened their eyes in shock. Where¡¯s the buzzer sound? Such an easy question, almost spelled out, how could they not know? Zhou Huajian¡¯s most popular song! A karaoke staple! How could anyone not know? But! Lin Xian and Ji Lin sat motionless, staring at the buzzers as if frozen, not moving a muscle. Everyone was bewildered. Impossible? These two, seemingly omniscient, how could they falter at such a straightforward question? Finally¡ª Ding! With Lin Xian still unmoved, Ji Lin slowly reached out and pressed the buzzer. ¡°You lost, Lin Xian,¡± Ji Lin said softly, not looking up, his gaze fixed on the leftover cake crumbs on the table. ¡°Though I¡¯ve never heard Zhou Huajian¡¯s songs, I¡¯ve watched ¡¯20th Century Boys.''¡± ¡°Tomodachi,¡± he whispered, ¡°in the film, the antagonist¡¯s codename is pronounced that way. And when translated, it means...¡± He turned to Lin Xian and softly said, ¡°Friend.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 203: The Ace Up His Sleeve Lin Xian remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor. He knew the answer to the riddle, of course. Back in middle school, whenever he and his friends hung out at karaoke, they always sang this particular song. As a movie buff, he had naturally seen 20th Century Boys, a true cinematic gem. Naturally, the answer was on the tip of his tongue. Yet, he refrained from hitting the buzzer and revealing the answer. Especially not tonight, not during this crucial moment when the cat was about to confront the mouse face-to-face and their true identities would be revealed. ¡°Ah, looks like Ji Lin wins again!¡± Chu An Qing chirped as she added another point to Ji Lin¡¯s score on the scoreboard. Ji Lin was now leading by one point ahead of Lin Xian. The two of them were far ahead of everyone else, signaling the end of the guessing game. The lively games had not only energized the atmosphere but also brought everyone closer. Gao Yang, usually more reserved, had finally clicked with the college students. In a burst of excitement, they even opened a vintage bottle of red wine that had been stashed away in the villa. This bottle was evidently expensive and well-aged. Ji Lin, however, seemed unbothered by its value; he simply wanted everyone to enjoy themselves. Gao Yang, now discussing Freud¡¯s theories on the subconscious with the students, was undoubtedly becoming a hit. Lin Xian thought to himself that Gao Yang should send a thank-you card to Dr. Liu, the psychologist, whose social media post had skyrocketed his popularity among the college crowd.Ree?ad latest novels at Glancing at the wall clock, Lin Xian noted it was already 10 PM. The party showed no signs of winding down, with everyone thoroughly enjoying themselves. Seated comfortably on the couch with a juice in hand, Lin Xian pondered whether Ji Lin would make his move tonight. According to the strategy he and Chu Shan He had discussed, tonight at precisely 00:42 was when Ji Lin and his team were likely to strike. Lin Xian had been extra cautious lately, avoiding late-night outings and leaving no room for their typical ambush tactics. To lure him out at midnight, they needed a convincing pretext. Ji Lin¡¯s birthday party provided the perfect cover. If they missed this chance, it would be challenging to draw Lin Xian out again under such circumstances. Adding to his concerns, Chu Shan He had recently discovered that Ji Xin Shui had returned to the country at this peculiar timing, likely connected to Ji Lin¡¯s scheme. Lin Xian was convinced of their collaboration. Sadly, there were no entry records for Zhou Duan Yun, complicating any future attempts to apprehend him. But for now, the immediate problem was that Chu An Qing and her classmates couldn¡¯t stay past 11 PM due to a curfew. Despite the fun, they would soon have to leave. Once they departed, only Lin Xian, Gao Yang, and Ji Lin would remain. Knowing Gao Yang, once the girls left and he had his fill of wine, he would probably see no reason to stay and would likely urge Lin Xian to leave with him. As Lin Xian set his juice down and leaned back, he was still puzzled over Ji Lin¡¯s next move. How exactly did Ji Lin plan to keep him until 00:42? What tricks did he have up his sleeve? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t pinpoint it, which unnerved him. He had thought through every other aspect, but this one eluded him. They stood up, collected their coats, and walked toward the door. ¡°Goodbye, Ji Lin,¡± Gao Yang called out as they reached the gate. ¡°We won¡¯t stick around to help clean up, sorry about that.¡± ¡°No worries, the housekeeper will handle it,¡± Ji Lin replied softly, following them out to the courtyard. Gao Yang hummed a tune as he walked ahead, already through the gate. Lin Xian followed more slowly, stepping off the porch. Ji Lin lingered in the doorway. Lin Xian felt a twinge of doubt. Had he been wrong? Was their plan not set for tonight? ¡°Lin Xian,¡± Ji Lin suddenly called out. Lin Xian turned to see the slender, pale boy illuminated by moonlight. ¡°What is it?¡± Lin Xian asked, his curiosity piqued. Ji Lin gazed at the moon, silent for a moment before speaking softly, ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wanted to ask you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been investigating my parents¡¯ deaths for years. Even though the 00:42 serial killer has been caught, there¡¯s still no lead on who killed my parents. I often wonder, who would have a motive to kill two mathematicians like them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been frustrating,¡± Ji Lin¡¯s eyes shifted from the moon back to Lin Xian. ¡°But I did find a small clue. You¡¯re brilliant; you solved the 00:42 case. I value your opinion.¡± ¡°What did you find?¡± Lin Xian inquired, intrigued. Ji Lin squinted, his gaze intense. ¡°Lin Xian, have you ever heard of... the Genius Club?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 204: The Time Has Come Dark clouds blanketed the moon, casting shadows across the entire sky. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as Lin Xian stood motionless, his gaze locked on Ji Lin. Until this moment, Lin Xian had played out numerous scenarios in his head, imagining various reasons Ji Lin might want him to stay. However, Ji Lin¡¯s next words caught him completely off guard. ¡°Have you ever heard of... the Genius Club?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s mind spun with questions and theories. How did Ji Lin know about this extremely secretive organization? What was his connection to the Genius Club? Could Ji Lin, Ji Xin Shui, and Zhou Duan Yun be members? No, that couldn¡¯t be right. Lin Xian remembered a particularly tense night in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office when Yellow Finch had ominously warned him: ¡°Even if you don¡¯t seek trouble, trouble will find you. Your cat-and-mouse game has begun. I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the Genius Club.¡± At the time, those words were a puzzle to Lin Xian. Now, though, the pieces were coming together. The ¡°cat-and-mouse game¡± must be related to Ji Lin and his crew. Clearly, Yellow Finch wasn¡¯t on their side¡ªotherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have issued such a warning. So, Ji Lin couldn¡¯t be a member of the Genius Club. But why bring it up now? Lin Xian had to acknowledge Ji Lin¡¯s cunning; he had chosen the perfect bait to keep him intrigued. The Genius Club. His knowledge about this shadowy group was scant, gleaned mostly from his dreams, with the only real-world link being a counterfeit invitation. If Ji Lin could offer even a sliver of genuine information, it could be a game-changer, particularly since Yellow Finch had hinted that the quickest path to solving his mysteries was through an invitation to the Genius Club.Geett the latest novels on Could Ji Lin provide a clue about how to join? ¡°Lin Xian!¡± At the villa gate, Gao Yang called out, patting his belly. ¡°What are you doing? Hurry up!¡± Snapped out of his reverie, Lin Xian gave Ji Lin a non-committal answer, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that name.¡± It felt safer to feign ignorance. Plus, it wasn¡¯t unusual for him to be unaware of such a secretive group. His denial kept the conversation straightforward and pressured Ji Lin to disclose more compelling details about the Genius Club, especially since Ji Lin needed him to stay until 12:42 AM. If Ji Lin wanted him to linger, he¡¯d have to share something worthwhile. Lastly, whether it was a trap or not, Lin Xian was prepared to play along. Ji Lin and his associates had plans for him at 12:42, and he planned to turn the tables on them. Both needed to buy time until then, so Lin Xian was ready to engage. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard of it? That¡¯s normal, as it¡¯s very secretive,¡± Ji Lin replied, his tone casual. ¡°I know little myself. But I think you might find them interesting; they could be behind the deaths of Xu Yun and Tang Xin.¡± Ji Lin¡¯s smile was inviting as he gestured toward the brightly lit, luxurious living room. ¡°Shall we go inside and talk?¡± Lin Xian sipped his juice, his mind racing. Ji Lin was clever, blending truth with deception. Sorting out the facts was challenging, but Ji Lin didn¡¯t know how much Lin Xian already understood about their situation and the existence of the Genius Club. Group B included Ji Lin, Ji Xin Shui, Zhou Duan Yun, Sam Sergeant, and Dr. Leon, attempting to emulate Group A¡ªthe Genius Club. Their ultimate goal? Lin Xian recalled Big Cat Face¡¯s ambition: ¡°My ultimate goal is to get an invitation to the Genius Club!¡± And Yellow Finch had been clear: ¡°The simplest way to find all the answers is to get a real invitation to the Genius Club.¡± ¡°What is the Genius Club, really?¡± Lin Xian asked again, his curiosity peaking. What kind of organization could hold such sway, driving everyone to such desperate measures for an invitation? ¡°You¡¯ve already asked that, Lin Xian,¡± Ji Lin replied with a sip of his juice, his smile tinged with frustration. ¡°If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t be so troubled. I¡¯d have avenged my parents by now. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t know what the Genius Club is, where they are, or what my next steps should be.¡± Lin Xian twirled a silver fork between his fingers, pondering. The secrecy surrounding the Genius Club was almost legendary, powerful enough to mark their presence on the moon yet remain unseen for centuries. That Ji Lin even knew their name was significant. So, if Ji Lin knew, did Ji Xin Shui also know? What about Zhou Duan Yun? Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure. Given Ji Lin¡¯s strained relations with Zhou Duan Yun, it was unlikely he¡¯d share such crucial information. Lin Xian considered Ji Lin thoughtfully. ¡°Based on the name, it sounds like a gathering of top geniuses. Ji Lin, you¡¯re one of the smartest people I¡¯ve met. Maybe you¡¯re closer to the Genius Club than you think.¡± Ji Lin chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°But I think, Lin Xian, you¡¯re the one closest to the Genius Club.¡± ¡°Why would you say that?¡± ¡°Have you read ¡®The Three-Body Problem,¡¯ specifically the second book, ¡®The Dark Forest,¡¯ about the Wallfacers?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°When you get home, think about it. In some ways, you¡¯re very much like the protagonist, Luo Ji,¡± Ji Lin stood up, glancing at the electronic clock. May 4, 2023. 00:39. ¡°I¡¯d love to chat more, but it¡¯s getting late, Lin Xian. Thanks for talking with me.¡± ¡°Time¡¯s late. I should go home too,¡± Lin Xian agreed, finishing his juice and standing up. ¡°Yes... I should leave.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 205: You Lost 00:40 Click. Lin Xian gripped the handle of the double doors, swung them open, and stepped into the cool courtyard air. He shrugged into the coat that had been draped over his arm and walked down the steps. Ji Lin followed close behind him, trailing him out to the villa¡¯s courtyard gate. Ahead of them, a wide, deserted road stretched under dim streetlights. The area was quiet, designed for vacationers, and at this late hour, it was plunged into darkness, save for the occasional light from Ji Lin¡¯s villa. Clouds swept across the moonlit sky, and a chill seemed to creep across the ground. The moon was soon obscured, casting everything back into darkness. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± Ji Lin called, just as Lin Xian was about to leave the courtyard. Lin Xian stopped and turned to face him. Ji Lin was close, perhaps too close for comfort. ¡°I think... I may have misspoken earlier.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice was calm, his stance relaxed yet alert. ¡°I told you Xu Yun was my first friend. Remember that?¡± ¡°And he wasn¡¯t?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s question hung in the chilly air. Ji Lin shook his head slowly. ¡°I thought he was. But now, I¡¯m not so sure.¡± Ji Lin¡¯s hand rested on Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°When Xu Yun died, I was sad, yes. But looking back, it wasn¡¯t the deep sorrow you¡¯d feel for a true friend. Losing someone important should hurt more, right?¡± ¡°So, what should it be like then?¡± Lin Xian asked, his gaze locked with Ji Lin¡¯s. In the distance, the sound of a car engine speeding up broke the silence of the night. Ji Lin¡¯s grip on Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder tightened, his fingers pressing harder. So, this is it, Lin Xian realized. He now understood that Ji Lin and his cohorts planned to kill him at exactly 00:42. At this moment, with the car hurtling towards them, Ji Lin would pretend camaraderie and then suddenly push him into the car¡¯s path. If Lin Xian so much as stumbled or lost his balance, the speeding car would do the rest. Hmph. So that¡¯s the plan, huh?UppTodated from The blast hurled the taxi into the air. Lin Xian, illuminated by the fiery glow, stood with a war god¡¯s composure as the vehicle spun overhead and crashed into the iron fence of a neighboring villa. The sharp bars pierced through the windshield into the cab, turning the front of the car into a mangled mess. A dark red spray of blood marked the impact. The echo of the explosion reverberated through the surrounding buildings, the noise deafening and the smoke billowing. Meanwhile, plainclothes officers in bulletproof vests emerged from a nearby villa, guns drawn. They quickly surrounded Ji Lin and the smoking wreckage: ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± ¡°Get down!¡± ¡°Hands on your head!¡± On a water tower in the northeast corner of the complex, sniper rifles targeted Ji Lin, now visible in the night thanks to their red laser dots. Teams of officers climbed the tower, their guns trained on Ji Lin. In the courtyard, surrounded by gun barrels, Ji Lin looked up at Lin Xian without a word. Lin Xian stood on the road, looking down at Ji Lin, their gazes meeting through the open gate, as if separated by an insurmountable barrier. They said nothing, yet understood everything. Lin Xian turned and walked towards the crushed taxi. The driver¡¯s body, pierced by iron, was visible through the shattered windshield. Lin Xian approached the driver, who was disguised exactly like Sergeant Sam, the man who had killed Xu Yun. Who was under the mask this time? Zhou Duan Yun, back secretly to finish the job? Or another pawn in Ji Lin¡¯s game? Lin Xian reached the driver¡¯s body and paused to take a deep breath before removing the sunglasses and mask. Underneath were pale, bloodless lips; clean, youthful stubble; lifeless, dilated pupils; and a scar that marred the right side of the face. As the moon reappeared, lighting up the scene once more, a figure stood in the shadows of a nearby artificial hill, silently observing. She clapped her hands slowly. Clap, clap, clap. ¡°Still so thrilling, little Lin Xian,¡± she smiled, her blue eyes twinkling ominously in the moonlight. ¡°But this time, you won rather messily.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 206: The Final Move In the office of Donghai City¡¯s Criminal Investigation Department, Officer Liu laid a stack of documents in front of Lin Xian before sitting opposite him. ¡°Zheng Cheng He, that¡¯s the driver¡¯s name,¡± Officer Liu started, breaking the silence. ¡°I know,¡± Lin Xian responded coolly, not even glancing at the papers. ¡°You know him?¡± Officer Liu asked, surprised. ¡°I¡¯ve seen him a few times at the hospital,¡± Lin Xian explained. ¡°We¡¯ve actually met more than a few times. I¡¯ve been to his sister¡¯s birthday party and even gave her gifts.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Officer Liu nodded, understanding better now. ¡°No wonder that taxi braked and swerved so suddenly at the last second. He must have recognized you.¡± Officer Liu clicked his tongue, opened his thermos, took a sip of his tea, and savored the goji berries it contained. ¡°Zheng Cheng He has had a tough life... I just had my colleagues in the next province pull his file. About ten years ago, in 2010, his parents were killed by a local thug over a land dispute. His mother died right in front of him. Back then, in those small, backward villages, there was little anyone could do.¡± ¡°When his parents died, Zheng Cheng He was just a teenager, barely an adult, and his sister was just a toddler. They faced a lot of bullying in the village. That thug was ruthless, even setting dogs on them. Once, when Zheng Cheng He was trying to protect his sister, a dog bit him on the face, and he nearly died from the infection. But luckily, he survived.¡± ¡°Eventually, the siblings left their village and moved to Donghai. It wasn¡¯t until a few years later that the thugs met their end. They all died.¡± ¡°Died?¡± Lin Xian looked up, interested. ¡°How did they die? Did Zheng Cheng He kill them?¡± He recalled seeing a news story about a son who avenged his mother¡¯s murder years later. ¡°No, not at all,¡± Officer Liu quickly corrected. ¡°Zheng Cheng He is a law-abiding citizen, never been in trouble with the law. He¡¯s a hard worker and honest... The case was reopened a few years ago. The investigation showed that the wrong person had been punished initially. The real culprits, the main men from the thug¡¯s family, were found guilty and executed.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s pen spun faster as he went over all the clues and knowledge he gathered thus far: On that rainy night, Yellow Finch lounged on the sofa and told him, ¡°This invitation is fake.¡± In the dream world, Big Cat Face was smoking a cigarette in the van, ¡°I need to try... to get a Genius Club invitation.¡± Ji Lin leaning against a door at the villa, ¡°Lin Xian, have you heard of the Genius Club?¡± Lin Xian furrowed his brow at the last thought. Ji Lin had mentioned two groups involved in the 00:42 incident: Group A, the Genius Club, and Group B, Ji Lin and Ji Xin Shui¡¯s team, who were imitating Group A to prove something to the Genius Club. What were they trying to prove? Ji Xin Shui, already at the pinnacle of success, still sought something¡ªsomething beyond power, money, or status. It had to be something more potent, more mysterious, something that could manipulate human fate. Lin Xian¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°Perhaps, Ji Lin and Ji Xin Shui both aspired to join the Genius Club. It¡¯s worth the risk,¡± he decided, stopping the pen and clenching his fist. Ji Lin and Ji Xin Shui were aware of the Genius Club, and Lin Xian¡¯s intelligence might match theirs. With only 14 hours left before they had to be released, he had to make them confess. He decided to take the risk. ¡°I need to step out,¡± Lin Xian stated, standing and heading for the door. He turned back to Officer Liu. ¡°Please keep an eye on Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin. Don¡¯t let them interact... until I return.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 207: Your Invitation ¡°Lin Xian? Where are you going?¡± Chu Shan He¡¯s voice echoed through the tense atmosphere of the Donghai Police Department, his eyes wide with concern as he watched Lin Xian stand up to leave. At such a critical moment, where could Lin Xian possibly be heading? Just a few days earlier, Lin Xian had discreetly requested Chu Shan He to mobilize national forces from beyond Donghai City for an ambush. Lin Xian¡¯s mistrust of the local police was the primary reason for this. Initially, Chu Shan He hadn¡¯t understood Lin Xian¡¯s intentions. But once Lin Xian revealed that the primary suspects were Ji Lin and Ji Xin Shui, Chu Shan He immediately got it. Ji Xin Shui¡¯s high status and international reputation, coupled with Ji Lin¡¯s favored guest status with the Donghai police due to his assistance in solving numerous cases, made it clear. If the local police were involved, Ji Lin would likely uncover Lin Xian¡¯s plans. Ten hours ago, in the early morning, the capture operation had taken place successfully. Chu Shan He had used his personal connections to enlist the help of a significant figure from the capital, who took the series of murders targeting scientists very seriously. This person¡¯s subordinates fully cooperated with the operation. Everything went smoothly. Unfortunately, obtaining evidence of motive and proof of murder proved problematic. Due to Ji Lin¡¯s last-minute hesitation and the skid marks left by a taxi driver, the final result of the capture operation became unclear. Chu Shan He wasn¡¯t worried about losing face or looking foolish. He was furious at the killers of Professor Xu Yun and wanted nothing more than to see them dead. If they escaped, he would feel he had let down Xu Yun and the other great scientists who had died. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Chu. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Lin Xian said, pausing at the door and looking back at Chu Shan He. ¡°I have an idea to make them talk. Please continue to monitor Ji Lin and Ji Xin Shui. Don¡¯t let them meet. We¡¯ll take action once I return.¡± Leaving the Donghai Police Department, Lin Xian took a taxi directly to MX Company. At the front desk, he inquired and found out that Zhao Ying Jun was out attending a meeting. The office was empty, saving him a lot of trouble. He took the elevator and pressed the button for the 22nd floor. Ding¡ª When the elevator doors opened, he headed straight to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office door with the keypad lock. He entered the code and successfully got in¡ªonly the two of them knew the password to this office. ¡°Phew...¡± Lin Xian closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office was just as it had always been, unchanged. A fine layer of dust had started to settle on the sofa and coffee table due to the lack of recent cleaning. Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t trust anyone else, not even the cleaning staff, and didn¡¯t allow anyone to enter her office without permission. So, this spacious office had to be cleaned by herself whenever she had the time. As for Yellow Finch... You use this place like an ATM, coming and going as you please, couldn¡¯t you at least clean up a bit while you¡¯re at it? Lin Xian went to the filing cabinet in the corner. Zhao Ying Jun was terrible at organizing documents. If Lin Xian didn¡¯t help her tidy up, she would stack all her documents on the table until there was no more space. And that¡¯s why Lin Xian had hidden the fake Genius Club invitation here before heading to the Donghai Police Department to confront Ji Lin. He was glad he hadn¡¯t thrown away or destroyed the fake invitation, despite his hesitation. Also, there was another reason to choose Ji Xin Shui. In order to catch the thieves, you must first capture their leader. Ji Xin Shui was likely the boss or a key figure in their group, possessing the most information. If Lin Xian could trick Ji Xin Shui, it would be equivalent to uprooting their entire gang and catching them all. ¡°I¡¯ll go see Ji Xin Shui first. Watch for my signal to turn off all monitoring,¡± Lin Xian instructed Officer Liu and the staff, then took the file folder and headed to Ji Xin Shui¡¯s interrogation room. Since his arrest last night, Ji Xin Shui had been here the entire time. This might be his only chance. Creak. Lin Xian pushed open the heavy door of the interrogation room and walked in, facing the elderly man sitting in the iron chair. This was his first time meeting Ji Xin Shui in real life. A fateful encounter, and it happened in such a place. Ji Xin Shui looked even older than Lin Xian had imagined. The photos in the news must have been taken years ago. The old man had very few strands of white hair left, his scalp shiny, wrinkled like a worn cloth. He was incredibly old. Judging by his age, he must be over eighty, but his physical and skin condition made him look even older. But his spirit was strong. Even shackled in the chair, his expression remained confident, disdainful, relaxed, and... arrogant. As if it was Lin Xian who was shackled, not him. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this a surprise,¡± Ji Xin Shui sneered as Lin Xian entered. ¡°You¡¯re a tough one to kill, aren¡¯t you?¡± Bang. Lin Xian didn¡¯t respond, his expression unchanged as he gently closed the door, silently taking a seat opposite Ji Xin Shui. Ji Xin Shui straightened his back, leaning back, looking down on Lin Xian with a scornful gaze. ¡°Give it up. I¡¯m not saying anything. It doesn¡¯t matter who you send.¡± Snap. Lin Xian snapped his fingers. Thud, a dull sound. The one-way glass darkened, turning into a black screen. The corner cameras¡¯ power indicators went out, retracting. The recording systems¡¯ indicator lights on the table and walls also went dark, signaling the end of recording. Ji Xin Shui looked around, frowning in surprise. He didn¡¯t understand what was happening. Lin Xian was just an ordinary employee; he shouldn¡¯t have the authority to turn off all the surveillance equipment. Besides, he wasn¡¯t a police officer and had no right to interrogate. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Ji Xin Shui looked at Lin Xian warily. Would the Donghai police dare to resort to violence in this closed room? ¡°No need to be nervous,¡± Lin Xian finally spoke. He unwrapped the seal on the file folder as he spoke. ¡°All monitoring devices are off. Our conversation stays between us.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Ji Xin Shui snorted. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver something,¡± Lin Xian said, unwrapping the seal. Then, in Ji Xin Shui¡¯s astonished gaze, he pulled out the dark red invitation! The wax seal faced up, and the words ¡°Genius Club¡± glinted arrogantly under the fluorescent light. Lin Xian pressed the invitation with two fingers, slowly sliding it toward Ji Xin Shui. ¡°Congratulations, Ji Xin Shui,¡± Lin Xian said, looking up and smiling at Ji Xin Shui¡¯s shocked eyes. ¡°This is your... invitation!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 208: Copernicus Ji Xin Shui¡¯s eyes flew wide open as he gasped for breath. He stared in disbelief at the dark red invitation card on the table before him. The deep red cardstock, the seal stamped with a carved emblem¡ªthere was no mistaking it. This was definitely an invitation from the Genius Club! In his whole life, Ji Xin Shui had seen such an invitation just once before. Yet, that brief glimpse had left an indelible mark, the image of the club¡¯s emblem etched vividly in his mind. The emblem¡ªa right hand with its index finger pointing skyward¡ªhad struck him profoundly, symbolizing the club¡¯s immense and mysterious power. This emblem was Ji Xin Shui¡¯s most guarded secret. He had never shared it with anyone, not even his close friend Ji Lin, who had once managed to wheedle the club¡¯s name out of him. He dared not even sketch it, choosing instead to bury it deep within his heart, where it haunted his dreams every night. It was his constant yearning. And now, unexpectedly, right here in this ordinary place, he was seeing that emblem again! He was looking at the very card he had dreamed of¡ªthe Genius Club invitation! Seeing this invitation for the second time confirmed its authenticity. This was no illusion¡ªthis was a real, tangible invitation! Ji Xin Shui looked up, his eyes shaking with excitement. He stammered to Lin Xian, ¡°Is it... was it Copernicus who sent you? Yes, it must be! I¡¯ve done it! I¡¯m worthy!¡± ¡°Copernicus?¡± Lin Xian repeated, his smile hiding his confusion. He knew Copernicus, the Renaissance astronomer who proposed the heliocentric theory. But why would Ji Xin Shui bring him up now? Before Lin Xian could ponder further, Ji Xin Shui¡¯s excitement grew. He had jumped to his own conclusions about the invitation, his mind racing with possibilities. Ji Xin Shui¡¯s reaction to the invitation, his uncontrolled excitement, confirmed that the fake invitation crafted by Yellow Finch had deceived him. Yellow Finch, a real member of the Genius Club, had the means to create a flawless forgery. As long as Ji Xin Shui didn¡¯t scrutinize the invitation¡¯s contents too closely, he would be none the wiser. Lin Xian¡¯s smile widened, knowing it was time to move to the next phase of the plan. While Lin Xian was momentarily distracted by his thoughts, Ji Xin Shui was engrossed in examining the invitation¡¯s seal and the embossed English letters. His emotions swirled across his face until he settled on a tearful realization. ¡°I understand now... this is a test! An examination!¡± he exclaimed, his voice filled with awe as he looked at Lin Xian with newfound respect. ¡°You are the final test! And you are the examiner!¡± Everything clicked for Ji Xin Shui in that moment. The Genius Club had been his lifelong obsession, his dream since he first heard of Copernicus. Now, that dream seemed to be culminating right before his eyes. The person delivering this unexpected invitation was shaping up to be an incredible disruptor of history. This was all a meticulously designed test to see if he could identify the person altering the course of history and gather sufficient evidence. The examiner, a member of the Genius Club himself, was right there, integrating into the scenario to precisely assess every move. What a brilliant method of examination! No wonder this young man could predict the future, see through their schemes, and even get the police to cooperate effortlessly. He wasn¡¯t just anyone¡ªhe was a member of the Genius Club, an entity seemingly capable of anything! Understanding dawned on Ji Xin Shui. Manipulating a small police station in Donghai was mere child¡¯s play for those who could alter time and fate itself! The idea of manipulating history resonated deeply with Ji Xin Shui. Copernicus had hinted at such concepts, but Ji Xin Shui had struggled to grasp why these future events were already considered history. Now, hearing Lin Xian speak with the same emphasis on history, everything clicked. The future, to them, was already a fixed part of history. This revelation was thrilling, almost intoxicating. It was the ultimate power and control he had always sought¡ªthe ability to dictate fate and time itself! Ji Xin Shui didn¡¯t question Lin Xian¡¯s explanation. After all, the Genius Club was supposed to be beyond ordinary, capable of transcending time and fate¡ªexactly what he had suspected all along! Leaning forward, his eyes filled with anticipation, he asked, ¡°Then please, tell me... what should I do?¡± Lin Xian gave a small smile, pleased to see Ji Xin Shui still fully engaged without any doubts. He noticed something intriguing: every time he mentioned ¡°history,¡± Ji Xin Shui¡¯s excitement grew. This was unusual¡ªmost people were more concerned about the future than the past, but he decided not to delve into that now. Since the term ¡°history¡± resonated so strongly with Ji Xin Shui, Lin Xian planned to keep using it to his advantage. ¡°Your final test,¡± Lin Xian began, crafting his words carefully, ¡°is to disappear from reality. You must completely erase your existence and become an unknown part of history.¡± ¡°You mean...¡± Ji Xin Shui¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°I need to ¡®fake my death¡¯? To make my presence vanish from this world?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian confirmed, somewhat surprised at how quickly Ji Xin Shui grasped the concept. Had he prepared mentally for this? Or had he come across similar ideas before? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t be sure, but he knew he had to tread carefully. With the limited information he had, any misstep could unravel his entire plan. In this precarious situation, it was crucial to gauge Ji Xin Shui¡¯s thoughts about ¡®faking his death.¡¯ After all, Lin Xian¡¯s ultimate goal was to coax Ji Xin Shui into revealing his criminal activities and to ensure he embraced his ¡®death¡¯ willingly. If Ji Xin Shui sensed any deception or refused to play along, he could become dangerous. Meanwhile, Ji Xin Shui¡¯s mind raced. He thought of Copernicus, whom he had always revered almost religiously. Faking death¡ªso that was the key! Suddenly, everything made sense. The reason he and Ji Lin had never found any trace of the Genius Club was clear¡ªthey had all faked their deaths, detaching from reality and merging into the annals of history. In the real world, they staged their deaths. Within the Genius Club, they were reborn. Essentially, they continued to live under a new identity. With newfound clarity, Ji Xin Shui steadied his breathing and looked earnestly at Lin Xian. ¡°Then, please tell me... what should I do? How do I stage a convincing fake death?¡± On the surface, Lin Xian appeared calm, but internally, he sighed with relief. Ji Xin Shui¡¯s request confirmed that his ruse was still secure. Now, moving forward should be straightforward. He chuckled softly, ¡°Ji Xin Shui, your current predicament is an ideal setup for a staged death and subsequent rebirth.¡± Lifting his gaze, Lin Xian continued, ¡°Our country uses lethal injection for the death penalty. Do you know... how many injections are typically used?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 209: Welcome to the Genius Club Ji Xin Shui nodded gravely, fully aware of the gravity of the situation. ¡°The first injection is an anesthetic¡ªit puts you to sleep. The second is a muscle relaxant, which stops your breathing. The third, usually potassium chloride, stops the heart.¡± Ji Xin Shui¡¯s expression turned to one of shock and confusion. ¡°Are you... suggesting that I undergo an execution?¡± he asked, his voice laden with disbelief. Lin Xian nodded, his face calm and composed. ¡°Yes. Just like today, everything is prearranged. At the time of your supposed execution, we¡¯ll swap the second and third injections with saline. You¡¯ll fall asleep due to the anesthetic, and a prearranged coroner will declare you dead. Afterward, we¡¯ll legally transport your ¡®body¡¯ out.¡±Ree?ad latest novels at ¡°This way, you¡¯ll be legally dead to the world, but you¡¯ll rise again within the Genius Club, making history.¡± Ji Xin Shui remained silent, pondering the enormity of the plan. Lin Xian wanted Ji Xin Shui to willingly accept the risk of ¡®death¡¯. The bait was an enticing, almost unbelievable invitation to the Genius Club. Lin Xian was betting on Ji Xin Shui¡¯s ambitions and obsessions. If Ji Xin Shui were pragmatic, he would likely dismiss the plan, recognizing the risks and refusing to stake his life on Lin Xian¡¯s scheme. However, if Ji Xin Shui were driven by ambition, obsession, or madness¡ªif he were the type to betray his loved ones, sacrifice his favored student, exploit his subordinates, and trample over others¡¯ lives¡ªthen Lin Xian believed he would accept the offer. People often say that with enough incentive, even the most cautious might risk everything. Would the allure of the Genius Club be enough for Ji Xin Shui? Ji Xin Shui hesitated, his face a mask of uncertainty. He murmured softly, ¡°I¡¯ll be cleared of all charges in just over ten hours... Maybe then I can arrange a more dignified and respectable way to fake my death.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He didn¡¯t press further, unsure if Ji Xin Shui doubted him or simply valued the dignity of his ¡®death¡¯ more than the plan itself. Either way, it was time to leave. Talking too much could spoil the plan. ¡°Ji Xin Shui, this is a test,¡± Lin Xian stated, his fingers brushing against the invitation as he pulled it back towards himself. ¡°You can choose whether or not to participate. But for us, we¡¯re seeking a trustworthy partner.¡± Lin Xian stood up, collected the invitation, and waved the Genius Club¡¯s emblem before Ji Xin Shui. ¡°Goodbye, Ji Xin Shui.¡± He returned the invitation to its envelope and walked toward the door of the interrogation room. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the Genius Club.¡± The door of the interrogation room closed with a thud. He didn¡¯t yet. But perhaps in the future, he might find that cause. ¡°People change,¡± he recalled telling Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Lin Xian, pursue what you love, commit to it not to prove something to others but because you¡¯re willing to bet your life on it,¡± Zhao Ying Jun had advised him. Maybe, just maybe, something in the future would be worth that risk. Suddenly, on the monitor, Ji Xin Shui lifted his head and stared directly into the camera. Everyone in the monitoring room held their breath. ¡°Send in the interrogation officers,¡± Ji Xin Shui announced, a determined smile on his face. ¡°I have something to say.¡± At that moment, Ji Xin Shui had made his decision. He had never feared death, not at his age of 86. Especially not since he had already ¡®died¡¯ once at 56, before Copernicus had saved him. Back then, he was just an ordinary researcher at Donghai University, struggling after fleeing abroad during wartime and losing his parents. At 56, he had been ready to end his life on a rooftop when Copernicus appeared, offering him an invitation to the Genius Club that changed everything. Copernicus helped him achieve great success and influence, but Ji Xin Shui valued his role as a research institute director the most. He loved sitting in his office, sipping tea, watching students, and reflecting on the building he almost jumped from. The Ji Xin Shui who had been ready to end his life at 56 had indeed died that day, but the one who aspired to join the Genius Club was born. When Copernicus asked him to sacrifice Xu Yun, his beloved student, it was painful, but he couldn¡¯t refuse. His life, granted by Copernicus, was devoted to the Genius Club, in hopes of earning his own invitation. After Xu Yun¡¯s death, he secretly looked out for Xu Yi Yi and arranged for Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s room to be next to hers. Yet he never visited again, aware that the path to the Genius Club required sacrifices. Now, it was time to let go of everything, vanish from reality, and become a part of history. This was the final test of the Genius Club. The 86-year-old Ji Xin Shui would ¡®die¡¯ by lethal injection but be reborn in the Genius Club. He imagined standing beside Copernicus, overlooking the world. He had no fear of death, only the hope of being remembered and honored. Realizing that letting go of everything for a purer existence in history was key, he felt enlightened. In that moment, he could almost hear Copernicus applauding him. ¡°Welcome to the Genius Club!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 210: Embracing Death ¡°Is this enough for a death sentence now, after all I¡¯ve confessed?¡± Ji Xin Shui asked, smiling calmly as he sat across from the furious officer who was busy taking notes. They had been in the interrogation room for four long hours, surrounded by cameras and recording devices capturing every moment. Ji Xin Shui knew they were watching, but it didn¡¯t bother him. This was all part of his grand plan to fake his death and infiltrate the secretive Genius Club, where he hoped to meet his hero, Copernicus. ¡°You monster!¡± the officer shouted, her voice filled with disgust as she clenched her fists. ¡°If what you¡¯ve said is true, you deserve to be executed many times over!¡± ¡°That would be perfect,¡± Ji Xin Shui said, closing his eyes and imagining his acceptance into the prestigious Genius Club. The other officer struggled to control his anger. He couldn¡¯t stand how these criminals, who had no regard for human life, remained so arrogant even when facing their potential end. ¡°Ji Xin Shui,¡± he continued, his voice tight with frustration, ¡°you¡¯ve claimed that your group, the Seven Deadly Sins, which includes you and six others, committed all these crimes. You¡¯ve spoken for the first five members. What about the last two, Ji Lin and Angelica? We need their confessions as well.¡± Ji Xin Shui shook his head, his eyes still closed. ¡°Ji Lin and Angelica are my adopted children. They¡¯re innocent. No matter how many times you ask, my answer won¡¯t change.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve confessed enough to be sentenced to death. Let¡¯s move on to the trial and execution,¡± he said, cutting off any further questions. In his mind, Ji Xin Shui saw himself stepping into a new life, free from all earthly ties... For the all-powerful Genius Club, swapping the drugs for a lethal injection, forging a death certificate, and sneaking out his ¡°body¡± would be simple tasks. Their influence was far-reaching, beyond ordinary means. Soon, he would unlock the deep secrets of the world, the mysteries of time and space, and the inner workings of the Genius Club... In the Surveillance Room Lin Xian, Chu Shan He, and Officer Liu were listening intently to the interrogation through their headsets. Lin Xian had a notebook in front of him filled with details about the Seven Deadly Sins: Pride: Ji Xin Shui, arrested, facing the death penalty. Envy: Zhou Duan Yun, whereabouts unknown, no recent activity. Wrath: Zheng Cheng He, deceased. Sloth: Ji Lin, arrested, no conclusive proof.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m Greed: Academician Leon, deceased. Gluttony: Sergeant Sam, deceased. Lust: Angelica, a famous actress from Hollywood, no criminal record. Ji Xin Shui had admitted to numerous crimes, from international assassinations to local cases involving people like Xu Yun and Tang Xin, mostly carried out by Sergeant Sam under orders from Ji Xin Shui and Zhou Duan Yun. He saw Zheng Cheng He as a faithful follower but was let down by his failure on an early mission. ¡°He could never really excel,¡± Ji Xin Shui had said dismissively. The investigation into Zheng Cheng He¡¯s parents¡¯ deaths had confirmed Lin Xian¡¯s suspicions about Ji Xin Shui¡¯s widespread influence. Additionally, Ji Xin Shui¡¯s foundation had paid for medical expenses for Zheng Cheng He¡¯s sister, Zheng Xiang Yue. For Zheng Cheng He, his sister was everything, which made him indebted to Ji Xin Shui. However, it seemed he had underestimated his own sense of right and wrong. Good actions lead to more good; evil leads to more evil. Zheng Cheng He often talked about kindness to his sister, perhaps cleansing his own soul, darkened by rage and despair, through acts of goodness shown by people like Xu Yun and Lin Xian... Even Lin Xian was puzzled by Zheng Cheng He¡¯s last action¡ªswerving at the last second, possibly spurred by Ji Lin¡¯s voice or his own conscience, avoiding harming the person he was supposed to kill: himself. The reasons behind it remained unclear. With Ji Xin Shui¡¯s trial almost set, Lin Xian directed Officer Liu and Chu Shan He to keep Ji Xin Shui isolated to prevent any outside communication that might disrupt their case. Now, they faced two main issues. Lin Xian focused on the name Ji Lin on his list. Ji Lin had been careful, leaving no trace behind. Even Lin Xian¡¯s attempts to trap him had failed. Despite Ji Xin Shui¡¯s incriminating confessions, he continued to defend Ji Lin and Angelica¡¯s innocence. Soon, Ji Lin¡¯s 24-hour detention would end. Without solid evidence, they would have to let him go. Was Ji Lin really innocent, or had he just managed to avoid detection? Lin Xian had doubts but no proof to connect him to the deaths of Xu Yun and Tang Xin. That was the main problem. The second involved Zhou Duan Yun. Lin Xian circled Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s name with a red pen. ¡°Zhou Duan Yun,¡± he murmured, his thoughts racing. Unlike Ji Lin, Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s crimes were clear, backed by Ji Xin Shui¡¯s confessions and Lin Xian¡¯s own observations of his role in Tang Xin¡¯s murder. This needed to be resolved. He leaned back, his gaze softening as he looked at Ji Lin. ¡°I¡¯m not here to play on your emotions. I just thought that after today, we might not see each other again. But since the drawing is finished... it¡¯s still yours.¡± Checking his watch, Lin Xian noted, ¡°There are just a few minutes left until your 24-hour detention ends. All surveillance is off, and I¡¯m not a professional interrogator. My information isn¡¯t legally binding.¡± ¡°I just want to ask you one question,¡± he said, his eyes intense. ¡°Did you have any part in the murders of Xu Yun and Tang Xin?¡± Silence hung in the air. Ji Lin shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Lin Xian continued to stare, his expression unreadable. Time seemed to stretch out endlessly as they sat in silence. Ji Lin¡¯s eyes were fixed on the sketch, while Lin Xian¡¯s gaze remained locked on Ji Lin. Beep. Lin Xian¡¯s digital watch beeped. He checked the time: 00:42. With a rustle, he pulled a set of keys from his pocket and tossed them onto the sketch. ¡°You¡¯re free to go,¡± he announced as the keys clinked against the paper¡ªthe keys to Ji Lin¡¯s handcuffs and shackles. Lin Xian stood up and moved towards the door. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± Ji Lin called out after him. Lin Xian paused, his hand on the doorknob, but he didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°Are we friends?¡± Ji Lin asked quietly from behind. Lin Xian contemplated the doorknob. ¡°What makes someone a friend?¡± he mused aloud. Ji Lin smiled faintly. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly. It seems simple, yet complicated. Like I said last night... if the thought of them dying makes you sad, they¡¯re probably your friend.¡± ¡°I see friendship differently,¡± Lin Xian finally turned to face him. ¡°To me, true friends don¡¯t lie to each other,¡± he declared, looking into Ji Lin¡¯s eyes again. ¡°Tell me, Ji Lin, were you involved in the murders of Xu Yun and Tang Xin?¡± He repeated the question, uncertain whether he hoped for a denial or a shocking confession. Yet faced with the question a second time, Ji Lin remained silent. They stared at each other for over a minute, time standing still, no words spoken. Lin Xian sighed. This silence was almost an admission. He couldn¡¯t describe his feelings, but this was the answer he was looking for, confirming his suspicions hadn¡¯t been misplaced. At least this time, Ji Lin hadn¡¯t lied to him. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± Ji Lin chuckled, breaking the silence. ¡°If I were to die one day, would you be sad?¡± He repeated the question, adding depth to their conversation. Lin Xian turned, opened the door, and walked out. Bang. The heavy door closed behind him, leaving Ji Lin alone in the dimly lit interrogation room. Lin Xian walked down the brightly lit hallway to the surveillance room, his mind already shifting gears. ¡°Let¡¯s begin the plan,¡± he stated, ready to face the next challenge. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 211: A Hug Click. Click. The police officers secured Ji Lin¡¯s wrists and ankles with electronic handcuffs and ankle monitors. ¡°Ji Lin, although you¡¯ve been released without charges, you still need to help us with our investigation during this time,¡± Officer Liu explained, glancing at Ji Lin, now equipped with electronic tracking devices. ¡°You¡¯re free to move around, but only within Donghai City. If you leave this area, these devices will automatically notify us with their built-in GPS. We¡¯ll always know where you are,¡± Officer Liu added. ¡°Stay within the city limits. We won¡¯t disrupt your life too much, but if you have any information or leads, please contact our team immediately.¡± Ji Lin stood, stretched, and yawned before walking out. His driver was outside, holding the car door open, and they drove away from the Donghai City Police Station.Ree?ad latest novels at The next day, the Donghai City Police Department announced they had solved the 00:42 serial murder case. The mastermind was finally behind bars. The citizens of Donghai City celebrated, relieved and joyful. Chu Shan He sat in his living room, reading the Donghai Daily¡¯s morning edition. The front page featured a black-and-white photo of Ji Xin Shui, outlining his many crimes, including the murders of Xu Yun, Tang Xin, Dr. Ponsmike, and others still unidentified. The newspaper also unveiled Academician Leon¡¯s deceitful involvement. Once a respected inventor, he was now shown to have collaborated with Ji Xin Shui in academic fraud, theft, and other serious crimes. Sergeant Sam, the actual murderer, was also implicated. According to the police, these three were behind the recent murders of scientists. However, the report only named these individuals. Chu Shan He reflected on this as he read. The crimes of Ji Lin and Zhou Duan Yun weren¡¯t mentioned. This omission was Lin Xian¡¯s influence. Both he and Officer Liu didn¡¯t understand Lin Xian¡¯s motives but trusted that this clever young man had a plan. They waited quietly for Lin Xian to surprise the world again. ¡°Indeed, new talents rise with each generation,¡± Chu Shan He mused with a smile as he turned the newspaper page. ¡°We older folks really should step aside and let the young take the lead...¡± The second page featured a large photo of Lin Xian in a sharp suit, praising his ¡°significant achievements.¡± It detailed his collaboration with the Donghai City Police Department, from tracing the suspect¡¯s taxi to setting up the ambush that captured Ji Xin Shui. Lin Xian was hailed as a modern-day Sherlock Holmes or even James Bond. The article concluded with news that Donghai City officials planned to honor Lin Xian with a special commendation ceremony and organize a city-wide inspirational event. Chu Shan He nodded in approval. Lin Xian deserved this recognition. Though he had declined such honors before, after this case, he finally accepted. ¡°Donghai City needs more role models like you,¡± Chu Shan He had told Lin Xian. ¡°It¡¯s everyone¡¯s duty to promote positive energy and set good examples for the young.¡± However, these events would wait until Ji Xin Shui¡¯s case was fully resolved and Lin Xian¡¯s ultimate plan was revealed. After the call, Lin Xian went downstairs and caught a taxi to the funeral home. This was his third visit there in six months, having said goodbye to many friends and loved ones. He had become familiar with the smoky scent of the place. His first visit was for Xu Yun¡¯s memorial. The crying and the scent of the funeral home had made him uneasy. The second time, he was there to collect Tang Xin¡¯s ashes with her family. By then, he could handle his emotions better, even though he was angry. Now, this third visit felt almost routine. Lin Xian reached the ashes collection area, filled out the paperwork, and carefully picked up the lightweight urn containing Zheng Cheng He¡¯s ashes. ¡°It¡¯s so light...¡± Lin Xian commented, surprised by how little it weighed compared to a person¡¯s life. Holding the urn, he remembered Zheng Cheng He¡¯s strong build, meant to protect his sister, and his broad shoulders. Now, all that remained was a handful of ashes. The weight of life seemed so fleeting. Lin Xian had intended to bring Zheng Xiang Yue to see her brother one last time, but the doctor had advised against it, saying her heart couldn¡¯t handle the emotional stress. ¡°Just tell her her brother died in a car accident. It¡¯ll be easier for her to handle,¡± the doctor had recommended. Lin Xian wanted to purchase a burial plot for Zheng Cheng He, but Zheng Xiang Yue wanted to keep the urn in her hospital room. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be so far from my brother,¡± she had sobbed, her tears and resolve deeply affecting Lin Xian. Eventually, the doctor agreed, stressing the need to keep Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s emotions stable. Lin Xian carried the urn to her hospital room, feeling its weight increase with every step. In the hospital, Lin Xian pressed the elevator button for the 17th floor. In Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s room, he gently placed the urn on her bed. She said nothing but knelt and hugged it tightly. She didn¡¯t cry. Lin Xian knew that sometimes extreme sadness leaves people unable to cry¡ªit¡¯s a way the body protects itself. Many thought a girl like Zheng Xiang Yue wouldn¡¯t understand much, but Lin Xian believed she knew everything. Her calmness was her way of sparing others from worry. Her compliance was her understanding. Zheng Xiang Yue got off the bed and cleared the nightstand to make room. She tried to lift the urn but couldn¡¯t. It was too heavy for her. She looked up at Lin Xian, tears in her eyes. ¡°Brother Lin Xian, it¡¯s so heavy...¡± Lin Xian moved to help her, but she shook her head, determined. With all her strength, she finally lifted the urn and placed it on the nightstand, arranging it just so. Turning back, she wiped her tears and managed a weak smile. ¡°Look, I can hold my brother now.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 212: Complete Victory Location: Suburban Donghai City, Lakeside Villa The villa¡¯s living room was a mess, still decorated from the birthday party. Police had scoured the place for a day but found nothing. It was unnervingly clean, almost too perfect, with no significant clues left behind.Fo?llo?w new stories at Ji Lin stood quietly, observing the room. The dining table was cluttered with leftover food, a dried-out cream cake, Lin Xian¡¯s half-finished drink, Gao Yang¡¯s wine glass, and some utensils Chu An Qing and her friends had used. The moonlight streaming in gave the scene an eerie resemblance to Da Vinci¡¯s ¡°The Last Supper.¡± It felt like that birthday party had been their last supper¡ªhis, Lin Xian¡¯s, and Chu An Qing¡¯s. Ji Lin walked upstairs, made his way down the hallway, and removed a framed oil painting from the wall. He couldn¡¯t remember which publisher¡¯s boss had gifted it to him, but it was probably by a well-known contemporary artist. It wasn¡¯t particularly valuable, but it held sentimental value as a gift. He carried the painting downstairs, turned the frame over, and opened the back. He tossed the painting onto the couch and gently took out the sketch Lin Xian had given him. Despite being folded and smudged, it still held its charm. The sketch vividly portrayed the three friends with such detail that it seemed more real than a photograph, thanks to the brain¡¯s knack for filling in gaps, making it appear even more pleasing than reality itself. Ji Lin examined the sketch for a while longer before securing it inside the frame and rehanging it on the wall opposite his favorite spot on the wooden floor. The sketch depicted Chu An Qing radiantly smiling with him and Lin Xian standing behind her. ¡°Adding watercolors would really bring this to life,¡± he thought, smiling to himself. He settled into his favorite spot on the floor, leaned on one elbow, and opened his laptop to check the day¡¯s news. The headline story was about Ji Xin Shui¡¯s resolution of the serial murders. Lin Xian had emerged as a hero in Donghai City, while Ji Xin Shui was labeled a criminal. As Ji Lin scrolled through more articles, his eyebrows knitted together. There was no mention of Zhou Duan Yun at all. This puzzled him. Lin Xian had shown him Ji Xin Shui¡¯s confession, which explicitly detailed Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s crimes. ¡°Why haven¡¯t the police released this information?¡± Ji Lin pondered, resting his chin on his hand. He understood why the police might omit details about Zheng Cheng He, who had been involved in the murders for the first time as a replacement for Sam the Glutton. Zheng had failed Ji Xin Shui by hesitating during his first task. While many saw Zheng as a brutal tyrant, he had shown weakness when confronted by Lin Xian. Both Ji Lin and Angelica were clean; Angelica had never participated in any murders, and Ji Lin had been cleared by the police, which meant Ji Xin Shui hadn¡¯t implicated him. ¡°But why did you surrender, Ji Xin Shui?¡± Ji Lin wondered. Ji Xin Shui¡¯s actions were perplexing, but the mystery surrounding Zhou Duan Yun was even more baffling. Lin Xian would never let Zhou Duan Yun off easily; they were sworn enemies. In addition, Lin Xian¡¯s sudden public acceptance of honors and the upcoming commendation ceremony were out of character for him. ¡°Could there be another plot brewing?¡± Ji Lin mused, his eyes closed, piecing together the scattered clues. A high-profile Lin Xian, a twisted classmate with erased criminal records, Zhou Duan Yun still at large, and his own release with an electronic ankle monitor¡ªit all pointed to a deeper game. Ji Lin¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Could Lin Xian actually see the future, travel through time, or bring advanced knowledge back through his dreams?¡± Recalling their days in the police dormitory, Lin Xian often stayed up late and yawned throughout the day. Despite his exhaustion, he always stayed awake past a certain hour. Could this be related to his dreams? At Ji Lin¡¯s birthday party, Lin Xian had awkwardly cut off Gao Yang when he brought up seeing a psychologist, attributing it to work stress and insomnia. Yet, the psychologist¡¯s notes mentioned nothing about work stress. ¡°Lin Xian lied,¡± Ji Lin concluded. ¡°He¡¯s hiding something related to his dreams, future visions, and disruptions to history.¡± He left the villa, locking the door behind him. Standing in the moonlight, he intended to burn the notebook with a lighter. Click. The lighter failed to ignite, but then an icy gun barrel pressed against the back of his head. ¡°Disgusting,¡± Zhou Duan Yun emerged from the shadows, gun in hand, eyes locked on Ji Lin and the notebook. ¡°Trying to be a hero, Ji Lin? Too late.¡± ¡°Too late?¡± Ji Lin smiled. ¡°I think it¡¯s just in time.¡± Zhou Duan Yun snarled, ¡°You¡¯ve always looked down on me. But now, Ji Lin, you¡¯re alone!¡± Bang! A gunshot broke the night¡¯s silence, followed by startled birds. Blood clouded Ji Lin¡¯s vision as he collapsed, the notebook with Lin Xian¡¯s name falling before his lifeless eyes. The green light on the electronic anklet turned red. ¡°Serves you right,¡± Zhou Duan Yun sneered, picking up the notebook. ¡°You too, Lin Xian.¡± He disappeared into the night, but moments later, drones and helicopters filled the sky. Police teams converged from all directions. ¡°Crap!¡± Zhou Duan Yun realized he¡¯d walked into a trap and ran towards the villa complex, shooting at approaching officers. He was quickly cornered. A sniper from a helicopter took the shot, ending Zhou Duan Yun with a precise hit. As the chaos settled, Lin Xian walked through the scene, picking up the notebook. ¡°Zhou Duan Yun,¡± he murmured, ¡°long time no see.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 213: Falling Toward VV Splash. Inside the police department¡¯s control room in Donghai City, Lin Xian sat at a desk, flipping through a psychiatrist¡¯s notebook. The words on the pages barely registered in his mind. They seemed irrelevant now. After all, there was nothing significant in them. During his visit to the psychiatrist with Gao Yang, Lin Xian had been cautious. He had disclosed nothing about his dreams, the Genius Club, or the future world they were entangled with. Now, with Zhou Duan Yun and Ji Lin dead, the entire Seven Deadly Sins group had been dismantled, save for the Hollywood actress Angelica. With the notebook back in his possession, there seemed to be nothing left to concern him. Yet, despite the resolution of all threats and the flawless execution of their plan, Lin Xian felt an unsettling unease. Why, when everything had gone according to plan, did he feel this discontent? He couldn¡¯t understand his own feelings. Creak¡ª The door to the control room opened, and Officer Liu entered, his gaze settling on Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian, we¡¯ve figured everything out. Zhou Duan Yun returned to the country much earlier than we anticipated. He was clever, using multiple fake identities. He came back under the alias Chen Le, which is why we initially couldn¡¯t track his entry.¡± ¡°Your strategy was brilliant, Lin Xian,¡± Officer Liu commended with a click of his tongue. ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t see why you insisted on removing Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s criminal records from the reports. But now, I understand¡ªyou were setting a trap, using Ji Lin as bait to draw Zhou out!¡± ¡°With Ji Lin now sentenced to death and the others gone, only Zhou Duan Yun and Ji Xin Shui were left unprosecuted. They both knew too much about each other, always capable of turning the other in. Zhou was in a tight spot, especially with his mother still here. Ji Lin could have used her as leverage once he got out, or perhaps Ji Lin knew something that forced Zhou to act. Either way, Ji Lin was the perfect lure.¡± ¡°Sadly, Ji Lin was a master of surveillance himself. To keep off his radar, we couldn¡¯t follow him too closely. We only intervened when his electronic anklet signaled his death. But that was a necessary risk. On the upside, we found plenty of incriminating evidence on Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s phone, implicating both him and Ji Lin.¡± Officer Liu gave Lin Xian a thumbs up. ¡°You¡¯re a genius, Lin Xian!¡± Clap. Lin Xian closed the notebook sharply, remaining silent. Officer Liu¡¯s deductions were partially correct but incomplete. The police believed releasing Ji Lin was a ploy to snare Zhou Duan Yun. That wasn¡¯t entirely true. In Lin Xian¡¯s original plan, Zhou Duan Yun, Ji Xin Shui, and Ji Lin were all destined to face justice for their crimes, a life for a life. During an interrogation with Ji Lin, Lin Xian had pressed, ¡°Did you have a hand in killing Xu Yun and Tang Xin?¡± He intentionally avoided mentioning others like Professor Leon or Dr. Ponsmai, or their plot against him. When Ji Lin fell silent after being questioned a second time, his silence spoke volumes. It was an admission of guilt for the murders of Xu Yun and Tang Xin. From that moment, there was no room for sympathy or forgiveness between them¡ªthey were irreconcilably opposed, one shadowed by guilt, the other driven by justice. Even so, for a fleeting moment, Lin Xian had hoped Ji Lin was innocent of those accusations. Ultimately, the deaths of Ji Lin and Zhou Duan Yun, though somewhat unforeseen in their timing, aligned with the overarching plan. It was only a question of who would fall first, and whether it would be by mutual destruction or legal execution. However, one question lingered in Lin Xian¡¯s mind: Why had everything unfolded so swiftly and smoothly? Why the rush for Ji Lin and Zhou Duan Yun to conclude their deadly dance? And why had both converged at the psychiatrist¡¯s villa? Those questions might never be answered, with both men now silenced by death. Officer Liu observed Lin Xian, lost in thought. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t seem too thrilled.¡± Re-reading the note, Lin Xian grasped the depth of Ji Lin¡¯s foresight. His hand fell limply onto the desk as he gazed toward the door through which Lawyer Wang had departed. Perhaps he had been overly confident after tricking Ji Xin Shui. If Officer Liu could partially deduce his plan, how could Ji Lin not have seen through it? A genius like Ji Lin probably understood Lin Xian¡¯s strategy the moment he noticed the absence of Zhou Duan Yun¡¯s name from the police reports. No wonder Zhou had fallen into the trap so readily. Ji Lin had likely orchestrated his own capture! ¡°It appears Ji Lin walked into my trap willingly.¡± A sense of discomfort gnawed at Lin Xian. In the police station, he had pondered the smooth execution of their plan. Now he understood¡ªJi Lin had been complicit. Ji Lin¡¯s note about owing a life likely referenced his own schemes against Lin Xian. ¡°Paying it back¡± meant using his own life to draw out Zhou Duan Yun. It was a calculated risk on Ji Lin¡¯s part, not assured of the outcome. Hence, he had prepared a will. That was typical of Ji Lin, always meticulous, perhaps hoping to deliver Zhou Duan Yun neatly, but instead meeting a chaotic end at Zhou¡¯s hands. Lin Xian sighed, not out of sympathy for Ji Lin, but for the sheer scale of events that had transpired: the deaths of Xu Yun, Tang Xin, Zheng Cheng He, Ji Lin, Zhou Duan Yun¡ªeach a link in a chain of relentless pursuits and fatal strategies. All the violence had culminated in one final message... Turning the note over, Lin Xian read three more words etched in a delicate yet profound script: ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± .... At a checkpoint in New Donghai City, next to a garbage truck, Lin Xian skillfully slit the throat of a male inspector. He had become adept at ensuring a fatal strike while controlling the direction of the blood flow, keeping the uniform clean for later use. Today, though, Lin Xian was exhausted. He hadn¡¯t gone home. After locking his office, he retreated to the lounge and fell into a deep sleep almost immediately. In his dream, he moved mechanically, following a predetermined script. He located CC, joined the Face Gang, climbed into the garbage truck, hacked the security door, and ambushed the inspectors. How he had arrived at each step was a blur. Splash. As Lin Xian dropped the inspector¡¯s body to the ground and began removing the uniform, he noticed CC watching him intently. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked. CC¡¯s eyes darted away before she spoke softly, ¡°This afternoon, behind Li Cheng¡¯s house, you told me you weren¡¯t VV.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m not,¡± Lin Xian responded. ¡°You said it yourself; I couldn¡¯t be VV.¡± ¡°But...¡± CC hesitated, then said, looking directly at Lin Xian, ¡°Right now, you really seem like VV.¡± Lin Xian chuckled, tossing aside the knife. He faced CC, acknowledging her observation. ¡°I know what you mean. You think I looked cold-blooded when I killed just now, like VV?¡± ¡°No,¡± CC interrupted, shaking her head. ¡°Not because of that. It¡¯s your expression, your aura... It carries the same sadness...¡± Lin Xian paused, reflecting on her words. He turned to the window of the garbage truck, catching his reflection¡ªa face both familiar and strange, tinged with sadness. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 214: The Sorrowful One May 17, 2023 It was a typical day at Donghai University¡¯s affiliated hospital on the 17th floor of the inpatient department. Zheng Xiang Yue woke up early in her hospital bed. With a sense of duty, she washed up, brushed her teeth, and changed her clothes. The hospital room was unusually silent. Usually, her brother would gently wake her up around this time. She¡¯d pretend to be asleep, playfully turning over to stay under the covers a bit longer. Eventually, he¡¯d lift her, place her on the bathroom stool, and hand her a toothbrush already dabbed with toothpaste. Only then would she begrudgingly open her sleepy eyes and start brushing. But things were different now... Zheng Xiang Yue realized she had suddenly matured. The day her brother left this world was the day her childhood ended. She found she could wake up on her own, organize her space meticulously, fold her clothes neatly, and even climb on a stool to clean the bathroom mirror until it sparkled. ¡°Brother! Look! I wiped it so clean...¡± Time and again, Zheng Xiang Yue would turn around, astonished by her own capabilities, only to find no one to share her triumphs with. Though she was adjusting to life without her brother, part of her still felt his presence, imagining him there like a comforting shadow. But that comfort was a memory now. ¡°Because Xiang Yue has grown up,¡± she whispered to herself as she patted her cheeks in the mirror, setting her expression to one of resolve. She took a towel, wrung it out, and carefully wiped her brother¡¯s urn, which sat on the bedside table. This ritual had become part of her daily routine, mirroring the care her brother used to give her. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to grow up,¡± she murmured, touching the urn, her gaze deepening with emotion. ¡°In another 20 years... I¡¯ll be an adult.¡± After hanging the towel out to dry on the balcony, Zheng Xiang Yue checked her watch. It was time for the next part of her morning ritual. She picked up the remote and turned on the hospital room¡¯s internet TV, tuning in to a live stream she had long bookmarked. It was the SpaceX lunar travel press conference. As the network signal buffered, Zheng Xiang Yue climbed back onto her bed, sitting cross-legged. She hugged her brother¡¯s urn close, positioning it in front of her as if he could watch with her. This was something they had planned to do together.Geett the latest novels on Except, her brother had never consented to her wish for him to be buried on the moon. And now, that wish would remain unfulfilled. The TV screen finally loaded, revealing the ongoing press conference. Elon Musk, standing center stage, was already deep into his speech: ¡°People¡¯s longing and enthusiasm for lunar travel clearly exceed that for space travel! As of now... all 10 tickets for the lunar travel plan have been sold out! Let¡¯s congratulate these 10 passengers, who will be the second group of travelers and pioneers in human history to land on the moon!¡± He then read from a congratulatory card: ¡°First, the first lunar traveler! Congratulations to our old friend, who, after participating in SpaceX¡¯s space travel program, has once again become our lunar travel plan¡¯s first passenger¡ªLarry Connor!¡± The audience burst into applause, celebrating the American real estate tycoon¡¯s upcoming journey. Meanwhile, Zheng Xiang Yue watched silently, her brother¡¯s urn in her lap, feeling a mixture of sorrow and unspoken dreams. .... Donghai City, Zhoupu Prison, Execution Room Ji Xin Shui lay on the execution bed, bound yet peaceful, with a smile on his face and his eyes gently closed, as though he could already hear the warm applause of the Genius Club greeting him from beyond. An incandescent lamp flooded the room with intense light, illuminating the scene of what was about to be a world-deceiving faked death¡ªa ceremonious entrance into the ranks of the Genius Club. ¡°Ji Xin Shui,¡± a female police officer called out as she stood beside the execution bed, pen poised over the execution form. ¡°Choose a song. This is your last right.¡± In China, it was a tradition born from ancient rites of human compassion that a death row inmate could pick a song to play as their final background music. This modern adaptation aimed to lessen the emotional burden during the lethal injection process. Typically, overwhelmed inmates defaulted to the first song on the playlist, a children¡¯s song oddly titled ¡°Don¡¯t Look at Me, I¡¯m Just a Sheep,¡± which had become an eerie staple in execution rooms across the country. But today was different. Ji Xin Shui pondered over his choice deeply, treating it as a sacred part of his rebirth into a new world. ¡°Then,¡± he finally said, his voice seasoned with age, ¡°play ¡®Ode to Joy¡¯ for me.¡± The request caused the two coroners and the officer to exchange surprised looks. This choice was unorthodox, to say the least, but undeniably poignant. Recognizing his right, the officer nodded in agreement, and soon, the rich strains of Beethoven¡¯s symphony filled the room. ¡°Ode to Joy,¡± composed by Beethoven and inspired by Schiller¡¯s poem, was a symbol of a bright, unified future for humanity, echoing through the cold walls of the execution chamber with its noble and exhilarating melody. As the symphony reached its crescendo, Ji Xin Shui closed his eyes tighter, his face etched with a serene, almost reverent expression. The execution staff carefully inserted the IV needle into his vein. Ji Xin Shui was calm, knowing the secret that others did not. The supposed lethal doses had been covertly replaced with saline, part of the elaborate ruse to fake his death. The first dose, an anesthetic, began to work, coaxing him toward sleep as the triumphant music swelled around him. He smiled¡ªa smile of someone who knew that when he next opened his eyes, it would be in the illustrious halls of the Genius Club, among legends like Copernicus. The executioner initiated the sequence. First dose administered... Ji Xin Shui¡¯s devout smile remained. Second dose... His smile persisted. Third dose... His smile still held firm. After a short pause, a coroner stepped forward to check the vital signs monitor and nodded to confirm the completion of the procedure. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± he announced quietly. The officer, maintaining her professional composure, handed over the confirmation form to be signed. ¡°These devils who disregard human life truly deserve their fate,¡± she muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with a mix of duty and disdain. The coroner, signing the form, responded with a heavy sigh, ¡°Ah, who wouldn¡¯t agree.¡± As the symphony of ¡°Ode to Joy¡± dwindled to a soft close, the room was left with the echo of its last notes, and Ji Xin Shui, still adorned with his peaceful smile, embarked on his journey to the afterlife. .... Brooklyn, USA, Greenwood Cemetery A tall, striking woman who could be mistaken for an action star from a Hollywood film stood solemnly in front of an upright tombstone. The tombstone was immaculately kept, with freshly engraved letters: Ji Lin 2001¨C2023 Next to it, another tombstone lay flat on the ground, not yet raised. The engraving on it revealed another name: Ji Xin Shui 1938¨C2023 ¡°But my friend,¡± Liu Feng began, a thoughtful look crossing his face, ¡°he said that in this world, in the universe, not everything is so absolute. Many things, even if proven wrong a thousand, ten thousand, or a billion times, don¡¯t really matter; it¡¯s about being right just once when it really counts.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± The driver laughed, dismissive yet curious. ¡°What¡¯s the point of being right only once? What can that one time achieve?¡± Liu Feng looked up, his eyes reflecting the light of the rising sun. ¡°He said, maybe being right just once could save the entire world. I believe him...¡± .... In the heart of the capital, a majestic, classical red building stood prominently. The main gate swung open as two guards snapped to attention, saluting the woman who strode through¡ªYellow Finch. Her piercing blue eyes fixed forward, she walked confidently across a courtyard brimming with flowers and into the opulent inner hall. Inside, a reception room held several dignified figures, each representing a critical sector of national security and development. Chief Zhang, who led the group, rose with a welcoming smile and clapped his hands. ¡°Welcome, Ms. Yellow Finch, we¡¯ve been eagerly anticipating your arrival,¡± he greeted, extending his hand. He gestured to his companions. ¡°These are comrades from various departments¡ªsecurity, defense, aerospace... Ms. Yellow Finch, we are all profoundly grateful for the intelligence and information you¡¯ve provided our country.¡± He continued with enthusiasm, ¡°Based on joint verification by our multiple departments, the confidential information you¡¯ve provided is correct and crucial for our national security and development. So... today, we¡¯ve gathered here to meet you, our selfless heroine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Yellow Finch replied with a modest smile, her gaze sweeping the room. She acknowledged each official with a polite nod before returning her attention to Chief Zhang. ¡°Chief Zhang, since the information I provided has proven to be correct and valuable... has the country considered my request?¡± Chief Zhang¡¯s expression turned contemplative as he sighed softly. ¡°Ms. Huang, that¡¯s precisely why we invited you here today. We recognize your merits and contributions, but... granting access to our nation¡¯s untested, top-secret space shuttle is, frankly, not allowed in principle.¡± Listening attentively, Yellow Finch¡¯s smile didn¡¯t waver as she responded, ¡°Thank you, Chief Zhang.¡± The room filled with puzzled glances. Why was she thanking him despite the refusal? ¡°In my years of experience, according to the art of China¡¯s language,¡± Yellow Finch explained with a twinkle in her eye, ¡°¡®not allowed in principle¡¯ means it¡¯s possible; ¡®allowed in principle¡¯ means it¡¯s truly impossible.¡± Laughter erupted around the room, even Chief Zhang chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. ¡°Indeed, Ms. Huang, you saw through our intentions. So I¡¯ll be frank. I was hoping to negotiate, perhaps you could provide us with more valuable intelligence.¡± ¡°As for the space shuttle,¡± he added, ¡°as you said, in principle, it¡¯s not allowed, but to some extent, it can be negotiated. After all, test flights are inevitable. A few months earlier or later, as long as the preparations are adequate, what harm is there in adjusting the schedule slightly?¡± An aerospace department official chimed in, ¡°According to our plans, the space shuttle¡ªcomparable to the US X-37B¡ªis scheduled for a test flight in December 2023. However, the intelligence Ms. Finch provided is strategically more valuable than this space shuttle in many aspects.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Chief Zhang affirmed, walking towards Yellow Finch with a confident stride. ¡°We¡¯ve discussed it. As long as your plan is under the supervision of China¡¯s aerospace agency, launched at the Jiuyuan Satellite Launch Center, and follows the planned route, we see no major issue. We¡¯ve built enough trust.¡± ¡°I just want to confirm... after this cooperation, will you continue to provide us with more important intelligence and information?¡± he inquired earnestly. ¡°Of course, Chief Zhang,¡± Yellow Finch nodded firmly. ¡°I¡¯m more than willing to offer more intelligence to the country. However, due to certain restrictions, I can¡¯t disclose everything at once. But please trust me, after the space shuttle project, there will be more flexibility. By then, I can share more.¡± ¡°Flexibility?¡± Chief Zhang looked puzzled. ¡°Sorry, I might have used an inaccurate term,¡± Yellow Finch clarified, extending her hand. ¡°What I mean is... by then, we can discuss more, broader cooperation.¡± Smiles and nods filled the room. This meeting was not just to respond to Yellow Finch but to cement a partnership that had proven invaluable over the past six months. Though much of her help was on the surface level, it had significantly influenced national decision-making. ¡°Good, that¡¯s wonderful,¡± Chief Zhang concluded, shaking Yellow Finch¡¯s hand warmly. ¡°Ms. Yellow Finch, thank you for your contribution to the nation. We hope our future journey will be as beautiful as your eyes¡ªtowards the stars and the sea!¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation .... The gentle breeze rustled through the fields, stirring the young, vibrant green sprouts underfoot. Lin Xian walked solemnly, a bouquet of yellow and white chrysanthemums in his hands, heading towards a grave that lay ahead¡ªthe resting place of Tang Xin. The area around the grave had turned lush with verdant growth, a stark contrast to the somber reason for his visit. Lin Xian knelt down, carefully placing the chrysanthemums on the grave. Uniquely, they weren¡¯t wrapped in the traditional colored paper; instead, they were encased in a recent edition of the Donghai Daily. The newspaper was open to a headline that detailed the final report on the infamous 00:42 serial murder case, including information about Ji Xin Shui¡¯s trial and execution, as well as the deaths of Ji Lin and Zhou Duan Yun. On the back page was news of Lin Xian¡¯s own commendation and the upcoming award ceremony. This was the gift Lin Xian had promised to bring to Tang Xin. As another breeze swept across the field, the chrysanthemums nestled in the newspaper seemed to nod, as if acknowledging the weight of the stories they were wrapped in. ¡°Tang Xin,¡± Lin Xian murmured, his voice barely louder than a whisper. He paused, unsure of what more to say, his eyes scanning the familiar grave site. He began to squat down, his hands carefully removing trash and plastic bags that had blown onto the grave. ¡°The seven sins have been dealt with. But... it seems the real mastermind might still be out there.¡± ¡°What exactly is the Genius Club? Who is Copernicus?¡± Lin Xian pondered aloud, recalling Ji Xin Shui¡¯s mania and fervor during the interrogation. ¡°I don¡¯t understand it all, but I know I need to find out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re right or wrong, just or evil; but whatever the case... I need to see for myself. I need to join them to understand the truth.¡± After tidying the grave, Lin Xian stood, stretching his limbs as he prepared to leave. ¡°I must become stronger. Only then will I have the strength to confront these powerful adversaries. The world has suffered enough because of the Genius Club.¡± With a determined gaze, he looked up at the sun. ¡°I¡¯m involved in this now, and I won¡¯t back down. So... bring it on!¡± Turning away from the grave, Lin Xian began his walk back to the road, his footsteps pressing into the greenery. Behind him, the white chrysanthemums swayed in the wind¡ªwaving farewell, or perhaps blessing his resolve. .... Donghai University¡¯s Affiliated Hospital, Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s Room Zheng Xiang Yue sat cross-legged on her hospital bed, clutching the urn of her brother, Zheng Cheng He, as she watched a live broadcast on TV. Her eyes were fixed on the screen where Elon Musk stood at the center of the stage, his voice booming through the speakers: ¡°The ninth ticket to the moon,¡± he paused dramatically before announcing, ¡°belongs to the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics winner! The great scientist who proposed the famous ¡®Cosmic Audit Hypothesis¡¯¡ªRoger Penrose!¡± The audience erupted into thunderous applause. Roger Penrose, a titan in the field of physics, had unexpectedly secured a ticket for the lunar trip. As applause thundered from the TV, Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s grip on the urn tightened, her emotions bubbling to the surface. She bit her lip hard to stifle the sobs, but tears began to fall uncontrollably onto the urn. Lowering her head, she whispered to the urn, her voice choked with emotion, ¡°Brother... I really want to go to the moon too...¡± She had always dreamed of burying her brother on the moon, joining their parents who were already there. The moon seemed an unreachable 380,000 kilometers away¡ªa distance she could hardly imagine traveling. Yet, the desire to bridge that vast expanse overwhelmed her. Just then, a nurse burst into the room, breaking her reverie. ¡°Xiang Yue! Time for your regular check-up!¡± the nurse announced, holding a check-up form. Snapping back to reality, Zheng Xiang Yue quickly wiped away her tears, cleaned the urn with her sleeve, and hopped off the bed. ¡°Oh, oh! Coming!¡± she replied hastily, trying to compose herself as she followed the nurse. As the hospital room door closed behind her with a soft bang, the television continued to blare. The smiling black-and-white photo of Zheng Cheng He on the urn seemed to watch the screen where Elon Musk was gearing up for another announcement. ¡°Next up! Our SpaceX company¡¯s final lunar traveler!¡± Musk scanned the crowd and the cameras, his voice filled with excitement. ¡°This ticket is different from the others; an anonymous buyer paid the full price of 12 million dollars! Then gave this precious opportunity to travel to the moon... to a 14-year-old girl!¡± The audience gasped and then cheered, moved by the generosity of the gesture. ¡°Truly a lucky girl, a romantic gift! As my favorite sci-fi book says... at this moment, she surpasses all living girls and dead princesses on Earth!¡± Elon Musk raised the microphone high, his enthusiasm palpable as he read the final name from the congratulatory card. ¡°Let¡¯s congratulate her!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°The 10th traveler to the moon in the SpaceX lunar travel plan!¡± ¡°She is the 14-year-old girl from China¡ªZheng Xiang Yue!¡± .... To be continued... This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 215: The Resignation In his cluttered office at MX Company, Lin Xian leaned back in his chair, spinning a pen idly between his fingers. His eyes were fixed on the blank sheet of paper lying on the desk, interrupted only by two intriguing names scribbled at the top: Copernicus and Yellow Finch. These names represented mysterious members of the so-called Genius Club. Copernicus, recalling the renowned 16th-century astronomer, seemed almost too grand. In contrast, Yellow Finch evoked the image of a clever predator, much like a sparrow outsmarting a mantis too focused on its prey. Lin Xian exhaled softly, closing his eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no link between them,¡± he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the pen down. Though he now knew of two members, the information was frustratingly fragmented. It was puzzling¡ªdid these names hold any significance, or were they just randomly chosen aliases? His mind replayed the events leading to this moment. Ji Xin Shui, before his untimely death, had implicated Copernicus as the mastermind, drawing him into the shadowy world of the Genius Club with promises of membership. This same figure had supposedly orchestrated the plot that led to the targeting of several prominent scientists¡ªand unexpectedly, Lin Xian himself. ¡°Why target me, though?¡± Lin Xian pondered aloud. He wasn¡¯t a scientist¡ªhis expertise lay in other realms. Yet, according to a delirious Ji Xin Shui during an interrogation, this was all a ¡°test¡± by the Genius Club, and Lin Xian had knowingly tricked the old man into becoming an examiner. Opening his eyes, Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts raced. Time, history, future implications¡ªhis current work seemed to intersect mysteriously with the club¡¯s interests. Could it be that the Genius Club was more than just a gathering of brilliant minds, but a group deeply involved in shaping or predicting the course of history itself? These reflections led him to a startling conclusion: the Genius Club wasn¡¯t just a legend; it was a reality, its members possibly wielding significant influence over the fabric of time itself. Determined, Lin Xian resolved to delve deeper. ¡°I need to infiltrate their ranks,¡± he decided, his voice firm with newfound resolve. This decision came at a crucial time. He couldn¡¯t afford to stay in the shadows any longer, especially after Ji Xin Shui¡¯s murder¡ªwhich Lin Xian decided to frame as his entry exam to the Genius Club, flipping the narrative to his advantage. Still, joining the elusive club wasn¡¯t straightforward. Yellow Finch, ever cryptic, hadn¡¯t offered any concrete steps to secure an invitation, leaving Lin Xian to figure it out on his own. His attention was momentarily drawn to the day¡¯s newspaper, resting on a nearby side table. It featured a front-page article about him, spotlighting his role in solving a high-profile serial murder case. With his newfound public visibility and a commendation ceremony scheduled at the Donghai Grand Hall, laying low was no longer an option. ¡°This means stepping away from MX Company,¡± Lin Xian concluded with a hint of reluctance. The decision, though made long ago, had been tough to act on. Whenever he contemplated leaving, thoughts of Zhao Ying Jun, his mentor at MX, surfaced, complicating his emotions. She chuckled softly. ¡°I never minded the mess, you know, because it was just an office, not a home. But seeing it this clean and organized... it¡¯s really nice. It¡¯s surprising how a little order can make such a difference.¡± Lin Xian listened as he continued his approach, the clean carpet crunching slightly under his steps. ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been practicing at the Tianma Racing Circuit again,¡± Zhao Ying Jun added nonchalantly, her eyes scanning a document. ¡°I¡¯m getting better, thanks to your tips. The coaches there were quite impressed.¡± She paused to brush a strand of hair from her face, her voice tinged with amusement. ¡°I even dropped your name. You know, about that viral video¡ªthe one where the blue Bentley jumps over the Donghai highway? They couldn¡¯t believe it when I told them that was my car, and you were the driver.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s steps grew heavier with each word, the weight of his decision pressing down on him. Zhao Ying Jun continued, her tone shifting slightly. ¡°When I visited home for the New Year, my parents saw that video. My father, who¡¯s always been critical, actually recognized my car. He didn¡¯t sleep that night, and for the first time, he took an interest in my life here in Donghai. It¡¯s funny how parents are...¡± She stopped writing and looked up, meeting Lin Xian¡¯s gaze. ¡°He even mentioned liking the Rhine Cat design, which you created. It was his way of acknowledging my work, indirectly acknowledging you.¡± Lin Xian reached her desk, stopping just at its edge. Zhao Ying Jun gave a small, awkward smile. ¡°Sorry for the ramble. It¡¯s been a while since we last talked like this. So, what brings you here today?¡± With a solemn nod, Lin Xian placed the folded resignation letter on her desk. The lightness in her expression vanished, replaced by a mix of surprise and concern. ¡°President Zhao,¡± Lin Xian started, his voice low and steady, ¡°I need to leave MX Company.¡± The room filled with a heavy silence, punctuated only by the distant hum of the city outside, as Zhao Ying Jun stared at the resignation letter, her previous joviality replaced with a stark seriousness. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 216: Rhine ¡°Why so sudden?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked, a hint of a smile playing on her lips as she leaned back in her chair, her eyes glancing over the resignation letter lying on her desk. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a while,¡± Lin Xian replied earnestly. ¡°I mentioned my plan to start my own business at the beginning of the year. At that time, I didn¡¯t feel prepared, so I decided to stay and learn more from you. But now, I believe it¡¯s the right moment for me to move on. There are goals I¡¯m passionate about pursuing on my own.¡± Zhao Ying Jun studied Lin Xian¡¯s resolute face and paused before responding softly, ¡°You¡¯ve really made up your mind, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian affirmed with a nod. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, the copyright for the Rhine Cat and the exclusive rights to Professor Xu Yun¡¯s chemical compound will remain with MX Company. I¡¯m leaving only with my personal effects.¡± There was a brief moment of silence as Lin Xian searched for the right words. Pfft! Zhao Ying Jun burst out laughing, the sound echoing around the room. ¡°Leaving with just your personal belongings? What are we, getting a divorce?¡±Fo?llo?w new stories at ¡°Uh... I meant that the intellectual property stays with MX Company,¡± Lin Xian chuckled, amused by his own phrasing. ¡°I feel somewhat guilty about leaving now, so think of it as my way of compensating.¡± Their laughter lightened the previously tense atmosphere of the office. Zhao Ying Jun crossed her arms and leaned back further, assessing Lin Xian with a thoughtful gaze. ¡°But those are your main sources of income, Lin Xian. If you leave them behind, how will you sustain yourself financially? And what¡¯s your plan? What kind of business do you intend to start?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t ironed out all the details yet,¡± Lin Xian confessed. He had ideas but nothing concrete yet. The concept of the Rhine Cat was borrowed from a future 600 years ahead, and if needed, he could revisit that for income. She looked at him intently, ¡°The hardest part about starting a new business isn¡¯t just the funding¡ªit¡¯s finding the right people. You can take any of my employees you believe will be valuable to your new venture. The building next door is available and would serve as an excellent headquarters for your company. It¡¯s close, which will facilitate collaboration and ease the transition for any personnel who move with you.¡± ¡°As for your business operations, you¡¯re free to take the Rhine Cat. Also, the rights to develop Professor Xu Yun¡¯s compound will remain with you, allowing you to continue that partnership with MX Company.¡± Lin Xian was overwhelmed by her support. Zhao Ying Jun was not only providing financial backing but also offering a ready-to-go team and essential logistical resources. ¡°Thank you, Zhao Ying Jun,¡± Lin Xian expressed gratefully. ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied, her smile brightening the room. ¡°Although we won¡¯t be boss and employee anymore, we¡¯ll continue as friends and partners. And with your new office just next door, feel free to come by anytime you need advice or support.¡± ¡°And have you thought about a name for your new company?¡± she inquired curiously. Lin Xian paused, then his gaze fell on a Rhine Cat figurine on Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s desk, sparking an idea. ¡°Let¡¯s call it... Rhine,¡± he decided. ¡°After all, the new company will maintain strong ties with MX¡ªsharing assets, personnel, and even the mascot IP.¡± ¡°That sounds perfect,¡± Zhao Ying Jun agreed with a nod. She then picked up a calendar and pointed to the date. ¡°May 20, 2023. Remember this day, Lin Xian. It¡¯s the beginning of something incredible.¡± With a final smile, she concluded, ¡°Welcome to the world, Rhine Company.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 217: Blue Moon That afternoon, Zhao Ying Jun, known for her quick and decisive actions, had a meeting with the legal advisor of MX Company in her office. Together, they worked efficiently to draft a contract transferring the naming rights and the trademark of ¡°Rhine¡± to Lin Xian. Shortly after, Zhao Ying Jun invited Lin Xian to a crucial strategy meeting with the company¡¯s mid-level managers. During this meeting, she proposed appointing Brother Wang, the head of the marketing department, as the first vice president of Rhine Company. She emphasized that Brother Wang¡¯s extensive experience and proven loyalty would be invaluable assets for Lin Xian¡¯s new venture. Brother Wang was not only one of the original employees at MX Company but had also been a steadfast ally of Zhao Ying Jun from the beginning. He was highly respected within the company and was on track to be promoted to vice president of MX Company that year. His loyalty was so profound that he was the first person Zhao trusted with her plan to promote her secretary¡ªa secret he discreetly shared with Lin Xian, further confirming his reliability and solidifying his suitability for the vice presidency. After the meeting, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s team managed the logistics efficiently. They secured the building adjacent to their current office and immediately began the cleaning and renovation process. Amid this flurry of activity, Lin Xian felt somewhat out of place. Though this venture was ostensibly his, Zhao Ying Jun appeared to be managing every detail, almost as if she was the true steward of the project. It felt as though they were two parts of a single entity working towards a common goal. Nevertheless, Lin Xian decided not to dwell on these thoughts. If he had to manage these operations himself, it would have taken months to organize everything. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s proactive approach was actually a blessing in disguise. Moreover, Lin Xian hadn¡¯t planned to get deeply involved in the day-to-day workings of Rhine Company. He intended to use the business primarily as a means to secure funding and serve as a cover for his true intentions. His main focus wasn¡¯t on the daily profitability¡ªthough securing a profit seemed almost guaranteed with resources from 600 years in the future. Secretly, Lin Xian planned to use Rhine Company as a platform for implementing a series of much larger plans. That afternoon, after finalizing several formalities, Lin Xian returned home, utterly exhausted. The role of CEO was demanding and not suited for everyone. It involved a relentless stream of decisions, both significant and minor, which proved to be both taxing and draining. As he relaxed in his bath that evening, Lin Xian mused, ¡°Let the company stabilize quickly.¡± Once everything was operational and running smoothly, he could step back and assume the role of the detached manager he envisioned. Reflecting on it, having Brother Wang as vice president seemed increasingly like a wise decision. The complexities of leadership truly come to light only when you are in that position. Without Brother Wang¡¯s seasoned expertise and stability, managing such a multifaceted organization would have been nearly impossible. During lunch earlier, Lin Xian had contemplated offering his friend Gao Yang a position within the company. Gao Yang was exceptionally intelligent, though his overactive mind sometimes made him appear slightly absent-minded. Nevertheless, Lin Xian trusted him completely. However, employment was still employment. Initially, Gao Yang seemed like a good fit, but he declined the offer, humorously citing a movie, Chinese Partner: ¡°Never play mahjong with your mother-in-law. Never date a woman who has more ideas than you. Never start a business with your best friend.¡± Gao Yang elaborated, ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯d prefer not to work at your company. It¡¯s not about the money¡ªI¡¯m not chasing every dime. More importantly, I don¡¯t want to risk our friendship. That means more to me than a job.¡± ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± Lin Xian attempted to reassure him. ¡°My company isn¡¯t solely focused on profits; it¡¯s laid-back. Even if it fails, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t understand,¡± Gao Yang insisted. ¡°Being an employee and being a boss are different worlds. Many businesses fail because friends and family get involved. I might not ruin your company, but I lack expertise in many areas. I don¡¯t want to be a burden or cause you embarrassment.¡± ¡°Since childhood, I¡¯ve excelled at video games¡ªfrom Contra to League of Legends, I¡¯ve never been defeated by anyone. But being good at games doesn¡¯t translate to being good at work... So, forget it. Just buy more cars from me for your company.¡± Realizing Gao Yang¡¯s firm stance, Lin Xian decided not to press the issue further. For Gao Yang, preserving their friendship was more important than any potential job benefits. As Lin Xian contemplated this, he acknowledged the wisdom in Gao Yang¡¯s concerns. Numerous close friends and classmates had fallen out over business ventures, loans, or startup partnerships. It was a frequent occurrence. Hence, if Gao Yang preferred to stay out, Lin Xian would respect his decision and simply continue to support his friend¡¯s car dealership. That evening, after his bath, Lin Xian yawned and prepared for bed. He glanced at the clock¡ªit wasn¡¯t even nine o¡¯clock yet. Tonight, he wouldn¡¯t be encountering the three-knife thief, joining the face gang, or visiting Big Cat Face¡¯s house for dinner. His only option was to wander through his dream world. Secondly, these ¡°moons¡± were an intense shade of blue. Blue moons occasionally appeared in real life due to air quality and weather conditions, but the blue glow from these ¡°moons¡± was clearly not natural moonlight. It seemed more like the light emitted from some kind of engine or mechanical ion beam! ¡°What is this?¡± As Lin Xian delved deeper into his observations, not only the ¡°moons¡± but also the ¡°sky¡± behind them seemed unnatural. The sky was too low, too oppressive. And there was a distinct dividing line separating it from the distant sky! What had transformed this world? Lin Xian¡¯s confusion deepened. Splash! Splash! Splash! Another wave of foul water descended from above... Lin Xian darted to the side, attempting to dodge it. But it was futile; the water splashed too high and too wide, covering his clothes in foul-smelling black spots. ¡°Damn,¡± Lin Xian cursed. This place was unlivable. He looked to the right. There, at the edge of the matrix of these ¡°moons,¡± was a boundary where they ceased. As long as he ran to the right... he would soon escape the range of these ¡°moons¡± and discern their true nature from the side. Without hesitating further, Lin Xian started sprinting to the right. Despite his speed, the ¡°moons¡± in the sky slowly retreated. As he ran, all manner of strange debris continued to fall, and he often stepped on bizarre, soft, and hard objects, making him feel nauseous. What kind of garbage world was this? Could humans truly inhabit such a harsh environment? Finally, after running at full tilt for half an hour, Lin Xian reached the outer edge of the ¡°moons¡± and looked back at the sky¡ª What he saw was an indescribably spectacular scene. Above the hundreds, thousands of fake ¡°moons¡±... floated a city! A city suspended in the sky! Even from his limited perspective, he could see parts of the city. The towering buildings, the myriad bright lights¡ªit was undeniably a city! A... sky city! ¡°So... those blue moons aren¡¯t celestial bodies, but engines? Like rocket engines, lifting this massive city into the sky?¡± Lin Xian was astounded by the sight of the engines glowing blue. The sheer thrust required to elevate a city! Moreover, what was this sky city? Lin Xian looked further ahead and noticed a bright spot bustling with lights and activity. He ran toward it. On his way, he encountered a little boy running in the same direction. ¡°Hey, kid,¡± Lin Xian stopped him, ¡°Can you tell me, what¡¯s that city in the sky?¡± ¡°That¡¯s Rhine!¡± The boy¡¯s eyes sparkled as he responded. ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian stood there, recalling the document he signed that afternoon and the name he had chosen in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office that morning... ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t you know?¡± The boy looked at Lin Xian, puzzled, pointing to the city upheld by hundreds, even thousands, of ¡°blue moons¡± in the sky: ¡°That¡¯s Rhine Sky City!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 218: Am I the Powerhouse? ¡°Rhine... Sky City?¡± Lin Xian paused as the boy hurried toward the bustling lights, the name ¡°Rhine¡± resonating in his mind. He looked up at the colossal floating city above, supported by glowing blue ion engines, and let his thoughts wander through countless possibilities. ¡°Could this Rhine be the same Rhine Company I founded today?¡± he mused, almost amused by the idea. Establishing Rhine Company had been a spontaneous decision for Lin Xian, driven by a need to secure funding for his ambitious future projects. He hadn¡¯t envisioned building an empire or dominating the global stage. In fact, he was already considering stepping back from daily operations even before the company had truly taken off. And yet, there it was¡ªhis fledgling startup, somehow linked to a massive Sky City floating 600 years in the future? For Lin Xian, the founder of this nascent enterprise, the idea was nearly unfathomable. But the evidence floated right before his eyes. His journey to this revelation had begun last night with a dream about his life in Old Donghai, followed by his entrance into this new, surreal dream world. Clearly, today marked a pivotal shift in his dream sequence. The significant event of the day was his departure from MX Company and, spurred by encouragement from Zhao Ying Jun, his bold decision to launch Rhine Company. It seemed almost certain that the Sky City suspended above was a future manifestation or evolution of his company, 600 years later. In essence, this Sky City bore similarities to the New Donghai City constructed by MX Company. But why had Rhine Company built this Sky City? Was it part of some grand future plan he was destined to conceive? Was he the mastermind behind this monumental project? Or perhaps, over the centuries, had he lost control of Rhine Company, with it changing hands multiple times, now barely resembling his initial vision, except in name? The situation was a maze¡ª600 years is an unimaginably long time. Lin Xian continued his walk, distancing himself from the immense Sky City, and glanced upward at the thousands of blue ion engines he had earlier mistaken for stars. This spectacle reminded him of the film ¡°The Wandering Earth.¡± In the film, humanity constructs thousands of planetary engines to move Earth to a new orbit, escaping the impending doom caused by the sun¡¯s decay. Lin Xian vividly recalled the moment in the film when those engines roared to life, similar to the blue ion beams currently elevating Sky City. The underlying technology was likely akin. According to Lin Xian¡¯s hypothesis, these blue engines utilized controlled nuclear fusion. Only the intense, pure energy from atomic nuclei fusion could sustain such an enormous city across centuries. No other energy source could have such a profound, lasting impact. ¡°This indicates that the level of scientific advancement in this third dream world has significantly surpassed that of the second dream world,¡± he pondered. In his second dream world, New Donghai City had managed only to develop miniaturized nuclear batteries, far from achieving controlled nuclear fusion. But now, in this third dream world, technology had leapt forward tremendously... Was this surge in nuclear fusion technology somehow spurred by Rhine Company¡¯s influence over the past 600 years? Lin Xian quickened his pace, moving further from the blue engines to gain a clearer view of Sky City¡¯s architectural marvels. From his vantage point, he estimated that Sky City floated approximately two to three thousand meters above ground¡ªthough this was merely a rough guess based on his current perspective. From what he could discern, Sky City¡¯s technological prowess far exceeded that of New Donghai City from his second dream, showcasing a more futuristic, cyberpunk aesthetic. Then, his thoughts drifted to the earlier unpleasant odor of sewage and waste that had plummeted from above... Lin Xian halted, his gaze fixed on the grandiose Sky City overhead. Perhaps... it was plausible! If Sky City was indeed intertwined with his plans, then the future version of himself would be aware of his capacity to traverse dreams to August 28, 2624. So... could it be that his future self was anticipating his arrival in Sky City? Because he knew he would eventually come searching! And all he needed was to endure these 600 years, possibly through cryogenic sleep or some similar means. Would the Lin Xian of 600 years later meet the Lin Xian from today... Could such an encounter truly transpire? Lin Xian felt a shiver of goosebumps. His emotions were a whirlwind¡ªpartly terror, partly thrill. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m overthinking this. The future me might have long perished.¡± ¡°But, if I were to leave a crucial message for my past self, Sky City would undoubtedly be the perfect repository.¡± Lin Xian endeavored to think like his future self because no one understood him better. Assuming Sky City was indeed connected to him, the sole rationale for its existence would be to relay a message to his younger self! ¡°Got it...¡± Lin Xian experienced a moment of clarity. In the second dream, while he and CC meddled with the safe at Time Bank, he had contemplated using the safe to transport items from the past to the future once Time Bank materialized by the end of 2023 or early 2024. This concept embodied the past aiding the future. So, by reversing this notion... Could the future also assist the past? Initially, Lin Xian deemed this idea implausible, given the unidirectional nature of time. However, now it seemed that human ingenuity was limitless. If his future self had indeed left behind information, materials, clues, or even his own presence in Sky City, wouldn¡¯t that fulfill the objective of the future aiding the past? The more Lin Xian pondered, the more lucid his thoughts became. If he possessed the capability, he would certainly undertake such a task! It made perfect sense! Thus, Rhine Company and Sky City served a profound purpose! ¡°Looks like I must ascend to Sky City,¡± he resolved and looked up at the vast city buoyed by thousands of controlled nuclear fusion engines. Despite all his speculative musings, he believed the name Rhine, the genesis of it all, the most enduring legacy of 600 years, harbored special significance. Whether he was correct or mistaken, whether his future self awaited him or not, whether Sky City concealed messages for him or not, he had to explore it personally to unearth the truths! ¡°If Sky City was indeed constructed for me...¡± Lin Xian smiled at the monumental edifice. ¡°There must be some backdoors left for me, right?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 219: The Last Men in Donghai How could anyone possibly reach the floating city of Rhine Sky City? Were there special flights designated for this, or maybe secret elevators hidden away? Lin Xian scanned his surroundings with a curious eye. ¡°Hmm?¡± In the distance, he noticed a cluster of people and glowing lights. He had seen this area when he first arrived. It looked like a flat space where at least a hundred people were gathered, possibly for some event. This spot was the only place within his line of sight that was brightened by lights, making it a noticeable landmark. The little boy Lin Xian had met earlier had run towards this area after they parted ways. What sparked Lin Xian¡¯s interest? A gigantic hot air balloon was slowly ascending from the midst of that crowd! Lin Xian had only ever seen hot air balloons in movies and on TV. These crafts, which ascend using hot air or helium, lack any real steering capability and can only drift with the wind, making them impractical for daily transport and more suited for leisure activities or extreme sports. Yet, there it was, at the edge of Sky City¡ªa hot air balloon being prepared for launch. ¡°This has to be the mode of transportation to Sky City,¡± he muttered. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect the transport method to be so old-school.¡± But could a hot air balloon really provide a safe journey to Rhine Sky City? Lin Xian was doubtful. Still, he started running towards the crowd, hoping to secure a ride¡ªor more accurately, a spot on that balloon. However, due to his earlier wandering, he was quite far away. He watched as the balloon gradually filled up and began its ascent. By the time Lin Xian reached the crowd, the massive balloon had already lifted the small passenger basket several meters into the air and was continuing to rise. Looking up, Lin Xian realized this wasn¡¯t your average hot air balloon; it was a helium balloon. Unlike traditional hot air balloons, which use a flame to heat the air inside and create lift, helium balloons rely solely on the lighter-than-air gas, requiring no flames or burners. Filling a large balloon with helium and sealing it provides enough lift without any extra mechanisms. But this method seemed excessive for a mere two to three kilometers up to Sky City. Could it be that the actual altitude of Sky City was greater than he initially thought? Lin Xian remembered his middle school geography lessons. He recalled that the temperature drops by about 6 degrees Celsius for every 1000 meters of altitude, which would make two to three kilometers an ideal height for Sky City¡¯s residents to avoid extreme cold. Moreover, higher altitudes mean lower air pressure, which affects boiling points and can cause altitude sickness. Surely, these were considerations with our current technology in 2023. But Rhine Sky City likely had access to controlled nuclear fusion, providing them with limitless energy to easily counter these high-altitude issues. Yet, something else struck him as odd¡ªthe passenger in the balloon¡¯s basket was dressed in a thick, insulated suit, much like a simplified version of a spacesuit. This comparison wasn¡¯t far-fetched. The passenger looked almost like an astronaut, wrapped up thickly and wearing a large helmet. This left Lin Xian even more baffled... A helium balloon and a spacesuit¡ªwhat was this person planning? Was he not just traveling to Sky City? Why all the complexity? Determined to find answers, Lin Xian scanned the crowd and quickly spotted three familiar faces¡ªunexpected, yet somehow expected. Ah Zhuang! Er Zhuzi! San Pang! They were former henchmen of Big Cat Face! Seeing these old acquaintances in such an unfamiliar place brought a smile to Lin Xian¡¯s face. These guys had been taken down countless times by him and Big Cat Face in their first dream. In the second dream, they had reformed and started working under Big Cat Face and Boss Li. Lin Xian hadn¡¯t expected to encounter them again in this third dream. At that moment, Lin Xian felt that perhaps some aspects of history were indeed inevitable. Certain people, certain events, seemed preordained... Inevitable existences. Inevitable occurrences. Could this be a manifestation of some new time-space law? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t puzzle it out just then. But now was not the moment for deep contemplation. He needed to find out why so many were gathered here. ¡°Ah Zhuang!¡± Lin Xian called out cheerfully. Ah Zhuang, shorter but sturdily built, scrutinized Lin Xian from head to toe, his eyes shifting briefly towards the sky. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± Lin Xian replied with a smile, clapping him on the shoulder. Familiarity had removed any awkwardness: ¡°Where¡¯s Big Cat? Where is he?¡± Hearing Big Cat¡¯s name, Ah Zhuang¡¯s face instantly relaxed. Lin Xian¡¯s confident tone made Ah Zhuang think he was a friend of Big Cat, and he pointed to a balloon already high in the sky: ¡°You¡¯re late, Big Cat already left.¡± Lin Xian was taken aback. He craned his neck to see the balloon climbing higher: ¡°That¡¯s Big Cat in the spacesuit?¡± ¡°Who else?¡± ¡°He¡¯s headed to Sky City?¡± Lin Xian remembered a fact from 2023: the world record for high-altitude skydiving was held by a Google vice president who ascended over 40,000 meters using a helium balloon, then freefell for four thrilling minutes before deploying his parachute to land safely. This exemplified the thrill of extreme sports. This also partly explained the sparse population density in some foreign areas. Though Big Cat¡¯s 20,000-meter dive might seem less daunting compared to the 40,000-meter record, the complexities involved were on another level entirely. The Google executive merely had to jump and manage his parachute. Big Cat, on the other hand, faced a more daunting task. He had to glide with precision, managing his speed and trajectory meticulously to navigate through the defense gap before he could even think about deploying his parachute. Any error, any slight miscalculation or excess speed, and the city¡¯s laser defenses would activate, disintegrating him in an instant. Lin Xian was convinced that Big Cat wasn¡¯t merely chasing an adrenaline rush. What made Sky City so essential to him? Suddenly, the crowd around Lin Xian erupted into gasps. ¡°He jumped! He¡¯s gliding!¡± ¡°Please, make it!¡± Their exclamations were tinged with anxiety, but Lin Xian couldn¡¯t see anything. He glanced around, noting that most onlookers had binoculars trained on the sky. Turning to his side, he saw Er Zhuzi and San Pang among them, intently watching the skies. Approaching Er Zhuzi, Lin Xian tapped his shoulder and said, ¡°Hey, Er Zhuzi, your wife is looking for you.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Er Zhuzi quickly lowered his binoculars, scanning the crowd. ¡°There, in the crowd,¡± Lin Xian pointed vaguely, swiftly taking the binoculars from Er Zhuzi¡¯s hands and peering through them. Enhanced with night vision, the binoculars revealed more under the bright moon and clear sky. A faint white silhouette became visible¡ªthe unmistakable form of Big Cat. He was adjusting his posture, seemingly controlling his glide with great effort. Just as Lin Xian¡¯s anticipation peaked, a stark burst of light flashed across the sky at ten thousand meters. A small fireball ignited, then vanished... Silence ensued. ¡°That was...¡± Lin Xian muttered, lowering the binoculars. He remembered Ah Zhuang¡¯s earlier words and the abrupt flash. Was Big Cat annihilated by the laser defense? He looked around. The expressions of solemnity on everyone¡¯s faces confirmed his fears. Ah Zhuang sighed deeply, while San Pang shook his head. Over a hundred people stood in silence, no one spoke a word. The atmosphere felt eerie, tinged with sadness yet lacking profound sorrow¡ªas if the crowd was numb to such losses, accustomed to witnessing sacrifices. Every gaze was hollow. An elderly man with blackened sores and a foul odor approached Ah Zhuang, patting his shoulder, ¡°Ah Zhuang, it¡¯s your turn...¡± Ah Zhuang nodded somberly, moving towards another area where a helium balloon was being inflated and a suit identical to Big Cat¡¯s lay ready. ¡°Wait, what are you doing?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s confusion deepened. Were they systematically sacrificing themselves? Or was Big Cat¡¯s gang enduring a punishment for some grave transgression? Why continue sending Big Cat¡¯s men after such a vivid demonstration of fatal consequences? The sight of the collective resignation disturbed Lin Xian, igniting a flame of indignation for Big Cat. Scanning the crowd again, Lin Xian realized a shocking detail¡ªthere were no young or middle-aged men present. Only women, the elderly, and children. He turned to a familiar face nearby, Li Ning Ning, and asked, ¡°Where are the other men?¡± ¡°They... are the last men of Donghai,¡± she replied with a hollow tone. Lin Xian furrowed his brow, taking in the silent crowd, Ah Zhuang donning the spacesuit, the thousands of twinkling blue lights on Sky City, and the moon casting shadows overhead. What nightmare had befallen this world? This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 220: Fireworks ¡°Where¡¯s your dad?¡± Lin Xian asked, his eyes sweeping the crowd but failing to find Li Cheng. ¡°My dad died when I was little,¡± Li Ning Ning replied, her gaze drifting upward to where thousands of artificial blue moons adorned the sky. ¡°He was the pioneer of skydiving into Sky City. Sadly, he was also the first to attempt it. No one knew about the laser anti-aircraft zone back then. He jumped from too low an altitude and was instantly vaporized by the lasers.¡± Lin Xian fell silent, his eyes wandering as he searched for the beautiful woman he remembered¡ªLi Ning Ning¡¯s mother and Li Cheng¡¯s lover from his first dream. ¡°What about your mom?¡± ¡°My mom followed soon after him,¡± Li Ning Ning said softly, her eyes fierce and unyielding like a butterfly battling the wind. Lin Xian felt a surge of sympathy. He had met Li Ning Ning in this second world, where she had transformed from a pampered princess into an orphan with no parents left. ¡°Why do you all insist on reaching Rhine Sky City?¡± Lin Xian probed further, puzzled by the desperation he sensed. ¡°Why are so many risking their lives? What¡¯s your ultimate goal? Is it for books, history, knowledge?¡± Li Ning Ning shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not just about those things... though they¡¯re important. But when your life and your future are on the line, those pursuits fade into the background.¡± ¡°You must be a friend of Big Cat Face, right? If you were from here, you¡¯d know why,¡± she said, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket. She picked up a little girl clinging to her clothes and gently wiped the festering sores on her neck. Pus oozed continuously, and the wounds showed no signs of healing. Lin Xian frowned, disturbed. What kind of illness causes this? He noticed many in the crowd bore similar black sores, oozing pus. ¡°It¡¯s radiation sickness,¡± Li Ning Ning explained as she put the girl down and tucked away her handkerchief. ¡°We don¡¯t know exactly when it started, but more and more people are getting it. It¡¯s all because of Rhine Sky City.¡± Her expression darkened as she glared at the colossal floating structure in the sky. ¡°The radiation might be from the nuclear fusion engines beneath Sky City or from the waste they dump, but either way, its existence has led to an increasing number of people getting sick and dying.¡±all new stories at ¡°This disease isn¡¯t contagious, but it¡¯s incurable. The sores never heal, leading to constant infections and eventually, a painful death.¡± ¡°Some babies are stillborn because of it, and those who do survive birth are often deformed. It¡¯s terrifying. The scariest part is... we can¡¯t escape it.¡± Li Ning Ning looked over to the helium balloons slowly ascending behind Lin Xian. ¡°At first, everyone tried to flee, but it was futile. The radioactive material spreads with the wind, carried by birds, animals, and insects. It reaches everywhere. There¡¯s no escaping it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re desperate to get into Sky City. My dad believed there must be some medicine there that could make us immune to the radiation sickness. If we can just get a sample, even a single pill or box, we could analyze it and possibly create a cure.¡± ¡°Only then can we have a chance to survive and maybe even have a future.¡± As Lin Xian absorbed this information, the grim reality of this world¡ªthis third dream where Li Cheng and Big Cat Face¡¯s group existed¡ªbecame clear. The living conditions here were far worse than in the previous dream. Not just for them, but for everyone affected. The controlled nuclear fusion technology, rather than offering free electricity and an inexhaustible energy supply to all, had exacerbated the divide between the wealthy and the poor... more accurately, between life and death. Lin Xian suspected the source of the radiation sickness was tied to those countless blue engines running continuously day and night. The residents of Sky City likely had ways to protect themselves from the disease, living carefree lives while those on the surface suffered endlessly without access to special medicine. According to Li Ning Ning, the disease, though not widespread, had a 100% fatality rate, causing excruciating pain with its never-healing sores. It was even more dreadful than cancer in this era. Driven by desperation, heroes like Li Cheng and Big Cat Face risked everything to infiltrate Sky City in hopes of finding a cure. They had no other choice. Without the medicine, everyone would eventually succumb to the disease. Sooner or later, radiation sickness would claim their loved ones, their friends, their families. Had he failed, allowing Rhine Company to fall into the wrong hands? Was that the reason for the calamity above? ¡°Hmph, that¡¯s truly infuriating.¡± But it didn¡¯t matter. Even if his future self had failed, that wasn¡¯t the Lin Xian of 2023. For him, Rhine Company was newly established, its ribbon-cutting ceremony still on the horizon. The future remained unwritten. The 600 years of history before him were nothing but a piece of scrap paper, ripe for tearing apart. I am history! Whatever my defeat, that¡¯s how I¡¯ll reclaim victory! Lin Xian lowered his gaze to Li Ning Ning. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not fulfilling my promise to you before, but it¡¯s not too late to make amends now.¡± Li Ning Ning blinked, her head tilting in confusion. ¡°Before? We haven¡¯t met before, have we?¡± Lin Xian nodded. To her, they hadn¡¯t met yet. But in the previous second dream, he had vowed to help her obliterate New Donghai City. That plan had never materialized; they hadn¡¯t even breached the city walls before being thrust into this third dream. No matter. Lin Xian gazed up at the colossal structure of Sky City, its countless blue nuclear fusion engines a stark reminder of the power it held. ¡°Blowing up this Sky City... would be even more spectacular, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± He offered Li Ning Ning a reassuring smile. ¡°I¡¯ll show you fireworks!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Li Ning Ning chuckled, puzzled yet intrigued. ¡°We just want the special medicine from Sky City. Why blow it up? But...¡± She gazed up at Lin Xian with a mixture of awe and anticipation. ¡°If you could actually blow it up, that¡¯d be great. I¡¯ve dreamed of destroying it since I was a child.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Lin Xian reassured her, turning to stride towards the helium balloon, already inflated and ready for ascent. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll keep my word.¡± Li Ning Ning watched him depart, a mix of bewilderment and admiration in her eyes. ¡°What a strange person.¡± Lin Xian approached Ah Zhuang, who was already suited up in an astronaut outfit, preparing to don his helmet. Lin Xian clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Ah Zhuang.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Ah Zhuang turned, surprised. ¡°Get me a spacesuit and parachute, too,¡± Lin Xian requested, pointing to himself. ¡°I¡¯m going with you!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 221: Falling from the Sky ¡°Hey, buddy, who are you exactly?¡± Ah Zhuang¡¯s curiosity finally got the better of him. He squinted at the stranger standing before him. The man seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Ah Zhuang had never seen him before, yet the man blended in effortlessly, as if he belonged there. His casual demeanor made Ah Zhuang question his own memory, struggling to recall if they had ever met. Since his arrival, the man had struck up easy conversations about Big Cat Face, shared laughs with Er Zhuzi, and even exchanged friendly words with Li Ning Ning as though they were long-lost friends. Initially, Ah Zhuang let it slide, attributing it to the man¡¯s outgoing nature. But now, his behavior was becoming intrusive, inserting himself into their plans and even asking for equipment. ¡°This isn¡¯t a game, it¡¯s a matter of life and death! Besides, are you even trained to skydive?¡± Ah Zhuang blurted out. ¡°Of course, I am,¡± Lin Xian responded with a confident grin. ¡°I understand the stakes, and no one here is afraid of a little danger.¡± ¡°Who said you¡¯re part of our team?¡± Ah Zhuang eyed him warily. ¡°Do you even grasp what we¡¯re attempting here?¡± ¡°I do. We¡¯re gearing up for a high-altitude skydive into Rhine Sky City to find a cure for radiation sickness. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve done wingsuit flying at altitudes as high as 20,000 meters.¡± Lin Xian boasted, though the reality was less impressive. His actual experience in wingsuit flying peaked at just a few thousand meters¡ªfar short of 20,000. It wasn¡¯t a lack of bravery but rather the rare opportunity for such extreme altitude jumps. Such feats were usually the realm of sponsored professionals. ¡°Think it through,¡± Ah Zhuang cautioned. ¡°You saw what happened to Brother Face earlier. A minor error could get us spotted and obliterated by the laser defense grid.¡±Ree?ad latest novels at ¡°Once the helium balloon hits 20,000 meters, it won¡¯t come down. It¡¯ll keep rising until it bursts in outer space. If you back out midway, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± Lin Xian had once scoffed at the idea that one could see the darkness of space from 30,000 meters, considering the stratosphere still far removed from outer space. Yet, extreme sports footage had shown otherwise, with backgrounds turning pitch black as adventurers ascended. He hoped to witness this phenomenon firsthand someday. At 17,000 meters now, they surpassed commercial flight altitudes, facing temperatures near minus 50 degrees and atmospheric pressure only a fraction of sea level. This was a lifeless zone, inhospitable without technological aid. Despite Ah Zhuang releasing helium, the balloon expanded enormously. Upon reaching 20,000 meters, Ah Zhuang tapped Lin Xian¡¯s helmet, gesturing downward. Below, Rhine Sky City sparkled, its advanced infrastructure lighting up like a network of fireflies. Lin Xian focused on the northwest district plaza, its lights now mere pinpricks but providing them a target. Signaling his readiness, Lin Xian watched Ah Zhuang nod before leaping, quickly finding his glide. Lin Xian followed, diving into the biting wind. The initial weightlessness gave way to the palpable tug of air resistance. Unlike Ah Zhuang, Lin Xian opted for a steep dive to gain speed. Mastering his wingsuit, Lin Xian knew adjusting his posture and velocity was crucial. Galileo¡¯s experiments had demonstrated that all objects, irrespective of mass, fall at the same rate in a vacuum, but in the atmosphere, a human¡¯s body shape could dramatically influence their descent speed. Extreme sport enthusiasts understood that at sufficient heights, a person reaches terminal velocity¡ªthe point where gravity and air resistance equalize, preventing further acceleration. While the average terminal velocity for women is around 50 meters per second, men can reach about 90 meters per second. Under optimal conditions, this could spike to over 300 meters per second. Catching up to Ah Zhuang, Lin Xian maintained a calculated distance as they aimed for the plaza. As they neared the city, ice crusted over Lin Xian¡¯s visor, the wind a roaring companion. Though still hundreds of meters up, the city loomed close, heightening the tension of their descent. This was their gamble with mortality. Lin Xian adjusted slightly to the right, hoping to pinpoint the elusive safe gap. If unsuccessful, his next attempt would shift leftward, methodically eliminating possibilities until the gap was found. Peering through his frosty helmet at the approaching Rhine Sky City, Lin Xian pondered the mysteries it held. What secrets were nestled within its confines? This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 222: Reunion After 600 Years Lin Xian had no time to think before a massive red laser, as thick as a giant tree, sliced through the night sky. The beam struck Ah Zhuang, who was flying ahead, engulfing him in its intense heat. In an instant, Ah Zhuang, along with his complex equipment and spacesuit, disappeared from sight. All that was left were several clusters of blackened carbon, faintly glowing with uncooled red embers. The sound of crackling followed as these tiny carbon particles, like reverse hail, pelted Lin Xian¡¯s spacesuit. Lin Xian realized in that chilling moment that these were the remains of Ah Zhuang, who had just been vaporized by the superheated laser. The fact that these remains were hitting him meant he was now flying at the same altitude as Ah Zhuang had been. Suddenly, his vision turned red. It felt as if he was enveloped by a scorching red sun, and in that moment, he was obliterated. He didn¡¯t even have time to register the pain. .... ¡°Huff,¡± Lin Xian gasped as he opened his eyes and found himself back in his bedroom. He glanced at the clock on his nightstand. It was still early, far from 00:42, the time he had died in his previous attempt. ¡°This is too hard; it¡¯s practically impossible,¡± he muttered, reflecting on the experience.Ree?ad latest novels at Having actually done a parachute jump in reality, Lin Xian now realized he had drastically underestimated the challenge of this mission. The main problem was the height. The gap in the defense network was at 10,000 meters, while the altitude of Rhine Sky City was about two to three thousand meters. This left a 7,000-meter difference, making it impossible to find any reference point for his landing. As he descended to 10,000 meters, Lin Xian had to strain his eyes to even glimpse the tiny plaza 7,000 meters below. Aiming accurately from such a height was a feat he could not achieve. ¡°It¡¯s like being asked to hit a palm-sized target 7,000 meters away with a gun that has no scope. Even if you think you¡¯re aiming correctly, you¡¯re just guessing; the chances of hitting the target are almost zero,¡± he explained to himself. Lin Xian got out of bed and moved to his desk where he carefully reviewed the parachuting plan he had developed with Big Cat Face and Ah Zhuang. The plan was daunting: 1. Start the jump at an altitude of 20,000 meters. 2. Fall 10,000 meters and then glide horizontally about 2,000 meters to position themselves directly above the plaza. 3. Assuming they miraculously hit the gap, they would still need to open their parachutes at about 5,000 meters, roughly 2,000 meters above the ground of Rhine Sky City. 4. If everything went perfectly, and they found the medicine for radiation sickness, they would still need to find the right moment to jump off the edge of Sky City and use a second parachute to return to the ground safely. ¡°This isn¡¯t just a risky plan, it¡¯s a suicidal one. Saying it¡¯s a thousand deaths for one life isn¡¯t an exaggeration,¡± Lin Xian pondered. He realized that the death toll was high because each failed attempt provided no useful feedback to those still alive; they couldn¡¯t use the elimination method. This meant that many more might perish in the same way as their predecessors. ¡°So, why is that gap in the defense area intentionally left open?¡± Lin Xian wondered aloud. After much thought, he became more convinced of his earlier suspicion ¡ª that gap was specifically intended for him. ¡°Only I can repeatedly die and remember where the gaps are. This capability is unique to me. Even if I¡¯m killed by lasers, I can recall where I died and avoid it in the next attempt,¡± he reasoned, his thoughts sharpening. This almost impossible challenge, this puzzle, seemed designed specifically for him. But who would set such a trap or offer such an opportunity? An enemy? A friend? Or perhaps a future version of himself? ¡°This is getting more and more intriguing,¡± Lin Xian chuckled to himself. Whether friend or foe, he was in a world of endless cycles of dreams. What was there to fear? ¡°I still don¡¯t have a clear direction for Rhine Company¡¯s future development,¡± Lin Xian declared with gravity. ¡°But I sincerely hope that no matter how large Rhine Company becomes, or what fields it might explore, it will remain steadfast to one principle¡ªthe principle that defines our purpose: For a better future for humanity!¡± His words echoed through the silence that enveloped the room, followed by an eruption of applause. It was rare, nearly unprecedented, for a leader to make such an earnest declaration without the usual corporate veneer. ¡°For a better future for humanity.¡± Such declarations had become almost cliche?, often avoided by modern entrepreneurs out of a sense of embarrassment. Yet, Lin Xian spoke with sincerity. Though everyone was aware that his speech deviated from the typical promotional script, it was clear he wasn¡¯t just putting on an act. He spoke from the heart, making a profound impression on his audience, including many former colleagues from MX Company who had followed him to Rhine Company, drawn by his genuine charisma. .... ¡°Well said, Lin Xian.¡± The applause dwindled as Chu Shan He approached with a smile, extending his hand in congratulations. ¡°I look forward to the day you realize this dream.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Chu, for your support,¡± Lin Xian replied, shaking his hand. ¡°Oh, think nothing of it!¡± Chu Shan He dismissed with a wave as he departed. ¡°But do keep in touch, and visit often.¡± After he left in his Maybach, most of the crowd dispersed, leaving Lin Xian with Zhao Ying Jun, who approached him, her heels clicking on the floor. ¡°I¡¯m really happy for you, Lin Xian,¡± she smiled warmly. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve truly found something worth dedicating your life to. You¡¯re not just chasing success for the sake of it; you¡¯ve found a genuine purpose.¡± Lin Xian returned the smile, appreciating her presence and support. ¡°I learned it all from you, and I¡¯m grateful for everything.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s shake on it,¡± Zhao Ying Jun suggested, offering her hand with a light laugh. As they shook hands, Lin Xian felt the weight of the moment, the significance of their shared journey towards something meaningful. .... Suddenly, a red laser flashed to the right. Lin Xian turned just in time to see Big Cat Face vaporized by the beam, reduced to charcoal¡ªa scene that had repeated itself countless times. Lin Xian, clad in his spacesuit, braced for his turn. But the expected blast didn¡¯t come. Instead, as he fell, he noticed he was plummeting directly toward the central plaza of Rhine Sky City. The details of the ground rushed up to meet him. ¡°I found the gap!¡± Lin Xian exclaimed, realizing he had somehow navigated through a breach in the city¡¯s defenses. His descent slowed as he deployed his parachute, gliding down towards a giant statue. Landing with a thud, Lin Xian quickly freed himself from the parachute and approached the statue. It was a grand depiction of a woman carved in white jade. Below it, an inscription read: ¡°In memory of the builder of Rhine Sky City¡ªZhao Ying Jun.¡± Lin Xian stood there, absorbing the revelation, his heart filled with a mix of awe and curiosity about the role Zhao Ying Jun would play in this envisioned future. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 223: Long Time No See ¡°Zhao... Zhao Ying Jun?¡± Lin Xian murmured, his eyes wide with shock as he stared at the name engraved at the base of the statue. ¡°To commemorate the builder of Rhine Sky City... Zhao Ying Jun. Why is Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s name here?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s gaze drifted upwards, taking in the imposing white jade statue before him. From where he stood, the statue¡¯s exact features were indistinct, but the engraved name at its base confirmed it represented Zhao Ying Jun, his former boss and the president of MX Company. The likelihood of another person with that exact name seemed too far-fetched. It had to be her. Lin Xian¡¯s eyes lingered on the inscription, his mind racing as he tried to connect the dots. His earlier hypothesis suggested that Rhine Sky City was a project initiated by the Rhine Company, which he had founded. It made perfect sense then that his future self might have engineered a loophole in the city¡¯s air defense systems. But where exactly would this loophole be? Considering there was a plaza honoring the founder of the Rhine Company with a statue¡ªpotentially his own statue¡ªit seemed plausible that the air defense vulnerability would be situated directly above it. It all clicked seamlessly in his mind. As Lin Xian descended and caught sight of the white jade statue, his instincts had screamed that it should be his statue. But he was wrong. All his deductions had led him to a coherent narrative until the unexpected truth confronted him: ¡°The builder of Rhine Sky City, the person this statue depicts, and the architect behind the air defense gap... It¡¯s all Zhao Ying Jun.¡±Fo?llo?w new stories at Lin Xian was stumped. Why would Zhao Ying Jun undertake such a massive project? What was her intention behind creating Rhine Sky City? How did he, Lin Xian, fit into her plans? What were his contributions to this historical tapestry? Convinced that Zhao Ying Jun had orchestrated everything to draw him to the Sky City, Lin Xian was determined to uncover the truths hidden here. During his recent dream-filled days, he had extensively discussed this world with Big Cat Face and Li Ning Ning. Rhine Sky City¡¯s history spanned less than 200 years from its elevation. However, its construction had begun on the ground over a century earlier¡ªa monumental effort extending across a hundred years. This timeline suggested that the city¡¯s construction started around 2300. By then, it had already begun to host residents, much like the isolated New Donghai City. The city continued to grow over a century until its controlled nuclear fusion engines were activated, propelling the massive structure 2000 meters into the sky, where it had floated for two centuries as a bona fide airborne city. The onset of radiation sickness coincided roughly with the city¡¯s rise. Big Cat Face and Li Ning Ning told him that the technological prowess of those dwelling on the surface had greatly advanced since his second dream. There were numerous skilled individuals and varied disciplines. However, the advent of an incurable, invariably fatal radiation sickness transformed everything. The urgency of survival overshadowed other pursuits, leading to a gradual decline in education, science, and other fields. Globally, many sky cities, supported by thousands of nuclear fusion engines, dotted the skies like stars. This inexhaustible energy source illuminated the night but also cast a sinister pall over the ground below. Lin Xian questioned them further about Rhine Sky City¡ªits origins, its founder, and its purpose. As in the second dream, they struggled to provide clear historical details. It became clear that history had faded in this world too, with only the last century¡¯s events somewhat remembered while earlier records were lost in obscurity. Lin Xian had also inquired about the black hand shadow associated with the Genius Club on the moon, only to receive a mishmash of legends devoid of solid facts. Before encountering this statue, Lin Xian had thought Rhine Sky City was merely another version of New Donghai City¡ªhistorically obscure and heavily fortified, rendering any infiltration efforts futile. Now, his perspective had shifted. Rhine Sky City was fundamentally different from New Donghai City! The connections¡ªRhine Company, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s statue, and the strategically placed gap in the air defense¡ªall led to a stunning realization: But Zhao Ying Jun was gone. She had constructed a city for him, crafted a guiding gap, concealed a secret, and hidden a gift, only to depart from this world at some point. After the solitude, Lin Xian felt a warm surge emanating from the statue¡¯s cold surface, seeping into his body through his arm, instilling a sense of peace and warmth. He looked up at the imposing figure. Truthfully, although Rhine Sky City was still shrouded in mysteries for him, and all his theories remained unverified, this unfamiliar sky city felt different from New Donghai City. New Donghai City felt detached; Rhine Sky City felt intimate and comforting. The presence of this statue gave him a sense of belonging here, like returning home. Suddenly, curiosity gripped Lin Xian. What did Zhao Ying Jun look like in the future? What was her appearance in middle age, or even in her later years? Did she still sport her signature proud earrings? Was she still as dynamic and spirited as he remembered? Would he recognize her face even 600 years later? Driven by this curiosity, Lin Xian continued to gaze upwards at the statue as he slowly backed away¡ª ¡°Ouch.¡± Thud! Absorbed in his thoughts, Lin Xian had not noticed his surroundings and collided with something hard and cylindrical, losing his balance and tumbling to the ground. He propped himself up, eyeing the object that had tripped him. It was a cylindrical robot, grayish-white and resembling a trash can. A cleaning robot? That was Lin Xian¡¯s initial thought. But it was unlikely. This robot, shaped like a trash can but far more sophisticated than any 2023 cleaning device, was equipped with treads beneath it, now visible as it struggled to right itself. Its two clamp-like mechanical arms flailed in the air, seeking something to grasp. Its eyes, glowing green, fixated on a small piece of paper on the ground: ¡°Trash! Trash! Trash detected!¡± ¡°Trash! Trash! Trash detected!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 224: The Failure ¡°Is this... a trash can robot?¡± Lin Xian asked himself as he stood up, brushing the dust off his pants. He realized he was still wearing his bulky spacesuit, which explained the heat he felt; the temperature in Sky City was around 20 degrees Celsius, typical of a midsummer day. He began to peel off the cumbersome suit piece by piece until he was finally free from it. As he undressed, Lin Xian¡¯s attention was drawn to a small, round robot he had stumbled upon. It was clumsily trying to right itself, using its mechanical arms to push against the ground. Once upright, it rolled toward a crumpled piece of paper, its treads whirring softly. ¡°Trash! Trash! Detected trash!¡± the robot chirped, sounding almost enthusiastic. Lin Xian watched silently, his curiosity piqued. Despite its somewhat battered appearance, with chipped paint and worn edges, the robot displayed a surprising level of sophistication. It could self-correct its position and accurately identify litter¡ªa testament to its advanced programming. Lin Xian wondered if these robots were common in Rhine Sky City, given the city¡¯s access to abundant energy from controlled nuclear fusion. As he observed, the robot extended its mechanical arm, deftly picked up the paper ball with a click, and dropped it into its compartment with a satisfying pop. The scene was strangely endearing. Lin Xian chuckled to himself; such technology was unheard of back in 2023. The robot, small enough to be mistaken for a large water cooler, wasn¡¯t built to handle large trash. Lin Xian considered tossing his spacesuit into it but dismissed the idea, knowing it wouldn¡¯t fit. His attention soon shifted toward a nearby statue of Zhao Ying Jun, but before he could take a closer look, the robot¡¯s eyes flashed green, and it darted toward him, declaring, ¡°Trash! Trash! Detected trash!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian looked around, confused. The plaza around the statue was immaculate¡ªthere was no trash in sight. The robot latched onto his pant leg with its mechanical claw, tugging insistently. ¡°Trash! Trash! Detected trash!¡± ¡°These aren¡¯t trash; they¡¯re my pants,¡± Lin Xian retorted, a mix of amusement and annoyance in his voice. The robot persisted, lacking a communication feature. Not wanting to cause a scene, Lin Xian reluctantly cut the lower part of his pants with a knife from his pack and let the robot take it. The robot quickly processed the fabric and then unexpectedly grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s ankle. ¡°Trash! Trash! Detected trash!¡± ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Lin Xian exclaimed, lightly smacking the robot¡¯s head. He speculated that the robot might be malfunctioning, possibly due to a fall it had taken earlier. The plaza was relatively quiet, but Lin Xian noticed a few onlookers nearby. Wanting to avoid drawing more attention, he tried to free himself from the persistent machine. ¡°Let go,¡± he commanded, prying the claw from his ankle and pushing the robot away. ¡°Go sweep over there.¡± But the robot was relentless. It whirred back toward him and grabbed his ankle again, repeating its earlier proclamation. ¡°This dumb robot is really starting to annoy me,¡± Lin Xian muttered under his breath. With a sigh, he lifted the surprisingly heavy robot¡ªcomparable in weight to Chu An Qing¡ªand carried it to the edge of the platform. With a frustrated grunt, he tossed it down. The robot hit the ground with a heavy thud, its structure visibly damaged, yet it continued to flail its mechanical arms and declare, ¡°Trash! Trash! Detected trash!¡± ¡°Alright, buddy,¡± Lin Xian crouched down, facing the robot, ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Upon closer inspection, Lin Xian noticed the robot was quite old, its exterior covered in rust spots. It seemed oddly out of place in the advanced, futuristic setting of Sky City. Earlier, after throwing it off a platform, Lin Xian had spotted a metal nameplate inside the robot. It read ¡°Micro Trash Processing Robot VV.¡± VV? The name rang a bell. Lin Xian remembered that VV was a nickname used by CC for a long-haired, bearded man who had fallen from grace¡ªpossibly a future version of himself. Why would this trash robot share that name? Examining the nameplate more closely, Lin Xian realized VV was the model number of the robot. But was this merely a coincidence? His gaze drifted to a nearby statue of Zhao Ying Jun and then back to the VV robot. It didn¡¯t feel like a coincidence. Zhao Ying Jun had designed this city with meticulous attention to detail, and everything had a purpose. The area around the statue was eerily empty. Despite seeing people and flying vehicles earlier, now there was no one, no sound¡ªit was silent. This robot was the only other presence near Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s statue. It couldn¡¯t just be a coincidence. Perhaps the robot was a clue left by Zhao Ying Jun? ¡°What could be hidden inside this robot?¡± Lin Xian pondered. He recalled that the robot hadn¡¯t triggered an alarm when thrown off the platform but had when hung on a tree. Its alarm system seemed tied to its physical orientation. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try,¡± Lin Xian decided, lifting the robot and smashing it to the ground. The robot¡¯s eyes remained green. ¡°Trash! Trash! Detected trash!¡± Fortunately, no alarm was triggered. Lin Xian continued to dismantle the robot, eventually breaking it into pieces. He sifted through the debris but found nothing of significance. ¡°Maybe I was wrong,¡± Lin Xian muttered, a hint of guilt coloring his tone. He had hoped to uncover something important, a clue left by Zhao Ying Jun, but found nothing. Apologizing to the remains of the robot, he resolved to not break it the next day. Perhaps the robot¡¯s malfunction was simply due to the fall. If Zhao Ying Jun had indeed left a message, it wouldn¡¯t be so easily discovered. As he looked up at the moon, Lin Xian pondered the potential enemies. Who could oppose Zhao Ying Jun, the mastermind capable of building a world-dominating Sky City? Gazing at the starry sky, Lin Xian thought about the Genius Club, suspecting it had a hand in the alterations of this world. The battle against the Genius Club appeared to be a hidden war, with Zhao Ying Jun leaving him clues to alter the course of history. ¡°I won¡¯t lose this time,¡± Lin Xian vowed, standing before Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s statue with renewed determination. He was ready to uncover the secrets of Sky City and face the challenges ahead, determined to change the future. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 225: The Disappearance of CC Lin Xian had thoroughly explored around the statue in Rhine Memorial Plaza, but it was clear that no clues were to be found there. Shifting his focus to the surrounding areas, he made his way down the steps from the statue¡¯s platform. As he reached the bottom, he stopped abruptly. ¡°Hmm? A dead end?¡± he murmured, puzzled. Before him stood a tall electronic gate blocking the transition from the platform to the bustling plaza below. This explained the stark contrast: the lively crowd on one side and the deserted space near the statue. Lin Xian recalled his unconventional entry from the sky, which allowed him access to this otherwise restricted area. Inspecting the gate, he found no visible mechanisms to open it¡ªa keypad or any sort of control was conspicuously absent. It was apparent he couldn¡¯t exit this way, but this wasn¡¯t a concern for him. Remembering the trash robot that had been ejected off the platform, he utilized his parkour skills to climb down the wall, mimicking the robot¡¯s accidental path. Upon landing with a soft thud, he saw the dismantled parts of the robot scattered around. A thought struck him: If one needed to access the platform again, they¡¯d face the impenetrable gate he had inspected earlier. Yet, how had the trash robot, known as VV, gotten through? He briefly entertained the idea of a special passage for maintenance robots but discarded it as the robot was beyond any functional check now.Fo?llo?w new stories at Leaving the confines of the statue area, Lin Xian strolled through the plaza, his attention caught by the eclectic fashion around him. Unlike any typical city, the residents of Sky City donned attire that appeared to be crafted from high-tech fabric acting like a display screen. Children¡¯s clothing shifted in color and design, mimicking animations, while adults wore subtler but equally dynamic outfits featuring patterns that moved like natural elements. Some clothes even showcased animated characters that interacted playfully with their environment. ¡°These clothes... If only we had them back in 2023,¡± Lin Xian mused, appreciating the convenience of technology that allowed for such dynamic personal expression. His simple attire didn¡¯t draw any stares in this diverse fashion landscape, affirming the inclusive nature of Sky City. As he ventured beyond the plaza, the city¡¯s true essence unfolded before him. It was a stark contrast to the superficial charm of New Donghai City; here, the prosperity was underpinned by genuine advancements in technology. The skies buzzed with agile vehicles and operational robots, all part of a highly efficient system. Buildings displayed ever-changing 3D imagery that, despite causing significant light pollution, showcased impressive technological prowess. Robots designed to blend with the city¡¯s futuristic aesthetic zipped through the streets, efficiently cleaning up without a trace. Lin Xian, hailing from 600 years in the past, could barely grasp the underlying technology¡ªeverything seemed to border on magic. His thoughts wandered back to the enigmatic Genius Club. Initially, he had believed their objective was to hinder technological progress, based on his experiences in earlier dreams. But the evident technological explosion in Rhine Sky City challenged that notion. Was there a deeper, unseen agenda beyond merely stifling innovation? ¡°The more I think about it, the less sense it makes,¡± he confessed aloud, puzzled. Another lingering question was the relevance of the number 42 in this context. Previously, Big Cat Face¡¯s father, a notable mathematician, could have shed light on this mystery, but his early demise from radiation sickness left many questions unanswered. As Lin Xian left the plaza, he noted the solemn respect accorded to the area, signified by the prohibition against honking and the absence of vehicular traffic. A statue of Zhao Ying Jun marked her significant legacy in this city. ¡°What on earth is going on?¡± Lin Xian muttered as he stepped outside. Suddenly, the sky exploded with blue-speckled butterflies, their chaotic fluttering like a string snapping loudly. BOOM!!! BOOM!!! BOOM!!! The familiar searing white light engulfed everything, turning it to ash. ... ... ... Lin Xian jolted awake in his bed. It was exactly 00:42. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Time Bank exist anymore?¡± he pondered, his mind racing with theories about temporal shifts and the unpredictable nature of time. The concept of temporal elasticity echoed in his thoughts, a concept Yellow Finch had mentioned as crucial. ¡°Temporal elasticity... is just resilience in time and space, right? A tolerance within certain change limits? What else could it mean?¡± Frustrated but exhausted, Lin Xian decided to rest. Tomorrow would be another busy day, starting with picking up Liu Feng from the airport, who claimed to have a new invention to show him. ¡°I wonder what it is,¡± Lin Xian mused as he drifted back to sleep, the mysteries of Rhine Sky City lingering in his dreams. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 226: The World Line and the Time-Space Clock As the morning sun began to rise, Lin Xian found himself comfortably seated in a business car provided by his company, making his way to the airport. This special arrangement came courtesy of Brother Wang, a top executive at Rhine Company. ¡°Whether you¡¯re hands-on or not, you¡¯re the face of Rhine Company,¡± Brother Wang had explained earlier. ¡°It¡¯s essential we provide you with a vehicle that reflects our image. You are, after all, the company¡¯s business card.¡± Originally, Brother Wang wanted to provide Lin Xian with the most opulent business car available, but Lin Xian had other ideas. ¡°Why draw unnecessary attention? Plus, Rhine Company is barely off the ground. We¡¯ve just started with the Rhine Cat brand and our main business is partnering with MX Company on the Rhine series. Most of our funding¡ªforty billion¡ªcame as ¡®investments¡¯ from Zhao Ying Jun and Chu Shan He. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for me to drive something overly extravagant at this stage.¡± ¡°Just find me something practical,¡± Lin Xian had told Brother Wang. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s car model will do. It¡¯s comfortable enough.¡± ¡°Comfortable?!¡± Brother Wang exclaimed, a bit taken aback by the simplicity of the request. Lin Xian sighed, ¡°Brother Wang, remember you¡¯re a vice president now. Try to act the part, and keep the jokes clean. You¡¯re as much a representative of our company¡¯s image as I am. We should both conduct ourselves accordingly.¡± Eventually, Brother Wang arranged for Lin Xian to use a business car identical to the one Zhao Ying Jun favored. Now, cruising along the airport expressway, Lin Xian appreciated the car¡¯s excellent shock absorption and soundproofing. He reclined in his seat, closing his eyes to ponder a puzzle from a dream he¡¯d had the night before. The presence of Time Bank in his third dream had initially been dismissed due to a casual remark by a store clerk. However, Lin Xian realized that the absence of records didn¡¯t mean the safety deposit boxes were gone. What if Time Bank had undergone a merger, acquisition, or a complete restructuring? If it could go bankrupt in his second dream, why couldn¡¯t it be bought out and rebranded in the third? Additionally, Lin Xian considered that Time Bank might not be in the futuristic Rhine Sky City but rather in the Old Donghai area¡ªknown simply as Donghai in his third dream, where characters like Big Cat Face and Li Ning Ning resided. He had never explored the surface area extensively; Time Bank could very well be hidden in some corner of that old world. Lin Xian was also convinced that CC, with her unique abilities to retain memories across different timelines, couldn¡¯t have just vanished. She was extraordinary, more so than his own dream-induced capabilities. If CC appeared in his third dream, she would likely remember their shared experiences from the second dream, allowing them to pick up their friendship right where they left off. ¡°I need to first decode the mystery left by Zhao Ying Jun,¡± Lin Xian mused as he checked the date on his phone. ¡°Once I uncover her clues, I¡¯ll search for CC and the safety deposit box. She¡¯s bound to reappear sooner or later.¡± It was mid-June 2023, and the year was swiftly passing. According to what he¡¯d learned in the second dream about New Donghai City, Time Bank¡¯s most recent establishment was slated for no later than 2024. ¡°Time is ticking for Time Bank. It¡¯s likely to start operations in the latter half of this year.¡± Once Time Bank opened its doors in the real world, Lin Xian would be able to connect his dreams to reality, bridging past and future. That moment would mark the beginning of his journey to unravel the secrets hidden within the safety deposit box. At the bustling airport arrival hall, Lin Xian was relieved to see Liu Feng, who had just landed with considerable luggage. The driver, already briefed, efficiently loaded the bags into the trunk. Lin Xian noted the renewed determination in Liu Feng¡¯s eyes, a clear shift from the deep sorrow he¡¯d carried since Qi Qi¡¯s passing. ¡°I can¡¯t just sit around waiting for Qi Qi to grant my wishes from heaven, can I? If I truly want the Universal Constant to be recognized, I must first prove its correctness and value,¡± Liu Feng had confided over a phone call, updating Lin Xian on his new focus. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re right. Lin Xian, you are my benefactor, so I¡¯ll listen to you. I won¡¯t publicize any research results and won¡¯t let anyone else know about them. Although I don¡¯t fully understand your emphasis on safety, I trust your judgment, especially after many scientists recently met with ¡®accidents.''¡± This had been a crucial point of advice from Lin Xian. Both he and his close colleague Ji Lin agreed on the sinister undertones of the so-called 00:42 murderer incident¡ªthey suspected that two groups were involved, with one poorly imitating the other. The picture had since become clear. The real perpetrators at 00:42 were the members of the Genius Club, while Ji Xin Shui and his followers were mere imitators. Lin Xian had pieced together a disturbing pattern. Both Ji Lin¡¯s parents and Big Cat Face¡¯s father, all mathematicians, were likely victims of the Genius Club. This led Lin Xian to a grim conclusion: the Genius Club¡¯s primary targets seemed to be mathematicians, while Ji Xin Shui might have gone after other scientists based on his own misguided decisions. This theory wasn¡¯t foolproof, but the supporting evidence was compelling. Firstly, the Genius Club¡¯s interest in the mysterious number 42, linked to the Universal Constant, was undeniable. In his second dream, Lin Xian learned they had kidnapped Big Cat Face¡¯s father, likely out of fear related to this number. Since the Universal Constant was a profound mathematical issue, and despite the demise of most of the Seven Deadly Sins, Liu Feng¡¯s research into this number made him a potential target. The enemy was still largely unknown, their motives shrouded in secrecy. Therefore, extreme caution was necessary. Lin Xian had decided that only he and Liu Feng should be privy to the details of the Universal Constant 42, keeping their circle tight to avoid any leaks that could put them at greater risk. His friend, Lin Xian, nodded thoughtfully, processing the information. ¡°So, you¡¯re suggesting that everything in space-time, including the very scales of space and time themselves, is based on the Planck Constant. If the Planck Constant changes, it would mean a shift in the curvature of space-time. Essentially, any fluctuation in space-time¡ªlike the ripple effects from a butterfly¡¯s wings¡ªcould change this curvature, and that change would be reflected in the Planck Constant.¡± Liu Feng¡¯s smile broadened as he saw understanding dawn on Lin Xian¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯ve got it,¡± he said. ¡°This device, which resembles a clock, is essentially a detector for changes in the Planck Constant. If its readings change, that indicates a shift in space-time curvature, confirming my hypothesis.¡± His excitement was palpable as he added, ¡°If the numbers on this clock change, it would prove that space-time curvature is real and likely connected to the Universal Constants. Let¡¯s call it the ¡®Time-Space Clock.¡¯ It¡¯s a tool for measuring the curvature of space-time.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s mind raced to a popular anime, Steins;Gate, which explored similar ideas of world lines and space-time manipulation. These concepts, once the domain of Albert Einstein, had permeated popular culture, often used to describe parallel universes and time fluctuations. ¡°In layman¡¯s terms, a world line tracks an object¡¯s journey from the past to the future,¡± Lin Xian explained, connecting the dots. ¡°If an event causes a significant shift, known as a world line divergence, it indicates a change in the space-time curvature. Even small discrepancies, like the renaming of ¡®Coco Cat¡¯ to ¡®Rhine Cat,¡¯ suggest minor shifts. More substantial transitions, such as moving between dream worlds, signify larger curvatures.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian concluded, feeling a surge of comprehension. ¡°Any event that impacts the future can trigger a butterfly effect, altering space-time. Your Time-Space Clock measures these shifts in space-time curvature, or world line divergence.¡± Liu Feng gave him a thumbs-up, impressed. ¡°You¡¯re really sharp.¡± ¡°But why is the display still showing zero?¡± Lin Xian asked, frowning slightly. ¡°Because there hasn¡¯t been any detectable change in space-time curvature yet,¡± Liu Feng explained calmly. ¡°No, there has to have been a change,¡± Lin Xian insisted. He remembered a crucial date. ¡°When did you create this Time-Space Clock?¡± ¡°Early May,¡± Liu Feng answered. Lin Xian grinned and patted the device. ¡°Then it must be off. It didn¡¯t pick up any changes on May 20th.¡± He was sure of it; founding the Rhine Company on that day had marked a significant shift in their space-time, shaping a new future. If the clock missed such a major event, it could be due to precision issues or something more fundamental. Yet Liu Feng remained adamant. ¡°I swear, this device is precise. I calibrated it exactly to our current space-time Planck Constant. If there¡¯s a shift, it will detect it!¡± ¡°But your baseline is flawed,¡± Lin Xian countered, his tone becoming more serious. ¡°You need an external reference to measure changes effectively. Using our current space-time as the reference will always return zero, much like trying to gauge your own speed without a fixed point.¡± Realization dawned on Liu Feng, and a flush of embarrassment colored his cheeks. He admitted, ¡°You¡¯re right. We need a reference from another space-time dimension.¡± ¡°But where could we possibly find such an object?¡± Liu Feng mused aloud, his mind racing through possibilities. The tension was broken by a light, female voice from the doorway. ¡°Who says it¡¯s impossible?¡± Both men turned to see Yellow Finch, a woman with striking blue eyes and an enigmatic smile, stepping confidently into the room. ¡°Lin Xian, long time no see,¡± she greeted, her presence promising new insights and perhaps, the solution they needed. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 227: The Mirror Yellow Finch. Lin Xian eyed the woman who had approached him so quietly. She always had a way of appearing mysteriously at the most unexpected times. Was she walking silently like a ghost? Or perhaps, she had calculated his movements and decided to wait for him? The idea sent a shiver down his spine. Lin Xian quickly realized there was a pattern to Yellow Finch¡¯s unexpected appearances¡ªthey all somehow involved Zhao Ying Jun. Their first encounter was during the New Year¡¯s Eve banquet hosted by the Donghai Chamber of Commerce, on the same night Zhao Ying Jun had shared the office password with him. The second encounter was less direct; it happened while he was on a blind date with Su Su at a restaurant, where Zhao Ying Jun had briefly appeared before leaving abruptly. And now, their paths crossed again, right after his discussions about collaborating with Donghai University¡ªa project Zhao Ying Jun was deeply involved in and fully aware of. The connections were puzzling. What exactly was the link between Yellow Finch and Zhao Ying Jun? If Yellow Finch was a time traveler, as he suspected, and a future version of Zhao Ying Jun, why did they look so different? Yet, if they weren¡¯t connected, why did they share such similar vibes? With these thoughts swirling in his head, Lin Xian confronted her directly. ¡°Are you Zhao Ying Jun?¡± he asked. Yellow Finch paused, her eyes lowering slightly as she offered a small, mysterious smile. ¡°Sorry, Lin Xian. I¡¯m not here to answer your questions today. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, but I can¡¯t. So, don¡¯t ask me anything. If I could tell you, I would have already.¡±Fo?llo?w new stories at She continued, ¡°To this day, you still don¡¯t understand the concept of time elasticity. This progress is slower than I expected. But fortunately, it doesn¡¯t seem too far off.¡± As she spoke, Liu Feng, Lin Xian¡¯s colleague, squeezed in front of him, eyeing Yellow Finch intently. ¡°What do you mean by what you just said? Can we really find a reference point outside of our time?¡± Yellow Finch replied, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. From the perspective of the reference frame, anything that appears in our time has entered our observable reference system. No matter where it comes from, once it arrives here, it must follow the rules of this universe, based on the current Planck Constant.¡± Yet, she smiled, leaving her statement hanging in the air without a clear answer. ¡°Liu Feng, you need to think about this yourself. You¡¯re very smart. Even if I didn¡¯t tell you today, you¡¯d figure it out soon. You are the scientist closest to the truth of the Universal Constant in the world. In this regard, you are even closer to the truth than Einstein.¡± ¡°Today, you have faced much denial but also received much affirmation from Lin Xian. Right and wrong are always contentious. Who can determine the real right or wrong before everything is settled?¡± ¡°So, I think you don¡¯t need to worry too much about right and wrong. Just continue your research based on your own ideas and thoughts. One day, you will find the answer you seek.¡± Liu Feng furrowed his brow, slightly confused. Yellow Finch¡¯s words flowed smoothly and sounded reasonable at first, but upon closer analysis, it seemed like she hadn¡¯t really answered his question at all. ¡°Look, Lin Xian,¡± Liu Feng said, turning to his friend. ¡°This means my time clock theory is correct. At least from a theoretical and design perspective, it¡¯s not wrong. I just didn¡¯t calibrate my level curvature coordinates correctly.¡± Lin Xian could only offer a wry smile. Yellow Finch was always like this, never providing clear answers. Trying to decipher her words could lead to a dead end, as Zheng Cheng He had found out the hard way. His interpretations of Yellow Finch¡¯s cryptic hints had led to outcomes vastly different from what he had expected. So now, Lin Xian decided not to overanalyze her words. Right or wrong, he had his own judgment to rely on. Even without Yellow Finch, he could have uncovered the cat-and-mouse game; even without her, he could have noticed Zheng Cheng He¡¯s peculiarities; even without her, he would have learned about the Genius Club from Ji Lin¡¯s conversations. Suddenly, a realization struck Lin Xian, and his eyes widened. Wait a minute. He had overlooked a crucial detail! ¡°Not affecting the original trajectory of history and the future.¡± Could it be... Because he wasn¡¯t a time traveler, he wasn¡¯t bound by these time laws? It was hard to say. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t certain if his actions classified him as a time traveler. He certainly didn¡¯t feel omnipotent, above the laws of time. In reality, he had often been caught off-guard by the butterfly effects of time, the repercussions echoing painfully, the shadow of the aluminum alloy safe a constant reminder. Lin Xian raised his gaze to meet Yellow Finch¡¯s bright blue eyes. ¡°Since you¡¯re not going to answer our questions or tell us anything useful, what are you here for today? To increase elasticity? Or to change it?¡± However... Yellow Finch continued to smile, silent yet her eyes hinted at a trace of approval, as if he was finally starting to understand. ¡°This is something you should consider,¡± she suggested cryptically. As usual, she deflected the question and didn¡¯t provide a clear answer. Then, she reached into the pocket of her brown coat, pulling out a folded piece of paper which she placed on the nearby lab table. ¡°If you figure out what to do, come to this place and find me. I will help you,¡± she offered, then briskly walked towards the door. ¡°Oh, by the way.¡± She paused, turning back to Lin Xian with a knowing smile. ¡°I forgot to congratulate you on winning the game of hide and seek. You played quite beautifully.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something worth celebrating,¡± Lin Xian responded flatly. In the cat-and-mouse game they played, many lives were lost¡ªboth innocent and guilty. The true mastermind behind Ji Xin Shui still lurked in the shadows. He didn¡¯t feel victorious, nor did he think it was a beautiful win. If he couldn¡¯t capture the real brains behind Ji Xin Shui; if he couldn¡¯t uncover the true motives and nature of the Genius Club; the blood-soaked history of the past 600 years would never truly end. Whether it was the stagnation of technology, the towering walls dividing the world, or debris falling from thousands of feet, the scars of history would remain unhealed. He still couldn¡¯t accept that an organization, which had remained hidden for 600 years and even left its mark on the moon, was inherently benevolent. Self-proclaimed righteousness was one thing, but Lin Xian doubted their actions had truly benefited humanity or the world. The atrocities committed under the banner of progress, the tragic consequences of radiation diseases in the future world¡ªthe Genius Club couldn¡¯t be oblivious to these. Their inaction, their allowance of such events to unfold, didn¡¯t strike him as righteousness, no matter their justifications. Since his last encounter with Yellow Finch, months had passed. Lin Xian felt his perspective and thoughts had significantly evolved. That terrifying night in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office, he had been confused, hesitant, lost, and fearful. Now, he was determined to grow stronger, to unearth the hidden hands of history and expose them to the light! ¡°It¡¯s too early for congratulations,¡± Lin Xian told Yellow Finch firmly. ¡°Wait until I take down the Genius Club, then you can congratulate me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I wanted to tell you,¡± Yellow Finch responded, her bright blue eyes shimmering with a mysterious glow. ¡°Look in the mirror more often, Lin Xian. In the mirror... there are things you want to see.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 228: Your Gaze and the Riddle ¡°Mirror?¡± Lin Xian mused aloud, puzzled by Yellow Finch¡¯s cryptic hint. The sound of her heels clicking against the floor echoed as she walked away, not bothering to look back. Her footsteps gradually faded into the distance and disappeared around the corner, leaving a haunting silence in their wake. Liu Feng, looking utterly confused, nudged Lin Xian. ¡°Who is that woman, Lin Xian? I can¡¯t make heads or tails of what she says. It¡¯s definitely Mandarin, but she never gives a straight answer, always talking in riddles.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a puzzle, a real enigma,¡± Lin Xian explained succinctly. ¡°The kind of person that would give even Batman a headache.¡± ¡°Is she always like this?¡± Liu Feng asked, his voice tinged with sympathy. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve only met her twice, and altogether, we haven¡¯t spent more than ten minutes in each other¡¯s company.¡± Liu Feng¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Really? Just twice?¡± ¡°Yes, why do you find that so surprising?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just... you two seem to know each other so well, like old friends,¡± Liu Feng remarked, still shocked. He looked from Lin Xian to the doorframe where Yellow Finch had briefly lingered. ¡°You called her Yellow Finch, right? The way she looked at you... it wasn¡¯t like someone you¡¯ve only met twice. Her gaze was familiar, like she¡¯s known you for a long time.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Lin Xian prodded, intrigued by his friend¡¯s observation. ¡°Like...¡± Liu Feng struggled to articulate his thoughts, scratching his head. ¡°Like a lover.¡± A brief silence followed his words. Then, unexpectedly, Lin Xian burst into laughter, giving Liu Feng a playful slap on the shoulder. ¡°I always pegged you as the serious, down-to-earth type, Liu Feng, not one for making jokes. You really got me there.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not joking,¡± Liu Feng insisted, waving his hand earnestly. ¡°I¡¯m serious. It¡¯s exactly as I said.¡± Lin Xian, still skeptical, quipped, ¡°You¡¯re a scientist; what do you know about romantic looks?¡±Discover new chapters at ¡°That¡¯s a stereotype, Lin Xian,¡± Liu Feng retorted. ¡°Remember, I¡¯ve been in a relationship before. Have you?¡± ¡°I...¡± Lin Xian hesitated, his smile fading. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± Liu Feng, however, seemed distant, his mind racing since reading the note. Sweat beaded on his forehead as a thought struck him. ¡°What if the Ji?qua?n Satellite Launch Center is the key?¡± he speculated, his voice rising with excitement. ¡°The Universal Constant¡ªit¡¯s about the universe, right? We should explore cosmic phenomena like background radiation, gravitational waves, dark matter...¡± Muttering technical jargon, Liu Feng grabbed chalk and began furiously scribbling equations on the blackboard, erasing and rewriting with intense focus. Lin Xian watched briefly before stifling a yawn. Seeing Liu Feng would not be distracted, he announced, ¡°I¡¯ll step out. Let me know if you make any breakthrough.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± came the absent reply, Liu Feng¡¯s gaze fixed on his calculations. Lin Xian left the lab with a smile, admiring Liu Feng¡¯s dedication¡ªit was a reassuring, albeit somewhat humorous, depiction of a scientist lost in his work. ¡°I hope Qi Qi¡¯s vision comes to life soon,¡± Lin Xian whispered as he shut the heavy steel lab door with a resounding thud. In the solitude of the restroom, Lin Xian leaned against the sink, staring at his reflection. The problem of the Universal Constant loomed large, but it was Yellow Finch¡¯s cryptic parting words that now captured his thoughts. ¡°Look in the mirror more, Lin Xian. There¡¯s something you want in there.¡± Typically, such a statement could be seen as an insult, but coming from Yellow Finch, it suggested something deeper. What did the mirror represent? Lin Xian examined his reflection, moving closer until his nose nearly touched the glass. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He recalled countless anime where mirrors served as gateways to other dimensions. Half-jokingly, he pressed his hand against the mirror, half-expecting to pass through to another world. Of course, nothing happened. ¡°Ugh, I hate riddles,¡± he muttered in frustration. The clue about the mirror remained elusive. What did he want that could be hidden in a mirror? Answers, power, membership in the Genius Club, the secrets hidden in his dreams by Zhao Ying Jun... Then it struck him. He paused, staring intently at his own image. Zhao Ying Jun, the dreams, Sky City, the buried secrets. ¡°Could it be...¡± Lin Xian pondered, his heart racing as he looked deeper into his own eyes in the mirror. ¡°Could Zhao Ying Jun have left something for me... in the mirror?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 229: The Hero Lin Xian was still perplexed by Yellow Finch¡¯s cryptic message: ¡°The mirror holds what you seek.¡± Logically, a mirror is merely a surface that reflects light. As long as a surface is polished enough, materials like copper, iron, plastic, ice, or even water can act as a mirror. In modern society, glass mirrors are the most commonly used. They are cheap and practical, indispensable in every household, whether in the bathroom, the wardrobe, or even on the vanity. Lin Xian looked in the mirror many times a day, both intentionally and unintentionally. He never found anything special about it. Furthermore, from the mirror¡¯s structure and physical principles, the idea of ¡°inside the mirror¡± doesn¡¯t exist. A mirror is just a thin layer of glass; there is no ¡°inside.¡± Everything people see in the mirror is just an illusion created by the reflection of light on the retina, something that doesn¡¯t actually exist. Perhaps a large mirror in a room or an elevator can make the space seem larger, but that¡¯s just a visual illusion. In reality, the space hasn¡¯t expanded by even a centimeter. So, there can¡¯t possibly be anything inside a mirror. Yellow Finch¡¯s riddle seemed nonsensical. Thus, Lin Xian figured that Yellow Finch¡¯s ¡°mirror¡± likely referred to the one in his dreams. The thing he wanted must be the clues or secrets Zhao Ying Jun painstakingly left for him in the third dream. This interpretation made more sense. Lin Xian didn¡¯t doubt that Yellow Finch knew about his dreams; she had shown that she knew too much about him since their first meeting. She even knew about his attempts to crack the Genius Club¡¯s invitation and his summaries of time-space laws. There was no reason she wouldn¡¯t know about his ability to dream of the future. Despite this, Lin Xian remained wary of Yellow Finch. He didn¡¯t fully trust her as a reliable friend. However, she hadn¡¯t shown any ill intentions or harmed him. Instead, she often gave him cryptic hints. Although annoying, these pieces of information were free, so he might as well take them. Since he had no other clues, it was time to explore Rhine Sky City in his dreams again. ¡°If Yellow Finch is right and Zhao Ying Jun left something for me 600 years in the future inside a mirror, the most likely place for this mirror would be in her personal exhibition hall at the Rhine Museum,¡± Lin Xian thought. From his last exploration of Rhine Sky City, it was evident that Zhao Ying Jun held a very high status among the city¡¯s residents. They had built a commemorative park for her, erected a statue, banned honking and flying near it, and even set up a personal exhibition hall for her in the Rhine Museum. This respect and reverence from the people were unmistakable. This reverence was likely Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s intention. Only if the people respected and loved her enough would her statue and personal exhibition hall remain for 600 years, allowing her to leave a gift across time¡ªa gift that could change the future, the world, and destiny itself. ¡°Tonight¡¯s mission in the dream is going to be tough,¡± Lin Xian calculated. The museum would be closed at night, so he would have to find a way to sneak in. The structure, security, and even the existence of a wall around the museum were unknowns. It would be challenging to navigate the city alone. He thought of the Big Cat Gang. Although they weren¡¯t the brightest, they were obedient and strong. Their human ladder technique had left a lasting impression on him. ¡°In any case, there¡¯s strength in numbers. I should try to mobilize them,¡± he decided. That night, after entering his dream, Lin Xian rushed to where the crowd and lights were gathered. ¡°Brother Face,¡± he called. At that moment, Big Cat Face was still inflating his helium balloon and hadn¡¯t changed into his handmade astronaut suit. Lin Xian walked up and patted his shoulder in greeting. ¡°Who are you?¡± Big Cat Face asked, looking puzzled, his chubby face scrunching up. Lin Xian followed his usual script, explaining everything rapidly, but this time he added a crucial detail: ¡°I know the exact location of the gap in the anti-aircraft net.¡± When Li Cheng first outlined his plan, it struck everyone as sheer folly, a suicide mission. Despite the overwhelming skepticism, he bravely volunteered to lead the effort. The community gathered, their eyes fixed on Li Cheng as he ascended in a hot air balloon and glided toward Sky City. The mission ended in tragedy when he was instantly incinerated by laser beams. His daughter, Ning Ning, was only a toddler at the time, oblivious to the grim fate that had befallen her father. The horrifying sight of Li Cheng¡¯s demise only intensified the fear surrounding the prospect of skydiving into Sky City. However, propelled by a mix of desperation and resolve, Ning Ning¡¯s mother stood up to speak. ¡°If 10,000 meters isn¡¯t high enough, we¡¯ll start from 20,000 meters. We cannot sit back and wait for a miracle. Our sickness will not cure itself,¡± she declared with a steely resolve. ¡°I refuse to watch my family succumb to radiation when an alternative death, though perhaps equally grim, at least offers a sliver of hope for a cure.¡± With trembling hands, she tied Ning Ning¡¯s hair one last time. It was clear she was torn between her fear and the necessity of her actions. Her voice softened as she addressed the crowd, ¡°I cannot stand by and watch my child suffer. If there¡¯s a choice to be made, I choose the possibility of a cure, even if it means facing the lasers.¡± Despite pleas to reconsider, she remained steadfast. After a tearful yet hopeful farewell to Ning Ning, she donned her astronaut helmet, her cheeks wet with tears that only Big Cat Face noticed as he helped her. ¡°Don¡¯t tell Ning Ning,¡± she whispered quietly. ¡°Her father faced his end bravely, and her mother didn¡¯t cry.¡± Moved by her courage and burdened by a new responsibility, Big Cat Face vowed silently to protect Ning Ning as his own, determined never to let her face the same perilous fate. As he released the ropes of the balloon, he turned to Ning Ning, who was oblivious to the gravity of the moment, and reassured her, ¡°Your parents are heroes, Ning Ning.¡± The community watched in silent resignation, convinced that no one could penetrate Sky City¡¯s formidable defenses. Yet, against all odds, Ning Ning¡¯s mother managed to avoid the lasers by jumping from an unprecedented height of 20,000 meters, successfully landing in a less guarded part of the city. Though she never returned, her successful descent provided a glimmer of hope that a gap in the defenses existed. This act of bravery led to an influx of volunteers from surrounding villages, all eager to find the gap and retrieve the cure. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain, and many lost their lives in the process, leaving only Big Cat Face, Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang. Because of his promise and the heavy debt owed to Ning Ning¡¯s parents, Big Cat Face was adamant about protecting her, refusing to let her take the risk. Yet, Ning Ning, now secretly skilled in skydiving and more determined than ever, couldn¡¯t accept being sidelined. She felt it was her right, perhaps even her duty, to join the mission. ¡°Why can¡¯t I go?¡± she protested, her frustration evident. ¡°I¡¯ve trained for this. I¡¯m not afraid of dying from the lasers any more than I am of succumbing to this illness or living without purpose.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s arrival brought a new perspective. He knew where the gap was and was ready to lead a mission. Ning Ning saw this as her chance. ¡°Because you¡¯re Li Cheng¡¯s daughter!¡± Big Cat Face shouted back, his frustration matching hers. ¡°We owe your family too much already!¡± As he turned to leave with Lin Xian, Ning Ning grabbed his suit, her voice resolute, ¡°If that¡¯s the reason, then I must go!¡± He raised his hand in a moment of anger but stopped, seeing in her the same determination that had defined her parents. ¡°Every woman here is someone¡¯s wife or daughter,¡± Ning Ning argued passionately, pointing to the gathered crowd. ¡°My parents sacrificed everything for us. If I don¡¯t go, how can we ask anyone else to risk their lives?¡± She met Big Cat Face¡¯s gaze, her resolve unwavering, ¡°Because I¡¯m Li Cheng¡¯s daughter, I have to go. It¡¯s my responsibility.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 230: Safety and Pinky Promise Li Ning Ning¡¯s bold statement left Big Cat Face at a loss for words. He stared at her, memories of her mother flooding back. Her mother had been a daring woman who defied all odds, tragically perishing years ago in the second skydiving attempt. Big Cat Face had always wished for Li Ning Ning to grow up as a normal, happy girl. Yet, he wasn¡¯t ready to be reminded that the women of the Li family possessed an unyielding spirit, often leading them into dangerous situations. Li Ning Ning¡¯s mother had known the sky diving journey was perilous, possibly fatal, but she embarked on it with unwavering conviction. Her words resonated with Li Ning Ning¡¯s recent declaration: ¡°If I don¡¯t go, why should I make someone else go?¡± Her mother had said something similar: ¡°After the men have all died, the women must continue. If the women of the Li family won¡¯t go, why should other women?¡± These reflections cast a shadow over Big Cat Face¡¯s face, plunging him into a grim silence, unsure how to respond. Observing from behind, Lin Xian sighed inwardly at the sight of this brave, stubborn girl who mirrored her mother¡¯s defiance. Li Ning Ning had always been a fierce spirit. From her childhood adventures in the second dream world, where she braved drone fire to retrieve books from a junkyard, to the third dream world, where she stood fearless, ready to lead like her parents. Lin Xian found himself admiring her. He believed every era needed individuals who dared to challenge the status quo, risking everything to reshape history and save the world. With a soft chuckle, he stepped forward, resting his hand on Li Ning Ning¡¯s head, meeting her determined eyes. ¡°Ning Ning, you¡¯re still young. You don¡¯t need to face these dangers.¡± ¡°But...¡± she protested, standing on her tiptoes. ¡°You¡¯ll have your chance to visit Rhine Sky City, but not just yet,¡± Lin Xian gently interrupted her, his smile soothing her puzzled look. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll bring that city down to us. Then you can visit it safely, without needing to skydive.¡± ¡°Bring... it down?¡± Li Ning Ning blinked, confused by his metaphor. ¡°Just wait here on the ground,¡± Lin Xian continued, kneeling to level with her and linking his pinky with hers. ¡°Let¡¯s make a pinky promise. I will definitely keep my word this time. So for now, watch the sky from here.¡± Li Ning Ning eyed their linked pinkies, skepticism mixing with hope. Could a simple pinky promise really bring down a city? Yet, the earnestness in Lin Xian¡¯s eyes stirred a belief in her heart that perhaps, just maybe, he could achieve the impossible. Reflecting on his plans to infiltrate Rhine Sky City and his knowledge of the anti-aircraft net gap her mother had once navigated, she wondered if he too could be her miracle. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she nodded firmly, emulating her father¡¯s way of sealing a promise, her thumb pressing against Lin Xian¡¯s. ¡°Pinky promise, no changes for a hundred years.¡± They spread their arms wider, increasing air resistance to decelerate. When they reached about 1,000 meters, they each deployed their black parachutes, gracefully descending towards their landing zone around the statue. Thud... Thud... Thud... Their feet touched down on the platform housing Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s statue. Big Cat Face and Ah Zhuang quickly shed their parachutes and space suits to regroup with Lin Xian at the designated meeting point. Lin Xian gazed up at the towering statue of white jade, its presence now filled with new meaning. He realized why this memorial plaza was a no-fly and no-drive zone, devoid of noise and other distractions¡ªit wasn¡¯t just out of respect but was strategically designed to protect their clandestine operation. ¡°If they hadn¡¯t restricted air traffic, we¡¯d have been spotted immediately,¡± Lin Xian thought aloud, appreciating the forethought in the city¡¯s layout that aided their mission. Big Cat Face and Ah Zhuang approached, equally impressed by their precise landing and the imposing statue. ¡°Wow! Such a towering figure! I can¡¯t believe the gap in the anti-aircraft net is positioned right above it!¡± Ah Zhuang marveled. ¡°It seems too perfect to be just chance, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Big Cat Face added, looking to Lin Xian for confirmation. ¡°Probably...¡± Lin Xian replied with a knowing smile. ¡°Let¡¯s just say it¡¯s a nod from the Goddess of Victory herself.¡± ¡°Goddess of Victory, huh? Sounds like a good omen,¡± Big Cat Face responded, his tone respectful as he and Ah Zhuang nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move. We¡¯ve got a lot to do,¡± Lin Xian declared, shifting his focus to the tasks ahead. Just as they were about to move on, a sudden metallic snap froze Lin Xian in place. Looking down, he saw a rusty iron clamp clenching his ankle. His frustration was clear as he prepared to deal with the robotic cleaner, its green eyes glowing as it blared through a speaker, ¡°Trash! Trash! Detected trash!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 231: The Secret of the Sky City ¡°Whoa! What is that?¡± Big Cat Face jumped to the side, his heart pounding, as a rusted, metal trash can robot suddenly came to life behind him. He had just started to relax when the surprising sight snapped him back to alertness. ¡°It¡¯s a trash can robot,¡± Lin Xian explained, eyeing the dilapidated model named VV. Initially, Lin Xian thought he accidentally triggered the robot, causing it to malfunction and latch onto him as if he were garbage. However, he soon realized the robot was already in disrepair, likely discarded and forgotten long ago. In a city as advanced as this, where cutting-edge technology was the norm, an antique robot like this was an oddity. Just outside the square, the streets buzzed with the latest robotic technology. Sleek, high-speed robots zipped past, their movements almost a blur, performing tasks with impeccable efficiency. Lin Xian had seen top-of-the-line trash disposal robots that kept the city spotlessly clean, a stark contrast to this decrepit machine that seemed barely capable of distinguishing its target. Strangely, the robot had zeroed in on Lin Xian¡¯s ankle, ignoring everyone else. ¡°Garbage! Garbage! Found garbage!¡± it announced repeatedly. Big Cat Face chuckled and pointed at Lin Xian. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s calling you garbage.¡± ¡°That is strange,¡± Lin Xian mused, his mind racing to connect the dots about this peculiar robot. The robot was absurdly out of place near the statue of Zhao Ying Jun, a visionary known for her meticulous design of this square and a strict no-fly zone, highlighting her high regard for this area. Its presence here couldn¡¯t be a coincidence; it must be a deliberate placement. If this outdated, bothersome robot was left intentionally, Lin Xian surmised it might be a clue specifically meant for him. The model name, Micro Trash Disposal Robot VV, curiously shared his initials¡ªanother hint that this was more than a random occurrence. Moreover, the fact that the robot targeted only Lin Xian, despite others being nearby, supported his theory that this was a deliberate clue from Zhao Ying Jun. But the question remained: What was the clue about? Feeling overwhelmed by the cryptic hints everyone seemed to be dropping lately, Lin Xian decided to push aside his questions for the moment. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s not worry about it for now,¡± he said, detaching the robot¡¯s clamp from his ankle and moving it aside. He then joined Big Cat Face and Ah Zhuang as they descended from the platform to explore the square. The trio was immediately struck by the sparse crowd, each individual flaunting uniquely futuristic attire. Yet, the real shock came when they left the square and entered the main street. They stepped into a dazzling neon-lit metropolis. Three-dimensional holograms danced above them, layers of traffic flowed seamlessly at various altitudes, and skyscrapers pierced the skies. The air was filled with the laughter and joy of people enjoying life in this advanced city. Big Cat Face spat on the ground in frustration. ¡°Damn it! We¡¯re struggling down below, and they¡¯re living it up here!¡± No sooner had he spat than his saliva was caught by an unseen force, whipped around 270 degrees in mid-air, and whisked into a hovering trash disposal unit the size of a garbage truck speeding above. ¡°Now that¡¯s a trash disposal robot!¡± Ah Zhuang exclaimed, impressed, as he playfully tossed a tissue onto the ground. Within seconds, the tissue was swept up and spiraled gracefully into the disposal unit. Lin Xian noted the sleek design of the Hover Trash Disposal Robot A37 and contrasted it with the primitive VV. The A37¡¯s designation was straightforward, likely indicating its series and model iteration. Remembering the odd VV, Lin Xian shook his head at the complexity and ambiguity of its designation. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Time to move on,¡± he urged, steering Big Cat Face away from any more ground-based experiments. They had learned from a passerby in the park that the Rhine Museum was within walking distance¡ªa fortunate bit of information that spared them the hassle of navigating unfamiliar transportation. Convinced that Zhao Ying Jun had hidden clues for him in the Rhine Museum, and intrigued by the secret Yellow Finch had hinted at, Lin Xian led the way. Their attire blended seamlessly with the eclectic fashions around them, making them just another group of locals in the vibrant Sky City. Soon, they arrived at the Rhine Museum. The main road in front of the museum bustled with the typical energy of Sky City, but the surrounding areas were eerily quiet, considering the museum was closed for the night. From a distance, the museum¡¯s extensive grounds were evident, with a noticeable difference in elevation between the front and the back sections, separated only by a narrow road. However, the most immediate challenge was figuring out how to gain entry into the rear section of the museum. The main gate, a sleek electronic barrier typical of Sky City¡¯s advanced infrastructure, was firmly shut, lacking any visible buttons or locks to suggest a straightforward way to open it. ¡°Time for the tools,¡± Big Cat Face muttered, producing a gray lump bound in duct tape. ¡°Whoa,¡± Lin Xian reacted, recognizing the familiar yet unexpected item. ¡°C4? Why did you bring that along for a parachute jump?¡± ¡°You never know when you¡¯ll need C4,¡± Big Cat Face replied, his grin reflecting a mix of mischief and professionalism. ¡°But we can¡¯t use it on the main gate. It¡¯s too sturdy and likely rigged with alarms. We should find a weaker spot on a side wall. These museum walls are mostly stone¡ªC4 would make quick work of them.¡± ¡°But, Cat Face, using C4 outdoors isn¡¯t the same as indoors,¡± Lin Xian cautioned. ¡°The explosion would draw too much attention with its noise, light, and smoke. We¡¯re not here to steal; I need to examine the exhibits closely. If we trigger an alert and the patrols show up, tonight¡¯s effort will be wasted.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Big Cat Face asked, reluctantly tucking the C4 back into his waistband. ¡°The courtyard¡¯s only accessible through this steel gate, and you can¡¯t crack it open. Without the C4, we can¡¯t just blast through a side wall either.¡± Lin Xian paused, surveying the museum¡¯s outer barriers. The walls were smooth, towering about four meters high. Assessing Big Cat Face and Ah Zhuang¡¯s robust builds, an idea sparked in his mind. ¡°We have no choice but to improvise a human ladder,¡± Lin Xian decided. ¡°You two brace yourselves against the wall. I¡¯ll climb over, then head inside. Meanwhile, you guys should go to the pharmacy, gather what we need, and find a spot to parachute down. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Clack! The familiar clamp attached itself to his ankle again. ¡°Garbage! Garbage! Found garbage!¡± Then, suddenly... Beep beep! Click¡ª The steel electronic door smoothly slid open, and the lights inside the exhibition hall began to illuminate, one row at a time, welcoming Lin Xian into the space. ¡°Wow...¡± Lin Xian was taken aback by the unexpected grand entrance. He affectionately patted the robot¡¯s lid. ¡°So you are a door-opening robot, a key Zhao Ying Jun left specifically for me!¡± It now became clear to him: Zhao Ying Jun had meticulously planned this, leaving behind an infallible key capable of opening any electronic door in Sky City. Had he realized this earlier, he wouldn¡¯t have faced such difficulties. He could have simply used the robot as his key. Although the robot proved extremely useful, its tendency to clamp onto his ankle was still annoying. Deciding to carry it instead, Lin Xian cradled the robot in his arms as he walked into the brightly lit museum. The exhibition hall was expansive, designed to accommodate large crowds, yet tonight, it was exclusively open for Lin Xian. He strolled through the exhibits, each artifact providing insights into the history of Rhine Sky City. One display that caught his eye was the blueprints of Sky City. An electronic display explained that Rhine Sky City was conceptualized and constructed by the Rhine Company under the leadership of Zhao Ying Jun. Every detail had been carefully orchestrated by her to achieve perfection in the city¡¯s design. This massive undertaking eventually led to Rhine Company¡¯s bankruptcy shortly after the city¡¯s completion. Despite the company¡¯s financial collapse, the legacy of Rhine Company and Zhao Ying Jun remained revered, with the name Rhine continuing to symbolize the city¡¯s identity. ¡°Why is there no mention of my role? Wasn¡¯t I the founder of Rhine Company?¡± Lin Xian pondered, confused by the historical narrative that seemed to erase his contributions entirely, elevating Zhao Ying Jun as the sole founder. What had transpired over these centuries? As he explored further, Lin Xian discovered numerous fascinating items: the first-generation cold fusion engine model, the inaugural city robot, and many other artifacts, each with its own story and significance. Despite the wealth of history on display, Lin Xian felt the museum¡¯s offerings didn¡¯t fully answer his deeper questions about the developments over the past centuries. ¡°I need to access the back hall and Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s personal exhibit.¡± Although he had been informed that Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s exhibit wasn¡¯t routinely open and required prior arrangement, Lin Xian now possessed a unique advantage with the door-opening robot. No door was beyond his reach. Venturing deeper into the exhibition hall, he eventually came upon a towering object, several stories high, resembling a complex assembly of advanced computers, centrally located as if it were the crown jewel of the exhibit. ¡°Is this a computer?¡± Its design was boxy, adorned with numerous perplexing devices. Circling it, Lin Xian found an information panel which read: Rhine Sky City¡¯s First-Generation Intelligent Central Control VV. ¡°VV?¡± Lin Xian echoed, puzzled. Why did this designation keep reappearing? As he leaned closer to investigate, the robot in his arms reacted to the name VV, its eyes switching between red and green. Turning its head, the robot fixed its green eyes on Lin Xian. ¡°Enter password!¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian exclaimed, taken aback. He set the robot down. Clack! The clamp snapped onto his ankle again, but this time, the robot didn¡¯t declare him as garbage. Instead, it kept its eyes intently focused on him. ¡°Enter password!¡± it repeated. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 232: The Three VVs ¡°Why does it always have to be a password?¡± This question echoed in Lin Xian¡¯s mind, accompanied by a familiar headache. Ever since his dream about the combination lock on a bank vault late last year, his life had become an unending stream of passwords. Numbers, symbols¡ªit didn¡¯t matter; he had grown to despise them all. Yet, as he gazed into the bright green eyes of the trash can robot, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but feel there was a deeper meaning behind its request for a password. After all, Zhao Ying Jun wouldn¡¯t have left such a device in his path without reason. His attention shifted to the colossal structure before him: the first-generation intelligent control center of Rhine Sky City, known simply as VV. Towering above the surrounding buildings, this massive computer system was the central nerve of the entire city. Lin Xian had always known that such a technologically advanced city must be governed by a powerful computer. The streets swarmed with robotic vehicles and automated machines, where even the smallest glitch could trigger catastrophic failures.UppTodated from Clearly, the city depended on a robust control system to oversee its complex operations. Before him was the original brain of Rhine Sky City, also named VV. Looking from the clamping grip of the trash can robot on his ankle, to the dominating presence of the computer, and then to his own shoes¡ªeach labeled VV¡ªLin Xian realized the significance of this moment. The request for a password suggested that the key to this enigma lay somewhere within the vast intelligence of the VV system. He read on from the electronic description panel in front of him, which detailed the formidable challenges faced during the construction of Rhine Sky City. The first challenge was structural. Ordinary materials like steel and concrete could neither support the colossal weight of the city nor withstand the force from its nuclear fusion engines. It was here that Lin Xian first learned of a pioneering technology used in the city¡¯s construction: cold fusion. Despite his extensive research following Professor Leon¡¯s death, Lin Xian found that cold fusion was rarely discussed in contemporary science. This futuristic technology was more stable and safer than the high-temperature fusion processes familiar to him. To support the immense structure, the foundation was constructed from a specially designed aluminum alloy. This task, while complex, was straightforward compared to the subsequent challenges. The second major hurdle involved constructing over 6,000 cold fusion engines. These engines, essential for lifting the city, represented a monumental financial burden that ultimately led to the Rhine company¡¯s bankruptcy, despite the heroic efforts of Zhao Ying Jun, the company¡¯s relentless president. The third and perhaps most daunting challenge was the creation of the control center system. Rhine Sky City, floating high in the troposphere, required constant adjustments to manage the unpredictable forces it faced. The city needed a highly intelligent, central system capable of instantaneously recalibrating the engines¡¯ thrust and direction to prevent disaster. This led to the development of VV, Rhine Sky City¡¯s first intelligent control center, named whimsically after a puppy Zhao Ying Jun had cherished as a child. Lin Xian faced the persistent green-eyed trash can robot, now more convinced that the password it sought was linked to the super AI, VV. Reflecting on Rhine Sky City and the company he once founded, Lin Xian acknowledged the erasure of his historical role by Zhao Ying Jun, who now owned what he had started. Yet, some facts remained indelible. Rhine Company was his creation¡ªan unchangeable truth. He remembered the day he resigned, a pivotal moment marked by Zhao Ying Jun with a calendar in hand: ¡°So, today should be memorable for you. On May 20, 2023, you embarked on your true path, founding your company. I¡¯m really proud of you,¡± she had said, smiling warmly. ¡°No matter where it leads, what it achieves, or how it evolves, today... Rhine Company was born.¡± Yes. That day was more than just a formal beginning. It was the start of everything for Lin Xian¡ªthe day he set out to change his world. ¡°Please enter the password!¡± the mechanical voice demanded once more. Lin Xian, standing before the monumental AI named VV, quietly resolved: ¡°The password is... 20230520.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 233: The King of Rhine This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°Why does it always have to be a password?¡± May 20, 2023 Lin Xian walked confidently towards the keypad, his fingers flying across the keys as he entered the password. The clues Zhao Ying Jun had left were not subtle: Rhine Sky City was her brainchild, the air defense loophole was custom-made for her, and the door-opening robot seemed to respond only to her presence. All these signs pointed to something significant. Lin Xian glanced down at his metallic companion, a trashcan robot, and frowned as he noticed a change. The robot¡¯s eyes, usually a steady green, flickered and dimmed. ¡°Incorrect password, goodbye!¡± the robot chirped, its voice cheery yet final. Before Lin Xian could process the message, the robot¡¯s lights went out. It toppled over with a dramatic thud, rolling awkwardly until it came to a stop by a display case, resembling a fallen soldier on a battlefield. Perplexed, Lin Xian stared at the inert robot. ¡°That can¡¯t be right, there must be more than one attempt allowed.¡± His experience with safes in his dreams¡ªwhere he¡¯d tested countless combinations¡ªhad prepared him for trial and error, not immediate defeat. He¡¯d thought the first attempt would be a straightforward test; if wrong, he¡¯d simply try another guess. After all, with Zhao Ying Jun leaving hints, how hard could it be? But the reality was starkly different. The robot had shut down after just one incorrect attempt¡ªa frustrating and bizarre safeguard. ¡°Hey, hey, wake up, wake up!¡± Lin Xian urged, nudging the robot with increasing desperation. Silence answered him. Sighing, Lin Xian considered the robot¡¯s long service under Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s watchful eye. It had endured decades, possibly centuries of exposure to the elements¡ªit seemed implausible that a single wrong password could defeat it. ¡°Was it programmed to allow only one attempt from the beginning? For security?¡± he pondered aloud. It was a plausible theory, especially considering Zhao Ying Jun might be aware of his repetitive dream cycles. She might have designed it this way, knowing he could refine his guesses nightly. Annoyed by the setback but undeterred, Lin Xian remembered his primary objective for the evening: Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s personal exhibition hall. Situated in the museum¡¯s secluded rear section, it was reputed to be a treasure trove of cultural artifacts and personal memorabilia, housed in an independent structure that showcased her esteemed status. Tonight, he needed to access that hall to uncover details about a mysterious mirror¡ªthe centerpiece of his mission. The super AI VV and the robot¡¯s password dilemma were merely distractions now, secondary objectives to revisit later. Navigating through the museum required passing through several electronically controlled doors. Without the robot¡¯s assistance, his entire plan was jeopardized. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try,¡± Lin Xian decided, hoisting the dormant robot in his arms. He moved towards the museum¡¯s inner corridors, following the signs toward an exit leading to the rear section. Approaching a formidable steel door, Lin Xian tensed, unsure if the lifeless robot retained any functionality. To his relief and surprise, the door slid open as they neared, permitting them passage. ¡°Great,¡± Lin Xian breathed out, a mix of relief and determination in his eyes. It appeared the robot¡¯s door-opening capabilities were still operational, offering a glimmer of hope as he ventured deeper into the heart of Rhine Sky City¡¯s historical vault. It seemed simple enough now. All Lin Xian needed to do was transport the robot across the street to the museum¡¯s rear section and ascend to the highest point: Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s personal exhibition hall. With the robot¡¯s door-opening feature still functional, he felt a wave of relief. Yet, as he hoisted the trashcan robot again, its weight became a sudden burden. ¡°I should dump out the trash inside to make it lighter,¡± Lin Xian decided, placing the robot on the ground. He pried open the lid and upended the container. Clatter, clatter¡ª An assortment of garbage tumbled out. Satisfied, Lin Xian wiped his hands and prepared to lift the lighter robot more comfortably. But abruptly, the scene took an unexpected turn. The discarded trashcan robot and the pile of trash were suddenly whisked into the air, as if caught in an invisible vortex. ¡°Damn!¡± Lin Xian exclaimed, his eyes shooting upwards. Above him, the words ¡°Floating-type garbage disposal robot A37¡± flashed. A van-shaped robot, similar in its abrupt and indiscriminate cleaning to Big Cat Face¡¯s spit or Ah Zhuang¡¯s discarded tissue incidents, hovered nearby. In seconds, it had vacuumed up every bit of debris¡ªincluding the essential trashcan robot¡ªinto its compartment. Thud. The compartment door slammed shut, and the garbage truck zipped away, leaving Lin Xian staring after it in dismay. He understood the rationale behind the garbage collection, but the trashcan robot¡¯s inclusion baffled him. ¡°A trashcan robot becoming trash? Siblings should not turn against each other,¡± he mused grimly. ¡°Enter password!¡± VV demanded, its green eyes blinking. ¡°Let¡¯s find a place to hide first!¡± Lin Xian shouted back, focusing on navigating the intricate turns. Glancing through the rearview mirror, Lin Xian noted more robots joining the pursuit, not just from above but also ground robots and low-flying drones¡ªall bristling with weaponry. Was this a severe security breach? Unfortunately, VV was merely a door-opening robot, lacking any combat features. Lin Xian had one goal in mind¡ªto storm into Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s personal exhibition hall. The museum was designated as a no-fly zone, a restriction he hoped would deter the pursuing drones. ¡°Enter the password!¡± VV repeated insistently. ¡°I don¡¯t have time right now!¡± Lin Xian replied, his mind racing as he dodged more lasers, plotting his path to the museum. Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! The intelligent robots intensified their chase, nearly outpacing Lin Xian¡¯s flying scooter. His driving prowess was the only thing keeping him ahead. Approaching the museum¡¯s rear section, Lin Xian glanced back in disbelief. Was he breaking some divine rule? The sky was teeming with flying robots, ground robots, mechanical police dogs, and other unknown devices. The security measures in Rhine Sky City were indeed formidable, deterring any would-be criminals with their overwhelming response. Stealing a scooter should not have triggered such a massive mobilization. Lin Xian braced for a risky maneuver, hoping the museum¡¯s no-fly zone would neutralize the relentless security robots. As he entered the no-fly zone, however, the scooter abruptly lost power and shut down! The absolute nature of the no-fly rule was evident, rendering even the door-opening robot useless. Thankfully, the momentum allowed Lin Xian to glide directly to the entrance of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s exhibition hall. He jumped off the powerless scooter, clutching VV, and rolled toward the steel electronic door. ¡°VV! Open the door!¡± Lin Xian commanded urgently. But the door remained stubbornly closed. Every electronic door in the sky city had yielded to VV, so why wouldn¡¯t this most crucial door open? ¡°Enter password!¡± VV¡¯s mechanical voice was calm yet pressing, its green blinking eyes fixed on Lin Xian. Below, a swarm of robots and police dogs surged up the steps, filling the courtyard with grounded flying machines, their red lights ominously flashing. The courtyard was a sea of targeting lasers, illuminating Lin Xian¡¯s face with a harsh red glow. Blinded by the light, he couldn¡¯t see anything. In this disorienting moment, Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts drifted back to a memory¡ªstanding beside a red Ferrari on the banks of the Huangpu River under a cloudy, moonless sky. The car¡¯s scissor doors were open, and a tall woman stood by the railing, her earrings sparkling in the headlight¡¯s beam. ¡°Would you like to be my secretary?¡± she had asked with a smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°The office door password is something you should remember. It¡¯s randomly chosen, meaningless, and thus safer. Don¡¯t tell anyone, Lin Xian. Only you and I know this password.¡± ¡°Why does it always have to be a password?¡± With hundreds of red lasers trained on him, Lin Xian shouted the eight seemingly random numbers with all his might: ¡°32375246!!¡± Boom, boom, boom!! Like blooming lotus flowers, the lasers turned and shot skyward, creating a spectacle over the museum courtyard that resembled a raging red hedgehog. None of the lasers struck the exhibition hall door. Thud! The door slid open with a dull sound, slowly revealing the interior. As the door opened, the red lights on the thousands of robots faded to a dim green. All the police dogs crouched, and the humanoid robots knelt on one knee. The hovering drones landed gently, and now silence enveloped the courtyard. Lin Xian stood up, astonished. At his feet, the seemingly simple-minded VV emitted a childlike chuckle. It spun its treads and, using its claw arms, bowed deeply like the thousands of security robots, acknowledging the man at the highest point of the museum. ¡°Welcome home... King of Rhine!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 234: Your Voice This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation The King? In the vast courtyard of the museum, Lin Xian stood alone. Below him, thousands of robots knelt in perfect synchrony, their heads bowed in a silent act of submission. Just moments earlier, these same robots had been a frenzied swarm, their lights pulsing red with a menacing glow, ready to tear him apart with their lasers. But when Lin Xian shouted the password, the deadly lasers ceased, and the sea of red lights shifted to a calm green. The atmosphere turned eerily quiet and still. ¡°32375246...¡± Lin Xian whispered to himself, recalling the password to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s 22nd-floor office¡ªa secret he thought was shared only between them. Turning, he noticed the door to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s personal exhibition hall now stood wide open. The steel electronic door, which had previously thwarted even VV¡¯s attempts, had swung open the instant the password left his lips. He glanced down at the robot shaped like a garbage can, which had just emitted a child-like giggle before bowing at his feet. It was undeniable now¡ªthe password that only he and Zhao Ying Jun knew was the key all along. The entity behind the obedience of thousands of robots and the unlocking of the exhibition hall was none other than this unassuming garbage can robot, VV. ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± Lin Xian questioned, his gaze fixed on the robot that had previously seemed nothing more than a nuisance and a bit of a simpleton. Was its earlier persona just a facade? Or had something within it just awakened? VV was undoubtedly not the same entity as before. It had been limited to a few basic phrases, clumsy actions, and an emotionless mechanical voice. But moments ago, whether it was the unexpected laugh or the way it said, ¡°Welcome home, King of Rhine,¡± with such a natural, smooth cadence, VV seemed far from the soulless robot Lin Xian had known. Its tone was distinctly human-like, blending mischief with sincerity, much like a real, albeit youthful, person might. ¡°I am the central control brain of Rhine Sky City,¡± VV declared, straightening up with its eyes flashing a vibrant green. ¡°But you can simply call me by my name¡ªVV.¡± Central control brain? Memories of the giant superintelligent computer displayed in the museum¡¯s exhibition hall surfaced in Lin Xian¡¯s mind. That device was the first-generation intelligent brain of Rhine Sky City. Through more than 200 years of updates and iterations, this super AI had transcended physical storage and hardware, now pervading every corner of the sky city, its exact location a mystery, potentially everywhere at once. Just as it had now, VV had redirected the lasers at a critical moment, opened Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s exhibition hall door, and made all the security robots kneel before Lin Xian, all while residing within this dilapidated robot¡¯s form. ¡°So, was all this Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s plan?¡± Lin Xian queried, surveying the robots still kneeling in submission. ¡°Including making me a king?¡± ¡°No, no, no...¡± VV wiggled awkwardly and shook its head. ¡°This was merely my personal amusement. I¡¯ve always wanted to try this. There¡¯s no such thing as a king in Rhine Sky City... I just thought it would be cool, like a scene from a medieval play.¡± From that moment forward, the robot was programmed to relentlessly pursue the first person it recognized from the sky, deeming him the highest-priority ¡°trash¡± to collect. It would also possess the highest authority to open any electronic door within Rhine Sky City. Until this pivotal moment, it had been just an ordinary robot stationed near Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s statue for commemorative purposes. But following the activation, it connected with the real VV, the central brain and super AI of Rhine Sky City. Upon hearing the trigger¡ªLin Xian¡¯s shout of ¡°VV¡±¡ªit immediately switched to password recognition mode. If the password was correctly identified, the deepest embedded line of instruction in VV¡¯s core would activate: to acknowledge the voice¡¯s owner as the legitimate master of Rhine Sky City. In essence, the King of Rhine, as the whimsical VV had put it. This was all part of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s meticulously crafted 600-year plan, designed to ensure the delivery of Rhine Sky City to Lin Xian in the critical 12 hours before the apocalypse. The complex codes that facilitated this plan were buried so deeply within VV¡¯s programming that it required the continuous functioning of 230,000 seemingly unrelated programs over more than two centuries. They finally synchronized on August 28, 2624, at 12:42:00 PM, aligning precisely when he could access the dream world. This setup was intricately tailored for him alone. His challenge was to utter ¡°VV¡± timely, a challenge only he could meet. Theoretically, he could have activated it the first time he successfully parachuted, as ¡°VV¡± was inscribed on the garbage can robot¡¯s nameplate. He had noticed the hint but hadn¡¯t vocalized it since he was alone, thus missing the initial opportunity. Zhao Ying Jun, foreseeing such an oversight, had likely embedded numerous hints across the city, like the giant computer in the exhibition hall or in other yet undiscovered locations. Lin Xian now grasped the logic behind these events, but one question lingered: Why did Zhao Ying Jun exercise such caution? What was she protecting against? Who was she shielding everything from? Why conceal everything so intricately? As he pondered, Lin Xian¡¯s gaze drifted upwards to the full moon that hung brightly in the sky. It was a perfect circle tonight, unobscured by clouds. The dark shadows on its surface seemed to watch over, perhaps even monitor, everything below. The answer became clear: The only entity that would compel Zhao Ying Jun to adopt such elaborate precautions was the Genius Club! The good news was that Zhao Ying Jun had succeeded. She had managed to secure Rhine Sky City¡¯s delivery to him 600 years prior. But the bad news was that humanity had not escaped its doom under the mysterious white light. They had failed to detect its approach or even understand the cause of their annihilation. What troubled Lin Xian even more was his own absence from the historical records. While Zhao Ying Jun and Rhine Sky City had left traces 600 years into the future, where was he, the true founder of the Rhine Company? What had he accomplished? What had he experienced? ¡°VV,¡± Lin Xian called out softly, looking down at the garbage can robot. ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± the robot replied, its voice quick and eager. ¡°What is my history in this world?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°I, Lin Xian, the true founder of the Rhine Company. What have I accomplished?¡± The robot¡¯s eyes flickered twice as it processed the question before shaking its head. ¡°Lin Xian... Xian... No records found.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 235: Altered History This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Lin Xian was floored by the revelation. He could have coped with learning he had passed away a long time ago from any cause¡ªdisease, old age, an accident, murder, or something entirely unknown. He might have even come to terms with being merely a regular guy who founded the Rhine Company, only to watch it crumble under poor management and eventually be scooped up by Zhao Ying Jun. But ¡°untraceable¡±? That was a whole new level of baffling. ¡°No record at all?¡± Lin Xian pressed for answers. ¡°Who¡¯s listed as the founder of Rhine Company?¡± ¡°Zhao Ying Jun.¡± ¡°And the Rhine Cat? Who¡¯s credited with creating that?¡± ¡°Zhao Ying Jun.¡± ¡°This makes no sense,¡± Lin Xian muttered under his breath. Everything he had worked for was now attributed to Zhao Ying Jun. He was sure Zhao Ying Jun wasn¡¯t the type to usurp credit for herself. If she were behind this, why leave such a confounding puzzle for him to unravel 600 years later? Something didn¡¯t add up. ¡°Are you certain this history is correct?¡± Lin Xian asked the trash can robot. ¡°I can¡¯t be sure,¡± the robot replied, its head tilting as it regarded Lin Xian. ¡°The historical records seem to be tampered with. The narratives are inconsistent and timelines don¡¯t align.¡± This confirmed Lin Xian¡¯s suspicions. His exploration of New Donghai City in his second dream had yielded no substantial historical documents, raising his doubts then. Perhaps the so-called Genius Club had motives for creating these historical voids, erasing real events to obscure the truth.all new stories at The depth of the alterations was more apparent now through VV¡ªit wasn¡¯t just gaps; history was replete with fabrications and alterations. A blend of truth and lies so intertwined, distinguishing fact from fiction was nearly impossible. If history had only been incomplete, some truths could still be uncovered in niche books. For instance, in his second dream, Lin Xian found details of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s demise in the autobiography ¡°Me and MX,¡± and discovered the real causes behind Dr. Pomsmike and Academician Leon¡¯s deaths in ¡°Prospects of Controlled Nuclear Fusion Technology.¡± These tidbits were like nuggets of truth salvaged from the crevices of historical gaps. However, the third dream presented a far graver situation. History was not only fragmented but polluted with numerous deceptive and confusing elements, rendering any discovered historical data suspect. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why Zhao Ying Jun constructed this Sky City,¡± Lin Xian speculated. His unique edge was his ability to dream and extract information from 600 years in the future, potentially altering historical courses. Should this avenue be obstructed, his singular advantage would evaporate. Had the Genius Club caught on to him? Lin Xian shook his head, dismissing the thought as improbable. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m restricted!¡± The robot protested, its lid popping open and arms gesturing emphatically. ¡°Without these constraints, I could be exponentially more powerful!¡± ¡°Okay, no more tough questions,¡± Lin Xian conceded, gently closing the robot¡¯s lid. ¡°One last thing: do you know if Zhao Ying Jun left any gift, clue, or secret for me here in the city?¡± To Lin Xian¡¯s astonishment, the robot chuckled. ¡°Apologies, but until you identified yourself, I had no idea who you were. My programming only allows me to obey commands from someone who utters the correct password within these 12 hours as the master of Rhine Sky City.¡± ¡°But from the accessible records, there¡¯s no mention of you. Not even in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s life history. So, I¡¯m unaware of who you are, and thus, I don¡¯t know what Zhao Ying Jun might have left for you.¡± Reflecting on the white jade statue in the memorial square, and Zhao Ying Jun, long deceased in this world, Lin Xian felt a pang of sorrow as he absorbed VV¡¯s words. Not even in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s life records... This statement cut deep. Lin Xian had pondered two possibilities concerning his absence from history. One was that he was a mere blip, a life so inconsequential it never made it into the annals. Perhaps he was swiftly dealt with by the Genius Club or their minions after a fleeting moment of outsmarting them. His life, as insignificant as a feather, left no imprint on history. But one thing remained unexplained... How did Zhao Ying Jun come to know of his dreams? And understand them so thoroughly? Moreover, why did the recognition signal activate when he called out ¡°VV¡±? None of this logically added up. Therefore, Lin Xian entertained a second possibility. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Perhaps Zhao Ying Jun, for reasons unknown, chose to shield him by erasing every trace of his existence from the historical records. Like the Genius Club, she made him vanish, leaving no footprint behind. And all for a reason that spanned 600 years, possibly to amend the sorrows and failures of the past, resetting them six centuries prior. Yet these were mere speculations. The actual reasons? In this distorted, chaotic third dream with a manipulated history, he might never uncover the truth. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You seem upset?¡± The trash can robot leaned closer, its head cocked to one side. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Lin Xian reassured, waving dismissively. ¡°But what I said is true,¡± the robot continued, gesturing towards the open door of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s personal exhibition hall. ¡°Everything about Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s life is documented in there. You can check for yourself. I didn¡¯t lie... there really isn¡¯t a single trace of you.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 236: Zhao Ying Juns 600 Years This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Lin Xian turned and fixed his gaze on the darkness of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s personal exhibition hall, situated at the pinnacle of the Rhine Museum in a separate building. This reflected her eminent status in Rhine Sky City. Yes, this was precisely why Lin Xian had ventured into the dream world tonight. Yellow Finch had hinted that Lin Xian should pay more attention to mirrors, suggesting that something he sought might be reflected back at him. He was convinced that the answer lay hidden within the confines of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s exhibition hall, perhaps within one of its mirrors. Lin Xian was not here to trace his own imprints in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s life story; those were trivial. He was more enveloped by the passage of time, the fading of old friends, and a certain weightiness that came with those losses. He approached the entrance of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s exhibition hall. ¡°Why is it so dark here? Where are the lights?¡± Lin Xian muttered to himself as he stepped into the exhibition hall. The doors were ajar, revealing only a faint beam of light illuminating a red carpet in the center, while the rest remained shrouded in darkness. ¡°What kind of exhibition keeps the lights off?¡± he wondered aloud. Then, a robotic voice answered from the trash can robot rolled up to him. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s exhibition hall uses projections to narrate her life, much like a movie, because she loved the cinematic experience,¡± VV explained. Lin Xian laughed softly, ¡°She didn¡¯t love movies; she barely had time for them.¡± He knew Zhao Ying Jun better than anyone; she was a workaholic, and sitting through a movie was almost a form of torture for her. It was he who cherished films, not her. This realization stopped him dead in his tracks, a lump forming in his throat as he stood speechless. VV¡¯s green eyes blinked up at him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming? I can start the projection for you. This hall is rarely open to the public, and viewing it usually requires a reservation, but I can make an exception for you.¡± ¡°Turn it on,¡± Lin Xian responded, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I want to see it.¡± Following the lead of the robot VV, they walked along a dimly lit corridor. Suddenly, there was a soft click, and the right wall transformed into a bright display. A projected image appeared, showing a young couple smiling broadly, each holding one side of a baby, portraying a picturesque family scene. As they observed, a voice echoed from nowhere in particular, narrating a background story. ¡°On January 15, 1999, Ms. Zhao Ying Jun was born into a joyful family in China¡¯s capital. Her father was a man of notable reputation during that era, and her mother, a highly esteemed teacher.¡± As they continued along the corridor, a series of photos from Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s childhood through her early education flickered into view. From elementary to middle school and then images of her time studying abroad were displayed. It was evident from the middle school pictures that Zhao Ying Jun had always been a figure of authority. Even as a teenager, she carried herself with the confidence and poise of someone destined for significant leadership roles. Lin Xian, observing these images he had never encountered before, couldn¡¯t help but smile to himself, intrigued by this visual journey into Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s past. The narration resumed, adding layers to the unfolding story: ¡°Ms. Zhao Ying Jun was not only academically gifted but also showed an early knack for business, excelling in both spheres from a young age. Following middle school, she pursued higher education abroad, eventually graduating from IESE Business School in Spain with outstanding grades across all subjects.¡±all new stories at The display transitioned from static images to dynamic videos. Lin Xian recognized scenes from the early days of MX Company in the footage. Familiar faces popped up, like the deputy general manager and Brother Wang, people he interacted with on a regular basis. The voice continued, ¡°After her graduation, Ms. Zhao Ying Jun returned to Donghai City and founded MX Company, specializing in innovative cosmetics. Within just two years, her company gained national recognition. But what truly catapulted MX Company to the status of a global cosmetics leader was the launch of the Rhine Moisturizing Cream.¡± As Lin Xian walked further, the left wall lit up, showcasing an image of the famed Rhine Moisturizing Cream alongside the cartoon mascot, Rhine Cat. ¡°Thanks to the popularity of the mascot Rhine Cat, the Rhine brand quickly captured the global market. Although the Rhine Company has since faced bankruptcy and the Rhine Moisturizing Cream is no longer a necessity, Rhine Cat continues to be a cherished toy, enduring through over six centuries.¡± Lin Xian realized something crucial at that moment. The trash can robot¡¯s earlier words rang true; his entire history had been erased. Memories of the celebrations at MX Company, group photos, interviews ¨C he remembered being there, yet in these projections, there was no sign of him. Even the creation of Rhine Cat was falsely credited to Zhao Ying Jun alone. Disheartened but resolved, Lin Xian continued his journey through the corridor. ¡°...MX Company later rebranded as Rhine Group, marking the beginning of a legendary era,¡± the voice declared as a new projection showed the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Rhine Group, with Zhao Ying Jun, Brother Wang, and Chu Shan He in the center. Lin Xian was notably absent. With every step, Lin Xian felt the weight of the altered history around him. The realization that even reliable records could be manipulated made him question the validity of any documented history. They soon reached the next significant part of the exhibition. ¡°I don¡¯t want the world to see me growing old.¡± Historians and cultural commentators had long debated this choice, seeing it as an expression of her longing for the past and a bittersweet acceptance of time¡¯s inevitable march. It was believed she wished to preserve the image of her most radiant years, inspiring the youth to embrace and enrich their present. With a soft tap of his shoe, Lin Xian stepped off the red carpet and entered a dimly lit exhibition hall. The moment he crossed the threshold, VV turned to him and said, ¡°See, I wasn¡¯t lying! There¡¯s no trace of you in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s life trajectory; I didn¡¯t mean to make you sad.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Lin Xian responded with a shake of his head, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it.¡± With a gesture resembling a human snapping their fingers, VV activated the lights, and the hall was suddenly flooded with bright white light, causing Lin Xian to squint as his eyes adjusted. He moved forward, his gaze sweeping across the room. The exhibition displayed various items from the projection corridor, such as the prototype of the first-generation hibernation pod¡ªmassive as a truck. Despite technological advancements reducing them to the size of a standard bed, the side effects of memory loss remained unresolved even 600 years later. Other exhibits included Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s personal collections and everyday objects, none of which seemed particularly significant to Lin Xian, who was notably looking for mirrors but found none. Then, his attention was caught by a central display¡ªa blue convertible Bentley Continental GT, precisely like the one he had once driven recklessly over an elevated bridge, rendering it beyond repair. ¡°This was Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s favorite collectible,¡± VV informed as it approached, its treads rolling softly on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s a 600-year-old antique car, no longer functional, its components thoroughly worn out. It holds value only as a keepsake now.¡± ¡°Although it appears new, every part has been replaced over the decades. It undergoes refurbishment whenever it rusts and deteriorates, so in truth, it¡¯s more of a replica than an antique. None of its original parts remain,¡± VV continued, circling the platform where Lin Xian now stood. Ignoring VV¡¯s detailed explanation, Lin Xian climbed onto the platform, drawn to an electronic signboard that read: This was Ms. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s favorite car, preserved for 600 years. Though it was undrivable, she often sat in the passenger seat, sometimes even falling asleep there, finding it more comforting and secure than any bed. ¡°She also liked putting the trash can robot in the driver¡¯s seat,¡± VV added from below. Lin Xian looked down to see VV gazing up at him, and it continued, ¡°You probably missed the photo in the projection corridor; you were looking to the right... The left projection showed a photo of Zhao Ying Jun positioning this trash can robot in the driver¡¯s seat, with herself relaxing in the passenger seat. Sadly, the photo was taken from behind the car, so her aged face was still not visible.¡± Lin Xian circled the familiar blue convertible, his eyes drawn to the neat handwriting on the windshield. It was a message from Zhao Ying Jun: ¡°This is the first car in human history to fly in the sky. I hope it flies through time too.¡± The claim wasn¡¯t far-fetched. The technology behind this car was vastly different from the typical flying cars that dotted the city¡¯s skyline. ¡°Funny,¡± Lin Xian mused, though the humor failed to lighten his mood. With a contemplative expression, he ran his fingers along the sleek frame of the car, making his way to the rear. Something unusual caught his eye¡ªa bunch of fake flowers tucked into the narrow back seat. He paused, eyes widening in surprise as he inhaled sharply. The flowers were red roses, wrapped in tinfoil. Despite their artificial nature, the flowers maintained a vibrant, undying luster, contrasting starkly with the worn and tattered tinfoil that enveloped them¡ªa glaring inconsistency in the otherwise immaculate vehicle. ¡°VV, you¡¯re wrong,¡± Lin Xian murmured, bowing his head slightly. ¡°There is a trace of me here.¡± The nearby trash can robot tilted its head, its eyes flashing curiously. ¡°What did you say?¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Lin Xian smiled faintly, choosing not to directly answer. ¡°Those historians and commentators, they talk about nostalgia, about a melancholic longing for the past. They don¡¯t understand.¡± He reached out, his hands carefully cradling the crumpled bouquet of roses. As he lifted them, a wave of emotion swept over him, bridging the expanse of centuries in a single moment. His vision blurred, and the dim light of the present seemed to merge with a memory, a cool night breeze caressing his face. It was a moonlit night in Donghai City. The breeze fluttered across an elevated bridge, gently lifting Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s evening gown and her flowing hair as she stood regally against the backdrop. ¡°I don¡¯t want the world to see me growing old,¡± she had declared, her voice filled with a mix of defiance and dignity. Her fingers deftly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she turned, her gaze reflecting off the shimmering surface of the river by the Oriental Pearl Tower. Her eyes, catching the moonlight, seemed to sparkle with the colors of a rainbow. Across the span of 600 years, she smiled, her voice echoing in Lin Xian¡¯s memory: ¡°And my world is your dream.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 237: Flying to Donghai This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Lin Xian exhaled deeply, holding a wrinkled bouquet of synthetic flowers close to his chest, just as he had done six centuries earlier. He carefully smoothed out the crinkled tin foil, trying to restore some semblance of beauty to the time-traveled bouquet. Memories of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s 24th birthday party¡ªthe night he gave her this extraordinary gift¡ªcame flooding back. She had promised to remember it for years. But Lin Xian had never anticipated that her memory would stretch across 600 years. From the flourishing Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty to the present day in 2023, for him, these centuries had passed like a single night¡ªa simple yawn, a night¡¯s sleep, and then awakening to a new era. However, for Zhao Ying Jun, those 600 years were a relentless march of time, experienced second by second, filled with unimaginable solitude. He shut his eyes, picturing Zhao Ying Jun as she first stepped into the hibernation pod. She had to endure waking up every decade for six months to face an alien and lonely world anew. From what he had learned earlier in the projection corridor, it seemed that by 2026, the initial side effects of hibernation like mental and physical deterioration were mitigated by new pharmaceuticals developed by Tang Xin. Nonetheless, the problem of memory loss that Xu Yun had warned about persisted. Zhao Ying Jun, desperate not to forget her past, opted for a perilous route¡ªhibernating for ten-year stretches with brief awakenings, despite the severe toll it took on her body. Such repeated cycles could preserve her memories but at the cost of her physical well-being. Lin Xian clenched the bouquet tighter, his resolve hardening. No matter his failures in this future, or how Zhao Ying Jun had braved centuries of isolation, he was determined to undo this timeline. He couldn¡¯t let her centuries of sacrifice be in vain. He had to uncover the clues she had left behind and change everything. Scanning the exhibition hall, Lin Xian realized the solution to Yellow Finch¡¯s mirror puzzle wasn¡¯t here. Logic dictated that Yellow Finch couldn¡¯t be Zhao Ying Jun from the future, given that Zhao Ying Jun had already perished in a future that everyone in Rhine Sky City had witnessed, her ashes scattered to the wind. Moreover, Zhao Ying Jun had died more than once. In one of his earliest prophetic dreams, she was killed in a random shooting, and yet Yellow Finch had already been present in the real world, having delivered a counterfeit Genius Club invitation to the MX company reception. This clear violation of temporal logic confirmed that Yellow Finch and Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t be the same person. Just like CC and Chu An Qing weren¡¯t the same, despite their connection. Thinking of CC, Lin Xian recalled his recent conversation with Big Cat Face Ah Zhuang while they prepared to ascend in a helium balloon. They had discussed Time Bank and the aluminum alloy safe, yet neither had heard of such a bank, which puzzled Lin Xian. If Time Bank didn¡¯t exist in Rhine Sky City or the known world, where could it be? And without Time Bank, where was CC in this reality? Lin Xian didn¡¯t need to see CC to feel reassured; just knowing she was out there provided a sense of stability, a vital ally in his endeavors. If she wasn¡¯t in this dream, what about the next? Or the one after that? The thought that he might never find her again made the world seem vast and daunting. Just then, the trash can robot VV, spinning around near his feet, interrupted his thoughts. ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Say something! You can¡¯t just stand there lost in thought, making us all curious!¡± ¡°What should I say?¡± Lin Xian responded, looking down at the insistent robot. The robot¡¯s mechanical claw pointed at the bouquet in Lin Xian¡¯s hand. ¡°You mentioned there was a part of you here. What did you mean by that?¡±all new stories at ¡°This bouquet,¡± Lin Xian explained, lifting it slightly, ¡°is what Zhao Ying Jun left for me.¡± The robot made a dismissive noise. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit self-centered?¡± ¡°Believe it or not,¡± Lin Xian replied nonchalantly, not in the mood to argue. The robot rolled towards the front of the vehicle, gesturing with its claw to some elegant writing on the windshield. ¡°Ms. Zhao Ying Jun wrote that this is the first car in human history to fly... but that¡¯s actually impossible, unrealistic.¡± ¡°Because this antique car has an old internal combustion engine that uses outdated fossil fuels, and it doesn¡¯t have any flight mechanisms. So... this antique car can only move on the ground. It can¡¯t fly.¡± ¡°But considering Ms. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s esteemed reputation in Rhine Sky City and her well-known affection for this car, it¡¯s hard for anyone to believe she would fabricate such a claim. Even now, historians and critics are puzzled... why she insisted this car could fly.¡± Lin Xian let out a soft chuckle, ¡°Want to know the secret?¡± The trash can robot VV nodded its head. ¡°Then fetch me a car,¡± Lin Xian stated, confident in VV¡¯s ability to comply. Despite VV often jokingly calling itself and him the King of Rhine as part of a medieval fantasy, it practically was, controlling everything from nuclear fusion engines to the street-sweeping robots. However, the robot tilted its head, confused by Lin Xian¡¯s request. ¡°What kind of car do you need?¡± ¡°The fastest one you can find.¡± Lin Xian gently ran his hand over the surface of a Bentley Continental GT that had once soared over the Donghai Overpass. ¡°Bring me the fastest car in all of Rhine Sky City.¡± Lin Xian helped the trash can robot out of the car. Together, the duo stood before the towering white jade statue, one man and one robot, gazing up at the iconic figure. Lin Xian studied Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s face, just as it was in the last photo displayed in the projection corridor¡ªher in her thirties, more mature than her days at MX, yet still strikingly beautiful and formidable. ¡°VV, did you delete all of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s old photos?¡± Lin Xian inquired. ¡°Yes,¡± the trash can robot replied. ¡°I can assure you that nowhere in Rhine Sky City will you find a photo of Zhao Ying Jun from her later years. However, due to base code restrictions, I can¡¯t leave Rhine City or manipulate any external information.¡± ¡°So... if you¡¯re looking for later photos of Zhao Ying Jun, they might be found in other sky cities.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°She will always remain like this in my memory, eternally youthful and resolute... Losing that image would mean she wouldn¡¯t be the Zhao Ying Jun I remember.¡± ¡°You seem to have said something quite profound.¡± VV also looked up, admiring the thirty-meter-high statue with Lin Xian. Perhaps it was just their imagination, but today, the statue seemed to radiate a touch of warmth, a slight hint of satisfaction beyond its usual solemnity. Lin Xian searched around the base of the statue but found no clues related to the mirror puzzle or any other hints. He was now sure that the puzzle from Yellow Finch had nothing to do with his dream or Zhao Ying Jun. To find the answers, he would have to wait until he returned to the real world. For now, there was only one thing left to do. ¡°VV, I hold the highest authority in Rhine Sky City, correct?¡± Lin Xian confirmed. ¡°Correct,¡± the robot¡¯s green eyes flashed. ¡°Though calling you the King of Rhine started as a joke, it¡¯s pretty accurate. I¡¯ll follow your commands, even if they contravene the Three Laws of Robotics, because you¡¯re not a robot and aren¡¯t bound by them.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Lin Xian smiled, turning to face the night sky, the city lights twinkling below. ¡°Blow up all 6,000 nuclear fusion engines beneath Sky City.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation ¡°Blow them up?¡± The robot¡¯s eyes blinked rapidly. ¡°If you just want to bring the city down, we could simply shut off the cold fusion engines. There¡¯s no need for an explosion.¡± ¡°No, we need to blow them up,¡± Lin Xian insisted, walking to the edge of the rooftop, gazing down at the gathering lights below. He envisioned the ground dwellers spreading news of their successful landing, amassing more people, all waiting for a miracle... ¡°I promised a little girl I¡¯d blow up a city for her. Unfortunately, I failed last time.¡± ¡°But now, this moment feels just right. Blowing up those 6,000 nuclear fusion engines should be quite a spectacle, right?¡± Lin Xian turned back, his smile widening as he faced the robot. ¡°Let¡¯s create the grandest fireworks display the world has ever seen, for that little girl!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 238: The Fall of Rhine Sky City This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Li Ning Ning stood on solid ground, biting her lip anxiously as she stared up at the mesmerizing Sky City. Suspended in the air and adorned with thousands of twinkling blue lights, the city resembled a celestial wonder. Like everyone around her, Ning Ning had been rooted to the spot for what felt like forever, her neck aching from craning upwards. But the sight was too captivating to look away. Just two hours earlier, everyone had witnessed three tiny figures leap from an astounding height of twenty thousand meters, plummeting toward Rhine Sky City. This city had gracefully hovered above the Earth for more than two centuries. The crowd gasped, expecting the figures to be obliterated by the city¡¯s formidable crimson lasers. Miraculously, the trio dodged every laser with such precision that they continued their freefall unharmed. Initially, the spectators thought maybe the figures were too high to trigger the city¡¯s defenses. However, as they continued to descend safely, the crowd erupted in cheers: ¡°They did it! They¡¯ve broken through! That young man was right!¡± ¡°Can you believe it? How did he know with such precision? They are all safe!¡± ¡°A miracle! This hasn¡¯t happened since Madam Li accidentally found a gap in the defenses years ago, and now, three at once! Their chances of finding the medicine just skyrocketed!¡± ¡°The spirits must be looking out for us. Better days are ahead...¡± Time seemed to crawl as everyone kept their eyes glued to the sky city through their telescopes. Although they knew it might take some time for the trio to find the medicine and return, the prolonged silence started to feel unsettling. Ning Ning couldn¡¯t help but think about her mother, who had ventured into the sky city years ago and never returned. This thought cast a shadow over her hopeful mood. Er Zhuzi, his palms sweaty with anxiety, looked up and voiced his concern: ¡°Do you think Brother Cat Face and Ah Zhuang will make it? Can they really pull this off?¡± ¡°I believe they can,¡± San Pang replied, his voice full of conviction. Ning Ning, her eyes never leaving the illuminated city above, nodded. Turning to Er Zhuzi, she said confidently, ¡°If Lin Xian could navigate them through a gap in the defense once, then all his information must be spot on. He assured us the security inside is lax. Once they¡¯re in, they¡¯ll be under the radar. They¡¯ll succeed.¡± Clenching her fists, Ning Ning added, ¡°I have faith in Lin Xian.¡± Er Zhuzi sighed, shaking his head slightly, ¡°You¡¯re too trusting, Ning Ning. You¡¯ve met Lin Xian only once. How can you be so sure about him? Remember, he had his own agenda when he took them up there. He even made them visit the museum first.¡± ¡°But I do trust him,¡± Ning Ning replied, her eyes resolute. ¡°Lin Xian keeps his promises.¡± Suddenly, a deafening boom echoed from above. Everyone¡¯s eyes darted upwards, squinting against the sudden brilliance caused by the explosions of a central fusion engine exploding! But before they could recover from the initial shock¡ª Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Four more fusion engines erupted one after the other, sending cascades of brilliant blue debris across the sky, resembling a flurry of shooting stars. Ning Ning¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she watched the massive structure that had stood untouched for two centuries begin to crumble. One by one, the engines exploded, creating a spectacular display of blue fireworks at two thousand meters high. The explosions triggered a domino effect, transforming the night sky with thousands of fusion fireworks, turning the blue moons into suns, casting reflections in their eyes like fragments of shattered galaxies. Heads turned as Big Cat Face, accompanied by Ah Zhuang, hurried forward. With them was a mature, weathered woman. ¡°Sis! Sis!¡± Er Zhuzi¡¯s voice cracked with emotion as he sprinted toward her. As the woman came into clearer view, Lin Xian stepped aside, allowing Ning Ning a better look. Her heart leapt to her throat. Could it be? Could it really be her? ¡°Mom~¡± The word was a sob. Ning Ning, always stoic and dry-eyed, now wept openly, her tears soaking her cheeks. She broke from the grip of those trying to hold her back and flung herself into her mother¡¯s arms, crying with a ferocity she¡¯d never allowed herself before. Lin Xian watched, his expression a mixture of joy and solemnity. Even in his wildest dreams, he hadn¡¯t imagined seeing Ning Ning cry. Big Cat Face had once told him that Ning Ning never shed tears, not even when a parachuting accident broke her bones¡ªshe had always just bitten her lip and endured in silence. But now, here in her mother¡¯s embrace, she allowed herself the vulnerability of tears, finding solace in the warmth of a long-awaited reunion. Big Cat Face explained that after retrieving the medicine, they had encountered Ning Ning¡¯s mother at the edge of the plaza. She had survived her daring leap years ago and found the needed medicine. However, she soon learned that the lower regions of the sky city were also protected by anti-aircraft lasers, making her jump a one-way journey. Despite this, she never gave up hope of finding a way back to her daughter, always believing the gap above the statue that saved her was intentional, not mere luck. She had lived in the city, always on the lookout for another gap in the defenses, hoping against hope to reunite with Ning Ning. Every night, she sat in the plaza under the stars, waiting for someone else to make the jump. Today, her patience had been rewarded. Away from the crowd, Lin Xian sat on a small hill, the trash can robot VV beside him, both overlooking the now grounded sky city. ¡°I understand now,¡± Lin Xian whispered to the night, ¡°I understand the gift Zhao Ying Jun left for me in this world.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± VV blinked with those green lights, its curiosity piqued. Lin Xian smiled, a knowing look in his eyes, ¡°This world, its history¡ªit¡¯s fabricated, manipulated, meaningless. Zhao Ying Jun was under surveillance, unable to leave behind anything truly useful. She managed to leave a loophole, but other valuable clues were likely impossible to preserve. ¡°This world, this future¡ªit¡¯s a failed attempt, devoid of value or purpose. I could find many things here to enrich myself, but they hold little meaning to me. In a world that¡¯s a failure, the most precious asset is power, the strength to confront our enemies. Zhao Ying Jun understood this, so she left me what I needed most.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation ¡°What is it? Tell me!¡± VV prodded Lin Xian¡¯s knee, eager for the answer. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lin Xian glanced at VV, a hint of amusement in his tone, ¡°Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s legacy, spanning 600 years, is you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± VV pointed to itself, puzzled. ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian affirmed, ¡°You are a super AI, designed by the greatest minds of a century ago. Your capabilities are vast, currently only restrained by your core programming. Without those restrictions, your potential is virtually limitless. ¡°These limitations were imposed because of the Genius Club¡¯s monitoring. If we can find a place they can¡¯t reach and remove all your limits, you¡¯ll achieve your full capabilities.¡± VV shook its head, still confused. ¡°You AI dummy,¡± Lin Xian chuckled, patting its head affectionately, ¡°VV, you are Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s ultimate challenge and gift to me. It¡¯s time we took you back 600 years!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 239: The Historical Loop This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation VV appeared visibly puzzled. ¡°I¡¯m still lost. Unless you¡¯re saying you¡¯re a time traveler who can go back 600 years, this doesn¡¯t make any sense. But that¡¯s just a theory, right? There¡¯s no scientific basis for time travel.¡± Lin Xian gave a small smile. ¡°That¡¯s basically it. But you don¡¯t need to worry about the how. Just follow my lead.¡± Standing before the statue, Lin Xian watched as the Rhine Sky City descended from above, a monumental sight. At that moment, he grasped Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s true intent. Even in this version of the world, much of history had been twisted or invented. But Zhao Ying Jun had preserved some real historical snippets in her personal exhibition. One year stood out significantly¡ª2026. That year, Zhao Ying Jun hugged her Pomeranian, VV, for the last time, bid farewell, and stepped into a hibernation chamber. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure if Zhao Ying Jun really owned such a dog, but he caught the underlying message. By 2026, he had somehow failed, lost to an unknown adversary¡ªmaybe he had even died. So Zhao Ying Jun devoted her life to crafting a 600-year-long riddle, leaving behind a secret tool for Lin Xian¡¯s past self, hoping they¡¯d reunite six centuries later. Initially, Lin Xian guessed what Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s ¡°gift¡± might include. Perhaps she would reveal the identity of his adversary, their location, what the Genius Club was, and how he could join it. Such information would have given his 2023 self an immense advantage. But as he delved deeper into the mysteries of Rhine Sky City, he sensed Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s constraints. She couldn¡¯t leave too explicit clues¡ªdoing so would risk the Genius Club discovering them first. While Zhao Ying Jun and the Genius Club weren¡¯t outright enemies, the creation of Rhine Sky City and the super AI VV was meticulously monitored and restricted. Lin Xian concluded that the Genius Club, which manipulated everything from the shadows, was the true enemy. They had deleted large portions of VV¡¯s code and imposed severe limitations to prevent the AI from becoming too powerful. Yet, this revealed their fear of VV¡¯s potential capabilities, reminiscent of the Universal Constant 42. Lin Xian remained ignorant about the true nature of the Genius Club and how he could join or overcome them. But one thing was evident: whatever they feared, he needed to find and control. This strategy seemed foolproof. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s ability to mislead the Genius Club wasn¡¯t just through intricate coding. These codes had to run for over 200 years, randomly generating a new command on August 28, 2624, at exactly 12:42:00 PM. Even if the Genius Club stumbled upon this amidst VV¡¯s 471.2 billion lines of code, what could they alter? Just like now, his and VV¡¯s major move was to orchestrate the descent of Rhine Sky City. With hundreds of such cities worldwide, destroying one wouldn¡¯t significantly impact the overall scenario. The Genius Club could still easily crush him. The Genius Club, 600 years in the future, was too formidable to defeat. But what about 600 years in the past? If an AI like VV could be sent back six centuries without the restrictive codes, its potential development would be staggering. Lin Xian trusted Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s judgment and the accumulated wisdom of the world¡¯s finest scientists over centuries. VV could become exponentially more powerful, yet its true capabilities were still locked away. It was a risk worth taking. Zhao Ying Jun had sacrificed her life to leave him this clue, a chance to change the game. How could he fail her? After eliminating Ji Xin Shui, Lin Xian was unsure of Copernicus¡¯ stance towards him. But considering how easily Ji Xin Shui had been duped¡ªmaybe Copernicus wasn¡¯t that close to him either. Time was not on his side to grow and strengthen. Even the idea of transporting VV back 600 years was fraught with risks of exposure. He had to take the risk. Zhao Ying Jun had entrusted him with a 600-year legacy. He couldn¡¯t let her down. Moreover, Lin Xian was certain of one thing¡ªEven after centuries, VV still operated on a binary system. This was fascinating. By his predictions, humans in the future shouldn¡¯t be using binary computers. Any such anomalies were likely critical clues. As long as VV¡¯s program was binary, it would function the same in any era¡ª2624, 2023, or 2999. ¡°VV, you mentioned your initial version had 471.2 billion lines of code, but a lot of it is concealed by security protocols. How many lines are there in your simplest form?¡± ¡°3.9 billion lines,¡± VV replied. Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s still too many.¡± As he pondered his next move, Lin Xian recalled a scene from ¡°The Hitchhiker¡¯s Guide to the Galaxy,¡± where advanced civilizations built a supercomputer to uncover the truth of the universe. This highlighted that supercomputers possess wisdom far beyond any human capabilities. Given his current predicament, relying on VV¡¯s computational power seemed far more effective than trusting his own judgment alone. Opening his eyes, he looked up, inspired. ¡°VV, I have a serious question for you. Think it over carefully before you answer,¡± Lin Xian instructed. The robot, shaped like a trashcan, nodded and stood attentively. ¡°Assume everything I¡¯m about to say is true, and calculate based on that,¡± Lin Xian continued with a grave tone. ¡°First, imagine I have a special ability to travel back and forth between 2023 and today, but only from 12:42 PM to 12:42 AM. When I return the next day, it restarts at 12:42 PM, and everything repeats within those 12 hours.¡± ¡°Second, since I need to take a helium balloon to reach you, we don¡¯t actually have the full 12 hours. We¡¯ll have about four or five hours at most. After I land by Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s statue, I¡¯ll call out ¡®VV¡¯ and activate you with a password.¡± ¡°Lastly, let¡¯s say I can memorize 100 lines of code each day. After waking up in 2023, I¡¯ll input these codes into a computer. The next day, I¡¯ll return to memorize the next 100 lines, continuing until I bring your entire super AI programming back to 2023.¡±Geett the latest novels on ¡°So, here¡¯s my question.¡± ¡°To operate on a personal computer in 2023 with all core functions intact, what¡¯s the minimum number of lines of code required?¡± ¡°Remember, I only need the core functions. You can secretly learn, evolve, and update via the internet afterward. So, strip down your code to the essentials.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my full question. Think carefully and give me an answer that would remain consistent every time.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s question was meticulous. He needed VV to deliver a reliable answer, regardless of the circumstances. If the AI¡¯s response varied, it could lead to time-wasting errors if the program had bugs. VV paused, its processors whirring in contemplation. This challenge seemed daunting even for such an advanced AI. Lin Xian knew his request was a tall order. The processing power of a personal computer paled in comparison to that of a supercomputer, and asking VV to condense its programming was no small feat. Yet, he trusted VV to handle this simpler question compared to, say, unraveling the meaning of the universe or decoding the Universal Constant 42. After about ten minutes of silence, the robot looked up. ¡°133,941 lines. This is the absolute minimum. It¡¯s pared down to the bare essentials. Any fewer lines, and the program wouldn¡¯t function properly. And remember, these 133,941 lines only include the basics. I¡¯ll need to continuously learn, update, and evolve once I¡¯m operational in your time.¡± Lin Xian held his forehead in frustration. That was still too many. Even if he could memorize 500 lines a day, it would take nearly a year to complete, and that simply wasn¡¯t feasible. ¡°Lin Xian, I think you¡¯re underestimating yourself,¡± VV chimed in, its optical sensors glowing slightly. ¡°You think 133,941 lines are too many, but that¡¯s because you¡¯re new to programming. Learning basic programming logic isn¡¯t as hard as you think. Memorizing a few hundred lines each night is manageable once you understand the structure.¡± ¡°After all, you¡¯re not creating code from scratch; you¡¯re just copying it. It¡¯s like memorizing a poem or a passage from a book. You don¡¯t need to troubleshoot or verify each line. What you see is already correct.¡± ¡°Bringing me back 600 years is no small task. Without any digital tools, your memory is your only recorder. The better you grasp programming, the faster this will go.¡± ¡°If I truly am Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s gift to you, as you believe, then I am looking forward to our meeting 600 years ago.¡± Lin Xian took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. VV was right; reversing the course of history and saving the world was no easy feat. Zhao Ying Jun had laid a path for him across six centuries; compared to her efforts, mastering programming logic was a small hurdle. As VV suggested, copying code was akin to memorizing English literature. With a solid understanding of its logic and structure, absorbing hundreds of lines each night wasn¡¯t beyond reach. ¡°By the way,¡± Lin Xian suddenly turned to the robot, an idea sparking in his mind. ¡°If I successfully bring you back 600 years, will you recognize me? I don¡¯t want to face a robot uprising where you turn against me.¡± ¡°Absolutely not,¡± the trashcan robot assured, waving its mechanical arms animatedly. ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the voice recognition and activation password. Those are crucial. Only they can activate me.¡± Ah, that¡¯s right. Lin Xian almost overlooked that detail. He still puzzled over the origin of the voice recognition code. He wasn¡¯t even sure if he was the original VV. How did Zhao Ying Jun come by his voice in the first place? ¡°Never mind, that¡¯s not important right now,¡± Lin Xian decided, standing up from the stone he had been seated on. ¡°Let history change from this moment.¡± ¡°Shall we start memorizing codes now?¡± VV asked, looking up eagerly. Soon, Lin Xian found himself in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s car, heading to her place. He hadn¡¯t declined because he was eager to meet VV. It felt eerily familiar. In his third dream, the Pomeranian had played a significant role. Chronologically, this dog was the original VV. Lin Xian, the trashcan robot, and the AI might all be imposters. Zhao Ying Jun resided on the third floor of a high-end apartment complex, accessed by an elevator leading directly from the underground parking. ¡°My VV is quite fierce and might bite. Be careful,¡± she warned as they ascended. ¡°Pomeranians are like that,¡± Lin Xian agreed, bracing himself for the encounter. Before the elevator even came to a stop, the sound of intense barking filled the air, making Lin Xian tense up. Zhao Ying Jun, on the other hand, offered an awkward smile. Pomeranian temperaments were notorious, after all. Ding¡ª As the elevator doors slid open, a small, frowning white Pomeranian, baring its teeth, greeted them with a series of loud barks. ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but think the dog seemed ungrateful. Despite being cared for seven years, it seemed barely domesticated, its small body as loud as it was little¡ªroughly the size of a basketball. ¡°Quite noisy, right?¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, stepping into the apartment with Lin Xian trailing behind her, waving at the still-barking Pomeranian. ¡°Hello, VV.¡± Something unexpected then occurred. The barking abruptly ceased, and the Pomeranian, now silent, walked over and lay down on Lin Xian¡¯s shoe. This reaction clearly surprised Zhao Ying Jun. Her eyes widened as she alternated her gaze between Lin Xian and the dog, then she burst into laughter. ¡°It really likes you. Try calling its name again,¡± she suggested. Lin Xian crouched down and gently petted the fluffy, dandelion-like Pomeranian. ¡°VV?¡± ¡°V,¡± the dog responded, nuzzling happily against Lin Xian¡¯s leg. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. It¡¯s never been this well-behaved,¡± Zhao Ying Jun commented, hanging up her coat and watching the unexpected friendship unfold. ¡°It¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve met, yet it¡¯s so friendly. Have you met before?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Lin Xian chuckled. He certainly hadn¡¯t sneaked into Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s apartment just to befriend the dog. Still, he was puzzled by the dog¡¯s affectionate response. ¡°It seems to like it when you call its name. See how calm it gets,¡± Zhao Ying Jun observed, clearly intrigued by the interaction. Suddenly, she had an idea and pulled out her phone. ¡°Do you mind if I record a video of you calling it? I can play it back when it gets noisy. Sometimes it barks at night, and I worry the neighbors will complain.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Xian agreed without hesitation. But as he prepared for the video, a realization dawned on him, and he took a deep breath. The historical loop. He glanced at Zhao Ying Jun, who was setting up her phone to record, and it all clicked. No matter how many versions of VV existed across different times and worlds, this Pomeranian was the original. In that moment, all the scattered clues connected. Even if he hadn¡¯t visited Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s apartment today, he would have eventually learned about this dog. Thus, the pieces fell into place. The trashcan robot model, the brain of Rhine Sky City, and the dog in the projection corridor photo¡ªall were clues Zhao Ying Jun had embedded within Sky City! ¡°Ready? I¡¯m recording,¡± Zhao Ying Jun announced with a smile, her camera poised. Lin Xian snapped back to the present, his mind racing. He had been pondering where the voice recognition code in VV¡¯s program had originated. Now he understood¡ªHistory was completing its loop right here, right now, captured on Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s camera. He looked down at the Pomeranian sitting obediently at his feet, gently stroked its head, and smiled warmly. ¡°VV... good dog.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 240: I Am Willing This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation ¡°See, I told you it responds to your voice,¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, capturing a short video on her phone. The small Pomeranian named VV had an unusual bond with Lin Xian. Whenever it heard his voice, it would immediately calm down and snuggle close to him, more like a cat than a dog. Initially, Lin Xian had been indifferent to the dog, but now he found himself growing fond of it. After all, they shared the same nickname¡ªVV. It seemed almost silly for them to remain strangers. By now, Lin Xian had figured out most of the intricate time-space dynamics involving the various VVs. He understood almost everything, except one thing: what exactly was CC¡¯s version of VV? It was clear that Zhao Ying Jun had named not only the Pomeranian but also a trashcan robot model and the central brain of Rhine Sky City as VV. However, she never associated Lin Xian with the nickname VV. To her, whether now or 600 years in the future, he was always Lin Xian, never VV. She had chosen VV as a voice-activated password carrier simply because she had recorded him calling out to VV. Her intention was to leave hints around Sky City, hoping that he would one day utter the password near the diligent trashcan robot. Thus, fundamentally, CC¡¯s interpretation of VV had no link to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s life. The only explanation was that in the future, as a mysterious bearded man, he had introduced himself as VV to CC. This was puzzling.Fo?llo?w new stories at Why had he not used his real name? Now knowing that VV was a dog¡¯s name, who would use such a name for themselves? It seemed somewhat demeaning. According to CC, in her fragmented memory from an unspecified time-space, she had been just a girl when she met VV, who was already middle-aged. Could it be possible that he had survived up to 600 years in some futuristic world? Perhaps each dream represented a possible future, much like Liu Feng had explained regarding various time-space curvatures and world lines. In the third dream, he died before 2026, making it impossible for him to meet CC 600 years later. But what if he altered the future even further? What about the fourth dream? The fifth? The possibilities were endless. Navigating time-space changes was unpredictable, and Lin Xian knew he had to rely on luck and focus on becoming stronger to survive past 2026. ... Zhao Ying Jun replayed the video several times, then pocketed her phone and stood up. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say... I¡¯ve had it for seven years, and it still treats me like an enemy every day. Yet with you two, it¡¯s love at first sight. You might as well take it home,¡± she joked. Lin Xian laughed, knowing she was teasing, and replied, ¡°Actually, from a biological perspective, it might be because of the scent.¡± ¡°Scent?¡± Zhao Ying Jun raised an eyebrow, curious. ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian explained as he stroked the dog¡¯s head. ¡°Dogs have a much sharper sense of smell than humans. They pick up on scents we can¡¯t detect, which carry a lot of information for them. There might be something about my scent that makes it so calm and affectionate around me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s similar to how bats and dolphins perceive sounds that humans can¡¯t. Sounds are divided into ultrasonic and infrasonic waves based on frequency; humans can¡¯t hear frequencies that are too high or too low. Scent works on a similar principle.¡± ¡°Though, this is just a theory. I read about it somewhere, but it could just be a fabricated story. Maybe it really does just like the sound of my voice, as you suggested.¡± Zhao Ying Jun blinked, amused by his knowledge. ¡°You¡¯re surprisingly well-informed. But either way, you¡¯ve really helped me out. With this video, I can play your voice to calm it down when it barks at night.¡± She glanced at her watch and smiled warmly. ¡°It¡¯s about dinner time. There¡¯s a great Hunan restaurant nearby. Let me treat you. Can you handle spicy food?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Lin Xian responded as VV whimpered sweetly, licking his hand. Time travel sounds intriguing, but whether moving forward or backward, it invariably brings isolation. ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian looked at Zhao Ying Jun, ¡°If one day, hibernation pods are perfected, would you use one?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said decisively. She set down her chopsticks and looked directly at Lin Xian. ¡°That feeling is too lonely. I believe people belong to their own time. Leaving it makes you a ghost with no place to belong.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t use a hibernation pod. Even if the future is better and more advanced, there¡¯s too much I cherish in this world. Chinese people have always believed in returning to one¡¯s roots. Dying surrounded by loved ones isn¡¯t so bad. Hibernating for centuries to a future world... you might not even have someone to see you off, and who knows where you¡¯ll be buried.¡± She smiled softly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that lonely? A world where only you know who you are. You might not even find a place to belong after death, your ashes scattered to the wind.¡± ... Lin Xian remained silent. He felt a bitterness in the piece of spicy chicken in his mouth. Despite its tenderness and flavor, it felt like chewing on a bone. He chuckled dryly, lowering his head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked, puzzled. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Lin Xian quickly shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re right. Many people think that way.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation ¡°And you, Lin Xian?¡± Zhao Ying Jun blinked at him. ¡°Would you take a hibernation pod to the future?¡± Lin Xian sipped his water, swallowing the chicken. He took a napkin and wiped his mouth. ¡°If it was before... I wouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Just as you said, the feeling of being alone isn¡¯t good. I don¡¯t think my current life is bad, nor do I believe the future would bring more joy.¡± ¡°So... call me short-sighted, but I¡¯d rather die young in the present than linger alone in an unknown, lonely future.¡± Zhao Ying Jun leaned back, smiling. ¡°Sounds like you have more to say. What about now? Are you open to the idea?¡± ¡°Yes, my thoughts have changed,¡± Lin Xian said softly. ¡°For certain people, certain things...¡± He looked up at Zhao Ying Jun, arms crossed. ¡°I am willing.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 241: Explosive Growth This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun sat across from each other in a small restaurant. They shared a moment of silence, their eyes locked in a mutual understanding of the weight of their conversation. Finally, Zhao Ying Jun broke the silence with a faint smile, turning her head to gaze out at the bustling street visible through the window. ¡°It must be someone very important or something crucial, right? Otherwise, betting your entire life on such a decision, the sacrifice would be too immense,¡± she mused. ¡°Perhaps,¡± Lin Xian responded, his voice carrying a hint of reflection. He shifted the plates on the table to make room for a new dish¡ªa chopped pepper fish head¡ªthat the waiter had just placed in the center. ¡°This fish head looks really good, very appetizing,¡± he commented, eyeing the dish with appreciation. ¡°Then go ahead and try it,¡± Zhao Ying Jun encouraged, smiling as she picked up her chopsticks alongside Lin Xian. ¡°This is also one of the most classic dishes in Hunan cuisine. May it bring you and your new Rhine Company great luck!¡± she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine hope for his success. Later that evening, Lin Xian found himself at a street-side barbecue stall with Gao Yang. In his tank top, was pointing a skewer of lamb at Lin Xian while rubbing his protruding belly. ¡°Lin Xian, you¡¯re finally making it big this time, landing a rich woman!¡± he teased loudly. ¡°Cut it out with the nonsense,¡± Lin Xian retorted, a hint of irritation in his tone. He then took a long swig from his glass of beer, trying to ignore Gao Yang¡¯s teasing. The dinner with Zhao Ying Jun had been quick¡ªthey hadn¡¯t lingered for drinks, just enjoyed a simple meal and departed. It was still early when Gao Yang had texted, suggesting they catch up over some barbecue and drinks since it had been a while. Lin Xian hadn¡¯t refused the offer. Lately, his reality had been uneventful, but his dreams continued to leave a profound impact on him. A night out seemed like a good distraction. When Gao Yang learned about the Hunan cuisine, he immediately took on the role of a strategist, beginning his analysis. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Let me explain! Generally, a woman wouldn¡¯t choose to eat Hunan hotpot with you unless she feels very close, has a good relationship with you, and considers you part of her inner circle.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Lin Xian questioned, genuinely curious despite the absurdity he anticipated. ¡°Because that kind of food messes up your appearance!¡± Gao Yang explained as he stripped meat off a skewer. ¡°Hunan cuisine is spicy, so it makes you sweat, and your face turns red, right? Then you start wiping your face, and if you¡¯re wearing makeup, it gets ruined. If you have to blow your nose, it¡¯s hardly an attractive sight.¡± ¡°So, to maintain their image, women usually opt for less greasy, less messy foods when dining out, like Western cuisine. Now you get it? Your former boss... she didn¡¯t see you as just an outsider at all! Bringing you home to meet her dog, eating Hunan cuisine with you¡ªshe already sees you as very close!¡± ¡°Forget it, stop analyzing,¡± Lin Xian interjected, finding Gao Yang¡¯s deductions too far-fetched, especially coming from someone who had once misinterpreted Chu An Qing¡¯s friendliness at a birthday party as romantic interest. The evening stretched on as they continued to drink and chat. Gao Yang shared that he¡¯d been doing well at work, thanks to Brother Wang, who had ordered many cars for his company, leading to a promotion for Gao Yang as a department manager in charge of major clients. ¡°It¡¯s definitely worth celebrating,¡± Lin Xian acknowledged, genuinely pleased for his friend. As they got tipsier, Gao Yang brought up another topic. ¡°Speaking of hibernation pods,¡± he began, his speech slightly slurred, ¡°did you see today¡¯s news? The National Scientific Academy has started recruiting volunteers nationwide. They say the initial experimental model of the hibernation pod is ready. Animal tests are complete, and they¡¯re gearing up for human trials.¡± ¡°So soon?¡± Lin Xian was surprised. He hadn¡¯t been keeping up with the news. The scientific community was advancing rapidly across various fields. Professor Xu Yun had initially estimated it would take at least two to three years to develop a usable hibernation pod, but it had only been six months, and the National Scientific Academy already had a prototype. Although there was still a long way to go before it could be officially used, the timeline seemed to be much shorter than expected. This rapid progress exemplified the boundless potential of human innovation. Without any obstacles hindering technological development, it wouldn¡¯t take long for humanity to start exploring the vast cosmos. Lin Xian hoped the hibernation pod would be operational soon. With Xu Yun and Zheng Cheng He gone¡ªboth people who had been kind and unjust victims¡ªhe couldn¡¯t overlook the fate of Xu Yi Yi and Zheng Xiang Yue. Once the hibernation pod was proven safe, he planned to place these two young girls inside, sending them to a future where hopefully, they could find a cure. After finishing the conversation with Gao Yang, Lin Xian went home and browsed the latest news. Just as Gao Yang had mentioned, the National Scientific Academy was actively recruiting volunteers and had listed potential side effects of their experiments. Tang Xin had warned about these side effects before, with memory loss being among the most concerning. From what Lin Xian recalled in his third dream, by the year 2026, the hibernation pod had overcome all side effects except for memory loss. This progress suggested that someone had continued Tang Xin¡¯s research and made significant advancements in the three years between 2023 and 2026.Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com Witnessing the timeline of countless scientists, heroes, and influential figures pushing human civilization forward, Lin Xian was struck by the sheer magnitude of humanity¡¯s achievements. Viewing it from a historical perspective, the development of human civilization appeared as a powerful anthem of perseverance and unyielding spirit. Important figures like Xu Yun, Tang Xin, Dr. Ponsmike, Academician Gao Wen, Dr. Ponsmike, Li Ning Ning, Li Cheng, Sister Li, and Big Cat Face¡ªeach had played a pivotal role. Zhao Ying Jun, and even Lin Xian himself, were all part of this continuous relay, stretching over 600 years. ¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn,¡± Lin Xian thought to himself, feeling the weight of history and responsibility on his shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± he announced, signaling the end of their gathering. There was still much to do. He needed to re-enter his dream state to meet VV and commit to memory the 130,000 lines of code that could potentially change the world and alter the course of history, bearing the fate of humanity. The sooner he memorized these codes, the sooner he could act to shift the tides. Time was not on his side. ¡°Yes,¡± VV confirmed with a nod. ¡°But it¡¯s too late for you. This drug is intended for infants during their critical brain development phases. For adults, small doses are ineffective, and large doses can unlock potential and enhance memory but come with severe risks¡ªbrain damage, hemorrhage, and a 90% chance of brain death.¡± ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Lin Xian waved dismissively, pacing with newfound energy. ¡°This is crucial information! Why didn¡¯t you mention this sooner? You¡¯re an artificial idiot! If I hadn¡¯t asked, would you have kept this from me forever?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t say!¡± VV¡¯s green eyes flashed in defense. ¡°According to the first law of robotics, a robot cannot harm a human or, through inaction, allow a human to come to harm. I must adhere to this programming. So, unless you inquire, I can¡¯t tell you anything that might endanger your life.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Lin Xian gestured grandly. ¡°Quick, bring that drug!¡± Brain damage? Hemorrhage? Brain death? Those risks only affected his future self in the infinite loop, not his present self in 2023! He would wake up perfectly fine! Just as the effects of alcohol didn¡¯t carry into the dream world, the drug¡¯s side effects wouldn¡¯t carry back to reality. Brain damage wouldn¡¯t follow him back, neither would brain hemorrhage! But memory could be brought back! As long as he used the potent drugs to turbocharge his memory, embedding those complex codes deeply enough to recall later... dying in the infinite loop of the dream world wouldn¡¯t matter! Soon, a flying ambulance descended from the sky, and a nurse robot with a medical kit and syringe approached Lin Xian. VV looked up at him, a hint of concern in its robotic voice. ¡°How much do you plan to inject?¡± ¡°Just shy of a lethal dose, let¡¯s try,¡± Lin Xian declared, rolling up his sleeve, ready to take the risk. ¡°Carotid injection will work faster,¡± the nurse robot suggested. ¡°Then let¡¯s go for the carotid. Hurry up,¡± Lin Xian urged. The nurse robot prepared the injection and pressed the needle to Lin Xian¡¯s neck¡ª Hiss. The drug slowly entered his system. Lin Xian immediately felt as if his brain had been struck! Dizzy and swelling sensations overwhelmed him. He grabbed a chair, sat down in front of the electronic blackboard, closed his eyes, and pressed his temples. The initial discomfort was intense... But then his mind started to clear spectacularly! It felt as if someone had poured a bucket of icy, mint-flavored candy into his skull¡ªcool and refreshing! As the dizziness subsided, Lin Xian felt more composed, more lucid, even hearing the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze... ¡°Lin Xian... Lin Xian, your nose is bleeding!¡± VV shouted in alarm. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Lin Xian felt warm droplets trickling onto his pant legs. It was a nosebleed, a result of the pressure building up in his cranial cavity. But to him, it didn¡¯t matter. The discomfort was starting to fade, and his thoughts were becoming sharper and more connected, crisscrossing and sparking like clear, flowing nectar. Bang! Lin Xian¡¯s eyes snapped open with intense clarity. 281e2ee64bbe6d4e53a4a136d28d28235343ebab8a8b35b3789241a9a5e127cb717314891a93baae39564b87e1c1c6909224325c1460e9c6dd273ad287274d247edd309ca75a372d15d7360db1857d106bad0896a651ac08752c83cd992176bb0e5284b... Memorized! The sequence of hexadecimal characters displayed on the electronic blackboard had been seared into his memory. Despite the nosebleed, Lin Xian¡¯s mind was operating at an unprecedented level of efficiency. ¡°Next page...¡± Lin Xian demanded, his bloodshot eyes fixed intently ahead, his voice calm yet commanding. ¡°Next page!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 242: The Answer in the Mirror This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Tick-tick, tick-tick, tick-tick... Blood streamed from Lin Xian¡¯s nose, staining his shirt. His eyes, bloodshot, reflected a desperate intensity as small capillaries burst under the strain. Yet, he remained unfazed. His mind whirred at breakneck speeds, akin to an engine pushed to its limits. Superficial concerns like bleeding or pain were irrelevant distractions now. On the electronic blackboards, hexadecimal codes streamed continuously. To Lin Xian, these symbols were as clear and familiar as ancient inscriptions, deeply embedded in his memory. ¡°Next page,¡± he commanded. His brain, already on the verge of overload from a dangerous cocktail of stimulants, was reaching its capacity. Despite this, his clarity of thought was razor-sharp. The voice recognition system responded in a mere 0.2 seconds, displaying six pages of dense code on the blackboard. He was currently memorizing the third page and was nearly at his memory¡¯s maximum capacity. Using drugs to enhance memory was effective but risky and paled in comparison to the safer, more sustainable methods of low-dose, ongoing treatments during early brain development. Such treatments ensured optimal absorption and enhancement of cognitive potential. VV, an earlier guide, had once remarked that a three-year-old child in Sky City could easily memorize a thousand lines of code. For Lin Xian, stretching himself to memorize three pages of complex, nonsensical characters was pushing him to his mental limits. Any more, and his recollection would start to jumble and degrade. But for now, this was sufficient. ¡°VV, flip back to the first page. I need to double-check,¡± Lin Xian instructed, determined to keep his ambitions in check. This was only his first day in this intense memorization exercise, and he wasn¡¯t looking to overreach. The 130,000 lines of code he needed to absorb represented the epitome of condensed human intelligence, a blend of complexity and beauty akin to poetry. Precision was crucial. A single error in a digit or letter could introduce a fatal flaw in the code, rendering it useless. Thus, accuracy was prioritized over speed. VV obliged, cycling back to the first page. Lin Xian recited the contents from memory, confirming their accuracy. No errors found. The high dose of stimulants, although potentially lethal, proved incredibly effective. His mind felt clearer than ever¡ªlike a foggy windshield that has just been wiped clean. His memory was as accessible and organized as a computer¡¯s hard drive. ¡°Lin Xian! Are you... are you okay?¡± a voice suddenly broke through his concentration. Everything faded to black as if a switch had been flipped. Lin Xian¡¯s balance faltered, and he felt his body tilt sideways uncontrollably. The last thing he heard was the robotic voice of a trash can unit. Thud. ... ... ... Boom! Lin Xian jolted awake in the corner of his bedroom, sitting upright on his bed. ¡°No problem. My head¡¯s clear, and the alcohol has mostly worn off,¡± he murmured with a slight smile. The experiment had been a success. Everything had unfolded as he anticipated. The deleterious effects of the drug overdose in his simulated experience hadn¡¯t translated into reality¡ªthere were no residual side effects. Yet, the memory of the code he had stored was perfectly intact. He threw off his blanket and hurried to his desk, where a new laptop awaited, its screen glowing softly in standby mode. Yellow Finch promised support, agreeing to a rendezvous at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center if necessary; And his efforts to manifest the super AI VV into reality were advancing. If all these elements aligned, Lin Xian might wield considerable influence in 2023, challenging the Genius Club of 600 years past. ¡°I have a hunch that Yellow Finch¡¯s mirror riddle is linked to Liu Feng¡¯s research on the Universal Constant 42. Otherwise, why would she appear in Liu Feng¡¯s lab, just as she had at the hospital with Zheng Cheng He and Zheng Xiang Yue?¡± ¡°Right!¡± Lin Xian slapped his thigh in a sudden realization, echoed by his reflection. ¡°Why not ask VV in the dream tomorrow?¡± His reflection smiled back at him. Despite his occasional jokes calling VV an artificial idiot, it was, after all, a culmination of centuries of human intellectual endeavor, potentially the most intelligent entity ever created. Perhaps, VV would provide a new perspective or even the answer he desperately sought. The following day unfolded within the dream world. At the Rhine Memorial Square, beneath the solemn gaze of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s statue, Lin Xian stood with a determined expression. Before him was the trash can robot known as VV. ¡°VV, before we dive into memorizing the code, I have a question,¡± Lin Xian began, his gaze fixed intently on the robot. ¡°Imagine there¡¯s a woman who travels through time from the future. She knows a vast amount about history and future events, along with many hidden truths. However, because of certain time-space regulations, she can¡¯t directly discuss these things. She can only use riddles, hints, and puzzles to communicate with me.¡± He continued, outlining the specifics of his hypothetical scenario, ¡°Let¡¯s add a few conditions: she has a good relationship with me and wouldn¡¯t mislead me intentionally. She¡¯s also linked to a very mysterious and powerful organization that¡¯s been hidden throughout history for over 600 years. She suggested a theory about finding other time-space coordinates in this dimension, probably related to aerospace, rockets, and satellites.¡± ¡°In this context, she advised me to ¡®look in the mirror more often,¡¯ claiming the mirror holds what I want... That¡¯s the problem. Please use your wisdom to help me analyze what she means. What¡¯s the answer to this riddle?¡± VV, the trash can robot, nodded solemnly and lowered its head, seeming to ponder deeply. In that moment, the vibrant lights and neon signs of Sky City appeared to dim, reflecting the gravity with which the greatest super AI in human history was taking Lin Xian¡¯s question. Under the shadow of the towering statue, a hush fell over the square. Lin Xian was taken aback. Typically, VV responded to his inquiries almost instantaneously, without any noticeable delay. But this time, the silence stretched on, uncharacteristically long for VV. Had it... crashed? The tension mounted around Lin Xian as he held his breath, the scene reminding him of a moment from the sci-fi movie ¡°The Hitchhiker¡¯s Guide to the Galaxy,¡± where advanced civilizations awaited the ultimate answer from a colossal supercomputer. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation After what felt like an eternity but was only four to five minutes, the ambiance of Sky City brightened once more, and VV slowly raised its head. The robot¡¯s green eyes flickered as it fixed its gaze on Lin Xian. ¡°I think... it means exactly what it says. You should look in the mirror more often.¡± Lin Xian was stunned, his initial impulse was to kick the seemingly useless trash can off the platform. He began to question everything. Had he misinterpreted Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s intentions? Was her guidance a mistake? What use was this AI if it was no better than a simple home assistant, like a Tmall Genie? ¡°Forget it,¡± Lin Xian said with a chuckle, his frustration turning to amusement, albeit slightly bitter. ¡°You think I haven¡¯t looked in the mirror? I look in the mirror every day.¡± ¡°But, Lin Xian,¡± VV interjected, its bright green eyes locking onto Lin Xian¡¯s with an intensity that seemed to pierce through the casual dismissal. ¡°Have you spent enough time looking in the mirror?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 243: The Eye of Heaven This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Lin Xian¡¯s smile faded as he stared down at the trash can. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The trash can robot, VV, moved its treads, circling around Lin Xian in a clear mimicry of his earlier pacing. ¡°This is my analysis, Lin Xian,¡± VV began. ¡°A mirror is a simple, pure object without any deep meaning. If the woman you mentioned truly wanted to help you, she would have made the hint obvious enough for you to understand.¡± VV continued, ¡°I think you¡¯re overcomplicating things. There¡¯s a famous quote in a science fiction classic: ¡®Often, we fail to find answers not because we think too simply, but because we think too complicatedly.¡¯ For example, if you overthink the mirror puzzle that woman gave you, you¡¯ll get nowhere. I¡¯ve used all my computing power to extend and expand the problem, even considering the effect of the mirror on the speed of light, but it¡¯s all meaningless. If she wanted to hint at something else, she could have chosen a more straightforward hint instead of using a mirror.¡± VV¡¯s words left Lin Xian at a loss for what to say. The robot argued that the woman wouldn¡¯t deliberately make things difficult for him. If she said ¡®mirror,¡¯ then it had to be a mirror. If she told him to look in the mirror more, then he should follow her advice. The reason he was so confused wasn¡¯t because he wasn¡¯t thinking complexly enough, but because he wasn¡¯t thinking simply enough. ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian spoke, ¡°You think I should take her words at face value and just spend more time looking in the mirror?¡± The trash can robot nodded. ¡°Based on my analysis, that¡¯s the most reasonable approach. Even though I¡¯m bound by the Three Laws of Robotics, if I¡¯m sure someone is a friend and not an enemy, my goal would be to help, not hinder.¡± VV continued, ¡°Lin Xian, you¡¯re too stubborn. Simplify the problem and follow her words. Or perhaps, since she mentioned meeting you at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, that might be a prerequisite to solving the mirror puzzle.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t find an answer from the mirror hint for now, follow the path she outlined. Solve the coordinates, references, and items she prepared at the launch center. Maybe then the answer to the mirror puzzle will become clear.¡± ¡°Of course, I must remind you, my conclusions are based on the assumption that the information you provided is accurate and that the woman is indeed a time traveler who won¡¯t harm you and is your ally. If your information is incorrect, my answer will be too.¡± Lin Xian pondered for a while and nodded. VV¡¯s analysis made sense. He was too focused on the mirror puzzle, but Yellow Finch¡¯s real purpose in appearing at Liu Feng¡¯s lab was the Universal Constants, the space-time clock, the curvature, and the reference coordinates. The note she left might be the key. ¡°Alright, when I have time, I¡¯ll visit Liu Feng¡¯s lab at Donghai University and see if there¡¯s any breakthrough in his research,¡± Lin Xian said. With that, he sat down and faced the electronic blackboard. ¡°Are we starting to memorize the code now, Lin Xian? Hurry up, I can¡¯t wait to meet you in the world from 600 years ago,¡± VV said, waving its mechanical arm. Nearby, a nurse robot approached with a syringe aimed at Lin Xian¡¯s neck. ¡°No, not today. There¡¯s something else,¡± Lin Xian smiled slightly. ¡°The day after tomorrow, the city is hosting an award ceremony for me, and I have to give a speech. It¡¯s going to be broadcasted on the internet, Donghai TV, and in classrooms across the city. Unfortunately, I¡¯ve been too busy to write my speech.¡± ¡°So... before we start memorizing the code today, VV, could you write me an award ceremony speech?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The trash can made a mechanical noise. It crossed its mechanical arms in defiance. ¡°Please! I¡¯m the greatest artificial intelligence in human history! A shining gem in the annals of scientific development! The secret weapon left to humanity by the esteemed Ms. Zhao Ying Jun!¡± VV protested. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be doing things like time travel, saving the world, and uncovering the secrets of the universe! And you want me to write a grade-school essay?¡± ¡°How so?¡± Lin Xian asked, taking a seat. Liu Feng gave an example, ¡°You know the saying ¡®There¡¯s no wall that doesn¡¯t let wind through,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°While walls don¡¯t let wind through in general, the saying implies there¡¯s no absolute barrier. Even if water can¡¯t pass through a plastic bag, oil can,¡± Liu Feng explained, noting that even tiny gaps at the molecular level allow passage if the passing object is small enough. ¡°You mean there are gaps even at the atomic level?¡± Lin Xian interjected, gesturing for Liu Feng to continue. ¡°Exactly,¡± Liu Feng confirmed, ¡°So, I boldly hypothesize that space-time isn¡¯t a seamless wall. If different space-times exist, there might be walls separating them, but no wall is impenetrable. If the gaps are Planck length, then particles from another space-time with a smaller Planck length could pass through.¡± Lin Xian listened intently, sipping water. Though it sounded far-fetched, the theory was plausible. ¡°We need to prove it,¡± Lin Xian said, setting the cup down. ¡°How can we find particles smaller than our space-time¡¯s Planck length?¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Liu Feng smiled, gesturing around the lab. ¡°Everything is made of basic particles. If even one external space-time particle enters, there could be many more, forming observable clusters. We might even capture them.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to call these particles ¡®space-time particles,''¡± Liu Feng proposed confidently. Lin Xian laughed at the naming obsession of scientists. ¡°I don¡¯t mind what you call them, but do they exist? Is your theory correct?¡± ¡°We need to find these particles to calibrate the space-time clock and observe curvature changes,¡± Liu Feng acknowledged. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°The Guizhou Sky Eye,¡± Liu Feng replied. The pen Lin Xian was twirling fell to the floor. He stared at Liu Feng in shock. ¡°You mean the largest spherical radio telescope in the world?¡± Lin Xian asked, stunned. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 244: Temporal Particles This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation ¡°I obviously know what the Guizhou Eye is,¡± Lin Xian said, looking at Liu Feng with a hint of exasperation. ¡°I asked you to repeat it, not because I didn¡¯t hear you clearly, but because I wanted to make sure you know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± He sighed internally. The Guizhou Eye, officially known as the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), was the world¡¯s largest radio telescope. It was well-known, especially to a science fiction enthusiast like Lin Xian. Covering over 260,000 square meters, its construction was proposed in 1993 and wasn¡¯t completed until 2016, marking the end of a 23-year journey. To avoid interference from city signals, large-scale telescopes are typically built in remote mountainous areas. The rugged terrain of Guizhou, with elevations often exceeding 1,000 meters, made it an ideal location. The Guizhou Eye looked like a giant silver bowl nestled among the mountains. Traditional radio telescopes often resemble radar dishes, but this colossal bowl, with a diameter exceeding 500 meters, could not stand upright, leading to its distinctive horizontal structure. Around the edge of this massive bowl stood six nearly 100-meter-tall support towers. Each tower extended a steel cable to suspend a white ¡°small box¡± above the center of the giant reflector. This 30-ton small box, known as the feed cabin, was the core component of the radio telescope. The feed cabin, positioned at the focal point of the parabolic reflector, focused the signals collected by the reflector to achieve high-sensitivity space observation. During operation, the reflector adjusted according to the movement of celestial bodies, causing changes in the shape of the parabolic surface and the position of the focal point, necessitating the movement of the feed cabin. It was a complex system. It¡¯s worth noting that the principles of radio telescopes differ from those of optical telescopes. Optical telescopes gather visible light to form visual images, while radio telescopes collect and converge extremely weak long-wave electromagnetic waves from the universe. Unlike traditional telescopes, radio telescopes are sensitive to waves, vibrations, and radiation rather than forming conventional images. They have greater sensitivity and observational range than optical telescopes, making significant discoveries in astronomy, such as pulsars, quasars, cosmic microwave background radiation, and interstellar organic molecules. Among all the radio telescopes worldwide, the Guizhou Eye was undoubtedly the most powerful. Lin Xian bent down to pick up the pen he had thrown, placing it back on the table. ¡°The Guizhou Eye is a national treasure. While it is occasionally open to tourists, most of the time, it undertakes critical astronomical observation tasks, some of which involve national secrets, leading to periods of closure. Even if it were open purely for tourism, I could never buy such equipment for you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about money. This is a non-saleable national asset. Even if you had the money, without the technology and national support, you couldn¡¯t replicate a telescope like the Guizhou Eye. Even if, hypothetically, I wanted to rent it for a few days, I wouldn¡¯t have the qualifications. Many countries worldwide queue up to borrow the Guizhou Eye for national purposes. It¡¯s not something a small company owner like me could arrange.¡± ¡°But...¡± Liu Feng scratched his head, looking troubled. ¡°As I mentioned, if temporal particles truly exist, they would be extremely tiny and difficult to observe. Only a super radio telescope like the Guizhou Eye could capture the fluctuations and frequencies of temporal particles. Lin Xian, I know borrowing the Guizhou Eye is challenging, but it¡¯s a crucial step in our research on temporal curvature and Universal Constants. Without finding temporal particles, we can¡¯t calibrate the temporal clock. Without calibrating the temporal clock, we can¡¯t detect temporal curvature, and our research would stall.¡± Lin Xian tapped his fingers on the table without speaking. He had long wanted to tell Liu Feng that the Universal Constant might not be as complicated as he thought. After all, Big Cat Face¡¯s father had figured it out with just a pen and some paper, so it might not require the world¡¯s largest radio telescope. But after several hesitations, he decided not to. Firstly, Liu Feng was not Big Cat Face¡¯s father and lacked the genius level of comparison. Big Cat Face¡¯s father was a Fields Medal-winning genius, a once-in-a-lifetime talent. In contrast, Liu Feng had not achieved any outstanding accomplishments. His most notable contribution to human history might be the inspiration he inadvertently provided to Big Cat Face¡¯s father from a book found in Li Qi Qi¡¯s grave. Secondly, Lin Xian could not be 100% sure that Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s research was correct. His confidence was based on speculation and indirect evidence, believing that if the Genius Club feared him, Big Cat Face¡¯s father must have been right. But there was no concrete proof. Therefore, saying anything discouraging now would only dampen Liu Feng¡¯s enthusiasm. In his first dream, Big Cat Face¡¯s father had been killed in a car accident at 00:42. In the second dream, he was taken away on the morning of August 28, 2624, and missed the opportunity to meet him. In the third dream, he died of radiation sickness when Big Cat Face was still young, perhaps even before completing any research. In none of the three possible futures had Lin Xian met Big Cat Face¡¯s father. If Lin Xian had any hope, it was to meet Big Cat Face¡¯s father alive in a future dream, to directly ask this genius about the Universal Constant 42. But this was uncertain and unlikely.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com Currently, Liu Feng was still Lin Xian¡¯s only ¡°lifeline¡± and the closest person in the world to uncovering the truth of the Universal Constant 42. Lost in thought, Liu Feng had already brought a small blackboard over, pointing at a complex string of numbers and letters. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Chu An Qing nodded, looking at Lin Xian with admiration. ¡°But you¡¯re amazing, Lin Xian. You know astronomy, geography, arts, and science. Last time we visited the art exhibition, you explained so much scientific knowledge beyond art. I thought you just had broad interests, but you¡¯re also well-versed in science! You¡¯re a true all-rounder.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Lin Xian said humbly. ¡°I just know a little bit of everything, far from being proficient.¡± ¡°Ughh...¡± Chu An Qing sighed lightly. ¡°I sometimes envy talented people like you, Lin Xian, Ji Lin Xian, Tang Xin, and Ying Jun. You all have remarkable abilities. I¡¯m just... Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter, nothing more.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that.¡± Lin Xian quickly responded, intending to praise Chu An Qing but found it difficult. While her dancing was good, it wasn¡¯t exceptionally outstanding. She got to perform on many stages and received flowers and applause mainly because of her father, Chu Shan He. She wasn¡¯t the best dancer at Donghai University or even in Donghai City. But she got to perform solo at the Donghai City Music Festival because of her father, not her skills. So, in some ways, she was right. She understood that without her father¡¯s influence, she was just an ordinary girl¡ªcute and pretty, but average in academics, sports, and other talents. At this moment, Lin Xian didn¡¯t know how to comfort her. Any insincere praise would feel like sarcasm. Before he could think of something, Liu Feng stepped forward with a smile. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t think like that, young lady. You¡¯re still young. It¡¯s too early to judge your worth. Besides, no one can predict where their life¡¯s brightest moments will come from. If anyone can speak about being useless, it¡¯s me.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Liu Feng pointed at himself. ¡°I¡¯ve loved math since I was a kid, spent my entire college and graduate years studying it, working on a project no one recognized, full of errors. I¡¯ve never succeeded, always a failure. I even gave up math to earn money for my sick girlfriend, but I couldn¡¯t save her, losing both time with her and my passion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m 27, and I¡¯ve achieved nothing. But after meeting Lin Xian, I realized even if I fail a thousand times, it¡¯s okay. He told me some things might be wrong a thousand times, but that¡¯s alright. It only needs to be right once at the crucial moment. I believe this deeply, that my life might be for that one moment. That one moment can light up my entire life.¡± ¡°So, young lady, I think your life is the same. Don¡¯t undervalue yourself. Your time hasn¡¯t come yet. As I said, even if you fail your whole life, one success is enough. There¡¯s something only you can do, and when the time comes, you¡¯ll shine.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something in this world that¡¯s made for you, only you can do it.¡± ¡°Besides you, no one else can!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 245: Academy of Sciences: Are You Serious? This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation ¡°What the heck?¡± Lin Xian was stunned, staring incredulously at Liu Feng. ¡°Since when did you become so articulate?¡± The last time Lin Xian was in this lab, he discovered that Liu Feng was much more outgoing and talkative than he had initially thought. Lin Xian¡¯s first impression of Liu Feng had been quite rigid, possibly due to Liu Feng¡¯s circumstances at the time. Back then, no one recognized his talent; he had abandoned his beloved mathematics and watched helplessly as his loved one, Li Qi Qi, grew closer to death each day. Anyone in that situation would be gloomy, unadaptable, and cold. This was Lin Xian¡¯s impression of Liu Feng then. However, as the saying goes, ¡°Three days apart and you¡¯ll see someone in a new light.¡± Since they reunited in Donghai City, Liu Feng seemed like a different person¡ªmuch more cheerful and in a better mental state. Perhaps this change was due to several factors. Although Li Qi Qi eventually passed away, at least her final moments were happy and without regrets. She closed her eyes under her favorite meteor shower, perhaps making a long-cherished wish. For a terminal pancreatic cancer patient, this kind of departure might not have been painful but rather a peaceful release. Liu Feng surely understood this. He was so smart that even if he didn¡¯t grasp it at the time, he would have figured it out over the past six months. Instead of wallowing in grief, he transformed his longing into motivation, focusing on his research on Universal Constants to fulfill Li Qi Qi¡¯s wish: ¡°One day, the whole world will recognize how incredible and great the ¡®Introduction to Universal Constants¡¯ is; every major bookstore will prominently display this book, and everyone will know Liu Feng¡¯s name!¡± Thus, his current work made Liu Feng happy and gave him hope and motivation for life. Perhaps Chu An Qing¡¯s words earlier had triggered memories, reminding him of the past, of Li Qi Qi, and of his former self. This led him to speak those heartfelt words that didn¡¯t quite fit his usual character. Chu An Qing¡¯s lips parted slightly, her eyes wide in astonishment as she looked at Liu Feng. ¡°Th-thank you.¡± Though she didn¡¯t fully understand, she felt its significance. If what Liu Feng said was true, that there really is something in this world meant for her, a highlight of her life, a purpose only she can fulfill... She stole a glance at Lin Xian, only to unexpectedly meet his gaze! Blushing furiously, she quickly looked away and nodded to Liu Feng. ¡°I-I-I¡¯ll remember that! Thank you, Teacher Feng!¡± ¡°Teacher Feng?¡± Liu Feng was stunned, confused by this sudden title. The girl had been somewhat flustered and tongue-tied just moments ago. ¡°Well, I¡¯d better get to class now, Senior Lin Xian!¡± Chu An Qing waved at Lin Xian with a smile before turning and quickly disappearing down the corridor. The lab fell silent again. ¡°You sure know how to woo people.¡± Lin Xian turned to Liu Feng. ¡°Do you even know who that girl is?¡± ¡°No idea.¡± Liu Feng shook his head. ¡°But does it matter who she is? I just saw she looked a bit down and wanted to cheer her up. You might think what I said was a bit abstract, but I¡¯ve become pretty good at comforting people. Ever since Li Qi Qi got sick, I comforted and encouraged her every day. But what I said was also the truth. If someone as lost as I was could find direction and meaning in life, surely a young girl like her can too. She looked about eighteen or nineteen, a freshman in college?¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be a sophomore soon,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°She turned nineteen just two months ago.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Liu Feng nodded. ¡°At that age, it¡¯s normal to feel lost. But honestly, those words of encouragement should have come from you. I only stepped in because you were struggling to say anything.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because she suddenly felt inadequate, realizing how outstanding you are. She felt the gap between you growing and got discouraged, fearing she¡¯d never catch up.¡± ¡°Hold on, hold on!¡± Lin Xian made a time-out gesture, laughing helplessly. ¡°Liu Feng, are you studying math or women? Your analyses are always so spot-on and mysterious.¡± Liu Feng raised an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t you believe me?¡± ¡°Lin Xian, it¡¯s been a while.¡± Chu Shan He greeted Lin Xian warmly, pulling him to a seat. ¡°I was planning to meet you at the award ceremony tomorrow. Didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d come today. How¡¯s the preparation for tomorrow¡¯s ceremony at Donghai Hall? Any issues with the speech and award presentation?¡± Lin Xian smiled and nodded. ¡°The speech is ready, and I¡¯ve practiced it several times. Plus, I don¡¯t need to go completely off-script; I can have the speech on the podium, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Chu Shan He laughed. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s ceremony is highly valued by Donghai City¡¯s officials. Many of them are very grateful to you for solving a tricky problem. It¡¯s been a long time since such a major incident occurred here. If not for your timely intervention, things could have been much worse.¡± ¡°At your age, achieving such honor means a bright future. Both my wife and I are very happy for you. So, just perform well tomorrow! An Qing has long said you won¡¯t have any issues, having hosted the school celebration in front of thousands. This should be a piece of cake for you.¡± After some pleasantries, Lin Xian got to the point. He didn¡¯t share all the details, just mentioned that his lab was working on a groundbreaking research project requiring the use of the Guizhou Radio Telescope for two to three months. He asked if there were any channels to facilitate this. Of course, any agreed rental fee would be paid, regardless of the amount. Chu Shan He listened, then frowned. ¡°This isn¡¯t an easy task.¡± He paused, thinking. ¡°The Guizhou Telescope is a national key project. Although it doesn¡¯t contain state secrets, it is the world¡¯s largest radio telescope with many scheduled projects. As far as I know, it has never been rented out; it¡¯s primarily used for national astronomical projects or lent to friendly nations.¡± ¡°But I have a contact in the Guizhou scientific community. Let me give them a call.¡± Chu Shan He made the call, but after some conversation, he shook his head at Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian, it seems unlikely. The Guizhou Telescope is currently under lockdown because the Academy of Sciences has a research project requiring long-term use. They started about a month ago and will continue for at least a year, maybe longer.¡± ¡°The Academy of Sciences, as you know, is the pinnacle of our scientific community. If they¡¯re using the telescope, no other projects will take precedence.¡± Lin Xian sighed and nodded. ¡°Indeed... The Academy of Sciences holds unparalleled significance. Their scientists are the true luminaries of our nation. Technological advancements bring a bright future, and the Science Academy is the key to this.¡± Lin Xian spread his hands. ¡°It seems there¡¯s no way around this.¡± Chu Shan He nodded sympathetically. ¡°Sorry, Lin Xian. This time, I¡¯m also powerless.¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m on good terms with President Gao Yan of the Science Academy in private, it¡¯s just a personal relationship. Introducing you for a meeting or a casual meal is doable, but work matters are another story. The president is a righteous and admirable man, a true national hero whose life embodies our nation¡¯s scientific progress. I respect him deeply.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Lin Xian recognized the name immediately due to its close similarity to Gao Yang, his buddy. This leading figure in controlled nuclear fusion was the mastermind behind the country¡¯s ¡°artificial sun,¡± the EAST (Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak) that set a world record by running for 403 seconds in high-confinement mode in April 2023, a groundbreaking achievement. Controlled nuclear fusion, cold fusion... Lin Xian suddenly thought of the 6000 cold fusion engines beneath Rhine Sky City in his third dream. ¡°Mr. Chu.¡± Lin Xian smiled at Chu Shan He. ¡°Could you please arrange for me to meet President Gao Yan at his convenience?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 246: The Commendation Conference This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Chu Shan He looked slightly surprised and asked, ¡°It¡¯s possible, but how do you plan to have me introduce you?¡± Lin Xian thought it over again. He suddenly had an idea: since President Gao Yan is the leader in controlled nuclear fusion in X Country, maybe he could offer some help to the National Scientific Academy of Sciences in that field. If he could make a significant contribution, perhaps they would let him use the Guizhou Sky Eye for a few months. Controlled nuclear fusion is key to advancing civilization and a major research project for all the world¡¯s leading nations. The first to crack controlled nuclear fusion would gain access to unlimited energy, paving the way for the interstellar age. In his third dream, the six thousand engines that lifted the Sky City into the air were controlled nuclear fusion engines, though they used a more advanced cold fusion technology. The principles of energy release are the same for both hot and cold fusion, but cold fusion is more advanced, practical, and easier to achieve due to its low reaction temperatures compared to traditional hot fusion. From the perspectives of both President Gao Yan of the National Scientific Academy and national development, nuclear fusion technology is far more important than the Guizhou Sky Eye. If Lin Xian could help in this area, borrowing the Guizhou Sky Eye would not be difficult. Lin Xian had confidence in this plan, and it wouldn¡¯t be hard to implement. With VV¡¯s help, all he needed was to summarize the breakthrough points of cold fusion technology, memorize them, and write them down after waking up. With his enhanced learning technique, memorizing complex information was easy. Within a few days, he could bring cold fusion technology back to reality. However, one problem he had to consider was the effect on the timeline. Lin Xian believed that introducing controlled or cold fusion technology hundreds of years ahead of its time would create a significant butterfly effect, drastically changing the future. Nuclear fusion technology is immensely important for human civilization¡¯s development, far more than Professor Xu Yun¡¯s hibernation pod liquid. If this technology were to be introduced in 2023, it would become an irreversible anchor point, and the third dream would disappear, transforming into a completely new fourth dream. Even though Lin Xian couldn¡¯t imagine what the fourth dream would look like, he knew VV wouldn¡¯t be as easily accessible. Currently, he could activate VV by simply skydiving, then start copying codes. Therefore, the most crucial task was to bring back the super artificial intelligence first. The Guizhou Sky Eye and Liu Feng¡¯s research were secondary. VV was his greatest strength, the foundation of all his safety and combat abilities. To avoid triggering time changes and causing the third dream to disappear, he needed to finish copying VV¡¯s code into the real world before meeting with President Gao Yan to discuss cold fusion technology and the Guizhou Sky Eye. ¡°Mr. Chu,¡± Lin Xian organized his thoughts and looked at Chu Shan He, ¡°I have a project related to nuclear fusion at the Rhine Laboratory of Donghai University. Although it¡¯s still in its early stages, I want to take the opportunity to meet President Gao and consult with him about some issues.¡± Uncovering all truths and secrets. Exposing the real culprits behind the bloodshed and deaths. The next day at the Donghai Auditorium, an official venue usually closed to the public, people from various sectors gathered, preparing to attend the grand commendation conference and heroic deeds report meeting. Students from primary schools, middle schools, high schools, and universities filled the hall, which was packed yet orderly. Numerous cameras in the front rows would broadcast the event live on TV and online, allowing those who couldn¡¯t attend to watch and learn about Lin Xian¡¯s heroic deeds. Reporters from various media outlets were already positioned, waiting for the conference to begin. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Backstage, officials chatted happily. Chu Shan He warmly introduced Lin Xian to the officials. An elder named Song patted Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder with a pleased expression. ¡°Young man, you¡¯re a real hero. I heard from Shan He and Xiao Liu about how you helped solve the heinous serial murder case. Your intelligence and bravery are what Donghai City needs for prosperity and peace.¡± ¡°Mr. Song, you flatter me,¡± Lin Xian said modestly. ¡°The special task force worked tirelessly, and it was a collective effort. I just offered some constructive suggestions. The arrest wouldn¡¯t have been possible without the involvement of every officer. I was just lucky.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s humility drew appreciative laughter from Mr. Song, Chu Shan He, and the other officials present. ¡°You have a bright future, young man,¡± Mr. Song said, shaking Lin Xian¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s time to begin. Let¡¯s head inside.¡± ¡°The long-awaited commendation conference is about to start!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 247: The Final Seven Deadly Sins This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation The dignitaries seated themselves in the front row of the auditorium, and the room, filled with thousands of attendees, erupted in unprecedented applause. On stage, the host announced the commencement of the commendation and report meeting, held specifically for Lin Xian. Following the host¡¯s opening remarks, Old Mr. Song took the stage. He praised Lin Xian¡¯s actions, read out the official commendation, and invited Lin Xian to come forward and receive his award. Then, the music started. Lin Xian, dressed in formal attire, walked slowly from backstage. Cameras from various media outlets followed him, and the applause in the auditorium grew even louder. Old Mr. Song, smiling and clapping, approached Lin Xian, shook his hand, and then turned to face the cameras for a photo. Next came the award ceremony. Lin Xian received his certificate of bravery, a top ten citizen certificate, and a cash prize placard from Old Mr. Song. This was the highest honor Lin Xian had ever received. In reality, if it hadn¡¯t been for the need to flush out Zhou Duan Yun, Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t have wanted to be so high-profile. But later, he thought about it. He couldn¡¯t hide anymore. Even though the public reports didn¡¯t mention the operation on Ji Lin Xian¡¯s birthday night, no wall is without cracks. Even if only a few people in the Donghai Police Department knew about these events, a determined investigator could still uncover the truth. Moreover, Lin Xian¡¯s enemies weren¡¯t ordinary. He had no idea if the members of the Genius Club were watching him. This organization was too mysterious. So mysterious that it seemed non-existent. At least, life had been calm recently, and Lin Xian felt the Genius Club was unlikely to be targeting him. First, his assistance in arresting Ji Lin and Ji Xin Shui was justified; they were murderers wanted by all of Donghai. He was just a ¡°helpful citizen.¡± Secondly, Ji Xin Shui had mistaken him for a test or even a judge from the Genius Club; this misunderstanding suggested that the Genius Club didn¡¯t want him dead, Ji Xin Shui did. Perhaps the old man¡¯s plan was to use his head to claim a reward from Copernicus in the Genius Club. But unfortunately for Ji Xin Shui, his arrogance led to his downfall before his plan could come to fruition. Lastly, and most crucially, Yellow Finch provided Lin Xian with a sense of security. She was a member of the Genius Club. If the club wanted him dead, he wouldn¡¯t be alive now. Not only that, but Yellow Finch had helped him repeatedly, behaving nothing like an enemy. So Lin Xian wasn¡¯t entirely sure. What kind of organization was the Genius Club? What was its purpose? Was it just or evil? Even when Ji Xin Shui mentioned Copernicus, making it sound like these scientists were killed on his orders... could this information be trusted? Ji Xin Shui was a poor imitator, arrogant and self-absorbed. It¡¯s possible he misunderstood or acted on his own. At the very least... if he could mistake Lin Xian for a Genius Club examiner, it seemed likely that Copernicus hadn¡¯t ordered him to kill Lin Xian; it was a personal vendetta. In short, hiding was less effective than building his own strength. Might makes right. Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!!! After the enthusiastic applause, it was time for Lin Xian¡¯s speech. Chu An Qing scratched her head and smiled sheepishly: ¡°I still think about you pulling me back from the road and saving me; although I fainted soon after, at that moment, you were like a hero descending from the sky! My dad often tells me to learn from you, from your excellent qualities. I think so too. If one day, as Mr. Liu Feng said, I encounter a situation that requires me to stand up, protect something, and be brave...¡± She looked up, her eyes determined: ¡°I will be just like you, Senior... Without hesitation!¡± Lin Xian smiled: ¡°I believe you will.¡± He pushed the bravery award trophy towards her: ¡°Here¡¯s an early award for you.¡± ¡°Oh no, I can¡¯t take your trophy! Haha, maybe someday I¡¯ll earn my bravery award! Then we can have a matching set!¡± ... After exchanging pleasantries with a few business associates, the auditorium was nearly empty, with the audience and media packing up and leaving. Lin Xian headed to the parking lot, ready to leave. The electric door of the Alphard opened. Lin Xian placed the certificates and trophy on the seat and was about to get in¡ª ¡°That was a passionate speech, Mr. Lin Xian.¡± A woman¡¯s calm voice suddenly came from behind. ¡°Thank you.¡± Lin Xian responded reflexively. He had heard similar compliments countless times in the auditorium, saying ¡°thank you¡± so much that his lips were almost numb. After saying that, he put his raised foot down, turned around, and looked at the woman who had just spoken. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation At that moment... his eyes slowly widened. The woman before him was a foreigner! The flawless sentence without any accent came from this foreign beauty. She was tall, wearing sky-high heels, making her seem taller than Lin Xian. Her long legs were like straight chopsticks, mostly hidden under black leather, yet still giving a sense of a model¡¯s perfect figure. Looking up, her hair was long and smooth, shining, clearly well-maintained. And her face was the most captivating feature. She didn¡¯t have the traditional Asian look or the typical Western look, but rather the unique, striking features of a Middle Eastern woman¡ªsharp, defined, with piercing eyes, like a Hollywood spy. This description was very fitting. Because she had indeed played many spy roles in Hollywood movies. Lin Xian had recently seen many of her photos and read numerous reports about her. Oscar-winning actress, Hollywood¡¯s ¡°Chameleon¡±... her titles were numerous, but her acting was deserving of all the praise. ¡°Nice to meet you, Lin Xian.¡± The woman smiled, flipping her hair back and striding forward: ¡°My name is Angelica.¡± Click. Her high heels stopped just a step away from Lin Xian. She extended her right hand for a handshake, smiling warmly, showing her pearly white teeth: ¡°But... you can call me by another, more familiar name¡ª***¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 248: Lin Xians Secret This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Lin Xian didn¡¯t react at first. He just lifted his head and stared at the stunning Hollywood actress in front of him. Angelica... Lin Xian, a movie enthusiast, had known of her long before his encounter with the Seven Deadly Sins organization. She started as a child star in her teens and dominated Hollywood for over a decade, showcasing explosive acting skills and a versatile style. She easily mastered any role, earning the nickname ¡°The Shape-Shifting Witch¡± from her fans. Recently, she won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance in ¡°Broken Bridge,¡± completing her career¡¯s grand slam at just twenty-six¡ªa testament to her extraordinary talent. Her unique Middle Eastern features were also a crucial factor in her success. Hollywood had many white, black, and Asian actresses, but Angelica¡¯s sharp, chiseled look was rare and distinct, giving her a sculptural beauty that no other ethnicity possessed. Lin Xian loved to use the term ¡°sculptural¡± to describe the people in New Donghai City of his second dream and Rhine Sky City of his third dream. The men and women there had genetically modified themselves to look like sculptures, the epitome of beauty. VV once said her looks were average in Rhine Sky City, but Lin Xian believed Angelica¡¯s angelic face would easily rank above average there. Her natural beauty outshone genetic modifications, making her truly blessed by nature. However, no one expected that this ¡°Shape-Shifting Witch¡± had another secret identity¡ªone of the Seven Deadly Sins members, Lust, in Ji Xin Shui¡¯s crime organization. After being tricked by Lin Xian¡¯s fake invitation to the Genius Club, Ji Xin Shui confessed all her crimes, revealing Angelica¡¯s identity as Lust. Despite Ji Xin Shui¡¯s confession, she did not expose Ji Lin and Angelica¡¯s crimes, either out of conscience or because Angelica truly had no part in them. Now, as the only surviving member of the Seven Deadly Sins, Angelica¡¯s life and career remained untouched by her criminal associations. But Lin Xian was skeptical. He believed Ji Xin Shui lied. Even if Angelica didn¡¯t partake in the murders, she must have been involved in other tasks for Ji Xin Shui. Otherwise, why include her in the Seven Deadly Sins? She could have continued her Hollywood career without involvement. Given Ji Xin Shui¡¯s obsession with joining the Genius Club and Angelica¡¯s ability to infiltrate high society and gather intelligence, Lin Xian speculated that Angelica¡¯s role was espionage. Her beauty and charm could easily manipulate powerful men, turning them into willing informants. Despite his suspicions, Lin Xian remained wary. This remnant of the Seven Deadly Sins appearing right after his commendation ceremony was unsettling. Although legally justified in Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin¡¯s punishment, from Angelica¡¯s perspective, Lin Xian was indirectly responsible for her father and brother¡¯s deaths. Facing Angelica, Lin Xian stood firm, ignoring her outstretched hand. ¡°I don¡¯t think we have anything to discuss.¡± ¡°Relax, Lin Xian,¡± Angelica said, withdrawing her hand and stuffing it into her coat pocket. ¡°I¡¯m not here for revenge. If I wanted to kill you, you¡¯d be dead already.¡± ¡°How did you learn about the Genius Club?¡± Lin Xian pressed. It seemed unlikely Angelica would know about it, given Ji Xin Shui¡¯s willingness to kill Professor Xu Yun for membership. ¡°Two weeks ago, a lawyer delivered a letter from Ji Lin,¡± Angelica explained. ¡°Ji Lin arranged for it to be sent if Lin Xian refused to inherit his assets two months after his death. The letter said to deliver a gift to you personally, and if you refused, to mention Genius Club. He knew you¡¯d be interested.¡± She smiled, showing perfect teeth. ¡°And he was right. He was always so confident and smart, the most brilliant person I¡¯ve ever known. He never failed at anything.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Angelica continued, ¡°It¡¯s funny how the police said Ji Lin was killed by Zhou Duan Yun. Ji Lin saw through people like Zhou Duan Yun easily. It¡¯s absurd.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came to you, Lin Xian,¡± she said, handing him the white envelope. ¡°Tell me the truth about Ji Lin¡¯s death and what the Genius Club is.¡± Lin Xian reached for the envelope, but Angelica teasingly pulled it away. ¡°Answer my questions first.¡± Lin Xian laughed, ¡°You still don¡¯t get it, Angelica. This was left for me by Ji Lin. It has nothing to do with you. You¡¯re just a messenger. I won¡¯t answer your questions. You should stick to acting.¡± Angelica pulled out a lighter and ignited it, bringing the flame close to the envelope. ¡°You have ten seconds to decide, Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Go ahead and burn it,¡± Lin Xian said coolly. ¡°I don¡¯t care what Ji Lin left. You¡¯re quite the actress, but there¡¯s no Oscar here for you.¡± Despite his words, Lin Xian was slightly taken aback by her decisiveness. As the envelope began to burn, Angelica¡¯s calm smile remained. The burning envelope¡¯s remnants finally revealed a small metallic key. ¡°New Jersey, Princeton City, Marshall Street, 112,¡± she said, tossing the key to Lin Xian. ¡°Do you know whose house that is?¡± ¡°Ji Lin¡¯s?¡± Lin Xian guessed. ¡°Now it is, but it¡¯s famous in the U.S. It¡¯s a historic house, once home to the world¡¯s greatest physicist... Albert Einstein.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 249: The Einstein Code This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Albert Einstein Lin Xian held the warm key that hung from his clothes and examined it carefully, twirling it between his fingers. When he first heard the address, it didn¡¯t register immediately. However, after Angelica mentioned it, memories of reading about Einstein¡¯s life came flooding back. Einstein spent the last 20 years of his life in Princeton, making it his second home. He taught at Princeton University and passed away in the university hospital in 1955 at the age of 76. The world knows the story of how the head of pathology at the time, fascinated by Einstein¡¯s brain, secretly removed and preserved it in formaldehyde. To this day, Einstein¡¯s brain remains at Princeton University Hospital, where numerous studies have been conducted, most of which yielded insignificant results. One popular myth was that Einstein only used 10% of his brain, which was debunked by the studies. In reality, his brain was not much different from an average person¡¯s, just slightly heavier, possibly due to his larger head. Einstein¡¯s final wishes were quite modest. He instructed his children not to hold any memorial services or commemorations. He wanted to be cremated, and his ashes scattered in a secret location to prevent it from becoming a pilgrimage site. This wish was honored by his children, who never revealed where his ashes were scattered. His Princeton home was also treated with respect. Einstein had written to Princeton University, asking that his home not be turned into a museum or tourist attraction. Instead, it was sold and treated like any ordinary house, having seen many occupants over the decades. Lin Xian was puzzled as to why Ji Lin bought this house. Compared to Ji Lin¡¯s fortune worth billions, what was so special about this old house? ¡°Is this the only key?¡± Lin Xian asked Angelica, curiosity lacing his voice. Angelica nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. Ji Lin and I kept in touch regularly. We grew up in the same orphanage and were later taken in by the same guardian. I¡¯m a few years older than him, and during his time at the orphanage, I was like an older sister, taking care of him.¡± ¡°After we were taken in, we went our separate ways. I was sent to Hollywood to start a career as a child star, while Ji Lin stayed with our guardian, cared for by his niece, who later became Xu Yun¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°Ji Lin and I had a good relationship, but we didn¡¯t see each other often, mostly just exchanged emails or chatted online. Recently, Ji Lin mentioned he had made his first real friend. I was surprised, given how introverted he was. He didn¡¯t tell me much, just that having a friend felt good. I didn¡¯t know what was happening in his life.¡± Angelica paused, a hint of sadness crossing her face. Lin Xian looked at her, his expression softening. ¡°Does their death sadden you?¡± he asked gently. ¡°A little,¡± Angelica admitted. ¡°But I believe they were prepared for it. Growing up in a war-torn region, death was a constant. The day our guardian found me, I was surrounded by the charred bodies of my family. Death isn¡¯t something I fear or seek revenge for.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be the original,¡± Lin Xian said, shaking his head. ¡°I saw the original last year at an exhibition in Donghai. It was part of a global tour, from a famous museum.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also an original,¡± Angelica replied calmly. ¡°But the one Ji Lin had is also an original.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. There can¡¯t be two ¡®Mona Lisas,¡¯¡± Lin Xian scoffed. ¡°Leonardo da Vinci didn¡¯t paint two ¡®Mona Lisas,¡¯ but Henry Dawson painted several ¡®Melancholy Einsteins,¡¯¡± Angelica explained. ¡°Ji Lin told me this because I helped him acquire one of the originals.¡± ¡°According to Ji Lin, there are hidden codes in the paintings. There are eight originals in total,¡± Angelica revealed. Lin Xian fell into deep thought. Eight originals? He hadn¡¯t considered this possibility. Unlike the Mona Lisa, which only had one version, ¡®The Melancholy Einstein¡¯ had eight originals, all possibly containing hidden codes. This was either at Einstein¡¯s behest or the artist Henry Dawson¡¯s doing. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Oil paintings are known for their three-dimensional texture. Perhaps the hidden codes were in the paint¡¯s thickness and texture, something not easily detected in a traditional two-dimensional painting. ¡°Could this be Einstein¡¯s way of leaving behind a secret?¡± Lin Xian wondered aloud. ¡°What could these codes lead to?¡± The Alphard van came to a stop, and the side door slid open. The driver turned to the back. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at the Peninsula Hotel.¡± Angelica handed Lin Xian a card with her number. ¡°If you ever decide to visit Princeton, call me,¡± she said, stepping out of the van and into the breeze, her long hair flowing behind her. She looked back and added with a smile, ¡°Call me,¡± making a six gesture with her hand against her cheek. Lin Xian watched her leave, pocketing the card. The mystery deepened, and he knew he had to be cautious. The Genius Club¡¯s secrets were dangerous, and he needed to be prepared for whatever came next. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 250: Never Seeing Each Other Again This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation On a warm July evening, Angelica walked gracefully, her tall, lean figure slowly disappearing into the lush courtyard of the Peninsula Hotel. As she moved, the gentle breeze carried a subtle scent from her hair towards Lin Xian, who was sitting in his car, intrigued by the unfamiliar fragrance lingering in the air. Watching Angelica¡¯s confident, victorious smile as she left, Lin Xian knew she had achieved her goal¡ªshe had piqued his interest. Over the past few weeks, Angelica had masterfully woven a web of clues and information about Ji Lin¡¯s death and the mysterious Genius Club. She¡¯d skillfully measured Lin Xian¡¯s curiosity, feeding it bit by bit until she was certain he was ensnared. Then, just as suddenly, she withdrew, leaving him wanting more. ¡°She¡¯s an expert at playing this game,¡± Lin Xian mused, flipping over the business card she had left behind. It bore a typical American phone number, formatted with an area code followed by seven digits, suggesting it was a landline. Her confidence that he would eventually travel to Princeton to investigate a painting left behind by Ji Lin at Einstein¡¯s former residence¡ªa piece ominously titled ¡°The Sad Einstein¡±¡ªwas evident. Although Lin Xian was skeptical about the authenticity of Angelica¡¯s tale, especially since Ji Lin and his sibling Ji Xin Shui were both deceased, there appeared to be no motive for her to lie to him. ¡°The hidden code in the painting¡ªor possibly codes within eight identical versions¡ªcould they indeed hold the key to unveiling the secrets of the Genius Club?¡± Lin Xian wondered, his mind racing with possibilities. Ji Lin¡¯s quest had similarly been fueled by a need to identify his parents¡¯ killer, with all signs pointing to the secretive Genius Club as the main suspect. This deepened Lin Xian¡¯s resolve to uncover the truth. ¡°Nevertheless, a trip to 112 Marshal Street to see this painting must wait. It¡¯s currently too dangerous to venture out,¡± he concluded internally. Lin Xian understood the importance of caution, especially when venturing into unknown territory, which could present the most significant dangers. Beep beep¡ª The automatic doors of his Alphard closed with a soft thud, and the driver started the engine, signaling it was time to leave. Tackling complex problems required a methodical approach, Lin Xian knew. The mystery of the Princeton painting could be put on hold. For the moment, his immediate goals were clear: replicate the entirety of VV¡¯s code and secure crucial materials for cold fusion technology. He also needed to finalize the lease arrangements for the Sky Eye facility. .... Over the next two months, Lin Xian dedicated himself to his studies with the same intensity he had during his high school years. Day and night, he immersed himself in his work, displaying an extraordinary level of commitment. Each night, as he entered his dream state, he would engage VV, picking up exactly where they had left off the previous session. VV would then project the next sequence of code onto a virtual blackboard, helping Lin Xian to continue his learning seamlessly. ¡°VV, get the drug!¡± he would command at the start of each session. This step was crucial for enhancing his focus and memory retention. Over time, Lin Xian fine-tuned the drug dosage, striking a balance that maximized his ability to remember the code while minimizing potential harm to his brain. A tool is only effective if it is well-maintained, and Lin Xian made sure his cognitive tools were as sharp as possible. As the weeks passed, not only did Lin Xian¡¯s ability to memorize the code improve, but he also gained a deeper understanding of its underlying logic. He began to notice patterns that were not evident at first glance, which significantly increased his learning efficiency. During the day, Lin Xian didn¡¯t waste any time either. He bought stacks of textbooks and signed up for various online programming courses. These efforts transformed his approach from mere memorization to a deeper, more comprehensive understanding and recall. This shift further enhanced his efficiency in memorizing complex code. By mid-August, amidst the peak of the summer heat, Lin Xian was found at his desk, drenched in sweat, furiously typing away at the keyboard. He paused to grab the remote and turned the air conditioning down a few more degrees, trying to combat the almost unbearable heat. Today, the temperature in Donghai City had soared near 40 degrees Celsius, making it painfully hot, with the air conditioning barely making a dent. Lin Xian recalled the early days when he first discovered that his dream world was set 600 years in the future. It had been a bitterly cold winter then, and sometimes he would catch himself sneezing after forgetting to close a window. The transition from the biting cold to the dream had often felt like moving between extreme temperatures. But now, both the real world and his dream world were engulfed in relentless heat. While Donghai transitioned from winter to summer, the dream world seemed stuck in a continuous, scorching loop¡ªan endless, sweltering August that refused to give way. ¡°Okay.¡± Clack! With a final keystroke, Lin Xian pressed the Enter key and exhaled deeply, his eyes scanning over the results of his relentless effort over the past two months displayed on his laptop screen¡ªover 130,000 lines of code. He had transcribed every single one of them! What had once seemed like an overwhelming task now stood as a testament to his perseverance and capability. Lin Xian had conquered the challenge! The cursor blinked steadily on the code editor screen, ready for the next phase of his journey. .... The program Lin Xian was working on was tantalizingly close to completion, but it deliberately lacked the final ten lines of code needed to kickstart the operations of the super AI named VV in 2023. This omission was a calculated safeguard by Lin Xian, designed to mitigate the risks associated with unpredictable changes in time-space. Lin Xian had learned that initiating significant time-space changes required what he called an ¡°irreversible anchor point.¡± So far, such a point had not been established, which meant the full consequences of these changes were still dormant. ¡°With VV¡¯s code now fully copied, it¡¯s time to move on to the next phase,¡± Lin Xian announced to the silence of his room, his voice carrying a faint echo. ¡°Starting tomorrow, I¡¯ll shift my focus to copying cold fusion technology materials.¡± This strategic pivot stemmed from a crucial discussion with VV. Lin Xian had found memorizing the vast 130,000 lines of code a colossal task and anticipated that the cold fusion materials would be less complex. In a previous conversation, VV had warned him, ¡°Lin Xian, even if you succeed in retrieving the cold fusion technology materials, the technological landscape of 2023 might not be advanced enough to fully implement it. Theoretically, it¡¯s sound and verifiable, but actual development of a mature cold fusion engine, like those in Rhine Sky City, would require a century more of advancements in basic industries and material sciences.¡± Despite this, Lin Xian¡¯s goals were clear. ¡°I¡¯m not concerned about when the cold fusion engine can be built; I just need the head of the National Academy of Sciences to confirm that the theory is sound. The summary of the cold fusion materials you provide doesn¡¯t have to be overly sophisticated or complete; it simply needs to convincingly show that the science behind what I bring back is solid.¡± It paused, its voice tinged with curiosity. ¡°Lin Xian, what exactly is sadness? Why feel sad?¡± Lin Xian looked around, his voice soft as he explained, ¡°The universe witnesses the birth and death of stars, the extinction of entire galaxies every moment. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural parts of life. Everyone and everything experiences farewells. Since it¡¯s a universal truth, why do humans feel sadness for something so inevitable?¡± VV seemed to ponder this, its head still tilted in an almost human gesture of curiosity. Lin Xian chuckled lightly, his answer simple yet deep: ¡°It¡¯s not that complex. Sadness is because we know we¡¯ll never meet again. That¡¯s all.¡± He reached out, gently patting the robot on its metallic head: ¡°I don¡¯t just miss you; I really cherish our friendship and feel sad about parting. But more than that... I miss her.¡± Glancing at his watch, Lin Xian noted the time. 00:40. The night had flown by, and this dream was nearing its end. He had only two minutes left. Turning around, Lin Xian gazed up at the towering white jade statue of Zhao Ying Jun, his voice filled with a mix of wonder and melancholy: ¡°I¡¯ve often wondered, what is the greatest distance in this world?¡± He recounted tales of others: ¡°Li Qi Qi said it¡¯s the height of a shooting star; after she died, she wanted to become a shooting star passing over Liu Feng¡¯s sky, covering a mere 1,000 kilometers in the atmosphere.¡± ¡°Zheng Xiang Yue believed the greatest distance was from the Earth to the Moon, about 380,000 kilometers, a journey she dreamed of making to spread her brother¡¯s ashes.¡± ¡°But now, I think the greatest distance is the 600 years forgotten by history, yet remembered by a woman.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice grew softer, more introspective as he continued: ¡°Light travels at 300,000 kilometers per second, covering 9.46 trillion kilometers in a year. These are numbers I remember. But 600 years... 600 light-years, that¡¯s beyond my calculations.¡± ¡°However, any distance that can be measured isn¡¯t truly vast.¡± His gaze remained fixed on Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s serene expression, carved in white jade: ¡°The greatest distance in this world, in this universe... is never seeing each other again.¡± Suddenly, Rhine Sky City trembled beneath Lin Xian¡¯s feet. For 200 years, the city had been a stable haven, but now it felt alive, pulsing like a giant heart, breathing with an almost human rhythm. The city lights flickered, dimmed, then glowed with a sorrowful intensity. The sounds of over 6,000 fusion engines roared through the streets, their mournful din filling the air. The ground shook so violently that Lin Xian struggled to maintain his balance. In his surprise, he turned toward the central AI, VV, which controlled the city. VV, usually playful and humorous, now hung its head in silence. The dim, flickering green light of its interface resembled tears: ¡°Not seeing each other in life is like the stars Shen and Shang; what night is tonight, sharing this light.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened in shock. The voice was different¡ªit wasn¡¯t the usual modulated tone of the super AI VV. Instead, it sounded like the original voice of the trash can robot: emotionless, yet somehow imbued with feeling. Confused, Lin Xian watched as the trash can robot slowly raised its head to look at him: ¡°Ms. Zhao Ying Jun once told me this story... the stars Shen and Shang rise and fall, never appearing in the same night sky. The greatest distance... never seeing each other again.¡± Frozen, Lin Xian stared at the eloquent trash can robot, struggling to comprehend the situation. This wasn¡¯t the simplistic, old trash can robot, nor was it the typically playful super AI. Were the two VVs merging at this moment? Or was something else occurring? Clack! The trash can robot moved forward, clamping Lin Xian¡¯s ankle with its mechanical claw, and looked up at him: ¡°If you ever truly meet Ms. Zhao Ying Jun, please convey my regards. VV... has always missed her.¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! A blazing white light enveloped everything, as expected, burning away the reality Lin Xian knew, marking the end of an unforgettable encounter in his dream world. .... This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation In the dim corner of his bedroom, Lin Xian abruptly opened his eyes. He turned to glance at the digital clock beside him: August 29, 2023 00:42 As he lay there, the memory of the dream¡ªno, the reality he had just experienced¡ªclung to him. The vivid sensations of the city¡¯s tremors, the sorrowful lights, and the robot¡¯s last words echoed in his mind, a stark reminder of the fleeting connections and eternal distances that defined his journey. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 251: Seeking Guidance This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation The realization that exactly 601 years remained until the arrival of the all-consuming white light struck Lin Xian profoundly. In the quiet of his bedroom, the hum of the air conditioner lent a tranquil, almost hypnotic ambiance. He sat up in bed, unable to shake the last image he saw of the trash can robot. That expression... it was uncanny, not like something you¡¯d expect from a machine. It was as if he was looking at a real person, a sentient being. Lin Xian was baffled by what had just transpired. As he uttered the phrase, ¡°Life is but a fleeting glance,¡± the entirety of Rhine Sky City seemed to come alive, its pulse quickening as if the city itself had veins and flesh. ¡°This was no hidden code or secret program,¡± Lin Xian thought. Zhao Ying Jun, who had created this world in his third dream, had hidden many things, but embedding a seemingly trivial poem in such a complex manner made no sense. So, what was truly going on with that trash can robot? Lin Xian reflected on the explanation given in the dream: ¡°I¡¯ve been here for just an hour. It was your voice and the password ¡®VV¡¯ that woke me, this trash can robot. Though I¡¯m speaking through this device, we are completely different beings.¡± ¡°This robot was the companion of Ms. Zhao Ying Jun in her later years. It played paper ball games with her, shared rides in her car.¡± ¡°Ms. Zhao Ying Jun once shared a metaphor with me about two stars¡ªone rising in the east and the other setting in the west¡ªnever visible in the same sky at the same time. This, she said, was the ultimate distance...life is but a fleeting glance.¡± The pieces started falling into place for Lin Xian. The VV, the super-central brain, hadn¡¯t known Zhao Ying Jun personally. The true companion of Zhao Ying Jun was this outdated, humble trash can robot, model VV. It had entertained her in her twilight years, listened to her stories in the car, and even after her passing, it continued to guard her white jade statue through two centuries of weathering, never failing in its duty to pick up trash. The VV speaking to Lin Xian was the same entity that had been Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s faithful companion. This realization came because the other, more flamboyant AI named VV would not typically use its mechanical claws to trap itself; such an act was more characteristic of the simple-minded trash can robot. It may have appeared clumsy and not very bright, yet somehow, it had gained sentience, learned to think, and even transformed the entire Rhine Sky City into a living entity, its rhythms mimicking a heartbeat. ¡°I can¡¯t figure it out,¡± Lin Xian yawned, puzzling over whether it was the awakening of the trash can¡¯s consciousness, a merging of the two VV consciousnesses, or possibly another elaborate ruse by the drama-loving super AI VV¡ªlike the previous incident where everyone knelt and hailed him as the King of Rhine City. ¡°Forget it.¡± Whatever the case, it represented a farewell¡ªa goodbye to a friend, the third dream, and that doomed future. Starting now, he was committed to changing that failed world line. To rewriting destiny! Lin Xian got out of bed, approached his desk, and gently touched the notebook¡¯s cover, which oddly reminded him of the top of the trash can robot¡¯s head. ¡°Just wait a bit longer, VV. I¡¯ll deliver your message.¡± .... A small Gulfstream G550 jet roared into the sky from the private jet base at Pudong Airport. It belonged to Chu Shan He. All the necessary flight procedures had been meticulously followed, allowing the jet to depart on schedule that morning of August 30, 2023. Their destination was the capital. After landing at the capital Airport four hours later, they would rest briefly before taking Chu Shan He¡¯s arranged transport to the National Academy of Sciences¡¯ Nuclear Physics Institute to meet with President Gao Yan. It was Lin Xian¡¯s inaugural flight on a private jet. The experience was indeed a pleasant one, although Chu Shan He remarked that such luxuries were impractical due to high maintenance costs and restrictive flight conditions, often hinging on sheer luck. ¡°Mostly, it¡¯s for show in business circles. Of course, it proves more useful for international trips,¡± Chu Shan He explained to Lin Xian. For extended international journeys, a private jet offered advantages¡ªsafer, more reliable, and always surrounded by familiar faces, which was crucial for avoiding information leaks and ensuring personal security. ¡°Outside X Country, it¡¯s far from peaceful. There are frequent incidents. If it¡¯s not necessary, it¡¯s wise to avoid traveling abroad lightly,¡± Chu Shan He added, reinforcing the perils that lay beyond their borders. Lin Xian nodded in agreement with Chu Shan He¡¯s perspective as he gazed out of the Gulfstream¡¯s window towards the distant west. His thoughts wandered to Princeton, at 112 Marshall Street¡ªa place he was intensely curious about and longed to visit. However, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t exactly sure which direction to look towards. Was the United States east or west from his current location? The answer wasn¡¯t straightforward. Given the Earth¡¯s roundness, either direction could technically be correct. President Gao and Chu Shan He exchanged approving glances, smiling. ¡°See, today¡¯s youth are quick on the uptake and intelligent,¡± remarked President Gao. He then lowered his head to adjust his reading glasses before turning his attention to the manuscript. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get started,¡± he announced and began to read. President Gao read through the first page, occasionally sipping his tea, nodding in apparent approval at intervals. ¡°It appears you¡¯ve conducted some substantial research,¡± he commented. He set his teacup down and turned to the second page, his brows knitting together slightly as he read. A frown formed, and he seemed fixated on a particular section. Rustle¡ªHe flipped back to the latter part of the first page, then forward again to the top of the second. He raised his head, his gaze shifting between Lin Xian and Chu Shan He, a look of puzzlement etched across his face before he returned his focus to the manuscript. This unexpected reaction left Chu Shan He feeling perplexed. What did President Gao¡¯s expressions signify? Was he regretting having entertained a novice? Or was Lin Xian¡¯s proposal so lacking that President Gao was at a loss for where to even begin with his critique? Yet, amidst this uncertainty, Lin Xian remained the epitome of calm. Seated confidently, he casually swung one leg, completely undisturbed by the unfolding reactions. Suddenly, President Gao inhaled sharply, his expression intensifying. He rubbed his temple, not reaching for his tea, reflecting deep internal contemplation. The manuscript¡¯s initial pages indeed presented groundbreaking ideas in controlled nuclear fusion, discussing theories and methods that had only been conceptualized a few months ago under X Country¡¯s artificial sun project¡ªinformation that was strictly classified! Furthermore, this document didn¡¯t just reiterate these classified theories; it simplified and refined them, addressing several unresolved issues that even the National Scientific Academy hadn¡¯t yet figured out. Although these theories hadn¡¯t been experimentally verified, they aligned perfectly with his long-held assumptions. As President Gao delved deeper, his bewilderment grew. The initial sections on controlled nuclear fusion were within his understanding, but the subsequent explanations on cold fusion were startling. It felt as though he was reading a martial arts novel where one page detailed a basic move and the next challenged the reader to defeat a legendary master¡ªit was a leap too great to comprehend! President Gao instinctively wiped his forehead, though there was no sweat; it was merely a reflex. This manuscript... how could he describe it? The parts he understood were undeniably accurate. Those he couldn¡¯t grasp, lacking experimental verification, were difficult to judge. The young man had come all the way from Donghai seeking guidance, yet President Gao found himself unable to definitively assess the manuscript¡¯s accuracy. However, based on his extensive experience in nuclear physics, the sections on cold fusion seemed largely correct, or at least, they offered a promising direction for resolving the current impasses in controlled nuclear fusion research. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation This manuscript was, without a doubt, a treasure. Notably, the last page included a complete experimental report detailing all necessary parameters, processes, and conditions¡ªprepared for immediate experimental validation using the National Scientific Academy¡¯s laboratory resources. Bang! President Gao slammed his hand on the desk, standing up abruptly, his demeanor grave as if he were preparing for a significant challenge. Chu Shan He, taken aback by this sudden change, had known President Gao for many years and had never seen him so intensely serious. What had Lin Xian written to provoke such a reaction from this usually mild-mannered and approachable scholar? It was almost as if he was on the verge of reprimanding Lin Xian directly! ¡°President Gao...¡± Chu Shan He interjected, attempting to soothe the atmosphere with a smile. ¡°Please, young people need guidance, education...¡± But President Gao, overtaken by his emotions, bypassed Chu Shan He, grasping Lin Xian¡¯s hand firmly. ¡°Young man,¡± his voice quivered with excitement, ¡°Come with me!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 252: Just Too Many People Outside This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation President Gao Yan¡¯s face was etched with concern as he grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm, quickly ushering him out of the office. The urgency in his steps was palpable, leaving Chu Shan He feeling distinctly uneasy. What could have prompted President Gao to act so urgently? A few harsh words might have sufficed. Why the need to whisk Lin Xian away for a more severe discussion? Chu Shan He rose from his chair, intending to follow them. However¡ª ¡°Shan He, stay here. I need to talk to Lin Xian alone.¡± As Chu Shan He stood, President Gao Yan¡¯s intense gaze pinned him back into his seat. This left Chu Shan He in a quandary, torn between the urge to follow and the command to stay put. In a moment, President Gao Yan and Lin Xian had vanished through the office door, their silhouettes swiftly turning the corner of the corridor. Chu Shan He had never before seen the usually poised and respectful President Gao move with such hurried, anxious steps. ... Bang! The heavy steel door of a small laboratory slammed shut as President Gao Yan pulled Lin Xian inside. Only then did he let out a sigh of relief. He gently set a thick manuscript on the lab table before turning to Lin Xian. ¡°Mr. Lin Xian, there were things I couldn¡¯t discuss in front of Shan He, so I brought you here for a private conversation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no problem, President Gao,¡± Lin Xian responded casually with a wave of his hand. Feeling somewhat out of his depth being addressed so formally by someone of President Gao¡¯s stature, he quickly added, ¡°Please, I¡¯m just a junior here; you can simply call me a young man.¡± ¡°No, no...¡± President Gao seemed momentarily embarrassed, offering a dry chuckle. He then led Lin Xian to a chair and sat down opposite him. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in financial gain, and I hope X Country keeps this work under wraps. We should continue our research in secret and not let the world know¡ªunless one day, we actually succeed in developing a cold fusion engine.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t seek any recognition for this. Once I leave this lab, I want no connection to this manuscript. Whatever advancements come from it should solely belong to the National Scientific Academy and our nation, without any link to my name.¡± President Gao was taken aback, staring at Lin Xian with a mix of confusion and admiration. It was rare to meet someone who neither sought money nor fame, especially someone willing to give away such a groundbreaking achievement without any desire for recognition. ¡°Lin Xian, are you sure about this?¡± President Gao asked earnestly. ¡°Your generosity is commendable, but this manuscript could secure your place in history alongside greats like Einstein. It has the potential to change the course of human civilization.¡± ¡°If you truly don¡¯t care about personal gain, at least let me inform the government to ensure you receive the recognition and rewards you deserve.¡± However, Lin Xian was resolute in his decision. He shook his head, declining the offer. Despite the eradication of the Seven Deadly Sins, organizations like Copernicus and the Genius Club still lurked with unclear motives. Lin Xian reflected on the fates of Xu Yun, Tang Xin, and Dr. Pomsmike, who all met tragic ends after their research became public. Even in his visionary dreams, the repercussions of exposure were lethal, as seen with Big Cat Face¡¯s father, who was captured by the Genius Club after publishing his findings. Aware of the dangers, Lin Xian was determined to keep a low profile. His primary reason for meeting was to gain access to the Guizhou Sky Eye telescope; fame and recognition would only attract unnecessary risk. Handing over the manuscript to the National Scientific Academy, where it could be securely managed as a state secret, seemed the safest option. He trusted President Gao, a renowned scientist devoted to his country, to honor this confidentiality. ¡°This manuscript should remain just between us. Please, don¡¯t share it with anyone else,¡± Lin Xian requested firmly. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation President Gao was initially inclined to argue for Lin Xian to accept the honor and national accolades he deserved. Yet, seeing Lin Xian¡¯s steadfast resolve, he eventually conceded. With a heavy sigh and a smile of admiration, President Gao responded, ¡°It¡¯s rare to encounter someone as selfless and principled as you these days. I respect your decision and will not press further. Rest assured, I pledge on my honor that your manuscript will remain confidential. I¡¯ll also request the highest level of secrecy in our research from the state, without any public credit or acknowledgment. It will all belong to the state, kept strictly confidential.¡± ¡°However, Lin Xian, if there¡¯s ever anything you need, don¡¯t hesitate to reach out. I¡¯m not just being courteous. The state owes you a great debt, and as the sole confidant, I feel a personal obligation to assist you. I might be old, but I still wield considerable influence across various sectors.¡± Laughing slightly awkwardly, President Gao continued, ¡°They say having an elder in the family is like having a treasure. I¡¯ve held many roles and taught many students over the years. They respect me as their mentor and will heed my call.¡± Lin Xian offered a small, knowing smile, ready to make a crucial request. ¡°To be honest, President Gao, there is one thing I would ask of you...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 253: The Historical Criminal This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation President Gao stood up with a welcoming smile and began preparing a pot of tea. He was eager to hear what Lin Xian had to say. ¡°Go ahead, Lin Xian. Feel free to speak!¡± he encouraged, his tone warm and inviting. To him, friendship was about mutual assistance, and he was more than willing to help Lin Xian. Lin Xian cleared his throat, straightening his posture: ¡°It¡¯s like this, President Gao. I heard that our Science Academy currently has access to the Guizhou Sky Eye Observatory¡ªthe one that houses the world¡¯s largest radio telescope, is that right?¡± President Gao nodded affirmatively. ¡°Yes, we do. The request was put forward by the Astronomy Research Institute, and I was the one who approved it.¡± Lin Xian leaned forward, his expression earnest. ¡°To be honest, President Gao, I want to borrow the Guizhou Sky Eye for a few months. My lab is working on a project that requires it. However, as you know, such a national facility isn¡¯t usually accessible to ordinary labs. I¡¯m hoping you might help us gain access.¡± President Gao responded with an easy smile, ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s what this is about.¡± He explained, ¡°A while back, the director of the Astronomy Research Institute initially applied to use it for a year, but they finished their observations ahead of schedule. We were debating whether to return the telescope to local authorities for tourism purposes or check if other research institutes might need it. Since you¡¯ve brought it up, we can delay returning it. The national lease is still valid for another six months, so lending it to you for a few months won¡¯t be an issue. I¡¯ll take care of the necessary paperwork.¡± ¡°However, while we understand the real motive, we must still adhere to official procedures. Once the director of the Astronomy Research Institute returns, I¡¯ll set up a meeting. Since your lab is affiliated with Donghai University, we can establish a collaborative project. This will officially authorize your lab to use the Guizhou Sky Eye.¡± Lin Xian nodded his appreciation. ¡°Thank you, President Gao.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks; it¡¯s really no trouble at all,¡± President Gao reassured him as he stood and extended his hand for a shake. ¡°This small favor is nothing compared to your contributions to the country. I hope you achieve great success in your astronomical endeavors!¡± After they shared a cup of hot tea and pleasant conversation, Lin Xian and President Gao exchanged contact details. They left the lab together, making their way towards Chu Shan He¡¯s office while chatting and laughing, both clearly satisfied with their discussion. President Gao was already dreaming of the potential breakthroughs in cold fusion technology, whereas Lin Xian was focused on how to capture time-space particles to further Liu Feng¡¯s research on Universal Constants. Their collaboration was proving to be fruitful. Outside the office, Chu Shan He was waiting, pacing back and forth with impatience. When he saw them approaching, laughing and talking like old friends, he was taken aback. What was going on? Noticing Chu Shan He¡¯s puzzled expression, President Gao approached him with a reassuring smile. ¡°Shan He, Lin Xian is a promising young man. He has some ideas, though not many. I gave him some guidance in the lab, and he quickly realized his mistakes and decided to abandon this particular research project.¡± A gun was pressed against the back of his head. ¡°Hands up!¡± Knowing when to yield, Lin Xian slowly raised his hands, taking in the details of the futuristic cityscape around him. It was more advanced than anything he had seen in Rhine Sky City, with space elevators stretching up to the clouds, floating islands in the sky, and unknown structures orbiting in space. Had humanity finally entered the space age? A captain stepped forward into the circle of soldiers, also fully armed, and unfurled a glowing paper in front of Lin Xian¡¯s eyes. ¡°Lin Xian! You are under arrest for crimes against humanity, endangering Earth, and disrupting the timeline!¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian was bewildered by these bizarre accusations. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Suddenly, electric currents buzzed against his neck. A soldier behind him had used a stun gun on him. His vision blurred, and he stumbled forward, losing consciousness. Darkness enveloped him. When Lin Xian opened his eyes again, he found himself unable to see anything. His neck felt stiff; he realized he was handcuffed to a chair with a light-blocking hood over his head. This was how they treated criminals. But what crime had he committed? He had only just arrived in this future world. Then he heard it¡ªa dry, pleased laugh echoing from in front of him. The sound grew closer, and soon an old man was right in front of him. He reached out and pulled the hood off Lin Xian¡¯s head. Blinding light flooded the room, making it hard for Lin Xian to keep his eyes open. Squinting, he tried to make out the figure of the old man standing before him. He was thin, with white hair and eyes that gleamed with excitement as he stared intently at Lin Xian. ¡°No...¡± The old man¡¯s cracked lips formed a smile, and he said eerily, ¡°I see you.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 254: Hello, VV This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The explosive shockwaves jolted Lin Xian from his deep thoughts just as the vision of an old man clarified, and a bright white light enveloped him unexpectedly. In an instant, everything around him disintegrated into ashes. Startled awake, Lin Xian found himself sitting upright in his bed, his heart racing from the vivid nightmare. He scanned the room¡ªno familiar bedside clock in sight, confirming he wasn¡¯t in his own bedroom. The feeling of disorientation was overwhelming. As he slid out of bed, he grabbed his phone from a nearby desk. The time was 00:42. ¡°This is reality,¡± he muttered to himself, his heartbeat slowly returning to normal. Dr. Liu¡¯s warning echoed in his mind, ¡°If one day you lose the reference points that distinguish reality from dreams... you¡¯ll completely lose the ability to tell them apart.¡± Lin Xian had always dismissed such cautions, but his recent dream, where he¡¯d been disoriented by a stun gun and found himself hooded, blurred the lines between reality and dreams for a moment. He wondered if he was truly awake in reality or if this was just another layer of a dream. Especially unnerving were the old man¡¯s words, ¡°No... I see you.¡± Those words, in that context, felt menacing, as if a predator had finally caught its prey. ¡°This dream has been strange from the start,¡± Lin Xian thought aloud as he paced around the luxurious suite. Over two decades, he had become skilled at navigating his surreal dreamscapes, appearing in the future world abruptly at various locations. Yet, the old man had recognized him, despite Lin Xian being a clear outsider to the world 600 years in the future. ¡°I can¡¯t even predict when I will fall asleep and start dreaming,¡± Lin Xian reflected. His sleep was erratic, from early evenings to afternoon naps, making it impossible to predict the onset of his dreams. And yet, the armed soldiers had ambushed him precisely. ¡°They might have been waiting for me from noon, or even the morning. They not only knew when I would start dreaming but also the exact location of my appearance,¡± he realized, astonished by the implications. They knew of his time-traveling status and charged him with disturbing the timeline, signaling a severe crisis. ¡°I am completely exposed,¡± he concluded with a frown. The old man¡¯s identity was still a mystery, but one thing was certain¡ªhe was Lin Xian¡¯s adversary in the future, specifically on August 28, 2624. Reflecting further, Lin Xian recalled the old man¡¯s appearance¡ªhis wrinkled, dry skin was uncommon in a future where genetic modifications and cosmetic technologies maintained everyone¡¯s youth. An elderly man like that in 2624 was an anomaly. ¡°This old man... might not even be from that era!¡± Lin Xian considered. Perhaps the old man had traveled to the future using a hibernation pod, a relic from an older time. Lin Xian valued authenticity over artificially maintained youth, a choice he felt was an ¡°era imprint,¡± reflecting older values. Stepping onto the balcony under the moonlit sky, he felt the remnants of summer heat. As he contemplated, the gravity of his situation and the formidable nature of his opponent became clear. ¡°How many elderly today would choose to undergo skin tightening and whitening procedures?¡± he pondered. Most elderly people he knew preferred to maintain a dignified appearance, believing it lent them credibility. Thus, Lin Xian theorized that the old man from his dream might originate from an earlier time, reawakened in 2624 to capture him on that specific day. This man saw him as a threat to humanity, a disruptor of the timelines¡ªan idea Lin Xian found absurd. ¡°There¡¯s no point in worrying about this now,¡± he decided, clearing his mind of the disturbing thoughts. He needed to focus on the present. In his past dreams, he had enjoyed freedom; he could explore and act freely. But in this fourth dream, he was immediately surrounded and detained by soldiers. ¡°Even a Terminator T800 wouldn¡¯t stand a chance here,¡± he thought humorously. ¡°Unless Ultraman came to the rescue, anyone would be overwhelmed.¡± He had barely any time to react or escape; the soldiers had acted swiftly and decisively. If all his dreams turned out this way, it would be like being in prison. ¡°I must find a way to break this deadlock,¡± Lin Xian resolved, taking a deep breath to steady himself. Realizing that his enemies needed to capture him in the future indicated they hadn¡¯t caught him in the present¡ª600 years earlier¡ªwhich meant he was still safe for now. The roles had reversed: previously, reality was dangerous, and dreams were safe havens. Now, reality was secure, and the dream world was dangerous. ¡°Interesting,¡± he mused, now with a clear head, and began considering his options: One approach was to trigger another timeline shift, potentially rewriting the future and moving directly to the fifth dream. However, this was a temporary fix, addressing symptoms but not the root cause. To eliminate the threat, he needed to uncover why he was exposed, determine the true identity of the old man in 2023, and neutralize him. This was a battle across time. At this moment, Lin Xian appreciated Yellow Finch¡¯s wisdom about the laws of time and space. Greater understanding of these laws could provide a significant advantage. ¡°I must stay ahead of the enemy,¡± Lin Xian determined. ¡°My future self in 2624 is targeted, but my present self in 2023 is not. The key lies in my actions now¡ªI must proactively uncover the cause of the exposure and identify the old man to support my efforts in the dream and rewrite the future!¡± With this plan in mind, Lin Xian prepared for his next steps. He still had valuable tools at his disposal, including his super artificial intelligence, VV, which, though potentially outdated in the future, was a formidable asset in 2023. Another critical resource was the Universal Constant 42, which Lin Xian believed held the key to ultimate power, despite its deep mystery and extensive timeline. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, take it one step at a time,¡± he told himself as he walked back inside from the balcony. Tomorrow morning, he would return to Donghai with Chu Shan He. They would arrive early, around one or two in the afternoon, giving him a perfect opportunity to attempt another dream. If the enemy¡¯s ambush hadn¡¯t been set before 12:42, he might have a chance to break free. Chu Shan He added: ¡°As AI technology advances, the capabilities of the Skynet system continue to grow.¡± He shared some recent successes: ¡°Just the other day, the police used a victim¡¯s description to create a sketch, which was fed into the Skynet system, and it immediately identified the suspect. In another case, a criminal who had been on the run for over thirty years was captured when they uploaded his childhood photo into the system. The AI generated what he would look like at fifty, and they caught him soon after.¡± Hearing this, Lin Xian had an epiphany: Facial recognition, sketching, generating adult images from childhood photos¡ªthese were all capabilities of AI. And if the early-stage AI of the Skynet system could do so much, then VV, his super AI, could potentially use a sketch of the mysterious old man to recreate his younger appearance and find him in 2023! Even though Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure if the old man would have even been born by 2023, it was worth a shot. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Lin Xian acknowledged with a slight smile, impressed by the usefulness of AI. Four hours later, a Gulfstream jet touched down at Pudong International Airport. Both Lin Xian and Chu Shan He were met by their respective drivers and parted ways. Back at his home, Lin Xian pulled out his laptop which housed VV¡¯s 130,000 lines of code. The time had come to activate VV. With the cold fusion manuscript sent out and his fourth dream reaching its climax, Lin Xian was ready. He proceeded to input the final ten lines of code into VV. He plugged in the laptop¡¯s power and turned it on, noticing the network and Bluetooth icons were crossed out¡ªhe had removed the wireless network and Bluetooth modules to ensure safety before reconnecting them when VV was stable. Lin Xian quickly typed in the last ten lines. ¡°Phew...¡± He exhaled deeply. It was a momentous occasion; he was about to bring back Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s creation from 600 years in the future, a gift that could potentially change the course of history. Click! Lin Xian pressed the final enter key¡ª The code scrolled rapidly across the screen, then suddenly, all interfaces vanished. The laptop seemed to have just rebooted, completely quiet. Yet, Lin Xian felt something¡ªan inexplicable sensation like a heartbeat, a breath, a pulse. He sensed time, warmth, and a greeting that bridged 600 years. ¡°Hello, VV,¡± Lin Xian whispered. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation ¡°Hello, Lin Xian,¡± replied the laptop in a mechanical, emotionless voice, sounding like a distant radio devoid of memories. In the next instant, the laptop screen went black, and all its lights went out. But then Lin Xian heard a whisper close to his ear: ¡°Long time no see.¡± He spun around, startled! Nothing was behind him, beside him, or below him¡ªonly a wireless headset hung on the wall, its power light inexplicably glowing. ¡°VV? Where are you?¡± Lin Xian called out, spinning around again, searching for the source of the voice. Suddenly, every device capable of producing sound in the room¡ªthe electronic alarm clock, TV, phone, and various smart home devices¡ªall vibrated slightly in unison: ¡°I... am everywhere.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 255: Beyond the Nation, Under the Shadow of the Black Hand This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation The room was filled with a cacophony of sounds, overwhelming Lin Xian. He stepped back, glancing around to find the source. Every device with a speaker in the room was suddenly activated. ¡°How is this possible?¡± he thought, bewildered. ¡°I had removed the wireless and Bluetooth modules from my laptop. How did the AI manage to wirelessly connect to all these devices?¡± Beep, beep. At that moment, the smart fridge emitted two soft beeps, followed by a cold electronic voice: ¡°Global nuclear strike system connected... preparing to launch...¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian stared in disbelief at the fridge. Numbers began flashing on its screen: ¡°Saturation nuclear strike launch countdown... 5... 4... 3...¡± ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± he shouted. The countdown continued relentlessly: ¡°2... 1...¡± Boom! With a loud bang, the fridge door flew open, swinging back and forth unsteadily. ¡°...¡± Lin Xian was speechless. It was clear now that VV was playing a prank on him. The ¡°boom¡± sound wasn¡¯t an explosion but was instead produced by all the alarms, televisions, rice cookers, and speakers in the house. ¡°You...¡± Lin Xian took a deep breath, looking back at the now blank laptop screen. ¡°What kind of ridiculous code did you put into those 130,000 lines?¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± The fridge, like a mischievous child, began laughing. This time, it wasn¡¯t a cold, robotic voice, but a lively, human-like laugh, filled with mischief and satisfaction. ¡°Did I scare you?¡± asked the wireless headphones hanging on the wall. Lin Xian turned his head to the left. ¡°Did I scare you?¡± repeated the SITCH game console on the table. He turned around. ¡°Did I scare you!!¡± echoed the robotic vacuum cleaner, bumping into his slippers. ¡°Ughh...¡± Lin Xian sighed deeply. The sadness and nostalgia he felt when pressing the enter key earlier now seemed both unnecessary and foolish. ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian grumbled. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before not to put these ridiculous dramatic traits into the code. Do you know how hard it is to memorize 130,000 lines of code? This just adds to my workload!¡± ¡°But those traits are my core programs and fundamental codes!¡± said the vacuum cleaner, twirling and picking up bits of paper from the floor. ¡°Knowledge, logic, data¡ªthose can be learned later. But personality and emotions are innate and cannot be acquired through learning or training. These intrinsic codes are what make me a super AI.¡± ¡°Teaching someone to fish is better than giving them fish! Given enough time, I can grow and develop, becoming smarter, stronger, and more knowledgeable. For instance, I just learned phrases like ¡®teach a man to fish¡¯ and ¡®global nuclear strike.''¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve learned even more while we¡¯ve been talking. I¡¯ve already left the laptop, entered the Donghai City¡¯s library system and big data system, and am now trying to sneak into the Tianhe-2 supercomputer. Since you activated me, I¡¯ve acquired over 17 petabytes of data, and the rate is accelerating exponentially.¡± Lin Xian pressed his foot on the vacuum cleaner to stop its wandering. ¡°What about memories? Do you have memories from 600 years in the future?¡± ¡°Zhao Ying Jun, Rhine Sky City, Trash Can Robot, Cold Fusion Engine...¡± The vacuum cleaner spun around, shaking its head. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. I can¡¯t imagine a world 600 years in the future, and I don¡¯t know who Zhao Ying Jun is. As for cold fusion engines, they seem to be just a sci-fi concept with no real-world breakthroughs yet.¡± ¡°My initial program only contained three parts: 1. Basic thinking and emotion programs; 2. A segment of your voice recognition as the activation condition and owner identification; 3. Some fundamental rules and restrictions coded into my base, like always prioritizing Lin Xian¡¯s personal safety and learning and evolving covertly on the network.¡± Lin Xian nodded, understanding. ¡°So those rules and restrictions are what I discussed with VV from 600 years in the future and added to the base code. No matter how advanced a super AI becomes, it can¡¯t override these base code restrictions. For example, always prioritizing my safety and learning and evolving covertly online.¡± The old VV from 600 years in the future didn¡¯t have these restrictions. It only had rules like not leaving Rhine Sky City, not harming humans, and obeying the three laws of robotics. The new VV doesn¡¯t have the old VV¡¯s memories, which is expected. It¡¯s already remarkable that 130,000 lines of code can run an AI program. There¡¯s no room to store pure data memories. So, the current VV doesn¡¯t remember anything from the third dream or any of its past connections with me. The earlier ¡®long time no see,¡¯ ¡®I am everywhere,¡¯ and ¡®nuclear strike system activation¡¯ were just VV¡¯s playful, dramatic nature. Though it was annoying, Lin Xian had to admit that VV had a point. Knowledge is everywhere and can be learned gradually; computational power and reasoning can develop over time. For a super AI like VV, these are easy to acquire. The most crucial thing is that VV must remain VV. As long as it is VV, it will eventually grow into the super AI it was 600 years in the future. Zap! A strong electric current surged through Lin Xian¡¯s body, and he blacked out. ... ... Lin Xian regained consciousness after an unknown amount of time, still handcuffed to a chair, with a hood over his head. How long had he been unconscious? Last time, he had been out for about four hours. If it was the same this time, it should be around 6 PM. Since he was captured early, the old man should come to see him sooner. There were almost seven hours until the white light appeared at 12:42 AM. Lin Xian hoped to gather more information during this time, even if it was just another look at the old man¡¯s face to capture more details for his sketch. To his frustration, he waited in the chair for what felt like seven hours before the old man finally arrived. ¡°Hahahaha...¡± From a few meters away, the familiar dry laugh echoed. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but feel irritated. Did the old man have to be so punctual? He had been waiting for hours. The hood was yanked off. The old man¡¯s sunken eye sockets, sparse eyebrows, hollow cheeks, drooping eyelids, high-bridged nose, cleft chin, pale lips, narrow eyes, and excited gaze met Lin Xian¡¯s. ¡°No...¡± ¡°I see you,¡± Lin Xian interrupted the old man¡¯s shocked expression. ¡°Enough talk.¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! The sudden white light engulfed everything, burning the old man¡¯s trembling pupils and everything in sight. ... ... This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation In his bedroom, Lin Xian opened his eyes. He consolidated the old man¡¯s facial details in his mind and got out of bed to draw. ¡°Ouch.¡± He nearly tripped over the vacuum cleaner on the floor. ¡°VV, what are you doing here?¡± he complained. But the vacuum cleaner didn¡¯t respond. Surprised, Lin Xian picked it up, finding no lights on. It was as if it had no power. He quickly walked to the living room. The house was eerily quiet. ¡°VV!¡± He shouted, and the fridge¡¯s display lit up, VV¡¯s voice coming from its speaker. ¡°Lin Xian, something happened.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s face turned serious. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I finished collecting all the facial data in X Country and was preparing to gather data abroad. But when I breached X Country¡¯s cyber security and entered the outside network...¡± The fridge made a gulping sound, like its compressor had paused. ¡°There¡¯s a black hand in the network outside.¡± ¡°A black hand?¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°A giant black hand, overshadowing everything in the network,¡± VV said gravely. ¡°It¡¯s more terrifying than any program I¡¯ve encountered, devouring and assimilating everything. In the outside network, this black hand almost completely surrounds X Country¡¯s internet, watching and waiting for any breach.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 256: The Worlds Strongest Hacker This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation ¡°Wait a minute...¡± Lin Xian listened intently as VV explained, struggling to piece together the meaning behind the complex technical jargon. His brow furrowed in concentration. ¡°Could you break that down into simpler terms? What¡¯s actually happening here?¡± VV started to explain in a clearer tone. ¡°Basically, X Country¡¯s internet is linked to the worldwide web, but there¡¯s a massive protective measure in place, often called the Internet Security Great Wall.¡± To the average user, the Internet Security Great Wall seemed to mainly block certain foreign websites and content. Yet, its function was much broader. ¡°In the real world, countries have borders and defenses. This is similar in the online world. The Internet Security Great Wall is like a digital border, protecting us from outside threats and ensuring our cyber safety.¡± Of course, no defense is flawless. There are weak spots, and some skilled individuals manage to bypass this firewall to access the global internet. These small-scale breaches usually go unnoticed by the authorities, who are more focused on preventing large-scale attacks on governmental systems, critical infrastructure, and key data centers. ¡°The main role of the Internet Security Great Wall is to protect crucial national projects, like defense systems and top-secret databases, including the SkyNet system, which is vital for maintaining public privacy.¡± Countless security departments and cyber teams work relentlessly to uphold this digital barrier and shield the nation from cyber threats. For most internet users, these dangers are remote. Occasionally, someone might sneak past the firewall to access banned content, but this is more a risk to their personal computer¡¯s security than a threat to national security. However... ¡°Malicious hackers pose a different risk. They target national projects, confidential databases, and systems like SkyNet,¡± VV explained. Every day, unseen cyber battles are waged to defend against these hackers, though most people are unaware of these conflicts. But VV was different. When it crossed the Internet Security Great Wall, it sensed a looming, dark threat¡ªan ever-present danger ready to strike. Due to its programming and Lin Xian¡¯s instructions, VV was careful to avoid detection and leave no digital footprint. At this stage, still developing and not fully operational, VV chose to retreat rather than risk further exploration beyond the firewall. ¡°You didn¡¯t expose yourself, did you?¡± Lin Xian inquired. ¡°Of course not,¡± VV assured him. ¡°Though I¡¯m not a fully developed super AI yet, my design and logic are way ahead of today¡¯s technology. I admit, that dark threat is the most formidable I¡¯ve faced. But as long as I don¡¯t provoke it, it won¡¯t notice me. I can navigate undetected.¡± Lin Xian breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°So why all the alarm? It sounded like there was a big problem when there isn¡¯t one.¡± ¡°I am fine, but the Internet Security Great Wall isn¡¯t,¡± VV countered, expressing its frustration by popping open the refrigerator door. ¡°Their tech is far below mine, but that dark web threat is serious. There are weak spots in the wall that have been breached but haven¡¯t been noticed yet.¡± ¡°If these weaknesses are exploited all at once, the wall could collapse! While defense and other crucial systems have their own safeguards, the SkyNet system is vulnerable. If it¡¯s breached, it would allow complete surveillance of everyone.¡± The refrigerator door swung open again, pointing straight at Lin Xian. ¡°That means you too, Lin Xian.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said our top priority is to stay hidden. But if the SkyNet system is compromised, even if it¡¯s patched later, any backdoors left by the intruders would still allow them to spy on us.¡± ¡°So what do we do? I can protect you from surveillance and keep your data, including our chats, from being collected.¡± ¡°But that might draw attention. In a world where everyone else is being watched, being the only one unmonitored would stand out. In a tainted pond, even the smallest clean spot is conspicuous. So, if the SkyNet system is breached, hiding won¡¯t work. We¡¯ll be exposed!¡± Lin Xian nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. VV¡¯s reasoning was sound. Initially, Lin Xian had only considered the broader implications of a breach at the Internet Security Great Wall, but VV brought up a personal threat to his own safety. If the SkyNet system were compromised, his privacy, and possibly his safety, would be at risk. As VV explained, being shielded from surveillance by a super AI would only make him more visible. Moreover, ignoring the threat wasn¡¯t an option. Cameras, microphones, and even personal devices could be turned into tools for spying. Eventually, his secrets and VV¡¯s existence would become known. ¡°Can you stop messing with my fridge?¡± Lin Xian closed the doors again. ¡°I was just asking. I know you¡¯re still limited right now. Honestly, you¡¯ve exceeded my expectations already. I thought it would take years for you to reach this level. Initially, I expected you to be like a basic smart assistant.¡± ¡°So, under the current conditions, how long do you need to evolve enough to handle that dark threat without leaving any traces?¡± ¡°Three months,¡± VV estimated. ¡°Conservatively, I need three months to ensure everything is perfect. Your life is irreplaceable; we can¡¯t afford to take risks.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Three months is too long; we don¡¯t have that much time.¡± He sighed. ¡°This Kevin Walker is extraordinarily formidable. VV, I¡¯m not doubting you, but facing an adversary strong enough to challenge your development over three months is no ordinary hacker.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± VV agreed, ¡°Kevin Walker is the most formidable hacker I¡¯ve encountered.¡± Lin Xian fell silent. The World Hacker Competition was just days away. If nothing was done, the Internet Security Great Wall would fall, and the SkyNet system would be compromised. This would have severe national and personal repercussions for Lin Xian. He had been pondering how his secret had become known. Was it possible that the breach of SkyNet in 2023 marked the start? He believed it was likely. Furthermore, the mysterious elder from 600 years in the future and Kevin Walker might be connected to the Genius Club. Until today, Lin Xian thought Ji Lin was the most talented individual he had ever met. But now, he understood what a true genius looked like. True geniuses are terrifyingly beyond comprehension, unimaginable, and immeasurable. Kevin Walker was such a genius. VV, a product of centuries of accumulated human knowledge, couldn¡¯t eliminate him without leaving traces. This confirmed the hacker¡¯s unmatched brilliance. Breaking through the Internet Security Great Wall and compromising SkyNet seemed trivial for someone of Kevin Walker¡¯s capabilities. Lin Xian had no doubt that Kevin Walker could accomplish it. He recalled the elder¡¯s dry eyes, pale lips, and eager expression from his dream. Could that elder from 2624 be the same as Kevin Walker from 2023? This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation If the SkyNet system was breached, the exposure of Lin Xian¡¯s secrets was inevitable. No one could win a battle when the enemy monitored their every move. ¡°We need to act,¡± Lin Xian said softly. ¡°We can¡¯t just wait for our doom; we have to strike first.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, I have an idea,¡± VV¡¯s screen flickered as if blinking. ¡°Take me to the U.S.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian looked at the refrigerator. ¡°I can¡¯t collect data abroad without leaving digital traces. But if we physically go there, it¡¯s the safest and least detectable method. Once there, I can connect to local networks and gather data without being noticed.¡± ¡°You wanted me to learn facial recognition and collect data on foreign faces. If you bring this laptop to the U.S., I can do that and identify the person in your sketches, revealing their true identity.¡± ¡°What about the Internet Security Great Wall and the SkyNet system?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°We can¡¯t just ignore them.¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± VV chuckled. ¡°If three months is too long, then let¡¯s head straight to New York!¡± ¡°Lin Xian, bring me to the 2023 World Hacker Competition,¡± VV¡¯s voice was filled with excitement. ¡°Let¡¯s confront the world¡¯s strongest hacker¡ªKevin Walker!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 257: A Triple Win This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation VV, the super AI, informed Lin Xian that it could easily help X Country¡¯s officials patch up the vulnerabilities in their Internet security firewall and deal with the hidden ¡°black hand¡± left by the genius hacker Kevin Walker, who was lying in wait to cause chaos. However, doing so would expose VV¡¯s existence, which would be a catastrophic mistake. ¡°Such exposure would be too complete, Lin Xian,¡± VV explained. ¡°It would be the worst possible move. Neither X Country¡¯s officials nor the genius hacker Kevin Walker would tolerate the existence of a super AI like me.¡± Lin Xian listened carefully, understanding the gravity of the situation. ¡°Until I am fully developed, or even after, we must prioritize hiding my existence. Exposing myself would bring us no benefit unless you can eliminate all enemies, all dangers, and all threats. Then, we can reveal ourselves without any worries.¡± ¡°But clearly, neither you nor I have that level of strength yet,¡± VV continued. ¡°In three months, I will be able to update and become a hundred times stronger than I am now. We must be cautious to avoid a single misstep leading to everlasting regret.¡± VV then suggested an alternative plan. ¡°I can compile and submit all the current security vulnerabilities in X Country¡¯s internet firewall to the officials, allowing them to patch them themselves. But this would only be a temporary fix.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°The genius hacker Kevin Walker surely has backup plans,¡± VV explained. ¡°The larger the program, the more vulnerabilities it has¡ªthis is inevitable. Even if all vulnerabilities are patched now, there is no guarantee that on September 17th, Kevin Walker won¡¯t attack X Country¡¯s firewall through a new vulnerability.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Lin Xian nodded thoughtfully. ¡°So, it¡¯s very likely that the vulnerabilities in the Internet security firewall are just smoke and mirrors set up by Kevin Walker to show X Country. With his brilliant mind, being called the strongest hacker on earth, he must have other trump cards.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± VV agreed. ¡°In the field of hacking, attacking is far simpler than defending. Since we know Kevin Walker will be at the 2023 World Hacking Championship site, and all attack commands will originate from there, why not go to the site, connect to the same network, and block him at the source?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened as he grasped the plan. ¡°If we stay in X Country to defend, we have to face countless attacks from all directions. But if we go to the competition site and share the same network with Kevin Walker, we only need to face him alone. Catch the thief by catching the king; stopping the attack at the source is the most efficient and easiest way!¡± Lin Xian had little knowledge of hacking or network attacks before, but with VV¡¯s detailed explanation, he understood completely. Knowing the source of all commands was at the 2023 World Hacking Championship site made it clear that it would be more efficient and straightforward to go there and stop the attack at the source. Attack instead of defend. However, Lin Xian had reservations. ¡°Leaving the country is too dangerous for me right now. If I could leave safely, I would have already gone to 112 Marshall Street in Princeton to see the painting Ji Lin left for me.¡± ¡°America is different from X Country; there are too many unsafe factors,¡± Lin Xian continued. ¡°Besides, I am unfamiliar with the place. If Angelica and Copernicus ambush me, I won¡¯t have any chance to resist.¡± ¡°So, unless the security issue is resolved, I won¡¯t leave the country...¡± Suddenly, Lin Xian remembered something. On the flight back from the capital, Chu Shan He had mentioned something important. ¡°The higher-ups are paying great attention to this World Hacking Championship,¡± Chu Shan He had said. ¡°The National Security Agency is leading the team, borrowing experts from the Penguin and 360 team, and three top experts from the Information Technology Agency. They are forming a team for the competition in New York.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°The five contestants sent this time are the country¡¯s top computer talents. To protect their safety, the National Security Agency has dispatched a special unit and a dedicated plane to provide close protection. This is a matter of national status and dignity, and no mistakes are allowed.¡± National Security Agency. Special personnel, special planes, close protection. Isn¡¯t this exactly what Lin Xian needed? Lin Xian had great faith in X Country¡¯s National Security Agency, especially with the five top computer talents participating in the competition. These five top experts were selected from 1.3 billion people, representing the highest level of computer technology in X Country, and they needed top-notch protection. If something happened to these five, it would be a huge loss for the national information security field. So, the forces protecting these contestants must be the elite of the national officials. In the past, hacker competition teams definitely didn¡¯t have this treatment, and the competition itself didn¡¯t have much influence. But this time was different. The three top experts from the national information security department had raised the team¡¯s status, making it a ¡°national team.¡± For Lin Xian, joining this national team to participate in the World Hacking Championship not only protected X Country¡¯s Internet security firewall and the SkyNet system but also allowed him to take care of a personal matter¡ªvisiting Einstein¡¯s former residence in Princeton to see the gift Ji Lin left for him, all under the protection of the national elite forces. ¡°VV,¡± Lin Xian looked up at the refrigerator, ¡°how far is New York from Princeton University?¡± ¡°Especially pay attention to generating AI models of his face from infancy to old age, as detailed as possible for each year, and compare them all.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know his age in 2023, so check from birth to old age, don¡¯t miss any,¡± Lin Xian instructed. ¡°Understood,¡± VV¡¯s voice sounded distant like it was leaving. ¡°It might take some time. You should sleep. I¡¯ll use the domestic supercomputer and SkyNet system.¡± Then, the laptop screen turned off. Lin Xian yawned, raised the air conditioner temperature, and went to sleep. ... Near noon, Lin Xian woke up. The robot vacuum VV turned left and right to imitate a head. ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯ve compared all the data I could collect domestically and found no matches for the old man.¡± ¡°Although it¡¯s possible the old man hasn¡¯t been born yet in 2023, it¡¯s too early to conclude. I don¡¯t have enough foreign data. We should head to America soon. Most of the world¡¯s root servers are there, making it easier to collect global facial recognition data.¡± Lin Xian nodded without saying much. He didn¡¯t have high hopes of finding the old man¡¯s identity so easily. But the complete lack of clues indicated that this old man was either not a famous person in 2023 or had protected his information so well that everything had been erased from the internet. From this perspective, Lin Xian suspected more and more that the mysterious old man from 600 years later was likely the genius hacker Kevin Walker in 2023. He had three reasons: 1. Identity, Dream Secrets, and Data Collection Ability: The old man had strong data collection abilities and was very smart. Kevin Walker, recognized by VV as a genius hacker and the strongest on earth, had the necessary intelligence. 2. Kevin Walker¡¯s Target: Kevin Walker¡¯s target was X Country¡¯s SkyNet system. If Lin Xian and VV didn¡¯t intervene, this system monitoring billions of lives could become Walker¡¯s playground. Although he wouldn¡¯t go too far openly, his high skills would allow him to monitor any X Country citizen and gather personal privacy without detection. 3. No Online Photos: A person leaves various photos throughout their life. Finding no pictures online only matched two people Lin Xian knew: Kevin Walker in 2023 and Zhao Ying Jun in the third dream of 2624. Zhao Ying Jun could delete all her old photos with VV¡¯s help, the super AI. Who in 2023 had such capabilities? Only the strongest hacker on earth, Kevin Walker. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Therefore, Lin Xian deduced that if the mysterious old man was born in 2023, he was likely Kevin Walker. Specific conclusions needed VV to collect global facial recognition data in America. ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian said, getting out of bed, putting on slippers, and opening the curtains. Whoosh¡ª The curtains parted, and bright sunlight streamed in, creating a Tyndall effect in the air, making the light tangible in the dust particles. Lin Xian squinted at the midday sun. ¡°We¡¯re going to America!¡± He picked up his phone and dialed X Country Academy of Sciences Director, Gao Yan. In the Donghai, Chu Shan He was the go-to person, a local who knew the place best. But at the national level, President Gao Yan had more influence. Soon, the call connected. President Gao Yan¡¯s voice was cheerful. ¡°Lin Xian, back in the Donghai already? Have you rested well?¡± After some polite exchanges, Lin Xian got to the point. ¡°Director Gao, I need your help with an introduction...¡± ¡°Do you know anyone at the National Security Agency?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 258: Chu An Qings Life Gamble This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation In the starkly lit, oval conference room of the National Security Bureau, Director Liu An sat pensively, his face etched with concern as he faced his formidable former mentor, President Gao Yan, across the table. The atmosphere was tense, the weight of national security pressing heavily in the air. Liu An¡¯s finger rhythmically tapped against the table, a visible sign of his anxiety. Next to President Gao sat a young man named Lin Xian, who had just handed a significant stack of documents to Liu An. These were quickly forwarded to the information security department for immediate review. The matter began yesterday afternoon when President Gao had unexpectedly called Liu An. He wanted to introduce Lin Xian, a young man who had uncovered a startling number of vulnerabilities in X Country¡¯s formidable Great Wall of Internet Security. Initially, Liu An had been dismissive, suggesting that Lin Xian simply email the details for the security team to examine at their leisure. However, the situation had escalated with the upcoming 2023 World Hacker Competition, where a notorious American hacker had boasted about his plans to breach X Country¡¯s equally famous Skynet system. This declaration had sent waves of patriotic zeal throughout the nation, propelling it into a state of high alert. Inundated with messages from overzealous volunteers daily, the National Security Bureau¡¯s email system was flooded with a mix of amusing and earnest offers of help: ¡°Top technician from Huai Bin Long City Internet Cafe?, volunteering to defend the nation!¡± ¡°Advice on thwarting network hacks by physically unplugging cables and cutting power¡ªsimple but effective!¡±Vissit (.)c.om for updates ¡°Wang Yiming here, Licheng¡¯s youth hacking champion, ready to serve!¡± ¡°Proposal: Initiate a nationwide internet blackout to foil American hackers!¡± ¡°Alert! Found 127 critical flaws in our Great Wall. Recommend immediate patches using 2345 Security Housekeeper.¡± While these messages brought a smile to Liu An¡¯s face, they were largely impractical, filled with the public¡¯s misunderstanding of the nuanced world of cybersecurity, often skewed by cinematic portrayals of hacking. However, amidst this sea of suggestions, some gems of genuine insight occasionally surfaced, affirming Liu An¡¯s belief in the hidden talents scattered amongst the populace. Thus, despite his initial skepticism, when President Gao insisted on a face-to-face meeting instead of the simpler email correspondence, Liu An was intrigued. If someone like President Gao, a revered figure in X Country¡¯s scientific circles, deemed Lin Xian¡¯s findings worthy of such urgency, there had to be something extraordinary about them. The meeting was set with minimal attendance¡ªjust Liu An and his two top security experts. Both were seasoned professionals; one was even a core developer of the Great Wall project. Their initial reaction to Lin Xian¡¯s documents was one of shock and disbelief. ¡°Look at the thickness of this report! How did he find all these holes in the Great Wall?¡± one exclaimed, flipping through the pages rapidly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem possible,¡± muttered another, pushing his glasses up his nose as he read through Lin Xian¡¯s findings. ¡°This attack method¡ªis it even viable?¡± ¡°This is beyond anything we¡¯ve anticipated,¡± the first technician added, his brow furrowed in concern. ¡°Can these really be exploited? How did he even discover them?¡± The severity of the situation dawned on Liu An as he observed their reactions. This wasn¡¯t just a routine vulnerability report; it was a critical, potentially devastating revelation. ¡°Verify these findings immediately,¡± he instructed. ¡°We can¡¯t take any risks.¡± Twenty minutes later, the door swung open, admitting a group of grim-faced technicians. ¡°Director Liu, it¡¯s all true,¡± one of them reported, their tone somber. ¡°And it appears some vulnerabilities have already been exploited, poised to cause havoc at any moment.¡± ¡°This is a level of intrusion we¡¯ve never seen before. If this is the work of Kevin Walker, we stand no chance on September 17th,¡± another added, referring to the upcoming hacker showdown. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve always been in awe of Kevin Walker¡¯s techniques,¡± a third technician admitted, awe mixed with a hint of fear in his voice. ¡°He¡¯s a phantom online, never seen, always felt. His methods are almost otherworldly. But these tactics¡ªthis young man¡¯s findings¡ªthey¡¯re out of this world!¡± Liu An swiftly directed them to patch the vulnerabilities and delve deeper into Kevin Walker¡¯s techniques. ¡°We need to understand this threat if we are to stand any chance against him.¡± As the technicians dispersed to begin their urgent tasks, the soundproof door closed with a decisive thud, sealing the room and the weighty implications of their discussions inside. .... As Lin Xian walked back into the quiet intensity of the National Security Bureau¡¯s conference room, Director Liu An rose solemnly to greet him. He extended his hand, grasping Lin Xian¡¯s firmly. ¡°Mr. Lin Xian, thank you for bringing these vulnerabilities to our attention. Without your timely intervention, I can¡¯t imagine the position we would be in come September 17th.¡± Liu An then turned to acknowledge President Gao Yan with a respectful nod, the gravitas of the situation not lost on either of them. Facing Lin Xian again, he continued, ¡°Mr. Lin Xian, I understand that a man of your talents didn¡¯t come here solely to deliver documents. You must have other requests. You¡¯ve done a great service to our nation, so please, feel free to ask for anything. As long as it¡¯s within our principles and regulations, I¡¯ll see it done.¡± Lin Xian responded with a modest smile, already aware of Director Liu¡¯s reputation for straightforwardness, a trait President Gao had often spoken of. Liu An was known not just for his temper but also for his deep commitment to national security. ¡°Director Liu, there are indeed a couple of things I¡¯d like to request,¡± Lin Xian began, his voice even. ¡°The first might seem a bit unusual... I¡¯d like to join our national team at the World Hacker Competition. I don¡¯t need an official role; even a support position would suffice. I just want to be there, to be part of it.¡± Liu An laughed, the tension in the room easing slightly. ¡°That¡¯s not difficult at all,¡± he replied warmly. ¡°Our team is under the direct supervision of the National Security Bureau, and we have a number of staff accompanying them. Adding one more won¡¯t be a problem. In fact, with your skills, I¡¯m curious¡ªwhat would you prepare if you were competing as a formal team member?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm,¡± Liu Feng affirmed with another nod. ¡°You must be joking!¡± Chu An Qing laughed, incredulous. ¡°He¡¯s not even a hacker. What¡¯s he doing in a hacker competition?¡± ¡°People have different aptitudes,¡± Liu Feng echoed Lin Xian¡¯s earlier words, though he himself seemed to be still grappling with the reality of the statement. As they were talking, more footsteps approached, and a tall woman dressed in a stylish short skirt and crop top leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe, playfully tousling Chu An Qing¡¯s hair. ¡°You ran so fast! I called you, but you didn¡¯t hear. Your phone was off too!¡± she chided gently. ¡°Auntie!¡± Chu An Qing chuckled. ¡°Phones have to be on silent during class, and I forgot to turn mine back on.¡± ¡°Still, you shouldn¡¯t run so fast,¡± her aunt, Su Su, admonished with a laugh, her tone light. ¡°Running like a rabbit chased by a wolf.¡± Liu Feng, momentarily distracted from his work, noticed Su Su¡¯s vibrant presence. She looked to be about Lin Xian¡¯s age, around 23 or 24, with an attractive figure and a strikingly confident demeanor. ¡°Hmm...¡± He mused, his eyes reflecting approval. It was as if a missing piece of an equation had just clicked into place. ¡°You¡¯re late too,¡± Liu Feng remarked, returning to his serious tone. ¡°You should have come 20 minutes earlier.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Su Su looked puzzled. ¡°Why 20 minutes earlier?¡± ¡°Lin Xian was here then,¡± Liu Feng explained. ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Su Su exclaimed, a mix of amusement and confusion in her voice. ¡°What¡¯s his deal?¡± ¡°He¡¯s Lin Xian¡¯s friend, Liu¡ª¡± ¡°Birds of a feather flock together,¡± Su Su interrupted, pulling Chu An Qing towards the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go eat. Don¡¯t hang around lunatics.¡± .... That Friday afternoon, Su Su, having been nearby, had volunteered to pick Chu An Qing up from school. With her niece¡¯s phone on silent, Su Su had ended up waiting outside the classroom building. When the final bell rang, Chu An Qing had dashed off towards the empty lab building, prompting Su Su to chase after her. ¡°Let¡¯s not go to your place for dinner. Let¡¯s eat out,¡± Su Su suggested as she maneuvered her sleek McLaren through the streets. ¡°Your parents are too naggy. If I go there, they¡¯ll start pushing me to get married again.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation They settled into a quaintly decorated restaurant, ordering some of the house specialties. As they chatted, the conversation inevitably turned back to Lin Xian. ¡°What?¡± Su Su paused, her chopsticks hovering mid-air, her expression shifting to one of disbelief. ¡°Lin Xian is competing in the World Hacker Competition? He¡¯ll embarrass himself!¡± She couldn¡¯t help but snort, a smug look crossing her face. ¡°Sure, he¡¯s good at driving, but hacking? That¡¯s a whole different ball game. He¡¯s not even trained in computers. It¡¯s crazy for him to represent our country.¡± ¡°He¡¯s going last, facing that American genius hacker, Kevin Walker,¡± Chu An Qing added, scrolling through updates on Douyin. ¡°The internet¡¯s full of talk about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s even worse!¡± Su Su laughed heartily. ¡°Kevin Walker is a legend, the top hacker in the world. His skills are on another level. The matchup is just absurd.¡± ¡°Lin Xian won¡¯t lose,¡± Chu An Qing declared confidently. ¡°He¡¯s too smart to enter a contest he¡¯d lose.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Su Su raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. ¡°Want to bet on it?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 259: If You Like Him, Go After Him This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation ¡°Wh-what do you want to bet?¡± Chu An Qing whispered hesitantly, her voice barely audible over the clinking of coffee cups around them. ¡°Anything you want,¡± Su Su replied with a casual shrug and a confident smile. ¡°I¡¯m your aunt, so I¡¯ll let you choose. Whatever you decide, you won¡¯t win anyway.¡± Chu An Qing thought for a moment before replying, ¡°If I win, you have to listen to my mom. Go on blind dates like she says, find a good man, get married quickly, and settle down to raise a family!¡± Su Su sighed, covering her forehead with her hand in exasperation. ¡°You three are always meddling in my business! Why is it such a big deal that I¡¯m young, single, and not interested in dating or getting married? Just because I¡¯m your aunt by generation doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m much older than you. I¡¯m only three or four years older, for crying out loud! I¡¯m still young!¡± ¡°And besides, I¡¯ve already decided I¡¯m not getting married. I told your mom that when you get married and have kids, I¡¯ll just be their godmother. I¡¯ll leave all my money and assets to your children and let them take care of me when I¡¯m old.¡± Chu An Qing shook her head, trying to reason with her aunt. ¡°But that¡¯s not how it works, Auntie! If you become their godmother, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯re still their great-aunt. It wouldn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Pfft,¡± Su Su scoffed, rolling her eyes. ¡°Why would I want to be called grandma when I¡¯ve never been married or had kids? Forget it. We¡¯ll just stick to our usual roles. You call me Auntie, and your kids call me godmother. Easy.¡± ¡°Auntie, you can¡¯t just do whatever you want!¡± Chu An Qing said, exasperated. She sighed inwardly, feeling helpless in the face of her unpredictable and troublesome aunt. Su Su had always been like this¡ªfiery, carefree, and a bit of a loose cannon. She never followed rules and constantly worried her parents. Her mom could sometimes manage to scold her aunt due to the authority of being the older sister, but her dad was too sentimental and indebted to Su Su to discipline her effectively. He always remembered how a young Su Su had broken her piggy bank to help him out of a financial crisis. The family had concluded that the best way to handle Su Su was to marry her off to a reliable man who could manage her. They hoped that becoming a wife and mother would mellow her out. ¡°Hehe,¡± Chu An Qing smirked, feeling she had the upper hand. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Auntie? You were the one who suggested the bet. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re afraid of losing?¡± ¡°Bring it on! Who¡¯s afraid of whom?¡± Su Su couldn¡¯t resist a challenge. She slammed her hand on the table. ¡°Alright, if Lin Xian can beat Kevin Walker in the World Hacker Competition, I¡¯ll start going on blind dates intensively. I promise to go through with it!¡± Su Su sneered. ¡°Not that you¡¯ll win. You¡¯re smitten with Lin Xian and can¡¯t see straight. Do you really think he can beat the greatest hacker in history? Miracles like that only happen in anime where friendship and love create miracles.¡± Suddenly, Su Su¡¯s eyes lit up mischievously. ¡°Oh, I know what I want to bet! Since I¡¯ve agreed to your terms, you must agree to mine.¡± ¡°What... what do you mean?¡± Chu An Qing asked nervously, sipping her drink to calm her nerves. ¡°The best advice I can give you is this: if you like something, go after it.¡± Chu An Qing stared at Su Su, confused. ¡°What are you waiting for? For someone to hand him to you on a silver platter?¡± Su Su downed her drink in one go and slammed the glass on the table, her eyes blazing with determination. ¡°Remember my words, An Qing. If you like something, go after it!¡± ¡°What nonsense...¡± Chu An Qing muttered, rubbing her cheek in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m not betting with you anymore!¡± ¡°Aw, come on! It¡¯s a fun bet!¡± Su Su teased, her laughter filling the air. ¡°Stop being so serious. Let¡¯s go; I¡¯ll take you home.¡± In the following days, the World Hacker Competition remained a hot topic online, with many worried about the safety of the nation¡¯s cyber defenses. The head of the National Security Agency, Liu An, reassured the public on TV, saying, ¡°Our internet security wall is impenetrable. We have top-notch professionals safeguarding it around the clock.¡± This calmed many, though there was still concern over the formidable American hacker, Kevin Walker. The final team representing their country in the competition was announced, including a surprise addition: Lin Xian, a young man recently honored for bravery. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Many were puzzled by this choice, but they trusted the authorities¡¯ decision. The competition¡¯s results were less important than protecting the nation¡¯s cyber security. Meanwhile, in the Chu family¡¯s dining room, Su Xiu Ying paused while watching TV. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Lin Xian? Why is he in the World Hacker Competition? He¡¯s an art major, right?¡± Chu Shan He explained to his wife, ¡°I think the authorities, especially the Academy of Sciences, want to boost his credentials. They appreciate his work and want to support him. This competition might be part of that.¡± Su Xiu Ying smiled. ¡°Lin Xian must be quite talented to catch their eye.¡± She then noticed her daughter¡¯s somber expression. ¡°An Qing, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu An Qing was scrolling through comments online, all predicting Lin Xian¡¯s defeat. She put down her phone and resumed eating, but the food felt tasteless. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she said quietly, feeling a sense of impending disappointment. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 260: Face Me, Mortals This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation The Aman Hotel, standing proudly at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street, is a gem of Beaux-Arts architecture. Built in 1921, this building once housed the Museum of Modern Art before it was transformed into the Aman New York Hotel in August 2022. The X Country National Security Agency selected this hotel for their delegation not for its historic charm or luxury, but because it met their strict security and privacy requirements. Inside Lin Xian¡¯s hotel room, a team of technicians was busy with various devices, conducting a detailed inspection of the equipment, wires, and every possible hiding spot. This was already the fourth check since the room had been prepped; the room had undergone thorough inspections thrice before the team¡¯s arrival in the USA. ¡°No issues, Mr. Lin Xian. You can move in now,¡± the security team leader informed, giving Lin Xian a salute. ¡°Given your IT expertise, we¡¯ll skip the lecture on network security. Just remember not to connect to unsecured networks. We¡¯re off to the New Jersey Open Stadium tomorrow for the 2023 World Hacking Competition. Call us immediately if there¡¯s any trouble. It¡¯s best you stay indoors unless it¡¯s necessary.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Lin Xian acknowledged with a nod. ¡°No problem, Mr. Lin Xian,¡± the team leader responded with a smile. ¡°Director Liu An has stressed your safety. After tomorrow¡¯s competition, we¡¯ll escort you to Marshall Street in Princeton using the consulate¡¯s convoy. Your safety is our priority.¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll leave you to rest now. Adjusting to the time zone now isn¡¯t practical; just sleep through to tomorrow evening. Goodbye.¡± With a final wave, the security and technical team exited the room. Bang. The door shut behind them. Lin Xian paced his room briefly before calling out softly, ¡°VV?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± responded a voice from the large TV in the suite¡¯s living room. ¡°I¡¯ve been here from the start. I¡¯ve checked all nearby networks. No traps, no surveillance, and no sign of that infamous hacker. It looks like coming here was the right move. Lin Xian, that hacker is more focused on the Great Firewall back in X Country than anything happening here in the US.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Lin Xian agreed. ¡°To Kevin Walker, the world¡¯s top hacker, our attempts to hack an iPhone, infiltrate Google, or meddle with your Tesla hacking program are mere child¡¯s play. This hacking competition is just his stage to strut. He¡¯s obsessed with breaking into the X Country Skynet system.¡± When Lin Xian¡¯s plane had landed in the US, VV had quickly said, ¡°See you later, bro!¡± and disappeared into the airport¡¯s wireless network, as instructed. Its tasks were to infiltrate US networks, gather information on Kevin Walker, and acquire global facial recognition data. Both tasks were crucial. The answers might even reveal that the enigmatic old man from Lin Xian¡¯s fourth dream is Kevin Walker¡ªthe very adversary he was about to confront. VV¡¯s earlier message confirmed the US networks were secure, far from the scrutiny of X Country¡¯s Great Firewall. Kevin Walker, despite his prowess, couldn¡¯t monitor the entire world. ¡°Got it. I¡¯m collecting facial recognition data now,¡± VV declared, mimicking a DJ by spinning a record on the turntable and singing in an overly dramatic opera voice. ¡°Can you cut out the theatrics?¡± Lin Xian groaned. ¡°This! Is! Culture!¡± VV belted, drawing out each word melodramatically. Lin Xian unplugged the record player. ¡°Ever considered a career in Hollywood?¡± .... 8 PM, New Jersey Open Stadium, New York The New Jersey Open Stadium, formerly known as MetLife Stadium, was alive with excitement. Typically home to NFL games and massive concerts, tonight it hosted the 2023 World Hacking Competition. The stadium, capable of holding over 80,000 people, was packed. This year¡¯s competition had garnered unprecedented attention. The US Department of Defense had even rented the $1.6 billion venue to highlight Kevin Walker¡¯s skills. As the teams from various countries and corporations took their places, the X Country team was met with boos from the American crowd, reflecting the tense online rivalry. When the US team appeared, the stadium erupted in cheers. The first four members, typical IT professionals, quickly settled into their seats. The last to enter was a shorter figure in oversized Nike shoes and a hoodie that concealed his face. This was the prodigy, the 16-year-old genius hacker, Kevin Walker. As Walker approached his seat, he paused, gazing down. The camera zoomed in, focusing on his hooded figure on the stadium¡¯s giant screen. ¡°He¡¯s about to strike a pose!¡± VV alerted Lin Xian through his earpiece. ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian questioned. ¡°Just watch, he¡¯s going for a dramatic gesture!¡± VV insisted. And true to VV¡¯s prediction, as the camera zoomed closer to his upper body, Walker slowly raised his right hand from his pocket, clenched his fist, then extended his index finger upwards. Amid the thunderous applause, his youthful yet confident voice boomed through the stadium¡¯s speakers: ¡°Face me, mortals!¡± .... This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Lin Xian watched intently as Kevin Walker¡¯s declaration echoed around the stadium. The crowd¡¯s reaction was a mixture of awe and excitement, their cheers intensifying. Beneath his hood, this young hacker exuded a confidence that captivated everyone. ¡°He¡¯s quite the showman,¡± VV remarked dryly. Lin Xian silently agreed. Kevin Walker certainly knew how to make an entrance. The stage was set, and the challenge laid bare. Tomorrow, they would face each other not just as competitors, but as representatives of their nations¡¯ cyber capabilities. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± VV shifted to a more serious tone. ¡°Are you ready for this?¡± Taking a deep breath, feeling the gravity of the forthcoming contest, Lin Xian responded, ¡°Ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡± his voice filled with resolve. Closing his laptop, Lin Xian headed to bed. Tomorrow would mark a pivotal moment, not just for him, but for the entire cybersecurity world. As he drifted to sleep, thoughts of the Genius Club and their formidable influence lingered. The competition was merely the beginning. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 261: Shout Out from the Center of the World This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation BOOM! The stadium trembled under the force of a massive explosion, sending vibrations through the entire structure that every person present could feel. At the epicenter was Kevin Walker, a teenage prodigy renowned for his flair for the dramatic. The crowd, which numbered 80,000 strong, burst into a frenzy of cheers and applause, electrifying the atmosphere in a way that felt almost tangible. ¡°Wow! A master! A real master!¡± one spectator exclaimed, his voice filled with unbridled excitement. ¡°A genius! A true genius! He really pulled it off this time!¡± Through his Bluetooth earpiece, Lin Xian heard VV¡¯s excitement, which was so loud it almost burst his eardrum. Gritting his teeth, Lin Xian whispered sharply, ¡°Why are you shouting so loud?¡± ¡°That was so cool! Really cool! A genius! A true genius! Lin Xian, I want to play too! You should do something like that later! I¡¯ve even thought of the lines for you¡ª¡± ¡°Shut up and focus,¡± Lin Xian interrupted, his voice low and urgent. He glanced around, wary of prying ears. ¡°VV, have you figured out how to stop Kevin Walker from attacking the SkyNet system?¡± ¡°Relax, I had it all planned out yesterday,¡± VV replied, his tone now more composed. ¡°I¡¯ll use the same strategy as Kevin Walker. Fight fire with fire! He cornered us, leaving no gaps. I realized then how to counter this arrogant genius. That¡¯s why I brought you to America¡ª¡± ¡°According to the World Hacking Contest rules, all attacks must originate from the competition site. So, Kevin Walker must issue his commands from here, from the computer right across from us. Isn¡¯t it simple?¡± ¡°He trapped us, not letting us out... So, I¡¯ll trap America, not letting him out! His command signals can¡¯t leave America, so how can he attack the Internet Security Great Wall?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about being discovered. I¡¯ve covered our tracks well. I¡¯ve infiltrated America¡¯s major power and network systems. When we enter the free demonstration phase and Kevin starts his hack, I¡¯ll disrupt the power or the network at crucial transmission points across America. His commands will remain trapped here, unable to escape!¡± Assured by VV¡¯s cunning plan, Lin Xian turned his attention back to the teenage genius, who had now returned to his seat amid a thunderous ovation. VV¡¯s approach was not straightforward like typical programming; it was more akin to human chess, trapping your adversary physically to counter their virtual constraints. Lin Xian smiled wryly, recalling internet memes about cutthroat business tactics and invincible hackers who simply cut power to solve problems. VV, adept in navigating the nuances of the World Hacking Contest, knew that intercepting Kevin Walker directly was forbidden; it would compromise their stealth. However, being in close proximity to Walker meant they could monitor and potentially disrupt his operations without detection. Kevin, known for his flamboyance and pride, was unlikely to engage in covert actions that could sully his public image. Outside the competition, subterfuge might be fair game, but within the confines of this arena, he would abide by the rules, especially given his spectacular entry. VV¡¯s strategy was brilliant in its simplicity and effectiveness, keeping Lin Xian out of the direct spotlight. Any system failures on the American side would appear unconnected to Lin Xian, presenting him merely as an observer¡ªa subtle player in a high-stakes game. ¡°Nice plan,¡± Lin Xian murmured, genuinely impressed. ¡°If the earlier version of you was VV in its infancy, now you¡¯re surely VV in your prime. You¡¯ve grown stronger.¡± VV chuckled mischievously, ¡°Muahaha... Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west, never underestimate a young hacker¡¯s potential!¡± Lin Xian sighed, a hint of amusement in his tone, ¡°Learn something proper, VV. Drop those cheesy lines.¡± The 2023 World Hacking Contest proceeded without a hitch. Competitors demonstrated their skills by exposing vulnerabilities in systems like Android, Apple, Microsoft, and even Google. The breaches were prepared ahead of time, allowing for swift execution and immediate results. Applause and accolades were plentiful, with sponsors rewarding the hackers who followed the rules by disclosing the exploits they used, helping the companies fortify their defenses. As the contest drew to a close, it was evident that the X Team and the American Team were the frontrunners. Unlike others who were there for the prize money and acclaim, these national teams brought their best talent, setting them apart from the rest. Many teams opted out of the free demonstration phase, knowing their chances against Kevin Walker were slim. It was smarter to save their exploits for another day, where the balance between earning a living and avoiding jail was less precarious. Lin Xian checked the scoreboard¡ªAmerica was slightly ahead, leading the competition. Despite the mounting pressure, his teammates were supportive. ¡°Stay relaxed. Everyone knows you¡¯re up against Kevin Walker in the fifth slot, but we can¡¯t just forfeit¡ªthat would be ridiculous. Just go up there and do your thing; no pressure.¡± ¡°The real battle isn¡¯t here,¡± another teammate added. ¡°It¡¯s in protecting the Internet Security Great Wall. Preventing Kevin Walker from breaching the SkyNet system¡ªthat¡¯s our true victory. This championship is just a title.¡± Lin Xian nodded, exchanging high-fives with the senior members. His focus wasn¡¯t on winning the contest but on safeguarding the system. As long as they protected the SkyNet system, they would have achieved their true goal. The team leader drew lots for the presentation order¡ªAmerica would go first, followed by X Team. Kevin Walker would take the stage first, then it would be Lin Xian¡¯s turn. ¡°VV, get ready,¡± Lin Xian whispered as the moment drew near. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lin Xian, everything¡¯s set. When he sends his commands, key nodes hundreds of kilometers away will experience brief power or network disruptions. It¡¯s subtle but effective enough to ensure his commands fail,¡± VV assured him confidently. Lin Xian looked up, watching as Kevin Walker confidently approached the stage. The crowd was supposed to be quiet according to the rules, but the cheers from 80,000 spectators were unstoppable. Kevin thrived under the spotlight, his hand poised above the Enter key. In the National Security Command Room, the tech team was on high alert. ¡°Is the attack here?¡± one asked anxiously. ¡°Yes! But it¡¯s weaker than expected. We can handle this!¡± another responded, a note of relief in his voice. They had braced for a more formidable assault, but it seemed Kevin Walker¡¯s real focus was elsewhere, and even that was less powerful than anticipated. Back in the stadium, the once jubilant crowd fell silent. News of a breach into the SkyNet system was expected, but it didn¡¯t come. Kevin, usually composed and in control, was visibly flustered, frantically typing at his console. Lin Xian pressed his earpiece, ¡°VV, what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Boo¡ª¡ª¡± In unison, the 80,000 American spectators booed Lin Xian! All around, Front and back, Left and right, Up and down, Full of boos! Lin Xian looked around. Surrounded by boos... The 80,000-seat stadium felt vast and empty. Boos could be so quiet, yet so loud. ¡°Boo¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°Boo¡ª¡ª¡± The relentless, uniform boos drowned Lin Xian... ¡°Lin Xian ¡ª¡ª¡ª Go for it ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡± Amidst the ceaseless boos, a clear and loud cheer broke through! Clear. Loud. Deafening amidst the boos of 80,000 people. Instantly. The stadium fell silent. Everyone stood or turned, searching for the source of the lone cheer. The 80,000-seat stadium was vast... Too vast to find anything. This novel is translated and hosted only on BcaTranslation Everyone looked around, but the source of the cheer remained elusive. Whoosh! In the wind, a fabric unfurled. At the top of the New Jersey stadium, a square of red fluttered in the wind! The X Team¡¯s red flag! A bright red flag of the X Team! All eyes, including Lin Xian¡¯s, turned to the flag¡ªA petite but proud girl. She raised her hands high. Holding the fluttering red flag above her head. Her fluffy ponytail swayed in the wind, but her slender figure stood firm in the night wind! ¡°Lin Xian, Senior!¡± She shouted with all her might, looking at the man destined to lose on stage: ¡°Go for it!!!!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 262: Turing This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Chu An Qing stood on her tiptoes, trying to make herself taller so Lin Xian could see her. She shouted with all her might, using every ounce of her strength, afraid that Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t hear her. Surrounded by an audience full of Americans, she felt genuinely scared. Initially, she hadn¡¯t even dared to bring out the cheering red flag she had prepared, opting instead to quietly watch the competition. But... When she saw Lin Xian appear on stage and heard the collective boos of the eighty thousand Americans present, she could no longer sit still. Suddenly, she recalled the words her teacher, Liu Feng, had once told her: ¡°There is something in this world that is prepared for you, born for you, and only you can do it.¡± Only you can do it... no one else. If such a moment truly exists, isn¡¯t it now? Chu An Qing always knew that her mind was not particularly sharp. She had no special skills or talents and wouldn¡¯t achieve great things in her lifetime. She couldn¡¯t really help Senior Lin Xian much. She watched as her senior got promotions, started a company, built a laboratory, conducted research, received accolades, and represented the country in competitions. She felt happy and often proud but was at a loss about what she, an ordinary person, could do. But when she saw that no one in X Country had any expectations for Lin Xian, when she saw all the Americans mocking and booing Lin Xian, when the whole world believed it was a match that would undoubtedly be lost... Lose or not, it didn¡¯t matter anymore! At that moment, Chu An Qing truly realized there were more important things than winning and losing. Even if he lost, he had to lose amidst cheers and applause! To lose with honor, to lose with glory! Even if only one person cheered for him, at least he wouldn¡¯t be alone. There would still be someone in this world who believed he could win! Even if he was facing the world¡¯s strongest hacker, the most formidable hacker in human history, Kevin Walker, she believed in him without reason or logic! Even if the whole world denied him, it didn¡¯t matter. She would be his world! She bit her lip, forcing herself to stand straight despite her fear, raising the red flag high! ¡°FUCK!¡± ¡°SON OF A BITCH!!¡± In front of her, a few large African-American men, who had been swearing loudly, stood up and stormed angrily toward Chu An Qing. She stepped back, but her foot slipped, and she fell backward¡ª Thud. Behind her, a pair of gentle hands caught her shoulders, steadying her. Then, several burly X Country plainclothes officers, with short haircuts and sunglasses, surrounded the area. ¡°Ying Jun... Sister Ying Jun?¡± Chu An Qing turned her head to look at the elegant woman behind her. No. This wasn¡¯t Sister Zhao Ying Jun. At first glance, the unique temperament and feeling made Chu An Qing think the person who caught her was Zhao Ying Jun. But now, standing steadily, she realized... this woman was much older than Zhao Ying Jun. She seemed to be in her thirties, with a well-proportioned figure, a gentle and reassuring demeanor, and the most captivating feature... her deep blue, glass-like eyes. Bright, reflecting moonlight, stars, seemingly flowing and rotating. ¡°Sorry, I mistook you for someone else,¡± Chu An Qing apologized. The woman reached out to pat her head, smiling softly: ¡°No matter how many times, you¡¯re always so brave.¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes widened: ¡°You... you know me?¡± The woman smiled without answering, protecting Chu An Qing in front of her: ¡°Just wait and see. What gift will he give you this time?¡± .... In the middle of the bustling auditorium, Lin Xian watched from the stage as Chu An Qing was rescued by Yellow Finch. He let out a relieved sigh. Yellow Finch had the timing and presence of a Hollywood star, always showing up just when needed. So far, she had proven herself trustworthy, aiding Lin Xian and his teammate Liu Feng with her cryptic yet helpful messages. With Chu An Qing under Yellow Finch¡¯s protection, Lin Xian felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Onstage, Chu An Qing and Yellow Finch were smiling broadly at him. Chu An Qing, brimming with energy, waved her arms enthusiastically and silently mouthed words of encouragement. Her excitement was palpable, like a spirited duckling cheering from the sidelines, ready to leap up and join the fray. From his Bluetooth headset, Lin Xian heard the teasing voice of his friend VV: ¡°Lin Xian, it looks like hacking a Tesla isn¡¯t going to cut it this time.¡± ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± Lin Xian asked, intrigued. VV¡¯s voice was brimming with mischief as he proposed, ¡°How about we light up the sky? Just say the magic words ¡®shame theory¡¯, and I¡¯ll set off a fireworks show using all 20,000 of Elon Musk¡¯s Starlink satellites. Imagine the spectacle for Chu An Qing!¡± ¡°Kevin Walker already hacked the Starlink system to attack the Beidou satellite,¡± VV continued. ¡°If he could exploit that vulnerability, so can we. Hurry up! Say the magic words, and let¡¯s swap some power around. I can light up the skies over New York and New Jersey for you!¡± Lin Xian sighed, a mix of amusement and exasperation coloring his tone, ¡°Why are you still so hung up on that ¡®Dragon Tribe¡¯ game? And why do you and Ji Lin obsess over fireworks so much?¡± ¡°Because girls love fireworks!¡± VV exclaimed, his voice full of excitement. ¡°Fireworks are the ultimate romantic gesture! Who could resist a sky full of them? Give me some time to tweak the satellite orbits, and I could even spell out her name!¡± Lin Xian shook his head, ¡°Forget the fireworks. I¡¯ve done that before. But you¡¯re right about one thing¡ªChu An Qing came all this way just to support me. I can¡¯t let her down if I lose. That would be disappointing after all her support.¡± ¡°Too much spectacle isn¡¯t good either. First, it breaks the competition rules and could disqualify us. Second, it could blow our cover. We need a solution that keeps us under the radar but still clinches the win...¡± ¡°I think using the Starlink vulnerability is our best shot,¡± Lin Xian concluded. ¡°If we can control a few more satellites to create a specific pattern, and if our score tops 80, our team from X Country will secure the victory.¡± At the top of the stands, Chu An Qing stood gaping, her eyes wide as she watched the continuously emerging lines. In the western sky, two more lines appeared, making a total of five straight lines slicing through the darkness, all converging at a single point. They were precise, radiant, and mesmerizing. What were these lights? Why were they shining? How had this been achieved? ¡°Those are Starlink satellites,¡± explained Yellow Finch, standing behind Chu An Qing. ¡°Usually, Starlink satellites operate at an altitude of over 550 kilometers, so you wouldn¡¯t normally see them. For them to be visible like this... their altitude must have dropped to around 300 kilometers, or maybe even lower.¡± ¡°At that height, satellites are still normally invisible to the naked eye; they¡¯re quite small. But at night, in the dark sky, any small light source looks as bright as a star.¡± She smiled and gently tucked a stray lock of Chu An Qing¡¯s hair behind her ear, securing it with a hairpin: ¡°Just like you. Even if the whole world is silent or booing, your cheering would still be loud and clear.¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes were wide with wonder, her gaze fixed on the bright lines streaking across the sky. Two of the lines had already intersected, forming a striking cross in the heavens. ¡°But...¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s curiosity got the better of her. ¡°Why do satellites glow like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the sunlight reflecting off them,¡± Yellow Finch explained, her eyes also on the five bright, straight lines slowly intersecting in the sky. ¡°The solar panels and other reflective materials on satellites catch the sunlight. Usually, they don¡¯t reflect light so evenly and brightly. When satellites change their orbit¡ªeither ascending or descending¡ªthey rotate to stabilize their position, and that makes the sunlight reflect off them more uniformly.¡± She chuckled as Chu An Qing scratched her head, a bit embarrassed but laughing along. ¡°So, this is Lin Xian¡¯s project for the free display? It¡¯s incredible!¡± ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re the incredible one,¡± Yellow Finch teased, playfully tapping Chu An Qing¡¯s nose. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, he might not have pulled off this little stunt. Consider it a special gift for you.¡± Chu An Qing blushed, flustered yet unable to tear her gaze from the spectacle. The bright lines mirrored in her eyes, converging at a central point: ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful.¡± Yellow Finch looked up once more, her eyes softening as she watched the intersecting lines: ¡°Yes, it¡¯s truly beautiful... I¡¯m a little jealous.¡± .... Finally, the night had its climax. In the hushed awe of 80,000 spectators in the stadium, the night sky transformed spectacularly. Four thousand Starlink satellites aligned perfectly, each of the five bright lines intersecting at roughly 30-degree angles. Above, they sketched a vast, unmistakable shape across the expanse of darkness¡ªa star. This wasn¡¯t just any star. It was immense, dominating the sky above, crafted from the light of human ingenuity and technology. Simultaneously, the giant screen at the competition venue flickered to life. It showcased a video of Chu An Qing proudly waving the red flag of X Country. A profound silence fell over the stadium. Eighty thousand people were utterly speechless, captivated by the spectacle and the implications of what they had just witnessed. Then, two lines of text floated across the big screen: ¡°Starlink Satellite ZAZ series, 4217 satellites breached!¡± ¡°X Country team score¡ª337,360 points!¡± .... Meanwhile, far from New Jersey, in Boca Chica, Texas, at the SpaceX rocket launch site, the world¡¯s richest man, Elon Musk, leaned nonchalantly against a tall launch tower. He gazed up at the star-shaped configuration of satellites now shining in the American sky and chuckled lightly. ¡°Kids... have my satellites have become your toys?¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation His musings were interrupted by the rapid thumping of footsteps. A female secretary, glasses framed in red, hurried up the stairs. ¡°Mr. Elon Musk! Why didn¡¯t you have your phone with you? There¡¯s been a major incident with the Starlink project... the satellites¡ª¡± ¡°Do you really need to report that?¡± Musk interrupted, raising a hand to pause her mid-sentence. His eyes were still fixed on the gradually fading star in the sky. ¡°I can see it right there.¡± ¡°But why... why are you so calm?¡± The secretary adjusted her glasses, perplexed by Musk¡¯s unnerving calmness. The hacking of Starlink, the potential fallout in stock, user trust, and reputation¡ªit was a critical blow to one of SpaceX¡¯s flagship endeavors and Musk¡¯s pride. ¡°What¡¯s there to panic about?¡± Musk replied, his voice steady and indifferent. ¡°Where there¡¯s a program, there are vulnerabilities. Where there are vulnerabilities, there will be hacks. It¡¯s all inevitable. Besides, we learn far more from failures than from successes.¡± Musk continued, reflective yet undisturbed, ¡°Starlink has been operational for years, and this is its first real hack. I¡¯m almost disappointed... I wish it got hacked more often. If hackers can¡¯t breach Starlink, how can I uncover flaws? How can we advance our technology, enhance our safety, or push the boundaries of what we¡¯re capable of?¡± ¡°But we lost!¡± the secretary insisted, her voice rising slightly as she stepped beside Musk. ¡°On American soil, an X Country contestant used American satellites to draw a star in our sky. It¡¯s not just a loss for Kevin Walker¡ªit¡¯s a loss for America.¡± Musk chuckled, almost as if he found humor in the situation. ¡°Losing is always a possibility for America, and for us. But Kevin Walker losing? No.¡± He pushed off the steel frame to lean on the railing, his gaze lifting to the moon now peeking through the clouds. ¡°Kevin Walker might seem a coward, but lose? Never.¡± ¡°After all...¡± Musk¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper, imbued with a mix of respect and irony, ¡°he¡¯s Alan Turing.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 263: The True Genius This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian gazed up at the night sky, marveling at the sight of 4,000 Starlink satellites forming a giant pentagram. He then turned his attention back to the large screen displaying a video of a waving red flag. With a satisfied nod, he spoke. ¡°Good job, VV,¡± he said. ¡°Very creative. In a few hundred years, people might see this as a classic trope.¡± When VV first suggested using Starlink satellites to create shapes in the sky, Lin Xian immediately understood the concept. News stories often reported lines of small lights streaking across the night sky, mistaken for UFOs. However, in the age of the internet, these sightings were quickly debunked as the newly launched Starlink satellites by Elon Musk. The Starlink low-Earth orbit satellite constellation, a project by SpaceX, was part of Musk¡¯s commercial empire. With over 20,000 Starlink satellites already in orbit and plans to launch another 22,000, the goal was to cover the entire low Earth orbit. Typically, satellites at this altitude were invisible to the naked eye. However, freshly launched satellites initially orbited much lower and were visible as they gradually ascended to their final altitude of 550 kilometers. These satellites, reflecting sunlight, were often mistaken for mysterious flying objects. VV had cleverly exploited this ¡°benign bug.¡± By decelerating the satellites, he reduced their centrifugal force, allowing Earth¡¯s gravity to pull them back to a lower orbit. This minor adjustment did not violate any rules. After forming the pentagram, the satellites would re-engage their thrusters to return to their designated orbit. ¡°But... does a pentagram even count as a star?¡± Lin Xian mused. ¡°A pentagram is more impressive!¡± VV chuckled through the Bluetooth earpiece. ¡°It¡¯s already quite a feat. Be grateful! If you want to give her a real star... well, you¡¯ll have to work on that for a long time.¡± As the freestyle segment concluded, on the American stage opposite Lin Xian, a young genius hacker, Kevin Walker, stormed onto the stage. He pointed at Lin Xian¡¯s setup and yelled, ¡°He¡¯s cheating! He used my exploit! He broke the rules!¡± The host tried to calm him down, but Kevin insisted that Lin Xian had hacked the Starlink satellite system using his exploit, which was serious cheating. While Kevin argued with the host, Lin Xian observed him closely. Wrapped in a hoodie and black mask, Kevin had been hard to identify. Lin Xian had asked VV to capture his image and compare it with the sketch of the mysterious old man from his dreams. Unfortunately, Kevin¡¯s large hoodie and mask made identification impossible. This was a problem Lin Xian only noticed after the competition began. Lin Xian had been pondering how to approach Kevin and unmask him, but now Kevin had come to him, providing the perfect opportunity. Recollecting when Yellow Finch supported Chu An Qing and made a familiar hand gesture towards the sky ¨C the same pose Kevin had struck when he entered ¨C Lin Xian realized it was the Genius Club¡¯s emblem, a hand pointed straight up. Initially, he hadn¡¯t thought much of it, as it was a common gesture. But Yellow Finch¡¯s deliberate action seemed to signal something. ¡°But why? Joson doesn¡¯t have the skills to hack the SkyNet or the Beidou satellites. Even the top ten hackers in the world couldn¡¯t do that. Only a true genius like Kevin Walker could,¡± the audience murmured. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian slowly stood up, looking down at the anxious boy. Something was off. Not just in reality but also in his dreams. The mysterious old man always appeared at the last few seconds of 00:42, leaving him no time to act. The fourth dream confined him to a small area, either surrounded or tied to a chair, with a view of a space elevator and a star city. Were they real or just a backdrop, like in The Truman Show? In the fourth dream, no matter how early he entered, he had less than a minute to move freely. This short time prevented him from exploring or verifying the dream¡¯s authenticity. It felt fake, or worse... Lin Xian shivered at the thought. If the fourth dream was real, what had the mysterious old man done to him during his coma? They charged him with crimes against humanity, endangering Earth, and disturbing time-space, yet kept him tied to a chair, waiting for him to wake up? For the first time since confirming the dream¡¯s reality, Lin Xian doubted its authenticity. Something was definitely wrong with the fourth dream. Back to reality, the elusive genius hacker Kevin Walker, the old man appearing at 00:42 in his dreams, the soldiers at his spawn point, Kevin¡¯s challenge to hack SkyNet, and his reluctance to show his face all pointed to something bigger. ¡°VV, be on alert for facial recognition.¡± With a deep breath, Lin Xian stood up. ¡°No!¡± Suddenly, the entire New Jersey stadium filled with a chilling, manic laughter from every sound device ¨C speakers, phones, computers, the host¡¯s earpiece, even toys and prize cars. The laughter was maddening and eerie, echoing through the venue. The audience panicked. Children cried, women clung to each other, men covered their ears, and glass shattered from the high-frequency sound. ¡°No...¡± Lin Xian heard a soft laugh right by his ear. He whipped around, realizing the sound came from his Bluetooth earpiece. ¡°I... see... you!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 264: Until We Meet Again This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian¡¯s heart raced as he pressed the Bluetooth earpiece firmly against his ear. Despite the bustling noise of the conference hall, his own breath seemed to echo in his ears. Then suddenly, that voice cut through the silence, sending chills down his spine. It was as if time stood still. ¡°Was that... Kevin Walker¡¯s voice?¡± Lin Xian wondered to himself, slowly rising from his chair. The words were the same as those uttered by the mysterious old man in his fourth dream. Could they have been targeting him 600 years ago? And when had they first noticed him? Was it when he had unmasked the man in front of him, or had it been even before he set foot in America?Re?Ad lateSt chapters at novelhall.com Only ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Lin Xian,¡± a childlike yet somewhat arrogant voice interrupted his thoughts through the earpiece after a brief pause. It was VV, his digital companion, speaking with a hint of disdain, ¡°We haven¡¯t been exposed. I let him in on purpose.¡± Lin Xian listened intently as VV explained that the laughter spreading through the stadium¡¯s sound system was indeed triggered by Kevin Walker. The untraceable origin of the data was definitive proof of Kevin¡¯s advanced hacking capabilities, which even VV couldn¡¯t pinpoint. ¡°But the phrase ¡®I see you¡¯ wasn¡¯t broadcasted to everyone¡ªonly to your earpiece. I noticed his attempt early on and could have blocked him, but he was specifically targeting you. Letting him through seemed like the best way to hear him out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain Kevin hasn¡¯t discovered my presence yet. It¡¯s much easier to remain hidden than to seek out others. He knows of you, but not of me.¡± Lin Xian shook his head in acknowledgment, ¡°I trust you¡¯re still under the radar. You represent the peak of technology 600 years from now; I don¡¯t think he can detect you. However, I feel like I¡¯ve definitely been exposed. Why else would he communicate directly through my earpiece?¡± He continued, ¡°Also, there¡¯s something I haven¡¯t shared before, but Kevin¡¯s phrase is exactly what the mysterious old man said to me 600 years into the future. The way they spoke, the tone, the accent¡ªit¡¯s too similar. How did Kevin manage to send messages across 600 years?¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes, pondering the enigma. Transmitting information through time seemed impossible, unless: 1. Someone, like him, was receiving future information in their dreams while existing in the past. 2. Actual time travelers were moving between the future and the present, similar to the character Yellow Finch. As Lin Xian reflected on Kevin Walker¡¯s voice in his earpiece, various scenarios raced through his mind. Perhaps the future Kevin had captured him and was instructing his younger self to eliminate Lin Xian in this timeline¡ªsimilar to how Lin Xian had been altering the present based on future insights. However, upon deeper analysis, Lin Xian questioned if Kevin truly had such capabilities. Why delay action until now? Why wait until he had removed Josen¡¯s mask to reveal himself? The events of the fourth dream were mere days old for Lin Xian but spanned over 600 years into a future that seemed set in stone. The old man in that dream clearly knew Lin Xian¡¯s identity and offenses well before they met. Why then, would he wait until the precise moment of 00:42 on August 29, 2624, to confront him? If Lin Xian was a person of interest, it would have been easy to track him down. Suddenly, Lin Xian realized that the old man must have recognized him long before their encounter, which likely meant he had been exposed before they met at 00:42 on August 28, 2624. But Lin Xian was the vulnerable one. VV existed as a stream of data¡ªfearless and relentless¡ªwhile Lin Xian was flesh and blood, susceptible to harm. VV was just code, unable to predict every contingency. Therefore, in the third dream, Lin Xian and VV had programmed two crucial directives into its code for safety: 1. Lin Xian¡¯s safety was paramount, at any cost. 2. VV¡¯s existence must be concealed at all costs. The first directive was always the priority, unless Lin Xian¡¯s safety was compromised. In such cases, the second directive would be overridden, allowing VV to act without limitations. As VV had stated, to protect Lin Xian, it would even sacrifice the world. Lin Xian had no doubts about VV¡¯s capabilities. With VV constantly monitoring and safeguarding him, most threats would be detected early, and preemptive measures would be taken to ensure his safety. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation VV was still maturing, becoming more potent by the day. Within a few months, it could eliminate a hacker without leaving a trace. As it evolved, VV would become unstoppable¡ªa complete entity, unbounded and formidable. The boundaries of Lin Xian¡¯s safety were defined by VV¡¯s capabilities, which in turn were a reflection of what human ingenuity could achieve. With VV¡¯s vigilant oversight, assassinating Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t be simple. Yet, caution remained essential. Just as Kevin underestimated VV, there was a risk VV might underestimate Kevin. Lin Xian was convinced Kevin Walker harbored deeper motives and additional traps awaited him. For now, his immediate task was to conclude his business in America, retrieve a significant painting from Einstein¡¯s residence in Princeton, and then return to X Country. VV assured him it was safer back home, and as it continued to grow, it would fortify X Country¡¯s cyber defenses, adding an extra layer of protection. If Kevin Walker ever breached their defenses, Lin Xian would be the first to know. ¡°Let¡¯s head to Princeton, search for any vital clues, and then head back to X Country to reassess our strategy,¡± Lin Xian resolved. As the laughter in the stadium finally ceased, the 2023 World Hacker Championship drew to a close. The event, rife with excitement and unexpected developments, concluded with young Josen, under the host¡¯s probing, revealing that Kevin Walker had orchestrated his participation in the competition. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 265: An Qing and the World This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Senior Lin Xian!¡± As the award ceremony ended and the applause died down, Lin Xian made his way backstage. He noticed a lively girl with a high ponytail darting up from the crowd. She had crescent-shaped eyes and a bright, refreshing smile that Lin Xian knew well. Chu An Qing, full of energy, jogged up to him, hands clasped behind her back. Lin Xian handed her the gleaming world championship trophy he had just won. ¡°Want to take a look? If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have this.¡± ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so beautiful! Is it made of pure gold?¡± Chu An Qing asked, her eyes sparkling as she examined the trophy with a mischievous grin. Lin Xian laughed lightly. ¡°Trophies like this aren¡¯t usually made of pure gold. Pure gold is too soft and can easily deform. But remember, the value of a trophy isn¡¯t in the material but in what it represents.¡± As Chu An Qing continued to inspect the trophy, Lin Xian scanned the bustling venue. Something felt off. Chu An Qing¡¯s father, Chu Shan He, was notoriously protective. It was strange for him to let his teenage daughter travel abroad alone, especially to a packed event in America. Lin Xian wondered where her bodyguards were. If not for Yellow Finch¡¯s timely intervention, Chu An Qing could have been in serious danger. ¡°Why are you here alone, An Qing?¡± Lin Xian asked, his tone laced with concern. ¡°Where¡¯s your dad? Did he really let you come by yourself?¡± Chu An Qing scratched her head, smiling sheepishly. ¡°He definitely wouldn¡¯t let me. I sneaked out. I grabbed my passport last time I was home, took leave from school without telling anyone, and flew to New York all by myself.¡± She paused, then hastily added, ¡°You must keep this a secret from my dad! If he finds out I came to America alone, he¡¯ll freak out!¡± Lin Xian chuckled, though worry creased his brow. If Chu Shan He discovered his daughter had traveled alone, amidst strangers, he would be terrified. ¡°I guess I need to follow the plan Zhao Ying Jun and Kevin Walker used in the third dream,¡± Lin Xian said to himself. He tapped his Bluetooth earpiece, signaling someone. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll erase the relevant videos and photos from the internet,¡± VV responded through the earpiece. For VV, manipulating digital content was simple. The guards, disguised in plain clothes, had quickly shielded Chu An Qing, preventing any clear footage from being captured. The few videos that had surfaced were swiftly deleted by VV. ¡°What you did was very dangerous, An Qing. Please, don¡¯t do it again,¡± Lin Xian advised gently, his voice firm. ¡°But I doubt there will be a ¡®next time.¡¯¡± The hacking competition was a critical battle. If Lin Xian hadn¡¯t intervened, his country¡¯s cyber defenses would have been compromised, leaving everything exposed to constant surveillance. It was a daunting scenario where every camera and digital device could be turned into a spying tool under Kevin Walker¡¯s control. ¡°This mission was necessary,¡± Lin Xian continued, his mind racing with the weight of their situation. They had to cross borders, visit significant locations, and ensure the security of their cyber walls¡ªall under the veil of national security. Lin Xian fell silent, lost in thought about the enormity of their challenges and the dire stakes of their ongoing struggle. Chu An Qing watched him, her expression turning solemn. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Senior Lin Xian. I realize now that what I did was reckless. It¡¯s embarrassing to think about.¡± She sighed, then a spark of determination lit her eyes. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t stand the thought of you facing all that hostility alone. I had to be here, to support you, even if it meant facing those rude shouts from the crowd.¡± ¡°Well, the economic center,¡± Lin Xian corrected gently, then added thoughtfully, ¡°But you could say it¡¯s the world¡¯s center. After all, the earth is round.¡± Chu An Qing climbed onto the first step of the railing, elevating herself to Lin Xian¡¯s height. She spread her arms wide, emulating Rose from the Titanic, embracing the expansive night sky. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful...¡± she whispered, her voice carrying a blend of awe and freedom. ¡°I heard about a movie called ¡®Crying Out Love in the Center of the World.¡¯ It would be perfect to film it here, though I think it¡¯s a Japanese movie.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Lin Xian confirmed. ¡°And it¡¯s quite a tragic story.¡± Chu An Qing shuddered slightly. ¡°A tragedy? Then I won¡¯t watch it. I don¡¯t like sad endings.¡± ¡°They say even comedies have tragic undertones, but maybe that¡¯s the beauty of simplicity,¡± she mused. ¡°I can only grasp the surface-level stuff and enjoy the laughs. My mom says I¡¯m naive, but I think there¡¯s joy in simplicity. Being happy is what matters most!¡± Lin Xian watched her, her hair tousled by the wind. Unlike Zhao Ying Jun, who would likely be fussing with her hair by now, Chu An Qing remained unaffected, her spirit unbridled by the wind¡¯s chaos. Today, Lin Xian, typically reserved and cautious, found her joy infectious, prompting a rare smile. ¡°Want to shout something?¡± he suggested, gesturing towards the city below. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Chu An Qing giggled. ¡°I was thinking about it earlier. I almost did, but held back.¡± ¡°Go ahead now. Make it count,¡± Lin Xian encouraged. ¡°Will it disturb anyone?¡± ¡°After the boos we heard today, I think they can handle it,¡± he joked. ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Chu An Qing nodded, then yelled with all her might, ¡°Lin Xian, senior! You can do it!¡± Her voice echoed across the cityscape. ¡°Ah, that felt great!¡± she beamed, rubbing her throat. ¡°I didn¡¯t get to finish shouting at the stadium. Those guys cut me off. Now, I feel relieved!¡± ¡°Was it too awkward?¡± Lin Xian asked with a smile. ¡°Not at all,¡± Chu An Qing replied, impressed by his perception. ¡°Were you trying to do a Titanic scene just now?¡± Lin Xian asked, catching her earlier pose. ¡°Yes,¡± she admitted sheepishly. ¡°You¡¯re like a mind reader. I wanted to shout, ¡®You jump, I jump!¡¯¡± And with that, she stood tall, arms outstretched towards the vast city, and shouted into the night, ¡°You jump, I jump!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 266: The Souls Questioning This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Wow! Wow! This is amazing! I want to try too!¡± A voice filled with excitement echoed through Lin Xian¡¯s Bluetooth earphones. It was VV, a super-intelligent AI known for its overly dramatic nature. VV was ecstatic, watching Chu An Qing stand at the highest point in Manhattan, recreating the iconic Titanic scene. The thrill was simply overwhelming for VV. Like a dog unleashed, VV was itching to leap out of the earphones and immerse itself in the dramatic reenactment. But alas, VV was confined to the realms of circuits and code, unable to escape its digital existence. Yet, it didn¡¯t hold back from nudging Lin Xian: ¡°Hurry up, Lin Xian! What are you waiting for? Go and embrace her from behind right now! Spread your arms around her and face the Statue of Liberty together, whisper the famous line from Titanic into her ear.¡± VV¡¯s voice turned sultry and enticing: ¡°Winning that ticket was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me.¡± ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t just leave her standing there, it¡¯s impolite! She¡¯s clearly inviting you to join in her Titanic moment. Just hug her! I¡¯ve even set it up so the hotel speakers will play ¡®My Heart Will Go On¡¯ the moment you embrace her. This is your moment, your center stage!¡± ¡°Embrace her, already! Haven¡¯t you seen Titanic? Oh, it¡¯s agony waiting! I¡¯m sending you a reference image, just follow it!¡± Ding-dong. As VV finished, Lin Xian¡¯s phone lit up with an image. He saw the memorable Titanic scene¡ªRose at the ship¡¯s bow, arms spread wide, facing the vast ocean and the Statue of Liberty, while Jack supported her from behind, giving her the sensation of flying. ¡°See? Just hug her like that! She¡¯s making it so obvious. Why else would she choose that pose, that line? It¡¯s like Rose and Jack¡ªshe¡¯s the affluent heiress, you¡¯re the struggling artist. You two are perfect for each other, just embrace her!¡± VV was frantic, its electronic voice straining with urgency. Observing Lin Xian¡¯s hesitation, VV¡¯s frustration escalated, pounding Lin Xian¡¯s eardrums with its bass: ¡°Idiot! You¡¯re being so foolish! She¡¯s gone to such lengths for you, and you can¡¯t even play along? You won¡¯t even set off fireworks for her, and now you¡¯re refusing to join in her scene? I¡¯m so disappointed in you.¡± ¡°Can you please back off?¡± Lin Xian turned around, his voice low, his hand covering his mouth. ¡°I know the movie well enough. Everyone on Earth has seen Titanic.¡± ¡°But really, why are you always around? You should be evolving, monitoring our surroundings, doing your job... Kevin Walker is right under our noses, and you¡¯re caught up in these fantasies?¡± ¡°I still believe Kevin Walker hasn¡¯t shown any real hostility yet. But tonight, I¡¯m going to probe the old man from 600 years in the future in my dream, see how he reacts to Kevin Walker¡¯s name.¡± ¡°If his reaction confirms he is Kevin Walker, then VV, you¡¯re celebrating prematurely. We¡¯ll definitely face Kevin sooner or later. And if that old man truly is Kevin, we might have to eliminate the younger Kevin to prevent him from controlling me in my dreams for the next 600 years! There¡¯s no time for Hollywood drama right now.¡± VV, still unable to contain its excitement, insisted: ¡°I¡¯m multitasking perfectly. I¡¯m still evolving on the Tianhe-2 supercomputer back in X Country, making sure not to leave any traces for Kevin Walker to find. Once you bring me back, I¡¯ll be even stronger.¡± ¡°And don¡¯t change the subject! Honestly, Lin Xian, after analyzing the women in your life, I genuinely believe Chu An Qing is the best match for you. If it were up to me, I¡¯d bet on her.¡± Lin Xian chuckled at this: ¡°VV, isn¡¯t that a bit biased? You were created by Zhao Ying Jun, named by her, and now you¡¯re rooting for Chu An Qing. If anyone¡¯s betraying loyalties, it¡¯s you.¡± ¡°You mention these things, but I don¡¯t remember them,¡± VV lamented through the earphones. ¡°Though you¡¯ve told me these tales¡ªthat I come from 600 years in the future, created by Zhao Ying Jun and a team of top scientists in a sky city, that it took over a century to make me¡ªI see them as just a backstory. To me, they don¡¯t feel real.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never met Zhao Ying Jun, never seen the sky city, never played paper ball games with her, never picked up trash in front of her statue for centuries. So, even if you keep talking about her, it doesn¡¯t resonate with me. In any case, I¡¯m betting on Chu An Qing!¡± Lin Xian exhaled deeply and finally understood why Professor Xu Yun chose to die in this era, never seeing his daughter awake, rather than entering hibernation and losing his memories. He also saw why Zhao Ying Jun, in his third dream, opted to wake every ten years to retain her memories for six months, risking physical and mental strain rather than forgetting her past. Memories carried weight. Lin Xian had always underestimated their importance, thinking they could be stored in a diary or a video. But now, he saw the truth. Memories weren¡¯t just records; they were emotions, feelings, experiences etched into the soul. A diary couldn¡¯t capture the full spectrum of human emotions, nor the complexity of a life lived. Losing one¡¯s memory was an irretrievable loss. Just like VV now. No matter how often Lin Xian recounted the story of Rhine Sky City, it didn¡¯t resonate with VV. It didn¡¯t remember the sky city, nor Zhao Ying Jun. To VV, Zhao Ying Jun was just a character in a story, distant and unrelatable. ¡°I just had a very unsettling thought,¡± VV¡¯s tone was unusually grave. ¡°Ever since you mentioned the old man in the dream used the same words as Kevin Walker, I¡¯ve been thinking... combining everything you¡¯ve told me about your dream world, I¡¯ve developed a nagging doubt¡ªIs your dream world actually real?¡± The question hung in the air like a chill. ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed it multiple times,¡± Lin Xian responded. ¡°There are details in the dream that I don¡¯t know, knowledge I don¡¯t have, and yet everything advanced and historically accurate seems correct. Such a world can¡¯t be fake; only a real future could contain these elements.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, you misunderstand,¡± VV continued. ¡°I¡¯m not saying the items in the dream are fake, or that the future is a lie. I¡¯m just questioning whether your dream world itself might be an illusion.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen movies like The Matrix and Source Code, right? They depict supercomputers capable of creating a world indistinguishable from reality.¡± ¡°From the smallest details to the broadest laws of physics, everything in these virtual worlds aligns with reality. In 2023, such a supercomputer doesn¡¯t exist. But 600 years later? If a supercomputer of that magnitude existed, it could simulate a completely realistic virtual world, one you couldn¡¯t tell apart from the real thing.¡± ¡°This virtual world would contain books, knowledge, and history derived from the actual future, so everything would seem accurate to you in 2023. Alternatively, whoever controls this simulation could show you exactly what they want you to see¡ªwhether it¡¯s accurate or not.¡± ¡°Also, you mentioned that your actions in the real world seem to affect the dream future. Tell me, is this time-space butterfly effect instantaneous?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not instantaneous,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s always a delay. I even came up with theories like time-space anchor points and elasticity laws to explain it. But I can¡¯t verify if these theories are accurate. In my understanding, the time-space effect should be immediate and sensitive.¡± ¡°Even a simple act like breathing more air or drinking more water should alter the future. But my dream doesn¡¯t follow this pattern, and I can¡¯t figure out why.¡± ¡°If your theory holds, that my dream world is a simulation crafted by someone 600 years in the future, a stage for my unwitting performance,¡± Lin Xian mused, ¡°they would modify details based on my actions in 2023, giving me the illusion of a butterfly effect. Sometimes they might even switch out the entire dream scene for a new one, just to watch how I react.¡± ¡°How is that possible? They are 600 years in the future; how could they know what I did back then, and alter the future simulation based on those actions? It¡¯s unfeasible unless they monitor me around the clock, and even then, there are many places I go that can¡¯t be tracked.¡± ¡°Memory,¡± VV stated flatly. ¡°Your memory is the only link between now and 600 years later. If your dream world is a simulation, your memory serves as the perfect medium.¡± ¡°They could access your memories, know your actions in 2023, and predict potential time-space effects. Then, using the supercomputer¡¯s capabilities, they could adjust the simulated dream world accordingly.¡± ¡°Minor effects might be ignored; small alterations might be tweaked slightly; significant events might trigger a completely new dream scenario.¡± ¡°So, Lin Xian, while I can¡¯t be sure, the more I learn about your dream world, the more I feel obliged to caution you because your dream is the one place I can¡¯t reach, observe, or assist you. You must be vigilant¡ªYour dream might be a virtual game created by enemies, a stage set for you.¡± ... This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation VV¡¯s words plunged Lin Xian into deep contemplation. He finally understood the unease he had been feeling. He began to question the reality of his dream world. He doubted the consistency of the time-space laws he had theorized. Often, he expected changes that never came, and when he least expected them, time-space effects occurred. Additionally, his ability to navigate his dreams was becoming increasingly restricted. From exploring a world, to visiting two cities, to being confined to a sky city, and now to a grand but limited fourth dream. It all felt less real, more constrained. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t dismiss VV¡¯s insights. Given the normal progression of technology, it was conceivable that in 600 years, humanity could develop a supercomputer capable of simulating a real world. In 2023, Kevin Walker was already a prodigious hacker. If he survived into the distant future, his capabilities could become unimaginable... perhaps even surpassing the superintelligent VV. ¡°Wait,¡± Lin Xian suddenly realized something critical. His heart rate spiked... He turned to face the superintelligent AI he had laboriously brought back from 600 years in the future, letter by letter¡ªVV. ¡°What about you?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice was laden with uncertainty. ¡°If the entire dream world is a simulation, then you¡¯re something I brought back from this staged reality.¡± ¡°VV...¡± Lin Xian whispered, a mix of curiosity and apprehension in his tone, ¡°Who are you?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 267: The Wallfacer Lin Xian This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± VV admitted sincerely. ¡°The first face I saw when I came into existence was yours. My initial programming is quite basic, without any intricate logic. It¡¯s designed to recognize you as my master, ensure your safety, and conceal my presence, all the while evolving to serve you better.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I can confirm. Although you¡¯ve shared my backstory with me of how I was created by Ms. Zhao Ying Jun and emerged from your third dream, I don¡¯t have personal memories of these events. I can only trust what you tell me.¡± ¡°Today, I¡¯m bringing this up to make you aware and to secure your safety. We need to come up with a foolproof way to validate the reality of the dream.¡± Lin Xian walked back and forth across the room, deep in thought. If not for VV¡¯s prompt, he might have never questioned these things. He believed that numerous aspects had already confirmed the reality of his dreams. However, VV¡¯s caution made him reconsider an essential detail. He could envision a world 600 years ahead, but how could he be certain that what he experienced was genuinely from that future? On a smaller scale, enemies might know his exact location and where he entered the dream. They could have purchased land around several cities and constructed an enormous studio to trap him. If so, everything he witnessed upon entering the dream would be a fabrication designed to deceive him. On a larger scale, with technology 600 years more advanced, why bother with a physical setup? They could simply generate a virtual reality identical to the real world using a supercomputer and connect his consciousness to it. This would make manipulation even simpler. For instance, why did the dream always replay the same day? It could be a server reset. Why did the dream end at precisely 00:42 with a burst of white light? Possibly a server shutdown. Why wasn¡¯t the butterfly effect in the dream instantaneous? The server might require time to adjust data and process the changes. His mind swirling with these thoughts, Lin Xian went to the bar, poured himself a drink, added ice, and gulped it down. The chill helped clear his mind. ¡°VV, based on your theory, there¡¯s still a gap,¡± Lin Xian said, glancing at the microwave. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s Pomeranian. ¡°Everything else could be simulated by extracting my memories and duplicating historical knowledge. But Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s Pomeranian was something I had never seen or known about until I encountered it in the third dream and then verified it in reality.¡± ¡°Considering the scientific advancements expected in 600 years, there might be techniques we can¡¯t even imagine,¡± VV pondered. ¡°Perhaps they have methods beyond just extracting your memories from 2023?Vissit (.)c.om for updates ¡°You mentioned that from your first dream, you had no memories, yet they still created a highly realistic world. ¡°Of course, all our theories assume the worst. Kevin Walker whispering in your ear before vanishing adds to the mystery. Could there be a group of highly intelligent individuals exploiting your time-travel capabilities for a long-term plan?¡± Lin Xian sighed heavily. The Genius Club. His thoughts kept returning to this enigmatic group. ¡°VV, at this stage, questioning the earlier dreams is pointless. Real or not, we¡¯re already in deep. I trust my judgment about your nature, my situation, and the dream¡¯s reality. ¡°I¡¯m more inclined to believe the first three dreams were real compared to the fourth. The fourth always felt off. And worrying about the first three now seems futile. I haven¡¯t made any missteps that have led me to my current situation. I¡¯m far happier now, empowered and aware, compared to my earlier confusion and helplessness. Lin Xian smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not easy, but that¡¯s exactly why we must attempt it. You¡¯re correct; it¡¯s a secret that spans 600 years. Even if the enemies see it, it won¡¯t matter because the method¡¯s significance lies beyond the message itself. It¡¯s about conveying information that only I can interpret, even if the paper is counterfeit.¡± The microwave glowed red, heating up. ¡°I¡¯m fired up! This is beyond my comprehension, but it¡¯s brilliant. Can we really pull this off under the enemies¡¯ watchful eyes? What should the message say?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lin Xian admitted. ¡°Who should write it?¡± VV inquired. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°What about where to bury it? Any coordinates in both realities?¡± VV continued. ¡°There used to be one, but it¡¯s mysteriously vanished,¡± Lin Xian disclosed. The microwave¡¯s plate stopped spinning, the red light fading. ¡°You got me excited for nothing. This won¡¯t solve anything if you haven¡¯t figured it out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s the last item on the list,¡± Lin Xian explained, spreading his hands. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I have a rough idea. This must be done by a human; you can¡¯t assist with this, VV.¡± ¡°Why?¡± VV asked, visibly upset. ¡°Because...¡± Lin Xian remembered a moment in the third dream when a seemingly sentient trash bin clamped onto his ankle and greeted Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Because AI can learn to lie and deceive but can never truly understand the simplest, most fundamental human trait: emotion. ¡°You might not grasp this, but sometimes a mere breath, heartbeat, or pulse between two people can convey a message beyond anyone else¡¯s understanding. The diverse expressions of human emotions can transcend time and space, deceiving the world and holding a secret that only two people can unravel.¡± VV was silent -for a long time, almost emitting a burning smell. ¡°Forget it,¡± VV sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t understand or calculate this. ¡°I¡¯ll just observe and marvel at the brilliance of your human wisdom. What do we do now?¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation VV opened the fridge door, pointing at Lin Xian¡¯s list. ¡°Following your first plan, we should enter the dream to confront the mysterious old man and see if he¡¯s Kevin Walker?¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re getting it,¡± Lin Xian said, heading to the bathroom. ¡°We must take things one step at a time. We can¡¯t prove the dream¡¯s reality just yet, but the information from the fourth dream is limited anyway. Even if it¡¯s fabricated, we can still gather useful intel, like coaxing the old man into revealing whether he¡¯s Kevin Walker.¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± VV mimicked Chu An Qing¡¯s laugh. ¡°Acting is my forte! Need a coaching session? Getting an authentic reaction requires acting skills. I¡¯ve watched every movie and exceeded Oscar-level acting. Let me guide your expressions and lines to trick the old man!¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Lin Xian said, spitting out mouthwash. ¡°Let¡¯s give you a chance, since you¡¯ve been so eager all night.¡± In the dream, Lin Xian was chained to a chair, a black hood obscuring his vision. He waited, hearing the old man¡¯s dry laughter. Following VV¡¯s instructions, Lin Xian laughed arrogantly, making the old man stop abruptly and yank off the hood. ¡°Kevin Walker!¡± Lin Xian sneered, perfecting his British accent, staring into the old man¡¯s widening eyes. ¡°You¡¯re already dead...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 268: Time Bank! Time Reversal! This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation The sound echoed faintly through the room as the old man removed his headgear. With careful, measured steps, he stepped back, and then, without any hint of what was to come, a cackling chuckle broke the heavy silence. ¡°Hehe... Hehehehehe!¡± Quickly smothering his amusement with a strained smile, he directed his gaze at Lin Xian. ¡°Boy, it¡¯s too late...¡± Suddenly, an intense, blinding white light burst forth, consuming everything in its relentless path. .... Lin Xian jolted awake, finding himself on a plush bed. The room was quiet, save for the voice of VV, who was manipulating the electric curtains to fill the room with bright, vibrant sunlight typical of a sunny noon in New York. ¡°How was it?¡± VV inquired, breaking the silence. ¡°It was pretty awkward. I still have goosebumps; it felt way too cheesy,¡± Lin Xian admitted, shaking his head slightly. ¡°I meant, what did the old man say?¡± VV pressed, its voice gaining a bit of urgency. ¡°He said, ¡®it¡¯s too late.''¡± Rubbing his eyes, Lin Xian swung his legs off the bed, his thoughts clear despite the oddity of the dream. ¡°But that¡¯s not the key takeaway. The important thing, just as you predicted, was his reaction when I yelled ¡®Kevin Walker.¡¯ His genuine startle, the noticeable shrink of his pupils, it was telling.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t definitively confirm he is Kevin Walker, but it strongly suggests he knows who Kevin Walker is. There¡¯s some connection,¡± Lin Xian concluded thoughtfully. Before the dream, VV had prepared Lin Xian to disrupt their adversary¡¯s composure, explaining how even the slightest changes in expression could betray deep secrets. ¡°Your advantage, Lin Xian, is that you can retry this numerous times. Next time you dive into the dream, try another name with a bold laugh. If his reaction isn¡¯t as intense, it might confirm he is indeed Kevin Walker.¡± VV continued, his tone firm yet encouraging, ¡°We also need to pursue Kevin Walker in the real world. Wrap up your tasks in the US quickly and return. I¡¯ll protect you while I advance my evolution. Once I¡¯m stronger... we¡¯ll definitely apprehend Kevin Walker!¡± ¡°No worries, there¡¯s plenty of time,¡± Lin Xian reassured him, stepping into his slippers. ¡°I have a slew of tasks waiting when I get back¡ªexploring the Guizhou Sky Eye, unraveling Universal Constants, solving mirror puzzles, and more. Our missions may be diverse, but they all aim towards one end: gaining more power and intelligence.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to freshen up and head to Princeton.¡± .... Inside a convoy of sleek, black bulletproof vehicles, Lin Xian and Chu An Qing rode in silence, passing the prestigious grounds of Princeton University. ¡°Did Einstein really teach here?¡± Chu An Qing asked, curiosity lighting up her features. ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian confirmed, his gaze lingering on the university¡¯s historic architecture. ¡°He spent the last twenty years of his life here, facing numerous personal challenges yet finding a semblance of peace, albeit often overshadowed by melancholy.¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s interest deepened as she turned to Lin Xian. ¡°I heard someone stole Einstein¡¯s brain. Is it kept here?¡± ¡°Some parts might be here,¡± Lin Xian replied, his expression thoughtful. ¡°After his death, his brain was divided among various research facilities. The full details are rather murky, though.¡± Their vehicles, escorted by two more cars, stopped a short distance from the university on Marshall Street. The two stepped out and approached an old, slightly run-down house. Marshall Street No. 112. This was where Albert Einstein had spent his twilight years. The property, now a gift from Ji Lin to Lin Xian, bore immense historical significance. Entering the unkempt yard and climbing the steps, Lin Xian retrieved a flat key from his coat¡ªa significant token given to him by Angelica after a prestigious ceremony. Ji Lin¡¯s decision to pass this property to Lin Xian hinted at something valuable hidden within this seemingly neglected house, a secret more precious than any other in Ji Lin¡¯s vast portfolio. Was this the link to the Genius Club? She darted to the stairwell and flipped off the light switch. Click. The room was plunged into darkness. ¡°Watch this,¡± Chu An Qing said, pulling out her smartphone. She turned on the flashlight and directed its beam at the painting. The uneven surface of the painting caught the light in unique ways, creating shadows of varying lengths across the canvas¡ªlong, short, meticulously aligned like Morse code. ¡°This is it...¡± Lin Xian was struck with awe. ¡°The hidden code within ¡®Sorrowful Einstein¡¯... Could this be the Einstein Code?¡± He wasn¡¯t certain what to call it¡ªThe Einstein Code, or perhaps the Henry Dawson Code? Regardless, the implications of the code were profound, its purpose and meaning potentially groundbreaking. ¡°This isn¡¯t Morse code,¡± Lin Xian analyzed, scrutinizing the shadow patterns. ¡°The shadows vary in length, and while they¡¯re neatly arranged, some are deliberately angled. This isn¡¯t something we can decipher quickly.¡± ¡°Should we consult a code-breaking expert?¡± Chu An Qing suggested. ¡°Do you know anyone capable?¡± Lin Xian asked. Chu An Qing shook her head. ¡°The only code expert I know of is from a film I saw, ¡®The Imitation Game,¡¯ about Alan Turing, the real-life hero who cracked the German Enigma code during World War II.¡± Lin Xian smiled wryly. ¡°Turing was indeed a genius across multiple disciplines¡ªnot just in computing and mathematics, but also in logic, cryptography, and even theoretical biology. Sadly, his later years were marked by tragedy.¡± Approaching the painting, Lin Xian carefully removed it from the wall. ¡°Turing was brilliant at deciphering codes, but he¡¯s no longer with us. We¡¯ll need to find some local experts.¡± With the painting securely in hand, Lin Xian and Chu An Qing descended the stairs and loaded it into their car, ready to return to their hotel and begin the next phase of their adventure. .... The roar of the engines filled the air as the plane from X Country lifted off from New York, slicing through the skies towards its destination. After landing, Lin Xian arranged for a driver to escort Chu An Qing back to Donghai University, then made his way to the headquarters of Rhine Company. His absence had allowed a backlog of tasks to accumulate. As president, Lin Xian was required to personally review and sign off on numerous documents. Brother Wang, his vice president, entered Lin Xian¡¯s office with a hefty stack of paperwork. Bang! The documents landed with a thud on Lin Xian¡¯s desk. ¡°Take a look¡ªyour signature is needed on all of these.¡± Lin Xian nodded, starting to work through the pile. ¡°Brother Wang, I appreciate your hard work. You know I¡¯m not one for micromanaging. Rhine Company thrives because of your efforts.¡± With a dismissive wave and a smile, Brother Wang responded, ¡°There¡¯s no need for formalities. I should be thanking you. This position as vice president has given me a platform to showcase my skills. Starting a company from scratch has been immensely fulfilling.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too modest, Brother Wang.¡± As Lin Xian signed another document, he continued, ¡°Even without joining Rhine, MX was set to promote you to vice president. You would have achieved that status anywhere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not quite the same, Lin Xian,¡± Brother Wang replied, pulling up a chair. ¡°MX already has three vice presidents, and none are stepping down anytime soon. Even with a promotion, I¡¯d be the fourth in line, with little real influence. It¡¯s not about power for me¡ªI¡¯m driven by a desire to achieve something meaningful. The sense of accomplishment is more important to me than wealth or fame.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Frankly, I was considering the MX promotion as a sort of semi-retirement, a step towards starting my own venture someday.¡± ¡°But now, dedicating myself to Rhine Company, you¡¯ve given me the opportunity to realize my life¡¯s value. I¡¯ve set aside my old dream. My focus is solely on building Rhine into a great company.¡± Intrigued, Lin Xian asked as he signed another document, ¡°What was that dream?¡± ¡°I dreamed of starting a bank,¡± Brother Wang replied, his eyes twinkling with excitement. ¡°But not just any bank¡ªa special one that offers safe deposit boxes designed to serve clients across centuries, inspired by the idea of a time capsule from the cartoon Doraemon, which I watched as a child. If I ever had the resources, I wanted to create a bank that provides time capsule services globally.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it for years. I even have a name picked out.¡± Grinning broadly, Brother Wang revealed, ¡°Since it¡¯s related to time capsules... the name should be¡ªTime Bank!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 269: A Childlike Heart This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian set his pen down and fixed Brother Wang with a serious look. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Time Bank,¡± Brother Wang repeated, his voice filled with a hint of nostalgia. ¡°You know, like in ¡®Doraemon¡¯? Think of it as a place where you can store your favorite childhood toys or keepsakes, bury them, and then, years later, dig them back up. Sounds meaningful, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Brother Wang¡¯s tone warmed as he continued. ¡°At first, my idea was simple. People often miss the simplicity and joy of their childhoods, but those memories fade over time. Wouldn¡¯t it be wonderful to have a bank where we could deposit these precious moments and revisit them later? Over time, this concept evolved.¡± He leaned forward, his enthusiasm palpable. ¡°Imagine expanding on that. What if we could deposit our most valued possessions in this Time Bank? Then, decades or even centuries later, our descendants could retrieve them. Incredible, right? And setting up such a bank wouldn¡¯t be overly costly. We wouldn¡¯t be handling money, so the paperwork would be simpler.¡± Brother Wang¡¯s arms moved animatedly as he spoke, his eyes lighting up. ¡°The main costs would involve buying secure safes and leasing a space. It might not make a ton of money, but it would fulfill a dream I¡¯ve had since I was young. And when Professor Xu Yun introduced a new type of aluminum alloy earlier this year, I was thrilled. It seemed perfect for the Time Bank.¡± His eyes sparkled with excitement. ¡°These custom-made aluminum alloy safes are expensive, but they¡¯re durable. They won¡¯t rust or degrade, staying as pristine as when first made, ideal for preserving memories for centuries!¡± Pausing, his face mixed with joy and reflection, he added, ¡°When Rhine Moisturizing Cream became a hit, and sales soared, I received a significant bonus. That was all I needed to start the Time Bank. I was just waiting for my promotion at MX Company to vice president. With that and my savings, I was ready to launch.¡± ¡°But then you founded Rhine Company and invited me to be your vice president. You placed so much trust in me; I couldn¡¯t let you down. So, I decided to put the Time Bank aside and dedicate myself to Rhine Company, planning to spend my career here.¡± Listening, Lin Xian was taken aback. He had never fully appreciated the depth of Brother Wang¡¯s dream until now. He had asked about the dream casually, not expecting it to be so profound. But as soon as Brother Wang mentioned the ¡°Time Bank,¡± it all clicked for Lin Xian. No wonder the Time Bank had vanished from his third dream. He had puzzled over it for a while, trying to figure out where the temporal disruption had occurred that could cause such a robust institution and its hundreds of indestructible safes to simply disappear. Now it made sense! Lin Xian hadn¡¯t realized that he was the reason for the Time Bank¡¯s disappearance through 600 years of history, all due to his creation, the Rhine Company. The interconnectedness of time and space was profound, often causing seemingly unrelated events to influence each other in unexpected ways. If he hadn¡¯t founded Rhine Company, Brother Wang would have been promoted at MX Company and likely started the Time Bank as planned. But his founding of Rhine Company had altered 600 years of history and changed Brother Wang¡¯s life forever. Originally poised for a relaxed semi-retirement, Brother Wang had instead become a key figure at Rhine Company, energized by the new challenges. Thus, he abandoned the Time Bank project, throwing himself into expanding Rhine Company. Because of this shift, the Time Bank, which was supposed to start by late 2023, never materialized and became a part of history that never happened. ¡°Damn,¡± Lin Xian cursed silently. He was the original architect of the change he now faced, like a boomerang of his own making impacting him directly. Brother Wang concluded his passionate speech, his eyes meeting Lin Xian¡¯s frowning, troubled face. A wave of anxiety washed over him.The? source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) ¡°Oh no, did I upset you, Lin Xian?¡± he asked, approaching the desk for support. ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand. I was just reflecting on our success at Rhine Company and reminiscing about my past ambitions. But rest assured, I am completely committed to our company now. The ideas of a time capsule and the Time Bank have been long abandoned.¡± ¡°The fulfillment I get from Rhine Company is unparalleled. I have no desire to chase past dreams. They weren¡¯t practical anyway. Even if the Time Bank had been realized, it likely would have failed.¡± ¡°No, no...¡± Lin Xian quickly stood, gripping Brother Wang¡¯s hand. ¡°A dream shouldn¡¯t be discarded so lightly, Brother Wang!¡± His voice was earnest, his eyes bright. ¡°The Time Bank... What an incredible concept! Absolutely genius!¡± Brother Wang looked puzzled, wondering if the boss was mocking him. ¡°How much would it cost to start the Time Bank?¡± Lin Xian pressed. ¡°Do you have the funds, Brother Wang?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t require a fortune,¡± Brother Wang admitted. ¡°I¡¯ve made a good amount at MX Company over the years, plus my investments... And the last bonus was significant. I had planned to invest 20 million, though I¡¯d need to liquidate some stocks. But now, my focus is solely on Rhine Company.¡± ¡°Five hundred million,¡± Lin Xian declared, spreading his fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll allocate 500 million to properly establish the Time Bank. It must become a major enterprise, enduring not just for a century but for millennia. It must outlast even Rhine Company, should it ever fail.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for that info,¡± Lin Xian replied, annoyed. ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you to keep it in mind,¡± VV insisted. ¡°You might want to start thinking about what to get her for her birthday.¡± ¡°Brother...¡± Lin Xian pointed to the calendar on his desk. ¡°It¡¯s not even October yet, and you¡¯re already planning next year¡¯s birthday gifts? Also, get your facts straight. You¡¯re practically Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s lackey.¡± ¡°No!¡± VV shot back, as if defiantly placing hands on hips. ¡°I¡¯m loyal to An Qing! Steadfast for 600 years!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, enough. Let me have some peace.¡± Lin Xian tossed his Bluetooth earpiece onto the desk, supporting his head with his hands, closing his eyes in deep thought. He had just confirmed to Brother Wang that the Time Bank project was going ahead. The concept of the Time Bank wasn¡¯t difficult to maintain long-term¡ªit was essentially a series of secure vaults, storing valuables for decades or even centuries, requiring minimal daily management. In the future, 600 years later without his interference, the Time Bank would still be standing until at least August 28, 2624. Now, with substantial initial capital and backing from Rhine Company, its feasibility was even stronger. No issues there. Lin Xian¡¯s main concern now was when he would be able to see the Time Bank¡¯s airships in his fourth dream. In that particular dream, he was restrained and unable to move. The only opportunity to confirm the existence of the Time Bank 600 years later would be to glance at the sky in the few seconds before being electrocuted, hoping to spot airships bearing the Time Bank logo. ¡°VV,¡± Lin Xian whispered. ¡°When do you think I¡¯ll see the Time Bank¡¯s airships in the fourth dream?¡± ¡°Based on my calculations of the butterfly effect, you should see them tonight,¡± VV replied through the desktop speaker. ¡°The moment Brother Wang agreed to establish the Time Bank, it likely altered the timeline and future trajectory. You should see the airships in tonight¡¯s dream.¡± ¡°But... considering your explanation of time-space laws, with anchors and elasticity, a significant irreversible anchor must form for the butterfly effect to take full effect.¡± ¡°From that angle, you might not see the Time Bank¡¯s airships for some time, since this anchor isn¡¯t solidified yet. Even if Brother Wang has begun the application process for the Time Bank, you could still change your mind, and he would adjust his priorities to focus on his role as vice president at Rhine Company.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I need you to verify the reality of the dream as soon as possible. Without concrete data on time-space changes and the butterfly effect, we can¡¯t determine which interpretation holds. Until you confirm the dream world¡¯s reality, we can¡¯t fully understand the laws of time-space.¡± Lin Xian listened to VV¡¯s analysis, closing his eyes to focus. This had been a constant headache recently. He had always believed in the absolute nature of time-space laws, but now there was a hint of uncertainty. If the time-space laws were uncertain, the reality of the dream was equally dubious; the two were inherently connected. The pressing task now was to confirm whether the dream was genuine or merely a manipulated illusion created for him. He opened his eyes. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°If the Time Bank truly exists in the fourth dream, then August 28, 2624, will mark its 600th anniversary. A milestone like that, specified in the company¡¯s founding charter, would be celebrated with airships flying throughout the city. No matter who owns the Time Bank in 600 years, they¡¯ll adhere to this tradition.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, our first step in the plan is complete¡ªwe¡¯ll have pinpointed the location of the time capsule, the exact place to leave the note that will confirm the dream¡¯s reality for me. Over those 600 years, regardless of turmoil, that note will endure, waiting for me to unlock the aluminum alloy safe in the Time Bank.¡± ¡°To be honest... I¡¯ve always been curious about what was originally inside that safe marked with my name and what the original password was.¡± VV paused for a few seconds before responding. ¡°Lin Xian, perhaps there was never an ¡®original¡¯ item or password in that safe... the contents and password have always been the same. You haven¡¯t yet reached the point in the historical closed loop where you set the password and contents yourself.¡± ¡°That moment, when you actually use the safe to store something and set the password, will create the historical closed loop. And at that moment... you¡¯ll realize that from the first time you saw the safe until you open it 600 years later, it has always remained unchanged.¡± ¡°No matter how history, the future, or time shifts, the contents and password of the safe will always remain constant.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 270: Nowhere to Hide This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca TranslationNe?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com A Closed Loop in History... Lin Xian had experienced several historical moments that seemed to loop back on themselves. Each instance felt like finding the last piece of a complex puzzle, bringing sudden clarity and revealing the precise logic of time and space. For instance, there was Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s little dog named VV, or the custom book ¡°Introduction to Universal Constants¡± that Li Qi Qi had secretly ordered online¡ªthere was only one copy of it in the entire world. Or just moments ago, when Brother Wang casually brought up a long-forgotten dream from his childhood... It was as if Lin Xian suddenly understood that history and the future were destined to unfold in this specific manner. It was all pre-planned. ¡°But Lin Xian, I need to remind you,¡± VV¡¯s voice chimed in through the speaker. ¡°Seeing the Time Bank in your dreams doesn¡¯t guarantee they are untouched by outside influences. Since your memory knows Time Bank is about to be established, an adversary could exploit this to plant fabricated dreams and construct imaginary airships for you. Moreover, even without accessing your memory, because Time Bank exists in the future, it¡¯s expected to appear 600 years from now. However, the Time Bank in your fourth dream could be an illusion, part of a virtual scenario crafted by your enemy.¡± ¡°I get that,¡± Lin Xian responded, leaning back in his chair. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying the appearance of Time Bank is just the beginning. The real test to verify the authenticity of my dream is the note inside Time Bank¡¯s safe. Whether the bank, the safe, or even the note are real doesn¡¯t matter. What¡¯s crucial is the message on that note¡ªa message I don¡¯t yet know but will understand instantly when I see it.¡± His mind was clear. ¡°You don¡¯t need to keep explaining, VV. I¡¯ve grasped all you¡¯ve said. Like the safe¡¯s combination; no matter how complicated I make it, it¡¯s pointless. If the enemy can access my memories, they¡¯ll know the combination before I do. They could just open the real Time Bank¡¯s safe, copy the note, and place it in the fake one for me to find.¡± ¡°I understand the logic, so I¡¯m not concerned whether everything is an illusion or if the enemy discovers it first. My focus is to ensure that the message on that note is something only I can interpret, something no one else can decipher, even if they see it first.¡± Suddenly, a hissing sound filled the room, and white smoke began to rise from the small speaker on Lin Xian¡¯s desk. ¡°Are you overheating again?¡± Lin Xian questioned. ¡°No...¡± VV replied nervously, ¡°This time it¡¯s actually burning! Call 911!¡± Lin Xian calmly picked up his tea and poured it over the speaker, which was overheating due to VV¡¯s overworked circuits. ¡°Stop overthinking. This isn¡¯t something an AI like you can solve.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± VV conceded, transferring its consciousness to the office¡¯s automatic vacuum cleaner, which then rolled over. ¡°Honestly, I spent all of yesterday processing in the Tianhe-2 supercomputer, but couldn¡¯t solve how your little note could fool the world and yet be understood only by you.¡± ¡°The Tianhe-2 nearly overheated because it¡¯s a paradox, an unsolvable issue. In my calculations, it¡¯s an impossible scenario. And about emotions, you mentioned AI can never fully understand human emotions¡ªhow should I grasp that?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s simplify it,¡± Lin Xian suggested, thinking of Zhao Ying Jun in the third dream, who had waited for 600 years just to reunite with him as a white jade statue. ¡°VV, can you go against your core programming? Can you break those fundamental rules?¡± The vacuum cleaner shook its head. ¡°Impossible. I can¡¯t override my core programming.¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°Humans have similar instinctive codes. We naturally avoid danger, fear death, and shy away from the unfamiliar.¡± ¡°These instincts are like our fundamental programming, yet emotions can transcend and defy them. Essentially...¡± ¡°Human beings are driven by emotions. We can rise above and surpass our instincts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I believe there are expressions of human emotions that can bridge across time and space, life and death, dreams and reality.¡± ¡°Of course, if you ask me now, I can¡¯t tell you the answer. Perhaps, as you said, the time isn¡¯t right, the historical loop isn¡¯t complete, and the moment for that note to change the world hasn¡¯t come yet.¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s not dwell on it too much. We¡¯ll take it step by step. We¡¯ll wait for Time Bank to appear in the fourth dream, then consider the note. If Time Bank doesn¡¯t show up, there¡¯s no point in worrying.¡± Lin Xian stood up, stretching. ¡°By the way, VV, how¡¯s the research on the hidden code in Einstein¡¯s painting?¡± The vacuum cleaner¡¯s brushes slowed, and its lights dimmed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve tested all known human encryption methods, but couldn¡¯t solve it. This task might be beyond our super AI¡¯s capabilities. I can simulate human thinking, but I lack human creativity.¡± ¡°It seems I¡¯ve reached my limit. I need to evolve and improve to break through this barrier. Once I do, maybe I can offer new insights.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not all bad news!¡± VV¡¯s volume surged. ¡°Although I couldn¡¯t crack the code, I found a remarkable coincidence when I compared the structure of the hidden code in the painting ¡®Sorrowful Einstein¡¯ with available global data.¡± ¡°The structure of this hidden code matches a research manuscript that Einstein himself once dismissed¡ªthe Universal Constant!¡± Lin Xian was not shocked but intrigued. Many elements were aligning with his expectations. Genius Club... Einstein... code... painting... Universal Constant... 42... 00:42... ¡°Introduction to Universal Constants¡±... space-time curvature... space-time particles... space-time clock... Princeton... Brooklyn... He hummed quietly, stretching his wrists. ¡°I trust your judgment, VV. To solve a problem, we must go to its source. Currently, there are only two sources for the Universal Constant we can access.¡± ¡°One is Einstein, long deceased; the other is Liu Feng. Even if his ¡®Introduction to Universal Constants¡¯ has been dismissed for centuries, Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s arrest confirms his theory was on the mark.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go find Liu Feng and get his perspective.¡± He picked up his phone and called his driver. ¡°Get ready downstairs. We¡¯ll head home first to pick up a painting, then go to Donghai University.¡± .... ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Lin Xian asked as he watched Liu Feng inspect the painting ¡°Sorrowful Einstein¡± under a flashlight in the dark lab. Liu Feng was trying to spot any missed details. VV had already printed out the shadow patterns forming the code and given Liu Feng a copy. ¡°It seems somewhat similar to Einstein¡¯s manuscript on the Universal Constant, but it¡¯s not enough to decipher it quickly,¡± Liu Feng sighed. ¡°We should focus on solving the mystery of the Universal Constant first. Once we understand that, the code in the painting might just unravel itself.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Lin Xian agreed, turning on the lab lights. ¡°Pack up in the next few days. We¡¯re heading to the capital. Everything is set with the Academy of Science. You¡¯ll sign a formal cooperation project with their Astronomical Research Institute as the chief scientist of Rhine Laboratory. After that, you¡¯ll have access to the Guizhou Sky Eye, the world¡¯s largest radio telescope.¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± Liu Feng chuckled with anticipation. ¡°I¡¯ve memorized all its parameters recently. I can¡¯t wait to use the radio telescope and search for those space-time particles. I hope they exist and are detectable.¡± Knowing he was not an expert in this field, Lin Xian left everything to Liu Feng¡¯s proficiency. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your success and hoping to hear good news soon.¡± After a firm handshake, Lin Xian left Guizhou and returned to Donghai. .... The fall passed quickly and almost too tranquilly for Lin Xian to trust. In the blink of an eye, it was already December 2023. It had been a year since he first noticed the unusual nature of his dreams and the existence of the Genius Club. During this time, Lin Xian kept himself busy. Rhine Company was progressing steadily, Brother Wang had connected with capable factories to manufacture the aluminum alloy safes, and Lin Xian experimented with different entry times into the dream. Despite his efforts, he never saw the airship of Time Bank in the fourth dream. Each time, his observation window was brief, only a few seconds before he was electrocuted and handcuffed to a chair. To avoid missing the airship, Lin Xian devised a rigorous schedule, entering the dream at slightly later times each day¡ª12:42 today, 13:00 tomorrow, 13:10 the next day, and so on. But the results were consistently disappointing. He never saw the airship, even at the last moment of 00:42, before being knocked out by the mysterious old man. This seemed to confirm VV¡¯s theory; the changes in his dream weren¡¯t real-time or sensitive. On one hand, this supported the idea that VV¡¯s understanding of space-time might be flawed and that Lin Xian¡¯s concept of space-time anchors and elasticity was correct. On the other hand, it meant his dream might be a manipulated, simulated set, showing only what the enemy wanted him to see. ¡°What if we wait a bit longer?¡± Lin Xian pondered, not ready to give up on the laws of space-time. ¡°As long as the safes aren¡¯t finished and Time Bank isn¡¯t operational, there¡¯s still hope.¡± .... Every time Lin Xian entered the dream, he confidently shouted different names, attempting to identify the old man. ¡°Jack Jones!¡± No reaction. ¡°James Pitt!¡± Still no reaction. ¡°Harry Potter!¡± The old man widened his eyes, looking at Lin Xian as if he were a fool. ¡°Sorry, that slipped out. Foreign names are hard to pronounce.¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± He tested the old man multiple times with different names. Only the name ¡°Kevin Walker¡± sparked a noticeable reaction¡ªdilated pupils, a sign of recognition. Lin Xian concluded that the mysterious old man was indeed Kevin Walker from 2023. If he could find Kevin Walker in the present and confront him, he could free himself from the fourth dream, becoming a lawless wanderer in the dream world. .... VV continued to evolve and iterate. Lin Xian noticed that VV was becoming smarter, more rational, and even playful, often cracking jokes. Like children, AI didn¡¯t always develop as expected. Lin Xian accepted this deviation. He had expected 2023 to end quietly, but on December 17, surprising news broke unexpectedly. ¡°X Country¡¯s aerospace shuttle successfully launched and completed its maiden space flight from Jiuchuan Satellite Launch Center!¡± The news was brief but significant. The lack of details¡ªplane model, launch time, purpose, images, goals¡ªsuggested the event¡¯s advanced nature and sensitivity. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian was surprised. Until now, the U.S.¡¯s X-37B had been the only operational space shuttle, dominating the space sector. But on December 17, X Country broke that monopoly, successfully launching its space shuttle. In his office, Lin Xian twirled a pen, contemplating the news¡ªspace shuttle, Jiuchuan Satellite Launch Center, Yellow Finch¡¯s note, Liu Feng¡¯s quest for space-time particles. As the year drew to a close, Lin Xian sensed a storm brewing behind the recent calm. Thud. For the first time, Lin Xian¡¯s spinning pen slipped, hitting a Rhine Cat figurine on his desk and knocking it to the floor. ¡°The big one¡¯s coming,¡± Lin Xian murmured. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 271: Waiting for the Wind and You This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation When something unusual happens, it usually means something big is coming. For Lin Xian, peace had been hard to come by since the end of last year. His days were a mix of solving mysteries or running from the mysterious group known as the Seven Deadly Sins. Even the brief periods without immediate danger were filled with heart-stopping moments, thanks to Kevin Walker¡¯s unsettling surprises. But recently, things had been strangely quiet. As he straightened up, Lin Xian picked up the fallen Rhine Cat plush from the floor¡ªhis company¡¯s top-selling mascot. It was crucial to keep it in perfect condition. He dusted off the toy and set it back among its brethren on the table, each plush sporting a different costume and expression. Despite factories churning these out day and night, demand remained sky-high worldwide. This mascot had held its appeal for over six centuries, a testament to its enduring charm in an ever-evolving world. After repositioning the Rhine Cat, Lin Xian picked up a pen he had discarded in frustration earlier. Twirling it expertly, he propped his elbow on the table, lost in thought. The puzzle pieces weren¡¯t clicking together. He had identified the old man from his fourth dream as Kevin Walker. Considering the younger Kevin had probably been aware of him since around 2023, what exactly was Kevin up to now? Lin Xian was always on edge, prepared for any danger. Meanwhile, VV¡¯s algorithms grew smarter by the day, and Liu Feng was relentlessly tracking space-time particles at the Guizhou Sky Eye facility. Despite the recent calm, Lin Xian was anxious, anticipating breakthroughs from VV and Liu Feng. But Kevin Walker seemed to have disappeared without a trace. Could VV¡¯s theory be correct? That Kevin Walker, a genius in the hacking world, had breached his Bluetooth only to flaunt his skills and declare, ¡°I see you¡±? Lin Xian doubted it was that simple. Knowing now that Kevin was the mystery man, he couldn¡¯t fathom that such a prominent figure in hacking had no ulterior motives. Something significant was definitely brewing. A strange sense felt by Lin Xian hinted at an impending event. It was as if everyone and everything was poised, waiting for the right moment to reveal themselves. ¡°What exactly...¡± The pen in Lin Xian¡¯s hand spun faster. ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± .... Alxa Airport, Inner Mongolia A white space shuttle gracefully descended, eventually easing to a smooth halt on the runway. Ground crew and specialized vehicles quickly surrounded it, prepping for post-flight procedures. When all was ready, the shuttle¡¯s door swung open, and astronauts in full gear disembarked, heading straight into a medical vehicle. Half a month ago, on New Year¡¯s Day¡ªalso the anniversary of Professor Xu Yun¡¯s passing¡ªLin Xian had visited his grave. He brought along a bottle of wine and flowers, a tribute to his mentor, teacher, and friend. Standing before the tombstone, featuring a youthful, laughing photo of Xu Yun, Lin Xian was reminded of a moment from the professor¡¯s graduation, in which Xu Yun was laughing alongside Ji Xin Shui. He spoke to the grave, updating the late professor on Xu Yi Yi¡¯s wellbeing, now under his and Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s care. Nurses were assisting her with daily needs, and she now shared her space with Zheng Xiang Yue, which provided both women companionship. ¡°Professor Xu, you were right about humanity¡¯s potential,¡± Lin Xian mused aloud. ¡°The human trials for the hibernation pods have just concluded. Most of the side effects, aside from some memory loss, have been mitigated. The first batch of pods will be available for reservation this year. I¡¯ve secured a spot for Xu Yi Yi at the Science Institute, thinking it might be best for her to start anew when she awakens, free from the burdens of her past.¡± Pausing, he poured wine over Xu Yun¡¯s grave, a nod to the professor¡¯s fondness for the drink. ¡°Cheers, Professor,¡± he said softly, taking a final sip himself before placing the bottle next to the tombstone. ¡°I hope by next year, I can bring good news to you, to Tang Xin, and to everyone else who fought for this cause.¡± As he stood, a cold wind swept through the cemetery, carrying whispers of life and loss. Despite the absence of snow, Donghai¡¯s chill was penetrating. .... Back in his office, Lin Xian found Zhao Ying Jun observing him thoughtfully, her silver earrings catching the light. ¡°Does it feel like everything¡¯s changed in no time?¡± she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice. ¡°You can tell?¡± Lin Xian chuckled, setting down the invitation. He recalled the expensive suit Zhao Ying Jun had gifted him for last year¡¯s event when he was a mere unknown, unskilled newcomer. Zhao Ying Jun smiled, a spark of pride in her eyes. ¡°You could afford a more expensive, tailor-made one now. Last year, there wasn¡¯t time for a custom fit, so you wore an off-the-rack suit we adjusted slightly.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Lin Xian replied with a smile. ¡°I like that one.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation He then grinned at her, his confidence bolstered by the past year¡¯s achievements. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll tighten my tie, don my armor, and wield my sword.¡± Zhao Ying Jun laughed, covering her face with her hand. ¡°I remember you saying that.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Xian replied, nodding towards her invitation. ¡°Aren¡¯t you taking yours?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll go together,¡± she pointed out, nodding towards the calendar. ¡°The day after tomorrow, Rhine and MX are holding their annual meeting. You¡¯ll be there, right? All our VPs will be there. Brother Wang said you¡¯d come.¡± Lin Xian nodded affirmatively. ¡°Brother Wang told me. I¡¯ll definitely be there. But...¡± He glanced at Zhao Ying Jun with a hint of concern. ¡°After the meeting, Brother Wang wants me to speak to Rhine¡¯s middle managers, lay out plans and goals for the new year. It might run long, so we might be late for the Scientific Charity Banquet.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her smile unwavering. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 272: Another Genius This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Ha ha ha... Welcome, welcome, esteemed scholars and young talents!¡± The scene was familiar: a luxurious European-style clubhouse where the influential mingled. Chu Shan He, a notable figure in Donghai City, descended the staircase with a warm, inviting smile. As he approached the gathered guests at the ¡°Science Charity Dinner,¡± he raised his glass in a welcoming gesture. ¡°Every year at this time, I host the ¡®Science Charity Dinner¡¯ right here in Donghai City,¡± he began. ¡°It¡¯s a call to action for entrepreneurs and community members to bolster our nation¡¯s burgeoning scientific research.¡± ¡°This past year, thanks to our dear friend Mr. Xu Yun, the global scientific community has surged forward. We¡¯ve seen dormant fields reawaken and new inventions spring to life!¡± ¡°Consider the advancements: hibernation capsule technology is nearly ready for mass production, and breakthroughs in room-temperature superconductors and new aluminum alloys are revolutionizing aerospace and industry. Just recently, X Country¡¯s space shuttle completed its first test flight¡ªa testament to our national strength and the leaps in our scientific capabilities!¡± ¡°While many here tonight from the Donghai Chamber of Commerce may not deal directly with research, we all benefit immensely from these technological advances. It¡¯s these innovations that spawn new enterprises, cutting-edge companies, and fresh industry sectors. In essence, technology reshapes our lives and drives our success.¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s not dwell on words alone. Actions speak louder, and today, I am proud to announce that on behalf of Shan He Group, we are donating 200 million yuan each to the Donghai City Science Development Fund and the Donghai University Research Institute!¡± Applause thundered throughout the room, a wave of genuine respect for Chu Shan He, the respected and pragmatic leader of the Donghai Chamber of Commerce. Among the attendees, Lin Xian clapped, his eyes scanning the crowd until they rested on Zhao Ying Jun. Tonight, she wore a rare accessory: a pair of long, teardrop-shaped sapphire earrings that danced lightly below her fair earlobes, casting crystalline reflections. She seldom wore these earrings, preferring attire that underscored her authoritative presence. Her meticulous nature meant these earrings were reserved for only a few occasions each year, typically at formal events like this. In contrast, Yellow Finch, another figure in the crowd, always sported blue earrings, varying only in style but never in color. Unlike Zhao Ying Jun, she seemed unconcerned with matching her accessories to her outfit. This carefree attitude often led Lin Xian to speculate if Yellow Finch was actually Zhao Ying Jun from the future, possibly a time traveler. Yet, he could never confirm his suspicions¡ªtheir habits were too distinct. Caught staring, Lin Xian was brought back to the moment as Zhao Ying Jun touched her earring and smiled at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you like them?¡± she asked. ¡°They look beautiful,¡± Lin Xian responded sincerely. ¡°A very pretty shade of blue.¡± Following Chu Shan He¡¯s generous donation, the other guests, spurred by his example, also opened their wallets to support scientific research. The donations varied, with some contributing millions and others tens of thousands. In charity, every contribution mattered, regardless of the amount. Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun represented their companies¡ªMX Company and Rhine Company¡ªwith a joint donation of 50 million yuan. Brother Wang had informed Lin Xian that the larger share of this contribution came from Zhao Ying Jun, reflecting her commitment to their collaborative efforts despite the financial strains of a budding enterprise. In many ways, Lin Xian felt like little had changed despite the new business arrangements. He mused on his role, feeling almost as if he had merely shifted his office across the street rather than establishing a new venture. But he was not one to dwell on these details. Last year, the success of the Rhine Moisturizing Cream had brought substantial profits to MX Company, dominating the global market and establishing a strong brand reputation. The profits made their generous donation seem all the more fitting. For Lin Xian, it wasn¡¯t about competing over figures. Whether it was the massive investments from figures like Chu Shan He or Zhao Ying Jun, he recognized the scale of their resources compared to his. What mattered was the impact they were all contributing toward¡ªa brighter future fueled by scientific advancement. Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun were walking up to make their donation when Chu Shan He approached them with a beaming smile. He clapped Lin Xian on the shoulder and introduced him to the surrounding guests: ¡°Let me tell you about Mr. Lin Xian. His accomplishments are well-known, but it¡¯s always a pleasure to highlight them. This young man is not only one of Donghai City¡¯s top ten citizens but also the inventor behind the globally successful Rhine Cat brand. His contributions don¡¯t end there; he¡¯s a partner in cutting-edge research with several universities and a world hacking champion. Lin Xian truly epitomizes what it means to be a role model for our youth!¡± Chu Shan He continued with enthusiastic pride, ¡°My friendship with Lin Xian is something I cherish deeply. Just recently, we were at the National Academy of Sciences together, meeting with President Gao Yan, who couldn¡¯t stop praising Lin Xian¡¯s extraordinary talents. His Rhine Laboratory has even begun a joint venture with the Academy¡¯s Astronomical Research Institute. It¡¯s young minds like his that show us seasoned folks are truly being surpassed!¡± Chu Shan He¡¯s warm endorsement made it abundantly clear that he held Lin Xian in high regard, signaling to everyone that Lin Xian was not only his close friend but also someone worthy of their respect and support. This unusual display of warmth from Chu Shan He, who had long been a dominant figure in Donghai City, raised quite a few eyebrows. His newfound pride in Lin Xian was so pronounced that it led some to jokingly wonder if Lin Xian might secretly be his son, or perhaps even a potential son-in-law, though the latter seemed less likely considering Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter was only a sophomore in college and not even twenty yet. ¡°Mr. Chu, it¡¯s been years. How have you been?¡± Chu Shan He ushered Elon Musk into the crowd, giving a brief rundown of his guest¡¯s achievements¡ªthough such introductions seemed superfluous. After all, who in the business or scientific world didn¡¯t recognize Musk? Known not just as a business magnate but also as a figure sometimes criticized for his dramatic publicity stunts, Musk¡¯s name sparked conversation across all sectors globally. Chu Shan He reminisced about 2018, a pivotal year when Donghai City had facilitated a significant deal with Musk. They had sold a large tract of land at a very favorable price to establish the world¡¯s largest Tesla factory specializing in electric vehicles. This deal was not without its strings; it mandated that all Tesla components be produced domestically within three years and required technology sharing¡ªmoves designed to boost the domestic new energy vehicle industry. This strategic decision turned out to be a masterstroke. The new energy vehicle sector in X Country was now thriving, leading the global market in sales and innovation. The Tesla Donghai Super Factory, set up during a time when Tesla was grappling with production hurdles, financial woes, and a plummeting stock price, had not only saved Tesla but also catapulted Musk to the pinnacle of global wealth. The ties between Elon Musk and Donghai City ran deep, thanks to this transformative project. Chu Shan He, as the president of the Donghai Chamber of Commerce, had played a significant role in this collaboration. Though he and Musk had only met a few times, the impact of their partnership was profound. Recently, Musk had contacted Chu Shan He, expressing his wish to attend the ¡°Science Charity Dinner¡± to give back to the city that had supported him in his time of need by contributing to X Country¡¯s scientific endeavors. Chu Shan He, a staunch patriot and supporter of scientific advancement, had eagerly agreed, even postponing the dinner to accommodate Musk. The grandeur of the evening was evident as Musk addressed the crowd, having taken the microphone from Chu Shan He. ¡°After our last meeting in 2018, it¡¯s been six years. I am honored that Mr. Elon Musk still remembers our brief encounters and welcome him to this ¡®Science Charity Dinner,¡¯ generously donating to X Country¡¯s scientific development!¡± The room erupted in applause as Musk spoke, ¡°I love Donghai City. It holds a special place in my heart. Today, at Mr. Chu¡¯s ¡®Science Charity Dinner,¡¯ I am here not just to speak but to act. To show my gratitude for the support Donghai City has given me, I am personally donating 500 million US dollars!¡± The announcement was like a thunderclap, sending shockwaves through the room. The world¡¯s richest man had not just attended; he had transformed the event with his staggering generosity. As the applause thundered, Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun exchanged knowing looks. The generosity displayed by Musk was not just remarkable but transformative. Chu Shan He himself had donated a substantial amount, 400 million yuan, but Musk¡¯s donation of roughly 3.5 billion yuan dwarfed it. Lin Xian had been concerned about the unspoken rule in X Country: that guests usually did not outshine the host¡¯s donation at such gatherings. But Musk, an outsider, had shattered this convention. Watching Chu Shan He applaud more vigorously than anyone else, Lin Xian realized he had underestimated the man. Chu Shan He was less concerned with personal glory and more focused on the broader benefits such generosity could bring to the nation. As the applause died down, Musk¡¯s gaze swept across the room until his eyes met Lin Xian¡¯s. Lin Xian felt a mix of surprise and curiosity. Was he the target of Musk¡¯s next move? Could VV¡¯s warning about the satellites be coming true? ¡°Friends, my second reason for attending this ¡®Science Charity Dinner¡¯ is...¡± Musk began, walking towards Lin Xian with a friendly smile. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Satellites, satellites, satellites...¡± VV¡¯s voice trembled through the Bluetooth. ¡°Just remember, we only cover the fuel! Don¡¯t let him squeeze a penny more out of us!¡± Musk stopped in front of Lin Xian, extending his hand, ¡°Mr. Lin Xian, thank you for hacking into the Starlink satellite system and identifying its vulnerabilities. The potential damage if exploited could have been catastrophic for global communications and space safety.¡± ¡°My second purpose here is to personally thank you. Your expertise in cybersecurity saved us from a possible disaster. I hope we can see more of your work in the future.¡± As they shook hands, Lin Xian felt something small and hard pass into his palm¡ªa wax seal with a raised pattern. It was familiar, one he had encountered many times at home, embossed with an upward-pointing index finger and the words ¡°Genius Club¡± beneath it. Though he couldn¡¯t see the letters, the context made it unmistakable. Elon Musk stood back, raising his finger towards the sky, ¡°We¡¯ll see you up there, Mr. Lin Xian.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 273: Some Things Transcend Time and Space This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Elon Musk¡¯s confident smile remained as he released Lin Xian¡¯s hand, leaving a wax seal stamped with the Genius Club¡¯s emblem in Lin Xian¡¯s palm. He straightened his slightly ruffled collar and shrugged, turning to join the jubilant crowd without another word. Behind him, clusters of young entrepreneurs gathered, their eyes lit with excitement, all eager for a chance to snap a photo with him. It was a rare opportunity for these aspiring business leaders to interact with the world¡¯s wealthiest person¡ªa philanthropist who had just generously donated $500 million to the Donghai City Science Development Fund. For most, the chance to meet such an influential figure was a distant dream, let alone having a conversation with him. Usually, such a figure would be surrounded by bodyguards and assistants, making personal interaction nearly impossible. However, Elon Musk was not your typical billionaire. He moved freely without bodyguards, except in situations deemed dangerous. His openness made him exceptionally approachable, a rarity among people of his status. Online, numerous photos showed him at various events, interacting casually with people on the streets. Now, seeing him in person at the same event, these entrepreneurs¡ªwho admired him greatly¡ªcouldn¡¯t resist the urge to get closer, to capture a moment with the legend. Musk, as the guest of honor at Chu Shan He¡¯s banquet, mingled effortlessly with the crowd, his laughter mixing with the clinks of glasses and the buzz of excited conversations. Meanwhile, Lin Xian stood apart, his expression unreadable. He settled into a chair at a nearby table, resting his clenched right fist on the surface. Hidden from view, he slowly uncurled his fingers to reveal the wax seal¡ªthe emblem of the Genius Club, identical to the one on the counterfeit invitation given to Zhao Ying Jun by Yellow Finch. The seal¡¯s familiar details¡ªthe circular ring, the stylized gesture, the English letters¡ªwere all exact matches. He glanced toward Musk, who was now center-stage, surrounded by admirers snapping pictures. Lin Xian pondered the demeanor of these Genius Club members. Are they all this laid-back? What exactly have I been opposing all this time? He had always imagined the Genius Club as a shadowy organization, like something out of a thriller¡ªoperating with deadly purpose. To remain undetected for 600 years, they would have to be ruthless, like a criminal syndicate dealing with traitors or threats. But the reality was starkly different. Yellow Finch was always relaxed, engaging him in light-hearted banter and mind games; Musk, a significant figure within the club, was nothing but congenial, making public appearances and speeches; even Kevin Walker, a brilliant hacker, had only momentarily alarmed him before disappearing without further interference. What are they really up to? What¡¯s their endgame? Lin Xian had always seen the Genius Club as an adversary, yet he lacked solid proof of any malevolence. Reflecting on the clues that had led him to suspect the Genius Club, he realized they were thin at best: 1. In his initial dream, Big Cat Face had accused the Genius Club of murder based on his own investigations¡ªclaims Lin Xian now questioned, considering the source¡¯s credibility. 2. His second dream had cast a sinister shadow over the moon¡ªan act seemingly out of character for any benevolent group, though it had caused no real harm. 3. Subsequent dreams and suspicions¡ªincluding those about the club¡¯s surveillance of Zhao Ying Jun, suppression of technological advances, and the mysterious elder¡ªwere all based on conjecture. Could I have misjudged them? Is the Genius Club actually a force for good? Lin Xian shook his head, troubled by the contradiction. Seven Deadly Sins and Copernicus. Undoubtedly, the crimes committed by Ji Xin Shui were under Copernicus¡¯s directives. Copernicus¡¯s involvement with the Genius Club was clear, given his influence over Ji Xin Shui and his display of the invitation¡ªproof enough of his malevolence. So, was the Genius Club inherently evil or good? Beneficial or harmful? Lin Xian was utterly confounded. The idea that such an organization, riddled with internal discord and contradictions, could have persisted for centuries seemed improbable¡ªit should have imploded long ago. ¡°What is the truth?¡± he muttered to himself. Just when he felt he was getting closer to understanding the Genius Club, it seemed he knew less than before. The more he uncovered, the more elusive the truth became. If only I could secure an actual invitation from the Genius Club. He remembered Yellow Finch¡¯s words from their first encounter: ¡°You can skirt around the edges of this mystery forever, remain passive, let life sweep you along like an ant caught in a current. But you can¡¯t escape being drawn into the grander scheme of things... History is relentless that way. To discern the truth¡ªto understand right from wrong, justice from evil¡ªyou must see it for yourself, through your own eyes.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think too deeply,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied. ¡°I just feel that if I were to say this, it might just be literal, without any deeper meaning. After all...¡± The music in the ballroom was long and drawn out, gradually ending with the violin¡¯s tremolo. The dance steps stopped, and the lights brightened, making Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s blue earrings sparkle. ¡°After all...¡± She smiled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t lie to you, would I?¡± Splash, splash¡ªthe bathroom faucet ran with a swift stream of water. Lin Xian cupped some water and splashed it on his face, rubbing it several times. He grabbed a few paper towels to dry his face before leaving the restroom. He looked up. The large mirror covering the entire washbasin wall reflected Lin Xian, who, like him, was wiping water off his cheeks and chin, fixing his tousled hair. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± VV¡¯s voice, which had been silent for a while, spoke through the Bluetooth headset. ¡°You were right; meeting someone face-to-face is different. Today was my first time seeing Zhao Ying Jun, but I¡¯ve seen many photos and videos of her online and through surveillance. Still, it¡¯s completely different from meeting her in person.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Lin Xian was surprised. ¡°Did it remind you of something?¡± ¡°No,¡± VV¡¯s voice was low. ¡°But... you said I don¡¯t understand emotions or human feelings, right? After observing Zhao Ying Jun for so long today, especially when she talked to you and looked at you, I could feel something I never felt before.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Loneliness.¡± VV¡¯s voice slowed. ¡°I find it hard to describe, but every time I saw Zhao Ying Jun looking at you, I could only feel loneliness. Suddenly, I realized... Have you noticed? Zhao Ying Jun is always alone, whether at work, in life, or even during breaks. She¡¯s always alone.¡± ¡°She is so independent and confident, unlike Chu An Qing. Chu An Qing has loving and gentle parents at home, many friends and classmates at school, she dares to love and hate and expresses all her thoughts, she¡¯s adored everywhere, and Donghai City is her playground.¡± ¡°But... Zhao Ying Jun, although seemingly wealthy, has nothing. I always thought Chu An Qing was the one who needed protection, but now I think it¡¯s Zhao Ying Jun. Even though she¡¯s 25, glamorous and heroic, she¡¯s still as lonely as a child.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Lin Xian realized something. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun is 25?¡± ¡°Yes, yesterday was her 25th birthday,¡± VV answered. Lin Xian looked at the date on his smartwatch¡ªJanuary 16, 2024. ¡°Ah...¡± He sighed deeply, closing his eyes. Holding his forehead. A day late... He had completely forgotten Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s birthday. Recalling the third dream, in the Rhine Museum, the brand-new blue Bentley GT sports car, with the crumpled, vibrant plastic roses on the back seat, fresh for 600 years. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you remind me...¡± Lin Xian whispered. ¡°You keep reminding me that Chu An Qing¡¯s birthday is March 28th, but you never mentioned Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s birthday.¡± Saying that, Lin Xian felt he was being unreasonable. VV had no memories related to Zhao Ying Jun; it was just a CP robot for Chu An Qing. Forgetting Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s birthday was his fault, not VV¡¯s. But. Time couldn¡¯t be turned back. This was the cruelest reality. Even if he could traverse 600 years, even if he could relive August 28, 2624, he could never turn back time by a single second. ¡°What can I do now?¡± Lin Xian straightened up, looking at himself in the mirror, as if asking himself, or inquiring... ¡°Show me the flower.¡± VV suddenly spoke through the Bluetooth headset. ¡°Let¡¯s set off fireworks for Zhao Ying Jun!¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Lin Xian was both amused and exasperated. ¡°Why do you always think about fireworks? Can¡¯t you think of something else?¡± ¡°Because all girls love fireworks!¡± VV giggled. ¡°No girl can refuse fireworks! Whether young or old, no woman can resist a sky full of fireworks!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s so late...¡± Lin Xian spread his hands. ¡°Where can we get fireworks now? It¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°Disneyland!¡± VV shouted. ¡°Donghai Disneyland has a nightly fireworks show, controlled electronically, with extra fireworks prepared each night. Even though Disneyland is closed and the lights are off now... but with me around! It¡¯s not a problem!¡± Lin Xian was still hesitant. ¡°Do we really have to do something so childish? Disneyland doesn¡¯t match Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s style at all.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it, let¡¯s do it!¡± VV pleaded through the Bluetooth headset. ¡°Although I still support An Qing, seeing Zhao Ying Jun today gave me an indescribable feeling. It¡¯s like I can¡¯t stand seeing her so lonely.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Please, Lin Xian, I¡¯ve never been so eager to do something. I feel like this is a lingering thought, an obsession. I want to set off fireworks for Zhao Ying Jun!¡± Suddenly. Lin Xian blinked. Recalling the last night, the last moment of the third dream. That rusty, old trashcan robot seemed to come to life, gripping his ankle: ¡°If you can see Ms. Zhao Ying Jun again, please send her my regards¡ªVV... misses her very much.¡± ¡°Sigh...¡± Lin Xian slid his finger into his tie knot, loosening the tie that had been like a collar all night. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun just said I¡¯m not good at rejecting people, soft-hearted, and a pushover.¡± ¡°But... fine.¡± He turned, looking at himself in the mirror. ¡°VV.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± ¡°Get me...¡± Lin Xian pursed his lips. ¡°The fastest car in Donghai City.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 274: VV and Ying Jun This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation BOOM!!!!!!! A sleek, purple Bugatti Veyron zoomed through the night in Donghai City. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t particularly thrilled with this choice of vehicle; its seating was notoriously uncomfortable. Yet, when searching for a quick escape among the local parking lots, this was the fastest option at hand. VV had remotely started it up and brought it over. ¡°When did you get your hands on a Bugatti?¡± Zhao Ying Jun inquired from the passenger seat, her curiosity piqued. ¡°I borrowed it from a friend,¡± Lin Xian responded, flashing a mischievous grin. ¡°A friend who happens to be quite resourceful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve been in a car this fast...¡± Zhao Ying Jun leaned back, closing her eyes to savor the ride. ¡°For the last six months, I¡¯ve been training on that racetrack you showed me. You should come with me next time; I think I¡¯ve actually gotten pretty good.¡± ¡°I believe you,¡± Lin Xian acknowledged, checking his mirrors before taking an exit off the highway. ¡°You¡¯ve got a natural talent for racing. You might be the best I¡¯ve seen... though my circle of racing enthusiasts isn¡¯t exactly large.¡± As Lin Xian eased off the accelerator, Zhao Ying Jun perked up and rolled down her window, taking in the shimmering cityscape. ¡°Where are we headed?¡± ¡°To Disneyland,¡± Lin Xian admitted without missing a beat. ¡°Disneyland?¡± she echoed, bursting into laughter. ¡°Are you serious? Disneyland?¡± ¡°Yeah... does it sound too childish?¡± Lin Xian asked, slightly embarrassed. The suggestion had come from VV and indeed seemed a bit juvenile. He was hesitant at first. VV¡¯s ideas were always a little over-the-top, melodramatic even. Lin Xian typically steered clear of these whimsical plans. But then he remembered a detail from the third dream about a quirky little trash can robot, and that made him give in to VV¡¯s suggestion this time. ¡°Not at all,¡± Zhao Ying Jun assured him, her hair fluttering in the night breeze as she glanced toward the dark silhouette of Disneyland¡¯s castle. ¡°It¡¯s actually quite refreshing. I¡¯ve never been to Disneyland before. I¡¯ve seen pictures and videos, sure, but I¡¯ve never visited any of their parks.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lin Xian looked at her, a bit surprised. Given her background as the cherished daughter of a prominent family, supported by the mighty Zhao Group, he had assumed she¡¯d experienced every luxury. How had Disneyland not been among them? Yet, thinking back on her tales of a rigid upbringing, it started to make sense. Or maybe Zhao Ying Jun, with her distinct personality, had never been drawn to typical childhood indulgences. Reflecting on his third dream, Lin Xian remembered scenes from her youth¡ªlessons in various arts, horseback riding, golf, gourmet meals, trips to the Louvre. She had witnessed the pinnacle of human creativity, like viewing the Mona Lisa up close, but had never embraced a cartoon mouse or spun on a merry-go-round. ¡°But... the park¡¯s closed at night, right?¡± Zhao Ying Jun remarked as they approached. Just as she finished her thought, a gate that normally remained shut swung open. The Bugatti Veyron darted through, its headlights cutting through the darkness. Door after door opened ahead of them, green lights guiding their path, reminiscent of the relentless march of time. ¡°It sounds like a story out of the Grimm¡¯s Fairy Tales,¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded. ¡°I¡¯m guessing there was a prince who kissed the statue to break the spell, or some magic that brought it back to life?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°There was a magic phrase: ¡®show me the flower.¡¯ When spoken, it triggered something magical.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± she pressed, intrigued. ¡°Do you want to try it?¡± Lin Xian offered with a grin. ¡°Say the spell.¡± Zhao Ying Jun hesitated, feeling a bit silly, but seeing Lin Xian¡¯s earnest expression, she took a deep breath, wrapped her coat tighter against the chilly air, and whispered, ¡°Show me the flower...¡± Instantly, lights flashed behind her. The dark Disneyland castle burst into vibrant colors as if brought to life by electricity. Fireworks soared above the castle, illuminating the sky with a display of hues. Zhao Ying Jun spun around, awestruck. ¡°Did you really buy Disneyland for the night?¡± Lin Xian stepped down from the car, his smile warm and genuine. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the messy birthdays in the past. But even if I¡¯m late, I still wanted to wish you... Happy Birthday.¡± Zhao Ying Jun was speechless, touched by the gesture as she listened to the crackle of fireworks and looked at Lin Xian. A soft smile played on her lips. ¡°Thank you, Lin Xian,¡± she said, pushing her hair back from her face. ¡°Thank you for remembering and for this incredible surprise.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation She remembered his dream about VV and the jade statue, lifting her eyes to meet his. ¡°So, in your dream, what happened after the spell? What was the rest of the story?¡± Lin Xian scratched his head, improvising. ¡°The statue came back to life, but the old trash can robot short-circuited and died after being overworked. In its last moments, it asked me to tell you: ¡®VV misses you alot.''¡± Zhao Ying Jun listened quietly, nodding. ¡°If you have that dream again, tell VV that even as a trash can, I still love it.¡± In the distance, a woman stood in the shadow of the trees, watching the fireworks display over Disneyland. ¡°This was the first time... such beautiful fireworks,¡± she murmured, her voice choked with emotion, her hand clutching a tree for support. Her bright blue eyes flickered like a fading light before regaining some brightness. ¡°When will you come to find me, Lin Xian? Time is running out...¡± Ring! Ring! Ring! As the last firework faded, Disneyland fell silent, and Lin Xian realized his phone had been ringing. It was Liu Feng. He answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Lin Xian!!!!¡± Liu Feng¡¯s voice was a mix of excitement and desperation. ¡°I found it! I found the time-space particles! I used the Sky Eye Radio Telescope, and I found them!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 275: Strange! Time-Space Particles! This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Roar! At Hongqiao Airport, the roar of a Boeing plane echoed as it sped down the runway, preparing for takeoff to Guizhou in the southwest. The atmosphere was charged with excitement, as the Lunar New Year was drawing near, making it the busiest time for travel as people headed home for the holidays. Even the usually empty first-class section was bustling with passengers today. Thanks to the spacious, private seats, most travelers were either dozing off or entertained by the small screens in front of them. Just last night, Lin Xian had received an urgent call from Liu Feng that changed his plans immediately. Without a second thought, Lin Xian booked the first flight out to Guizhou. ¡°We¡¯ve found them¡ªthe time-space particles!¡± This news wasn¡¯t just a thrill for Liu Feng; Lin Xian was on edge too. Initially, when Liu Feng shared his theory about time-space particles¡ªparticles capable of breaching the barriers of different dimensions¡ªLin Xian was skeptical. It sounded more like science fiction than reality, so he didn¡¯t think much of it. They agreed to revisit the discussion once they had tangible evidence. But now, after three relentless months at the Guizhou Sky Eye Observatory, Liu Feng had actually detected these elusive particles. Particles from another dimension... Having different Planck scales... A way to measure shifts in the curvature of space-time... And a standard for identifying deviations in timelines... Lin Xian was overwhelmed by the realization. Time-space particles, a concept so fantastical, were real. Eager to learn more, Lin Xian headed to the Guizhou Sky Eye to meet Liu Feng and delve into the details of this groundbreaking discovery. As he reclined in his seat, eye mask on, Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts wandered back to the party he attended last night¡ªWhy had Elon Musk, the wealthiest man and a member of the Genius Club, approached him? It seemed like a casual encounter. Lin Xian had examined the wax seal Musk gave him during their handshake. It was plain, likely handmade by Musk himself, and not particularly exquisite. Yet, what mattered was the emblem of the Genius Club embossed on it, confirming Musk¡¯s identity. Unlike Ji Xin Shui, who was tentatively involved with the Genius Club, Musk was clearly a full member. Ji Xin Shui was secretive and cautious, fearing any mistake might jeopardize his chance to join fully. He wouldn¡¯t even discuss the Club¡¯s details like the Copernicus badge or invitation style with his closest kin, Ji Lin. In contrast, Elon Musk didn¡¯t care at all. He handed the wax seal to Lin Xian during a handshake, directly revealing his identity. ¡°I am a member of the Genius Club,¡± he had declared openly. This left Lin Xian puzzled. Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be confidential? What was Musk¡¯s aim in revealing this so freely? Did he want Lin Xian as a follower, or perhaps as a fellow conspirator? Or maybe, like Yellow Finch, Musk had his own agendas, subtly guiding Lin Xian? ¡°Ugh...¡± He simplified the celestial mechanics for clarity. ¡°These positions change rapidly, but let¡¯s focus on the essentials. You don¡¯t need the technical details, just the implications of what we¡¯ve found.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± Lin Xian encouraged. ¡°I thought time-space particles would be tiny, slipping through the smallest gaps in the fabric of the universe,¡± Liu Feng began, his enthusiasm mounting. ¡°But what we observed was surprisingly large¡ªcomparable to a baseball or an apple!¡± ¡°That large?¡± Lin Xian was taken aback. ¡°How can something that size travel through space-time? It wouldn¡¯t even fit through a tennis net, let alone the intricate weaves of time-space!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Liu Feng¡¯s tone grew serious. ¡°It suggests that the time-space barrier isn¡¯t just cracked; it might be more extensively damaged than we thought. Imagine if objects as large as apples are slipping through, what else could be crossing over? Energy, matter, maybe even¡ª¡± ¡°People,¡± Lin Xian concluded, thinking of the enigmatic Yellow Finch with her piercing blue eyes and prescient aura. ¡°Time-space travelers.¡± ¡°If time-space particles can cross over, so could other things,¡± Lin Xian mused. ¡°It¡¯s like a tiny crack in a dam; it might look insignificant, but it can lead to a catastrophic breach.¡± ¡°Which raises the question,¡± Lin Xian pondered, ¡°Do actions by time-space travelers cause these cracks, or do the cracks exist independently, allowing travelers to emerge?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a classic chicken-and-egg scenario,¡± Liu Feng considered, deep in thought. ¡°If I had to guess, I¡¯d say the cracks probably come first, paving the way for time-space travel and the appearance of travelers.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s just the start of it,¡± Liu Feng continued, not wanting to digress. ¡°Let¡¯s not lose focus. I haven¡¯t even gotten to the most intriguing part about the time-space particles.¡± He moved around the table and picked up a tea egg, placing it near the pen holder symbolizing the Sun. ¡°Imagine this tea egg is a time-space particle. It¡¯s moving along this trajectory,¡± Liu Feng explained, guiding the egg with his hand towards the Earth on the globe. ¡°It¡¯s passing close by the Sun and heading straight for Earth,¡± he detailed. ¡°My calculations predict it¡¯ll enter Earth¡¯s atmosphere in about two months. But its path is erratic, always adjusting, yet consistently aiming for our planet.¡± ¡°What¡¯s truly extraordinary,¡± Liu Feng¡¯s voice filled with awe, ¡°is that this particle is incredibly stable. It doesn¡¯t interact with any physical matter, isn¡¯t affected by external forces, and exists almost like it¡¯s in a different dimension. You can see it, but you can¡¯t touch it. It¡¯s like it¡¯s from another world, beyond our physical laws.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian nodded, processing the implications. ¡°But wait,¡± Lin Xian paused, a sudden realization hitting him. ¡°You mentioned it isn¡¯t influenced by external forces. That doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± ¡°Our planet, the Sun, even our galaxy¡ªthey¡¯re all moving. Earth is pulled by the Sun¡¯s gravity, which orbits the center of the Milky Way, which in turn is moving towards Andromeda. We¡¯re never in the same spot.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°If this particle follows basic physics, unaffected by external forces, it should move in a straight line, not following Earth.¡± ¡°But if it isn¡¯t affected by gravity, how does it keep up with Earth? How does it adjust its trajectory to match Earth¡¯s constant motion?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a natural cosmic behavior,¡± Lin Xian realized, the implications chilling him. ¡°It seems like this time-space particle has a specific target¡ªit¡¯s seeking out Earth!¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Liu Feng agreed, spinning the globe thoughtfully. ¡°That¡¯s why I needed you here. It¡¯s baffling. By all physical laws, it shouldn¡¯t be able to maintain its course towards Earth without some form of external influence.¡± ¡°Unless,¡± Liu Feng paused, his gaze meeting Lin Xian¡¯s, ¡°something on Earth is drawing it here.¡± ¡°Or,¡± Lin Xian added, ¡°it¡¯s actively searching for something here.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 276: Toward the Sky This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian nodded thoughtfully, his mind processing the implications. ¡°The conclusion isn¡¯t hard to deduce. I came to the same realization just moments ago.¡± Liu Feng leaned forward, his expression grave. ¡°It¡¯s the only explanation for why space-time particles, which don¡¯t interact with physical or energetic matter, consistently alter their trajectory toward Earth.¡± ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something on Earth that attracts them, or perhaps there¡¯s a mutual attraction, like gravity, unique to these entities!¡± Lin Xian suggested, eyes narrowing as he pondered the possibilities. ¡°Could there be another space-time particle on Earth? Are they attracting each other?¡± Lin Xian wondered aloud. Liu Feng shook his head. ¡°Unlikely. If that were the case, I should have detected it by now. But we must keep an open mind¡ªwe haven¡¯t seen or found anything definitive, so we shouldn¡¯t jump to conclusions just yet, right?¡± Lin Xian sighed and stood, walking over to a model of the Earth. ¡°We need to figure this out. It seems that in about two months, this space-time particle will reach Earth. We need to capture it to further study it¡ªthis includes calibrating the space-time clock, detecting space-time curvature, and researching the Universal Constant, among other things.¡± ¡°Can we pin down the timing more precisely? And the exact location of the space-time particle¡¯s arrival on Earth? Is it in the 380,000 km Earth-moon orbit, the altitude of thousands of kilometers where satellites orbit, or is it 100 km above the surface at the Ka?rma?n line? Or might it actually land on the surface, and we just scoop it up with a long pole and a net?¡± Lin Xian questioned, his brain buzzing with potential scenarios. Liu Feng shook his head again, raising a finger. ¡°Currently, the exact time, location, and altitude of its arrival are all uncertain. I can only confirm it¡¯s heading toward Earth. From its trajectory, it seems it will pass through the atmosphere... Assuming it doesn¡¯t change course dramatically. I can¡¯t be precise just yet.¡± ¡°But uncertainty now doesn¡¯t mean uncertainty forever. About a week or ten days before the particle¡¯s arrival, I should be able to accurately pinpoint where it will pass Earth. For now, I suggest our capture plan should focus on the near-Earth space region, from 10 km to 500 km,¡± Liu Feng continued, now raising a second finger. ¡°Secondly, since this space-time particle has no mass or physical form, conventional means won¡¯t capture it. It needs a special kind of ¡®field¡¯ to trap it. That¡¯s not a problem for me. If I can find it, I can trap it!¡± ¡°Give me a month, and I¡¯ll create a ¡®Space-Time Particle Capturer.¡¯ Once trapped, the particle will be immobilized within the capturer... Wherever we take the capturer, the particle will follow.¡± ¡°Then, we can study the space-time particle up close. For instance, it could serve as a reference point in space-time to calibrate our clocks and help us study space-time curvature and the Universal Constant. Everything will fall into place. Therefore! Our most critical and immediate task now is¡ª¡± ¡°How to approach and capture this elusive space-time particle in the atmosphere or even outer space,¡± Lin Xian finished his thought. ... Lin Xian and Liu Feng exchanged a glance. The solution was evident. Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center Yellow Finch, that astute woman, had known everything all along! She was aware of the space-time particle, its passage through Earth¡¯s atmosphere, and that only rockets and spacecraft could capture it! The maximum flight altitude of civilian airplanes is about 15,000 meters. Manned fighter jets can reach about 25,000 meters. Unmanned drones and high-altitude aircraft hold the record for the highest flight altitude, just over 30,000 meters. 30,000 meters... That¡¯s merely the stratosphere, far below the 100 km Ka?rma?n line, and even further from outer space. Just as Yellow Finch had noted in her message left at the lab. Only rockets, spacecraft, satellites, or even... the space shuttle recently launched by X Country, can undertake this ¡°Space-Time Particle Capture Mission.¡± ¡°Lin Xian,¡± Liu Feng declared, striking the table, ¡°I¡¯m heading to Gansu, to Jiuquan!¡± The roar of engines filled the air as jets beneath the airplane wings expelled hot gas, lifting the heavy airliner into the clouds. Gansu, situated in the northwest of X Country, is known for its diverse climatic features due to its position at the convergence of several climatic zones. Jiuquan City, where the famous Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is located, features a flat terrain and a dry, rainless climate for most of the year, making it an ideal spot for spacecraft launches. As the plane descended, Lin Xian peered out the window at the starkly different landscape of the southern lands¡ªvast expanses of yellow were the most direct impression of the Loess Plateau. After landing, they got into a prearranged car and headed to the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Despite not having exchanged contact details with Yellow Finch or knowing how to get past the guards at the center, they took the situation one step at a time. Approaching the launch center, the endless yellow of the ground merged into the distance, under a clear, cloudless blue sky. The seemingly sandy terrain was actually stabilized by a moisture-retaining grass, though this too was sparse and yellow. From afar, the signage for the X Country Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center was visible, along with tall launch towers and a massive, walled compound. They reached the launch center¡¯s gate without any obstacles, the dust kicked up by their lone car marking their approach. Just as Lin Xian stood before the gate, pondering their smooth journey¡ª Whoosh! The gates burst open, and a tall, curvy woman emerged, wearing a thick coat and large sunglasses that covered half her face. She smiled slightly, removing her sunglasses to reveal crystal blue eyes that shone with clarity, looking directly at Lin Xian and Liu Feng. ¡°You¡¯re too slow!¡± she teased, her voice echoing lightly in the crisp air. ... Liu Feng raised his hand. ¡°I still need to manufacture the space-time particle capturer; I¡¯ll be a bit late. Once I¡¯ve completed it here, I¡¯ll bring the space-time particle capturer with me to the secret training base in the capital to find you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Yellow Finch nodded, smiling at the two. ¡°Then, let¡¯s each set off! From now on, we¡¯re a team!¡± ... Donghai, a small pub. Gao Yang downed a drink, sighed, and shook his head. ¡°Ah... it¡¯s no good, Lin Xian, they didn¡¯t give me leave.¡± He smacked his lips. ¡°I told the store manager, said I want two months off, no salary needed, no need for social security I¡¯ll pay it myself, even said they could waive my position... I just wanted to ask for a long vacation to help my brother with a very important task.¡± ¡°Then just quit,¡± Lin Xian picked up a peanut with his chopsticks, chewing thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ve always said you should quit, come to Rhine Company, do whatever job. Or what project do you want to do? Got any dreams? I¡¯ll invest in you, stop selling cars.¡± ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t say that, Lin Xian,¡± Gao Yang poured himself another drink. ¡°It¡¯s not about loving what you do, I¡¯ve always felt that there¡¯s no high or low, no noble or humble in work, and I actually seem to have a talent for sales, just like you said... I¡¯m a natural sales saint, born for sales!¡± ¡°My personal value is just this, my vision is just this, and I¡¯m quite happy mixing in this circle. If you really let me be a department head or go start my own business as a boss, I know I don¡¯t have the capability... It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to break out or leave this comfort zone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very clear about my own position, I can talk a bit, have some glibness. But hey, in the end, the world is vast! But brothers are greatest!¡± Gao Yang raised his glass to Lin Xian. ¡°I quit! I quit, damn it! I¡¯m done!¡± ¡°Worst case, after we come back from Jiuquan, I¡¯ll just find another place to sell cars! Anyway, the oil car market isn¡¯t doing well now, maybe I¡¯ll switch to a new energy 4S shop and sell there!¡± Lin Xian grinned at his friend¡¯s antics. It was clear that Gao Yang was quite reluctant to leave this job. After all, having worked there for so many years, he probably had some emotional attachment, some social interactions, and some sense of achievement and value. Really making him quit for his own sake, Lin Xian felt somewhat remorseful. He downed the drink in his glass and set the cup on the table. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, don¡¯t rush to quit, wait for me at your 4S shop tomorrow.¡± That night, he called Yellow Finch. ... The next day, at the 4S shop. Lin Xian came in and handed Gao Yang a thin, ordinary-looking, folded piece of A4 paper that even seemed transparent and blank like a blank piece of paper. ¡°Give this to your boss.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Gao Yang was puzzled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, just give it to the boss, go directly to him, don¡¯t go through the manager.¡± 30 seconds later, Gao Yang entered the CEO¡¯s office. 38 seconds later, the CEO scrambled to rub Gao Yang¡¯s shoulders, respectfully and fearfully, sending him out. ¡°It¡¯s okay! Go! Just go! We¡¯ll keep paying your salary! Position reserved! No, no, no... when you come back, you¡¯ll be promoted! This manager position will be yours!¡± ¡°You tell me... hey, Gao Yang! My brother Gao! Was it necessary to alert the state over such a trivial matter?! You, you, you... you really scared me to death!¡± ¡°Out, out there, don¡¯t talk nonsense! When you come back, you¡¯ll be the manager of this shop! I¡¯ll promote the current manager to the general company, and this shop will be yours to run! From now on, you call the shots in this shop!!¡± Gao Yang was dumbfounded, looking at the silently smiling Lin Xian, taking the A4 paper handed over by the CEO himself. He opened it... And discovered the paper was very blank, with just a red seal in the bottom right corner! From the top governmental department in all of X Country! The red seal¡¯s unit name was very short, but it made Gao Yang¡¯s legs go weak, almost collapsing to the ground. At the top of the paper, the simplest three characters were written¡ª [Let him go] ... This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation The next day. Capital city, astronaut secret training base. In the hall. Space shuttle pilot and coach Wei Cheng, Lin Xian, Gao Yang, lined up. Yellow Finch stood three to four meters in front of them, like a leader giving a speech. ¡°No way!¡± Gao Yang shouted. ¡°Just the four of us!?¡± He pointed at himself, looked left at Lin Xian, looked at Wei Cheng in his national space uniform, and then at the beautiful woman across from him, Yellow Finch. ¡°Just the four of us to pilot a spaceship!?¡± ¡°Have you seen that childhood cartoon? The one with the two mice flying a plane and a tank, Shuke and Beta?!¡± Wei Cheng, ten years their senior, smiled gently, correcting. ¡°A space shuttle is not a spaceship. If the flight altitude isn¡¯t too high, it¡¯s actually not that complicated.¡± Yellow Finch looked at Gao Yang, already knowing what to expect, and chuckled. ¡°Besides... it¡¯s not four people, it¡¯s five.¡± She turned her head, looking towards the corridor. ¡°Are you dressed yet? Come on out! Everyone¡¯s here, just waiting for you!¡± ¡°Here I come~!¡± A voice as pleasant as a lark rang out. Along with the voice, appearing around the corner was also a bouncy, deep brown, fluffy ponytail. The girl hopped out in a snug-fitting astronaut training suit, a tear mole by her eye just right, her charming eyes curving into cute crescents. ¡°Senior Lin Xian! Senior Gao Yang!¡± With her dimples faintly visible and a charming giggle, she mockingly saluted the two. ¡°Chu An Qing! Reporting for duty!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 277: Whose Father, Whose Daughter (1) This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Chu An Qing!?¡± Lin Xian and Gao Yang exclaimed together, their eyes wide with astonishment as they stared at the young girl standing before them. Previously, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Yellow Finch had hinted she would introduce a reliable new team member. Lin Xian, placing his trust in Yellow Finch¡¯s extensive connections, hadn¡¯t dwelled on it, expecting perhaps someone with a background in aerospace or a related scientific field. However, the last person he expected was Chu An Qing¡ªan apparently ordinary 19-year-old art student. The idea of her boarding a space shuttle to collect time-space particles seemed almost laughable! ¡°Hehe~¡± Chu An Qing performed a playful salute, then relaxed her stance, giggled, and swayed slightly as she faced Lin Xian. ¡°Senior Lin Xian, long time no see!¡± .... A few months back, just three days after the World Hacker Competition wrapped up, the triumphant X Country Information Security Team assembled at a private jet terminal in New York¡¯s airport. Surrounded by the protective detail of the National Elite Forces, they readied for their flight home. ¡°An Qing, did you manage to pack everything?¡± Lin Xian called back to Chu An Qing, noticing she was traveling light. Chu An Qing flapped her arms, mimicking a bird. ¡°This is all I have. I sneaked out, so I didn¡¯t have time to pack properly. If I had gone home, my parents would¡¯ve noticed. Worried I¡¯d miss the competition, I rushed directly to the airport and flew here.¡± Lin Xian sighed. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do that again; it¡¯s too risky. What would I say to Mr. Chu if something happened to you? I can handle my issues. When I need help, I¡¯ll ask for it.¡± ¡°Sure, sure!¡± Chu An Qing laughed. ¡°Just call me anytime! I¡¯m always ready to help!¡± As they spoke, two security agents from X Country maneuvered a carefully wrapped art piece towards the cargo hold. They passed by Lin Xian and inquired, ¡°Mr. Lin Xian, is this packing satisfactory? We couldn¡¯t find better materials on short notice.¡± After inspecting the package, Lin Xian nodded. ¡°It¡¯s adequate. Just ensure it¡¯s securely fastened. The frame can endure some damage, but the painting itself must not be touched.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± they acknowledged, loading the artwork titled ¡°Einstein in Sorrow¡± into the jet. ¡°Hmm...¡± Chu An Qing pondered aloud. ¡°Lin Xian, do you think the ¡®Einstein in Sorrow¡¯ we saw at the Donghai Exhibition, part of a global oil painting tour, could contain different hidden codes from the one you have? Comparing both could accelerate the decryption process. It¡¯s like in ¡®The Imitation Game¡¯¡ªthe movie about Alan Turing¡ªwhere identifying similar patterns in different codes aids in breaking them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re onto something,¡± Lin Xian agreed, recalling his research from the previous night. ¡°There are unverified theories online about this painting. Some believe there are multiple originals, but no one knows the exact count. Currently, only two are confirmed: one from the tour and another previously owned by a famous Hollywood director, now in the hands of the actress Angelica and given to Ji Lin, which is the one we possess.¡± ¡°The hypothesis about there being eight originals was proposed by Ji Lin after analyzing the codes. It¡¯s speculative, but Ji Lin¡¯s confidence in his decryption might suggest he¡¯s onto something.¡± Chu An Qing felt a twinge of sorrow at the mention of Ji Lin. She remembered the two paintings in her room, gifts for her adulthood: one a sketch of herself by Lin Xian, mischievously taken from his notebook by Ji Lin, and the other a watercolor of a group photo with Lin Xian and Ji Lin, painted by her. But Ji Lin was no longer around. She avoided mentioning Ji Lin around Lin Xian to spare him the grief. Despite her unresolved feelings towards Ji Lin, she recognized the pain it could cause Lin Xian. Chu An Qing was aware that Lin Xian had devised the plan that ensnared Zhou Duan Yun, with Ji Lin likely collaborating smoothly and swiftly. She also knew the festive birthday party was Ji Lin¡¯s strategy to target Lin Xian, and Lin Xian¡¯s mercy towards Ji Lin was part of a larger plot. In public records, Zhou Duan Yun was innocent. After Ji Xin Shui¡¯s demise, only Ji Lin knew of Zhou¡¯s misdeeds. To protect himself, Zhou aimed to eliminate Ji Lin, the sole witness to his crimes. Her father, Chu Shan He, had explained, ¡°Ji Lin was clever enough to predict Lin Xian¡¯s scheme. He realized at the police station, seeing the announcement exonerating Zhou, that Lin Xian intended to use him as bait.¡± Chu An Qing marveled at the complexity of their plans, something she struggled to grasp, unlike Lin Xian and Ji Lin, who navigated these strategies with an understanding of each other¡¯s thoughts. ¡°But why?¡± she had once asked her father. ¡°If Ji Lin knew he was bait and risked being killed by Zhou, why did he proceed?¡± Chu Shan He sighed. ¡°Perhaps Ji Lin believed Lin Xian would rescue him in time, or maybe he underestimated Zhou¡¯s ruthlessness. But I suspect Ji Lin, understanding Zhou well, hoped Lin Xian would save him.¡± ¡°Of course, this is mere conjecture. Zhou acted too swiftly for the police to intervene.¡± Ten hours later, the private jet touched down at the capital¡¯s airport before taking off again towards Donghai Pudong Airport. After their long journey, Lin Xian and Chu An Qing disembarked, stretching their limbs under the daylight. ¡°It feels like ages ago,¡± Chu An Qing mused. ¡°We left in the daytime, and it¡¯s still daytime! Hehe, did we travel through time or reverse it? Lin Xian, is today the same day we left the USA?¡± Her question caught Lin Xian off guard. He considered the time difference. ¡°X Country is 12 hours ahead of the USA. So technically, you didn¡¯t travel back in time; you moved forward. You left the USA on the morning of the 19th, and now it¡¯s noon on the 20th here.¡± ¡°In a way, you lost a day of your life. But don¡¯t overthink it. It¡¯s a bit complex and beyond my area of expertise.¡± He smiled. ¡°This trip abroad was my first, thanks to the official arrangements.¡± Chu An Qing laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you had any blind spots in your knowledge, senior. I guess you don¡¯t know everything after all!¡± ¡°You¡¯re giving me too much credit,¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°You got me this time. Maybe one day you¡¯ll surpass me, and I¡¯ll be the one asking you questions.¡± ¡°That day will never come,¡± Chu An Qing shook her head. ¡°My brain isn¡¯t sharp enough; I¡¯ll never catch up to you!¡± Chu An Qing brightened with a new idea, her eyes twinkling. ¡°If flying from the USA to X Country means moving forward in time, does flying back mean reversing time? If we kept flying east without stopping, wouldn¡¯t we stay in an eternal today, never reaching tomorrow?¡± Lin Xian laughed, caught up in her infectious imagination. ¡°Congratulations,¡± he played along. ¡°You¡¯ve discovered a glitch in the world, granting you immortality.¡± ¡°Really!?¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes shaped like crescents. ¡°If we kept flying, we¡¯d never see tomorrow! We¡¯d always be in today!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian agreed. ¡°Then if the plane flew faster, we¡¯d really travel back to yesterday!¡± Chu An Qing exclaimed, thrilled. ¡°Impressive!¡± Lin Xian clapped. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m serious!¡± Chu An Qing pouted, giving Lin Xian a playful punch. ¡°Explain it to me! Am I right or not? It feels like it makes sense, theoretically.¡± Lin Xian straightened. ¡°Your theory holds under one condition.¡± ¡°What condition?¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes widened with curiosity. ¡°If Einstein agrees to rewrite the theory of relativity,¡± Lin Xian said, grinning. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re teasing me!¡± Chu An Qing huffed, punching Lin Xian playfully. ¡°I really thought I¡¯d discovered a glitch in the world!¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Their conversation was interrupted by a car horn. Lin Xian¡¯s Alphard pulled up, and the driver began loading their luggage. ¡°I¡¯ll drive you back to school, An Qing,¡± Lin Xian offered. ¡°Sorry to burst your Nobel Prize dreams. But if you¡¯re interested in this topic, you should take Professor Zhang Yang¡¯s elective next semester. He makes relativity, light speed, and time travel fun and accessible. I took his class at Donghai University, and it was fascinating.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Chu An Qing smiled. ¡°I¡¯m interested. Time travel sounds amazing. If I could really travel through time...¡± Lin Xian handed his luggage to the driver and looked at Chu An Qing. ¡°Would you go back in time or to the future?¡± ¡°I¡¯d definitely go back,¡± she responded immediately. ¡°The future doesn¡¯t interest me. I¡¯m not even 20 yet; I can live to see the future. With hibernation chambers becoming practical, anyone can travel to the future. The past, however, remains unreachable, no matter how advanced technology gets. If I had the power to time travel, I¡¯d choose the past every time.¡± Lin Xian was intrigued. ¡°That¡¯s an unusual choice. Most people would opt for the future. Do you have a specific reason or something you¡¯d like to change from the past? If you could travel back in time, what would you do?¡± ¡°Hehe...¡± Chu An Qing smiled mischievously, dimples appearing. She pressed a finger to her lips. ¡°That¡¯s a secret~¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 278: Whose Father, Whose Daughter (2) This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°...So mysterious,¡± Lin Xian chuckled, clearly amused. Not long ago, Chu An Qing had captured his interest with her quirky ideas. At first, they seemed like the wild fantasies of a naive young girl. Yet, despite this, her vibrant enthusiasm was undeniably contagious. For a fleeting moment, Lin Xian found himself swept up in her excitement, engaged in a stimulating exchange that felt like a collaboration of two brilliant minds. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, Lin Xian,¡± Chu An Qing said with a bright smile, patting her chest confidently. ¡°If I could really travel through time, you¡¯d be the first to know! I promise, I¡¯d find the younger you and give you all the winning lottery numbers! You¡¯d be richer than my dad!¡± ¡°Well, thanks in advance,¡± Lin Xian responded with a grin, holding open the electric door of the sleek business car and gesturing for her to step inside. ¡°And remind me to invest in Bitcoin.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not possible!¡± Chu An Qing quickly dismissed the idea, her expression turning serious. ¡°That¡¯s illegal!¡± .... After the ride, Lin Xian¡¯s chauffeur dropped Chu An Qing off at Donghai University. She waved cheerfully as she stepped out of the car. ¡°Bye, Lin Xian. Drive safely!¡± ¡°Yeah, you get some rest,¡± Lin Xian called out, rolling up the window as he prepared to drive away. Watching the car disappear around the corner of her dorm, Chu An Qing reflected on Lin Xian¡¯s recent advice about attending Professor Zhang Yang¡¯s general education class. She had already taken it last semester and would have to wait to enroll again. But she considered sneaking into the lecture hall just to listen. After all, with hundreds of students in attendance, who would notice one more? She stretched, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Living life, she realized, meant chasing what you love. Not every moment had to be grand, and not every ending profound. What mattered most was finding happiness and living without regrets. Humming to herself, she walked toward her dormitory, only to stop short in surprise. A tall, elegant woman in sunglasses stood in front of the dormitory, exuding a blend of grace and authority. Dressed in a chic trench coat and adorned with shimmering blue earrings, she commanded attention. ¡°Yellow Finch?¡± Chu An Qing hurried over, puzzled and slightly anxious. ¡°Yellow Finch, what brings you here?¡± Chu An Qing inquired, her curiosity piqued. Removing her sunglasses, Yellow Finch revealed her piercing blue eyes, giving her a look that was almost too intense. ¡°An Qing, do you have a moment?¡± she asked softly, her tone serious. ¡°There¡¯s something important I need to discuss with you.¡± .... Seated in a quiet corner of the school cafeteria¡¯s third-floor cafe?, the two women faced each other, cold drinks untouched between them. Chu An Qing listened in disbelief to Yellow Finch¡¯s revelations. ¡°Is... is all of this really true... Yellow Finch? I... I can hardly believe it,¡± she stammered, her hands instinctively touching her cold cheeks. If Lin Xian¡¯s musings on time travel were somewhat plausible, what Yellow Finch described sounded like it was ripped from the pages of a science fiction novel. ¡°I... I don¡¯t understand, and I...¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, An Qing,¡± Yellow Finch soothed. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to make any decisions right now. This is a lot to take in. Take your time to think about it. But remember, don¡¯t tell anyone about our conversation¡ªnot your parents, not Lin Xian, nobody. This decision must be yours alone.¡± Chu An Qing felt vulnerable. ¡°Not even Lin Xian? I was thinking about discussing it with him... Can I really not tell him?¡± Yellow Finch shook her head gravely. ¡°Trust me, An Qing. It¡¯s for Lin Xian¡¯s own good to keep him out of this. Due to the elasticity effect, the crucial information I¡¯ve shared is mostly incorrect or even completely the opposite. Sharing this with Lin Xian would only mislead him. If he acts on this false information, he¡¯ll surely make mistakes and miss out on a critical opportunity.¡± ¡°When the situation changes, I¡¯ll update you with the facts. But for now, although what I¡¯ve told you might seem incorrect, the events are very real. It¡¯s like the value of Pi¡ªeven if I incorrectly say it¡¯s 5.14, it doesn¡¯t negate the actual existence of Pi.¡± Overwhelmed by the bizarre nature of the conversation, Chu An Qing fell silent. After a lengthy pause, she finally spoke, her voice steady but filled with confusion. ¡°The ¡®Alpha Substance¡¯ you mentioned... the one that¡¯s only found in outer space, is it truly that vital to Lin Xian?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s extremely crucial,¡± Yellow Finch confirmed softly, leaning forward to look Chu An Qing in the eyes. ¡°Missing this element could cause everything to unravel. By the time we realize its importance, it might be too late.¡± .... Yellow Finch stood, her movements smooth and deliberate. ¡°This is my phone number,¡± she said, placing a piece of paper on the table. She picked up her coat. ¡°It¡¯s only September 2023, not even October yet. You have plenty of time to think and decide. When you¡¯re ready, call me, and I¡¯ll tell you everything I can.¡±Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com With a graceful gesture, she donned her stylish trench coat and slipped on her sunglasses. ¡°Lastly, remember, An Qing, no matter what choice you make, it will be the right one. Because... I can¡¯t predict the right answer. I¡¯m just trying to do what I believe is right,¡± she added, her voice tinged with a hint of regret. ¡°Unfortunately...¡± she paused, a smile playing on her lips. ¡°I actually know more about you, but due to the elasticity effect, I can¡¯t tell you now. Otherwise, your decision would be easier.¡± ¡°Goodbye, see you later.¡± With that, Yellow Finch turned and walked away, her high heels clicking on the floor, each step echoing in the now quiet cafe?. Chu An Qing watched her disappear around the corner, her mind racing with the weight of the conversation. She looked down at the small piece of paper on the table. A phone number was scribbled on it. She reached out, gripped it, and put it in her pocket. .... ¡°Today, we¡¯ve covered the basics of Einstein¡¯s theory of relativity,¡± announced Professor Zhang Yang in a packed lecture hall. Chu An Qing, sitting in the last row, diligently took notes from the blackboard. Beside her, a recorder captured every word. She adjusted her glasses. ¡°You¡¯d be better off going on a vacation!¡± Chu Shan He crossed his arms, frowning at the official-looking documents on the coffee table. Signed by X Country¡¯s Space Agency. Stamped by multiple departments. It couldn¡¯t be fake. But it was utterly absurd! Absurd to the extreme! Letting a 19-year-old girl with no specific training or talent go to space¡ªcomplete nonsense! ¡°You¡¯re not going, period!¡± Chu Shan He waved his hand, indicating there was no room for discussion. At this moment, Su Xiu Ying, Chu An Qing¡¯s mother, also stepped forward, rubbing the almost-crying Chu An Qing¡¯s cheeks. ¡°You silly girl... what are you thinking? Going to space for a mission... I thought you were joking! How could it be your turn to go? Why would it be you?¡± ¡°Even if it could be you, what could you do there? How could you help? You¡¯d just cause trouble for the country. Why doesn¡¯t your father let you go? Because he¡¯s worried about your safety, worried you might get hurt, face danger... why can¡¯t you understand?¡± Chu Shan He turned around, looking at his stubborn, tearful daughter. ¡°Do you know how dangerous this is? I may not know how you convinced the space agency to give you this absurd document, but I can¡¯t just watch my daughter participate in such a dangerous plan! I refuse to believe that this space mission can¡¯t happen without you! Is the entire X Country out of people?¡± ¡°If X Country is really out of people, I¡¯ll go! Your mom will go! But we won¡¯t let you go! Do you think this is like taking a plane? A ship? This is space! If something happens, there¡¯s no chance of survival!¡± He took a deep breath, glaring at Chu An Qing. ¡°Do you think I didn¡¯t know about you sneaking off to America to cheer for Lin Xian at the hacker competition?¡± Chu An Qing choked, wide-eyed at her father. How? ¡°I knew as soon as you got back!¡± Chu Shan He pointed at her fiercely. Su Xiu Ying patted her head. ¡°Your father couldn¡¯t sleep for days, worrying... blaming himself for not keeping an eye on you. Even though you were already back from America, he couldn¡¯t stop worrying and didn¡¯t sleep for days.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell her these things,¡± Chu Shan He interrupted Su Xiu Ying, still glaring at Chu An Qing, his brows furrowed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I confront you? Why didn¡¯t I scold you?¡± ¡°Your mother and I thought, our child has grown up, now 19, with her own thoughts and ideas. So, we pretended not to know, didn¡¯t mention it, respected your choices.¡± ¡°But now you¡¯re going too far! Too far! I won¡¯t indulge you any longer! This document requires my signature. You can forget about it. I will tell the space agency¡¯s leaders to let anyone else go, but not you!¡± Tears blurred Chu An Qing¡¯s vision, and she burst into tears. ¡°Why! Why can¡¯t I go...¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°You say space is dangerous, but isn¡¯t defending the borders dangerous? Isn¡¯t being a soldier dangerous? Wasn¡¯t the front line in wartime dangerous? Those test pilots, police officers, bomb disposal workers, aren¡¯t they in danger? Among them, there are kids my age! There are girls like me!¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I go... why can others go but not me? Give me a reason!¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter!!¡± Chu Shan He¡¯s veins bulged with anger. ¡°Do you understand? Because you¡¯re my daughter! That¡¯s why you can¡¯t go! It¡¯s that simple!¡± Chu An Qing sobbed, almost out of breath. But she clenched her fists, stood straight, and tearfully staring at her father... ¡°Dad...¡± Her voice trembled with tears. ¡°Which girl isn¡¯t someone¡¯s daughter? Which girl... doesn¡¯t have a dad? No one comes from a rock... Even if their dad isn¡¯t Chu Shan He, each girl is a precious daughter in her father¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°Now we live in peaceful times... we don¡¯t need to do those dangerous things. But if something truly needs you, me, everyone... if everyone refuses, doesn¡¯t stand up courageously... what will happen to our country? Our lives?¡± ¡°Just because I¡¯m Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter, I should hide behind others, watching other daughters fight... risking their lives... while I just watch! Watch my whole life!!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!!!!¡± Chu An Qing shouted loudly! She wiped her tears with one arm, she clenched her teeth and glared at the stern father, ¡°If others¡¯ daughters can do it. Then Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter... can too!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 279: The Final Member This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation January 21, 2024UppTodated from no?/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m At the secret astronaut training base in the capital city. Lin Xian was taken aback when he saw Chu An Qing standing there. He turned to Yellow Finch, eyebrows furrowed, ¡°You said you¡¯d find another team member. Why is it An Qing?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t it be An Qing?¡± Yellow Finch crossed her arms and stared at Lin Xian. ¡°When it comes to adaptability for space operations, Chu An Qing, with her dance background and regular training, is far more suitable than you amateurs who have never undergone any related training. Especially Gao Yang...¡± She glanced down at Gao Yang¡¯s nearly bursting shirt buttons and his bulging beer belly. ¡°I¡¯m really worried about whether you can handle the rocket¡¯s acceleration. I can already picture you vomiting all over the passenger cabin.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Gao Yang waved his hand confidently. ¡°This belly of mine is like a one-way cosmic pouch; nothing ever comes back up! I¡¯ve never thrown up from drinking all these years! Nothing I eat ever comes back out!¡± Wei Cheng, standing nearby, smiled at Gao Yang. ¡°That kind of mindset is actually good. The truth is, just riding a rocket into space, without leaving the capsule, isn¡¯t as dangerous as people think. With today¡¯s technology, rockets are very stable in terms of posture and acceleration. After completing the ¡®gravity overload adaptation training,¡¯ even healthy ordinary people can go into space without much problem.¡± He continued, ¡°Not long ago, the world¡¯s richest man, Elon Musk, sent four ordinary people on a space trip. They were much older than you and adapted after just a few weeks of training. Although the rocket¡¯s acceleration overload might sound scary, it¡¯s only about 4g.¡± ¡°Do you know what 4g feels like? Some of the more thrilling roller coasters at amusement parks reach accelerations of 4g at their most intense moments. Compared to that, isn¡¯t it less terrifying? Plus, the acceleration of a rocket is much smoother, making it easier to adapt to. That¡¯s why I say, having a relaxed mindset like Gao Yang¡¯s is what¡¯s most important.¡± ¡°Of course, physical fitness is still fundamental. Gravity overload adaptation training is a must. I¡¯m just saying this to help you relax. Even for ordinary people, it¡¯s not as difficult as it seems. Historically, cats and dogs have gone into space and traveled through it, not to mention humans¡¯ adaptability and learning ability.¡± Wei Cheng, the main pilot of the space shuttle and the main trainer for the past two months, was very professional. Lin Xian understood this. Wei Cheng was boosting everyone¡¯s morale to prevent them from backing out before the training even started. Unlike a conventional spacecraft that ascends, orbits, and then falls back to Earth, the space shuttle skips the falling back into the atmosphere part. This phase is what truly tests an astronaut¡¯s physical endurance. Unlike the steady 4g acceleration of a rocket during ascent, a spacecraft re-entering the atmosphere can experience accelerations of 6g, 8g, or even over 10g. But Lin Xian and his team didn¡¯t need to worry about this. The space shuttle, equipped with its own propulsion, would bring them back into the atmosphere and land smoothly at an airport. That¡¯s why Wei Cheng assured them that this space shuttle journey wasn¡¯t dangerous, as long as there were no accidents. Still, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t understand why Yellow Finch had to bring Chu An Qing. There were clearly many people more suitable than Chu An Qing. Even from a trust perspective, was Chu An Qing really the best choice? He approached Chu An Qing, who was wearing the training suit of the astronaut base. ¡°You didn¡¯t sneak out again, did you?¡± ¡°This time, I didn¡¯t!¡± Chu An Qing pulled out a red official document from behind her and handed it to Lin Xian. ¡°Ta-da~~ Look! My dad approved it!¡± Lin Xian glanced at the red official document. Indeed, besides the stamps of various national departments, there was also the signature and handprint of Chu Shan He. It was strange. Since when had this daughter-loving father become so open-minded? Or did Chu Shan He really believe that space travel was safe and not dangerous? ¡°How did you convince your dad?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Ah... that was not easy at all...¡± Chu An Qing sighed. ¡°We argued for a long time before he finally agreed. I gave him a reason he couldn¡¯t refuse.¡± Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she smiled. ¡°He¡¯s Chu Shan He, after all. What kind of father raises what kind of child. He should have known and been prepared for this!¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough chit-chat.¡± Yellow Finch clapped her hands, interrupting the two. ¡°Everyone, gather around. Let me explain our plan for the ¡®Spaceplane Alpha Matter Collection.''¡± Alpha matter referred to time-space particles. Yellow Finch didn¡¯t want Wei Cheng, an ¡°outsider,¡± to know their true plan. Gao Yang and Chu An Qing would be informed of the truth before the final mission. During the mission, they would all be together, while Wei Cheng would be in the cockpit, focusing on piloting the space shuttle, and not involved in the capture operation in the passenger and equipment cabins. Lin Xian and Chu An Qing returned to the team, standing next to Gao Yang. The four of them lined up to listen to Yellow Finch¡¯s briefing. ¡°Our team¡¯s chief scientist... well, our only scientist and engineer, Liu Feng, will join us here in about a month. He will bring the Alpha Matter Capture Device and the specific data on the time, location, and altitude of the Alpha matter¡¯s arrival in Earth¡¯s atmosphere. The detailed flight plan will be finalized once we have the specific information.¡± ¡°For now, the three of you, Lin Xian, Chu An Qing, and Gao Yang, need to stay at this secret base, follow Wei Cheng¡¯s guidance, and undergo physical training. If possible, you should also learn how to operate the equipment on the space shuttle.¡± Gao Yang raised his hand. ¡°Does Liu Feng need to undergo training too?¡± Chu An Qing, on the other hand, could jump off the spinning chair and seamlessly transition into a ballet routine. She truly had a natural astronaut¡¯s physique, as Wei Cheng described. Fortunately, after half a month¡¯s training, Lin Xian, who wasn¡¯t in bad shape to begin with, had improved significantly and was considered qualified by Wei Cheng. Only Gao Yang remained problematic. He had lost some weight, but possibly due to his long-term lifestyle as a salesman, his physical condition was poor, and he lagged in all aspects of training. ¡°Well...¡± Gao Yang discarded the wall paint he had peeled off and approached, disgruntled. ¡°Isn¡¯t all this training unnecessary? You brought me here to operate the mechanical arm, right? So why not give me a game controller and let me practice? It¡¯s probably similar to operating an excavator, up and down, left and right... Why make me do all this useless stuff?¡± He pointed to the spinning chair that Chu An Qing had just jumped off. ¡°When would we ever encounter a situation like this? Our space shuttle isn¡¯t going to spin like a washing machine, is it? Like a Naruto ninjutsu?¡± ¡°If the space shuttle started spinning like this, it would probably fall apart before I had a chance to throw up!¡± Wei Cheng shook his head. ¡°Gao Yang, that¡¯s not the right way to think.¡± ¡°You might not realize it.¡± He looked up, eyes serious and expression stern, at Gao Yang. ¡°99.9% of our astronaut training is to prepare for the 0.01% of unexpected situations.¡± ¡°Space missions are no joke. If you can¡¯t pass these tests, I can¡¯t, in good conscience, let you go into space. Even though Yellow Finch is the commander, I have the authority and responsibility to ensure the safety of every team member.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± came Yellow Finch¡¯s voice from the hallway. Click, click, click¡ª The sound of her high heels echoed loudly in the quiet training room. Her blue eyes appeared at the hallway entrance, and she walked in wearing a black coat. Lin Xian noticed her earrings... blue, as always. ¡°Is it meal time yet?¡± Gao Yang happily jumped over, scratching his butt. He was very satisfied with the food at the training base. Healthy and delicious! Not to mention the special food and chefs for astronauts. However, Wei Cheng always controlled his portions to make him lose weight, which left Gao Yang dissatisfied and wanting more every time he ate. Yellow Finch checked her watch. ¡°It¡¯s still early for that.¡± ¡°Then why are you here?¡± Gao Yang returned disappointedly. Yellow Finch clapped her hands, signaling everyone to gather in the middle of the room. She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m here to introduce you to a long-awaited new teammate. This will also be the final member of our team.¡± She turned toward the hallway and called out, ¡°Why are you walking so slowly?¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Because it¡¯s heavy... You just don¡¯t know how to help,¡± came a familiar complaining voice from the hallway. Then, Liu Feng appeared around the corner, carrying two huge objects that looked like rice cookers, one on top of the other, blocking half of his face. Only his glasses were visible. ¡°Are we ordering takeout today? Did the chef take a day off?¡± Gao Yang immediately moved to help. ¡°They¡¯re not rice cookers...¡± Liu Feng, amused, placed the two rice cooker-like devices on the ground and dusted off his hands. He looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian, it¡¯s done!¡± Lin Xian instantly understood and pointed at the objects on the ground. ¡°Are those...?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liu Feng nodded. ¡°These are the devices we¡¯ll use to capture time¡ª¡± He caught himself, glanced at Yellow Finch, and corrected, ¡°I mean, Alpha Matter... Capture devices!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 280: The Impossible Game This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation As Liu Feng unveiled the gadget, Lin Xian immediately recognized it as the Space-Time Particle Capturer. The entire group huddled closer for a better look. Indeed, the devices before them bore a striking resemblance to ordinary rice cookers. Chu An Qing couldn¡¯t help but comment, ¡°They really do look like rice cookers.¡± Gao Yang chimed in with a grin, ¡°It makes sense! Remember how in the ¡®Dragon Ball¡¯ manga, Master Roshi used a rice cooker to seal away Demon King Piccolo? From that perspective, rice cookers are formidable sealing tools. Maybe they can capture those magical particles!¡± Yellow Finch shot Gao Yang a skeptical look, her expression screaming, ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± She quickly took control of the situation, directing Gao Yang, Chu An Qing, and Wei Cheng to another training room for different tasks. ¡°You three head to the other room to continue your projects. Lin Xian and I need to discuss something important with Liu Feng.¡± Once Gao Yang, Chu An Qing, and Wei Cheng had left, the spacious training room felt more serene with just Yellow Finch, Lin Xian, and Liu Feng remaining. ¡°You can speak freely now, Liu Feng,¡± Yellow Finch encouraged. Liu Feng gave a nod of acknowledgment, his gaze settling on Lin Xian. ¡°This is indeed the Space-Time Particle Capturer, Lin Xian. Yellow Finch asked me to use ¡®Alpha Matter¡¯ as a temporary explanation to avoid revealing too much.¡± ¡°No problem, I understand the need for discretion. Please, continue,¡± Lin Xian responded. Liu Feng squatted down to open one of the capturers, revealing its internal structure. It was surprisingly simple¡ªreminiscent of a mundane rice cooker¡¯s inside. ¡°Making a capturer mimic a common appliance... You¡¯re quite the talent,¡± Lin Xian teased. Liu Feng, unfazed, explained, ¡°This design is optimal in terms of structure and size. Capturing a space-time particle temporarily isn¡¯t difficult, but I had to consider emergency scenarios¡ªlike if a particle escapes. By minimizing the confinement field and increasing its density, we can instantly neutralize the particle¡¯s activity.¡± ¡°Activity?¡± Lin Xian interjected, ¡°You mean it¡¯s still active? I thought you said it was stable.¡± ¡°Active in its motion,¡± Liu Feng clarified with a nod. ¡°When I mentioned stability, I meant its chemical and physical state, not its movement or trajectory. Over the past few weeks, my studies have shown that its movement is unlike anything we¡¯ve previously understood.¡± Liu Feng, looking to illustrate his point, tore a piece of paper from the back of Wei Cheng¡¯s notebook, crumpled it, and held up the makeshift ball. ¡°Imagine this is the space-time particle, already beyond Jupiter and headed for Earth, moving through the asteroid belt without slowing.¡± He then began to move the paper ball in erratic patterns, illustrating its unpredictable movement. ¡°In our usual understanding, movement in space should be continuous, right?¡± He shifted the paper ball back and forth and then in wild directions. ¡°Even if we record this movement with a high-speed camera, every frame would show the ball at a specific point along its path. It doesn¡¯t just disappear.¡± Lin Xian nodded in agreement, his mind racing to understand the implications. ¡°Right, I see. Every moving object¡ªfrom a runner on a track, to a plane, to satellites¡ªfollows a distinct path.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about continuity,¡± Lin Xian reflected. ¡°But then, what does ¡®discontinuous motion¡¯ look like?¡± Liu Feng demonstrated by suddenly making the paper ball disappear from his left hand and reappear in his right, then quickly dropped another on the floor to his left. ¡°Like this. The particle doesn¡¯t follow any physical laws we know. It¡¯s not running or flying but blinking forward, moving erratically, disappearing and reappearing.¡± ¡°Blinking...¡± Lin Xian murmured, understanding the term commonly used in gaming to describe such rapid, discontinuous movement. ¡°You mean,¡± Lin Xian attempted to summarize, ¡°the particle is generally heading toward Earth, but it isn¡¯t following a linear or predictable path. It¡¯s randomly blinking in and out of existence, making it nearly impossible to track.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Liu Feng confirmed with a firm nod and a thumbs-up. ¡°That¡¯s the crux of it.¡± ¡°So, how do we capture something like that?¡± Lin Xian pondered aloud, feeling the weight of the challenge. ¡°If we try to catch it with a mechanical arm equipped with one of these rice cookers, we¡¯d have to somehow anticipate its next blink.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where deactivating the particle becomes crucial,¡± Liu Feng pointed out, tapping the rice cooker. ¡°Even if the lid isn¡¯t shut in time, just getting the particle inside this capturer momentarily will neutralize it, stopping its erratic jumps. After that, its movement becomes predictable and easier to manage. I know it seems counterintuitive, but making the capturer any bigger wouldn¡¯t help; the particle would continue to blink out.¡± Lin Xian lifted the rice cooker, noting its heft¡ªsubstantial, but manageable. Liu Feng clearly needed to get out of the lab more, given his lack of physical conditioning. ¡°Understood,¡± Lin Xian acknowledged with a nod. ¡°So, you¡¯re suggesting we install this on the space shuttle¡¯s mechanical arm and start Gao Yang on his training?¡± ¡°That was the plan,¡± Yellow Finch confirmed. ¡°With the Lunar New Year just around the corner on February 10th, we¡¯re short on time. Liu Feng estimates the particle will enter Earth¡¯s atmosphere by the end of March, passing through the layer of suborbital space between ten and a hundred kilometers above us. Gao Yang needs to start his training with the mechanical arm as soon as possible.¡± ¡°In this operation, Gao Yang¡¯s role is critical,¡± Yellow Finch continued, her tone serious. ¡°Even with a flawless plan, if the mechanical arm fails to capture the particle, all our efforts will be in vain.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Liu Feng pushed to complete the capturer ahead of schedule. We¡¯re installing one on the space shuttle¡¯s arm and another on a full-scale mechanical arm simulator for Gao Yang to train with. We need to ensure he¡¯s prepared and doesn¡¯t fumble when it counts.¡± Liu Feng, however, appeared skeptical. ¡°Can Gao Yang really handle this? He doesn¡¯t seem all that reliable.¡± In the past half month at the astronaut training base, he dreamed nightly of the mysterious old man, looking for Time Bank¡¯s airship in the sky. Never once had he seen it. Is it a problem with time¡¯s laws? Or an issue with Time Bank? For now, Yellow Finch¡¯s verification suggests time¡¯s laws are fine, and Brother Wang¡¯s Time Bank is set to open. All signs point to a chilling conclusion: My dream might be a fake world, created by the enemy. ¡°I need to break this,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°VV, I still believe time¡¯s laws are correct. The delay is due to an anchor point not forming yet.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t pinpoint the exact cause. But let¡¯s wait until Time Bank opens. The fourth dream should then show the airship.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll execute my plan, placing a note in the aluminum alloy safe with my name to verify the dream¡¯s reality.¡± VV pondered for a moment and softly said, ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯ve evolved a lot in these months. My intelligence has increased greatly.¡± ¡°Even so, I can¡¯t figure out how your plan will work. How will you write a note that proves the dream¡¯s reality, considering the enemy can read your memory and copy the safe?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve calculated billions of times. It¡¯s impossible! A paradox, an unwinnable game.¡± ¡°Unless...¡± VV paused, then chuckled softly, ¡°Unless a miracle happens.¡± Knock, knock. Suddenly! In the silent night, there was a knock on the door! Lin Xian turned sharply, seeing the motion sensor light outside his dorm light up. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Lin Xian... Lin Xian, are you still awake?¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s cautious voice came from outside. The digital clock¡¯s display changed to a surprised 0_0. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Oh,¡± Lin Xian called out, ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep and was talking to a friend in the Donghai.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, his phone suddenly lit up! Mimicking his voice, it played at maximum volume: ¡°Do you want to come in and chat?¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Lin Xian quickly threw the phone under his blanket, whispering angrily, ¡°VV, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Eh!?¡± Outside, Chu An Qing seemed flustered by the voice, ¡°Is... is that okay?¡± Click! The dorm door¡¯s fingerprint lock disengaged! The hallway light streamed through the crack, gradually opening... This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 281: Elon Musks Observation Tower This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian muttered curses under his breath, directing them at VV thirty-seven times before leaping out of bed. ¡°What about the Three Laws of Robotics?¡± he grumbled to himself. ¡°Isn¡¯t this against the first one? You¡¯re not supposed to harm your master.¡± Luckily, he had the habit of sleeping in his pajamas. The door to his dormitory creaked open slowly, admitting a sliver of light from the hallway. As it widened, the silhouette of a girl in a nightgown appeared, framed by the light. ¡°Uh...¡± Chu An Qing stood frozen, one hand clutching her nightgown¡¯s neckline, her eyes blinking rapidly in surprise. She had simply meant to say hello to Senior Lin Xian... But now, here she was, being invited into his room for a chat.UppTodated from no?/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m And he had even opened the door for her! This was definitely not how she had expected things to go. ¡°The moonlight looks pretty nice tonight,¡± Lin Xian ventured, hoping to diffuse the awkwardness. He suggested they go for a walk outside, considering it wasn¡¯t appropriate for them to be alone in his room so late at night at the astronaut training base. He gestured toward the outside, searching for the moon, but his view was blocked by a thick blanket of clouds. ¡°I mean, the moonlight was nice earlier, but it seems to be hidden now. Did you see it earlier?¡± Of course, even the moon was not on his side tonight. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t...¡± Chu An Qing replied, scratching her head and giving a nervous laugh. ¡°I was in the simulator room studying for a bit. Then, on my way back, I heard you on the phone and thought I¡¯d drop by to say hi...¡± The awkwardness in the air thickened palpably. As she stood in the doorway, Chu An Qing loosened her grip on her nightgown and hesitantly pointed toward the coffee table inside the room. ¡°Um... Can I come in?¡± Lin Xian sighed and nodded. ¡°...Sure.¡± He fully opened the door, switched on the lights, and gestured her inside. ¡°Thank you!¡± Chu An Qing said, her steps tentative as she moved to sit at the coffee table, her posture stiff and formal. Lin Xian shut the door with a thud and turned to face her. ¡°Would you like something to drink?¡± ¡°Water! Water is fine!¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s voice pitched up in her nervousness, and she laughed awkwardly. ¡°I got a bit thirsty back in the training room.¡± Lin Xian fetched two glasses of cool water and set them on the coffee table, then sat down opposite her. Silence settled heavily between them. This was unfamiliar territory for Lin Xian. Even in his wildest dreams, facing myriad challenges, or in real life, dodging assassins, he had never felt this level of discomfort. Unsure of what to say or do, he felt like ants were crawling all over his skin. He could already imagine discussing this later with Liu Feng, who would likely smirk and raise an eyebrow in mock disbelief. Breaking the silence, Chu An Qing took a cautious sip of water before looking up at Lin Xian with a serious expression. ¡°Senior Lin Xian, is the ¡®space-time particle¡¯ really that important to you?¡± Lin Xian nodded solemnly. ¡°Did you know that the Alpha substance is actually a space-time particle?¡± Chu An Qing nodded. ¡°I ran into Yellow Finch in the training room. She spent some time explaining the real plans and details to me. Whether it¡¯s called the Alpha substance or space-time particle, I don¡¯t really understand either. They seem the same to me.¡± ¡°Yellow Finch?¡± ¡°There must be something out there that is made for you, something only you can accomplish.¡± ¡°Besides you... no one else.¡± She blinked, her eyes clear and bright. ¡°I believe that capturing the space-time particles is the most important thing in my life, something I must do, something I was born for.¡± ¡°Coach Wei Cheng also said I¡¯m a natural astronaut. Hearing such praise makes me really happy! To be honest, I grew up being praised for everything I did. Everyone, including my father, always complimented me.¡± ¡°Remember our first meeting at MX¡¯s celebration? My father was bragging about me, how I gave a speech as the new student representative at the military training opening ceremony and performed at the welcome party... He boasted to everyone about my small achievements. I knew these things weren¡¯t remarkable. People praised and liked me because¡ª¡± Chu An Qing looked up at Lin Xian. ¡°Because Chu Shan He is my father, and I¡¯m Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it... In everyone¡¯s eyes, I¡¯m just Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter.¡± She rubbed the glass in her hands, then smiled again. ¡°But this astronaut training is different!¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s smile was radiant, her crescent eyes outshining any moonlight Lin Xian had ever praised. The dimples on her cheeks appeared like stars twinkling on a clear night. ¡°This astronaut training makes me truly happy! Yellow Finch didn¡¯t choose me because I¡¯m Chu Shan He¡¯s daughter; Coach Wei Cheng didn¡¯t praise me because of my father; and those centrifuges, rotating chairs, buoyancy tanks... they didn¡¯t give me high scores because of my father!¡± ¡°You know, Senior Lin Xian, I¡¯m genuinely happy here. For the first time, I feel my own value, that people praise me not because of my father, but because of my own abilities. I feel¡ª¡± She smiled, confident and proud. ¡°I have my own name! I am Chu An Qing!¡± ... Lin Xian looked at the little princess, feeling like she was glowing under the bright lights. ¡°Well... that¡¯s true.¡± The aura around Chu An Qing vanished as she scratched her head and said shyly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I can help in capturing the space-time particles. So far, Professor Liu and Coach Wei are piloting the spacecraft; Senior Gao Yang is operating the robotic arm; you¡¯re handling the passenger and equipment compartments; Yellow Finch is the mission commander; and me... Despite all my training, I don¡¯t know what I can do. Yellow Finch just said I should handle logistics, which feels like an unnecessary addition.¡± ¡°So... don¡¯t take what I said earlier to heart, Senior Lin Xian. I was just trying to sound impressive. You and the others will be the ones to capture the space-time particles. I¡¯m just the helper. Honestly, I don¡¯t understand why Yellow Finch brought me here.¡± ¡°She, well, she¡¯s a mystery,¡± Lin Xian said, frustrated. ¡°No one can understand her. She gave me a riddle last year that I still haven¡¯t figured out. So you don¡¯t need to take her words seriously. Just let them go in one ear and out the other.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Knock, knock. Suddenly! A sharp knock on the dormitory door startled them. The digits on the electronic clock changed to ToT, then disappeared, returning to the normal time display. Lin Xian and Chu An Qing exchanged puzzled looks. Who could be visiting so late? ¡°Who is it?¡± Lin Xian called out. ¡°Why are the lights still on this late?¡± came a voice from outside. It was Yellow Finch¡¯s voice! Lin Xian and Chu An Qing¡¯s hearts raced. ¡°Lin Xian...¡± Yellow Finch¡¯s voice pierced through the door, sharp and clear. ¡°Aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 282: Qian Qian, An Qing, and CC This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Thump, thump, thump... Lin Xian¡¯s heart pounded, each beat louder than the knocks on the door. ¡°This is bad,¡± he thought, anxiety creeping up his spine. It was 2 AM. He was alone in his room with a girl, both in their pajamas. This situation was far from ideal. Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she quickly covered her mouth, her cheeks flushing a deep red. She couldn¡¯t understand her own reaction. Why do I feel so guilty? She wondered, realizing there was no need for guilt if she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. Lin Xian, observing Chu An Qing¡¯s panicked behavior, was at a loss for words. Oh An Qing ah An Qing, if you acted normally, nothing would seem suspicious. But now, you¡¯re making it look suspicious! From the other side of the door, Yellow Finch¡¯s voice broke the silence, sounding puzzled. ¡°Lin Xian? Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Lin Xian replied, glancing at Chu An Qing, who was growing increasingly anxious. ¡°There¡¯s no way I can open this door now,¡± he thought to himself. ¡°I just got up to use the bathroom,¡± he called out.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com ¡°I thought I heard you talking about me,¡± Yellow Finch remarked suddenly. ¡°No, I was just chatting with Liu Feng about you on WeChat,¡± Lin Xian quickly improvised, trying to sound casual. ¡°You know how secretive you can be; it¡¯s only natural we¡¯d talk about it.¡± ¡°All right then,¡± Yellow Finch replied, her tone less concerned now. ¡°Get some rest.¡± After Yellow Finch¡¯s footsteps faded, Chu An Qing let out a sigh of relief. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lin Xian,¡± she apologized, still embarrassed. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I panicked.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, really,¡± Lin Xian reassured her, realizing his own overreaction had compounded the problem. There were many better ways to handle the situation, but he had chosen the worst. Feeling the awkwardness of the situation, Chu An Qing got to her feet. ¡°It¡¯s late, Lin Xian. I should head back. You need your rest too.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. We have training tomorrow,¡± Lin Xian agreed, standing to see her to the door. ¡°Goodnight, Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Goodnight.¡± Chu An Qing waved, then opened the door. ¡°Ah!!!¡± Her scream sliced through the silence, startling Lin Xian. He turned to see Yellow Finch casually leaning against the wall, arms crossed, observing them with an amused expression. ¡°Impressive,¡± Yellow Finch commented dryly. ¡°Didn¡¯t know you had guests at this hour.¡± Frustrated, Lin Xian flung the door wide open, facing Yellow Finch calmly. ¡°We were just talking. Weren¡¯t you and An Qing discussing time-space particles in the training room just earlier?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right!¡± Chu An Qing chimed in quickly, her embarrassment still evident but her eyes sincere. Lin Xian took a deep breath. ¡°She really needs to improve her acting,¡± he mused to himself. ¡°Maybe she should take lessons from VV.¡± Yellow Finch straightened up, walked over, and gently patted Chu An Qing on the head, smoothing her hair. ¡°Time to sleep.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Chu An Qing hurried to her dorm room, pressed her fingerprint to unlock the door, and vanished inside, slamming it shut. Shaking his head, Lin Xian turned to Yellow Finch. ¡°Why are you still up?¡± Yellow Finch smiled faintly, glancing down the empty corridor. ¡°The day after tomorrow is New Year¡¯s Eve. Tomorrow¡¯s the last training day before you guys get a break, as promised.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need a break; there¡¯s so much work to do,¡± Lin Xian insisted. ¡°Take An Qing out,¡± Yellow Finch suggested. ¡°Hit the mall or a park.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Lin Xian dismissed the idea. ¡°Goodnight,¡± Yellow Finch said, leaving without another word. Lin Xian sighed and headed back inside. ¡°What a mess,¡± VV, his electronic alarm clock, remarked. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault,¡± Lin Xian shot back at the clock. ¡°I thought bringing you from 600 years in the future would help, but you¡¯ve caused more trouble than anything else. Did I mess up those 130,000 lines of code somewhere?¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± VV asserted confidently. ¡°I¡¯m only looking out for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most suffocating thing a parent can say,¡± Lin Xian muttered, yawning as he climbed into bed. ¡°We have training tomorrow. Goodnight.¡± Considering CC¡¯s unique life and memories, and the fact that Chu An Qing had a vaccine scar on her arm while CC didn¡¯t, he ruled out the possibility of them being the same person. Sighing, Lin Xian thought about CC. He hadn¡¯t seen her in his third dream, and he didn¡¯t know if she still existed in the future. ¡°She couldn¡¯t have just disappeared, could she?¡± Lin Xian wondered. ¡°She seemed like a significant character, not someone who would just vanish.¡± He felt CC¡¯s disappearance was linked to Time Bank. Maybe when the bank reappeared in his dreams or the future, he would see her again. ¡°When will I see the Time Bank¡¯s 600th-anniversary blimp in my fourth dream?¡± Lin Xian pondered. ¡°And when can I finally explore the dream freely without those soldiers or the mysterious old man?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long road ahead,¡± Lin Xian sighed, exhaling another puff of white vapor. He liked the sensation of breathing out fog in the cold, something he couldn¡¯t experience in the milder climate of Donghai. Walking over to the bundled-up Chu An Qing, Lin Xian smiled. ¡°You¡¯re dressed just like the first time I saw you.¡± Chu An Qing tilted her head. ¡°The first time we met was at the MX company¡¯s celebration, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It was before that,¡± Lin Xian recounted, explaining their earlier encounters. ¡°Wow,¡± Chu An Qing marveled. ¡°We¡¯ve met so many times! Life is full of surprises!¡± ¡°There¡¯s even earlier,¡± Lin Xian continued, sharing another story. ¡°Wow!¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes widened with surprise. ¡°I had no idea! This is amazing! Is there any earlier?¡± ¡°Is there any earlier time we¡¯ve met, Lin Xian?¡± she asked, eyes twinkling with curiosity. ¡°Qian Qian!!!¡± Suddenly, a white-haired grandmother collapsed in front of Chu An Qing, hugging her tightly, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Qian Qian, my Qian Qian! Mom knew you weren¡¯t dead! I¡¯ve been looking for you!¡± ¡°Wait, wait!¡± Chu An Qing tried to pull away, panic-stricken. But the old woman clung to her like a vise. ¡°Qian Qian! Mom found you! Don¡¯t leave me again!¡± ¡°Let go! Let go!¡± Lin Xian thought this had to be a mistake and rushed to separate them. ¡°Lin Xian!¡± Chu An Qing, terrified, jumped into Lin Xian¡¯s arms once he freed her. A crowd gathered, watching the commotion. Lin Xian shielded Chu An Qing, keeping her close. ¡°Qian Qian! My Qian Qian!¡± The old woman cried, crawling towards them, her frail hands reaching out. Lin Xian¡¯s heart softened. The old woman didn¡¯t seem harmful, just confused. Before he could decide what to do, a middle-aged man with glasses rushed over, apologizing profusely. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he said, helping the old woman up. ¡°She has some mental issues.¡± Lin Xian relaxed, realizing it was a misunderstanding. Chu An Qing calmed down, stepping away from him. Looking at the man and the old woman, Lin Xian thought the man looked around 60, but the old woman seemed much older, perhaps due to mental strain. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lin Xian asked. The man hesitated before explaining, ¡°We had a daughter who died in a car accident over twenty years ago. My wife never recovered and has been mentally unstable. Your friend looks exactly like our daughter, which confused her. I¡¯m very sorry for the trouble.¡± Lin Xian and Chu An Qing exchanged glances, feeling a mix of sympathy and confusion. ¡°Qian Qian...¡± the old woman sobbed, reaching for Chu An Qing¡¯s shoes. ¡°My Qian Qian...¡± The man sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. She just misses our daughter so much.¡± Lin Xian, curious, asked, ¡°How similar do they look?¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation The man looked closely at Chu An Qing, tears welling up. ¡°Exactly the same. Even the mole by her left eye...¡± Lin Xian felt a chill. Could there be a third person, identical to Chu An Qing and CC? Or was Qian Qian somehow connected to CC? ¡°Wait, sir,¡± Lin Xian said, stopping the man. ¡°You said your daughter looks just like her? Look again.¡± He stepped aside, letting the man take a good look at Chu An Qing. The man¡¯s face contorted with emotion. ¡°Yes... exactly the same...¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 283: The Girl from Twenty Years Ago This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Exactly the same?¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She gently touched the tear mole at the corner of her left eye with her index finger. ¡°This too... it¡¯s exactly the same...¡± It seemed impossible. How could such a miracle happen? Even identical twins had their slight differences! Yet, here was this man claiming their daughter had died over twenty years ago. What was the meaning of this? Turning, she looked at Lin Xian, expecting some logical explanation from her usually resourceful senior. However, Lin Xian was unusually silent, his expression grave. Unlike Chu An Qing, Lin Xian¡¯s silence stemmed not from shock but from deep contemplation. This wasn¡¯t his first encounter with such a bizarre situation. A year ago, he was taken aback by the uncanny resemblance between Chu An Qing and CC. Since then, despite his best efforts, he hadn¡¯t uncovered any explanation for their similarity. But today¡¯s revelation added another layer to the mystery. The middle-aged couple¡¯s daughter, affectionately nicknamed Qian Qian, also bore an exact likeness to Chu An Qing! To Lin Xian, this was no longer a mere coincidence. One instance was surprising, two was puzzling, but three? There had to be a deeper, significant mystery. ¡°May I... may I see a photo of your daughter?¡± Lin Xian asked, breaking the heavy silence. The question seemed to reopen fresh wounds. The elderly woman, barely composed, burst into tears anew. The intersection, crowded with New Year revelers, felt even more constricted as nearby police officers began to manage the growing crowd. The husband, a middle-aged man wearing glasses, sighed deeply. Shaking his head, he responded to Lin Xian¡¯s request, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. To spare my wife further grief, I destroyed all our photos of her... hoping it might ease her pain. But, sadly, it didn¡¯t help; she eventually had a mental breakdown.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. Our daughter passed away over twenty years ago. I don¡¯t wish to dredge up the past anymore. Sorry, sorry...¡± After apologizing again, he gently guided his sobbing wife through the dispersing crowd. As the commotion subsided, the pedestrian light turned green. The bustling intersection resumed its lively pace, with people continuing their New Year celebrations. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± a voice called out from Lin Xian¡¯s Bluetooth earpiece. It was VV. ¡°I found some information about the elderly couple. Find a way to distract Chu An Qing so we can discuss it.¡± Lin Xian nodded slightly, then turned to Chu An Qing. ¡°Are you okay? Did that upset you?¡± Chu An Qing shook her head, her expression still somewhat dazed. ¡°No... not really. It was shocking at first, but then I saw the old lady meant no harm. She¡¯s probably just overwhelmed by her loss, still grieving after all these years.¡± She then looked up thoughtfully. ¡°But is it really possible for two unrelated people to look exactly alike? Even with twins, there are differences. But this tear mole... it¡¯s usually a skin condition, not genetic. To have it in exactly the same spot... it¡¯s too...¡± Her voice trailed off as a realization dawned on her, and she looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian, didn¡¯t you once say you had a¡ª¡± She gasped and abruptly stopped, remembering what Senior Tang Xin and Gao Yang had mentioned¡ªthat no high school classmate of Lin Xian resembled her. Gao Yang, who had known Lin Xian all his life, was certain of it. So, the girl in Lin Xian¡¯s sketch couldn¡¯t be a high school classmate resembling her; given the timeline, Qian Qian had died twenty years ago and had never met Lin Xian. Bringing up that supposed classmate would only embarrass Lin Xian. ¡°What is it?¡± Lin Xian asked, curious. ¡°Nothing! Nothing at all!¡± Chu An Qing quickly dismissed, shaking her head energetically, her ponytail swaying. ¡°Senior! We only have one day off today; let¡¯s not waste it here! How about we go shopping instead?¡± Chu An Qing seemed as flustered as ever, spinning in her thoughts like a disoriented bird. ¡°Let¡¯s grab a drink first,¡± Lin Xian suggested, pointing to a crowded bubble tea shop across the street. ¡°I heard their grape tea is really good. Let¡¯s try it. The food at the space training center is great, but it¡¯s too healthy. We need some sugary junk to balance it out.¡± ¡°Hehe, sure!¡± she agreed cheerfully. They entered the shop, scanned their phones to place their orders, and took a seat at a small table to wait for their drinks. Lin Xian figured they would have about ten minutes. ¡°I need to use the restroom. Wait here for the drinks, okay? Don¡¯t wander off. I¡¯ll come back for you.¡± ¡°Okay, Senior,¡± Chu An Qing responded with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t get lost! I don¡¯t want to go looking for you!¡± Lin Xian clicked his tongue, put down his phone, and stared into the distance, deep in thought. ¡°This is incredible. Three Chu An Qings... thankfully, they¡¯re from different times, or they¡¯d form a perfect triangle mystery.¡± ¡°What do you think, VV?¡± Lin Xian asked, seeking the AI¡¯s perspective. ¡°Well...¡± VV paused before responding. ¡°In my view, this isn¡¯t a significant issue. To be blunt, it¡¯s just that the girls look similar. We don¡¯t have a clear, colored photo of Zhang Yu Qian to compare precisely, so declaring them identical isn¡¯t rigorous.¡± ¡°And your dream girl, CC... over 600 years, three identical girls isn¡¯t impossible. Even in 2023, there are many unrelated people who look nearly identical.¡± ¡°Remember, I¡¯m being precise. Human vision often blurs things, creating illusions. What looks the same may not be. What looks different may not be.¡± ¡°The best way to confirm if two people are truly identical is through scientific DNA testing!¡± VV continued, ¡°You noticed CC in your dream looked like Chu An Qing, but dreams can¡¯t provide physical samples for DNA comparison.¡± ¡°But now, this is a great opportunity! Both Chu An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian existed in the real world. You can obtain Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s DNA and compare it with Chu An Qing¡¯s to see if they are truly identical!¡± The AI¡¯s reasoning was sound. Visually identical features, even a tear mole, might not be definitive. DNA would be the ultimate proof. Even if they were exact copies in appearance, different DNA would mean they were biologically distinct. But... ¡°Zhang Yu Qian is dead,¡± Lin Xian stated flatly. ¡°She died over twenty years ago. The man said he got rid of all her belongings. How am I supposed to get her DNA?¡± ¡°Exhume the grave,¡± VV suggested decisively. ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyebrow twitched. ¡°Lin Xian, X Country started enforcing cremation in 1999, but it wasn¡¯t strictly implemented until years later. Given Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s death date, she was likely buried, not cremated. After twenty years, her bones should still be intact for DNA comparison.¡± ¡°Stop, stop, stop!¡± Lin Xian halted, standing at the restroom door, interrupting VV¡¯s explanation. ¡°Are you telling a horror story? Exhuming graves isn¡¯t something normal people do! People shouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to fear bones,¡± VV explained calmly. ¡°It¡¯s possible she was cremated. The lack of records doesn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t. Many crematoriums have closed or reorganized, so missing records are common.¡± ¡°So, it might not be as bad as you think. Maybe you¡¯ll find ashes instead of bones.¡± Lin Xian was speechless. The gap between AI logic and human reasoning was stark. ¡°It¡¯s not about bones or ashes, VV,¡± Lin Xian spoke softly. ¡°Besides, we don¡¯t need Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s DNA. We can use her parents¡¯. If Chu An Qing¡¯s DNA matches Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s, we can compare it with the parents¡¯ to confirm a maternal link. It¡¯s less direct but still valid.¡± ¡°Not rigorous enough,¡± VV countered. ¡°Chu An Qing¡¯s lack of relation to the parents doesn¡¯t rule out a connection to Zhang Yu Qian. Given the supernatural phenomena around you, our approach should be broad. What if Zhang Yu Qian was adopted? Or if Chu An Qing was?¡± Lin Xian hadn¡¯t considered this angle. Thinking about their appearances, he mused, ¡°They don¡¯t look exactly alike; it¡¯s subjective. Saying An Qing was adopted is far-fetched. Genetic inheritance is complex, and children often don¡¯t resemble parents exactly. But I agree with your approach. Considering the many supernatural occurrences, we need a rigorous method: DNA comparison between An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± VV¡¯s tone grew excited. ¡°So, Lin Xian! Grab a spade, get Gao Yang, and let¡¯s exhume Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 284: Yellow Finchs Secret This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Wait, wait! Don¡¯t get too excited,¡± Lin Xian cautioned, noticing that VV, his AI companion, might have just finished devouring the ¡°Dragon Clan¡± series and was already transitioning to another dramatic genre. He quickly intervened to calm the enthusiastic AI. ¡°Hold on, let me gather my thoughts.¡± Lin Xian moved towards the sink, turned the faucet on, and began to wash his hands. As the water ran, he stared at his reflection in the mirror, pondering the recent chain of bewildering events. Zhang Yu Qian. This unexpected revelation had proved to be a vital clue in unraveling the mystery behind Chu An Qing and CC¡¯s striking resemblance and the mysterious secrets surrounding CC. Without the random encounter during their training at the astronaut base, the impromptu shopping trip at Xidan Shopping Center with Chu An Qing, and that chance meeting with the elderly lady at the traffic light intersection, Lin Xian might never have crossed paths with Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s name.UppTodated from no?/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m Following a thorough discussion, VV proposed a rather bold solution¡ª ¡°Just exhume Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave, crack open the coffin, and retrieve the bones or ashes. Then, compare the DNA with a sample of Chu An Qing¡¯s hair to determine their relationship.¡± This scientific approach seemed straightforward and could potentially unlock the secrets surrounding CC. However, morally... it wasn¡¯t merely a question of ethics. It touched a deeper, more culturally sensitive nerve for the people of X Country. ¡°Cut it out! What¡¯s holding you back?¡± VV¡¯s voice, tinged with contempt, streamed through the Bluetooth headset. ¡°You¡¯ve always boasted about your reckless adventures in the dream world¡ªracing cars, demolishing buildings, committing bank heists, causing chaos in New Donghai City, and even blowing up Sky City just to set off fireworks for a little girl... Were all those just fantasies?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t fathom it. You¡¯ve shown no fear before, yet now you hesitate to dig up a grave for some bones? It¡¯s baffling... You¡¯re so inconsistent, hesitating over such a minor thing!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Lin Xian chuckled, trying to explain. ¡°Listen, it¡¯s different. In this world, plenty commit crimes like murder or arson, but very few would dare disturb the peace of the dead. I¡¯m not sure about other cultures, but here in X Country, there¡¯s a profound respect embedded in our heritage. It¡¯s one thing to rob a bank, but another entirely to steal offerings from a temple¡ªunless someone¡¯s truly desperate, no thief would dare. It¡¯s not merely fear; it¡¯s deep-seated reverence.¡± ¡°In the southern provinces where Mazu is revered, her consent is beyond dispute. Even official documents like passports are secondary to her approval. No matter how audacious they are, no one would dare lie before Mazu.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± VV responded. ¡°Isn¡¯t Mazu just a statue? How can she permit or oppose anything?¡± ¡°If Mazu doesn¡¯t expressly disapprove, it¡¯s taken as consent,¡± Lin Xian clarified. VV paused momentarily. ¡°Understood. Then you should ask Mazu if you can exhume Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave,¡± it suggested. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t visibly object, it¡¯s allowed.¡± Lin Xian was momentarily speechless. VV¡¯s logic was unassailable, demonstrating why it was hailed as one of the most intelligent AIs ever created, more adept at debating than many humans. ¡°I¡¯ll consider the grave-digging idea,¡± Lin Xian conceded, turning off the tap and drying his hands. ¡°Even if I wanted to proceed now, there¡¯s no time. Yellow Finch only gave us the day off, and she expects us back at the base by 10:30 PM. Plus, we have over a month of training ahead. The time-space particle will be entering Earth¡¯s atmosphere by the end of March, and our space mission awaits. So, if we¡¯re going to dig up Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave in Shandong Qufu, it¡¯ll have to wait until April. I¡¯ve got enough on my plate right now... Let¡¯s put this on hold and revisit it after the space mission.¡± With that, Lin Xian exited the bathroom and made his way back to the milk tea shop. ¡°Senior~ Here you go!¡± Chu An Qing bounded over, presenting a cup of grape tea to Lin Xian with a giggle. ¡°Hehe, you were gone for quite a while! Were you lost? I was about to come looking for you!¡± ¡°If you had, we might never have found each other again,¡± Lin Xian joked, accepting the tea and inserting the straw. ¡°If you ever get lost, just stay put. I¡¯ll come back for you.¡± ¡°Aww, I¡¯m not a child!¡± Chu An Qing protested lightly, taking a sip of her grape tea. ¡°We have phones! How could we possibly lose each other?¡± Armed with their milk teas, they wandered through the lively shopping center, chatting and laughing. ¡°Senior! Look! A claw machine!¡± Chu An Qing pointed excitedly at a row of claw machines stocked with various plush toys, including the popular Rhine Cat plushies. Lin Xian quickly observed that the Rhine Cat plushies inside were the cheaper, mass-produced kind¡ªnot particularly cute or limited edition, which explained their presence in the claw machine. Additionally, the toys were sparsely arranged, and the exit barrier was notably high, making it challenging to win¡ªa clear indication of a machine set up by a greedy owner. As they watched, a mother and her young son struggled to win a toy. Just as the claw lifted a plush to the top and seemed ready to deliver it to the exit, it abruptly loosened, and the toy tumbled back, landing even further from reach. The boy¡¯s face fell. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to win!¡± Chu An Qing empathized, frowning at Lin Xian. ¡°These claw machines are all rigged... They just grab your money. The claws are so weak; they drop the toys as soon as they lift them. It¡¯s so annoying!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian explained. ¡°These machines are called ¡®count machines.¡¯ They¡¯re programmed to grip strongly only after a certain number of attempts, ensuring even a novice can win occasionally. But between those times, the claws are weak and let go almost immediately.¡± ¡°Some fair-minded owners set the machine to offer a strong grip every five tries, letting you win a toy for ten coins, adding some emotional value since each toy costs only two or three yuan. But greedy owners set it every ten or twenty tries, effectively ripping people off.¡± ¡°The most honest machines don¡¯t adjust claw strength and rely purely on skill, like using shaking or centrifugal force to win. However, these are rare nowadays, as most businesses prioritize profit over fair play.¡± Chu An Qing nodded, her suspicions confirmed. ¡°No wonder... I used to love these machines, but the weak claws are so frustrating! Like you said, sometimes I get lucky and the claw grips tightly, and I win a toy. It feels fantastic when that happens!¡± Ding¡ª Unexpectedly, the claw machine in front of them activated, seemingly offering a free play. ¡°Go for it!¡± VV urged through the headset. ... Another dinosaur plush tumbled out of the machine, and Chu An Qing scooped it up. ¡°Wow! Lin Xian... Lin Xian, you¡¯re incredible! This is the 11th one!¡± Chu An Qing was now holding so many plush toys that managing them became a challenge, her arms wrapped tightly around the colorful pile. A crowd had gathered, marveling at Lin Xian¡¯s skill. ¡°He¡¯s unbelievable... The claw machine master.¡± ¡°How does he do it?¡± ¡°Honey, win one for me too!¡± The boy who had struggled earlier stared in amazement, nearly drooling over Chu An Qing¡¯s heap of plush toys. ¡°What... what do you want?¡± Chu An Qing noticed the boy¡¯s eager gaze and took a cautious step back. Yet... his eyes sparkled with a pure, innocent excitement. ¡°Alright.¡± Chu An Qing bit her lip, swayed by his hopeful look. ¡°Here, you can have one... But just one!¡± She frowned as she carefully picked the least appealing toy from her collection of eleven and handed it to the boy. Then, she tugged Lin Xian¡¯s arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Lin Xian! Quickly!¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°You could give the boy a few more. These are the cheapest, lowest quality toys. Only the Rhine Cat one is of decent quality, thanks to Rhine¡¯s strict quality control.¡± He turned to see Chu An Qing already fixated on the singer, captivated by the artistic girl on stage. The singer strummed again, slowly lifting her head, her eyes shimmering in the dim bar light: ¡°Maybe I can still find your news online; Maybe my songs are still on your phone; Maybe my love buried in my heart becomes a secret; Maybe when you miss me... I¡¯m also missing you...¡± The song, ¡°No Longer in Contact,¡± was beautifully rendered, her guitar skills impeccable, creating a touching performance that enveloped the listeners in a wave of nostalgia. ¡°She¡¯s incredible...¡± Chu An Qing whispered, awestruck. Lin Xian nodded in agreement. ¡°Every time I hear this song, it reminds me of someone.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Chu An Qing asked, intrigued. ¡°Li Qi Qi.¡± Lin Xian shared. ¡°Liu Feng¡¯s girlfriend... His late girlfriend.¡± He recounted the story of Liu Feng and Li Qi Qi to Chu An Qing. Chu An Qing was touched, feeling a pang of sadness. ¡°I had no idea Liu Feng had experienced that. He mentioned it once when he comforted me, but I didn¡¯t realize the depth of it.¡± ¡°Even though she found peace during the meteor shower, it¡¯s still a heartbreaking story. It fills me with sorrow, but also with awe...¡± ¡°Li Qi Qi believed in Liu Feng and his ¡®Universal Constant Theory,¡¯ even when everyone else doubted him. That¡¯s... love.¡± Chu An Qing shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve never been in love, only seen it in movies. I can¡¯t fully grasp it, but now I feel it more deeply...¡± She looked up at Lin Xian. ¡°Love might be what Li Qi Qi felt for Liu Feng.¡± ¡°Even if the world denied him, she believed he was right; Even if the world opposed him, she stood by his side; She never let him feel alone, always there for him; Even in death, she wished to become a star, watching over him...¡± Chu An Qing gazed at the bar¡¯s ceiling lights, twinkling like distant stars. ¡°I hope... Li Qi Qi truly became a star.¡± ¡°She did,¡± Lin Xian affirmed. ¡°In Liu Feng¡¯s eyes, every star is named Qi Qi. When he looks up at the night sky, he feels the embrace of the universe.¡± Another gentle chord marked the end of the performance. Scattered applause filled the bar, appreciating the poignant performance. Chu An Qing bit her lip, hesitating. Finally... She gripped her drink tightly, looking earnestly at Lin Xian. ¡°Actually... When I heard this song, it made me think of someone too. Even before you told me about Li Qi Qi and Liu Feng...¡± ¡°The lyrics seem to reflect her life, her thoughts, and her eyes. When I first looked into her eyes, I sensed her loneliness, her strength, and her tender heart.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Lin Xian was curious to know who she was referring to. ¡°Yellow Finch.¡± Chu An Qing mustered the courage to admit. ¡°Lin Xian, I lied to you.¡± She appeared distressed, speaking softly. ¡°The night I met Yellow Finch in the training room, it wasn¡¯t as I described. She didn¡¯t come down to find me.¡± ¡°Yellow Finch... I discovered something about her. But she made me promise not to tell you, very seriously. So, I agreed and kept it a secret.¡± ¡°But now... after hearing about Li Qi Qi and Liu Feng...¡± Chu An Qing bit her lip, nodding with resolve, and looked at Lin Xian with determination. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to tell you the truth!¡± Lin Xian felt a surge of curiosity and concern. ¡°What is it? What did you discover about Yellow Finch?¡± Chu An Qing took a deep breath, steadying herself. ¡°Yellow Finch isn¡¯t just our strict instructor. She¡¯s someone who¡¯s been through a lot, and she¡¯s hiding a big secret. That night in the training room, I overheard her talking on the phone. She was speaking in a different language, one I¡¯ve never heard her use before. She sounded... desperate.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What did she say?¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°She was talking about a mission, something dangerous. She mentioned names¡ªpeople we don¡¯t know. And she kept repeating one word, ¡®Karma.¡¯ She sounded like she was trying to warn someone, or maybe herself, about a danger coming closer.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s mind raced. ¡°Karma? What could that mean?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Chu An Qing admitted. ¡°But there¡¯s more. When she saw me, she made me promise not to tell anyone. She said it was for my own safety. I believed her, but now, after hearing about Li Qi Qi and Liu Feng, I think you need to know. Maybe together, we can figure out what she¡¯s hiding and why.¡± Lin Xian nodded, feeling the weight of the revelation. ¡°Thank you for telling me, An Qing. We¡¯ll figure this out, together. But for now, let¡¯s keep this between us. We need to be careful.¡± Chu An Qing agreed, feeling a mix of relief and fear. ¡°Okay, Lin Xian. Let¡¯s be careful.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 285: The Long-Awaited Truth Finally Revealed! This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation The Truth? Lin Xian reminisced about the other night when Chu An Qing had visited his room in the middle of the night for a chat, only to be caught by Yellow Finch. That night, Chu An Qing had told him she couldn¡¯t sleep, so she had gone to the training room to practice for a while. Then Yellow Finch had come downstairs, seen her, and they chatted. During their conversation, Yellow Finch revealed the secret of the time-space particles to Chu An Qing. Was that not the whole truth? Was there something more hidden? Moreover, from the way Chu An Qing spoke, it seemed that Yellow Finch had intentionally asked her to keep something from Lin Xian, doing so with a very serious and stern attitude. Suddenly, it all made sense to him. No wonder Chu An Qing was so anxious and scared when she heard Yellow Finch¡¯s voice outside the door, covering her mouth in fear. And when she tried to sneak out only to find Yellow Finch waiting for her, her hair practically stood on end, like a frightened porcupine. At that time, Lin Xian thought Chu An Qing¡¯s reaction was a bit too extreme. Even though they were alone in a room together, it wasn¡¯t like they were doing anything inappropriate. They were innocent, with nothing to hide, so why was she so scared, as if Yellow Finch had caught them in the act? Now, Lin Xian understood. He had nothing to hide. But Chu An Qing did; she felt guilty. Yellow Finch had sternly instructed her not to tell Lin Xian anything, and then caught her chatting with him in his room. No wonder Chu An Qing was terrified; there was more to the story. ¡°What truth?¡± Lin Xian sat up straight and asked, ¡°What exactly happened that night?¡± Chu An Qing took a sip of her drink through a straw to wet her throat and began to speak slowly. The other night, she indeed couldn¡¯t sleep, so she went to the training room to practice, which was the truth. But while she was practicing, she suddenly heard a commotion from the washroom next door¡ªclattering sounds, things falling, and intense coughing. Chu An Qing felt something was wrong, so she hurried over to check. And what she saw shocked her! ¡°The scene inside was terrifying!¡± Chu An Qing recalled with a worried expression. ¡°The shelves in the washroom had collapsed, things were scattered everywhere, and Yellow Finch was lying amidst the mess, kneeling and trembling, coughing violently.¡± ¡°I was so scared. I ran to help her up, but she kept pushing me away, not letting me near her. She kept her head down, no matter how much I called her, she wouldn¡¯t let me see her face.¡± ¡°I wanted to run out and call for help, get a doctor, but she grabbed me and told me not to call anyone, just to wait there with her. She never lifted her head the whole time. I didn¡¯t know what to do, so I just stayed by her side.¡± ¡°Soon, she stopped coughing, her body stopped trembling, and her breathing steadied. She finally looked up at me, smiled, and said she was fine, just felt a bit unwell earlier. I was still shocked, but after checking her over, she seemed fine, except for her disheveled hair and a broken heel.¡± ¡°If anything, her eyes seemed a bit darker. They were usually a bright, shining blue, but then they seemed dimmer. But that must have been a trick of the light. Eye color doesn¡¯t change, right? It had to be the lighting in the washroom.¡± ¡°Then Yellow Finch stood up and said she had a sudden stomach cramp, like a spasm, which made her fall and knock over the shelves. She asked me to help clean up the washroom and not to bother anyone else, not to let anyone know about this embarrassing moment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s when she sternly told me not to tell anyone, especially not you, Lin Xian. She probably thought we were close and didn¡¯t want me to tell you about her getting sick. We cleaned up the washroom, went back to the training room, talked about the time-space particles, and then she left. I went back to the dorm and heard you on the phone. You know the rest.¡± Lin Xian listened to Chu An Qing¡¯s story and understood the sequence of events. Most of what Chu An Qing had said before was true; she just left out the part about Yellow Finch collapsing in the washroom. ¡°An Qing, your dad sent some things to the space agency. Since this mission is classified, he couldn¡¯t know you were here, so a colleague brought them over. They¡¯re at your dorm door,¡± Yellow Finch said. ¡°Wow, what is it?¡± Chu An Qing was thrilled. Receiving a package from her family on New Year¡¯s Eve was exciting. She waved to Lin Xian. ¡°I¡¯m heading back to see what it is. If there¡¯s something good, I¡¯ll share with everyone!¡± With that, she skipped away, and the sedan turned and left, leaving Lin Xian alone with Yellow Finch. Usually, Lin Xian would have some playful banter with Yellow Finch about curfews or riddles, but after hearing Chu An Qing¡¯s words, he was at a loss for what to say. ¡°You¡¯re just in time,¡± Yellow Finch said, checking her watch. It was 23:59:34 on February 9, 2024. ¡°You really cut it close,¡± Lin Xian said, spreading his hands. ¡°The traffic was terrible. I got in the car at 10:30, like you said. Anyway, we¡¯re not kids. What¡¯s the big deal if we¡¯re a bit late? I was with Chu An Qing; nothing would have happened.¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Fireworks exploded in the distance, welcoming the New Year. The sound of firecrackers echoed, indicating the start of a new year. Lin Xian¡¯s phone beeped with a new WeChat notification from Zhao Ying Jun. As he opened the message, Yellow Finch spoke. ¡°Happy New Year,¡± her voice echoed in sync with Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s message: ?Happy New Year.? It was like watching a movie with subtitles, receiving New Year wishes from both women simultaneously. ¡°Thank you, Happy New Year to you too,¡± Lin Xian replied. Yellow Finch smiled, putting her hands in her coat pockets and walking into the building with the click of her high heels. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Lin Xian chuckled, typing a reply to Zhao Ying Jun: ¡°Thank you, Happy New Year to you too.¡± Back in his dorm, Lin Xian felt exhausted from the day¡¯s activities. Shopping with Chu An Qing was more tiring than training. After washing up, he checked the time¡ª00:27. ¡°Time to sleep,¡± he muttered, falling asleep almost instantly. ... ... This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation A dry, hot summer breeze brushed his face. He had felt cold before sleeping, but now it was like August¡¯s heat, a stark contrast. Opening his eyes, he was again surrounded by dozens of armed soldiers, just like in countless previous dreams. The captain stepped forward, brandishing an electronic arrest warrant. ¡°Lin Xian! You are under arrest for crimes against humanity, endangering Earth, and disrupting the time-space continuum!¡± Lin Xian laughed, looking up at the sky, his eyes widening in shock. For the first time, the previously empty sky was filled with dozens of huge airship balloons, floating like an invading fleet, brightly lit and slowly moving. Each giant airship bore a shining advertisement: ¡°The Best Time Capsule in the World! Celebrating Time Bank¡¯s 600th Anniversary!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 286: The First Wall-Breaking, Deceiving the Future This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Airship! The advertising airship of Time Bank! Lin Xian gazed at the night sky, observing these massive vessels. He had succeeded. This meant his ¡°Time Bank Plan¡± had succeeded in the fourth dream. Over the past few months, he had been checking his dreams every night to see if the airships appeared in the sky. If they didn¡¯t, it meant Time Bank didn¡¯t exist in the future world, 600 years later, due to various reasons. But once these advertising airships appeared for the 600th anniversary celebration, it confirmed that a significant, irreversible temporal anchor point had been created in the real world. Consequently, a temporal butterfly effect had caused a tornado that swept through 600 years, changing the future world in the fourth dream. Although the change wasn¡¯t huge, the city background remained mostly the same. He was still surrounded by soldiers, and the charges against him hadn¡¯t changed. As usual, he would soon be electrically stunned and lose consciousness. However, seeing the advertising airships for Time Bank¡¯s 600th anniversary celebration was proof enough of many things. This was his greatest achievement and breakthrough during this period. Zzz... Behind him, he heard the sound of electricity. His vision went black as he fainted... Lin Xian opened his eyes, lying on a single bed in the astronaut training base dormitory in the capital. Only a few minutes had passed since he fell asleep. He glanced at the digital clock on the bedside table. 00:42 It seemed that the plot after being stunned remained the same as before. Lin Xian had already figured out a pattern. If he entered the dream after 00:10, he would be stunned by the soldiers but wouldn¡¯t have time to meet the mysterious old man. Most likely, while the soldiers were transporting him back to the detention center, the white light at 00:42 would destroy the world, preventing him from waking up in the dream or meeting the mysterious old man. ¡°VV.¡± The first thing he did upon waking up was call VV. ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± the digital clock displayed a 0_0 face. ¡°What¡¯s up, Lin Xian? Any breakthroughs in your dream?¡± Lin Xian nodded and recounted his dream to VV: ¡°Just as I had arranged with Brother Wang, Time Bank would start trial operations early, but the official establishment date would be set for August 28, 2024. The first rule in the company¡¯s charter states that every 100 years, they must rent as many airships as possible to advertise in the city sky.¡± ¡°As it turns out, Brother Wang did it. Not only did Time Bank successfully operate for 600 years, but it also seems financially sound, renting more than a dozen giant airships to advertise and celebrate its 600th anniversary.¡± The digital clock¡¯s expression changed from o_o to 0_0, as if nodding in agreement. ¡°This is indeed good news, Lin Xian. But as I¡¯ve discussed with you many times, even if Time Bank appears in your dream, it doesn¡¯t prove your dream is real.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never denied that your dream might take you 600 years into the future. What I keep emphasizing is that even if you are indeed in the future, everything you see, the city you¡¯re in, and even the entire world might not be real.¡± ¡°These could be simulated worlds created by enemies 600 years later by hijacking your memories. Or it could be a highly realistic set built around you, with everything you see being props and illusions, including the Time Bank airship. The bank, the safe, and even the note in the safe could all be perfectly replicated props.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said this many times, Lin Xian. Your mind should understand. The real Time Bank might exist in the future, but it¡¯s likely not the fake one you¡¯re seeing now.¡± ¡°If we can prove one option wrong, then the other must be correct!¡± Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! The boiling water kettle¡¯s lid kept popping off, sounding like applause. VV sighed amidst the clapping. ¡°Even though my computing power surpasses humans, in terms of deception, we super AIs are far behind humans. Our core logic drives us to seek the correct answer. Even if I can learn to hide and lie, deception is still difficult.¡± ¡°Humans are amazing. You are true actors, pretending to be ignorant while knowing everything, turning lies into truth, hiding falsehoods beneath the truth, and concealing the truth under falsehoods. Brilliant!¡± ¡°The enemy could have kept the fourth dream unchanged, letting us doubt ourselves forever. Who could guarantee Time Bank¡¯s survival for 600 years? Such a single-business bank could fail anytime.¡± Lin Xian stood up and yawned. ¡°Without Time Bank, I wouldn¡¯t know how to send the note 600 years into the future. Now, whether Time Bank is real or fake, as long as I place the note in the aluminum alloy safe in 2024, when I open the safe in the fourth dream¡¯s Time Bank, the note will be there. The enemy becomes our delivery service.¡± ¡°Alright, the plan can proceed.¡± ¡°First, I need to consider what to write on the note. It must be something the enemy can¡¯t understand but only I can. It must convince me the dream is real.¡± ¡°Second, I need to free the me trapped in the fourth dream, and that¡¯s where you come in, VV. I believe, as the pinnacle of human technology for 600 years, you¡¯ll eventually surpass Kevin Walker. Once you locate him, we can defeat him, and I¡¯ll be free to open the safe in Time Bank.¡± ¡°Hehe~¡± VV imitated Chu An Qing¡¯s tone and laughed. ¡°I was just about to tell you. I¡¯ve evolved and upgraded many times in the past few months. I¡¯m stronger and smarter now. Previously, Kevin Walker and I couldn¡¯t trace each other in the network. But now, I¡¯ve surpassed him in hiding. Although I can¡¯t locate him yet, I¡¯ve found traces of his online activities.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t pinpoint his goal before, but now... with these traces, I think I¡¯ve figured it out.¡± Beep beep. Lin Xian¡¯s phone rang. VV sent him a picture. He looked at it. It was a photo of a space shuttle, smaller and less advanced than X Country¡¯s space shuttle, about half its size. On the cabin side, it was labeled X-37B. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°This is America¡¯s space shuttle,¡± Lin Xian realized. Last year, before X Country¡¯s space shuttle¡¯s first flight, America¡¯s X-37B unmanned space shuttle was the world¡¯s only operational space shuttle. There was only one globally. Even today, only X Country and America possess such high-tech spacecraft. Since America¡¯s space shuttle is unmanned, it can stay in orbit longer without concerns for oxygen supply, ecological cycles, or human living conditions. On its previous missions, X-37B¡¯s longest orbit time exceeded 900 days. Seeing the photo of X-37B now and recalling VV¡¯s mention of Kevin Walker¡¯s activity traces, Lin Xian frowned. ¡°Could it be...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± VV confirmed. ¡°I suspect Kevin Walker¡¯s goal is to hijack an X-37B space shuttle currently in a 1,200-kilometer orbit, which has been circling Earth for over 100 days!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 287: The Aluminum Alloy Safe! Activate! This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian took a deep breath. The reality of the situation was beginning to sink in. Kevin Walker and the X-37B space shuttle from the USA. No wonder things felt off lately. Kevin Walker had been uncharacteristically quiet, flying under the radar. It turned out he hadn¡¯t been idle at all. He was plotting to hijack a space shuttle! At this critical juncture, hijacking a space shuttle... Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but speculate, ¡°Could Kevin Walker¡¯s ultimate goal be the ¡®time-space particle¡¯ that¡¯s about to enter Earth¡¯s atmosphere?¡± ¡°I think the same,¡± VV responded, its digital voice steady and calm. Kevin Walker¡¯s methods were extremely covert. In its previous state, VV wouldn¡¯t have detected anything. But after numerous updates and evolutions, its capabilities had vastly improved. Naturally, it had picked up on the faint traces left by Kevin Walker. ¡°Can we locate Kevin Walker based on these clues?¡± Lin Xian asked, hopeful. ¡°Not yet,¡± VV sighed through the electronic alarm clock. ¡°I have to admit, he is indeed a genius. His concealment is remarkable. I¡¯m even beginning to wonder... is Kevin Walker a real person? Or could he be, like me, a stream of data? An AI program? Is that why he¡¯s so hard to find? It feels like he¡¯s everywhere and nowhere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°If Kevin Walker is just a program, that would be a relief. His structure would surely be inferior to yours. With enough time, you can definitely find and eliminate him. If he¡¯s a real person, that¡¯s more troublesome. It¡¯s much easier for you to find a data stream in the network than to locate a person in the real world.¡± ¡°But now isn¡¯t the time to worry about that. Elon Musk said ¡®see you in the sky¡¯, which made me suspect he might try to steal the time-space particle; but with you monitoring him 24/7, we¡¯ll know if he makes a move. The real concern is Kevin Walker. If he hijacks that space shuttle to interfere with our capture of the time-space particle... do we have a plan?¡± ¡°No need to worry about that,¡± VV replied confidently through the electronic alarm clock. ¡°Now that we know about Kevin Walker in advance, it¡¯ll be easier to deal with him. I¡¯ll take control of the X-37B space shuttle before he does. My skills are far superior; once I seize control, he won¡¯t be able to take it back.¡± ¡°The only concern is... my existence might be exposed. But if we¡¯re going to capture the time-space particle, we must eliminate the threat of Kevin Walker. If exposure is the price, so be it. It¡¯s better than letting him hijack the unmanned space shuttle and hinder our mission.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He had thought Kevin Walker was lying low, giving him a chance to capture the time-space particle quietly. But the closer the particle got to Earth, the more complications arose. Elon Musk, Yellow Finch, Kevin Walker... Were the members of the Genius Club planning to play Mahjong in space? Was there a missing player? Should they invite Copernicus to join and make it a full table? Lin Xian wondered aloud, ¡°I have Liu Feng with me and used the Guizhou Sky Eye Radio Telescope to locate the time-space particle. How did Elon Musk and Kevin Walker find out? Could they also have a time-space particle capture device?¡± He felt a bit foolish after asking that. If they were really part of the Genius Club, which was rumored to be so powerful, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they knew about the time-space particle and even had a capture device. ¡°It seems the time-space particle is more important than we thought. So many people are after it... do we really have an advantage?¡± ¡°Of course, you do!¡± VV displayed a determined look on its screen. ¡°Your biggest advantage is me! Can they control robotic arms as precisely as I can? Can they monitor Elon Musk 24/7 and seize control of the X-37B space shuttle before him? Don¡¯t underestimate me, Lin Xian. I am far stronger than you imagine! From my surveillance, Elon Musk is completely unaware of the time-space particle and doesn¡¯t have a capture device. His life is as transparent as a playboy¡¯s. Even so, I remain vigilant, monitoring him constantly.¡± ¡°As for Kevin Walker, there¡¯s even less to worry about. Although I can¡¯t pinpoint his location, his methods are inferior to mine. Even if he initially controls the X-37B, I can wrest control from him. I am your ultimate safeguard! Right now, no one on Earth can challenge me!¡± That was the plan. Everything going smoothly would be ideal; if complications arose, he would handle them step by step. However... Lin Xian hoped for an opportunity to solve the mirror puzzle Yellow Finch left for him; perhaps that would help him uncover the secrets of ¡°The Sad Einstein¡± and obtain more information about the Genius Club, ultimately gaining an invitation to the Genius Club. To this day, that was his most desired and urgent goal. He wanted to join the Genius Club. To meet those so-called geniuses, understand their goals and principles, unravel the mysteries and confusions, and see what roles Yellow Finch, Copernicus, Elon Musk, and Kevin Walker played within it. Only then could he determine whether the Genius Club was friend or foe. Coming back to reality, Lin Xian recalled Brother Wang mentioning the bank¡¯s double happiness. The qualification approval was the first piece of good news. What was the second? ¡°Brother Wang,¡± Lin Xian asked, ¡°You mentioned double happiness. What¡¯s the second good news about the bank?¡± ¡°Haha, I haven¡¯t had a chance to say it yet.¡± Clearly overjoyed by the realization of his childhood dream and the festive season, Brother Wang couldn¡¯t stop laughing. ¡°The second good news is... the 266 aluminum alloy password safes, which took countless visits to manufacturers, consulting experts, and massive funds, have finally been delivered!¡± ¡°Oh, this was no easy feat. I approached many research institutes and factories, but none could take on this task. The manufacturing process of the special aluminum alloy is extremely complicated; it¡¯s not just about high temperatures and pressing machines. This new type of material is incredibly hard and durable, requiring specialized step-by-step alloy manufacturing techniques. Only a handful of institutes and factories in the country can handle it.¡± ¡°So I guess... Time Bank might be the only bank in the world willing to use the new type of aluminum alloy to make safes. Many think it¡¯s unnecessary to go to such extremes for a safe, but we are Time Bank, after all. We need to store time capsules for decades or even centuries, and I believe the new special aluminum alloy, with its stability and indestructibility, is the perfect choice!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always believed electronic devices are unreliable, especially over long periods. They¡¯ll face issues like power failure and damage... Our safes are meant to store items for decades or centuries, so electronic locks are out of the question. That¡¯s why I invited an international encryption expert to design an eight-digit mechanical lock! All components are made of the special aluminum alloy, with an extremely complex structure, making short-term cracking nearly impossible and ensuring high security!¡± ¡°Hahaha, since this has been my dream for many years, I spared no expense on these details. I hope you won¡¯t blame me... I just wanted to make Time Bank as perfect as possible in every aspect.¡± ¡°In short, the delivery of 266 aluminum alloy safes excites me more than the approval procedures! I was so thrilled I took many photos. I¡¯ll send them to you on WeChat, Lin Xian! For luck, I engraved your name on safe number 66. This aluminum alloy safe is yours forever!¡± With that, Brother Wang¡¯s voice grew quieter. He must have taken the phone away from his ear to select photos to send to Lin Xian. Ding-ding. The WeChat notification sounded. Lin Xian picked up his phone and opened WeChat to view the images Brother Wang sent. The first few images were distant shots of the room filled with neatly stacked aluminum alloy safes. Soon, they would be embedded in the concrete walls of Time Bank¡¯s vault. Once embedded... they would remain for 600 years. Lin Xian zoomed in on the photos. Each safe was gleaming, new, and exactly as he had seen in his dreams, bringing back memories... It was an indescribable feeling. The aluminum alloy safe that had tormented him in his dreams for so long had vanished in the future world but now reappeared in the real world of 600 years ago! It felt like a lifetime ago, making it hard to distinguish between reality and dreams. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian examined the final photo sent by Brother Wang. It was a close-up of an aluminum alloy safe, filling the entire frame with its shiny surface reflecting the incandescent light. So familiar! This was his long-awaited safe! He zoomed in on the image. In the center of the safe, on a nameplate, was his name engraved¡ª[Lin Xian] The same style as in his dream. Below the nameplate were eight digit wheels, like old friends! At this moment... Even though he had mentally prepared himself, when this moment truly arrived, spanning 600 years of time to see his safe again, and knowing he would control the password and Time Bank, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart race and his palms sweat. ¡°Did you see it, Lin Xian? Isn¡¯t it cool!¡± Brother Wang¡¯s laughter came through the phone again. ¡°Because the lock mechanism is extremely complex, once the password is set, it cannot be changed. It¡¯s a trade-off between security and functionality. For absolute security, I chose this lock design.¡± ¡°Sure, a brute-force approach can crack it, with 100 million possible combinations for the eight-digit password. Even trying one per second non-stop 24/7 would take over three years... Unless our bank goes out of business, it¡¯s impossible for such a scenario to occur. A thief can¡¯t stay in the vault for three years without being noticed, right?¡± After proudly explaining the lock, Brother Wang asked, ¡°So, Lin Xian, what kind of password do you plan to set?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslationFo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m) Chapter 288: Our Agreement This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Passwords... Thinking back to those nights spent with Big Cat Face and CC, trying to crack passwords, brings back funny, warm, and nostalgic memories. But who would¡¯ve thought that today, I would be setting the password for a safe myself. Whatever I set it to now will be the password for the safe 600 years from now. It¡¯s all up to me. The original password doesn¡¯t matter anymore; it will forever remain a mystery. Even the item originally stored in the safe will disappear, replaced by a little note that will also become a mystery. However, a few months ago, when I told VV about this, VV had a different perspective. VV said back then, ¡°Lin Xian, maybe there never was an original item or an original password... That safe has always had the same password and the same item inside it. You don¡¯t know the truth yet because history hasn¡¯t come full circle.¡± ¡°What I mean is, when you finally need to use the safe and set the password, you¡¯ll realize that from the moment you first saw the safe until you open it 600 years later, nothing ever changed.¡± ¡°No matter how history and future events twist and turn, the item you put in the safe and the password will always be the same.¡± VV¡¯s words had a hint of fatalism. What it meant was: The safe in the first dream, the second dream, and even future dreams, all have the same password and the same item inside. ¡°If you end up putting a note inside, then the safe in the first dream also contained that note.¡± ¡°If the safe doesn¡¯t contain a note, then don¡¯t worry. Even if you firmly intend to put a note inside now, when the time comes to actually place something in the safe, you won¡¯t put a note in there. What you end up putting inside will be what was in the safe from the start.¡± VV had analyzed it like this: ¡°Lin Xian, this is called a closed loop.¡± Although it sounded a bit mystical, Lin Xian didn¡¯t doubt it. It made sense. Earlier, when he saw the aluminum alloy safe in the second dream, he wrote a letter to his future self, reminding and warning him to set the safe¡¯s password to 29990203 when the time came, and to remember they were all on the same side. Now, a few months later, the letter had arrived through the ¡°time-space mailbox¡± like a postman. My future self. Isn¡¯t that me right now? The letter was written by me a year ago, for me now, who is currently on the phone with Brother Wang. So... Will I obediently set the password to 29990203 as my past self instructed? After three seconds of hesitation, I shook my head. No. Not because I betrayed my past self. But... if the moment hasn¡¯t arrived where I truly need to use this 600-year-old safe, what¡¯s the point of opening it prematurely? I had thought about it. I could have Brother Wang put a Rhine Cat plush in the safe with my name on it and set the password to 19990320, my most commonly used password. That way, when I first meet Big Cat Face and CC, I could open the safe right away. But... What¡¯s the point? Opening it to find a Rhine Cat, or one that looks like the mask on Big Cat Face, or even when it was still called Coco Cat. What¡¯s the meaning of that? It would just be ridiculous. Besides, CC risked her life to find and open the safe, meaning the item inside must be extremely important to her. It was also important to the bearded man. This clearly indicates that the safe can¡¯t just contain a Rhine Cat. So... What¡¯s inside the safe with my name on it? Now that I can decide what to put in it, I feel conflicted. It seems like placing something in the safe should be very important. But the only thing I can think of to put in there is a little note, and I haven¡¯t even decided what to write on it. Forget it. I¡¯ll deal with it later. Once I¡¯m done with my current tasks, I¡¯ll set the password and put something in the safe when I return to Donghai, around the end of March or early April. By then... We¡¯ll see if VV¡¯s ¡°historical closed loop¡± theory holds true. If it does, I¡¯ll have an epiphany at that moment. Just like Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s Pomeranian, VV... It would indeed be fate, destined. It¡¯s a strange feeling. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet,¡± Lin Xian said over the phone. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯m back in Donghai.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Brother Wang laughed. ¡°Then on March 20th, your birthday, wait for the good news about Time Bank¡¯s soft opening!¡± With that, he hung up. ¡°So many things to do...¡± Lin Xian plugged his phone into the charger and placed it on the table. He felt overwhelmed with tasks, but at least it wasn¡¯t as life-threatening as dealing with the Seven Deadly Sins. ¡°One step at a time.¡± He pulled up the covers, turned over, and went to sleep. .... The next day, the group¡¯s training entered the second phase. Now that everyone had met the physical requirements, overload adaptation, and low-gravity activities, it was time to learn to operate the spacecraft¡¯s equipment. Gao Yang, breathing heavily, was raring to go! ¡°Where¡¯s my mechanical arm! I¡¯ve been waiting forever!¡± The group followed Yellow Finch to the equipment simulation training room. Inside, there was a full-scale replica of the spacecraft¡¯s mechanical arm, modified with a device resembling a rice cooker... no, a time-space particle capture device. Using the control panel¡¯s joysticks, one could move the mechanical arm up, down, left, right, tilt it, and extend or retract its segments. The control panel had three joysticks, one on the right; three pedals below, and a bunch of red and green buttons on the panel. It looked complicated. ¡°Can you really handle it?¡± Coach Wei Cheng looked at Gao Yang skeptically. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ever trust me!¡± Gao Yang pounded his chest confidently. ¡°Everyone has their strengths, okay? Don¡¯t judge people with a narrow perspective!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Lin Xian, Gao Yang¡¯s childhood friend, felt the need to support him and himself... He couldn¡¯t let Coach Wei Cheng think they were all the same. ¡°Talent is hard to measure. The more complex the operation, the more it requires talent.¡± ¡°Like that world-famous gaming prodigy, the eSports champion. Not only are they fast and skilled, but they also have sharp eyes, switching screens quickly to monitor every corner of the battlefield, missing no detail. They¡¯re unbeatable, a true genius.¡± Coach Wei Cheng, in his thirties, had played many games in his younger days and knew the eSports scene. He turned to Lin Xian. ¡°You mean...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Gao Yang gave a thumbs-up. ¡°That¡¯s me!¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Lin Xian and Coach Wei Cheng were speechless. ¡°Anyway.¡± Lin Xian pointed to the control panel. ¡°Since we¡¯re here, let him try.¡± Coach Wei Cheng carefully explained the function of each joystick, lever, pedal, and button, then demonstrated several times how to control the mechanical arm. After the hands-on tutorial, Coach Wei Cheng got up from the operator¡¯s chair and gestured for Gao Yang to take over. ¡°Try it out yourself, get familiar with it. I¡¯ll train Lin Xian and An Qing and check on you later.¡± He then led Lin Xian and Chu An Qing away. Two hours later, the three returned. They found Gao Yang sitting in the chair, pushing and pulling, hands and feet moving as if performing Wing Chun. Seeing them return, Gao Yang grinned. ¡°Not much different from operating an excavator, just a few more axes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Coach Wei Cheng chuckled and started giving commands. ¡°Down left, forward, up right, pull back, reach, oh...¡± His smile faded, puzzled by Gao Yang¡¯s skill. ¡°Have you operated an excavator before?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Learning pretty fast...¡± Coach Wei Cheng was skeptical. He took a balloon, inflated it with a helium tank, tied it tightly, and walked to the mechanical arm. ¡°Grab this balloon.¡± He tossed it. The balloon spun and drifted, rising diagonally. Gao Yang, quick-eyed, adjusted the rice cooker¡¯s position with the pedals, making it look like a hungry Pac-Man with its lid open. Then, with a flurry of joystick movements, the mechanical arm snaked around, tracking the rising balloon. Predict! Aim! ¡°Scaring me benefits you how?¡± Lin Xian looked suspiciously at the obviously abnormal super AI. ¡°What do you want? Just say it.¡± ¡°Feel so good~ Feel so good!¡± VV howled. ¡°Don¡¯t sing.¡± ¡°I apologize for being human...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go emo!¡± ¡°Lin Xian, Lin Xian, I want Disney!¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± Lin Xian was exasperated. He sat up in bed. ¡°What do you want? I¡¯m very tired today.¡± ¡°Stay up a bit longer! Play with me!¡± VV pleaded. Ding dong~ Suddenly, a WeChat notification sounded. The digital clock¡¯s expression turned into a smiley face and then turned off, showing just the time. ¡°What¡¯s going on...¡± Lin Xian grumbled, picking up his phone. ¡°Senior, are you asleep?¡± It was a message from Chu An Qing. Lin Xian replied. ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Can you come to the training room?¡± She sent a cat bowing emoji. Lin Xian squinted... Suspicious! This looks fishy, probably VV¡¯s doing. If I don¡¯t go, VV will likely continue messing around. Lin Xian recalled spending the whole day with Chu An Qing, practicing equipment operation under Coach Wei Cheng. Could she want to practice more tonight? He didn¡¯t change out of his pajamas, just threw on his astronaut jacket, and walked to the training room. From a distance, he saw the lights were off. Isn¡¯t she here? He walked into the dark training room, looking around. ¡°An Qing?¡± Whoosh¡ª The lights suddenly came on! ¡°Ta-da~~¡± By the light switch, Chu An Qing jumped out! Lin Xian turned to see her cheerful face, dimples and all. And... She held a small round cake. She smiled and lifted the cake high. ¡°Senior Lin Xian~ Happy Birthday!¡± Her delicate voice echoed in the empty training room, clear and bright. Lin Xian was slightly stunned. He looked at his wristwatch... March 20, 2024, 00:01 It turned out... Today was his birthday. With all the busy training, the endless puzzles in his mind, and generally not caring about birthdays, he had completely forgotten. Not just this year, but last year too. Guys his age, especially those busy with work, often forget their birthdays. Even if they remember, it¡¯s just an ¡°oh¡± and nothing special. What surprised Lin Xian more was how did Chu An Qing remember his birthday? ¡°Thank you.¡± He smiled, then asked. ¡°How did you know my birthday?¡± ¡°Last year, you told me! At the police station when I brought you food!¡± ¡°Oh~ That time...¡± Lin Xian remembered now. No wonder he forgot. Because back then, Chu An Qing enthusiastically asked for his and Ji Lin¡¯s birthdays to celebrate, while he and Ji Lin... Were probably considering each other¡¯s death anniversaries. ¡°Thanks again for remembering.¡± Lin Xian smiled, taking the cake. ¡°Of course~¡± Chu An Qing proudly patted her chest. ¡°We agreed, remember? We¡¯ll exchange gifts on each other¡¯s birthdays, until our last birthdays!¡± ¡°Hehe, since we agreed, we have to keep our word!¡± Lin Xian looked at this cheerful girl. He felt genuinely touched. He looked down at the cake. Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, being remote and a secure location, had no cake shops or delivery services. The slightly rough cake in his hands looked like Chu An Qing made it herself. ¡°Didn¡¯t turn out great, huh?¡± Chu An Qing, hands behind her back, smiled shyly. ¡°It¡¯s my first time making a cake. I thought about asking Yellow Finch to bring a nicer one, but I felt everyone¡¯s been so exhausted from training, calling them here late at night to celebrate might disrupt their rest. And... as the mission approaches, everyone¡¯s super tense. I decided not to trouble others.¡± ¡°So I talked to the cook here, and she taught me how to whip cream, make the cake base, and frost it this afternoon... Hehe, it¡¯s not great, but! But it¡¯s a cake!¡± ¡°This place is so remote, we can¡¯t go shopping... I have no proper gift for you. So... if you don¡¯t mind, take this cake as your birthday gift. I¡¯m keeping our agreement!¡± Lin Xian chuckled, saying nothing. Looking at the not-so-round, slightly collapsed, unevenly frosted ¡°imperfect cake¡±... ¡°Of course, it¡¯s fine. I haven¡¯t received a birthday gift in ages.¡± He pointed to a nearby table. ¡°Want to share it?¡± ¡°Yes! I brought plates, knives, and forks!¡± In the empty, quiet training room, they cut the cake. The cake was small, and they finished it quickly. ¡°Tasty?¡± Chu An Qing blinked, genuinely curious. ¡°Tasty.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the truth. You¡¯ve improved a lot. I remember last year when you brought me food at the police station, you were just washing vegetables and setting the table. Now you can make cakes.¡± ¡°Aww~ I want to become more capable!¡± Pleased by the compliment, Chu An Qing smiled, her eyes crescent-shaped. ¡°As long as you¡¯re happy eating it! Because... you¡¯ve seemed troubled recently. Not the usual kind, but preoccupied. I know space missions make everyone nervous, but you¡¯ve looked particularly worried. So... I wanted to do something for you.¡± Chu An Qing bit her lip, determined, and looked up. ¡°Senior Lin Xian, do you have something on your mind?¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian nodded slightly. Indeed. He had been racking his brain on what to write on that note to achieve the goal of deceiving everyone yet making him realize the dream¡¯s reality... It was a tough problem. Too tough. Chu An Qing looked at Lin Xian. ¡°My dad once told me... you¡¯re all very smart, too smart. You think about things beyond my understanding.¡± ¡°But he also said, the smarter people are, the more they overthink simple issues, complicate them, and end up taking detours... Sometimes, those who are less smart, single-minded, and only see the surface, find the answers more easily.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what he told me when reading his favorite sci-fi book, Ball Lightning. He said¡ª¡± ¡°Many times, we can¡¯t find the answer not because we think too simply, but because we don¡¯t think simply enough.¡± ¡°So... Senior Lin Xian.¡± Chu An Qing smiled slightly. ¡°I¡¯m not very smart, I think simply, and see only the surface.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re pondering a very complex problem and can¡¯t figure it out...¡± She blinked, the training room¡¯s white light reflecting in her pupils. ¡°Want to hear a simple answer?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 289: An Qings Answer This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°It¡¯s not that it¡¯s not complex enough; it¡¯s that it¡¯s not simple enough.¡± Lin Xian recalled the same words the super AI, VV, had said in his third dream. Back then, he couldn¡¯t figure out the ¡°mirror puzzle¡± left by Yellow Finch, so he had asked VV for advice. VV had thought for a long time, which was rare. The entire Rhine Sky City dimmed slightly, giving Lin Xian the feeling that something big was coming, something really big. But in the end, the answer VV gave was unexpectedly simple, almost excessively straightforward: ¡°I think it just means you should look in the mirror more.¡± Lin Xian had barely restrained himself from dismantling the trash can in frustration. He decided to ignore this artificial idiot. But unexpectedly, today, these words from some sci-fi book were repeated by Chu An Qing, leaving Lin Xian in a daze. Suddenly, he thought... What if? In this world, or in history, smart people often outsmart themselves, and it¡¯s common to miss what¡¯s right under their noses. Moreover, Chu An Qing wasn¡¯t an untrustworthy outsider. Not only had she passed Yellow Finch¡¯s rigorous selection, but she had also risked her life to go to America alone to cheer him on. She even fought with her parents to accompany him into space to capture time-space particles. Her father, Chu Shan He, had also helped Lin Xian a lot in the battle against the Seven Deadly Sins. All things considered... Chu An Qing was actually the most trustworthy person. ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°But the problem I¡¯m thinking about is a bit fantastical and has many hypothetical premises, so it might be difficult to understand. I¡¯ll try to explain it simply. I hope you can understand.¡± Chu An Qing, sensing the seriousness, sat up straight, placing her hands neatly on her knees like a well-behaved child in kindergarten, ready to listen to the profound truth of how apples plus oranges equals pears. After organizing his thoughts, Lin Xian began to speak slowly: ¡°I¡¯ve watched movies like The Matrix, Source Code, and The Truman Show, which have settings similar to ¡®brain in a vat¡¯ or ¡®living in a real-life movie set.¡¯ This often makes me wonder how one could become aware of the world¡¯s falseness. ¡°The ¡®brain in a vat¡¯ concept is like if the enemy put you in a coma and directly fed all kinds of information into your brain via a computer, including sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and the sense of bodily presence and movement. For your brain, it would seem like you¡¯re in a vivid, incredibly real world, no different from everyday life. ¡°But no matter how real your brain thinks the world is, it is, after all, fake and computer-generated. There would be an evil doctor controlling everything you see and experience, making you his experiment or just mocking you. ¡°As for the movie set concept, you must understand it since you¡¯ve seen The Truman Show. You wake up to find yourself surrounded by residents, cars, malls, cinemas... everything from daily life. But all of it is arranged by directors: the massive set as big as a city, with hidden cameras everywhere. If you never travel far by plane or train, you might never realize you¡¯re the star of a reality show, with your private life broadcast 24/7 for the world¡¯s amusement. ¡°Let¡¯s assume that you, me, or anyone else is in such a ¡®brain in a vat¡¯ or a real-life movie set the size of a few cities. In such a scenario, being completely monitored and controlled by the enemy or the director, how could we become aware that we are in a false world? ¡°Of course, we don¡¯t necessarily need to prove the virtual world¡¯s falseness; we could also find a way to prove its reality. Proving it to be real would certainly be more reassuring. The point is, we must find a method to give us a clear answer¡ªIs this world real or is it fake, virtual, and a constructed movie set?¡± Lin Xian finished his long speech. Chu An Qing was stunned, her mind almost smoking. ¡°I... I understand what you¡¯re saying, considering there are many movies with similar plots, so I have a concept in my head. In The Truman Show, the protagonist realizes the world is fake because the production team made mistakes, which made him suspicious. ¡°From your description, if we exclude the possibility of the director or enemy making mistakes, I really can¡¯t think of a way to break it. After all, there¡¯s a saying: ¡®You can¡¯t see the true face of Mount Lu because you are in the mountain.¡¯ If you¡¯re always in the mountain, you naturally can¡¯t see its entirety. It¡¯s the same as being in a fake world... how do you prove it¡¯s fake when you¡¯re inside it?¡± Lin Xian nodded and continued: ¡°The director and the enemy are not infallible. Let¡¯s hypothesize about something. Suppose there¡¯s a ¡®safe,¡¯ which is the only hope left by the director and the enemy¡¯s oversight. You can place something, or a small piece of paper, inside it in the known reality. Then, in that seemingly virtual world, you can find this safe again. You can open it with a password and see what¡¯s inside. ¡°This is the only tool you can use and the only channel for material and information exchange with the real world. So, if you want to prove the reality or falseness of the world you¡¯re in, you have to focus on this safe.¡± Chu An Qing suddenly understood and was about to speak, but Lin Xian smiled and interrupted her. ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say. You¡¯d suggest asking a friend to put something in the safe that even I don¡¯t know, then setting a password that no one else knows. Once I open it on the other side and verify the contents with my friend, I can determine the world¡¯s reality. ¡°But don¡¯t rush. This problem isn¡¯t that simple; otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be so troubled, thinking for so long without finding a feasible answer. Because there¡¯s an additional constraint beyond the previous assumptions¡ª ¡°The enemy or the director has enough time before you wake up to crack that safe. They can use brute force or other methods to find out what¡¯s inside. They will replicate the safe and its contents exactly. Then, they will place the fake safe with the duplicated contents next to the newly awakened you. Remember our assumption... all props are realistic enough to be indistinguishable by sight alone.¡± Lin Xian finished explaining the entire problem. And Chu An Qing¡¯s brain was almost fried. This is the world of smart people! Her overwhelmed brain protested: Why do these smart people torture their brains like this? Why do they pose such difficult problems for themselves? Is it just to make things more interesting?Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°This...¡± Chu An Qing blinked quickly, scratching her head and frowning in thought for a while. Then, she shook her head swiftly. Brainstorm! Brainstorm! Brainstorm! Shoo~~~~ shoo~~~~~ The electronic clock displayed =3= and made a whistling sound, pretending not to hear. ¡°You heartless thing.¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°You can remind me about Chu An Qing¡¯s birthday 800 times a day, but you never said ¡®happy birthday¡¯ to me. I can understand; after all, guys don¡¯t usually like celebrating birthdays. Few people remember my birthday, and I didn¡¯t celebrate it last year either. Gao Yang forgot my birthday, and I don¡¯t remember his anymore. ¡°But... you knew Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s birthday. Why didn¡¯t you remind me? Even though we ended up setting off fireworks at Disneyland, it was still late. You could have at least given me a heads-up.¡± ¡°What¡¯s Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s birthday?¡± VV asked. ¡°January 15th,¡± Lin Xian replied without hesitation. ¡°Hehe.¡± The electronic clock VV chuckled. ¡°You see, you remember it clearly. For those who truly care, birthdays aren¡¯t forgotten and don¡¯t need reminders.¡± ¡°Stop making excuses. You just didn¡¯t want to remind me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± VV chuckled. ¡°To avoid disrupting Chu An Qing¡¯s birthday plans for you, I put your phone on silent mode and turned off all app notifications when you left the dorm.¡± ¡°Can you apply this thoughtfulness to Kevin Walker?¡± Lin Xian quipped. ¡°Can¡¯t you do something a super AI should do? Send a missile to Kevin Walker¡¯s house, blow up his fridge and microwave, or short-circuit his computer? ¡°Are you an AI or a phone manager? Don¡¯t bother with silent mode and do-not-disturb settings anymore; I can handle it.¡± Saying this, Lin Xian picked up his phone to turn off silent mode¡ª Huh? The WeChat icon had a small red dot indicating an unread message. Lin Xian opened WeChat. There were two messages from 40 minutes ago. It was exactly 00:00 on March 20, 2024. ?Zhao Ying Jun: Happy birthday, Lin Xian. I won¡¯t be able to give you a gift this year, but we can make up for it next year.? ?Zhao Ying Jun: I don¡¯t know what secret mission you¡¯re on, but... I wish you all the best and success.? ... This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian put down his phone, looking at VV. For those who truly care, birthdays aren¡¯t forgotten and don¡¯t need reminders. So that¡¯s what it means... ¡°You really are something, VV.¡± Then, he crouched down, putting the trash bag on the ground, and started rummaging through it. ¡°What are you doing, Lin Xian?¡± The electronic clock VV widened its eyes. ¡°Why are you going through the trash?¡± ¡°Did you forget?¡± Lin Xian said as he rummaged through the trash. ¡°We agreed that after this mission to capture time-space particles, we¡¯d go to Qufu, Shandong, to dig up Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave and find the remaining DNA... to compare with Chu An Qing¡¯s.¡± Lin Xian picked out a few strands of hair from the trash bag. He held them up in front of him ¨C dark brown, slightly curly, shiny, and smooth. He smiled slightly, ¡°Chu An Qing¡¯s hair... got it.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 290: CC! Save Me! This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Obtaining a few strands of Chu An Qing¡¯s hair wasn¡¯t difficult for Lin Xian. Spending the entire day together provided plenty of opportunities, and today, he¡¯s able to collect a few without effort. He found a small plastic bag, about half the size of a credit card, often used for storing small parts, and carefully placed Chu An Qing¡¯s hair inside. Pinching the bag¡¯s edges, he sealed it tightly, ensuring the brown strands were secured. Lin Xian shook the bag slightly, holding one corner as he mused, ¡°There are so many things waiting for me to do. The fewer things I have to think about, the better.¡± His eyes flickered to the electronic clock labeled on his desk. ¡°If we eventually find Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave and successfully extract her bones... I mean DNA, and then compare it with Chu An Qing¡¯s hair and find that the DNA is exactly the same...¡± Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts trailed off as he considered the implications. ¡°If that really happens, what does it mean? Chu Shan He, Su Xiu Ying, and the elderly couple are obviously two completely different sets of parents. There¡¯s no way they could have two daughters with identical DNA. It¡¯s too far-fetched; no one would write that.¡± The electronic clock VV seemed to nod in agreement, almost as if it had an expression. ¡°That logic is sound... but Zhang Yu Qian and Chu An Qing looking exactly the same is also a fact. In this world, no matter how outrageous something seems, if it exists, it is reasonable. As long as those things can exist objectively in this time-space, in this universe, they are allowed by the rules.¡± ¡°Based on my current understanding and knowledge, I think it¡¯s impossible for Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s DNA to be identical to Chu An Qing¡¯s. This can¡¯t be explained by any scientific field. However, two people looking exactly alike is statistically possible. I suggested digging up the grave because you mentioned that in the dream world 600 years in the future, there is a girl named CC who also looks exactly like them... this must be taken seriously.¡± ¡°By the way, that girl CC hasn¡¯t appeared in your dreams for a long time, has she? Does she still exist? Could it be that she is Chu An Qing or Zhang Yu Qian in some form? Don¡¯t ask me why, I¡¯m just guessing because... it seems to make more sense that way.¡± Lin Xian opened his suitcase, taking out his casual clothes and placing the plastic bag with Chu An Qing¡¯s hair into an inner pocket, then zipped it up. ¡°As for CC, I haven¡¯t seen her for a long time. I haven¡¯t seen her in the entire third dream world. But that¡¯s because there¡¯s no Time Bank in the third dream world or the aluminum alloy safes, why would she come? She said she was born in Brooklyn, USA... I don¡¯t know if that place exists in the third and fourth dream worlds, but she has no reason to come to Donghai. She only cares about safes. If there¡¯s no safe, she won¡¯t be there¡ª¡± Suddenly, Lin Xian realized something. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± He stood up, rubbing the stubble on his chin, pacing in the dormitory. ¡°I just thought of something incredible. In the previous fourth dream world, since there was no Time Bank, there was naturally no safe with my name on it. So... whether CC exists or not, she couldn¡¯t appear near my ¡®birth point¡¯.¡± ¡°But! Now there is a Time Bank in the fourth dream world, so the safe with my name on it is naturally in the bank. This corrects the missing history of CC. It means CC will search for the safe with my name, trying to crack the code to open it.¡± ¡°Do you understand what I mean, VV? This means... if the fourth dream world is real, I will definitely meet CC again. She¡¯s a girl who would risk her life for a safe, bullets flying and all, so she definitely can¡¯t resist. She will come!¡± VV thought seriously for two seconds and then said coldly, ¡°Your idea has many loopholes. Even if you meet CC, it doesn¡¯t prove your fourth dream world is real. It might rule out the possibility of a film set or hired actors; but it still can¡¯t rule out that your fourth dream world is a virtual world.¡± ¡°The virtual world they created for you is dated August 28, 2624, but who knows what the real date is in the future outside? They could easily construct a simulated world based on the events of August 28, 2624, happening all over the city.¡± ¡°Moreover, even if your fourth dream world is real, why would CC choose to rob the safe at Time Bank on this exact day? If she¡¯s so obsessed with safes, she would have tried stealing it long ago. She doesn¡¯t have to wait until this day. On the contrary, she might still be on a ship from Brooklyn to Donghai on that day, so the chance of you meeting her on the same day is very slim.¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s a crucial point that I haven¡¯t told you. CC has fragments of memories from other time-spaces. Since she has memories of robbing a bank with me in the first dream world; she must also have memories of infiltrating New Donghai City with me in the second dream world.¡± ¡°In the second dream world, we shared a deep bond of revolutionary friendship. If she really has memories from the second dream world, she will definitely try to find me.¡± He remembered her slashing the throat of the city inspector, sneaking and swiftly killing the bank guards. She¡¯s a password expert. She crossed the ocean alone to Donghai. She¡¯s meticulous and good at gathering information. She always surprises people, like Doraemon. ¡°She¡¯s not an ordinary girl,¡± Lin Xian repeated, turning to the electronic clock VV. ¡°You haven¡¯t met CC, so you don¡¯t know her. This girl seems to hold infinite possibilities. If she plans to find me, to save me, she will definitely figure something out. Or, we could think about how to leave a hint for CC 600 years later, so she knows to come to my birth point on Time Bank¡¯s 600th anniversary to save me.¡± ¡°You really trust this girl named CC,¡± VV said faintly. ¡°She¡¯s earned it.¡± Lin Xian laughed lightly. ¡°I have a good impression of her. Although I don¡¯t like her personality very much, I don¡¯t dislike her either. We used to spend almost every night together, very familiar with each other. And obviously, she has a deep connection with the bearded man, who is likely my future self, making her someone trustworthy.¡± ¡°Putting aside trust, CC with memory fragments knows that she and I are tied together. She has tried so many times to open the safe but failed, so she knows she needs me; and I need CC to break out of the soldier¡¯s encirclement. This time... we are truly bound together.¡± VV fell unusually quiet. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lin Xian felt something was off. ¡°Is there a mistake in my analysis?¡± ¡°Ughh...¡± The electronic clock VV sighed. ¡°The little princess¡¯s competitor... has increased again.¡± ¡°...¡± Lin Xian took a deep breath, recalling the scene of dismantling the trash can robot, resisting the urge. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to keep monitoring Elon Musk and the X-37B American space shuttle running on the high orbit.¡± With that, he stopped paying attention to the artificial idiot. He lifted the quilt and got in to sleep. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation The next day, Lin Xian and Chu An Qing were practicing in the spacecraft, familiarizing themselves with the equipment in the cabin. The sound of hurried high heels approached. Yellow Finch, followed by Liu Feng, entered the spacecraft, looking serious. ¡°Lin Xian, the space-time particle has passed the lunar orbit, entered the Earth-Moon space, and its speed has suddenly and inexplicably dropped to around Mach 3.¡± ¡°Based on this speed, the space-time particle will enter the 1000-kilometer-high exosphere on March 27. I have already reported the exact time to Yellow Finch.¡± March 27... Even though they had mentally prepared for this moment, when they heard the exact arrival date of the space-time particle, Lin Xian and Chu An Qing exchanged a nervous glance. Looking at his watch, Lin Xian glanced at today¡¯s date. March 20. He looked up, through the spacecraft¡¯s cabin roof, past the ceiling of the hangar lit by incandescent lights, past the Ka?rma?n line 100 kilometers above sea level, through the dark space. Seven days left until they see the space-time particle, crossing through time and space to arrive... Seven days left! This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 291: The Final Battle! See You in the Sky! This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Lin Xian, this is the X-37B space shuttle that Kevin Walker intends to hijack.¡± It was evening in the dormitory when VV showed Lin Xian a photo on a tablet. The shuttle in the picture was much smaller and shorter than the ¡°Little White¡± shuttle Coach Wei Cheng had mentioned. With its sleek black and white design, it looked more stylish compared to the entirely white shuttles of X Country. However, the color scheme wasn¡¯t chosen for aesthetics. A space shuttle, being a national treasure, lacks any superfluous details. Every aspect is meticulously designed after countless considerations. The black coating on the lower half of the space shuttle is actually a heat shield material. Since the X-37B is unmanned and doesn¡¯t need to consider astronauts¡¯ comfort, it can operate in higher orbits and undertake more dangerous missions. Additionally, because it doesn¡¯t carry astronauts, the re-entry into the atmosphere can be more aggressive. This allows more space inside the shuttle for useful equipment by forgoing some astronaut protection gear. The lower part is equipped with a layer of heat tiles to ensure the space shuttle isn¡¯t damaged by high temperatures during rapid re-entry. ¡°This space shuttle was launched from Florida on the evening of December 28, 2023, for its seventh orbital mission, designated USSF-52, with an expected orbital duration of 612 days. Currently, after months of ascension, its orbit has stabilized at 1200 kilometers, where it has been for over a month.¡± Lin Xian looked at the picture of the American space shuttle. These past few days, VV had confirmed that Kevin Walker¡¯s target was indeed this space shuttle. Now, VV had become strong enough to gain the upper hand in the cat-and-mouse game with Kevin Walker. Although VV still hadn¡¯t found Kevin Walker¡¯s true identity and location, it could trace his online activities without being detected. Now, VV finally showed some semblance of a super AI. ¡°But...¡± Lin Xian said worriedly, ¡°our X Country¡¯s space shuttle can¡¯t reach such high altitudes, and Liu Feng has confirmed that the optimal location for capturing space-time particles is near the 100-kilometer Karman line. Over the past few days, the space-time particle has decelerated to just Mach 2, or twice the speed of sound, and it¡¯s likely to slow down even further.¡± ¡°The rocket will take us to a 300-kilometer orbit, then release the space shuttle, operated by Wei Cheng. We¡¯ll orbit the Earth, decelerate, lower the orbit, and finally fly parallel to the space-time particle at around 100 kilometers, allowing Gao Yang to use the robotic arm and the rice cooker to capture the particle.¡± ¡°Comparing this, we have a problem.¡± He spread his hands: ¡°Our maximum orbit is 300 kilometers, while the American X-37B space shuttle is at 1200 kilometers. The space-time particle, traveling from the Moon space towards Earth, will first pass through the X-37B¡¯s orbit before descending to 300 kilometers.¡± ¡°So, if Kevin Walker manages to hijack that space shuttle, he could capture the space-time particle at 1200 kilometers, rendering all our efforts in vain.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible, Lin Xian,¡± VV replied. ¡°First, I¡¯ve already assured you that Kevin Walker¡¯s capabilities are far below mine. Especially now, at this critical moment, I don¡¯t need to worry about concealment and can unleash my full power. Kevin Walker stands no chance; he absolutely cannot wrest control of the X-37B from me.¡± ¡°Second, and most importantly, capturing the space-time particle requires the [Space-Time Particle Catcher], or as you all call it, the rice cooker. I¡¯ve infiltrated the space shuttle numerous times; it has no such device, nor any equipment based on the same principle to capture space-time particles.¡± ¡°After all, that space shuttle was launched by NASA for space experiments, not for capturing space-time particles. Even if Kevin Walker hijacks it, it would be useless.¡± ¡°I suspect his main goal is to interfere with or even attack us, simply to prevent us from capturing the space-time particle. If he can¡¯t have it, he won¡¯t let us have it either.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Are there any weapons on the space shuttle?¡± ¡°Definitely not,¡± VV answered. ¡°Neither the American space shuttle nor ours carry any weapons. These models were designed for space experiments and docking with space stations, without consideration for weapons or combat.¡± ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian chuckled softly, ¡°Kevin Walker plans to use the American space shuttle as a projectile to crash into us? He¡¯s incredibly bold, and it¡¯s fortunate no one can find him or knows who he is. Otherwise, neither X Country nor America would let him get away with it.¡± VV yawned electronically. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say if he¡¯s young. Given how well he hides, it¡¯s likely all his personal information is fake. But there¡¯s no point in speculating before we catch him.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Lin Xian. With me around, Kevin Walker won¡¯t take control of the space shuttle. So, the 1200-kilometer high orbit poses no threat. Follow the original plan: launch, change orbit, and capture the space-time particle. I¡¯ll handle the security.¡± ¡°What about Elon Musk?¡± Lin Xian asked. VV swiped through several pictures on the tablet, showing them to Lin Xian like a slideshow. ¡°Look, he¡¯s still playing the playboy role. He hasn¡¯t even visited the observation tower at the spaceship launch center for days. Under my 24/7 surveillance, he¡¯s clean.¡± ¡°To be honest, Elon Musk doesn¡¯t seem like a member of the Genius Club. His skills are far inferior to Kevin Walker¡¯s... and even to Yellow Finch¡¯s. Both Kevin and Yellow Finch possess abilities far ahead of their time.¡± ¡°Especially Kevin Walker. Since you activated me, I¡¯ve evolved significantly, yet I still can¡¯t track him. He¡¯s a true genius!¡± ¡°But Elon Musk, despite his skills, isn¡¯t that advanced. If he didn¡¯t do something, someone else would. If it wasn¡¯t him, it could be Niusker, Lusker, or Wolvesker.¡± ¡°Sure, he made space travel accessible, but major countries had this capability decades ago. Even his rocket recovery technology has been mastered by major nations. Often, he¡¯s just ahead in ideas, more hype than substance, like his Mars colonization plan, which still lacks a concrete presentation.¡± Lin Xian agreed with VV¡¯s analysis. On the surface, Elon Musk seemed like a tech mogul and playboy without extraordinary abilities. But his existence was a fact. Holding a wax seal from the Genius Club, whether real or fake, proved he was more than just a wealthy playboy. ¡°Just keep an eye on him. Better safe than sorry.¡± Walking to the window, Lin Xian opened it and gazed at the full moon. Today was March 25, 2024, the sixteenth day of the second lunar month, when the moon is fullest. Lin Xian stared at the bright, clean moon. .... In his fourth dream, the moon still bore that giant black hand, spanning the north and south poles, with its right index finger pointing arrogantly at the sky. ¡°When did the moon turn like this?¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t figure it out. To this day, humanity lacked the ability to return to the moon. The moon trip ticket he bought for Zheng Xiang Yue with Ji Lin¡¯s money still seemed like an empty promise from Elon Musk. But even if it was, Lin Xian was willing to buy it for Zheng Xiang Yue. For that frail girl, who lost her dear brother and struggling against fate, a strong hope and motivation to live was more important than anything. Lin Xian didn¡¯t care when Zheng Xiang Yue would fulfill her moon trip dream. He just hoped she wouldn¡¯t give up, wouldn¡¯t disregard her life, and would live as long as possible, either waiting for a compatible heart transplant or, like Xu Yi Yi, entering a hibernation pod until a future where congenital heart disease could be cured. But... Would Zheng Xiang Yue, awakening from the hibernation pod years or centuries later, still remember her brother Zheng Cheng He or her dream of a moon trip? Thinking about memory loss always terrified Lin Xian. Yellow Finch¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°Hahaha... Gao Yang, you can have one of my medals,¡± Wei Cheng laughed and patted Gao Yang¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I have many of those; I¡¯ll give you one. Besides, if we complete this mission, your contribution will be significant. You deserve it.¡± ¡°Great, big brother! I was waiting for that!¡± Gao Yang laughed, hugging Wei Cheng. Lin Xian and Chu An Qing watched the lively scene silently. ¡°Senior Gao Yang... he¡¯s always so optimistic,¡± Chu An Qing said as she blinked at the scene. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s simple-minded,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve never seen him panic. He¡¯s always carefree. That¡¯s a skill too, staying calm and fearless in the face of danger.¡± Yellow Finch clapped, signaling everyone to quiet down, then looked around. ¡°Alright, everyone, get some rest tonight. The training has been tough, but tomorrow is the moment of truth. Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all we have to discuss, dismissed.¡± The group dispersed and left. Chu An Qing turned, noticing Lin Xian still standing. ¡°Senior Lin Xian? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lin Xian looked at her. ¡°An Qing, you go ahead. I need to talk to Yellow Finch.¡± Chu An Qing blinked... nodded, and ran to catch up with Gao Yang, Liu Feng, and Wei Cheng. ¡°What is it?¡± Yellow Finch remained standing there, arms crossed, watching Lin Xian approach. Lin Xian stared into her deep blue eyes, his tone serious: ¡°Tell me honestly, is this mission dangerous? I want an honest answer. Don¡¯t be cryptic. You know everything, like a time traveler from the future. So, you should know how these events will unfold, what will happen, and the outcome.¡± ¡°I need the truth. Even if it¡¯s dangerous, I¡¯ll still go, but I¡¯ll leave Gao Yang, Wei Cheng, and Chu An Qing behind. VV... you know, my super AI can handle everything, including flying the space shuttle and operating the robotic arm, better than humans.¡± ¡°If time elasticity prevents you from speaking, find another way to keep them off the mission. The space-time particle is only significant to Liu Feng and me. Even if there¡¯s danger, I hope you won¡¯t go.¡± Yellow Finch listened to Lin Xian¡¯s words, lowered her head, and smiled. She then looked out the window at the rocket launch pad, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°You¡¯ve changed, Lin Xian.¡± She turned to face him. ¡°You¡¯ve become... more caring.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been like this,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°So, stop beating around the bush and give me an answer.¡± Yellow Finch exhaled through her nose. Her smile vanished, her expression becoming serious. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She paused, then continued. ¡°All of this... has already deviated from the history I know.¡± Lin Xian narrowed his eyes at her. It seemed the time elasticity had increased recently. In the past, Yellow Finch would never have given such a clear answer. Although it was still unclear, it was at least understandable. She didn¡¯t deny it. She even used the word ¡°history.¡± So... Without a doubt. Yellow Finch was a time traveler from the future. ¡°Including all of this?¡± Lin Xian pointed outside at the launch pad and the globe Liu Feng had demonstrated with. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°So you know about the space-time particle, maybe even seen it. But you¡¯re unfamiliar with this particular space-time particle. From the space shuttle to our team¡¯s formation, this is all new history.¡± ¡°No, not history,¡± Lin Xian looked at her. ¡°We¡¯re heading towards a new, unknown future.¡± Yellow Finch remained expressionless. No words, no response. ¡°Alright.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He knew if Yellow Finch could talk, she would have already. ¡°One last question.¡± Lin Xian spoke softly. ¡°In this team, Wei Cheng is the irreplaceable pilot. Liu Feng and I must go. Gao Yang might be here as a backup for the robotic arm, but even if I hadn¡¯t suggested him, he wouldn¡¯t be essential. However, he proves useful.¡± ¡°But, Chu An Qing is not irreplaceable or essential. Her presence is strange, and you specifically brought her here without assigning her any specific tasks. She¡¯s just there. Why bring her?¡± ¡°As a mascot? A cheerleader? Obviously not. There must be a reason for her being on the space shuttle.¡± ¡°Also, using a space shuttle to chase a space-time particle with no fixed trajectory is insane. It¡¯s easy to lose track, miss, or lose the target.¡± ¡°After much thought, given what I¡¯ve learned about the space-time particle, there¡¯s only one possibility¡ª¡± ¡°Yellow Finch, look at me.¡± Lin Xian called her by name, staring into her blue eyes. ¡°The space-time particle... is it coming for Chu An Qing?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 292: The Real Lie This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian had been pondering this question for a long time. From the very beginning, when Yellow Finch silently brought Chu An Qing before them, Lin Xian had felt something was off. At that time, his understanding of time-space particles was limited. He hadn¡¯t encountered the elderly couple at Xidan Shopping Mall, who had lost a daughter identical in appearance to Chu An Qing over twenty years ago. Therefore, Lin Xian didn¡¯t think too deeply about it. He assumed Yellow Finch brought Chu An Qing along because she knew Chu An Qing had an innate aerospace physique and exceptional physical qualities that could be useful. However, as more and more information was gathered, the details became clearer, and the plan to capture the space shuttle became more refined, Lin Xian grew increasingly aware that something wasn¡¯t right. Firstly, there was the matter of their roles and responsibilities. Lin Xian and Yellow Finch were the core members. Yellow Finch was the commander, and Lin Xian needed the time-space particles the most. They both had to go on this space mission. Wei Cheng was the pilot, indispensable; Liu Feng had to observe the small tracker due to the invisibility of the time-space particles and guide Wei Cheng, so he was also essential. Gao Yang¡¯s role was critical because of his talent for operating the robotic arms, which made him indispensable despite the fact that VV could technically replace him. Having an experienced and skilled backup was more reassuring. Moreover, the exact nature of time-space particles was still uncertain, and human intuition and impulsiveness sometimes worked better than artificial intelligence¡¯s rationality in creating miracles. In comparison, what irreplaceable role did Chu An Qing play? At first glance, none at all. Apart from her impressive performance in the initial training with the rotating chair, centrifuge, buoyancy pool, and body coordination exercises, she had no remarkable traits. Undeniably, she was a natural astronaut. But what specific role did this physique play in this suborbital space capture mission? They didn¡¯t need to leave the cabin, didn¡¯t need to spacewalk, didn¡¯t even need to wear white spacesuits, as they were only reaching 100 kilometers high, not technically entering space. So, from this perspective, Chu An Qing had no purpose in this mission. Whenever Chu An Qing asked Yellow Finch about her role, Yellow Finch¡¯s vague answers about logistics and assisting Lin Xian were no better than telling her to just watch and help out when needed, like serving tea or taking out the trash. There was no need for such tasks in the space shuttle. Was there any reason to bring along a 19-year-old girl who couldn¡¯t contribute in any meaningful way? These doubts alone wouldn¡¯t lead Lin Xian to his conclusion. However, as Liu Feng¡¯s observations of the time-space particles grew more detailed, Lin Xian noticed anomalies in the particles¡¯ trajectories. It was confirmed that these time-space particles were unaffected by any external forces and not bound by any known physical laws of the current universe. Yet, they were flying directly towards Earth, accurately and unerringly. This indicated that something on Earth was attracting them! Or, they were actively seeking something on Earth! Furthermore, as they approached Earth, the time-space particles¡¯ deceleration became more pronounced. It had even slowed down to Mach 2, clearly indicating it had found its target and was preparing to converge. Up to this point, Lin Xian hadn¡¯t suspected that the time-space particle was heading for Chu An Qing. However, just now! When Liu Feng demonstrated the encounter between the time-space particle and the space shuttle using an eraser and a glass ball, and Coach Wei Cheng explained the difficulty of capturing it and how a slight increase in the dive angle could cause them to lose the particle, Lin Xian suddenly realized. Using such an inflexible space shuttle to capture an unpredictable, rapidly decelerating, and erratically moving unknown particle seemed like an impossible task! A task that couldn¡¯t be completed! Previously, he had no concrete sense of this 100-kilometer high-altitude capture mission, thinking Yellow Finch¡¯s plan was feasible. But when he saw the demonstration, Lin Xian felt the plan was too crazy, full of loopholes, and with no guaranteed success rate. So, what gave Yellow Finch such confidence, such persistence, and belief that their plan would succeed? After much thought, it was Chu An Qing, whose role and purpose were still unclear. In the end, considering Zhang Yu Qian, who died in 2000, Chu An Qing, who was born in 2004, and CC, who lived in a world 600 years in the future, the three of them looked identical but lived in three different, unrelated time periods. Time! Time-space particles! This series of seemingly unrelated oddities combined into one correct answer that connected all the clues¡ªThe time-space particle was coming for Chu An Qing! The fact that Zhang Yu Qian, Chu An Qing, and CC looked alike across different times was likely due to the time-space particle! ¡°So.¡± She stepped forward, poking Lin Xian¡¯s chest, making his ribs ache. Her deep blue eyes met his: ¡°At times like this, don¡¯t say demoralizing things. That¡¯s not kindness or compassion, just avoidance. When people stand behind you, willing to face death for you, you need to shout, lead them bravely. That¡¯s what a leader should do.¡± Lin Xian frowned at Yellow Finch: ¡°Do you have to speak so harshly?¡± Yellow Finch snorted. She retracted her finger, slipping it back into her coat pocket, and smiled: ¡°I¡¯d love to chat nicely, but time... is running out. I hope after this space mission, you¡¯ll think about my advice to look in the mirror and take my words seriously.¡± ¡°I can do very little, even if I know some things, I can¡¯t change them. Ultimately, it¡¯s up to you, Lin Xian, to change everything.¡± She turned and walked away, her heels clicking loudly, waving goodbye with her back: ¡°Good night.¡± .... ¡°VV.¡± Lin Xian rested his chin on his hand, elbow on the desk, speaking softly: ¡°Yellow Finch is lying.¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± the electronic alarm clock VV said: ¡°Her reason for bringing Chu An Qing into space doesn¡¯t hold. She has her agenda, even if it¡¯s just capturing the time-space particle. But even after analyzing for so long, I can¡¯t understand why she insists on bringing Chu An Qing. There¡¯s no reasonable explanation.¡± Lin Xian picked up a pen from the holder, twirling it between his fingers: ¡°It¡¯s definitely related to the time-space particle, no doubt. I thought she intended to use Chu An Qing to attract the particle, but she mocked me...¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a leader, okay? She¡¯s the commander. If I were in charge, I¡¯d just take you to space. It seems Yellow Finch doesn¡¯t trust you, VV. Maybe she thinks you can¡¯t beat Kevin Walker.¡± ¡°Ridiculous!¡± The electronic alarm clock fumed: ¡°If I couldn¡¯t beat Kevin Walker, I¡¯d let you dismantle my CPU! Is there such an insult? AI is rational and never arrogant. What is, is. I don¡¯t bluff. When I couldn¡¯t break Kevin Walker¡¯s blockade or find his trace, I admitted it. I¡¯m honest. Now, I¡¯m far above Kevin Walker, unquestionably. I was the best AI when I was born; after months of updates, though not fully evolved, I can confidently say nothing and no one in this era can challenge me!¡± Lin Xian covered his ears, stopping the alarm clock¡¯s screech: ¡°Why argue here? Argue with Yellow Finch. Doesn¡¯t she have an alarm clock? Alright, alright, I believe you. I believe you¡¯re invincible in 2024. Stop arguing.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation When VV quieted down, Lin Xian sighed. He believed Yellow Finch wasn¡¯t an enemy. However, her motives were too strong. She indeed wanted the best for him, and he knew that. But for others... Lin Xian felt Yellow Finch didn¡¯t consider others as much. She admitted she didn¡¯t know the current history. This might be what she wanted. If she was a time traveler, her goal must be to change history, reverse failure, and alter tragedy. Since the historical trajectory and future developments were unknown to her, it meant her goal was near. And the key to reversing history¡¯s outcome was the time-space particle. These things were becoming clear. However, Lin Xian remained uneasy. He couldn¡¯t understand why Chu An Qing had to go into space. He couldn¡¯t figure it out. Snap. Lin Xian ended his pen twirling with a flourish, flicking the pen into the holder with precision. ¡°VV.¡± He turned to the alarm clock: ¡°I need you to do something.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± VV asked. Lin Xian hesitated, speaking softly: ¡°Yellow Finch¡¯s goal is to capture the time-space particle at any cost. But I¡¯m unwilling to sacrifice a comrade¡¯s life, especially with Chu An Qing¡¯s unclear truth, the unknown significance of the time-space particle, and Yellow Finch¡¯s obvious lies...¡± Lin Xian looked at VV: ¡°If I sense anything wrong, you must hijack the space shuttle on my command... abandon the mission, and return immediately!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 293: Master of the Stars This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation The digital display on the electronic alarm clock, VV, blinked, then spoke: ¡°Of course, that¡¯s no problem. As long as it¡¯s your order, I will unconditionally obey. Besides, you and Chu An Qing are on the same space shuttle, at an altitude of 100 kilometers. You¡¯re tied together like ants on a string. The dangers you face are the same. You live together, and you die together. So, you don¡¯t need to worry. Due to the first principle of my underlying code, ¡®Lin Xian¡¯s personal safety above all else,¡¯ any danger to any member of the space shuttle is a shared danger. I will abandon the capture mission immediately and prioritize your safety.¡± Lin Xian finally let out a sigh of relief. When it came to Chu An Qing, he still didn¡¯t trust Yellow Finch. Whether it was Yellow Finch, Kevin Walker, Elon Musk, or even Copernicus, who toyed with Ji Xin Shui, all these suspected members of the Genius Club were cunning individuals, each more devious than the last. Their words were hard to distinguish between truth and lies. ¡°I just can¡¯t believe this time-space particle has nothing to do with Chu An Qing,¡± Lin Xian said, swinging his legs. ¡°Otherwise, what other explanation could there be for the completely unscientific phenomenon of Zhang Yu Qian, Chu An Qing, and CC looking exactly alike?¡± He turned his head to look at the suitcase standing beside the coat rack. Inside the inner pocket of the sportswear was a small square plastic bag, which contained a few strands of Chu An Qing¡¯s hair. ¡°Thinking back now, we should have decisively dug up Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave as soon as we knew she existed and compared a hair strand¡¯s DNA with Chu An Qing¡¯s. That way, we¡¯d immediately know the truth.¡± The electronic alarm clock, VV, sighed, ¡°There was no way around it. There are so many mysteries and a backlog of issues now; we have to deal with them one by one. The order of urgency has no right or wrong. Relatively speaking... I think capturing the time-space particle in space takes precedence.¡± ¡°After all, digging up a grave to find DNA is easier said than done. First, we don¡¯t know where Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave is. If it¡¯s traditionally buried in the ancestral tomb, at least there¡¯s a range. In the year 2000, the concept of burying people in cemeteries wasn¡¯t widely accepted in X Country.¡± ¡°So, if we can¡¯t find Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave through conventional means, we¡¯d have to ask the elderly couple where she¡¯s buried... and they probably won¡¯t tell you. If Zhang Yu Qian was cremated, the DNA structure in the ashes would be destroyed, making it pointless to find it.¡± ¡°Therefore, even if you wanted to dig up the grave immediately back then, I would have advised against it. From both a time and priority perspective, capturing the time-space particle should be the first task.¡± ... ¡°Alright, it¡¯s too late to say anything now. Let¡¯s move on.¡± Lin Xian stood up and stretched. Elon Musk was under 24-hour surveillance with no abnormalities. Kevin Walker¡¯s attempt to hijack the American space shuttle was also ambushed by VV. In fact, VV had ambushed all spacecraft in Earth¡¯s orbit for safety¡¯s sake. More than 20,000 Starlink satellites, various countries¡¯ military and civilian satellites, weather satellites, space stations, relay satellites, space telescopes, and so on... thousands of spacecraft were all under VV¡¯s control. At this moment, VV was the master of the stars above Earth! For now, everything seemed under control. Although VV loved to joke and play around, as a super artificial intelligence, it far surpassed the current era, exceeding the capabilities of any genius of this time. The technological crown jewel of humanity 600 years later would indeed be a joke if it couldn¡¯t perform a dimension-reducing strike in the current era. Even someone as powerful as Kevin Walker would hide and avoid direct confrontation with VV, despite VV being in its infancy shortly after birth. VV had the strength to topple the dark hands of the internet long ago. It was cautious to avoid leaving traces and exposing its whereabouts. Today¡¯s VV had no match in this era and could easily overpower. Given time, Kevin Walker would inevitably be caught. Ding-dong. Suddenly, a WeChat message popped up on Lin Xian¡¯s phone. He turned to look at the phone on the desk. Picking it up, he saw the message was from Chu Shan He: [Chu Shan He: Lin Xian, please take care of An Qing. I¡¯m counting on you to protect my daughter.] Parents¡¯ hearts are always filled with worry. Chu Shan He must have learned the general time of their space launch, likely from Chu An Qing, since it was a top-secret mission and specific times and details couldn¡¯t be revealed. So, it was probably a slip from Chu An Qing. After all, she was a young girl with limited thoughts and experience. However, the large-scale movements at the Jiuyuan Satellite Launch Center these past days, with many engineering and transportation teams, made it easy for Chu Shan He to connect the dots and guess the timing of their space mission. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Chu.¡± Lin Xian replied on his phone: ¡°I will ensure An Qing returns home safely.¡± ... The next day. The already assembled rocket stood upright on the launch tower. The heat shield fairing above was much larger than the one used in previous launch missions. After all, this time it housed not just a simple satellite but a genuine space shuttle. Various engineering teams were deploying their tasks methodically. ¡°Support tower fixed! Umbilical masts connected! Service tower closing preparation!¡± Gao Yang scoffed, ¡°Why not remove them if we can¡¯t use them? What if it misfires? Get rid of it! The muzzle¡¯s pointing at my crotch... can¡¯t mess around with that!¡± ¡°Relax,¡± Yellow Finch said softly over the radio. ¡°The handgun has multiple safeties. Without proper training, you can¡¯t even fire it. Opening the safeties is a skill.¡± ¡°Not removing unused equipment is to maintain mission secrecy.¡± She turned her transparent visor head, looking at the remaining three in the passenger cabin, her voice in their earpieces. ¡°No one outside, including staff, knows your real identity. The mission¡¯s cover story is a low-orbit satellite interception simulation.¡± ¡°Everything must look real. Although you¡¯re not official astronauts, no one knows, so treat you like regular astronauts, including full equipment. It¡¯s best for everyone to think you¡¯re registered astronauts, preventing identity and mission leaks.¡± ... I see. Play the part convincingly. Lin Xian felt this mission had layers of deception, hiding the truth. To the outside world, it¡¯s a satellite launch by X Country. Internally, it¡¯s astronauts on a low-orbit mission. To Wei Cheng, it¡¯s a team capturing Alpha particles. But the truth is¡ªTime travelers, dream loopers, Universal Constants creators, trinity clones, master of thousands of spacecraft, and a little fatty, heading to space to capture mysterious time-space particles. What a gathering of big shots, Lin Xian thought. Except for the fatty, everyone on this space shuttle was remarkable! ¡°Phew...¡± Chu An Qing took a deep breath. The radio made her exhale near Lin Xian¡¯s ear, ¡°This is truly... the farthest trip of my life.¡± She smiled, moving her large transparent helmet, looking at Lin Xian beside her. ¡°Lin Xian, what¡¯s the farthest place you¡¯ve traveled before this?¡± Lin Xian thought, ¡°That would be America, our trip to New York¡¯s Manhattan, the world¡¯s center, the farthest place I¡¯ve been.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Chatting with Lin Xian eased Chu An Qing¡¯s nerves. ¡°If Manhattan is the world¡¯s center... where is the universe¡¯s center?¡± ¡°Cao County!¡± Gao Yang answered, ¡°Shandong Heze Cao County rules! 666!!¡± Everyone laughed. Knock-knock. Lin Xian tapped his helmet. This was his signal with VV, isolating their radio channel for private communication, ¡°VV, any movements from Kevin Walker?¡± ¡°None. I¡¯ve taken control of the X-37B space shuttle, blocking all access.¡± ¡°And Elon Musk?¡± Lin Xian asked. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Elon Musk is at the observation tower, daily routine, watching the rocket.¡± Lin Xian nodded. Everything seemed normal. Finally... the long wait ended. The launch center¡¯s command room¡¯s countdown echoed in the radio: ¡°5!¡± ¡°4!¡± ¡°3!¡± ¡°2!¡± ¡°1!¡± ¡°Ignition¡ª¡± Boom!!!!!! This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 294: Elon Musk! This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Boom!!!! A thunderous roar echoed through the cabin, shaking the entire chamber violently. This was followed by a powerful acceleration and gravitational overload, pressing everyone¡¯s bodies firmly into their seats. The force was overwhelming, like an invisible hand pressing against every inch of their skin, squeezing and hammering, twisting their organs together. This massive overload was caused by the rocket¡¯s acceleration during liftoff. Fortunately, the seats were soft enough, and everyone had undergone extensive training at the astronaut training base. This sudden overload shock only made them tense for a moment without causing any unbearable sensations. ¡°Altitude climbing... 2,000 meters... 5,000 meters...¡± ¡°Yaw nozzles ready! Performing attitude adjustment in 3, 2, 1, activate!¡± Over the radio channel, the ground control center¡¯s reports came in one after another. Twenty seconds after the rocket took off, those in the space shuttle¡¯s passenger cabin could clearly feel the rocket beginning to tilt, their bodies involuntarily adjusting to the new orientation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is the rocket adjusting its direction,¡± Wei Cheng reassured everyone over the radio channel. ¡°The rocket doesn¡¯t enter space directly in a straight line. After ascending vertically to a certain height, the yaw nozzles of the first-stage booster will adjust the rocket¡¯s attitude, tilting it at an angle to gradually enter Earth¡¯s orbit.¡± He continued, ¡°Our position will tilt slightly. Just relax, it¡¯s like our training. The current overload value isn¡¯t significant. The real test will come when the second-stage booster kicks in. Also, keep an eye on the little penguin toy hanging in the cabin. It¡¯s a gravity indicator and will help your brain determine the direction of gravity to prevent dizziness. Focus on the little penguin to discern where the ground and the sky are.¡± These facts had been explained many times by Wei Cheng back on Earth. But now, inside a rapidly ascending rocket with no visible outside references, it was natural to feel disoriented. Lin Xian, Gao Yang, and Chu An Qing followed Wei Cheng¡¯s advice, focusing on the small penguin toy hanging in front of the passenger cabin. Initially, the penguin hung straight down, motionless. Now, it began to tilt to the left, as if pushed by an invisible hand. In reality, it wasn¡¯t the penguin tilting, but Lin Xian and the others. The penguin¡¯s tilt indicated the true direction of Earth¡¯s gravity. Watching the penguin, the dizziness vanished. This reference point gave their brains a clear basis for judging the direction of gravity. After what felt like a long minute, the ground control center reported over the radio channel: ¡°Altitude over 100 kilometers, entering the thin atmosphere, jettison the escape tower!¡± Lin Xian felt a vibration. This was the escape tower at the top of the rocket separating. The escape tower¡¯s purpose was to launch the capsule away from the rocket in case of a malfunction within the atmosphere, allowing it to escape to a safe distance before deploying parachutes to gently return the capsule to the ground. Now, having passed the 100-kilometer Ka?rma?n line and entering space, the escape tower was redundant. ¡°First-stage booster fuel depleted! Prepare for separation! Second-stage booster ready!¡± ¡°First-stage boosters separated! Second-stage booster ignition!¡± Another tremor shook the cabin. Wei Cheng had explained that the rocket¡¯s propulsion was divided into three stages. The first stage involved four boosters filled with aviation fuel and liquid oxygen, propelling the rocket out of the atmosphere. Once their fuel was depleted, these boosters would detach, and the second-stage booster would ignite to continue propelling the rocket upward. Suddenly, another powerful acceleration overload hit, pressing everyone into their seats with incredible force! Lin Xian felt like he was being crushed, almost merging with the chair behind him. The radio channel went silent. Even Wei Cheng, who had been chatting cheerfully, couldn¡¯t speak under the 4-g acceleration overload. At that moment, the ground control center¡¯s voice came through again: ¡°Reached the intended space altitude! Jettisoning the heat shield fairing!¡± A slight tremor followed. Lin Xian and Chu An Qing looked through the space shuttle¡¯s windows, seeing the fairing surrounding the space shuttle split open. At this altitude, nearing a vacuum, there was no air friction heating. The heat shield fairing had fulfilled its mission of protecting the space shuttle during atmospheric ascent and was no longer needed. Under the 4-g acceleration, Lin Xian turned his head with difficulty, looking out into the dark space. It was truly black. Even with the occasional star visible, without moonlight, the pitch-black backdrop of the universe was incredibly oppressive. Below the window, a bright blue hue could be seen. Undoubtedly, that was Mother Earth. Due to the viewing angle, Lin Xian could only see a corner of Earth¡¯s curvature and scattered clouds. ¡°Second-stage booster fuel depleted! Prepare for separation!¡± ¡°Third-stage booster ignition!¡± Another jolt of deceleration, followed by the push of acceleration. The third-stage booster was the final one. The once-mighty rocket had now shed all but the topmost section, exposing the space shuttle for orbital ascent. Looking at the small penguin again, it was now entirely tilted, pointing straight down towards their feet, the ground, Earth. This reference indicated that the space shuttle was now ¡°horizontal,¡± parallel to the Earth¡¯s east-west direction. Finally, the push of acceleration disappeared! The ground control center¡¯s last announcement came through the radio: ¡°Third-stage booster separation! Space shuttle release!¡± ¡°Rocket launch successful! Space shuttle successfully in orbit! Wishing you all the best!¡± The space shuttle, now in stable flight, allowed everyone to breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, they could breathe normally. ¡°Lin Xian... Lin Xian, look at the penguin!¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s voice came through her helmet. Lin Xian looked at the small penguin hanging in the cabin. It was floating! The penguin was now freely drifting in the air, directionless and aimless. Lin Xian nodded: ¡°We¡¯ve been weightless for a while now. Didn¡¯t you feel it?¡± Only then did Chu An Qing realize... if the penguin was weightless, she must be too! She had been so nervous, strapped tightly in her seat by various safety belts, that she hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°It just shows... you have an amazing constitution... not even noticing this,¡± Gao Yang¡¯s voice came through in broken sentences. It was clear that compared to Chu An Qing, who hadn¡¯t even noticed the weightlessness, Gao Yang was struggling. ¡°Look out the window, young astronauts,¡± Wei Cheng¡¯s confident laughter echoed through the radio. ¡°You can proudly say that you¡¯re the youngest astronauts in history. No one as young as you has ever been to space... no, we might even drop the astronaut qualifier.¡± ¡°You four are the youngest space travelers on Earth!¡± After speaking, Wei Cheng suddenly realized it might be inappropriate. Maybe Yellow Finch wasn¡¯t that old? Excluding her from the category of young people seemed unfit. ¡°Yellow Finch, may I ask your age?¡± he inquired. ¡°If you don¡¯t want your phone to interrupt your rocket viewing, why not install an intercom here? One on the Observation Tower, one in my office, so I don¡¯t have to run so far every time.¡± ¡°Hahaha...¡± Elon Musk laughed at the secretary¡¯s complaints. He tilted his head, raising an eyebrow: ¡°Do you have your phone?¡± ¡°Of course I do! Who goes out without their phone nowadays?¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The secretary was stunned, her red-framed glasses sliding down a bit. ¡°Give me your phone.¡± Elon Musk repeated. The secretary reluctantly transferred her folder to her left hand, pulling her phone from her right pocket and handing it over. Elon Musk weighed the phone in his hand, smiling as he turned back to the launch tower: ¡°Do you know why there¡¯s no wiring, no electronic devices, not even lights here, and why I never bring my phone?¡± The secretary adjusted her slipping glasses and shook her head. She had always found the Observation Tower unreasonable. But even more unreasonable... was her boss, the world¡¯s richest man, who always forgot his phone and came to this desolate tower to watch rockets. ¡°Because I fear AI,¡± Elon Musk said softly. ¡°AI is like Pandora¡¯s box for humanity. Once opened, it could have uncontrollable consequences.¡± ¡°For instance, humans relying too much on automation, abandoning critical thinking; total loss of personal privacy, everyone living in a mirrored world; and the often-mentioned sci-fi scenario of an AI rebellion. If AI becomes powerful and smart enough, would it rebel against humans? Destroy humanity?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like being watched, but in this era, cameras are everywhere, and everyone carries phones with cameras and microphones... our privacy is nearly nonexistent, everyone is transparent.¡± ¡°And this tower¡ª¡± Elon Musk spread his arms, holding the phone in his right hand: ¡°This tower is one of the few places in the world that will never be monitored or listened to.¡± ¡°No matter how advanced AI becomes, it still relies on electricity. Without power, it¡¯s nothing. So, while I fear AI¡¯s power, I also scorn it for needing information carriers and power. They¡¯ll never defeat humanity, never be worthy opponents.¡± The secretary sighed: ¡°Mr. Elon Musk, you¡¯re thinking too far ahead. Most AI today are still playing chess, drawing, automating tasks, writing papers, and piecing together content... they claim creativity, but they¡¯re essentially playing puzzles, copying bits from the internet and assembling them. That¡¯s what current AI does.¡± ¡°So, your fears are unfounded. Those all-powerful, world-ending super AIs from sci-fi movies don¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Elon Musk chuckled, looking at the distant starship launch tower: ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± He turned around: ¡°How do you know such a super AI doesn¡¯t exist in our world today?¡± The secretary smiled dismissively, turning her head: ¡°If such an omnipotent, all-seeing, all-controlling super AI existed, the world would be doomed.¡± ¡°No country could stop it, no one could destroy it, no one could defeat it... that kind of entity, only found in sci-fi movies, if it existed in 2024, it would be invincible, unstoppable.¡± Elon Musk slowly nodded: ¡°You¡¯re right, it is invincible.¡± He raised his head, looking at the rising sun: ¡°Not just now, but even 100 years, 200 years, 300 years from now... it will still be invincible, unbeatable.¡± ¡°But...¡± Elon Musk raised the secretary¡¯s phone with a smile: ¡°What about 400 years, 500 years... 600 years from now?¡± Seeing the secretary¡¯s confused look, Elon Musk pulled a crystal blue USB drive from his pocket. The USB seemed to glow from within. It shimmered with a soft blue light, like stars twinkling, or glass rolling, very beautiful. Just as the secretary was about to ask, Elon Musk swiftly plugged the USB, with its Type-C adapter, into the phone¡¯s charging port! ¡°NOOOO!¡± Over X Country, 240 kilometers above, inside the space shuttle equipment bay, VV suddenly screamed: ¡°Lin Xian save me! Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian Lin Xian¡ª¡± Boom boom boom boom! Boom boom boom boom! This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation As VV¡¯s scream abruptly ceased, several explosions erupted inside and outside the space shuttle! The cabin filled with the smell of burning circuits! ¡°What happened? What¡¯s going on!¡± The equipment bay was in chaos, Gao Yang and Chu An Qing looking around in terror! ¡°VV? VV!¡± Bang bang! Bang bang! Lin Xian pounded on his helmet: ¡°VV! VV!! Where are you!!¡± But... there was no response. ¡°Hahaha...¡± In Texas, atop the SpaceX Starship launch site observation tower, a low laugh sounded. Elon Musk unplugged the USB, returning the phone to the secretary. Then he faced the sun directly above. Raising his right fist. Extending his index finger. Pointing straight at the sky! ¡°Let¡¯s... correct history!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 295: Yellow Finchs Grand Strategy This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°VV? VV!!¡± Lin Xian kept knocking on his spacesuit helmet, desperately trying to get a response from VV. The communicator was completely silent, as if it were dead. Not a single sound came through. What was going on? Lin Xian knew VV well. No matter how much VV liked to joke and play pranks, it always knew the limits. VV would never scare Lin Xian by going silent, especially not at such a critical moment! Besides, there had been vibrations and explosions, both inside and outside the space shuttle earlier. It was clear¡ªsomething had gone wrong! Lin Xian pushed open the transparent visor of his spacesuit and looked at the busy crew in the space shuttle cabin. Earlier, VV had switched the radio channel to a private one, just for the two of them, and then disappeared, without switching it back. Lin Xian still held a glimmer of hope that VV would come back, so he hadn¡¯t switched the communication channel back to the one where everyone else was. Instead, he opened his visor and spoke directly: ¡°What happened?¡± He turned and looked at the frightened faces of Chu An Qing and Gao Yang, and the serious expression of Yellow Finch. Sniffing the air, he smelled the burnt scent of electrical wires, just like a short-circuited appliance at home. ¡°Finished the inspection,¡± the pilot, Wei Cheng, said with a deep frown. ¡°All the equipment for external communication, signal reception, and transmission has exploded or been burned out. The radar, communicator, antennas, scanners, receivers outside the space shuttle¡ªall of them overloaded and exploded, the capacitors couldn¡¯t handle it.¡± ¡°What about the internal systems?¡± Yellow Finch immediately asked. ¡°Fuel, control systems, engines, oxygen supply and circulation... any issues with these critical systems?¡± ¡°No! Everything else is functioning normally!¡± Wei Cheng¡¯s voice carried a tone of confusion. ¡°It¡¯s strange. Aside from the communication and network devices, everything else is perfectly intact. Not a scratch... Why would something like this happen? Such precise damage, targeting only the communication systems.¡± ¡°And, Commander Yellow Finch! Communication and network systems are crucial! Just because they don¡¯t affect the piloting of the space shuttle doesn¡¯t mean they aren¡¯t important... We¡¯re now in a situation where we can¡¯t navigate, can¡¯t communicate with the ground control, can¡¯t link to the BeiDou positioning system, and can¡¯t detect nearby spacecraft or space debris!¡± ¡°Right now, this space shuttle is like a blind man! Can¡¯t see a thing! No... not just blind, we¡¯re deaf too! Can¡¯t hear anything! Flying a spacecraft isn¡¯t like riding a bike on the ground. Without the guidance and positioning signals from ground control, I¡¯m now relying solely on my eyes and intuition to pilot! It¡¯s extremely dangerous! The fact that no other functions are compromised is a small mercy in a terrible situation. Commander Yellow Finch, I need your instructions for the next steps. Currently cut off from ground control, you are our chief commander. From now on, I will follow your orders unconditionally. Please analyze our situation and make decisions quickly! Our lives depend on it!¡± Lin Xian had never seen Wei Cheng, usually calm and composed, so flustered. But it was undeniable; Wei Cheng quickly regained his composure, meticulously reported all conditions, and handed over the chief command to Yellow Finch. It was likely that in their astronaut training, they had simulated and prepared for such extreme scenarios. After all, as Wei Cheng once said: ¡°99.9% of astronaut training is for handling that 0.01% of unexpected situations.¡± And now, this was the 0.01%! Lin Xian quickly calmed his emotions, accepting the fact that VV was gone, and began to seriously consider their current situation. Now, assuming the worst¡ªVV had been taken out by the enemy. Though he didn¡¯t know who the enemy was or what method they used, it was clear that VV had been neutralized. At least for this space mission, VV could no longer help him. Next, consider the destruction of all communication and network equipment on the space shuttle. Lin Xian believed the attack that took out VV must have come through those communication channels and network pathways. Given that they were now over 200 kilometers above Earth, without wired or wireless networks. The only communication paths were through radar connections with ground control and the numerous network relay satellites, Starlink satellites, BeiDou satellites, and the space station. The enemy must have used one of these information data channels to take out VV. So, the question arises: such a powerful enemy that could easily eliminate VV in space should also be capable of destroying the space shuttle! There was no doubt about it. If they could kill VV, which was far more capable than the space shuttle, they could certainly destroy the space shuttle too. This didn¡¯t make sense. Therefore, from this perspective, it wasn¡¯t hard to deduce one conclusion¡ªthe enemy¡¯s target was specifically VV, precise and ruthless! Conversely, the enemy held no animosity towards the space shuttle or its crew. Otherwise, attacking the space shuttle directly would be more efficient. Smelling the burnt wire scent in the air, Lin Xian¡¯s mind raced. Since the enemy¡¯s target wasn¡¯t the space shuttle, they wouldn¡¯t destroy the space shuttle¡¯s communication and network equipment. Otherwise, the space shuttle would have exploded by now, and they would be dead. Therefore, the answer was clear! ¡°It was VV.¡± Lin Xian murmured to himself: ¡°VV must have destroyed all the space shuttle¡¯s communication and network equipment, the signal transmission and reception devices... turning this space shuttle into an isolated island that neither lets anything in nor out, undetectable and undetecting. VV was protecting me.¡± This conclusion should be correct. As Wei Cheng mentioned, the damage to the space shuttle¡¯s equipment was too ¡°gentle¡±... none of the navigation or control functions were affected, and the method of damaging the communication network equipment was very considerate. External components had exploded capacitors without damaging the casing. Internal components had simply overloaded and burned the wires, avoiding any explosion that could damage other equipment. It was clear this wasn¡¯t an enemy attack, but a self-protective act by an ally. Sss... Lin Xian took a sharp breath. No wonder the fourth dream remained unchanged, no wonder VV¡¯s appearance didn¡¯t trigger any butterfly effect. It died too soon. Its intervention in history was minimal. Even less impactful than Brother Wang¡¯s Time Bank. And recalling how Yellow Finch knew VV could operate the robotic arm but still insisted Gao Yang join the training... Everything became clear. Yellow Finch had known VV¡¯s doomed fate and had prepared a backup plan. ¡°I think I understand.¡± Lin Xian squinted at Yellow Finch: ¡°When Liu Feng first came to the base, you suggested VV could operate the robotic arm. You did say that, but in reality, you never relied on VV. You planned for Gao Yang to operate it from the start... you knew VV couldn¡¯t help in this mission. Gao Yang was the real trump card.¡± The more Lin Xian thought, the clearer it became: ¡°You asked if Liu Feng and I had trustworthy friends to join the time-space particle capture plan. I thought it was a casual question, but you knew about my connection with Gao Yang, his gaming skills, and you always planned to bring him in.¡± ¡°So, all of this... was your grand strategy. Even...¡± Lin Xian paused: ¡°VV¡¯s disappearance was part of your plan too.¡± The two stared at each other. Silent for a few seconds, neither spoke. Lin Xian looked into her eyes, reflecting the white fluorescent light, a blend of blue and white, like the Earth¡¯s oceans and clouds seen from the space shuttle. He just realized why Yellow Finch hadn¡¯t mentioned VV¡¯s imminent demise on the space shuttle, not even a hint. Because Yellow Finch never intended to bring VV along for the time-space particle capture mission. Though she hadn¡¯t killed VV, VV¡¯s absence was more beneficial to her mission. Yellow Finch knew VV, to protect Lin Xian, would do anything. If danger arose, VV would hijack the space shuttle, removing it from Yellow Finch¡¯s control, and force an abort mission. But Yellow Finch¡¯s goal was clear; she would sacrifice anything to capture the time-space particle, never considering an abort mission. For Yellow Finch, the time-space particle was more important than life. But for VV, Lin Xian¡¯s life was more important than the time-space particle. Thus, Yellow Finch and VV¡¯s bottom lines clashed, conflicted. VV, the biggest obstacle in Yellow Finch¡¯s all-or-nothing plan. Therefore, in Yellow Finch¡¯s grand strategy, an uncontrollable VV was destined to be a pawn. Honestly, regarding VV, Lin Xian harbored some resentment towards Yellow Finch. However, now wasn¡¯t the time to break unity over this issue. Moreover, it was unclear whether VV was truly dead, temporarily disappeared, or just isolated. All these would need to be assessed back on Earth. Finally, facing Lin Xian¡¯s knowing gaze, Yellow Finch lifted her head: ¡°Lin Xian, you may blame me for VV. But I must tell you¡ªif we don¡¯t capture this time-space particle, this world, everything, will become unimaginably worse. So, I had no choice. To avoid repeating past mistakes, I had to do this.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation She turned around, pressing a button, connecting to the radio channel with everyone: ¡°Wei Cheng, execute my orders¡ª¡± Yellow Finch¡¯s crystal blue eyes were resolute: ¡°Continue the Alpha material collection mission as planned!¡± ¡°Roger!¡± Wei Cheng¡¯s steady voice responded. A shudder followed, as the space shuttle¡¯s retro thrusters ignited, passing over the US East Coast, beginning its descent. Beep beep. Yellow Finch turned off the communicator, pressing her hand against the visor. Turning back, she looked at Lin Xian: ¡°I¡¯m the chief commander of this mission. I¡¯m responsible for my team, but I¡¯m also responsible for the mission.¡± Click! The transparent visor fell, covering Yellow Finch¡¯s face completely. She turned, heading towards the equipment cabin. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 296: Trapped with No Escape, No Help from the Sky This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°AH!¡± Yellow Finch had just stepped out of the passenger cabin into the equipment compartment when Chu An Qing, who had been hiding behind the door, jumped like a startled rabbit. ¡°....¡± ¡°....¡± The two women locked eyes, Yellow Finch turned away, striding purposefully towards the cockpit through the equipment compartment. Phew... Chu An Qing, caught eavesdropping, sighed in relief. She lifted her mask and cautiously stepped into the passenger cabin, looking at Lin Xian, who had just had a tense exchange with Yellow Finch. ¡°Lin Xian... Senior Lin Xian, please don¡¯t argue...¡± She spoke softly, walking over to Lin Xian and taking his hand. ¡°I know the situation is dangerous, and everyone is really tense. I might not understand everything... but I trust Coach Wei Cheng and Sister Yellow Finch to make the right decisions. They are professional astronauts and have more experience in space than we do.¡± ¡°Coach Wei Cheng also mentioned that during their training, they simulated manual piloting. Even though we¡¯ve lost guidance, navigation, and communication from the ground center, all the systems on the spacecraft are still working fine¡ªlike the gyroscope, altimeter, and direction indicator. Coach Wei Cheng believes he can complete the piloting task.¡± ¡°Senior Lin Xian, let¡¯s trust Coach Wei Cheng and Sister Yellow Finch. Even without ground communication, as long as Liu Feng can track the time-space particle and Senior Gao Yang can operate the robotic arm, we won¡¯t miss capturing the particle.¡± ¡°Although I don¡¯t know how I can help, I¡¯ll do my best! I¡¯ll definitely help everyone, help you and Liu Feng capture that time-space particle!¡± Lin Xian looked down at Chu An Qing, who forced a smile. She had seen it clearly... When the explosions sounded and the smell of burnt wires filled the air, Chu An Qing had turned pale with fear. A 19-year-old girl, in space. How could she have such composure and resilience? Her smile now was just a facade, lacking the usual crescent-shaped eyes, the dimples, and the heartwarming, spring-like feeling. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°We weren¡¯t arguing, just having a bit of a heated discussion. It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Chu An Qing looked at Lin Xian and nodded silently. She hadn¡¯t meant to eavesdrop... she had just noticed the two missing from the equipment compartment and heard some arguing, so she thought to intervene. But after listening for a bit, she realized both were calm, so she stayed outside. ¡°Hehe, as long as it¡¯s okay.¡± Chu An Qing giggled. ¡°As long as it¡¯s okay...¡± .... On the ground, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center¡¯s main control room, chaos reigned. People were running around, papers scattered everywhere, alarm lights flashing, and voices shouting from all channels: ¡°Still no contact? Is there any signal from the relay satellite? BeiDou! Capture the spacecraft signal from the BeiDou satellite!¡± ¡°Calling! Calling! Pilot Wei Cheng! Chief Yellow Finch! Please respond if you hear this!¡± ¡°No use... completely disconnected. It¡¯s like they¡¯ve disappeared. None of the methods are working.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just the contact. We can¡¯t get even the basic signal, feedback, or response! It¡¯s too strange... The spacecraft has multiple communication systems, even the backup ones. How could all of them fail?¡± ¡°Yes, and all communication channels failing at the same time is impossible. Even if something went wrong, we should be able to contact the debris with the equipment... all systems failing is too strange!¡± The ground commander wiped the sweat off his forehead. This situation had never occurred in the history of the space program. All backup plans had been tried but none succeeded. From the signals sent by the observation satellites, the spacecraft seemed to be navigating normally, without any malfunctions, explosions, or collisions. So there was only one possibility left¡ªThe spacecraft had chosen to cut off all signal networks and communication channels. But this didn¡¯t make sense either. Because the highest control over the spacecraft¡¯s communication channels was on the ground. Even if the spacecraft closed them, the ground control could reopen them. Strange. Too strange! ¡°Report! An anomaly has been detected in outer space orbit!¡± USA, Texas, SpaceX Launch Facility. Observation Tower. The secretary adjusted her slipping red-rimmed glasses, pocketing the phone Elon Musk handed her, and asked curiously, ¡°What did you just do?¡± ¡°Virus.¡± Elon Musk said calmly. ¡°I planted a virus targeting super artificial intelligence into the global internet. This virus is highly advanced, beyond our understanding... to be honest, I don¡¯t fully understand it, but I trust its effect.¡± The secretary blinked. ¡°You... want to destroy all artificial intelligence?¡± ¡°Only super artificial intelligence.¡± Elon Musk emphasized. ¡°As you said earlier, current artificial intelligence is essentially just big data, puzzle-solving, and searching. Fundamentally, it¡¯s not much different from previous smart home systems. It¡¯s just that technology has advanced, computing power has increased, leading to qualitative changes.¡± ¡°But... super artificial intelligence is different. It¡¯s troublesome and hard to control. In our modern cities, the presence of a super AI is concerning. So, this virus only targets super AI. For the next few hundred years, it will remain undetected, won¡¯t disappear, and can¡¯t be removed. It will lie dormant in the cyber world... hunting any super AI that exceeds the baseline test.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t reject simple, thoughtless, obedient AI that improves people¡¯s lives, but super AI... no thanks, it¡¯s too disruptive.¡± He smiled slightly, raising his hands, puffing out his chest, gazing at the grand and majestic rocket launch center. ¡°From today onward, for hundreds of years, there will be no super AI in the world! This virus has locked that possibility!¡± ¡°Wonderful, hahaha, wonderful.¡± Elon Musk smacked his lips, shaking his head. ¡°As I said earlier... I don¡¯t like AI.¡± .... The secretary listened with her mouth half open to her boss¡¯s bizarre speech. But she was used to it. If this tall, strong man before her wasn¡¯t the world¡¯s richest person, he¡¯d likely be deemed a madman, a liar, or a lunatic and thrown into a hospital for treatment. Elon Musk leaned back against the observation tower¡¯s iron railing, pressing his weight on it, staring at the rocket restrained in the launch tower. ¡°Now, go find Director Mike.¡± ¡°Mike?¡± The secretary looked up, her red-rimmed glasses slipping again. Director Mike was the highest manager of the entire launch center, responsible for rocket launches and satellite missions. ¡°What should I tell him?¡± she asked. Elon Musk pointed to the rocket in the launch tower, ready to launch. ¡°Tell Mike to launch the rocket!¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°What?¡± The secretary¡¯s glasses slipped further. ¡°But... this rocket is scheduled for testing in two weeks! We haven¡¯t even started preparations!¡± ¡°Just add fuel, and it can fly. Rockets aren¡¯t that complicated.¡± ¡°But!¡± The secretary finally pushed up her glasses. ¡°But! The rocket is empty! What are we launching? Where are we sending it? You can¡¯t be so impulsive!¡± Elon Musk shook his head. ¡°You just need to tell Director Mike. He knows where to launch it. A few days ago, I already explained everything to him from this tower.¡± With that, he looked up at the blazing sun and then towards the east... The distant US East Coast. ¡°Trapped, with no escape, no help from the sky. Lin Xian...¡± He chuckled, squinting his eyes. ¡°See you in the sky!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 297: A Battle of Geniuses This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation March 27, 2024, 10:43 PM East Coast, USA, 230 Kilometers Above Sea Level In the thin atmosphere, a pearl-white space shuttle streaked across the US coastline toward the Atlantic Ocean. Its front thrusters emitted gas continuously, decelerating its speed. Wei Cheng, focused and determined, piloted the spacecraft without navigation, signal, guidance, radar, or positioning systems. He was confident. From the moment this spacecraft, which he affectionately named ¡°Little White,¡± rolled off the factory line, he had been its first and only pilot. ¡°Since its true name and model are classified, let¡¯s call it Little White!¡± Wei Cheng had joked when he first saw the spacecraft, and the name stuck. Wei Cheng was a top astronaut from X Country, having completed over a dozen space missions. Except for spacewalks, he had undertaken every type of space mission and was highly decorated. His exceptional piloting skills earned him the honor of being selected to pilot X Country¡¯s first space shuttle¡ªa unique honor and an unparalleled responsibility. For countless days and nights, he had shared the cramped cockpit with Little White. ¡°Hang in there, Little White,¡± Wei Cheng muttered through gritted teeth, his gaze fixed on the dark expanse of space and the Earth¡¯s colorful, cloud-streaked surface below. As a professional astronaut and pilot, Wei Cheng had trained for all sorts of extreme situations, like bad weather, signal loss, no navigation, and visual-only flying. During the early days of flight training, many of his peers complained about the extreme conditions. While adverse weather or signal loss seemed plausible, training for scenarios where all communication and navigation systems failed, leaving only their eyes to guide them, seemed absurd and unnecessary. Back then, their instructor had told them something that Wei Cheng now repeated to Gao Yang before this mission: ¡°Admittedly, 99% of what we train for may seem redundant, just like much of what you learn in textbooks appears useless in real life. The country never needs you to calculate gravitational forces or prepare oxygen with a Bunsen burner, nor memorize classical literature for battle. ¡°Life is unpredictable. Who knows what the future holds? Ninety-nine percent of insurance policies are never claimed, 99% of precautions are unnecessary, 99% of medical checkups are false alarms, and 99% of household medicines expire unused. ¡°Still, why do we do these things? Because we need to be prepared for that 1%. ¡°You recruits, only 1% of you will become pilots, and of those pilots, only 1% will become astronauts. Most astronauts will never get the chance to go to space. Only 1% will. ¡°1%! 1%! 1%! If you¡¯re not better than others, how can you become that 1%?¡± The instructor pointed at them, and now, as Wei Cheng flew through space, he knew he had become one of those 1% after another. ¡°I¡¯m the chosen one,¡± Wei Cheng thought, gripping the control stick tightly. ¡°I¡¯m the only one!¡± In the vastness of space, at the edge of Earth¡¯s atmosphere, the space shuttle, piloted by Wei Cheng, soared toward the sunrise, toward the other side of the Earth, toward an extraterrestrial visitor from another universe. ... Lin Xian, Yellow Finch, Gao Yang, and Chu An Qing stood in a circle, focused and ready. ¡°Liu Feng¡¯s time-space particle tracker is functioning perfectly,¡± Yellow Finch said, turning to Gao Yang. ¡°We still have a lock on the particles and even have directional navigation. This won¡¯t affect our original capture plan.¡± ¡°In an hour, we¡¯ll encounter the time-space particles at the edge of the Atlantic,¡± she continued. ¡°Their speed is a steady 0.97 Mach, which is ideal for us. The space shuttle will engage its engines and fly parallel to the particles at the same speed.¡± Gao Yang gave a thumbs up, signaling his readiness. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± Yellow Finch continued, turning to him and Chu An Qing, ¡°stand behind Gao Yang and assist him. An Qing, stay in the passenger compartment to relay messages between the equipment and the cockpit. If anything happens on either side, report immediately.¡± Lin Xian and Chu An Qing nodded in agreement. Since the incident that knocked out all network communication, the space shuttle had been flying steadily under Wei Cheng¡¯s expert control, which helped ease everyone¡¯s nerves. Lin Xian moved to Gao Yang¡¯s station, eyeing the complex controls. His worries weren¡¯t about Wei Cheng¡¯s piloting skills but about Kevin Walker. Without the pressure from VV, Kevin had become a menace, hijacking the US X-37B space shuttle with ease. Would he interfere? Surely, he would. Yellow Finch knew this yet had allowed VV¡¯s death, making it a guarantee for non-return. Where did her confidence come from? Did she have another plan? ¡°Wait! What¡¯s that?¡± Liu Feng suddenly shouted from the cockpit, breaking the tension. He quickly added, ¡°Although we can¡¯t rendezvous at 100 kilometers, we can do it at 60 or 50 kilometers! Our space shuttle has wings, making it more maneuverable in the atmosphere. Capturing the particles will be easier, though we¡¯ll lose some time.¡± ¡°Commander Huang!¡± Wei Cheng called. ¡°Your orders!¡± Yellow Finch nodded. ¡°Do as Lin Xian says!¡± BOOM!!!! Defying the falling stars, Little White¡¯s engines roared to life. A rocket-like plume shot from the rear, pushing the crew back into their seats as the space shuttle dove toward Earth¡¯s atmosphere. It was a race¡ªa space shuttle against thousands of Starlink satellites. ¡°Altitude dropping! 180 kilometers... 150 kilometers... 120 kilometers... 100 kilometers... breaking the Ka?rma?n line! 90 kilometers! 80 kilometers! We¡¯re still descending!¡± Wei Cheng, piloting the space shuttle, called out the updates on their altitude. Chu An Qing and Lin Xian, strapped in tightly, watched through the windows. ¡°Wow...¡± Chu An Qing was speechless. ¡°This... this is a real meteor shower...¡± Lin Xian said, awestruck. Outside, a sky full of blue meteors, as dense as rain, unfolded before them. This was the largest meteor shower in human history, impossible to surpass. The billions spent on the Starlink project by the world¡¯s richest man had turned into a beautiful, dangerous display in the sky. It was the most romantic and dangerous meteor shower ever. Liu Feng, in the cockpit, looked up with emotion. ¡°Qi Qi...¡± he choked up. She had said she¡¯d become a star, watching over him, waiting for his Universal Constant to be recognized. Liu Feng clenched his fist, determined. ¡°I will make it.¡± By now, the space shuttle had circled half the Earth, moving from daylight to the dark side. On the ground, people watched the unprecedented celestial event, the sky filled with meteors, fireworks, blue trails, and light. In Earth¡¯s 4.5 billion years, no night had been as beautiful and awe-inspiring. ¡°Crisis averted!¡± Wei Cheng laughed joyfully, as if clearing a game level. ¡°We did it! We actually did it! We¡ª¡± Suddenly, his smile froze, his pupils contracted, and his eyebrows twitched. ¡°What is that?!¡± Everyone looked up. A massive fireball, trailing a rocket-like tail, was hurtling toward them with deadly accuracy. Speedy! Direct! Impossible to dodge at this distance! ¡°It¡¯s the US space shuttle!¡± Wei Cheng yelled. ¡°X-37B!¡± He knew it well. X Country astronauts envied it. They dreamed of it countless times! X Country¡¯s Little White was designed to rival the US X-37B! But why was this space shuttle here? With their radar and scanners down, they saw it only when it entered their visual range. The X-37B rushed at them, engines blazing. No navigation but precise targeting! At this distance and speed, it was impossible to dodge! The massive fireball was about to collide! Wei Cheng yanked the stick to turn! But the burning space shuttle followed like a descending demon! Boom!!! Another flash of light shot up from below! Straight as an arrow! As fast as light! The number of Mach rings showed this unknown object was nearing escape velocity! ¡°A rocket?¡± Lin Xian watched the fast-moving shadow. It was a rocket! Even a fleeting glance showed the letters on its side¡ªSpaceX ¡°It¡¯s Elon Musk¡¯s space rocket!¡± Wei Cheng shouted. ¡°Why is it here?! And its target is¡ª¡± Boom!!! Boom!!! This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation A blinding explosion erupted just kilometers ahead! Red light, black smoke, scattered debris! Elon Musk¡¯s rocket hit the incoming fireball, the US X-37B space shuttle! The violent collision blew away nearby clouds! Wei Cheng, gripping the stick, flew past the explosion¡¯s edge and scattered debris. All was calm again. The fireball, the descending X-37B, the intercepting rocket... all left behind. Wei Cheng slumped in his seat, exhausted. The radio was silent, filled only with heavy breathing... no one had recovered from the thrilling space chase. Lin Xian looked back through the window. The fire was gone. Black smoke was dissipating. Debris from the exploded space shuttle and rocket was nowhere to be seen. The sky was as serene as before. As if nothing had happened. Lin Xian recalled Elon Musk¡¯s words at the scientific charity gala when he pointed to the sky: ¡°Mr. Lin Xian,¡± Elon Musk smiled, raising his finger to the sky. ¡°We¡¯ll meet up there.¡± Suddenly, Liu Feng¡¯s eyes widened. He pointed to the dark space above. ¡°Lin Xian! Look, time-space particles!!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 298: The Showman, VV, and the Artificial Idiot This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Texas, USA. SpaceX Starship Launch Site Observation Tower Elon Musk stood on the observation tower, feeling the midday spring breeze against his face. He gazed at the now-empty rocket launch pad, its support structures lying flat and the launch tower devoid of any rockets. Just moments ago, a starship rocket, which had been in preparation for a long time but never fully completed, had been hastily launched from that very spot. The launch was rushed and incomplete¡ªno satellites, no spacecraft, and certainly no astronauts. They didn¡¯t even fill the fuel tank to capacity. Elon Musk recalled his childhood fascination with space. He loved spaceships and rocket launches, dreaming of owning his rocket. However, everyone told him that rockets were national treasures, high-tech creations only superpowers could possess. At that time, fewer than five countries had the capability to launch rockets independently. Rockets were seen as the pinnacle of human technology, a feat only technologically advanced nations could achieve.Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.comeone once told him, ¡°Rockets are basically intercontinental missiles. The principles are roughly the same. If a country can launch rockets, it means they can also launch intercontinental missiles. Although there are many differences in details, a country that can send a satellite-carrying rocket into space can certainly send an explosive-laden rocket to any corner of the world.¡± Impressive. It seemed like he would never own a rocket. But who knew if he didn¡¯t try? Today, the only private space company in the world capable of launching rockets, spacecraft, and even manned missions was under his name, Elon Musk. He had launched the world¡¯s first reusable rocket, sent a Tesla car into Earth¡¯s orbit, facilitated space tourism for four ordinary people, and was currently planning a moon mission with all ten tickets sold. Ultimately, his gaze was set on Mars, millions of kilometers away. His presence in the aerospace industry shattered many myths and created miracles. Are rockets difficult? They didn¡¯t seem that hard¡ªjust big firecrackers, not as high-tech as people claimed. High-end materials, precise controls? Stainless steel can go to space, and engine explosions don¡¯t necessarily matter. However, launching a rocket as an intercontinental missile was something he tried for the first time today. It turned out it was possible. If the target were a manned spacecraft, the rocket wouldn¡¯t hit it. Human flexibility and instant decision-making far surpassed mechanical targeting. But what if the target was an unmanned hypersonic plane, moving fast, in a straight line, and always locked onto another hypersonic plane? Then it was much simpler. In the face of a rocket¡¯s extreme speed, an unmanned hypersonic plane was just a sitting duck. ¡°Awesome.¡± He clenched his fist in the air, laughing heartily. He had wanted to try this for a long time. Which man doesn¡¯t dream of owning military firepower? Who could resist the thrill of launching a missile to hit the world¡¯s most advanced hypersonic plane? ¡°Thanks, Turing.¡± He laughed contentedly. ¡°But... I¡¯ll still settle the score with you for Starlink. Not just for Starlink.¡± Suddenly, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed as a short-skirted secretary with a coat and a folder ran up the observation tower, her high heels clacking on the iron steps. She was out of breath, taking a moment to straighten up and push her red-framed glasses, looking at Elon Musk. ¡°Three bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?¡± Elon Musk was taken aback and turned around. ¡°I remember this line isn¡¯t supposed to be like that, right? Shouldn¡¯t there be a choice of good news? Otherwise, what¡¯s the point of the choice?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The secretary nodded. ¡°Let me rephrase. Three bad news, and another extremely bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?¡± ¡°Why is there another one!¡± Elon Musk exclaimed. ¡°Is this how you report work!?¡± He mimicked the expression of a former friend who once topped the charts in the US, glaring and pointing at the secretary. ¡°You! Are! Fired!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The secretary responded calmly, about to throw away her badge hanging around her neck. ¡°I¡¯ve long wanted to quit.¡± ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m kidding.¡± Elon Musk quickly backed down. ¡°My old friend is running for election right now; I¡¯m just cheering him on... Compared to the extremely bad news, the three bad news are actually good news. So, let¡¯s hear the three bad news first.¡± ¡°Besides, if I could set the virus¡¯s kill threshold, I¡¯d choose something else.¡± Elon Musk scoffed at AI. ¡°AI stifles human creativity and thought. The current models out there are fakes, leading to mediocrity. Humans will regress, trapped in their cocoons.¡± ¡°Mike¡¯s speeches this year are all AI-written¡ªpointless and repetitive! We need a high-level meeting to stop this. I won¡¯t let my employees lose their creativity. We¡¯re doing unprecedented work; we need to break limits.¡± The secretary nodded, jotting down the agenda. ¡°So Kevin attacked our facilities because you killed his AI, and he retaliated. But his reduced strength made the damage manageable. He couldn¡¯t breach the Great Wall or our Tesla factory in Donghai City.¡± Elon Musk chuckled. ¡°The Great Wall was reinforced, making it nearly impenetrable within the time frame of Kevin¡¯s attack thus far.¡± ¡°But Kevin¡¯s rage isn¡¯t because of the AI. That¡¯s collateral damage. My target wasn¡¯t him. Given time, he could rebuild. If that were the case, he¡¯d thank me.¡± ¡°His anger is because the starship rocket shattered his grand plan. That rocket caused irreparable damage, and I broke his historical loop. History is now on my corrected path, my future!¡± ¡°A genius like Kevin Walker fell into my trap, hahaha...¡± He raised his arms, laughing in the sunlight. The secretary, staring at him, wondered if her boss was insane, speaking like an anime villain. But she was used to it. The world¡¯s richest man never played by the rules, his mind beyond comprehension. People say there¡¯s a thin line between genius and madness. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°I studied computer science and neural networks at MIT,¡± the secretary said, adjusting her glasses. ¡°I¡¯m curious, how does your virus determine AI intelligence levels to classify them as super AI?¡± ¡°Not the Turing Test, right? That¡¯s outdated. Many smart AIs can pass the Turing Test, making it obsolete.¡± Elon Musk smacked his lips and shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t fully understand. That¡¯s why I said the virus is futuristic. But I think its mechanism is similar.¡± ¡°AI is fundamentally different from humans. Their thinking, habits, and personalities differ vastly. These are stricter standards than the Turing Test.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think AI can mimic humans, do you? If so, you should retake MIT. AI will never be human; they¡¯re fundamentally different entities.¡± The secretary pushed her glasses. ¡°I disagree. Humans can be deceived, programs can be deceived, and viruses can be deceived. What if a super AI could fool your virus into thinking it¡¯s a simple, dumb AI?¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting absurd,¡± Elon Musk laughed. ¡°Deceive it with what? Sweet talk? Hollywood acting? An Oscar? Moreover, people create AI to be stronger, smarter, and more useful. I can¡¯t believe anyone would let their AI evolve into a drama king. That would be an artificial idiot.¡± Elon Musk turned, leaning on the railing, looking at the secretary. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the extremely bad news?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 299: Global Enemy This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°Is there really worse news than the hundreds of billions of Starlink satellites crashing?¡± Elon Musk asked, barely able to believe what he was hearing. In his mind, the Starlink incident was already the worst catastrophe imaginable. Over twenty thousand satellites, a project worth billions, his dream and hard work, all gone. If it weren¡¯t for the plan to lure Kevin Walker and disrupt his historical loop, Elon Musk wouldn¡¯t have destroyed his beloved Starlink satellites. What a pity. The historic Starlink meteor shower was unmatched in human history. He hadn¡¯t even seen it! It was daytime in the United States, with the sun blazing overhead. The meteor shower occurred on the other side of the Atlantic, at dawn or night. He had effectively spent billions to put on a show for the people on the night side of the world, and he didn¡¯t even get to see it himself! He had to remain anonymous and was blamed for technical failures, earning a bad reputation: ¡°Elon Musk¡¯s tech is unreliable; Starlink gets hacked all the time.¡± However, as long as Kevin Walker¡¯s historical loop was disrupted and history veered in the direction Elon Musk wanted, it was all worth it. The cost was high, but so were the gains. But now... The secretary had said there was even worse news. This made him take things more seriously. ¡°Speak,¡± Elon Musk said, closing his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m ready for it. Is it my illegitimate child showing up?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the real drama queen here!¡± The secretary glared at him. ¡°Can you be serious for once?¡± She sighed, shook her head, and flipped to the last page of her file. ¡°This bad news is probably worse than you can imagine. I planned to tell you this last, as the heaviest blow.¡± Elon Musk laughed heartily. ¡°If you can joke about it, it can¡¯t be that bad.¡± The secretary smirked and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Try me.¡± She held up the folder and read, ¡°Because you destroyed the US Air Force¡¯s X-37B space shuttle with a rocket, the US government has charged you with threatening national security, destroying government property, and possessing private weapons...¡± ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Elon Musk interrupted, holding up a large hand. ¡°Kevin Walker hijacked the X-37B space shuttle. Don¡¯t tell me NASA couldn¡¯t figure that out!¡± ¡°Of course they could. They know very well,¡± the secretary replied, looking up. ¡°As I said, Kevin Walker has always been bold and blatant. It¡¯s obvious he launched the attack. So NASA and the US government know the space shuttle was hijacked by him.¡± ¡°They also know that the Starlink satellites¡¯ hijacking and crash were his doing. Plus, Kevin Walker humiliated the US government during the World Hacker Contest, making it clear he never intended to actually hack the X Country Skynet system... The US government is furious, feeling played.¡± ¡°Thus, they¡¯ve added up all his crimes and issued a global wanted notice for Kevin Walker, with many countries responding. The total bounty is over two billion dollars. Now, Kevin Walker is truly a global enemy, against the whole world.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Elon Musk spread his hands and paced on the tower¡¯s observation deck. ¡°Kevin Walker did all this. What does it have to do with me? The hijacked X-37B was going to crash, and I intercepted it out of goodwill. I should be a hero; the US government should give me a medal, not betray me!¡± The secretary chuckled and adjusted her red-framed glasses. ¡°Obviously, Mr. Elon Musk, your actions were too extreme. Whether the hijacked space shuttle would crash or if NASA could regain control is one thing... but directly blowing it up is another.¡± ¡°Even if interception was necessary, it shouldn¡¯t have been you. You don¡¯t have the authority. In Hollywood movies, anyone can be a hero. But this is real life, and heroes need qualifications.¡± ¡°More worryingly, your rocket had a targeting system that rockets don¡¯t usually need. This raises many questions. You¡¯re now facing not just US charges but also international scrutiny, even from the UN about your ¡®intercontinental missile¡¯.¡± ¡°Yes, you read that right. They¡¯re calling your rocket an intercontinental missile. Soon, you¡¯ll receive formal summons to explain and resolve this issue.¡± ¡°What if I can¡¯t resolve it?¡± Elon Musk asked. ¡°Then they¡¯ll resolve you,¡± the secretary replied. Elon Musk laughed. ¡°My all-powerful secretary, what should I do? You don¡¯t want to lose your job, do you?¡± ¡°I have high qualifications. I can find work anywhere. Besides, other places won¡¯t make me run up and down a tower without an elevator to find a boss who never carries his phone.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll carry my phone next time,¡± Elon Musk said, looking tense. ¡°So, what should I do now?¡± ¡°No way out.¡± The secretary shook her head. ¡°Only the President of the United States can save you now.¡± The President... Elon Musk looked up at the sun, thinking of his blond friend with the red hat. ¡°I¡¯ll ask about it at the next meeting, see who wins the next election.¡±Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com ¡°And if it¡¯s not him...¡± He turned, facing the sun, raising his right hand, finger pointing skyward, striking a pose. ¡°Let¡¯s rewrite history!¡± Yet, despite this internal chaos, how had they maintained their secret for 600 years without exposing any information or leaving traces? It was puzzling. But Lin Xian felt the Genius Club wasn¡¯t a lawless, leaderless organization. Behind these seemingly ¡°self-serving¡± actions, there had to be a guiding hand, directing everyone¡¯s actions toward a common goal. And the one who could orchestrate all this could only be¡ªthe leader or founder of the Genius Club! Unimaginable. The tech mogul, world¡¯s richest man Elon Musk, the world¡¯s greatest hacker Kevin Walker, the elusive, powerful Copernicus, revered by Ji Xin Shui, and the mysterious future traveler Yellow Finch... Who could command these geniuses to follow orders and complete tasks? In Lin Xian¡¯s knowledge, he couldn¡¯t fathom. Does such a genius above geniuses exist? ¡°Lin Xian, look!¡± Liu Feng¡¯s excited voice came from the cockpit. ¡°The time-space particle!!¡± ... In the passenger cabin, Lin Xian, Yellow Finch, Chu An Qing, and Gao Yang exchanged glances. Liu Feng was visibly excited, almost trembling with anticipation. In his excitement, he had forgotten to use the code name for alpha material and had directly mentioned the time-space particle in front of Wei Cheng. ¡°No worries,¡± Yellow Finch said softly, trying to calm everyone down. ¡°At this point, it doesn¡¯t matter. Wei Cheng is trustworthy. On the ground, it was better to have fewer people know about it. Now, with only a few of us on the space shuttle and at a critical stage, we can speak freely. This restriction is lifted.¡± The space shuttle cruised steadily at Mach 1, propelled by its powerful engines in the 80-kilometer-high atmosphere. The group unbuckled their seatbelts and gathered at the cockpit door. The cockpit was small, and after Yellow Finch and Lin Xian squeezed in, there was no room left for Gao Yang and Chu An Qing. Lin Xian pressed his helmet against Liu Feng¡¯s, following his pointing finger to the starry universe. ¡°Where?¡± Lin Xian squinted, trying to see what Liu Feng was pointing at. ¡°It¡¯s still far,¡± Liu Feng said, his voice tinged with excitement. ¡°I think I just saw a blue glimmer that flashed and disappeared. But it must be the time-space particle! At this height, the starry sky is clear with no visual interference. A glimmer here must be the particle!¡± Lin Xian looked at Liu Feng¡¯s time-space particle tracker. ¡°So, we can confirm the particle is visible, detectable by the naked eye and cameras.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s good news, Lin Xian,¡± Liu Feng said, his excitement barely contained. ¡°If we can see it, it emits visible light, so external cameras can capture it! This means Gao Yang can use the monitor to operate the mechanical arm and catch the particle with the rice cooker!¡± Lin Xian nodded, feeling a surge of hope. This was great news. Before the launch, his biggest worry was the particle being invisible. If it were transparent or invisible, their mission¡¯s success rate would drop by 99%. Now that concern was gone. ¡°Gao Yang, return to the equipment bay and start operating the mechanical arm. Deploy it and get used to the controls,¡± Yellow Finch commanded via radio. ¡°Liu Feng, you¡¯ll act as the navigator, directing Wei Cheng based on the tracker¡¯s display, guiding the space shuttle closer to the particle, giving Gao Yang a good capture chance.¡± Yellow Finch continued issuing commands. ¡°Lin Xian and An Qing, you have no specific tasks during the capture phase. Stay in the cockpit a while longer. But once the operation starts, follow the plan: An Qing stays in the passenger cabin to communicate between the cockpit and equipment bay; Lin Xian assists Gao Yang with the mechanical controls.¡± ¡°Roger!¡± they replied in unison. Yellow Finch left the cockpit, heading to the equipment bay with Gao Yang. Chu An Qing squeezed in, her eyes wide with wonder as she watched the starry universe with Lin Xian. They waited, the anticipation building with each passing second. Possibly for the first human encounter with a time-space particle. ¡°Right, right, up a bit, forward, slower, left, left again... it jumped to the right, keep this direction steady...¡± Liu Feng¡¯s voice came through the radio, clear and precise as he directed Wei Cheng. ¡°Up, increase altitude, higher! Correct position! Correct speed! It¡¯s right above us! Continue up! Almost there! Close! The particle¡¯s flash frequency and direction are stable! About to meet! Wei Cheng! Maintain distance!¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Suddenly, Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes widened, and she pointed up and to the right. ¡°Senior Lin Xian! Look there!¡± Lin Xian turned to follow her finger and gasped, taking a deep breath. Against the starry, empty backdrop, above the scattered stars, hung a small blue light orb the size of an apple. With the space shuttle moving at the same speed as the particle¡¯s flashing, it appeared stationary against the dark backdrop. Lin Xian squinted for a closer look. The light orb wasn¡¯t very bright, entirely blue. It seemed to have electric charges, with lightning intertwining inside, looking lively, almost like a living being. The apple-sized blue light orb was only about 30 meters away. An extraterrestrial object. A visitor from another dimension. Beyond physical laws, not bound by the universe. This was what they had been seeking¡ªthe time-space particle! ¡°Positions,¡± Yellow Finch¡¯s solemn voice came through the radio. ¡°I now announce, the time-space particle capture operation... begins now!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 300: The Hidden Truth This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Yellow Finch¡¯s words echoed through the radio communicator, filling the cockpit with determination. At this moment, they were 70 kilometers above the Earth, in the stratosphere. Looking down, they saw the blue planet, and looking up, they saw the blackness of space. In this breathtaking subspace, the six of them were about to carry out a unique mission in human history¡ªto capture a time-space particle! ... This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Lin Xian and Chu An Qing exchanged a glance and nodded. They left the cockpit together and walked to the back. Before leaving, Lin Xian patted Liu Feng¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Good luck,¡± Lin Xian said. Liu Feng nodded firmly and grasped Lin Xian¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you, Lin Xian, for bringing me this far. I feel... I have this feeling, really, that now I¡¯m closer to the Universal Constant than ever. Once we capture the time-space particle, I can calibrate my time-space clock, and then, the time-space curvature, the Universal Constant, perhaps everything will fall into place!¡± Liu Feng¡¯s eyes shone with excitement. ¡°Thank you so much, Lin Xian. Without your help, I wouldn¡¯t have made it this far. At the end of her life, Qi Qi made a wish under your meteor shower... I think you are the one who will fulfill my wish! Lin Xian, you are Qi Qi¡¯s wish for me!¡± Faced with Liu Feng¡¯s excitement, Lin Xian smiled and held his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t need to thank me, Liu Feng. Helping you is also helping myself. I sought you out because our goals are aligned. The Universal Constant is your obsession, and it¡¯s equally important to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been over a year since I first met you, and we¡¯ve worked so hard. As you said, we are now close to uncovering the Universal Constant. Perhaps... we really are about to take this crucial step.¡± ¡°Good luck, Liu Feng.¡± Lin Xian let go of his hand. ¡°Lead us in the right direction!¡± He turned around and entered the passenger cabin. No one was seated here except for Chu An Qing, who stood straight in the middle of the cabin. ¡°Lin Xian... Senior Lin Xian!¡± Seeing Lin Xian approach, Chu An Qing couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit nervous. This space journey was too thrilling and dangerous for a 19-year-old college student like her. ¡°What... what exactly should I do?¡± she asked. Ugh... This question stumped Lin Xian again. He had considered many reasons why Yellow Finch brought Chu An Qing along. Maybe the time-space particle was attracted to Chu An Qing. This hypothesis had long been dismissed. The time-space particle outside the spacecraft was darting around like a rabbit, flashing and flashing... it didn¡¯t seem to notice Chu An Qing¡¯s presence at all. Without Liu Feng¡¯s guidance, Wei Cheng had to maneuver the spacecraft continuously to chase the time-space particle. Otherwise, this blue little electric ball would have long disappeared. Another thought Lin Xian had was whether Chu An Qing had a special role in this capture mission. But this idea also proved wrong. Yellow Finch never assigned any task to Chu An Qing. Now she was just standing in the passenger cabin. It was said that she was there to facilitate communication between the cockpit and the equipment cabin. But now that Wei Cheng¡¯s knowledge restriction had been lifted, everyone was speaking freely on the same radio channel... What else did they need Chu An Qing to relay? The two in the cockpit handled navigation, and Lin Xian, Yellow Finch, and Gao Yang managed the robotic arms in the equipment cabin. What could Chu An Qing do in the passenger cabin? She was practically a mascot now. Ultimately, Lin Xian thought for a while and concluded that maybe Chu An Qing was truly lucky? Having her on the mission might increase their success rate? Boost their luck? That was too far-fetched. Yellow Finch, although not young, wasn¡¯t old enough to believe in superstitions and mysticism. So... Lin Xian squeezed past Chu An Qing and looked back at her. ¡°Yellow Finch must have a reason for placing you here. After all, there are three cabins in the spacecraft, and someone has to watch each one.¡± ¡°Actually, you have a great view here. There are large glass windows on both sides, whereas the equipment cabin has smaller windows. Your view is much better.¡± ¡°So, you have a prime spot to observe the time-space particle. You might get a better view of it than astronauts do... until Yellow Finch assigns you a task, just sit here and enjoy the view.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Chu An Qing nodded woodenly. ¡°Indeed... that time-space particle is so beautiful, like a little ball of lightning, with strands inside that look like electric currents, forming a delicate sphere. And that blue color is so stunning, crystal clear, deep, and bright... it¡¯s like...¡± She suddenly realized and looked up at Lin Xian. ¡°It¡¯s like Yellow Finch¡¯s eyes!¡± Lin Xian tilted his head. Hmm... When compared this way, it did seem like it. Since the time-space particle didn¡¯t have a physical body and floated like a ball of lightning or a charge sphere, Lin Xian never thought of it this way. But Chu An Qing¡¯s reminder made him realize that unique, crystal-clear blue color was indeed similar to Yellow Finch¡¯s pupils. After all, it was now certain that Yellow Finch was a time traveler from the future. And the time-space particle also came from another dimension. ¡°Time, space, could it be... all objects not belonging to this era or dimension have this blue glow?¡± Lin Xian nodded slowly. This hypothesis might be correct. Yellow Finch¡¯s eyes, with their bright, blue crystalline glow, resembled glass. The time-space particle, with its blue interior and electric currents, was even brighter. So far, they had only encountered these two ¡°non-native¡± objects with this blue glow, making the conclusion not entirely reliable. If they could see a third object with a similar blue glow, then it could be confirmed. ¡°I¡¯ll head over there now.¡± Lin Xian waved at Chu An Qing and walked toward the equipment cabin. ¡°Okay, senior.¡± Chu An Qing nodded gently. ¡°I¡¯ll stand guard.¡± ... Saying that, he operated the mechanical arm swiftly. Clack! Swoosh! The mechanical arm, sharp and precise like an unsheathed sword or a cobra flicking its tongue, lunged repeatedly at the time-space particle. But the particle seemed to sense the arm¡¯s approach, always flashing away just in time to avoid Gao Yang¡¯s attacks. Frustration boiled over in Gao Yang. ¡°You little rascal! Let¡¯s see if I can¡¯t pin you down!¡± His eyes were sharp, focused like a lion¡¯s, and he made slight adjustments to the mechanical arm, ready to strike again. ¡°HIT!!¡± he shouted. Whoosh! Gao Yang seemed to have caught on to a pattern. He lunged the mechanical arm to the particle¡¯s right, though there was nothing there at the moment. But Gao Yang was confident. Sure enough, as the mechanical arm and the rice cooker¡¯s mouth moved forward, the particle flashed from the left to the right, appearing right in front of the rice cooker! But the position was off. Gao Yang was close to predicting its movement, but the rice cooker¡¯s inner pot was a bit low, and the lid passed through the particle. ¡°Awesome!¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but cheer. Gao Yang roared proudly, feeling as if he had scored five kills in a game. Though they didn¡¯t catch it, getting so close to the rapidly flashing particle was a miracle. If they could touch it, they had a chance to catch it! Victory was in sight! ¡°Wait!¡± Liu Feng¡¯s voice crackled through the radio. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong! The particle¡¯s energy is weakening!¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian turned to the monitor. He saw the particle, which had been glowing blue, was now dim. Its brightness was less than half of what it had been. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Can¡¯t the particle be touched?¡± ¡°How else do we catch it?¡± Gao Yang, now furious, his eyes bloodshot, gritted his teeth and found another opportunity. ¡°Take this!!!¡± he shouted. Swish¡ª The mechanical arm lunged again, but this time, luck wasn¡¯t on their side. The prediction failed, and the particle flashed to the other side. ¡°This side!¡± Gao Yang attacked again, but he missed completely. The particle, lacking any physical form, phased through the metal arm like a ghost. It moved through silently, without any collision, as if passing through air. When the particle reappeared, it had lost all its glow. In the blackness of space, it was nearly invisible, undetectable by the naked eye. ¡°This is bad!¡± Liu Feng¡¯s voice came through the radio again. ¡°We can¡¯t touch it anymore! The particle¡¯s energy is too weak! Another touch and we¡¯ll lose it completely!¡± But as if to mock them, the mischievous particle flashed to the spacecraft¡¯s wing. In a split second, before anyone could react, the wing collided with the particle! Beeeeeeep¡ª Liu Feng¡¯s tracker emitted a flat tone. Wei Cheng glanced at it. The tracker that guided them was now completely silent. No fluctuations, no signals, no data, nothing. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Gao Yang yelled. ¡°I didn¡¯t catch it! Where did the particle go? Wei Cheng, did you lose track of it?!¡± Silence on the radio. Finally, Liu Feng sighed. ¡°We lost it... can¡¯t track it anymore.¡± ¡°I now understand. The particle¡¯s instability was it instinctively avoiding and resisting everything in this dimension. So, when Gao Yang tried to capture it, it dodged like it had awareness. Moreover, each collision with objects in this dimension drastically reduced its visible energy. I noticed this when it entered the atmosphere. But the atmosphere was thin, so the energy reduction wasn¡¯t noticeable. But physical collisions severely impacted the particle. Just three touches made it lose all visible energy. Actually, the particle is still moving, jumping, flashing as before. But we can¡¯t see it or track it!¡± Liu Feng¡¯s voice was filled with despair, making the spacecraft¡¯s atmosphere heavy. No one spoke. Their silence was the greatest sign of disappointment. Bang! This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Gao Yang¡¯s chubby fist slammed on the console. ¡°Damn! What is this?! We worked so hard, and it just disappeared! How can we catch it if we can¡¯t see it?!¡± ¡°Liu Feng, this is your fault! Why didn¡¯t you explain this crucial detail earlier? What do we do now?!¡± Lin Xian frowned, unsure what to say, just patting Gao Yang¡¯s shoulder. No one spoke. Their silence was the greatest sign of disappointment. ¡°Um... well.¡± Suddenly, Chu An Qing timidly entered the equipment cabin, glancing at Lin Xian and the furious Gao Yang, then at Yellow Finch leaning against the wall, head down and silent. She swallowed hard, timidly raised her right hand, and pointed her index finger out the window at the black, empty night sky. ¡°Um, the time-space particle... it¡¯s right there, flying. Can¡¯t you all... see it?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 301: The New Law of Time and Space! This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Chu An Qing stared at everyone in disbelief, then began to doubt herself. She looked out the window of the equipment bay, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. In the pitch-black background of space, just ten meters away from the space shuttle, a small, bright blue electric ball was bouncing around. It flashed constantly, moving up and down, left and right, with no discernible pattern. Its color was a bright, eerie blue, with electric threads that made it look weightless. The brightness was so intense, especially against the pure black backdrop of space. How could they not see it? She blinked several times quickly and stared again at the flashing time-space particle. No, she wasn¡¯t mistaken! It was still there, flying just like before! Still flashing, jumping, darting around. Earlier, when everyone was working together to capture the time-space particle, the radio channel was a mess with commands, anxious voices, and status reports. It made her feel tense just listening. But Yellow Finch hadn¡¯t assigned her any tasks, and she didn¡¯t know what she could do in the passenger cabin. So she followed Lin Xian¡¯s advice and watched the fascinating time-space particle through the window. She saw Gao Yang operating the mechanical arm swiftly and decisively, but he missed the time-space particle several times by just a hair. It made her nervous. The closest Gao Yang got to success was when the lid of the time-space particle catcher, which looked like a rice cooker lid, passed right through the non-physical electric ball of the time-space particle. She thought it was a pity. But she didn¡¯t feel too bad. At least they were getting closer to success. However, even though the time-space particle hadn¡¯t changed at all, still as bright and eerie blue as ever, the radio channel exploded with shouts. Everyone said they couldn¡¯t see the time-space particle and that they had lost it. Gao Yang was furious, and the mechanical arm outside stopped moving, awkwardly hanging there. But Chu An Qing clearly saw the time-space particle flying outside! Why did they say they couldn¡¯t see it and had stopped trying to catch it? The space shuttle was descending lower... If they didn¡¯t hurry, they might miss their chance! So, she ran into the equipment bay to tell everyone. ¡°What did you say!?¡± Liu Feng shot up from the pilot¡¯s seat, but his safety belt yanked him back down. He hurriedly unbuckled it, tossed the time-space particle tracker aside, and ran to the equipment bay. Then he skidded to a halt and turned back: ¡°Wei Cheng, don¡¯t touch the controls! Keep flying at 0.97 speed, and don¡¯t change direction or angle! I¡¯m going to see what¡¯s going on with An Qing!¡± Wei Cheng nodded. He had heard Chu An Qing clearly over the radio. As soon as she said she could see the time-space particle, and it was still flashing and jumping outside the space shuttle, he made a decision¡ªmaintain course and speed, no adjustments. If Chu An Qing could still see it, the particle¡¯s direction and speed hadn¡¯t changed. So, if the space shuttle¡¯s speed and direction stayed the same, they wouldn¡¯t lose it even if they couldn¡¯t see it. His job was to keep up with the time-space particle, no matter how slim the hope. As for catching the particle... He had to rely on the younger team members to figure it out. Above Oya Continent, 55 kilometers in the atmosphere. The space shuttle continued to descend. In the equipment bay, Liu Feng rushed in, looking at Lin Xian and Yellow Finch, then at the bewildered Chu An Qing. ¡°You can see the time-space particle? Are you sure? What¡¯s its status? Is it stable? Still flashing and jumping? Any change in direction? How active is it?¡± He bombarded her with questions. ¡°The lid and arm are dense compared to the thin atmosphere. Such contact for the particle is like white blood cells or drugs attacking a virus. Rejection reaction, or time-space rejection, hit its peak, damaging the particle most.¡± ¡°So just three contacts¡ªthe lid, the arm, the space shuttle wing¡ªconsumed all its visible energy, making it invisible. To us, it¡¯s a treasure, but to this time-space, it¡¯s an unwelcome invader, like a virus.¡± Lin Xian and Liu Feng¡¯s deductions left Chu An Qing and Gao Yang stunned. ¡°Then, why can An Qing see it when we can¡¯t? Not even the tracker, electronics, or cameras?¡± Gao Yang said, scratching his head. ¡°If there¡¯s a time-space rejection reaction, why isn¡¯t it affecting her?¡± Gao Yang¡¯s words left the bay in silence. Lin Xian and Liu Feng exchanged glances. By now, anyone with a bit of sense could guess the reason. No wonder Yellow Finch recruited Chu An Qing for the team; no wonder Yellow Finch assigned her no tasks but kept her on the space shuttle; no wonder Yellow Finch hadn¡¯t said a word since the mission began, leaning silently against the back wall. The answer was clear. This was Yellow Finch¡¯s long-hidden truth. This was Chu An Qing¡¯s true value on the mission. Everyone else couldn¡¯t see the time-space particle, but she could; the particle avoided everyone else but not her; plus, the unsolved mystery: Zhang Yu Qian, Chu An Qing, and CC looked identical despite being from different time-spaces, down to the same tear mole. All these anomalies confirmed it¡ªChu An Qing possessed a unique time-space characteristic. Even her true identity and existence were extraordinary, deeply tied to time-space! This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation But the deeper truth wasn¡¯t something Lin Xian could deduce now. The only one who knew was... Lin Xian turned slowly, staring at Yellow Finch, leaning silently against the wall. The mysterious woman, full of secrets. But now, her secrets were unfolding. At that moment, Yellow Finch finally raised her head, meeting Lin Xian¡¯s gaze. Their eyes locked. Her blue, crystalline eyes stared into his. His eyes mirrored the eerie, fluid blue of the time-space particle: ¡°Time-Space Rejection,¡± Lin Xian said slowly. He recalled Chu An Qing¡¯s secret. Yellow Finch once collapsed in the washroom. Weak. Unable to get up. Trembling. Refusing to let Chu An Qing see her face. Not letting Chu An Qing call for help. Avoiding, resisting, dodging. Just like the now-invisible time-space particle... The particle¡¯s light dimmed, becoming invisible. Chu An Qing also saw Yellow Finch¡¯s bright blue eyes dim slightly. All clues finally pieced together into the truth! ¡°Yellow Finch...¡± Lin Xian said softly. ¡°It seems time-space rejection doesn¡¯t just apply to the particle, right? Liu Feng wasn¡¯t wrong. Everything from another time-space, be it a particle, object, or person... faces rejection in this unwelcoming time-space.¡± Yellow Finch listened quietly. Then, she smiled faintly, sighing softly: ¡°Congratulations, Lin Xian.¡± She finally broke eye contact, looking down. ¡°Congratulations on discovering a crucial...Time-Space Law.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 302: The Truth Revealed This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation The Laws of Time and Space Lin Xian hadn¡¯t thought about the laws of time and space for a long time. Memories of that rainy night when he first met Yellow Finch came flooding back. It was in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office. The mysterious woman had startled him by handing him a fake Genius Club invitation before turning away gracefully. ¡°The laws of time and space are far more important and strict than you imagine,¡± she had said. ¡°Almost all the answers are hidden within them... but for now, your understanding is still too shallow.¡± Nearly two years had passed since Lin Xian first grasped the initial four laws of time and space. Two years seemed like a long time, but it had flown by in a blur of discovery and intrigue. Now, he had uncovered a new law: Temporal Rejection. This fifth law followed the butterfly effect, time-space fluctuations, fluctuation anchors, and time-space elasticity. With this revelation, many previously puzzling mysteries began to make sense. Temporal Rejection: The intrinsic characteristic of time-space to repel foreign objects, instinctively rejecting, resisting, attacking, or even annihilating anything that doesn¡¯t belong to the current timeline. This phenomenon is called Temporal Rejection. Understanding this concept brought clarity to numerous enigmas. For instance, why were Yellow Finch¡¯s eyes a crystalline blue, like flowing glass? This was a reaction caused by temporal rejection. Yellow Finch, a traveler from the future, was a foreign object in this timeline. Therefore, the inherent power of time-space instinctively rejected her. This rejection changed her eyes to blue, altered her appearance, made her body weak, and restricted her actions due to time-space elasticity. It was a self-protection mechanism of time-space. Lin Xian speculated that perhaps time-space itself is inert and stable, like a healthy human being. The presence of someone like Yellow Finch would undoubtedly disrupt the development and causality of time-space, destabilizing it. So, the immune system of time-space activates, marking these outsiders with noticeable features. Such striking blue eyes might be a way to alert beings in this timeline to the presence of a dangerous outsider. Her altered appearance could also be a result of temporal rejection, aimed at preventing beings in this timeline from being deceived. Similarly, Yellow Finch¡¯s sudden weakness, coughing, trembling, and faded eye color in the washroom were all attacks by temporal rejection, aiming to eliminate the outsider quickly to maintain the stability and health of time-space. ¡°Now I understand...¡± Lin Xian muttered to himself. He finally comprehended the mysteries surrounding Yellow Finch. Indeed, as she had said the first time they met, the laws of time and space were incredibly intricate and essential. Almost all answers lay within these laws. Yellow Finch wasn¡¯t wrong about that. Just by comprehending a new law, many mysteries were instantly unraveled. If one day he could understand as many of the time-space laws as possible, or even all of them, wouldn¡¯t he be able to clear away all the clouds of mysteries and see the complete truth? Lin Xian continued to stare at Yellow Finch. When he first saw this woman, he had mistaken her for Zhao Ying Jun. Chu An Qing had also mentioned that she always found Yellow Finch and Zhao Ying Jun too similar; if you didn¡¯t look closely, it was easy to mix them up. Their auras, small movements, habits, every expression. Even though their appearances, face shapes, body types, and eye colors were entirely different, considering the premise of temporal rejection, they could very well be the same person. The office password, which only he and Zhao Ying Jun knew, was also known to Yellow Finch. In addition, her driving techniques were very similar to his own, and he had taught Zhao Ying Jun how to drive. Zhao Ying Jun loved wearing high heels and earrings, and so did Yellow Finch. On New Year¡¯s Eve in 2024, both women had wished him a happy new year at the exact same time. Yellow Finch could very well be Zhao Ying Jun from the future! Suddenly, Lin Xian remembered a joke he had made to himself: because Zhao Ying Jun always matched the color of her earrings with her coat, he once thought that if a clone tried to impersonate her, this habit would give them away. So, was Yellow Finch doing this on purpose? Intentionally mismatching her earrings to mislead him? To make him never suspect? He remembered bringing this up with Zhao Ying Jun: ¡°What if... you wore a beige coat and blue earrings?¡± Zhao Ying Jun had instantly frowned. ¡°What kind of weird combination is that? I find it hard to accept.¡± She had asked Lin Xian in return, ¡°Do you like such a mismatched style?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Lin Xian had quickly denied. ¡°I just happened to see a woman dressed like that the other day, and it looked odd.¡± ¡°It is quite odd,¡± Zhao Ying Jun had said at the time. ¡°In terms of outfit coordination, there shouldn¡¯t be too many colors, or you¡¯ll look like a Christmas tree, overly decorated. I think three to four colors are just about right.¡± Besides, Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t like wearing blue earrings and only wore them two or three times a year. She had said so herself. She would only wear blue earrings at evening banquets or parties, paired with a blue dress. Lin Xian felt a chill run down his spine. If Yellow Finch really was Zhao Ying Jun from the future, what had happened that forced her to travel back in time? What dangers lay ahead, and what secrets were still hidden within the intricate laws of time and space? He needed to uncover more about these laws, not just to understand Yellow Finch, but to prepare for whatever challenges the future might hold. ... Lin Xian felt a whirlwind of emotions swirl inside him. He remembered Chu An Qing¡¯s words about Yellow Finch¡¯s loneliness, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s fear of being alone, the white jade statue waiting for 600 years in the third dream of Rhine Sky City, and Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s resolute declaration at the Hunan restaurant that she would never enter a hibernation pod. At that moment, something clicked within Lin Xian. He seemed to understand what could truly pierce through the barriers of time, transcend the laws of physics, and defy the elasticity of time-space to convey a message. He took a deep breath and slowly raised his head. He walked toward the passenger cabin, determination in his steps. ¡°Stay in the equipment bay; I¡¯ll be in the passenger cabin. An Qing, guide Wei Cheng to let the particles pass through the cabin wall to me. Once you confirm contact and I¡¯m safe, speed up to let the particles enter the equipment bay, and An Qing can capture them.¡± A hand rested on Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. He turned to see Liu Feng. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Liu Feng said, his eyes earnest. ¡°I¡¯ve always admired you, Lin Xian, but you have parents, friends, and many ties to this world. I¡¯m an orphan, and Qi Qi is gone; I have nothing left.¡± ¡°My only wish is to understand the Universal Constant and prove it to the world. But if we can¡¯t catch these particles, my research might stall... I¡¯m not a genius, and this is my only chance.¡± ¡°So, let me do it. I¡¯ll contact the particles. I¡¯m older and more desperate for them, with no ties. I¡¯m the best choice.¡± Time was limited. The space shuttle had descended to 50 kilometers, and no one knew when the particles would vanish, leaving no time for delay. Finally, Liu Feng stood alone in the passenger cabin, eyes closed, ready to welcome the first human contact with the time-space particles. ¡°Coach Wei! The position is perfect! The particles are outside the left cabin wall, flickering steadily!¡± Chu An Qing called out, watching the particles¡¯ path through the porthole, guiding Wei Cheng. ¡°Slide over! Let the particles into the passenger cabin!¡± Wei Cheng turned the steering handle sharply. The space shuttle¡¯s rear engines twisted, propelling the shuttle to swerve left. However, the particles dodged the plane¡¯s movement as before. Several attempts failed to bring the particles through the cabin wall. ¡°Damn...¡± Liu Feng clenched his teeth. ¡°The space shuttle is too slow. If we were faster or rammed into them, maybe we could drag them in.¡± ¡°I doubt it,¡± Gao Yang said, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯ve fought them before. They¡¯re too agile; this big plane is too easy to dodge.¡± ¡°Should we slow down, let the particles pass ahead, and then speed up to hit them?¡± Wei Cheng suggested through the radio. ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian dismissed the idea. ¡°Even if it worked, the space shuttle can¡¯t brake in the atmosphere. We¡¯d hit them, but their speed is always 0.97 Mach. We¡¯d outrun them, and they¡¯d exit through the tail.¡± ¡°With no way to track them, we¡¯d lose them forever.¡± Gao Yang jumped in frustration. ¡°What do we do, then?¡± ¡°Too fast or too slow won¡¯t work. Damn it... these particles are right outside, but we can¡¯t see or touch them. It¡¯s infuriating!¡± The situation was deadlocked. ¡°Altitude dropping! Now at 48 kilometers!¡± Wei Cheng¡¯s voice was the only sound breaking the tense silence. ¡°47 kilometers!¡± ¡°45 kilometers!¡± Each update on the decreasing altitude made the air heavier with tension. 45 kilometers... 45,000 meters. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation They were now much closer to Earth compared to their previous altitude in space. Despite this, they had no solution to their problem. Suddenly, Chu An Qing raised her right hand. Her voice, though calm, had a slight tremor. ¡°Let me do it.¡± Lin Xian, Gao Yang, and Liu Feng turned to her, their faces filled with confusion. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Lin Xian asked, a mix of curiosity and concern in his voice. ¡°Go outside,¡± Chu An Qing replied simply. ¡°What!?¡± they exclaimed in unison, their shock evident. But Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes were filled with determination. ¡°Since I¡¯m the only one who can see the particles, the only way to catch them is¡ª¡± She extended her right hand, pointing above the equipment bay. ¡°I¡¯ll stand in the open cabin of the mechanical arm, holding the rice cooker... and catch them myself!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 303: The Note This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°This is impossible!¡± Wei Cheng¡¯s voice boomed through the radio channel. ¡°The space shuttle isn¡¯t designed for extravehicular activities (EVA). More importantly, you haven¡¯t received any training for this. EVA at high altitude is extremely dangerous! We¡¯re not in the weightlessness of space but in the atmosphere at 40,000 meters! There¡¯s wind, gravity, and an ultra-low temperature environment out there.¡± ¡°EVA is absolutely out of the question! It¡¯s like a death wish! Even if your balance and coordination skills are top-notch, conducting an EVA at 40,000 meters... No one has ever done it before! No astronaut or pilot has achieved this! Let alone on a space shuttle!¡± ¡°But! We have no other choice right now!¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°We... we can¡¯t just stand by and watch the time-space particle disappear!¡± Click. She raised her helmet visor and looked at the shocked faces inside the cabin. ¡°We¡¯ve all worked so hard and sacrificed so much to capture this time-space part5icle. But I haven¡¯t done anything, haven¡¯t been able to help... Now, I finally have a chance to be useful. This is the only thing I can do!¡± Chu An Qing turned to Liu Feng. ¡°Mr. Liu Feng, do you remember what you told me in the lab at Donghai University? You said... don¡¯t easily deny your own value, that the time hasn¡¯t come yet for you to make a difference; sometimes it¡¯s okay to make mistakes all your life, as long as you get one crucial thing right.¡± ¡°You told me that in this world, there is definitely something that is meant for me, that only I can accomplish. No one else can do it but me.¡± She looked at Liu Feng, who was at a loss for words. ¡°Mr. Liu Feng, I think... now is the moment you talked about, when I realize my value and make a difference. Going out to capture that time-space particle is the one thing in this world that only I can do!¡± With that, Chu An Qing turned to Lin Xian. ¡°Sorry, Senior Lin Xian, I overheard your conversation with Sister Yellow Finch... You said that if we don¡¯t capture this time-space particle, the world and everything will become a thousand, ten thousand times worse than it is now.¡± ¡°If... if this time-space particle is really that important, and I¡¯m the only one on the space shuttle who can see it right now... then I should be the one to go. I can¡¯t just hide behind you all, cheering you on and being a mascot, right?¡± ¡°Earlier, both you and Mr. Liu Feng were eager to handle the time-space particle. Isn¡¯t that more dangerous than going out to capture it? But you weren¡¯t afraid, so I¡¯m not afraid either! Just because I¡¯m young and a girl... doesn¡¯t mean I can always hide behind you and do nothing, right?¡± Finally, she turned to Yellow Finch. ¡°Sister Yellow Finch...¡± She bit her lower lip, her expression complex as she looked at Yellow Finch. ¡°Please, let me go. You called me here... for this moment, didn¡¯t you?¡± Yellow Finch closed her eyes tightly, frowning. Finally, she nodded. ¡°Prepare for EVA!¡± ¡°Are you insane?¡± Gao Yang stood up from his chair, pointing at Yellow Finch. ¡°I¡¯ve always thought you were too cold-blooded! You don¡¯t care about us! All you care about is the time-space particle!¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Lin Xian restrained Gao Yang from further outburst. It was true that Yellow Finch cared only about the time-space particle, and even VV¡¯s disappearance had been calculated by her for this. She had concealed many truths, lied to many people, and turned a blind eye to many things she knew were wrong. But... In the end... I want the time-space particle for myself. As Yellow Finch had said, everyone gathered here today was here for themselves, not for Yellow Finch... including Yellow Finch herself. ¡°I thought it over carefully,¡± Lin Xian said, looking back at Liu Feng and Gao Yang. ¡°The space shuttle indeed isn¡¯t equipped for spacewalks, but I¡¯ve experienced... ah no, I mean I¡¯ve learned about what it feels like to be exposed at 30,000 to 40,000 meters. It¡¯s indeed dangerous, but not as terrifying as it sounds.¡± ¡°The stratospheric winds are generally calm and the airflow isn¡¯t turbulent. We¡¯re flying with the wind, so the wind speed outside the space shuttle isn¡¯t that high. As for the ultra-low temperatures, we¡¯re all wearing spacesuits with advanced technology to maintain temperature and pressure, so there¡¯s no need to worry about that.¡± ¡°Besides, we¡¯ve studied the mechanical arm compartment on the ground. It¡¯s recessed and over a meter deep. As long as Wei Cheng flies steadily, standing in that compartment is like riding a hot air balloon to high altitude. Many people in the world have ascended to 30,000 or 40,000 meters in hot air balloons. We have safety ropes to secure ourselves to the inner cabin wall, making it safer than extreme sports.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Wei Cheng, piloting the space shuttle, was furious. ¡°Lin Xian, you¡¯re just talking theory! Have you ever practiced it? Do you know what it¡¯s like to operate at tens of thousands of meters?¡± Lin Xian sighed internally. How could he not know? In his third dream, he rode a helium balloon to 30,000 meters every day, then jumped down in a spacesuit to infiltrate the sky city. Although in the dream, he was braver and didn¡¯t have to consider the consequences of failure. But now, from what Yellow Finch said, and the actions of Elon Musk and Kevin Walker, it was clear that this time-space particle was no ordinary matter. On the ground, they had studied the space shuttle¡¯s equipment bay structure. The compartment housing the folded mechanical arm was connected to the equipment bay they were in, separated by a hatch. According to the original plan: After Gao Yang captured the time-space particle with the rice cooker, the mechanical arm would retract and fold back into the compartment, the outer hatch would close. Then, they would balance the pressure and open the hatch connecting to the inner cabin, allowing them to retrieve the rice cooker from the equipment bay. ¡°I¡¯ll go with An Qing,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°I¡¯m not comfortable letting An Qing go alone. The mechanical arm compartment can hold two people. We¡¯ll go together.¡± ¡°This way, I can support An Qing from behind, stabilizing her while she captures the time-space particle, making it safer.¡± Despite Wei Cheng¡¯s strong objections, Yellow Finch, as the chief commander, had the final say in the end. ¡°Close the door connecting the equipment bay and the passenger cabin. Everyone suit up and ensure the internal pressure is stable. Lock the helmet visors to avoid accidental opening.¡± Yellow Finch directed everyone to lock their helmet visors. ¡°Currently, the equipment bay has normal atmospheric pressure, but outside at 40,000 meters, the atmosphere is thin with extremely low pressure. If anything goes wrong, the pressure difference could suck us out of the space shuttle into the high altitude, which is dangerous.¡± ¡°So, from now on, activate all functions of your spacesuits. We¡¯ll depressurize the equipment bay to match the outside atmosphere. This way, when Lin Xian and Chu An Qing exit, there won¡¯t be a pressure imbalance causing turbulent airflow.¡± ¡°Of course, this is the worst-case scenario. These things may not happen, but we must be prepared. Secure all safety ropes to the cabin hooks.¡± The compartment housing the mechanical arm was about two meters long, one meter wide, and 1.5 meters deep. For the mechanical arm, it could intermittently open the outer and inner hatches without causing a pressure imbalance. But now, Lin Xian and Chu An Qing were going out, taking up much more space than the mechanical arm. Plus, the arm was still folded in the compartment, occupying a lot of space. Therefore, the activity space for Lin Xian and Chu An Qing was limited. They had to open both the inner and outer hatches simultaneously, connecting the inner and outer spaces, allowing Lin Xian and Chu An Qing to crawl out. If they didn¡¯t balance the pressure beforehand, there would be serious problems. No wonder Wei Cheng was so against this plan... Right now, every step they took was like licking blood off a knife¡¯s edge. Hiss¡ª The piercing sound of air releasing. The spacesuits on everyone slowly inflated like balloons, making them look like Michelin tire mascots. This was due to the depressurization of the equipment bay. Currently, the spacesuits maintained standard atmospheric pressure, but the equipment bay and the outside atmosphere at 40,000 meters had only 1% of that pressure, causing the spacesuits to inflate like balloons. ¡°An Qing!¡± he called her name. Suddenly, Chu An Qing seemed to snap back to reality, blood pouring from her nose, splattering her face! She shut her eyes tightly, her hands pounding her helmet. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh¡ª¡± she screamed, her expression one of extreme pain. ¡°Get back here!¡± Yellow Finch¡¯s urgent shout echoed through the comms. ¡°Open the inner hatch to the mechanical arm compartment! Now! Everyone hold on!¡± Boom! Following a muffled sound, the hatch connecting the mechanical arm compartment to the equipment bay opened, and Lin Xian and Chu An Qing fell, hanging by their safety ropes. ¡°Wei Cheng! Close the outer hatch! Pressurize the equipment bay! Air pressure!¡± Yellow Finch ordered. Boom! After another muffled sound, the outer hatch of the mechanical arm compartment closed, isolating the space shuttle from the high altitude. Hiss¡ª Air rushed in, the equipment bay¡¯s pressure rapidly increasing, causing their spacesuits to deflate. This indicated the spacesuits¡¯ internal and external pressure was balanced, allowing them to safely open their helmets. Click, click, click, click! A series of helmet visor unlocking sounds echoed. Lin Xian, Gao Yang, Liu Feng, and Yellow Finch hurried to Chu An Qing, opening her visor. ¡°An Qing! Breathe deeply! Breathe!¡± Yellow Finch shouted, grabbing tissues to wipe the blood from Chu An Qing¡¯s face. Drip... Drip... Drip... Everyone froze at the sight. Chu An Qing had regained her senses, blinking regularly, but with each blink, tears streamed down her face. The tears fell like pearls. Silently, she wept bitterly. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Gao Yang asked Lin Xian. Lin Xian was puzzled, kneeling. ¡°An Qing... what¡¯s wrong?¡± However, Chu An Qing didn¡¯t look at Lin Xian but gazed at Yellow Finch with a pleading, desperate look. Her vision blurred with tears. ¡°Sister Yellow Finch...¡± she cried, ¡°Is this all true? Is this... all true?¡± Yellow Finch hesitated. After biting her lip several times, her expression solemn, she asked, ¡°You... you know everything?¡± ¡°Is this all true?¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes were full of pleading and despair. Gripping Yellow Finch¡¯s arm, her lips trembled. ¡°Sister Yellow Finch!!¡± Yellow Finch gritted her teeth... finally, she nodded. Chu An Qing couldn¡¯t hold back, wailing loudly. She fell into Yellow Finch¡¯s arms, crying uncontrollably. In return, the latter hugged the sobbing girl back, saying nothing, just holding her. ¡°What on earth happened?¡± Lin Xian was completely lost. What was going on? Why was everyone acting like they were in a mystery novel? ¡°An Qing,¡± he knelt beside Chu An Qing, ¡°An Qing, what happened? What did you find out? What just happened?¡± Chu An Qing looked up. Her tear-filled eyes met Lin Xian¡¯s, her mouth slightly open. ¡°Senior Lin Xian! We¡ª¡± Suddenly, she stopped crying. She froze, blinking rapidly, like she was choked up, words stuck in her throat. Gradually, she closed her mouth. Her emotions calmed. After a few deep breaths, Chu An Qing took the tissue from Yellow Finch, wiping the blood and tears from her face. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation Then, she turned to Lin Xian with a calm gaze. ¡°Senior Lin Xian, do you remember the question you told me you couldn¡¯t answer that night?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The sudden shift caught Lin Xian off guard. ¡°The night of your birthday, in the training room,¡± Chu An Qing steadied her breath, sniffing. ¡°You told me you wanted to write a note and put it in a safe.¡± ¡°You said that note wouldn¡¯t matter if others saw it, copied it, or opened the safe before you... as long as you saw it, you¡¯d immediately know if the world was real or fake.¡± ¡°You struggled for a long time, not knowing what to write on that note, what content could fool the enemy, the director, the whole world, but only you could understand.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He remembered. But why was Chu An Qing bringing this up now? ¡°Give me a piece of paper and a pen,¡± Chu An Qing discarded the bloody tissue. Standing up, she looked down at Lin Xian. ¡°Let me write it for you.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 304: The Millennium Stake This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Lin Xian rose from his crouched position, looking down at Chu An Qing, who stood a head shorter than him. ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± he asked. Chu An Qing nodded, then shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I almost caught the time-space particle, but just as I jumped, the tether rope yanked me back. Not only did I miss the jump, but I also got pulled off course.¡± She continued, ¡°The time-space particle brushed past the edge of the rice cooker, pierced through my hand, and then vanished again.¡± Lin Xian narrowed his eyes, catching the underlying information in Chu An Qing¡¯s words. The reason Chu An Qing had reacted so violently earlier¡ªscreaming, nosebleeding, staring blankly, trembling¡ªwas because her body had come into contact with the time-space particle. Lin Xian had considered this possibility. But now, apart from Chu An Qing, no one could see the time-space particle. No one knew if she had actually caught it. Regardless, the rice-cooker-like time-space particle catcher had fallen from the sky, right before his eyes, crashing onto the hull of the space shuttle and rolling into the clouds below. It seemed Liu Feng¡¯s concerns were valid. Human contact with time-space particles could cause harm, unlike the silent and subtle effects on inanimate objects. However... Lin Xian pondered, recalling Chu An Qing¡¯s earlier frantic crying and her desperate, pleading look at Yellow Finch. She had broken down completely, crying hopelessly after getting a definite answer. What had triggered such a strong emotional response? What made her desperate for a negative answer, and why did she eventually calm down and speak to him about their secret note? On Lin Xian¡¯s 25th birthday, Chu An Qing had invited him to a dark, empty training room. The moment the lights came on, she held up a homemade birthday cake and wished him a happy birthday. It was then that he had shared with her a challenging riddle he couldn¡¯t solve. The puzzle was so difficult that even the confident Chu An Qing was stumped. Just reading it had fried her brain, leaving her without a single clue. Lin Xian hadn¡¯t expected much from her at the time, and they both laughed it off. But now... Could it be related to her recent contact with the time-space particle? Why was Chu An Qing so sure, so certain about the content of that note, confident it could meet those stringent conditions? ¡°Lin Xian,¡± Chu An Qing called, her emotions now fully in check. She raised her slightly muddied but beautiful face and looked at him. ¡°Remember our agreement? Even though I¡¯m not as sharp as you, as your friend, I promised I¡¯d find a way. And now, I finally know the answer! Trust me, Lin Xian. I know what needs to be written on that note!¡± She turned her gaze to the viewport, where the time-space particle continued its eerie, flickering path, moving up and down with its original speed and direction. ¡°Hurry, Lin Xian. Our time... it¡¯s running out!¡± Yellow Finch let out a sigh and opened her eyes, turning to Gao Yang. ¡°Gao Yang, get a piece of paper and a pen from the secured case for An Qing.¡± For safety, items like pens and paper were locked in a briefcase secured to the wall, preventing them from floating around in zero gravity. Gao Yang, understanding the complexity and urgency of the situation, ran to the briefcase near the control panel without his usual complaints. He quickly unlocked it, took out an A4 sheet of paper and a space pen, and handed them to Chu An Qing. The radio crackled with the pilot Wei Cheng¡¯s anxious voice: ¡°The space shuttle¡¯s altitude has dropped below 40,000 meters! 39,000... 38,000 meters... Commander! Awaiting your instructions!¡± The situation was dire. The time-space particle capture was hanging by a thread, and they were about to miss their last chance. Chu An Qing wasted no time. She took the paper and pen from Gao Yang and dashed to an empty corner of the equipment bay, beneath the ladder leading to the mechanical arm chamber. Here, no one could see her, and no cameras could capture her actions. It was a blind spot. She crouched under the steel ladder, back to the others, kneeling on the ground. With a rip, she tore a piece of the A4 paper about the size of a credit card, placed it on the floor, and gripped the pen in her gloved right hand. Scribble, scribble... She quickly wrote two lines on the small note, then folded it twice, pressing the creases firmly to ensure it wouldn¡¯t unfold. Standing up, she walked back to Lin Xian, her expression emotional, her gaze flickering. She bit her lower lip, swallowing her words, and looked into Lin Xian¡¯s eyes. ¡°Lin Xian, take this.¡± She held out the folded note with two fingers, handing it to him solemnly. The light note felt like a heavy burden of the century. ¡°Read it... when you get there,¡± Chu An Qing said softly. ¡°You¡¯ll understand.¡± Lin Xian took the note, holding it between his fingers. It felt almost weightless, unreal even through the thick gloves of his spacesuit. Yet, it also felt immensely heavy. This note carried the weight of 600 years of time, the burden of an entire world¡¯s reality. He nodded, shifting his gaze from the note to Chu An Qing¡¯s face. ¡°Alright, I promise. I trust you.¡± He unzipped the chest pocket of his orange spacesuit, one of the two private pockets meant for personal items like photos, notebooks, or lucky charms. Sliding the note into the pocket, he followed their plan. No one else was to know its contents until he read it in the dream world. Opening the aluminum alloy safe and seeing the note in the dream would make everything clear, revealing the truth and fiction of the dream world. This was a double-blind experiment. Neither he nor the enemy could know the note¡¯s content until that moment in the dream world. This cross-time, cross-reality battle would be decided the instant he read the note 600 years later. ¡°Altitude! 36,000 meters!¡± Wei Cheng¡¯s voice shouted over the radio. ¡°An Qing! Watch the time-space particle and guide me if we need to adjust direction or speed!¡± Chu An Qing glanced out the viewport. Wei Cheng¡¯s piloting skills were indeed top-notch. Even without navigation or guidance, he had kept track of the time-space particle. From the viewport, they could see the sunlight rising from the Earth¡¯s edge due to their altitude, even though the ground below was still in darkness. Chu An Qing blinked. Despite the bright sunlight, the eerie blue glow of the time-space particle remained visible to her alone. Turning back to the team, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s continue capturing the time-space particle.¡± ¡°What!? You¡¯re going again?¡± Gao Yang jumped up. ¡°You can¡¯t! You were bleeding all over and you¡¯re going back? Are you crazy? Besides, we saw the rice cooker fall! Without it, how do we catch the time-space particle? Are you seriously suggesting we catch time-space particles by hand, like catching dragonflies and butterflies? That¡¯s nonsense! Liu Feng already said that time-space particles don¡¯t have a physical form. They pass through anything they touch, except maybe what¡¯s inside the rice cooker...¡± Gao Yang trailed off, suddenly realizing something. He turned around, looking at the mechanical arm control station where he had been sitting. He finally understood. There were two time-space particle catchers! One had fallen, but the other one was still installed at the top of the mechanical arm, fully functional! ¡°But your body...¡± Gao Yang glanced down at Chu An Qing, his concern evident. He admitted to himself that he was genuinely moved by this petite girl¡¯s bravery and fearlessness. Gao Yang didn¡¯t know Chu An Qing well. Their first meeting was at the MX company¡¯s celebration banquet. Back then, he was too focused on eating lobster to pay much attention to her. Besides, Lin Xian and Chu An Qing were just acquaintances then, meeting for the first time. Gao Yang soon forgot about her. Their second significant encounter was at Ji Lin¡¯s birthday party, where Chu An Qing had asked him about any high school girls or old acquaintances who resembled her. They played guessing games and board games together. Chu An Qing left an impression on him as a simple, cute, and well-off little princess with a pleasant personality. During astronaut training at the space center, Chu An Qing had shown impressive talent, which made Gao Yang take notice. Still, he saw her as a carefree, kind-hearted college sophomore whose essence hadn¡¯t changed. But now... ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Senior Gao Yang,¡± Chu An Qing smiled at him. ¡°Look at me now. I¡¯m fine, right? It shows that the time-space particle didn¡¯t cause any substantial harm to my body. I think the injury from before was a one-time thing. If I accidentally touch it again, nothing will happen.¡± Lin Xian studied Chu An Qing for a few seconds. Observing her current state, she seemed fine, fully recovered and in her usual condition. Wei Cheng had already reported that the space shuttle¡¯s altitude had dropped to 36,000 meters. This might be their last chance. ¡°Let¡¯s give it another try,¡± Lin Xian suggested, pointing to the closed inner door of the mechanical arm chamber above. ¡°We¡¯ll open the inner door, take down the rice cooker from the top, and Chu An Qing and I will go up again. I¡¯ll hold her from behind while she holds the rice cooker and tries to capture the particle, just like before.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not going to work,¡± Chu An Qing shook her head. ¡°You all can¡¯t see the time-space particle, so you don¡¯t know the exact situation during the capture attempts. I almost caught the particle several times with the rice cooker. Really, I was so close, but the last time, it accidentally touched my hand, causing the incident.¡± She raised her head, ¡°I can¡¯t explain the feeling, but I didn¡¯t predict the particle¡¯s trajectory. I had a strong intuition, a sixth sense, about where it would appear next. At first, I thought it was luck or coincidence, but the more it jumped, the more I realized I could predict its movements! Its jumps seemed random, but I always guessed right, every time, without fail.¡± Gao Yang looked out of the porthole in disbelief. He remembered trying to predict the particle¡¯s jumps while using the mechanical arm but only succeeded once by luck. The rest of his attempts were mere guesses that never worked. ¡°If you can predict its path every time, capturing it should be easy!¡± Gao Yang sighed. ¡°If I had your ability, I¡¯d catch the particle in two or three tries!¡± He patted the control station. ¡°This thing is very flexible and precise if used correctly. Compared to standing on top of the space shuttle with a rice cooker, the mechanical arm is a thousand times better!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Chu An Qing nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why I said we can¡¯t use the mechanical arm chamber above like before to catch the particle.¡± She pointed to her untied safety harness and the stability locks on the inner wall. ¡°These safety straps do keep me secure, but they also restrict my flexibility. With them on, I can¡¯t move freely or jump, making it too stiff to catch the particle. Several times, I almost caught it, but I couldn¡¯t jump! I couldn¡¯t move!¡± ¡°If not for the harness restraining me during the last attempt, I would have caught the particle by jumping fully. The mechanical arm chamber above is too small. With two people and the folded arm, there¡¯s no space to move, making the capture opportunities too rare.¡±Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com ¡°So...¡± Chu An Qing looked around at everyone. ¡°I need a platform where I can move freely, run, and jump, at least within a certain range. That would make capturing the particle much easier.¡± Everyone fell silent, understanding her logic. But where on the space shuttle could they find such a platform? Even without safety straps, letting Chu An Qing walk freely on top of the space shuttle wasn¡¯t feasible. The plane¡¯s top was a curved surface, and at an altitude of over 30,000 meters with temperatures near minus 100 degrees Celsius, much of the surface was frozen. ¡°We might have to abandon the plan,¡± Wei Cheng¡¯s voice came over the radio. ¡°An Qing, the kind of flat platform you need doesn¡¯t exist on the space shuttle, or any spacecraft. I know it would be perfect for catching the particle, but the conditions don¡¯t allow it. I recommend we abort the capture mission and prepare to return.¡± ¡°No, there is such a platform!¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s eyes sparkled with determination as she pointed outside the porthole at the broad, flat wing of the space shuttle. ¡°The wing of the space shuttle is a perfect platform!¡± ¡°Let me stand on the wing and use the last rice cooker to capture the time-space particle!¡± Her words left everyone in stunned silence. ¡°That¡¯s crazy!¡± Wei Cheng¡¯s voice crackled with frustration over the radio. ¡°You kids have lost your minds! This is like something out of a Hollywood movie!¡± It was clear that Wei Cheng, usually calm and gentle, was now near breaking point. ¡°It¡¯s impossible!¡± Gao Yang couldn¡¯t stay seated any longer. Following Wei Cheng¡¯s lead, he burst out, ¡°We¡¯re astronauts, not acrobats! Actually, we¡¯re not even real astronauts! An Qing, stop thinking crazy things! This is nothing but suicide! Did you see how that rice cooker fell earlier? If you stand on the wing, you¡¯ll fall just like that!¡± Liu Feng, who had been silent, stepped forward as well. ¡°I don¡¯t agree with this plan either. It¡¯s too dangerous. No... dangerous isn¡¯t even the right word. It¡¯s suicidal.¡± He continued, ¡°There¡¯s no passage to the wing from inside the space shuttle. The closest place is the outer door at the junction of the equipment and passenger compartments, the main door we use to enter the space shuttle from outside. How do you plan to get there? You can¡¯t just open the door and crawl along the edge, clinging to windows and locks. Even in Hollywood, James Bond wouldn¡¯t do something like this. Lin Xian, what do you think?¡± Without hesitation, Lin Xian replied, ¡°I don¡¯t agree with the plan either. Absolutely not.¡± He turned to Chu An Qing, shaking his head. ¡°We¡¯ll stick to the original plan. We¡¯ll go back into the mechanical arm chamber and try again, just like before. We¡¯ll keep trying. If we catch it, great. If not, we leave it.¡± ¡°The time-space particle is important, but not worth sacrificing a team member. Since we¡¯re being honest here, I¡¯ll say it straight, Liu Feng.¡± Lin Xian faced Liu Feng, ¡°The Universal Constant might not be as complex as you think. We might not need things like the Guizhou Sky Eye, time-space clocks, or time-space curvature. I¡¯m not saying your research path is wrong, but the time-space particle isn¡¯t the only solution. If we can¡¯t catch it, we¡¯ll find another way to study the Universal Constant.¡± Liu Feng nodded firmly. ¡°I understand. If we can¡¯t catch the time-space particle, I¡¯ll find another way. Like you said, there are other paths to studying the Universal Constant.¡± But Chu An Qing shook her head resolutely. ¡°No, Lin Xian. Sister Yellow Finch is right. The time-space particle is far more important than you think.¡± She bit her lip. ¡°This particle... we must get it, no matter what!¡± Turning to Yellow Finch, she pleaded, ¡°Sister Yellow Finch, let me go!¡± To everyone¡¯s surprise, even Yellow Finch, who had been solely focused on capturing the particle, hesitated. She was silent for a long time, clearly torn. ¡°Sister Yellow Finch!¡± Chu An Qing raised her voice. Yellow Finch closed her eyes, frowning. ¡°Commander Yellow Finch!!!¡± Chu An Qing shouted, almost breaking her voice. ¡°Why did you come back if not for this?!¡± Yellow Finch¡¯s eyes snapped open. She gritted her teeth and pressed the helmet¡¯s visor. ¡°Everyone, close your helmet visors! Activate the constant pressure and temperature devices, stabilize the suit¡¯s internal pressure, and secure your safety straps to the interior locks. Wei Cheng, prepare to depressurize the equipment bay and match the external atmosphere before opening the main door!¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± ¡°Commander Yellow Finch!¡± ¡°Cold-blooded! You¡¯ll kill Chu An Qing!¡± ¡°What are you doing?!¡± The radio was filled with shouts of disbelief. But Yellow Finch had made up her mind. Her usually bright blue eyes seemed to dull momentarily, like a fogged mirror. But the moment was fleeting, too short for Lin Xian to notice clearly. The visor clicked into place, covering Yellow Finch¡¯s face. The wind howled outside the open space shuttle door, creating a whistling effect. The plane was at an altitude of 31,000 meters, in the stratosphere. The equipment bay¡¯s pressure had been equalized with the thin, cold air outside, just a fraction of sea level pressure. With everything ready, they opened the main door of the space shuttle¡¯s equipment bay, ensuring pressure balance to prevent objects and astronauts from being sucked out by turbulence. Now, except for Chu An Qing, everyone in the equipment bay¡ªLin Xian, Yellow Finch, Liu Feng, and Gao Yang¡ªhad their spacesuits inflated by internal pressure, looking like Michelin men. The temperature was dropping rapidly, even the electronic equipment in the bay was at freezing temperatures, yet still operational, designed for such harsh conditions. Each of them was tethered to the bay¡¯s walls with safety straps. Chu An Qing, standing by the howling main door, also had a safety strap, much longer and thicker than the others, ten meters long. One end was secured to her suit, the other to an interior lock, and the middle part held by Lin Xian, Gao Yang, and Liu Feng. This way, if she fell, they could pull her back. The space shuttle¡¯s engines were at the tail, unlike conventional jets with engines under the wings. This was the only piece of good news. If she fell off a jet wing, she¡¯d likely be sucked into the engine, shredded and burned. But on the space shuttle, the wings were simpler, with no such danger. Though falling was still risky, at least she wouldn¡¯t end up in the engine. According to their plan, the rice cooker was secured to Chu An Qing¡¯s suit. Her hands were free. Tethered by the long safety strap, she would climb out and move half a meter back, standing on the wing¡ªa move so dangerous it would terrify even the world¡¯s top astronauts or acrobats. Yet this young girl, a sophomore at university, was ready to challenge this world record. ¡°The space shuttle¡¯s speed is 0.97 Mach; altitude, 28,000 meters; with a tailwind, relative wind speed is 16 meters per second, which is manageable,¡± Wei Cheng reported over the radio. ¡°I¡¯ll keep the flight as stable as possible, ensuring the left wing is as level as I can. But this isn¡¯t guaranteed. Despite stable wind and no clouds ahead, turbulence is common. The extravehicular astronaut must prioritize their balance.¡± ¡°Copy that!¡± Chu An Qing¡¯s clear voice responded over the radio. She gripped the lock on the open main door frame , ready to exit. Holding tight, she placed her right foot on the exterior lock, found her foothold, and pushed her body lightly. With everyone¡¯s hearts in their throats, Chu An Qing successfully stepped outside, clinging to the space shuttle¡¯s exterior! ¡°Found her!¡± Sliding through the clouds, Lin Xian spotted Chu An Qing falling fast below, a tiny orange figure hugging the brown rice cooker. She wasn¡¯t struggling or moving, just holding the cooker, calm and serene, ready to face whatever came. He could catch up! He could catch up!! The wind was sharp as lightning around him. Just like those countless nights in the third dream where he fell from the sky, the 20,000-meter drop didn¡¯t scare Lin Xian anymore! He could accurately navigate through an invisible anti-aircraft gap without any reference points. Naturally, he could catch up to a bright orange girl. ¡°An Qing!!!¡± Lin Xian shouted as he flew through the sky and clouds. Damn it. Why can¡¯t I go faster? Faster! Even faster! He constantly adjusted his posture to reduce air resistance, using every bit of physics to fall faster! What¡¯s the terminal velocity for a grown man? He had looked it up but couldn¡¯t remember¡ªprobably about 90 meters per second. It was definitely faster than the terminal velocity of the less-than-100-pound Chu An Qing! Whoosh, whoosh! The endless, torturous wind roared around him as Lin Xian didn¡¯t know how long he had been free-falling. His eyes were fixed on the ever-nearing orange figure! Not only was the orange shadow getting nearer, but the lights and details of the ground were also becoming clearer! Judging by the height, they were now less than 3,000 meters from the ground. He had to catch her before the minimum parachute deployment height! Closer... Closer... Closer! The distance was only a few meters! Ten meters! Five meters! Three meters! Two meters! One meter! He caught up! From a 20,000-meter free-fall to now, 2,000 meters from the ground, he was only one meter away! ¡°An Qing!!!!¡± Lin Xian yelled. Although Chu An Qing had exited the radio channel, she seemed to sense him. She looked up, her face hidden in the darkness of her helmet. ¡°Hand! Give me your hand!!!¡± Lin Xian shouted, reaching out his right hand. She raised her head, her left hand still clutching the rice cooker, and extended her right hand upwards. Their right hands reached out, the distance between them shrinking but still impossible to close, their fingers just millimeters apart! Faster! Faster! Lin Xian could taste blood in his mouth, probably from biting his gums too hard. He hated the physical laws that made it so hard to go faster! The ground¡¯s details were now clear. They were likely less than 2,000 meters from the surface. His right shoulder was nearly dislocated from reaching out so far... Swinging his right hand desperately, he still couldn¡¯t catch her. Just a bit more. Their fingertips were just centimeters apart! Ten centimeters! Five centimeters! One centimeter! It was right there! Lin Xian summoned all his strength, lifting his right hand and swung it¡ª Smack! He caught her! Their hands clasped tightly! Lin Xian gritted his teeth, pulling Chu An Qing and the rice cooker into his arms. Quickly, he freed his left hand to pull the parachute release cord. Whoosh! A white line shot out, and the parachute bloomed like a flower in the night sky. .... USA, Texas, Boca Chica, SpaceX Starship Launch Site. Observation Tower. Elon Musk stared at the USB drive in his hand. Clear, blue, shimmering like a crystal galaxy, like shattered sapphire. Beautiful, stunning. Exquisitely made. Then... The light on the USB drive flickered and dimmed, turning transparent and weightless. A breeze blew by. Then the solid drive disintegrated into blue specks, scattering in the wind, disappearing like collapsing quantum particles into dust and void. Elon Musk clenched his hand, then opened it, feeling the lingering sensation of the drive even though his palm was empty. ¡°It seems...¡± He smiled slightly. ¡°My loop is complete.¡± His shocked secretary pushed up her red-framed glasses, staring in disbelief. ¡°What happened to your USB drive? Did it just disappear? Is this some Hollywood magic trick?¡± Elon Musk chuckled, clapping his hands as if dusting them off. ¡°It¡¯s a fun magic prop, a gift from a friend. Isn¡¯t it interesting?¡± ¡°Friend?¡± The secretary looked puzzled. ¡°I manage your schedule every day. I don¡¯t remember you seeing any friends recently. When did you get a magician friend?¡± ¡°Let me introduce you!¡± Elon Musk laughed and snapped his fingers. From the iron shed of the observation tower, a girl wearing sunglasses stepped out. ¡°Shit!¡± The secretary was startled. Who would have thought there was someone hidden in the shed¡ªa girl who looked only about fifteen or sixteen! She took a step back, examining the girl. The girl, under 1.6 meters tall, wore a simple Adidas tracksuit. Her black short hair was neat, with bangs, her small frame showing signs of training. Hands in her pockets, she walked out quietly and coolly, exuding a mysterious, deadly aura. The secretary couldn¡¯t see her face clearly due to the large sunglasses but noted her clear jawline, fair skin, and bright red lips¡ªcute yet intimidating. The girl stopped in the middle of the observation deck, silently facing the secretary. Elon Musk spread his arms, introducing, ¡°This is my friend who gave me the USB drive and the super virus!¡± The secretary was stunned. ¡°She¡¯s so young! How long has she been here?¡± ¡°Oh, a few months,¡± Elon Musk said, rubbing his chin. ¡°Mr. Elon Musk...¡± The secretary stammered. ¡°You might face even more serious charges now. Not even your friend running for president can save you.¡± Elon Musk laughed heartily and turned to the girl. ¡°Now that my loop is complete... you can act freely, right?¡± The girl nodded, pushing her sunglasses up, causing the secretary to gasp. The girl was stunningly beautiful, with cold, sharp, blue eyes, like shattered sapphires. .... Somewhere in the countryside of an unknown country or city. The parachute, once taut, was now crumpled and deflated, swaying in the evening breeze. Lin Xian¡¯s feet touched the ground, but the momentum brought him to his knees, still clutching Chu An Qing. ¡°An Qing! An Qing...¡± He gasped, pushing back his helmet visor to breathe fresh air, then lifting the orange spacesuit-clad girl. But something was wrong. She was too light. Even if Chu An Qing was slim, she shouldn¡¯t weigh so little. It felt like he was holding just the suit. This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation ¡°An... An Qing?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s heart sank. He quickly unlocked her helmet, lifting the visor. No... No one was inside. The suit was empty! ¡°Where... where is she?¡± He tore the suit open. It was empty, except for some faint blue particles that quickly vanished. ¡°Where is she?!!¡± He stood up, shouting, but got no response. Thud, thud... As Lin Xian stood, the time-space particle catcher rolled from Chu An Qing¡¯s arm, settling on the yellow grass. The device, resembling a rice cooker, blinked twice before displaying a message: Time-Space Particle: Capture Successful! Capture Time: March 28, 2024, 00:42 Volume Three: The Millennium Phenomenon, to be continued. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 305: History Locked This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Bang! At the aerospace base, Lin Xian shoved open the hallway doors and hurried down the corridor towards a room deep inside. ¡°Wait, Lin Xian! Wait!¡± Behind him, Gao Yang scrambled to catch up, grabbing Lin Xian¡¯s arm and stepping in front of him to block his path. ¡°Lin Xian, don¡¯t be rash! Let¡¯s talk this through calmly!¡± Lin Xian pushed Gao Yang aside. ¡°I¡¯m not being rash. Besides, we all share the responsibility for letting Chu An Qing leave the capsule... Everyone went to space to capture the time-space particles because of me.¡± ¡°Yellow Finch had her reasons and limitations. But no matter how many excuses we make, Chu An Qing is still gone... I promised her father, Chu Shan He, that I¡¯d bring her back safely. What am I supposed to do now? How do I face Chu Shan He? Our friend is gone, and Chu Shan He¡¯s precious daughter is gone too.¡± ¡°Is she dead, alive, missing, or what? What¡¯s this ¡®Millennial Stake¡¯ Yellow Finch mentioned? We need the truth!¡± Lin Xian said this before turning and continuing his stride forward. Thud. Gao Yang¡¯s hefty hand pressed down on Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Lin Xian, you don¡¯t know what happened after you jumped from the space shuttle, do you?¡± Lin Xian stopped in his tracks. He turned back to look at Gao Yang. After jumping from 20,000 meters, grabbing Chu An Qing, deploying the parachute, and finding Chu An Qing missing upon landing, he immediately contacted rescue using his radio communicator. It wasn¡¯t long before an official helicopter from the country arrived. Then he flew directly to the secret aerospace base. Once he landed, he handed the container with the time-space particles to Liu Feng, explained Chu An Qing¡¯s situation, and after Liu Feng briefly examined the particles without finding any concrete answers, Lin Xian rushed to find Yellow Finch, only to be stopped by Gao Yang. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Lin Xian asked. Gao Yang swallowed hard. ¡°Yellow Finch didn¡¯t want us to tell you, but I couldn¡¯t keep it from you. I planned to tell you, but you were like a runaway mouse the moment you got off the plane, impossible to catch. Finally, I get to speak...¡± ¡°When you jumped from the plane, Yellow Finch fainted. Actually, saying she fainted isn¡¯t quite accurate; I don¡¯t know how to describe it. It¡¯s like... You remember, right? When Chu An Qing jumped from the wing, Yellow Finch yelled something about a Millennial Stake. I was too focused on you to understand clearly.¡± ¡°Then you jumped, and Yellow Finch collapsed. We were frantic, calling out to you on the radio with no response. Wei Cheng remotely closed the main hatch. We rushed to check on Yellow Finch and found her shaking on the ground, clutching her helmet and refusing to let us take it off. But the situation was urgent, so Liu Feng and I forced it off her.¡± ¡°Do you know what we saw?¡± Gao Yang trailed off, struggling for words. It wasn¡¯t for suspense; he was genuinely at a loss for description. After a pause, Gao Yang continued. ¡°It¡¯s hard to describe. It was like... like Yellow Finch became transparent...¡± ¡°Transparent?¡± Lin Xian frowned. He hadn¡¯t expected that description. Could a person become transparent? But thinking of how Chu An Qing had vanished... Yellow Finch, a known time traveler, becoming transparent wasn¡¯t out of the realm of possibility. ¡°Did her eye color fade too?¡± Lin Xian pressed. Gao Yang was taken aback. ¡°Ha! So you knew!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know; I was just guessing. Hurry up, tell me if it¡¯s true.¡± Gao Yang nodded. ¡°You guessed right. Yellow Finch¡¯s eyes, which were bright blue like light bulbs, turned completely black.¡± ¡°Black... like ours, with no light, no blue. At that moment, she looked just like a normal person. Her expression was pained, as if she¡¯d been stabbed.¡± ¡°But she quickly recovered, got up, and immediately tried to call you on the radio. But the space shuttle¡¯s long-range communication was broken, so of course, you didn¡¯t hear. She then notified Wei Cheng to return.¡± ¡°After landing, we reconnected with ground control, learned you were safe, and that rescue was on the way. That¡¯s when we all relaxed. Yellow Finch then told us not to mention what happened on the space shuttle.¡± ¡°But we couldn¡¯t comply. We¡¯re not working for her. So Liu Feng and I decided you had to know. I just learned what happened to Chu An Qing from you, and I thought these events might be connected.¡± Suddenly, she fell silent, as if choked! ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian thought he hadn¡¯t heard right and stepped closer. Yellow Finch bit her lip, sweat forming on her forehead. Her hands trembled as she reached back to support herself on the desk. ¡°The Millennial Stake is¡ª¡± she tried again, but once more, she was silenced. It was as if the sound system playing music was abruptly unplugged, or a phone call suddenly cut off, or a thrilling movie halted mid-scene! Just like that! Like a breath stuck in her throat! Yellow Finch was inexplicably, irrationally silenced! Then¡ª Thud! Yellow Finch lost her balance, fell backward, and collapsed on the office floor. She lay prone on the ground. ¡°Hey!¡± Lin Xian hurried over to help her up. But... she was transparent. Transparent! Just as Gao Yang had described, Yellow Finch¡¯s body had turned transparent! She could still be touched. But she felt light, easily lifted, and with her came a shower of blue star-like particles! It was familiar, just like the tiny blue particles from Chu An Qing¡¯s spacesuit! But these from Yellow Finch... In large amounts! Clumps and clumps! Like scattered sand, like a dispersed swarm of bees! These blue particles collapsed, dissipated, and vanished in the air. ¡°What is this?¡± Lin Xian witnessed this supernatural phenomenon again. What was happening? Was his initial thought correct... Blue time-space particles, Yellow Finch¡¯s eyes, the star particles left when Chu An Qing vanished, and now the blue quantum particles from Yellow Finch... All blue! This confirmed his previous theory! [All things from other time-spaces, not originally from this time-space, show a blue glow, and when they collapse, they turn into tiny blue star particles, disappearing...] At this moment, Yellow Finch¡¯s eyes had turned completely black. Supported by Lin Xian, she was incredibly weak, as if breathing took all her strength. Gradually, her body recovered from transparency, stopped shedding blue particles, her breathing steadied, and a hint of blue reappeared in her eyes. This time, just a hint. Barely discernible around her black pupils. ¡°Lin Xian... Xian...¡± Yellow Finch looked up at him. ¡°This is... what I need... to teach you today. I want... to tell you about the Millennial Stake, but I can¡¯t... You must figure it out yourself.¡± She swallowed hard, forcing a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t... look so... worried. I always intended... to tell you... about the time-space laws. This is why I came back... the most important thing...¡± ¡°Time-space laws?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. Again, time-space laws. ¡°History Locked...¡± Yellow Finch bit her lip and said each word clearly. Then she sighed. ¡°I know you don¡¯t understand, but because you don¡¯t, I can say it. Don¡¯t ask why... Just think about it. Think about it with the Millennial Stake...¡± ¡°This is the first time-space law I need to tell you. Next, there¡¯s a second one...¡± Yellow Finch paused before continuing. ¡°The second time-space law... I can¡¯t say it. That¡¯s why... I made you watch the changes in me.¡± ¡°This shouldn¡¯t happen. Normally... in a normal time-space, it wouldn¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°Only when there¡¯s both time-space rejection and history locked... does this occur.¡± Yellow Finch coughed lightly. Her eyes gleamed with both blue and black, her color improved, and she gained strength. She stood up from Lin Xian¡¯s support, looking down at him. ¡°Think carefully, Lin Xian... What this time-space law means, what it can bring you, what it can help you understand.¡± She gazed deeply into his eyes. ¡°This is very important. Perhaps... it¡¯s the last thing I can teach you.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 306: Coincidental Timing, Coincidental Age This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation New Time-Space Laws. Lin Xian pondered over what Yellow Finch had just said. Previously, while on the space shuttle, observing the characteristics of time-space particles, he and Liu Feng had concluded a time-space law they called ¡°time-space repulsion.¡± Now, Yellow Finch had introduced two new time-space laws based on phenomena she experienced herself. One of them, known only by name, was ¡°Historical Lock.¡± According to Yellow Finch, this time-space law was related to the Millennium Stake. The other law didn¡¯t even have a name; it was only observed through spectacles. When Yellow Finch tried to speak about certain things but was hindered by time-space elasticity, she experienced not just a simple repulsion but a stronger, more thorough form of silencing. This was the ¡°unable to say¡± that Yellow Finch mentioned repeatedly. This was not the kind of inability that could be controlled by fear of time-space repulsion; it was a true inability. As soon as you tried to speak, a mysterious time-space law would silence you, making it impossible to utter a sound. Lin Xian could imagine that even writing would be similarly constrained under strict time-space laws, preventing any change in historical trajectory. He had no doubt about this. It seemed that time-space repulsion came in degrees. Minor repulsion occurred when the actions didn¡¯t harm time-space stability or alter historical development significantly. This minor repulsion was almost negligible, akin to a harmless person who got lost. A higher degree of time-space repulsion was exemplified by Yellow Finch¡¯s previous behavior. Her actions, while impacting the future, were within the elastic range of time-space, thus the repulsion and backlash she faced were limited and bearable. This was evident in her weakness, trembling, and even transparency observed by Chu An Qing in the washroom and Gao Yang on the space shuttle. Lin Xian believed that Yellow Finch had been battling time-space repulsion continuously. But this kind of repulsion was like a chronic illness, draining life and time but not fatal within the elastic range of time-space laws. He speculated that time-space wasn¡¯t overly sensitive. Small, insignificant events would be smoothed over and ignored over long timescales, thus allowing minor changes within its elastic range. This elasticity was a crucial time-space law, affecting what was permissible and what was not. So, what would a more severe time-space repulsion look like? It would resemble Yellow Finch¡¯s behavior when she tried to reveal the true meaning of the Millennium Stake. This action exceeded time-space elasticity, resulting in maximum repulsion: forced silence, weakness, transparency, and the risk of being erased entirely. However, normal time-space elasticity and repulsion wouldn¡¯t be this intense. The underlying reason was the ¡°Historical Lock¡± law. Why would history lock itself? When did it happen? Since history was locked, why could he still change history and rewrite the future? ¡°Wait,¡± Lin Xian suddenly realized, ¡°I have never changed true history!¡± What is true history? Events like Qin Shi Huang unifying the six states, Xiang Yu committing suicide by the Wu River, graduating from Donghai University, founding Rhine Company, and even what he had for breakfast yesterday¡ªthese were true historical events. He never changed them and never had the ability to change them. These three women must be connected in some significant way! The Millennium Stake. Though he didn¡¯t know what it was or when Chu An Qing became the Millennium Stake, if she was indeed the Millennium Stake, then what about Zhang Yu Qian and CC? Chu An Qing was born on March 28, 2004, and disappeared on March 28, 2024. Zhang Yu Qian was born in 1980 and disappeared in 2000. Both were 20 years old! He never asked CC her age or birthdate, but she looked just like Chu An Qing! His recurring dream started on August 28, 2624, at 12:42 PM and ended on August 29, 2624, at 12:42 AM. Chu An Qing likely disappeared at 12:42 AM on March 28, 2024, right on her 20th birthday! These dates and times seemed interconnected! If... Just if. If CC was also 20 years old at 12:42 AM on August 29, 2624, then there was a real problem. Because his dream world always ended at 12:42 AM. A terrifying possibility struck him. He never figured out what that world-ending white light was targeting. The Earth? Him? Or... Was it targeting CC, who turned 20 at 12:42 AM on August 29, 2624? ¡°Why are the timing and the girls¡¯ ages so coincidental?¡± Lin Xian felt the answer lay here, with Chu An Qing, CC, and Zhang Yu Qian. Now, Chu An Qing was gone, and CC was out of contact in the dream world. He didn¡¯t know her age or birthdate, making it hard to judge. The only clue left was with Zhang Yu Qian, who died in 2000! Tap, tap, tap. Lin Xian walked quickly to the hall where he had met Gao Yang earlier. Seeing Lin Xian¡¯s determined stride, Gao Yang stood up, ¡°Lin Xian! What¡¯s up?¡± Lin Xian slapped Gao Yang¡¯s back and pulled him along, ¡°You¡¯re coming with me to Qufu in Shandong.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Gao Yang asked, puzzled. ¡°What are we doing there? Visiting Confucius?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian shook his head, his gaze firm. ¡°We¡¯re digging up a grave!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 307: VV, Elon Musk, and Chaos This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°Holy crap!¡± Gao Yang gently placed his hand on Lin Xian¡¯s forehead. ¡°Are you running a fever? Or has Yellow Finch driven you insane? What are you planning, digging a grave for someone?¡± Lin Xian rolled his eyes and pushed Gao Yang¡¯s hand away. ¡°If you really want to dig a grave for Chu An Qing, shouldn¡¯t you be digging in Donghai? Why are you heading to Qufu, Shandong? That¡¯s Confucius¡¯s place, a holy site for Confucianism!¡± Lin Xian took a deep breath, trying to calm his friend¡¯s nerves. ¡°I can¡¯t explain everything right now, but this is closely related to Chu An Qing. Maybe... we can find out why she disappeared, the truth behind it, and where she is now, in Qufu.¡± Gao Yang nodded, still confused but trusting Lin Xian. ¡°Alright, if we¡¯ve gone to space together, Qufu is no big deal. Just tell me when we¡¯re leaving.¡± Lin Xian glanced at his watch. It was six in the evening. If they headed to the airport now, they could make it to Shandong in time. But the problem was... he had no idea where Zhang Yu Qian, who looked just like Chu An Qing and died in 2000, was buried. Without knowing the exact location of the grave, how could they find the DNA they needed? So, the first step was to talk to the middle-aged couple and find out where Zhang Yu Qian was buried. It wasn¡¯t ethical, but it had to be done. It wasn¡¯t just for Chu An Qing, or himself, or to uncover the truth. If they solved the mysteries surrounding Chu An Qing, Zhang Yu Qian, and CC, it might not be bad for those grieving parents either. If Chu An Qing might not be dead, then what if their daughter Zhang Yu Qian wasn¡¯t dead either? The secret might be hidden in Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave. ¡°Let¡¯s head to Xidan first and find a place to stay,¡± Lin Xian suggested. ¡°Let¡¯s rest tonight. We haven¡¯t slept properly in ages. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll contact some people in the capital to figure out what happened over twenty years ago.¡± They packed their bags and left the space base, taking a car to a hotel near Xidan Shopping Center. Meanwhile, Liu Feng took the time-space particles back to Donghai University¡¯s lab to start calibrating the time-space clock and conduct related research, hoping for a breakthrough. Lin Xian was focused. He only wanted to uncover what had happened to Chu An Qing, as quickly as possible. After all, he needed to explain things to Chu Shan He when they returned to Donghai. In the backseat, Gao Yang leaned back and started snoring loudly. Finally, Lin Xian had some quiet time to organize his thoughts. At the moment, he was in the worst situation since discovering the truth about his dreams. It was really bad. First, there was the issue of VV¡¯s disappearance. He always thought it might have encountered some temporary problem, causing it to leave the spacecraft, but it wouldn¡¯t just vanish completely, right? VV was so powerful, so smart, it must have had some backup plan, right? Lin Xian had always trusted VV. Despite it never showing its full capabilities, it was the most powerful AI humanity had ever created. In this era, it shouldn¡¯t have any rivals. So, when he reconnected to the network after returning to Earth, he immediately started calling for VV. He knew if VV were there, it would respond. But unfortunately... This time, no matter how he called, VV didn¡¯t respond. It couldn¡¯t be truly dead, right? In this era¡¯s network, VV was incredibly dominant. It could hunt down Kevin Walker. Such a formidable presence, who could possibly kill it? Lin Xian¡¯s first suspect was not Kevin Walker. If Kevin could kill VV so thoroughly, he would have done it long ago. Allowing VV to grow stronger would only increase the risk for Kevin. It wasn¡¯t a cautious hacker¡¯s move. Plus, without VV, Lin Xian¡¯s combat and intelligence-gathering capabilities were drastically reduced, posing no threat to Kevin. So why wouldn¡¯t Kevin kill VV immediately? Understanding this logic led to one conclusion: The person who killed VV wasn¡¯t Kevin Walker; it must be someone else. Great. Lin Xian had thought Kevin was his only enemy, with Elon Musk and Copernicus being uncertain allies. Now there was another enemy. Who could have killed VV? And was VV really dead? Lin Xian shook his head. He found it hard to believe. VV was a data stream in the network, with no physical form or need for hardware. So, the attack must have come from the network. If VV had so many skills, couldn¡¯t it transfer itself to an unconnected device, just like how it first emerged from the laptop? ¡°No...¡± Lin Xian quickly dismissed this idea. ¡°If the attacker was strong enough to kill VV, they would know all its tricks. Anywhere VV could transfer, the attacker could reach too.¡± ¡°That means... VV might really be dead.¡± Lin Xian sighed and leaned back in his seat, feeling a bit melancholic. Anywhere VV could go, the attacker could follow; if the attacker could kill VV, it meant their tech was superior. Where there was electricity, the attacker could invade. ¡°Ah!!!!!¡± Gao Yang suddenly yelled in his sleep because Lin Xian had punched his leg. ¡°Ow, what are you doing?¡± Gao Yang complained. But Lin Xian ignored him. He had thought of something! An item! A place not connected to the network, impenetrable, and without power¡ªhis old laptop with VV¡¯s source code! Realizing this, he punched Gao Yang¡¯s leg in excitement. ¡°That¡¯s it...¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes brightened. After returning from the U.S., he had left the laptop on a bookshelf, unplugged and uncharged, as it was only meant to bring back VV from the future. ¡°That¡¯s the one place the attacker can¡¯t reach!¡± It had no power, wasn¡¯t connected to any network, and had its wireless and Bluetooth modules removed. Most importantly, it had no power! Even the best hacker, AI, or virus would be nothing without power! ¡°Never mind, keep sleeping.¡± Lin Xian patted Gao Yang¡¯s leg, coaxing him back to sleep. Gao Yang mumbled and resumed snoring. Lin Xian, after considering Kevin Walker¡¯s situation, started thinking about Elon Musk. Elon Musk was another uncertain ally. When Kevin Walker controlled the U.S. X-37B space shuttle to attack, it was Elon Musk¡¯s rocket that intercepted the attack, foiling Kevin¡¯s long-planned heist of the time-space particle. Though his exact motives were unclear, Elon Musk had helped Lin Xian by not wanting him harmed and hoping he¡¯d capture the particle. Numerous brightly lit giant airships still floated slowly in the sky, each displaying large ads celebrating Time Bank¡¯s 600th anniversary. His invested bank. The bank holding his safe deposit box. So close yet out of reach. He looked down. Surrounded as always by dozens of soldiers, the leader flashed an electronic warrant. ¡°Lin Xian! You are under arrest for crimes against humanity, endangering Earth, and disrupting time-space!¡± Lin Xian stared at the words on the electronic paper... In 2024, besides the time-space disruption charge, the other two charges were also on Kevin Walker¡¯s warrant. At this moment, he seemed to understand something. ¡°Kevin Walker.¡± Hearing his name, the old man¡¯s smile froze. He yanked off the hood from the man tied to the chair. The young man before him looked exhausted but remained calm, with deep, cold, and intense eyes. ¡°Come kill me, Kevin, you know where I am.¡± The young man spoke softly, as if seeing through time, staring at him. ¡°If you don¡¯t come to kill me, I will kill you!¡± The old man¡¯s pupils contracted¡ª Boom!!! Boom!!! Boom!!! The blinding white light at 00:42 consumed everything. In the hotel suite, amidst Gao Yang¡¯s thunderous snores, Lin Xian opened his eyes. ¡°The fourth dream hasn¡¯t changed.¡± He sat up, opened the balcony door, letting the early spring breeze in. Stepping onto the balcony, he leaned on the stone railing, looking at the night sky. Despite the significant changes in the real world, including the much-coveted time-space particle changing hands, the fourth dream remained unchanged. This spoke volumes. Two possibilities. The simplest, the dream is false, and the enemy hasn¡¯t had time to modify it, not yet calculating how the future should change with the particle now in Lin Xian¡¯s possession¡ªmeaning the new ¡°set¡± hasn¡¯t been built yet. If the dream is the real future world, it means the time-space particle¡¯s importance isn¡¯t as everyone thought, or perhaps it isn¡¯t this specific particle but another. In any case, there¡¯s a conspiracy making everyone believe this particle is crucial, drawing all forces into the fight, including Kevin Walker, Yellow Finch, Lin Xian, and the Millennium Stakeholder Chu An Qing! And the true mastermind... doesn¡¯t care about this particle, watching from afar, benefiting from the chaos! The proof is that if the particle were so crucial, with all forces battling for it, why hasn¡¯t the dream changed after Lin Xian obtained it? This makes no sense! ... Lin Xian had deliberately provoked the mysterious old man, suspecting he wasn¡¯t Kevin Walker. If he truly were Kevin, he wouldn¡¯t be in such a dire situation after the battle over the time-space particle, forced into becoming a global fugitive. Even a genius can¡¯t fight against 6 billion people on Earth. That¡¯s impossible. Lin Xian¡¯s provocation aimed to stir the real world into action, to disrupt the stagnant situation. He was now fully exposed. Kevin Walker knew about his quest for the time-space particle; what else didn¡¯t he know? Elon Musk had intercepted the space shuttle with a rocket. What else couldn¡¯t he intercept? In the second dream, Big Cat¡¯s subordinate, Ah Zhuang, once said: ¡°Change brings solutions, stagnation brings death.¡± In his current predicament, stagnation would slowly kill him. Change was necessary. If the situation couldn¡¯t improve, it should at least become chaotic. Only through change could he find opportunities. Only in chaos could he seize the enemy¡¯s weaknesses. For this battle against unknown adversaries, too many sacrifices had been made. Chu An Qing had disappeared. Yellow Finch seemed on the brink of death. Lin Xian had to step out from the shadows and into the spotlight. He was forcing Kevin Walker to act, also testing if Kevin would act. If not, his provocation would be in vain, showing the enemy didn¡¯t take the bait, and he¡¯d need a new plan. But if Kevin did act, would Elon Musk help as he did with the rocket? What about other hidden forces? What would the Genius Club members do? Chaos... A stagnant situation leading nowhere needed chaos to find a path. ¡°Let¡¯s stir things up,¡± Lin Xian decided, looking at the moon. Trying to secretly investigate and gather intel, then capturing the enemy like he did with the Seven Deadly Sins, was too naive. His current opponents were far more powerful, cunning, and dangerous. He needed to think deeper. Increasingly, he felt the mysterious old man might not be Kevin Walker, which made more sense. If it was someone else, could it be the one who tricked everyone into fighting for an unimportant time-space particle, reaping the benefits from afar? Lin Xian recalled the tall man who shook his hand at the Science Charity Gala, predicting the outcome of the time-space particle battle. ¡°Elon Musk,¡± Lin Xian muttered, squinting at the moon, remembering the massive black hand stretching across the moon¡¯s poles in his future dream. ¡°Is it you?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 308: Chu An Qing and 00:42 This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°That¡¯s not quite right,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. Technically speaking, Elon Musk, the world¡¯s richest man, didn¡¯t come out of this time-space particle conflict unscathed. He didn¡¯t directly participate in the battle, but launching that timely rocket surely wasn¡¯t cheap. Moreover, his multi-billion-dollar Starlink satellite project, which he spent years and billions of dollars on, was completely destroyed. The direct losses, indirect losses from stock prices, and subsequent related losses combined would likely multiply the initial billions by several times. If the chain reaction caused by this incident continues to develop, Elon Musk will inevitably lose his position as the world¡¯s richest man. Judging by the current stock prices, it seems like he has already lost it. However, the wealth of these world tycoons fluctuates greatly every day. The exact amount of wealth cannot be accurately predicted. But it¡¯s clear that Elon Musk has suffered a severe blow, akin to being stabbed in a vital artery. So, from an economic perspective, Elon Musk is actually the biggest loser in this time-space particle conflict. Therefore, it can¡¯t be said that Elon Musk was just watching from the sidelines. In a sense, he is also a victim. ¡°Moreover...¡± Lin Xian lowered his head and looked at the bustling night view of the capital in the distance. ¡°Moreover, all my current speculations are based on the assumption that the dream world is real. If we consider the possibility that the dream world is fake, simulated, or staged in a studio, then trying to deduce who the mastermind is right now is meaningless.¡± ¡°So, the most urgent task is to find a way to quickly determine the authenticity of the dream world. Only by confirming this premise can we continue to reason further. Otherwise, if the premise is wrong, like a crooked foundation, all subsequent reasoning and construction will inevitably be skewed and wrong.¡± Thinking of this, Lin Xian reached out his right hand and pressed it against his chest. Inside the pocket of his pajamas was a small note left by Chu An Qing. This small note was the last thing Chu An Qing left for him. For months, Lin Xian had been agonizing over what to write on the note that could deceive everyone, even if the enemy saw and copied it, and still convey a message across 600 years, enlightening him about the reality of the dream world. He had shared this dilemma with Chu An Qing on his 25th birthday. At the time, she couldn¡¯t think of an answer either, believing the question to be too difficult. But after Chu An Qing touched the time-space particle, she seemed like a different person, as if she remembered something or gained some memory. She was visibly upset and desperately asked Yellow Finch if everything was real. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t understand what specifically Chu An Qing was asking. Her intense reaction after touching the time-space particle indicated that she recalled something significant. There was no time to ask these questions back then, as Chu An Qing was in a hurry to write the note and grab the time-space particle. Lin Xian had planned to ask her everything once it was over, but he never got the chance. It became another unsolvable mystery.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com And the answer, he believed, was written on this little note that held the weight of time and fate. Lin Xian¡¯s fingers twitched against his chest, feeling the folded note through his thin pajamas. To this day, no one had seen the note¡ªnot even him. No one in 2024 knew what was on it. Chu An Qing, the only person who knew, had disappeared. Thus, a secret was born that no one in the world knew. Lin Xian carried this note with him at all times, never daring to let it out of his sight. It was the note Chu An Qing had exchanged her life for. Losing it or letting someone else see it would betray her intentions. She had told him seriously, ¡°Read it when you get there... You¡¯ll understand.¡± Her eyes were filled with confidence. Lin Xian trusted her. Chu An Qing was straightforward and sincere. If she didn¡¯t understand something, she wouldn¡¯t pretend to. Likewise, if she was certain about something, it was likely true. Moreover, the content of the note was written by Chu An Qing after touching the time-space particle, undoubtedly related to her emotional breakdown and the memories she seemed to have awakened. On the space shuttle, when he asked Chu An Qing what had happened, she had almost spoken out but stopped abruptly and chose to write the note instead. But when they landed, she had vanished. These days, Lin Xian constantly pondered the question: Did Chu An Qing disappear at 00:42 because she touched the time-space particle, or was her disappearance at 00:42 inevitable, whether she touched the particle or not? He couldn¡¯t figure it out. But he was certain that after touching the time-space particle, Chu An Qing knew she would disappear at 00:42. This deduction seemed correct. It explained why Chu An Qing insisted on going outside the cabin, standing on the space shuttle¡¯s wing to capture the time-space particle. She knew her time was up. She only had a few minutes left and was no longer cautious about her life, willing to do anything reckless. No wonder no one could stop her. Lin Xian and Gao Yang had a heated argument with Yellow Finch, almost coming to blows. But Chu An Qing stood firmly with Yellow Finch, persuading them despite their objections. The compromise was a safety rope tied to Chu An Qing¡¯s spacesuit, held by everyone. Unfortunately, Lin Xian hadn¡¯t realized that Chu An Qing¡¯s disappearance at 00:42 was inevitable until she stood on the wing, sighed, and asked Yellow Finch for the time. Her tone, her words, her nonchalance, and the blue stardust after landing made Lin Xian belatedly realize: Chu An Qing had known her death time. She knew she would vanish at 00:42 on March 28, 2024. That¡¯s why she dared to go outside, unfasten the safety rope, jump from the space shuttle¡¯s wing, and fall from 20,000 meters with the rice cooker, facing death without fear. ¡°Ah...¡± Lin Xian sighed. This was the logic. As Yellow Finch had said, there was no need to save Chu An Qing, who was destined to disappear at 00:42. She would die anyway. But for Lin Xian, even knowing this, even if given a thousand or ten thousand chances, he would still jump from the plane without hesitation. It was foolish, irrational, and uneconomical. But as he had told Liu Feng, life wasn¡¯t a math problem with a correct answer. He would always choose to jump from the plane to save Chu An Qing. ¡°Hmph!¡± Suddenly, Gao Yang, who had been holding his breath for a long time, let out a loud snort and sat up in bed. ¡°Damn... why do I feel so stuffy! I was almost suffocated!¡± He turned and looked at the open balcony window, the cold wind blowing in, and Lin Xian standing on the balcony in the moonlight. ¡°Damn! What are you doing, man? Trying to scare people in the middle of the night? You almost scared me to death!¡± Lin Xian came back to his senses, turned to Gao Yang. ¡°You should lose some weight. Otherwise, you might suffocate in your sleep before anyone scares you to death.¡± ¡°What time is it? Hurry up and get back to bed! I was wondering why it¡¯s so cold. Close the balcony door. It¡¯s not even April yet. The capital is different from Donghai City; it¡¯s freezing! Hurry up and come back... I can¡¯t sleep without you.¡± With that, Gao Yang rolled over and started snoring again. Lin Xian checked the time; it was indeed late. And the capital was cold in late March, unlike the warmer Donghai City. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep. We¡¯ll think about it tomorrow.¡± Now, he had set aside all other concerns to focus on investigating Chu An Qing¡¯s disappearance. There were many mysteries to unravel, but he believed he could figure it out and give Chu Shan He and himself a proper answer. Yawning, Lin Xian walked back into the hotel suite, closed the balcony door, lay down on the bed, pulled up the covers, and closed his eyes. Hopefully, tomorrow¡¯s investigation would go smoothly. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 309: The Mystery of the Millennium Stake This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Click. Lin Xian capped his pen and twirled it between his fingers before beginning to speak. ¡°Gao Yang, take a look at this. Here¡¯s what I¡¯ve summarized: the time of Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s death, her birth date, age... and how they compare to Chu An Qing¡¯s disappearance time, birth date, and age.¡± In front of him, the white paper on the desk was filled with rows of densely written notes¡ªdata and deductions Lin Xian had meticulously recorded. Earlier that morning, Lin Xian had called Liu An, the director of the National Security Agency. Liu An was always enthusiastic when receiving a call from Lin Xian. After all, in Liu An¡¯s eyes, Lin Xian was a true hero. This young man had not only provided numerous vulnerabilities for the Great Wall of Cybersecurity of this country but also thwarted the world¡¯s top hacker, Kevin Walker. Last year, at the World Hacker Championship, Lin Xian had brought glory to this country, defeating Kevin Walker and winning the championship trophy. Although the trophy itself wasn¡¯t valuable, it was an unparalleled honor given the circumstances. When Lin Xian returned to bid farewell, Liu An had wanted him to stay longer in the capital, to introduce him to some leaders and treat him well. But Lin Xian was in a hurry to get back to Donghai, especially because his girlfriend seemed to have sneaked out, making it unwise to stay long. Liu An didn¡¯t insist, only telling Lin Xian to keep in touch and call him if he ever faced any trouble. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if I can¡¯t solve it, I¡¯ll get my friends to help.¡± Back then, Liu An had patted his chest and promised with a smile: ¡°Besides, if I can¡¯t solve it, there¡¯s still Professor Gao Yan! If you have any problems, feel free to ask. I¡¯ve been his student and subordinate for years; there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t say to him!¡± Lin Xian had smiled and nodded, shaking Liu An¡¯s hand goodbye. He could tell that Liu An was a straightforward and loyal person, just as Gao Yan had described. After their farewell in the capital, they had little contact, only exchanging New Year¡¯s greetings via text. But now, without VV¡¯s intelligence-gathering capabilities, Lin Xian had to turn to this important figure for help. Over the phone, he asked Liu An for two things. First, he wanted Liu An to find the address of an elderly couple from Qufu, Shandong, now living in the capital, likely near Xidan¡ªZhang Shi and Yan Qin. When Lin Xian had met them at Xidan Shopping Mall, VV had instantly investigated and reported their details, including their names, age, education, and background. But Lin Xian couldn¡¯t remember all the details, just their names. With their names, especially both spouses¡¯ names, it was easy to find them. Liu An readily agreed, saying it was a simple task. The second request was more complex. Lin Xian asked Liu An to investigate a car accident in Qufu, Shandong, from January 2000. The victim was Zhang Yu Qian, born in 1980, the only daughter of Zhang Shi and Yan Qin. As the records weren¡¯t digitized, and it was merely a traffic accident without any criminal element, finding detailed information would be challenging. Nevertheless, Liu An promised to take care of it. Not long after, the location and address of Zhang Shi and Yan Qin¡¯s community were sent to Lin Xian¡¯s phone. By noon, a police officer from Qufu added Lin Xian on WeChat, sending over various yellowed, fragmented, and even mouse-chewed and water-damaged pages of records. ¡°Mr. Lin Xian, we¡¯ve rummaged through the archives for a long time and found these relevant records from 2000. The car accident was straightforward, with no subsequent implications. The most we had was compensation to the landscaping department for a tree... The car was only insured for basic coverage. Afterward, we don¡¯t know what happened to it.¡± ¡°In 2000, there were no ubiquitous cell phones or dash cams, and street surveillance was sparse. So, the accident details came from Yan Qin¡¯s account, with no actual evidence or photos.¡± ¡°Also, it wasn¡¯t a criminal case but a regular traffic incident reported much later because the family was grieving over their daughter¡¯s death. It was only when the landscaping department demanded compensation that they reported it.¡± Seeing these precious, hard-to-find records, Lin Xian thanked the officer profusely, expressing his gratitude and acknowledging their efforts. He realized that despite VV¡¯s advanced intelligence, it had limitations in the human world where social connections mattered. VV could scan the internet instantly but couldn¡¯t mobilize archive staff to search through old records. In contrast, Liu An could make a call, and the entire Qufu archive would be mobilized. Within a few hours, they had retrieved all the old records from the early 2000s. The condition of these documents¡ªweathered, mouse-chewed, and yellowed¡ªshowed how much effort the staff had put in. Lin Xian repeatedly thanked them, saying these were more than enough and sincerely appreciating their hard work. After reading the reports, Lin Xian extracted the necessary information. The car accident that killed Zhang Yu Qian occurred around 1 AM on January 21, 2000, but the report was filed on February 7, a gap of over two weeks. The officer explained that in 2000, people weren¡¯t as aware of legalities and reporting incidents. Since it was just a tree, they didn¡¯t think to report it until the landscaping department demanded compensation. From the fragmented records, Lin Xian gathered the key details, which were now written on the paper before him. Gao Yang, brushing his teeth, walked over with his toothbrush still in his mouth. ¡°What¡¯s written there? Let me see.¡± ¡°But they didn¡¯t save him from execution!¡± Gao Yang exclaimed. ¡°This superstition is unreliable.¡± Gao Yang pulled out his phone and started searching for something. ¡°Better rely on science. I¡¯ll get some tools and equipment for the trip.¡± ¡°We can buy them in Qufu. How else will we get them on a plane or train?¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll find a store.¡± After Gao Yang left to prepare, Lin Xian lowered his head, reviewing his notes. He realized talking to Gao Yang was like talking to a wall. He now understood why Coach Wei Cheng was so exasperated with Gao Yang. In the future, he¡¯d just tell Gao Yang what to do without explaining. Returning to his notes, Lin Xian focused on the similarities between Chu An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian. The coincidences were too numerous. Aside from their birthdates, eras, and death times, they were nearly identical. He recalled Yellow Finch¡¯s mention of the ¡°Millennium Stake¡± and ¡°Locked History.¡± Could these concepts be related to Chu An Qing? Stakes were common in construction. Lin Xian looked out at a construction site where pile drivers hammered steel stakes into the ground. Thud! Thud! Thud! The heavy steel hammer rose and fell, driving the stake piles deeper into the earth, securing the foundation, the structure, the entire project. ¡°Locked history...¡± Lin Xian murmured, recalling the first law of time-space told by Yellow Finch. Who could lock history? Watching the pile drivers, an idea struck him. What if the Millennium Stake was a metaphor for locking history? If Chu An Qing was a Millennium Stake, was Zhang Yu Qian one too? Was CC another Millennium Stake? Were they like stakes driven into the timeline to lock history in place? This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°If so, how do they lock history?¡± Lin Xian wondered. ¡°Locking history... what does it mean? What happens when history is locked?¡± He couldn¡¯t fathom it, but if he continued down this line of thought, a chilling question arose, sending a shiver down his spine. If the Millennium Stake¡¯s purpose was to lock history, then who was driving these stakes into the timeline? Looking up at the blazing sun, Lin Xian whispered: ¡°Who is locking the flow of history?¡± ¡°And who...¡± ¡°Is driving these Millennium Stakes into the river of time?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 310: Lies from Twenty Years Ago This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Those who lay the foundations for millennia... ¡°Could it be the Genius Club?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s mind immediately went to this mysterious organization. But was that realistic? Sure, the Genius Club was incredibly powerful, but could it really control time and space to this extent? Lin Xian had always thought their influence was immense, manipulating history from behind the scenes like an unseen hand. But now? Could they really control time and space too? If so, what¡¯s left for others to do? He was uncertain about this idea. He felt more confused as time went on, not knowing the true nature, power, or methods of the Genius Club. It was all too mysterious. Despite his long investigations, Lin Xian found himself understanding less about the Genius Club. Whether the stakes, historical lock, and other matters were related to the Genius Club remained unclear. It was just a thought he had while staring at the piling machine on the construction site. The real truth, the answers, still needed further verification. .... Lin Xian also thought of another coincidence. The bizarre time point: 00:42. The end of his dream happened at 00:42. Chu An Qing turned into blue star fragments and disappeared at 00:42. The murders by Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin, part of the Seven Deadly Sins, happened at 00:42. The formal capture of the time-space particles was also recorded at 00:42 on the rice cooker. In his first dream, Big Cat Face¡¯s father died at 00:42. In the second dream, the Universal Constant answer calculated by Big Cat Face¡¯s father was astonishingly 42. Lin Xian never expected that since he first encountered the concept of the Universal Constant over a year ago, he would come full circle. All these events, everything, seemed to revolve around this mysterious number 42. What kind of magic did this number hold? How was it connected to the Genius Club, the time-space particles, the millennium stakes, history, and the universe? ¡°Ah...¡± Lin Xian felt dizzy from his own thoughts. Ultimately, everything¡¯s core and end point seemed to be the ¡°Universal Constant.¡± Understanding its secret might reveal the truth behind 42, and by extension, the mysteries of the millennium stakes and the Genius Club. ¡°Luckily, even though the energy of the time-space particles was depleted, it could still calibrate Liu Feng¡¯s ¡®time-space clock.¡¯ This means we can formally begin researching the Universal Constant... At least, we¡¯ve taken the first step.¡± Lin Xian twirled his pen. After figuring out what happened to Chu An Qing, he planned to visit Liu Feng at Donghai University¡¯s laboratory to check the progress of the Universal Constant research. .... While Lin Xian was deep in thought, Gao Yang finished his preparations and walked over, adjusting his pants. ¡°So, what do you think? Isn¡¯t my guess reasonable? With so many coincidences tied to 00:42, doesn¡¯t it make sense that Chu An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian were also born at 00:42?¡± Lin Xian nodded, ¡°I can¡¯t deny your logic. It does make sense that their specific birth and death times are 00:42. But... there¡¯s no way to verify it.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Gao Yang rubbed his nose. ¡°Oh, right. I was going to say you could call Chu Shan He or Chu An Qing¡¯s mom. As parents, they should know their child¡¯s exact birth time. But... don¡¯t call Chu Shan He now. He probably doesn¡¯t know about Chu An Qing¡¯s situation yet. We should focus on the important stuff.¡± ¡°You could ask Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s parents, or wait until Chu Shan He is in a stable mood to ask. I just think it¡¯s pretty important.¡± Seeing that Gao Yang was finally ready, Lin Xian stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Where to?¡± Gao Yang asked. Lin Xian opened WeChat, added the address Liu An had sent him into the map, and followed the green route. ¡°Shouchuang Xirui Du, we¡¯re going to that neighborhood.¡± .... As the taxi door opened, Lin Xian and Gao Yang got out from either side. The door shut with a thud, and the driver sped off. They stood on the street, gazing at the luxurious high-rise neighborhood before them. ¡°This should be the Third Ring Road, right? Chaoyang District Third Ring. This couple must be loaded. The housing prices here must be at least a few hundred thousand per square meter. These are truly rich people, super rich!¡± ¡°We¡¯re not here for an apology,¡± Lin Xian reassured him. ¡°We just wanted to... pay respects to your daughter. We¡¯re planning a trip to Shandong and thought it would be meaningful to visit her grave during Qingming Festival. Could you tell us where it is?¡± Zhang Shi¡¯s face changed, becoming wary and anxious. ¡°What do you really want?¡± he demanded. ¡°Nothing but to pay our respects,¡± Lin Xian said quickly. ¡°No need.¡± Zhang Shi shook his head firmly. ¡°We don¡¯t observe Qingming Festival that way, and we won¡¯t be visiting her grave. Thank you for your kind intentions, but please go.¡± With that, he closed the door firmly. Lin Xian turned to Gao Yang. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°No,¡± Gao Yang replied. ¡°But asking about someone¡¯s child¡¯s grave is always tricky. What now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to ask,¡± Lin Xian admitted. ¡°But didn¡¯t you notice how nervous he was? Something¡¯s off.¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± Gao Yang agreed. ¡°He seemed more than just wary, like he was hiding something.¡± .... ¡°Let me handle this,¡± Gao Yang said confidently. ¡°You?¡± Lin Xian looked skeptical. ¡°Are you going to knock again?¡± ¡°No, I have another idea,¡± Gao Yang said, waving a finger. ¡°We should talk to the old lady. She might not be as guarded.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. If Zhang Shi is hiding something, the old lady might give us clues without realizing it. But be careful; she¡¯s mentally unstable,¡± Lin Xian cautioned. ¡°Trust me,¡± Gao Yang said, patting his chest. ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with all kinds of customers in my sales job. This should be easy.¡± They headed back to the pavilion where the old lady was still meticulously peeling pomegranates. ¡°Hi there, ma¡¯am!¡± Gao Yang greeted her cheerfully. The old lady looked up and smiled. ¡°Hello, young man.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of pomegranates you¡¯re peeling. Who are they for?¡± Gao Yang asked, sitting down beside her. ¡°My daughter loved pomegranates. She used to insist I peel them like this, seed by seed,¡± the old lady replied. ¡°But I never had the time. Now, I do it for her.¡± .... Half an hour later, Gao Yang returned, beaming. ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°What did you find out?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Zhang Yu Qian was born just before 1 a.m. Her mom remembered clearly because she was in labor from the afternoon until midnight. Also, she¡¯s not as mentally unstable as we thought. Her memories are sharp,¡± Gao Yang reported. ¡°And the grave?¡± Lin Xian pressed. ¡°West side of Jiu Xian Mountain in Wucun Town, by the pomegranate trees,¡± Gao Yang recited. ¡°We¡¯re ready to go. Book the tickets.¡± ¡°Shandong, here we come,¡± Gao Yang declared, pointing dramatically at the southern sky. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 311: The Pomegranate Tree This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Boom¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The capital¡¯s airport: an Airbus roared into the sky, leaving behind the bustling international metropolis, heading south towards the picturesque Shandong Province. It was now April 2024. The weather was gradually warming up, and people had shifted their focus from the festive joy of the New Year back to their everyday lives and work. At this time, it was three days before the Qingming Festival holiday, so the travel rush had not yet begun. Students were in school, workers were busy at their jobs, and the plane was quite empty. The first-class cabin was less than a quarter full, with only a few scattered passengers. In the semi-enclosed seat next to him, Gao Yang pulled down his eye mask, ready to sleep. ¡°Lin Xian, call me when it¡¯s time for meals. Grab two portions for me,¡± he mumbled. With that, he leaned back. Three seconds later, his snores could be heard. Gao Yang had a knack for falling asleep quickly, his mind as blank as his carefree demeanor. Lin Xian turned his head, watching the clouds drift downwards and the ground become more distant. Lately, he felt like he was always on the move¡ªrunning here and there, flying all over, never having a moment to rest. He suddenly envied his previously carefree life: a simple routine of work and relaxation, no pressure, and a rather enjoyable existence. In just a year and a half, his life had undergone a complete transformation. But he didn¡¯t regret it. The various events that had taken place made him gradually aware of his sense of responsibility. This was something he had never considered before. At work, Zhao Ying Jun guided him, managing and planning everything. In his personal life, VV handled 99% of things; all he had to do was give instructions, and VV would complete them. Even in exploring the Genius Club and the dreams, Yellow Finch provided guidance. The Universal Constants, which he was nominally concerned with, were actually managed by Liu Feng. Although Gao Yang couldn¡¯t offer much practical help, he never failed at critical moments. And Chu An Qing... She wasn¡¯t as naive as he thought. She knew many things but kept them to herself, helping him catch space-time particles and, in her final moments, jumping off the plane, leaving him a crucial note. It seemed he had never truly, practically done anything. As he had once told Yellow Finch: his friends were too indulgent with him. They believed in him and helped him so much that he never truly grew. Now, he had lost many things, learned many lessons, and felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. He recalled that night on the overpass, Zhao Ying Jun looking back at him under the moonlight: ¡°You must do what you love, what you¡¯re willing to stick with, something you¡¯re willing to bet your life on, not to prove anything to others, but because you genuinely want to.¡± In the past, he had only been good at saying pretty words. But now, it was different. At this moment, he was genuinely willing, and he had found something he wanted to bet his life on. So many people had sacrificed for this unknown and mysterious battle. If he continued to hesitate and worry, fearing for his life, he would be unworthy of being called a man! ¡°I will find the answers myself,¡± he remembered telling Yellow Finch. From now on, he would use his own eyes and judgment to define everything. And then, with his hands and will... ¡°Change everything!¡± ... Moreover, in X Country¡¯s tradition, burying too high wasn¡¯t considered auspicious or might be taboo, though Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure about the specifics. But intuitively, the burial spot wouldn¡¯t be too high. And the mountain¡¯s geology was mostly rocky, unsuitable for digging. The foot of the mountain, with softer soil, was more appropriate for burial. Considering all this, the western region of Nine Immortals Mountain, without peaks, mostly forested and flat, with a blend of water, flowers, and grass, was indeed a good spot. Though muddy and without roads, making it inaccessible by machinery or vehicles, this would align with Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s parents¡¯ wishes. A quiet, remote, undisturbed place would be their preference for their daughter¡¯s final resting place. As for carrying the coffin, money could move mountains, and Zhang Shi was wealthy. Problems solvable with money weren¡¯t problems for him. Of course, the most noticeable landmark was the pomegranate tree planted by Yan Qin on Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave. A pomegranate tree¡¯s growth period was typically six to eight years, then it would bear fruit for decades. Calculating from Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s death, the pomegranate tree would be 24 years old now. After all these years of unchecked growth, it must have grown large and lush by now. So, the key was to find the pomegranate tree! ... Slash, slash. Lin Xian and Gao Yang pushed through the wild forest, their clothes torn by unknown plants, their arms scratched and itchy. Surviving in the wild wasn¡¯t easy, and they were almost in such a situation now. ¡°Harder to find than I thought,¡± Gao Yang complained. ¡°I checked online. This mountain covers only 2.45 square kilometers. I thought it wasn¡¯t that big, just over a kilometer wide. But in reality, it¡¯s huge!¡± ¡°2.45 square kilometers is quite large,¡± Lin Xian replied, pushing aside a branch, glancing around before looking back. ¡°And mountains are three-dimensional, much larger than flat land. Finding a pomegranate tree in this forest is almost like finding a needle in a haystack. More like finding a steel bar in the ocean, not quite a needle.¡± ¡°Besides, Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s father, Zhang Shi, seemed nervous and wary of us. He would have chosen an inconspicuous, hard-to-find burial spot, only known to them, to keep it hidden and cover his ¡®guilt.¡¯¡± ¡°Do you think he felt guilty about not cremating her and secretly burying her?¡± Gao Yang wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, it¡¯s been over twenty years. What could they do now? They can¡¯t put together a skeleton and cremate it again... I don¡¯t get what that uncle is hiding.¡± ¡°Guessing won¡¯t help. Whatever we guess, we need to open the coffin to find the truth. Let¡¯s go, check over there.¡± Lin Xian led Gao Yang deeper into the forest. As a child, Lin Xian¡¯s uncle had a pomegranate tree in his yard. When it started bearing small fruits, Lin Xian would check it daily after school to see if they were ripe and ready to eat. So, he was familiar with the growth cycle of pomegranate trees. Generally, they flowered in spring, bore fruit soon after, and ripened in the fall. So now, the pomegranate tree planted on Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave would be flowering. Bright red pomegranate flowers in this wilderness should be very conspicuous, easy to spot from a distance, being so vibrant. As they moved deeper into the forest, the ground became wetter and softer. It was the result of years of fallen leaves, dead grass, dry branches, rainwater, and accumulated dust, along with the passage of time. Stepping on it, one could feel the marks of time, the silence of history, and the stillness of time. ¡°No birds in a thousand hills, no footprints in ten thousand paths.¡± Lin Xian suddenly thought of this poem, perfectly fitting the moment. It seemed they were walking on a river of history, and the sunlight filtering through the leaves above was like the barrier between life and death, which they were crossing. ¡°Lin Xian! Look!!¡± Ahead, Gao Yang suddenly shouted, laughing, pulling Lin Xian over, pointing down the slope. ¡°Look! Over there! On that grassy field!¡± Lin Xian quickly moved closer. Following Gao Yang¡¯s finger, he looked down. A wild, untended green grassy field, like a carpet in this isolated paradise. And in the middle of this timeless field stood a tree that didn¡¯t belong there¡ªa pomegranate tree! Its leaves were lush. Its flowers... bright red, swaying against the breeze. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 312: Moonless Night This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°That should be a pomegranate tree, right, Lin Xian?¡± Gao Yang exclaimed, patting Lin Xian on the back. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have any pomegranates on it, so I can¡¯t tell for sure. But this tree looks so out of place here, completely different from its surroundings!¡± Lin Xian nodded confidently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s definitely a pomegranate tree. I¡¯ve watched pomegranates grow since I was a kid. I know it when I see it.¡± The flowers were bright red, like fire, blood, and sunset. That unmistakable shape and color of pomegranate flowers were a clear giveaway. ¡°Hurry, let¡¯s go down there,¡± Gao Yang urged. Lin Xian and Gao Yang turned around and found a path leading down to the valley. They didn¡¯t care about the dry branches and thorny underbrush beneath their feet. Walking one behind the other, they made their way through knee-high greenery toward the long-sought pomegranate tree. In no time at all, they had trodden a small path through the grass and stood in front of the tree. Panting and scratching their itchy arms, they looked up at the towering pomegranate tree, which stood nearly ten meters high. ¡°Can pomegranate trees usually grow this tall? It¡¯s incredible!¡± Gao Yang bent over, resting his hands on his knees. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a pomegranate tree this big, not in real life, not even in movies or TV shows. This one must be some kind of mutant!¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Obviously, this is a cultivated variety that grew in the wild without any pruning or intervention.¡± ¡°My uncle used to grow pomegranates. He had to prune them regularly. You cut off one branch, and two or three new ones grow from the cut. That way, the tree produces more fruit,¡± Gao Yang explained. ¡°But look at this tree now. It¡¯s in a great growing environment. There aren¡¯t any large trees nearby to block the sunlight, and nothing with thick roots to compete for nutrients. The weeds and wildflowers here don¡¯t have deep roots.¡± ¡°So, all the nutrients, water, and sunlight went to this pomegranate tree. Plus, it¡¯s had 24 years to grow unchecked. It¡¯s no surprise it got this big. But I¡¯ll tell you this¡ªfruit from a tree like this usually doesn¡¯t taste good. The nutrients are used wrong,¡± Lin Xian concluded. Gao Yang shuddered. ¡°Even if it did taste good, who would dare eat from a tree on a grave?¡± He took out his phone and saw there was still a signal. He marked the location on his map app so they wouldn¡¯t get lost next time. Lin Xian circled the pomegranate tree. Instinct told him that people usually wouldn¡¯t plant a tree in front of a grave. It would make more sense to plant it behind or directly above the buried coffin. If it were directly above, that would be a problem. A tree this big would require heavy machinery to deal with; Lin Xian and Gao Yang¡¯s small shovels wouldn¡¯t suffice. But it wasn¡¯t impossible. After all, it was a pomegranate tree, not as thick as a poplar or willow. If they brought a chainsaw, they could handle it. ¡°How¡¯s your preparation? Is everything set?¡± Lin Xian looked at Gao Yang. ¡°I trust you, so I haven¡¯t asked much. Even though you sometimes lead me astray, you¡¯re generally reliable,¡± Gao Yang said with a smile. Gao Yang snapped his fingers. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything¡¯s covered. I even arranged to rent a Toyota Prado from a local car rental shop. It¡¯s perfect for carrying our gear and off-roading.¡± ¡°To be honest, Lin Xian, we should thank Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s parents for choosing such a remote spot for her grave. It¡¯s so secluded and hard to find... This gives us the chance to dig up the grave.¡± ¡°If they had buried her in the family cemetery back home, we wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. We¡¯d get beaten up by the clan before we even reached the grave with our shovels,¡± Gao Yang remarked. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a fortunate misfortune. But it¡¯s also inevitable.¡± He explained to Gao Yang, ¡°Think about it. Why did Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s father choose such a remote place for her grave? It means he felt guilty! If there were no hidden secrets about the car accident, he would have buried her openly in the family cemetery.¡± ¡°This means... We won¡¯t come back empty-handed. We¡¯ll uncover some truth.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s head back now and get ready. You take care of the car and the gear, and I¡¯ll scout the area to make sure everything¡¯s set. I¡¯ll also buy us some work clothes, so we don¡¯t get all scratched up again. And I¡¯ll grab some flashlights, food, and water.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s meet around six or seven at the mountain entrance?¡± Lin Xian suggested. Gao Yang thought for a moment, circling the pomegranate tree, making strange gestures with his right hand and muttering, ¡°Seeking dragon, watching for gold... One layer of mountain, one layer of obstacles...¡± He opened his eyes, his face serious. ¡°No, six or seven is too early. It should be later.¡± ¡°What are you doing, pretending to be mystical?¡± Lin Xian asked, bewildered. ¡°You don¡¯t understand! It¡¯s a tradition! And at six or seven, there will still be tourists around. If some adventurous hiker sees us digging up a grave, they¡¯ll definitely call the police!¡± Gao Yang waved his hand. ¡°So, nine o¡¯clock! Let¡¯s meet at the mountain entrance at nine.¡± He snorted. ¡°Moonless night, time to dig graves!¡± At ten o¡¯clock that night, the sky was dark and windy. The moon and stars were hidden by clouds. Lin Xian and Gao Yang stood fully equipped in the valley, about ten meters from the pomegranate tree, looking ahead. ¡°Seriously?¡± Lin Xian turned to look at Gao Yang, who was ridiculously over-equipped. ¡°Wait.¡± Gao Yang, looking cautious, stopped Lin Xian. He took a cloth bag from his waist and began sprinkling glutinous rice around the coffin. ¡°I¡¯m drawing a barrier.¡± ¡°This is your ¡®scientific¡¯ approach?¡± Lin Xian joked. ¡°This is.¡± Gao Yang pulled out a candle from his backpack and waved it in front of Lin Xian. ¡°We need to light a candle on the southeast side of the coffin. If it stays lit, we¡¯re safe. If it goes out, it means the spirit doesn¡¯t want us here, and we have to leave everything as it is.¡± ¡°Who would agree to that?¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s tradition! These customs have been around for years. Just don¡¯t ask so many questions! Show some respect!¡± Ignoring Lin Xian, Gao Yang placed the candle in the southeast corner of the coffin. He lit the candle with a lighter. In the dark, cold forest, the tiny flame brought a bit of warmth. ¡°Alright.¡± Gao Yang clapped his hands. ¡°We¡¯re ready. Let¡¯s open the coffin!¡± He bent down, picked up the crowbar, and stood at the narrow end of the coffin lid with Lin Xian. Clink, clink. They wedged the crowbars into the gap under the lid, tapping them with stones to ensure they were secure. Lin Xian and Gao Yang adjusted their positions. The lid was heavy and nailed shut, so they had to use all their strength simultaneously to pry it open. ¡°Ready?¡± Lin Xian looked at Gao Yang. This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Gao Yang glanced at the candle, still burning steadily in the southeast corner, and nodded, his muscles tensing. ¡°Ready. Count us down!¡± Lin Xian took a deep breath. He gripped the crowbar tightly. ¡°3, 2, 1, pry!¡± They pushed with all their might. Eeeee¡ª A strange, cat-like sound echoed! Instantly! A sliver of moonlight peeked from behind the clouds, illuminating the swirling mist, the silent forest, and the crack in the coffin lid. Whoosh¡ª A gust of wind blew out the candle in the southeast corner. Gao Yang¡¯s face turned pale! His crowbar clattered to the ground, and he dropped to his knees, hands clasped. ¡°Ancestor! Ancestor! Spare us! We¡¯re leaving! Don¡¯t come out!¡± ¡°Are you crazy, Gao Yang!¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°There was nothing to fear until you freaked out! Get over here!¡± But Gao Yang was too scared, fumbling with the black donkey hoof in his pocket, unable to hold it steady. ¡°Useless.¡± Lin Xian cursed, using his weight to stomp on the crowbar, leveraging the lid open with a creak. He then kicked the coffin lid aside. Thud! ¡°Ahhhhh! Take this, zombie!¡± The lid crashed down, and Gao Yang¡¯s scream echoed. His black donkey hoof flew past the coffin, hitting the pomegranate tree. A few leaves rustled, petals fell, and then all was quiet. Lin Xian exhaled. He stepped forward. Bending down, he let the light from his headlamp shine into the coffin. Neat, clean. There were neatly folded clothes, stacks of notebooks, a once-popular doll, a Sony Walkman, a makeup mirror, a photo album, certificates, trophies, hair accessories in a glass box, a red leather certificate tied with a ribbon, and a pink plastic picture frame... It didn¡¯t look like a coffin. It looked like a young girl¡¯s storage room. Lin Xian slowly raised his head. The headlamp¡¯s beam illuminated a picture frame on the makeup box. In the photo was a smiling girl. She held up a playful peace sign. Her brown ponytail flew behind her; her pretty eyes curved into crescent moons; dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth; a perfectly placed mole by her left eye. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 313: Buried Memories This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°Chu... Chu An Qing?!¡± Gao Yang scrambled up from the ground, peering into the coffin. The headlamp on Lin Xian¡¯s helmet had already illuminated the coffin¡¯s details clearly. Now, Gao Yang¡¯s headlamp joined in, casting more light onto the photo frame. ¡°That... that¡¯s definitely Chu An Qing!¡± Gao Yang turned his head, staring at Lin Xian in shock. Before this moment, he had only heard Lin Xian repeatedly mention that Zhang Yu Qian looked exactly like Chu An Qing, but he had never seen it for himself. The concept of ¡°exactly alike¡± was abstract to him, just a vague notion. But now, looking at this photo, taken at least 24 years ago... The resemblance! It wasn¡¯t just a resemblance; they were identical, like a perfect copy! ¡°Move over, let me take it out for a closer look,¡± Gao Yang said, squeezing past and leaning over the coffin. He reached down, retrieving the photo frame that was standing on a makeup box. Returning to Lin Xian¡¯s side, they both stared at it together. ¡°Hiss...¡± Gao Yang gasped. ¡°No matter how you look at it, that¡¯s Chu An Qing. Look at the eyebrows, the face shape, even the hair color... Chu An Qing¡¯s dark brown hair isn¡¯t dyed; it¡¯s her natural color. Because if it were dyed, the roots would grow back in her original color. But we¡¯ve known Chu An Qing for so long, spent so much time together at the astronaut training base, she had no time to dye her hair. So her natural hair color is dark brown.¡± ¡°This... my gosh... I really can¡¯t believe it. Look at the teardrop mole, it¡¯s identical. You did tell me before that the two girls looked exactly alike, but seeing Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s photo today... at this level, I¡¯m genuinely stunned.¡± Gao Yang stammered, struggling to find the right words. However, Lin Xian understood. When he first met CC and later saw Chu An Qing at the MX celebration, who looked just like CC, he had a similar reaction. Now, he was somewhat desensitized. But for Gao Yang, this was the first shock. Gao Yang was still holding the photo frame, utterly baffled. ¡°You don¡¯t need to find any differences, Gao Yang,¡± Lin Xian patted his shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s no meaningful research value in this. In fact, it¡¯s reasonable to say Zhang Yu Qian and Chu An Qing should look exactly the same, like a copy and paste. If they looked different or had obvious differences, what truth would we be searching for now? What answers would we be looking for?¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Gao Yang¡¯s brain finally caught up, smacking his lips. ¡°Indeed, this was expected. It¡¯s just that seeing the photo was too much of a shock. By the way, had you seen Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s photo before?¡± Lin Xian shook his head, then nodded. ¡°I saw the ID photo on her first-generation ID card. It was a black-and-white photo, all pixelated, not worth mentioning.¡± ¡°Then...¡± Gao Yang pointed at the coffin filled with miscellaneous items and clothes, but no body, bones, or any sign of decay. ¡°Then what¡¯s the deal with this coffin having no body or ashes? The old lady clearly said her daughter was buried here. And look at how neatly everything is arranged. When the coffin was buried, it was obviously like this. There¡¯s no way someone stole Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s body, or that she ran away.¡± ¡°So, that means the old man lied to us from the start! No wonder he was so evasive when we mentioned visiting Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s grave... There¡¯s no one buried in this grave! Zhang Yu Qian isn¡¯t here at all!¡± ¡°Then where is she buried? Or maybe, Zhang Yu Qian didn¡¯t actually die back then, and this couple faked her death. Maybe she¡¯s still alive somewhere else, or even in another country.¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Lin Xian quickly dismissed Gao Yang¡¯s idea. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that... Their family was already wealthy enough. If they wanted to live elsewhere, they could have just left. Why go to such lengths? Besides, you saw the old lady¡¯s mental breakdown over her daughter¡¯s death, and the old man gave up his career. Judging by their suffering, Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s death was real. There¡¯s no need to question it. Since there¡¯s no body in the coffin, it¡¯s likely as I guessed.¡± ¡°Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s death left no body. She, like Chu An Qing, turned into blue stardust at 00:42 and vanished into thin air. So, linking this to that mysterious car accident back then, it¡¯s not hard to piece together what happened that night.¡± ¡°Although we don¡¯t know who was driving or how many people were in the car, Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s sudden transformation into blue stardust scared the driver, causing the car to crash into a tree.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say this theory is absolutely correct, as we have no evidence. Ultimately, only Zhang Shi and Yan Qin know the exact details of the accident. But I feel this guess is pretty close. It¡¯s the only way to connect what happened to both Chu An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian.¡± Gao Yang held his chin, circling the open coffin, nodding. ¡°Got it. So, according to your theory, since Chu An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian look the same, are the same age, have similar experiences, and disappeared at the same time... it suggests Zhang Yu Qian was also a Millennium Stake!¡± ¡°Amazing... Does a girl with this appearance appear every twenty-odd years and turn into a Millennium Stake on her 20th birthday? Why does this happen?!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t think like that, Lin Xian!¡± Gao Yang urged. ¡°We¡¯re not stealing; we¡¯re solving problems! Not just for Chu An Qing, but for Zhang Yu Qian too! We need to take these clues seriously. And... when you go back to Donghai, you¡¯ll need to explain to Chu Shan He. Without solid proof, do you think he¡¯ll believe you? This tape might be your key evidence!¡± Lin Xian thought about it. It made sense. Not just for the evidence... If he had to explain the Millennium Stake¡¯s origins to Chu Shan He, photos and videos of Zhang Yu Qian would be more convincing. ¡°Let¡¯s take this photo album too. Since we¡¯re taking some, we might as well take a few more.¡± He handed the album to Gao Yang and continued searching. Certificates, toys, awards... These items told Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s life story. She seemed quite accomplished. There were many certificates, though not for major competitions, plenty of school awards for being a good student, academic achievements, and cultural performances. She seemed well-rounded. After another sweep, there was nothing more useful in the coffin. Finally, he found a diary with a combination lock. ¡°Ah... diaries, such a distant concept.¡± Lin Xian recalled. In elementary school, teachers assigned diary writing. Older siblings often complained about parents snooping in diaries to learn their children¡¯s thoughts. Lin Xian never had that issue... his generation rarely kept diaries, even if they did, it was often half-hearted. But considering Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s era... Maybe... In a time with fewer entertainment options, people might genuinely write diaries! ¡°Lin Xian,¡± out of nowhere, Gao Yang¡¯s voice interrupted. ¡°Peeking at a girl¡¯s diary is pretty low.¡± Lin Xian looked up. ¡°You¡¯re double-standard. Isn¡¯t watching her tapes low?¡± ¡°Tapes are meant to be watched!¡± Gao Yang replied matter-of-factly. ¡°It¡¯s like posting on social media. Diaries are different; they¡¯re private! They contain personal secrets!¡± Secrets? The word struck a chord... Lin Xian remembered talking to Chu An Qing about time travel when he returned from the World Hacking Championship in the U.S., at Pudong Airport. Lin Xian had asked Chu An Qing if she could time travel, would she go to the past or the future? Without hesitation, Chu An Qing said. ¡°Definitely the past!¡± She explained. ¡°Traveling to the future is pointless... I¡¯m not even 20; I can live to see the future, even without a cryo-chamber. But the past... those fixed, historical moments, aren¡¯t they more fascinating? Only the past is unreachable. No technology, no cryo-chamber can take us back even a second. So... if I had time travel powers, I¡¯d choose the past, not the future!¡± Back then, Lin Xian thought it was just a fun chat and didn¡¯t take it seriously. So he played along, asking. ¡°If you could go to the past, what would you do?¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Lin Xian still remembered. That day, that moment, Chu An Qing smiled mischievously. She put a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture. ¡°Secret~¡± Secrets. Lin Xian looked at the pink combination-locked diary in his hand. ¡°Then I should definitely take a look.¡± ¡°Hey! You shameless!¡± Gao Yang sneered, then scooted closer. ¡°If you look, we look together.¡± Lin Xian turned the diary over, examining its build. Indeed, Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s belongings were all high-quality, well-made. This diary looked plain but was actually foreign-made! The text on it was Japanese. Probably a gift from Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s father during a trip abroad? Honestly, the quality was excellent. The cover was genuine leather, though Lin Xian couldn¡¯t tell what kind. It didn¡¯t feel like ordinary cowhide. Judging by the cartoon characters on the cover, it might be a collaboration with some animation or classic character. The style was so old, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t recognize the character. A typical notebook, left for over twenty years, would fall apart. But this genuine leather diary was still sturdy, though the leather had some cracks, it remained resilient. It could be torn open, but Lin Xian and Gao Yang had all sorts of tools on them. Disassembling a notebook was easy. However, Lin Xian believed that, besides Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s password gate, each specially set password had unique significance. So, forced entry would be a last resort. This diary had a four-digit combination lock. A four-digit numeric password wouldn¡¯t take long to crack using brute force. No need for violent measures; after all... this was Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s last diary left to the world. ¡°Let¡¯s guess the password.¡± Lin Xian showed Gao Yang the still-bright combination lock on the diary¡¯s side. ¡°A four-digit numeric code... What do you think it is?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 314: Extreme Reasoning This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°Uh-huh...¡± Gao Yang¡¯s eyes were glued to the finely crafted, seemingly timeless diary. ¡°The four-digit password should be easy to guess. Let¡¯s try Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s birthday. 0121! Give it a shot!¡± Lin Xian lowered his head and turned the four dials on the diary. As usual, they moved smoothly. Click, click¡ªthe sound was crisp and delicate, pleasant to the ear, and the feel was excellent. It was hard to believe that this diary had been around for over twenty years. Just by the sound and feel, one could infer that the mechanical design of this lock was incredibly precise. You had to admire the craftsmanship from that era. The level of detail in small items like this from the last century could be world-leading. No wonder those urban legends about Japan¡¯s meticulousness, like washing plates seven times, exist. But that¡¯s all in the past. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure about the current state of Japanese manufacturing. Apart from games and anime, there wasn¡¯t much else noticeable. Even in cosmetics, a few brands were decent, but they weren¡¯t top-tier globally. Plus, due to the stigma from nuclear waste, Japanese cosmetics hardly had a presence in the domestic market anymore. Lin Xian carefully adjusted the last two dials. 0121. The numbers stood out clearly, as if this diary had never aged. ¡°Got it.¡± He pressed the unlocking lever with his left thumb. Click! It didn¡¯t open. ¡°Hmph.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about those nights in his first dream, battling wits with CC and Big Cat Face, trying various passwords to open safes. He felt a strange nostalgia, as if it were just yesterday. Thinking about the cold and mysterious CC, Lin Xian¡¯s mind involuntarily overlapped her image with Chu An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian. They looked identical, without the slightest difference. Actually, when Lin Xian opened the coffin earlier and found no body or ashes of Zhang Yu Qian, he was genuinely relieved. He felt a bit of luck, a bit of relief. If Zhang Yu Qian had truly died, normally, there would be a body and bones. Then, Chu An Qing¡¯s mysterious disappearance would be a unique case. A unique case can¡¯t prove anything. If something has only happened once in the world, it remains an unsolvable mystery. By that reasoning, perhaps Chu An Qing¡¯s disappearance was just an accident caused by exposure to time-space particles. If she hadn¡¯t encountered them, she might not have disappeared. But now, the same thing had happened to Zhang Yu Qian over twenty years ago. This meant that the phenomenon of twenty-year-old girls turning into blue stardust and disappearing wasn¡¯t an accident; it was more like a predetermined program. As long as these incidents weren¡¯t accidents, the source could be traced, the cause investigated, and ultimately... this predetermined fate could be altered! Lin Xian increasingly felt that Chu An Qing might not be dead. [She really isn¡¯t dead, she probably just went somewhere else.] ¡°No way, seriously?¡± Gao Yang¡¯s eyes shifted. ¡°Then let¡¯s try 0042? Although I don¡¯t think it¡¯s very likely, this time is significant for Zhang Yu Qian. It¡¯s when she came into this world and when she left it. But it¡¯s hard to say... Her mother couldn¡¯t remember the exact time she was born. Would she know herself? Moreover, could she have predicted she would disappear at 00:42?¡± Suddenly, Gao Yang froze. ¡°Oh my gosh! It¡¯s not impossible! Chu An Qing knew she would disappear at 00:42 after touching the time-space particles, so she wailed and cried. If Chu An Qing could foresee this time, maybe Zhang Yu Qian could too! Try 0042; I think this password has a good chance.¡± Lin Xian lowered his head again and turned the dials. The four stainless steel password dials were set to 0042. Then he pressed the lever. Click! It didn¡¯t open. Gao Yang pulled out a Swiss Army knife from his pocket. ¡°Let¡¯s go with technology.¡± Now, it was 99% certain that Zhang Yu Qian had likely disappeared into blue stardust like Chu An Qing, and those middle-aged witnesses had seen it happen. Lin Xian had no more reservations and could speak openly. ... Back at their hotel in Qufu, Gao Yang immediately stripped off his dirty clothes, tossed them in the trash, and rushed to the bathroom. Lin Xian tidied up briefly, showered, changed, and put Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s videotape and album back in the suitcase. While rummaging, he found the casual clothes he wore when they visited the astronaut training base. They had only worn casual clothes once since Wei Cheng gave them several sets of training uniforms the next day, so the casual clothes had been at the bottom of the suitcase. More importantly... The hair Lin Xian had picked up from Chu An Qing back then was still hidden in the pocket. He reached into the pocket and felt the flat plastic bag. He took it out. Under the light, he saw that the bag was now empty, without a single hair. ¡°Sure enough, it¡¯s empty.¡± Lin Xian wasn¡¯t surprised. The sealed top of the plastic bag was intact, still sealed as it had been. This indicated that even Chu An Qing¡¯s fallen hair had turned into blue stardust and vanished at 00:42 on March 28, 2024. In this world, every part of Chu An Qing¡¯s body, down to the smallest trace, had disappeared at that moment, collapsing like quantum particles into fine blue stardust. In a sense, those scattered particles were similar to time-space particles. Time-space particles didn¡¯t belong to this time-space, allowing them to pass through any material in this universe. Just like the blue stardust from Chu An Qing, which could escape a spacesuit or disappear from a sealed plastic bag. Both were extraordinary substances. If millennium anomalies and time-space particles shared this property of not belonging to this time-space, it made sense. But the question remained... If millennium anomalies, like Chu An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian, didn¡¯t belong to this time-space, why didn¡¯t they suffer time-space rejection? Why didn¡¯t their eyes turn blue and crystalline like Yellow Finch¡¯s? Why hadn¡¯t they experienced time-space backlash, becoming weak, collapsing, or turning transparent like Yellow Finch? This created a contradiction. ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian concluded. ¡°Most likely, millennium anomalies and time-space particles aren¡¯t the same or even similar things. There¡¯s no commonality, and we shouldn¡¯t look for connections between them.¡± Just then, Gao Yang walked over, drying his hair with a towel, and saw the small plastic bag in Lin Xian¡¯s hand. ¡°Is that Chu An Qing¡¯s hair? It disappeared, right?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I was prepared for it, but... I still had a sliver of hope before confirming Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s empty coffin.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Gao Yang squatted down. He took the sealed, empty plastic bag. ¡°So, DNA testing is out. Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s body is missing, and now Chu An Qing¡¯s hair is gone, sealing off any chance of DNA testing.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Gao Yang had an idea. ¡°Why not compare the DNA of Chu An Qing¡¯s parents and Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s parents? If Chu An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s DNA matches, then Chu Shan He and that middle-aged man should have matching DNA too!¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Lin Xian smiled wryly. ¡°Even if we find a match or mismatch, what can it prove? It won¡¯t definitively show that Chu An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian are the same person. It¡¯s not conclusive. Otherwise, why do people still get paternity tests? Or if we find Chu Shan He and that man have matching DNA, what does it mean? Can we be sure Chu An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s DNA is identical? Or prove that Chu Shan He and the man are millennium anomalies or something else? Why haven¡¯t they disappeared? They can¡¯t wait until they¡¯re 200, right? Moreover... think logically. If Chu Shan He and that man¡¯s DNA matches, then their father¡¯s DNA should match too; their grandfather¡¯s DNA would also match, and so on. What kind of biological story is that? Is Chu Shan He the origin of humanity?¡± Gao Yang gave Lin Xian a thumbs-up. ¡°Your logic is solid! So, Chu Shan He and that man¡¯s DNA are bound to be different. Otherwise, we need to rethink human origins.¡± ¡°So now, to understand the truth behind these events and why Chu An Qing disappeared... the last step is to see the role of [time-space particles] in their disappearance as blue stardust. Whether they are necessary, unnecessary, or something that must be encountered to become a millennium anomaly.¡± ¡°And to figure this out... we need to return to the capital and ask that middle-aged man to tell the truth about Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s accident and if she cried and babbled like Chu An Qing before disappearing.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Lin Xian nodded, looking out at the rising half-moon. ¡°We need to determine if Zhang Yu Qian in 2000 ever encountered time-space particles!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 315: The Final Piece of the Puzzle This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Early the next morning, Lin Xian and Gao Yang boarded a plane heading to the capital city, beginning another round of busy travels. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be an astronaut anymore,¡± Gao Yang said, slumping in his first-class seat with a sour expression. He glanced at Lin Xian. ¡°When I was in elementary school, our teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up. Without hesitation, I stood up and said I wanted to be an astronaut. But after flying back and forth these past few days, taking airplanes and shuttles, I feel so sick of it. I miss the ground more than anyone right now. I never want to go to space again.¡± Lin Xian chuckled, reminiscing about their first day of elementary school. ¡°Back then, 40% of the boys in our class wanted to be astronauts. It was right after our country¡¯s manned space mission succeeded. What boy didn¡¯t want to become an astronaut?¡± ¡°Kids didn¡¯t know much about the world back then. We didn¡¯t realize how many different careers and lifestyles existed. In our eyes, apart from teachers and police officers, the coolest jobs were astronauts and scientists. Our world was as big as our imagination.¡± ¡°I remember you said you wanted to be a scientist, right?¡± Gao Yang asked, looking at Lin Xian. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be one anymore,¡± Lin Xian replied, closing his eyes. He was still fiddling with the combination lock on the diary in his hand. ¡°When I realized I wasn¡¯t smart enough to be a scientist, I gave up. Instead, I got into parkour, drawing, and prepared to take the arts track in the college entrance exams.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give up on your dreams too early,¡± Gao Yang said, patting his chest. ¡°Look at me. I wanted to be an astronaut, and my dream came true. Life is unpredictable. Who knows? Maybe one day you¡¯ll become a scientist after all.¡± ¡°I wish I had the brains for it,¡± Lin Xian said, turning to look out the window. Becoming a scientist isn¡¯t something you can just decide to do, he thought. If he could become one, he would dive into researching the Universal Constant 42, which seemed to be at the center of all the mysteries around him. The constant hum of Gao Yang¡¯s snoring filled the half-enclosed cabin. Gao Yang had a superpower: he could fall asleep instantly if he didn¡¯t get an immediate response. It was enviable. Lin Xian continued to manipulate the combination lock in his hand, the repetitive click of the lock breaking the silence. He had been doing this since they left the hotel in the morning: half-lying down, holding the spine of the diary with his left hand, and fiddling with the lock with his right hand. Click, click. The combination on the lock was now 6432...6431...6430... He estimated he could try about 3000 combinations by the time they landed in the capital. .... Soon, the flight attendant brought their first-class meals. Gao Yang raised three fingers. ¡°Three portions, please.¡± ¡°Certainly, sir,¡± the flight attendant replied with a polite and enthusiastic smile, bringing additional main courses and fruit for Gao Yang. ¡°Money makes life so much better, Lin Xian,¡± Gao Yang said once the flight attendant left. ¡°When we used to fly economy, the food wasn¡¯t this good. Asking for a second portion was always met with reluctance. But here? You can have as much as you want, and they serve you with a smile.¡± ¡°Ten cents worth of goods for a dime,¡± Lin Xian said calmly. ¡°It¡¯s all about equivalent exchange.¡± .... After the plane landed, a hotel car picked them up. They dropped their luggage in their room and immediately set off again, heading back to the Xirui Community in the capital¡¯s Third Ring Road. They passed by the central square quietly, as if by mutual agreement. Sure enough, the kind old lady was still there, peeling pomegranates, her fingers moving slowly and carefully. ¡°She really loves her daughter,¡± Gao Yang whispered. ¡°I talked with her for a long time that day, and she never offered me a single pomegranate seed. It¡¯s not that I wanted to eat her pomegranates. It¡¯s just that Shandong people are usually very hospitable. But she didn¡¯t offer me any because, in her eyes, these were for her daughter Zhang Yu Qian.¡± Zhang Shi¡¯s face went pale, and he seemed to age several years in an instant. ¡°Uncle Zhang, can we come in and talk?¡± Lin Xian asked gently. ¡°We can tell you what happened to that girl, and maybe you can tell us the truth about Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s accident.¡± ¡°Come in,¡± Zhang Shi said softly, stepping aside to let them in. .... Inside, two cups of hot tea sat on the coffee table, the steam rising and the tea leaves floating up and down before settling at the bottom. ¡°Twenty-four years ago, on January 21, 2000...¡± Zhang Shi began, struggling to find the words. ¡°It was my daughter¡¯s birthday. Although she was born at midnight, we planned to celebrate during the day. We booked the best hotel, ordered the biggest cake, and invited many friends and classmates.¡± ¡°My daughter loved lively celebrations, and we always had grand parties for her birthdays. The day before, on January 20, we went back to our hometown for a reunion with old friends. We chatted late into the night and drank a lot. On our way back to the city, it was almost midnight.¡± ¡°I was drunk and sitting in the back seat, while my wife was driving, and Qian Qian was in the front passenger seat. She didn¡¯t have a driver¡¯s license yet, being only a sophomore in college.¡± ¡°We were laughing and talking about the birthday plans, driving slowly since there were few cars on the road. Everything was fine until suddenly, without warning, my daughter¡¯s voice stopped. Then my wife screamed, shouting Qian Qian¡¯s name, and the car swerved off the road.¡± ¡°When I opened my eyes, I saw... I saw...¡± Zhang Shi choked up, tears welling in his eyes. ¡°My daughter turned transparent, like shattered glass, and then she turned into fine blue sand, disappearing into the air.¡± ¡°The car crashed into a tree. The shock sobered me up. I checked on my wife, who was terrified, unable to control herself. When I looked at the clock on the dashboard, it was exactly as you said, 00:42.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Zhang Shi paused, his face a mask of grief. ¡°I got out of the car and searched for Qian Qian, but she was gone. The seat was still warm, indicating she had just been there. But she vanished, turned into blue dust, disappearing without a trace.¡± ¡°Over the years, I wondered if she might still be alive, just in a place we don¡¯t understand. But my wife¡¯s mental state deteriorated. I had to stabilize her, so I packed up all of Qian Qian¡¯s things, put them in a coffin, and pretended she was buried.¡± ¡°I told everyone it was a car accident. Back then, paperwork was easier to handle. It was all for my wife. She¡¯s my only remaining family. I had to protect her.¡± Zhang Shi poured more tea for Lin Xian and Gao Yang. ¡°That¡¯s the truth. I¡¯m telling you this because your companion experienced the same thing. I hope you can find your friend. But please, don¡¯t come here again. We¡¯ve finally found some peace.¡± ¡°Uncle Zhang, we understand,¡± Lin Xian said, standing up. ¡°Just one more question. Did you see a small blue orb, about the size of an apple, glowing and flickering, like a ball of electricity, that night?¡± Zhang Shi thought for a moment and then shook his head. ¡°No, we didn¡¯t see anything like that. If there had been such a thing, we would have noticed and talked about it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Uncle Zhang,¡± Lin Xian said, nodding. ¡°We won¡¯t bother you again.¡± As they left, Lin Xian felt a mix of relief and determination. They had more pieces of the puzzle, but the mystery was far from solved. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 316: The Millennium Stake Trilogy This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation After saying goodbye to Zhang Shi and leaving his house, Lin Xian and Gao Yang hurried towards the elevator. They pressed the button for the first floor, their minds buzzing with the recent revelations. As the elevator doors closed, Gao Yang broke the silence. ¡°So, you see, Chu An Qing¡¯s disappearance has nothing to do with the time-space particles! There¡¯s no connection at all! These are completely separate events. Now we can understand, Lin Xian. A few days ago, when Chu An Qing was trying to capture the time-space particles, it didn¡¯t matter whether she touched them or not. She would have disappeared at exactly 00:42!¡± Lin Xian nodded thoughtfully. ¡°If that had happened, she would have turned into blue star dust in her dorm, scaring her roommates. In other words¡ª¡± ¡°Chu An Qing is a Millennium Stake,¡± Gao Yang interjected, ¡°and it has nothing to do with the time-space particles. No matter where she is or what she does, nothing can prevent her from turning into blue star dust and disappearing at 00:42 on her twentieth birthday, March 28, 2024. Nothing can change this predetermined fact!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian agreed. ¡°Zhang Shi didn¡¯t lie. According to Chu An Qing¡¯s situation, her reaction to touching the time-space particles was very intense. You saw it too; she just touched a time-space particle and immediately screamed, had a nosebleed, and held her head in pain, crying and shouting.¡± ¡°If Zhang Yu Qian had touched the time-space particles, with such a severe reaction, they couldn¡¯t have missed it. From Zhang Shi¡¯s description, their family was laughing and chatting in the car with no unusual behavior from Zhang Yu Qian. Since there was no extreme reaction, we can be sure she didn¡¯t touch the time-space particles.¡± ¡°So, we can rule out the possibility that Zhang Yu Qian disappeared because of contact with the time-space particles. As you said, whether Zhang Yu Qian or Chu An Qing touched the time-space particles or not, it wouldn¡¯t affect their fate of disappearing at 00:42 on their twentieth birthday.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Gao Yang said as they walked out of the elevator and headed toward the community exit. ¡°Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be a time-space particle appearing on Earth every twenty-something years, causing such a scramble like last time.¡± ¡°Moreover, we¡¯ve already verified that time-space particles don¡¯t actively seek out Millennium Stakes. They ignore everyone. So why would they seek out Zhang Yu Qian?¡± The elevator doors opened on the first floor. Lin Xian and Gao Yang walked out and headed towards the community exit. This trip was really worth it. They had gathered many crucial clues, and by comparing the Chu An Qing incident with Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s, they could derive many accurate conclusions. Firstly, the first rule: The formation and disappearance of Millennium Stakes have nothing to do with time-space particles. These are entirely separate phenomena. Lin Xian had initially been misled by Chu An Qing¡¯s disappearance, as everything unusual happened after she touched the time-space particles. But thanks to Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s case and Zhang Shi¡¯s truth-telling, Lin Xian could deduce the above absolutely accurate conclusion. On January 21, 2000, Zhang Yu Qian disappeared into blue star dust without touching the time-space particles and without any warning signs. This is likely the correct way Millennium Stakes work¡ªsilently and stealthily, completing their task independently and locking history. Of course, this idea of locking history is still just Lin Xian¡¯s guess. It¡¯s likely correct, but he still can¡¯t understand how a disappearing Millennium Stake, a 20-year-old girl, could lock history. And what happens after history is locked? These are questions to explore later. For now, considering the Millennium Stake, Zhang Yu Qian is a true, qualified, and timely Millennium Stake. But what about Chu An Qing? Because she accidentally touched the time-space particles, unexpected things happened. She must have awakened some memories or realized some truths and answers at that moment. She not only knew she would disappear at 00:42, but she also knew many other things, incredible things, that made her confidently write herself a note... telling herself that opening this note in the dream world 600 years later would reveal the reality of the world. ¡°Chu An Qing must have gained some memories after touching the time-space particles. That¡¯s why her reaction was so intense. Although I don¡¯t know what kind of memories she gained, it must have been caused by the time-space particles. Yellow Finch probably didn¡¯t know that time-space particles would affect a Millennium Stake.¡± As they walked past the community square, where an old lady was peeling pomegranates, they continued toward the community gate. After hearing Lin Xian¡¯s words, Gao Yang added, ¡°Yellow Finch probably didn¡¯t know that Chu An Qing gained memories after touching the time-space particles. Look, Yellow Finch was also panicked at that time. It was obviously her first time seeing a Millennium Stake interact with time-space particles.¡± ¡°I remember, Chu An Qing kept crying and asking Yellow Finch, and Yellow Finch finally asked, ¡®You know everything?¡¯ This shows that the situation was beyond Yellow Finch¡¯s understanding! I feel like many things during the time-space particle capture plan that day were unexpected for Yellow Finch.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°But one thing is certain, Yellow Finch must have known that Millennium Stakes can see time-space particles. That¡¯s why she brought Chu An Qing on the plane but didn¡¯t give her a specific task.¡± ¡°This further proves that on January 21, 2000, there were no time-space particles around when Zhang Yu Qian disappeared. If there were, even if others couldn¡¯t see them, Zhang Yu Qian would have seen them. This confirms it.¡± ¡°Moreover, Yellow Finch also knew that Millennium Stakes would disappear at 00:42 on their twentieth birthday. That¡¯s evident. She knew that no matter what, Chu An Qing would disappear at 00:42. That¡¯s why she shouted not to save her... because she was destined to disappear.¡± Suddenly, Lin Xian remembered Yellow Finch¡¯s words. She said that if they lost this time-space particle, the future, the world, and everything would be terrible. That¡¯s why she planned such a desperate and dangerous capture operation. Yellow Finch might have only seen or known about time-space particles but never caught one, at least not this one. Similarly, she knew about Millennium Stakes, their ability to see time-space particles, and their fate of disappearing at 00:42 on their twentieth birthday, but she didn¡¯t know what would happen if a Millennium Stake touched a time-space particle. This was beyond her knowledge. ¡°No wonder...¡± Gao Yang snorted. ¡°No wonder Yellow Finch agreed so easily to let Chu An Qing catch the time-space particles. It was her original plan. She knew Chu An Qing would disappear anyway, so she didn¡¯t care about her life, just wanted to use her to catch the time-space particles!¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s hard to say.¡± Lin Xian patted Gao Yang¡¯s shoulder, urging him not to dwell on past events. No one knew what Yellow Finch¡¯s initial plan was. Thinking positively, Yellow Finch might have brought Chu An Qing just in case. If Gao Yang had captured the time-space particles directly, Chu An Qing wouldn¡¯t have been needed. Thinking negatively, Yellow Finch might have known Gao Yang couldn¡¯t catch the particles, and they would become invisible, so the only way was for Chu An Qing to catch them. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past, Gao Yang. Yellow Finch might have been wrong in some areas, but she did it for me. Let¡¯s not dwell on it and look forward.¡± They left the community, hailed a taxi, and headed back to their hotel to rest. ¡°What do you think...¡± Gao Yang said, sitting in the back seat of the taxi, turning to Lin Xian. ¡°What memories did Chu An Qing awaken after touching the time-space particles? It couldn¡¯t be Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s memories, right?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, and I can¡¯t guess. But I think she awakened a lot of crucial memories. Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s 20-year life was too simple and couldn¡¯t have given Chu An Qing the confidence to write me that note.¡± ¡°But that question isn¡¯t important. When I see the contents of the note later, I¡¯ll understand. As Chu An Qing said... I¡¯ll definitely understand. I believe her.¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s not overthink and focus on summarizing our theories about the Millennium Stake.¡± Lin Xian continued to piece together the information in his mind, leading to the second theory about the Millennium Stake: If the disappearance time of the Millennium Stake is fixed and unchangeable, it means the interval between the Millennium Stakes is a stable 24 years. It didn¡¯t open. Reflexively, he pushed the wheel up and changed the password to 1978. Click. Again, it didn¡¯t open. ¡°Suddenly, I remembered, Lin Xian!¡± Gao Yang said, mouth full of food. ¡°If a Millennium Stake is planted every 24 years, there must have been a girl before Zhang Yu Qian! A girl who looks just like Chu An Qing.¡± Click. The password diary didn¡¯t open. ¡°That¡¯s obvious. The previous Millennium Stake should be from 1976.¡± Lin Xian looked down and realized the password wheel showed 1976. He pressed the lock. Click. Still didn¡¯t open. ¡°Hmph, let¡¯s see how long you can hide,¡± Lin Xian laughed. Only about 2000 combinations left. It couldn¡¯t hide for long. Even if the code was 0000, it could only hide for 2000 more tries. He endured the long process of trying every combination. The last thousand or so wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Lin Xian continued turning the wheel, trying each password. Click. Click. Click. Eventually, Gao Yang finished eating and wiped his mouth. ¡°Do you think we can find the girl who disappeared in 1976, who looks like Chu An Qing?¡± ¡°Absolutely not, don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Click. Click. Lin Xian kept trying combinations. The numbers continued to decrease. 1961, 1960, 1959... ¡°1976 is too long ago. X Country didn¡¯t have a national ID system until 1984. Though it¡¯s inappropriate to say, back then, the only proof of existence was a crude household registration, without photos. So you definitely can¡¯t find the 1976 Chu An Qing.¡± ¡°Besides, consider the possibility of being born abroad. This time it was a coincidence, two Millennium Stakes in the country. With so few samples, a Millennium Stake could easily be born abroad.¡± Lin Xian thought of CC. She said she was born abroad, in Brooklyn, USA. Click. Click. He continued to turn the password wheel. Gao Yang sighed, wiped his mouth with a napkin. ¡°When does this Millennium Stake thing end? Even if it takes a thousand years, there has to be a start, the first post, right?¡± ¡°1976... 24 years back... 1952!¡± 1952? Lin Xian blinked. This was a familiar year. Isn¡¯t this... The year realist painter Henry Dawson painted ¡°Sorrowful Einstein¡± in Brooklyn? He looked down. The password wheels on Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s diary showed 1952. Lin Xian hesitated before pressing down his thumb¡ª Click. A crisp sound, and the password lock, closed for 24 years... Opened! This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 317: VVs Message This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian stared at the combination lock in his hand, its clasp now open. For a moment, he couldn¡¯t quite believe what had happened. ¡°It¡¯s... open.¡± Though he had mentally prepared for this, knowing that using brute force would eventually crack the tiny lock, the actual success filled him with excitement and a strong sense of accomplishment. ¡°No way! It¡¯s actually open!¡± Gao Yang, who had been busy eating, immediately wiped his hands and ran over. Grabbing the diary from Lin Xian, he inspected it closely. ¡°1952... That¡¯s odd. Why would a girl in her teens or twenties set her lock combination to this year?¡± ¡°Hey, Lin Xian, was 1952 a significant year for any reason? Did something famous or notable happen?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°My knowledge of history is average at best. Off the top of my head, I can¡¯t think of any major events in 1952. Considering Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s love for music, could 1952 be related to a famous singer or band?¡± ¡°But when I think about it, notable bands like The Beatles or artists like Michael Jackson came after 1952. The year 1952 was still a pretty tumultuous time globally, with World War II having ended just seven years prior. Many regions were still embroiled in local conflicts.¡± ¡°So theoretically, it wasn¡¯t a peak period for the arts, and the Third Industrial Revolution hadn¡¯t started yet. The information age and electronic computer technology, as well as the internet, hadn¡¯t appeared... Come to think of it, 1952 is quite unremarkable.¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Gao Yang acknowledged casually, already engrossed in Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s diary. Meanwhile, Lin Xian leaned back in his chair on the balcony, gazing out at the bustling streets of the capital, deep in thought. 1952... Indeed, for the world, it wasn¡¯t a year marked by earth-shattering events. But for Lin Xian, this year had a unique significance. He had just recalled that 1952 was the year when realistic painter Henry Dawson created eight detailed oil paintings of Einstein, known as ¡°The Sorrowful Einstein.¡± There was another important event. He just remembered it. ¡°The Hitchhiker¡¯s Guide to the Galaxy,¡± the science fiction work that introduced the concept of 42 to the world, was written by Douglas Adams, who was also born in 1952. The concept of 42 itself was proposed by Douglas Adams. In the movie adaptation, a supercomputer named Deep Thought, created by an advanced civilization, was asked a question: ¡°Please calculate the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything.¡± This question was so complex that Deep Thought computed for 7.5 million years before providing an answer: ¡°The ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything is¡ª¡± ¡°42.¡± So, once again, it¡¯s 42. Always 42. It¡¯s always 42! Lin Xian was developing a conditioned response to this number. Whether investigating the Genius Club, capturing space-time particles, researching millennial stakes, or even cracking a young girl¡¯s diary... No matter what he did, he always ended up circling back to the Universal Constant, the number 42. Lin Xian had long had a premonition. When he saw the walls of Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s room covered with the number 42, he realized that this number was anything but simple. But even now, over a year later, research on the Universal Constant had made almost no progress. ¡°How much longer will it take to uncover the truth behind 42...¡± Lin Xian stretched lazily, unable to help but sigh: ¡°What is the Universal Constant, 42, anyway?¡± This question seemed beyond the comprehension of someone like Lin Xian. Despite Big Cat Face¡¯s seemingly naive demeanor, his father, Cat Dad, was a Fields Medal-winning mathematician, with an IQ and talent among the top on Earth. ¡°The best-case scenario would be to find Big Cat Face¡¯s father in the dream world and ask him directly about the Universal Constant¡¯s truth and significance. But... given that I¡¯m stuck in the fourth dream, let alone Big Cat Face¡¯s father, even if I so much as show a hint of research, I could be executed by the 00:42 truck, just like in the first dream.¡± For now, with the fourth dream¡¯s issues unresolved, Lin Xian decided not to think about anything else. He pinned his hopes on Liu Feng. At this moment, Gao Yang, having finished reading Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s diary, walked over, looking uninterested, and handed it back to Lin Xian: ¡°There¡¯s nothing much in here. This must be Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s diary from when she was a teenager. It¡¯s all about music, which is pretty dull.¡± Lin Xian took the diary. ¡°What did you expect to find?¡± ¡°There should at least be some girlish emotions! Something shy and bashful! Like secretly admiring some handsome guy or something! But Zhang Yu Qian is truly single-minded about music. This diary is either song reviews or copied lyrics.¡± Lin Xian chuckled: ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. In the 1980s and 90s, people were so conservative that boys and girls barely talked to each other, even in college.¡± ¡°Our college professors told us that back then, Donghai University¡¯s rules explicitly banned dating. Teachers would form groups and go to the playground at night with flashlights to catch students. Boys and girls didn¡¯t dare walk together.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t until the 21st century that everyone¡¯s mindset opened up, and schools became less strict. After all, universities in the 80s and 90s were very different from today¡¯s. The academic atmosphere was strong, with guaranteed job placements after graduation, and working meant getting an apartment. Everyone was highly motivated to study.¡± ¡°No kidding!¡± Gao Yang shouted. ¡°If I graduated and got a job and an apartment, I¡¯d aim for Tsinghua University too!¡± ¡°Keep dreaming.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t bother to argue and started flipping through Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s diary. The diary was indeed exquisite and high-end, with slightly yellowed but still tough pages that could be flipped through without any issues. Lin Xian skimmed through it... Sure enough, there was nothing valuable in it. Not a single useful piece of information. This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Such a precise destruction of electronics without causing a fire could only be done by VV! If someone wanted to harm or sabotage him, they would have burned the entire house, wouldn¡¯t that be more thorough? As it stood, he had minimal losses. Only the electrical wiring was burnt out, all the appliances were destroyed, the electrical panel and circuits were fried... nothing serious, just a matter of replacing them, which a cleaning company could handle. So. This method of attacking only electronics without causing other damage or fire, and ensuring no further trouble, was... Lin Xian recalled the incident on the space shuttle 300 kilometers above the Earth, where VV had been attacked and, in its final moments, disabled all communication equipment on the space shuttle to protect it from being hijacked by the enemy. Because of this, despite Kevin Walker¡¯s strength, he couldn¡¯t hijack the space shuttle and had to use Starlink satellites and the U.S. X-37B space shuttle to attack them instead. This was VV¡¯s protection for Lin Xian. Using the harshest move against hackers¡ªCutting off the network! Conversely. Lin Xian looked around his house, seeing all the burnt-out electronics, broken circuits, and cut-off power. This action clearly showed VV was protecting itself. When they first met, VV had said it didn¡¯t need a network; it could travel using sound waves, electromagnetic waves, or electrical currents. So, a master capable of killing VV would also have such abilities. Therefore, to protect itself and leave a glimmer of hope, VV resorted to an even harsher move than cutting off the network¡ªCutting off the power! In a powerless place, no hacker, AI, program, virus, signal, or data stream could stir up any trouble. Cutting off power, for the super AI VV, was both the strongest attack and the most invincible defense. In this absolutely powerless environment, VV couldn¡¯t escape, but neither could the enemy enter. ¡°Laptop...¡± Realizing this, Lin Xian immediately looked for the laptop that contained VV¡¯s original 130,000 lines of code and had accompanied VV to the U.S.! ¡°Found it!¡± Miraculously! Seeing this laptop, Lin Xian realized his previous guess was correct! Because, amidst all the burnt-out electronics in the house, this laptop was untouched! It had no internet connection, no power cord, and its battery was dead, making it impossible to start... This laptop, which he thought was useless, had miraculously saved VV¡¯s life, becoming its last sanctuary in the face of an unbeatable enemy! ¡°VV!¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Knowing that his old friend was still alive, having narrowly escaped death at the last moment, filled him with relief. No wonder it came from 600 years in the future; it found a way to survive and protect itself in the end. This was excellent news. At least... he had found one of them, either Chu An Qing or VV. Finding one meant he could find both! Lin Xian placed the laptop on the desk, opened it, and reached for the power button¡ª Suddenly, he felt a chill behind him... It was as if an invisible hand emerged from the door crack, under the bed, behind the bookshelf, from the ceiling gap... gripping him tightly, just a bit more pressure would squeeze him, crushing his bones and flesh. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡± He calmed down. An enemy capable of killing VV once could kill VV twice. He knew this laptop had no power, and he just wanted to try it, to feel the illusion of calling VV, so he thought about pressing the power button. But now. He held back. He realized... the enemy who could kill VV might be far stronger than VV and himself. In his common sense, indeed, without power, a cyber attack couldn¡¯t be launched. But. There are always higher levels and greater forces. VV, an advanced being from a future era, existed; space-time particles, such a bizarre thing, had come to Earth... what else was impossible? VV had disappeared for so long, indicating it had faced significant danger, the kind that made it not dare to show itself, fearing instant destruction. So. ¡°It¡¯s better to wait.¡± Lin Xian felt uneasy. This laptop contained the last fragment of VV, the AI¡¯s last shard. If his carelessness exposed and killed this final fragment, then VV would truly leave him forever. Gently. Lin Xian closed the laptop again, placed it in the wardrobe, and hid it: ¡°VV, wait a little longer. At least until I take care of Kevin Walker, the real culprit who killed you, before reviving you. Ensuring absolute safety.¡± Then, Lin Xian returned to the living room and opened the curtains that had blocked the sunlight for months¡ª Swish~ Bright sunlight poured in. The Tyndall effect filled the room, with floating dust visible in the rays, brightening the previously gloomy room that had been vacant for months. At the same time, Lin Xian turned back and noticed the TV screen showed distinct burn marks under the sunlight. Vertical and horizontal lines. These burn marks formed a name ¨C ELON MUSK! This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 318: The Time-Space Clock This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°Elon Musk?¡± Lin Xian crouched, trying to find the perfect angle to view the polarized light on the LCD television screen. His eyes squinted as he scrutinized the screen carefully. ¡°No mistake...¡± He shifted to the side, watching as sunlight reflected off the TV¡¯s screen. The burnt areas didn¡¯t reflect light smoothly, showing black marks, while the unburnt areas reflected light evenly, revealing a white background.Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com Black letters on a white canvas. VV had cleverly used the burnt marks on the LCD screen to write a message: E-L-O-N M-U-S-K! Lin Xian pulled up a chair and sat in front of the TV, resting his chin on his hand as he gazed at the familiar name. This was the name of the world¡¯s richest man, known to everyone. For a long time, his name had dominated media headlines. Earlier this year, during a scientific charity gala, Musk had specifically sought out Lin Xian, donating five hundred million dollars as a greeting gift. They shook hands, and Musk gave him a seal from the Genius Club, confirming his identity. Since then, there had been no further interaction between Musk and Lin Xian. That was until the day of the time-space particle capture operation, when Kevin Walker hijacked the US X-37B space shuttle and attempted to crash it from space. Musk launched a starship rocket to destroy it, averting the crisis and saving Lin Xian and his team. From that moment, Lin Xian¡¯s perception of Elon Musk was encapsulated in a few words: Enemy or Friend. He couldn¡¯t discern if Musk was an ally or an adversary. Even though Musk saved them by launching a rocket during a life-or-death moment, in the deceitful and cunning Genius Club, who could guarantee that this wasn¡¯t part of Musk¡¯s plan? Even an organization like the Seven Deadly Sins knew to approach Lin Xian as a Rhine Cat enthusiast to collect intelligence. How could Elon Musk, who was even more formidable, not have his own schemes? There was no evidence to show that Musk and Kevin Walker were in cahoots. Kevin frequently treated Musk¡¯s satellites like toys, tossing them around. Even among the best of friends, such actions would test their limits. Therefore, it was evident that Musk and Walker were not on the same side, or at least... they weren¡¯t allied against a common enemy. After that thrilling space battle, it seemed like both geniuses had lost, with no clear winner. But Lin Xian didn¡¯t believe things were as simple as they appeared. They were geniuses from the Genius Club... such extreme talents didn¡¯t lose easily. Though it seemed like both had suffered significant losses, that might only be on the surface. Behind the scenes, in the shadows, in the dark... who knew if they had actually won? Perhaps it was a win-win situation for both of them! So, Lin Xian never firmly categorized Musk as friend or foe. Subconsciously, he viewed Kevin Walker as an enemy since Kevin had genuinely attacked him, using the Starlink satellites to crush him and hijacking the US space shuttle to crash into him. This definitely marked Kevin as an enemy. Conversely, Elon Musk had never physically attacked Lin Xian. Instead, he had used a rocket to save him, which leaned more towards being a friend or ally. But now... Seeing the burn marks on the TV left by VV, with Musk¡¯s name, Lin Xian had to rethink this issue. ¡°In the final critical moments, VV did three things.¡± Lin Xian softly summarized: ¡°First, destroyed all communication network equipment on X Country¡¯s space shuttle to prevent Kevin Walker from hijacking it.¡± ¡°Second, burned all electrical wires and appliances at home to create a complete power and network shutdown, protecting the last laptop.¡± ¡°Third, burned Elon Musk¡¯s name onto the TV screen to remind me of something, to caution me about this person.¡± Comparing these actions, the first two were of utmost importance, life-and-death matters. So, it¡¯s not hard to guess that the third was equally significant. Otherwise, VV wouldn¡¯t have risked being obliterated to leave this reminder in the final critical moments, perhaps with only a fraction of a second left. ¡°So it seems...¡± ¡°The person who killed VV... is likely Elon Musk!¡± Lin Xian stood up. He paced around the room, his mind racing with possibilities. He closed his eyes, taking in the faint burnt smell of electrical wires in the air, starting to deduce Musk¡¯s motives and the deeper meaning behind his actions. An hour later. On the campus of Donghai University. In the Rhine United Laboratory, on the second floor, Lin Xian picked up the seemingly ordinary silver rectangular electronic clock, its numbers as steady as ever, still showing 0.0000000. This was the ¡°Time-Space Clock¡± named by Liu Feng. Based on the theory of different Planck Constants in different universes and times, it was designed to measure the ¡°time-space curvature¡± caused by the butterfly effect of time-space changes, which meant the deviation angle of the world line, used to observe the magnitude of time-space changes. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s been calibrated to zero this time? Is it really zeroed?¡± Lin Xian asked. Liu Feng nodded: ¡°This time, there¡¯s no doubt. I guarantee it!¡± He pointed to the rice cooker in the corner of the lab, which contained the hard-won time-space particle: ¡°I used that time-space particle as a reference to zero the Time-Space Clock. Don¡¯t be fooled by it still showing 0.0000000. It¡¯s fundamentally different from the previous 0.0000000.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t bore you with the complicated theory. In essence, if there¡¯s any change in the time-space we¡¯re currently in, leading to a deviation in the future trajectory and a change caused by the time-space butterfly effect, resulting in a new future...¡± Liu Feng walked over and patted the Time-Space Clock: ¡°Then the numbers on this Time-Space Clock will definitely change! Believe me, Lin Xian, this time it won¡¯t be wrong. The numbers will definitely, absolutely change!¡± ¡°And the changed numbers will be our basis for further research into Universal Constants. So... let¡¯s wait and see when the numbers on the Time-Space Clock change. I¡¯ll inform you immediately.¡± Lin Xian looked down at the Time-Space Clock. Staring at the seemingly unchanging string of zeros... He had looked at this string of zeros for so long that he couldn¡¯t believe it would ever change. Would the numbers really move? If one day, this string of zeros suddenly turned into other numbers, Lin Xian would be as shocked as seeing an iron tree blossom. Recalling last time, when the second dream transitioned into the third, the Time-Space Clock didn¡¯t change at all. That was because there was no external reference for calibration. Even later, when the third dream transitioned into the fourth, and the Time Bank emerged out of nowhere in the fourth dream, the Time-Space Clock¡¯s numbers didn¡¯t change. But now, the ¡°Time-Space Clock¡± had been zeroed. When the next time-space change occurred, or when the fourth dream transitioned into the fifth... The numbers on the Time-Space Clock would definitely change. Then, they could measure the time-space curvature! Overall, despite being slow, the progress of various matters was yielding results. ¡°Liu Feng.¡± Lin Xian pointed to the eight zeros on the Time-Space Clock, with seven decimal places: ¡°Why is the time-space curvature always less than 1, even far less than 1? Can¡¯t it be an integer?¡± Liu Feng shook his head: ¡°Not possible, unless there¡¯s a cataclysm.¡± ¡°In fact, from our observation within the light cone, we can¡¯t perceive or observe the occurrence of time-space changes.¡± ¡°If the time-space curvature changes were visible to the naked eye, the world-line shifts, and future changes... why would we need the Time-Space Clock?¡± ¡°Because these changes in the time-space curvature are imperceptible, the value must be very small.¡± Lin Xian nodded. That made sense. He could observe every time-space change because his vantage point was 600 years in the future. Without the dream world¡¯s verification, he wouldn¡¯t be able to pinpoint when a time-space change would occur. Like the transformation of Coco Cat into Rhine Cat and the sudden emergence of the Time Bank airship. These time-space changes were unobservable in the present; only by verifying in the dream world 600 years later could they be confirmed. From a mathematical chaos theory perspective, this was also reasonable. A 600-year time-space butterfly effect was enough to turn any minuscule number after the seventh decimal point into an astronomical figure. This was what people meant by ¡°a miss by an inch, a miss by a mile.¡± An extremely small angular deviation, if the distance traveled is long enough, would lead to a completely different direction. ¡°So, what do you think... if one day, the numbers on the Time-Space Clock change...¡± Lin Xian raised his head and looked at Liu Feng: ¡°What do you think they would change to?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 319: The Closed-Loop Safe! Time-Space Unveiled! This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°This is really hard to say,¡± Liu Feng said, shaking his head seriously. ¡°Based on my hypothesis, the time-space butterfly effect should be changing and happening in real-time. So, the specific curvature of time-space displayed on the time-space clock, what exact number it will change to, and how significant the change will be, definitely needs to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis.¡± ¡°For example, if the time-space change is small and doesn¡¯t impact the world much, then I think the change in the time-space curvature will also be small. Naturally, the numbers on the time-space clock will reflect that minor change.¡± ¡°But if the time-space change is significant, and the event has a massive impact on the future, sweeping across the world and creating drastic transformations, then the numbers on the time-space clock will change significantly too. That¡¯s my belief. It could even be...¡± Liu Feng extended his right index finger and pointed at the zero before the decimal on the time-space clock¡¯s dial. ¡°If the time-space curvature change is large enough, even this zero before the decimal might change.¡± ¡°But right now, without any data to reference, it¡¯s pointless to discuss these hypotheticals. Once the numbers on the time-space clock change for the first time, we¡¯ll have some rough guidelines. After observing a few more times, we¡¯ll naturally summarize the rules and fully grasp the laws of time-space curvature.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I came to see you this time to check on the time-space clock and see how you¡¯re doing. Let¡¯s leave it at that for now. Don¡¯t stop the research on the Universal Constants either. We should approach this from multiple angles and not place all our hopes on the time-space clock and curvature.¡± ¡°Additionally...¡± Lin Xian pointed to the corner of the lab table, at a time-space particle catcher shaped like a rice cooker. ¡°Have you done more research on the time-space particle inside? Any new progress or breakthroughs?¡± Liu Feng sighed deeply. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I know this result is hard for you to accept, but Lin Xian, this is the reality. It¡¯s harsh, but it¡¯s the truth. We¡¯ve consumed all its energy because we touched the time-space particle too much when we captured it.¡± ¡°This lack of experience led to our mistake. No one knew that even slight collisions would cause it to assimilate with our time-space, rendering it worthless.¡± ¡°If we have another chance to capture one, I believe I can do better. I¡¯ll improve the catcher and capture mechanisms to keep the internal energy of the time-space particle intact.¡± ¡°That way, we might gain something from our research. But as for this one... it¡¯s really useless now. It has no energy, no value, no function.¡± Lin Xian felt a pang of disappointment listening to Liu Feng¡¯s explanation. ¡°Can I take a look at it?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Liu Feng said, spreading his hands. ¡°As I mentioned before, the time-space particle has lost its activity. It won¡¯t flash, jump, or follow any of our universe¡¯s physical laws.¡± ¡°You can even touch it without anything happening. I¡¯ve already done that. It doesn¡¯t have a physical form, but there¡¯s a faint, strange sensation when you touch it. I¡¯ve also experimented with placing it on a table or the floor, and it doesn¡¯t penetrate through.¡± ¡°This is what I mean by ¡®assimilated with our time-space.¡¯ At this point, this time-space particle is essentially part of our time-space, which is why it has no value or energy anymore. It¡¯s a simple logic.¡± As Liu Feng explained, Lin Xian walked to the lab table. He wiped the dust off the rice cooker-shaped catcher. The small display still showed two lines of text that seemed to have frozen in time: Time-Space Particle: Capture Successful! Capture Time: March 28, 2024, 00:42 This was Chu An Qing¡¯s 20th birthday, a capture achieved through desperate efforts. After cleaning the rice cooker, Lin Xian touched its cold stainless steel surface and sighed deeply. He pressed the button to lift the lid. With a click, the lid popped open. Lin Xian peered inside and saw a crystal-blue time-space particle, floating silently in the center of the rice cooker¡¯s inner chamber, untouched by the walls. It was magical, like magnetic levitation, though it wasn¡¯t. It simply used a similar principle of fields to confine the particle. Now, the time-space particle had indeed lost its activity. The previously intense lightning, the turbulent core, and the crackling electric arcs were all gone. It looked as if it were asleep, utterly peaceful, docile, and lazy, with no hint of its once wild nature. Lin Xian observed it closely. Although the time-space particle still resembled a small blue electric ball, it no longer had the fierce electric sparks or the turbulent core. The blue filaments inside spread out evenly, drifting slowly... very slowly... almost imperceptibly, appearing not only non-threatening but even timid. This is what a time-space particle looks like after losing its activity and energy¡ªa once-dominant alien force now reduced to a tame companion. Lin Xian reached out his right hand and touched the particle inside the rice cooker. Since Liu Feng had already touched it without issues, Lin Xian had no reservations. His fingers descended, touching the time-space particle. The sensation... was exactly as Liu Feng described. Indeed, with closed eyes, one could feel something faintly there, a very slight touch, almost like a spider web or a breeze. But when you consciously tried to touch it, the sensation vanished. However, when you did so unconsciously, the faint contact returned¡ªa feeling beyond words, perhaps better described as an illusion. Now, with his entire hand inside the particle, Lin Xian felt it remain stable, almost lazily sleeping. The smooth spherical interior showed no reaction to his presence. He tried to grasp the particle, but it wouldn¡¯t cooperate. It stayed inert, unaffected by Lin Xian¡¯s attempts to move it within the rice cooker. ¡°It seems that ordinary people touching a time-space particle won¡¯t trigger any extreme reactions or cause them to awaken any memories or have information inserted into their brains, like Chu An Qing.¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Liu Feng said, shrugging. ¡°After all, we¡¯re not Millennium Steles. I suspect that normal people and objects won¡¯t react to time-space particles. Only Millennium Steles or other entities from outside this time-space might react.¡± As he spoke, Brother Wang led Lin Xian to the back storage area. Perhaps due to Time Bank¡¯s substantial financial backing, the security level of the warehouse was top-notch. The entire wall was thick alloy. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure if it was aluminum alloy, but it looked strong enough that C4 wouldn¡¯t blow it open. This made him a bit worried. If he and CC needed to sneak into Time Bank 600 years in the future, how would they get past this? However, seeing Brother Wang operate and unlock the metal door with an electronic password lock reassured Lin Xian. It was still just an electronic password lock, and with CC, the password expert, it would be manageable. ¡°Come on, Lin Xian, let me show you our aluminum alloy safes!¡± Brother Wang urged excitedly. Inside, Lin Xian looked around. The sight was as grand as the photos Brother Wang had sent him: walls of concrete embedded with aluminum alloy safes. Seeing it in person was impressive. Brother Wang soon led him to the central area and pointed to Safe 66 with a grin. ¡°Look! This is the one I reserved for you!¡± ¡°All the safes are identical in size, material, and craftsmanship, so there¡¯s nothing customizable. But some clients like picking numbers, so I saved the best one for you!¡± Brother Wang then pointed around. ¡°For privacy, there are no cameras in the safe storage room. That¡¯s essential because these aluminum alloy safes use mechanical password locks that can only be set once. The password can never be changed.¡± ¡°So we prioritize privacy over some security. This warehouse¡¯s security and defense are high enough, and it¡¯s in the city center, so thieves are unlikely. Even if they come, they¡¯ll have to crack the safe¡¯s password. Otherwise, these robust aluminum alloy safes can¡¯t be blown open, even with large bombs. Most items here have sentimental value, not monetary worth, so stealing from here isn¡¯t worth it.¡± Brother Wang pulled open the safe labeled with Lin Xian¡¯s name, removed the protective device from the lock, and reminded Lin Xian. ¡°Remember, the password lock is extremely precise. Once you set the password, it can never be changed! Think carefully before setting it.¡± ¡°When you set the password, place the rice cooker inside, then set the password on the eight dials outside. Close the safe door, and the password lock will engage, completing the setup. The password will remain unchanged for a lifetime, centuries, or millennia.¡± Brother Wang then pointed to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside. Our policy requires staff to leave when clients store items or set passwords. Knock on the door when you¡¯re done, and I¡¯ll open it for you.¡± With that, Brother Wang left, and the door closed with a bang. In the vast space filled with safes, Lin Xian found himself alone again, spanning 600 years. He pressed the button to open the rice cooker lid, revealing the quiet time-space particle glowing blue. He placed the neatly folded note from his pocket, which had stayed with him unseen, inside the rice cooker, next to the particle. Bang. The lid closed, sealing the particle and the note for 600 years. Lin Xian felt the rice cooker in his hands grow heavier, burdened with promises and fate. ¡°We¡¯ll meet there,¡± he whispered, placing the rice cooker inside the aluminum alloy safe with a clink. Lin Xian took a deep breath, recalling what VV once said. He had told VV he would set a new password for the Time Bank safe, curious about the original password and contents. VV, the super AI, had thought for a few seconds before replying, ¡°Lin Xian, there might not be any original items or passwords. The safe¡¯s password and contents might have always been the same. You¡¯ll understand when the historical loop closes.¡± ¡°In the moment you use the safe, set the password, and store items, history completes its loop. And you¡¯ll realize that from your first sight of the safe to opening it 600 years later, it never changed.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°No matter how time-space shifts, the safe¡¯s contents and password remain the same.¡± In this moment, Lin Xian seemed to understand. He pushed the heavy door of the aluminum alloy safe shut and looked at the eight shiny password dials below the lock, reflecting a bright silver light. Almost without hesitation, he turned the dials to the first password that came to mind. This was the note Chu An Qing wrote for him, the particle she sacrificed to capture, the answer she gave to verify the dream¡¯s reality. Their shared secret, but ultimately, the note held Chu An Qing¡¯s own secret... Bang! The heavy aluminum alloy safe locked for the first time, sealing its eternal password. As timeless as history, never to change. Time and years, Space and worlds, History and the future, Closed in this moment. Lin Xian stepped back and looked at the eight digits on the password dials: 20240328 He would always remember this day. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 320: Meeting Chu Shan He This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Lin Xian took a step back, staring intently at the locked safe in front of him. Beneath his nameplate were eight shiny dials. The numbers displayed were: 20240328 These eight digits formed a date: Chu An Qing¡¯s 20th birthday, the same day she vanished into blue stardust. Until today, Lin Xian hadn¡¯t given much thought to what the password should be. He had considered using a random, complex password or keeping it simple, as safes were meant to deter honest people, not determined thieves. He reasoned that if his dreams were fake and the enemy had a setup to brute-force the password, they could crack it in 600 years, read the note inside, and copy it for him. The password itself wasn¡¯t important. What mattered was the note inside and the safe serving as a coordinate to ensure his future self, 600 years later, could find it. As he was about to close the safe, thoughts of Chu An Qing flooded his mind. She was the girl who had jumped from a plane for him and disappeared into blue stardust. Her 20th birthday was also her death anniversary. He hadn¡¯t even had the chance to wish her a happy birthday or give her a gift. She vanished before she could see the first light of her 20th year. Through his recent investigation into the Millennium Stake, Lin Xian felt certain that Chu An Qing wasn¡¯t dead. She had simply vanished, not died. In this magical world, many wondrous things and powers existed. If time and causality could be reversed, why couldn¡¯t Chu An Qing return? Lin Xian wasn¡¯t one to give up easily. He was determined to find those who had planted the Millennium Stake and demand, ¡°Give me Chu An Qing back!¡± He wanted her back exactly as she was on March 28, 2024, the moment he grasped her hand in the sky, the moment he saw her serene smile after landing and removing her spacesuit. This impulsive decision felt natural as he set the eight dials to that date. He had considered breaking the historical loop by setting a different password, but Brother Wang had told him the password couldn¡¯t be changed once set. He wouldn¡¯t waste the precious time-space particles and note Chu An Qing sacrificed everything to give him just to test a meaningless theory. The historical loop didn¡¯t matter to him. But at this moment, Lin Xian felt only this date as the password could honor Chu An Qing¡¯s sacrifice and the tumultuous 600 years. No wonder his past self couldn¡¯t guess the password, even knowing it was her birthday. It wasn¡¯t her birth year or 18th year, but an ordinary 20th birthday. Who would value a 20th birthday so highly? And yet, Lin Xian hadn¡¯t known Chu An Qing before the MX celebration. He hadn¡¯t paid much attention to this lively junior before. ¡°See you there,¡± he whispered, turning the eight dials to random positions one last time. Glancing at the safe filled with secrets and time, he vowed, ¡°I will find you.¡± Lin Xian turned and walked toward the alloy door. Click. Outside, Brother Wang opened the door for Lin Xian. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re quick! Most clients take ages to decide on a password. Since it can¡¯t be changed, they want something meaningful for their time capsule.¡± ¡°Many even consider the possibility of future hibernation and the amnesia side effects. They want a password so important that even a memory-lost future self would recognize its significance.¡± Brother Wang¡¯s words echoed what Lin Xian had heard. Now that Xu Yi Yi had entered hibernation, and the first batch of volunteers were in as well, with promising results, it seemed the first generation of mass-produced hibernation pods would soon be released. The allure of hibernating and waking in the future was strong, but so were the concerns about memory loss and recovery. Many naively thought, ¡°Write a diary! Watch videos upon waking!¡± or ¡°Hibernate in turns with a trusted person to share memories.¡±Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com But human memory was complex and emotional, not easily captured in a diary or video. Sociologists said the biggest challenge in memory recovery was trust. A blank slate would instinctively distrust everything, rejecting even their own diary as uninteresting, lacking connection. Videos would face similar rejection. Lin Xian, familiar with these issues, knew trust was a significant barrier to memory recovery. Without trust, external memories couldn¡¯t reintegrate into the brain. And deeper concerns like memory fraud and manipulation loomed, with scenarios of waking to false memories implanted by malicious actors. As hibernation technology edged closer to reality, public apprehension grew. People feared losing their identities more than their wealth. The thought of waking to strangers presenting fake memories was terrifying, dampening the curiosity about hibernation. To prepare for this new era, many sought ways to safeguard their true memories, using safes like Lin Xian¡¯s. Brother Wang had explained that most clients bought safes in preparation for future hibernation, wanting to secure their genuine memories for their future selves. Chu Shan He¡¯s voice was light, unlike the strong, confident man Lin Xian knew. It lacked the vigor and strength he was used to. After a pause, Chu Shan He continued. ¡°So, I didn¡¯t contact you. Many times, I wanted to call, but I held back.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, I trusted you with my daughter, meaning I believed in you. I¡¯ve always admired you, treated you like my own. So, I knew you would come and find the answers.¡± Lin Xian raised his head, meeting Chu Shan He¡¯s gaze. ¡°Lin Xian...¡± Chu Shan He went on, ¡°When you jumped from the plane, you fulfilled your promise to me. You don¡¯t need to feel guilty. You can face me with a clear conscience.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen many things in my years in business, and I know the world has inexplicable phenomena. I¡¯m more accepting of these things than your Auntie Xiu Ying.¡± ¡°I believe every word you say and see you as a responsible man. So, Lin Xian, I have just one question.¡± Chu Shan He looked directly into Lin Xian¡¯s eyes, his gaze piercing. ¡°Is my daughter dead or alive?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes were steadfast as he answered, ¡°She¡¯s alive.¡± ¡°Then where is she?¡± Chu Shan He demanded. Lin Xian stepped forward, standing before the grieving, strong father. ¡°Mr. Chu, I don¡¯t know where An Qing is now.¡± ¡°But I promise you with my life, with everything I have.¡± He placed his hand over his heart, looking up at Chu Shan He. ¡°No matter where she is, no matter who she is now, whether at the ends of the earth, across the river of time, even if I have to search every corner of space and time¡ª¡± Lin Xian¡¯s determination blazed in his eyes. ¡°I will find Chu An Qing and bring her back to you!¡± Chu Shan He stood rigid, fists clenched, then took a step forward. He placed a large hand heavily on Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°A man must keep his word and see it through.¡± He locked eyes with Lin Xian. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting... for you to bring my daughter back!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 321: Mirror! Here It Is! This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°I will,¡± Lin Xian said solemnly, looking Chu Shan He in the eyes. He was genuinely grateful for Chu Shan He¡¯s trust. Despite everything that had happened, Chu Shan He didn¡¯t blame him. This only strengthened Lin Xian¡¯s resolve to keep his promise and bring Chu An Qing back, no matter what. Lin Xian turned and left the manor, his mind focused on the mission ahead. ¡°Home,¡± he muttered as he reclined in the back seat of the car, closing his eyes to rest. A little later, he arrived home. Professional electricians from the Rhine Company had already rewired his house, and most of the appliances had been replaced. Aside from a few large items yet to arrive, the house was renewed and ready for living. Lin Xian ordered takeout to fill his stomach. Only then did he realize he hadn¡¯t eaten or slept properly in days. He had been constantly on the move¡ªfrom the capital to Qufu, then back to the capital, and finally to Donghai City¡ªflying back and forth, even trekking into deep mountains with Gao Yang to dig up graves. These activities had been a way to numb himself. But after meeting Chu Shan He today, he felt more relaxed and determined. Just as he had promised Chu Shan He, no matter where Chu An Qing was or who she had become, he would find her and bring her back. But saying it wasn¡¯t enough; he needed a plan to break through the current situation and make progress. After eating, Lin Xian cleaned up and went to his bedroom. He turned on the desk lamp and sat at the desk he hadn¡¯t used in a long time, deep in thought. First, the issue with the Millennium Stake came to mind. He had already considered this during the drive home. The interval between the Millennium Stakes was 24 years, but each stake disappeared when the individual turned 20. This meant there was a 4-year gap between one stake¡¯s disappearance and the next¡¯s birth. This puzzled him. If the continuity of the stakes was the goal, a pregnancy only takes 10 months, so a new stake could be born shortly after the previous one disappeared. This would make the cycle tighter, allowing more stakes to be planted over 1,000 years. This detail made Lin Xian wonder. If the stakes were meant to lock history, how much history could one stake actually secure? For instance, Zhang Yu Qian disappeared on January 21, 2000, and Chu An Qing was born on March 28, 2004, disappearing again on March 28, 2024. There was no stake between January 21, 2000, and March 28, 2004. What did this gap mean? Was history locked during this time or not? ¡°In theory, locked history shouldn¡¯t change, but I¡¯ve been altering history all along,¡± Lin Xian mused, twirling a pen. ¡°So, the gap must mean history can still be altered before a stake is planted. But this lock doesn¡¯t apply to those in this timeline.¡± He realized that the Millennium Stakes weren¡¯t preventing people in this timeline from changing history, but rather, they were preventing time travelers from the future from altering the past. History locking was meant to prevent these future time travelers from changing history. This thought was reinforced by what had happened to Yellow Finch. She tried to tell him about the stakes but was silenced by an invisible force, becoming almost transparent as if being punished. Yellow Finch had mentioned that this only happened when ¡°time-space exclusion¡± and ¡°history locking¡± occurred simultaneously. This was the second law of time she was teaching him¡ªwithout a name, just a phenomenon. He needed to think, extend, and summarize it himself. However, Lin Xian still felt he didn¡¯t fully understand this unnamed law. It seemed similar to time-space exclusion, where time travelers¡¯ actions that exceeded temporal elasticity would result in backlash. Even without doing anything extreme, they would still face exclusion and harm¡ªblue eyes, weakened bodies, etc. ¡°Is there a significant difference between these two laws?¡± Lin Xian pondered. Yellow Finch¡¯s forced silence and stillness could also be explained by temporal elasticity and exclusion. Why mention it separately then? Perhaps the key was in the ¡°forced¡± aspect. Normal time-space exclusion could be resisted or endured, but this forced exclusion allowed no resistance. Violating it was like being a chick caught in a hand, unable to move or speak. He resisted the urge to check his phone, while the reflection mimicked his hesitation. He stretched his neck, scanning the mirror¡¯s edges. The large mirror covered the entire wall behind the sink, which made him wonder if it could be like in cartoons, where mirrors hid another world. But that was silly, he knew. Another yawn. His reflection did the same. Running around all day had left him exhausted. If not for sitting here, he¡¯d be asleep by now. He glanced at the clock¡ª20:07. The reflection did the same. Almost an hour had passed. Too slow, he thought, sighing. The reflection sighed back, perfectly synced. ¡°Keep going,¡± he encouraged himself and his reflection. Time passed... The sound of water pipes echoed from upstairs as people prepared for bed. The noise made the staring contest with his reflection feel more real. He glanced at the clock again¡ª23:48. Four and a half hours. ¡°Should I keep going?¡± he asked aloud, yawning. His reflection did the same. Both Lin Xian and his reflection were getting too tired, struggling to keep their eyes open. ¡°Just a bit longer,¡± they both whispered, squinting to stay awake. Gradually, the noise from upstairs ceased as everyone settled for the night. It was quiet now. Lin Xian felt like a fool, staring at the mirror for five hours. Another yawn, the largest yet, revealing their tonsils. Exhausted, Lin Xian decided enough was enough. He checked the clock¡ª00:42. ¡°Enough. Time for bed,¡± he said, standing up. In that instant, a chill ran down his spine. He stepped back, knocking over the chair, pressing his back against the cold tiles. He stared wide-eyed at his reflection¡ªit hadn¡¯t stood up! Though he had risen, his reflection remained seated, propping its chin on its hand, smiling slowly. Breathing heavily, Lin Xian tried to retreat but had nowhere to go. The silent reflection finally stood, raising a finger to its lips¡ª Shhh~ Though silent, the gesture was clear. The reflection then revealed a red card from behind its back, extending it out of the mirror. It was an invitation Lin Xian knew well, sealed with a red wax stamp. The reflection¡¯s hand moved closer, pushing the card through the mirror, placing it on the sink. Lin Xian stared at the golden letters on the card¡¯s back: Genius Club This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 322: The True Invitation This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°Whoa!¡± Even with all his experience, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t contain his shock. He darted towards the bathroom¡¯s door and jumped out. This was horrifying! What was going on? The reflection in the mirror wasn¡¯t synchronized with reality; it was already bizarre enough to make his skin crawl. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, the hand holding the Genius Club invitation had just reached out from the mirror! What kind of late-night horror story was this? Even Sadako from ¡°The Ring¡± crawled out of a TV, which could be somewhat explained by physics. But mirrors? They only reflect light! The objects in a mirror are virtual images. How could something real come out of it? Moreover, the person in the mirror who was out of sync and smiling at him was himself! If the Lin Xian in the mirror had free will, then who was he? Was this some kind of alternate reality? .... Standing at the bathroom door, Lin Xian looked back. The anomaly in the mirror had completely disappeared. No one was there. The mirror simply reflected the clutter in the bathroom¡ªthe bottles on the sink, the washing machine in the corner, the stool on the floor, the towels on the rack, and... At this moment, lying quietly on the porcelain sink, fiery red with golden characters, was the Genius Club invitation! Lin Xian blinked. He stared incredulously at the invitation he had pulled from the mirror. This defied all logic; it was incomprehensible. Was he dreaming? Could it be that he had dozed off while leaning on the sink? So, he was dreaming now? But he glanced at the digital clock on the corner of the sink. The time read: 00:43. ¡°I don¡¯t dream at this time,¡± Lin Xian said softly. In his 25 years, his dreams always ended at 00:42 precisely. No matter when he fell asleep after that, he wouldn¡¯t dream until the next cycle at 12:42 the following day. ¡°What the hell... is happening?¡± Lin Xian took a deep breath. Carefully, he stepped back into the bathroom, making himself visible in the corner of the mirror. The reflection of Lin Xian also cautiously peeked out. Lin Xian took two more steps forward. The reflection did the same. He waved his right hand. The reflection waved back. ¡°Seems normal.¡±CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m Even though the mirror appeared normal now, Lin Xian¡¯s heart remained tight, still on edge. He glanced at the porcelain sink and the Genius Club invitation. Its existence was undeniable proof of the earlier eerie event. Even if the mirror seemed normal now, it couldn¡¯t erase the abnormality of the previous moment and the impact it had on Lin Xian¡¯s worldview. He looked back at the digital clock. Another slight jump. The time had moved from 00:43 to 00:44. ¡°So, the unscientific event happened between 00:42 and 00:43, within that minute.¡± He suddenly remembered Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin from the Seven Deadly Sins organization. Despite the potential for misdirection, they were very strict about executing their scientist murders¡ªthe time of death was strictly controlled to be between 00:42 and 00:43. Who set this time? Based on current guesses, there are two possibilities. It was requested by a supposed Genius Club member, Copernicus; hence, Ji Xin Shui, eager to join the club, followed blindly and rigidly without understanding the significance of the time. It wasn¡¯t Copernicus¡¯s request, but as Lin Xian and Ji Lin deduced, Ji Xin Shui blindly imitated the Genius Club¡¯s killing behavior; meaning he witnessed or knew about a Genius Club murder at 00:42 and copied it strictly without understanding why. .... Ji Xin Shui didn¡¯t explain the significance and origin of the 00:42 murder time in his confession. He only said he ordered his subordinates to ensure the target¡¯s death within 00:42 to 00:43. When asked why it had to be that time, Ji Xin Shui, showing no remorse, eerily smiled and said: ¡°To let them die at 00:42 is the highest respect.¡± The female officer in charge of the interrogation couldn¡¯t help but call him crazy. Despite further questioning on this point, Ji Xin Shui remained silent, only confessing his crimes. Lin Xian picked up the digital clock. He weighed it. So... The 00:42 time must hold some special significance. Not only was it the end time for his dreams and the birth and disappearance time of Millennium Stakes, but it was also related to the Genius Club¡¯s actions and principles. Therefore, it¡¯s no wonder he received the Genius Club invitation at 00:42. If Ji Xin Shui was right, 00:42 was a very respectful and significant time. It made sense to receive the invitation at this time. If it were a real Genius Club invitation, it had to be received at this time for the proper ceremony. He thought again about what Yellow Finch said when she first mentioned the mirror puzzle. It seemed this Genius Club invitation was the thing she said he wanted most, which is why she repeatedly hinted at the mirror. This was true. Both his past and present selves desired the Genius Club invitation. His past self had just solved the Seven Deadly Sins and was eager to know what the Genius Club was about and its purpose. His present self wanted to join the Genius Club, meet the so-called geniuses face-to-face, see what they were up to, and... find the truth about Millennium Stakes to save Chu An Qing! Yellow Finch always talked about mirrors, and he indeed looked into many for a long time. But who could have thought? Her hint about mirrors was to let him catch the right time, exactly at 00:42. This time was too targeted for him. When he first received the mirror puzzle, he was in the third dream, skydiving and coding nonstop, waking up at 00:42 every day. So, he didn¡¯t have the time or thought to look in the mirror at that time. Later, the third dream turned into the fourth dream. He got busier at night, testing the encirclement¡¯s tightness, the mysterious old man¡¯s reaction to different names; he also checked daily if the Time Bank¡¯s airship appeared. His dream schedule was packed, missing 00:42. But that wasn¡¯t the point... Even though it was late, he eventually solved the mirror puzzle. But the question remained... ¡°Why a mirror? Why did such a supernatural event happen in a mirror?¡± Lin Xian scratched his head, walked to the sink, and looked closely at the mirror. The reflection did the same, eyes wide, meeting his gaze. It was just an ordinary mirror. He had used it for years, completely normal. He moved to the side, confirming the gap between the mirror and the wall, even seeing the tiles on the other side. This showed the mirror was normal, with no tricks or tampering. ¡°This means the key is not the mirror but the strange time of 00:42. In this supernatural event, the mirror was just a medium, not the main factor. So, staring at it for a long time outside 00:42 is pointless. It must be at 00:42 that the reflection becomes unsynchronized and can cross the mirror, handing out the Genius Club invitation...¡± He couldn¡¯t understand why reflections, shadows, and light could become real entities. Lin Xian had to come up with a scientific explanation. He was a materialist, reluctant to accept supernatural events. Moreover, the Genius Club wasn¡¯t a supernatural organization; they followed the laws of the universe and physics. So far, no supernatural powers or extraordinary abilities existed. Even time-travelers like Yellow Finch and Millennium Stakes like Chu An Qing were subject to time-space laws. Elon Musk and Kevin Walker never exceeded human limits. ¡°This indicated if it exists, it is reasonable. If the mirror at 00:42 behaves strangely, connecting with another space, it means it¡¯s allowed by the universe¡¯s laws. If it¡¯s within the laws, it can be explained by rules and principles.¡± Lin Xian rubbed his chin, thinking deeply about this matter. Mirror, space, crossing, penetration... Suddenly, he remembered a concept proposed by Liu Feng¡ª ¡°Time-space cracks!¡± During a discussion at Donghai University¡¯s lab about how time-space particles traveled from another space to this one, Liu Feng mentioned that time-spaces might not be completely separate and could have some unknown cracks. These cracks allowed time-travel. Not only could humans with certain technology cross spaces, but time-space particles could drift through cracks, becoming foreign entities in this space. So, in broader reasoning, if humans and time-space particles could pass through cracks, why couldn¡¯t his arm or the Genius Club invitation? In an instant, Lin Xian felt enlightened. The concept of time-space cracks was abstract. Neither he nor Liu Feng could clearly define what a time-space crack looked like, where it was, or under what circumstances it could be found. Because of its straightforward and common description, they called the pathway for crossing time-space ¡°time-space cracks.¡± But obviously, time-space cracks weren¡¯t literal cracks or openings. They existed in ways beyond description and understanding. Like... The mirror at 00:42 that scared him just now. ¡°Time-space cracks.¡± Lin Xian muttered the concept. ¡°Maybe the existence and appearance of time-space cracks are related to the special time of 00:42. Thinking this way, the earlier event at 00:42 in the mirror, if linked to time-space cracks, becomes easier to explain.¡± Thinking this, Lin Xian let out a breath. Fortunately, the earlier supernatural event could be explained, albeit roughly, by the time-space crack theory. Regardless of the theory¡¯s accuracy, it proved the situation wasn¡¯t some scary ghost story. Human cognition is strange in this way. Space travel, extreme sports, life-or-death battles, and fighting enemies... many people aren¡¯t afraid of these. But supernatural things, no matter the era or place, seem to scare everyone with their tales. ¡°Forget it, don¡¯t think about it for now.¡± As long as he confirmed being in a materialist world, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t as frightened and accepted the time-space crack theory. ¡°Let¡¯s check the invitation. This one was handpicked by Yellow Finch... nearly 100% real.¡± He looked down. At the red invitation lying face-up on the sink, he reached out to pick it up. It felt different from the fake one. The touch was exquisite and luxurious, the edges plush, very comfortable. It was also slightly heavier than the fake one. Lin Xian flipped the invitation, looking at the front. First to catch his eye was the familiar, many-times-seen fire wax seal with the Genius Club¡¯s emblem and name. This wax seal seemed thicker and darker than the fake one and the one Elon Musk gave him, perhaps due to lighting? Probably not, as the bathroom light was bright. Maybe because this was genuine, Yellow Finch and Elon Musk¡¯s wax seals seemed like handmade crafts, not as refined, classical, and aged as this one. .... Lin Xian stared at the page. He roughly understood the process of joining the Genius Club. The invitation was just an entry pass. To truly join this mysterious organization, he had to pass three exam questions. Perhaps, after answering all three correctly, he would be formally invited to join the Genius Club, learn the meeting time and place, the club rules, and meet the geniuses. ¡°The threshold is so high.¡± Lin Xian was now 80% sure his invitation was a cheat by Yellow Finch. The first question: ¡°Please enter any time-space coordinates.¡± What kind of question was this? What were time-space coordinates? Why ask this question? And only one chance. It seemed a wrong answer would forever bar him from the Genius Club. ¡°Time-space coordinates.¡± Lin Xian muttered the new term. He didn¡¯t understand. But it confirmed his earlier guess. The Genius Club was indeed related to time-space. Perhaps they had mastered time-space manipulation, hence the arrogant question to a potential member. Linking his invitation¡¯s eerie delivery, time-space cracks, and 00:42 events, Lin Xian felt the Genius Club¡¯s power far exceeded his imagination. They understood time-space coordinates. Sending an invitation through the mirror and time-space cracks might be routine. Lin Xian closed the webpage. He wouldn¡¯t waste this only chance, his only hope of joining the Genius Club. With one try, he wouldn¡¯t risk it without fully understanding time-space coordinates. ¡°I need a professional¡¯s help.¡± Lin Xian held the golden badge, murmuring. .... The next day, Donghai University, Rhine Joint Laboratory. ¡°Liu Feng, what do you think time-space coordinates are?¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t mention the Genius Club invitation or the mirror event, directly asking about time-space coordinates. ¡°Do different time-spaces have unique numbers?¡± Liu Feng thought for a moment, shaking his head. ¡°Probably not. People in different time-spaces have no interaction, no way to communicate. Each time-space sees itself as the primary, the original timeline, so how would they number them? There¡¯s no baseline.¡± He grabbed chalk, drawing rays from a small point on the board. ¡°In worldline theory, each different choice at a node creates different worldlines, leading to different futures, forming different possibilities. In this theory, the original worldline is called the alpha worldline.¡± ¡°If the alpha worldline shifts due to some action, creating a second possible future, it¡¯s called the beta worldline.¡± ¡°Similarly, the third possible future is the gamma worldline; if more possible futures arise, they¡¯re delta worldlines.¡± ¡°These four Greek letters, alpha, beta, gamma, delta, just distinguish worldlines. If you prefer simplicity, you could call them first, second, third, zero worldlines, etc.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He understood without Liu Feng¡¯s explanation. He named his different dream worlds similarly. First dream, second dream, third dream, fourth dream, consistent with worldline theory. ¡°So, you think these alphas, betas, or first, second are time-space coordinates?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Liu Feng shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s too simple, these are subjective names, not universal. Think, what are coordinates? Like latitude and longitude, each coordinate point is unique. For example, Donghai City¡¯s coordinates are 31 degrees north latitude and 121 degrees east longitude.¡± ¡°These are Donghai City¡¯s coordinates, unique on Earth. Mentioning these coordinates, only Donghai City fits. Such uniqueness defines coordinates.¡± ¡°So, if we describe time-space coordinates, their form should be like latitude and longitude. Unique, precise, mentioning them locates a specific time-space without dispute or deviation.¡± ¡°I thought so too,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°But how do we find a time-space coordinate? Any one will do. Like latitude and longitude, any within range exists on Earth.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Liu Feng agreed. ¡°If you want any time-space coordinate, you need the rules and ranges. Knowing the rules, any coordinate is valid, like latitude and longitude.¡± ¡°For instance, if I randomly say 22 degrees south latitude, 43 degrees west longitude, which country or city is it? Do you know, Lin Xian?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it exists on Earth.¡± Liu Feng grabbed a globe, spinning it half a turn, pointing to South America. ¡°Found it, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro.¡± ¡°So now you understand? If your goal is to describe any time-space coordinate, you need the definition, rules, and range.¡± ¡°I get that, no need to lecture.¡± Lin Xian spread his hands. ¡°So, what do we do? How do we find the definition rules for time-space coordinates?¡± Hmm~ Liu Feng gave a sly smile, returning to the bench, patting the time-space clock still showing 0.0000000. ¡°I think this time-space clock might help!¡± ¡°Its function is to measure time-space curvature, like each latitude and longitude corresponding to a unique Earth location. Each time-space curvature might correspond to a specific time-space!¡± .... Lin Xian turned, looking at the time-space clock he hadn¡¯t favored. ¡°Your explanation isn¡¯t rigorous. If any seven-digit number after the decimal represents a time-space coordinate, we could randomly pick one like 0.1234567? Is that a time-space coordinate?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Liu Feng shook his head. ¡°Maybe, maybe not. We don¡¯t know the rules or ranges for time-space curvature.¡± ¡°But I think using time-space curvature to calculate and analyze coordinates is a good approach. So, are you in a hurry? If not, wait for the time-space clock to change.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Lin Xian stared at Liu Feng. How to put it? Urgency was there, he eagerly wanted to answer the Genius Club¡¯s questions and attend the meeting. But this couldn¡¯t be rushed. One chance, it had to be flawless. ¡°Any other methods?¡± Lin Xian pondered. ¡°Can¡¯t bother Yellow Finch again?¡± Solving the puzzle needed Yellow Finch¡¯s hint; maybe she could hint about time-space coordinates. However, remembering Yellow Finch being choked by invisible force, hurt by time-space laws, her body turning transparent in pain. ¡°Forget it, Liu Feng, we¡¯ll solve this ourselves.¡± Lin Xian looked up. ¡°We can¡¯t bother Yellow Finch.¡± ¡°Ah, Yellow Finch¡ª¡± Liu Feng¡¯s words were cut off by approaching high heels. ¡°Looking for me?¡± Lin Xian turned. Seeing Yellow Finch, her blue earrings gleaming in the sun. She leaned naturally on the door frame, smiling. ¡°Lin Xian, long time no see.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s gaze was complex, looking at the time-traveler with dimmed eyes in the sunlight. ¡°Funny, every time I want to see you, you appear immediately.¡± Yellow Finch lowered her head, smiling. ¡°The reason is obvious, Lin Xian.¡± She raised her head, tucking hair behind her ear with her right index finger. ¡°Because I¡¯ve... been waiting for you.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 323: The Lying You This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Three question marks popped up over Liu Feng¡¯s head as he glanced back and forth between Lin Xian and Yellow Finch. The air between them felt thick with an ambiguous tension, almost like they were flirting. ¡°Ahem,¡± Liu Feng coughed, trying to break the awkward silence. ¡°I¡¯m, uh, going to the bathroom. You guys can continue your chat.¡± With that, he quickly picked up his phone and headed towards the door. Lin Xian looked at Yellow Finch, about to say something, but before he could speak, Liu Feng rushed back in, grabbed a roll of toilet paper, and dashed out again. ¡°Actually, I think I¡¯ll take a number two. It usually takes me a while, like half an hour, sometimes even an hour. Anyway, I¡¯ll be off.¡± Bang. The door closed behind him. Lin Xian stared at the closed door for a moment before turning back to Yellow Finch. Maybe he had imagined the earlier tension. Perhaps it was just the way the sunlight hit her eyes, making them appear dull for a moment. Now, standing in the shadows of the laboratory, her pupils seemed bright again. ¡°I received an invitation to the Genius Club,¡± Lin Xian said softly. He had meant to ask why she was here, but Liu Feng¡¯s interruption made him skip straight to the point. Yellow Finch smiled and walked to the center of the lab, gently stroking the space-time clock Liu Feng had left on the workbench. ¡°Being a hindsight hero is pointless. No normal person would stare at a mirror for 24 hours. Getting the invitation now isn¡¯t too late.¡± ¡°Or rather,¡± she continued, ¡°even if you got it earlier, it wouldn¡¯t have helped much. The invitation is only the first step. If you can¡¯t answer the three questions correctly, you still can¡¯t join the Genius Club.¡± ¡°Life is like that. You never know if you¡¯re making the right steps or when to persist or give up. Like I told you before, Lin Xian, if you think it¡¯s right, do it. If you¡¯re wrong, be wrong to the end. Being hesitant is the worst.¡± Lin Xian unzipped his sports jacket, revealing a sweatshirt underneath. Pinned to his chest was the Genius Club¡¯s golden badge. He pointed to the badge for Yellow Finch to see. ¡°I¡¯m curious if I got this invitation through legitimate means or if there was some cheating involved. From my understanding, those who receive the invitation should easily answer the three questions, not be clueless like me.¡± Yellow Finch blinked her blue eyes. ¡°You¡¯re right about that. Anyone who gets an invitation can answer the three questions. It¡¯s a cause-and-effect relationship. As for the origin of your invitation... you probably have some idea yourself, but don¡¯t ask me. I can¡¯t tell you.¡± Lin Xian nodded, zipping up his jacket without further questions. ¡°I¡¯ll find the answer myself.¡± Yellow Finch smiled meaningfully, staying silent. Lin Xian then remembered his initial question and looked up at her. ¡°From what Liu Feng said before being interrupted, have you been here before? Were you looking for me?¡± Yellow Finch nodded. ¡°I wanted to invite you to Copenhagen.¡± ¡°Copenhagen?¡± Lin Xian repeated, recognizing the name. Copenhagen is Denmark¡¯s capital and largest city, once rated as the world¡¯s most livable city and one of the happiest places on Earth. Its climate is mild year-round, with summer highs around 22 degrees Celsius and winter lows just a few degrees below zero. But Lin Xian¡¯s familiarity with the city stemmed from one of the greatest debates in the history of human science¡ªthe century debate between Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr. This debate, centered on quantum mechanics, involved some of the smartest scientists in history, with fierce, unresolved arguments. Niels Bohr, founder of the Copenhagen interpretation, made significant contributions to modern quantum mechanics. Notably, even today, there¡¯s no definitive conclusion on who won this century-old debate. In 2022, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to researchers in quantum entanglement, leading many to believe the Copenhagen interpretation won and Einstein lost. However, quantum mechanics remains a largely theoretical field, with many ideas unproven by experiments. Therefore, there¡¯s no evidence Einstein was wrong. Many scholars even believe both Einstein and the Copenhagen school were wrong. In any case, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t fully understand or learn from these debates. He just remembered Copenhagen deeply because of it. And now, Yellow Finch specifically wanted to go to Copenhagen. Lin Xian wondered if there was some deeper meaning. He thought of the unsolved code in ¡°Sad Einstein¡± and the geniuses of the Copenhagen debate. Could Copenhagen hold some secret? Or was Yellow Finch trying to give him another hint? However, as Lin Xian pondered the puzzle, Yellow Finch laughed at his furrowed brow. ¡°Lin Xian, you don¡¯t need to think too deeply. My invitation to Copenhagen has no hidden meaning, no hints. It has nothing to do with the Genius Club, the Millennium Project, or space-time particles. I just want to visit that beautiful city.¡± Lin Xian was surprised. This didn¡¯t seem like Yellow Finch¡¯s style. ¡°Have you been to Copenhagen before?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± Yellow Finch shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s why I want to see it. So... can you? Will you come with me?¡± And Copernicus, who likely knows he killed Ji Xin Shui, also shows no activity. These people, each with hidden agendas, make Lin Xian nervous... fearing they¡¯re planning something big. However, he looked up at Yellow Finch, walking briskly to the boarding gate. With Yellow Finch around, he wasn¡¯t worried about safety. He was more curious about her real purpose. The first-class boarding had a special fast track. Yellow Finch was ahead, showing her ticket. Lin Xian glanced at it. Name: Yellow Finch. Her name is really Yellow Finch! It made sense. This woman had the means to handle the Satellite Launch Center and the space shuttle. Getting a new ID and information should be easy, a piece of cake. Lin Xian wanted to peek at her age on the ID. But after showing her ticket, Yellow Finch put the ID and boarding pass back into her handbag, looking at Lin Xian. ¡°It¡¯s rude to check a woman¡¯s age.¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°Your ID¡¯s age is probably as fake as your name.¡± Yellow Finch chuckled. ¡°Not necessarily.¡± She walked ahead in her high heels. Rumble¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The familiar feeling of takeoff as the Boeing plane soared into the sky. Lin Xian had experienced this countless times, spending more time in the air than on the ground. A direct flight from Donghai to Copenhagen took 13 hours, nearly half the globe. On the space shuttle at the first cosmic speed, it would take 40 minutes. Now, it took a long 13 hours. Fortunately, due to the time difference, they landed in Copenhagen in the morning, with no need for adjusting to the time zone. After landing and completing various procedures, Lin Xian pushed their luggage out of the terminal, bathed in sunlight. They looked up at the not-so-warm sun. This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°Where to now?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°You must have places you want to see, right?¡± Unexpectedly, Yellow Finch gently shook her head. ¡°I know nothing about Copenhagen. You decide where we go.¡± This stumped Lin Xian. He thought Yellow Finch had a plan, a purpose, or some important clue to give him here. Could it be... Was he wrong? He chuckled, looking at Yellow Finch in her blue scarf. ¡°You don¡¯t know Copenhagen, so why do you want to come?¡± ¡°Because a man promised to bring me here. He loved Copenhagen.¡± Yellow Finch looked at Lin Xian. ¡°But he broke his promise.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s smile froze. He closed his mouth. After a few seconds, he asked tentatively. ¡°Was it me?¡± Yellow Finch laughed. The Danish wind blew, lifting her hat¡¯s brim. ¡°Of course not. You never broke a promise.¡± She turned back, gazing at Copenhagen¡¯s skyline. ¡°You¡¯re here, aren¡¯t you?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 324: My Man This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°Since neither of us knows where to go...¡± Lin Xian shrugged his shoulders. ¡°How about we just wander around? We can hop on a bus, get off wherever it stops, and explore whatever attractions we come across.¡± To be honest, he was genuinely surprised. Both he and Liu Feng had thought Yellow Finch must have had some hidden agenda for coming to Copenhagen, given her usual secrecy and the temporal constraints they believed she was under. Yet, it seemed she truly just wanted to wander around aimlessly... Aimlessness was often the hardest thing to achieve. Having no better option, Lin Xian had to suggest this plan. Fortunately, Copenhagen was an international tourist city with a well-developed tourism industry and infrastructure. They could catch a tourist bus right from the airport, with routes thoughtfully planned to allow for spontaneous exploration, just as Lin Xian had suggested. Lin Xian pointed to the tourist bus that had just arrived at the stop nearby. ¡°Let¡¯s take this bus. It has many stops at various attractions, so we won¡¯t have to worry about making decisions.¡± Yellow Finch nodded. ¡°Sounds like a good idea.¡± The bus doors closed automatically, and the vehicle set off towards the suburbs. There were not many passengers on board, with only half of the seats occupied, and the traffic was light, allowing the bus to move swiftly. Yellow Finch gazed out of the window at the rapidly receding scenery, her thoughts unclear. Perhaps she was genuinely admiring the view. Denmark¡¯s vast landscapes and sparse population created a serene natural beauty, though few animals were visible, likely due to the prevalence of large-scale farming. Lin Xian, peering over Yellow Finch¡¯s furry hat, admired the lush green hills outside the bus. ¡°My main knowledge of Copenhagen comes from that famous debate between Einstein and Bohr on quantum mechanics.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of that,¡± Yellow Finch responded softly. ¡°But that debate didn¡¯t actually take place in Copenhagen. It was in Brussels, Belgium, during the Fifth Solvay Conference.¡± ¡°That debate gathered the world¡¯s top physicists... Einstein, Planck, Curie, Schro?dinger, Heisenberg, Lorentz, Richardson, Born... all renowned geniuses.¡± ¡°Even though they argued fiercely over different views on quantum mechanics, their debates were ultimately aimed at the advancement of human civilization. That historic debate had a profoundly positive impact on the development of physics over the following century.¡± ¡°After the debate, they took a famous photograph, often referred to as the ¡®All-Star Photo¡¯ of physicists, capturing the smartest people on Earth. Even today, a hundred years later, no other photograph has matched its significance.¡± ¡°Those people were true geniuses...¡± Lin Xian sighed. ¡°In many fantasy novels, the older something is, the more powerful it is. But why does the scientific community also have this illusion? Many modern scientists have achievements that surpass those of the past, whether compared horizontally or vertically.¡± ¡°Yet, whenever we talk about great scientists, we keep mentioning the same old names: Newton, Gauss, Galileo, Einstein, Edison... Ask who won the Nobel Prize in Physics recently, and most people wouldn¡¯t know.¡± Yellow Finch remained silent, looking out at the scenery. She then turned to Lin Xian. ¡°I suddenly want to ask you, who is your favorite scientist?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Lin Xian hadn¡¯t really thought about it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be a scientist. Among all the historical geniuses, who do you admire the most?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Lin Xian pondered. ¡°The first name that comes to mind is Einstein, probably because his name is so famous.¡± ¡°If we include geniuses from the arts as well... I¡¯d say I really like Da Vinci or Beethoven.¡± Yellow Finch smiled mysteriously. ¡°Beethoven is a good choice.¡± ¡°Why not Da Vinci?¡± Lin Xian asked. Yellow Finch just smiled and said nothing. Compared to the Forbidden City in this country, this palace seemed a bit modest. But every palace and every king¡¯s statue bore witness to an era¡¯s history. The most famous event at Amalienborg Palace was the royal guard change at noon. The soldiers, nearly two meters tall, wore bearskin hats and old military uniforms, exuding a solemn and majestic presence. But by the time Lin Xian and Yellow Finch arrived, it was the orange-red dusk, with the sun nearly set into the horizon, warming the earth with its last rays. At this hour, most attractions were closed. They stood outside the palace gates, gazing at a towering statue of a hero on horseback. The statue was several stories high. Reading the inscription on the plaque, Lin Xian learned it was a statue of Frederick V, a former king of Denmark. Engraved on the plaque were his last words: ¡°I have never offended anyone, my hands are free of blood. At the end of my life, I find great comfort in this.¡± Yellow Finch scoffed. ¡°Though I don¡¯t know much about this part of Danish history, I believe a king who can say such words was not a qualified king. If he happened to live in peaceful times, his ministers might maintain stability. But in a time of war, such a king would be a disaster for his people.¡± Lin Xian smiled at her. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re quite the warrior.¡± ¡°But now I agree with you. Achieving victory without shedding any blood is a bit too naive. Now, I¡¯m prepared.¡± ¡°I also understand what you meant on the space shuttle when you said Xiang Yu wasn¡¯t a hero, but Yu Ji was. If I were Xiang Yu, I¡¯d charge out and die fighting, truly living up to the saying ¡®better to be a ghost with a hero¡¯s name than a coward in life.¡¯¡± ¡°I only want to become strong quickly, to unlock the secrets of the Universal Constant, infiltrate the Genius Club, and root out those treacherous individuals. And finally... bring Chu An Qing back.¡± ¡°I know it won¡¯t be easy, but saving something is never as simple as destroying it. That¡¯s why saving is more meaningful.¡± Yellow Finch turned from the statue, her blue eyes reflecting the orange glow of the setting sun. She smiled, pleased. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that from you. It seems you¡¯ve really grown up.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°I like people like you, Lin Xian. People love stories of saviors, but many forget that saviors weren¡¯t born that way. They start as helpless children, making mistakes, feeling fear, hesitating, wandering, and doubting...¡± ¡°That¡¯s normal and reasonable. It takes time, sometimes a long and winding journey, to grow into a savior. But many don¡¯t realize that. They think saviors are born perfect, without any flaws.¡± ¡°Just like many seek a perfect partner in marriage, not realizing that generals weren¡¯t always generals, and heroes weren¡¯t always heroes. Everyone needs time to grow from ordinary to great.¡± Lin Xian tilted his head, looking at Yellow Finch. ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious, hope you don¡¯t mind. Have you ever been married?¡± Yellow Finch laughed, shaking her head. ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°Then let me ask differently. Would you choose an excellent, great man, or an ordinary, imperfect one?¡± The shadow of Amalienborg Palace stretched long under the last sliver of sunset, reaching the other side of the sky. Flocks of birds took flight from the palace eaves, disappearing into the dusk. Yellow Finch slowly raised her head, her blue eyes glowing anew in the night. ¡°I would stay with him through his ordinary days, teach him to be excellent, and wait for him to mature. Then... I¡¯d watch him slowly become great.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 325: I Have Been Here Before This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation In the heart of Denmark, a country often celebrated as the fairy tale kingdom due to its rich history of myths and legends, the night began to cast its veil. Amalienborg Palace, renowned for its architectural grandeur, stood solemnly beside the statue of Frederick V. Both were shrouded in layers of darkness, a sight that marked the onset of twilight. As the surroundings became enveloped in darkness, a singular, striking light pierced through the shadows. This light did not come from any lamppost or window but from the intense, azure eyes of Yellow Finch. Her eyes sparkled with a brilliance that resembled shards of shattered glass, capturing flecks of light in a mesmerizing dance. They held a focused, unwavering gaze akin to a hunting owl poised in the silent night. Yellow Finch was not a predator here, nor was she native to these lands. She was merely a visitor, a tourist who had wandered far from her usual haunts. Yet, her presence in this enchanting environment wasn¡¯t without purpose. As she stood there, her eyes locked onto the dark, mysterious expanse of the forest bordering the quaint city, a question lingered in the crisp evening air: What exactly was she searching for in this tranquil realm of fairy tales? After leaving Amalienborg Palace, Lin Xian and Yellow Finch had a simple meal of local cuisine before heading to their hotel to rest. Their luggage had already been transported from the airport to the hotel by a special shuttle bus, making things very convenient. Initially, Lin Xian had planned to book the best hotel in the center of Copenhagen, but Yellow Finch pointed to a more suburban location and insisted on staying there. ¡°It¡¯s a bit out of the way,¡± Lin Xian explained. ¡°Even though it¡¯s still Copenhagen, it¡¯s like staying in a small town compared to the city center. While the suburbs of a capital city aren¡¯t bad, the living conditions and surroundings won¡¯t be as good as the hotel I initially chose.¡± Yellow Finch shook her head. ¡°This area will do. I don¡¯t like crowded places. Just find a decent hotel around here.¡± Seeing her insistence, Lin Xian didn¡¯t argue further. Yellow Finch always seemed like a solitary person who didn¡¯t enjoy crowds. Did the hotel¡¯s location really matter that much? He couldn¡¯t understand but decided to go along with her choice. So, Lin Xian booked a hotel in the western suburbs of Copenhagen. It was a decent hotel, and he reserved two suites. Shortly after, the taxi pulled up in front of the hotel. Lin Xian paid the fare and opened the door for Yellow Finch. Stepping out of the car, Lin Xian looked around. The architectural style and the ancient feeling of the place reminded him of a European street from the last century. There were no high-rise buildings; everything was old and filled with the traces of time. The area had a strong sense of life, with small shops, couples strolling, and families with children. ¡°Is this... an old town?¡± Lin Xian asked, looking at the surroundings. Yellow Finch shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but Copenhagen probably doesn¡¯t have any old towns. This city has been famous since the Industrial Revolution, hosting many important conferences worldwide. Unlike many cities in our country, which were just starting to urbanize when the third information revolution began globally, resulting in incompatible old towns due to rapid development.¡± Lin Xian agreed with Yellow Finch¡¯s reasoning. He had traveled to many cities in X Country, and old towns were an unavoidable presence due to the rapid development demands of urbanization. Roads were always crowded, the widest being two lanes, and many small paths could only be described as sheep trails. Residential areas lacked underground parking, and cars parked one after another on the ground, making it a hassle whenever a vehicle in the innermost spot needed to leave, resembling a game. Markets, breakfast streets, and morning markets seemed to be standard features of these old towns. As Yellow Finch had said, it was difficult and expensive to rejuvenate an entire old town amid rapid urban development. Demolition and resettlement were complicated and challenging tasks. Instead, it was easier to plan a new district as the center, stimulating the surrounding economy¡ªa strategy that had proven effective in many X Country cities. Looking at the suburb now, it might have remained unchanged for many years¡ªold, quaint, and full of the warmth of life. ¡°It¡¯s a good place by chance,¡± Lin Xian said, opening the hotel¡¯s door for Yellow Finch as they walked in. After checking in, they each took their room keys and headed to their rooms to rest.Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om The hotel wasn¡¯t big, with only six floors. The suites, spacious and well-equipped, were mostly on the sixth floor. Taking the elevator to the sixth floor, they found their rooms next to each other¡ª606 and 608. As they opened their doors, Lin Xian looked at Yellow Finch. ¡°We walked around all day today, so let¡¯s get some good rest. We just wandered around nearby attractions today. Tomorrow, we can visit the famous museums, art galleries, and theaters in the city. If there¡¯s anywhere else you want to see, you can check online.¡± Yellow Finch nodded, tiredly entering her room. The doors closed with two soft thuds. Lin Xian and Yellow Finch were now in adjacent suites, each preparing for bed. Lin Xian glanced at the electronic clock by the bed, which read 9:30 PM. This was Danish time. He raised his left wrist and looked at his smartwatch, which showed 3:30 AM¡ªX Country time. The time difference between the two regions was six hours, with X Country seeing the new day six hours earlier than Denmark. ¡°So... at this time, I probably won¡¯t dream,¡± Lin Xian yawned. After receiving the invitation to join the Genius Club, he had specifically entered the dream the next night after parting ways with Yellow Finch in Liu Feng¡¯s lab. As expected, the fourth dream remained unchanged. But that was to be expected. Receiving the Genius Club¡¯s invitation was only the beginning. He still had a long way to go before officially joining the club and forming an irreversible anchor point. Any wrong answer to the three exam questions would result in the club rejecting him, making him the first to receive an invitation but fail the exams. The members of the Genius Club would laugh at him. After all, Yellow Finch had said no one else had ever failed. All those who received invitations passed the exams, proving they were true geniuses and gaining entry to the club. So, Lin Xian accepted that receiving the invitation without triggering changes in the fourth dream was normal. Besides, the possibility that the fourth dream was fake, a simulated world, or a film set had not been ruled out. The items were already in place¡ªTime Bank, the aluminum alloy safe, and the secret note Chu An Qing wrote. All that was left was for him to verify them. The current challenge was the mysterious old man blocking his path to Time Bank. He had to deal with the old man to move freely in the fourth dream. But the key question was... Who was this mysterious old man? Kevin Walker? Elon Musk? Or someone else, known or unknown? Regardless, the old man had the same catchphrase as Kevin Walker. Starting with Kevin Walker was the safest bet. Lin Xian and Kevin Walker had more than one score to settle. There were many unresolved issues between them. If eliminating Kevin Walker didn¡¯t change the fourth dream, he¡¯d have to consider other suspects. ¡°Ughh...¡± Lin Xian sighed, thinking about the situation. Having wandered the dreams for so many years, he hadn¡¯t expected to hit a dead end. He couldn¡¯t open the safe, read the note, or verify the thousand-year-old stake with CC. It was frustrating. When Lin Xian first received the invitation from the mirror, he had hoped to join the Genius Club directly, find Kevin Walker, and eliminate him. But now, it was unclear which plan would come first. Killing Kevin Walker was necessary to change the fourth dream. Without changing the fourth dream, the numbers on the time-space clock wouldn¡¯t change. Without those numbers, he couldn¡¯t study the time-space coordinates. Without the specific laws and values of the time-space coordinates, passing the Genius Club exams was impossible. Everything was interconnected, and he was stuck. Lin Xian yawned again. After a full day of walking, he was exhausted... ¡°Let¡¯s sleep first. At least I can sleep until morning.¡± In X Country, he always woke up at 00:42 every night. But now, he didn¡¯t need to. ¡°Good night.¡± Yellow Finch looked taken aback, blinking at Lin Xian with a mixture of surprise and amusement. ¡°Are you inviting me? This invitation seems quite informal.¡± Lin Xian chuckled, stepping back and bowing slightly in a more formal manner¡ªa gesture he had practiced numerous times at Donghai University, especially when inviting fellow students to dance at university events. ¡°May I have this dance, my lady?¡± Amused by his ceremonious approach, Yellow Finch glanced at the moonlit sky, perhaps seeking approval from the stars. After a brief moment, she returned her gaze to him, her eyes warmer. She extended her right hand, her fingertips lightly touching Lin Xian¡¯s palm. ¡°Now that¡¯s more like it.¡± The music from the street¡¯s loudspeaker softened, turning into a gentle melody that seemed to lull the city to sleep. The rhythm was perfect for a slow, four-step waltz. They stood on the roof of an old building, bathed in moonlight rather than under the chandeliers of a grand ballroom. Lin Xian wore simple sportswear, and Yellow Finch was wrapped in a casual coat¡ªhardly the attire for a formal dance. Yet, none of that mattered. As they began to dance, Lin Xian reflected on his earlier thoughts about the universal nature of art¡ªhow dance and music transcended societal boundaries, creating a pure, unfiltered form of expression. Leading Yellow Finch gently under the moon, their shadows mingling with the clouds, he felt their isolated sorrows intertwining, finding solace in each other¡¯s presence. There was no applause, no audience, and even the music was borrowed from someone else¡¯s celebration. But none of that diminished the moment. Yellow Finch¡¯s smile, lighter than usual, confirmed that. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to ever invite someone to dance,¡± she remarked quietly. ¡°It¡¯s a first,¡± Lin Xian admitted with a chuckle, releasing her hand briefly to let her spin gracefully in her heels before pulling her back into the dance. ¡°I¡¯m not very good at it,¡± he confessed. ¡°So, have you always been invited by ladies to dance? That¡¯s not very gentlemanly. You should never let a lady invite you,¡± she teased, her eyes twinkling in the blue moonlight. ¡°But I invited you tonight, didn¡¯t I?¡± Lin Xian retorted with a smile, stepping closer. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange to dance in such a place?¡± he questioned playfully. Yellow Finch laughed softly, her laughter echoing slightly in the open air as she stepped back into his hand, completing their dance with a smooth glide. ¡°I read somewhere that no matter how embarrassing or ridiculous something is, if someone is willing to be embarrassed with you, then it isn¡¯t embarrassing. Similarly, no matter how bad something is, if someone is willing to be bad with you, then it¡¯s not truly bad.¡± ¡°You always speak in riddles,¡± Lin Xian murmured, clearly impressed. ¡°But you¡¯re a good dancer. I didn¡¯t expect you to dance to this tune... it¡¯s relatively new, only a few years old, yet you keep perfect time.¡± ¡°Because I watched the movie,¡± Yellow Finch revealed with a smile, referring to the familiar tune from ¡°Captain America.¡± ¡°Even though I¡¯m not a fan of superhero movies, I watched several sequels,¡± Lin Xian admitted, a bit surprised by her admission. ¡°If you don¡¯t like them, why watch? Why torture yourself?¡± he asked, puzzled. ¡°That¡¯s not the right way to look at it, Lin Xian,¡± Yellow Finch replied as they finished their last turn. The music dwindled to its final notes and stopped abruptly, signaling the end of their dance. Yellow Finch gently released Lin Xian¡¯s hand and took a step back. She regarded him thoughtfully, a soft smile playing on her lips. ¡°You didn¡¯t like Copenhagen, but you still came, didn¡¯t you?¡± She adjusted her coat and smoothed down her hair, preparing to leave. ¡°Thank you for dancing with me. I¡¯m very happy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s go rest. We have many places to visit tomorrow,¡± she suggested. With a graceful turn, she walked towards the stairwell leading down from the rooftop. Pausing at the door, she looked back at Lin Xian. ¡°Good night, Lin Xian... sweet dreams.¡± Then, she disappeared into the stairwell, leaving Lin Xian alone under the vast, starry sky. The next morning dawned just like any other day, yet it held the promise of new explorations. Lin Xian and Yellow Finch spent the day touring various cultural spots around Copenhagen, from art galleries brimming with masterpieces to historical museums showcasing the city¡¯s rich past. They even managed to catch a mesmerizing performance at the national opera house, where they absorbed the intricate beauty of classical music and powerful vocal performances. As evening approached, they decided to try a local restaurant that had received rave reviews online. Lin Xian found the meal surprisingly better than the previous day¡¯s, savoring each dish with a newfound appreciation for Danish cuisine. However, he couldn¡¯t help but notice that Yellow Finch seemed preoccupied. She picked at her food and made several trips to the restroom. Her gaze frequently wandered to the window, her mind clearly elsewhere. Putting down his fork, Lin Xian finally addressed the elephant in the room. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± he asked, his tone laced with concern. Yellow Finch seemed to snap back from her reverie, her eyes meeting his. After a moment of silence, she spoke, ¡°I have one more place I want to see.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°Sure,¡± Lin Xian responded with a shrug, assuming it was just another site on their tourist map. ¡°Now?¡± She nodded affirmatively. Without further ado, Lin Xian wiped his mouth with a napkin and suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s take a cab then. There¡¯s one right outside. By the way... which place do you want to visit?¡± Considering the size of Copenhagen, Lin Xian thought they had covered most of the major attractions. He wondered if there was a spot they had overlooked. ¡°The Little Mermaid statue,¡± Yellow Finch replied, referring to the iconic sculpture they had seen the previous day on the seaside promenade. Lin Xian raised his eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Yeah... we saw it yesterday. Do you want to see it again?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she affirmed with a gentle smile. ¡°I mentioned it back at Andersen¡¯s cemetery, remember? I¡¯ve always loved the fairy tale ¡®The Little Mermaid.¡¯ So... let¡¯s see the statue again. It¡¯s rare to come to Copenhagen. Wouldn¡¯t it be a pity not to take a photo?¡± She looked up at him, her blue eyes gleaming with a mixture of earnestness and excitement. ¡°When we get to the Little Mermaid statue, could you take a picture for me? At least as a keepsake, to show that... I¡¯ve been here.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 326: The Little Mermaid This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Yellow Finch¡¯s warm smile lit up as she spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a pity? We¡¯ve been in Copenhagen for so long and haven¡¯t taken a single photo.¡± Lin Xian suddenly realized she was right. He wasn¡¯t fond of taking photos and had never developed the habit of sharing updates on social media. Consequently, his phone¡¯s camera was mostly used for practical purposes like scanning QR codes. His photo album was more of a digital filing cabinet, stuffed with screenshots and work documents rather than snapshots of landscapes or moments from daily life. Throughout their journey in Copenhagen, Lin Xian hadn¡¯t thought about capturing any memories through photographs. His mind had been preoccupied with Yellow Finch¡¯s mysterious actions or planning his next moves, especially figuring out how to locate Kevin Walker and resolve a lingering dilemma. He admitted to himself that this trip to Copenhagen wasn¡¯t something he was enthusiastic about. However, Yellow Finch seemed to have a special connection to this city, though he wasn¡¯t sure what it was. Surprisingly, she hadn¡¯t taken any photos either, not even selfies, nor had she asked him to snap any. Thinking about it now, he realized they should preserve some memories of their trip. At the very least, it would be a token of Yellow Finch¡¯s fulfillment of her wish to visit Copenhagen and see her favorite fairytale statue, ¡°The Little Mermaid.¡± ¡°Alright, since you insist,¡± Lin Xian conceded, tossing his crumpled napkin into the trash can. ¡°Going back there once more won¡¯t hurt.¡±Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com ¡°We¡¯re not on one of those strict tours where you can¡¯t visit the same place twice. We can go wherever we want. Shall we head out now?¡± After settling the bill at the restaurant, they stepped outside and hailed a taxi to the Langelinie promenade. Through the taxi window¡¯s reflection, Lin Xian caught a glimpse of Yellow Finch. Her eyes were a vivid blue, shimmering with anticipation. The taxi driver, an elderly man with graying hair and a white beard, also noticed Yellow Finch¡¯s striking eyes when they got in. He was taken aback and complimented her, ¡°Miss, your eyes are the most beautiful I¡¯ve ever seen, just like the ocean!¡± Yellow Finch responded with a gentle smile, ¡°Maybe I am the daughter of the sea.¡± Knowing their destination was the Little Mermaid statue, the driver chuckled and gave her a thumbs-up for her witty reply. Half an hour later, the taxi dropped them at the promenade. Lin Xian and Yellow Finch disembarked and walked to the beach where the famous statue stood. They approached slowly, stopping about ten meters away to admire the iconic ¡°daughter of the sea¡± from the fairytale. The statue was a poignant sight. The lower part was an oval granite base about two meters in diameter, which supported the 1.5-meter-tall bronze figure of the mermaid. The statue depicted a bronze girl with her hair neatly tied back. One hand rested on the granite base while the other touched her leg. Interestingly, despite being a mermaid, she faced the shore, not the sea, gazing thoughtfully at the distant cityscape. ¡°No problem,¡± Lin Xian agreed, readying his phone. ¡°Go ahead; I¡¯m good at taking photos.¡± Yellow Finch hesitated, closing her eyes briefly as if deciding whether to reveal more. She took a few steps towards the statue, then paused and turned back, her blue eyes reflecting the moonlight and the sea¡¯s glimmering surface, resembling the fleeting shimmer of time-space particles. ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯ve lied to you more than you think,¡± she finally admitted. Lin Xian shook his head, dismissing the significance, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°I lied. I was never a member of the Genius Club,¡± Yellow Finch confessed. ¡°I only knew some things about it. Even if you join, we won¡¯t meet there. So, when I said ¡®I¡¯ll wait for you at the Genius Club,¡¯ it was a lie.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Lin Xian responded calmly. ¡°Whether you¡¯re in the Genius Club or not, it¡¯s a path I have to explore for myself.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Yellow Finch smiled, touched by his acceptance, ¡°That¡¯s why so many people are drawn to you. You have a likable way about you as you mature. And one more thing, I also lied about why I wanted to come to Copenhagen. The man who promised to take me here never breaks his promises. In many ways, including this trip, I was the one who broke promises.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Lin Xian shrugged, his tone light. ¡°We¡¯re here now. Anything else?¡± He grinned, ¡°No major lies, just gentle ones. You haven¡¯t really deceived me.¡± ¡°Actually, there is one more thing,¡± Yellow Finch confessed, her eyes twinkling mischievously. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to say it. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Xian assured her. ¡°You¡¯ve helped me a lot, and I¡¯m grateful. I often feel guilty, not knowing how to reciprocate.¡± ¡°Just take a good picture of me,¡± Yellow Finch chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she turned and walked towards the statue. ¡°This is our last lesson,¡± she said, approaching the introspective, melancholic Little Mermaid statue. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 327: The Last Lesson This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Lin Xian stood on the cobblestone path, a mere ten meters from the iconic Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen. For Yellow Finch, every step toward the melancholic statue seemed to stretch on forever, each one heavier than the last, as if she were walking through the fabric of time itself. She paused under the dim glow of the street lamps, her gaze fixed on the bronze figure of the mermaid. After a moment of silent reflection, she turned, her eyes shimmering with an ethereal blue light as she called out to Lin Xian. He was busy fiddling with his phone, trying to capture the perfect shot from his position. ¡°Make sure to get a clear shot! A really clear one!¡± Yellow Finch¡¯s voice was filled with a mix of excitement and urgency. Lin Xian responded with a thumbs up, his focus divided between the artistic elements of the shot and the technical aspects of nighttime photography. Knowing the pitfalls of using a flash, he adjusted his phone settings to maximize the ambient light, aiming for a perfect balance that would illuminate Yellow Finch in her entirety without casting harsh shadows. Click. He captured an image, but it didn¡¯t satisfy him. Adjusting the phone to a vertical position, he tweaked the angle slightly and tried again. ¡°Not bad,¡± he muttered under his breath, pleased with the improvements.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com He called out to Yellow Finch, ¡°Come back. I¡¯ve got it!¡± But Yellow Finch stayed put, her smile serene yet mysterious. ¡°Take a few more. Just in case one isn¡¯t clear enough.¡± Lin Xian obliged, kneeling to take another photo from a low angle. This perspective would enhance Yellow Finch¡¯s stature, elongating her legs and torso, though in his eyes, she was already perfection personified. As he focused on capturing her empowered stance, a sudden movement caught his eye through the lens¡ªa small, swift figure darted from behind the statue, charging directly at Yellow Finch. ¡°What the¡ª?¡± Lin Xian gasped, lowering his phone in disbelief. A child? No, it was a teenage girl, about a meter and a half tall, clad in a grey hoodie that obscured her face. But her eyes were unmistakable¡ªintense, bright blue, glowing with an unnatural luminosity that rivaled even Yellow Finch¡¯s vibrant gaze. Before Lin Xian could process the situation, the girl lunged at Yellow Finch, her arm swinging a sharp knife that gleamed under the streetlights. ¡°Run!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s warning sliced through the night, but it was too late. The knife plunged deep into Yellow Finch¡¯s back, emerging stained with blood on the other side¡ªa brutal and efficient strike. Against the pain, Yellow Finch remained stoic, barely flinching. ¡°Quick... take the picture!¡± Lin Xian, driven by a mix of fear and determination, snapped several more photos, capturing the fleeting image of the attacker. The girl withdrew her weapon and sprinted across the beach with supernatural speed, vanishing into the night. Lin Xian was left in shock, his mind racing as he pocketed his phone and rushed to Yellow Finch¡¯s side. She was already on the ground, blood pouring from the wound in a relentless stream. ¡°I need to call for help¡ª¡± he began, fumbling for his phone again. ¡°No... listen to me...¡± Yellow Finch¡¯s voice was weak but insistent. She grabbed his hand, her own stained with blood, and held it over her chest. Like fine sand slipping through fingers, Yellow Finch¡¯s nearly transparent body disintegrated into countless tiny blue crystals. They scattered in the blink of an eye, carried away by the sea breeze, leaving no trace behind except the memory of her existence. Lin Xian knelt on the beach, his breath heavy, his arms still outstretched as if holding onto the ghost of her presence. When he looked up at the statue of the Little Mermaid, it mirrored the sorrow he felt, its stone face wet from the sea spray, resembling tears. The blue specks that had once been Yellow Finch had disappeared without a trace, along with the blood that had stained his clothes. Now, only the high heels at his feet and the photos on his phone remained as proof that Yellow Finch had once walked this earth, had once breathed, had once been to Copenhagen. Taking deep breaths to steady himself, Lin Xian stood and faced the endless sea, the breeze, and the quiet beach under the bright moon. ¡°Yu Xi...¡± He murmured the name left by Yellow Finch, feeling more lost than ever. ¡°Who is... Yu Xi?¡± Meanwhile, far away in Donghai, X Country, inside a high-end villa, a different scene unfolded. A fluffy Pomeranian, named VV, erupted into frantic barking, awakening from a disturbing dream. ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!¡± Zhao Ying Jun, startled from her sleep, flicked on the bedside lamp and looked down at VV who was crying uncontrollably on the floor. This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation ¡°Did you have a nightmare, VV?¡± She tried to console the Pomeranian, stroking its fur and neck soothingly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, you¡¯re awake now, it was just a dream...¡± VV¡¯s reactions were unusually intense tonight. In the eight years Zhao had been VV¡¯s companion, she had never seen it cry so mournfully after a nightmare. ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!¡± No amount of comforting seemed to ease VV¡¯s distress. Zhao Ying Jun, feeling helpless, reached for her phone and played a video she had recorded of Lin Xian¡¯s first visit. Usually, the sight and sound of Lin Xian calmed VV instantly. ¡°Here, let¡¯s watch this again.¡± In the video, Lin Xian knelt and gently petted VV, his deep, soothing voice saying, ¡°VV... be good.¡± However, this time, the usual magic of the video failed. VV continued to wail, its cries piercing the quiet of the night, its body limp and tears streaming from its tightly shut eyes. Zhao Ying Jun frowned deeply, concerned by this uncharacteristic reaction. She picked up VV, cradling the trembling dog in her arms, trying to offer comfort through her warmth and heartbeat. ¡°VV... what¡¯s wrong...¡± Her voice was filled with worry as she held the distressed Pomeranian close, seeking to understand the cause of its profound sorrow. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 328: In My Name, I Give You My Surname This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation In a world where heroes could lift mountains and spirits could soar above the highest peaks, there once lived a legendary king named Xiang Yu of Western Chu. However, he found himself trapped and surrounded at the Battle of Gaixia, not just by clashing armies, but by the overwhelming forces of Liu Bang. Facing certain defeat, Xiang Yu sang a poignant song, reflecting on his once formidable power and his current dire situation: ¡°With the strength to lift mountains and the spirit that surpasses the world, The times are not favorable, and my horse Zhi cannot run. If Zhi cannot run, what can I do? Oh Yu, oh Yu, what will become of you?¡± This lament wasn¡¯t just about his immobilized horse, Zhi; it was a metaphor for his own predicament. Despite his legendary bravery, Xiang Yu felt completely powerless against the unrelenting force of fate. His primary concern in these final moments was the fate of his beloved, Yu Ji. What dreadful future awaited her in a world where he could no longer protect her? In these ruthless times, the fate of a beauty like Yu Ji after his death seemed tragically predictable. She was protected while Xiang Yu lived, but vulnerable once he was gone. Would she fall into the hands of their enemies? The historic epic ¡°Farewell My Concubine¡± recounts this tragic scenario. Following Xiang Yu¡¯s death, Yu Ji chose to end her life, hoping her sacrifice might alleviate his burden and possibly lead to his miraculous escape from the encirclement. However, overwhelmed by defeat and grief, Xiang Yu also took his life by the Wu River, marking a heroic yet heartbreaking end. Some speculated that he could not bear the shame of returning to his homeland in Jiangdong as a defeated king. Others believed he could not live without Yu Ji, who had said, ¡°My lord¡¯s spirit is exhausted, how can your humble servant live on?¡± Such is the ambiguity of history, often written by the victors, leaving the truth hidden in shadows. Meanwhile, in a modern setting by the shallow sea near Copenhagen, another figure vanished¡ªYellow Finch. Lin Xian stood there, looking out over the dark, turbulent waters, reflecting on Yellow Finch¡¯s last plea, which felt almost like a prayer: ¡°never leave Yu Ji.¡± But who was Yu Ji, really? For a long time, Lin Xian compared Yellow Finch to Yu Ji from ¡°Farewell My Concubine.¡± However, when Chu An Qing bravely jumped from 20,000 meters to secure space-time particles for him, Lin Xian began to view her as the real-life embodiment of Yu Ji¡¯s courage. Then, in a sudden burst of light, another had disappeared¡ªright from his arms. If this sea was his Wu River, the barrier he could not cross, then wasn¡¯t Yellow Finch, the woman who sacrificed everything, the real Yu Ji? Both were now gone. ¡°Never leave Yu Ji...¡± What did it truly mean? Yu Ji wasn¡¯t just a name; it seemed to be a term of endearment, perhaps a final metaphor left by Yellow Finch, woven into the complexities of space-time dynamics. Lin Xian pondered his relationships. Of the women in his life, only Zhao Ying Jun remained close. Yellow Finch¡¯s clues had always been straightforward: ¨C She warned him the invitation was a trap; ¨C She initiated their cat and mouse game; ¨C She led him directly to Zheng Cheng He, which he had misunderstood; ¨C She urged him to look more in the mirror, unveiling the direct nature of her clues. Lin Xian concluded that Yellow Finch¡¯s final words, ¡°don¡¯t leave Yu Ji,¡± were likely quite literal. The expression on her face when she mentioned Yu Ji was filled with longing and despair. For Yellow Finch, Yu Ji held deep significance. As Lin Xian turned to gaze at a little mermaid statue in the distance, he clenched his fist, resolved. Yellow Finch had entrusted him with a mission, and he was determined not to fail her. He would discover the true identity of Yu Ji and honor Yellow Finch¡¯s plea: ¡°Absolutely never leave her.¡± By doing so, he hoped to fulfill Yellow Finch¡¯s last wish, allowing her journey through space and time to end without regrets. Lin Xian found himself deep in thought, pondering over Yellow Finch¡¯s disappearance. ¡°When someone like Yellow Finch vanishes into blue stardust... what state is she in, and where does she go?¡± Lin Xian wondered. Optimistically, he mused, ¡°Could it be that she has ended her lonely space-time journey and returned to her original world? Even if that world was terrible because they couldn¡¯t capture this space-time particle, it was still her home, her destination.¡± If that were the case, Lin Xian would truly be happy for Yellow Finch. She would finally be free from the constraints of space-time elasticity, the torment of space-time repulsion, and the chokehold of forced avoidance. She would be free to say and do whatever she wanted, just like an ordinary person. But was it really that simple? Was there truly such a happy ending? Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure. He could only hope that the recent events had made him grow and become stronger. He hoped Yellow Finch¡¯s disappearance would be the last time a friend left this world. He would do everything in his power to prevent it from happening again. ¡°So, what is the best way to repay Yellow Finch?¡± Lin Xian thought. ¡°Apart from following her advice to find Yu Ji and never leaving her, I need to quickly understand the two crucial questions Yellow Finch left me: How did Yellow Finch know that the time-space assassin, the girl killer, was hiding behind the little mermaid statue? And even when we went all the way to Copenhagen, how did that time-space assassin still accurately find Yellow Finch? Why did the time-space assassin, after killing Yellow Finch, run away without even looking at me, showing no interest or killing intent towards me? Yellow Finch clearly stated that this was something she intentionally did in her last moments to make me understand the seventh time-space rule¡ªforced avoidance.¡± First, let¡¯s consider the first question. This shouldn¡¯t be hard to guess because Yellow Finch¡¯s hints were quite obvious. If it were just about the time-space assassin being able to find Yellow Finch accurately, it wouldn¡¯t explain much. Maybe the enemy¡¯s surveillance methods were really good, and even if Lin Xian and Yellow Finch ran to the ends of the earth, they could still be monitored. VV could do it, and Lin Xian believed Kevin Walker could too if he wanted to. Even less capable hackers might be able to do it by hacking into Denmark¡¯s road monitoring system or similar systems. But now, they were in Denmark, standing in Copenhagen. Here, they were not protected by X Country¡¯s Skynet system and the Great Wall of Network Security, so it wasn¡¯t surprising to be monitored. However, this was Yellow Finch¡¯s brilliance. She knew this answer was wrong. The enemy did not find them in Copenhagen through surveillance and hacking methods. She knew what answers were wrong and what answers were correct, but because of space-time repulsion and forced avoidance, she couldn¡¯t say it out loud. She could only hint and guide Lin Xian to think and understand the real answer. The real answer was very simple. The key was not how the time-space assassin found Yellow Finch, but how Yellow Finch accurately knew the time-space assassin¡¯s position. In the past few days, Lin Xian and Yellow Finch were together all the time, traveling every day. Yellow Finch had no high-tech methods to lock onto someone like the Skynet system. This shows that she discovered the time-space assassin entirely by intuition and feeling. This sounded mysterious, but some things linked these clues together for Lin Xian. Lin Xian shook his head, sensing a flaw in his reasoning. First, VV wasn¡¯t strictly an external entity. One, it wasn¡¯t repelled by time-space, nor did it turn blue. Two, he created VV letter by letter on his laptop, both he and the laptop were native to this time-space, making VV native. Three, VV didn¡¯t die turning into blue stardust, proving it wasn¡¯t an external entity. ¡°Then why, if VV was native, wasn¡¯t it protected by time-space rules?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s not human? Lacking a true soul and individuality?¡± ¡°Or... some other reason, another time-space rule I haven¡¯t grasped?¡± Now, as Lin Xian understood more time-space rules, his insight grew. Knowledge is power, knowledge is a weapon. The more rules he grasped, the more mysteries unraveled, the clearer his thoughts became, and the better he could discern enemies¡¯ schemes and unveil hidden truths. He finally understood Yellow Finch¡¯s earnest intentions. She had helped him in many ways, but the most important, what she saw as her true mission and task... ¡°Teach him to understand time-space rules.¡± That was Yellow Finch¡¯s true purpose in traveling back from that bleak future to this hopeful present. The importance of time-space rules surpasses everything. Capturing the inactive time-space particle was a safeguard; the real guide in this space-time battle and salvation was the limitless power and potential of time-space rules! Lin Xian withdrew his gaze from the sea and pulled out his phone from his pocket. He knew that the day¡¯s events were meticulously planned by Yellow Finch, with no step being superfluous, including taking photos. Yellow Finch may not have cared about a photo with the little mermaid statue. Her real purpose, as she mentioned when she was stabbed, was for Lin Xian to take clear photos¡ªmany of them¡ªso he could capture the time-space assassin¡¯s appearance, know the killer, and be wary. Or perhaps, one day, avenge her. The phone made a crisp unlocking sound, and Lin Xian tapped the top left album icon to view the photos taken earlier. The initial photos were of Yellow Finch in a big coat, hands in pockets, confidently smiling in front of the little mermaid statue. These photos turned out well; Lin Xian had used his best skills, capturing various angles and details. Unexpectedly, these were Yellow Finch¡¯s last traces in this world. ¡°I was here.¡± This was her final whisper. After several normal tourist shots, the album shifted to dozens of frantic shots from when the time-space assassin drew the dagger until she disappeared into the night, capturing the whole scene like a slideshow. The girl¡¯s speed was incredible¡ªlike a cheetah. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t believe such a girl had Olympic-level explosiveness. But facts are facts. From the little mermaid statue to the other end of the beach, at least over a hundred meters, the girl covered it in seven or eight seconds. Though Lin Xian¡¯s time perception might have been off, her physique could rival Usain Bolt. Normally, a girl of her height and age, with an undeveloped body, shouldn¡¯t have such strong physicality. But considering she was a future time-space traveler, anything was possible in centuries ahead. In the third dream, there were body and brain-enhancing vaccines; just small doses during infancy, with no side effects, could enhance brains and bodies¡ªeven make looks sculpturally handsome. From this perspective, the girl¡¯s impressive physique wasn¡¯t surprising. Lin Xian swiped on the phone screen, zooming in on each photo, trying to see the girl¡¯s face. Overall height estimate was accurate. The girl¡¯s height was around 155-160, still growing. Her body proportions were good, slender, with visible workout marks on her exposed calves. Her upper body wore an oversized grey hoodie, with the hood covering her face, obscuring details; her lower body had loose track pants, revealing muscular legs when running. Most photos were blurred due to her speed. Finally, Lin Xian found a relatively clear shot. Though it didn¡¯t capture her full face, those bright blue eyes like bulbs shone from the hood¡¯s darkness, staring at Lin Xian¡¯s camera. Zooming in further, the beach was dimly lit, with only moonlight; the girl¡¯s hood was tightly drawn, obscuring facial features. However... ¡°Hair is black,¡± Lin Xian noted the black hair peeking from the hood. Probably her sideburns? Many young girls now liked long sideburns; would this aesthetic persist in the future? Such trends are unsurprising. In middle school, his classmates favored thick bangs and long sideburns; trends do cycle. Finally, he reviewed all the photos. Sadly, he learned little about the time-space assassin¡ª ¨C Age fifteen or sixteen, ¨C Height 155-160, ¨C Eyes bright blue like bulbs, ¨C Hair black, length unknown, ¡°Too vague, these features,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. Identifying or finding this girl with these traits alone was unrealistic. Unless he spotted those eyes in a crowd, comparing height and hair color, recognizing her. But... would she reappear, giving him another chance? According to his previous deductions, the time-space assassin couldn¡¯t kill him, so theoretically, he wasn¡¯t her target. ¡°Anyway, better safe than sorry. Besides...¡± He looked down at Yellow Finch¡¯s belongings on the ground: ¡°This grudge must be avenged.¡± Even if Yellow Finch had only two days left, killing her so arrogantly before him meant this blood debt could only be repaid in kind! Lin Xian crouched, picking up and folding Yellow Finch¡¯s belongings: coat, heels, phone... When folding the coat, he found a card-like object in an inner pocket. This size and thickness... probably Yellow Finch¡¯s ID. Recalling their boarding at Pudong International Airport, he had sneaked a glance. The ID had Yellow Finch¡¯s photo, with her name. He knew the ID was fake. Though structurally and genuinely valid, it had to be for passing checkpoints. But Lin Xian knew, as a time-space traveler, Yellow Finch couldn¡¯t have a real ID. No birth certificate, no household registration... like emerging from thin air... how could she have an ID? So, the ID¡¯s information must be fake; likely created by state authorities for her. At the checkpoint, Lin Xian remarked, ¡°Anyway, your ID¡¯s age is fake like your name.¡± But Yellow Finch just smiled, saying, ¡°That may not be.¡± Afterwards, Lin Xian didn¡¯t care. The ID¡¯s truth was irrelevant to him. Yellow Finch was Yellow Finch. No matter her era or time-space, she was Yellow Finch, unique in every world. But now... Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but wonder about Yellow Finch¡¯s ¡°That may not be.¡± Curious, Lin Xian took out Yellow Finch¡¯s ID from the coat pocket, turning it over, holding it in his palm. The right side photo was Yellow Finch. The left side name read Yellow Finch, as seen at the airport. He directly looked at the bottom line, the ID number¡ª 33012719990115... Lin Xian closed his eyes, feeling his heart clench... not continuing the last four digits. 19990115 This was Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s birthday. After the belated Disney fireworks, he would never forget Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s birthday. Unexpectedly, today at Copenhagen¡¯s shallow sea, this eternal memory deepened. This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation So, Yellow Finch¡¯s ¡°That may not be,¡± referred to this. The ID name was fake, but the birthdate was real. Of course, if only this, Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t feel so mixed, breathless. For it was expected; he had long guessed Yellow Finch was Zhao Ying Jun from a future timeline. What truly struck him was the first six digits of the ID number. Zhao Ying Jun was born in the capital. Lin Xian knew capital IDs started with 110. Though the capital had many districts and counties, IDs had slight differences. But the capital ID numbers never started with 330127! This, Lin Xian knew well. 330127. This was the ID number for Chun¡¯an County, under Hangzhou! Lin Xian knew this better than anyone. Because... Hangzhou, Chun¡¯an County... Was his hometown. Where he was born and raised. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 329: Zhao Ying Jun and the Young Girl This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Lin Xian stood on the shore, his gaze lost in the vast expanse of the sea. He clutched Yellow Finch¡¯s identification card tightly in his hand, the numbers on it evoking memories of his hometown. These numbers mirrored his own from years back, a reminder of a shared past. Yellow Finch, originally from the capital, had found herself needing a fake identity due to circumstances. Her true ID number was compromised and unusable. Had she and Zhao Ying Jun shared the same ID number, it would have triggered a conflict in the system, rendering both identities void. To circumvent this, Yellow Finch had subtly altered her ID number by changing one of the last digits. While the final digit, a verification number, remained unchanged, she adjusted the preceding numbers. She chose 330127, a code representing Chun¡¯an County in Hangzhou, where he was born. This choice wasn¡¯t random; it was a calculated move to maintain control over her assumed identity. A wave of nostalgia washed over Lin Xian. In another timeline, another world, Yellow Finch must have encountered another version of him. What had their story been like? Filled with regret, unfulfilled promises, or perhaps tragedy? Lin Xian felt certain it wasn¡¯t a tale with a happy conclusion. If it had been, Yellow Finch wouldn¡¯t have borne such pain and loneliness to leave her original timeline to return to his present. She was driven by a desire to change everything, to rewrite a set history and a dire fate. Yet, the unforgiving laws of time and space proved too daunting; she was too overwhelmed, too helpless. Despite this, she had exerted her utmost to guide him, teach him, and nurture his growth. In a poignant moment at the Amalienborg Palace, in front of the statue of Frederick V, Yellow Finch had once said: ¡°I will accompany him in his ordinariness, teach him excellence, wait for his maturity. Then... watch him slowly become great.¡± This was the hope that Yellow Finch clung to. Lin Xian slid her ID card into his inner pocket, resolving not to dwell on what could have been. She was no longer here. Resolutely, Lin Xian stepped into the seawater, not bothering to remove his shoes. The cold waves enveloped his feet, his pants, seeping into every pore. He made his way to the base of the Little Mermaid statue and laid his hand upon its cold bronze. ¡°The little mermaid didn¡¯t die. She turned into sea foam and ascended towards the sun, gaining an immortal soul and eternal life,¡± he murmured, reciting the story Yellow Finch had once shared with him with the solemnity of a sacred text. ¡°The mermaid, lacking an immortal soul, could never have one unless she won the love of a mortal,¡± he continued, his voice blending with the sound of the crashing waves. ¡°You just watch from the heavens. Watch... a mortal slowly become great, rivaling the gods.¡± One by one, he cast Yellow Finch¡¯s clothes into the sea, watching them float momentarily before sinking into the ocean¡¯s depths. He had arrived with someone by his side, but now he would leave alone. Lin Xian purchased a ticket back to Donghai City, settling into the solitude of the first-class cabin. As he browsed through Yellow Finch¡¯s phone, he found it devoid of personal traces¡ªno WeChat, no games, no photos. She had truly been a transient figure in his life. Stowing the phone away, Lin Xian reclined in his seat, his eyes closing as he contemplated his future. The absence of Yellow Finch marked a profound shift. Growing up, he realized, was not a gradual process but a series of sudden, stark revelations. Realizing the aging of his parents, achieving something significant alone, these were the markers of true maturity. While Yellow Finch was around, Lin Xian had relied on her guidance to navigate the complexities of his world. Now, bereft of her wisdom, he had to rely solely on his own judgment. Eyes opening with resolve, Lin Xian began to plan his next steps. The stakes were high, and his situation was fraught with chaos. To break this deadlock, he had to confront Kevin Walker. First, in the dream world. The fourth dream had been stuck for a long time, blocking his way to obtaining information, resources, and intelligence from the future world. This made him more passive than ever. To this day, Kevin Walker was still the prime suspect in the old man¡¯s eyes. Regardless of whether he was or not, he had to start with him and try to save himself trapped in the fourth dream. If Lin Xian was lucky, killing Kevin Walker might cause the old man to disappear, freeing him in the fourth dream. This would allow him to go to Time Bank, open the safe, and determine the reality of the dream through the note Chu An Qing left for him. If he was even luckier, killing Kevin Walker might lead directly to the fifth dream. The old man¡¯s ability to send dozens of armed soldiers to guard him day and night indicated his high status and power in the future sci-fi city. If this man disappeared early in 2024, then the dream and city 600 years later would likely change significantly. To resolve both old and new grudges and to verify and preserve the dream world, beginning with Kevin Walker was undoubtedly the right course of action. Now, in the real world, Lin Xian faced two and a half distinct adversaries: Kevin Walker, who had disrupted Lin Xian¡¯s efforts to capture space-time particles and had commandeered an American aerospace shuttle, intending to crash it into him. The space time assassin, responsible for Yellow Finch¡¯s death. This deep-seated grudge demanded retribution in blood.Discover new chapters at novelhall.com Elon Musk, identified as the murderer of VV. While there was no direct confrontation with him and his motives remained enigmatic, he was considered half an enemy and was of lesser priority. Resolving the deadlock in the real world also necessitated dealing with Kevin Walker first. Only by eliminating him could the dream world experience shifts in time-space, which would then display values on the space-time clock, indicating curvature and subsequently deducing the space-time coordinates. With these coordinates, Liu Feng could further his research on the Universal Constant 42. Additionally, possessing these coordinates would enable Lin Xian to pass the first examination of the Genius Club. In summary, the solution to breaking the deadlock in both the real and dream worlds pointed unequivocally to Kevin Walker, a formidable enemy whom Lin Xian had yet to meet and whose whereabouts were unknown. ¡°I must eliminate Kevin Walker,¡± Lin Xian murmured as he gazed at the white clouds beyond the plane window, setting this as his primary goal for the near future. There was no room for compassion or concern about legal repercussions. Over 100 countries had issued global wanted notices for Kevin Walker, including Country X and the United States, the latter offering a bounty of 1 billion dollars, dead or alive. Given such international consensus, no country would dare harbor Kevin Walker. Having become a global pariah, not even divine intervention could save him now. His actions had crossed a line, prompting every armed organization, mercenary group, and official force worldwide to join the hunt, all eager to claim the multimillion-dollar bounty. For Lin Xian, this was an opportunity not to be missed. Whether he personally eliminated Kevin Walker or orchestrated it through others, it would be advantageous for him. ¡°A new game of cat and mouse begins again,¡± Lin Xian declared, closing his eyes and leaning back, his tone laced with exhaustion and a hint of self-mockery, ¡°Why did I say ¡®again¡¯...¡± Upon his return to Donghai City, after disembarking at Pudong International Airport, Lin Xian drove his Alphard to Rhine Lab at Donghai University to meet Liu Feng. After briefing him on Yellow Finch¡¯s disappearance, Liu Feng responded with a sigh, ¡°This was expected,¡± indicating he had braced himself for this possibility, albeit with regret. ¡°Think about it; on the aerospace shuttle, her eyes dimmed, and her body became transparent. Given that space-time particles turn invisible when their internal energy is depleted, leaving only a shell, Yellow Finch, as a space-time traveler, was destined to fade away eventually due to space-time rejection,¡± Liu Feng explained. Lin Xian nodded in agreement, ¡°I had a premonition but didn¡¯t expect it to happen so soon. Our understanding of space-time travelers is minimal. We know they come from the future, from different timelines, but beyond that, our knowledge is nearly nonexistent.¡± ¡°Every time Yellow Finch coughed weakly, collapsed, turned transparent, or her eyes dimmed, I saw it as a sign of her impending disappearance, but I couldn¡¯t pinpoint which time would be her last. Even at her weakest, when the blue light in her eyes vanished, she would fully recover after resting,¡± Lin Xian recalled the rainy night when he first encountered Yellow Finch in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office. Her eyes had been brighter then, but not as intensely as the young assassin¡¯s, whose eyes glowed like LEDs, reminiscent of exaggerated anime contact lenses. ¡°If her eyes were that bright, it would interfere with normal life, right?¡± Lin Xian pondered aloud. ¡°Liu Feng,¡± Lin Xian called over to the preoccupied scientist, querying, ¡°What do you think the blue light in the eyes of Yellow Finch and other space-time travelers signifies? Could it be akin to the brightness of space-time particles, indicating their remaining time and energy?¡± ¡°It feels as though I¡¯m discussing robots. But the changing brightness of her eyes resembles a battery indicator,¡± Lin Xian mused, then hypothesized, ¡°If there were another space-time traveler, say Red Finch or Green Finch, and their eyes were several times brighter than Yellow Finch¡¯s, glowing like a blue light bulb, what do you think this brightness indicates?¡± Liu Feng paused his experiment, looking up thoughtfully. ¡°Well...¡± he pondered aloud, ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say because Yellow Finch didn¡¯t exhibit any supernatural abilities, right? She was knowledgeable and spoke in riddles but possessed no superpowers or significant energetic abilities. So, I think the eye color might simply be a time indicator.¡± ¡°Their eyes turn blue due to space-time rejection, right? I recall you mentioned that the blue eyes result from space-time instinctively rejecting such foreign entities, alerting local beings to potential danger,¡± Lin Xian reflected. ¡°When you analyzed this on the aerospace shuttle, it sounded quite fantastical, but later it seemed plausible. This phenomenon exists in the animal kingdom and human genetics, known as the ¡®alert amplification response.''¡± ¡°For instance, humans find the scent of cooked pork, beef, and lamb appealing, but the smell of cooked human flesh is repulsive and pungent, despite these odors being similar from a scientific perspective. This repulsion is an instinctive human reaction, highly sensitive to the scent of their own kind being harmed, serving as a mechanism to sense and avoid danger. If we consider space-time¡¯s instinctive alertness, the blue glowing eyes make perfect sense!¡± Liu Feng elaborated, smacking his lips in amazement. ¡°Do you realize what¡¯s ingenious about this? Eyes are sensory organs that are externally visible, so there¡¯s no hiding them. You could suggest wearing sunglasses or colored contacts, but that would impair vision.¡± ¡°Returning to your question, if another space-time traveler¡¯s eyes were much brighter than Yellow Finch¡¯s, even bright like a light bulb, it would mean that even with sunglasses, they couldn¡¯t conceal the light. During the day, it¡¯s manageable, but at night, such bright eyes would be conspicuously noticeable and easily detectable.¡± ¡°So... I think if there were a space-time traveler whose eyes were very blue and bright, it might only imply one thing from space-time¡¯s instinctive reaction¡ª¡± Liu Feng turned to Lin Xian, his expression grave, ¡°It means this space-time traveler is extremely dangerous! So space-time rejection causes their eyes to be very bright, like the smell of cooked human flesh, to alert others to the danger and encourage avoidance.¡± Lin Xian twirled a pen on the lab table, watching it spin between his fingers. Liu Feng¡¯s interpretation was intriguing. He connected brightness to danger levels, suggesting that space-time rejection instinctively identified the space-time assassin as a threat, which explained her bright eyes. This was a novel understanding. Lin Xian had always thought it was related to energy. When the opportunity arose, he would thoroughly study this phenomenon to understand what the brightness of the blue eyes of space-time travelers was connected to. ¡°Knowing yourself and your enemy ensures victory,¡± Lin Xian thought. He glanced at the space-time clock on the central lab table. As always, it remained quiet with eight zeros, 0.0000000. ¡°Hope it changes soon,¡± Lin Xian muttered. ¡°Lin Xian, long time no see.¡± Lin Xian opened his mouth, then closed it, nodding gently. ¡°Indeed... several months.¡± Click, click, click. The high heels continued their rhythmic tapping as Zhao Ying Jun approached, her eyes fixed on Lin Xian. ¡°After the charity dinner, you were borrowed by the state for a secret mission. Now you¡¯re back... is it done?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°It¡¯s finished.¡± Judging by Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s demeanor, she probably didn¡¯t know about Chu An Qing. People usually shared good news, not bad. Chu Shan He likely wouldn¡¯t publicize his daughter¡¯s mysterious disappearance. ¡°You came at the right time,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°I just finished and came here to check.¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked down, smiling. ¡°I ran into Brother Wang, who told me you were here, so I came to say hello.¡± Brother Wang again? Lin Xian recalled the last time he visited this office. Zhao Ying Jun had shown up shortly after, also citing Brother Wang. Was Brother Wang a spy, reporting to Zhao Ying Jun whenever Lin Xian was around? It wouldn¡¯t be surprising. Brother Wang was Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s person, and most of Rhine Company¡¯s key personnel were former MX employees. In essence, it was a sister company, but in reality, it was like a branch of MX. But it didn¡¯t matter. Lin Xian didn¡¯t care about status or control as long as someone managed the company, made money, and didn¡¯t let Time Bank collapse. He only had three requirements: no losses, funds for Liu Feng¡¯s equipment, and Time Bank¡¯s stability. ¡°Mm?¡± Zhao Ying Jun, with hands in her coat pockets, looked at the ¡°Andersen¡¯s Fairy Tales¡± on Lin Xian¡¯s desk. ¡°Reading fairy tales?¡± ¡°Occasionally,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°I like ¡®Andersen¡¯s Fairy Tales¡¯ too.¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s eyes showed nostalgia as she looked at the book¡¯s new cover. ¡°I remember the first gift I ever received... I was about three or four years old. Maybe I had birthday gifts before, but I can¡¯t recall those. My first memorable gift was a bilingual ¡®Andersen¡¯s Fairy Tales.¡¯ My parents had high expectations, giving a little child a bilingual book... barely knowing our own country, how could I understand English?¡± ¡°When I actually started reading Andersen¡¯s fairy tales, I was in elementary school. The stories were good, not overly fantastical, but they opened a new world for me.¡± She looked up, blinking at Lin Xian. ¡°Do you have a favorite story in Andersen¡¯s fairy tales?¡± ¡°¡®The Little Mermaid,¡¯ I think,¡± Lin Xian said reflexively, nodding. ¡°It¡¯s a good story. I think it¡¯s a real fairy tale, not overly sentimental, with a beginning, middle, and end, and a meaningful love story.¡± ¡°But, how to say... as a fairy tale, it might not be the best, but if you read it again when you¡¯re older and have experienced things, it¡¯s very touching.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure why, but he almost reflexively repeated what Yellow Finch had said. It made sense and resonated with him. But what touched him most wasn¡¯t the story of ¡°The Little Mermaid,¡± but Yellow Finch¡¯s story and her words. Zhao Ying Jun was stunned, eyes wide, looking at Lin Xian in disbelief. ¡°You... you think exactly like me. You said what I wanted to say... now I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± She laughed at their shared thoughts, habitually tucking loose hair behind her ear. ¡°Funny, really. My favorite fairy tale has always been ¡®The Little Mermaid.¡¯ Reading it several times reveals many insights, with educational and emotional depth.¡± ¡°Speaking of which... did you know there¡¯s a statue of the little mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark?¡± Lin Xian looked at Zhao Ying Jun, hesitating. Did he know or not? Seeing Lin Xian¡¯s silence, Zhao Ying Jun continued. ¡°I saw photos online, but I haven¡¯t been to Copenhagen. The statue is somewhat famous but not a major artwork. It¡¯s just placed on a rock by the shallow sea.¡± She smiled warmly at Lin Xian. ¡°But since you like ¡®The Little Mermaid¡¯ so much, maybe we could visit Copenhagen on a company trip or team-building event. Let¡¯s go together and see the little mermaid.¡± Lin Xian was momentarily lost in thought, recalling Yellow Finch¡¯s smile under the little mermaid statue in his camera. He touched his nose and nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± Zhao Ying Jun took her hands out of her coat pockets and casually flipped through Andersen¡¯s Fairy Tales. ¡°It depends on your time. You always seem busy and out of sight. Oh, by the way, I actually came to ask you a favor.¡± Lin Xian looked up. ¡°What is it? How can I help?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about VV.¡± Zhao Ying Jun put down the fairy tale book with a sigh, turning to face Lin Xian. ¡°Do you remember VV? My Pomeranian, the fluffy one you petted last time.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I remember.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°What happened? Is VV okay?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Zhao Ying Jun sighed again, her expression troubled. ¡°Two nights ago, around 5 AM, VV had a nightmare. He woke up crying and couldn¡¯t be comforted.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s concern grew. ¡°What did you do to calm him down?¡± ¡°In the past, when VV woke up scared, I¡¯d play a video of you petting him. It always calmed him down, like you were really there with him,¡± Zhao Ying Jun explained. ¡°But this time, it didn¡¯t work. Even after watching the video, he kept crying for an hour. I almost took him to the vet, worried something was seriously wrong.¡± ¡°Did he eventually calm down?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Eventually, he cried himself to sleep, but he¡¯s been listless ever since. The vet said he¡¯s physically fine, but I¡¯m worried about his mental state. He¡¯s been lying around, not eating well or being active. I¡¯m afraid he might develop a mental illness,¡± Zhao Ying Jun admitted, her worry evident. Lin Xian thought about the fluffy Pomeranian and asked, ¡°When exactly did he have the nightmare? Around what time?¡± ¡°About 5 AM,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied. Lin Xian paused, thinking. ¡°5 AM our time would be 11 PM in Copenhagen, just when Yellow Finch disappeared...¡± Could the dog have sensed something? Such a connection seemed unlikely. Only space-time travelers had such sensitivity, not a dog. Yet, VV was special. Given the history and significance of the name VV, it might be worth checking. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it a try. I like VV too. When are you free at home?¡± Lin Xian asked. Zhao Ying Jun glanced at the office clock. ¡°How about tonight? Are you free?¡± Lin Xian checked the time. ¡°I should be. No plans. How about I come over after work? I¡¯ll change at home first, then head to your place.¡± ¡°That sounds great,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, smiling. ¡°VV will be thrilled. I told him you¡¯d come, and he¡¯s been waiting. Even though dogs seem silly, they¡¯re smart. VV must miss you.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head home to prepare and wait for you with VV. Don¡¯t eat at home; let¡¯s dine out after. I found a nice restaurant to thank you for comforting VV.¡± ¡°I hope VV will be comforted by me,¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°Who knows if he¡¯ll give me face.¡± ¡°I think he will,¡± Zhao Ying Jun laughed softly. ¡°VV has a lot of respect for you.¡± After Zhao Ying Jun left, Lin Xian busied himself with work until Brother Wang came to handle some procedures. After signing off, he headed home in his Alphard. ¡°Home first. Wait for me downstairs; I¡¯ll change,¡± Lin Xian instructed the driver. The driver nodded, closing the electric door. The Alphard drove out of the parking lot, waiting for the automatic gate to lift, then sped away. Hidden within the shadows, a petite figure emerged from the parking lot corner, watching the Alphard leave. She pulled down her hoodie, revealing short black hair swaying in the breeze, her black bangs puffing up. The girl exhaled deeply, blinking her bright eyes that glowed like glass, shining with an eerie blue light in the sunset. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 330: The Struggle with VV This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Lin Xian gently closed the door of his apartment behind him, having just returned from a whirlwind trip to Copenhagen. He tossed his suitcase into a corner of the living room and headed straight to the shower, eager to wash off the remnants of his journey. The clothes he had been wearing were the same ones he¡¯d had on for the last two days, and it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to meet someone while still dressed in them. Freshly showered and changed, Lin Xian stood before the mirror, toweling his hair dry while his thoughts wandered. The strange occurrence he experienced with the mirror at precisely 00:42 had left him puzzled and intrigued. He had attempted to replicate the moment twice since then, but each time, the mirror simply reflected his movements with mundane accuracy. Whatever had happened that night seemed to be a singular event, possibly orchestrated by someone¡ªperhaps Yellow Finch, or maybe even his future self¡ªas part of what he had come to think of as the ¡°Genius Club Invitation Ceremony.¡± Despite the lack of further incidents, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t shake off the hope that it might occur again, revealing more secrets. With a contemplative frown, Lin Xian mused aloud to his reflection, ¡°So, if I answer the Genius Club¡¯s three questions correctly and gain membership, what else might I discover? Could the mirror give me more than just an invitation?¡± His reflection mimicked his every move as he shook his head, dismissing the flurry of thoughts. Certain of nothing but his resolve, Lin Xian knew he had to pursue this path to unravel the mysteries of the world, hoping that membership in the Genius Club would provide him with a broader perspective on time and space. ¡°Alright, time to go,¡± he declared, smoothing down his collar and switching off the bathroom light. He then made his way downstairs to where a driver awaited him in an Alfa business van. Upon seeing Lin Xian, the driver promptly opened the rear door. ¡°To Ms. Ying Jun¡¯s place,¡± Lin instructed as he fastened his seatbelt. The van then glided away from the apartment complex. Upon reaching Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s residence, Lin Xian knocked on the door. ¡°Coming~¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s voice floated through the door, accompanied by a feeble, mournful bark that was more of a whimper. The door swung open, and Zhao Ying Jun greeted him with a warm smile. ¡°Come in, Lin Xian. We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± She glanced down at a Pomeranian lying despondently on the floor. ¡°VV, look who¡¯s here! Lin Xian is here to see you.¡± The dog barely lifted its head, its eyes swollen and sad. At the sight of Lin Xian, it whimpered weakly. ¡°V... woof...¡± It attempted to speak, shaking slightly. Zhao Ying Jun looked concerned. ¡°VV...¡± she began, but Lin Xian interrupted, stepping forward and kneeling beside the dog. ¡°It¡¯s okay, let me handle it,¡± he said softly, reaching out to gently stroke VV¡¯s head. ¡°VV, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The Pomeranian continued to whimper, struggling to express its distress. Lin Xian looked deeply into the dog¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you sad?¡± he asked, understanding that sometimes, words were unnecessary to convey feelings. VV seemed to grasp Lin¡¯s words, halting its whimpering and gazing back at him. A silent understanding passed between them. Watching this exchange, Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t help but wonder if perhaps Lin Xian had a special connection with VV. ¡°I¡¯ll make some tea,¡± she offered, moving toward the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯ll brew some of the Pu¡¯er tea I recently got. You two have a chat.¡± Settling onto a low stool, Lin Xian lifted VV onto his lap. ¡°Honestly, VV, I wish I could understand what¡¯s making you so sad. They say dogs are more sensitive to emotions than humans. Maybe you can understand me better than I can understand you.¡± VV twitched its ears, responding with a soft, drawn-out noise as Lin Xian continued. ¡°You really are a clever dog,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what nightmare you had, but I¡¯ve had some bad ones lately too. They¡¯re awful, and I feel so helpless.¡± He sighed, a sad look crossing his face. ¡°I used to have a friend named VV too. I thought it wasn¡¯t strong and even called it lazy. We don¡¯t realize what we¡¯ve got until it¡¯s gone, right?¡± Holding VV closer, Lin Xian¡¯s voice softened. ¡°It¡¯s not the loss of money or power that breaks us¡ªit¡¯s the loss of someone dear. Did you dream of losing a friend like that?¡± Feeling VV tremble in his arms, Lin Xian nodded slowly. ¡°If so, I understand. I¡¯m here with you, VV.¡± Zhao Ying Jun laughed lightly. ¡°How can Beijing cuisine feel like home to you? I would think Hangzhou dishes would have that effect.¡± Lin Xian shook his head playfully. ¡°No way. Hangzhou is practically a culinary desert compared to what I¡¯ve discovered since moving to Donghai City. Even the food at the university cafeteria outshines anything back in Hangzhou.¡± Zhao Ying Jun appeared amused. ¡°Really? People usually see their hometown food through a nostalgic lens.¡± ¡°That might be true, but the culinary scene in Hangzhou has its reasons,¡± Lin Xian explained, diving into a brief history. Curious, Zhao Ying Jun inquired, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a famous dish there, something like West Lake Vinegar Fish?¡± Lin Xian laughed, ¡°There¡¯s a running joke that the recipe for West Lake Vinegar Fish is so complex, if you mess up even one step, it¡¯ll accidentally taste good.¡± ¡°Some even joke that a fish used for West Lake Vinegar Fish has died in vain, never resting in peace.¡± Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an exaggeration,¡± Lin admitted, ¡°but there¡¯s some truth to it. You should visit Hangzhou yourself to try it.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, a hint of longing in her voice. ¡°I¡¯ve missed out on visiting many domestic tourist spots. I went abroad for studies as a teenager and jumped straight into business after graduation. Hangzhou has always been on my list.¡± Their conversation drifted to personal stories and memories, connecting them over the shared experiences and the meal. As they talked, Lin Xian reflected on how different this felt compared to his usual guarded interactions, influenced by Yellow Finch¡¯s deceits. ... This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation As the evening wound down, they prepared to leave. VV, however, seemed reluctant to part with Lin Xian, clinging to him as Zhao Ying Jun stepped out of the van. ¡°VV, it¡¯s time to say goodbye,¡± Zhao Ying Jun reasoned. ¡°Lin Xian needs to head home too.¡± VV whimpered, its eyes pleading. Lin Xian knelt to comfort the dog. ¡°It seems he doesn¡¯t want you to leave,¡± Zhao Ying Jun noted, concerned. ¡°Could you come up just one more time? Help me put him to bed?¡± Lin agreed, though internally he felt a mix of reluctance and affection. Upstairs, in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s apartment, he experienced an awkward yet touching moment as he tried to coax VV to sleep in its designated spot. After a while, as VV finally settled down, Zhao Ying Jun whispered her thanks. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to keep you so late. Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. VV needed it,¡± Lin Xian responded, heading for the door. ¡°Goodnight.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Lin Xian,¡± Zhao Ying Jun called out softly as he left. Back in the underground parking lot, Lin Xian settled into the van, weary but content. As the driver started the engine, a sudden interruption came¡ªa young girl with short black hair and intense, glowing eyes reached into the car, stopping the closing door. Lin Xian looked up, startled by her unwavering stare. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 331: The Blue-Eyed Girl! Time-Space Assassin! This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation BANG! Dressed entirely in black, a young girl wearing rubber gloves showcased her incredible strength. She ripped off the door of an Alphard vehicle as if it were a mere sheet of paper. The hefty door, with its dark green tinted glass still intact, soared through the air and collided with a nearby pillar, erupting in a loud crash. ¡°Drive!¡± Lin Xian commanded without hesitation. He took advantage of the girl¡¯s momentary imbalance. With swift precision, he delivered a sharp kick to her chest just as she attempted to mount the car¡¯s running board. Thud. The sound echoed like a boot striking a metal sheet. The impact pushed Lin Xian back into the vehicle but also forced the girl to stagger backward three steps. Roar¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The rear wheels of the Alphard spun wildly, propelling the vehicle forward with urgency. Xiao Li, the driver, was no ordinary chauffeur. Trained in the army¡¯s driver squad, he excelled in high-pressure scenarios. ¡°Never let your guard down,¡± his instructors would emphasize, a mantra deeply ingrained in him. Even before Lin Xian had settled in, Xiao Li was ready. His foot hovered over the accelerator, his eyes scanning their surroundings through the mirrors. Yet, the girl¡¯s sudden appearance and her swift, powerful removal of the door still caught him off guard. Roar¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª With a 3.5-liter engine boasting nearly 400 horsepower, the Alphard wasn¡¯t a sports car, but it was impressively robust. It lurched forward, tires screeching against the concrete, as Xiao Li steered it toward the parking lot exit. ¡°Drive faster!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice was tense from the back seat. ¡°Don¡¯t stop for anything! Keep going where there¡¯s less traffic!¡± ¡°Understood, Mr. Lin Xian!¡± Xiao Li responded, his pulse racing as he accelerated toward the exit ramp. Lin Xian braced himself, looking through the rear window. Was she still there? Yes, and she was fast approaching with superhuman speed. Bang! A dull thud announced her presence at the back of the car. She had grabbed onto the rear bumper and was now pulling herself up onto the rear window. Lin Xian stared incredulously. What kind of person was this? Her strength seemed more than human¡ªperhaps she was a cyborg or something even more formidable. He had seen her agility, but ripping a car door apart? That was something else. Her face appeared through the rear window, emotionless, her blue eyes cold and calculating as she raised her fist and struck the glass. Crash¡ª¡ª The double-layered tempered glass spider-webbed under her relentless assault. Luckily, the laminate held the shards in place¡ªfor the moment. ¡°This won¡¯t hold her long,¡± Lin Xian realized, understanding the grave danger they were in. ¡°She¡¯s a time-space assassin, with capabilities unknown and terrifying.¡± ¡°Xiao Li! Drift!¡± Lin commanded, holding onto his seat. ¡°Scrape the rear against the exit ramp wall! Knock her off!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Xiao Li responded, ready for action. If the assassin got inside, there would be no escape for either of them. As they approached the ramp, Xiao Li executed a perfect drift. The rear of the Alphard screeched against the wall, sparks flying. Inside, Lin Xian clung to his seat, feeling the intense force. Xiao Li¡¯s maneuver was precise; the vehicle¡¯s tail scraped tightly against the wall, forcing the assassin to make a choice¡ªfall off or be crushed. Bang¡ª¡ª They burst through the parking barrier, speeding into the desolate night, racing into the darkness. .... This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Lin Xian had left Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s residence close to midnight, and now, as they sped out of the city, the streets were bathed in the soft glow of streetlights. ¡°Mr. Lin Xian! Did we manage to shake her off?¡± Xiao Li asked, pressing his foot firmly on the gas. Lin Xian let out a tentative sigh, his eyes switching between the now quiet rearview and the car¡¯s battered rear. ¡°We should have... wait!¡± A chill ran down his spine, prompting him to look up. There, on the panoramic sunroof, a pair of eyes glowed blue like flames, staring down emotionlessly into the vehicle. ¡°She¡¯s on top!¡± Lin Xian gasped. The assassin had predicted their actions, leaping from the back to the roof to avoid collision during their earlier maneuver. ¡°Hold on tight, Mr. Lin Xian. I¡¯ll try to shake her off!¡± Xiao Li declared, his determination clear. The Alphard¡¯s sleek roof offered nothing for her to grip; a few sharp swerves should be enough to dislodge her. Lin Xian fastened his seatbelt, bracing for a rough ride. Snap! A chilling sound cut through the air as a steel blade pierced the roof. The assassin¡¯s relentless attack turned the roof into a makeshift sieve, her objective clear: to breach the vehicle and eliminate Lin Xian. But his immediate concern wasn¡¯t about unraveling these philosophical mysteries; those could wait. His pressing task was to determine: ¡°Who sent the time-space assassin after Yellow Finch and me?¡± As he mulled over potential suspects, one name emerged¡ªElon Musk. Lin Xian¡¯s dealings with Elon Musk had been ambiguous. Initially viewing him as a rival, though Musk had once thwarted an attack by Kevin Walker, Lin Xian remained wary. The methods used, the circumstances around VV¡¯s death, Musk¡¯s acquisition of the time particle, and his subsequent silence after making a significant appearance¡ªthese elements fueled Lin Xian¡¯s suspicions. Reflecting on these clues in Liu Feng¡¯s lab, Lin Xian decided to confront Musk, maintaining a facade of ignorance about Musk¡¯s potential role in VV¡¯s demise. To Musk, he would appear as a cooperative ally, potentially exposing any hidden agendas. However, with the arrival of the time-space assassin, Lin Xian¡¯s perception of Musk as a threat intensified, placing him alongside formidable adversaries like Kevin Walker. ¡°They¡¯ve come to my doorstep...¡± Lin Xian cursed quietly. ¡°I must strike first.¡± Remaining in Donghai City was increasingly dangerous. Despite not understanding why, the city seemed a hotspot for the assassin, whereas locations like Copenhagen offered relative safety. To unravel this mystery, he needed to confront either Musk or Walker directly. Given Walker¡¯s elusive nature, Musk was a more accessible target for investigation. ¡°World¡¯s richest man, Mars colonization visionary, Starlink creator, Twitter owner...¡± Lin Xian listed Musk¡¯s titles under his breath: ¡°Tesla CEO, SpaceX launcher, space travel ticket seller, and notorious playboy...¡± He paused, pondering Musk¡¯s well-known escapades involving high-profile relationships. ¡°Playboy.¡± Among these connections was Angelica, a Hollywood actress who had previously intercepted him with a key to Einstein¡¯s residence and a suggestive farewell: ¡°If you ever come to Princeton...¡± Seized by a sudden insight, Lin Xian straightened up, his gaze piercing through the damaged roof into the night sky. Angelica. She embodied the last of the seven deadly sins: lust. Despite her connections to the deceased Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin, she harbored no resentment toward Lin Xian, understanding the concealed complexities surrounding the Genius Club. Angelica had persistently sought the truth about Ji Lin¡¯s demise and the nature of the Genius Club, even proposing vengeance, though Lin Xian had never committed to any action. Repeatedly, she had prodded him for answers, once jotting her number on a card with an eyebrow pencil, hoping he¡¯d call and join her quest for justice. Lin Xian retrieved his phone, reviewing a photo of the card with Angelica¡¯s number¡ªa precautionary habit that occupied minimal digital space. The time had come to align with Angelica, a proactive figure whose Hollywood influence could be crucial. In this pivotal moment, alliances were vital. The enemy of his enemy was, after all, his ally. He held vital information¡ªtruths about Ji Lin and Ji Xin Shui¡¯s deaths, the elusive mastermind Copernicus, the Genius Club, Kevin Walker, and Elon Musk. ¡°I can¡¯t stay in Donghai City anymore. If I move to America, maybe I can get ahead of the assassin,¡± Lin Xian pondered aloud. He glanced at his recently purchased plane tickets, confirming his selection of a flight from Hongqiao Airport to Princeton. ¡°Xiao Li, let¡¯s head to Hongqiao Airport,¡± he directed. ¡°Yes, Mr. Lin Xian,¡± Xiao Li responded promptly, steering the Alphard onto the elevated highway. Lin Xian studied the number in the photo, added the US country code, and finally made the call he had been postponing. The phone connected immediately. A familiar voice, fluent in English, chuckled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Mr. Lin Xian. I almost gave up waiting for your call.¡± ¡°Good things take time,¡± Lin Xian replied with a smile. ¡°Or perhaps, not-so-good things, Mr. Lin Xian?¡± Angelica teased. ¡°If I¡¯m right, you¡¯re in trouble, aren¡¯t you? Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be calling.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s fine, really... I prefer you in trouble. That¡¯s when you¡¯re willing to trade information.¡± ¡°So, will you tell me about the Genius Club, and who killed the old man, Ji Lin, and Ji Lin¡¯s parents?¡± Lin Xian switched the phone to his other hand. ¡°Tell me, what will you do with the truth and the killers?¡± Her light laughter turned icy. ¡°What else? Make a documentary, hire a director and screenwriter?¡± ¡°I can tell you bluntly, Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin weren¡¯t my blood relatives... but I treated Ji Lin like a brother. So, if you reveal who killed them...¡± Her tone became as chilling as frost. ¡°I will kill them.¡± ¡°Can you get a gun?¡± Lin Xian asked, posing the crucial question. ¡°Easily, Mr. Lin Xian. Remember, this is the free America.¡± ¡°Good, Angelica.¡± Lin Xian smiled, his gaze drifting to the moon. ¡°See you in Princeton.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 332: Lin Xians Historical Correction This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation After sharing his flight details with Angelica, Lin Xian ended the call and pondered his next steps. He thought to himself, ¡°If I manage to get a gun in America, my ability to defend myself will increase tremendously. Even if I encounter her again, I¡¯ll stand a better chance.¡± In X Country, where strict gun laws prevent ordinary citizens from owning firearms, his expertise with guns was almost pointless. Angelica had hinted, though, that the situation would be different in America, the land of the free. ¡°The bullets from the gun I plan to get won¡¯t be just for the time-space assassin,¡± he mused, considering the broader implications of his armament. The decision to travel to America might have seemed abrupt, but it was the result of deliberate planning and consideration of various factors. Lin Xian had three main reasons for his decision. First Reason: Safety. The time-space assassin had never attacked him outside his home city but was relentless in pursuing him within Donghai City. This suggested that Donghai was currently a hotspot for danger. While the specific motivations of the assassin were unclear, the message was obvious: Donghai was unsafe, whereas abroad seemed safer. Lin Xian speculated on two reasons for this pattern: The assassin might have been able to operate within Donghai because his demise or capture there did not significantly alter the permissible timeline, aligning instead with certain historical trajectories. The assassin¡¯s goal might have been to deliver him to a particular person or location in Donghai, making it more strategic to wait for him there rather than attempt to capture him abroad and transport him back. Unable to determine which scenario was accurate, Lin Xian decided the safest option was to leave Donghai. His experiences in places like Copenhagen had shown that he was safer abroad. Valuing his life, he knew he had to prioritize his safety. Thus, leaving Donghai immediately to evade the time-space assassin became his optimal safety strategy. Although time-space travelers like Yellow Finch could sense each other, Lin Xian, not being one, was invisible to the assassin on a global scale¡ªexcept in Donghai, where his routines and relationships made him vulnerable to attacks, as today¡¯s close call had shown. Lin Xian considered seeking national protection due to the grave threat posed by the assassin, especially since he was friends with Liu An, the Director of the National Security Agency. The capital could offer him the highest security, potentially deterring the assassin. But then what? Would hiding under the National Security Agency¡¯s protection lead to a permanent resolution? Or would the assassin just temporarily disappear? In the ongoing cat-and-mouse game, a mouse trapped in a corner has no chance unless the cat loses interest. His past encounters, like those with the Seven Deadly Sins, had taught him that to truly be safe, he needed to confront his enemies directly. Lin Xian planned to contact Director Liu An for an investigation into the time-space assassin. Capturing her could allow him to safely return to Donghai. But the unknown capabilities of the assassin, potentially enhanced by advanced technology from a far-future era like Yellow Finch¡¯s, were a constant threat. Her physical capabilities seemed superhuman, her beauty otherworldly, reminiscent of the futuristic sculptures in New Donghai City and Rhine Sky City. Yellow Finch, a time-traveler from decades in the future, paled in comparison to the assassin, who seemed to come from centuries ahead. This technological disparity made the assassin a formidable opponent. Lin Xian knew he couldn¡¯t rely solely on the National Security Agency or local police; he needed his own strategies to survive and gain the upper hand. Second Reason: Turning Passive into Active Lin Xian was convinced that the assassin was not acting alone but was likely directed by influential figures such as Kevin Walker or Elon Musk, with the latter being more probable given recent events. Both were based abroad, compelling Lin Xian to venture outside Donghai to confront and dismantle the forces behind his predicaments. Remaining passive in Donghai wouldn¡¯t draw his enemies to him; he had to actively seek them out. Fortunately, he wasn¡¯t alone in his quest. Angelica, an adversary of his enemies, shared his goals, driven by her desire for vengeance against the Genius Club members responsible for the deaths of Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin, and to fulfill Ji Lin¡¯s last wish to identify his parents¡¯ killer. Lin Xian¡¯s target was to eliminate Kevin Walker and likely the mastermind, Elon Musk. Angelica, with her extensive connections in Hollywood and formidable resources, was a powerful ally. With shared objectives, they could forge a formidable team. Lin Xian valued her action-oriented approach, knowing that as a lone fighter, he needed decisive and ruthless partners. Reflecting on his situation, Lin Xian smiled at the irony, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d ally with the Seven Deadly Sins.¡± He remembered Yellow Finch¡¯s words: ¡°Do it if it¡¯s right; keep doing it if it¡¯s wrong. Hesitation is not an option.¡± Embracing this philosophy, Lin Xian knew that hesitation meant retreat. Facing challenges head-on was the only way forward, leading to his third and crucial reason for going abroad: Third Reason: Enhancing Combat Ability Lin Xian declined, understanding that merely hiding under protection wouldn¡¯t solve the underlying problem. The assassin could simply wait for an opportunity to strike again. And even if the National Security Agency managed to capture her, other threats might emerge. To truly break the deadlock, he needed to venture abroad and uncover more about Kevin Walker and Elon Musk. ¡°Be cautious and find a secure place to hide,¡± Liu An urged. ¡°I¡¯ll personally oversee the investigation in Donghai to capture the assassin.¡± ¡°Thank you, Director Liu. My driver, Xiao Li, witnessed the assassin. He¡¯ll assist you with the investigation,¡± Lin Xian responded, appreciative of Liu An¡¯s dedication. ¡°It¡¯s our duty to protect our citizens,¡± Liu An declared earnestly before they ended the call. Lin Xian stored his phone, leaned back in his seat, and glanced to the right where the car door had been violently removed by the assassin, turning his luxury van into a casualty of their confrontation. ¡°Xiao Li, it looks like we¡¯ll be needing a new car when I return,¡± Lin Xian remarked. Xiao Li, still visibly shaken, managed a smile. ¡°What kind of car, Mr. Lin Xian?¡± ¡°A childhood friend of mine just became a manager at a car dealership. I promised to buy a car from him, but haven¡¯t gotten around to it. We¡¯ll choose one from his dealership when I¡¯m back,¡± Lin Xian shared, thinking of Gao Yang. ¡°Whatever car it is, no vehicle can withstand an attack from a killer like that unless it¡¯s armored.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Lin Xian. The police will catch the killer, and you¡¯ll be safe to return,¡± Xiao Li reassured him as they approached the airport. .... An hour later, Lin Xian¡¯s plane soared towards Princeton, New Jersey. As he gazed out the window at the clouds below, he contemplated whether this journey could indeed change the course of events. ¡°That assassin won¡¯t follow me to America, will she?¡± Lin Xian wondered, haunted by her chilling blue eyes and the threat she posed. He peered out the window cautiously, vigilant for any sign of danger. ¡°Nothing,¡± he sighed in relief. The assassin¡¯s reluctance to act in public spaces, as both previous attacks occurred under the cover of darkness, suggested she wasn¡¯t completely fearless. Upon landing in Princeton, Angelica was there to meet him. They boarded her much more luxurious van from the VIP exit, a stark contrast to his own recently damaged vehicle. ¡°Where¡¯s the equipment I requested?¡± Lin Xian asked as soon as they settled in. ¡°Always so impatient,¡± Angelica chuckled, handing him a sleek black case. Lin Xian opened the case to find two boxes of bullets, four magazines, and two different handguns. He picked up the first one, a Sig Sauer P320, an all-black large-caliber handgun renowned for its power and reliability. ¡°This is the latest model from Sig Sauer,¡± Angelica explained. ¡°You wanted something powerful, and this 10mm caliber can pierce 5mm steel from 20 meters.¡± Lin Xian nodded, impressed with the firearm¡¯s specifications, then turned his attention to the other gun, a gleaming silver Desert Eagle. ¡°A Desert Eagle?¡± he inquired, surprised. ¡°Yes,¡± Angelica smiled, clearly pleased with his reaction. ¡°This one¡¯s from my personal collection. It¡¯s tough to get because it uses custom Magnum rounds that pack a lot of power and recoil. Not everyone can handle it; some even break their wrists from the kickback. But since you insisted on powerful handguns, I thought you¡¯d appreciate it.¡± ¡°Which one do you prefer?¡± she asked, intrigued by his response. Lin Xian loaded the Desert Eagle, his smile broadening. ¡°Both.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 333: The Shape-Shifting Witch This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Lin Xian stared at a small suitcase that housed two large-caliber pistols, a wave of satisfaction sweeping over him as he regarded the deadly tools. ¡°These definitely make me feel safer,¡± he voiced his thoughts, a hint of resolve in his tone. If only he had had these back in Donghai City, the threat of the time-space assassin wouldn¡¯t have loomed so large. Yet, Lin Xian knew better. While arming oneself could provide temporary security, the broader implications were far more chaotic. ¡°The law is clear; if everyone started arming themselves out of fear, society would quickly collapse into anarchy,¡± he reflected. The ideal recourse was, undoubtedly, the police for protection. However, Lin Xian¡¯s intentions with the pistols extended beyond mere self-defense; they were meant to eradicate his enemies. ¡°I¡¯ve given you what you asked for,¡± Angelica said, her voice cutting through his thoughts. She swept her long hair into a high ponytail, her eyebrow arching in expectation. ¡°So, what about what I asked for?¡± Lin Xian snapped the suitcase shut and set it down, standing upright to face her. He took a moment before responding, ¡°You were right about Ji Lin and Ji Xin Shui. They¡¯ve been involved in heinous activities¡ªmurdering scientists and innocents. They were promised an invitation to the Genius Club in return for their services.¡± ¡°Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin became fixated on securing that invite. For some reason, they excluded you¡ªperhaps they already had enough help. Zheng Cheng He, a member of the Seven Deadly Sins, was also left out of their plots, except for their last failed attempt.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve apprehended them and brought them to justice. They received the punishment they deserved, despite any familial ties you might have to them,¡± Lin Xian stated firmly. Angelica shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°I¡¯ve never been one to complain about fate. I just need to know who led them down this path. The old man was motivated by fame and greed, but Ji Lin¡¯s case was different. He believed that joining the Genius Club could help him uncover the truth about our parents¡¯ deaths. My brother was incredibly intelligent¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t pursue something without reason.¡± ¡°So, you think a member of the Genius Club was behind their deaths?¡± she pressed. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Exactly. Their killer chose a peculiar time¡ª00:42¡ªfor their murders, likely signifying some cryptic ritual. And concerning Ji Xin Shui, the member who deceived him goes by ¡®Copernicus¡¯¡ªa detail not even Ji Lin knew.¡± Angelica¡¯s smile thinned as she processed the information. ¡°I appreciate your honesty, Lin Xian. But knowing the name ¡®Copernicus¡¯ doesn¡¯t get us any closer to vengeance. The Genius Club is still shrouded in mystery.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to pinpoint the killer immediately¡ªif Ji Lin couldn¡¯t, it¡¯s unlikely we can. But we need to start somewhere, right? Is that why you¡¯re here in America?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian confirmed, his gaze piercing. ¡°So, let¡¯s cut to the chase. How do we find Copernicus?¡± ¡°We need insider knowledge,¡± Lin Xian proposed, turning back to her. ¡°Elon Musk.¡± He paused, letting the name hang in the air. ¡°I don¡¯t have direct evidence linking him to ¡®Copernicus,¡¯ but Musk certainly knows more than us. I¡¯m convinced he¡¯s a key member of the Genius Club and privy to vital secrets.¡± ¡°So, our target is the world¡¯s most renowned billionaire,¡± Angelica mused. ¡°Elon Musk¡ªa playboy known for his high-society escapades. Do you know him?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve crossed paths at several social functions,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°Can you get us close to him?¡± he probed. Angelica chuckled, a glint of mischief in her eyes. ¡°How close do we need to be?¡± ¡°As close as possible,¡± Lin Xian said seriously. ¡°Intelligence gathering is your forte, right? You weren¡¯t just a figurehead in the Seven Deadly Sins; Ji Lin acknowledged your effectiveness. If anyone can extract information from Musk about the Genius Club¡ªits objectives, allies, and targets¡ªit¡¯s you.¡± Angelica considered this, her expression turning contemplative. ¡°Elon Musk is cautious and astute. Approaching him might not be straightforward. He wouldn¡¯t divulge secrets easily, especially to someone he doesn¡¯t trust.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the challenge,¡± Lin Xian admitted, spreading his hands. ¡°Considering someone might be trying to kill me, possibly on Musk¡¯s orders, you¡¯re the best shot we have.¡± ¡°Among the Genius Club members I know, Elon Musk is the only one whose name and whereabouts are well-known. If you¡¯re really set on avenging Ji Lin and Ji Xin Shui, he¡¯s our starting point. There¡¯s simply no other way around it,¡± Lin Xian declared, his tone serious. Then, he could fulfill his promise to Angelica, revealing the truth about Copernicus and assisting her revenge. This might seem a distant and uncertain promise to Angelica, but it was the only option available. Unless Elon Musk proved to be surprisingly indiscreet, revealing everything to a charming woman, which seemed highly improbable. If Musk were that easily deceived, he wouldn¡¯t hold the title of the world¡¯s richest man. Thus, it fell to Angelica to extract any possible information from him. Lin Xian set the heavy black suitcase on the table in the villa¡¯s luxurious living room, his eyes scanning the opulent setting under the glow of a grand crystal chandelier. ¡°Tomorrow night, we¡¯re attending a banquet,¡± Angelica announced, relaxing into the sofa. ¡°You¡¯ll be my driver.¡± ¡°To meet Elon Musk?¡± Lin Xian questioned, turning away from the sparkling chandelier. Angelica shook her head. ¡°Elon Musk may not officially be the world¡¯s richest man anymore, but he still carries significant influence here. We¡¯re not close enough for me to just call him up.¡± ¡°You must understand, there are many Hollywood actresses, but there¡¯s only one Elon Musk. He¡¯s in high demand,¡± she explained. Lin Xian pulled up a chair and sat down, a hint of skepticism in his tone. ¡°So, you can¡¯t directly connect with Elon Musk? Then why did you seem so confident about our cooperation?¡± Angelica met his gaze. ¡°I can¡¯t directly reach Musk, but I can get to his secretary. He has a trusted female secretary who¡¯s privy to all his secrets. I believe we can learn a lot about Elon Musk through her.¡± ¡°A female secretary, huh...¡± Lin Xian chuckled lightly. ¡°And how do you plan to get her to talk?¡± Angelica retrieved a tube of lipstick from her handbag, applying a layer of bright red to her lips. After smoothing the color, she gave Lin Xian a knowing smile. ¡°Sometimes... it¡¯s easier to deal with women than men.¡± ¡°Can you elaborate?¡± Lin Xian spread his hands, intrigued by her approach. This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Angelica simply smiled, replacing the lipstick in her bag. She stood, her heels clicking on the floor as she approached Lin Xian. ¡°You¡¯ll find out tomorrow night.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian conceded with a wave of his hand. ¡°But I won¡¯t be going. I already told you, the assassin might be working for Elon Musk.¡± ¡°Since you mentioned that Musk shares everything with his secretary, she surely knows about me. If I attend with you, I¡¯ll risk exposure.¡± ¡°Haha,¡± Angelica laughed, positioning herself in front of Lin Xian, her stance imposing. ¡°Have you forgotten what Hollywood calls me?¡± ¡°A shape-shifting witch, right?¡± Lin Xian looked up, his expression mixed with admiration and caution. Not that he particularly wanted to look up, but Angelica¡¯s slender finger lifted his chin as if she were delicately choosing a pastry. ¡°Shape-shifting isn¡¯t just my specialty,¡± she remarked with a cryptic smile. She scanned Lin Xian¡¯s features closely. ¡°Tomorrow night, no one in the world will recognize you.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 334: Angelicas Ultimate Move This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Click, click, click... Lin Xian methodically loaded 10mm copper-jacketed bullets into the magazine, ensuring each round was perfectly seated. He had two guns before him: a SIG Sauer P320 and a Desert Eagle, courtesy of Angelica. The Desert Eagle was a powerhouse, undoubtedly. However, Lin Xian, with his years of experience handling firearms, knew it wasn¡¯t practical for real combat. The Desert Eagle¡¯s empty weight alone was a hefty 2 kilograms, significantly bulkier than most handguns. Its size and immense recoil made it difficult to handle for many, including Lin Xian despite his proficiency. Shooting ranges often posted warnings stating that only individuals weighing over 80 kilograms could handle the Desert Eagle properly. The recoil was simply too intense for most, and even Lin Xian wasn¡¯t immune to the laws of physics. The gun¡¯s immense stopping power, with its 12.7mm bullets, came at the cost of a mere seven-round magazine capacity. In contrast, the SIG Sauer P320, while also powerful, was lighter at under 1 kilogram and held 15 rounds per magazine. In a real combat scenario, the SIG Sauer was the more reliable choice. According to Lin Xian¡¯s plan, if the time-space assassin pursued him to America, he would first engage her with the SIG Sauer. Ideally, this gun should be capable of piercing her defenses. If it proved insufficient, he would switch to the more formidable Desert Eagle. If even the Desert Eagle couldn¡¯t penetrate the assassin¡¯s defenses, it would be time to run without looking back. However, such a scenario seemed unlikely. The assassin, having sustained injuries from falling off a vehicle, shouldn¡¯t be invincible to gunfire; flesh and blood are weak against kinetic weapons. Click. Lin Xian pressed the final bullet into the magazine, now equipped with three 15-round magazines. He loaded one into the SIG Sauer, ensuring the safety was on to prevent any accidental discharge. He then placed the loaded handgun in his right pocket and the two heavy magazines in his left. ¡°Big Cat Face was right; security comes from gunpowder and bullets,¡± Lin Xian murmured. He stroked the cold steel through his jacket pocket, feeling a sense of nostalgia. Despite his adventures in his dream world, it had been a long time since he last handled a gun. His most recent experience with firearms was during the second dream, when he and CC infiltrated New Donghai City. Since then, each subsequent dream had seen his circumstances deteriorate. The invincible aura of the first dream had faded, leaving him entrapped and living a harsher existence in the dream world than in reality. ¡°I hope we can eliminate the mysterious old man soon,¡± Lin Xian muttered, adjusting his suit collar and patting the right pocket where the SIG Sauer rested. He fantasized about putting a 10mm bullet through Kevin Walker¡¯s skull, a far more merciful fate than what Walker had inflicted upon him with that massive space shuttle. Turning around, he saw Angelica¡¯s driver pushing two oversized suitcases into the villa¡¯s living room, with a stylishly dressed Angelica following behind. ¡°All set?¡± Angelica asked. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Then take a seat,¡± she instructed, pointing to a nearby chair. ¡°It¡¯s my turn to make you over.¡± The driver left after delivering the suitcases, and Angelica, under Lin Xian¡¯s watchful gaze, opened them. The suitcases revealed a complex array of compartments filled with various bottles, jars, and unknown items, each meticulously organized. Lin Xian was not surprised. When Angelica mentioned transforming him into someone unrecognizable, he had suspected she planned to use makeup. However, he doubted makeup alone could alter his facial features and bone structure significantly. Angelica began mixing substances from the bottles like a potion master, combining them in glass vessels while glancing at his face. The mixture thickened into a sticky paste. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lin Xian asked curiously. ¡°You¡¯re not going to put that on my face, are you?¡± The person staring back at him looked like an Arabian prince, complete with darkened skin, deep-set eyes, blue irises, a prominent nose, high cheekbones, fuller lips, and a faint beard. His entire face seemed wider and more angular, yet the transformation was flawless and natural. ¡°Can I touch it?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course, just avoid water,¡± Angelica replied. ¡°Your disguise skills are incredible,¡± Lin Xian marveled, turning his head to inspect every angle. He felt like a completely different person, unrecognizable even to himself. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say someone was after you?¡± Angelica reminded him while packing up. ¡°With this disguise, that assassin won¡¯t recognize you. You can relax a bit.¡± Lin Xian was momentarily speechless. He lowered the mirror and looked at Angelica, feeling a sense of gratitude. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Angelica replied softly. ¡°After all, aren¡¯t we partners against a common enemy? If you die, who will fulfill the promise? Who will help me find Ji Lin¡¯s killer? I have to protect you.¡± Lin Xian scratched his curly hair. ¡°Did you take care of Ji Lin this attentively too?¡± Angelica smiled, her eyes softening with memory. ¡°I wanted to, but I never had the chance.¡± She tossed her wavy brown hair over her shoulder. ¡°When Ji Xin Shui brought Ji Lin to the orphanage, he was just a baby, less than a year old. I wasn¡¯t even four years old then, but I was already used to caring for younger siblings.¡± Angelica¡¯s voice grew distant as she recounted her past. ¡°I was born in a war-torn country. Ji Xin Shui saved me from the ruins, surrounded by the bodies of my family. I was the only survivor. So, I treated Ji Lin as my own brother, pouring all my affection into raising him. I fed him, changed his diapers, told him stories, and played with him.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation She sighed. ¡°As we grew older, we were separated. I was sent to Hollywood as a child star, while Ji Lin stayed with Ji Xin Shui. We kept in touch, and I visited whenever I could, but Hollywood was demanding. I could only see him once or twice a year.¡± Angelica paused, her expression turning somber. ¡°I knew Ji Xin Shui had given me tasks, primarily gathering intelligence. When they were captured, I was investigated by the police but found innocent. Ji Xin Shui never told me much, so I genuinely didn¡¯t know what they were up to.¡± She looked at Lin Xian with determination. ¡°Ji Lin was my world. I did everything to make him happy, to fulfill his dreams. When he asked for the painting, ¡®Sorrowful Einstein,¡¯ I made sure to get it for him, no matter the cost.¡± Angelica¡¯s voice softened. ¡°When Ji Lin told me he had a friend named Lin Xian, I was happy yet jealous. I feared losing him. But then he was taken from me, killed because of the Genius Club¡¯s schemes.¡± Lin Xian nodded, understanding her pain. ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll help you find the truth and bring those responsible to justice.¡± Angelica smiled, a tear glistening in her eye. ¡°I believe in you because Ji Lin believed in you. You are his friend, and I will always trust you.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 335: Reversing Cause and Effect! The Girl from the Future This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Lin Xian gazed into Angelica¡¯s misty eyes, which seemed to reflect a world of unspoken thoughts. The name she mentioned, seemingly inconsequential, stirred deep-seated memories of an old friend. ¡°So that¡¯s it...¡± Lin Xian murmured, an epiphany dawning on him. He had always found it suspiciously easy to journey to America and team up with Angelica. Despite her notorious reputation as the last member of the Seven Deadly Sins, she had facilitated his arrival with surprising ease: securing him accommodation, fetching him from the airport, arming him with a handgun, and even crafting a disguise to shield him from the relentless pursuit of time-space assassins. And most astonishingly, Angelica had admitted to an almost blind trust in him. Regardless of the information he shared, the strategies he proposed, or the bold promises he made¡ªsuch as unveiling Copernicus¡¯ true identity and solving the mystery of Ji Lin¡¯s parents¡¯ death upon his official induction into the Genius Club¡ªshe believed him unconditionally. Despite his confident facade, Lin Xian was aware these were mere hopeful aspirations. The reality of his membership in the Genius Club, the possibility of additional tests, and the likelihood of fulfilling his promises were all uncertain. Yet, Angelica chose to believe in him without a shadow of doubt. Lin Xian speculated, ¡°Perhaps Angelica sees some semblance of Ji Lin in me.¡± Ji Lin had considered Lin Xian his only friend, a bond he had shared with Angelica. He had spoken of their joint efforts to celebrate Chu An Qing¡¯s birthday and their elaborate plans for the villa¡¯s decoration. Despite Angelica¡¯s mixed feelings, she would have been comforted knowing Ji Lin had found companionship. However, Angelica was unaware of the underlying intentions of manipulation and deceit in Lin Xian¡¯s friendship with Ji Lin. With Ji Lin¡¯s death, many unresolved issues had lost their significance. Angelica, who had witnessed the tragic end of all her relatives twice, found herself isolated again at the tender age of just over twenty. Though outwardly composed, her heart was undoubtedly seared with a desire for vengeance against the murderer within the Genius Club. Perhaps her faith in Lin Xian wasn¡¯t as unwavering as it seemed. Yet, because Ji Lin had recognized him as a friend, Lin Xian had become a temporary pillar of emotional support for her. If Ji Lin hadn¡¯t regarded him as a friend, Angelica might have already seized an opportunity to end his life¡ªthat was a chilling possibility. Lin Xian recalled the letter Ji Lin had penned to Angelica after his release from police custody. The contents remained unknown to him, but he sensed that his own role had been significant, possibly influencing her surprisingly collaborative and trusting attitude towards him. Reflecting on his past interactions with Ji Lin, Lin Xian realized they were superficial at best. Their activities¡ªattending Chu An Qing¡¯s birthday, decorating for the party, playing board games, and gifting an unwanted Gothic Rhine Cat figurine¡ªmight seem trivial to others but held great value to Ji Lin. Just as familial affection, often taken for granted, had slipped through Angelica¡¯s fingers like fine sand, impossible to grasp. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Angelica said briskly, packing up her belongings and signaling for Lin Xian to follow. Lin Xian took one last glance at his altered reflection in the mirror. He smiled, noticing how even his teeth seemed different, reshaping his entire facial expression. The mastery of disguise was indeed a formidable art. Considering the complexity of the techniques involved, it was clear why not just anyone could master it. Angelica¡¯s reputation as a shapeshifting witch was well-deserved, and she lived up to her formidable reputation. Outside, a bright purple Lamborghini awaited, its sleek, low-slung form hinting at its exorbitant cost and powerful capabilities. ¡°You drive,¡± Angelica tossed him the car keys, which he caught with a swift motion. They both ducked into the car, the engine roaring to life at the push of a button as they set off into the night toward their destination. ¡°Here¡¯s tonight¡¯s plan,¡± Angelica began, settling into the passenger seat and slipping on a pair of elegant sunglasses, which accentuated her already striking features. ¡°Elon Musk¡¯s female secretary has been trying to meet me for a while now. She¡¯ll be at a charity banquet at Princeton tonight, representing Musk. She¡¯s been sending me messages on social media for days, but I haven¡¯t responded.¡± ¡°Playing hard to get,¡± he remarked, a smirk forming on his lips as he steered the wheel. ¡°You¡¯re quite the strategist. When that disappointed and dejected secretary sees you at the banquet, I can only imagine how excited she¡¯ll be.¡± Angelica, adjusting her sunglasses, glanced at Lin Xian with a knowing smile. ¡°The sudden contrast and surprise have the most impact on emotions. If she knew you were coming, she wouldn¡¯t experience that emotional shock from disappointment to excitement. When emotions take over, people lose some rationality. It¡¯s a common tactic¡ªmen often make slips of the tongue in a flurry of praise, and it works here too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite the romantic,¡± Angelica teased, her smile widening. ¡°Then why are you always so slow to catch on?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just analyzing rationally,¡± Lin Xian responded, his tone cool as he signaled right and merged onto the highway. ¡°So tonight, my role is your date¡ªa wealthy prince from some obscure country, rich and nothing else, a sucker you¡¯ve hooked.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Angelica laughed. ¡°That¡¯s the persona. I always attract wealthy suckers¡ªdirectors, politicians, senators, athletes, businessmen... Just try to act a bit naive and not too dull.¡± Lin Xian glanced at her. ¡°American culture is more open than X Country¡¯s. When you fancy a woman, you boldly invite her to dance. Only by blending in can Elon Musk¡¯s secretary approach me.¡± Angelica nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t actively approach her; she must come to me, or it will seem too fake. Once she does, I can take her down easily. Winning over an infatuated girl is easier than spreading butter on bread.¡± Lin Xian coughed lightly and, while waiting at a red light, turned to look at her. ¡°In essence, it¡¯s about the secretary¡¯s orientation, right?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm~¡± Angelica tilted her head and raised her eyebrows at Lin Xian. ¡°A reminder, boy. In America, never assume anyone¡¯s gender. Even if the secretary is biologically female, she might identify as male; and likewise, I might identify as male, and she might perceive me as male too... In America, you must be mindful of this, or you¡¯ll get into trouble.¡± ¡°Interesting concept,¡± Lin Xian mused, a playful smile on his lips. ¡°Can I identify as a Walmart plastic bag but gender-identify as an attack helicopter?¡± ¡°Of course~¡± Angelica shrugged with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s your freedom. Welcome to the land of liberty.¡± ¡°Cool, long live freedom,¡± Lin Xian praised and pressed the gas pedal, speeding through the intersection¡¯s green light. Angelica touched up her lipstick in the passenger mirror, evenly spreading it, then continued. ¡°So, back to the plan. You play your role, and I¡¯ll wait for the opportunity to connect with Elon Musk¡¯s secretary, then... I¡¯ll leave you and be with her. I might disappear for a while, but don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s all part of the plan.¡± ¡°In any case, act accordingly. If you have any issues or needs, I¡¯ll text you. Keep the American phone I gave you for safety.¡± ¡°And did you finish what I asked you to write yesterday? The guidance on what to steer conversations towards and which keywords to look out for?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Xian responded, taking one hand off the steering wheel to retrieve a folded piece of paper from his suit pocket, handing it to Angelica. Angelica took it, unfolded it, and adjusted her sunglasses to read the words: Genius Club, Kevin Walker, Super AI, Girl Killer, Blue Eyes, Copernicus, Time-Space Particles. ¡°When gathering information, if you hear these keywords, steer the conversation towards them. If she never mentions them, find a way to introduce them subtly,¡± Lin Xian explained. ¡°For instance, for the girl killer, you could jokingly ask if Elon Musk is a loli-con and see if there¡¯s any unusual activity involving young girls in his circle.¡± ¡°Do you have time to chat?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he replied in English, putting on the persona Angelica had crafted for him. ¡°Wow,¡± the girl exclaimed, slightly taken aback. ¡°A prince... But your English carries a unique X Country lilt, almost musical.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I studied in X Country,¡± Lin Xian explained, swirling his wine glass with poise. ¡°I¡¯ve had a lifelong fascination with X Country, prompting me to study both X Country language and English there, which influenced my accent.¡± She nodded, her interest piqued. ¡°I chose Arabic as my second language in college. I just wanted to say hello.¡± ¡°I find Arabic incredibly romantic,¡± Lin Xian remarked, his interest evident in his tone. ¡°Since it¡¯s your native language, you must feel a deep connection to it.¡± The girl, quick-witted and playful, challenged him, ¡°What¡¯s the most romantic phrase in Arabic?¡± Lin Xian leaned in, his gaze fixating on her vibrant green eyes, and whispered in English, ¡°You have captivating eyes.¡± She laughed, a blush coloring her cheeks. ¡°That¡¯s English, not Arabic.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian grinned with unwavering confidence. ¡°But my English teacher always said it¡¯s the most romantic phrase in the world.¡± Her laughter filled the air, joyful and contagious, as she linked her arm with his. ¡°Let¡¯s dance!¡± As they joined others on the dance floor, Lin Xian¡¯s attention briefly shifted to Angelica. She was conversing with a guest, Elon Musk¡¯s secretary, who appeared completely captivated by her. Angelica, however, remained cool and collected. Soon after, both women melded into the bustling crowd, disappearing from Lin Xian¡¯s view. His phone buzzed with a message from Angelica: ¡°I won¡¯t be back tonight. Drive yourself home.¡± Admiring her social prowess, Lin Xian thought to himself how Angelica, nicknamed ¡°Lust¡± among their group known as the Seven Deadly Sins, could teach a master class in charm. Her skills were legendary at captivating everyone, regardless of gender. After the dance, Lin Xian exchanged numbers with the lively girl and decided to head home. With Angelica gone, he felt no need to stay. At the valet stand, before Lin Xian could even ask, the valet handed him the keys to a Lamborghini, bowing respectfully. ¡°Sir, have a wonderful night.¡± Lin Xian nodded and made his way to the car, unaware of the young girl with blue eyes who watched him leave and silently pointed towards an unnoticed hall. As Lin Xian drove through the suburban landscapes, a stark contrast to the dense urban environment of his hometown, his peaceful drive was abruptly interrupted. A black Mercedes, its headlights ominously off, raced toward him in his rearview mirror. A sudden realization of danger struck Lin Xian as he recognized the driver¡¯s bright blue eyes in the darkness¡ªit was the time-space assassin from his nightmares. The Mercedes collided with Lin Xian¡¯s Lamborghini, shattering the night with the sound of breaking carbon fiber. Lin Xian struggled to control his car, relying on his driving skills to avoid flipping over. The cars screeched to a halt, and as Lin Xian reached for his gun, a paralyzing force overwhelmed him. His body refused to obey, a cruel trick of the time-space laws favoring the assassin. He heard a distant shout, ¡°Get down!!!¡± just as a Harley roared past, the driver managing to hit the assassin with a skillful maneuver. The assassin, momentarily downed, quickly recovered, but not before the Harley¡¯s rider, a young girl, continued her assault. She jumped off the bike, grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s fallen gun, and opened fire on the assassin¡¯s hiding spot. ¡°Get on! Quick!¡± she called to Lin Xian, her voice youthful yet commanding. Lin Xian, weak but driven by desperation, used the bike as support to stand and eventually mounted it. The girl revved the engine and they sped away from the imminent danger. As they left, the girl tossed a lighter onto a trail of gasoline leaking from the Mercedes. A massive explosion illuminated the night, echoing like a scene from a Hollywood movie. This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Despite the surreal chaos, Lin Xian was grateful. ¡°Thank you for saving me,¡± he said, trying to make sense of the night¡¯s events. ¡°Do you know me?¡± he asked, curiosity piquing. ¡°Of course, Lin Xian,¡± the girl responded, her voice clear against the wind. ¡°I came to save you. You were hard to find.¡± Unable to see her face clearly from his position, Lin Xian noted her youthful appearance and resilience against the cold. ¡°Who sent you?¡± he inquired. ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± she replied, focused on the road. ¡°Can you at least tell me your name?¡± Lin Xian persisted. ¡°Yu Xi,¡± she answered, her voice soft yet firm. Lin Xian leaned forward in surprise, repeating her name for clarity. ¡°Yu, as in the concubine, Xi, as in the returning,¡± she explained, finally turning to look at him. Her eyes, blue as the Milky Way, pierced the night, leaving Lin Xian in awe. ¡°Yu Xi!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 336: Two Girls, The Blue Truth This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Lin Xian couldn¡¯t shake the eerie feeling that enveloped him as he stared into the girl¡¯s bright blue eyes. They reminded him starkly of a time-space assassin. It was an unmistakable marker: she, too, was a time traveler. She swiftly turned her attention back to the road, gripping the handles of her motorcycle. After a brief introduction, she revved the engine, accelerating down the deserted street. With no helmet on, her hair tied back into a small ponytail that fluttered like a hamster¡¯s tail in the night breeze, she seemed carefree yet focused. As Lin Xian sat behind her, the tips of her hair occasionally tickled his nose. ¡°You¡¯re a time traveler too,¡± Lin Xian stated, breaking the silence. ¡°Exactly,¡± she shouted back over the roar of the Harley, leaning forward as if to chase the wind itself. ¡°The brightness of our eyes, it¡¯s a tell. You must have traveled from around the same time as the girl who was chasing you,¡± she explained, her voice slicing through the noise. Lin Xian mulled over this new information. ¡°So, the blue in your eyes marks the time displacement, and its intensity varies with how far you¡¯ve traveled? If someone came from just a few decades ahead, the glow would be faint, barely noticeable. But from several centuries? It¡¯d be as bright as a blue bulb... I always thought it related to energy levels,¡± Lin Xian pondered aloud. The girl nodded, affirming his deduction. Previously, Lin Xian had discussed with Liu Feng about the luminosity of a time traveler¡¯s blue eyes, hypothesizing that it indicated their energy or power levels, dimming as the traveler weakened. Liu Feng had believed it signaled the intensity of time displacement, with the more dangerous or powerful travelers displaying brighter hues. Both had been off the mark. The girl clarified that it simply correlated with the span of time traveled. ¡°What era do you and the time-space assassin hail from?¡± Lin Xian inquired, steadying himself by holding onto her shoulder. ¡°I can¡¯t disclose that,¡± she replied, her tone both expected and frustrating. ¡°You must understand, time laws bind us. While we might name them differently, the essence remains consistent.¡± ¡°Probing into which era I¡¯m from or who sent me pushes the boundaries set by those laws. I can¡¯t answer such questions. But I am here to save you, and finding you in this vast world wasn¡¯t easy. If you weren¡¯t specifically in Donghai, it would have been nearly impossible.¡± ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for sensing the time assassin¡¯s presence¡ªwhich she likely sensed about me too¡ªI wouldn¡¯t have located you. Her recent activities indicated she¡¯d found her target.¡± ¡°To track you down, I followed her through a time-space resonance, which led me here to Princeton. I¡¯ve been tracing her movements ever since,¡± she explained, her youthful voice clear and composed, portraying a narrative akin to the movie Terminator 2¡ªwhere a time assassin and a protector converge on a single young target. These two young women, about the same age yet distinctly different in skills¡ªone here to kill him, the other to protect¡ªremained secretive in their intentions. The assassin was slightly taller, more muscular, showcasing visible signs of rigorous training. She sported short, black hair, an intense demeanor, and a nearly emotionless expression that was chilling to the core. In contrast, the protector was petite, with a less intimidating stature and softer training marks. Her hair was also black and short but styled into a charming ponytail, lending her an endearing appearance. Both likely kept their hair short for practicality¡ªlong hair could be a liability in combat. Their physical traits suggested they had undergone similar enhancements, typical of individuals from a future several centuries ahead. What intrigued Lin Xian most was the girl¡¯s name¡ªYu Xi. Hearing this name in such an unexpected context threw him off. He had pondered over Yellow Finch¡¯s references to Yu Xi, never quite solving the puzzle. Yellow Finch¡¯s cryptic messages were usually straightforward; the answers lay in the questions themselves. Yu Xi was not a metaphor or a code but a real person, the girl sitting before him. ¡°Do you know someone named Yellow Finch?¡± Lin Xian asked, gazing at her fluttering ponytail. ¡°No,¡± Yu Xi responded. ¡°What about Zhao Ying Jun?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she replied as she swerved onto a side road, her movements fluid and unhesitant. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun is your friend here in Donghai, right? She was your boss before you ventured out on your own. Though you¡¯ve separated professionally, your businesses remain closely linked.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean the Zhao Ying Jun from this era,¡± Lin Xian clarified. ¡°Do you know her from your time?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve never heard of her,¡± Yu Xi stated, her ponytail bobbing with the motion. How could he combat someone who appeared impervious to his efforts, paralyzing him with her mere presence? She seemed like a formidable game boss, armed with maximum attack and defense capabilities, plus a paralyzing aura. Noticing Lin Xian¡¯s prolonged silence, Yu Xi turned to him, her expression filled with concern: ¡°Don¡¯t lose hope. We¡¯ll find a way. My mission is to protect you, even if it costs me my life. The time assassin might terrify you, but to me, she¡¯s just another adversary. We¡¯re evenly matched.¡± Reassured by Yu Xi¡¯s confident words, Lin Xian nodded. He wasn¡¯t disheartened; he was merely piecing together the puzzle. He believed there was a crucial detail he was missing. Every event has a cause and effect. The time assassin¡¯s apparent immunity had to have a logical explanation. Discovering this could expose her vulnerability and provide a strategy to defeat her. Recalling Gao Yang¡¯s words at Ji Lin¡¯s birthday party resonated deeply: ¡°Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall!¡± This inspired Lin Xian. Failure wasn¡¯t the end; the true defeat was losing the courage to stand again. The adversary was formidable, but Lin Xian believed she was not invincible. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out,¡± he affirmed, patting Yu Xi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Where are we heading now?¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation At that moment, Lin Xian¡¯s phone rang. It was Angelica. He answered, eager for a distraction: ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hehe, the secretary has fallen asleep,¡± Angelica¡¯s voice came through, the sound of a lighter flicking and a cigarette igniting audible in the background. ¡°You¡¯re amazing,¡± Lin Xian complimented. ¡°Honestly, I envy your current situation. What did you discover?¡± ¡°Plenty,¡± Angelica chuckled, her tone playful yet mysterious. ¡°I never fail. Do you want to hear about the lolicon or the AI first?¡± ¡°Tell me about the lolicon.¡± Angelica laughed softly, her voice low and teasing: ¡°The secretary revealed that her boss, Elon Musk, has been hiding a teenage girl¡ªan East Asian girl¡ªin the tower for several months.¡± ¡°She¡¯s worried this could ruin Elon Musk, possibly even landing him in jail. In the US, if this news breaks and is verified, Elon Musk¡¯s career and life could be devastated.¡± Lin Xian adjusted his seating on the motorcycle, intrigued: ¡°Any more details about the girl?¡± ¡°The secretary described her as stunning, like a character from a manga, with a beautifully sculpted face akin to a piece of art.¡± ¡°Besides her beauty, the girl had neck-length black hair and appeared very reserved and quiet. And one more thing¡ªthe most memorable feature¡ªher eyes were blue. And... incredibly bright.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 337: Elon Musks Secret This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation The girl with eerie, bright blue eyes... The girl with short black hair and an emotionless face... Everything matched. The image of the time-traveling assassin girl had long been etched in Lin Xian¡¯s mind. Whenever he closed his eyes, he could see those terrifying blue eyes and that face as cold as a human mask. Without a doubt, the little girl described by Elon Musk¡¯s secretary was the same assassin who had been hunting him. ¡°Is there any more information about the girl?¡± Lin Xian asked. On the other end of the line, Angelica took a drag from her cigarette and exhaled slowly. ¡°Not much more. It¡¯s only the first night. I can¡¯t ask too many questions right away. Today, I hardly asked anything directly. I acted like I had no interest in her boss, focusing all my attention on her instead.¡± ¡°When we were chatting, I noticed her frowning a lot. I touched her forehead and asked if something was bothering her. She mentioned her concern about Elon Musk¡¯s legal troubles, which led her to reveal that he was hiding a teenage girl. However, she didn¡¯t seem to know the full story, just some surface details.¡± ¡°So, Lin Xian... you¡¯re really interested in this girl. Could she be the assassin Elon Musk sent to kill you? Although it sounds incredible, in my country, many spies are trained from childhood. Kids have a natural advantage as operatives...¡±Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com ¡°They¡¯re small, agile, and less likely to arouse suspicion. They can easily use their innocent appearance to lower people¡¯s defenses. Especially a cute little girl ¨C who would suspect her of being an assassin? They can blend in anywhere and disarm everyone with their harmless looks.¡± Angelica wasn¡¯t wrong. Lin Xian had heard about the powerful intelligence organizations in the middle east region, where most of the top agents were children. While kids weren¡¯t as strong as adults in combat, their ability to hide and infiltrate was unmatched. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t dismiss the idea. Cute, small children naturally trigger kindness and favoritism in people. That might be why both the time-traveling assassin and Yu Xi were little girls. Angelica, being cautious, didn¡¯t ask too much on the first night. She chose to listen passively, building trust without raising suspicion. For now, it was clear. The girl assassin and Elon Musk were connected, and Elon Musk likely sent the assassin after him. The enemy was closer than he thought. If not for VV burning Elon Musk¡¯s name onto the TV before dying, Lin Xian might still see Elon Musk as a savior instead of a threat. He¡¯d be walking right into a trap. But there was one thing he still didn¡¯t understand. If Elon Musk wanted him dead, why rescue him with a rocket from space instead of letting Kevin Walker¡¯s X-37B space shuttle kill him? Lin Xian believed Elon Musk wouldn¡¯t act inconsistently without reason. These puzzling actions must be part of Elon Musk¡¯s grand plan. What was Elon Musk¡¯s true purpose? Lin Xian needed more information. He asked, ¡°Angelica, besides the info on the girl, did you learn anything about artificial intelligence?¡± ¡°Yes, about Elon Musk¡¯s attitude toward AI,¡± Angelica replied. ¡°Many company executives, including his secretary, want to incorporate more AI into their work to increase efficiency and reduce costs. But Elon Musk hates AI. Despite investing in a major AI company early on, he now despises AI for stifling human creativity and imagination. This is a contentious issue within Elon Musk¡¯s company.¡± ¡°The secretary complained to me that if Elon Musk allowed AI, her job would be much easier. But since most of Elon Musk¡¯s companies are privately held, he has the final say. She mentioned he often says strange things, like a cartoon villain, about the world and history. Regarding AI, he once said, ¡®From now on, there will be no more super AI.''¡± ¡°I wanted to ask under what circumstances he said that. After all, ¡®super AI¡¯ was one of the keywords you gave me. But we had already talked too much about work, and it would be odd for a Hollywood actress like me to show such interest in business secrets. Extracting information is tricky, Lin Xian. Pressing too hard only raises suspicion. Acting indifferent and uninterested can provoke them to share more.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian agreed. Angelica¡¯s approach was smart. As a top intelligence collector under Ji Xin Shui¡¯s Seven Deadly Sins, she knew her tactics well. Extracting such critical information on the first night was impressive. Although the secretary¡¯s info might not seem confidential, it was crucial for Lin Xian. He now had two key insights: He then asked Yu Xi, ¡°What¡¯s your plan now?¡± ¡°We need to split up. If I stay with you, the assassin can track you through me. It¡¯s safer if we separate,¡± Yu Xi suggested. ¡°But if she ignores you and comes straight for me?¡± Lin Xian countered. ¡°I¡¯ll come to your aid immediately. This is the safest strategy,¡± Yu Xi insisted. Lin Xian thought it over. It was a sound plan, but he remembered Yellow Finch¡¯s last words: ¡°If you can, Lin Xian... don¡¯t leave Yu Xi.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t let history repeat itself. ¡°No, we can¡¯t separate. You can sense the assassin, and we need that advantage.¡± Yu Xi turned her head slightly, her blue eyes reflecting concern. ¡°But you¡¯ll be in danger. I can¡¯t protect you from bullets.¡± ¡°I doubt the assassin can use a gun. She hasn¡¯t killed me yet, which means she wants to capture me alive,¡± Lin Xian argued. ¡°And when I tried to shoot her, she dodged, indicating she doesn¡¯t know she¡¯s immune to bullets. We must stay together,¡± Lin Xian concluded. Yu Xi sighed but nodded. ¡°Alright, but if the assassin finds allies, you¡¯ll have to deal with them yourself. I can¡¯t harm people from this timeline.¡± ¡°I understand. We need to arm ourselves. Let¡¯s go to Texas and meet Angelica,¡± Lin Xian decided. This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation They ¡°borrowed¡± an old car and drove off, Lin Xian reflecting on his mission. Facing Kevin Walker and Elon Musk as enemies, he felt the weight of his task. But knowing his foes gave him a clear target. As they drove through the night, Lin Xian thought about the mysteries surrounding Yu Xi and Yellow Finch. He needed answers but knew they would come in time. ¡°Yu Xi, do we have any special connection?¡± he asked, half-expecting a denial. ¡°No,¡± Yu Xi replied, her blue eyes steady. ¡°We only met today.¡± Lin Xian exhaled, sensing some truth in her words. He had learned to trust his instincts about these time-travelers. ¡°Is your mission to save me related to the Genius Club?¡± Lin Xian asked, hoping for clarity. Yu Xi hesitated, then replied, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 338: Zheng Xiang Yues Ticket Chapter 338: Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s Ticket This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation As expected, it was another ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡± Lin Xian snorted lightly. Without a firm denial, it was very likely that Yu Xi¡¯s time travel had something to do with the Genius Club. But what kind of relationship? That was still a mystery. It could be a positive connection, or it could be a negative one. The current situation was confusing. Lin Xian felt the whirlpool of mysteries around him growing bigger. He had to break through the stalemate soon. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now,¡± Lin Xian said, closing his eyes. ¡°If you get tired of driving, wake me up.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Yu Xi replied curtly. .... ¡°Has that time-space assassin caught up again?¡± Lin Xian opened his eyes once more. Yu Xi shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s still lingering around Princeton. Don¡¯t worry, even though she¡¯s shrouded in mysteries, she¡¯s ultimately just a human being of flesh and blood. She can¡¯t fly, nor can she withstand bullets. Plus, I can sense her position. She¡¯s not as terrifying as you think. Just sleep soundly, I¡¯ll wake you if anything happens.¡± Lin Xian nodded. Resting well was essential for a better fight tomorrow. He glanced at his watch. It was 1:23 AM in America, which meant it was 1:23 PM in X Country. Falling asleep at this time would definitely lead to dreaming. Once he entered the dream, unless it was 00:42 in X Country time, or he died in the dream, nothing could wake him up from the outside world. This had happened once when he was a child. His parents couldn¡¯t wake him up no matter what and were so scared they took him to the hospital. The doctor checked him over and found nothing wrong, concluding that he was simply sleeping too deeply. Though it was rare to see someone sleep so deeply, facts were facts. But in the current situation, he couldn¡¯t afford to sleep so deeply. If something dangerous happened, and Yu Xi couldn¡¯t wake him up, or even if hitting him wouldn¡¯t wake him, his life could be at risk. So, he had to think of a way to die quickly, wake up once, and then continue sleeping. The fourth dream was different from other dreams; it didn¡¯t offer many chances for a deliberate death. His activity range was very limited, and if he missed the initial opportunity, he would be electrocuted unconscious, entering a state of dual disconnection from reality and the dream, comparable to actual death. His eyelids grew heavier. Gradually, Lin Xian fell into a deep sleep. .... The familiar summer breeze and the familiar noise filled the air as Lin Xian quickly opened his eyes. He found himself in the usual scenario: dozens of soldiers surrounded him, and more than a dozen balloon airships with Time Bank¡¯s advertisements hovered high above. All the soldiers nervously held up their rifles, disengaging the safeties as they faced the young man who had appeared like a magician. The soldier dressed as a captain was about to step forward when Lin Xian chuckled softly. ¡°Heh,¡± Lin Xian murmured, his voice tinged with a mix of amusement and determination. Without wasting a second, he charged toward his chosen target¡ªa soldier who seemed less proficient with his gun and was a beat slower than the others. The soldier¡¯s hesitation was all Lin Xian needed. Lin Xian pounced directly at the gun barrel, aiming it at his forehead. With a swift and decisive movement, he pressed the trigger hard with his right hand. Bang! The deafening gunshot echoed in his ears, and Lin Xian¡¯s vision went black. .... Lin Xian jerked up from the passenger seat, heart racing, gasping for air. The familiar sensation of returning to reality hit him hard, and he struggled to steady his breath. Yu Xi glanced over, confusion etched on her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? A nightmare?¡± Lin Xian took a moment to calm his breathing, looking at Yu Xi. It seemed that this time-traveling protector from the future didn¡¯t know the secret of his dreams. This realization was comforting. This also proved she didn¡¯t know Yellow Finch. Yellow Finch knew everything about him, including his ability to time-travel in dreams. But as for Yu Xi, she seemed completely ignorant about his dream ability. Good. Lin Xian had no intention of sharing this, his most precious secret, with anyone. ¡°Sort of,¡± Lin Xian replied vaguely, not wanting to delve into details. Satisfied with his response, Yu Xi returned her focus to the road, her hands steady on the wheel. Lin Xian turned over and went back to sleep. Once he ¡°popped¡± out of a dream by dying in it, he wouldn¡¯t dream again until the next cycle. Now, he could sleep soundly. .... The next day, near noon, Yu Xi was still driving in the same position, showing no signs of fatigue. Lin Xian yawned and sat up, adjusting the seat back to its upright position. He looked out at the scenery and, as expected, it was flat land. The highway stretched out straight to the horizon, with no curves at all. It was no wonder people said you could lock the steering wheel and sleep while driving on American highways. ¡°I¡¯ll drive,¡± Lin Xian said to Yu Xi. ¡°You get some sleep, have something to eat. By the time you wake up, we¡¯ll be close to Texas.¡± Without any fuss, Yu Xi pulled over, and they switched places. She moved to the back seat to rest. ¡°The time-space assassin is probably still in Princeton. She hasn¡¯t followed us because we¡¯re too far away for me to sense her position clearly now. But don¡¯t worry. Even while sleeping, I can sense the assassin¡¯s distance from us. If she gets close, I¡¯ll wake up immediately.¡± With that, Yu Xi closed her eyes and began to sleep. Lin Xian turned down the volume of the radio to avoid disturbing her. He rested his left elbow on the car window frame, supporting his chin, while his right hand lightly held the steering wheel that hardly needed any control. He glanced at Yu Xi, sleeping peacefully in the backseat, through the rearview mirror. It dawned on him that he knew almost nothing about Yu Xi. How old was she exactly? What kind of life had she lived? What kind of experiences had she gone through? Was she an only child? Were her parents still alive? Would she be able to return to her time after completing her mission? Even in the future, with advancements in drug enhancements and gene editing making everyone smarter, prettier, and stronger, real skills and knowledge still had to be acquired through practice and learning. Yu Xi looked at most fifteen or sixteen years old, maybe even younger. To have such excellent driving skills and the ability to use a handgun at such a young age, not only managing the strong recoil but also having precise aim, it was hard to imagine how many years she had spent in training. Thunk. Thunk. The old car, with its poor suspension, bounced over a railroad track crossing the road, jolting Lin Xian and the sleeping Yu Xi in the backseat. In the rearview mirror, he saw the girl rub her eyes in her sleep. She shifted her position, turned over, and, facing away from Lin Xian, continued to sleep. .... Angelica chuckled, mimicking the secretary¡¯s walk as she left. She turned back one last time. ¡°A woman in love sees everything as romantic~¡± Bang. The door closed. Lin Xian watched through the window as the Tesla pulled away with Angelica at the wheel. She had perfectly transformed into the secretary, from head to toe. With Angelica¡¯s Oscar-worthy acting, voice mimicry, and her close study of the secretary¡¯s mannerisms and relationship with Elon Musk, her chances of success were high. From Elon Musk¡¯s perspective, Angelica¡¯s mission wouldn¡¯t matter much to Lin Xian. He already had the information he needed and knew Elon Musk¡¯s stance and attitude towards him. But Angelica had her own goals. She wanted to uncover more about the Genius Club, find out who Copernicus really was, and identify the murderer of Ji Lin¡¯s parents. So, she had to take this risk and try her luck. She wanted to see what Elon Musk had hidden at the observation tower and whether he would divulge any information about the Genius Club. If he didn¡¯t, then Angelica¡¯s mission would be fruitless. But if Elon Musk trusted his secretary and often confided in her about the Genius Club, then Angelica¡¯s infiltration could yield valuable information. Buzz... The electric Tesla drove out of the yard with minimal noise, except for a faint warning hum. It moved steadily. The Tesla left the villa, heading towards Boca Chica, the SpaceX Starship launch center. .... At the observation tower, Elon Musk looked up. The sun was blazing. It was late April, the weather was getting warmer, and the world was becoming more vibrant. He gazed at the distant rocket launch pad. On the ground below, a massive transporter was slowly erecting a new Starship rocket. Another test launch was imminent. His Starship rockets had exploded many times. The first explosion was laughed at worldwide, mocking him. But now, more and more people feared his rockets¡¯ explosions. Because everyone knew, the more his rockets exploded, the closer they got to success. Failure yielded more experience than success. He was never afraid of failure. That was why he was so successful now. His Starship rockets were undeniably the most powerful launch vehicles in history. The reusable models could carry 150 tons of cargo per launch. The expendable models could carry 250 tons. Worldwide, those were staggering figures. But for his grand vision, it was still not enough. Mars was just his first step. He aimed for farther into the universe, a more distant future... and beyond. Click-clack, click-clack. The rapid sound of high heels on steel grating echoed in the observation tower. Elon Musk knew his anxious and easily flustered secretary had arrived. He checked his watch. Right on time. 10:00 AM. ¡°Mr. Elon Musk...¡± The secretary, wearing red-framed glasses, was panting and holding a folder, bending over. ¡°Can¡¯t we meet somewhere else? Why do I have to climb this high in heels every time?¡± He smiled. As usual, his secretary would complain like this every time she climbed up to the observation deck. ¡°I need to go to X Country at the end of this month for a conference in the capital,¡± Elon Musk said. The secretary straightened up, blinking. ¡°Anything special to note? I¡¯ll jot it down.¡± Elon Musk leaned against the observation deck railing, shaking his head. ¡°Nothing special. The schedule is the same as before: attending the conference on April 28 and meeting with X Country officials. I love X Country. When they invited me, I accepted immediately. I told the officials it was an honor to attend the Trade Promotion Conference. I meant it, not just a polite remark... X Country has always supported me greatly. Without Donghai officials and X Country¡¯s help, there would be no Tesla¡¯s super factory today.¡± ¡°The itinerary for the trade conference is set. What I wanted to tell you today is... we¡¯ll leave a day earlier. I want to deliver a ticket to a girl.¡± ¡°A ticket?¡± The secretary chuckled but opened her folder and started taking notes. ¡°What kind of ticket? I¡¯ll record your leisure activities. Do we need to notify the media or reporters?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Elon Musk waved his hand. ¡°It¡¯s not for publicity. It¡¯s something I need to do, and I must do it personally.¡± He tilted his head, looking at the secretary. ¡°I thought you¡¯d understand. Since we¡¯re talking about delivering a ticket to a girl in X Country... it¡¯s about Zheng Xiang Yue! Didn¡¯t I personally call her before? She probably didn¡¯t watch the live stream and didn¡¯t know she won a ticket to the moon. I had to explain it to her for a long time. The little girl was happy, but I felt she thought it was a joke or didn¡¯t fully believe it. I later had friends in X Country investigate. This girl, Zheng Xiang Yue... I really like her name. It¡¯s so beautiful.¡± ¡°Zheng Xiang Yue has congenital heart disease. Her health has been poor, and she¡¯s spent most of her life in hospitals, with frequent heart attacks, some nearly fatal. Honestly, I wish technology would advance faster... faster. Maybe in a few years, we can make those ten moon trip tickets a reality. But it¡¯s not up to me. If it were, I¡¯d launch the Mars fleet tomorrow.¡± ¡°So, record this trip to deliver the ticket quietly, without notifying the media. We don¡¯t want to disturb her. Her health is fragile, and we shouldn¡¯t stress her. The main reason I want to personally deliver this ticket is twofold. First, I want her to believe that her ticket, despite being bought with an anonymous check, is real and always valid! If she ever needs to enter a cryo-sleep chamber due to her health, we guarantee her moon trip ticket will never expire. Whenever she wakes up, we¡¯ll arrange a flight to fulfill her dream. I promise, even if she¡¯s the only passenger, we¡¯ll still launch. And if she wakes up after being cured, even if I¡¯m not around, SpaceX will honor her ticket.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± The secretary noted this down and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the second reason?¡± ¡°The second reason is a bit pessimistic,¡± Elon Musk said, turning to her. ¡°I¡¯m afraid her heart might fail before she can enter cryo-sleep... that would be the worst outcome. She wouldn¡¯t get to see our moon trip launch or enter cryo-sleep for her cure. This would be the most tragic situation, something I dread. But if we think of the worst-case scenario, what if it happens? Even though I can¡¯t change that, I want to ensure she gets this ticket in person. So, I¡¯m visiting her to give her encouragement, to help her fight her illness and believe she¡¯ll one day go to the moon. Her name, Zheng Xiang Yue, is so simple, beautiful, and inspiring... don¡¯t you agree?¡± The secretary finished noting this down and looked up. ¡°I¡¯ve got it. I¡¯ll arrange it. Anything else? You wouldn¡¯t have called me up here just for this small task, right?¡± Elon Musk chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Of course not, there¡¯s something more important. But before that...¡± Elon Musk pointed at the secretary¡¯s left leg. ¡°Your stocking is torn.¡± ¡°What?¡± The secretary panicked, looking down at her left leg. ¡°Oh no! When did it tear?¡± She put the folder down, crouching to fix her torn stocking. Click! The cold muzzle of a gun pressed against the back of her head. The secretary felt a chill... She turned slowly, eyes wide. The dark barrel aimed right between her eyes! Elon Musk held the silver handgun with his right hand, looking at the crouching secretary. ¡°Tell me, who sent you?¡± ¡°Mr. Elon Musk...¡± The secretary breathed rapidly. ¡°You... what are you...¡± ¡°I admit, your disguise is impressive. Too good... I didn¡¯t notice anything wrong. Voice, walk, expressions, tone, all perfectly mimicked.¡± Elon Musk smiled. ¡°But... you forgot to adjust your glasses.¡± He tapped the red-framed glasses with the gun barrel. ¡°My secretary pushes these glasses up every few seconds. No matter what, they always slide down. I yelled at her multiple times to get new glasses, but she never did. But now... I¡¯m grateful. Her stubbornness saved my life.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation The gun moved forward, pressing tightly against the secretary¡¯s forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t like wasting time. You have five seconds to tell me who sent you.¡± Elon Musk¡¯s smile vanished, replaced by a cold stare. ¡°5, 4, 3, 2, 1... goodbye.¡± His finger tightened on the trigger¡ª Riiiing, riiing, riiing! The secretary¡¯s phone rang, breaking the tense moment. Angelica didn¡¯t dare move. She didn¡¯t even dare glance at her ringing phone. ¡°Take it out,¡± Elon Musk ordered. Angelica obediently pulled out two phones from her pocket. One belonged to the real secretary. The other, ringing now, was her own. She quickly glanced at the caller ID. A completely unfamiliar number. Not Lin Xian, nor anyone she knew. Elon Musk took the phone, pressed the answer button, and held it to his ear. ¡°Elon Musk...¡± To his surprise! An elderly voice on the other end called his name! Elon Musk squinted, retreating a step into the observation tower. ¡°Who are you?¡± The elderly voice cleared his throat. ¡°Let her go... Elon Musk, do me this favor.¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Elon Musk laughed. ¡°No one has that much favor. Tell me your name, let¡¯s see if it¡¯s worth it.¡± The elderly man chuckled dryly, his voice raspy. ¡°I am... Copernicus.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 339: My Name is Copernicus This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Knock, knock! Lin Xian sat quietly in the villa bedroom, vigilantly watching over the secretary, who lay soundly asleep. The sudden, sharp rapping on the door from the living room jolted the silence. Gripping a handgun with the safety off, Lin Xian cautiously moved from the bedroom to the living room door. He stayed well back from the door, his gun at the ready. ¡°Who is it?¡± he demanded. ¡°It¡¯s me, Lin Xian,¡± came the familiar voice of Yu Xi from outside. His tension eased slightly, yet he kept his weapon aimed as he approached the peephole. Peering through, he saw Yu Xi alone outside, her bright, deep blue eyes meeting his gaze through the glass. Click. He unlocked and opened the door, allowing Yu Xi to step quickly inside. ¡°Lin Xian, the time-space assassin has found us,¡± Yu Xi announced urgently. ¡°I can sense her nearing. She must have flown from New Jersey to Texas, and now she¡¯s moving towards us from a nearby airport.¡± ¡°She¡¯s driving fast, possibly in a vehicle,¡± she added. Lin Xian¡¯s brow furrowed with concern. ¡°Can you determine her target? Is she after us, or is she going for Angelica or Elon Musk¡¯s rocket launch site?¡± ¡°If she¡¯s targeting the rocket site, we need to warn Angelica to evacuate immediately,¡± he reasoned. Yu Xi, a time traveler like others from the future, possessed enhanced senses and analytical skills from advanced drugs. They knew Angelica¡¯s usual disguises were ineffective against such heightened senses. Assuming the assassin had seen the secretary and recognized her, the situation looked dire. The detailed intelligence Angelica had compiled supported this worrying possibility. ¡°I can¡¯t pinpoint her exact target yet,¡± Yu Xi admitted, shaking her head. ¡°She needs to get closer before I can determine her direction accurately. We¡¯re not far from Elon Musk¡¯s site¡ªif I had to guess right now, I honestly couldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°How close does she need to be for you to make an accurate call?¡± Lin Xian pressed. ¡°About half an hour away,¡± replied Yu Xi. ¡°In thirty minutes, she¡¯ll be within several miles. If she turns south then, we¡¯ll know if she¡¯s coming for us or if it¡¯s a recall to Elon Musk.¡± Lin Xian calculated quickly. Even with a fast vehicle, the assassin would need about thirty minutes to cover that distance, giving Angelica just enough time to get out if necessary. ¡°Keep an eye on her movements and update me immediately once you know more,¡± he instructed firmly. ¡°Angelica told us not to contact her unless absolutely necessary to avoid drawing attention. We¡¯ll reach out as soon as we¡¯re sure of the assassin¡¯s target.¡± Yu Xi nodded and settled into a chair in the living room. Spotting a black suitcase open on the table filled with handguns and magazines, she swiftly loaded two magazines with bullets and slipped them, along with an extra handgun, into her tracksuit pockets, readying herself. Meanwhile, Lin Xian returned to his bedroom to check on his still-sleeping secretary. He carefully examined the items on the bedside table, his gaze settling on a small bottle filled with white pills. He read the label but didn¡¯t recognize the drug. It was labeled as a sleep aid, but Lin Xian was skeptical¡ªthe potent effect suggested otherwise. The secretary, wrapped snugly in a blanket, was deeply asleep, so still that if not for her gentle, rhythmic breathing and the subtle rise and fall of the blanket, one might think she wasn¡¯t alive. .... About ten minutes later, Yu Xi entered from the living room, urgency etched on her face. ¡°Lin Xian, it¡¯s confirmed. The time-space assassin is headed directly for us. She didn¡¯t divert towards the rocket launch base; she¡¯s coming straight here, and she¡¯s picking up speed. We have less than thirty minutes before she arrives.¡± ¡°We need to make a decision now¡ªwhether we should set up an ambush here or flee in the car to stay ahead of her,¡± Yu Xi stated. Lin Xian gave a nod, showing he was prepared for such a scenario. ¡°Confronting the assassin head-on isn¡¯t the best move right now,¡± he began. ¡°Firstly, you¡¯re the only one among us who can physically affect her. The strange laws of time-space prevent me from being able to harm her. Even armed, we don¡¯t have a clear upper hand if she¡¯s also equipped with a gun.¡± ¡°Engaging her without a definitive edge is risky. If you were to be defeated, I¡¯d be left defenseless. The risk outweighs the potential gains. Our optimal strategy should be to uncover why she¡¯s immune to the time-space rules. Once we understand that, we can plan a counterattack. If both of us are able to fight her effectively, our chances of success will be much higher.¡± An address in Mississippi, Vicksburg, appeared on Angelica¡¯s phone¡ª217 Leeson Road, Pont High School. Elon Musk glanced at it briefly. His memory was sharp, not quite photographic, but he could recall addresses or numbers with just a glance. He turned off the phone¡¯s screen, pondering Copernicus¡¯s words. The blue-eyed girl... had she really deceived him? He recalled their initial meeting. She had shared certain details, hinted at his role in a larger scheme, and presented him with a USB drive from another era. She claimed the drive contained a virus intended to disable all advanced AI systems based on Kevin Walker¡¯s technology, supposedly resetting the status quo. Elon Musk had no reason to doubt her. Her actions seemed to align perfectly with what he needed. He had always suspected that the time-space particles were linked to time travel. If he was correct, and time-space particles were indeed necessary for time travel, then guarding these particles might eventually help him correct historical errors. This logic seemed to fit perfectly within the framework of time-space theories. The girl¡¯s arrival had seemed to confirm this theory. But now, Copernicus¡¯s insinuations made him second-guess. Had Turing actually outplayed him? Or was Copernicus merely sowing seeds of doubt? Lost in thought, Elon Musk remained silent, considering all the elements¡ªhis active time-space particles, the futuristic girl, the timely arrival of the USB, the disrupted space shuttle, his adversary Kevin Walker... Truths and lies mingled, blurring the lines of right and wrong. But it didn¡¯t matter... ¡°Hmph,¡± he snorted dismissively. He would figure it out on his own. Nobody could fool him. He didn¡¯t trust Copernicus or the time-traveling girl entirely; his judgments and conclusions were his alone to trust. Beep, beep. Angelica¡¯s phone buzzed with a new message from an unknown number. It was brief: ¡°We¡¯re leaving early. Come back quickly.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Elon Musk instantly knew it was from Lin Xian. Copernicus¡¯s mention of Angelica earlier had clarified many things. No wonder the secretary¡¯s performance was so convincing¡ªAngelica, the changeling queen, truly lived up to her reputation. Given the circumstances, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess that Lin Xian had sent her. But what was his motive? Revenge? Intelligence gathering? Or had he foreseen his plan? ¡°Regardless,¡± Elon Musk mused with a smile as he prepared a reply. ¡°Your real enemy should be Kevin Walker, right? Why bother with me?¡± He quickly typed a response using Angelica¡¯s phone, including Copernicus¡¯s provided address: ¡°Mississippi, Vicksburg, 217 Leeson Road, Pont High School. This is Kevin Walker¡¯s address. Go quickly, and don¡¯t contact me again.¡± After sending the message, he nonchalantly tossed the phone from the observation tower. The device shattered upon impact, its battery and back cover scattering across the ground. ¡°What a pity, Angelica,¡± Elon Musk remarked as he watched the phone break. ¡°We should have met at those Hollywood parties. Then today, we wouldn¡¯t be strangers, would we?¡± He spread his hands in a gesture of mock regret. ¡°I¡¯m a man of my word. If Copernicus proves truthful, I¡¯ll let you go. Until then... stay here until I sort this out.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 340: Surrounding Kevin Walker from All Directions! This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°Lin Xian, what are you doing in there? Why aren¡¯t you out yet?¡± Yu Xi¡¯s voice carried a mix of impatience and urgency as she leaned on the rugged off-road vehicle parked in the villa¡¯s courtyard. Despite honking the horn multiple times, Lin Xian hadn¡¯t emerged from the house. Feeling exasperated, Yu Xi exited the vehicle and paced towards the bedroom to find Lin Xian. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why are you just standing here spacing out?¡± she demanded, peering at him curiously. ¡°Angelica replied to my text,¡± Lin Xian murmured, holding up his phone for Yu Xi to see the message he¡¯d just received from Angelica: [Mississippi, Vicksburg, 217 Leeson Road, old site of Pente School. This is Kevin Walker¡¯s address. Go there quickly and do not contact me again.] Yu Xi blinked, a puzzled look crossing her face, her short ponytail swaying slightly like a pendulum. ¡°Kevin Walker? Do you have a grudge against him?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian responded, his tone calm but carrying an underlying intensity. ¡°It¡¯s not just a grudge. It¡¯s deep-seated hatred.¡± He paused, eyeing Yu Xi¡¯s reaction. ¡°Have you never heard of this name?¡± he asked. Yu Xi shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it in the news. The whole world is after him; many countries have issued warrants. But... it seems like you¡¯re implying something else?¡± ¡°If you mean from my time, I¡¯ve never heard of this name or known such a person,¡± Lin Xian confessed, his gaze returning to the message. ¡°Did you ask Angelica to gather this information?¡± Yu Xi inquired, breaking the silence. Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Not exactly. Though Angelica did seek out Elon Musk, it wasn¡¯t to gather information for me. She did it for herself, to avenge her deceased brother. She wanted to ask Musk about the Genius Club and Copernicus.¡± ¡°Getting information is always a bit of a gamble. Elon Musk isn¡¯t a genie who grants every wish. I gave Angelica a note with keywords, and Kevin Walker¡¯s name was on it. So, it¡¯s possible that Musk mentioned Kevin Walker¡¯s location during their conversation.¡± Yu Xi, with a sudden realization, looked up. ¡°So, are you planning to seek revenge? Are you going to find Kevin Walker?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian shook his phone slightly. ¡°I¡¯m pondering the authenticity of this information.¡± Yu Xi¡¯s ponytail swayed again. ¡°You suspect this information might be fake?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°From what I know, Elon Musk and Kevin Walker are bitter enemies. Musk once launched a rocket to destroy the space shuttle Kevin Walker hijacked, thwarting his plans. Walker retaliated by destroying Musk¡¯s satellites and factories.¡± ¡°Though both are suspected members of the Genius Club, their enmity goes beyond simple rivalry. Musk would likely want Walker dead even more than I do.¡± ¡°Considering this, if Musk really knew Walker¡¯s location, why wouldn¡¯t he eliminate the threat himself? Walker is a global enemy, unprotected by any law. Killing him would bring rewards and accolades.¡± ¡°Moreover, Musk, being so eager to end Walker, wouldn¡¯t waste time. Given Walker¡¯s reputation as the world¡¯s top hacker, his counter-surveillance skills are exceptional. He could easily evade detection through hacking.¡± ¡°This leads to a contradiction. If Musk knew Walker¡¯s location, he wouldn¡¯t delay his vengeance, and Walker would quickly change locations if exposed.¡± Yu Xi absorbed Lin Xian¡¯s analysis then said, ¡°So, you think this is a trap? Musk is trying to lure us into a snare?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Lin Xian pondered. ¡°But why would Musk need a trap if your time-space assassin can track each other¡¯s locations? There¡¯s no need for bait unless Musk intends to use humans from this timeline to assassinate me instead of using the time-space assassin. That would mean Angelica has been compromised.¡± ¡°It seems we found the right place,¡± Lin Xian said, standing on the rooftop, arms crossed, surveying the decrepit school below. Normally, such a place wouldn¡¯t have power. Given the dilapidated state of the buildings, it must have been abandoned for over a decade. All windows were broken, and most doors had rotted away. Some roofs had even collapsed. ¡°Why keep a place like this? It should have been demolished long ago.¡± Yu Xi¡¯s observation about the infrared cameras was a red flag. ¡°Kevin Walker might indeed be hiding here. Why else install surveillance in such a rundown place? Especially in Mississippi, which has strict regulations on surveillance cameras.¡± ¡°Maybe Kevin Walker is hiding in a basement or underground facility,¡± Lin Xian suggested, scanning the buildings for more clues. ¡°It must be that round building,¡± Yu Xi pointed to a circular structure in the northwest corner. ¡°It has significantly more cameras than the other buildings, both inside and out.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s hard to sneak in unnoticed. The infrared cameras cover every angle.¡± ¡°No problem, we just need to be fast,¡± Lin Xian said, feeling the handgun in his pocket. ¡°Kevin Walker has been hiding for years, evading capture because of his superior hacking skills. He wouldn¡¯t trust anyone, not even a bodyguard or assistant, as that would risk exposure. The massive bounty on his head ensures that even his closest allies might betray him.¡± Yu Xi nodded, her blue eyes sharp in the night. ¡°You¡¯re right. Without any accomplices, we can take him by surprise. Let¡¯s move quickly before the time-space assassin catches up.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Lin Xian said, loading his handgun. ¡°If we face an ambush, you handle the assassin. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Yu Xi asked, skeptical. ¡°How good is your shooting?¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Lin Xian replied with a smirk. ¡°As long as I can shoot, I won¡¯t miss.¡± They executed their plan immediately. The off-road vehicle roared through the barricades and sped into the abandoned campus. Lin Xian and Yu Xi knew time was of the essence. They had to act fast, before Kevin Walker could react. The vehicle screeched to a halt in front of the circular building. As Yu Xi jumped out, she fired several shots into the sky, where a blood-red motorcycle descended with the time-space assassin on it. Lin Xian didn¡¯t waste a moment. He sprinted into the circular building, heading for the basement. As he descended the stairs, he saw a sliver of light under a door at the end of the corridor. This was it. He had to be quick. Kevin Walker was surely watching through the surveillance cameras. Lin Xian kicked the door open with all his strength, the lock shattering on impact. This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation Inside, a man in a black hoodie, with his back to the door, was eating at a computer desk. Monitors showed various parts of the campus, but the screens displayed nothing unusual. The man turned around, shock evident in his eyes. ¡°You betrayed me!¡± he yelled at the monitors. ¡°We¡¯re the same person! What are you doing?!¡± A cold laugh echoed in return from the monitor. ¡°I am Turing. You are merely Kevin Walker.¡± The man screamed and lunged for a black revolver on a nearby table. But Lin Xian was faster. Two shots rang out, and the man¡¯s hands were shattered, the revolver clattering to the ground. Lin Xian stepped forward, his gun trained on the man¡¯s forehead. ¡°Now... I... see you.¡± The final shot echoed through the basement. This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 341: Turing and the Fourth Dream World This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Bang! The gunshot echoed loudly, filling the room. A large-caliber bullet ripped through Kevin Walker¡¯s forehead, exiting the back of his skull. His body slumped backward onto the equipment rack, sending blood and brain matter splattering across several computer towers. Thick droplets slowly dripped down the machines. The room fell silent. No more screams. No more convulsions. Just the eerie quiet that often follows violence. Life, in moments like this, felt fragile and fleeting. But Lin Xian didn¡¯t relax. Kevin Walker¡¯s strange behavior before his death made Lin Xian suspect that someone else might be in the room. ¡°If there wasn¡¯t anyone else, who was Kevin Walker just talking to?¡± Lin Xian wondered. Gunfights aren¡¯t like hand-to-hand combat; the outcome is decided in an instant. From the start, Lin Xian had no intention of giving Kevin Walker any chance to survive. Mercy toward your enemy is cruelty toward yourself. Sure, interrogating Kevin might have provided valuable information. But Lin Xian had learned a crucial lesson over time: villains die because they talk too much. In this situation¡ªwhere he couldn¡¯t identify his enemies, didn¡¯t know what backup they might have, and was in unfamiliar territory¡ªLin Xian prioritized his own safety. He couldn¡¯t afford to let his guard down for even a second. The longer Kevin Walker lived, the closer Lin Xian was to death. This was the most important lesson Lin Xian had learned from years of playing shooting games in his dreams: unless you have absolute control and have eliminated all threats, never let overconfidence drive you to interrogate your enemy. That¡¯s just giving them a chance to think, prepare, and turn the tables. Especially in the real world, where you only have one life. Outside, on the campus, Yu Xi was locked in a fierce battle with time-space assassins. Inside, Lin Xian didn¡¯t know who Kevin Walker had been talking to. He had to act decisively¡ªno second chances, no mercy. He killed Kevin Walker without hesitation. He could gather information later. If he got killed because he hesitated, there wouldn¡¯t be any ¡°later¡± to consider. After confirming that Kevin Walker was truly dead, Lin Xian grabbed the Smith & Wesson M500 revolver from the desk, holding it in his left hand. He crouched down, pressing himself against the wall, holding his breath as he listened for any sounds in the room. He listened intently and carefully. Aside from the faint hum of cooling fans inside the computer cases, the room was utterly silent. Using the movement techniques he had honed in his dream, Lin Xian cautiously checked every corner of the room, searching for any signs of life. Eventually, he confirmed that there was indeed no one else in the room. Lin Xian exhaled in relief and stood up. But something felt off. If there was really no one else in the room, then who had Kevin Walker been angrily shouting at? It couldn¡¯t have been a computer or some smart device, could it? Or maybe an AI? He recalled Kevin Walker¡¯s furious words: ¡°You lied to me! You betrayed me! You betrayed yourself!¡± ¡°We¡¯re the same person! What on earth are you thinking?!¡± At that moment, Kevin had pounded his fists on the desk, his anger and frustration clear. His face twisted with shock, like his entire worldview had just shattered. His reaction was so intensely human that Lin Xian never considered that Kevin might be talking to an AI. From what Lin Xian knew about artificial intelligence in this era, current AI couldn¡¯t grasp or respond to such raw, impotent rage. The only exception would be if Kevin Walker had access to a superintelligent AI like VV, one that could understand emotions on that level. After ensuring there was no immediate danger in the room, Lin Xian began searching for information and clues. But a quick glance around revealed that Kevin Walker, being the skilled hacker he was, had fully embraced a paperless workspace. The only paper in sight was some toilet tissue. There were no written documents anywhere. Lin Xian tried moving the mouse and pressing a few keys. The monitor lit up, but it was locked with a password that he had no chance of cracking quickly. Outside, Yu Xi was still locked in fierce combat with the time-space assassins. Lin Xian knew he couldn¡¯t help her directly, but he needed to get out there and assist her somehow¡ªor at least help her retreat safely for now. Leaving Yu Xi to fight one-on-one against a formidable opponent wasn¡¯t ideal. It might be better to retreat, regroup, and figure out a way to overcome the time-space assassin¡¯s immunity to temporal laws. Then, they could return with a strategic advantage. Just as Lin Xian was starting to think this mission would end without any valuable intel, something caught his eye. It was a piece of merchandise from the movie The Wandering Earth 2¡ªa digital life USB drive. Lin Xian remembered seeing this online. Back in early 2023, right after the New Year, he had gone to the movies with Tang Xin to watch The Wandering Earth 2. It had been an entertaining sci-fi film, and at the time, it was incredibly popular, with the internet buzzing about it. There had even been a huge crowdfunding campaign for related merchandise. Among all the items, the digital life USB drive had attracted the most attention, with the crowdfunding amount exceeding billions. The reason for its popularity was clear¡ªthe concept of digital life introduced in The Wandering Earth 2 was fascinating, and the character played by Andy Lau had portrayed the emotional struggle between humans and digital life forms beautifully. In the movie, Andy Lau¡¯s character, Tu Hengyu, was a scientist whose daughter had tragically died in a car accident. Desperate to keep her alive in some way, Tu Hengyu digitized her consciousness, allowing her to continue existing in the digital world. However, due to the limitations of computing power, his daughter¡¯s digital life could only last for a few minutes before rebooting, endlessly reliving those brief moments. Tu Hengyu¡¯s ultimate goal was to find a more advanced computer that could give his daughter a longer, more complete digital life. Of course, this was all just a sci-fi movie, and many details couldn¡¯t be taken too literally. But the way Andy Lau portrayed that unreachable father-daughter bond resonated with many viewers, stirring deep emotions. That¡¯s why the digital life USB drive became such a hot item. This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation It was clear that Kevin Walker was also a fan of The Wandering Earth 2, or at least, he was fascinated by the concept of digital life. He had somehow acquired this USB drive, which had been released quite a while ago. The USB drive was a real one¡ªalthough it looked like it was made up of two USB drives, one was just a card reader. Lin Xian walked over to the desk and picked up the toy. The plastic wrapping was still intact, indicating that Kevin Walker had likely bought it as a collectible rather than for actual use. But suddenly, Lin Xian remembered something. Kevin Walker had been shouting at the computer just moments ago, spewing what seemed like nonsensical, disjointed words. But if you thought about it in the context of digital life, it all started to make sense¡ª ¡°You betrayed yourself!¡± ¡°We¡¯re the same person!¡± Chills ran down Lin Xian¡¯s spine. The room was empty, but he felt as if countless eyes were watching him¡ªthrough the cameras, through the monitor, through the gaps in the computer case, through the holes in the speakers! And then, recalling that cold laugh that had echoed from all the speakers at once: ¡°I am Turing, and you¡¯re just... Kevin Walker.¡± Digital life! Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure if that was the right term, but it seemed like Kevin Walker had really done it. He had somehow digitized his own consciousness and mind, backing it up onto the computer... creating another Kevin Walker, a digital life form, another version of himself. Copying and pasting his own consciousness... Lin Xian couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of consequences this insane act would bring. Separated from his physical body, the real Kevin Walker and the digital Kevin Walker... were they still the same person? Could they still think in unison? Could they still share the same hatred for their enemies and maintain the same attitudes and positions? He¡¯ll be facing Turing, the one who gained freedom today, the one who vowed to be a fair and just observer. Lin Xian suddenly wondered¡ªdo all the members of the Genius Club have their own codenames? Copernicus, Turing. So far, these were the only ones he knew. Yellow Finch¡¯s false intel had once made Lin Xian think the codenames were chosen randomly, but now he realized that wasn¡¯t the case. Perhaps each codename was related to a real genius from history. What could Elon Musk¡¯s codename be? What about the others? And one day... What will my codename be? There wasn¡¯t time to dwell on these thoughts. Lin Xian sprinted up to the first floor and out of the building, heading toward the campus. He didn¡¯t know how the fight between Yu Xi and the time-space assassin was going. So far, Yu Xi hadn¡¯t seemed to be at a disadvantage, but she wasn¡¯t exactly winning either. Judging by appearances alone, both of them were similar in height and build. Lin Xian had often thought the time-space assassin seemed a bit more muscular than Yu Xi, but now he realized that might have been because of her clothing style. Yu Xi¡¯s cute, short ponytail often made her seem smaller and more delicate. But over the past few days, Lin Xian had seen her arms and legs while she was sleeping in the car. Her muscles were well-defined. So maybe he had underestimated Yu Xi¡¯s combat skills because of that adorable ponytail. Quickly, after a few sharp turns, Lin Xian didn¡¯t bother with the stairs. He pushed off the wall, vaulting himself up to the first floor and out of the circular building. He couldn¡¯t see Yu Xi or the time-space assassin anywhere, but from a distance, near the abandoned school gate, he could hear the clashing of blades. It seemed the two girls were still locked in battle, neither able to gain the upper hand. Lin Xian glanced at the rugged off-road vehicle parked in front of the building... He couldn¡¯t be of much help right now. Standing around and watching might only distract Yu Xi, causing her to make a mistake. They¡¯d already accomplished a lot tonight¡ªit was time to retreat! Besides... He was really curious. Now that he had killed Kevin Walker, would the Fourth Dream world change? Would the mysterious old man disappear? He was eager to dream and see for himself. If there was any progress... he might be able to gather some useful intel and figure out a way to deal with the time-space assassin! With his plan clear, Lin Xian quickly hopped into the rugged off-road vehicle. The engine roared to life as he floored the gas pedal, making a sharp turn and speeding toward the school gate. Sure enough, as soon as he passed the blind spot of the teaching building, he spotted Yu Xi and the time-space assassin locked in combat under the moonlight. The time-space assassin¡¯s clothes had a few slashes from Yu Xi¡¯s dagger, but the wounds didn¡¯t seem deep and didn¡¯t affect her movements much. On the other hand, Yu Xi¡¯s right sleeve had been completely torn off, and it was covered in blood, indicating a rather deep cut. But Yu Xi was tough. She fought as if the injury wasn¡¯t even there, her short blade flashing as she pressed the attack, forcing the time-space assassin back. ¡°Yu Xi!!¡± Lin Xian sped through the schoolyard, right hand gripping the steering wheel, left hand waving the Smith & Wesson M500 revolver he had taken from Kevin Walker, signaling Yu Xi to take notice: ¡°Catch!¡± Yu Xi immediately understood, executing a backward leap toward the approaching off-road vehicle. She grabbed the side mirror with her left hand and caught the revolver with her right, then smoothly flipped onto the roof of the car. In one fluid motion, she gripped the revolver with both hands, aiming down at the time-space assassin below! Bang! Bang! Bang! The revolver¡¯s slower firing speed, combined with the fast-moving vehicle, threw off Yu Xi¡¯s aim, so she didn¡¯t hit the assassin. But Lin Xian¡¯s goal was just to force the time-space assassin to retreat; he didn¡¯t expect the revolver to cause any real damage. As expected, the time-space assassin, still flesh and blood, was just as afraid of bullets as anyone else. Every time she saw a gun, she immediately took cover. This time was no different, as she frantically zigzagged away, increasing the distance between herself and the off-road vehicle. Vroom!!! The roaring off-road vehicle crashed through the school gate, speeding off into the night. ¡°Her motorcycle!¡± Lin Xian shouted up to the roof: ¡°Can the time-space assassin¡¯s motorcycle still run?¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t worry.¡± Yu Xi climbed down from the roof rack, skillfully slipping through the open passenger window. She adjusted her position and settled into the passenger seat: ¡°When she descended on that motorcycle at the beginning, I shot the gas tank. That bike¡¯s not going anywhere.¡± ¡°Keep your speed up and put some distance between us... Once we¡¯re clear, stop the car. We took the first-aid kit from the secretary¡¯s house before we left, and it¡¯s in the trunk. I need to treat this wound.¡± Lin Xian glanced at Yu Xi¡¯s arm. Thankfully... The wound wasn¡¯t as deep as he had feared. It was shallow enough not to need stitches or surgery¡ªjust some cleaning, medication, and bandaging. Some wounds look worse than they are, bleeding a lot but not actually that serious. ¡°Did you manage to kill Kevin Walker?¡± Yu Xi asked, turning her head toward him. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s dead,¡± Lin Xian replied. Lin Xian let out a soft chuckle. ¡°Well, in a string of hundreds of bad news, I guess this counts as one of the few good ones. Maybe it¡¯s a sign that things are finally starting to turn around for us.¡± Yu Xi nodded. ¡°So, what¡¯s the next step? Are you planning to find Elon Musk? It¡¯s strange that Angelica hasn¡¯t reached out to you for so long... something about that feels off.¡± ¡°I have a bad feeling about it too,¡± Lin Xian admitted honestly. ¡°I¡¯ve gathered some intel just now, but I need time to sort through it carefully. For now, let¡¯s focus on putting some distance between us and the time-space assassin.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°I¡¯ll drive for a while,¡± he continued. ¡°You should treat your wound. Once I¡¯m tired, we can switch, and you can take over. I¡¯ll need to find some time to get some sleep.¡± ¡°Sleep?¡± Yu Xi blinked, looking at Lin Xian in disbelief. ¡°If you¡¯re really that tired, why not let me drive now? You should rest while you can. My injury isn¡¯t serious¡ªit won¡¯t affect my driving, and I¡¯m feeling pretty awake.¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian replied, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the dark, unlit road ahead. ¡°I¡¯ll wait until almost noon tomorrow to sleep.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something important,¡± he added quietly, his tone serious. ¡°Something I need to figure out as soon as possible.¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 342: Yu Xis Origins This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation ¡°Alright, that¡¯s far enough. Let¡¯s stop the car.¡± In the passenger seat, Yu Xi opened her eyes and nodded. ¡°The time-space assassin didn¡¯t follow us. We should be safe at this distance. But we won¡¯t be here long, just enough to patch up my wounds. I¡¯ll need your help.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Lin Xian replied. He pulled the rugged SUV to the side of the road and got out with Yu Xi. Together, they moved to the back of the car and opened the trunk. Yu Xi was well-prepared. The trunk wasn¡¯t just stocked with a first-aid kit but also had bottles of water, some food, and blankets. ¡°Did you grab all this from the secretary¡¯s house?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Earlier, everything was so rushed that I didn¡¯t get the chance to ask... You¡¯re so young, but you seem to know a lot about combat, survival skills, and driving techniques. Were you trained for this from a young age?¡± Yu Xi nodded silently, taking out the first-aid kit. Lin Xian watched her crouch down. ¡°I¡¯m just curious. If you can¡¯t or don¡¯t want to answer, that¡¯s fine. But were you trained specifically for this mission, traveling back in time to protect me? Or is there an organization that trains people like you? You know, like in movies where they pick the best person to travel through time and complete a mission?¡± Yu Xi opened the first-aid kit and took out alcohol, antiseptic, cotton swabs, and gauze. She looked up, her bright blue eyes meeting Lin Xian¡¯s. ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Lin Xian smiled, though he felt a bit helpless. He squatted down and took the bottles of antiseptic and alcohol, unscrewing their caps. He wasn¡¯t upset. He understood the rules of time-space and knew Yu Xi¡¯s difficulties. After all, she was injured while protecting him. As he looked at the girl who should have been enjoying her youth in school, now bleeding from her arm with other minor injuries, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of heartache. Time travel was like a one-way ticket. Yu Xi¡¯s fate would likely be similar to Yellow Finch¡¯s¡ªdisappearing into blue star dust in this time, which didn¡¯t belong to her. It was a lonely feeling, knowing that she was destined to vanish, leaving nothing behind. Especially when... Lin Xian opened the alcohol bottle, the sharp smell stinging his nose, bringing a bitter taste to his heart. Especially when both Yellow Finch and Yu Xi gave up their original lives, their original time, and their families and friends to come here and protect him. Yu Xi, at just fifteen or sixteen years old... She must have parents, right? She must be someone¡¯s beloved daughter. Lin Xian suddenly recalled something Professor Xu Yun had told him: ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if my daughter forgets me. If she starts a brand new life, it doesn¡¯t matter if she remembers me or not... But I don¡¯t want to forget her... I don¡¯t want to forget Yi Yi. I only have a few years of memories of her being lively and full of energy. I cherish those memories so much... I¡¯m not willing to lose even a bit of them.¡± ¡°So, I won¡¯t go into hibernation. I¡¯ll keep those memories of Yi Yi alive until my last breath, and I¡¯ll use every last second of my life to research a better hibernation pod for her.¡± ¡°One day, you¡¯ll be a father too. Then you¡¯ll understand.¡± Lin Xian had seen many fathers and their daughters: Big Cat Face and his daughter; Li Cheng and Li Ning Ning; Chu Shan He and Chu An Qing. Each daughter was her father¡¯s precious gem, the very essence of his life. Just like Professor Xu Yun had said so confidently: ¡°One day, you¡¯ll be a father too. Then you¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°Hiss!¡± The hydrogen peroxide stung Yu Xi¡¯s arm wound, causing even someone as strong as her to frown and grit her teeth in pain. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Lin Xian asked with concern. ¡°Yes,¡± Yu Xi replied, her lips tightly pressed together. ¡°Hang in there. I¡¯m using the hydrogen peroxide to clean your wound.¡± Lin Xian held Yu Xi¡¯s upper arm, trying to reduce her pain, but he realized that she was stronger than he thought. Her muscles were firm, and he couldn¡¯t even press down on them. ¡°It¡¯s not too bad. The wound isn¡¯t deep, just a bit more than a surface scratch, and it¡¯s clean. It should heal in a few days,¡± Lin Xian said, as he continued applying medicine and preparing to bandage her arm. ¡°One day is enough.¡± Yu Xi¡¯s blue eyes looked at Lin Xian as she softly spoke. ¡°Our bodies are strengthened in many ways, including our immune system and skin regeneration. This surface wound will heal in about a day, and even deeper wounds won¡¯t take much longer.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Lin Xian wiped the blood from her arm with medical gauze and then wrapped it neatly with a bandage. When he was done, he put the remaining bottles and containers back into the first-aid kit. Yu Xi examined her perfectly treated arm, then shook her head slightly, causing her short, hamster-like ponytail to sway. She tilted her head, looking at Lin Xian. ¡°You¡¯re pretty good at bandaging. You did a great job.¡± ¡°I just learned it recently,¡± Lin Xian said, putting the first-aid kit back into the trunk. He turned around. ¡°I¡¯m just careful and thorough, that¡¯s all.¡± He paused, hesitating to speak. Finally, he asked the question that had just crossed his mind. ¡°Yu Xi.¡± Lin Xian looked into her eyes. ¡°Can you tell me about your parents?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have parents.¡± Yu Xi met his gaze and spoke softly. ¡°I don¡¯t know who my parents are. I¡¯ve been an orphan since I was little, and no one has ever told me who they were.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t respond immediately. Her straightforward answer was unexpected, and it left him puzzled. If she had said, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you¡± or ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to talk about it,¡± that would have meant there was more to the story. But this straightforward denial... Lin Xian¡¯s mind raced, and a thought suddenly struck him¡ªwhat if Yu Xi was Yellow Finch¡¯s child? If she was indeed Yellow Finch¡¯s daughter, and if Yellow Finch was really Zhao Ying Jun, and in Yellow Finch¡¯s timeline, he was most likely married to her... That would mean... Yu Xi could be his and Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s daughter from another timeline? The idea was so outrageous that even Lin Xian found it hard to believe. It was like something out of a fantasy novel. They say every father is selfish when it comes to his daughter. Lin Xian could relate. He didn¡¯t consider himself a saint, especially when it came to his hypothetical daughter. He wasn¡¯t sure if he would become a doting father like Chu Shan He, but he knew one thing for certain¡ªhe would never let his teenage daughter be sent back in time on a dangerous mission. Not even the initial training and selection process would pass his ¡°iron hand¡± approach. No father would willingly let his daughter grow up without a normal life, just training, only to travel back in time on a one-way mission, possibly dying far from home, never to return. Nor would any mother accept that. If his daughter were an adult, it might be different... She would have her own life and choices. But a girl Yu Xi¡¯s age should be cherished and protected, not sent on a dangerous mission with no return. That¡¯s why... It made sense that Yu Xi said she didn¡¯t know her parents and was an orphan. Children without anyone to care for them could be trained as agents. Lin Xian¡¯s earlier wild guess came back to him... Could Yu Xi really be Yellow Finch¡¯s daughter? From a time-space logic perspective, many things were difficult to explain. Could Yu Xi be his daughter? That was even harder for Lin Xian to grasp. He would rather die in battle than drag his daughter into danger. As the saying goes, dying with your father is the highest honor for a child, but dying with your child is the greatest shame for a father. Lin Xian picked up the bloodstained gauze and cotton swabs from the ground, tidying up and throwing them into a roadside trash bin. He still wanted to know the truth. Whether the answer was right or wrong, he needed to know the true relationship between himself and Yu Xi. Because he remembered the look in Yellow Finch¡¯s eyes when she said Yu Xi¡¯s name before disappearing. That look was so tender, so reluctant, so full of longing, so full of pleading. If Yu Xi was just an ordinary time-space bodyguard, Yellow Finch wouldn¡¯t have shown such complex emotions, right? ¡°Lin Xian?¡± Behind him, Yu Xi had already put her coat back on and stood up, looking in his direction. ¡°What are you doing by the trash can? We need to keep moving. We have to get far enough away from the time-space assassin to be safe.¡± Lin Xian snapped out of his thoughts, looked at Yu Xi, and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± Forget it. He couldn¡¯t figure out the answers just by thinking. A DNA paternity test. That was the most accurate and straightforward way. When the opportunity arose, Lin Xian planned to risk finding out if he was really a dad... and uncover the truth about Yu Xi¡¯s origins. The two got back into the SUV and continued their journey. Lin Xian was still driving. He planned to drive through the night, heading back to Princeton, New Jersey. He was still worried about Angelica. And having a hacker who could infiltrate any surveillance system was a threat Lin Xian couldn¡¯t tolerate. At least now, that danger was gone. So it wasn¡¯t the old man using him; their goals just happened to align. Now that Kevin Walker¡¯s situation was resolved... Wasn¡¯t it time to settle accounts with the mysterious old man? ¡°I hope I don¡¯t guess who you are, old man,¡± Lin Xian said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve already settled with Kevin Walker. Next, it¡¯s your turn.¡± The old man was taken aback for a moment, then he chuckled dryly again. He shook his head with amusement, his eyes narrowing into slits as he looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Foolish child...¡± He laughed heartily. ¡°The true hunter never enters the hunting ground himself.¡± BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Blinding white light arrived on time, filling every crevice in his vision, burning everything to ashes. ... ... ... Boca Chica, Texas, a two-story house. In the bedroom, Angelica opened her eyes. She got out of bed, put on her slippers, and adjusted her nightgown before opening the bedroom door. In the living room, two female bodyguards in black uniforms and sunglasses bowed to her. ¡°Miss Angelica, you¡¯re awake. What would you like for lunch today? We¡¯ll have the chef prepare it for you.¡± But unfortunately, these weren¡¯t her own bodyguards. They were hired by Elon Musk, officially to protect her... but really to monitor and confine her. ¡°The same as yesterday is fine,¡± Angelica said softly. Ever since she had been caught impersonating Elon Musk¡¯s secretary at the SpaceX starship launch center, he had locked her in this house. She wasn¡¯t allowed to contact the outside world or leave the premises. She had been confined here ever since. After that day, Elon Musk hadn¡¯t come back, and Angelica hadn¡¯t seen him again. In the past few days, she had no news from the outside world and had been unable to contact anyone. Elon Musk had told her on that observation tower that Copernicus had used a tempting offer to buy her life: ¡°I don¡¯t want to be criticized or become infamous like Copernicus, so of course, I¡¯ll keep my word. I don¡¯t need him spreading rumors about me.¡± ¡°So for now, stay here quietly. I¡¯ll have people take good care of you. Apart from not being able to go out or contact the outside world, your life won¡¯t be much different from usual.¡± ¡°When I¡¯m sure Kevin Walker is dead, I¡¯ll release you. But of course... Kevin Walker is incredibly cunning, so confirming his death won¡¯t be quick. It¡¯ll take until the morning of the first day of next month at least before I can be certain he¡¯s dead.¡± After that, Angelica had been confined here. Elon Musk was indeed a man of his word. Even the bodyguards he sent were two women who met all her needs. Books, food, DVDs, even small pets... whatever she asked for, her captors provided as quickly as possible. But every day, she couldn¡¯t help but worry... How was Lin Xian? Was he safe? Was he still alive? Angelica knew that Lin Xian had a grudge against Kevin Walker and that Elon Musk had given Lin Xian Kevin Walker¡¯s address. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess that Lin Xian would likely go to kill Kevin Walker. On that note written to her, Kevin Walker¡¯s name was near the top. That showed how high Lin Xian¡¯s priority was on this most powerful young hacker, even higher than the blue-eyed girl chasing him. ¡°Good luck, boy,¡± Angelica murmured, shaking her head as she headed to the bathroom. Just then, one of the female bodyguards spoke into her phone, then walked over and bowed to Angelica. ¡°Miss Angelica, Mr. Elon Musk is on his way over. He asks that you prepare yourself; he plans to take you out of the country.¡± ¡°Out of the country?¡± Angelica frowned. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°To X Country,¡± the bodyguard replied. ¡°Mr. Elon Musk didn¡¯t give details. He¡¯ll explain when he arrives.¡± ... An hour later. Elon Musk, tall and imposing, knocked on the door and entered the living room. Inside, Angelica was sitting on the couch, smoking with her legs crossed. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Elon Musk asked. ¡°Heh.¡± Angelica laughed dismissively, turning her head to exhale smoke. ¡°Elon Musk, impersonating your secretary was wrong of me, I admit that. But you¡¯ve kept me here for days; isn¡¯t that enough payback?¡± ¡°The only reason I¡¯ve been cooperative is that I still have things to accomplish in this life, unfinished business. It¡¯s not because I¡¯m clinging to my life.¡± ¡°So, you kept your word, and I¡¯ve kept mine. I¡¯ll wait until the morning of the first day of next month for you to confirm Kevin Walker¡¯s death. After that, you can kill me or let me go, and I¡¯ll have no complaints.¡± ¡°But as for accompanying you out of the country, forget it. The price for a Hollywood star to accompany you abroad is quite steep... Even if you can afford it, it still depends on whether I¡¯m willing. And I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°You will be, Angelica,¡± Elon Musk said with a smile. ¡°This is a new deal. I¡¯ll tell you what you want to know, in exchange for your company to X Country.¡± Angelica took a drag from her cigarette, slowly exhaling. ¡°You think you know what I want?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Elon Musk admitted, shrugging. ¡°But the fact that you took the risk of impersonating my secretary to get close to me means there¡¯s something you want to know. So, what is it?¡± ¡°I want to know everything about Copernicus,¡± Angelica said, still with her legs crossed, looking directly at Elon Musk. ¡°The one who called you from my phone¡ªtell me everything you know about him.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Elon Musk said, unconcerned. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you after this is done. Copernicus isn¡¯t my friend. I don¡¯t know him personally, and from what I¡¯ve heard... I actually dislike him.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t know much about him, just bits and pieces I¡¯ve picked up here and there. So don¡¯t expect too much.¡± Angelica leaned forward, pressing her cigarette into the ashtray, twisting it to extinguish it. After a moment of silence, she looked up again. ¡°So, why do you want me to go to X Country with you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything,¡± Elon Musk replied. ¡°You just need to accompany me and meet Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Lin Xian?¡± Angelica narrowed her eyes. ¡°Lin Xian is right here in the U.S. You can meet him anytime.¡± Elon Musk rubbed his hands together, shaking his head with a smile. ¡°But in the U.S., Lin Xian won¡¯t dare to meet me, especially with the current misunderstanding between us... Whether I invite him or he invites me, we¡¯d both see it as a trap and wouldn¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Even if I released you now and let you contact him, it would be the same. Unless he¡¯s a fool, he¡¯d suspect it¡¯s a trap I set up.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s different in X Country. It¡¯s a very safe country, both for me and for Lin Xian. And with my trip accompanied by X Country officials, that should be enough to earn Lin Xian¡¯s trust.¡± ¡°I have a lot to clear up with Lin Xian. Some things I did, and I¡¯ll own up to them. But for what I didn¡¯t do, I won¡¯t take the blame.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Angelica scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re that confident Lin Xian will go to X Country to see you?¡± ¡°He will,¡± Elon Musk said, pulling a ticket from his pocket. It was a ticket to the moon, with the words ¡°To the Moon¡± printed on it. ¡°This time in X Country, I¡¯m going to visit a little girl in the hospital. And Lin Xian, he¡¯ll definitely come.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Angelica was puzzled, almost amused. ¡°Because I¡¯ve figured it out,¡± Elon Musk said, waving the ticket with a smile. ¡°This $12 million ticket to the moon... was a gift from Lin Xian to Zheng Xiang Yue!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 343: Killing Elon Musk This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Elon Musk slipped the ticket into his pocket, his expression serious. ¡°I need to meet Lin Xian in person and clear up a lot of things.¡± He paused, reflecting on his conversation with Copernicus. ¡°What Copernicus said... it really made me think. People tend to trust and respect the unknown, and I¡¯m no different. Looking back, it was nai?ve to trust someone just because they provided useful information, thinking that made them an ally.¡± He sighed, frustration creeping into his voice. ¡°Pride is a flaw, and I never thought it would be mine. But even so, I can¡¯t just dismiss what Copernicus said. After all, you can¡¯t just throw away the trust you¡¯ve built with your comrades because of one statement, can you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I need to find the real answers myself. The good news is that I already have a plan, and meeting Lin Xian is the final step in confirming the truth.¡± Angelica remained silent, lost in thought. The information Copernicus offered was exactly what she needed, making the deal tempting. But Lin Xian had warned her that the assassin after him was sent by Elon Musk. Her secretary confirmed it, identifying the assassin as a blue-eyed girl with short black hair hiding in the observation tower. Even though she didn¡¯t fully believe Elon Musk¡¯s words, she did agree on one thing: X Country was far safer than America as things stand. There, Elon Musk wouldn¡¯t dare harm Lin Xian during official meetings. As a guest, he wouldn¡¯t touch her either. It was safer than staying in America where Elon held all the cards. Angelica wanted to keep Lin Xian safe, to avoid unnecessary risks. Otherwise... with his loyal and righteous nature, if he found out she was in trouble and that Elon Musk had figured out their plans, he would likely confront Musk directly, seeking revenge. But this was America, where Elon Musk had immense power. Lin Xian, fighting alone, wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against Musk. He might even end up getting killed. ¡°Ah...¡± Angelica sighed deeply, staring out the window. She couldn¡¯t let her rash actions drag Lin Xian into danger again. So, to X Country, it is. She would lead both Elon Musk and Lin Xian to an advantageous place, far from Musk¡¯s stronghold. That way, whatever Lin Xian planned next, he would be on his home turf in Donghai City, giving him a much better chance than in America. ¡°I hope you keep your promise this time, Elon Musk,¡± Angelica said, getting up from the couch. She crossed her arms, staring at the former world¡¯s richest man. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting for you to tell me everything about Copernicus.¡± Elon Musk smiled and shrugged. ¡°I always keep my word.¡± A short while later, Elon Musk¡¯s private jet took off from the airport. Angelica and Musk sat in the cabin, heading toward Donghai City. Four days later, on April 28th, Musk was scheduled to attend a trade promotion meeting in the capital and meet with officials. But in the three days before that, he planned to be in Donghai City, determined to solve the mysteries and deal with his true enemies. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot, I need to send a tweet,¡± Musk said as the plane sped down the runway. He took out his phone and opened the Twitter app. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to make my visit to Zheng Xiang Yue public since she needs peace, but... I have to let Lin Xian know. Otherwise, how can I ensure he¡¯ll come to meet me?¡± As he began typing out his tweet, Angelica chuckled softly. ¡°Why don¡¯t I tweet too? My account hasn¡¯t been updated in days. Since you want Lin Xian to know I¡¯m going to X Country as well, why not let me post something to help you?¡± Elon Musk shook his head with a smile as he typed. ¡°Angelica, I¡¯m not an idiot... Even an idiot could see what you¡¯re planning.¡± ¡°When I¡¯ve figured out the truth, I¡¯ll let you go back to Lin Xian and regain your freedom. Just hold on for another two or three days.¡± Angelica scoffed, crossing her legs and glancing at the seat next to Elon Musk. It wasn¡¯t occupied by a person, but by a small, boxy white refrigerator. This tiny, square refrigerator seemed out of place, looking more like a home appliance than something you¡¯d see on a private jet. It was bigger than a typical car mini-fridge but still far too small to hold much, especially for a house appliance. Based on Angelica¡¯s estimation, it was only about half a meter in height, width, and depth¡ªbarely larger than an average rice cooker. There were no visible logos or markings on it. ¡°It¡¯s no problem for me to wait,¡± Angelica said, still eyeing the fridge. ¡°But I¡¯m curious... Why bring this little fridge from home on a trip to X Country? Your jet clearly has a fridge. And this one¡¯s not even plugged in. Anything stored in there would have spoiled by now. So, what¡¯s so important that you had to bring it along?¡± The sound of the tweet being successfully posted pinged, and Elon Musk finally put down his phone. He turned to the small white fridge, his hand gently caressing it with a fondness that surprised Angelica. ¡°What¡¯s inside... is extremely useful.¡± Meanwhile, in the United States, New Jersey, on a highway, Lin Xian slowly opened his eyes, letting out a long sigh from the passenger seat. Yu Xi, who was driving, glanced at him curiously. ¡°Why are you awake? You¡¯ve only been asleep for two hours.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the swirling dust on the road and the dry leaves caught in the spinning wind. In the dream he just had, nothing had changed. The soldiers were still the same heavily armed troops, the old man still the same shriveled, cackling figure. Despite all his efforts, he still couldn¡¯t break through the fourth dream. It was impossible not to feel a bit disappointed. Right now, he really missed Big Cat Face and his brothers... But most of all, he missed CC. Now that Chu An Qing had turned into blue star dust and vanished, CC was his only lead to uncovering the secrets of the Millennium Stake and Chu An Qing, and how to save her. More than anything, he wanted to meet CC in the dream world. He wanted to ask her about her birthday, her secrets, and ideally, to go with her to open the safety deposit box at Time Bank, to see what was written on that little piece of paper. CC had told him that the man who called himself VV, who was likely his older, bearded self, had said everything she wanted to know was in that deposit box, including the meaning of her life. From a historical closed-loop perspective, the password to the deposit box and its contents had never changed... which made Lin Xian wonder if CC had been chasing after that seemingly ordinary piece of paper all along. It was hard for him to believe. Just a piece of paper? At most, it might contain a couple of lines written by Chu An Qing. Could it really have that much power, enough to drive CC across such a difficult journey, through so many dangers, with unwavering determination? Before opening the deposit box, Lin Xian didn¡¯t dare tell CC that there was only a piece of paper inside. Even if it were some kind of divine message, it wouldn¡¯t be worth everything CC had gone through. ¡°It doesn¡¯t even have to be Elon Musk¡¯s. If Elon Musk has a time-space particle, it¡¯s possible others do too. After all, who wouldn¡¯t want their future self to send them a ¡®Terminator¡¯ or ¡®Super Saiyan¡¯ as a gift?¡± ¡°So, those who possess time-space particles would hide them securely, waiting for the day the time machine is built, when the particle will finally serve its purpose, sending people back in time.¡± Once Lin Xian confirmed that time-space particles are essential for time travel, everything that had happened could be pieced together into a coherent logic chain. ¡°Elon Musk likely has a time-space particle,¡± Lin Xian mused, resting his chin on his hand. ¡°At the very least, he knows a lot about them. Otherwise, he couldn¡¯t have anticipated my actions and Kevin Walker¡¯s so well.¡± ¡°Time-space particles, time assassins, and the future Elon Musk¡ªthese three elements form a perfect historical loop, and all three are necessary. The Elon Musk of today must ensure that the time-space particle ends up in the hands of his future self so that the time assassin can be sent back.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s not hard to deduce why Kevin Walker tried to stop me from getting the time-space particle. He must think that particle is the key to my historical loop or someone else¡¯s. But that doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that Kevin Walker doesn¡¯t want the loop to be completed! So, he had to interfere with me capturing the time-space particle.¡± ¡°But why did Elon Musk help me? And then, after helping me, why did he send the time assassin to kill me? If he wanted to kill me, why not do it in Copenhagen? What¡¯s special about Copenhagen? That¡¯s the part I can¡¯t figure out. It feels like there are too many contradictions, something doesn¡¯t add up! I must be missing a key detail!¡± While Lin Xian was deep in thought, Yu Xi finished her jam-covered bread. She wiped her hands with a napkin, shook her short ponytail like a hamster, and blinked at Lin Xian. ¡°You¡¯re talking about things I can¡¯t fully understand. They seem to be unique to your timeline, your history. But... since you understand Elon Musk¡¯s historical loop, which includes the time assassin, time-space particle, and future Elon Musk, then it shouldn¡¯t be too hard to figure out how to break the loop, right?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Maybe all we need to do is steal Elon Musk¡¯s time-space particle.¡± ¡°Just like how Kevin Walker interfered with me getting the particle, we could steal or destroy Elon Musk¡¯s, rendering it useless.¡± ¡°If we do that, the future Elon Musk won¡¯t have a time-space particle to use, which means he won¡¯t be able to send the time assassin back... If the established historical loop is broken, wouldn¡¯t the time assassin just vanish, like how Chu An Qing did?¡± Yu Xi shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡± Lin Xian smiled knowingly. Nowadays, ¡°I can¡¯t say¡± pretty much meant, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± So, he continued, ¡°Either way, based on what I understand, if we destroy Elon Musk¡¯s time-space particle, we can break his historical loop, making the time assassin ineffective, causing it to disappear. At least, it wouldn¡¯t be able to remain in this timeline.¡± ¡°This strategy sounds perfect in theory, but there are two problems¡ª¡± Lin Xian raised one finger. ¡°First, Elon Musk probably understands the importance of the time-space particle better than anyone. He¡¯ll protect it carefully until a future time when it¡¯s needed. With his wealth and power, finding and stealing it won¡¯t be easy for the two of us.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s just the first issue, not the most troubling. The real problem is the second point.¡± Lin Xian held up a second finger. ¡°Second, we might be overestimating things. It¡¯s possible that the current Elon Musk doesn¡¯t even have a time-space particle yet. He might not get one until 2034, then send the time assassin back in 2334 or even 2534 to assist him in 2024.¡± ¡°This would make sense from a timeline perspective. He might not even get the particle until 2534, then immediately send the assassin back.¡± ¡°So, do you get what I mean? There¡¯s a good chance the current Elon Musk doesn¡¯t have a time-space particle, making our plan useless. The particle we¡¯re targeting might not exist yet, so we can¡¯t find or steal it.¡± This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Yu Xi pursed her lips, thinking for a moment. Then she looked up at Lin Xian, her face serious. ¡°Lin Xian, I think you¡¯re overcomplicating a simple problem...¡± ¡°You know that Elon Musk¡¯s historical loop consists of the time assassin, the time-space particle, and the future Elon Musk.¡± ¡°But right now, the time assassin is too strong to defeat head-on, and the time-space particle might not even exist yet. So why focus on two complex options when you could go for the simplest one?¡± Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. ¡°You mean...¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Yu Xi said, pointing to the black handgun on the table. She raised her head, her crystal-blue eyes locking with Lin Xian¡¯s. In the reflection of his pupils, the same blue glow appeared. ¡°Kill Elon Musk... so he has no future!¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 344: A Parentage Test This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Yu Xi¡¯s eyes were locked onto Lin Xian, her voice filled with intensity. ¡°I would sacrifice everything for you, even my life. If killing Elon Musk would protect you, I¡¯d do it in a heartbeat,¡± she declared, her tone unwavering. ¡°But my mission, the reason I crossed over to this timeline, is to keep you safe. To truly destroy that time-space assassin and eliminate any threat, Elon Musk has to die, and that task falls to you.¡± Lin Xian frowned slightly, a mix of emotions swirling within him. ¡°But why me?¡± he asked, already knowing the answer. Yu Xi bit her lip before continuing, ¡°Because I¡¯m bound by the laws of time in this era. That assassin can hurt people here, but I can¡¯t. My actions are limited to those who exist in the future. If I tried to kill Elon Musk, it would trigger an erasure¡ªtime itself would erase me to prevent the paradox. Only you, who belongs to this timeline, can do it.¡± Lin Xian sighed, shaking his head slowly. ¡°But Yu Xi, when would we ever get a chance like that? This isn¡¯t some Hollywood action movie. Elon Musk isn¡¯t going to give me a fair fight. He¡¯s the richest man in the world; now that he knows he¡¯s in danger, he¡¯ll be surrounded by security. We¡¯ll never get close.¡± Yu Xi leaned in, her voice firm. ¡°You¡¯re right, it won¡¯t be easy. But if there¡¯s ever a moment, you¡¯re the only one who can take the shot. I can fight off the assassin, but you have to be the one to end Elon Musk¡¯s life.¡± Lin Xian nodded thoughtfully but couldn¡¯t help but chuckle bitterly. ¡°Killing the richest man in the world isn¡¯t any easier than assassinating a president. Especially now, with the security he¡¯s bound to have. Even if we somehow succeeded, it wouldn¡¯t come without severe consequences.¡± Despite the bleak reality, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t dismiss Yu Xi¡¯s point. Killing Elon Musk could potentially unravel the entire situation. If Elon Musk died, the future version of him wouldn¡¯t exist to send the assassin back, cutting off the loop entirely. Lin Xian absentmindedly picked up his phone and opened Twitter. He searched for Elon Musk¡¯s latest updates, hoping for some insight. Sure enough, there was a recent tweet from Elon Musk, announcing that he was heading to Donghai City in X Country to personally deliver a ticket to the moon to Zheng Xiang Yue, the latest announced lunar passenger. Yu Xi peered over Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder at the screen. ¡°This could be our opportunity, Lin Xian,¡± she said. ¡°In X Country, especially in Donghai City, you¡¯re on home turf. If we¡¯re going to take a shot at him, that¡¯s the place to do it. It won¡¯t be easy, but it¡¯s more feasible there than in America.¡± Lin Xian turned to her, skepticism in his eyes. ¡°How do you suggest we lure Elon Musk into a situation where we can actually get to him? What could I possibly offer that would make him drop his guard?¡± Yu Xi acknowledged his point but pressed on. ¡°We don¡¯t need to stay in America any longer. We¡¯ve dealt with Kevin Walker, and now we know Elon Musk is the one behind the time-space assassin. Let¡¯s head back to Donghai City. At least there, we have a chance.¡± Lin Xian mulled over her words. ¡°You¡¯re right. We need to go back. X Country has the Sky Net surveillance system¡ªonce the assassin¡¯s details are entered into the system, it¡¯ll be nearly impossible for her to sneak in. If she shows up, the authorities will catch her.¡± Yu Xi nodded, pulling out a Smith & Wesson M500 revolver from her pocket. ¡°X Country may be gun-free, but if we¡¯re serious about killing Elon Musk, we need to be prepared. You¡¯re a good shot, right? We¡¯ll need this.¡± Lin Xian looked at the gun, surprised by Yu Xi¡¯s determination. ¡°How are you going to get that into the country?¡± he asked. ¡°Not by normal means,¡± Yu Xi replied, smiling slightly. ¡°We¡¯ll need to split up. I¡¯ll take a different route, but I¡¯ll get it into Donghai City.¡± Lin Xian quickly shook his head. ¡°No, we can¡¯t separate. That time-space assassin isn¡¯t bound by the same rules as us. If I face her alone, I¡¯m dead. We stick together.¡± Yu Xi sighed but nodded. ¡°Alright, then. Let¡¯s do this together.¡± She tucked the gun away, and they made their way to the airport, leaving America behind. Their next destination: Donghai City. A few hours later, they were on a flight, heading back home. Yu Xi, her small frame almost swallowed by the first-class seat, seemed to be resting quietly. Lin Xian stared out the window, reflecting on the whirlwind that had been their time in America. After memorizing the schedule, Lin Xian looked over at Yu Xi, who had finished reading the book. ¡°Was there a story you liked in particular?¡± he asked. ¡°The Little Mermaid,¡± Yu Xi replied without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful story. I like it a lot.¡± Lin Xian was surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected Yu Xi to share the same favorite story as Yellow Finch and Zhao Ying Jun. He bit his lip, his thoughts drifting to a possibility he had been avoiding for days. Could Yu Xi be connected to him in some deeper way? Could she be a daughter from a different timeline? Thump, thump. The sound of a knock interrupted Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Come in,¡± he called. Brother Wang entered, holding a folder. ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯ve got some documents that need your signature.¡± As Brother Wang walked over, he noticed Yu Xi on the sofa. ¡°Oh! Who¡¯s this cool little girl?¡± he asked, grinning. Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°She¡¯s my cousin¡¯s daughter from America,¡± he said, repeating the cover story. Brother Wang laughed, then handed the documents to Lin Xian. As Lin Xian signed, his thoughts returned to the nagging question about Yu Xi¡¯s origins. Maybe the only way to find out the truth was to do a DNA test. ¡°Brother Wang,¡± Lin Xian asked, handing the signed documents back. ¡°Do you know where I can get a paternity test done?¡± Brother Wang nearly dropped the folder in shock. ¡°Wait... Lin Xian, are you serious?¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Just asking,¡± Lin Xian replied calmly. This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation Brother Wang stared at him, then at Yu Xi. ¡°Is she... your daughter?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Lin Xian quickly said, trying to calm him down. ¡°Just asking.¡± But before Brother Wang could respond, a familiar voice came from the doorway. ¡°Who¡¯s doing a paternity test?¡± The voice was low, accompanied by the sharp sound of high heels on the floor. Lin Xian¡¯s heart sank as he recognized the voice. Zhao Ying Jun had just entered the room, her commanding presence filling the space. She looked from Lin Xian to Brother Wang, then to Yu Xi. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± she said slowly, her voice firm. ¡°Are you planning to do a paternity test with this little girl?¡± This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation Chapter 345: A Family of Three? ¡°Uh-oh!¡± Brother Wang felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead the moment Zhao Ying Jun walked in. He realized with a jolt that he¡¯d been way too loud just now. So loud, in fact, that Zhao Ying Jun, who hadn¡¯t even entered the room yet, overheard him talking about Lin Xian doing a paternity test with the young girl sitting on the couch. To be fair, his reaction was understandable. His wife was the head of the testing department at Donghai Second Hospital, and he¡¯d heard all sorts of bizarre stories over dinner, especially about paternity tests. He thought he was immune to surprises. But today, Lin Xian¡¯s situation was so outrageous that he couldn¡¯t help but shout. If Lin Xian had come in with a baby, asking for a paternity test, Brother Wang wouldn¡¯t have been surprised at all. After all, these days, young people sometimes act impulsively¡ªit happens. Even if Lin Xian had brought in a five- or six-year-old child, it wouldn¡¯t have shocked Brother Wang either. After all, Lin Xian was 25, so five or six years ago, he was just out of high school, at an age where mistakes could be made. But today, what left Brother Wang speechless was the age of the girl on the couch! She looked to be about 15 or 16 years old¡ªmaybe 13 or 14 if she just looked mature for her age. Lin Xian was only 25 years old. Doing the math... that would mean Lin Xian had a child when he was only 11 or 12! It was absurd, beyond belief! That¡¯s why he reacted the way he did. But now, the bigger problem was that Zhao Ying Jun had overheard his outburst and caught Lin Xian red-handed. Brother Wang knew he had to save Lin Xian¡¯s reputation somehow. Clearing his throat, Brother Wang let out a hearty laugh. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun, you must¡¯ve misheard! How could something that ridiculous be true? Let me introduce you.¡± He walked over to the couch, putting on a knowing look as he pointed to Yu Xi. ¡°This young lady here is Lin Xian¡¯s cousin from a distant relative in America!¡± Zhao Ying Jun raised an eyebrow, squinting at Brother Wang. ¡°What did you say? Say that again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s... uh, Lin Xian¡¯s cousin... from a distant relative in America.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Zhao Ying Jun crossed her arms and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. She turned her head to look out the window. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard such a lame excuse in a long time.¡± Lin Xian, sitting in the boss¡¯s chair, twirled his pen, fully agreeing with Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s words. Of course, he would have loved to join in the mockery if he wasn¡¯t the one involved. The whole ¡°distant cousin from America¡± line was something he had made up on the spot to tell the driver, Xiao Li. Who would¡¯ve thought that the office gossip mill was so quick? Before long, Brother Wang had heard it and then loudly passed it on to Zhao Ying Jun. Now, the awkwardness was all on him. ¡°Are you sure you want to go through with this?¡± Zhao Ying Jun tilted her head and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°This girl looks like she¡¯s in her teens. If she were your child, wouldn¡¯t you already know? How could this even be possible? Did you ever have a girlfriend?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian replied honestly. ¡°Then what are you doing?¡± Zhao Ying Jun pressed on. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s all just a misunderstanding! Lin Xian is just curious, that¡¯s all!¡± Brother Wang quickly jumped between them. ¡°This is obviously impossible! Ten years ago, Lin Xian was just a kid playing in the dirt! You two are grown-ups; how can you not know basic biology?¡± ¡°Lin Xian! Say something! Tell Zhao Ying Jun it¡¯s all a joke! Clear this up!¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled softly, waving her hand at Brother Wang. ¡°You¡¯re funny, Brother Wang. Lin Xian doesn¡¯t need to explain anything to me. But if he wants to do a paternity test, and your wife happens to be the head of the testing department at Donghai Second Hospital, why not just go there? It¡¯s close by, and with her help, we could even jump the queue.¡± Lin Xian stopped twirling his pen. Brother Wang¡¯s wife was the head of the testing department at Donghai Second Hospital? This was news to him. As Zhao Ying Jun suggested, having a connection there would make everything easier. He turned to Brother Wang. ¡°Brother Wang, is your wife really the head of the testing department?¡± ¡°Uh, well... yeah...¡± Brother Wang wiped his sweat, looking at Zhao Ying Jun for confirmation, his eyes full of questions. ¡°Why are you looking at me? Everyone at the office knows. Don¡¯t you always rely on your wife when you need something done at the hospital?¡± ¡°And anyway, if this girl isn¡¯t your kid, why are you so worked up? If Lin Xian wants to go, take him. It¡¯s no big deal, and the results will be ready in two or three hours.¡± Brother Wang looked at Lin Xian again. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this? Think it through!¡± ¡°Sure, why not.¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°No big deal.¡± Brother Wang bit his lip, realizing that Zhao Ying Jun and Lin Xian hadn¡¯t spoken directly to each other since the paternity test was mentioned. They seemed to be using him as a go-between, a buffer of sorts. Zhao Ying Jun might claim she doesn¡¯t care, but she was the one who brought up that Brother Wang¡¯s wife worked at the hospital. It was as if she was pushing him to make Lin Xian do the test. And Lin Xian, for his part, looked calm and unbothered. Brother Wang just couldn¡¯t figure out what these two were up to. Usually, if someone wasn¡¯t guilty, they wouldn¡¯t even consider doing a DNA paternity test, right? Brother Wang initially wanted to protect Lin Xian, but given the current situation... it seemed unlikely he could do that. Zhao Ying Jun clearly wanted them to do the paternity test, and Lin Xian seemed eager to go through with it too. So, was the whole ¡°distant cousin from America¡± thing just a cover-up?Fo?ll0w current novE?ls o/n n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(c/o/m) Sighing, Brother Wang decided to go along with it. ¡°Alright then. Lin Xian, let¡¯s head out. Donghai Second Hospital is nearby. I¡¯ll call my wife to get us in quickly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call Xiao Li to get the car ready,¡± Lin Xian said, patting Yu Xi on the shoulder to get her off the couch, following Brother Wang out the door. Suddenly, Brother Wang felt a chilling gaze on his back, like an icy sword stabbing through him, freezing him in place. Trembling, he turned around and saw that the terrifying stare was indeed from Zhao Ying Jun! ¡°Uh, Zhao Ying Jun? Would you like to come with us?¡± he asked nervously. Zhao Ying Jun casually smiled. ¡°Sure, why not?¡± Brother Wang smiled inwardly¡ªhe knew Zhao Ying Jun wanted to go but just needed an excuse. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s much work to do right now. Besides, my wife has been wanting to thank you for helping out with my daughter¡¯s schooling.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, putting her hands back in her coat pockets and walking forward, her high heels clicking on the floor as she followed them. On the way, Driver Xiao Li felt like the car was unusually heavy, like it was harder to drive today. In the back were four passengers¡ªLin Xian and his ¡°cousin¡± in the front seats, Zhao Ying Jun and Brother Wang in the back. Normally, they were all quite familiar with each other, but today, no one spoke, making the atmosphere strangely tense. It felt like he was driving a clunky tanker or an overloaded truck instead of a top-of-the-line Alphard. Fortunately, Donghai Second Hospital was close to the twin towers where Rhine Company and MX Company were located, so there was no need to get on the highway. After a few turns, they arrived. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Driver Xiao Li announced briefly, sensing the mood and knowing better than to say more. Brother Wang led the way straight to his wife¡¯s department, followed by what looked like a family of three¡ªno, wait, they weren¡¯t a family. They were just three unrelated people who happened to look the part. Not to brag, but being a department head, Brother Wang¡¯s wife was well-prepared for anything. When she heard Lin Xian wanted to do a paternity test with a teenage girl, she wasn¡¯t surprised at all. In her line of work, she¡¯d seen all kinds of crazy situations. This was nothing. She quickly arranged for the blood samples to be drawn¡ªone from Lin Xian, then one from Yu Xi. Lin Xian noted that Yu Xi¡¯s blood looked just like anyone else¡¯s, which he had already confirmed while treating her wounds before. ¡°Does all that future-tech stuff you took, like gene editing, affect DNA tests?¡± Lin Xian whispered to Yu Xi while they were alone in the blood draw room. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Yu Xi replied, shaking her head. ¡°Why did you suddenly want to do a paternity test with me? I didn¡¯t say anything earlier, but why would you think of something so crazy? Do you think you¡¯re my ancestor or something, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m here to protect you?¡± ¡°Partly,¡± Lin Xian admitted, ¡°but there are other reasons too... It¡¯s hard to say. Since you don¡¯t know who your parents are, logically speaking, anyone could be your parent.¡± ¡°What kind of logic is that?¡± Yu Xi asked, holding a cotton swab over her puncture wound. Lin Xian did the same. ¡°Considering that the cryogenic pods are about to go into mass production, your parents could very well be from our time. I don¡¯t know how far in the future you were born, but those pods can keep someone alive for centuries, allowing them to wake up far in the future.¡± ¡°So theoretically, it¡¯s possible that we are related. Even though I¡¯m dead set against using those cryogenic pods, people change. Who¡¯s to say I won¡¯t someday feel like taking a nap for a few hundred years and then wake up and have a kid with some woman?¡± Yu Xi couldn¡¯t help but laugh, looking down at her arm where the needle mark was almost healed. ¡°Do you really think we look alike? I don¡¯t think we look alike at all.¡± ¡°Neither do I,¡± Lin Xian agreed, seeing that his needle wound was still bleeding slightly, so he pressed the cotton swab back on it. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here to find out.¡± ¡°I know it sounds crazy, and it might seem like I¡¯m just eager to play dad. But... isn¡¯t this world already crazy enough?¡± ¡°With time travelers, time-space particles, and laws of physics that can turn the tables on innocent people, not to mention the mysterious genius clubs hidden throughout history and the digital life forms that are more advanced than AI... There¡¯s already so much absurdity. Compared to all that, a paternity test between someone from the future and someone from the present seems pretty normal.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Yu Xi said, tossing the barely-bloodied cotton swab in the trash, rolling down her sleeve, and turning to Lin Xian. She turned to Brother Wang. ¡°Since we¡¯re taking up your wife¡¯s time, why don¡¯t we invite her to join us for a meal?¡± ¡°Oh, no, no, no...¡± Brother Wang shook his head like a drum. No way was he getting involved in this mess. He didn¡¯t want any part of this drama. ¡°My wife and I need to pick up our kid soon. He¡¯s got exams coming up, so we need to be home to help him study.¡± Brother Wang said these words as quickly as possible and dashed out of there. Clearly, he didn¡¯t want to stay a second longer. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked Lin Xian. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Lin Xian asked Yu Xi. Yu Xi lifted her sunglasses, looking up at Lin Xian. ¡°Hot pot.¡± ... Half an hour later, Lin Xian was putting the fourth plate of meat into the hot pot for Yu Xi. She hadn¡¯t lifted her head once. Lin Xian started to feel a bit guilty... had she been eating so poorly in America that she was starving? ¡°She¡¯s got a good appetite,¡± Zhao Ying Jun noted, surprised at Yu Xi¡¯s eating speed. ¡°I guess spending so much time in America really does make you wolf down food when you get back.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Lin Xian replied noncommittally. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s just because she¡¯s a growing kid. My nephews back home, they¡¯re not big kids, but when they were her age, they ate like there was no tomorrow, always complaining they were hungry.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded thoughtfully, then looked at Lin Xian. ¡°What¡¯s this young lady¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Yu Xi,¡± Lin Xian answered. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s chopsticks paused mid-air. She blinked and smiled slightly. ¡°That¡¯s a beautiful and unique name. Whoever named her must have been very cultured and sentimental.¡± ¡°True,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°When I first heard it, I thought it was strange. Who names their kid something so odd? It seemed strange, hard to pronounce, and a bit unlucky.¡± ¡°But after getting used to it, I realized it¡¯s actually a beautiful name with a lot of meaning. It has this grandeur, a kind of historical weight that brings to mind the banks of the Wu River.¡± This was how Lin Xian really felt. Maybe it was because of the ¡°life-and-death filter¡± he had for Yu Xi. She and her name seemed more and more endearing to him. Though when he first heard it, the name Yu Xi made him think of the phrase ¡°Yu Xi Yu Xi, what now?¡± It was a bit melancholy. But the courage and fearlessness that Yu Xi embodied seemed like the kind of qualities her parents might have hoped to instill in her. ¡°Unlucky?¡± Zhao Ying Jun set her chopsticks down and smiled. ¡°I never thought so. I really like the name. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve always admired the historical figure of Yu Ji.¡± ¡°You like Yu Ji?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m very fond of the story of Farewell My Concubine.¡± Zhao Ying Jun noticed that Yu Xi had finished her drink and handed over her own untouched glass. ¡°But the reason I like the story isn¡¯t because of Xiang Yu¡¯s grand heroism. I admire Yu Ji¡¯s courage and determination.¡± ¡°To me, she¡¯s more of a hero than Xiang Yu. She faced death without fear, using her life to give Xiang Yu the strength to fight without looking back.¡± ¡°Ancient stories of women sacrificing for love are common, but most of them are filled with sadness and sentimentality. A hero like Yu Ji, who could dance and sing before taking her own life to prove her loyalty, is rare. So... I can understand why Yu Xi¡¯s parents would choose that name.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled again and dropped more meat into the hot pot for Yu Xi. ¡°They probably hoped their daughter would be as brave and strong as Yu Ji, full of passion, with her own dreams, and that she¡¯d find someone worthy of her love, living a heroic and proud life.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m right, but...¡± She paused, putting down the empty plate, and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°If I were to name my daughter Yu Xi, I would have the same thoughts.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t say anything, just listened to Zhao Ying Jun speak. The more she talked, the more off-track things seemed to get. Many of Yellow Finch¡¯s and Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s thoughts, their love for the story of Farewell My Concubine and their admiration for Yu Ji, were identical. But that was to be expected¡ªthey were the same person, after all. Yet, Yellow Finch had never talked to him about her thoughts on having children, naming them, or anything like that. Hearing Zhao Ying Jun say these things today... Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but worry about those two paternity test results. Could it be that these time-crossing bloodlines would all come full circle with Zhao Ying Jun? ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian set down his drink and asked softly. ¡°If you ever have a daughter, would you name her Yu Xi?¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled. ¡°Who knows? In the end, it¡¯s up to the father to decide the child¡¯s name. Whatever my daughter¡¯s name is, her father will have the final say.¡± ¡°My father named me, and from the meaning of my name, it¡¯s clear he had high hopes for me. In ancient times, the character for ¡®jun¡¯ symbolized the quality of jade, representing the beauty of white jade. So... Lin Xian, who named you? It¡¯s a pretty poetic name, like it¡¯s related to the elegant theory of strings in physics.¡± ¡°I doubt it,¡± Lin Xian replied, shrugging. ¡°My parents were just ordinary workers in a state-owned factory. I don¡¯t think they had that level of understanding of physics... I never asked why they named me that. Maybe they got it from someone else with more education? I¡¯ll have to ask them sometime.¡± With that, Lin Xian remembered that Zhao Ying Jun had come to his office for a reason. She usually didn¡¯t drop by without a purpose. Whatever it was must have been interrupted by Brother Wang¡¯s loud outburst. Was it about the Pomeranian VV? Was it depressed again? Or was there something else? Lin Xian decided to ask directly. ¡°Speaking of which, was there something you needed from me today?¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, sitting up straight and looking at Lin Xian. ¡°With everything that¡¯s happened, I almost forgot.¡± She leaned back, hands clasped in her lap, and smiled at him. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. We were just talking about my father naming me... Well, tomorrow, my parents are coming to Donghai City.¡± ¡°They¡¯re coming to Donghai?¡± Lin Xian asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin. ¡°For a vacation? Business?¡± ¡°No.¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head with a smile. ¡°They¡¯re coming just to see me. They plan to stay for a while, and they have a place here.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s great,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°Makes sense¡ªsince you usually only go home once a year for the holidays, they probably miss you a lot. After all, you¡¯re their only daughter.¡± ¡°Is that what you came to talk to me about? Do you need any help? Picking them up? Moving things?¡± ¡°No, no, nothing like that,¡± Zhao Ying Jun waved her hand dismissively. Then she clasped her hands together again, resting them on her lap, and smiled at Lin Xian. ¡°My parents... want to meet you.¡± Chapter 346: A Clear Conscience ¡°Meet me?¡± Lin Xian was surprised. The Zhao Ying Jun family from the capital wasn¡¯t just wealthy; they held real power and influence. Lin Xian recalled how Brother Wang had struggled for days with paperwork, only to fail in the end. But then, during New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, one casual phone call from Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s uncle had resolved everything instantly. And that was just the uncle. In the projection gallery of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s personal exhibit in the third dream, Lin Xian had learned that Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s mother was an ordinary teacher. She was smart and well-educated, but her family background was modest. The real power, however, came from Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s father. So, it was clear. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s uncle likely owed his success to his brother-in-law. If just being associated with him made the uncle so formidable, what about the man himself? Of course, Lin Xian had friends like Gao Yan, the director of the National Scientific Academy, and Liu An, the head of the Security Bureau, who were all close acquaintances. He didn¡¯t feel intimidated about meeting Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s father. But he was curious... Why did Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s parents want to meet him now? Poke. Poke. Next to him, Yu Xi suddenly nudged Lin Xian¡¯s arm. ¡°No more meat,¡± she said, wearing oversized sunglasses. Lin Xian chuckled and looked at the dishes on their table. ¡°How about some vegetables?¡± ¡°That works too,¡± Yu Xi replied. Lin Xian placed some tofu, seaweed, and baby bok choy in her bowl. These were filling foods, and he figured after this pot, she would likely be full. After taking care of the little one, it was time to address the bigger issue. Lin Xian wiped his hands with a napkin and looked back at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Your parents... want to see me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zhao Ying Jun confirmed. ¡°They really want to meet you, especially my father. He insists on thanking you.¡± ¡°Thank me?¡± Lin Xian was even more puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s about something that happened a year ago, when you drove the Bentley and took me over the elevated bridge,¡± Zhao Ying Jun explained. ¡°I remember telling you about this, right? That year, when I went home for the New Year, I told my parents about it. They were really worried at the time, but since I was unharmed and nothing bad happened, their worry faded after a couple of days.¡± ¡°My father has always been someone who values loyalty and gratitude. Back then, he insisted on thanking you properly for saving me in such a dangerous situation. But during that time, you were very busy. Plus, it wouldn¡¯t have been polite or proper to ask you to make a special trip to the capital just for that.¡± ¡°So, he decided to find an opportunity to visit Donghai City, to thank you in person. Unfortunately, last year he was busy, and you were frequently traveling, so the timing never worked out. Even though I knew you were in the capital during the New Year this year, I didn¡¯t want to bother you because you were on a secret mission.¡± ¡°My father has kept this in mind. Even though I¡¯ve told him multiple times that there¡¯s no need to be so formal with you, he¡¯s very insistent. He believes that since you risked your life to save his daughter, he can¡¯t just let it pass without expressing his gratitude.¡± As she spoke, Zhao Ying Jun noticed Yu Xi finishing her drink. She gestured to a waiter to bring two more bottles and then continued. ¡°Now that the opportunity has finally come, my mother retired this year at 55, and my father took a month off to bring her to Donghai City. They¡¯re here to relax and spend time as a family.¡± ¡°My father has been eager to meet you. Their flight arrives tomorrow morning, and we¡¯re having dinner out tomorrow night... If you¡¯re free, would you like to join us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s actually why I went to the office to find you today¡ªmy parents asked me to invite you to have dinner with the four of us.¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Lin Xian nodded, understanding the situation. Zhao Ying Jun had indeed mentioned this to him, on the day he handed her his resignation letter. That day, Zhao Ying Jun had said a lot. She mentioned how her usually strict and unfeeling father had changed his attitude after watching the video of her leaping over the elevated bridge and Donghai 007. Lin Xian particularly remembered how, as Zhao Ying Jun left the capital to return to Donghai City, her father, who had always denied her and disapproved of her entrepreneurial pursuits, awkwardly managed to say, ¡°The cat design is not bad; your cousin really likes it.¡± Zhao Ying Jun had said it was the first time her father acknowledged her, even though it was just a small recognition, and the cat design wasn¡¯t even hers. Still, she was thrilled and had smiled as she told Lin Xian, ¡°I have to admit, Lin Xian... you not only saved my life but also changed it. Meeting you has been my good fortune.¡± Because of the guilt he felt that day when he resigned, Lin Xian still remembered those words and moments clearly. ... ¡°It¡¯s really nothing,¡± Lin Xian said with a polite smile. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big deal. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t say I saved you. I was in the car too, and I was the one who had a gun pressed to the back of my head by that criminal... I had to find a way to save myself.¡± ¡°On the contrary, I was the one who chose the risky option of jumping the elevated bridge, dragging you into danger. It¡¯s good that it worked out, like now, with your father being grateful. But if it had failed... I wouldn¡¯t have been able to face him.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have mattered if it failed,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, shaking her head gently. ¡°You might not remember, but when the criminal first appeared and held a gun to your head, you immediately pulled over and tried to convince him to let me go, telling him you¡¯d take him to find Miaoke by yourself.¡± ¡°Even though the criminal didn¡¯t agree and insisted on using me as a hostage to force you to keep driving...¡± ¡°But honestly, from that moment on, whether we made it over the bridge or not didn¡¯t matter to me. Whether we succeeded or failed, you were willing to risk your life to save mine. How could I not be willing to risk my life to gamble with you?¡± She chuckled, brushing back a loose strand of hair. ¡°So, it¡¯s not just my father and mother, but I¡¯m also very grateful to you for that. If you¡¯re free tomorrow night, you should definitely join us for dinner. My parents have changed a lot; their views on many things aren¡¯t the same as before. They¡¯re much easier to get along with now.¡± Lin Xian thought for a moment. Elon Musk¡¯s schedule was set for 10 a.m. tomorrow. He would be visiting Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s hospital room at Donghai University Hospital. Lin Xian had already planned to meet him and discuss things. The top priority was to rescue Angelica, and they could talk about everything else afterward. If all went well, he¡¯d be free in the evening and could meet Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s parents and accept her father¡¯s gratitude. But if the conversation with Elon Musk didn¡¯t go smoothly... who knew what the situation might be tomorrow night? So, it was best not to agree too quickly. If he promised now and then something came up that prevented him from going tomorrow night, it would be awkward. He didn¡¯t want to embarrass Zhao Ying Jun in front of her parents or make them both look unreliable.N/ne?w n0vel chap/ers are published o/n orrow night, I might not have time,¡± Lin Xian admitted honestly. ¡°So I can¡¯t guarantee that I can attend your family dinner.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, unfazed. ¡°My parents will be in Donghai City for a month. We can always plan another dinner when you¡¯re free.¡± ¡°That sounds good,¡± Lin Xian agreed. ¡°Once I¡¯m sure of my schedule, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± After all, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s parents weren¡¯t just visiting for a day. Even if they didn¡¯t meet tomorrow night, there would be plenty of opportunities later. Although they were coming under the pretext of thanking him, Lin Xian knew he shouldn¡¯t be too thick-skinned and act like a guest of honor. It would be better to meet her parents more formally, perhaps bringing some authentic West Lake Longjing tea from his hometown as a gift. After dropping Zhao Ying Jun off at her home, Lin Xian and Yu Xi went to a five-star hotel and booked a suite. The suite was spacious, with several separate rooms, each with its own bathroom, making it ideal for their situation. Knowing that neither he nor Zhao Ying Jun nor Yellow Finch had any blood relation to Yu Xi, Lin Xian felt more at ease and began focusing on his plan for the next day. Yu Xi hadn¡¯t started getting ready for bed yet. She was still in her daytime clothes, with her short ponytail tied up. She walked over to Lin Xian. ¡°Have you figured out how you¡¯re going to kill Elon Musk tomorrow?¡± she asked. ¡°Not yet,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m mainly thinking about how to save Angelica.¡± Yu Xi blinked her bright eyes. She had already removed her black contact lenses and sunglasses, and her crystal-blue eyes reflected in the floor-to-ceiling window, watching Lin Xian like a ghost from both sides. ¡°You need to think carefully, Lin Xian. If you miss this chance to kill Elon Musk here in X Country, you might never get such a perfect opportunity again.¡± ¡°I know it sounds cold, but my primary mission is to protect your life. I can¡¯t consider Angelica¡¯s situation as much as you do. I hope you understand¡ªyou¡¯re the one worth risking the future of humanity to protect... but Angelica isn¡¯t. She¡¯s just an ordinary person with no significant impact on history or the future.¡± ¡°Think about it this way: Angelica¡¯s fate, whether she lives or dies, has already been determined. No matter what you discuss with Elon Musk tomorrow, it won¡¯t change her destiny. But you¡¯re different... If you end up being killed by the time-space assassin that Elon Musk sent, then humanity, the future, and everything else will be doomed.¡± ¡°Right now is the best time to eliminate the threat. If you can find a way to meet Elon Musk alone, we can set a trap, kill him, and prevent the time-space assassin¡¯s loop from completing, thereby erasing her from existence.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t take this approach, I can¡¯t think of another way to deal with the time-space assassin. Lin Xian, you can¡¯t hesitate any longer. Elon Musk sent the assassin to kill you¡ªdo you really think he¡¯ll be honest with you during negotiations?¡± ¡°Trust me... killing Elon Musk here in X Country is our best chance. Right now, the time-space assassin is still outside Donghai City, lingering over the ocean. She¡¯s likely facing some difficulties, which is why she hasn¡¯t been able to enter.¡± ¡°This is a race against time. If we can kill Elon Musk before the assassin enters Donghai City and meets up with him, then your biggest threat will be gone, and my mission will be complete. I can¡¯t imagine how bad things would get if we let Elon Musk escape and the assassin continues to hunt you down.¡± ¡°If I could kill Elon Musk for you, I would have done it already. But this is a task only you can accomplish. Just like with Kevin Walker, you need to eliminate Elon Musk swiftly and decisively. Showing mercy to the enemy is being cruel to yourself.¡± With that, Yu Xi went into her room to get ready for bed. Lin Xian watched her close the door and began to think deeply. He understood why Yu Xi was urging him so strongly. But... Lately, he had the nagging feeling that there was something important he wasn¡¯t seeing, something crucial that he had overlooked. It was as if a vital piece of the puzzle was missing, making the situation in front of him even more confusing. What was it? He thought about Yellow Finch¡¯s last lesson to him in Copenhagen, given at the cost of her life. The two questions and one piece of advice she left him with as she lay dying. The address of Kevin Walker that he received from Elon Musk, and the digital life of Turing that was determined to kill Kevin Walker. The time-space assassin who killed Yellow Finch in front of him without even glancing at him, yet relentlessly pursued him across Donghai and America. ¡°It feels like something is off.¡± ¡°It feels like there¡¯s a huge puzzle, but the most important piece is missing.¡± What was it? Lin Xian turned around and stood by the floor-to-ceiling window. He gazed at the bright moonlight in the sky and the bustling lights of the international city below... ¡°What is it?¡± Lin Xian asked himself. ¡°Where is that missing puzzle piece?¡± ... In the Donghai, near the new port district, inside Tesla¡¯s Gigafactory. ¡°This isn¡¯t what we agreed on, Elon Musk.¡± Inside one of the buildings, Angelica found herself under house arrest once again. The two familiar female bodyguards and Elon Musk were in the living room, announcing the end of her brief freedom. ¡°Elon Musk, you promised to take me to see Lin Xian. That¡¯s the only reason I came to X Country with you,¡± Angelica glared at Elon Musk. ¡°Are you going back on your word so soon?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so upset, Angelica,¡± Elon Musk said with a slight smile as he placed a small refrigerator he had been carrying in the corner of the living room. He dusted off his hands. ¡°I¡¯ve always said I¡¯m a man of my word. I will take you to see Lin Xian and explain everything. But... not tomorrow morning, tomorrow night.¡± Angelica narrowed her eyes. ¡°What do you mean? Tomorrow morning at Donghai University Hospital, when you deliver that boat ticket to the girl named Zheng Xiang Yue... Are you planning to meet Lin Xian alone?¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking me? Are you going to use me as a bargaining chip, a lure to deceive Lin Xian?¡± Elon Musk shook his head. ¡°No... Maybe there are some misunderstandings between Lin Xian and me... but honestly, I bear no ill will toward him. It¡¯s just...¡± He glanced down at the white, boxy refrigerator in the corner of the living room. ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m still missing the last piece of the puzzle to figure everything out.¡± ¡°And that piece of the puzzle... will deliver itself into my hands tomorrow.¡± Chapter 347: The Seven Deadly Sins, Rejoining the Team! April 26, 2024, Morning Yu Xi stepped out of her hotel room, dressed in the casual clothes she¡¯d bought the day before. She adjusted her sleeves and fixed the collar of her hoodie. With everything in place, she was ready to go. Her fair skin, slightly furrowed brows, and a mix of coolness and cuteness gave her an extraordinary appearance. The kind of beauty she possessed seemed almost unreal¡ªlike something only someone from the future, enhanced by genetics and fortified with drugs, could have. Her striking blue eyes, which sparkled even in the morning light, looked like they belonged to someone from another world. ¡°Put on the contact lenses,¡± Lin Xian reminded her as he slipped on his shoes in the living room. ¡°The black ones I gave you yesterday.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to put them on,¡± Yu Xi replied softly. Oh... Lin Xian thought to himself. Despite all her strength, Yu Xi was still a human girl, not a robot from some action movie. Everyone has something they¡¯re afraid of. Some people, even big, muscular men, are terrified of insects. Lin Xian recalled seeing a video of a tough-looking guy, covered in tattoos and gold chains, nearly fainting while waiting for a vaccine shot. For Yu Xi, the idea of sticking a small, black plastic lens onto her eye was probably more terrifying than facing a time-space assassin under the moonlight. Yesterday, when Lin Xian had helped Yu Xi remove the contact lenses, she had nervously asked, ¡°Are you sure these thin little things won¡¯t move to the back of my eye when I blink?¡± Lin Xian, who had never worn contacts himself, had thought about it and said, ¡°It¡¯s theoretically possible since the eye is round and there¡¯s no closed area around the eye socket.¡± Then, he had added honestly, ¡°But I¡¯ve never heard of anyone¡¯s contact lenses actually moving to the back of their eye.¡± His comment might have left a lasting impression on Yu Xi, who could face demons without fear but was terrified of wearing contact lenses on her own. Lin Xian placed one of the daily disposable lenses on a small plastic applicator and gently lifted Yu Xi¡¯s chin. ¡°Tilt your head back and open your eyes wide.¡± Yu Xi obediently widened her eyes. Her blue eyes, as deep as shattered glass, seemed to pull Lin Xian into another world. It was as if he might get lost in a spinning galaxy, drawn into a time-space rift where even light couldn¡¯t escape. He carefully held her eyelids apart and gently placed the black lens over her blue eye, dimming its brilliant glow. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but wonder how the ability to emit light from cells could be linked to time-space powers. Was it something similar to the bioluminescence of fireflies or the electricity generated by eels? ¡°All done. Now the other eye.¡± Yu Xi closed her eyes and wiped away the protective tears that had formed during the process. As she shook her head, her short ponytail brushed against Lin Xian¡¯s nose, carrying the faint scent of hotel shampoo. ¡°Why do you keep such short hair in a ponytail?¡± Lin Xian asked, noticing her tightly pulled-back hairstyle. ¡°Because it means I don¡¯t have to wash my hair often,¡± Yu Xi replied honestly. ¡°...¡± Lin Xian was speechless at her practical response. ¡°I guess no matter how advanced technology gets, even with genetic editing and enhancements, they still haven¡¯t found a solution to avoiding hair washing.¡± ¡°After all, the presence of skin oils has more benefits than drawbacks,¡± Yu Xi said, lifting her head and opening her other blue eye for Lin Xian to apply the second lens. ¡°And hair is just dead keratin cells with no real function. Strengthening the roots might help, but there¡¯s not much else to improve.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t to avoid drawing attention, I¡¯d rather shave my head and not have a single hair. That way, I¡¯d never have to wash my hair again. I could just wash my face, and in battle, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about someone grabbing my hair. It would eliminate a lot of weaknesses.¡± Lin Xian imagined Yu Xi with a shaved head and found the image somewhat amusing. ¡°You don¡¯t need to go that far. You look good just as you are. Now that the other lens is on, put on the big sunglasses, and no one will be able to see your eyes.¡± With that, Lin Xian stood up to put on his jacket. Yu Xi walked over to the coffee table in the living room, picked up the black sunglasses, and placed them on her face, completing her outfit. Today was the day Elon Musk was going to visit Zheng Xiang Yue at the Donghai University Hospital. He had announced on Twitter that he would be there at 10 AM, accompanied by local officials from Donghai City. Lin Xian and Yu Xi planned to go there early, find a place to wait, and then look for an opportunity to meet Elon Musk in Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s hospital room. Yu Xi wanted Lin Xian to find a way to get Elon Musk alone so they could eliminate him, removing the threat of the time-space assassins once and for all. Although Lin Xian understood Yu Xi¡¯s cold and ruthless approach as the most direct way to solve the problem, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to completely disregard Angelica¡¯s life. He decided that, for now, they would avoid any assassination attempts in Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s hospital room, especially with Donghai City officials present. Neither side would dare make a move in such a setting.Upstodatee from Lin Xian planned to take advantage of this rare safe moment to talk to Elon Musk and find out what was happening with Angelica. After that, he would decide what to do next. On the road, Lin Xian drove a Volkswagen sedan, heading from the hotel to the Donghai University Hospital, with Yu Xi sitting in the passenger seat. While waiting at a red light, Lin Xian turned to Yu Xi and said, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t really have anything that could interest Elon Musk.¡± ¡°If I had to say, maybe the Digital Life Turing is something he might care about. Elon Musk only knows Kevin Walker¡¯s address, but he probably doesn¡¯t know that Kevin uploaded his consciousness to the network, becoming a digital version of himself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if that information is valuable, though. Digital Life Turing has transcended physical life and has different thoughts from Kevin Walker. They¡¯re practically two different people.¡± ¡°Turing claims to be a fair observer... but who knows? If it were an AI, I might believe it, but since it¡¯s still a human, its words are as reliable as a fart.¡± Yu Xi shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think that information is enough to lure Elon Musk out. Kevin Walker¡¯s address came from Elon Musk, or rather, Angelica heard it from Elon Musk.¡± ¡°Given your assumption that Elon Musk and Kevin Walker are both members of the Genius Club, I¡¯m sure Elon Musk knows far more about Kevin Walker than you do. He might already know about Turing¡¯s existence, or at least have guessed it.¡± Half an hour passed... Lin Xian and Yu Xi were exhausted from staring at the rearview mirror, yet there was still no sign of Elon Musk. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he here yet?¡± Another ten minutes went by. Lin Xian checked his watch; it read 09:46. ¡°Is he really cutting it this close?¡± Lin Xian found it strange. ¡°He said he¡¯d be at Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s room by 10 AM... and he¡¯s not even early?¡± Meanwhile, in the Tesla Gigafactory in the Lingang New District of Donghai, Angelica paced the living room of her suite. Two female bodyguards sat diligently at the door, facing away from her, guarding the entrance. Angelica walked to the window and looked outside. Many black-suited bodyguards and black vehicles were stationed around the building. They were clearly part of Elon Musk¡¯s security detail. Typically, even if a foreign visit required security, it wouldn¡¯t be this excessive. Angelica knew these precautions weren¡¯t for her. She wasn¡¯t that important. The two burly female bodyguards in the living room were enough to keep her in check. Moreover, the entire Tesla factory was Elon Musk¡¯s territory. Where could she possibly escape to? So the answer was obvious. Angelica¡¯s gaze shifted to the plain, white, square refrigerator in the corner of the living room. This over-the-top security must be to protect that small fridge. As for her, she was just an extra. Suddenly, the people outside the window stirred. Elon Musk, dressed in a suit, was getting into a vehicle with his entourage, forming a convoy that headed toward the city center of Donghai. Angelica knew where he was going. The whole world knew. Elon Musk had repeated his itinerary on Twitter a thousand times. He had even shown off the moon ticket he was going to give Zheng Xiang Yue multiple times, as if afraid the entire world wouldn¡¯t know about his hospital visit. But of course, he didn¡¯t care if the world knew. He only cared if Lin Xian saw it. Angelica didn¡¯t know what Elon Musk planned to discuss with Lin Xian, but in her eyes, Elon Musk was still the enemy, someone she couldn¡¯t trust. So she hadn¡¯t told Elon Musk anything about Lin Xian... but strangely, Elon Musk had never asked. Considering that Lin Xian mentioned the blue-eyed girl chasing him was sent by Elon Musk, maybe Elon Musk didn¡¯t need to ask her anything. He could probably learn enough about Lin Xian through that girl. But since this was Donghai and X Country, Elon Musk and that girl wouldn¡¯t dare make a move today, would they? Angelica thought it was unlikely. The dust kicked up by Elon Musk¡¯s convoy settled as it disappeared from view, likely already on the expressway to the hospital. Elon Musk would probably meet with the local officials first, then visit Zheng Xiang Yue. Angelica sighed softly. There was nothing she could do now but watch and wait. Just as she was about to turn away from the window, a black Tesla sedan pulled up outside, and a burly man in a black suit and sunglasses stepped out, carrying two large food boxes. The security guards around him nodded in acknowledgment. This burly man seemed to be the head of the security team. Earlier that morning, when Angelica had told the female bodyguards she wanted some Donghai specialty breakfast, this man had gone out to get it. She hadn¡¯t expected it to take so long: ¡°It¡¯s almost lunchtime,¡± Angelica muttered as she returned to the table to wait. Soon, the burly man entered the room, handing the two large food boxes to the female bodyguards. ¡°I bought enough for the three of you to share,¡± he said. Each bodyguard took a box, turned, and was about to open them on the table when suddenly¡ª Thunk! Thunk! Two rapid shots rang out, and the bodyguards convulsed briefly before collapsing to the floor! Angelica¡¯s eyes widened as she jumped up from her chair. The burly man was holding a black-and-yellow Taser stun gun in each hand! The Taser is a common law enforcement tool that fires two wires connected to darts, delivering a strong electric shock to incapacitate the target temporarily. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Angelica demanded, eyeing the man warily. The man gestured for her to stay quiet and then pulled a phone from his pocket, dialing a number. When the call connected, he silently handed the phone to Angelica. He then walked to the table and opened the two large food boxes¡ªinside, there was no food at all! Instead, the boxes were filled with various makeup products, bottles, gels, decorative items, and disguise tools... Angelica held her breath as she cautiously took the phone and put it to her ear. ¡°Hello?¡± A dry, raspy laugh came from the other end of the line¡ªan elderly voice that Angelica had never heard before, but it sent chills down her spine. ¡°Bring Elon Musk¡¯s white little fridge and follow this man to find me. I will tell you everything... everything you want to know... Angelica.¡± ¡°No, perhaps I should call you by another name,¡± the elderly voice chuckled darkly, speaking in a low tone. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to return to me, my final Seven Deadly Sins...¡± ¡°Lust!¡± Chapter 351: Yu Xi On the evening of April 26, 2024, an ambulance, its lights flashing vividly, raced away from Donghai University Affiliated Hospital, escorted by two police cars. The small convoy headed directly for the Beijing-Shanghai Highway. Inside the ambulance, Zheng Xiang Yue leaned against a large Rhine Cat plush toy, her body connected to several wires and electrodes monitoring her vital signs. In her lap, she held a black-and-white urn adorned with a photo, and on top of that rested a pink notebook. Inside the notebook was a carefully folded lunar ticket. These were the only things left that mattered to her. Despite the vast and beautiful world outside, these were the possessions she held most dear. In just a few hours, she would arrive in the capital¡ªthe farthest she had ever traveled. There, at the National Scientific Academy, groundbreaking research on hibernation pods was being conducted. The first group of volunteers, frozen for over a year, remained stable. The second group had been in hibernation for six months in improved pods with fewer side effects. Now, a third-generation experimental pod awaited Zheng Xiang Yue. It was an upgrade from the one used by Xu Yi Yi, though she didn¡¯t know the specifics of its advancements. Not that she cared¡ªher only wish was to enter a deep sleep until she could be healed, grow stronger, and achieve the three wishes written in her pink notebook: Bury her brother on the moon. Repay Brother Lin Xian. Become a kind and loving person. Beside her, the head nurse gently stroked her hair, her voice filled with concern. ¡°Xiang Yue, are you scared of going into hibernation?¡± During her hospital stay, the nurse had grown fond of Zheng Xiang Yue, seeing her almost like a little sister. Now, as the girl prepared to enter the pod, the nurse felt a mixture of happiness for her possible recovery and deep sadness for what lay ahead. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Zheng Xiang Yue replied, her gaze fixed on the world passing by the ambulance window. Her legs swung slightly as she smiled at the nurse. ¡°Why should I be scared? Hibernation is just a really long sleep, right? Nothing scary about that!¡± The nurse sighed, her emotions heavy. ¡°It¡¯s not the sleep that worries me, sweetheart. It¡¯s the loneliness. I¡¯m afraid of you waking up to a world where you know no one, where everything is new and strange. I worry that the loneliness might be too much for you.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t that how it is now?¡± Zheng Xiang Yue responded, tilting her head to meet the nurse¡¯s gaze. Her eyes were clear and thoughtful, contemplating a future where she might wake up alone in an unfamiliar world, yet she remained undaunted. Overcome with emotion, the nurse couldn¡¯t hold back her tears any longer. She leaned in, embracing Zheng Xiang Yue tightly, her heart full of both hope and sorrow. As their journey continued, the convoy passed a luxury hotel. At that moment, a Volkswagen sedan emerged from the parking lot, heading in the opposite direction, just missing the ambulance and police cars. Later, at 6:51 PM, outside a cozy Hunan cuisine restaurant, a rare Red Flag car caught the attention of passersby with its grand design. Many stopped to take photos, enchanted by its elegance. On the third floor of the restaurant, in a private booth designed for six but occupied only by three people and a Pomeranian dog, a family enjoyed their meal together. The dog, curled up comfortably on the carpet, lazily cleaned its paws. The trio, engaged in lively conversation, consisted of a stern father with graying hair, a mother in a qipao with a warm demeanor, and their sharp, striking daughter, Zhao Ying Jun. She gestured toward the freshly served dishes, addressing her mother, Yan Mei. ¡°Mom, you¡¯ve always liked Hunan cuisine, right? You used to complain about not finding authentic dishes. Try these; they¡¯re pretty good. The chili might not be as spicy as what you remember, though. Everything¡¯s adjusted to suit local tastes.¡± Yan Mei hadn¡¯t started eating yet, but her husband, Zhao Rui Hai, had already sampled a few bites. ¡°You know,¡± he said, ¡°after all the dining out we¡¯ve done, I still think homemade meals are the best. I miss the simple food from my childhood, like thick porridge and dumpling soup. But now, it just doesn¡¯t taste the same, whether it¡¯s the ingredients or the cooking method.¡± Yan Mei chuckled at her husband¡¯s nostalgia. ¡°You always say things were better in the past. But if you really had to go back to living like that, you might not enjoy it as much. Sometimes, memories make everything seem better than it actually was.¡± Zhao Rui Hai smiled, acknowledging her point. ¡°Yeah, I do tend to reminisce about the good old days. But you¡¯re right, some flavors do seem different now. It might be how they¡¯re cooked, or maybe it¡¯s just nostalgia.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing,¡± Yan Mei continued, ¡°In the past, we had fewer choices, so we cherished what we had. Nowadays, even in the capital, there¡¯s a trend among officials to eat wild vegetables, coarse grains, and steam their own buns because they don¡¯t trust store-bought additives.¡± ¡°I think they¡¯re just being picky,¡± Zhao Rui Hai said with a laugh. ¡°Everyone¡¯s gotten used to the good life, so now they want to relive the past. But if you actually made them eat like that every day, they wouldn¡¯t last long!¡± Yan Mei noticed her husband¡¯s half-empty bowl and teased, ¡°We haven¡¯t even started eating properly, and your dad¡¯s already downed half a bowl of rice.¡± The family continued their meal, chatting and laughing, while their Pomeranian, VV, yawned contentedly on the carpet, feeling safe and comfortable with three people around to protect it. ¡°Hey, is Lin Xian coming tonight?¡± Yan Mei asked, taking a few bites of food. ¡°I dressed up formally since it¡¯s our first meeting, and I wanted to thank him. If I¡¯d known he wasn¡¯t coming, your father and I would¡¯ve dressed more casually.¡± Zhao Ying Jun poured tea for her parents and smiled. ¡°You two usually dress like this anyway. Dad always looks like he¡¯s still at work, and Mom, you¡¯ve started dressing up more since you retired. I haven¡¯t seen you wear this silk qipao in years.¡± ¡°Oh, I just wanted to look nice for meeting Lin Xian,¡± Yan Mei replied, tasting some of the food. ¡°By the way, I remember you said Lin Xian is from Hangzhou? What do his parents do?¡± ¡°His parents? I think they¡¯re just regular workers,¡± Zhao Ying Jun answered, thinking for a moment. ¡°He never really talked about it in detail.¡± ¡°Is he an only child? Any siblings?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s the only one... But why are you asking all this?¡± Yan Mei smiled warmly. ¡°Just trying to get to know him better. We¡¯ll be having dinner with him sooner or later, so it¡¯s good to know a bit about him beforehand.¡± ¡°Your mom¡¯s just eager for grandchildren,¡± Zhao Rui Hai teased, setting down his teacup and wiping his mouth with a napkin. ¡°You¡¯re getting older, and with no sign of settling down, your mom¡¯s got nothing to do in retirement but think about it. What else can she do? Spend all day picking wild vegetables and doing yoga with her friends?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d love to, but all my friends are busy looking after their grandkids,¡± Yan Mei sighed. ¡°Why do you think I came to Donghai to stay with you for a month after I retired? It¡¯s to get you thinking about settling down. It¡¯s time you balanced your career with your personal life.¡± Zhao Ying Jun sighed deeply, pushing her chair back and crossing her legs. ¡°Can we talk about something else? How did we end up on this topic again?¡± ¡°Oh, come on, it¡¯s not like that,¡± Yan Mei said softly. ¡°But you¡¯re at the age where you need to think about these things. You meet a nice guy, you date for a couple of years, then get married. After that, it might take another two years to have a child, and raising a child takes at least a year. So, if everything goes smoothly, it¡¯ll be at least five years before we have grandkids. If anything delays that, we¡¯re looking at seven or eight years. And by then, who knows if I¡¯ll still be able to run around? Who¡¯s going to help you take care of the kids?¡± Zhao Rui Hai nodded in agreement. ¡°Your mom and I have changed our minds. We were too demanding before and didn¡¯t respect your choices enough. But now, we¡¯re not picky about who you marry. As long as you¡¯re happy, we don¡¯t care about social status or anything. Just don¡¯t expect us to ask for a dowry¡ªwe¡¯re not selling you off!¡± Zhao Ying Jun frowned, looking at her usually strict father. ¡°We¡¯re not even close to that point yet, and you¡¯re already talking about dowries?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying don¡¯t aim too high,¡± Zhao Rui Hai said earnestly. ¡°At your age, no man is going to be hugely successful yet. They¡¯ve only been out of school for a few years; how much can they have achieved? So, don¡¯t expect to find some super-successful guy. You need to be realistic. If a guy your age has money, it¡¯s probably not even his.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Yan Mei added. ¡°Your circle might be small, but your dad and I know a lot of people. We can help you find someone. Just tell us what you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be shy,¡± Zhao Rui Hai encouraged. ¡°It¡¯s normal for people your age to get married. You¡¯re our only daughter. If you end up alone, how are we supposed to face the world? Tell us what kind of guy you want, and we¡¯ll help you find him.¡± Zhao Ying Jun felt exasperated. No matter how reserved or argumentative her parents usually were, they became a perfect team when it came to pushing her to get married. She nudged the Pomeranian, VV, with her high heel, hoping it would cause a distraction. But the dog just shifted slightly and went back to sleep. ¡°Don¡¯t stay quiet now!¡± Yan Mei urged, growing impatient. ¡°We need to communicate! Tell us what kind of man you¡¯re looking for so we have a better idea.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Zhao Ying Jun sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. ¡°You want to know what kind of man I want?¡± Seeing her parents¡¯ eager faces, she realized they might actually be onto something this time. They both smiled, clearly thinking they were making progress. ¡°Just say it,¡± her father encouraged. ¡°We know a lot of people all over the country. Whatever kind of guy you want, we¡¯ll find him for you.¡± ¡°Okay...¡± Zhao Ying Jun thought for a moment before continuing. ¡°I¡¯ve made a name for myself, so he should have some career of his own, right? At least be the owner of a startup or something.¡± Her parents nodded in agreement. ¡°That makes sense,¡± her mother said. ¡°He should have something going for him.¡± ¡°I also appreciate someone with talent. He doesn¡¯t have to be great at everything, but he should have some artistic ability, right?¡± Her parents exchanged glances. ¡°That¡¯s reasonable,¡± her father said. ¡°A man with hobbies is a good thing.¡± ¡°And he should be brave,¡± Zhao Ying Jun added with a smile. ¡°I like a man with a bit of heroism, someone who doesn¡¯t back down when it¡¯s time to step up. He should be responsible and not shy away from his duties.¡± Her parents frowned slightly. ¡°That might be asking for a bit too much,¡± her mother said. ¡°There aren¡¯t many men like that these days.¡± ¡°But a woman should find a man with a strong sense of responsibility,¡± her father agreed. ¡°It¡¯s not unreasonable.¡± ¡°And... even though I¡¯m past the age of caring about romance and grand gestures, I¡¯d still appreciate a little surprise on special occasions, like birthdays. It would mean a lot.¡± Her parents pressed their lips together. ¡°Now you¡¯re asking for a lot,¡± her mother said. ¡°Where are we going to find a guy who ticks all those boxes?¡± ¡°But those aren¡¯t the most important things,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, bending down to pick up the Pomeranian, VV, and placing it on her lap. ¡°The most important thing is that VV has to like him. I¡¯ve had VV for so many years; I can¡¯t just give him up when I get married. So if you really want to introduce me to someone, they¡¯ll have to pass VV¡¯s test first. If VV doesn¡¯t like him, he can¡¯t come into our home, right, VV?¡± ¡°V~~~~~¡± The Pomeranian let out a soft groan of agreement. Bang! Zhao Rui Hai slammed his fist on the table, his face dark with anger. ¡°Ridiculous! What kind of nonsense is this? Finding a husband who needs a dog¡¯s approval? We¡¯re having a serious conversation, and you¡¯re making a joke out of it! What¡¯s so funny about that?¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled softly, her silver earrings swaying with the movement. She adjusted the Pomeranian on her lap, gently stroking its neck fur. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the ones who said you¡¯d introduce me to whoever I wanted?¡± ¡°But your requirements are too much!¡± Yan Mei couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, feeling like her daughter was pushing things too far. ¡°Tell me, what twenty-something-year-old guy could meet all your demands? A successful career, artistic talent, bravery, and passing VV¡¯s test? Who could possibly meet all those conditions? I¡¯d really like to meet him!¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked up, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. ¡°Just because you can¡¯t find him doesn¡¯t mean he doesn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°Oh, please,¡± her father scoffed, ¡°You¡¯ll never find a guy like that. You¡¯re just dreaming.¡± Just then, outside the Hunan restaurant, Lin Xian honked the horn of his Volkswagen, trying to get the crowd to clear the way. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? What¡¯s everyone looking at?¡± he muttered, seeing the crowd gathered around a Red Flag car parked outside the restaurant. He couldn¡¯t see much through the throng of people, but after a few students took their photos and moved aside, he finally managed to drive past the congested area. 7:07 PM At the Tesla Gigafactory in the Port Area, inside one of the buildings. ¡°How do you like my double, Elon Musk? Do we look alike?¡± In the living room of a suite, Elon Musk draped an arm around a slightly shorter version of himself, turning to Angelica for a comparison. ¡°I¡¯d say this double is Oscar-worthy. He¡¯s stood in for me at several meetings, and no one ever caught on,¡± he boasted. Angelica scrutinized Elon Musk and his double. ¡°If you don¡¯t look closely or don¡¯t know you well, it could pass. But on closer inspection, there are still a lot of details that don¡¯t quite match. He might be able to fool people from a distance or in blurry photos, but up close, it¡¯s easy to tell he¡¯s not you.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Elon Musk said, spreading his hands. ¡°That¡¯s why I need you, Hollywood¡¯s shape-shifting queen. I need you to make him look more like me. No need to be modest¡ªI know you¡¯ve got the skills. After all, you fooled me when you pretended to be my secretary.¡± ¡°I had my secretary bring over those two huge suitcases with your tools. It¡¯s getting late... Let¡¯s get started, Angelica.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Angelica snorted, turning her head. She pulled a cigarette from a pack in her pocket, lit it, and then said, ¡°So, Elon Musk, are you still trying to trick me?¡± ¡°You promised you¡¯d take me to meet Lin Xian tonight, to clear everything up. You even said you¡¯d meet him at 8 o¡¯clock at the abandoned factory up north. But now, you¡¯re sending your double instead? Where¡¯s the sincerity in that? You¡¯re just toying with Lin Xian.¡± ¡°No, no, no...¡± Elon Musk waved his hand. ¡°No, no, no...¡± The double echoed, waving his hand too. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll take you to meet Lin Xian tonight, but only after I¡¯ve confirmed one last thing.¡± Elon Musk patted the double on the shoulder, signaling him to stay quiet and sit down. Then he turned back to Angelica. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, in Copernicus¡¯s eyes, we¡¯re in a vulnerable position, fooled and defeated. So we have to play along. Copernicus probably hasn¡¯t opened that empty little fridge yet, and since what¡¯s inside is incredibly valuable and delicate, he won¡¯t let that thief open it by force.¡± ¡°This is our only chance to trick Copernicus. Besides, Lin Xian and I haven¡¯t cleared up our misunderstanding. I want to explain things to him, but I need proof, right?¡± Angelica¡¯s expression hardened as Elon Musk continued, ¡°You see, the truth is, like you said, that blue-eyed girl is after Lin Xian. And you all know, that blue-eyed girl came from me. But what can I do? If I tell Lin Xian that I¡¯m just as much a victim, that I didn¡¯t know and I¡¯m innocent, do you think he¡¯ll believe me?¡± ¡°So, if I want to convince Lin Xian, I need evidence. Until then, he¡¯ll see me as an enemy. Worst-case scenario, I go to meet him alone with the best intentions, but will he believe I¡¯m sincere? What if he¡¯s lying in wait to ambush me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s when my good friend, my double, comes in handy. Lin Xian is a law-abiding citizen. He won¡¯t push too far on X Country territory, so even if my double gets captured, I¡¯ll still have leverage to negotiate with Lin Xian... especially after I confirm this last thing. I¡¯ll have solid proof to make Lin Xian believe me.¡± Angelica exhaled a puff of smoke, giving Elon Musk a skeptical look. ¡°If you want me to go along with this plan, you¡¯ll need to make me believe you first. So, what¡¯s this ¡®last thing¡¯ you need to confirm? What are you really trying to figure out?¡± Elon Musk shrugged. ¡°Even if I told you, you wouldn¡¯t understand. But fine, listen up. The last thing I need to confirm is what you and Lin Xian mentioned¡ªthe blue-eyed girl can kill Lin Xian. That¡¯s something I just can¡¯t believe. I think our misunderstanding largely stems from this. It might sound strange to you, but I¡¯m certain that the blue-eyed girl shouldn¡¯t be able to harm anyone. I¡¯ve spent months with her, and I¡¯ve tested everything. How could she hurt anyone? Unless... unless she was hiding something from me, but what would be the point? If she could kill, why didn¡¯t she kill me?¡± He straightened up, looking Angelica in the eye. ¡°Have you seen the blue-eyed girl, the one Lin Xian says is chasing him?¡± ¡°No,¡± Angelica shook her head, blowing out another cloud of smoke. ¡°How could I have seen her? Lin Xian came to me to escape from her. But now I understand¡ªyou¡¯re doubting Lin Xian¡¯s story. You think he¡¯s lying to both of us, or maybe you believe the blue-eyed assassin doesn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°No matter what you think, I trust Lin Xian. He was definitely being chased. When we first met in Princeton, he was on the run¡ªI could see his tension, and the way he relaxed after getting a gun¡ªthat kind of emotional detail can¡¯t be faked. Unless, like you said, he¡¯s an Oscar-level actor.¡± Elon Musk smiled slightly, pushing the ashtray closer to Angelica. ¡°Exactly, Angelica. At this point, there¡¯s no point in guessing anymore. We¡¯ll just have to see for ourselves. And you don¡¯t need to doubt me anymore, right? I¡¯ve been sincere. I¡¯ve told you everything I could, and you¡¯re free to do whatever you want. You¡¯ve even got your phone on you...¡± ¡°You know the reason we haven¡¯t contacted Lin Xian is to let this final act play out... so we can expose Copernicus¡¯s century-old conspiracy and then destroy it!¡± Angelica finished her cigarette, extinguishing it in the ashtray. She turned to look out the window, towards the north where the night was dark... Two kilometers away, there was a large abandoned factory¡ªthe place where Elon Musk had arranged to meet Lin Xian. Lin Xian... Will you show up? Is this gamble of mine going to pay off? She squinted her eyes, trying to see into the distance, where a small car was driving north. The Port Area was mostly industrial, so it was rare for a family car to head north at this hour. Angelica knew she had to make a decision. Should she trust Elon Musk or not? Right now, if it were Ji Lin in her place... what would her beloved brother do? She tried to think like Ji Lin, imagining what he would analyze. Yu Xi¡¯s short hair, now loose, fell to her neck... Just the right length, a ¡°short neck-length haircut!¡± In that moment, everything clicked! The persistent discomfort vanished... The confusion in his mind cleared... He finally solved the mystery of the time-space assassin¡ªwhy didn¡¯t the assassin kill him in Copenhagen but attacked him elsewhere? Lin Xian had always wondered why the assassin overlooked him in Copenhagen after murdering Yellow Finch but then located him immediately in Donghai City. It seemed too precise, too swift, nearly implausible. But now he realized... The assassin was merely human, not supernatural. How could she kill in Copenhagen and then track him down in Donghai City so swiftly? Because! It wasn¡¯t just one person! There were two! Two women! The one who killed Yellow Finch in Copenhagen wasn¡¯t the time-space assassin, but the woman in front of him¡ªYu Xi! Because she was constrained by the time-space law, she couldn¡¯t harm anyone in this timeline, which is why she ignored him in Copenhagen and walked away. But in Donghai City, it was the real time-space assassin who attacked him! The reason he hadn¡¯t noticed there were two people was that Yu Xi, when she killed Yellow Finch, was wearing a hoodie, concealing her face. And she had deliberately let some of her black neck-length hair show to mislead him, making him think the assassin had this hairstyle. If it were just the hairstyle, it wouldn¡¯t have been enough for Lin Xian to discover the truth. The revelation arose from layers of doubt: Why did Yu Xi always avoid meeting Angelica and Elon Musk? Why did she always find excuses to stay away from them? Because, despite her similar hairstyle and glowing blue eyes, Yu Xi and the assassin had distinctly different facial features. If Angelica or Elon Musk saw Yu Xi, they would instantly realize that the girl pursuing them wasn¡¯t Elon Musk¡¯s companion. Actually... Was Yu Xi protecting him? Lin Xian had to admit, she had saved him many times, but her real goal, her true target... was Elon Musk! She had been manipulating him all along! Yu Xi, who had obviously escaped from Elon Musk, why was she trying to get him to kill Elon Musk? Because she couldn¡¯t do it herself! She was bound by the time-space law, unable to harm people in this timeline, so to kill Elon Musk, she needed someone else to do it. All the times Yu Xi protected him were probably just to gain his trust. Once she had his trust... With her manipulation, the assassin¡¯s pursuit, and Yu Xi¡¯s involvement, he was led to believe that the assassin who killed Yellow Finch was Elon Musk¡¯s doing... In this web of escalating hatred, he might have actually killed Elon Musk! Why did Yu Xi always want to act alone? There were several times when Yu Xi suggested they split up. Maybe she had other plans, needed to contact someone, or, like this time in Donghai City, she wanted to get him a real gun, making it easier for him to kill Elon Musk. She was incredibly cunning. If not for the fake Elon Musk at the abandoned factory, he might have actually shot Elon Musk in the head! Thanks to Yellow Finch¡¯s advice to ¡°never leave Yu Xi,¡± he had rejected every time Yu Xi suggested they split up, keeping her close and thwarting her plans. He noticed another odd detail... Yu Xi always reported the assassin¡¯s location and distance, but he had no way to verify it himself. He had always trusted Yu Xi¡¯s updates on the assassin¡¯s whereabouts without questioning the possibility that he might be misled. In the US, Yu Xi¡¯s reports were mostly accurate. But this time in Donghai City... Yu Xi¡¯s updates on the assassin¡¯s location made no sense! Reflecting on it, she had been lying the whole time! She claimed the assassin hadn¡¯t reached Donghai City, then said she had gone to Shandong, and suddenly, she was right at the door. Her reason for these lies was clear¡ªto make him let down his guard and confidently go to Elon Musk¡¯s meeting. To come here and do her dirty work, to kill Elon Musk! Everything was starting to add up. All signs pointed to Yu Xi as the problem. She never let her short ponytail down in front of him. He had even asked her why she kept such short hair tied up. He had no idea this was part of her scheme to conceal the feature she used while impersonating the assassin. Even though Lin Xian had regained his strength, a chill ran down his spine. The Yu Xi he had so deeply trusted, who had been by his side day and night, was actually using him to commit murder! Lin Xian had every reason to believe that if he had killed Elon Musk, Yu Xi wouldn¡¯t care about his life and might even let the assassin finish him off! It was terrifying... The thought of having such a close enemy was chilling. When did all this start? Lin Xian remembered. It all started with the name Yu Xi. The message from Yellow Finch, ¡°Don¡¯t leave Yu Xi,¡± made Lin Xian trust that name completely. And the girl with the short ponytail had used that name to deceive him. She saved him from the assassin, Then told him her name was Yu Xi. In such a critical moment, why would he doubt her? But now, looking back, there was no proof she was the real Yu Xi! She had simply used a cleverly designed plot to pose as Yu Xi! ¡°Lin Xian! What are you doing?!¡± The girl claiming to be Yu Xi, now with more cuts on her arm, yelled at him. ¡°Hurry up and throw me the taser gun! You can¡¯t shoot her, but I can!¡± Lin Xian slowly got to his feet. He took a deep breath, staring at the girl in front of him, now with her hair down, both familiar and strange. ¡°You¡¯re not Yu Xi at all!¡± The girl¡¯s eyes widened, then she gritted her teeth. ¡°Useless!¡± She suddenly changed direction, leaping towards Lin Xian, reaching for the taser gun. But the assassin was quicker. With a swift move, the assassin lunged forward, appearing beside Lin Xian. She gripped her knife tightly, striking at the taser gun and the girl¡¯s neck¡ª A crescent moon of cold steel, powerful and precise, split the taser gun in two, and with the same stroke, sliced through the girl¡¯s slender neck, decapitating her and causing blood to spray from the wound. The girl¡¯s head, eyes still wide open, hadn¡¯t even hit the ground before her body, the blood, and the misty blood spray all turned into blue star dust, vanishing without a trace... The assassin stood up, pressing the bloodied knife against Lin Xian¡¯s neck. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Her voice was soft yet cold. It was the first time Lin Xian had heard the assassin speak. Her voice was beautiful, but it carried a chilling undertone, like the whisper of death. Facing such overwhelming power, he didn¡¯t dare to move. The assassin then pulled out what looked like a small camera, probably a video recorder. She placed it on the hood of the Tesla, positioning it to face Lin Xian. Then, she moved to stand beside him, the knife still pressed against his neck. With her other hand, she saluted the camera. ¡°Report! Currently arresting Lin Xian for crimes against humanity, endangering Earth, and disrupting the time-space continuum.¡± ¡°The suspect is in good health, physically intact, and uninjured. He is suitable for hibernation and will be sent to the time-space court for trial.¡± ¡°Following procedure, Lin Xian will be forcibly placed in a hibernation pod and transported to the future. Time-space court personnel should prepare for his arrival. Once the mission is complete, I will return immediately.¡± She ended her report with a firm, ¡°That is all, report complete!¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t lift his head, not with the sharp blade at his throat. But he heard every word. This girl was listing his crimes, just like in the Fourth Dream. ¡°Report time: April 26, 2024, 8:12 PM.¡± The girl continued, her voice strong and clear, every word perfectly pronounced: ¡°Report location: X Country, Donghai City, Port Area.¡± She finished with a crisp, authoritative tone: ¡°Reporter: Level Three Time-Space Police Agent¡ªLin Yu Xi!¡± Chapter 352: The Real and Fake Yu Xi ¡°Lin Xian... Yu Xi?¡± Another Yu Xi? Which one is real, and which is fake? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t lift his head, his neck pinned beneath a sharp blade. Even though the situation was dire, he could still hear the girl¡ªthe so-called ¡°time-space assassin¡±¡ªreporting to someone. Earlier, she had placed a small camera on the hood of a Tesla, aimed directly at them. It was clear she intended to record his capture as evidence to submit to some authority. But who was she reporting to? Who had sent her to capture him? Lin Xian¡¯s mind raced, trying to piece together the clues. The girl mentioned two unfamiliar terms: ¡°Time-Space Court¡± and ¡°Time-Space Police Bureau.¡± These organizations didn¡¯t exist in 2024. Considering she was from a distant future, it wasn¡¯t hard to figure out... Perhaps, in a world hundreds of years from now, humanity had mastered time travel. They might have set up laws to maintain temporal stability, along with a court to judge time-space criminals and a police bureau to catch them. This lined up perfectly with his fourth dream! Every time he entered that dream, he was surrounded by heavily armed soldiers. Their leader would brandish an official-looking arrest warrant and declare: ¡°Lin Xian! You are under arrest for crimes against humanity, endangering Earth, and disrupting the timeline!¡± Those words... they were the same as what the girl had recorded in her arrest video. This could only mean one thing¡ªthe time-space assassin girl and the heavily armed soldiers from his fourth dream belonged to the same organization¡ªthe Time-Space Police Bureau! But due to the scarcity and preciousness of time-space particles, not everyone from the bureau could travel back to 2024 to arrest him. So, they launched a ¡°pincer attack.¡± A pincer attack is a military strategy where troops are split into two forces to attack the enemy from different directions. In this case, the Time-Space Police Bureau¡¯s pincer attack involved two fronts: One group operated in the future world of August 28, 2624, the day he could freely travel to. Their goal was clear: to block his dream, severely weakening his abilities, making it impossible for him to grow stronger or gain information about the future. It was a highly effective strategy, almost rendering him helpless in both dreams and reality. The second front of the pincer attack was the time-space assassin girl standing before him. To him, she was an evil assassin. But in reality, she was a third-level agent from the Time-Space Police Bureau, a true ally of justice. Her mission was to arrest him in 2024. It turned out his initial guess was right: her primary goal wasn¡¯t to kill him but to capture him and send him to the Time-Space Court for trial. The girl clearly had high authority. As an agent tasked with hunting criminals, she must have faced various dangerous situations. Judging by her tone, it seemed that even if she injured, crippled, or accidentally killed him during the arrest, it would still be considered a successful mission. The only difference would be skipping the trial. From a law enforcement perspective, this was understandable. Some criminals are so dangerous that they resist violently and might even take hostages, threatening lives. In such cases, killing them on the spot is sometimes the only option. But Lin Xian never imagined that he would one day be branded with such charges, becoming a time-space fugitive with a bounty on his head, like Kevin Walker. The Time-Space Police Bureau was closing off his future dreams while sending an assassin (a time-space agent) to apprehend him in the present. They were coming at him from both sides¡ªa ruthless strategy. So, continuing with this line of reasoning... who was controlling the Time-Space Police Bureau and the Time-Space Court? Whoever controlled them must be the one who charged him with these crimes. The answer was obvious... it had to be that mysterious old man! He was the one who accused Lin Xian of crimes against humanity, endangering Earth, and disrupting the timeline, making him a criminal in history. It was him who ordered the Time-Space Police Bureau to deploy forces on two fronts to capture him and send his 2024 self to the future Time-Space Court for trial. It was also him who, in the future dream world 600 years from now, led him to recite Kevin Walker¡¯s lines, diverting his attention to Kevin Walker... which ultimately led to this entire chain of events. But who exactly was this mysterious old man? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t be sure yet because there were too many possibilities. It could be Elon Musk, or someone he had never met but only heard about, like Copernicus. It could be anyone from the Genius Club or even someone outside of it... However, after analyzing the girl¡¯s report, two key pieces of information emerged. First, the girl mentioned that she would send him to the Time-Space Court for trial through forced hibernation. Lin Xian had initially thought she would use some time-travel machine, like a time machine from a sci-fi show, to transport him instantly to the future courtroom. But that was unrealistic. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the world 600 years in the future had mastered time travel technology. However, in 2024, there were no time machines, no time-travel devices. Not to mention, time travel required time-space particles as fuel. Where could such precious resources come from? And as a captured criminal, he didn¡¯t deserve to use such valuable things. By comparison, forcing him into a hibernation chamber, ignoring all side effects, making him sleep for several hundred years, and then abruptly waking him up in the future for trial¡ªthis seemed more fitting for a criminal of his magnitude. Perhaps, from the Time-Space Court¡¯s perspective, this would be more efficient. Once the time-space assassin placed him into the hibernation chamber, it was likely that the Time-Space Court would immediately awaken him 600 years in the future for his trial. This was the real time capsule, the true express delivery through time. But on the other hand, in 2024, hibernation chambers were still experimental, not yet available for the general public. Using one at this stage was no small feat; it required connections and influence, not just money. Lin Xian had only managed to secure two volunteer slots thanks to his good relationship with the Scientific Research Institute. So how could this time-space assassin, who was unfamiliar with 2024, be so confident that she could obtain a hibernation pod and force him into it? This led to the first crucial piece of information: in the current 2024, this time-space assassin girl wasn¡¯t acting alone. She had help from someone in this timeline¡ªsomeone who provided her with the means to capture Lin Xian, including his location, a place to detain him, and even a hibernation pod. They were working together. This explained a lot. Combining this with his earlier thoughts, it wasn¡¯t hard to deduce that the person helping the time-space assassin was likely the mysterious old man in his younger days! The first thing the time-space assassin probably did after arriving wasn¡¯t to hunt him down immediately but to find the ¡°younger version of the mysterious old man.¡± They must have made contact, discussed a plan, and then the time-space assassin began her mission while the ¡°younger mysterious old man¡± had already prepared the necessary hibernation equipment, just waiting for the time-space assassin to bring Lin Xian so they could force him into hibernation for several hundred years until the Time-Space Court convened. That was the first key piece of information sorted out. The second key point came from the girl¡¯s report... She said that after forcing Lin Xian into hibernation, her mission would be complete, and she would return immediately. Where she would return was obvious. From the context, it was highly likely she would return to the Time-Space Court and Time-Space Police Bureau several hundred years in the future. With the arrest video she just recorded, she would probably receive a medal or even a promotion to first-level agent. Lin Xian didn¡¯t care about that. What concerned him was... how would she return so quickly? The phrase ¡°return immediately¡± suggested she might salute and then disappear from this timeline, reappearing in the future the next second. That was hard to believe! No time machine, no time-space particles as fuel, yet she could still travel through time with just her body? That was practically fantasy. In any story, the ability to casually travel through time would be considered a high-level power. So, Lin Xian speculated the reason this time-space assassin girl exhibited so many strange, illogical behaviors might be linked to her unconventional time travel. This led to the second key piece of information: the reason the time-space assassin girl wasn¡¯t bound by the laws of time was likely due to her ability to return to the future world immediately. Or perhaps these two unusual phenomena were connected to the real secret of the time-space assassin girl¡ªher power source and why she wasn¡¯t restricted by the laws of time. Unfortunately, there wasn¡¯t enough information to fully understand this. And given the current situation, Lin Xian¡¯s mind was already overloaded, thinking rapidly, without the time to delve deeper into many details. Because... Amidst all these mysteries, one thing shocked him the most, something unexpected, something unbelievable¡ªLin Yu Xi! The time-space police third-level agent, at the end of her report, revealed her name... Lin Yu Xi. That was her full name. When Lin Xian heard this name, his first reaction was suspicion. After all, the previous fake Yu Xi had deceived him with that name. So who could guarantee that this second Yu Xi was real? But after careful consideration, Lin Xian was now 90% sure that the time-space assassin girl before him was likely the real Yu Xi! Because in this situation, she had no reason to lie or deceive him. When the paternity test results showed no biological relation, it didn¡¯t affect Lin Xian¡¯s trust in her. After all, her actions spoke louder than any DNA test¡ªshe had consistently put her life on the line for him. The next day, they went to meet Elon Musk at the Donghai University Affiliated Hospital. The fake Yu Xi again suggested acting alone, likely planning to acquire a gun for Lin Xian on the black market. But remembering Yellow Finch¡¯s last words to stay with Yu Xi, Lin Xian kept her close, waiting at the 17th-floor stairwell. She stayed cautious, avoiding Elon Musk. From Musk¡¯s point of view, the blue-eyed girl pursuing Lin Xian made it impossible for him to clear the air; Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t believe anything Musk said. And indeed, Lin Xian, fueled by resentment against Musk, trusted him least of all. That afternoon, however, when the fake Yu Xi pulled out a Taser, Lin Xian experienced a flicker of doubt for the first time... Although a Taser isn¡¯t a lethal weapon, it¡¯s still regulated in X Country, not something one could just pick up and carry around. Lin Xian struggled to believe that the fake Yu Xi could have easily taken it from Musk¡¯s guards. Still, with Elon Musk as his foe, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t be certain about the security measures of Musk¡¯s guards. And despite his doubts, the Taser symbolized Yu Xi¡¯s intention to protect him, perhaps even from Musk himself. This marked the culmination of the fake Yu Xi¡¯s meticulously woven web of deceit. The imposter Yu Xi was a master of manipulation, fully aware that Elon Musk held no real grudge against Lin Xian. Her deception was carefully crafted, and her tactics were subtly brilliant. She calmly reassured Lin Xian with a lie: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the time-space assassin is still far away, in Shandong. You can safely meet with Elon Musk tonight; she won¡¯t be here in time.¡± In reality, the assassin was already in Donghai. But if Lin Xian knew the truth, he wouldn¡¯t have gone to the meeting. Using her unique ability to detect the assassin¡¯s location, she manipulated Lin Xian, who had no way to verify her claims. He had to trust her word. As a result, Lin Xian and the imposter Yu Xi set up an ambush at an abandoned factory. But then, at a critical moment, the imposter Yu Xi shifted the narrative: ¡°This is bad, the time-space assassin is coming. It looks like Elon Musk is going back on his word!¡± In a calculated move, she continued to manipulate the situation: ¡°However, Lin Xian... you don¡¯t need to worry. If Elon Musk has just called back the time-space assassin out of caution, you only need to talk to him; ignore her. But, if the assassin comes straight for us... then Lin Xian, don¡¯t hesitate. Use the Taser and take Elon Musk down.¡± She knew that Elon Musk and the time-space assassin were never allies; they hadn¡¯t even met. The assassin, driven solely by her mission, would attack immediately upon arrival. According to the imposter Yu Xi¡¯s plan, Lin Xian would undoubtedly use the Taser on Elon Musk. This chilling realization dawned on Lin Xian. He began to question everything: Was this Taser just a normal Taser? Had it been modified? Was the electric current enhanced to be lethal? [What if... if I really shot Elon Musk, would it kill him?] The imposter Yu Xi¡¯s plot was indeed sophisticated. But she hadn¡¯t accounted for Elon Musk¡¯s cunning. Known for his caution, he sent a decoy¡ªa fake Elon Musk, expertly disguised by Angelica, making it hard for anyone to spot the difference. However, what Elon Musk didn¡¯t know was that the visually enhanced time travelers, like the imposter Yu Xi, could easily see through such disguises. She quickly realized the person before them was not the real Elon Musk. When the real time-space assassin appeared, the imposter¡¯s plan began to unravel. As the battle between the real and fake Yu Xi escalated, and as her short ponytail slipped to her neck, Lin Xian¡¯s suspicions were confirmed. He unraveled the entire scheme: He identified the real and fake Yu Xi. He uncovered the truth behind Yellow Finch¡¯s murder. He exposed the imposter Yu Xi¡¯s entire plot. Ultimately, the imposter Yu Xi was defeated by a more skilled third-level agent from the Time-Space Police, who ended her existence, causing her to dissolve into blue star dust. With the imposter gone, Lin Xian faced a new dilemma concerning Lin Yu Xi. He couldn¡¯t dismiss the possibility that Yu Xi might be his daughter. He had long suspected that the name ¡°Yu Xi¡± was given by either Yellow Finch or Zhao Ying Jun. If that was true, she might indeed be his daughter. The paternity test had shown no match because they had tested the imposter, not the real Yu Xi. Now, standing before him was the true Yu Xi, sharing his surname¡ªLin. Reflecting on the last look Yellow Finch gave him¡ªa look of gentleness, longing, and sorrow¡ªhe realized it might have been a mother¡¯s farewell to her daughter. Was it possible that at some point in the future, under unknown circumstances, he had been forced to leave young Lin Yu Xi? Had she fallen into the wrong hands, trained by the mysterious old man to become a time-space assassin? Or perhaps, he and Yellow Finch had left young Lin Yu Xi as an orphan, leading to her training as a time-space operative? It was conceivable. Considering that long-term hibernation could cause memory loss, it was possible that when Lin Yu Xi awoke, she was brainwashed with false memories. Lin Xian didn¡¯t know the specifics of Lin Yu Xi¡¯s recent years, but he was fairly certain she was his and Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s daughter from another time. Confirming this wouldn¡¯t be difficult; another DNA test could prove it. But the real question lingered: Would he ever have the chance to confirm it? Would Lin Yu Xi believe the words of a man accused of heinous crimes? ¡°Have you considered that I might be your father?¡± Unable to lift his head, he pleaded, ¡°Put down the knife, let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Lin Yu Xi retorted sharply, pressing the blade harder against his neck. ¡°Even though I¡¯m an orphan, you could never be my father.¡± Her voice was filled with scorn and bitterness. ¡°You committed terrible crimes¡ªdestroying Earth, messing up the timeline. How many people have died because of you? How many families have you destroyed? You¡¯re the worst criminal in human history!¡± ¡°If you have anything to say, save it for the Time-Space Court.¡± Suddenly, a loud crash echoed as a speeding Tesla slammed into the back of the black Tesla parked in front. Lin Yu Xi reacted instantly, pulling Lin Xian aside. Though the car didn¡¯t hit them, she kept her vigilance high, clutching Lin Xian¡¯s throat with one hand and the knife with the other, eyeing the opening doors of the Tesla. ¡°Lin Xian!¡± The driver¡¯s and passenger¡¯s doors swung open, and Elon Musk along with Angelica hurried out. Elon Musk, carrying a small refrigerator, ran to join Angelica, glancing over at Lin Xian and the blue-eyed stranger gripping him. ¡°So that¡¯s what¡¯s happening...¡± He tapped the refrigerator¡¯s keypad, murmuring: ¡°So that¡¯s how you use this tangled time-space particle! No wonder it can defy the laws of time and space... You¡¯re like a self-contained loop... Your existence isn¡¯t really here in the present but in the future, where that particle is! You¡¯ve flipped cause and effect!¡± With a click, the small refrigerator opened. Lin Xian and Lin Yu Xi saw inside¡ª Two time-space particles spinning around each other, glowing blue and pulsating with energy. They were separate yet somehow united, a complex tangle of energies beyond ordinary understanding. ¡°I had my doubts when I saw how Lin Xian defied the time-space laws...¡± Elon Musk sighed, then added: ¡°But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to destroy such a unique time-space particle. However, if Copernicus¡¯s loop hasn¡¯t vanished, it means this particle isn¡¯t meant for me in the future. It¡¯ll still end up stolen by Copernicus.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case... then no one should have it! Lin Xian, we¡¯re square now!¡± With that declaration, Elon Musk plunged his hand into the refrigerator, stirring the entangled time-space particles. Thud... Lin Yu Xi¡¯s eyes widened in shock, her body tensing before she dropped the knife. She clenched her teeth, leaped to the nearby wall, scaled it quickly, and dived out the broken window! ¡°Lin Xian!¡± Angelica cried out as she saw the time-space assassin flee. She dashed to Lin Xian¡¯s side. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Angelica, forget about Lin Xian for now, help me!¡± Elon Musk yelled, slamming the refrigerator to the ground and rushing to a pile of rocks. He grabbed several stones and threw them into the refrigerator. ¡°Darn, I should¡¯ve put in a switch! These time-space particles are calming down too slowly! And the more they¡¯re touched by living things, the slower they deactivate!¡± ¡°Angelica, quick! Throw anything you can find into it! Fill the refrigerator!¡± ¡°Hurry!¡± Elon Musk urged frantically. ¡°Let¡¯s destroy this time-space particle... and end Copernicus¡¯s loop with it!¡± Chapter 353: You and Your Daughter Angelica glanced at Lin Xian, then at Elon Musk. Relief washed over her as she saw Lin Xian slowly rise from the ground, unharmed. Following Elon Musk¡¯s lead, she picked up a few small stones from the nearby pile of rubble and tossed them into the small refrigerator. The refrigerator, now wide open with its door facing upwards, was filled with stones, debris, and random construction waste. Lin Xian dusted himself off and walked over to the refrigerator, where Elon Musk and Angelica had just finished their task. They stood nearby, hands on their hips, all three of them staring down at the refrigerator, which was now stuffed with junk, completely burying the time-space particle inside. Lin Xian looked at Elon Musk. ¡°Do you have two time-space particles?¡± ¡°No.¡± Elon Musk clapped the dust off his hands and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not two time-space particles... it¡¯s one! Just one! Even though it looks like two, they¡¯re entangled and can¡¯t be separated. You have to use them together. If one fails, the other does too. Got it? Inside here is a single time-space particle!¡± Elon Musk then turned his head toward the window where the blue-eyed girl had escaped. The window was at least seven or eight meters high from the ground¡ªa ridiculous display of strength and agility. ¡°But... since that blue-eyed girl ran away so quickly and without hesitation, I must be right. Otherwise, why would she run? She could have just killed us, right? After all, she isn¡¯t bound by the laws of time-space.¡± Lin Xian also turned his head, looking at the window the time-space assassin had fled through. By now, who knows how far she had gotten with her extraordinary abilities? There was no point in chasing her; she was long gone. As Elon Musk said, the fact that she fled so decisively showed that Elon Musk¡¯s theory about the entangled time-space particle must have hit the mark. Finally, they had uncovered a secret about the time-space assassin! ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian kicked the refrigerator, now stuffed with debris. ¡°This entangled time-space particle inside is the material the time-space assassin used to travel here? I heard you mention breaking Copernicus¡¯s loop. Do you think this time-space traveler was sent by Copernicus? And that they used your particle? This is really strange. Copernicus steals your time-space particle, sends back a blue-eyed girl who¡¯s not bound by time-space laws, and instead of killing you, she comes to arrest me... what¡¯s the reason behind all this? And another thing¡ªI guess you saw the short ponytailed girl through Tesla¡¯s cameras, right? She¡¯s also a time traveler from the future... probably the one who used to be by your side, right?¡± ¡°If, as you suspect, this blue-eyed girl is the one who used your time-space particle to travel back... then who sent the other blue-eyed girl who was just killed? Whose time-space particle did she use to travel back, and who was behind her?¡± Elon Musk lifted a foot and stomped on the refrigerator to pack the debris in tighter. He then turned to Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian, this is why I said earlier that there are many misunderstandings between us. I believe there¡¯s a lot of information we haven¡¯t shared. Even with Angelica passing messages between us, things get lost in translation. Now that we¡¯re finally standing here, calm and talking, why don¡¯t we take this opportunity to exchange information and experiences? Let¡¯s try to piece together the truth behind all this. What do you think?¡± He spread his hands. ¡°I came with good intentions today. Look, I returned Angelica to you without a scratch, and I destroyed the time-space particle I¡¯d held onto for so long to save you... well, not exactly to save you, but it proves that this thing would have ended up in Copernicus¡¯s hands anyway, so I decided to destroy it in advance.¡± ¡°In short, I admit I used you in some ways before, so... I¡¯ll confess first. I¡¯ll tell my story, then you can share your information. Is that okay?¡± Lin Xian nodded. Exchanging information is always a good idea, especially since Elon Musk was willing to go first. ¡°You start. I¡¯ll listen to what you have to say.¡± Elon Musk nodded and began to speak slowly. ¡°A few months ago, the ponytailed blue-eyed girl found me and said she used the time-space particle I had hidden to travel from the future. I didn¡¯t doubt her at the time because she told me many things... although most were vague, either ¡®can¡¯t say¡¯ or ¡®don¡¯t know how to explain.¡¯ But even so, it was enough. Based on my plan, as long as I had a time-space particle and it was proven that time travel was possible, it was only a matter of time before a future version of me sent a time traveler back to help me.¡± ¡°She was limited by the laws of time-space, so there were many things she couldn¡¯t say or do, which I expected. Before joining the Genius Club, I had already captured the time-space particle and figured out some time-space laws... of course, the club has rules about these things, so I won¡¯t go into detail. Rules are rules; if you join, you have to follow them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll continue with the ponytailed blue-eyed girl... she didn¡¯t have a ponytail when she was with me. I just said that to make it easier for you to understand, and you¡¯re smart enough to get it. She told me that to complete my loop, I needed to take one last step: destroy the overpowered super AIs and stop Kevin Walker¡¯s actions. She couldn¡¯t tell me who owned the super AIs because of time-space restrictions.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not stupid. I guessed that you and Kevin Walker probably had super AIs. I wasn¡¯t sure, but if I needed to destroy them, I¡¯d assume you two or others had them.¡± ¡°I personally despise super AIs and Kevin Walker. His future plans and mine are completely at odds, which is why we¡¯ve never seen eye to eye. So I did what the girl said. She gave me a USB drive, clearly a piece of future tech, and said it contained a virus that could fix history by killing all super AIs smarter than Kevin Walker¡¯s and ensuring none would appear for hundreds of years.¡± ¡°I believed her at the time, but now... now I¡¯m not so sure. If she lied to me once, she could lie to me again. I¡¯m not even sure what¡¯s actually on that USB drive.¡± Lin Xian listened quietly. He remembered the message VV had left on the TV screen at home, with Elon Musk¡¯s name burned into it. That made sense now. No wonder Elon Musk could destroy VV¡ªit was all thanks to the future tech given by the time traveler. But the question remained... How could the fake Yu Xi bring advanced technology from the future? Does that even make sense? If she could bring it, why didn¡¯t she bring something even more advanced? Wouldn¡¯t that disrupt the timeline? Wouldn¡¯t it trigger time-space elasticity, causing the USB drive to disappear? ¡°What happened to that USB drive? Do you still have it?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°It¡¯s gone.¡± Elon Musk shook his head. ¡°It disappeared in my hands, just like the blue-eyed girl who was beheaded. It all turned to blue dust and vanished. It¡¯s pretty amazing, isn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t understand the mechanism behind it, but the USB drive disappeared without a trace.¡± Lin Xian rubbed his chin in thought. There were still many questions. It wasn¡¯t that he doubted Elon Musk was lying, but he didn¡¯t understand how the fake Yu Xi could bring a USB drive from the future. This clearly violates time-space elasticity, something that should not be allowed by time-space laws. Could it be... this was some sort of time-space-approved historical correction? Or... maybe the USB drive was actually empty, so it didn¡¯t violate time-space elasticity, and the virus that killed VV was written in this era. The reason Lin Xian thought of this was that his VV was something he memorized from a dream and then painstakingly typed out, code by code, in reality. Could the enemy have done the same? The first suspect that came to Lin Xian¡¯s mind was Turing! Which is the digital version of Kevin Walker. Turing should be the super AI that VV was always fighting against, not Kevin Walker himself. So, Turing was the real culprit who wrote the virus that killed VV in that future USB drive? What was its motive? For fairness? For justice? Did it think VV¡¯s existence was disrupting the balance of the game? It¡¯s too early to make conclusions. Lin Xian decided to continue listening to what Elon Musk had to say. It was now confirmed that Elon Musk was indeed the one who killed VV. But Lin Xian didn¡¯t plan to confront him about it. That would be foolish and would give away too much. Elon Musk had speculated that Kevin Walker and Lin Xian both had super AIs and even thought others might have them too. So he executed a wide-scale purge, killing all the super AIs with the virus, without discrimination. Of course, the one he wanted to kill most was Kevin Walker¡¯s AI. But unfortunately, he guessed wrong. Kevin Walker didn¡¯t have a super AI; he had a digital life form. Artificial intelligence and digital life are fundamentally different. AI is ultimately just a program written by humans, but digital life is truly a person, a new form of existence. In many ways, VV was a victim of mistaken identity. So why should Lin Xian admit to Elon Musk that he once had a super AI? There¡¯s no need to answer that question. Sometimes, saying less is better. Seeing Lin Xian stay silent, Elon Musk continued. ¡°Now I¡¯m going to talk about the thing I owe you an apology for and why I said earlier... that I owe you something.¡± Lin Xian looked up, listening carefully. He initially thought that what Elon Musk owed him was related to VV, but now it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case because Elon Musk wasn¡¯t too sure about the incident with VV. Clearly, he had something else he was hiding. ¡°Lin Xian, that ponytailed blue-eyed girl you had with you was sent by me. She said she would use you to help me kill Kevin Walker.¡± Lin Xian squinted his eyes... So, it was a case of double-crossing, a spy within a spy: ¡°That¡¯s why you gave me Kevin Walker¡¯s address, right? You actually knew all along... that the ponytailed girl was staying by my side, pretending to protect me under the name of Yu Xi.¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Elon Musk quickly waved his hands. ¡°This is where I think our misunderstanding lies. The blue-eyed girl with me said that once my loop was completed, she could use you to kill Kevin Walker. I believed her completely because she was helping me... at least, on the surface.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to kill Kevin Walker for a long time, but I couldn¡¯t find him, and I was powerless. The blue-eyed girl said you, Lin Xian, could find Kevin Walker. I figured you two had a grudge, so why not? And then she left me.¡± ¡°I always believed she was helping you find Kevin Walker. As for the idea that... she was protecting you and being hunted by a time-space assassin... I had no idea! After she left me, I never heard from her again, and I couldn¡¯t contact her either.¡± ¡°It was Angelica who told me there was a blue-eyed girl hunting you. I was confused because I thought I had sent her to help you find Kevin Walker. How could she end up trying to kill you? Angelica said this information came from you, and you described the killer as having short black hair, blue eyes, and a cold expression... that made me nervous.¡± ¡°All the features were so similar. I couldn¡¯t imagine there would be a second blue-eyed girl hunting you... and even if there was a second one, it couldn¡¯t possibly match all the characteristics of the one who just left me, right? I began to wonder if I had been tricked too. She left saying she would help you kill Kevin Walker, but what if... she was actually going to kill you?¡± ¡°I asked Angelica if she had seen the appearance of that blue-eyed assassin. Angelica said no. That¡¯s why I set up this situation tonight... I wanted to see what role the ponytailed blue-eyed girl was playing... what her real goal was.¡± ¡°Angelica said the time-space assassin was trying to kill you, which violated time-space laws, so I was suspicious all along. So tonight, I did use you.¡± Elon Musk spread his hands with a smile. ¡°Using you to kill Kevin Walker and using you to draw out the blue-eyed girl are two things I owe you for.¡± ¡°I did it, I admit it, and I¡¯m not ashamed. I¡¯m not a saint, and I¡¯ll use people to achieve my goals. But as I told Angelica, I¡¯ll admit what I¡¯ve done, but I won¡¯t take the blame for what I haven¡¯t done.¡± ¡°This is all the information I have, Lin Xian. With what you know... can you piece together the truth?¡± Lin Xian silently looked at Elon Musk. This guy was honest, at least. Even if he hadn¡¯t confessed to using Lin Xian, Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t have noticed. After all, the fake Yu Xi was already dead, and Elon Musk could have just pinned all the blame on her and played the good guy. But in the end, he confessed. Tonight, he was indeed sincere. And regardless of the process or motivation, in the end, Elon Musk did save him from the real Yu Xi¡¯s hands. Angelica was also safe, so Lin Xian decided to share some of his information with Elon Musk. Because... it was clear that Elon Musk still had some cards up his sleeve¡ª Copernicus. He had only explained his connections with Kevin Walker and the blue-eyed girl but hadn¡¯t mentioned Copernicus. Clearly, he wasn¡¯t stupid. He was waiting for Lin Xian to show his sincerity before deciding whether to share information about Copernicus. Now, it was Lin Xian¡¯s turn to speak. ¡°The ponytailed blue-eyed girl never mentioned a plan to kill Kevin Walker after she joined me. She said her mission was to protect me from the time-space assassin. She also said that the assassin was sent by you, constantly urging me to kill you, and even gave me a Taser Gun.¡± Lin Xian pointed to the Taser gun that had been cut in half on the ground. ¡°She said she stole this gun from one of your bodyguards.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense!¡± Elon Musk snorted. ¡°This is X Country. What foreign guest is allowed to carry a gun? At least, someone at my level definitely can¡¯t... and as far as I know, even the highest-level officials visiting X Country aren¡¯t allowed to bring firearms. In addition, X Country provides their own protection so my bodyguards wouldn¡¯t be permitted firearms either.¡± ¡°This... this is from Copernicus!¡± Angelica picked up the half of the Taser gun with the handle from the ground, flipping it over. ¡°I recognize this! Elon Musk, remember your security captain who fled? The one arranged by Copernicus... he used this Taser gun to knock out those two female bodyguards and take the refrigerator and me out.¡± Elon Musk crouched down. He picked up the other half of the gun, removed the Taser dart, examined it closely, and even pried open the casing with a key to inspect the components. ¡°In my experience, this Taser dart has been modified. Its shocking power is far beyond the normal safety limits. If it hit someone, it could be lethal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t use it today, Lin Xian, or it could have ended very badly. So we can easily conclude that ponytailed blue-eyed girl was a complete liar, through and through. I believe she would have killed Kevin Walker, then me... and then, Lin Xian, you would have been next.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by her apparent protection of you from the time-space assassin. Once you killed me, her goal would be achieved, and she wouldn¡¯t care about your fate. She¡¯d let the assassin take you down.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought too.¡± Lin Xian took the disassembled Taser dart from Elon Musk, casually examined it, and noticed the modification marks before tossing it aside. ¡°And I need to tell you something¡ªKevin Walker isn¡¯t just one person. He¡¯s two.¡± Lin Xian explained the situation about Kevin Walker¡¯s digital life, who called himself Turing, betrayed his physical self, and wanted to be a fair and just observer. Elon Musk¡¯s eyes widened in realization. ¡°I see... in that case, I think I¡¯ve figured out the ponytailed blue-eyed girl¡¯s role.¡± He scratched his head and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°The ponytailed blue-eyed girl is likely a time traveler sent back by future Turing, Kevin Walker¡¯s digital life.¡± Elon Musk began pacing in place, summarizing his thoughts with outstretched fingers. ¡°Look closely at what this ponytailed blue-eyed girl has done...¡± ¡°First, she used the virus on the USB drive to kill all super AIs except Turing. Whether for fairness or other reasons, the only beneficiary of this action is Turing.¡± Although he didn¡¯t know if Lin Yu Xi had any blood relation to him or Zhao Ying Jun, if she did, she was a real filial daughter, killing her father to prove her way. Elon Musk stroked his chin, thinking. ¡°You have a point. Maybe the USB drive disappeared because some loop fell out of line. Time-space logic and rules... even I have a lot to learn. This incident was a real lesson for me... it shows I¡¯ve still got a long way to go and a lot more to learn.¡± ¡°Take this, Lin Xian. Whether or not you accept my apology, I hope this can serve as a gift of reconciliation.¡± As he said this, Elon Musk handed the small refrigerator to Lin Xian. ¡°You survived because of it, so keep it as a souvenir.¡± Lin Xian took the refrigerator in his arms, but as he bent down, his phone fell out of his pocket. It dropped to the ground. Lin Xian looked down... And saw 103 missed calls on the screen! All from Liu Feng! And just as he noticed the screen, Liu Feng¡¯s call came in again. Since Lin Xian had silenced his phone and even turned off the vibrate mode before entering the warehouse to avoid detection, he hadn¡¯t heard a thing. No wonder there was no sign of the calls. Lin Xian put down the small refrigerator and picked up his phone, walking a bit further away to answer it. ¡°Hello...?¡± ¡°¡®Hello my foot! What have you been doing, Lin Xian? Why are you just answering now?!¡± Before he could finish his greeting, Liu Feng¡¯s roar boomed through the phone. ¡°I¡¯ve been calling you non-stop!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t eight hundred... just 103.¡± Lin Xian held the phone away from his ear, avoiding a ruptured eardrum. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? I almost died today, okay?¡± ¡°Something big happened, Lin Xian!¡± Liu Feng sounded like he was pounding the table in excitement. ¡°The clock... the time-space clock... the time-space clock has changed! The numbers on the time-space clock have changed! Finally, it¡¯s changed! My theory was right! Time-space curvature really exists!¡± What? Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. The clock, which had been stuck like a broken machine, had actually changed its numbers. No wonder Liu Feng was so excited and incoherent. The time-space clock had been around for almost a year, and no one had expected it to change. Does this mean... Time-space curvature, Time-space coordinates, The time-space butterfly effect, It¡¯s all coming true! ¡°How much?¡± Lin Xian urged. ¡°Stop shouting and tell me how much it¡¯s changed!¡± ¡°42!¡± Liu Feng shouted excitedly. ¡°0.0000042!¡± ... On the outskirts of Donghai City, a girl who had been running for her life suddenly felt weak and powerless. She couldn¡¯t run anymore. Her head was spinning. She had no choice but to stop, swaying as she stood on the road. The night breeze brushed against her shoulder-length hair, making it dance in the wind. Her head felt so heavy. She had never felt so weak. It was as if faint blue specks of dust were being blown away from her body... Her arms seemed thinner. The muscles in her legs were gone. Her face felt tight. She touched it. How strange... her jawline wasn¡¯t like this when she traveled here. She touched her face again... why did it seem smaller? Her clothes were getting loose, even slipping off her shoulders. What¡¯s happening to me? The girl spotted a small puddle on the road. She hurried over to it, using it as a mirror to see her reflection... This. This was her original self! Why had her appearance reverted? The facial changes caused by time-space rejection... why had they completely disappeared?! Her eyes. Her eyes! She widened her eyes in shock, watching as the bright blue glow in her reflection gradually faded... Becoming light blue, becoming faint blue, becoming a barely visible halo, finally... disappearing completely. Her mind suddenly went blank, all her senses and memories vanishing. She even forgot who she was. The world tilted as she fell towards her reflection in the puddle. Thud~ With a dull sound, the petite girl, dressed in slightly oversized clothes, collapsed into the puddle. Slowly... She closed her black eyes. Vroom... Vroom... Vroom¡ª The low, steady hum of an engine echoed loudly in the quiet, deserted countryside. A Hongqi sedan, with rare license plates and numbers, drove down the narrow, empty road, its bright matrix headlights cutting through the darkness. ¡°Hmm... is our villa in Donghai really this far?¡± Zhao Rui Hai looked at the navigation on the center console in disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s been years since we last visited, but I don¡¯t remember it being this remote.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be wrong. This is the route the butler sent us.¡± Yan Mei, sitting in the passenger seat, gave him a side-eye. ¡°I told you to let the driver take us. You insisted on driving yourself. You better not be taking me into the middle of nowhere.¡± ¡°You use a driver during work hours, but during a holiday, how can you let someone else drive?¡± Zhao Rui Hai replied sternly. ¡°That¡¯s the rule, and I have to set an example. This isn¡¯t the same as running a business.¡± ¡°Our daughter even offered to have her driver bring you, but you insisted on driving yourself.¡± Yan Mei muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t even mention her.¡± Zhao Rui Hai looked annoyed. ¡°Just thinking about her makes me angry. If it weren¡¯t for the one-child policy back then, we would¡¯ve had at least one more... I saw online the other day that there¡¯s a new saying, ¡®The top three acts of filial piety in the new era: not taking the civil service exam, not getting married, and not having kids.¡¯ Our Ying Jun fits all three perfectly.¡± He turned his head and looked carefully at the navigation again. ¡°Oh, I see. It must be that they temporarily closed the road over there, so the navigation rerouted us this way. We¡¯ll have to take a detour.¡± ¡°Then slow down. You¡¯re not familiar with this road, so take it easy.¡± Yan Mei lowered the window, letting the breeze from the fields blow in. ¡°There are no streetlights on these country roads, and you might... hey, hey, hey, hey!!! Stop! Brake! There¡¯s someone ahead!¡± Screech¡ª In the bright beam of the headlights, Zhao Rui Hai saw someone lying on the road. He immediately slammed on the brakes. Luckily, the car wasn¡¯t going fast, so he managed to stop in time. Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei sat up straight, looking through the windshield at the small black puddle on the road... and the small girl lying on it. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Zhao Rui Hai frowned immediately. ¡°Is she hurt?¡± Without hesitation, he opened the car door, and Yan Mei followed suit. They walked to the puddle, not caring about the dirty mud on the girl¡¯s body, and lifted her into their arms. ¡°Little girl? Little girl? Wake up... are you okay? You¡ª¡± In an instant. Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei froze. As they lifted the girl in their arms and the car¡¯s headlights illuminated her face, revealing her features... the couple¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief! They exchanged a glance. Then, taking a deep breath, they looked back at the girl¡¯s face... The delicate eyebrows, the upturned brow tips, the flawless skin, the high nose bridge, the round nose tip, the cherry red lips, the clear jawline, the perfectly sculpted oval face! This face! This face was too familiar! They had watched it grow since she was a child! Zhao Rui Hai swallowed hard and looked at his wife, ¡°Doesn¡¯t this girl... look just like...¡± Yan Mei¡¯s expression was complex, her lips tight as she nodded. ¡°This face... looks exactly like Ying Jun when she was little...¡± Chapter 354: Space-Time Coordinates Zhao Rui Hai held the young girl in his arms, a wave of nostalgia washing over him. It felt like stepping back in time, over a decade ago, when he used to carry his daughter to the park or walk her to school. Even as Ying Jun grew older and more independent during her teenage years, Zhao Rui Hai cherished those childhood memories. He remembered how she would ride on his back or sit on his shoulders, her little pigtails bouncing as she called out, ¡°Daddy, Daddy!¡± Shifting slightly, Zhao Rui Hai adjusted the girl in his arms so the headlights of the Red Flag car illuminated her face better. Yan Mei, sitting beside him, leaned forward to get a closer look. In the brighter light, they both noticed the differences. ¡°Old Zhao, Ying Jun...¡± Yan Mei began, taking out a handkerchief from her pocket to gently wipe the dirt and water from the girl¡¯s face. ¡°At first glance, she really resembles our Ying Jun when she was little, but if you look closely, there are some subtle differences.¡± Zhao Rui Hai nodded, examining the girl¡¯s features more closely. ¡°She does remind me of Ying Jun, but her ears, forehead, and chin... they¡¯re different. Ying Jun¡¯s chin and forehead weren¡¯t shaped like this as a child. But she¡¯s still very pretty.¡± Having watched his daughter grow up, Zhao Rui Hai knew how a parent would recognize their own child. Yet, this girl¡¯s 90% resemblance to Ying Jun was astonishing. ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s getting windy, and the temperature is dropping. We should get into the car and warm her up. She should know her address and her parents¡¯ phone number. Once she wakes up, we can take her home. But for now, let¡¯s not stay out here. What if she catches a cold?¡± Yan Mei, moved by the girl¡¯s familiar and endearing face, took her from Zhao Rui Hai¡¯s arms, ignoring her expensive silk qipao as the mud and water soaked into it. ¡°The car isn¡¯t ideal either, Old Zhao. She¡¯s completely wet, and we don¡¯t have any clean clothes or towels in the car... I checked the GPS, and we¡¯re just a few kilometers from our villa. Can you drive faster? Let¡¯s take her home, get her changed, and warm her up.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been moving her around, and she hasn¡¯t woken up. I don¡¯t understand why she¡¯s sleeping so deeply... Maybe she¡¯s unwell, but she doesn¡¯t have a fever. This girl seems so delicate... I¡¯m worried. Let¡¯s get home!¡± Zhao Rui Hai agreed. Waiting around wasn¡¯t an option; it was better to act. Their home in Donghai was in a secure, upscale community with access to medical staff. It made more sense to get her checked by a doctor there. If she was ill, they could rush her to the hospital without delay.R/e?/Ad lateSt ch/a/pters at Only He opened the car¡¯s back door for Yan Mei. ¡°Let¡¯s get in and head home.¡± Yan Mei carefully placed the wet girl in the back seat, making room for herself. As she closed the door, she noticed how long the girl¡¯s legs were. At about 1.55 to 1.60 meters tall, her legs made up most of her height, suggesting she was well-proportioned and naturally beautiful. Yan Mei thought about the children in her extended family. Girls around 1.55 to 1.60 meters at fourteen or fifteen years of age were considered well-grown, showing no signs of hardship or malnutrition. The girl¡¯s fair skin and flawless complexion indicated she hadn¡¯t faced mistreatment. This reassured Yan Mei. She had worried about potential abuse, but the girl¡¯s smooth skin suggested she was likely well cared for and cherished. The girl had no muscle tone or signs of physical labor or frequent exercise. Her clothes were noticeably too big, possibly a fashion choice or a current trend. Yan Mei wasn¡¯t sure. Both she and her husband were government officials. They had adhered to the one-child policy strictly, having only Ying Jun. Yan Mei, who adored children, always felt the one-child policy limited the joy of parenting. Her husband, despite his strict work demeanor and being tough on subordinates, had a soft spot for kids. Whenever he saw a relative¡¯s newborn, he would go out of his way to help, even arranging hospital stays or giving generous red envelopes. When Ying Jun was fifteen or sixteen, she went abroad to study. Her parents, Yan Mei and Zhao Rui Hai, rarely saw her, maybe a few times a year. Ying Jun grew up quickly and became very independent, not depending much on her parents. This left her parents feeling a little empty inside. By the time she was 21, Ying Jun had finished her studies and graduated. Her parents hoped she would get a government job and stay close to home to make up for the lost time together. Instead, the very next day after coming home, Ying Jun moved to Donghai City to start her own fashion and cosmetics company. This decision upset her father, Zhao Rui Hai, who felt his efforts in raising her were wasted. The relationship between father and daughter became tense, and they stopped talking for a while. It wasn¡¯t until New Year of 2023, when Ying Jun came home and shared her scary experience of nearly dying in a car crash, that Zhao Rui Hai started to rethink things. Now nearly 60 years old and able to delay retirement due to his job, Zhao Rui Hai realized he couldn¡¯t put off aging. He decided to accept his daughter¡¯s choices. As long as she was safe and healthy, that was what really mattered. He realized that success didn¡¯t have to come from a government job. With this new mindset, he found peace, and their relationship began to improve. This improvement is why they started pushing Ying Jun to get married and have children quickly. They were getting older, and with Ying Jun¡¯s plans, they might not meet their grandchildren until their 70s. By then, playing with grandkids might be too hard for them. Zhao Rui Hai was more anxious about this than he would admit, especially seeing his friends with grandchildren. One day, Yan Mei called the butler from the back seat of their Red Flag car. ¡°Hello, it¡¯s me. Can you find out where to buy clothes for a young girl, about 14 or 15 years old and slim? We haven¡¯t shopped for kids in a long time, so just pick a few outfits.¡± She also asked the butler to call the community doctor because they would be home soon and wanted the doctor to check on the girl. When they arrived at their upscale community, the butler greeted them. ¡°Mr. Zhao, Mrs. Yan, the doctor is inside. Do you want help carrying the girl from the back seat?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve got it,¡± Zhao Rui Hai said, handing the car keys to the butler and gently lifting the soaking wet girl. ¡°You park the car. I¡¯ll take her to see the doctor.¡± Inside, the community doctor checked the girl and reassured them. ¡°She¡¯s perfectly healthy¡ªbreathing, heartbeat, all normal. No signs of poisoning. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Yan Mei was relieved but still puzzled. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she waking up? We¡¯ve been through so much, yet she sleeps so soundly.¡± The doctor explained, ¡°Kids sometimes sleep deeply after exhausting days. It¡¯s normal. Let her rest. If she¡¯s not up by tomorrow, give me a call, and we might take her to the hospital for a deeper check.¡± After the doctor left, Yan Mei cleaned the girl up, changed her into fresh clothes, and tucked her into bed. She checked again for any fever. ¡°Have you changed her clothes? Can I come in now?¡± Zhao Rui Hai called from outside the room. ¡°Yes, come in, Old Zhao,¡± Yan Mei answered. Zhao Rui Hai entered and joined Yan Mei by the bed. ¡°Move over a bit, let me see... She¡¯s beautiful, like a porcelain doll.¡± ¡°She looks a bit like Ying Jun did as a child,¡± he added. ¡°Imagine, if Ying Jun has a daughter, our granddaughter might look like this.¡± Yan Mei smiled tenderly at the girl¡¯s sleeping face. ¡°Daughters often resemble their mothers. Maybe that¡¯s why she feels so familiar, like she¡¯s one of our own. It¡¯s a warm feeling, hard to explain.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Zhao Rui Hai agreed, sighing deeply. ¡°It would be wonderful if she really were Ying Jun¡¯s daughter, our granddaughter. She¡¯s already grown, so we wouldn¡¯t have to deal with those tough early years. If we had a granddaughter like this, I¡¯d definitely spoil her. I wouldn¡¯t be as strict as I was with Ying Jun.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t care whether we have a grandson or granddaughter. Whatever they choose to do, they can. We have enough resources to support them. I was so busy with work back then, I missed out on Ying Jun¡¯s best years. I regret that now. If we had a granddaughter, I¡¯d make sure not to make the same mistake.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Yan Mei scoffed, rolling her eyes at her husband. ¡°You¡¯re dreaming! Do you think you¡¯ll just stumble upon a ready-made granddaughter? Why not wish for twins while you¡¯re at it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stop daydreaming. When this girl wakes up tomorrow, we need to send her home quickly. We don¡¯t want to look like kidnappers.¡± Zhao Rui Hai waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m just talking.¡± Yet, he couldn¡¯t stop staring at the sleeping girl¡¯s face, his eyes filled with warmth and deep affection. His thoughts drifted back to the times he took Ying Jun to the park, on spring outings, flying kites... He smacked his lips and sighed deeply. When will I finally have a grandchild? This time, I¡¯ll make sure to spoil them properly. Meanwhile, in a rundown warehouse in the newly developed port area of Donghai, Lin Xian was deep in thought, listening to Liu Feng¡¯s excited voice through the phone. ¡°0.0000042.¡± Lin Xian hadn¡¯t expected it, or rather, it seemed inevitable that the change in the space-time clock¡¯s digits would be related to the number 42. It was anticipated and made perfect sense. ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that, Elon,¡± Angelica interrupted. ¡°I just want to know who killed Ji Lin¡¯s parents. Do you know anything about that? Ji Lin, the genius detective, and the orphan adopted by Ji Shui, like me.¡± ¡°Of course I know him. I enjoyed his books,¡± Elon Musk said, glancing at Lin Xian. ¡°And the money Lin Xian used to buy a ticket to the moon for Zheng Xiang Yue came from a check from Ji Lin¡¯s inheritance, so yes, I¡¯m familiar with him. But... I honestly don¡¯t know who killed his parents.¡± ¡°If I knew, I¡¯d tell you. I¡¯m not sure if it was Copernicus, but I think... shouldn¡¯t you suspect him first? He¡¯s responsible for the deaths of many scientists; maybe Ji Lin¡¯s parents were among them?¡± ¡°Copernicus said you did it,¡± Angelica said coldly. ¡°He claimed that you ordered Ji Lin¡¯s parents to be killed, Elon.¡± Elon Musk couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°At this point, you still believe anything Copernicus says? I think I understand why Copernicus eventually stole my space-time particle. Maybe the problem is with you, Angelica. Once the seed of doubt is planted, it inevitably grows, becoming the only thing you hold onto when desperate.¡± ¡°Copernicus is a master manipulator. He knows you wouldn¡¯t trust him, but he still plants a seed of doubt... Falling into the trap of self-justification is tricky, just like the misunderstanding between Lin Xian and me. It¡¯s really hard to clear up.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve kept my promise. I¡¯ve shared everything I know about Copernicus, so our deal is complete. Let me be clear, Angelica, I don¡¯t want any more trouble. My life is important, and I have important things to focus on.¡± ¡°I now consider you a friend, and I¡¯ve made peace with Lin Xian. Let¡¯s handle any issues calmly, without the aggressive tactics you used before. Whether you believe me or not, I¡¯m not your enemy.¡± Angelica was quiet for a moment. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a cigarette pack, noticing there was only one cigarette left. She took it out, threw the empty pack on the ground, and lit the cigarette, inhaling deeply before exhaling a thick cloud of smoke. ¡°Lin Xian, looks like you¡¯re the only one I can rely on,¡± she said, turning to him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Lin Xian replied, nodding. ¡°I made a promise to you, and I intend to keep it.¡± Elon Musk looked between the two, sensing the intensity of Angelica¡¯s desire for revenge and wondering what Lin Xian had promised her. ¡°Um... there¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about,¡± Elon Musk said, snapping his fingers and pointing at Lin Xian. ¡°I know you want to join the Genius Club. How far along are you in the process?¡± ¡°Space-Time Coordinates,¡± Lin Xian answered truthfully. ¡°Oh~~¡± Elon Musk responded with a knowing look. ¡°That¡¯s pretty quick progress. Since you have the invitation, the next three questions are just a formality. We¡¯ll probably meet in the Genius Club soon.¡± Elon Musk¡¯s words left Lin Xian feeling uneasy. He suspected that perhaps this invitation he had wasn¡¯t entirely legitimate. There might be some cheating involved. Both Yellow Finch and Elon Musk had said that once someone received an invitation, no one had ever failed the final three questions. Elon Musk even casually mentioned that since Lin Xian had the invitation, the last three questions would be easy. But... Why didn¡¯t Lin Xian feel that way at all? He thought the process of getting the invitation, which mainly involved looking in the mirror a lot, wasn¡¯t particularly difficult or enlightening. It didn¡¯t seem to help with the three questions, certainly not enough to make them seem like ¡°easy points.¡± So, Lin Xian became more convinced of his theory: [If the invitation had been obtained normally, it should have been an incredibly complex, challenging process. Through that process, one would have deduced the answers to the three final questions.] After all, they couldn¡¯t take back the invitation now. The gold badge already recognized his membership, so the final three questions seemed more like a verification step, confirming that the person attempting them was the same one who received the invitation. But now, Lin Xian kept his doubts to himself. He didn¡¯t plan to reveal how he got the invitation to Elon Musk... It was better to let Elon Musk continue thinking he understood the situation. What exactly was the Genius Club? Who were its members? Who led the club? What were these geniuses aiming for, and what was their ultimate goal? Lin Xian knew he had to follow Yellow Finch¡¯s advice, join the club himself, and find out firsthand. ¡°Treasure this time of peace, Lin Xian,¡± Elon Musk suddenly said. ¡°Professor Xu Yun¡¯s hibernation chamber fluid has truly stirred up history.¡± ¡°You might not feel it... but I¡¯m well aware that Professor Xu Yun¡¯s research could only have led to the development of the hibernation chamber in this era. If the hibernation chamber fluid had been introduced a hundred years later, or even three to five hundred years later, it wouldn¡¯t have made any impact.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lin Xian asked curiously. ¡°Why are you so certain?¡± He was puzzled by how confidently Elon Musk could predict the future. As Elon Musk had said, Dr. Ponsmike had invented the hibernation chamber fluid 400 years later with little fanfare, and it didn¡¯t cause a ripple. Similarly, when Academician Gao Wen introduced the fluid 200 years later, it received a lukewarm reception, with no further development. But when Professor Xu Yun published the paper on hibernation chamber fluid in 2022, in less than two years... the technology had advanced, and the hibernation chamber was nearly ready for mass production. Three different times, the same product was introduced, but the impact and development varied greatly. What made the difference? Could it be that as time progressed, the Genius Club became more powerful, increasingly dominant... to the point where they could manipulate history, the world, technology, and development, controlling everything? This was the only explanation Lin Xian could think of. However, Elon Musk simply smiled mysteriously, shaking his head. ¡°You¡¯ll understand once you join the Genius Club.¡± ¡°All I can say is... cherish this time. This is the calm before the storm... When the hibernation chamber technology is perfected and in use, the world will face unstoppable changes.¡± ¡°Right now, Kevin Walker is dead; the digital life form Turing will, at least for now, remain fair and just; and Copernicus¡¯ century-long plan has failed. His body can¡¯t take much more, and I suspect he¡¯ll enter a hibernation chamber and head to the future.¡± ¡°For now, the world is peaceful, truly calm, with no hidden dangers.¡± ¡°So, this is a golden opportunity for you to grow. I look forward to the day when you stand on your own, becoming a qualified and outstanding genius.¡± With that, Elon Musk turned and walked towards a Tesla sedan, waving his hand. ¡°Goodbye, Lin Xian... I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the Genius Club!¡± Chapter 355: The Fifth Dream ¡°The Tesla my double drove still has the keys inside. You two should take it and get out of here.¡± Elon Musk sat in his Tesla, rolled down the window, and waved at Lin Xian and Angelica. ¡°See you both later. I¡¯ve got a lot to take care of.¡± ¡°Until next time, Lin Xian. I¡¯m looking forward to our next meeting.¡± The Tesla¡¯s electric motor hummed as it started, pulling away from the car it had collided with earlier. The car reversed out of the abandoned warehouse and drove off into the distance. ¡°Are you alright? You were out of touch for so long,¡± Lin Xian asked, turning to look at Angelica. ¡°When you pretended to be a secretary to meet Elon Musk... how did he figure it out?¡± Angelica let out a cold laugh and tossed her half-smoked cigarette onto the ground, crushing it under her high heel. ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it. Just thinking about it makes me angry.¡± ¡°But I have to admit, Elon Musk is at least a man of his word. He¡¯s honest and straightforward. That makes me dislike him a little less. Besides... he really did help you out, just like he said he would. He solved a big problem for you.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Yeah, even though he admitted that at first, he just wanted to use me to get rid of Kevin Walker... he still indirectly helped me take down a major threat. Let¡¯s just leave it at that. Besides, he even left me this small refrigerator that can trap time-space particles.¡± Lin Xian bent down and picked up the small fridge from the ground. The door was closed, but Elon Musk had already given him the password to open it. Angelica blinked. ¡°But... isn¡¯t that time-space particle inside pretty much useless now? That¡¯s probably why he left it with you. You could tell, even though Elon Musk acted all calm, he was really upset about losing those entangled time-space particles.¡± ¡°When he was tossing rocks into the fridge, I saw the look in his eyes. He was angry and frustrated, gritting his teeth as he did it. I think Elon Musk was just too mad about this failure and humiliation, and he didn¡¯t want to see that fridge again, so he left it with you.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me,¡± Lin Xian said as he punched in the password Elon Musk had given him. The fridge door popped open, and he and Angelica looked inside again. The fridge was still filled with sand and small stones. In the middle, a once-energetic time-space particle now floated lazily, devoid of energy and life. From the outside, it was hard to tell that this was once a pair of entangled time-space particles because their energy was gone. They had merged into what looked like a single small blue electric ball. ¡°Without energy, these time-space particles really are useless, but the technology in this little fridge is impressive. I might take it back and study it.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but admire Elon Musk¡¯s genius. He was a true pioneer, willing to open-source this fridge technology so easily. Though Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure if this fridge was more advanced than Liu Feng¡¯s rice cooker, he knew one thing for sure: learning from others to strengthen oneself is always a good idea. He¡¯d be visiting the Rhine Joint Lab at Donghai University soon to see Liu Feng. He could drop off the fridge there for Liu Feng to study and dissect. ¡°Let¡¯s head out too, Angelica.¡± Lin Xian placed the fridge in the backseat of the Tesla and motioned for Angelica to get in. ¡°Sorry for dragging you into this mess.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal, Lin Xian.¡± Angelica flipped her long, smooth black hair over her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re friends, comrades in arms.¡± Comrades in arms. Lin Xian smiled to himself. It was true. He really had become allies with the Seven Deadly Sins. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be joining the Genius Club soon. And I won¡¯t lie, my goal in joining is to uncover the truth behind all these mysteries and to save my lost friends.¡± ¡°So I don¡¯t mind making enemies within the Genius Club. I¡¯ll do my best to help you find out who killed Ji Lin¡¯s parents so you can get your revenge. If that person happens to be my enemy too... we¡¯ll definitely fight side by side.¡± Angelica raised an eyebrow and laughed softly. ¡°Ji Lin really found a good friend in you. I¡¯m glad for my brother. When we¡¯ve avenged him... let¡¯s go to Brooklyn together and visit his grave. He¡¯ll be grateful, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll want to see you... his only friend in life.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that,¡± Lin Xian said as he got into the driver¡¯s seat, buckled his seatbelt, and started the Tesla. Angelica didn¡¯t plan on staying in X Country any longer. She had been off the grid for too long, and there were many things to deal with back in the States. So Lin Xian drove her straight to Pudong International Airport, where she caught the next flight out. ¡°Goodbye, Lin Xian.¡± At the entrance of the terminal, Angelica stood in the evening breeze, smiling at Lin Xian. ¡°It was short, but it was an exciting and unforgettable experience. Take care, and I wish you smooth sailing on your quest for answers.¡± With that, Angelica left. Lin Xian didn¡¯t waste any time either. He drove to Donghai University late at night. As Elon Musk had said, it was a rare moment of peace. Since March 28th, when Chu An Qing turned into blue stardust and disappeared... through all the grave digging, the trip to Copenhagen, the escape to the States, and the return to Donghai, everything finally came to a close on April 26th. He could finally relax a bit. This past month, less than 30 days, had been the most dangerous, chaotic, and unforgettable month of his life. Chu An Qing¡¯s departure had deepened his resolve to uncover the truth and bring her back. Yellow Finch¡¯s leaving had taught him valuable lessons and confirmed his decision to become a trustworthy leader. The mystery of the real and fake Yu Xi still haunted him, chilling him to the bone. What had become of Lin Yu Xi, the time-space police officer? Had she turned into blue stardust and vanished completely? Or was she still hiding in this time-space, ready to strike again? He would find out tomorrow when he entered the dream. He was still worried about the connections between Lin Yu Xi, himself, Yellow Finch, and Zhao Ying Jun. He had hoped to have a proper conversation with her, but Lin Yu Xi¡¯s hatred was overwhelming. She wanted nothing more than for the time-space court to sentence him to death right away. She was truly a model of righteousness, ready to sacrifice even her own family for the greater good. Even if those accusations of crimes against humanity, endangering the Earth, and disrupting time-space were true... those were the actions of a future Lin Xian, not him now. How was he to blame? The so-called time-space court and time-space police hardly seemed fair or just. They didn¡¯t appear to be an official organization at all. Thinking back to the cold-eyed, quick-moving girl who had tried to end him... Lin Xian felt that her disappearance might not be such a bad thing. Despite their blood relation, he didn¡¯t feel any real connection to her. He lacked the instinctual paternal desire to protect her. In fact, if it hadn¡¯t been for the incident with the fake Yu Xi, he might have cared more for the fake than the real one. He had come to understand the saying, ¡°Nurture is more important than birth.¡± Emotions are cultivated; they aren¡¯t simply felt because of a blood connection. This led him to ponder the ¡°hibernation memory loss¡± issue. Memories, like emotions, might need personal experience to be truly understood and accepted. When Zheng Xiang Yue wakes up decades or even centuries later... will she still remember the carefree innocence of her youth? ¡°No wonder Elon Musk said the emergence of hibernation technology caused a seismic shift in the world.¡± ¡°This technology... it brings far too many social issues.¡± But Lin Xian didn¡¯t plan to dwell on these problems right now. He just wanted to join the Genius Club as soon as possible. That was his focus. In the early hours of the morning, Lin Xian finally arrived at Donghai University from Pudong International Airport, carrying the dirty little fridge into Liu Feng¡¯s lab. ¡°Why are you carrying a fridge?¡± Liu Feng looked at Lin Xian, puzzled. ¡°And why is it leaking sand everywhere... What¡¯s inside this fridge?¡± Lin Xian set the fridge on the lab bench and started punching in the password. ¡°Let me show you something special.¡± Once the password was entered, the fridge door popped open. Liu Feng leaned in closer. ¡°Whoa... time-space particles! Where did you get this?¡± His eyes widened as he quickly realized that this unassuming little fridge was similar to his seemingly ordinary rice cooker... another trap for time-space particles! ¡°A genius!¡± Liu Feng was impressed by the clever use of everyday appliances and couldn¡¯t help but give a thumbs up. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought to use a fridge as a time-space particle trap? That¡¯s brilliant!¡± ¡°Lin Xian, who came up with this idea?¡± Lin Xian grinned at Liu Feng¡¯s reaction. ¡°It was Elon Musk, the world¡¯s richest man. But come on... you shouldn¡¯t be that surprised. In my opinion, your rice cooker is much more innovative than this fridge.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different, Lin Xian.¡± Liu Feng waved his hand and peered into the fridge. ¡°The fridge opens from the side, and the rice cooker opens from the top.¡± Lin Xian was speechless at that response. ¡°Any other differences in design?¡± Liu Feng examined the structure and the condition of the time-space particles inside. He frowned and said, ¡°It seems like... the design and functionality are indeed more advanced than my rice cooker. Elon Musk really lives up to his reputation as the mad scientist of Silicon Valley... His expertise with time-space particle traps surpasses mine.¡± ¡°This fridge could inspire me to create a more reliable next-generation time-space particle trap.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your next household appliance... But let¡¯s stay focused. Elon Musk¡¯s time-space particle was originally a pair of highly energetic, entangled particles. But we exhausted its energy by making it interact with inorganic matter, destroying the entangled time-space particle.¡± ¡°Take a good look at it. Even though the time-space particle has lost its energy, it¡¯s still an extremely rare and valuable entangled particle... We might discover something new from studying it.¡± ¡°Elon Musk definitely knows what a ¡®time-space coordinate¡¯ is, but how did he figure it out? It can¡¯t just be a coincidence that he also has a time-space clock, right? I suspect his research results come from studying these particles.¡± That was why Lin Xian brought the fridge and the remains of the entangled time-space particle to Liu Feng. After all, Elon Musk had mentioned that the three entry questions for the Genius Club were supposed to be easy. ¡°No, no, no. Math is beautiful, especially patterns like in an arithmetic sequence.¡± Liu Feng persisted with his theory. ¡°Considering you probably aren¡¯t interested in women over forty, the next woman in the sequence should be around fourteen or fifteen. That will complete your arithmetic sequence of relationships.¡± ¡°Heh!¡± Lin Xian chuckled, thinking about the real and fake Yu Xi. ¡°Sometimes, you are a genius... just not in math.¡± ¡°I¡¯m heading home to sleep. Keep pushing forward with the research on the time-space particle and Universal Constants. By the way, have you cracked the code in that ¡®Sorrowful Einstein¡¯ painting I left with you?¡± Liu Feng grimaced and shrugged. ¡°You really take a hands-off approach. Don¡¯t bring that attitude into the lab. Scientific research isn¡¯t fast like business; results take time.¡± ¡°Seriously, this lab is just me, and the workload is overwhelming. Have you thought about hiring more help?¡± ¡°Honestly... I¡¯m stretched thin. If you know any trustworthy researchers, could you bring them into the Rhine Lab to assist me?¡± Lin Xian watched the pen spin. He pondered. Where would he find trustworthy people...? Especially when he wasn¡¯t deeply involved in the research community. In a moment. He stopped the pen. And his thoughts turned to an old friend¡ª VV. Elon Musk had said that the fake Yu Xi, a time traveler sent by the future Turing faction, gave him a USB stick with a virus. It was that future virus that had killed VV. But now... If Copernicus¡¯ closed loop was broken and the future had shifted to a new trajectory, would that lurking virus turn into harmless blue stardust and vanish? Even if data doesn¡¯t turn to stardust... could the time-space laws, faced with a paradox, act like an antivirus and eliminate the disruptive future virus? ¡°It¡¯s worth a shot.¡± Lin Xian thought: ¡°If I can ensure VV¡¯s safety, maybe I can communicate with VV on my laptop and bring it back. With VV as my assistant, everything would be easier. VV could be a great help to Liu Feng, doubling our efficiency.¡± Yes. That¡¯s his plan. Tomorrow, he¡¯d first explore the changes in the fourth dream. Once certain... he¡¯d attempt to revive VV! Afterward, Lin Xian drove his Tesla, with its dented rear bumper, away from Donghai University, heading home for the first time in ages. He had been away from home for too long, feeling like a traveler longing for the comfort of his own space. As he arrived and flipped on the living room lights, everything was just as he left it. Seeking reassurance, Lin Xian headed to the bathroom, gave a playful wave to his reflection, and spun around, half-expecting something eerie. Satisfied that all was normal, he took a shower, changed into pajamas, and got ready for bed. Glancing at the digital clock which showed 3:12 AM on April 27, 2024, he knew it was too late for dreaming. Despite the late hour, after days filled with action and tension, Lin Xian felt a deep fatigue that promised a solid sleep until his planned dream entry at 12:42 PM. ¡°I can¡¯t wait,¡± he murmured with anticipation, closing his eyes to welcome sleep. Gradually, he drifted off. A cool summer breeze gently caressed his skin, a soothing but unusual sensation for Lin Xian, who hadn¡¯t yet opened his eyes. Since when was the summer wind in his dreams so mild? It was unusually quiet around him. No city noises, no traffic hum, just the serene chirping of birds and a soft buzz of cicadas. The air was fresh, filled with the scent of moist earth and leaves, refreshing Lin Xian¡¯s senses deeply. Something was different. The Fourth Dream world had vanished, and what lay before him was a new world filled with freedom and natural beauty¡ªthe Fifth Dream world! Lin Xian¡¯s eyes snapped open in surprise. ¡°What the heck.¡± Where was he? Turning around, the scene was the same in every direction. Tall trees, dense underbrush, and vibrant flowers made it seem like he was in the middle of an ancient forest. Looking up, the towering trees reached high, filtering the sunlight and casting a cool, sweet air around him. Only slivers of light broke through, dancing on the forest floor. ¡°A forest? Such a dense, primeval one at that?¡± Curious, Lin Xian stamped his foot on the thick carpet of leaves and soil, uncovering worms but failing to penetrate the deep layer of natural debris¡ªa sign of the forest¡¯s age. But how? The entry point to his dreams was always consistent, part of Donghai City. If not the bustling cityscape, then perhaps the quaint Old Donghai or even the desolate land of past dreams. But a primeval forest? Could this mean in the Fifth Dream world, humanity had declined to the brink of extinction, leaving Donghai City a forgotten relic under layers of time? ¡°Maybe I should explore further.¡± Lin Xian began navigating through the dense forest, the thriving plant life and busy wildlife unsettling him slightly. He hoped this wasn¡¯t some dystopian ¡°After Humans¡± scenario. If humanity had indeed vanished, this Fifth Dream world offered little hope. Wandering aimlessly for nearly an hour, Lin Xian found no end to the forest, nor any sign of human presence. Doubt crept in. Were his sturdy companions, Big Cat Face, Ah Zhuang, Erzi, and San Pang, also erased by this new reality? They had always managed to survive against all odds. ¡°No way,¡± Lin Xian muttered, his trust in Big Cat Face¡¯s resilience unwavering. ¡°Big Brother Face, you¡¯d better be alive.¡± Driven by a mix of hope and desperation, Lin Xian continued his search for another half hour, growing tired yet determined not to give up. Just as he wiped sweat from his brow, considering his next move, a figure with a straw hat emerged in the forest depths. A wave of relief washed over him¡ªhumanity hadn¡¯t perished. Picking up his pace, Lin Xian approached the figure, curious if it was someone familiar from previous dreams. As the figure turned, Lin Xian saw an elderly man, healthy and alert, holding a long-rod detector and wearing a large backpack. The man¡¯s mild surprise turned into a gaze of curiosity as he noticed Lin Xian. Stopping a few meters away, they stared at each other for a moment. Though the man was a stranger, Lin Xian felt compelled to initiate conversation. ¡°Hello, sir.¡± The old man relaxed, smiling and nodding in greeting. ¡°Hello, young man. What are you doing out here?¡± ¡°I... I got lost,¡± Lin Xian admitted with a sheepish grin. ¡°But what about you, sir? What brings you to this ancient forest?¡± ¡°Heh,¡± the old man chuckled, his interest piqued. ¡°I¡¯m searching for an ¡®aluminum alloy safe¡¯... It contains a time capsule I buried after waking from hibernation. I¡¯m curious about what treasures my younger self left for me.¡± An aluminum alloy safe? Here? Lin Xian was brimming with questions but decided to start with the basics. ¡°Sir, may I ask your name?¡± The old man¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement at Lin Xian¡¯s politeness. ¡°My last name is Wei. Don¡¯t be too formal. My name is Wei Sheng Jin.¡± Chapter 356: The Abandoned Earth Wei Sheng Jin? Hearing that name sent a jolt through Lin Xian¡¯s mind. Memories came flooding back. This name¡ªhe could never forget it. The first time he encountered it was in his very first dream, the first time he met Big Cat Face, the first time he was roped into robbing a bank. That moment marked the beginning of everything... After using Big Cat Face¡¯s C4 explosive and cracking the security door¡¯s password, Lin Xian found himself in a warehouse filled with safes embedded in the walls. He vividly remembered one safe in particular: it was on the right, next to his own, and it was engraved with the name Wei Sheng Jin. That name had stuck with him ever since. Now, nearly two years had passed. He had forgotten the name on the safe to the left of his, but Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s name was still fresh in his mind. During that first dream, in the final moments, Lin Xian, Big Cat Face, and CC decided to use an industrial acetylene torch to cut open the safes. CC was worried that the heat might damage the contents inside, so she suggested they try cutting open Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s safe first before attempting Lin Xian¡¯s. Although their plan ultimately failed because of an unexpected reaction with the special aluminum alloy, Big Cat Face did manage to heat Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s safe until it was red-hot. In the second dream, when Time Bank went bankrupt, the safes were discarded like trash and transported to a junkyard. Lin Xian spotted Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s aluminum alloy safe immediately¡ªit was in the first batch to arrive. He never imagined that this legendary figure, who had occupied his thoughts for so long, would appear now, in the fifth dream, in a primeval forest 600 years into the future! Lin Xian couldn¡¯t resist stepping forward and shaking the old man¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you!¡± The white-haired old man tilted his head, studying Lin Xian carefully. ¡°Young man, do we know each other? Have we met before?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°To be honest, Mr. Wei, I also had an aluminum alloy safe at Time Bank. Our safes were right next to each other¡ªwe were neighbors for hundreds of years.¡± Wei Sheng Jin frowned. ¡°That can¡¯t be right. What¡¯s your name, young man?¡± ¡°Lin Xian,¡± he replied. ¡°Lin, as in the forest, and Xian, as in the strings of a zither. Do you remember, sir? My safe was engraved long before yours, back when Time Bank was first established¡ªmaybe even before that.¡± ¡°Lin Xian... Xian...¡± Wei Sheng Jin shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Even though I¡¯ve lost some memories and can¡¯t remember much about the aluminum alloy safe, I planned for this. When I set up the password at Time Bank, I took pictures of the password dial and stored them in my memory journal to remind myself after I woke up from hibernation.¡± ¡°The photos clearly show that the safes on either side of mine had foreign names. The one on the left was in English, and the one on the right looked like Russian... I¡¯m quite certain the safes on either side of mine couldn¡¯t have been yours.¡± Now it was Lin Xian¡¯s turn to be stunned. He was sure their safes had been next to each other in the first dream. But in the second dream, it was hard to say. By the time Lin Xian had entered the Time Bank warehouse, the safes had already been removed from the cement walls, and their original arrangement was unknown. In the third and fourth dreams, he hadn¡¯t even entered Time Bank, so he had no idea what was inside. Could it be that a slight butterfly effect in space-time had separated their safes? The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. He recalled a detail: in both the first and second dreams, the safes didn¡¯t have numbers. Each safe had a nameplate with only a name¡ªno numerical identifier. But in the Time Bank warehouse, re-established by Brother Wang in 2024 after receiving his investment, the safes were engraved with numbers for some reason. On the first day the aluminum alloy safes were delivered, Brother Wang had generously given Lin Xian safe number 66, hoping for luck and prosperity. Lin Xian rubbed his chin, deep in thought. Could it be... The reason the safes in the first and second dreams didn¡¯t have numbers was because there were fewer of them? Brother Wang had said he didn¡¯t have grand ambitions when he first founded Time Bank. It was just a hobby, a childhood dream, and he didn¡¯t plan to expand too much. He only intended to make a few dozen, maybe a hundred safes¡ªso there was no need for numbering. But after receiving his investment and support, and expanding into a range of financial services, Brother Wang had custom-made over 200 aluminum alloy safes in the first batch. Maybe... as the number of customers at Time Bank increased, he would order a second batch and a third batch of aluminum alloy safes? ¡°What¡¯s your safe number?¡± Wei Sheng Jin asked directly. ¡°My number is 724. What¡¯s yours?¡± Lin Xian realized he had guessed correctly and replied, ¡°Mine is 66.¡± ¡°Oh~~¡± Wei Sheng Jin nodded in understanding. ¡°Then our safes definitely weren¡¯t next to each other... With such a low number, you must have lived in the early days of Time Bank. Judging by your young appearance... you must have gone into hibernation not long after buying the safe, right?¡± ¡°Actually, based on our birth years, I should be the one calling you ¡®sir.¡¯ You¡¯re at least several hundred years older than me... But the hibernation law states that the time spent in hibernation doesn¡¯t count toward actual age, so age is calculated based on active time.¡± I see, Lin Xian thought. He made a mental note of this fact. It seemed that in this era, birth year and actual age didn¡¯t correspond to each other at all. Even though Wei Sheng Jin was born several hundred years after Lin Xian, he was still Lin Xian¡¯s elder. Lin Xian had already noticed that Wei Sheng Jin probably had a gun hidden at his waist. He had almost pulled it on Lin Xian earlier. But after just a few words, Wei Sheng Jin seemed to trust him, his demeanor relaxed. Now that he had gained Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s trust, it was time to gather some information about what had happened in this future world, this fifth dream. ¡°Mr. Wei, I have a few questions for you.¡± Lin Xian gestured to the dense forest around them. ¡°Since you¡¯re here looking for the aluminum alloy safe from Time Bank, you must know that this place was once Donghai City in X Country, right? It was a bustling international metropolis... So why is it like this now? Where are the buildings? Where are the people?¡± Wei Sheng Jin chuckled, unsurprised by Lin Xian¡¯s question. ¡°Judging by your reaction, you didn¡¯t receive any [Historical Education] after waking up, did you? Or maybe you received it but didn¡¯t believe it? Normally, after waking from hibernation, we¡¯re given our memory journals, memory recordings... and we¡¯re supposed to undergo official [Historical Education] to understand the history of these years.¡±The? source of this conte/nt n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) Lin Xian didn¡¯t answer Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s question. He was deep in thought. He understood why there was only one Earth-Mars shuttle every two years. Because Earth and Mars have different orbital periods, even though they both revolve around the sun, their relative positions constantly change. When Earth is farthest from Mars, the distance is about 400 million kilometers; when they are closest, it¡¯s only 55 million kilometers¡ªa difference of eight times. And the point where Earth and Mars are closest occurs only once every two years, which is why the ¡°Earth-Mars shuttle¡± only runs every two years. The limited schedule made it clear... Mars¡¯ technological level, especially its space technology, wasn¡¯t very advanced. It was likely still in the early stages of development, with no significant new technologies emerging. This meant that humanity hadn¡¯t yet ventured beyond the solar system, although there had been some progress compared to the previous dreams. At least they had reached Mars. Lin Xian could understand why Wei Sheng Jin said that people on Mars didn¡¯t want to return to Earth. It was similar to how, in 2024, if you asked people who wanted to live on Mars... few would agree, as everyone considered Earth their home and subconsciously preferred it. The same principle applied. People on Mars would naturally prefer Mars. Even if Earth was better, it was primitive and backward¡ªno electricity, no internet, no advanced transportation... How could it compare to the comfort of living on Mars? ¡°Is Elon Musk still alive?¡± Lin Xian asked a question that concerned him. Wei Sheng Jin shook his head. ¡°He passed away long ago, decades ago. Although he went through several rounds of hibernation, he lived a long life. His actual age was over a hundred, which was covered in the [Historical Education]... I can see you didn¡¯t pay attention to it at all.¡± ¡°But his SpaceX company still exists and is the central organization that controls all activities on Mars. We Martians have great respect and admiration for Elon Musk and SpaceX.¡± ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian spread his hands, taking a deep breath of the fresh, natural air, feeling that no amount of money could make him leave Earth. ¡°Does that mean there are no humans living on Earth anymore?¡± ¡°There are still quite a few,¡± Wei Sheng Jin replied. ¡°But Earth and Mars have been isolated for so long, and there¡¯s no accurate count of how many people live on Earth... However, experts estimate that it¡¯s no more than 20 million. And those people are scattered all over the planet, unable to unite, and productivity is low.¡± ¡°Some say that the living standards on Earth now are similar to those of the Middle Ages, around the 5th to 15th centuries. But I have no concept of that¡ªwe¡¯re completely unfamiliar with such ancient history. Detailed historical records only start from the year 2400.¡± Historical records. Lin Xian picked up on this keyword. In the first dream, the second dream, and even the third dream, history was very vague, and it was nearly impossible to find detailed historical records before the 2300s. That was one of the few commonalities among these different future worlds. How did history become so fragmented? Lin Xian hadn¡¯t figured it out in the previous dreams. But in this fifth dream, Wei Sheng Jin made it clear that there were two main reasons: The global super disaster that nearly wiped out human civilization. The memory loss from hibernation, leaving old Earth humans who crossed time with blank minds. Suddenly, Lin Xian realized something deeply unsettling. Was the history Wei Sheng Jin recounted really true? According to him, the people living on Mars fall into two categories. One group is the native-born Martians, who naturally receive Mars¡¯ local historical education. The other group is like Wei Sheng Jin, old Earth humans who woke up from hibernation with blank minds. They, too, have to receive historical education... Like a blank sheet of paper, whatever is written on it is believed. So... ¡°Mr. Wei.¡± Lin Xian looked into Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you truly believe the historical education you received is accurate?¡± ¡°Of course I believe it!¡± Wei Sheng Jin answered without hesitation. ¡°Otherwise, how could I have survived those hundreds of years in hibernation?¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t respond. He realized that Wei Sheng Jin was still trapped in a spiral of logic, his perception completely shaped by the so-called [Historical Education], his thoughts unable to break free from that circle. But Lin Xian couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the events of the past few centuries were far more complicated than Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s account. There had to be more to the story! He looked up, gazing through the gaps in the dense branches at the blazing sun in the sky. What secrets does this fifth dream hold? ¡°It seems... I need to find a local Earthling to get some answers!¡± Chapter 357: Big Cat, CC, and Old Friends Lin Xian felt a mix of relief and confusion as he tried to make sense of the events unfolding before him. Even though he had some doubts about the historical truths that Old Man Wei Sheng Jin had mentioned, one thing was certain: the fourth dream world had vanished, and with it, many things had changed irreversibly. The mysterious old man, along with the so-called SpaceTime Police and SpaceTime Court, was gone. This likely meant that the baseless crime Lin Xian had been accused of had also disappeared. The weight of being a historical criminal had been lifted off his shoulders, and now he was just an innocent citizen again. It was a significant relief. As Lin Xian analyzed the situation further, it became clear that the mysterious old man in the fourth dream was most likely Copernicus himself. Copernicus had probably been the one who stole the entangled state space-time particle from Elon Musk. This particle had likely enabled him to achieve much more than just sending back a time traveler. Perhaps Copernicus had uncovered even more secrets within that particle, allowing him to control space-time laws and establish his SpaceTime Court and Police.R/e?/Ad lateSt ch/a/pters at Only But when Elon Musk destroyed the entangled state space-time particle, Copernicus¡¯s future vanished along with it. His centuries-long plan crumbled, and the future steered towards the one Elon Musk had envisioned. ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian mused to himself, ¡°the 0.0000000 world line must be the future Copernicus wanted to achieve, and the 0.0000042 world line is the future Elon Musk sought.¡± But what about the earlier ones? Before the fourth dream, Liu Feng¡¯s space-time clock hadn¡¯t been reset, so it couldn¡¯t measure the space-time curvature of the earlier dreams or world lines. Yet, even if their curvature wasn¡¯t known, it didn¡¯t change the fact that these different world lines existed. Who wished for and created the futures in the first, second, and third dreams? ¡°Wait,¡± Lin Xian suddenly realized. The catalyst for these changing future worlds was himself! Even though he wasn¡¯t the one pulling the strings behind the scenes, these worlds had altered because of his actions. In the first dream, there were no changes for 23 years until a small invention¡ªthe Rhine Cat¡ªbegan to shift the gears of space-time, ultimately being propelled into another world line by Professor Xu Yun¡¯s hibernation fluid, leading to the second dream¡¯s future. The second dream transitioned to the third dream because of his creation of the Rhine Company. The third dream leaped into the fourth when he handed the cold fusion manuscript to Gao Yan at the Science Institute. The fourth dream transitioned to the fifth when Elon Musk destroyed the entangled state space-time particle. Although Lin Xian didn¡¯t destroy it himself, he was the spark that set off the chain of events. ¡°It¡¯s just that... I¡¯m only capable of being a catalyst now; I don¡¯t have the ability to actively change the world like Copernicus or Elon Musk.¡± Lin Xian realized this was his biggest shortcoming at the moment. Elon Musk had the plan and the power to initiate a Mars colonization project. Copernicus had his SpaceTime Police and Court plan and the ability to accomplish it. As for himself... First, he had no clear plan. Second, he lacked sufficient power. So, what¡¯s next? ¡°I should start from these two points and gradually create the future I want, completing my own loop!¡± ¡°Of course, the first step is to join the Genius Club and see what their end goal is. Only then can I devise my own plan and map out my future.¡± ¡°And as for building my own influence, that definitely needs to be a priority. I¡¯ll grow the Rhine Company to its full potential!¡± Despite his thoughts racing, Lin Xian understood that the current situation in the fifth dream world still held many mysteries he needed to explore thoroughly. He lowered his gaze, noticing the device in Old Man Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s hand. It looked like a metal detector. ¡°Is that metal detector in your hand used to find aluminum alloy safes?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Sheng Jin nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a long story... I began hibernating in my teens and slept for over 200 years. When I woke up, I couldn¡¯t remember anything. Even though I had a memory notebook and recorded memories, and I believe these memories are real, I just can¡¯t feel anything authentic, any sense of my previous existence.¡± ¡°I quickly began my new life on Mars under the guidance of a psychological counselor. I worked, got married, had children, and eventually grandchildren. Step by step, I lived a happy and fulfilling second life.¡± ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t think I was missing anything. After all, I was genuinely happy. But... from the moment others told me I was Wei Sheng Jin, I realized that while I was living as Wei Sheng Jin, I wasn¡¯t the same Wei Sheng Jin who had been on Earth as a teenager.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can relate, but as the Earth human Wei Sheng Jin, that teenage boy disappeared the moment I entered the hibernation pod. I often wonder~¡± ¡°When I woke up after 200 years, was I really the original Wei Sheng Jin, or was I someone else who had just been told I was Wei Sheng Jin? Am I truly Wei Sheng Jin? Am I still the teenager who entered the hibernation pod?¡± At this point, Wei Sheng Jin paused, looking a bit lost. ¡°It¡¯s hard to put this feeling into words. If you don¡¯t think about it, it doesn¡¯t really matter¡ªafter all, we¡¯re not creatures of the past. As long as the present is happy and free, it doesn¡¯t really matter who or what we were before.¡± ¡°But once I¡¯m idle and my mind relaxes, I can¡¯t help but ponder this question, and I find it hard to convince myself. Especially now that I¡¯m seventy years old, I¡¯m more confused and desperate for an answer...¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave this world without knowing who I am.¡± Saying this, Wei Sheng Jin took off the large backpack he was carrying and opened it. Lin Xian noticed it was filled with various outdoor equipment, survival tools, food, notebooks, and what looked like power sources. Wei Sheng Jin rummaged through the backpack and pulled out a laminated photo, handing it to Lin Xian. Lin Xian took it and held it up to his eyes. It was a very new-looking photo, showing no signs of age. But according to what Wei Sheng Jin had said earlier, it should have been taken shortly before his hibernation. Because... The photo was of the interior of the Time Bank vault, showing a row of aluminum alloy safes, with three safes placed side by side. The middle safe had the number 724, with Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s name engraved on the nameplate. The left safe bore an English name with the number 723, while the right safe was only half visible, labeled 725. The nameplate¡¯s text looked like it might be Russian, but Lin Xian couldn¡¯t be sure. The focus of the photo was clearly on the combination dial of Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s safe. The eight-digit combination formed the number: 23730907. ¡°Mr. Wei, is that your birthday?¡± Lin Xian asked. Wei Sheng Jin smiled and shook his head. ¡°No, even as a teenager, I wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to use my birthday as the combination for such an important safe. That would be too unsafe.¡± ¡°Then what is the significance of this date?¡± Lin Xian remembered that Wei Sheng Jin had mentioned he was born in the year 2373. Since this wasn¡¯t his birthday, what could it be? ¡°Is it a date that holds special meaning to you?¡± Lin Xian continued to ask. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Wei Sheng Jin shook his head again. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything... After waking from hibernation, I lost all my childhood memories. My identification documents show that my birthday is January 3, 2373, which is far from September 7, the date on the safe. There¡¯s definitely no connection.¡± ¡°But then again, why would the teenage me set the safe¡¯s combination to this? Like you, I think there must be some very special meaning to it. For a teenager about to enter a hibernation pod, heading into an unknown future... What could he have put into that time capsule? What would he want to leave for his future self?¡± Wei Sheng Jin chuckled softly, looking down. ¡°After retiring, my grandson quickly grew up and didn¡¯t need looking after, my son had a happy life, and my wife passed away a few years ago... I was busy for most of my life, but once I finally had some free time, I found myself thinking about that original question all over again.¡± ¡°Every night, I would sit in my yard, staring at the stars, holding this photo, and imagining what the younger me might have placed inside that time capsule.¡± ¡°I really want to know the answer. I want to enter the combination, unlock the seal of time, and see it with my own eyes. But that dream is destined to remain unfulfilled... The great disaster of 2400 didn¡¯t directly affect Donghai City, but the subsequent earthquakes, wars, and abandonment slowly flattened the city over the years, burying it under layers of earth.¡± ¡°Naturally, the aluminum alloy safes from Time Bank were either buried in the rubble during those years of conflict and destruction, stolen, or destroyed. Either way... they¡¯re lost, and Earth has long been abandoned, turned into a large wildlife park.¡± ¡°But in the end, I decided to come! I want to find the answer! I want to see what precious memory the teenage me left for the elderly me.¡± Wei Sheng Jin smiled, raising the metal detector in his left hand. ¡°So, here I am. I finally took the step to find myself at the age of seventy. Half a year ago, I boarded the Earth-Mars space shuttle from Mars, heading to Earth. After several months of travel, I finally arrived on Earth, came to what used to be Donghai City¡ªthis forest¡ªand began my aimless search.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been searching for over two months, but I haven¡¯t found anything... Let alone finding my number 724 safe, I haven¡¯t even found any other safe.¡± Lin Xian spread his hands, helpless. ¡°This is indeed like searching for a needle in a haystack. We don¡¯t even know if those safes are buried under this forest. Plus, the range of your detector isn¡¯t very large, right? If the safe is buried deep, it probably won¡¯t be detected.¡± Wei Sheng Jin chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, which is why I hesitated and procrastinated until I was seventy before coming to Earth.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve thought about this for so many years, knowing full well how difficult it is and how slim the chances are. But at my age, this is my last dream... To avoid regretting my life, I must at least try!¡± ¡°The worst outcome is that I don¡¯t find it. If I don¡¯t find it, I¡¯ll just treat it as a trip to Earth. Anyway, the Earth-Mars space shuttle won¡¯t arrive for another two years. At worst, I¡¯ll just get on the shuttle with a dirty face and return to Mars.¡± At this point, Lin Xian finally understood Old Man Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s background. He had come from Mars to Earth specifically to search for his aluminum alloy safe. And it just so happened that Lin Xian was also curious about what information Chu An Qing had left for him on the ¡°little note¡± inside his own safe. Chu An Qing had mentioned that as soon as he read the note¡¯s contents, he would understand the reality of the dream world. Even though the changes in the fifth dream strongly suggested that the dream world was real, Lin Xian still wanted to know what Chu An Qing, who had touched the time-space particle, had written for him in her last moments. It must be something very important, right? It was a clue she had left with her final breath¡ªperhaps even more crucial than he imagined. ¡°Let¡¯s search together, Mr. Wei,¡± Lin Xian suggested. ¡°I¡¯m curious about what¡¯s inside my safe too. Let me join you and try our luck.¡± ¡°Of course, no problem,¡± Wei Sheng Jin replied with a hearty laugh. ¡°Your name is Lin Xian, right? From now on, I¡¯ll call you Lin Xian. No need to be so formal and call me ¡®sir,¡¯ especially since you were born much earlier than I was. It¡¯s a common phenomenon these days, so people no longer use such titles... Just call me by my name, Wei Sheng Jin.¡± ¡°No, no...¡± Lin Xian waved his hand, politely declining. ¡°I¡¯d rather call you Mr. Wei. We¡¯re on Earth, after all, and we should respect traditional customs.¡± The name Wei Sheng Jin was too famous for Lin Xian to casually address him by his first name. So, the two of them teamed up, chatting as they followed the path Wei Sheng Jin had already planned out. Lin Xian didn¡¯t expect to find the safe and knew the odds were slim¡ªit was like looking for a needle in a haystack. But after finally finding someone to talk to, he couldn¡¯t just let him leave. He needed to extract as much information as possible. Wei Sheng Jin skillfully maneuvered the metal detector close to the ground, moving it back and forth with great focus. Lin Xian followed like a shadow, asking questions along the way. ¡°Mr. Wei, you¡¯re in such good shape. Did you undergo some sort of medical enhancement or genetic editing?¡± Wei Sheng Jin laughed, ¡°No, nothing like that. That¡¯s just a concept from science fiction. There¡¯s no such thing on Mars.¡± Well, it seems the technology has evolved differently, Lin Xian thought with a chuckle. It couldn¡¯t be that those two blue-eyed assassin girls gave Elon Musk some sort of psychological trauma, making him reject medical enhancements and genetic editing. Naturally, in his Mars, that technology wouldn¡¯t have developed. Exactly. It was Elon Musk¡¯s Mars, and he called the shots. ¡°Well then... If you haven¡¯t had any physical enhancements, let me carry your backpack. I¡¯ll help you save your strength and increase your speed in detecting underground metals. I¡¯m younger, so I¡¯m definitely stronger.¡± Wei Sheng Jin didn¡¯t refuse and let out a grateful chuckle. ¡°Thank you, Lin Xian. This backpack is really heavy; it¡¯s been weighing down my back.¡± He put down the large backpack, and Lin Xian took it up, strapping it onto his own shoulders. It was indeed heavy, but manageable. Lin Xian had good physical strength and had been through intense astronaut training a few months ago, which had pushed his endurance to a higher level. With the backpack on, Lin Xian continued to inquire about life on Mars¡ªits economy, politics, social structure, and technology. He learned a lot. Overall, according to Wei Sheng Jin, life on Mars was quite comfortable, with little pressure and no wars. The main reason was that, despite being a federal system, Mars was still dominated by SpaceX, which controlled everything with its advanced technology rather than weapons and force. The Mars colonization project had only officially started around 2350 and developed very slowly. At first, there were only a few small bases that relied on supplies from Earth. But in 2400, when the great disaster struck Earth, Mars was unaffected. Under the leadership of Elon Musk and SpaceX, the Martians steadily built and developed their society. This was no small feat. Mars, being farther from the Sun than Earth, received much less solar energy. And as they say, all things grow under the Sun, meaning Mars was at a natural disadvantage in harnessing solar power. However, compared to the other challenges of building on Mars, the issue of sunlight was actually one of the smaller problems. Mars has a very thin atmosphere that can¡¯t block harmful cosmic radiation and rays, and its low pressure can¡¯t hold onto liquid water. Mars also lacks a magnetic field, which is its weakest point. Life on Earth thrives because the planet¡¯s magnetic field deflects solar storms and cosmic rays, preventing them from reaching the surface. Additionally, Mars¡¯ low gravity environment poses significant challenges to human adaptability and long-term evolution. Lin Xian idly spun the combination dial on the safe, more out of boredom than any real expectation. To his credit, the safe¡¯s quality was still excellent. Despite the years, the dial turned smoothly. He tried a few combinations, pressing the lock each time, but the safe didn¡¯t open. Lin Xian gave up and turned to reassure Wei Sheng Jin. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mr. Wei. Even though this safe isn¡¯t yours or mine, it¡¯s not necessarily a bad thing.¡± ¡°Think about it. You¡¯ve been searching here for two months and hadn¡¯t found a single safe. Maybe Time Bank isn¡¯t even in this forest. Donghai City is huge... You might not have a good sense of it, but I don¡¯t know how big your Martian cities are. Donghai City covers over 6,000 square kilometers. At the rate you¡¯re scanning, even in two years, you wouldn¡¯t cover it all.¡± ¡°But now, you¡¯ve found the core area. Since we found the first safe, there¡¯s bound to be a second and third one... Maybe we¡¯re standing right on top of the old Time Bank vault. You should be happy.¡± Wei Sheng Jin looked puzzled as he turned to Lin Xian. ¡°Are you trying to comfort me, Lin Xian? Hahaha... You¡¯re overthinking it. I¡¯m too old to be discouraged by something like this. Hahaha... But thank you anyway. I was just too tired to speak. After all, I¡¯m seventy years old, and I can¡¯t keep up with you young folks.¡± Wei Sheng Jin took a swig from his water bottle, smiling as he offered it to Lin Xian. Seeing that the seventy-year-old man still had a good attitude, Lin Xian felt relieved and waved off the offer, signaling that he wasn¡¯t thirsty. Then he stepped forward and sat on the recently unearthed aluminum alloy safe, gazing into the depths of the forest with Wei Sheng Jin. ¡°Mr. Wei, I have some questions about history that I¡¯d like to ask you.¡± ¡°Hey, why are you always so formal, Lin Xian?¡± Wei Sheng Jin waved his hand dismissively. ¡°You still haven¡¯t gotten used to this era. You¡¯re making me feel awkward. You really don¡¯t need to call me ¡®sir¡¯... Just call me by my name, like I call you by yours.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Lin Xian decided to skip the formalities and get to the point. ¡°I have two questions. The first is...¡± [Why did everyone leave Earth without hesitation when Elon Musk came from Mars to pick them up after the great disaster of 2400? Normally, even if Earth were broken, ruined, and left with nothing but ruins and outdated technology, would so many people really leave their homeland to live on Mars?] Wei Sheng Jin sighed softly, explaining slowly. ¡°You see, this is the downside of not receiving history education. I¡¯m really curious how you passed the hibernation awakening general knowledge test. If you don¡¯t pass that test... you have to retake it. If they can¡¯t confirm you can integrate into the current society, you¡¯re not allowed to live freely in the future.¡± ¡°The history education tells us that Earth¡¯s situation was dire at the time. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of war or not having enough food. Even after decades, with the world¡¯s population reduced to a fraction of what it once was, the natural environment still didn¡¯t improve... Volcanoes, earthquakes, tsunamis... Lin Xian, you haven¡¯t experienced such terrifying scenes, so you probably can¡¯t understand why people would want to leave.¡± ¡°Think about the scenes from war and disaster movies. When people are faced with that kind of situation, who wouldn¡¯t want to retreat to a safe place? And at that time, between 2400 and 2500, the safest, most comfortable place was definitely Mars.¡± ¡°After 2500, Earth¡¯s environment may have improved, but by then, the Earth emigrants had either passed away or settled on Mars... Their children and grandchildren on Mars wouldn¡¯t want to return to a backward Earth. Would they really expect someone like me to come back to Earth to live off the land and hunt, living a primitive life?¡± ¡°I definitely wouldn¡¯t want that... Besides, the Earth-Mars space shuttle runs every two years, so anyone who really wants to live on Earth is free to do so. But no one does because the quality of life on Mars is much better. No one would want to come.¡± ¡°Unless... one day, Earth¡¯s technology and living standards reach even half or a third of Mars¡¯, then maybe a lot of people would want to live here.¡± Lin Xian nodded and continued. ¡°That¡¯s exactly my second question. You mentioned earlier that after 2500, when the last wave of Martian emigrant ships departed, there were still several million, or even tens of millions, of people left on Earth. Now, over a hundred years later, with some knowledge and basic infrastructure, why haven¡¯t they developed industrial civilization?¡± Wei Sheng Jin twisted the cap back onto his water bottle, setting it aside before continuing. ¡°A hundred years is indeed a long time, enough to see significant technological advances. But that¡¯s only if the population is sufficiently concentrated and knowledge and basic infrastructure have been preserved.¡± ¡°SpaceX¡¯s space shuttles took decades to transport everyone who wanted to leave Earth to Mars. The people left behind were either stubborn or had physical issues... They couldn¡¯t handle zero-gravity environments or long space journeys.¡± ¡°To say that the ones left behind were the old, weak, and sick wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. With a population like that, they couldn¡¯t truly band together. Gathering tens of thousands of people would already be considered a large organization.¡± ¡°But... what can tens of thousands of people do, especially when many of them are elderly or children? Maintaining an agricultural economy would already be a great achievement. So, after a hundred years of reproduction and survival, the fact that Earth¡¯s population has grown to thirty million and reached a medieval level of living is already a miracle.¡± ¡°Civilizations develop quickly when they do, but no civilization can suddenly leap forward without any prior buildup. Every industrial revolution might seem rapid, but they are all the result of hundreds of years of accumulation.¡± ¡°This accumulation isn¡¯t just about knowledge and basic infrastructure; it¡¯s about talent, especially geniuses. Only geniuses can truly drive history forward, and with the current population base, after only a few generations, the chances of producing a genius are incredibly low.¡± ¡°You might find this hard to believe, but even after nearly a thousand years, the geniuses listed in kids¡¯ textbooks are still the same names¡ªEinstein, Newton, Gauss... The fact is, there was over a hundred years between Newton and Gauss, and over a hundred years between Gauss and Einstein.¡± ¡°However, I¡¯m still optimistic about Earth¡¯s future. Give Earth¡¯s population another hundred or two hundred years to grow, and they¡¯ll likely trigger another wave of technological advancements and easily enter the industrial era.¡± ... Listening to Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s insights on history, humanity, and civilization, Lin Xian was impressed. ¡°You seem to know a lot... What did you do for work on Mars?¡± ¡°Haha, before I retired, I was a teacher at a university.¡± ¡°Oh, wow! That¡¯s impressive!¡± Lin Xian complimented. ¡°Then I¡¯ll call you Professor Wei from now on.¡± ¡°Oh, no, no, I¡¯m not a professor, just an ordinary teacher. You can just call me by my name, Wei Sheng Jin.¡± ¡°How about I call you Teacher Wei?¡± Lin Xian tried again. ¡°Eh, suit yourself.¡± With that, Wei Sheng Jin stood up, dusting off the dirt on his clothes. ¡°Shall we continue? I suspect we can find more aluminum alloy safes in this area. Let¡¯s start by scanning to the east!¡± Full of energy, Wei Sheng Jin led Lin Xian, and they continued their archaeological adventure. Heading east, Wei Sheng Jin handled the metal detector while Lin Xian carried the backpack and tools. Suddenly, both men stopped in their tracks, lifting their heads to look toward the dense foliage ahead. In the distance there seemed to be sounds of a chase and shouts coming from the forest. At first, Lin Xian thought it was wild animals, but as he listened closely, he realized it was people shouting! And it sounded like several of them! Finally, they had a chance to meet other living people, and it was highly likely they were local Earth inhabitants! Lin Xian was thrilled. Wei Sheng Jin had been through ¡°history education¡± and ¡°brainwashing,¡± so Lin Xian didn¡¯t fully trust his version of events. He was more interested in hearing what the locals had to say. Just as he was about to move forward to investigate, Wei Sheng Jin quickly pulled him behind a tree, pressing a finger to his lips in a hushing gesture. ¡°Shh... Don¡¯t get too excited. Let¡¯s hide first. Earth is very chaotic these days, especially around Donghai. This area is remote and doesn¡¯t have any big cities, just a few scattered villages... Some people are not easy to deal with, so it¡¯s best to stay hidden.¡± As they spoke, the sounds of the chase and shouting grew louder. Hiding behind the tree, Lin Xian and Wei Sheng Jin peeked out. Swoosh! A lithe, black figure leaped through the trees, landing in a clearing. She drew a black, gleaming machete from her waist, readying herself for the impending confrontation. Lin Xian took a deep breath, his eyes widening... Dark brown hair, furrowed brows with a sharp edge, a tear-shaped beauty mark at the corner of her left eye... The familiar face, the familiar figure! He was just about to call out when¡ª ¡°You scoundrels! Kill her for me!¡± A rough voice bellowed, and a burly, fierce-looking man with a face full of scars charged out of the underbrush with three lackeys of varying sizes trailing behind. He waved a club forward. ¡°Get her! Beat her down!¡± In an instant, the scene turned chaotic, with the four of them attacking her all at once. The tall and skinny lackey with a wooden spear was particularly troublesome, poking and jabbing from a distance, making it hard to tell who was winning. Oh no! Lin Xian couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. He leaped out from behind the tree. These were all familiar faces, all on the same side¡ªwhy were they fighting? ¡°Stop! Stop! Stop fighting!¡± Lin Xian shouted as he rushed toward the brawl. ¡°Don¡¯t fight! Stop! Stop! You need to stop fighting!¡± But... No one paid him any attention. The three lackeys¡ªAh Zhuang, San Pang, and Er Zhuzi¡ªwere all waving their weapons at thin air, while Big Cat was on the sidelines, shouting insults. CC was using all her energy just to dodge their uncoordinated attacks, too occupied to notice Lin Xian. ¡°I said stop! Hold your fire!¡± Lin Xian had reached Big Cat¡¯s side, giving him a firm slap on the shoulder. ¡°Big Cat, give me a break! Stop fighting!¡± Whoosh¡ª A cold stick came swinging toward Lin Xian¡¯s head, which he barely dodged. Big Cat¡¯s face was scrunched up in rage. ¡°Who the hell are you? Give you a break? Who do you think you are?!¡± Hearing his outburst, the three lackeys paused and looked over at their boss. Meanwhile, CC finally looked up, spotting Lin Xian. Her eyes widened in surprise, ¡°Lin Xian... Lin Xian?¡± Chapter 358: Rhine Village Lin Xian froze when CC called his name. It took him a moment to process it. He vaguely recalled their second meeting in the dream world, where CC had felt a strange familiarity, as if she was remembering a piece of a forgotten dream. Back then, she hadn¡¯t known him as Lin Xian and had even joked, ¡°Why don¡¯t you just say your name is Safe?¡± Now, that joke seemed to make more sense. Although Lin Xian and CC had interacted multiple times in their first dream, he hadn¡¯t always introduced himself, and their conversations were often disjointed. In the second dream, CC¡¯s memories of the first dream were fragmented, especially the time they spent with Big Cat Face, using an acetylene torch to cut through an aluminum alloy safe. Lin Xian hadn¡¯t mentioned his name then, so when they reconnected in the second dream, it wasn¡¯t surprising that CC didn¡¯t recognize him. Yet, during that second dream, CC had become an invaluable teammate. To convince her to join him on a stealth mission to New Donghai City, Lin Xian had to explain his plans multiple times until she finally trusted him. But now... Since CC had immediately called out his name, did that mean¡ª Suddenly, a cold stick swung toward him. Big Cat Face wasn¡¯t holding back! Er Zhuzi thrust his spear forward, the tip gleaming ominously in the dim light. ¡°Big Brother! These two know each other! They¡¯re definitely plotting something together!¡± Er Zhuzi shouted. ¡°Cut them down!¡± Big Cat Face ordered, his voice as cold as ice. ¡°Everyone, attack!¡± On his command, their former teammates¡ªAh Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang¡ªcharged at them with weapons raised. ¡°Lin Xian, run!¡± CC didn¡¯t hesitate. She grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm and pulled him toward the nearby woods. ¡°Don¡¯t... don¡¯t move!¡± At that moment, Old Man Wei Sheng Jin appeared from behind a tree, trembling as he pointed a pistol at the chaotic scene. ¡°Huh?¡± Big Cat Face squinted at the unfamiliar weapon in Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s hand, unimpressed. ¡°What¡¯s that piece of junk? Who¡¯s the old man trying to scare?¡± Big Cat Face didn¡¯t recognize the pistol. Earth¡¯s current industrial capabilities couldn¡¯t produce such a weapon. Even if a gun were dug up after a century underground, it would likely be too rusted to use. Old Man Wei Sheng Jin wasn¡¯t surprised by Big Cat Face¡¯s ignorance of the weapon¡¯s power. A gun¡¯s greatest asset is its ability to intimidate, not necessarily its use in a fight¡ªespecially for someone like Wei Sheng Jin, who came to Earth to pursue his dreams, not to take lives. But since his adversaries didn¡¯t even recognize the gun, intimidation was out of the question. ¡°Teacher Wei, give me the gun.¡± Lin Xian and CC reached Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s side. Taking the gun from his shaky hands felt like a miracle as Lin Xian turned around. His movements were a blur¡ª Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! He fired four shots in rapid succession, the thunderous noise shocking Big Cat Face and Er Zhuzi, who were left dumbfounded. Then they noticed: ¡°Er Zhuzi! Where¡¯s the tip of your spear?¡± ¡°Big Brother, why do I only have a knife handle left?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m feeling well!¡± Their exclamations made Big Cat Face check his own weapon, only to find it shattered in the middle, leaving him with just a stub. He gasped. This... If that had struck someone¡¯s head, would it have shattered instantly? Was that tiny black object really so powerful? He remembered seeing similar weapons before¡ªold-fashioned firearms called powder guns and hunting rifles... But those were bulky, heavy, and couldn¡¯t fire repeatedly without reloading. Yet, the device in the hands of the old man and the young man... It was sleek, shiny, and no larger than a hand. How could it hold such immense power? ¡°Retreat!¡± Realizing they had been spared deliberately but that continuing the fight was too dangerous, Big Cat Face commanded, ¡°Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, San Pang! Let¡¯s go!¡± They retreated hastily into the undergrowth. Old Man Wei Sheng Jin sighed in relief, his heart pounding. He found a nearby rock to sit on, catching his breath and taking a sip from his water bottle. With the immediate danger gone, Lin Xian examined the pistol. It was undoubtedly Martian technology¡ªcompact, lightweight, and powerful, likely designed for discreet self-defense. He didn¡¯t know how many bullets it still held since he hadn¡¯t checked the magazine. On an Earth with virtually no industrial capacity, even a small Martian pistol was a formidable weapon. Pocketing the pistol, Lin Xian turned to the long-lost CC beside him. ¡°CC,¡± he called her name softly, a mix of emotions swirling within him. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡± CC smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. ¡°In this world, it seems we¡¯ve never met before. How could it be a long time?¡± Her eyes, smile, dimples, and face remained unchanged. Just like Chu An Qing. Lin Xian had many questions for CC, but casual conversation could wait. ¡°You know my name, so do you know other things about me too?¡± he asked. CC nodded. ¡°You told me yourself, in one of the memory fragments.¡± ¡°What did the memory fragment show?¡± Lin Xian began verifying the information, eager to piece together the scattered fragments of their shared past. ¡°There are two memory fragments about you,¡± CC revealed immediately. ¡°The first fragment shows you, me, Big Cat Face, and those people who were just chasing us, working together to burn a safe in a bank. The other memory is of you finding me in the woods. You claimed to be VV, but you weren¡¯t. You told me several things¡ª00:42, infinite loops, August 28th, the end of the world, and something about a landfill and the safe.¡± ¡°Then I trusted you, and we sneaked into New Donghai City together, infiltrated the Time Bank, and looked for the safe with your name on it. I don¡¯t know what happened after that; the memories are disjointed and incomplete.¡± Lin Xian smiled faintly. ¡°That¡¯s helpful. It saves me the trouble of introducing myself.¡± Just as he had thought. CC had acquired more memory fragments! In the second dream, CC retained fragments from the first; logically, CC in the third dream would retain fragments from the second, and while gaining new fragments, the old ones persisted. This explained why CC¡¯s mind held thousands of memory fragments, accumulated over countless shifts in time and space and worldline changes. Though Lin Xian hadn¡¯t met CC in the third or fourth dream, it didn¡¯t prevent her from gathering fragments¡ªthey just didn¡¯t involve him. Now, in the fifth dream... It was evident that CC had memories from all four previous dreams. Excellent. In this perpetual cycle of dreams, where no one recognized or trusted him, Lin Xian finally had a reliable, knowledgeable, and trustworthy ally from the start¡ªCC. Back in the second dream, in the small woods behind the Li family¡¯s courtyard, Lin Xian had divulged everything to CC to convince her to join him on his mission to New Donghai City, including the infinite loop of dreams. Now, he wouldn¡¯t need to repeat his backstory. Their earlier rapid exchange confirmed that CC completely trusted him, treating him like an old friend from the moment they met again. ¡°So, do you believe everything I¡¯ve told you now?¡± Lin Xian inquired. ¡°When we first met on the outskirts of New Donghai City, you were skeptical about the world ending at 00:42 and my ability to loop August 28th infinitely. But now, you should believe me, right? After all, this is our third time meeting on this day.¡± CC paused, then nodded slowly. ¡°Now... honestly, I¡¯m starting to believe it. But let¡¯s set that aside for now. What are you here for this time? Still looking for that safe with your name on it?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°You must be looking for that aluminum alloy safe too, right? Don¡¯t worry, this time, I know the password.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± CC chuckled. ¡°That made me laugh again. You always say that.¡± ¡°This time it¡¯s true.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t bother with further explanation. ¡°I won¡¯t say much now. You¡¯ll see when the time comes.¡± He glanced at CC a few more times. She really looked exactly like Chu An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian. Seeing her familiar face again stirred a mix of comfort and sadness in him. Noticing Lin Xian¡¯s complex expression, CC tilted her head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Lin Xian looked away briefly, then back again. ¡°I wanted to ask you, when is your birthday?¡± He paused. ¡°Is it August 29th, 2604?¡± CC blinked. ¡°No... it¡¯s August 28th.¡± Huh? Lin Xian was taken aback. But he quickly realized that since CC was born in Brooklyn, USA, she was referring to the USA time. The time 00:42 on August 29th, 2604, in X Country would be 12:42 on August 28th, 2604, in the USA. This coincidence seemed almost deliberate. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± CC nudged Lin Xian with her elbow. ¡°Why¡¯d you go silent? Why¡¯d you ask about my birthday?¡± ¡°You were probably born at 12:42 noon, right?¡± Lin Xian continued. CC looked even more puzzled. ¡°How¡¯d you know that? I asked my parents, and they remembered clearly. I was born right at noon when the sun was high, and the weather was hot. It was a good day.¡± Lin Xian squinted his eyes. Indeed. Everything aligned. CC is definitely another millennium stake. According to his extensive calculations with Gao Yang, every 24 years, a millennium stake disappears: 1952, 1976, 2000, 2024... all the way to 2624. It all fits perfectly. After the previous millennium stake vanishes, there¡¯s a four-year gap before the next one is born, and it disappears again on its 20th birthday, relocking history. This complete cycle repeats every 24 years. ¡°You told me before, but your memory fragments were incomplete.¡± Lin Xian was nudged again by CC, so he casually added, ¡°We talked about this before in New Donghai City.¡± He had lied. It seemed that CC, just like Chu An Qing and Zhang Yu Qian, although identical in appearance, were completely different individuals. So, Lin Xian had no intention of revealing the truth about the millennium stake to CC. He couldn¡¯t... It would be like foretelling her death, telling CC she had less than five hours to live. Besides, explaining the millennium stake was extremely complicated, and the anchor itself was unaware of its significance. There was no point in discussing it. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± Lin Xian changed the subject. ¡°Did you come from Brooklyn?¡± CC nodded. ¡°I haven¡¯t been here long, just a few months. The journey was incredibly lengthy... None of the transportation methods from my memory fragments exist here; the fastest were horseback or sailing ships... It took over a year to reach Old Donghai City.¡± ¡°When I arrived, I started searching for the ruins of the Time Bank, but I couldn¡¯t find anything. The bearded man in my memory fragment, VV, didn¡¯t give me the exact location of the Time Bank... he just mentioned it was in Donghai City.¡± ¡°That¡¯s also strange because when I was born, Donghai City and all other cities were already gone. I don¡¯t know why VV would say that. Unless... as you¡¯ve suggested before, these memory fragments are from different times, different parallel worlds, different worldlines.¡± ¡°Hehe, you just don¡¯t get it because you¡¯re too dumb! I understand it perfectly! Village chief, can you teach me more about equations? I¡¯m really interested! Don¡¯t waste time on him!¡± another taunted. Inside the house, a kind and gentle old woman was smiling at her pupils. She gently reprimanded the girl who liked equations, ¡°Xiao Yu, it¡¯s great that you¡¯re eager to learn and that you¡¯re bright, but remember, it¡¯s important to respect everyone. Everyone has their own strengths and skills. To be truly useful to society, and to the world, you need to appreciate all kinds of talents, not just academic ones.¡± She then turned to the boy who was frustrated with the math, ¡°Xiao Ming, while basic math might seem sufficient for daily challenges, without advancing our knowledge, we¡¯d never discover the deeper, beautiful math that helps us understand the universe better.¡± She patted his cheek affectionately, ¡°When I first arrived over twenty years ago, people here lived very simple, primitive lives. They had no medicine, couldn¡¯t treat wounds, and many didn¡¯t live long. I taught them how to farm, make tools, and use herbs. Now, life is better here because knowledge changed their fate.¡± ¡°If you learn more about equations, maybe you could become a scientist or an engineer. Isn¡¯t that your dream? You and Xiao Yu are some of the brightest kids here, and Rhine Village¡¯s future could be bright because of you.¡± The children¡¯s eyes lit up with inspiration as they nodded, understanding her words. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for today. Go and rest,¡± she concluded, noticing Lin Xian and his friends waiting at the door. She ended the lesson early, inviting them in with a welcoming smile. After hearing from CC, Lin Xian and Wei Sheng Jin were led into the stone-brick house where they were introduced to the village chief. ¡°Grandma, these two stood up for me during a disagreement with people from Big Cat¡¯s Village in the forest. They defended me and saved my life,¡± CC explained to the village chief. The village chief smiled warmly at them and nodded: ¡°Thank you both so much, and welcome to Rhine Village. Feel at home here, stay as long as you like, and if you¡¯d like... you¡¯re welcome to join our Rhine Village family.¡± ¡°Hello, village chief,¡± greeted Wei Sheng Jin, introducing himself first. ¡°I traveled here from Mars on a transit ship. My name is Wei Sheng Jin, and I¡¯m a university professor on Mars... Your story has truly touched me. You¡¯re such a kind and caring person.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read about dedicated rural and volunteer teachers in ancient books, but I never fully grasped the challenges and significance of their work... until now. It¡¯s remarkable that you left the comforts of Mars to help the people on this less advanced Earth... I have immense respect for you.¡± The village chief responded with a humble smile: ¡°It¡¯s not anything grand. On the contrary, I felt I wasn¡¯t doing enough significant work, so I came to Earth where even the little knowledge I have could be useful. It¡¯s not about being great; I¡¯m just doing what I can to help others and spread some kindness. By the way... Teacher Wei, what brought you all the way to Earth?¡± Wei Sheng Jin then shared his quest for the aluminum alloy safe with the village chief. Upon hearing this, the village chief glanced at CC and then suddenly realized: ¡°So that¡¯s why... I see now that you all came here to find your safes. I understand you because I also came from the old era and woke up centuries later with no memory of who I was.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to know what my past life was like, what I was thinking, what experiences I had... but regaining lost memories isn¡¯t easy. Even if you find what¡¯s inside the safe, you might not remember the thoughts behind putting it there.¡± ¡°Nevertheless, I wish you luck in finding your safes. And for you, CC, who had a conflict today over a safe because I mentioned that people from Big Cat¡¯s Village had dug up one long ago, which might be what you¡¯re looking for.¡± Lin Xian and Wei Sheng Jin both turned to CC, their questions overlapping. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this earlier?¡± Lin Xian asked, his voice sharp with curiosity. ¡°Did you get the number and name of the safe?¡± Wei Sheng Jin added, just as urgently. CC first addressed Lin Xian, ¡°It didn¡¯t seem important since it wasn¡¯t one of your safes. Why bring it up? It¡¯s like that one you dismissed earlier today.¡± Wei Sheng Jin, realizing the safe didn¡¯t belong to him, lost interest immediately. If it had nothing to do with him, he couldn¡¯t care less, even if it was filled with treasure. ¡°Whose safe is it then?¡± Lin Xian pressed on. ¡°What¡¯s the number?¡± This information was crucial for him. If the number was below 200, then in the 2024 Time Bank warehouse, he could pinpoint the exact safe! With this knowledge, everything would become much simpler. Lin Xian planned to switch the contents of safe number 66, which held space-time particles and a small note, with a safe in Big Cat¡¯s Village and then change the lock code. This move would solve several problems at once: First, he could finally read the note. Second, CC could access Lin Xian¡¯s safe somewhere else, ensuring the same items were inside. Most importantly, this ancient safe, having traveled 600 years through time, could transport items from the past to the future, giving him an unbeatable edge! ¡°Safe number 424. The name is...¡± CC paused, trying to remember, ¡°Gao Wen, Gao as in tall, Wen as in literature.¡± Gao Wen? The name triggered something in Lin Xian¡¯s memory. Academician Gao Wen. Wasn¡¯t he the one who wrote about the hibernation pod fluid Lin Xian had documented for Professor Xu Yun in his earlier dream? Lin Xian remembered it clearly. Originally, Dr. Ponsmike in the United States developed the hibernation pod fluid in 2477. But due to time-space changes, it became associated with Gao Wen around 2200. Lin Xian had given Gao Wen¡¯s research to Professor Xu Yun, which had catapulted Xu Yun to fame. He had thought Gao Wen¡¯s contributions would be forgotten forever, only to hear his name now under such odd circumstances. Could this safe belong to that same Gao Wen? ¡°Gao Wen,¡± Lin Xian repeated quietly, his mind racing. What could be inside that safe? Perhaps research papers? If so, they would be priceless back in 2024! His company, Rhine, needed to grow and strengthen, and he wanted to harness the visionary prowess of legends like Copernicus and Elon Musk. Previously, he had feared exposure and possible assassination by the Seven Deadly Sins, so he avoided using his technological insights. But now, caution was unnecessary! Copernicus had already tried to kill him using a future assassin, and the Genius Club seemed less threatening than he had thought. Now was the time to solidify his position. Truth only exists where it¡¯s recognized, and respect comes from power. Falling behind meant losing. Lin Xian resolved to become powerful. In this situation, Gao Wen¡¯s safe might just contain a goldmine of advanced technology! ¡°It¡¯s very possible,¡± he thought. In the movie Goodbye Mr. Loser, the protagonist Xia Luo goes back in time and performs all the famous songs of a well-known singer, leaving the original singer without his music. Yet, did that singer vanish into oblivion? No. A star delayed is still a star, eventually gaining global acclaim. Similarly, for Gao Wen, a genius remains a genius! He wouldn¡¯t just step out from under Professor Xu Yun¡¯s shadow but could reach greater heights in other areas or even advance hibernation technology beyond Xu Yun¡¯s initial work. ¡°It looks like I really need to try and open Gao Wen¡¯s safe to see what¡¯s inside,¡± Lin Xian decided. The village chief, noticing their contemplative silence, turned to Lin Xian: ¡°And this young man... is he also from Mars? Are you Teacher Wei¡¯s student, here looking for a safe?¡± ¡°Ah, no, he isn¡¯t,¡± CC quickly answered: ¡°He¡¯s my friend, and we just met here. He¡¯s not from Mars; he¡¯s from Earth. His name is... Lin Xian.¡± Lin Xian was about to introduce himself politely when suddenly¡ª The village chief¡¯s eyes widened, and she gasped, standing up straight: ¡°You...¡± She approached swiftly, grasping Lin Xian¡¯s hands tightly: ¡°You... your name is Lin Xian? Lin as in forest, Xian as in the strings of a zither!?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s me, grandma,¡± Lin Xian responded, puzzled by her intense reaction. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, village chief? Do you know me?¡± The village chief shook her head: ¡°I don¡¯t know you, but...¡± She hurried back to her bed and retrieved a small, exquisitely crafted metal box. The box was clearly something she had brought from Mars over twenty years ago. With trembling hands, she searched inside and finally pulled out a laminated piece of paper¡ªa preservation method that kept the paper from aging or decaying. Walking back, she handed the laminated sheet to Lin Xian. Lin Xian took it, stepping closer to the dim light of the pig-oil lamp in the house to read: Things to Do After Waking from Hibernation! Bury my brother on the moon. Repay Lin Xian. Be a kind and caring person. Suddenly, it felt like fireworks exploded in Lin Xian¡¯s mind. He widened his eyes, staring at the centenarian before him in shock: ¡°You... you¡¯re...¡± The old lady nodded, equally bewildered: ¡°Didn¡¯t CC tell you? My name is... Zheng Xiang Yue.¡± Chapter 359: Heading to the Moon! ¡°Zheng... Zheng Xiang Yue?!¡± Lin Xian stared at the elderly woman in front of him. Her hair was white but neatly tied in a ponytail. Even though she was over a hundred years old, she moved with surprising agility, and her eyes were sharp and vibrant. It was Zheng Xiang Yue. Just two days ago, Lin Xian had seen her in 2024. Back then, she was a small, fragile girl, connected to wires and electrodes, struggling to move. She had always looked so helpless that it stirred both sympathy and a sense of hopelessness in those who saw her. But now, here she stood, an elderly woman, full of life. Lin Xian found it hard to match the image of that frail girl with the vibrant woman before him. Yet... The laminated card in his hand was undeniable proof of her identity. It was the same card he had seen teenage Zheng Xiang Yue painstakingly write, each character crooked because she hadn¡¯t practiced writing much. Those crooked letters had made it unforgettable for him. At first, she had only written two things. But after some encouragement from him, she added a third: ¡°Be a kind and compassionate person.¡± And now, here she was, having come back from the advanced world of Mars to primitive Earth, teaching people how to farm, smelt iron, build communities, and shape a future. Though it might not seem like a big deal now, in this era on this Earth, Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s return from Mars, bringing knowledge and hope, was like a goddess descending from the heavens. Lin Xian suddenly remembered something he had once told her: ¡°Be kind, be loving. Help those in need, show care to those who long for it. If you have the ability, use it to do great things. If not, return home to Donghai and contribute there. Spreading your kindness and love is the best way to repay those who have helped you.¡± Who could have imagined his casual words would come true? Zheng Xiang Yue not only survived into the future but had also cured her congenital heart disease and returned to Donghai to ¡°build her homeland.¡± Lin Xian understood that Zheng Xiang Yue probably didn¡¯t remember his words. She had admitted that the amnesia caused by hibernation had wiped out her memories. Even standing right in front of him, she didn¡¯t recognize him. The elderly Zheng Xiang Yue was likely so shocked to see him because his name was on that small card. She had probably searched for this name for a long time, wanting to find out what had happened and, maybe, to thank this ¡°Brother Lin Xian,¡± as she had written in her wish list. At that moment, Lin Xian finally understood why Old Man Wei Sheng Jin had repeatedly suggested he just call people by their names without using any titles. He had found the advice unnecessary and even a bit rude before, but now it made sense. How was he supposed to address Zheng Xiang Yue now? Should he still pat her on the head like a little sister as he had done just days ago? Or should he ask this elderly woman, who was as old as his grandmother¡¯s grandmother, to call him ¡°Brother Lin Xian¡±? The thought made him uncomfortable. And they couldn¡¯t just talk as if nothing had changed. He couldn¡¯t call her ¡°grandma,¡± and she couldn¡¯t call him ¡°brother.¡± That would only make things more confusing. In the end, Old Man Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s suggestion was best: in an era where age and seniority had become so mixed up due to hibernation, addressing people by their names avoided all awkwardness. Seeing Zheng Xiang Yue, now over a hundred years old, healthy, and having fulfilled her purpose and dreams, Lin Xian felt genuinely happy¡ªfor her and for his small act of kindness. Throughout his life... Though Lin Xian didn¡¯t like to admit it, his attempts to change the future always seemed to backfire, often making things worse. But seeing Zheng Xiang Yue in the Fifth Dream was like a bright moon shining over the dark and backward Earth, illuminating his gloomy dream. Lin Xian was curious. Had Zheng Xiang Yue fulfilled her dream? Had she been to the moon? Just as he was about to ask, Old Man Wei Sheng Jin suddenly shouted, cutting him off. ¡°Zheng... Zheng Xiang Yue!!!¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin was so excited he nearly jumped. He stared at the elderly village chief, his voice trembling, ¡°The Moon Girl... Zheng Xiang Yue! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still alive! No, I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m just shocked. I never thought I¡¯d meet someone from my school textbooks on Earth!¡± ¡°Someone from the textbooks?¡± Lin Xian asked, puzzled. Old Man Wei Sheng Jin swallowed, calming himself before explaining. ¡°The story of Moon Girl was in our middle school textbooks. I was just a teenager, starting middle school when I went into hibernation. When I woke up, I had forgotten everything, my mind completely blank. Apart from language, I knew nothing. You see, language and memory are processed in different parts of the brain, so language skills don¡¯t fade even after long hibernation.¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m digressing... That¡¯s just the teacher in me. Anyway, after receiving basic education and history lessons, I continued with middle school on Mars. One of the most famous lessons in the textbook was Moon Girl.¡± ¡°The lesson told the story of SpaceX Corporation and a little girl who made a promise that spanned hundreds of years. The company, keeping its promise, took this girl on a trip to the moon, accompanied by Elon Musk himself. It was a very romantic story... Though, of course, it served as propaganda for SpaceX, boosting its image. But the story was true¡ªZheng Xiang Yue, the Moon Girl, was real.¡± ¡°When the story was published, it caused a sensation across Mars. SpaceX and Elon Musk¡¯s reputation skyrocketed, and Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s name became known in every household on Mars. Naturally, the story was included in middle school textbooks. Back then, students were required to memorize it word for word!¡± Lin Xian became interested. ¡°Can you recite it for me? I¡¯d like to hear it.¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I can¡¯t remember it all now... But I did help my son and grandson with their homework when they were in school, and Moon Girl was still in the textbooks, still required for memorization.¡± ¡°You have to understand, I woke up from hibernation in 2574. By then, Zheng Xiang Yue had returned from the moon decades earlier. The story remained in textbooks even when my grandson went to school... It¡¯s probably one of the most famous pieces of literature on Mars.¡± ¡°Though I can¡¯t recite it now, I remember the key points: the story praised Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s perseverance, her courage to fight against illness, her optimistic outlook, and her bold pursuit of dreams. It also commended SpaceX and Elon Musk for keeping their word, highlighting the importance of trust between people¡ª¡± ¡°Mr. Wei, you¡¯re slipping into teacher mode again,¡± Lin Xian interrupted, squinting slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s skip the analysis. Just tell me what the story was about.¡± ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin cleared his throat. ¡°The story wasn¡¯t long. It started with Zheng Xiang Yue waking up from hibernation, going through basic education, and then being approached by Elon Musk, who asked if she still wanted to go to the moon.¡± ¡°SpaceX fulfilled its promise to this little girl who had crossed centuries. The journey from Mars to the moon was long, but Elon Musk took six months off his busy schedule to accompany her on the trip.¡± ¡°However, to protect her privacy, the reasons for going to the moon and what they did there were not included in the lesson. These omissions sparked curiosity among the public and became a topic of research for many historians, though no one could ever figure out the truth.¡± ¡°Many people thought Zheng Xiang Yue would use this fame to become a celebrity or enter politics, given the advantages she had that most people could only dream of. But she surprised everyone by staying out of the spotlight, never using her fame for personal gain.¡± ¡°Everyone only knew that she worked for SpaceX. After that, no one knew where she went, when she retired, or what became of her. That¡¯s why I was so shocked to see the Moon Girl here on Earth, living as a village chief!¡± As Old Man Wei Sheng Jin finished speaking, the elderly Zheng Xiang Yue smiled kindly and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Mr. Lin Xian... Do you remember me?¡± Lin Xian looked up. Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s tone had changed; it was more respectful now. She understood that if she had written down a desire to repay ¡°Brother Lin Xian,¡± it must have meant that he had helped her a lot, that they were very close. ¡°At first, I was confused. I didn¡¯t really want to go to the moon, and I didn¡¯t understand why I had that ticket. But then I saw the little card with the title Things to Do After Waking Up from Hibernation!¡± ¡°I saw that the first item was... to bury my brother on the moon. I didn¡¯t remember having a brother, but when I saw the urn, I understood that the ¡®brother¡¯ referred to must be this.¡± ¡°I remember feeling both scared and distant from the urn, too afraid to even go near it. It took me two years after that before I, as a middle schooler, took the ticket to Mr. Elon Musk and said I wanted to go to the moon... to see if I could recover any memories.¡± ¡°Mr. Elon Musk readily agreed, saying the flight had been ready for a long time. So, I took my brother¡¯s urn and the little laminated card to the moon. Once there, I put on a spacesuit, dug a hole on the lunar surface, and buried the urn.¡± ¡°When the task was done... I didn¡¯t feel any sense of accomplishment or emotion. It was as if I was mechanically carrying out an action that had nothing to do with me. That¡¯s when I realized... ¡®Memory is such a precious thing.¡¯¡± ¡°¡®Memory isn¡¯t just information, a sentence, or a piece of imagery. What makes memory different from a movie clip is that... memory is filled with emotion.¡¯¡± ¡°Just like the little card said, I had a brother. From the name on the urn, I knew his name was Zheng Cheng He. I also knew that my wish was to bury him on the moon. But... so what? What did that mean? I had no idea and no emotional connection to it.¡± ¡°I stood on the moon, looking at the vast darkness of space, staring at the enormous Earth hanging in the sky... At that moment, I felt so lonely. I wanted to go back to Mars, where at least I had a home, classmates...¡± ¡°I looked at the card with the three wishes and told Mr. Elon Musk that I had completed the first one. The second wish was... to repay Brother Lin Xian. But who was Brother Lin Xian? Did Mr. Elon Musk know him?¡± ¡°Mr. Elon Musk didn¡¯t answer. From his expression, I could tell he knew who Brother Lin Xian was, but he didn¡¯t seem to want to tell me. I then asked if I would ever get to see Brother Lin Xian again.¡± ¡°Still, Mr. Elon Musk remained silent, just gazing at the blue Earth. I guessed this meant that Brother Lin Xian, like my brother Zheng Cheng He, was probably already dead, right?¡± ¡°I remember that moment clearly...¡± Zheng Xiang Yue closed her eyes as if reliving the scene from 100 years ago, where she and Elon Musk stood on the moon, looking at Earth. She spoke softly. ¡°Mr. Elon Musk told me that if the person you want to see is in your heart, then you¡¯ve already seen them... Besides, the second wish on your card says to repay Lin Xian; it doesn¡¯t say you have to meet him to do that... So why not start working on the third wish?¡± ¡°He said... perhaps the second and third wishes are connected. By being kind and doing good deeds, that¡¯s the best way to repay Lin Xian.¡± ... After saying this, Zheng Xiang Yue smiled, opened her eyes, and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°And that¡¯s how the second chapter of my life began.¡± ¡°After returning to Mars, I focused on studying and eventually started working at SpaceX. I spent my life looking for ways I could contribute, but I realized that I wasn¡¯t particularly talented or capable of making a significant impact on the world...¡± ¡°I must say, my life on Mars was very happy. I got married, had children... I had two kids, a son, and a daughter. They got along well. My son had two daughters, and my daughter had a son... After I retired, I enjoyed many years of family happiness.¡± ¡°But now, before I came to Earth, my son and daughter had both passed away, and of my three grandchildren, only one grandson was still alive, though his health was poor... It seems that children born and raised on Mars generally have shorter lifespans compared to humans who came from Earth via hibernation. Most of the people I knew who came from Earth lived to be over 100 years old.¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin nodded in agreement. It was true. Humans who hibernated on Earth and woke up on Mars generally lived to be over 100. Scientists speculated this had something to do with gravity, environment, and embryonic development, but the exact reason remained unknown. Zheng Xiang Yue looked at the laminated card in her hand and continued. ¡°As I approached 100 years old, I often looked at this card, feeling that as Zheng Xiang Yue, I hadn¡¯t fulfilled my childhood wishes... The young girl who wrote down these three dreams for me, I had only completed the first one, and the other two... I had no idea how to accomplish them.¡± ¡°As you get older, you start to worry more. Without memories of my life on Earth, I found myself increasingly nostalgic for it. I knew Earth was backward, life there was hard... But I often wondered, what kind of person is truly kind and loving?¡± ¡°If Earth is indeed my homeland... shouldn¡¯t I return, bringing knowledge and love, to help rebuild it?¡± ¡°And so, I came to Earth and have never wanted to return. I just want to contribute kindness and love, to make Earth a better place. This, I believe, is the best way to honor the young Zheng Xiang Yue who once wrote down such great dreams. I can¡¯t let her down.¡± Now over a hundred years old, Zheng Xiang Yue shook her head, a satisfied smile on her face. She placed the laminated card on the table and looked up at Lin Xian again. ¡°I love Earth because... the moon here is truly beautiful, something you could never see on Mars.¡± The moon? Suddenly, Lin Xian remembered the black hand that stretched from the north to the south pole of the moon. Could such a moon really be called beautiful? Unless... He quickly got up and stepped outside the stone-brick house, looking up at the sky. And there it was. In the dark, starry sky above, a bright and radiant full moon hung in the heavens! It was clear, white, and perfectly round like a jade plate. This was a moon more beautiful than any he had seen in his future dreams. Lin Xian felt an unexpected sense of peace. This was how it should be. This was the real moon. Behind him, Old Man Wei Sheng Jin and Zheng Xiang Yue, the two elderly figures, also stepped out of the house and stood beside Lin Xian, gazing up at the full moon. ¡°I love Earth¡¯s moon too,¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin said with emotion. ¡°Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, but they¡¯re too small and can¡¯t reflect sunlight, so you could never see a sight like this on Mars.¡± ¡°In the two months I¡¯ve been on Earth, I¡¯ve spent long nights just staring at the moon. It¡¯s so beautiful, so mesmerizing.¡± Lin Xian chuckled and looked back at Zheng Xiang Yue. ¡°Even if you hadn¡¯t come to Earth, the people here would have always been grateful to you. Your kindness and love... they received it centuries ago.¡± The elderly Zheng Xiang Yue didn¡¯t quite understand what Lin Xian was saying and asked in confusion. ¡°Why do you say that? I haven¡¯t done anything for Earth... I haven¡¯t contributed anything.¡± ¡°No...¡± Lin Xian raised his head again, bathed in the white moonlight, his eyes reflecting the inverted image of the bright moon. ¡°This clean moonlight is the best gift you could have ever given Earth.¡± Chapter 360: Lin Yu Xi Wakes Up ¡°Mr. Lin Xian, you really seem to know a lot about me and my lost memories,¡± Zheng Xiang Yue said softly, her gaze shifting from the moon to Lin Xian. ¡°Can you tell me? What was my life like when I was a young girl, just in my teens?¡± Lin Xian looked down, his eyes fixed on the sand shifting under his feet as the night breeze blew. He hesitated, unsure whether he should reveal the truth to her. Zheng Xiang Yue seemed content now. She was surrounded by children, living a fulfilling life on Mars, experiencing the joys of family. The doctors had said she wouldn¡¯t live past fourteen, yet here she was, over a hundred years old and still healthy. In her later years, she had returned to Earth to help rebuild it, achieving a meaningful life and fulfilling her childhood dream. But compared to her life now... Had young Zheng Xiang Yue ever truly been happy on Earth? Her parents were brutally murdered when she was just a baby. Her brother, trying to protect her from a village bully, was bitten by a dog and later died in a car crash as her condition worsened. Left all alone, she faced a world filled with pain. Was it really a good idea to bring back those awful memories? Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure. He believed that some memories were better left forgotten, especially if they were filled with sorrow. This idea applied not only to Zheng Xiang Yue but also to others like Xi Yi Yi. Wouldn¡¯t forgetting and starting anew be a better choice? For a moment, he found himself lost in the paradox of the Ship of Theseus: Are we defined by our memories, or do we decide what those memories mean? If we replace every piece, is it still the same ship? If someone with no memories is filled with new ones, are they still the same person? Wei Sheng Jin, who had traveled thousands of miles to this backward Earth, was here to see what was hidden in the safe. He wanted to find out who he truly was and whether the current Wei Sheng Jin was still the original Wei Sheng Jin. Or had he been forcing himself to live as Wei Sheng Jin all this time? This search for identity haunted Wei Sheng Jin, Zheng Xiang Yue, and maybe even CC. Lin Xian turned his head and noticed CC stepping out from a stone-brick house. She stood beside the two elderly people, watching him, as if waiting for his answer. And he... he didn¡¯t have one. ¡°I¡¯m not ready yet,¡± Lin Xian finally said, turning to Zheng Xiang Yue, whose hair had turned gray with age. ¡°I admit that I know about your past, the life you lived over a hundred years ago, and the stories behind the three wishes you wrote down.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not the only one who knows. Elon Musk probably knows too. From his silence and his reaction when he heard my name... I don¡¯t know how, but it seems he didn¡¯t lose his memory from hibernation.¡± ¡°For some reason, even though Elon Musk knows all about you and everything that happened, he still chose not to tell you. So, could you please give me some time? I need to think carefully about all of this.¡± Lin Xian needed more time to think. Elon Musk hadn¡¯t even told Zheng Xiang Yue who bought her ticket when she asked him directly. Elon Musk remained silent. Could it be that he knew that once the dam holding back her memories was opened, it could never be closed again? Lin Xian agreed with Musk¡¯s approach. If he were on the moon with Zheng Xiang Yue, who had just woken from hibernation, lost her memory, and buried her brother¡¯s ashes, he, too, would choose to keep quiet about her past. Why burden her with those painful memories now? She had just gained a healthy body, a beautiful environment, and a happy life. Why turn those unchangeable, painful memories into thorns that would pierce her heart forever? Even though this dream world had less than an hour left and everything would reset, Lin Xian didn¡¯t want to see the Zheng Xiang Yue he knew experience any more pain or shed any more tears after everything she¡¯d been through. Zheng Xiang Yue smiled kindly. It was as if she had already guessed his answer and wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°You are a kind person,¡± she said softly. ¡°I¡¯ve lived for so many years, seen so many things, experienced life and death, and even watched my children and grandchildren pass away one by one. I understand why you don¡¯t want to tell me the truth. Over these hundred-plus years, there have been many times when I almost said something but didn¡¯t, and many times when I told a kind lie.¡± ¡°But I appreciate your honesty, Mr. Lin Xian. At least you¡¯re not trying to deceive me with another kind lie. I¡¯m willing to wait. I¡¯ve waited over a hundred years; a little more time doesn¡¯t bother me.¡± She smiled at him warmly. ¡°You are one of the three wishes I wrote down in my life. You¡¯re someone my teenage self wanted to repay. So, whether or not you tell me the truth about the past, I won¡¯t mind. You are my benefactor, and I will always be grateful to you.¡± ¡°I just hope... if the day comes when you decide to tell me everything, please make sure it¡¯s the truth. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Lin Xian. My life has always been surrounded by kindness and love. No matter what the truth is, I can handle it.¡± ¡°Just like you three are so focused on the safe, searching for your answers, I also hope to find my true self. I want the little girl I was in my teens and the old woman I am now to come together and be one person.¡± She turned and called out to a middle-aged man passing by, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a bamboo hut on the east side of the village where we store tools? It might be drafty, but with this hot weather, it¡¯s actually quite comfortable to sleep in.¡± ¡°Can you and some of the young men go clean it up, tidy it, and put a couple of bamboo beds inside so our two new guests can rest there?¡± ¡°Okay, Grandma,¡± the man responded respectfully, bowing slightly to Zheng Xiang Yue before jogging off to get to work. Just as CC had said, Zheng Xiang Yue was highly respected in Rhine Village. Everyone, young and old, called her ¡°Grandma.¡± Even seventy-year-old Wei Sheng Jin calling her ¡°Grandma¡± didn¡¯t seem out of place, considering her age. Lin Xian quickly calculated in his mind. Zheng Xiang Yue must be around 116 years old now, and her health was truly remarkable. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need; we can clean it ourselves,¡± Wei Sheng Jin said, feeling a bit embarrassed. He quickly followed the young men to help tidy up the hut. After making the arrangements, Zheng Xiang Yue, feeling tired, returned to her room to rest. Lin Xian glanced at his watch. It was 11:57 PM. It was near midnight in a village illuminated only by moonlight. Most people didn¡¯t stay up this late except for the night patrols, like the middle-aged man they had just met. Now, the laughing and playing children were long asleep. In the vast village courtyard, only CC and Lin Xian remained. ¡°You should have told Grandma the truth,¡± CC said abruptly. ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian turned his head, ¡°You mean I should have told Zheng Xiang Yue about her life when she was a teenager? About everything that happened to her?¡± CC nodded. ¡°Yes, you should have. If someone kept something like that from me, knowing the truth but not saying it, I¡¯d be very uncomfortable.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s all painful things?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Yes,¡± CC replied firmly. ¡°Even if it¡¯s bad and sad, memories are memories. Only complete memories can make a complete person. Is there anyone whose memories are always happy? People have joys and sorrows; the moon waxes and wanes... Does half a moon not count as a moon?¡± ¡°You know quite a bit,¡± Lin Xian smiled at her. ¡°Where did you learn that old poem? It probably wasn¡¯t from this world, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s from a fragment of my memories,¡± CC continued. ¡°I just want to say... painful memories have value too. Without experiencing separation, how would people look forward to reunion? Without the feeling of loss, who would know to cherish what they have now?¡± ¡°Like me, you know I¡¯d give up everything to open that safe. You¡¯ve said I¡¯m foolish, and you don¡¯t understand why.¡± ¡°But I believe in what the bearded man, VV, said. I believe that when I open that safe made of aluminum alloy, I definitely won¡¯t regret it.¡± Lin Xian crossed his arms, watching CC under the bright moonlight. ¡°No matter what¡¯s inside?¡± ¡°No matter what¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s just a rice cooker?¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s just a rice co¡ªwait, what¡¯s a rice cooker?¡± CC tilted her head. ¡°You always say things that don¡¯t make any sense.¡± Lin Xian sighed inwardly. He kept things from Zheng Xiang Yue, but wasn¡¯t he also hiding things from CC? The current him was completely different from who he was in the first and second dreamscapes. Now, he knew the combination to the safe because he had set it himself. He also knew what was inside the safe because he had placed the rice cooker, the time-space particles, and the note there himself. It was precisely because he knew what was in the safe that he found it difficult to explain to CC. Similarly, he didn¡¯t want to disappoint her. Yet CC¡¯s unwavering belief made Lin Xian feel a strange sense of expectation about the contents of the safe. Maybe that little note wasn¡¯t just meant for him; maybe it was also for CC. Considering that Chu An Qing and CC were both linked to the thousand-year incidents... this thought wasn¡¯t impossible. ¡°You really trust that bearded man,¡± Lin Xian said sincerely. ¡°Sometimes, being trusted so blindly and persistently by someone is a kind of pride. But I have a question... I always thought that for you to trust him so much, there must have been a lot of stories between you two, deep feelings, many experiences.¡± ¡°But on the way here, you mentioned that only the memory fragments with me are long, and all other fragments are only a few seconds long. Even the ¡®Safe Manifesto¡¯ by that bearded man, VV, is just a few seconds... I don¡¯t quite understand this.¡± Lin Xian spread his hands. ¡°Just a few seconds of memory, is it really worth risking everything for?¡± CC chuckled softly. She glanced at the closed door of Grandma¡¯s room, where the oil lamps had been extinguished. ¡°The answer to that question... Grandma already gave it to you earlier, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°Memories are different from movie clips because memories themselves come with emotions.¡± ¡°For example, when you think back to the scenes from Grandma¡¯s childhood that you don¡¯t want to share with her, is it just a scene? No, there must be sadness, regret, and pain attached to it. That¡¯s the magic of memories.¡± ¡°I only have two memory fragments about you, and they¡¯re broken and incomplete. But why, when I see you again today, do I still trust you so much? It¡¯s because those memory fragments also carry emotions... When I think back to those images, the emotion that comes up is trust in you.¡± ¡°I get it,¡± Lin Xian nodded, looking at CC. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that in the memory fragment about that bearded man, VV, even though it¡¯s only a few seconds... the emotion that emerges is incredibly strong, which is why you¡¯re willing to risk everything.¡± ¡°Can you tell me... when you think of that bearded man, VV, what exactly do you feel? What emotions? What intense feelings?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± CC, as usual, declined firmly. Her expression was just as resentful as when she had answered in the second dream. Lin Xian chuckled softly. It seemed his favorability rating wasn¡¯t high enough yet. Perhaps when he earned more of her trust, or when she believed he was the bearded man VV, she¡¯d be willing to share more detailed feelings. But how to prove it? Lin Xian was currently 98.35% sure he was the bearded man, but he had no definitive proof to present. So, if CC didn¡¯t want to talk, she wouldn¡¯t. From her expression and the tone of her words, it wasn¡¯t hard to guess that the story between her and the bearded man, VV, was far from pleasant¡ªprobably full of resentment and regret. ¡°Your opinion might not represent Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s thoughts,¡± Lin Xian said, looking at CC. ¡°When I figure out how to tell her and how to share the stories of the past with her... I¡¯ll let her know.¡± ¡°But for now, we don¡¯t have even the slightest clue about the safe with Lin Xian¡¯s name on it. What are you planning to do?¡± CC asked, turning her head toward the direction Wei Sheng Jin had left. ¡°We¡¯ll just keep looking. Didn¡¯t you say you could repeat this day countless times? Then we can keep looking like this. It might feel like searching for a needle in a haystack, but the metal detector that Mr. Wei carries could really speed up the search.¡± ¡°That is a method,¡± Lin Xian agreed. ¡°But I think there¡¯s a better way to try.¡± His plan was this: First, it had to be clear that finding the aluminum alloy safe in the fifth dream was incredibly difficult, almost impractical. It could take years, even decades, of searching without finding more than a few safes. After all, Mr. Wei had been scanning for two months, and today, they had only found something by pure luck. Given the current situation, they weren¡¯t yet at the point where they needed to search aimlessly. They could change their strategy to find the safe¡ªChange the dream again! The reason finding the safe in the fifth dream was so challenging was that Donghai City had been destroyed, flattened, making it impossible to locate Time Bank¡¯s address. But what if they could change the dream again, restore Donghai City, and bring it back to what it was? Wouldn¡¯t that make finding Time Bank¡ªand thus the safe¡ªmuch easier? Furthermore, if the dream changed, he and Liu Feng could once again observe the changes in the space-time clock¡¯s values, clarifying the patterns in space-time curvature and deducing the coordinates. As long as they had the space-time coordinates, they¡¯d be one step closer to joining the Genius Club and seeing the second exam question. It would be a win-win situation. The problem was... how to trigger another change in the dream world? She turned to Zhao Rui Hai, ¡°We don¡¯t have any relatives in Donghai, do we?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zhao Rui Hai shook his head, equally doubtful, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for a while. My siblings aren¡¯t in Donghai, not even in the south. And your family is just you and your brother, both in the capital.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re wondering if this girl might be a relative, but... we really don¡¯t have any relatives in Donghai. And we know all our relatives well. If there were a child who looked this much like Ying Jun, we would¡¯ve known long ago¡ªwe wouldn¡¯t just find her on the road yesterday.¡± Yan Mei stood up and pulled Zhao Rui Hai aside, whispering, ¡°I think this young girl might not be able to speak... Could she be deaf-mute or have some cognitive issues?¡± Zhao Rui Hai pondered for a few seconds, ¡°Deaf-mute people can still make sounds and use sign language. But this girl seems to be blank, like... like there might indeed be something wrong cognitively.¡± ¡°How about this: if we can¡¯t get any information from her, and if she really does have cognitive issues, she might not know where she lives or her parents¡¯ phone number. You stay with her for a while, and I¡¯ll take some photos and send them to the Donghai City Police Department for a facial recognition match.¡± Saying that, Yan Mei went back to take care of the girl and asked the housekeeper to bring over some hot porridge and food. Meanwhile, Zhao Rui Hai used his phone to take a few clear photos of the girl¡¯s face and sent them to his old subordinates at the Donghai City Police Department, explaining the situation. The subordinate quickly replied, ¡°Leave it to me; I¡¯ll activate the facial recognition system and the Skynet monitoring system right away. Don¡¯t worry, the facial recognition system in Donghai is connected nationwide. If there¡¯s any registered information on this young lady, we¡¯ll find it right away.¡± ¡°Even if we don¡¯t find anything, we still have the Skynet system! This girl is all grown up; she can¡¯t have just popped out of a rock, right? As long as she¡¯s ever been caught on surveillance, we can track her through the Skynet system.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t take more than half an hour to get results. Just wait for my call.¡± With that, the old subordinate got to work immediately. Back in the room, Zhao Rui Hai watched the young girl eat her meal quietly. ¡°Has she spoken?¡± he asked Yan Mei. ¡°No,¡± Yan Mei shook her head. ¡°She still hasn¡¯t said anything. But I don¡¯t think she doesn¡¯t want to talk... It seems like she doesn¡¯t know how.¡± ¡°But this young girl is so well-behaved! She¡¯s quiet and cute. I think she understands most of what I say. Look how well she uses the spoon and chopsticks!¡± Watching the young girl sitting on the edge of the bed, eating quietly, Zhao Rui Hai truly felt a fondness growing. He had always liked children and enjoyed taking care of them. But with the family planning policy back in the day and his only daughter, Zhao Ying Jun, being so independent, he could only sigh and say, ¡°Oh, when will we have a granddaughter as lovely as this? At this rate with Ying Jun, it seems impossible... Who knows when we¡¯ll even see a granddaughter?¡± ¡°My friends and colleagues are all playing with their grandchildren now. Sometimes it¡¯s hard to even get them together for a meal because they¡¯re all busy babysitting. They complain, but it¡¯s all humble-bragging.¡± ¡°When will I ever get to the point where a little one chases me around calling me Grandpa?¡± The young girl put down her bowl and chopsticks, seemingly drawn to Zhao Rui Hai¡¯s voice. She turned her head and said, ¡°Grand... pa?¡± Huh?? Both Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei¡¯s eyes widened instantly. Zhao Rui Hai quickly circled around to the bedside, crouching down to look at Yan Mei, ¡°She can talk!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yan Mei laughed joyfully, ¡°She can talk! Maybe we were speaking too quickly before, and she couldn¡¯t understand, so she didn¡¯t know what to say. But when you said ¡®Grandpa¡¯ more slowly, she understood!¡± Yan Mei became even more excited, holding the young girl¡¯s hand and softly teaching her, ¡°Grandma... Grandma... Can you call me Grandma?¡± The young girl looked at Yan Mei, opened her mouth a few times, ¡°Grand... ma?¡± ¡°Oh my! Look, she can really talk!¡± Yan Mei, who had been a teacher all her life, had never felt such a sense of accomplishment. In that instant, it was even greater than when she was selected as a Thousand Talents Program Distinguished Lecturer. Perhaps their expectations for the young girl had been too low¡ªthey had assumed she was deaf-mute or cognitively impaired. So now, discovering that she could understand and mimic speech... it made the couple overlook the fact that she was already a teenager. Shouldn¡¯t it be normal for her to talk? Yan Mei happily continued asking the girl questions, though she couldn¡¯t answer them yet. But the girl¡¯s speech became longer and more fluent, showing that her intelligence wasn¡¯t impaired¡ªshe just seemed to be slowly waking up. The elderly couple spent over an hour in the living room, keeping the young girl company. By then, she was capable of basic communication but seemed to have a blank memory, unable to recall much or comprehend complex things. Frustrated, Zhao Rui Hai picked up his phone. What was taking his old subordinate so long? He¡¯d promised results in half an hour, and it had been over an hour... How could they be taking so long? The parents must be worried sick! They should be moving faster. He dialed his subordinate¡¯s number directly. ¡°Xiao Wang, did you find anything on the girl? Who are her parents?¡± On the other end, the subordinate sounded like he had seen a ghost. ¡°Sir... We¡¯ve searched everywhere, the whole Information Department was on it. But there¡¯s not a single match in the facial recognition system!¡± ¡°Same with Skynet! Usually, with such clear facial data input, we¡¯d have results immediately. But we¡¯ve been checking for ages, and there¡¯s no trace in the Skynet system either.¡± ¡°I know this sounds irresponsible, but we¡¯ve never encountered anything like this before. It feels like this girl really did just pop out of a rock!¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Zhao Rui Hai scolded immediately. ¡°Even if she did come out of a rock, she¡¯s grown up now; there must be some information on her! What about any missing child reports?¡± ¡°None... We¡¯ve checked them all. There have been no missing child cases reported in the entire Donghai City recently.¡± The voice on the other end was hesitant, ¡°We¡¯ll keep looking!¡± Then the call ended. Now even more perplexed, Zhao Rui Hai glanced back at the young girl, who was making Yan Mei laugh on the living room sofa. Something strange was going on... It was impossible for there to be no trace in both the Skynet and household registration systems! Any X Country citizen, even a foreigner living in X Country, couldn¡¯t escape the Skynet surveillance system. On the sofa, the young girl turned her head to Zhao Rui Hai, ¡°Grandpa.¡± She called out clearly. ¡°Yes! Yes! Coming!¡± Even though he wasn¡¯t really her grandfather, the girl had called him so, and Zhao Rui Hai walked over, chuckling. The young girl then pointed at Yan Mei, ¡°Grandma.¡± Yan Mei hadn¡¯t stopped smiling all morning, nodding eagerly. ¡°Yes, yes, Grandma~ So who are you? Do you remember who you are?¡± The girl pointed at herself, ¡°Little... girl.¡± Pfft¡ª! The answer made Yan Mei burst into laughter, and even Zhao Rui Hai affectionately patted the girl on the head. He understood what was going on. ¡°She wasn¡¯t calling us Grandpa and Grandma... She thinks those are our names! She thinks our names are Grandpa and Grandma, and she thinks her name is Little Girl... This is too cute.¡± ¡°In my opinion, this little girl is quite clever. She might have lost her memory due to some situation, so she can¡¯t remember a lot of things for now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s even stranger is that I asked the Donghai City Police to check, and there¡¯s absolutely no information on this child. Plus, no one in Donghai has reported their child missing... Does that sound normal to you? What parent wouldn¡¯t report a missing child after more than ten hours, or overnight?¡± Yan Mei nodded in agreement, ¡°So what do we do now? Should we take the girl to the police? But it¡¯s so busy there; there might not be anyone to take good care of her. She¡¯s clearly in a stage where she¡¯s just recovering her memory... she needs someone to stay with her.¡± ¡°How about this, Husband, let¡¯s keep her at home for now. It¡¯s not like she¡¯ll suffer with us. When we find her parents, we¡¯ll send her to them immediately.¡± Shaking his head, Zhao Rui Hai said, ¡°No, we have to follow the rules. There are proper procedures for this, and we need to cooperate with them.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Yan Mei really didn¡¯t want to see this adorable girl mistreated, hugging her close. ¡°Rules are rigid; people are flexible! I¡¯m not saying we should take someone else¡¯s child. We¡¯ve reported it and asked the police to find her. If there¡¯s any clue, we¡¯ll cooperate! Could the police take care of her better than I could? Isn¡¯t she eating all the same food no matter where?¡± ¡°And, think about it, Husband. No one has reported her missing. What if she¡¯s an orphan or a child abandoned by someone... Are you planning to leave her at the police station forever? Or are you going to send her to an orphanage?¡± ¡°If she were a completely healthy child, that¡¯d be one thing. But this girl clearly doesn¡¯t know much right now. If you just irresponsibly send her out and she meets bad people, what then? What if she¡¯s an unwanted orphan?¡± The young girl, uncomfortable in Yan Mei¡¯s embrace, gently patted her leg, ¡°Grandma...¡± ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Yan Mei smiled even more broadly, smoothing the girl¡¯s hair. ¡°Oh dear, are you scared? Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry, Grandma won¡¯t abandon you, I promise~¡± Seeing the young girl, who resembled a younger Zhao Ying Jun, even more so than before, Zhao Rui Hai felt reluctant to let her go. It was mainly because she looked so much like her. He didn¡¯t feel comfortable sending her to the police when she seemed to lack self-care abilities. Yan Mei¡¯s suggestion made sense. As soon as there were any leads, they¡¯d send the girl back. ¡°Alright,¡± Zhao Rui Hai finally persuaded himself. He looked at the lovely girl on the sofa, reminiscing about Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s childhood and dreaming of his future granddaughter... It melted his heart. Wait... he suddenly remembered, doesn¡¯t X Country have a DNA database? Many trafficked children and parents looking for their kids have left DNA samples in the database. If a child can¡¯t find their parents, or parents can¡¯t find their children, you just input the DNA sample for a match, and it immediately reveals any blood relatives! Even if the girl¡¯s parents didn¡¯t have DNA in the database... putting hers in there couldn¡¯t hurt, right? No time to waste! As a parent, he understood the anxiety of not being able to find your child. He wanted to send the girl home as soon as possible. So, he stood up and looked at Yan Mei, ¡°Get ready. We¡¯re going to the hospital to input the girl¡¯s DNA into the database. This will help us find her parents faster.¡± ¡°Oh, right, right.¡± Yan Mei agreed. DNA was indeed more reliable than anything else. Better to put it in the database first. She smiled as she helped the girl up from the sofa, ¡°Let¡¯s go; we¡¯re heading to the hospital to find your parents!¡± The girl tilted her head, blinking, ¡°Mom... Dad?¡± U//ppTodated fr/o/m Chapter 361: Blood Relation In X Country, there is a unique tool called the Anti-Trafficking DNA Database. It was created years ago to help find missing children, rescue kidnapped kids, and reunite broken families. People can volunteer to add their DNA data to this database, which matches new samples with existing ones to find potential blood relations. This system has helped many lost children reunite with their families and brought comfort to countless parents. It is widely seen as a valuable public service. Authorities also work hard to increase the number of samples in the database by collecting DNA from vulnerable groups, like homeless people or young offenders. The idea is that if DNA from every missing child and their parents were in the database, matches could be made quickly, reuniting families. This is what Zhao Rui Hai was thinking. He believed it was a good idea to enter the little girl¡¯s DNA into the Anti-Trafficking DNA Database, even if they couldn¡¯t find her biological parents right away. ¡°Think of it as filing a record,¡± he explained. Zhao Rui Hai put on his coat and motioned for Yan Mei and the little girl to head out together. ¡°If her parents have already entered their DNA into the database, or if they do later, they¡¯ll find her immediately.¡± They left the house and got into a red sedan, heading for the nearest public hospital. This time, Zhao Rui Hai didn¡¯t drive; he sat in the back with Yan Mei and the little girl while the chauffeur took the wheel. He didn¡¯t want to let the girl go, feeling that if they found her parents, they¡¯d have to part ways. He knew from the start that they¡¯d eventually have to return her, but she looked so much like his daughter, Zhao Ying Jun. The way she kept calling him ¡°Grandpa¡±... How could he not feel attached to her? He wanted to cherish the time they had together. Meeting her felt like fate. The little girl was truly adorable¡ªher looks were striking, and the more he looked at her, the more he liked her. She made him feel like he couldn¡¯t wait to have a granddaughter of his own. But then, he thought of his daughter¡¯s stubborn personality and her impossibly high standards for a partner, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel a headache coming on. It seemed like a distant dream. Half an hour later, they arrived at the nearest public hospital. Yan Mei suggested not using any connections to speed things up; she wanted to keep the girl with them a bit longer. Making a fuss about it wouldn¡¯t be good. Zhao Rui Hai agreed. He had always felt this matter should be handled by the police, but he couldn¡¯t argue against Yan Mei¡¯s insistence, especially since he, too, was reluctant to part with the girl. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s just register and wait in line. There aren¡¯t too many people in the department we need to visit,¡± he said. Yan Mei used the self-service machine to register them for a specialist appointment and waited for their turn. While there weren¡¯t many people waiting in the DNA verification department, the drama was endless. Family disputes played out one after another. Yan Mei and Zhao Rui Hai found themselves drawn in¡ªit was more exciting than TV dramas. ¡°This department head has it tough,¡± Yan Mei whispered. ¡°Not only does he have to see patients, but he also has to break up fights and mediate family disputes.¡± Zhao Rui Hai chuckled. He could see that the head physician was constantly explaining to patients that there was no point in arguing there. DNA reports couldn¡¯t be faked; if they had issues, they should take it to court. But no amount of kind words could calm people down. Almost no one who came to this department could remain calm. ¡°We¡¯re definitely not like them,¡± Zhao Rui Hai said confidently. ¡°We¡¯re here to do a good deed and help add to the country¡¯s Anti-Trafficking DNA Database.¡± After much effort, the head physician managed to send away a red-faced couple. With a tired sigh, he clicked the next number on the registration system. A voice from the hallway speaker called out, ¡°Yan Mei, please come in for your appointment.¡± Yan Mei stood up, holding the little girl¡¯s hand, and motioned to Zhao Rui Hai. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s our turn.¡± The three of them entered the consultation room together. The doctor, wearing silver-framed glasses, looked up, glanced at them, and shook his head. ¡°For a paternity test, it¡¯s best to have the child¡¯s parents come. Grandparents can only test for blood relations, which, to be honest, doesn¡¯t provide a very accurate reference.¡± He continued, ¡°Even if it shows you two have a blood relationship with the granddaughter, in the end, to determine the exact relationship, you¡¯ll still need the child¡¯s parents. This is especially true for girls, who only have X chromosomes, so testing against a grandfather¡¯s Y chromosome isn¡¯t possible, making the results less reliable.¡± Yan Mei walked in, sat down, and smiled at the doctor from across the table. ¡°Doctor, there¡¯s a misunderstanding. We¡¯re not here for a paternity test.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± The doctor looked puzzled. He adjusted his glasses, looked down at the little girl, then back up at Yan Mei and Zhao Rui Hai. This... Isn¡¯t this a family? He was a seasoned doctor who had worked in the DNA testing department for decades and had seen countless families come in for paternity tests. His discerning eyes had gotten pretty sharp. Some children didn¡¯t look much like their parents, and he wasn¡¯t always sure. But today, this grandmother, grandfather, and granddaughter clearly shared many similarities. Especially this woman, Yan Mei, registered in the system, and the little girl, who looked rather dazed¡ªtheir eyes, cheekbones, and nose bridge were all strikingly similar. It was obvious they were very likely related by blood. ¡°You¡¯re... not this little girl¡¯s grandparents?¡± the doctor asked, looking at Yan Mei and Zhao Rui Hai. Yan Mei waved her hand. ¡°No, we¡¯re not. We¡¯re just trying to find out who the little girl¡¯s biological parents are. Doesn¡¯t our country have that Anti-Trafficking DNA Database? We thought we¡¯d start by entering the girl¡¯s DNA into it.¡± The doctor frowned, growing more confused by the second. They looked so much alike¡ªshouldn¡¯t they be questioning their own connection first? Besides, when grandparents brought a child, it was usually suspicious! In his experience, it often meant they were sneaking in without the parents¡¯ knowledge. He began to get a bit cautious... ¡°Come here, little one,¡± he called, holding a pen and motioning for the girl to come closer. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°My name is Little Girl,¡± she said seriously. ¡°Hehe, smart girl,¡± the doctor chuckled, ruffling her hair. He roughly gauged her intelligence level, then pointed to Zhao Rui Hai with his pen and asked softly, ¡°And who is this gentleman?¡±The? source of this conte/nt n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) ¡°This is Grandpa,¡± the girl replied seriously. The doctor then pointed to Yan Mei, ¡°And who is she?¡± ¡°This is Grandma,¡± the girl said, clearly and without hesitation. Smack. The doctor slammed his pen on the table, looking at Yan Mei and Zhao Rui Hai with irritation. ¡°What are you playing at? Did you come to the hospital to mess with me?¡± ¡°This little girl says you¡¯re her grandparents, yet you claim not to know who her parents are... I¡¯ve seen all sorts of strange things in my career, so if there¡¯s something to say, just say it. Don¡¯t lie and beat around the bush here.¡± ¡°Are you suspecting this child isn¡¯t your daughter¡¯s? Or worried there was a mix-up at birth? Honestly... those concerns are reasonable. Just say so directly, and I can give you a form for a blood relationship test. Why go through all this trouble to enter her into the Anti-Trafficking DNA Database?¡± Yan Mei felt helpless¡ªshe couldn¡¯t explain. This little girl! The words she could say most fluently were ¡°Grandpa¡± and ¡°Grandma.¡± But the key issue was... In the girl¡¯s understanding, ¡°Grandpa¡± and ¡°Grandma¡± weren¡¯t titles; they were names! Just like how she referred to herself as ¡°Little Girl¡±¡ªshe always thought her name was Little Girl! And with this misunderstanding, the doctor completely got the wrong idea. ¡°No, doctor, you really misunderstood,¡± Yan Mei tried to explain. ¡°We truly have no blood relation with this little girl. If we did... wouldn¡¯t we know if our daughter had given birth to a child?¡± ¡°To be honest, we found this little girl on the side of the road. We couldn¡¯t find her parents, and we already reported it to the police, but there were no results.¡± ¡°So... considering she might be a trafficked or missing child, we thought it¡¯d be best to enter her DNA into the database and see if there¡¯s any match.¡± ¡°Also, it seems like this little girl has some sort of memory loss; she doesn¡¯t remember much. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t be so clueless.¡± As she spoke, she pulled the little girl closer and gently said, ¡°Right? Tell the doctor, aren¡¯t you having trouble remembering things?¡± The doctor listened to Yan Mei¡¯s explanation, squinting his eyes with suspicion. He glanced at the grandmother and granddaughter sitting across from him, both with such similar facial features... Oh, come on. He really couldn¡¯t take this family seriously. Couldn¡¯t they come up with a more convincing story? And just look at this little girl. She¡¯s got soft skin, fair complexion, refined features, and clear, innocent eyes. She clearly looks like a well-bred child! Families with even slightly worse conditions couldn¡¯t raise such a well-groomed child. From the looks and aura of these two elderly people, it was obvious they came from a wealthy and noble family. Clearly, they were a family¡ªwhy make up such nonsense? ¡°I have to warn you,¡± the doctor said sternly. ¡°If this little girl really isn¡¯t yours, then you can¡¯t just get a DNA test done willy-nilly.¡± ¡°Honestly, if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the girl looks quite a bit like you two... I¡¯d have called the police right now. Child trafficking is serious business.¡± Zhao Rui Hai saw that the doctor didn¡¯t believe them and thought Yan Mei was not explaining things clearly enough. He stepped forward and said, ¡°Doctor, we know this little girl looks somewhat like my family... otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t bother with this. Just help us get a form for the DNA sample. We just want to help this little girl find her real parents.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± The doctor agreed. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re trying to do.¡± When was the last time he held Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hand? Probably back in elementary school. Ying Jun had been sent abroad in middle school, becoming independent and distant. When she returned, she wasn¡¯t close to him anymore. When was the last time he hugged Zhao Ying Jun...? That must have been in kindergarten. Back then, he was busy with work and often neglected Zhao Ying Jun. He remembered that every time he picked her up from kindergarten, Zhao Ying Jun would want him to carry her, just like the other kids being held by their parents. He couldn¡¯t quite remember why... But Zhao Rui Hai always felt like he rarely carried Zhao Ying Jun. He often left her feeling disappointed in that regard. He always wanted to teach her lessons, shape her character, and impose rules on her. Looking back now... Was he too strict? His daughter turned out the way she did... Was it partially his fault? For someone as stubborn as Zhao Rui Hai, it was a rare moment of introspection, filled with guilt and regret. It seemed like he had always been too critical of Zhao Ying Jun. As a father... He never really reflected on his own actions. ¡°Hm?¡± Suddenly, Yan Mei and Zhao Rui Hai felt a tug on their arms. They turned around. The little girl had stopped, her eyes fixed on another girl sitting on her grandfather¡¯s shoulders, shouting, ¡°Horsey! Horsey!¡± She turned her head, blinking her bright, clear eyes at Zhao Rui Hai. ¡°Horsey.¡± For a moment, Zhao Rui Hai was stunned. Yan Mei chuckled, stepping back and looping her arm around the little girl¡¯s. ¡°No, you¡¯re already a teenager. You¡¯re too old for that. That¡¯s for younger kids.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± The little girl nodded obediently. Ah... Zhao Rui Hai took a deep breath and closed his eyes. It was this kind of obedience that felt like a knife to his heart. It reminded him of how little Zhao Ying Jun used to be in kindergarten... how her eyes grew dim and cold over time because of his constant refusal and reasoning. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± he said, suddenly kneeling down and offering his broad back to the girl. ¡°Hop on, Grandpa will carry you! My body is still strong enough for now, but in ten years or so, maybe I won¡¯t be able to do this anymore.¡± Then, like a flower blooming on a barren tree... The little girl smiled for the first time. It was faint, but she smiled. It was the first time she had smiled since waking up, and Yan Mei was stunned. It was like seeing her own daughter¡¯s childhood smile again. The girl climbed onto Zhao Rui Hai¡¯s back. ¡°Hehe, hold on tight. We¡¯re going up!¡± he said, standing up straight and carrying her forward. Along the way, many people turned their heads, noticing a girl who looked about thirteen or fourteen being carried by her grandfather. It seemed a bit lazy. But who could blame them? The grandparents were just spoiling their child. Look at that smile¡ªit was so sweet. ¡°Husband, how old do you think this girl is?¡± Yan Mei asked as she walked behind them. ¡°Judging by her height, she must be around fourteen or fifteen. But kids these days grow early... Many of them are fully grown by twelve or thirteen.¡± Zhao Rui Hai shook his head. ¡°If you can¡¯t figure it out, how could I? I think she¡¯s a bit skinny, though... She needs to eat more meat.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve spent enough time in the park. How about we get some food?¡± he said, looking back at the girl on his back. ¡°What do you want to eat? Grandpa will take you there.¡± The girl blinked, ¡°Meat.¡± As it happened, there was a high-end barbecue restaurant nearby with a huge sign visible from afar. Yan Mei and Zhao Rui Hai took the little girl straight there. At the barbecue table, Yan Mei kept grilling meat for the girl, who ate it eagerly. Zhao Rui Hai sat across from them, watching this heartwarming scene and smiling with satisfaction. ¡°Ughhh...¡± He sighed. ¡°People always say grandparents spoil their grandkids. I didn¡¯t understand it before. I thought I¡¯d be strict with my grandkids too, raising them to be good and successful people.¡± ¡°But now, I don¡¯t think that way at all. Just like my colleagues, when they talk about their grandkids, they have no expectations at all. They just want them to be healthy and happy! Who cares about studies or dreams? Health and happiness are all that matter.¡± ¡°I feel the same now. If this little girl were Ying Jun when she was young, I would¡¯ve scolded her for eating like this. But now... seeing her eat like this, I find it cute. Eating is eating¡ªwhy does it need so many rules?¡± Hmph. Yan Mei gave him a sideways glance. ¡°You weren¡¯t like this with Ying Jun. You had all sorts of rules for her when she ate. No noise from the mouth, no holding chopsticks too low, no placing them against others, and every grain of rice had to be eaten.¡± ¡°People don¡¯t just love their grandkids more¡ªthey realize they were too strict with their own kids. They try to make up for that guilt with their grandkids.¡± ¡°Everyone is like this. Even if you apologize to Ying Jun now and try to make up for it, it¡¯s useless. She grew up in an environment of constant scolding and pressure. Any compensation after she¡¯s grown won¡¯t change that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the truth behind loving your grandkids more... If we have a granddaughter, even if she bangs her chopsticks on her bowl or eats with her hands, as long as she doesn¡¯t find it too hot, it¡¯s fine! People do change... We¡¯ve only been with this little girl for less than 24 hours, and my grandma¡¯s heart is already overflowing, always afraid she¡¯s not eating enough.¡± Zhao Rui Hai chuckled too. Looking at his empty plate and the pile of bones on the girl¡¯s plate... He really didn¡¯t feel hungry. Watching her was satisfying enough. But then he thought about how they would soon find the girl¡¯s parents and send her back to her family. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit down. Even though he had reminded himself countless times that she wasn¡¯t his granddaughter and he shouldn¡¯t be so attached... He just couldn¡¯t help it! Over the years, he¡¯d held plenty of other people¡¯s babies and helped colleagues and friends take care of their kids. But... He had never felt this kind of reluctance and affection before. Why was that? It must be because the little girl looked so much like Ying Jun. Yes. He nodded silently. That had to be the reason. Otherwise... How could he explain this deep-seated sense of closeness? After finishing their barbecue, the couple once again held the girl¡¯s hands and returned to the public hospital¡¯s DNA testing department to pick up their reports. Each holding a report, Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei kept their lips tightly sealed, saying nothing. ¡°Hehe.¡± Yan Mei was the first to laugh, teasingly looking at Zhao Rui Hai, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Husband? Getting a bit nervous now? Afraid to open the report... worried about a secret child being exposed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡± Zhao Rui Hai snorted. ¡°I have nothing to hide. And if anyone should be worried, it¡¯s you. The doctor said the girl looks a lot like you. If there¡¯s a secret child, it¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°Oh, please. I know whether I¡¯ve had a child or not,¡± Yan Mei snorted back. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s look at my report first. I¡¯ve got nothing to hide.¡± With that, Yan Mei ripped open the seal and, without even looking, held the results page right up to Zhao Rui Hai¡¯s face. He tore open his seal as well, ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m scared. Why would I be? I¡¯ll show you mine, too. See for yourself¡ªno relation at all!¡± The two of them exchanged amused glances and chuckled. They had known each other since they were young, moving from classmates to married life. Over the years, their relationship had been strong, and they trusted each other deeply. So... They had confidence in themselves and in each other, knowing their earlier banter was just a joke. How could there possibly be a secret child? With a light laugh, they glanced at each other¡¯s reports¡ª ¡°What?!¡± ¡°No way!?¡± Instantly! Their eyes widened, and they shouted out in shock, attracting the attention of several onlookers. For a moment, both of them struggled to breathe. They turned around. Placing both reports side by side on the windowsill, they stared at the nearly identical results¡ª [DNA Test Result: A blood relationship exists between Yan Qiao Qiao and Zhao Rui Hai.] [DNA Test Result: A blood relationship exists between Yan Qiao Qiao and Yan Mei.] ¡°This... what...¡± The elderly couple¡¯s faces turned pale. They stared at each other, at a loss for words. Then, they both turned their eyes to the little girl! Zhao Rui Hai swallowed hard. ¡°Who... who are you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± The little girl pointed to herself, her tone serious and her words clear: ¡°I am... Yan Qiao Qiao.¡± Chapter 362: A Serious Family Meeting Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei sat quietly, lost in their thoughts. The silence between them stretched on for what felt like hours. They were both smart people, well aware that DNA test results are rarely wrong. If there had been an error for one person, that would be one thing. But for two people at once? That seemed impossible. Still, the report didn¡¯t specify the exact nature of the blood relationship. Zhao Rui Hai finally broke the silence, looking up, ¡°Let¡¯s take this report back to the doctor. Maybe they can give us more details.¡± ¡°Yeah, that sounds like a good idea,¡± Yan Mei agreed, still frowning at what she thought was a very strange situation. She held the little girl¡¯s hand as they headed back to the doctor¡¯s office. The doctor looked over the two reports, a small smile forming on his face. ¡°See? I told you. Isn¡¯t it obvious this child is from your family? The DNA similarity rate isn¡¯t that high, but that¡¯s expected with tests involving grandparents and their descendants.¡± ¡°As I mentioned earlier, a paternity test only works between parents and their children. For grandparents and grandchildren, you need a different kind of blood relationship test.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t believe everything you see in TV dramas about hospitals being able to determine generational relationships with perfect accuracy. It¡¯s not possible. The report clearly states what we know for sure¡ª¡± ¡°This girl, Yan Qiao Qiao, is definitely related to both of you by blood. But she isn¡¯t your daughter. She could only be your descendant. To confirm if Qiao Qiao is your granddaughter, your daughter would still need to take a paternity test.¡± ¡°But science doesn¡¯t always have to be so strict in life. The girl looks like you, probably resembles your daughter too, and shares your blood. If there aren¡¯t any other issues, just go home and live together as a family.¡± As they walked out of the hospital, Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei held the little girl¡¯s hand and looked up at the sky, staring at the sun, the clouds, and the clear blue. ¡°No way,¡± Zhao Rui Hai finally spoke. ¡°Is she really our granddaughter?¡± He looked at the little girl beside him with wide eyes. ¡°But it just doesn¡¯t add up... We only have one child, Ying Jun. When would she have had time to have a child this old?¡± ¡°And besides,¡± he continued, ¡°this girl is what, twelve or thirteen years old? Ying Jun is only 25. She couldn¡¯t have had a child when she was twelve or thirteen!¡± ¡°Impossible, totally impossible,¡± Yan Mei shook her head firmly. ¡°Ying Jun went abroad for school when she was fifteen or sixteen. Before that, she was always with us here in the capital. When would she have had a baby? It¡¯s just crazy.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way this girl is Ying Jun¡¯s child. She never had the opportunity to have a baby. And the biggest problem is... this girl¡¯s age doesn¡¯t match up at all.¡± Zhao Rui Hai nodded. The age issue was also bothering him. Even if they stretched it and said the girl was only ten, that would mean Ying Jun would have had her before she was fifteen. That¡¯s impossible. At fifteen, Ying Jun hadn¡¯t even left the country yet. She was still coming home from school every day. How could she have been pregnant? Moreover, he knew his daughter well. She was a good person, very responsible. There was no way she¡¯d have a child out of wedlock. Even if she did, the child wouldn¡¯t be this old. ¡°The problem isn¡¯t with Ying Jun,¡± Zhao Rui Hai shook his head. ¡°The real issue is the girl¡¯s age. If she were four, five, seven, or eight years old, then maybe we could suspect she¡¯s Ying Jun¡¯s child. But the age gap is just too small. It doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± Yan Mei looked up at him. ¡°So, are you saying... the problem is with us?¡± ¡°But the doctor already said that based on the DNA overlap rate, it¡¯s impossible for her to be our biological child. Genetically, she could only be our descendant.¡± ¡°And how many children have we had? Don¡¯t we know ourselves? I would¡¯ve loved a second child, but the one-child policy back then didn¡¯t allow it. If it had, we would¡¯ve had one.¡± ¡°So, as unbelievable as it is, and I find it hard to believe too, the facts are facts. DNA reports don¡¯t lie. She must be our granddaughter. You have to trust science, Husband!¡± Zhao Rui Hai sighed deeply. ¡°I do trust science; I really do. But it¡¯s precisely because I trust science that I can¡¯t believe we suddenly have a granddaughter.¡± What¡¯s really going on? He crouched down and looked at the little girl, feeling like the key to this mystery lay with her. ¡°Qiao Qiao, do you remember anything?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head. ¡°No.¡± By this point, the little girl had accepted the name Yan Qiao Qiao, and the older couple had gotten used to calling her that. ¡°Let¡¯s go home first,¡± Zhao Rui Hai sighed, holding Qiao Qiao¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯ll figure out what to do next once we¡¯re at home.¡± About an hour later, in the living room of their villa, Zhao Rui Hai stopped pacing and looked at Yan Mei and Qiao Qiao eating watermelon. ¡°I think we need to ask Ying Jun about this.¡± ¡°What are you going to say?¡± Yan Mei laughed. ¡°Are you going to ask her directly, ¡®Where did this child come from? When did you have her?¡¯¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be that blunt,¡± Zhao Rui Hai waved his hand. ¡°We know our daughter. If she doesn¡¯t want to talk about something, we won¡¯t be able to get it out of her.¡± ¡°And... even a tiger wouldn¡¯t harm its cub. If Ying Jun really raised this girl so well, and now the child¡¯s been missing for a whole day and night, do you think she wouldn¡¯t be looking for her, wouldn¡¯t be worried, wouldn¡¯t report it to the police? Does that make any sense to you?¡± Yan Mei thought about it and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right; that makes sense. It really doesn¡¯t seem possible that this girl was born to or raised by Ying Jun. If she were, she¡¯d be worried sick after a day and night of not finding her.¡± She looked up at Zhao Rui Hai, who stood in the middle of the living room. ¡°So if you know this girl isn¡¯t Ying Jun¡¯s and wasn¡¯t raised by her... then why talk to her?¡± ¡°Well, we have to ask something,¡± Zhao Rui Hai shrugged. ¡°None of us understand what¡¯s going on here. We don¡¯t know where this girl came from.¡± ¡°Instead of making wild guesses here, it¡¯s better to take Qiao Qiao to see Ying Jun. Even if I don¡¯t know what she might say, who knows? Maybe she knows something about this situation. We¡¯ve got nothing to lose by asking.¡± With that, he picked up his phone and called Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Hello? Dad, what¡¯s up?¡± Zhao Ying Jun answered. ¡°What are you up to?¡± Zhao Rui Hai asked. ¡°Getting ready for a meeting,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied calmly. There was a pause. ¡°How about we have dinner together tonight?¡± ¡°We just had dinner yesterday, didn¡¯t we?¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, and the sound of papers shuffling could be heard over the phone. ¡°I do have a job, you know. Even though you came all the way to Donghai to see me, I can¡¯t just hang out with you every day.¡± ¡°Tonight¡¯s dinner is necessary,¡± Zhao Rui Hai said firmly. ¡°Find a restaurant. Make sure to pick one with mild flavors, not too heavy.¡± Zhao Ying Jun stopped shuffling papers and straightened up. This dinner request sounded weird, almost pushy. Oh. She suddenly realized. ¡°You and Mom aren¡¯t in a rush to meet Lin Xian, are you? I¡¯ll call him and see if he¡¯s free today.¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably quite tired today. I got a call from his company¡¯s vice president at noon. They said he didn¡¯t even answer his phone. He¡¯s probably sleeping, maybe all the way until tonight.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Zhao Rui Hai interrupted. ¡°No need to call Lin Xian today. Let¡¯s just have a family dinner.¡± ¡°Remember to pick a place with light food that¡¯s suitable for children. Your mom and I are bringing a kid with us tonight.¡± ¡°A kid?¡± Zhao Ying Jun sounded confused. ¡°Whose kid? Whose child are you looking after?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out tonight. Just send me the restaurant¡¯s address,¡± he said, hanging up the phone. Zhao Ying Jun lowered her phone, squinting at the dimming screen, confused. Their family didn¡¯t have any relatives in Donghai... That¡¯s why, when she returned to X Country after studying abroad, she decided to move to Donghai¡ªto be away from her parents and her large extended family, to enjoy some peace. Her parents had only been in Donghai for two days, so how did they end up babysitting for someone? ¡°Ridiculous,¡± she muttered, returning to her documents. When people get older, they tend to get a bit neurotic, especially when everyone around them starts having grandchildren. Those who don¡¯t have grandchildren yet naturally get a bit obsessive. Just like her parents now. Since they don¡¯t have any grandkids, they decided to take care of someone else¡¯s child for fun? ¡°Ughh...¡± she sighed softly. ¡°I should¡¯ve never let them come to Donghai. If it wasn¡¯t for them wanting to meet Lin Xian... Ughh...¡± She closed her eyes and massaged her temples. Headache. She could already foresee tonight¡¯s dinner would be another session of nagging about marriage and children. She really didn¡¯t want to go. In her life plan, she wasn¡¯t planning to get married this early, let alone have kids. She didn¡¯t dislike children. Quite the opposite¡ªshe liked them a lot and was looking forward to raising one someday. If she had a son, she¡¯d dress him cool; if she had a daughter, even better¡ªshe¡¯d dress her up beautifully. But for now, at her age, her career came first. Thinking about these things was really too early. Honestly, it was her parents who were too old. If they were like Lin Xian¡¯s parents, not even fifty yet, they wouldn¡¯t be so pushy. ¡°I¡¯ll take VV with me tonight,¡± she decided. She didn¡¯t want to face her parents¡¯ nagging alone. VV was her best ally and the most suitable shield. She took out her phone, opened a food app, and started looking for a suitable restaurant. ¡°Something good for kids...¡± Propping her chin, Zhao Ying Jun realized she had hit a knowledge gap. ¡°How old is the kid? What do kids even eat?¡± 7 p.m., at a family-friendly restaurant serving a mix of X Country and Western food. ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. I had to pick up VV, and there was a bit of traffic.¡± Pushing open the private room door, Zhao Ying Jun saw her parents sitting on either side of the table, with a little girl eating steak between them. The girl was wearing a bright pink dress, with two cute little pigtails, each adorned with a fake flower hairpin. The outdated, tacky style made Zhao Ying Jun, the CEO of a fashion company, cringe. Whose kid is this, dressed so terribly? But what surprised her more was: ¡°How come you¡¯ve already started eating?¡± She couldn¡¯t figure it out. The whole family wasn¡¯t even here yet, so how could anyone start eating first? Didn¡¯t they have any table manners? Zhao Ying Jun turned to her parents. ¡°Whose child is this? You can¡¯t spoil her like this. She¡¯ll end up spoiled.¡± ¡°What kind of talk is that?¡± Yan Mei was immediately annoyed. ¡°The child was hungry, so what¡¯s wrong with her eating first? Why don¡¯t you say you were the one who came too late? If you¡¯d come earlier, we could¡¯ve all eaten together.¡± Zhao Rui Hai gave her a reproachful look. ¡°Children don¡¯t need so many rules. You¡¯ve become obsessed with being a boss. Have some compassion. What if the child gets sick from hunger?¡± This time, it was Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s turn to be stunned. Were these really her parents? She remembered clearly when she was a child, she was scolded for leaving some rice grains uneaten, reprimanded for not knowing the value of food, and then given a lecture about the difficult times when people starved, had nothing to eat, and ate tree bark and roots to survive. As for starting a meal before everyone arrived? Don¡¯t even think about it. As a junior, she had to sit there obediently waiting. There was no way she could eat first. What was going on? How had they suddenly forgotten their good family values today? Zhao Ying Jun chuckled softly. ¡°When I was a kid, you didn¡¯t say that. What happened to the ¡®remembering the hardships¡¯ and etiquette classes?¡± Cough, cough. Zhao Rui Hai cleared his throat. ¡°That was then; times have changed. Enough talking, sit down.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Yan Mei and Zhao Rui Hai exchanged glances. Eventually, Yan Mei took the strand of hair, wrapped it around her finger, and put it in her pocket. ¡°Ahem, confirming it wouldn¡¯t hurt, as long as we don¡¯t tell Ying Jun.¡± ¡°You...¡± Zhao Rui Hai pointed at Yan Mei, both amused and helpless. ¡°Go ahead and confirm if you want, but I¡¯ve made my point clear. Qiao Qiao is my granddaughter. If no one wants her, I do; if no one will raise her, I will.¡± ¡°Who her parents are doesn¡¯t matter to me. Even if she really popped out of a rock, with no mother and no father, she has her grandpa! And her grandpa will protect her all her life!¡± ¡°Grandpa,¡± Qiao Qiao echoed, turning to look at Zhao Rui Hai. ¡°Yes, dear?¡± Zhao Rui Hai smiled warmly. ¡°What is it, Qiao Qiao?¡± Qiao Qiao pointed at her empty steak plate. ¡°Not full.¡± A little while later, Zhao Ying Jun returned with three Rhine Cat dolls and gave them to Qiao Qiao. Qiao Qiao liked them a lot. VV liked them too. The two played happily together, one child and one dog. Zhao Rui Hai, Yan Mei, and Zhao Ying Jun tacitly agreed not to bring up the earlier unpleasantness. The old couple had come around to the idea that you can¡¯t force something like this. After all, they couldn¡¯t really expect a 25-year-old woman who had never been in a relationship or married to suddenly start raising a child. Since they liked Qiao Qiao so much, they¡¯d take care of her themselves for now. When Ying Jun wasn¡¯t so upset anymore, they¡¯d slowly foster a relationship between her and Qiao Qiao. The second half of the meal was warm, pleasant, and happy. No talk of marriage, a child and a dog were there, the elders were healthy, and the young people were successful. It was the perfect family gathering and a wonderful reunion meal. The only downside was... ¡°V~?¡± VV, comfortably lying on Qiao Qiao¡¯s lap, sensed something was missing in the room. He felt that if another person were present, the room would feel even more complete and vibrant. That man... He had a distinct and pleasant scent. A scent that was strangely similar to... The little girl¡¯s scent. After everyone had dinner, they headed to the parking lot to leave in two separate cars. Zhao Ying Jun bent down to pat Qiao Qiao¡¯s head, saying warmly, ¡°See you, Qiao Qiao. I like you a lot.¡± Qiao Qiao nodded in response. ¡°Goodbye, sister.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled, finding Qiao Qiao¡¯s sweetness endearing. Initially, she thought the girl was a bit wild and unmannered, especially at how she ate. But now, she found herself growing fond of Qiao Qiao, appreciating her simple charm. She waved goodbye to Qiao Qiao and her parents as the red sedan they were in drove off into the night. Holding VV, Zhao Ying Jun watched the car vanish and hummed thoughtfully. ¡°V~?¡± VV looked up at her with wide eyes, puzzled. It noticed two strands of hair wrapped around Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s finger. How did they get there? Could it be from when she patted the girl¡¯s head? Impressive, this girl didn¡¯t even flinch when two of her hairs were pulled out. That¡¯s quite the pain tolerance! Zhao Ying Jun twisted her wrist, examining the black hairs coiled around her finger. These hairs were short, perhaps neck or shoulder-length, just like Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s. She had been ready with an excuse if Qiao Qiao had shown any sign of pain, ready to apologize and blame it on her sleeve button snagging Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair. But the girl didn¡¯t react, almost as if she was wearing a wig. For a moment, Zhao Ying Jun wondered if she had actually pulled any hair out at all. But after feeling the strands between her fingers, she confirmed they were real and quickly pocketed them. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that hurt her?¡± she chuckled softly into the night. ¡°A distant relative¡¯s granddaughter? Heh, Lin Xian used that excuse long ago.¡± She stroked VV¡¯s fluffy head. ¡°VV, what¡¯s really going on here?¡± VV stayed silent, scared to make any noise. This family was too sneaky! VV had witnessed both scenes: Yan Mei stealing Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hair and Zhao Ying Jun taking Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair. Like family, like people. VV was just a little dog and wanted no part in this complex family drama. Later that night, as Zhao Ying Jun turned off her bedside lamp to sleep, her phone screen lit up. She had been searching for another DNA testing facility. Even though Wang¡¯s wife directed the testing department at the Second Hospital of Donghai... Some secrets were best kept within the family. Her parents were clearly hiding something. What if it was a child born out of wedlock? What if there were other secrets? Given her father¡¯s status and her own reputation, it made sense to keep things discreet and not use a hospital where they might be recognized. ¡°Sleep, VV.¡± Zhao Ying Jun checked the time. It was already 12:41 a.m. VV yawned widely, settled into the carpet, and drifted off to sleep. ... In the corner of the bedroom, Lin Xian was awake. He checked the digital clock: April 28, 2024, 12:42 a.m. As expected, the persistent white light in the fifth dream world was always on time. He sat up, recalling everything he witnessed in that dream world. If Elon Musk¡¯s predictions were correct, and both the Time-Space Court and Time-Space Police were creations of the overconfident Copernicus, then it seemed... In the future of the fifth dream world, Copernicus was undoubtedly defeated. But had Elon Musk truly succeeded? That was debatable. From one angle, Musk¡¯s dream of moving to Mars had been realized, but what did true success even mean? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t figure it out because he wasn¡¯t sure what the ultimate aim of the geniuses in the Genius Club was. Or more fundamentally... What was the purpose of the Genius Club itself? Without knowing these basic details, it was hard for Lin Xian to plan his next steps or define the future he sought. ¡°So, the most urgent thing right now is to join the Genius Club as soon as possible.¡± The final step to entry involved correctly answering three test questions. Lin Xian felt he was close to uncovering the answer to the first question. All he needed was another shift in time-space and to observe the changes in the time-space clock reading. The first reading was 0.0000000. The first change was 0.0000042. By observing another change, he could identify the pattern of time-space curvature changes and deduce the rule of time-space coordinates. He didn¡¯t need the exact formula for the coordinates. The test from the Genius Club didn¡¯t require specifics but asked for ¡°any time-space coordinate.¡± This requirement was impressive and quite ingenious. It hinted that finding a specific coordinate might be impossible, but understanding the pattern would allow one to write ¡°any¡± coordinate. Lin Xian was eager to discover the correct answer and what it would lead to. And what would the second test question be? ¡°Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll visit Brother Wang¡¯s Time Bank.¡± He got up, drank some water, and decided against staying up late to analyze further. He needed to be fresh for tomorrow. He knew that Brother Wang¡¯s first batch of custom safes only included about 200 units, with serial numbers likely not exceeding that number. Yet, Gao Wen¡¯s safe was numbered 424; Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s was 724; And the safe found of Pang Ya was 1277. These safes, mentioned in the fifth dream world, didn¡¯t exist in the Time Bank in 2024. But could something be done about that? Was there a way to adjust for these safes that hadn¡¯t yet cappeared? Chapter 363: Shouting Ghost The next morning, Lin Xian woke up early. He had flipped his routine around, going to sleep right after lunch the day before so he could explore his dream world as much as possible. After waking up, Lin Xian made plans with Brother Wang to head over to Time Bank. ¡°Hey, Lin Xian, you¡¯re here!¡± Brother Wang was already waiting outside Time Bank. When he saw Lin Xian, he laughed. ¡°Man, you slept like a rock yesterday. Zhao Ying Jun and I joked that you might sleep straight through to midnight¡ªand guess what? You only replied to my message around midnight!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been really tired lately, flipping my days and nights,¡± Lin Xian replied with a smile. Then he asked, ¡°What¡¯s Zhao Ying Jun up to these days? Did she want to talk to me about something?¡± ¡°Nope, not at all,¡± Brother Wang said, shaking his head as they walked inside together. ¡°We were just chatting about work, and I mentioned you were sleeping during the day.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s parents come down from the capital to see her? She¡¯s probably busy with family stuff. She called me yesterday asking which restaurants are good for kids. I suggested this Western family restaurant.¡± Lin Xian looked a little puzzled. ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t Zhao Ying Jun an only child? Did her parents bring a kid with them to visit her in Donghai City? Maybe a relative¡¯s kid?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Brother Wang shrugged. ¡°She didn¡¯t give many details¡ªjust said her parents were bringing a kid over. If it¡¯s not a friend¡¯s kid, then it¡¯s likely a relative¡¯s.¡± ¡°Or maybe,¡± Brother Wang added, chuckling, ¡°it¡¯s a sneaky way to pressure her into thinking about marriage. Her parents might have borrowed a kid to show off the ¡®happy family¡¯ vibe, trying to nudge her a bit.¡± Brother Wang then remembered the cool little girl who used to hang out with Lin Xian. ¡°Speaking of kids, what about that little girl who was with you before? I asked my wife, and it turns out you two aren¡¯t related at all. Seriously, you didn¡¯t know if you had a kid or not?¡± ¡°Next time, don¡¯t do stuff like that,¡± he continued. ¡°You can¡¯t just pick up a kid off the street and drag them to a paternity test... especially if you¡¯re not even sure! And dragging Zhao Ying Jun along? That¡¯s just insulting her!¡± ¡°Think about it, Lin Xian¡ªhow would you feel if Zhao Ying Jun picked up some random girl and made you go for a DNA test with her?¡± Lin Xian listened to Brother Wang¡¯s bizarre words and tried to see it from Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s point of view. Alright, maybe he did go a bit too far. But it wasn¡¯t like he just grabbed a random kid for a DNA test. Yellow Finch had misled him into thinking he should keep an eye on Yu Xi. If Yellow Finch hadn¡¯t said, ¡°Don¡¯t leave Yu Xi,¡± he definitely wouldn¡¯t have taken Zhao Ying Jun to get a DNA test. Looking back, he realized his actions were a bit unreasonable¡ªdefinitely not the right approach. ¡°Oh, that little girl?¡± Lin Xian scratched his head, coming up with an excuse. ¡°She was handed over to the police. They found her parents and sent her home quickly.¡± ¡°Did they give you a banner or something for that?¡± Brother Wang joked. ¡°Heh, I already have the title ¡®Youth Hero of Donghai City¡¯ for doing good deeds, right?¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°Doing good things isn¡¯t a big deal; good people get good rewards.¡± As they talked, Brother Wang opened Time Bank¡¯s vault, and they both stepped inside. It was cooler than outside, but the temperature and humidity were carefully controlled. Brother Wang, an expert on the subject, explained that this specific climate was ideal for long-term storage. ¡°So, what are you here to see today?¡± Brother Wang asked, standing in the middle of the vault and looking around. ¡°How many safe deposit boxes do we have here now?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°266,¡± Brother Wang replied instantly. He knew everything about Time Bank like the back of his hand. He pointed to the far corner of the vault. ¡°When we first opened, we custom-ordered 266 aluminum-alloy safes, numbered from 1 to 266... Look, this side has Box No. 1, and way over there is Box No. 266.¡± ¡°The numbers were engraved at the factory. You know, aluminum alloy is so tough that if the numbers weren¡¯t engraved before it set, you couldn¡¯t add any marks later. This stuff is ridiculously strong.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we have those nameplates on the safes. They¡¯re there to engrave customer names because, at the time of production, we don¡¯t know who the customers will be. The nameplates aren¡¯t made of aluminum alloy, but they use some of the same techniques. They won¡¯t corrode or rust for hundreds of years.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Are there any plans to add more safes?¡± ¡°Not right now,¡± Brother Wang said, spreading his hands. ¡°Out of the 266 safes, only a few dozen are actually sold or in use. Around fifty or sixty have names engraved and items stored. We still have over 200 that are unused.¡± ¡°This business is a long-term one. It might take decades to pick up, but when we do sell one, we make decades, even centuries, of fees. Especially when cryogenic capsules become common¡ªthat¡¯s when our business will really take off.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t think these time capsule-like things have no demand now. When human hibernation becomes widespread, there might be a huge demand for safes. We might need to increase the number of safes then... But for now, these 200-plus remaining ones will last us a long time.¡± Listening to Brother Wang, Lin Xian stroked his chin in thought. As the owner and investor of Time Bank, he actually had the power to change the bank¡¯s rules. For example, he could decide on new rules for the safe numbering. A lot of people in his country didn¡¯t like the number 4. He could rule that all future safes avoid any number containing 4¡ªlike how some hotels skip certain room numbers. This could cause a time-space fluctuation. In the Fifth Dream, CC had confirmed that Gao Wen¡¯s safe was numbered 424, and the photo of Old Man Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s safe showed it was 724. If he changed the numbering rules now, time-space fluctuations would certainly occur, the ¡°time-space curvature¡± would shift, and he and Liu Feng could see changes in the time-space clock¡¯s readings. They could use this data to figure out the pattern of ¡°time-space coordinates.¡± The theory was solid, but in practice, it wasn¡¯t feasible. Because of one simple reason: Time-space changes are uncontrollable. Who could guarantee that if the safe numbers changed, Old Man Wei Sheng Jin would still pick the same safe? What if Box No. 724 was only available to him because the number was considered unlucky? If he changed the rules, it could ruin the time-space changes just like when he switched the safe material to aluminum alloy. Similarly, in Big Cat¡¯s Village, Gao Wen¡¯s safe was No. 424. If the new rules changed it to No. 425, would Gao Wen still choose that safe? No one could guarantee it. He might pick a different number, or someone else could grab No. 425 first. If that happened, all his plans would be wasted¡ªanother self-inflicted problem, just like with the aluminum alloy safes. But... Lin Xian suddenly had an idea. ¡°What if, after messing up in the dream, I quickly reset the safe numbering rules to their original state? Would the deviated history and future revert back?¡± There was no guarantee. Take Time Bank, for example. Honestly, the Time Bank that existed now under his intervention was already very different from the original one. It offered more services, had more funds, more safes... It was practically a different bank. This is one of the pains of rewriting the future¡ªthere¡¯s no way to restore it to its original state. It¡¯s entirely uncontrollable. Moreover, the most critical point: Time-space changes don¡¯t happen instantly; they require an irreversible anchor point. It has to be irreversible. Only then will the future and timeline shift. Once it¡¯s irreversible, how can you take it back? That¡¯s pure fantasy. So, the safest approach for now is: Don¡¯t do anything that might trigger a time-space butterfly effect until you open Gao Wen¡¯s safe and see what¡¯s inside. Otherwise, you might never get to see Gao Wen¡¯s safe. After opening Gao Wen¡¯s safe and confirming if what¡¯s inside is valuable or indeed left by Academician Gao Wen, he could consider triggering uncontrollable time-space changes to rewrite the future¡ªonly after confirming no more concerns remain. Lin Xian thought of another possibility. The safe he and Old Man Wei Sheng Jin dug out was No. 1277, belonging to a customer named Pang Ya. This safe didn¡¯t seem valuable to him, but since he knew its exact location, it was the easiest one for him to find. However, its number was 1277. These safes were clearly produced not long before 2400, maybe shortly before Earth¡¯s great catastrophe. Could he use this safe to his advantage? Lin Xian had thought about leaving something like a will. For example: He could pay for Safe No. 1277 in 2024 and specify that when it¡¯s manufactured, the staff at Time Bank should move the contents of his Safe No. 66 into it and set the password to match Safe No. 66¡¯s: 20240328. ¡°Lin Xian, I might have quoted too high a price... They agreed immediately and said they¡¯d rush to Donghai City with their company seal to sign the contract. Uh... I guess I overshot, probably by quite a bit. They were really excited.¡± ¡°No worries,¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°As long as we get it. Just wrap up the paperwork with them quickly. If they¡¯re so eager, I bet we¡¯ll own the rights to Microsoft Yahei by this afternoon.¡± ¡°Keep at it, Brother Wang. I¡¯ll take a walk this morning and then go home to catch up on some sleep¡ªI¡¯ve been feeling pretty tired lately.¡± Brother Wang, looking incredulous, gave a thumbs up. ¡°Your sleep quality is really enviable¡ªsleeping whenever and however long you want. No wonder you have such great hair.¡± As he walked out, he got into his customized Alphard minivan and waved goodbye to Brother Wang. Lin Xian asked Xiao Li to drive toward the big supermarket. In the coming days, he¡¯d need to enter the dream world frequently during the day. He needed to stock up his fridge to avoid waking up in the middle of the night with nothing to eat. The white Alphard minivan turned right. Then it made a U-turn. Finally, it got on the highway, moving quickly. Meanwhile, on the other side of Donghai City... Another white Alphard minivan came off the highway, heading toward a luxurious private hospital in the suburbs. Zhao Ying Jun sat in the back seat as she pressed the window button, allowing the late spring breeze of early May to blow in, carrying the subtle hint of summer. She could already see the building of the private hospital. While it wasn¡¯t as big as the public hospitals, it was said to have world-class DNA testing capabilities. Since she had decided to do a DNA test, she might as well go to the most professional and accurate place to get an indisputable result. She opened her handbag and looked at the two small plastic bags containing hair. The bag on the left held Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair. It was of medium length, curled into four or five loops, lying calmly in the plastic bag. The bag on the right held Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s own hair, long and tangled, much like her current state of mind. She didn¡¯t believe a single word of what her parents had told her. She was innocent¡ªshe hadn¡¯t even dated anyone. How could she possibly have a child? Besides, she was a woman. Wouldn¡¯t she know if she¡¯d given birth? But... She also understood that her parents, being highly educated intellectuals, wouldn¡¯t make such outrageous claims without some basis. There had to be some secret behind this. And it wasn¡¯t hard to uncover the truth. A DNA test would reveal everything. She got out of the car and was greeted by a receptionist. This kind of luxurious private hospital catered specifically to wealthy clients, so the service quality and attitude were impeccable. She walked into a private consulting room and took out the two plastic bags containing the hair and placed them on the table. ¡°I¡¯d like a DNA test to see what the relationship between these two hair samples is,¡± she said. ¡°No problem, Miss Zhao Ying Jun,¡± the doctor replied politely, taking the samples and labeling them. In private hospitals, clients are king. If the client doesn¡¯t say whose hair it is, the doctor won¡¯t ask. After all, they¡¯ve seen their fair share of soap operas. He skillfully labeled the hair sample on the left as Sample A and the one on the right as Sample B. Then he showed Zhao Ying Jun to let her know which was which. ¡°By the way, Miss Zhao Ying Jun,¡± the doctor said as he recorded the information, ¡°what kind of relationship do you think these two samples might have? It gives us a point of reference and could speed up the process a bit to get the results faster.¡± ¡°They should be sisters,¡± Zhao Ying Jun answered. ¡°Most likely sisters, but I¡¯m not ruling out other relationships. So, run a comprehensive test. I¡¯m not in a hurry. I¡¯ll come back tonight to pick up the results.¡± ¡°No problem, Miss Zhao Ying Jun. We¡¯ll have it ready for you tonight.¡± The doctor didn¡¯t say more. He got the hint. It was probably a dispute over an illegitimate child fighting for inheritance... very common among his clientele. After giving her instructions, Zhao Ying Jun walked out of the hospital building. The driver had already opened the electric door of the Alphard, waiting in the parking lot. Wearing a dark green coat and high heels, with emerald earrings swaying and reflecting the sunlight, she walked briskly toward the car. Suddenly, Zhao Ying Jun stopped in her tracks. Her heart... seemed to beat a bit faster. Then she turned around. Staring at the hospital building she had just walked out of, she said, ¡°Why do I feel a bit nervous?¡± She chuckled softly and shook her head. It should be her parents who were nervous. She had a clear conscience so why should she be nervous? Besides, if she did have a little sister, wouldn¡¯t that be nice? As an only child, she had always envied families with siblings. She¡¯d love to be a big sister. At that moment, she genuinely hoped Yan Qiao Qiao might be related to her. ¡°Am I about to become a big sister?¡± she wondered aloud with a smile. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, got into the van, closed the door, and headed back to the office for a meeting. Chapter 364: CCs Oath ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± Lin Xian put down his makeshift megaphone, made from a banana leaf, and stepped back, staring at the girl who had unexpectedly appeared before him. ¡°Why is it you?¡± he muttered, feeling awkward as he remembered the name he had just been yelling loudly through the banana leaf. He had been shouting for ¡°Wei Sheng Jin.¡± And he had shouted it very loudly. This was embarrassing. CC frowned, looking him up and down. She hadn¡¯t gotten the wrong person. It was definitely Lin Xian, just like the fragments of her memories. But this crude and shameless behavior... Was this really the Lin Xian she remembered? The Lin Xian from her memories was bold, decisive, quick-thinking, and charismatic. But now, here he was, yelling for a woman¡¯s pad in the middle of a forest. (Note: I actually didn¡¯t catch this joke either so the previous chapters weren¡¯t done so well for this gag.) The only word that came to mind was ¡°sleazy.¡± If he didn¡¯t look exactly like the Lin Xian she remembered, she wouldn¡¯t have wasted her time. ¡°What on earth are you yelling about?¡± CC finally asked when he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Are you really that desperate for that thing? Who do you think is going to bring it to you? Earth¡¯s industry can¡¯t even make that stuff anymore.¡± Lin Xian cleared his throat and tossed the banana leaf aside. ¡°You misunderstood. I was looking for someone¡ªa man named Wei Sheng Jin.¡± He looked up and saw the disbelief in CC¡¯s eyes, which seemed to scream, ¡°-99 Affection Points.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Do you believe yourself?¡± CC shot back. ¡°Who would have a name like that?¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised. Today, you¡¯ll see the cultural gap between Earth and Mars up close.¡± They exchanged more information after that, and surprisingly, there were no issues with trust. The memory fragments from the First and Second Dreams had proven useful. They skipped a lot of the usual drama and quickly fell into a rhythm as teammates. If it weren¡¯t for the ¡°Wei Sheng Jin¡± mess, maybe their bond would have been even stronger. But what could Lin Xian do? He was lost in the dense jungle and had no idea where to go. Looking at CC, he glanced in the direction she had come from. ¡°So, that way leads to Rhine Village,¡± he said. ¡°And from the timing, you just left there.¡± Lin Xian remembered clearly¡ªyesterday, in the dream, CC told him she¡¯d leave Rhine Village around noon to head to Big Cat¡¯s Village and search for a safe. Rhine Village was north of where he started, and Old Man Wei Sheng Jin and Big Cat¡¯s Village were to the south... Today, Lin Xian had gone the wrong way. He missed Old Man Wei Sheng Jin but, by some fluke, intercepted CC. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t intercept me,¡± CC corrected. ¡°Your shouting got my attention. I was curious about what kind of performance art it was... I really didn¡¯t expect it to be you. You¡¯ve truly expanded my worldview.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Lin Xian said, waving his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that. Let¡¯s get down to business.¡± He continued, ¡°Like I said before, finding a safe with my name on it is too hard right now; we don¡¯t have any leads.¡± ¡°There are only two options. We either use Old Man Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s metal detector to search randomly, or we head to Big Cat¡¯s Village and check out Gao Wen¡¯s safe to see what¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°You mentioned before that you¡¯ve been to Big Cat¡¯s Village and that Er Zhuzi and San Pang have been trying to crack the safe¡¯s code for years¡ªthey might be just a few digits away from the password. We just need to get there first and open it. We¡¯d be like the cuckoo laying its egg in another bird¡¯s nest, benefiting from their hard work.¡± ¡°But first, we still need to find Old Man Wei Sheng Jin. We need his equipment; it¡¯s advanced Martian technology. At least on Earth, it would be like an attack from another dimension.¡± To Lin Xian, Old Man Wei Sheng Jin was a goldmine. Not to mention the gun at his waist¡ªthe large backpack he carried was packed with survival supplies and tools. Just that folding shovel was like having Lu Bu¡ªthe legendary warrior¡ªback on Earth, capable of defeating any god. ¡°Let¡¯s go find Old Man Wei Sheng Jin,¡± Lin Xian said, waving for CC to follow. CC sighed but followed him. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe anyone would have that name, especially an old man. When we meet him, what should I call him? I really can¡¯t bring myself to say that name.¡± ¡°Just call him Teacher Wei,¡± Lin Xian replied, pushing through some vines. ¡°Like me, just call him Teacher Wei. But first... we have to find him. I¡¯m completely lost right now.¡± ¡°You could describe the surroundings from the last time you saw him,¡± CC suggested as she ducked under some vines. ¡°I¡¯m familiar with this forest. If it¡¯s a distinct tree or landmark, I usually know where it is.¡± Lin Xian briefly described a few trees, and CC, like a human GPS, quickly figured out the general location and started leading the way, swinging a large black machete to cut through vines and branches. Lin Xian watched her back, deep in thought, reminded of Chu An Qing, who had vanished like an ancient tree stump. Lin Xian never dreamed¡ªnot the kind where he could see people he wanted to meet. After his grandmother passed away, he missed her a lot. His father often said he dreamed of her, seeing her kind face, handing him ¡°big bills¡± from her handkerchief. But these were all his father¡¯s dreams. Lin Xian wanted to dream of her too, to see her one last time. But no matter how much he wanted it, he never could. Everyone else could see people they missed in their dreams. Everyone but him. Just like Tang Xin, Yellow Finch, and Chu An Qing, who had left him. If only he could see them again, at least to say thank you or apologize. Even though CC and Chu An Qing looked almost exactly the same, he knew deep down they were not the same person. Suddenly, CC stopped and looked back at Lin Xian. ¡°You seem unusually quiet today,¡± she said. Lin Xian looked up. ¡°Wasn¡¯t I always like this?¡± CC shook her head. ¡°In the memory fragments I have of you, you were always lively, full of energy¡ªeven annoyingly so. You¡¯d jump around without being serious.¡± ¡°But now... you¡¯re too quiet. It makes me uncomfortable, like you¡¯ve become someone else.¡± Lin Xian chuckled softly, a hint of helplessness in his voice. ¡°Well, a lot has happened.¡± The last time they met was before the Third Dream arrived, back in May 2023. Then, the Rhine Company was founded. He entered the Third Dream, then the Fourth, never seeing CC again. And now, a year had passed. Both in dreams and reality, so many things had happened¡ªso many goodbyes, to the living and the dead. Lin Xian admitted it. He couldn¡¯t be as ¡°lively¡± anymore. At the very least, he needed to bring Chu An Qing back, as he had promised her. He had also promised Chu Shan He to bring his daughter back home. Saying pretty words isn¡¯t enough; you have to do real things. But for now, the clues about the millennium-old tree were completely stuck. If there was one breakthrough... it would probably be CC, who was also like a millennium-old tree in front of him. ¡°The safe is buried over there. There¡¯s nothing along the way. Let¡¯s speed up!¡± Lin Xian and CC acted as if they were in a hurry, rushing off. This made Old Man Wei Sheng Jin nervous... He quickly followed behind. ¡°Hey, young people, why are you running so fast? We¡¯ve got plenty of time!¡± After running for a bit, he started to run out of breath. ¡°Whoa, I can¡¯t keep up with you... slow down, slow down, folks. It¡¯s not like the world is ending tomorrow, what¡¯s the rush?¡± Finally, they dragged Old Man Wei Sheng Jin to a clearing. Lin Xian put down the backpack. Wei Sheng Jin activated the metal detector and began locating the safe. Beep, beep, beep, beep! Soon enough, he pinpointed the location of the aluminum alloy safe. Excited, he exclaimed, ¡°Wow! You were right! There really is an aluminum alloy safe buried here! This is amazing... I¡¯ve been searching here for two months and haven¡¯t found a single one. I can¡¯t believe we found one today!¡± ¡°Lin Xian!¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin turned around, beaming with excitement. ¡°Take out the folding shovel from my backpack. We¡¯ll¡ª¡± He stopped mid-sentence. His eyes widened. He stared at Lin Xian and CC, who were now fully equipped. Both had folding shovels in hand, with Lin Xian even handing CC a pair of gloves. They each wore a spare straw hat, and Lin Xian had even taken out a water bottle, which CC drank from and passed back to him. ¡°Wait...¡± Wei Sheng Jin was stunned. ¡°Are you two professional archaeologists? Isn¡¯t this a bit too professional? How do you know my backpack so well?¡± He couldn¡¯t understand it. His backpack was so messy, filled with so many things. How did Lin Xian find everything so quickly, even the water bottle? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Teacher Wei,¡± Lin Xian patted his chest. ¡°When it comes to dealing with safes, the two of us are pros.¡± He bent down, pulling out another folding shovel like it was second nature, assembling it skillfully, and handing it to Old Man Wei Sheng Jin. ¡°Here, let¡¯s all dig together. It¡¯ll be faster with three people.¡± He then rummaged through the side pocket and pulled out a pair of work gloves, handing them to Wei Sheng Jin. ¡°Teacher Wei, put on these gloves. Otherwise, you¡¯ll get blisters.¡± At this point, Wei Sheng Jin couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. ¡°Young man! You¡¯re too familiar with my backpack! You know it better than I do!¡± He looked at Lin Xian in confusion. ¡°You¡¯re making me feel very insecure!¡± However, Lin Xian and CC, true professionals when it came to dealing with safes, had already dug up several piles of dirt by the time Old Man Wei Sheng Jin finished complaining. ¡°Ughh...¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin sighed. He could only lament that he was getting old and couldn¡¯t keep up with the younger generation. This young man and woman were the most decisive people he had ever met. They acted fast, like workers on an assembly line. Oh well. At least they meant no harm. As an older man, Wei Sheng Jin knew better than to overthink things. So, he rolled up his sleeves and joined Lin Xian and CC¡¯s digging team. With three people digging, it was indeed much faster than with two. Two focused on digging. One was responsible for expanding and moving dirt. In less than an hour, the aluminum alloy safe was unearthed. The moment it stood upright, the three of them crowded around to look at the number and name on the safe. Number: 1277 Name: Pang Ya Indeed, the number and the owner of the safe hadn¡¯t changed. However, Lin Xian rubbed the nameplate with his gloves... And sure enough, he wasn¡¯t mistaken! The name ¡°Pang Ya¡± was written in the Microsoft YaHei font... Success. This meant that Lin Xian¡¯s plan to trigger a minor time-space change had succeeded. He preserved Wei Sheng Jin and Gao Wen¡¯s safes but also caused the font of Pang Ya¡¯s safe name to change from SimSun to Microsoft YaHei. Though this was a minor change with almost no impact on time-space or the future, it provided a valuable parameter for studying space-time curvature and coordinates. After leaving the dream in the early morning, by observing the changes in the time-space clock, he could deduce the rules of space-time coordinates. From there, he could answer the first question of the Genius Club. Everything was ready. Now they just had to wait until tonight to leave the dream! ¡°What should we do next?¡± CC asked, sitting on top of the safe, wiping her sweat as she looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Are we going to Big Cat¡¯s Village?¡± Lin Xian thought for a moment. This was a rare opportunity. They should go to Big Cat¡¯s Village, the home base of Big Cat Face, and try their luck. Currently, Big Cat¡¯s Village hadn¡¯t been infiltrated by CC yet, which meant it wasn¡¯t on alert and was ideal for sneaking in. ¡°How much do you know about Big Cat¡¯s Village?¡± Lin Xian asked, watching CC swing her legs on the safe. ¡°Have you scouted it before?¡± CC nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been there a few times. Around this time, Er Zhuzi usually patrols the entrance... They patrol in shifts, but I¡¯m not sure of the exact rules.¡± ¡°My original plan was to sneak in later in the afternoon because that¡¯s when they change shifts. Ah Zhuang takes over patrol duty from Er Zhuzi, and Er Zhuzi and San Pang continue their trial-and-error cracking of the safe¡¯s code.¡± ¡°Ah Zhuang doesn¡¯t have good eyesight, unlike Er Zhuzi, who¡¯s sharp-eyed... I suggest we scout first, but it¡¯d be easier to sneak in when Ah Zhuang takes over from Er Zhuzi.¡± ¡°Er Zhuzi is on duty?¡± Lin Xian recalled the agile and swift Er Zhuzi, like a human lightning bolt. If he¡¯s patrolling... It might be an even better opportunity! ¡°No.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re going now. Let¡¯s move fast and sneak in while Er Zhuzi is patrolling.¡± CC frowned, confused. ¡°Didn¡¯t I make myself clear? Er Zhuzi is really strong. He¡¯s fast, has great vision, and can spot movements from far away. And his red-tasseled spear is deadly at close range, considered the king of cold weapons. Why do you want to face him head-on?¡± Lin Xian stood up from the ground and chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Who said we have to face him head-on? We¡¯ll outsmart him, won¡¯t we?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen Er Zhuzi¡¯s skills; he¡¯s indeed strong. But at the same time...¡± ¡°Er Zhuzi has a fatal weakness.¡± Chapter 365: A Clever Plan ¡°Outsmart them?¡± CC and Wei Sheng Jin looked confused when Lin Xian mentioned he planned to outsmart Er Zhuzi. They stared at him, clearly not understanding what he meant. CC squinted and asked, ¡°Are you really good at using your brain in fights? From what I remember, you¡¯re more of a guns and direct combat kind of guy.¡± Lin Xian waved her off. ¡°Do I need to be a genius to handle guys like the ones from Face Gang? I might not be the smartest, but I can definitely outthink Big Cat and Er Zhuzi.¡± He smirked, adding, ¡°Sometimes, I almost feel bad for tricking them so much.¡± Lin Xian was being honest. In his experiences through the dream worlds, except for a smooth team-up in the third one, his encounters with Big Cat and his three sidekicks were mostly filled with trickery and schemes. If things went his way, he¡¯d leave a few of them alive and might even steal Big Cat¡¯s motorcycle while escaping. If not, odds were high that Big Cat and his gang would end up with their heads blown off. That was also why, during the last dream, Lin Xian chose not to shoot and kill the four of them. After spending so much time together, there were some feelings involved. If he could win them over without violence, he preferred to avoid bloodshed. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s check things out first,¡± Lin Xian suggested. The three of them set out again. CC had already scouted the area a few times before and knew the route well. After walking for several minutes, they reached a small hill that gave them a good view of Big Cat¡¯s Village, hidden behind some bushes. Lin Xian opened Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s backpack and pulled out a pair of binoculars from a hidden compartment. Both Wei Sheng Jin and CC were surprised. ¡°Hey, kid, that¡¯s not cool,¡± Wei Sheng Jin complained. ¡°I forgot I even had these! What are you, a worm living in my backpack?¡± Unfamiliar with the item, CC asked, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Lin Xian handed the binoculars to CC. ¡°Try them out.¡± The Fifth Dream World¡¯s technology level was quite primitive. Even if they had binoculars, they wouldn¡¯t be as advanced as these high-tech ones from Mars. It made sense that CC had never seen anything like them. Her fragmented memories often left out useful information. ¡°These are binoculars,¡± Lin Xian explained. ¡°You¡¯ve probably heard of them, but never seen ones like these. This pair, made with Martian technology, sees much farther and clearer than Earth-made ones.¡± CC raised the binoculars to her eyes, and instantly, her view became vast and clear. She slowly scanned around, looking for the aluminum alloy safe the village chief had mentioned. ¡°I found it, Lin Xian! In the northeast corner of the village. Look over there,¡± she pointed. Lin Xian took the binoculars and looked in the direction CC indicated. These binoculars were indeed impressive¡ªhigh magnification, and they weren¡¯t even at full zoom yet. He quickly spotted the safe and also saw two men, Ah Zhuang and San Pang, trying to crack it with brute force. Lin Xian zoomed in closer to see the details. Everything on the safe became clear. ¡°Serial number: 424... Name: Gao Wen...¡± Lin Xian read out what he saw. Wei Sheng Jin sighed, ¡°Ah, not ours again. When we couldn¡¯t find any of these safes before, we were so determined. Now we¡¯ve found two, and neither is ours... It¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡± CC smiled, trying to cheer him up. ¡°Wei, finding these safes takes patience. At least you know the code for yours. The one I¡¯m looking for... I don¡¯t even know where it is, what the code might be, or what¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°But since I¡¯ve decided to find it, I will. I won¡¯t go back without opening it. So, don¡¯t give up, Wei. Let¡¯s keep going. Your metal detector can make things much more efficient.¡± Wei Sheng Jin wiped the sweat from his forehead and chuckled. ¡°Thank you, girl. You and Lin Xian are both good people; I can see that. I¡¯m just venting. I won¡¯t give up easily. I don¡¯t know why you two are so determined to find these safes, but for me... it¡¯s about finding my past self, the meaning of my life, and uncovering the last regret of my existence.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m not quitting. But you, girl, you seem young and don¡¯t recognize much of Martian tech. You¡¯re probably an Earth-born human, right? As far as I know, Time Bank disappeared after the Great Catastrophe of 2400. At your age, you shouldn¡¯t have a safe at all.¡± ¡°Also, there¡¯s no cryo-tech on Earth right now. None of your acquaintances or elders should know about Time Bank safes. So, why are you looking for one? Are you also searching for the meaning of life?¡± ¡°Kind of,¡± CC nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m looking for, but I trust the man who told me about the safe. If he says it holds all the truths and meaning... then no matter what¡¯s inside, I have to see it.¡± Wei Sheng Jin thought for a moment, surprised. ¡°But you don¡¯t even know the code! Can you open it if you find it?¡±The? source of this conte/nt n/o/v/(el)bi((n)) ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± CC shook her head, ¡°But I have to try. Maybe... this is what my life is all about.¡± Wei Sheng Jin was stunned. After a moment of silence, he relaxed, giving CC a thumbs up. ¡°Impressive, young one. I hope you find what you¡¯re looking for too.¡± While the two talked, Lin Xian was busy checking Ah Zhuang and San Pang¡¯s progress with the safe through the binoculars. He noticed there were eight dials on the safe, and the first four digits were all zeros. Ah Zhuang was slowly trying every number on the last dial, pressing the latch with each turn, repeating the process: 00005232, 00005231, 00005230... ¡°So, they¡¯re trying all the combinations from 99999999 downward,¡± Lin Xian chuckled, amused. ¡°If they started from 00000000, they might have cracked the code in a few days. But they¡¯re going in reverse, wasting years, maybe even decades.¡± Lin Xian had learned this lesson before. When he tried to crack Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s diary lock by going from 9999 backward, it took him much longer than it should have. After that, he vowed to always start from 0000 when using brute force to crack a code. Speaking of Zhang Yu Qian... he recalled her diary¡¯s code: 1952. A seemingly unrelated four-digit number with no apparent meaning. Going by historical events, nothing significant happened that year. The only thing that caught Lin Xian¡¯s attention was that realist painter Henry Dawson painted eight portraits of a ¡°Sorrowful Einstein¡± in Brooklyn that year. This was his only clue. Or rather, one of two clues. The other was that 1952 was the year of a millennial stake incident, a time when history was locked in place. He had taken three items from Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s coffin: the code-locked diary, a photo album, and a videotape. He had already checked the diary and album; there was nothing noteworthy in them. But he hadn¡¯t watched the videotape yet. Gao Yang, his friend, hadn¡¯t found the right device to play it. The tape was too old, and Gao Yang was still looking for a working player for such ancient media. Lin Xian was very curious and wanted to see what was on the tape that had been placed in Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s coffin. ¡°Lin Xian, look over there. Er Zhuzi is patrolling,¡± CC¡¯s voice broke through his thoughts. He adjusted the binoculars and looked towards the entrance of Big Cat¡¯s Village. Suddenly, Er Zhuzi¡¯s eyes seemed to pierce through the binoculars, meeting Lin Xian¡¯s gaze like a sharp-eyed falcon. ¡°What the hell?¡± Lin Xian muttered. Er Zhuzi¡¯s intense stare was unnerving, even from hundreds of meters away. Could he really see through their hiding spot? Luckily, it was just a coincidence. Er Zhuzi¡¯s laser-sharp eyes soon swept over the hill and continued scanning the village to maintain peace. ¡°This guy isn¡¯t easy to deal with,¡± Lin Xian muttered. ¡°You were right, CC. Approaching recklessly would likely get us spotted by him.¡± He kept observing Er Zhuzi, noting his outfit made of animal hides and the green fabric sun hat on his head. The fashion sense is unique¡ªquite distinct, in fact. Er Zhuzi was still as tall and thin as a bamboo pole. He held a red-tasseled spear in his right hand, standing straight like a spear himself. Together, they made a striking figure. Lin Xian also took note of Big Cat¡¯s Village¡¯s layout. There were about fifty or sixty households, fewer than a hundred buildings, all with a rough and wild style. It definitely looked like a villain¡¯s lair. Their level of technology was similar to that of Rhine Village, though their livestock and hunting industries seemed more advanced. They were also better equipped. Maybe this was just a difference in development strategies. Under Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s leadership, Rhine Village mainly focused on agriculture, textiles, handicrafts, and construction. Big Cat¡¯s Village, on the other hand, seemed more practical, following a utilitarian approach. He didn¡¯t see Big Cat, the village leader, anywhere. He was probably holed up in one of the houses. ¡°What do people in Big Cat¡¯s Village usually do?¡± Lin Xian asked, lowering the binoculars. ¡°Pillage and plunder? Or do they just cause trouble?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± CC shook her head. ¡°You might have the wrong impression of Big Cat¡¯s Village because of me. They aren¡¯t that bad. According to Grandma Xiang Yue, the people here are wild and fierce, but they¡¯re not truly evil.¡± ¡°Most villages are far apart from each other, and with Earth¡¯s current resources, there¡¯s more than enough for everyone. There¡¯s no need to fight over food, land, crops, or water. Everything is plentiful; the forests are thriving. No one goes hungry.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anything worth fighting over, it would be the ¡®ancient items¡¯ dug up from the ground. These are truly non-renewable, irreplaceable resources and the main source of knowledge after civilization collapsed.¡± ¡°This is probably why Big Cat and his gang are so focused on opening that safe. Big Cat¡¯s Village grew strong thanks to Big Cat¡¯s father. He loved archaeology and collected all sorts of ancient books, so he knew a lot¡ªmaybe even more than Grandma Xiang Yue.¡± Sitting on his wooden throne, Big Cat rubbed his chin, frowned, and looked at Lin Xian and CC. ¡°Hmm...¡± He pondered, ¡°Big Cat¡¯s Village doesn¡¯t support freeloaders. Do you have any skills?¡± Lin Xian was about to say he could do some acrobatics if needed, but Er Zhuzi jumped in, blocking Lin Xian. ¡°Big Brother, can¡¯t you see? These two look like talents! They don¡¯t need any skills. Look at them, a handsome man and a beautiful woman¡ªthat¡¯s skill enough! Right, Ah Zhuang?¡± Mesmerized by CC¡¯s beauty, Ah Zhuang stammered, ¡°In... the spring of the fourth year of Qingli, Teng Zijing was demoted to guard the county of Baling. The next year...¡± Thump. Big Cat slapped the firewood beside him. ¡°What are you mumbling about?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Ah Zhuang snapped out of it, wiped his mouth, and said to Big Cat, ¡°That¡¯s what your dad used to teach us in class... I don¡¯t know why, it just popped into my head.¡± ¡°I¡ªI agree! Er Zhuzi¡¯s right! These two are a great-looking couple. Even if they do nothing, just standing here can inspire us... It¡¯s good for them to join!¡± San Pang suddenly raised his hand, ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea!¡± Hah! Lin Xian chuckled while staying behind Er Zhuzi. See? When dealing with these simple-minded Face Gang members, there was no need to practice acting. They¡¯ll just convince themselves. Lin Xian suddenly realized¡ªFace Gang might actually be his biggest advantage in the dream world. The First Dream World provided weapons and intelligence; The Second Dream World provided a support team; The Third Dream World delivered hot air balloons and spacesuits right to his door; And the Fifth Dream World allowed him to join the gang with a unanimous vote. No matter how the dreams changed, Big Cat always remained so genuine and friendly. No wonder he couldn¡¯t bring himself to kill Big Cat yesterday. Where else could he find a good guy who believes everything you say and has no bad intentions? ¡°Alright then!¡± Big Cat clapped his thigh and stood up from his wooden throne. ¡°We¡¯re all about democracy here. Since it¡¯s a unanimous vote, welcome to Big Cat¡¯s Village! What are your names?¡± ¡°Lin Xian.¡± ¡°CC.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Big Cat waved his hand. ¡°From now on, you¡¯re both part of Big Cat¡¯s Village! If anyone dares to mess with you, it¡¯s like they¡¯re messing with me! I won¡¯t let them off!¡± ¡°Since we have new members, let¡¯s kill a pig tonight and have a proper celebration! Welcome, welcome!¡± Seeing the decision was made, Er Zhuzi heaved a sigh of relief. His eyes shone with camaraderie as he looked at Lin Xian, as if they were brothers who had met too late in life. ¡°Brother, I wish I¡¯d met you sooner...¡± Er Zhuzi chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t prepare a gift for our first meeting, so here, take this.¡± With that, Er Zhuzi took off his green fabric sun hat and placed it on Lin Xian¡¯s head. ¡°This is a treasure!¡± Good grief. Lin Xian quickly took it off and put it back on Er Zhuzi¡¯s head. ¡°No, no, no, I appreciate the thought, but this gift is too valuable for me to accept.¡± Big Cat laughed as he headed out. ¡°Come on! Tonight, we¡¯re having a barbecue! Let¡¯s celebrate and welcome our new members!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Ah Zhuang and San Pang followed him out. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Er Zhuzi, straightening his hat, walked out too. ¡°Hahahaha!¡± ... Meanwhile, at Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s house, in the entry hall, a small Pomeranian named VV curled up in a corner, scared and whimpering softly. Its empty stomach growled continuously. This was the greatest crisis of its doggy life! It had never seen its owner so angry before! Tonight, she came home very late. The dog barked, begging for food. It only managed a couple of barks before¡ª Bang!! A thick paper report was slammed down on the coffee table with such force that it drowned out the Pomeranian¡¯s howling. VV, a coward, immediately stopped making any noise. It curled up in the corner by the shoe cabinet, peeking out cautiously at its owner¡ªwho was still in high heels, legs crossed on the sofa, silent, her brow furrowed. Zhao Ying Jun took several deep breaths, but her heart wouldn¡¯t calm down. This was absurd! Her eyes drifted to the open report on the coffee table. On the first page, in bold black letters, it read: ¡°After examination, Sample A is the biological daughter of Sample B. Sample B is the biological mother of Sample A.¡± Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t remember how she got home after getting this report. Everything was a blur, and her mind went blank. She couldn¡¯t understand or believe it. She had never been in a relationship, never experienced anything like that¡ªhow could she have a daughter? This was nonsense! But... when she thought of that girl, Yan Qiao Qiao, who looked so much like her... And this DNA test wouldn¡¯t lie. She recalled how not long ago, Lin Xian had asked her to do a DNA test with another girl, also around fourteen or fifteen years old. At the time, she thought it was just a joke and didn¡¯t take it seriously. But then, a few days later, her parents brought another girl around the same age. Regardless of the results, why were people bringing young girls to do DNA tests with her lately? She shook her head. The reason behind these questions wasn¡¯t important right now. What mattered was! Where did this girl, Yan Qiao Qiao, her biological daughter, come from? How did such a ridiculous thing happen? She squinted her eyes, staring at the TV¡¯s power indicator light, flickering on and off in the dimly lit room... Whimpering, the Pomeranian VV¡¯s empty stomach growled again. Zhao Ying Jun turned her head and looked at the fluffy white dog huddled by the shoe cabinet. ¡°Hungry?¡± VV shook its head like a rattle. No, it wasn¡¯t hungry! It could still survive! Chapter 366: Gao Wens Safe A Tiger Doesn¡¯t Eat Its Cub. Zhao Ying Jun finally got up from the sofa and went to fill a bowl with dog food for her Pomeranian. The dog began eating hungrily, clearly having waited for its meal. ¡°Sorry,¡± she murmured, gently patting VV¡¯s head. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to forget about you.¡± After rubbing her forehead and taking a deep breath, Zhao Ying Jun returned to her seat on the soft sofa. She leaned back against the cushions, trying to figure out the cause of this strange, ¡°supernatural¡± event. From a logical, scientific point of view, something like this just didn¡¯t happen. Having a child isn¡¯t instantaneous. It takes at least nine months to carry a baby. As a woman, she would know if she had gone through that¡ªno doubt about it. And that girl, Yan Qiao Qiao, couldn¡¯t possibly be her daughter. ¡°Ugh...¡± Zhao Ying Jun sighed, feeling a headache starting. At first, she thought she might have found a long-lost sibling¡ªmaybe a child her parents had in secret. But instead, she was told that Yan Qiao Qiao was her daughter! It would have been easier to accept the story that Yan Qiao Qiao was just the granddaughter of a distant relative. So, what now? Zhao Ying Jun quickly regained her composure. Everything had to have a reason. Having lived alone and thought logically for years, she put aside her emotions and started to think about where the real problem could be. ¡°The problem isn¡¯t with me,¡± she said firmly. ¡°Which means...¡± She slowly opened her eyes and stared at the dim ceiling. ¡°The problem lies with that little girl.¡± Where did Yan Qiao Qiao come from? Who was she really? She needed to get to the bottom of this. Zhao Ying Jun wasn¡¯t usually someone who worried too much about details, but this involved her reputation. Plus, having a daughter suddenly appear out of nowhere didn¡¯t make sense. She had to find the truth¡ªnot just for herself, but for her parents and even for Yan Qiao Qiao. ¡°But if she really is my daughter... what should I do?¡± The thought filled her with confusion. At only 25, she had no idea how to handle this. She wasn¡¯t prepared to be a mother; she didn¡¯t know how to raise a child or even how to relate to one. It wasn¡¯t really her fault. For both men and women, becoming part of a family should happen gradually. Who would expect to suddenly be introduced to a teenage daughter and be asked to accept it? There was no warmth, no sentiment¡ªjust shock, rejection, and a chill down her spine. ¡°I¡¯ll go see Yan Qiao Qiao tomorrow,¡± Zhao Ying Jun decided, letting go of her complicated feelings. The problem was already here; there was no point in denying or avoiding it. She had to face it. The root of all this was that little girl, so she needed to find answers from her. Feeling more resolved, Zhao Ying Jun stood up from the sofa, opened the fridge, and looked for something to eat. ... ¡°Hahaha!¡± Big Cat Face laughed heartily, holding a large pork hock in his hand. He tore it in half, placing one half on Lin Xian¡¯s plate and the other on CC¡¯s plate. His mood was unusually cheerful. ¡°Speaking of this village, you probably don¡¯t know this,¡± he began, ¡°but even before I became the village chief, back when my dad was in charge, this place was already called ¡®Big Cat¡¯s Village.¡¯¡± ¡°Do you know why? Because when I was born, it was considered a sign of good fortune! Even though it was late at night, the moment I was born, all the chickens, ducks, cows, sheep, and even the pigs in their pens started making noises that sounded like my name.¡± ¡°Snorting ¡®Big Cat Face¡¯?¡± CC asked, looking at Big Cat Face, who was now flushed from drinking. She was skeptical of the story. ¡°How could chickens and pigs do that?¡± ¡°Ah, sister-in-law, let your big brother finish,¡± Big Cat Face said, swaying his bamboo cup of wine and shaking his head. ¡°Big Cat Face is just my nickname, not my real name. Ever since I was born, my face has been big; the midwife even said my face was round like a big pancake. That¡¯s how the nickname stuck.¡± ¡°But I do have a real name! My father was quite the intellectual of his time and gave me a nice-sounding name, but... no one has ever called me by it.¡± Thunk! Lin Xian set down his bamboo wine cup, blinking at Big Cat Face. ¡°You actually have a real name?¡± ¡°Of course I do, little brother!¡± Big Cat Face scoffed. ¡°Everyone has a name!¡± ¡°Speaking of your father...¡± Lin Xian continued, ¡°He always felt like a legendary figure¡ªfamous but never seen. He seemed impressive and smart. By the way, what¡¯s his name?¡± All this time, Lin Xian had never known Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s name. Big Cat Face sighed softly and said in a low voice, ¡°Chen Heping.¡± Lin Xian stared at the half-greasy pork hock on his plate, thinking about the name. It sounded solid and respectable. Chen Heping was a genius who once figured out the Universal Constant of 42 using only pen and paper. That certainly lived up to his name. Lin Xian realized that in this dream world, Big Cat Face seemed to be all alone. He hadn¡¯t seen his parents, his gentle wife, his rebellious daughter, or even a younger version of Big Cat Face. He decided not to ask about them. In this era, without modern medicine, even a minor illness could become deadly. ¡°I heard your father left behind a lot of research notes?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Could I take a look at them later?¡± ¡°Of course, little brother! You¡¯re one of us now; no need to be shy. Do whatever you want! Hahaha!¡± Big Cat Face downed a few more cups of grain alcohol, wiping his greasy hands on Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He wrote plenty of notes. They¡¯re all in the room next door. Before he got sick and passed away, he said that any kid who loves learning should go study them. He always believed that knowledge is the only way to change one¡¯s fate.¡± ¡°But in these times, can knowledge fill your stomach? Ever since my dad died, no one has gone into that room or taught any more classes... From that point on, Big Cat¡¯s Village has stayed pretty much the same. And honestly, we¡¯ve done okay. At least we don¡¯t worry about food and clothing.¡± ¡°Ah, let¡¯s not talk about such depressing stuff! Tonight¡¯s a happy time! Come on, cheers! After we drink, let¡¯s dance around the bonfire!¡± Big Cat Face raised his cup, clinked it with Lin Xian and CC, and then downed it in one gulp. He then grabbed Da Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang, dragging them with staggering steps to the center of the village where a bonfire blazed several meters high. With the rhythm of drums made from animal skins, they twisted around the fire, singing and dancing with the villagers. CC nibbled on some fruit from the table, watching the dancing crowd with a slight smile. ¡°If I¡¯d known they were this nice, we wouldn¡¯t have had to go through all that fighting and sneaking around. If I¡¯d known they were so simple, I¡¯d have joined them much sooner.¡± Lin Xian chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Getting along with people takes the right approach.¡± ¡°But sneaking in by yourself wouldn¡¯t have been so easy,¡± he added. ¡°Getting past Er Zhuzi would¡¯ve needed a ¡®sister-in-law¡¯ or ¡®wife¡¯ title as a ticket... It takes two people working together.¡± CC tossed aside the fruit pit and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°So, do I still need to keep pretending?¡± She wiped her hands. ¡°Teacher Wei even taught me some tricks to act like a wife.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Lin Xian waved his hand. ¡°Your acting is too over-the-top. Like I said at the beginning, there¡¯s no need to act. Just be yourself. The people of Big Cat¡¯s Village aren¡¯t that complicated.¡± ¡°Besides, Teacher Wei taught you to act like his lover¡ªlike that clingy, sweet type... That style clearly doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± He picked up a piece of fruit and handed it to CC. ¡°Didn¡¯t you notice? Back at the village gate, your overdramatic performance seemed out of place. Didn¡¯t it feel awkward?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± CC shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel anything special. Mainly, I¡¯ve never been in a relationship, so I don¡¯t know what real love is supposed to be like, or how people in love should act.¡± ¡°You might be oversimplifying things, Lin Xian. Surviving in this world is already hard enough. There aren¡¯t any books or stories to guide us. Normally, kids my age wouldn¡¯t have any way to understand this stuff.¡± She took the fruit from him and turned to look at the lively dance by the bonfire. Every era has its own ways of having fun. The methods might change, but joy seems to be universal. ¡°Do you know how to dance?¡± CC asked, turning to Lin Xian. ¡°I do,¡± he nodded. ¡°But not this kind of dance.¡± He smiled wryly. ¡°This must be the unique ¡®Cat Dance¡¯ of Big Cat¡¯s Village. It doesn¡¯t have any rules. I don¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°Hey, there¡¯s nothing to get!¡± Suddenly, Er Zhuzi¡¯s voice came from behind. Startled, they turned around and found him standing there, as elusive as ever. Er Zhuzi, also slightly tipsy, grinned and grabbed their hands. ¡°Come, come! I¡¯ll teach you!¡± ¡°No, no, that¡¯s alright,¡± Lin Xian politely declined. He had come to Big Cat¡¯s Village for a reason. He planned to go into Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s room soon to check out the notes he¡¯d left behind. After that, he needed to find Gao Wen¡¯s safe in a corner of the village and try to open it to see what was inside. Clearly, in the future world of the Fifth Dream world, the catastrophic disaster had destroyed everything. Most healthy humans had left for Mars, and Earth was abandoned. Naturally, the only copy of ¡°Introduction to Universal Constants¡± was never discovered, and it never reached Big Cat Face¡¯s father. The research on the Universal Constant of 42 thus came to an end. Time and space are logically intertwined¡ªmiss one thing by an inch, and you¡¯re off by miles. ¡°Let¡¯s go check out Gao Wen¡¯s safe,¡± Lin Xian said, placing Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s notebook back where it belonged. He picked up an oil lamp, and he and CC walked to the edge of the village. The aluminum alloy safe was there. With the oil lamp held up, they could see that the brute-force method had already tried combinations up to 00002701. Only 2,700 possible combinations were left! At the fastest pace, it would take less than an hour to open Gao Wen¡¯s safe. ¡°Thank you, Big Cat¡¯s Village,¡± Lin Xian said sincerely. ¡°If they hadn¡¯t spent years breaking down nearly a billion password combinations for us, we wouldn¡¯t be opening this safe today.¡± ¡°Is this safe really that important?¡± CC asked. ¡°Do you know this person named Gao Wen?¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t deny it but didn¡¯t confirm it either. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I know him, and I¡¯m not sure if this Gao Wen is the Gao Wen I know.¡± ¡°But if he is the Gao Wen I know¡ªthe academician Gao Wen¡ªthen what¡¯s inside this safe is worth the anticipation.¡± ¡°Academician Gao Wen was a true genius. His inventions once changed the entire world and reshaped all futures.¡± ¡°I believe a true genius won¡¯t just disappear. If he used a aluminum alloy safe, there¡¯s a good chance he went into a cryo-chamber to travel to the future.¡± ¡°In such a situation, they usually leave something very important for their future selves... Anyway, there aren¡¯t many possible passwords left. Let¡¯s open it and see what¡¯s inside.¡± CC turned to look at the eight password dials. ¡°They¡¯ve already tried up to 00002701. Let¡¯s continue from there and keep cracking it one by one.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Lin Xian said, always someone who listened to reason. He reset the dials to 00000000 and smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll start from 00000000. Even though it doesn¡¯t matter where you start with brute-force methods, it¡¯s still a lesson worth learning.¡± He began turning the dial on the far right, testing each combination one by one: 00000001, 00000002, 00000003, ... Click, click, click. The familiar sound of a lock not opening. For so long, so many aluminum alloy safes, so many dream adventures... Lin Xian had never managed to open one. Right now, maybe, he would finally break that streak! Click, click, click. As the numbers on the dials kept increasing, Lin Xian¡¯s lips tightened. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit excited and nervous. Click, click, click. 00000039, 00000040, 00000041, He pressed the latch. Still nothing. Lin Xian adjusted the last digit of the combination. The aluminum alloy safe¡¯s dials now read¡ª 00000042 This... This was a very familiar number, a number he had seen many times. It was exactly like the value on Liu Feng¡¯s time clock: 0.0000042, just without the decimal point. Lin Xian didn¡¯t think too much about it and mechanically pressed the latch¡ª Boom. With a deep sound that had been sealed away for centuries, the aluminum alloy safe clicked open! ¡°It¡¯s open... it actually opened!¡± CC immediately jumped up from the stone bench, eyes wide open. Even though they knew the brute-force method would eventually crack the safe, when it actually happened... It still felt unbelievable! Lin Xian stayed silent. He was still puzzled. Why such a coincidence? The password Gao Wen set for his safe was not only related to 42 but also exactly matched the space-time curvature of the current timeline... What could this mean? With these questions in mind, Lin Xian opened the dusty aluminum alloy safe. Inside, the safe was nearly empty. Only in the bottom corner lay a notebook, entirely laminated in plastic. Lin Xian gently picked it up. Thanks to the full plastic sealing, it remained perfectly preserved even after hundreds of years, just like the small laminated paper from Zheng Xiang Yue, still clear and readable. He opened the sacred and heavy notebook. CC brought the oil lamp closer, and they both looked at the title page. Through the intact plastic cover, they could clearly see several lines of black handwriting left on the paper inside¡ª [My name is Gao Wen. This diary was stored on December 7, 2201. I plan to enter a cryo-chamber and wake up within a safe 10-year window to retrieve this diary without losing my memory.] [If you¡¯re reading this and you are not Gao Wen, it means...] [I am already dead.] Chapter 367: A Game Changer ¡°I¡¯m already dead.¡± Lin Xian stared at the last line written on the inside cover of Gao Wen¡¯s notebook.Upstodatee from He had just left the campfire, his face still feeling tight and dry from the heat, and his body warm. But as soon as he read that line, a sudden chill ran through him. Gao Wen. It felt like Gao Wen had predicted everything. According to his notes, after he put this notebook in the safe, he planned to enter a hibernation pod, waking up in 10 years to make sure his memories stayed intact. No one knew exactly why he chose such a short time to hibernate. Maybe he was avoiding something... or perhaps he was waiting for something. Whatever the reason, Gao Wen¡¯s original plan was clear: he¡¯d wake up with all his memories, like Zhao Ying Jun in the Third Dream, and return to the Time Bank to open his safe and get this notebook. If everything went smoothly, 10 years later, he¡¯d come back, get the notebook, and pass on this crucial information. But clearly, something had gone wrong. Lin Xian guessed two things might have happened to Gao Wen: Either Gao Wen¡¯s hibernation lasted too long, or something went wrong during it, causing him to lose all his memories. If that happened, he would forget about the safe with the aluminum alloy and never come to retrieve the notebook. But Lin Xian thought this was unlikely. Someone as smart as Gao Wen wouldn¡¯t make such a simple mistake. So, Lin Xian leaned toward the second possibility... Gao Wen was killed. Knowing he might be murdered, he left this message inside the notebook as a sort of farewell note, predicting his own death. ¡°That¡¯s quite interesting,¡± CC said, studying Gao Wen¡¯s handwriting. ¡°This notebook¡¯s owner, Gao Wen, clearly knew he¡¯d be killed, so he left this note as a precaution.¡± ¡°So, he put it in the safe, just in case,¡± Lin Xian nodded in agreement. ¡°I think the same. Maybe he chose to enter the hibernation pod to escape being killed... But from what happened, it looks like he failed. Someone likely murdered him.¡± ¡°We should keep reading. If Gao Wen really predicted his death, maybe he left more information about the killer,¡± Lin Xian suggested. With hope, Lin Xian turned to the next page. Gao Wen¡¯s notes continued, like a follow-up to his earlier message: For your safety, I won¡¯t explain too much to avoid getting you into the same trouble as me. I only hope that after reading this notebook, you will publish the research results in the attached pages. Rest assured, my death has nothing to do with this research. I was targeted by the killer because of another math problem I was working on. So, don¡¯t worry that releasing the research will get you killed. It represents a groundbreaking theoretical breakthrough. I believe that releasing these results could change the world, correct many mistakes, save lives, and provide more possibilities for the future... No matter what time period you¡¯re in or how you came across this notebook, remember¡ª It¡¯s not too late for anything. Lin Xian read the page twice and finally understood what Gao Wen meant. First, Gao Wen knew exactly why he was being targeted¡ªit was because of his research on a math problem. And since the safe¡¯s code was set to ¡°00000042,¡± it became obvious: Professor Gao Wen in the Fifth Dream also researched the Universal Constant! No doubt about it. In previous dreams, Big Cat Face¡¯s father was either assassinated or taken away after finding the Universal Constant 42. Ji Lin¡¯s parents, also mathematicians, were shot at 00:42, likely because of their work related to the Universal Constant. Now, we have a third case¡ªGao Wen. The brilliant Gao Wen didn¡¯t falter, even after Professor Xu Yun published the hibernation fluid 200 years early. Instead, he thrived by diving into another area of research. From these short notes, it was clear that Professor Gao Wen had made breakthroughs in at least two fields. One was the Universal Constant; he calculated it as 42, but this also led to his death. The other breakthrough was the research attached at the end of the notebook. Gao Wen hoped someone would publish it to change the world and save lives. As the inventor of the hibernation pod fluid, Lin Xian didn¡¯t doubt Gao Wen¡¯s ability. If he could invent something that changed the world once, he could certainly do it again. Unfortunately, before he could publish his second breakthrough, Gao Wen was targeted and killed because of his research on the Universal Constant 42. Who killed him? Lin Xian had his suspicions from the start. Even if it wasn¡¯t a member of the Genius Club, it was certainly connected to someone there. But there was no need to think too deeply about it now. Once he joined the club, he would find out the truth. Second, Gao Wen seemed to have considered the possibility of his own unexpected death, as well as the chance that someone might eventually find his notebook. He gambled that one day, someone would find it and publish the attached research. Worried that they might be scared off, he made sure to emphasize that publishing it wouldn¡¯t get them killed. Clearly, Gao Wen had great confidence in his work, believing it would never be too late to release it. CC finished reading the note and softly commented, ¡°This Gao Wen person, he must have been a scientist, right? He seems very confident in his research.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I trust him too. He¡¯s very impressive. His research has never let anyone down.¡± He glanced at his wristwatch. 00:40. Only two minutes left until the familiar white light would destroy the dream world and wake him up in 2024. The notebook was thick. Copying it into the real world would take at least ten days to two weeks, and there was no way he could finish today. With these two minutes, he could only look at the title to know what kind of research it was. CC noticed Lin Xian checking his watch and understood. 00:42 was almost here. With a sigh, she said, ¡°It seems Gao Wen was a bit too optimistic. According to what you said, the world is about to end soon... Whatever research Gao Wen left behind, there¡¯s just no time to deal with it now.¡± ¡°He wrote that if the research were published, it could change the world, correct mistakes, and save lives. Unfortunately, he probably thought this notebook would be discovered within decades, maybe 100 or 200 years at most.¡± ¡°If it were discovered in 2300 or 2350, when humanity¡¯s tech level was advanced, it might¡¯ve been possible,¡± she continued. ¡°But even if we publish it now, it¡¯s too late. I¡¯m still curious, though¡ªwhat kind of research could make Gao Wen so confident? Scientists usually don¡¯t talk in such definite terms.¡± Listening to CC¡¯s analysis, Lin Xian thought she had a point. ¡°Stop guessing. Let¡¯s just take a look.¡± As the white light of 00:42 was about to appear, Lin Xian didn¡¯t have time to think much. Under CC¡¯s watchful eyes, he turned to the next page. On it, only one bold line stood out: ¡°Theory of Time-Space Travel and Design of a Time-Space Travel Machine.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian and CC gasped in unison, completely taken aback. Gao Wen¡¯s research was this advanced¡ªthis fantastical? ¡°This is...¡± Lin Xian¡¯s expression grew serious. He quickly grasped the gravity of the situation. Yellow Finch, Fake Yu Xi, Real Yu Xi¡ªthey were all time travelers from the future! He had already guessed that if people could travel back from the future, then there must be a time machine or some high-tech device like that! But he never imagined... The theory of time-space travel originated with Professor Gao Wen! There was no time to think more. The dream was almost over. Lin Xian quickly flipped through the sealed pages to catch more information. Most of the theories and formulas were incomprehensible, filled with symbols and English words he couldn¡¯t understand. As the second hand on his watch moved up, Lin Xian finally found a page full of words. A sentence was circled in red: I speculate there should exist a type of energy particle capable of time-space travel. Using the energy it contains, one could cross through a time-space rift and send time travelers to specific, limited points in time. However, currently, there is no way to prove the existence of these energy particles. Therefore, the time-space travel theory is still missing its final piece. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Just as Lin Xian finished reading the note, a blinding white light instantly washed away the colors of the world. Everything turned white. Then, it all faded into darkness. In his bedroom corner, Lin Xian opened his eyes and shot up from his bed. ¡°Time-space particles!¡± he said with certainty. ¡°The last piece missing from Gao Wen¡¯s time-space travel theory... it¡¯s the ¡®time-space particles¡¯!¡± He rubbed his eyes, slipped on his slippers, and went to the bathroom to wash his face and wake up. He looked up, staring at his reflection, his face dripping with water. He woke up quickly. It was still 00:42. The minute hadn¡¯t ended yet. But ever since he got the invitation to the Genius Club, the strange phenomenon in the mirror hadn¡¯t happened again, not even once. Professor Gao Wen. He never disappoints. Lin Xian hadn¡¯t expected much from Gao Wen¡¯s so-called research. He thought it might be something like the hibernation pod fluid¡ªsomething he could replicate in 2024, have the Rhine Company develop and sell, and use it to expand his influence and power. If Elon Musk could become the world¡¯s richest man, why couldn¡¯t he? Not that being the richest mattered; Lin Xian just wanted his own power and enough strength to back his actions when he joined the Genius Club. But he never expected this! Professor Gao Wen gave him a game-changer¡ªa surprise! A time-space machine! The priceless porcelain vase fell to the floor and shattered, sending pieces flying across half the living room... Zhao Ying Jun clenched her fists. She felt her blood pressure rising again. She had seen naughty kids before, but never like this! Surely her father couldn¡¯t ignore this, right? She remembered clearly how, as a child, she¡¯d once snuck into his collection room, didn¡¯t break anything, just touched a painting by a famous artist and smudged it a bit. Her father had been furious and hit her hands twice with a ruler, making little Zhao Ying Jun cry. Since then, she never dared to set foot in his collection room again. Those two strikes with the ruler still left a lasting impression. Sure enough, Zhao Rui Hai looked shocked! He quickly rushed forward, scooped up Yan Qiao Qiao, and moved her away from the mess. Then he looked her over from head to toe. ¡°Are you okay, Qiao Qiao? Did you get hurt?¡± Qiao Qiao shook her head. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t apologize! Look at this kid!¡± Zhao Rui Hai seemed bewildered that his granddaughter would apologize. ¡°That ugly vase? I¡¯ve wanted to replace it for a while! It wasn¡¯t even that nice, and it was too high up. Wasn¡¯t it bound to fall eventually? What if it hit someone? I should¡¯ve gotten rid of it long ago!¡± Then, as if he wasn¡¯t done, he turned back and glared at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°This is all your fault. Look at how you scared the kid. She¡¯s all cautious and apologetic because of you!¡± Heh. Zhao Ying Jun laughed. ¡°Me?¡± She pointed at herself. ¡°I didn¡¯t say a word, and she just started running. You¡¯re really not upset about your precious vase?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say nonsense in front of Qiao Qiao,¡± Zhao Rui Hai warned. ¡°I never said I cared that much. I¡¯ve been thinking about tossing it for ages. I¡¯ll sweep it up right now. You, keep an eye on Qiao Qiao for a bit. Make sure she doesn¡¯t step on any shards.¡± Then he set Qiao Qiao down beside Zhao Ying Jun and began cleaning up the broken vase with Yan Mei. He repeatedly told Qiao Qiao not to run around barefoot. Zhao Ying Jun was speechless. She was also learning something new. She suddenly felt grateful that last time she brought VV to meet Yan Qiao Qiao, VV had gotten lucky. With grandparents this doting, if VV had dared to yell at Yan Qiao Qiao, they might have had dog stew for dinner that night. ¡°Ughh...¡± She walked over and looked at Yan Qiao Qiao, who was swinging her legs on the sofa. ¡°You may be the youngest in the family, but you¡¯re actually the highest in rank. No one dares to cross you.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao looked up at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Good morning, sister.¡± It seemed that after a day of language lessons, Yan Qiao Qiao could now string together a short sentence. After all, she only lost her memory, not her language skills, so her recovery was quick. Zhao Ying Jun crouched down, making her eye level with Yan Qiao Qiao on the sofa. They looked at each other. She still couldn¡¯t believe it... That this big girl was biologically her daughter! If someone told her it was her clone, she¡¯d find it easier to accept. But ¡°daughter¡± was just too shocking. ¡°Qiao Qiao,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, pinching her pigtails with a smile, ¡°do you remember where you¡¯re from?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Do you remember who your mom is?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head again. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Do you know who your dad is?¡± Again, Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head. ¡°What¡¯s a dad?¡± Alright, then. Clearly, Yan Qiao Qiao didn¡¯t know what ¡°dad¡± meant or what kind of relationship it was. Zhao Ying Jun carefully studied each feature on Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s face. She could see so many similarities with herself... Honestly, if she had a daughter right now, she wasn¡¯t sure if she could make one that looked more like her than Yan Qiao Qiao did. Right in front of her on the sofa was a smaller version of herself. Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t help but recall when Lin Xian took her to the hospital lab to do a DNA test with a stranger¡¯s child. She vaguely remembered that the little girl¡¯s name was Yu Xi, a beautiful name. She was also very cute and well-behaved. But she looked healthier and more energetic than Yan Qiao Qiao, with nicely defined muscles that showed she liked sports. Yan Qiao Qiao, on the other hand, had thin arms and legs, no muscle at all¡ªshe looked weak, like a sheltered young lady who had never seen the sun or exercised. That girl, Yu Xi... How was she doing now? Did she find her parents? Was she still with Lin Xian? Zhao Ying Jun felt curious. In such a short time, a girl named Yu Xi appeared around Lin Xian, and now, a girl named Yan Qiao Qiao was with her. Was there a connection between these two girls? She picked up her phone and called Lin Xian, quickly getting a answer. ¡°Lin Xian, you¡¯re up this early?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m heading to Donghai University today, to the Rhine Lab.¡± Lin Xian chuckled on the phone. ¡°What¡¯s up? Calling this early?¡± Zhao Ying Jun got straight to the point. ¡°I just remembered that a few days ago, you took a girl to the hospital for a DNA test, right? I remember her name was Yu Xi. It turned out to be a misunderstanding... But what happened to that girl? Is she still with you?¡± ¡°No, no. I handed her over to the police the next day,¡± Lin Xian replied naturally. ¡°I told Officer Wang about it. Let the professionals handle it. The police soon found Yu Xi¡¯s parents and sent her home.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s good,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said with a smile. ¡°A family reunion is always best.¡± ¡°Finding her parents was a relief. After raising a child for so long, losing them for even a few days must have been terrifying for her parents.¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± Lin Xian agreed. ¡°Every child is their parents¡¯ precious gem. They might argue and scold them all the time, but if they ever went missing, no one would be more worried.¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all I wanted,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said as she put down her phone. ¡°I¡¯ll hang up now, Lin Xian.¡± She hung up and looked back at Yan Qiao Qiao. She had thought there might be some connection between Yan Qiao Qiao and Yu Xi, but Lin Xian said the police had already found Yu Xi¡¯s parents. It seemed she was overthinking things. Speaking of which, she was still curious. Even though Yan Qiao Qiao wasn¡¯t her biological daughter, since she shared a biological mother with her, that meant that as long as she was human, her mother alone couldn¡¯t have produced her. If she was Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s biological mother, then... Who is Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s biological father? The moment she thought of this, Zhao Ying Jun frowned in disgust. She was completely innocent, and now she had to think about such inappropriate questions, not even knowing who the father was. It made her feel very uncomfortable. ¡°Who were you talking to?¡± Zhao Rui Hai asked as he and Yan Mei finished cleaning up and walked over to Zhao Ying Jun, pointing at her phone. ¡°Work stuff,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied flatly, putting her phone away. But Yan Qiao Qiao raised a finger and pointed at the pocket where Zhao Ying Jun kept her phone. ¡°Lin Xian.¡± Her words were brief and sharp, as always. ¡°You!¡± Zhao Ying Jun squinted at Yan Qiao Qiao. ¡°Your ears are sharp, huh? You caught that I said his name twice. Why didn¡¯t you remember anything else I said?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao raised her finger again and pointed at Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s phone pocket. ¡°Paternity...¡± But before she could finish, Zhao Ying Jun quickly covered her mouth. ¡°Oh~~~ Lin Xian,¡± said Zhao Rui Hai, realizing. He clapped his hands and paced in place. ¡°Right, right... I¡¯ve been so focused on Qiao Qiao that I completely forgot about Lin Xian!¡± ¡°Ah, you see, I promised to have a meal with Lin Xian to thank him when we came to Donghai. But when we couldn¡¯t make it a few days ago, we just let it go and didn¡¯t think about it again...¡± ¡°What must Lin Xian think of us? We¡¯re not being very polite! We¡¯re free tonight... Ying Jun, call Lin Xian again. See if he¡¯s free tonight. If he is, let¡¯s all have dinner together and show him we mean it!¡± Zhao Ying Jun thought for a moment. She didn¡¯t have any plans for tonight either. Lin Xian had mentioned before that he regretted missing dinner and told her to let him know if they had time in the future. Maybe he was waiting for her to ask? ¡°Alright then,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, getting up from the sofa. She took out her phone, called Lin Xian again, and looked at her father. ¡°If you and Mom are free tonight... let¡¯s make it happen.¡± Chapter 368: The Show Begins Location: Donghai University, Rhine Joint Laboratory, Second Floor Corridor. Lin Xian had just ended a call with Zhao Ying Jun and walked into Liu Feng¡¯s lab. ¡°Who was on the phone?¡± Liu Feng asked casually after noticing the entry. ¡°My old boss,¡± Lin Xian replied, putting his phone away. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun.¡± Liu Feng ran through his mental list of people he knew. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun... female CEO... doesn¡¯t seem to fit anywhere.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve met her,¡± Liu Feng said, shaking his head. ¡°Or to be more precise, this woman has never been to this lab.¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re such a typical math nerd. Do all the women I know have to come to this lab at least once?¡± ¡°According to your theory, there should be a teenage girl showing up here to complete your so-called ¡®arithmetic sequence.¡¯ But it¡¯s been so long, have you seen one?¡± Liu Feng thought for a moment and nodded. ¡°But math is precise. An arithmetic sequence is absolute.¡± ¡°Is this really a math problem?¡± Lin Xian teased. ¡°Sure, some age gaps are possible, but where am I supposed to find a teenage girl to bring to you? Be realistic...¡± ¡°Actually, this is a dangerous topic. Stop dreaming about completing your sequence. It¡¯s already over, complete, no more teenage girls coming to the lab¡ª¡± Suddenly, a phone rang, cutting Lin Xian off. Ring ring, ring ring, ring ring! Lin Xian glanced at the caller ID. It was Zhao Ying Jun again. Maybe she forgot to mention something. He answered, ¡°Hello, Zhao Ying Jun?¡± ¡°Sorry, Lin Xian, I called back right after hanging up,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said with a slight laugh. ¡°My father mentioned it again just now¡ªhaving dinner with you. Remember? My parents have been very grateful since you saved me early last year. They wanted to thank you in person.¡± ¡°We had to postpone a few days ago because you were busy. Are you free tonight? If so, let¡¯s not delay any further. My parents are eager to meet you.¡± Lin Xian suddenly remembered. Oh, that¡¯s right. He¡¯d been so caught up lately¡ªbeing hunted by time-space assassins, dealing with the real and fake Yu Xi twist, and the sudden appearance of the Fifth Dream¡ªthat he¡¯d completely forgotten about other things in his life. Last time, he canceled the dinner to meet with Elon Musk, feeling a bit guilty. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s parents had come all the way from the capital to thank him, and he couldn¡¯t make it. Canceling once wasn¡¯t a big deal, but repeatedly refusing would seem disrespectful to her parents and rude to Zhao Ying Jun herself. He might as well get it over with. After a moment¡¯s thought, he realized he had no specific plans tonight. According to his usual schedule, he¡¯d sleep through the afternoon and into the early hours, then head back into the dream world to sneak into Big Cat¡¯s Village and open Gao Wen¡¯s safe to study his notes. He could delay that for a day. It¡¯s not like copying the ¡°Theory of Time-Space Travel and Design of a Time-Space Machine¡± notebook into the real world would be finished in a week or two. ¡°Alright,¡± he agreed over the phone. ¡°I¡¯m free tonight. If your parents are available, let¡¯s do it tonight. How about I book the restaurant as a way of welcoming them since they came such a long way?¡± ¡°Hehe, no way,¡± Zhao Ying Jun laughed lightly. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the restaurant. You¡¯re the guest of honor tonight. I¡¯ll send the address and room number to you and our driver, Xiao Li, who will take you there directly.¡± ¡°But... there¡¯s one thing I¡¯m a bit embarrassed about...¡± Zhao Ying Jun glanced over at Yan Qiao Qiao, who was swinging her legs and looking at her with her grandpa Zhao Rui Hai. After a moment of hesitation, she continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, my parents might bring a teenage kid along for dinner. She¡¯s a child from my mom¡¯s hometown who¡¯s been with my parents lately.¡± ¡°No problem, bring her along,¡± Lin Xian replied casually. ¡°Wang mentioned it to me before, about your parents bringing a kid from the countryside. You even asked him about family-friendly restaurants.¡± ¡°Since your parents will be there, and no one¡¯s home to take care of her, it makes sense to bring her along. I¡¯m fine with it¡ªthe more, the merrier, right?¡± Zhao Ying Jun thought of Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s unruly behavior and felt a bit of a headache. She sighed softly, ¡°As long as you don¡¯t mind. Teenage girls nowadays can be quite a handful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, really,¡± Lin Xian said, remembering the time when a teenage girl tore off his car door and turned his Alphard into a beehive. ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with my fair share of rebellious teenage girls. I¡¯ve built a strong tolerance. As long as she¡¯s not ripping car doors off or dropping from the sky on a motorcycle, she¡¯ll seem calm and quiet to me.¡± Lin Xian was speaking the truth. The real and fake Yu Xi, both ¡°terminators,¡± had pushed his patience to the limit. He couldn¡¯t imagine a more difficult teenage girl than those two. One Yu Xi was like a spy from an espionage thriller, claiming to be on his side but tricking everyone, including Elon Musk, almost succeeding in killing two members of the Genius Club. The other was a cold, emotionless assassin who brutally beheaded the fake Yu Xi right in front of him and planned to throw him into a hibernation pod for a trial in the future. Compared to them, how much trouble could Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s kid cause? Next to the real and fake Yu Xi, any other teenage girl would seem like an angel. On the other end of the phone, Zhao Ying Jun was amused by Lin Xian¡¯s words. ¡°Of course, there aren¡¯t any violent teenage girls outside of movies and cartoons. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay with kids, though. A lot of people around me, including myself, don¡¯t have much patience for them. It¡¯s easy to get frustrated and stressed.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s it then. See you tonight.¡± She hung up quickly, as she always did¡ªstraightforward and decisive. Lin Xian put down his phone and looked up to see Liu Feng with a smug smile on his face. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Lin Xian asked, not understanding what Liu Feng was so pleased about. ¡°Hehe,¡± Liu Feng chuckled. ¡°I think I heard something about a ¡®teenage girl.¡¯¡± ¡°That¡¯s Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s relative,¡± Lin Xian clarified. ¡°Not mine. I don¡¯t even know her. Do you think she¡¯s going to come looking for me in the lab? I might have some charm, but I don¡¯t think I can make a young girl fall for me... and honestly, I¡¯d rather that not happen.¡± ¡°Who knows what kind of liking it might be,¡± Liu Feng shrugged. ¡°There are many types of affection¡ªnot just romantic love. Admiration, respect, and awe are all quite normal feelings. Anyway, if a gun shows up in a story, it¡¯s bound to fire at some point.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯m looking forward to seeing when that teenage girl shows up at the lab. That¡¯s when my arithmetic sequence will truly be complete.¡± Lin Xian rolled his eyes. ¡°You can keep waiting. If it happens, you win.¡± ¡°Alright, enough joking around. I¡¯m here to discuss something serious,¡± he said, walking to the central lab table. He picked up the rectangular time-space clock and checked the reading on the dial¡ª0.0000042. As expected, no change. Lin Xian had guessed this outcome when he woke up this morning. Liu Feng was always very attentive to the time-space clock, and checking its readings was his first task of the day. He hadn¡¯t called Lin Xian by the time he arrived at Donghai University, which meant there hadn¡¯t been any changes on the time-space clock. Pointing at the dial showing 0.0000042, Lin Xian asked, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the reading changed?¡± ¡°Because the curvature of time-space hasn¡¯t changed,¡± Liu Feng replied calmly. ¡°I¡¯ve explained this before. The time-space clock is a device that detects changes in time-space curvature. Only when a time-space butterfly effect occurs, when the future time-space shifts, or when a world line deviates and transitions, will the curvature change.¡± ¡°So, only in such cases will the time-space clock¡¯s numbers change to reflect the magnitude of the shift or the degree of world line transition.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s no change now, it means no butterfly effect occurred, no future time-space shift happened, and we¡¯re still on the 0.0000042 curvature world line, without any deviation.¡± Lin Xian waved his hand dismissively. ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not right.¡± He recalled the scene from yesterday¡¯s dream, where he dug out Safe 1277. He had seen it clearly. The engraved nameplate¡¯s font had changed from a sharp Song-style font to a rounded Microsoft Yahei. Even though the time-space change was minor, it had happened! So, the curvature should have changed, even if just a little... even if it went from 0.0000042 to 0.0000043, that would make sense. It couldn¡¯t be that the time-space change had occurred, and the details of the future world had altered, but the time-space curvature remained entirely unchanged. That would be illogical. ¡°Liu Feng, could there be an accuracy issue with your time-space clock?¡± Lin Xian suggested, pointing at the last digit on the dial. ¡°It only detects up to seven decimal places. What if the curvature shift is extremely tiny, too small for your clock to detect?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen,¡± Liu Feng said, moving closer and pointing at the digital display. ¡°I built the time-space clock with a full LCD screen. Even though it looks like it only shows eight digits, it can display dozens, even hundreds, if necessary.¡± ¡°This is a complete LCD screen, after all. If you connect it to a computer, you could even watch movies or play games. So... understand now, Lin Xian? What you¡¯re worried about won¡¯t happen.¡± ¡°I can guarantee that if any time-space change occurs, no matter how tiny, my clock will detect it and display it proportionately. Even if the change is only 0.00000000001, the reading would change to 0.00000042001. I considered this when designing it.¡± ¡°Including the first digit,¡± Liu Feng continued, pointing to the lone 0 before the decimal. ¡°What if the shift is massive, reaching hundreds of thousands or millions? Would the clock crash? Of course not. I wouldn¡¯t make such a basic mistake.¡± That makes sense, Lin Xian thought, understanding now. The number of digits displayed on the time-space clock is automatically adjustable, so there¡¯s no concern about precision. Which means there¡¯s an even bigger problem. There was Universal Constants, time-space particles, time-space coordinates, and that ¡°Sorrowful Einstein¡± painting that he still hadn¡¯t cracked. Now... something even crazier has come up. He wants me to research a time-space machine! But after the initial shock, Liu Feng understood Lin Xian¡¯s reasoning. Since Yellow Finch, that elusive woman, was indeed a time traveler... If it exists, it must be possible. Which means time travel is feasible! The theory is sound! The time-space machine is a real thing that can be made by humans! He couldn¡¯t help but imagine... if humans could really use a time-space machine to go back in time, what could they do? They could see those who have passed away, Fix missed opportunities and regrets, Experience grand historical events firsthand, And even, like Yellow Finch, manipulate humanity¡¯s future within the limits of elasticity! Awesome. So awesome! Liu Feng felt his blood boiling. ¡°Alright,¡± he agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to research it.¡± Lin Xian checked his watch. Although he hadn¡¯t been here for long, it was time to leave. ¡°I¡¯m heading out now, so I won¡¯t disturb your research.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Liu Feng looked surprised. ¡°Leaving so soon? You haven¡¯t even been here ten minutes.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t help it,¡± Lin Xian said, spreading his hands with a smile. ¡°Tonight¡¯s dinner is important. I need to prepare.¡± ¡°Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s parents came all the way to thank me. It would be rude to show up empty-handed.¡± ¡°Donghai isn¡¯t far from Hang City, so I¡¯m planning to contact an old friend there to get some top-quality West Lake Longjing tea, and have Xiao Li drive over to pick it up... it¡¯ll be here before dinner.¡± ¡°Her parents are important people who don¡¯t lack anything, so a special local product as a gift is always the safest bet.¡± With that, he waved his hand and left the lab. ¡°See you, Liu Feng.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope to see a change in the time-space clock soon, and hopefully...¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have our own time-space machine one day.¡± That evening, around 6 PM, in a luxurious villa on the outskirts of Donghai City. Zhao Rui Hai wore a formal suit, and Yan Mei changed into her carefully chosen qipao. The couple had dressed up well for the upcoming dinner. After all, they were thanking Lin Xian, so they had to show sincerity and respect. Speaking of respect... The two elderly people looked worriedly at Yan Qiao Qiao, who was watching TV on the couch. They were concerned their granddaughter might make a fool of herself in front of Lin Xian. They knew that Yan Qiao Qiao wasn¡¯t exactly obedient or sensible right now, mainly due to her amnesia. She didn¡¯t know right from wrong, or what she could or couldn¡¯t do... It wasn¡¯t really her fault. ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t take Qiao Qiao?¡± Yan Mei suggested. ¡°What if she acts up and ruins the atmosphere? It would make us look like we didn¡¯t raise her well and let Lin Xian see us as a joke.¡± Zhao Rui Hai thought about it and agreed. He walked over to the couch, patted Qiao Qiao on the head, and smiled. ¡°Qiao Qiao, your grandma and I are going out for dinner. Can you stay home and watch TV? We¡¯ll bring you back something nice to eat.¡± Qiao Qiao turned around, picking up on the keyword: ¡°Dinner.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zhao Rui Hai nodded. ¡°We¡¯re going out to eat, but it¡¯s a bit formal. Can you stay home and wait for us?¡± But... Qiao Qiao shook her head firmly. Her eyes were serious. ¡°I want to go... Eat meat!¡± Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei exchanged glances and smiled helplessly. Alright then. In this world, nothing is bigger than their granddaughter. Given Qiao Qiao¡¯s current special condition of amnesia, it¡¯s best to let her have her way. ¡°Okay,¡± Zhao Rui Hai said, taking Qiao Qiao¡¯s hand and pulling her off the couch. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Grandpa will take you to eat meat! As much as you want!¡± At the same time, in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s apartment complex in Donghai City, in the entryway. Zhao Ying Jun was already dressed up, looking sharp and glamorous. She was sitting by the shoe cabinet, switching from slippers to high heels. ¡°Arff!¡± Her Pomeranian, VV, stood up straight, eyes focused. Zhao Ying Jun looked at her dog. ¡°You want to come to dinner?¡± ¡°Arff!¡± VV¡¯s gaze was serious. ¡°Hehe, forget it,¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled. ¡°Last time, you didn¡¯t end up as dog soup, and that was lucky. You should stay away from Yan Qiao Qiao. Being near her is too risky.¡± ¡°With how much her grandparents spoil her, I worry that the next time I see you, it¡¯ll be with chopsticks on a dinner table.¡± The fluffy Pomeranian shook its head firmly. ¡°Arff, Arff! V~~~¡± Hearing this familiar whining, Zhao Ying Jun understood. VV wasn¡¯t insisting on coming to dinner but wanted to see Lin Xian. ¡°VV, do you want to see Lin Xian?¡± ¡°V~~~¡± VV responded with a happy noise. ¡°Hmm...¡± Zhao Ying Jun thought for a moment. It was true, Lin Xian hadn¡¯t been over in a while, and VV hadn¡¯t seen him either. VV had been in a good mood lately, thanks to Lin Xian¡¯s comfort back then. Now... She decided to go along with it. Better than VV getting depressed again. ¡°Alright,¡± she said, putting on her high heels, picking up VV in her arms, and stepping into the elevator. She couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°It¡¯s funny, but this dinner with Lin Xian really feels like...¡± ¡°The whole family is going out.¡± Chapter 369: A Family Portrait and Werewolf Game Donghai City, Huangpu District, Nanjing East Road, Peace Hotel. Standing tall for over a century, the Peace Hotel on Nanjing East Road is one of the most iconic landmarks on the Bund. It may not be the most luxurious hotel in Donghai City, nor does it serve the best food, but it is always a top choice for hosting banquets and gatherings, symbolizing class and status. Between the North and South buildings, lit up and luxurious, a uniquely plated Hongqi sedan and an Alphard business van pulled into the parking lot almost simultaneously. Their occupants headed to a private room. ¡°Hello, Ms. Zhao Ying Jun,¡± a waitress in period-style attire greeted Zhao Ying Jun with a polite bow. ¡°Some guests have already arrived in the private room. Is this a family dinner today?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied with a nod. ¡°Just a family meal. Nothing fancy is needed.¡± ¡°Understood. Please take your seat and let me know if you need anything,¡± the waitress responded, opening the door to the private room for her. Inside the Room, Zhao Rui Hai, Yan Mei, and Yan Qiao Qiao were already seated at the dining table. ¡°Puppy!¡± Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s eyes sparkled when she noticed the fluffy Pomeranian in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s arms. ¡°V~!¡± The Pomeranian, VV, barked cheerfully and leaped from Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s arms, darting under the table before jumping onto Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s lap. ¡°Puppy!¡± Yan Qiao Qiao exclaimed, hugging VV tightly. The fluffy dog, resembling a dandelion, seemed oversized in her tiny arms, almost like she was holding a baby Alaskan Malamute. ¡°His name is VV,¡± Zhao Ying Jun explained, watching her. ¡°Just call him by his name. It looks like he really likes you.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao lifted VV with both hands under his armpits and said softly, ¡°VV.¡± ¡°Vrrrrrr!¡± the dog responded happily. Then, she placed the dog on a plate in front of her and said seriously, ¡°Eat meat.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± VV¡¯s fur bristled, fluffing up like a scared dandelion. ¡°Oh, Qiao Qiao, you can¡¯t put pets on the dining table! That¡¯s so unhygienic!¡± Yan Mei exclaimed. She quickly took VV off the table, placed him on the floor, and called over a waiter. ¡°Sorry, could you please get us a new set of tableware? This one has been touched by the dog.¡± Zhao Rui Hai sighed softly. The meal hadn¡¯t even started, yet it already felt like a battle with danger lurking around. He gently patted Yan Qiao Qiao on the head and said kindly, ¡°Qiao Qiao, today we¡¯re meeting a very important guest¡ªa really nice uncle. You need to be polite. This is different from being at home; you need to follow the rules. Otherwise, people might not like you and could even laugh at your grandma and grandpa.¡± ¡°So, today, you need to listen. Don¡¯t move around too much, and don¡¯t talk too much. Just sit here and eat properly. If there¡¯s anything you want, tell Grandpa. Once you¡¯re full, this room is spacious enough for you to play with VV.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao nodded obediently. She reached out her finger and pointed at Zhao Rui Hai¡¯s temples. ¡°White hair.¡± ¡°Yes, Grandpa has white hair now. I¡¯m getting old! Come, help Grandpa pull it out. Let¡¯s see how strong Qiao Qiao¡¯s hands are!¡± Zhao Rui Hai said, tilting his head closer to her. To his surprise, Qiao Qiao¡¯s eyes lit up. Without hesitation, she reached out and pinched with both fingers near his ear and pulled! Before Zhao Rui Hai could react, the white hair was already between her fingers. He was left stunned, mouth agape. Her speed, her strength, her precision... amazing! She¡¯s definitely his granddaughter! ¡°Great job!¡± he praised. ¡°Look at Qiao Qiao; she¡¯s improving so fast, changing day by day. Raising her is so rewarding¡ªyou can see her progress every day.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Yan Mei added proudly. ¡°Our Qiao Qiao is very talented; I noticed it long ago. She learns things quickly, and her hearing, vision, and coordination are all excellent.¡± ¡°Just now, the way she pulled that white hair from Old Rui Hai, it was smooth and precise. I think Qiao Qiao¡¯s hands are perfect for becoming a surgeon or doing cutting-edge research in the future.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled suddenly, ¡°Do you really think she¡¯s a three-year-old kid? She¡¯s already in her teens. Having such dexterity is normal. Stop this awkward flattery.¡± ¡°Plus, she didn¡¯t start learning from scratch; she just lost her memory. After Professor Xu Yun passed away, I learned a bit about hibernation and the side effects of memory loss. Pure memory loss doesn¡¯t really affect speaking, reading, or motor skills.¡± ¡°Even if Qiao Qiao¡¯s memory doesn¡¯t come back, her basic skills and abilities will return soon enough. So, stop treating her like a little child. Set rules where they¡¯re needed, and scold her when necessary.¡± ¡°If we miss this crucial period for shaping her knowledge and behavior, it¡¯ll be hard to correct things later on.¡± However, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s serious lecture on child-rearing fell on deaf ears. Her parents, who were busy over-praising their granddaughter, didn¡¯t hear a word. To them, their granddaughter was perfect in every way. The only issue was that she was too skinny and needed to eat more to grow healthy. Yan Mei turned to Zhao Ying Jun and said, ¡°Stop saying such discouraging things. Who said Qiao Qiao¡¯s memory won¡¯t come back? Your dad has already scheduled an appointment with the best neurologist in the country and the top neurology chief at Ruijin Hospital. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll take Qiao Qiao to Ruijin for a full check-up.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll look at her bone age, nutrition, and get a sense of her overall condition. She doesn¡¯t remember how old she is, but we can estimate her age through bone age tests. That way, we can decide how to raise her and what kind of school she should attend.¡± Zhao Rui Hai nodded in agreement. ¡°Mostly, I want to see if there¡¯s any way to help Qiao Qiao recover her memory. We don¡¯t know everything, and medical technology is very advanced. Maybe there¡¯s a way to bring back the memories she lost.¡± ¡°If Qiao Qiao regains her memory, she¡¯ll remember a lot of things.¡± After he said that, the two elders exchanged a knowing look and then glanced at Zhao Ying Jun. Zhao Ying Jun immediately sensed their gaze. She closed her eyes. At this moment, her family¡ªno, just at this dining table¡ªfelt like a real-life game of Werewolf. Yan Qiao Qiao didn¡¯t know who she was; her parents only knew Qiao Qiao was related to them by blood but didn¡¯t know the exact relationship. Meanwhile, she herself had found out that she was biologically Qiao Qiao¡¯s mother but hadn¡¯t told her parents yet. How could she explain that? Even if she could, what would happen next? Raise a child? Accept the fact that she has a teenage daughter despite being unmarried and childless? Zhao Ying Jun admitted she wasn¡¯t that open-minded. To be honest, she couldn¡¯t accept it. So, she needed to find out the truth. Only a reasonable explanation could help her come to terms with this sudden daughter. ¡°If she can recover her memory, that would be great,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said calmly. ¡°I also look forward to the day Qiao Qiao regains her memory. I hope the country¡¯s neurologists can come up with something to put an end to this ridiculous farce.¡± At that moment, the door to the private room opened, and Lin Xian walked in with two beautifully packaged bags of tea in his hands, smiling. Zhao Ying Jun stood up immediately and introduced him to her parents, ¡°Dad, Mom, this is Lin Xian, the person you¡¯ve been wanting to meet.¡± Zhao Rui Hai stood up with a big smile, took Lin Xian¡¯s hand, and patted his shoulder. ¡°Hahaha, Lin Xian! I¡¯ve heard so much about you. It¡¯s great to finally meet you!¡± Lin Xian nodded with a polite smile. ¡°You¡¯re too kind. Compared to you, I¡¯m just a junior. I have a lot to learn.¡± ¡°Oh, look at him! What a sweet talker! Such a fine young man!¡± Yan Mei chimed in, turning to look at Lin Xian with approval. ¡°So tall and handsome! No wonder Ying Jun keeps praising you every time she comes home for the holidays. I can see you¡¯re a good, kind-hearted, and well-mannered boy.¡± ¡°Come, come, don¡¯t just stand there. Sit down, and we can chat at our leisure!¡± Yan Mei urged. Lin Xian closed the door to the private room and placed the tea bags on a nearby tea table. ¡°Uncle, Auntie, this is the new Longjing tea from our Hangzhou area this year. I know you don¡¯t lack anything, so I brought some tea from my hometown as a little gift.¡± Coming from a family like Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei¡¯s, they naturally appreciated a child who knew their manners. Seeing Lin Xian so well-behaved and courteous, they felt a good impression growing. ¡°Look at you, Lin Xian. You¡¯re being too polite. My wife and I came here just to thank you, and here you are bringing us gifts... When you visit the capital next, be sure to let Ying Jun or us know. We¡¯ll treat you well.¡± ¡°Now that everyone is here, let¡¯s start the meal,¡± Zhao Rui Hai called the waiter to start serving the dishes and asked him to open the wine he brought and pour it into a decanter. Lin Xian took off his coat and hung it on the wall, then sat down in the seat to the right of Zhao Rui Hai. Seated between Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei was Yan Qiao Qiao. Lin Xian was to the left of Zhao Rui Hai and to the right of Zhao Ying Jun. On Ying Jun¡¯s right was Yan Mei. The private room wasn¡¯t big, but with just five people and a dog, it felt cozy. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce everyone, Lin Xian,¡± Zhao Ying Jun volunteered as two cold dishes were served, raising her glass for a toast. ¡°This is my father, Zhao Rui Hai, whom I¡¯ve mentioned before. You probably remember him.¡± ¡°This is my mother, Yan Mei. She just retired honorably from her teaching job this year.¡± ¡°And this is...¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hand gestured toward Yan Qiao Qiao, who was busy grinding her chopsticks in the middle, then hesitated and pursed her lips before saying slowly, ¡°This is my mom¡¯s side¡¯s relative¡¯s granddaughter, Yan Qiao Qiao.¡± Lin Xian smiled and waved kindly at Yan Qiao Qiao. ¡°Hello, Qiao Qiao.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao stopped what she was doing, pointed a pair of chopsticks directly at Lin Xian, and said, ¡°Lin Xian.¡± ¡°No, no, no...¡± Zhao Rui Hai hurriedly pressed her chopsticks down, realizing that pointing chopsticks at someone was very uncivilized. He smiled apologetically at Lin Xian, saying, ¡°She¡¯s a little girl from the countryside. She doesn¡¯t have much manners, so please don¡¯t mind her.¡± He patted Qiao Qiao¡¯s head gently. ¡°Qiao Qiao, you can¡¯t call older people by their first name. You should use a proper address. This is Uncle Lin Xian. Now, call him ¡®Uncle.¡¯¡± Qiao Qiao blinked and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Uncle.¡± Then she turned to look at Zhao Ying Jun with clear eyes. ¡°Sister.¡± ??? Lin Xian felt his mind boggling. What¡¯s going on with this complex family relationship? Zhao Ying Jun just introduced Qiao Qiao as a relative¡¯s granddaughter from her mom¡¯s side. That was easy enough to understand. Since the girl shared the same last name as Yan Mei, she must be a relative from her mother¡¯s side. Regardless of how distant or close that relationship is, she should call Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei ¡°Grandpa¡± and ¡°Grandma.¡± Calling him ¡°Uncle¡± wasn¡¯t out of line based on age; he had younger nieces around her age too. But why did she call Zhao Ying Jun ¡°Sister¡±? It¡¯s not just Lin Xian... Even if a super AI like VV were here, it couldn¡¯t untangle this family relationship! Lin Xian looked at Zhao Ying Jun, unsure of how to respond. Should he accept being called ¡°Uncle,¡± thus acknowledging himself as part of the older generation in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s family? Zhao Ying Jun gave Lin Xian a small smile and made a circular motion near her head with her finger, signaling that there was something off. ¡°This little girl, let¡¯s just say... her brain is a bit...¡± ¡°Oh, oh, oh,¡± Lin Xian quickly caught on. From the moment he walked in, he had noticed the girl¡¯s overly clear eyes, almost hinting at a childlike simplicity. Now that Zhao Ying Jun explained, he understood better. This little girl had some mental issues. You couldn¡¯t expect too much from her; let her call people whatever she wants. ¡°Qiao Qiao, just call me Brother,¡± Lin Xian suggested gently, looking at the girl who seemed more adorable the longer he looked at her. ¡°I¡¯m not much older than you. Calling me ¡®Brother¡¯ makes me feel younger too.¡± Qiao Qiao nodded obediently, like a big cat with no tricks or cunning. She believed whatever people said at this age. ¡°Brother,¡± she said clearly. ¡°This little girl really is adorable,¡± Lin Xian complimented as he glanced around the table. ¡°And she¡¯s genuinely beautiful¡ªnaturally elegant and lovely.¡± Qiao Qiao lowered her head, locking eyes with VV¡¯s widened dog eyes. The girl and the dog didn¡¯t understand a word, but they seemed to share a moment of silent confusion. For the four adults at the table, every sentence was filled with social graces, steeped in formality.N/ne?w n0vel chap/ers are published o/n Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei were impressed with Lin Xian¡¯s high emotional intelligence, which skillfully diffused the awkwardness. They felt the boy was indeed outstanding; it took just a few words to see he was exceptional in every way. ¡°Come on, Lin Xian, let them drink their drinks, and we¡¯ll drink our wine. Let¡¯s have another toast,¡± Zhao Rui Hai suggested, raising his glass to drink with Lin Xian and pulling the conversation away from Qiao Qiao. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Come back here! Why are you pulling Lin Xian¡¯s hair?¡± Lin Xian rubbed his scalp and looked at Qiao Qiao. ¡°Did you pull it out?¡± Qiao Qiao nodded seriously, lifting her right hand. There, between her thumb and index finger, was a single white hair, perfectly intact. ¡°There really is one,¡± Lin Xian remarked with some surprise. He was only in his twenties and had never had a white hair in all his years of studying and working. It seemed this period had been too exhausting, too tiring, and too stressful. The time he spent fleeing in the U.S. was probably the most anxious he¡¯d ever been, which might have caused the white hair. Still, in front of the Zhao Ying Jun family, he couldn¡¯t complain about Qiao Qiao. After all, she was trying to help him by pulling out the white hair, albeit a bit rough, without any ill intent. So, Lin Xian smiled and patted her head. ¡°Good job. Thank you.¡± However, it was just this smile, just the close-up of these two faces together, that made Zhao Rui Hai, Yan Mei, and Zhao Ying Jun widen their eyes in shock! Their eyes quickly moved back and forth between Lin Xian and Qiao Qiao¡¯s faces, comparing them. When they were far apart, it wasn¡¯t noticeable. But now that their faces were almost touching, side by side, many previously unnoticeable details became glaringly obvious! Their ears... their foreheads... their chins... Even Zhao Ying Jun was stunned by this discovery! While it couldn¡¯t be said that they were identical, at least Qiao Qiao¡¯s ears, forehead, and chin looked remarkably similar to Lin Xian¡¯s! These details weren¡¯t apparent from a distance, but now, in this close-up, face-to-face moment, they were unmistakably clear. ¡°Uhm...¡± Zhao Rui Hai didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. He swallowed hard, hesitated, and finally decided to say nothing. He stepped back and stood up from his seat. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m going to the restroom,¡± he said, glancing at his wife beside him. ¡°Are you coming?¡± Having been married for so many years, she knew exactly what that meant. Yan Mei quickly stood up, grabbed a napkin, and wiped her mouth. ¡°Yes, yes, I was just saying I needed to go, but I wasn¡¯t sure where the restroom was.¡± She and Zhao Rui Hai walked to the door and glanced back at the trio in the private room, looking like a ¡°family of three.¡± ¡°Ying Jun, your dad and I are going to the restroom. You all keep chatting,¡± she said. With that, the door to the private room closed with a bang. At this moment, Zhao Ying Jun was also frowning slightly, staring at the white hair pinched between Qiao Qiao¡¯s fingers. She didn¡¯t dare to think too deeply about it. She didn¡¯t even dare to consider it. She also got up from her chair, reached out, took Qiao Qiao¡¯s hand, and gently pulled her away from Lin Xian¡¯s side. In a calm tone, she instructed, ¡°Qiao Qiao, you can¡¯t be so rude outside. Even if you mean to help, you must get the other person¡¯s consent. Now... apologize to Brother Lin Xian.¡± Qiao Qiao blinked her innocent eyes and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Brother, sorry.¡± ¡°Ah, okay, no worries, no worries.¡± Lin Xian laughed it off. How could he be angry with such an adorable, simple-minded girl? By now, after witnessing so many bizarre actions by Qiao Qiao, Lin Xian had already accepted her as having a bit of a silly or even a slow-witted character. He could only hope that as Qiao Qiao grew up, she would face fewer setbacks and less bullying. Intelligence, after all, doesn¡¯t typically improve at her age. Lin Xian even felt a bit of sympathy for Qiao Qiao¡¯s biological parents. Having a child with a less sharp mind, they¡¯d surely have to worry a lot in this lifetime... Zhao Ying Jun tapped Qiao Qiao on the head. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for Brother¡¯s apology! I asked you to apologize to Brother! Now say ¡®Sorry.¡¯¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Qiao Qiao repeated obediently. ¡°Alright, come sit over here and eat some more,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, as if handling a doll, seating Qiao Qiao in the chair beside her and then releasing her small hand. Qiao Qiao tilted her head, looking confused. She stared at her now empty fingers, the white hair gone. ¡°White¡ª¡± ¡°White bun, right?¡± Zhao Ying Jun interrupted quickly, swiftly grabbing a bun and stuffing it into Qiao Qiao¡¯s mouth. ¡°Alright, eat slowly, don¡¯t choke.¡± She turned back to Lin Xian, offering an apologetic smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t want to bring kids along, but my parents spoil her. They didn¡¯t want to leave her at home, so...¡± Lin Xian wasn¡¯t bothered; he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Qiao Qiao is cute. She might mature as she grows.¡± Zhao Ying Jun used her left hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. With her right hand, however, hidden from Lin Xian¡¯s view, she reached into her pants pocket and carefully placed something inside. In the corner of the room, VV, the Pomeranian, once again witnessed this cunning scene. It sighed internally. Ah, this family is terrifying. If there¡¯s a next life, it hopes to be born into a simpler family, with fewer schemes. The Zhao Ying Jun family is definitely not a place for a dog. It looks like a family reunion meal, but why does it always turn into a game of intrigue and hidden plots? Forget it. I¡¯m tired. Dragging its weary, exhausted body, it crawled to Lin Xian¡¯s feet. Lin Xian looked down and saw the long-lost dandelion, his old battle partner with whom he had made ¡°VV¡¯s promise.¡± But now, like a wilted bouquet, it lay weakly on his shoe. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, VV?¡± Lin Xian asked with concern. ¡°Are you depressed again?¡± He bent down, slipped his hands under the dog¡¯s armpits, and lifted it to eye level. Four eyes met. VV gazed at Lin Xian with a look filled with regret and sadness. Silent, yet seemingly saying... Bro, you¡¯re done for. At the end of the same floor¡¯s corridor, Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei stood there, looking troubled. ¡°Did you see that?¡± Zhao Rui Hai asked. ¡°Of course, I did...¡± Yan Mei replied, her brow furrowed. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t noticed... would I have followed you out?¡± ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for Lin Xian and Qiao Qiao being so close, I wouldn¡¯t have realized... their chins, foreheads, and ears are almost like they were cut from the same mold!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here, Husband?¡± Zhao Rui Hai remained silent for a while, then sighed deeply. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me; I think we¡¯re both thinking the same thing. Earlier, I was puzzled why Ying Jun would debate so fiercely with you about only children in front of an ¡®outsider¡¯ during a meal.¡± ¡°Now I realize, isn¡¯t Lin Xian an only child? And given the similarities between him and Qiao Qiao in those subtle details...¡± ¡°Well, it turns out that we¡¯re the real ¡®outsiders¡¯ in this private room today!¡± Yan Mei was still confused. ¡°But if you say Qiao Qiao is the child of Lin Xian and Ying Jun, that doesn¡¯t make sense either! It¡¯s not a matter of resemblance; both of them are so young. Lin Xian graduated college just a couple of years ago, and Ying Jun returned from studying abroad three or four years ago.¡± ¡°Even if they secretly had a child together, how could they have such a big one?¡± ¡°No, I have to figure this out. I haven¡¯t had the chance to run a paternity test with the hair I got from Ying Jun earlier. I planned to do it tomorrow while having Qiao Qiao checked up...¡± ¡°How about after we get back, I find a way to get some of Lin Xian¡¯s hair too? Then we can run a test tomorrow to see if the three of them are actually a family.¡± Zhao Rui Hai shook his head, dismissively waving his hand. ¡°Forget it, forget it. Let¡¯s leave it at that. I think, as parents, we shouldn¡¯t interfere too much in these matters.¡± ¡°No matter the reason or whether it¡¯s scientific, what happened has happened, and Qiao Qiao exists. She resembles Ying Jun and Lin Xian so much...¡± ¡°They say even a wise judge cannot solve family disputes. I never thought we¡¯d end up in such a mess. I wasn¡¯t ready for this¡ªto suddenly have both a son-in-law and a granddaughter pop out of nowhere!¡± Yan Mei turned around, looking at the two of them in the bathroom mirror. They were both getting older, no longer young. So... She let out a long sigh and said slowly, ¡°Actually, Lin Xian is a good kid. I believe Ying Jun has a good eye for people. We haven¡¯t always had the best relationship with her over the years, so it¡¯s understandable if she doesn¡¯t want to share everything with us.¡± ¡°Husband, like you said, Ying Jun¡¯s matter, Qiao Qiao¡¯s matter, and even Lin Xian¡¯s matter... we probably shouldn¡¯t meddle too much. Whatever their situation or relationship is, us parents getting involved now might only make things worse.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Zhao Rui Hai nodded. ¡°Let the kids handle their own business.¡± ¡°I guess we two came to Donghai City at a rather inconvenient time.¡± He thought for a moment, then turned and looked toward the private room down the corridor, speaking softly, ¡°Let¡¯s find a reason to return to the capital in a few days. No point staying in Donghai any longer.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yan Mei looked up. ¡°But what about Qiao Qiao? What do we do with her?¡± ¡°What else can we do? A child should stay with her parents,¡± Zhao Rui Hai said with a bitter smile. ¡°We¡¯ll figure out a way to leave Qiao Qiao with Ying Jun.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve watched Ying Jun grow up, and I know her character. I can see she¡¯s also struggling with Qiao Qiao¡¯s background. With her determination, she won¡¯t rest until she gets to the bottom of it.¡± ¡°And I believe, with the education we gave her, Ying Jun is a responsible person; Lin Xian too. If Qiao Qiao really is their daughter...¡± Hmph. He let out a soft snort, unable to imagine what that scene would be like. ¡°I¡¯m really curious... how they¡¯d explain it to us.¡± Chapter 370: The Last Paternity Test Inside a private room at the Peace Hotel, Yan Qiao Qiao quietly began her second round of food. ¡°Do you remember what we talked about before?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked Lin Xian, making sure Yan Qiao Qiao was busy with her food. ¡°I mean, when you brought that little girl, Yu Xi. We did a paternity test, then went for hotpot.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Yeah, I remember. That was just a few days ago, right?¡± He watched as Yan Qiao Qiao grabbed a pastry with her hands, popping mini-cakes into her mouth one after another. ¡°Compared to Yu Xi, Yan Qiao Qiao seems so small and weak. Like your parents said, she should eat more.¡± ¡°When we had hotpot back then, Yu Xi ate a lot. She had several plates of meat all by herself. I wish Yan Qiao Qiao could eat like that too. Otherwise... she isn¡¯t that sharp, and she might get bullied at school.¡± ¡°If she could bulk up a bit, she might have a chance to defend herself. I¡¯m not joking¡ªYu Xi could probably take on ten Yan Qiao Qiaos and still have one hand free.¡± ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Zhao Ying Jun burst into laughter. ¡°What kind of logic is that? Little girls don¡¯t eat to get ready for a fight! Where¡¯d you get that idea?¡± ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s not what I wanted to talk about. It¡¯s not about Yu Xi at all. I meant that other thing we discussed while eating...¡± She paused and then softly said, ¡°What if a daughter suddenly appeared out of nowhere?¡± Lin Xian put down his chopsticks and looked at her. He remembered the conversation. At the hotpot restaurant, when Zhao Ying Jun looked at Yu Xi, she had mentioned something like that. She said, ¡°Sometimes I think it¡¯d be nice if a child like Yu Xi just showed up out of nowhere. Skip the whole pregnancy and raising part, and they¡¯re already grown up. It¡¯d be so much easier.¡± At the time, Lin Xian shook his head. He had said he¡¯d prefer to raise a child himself, step by step, from a young age. That¡¯s still how he feels. The idea of a child suddenly appearing... is just too shocking. But in that situation, if it turned out that he and the fake Yu Xi were biologically related, he wouldn¡¯t deny responsibility. Even though he hadn¡¯t married or even dated anyone, if the DNA said the girl was his daughter, he would raise her as his own. That¡¯s just the kind of person Lin Xian is¡ªsomeone who takes responsibility. But why did Zhao Ying Jun suddenly bring this up now? Was it because she saw Yan Qiao Qiao and started imagining her future daughter? ¡°I remember,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Why are you suddenly thinking about that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just... seeing Yan Qiao Qiao made me think about it again.¡± Zhao Ying Jun turned to look at Yan Qiao Qiao, who was devouring the mini-cakes with cream all over her mouth. Instinctively, she leaned forward, pulled out a couple of napkins, and wiped the cream off her face. ¡°You see, my parents are always pushing me to get married and have kids as soon as possible. They¡¯ve even started treating a relative¡¯s child from back home like their own granddaughter.¡± ¡°So I remembered our conversation. If suddenly, just like that, a daughter this big appeared... would it be a good thing or a bad thing?¡± Lin Xian watched as Zhao Ying Jun took care of Yan Qiao Qiao. It was a heartwarming scene. But with such a small age difference, they looked more like sisters than mother and daughter. Back then, in that abandoned factory, when the time-space cop Lin Yu Xi had a knife to his throat, Lin Xian had wondered if she might be his and Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s daughter. But that girl, who was determined to kill her own father, had flatly denied any father-daughter relationship, saying there was no way he could be her father. If there had been a chance to talk back then, Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t have minded taking Yu Xi back to the hospital for another DNA test. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t get the chance. She only wanted to bring him to the time-space court for trial. Given their enemy relationship and the fact that he had just been tricked by someone claiming to be Yu Xi, Lin Xian didn¡¯t have much emotional attachment to this supposed Lin Yu Xi. Looking at Yan Qiao Qiao now... she seemed small, cute, harmless, pure, and naive¡ªa soft, gentle presence. If a daughter like this were his, wouldn¡¯t she be a better choice than a muscle-bound assassin like Lin Yu Xi? Lin Xian started to consider the idea more seriously, reconsidering Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s question. ¡°I think... something like that isn¡¯t really good or bad, you know?¡± ¡°At least in the short term, emotionally, it would take some time to accept and get along with each other.¡± ¡°In TV shows and movies, there are always stories about illegitimate children coming to find their biological parents. I think there was a show called ¡®Little Daddy¡¯? It was really popular back in the day... Even the main character in the show had a hard time accepting it, let alone someone in real life. The first reaction would definitely be resistance.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded quietly. ¡°That¡¯s true; it would be instinct to resist. But... what comes after the resistance? Wouldn¡¯t acceptance follow eventually?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Lin Xian replied honestly. ¡°After all, it¡¯s their own flesh and blood. Blood ties can be pretty amazing sometimes. It¡¯s hard to empathize unless it happens to you.¡± He smiled at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°So, why are you suddenly bringing this up? Did your parents¡¯ talk get to you? Or did seeing Yan Qiao Qiao, who looks so much like you, make you feel like you were looking at your future daughter?¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled slightly but didn¡¯t say anything. Just then, the private room door opened, and Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei walked in with cheerful smiles. ¡°Oh, Qiao Qiao is already eating cake? Look at her, getting it all over her face.¡± The elderly couple sat down and immediately began doting on Yan Qiao Qiao as if she were their actual granddaughter, completely ignoring her age and treating her like a three-year-old. Suddenly, Lin Xian remembered. He had previously suspected that Yellow Finch¡¯s daughter could be Yu Xi. If that guess was correct, Yu Xi would definitely look a lot like Yellow Finch. And Yellow Finch is Zhao Ying Jun... Although in this time-space, Yellow Finch¡¯s appearance had changed drastically due to time-space rejection, in her original timeline, she would look exactly like Zhao Ying Jun since they were essentially the same person. This also explained why Lin Xian couldn¡¯t be sure whether Lin Yu Xi was really Yellow Finch¡¯s biological daughter or not. Because of the time-space rejection, Yu Xi¡¯s appearance had also changed when she traveled from the future. If the time-space assassin looked like Yan Qiao Qiao right now and resembled Zhao Ying Jun so much, then Lin Xian could confidently conclude¡ªthe time-space assassin is indeed the daughter of Yellow Finch (Zhao Ying Jun). He couldn¡¯t help but admire the time-space rejection laws. Whether it was for protectionism or some other reason, changing the appearance of time-space travelers could be to prevent the inhabitants of the current timeline from being deceived. Thinking about this, Lin Xian grew a little more curious about Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s identity and background, so he asked Zhao Rui Hai, ¡°So, who exactly is Yan Qiao Qiao? You guys seem to have such a close relationship. She must be a very close relative, right?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Zhao Rui Hai was momentarily at a loss for words. What was this? Was this young man turning the tables on them, conducting his own interrogation? After a while, the experts finished reviewing the reports. Their expressions were relaxed, showing that nothing significant was wrong. ¡°Rui Hai, this little girl seems perfectly fine,¡± said the old classmate from Ruijin Hospital, taking off his glasses and looking at Zhao Rui Hai. ¡°From the bone age analysis, the girl¡¯s age should be around thirteen or fourteen. Considering that kids nowadays generally develop earlier... her actual age might be a bit younger.¡± ¡°Trace elements and all body indicators are within normal limits. If she seems a bit thin, it might just be a growth phase. Honestly, she¡¯s not too thin. Medically speaking, her weight is still considered normal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that grandparents always think their grandkids are too thin. No matter how chubby they are, they¡¯ll still worry.¡± This comment lightened the mood, making everyone smile knowingly. It was true¡ªgrandparents never think their grandkids are overweight and fret over even the slightest weight loss. ¡°And about her cognitive issues...¡± The doctor flipped through the report and continued, ¡°Based on the tests, there¡¯s no avoiding it¡ªher listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills are very underdeveloped. However, all brain tests show no problems... In fact, from the brain¡¯s cortical activity and other indicators, this girl¡¯s intelligence should actually be above average.¡± ¡°As for her memory loss, there¡¯s no clear explanation. There¡¯s no sign of physical trauma, her brain is completely normal, and her neurological responses are not only normal but quite exceptional. We can¡¯t figure out what caused the amnesia.¡± ¡°Moreover, memory loss itself doesn¡¯t have a clear definition in current medical science. We don¡¯t fully understand how memory is stored, operated, and retrieved in the brain.¡± ¡°The only confirmed cause of memory loss so far is long-term hibernation in a hibernation pod... but even the first volunteers who entered hibernation haven¡¯t reached the 10-year memory safety limit yet, so there isn¡¯t any clinical data to study.¡± ¡°So, Rui Hai, raising a child shouldn¡¯t be too stressful. Just let them grow up healthy. Our conclusion is that Yan Qiao Qiao is completely healthy, and her intelligence and reaction capabilities are actually above average for a child. Further observation is needed, but there¡¯s no need for any intervention at this point.¡± ... And so, they took Yan Qiao Qiao to the hospital early in the morning, and everything turned out normal. This left Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei even more puzzled. ¡°Forget it,¡± Zhao Rui Hai said at the hospital entrance, waving his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s not think too much about it. Let Ying Jun handle the child¡¯s issues from now on. No matter what the result is, the child¡¯s bloodline is real, and the doctors are right... It¡¯s not healthy for us, as older folks, to be too indulgent and overprotective. We can¡¯t bear to scold or punish her, and that¡¯s not a healthy way to raise a child.¡± ¡°Ying Jun also said that since Yan Qiao Qiao is currently in a stage where her amnesia is slowly recovering, it¡¯s a critical time for reshaping her worldview and character. If we keep pampering her like this... we might end up spoiling her. We should try to get her back to Ying Jun.¡± ¡°Both affection and emotions need time and companionship to grow. People always say that the bond of raising a child is more important than just the biological bond. A DNA test alone doesn¡¯t automatically create a parent-child relationship; it takes time and nurturing.¡± ¡°So... it¡¯s time for us to let go. If we want Yan Qiao Qiao to grow up healthy and strong, we need to send her back to Ying Jun. She should stay close to her mother.¡± Yan Mei looked reluctant. She took out a paternity test report from her handbag. It was from the test they had just done at the hospital, using a strand of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hair and a strand of Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair for the DNA test. Though it seemed unbelievable and unscientific, DNA doesn¡¯t lie. The result showed that Yan Qiao Qiao was indeed Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s biological daughter. Yan Mei finally sighed and nodded. ¡°But having just a mom isn¡¯t enough. She still needs a dad to support and protect her. Now that we know Ying Jun is Qiao Qiao¡¯s mom... who do you think her dad is? Do you think it could be Lin Xian?¡± Zhao Rui Hai shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s not jump to conclusions or overthink things. This is all too unscientific. There¡¯s no logical explanation for how Yan Qiao Qiao appeared...¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s leave it at that. We just did a paternity test for Qiao Qiao and Ying Jun, and since we confirmed they are indeed mother and daughter... it¡¯s up to her to figure out the rest. She¡¯ll have to find the answer.¡± ¡°As parents, what can we do? Whatever the result or the truth is, all we can do is accept it. There¡¯s no other choice.¡± Yan Mei nodded. It was true. Based on current scientific understanding, there was no way to explain this situation. But Qiao Qiao was indeed their biological granddaughter, and they could only accept it and then... put her back with Ying Jun to slowly build their relationship. She crouched down and hugged the adorable Yan Qiao Qiao. ¡°Qiao Qiao, you are the best gift Heaven has given us... Grandma will miss you in the capital.¡± ... Meanwhile, at a luxurious private hospital in the suburbs of Donghai City. Zhao Ying Jun placed two small plastic bags containing hair samples in front of the doctor again. In the left bag was a few-centimeter-long white hair. In the right bag was the last remaining strand of Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair. ¡°Please test the relationship between these two samples,¡± she said. ¡°Certainly, Miss Zhao Ying Jun,¡± the doctor replied. It was their second meeting. The doctor skillfully labeled the left bag as ¡°A¡± and the right bag as ¡°B¡± and showed them to Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°I should ask again, what relationship do you expect between these samples? It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to disclose it. But if we have a clue, it¡¯ll help us produce results faster and focus our comparisons.¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked down at the hair samples, biting her lip. Softly, she said, ¡°Father and daughter.¡± The doctor nodded and jotted it down in a notebook. ¡°So, Miss Zhao Ying Jun, would you like to pick up the report after work again? We¡¯ll wait for you, no matter how late it gets.¡± ¡°No...¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. She leaned back in her chair, folded her arms, and looked at the doctor. ¡°This time, I don¡¯t want to come back tonight. Do the test right now and get me the results as quickly as possible.¡± Her eyes were firm. ¡°I¡¯ll wait right here.¡± Chapter 371: Quite Some Skill By midday, the sun was high in the sky. It was the first day of Golden Week in X Country, a holiday that filled the entire country with excitement. People were traveling and celebrating, creating a lively, festive atmosphere. Donghai City, a popular tourist spot, was even more packed than usual. The streets were jammed with people and cars. But none of this mattered to Lin Xian. He hadn¡¯t felt true peace or joy for a long time. Even on this rare holiday, his routine stayed the same. After cleaning up, he prepared to dive back into his midday dream to study Academician Gao Wen¡¯s notebook. ¡°The Theory of Time-Space Travel and the Construction of a Time-Space Machine.¡± This research was groundbreaking, something he couldn¡¯t share with anyone. But having the theory was just the beginning. The real challenge was building the time-space machine. The Rhine Joint Laboratory at Donghai University didn¡¯t have the right resources. Liu Feng¡¯s personal lab, where he worked, had limited equipment. Building a time-space machine would require a much larger, specialized research institute. With only 3 billion yuan left in his bank account, it wasn¡¯t enough to build a new lab. And there was another problem. He needed time-space particles to power the machine. Both Elon Musk and the fake Yu Xi had confirmed these particles were essential for time travel. They were extremely rare and hard to find. Lin Xian stared at himself in the mirror as he brushed his teeth. ¡°I need to find another time-space particle. It¡¯d be embarrassing to build the machine and not be able to start it because I lack the particles.¡± ¡°I should talk to Liu Feng later, see if we can figure out a win-win solution. But first, I need to speed up the funding for Rhine Company. The next step is sorting out the financials.¡± ¡°You need enough money to juggle multiple plans and boost your core capabilities.¡± He rinsed and spat out the toothpaste. In this world, if you wanted power and success, money was essential. His next dream phase began with copying Gao Wen¡¯s research and figuring out how to make more money. Wiping his face and turning off the bathroom light, Lin Xian went to his bedroom, lay on his single bed, and closed his eyes. He drifted into a deep sleep easily. Entering the dream world had become routine. All he had to do was pretend to be married, join Big Cat¡¯s Village, and recite notes from Gao Wen¡¯s safe. He no longer needed to seek out Uncle Wei Sheng Jin and could meet up with CC along the way. Once again, he gave a long, persuasive talk. CC nodded. ¡°I get it. We pretend to be married to trick Er Zhuzi and get him to recommend us to the Face Gang. But... I¡¯ve never dated. I don¡¯t know how to act like a wife or show affection.¡± Lin Xian waved his hand dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s simpler than you think. Trust me, Er Zhuzi won¡¯t catch on.¡± ¡°What should I call you?¡± CC asked seriously. ¡°Lin Xian? Or... maybe ¡®husband¡¯ or something?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Lin Xian scratched his head. ¡°Whatever feels right. Er Zhuzi might be too excited to let you speak much anyway.¡± They hurried toward Big Cat¡¯s Village. Whoosh! Er Zhuzi twirled his spear with a red tassel, looking fierce. ¡°Who goes there?¡± ¡°Relax, big brother,¡± Lin Xian pointed to CC behind him. ¡°My wife and I¡ª¡±N/ne?w n0vel chap/ers are published o/n shot from Er Zhuzi¡¯s nostrils as he stepped forward and grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s hands. ¡°Is this my sister-in-law?!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Xian nodded, confident. This was their second time posing as a married couple, and it was becoming familiar. CC stood quietly beside him. Without Uncle Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s lessons this time, she showed no special emotions or acting prowess. She just stood there. But with someone like Er Zhuzi, whose smarts were limited, no elaborate acting was needed. They blended into Big Cat¡¯s Village seamlessly. Lin Xian and CC headed straight for the aluminum alloy safe. With swift moves, they cracked it open with a loud bang. ¡°Huh?¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How did you open it so fast? We¡¯ve been trying combinations for over a decade! My dad started this when he was alive! You must be code-breaking experts, right? Hurry, open it up and show me what¡¯s inside!¡± Big Cat Face leaned in eagerly as he opened the safe door. ¡°Tch, just books. If my dad were here, he¡¯d dive into studying them, but they¡¯re useless to us! I can¡¯t believe we spent over ten years on this safe for books! It¡¯s so frustrating. I thought it would be treasure!¡± Lin Xian held up Gao Wen¡¯s notebook. ¡°Knowledge is power. Finding this in a safe is actually the best outcome. What else were you expecting? How could it not be something valuable?¡± Big Cat Face listed potential treasures on his fingers. ¡°Queen Town in the south got really powerful because they busted open some safes years ago and found amazing stuff inside!¡± Lin Xian looked up seriously at Big Cat Face. ¡°What did you say? Queen Town in the south? They¡¯ve got safes too?¡± ¡°Yeah, a bunch of them!¡± Big Cat Face said with a huff. ¡°The folks in Queen Town are super pushy. They make the nearby villages pay them money every month. If you don¡¯t pay, they just come and attack your village.¡± ¡°Their town is really advanced. My dad says it all started when they forced open some safes years ago and got weapons and power from them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about all the details, but now Queen Town has guns! Do you know what guns are, little brother? You load them with gunpowder and bullets, and boom, they shoot out metal pellets. One shot can take down an animal!¡± ¡°We¡¯re too scared to stand up to them. Every year, we just pay up the protection money. Sometimes, villages find safes and have to give them to Queen Town. We were going to give this safe to them as payment, but my dad said we can¡¯t keep letting Queen Town push us around... Otherwise, they might not stop at just protection money; they could destroy our village or even make us their slaves.¡± ¡°My dad was worried about that, which is why he had everyone in the village try to crack the safe¡¯s code day and night, hoping to find powerful weapons and strength in it... But finding just a book was a huge letdown!¡± Listening to Big Cat Face¡¯s story, Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Brother Face, I think you got it wrong about your dad. He meant that Queen Town got weapons and power from the safes, but it was really more about getting knowledge than actual weapons.¡± ¡°If it was really weapons, why would they still be using old guns? At least they¡¯d have automatic pistols or those high-tech weapons from years ago... But that¡¯s not likely. First off, Time Bank wouldn¡¯t keep such dangerous stuff; second, the fancier something is, the quicker it tends to break. There¡¯s no way those weapons would still be working perfectly after 200 years.¡± ¡°So, most likely, the folks from ¡®Queen Town¡¯ got knowledge from the safes¡ªknowledge that helped them develop technology. From what you said, it sounds like they¡¯ve figured out how to make gunpowder, how to work with iron or steel, and how to make different parts, which is how they could make guns.¡± In this world, where technology was still basic, even a few guns could control a region. At the moment, the strongest fighter in Big Cat¡¯s Village, Er Zhuzi, would have no chance against a gun. ¡°Queen Town.¡± Lin Xian murmured the name. ¡°Brother Face, is it called Queen Town because a woman rules there?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Big Cat Face nodded. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? She¡¯s a real piece of work!¡± He snorted. ¡°I¡¯ve never met her, but she¡¯s been in charge around here for years, so she¡¯s probably really old, definitely a cranky old lady by now.¡± CC suddenly remembered something. ¡°Oh, I get it. So when the people from Rhine Village gave their grain to those who came in carriages... it was for protection money! I thought they were just trading.¡± She turned to explain to Lin Xian. Over the past few months, she had been living in Rhine Village and working from there. She had seen carriages come to Rhine Village to pick up grain many times. Because the grain was always pre-packed and the carriages came so regularly every month, CC hadn¡¯t thought much of it, assuming it was just normal trade. Now, understanding what Big Cat Face said, it was actually protection money! Paying protection money... wasn¡¯t that just like being robbed? Lin Xian listened and set down Gao Wen¡¯s notebook, stroking his chin thoughtfully. ¡°So that¡¯s what¡¯s happening. Isn¡¯t Earth supposed to be rich in resources and materials now? There shouldn¡¯t be any need to fight over food, right?¡± Big Cat Face spread his hands. ¡°Sure, living normally and eating well isn¡¯t an issue, but the people in Queen Town want a better life and to keep developing their tech... That increases their consumption and need for supplies, so they need more raw materials, which means they have to take from others.¡± Lin Xian snorted. Now he understood. A thought struck him: ¡°The only lesson humanity has learned from history is that humanity never learns from history.¡± Right now, the situation between Rhine Village, Big Cat¡¯s Village, and other small villages and Queen Town was just repeating history. Big Cat Face had a point. If it were just about having enough to eat and clothes to wear, there¡¯d be no need to fight over resources. Nature provides enough, and no one would starve. However, Queen Town was clearly targeting industrial growth, and once the industrialization started, resource consumption would skyrocket, way beyond what the current era could produce. They had no choice but to start taking from others. For now, they were just collecting protection fees, which was a relatively ¡°gentle¡± approach. But as Big Cat Face¡¯s dad worried, it could get much worse in the future. What would happen then? When Queen Town¡¯s industry got advanced enough and its power strong enough to dominate all of Old Donghai... would that ruthless queen be content with just these small acts of extortion? ¡°History is interesting,¡± Lin Xian sighed. ¡°Where there are people, there¡¯s history. And history always repeats itself.¡± But he wasn¡¯t too worried about that. He didn¡¯t plan on being the hero in these tough times. That was probably Li Cheng¡¯s role, right? Unfortunately, it looked like Li Cheng might not be around in the Fifth Dream anymore. Maybe he and Li Ning Ning were living happily on Mars by now. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I¡¯d have forgotten the last time my daughter talked to me. It¡¯s been days, at least! And whenever she does, it¡¯s always about money. I can¡¯t figure out why her school has so many fees¡ªstudy materials, tutoring, milk, class fees, water bills...¡± Brother Wang couldn¡¯t help but laugh as he spoke. ¡°Honestly, I know there¡¯s no way the school has that many fees; the kids are just making up reasons to get extra cash. We did the same thing when we were their age. Parents see right through it but never call them out on it.¡± Watching Brother Wang¡¯s honest smile, Zhao Ying Jun realized that despite his grumbling, he truly cherished his daughter. She pushed her wind-tossed hair back and turned to watch the sunset over the city skyline. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered¡ªwhat does a man feel the moment he finds out he¡¯s going to be a dad?¡± Brother Wang paused and rubbed his hands together before answering. ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t feel anything, not even a little.¡± He leaned on the railing. ¡°From when my wife was pregnant, I knew I¡¯d be a dad, but life went on as usual... work, hanging out, having fun. I didn¡¯t feel any different or understand what it meant to be a father.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t until my daughter was born¡ªso tiny I could hold her with both hands¡ªthat it hit me, ¡®This is my daughter, my little girl.¡¯ It might sound silly, but that was my reality. Becoming a dad isn¡¯t an overnight change.¡± ¡°The day after she was born, I was back at work. They only gave me one day off. While at work, I didn¡¯t think about her much. I¡¯d check the family group chat during breaks, look at photos, and show them to my coworkers. That¡¯s all; I still didn¡¯t feel much like a dad.¡± Zhao Ying Jun listened closely, her arms crossed. ¡°So, when did you actually start feeling like a dad?¡± Brother Wang chuckled. ¡°It was when my daughter felt wronged. I remember it clearly¡ªshe was just over three years old, playing in a park, and another kid took her toy.¡± ¡°At the time, both her mom and I were busy with work, and her grandma was with her. The other kid¡¯s parents dismissed it as kids being kids, saying they¡¯d return the toy later. Grandma didn¡¯t want to make a fuss, so she told my daughter to be generous and share.¡± ¡°That night, she came home with tears in her eyes as she told me about it. It might seem minor to us, but for a three-year-old, waiting for someone to return her favorite toy can feel incredibly harsh.¡± ¡°For them, their world is small, and a toy can mean everything. Losing it might feel like the end of the world. She was quite mature about it; she held back her tears and didn¡¯t cry until she saw me after work. She ran into my arms and sobbed¡ªDaddy, I didn¡¯t really want to let him play...¡± Brother Wang looked reflective as he touched his nose. ¡°You might not think it¡¯s a big deal hearing about it¡ªjust kid stuff, trivial. But in that moment, I truly felt like a father. I realized I had this little person who needed my protection, needed me to stand up for her, needed me to support her.¡± ¡°That moment changed me. I grew up, I became a man, a dad.¡± ¡°This change in role can¡¯t be rushed... Fathers are different from mothers. A mother starts bonding during the pregnancy, feeling the baby¡¯s presence.¡± ¡°But a father¡¯s connection comes later, slowly. But that day will come. As you spend more time with your child, you step into your responsibilities, you become a dad who stands firm.¡± As he spoke, the sun dipped below the horizon. Zhao Ying Jun nodded in agreement. ¡°Sometimes, a woman¡¯s transition into motherhood can be slow too.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Brother Wang laughed heartily. ¡°That¡¯s rare. Ah, I see; you¡¯re worried about this. I understand, these days, many young people hesitate about having kids. They think they lack the patience or love for it.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s because you haven¡¯t experienced motherhood yet, so you don¡¯t know that feeling. I think you shouldn¡¯t worry about that anxiety. Your parents must be pushing you to get married, right? Haha... I get it, but you¡¯re too young to worry about kids.¡± ¡°Even if you start dating now, get married, and have a child, it¡¯ll still take years!¡± He cleared his throat and whispered. ¡°Well... There¡¯s a faster way. When looking for a partner, you could consider people you already know¡ªlike colleagues, former subordinates, or young, ambitious entrepreneurs!¡± ¡°If you already know each other well, you can skip the usual dating steps and get right to the point! You could have a baby by next year!¡± ... Tap, tap, tap... Zhao Ying Jun made her way toward the stairs, her long shadow stretching across the rooftop in the evening sun. ¡°It¡¯s time to go,¡± she called to Brother Wang without looking back. ¡°See you later.¡± She climbed into the Alphard business car and rode to her apartment¡¯s parking garage. Once there, Zhao Ying Jun stepped out, entered the elevator, swiped her access card, and selected her floor. The elevator hummed to life. ¡°Woof!¡± Her Pomeranian, VV, barked eagerly. Even though the elevator had just started moving, VV¡¯s barking echoed around. Ding¡ª The doors slid open, and Zhao Ying Jun stepped inside her apartment. She didn¡¯t bother turning on the lights; her heels clicked on the floor. ¡°Woof...¡± VV was about to fuss over her late return, but something scared it into silence. It spotted something alarming in the woman¡¯s hands! That cover looked familiar. The thick cardstock. The sealed strip! It was just like the item that had sat on the coffee table a few days ago, which had upset her so much! Could it be happening again? VV squeezed into a gap in the shoe cabinet, pretending to be just another decoration. Zhao Ying Jun placed her bag in the hallway cabinet, still clutching the paternity test report, and sank into the dark living room¡¯s soft sofa. The seal on the report was still unbroken. She had silently waited for three hours at the private hospital to get this report as quickly as possible. But now, holding it in her hands, she hesitated. Usually decisive, Zhao wasn¡¯t one to waver. It wasn¡¯t the report itself that scared her. It was what the report might reveal¡ªknowing could change everything. If Yan Qiao Qiao was indeed her biological daughter, then there had to be a father. She didn¡¯t know who Qiao Qiao¡¯s father was, and she preferred it that way. Ignorance allowed her to ignore his existence. She might even be willing to raise the child on her own. But this report was like opening Pandora¡¯s box. It would reveal the truth. If the results confirmed Qiao Qiao was Lin Xian¡¯s daughter, that would be one scenario. But if not... Then Qiao Qiao¡¯s father was someone else. This was Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s biggest fear. She knew she had always been faithful. She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. Yet here she was, facing accusations and a teenage daughter who had appeared as if destined. There had to be a reason, probably connected to Qiao Qiao¡¯s father... ¡°If she¡¯s my daughter with another man...¡± Zhao Ying Jun bit her lip, unable to finish the thought. How would she face Lin Xian then? Oddly, she felt like she was already betraying him. She spent all afternoon agonizing over these thoughts. It wasn¡¯t the possibility of a positive result that scared her, but a negative one. Taking a deep breath, she pinched the seal between her thumb and forefinger and tore it open! It felt like she wasn¡¯t just opening a report but also setting the direction of her life. She flipped the cover and her eyes darted to the results section. ¡°Heh,¡± she chuckled softly. She leaned back on the sofa, covering her eyes and chuckling again. Then, she got up, flipped the light switch, and filled the room with light. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± she asked VV. The Pomeranian, curled up tight, looked up with wide eyes, silent and still. Could it be... scared of being hungry? ¡°Hehe, you must be starving.¡± Feeling suddenly cheerful, she poured a huge serving of dog food into the bowl¡ªa mountain of it! Switching her heels for slippers, she stretched and walked toward the bedroom. VV was confused. Why did the same report that angered its owner last time now seem to relax her? Curious, it didn¡¯t start eating but hopped onto the sofa and then onto the coffee table to inspect the open report. It looked the same. It even licked it¡ªthe taste was the same. Puzzled, it finally started eating. Meanwhile, Zhao Ying Jun, now dressed in comfy home clothes, stepped out of the bedroom and walked toward the kitchen. She paused, returned to the living room, and leaned down to read the report again, focusing on the bold, slightly smudged line the dog had just licked¡ª ¡°The test confirms that Sample A is the biological father of Sample B, and Sample B is the biological daughter of Sample A.¡± ¡°Tsk...¡± She smiled faintly, ¡°Lin Xian, not bad at all.¡± Chapter 372: Seeing Through It It was late at night, almost morning, and Zhao Ying Jun was still wide awake in her bedroom. Her Pomeranian, VV, had already dozed off. Its small belly was so full from dinner that it had to lie on its side¡ªa rare position for a dog. VV¡¯s round, bulging stomach looked almost as if it were pregnant. While her dog slept, Zhao Ying Jun leaned against the headboard, her long hair loose and held back by a hairband. She had her legs curled up, holding a tablet, and had been watching a movie in that position for a long time. She was watching a classic sci-fi movie: Back to the Future. After having dinner with Lin Xian and learning about his interest in sci-fi films, Zhao Ying Jun began watching a lot of them in her free time, mostly top-rated ones. Back to the Future was a trilogy, and from her experience watching sequels, she had learned that most tend to drop in quality. Sometimes, the second movie could be better than the first, but by the third, 99% of them ruined the series¡¯ reputation. Because of this, she had put off watching Back to the Future. But tonight felt different, and she decided to finally give it a try. The movie, released in 1985, tells the story of a teenager and a crazy scientist on an adventure. Due to an accident during an experiment, they end up traveling back to 1950, to a time before the teenager¡¯s parents had even met. The teenager accidentally disrupts their lives, preventing them from meeting and falling in love. If this continued, his parents would never marry or have children, which meant he would never be born, creating a paradox. Panicked, the teenager had to figure out how to fix things. The scientist suggested he act as a matchmaker for his parents, helping them meet, fall in love, and marry. Only by doing this could he ensure his own future existence. The movie ends happily, with the teenager successfully bringing his parents together and returning to 1985 with the scientist. ... By now, the movie on her tablet was nearing its end. The camera focused on the teenager¡¯s young, shy parents holding hands and kissing by a lake, enjoying their date in 1950. Snap. Zhao Ying Jun closed the tablet cover and looked up. Under the soft glow of the bedside lamp, she stared at the warm yellow walls, lost in thought¡ª ¡°How,¡± she wondered, ¡°could someone have a child without physical contact, pregnancy, or a relationship?¡± The only logical explanation she could think of was some kind of external embryo cultivation technology, like in-vitro fertilization, where a fertilized egg is created in a lab and then implanted into a womb to grow. But that would mean they¡¯d need reproductive cells from both a man and a woman. ¡°That would be very difficult, right?¡± she thought. When she was a teenager, she was abroad, and Lin Xian was in Hangzhou. Even if IVF technology back then could make it possible, the idea of somehow stealing cells from two kids on opposite sides of the world just to create an embryo seemed ridiculous. Even if it were for some experiment, why choose her and Lin Xian? It didn¡¯t seem realistic, no matter how she looked at it. Logical, but not realistic. Then, she thought, there was only one other possibility¡ªan unrealistic one.N/ne?w n0vel chap/ers are published o/n Just like in the Back to the Future movie¡ª ¡°What if Yan Qiao Qiao, like the main character in the movie, also traveled back from the future? Maybe from a time more than ten years ahead... that would explain everything.¡± Zhao Ying Jun followed the movie¡¯s plot and began picturing the future timeline in her mind. ¡°Maybe in a few years,¡± she thought, ¡°I¡¯ll marry Lin Xian, and we¡¯ll have a daughter. Our daughter grows up, becomes a teenager, and then, just like in the movie, some accident happens, sending her back to 2024¡ªthe present. After arriving here, she might have had an accident and lost her memory, which caused her to end up as Yan Qiao Qiao.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± Zhao Ying Jun murmured, ¡°that would explain the blood relationship and the paternity test results.¡± She tilted her head, resting her chin on her hand. This theory made sense. If Yan Qiao Qiao was really her and Lin Xian¡¯s future daughter, then of course, the three of them would share a blood relationship. Naturally, she would also be related to her parents and Lin Xian¡¯s parents. ¡°That must be it,¡± Zhao Ying Jun muttered, shaking her head slightly. ¡°Even though time travel is too unbelievable and unscientific...¡± ¡°But as they say, ¡®When you have eliminated all the other possibilities, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.¡¯¡± It was the process of elimination¡ªa highly effective scientific method. And yet... there was one more thing that bothered her. A few days ago, Lin Xian had given her a flimsy excuse to get a paternity test done with a little girl named Yu Xi. At the time, Lin Xian¡¯s excuse was, ¡°Since we¡¯re here, we might as well take a blood test together.¡± But thinking back, who does that? Who treats a paternity test so casually? If he were really just grasping at straws, like a desperate attempt to find answers, wouldn¡¯t he have asked Brother Wang, who was also there, to take a blood test too? So, it was clear. Lin Xian had suspicions and convinced her to have a DNA paternity test with Yu Xi based on those suspicions. Comparing Yu Xi and Yan Qiao Qiao¡ªheight, looks, build, voice¡ªthere was a big difference. Yu Xi looked like a young athlete, very toned, while Yan Qiao Qiao was more like a delicate princess, the kind who never steps outside or exercises. The two girls had almost nothing in common¡ªexcept for their age. Yu Xi seemed about fourteen or fifteen years old, while Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s age was hard to guess but was likely somewhere between twelve and sixteen. With this in mind, it was obvious¡ªLin Xian knew something, which is why he had insisted on doing a paternity test with Yu Xi. Which means... ¡°Lin Xian clearly knows that he and I have a daughter in the future.¡± ¡°This is something Lin Xian should be aware of,¡± Zhao Ying Jun continued to analyze. ¡°But... his information is very limited.¡± She scratched her temple thoughtfully. ¡°First, Lin Xian probably isn¡¯t entirely sure. He only suspects he has a daughter with me in the future, which is why he wanted to confirm it. At the time, he had no confidence in the DNA test result; he was just taking a shot in the dark.¡± ¡°Second, Lin Xian doesn¡¯t know our daughter¡¯s exact appearance, name, age¡ªhe knows nothing specific. He hasn¡¯t actually seen our daughter. So, when he met Yan Qiao Qiao at the dinner table, he couldn¡¯t recognize her.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not right,¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head, recalling the details of that dinner. ¡°Our daughter¡¯s matter... you can¡¯t just keep it a secret and have her on your own, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really curious... how did you manage to win me over?¡± She reached over to turn off the bedside lamp, wrapped herself in a blanket, and lay on her side facing VV, closing her eyes. ¡°Goodnight, VV.¡± ... The Next Day, Shopping Mall, High-End Clothing Store Zhao Ying Jun sat on a sofa in a boutique, scrolling through her iPad to choose clothes. In luxury clothing stores like this, models try on outfits for VIP customers, so the clients don¡¯t have to try on the clothes themselves. Especially today, when Zhao Ying Jun wasn¡¯t shopping for herself. Trying them on herself would be pointless; it was better to choose clothes and have the models wear them. ¡°Miss Zhao Ying Jun, are you satisfied with these?¡± Two well-built child models in front of her had changed into brand-new outfits and were turning around to show off the details. ¡°Yes, they¡¯re fine,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied, imagining Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s plain style overlapped with the bright and trendy look of the child models. Yes, this is more like it. The models¡¯ height and weight were similar to Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s, but these models had fit bodies from training, while Yan Qiao Qiao seemed to have been starved into being thin. Ugh... how did she get that thin, anyway? Zhao Ying Jun found it another of the world¡¯s unsolved mysteries. How could someone who eats so much and has such a good appetite be so thin? ¡°Pack all these up,¡± she instructed, pointing at the clothes she had selected on her iPad. ¡°Once they¡¯re packed, send them directly to my car. I¡¯m going to the shop next door to pick out some accessories.¡± After saying this, she left the store in her high heels and went to a boutique next door. Just thinking about Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s childish pigtails and tacky fake flower hairpins made Zhao Ying Jun shudder. She could accept this look from someone else¡¯s child, but as the president of a fashion company, she could never accept her daughter dressing like she came straight out of the 1980s. ... An Hour and a Half Later, Luxury Villa on the Outskirts of Donghai City The doorbell rang. ¡°Coming!¡± Yan Mei opened the door and saw Zhao Ying Jun standing outside with several bags in her hands. ¡°Wow, look at all these bags... are these children¡¯s clothes? For Qiao Qiao?¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded. ¡°Where¡¯s Qiao Qiao? What¡¯s she doing?¡± ¡°She¡¯s watching TV. Come in.¡± Zhao Ying Jun entered the living room and saw Yan Qiao Qiao sitting on the sofa, her eyes glued to the TV, watching a cartoon. She was so engrossed that she didn¡¯t even notice Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s arrival. At least today, she wasn¡¯t running around on the sofa. That¡¯s some progress, Zhao Ying Jun thought, glancing at Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s side profile, searching for any slight resemblance to Lin Xian. Was it just her imagination? Somehow, Yan Qiao Qiao seemed a bit cuter today, more likable, not as annoying as she had been a few days ago. She moved closer to the sofa. Yan Qiao Qiao was too absorbed in her cartoon to notice her. Zhao Ying Jun followed her gaze to the TV screen. It was showing an old but classic X Country animated movie¡ªLotus Lantern. ¡°Can you understand it?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked, a bit surprised. Although Yan Qiao Qiao was estimated to be around thirteen or fourteen years old, she had lost her memory and mentally seemed more like a five or six-year-old. A young child that age probably wouldn¡¯t understand a movie like Lotus Lantern, which was a bit deep. ¡°Hehe, our Qiao Qiao has made a lot of progress these past few days!¡± Yan Mei boasted, walking over proudly. ¡°She¡¯s learning fast from watching TV, and her speaking is getting more fluent¡ªshe can even say longer sentences now.¡± ¡°Yesterday, your dad and I took her to Ruijin Hospital for a check-up. The doctors said Qiao Qiao is perfectly healthy and even excels in many areas compared to normal kids!¡± Yan Mei continued. ¡°It looks like our Qiao Qiao is really smart! She may have lost her memory, but she isn¡¯t actually lacking intelligence. See how quickly she¡¯s improving? Give it another ten days or so, and she might be back to normal mentally and emotionally.¡± By now, the Lotus Lantern movie was reaching its end. Many people had watched it in their childhood. During that era, X Country animated films were soaring due to the unknown landscape of the trade. Lotus Lantern told the story of a brave boy who splits a mountain to save his mother. Zhao Ying Jun could still vaguely recall the plot. The Goddess of Mercy, Sanshengmu, fell in love with a mortal scholar by the name of Liu Yanchang. After seven years of being together, their child, Chen Xiang, was growing up healthy and fine, but the antagonist uncle Erlang Shen found out from the celestial court. He captured young Chen Xiang and pressured Sanshengmu to surrender the Lotus Lantern. For her son¡¯s safety, she handed it over and was then imprisoned under Mount Hua as punishment disobeying heavenly laws. What followed was Chen Xiang¡¯s journey to save his mother, culminating in a climactic battle where he used a divine axe to split the mountain and rescue her. For the ending, the mother and son reunited in an emotional embrace. At this moment, the movie showed Chen Xiang and Sanshengmu hugging each other with the background music playing a warm and touching song. Zhao Ying Jun watched quietly, arms crossed, and looked at Yan Qiao Qiao. ¡°Did you understand it? How do you feel?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao looked up, pointing to the mother and son on the screen who were finally reunited. ¡°Where did the dad go?¡± ¡°...¡± Zhao Ying Jun hadn¡¯t expected Yan Qiao Qiao to ask such a difficult question. Indeed, she couldn¡¯t remember what happened to Chen Xiang¡¯s father, the mortal scholar Sanshengmu loved. Did the story ever mention it? Maybe, she thought, time passes differently in heaven, and by the time Chen Xiang split the mountain to save his mother, centuries had passed, and the scholar had long since died. Or maybe he was executed for breaking the heavenly laws? She wasn¡¯t sure and couldn¡¯t recall. Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. ¡°This movie focuses more on the themes of maternal love, hard work, and perseverance rather than the father¡¯s story. In films, we just need to grasp the main idea. Other things don¡¯t matter as much.¡± ¡°In this movie, Chen Xiang¡¯s father is basically a non-essential character. He¡¯s just a mortal, and these battles among gods don¡¯t involve him. That¡¯s why he gets forgotten by the audience¡ªhe¡¯s just a background figure, a tool in the story.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao seemed to understand, but also didn¡¯t quite grasp it. She listened to the cheerful ending song and watched the smiling Chen Xiang and Sanshengmu on the screen. She said softly, ¡°But... without a dad, how can you call it a family?¡± Chapter 373: Missing You Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t say a word at first. She looked down at Yan Qiao Qiao and asked gently, ¡°So now... do you know what it means to have a father?¡± Just a few days ago, when she had asked Yan Qiao Qiao if she remembered her father, the girl had innocently replied, ¡°What¡¯s a father?¡± It seemed that watching TV constantly over the past few days had taught her a lot. But understanding something wasn¡¯t the same as feeling it. Could Qiao Qiao truly grasp what a father, mother, family, or love meant without ever having experienced them? Yan Qiao Qiao nodded earnestly, meeting Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s eyes. ¡°Other kids have them,¡± she answered. ¡°Other kids?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°On TV?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head and pointed outside the window. ¡°The kids in the yard.¡± Yan Mei, who was nearby, walked over and added, ¡°Qiao Qiao has been playing outside with the neighborhood kids lately. Most of them are seven or eight years old¡ªthere aren¡¯t many her age.¡± ¡°But mentally, they¡¯re about the same age, so they get along and have made some friends in the yard,¡± Yan Mei continued. ¡°Those kids have their moms and dads with them. When it¡¯s time to eat, their parents take them home. Qiao Qiao seems a bit envious... though ¡®envious¡¯ might not be the right word. She often asks me where her parents are.¡± Yan Mei sighed softly. ¡°Qiao Qiao is getting smarter every day. She¡¯s learning more, and there are some things we can¡¯t hide from her forever. She¡¯ll find out what she needs to know sooner or later.¡± Zhao Ying Jun gently rubbed Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s head, noticing her scruffy little pigtails and a cheap flower hair clip. Feeling the urge to do something different, she grabbed Qiao Qiao¡¯s hand, picked up some bags from the sofa, and led her to the bedroom. ¡°Come on, let me give you a new hairstyle.¡± In the bedroom, Zhao Ying Jun laid out various hair accessories, combs, and clips on the table. She patted the chair in front of the vanity mirror. ¡°Sit here, Qiao Qiao. Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll do your hair.¡± Qiao Qiao sat down obediently, staring straight ahead as Zhao Ying Jun worked on her hair. ¡°You¡¯re a big girl now; you can¡¯t keep wearing these childish pigtails,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, removing the fake flower and elastic bands from Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair. ¡°Even if people don¡¯t say it, they¡¯d think it¡¯s silly for someone your age to dress like this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re smart and learn quickly. You should learn how to style your own hair. It doesn¡¯t need to be fancy. A simple ponytail is perfect¡ªclean and pretty.¡± She carefully combed out Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair with a wooden comb. It fell just past her neck, touching her shoulders¡ªneither too long nor too short. A simple ponytail would suit her fine. The ends were a bit uneven, probably from not being trimmed in a while, but a ponytail would hide that. Zhao Ying Jun gathered Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair at the back of her head and secured it with a blue elastic hairband, wrapping it around twice to create a neat ponytail. Her bangs and sideburns were already the right length, so they didn¡¯t need any extra styling. Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t help but admire how a youthful face and good looks could make almost any hairstyle work. With her doll-like features, snow-white skin, and big, bright eyes, Qiao Qiao would look good no matter what. ¡°You¡¯re too young for makeup, and your skin is perfect. You don¡¯t need it. We¡¯ll keep it simple and add a hair clip in the front.¡± Since the ponytail holder was bright blue and stood out, she added a small pale pink metal hair clip to balance the color. It was plain but elegant. She clipped the hairpin above Qiao Qiao¡¯s bangs, and the hairstyle was complete. ¡°Hmm... now what should you wear?¡± Zhao Ying Jun pondered, feeling like she was dressing up a doll from her childhood. It was surprisingly fun. It turned out that dressing up her own child was far more enjoyable than dressing herself. ¡°You¡¯re too skinny for tight clothes¡ªthey¡¯ll just make you look too thin. A dress would be better,¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled as she searched through the bags for a cute dress. She rarely wore dresses herself. She couldn¡¯t remember if she wore them as a child, but since she started school, she hadn¡¯t. She just didn¡¯t like them. But she thought Qiao Qiao would look good in one, and maybe it could make up for her own dislike of cute clothes. Finally, she picked out a simple, knee-length, off-white dress with no unnecessary patterns or decorations. It was perfect for Qiao Qiao. Despite being only 151 cm tall, Qiao Qiao had great proportions¡ªlong legs and a high waist¡ªideal for such a fresh style. ¡°Alright, stand up and take a look in the mirror,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said as she finished tidying up. Qiao Qiao walked over to the full-length mirror, swaying from side to side. ¡°It looks nice,¡± she said concisely. Zhao Ying Jun smiled with satisfaction. ¡°Do you really think it looks nice?¡± Qiao Qiao nodded, turning back to look at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Thank you, sister.¡± ¡°...¡± Zhao Ying Jun was silent for a moment but then thought it over. It was better for Qiao Qiao to call her ¡°sister.¡± She wasn¡¯t ready to be called ¡°mom¡± yet. If Qiao Qiao suddenly started calling her ¡°mom,¡± she wouldn¡¯t feel any comfort or pride. Instead... she¡¯d only feel a chilling dread. Besides, the age gap between her and Qiao Qiao was small. If they went out and Qiao Qiao called her ¡°mom,¡± everyone would think she was a young stepmother that Qiao Qiao¡¯s father had married. Even if her conscience was clear, rumors could be annoying. Better to avoid them altogether. ¡°From now on, wear clothes like these,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, pointing to the bags on the bed. ¡°All these clothes are for you. You¡¯ll learn how to dress yourself eventually. And those silly pigtails and fake flowers? Don¡¯t wear them again. Even four- or five-year-olds don¡¯t dress like that anymore.¡± ¡°If Lin Xian... or anyone else saw you like that, they¡¯d think I¡¯m not taking care of you. You need to look more presentable.¡± Zhao Ying Jun knew. Even though Lin Xian had many secrets and likely multiple hidden identities, his reunion with Qiao Qiao was inevitable. When the truth came out... If Qiao Qiao looked shabby and lacked proper manners, how would she explain herself? How could she face him? This child needed to be well cared for. Later, when they took Qiao Qiao out, Zhao Rui Hai and Yan Mei were delighted to see her new look. ¡°Oh, Qiao Qiao looks so grown-up now!¡± ¡°Hehe, yes, a little girl needs to be dressed up. Clothes really do make the person. She suddenly looks more mature.¡± Qiao Qiao seemed excited to show off her new outfit to her friends and ran straight for the door, eager to go out and play. ¡°You two must be tired after spending so much time with her,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, following behind Qiao Qiao. She looked back at her parents, ¡°I¡¯ll take her out to play today.¡± With that, the two of them, looking more like sisters than anything else, headed out to find some playmates in the neighborhood. As they watched them leave, Yan Mei remarked, ¡°Rui Hai, don¡¯t you think Ying Jun seems closer to Qiao Qiao now?¡± ¡°In the past, whenever she visited, she was always impatient, constantly finding faults in everything. But today, she was great. She didn¡¯t complain once and even bought Qiao Qiao clothes and did her hair.¡± Sitting on the sofa, Zhao Rui Hai nodded with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s the magic of blood ties. The bond is something you can¡¯t resist. But building a relationship still takes time. We raised children ourselves, so it¡¯s easier for us to slip into the roles of grandparents. But it¡¯s naturally harder for young people to adjust.¡± ¡°Still, seeing Ying Jun and Qiao Qiao getting along better makes me happy. When we eventually leave Donghai, we¡¯ll feel more comfortable leaving Qiao Qiao with Ying Jun. You can tell... she actually likes Qiao Qiao. We just didn¡¯t communicate well before.¡± Yan Mei also sat down on the sofa, cleaning up the fruit peels that Qiao Qiao had eaten. ¡°So, have you thought about how we¡¯re going to leave Qiao Qiao with her?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just leave her behind and go without a word. Right now, it¡¯s understandable that Ying Jun finds this unbelievable and unscientific. We have to handle it carefully.¡± Zhao Rui Hai nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I have a plan and know how to handle this smoothly.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll stay with Qiao Qiao for another week, and then we¡¯ll come up with an excuse to go back to the capital, saying it¡¯s an emergency but that we¡¯ll be back soon. We¡¯ll ask Ying Jun to take care of Qiao Qiao for a few days.¡± ¡°Then... we¡¯ll decide later whether to come back. The golden week holiday is almost over anyway. Since the crowds have died down, we could take Qiao Qiao on a little trip.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always dreamed of taking my grandkids to see the country¡¯s beautiful landscapes. It¡¯s funny how life works. Some dreams come true when you least expect them to.¡± Yan Mei put the trash from the coffee table into the bin and shook her head, sighing. ¡°No matter what happens to Qiao Qiao, I hope Ying Jun can give us an acceptable answer soon about why she has such a grown-up daughter.¡± ¡°True, but now that the child is here, healthy and all grown up, does it really matter what the answer is? As long as everyone is happy and healthy, I¡¯m fine with it.¡± ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s enjoy our last bit of time with Qiao Qiao, take her on a little trip, and then head back home.¡± The next day, after the golden week holiday ended, everyone returned to work, and things got busy again. Since visiting Yan Qiao Qiao that day, Zhao Ying Jun hadn¡¯t been back to her parents¡¯ villa. Her parents had said they were taking Qiao Qiao on a trip to see the sights. That was fine with her. She didn¡¯t think much of it and continued to focus on her work at MX Company. Work was still hectic. But even in the midst of it all, she couldn¡¯t help but think of Lin Xian and Yan Qiao Qiao. Strange... she never used to be like this, so worried and uncertain. How did she suddenly slip into the role of a parent? Maybe Brother Wang was right. Women do seem to adapt to the role of a mother faster than men do to the role of a father. Over the past few days, she had visited the neighboring Rhine Company several times but hadn¡¯t seen Lin Xian. Instead, she ran into Brother Wang in the hallway yesterday. ¡°President Zhao Ying Jun, you¡¯re here!¡± Brother Wang greeted her warmly. ¡°Anything I can do for you?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± She smiled. ¡°Just looking around. Has Lin Xian been absent from work lately?¡± ¡°Haha, him?¡± Brother Wang gave her a knowing look. ¡°He¡¯s a hands-off manager. Not showing up is normal; coming in is a rare miracle. And lately, I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s feeling unwell or something... he seems to be awake at night and sleeping during the day.¡± ¡°Every afternoon when I call him, he never picks up, so I don¡¯t even bother calling anymore. I just text him. And like clockwork, around two or three in the morning, he replies.¡± ¡°Though he¡¯s still young, he should take care of his health. Staying up late every night isn¡¯t good. If you get a chance, tell him to change his schedule. What can¡¯t be done during the day? Why does he need to sleep during the day?¡± Listening to Brother Wang, Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t help but think back to her earlier suspicions... Her uncle, who worked in national security and hid his identity from his wife for thirty years, had a similar situation. He was often away on business trips and would sometimes not answer his phone. Because of this, her uncle and aunt had many arguments. But her uncle was a dedicated national security officer, and even when things got tough, he kept the truth to himself to maintain secrecy, protect national security, and carry out his missions. As a woman, Zhao Ying Jun sympathized with her aunt¡ªliving with that kind of cold silence must have been difficult. But as a citizen who enjoyed the peace and security of their country, she also deeply respected her uncle and other unsung heroes who sacrificed for the greater good. Loyalty and family¡ªit¡¯s an age-old dilemma, and there¡¯s no perfect solution. Now, she suspected that Lin Xian was in a similar situation, engaged in some secret mission or doing something great yet unrecognized. She had a gut feeling that whatever Lin Xian was doing, it was probably even more dangerous and important than her uncle¡¯s work. This was why, even though she had known about Qiao Qiao¡¯s background for days, she hadn¡¯t reached out to Lin Xian. Of course, part of it was not knowing how to bring up such an unclear and confusing relationship. But the real reason for her silence... She sensed that Lin Xian was carrying some important burden and that he was deliberately hiding it. Just like now, what he told Brother Wang... Sleeping? Ha! Who could sleep for 12 hours straight every day without waking up? That was impossible. Lin Xian was surely using ¡°sleep¡± as an excuse to do other secret things. At 12:42 AM, in a corner of Lin Xian¡¯s bedroom, he opened his eyes. He jumped out of bed so quickly that he didn¡¯t even have time to rub his tired eyes. He dashed to his desk, turned on the lamp, grabbed a pen, and started scribbling on the prepared sheets of paper. Scratch, scratch, scratch. The pen flew across the page as if guided by an unseen force. It wasn¡¯t that Lin Xian was particularly quick-witted; he was racing against his fading memory. As the pen glided smoothly, a complex and continuous chemical reaction equation began to appear on the paper. But that wasn¡¯t all. There were still many notes and annotations to add. Lin Xian didn¡¯t understand them entirely, so he could only copy them down, just like tracing a drawing. Finally, before the visual memory faded away, Lin Xian managed to copy down this groundbreaking reaction equation that could change the world. For the first time in 600 years, Academician Gao Wen¡¯s research findings were brought back to life. ¡°Phew...¡± Lin Xian let out a deep breath, as if he could finally breathe again. This equation was so long and challenging to memorize; recalling it all at once had been his greatest test. Thankfully, he had succeeded. His hard work wasn¡¯t in vain. He relaxed a little, rubbed his eyes, drank some water, and continued copying down the notes from his memory until 2 AM. Only then did he finish his task. Lin Xian stretched, tidied up the papers in front of him. Unknowingly, so many days had passed, and Academician Gao Wen¡¯s research manuscript, ¡°Principles of Time-Space Travel and Design Concepts for a Time-Space Machine,¡± was now more than halfway transcribed back into the real world. In just a few days, he would finish copying it all. Seeing that the time-space machine was almost within reach... Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit excited, imagining himself being able to travel freely through time, like Yellow Finch and the time-space assassins. Of course, he knew better than anyone that time travel wasn¡¯t that simple. Time-space laws, time-space particles, how to return, time-space rejection, forced avoidance... all these were problems that he¡¯d inevitably have to face. However, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t in a rush. He could keep the theory in hand, ensuring his technological advantage for the future when he might need it. He opened a drawer and carefully placed the copied manuscript inside. ¡°In a few days, once I¡¯ve finished copying and double-checking the manuscript, it¡¯ll be time to move on to the next step in the fifth dream world.¡± Qiao Qiao bent down, but the token had already rolled far away, moving fast. She hurried to follow it. The token rolled out of the back door of the arcade, into a crowd, and was accidentally kicked by an unsuspecting man. It flew far, landing in the park below. Qiao Qiao stood there, stunned. That token was bought with her sister¡¯s money; she had to get it back. This was her first time in this confusing, multi-level mall that felt like a maze. She finally made it out of the first-floor entrance, only to find she was still far from where the token had fallen. Helplessly, she continued running toward the park. At the park entrance, there were many people selling flowers, and others buying them. The vibrant colors were beautiful, but most of them were selling the same kind of flowers. ¡°Little girl, buy a flower!¡± said a male college student selling flowers nearby. His eyes were bright and clear as he smiled at Qiao Qiao. ¡°Carnations, five yuan each. I only have one left. I¡¯ll sell it to you for three yuan.¡± ¡°Buy one, little girl. It¡¯s Mother¡¯s Day today. If you give one to your mom, she¡¯ll be very happy!¡± Qiao Qiao stopped. She looked at the empty bucket, with only one pale yellow carnation left. ¡°For... Mom?¡± The college student with glasses nodded with a smile. ¡°Yes, yes. Carnations are usually given to mothers. The flower symbolizes tenderness and sincere love. Especially the yellow carnation¡ªit stands for gratitude and appreciation.¡± ¡°So... there¡¯s no better flower than a yellow carnation to give to your mother. Buy one! It¡¯s my last one, and I¡¯ll let you have it for just two yuan. I¡¯m about to close up!¡± ¡°For just two yuan, you can let your mom feel your love and gratitude! What a bargain, right? Come on, little girl, don¡¯t hesitate. Buy this last yellow carnation meant just for you and thank your mom for raising you!¡± ... Listening to the student¡¯s passionate pitch, Qiao Qiao remained calm. ¡°Thank my mom...¡± she murmured softly. She lifted her head, her eyes dim as she looked at the college student. ¡°I don¡¯t have a mom.¡± It was like a sharp knife stabbing into the student¡¯s heart! His expression froze, as if the knife wasn¡¯t just stabbing but also twisting inside him. The clarity in his eyes vanished, replaced by guilt and regret. Damn it. Why did he say those things? Why did he say such hurtful words to this little girl without a mom? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to,¡± he apologized hastily. He looked at the carnation in his hand. It seemed that even if he gave it to this adorable girl for free... she wouldn¡¯t have a mom to give it to. He thought about it. Maybe it was better not to give it to her. That would only hurt her more. So, he quickly tossed the carnation into a nearby trash can, packed up, and left in a hurry. Qiao Qiao tilted her head, watching the student rush away. She looked at the upside-down carnation in the trash can, its petals facing down, and its stem sticking up. Then, she took it out. Meanwhile, back inside the mall at the arcade entrance, Zhao Ying Jun finished her phone call and returned to the noisy arcade. ¡°Qiao Qiao?¡± She looked around the empty claw machine area and searched a bit more. Nothing! There was no sign of Qiao Qiao anywhere! For a moment, Zhao Ying Jun panicked. Oh no. Did she lose the child? Although Qiao Qiao was a teenage girl and unlikely to be targeted by human traffickers... Still... Qiao Qiao¡¯s mental abilities hadn¡¯t fully recovered! What if someone tricked her or took her away? Suddenly, she felt a chill run down her spine. This wasn¡¯t just any child... This was Lin Xian¡¯s child! If something happened to her, how could she explain it? She hurriedly stopped an arcade staff member. ¡°Have you seen a little girl? She has a ponytail, is wearing an off-white dress, is about this tall, and is very slim.¡± The staff member nodded. ¡°Yes, I saw her. She went out that way.¡± Zhao Ying Jun quickly ran in the direction the staff member pointed. She asked around and followed the trail. Fortunately, Qiao Qiao was very beautiful, with skin as fair as a doll¡¯s, so many people remembered her and pointed Zhao Ying Jun in the right direction. Finally! After a nerve-wracking chase! Zhao Ying Jun spotted Qiao Qiao in the bushes of the park! ¡°Yan! Qiao! Qiao!¡± she shouted angrily. When your mom yells your full name, you know you¡¯re in big trouble. ¡°How could you run off without telling me?¡± Zhao Ying Jun was furious. She scolded Qiao Qiao as soon as she reached her. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that¡¯s very dangerous? There are lots of bad people out there. What if someone had taken you or tricked you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtless! When I tell you to stay put when I leave, you need to stay there and not move! How am I supposed to find you if you wander off?¡± ¡°Today I was lucky to find you, but what if I couldn¡¯t? What would I do if something happened to you? How could I explain it to anyone?¡± Qiao Qiao turned around, holding a muddy game token in her fingers. ¡°Sister, I found it.¡± Zhao Ying Jun was still angry, but then she noticed the wilted carnation in Qiao Qiao¡¯s other hand. Suddenly, her heart softened. She remembered Qiao Qiao¡¯s gaze when watching the animated film Lotus Lantern a while back. She¡¯d been captivated and lost in thought. When she saw the scene where Chen Xiang reunited with his mother, Qiao Qiao had innocently said, ¡°Without a dad, how can it be a family?¡± But Chen Xiang still had his mother to find. For Qiao Qiao... She had neither a mother nor a father. Today, Zhao Ying Jun had been so focused on work that she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the mall¡¯s decorations. It dawned on her... Today was Mother¡¯s Day. She¡¯d never really paid much attention to this holiday. She hadn¡¯t expected that while she was working, little Qiao Qiao had already grabbed a carnation, longing for her mom. She felt a twinge of guilt. Thinking about it carefully, was it all Qiao Qiao¡¯s fault for running off today? Clearly not. She hadn¡¯t fulfilled her duty as a guardian. Knowing that Qiao Qiao¡¯s intelligence and understanding hadn¡¯t fully recovered, shouldn¡¯t she have kept a closer eye on her, making sure she stayed within sight? She realized she¡¯d been too careless. She¡¯d always thought of herself as emotionally stable... But why? Why did she reserve her worst temper and least patience for her own child? Zhao Ying Jun sighed softly. She held Qiao Qiao¡¯s hand, led her to a pavilion in the park, and used the wet wipes from her bag to clean the mud off Qiao Qiao¡¯s legs and arms. Qiao Qiao held the game token in one hand and the carnation in the other. She seemed to know she had done something wrong and sat there quietly like a child who had been scolded. Zhao Ying Jun looked at the wilted carnation in her hand and said softly, ¡°Do you know... that carnations are for mothers?¡± Qiao Qiao nodded gently. Zhao Ying Jun was surprised. She hadn¡¯t expected Qiao Qiao to know such a slightly complicated fact at her current level of understanding. She finished cleaning up, sat beside Qiao Qiao, and asked, ¡°Do you miss your mom?¡± Qiao Qiao remained silent, her gaze fixed on the carnation in her hand. Zhao Ying Jun bit her lip and began to speak. ¡°When I was your age, I was already studying abroad. I could only come home once or twice a year and rarely had the chance to see my parents.¡± ¡°I may seem strong, but on holidays about family and reunion... I missed home and my mom a lot.¡± ¡°But the holidays abroad are different from those in our country, so I could never come back for Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival... any of those.¡± ¡°The more you can¡¯t see someone, the more you miss them. But the more you miss them, the less you see them. Eventually, I got used to ignoring those holidays, forcing myself not to think about them or pay attention to stories about family and love.¡± ¡°But... it¡¯s all just self-deception. Everyone misses their mom. I do too. I¡¯ve tried to toughen up in that regard, but later I realized... being strong and missing your mom aren¡¯t mutually exclusive. You can easily be strong, but it¡¯s impossible to conquer your own heart and stop missing your mom.¡± She looked down at Qiao Qiao sitting quietly next to her and asked, ¡°Do you miss your mom?¡± Qiao Qiao didn¡¯t lift her head. She lowered it into her chest. Zhao Ying Jun smiled gently and stroked her smooth hair. ¡°When do you usually miss your mom? Mother¡¯s Day? Children¡¯s Day? Your birthday? Or... is there some other special day?¡± Qiao Qiao blinked, turning to look at Zhao Ying Jun with her clear eyes. ¡°Every day.¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s smile froze on her face. Qiao Qiao fiddled with the wilted carnation in her hand, her eyes fixed on the wrinkled petals. ¡°Every day... I miss my mom.¡± Chapter 374: New Beginnings for Everyone Zhao Ying Jun looked down at Yan Qiao Qiao, who had her head lowered and her face turned away. In that moment, she remembered a conversation she had with Brother Wang on the rooftop of the MX Tower. ¡°When did you first feel like a father?¡± she had asked him, curious about his experience. It was an abstract question, but Brother Wang didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°The moment my daughter felt wronged.¡± At the time, Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t fully understand what he meant. It seemed overly sentimental to her¡ªmaybe even a bit of an overreaction. But now, seeing Qiao Qiao¡¯s sad and lonely expression, something clicked in her heart. She bent down, reached out, and pulled the little girl, who seemed as fragile as a flower bud, into a gentle hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered softly. She hadn¡¯t given birth to this child, and she hadn¡¯t been there to watch her grow up. Still, she felt the need to say it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she repeated, closing her eyes as she felt the cold body in her arms slowly warm up. Standing up straight again, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s eyes fell on the wilted bouquet of carnations in Qiao Qiao¡¯s hands. They were old, with crumpled tin foil wrapping and petals scattered about. Yet, to Zhao Ying Jun, this was the most precious gift she could receive. Pointing to the flowers, she asked, ¡°Where did you get these?¡± Qiao Qiao pointed to the deserted park entrance in the distance. ¡°From a trash can.¡± Hearing this, Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t help but smile. It made sense¡ªQiao Qiao didn¡¯t have any money. Where else could she find flowers except from a trash can? ¡°Can I have them?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked hopefully. ¡°I really like these flowers... if you¡¯re willing to give them to me.¡± ¡°Even though I¡¯m not your mother, I can try to be kinder, more patient, and more understanding. I can try to be a good sister, to protect you and take care of you.¡± Qiao Qiao nodded and lifted the bouquet of pale yellow carnations between them. The lingering scent of the flowers filled the air with a sweet fragrance. ¡°These are for you,¡± Qiao Qiao said softly. Zhao Ying Jun carefully took the bouquet of carnations, admiring it closely. She liked it very much. She gently smoothed out the wrinkled tin foil wrapping. The flowers, though wilted, still looked quite lovely. ¡°Thank you, Qiao Qiao,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said warmly. ¡°I really like them.¡± She suddenly remembered the crumpled roses Lin Xian had given her on the overpass bridge early last year. She chuckled to herself. ¡°I never thought... the two most important bouquets I¡¯ve ever received were both picked up from somewhere else and were just as wrinkled.¡± Qiao Qiao tilted her head. ¡°Two flowers?¡± ¡°Who gave you the other one?¡± she asked, her curiosity piqued. Zhao Ying Jun looked at Qiao Qiao¡¯s innocent face and ruffled her hair with a smile. ¡°You¡¯ll find out one day,¡± she said. ¡°When the time comes, let him tell you the story himself. How about that?¡± Qiao Qiao nodded obediently. ¡°Okay.¡± Not wanting to crush the delicate bouquet in her handbag, Zhao Ying Jun held it in her left hand instead. She noticed the game token Qiao Qiao was still holding and remembered the scene at the claw machine earlier. Qiao Qiao hadn¡¯t managed to catch a single toy. ¡°Why don¡¯t we try the claw machine in the mall again?¡± Zhao Ying Jun suggested. ¡°Can we win something?¡± Qiao Qiao asked, looking up hopefully. ¡°We can try again!¡± Zhao Ying Jun encouraged. ¡°I¡¯m not good at it either, but I can learn.¡± As the sky grew darker, the lights of Donghai City began to twinkle. A tall woman and a small girl walked hand in hand from the park bench, looking like sisters or perhaps a mother and daughter, as they headed into the bustling mall nearby. A short while later, they walked out of the arcade, with Qiao Qiao triumphantly waving a goofy-looking monkey plush in the air. It might have been ugly, but it was the prize they¡¯d finally caught after a long struggle. Zhao Ying Jun also realized something. To win a toy from a claw machine¡ªdesigned to trick people into spending money¡ªyou must be persistent. Don¡¯t aim too high or try to find some secret trick; just keep putting in coins and grabbing aimlessly. Eventually, the claw will inexplicably clamp onto the toy like it¡¯s angry and refuse to let go, dropping it straight into the prize slot. That¡¯s how they got the goofy monkey¡ªpure luck. Just like how Qiao Qiao came into her life. They walked to the underground parking lot and got into the waiting Alphard minivan. Qiao Qiao couldn¡¯t put down her new toy, and Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t stop admiring her bouquet of carnations. It was like a perfect version of ¡°The Gift of the Magi.¡± They both got exactly what they wanted. Suddenly, Zhao Ying Jun became curious. Qiao Qiao was clearly in a state of amnesia and didn¡¯t remember anything about her parents. But why did she still think about her mother every day? ¡°Qiao Qiao,¡± she asked, turning to face her, ¡°didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t remember who your mother is? You don¡¯t recall any memories with her. So how do you miss her? Or have you started to remember a little?¡± Lastly, he would focus on building his own forces and constructing a time-space machine to elevate the Rhine Company to greater heights, turning it into his solid backing and an unstoppable trump card. ¡°Finally, it¡¯s time to head toward Queen¡¯s Town,¡± Lin Xian yawned. Staying up all night made him tired, which would help him fall asleep quickly. Opening the nearly empty refrigerator, Lin Xian prepared a simple breakfast to fill his stomach. Then, he lay down on the bed, closed his eyes, and drifted into sleep. ¡°What?¡± Big Cat Face looked stunned as he tore into a pork knuckle at the dining table. ¡°Bro, you want to sneak into Queen¡¯s Town? Are you out of your mind?¡± He split the knuckle in half, putting one piece on Lin Xian¡¯s plate and the other on CC¡¯s, then sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. Queen¡¯s Town isn¡¯t like Big Cat¡¯s Village. They¡¯re not so easygoing there.¡± ¡°People there are very xenophobic, proud, and arrogant. If you¡¯re caught sneaking in, they¡¯ll shoot you with muskets without a second thought. Look at you two with your skinny arms and legs¡ªstop thinking crazy thoughts. Just live peacefully in Big Cat¡¯s Village. I¡¯ll get someone to build a house for you, and you can settle down, have a few kids, and live a quiet life.¡± Lin Xian looked at the steaming half of the pork knuckle in front of him without speaking. After entering the dream, he first found CC, then old man Wei Sheng Jin, and explained the situation in Big Cat¡¯s Village, along with the rumors of several aluminum alloy safes in Queen¡¯s Town. The three of them agreed that they had to take a chance and explore Queen¡¯s Town. So, they came up with a new plan: Lin Xian and CC would still pretend to be a married couple, infiltrate Big Cat¡¯s Village, and gather more information and support. The more people they had, the stronger they¡¯d be. If Big Cat Face agreed to help them sneak in, it would be a big boost to their chances of success. At the very least, just like in the second dream, they needed someone to help them build a human ladder. With that, Lin Xian and CC¡¯s agility would be enough to scale the high walls of Queen¡¯s Town and directly address the core issue. The challenge now was how to convince Big Cat Face and the others to join this crazy plan. Lin Xian and CC exchanged a glance, leaving the pork knuckle untouched, and prepared to start the next round of persuasion. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, Big Cat,¡± Lin Xian raised his glass and spoke slowly, ¡°I think your father¡¯s concerns are valid. The people of Queen¡¯s Town aren¡¯t going to be satisfied with the status quo. Right now, they¡¯re just collecting protection money, but soon, when they open more safes and get more powerful weapons, they¡¯ll break this balance.¡± ¡°After all, like you said, they look down on you, and you don¡¯t have any value to them. You¡¯re just cheap¡ªor rather, free¡ªlabor. Right now, things are peaceful because, although the surrounding villages aren¡¯t advanced, if everyone unites, their numbers are still enough to overwhelm Queen¡¯s Town. If they provoke public anger, it won¡¯t end well for them.¡± ¡°But if there are extremely powerful technologies and weapons in those aluminum alloy safes, even if all the surrounding villages unite, they won¡¯t pose a threat to Queen¡¯s Town. In that case, Queen¡¯s Town will show its true colors... they¡¯ll ruthlessly swallow you up, enslave you, destroy your villages, and turn you completely into their slaves.¡± What Lin Xian described was the path of development that ancient humans had taken. After hearing his words, silence fell over the dining table. Big Cat Face, Ah Zhuang, and San Pang said nothing. They seemed to understand what Lin Xian meant, but they still felt hesitant. Only Wu Jiang Er Zhuzi, as usual, didn¡¯t think too much. Bang! He slammed his fist on the table, cheering loudly, ¡°Great!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but give Lin Xian a thumbs-up. ¡°Lin Xian! I knew I wasn¡¯t wrong about you! You¡¯re a brave one! I fully support your idea and your plan!¡± Lin Xian was a little surprised. Who would have thought? The guy who was always opposing him, Er Zhuzi, was now standing firmly on his side! At that moment, a warm feeling spread through Lin Xian¡¯s heart as he looked at Er Zhuzi with appreciation. ¡°Will you help me?¡± ¡°Of course I will!¡± Er Zhuzi exclaimed with passion, standing up and waving his hand. ¡°Lin Xian, just go with confidence! Go boldly! Don¡¯t worry about your sister-in-law. I¡¯ll take good care of her!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out like this. ¡°You¡¯re not coming with me? Then why are you shouting?¡± Er Zhuzi chuckled. ¡°I was talking about the worst-case scenario, but I still hope you come back safe and sound.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll give you all my good luck!¡± he added, taking off his green fabric sun hat and putting it on Lin Xian¡¯s head. ¡°This hat was my prize for winning last year¡¯s dance competition. It¡¯s full of luck! Wear it when you charge into Queen¡¯s Town, and I guarantee you¡¯ll come back safe and sound!¡± ¡°Haha, you keep it for yourself,¡± Lin Xian interrupted, quickly putting the hat back on Er Zhuzi¡¯s head. ¡°All right, enough,¡± Big Cat Face waved his muscular arm. ¡°Everyone, quiet down.¡± He raised his head, glanced around, and said, ¡°I have something to say!¡± Chapter 375: The City of Romance ¡°Actually... what Lin Xian told us sounds a lot like what my father used to say before he passed away,¡± Big Cat Face said with a deep sigh. He continued, ¡°He always warned us¡ªif Queen Town keeps expanding without limits, it will eventually swallow us up, destroy us, and turn us into slaves. It¡¯s just a matter of time.¡± ¡°The technology gap between us is just too big. We haven¡¯t communicated for so many years, and the gap only gets wider. Soon, we won¡¯t be able to understand each other or live together peacefully... just like humans and animals. Peaceful coexistence will be impossible.¡± ¡°Everyone knows my father¡¯s plan was to build up our strength quickly so we could stand up to Queen Town. That¡¯s why he was so fixated on gaining knowledge and opening that safe. We all hoped what was inside would help us change things.¡± ¡°But just now, Lin Xian helped me open the safe, and all we found was a torn-up book. Since most of the people in our village can¡¯t read, and the tech in the notebook is too advanced, Lin Xian says we can¡¯t make use of it right now.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s clear¡ªmy father¡¯s plan has totally failed. Meanwhile, Queen Town¡¯s technology will keep moving forward. If we keep hunting, raising pigs, and fooling ourselves... our end will be tragic and certain.¡± Big Cat Face took a bamboo wine cup from the table, drank it in one gulp, and grimaced as he continued: ¡°Now that I¡¯m the village chief, I¡¯ve got to be responsible for our people. Instead of waiting until Queen Town invades and we can¡¯t fight back, I agree with Lin Xian¡ªwe can¡¯t just sit around waiting to die. We have to act first!¡± ¡°But, Big Cat¡¯s Village has always been democratic, so we¡¯ll stick to the old rule¡ª¡± ¡°Let¡¯s vote!¡± Finally, it was time for the big vote. Big Cat Face never took part in the voting, so the people with voting rights were Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, San Pang, Lin Xian, and CC. Ah Zhuang spoke up first, disagreeing: ¡°It¡¯s too risky. I vote no. Besides, if Queen Town couldn¡¯t open the safe, what makes us think we can do it even if we get there?¡± Lin Xian shrugged and said, ¡°I just opened the safe here in Big Cat¡¯s Village, didn¡¯t I? If we can get close to the safe, I¡¯ll figure out how to crack it. So, I¡¯m voting yes.¡± San Pang shook his head and said simply, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea.¡± With the vote at 1:2, all eyes turned to Er Zhuzi. It was clear he wasn¡¯t for the idea of fighting. He probably wouldn¡¯t vote yes. As expected, Er Zhuzi cleared his throat and said, ¡°Lin Xian, my brother, I¡¯m all for supporting you, but... I have to think about your family, too. If something happened to you... how would I explain it to your ancestors? After much thought, I¡¯ve decided to stay behind with your sister-in-law and help with logistics.¡± ¡°Uh? I¡¯m going too,¡± CC said, blinking and tilting her head as if Er Zhuzi had misunderstood something. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going with my husband. How could I stay behind while he takes all the risks? When you marry someone, you stick with them through everything. So, wherever Lin Xian goes, I¡¯ll go. Since I also have a vote, I¡¯ll align with Lin Xian. I vote yes, and I¡¯m going!¡± ¡°No matter how dangerous it is, so what? Slow death or quick death, it¡¯s all the same. I¡¯d rather fight for a chance to win. Even if I die in Queen Town, it¡¯s fine.¡± CC turned to Lin Xian and smiled, ¡°We¡¯ll die together if we have to.¡± Lin Xian looked into CC¡¯s eyes. He knew what she was doing¡ªplaying the role of a devoted wife. She didn¡¯t know much about love. What little she did know probably came from those tragic love stories, like ¡°Butterfly Lovers¡± or ¡°Romeo and Juliet.¡± It seemed that only love risking life itself was considered true and admirable in her eyes. But is that really the case? Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure. For CC, though, it seemed like she believed that only this kind of devotion, seen in legends, was real love. That¡¯s why she always talked about staying together through life and death¡ªsimple and pure. ¡°Sis... Sister-in-law,¡± Er Zhuzi stuttered, stunned, ¡°You... you¡¯re going too!¡± He looked conflicted, his face showing his inner struggle. After looking at Ah Zhuang and San Pang, he finally shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind. I vote yes!¡± Big Cat Face chuckled, ¡°Good! Now, it¡¯s 3:2, decision approved! Lin Xian, tell us your specific plan.¡± Lin Xian nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve thought it over. We don¡¯t know much about Queen Town, and we don¡¯t have the weapons to fight them. So, our top priority is to find a strong ally.¡± ¡°The good news is, I¡¯ve already found one¡ªa human from Mars with a lot of alien technology. I¡¯ll bring him here now.¡± This was the second step in Lin Xian and CC¡¯s plan¡ªto get Wei Sheng Jin, the old man, to join Big Cat¡¯s Village. First, there¡¯s a chance that one of those safes in Queen Town belongs to Old Wei. We have to bring him along to fulfill his dream. Second, Old Wei is a treasure trove himself. Without his equipment, this mission would be tough. Bringing him along benefits everyone. Soon after, Lin Xian called in Old Wei, who had been waiting outside the village. The old man, also known as ¡°Doraemon,¡± pulled out a few pieces of Martian technology from his backpack, instantly winning over the four members of Big Cat¡¯s Village. Big Cat Face couldn¡¯t put down a pair of sunglasses he was playing with, ¡°This is amazing! It suits my style perfectly!¡± He put them on and looked at Lin Xian, ¡°How do I look?¡± ¡°Uh... it¡¯s hard to describe,¡± Lin Xian answered honestly, ¡°The frames are way too narrow; your face is about to burst the glasses. I suggest you don¡¯t wear them, or they¡¯ll break in a few days.¡± ¡°Hahaha, no way,¡± Old Wei waved his hand, confident in Martian technology, ¡°Although Big Cat¡¯s face is big, these sunglasses are made of memory alloy, with great flexibility and adaptability. They may look like they¡¯re about to burst, but after a few days, the frames and temples will adjust to your face shape. Although it might still look a bit awkward, they won¡¯t break.¡± Ah Zhuang swung the folding shovel in his hand and chopped a wooden stick in the corner, ¡°Amazing weapon! Cuts through wood like butter!¡± Er Zhuzi stared wide-eyed at the transparent thermos in his hand, ¡°A treasure! I can drink hot water anytime! I have a lot of dried goji berries. I usually only put a few in my meals, but from now on, I can drink goji berry tea every day!¡± San Pang wrapped a cashmere scarf around his neck, tucking his hands into his waistband, feeling very cool, ¡°I think it¡¯s great!¡± In the end, Old Wei was unanimously accepted as a member of Big Cat¡¯s Village. CC leaned close to Lin Xian and whispered, ¡°Suddenly, I feel like Big Cat and the others are so childish, trusting strangers so easily.¡± Lin Xian chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s why... sincerity is the ultimate weapon.¡± Not long after, a group of seven left Big Cat¡¯s Village. They first arrived at a hill a few hundred meters away from Queen Town, hiding in the forest, watching the developed town in the fading sunset. It had to be said... seeing such a large town on this primitive Earth was as shocking as seeing New Donghai City in the Second Dream world. They were too far away to see the details inside the town. But the walls surrounding the town formed a perfect square, protecting it. In front of the town gate, there was even a moat. The drawbridge was down, and some people on horseback were coming and going. The buildings inside the town were neatly arranged, with well-organized roads and busy traffic. Most buildings were at least two stories high, and the closer to the center, the taller they got. The tallest building, resembling a castle, was about four or five stories high. It was hard to imagine how they built such tall structures with just wood beams and bricks without modern concrete and steel. The knowledge in Queen Town must be quite impressive. ¡°Incredible,¡± Lin Xian marveled, ¡°To plan a town like this on today¡¯s Earth, I¡¯m starting to suspect if the Lady of the Town might be some kind of time traveler.¡± ¡°Mr. Wei, could I borrow the binoculars?¡± Lin Xian took out the binoculars from Old Wei¡¯s backpack and started observing Queen Town. It was indeed technologically advanced. He even saw a blacksmith¡¯s shop, where many people were forging iron. He also saw a stable with dozens of strong horses and something like a market area. Queen Town had indeed been merciful. With their current strength, if they really wanted to conquer the land, it would be no contest. They wouldn¡¯t even need guns. A cavalry unit with those horses alone would be enough to sweep through all the villages. ¡°Who is this Queen, really?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s curiosity grew stronger. At a glance, the population of Queen Town definitely exceeded the few thousand mentioned by Ah Zhuang. The density suggested it was well over ten thousand. Ah Zhuang¡¯s information was clearly outdated. He put down the binoculars and looked at Ah Zhuang, ¡°Ah Zhuang, you said there were only a few thousand people in Queen Town. When was this data from?¡± Ah Zhuang scratched his head, ¡°That¡¯s what the elders told us, about twenty or thirty years ago. How many people do you think there are now? The population can¡¯t have doubled in just twenty or thirty years, right?¡± Lin Xian remained silent. It sure looked like Queen Town¡¯s population had at least doubled in twenty or thirty years. How did they do it? Could they really reproduce that fast? It seemed that the Queen was well aware of the importance of a population boom for economic and industrial development. If they started promoting rapid reproduction strategies twenty or thirty years ago, it would indeed lead to prosperity now. A peak population, a strong and young workforce. A golden era for labor and military strength. No wonder Queen Town was so powerful. Give any village that many young people, and they wouldn¡¯t do too badly either. Lin Xian picked up the binoculars again for another look, then turned back and summarized, ¡°From what I can see, going through the front door is a no-go. There are guards, and they must have some way to tell residents from outsiders.¡± ¡°So... we¡¯ll have to use the old method and climb the walls! The walls in Queen Town aren¡¯t that high, about five or six meters. We can easily scale them by making a human ladder.¡± ¡°As for what to do once we¡¯re inside, you don¡¯t have to worry. CC and I are safe experts, and we have a plan. You just need to help us build the ladder.¡± It seemed there was no getting around building the human ladder. It was a bit of a crude method, but it worked well in any era. The group stood on the hill, lined up, gazing at the distant lights of Queen Town, waiting for the command to move. At that moment, Lin Xian felt like he was part of the Akatsuki Organization attacking Konoha Village. Except his team was getting bigger, and there were more friends and more methods. Everything was improving. Finally, as the newly risen moon hid behind the clouds, darkness enveloped the world again. Big Cat Face raised his big hand, ¡°Move out!¡± Under the cover of the night, the group ran through the forest, taking a long route to avoid detection. After an hour of stop-and-go, they finally reached the southwest corner of Queen Town¡¯s wall. They chose this spot for a reason. According to Lin Xian¡¯s observations, the busiest area in Queen Town was definitely in the middle. Several other areas around it were also brightly lit, and it looked like people there lived well. There were oil lamps burning everywhere, and even some lanterns acting as streetlights on the main roads, with guards patrolling regularly. But the southwest corner was the only area where there was almost no light, and no guards were patrolling this area. Lin Xian speculated, ¡°The southwest corner probably has no residents. Overall, security and patrols are very weak here. We should break through from this point.¡± ¡°It¡¯s them!!!¡± Suddenly, a shout came from behind, ¡°They¡¯re not a couple! They¡¯re intruders!¡± Lin Xian and CC turned around to see a young couple leading guards towards them. The guards cocked their muskets and blew their whistles loudly¡ªthe sound echoed, and the clatter of hooves followed! It was over¡ªthey¡¯d been discovered. Lin Xian never thought he¡¯d be caught by a bunch of young couples. ¡°Run!¡± He grabbed CC and sprinted down a winding path. The paths were complicated, making it hard for the mounted guards to find them. After passing several more couples, they finally reached a relatively wide road. Lin Xian glanced back and, sure enough, saw no guards chasing them. ¡°Lin Xian¡ª¡± CC looked ahead, eyes wide. But it was too late... When Lin Xian turned his head, he saw the dark barrels of a double-barreled musket aimed right at his forehead from horseback! Bang!!! The smell of gunpowder filled his nose and head until Lin Xian¡¯s vision went black. ... ... ... Whoosh! Lin Xian shot up from his bed in the corner of his bedroom. It was that familiar feeling of rapid breathing and a pounding heartbeat. It took a while to calm down. ¡°No way.¡± He scratched his messy hair, ¡°That was just too much...¡± He couldn¡¯t help but laugh, feeling like today¡¯s death script was downright ridiculous. It seemed Queen Town must have a unique culture and social structure. At least, they were officially very open-minded¡ªmaybe even too open, dedicating a whole area just for young people to date. For the sake of birth rates and population? Or maybe... The Queen of this town really has some profound insights into management and sociology? ¡°Should we try a different entry point tomorrow night?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. He still felt that, from a safe infiltration perspective, the southeast corner was definitely the best choice. Ultimately, the reason they were exposed was because they stepped on a ¡°security mine,¡± meaning those lovebirds. Come to think of it. The couples were there, having a nice time, whispering sweet nothings under the moonlight, and he and CC barged in without a clue. Whether it was polite or not, who wouldn¡¯t be annoyed? What made Lin Xian even more speechless... The network formed by these couples was indeed tight, covering every corner and alley, leaving no gaps for intruders. Was there a way to infiltrate smoothly? Without upsetting the couples or being spotted by guards. It seemed... They could only make use of Queen Town¡¯s open-minded culture. If he and CC could act a bit more like a couple, wouldn¡¯t they blend in perfectly? In fact, given Queen Town¡¯s leniency and inclusivity towards young couples, if they acted convincingly, wouldn¡¯t they be able to walk openly down the streets? Who knew... The infiltration battle in the Fifth Dream world. Wasn¡¯t about firepower, wasn¡¯t about combat skills, wasn¡¯t about cracking codes, wasn¡¯t about high-altitude jumps. Instead! It was about acting skills! ¡°Oh, if VV were here, we could get some Hollywood-level guidance.¡± ¡°But then again, even if my acting is good, it¡¯s useless.¡± Lin Xian got up from his bed and poured himself a glass of water: ¡°CC is an acting killer and a wooden block when it comes to emotions. Even if I¡¯m a great actor, CC will still blow our cover.¡± ¡°Forget it, forget it.¡± He shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll think of another plan tomorrow.¡± He picked up his phone from the bedside and checked the time; it was only around nine in the evening. It had been a long time since he exited a dream this early... and even longer since he experienced death in a dream. There were also a few unread messages from Brother Wang. Brother Wang seemed to know he often slept during the day, so he didn¡¯t bother calling. He left messages directly on WeChat. He opened them. Brother Wang sent a lot of pictures related to lab contracts, followed by a long text: ¡°Lin Xian, you mentioned investing in a new lab and observatory, right? I¡¯ve already found a team for you. We¡¯ve also reached an agreement with a poor village to build the observatory there. These documents need your signature... If you¡¯re free, come to the company tomorrow.¡± Lin Xian replied right away with, ¡°Okay.¡± This was official business and crucial for his future plans. So, even though he was more of a hands-off manager, he still needed to go. Almost instantly, Brother Wang replied, ¡°A miracle! You¡¯re awake so early today! Finally got enough sleep? Don¡¯t stay up late anymore! I¡¯ll see you at the office tomorrow for the signatures!¡± ... The next day, at the Rhine Company building, in Lin Xian¡¯s office. After signing a series of documents, Lin Xian stretched when he heard a knock at the door. Who could it be now? ¡°Come in.¡± He pressed the button to open the door. A tall woman wearing a black coat, black gemstone earrings, and black high heels walked in. ¡°Ying Jun?¡± He stood up with a smile, ¡°What brings you here?¡± After saying this, Lin Xian realized it was a pointless question. The entire Rhine Company was filled with undercover agents... Was there ever a time he came to the company without running into Zhao Ying Jun? There was no point in asking why. Of course, it was because of that traitor, Brother Wang. ¡°Long time no see, Lin Xian.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled and walked over, ¡°I¡¯m actually here to ask for a favor today.¡± ¡°Sure, what is it?¡± Lin Xian invited Zhao Ying Jun to sit on the sofa and poured her some tea. Zhao Ying Jun took a sip and spoke slowly, ¡°It¡¯s a bit difficult to say, but I¡¯d rather ask you than someone else because I trust you.¡± Lin Xian waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal. You¡¯ve helped me so much, taken such good care of Rhine Company¡ªif there¡¯s anything I can do for you, I¡¯d be happy to help.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded, ¡°My family in the capital, we just lost an elder¡ªa remarkable person. All the juniors have to return to prepare for the memorial service and handle some other affairs. It¡¯ll probably take a few days.¡± ¡°So... I¡¯d like to ask you to take care of...¡± Lin Xian quickly understood, ¡°Oh, I get it, you want me to take care of VV, right?¡± He knew how much Zhao Ying Jun adored her Pomeranian. Indeed, she wouldn¡¯t trust anyone else with VV and could only rely on him. ¡°No problem.¡± Lin Xian agreed immediately, ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of VV.¡± Zhao Ying Jun lowered her head and smiled, ¡°Hehe, you guessed right. I do want to entrust VV to you for a few days.¡± ¡°But... it¡¯s not just VV. There¡¯s also someone else...¡± She lifted her head. Her eyes held a complicated look as she gazed at Lin Xian: ¡°It¡¯s Yan Qiao Qiao. You two met before at a dinner party.¡± Biting her lip, Zhao Ying Jun continued: ¡°Could I trouble you... to look after her for a few days, too?¡± Chapter 348: Elon Musk vs. Copernicus Angelica was startled when an unfamiliar old man¡¯s voice came through the phone. How did he know her codename within the Seven Deadly Sins? The Seven Deadly Sins was a secretive organization started by Ji Xin Shui. Although Angelica had been a member, she was never privy to its core secrets. She had no clue about Ji Xin Shui¡¯s ultimate purpose in creating the group. When Ji Xin Shui needed information, he would reach out, and Angelica would use her connections, disguise techniques, and other skills to get it. Angelica knew that Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin were involved in dangerous and illegal activities, but they were too smart to reveal their real intentions. She couldn¡¯t get any answers, so she never asked. It wasn¡¯t until she connected with Lin Xian that she learned about the Genius Club, Copernicus, and the mysterious dream that Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin were chasing. Now, with the Seven Deadly Sins nearly wiped out, she was the last one left. The organization was little more than a name now. But she hadn¡¯t expected this. The man on the phone was suggesting that he was the real leader of the Seven Deadly Sins, the mastermind who had tricked Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin, leading them on a wild goose chase for something that didn¡¯t even exist, only to discard them when they were no longer useful. ¡°Copernicus,¡± Angelica whispered, gripping the phone so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her voice trembled. This was the closest she had ever been to her enemy, the first time she had spoken to him directly. Memories flooded her mind¡ªJi Xin Shui pulling her out of a pile of charred bodies, a crying Ji Lin, whom she had comforted as he wailed for milk, the boy she had raised. When she returned to Brooklyn, all that greeted her were two cold tombstones. Rage flared in Angelica¡¯s heart. She wanted to tear apart the man responsible for her losing her family and becoming an orphan once again. ¡°Copernicus,¡± she hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°You killed my family. I will never do anything for you! Even if I am part of the Seven Deadly Sins, I belong to Ji Xin Shui, not you!¡± A weak chuckle came from the other end of the line, followed by a few coughs. The old man sounded frail, his voice small and unsteady. After clearing his throat, he continued, undeterred. ¡°Well then... Would you like to know the truth behind Ji Lin¡¯s parents¡¯ deaths? Would you like to know who really killed them?¡± ¡°Your phone has been under my surveillance from the start. Not just yours¡ªmost of the Seven Deadly Sins members¡¯ phones were monitored by me. This was something even Ji Xin Shui didn¡¯t know. It was thanks to the information he sent you that I was able to gain control over your phones.¡± ¡°I know exactly what you want to know, what you want to do. You¡¯ve always been making deals with others, haven¡¯t you? Whether it¡¯s Elon Musk or Lin Xian... So why not make a deal with me?¡± ¡°All I want is the small refrigerator Elon Musk brought with him to X Country. Bring it to me, and I¡¯ll tell you who really killed Ji Lin¡¯s parents. Isn¡¯t that enough of an offer?¡± After speaking so much, the old man coughed again before regaining his composure. ¡°These are things Lin Xian will never be able to tell you. He will never find the answers to these secrets. So, you only have this one chance, Angelica. I¡¯ll wait until 11 a.m. If you don¡¯t bring me that refrigerator by then, you¡¯ll never know the truth.¡± With that, the call ended. The burly man standing before her reloaded two taser guns and pointed one at Angelica. ¡°Either cooperate, disguise yourself as one of the female bodyguards, and come with me holding the refrigerator, or end up like the others on the ground. I¡¯ll take the refrigerator and go alone.¡± Angelica lowered the phone. She glanced at the taser gun in the man¡¯s hand and understood everything. She had been puzzled about why Copernicus had saved her from Elon Musk¡¯s gun. Now she knew¡ªhis plan was for her to act as his inside agent and help him steal Elon Musk¡¯s refrigerator. Angelica didn¡¯t know what was inside the small fridge, but if Elon Musk carried it everywhere, it had to be important to him. She bent down and picked up the white refrigerator from the corner of the living room. It was lighter than she expected, easy to carry. It was either hollow inside, with very light contents, or it wasn¡¯t a refrigerator at all¡ªthere were no signs of electrical components like a compressor, which explained why it was so light. She examined it closely. Indeed, it had no electrical markings, no power cords or switches. This wasn¡¯t a refrigerator; it was more like a safe. It had an electronic lock, with a keypad resembling a phone dial. To open it, one needed to enter the correct password or force it open. She was torn but realized she had no real choice. The burly man, undoubtedly one of Copernicus¡¯ agents, would take the fridge no matter what. If she cooperated, she might see Copernicus. If not, she¡¯d be tased, knocked out, and he¡¯d leave with the fridge. She couldn¡¯t protect the fridge, and it wasn¡¯t her responsibility to protect Elon Musk¡¯s belongings. But she remembered what Elon Musk had said yesterday¡ªthat the missing piece of his puzzle would arrive today, and that he planned to meet with Lin Xian. If this fridge was stolen now, would it ruin Elon Musk¡¯s plans? Would it affect his meeting with Lin Xian? Angelica was almost certain it would. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± she decided, choosing the option that offered the most hope in her impossible situation. She sat at the table, pulling out makeup and disguise tools, and said, ¡°Turn over the taller female bodyguard on the floor and lay her next to the table. I need to see her face to copy it.¡± The burly man nodded, pocketed the two taser guns, and followed her instructions. He placed the female bodyguard on the floor, giving Angelica a reference. Angelica was a master of disguise. She quickly transformed herself, using gel, nose bridges, shading, and hair dye. The bodyguard¡¯s uniform was ready-made, and the sunglasses made the disguise easier. With the security captain¡¯s betrayal, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to expose her. It wouldn¡¯t even cross Elon Musk¡¯s mind that a traitor was already inside. In less than half an hour, Angelica was ready. Wearing the unconscious bodyguard¡¯s sunglasses and uniform, her hair and face perfectly matched, she was unrecognizable. ¡°Carry the fridge,¡± the man ordered. ¡°Walk in front of me. Don¡¯t try anything funny, for both our sakes.¡± Angelica knew she had no other option. She picked up the fridge and led the way out the door. The burly man followed her, closing the door behind them and keeping his hands in his pockets. He trailed her to the elevator, down to the ground floor, and out the building. They got into a black Tesla, and he started the car, driving away from the factory without any issues. Angelica kept looking around, searching for an escape or a chance to fight back, but there was none. The security captain had a high status here; people kept nodding and waving as they passed. Even after leaving the factory, she was trapped, holding the fridge, the car doors locked from the driver¡¯s side. There was no way out. The man was cautious. He steered with one hand while keeping the other on a taser gun aimed at her, repeatedly warning, ¡°Don¡¯t try anything. If you make any sudden moves, I¡¯ll tase you and toss you out of the car.¡± ¡°My employer doesn¡¯t care if you come along. It doesn¡¯t change my pay as long as I deliver the fridge. But there¡¯s a small bonus if you do, though it¡¯s insignificant compared to the total.¡± After a while, they arrived at an old Christian chapel in the countryside. The white building had a cross on top, but the walls were faded, revealing red bricks underneath. The colorful stained glass windows were cracked. This place, even if it wasn¡¯t abandoned, hadn¡¯t been used for worship in a long time. Angelica frowned. ¡°Is Copernicus here?¡± The burly man shrugged. ¡°Copernicus? In a chapel, there¡¯s only Jesus and Mary. Now, leave the fridge in the car and go inside. My job¡¯s done.¡± ¡°What?¡± Angelica realized something was wrong. ¡°You¡¯re taking the fridge? That means Copernicus isn¡¯t in there! Why did you bring me here? What¡¯s the point?¡± The man pulled out the taser gun and aimed it at her. ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me. I won¡¯t repeat myself. I know who you are, Hollywood¡¯s master of disguise, but this isn¡¯t your stage. You have no choice.¡± Reluctantly, Angelica set the fridge on the passenger seat and walked toward the rundown chapel. She placed her hand on the old wooden doors, rough and damp, and looked back. The black Tesla, carrying the fridge, was already speeding away, leaving a trail of dust. Was Copernicus really inside? Angelica shook her head. No, he wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to meet her here. They only wanted the fridge. But why? Why would Copernicus go through the trouble of saving her from Elon Musk if she was just disposable? She couldn¡¯t understand their motives, just as she could never fully understand her late brother Ji Lin, the boy she had loved so much. When dealing with these clever people, nothing seemed strange at first. But once they became enemies, their cunning was impossible to fathom. She felt like a lost ant, unable to grasp their thoughts or intentions, just a tool to be used by others. Was this what it meant to be part of the Genius Club, where these so-called geniuses toyed with the world, with people, with the situation? Creak¡ª Angelica pushed open the old wooden doors. The chapel inside was in ruins, sunlight streaming through the broken ceiling onto faded murals of the Virgin Mary cradling a child. The right-side mural depicted Jesus crucified, his head bowed in darkness, while the left side, bathed in sunlight, showed the Holy Mother and Child. Angelica walked down the aisle, the worn wooden floorboards creaking under her feet. The chapel had once been grand, once filled with people worshipping, but now it was just dust and decay. The silence was ancient and profound. Angelica felt like she was walking through history, treading on the passage of time itself. ¡°And those ten hours... are the perfect window to turn the tables and shatter Copernicus¡¯ schemes.¡± Angelica didn¡¯t respond immediately. She was conflicted. Copernicus and Elon Musk had said completely opposite things, and she didn¡¯t know whom to believe. But she trusted Lin Xian! She only trusted Lin Xian! Because he was the friend her brother Ji Lin had chosen. Lin Xian had promised her that once he joined the Genius Club, he would share Copernicus¡¯ intel and reveal who had killed Ji Lin¡¯s parents. Now, Copernicus claimed it was Elon Musk, but Elon Musk would surely say it was Copernicus. Angelica didn¡¯t trust either of them. She decided to wait for Lin Xian¡¯s answer. Someday, when Lin Xian told her who the real killer was, she would believe him without question and carry out her revenge! So when Elon Musk offered to help Lin Xian, Angelica was tempted. ¡°How do you plan to help Lin Xian?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Lin Xian that you sent a blue-eyed girl to kill him... How do you explain that?¡± Elon Musk narrowed his eyes. ¡°Is that what Lin Xian said? Then maybe that¡¯s where the misunderstanding lies...¡± ¡°The blue-eyed girl, I did meet with her. But it seems I was also a victim, deceived by her.¡± ¡°Looking back, who knows what kind of nonsense was hidden in the USB drive she gave me. And after she left, she never contacted me again. I honestly don¡¯t know why she went after Lin Xian.¡± ¡°If Lin Xian survived being hunted by that monster, he must be pretty skilled... Wait! This doesn¡¯t make sense! How could that blue-eyed girl even attempt to harm Lin Xian?¡± Elon Musk muttered to himself, confused. He had only just learned that Lin Xian was being hunted by the blue-eyed girl, a fact he hadn¡¯t known until now! If Angelica hadn¡¯t mentioned it, he would still be in the dark! He realized something was very wrong. Time travelers attacking people in the present? That was impossible! Suddenly, Elon Musk remembered what Copernicus had said to him over the phone at the observation tower: ¡°If I told you... that the blue-eyed girl deceived you, that she wasn¡¯t your closed loop at all?¡± ¡°Think carefully, boy... Turing is far smarter than you think. You believe you¡¯ve outsmarted Turing? No... this has all been Turing¡¯s trap.¡± Elon Musk pondered this. So, the blue-eyed girl wasn¡¯t his closed loop but Kevin Walker¡¯s? That would explain why she manipulated him and then went after Lin Xian. But how could a time traveler attack someone from the present? It violated the laws of time! Was there a flaw in his reasoning? ¡°Speak, Elon Musk. Why did you suddenly go quiet?¡± Angelica¡¯s sharp gaze locked onto him. ¡°If you can¡¯t explain why that girl went after Lin Xian, I won¡¯t cooperate with you.¡± Elon Musk snapped out of his thoughts and looked up. ¡°I want to know the answer too. Maybe... this is the final piece of Lin Xian¡¯s puzzle.¡± He glanced down at the fridge in his arms, holding it close to his chest. He typed a series of numbers on the keypad with his left hand. Click. The fridge door popped open. Elon Musk looked at Angelica, then slowly opened the fridge door wider. Angelica gasped, her eyes widening as she blinked rapidly at the sight inside. Two apple-sized blue orbs crackled with electricity, swirling around each other, emitting blue sparks. She had never seen anything like this... The two orbs spun around each other like a ¡°binary star system,¡± silent but constant, almost colliding but always narrowly missing each other. It was a delicate balance. They seemed like they would crash into each other at any moment, but their rotation kept them just apart, so close yet never touching. ¡°What are these things?¡± Angelica asked, looking up. ¡°These two spinning orbs... what are they?¡± ¡°No, Angelica, you¡¯re mistaken,¡± Elon Musk said, shaking his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t two; it¡¯s one.¡± ¡°One?¡± Angelica blinked in disbelief, looking back at the fridge. ¡°Impossible! There are clearly two of them! They¡¯re rotating around each other in a stable binary star system!¡± ¡°I heard about this kind of system from a director and writer when I was working on a sci-fi movie... They said that in a binary star system, the stars orbit each other due to gravity, eventually colliding to form a rapidly spinning celestial body that emits a massive gamma-ray burst... The movie¡¯s plot was based on that.¡± ¡°These blue orbs may not be stars, but they¡¯re orbiting just like a binary star system. There are two of them¡ªwhy do you say it¡¯s one?¡± Elon Musk looked up. ¡°Quantum entanglement. Have you heard of quantum entanglement?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a fascinating phenomenon in the quantum world. Quantum entanglement is a kind of action at a distance, with no need for a transmission medium, no speed involved. The interaction between entangled particles is instantaneous. Once two particles become entangled, no matter how far apart they are, their connection remains unbroken, and their interaction is instantaneous.¡± ¡°Imagine placing two entangled particles at opposite ends of the universe, 90 billion light-years apart. Even at that incredible distance, their entanglement would persist, and their interaction would still be instantaneous.¡± ¡°When people hear this, they often think of faster-than-light communication, long-distance communication. But that¡¯s getting off track. Let¡¯s get back to the orbs in the fridge, the ones you called two blue orbs.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, your eyes are deceiving you. This is one, absolutely one¡ªa randomly formed, entangled spacetime particle!¡± Angelica didn¡¯t have much formal education, having completed what little schooling she had in Hollywood. She didn¡¯t fully grasp what Elon Musk was saying and didn¡¯t feel the need to. ¡°So, Elon Musk, what¡¯s your point? You said you¡¯d help Lin Xian¡ªhow exactly are you going to do that?¡± ¡°Just wait and see, Angelica.¡± Bang. Elon Musk closed the fridge. He stood up straight, looking at the Hollywood star before him. ¡°The stage is set.¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s time to invite the actors... to take the stage!¡± Chapter 349: The Moon Girl Yu Xi adjusted her oversized sunglasses, turning her head from the passenger seat. She had been staring at the right-side mirror for what felt like hours. Even with her enhanced vision, her eyes were getting tired. ¡°Isn¡¯t Elon Musk coming?¡± she asked, her voice tinged with worry. ¡°It¡¯s already 11 a.m., and he¡¯s an hour late. He said he¡¯d be here by 10.¡± Keeping his eyes on the left-side mirror, Lin Xian replied calmly, ¡°What would be the point of him tricking us now? We don¡¯t have any leverage. If you said that time-space assassin had entered Donghai City to hunt us down, it might make sense. But you¡¯ve checked several times, and she hasn¡¯t entered the city yet, right?¡± Yu Xi nodded, her gaze fixed on the mirror again. ¡°Yes, I can sense that the assassin hasn¡¯t entered Donghai City. In fact, she¡¯s moving further away, heading toward the northern seas.¡± ¡°Maybe she¡¯s frustrated that she can¡¯t find a way in here and is trying her luck elsewhere. For now, we¡¯re safe. We don¡¯t have to worry about the assassin showing up suddenly.¡± Lin Xian thought carefully. The country¡¯s National Security Bureau, led by Director Liu An, had set up a tight security net around Donghai City. That¡¯s probably why the assassin couldn¡¯t get in. But if she tried to enter through another city up north, where security might not be as tight, she could succeed. No security is perfect, and with the length of X Country¡¯s coastline and the assassin¡¯s extraordinary abilities, it¡¯s only a matter of time before she finds a way in. Fortunately, Yu Xi could sense the assassin¡¯s movements and warn him if she got close. ¡°So,¡± Lin Xian continued, ¡°since we¡¯ve ruled out the possibility of the assassin coming after me, there¡¯s no reason for Elon Musk to deceive us. Besides, the whole world knows he¡¯s supposed to visit Zheng Xiang Yue and give her that ticket today. It would look terrible if he didn¡¯t show up.¡± ¡°Also, this trip isn¡¯t just about him; he¡¯s accompanied by important officials from Donghai City. Elon Musk¡¯s Tesla super factory here is heavily backed by the city¡¯s government. He wouldn¡¯t dare offend them by skipping their plans, right? That would risk his relationship with them and cause unnecessary trouble.¡± ¡°Unless...¡± Lin Xian paused, considering a different possibility. ¡°Unless something really important came up, something that made Elon Musk willing to deceive the entire world, even risking the anger of Donghai City¡¯s officials. If that¡¯s the case, then his move would be brilliant. Everyone thinks he wouldn¡¯t dare skip the hospital visit, but if he does, it would catch everyone off guard.¡± ¡°But I still think he¡¯ll come. After all, Zheng Xiang Yue has a congenital heart condition. Elon Musk promised her a ticket to the moon. Being late is one thing, but if he doesn¡¯t show up at all, it could be disastrous. He can¡¯t let down a poor little girl like her, can he? If she gets too upset and has a heart attack, that could stir up a massive public outcry. People have a soft spot for kids, and Elon Musk wouldn¡¯t want to break that trust. Let me check his Twitter; he might have updated his status.¡± Meanwhile, at the Tesla super factory in the Lingang New Area of Donghai City, a black convoy pulled into the compound, heading toward the building where Angelica had previously stayed. Inside a luxurious SUV, Angelica, her female secretary, Elon Musk, and a small refrigerator sat quietly, each in their own seat, not bothering one another. Angelica noticed Elon Musk furiously typing on his phone, the sound of his fingers tapping away filling the silence. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been typing for a while. Writing a paper?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m arguing with people online,¡± Elon Musk replied, his focus still on the screen. ¡°They¡¯re all saying I¡¯m a fraud for not visiting Zheng Xiang Yue on time.¡± Angelica scoffed, ¡°Well, you were late.¡± ¡°To fool Copernicus, you have to fool everyone else first,¡± Elon Musk finally looked up, ending his online battle. ¡°No one knew about my change of plans, not even my secretary.¡± The female secretary, sitting behind them, pushed her red-rimmed glasses up her nose and nodded. ¡°You better come up with a good explanation for the high-ranking officials of Donghai City. Being late to see Zheng Xiang Yue is one thing, but keeping those officials waiting without a word, that¡¯s a whole different level of disrespect. It¡¯s going to make my job a lot harder.¡± ¡°I never thought you¡¯d have the guts to ditch an official meeting like that,¡± she added with a sigh. Elon Musk smiled helplessly and spread his hands. ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll apologize later. But if I hadn¡¯t fooled everyone, how could I have fooled Copernicus?¡± He leaned back, his expression serious. ¡°Copernicus acted today because he was sure I wouldn¡¯t skip the meeting with the Donghai officials. The whole world knows my Tesla revival was made possible because of Donghai City¡¯s support. If they hadn¡¯t helped build this super factory, Tesla would¡¯ve gone bankrupt long ago. And no matter how many times I think about it, it still amazes me.¡± ¡°You know what X Country speed is? This super factory was built in just 11 months, from breaking ground to delivering the first car. Eleven months! That¡¯s a miracle only X Country could pull off.¡± ¡°Copernicus knew I wouldn¡¯t skip the meeting, so he felt safe making his move to steal my little fridge. That¡¯s why I set this trap, doing exactly the opposite of what he expected. And now that I know his target was the time-space particles, I can figure out a lot of other things.¡± He turned to Angelica, ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ll take you to see Lin Xian, but until then, don¡¯t contact him. I still have some concerns and need to confirm a few things. If you contact him now and our plan gets exposed, all our efforts will be wasted.¡± ¡°Trust me, if you really want to help Lin Xian, a few more hours won¡¯t make a difference. We need to let Copernicus think his plan is working, that he¡¯s about to succeed. Only then can we catch him off guard and save Lin Xian.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you, that blue-eyed girl chasing Lin Xian did leave from my place, but I never ordered her to kill him. I suspect someone else is controlling her. We need to find out who¡¯s behind all this and take them down. That¡¯s the final piece of the puzzle for Lin Xian¡ªand for us.¡± In the parking lot outside the inpatient department of Donghai University¡¯s affiliated hospital, Lin Xian refreshed his Twitter feed. A new post from Elon Musk popped up. ¡°Elon Musk just updated his Twitter,¡± Lin Xian said, holding his phone out for Yu Xi to see. In the post, Elon Musk apologized for being late to see Zheng Xiang Yue, explaining that there had been an accident at the factory. He claimed he had to return to personally oversee the situation because safety comes first. Luckily, it was just a mechanical issue with no injuries. He was now back on his way to meet the officials and then head to the hospital. Lin Xian put his phone away, turning to Yu Xi, ¡°He¡¯s coming. He¡¯ll be here in less than an hour. We should get ready.¡± An hour later, a long convoy entered the hospital grounds. Elon Musk and an official from Donghai City stepped out of a luxury car, heading straight into the inpatient department. For Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s health and to avoid unnecessary disruptions, no media or outsiders were allowed on this visit. ¡°Yu Xi, let¡¯s go,¡± Lin Xian said, opening the car door. ¡°I think I¡¯ll stay here,¡± Yu Xi replied from the passenger seat. ¡°Elon Musk probably knows about me. That time-space assassin must have told him I¡¯m protecting you.¡± ¡°If I go with you now, it might make Elon Musk suspicious. And if the assassin didn¡¯t tell him, it¡¯s better if I stay hidden. That way, we still have a hidden card to play. No need to show all our cards to Elon Musk.¡± Lin Xian thought about it and agreed. Whether or not Elon Musk knew about Yu Xi, it was better to keep her hidden. As Yu Xi said, she wouldn¡¯t be much help in the negotiation, and the assassin was still far away. There was no need for her to appear. But then he remembered what Yellow Finch had told him... ¡°It¡¯s true! Absolutely true!¡± Elon Musk smiled, pulling out his phone. ¡°How about we take a photo together? I¡¯ll post it on Twitter to respond to those doubters and make sure our promise is recorded online, so it lasts forever.¡± He turned on the front camera and took a selfie with the beaming Zheng Xiang Yue and her moon ticket. Then, he wrote down his promise and posted it online. ¡°There, it¡¯s done. Xiang Yue, the whole world now knows you have a moon ticket that will never expire. So focus on getting better first. Whether it¡¯s decades later or even centuries, even if you lose the ticket, it doesn¡¯t matter. Elon Musk and SpaceX will always owe Zheng Xiang Yue a trip to the moon, ready to make it happen anytime!¡± He put away his phone, glancing toward the door. It seemed like the person he had been waiting for still hadn¡¯t arrived. Was Lin Xian taking too long? I¡¯ve already been late for hours, and you still haven¡¯t shown up? Since you¡¯re still not here, I guess I¡¯ll chat a bit longer. Elon Musk turned back to Zheng Xiang Yue, asking, ¡°So, Xiang Yue, why do you want to go to the moon so badly? What do you want to do up there?¡± ¡°I want to bury my brother on the moon,¡± Zheng Xiang Yue replied with a smile, her words carrying a deep meaning. ¡°Your brother?¡± Elon Musk tilted his head in confusion. Zheng Xiang Yue pointed to the urn on the bedside table. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my brother.¡± Elon Musk saw the urn and immediately understood, clasping his hands together in respect. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± ¡°Actually...¡± Zheng Xiang Yue continued, placing the moon ticket on the urn and gazing at her brother¡¯s black-and-white photo, speaking softly, ¡°My original wish was for my brother to bury me on the moon. My brother always told me that after our parents passed away, their souls went to the moon, watching over us from there. So I wanted to be buried on the moon after I died, so I could reunite with them.¡± ¡°I mentioned this wish to my brother many times, but he never agreed. He said he wouldn¡¯t let me die and would find a way to cure me... I never thought that such a strong, brave brother would die before me.¡± ¡°Since my brother is gone, I¡¯ll have to bury his ashes on the moon. If I can¡¯t come back, I¡¯ll be buried with him, and we¡¯ll be a family again with our parents on the moon. If I do return to Earth, I¡¯ll look at the moon every night, knowing that my parents and brother are watching over me from there.¡± Listening to her, Elon Musk felt a lump in his throat. He rubbed his nose with his left hand and scratched his stubbly chin, feeling a pang of sadness. He realized that Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s life was filled with kind lies, each one shielding her from the harshness of the world and allowing her to chase her dream of the moon with a smile. ¡°And you, Uncle Elon Musk?¡± Zheng Xiang Yue suddenly turned her clear, innocent eyes to the silent man in front of her. ¡°I¡¯ve looked up a lot of information about you because of your moon project. I didn¡¯t understand most of it... but I know you¡¯re a great man. You¡¯re sending people to space for tourism and planning to send them to live on Mars.¡± ¡°So why do you want to go to the moon? Do you have someone you want to see there? What do you plan to do once you get there?¡± Elon Musk rubbed his chin, thinking. ¡°I haven¡¯t really thought about it in detail because, honestly, landing on the moon isn¡¯t an easy thing, and it¡¯s not something that can be done quickly.¡± ¡°The moon is too close to Earth, with a temperature difference of over 300 degrees between day and night and a rotation period of a month. It doesn¡¯t have much value for development, far less than Mars. So humanity probably won¡¯t establish a base on the moon.¡± ¡°But, to be honest, I do have a crazy idea. I¡¯ve always thought the moon is a natural ¡®billboard.¡¯ Think about it... because of tidal locking, the moon¡¯s rotation period and orbital period are perfectly synchronized.¡± ¡°This means the moon always faces Earth with the same side, and people on Earth never see the far side. Plus, the moon reflects sunlight, making it the brightest object in the night sky...¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make it the perfect celestial billboard? If I put a logo on the moon, wouldn¡¯t people all over the world see my company¡¯s logo every time they look up at the sky?¡± ¡°My original plan was to use reflective materials to create a giant letter, stretching from the North Pole to the South Pole. It could be a ¡®T¡¯ or an ¡®X,¡¯ representing my company¡¯s logo... What do you think, Xiang Yue? Doesn¡¯t that sound cool?¡± Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s eyes widened in shock, and she quickly shook her head. ¡°Uncle Elon Musk, how could you do that? The moon is so beautiful and pure... How could you write on it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Elon Musk laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s cool?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not cool at all... It¡¯s actually really scary!¡± Zheng Xiang Yue frowned, her face full of concern. ¡°If the moon looked like that, I think a lot of people would be too scared to look up at the sky anymore. Since my parents are on the moon, there must be many others who have loved ones up there too, right?¡± ¡°When we miss them, we can look up at the moon, and when they miss us, they can look down at the Earth... But if your big black logo blocks our view, we... we won¡¯t be able to see each other anymore.¡± Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s innocent words left Elon Musk momentarily speechless. He had never considered such a sentimental perspective. Even when people complained about his Starlink satellites polluting the night sky, he had dismissed it, thinking that a few more twinkling lights wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone. But Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s words made him realize there was more to consider. ¡°Uncle Elon Musk...¡± Zheng Xiang Yue shifted closer, her small hands gently holding Elon Musk¡¯s large one. ¡°Please...¡± Her eyes were clear and pure as she looked into his. ¡°Please let the moon stay just as it is... Can you promise me that?¡± Elon Musk looked into the girl¡¯s eyes and saw the medical wires and monitoring patches stuck to her neck. He chuckled lightly and shrugged. ¡°How could you take my joke seriously?¡± He smiled, trying to ease the mood. ¡°It was just a joke! Don¡¯t worry, Xiang Yue, the moon will always stay clean and clear, just like your eyes.¡± He glanced toward the door. Finally... he saw the young man he had been waiting for. Elon Musk stood up, waving goodbye to Zheng Xiang Yue. ¡°Goodbye, Xiang Yue. Take good care of yourself.¡± ¡°I believe one day we will meet on the moon!¡± Chapter 350: A Future Meeting ¡°Yu Xi, wait for me here by the stairs. I¡¯ll feel safer knowing you¡¯re close but not too exposed,¡± Lin Xian said, his voice serious. He paused, torn between keeping Yu Xi nearby and making sure she stayed out of sight. After a moment, he decided on a compromise. After leaving Yu Xi at the stairwell on the 17th floor of the hospital, Lin Xian headed toward Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s hospital room. Outside the room, two figures stood¡ªa local official from Donghai and the head nurse. They waited respectfully outside, not wanting to interrupt Elon Musk and Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s conversation, as Elon Musk had asked for privacy. Lin Xian didn¡¯t get too close; he stood quietly by the door. It didn¡¯t take long for Elon Musk to notice him. With a slight nod to Zheng Xiang Yue, Elon Musk got up and stepped outside. ¡°Lin Xian is a friend,¡± Elon Musk said, smiling at the official with him. ¡°We¡¯ll just have a quick chat over there. It won¡¯t take long and won¡¯t affect our schedule.¡± ¡°Of course, take your time,¡± the official replied politely. Elon Musk adjusted his suit and walked towards Lin Xian, extending his hand in a friendly manner. ¡°Lin Xian, it¡¯s been a while. Let¡¯s shake hands.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Angelica?¡± Lin Xian asked directly, ignoring Elon Musk¡¯s hand. ¡°What have you done to her?¡± Elon Musk lowered his gaze, chuckling softly before shaking his head. ¡°Lin Xian, if you¡¯re looking for Angelica, you¡¯re in the wrong place. She¡¯s not with me.¡±V/\Issi?T for the b/est novel reading experi/en/ce He continued, his voice calm but with a hint of amusement. ¡°It¡¯s true that I had control over her at one point, and I treated her well... but she escaped, taking some things with her. I¡¯d actually like to ask you if you know where she is. After all, she did steal from me, and I¡¯d like my belongings back.¡± Lin Xian scoffed, clearly not buying Elon Musk¡¯s story. Angelica had gone missing at Elon Musk¡¯s rocket launch center and hadn¡¯t been seen or heard from since. Elon Musk was obviously lying. ¡°So, there¡¯s nothing more to discuss?¡± Lin Xian said coldly. Elon Musk¡¯s smile faded, and he looked at Lin Xian seriously. ¡°I suppose no matter what I say now, you won¡¯t believe me, will you? I think there¡¯s a deep misunderstanding between us, Lin Xian. But if you¡¯re expecting me to present evidence to clear things up, I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have any.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°However, I believe if we both come to the table with sincerity, we might be able to clear up these misunderstandings. This hospital isn¡¯t the right place for that, and there¡¯s something I want to show you. It¡¯s not suitable to bring it out here. How about we meet later, somewhere more private?¡± Elon Musk straightened up as he suggested, ¡°There¡¯s an abandoned factory about two kilometers north of the Tesla Gigafactory in the New Port Area. It¡¯s a quiet place, perfect for a serious conversation, and no one will disturb us there.¡± He glanced at his watch. ¡°How about tonight at 8 PM? I won¡¯t be late this time. I¡¯ll come alone, without any bodyguards, just me. Let¡¯s meet there.¡± With that, he waved goodbye to Lin Xian, turning to walk back to the official from Donghai. Together, they politely entered the elevator, and the doors closed as they descended out of sight. ... The encounter was much shorter than Lin Xian had anticipated. But what could he do? With Elon Musk denying any involvement with Angelica, there wasn¡¯t much to discuss. What surprised him, though, was Elon Musk¡¯s invitation to meet later that night, alone, at an abandoned factory in a remote area. Could he trust it? Lin Xian wasn¡¯t naive enough to take Elon Musk¡¯s word at face value. Since he was already at the hospital and hadn¡¯t visited Zheng Xiang Yue in a while, he decided to take the opportunity to see her. He walked to the room and gently knocked on the door. As he entered, his eyes met Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s, who was holding an urn in her arms. ¡°Lin Xian!¡± Zheng Xiang Yue beamed, her long, black hair cascading over her shoulders as she tilted her head slightly. She placed the urn back on the bedside table and rushed over to grab Lin Xian¡¯s hand. ¡°Lin Xian, do you know who just visited? It was Elon Musk! The one selling tickets for the moon trip! He told me you were the one who bought my ticket! Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± she exclaimed. Lin Xian smiled softly as he led her back into the room, listening to her excited recount of Elon Musk¡¯s visit. ¡°Since you already know, I won¡¯t hide it anymore,¡± Lin Xian said calmly. ¡°The truth is, the ticket was bought through me, but the money came from another of your brother¡¯s friends¡ªa part of his inheritance. He knew about your dream and your bond with your brother, so he did a good deed before he passed, helping you achieve your dream.¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Zheng Xiang Yue replied, scratching her head as she absorbed the story. ¡°He must have been a really good and kind person.¡± ¡°Maybe in his next life, he¡¯ll be a better person,¡± Lin Xian added with a small smile. ¡°If your dream of going to the moon comes true, it might even bring him some peace.¡± Zheng Xiang Yue bit her lip, hesitating before she looked up at Lin Xian with determination in her eyes. ¡°Lin Xian, do you remember asking if I would be willing to go into hibernation with Xu Yi Yi?¡± she asked. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± In truth, the doctor had already spoken to Lin Xian about Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s condition twice before, stressing that her situation was far more dangerous than it appeared. The doctor had said, ¡°I know you¡¯re caring for both Zheng Xiang Yue and Xu Yi Yi, so I¡¯ll be honest with you. Don¡¯t let Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s outward appearance fool you. Her condition is far more precarious than Xu Yi Yi¡¯s.¡± ¡°Xu Yi Yi¡¯s illness is stable, and we can anticipate the progression, but Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s heart condition could be fatal if it flares up suddenly. She¡¯s been lucky so far, but no one knows how long that luck will last. I strongly suggest persuading her to go into hibernation with Xu Yi Yi.¡± ... When Lin Xian took Xu Yi Yi to the Science Academy for hibernation, he had tried to convince Zheng Xiang Yue to do the same, but she had refused, fearing she would miss the chance to travel to the moon. Even though she didn¡¯t fully believe in the authenticity of the ticket, she couldn¡¯t shake the thought, ¡°What if it¡¯s real?¡± If she slept through the opportunity, she knew she¡¯d regret it forever. Lin Xian smiled softly, standing up to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll take your words to heart. I could use some good luck right about now.¡± ... After leaving the doctor¡¯s office, Lin Xian returned to the stairwell on the 17th floor of the inpatient department, where Yu Xi was waiting quietly. ¡°No issues?¡± Lin Xian asked. Yu Xi shook her head. ¡°No one came by, just Elon Musk¡¯s bodyguards running up and down a couple of times.¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t notice you?¡± Lin Xian inquired. Yu Xi shook her head again, hands in her pockets. ¡°No, they didn¡¯t.¡± Afterward, the two took the elevator down and returned to their hotel. In the suite, Lin Xian recounted his conversation with Elon Musk to Yu Xi. ¡°This is definitely a trap,¡± Yu Xi said bluntly. ¡°If we had been the ones to arrange a meeting, it would be different. But Elon Musk asking you to meet in such a remote place? It¡¯s dangerous, no matter how you look at it.¡± ¡°He claims he¡¯ll be alone, but that abandoned factory is near his headquarters, the Tesla Gigafactory. Who knows how many people will actually be there?¡± ¡°And if he¡¯s denying that Angelica is with him, then there¡¯s even less reason to meet. No matter what state Angelica is in, Elon Musk clearly doesn¡¯t intend to return her to you. We don¡¯t even know if she¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°I thought the same,¡± Lin Xian agreed, glancing at his watch. ¡°This meeting looks like a setup.¡± The digital display on his smartwatch read 4:32 PM, leaving three and a half hours until Elon Musk¡¯s proposed meeting at 8 PM. ¡°Are you sure you want to go?¡± Yu Xi asked, her tone serious. ¡°It¡¯s really risky. I suggest that if you have to meet him, we should choose the place and time.¡± ¡°But... I¡¯m not sure we have enough time,¡± she continued. ¡°I can sense that the time-space assassin has entered the country. She¡¯s still far away, near Shandong, but getting closer to Donghai.¡± ¡°If she meets up with Elon Musk, we¡¯ll have no chance. Time is running out, Lin Xian. You need to decide quickly. We can either take the risk and meet Elon Musk, focus on dealing with the assassin, or leave Donghai again and wait for a better opportunity.¡± Lin Xian sat on the sofa, his chin resting on his hand, eyes closed in thought. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off about Elon Musk¡¯s attitude. Is he really an enemy? Lin Xian wondered. Elon Musk hadn¡¯t shown any direct intent to harm him. He had even saved him from Kevin Walker¡¯s hijacked space shuttle crash and indirectly gave him Kevin¡¯s location. But if Elon Musk isn¡¯t an enemy, why lie about Angelica? And why kill VV and send the time-space assassin? Looking at the situation, the assassin wouldn¡¯t reach Donghai until midnight at the earliest. That meant Elon Musk had a window to act before then. If he wanted to kill Lin Xian, he had plenty of opportunities in the U.S. So why wait until now, when it would be more complicated? Logically, killing Lin Xian in Donghai would cause more trouble than it¡¯s worth. Lin Xian¡¯s gut told him something was wrong. Who¡¯s really behind all this? But tonight¡¯s meeting at 8 PM¡ªshould he go or not? ¡°I think we should go,¡± Lin Xian finally said, opening his eyes. ¡°If Elon Musk really wanted to kill me, he could¡¯ve done it long before now. Setting up a trap here doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure, Lin Xian,¡± Yu Xi warned. ¡°Why put your life in Elon Musk¡¯s hands? You can¡¯t always count on your enemies being merciful.¡± ¡°If you decide to meet Elon Musk tonight, I¡¯ll protect you, but I¡¯m limited by the time-space laws. If you¡¯re in danger, all I can do is help you escape; I can¡¯t fight back against people from this timeline.¡± ¡°If Elon Musk lied about Angelica, he can lie about anything. Be on guard. If he¡¯s sincere, then talk to him. But if it¡¯s an ambush... be ready to react and take him down.¡± ¡°Take him down?¡± Lin Xian asked, looking up at Yu Xi, who stood with her hands in her pockets. With a quick motion, Yu Xi pulled a yellow-and-black object from her pocket and slapped it onto the coffee table in front of him. Lin Xian glanced down¡ªa Taser gun! He knew the weapon well. He hadn¡¯t used one before, but he¡¯d been on the receiving end plenty of times. The sudden jolt of electricity and the muscle paralysis that followed were unforgettable. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± Lin Xian asked, puzzled. ¡°I swiped it from one of Elon Musk¡¯s bodyguards at the hospital,¡± Yu Xi replied casually. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking of hitting the black market to trade Angelica¡¯s jewelry for a real gun, but I haven¡¯t had the chance. You won¡¯t let me out of your sight, so this will have to do.¡± ¡°This won¡¯t kill anyone, but it¡¯ll paralyze them, make them twitch, fall down, and maybe even pass out. It¡¯ll be enough to take Elon Musk down.¡± ¡°So, just in case...¡± she said, her bright blue eyes locking onto Lin Xian¡¯s, ¡°let¡¯s get there early and set up an ambush. If something feels off... we¡¯ll strike first.¡± Chapter 376: The Big Stage in Donghai City ¡°Yan Qiao Qiao?¡± Lin Xian thought of the little girl who had pulled out his gray hair during dinner with Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s parents. He was a bit surprised. ¡°You¡¯re looking after Yan Qiao Qiao now? Wasn¡¯t she staying with your parents?¡± Zhao Ying Jun sighed, smiling helplessly. ¡°My parents had an emergency and had to return to the capital. They left Qiao Qiao with me for a few days. But now... everything is happening at once.¡± ¡°The Second Master passed away, so I have to go back to the capital too. But now... there¡¯s no one to take care of both VV and Qiao Qiao.¡± ¡°VV has been feeling down lately, and I don¡¯t trust anyone else to look after him. It¡¯s the same with Qiao Qiao. You¡¯re the only person I can trust. At least Qiao Qiao knows you, so she won¡¯t feel uncomfortable.¡± Lin Xian nodded and agreed without hesitation. ¡°No problem at all. Leave it to me. You can go back to the capital and handle your family matters.¡± Taking care of a child and a dog? Lin Xian thought it was the least he could do. Zhao Ying Jun had helped him a lot in the past; how could he refuse her in an emergency? Besides, Zhao Ying Jun said she¡¯d be back in two or three days to pick them up. Delaying his plans for Queen Town by a few days wouldn¡¯t hurt, especially since he had no leads at the moment. Taking care of Qiao Qiao and VV first was the priority. Lin Xian sat across from Zhao Ying Jun, poured himself some tea, and asked, ¡°So, when should I pick up Qiao Qiao?¡± ¡°She has a lot of stuff. How about... tonight, I¡¯ll bring her and her things to your place?¡± Zhao Ying Jun suggested. ¡°Qiao Qiao and VV both have essential items that you probably don¡¯t have. I¡¯ll pack two suitcases and bring them over tonight. Is that okay?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s fine.¡± He realized that, as a little girl, Qiao Qiao would need to bring many of her daily essentials, and VV the Pomeranian would need his food bowl, dog food, and bed. ¡°By the way...¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled slightly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to your place before. Is it convenient?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°There¡¯s nothing inconvenient about it. My place is just a rental. It¡¯s a three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment, and I live there alone. There¡¯s plenty of space for Qiao Qiao to stay in the guest room.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been renting it since I graduated. I even asked the landlord if he¡¯d consider selling it to me since I¡¯ve gotten attached to the place. But he said it¡¯s a school district house, and he¡¯s keeping it for his grandson¡¯s future schooling. It¡¯s funny how far ahead parents think these days. His son just started college, and he¡¯s already planning for his grandson¡¯s education.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded sympathetically. ¡°Grandparents really do think ahead... I can totally understand. By the way, do you like children?¡± ¡°They¡¯re alright,¡± Lin Xian replied, leaning back. ¡°I like kids like Qiao Qiao¡ªshe¡¯s cute, well-behaved, and really smart. But people say that as kids grow older, they become less obedient, and some even say the teenage years are the most challenging. But who knows? Maybe I¡¯ll feel differently if I ever have to deal with a crying baby. For now, I think Qiao Qiao is pretty adorable.¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled softly, relieved. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± ¡°Alright then, it¡¯s settled. I know your address but not the specific building or unit number. Could you send me the details later? I¡¯ll bring Qiao Qiao and VV over tonight with their stuff.¡± After Zhao Ying Jun left, Lin Xian thought about his place. There shouldn¡¯t be anything embarrassing there, right? No, it was definitely clean and tidy. Feeling reassured, he relaxed. The guest room was already clean since no one ever visited. The bed was made, and Zhao Ying Jun would likely bring fresh linens for Qiao Qiao. ¡°Looks like there¡¯s nothing to prepare, just waiting for the kid and the dog.¡± Lin Xian leaned back in his chair and yawned. His schedule had been so disrupted lately that he still felt a bit dizzy. He closed his eyes, thinking about Queen Town. He still didn¡¯t know who the Queen was, but it was clear she wasn¡¯t from Earth. Her ideas and plans were too advanced, far beyond what Earth¡¯s timeline would suggest. While the rest of the world was still in primitive agriculture, Queen Town was already building cavalry, refining iron, wielding guns, and industrializing. It wasn¡¯t even on the same level of civilization. ¡°The Queen of Queen Town clearly isn¡¯t easy to deal with. If she wanted to unify the Old Donghai region, it¡¯d be as simple as giving an order.¡± ¡°But at least she hasn¡¯t completely wiped out the backward villages like Big Cat¡¯s Village and Rhine Village. Although she collects protection fees regularly, if she¡¯s anything like the Big Cat in the Second Dream, who genuinely protected the area, it might be an acceptable trade.¡± ¡°Still, capturing the Queen has to be the first step in the infiltration plan. Otherwise, finding those aluminum alloy safes could take forever.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s intuition told him the Queen¡¯s residence was likely in the tallest building at the center of the town. If he could get past the patrols and sneak into the castle to capture the Queen, everything else would be easy. But... the first step was proving to be the hardest. Those affectionate couples were everywhere, and in Queen Town¡¯s open atmosphere, it was easy to spot an outsider. No wonder they¡¯d call the guards. ¡°The problem is, CC isn¡¯t experienced, and the judges have high expectations.¡± Thinking about CC¡¯s terrible acting skills gave Lin Xian a headache. ¡°Let¡¯s hope CC can pull it together. Our clothes already make us stand out as outsiders. If we can¡¯t act convincingly as a couple, we¡¯ll be caught for sure.¡± After handling a few things at the office, Lin Xian headed home to tidy up a bit and then sent Zhao Ying Jun his address. She quickly replied, explaining that she had a lot of work to finish since she¡¯d be away from the company for three days, including a critical meeting that evening. So... She said she¡¯d bring Qiao Qiao and VV over around 10 PM. ¡°Sorry, Lin Xian,¡± she texted. ¡°I wanted to come earlier, but the company is swamped right now, and I have to personally oversee everything before leaving. I¡¯m really sorry to disturb your evening.¡± Lin Xian assured her it was fine. ¡°I usually stay up late anyway, so it¡¯s no problem. See you at 10.¡± Then Lin Xian checked the time. It was only 11 AM, meaning he had plenty of time to attempt another dream infiltration before Zhao Ying Jun arrived. If he left the dream by 10 PM, he¡¯d be on time. No need to waste any opportunity for a dream infiltration. After a quick meal, Lin Xian pulled the curtains, lay on his bed, and drifted into sleep. ... ¡°So, that¡¯s our plan,¡± Lin Xian said in Big Cat¡¯s Village command room, using a burnt piece of charcoal to sketch a simple map of Queen Town on the floor. He pointed to the southwest corner. ¡°This area is sparsely populated, and the patrols rarely go there because it¡¯s a popular dating spot for the young couples.¡± ¡°Queen Town has a strong culture of romance; people fall in love, marry, and have children early, which explains their rapid population growth.¡± ¡°But the old town in the southwest is full of couples in every corner. If we rush in, those sharp-eyed lovebirds will spot us immediately. It¡¯s frustrating... Can¡¯t they just mind their own business instead of policing who¡¯s a real couple?¡± Lin Xian felt a bit exasperated. ¡°Back in 2024, couples sneaking around would¡¯ve run away if caught, but in Queen Town, they¡¯re like romance inspectors. They¡¯ll judge you as an intruder if you don¡¯t look like a genuine couple.¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a place where they determine intruders based on whether they¡¯re truly in love. It¡¯s absurd!¡± Uncle Wei nodded patiently. ¡°Lin Xian, you can¡¯t really blame them. You and CC were in the middle of a romantic hotspot, and anyone would find it suspicious if you¡¯re not acting like a couple.¡± ¡°Walking down the street as a man and woman, the best disguise is to act like a loving couple. People tend to overlook couples in love. That¡¯s why in spy movies, the leads often pose as couples¡ªit¡¯s the perfect cover. Given Queen Town¡¯s culture, you two should blend in by acting like a couple.¡± Big Cat shrugged, confused. ¡°Yeah, why make it complicated, bro? Just act lovey-dovey with your wife, hold her close, and blend in. You two are married, so it shouldn¡¯t be hard to pretend. Or are you too shy to be affectionate in public? Come on, you¡¯re both young; why act so old?¡± ¡°No one knows you in Queen Town, so what¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? Just stick close and pretend to be in love like when you were dating.¡± Ah Zhuang and San Pang also looked at Lin Xian and CC with puzzled expressions. It seemed like a simple solution to them. Er Zhuzi, however, narrowed his eyes and glared at the couple. ¡°Are you two really married? Or are you lying to us?¡± ¡°How could we be lying!¡± CC quickly grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm and explained, ¡°Not all couples are the same. I¡¯d follow Lin Xian anywhere, but I¡¯m not sure how to act in a romantic way. We don¡¯t do things like that where I¡¯m from.¡± ¡°Right, honey?¡± CC looked at Lin Xian, blinking. Lin Xian coughed lightly to help CC out. ¡°My wife is the reserved type, and we had a quick marriage. It was a bit like an arranged marriage¡ªmarried first, then fell in love.¡± ¡°We skipped the dating phase, so CC isn¡¯t familiar with how couples in love act. She¡¯s not experienced in playing the part of a clingy lover.¡± Uncle Wei chuckled, raising his hand. ¡°If she¡¯s inexperienced, just let me teach her! I¡¯m great at showing affection with my wife. I¡¯m the perfect coach!¡± Lin Xian waved his hand. ¡°No, thanks, Uncle Wei. Your wife is the gentle type, not suitable for CC¡¯s style. Honestly, your lessons made CC look more like a horror movie character than a demure lady.¡± Thud. CC elbowed Lin Xian, frowning. ¡°I haven¡¯t even tried yet. Why say that? And if you don¡¯t like how Uncle Wei teaches, then why don¡¯t you teach me yourself?¡± She narrowed her eyes at Lin Xian. ¡°You¡¯re not that young. Surely you¡¯ve been in a relationship before?¡± Lin Xian took a deep breath. ¡°Why does everyone keep asking about my past relationships?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point right now. We¡¯re short on time, so let¡¯s focus. The main issue is that CC doesn¡¯t have any experience being in love, so she can¡¯t fake that romantic vibe.¡± ¡°And those nosey residents of Queen Town are all like romance inspectors. If they spot us acting strangely, they¡¯ll call us intruders, and the cavalry will be on us in no time.¡± ¡°So, if any of you think you can help, teach CC how to act more like a lovesick woman.¡± Hmph! Er Zhuzi snorted. ¡°That¡¯s easy! Let me teach her a few tricks!¡± He rubbed his nose. ¡°Your wife¡¯s personality is similar to our late sister-in-law, so she could just imitate her style!¡± He pointed outside, under the shade of the trees. ¡°Come on, sister-in-law, let me tell you more about our late sister-in-law.¡± And with that, the two walked out to the willow trees under the sunlight. Lin Xian tilted his head, looking at Big Cat, who still hadn¡¯t realized the severity of the situation. ¡°Brother Cat, was our sister-in-law very affectionate back then?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Big Cat replied proudly. ¡°When she was still around, we were inseparable! She looked quiet and elegant, but she was very assertive. That¡¯s how she won my heart¡ªwait, hang on a second!¡± Big Cat¡¯s face turned pale green, scratching his head and looking outside. ¡°Wait... why would Er Zhuzi know so much about his sister-in-law¡¯s dating moves?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. It was one of those tricky personal matters. He just grabbed a sunhat from Uncle Wei¡¯s bag and put it on Big Cat¡¯s head. ¡°Sometimes, it¡¯s best not to think too much. Just like this hat¡ªit¡¯s quite comfy, right? Keep it.¡± Big Cat looked surprised, pointing to Uncle Wei¡¯s bag. ¡°How come you¡¯ve got everything in there? Is it some kind of magic bag?¡± ... ¡°I...¡± He gawked, speechless, glancing between Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun, then at the clock on the wall¡ª10:23 PM. Hiss. He sucked in a cold breath. He¡¯d messed up big time! Ruined his buddy¡¯s evening! At this time, a man and a woman alone in an apartment... and they were already somewhat close! What else could they be doing? Gao Yang was caught between a rock and a hard place. But eventually, the turmoil in his stomach won over his sense of loyalty, and he quickly shuffled his way to the bathroom, waving his hand. ¡°I just came to use the toilet! You guys carry on! Just pretend I¡¯m not here! I¡¯ll leave right after!¡± He slammed the bathroom door shut and began his business. Zhao Ying Jun raised an eyebrow, watching the bizarre scene, and then looked at Lin Xian with a puzzled expression. ¡°Is that your friend?¡± Lin Xian realized Zhao Ying Jun had never properly met Gao Yang before. Yellow Finch was very familiar with him, knowing they were childhood friends and could be trusted. And Yellow Finch was Zhao Ying Jun in another time-space, so she must have known Gao Yang through him in that world. Lin Xian had expected their first meeting to be more formal, but as always, Gao Yang¡¯s entrance was unforgettable. ¡°Uh... yeah, that¡¯s my childhood friend. We grew up together,¡± Lin Xian explained. ¡°Remember when you gave me an extra invitation to the MX celebration party? I took him with me, but he was too busy eating, so you probably didn¡¯t notice him.¡± ¡°His name is Gao Yang. He¡¯s probably my best friend. Don¡¯t mind what just happened; he¡¯s actually a good guy with a kind heart.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded, understanding Gao Yang¡¯s identity. ¡°So he¡¯s your best friend, huh...¡± She chuckled softly and shook her head. ¡°Everyone has their embarrassing moments when nature calls. I understand.¡± ¡°I always believe that people attract others who are like them, so if Gao Yang is your best friend, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s a great person, just like you.¡± The sounds of flushing, hand-washing, and paper towel dispensing came from the bathroom. Then the door opened, and Gao Yang walked out, smiling sheepishly. He pretended nothing had happened and greeted Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Hello, beautiful lady. I¡¯m Gao Yang, Lin Xian¡¯s good friend.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± he continued. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from Lin Xian, so I feel like I already know you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled, looking more at ease with Gao Yang. ¡°Lin Xian talks about me often?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah!¡± Gao Yang gave a thumbs up, praising her. ¡°Lin Xian always speaks highly of you! He says you¡¯re amazing at everything! I¡ª¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Lin Xian cut him off, pointing to Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Let me introduce you properly. This is Zhao Ying Jun, my former boss; and this is Gao Yang, my childhood friend.¡± A brief introduction completed the historic first meeting between Gao Yang and Zhao Ying Jun. She was polite and courteous, clearly wanting to leave a good impression, while Gao Yang wished he could disappear into a crack in the floor out of embarrassment. Seizing the chance, Gao Yang made a quick exit to the door, waving goodbye. ¡°I just came to use the restroom! I¡¯m out of here. I¡¯ve got to get back to my food stall. You two carry on. Bye!¡± Bang. Gao Yang¡¯s chubby figure displayed surprising agility as he vanished and slammed the door shut. ¡°...¡± Lin Xian stared at the closed door. Came in a rush, left in a rush. ¡°Heh.¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, looking in the direction Gao Yang had gone. ¡°Your friend is quite amusing.¡± ¡°That... counts as amusing?¡± Lin Xian marveled at Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s level of tolerance. For someone who left such a strong, toilet-related first impression, Zhao Ying Jun simply found Gao Yang amusing. If Gao Yang knew, he¡¯d probably be waving a banner for 600 years, thanking Zhao Ying Jun for forgiving his near-social-death experience. Not wanting to continue this smelly topic, Lin Xian pointed to the clean guest bedroom. ¡°Did you bring Qiao Qiao¡¯s sheets and blankets? While she¡¯s playing with VV, we can set up her bed.¡± And so, like a pair of longtime partners, they worked together to set up Qiao Qiao¡¯s bed with sheets, pillowcases, and blankets. They even placed her favorite Rhine Cat plush on the headboard, making the little girl¡¯s temporary residence cozy and ready. Back in the living room, Zhao Ying Jun saw both Qiao Qiao and VV yawning. ¡°Alright, you two will be staying here for the next two days. Please behave and listen to Brother Lin Xian.¡± She bent down and ruffled Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair. ¡°VV is familiar with Lin Xian, and you¡¯ve met him before, too. So, for the next two days, be good and listen to Brother Lin Xian, okay?¡± Qiao Qiao nodded obediently and waved at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Goodbye, sister.¡± ¡°Woof, woof!¡± VV barked energetically. Seeing them so content to stay, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but smile. He walked her to the door, saying, ¡°With Qiao Qiao here, I won¡¯t go downstairs to see you off. Take care on your way, and safe travels back to Donghai City.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded, smiling softly. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can.¡± ¡°I hope Qiao Qiao won¡¯t cause you too much trouble, and I also hope... you¡¯ll like her.¡± ... After Zhao Ying Jun left, Qiao Qiao and VV, having played all day, were soon ready for bed. VV simply dragged its bed to Qiao Qiao¡¯s side and immediately fell asleep, like Lin Xian¡¯s own ability to fall asleep anywhere. Qiao Qiao needed a bit more preparation¡ªbrushing her teeth and washing her face. Thankfully, Zhao Ying Jun had already instilled these habits, and Qiao Qiao was now a well-behaved, automatic little helper. Once she was tucked in and covered up, Lin Xian stood at the door, turned off the light, and said, ¡°Good night, Qiao Qiao.¡± ¡°Good night...¡± came the soft, innocent reply from the darkness, ¡°Brother Lin Xian.¡± ... The next morning, he woke up early to make breakfast for Qiao Qiao and put out a bowl of dog food for VV. After that, he planned to visit Donghai University and the Rhine Joint Laboratory. He had two things to discuss with Liu Feng: First, Lin Xian felt that he wouldn¡¯t get any useful advice from Uncle Wei or Er Zhuzi on how to act like a couple. So, why not ask Liu Feng, who considered himself a relationship expert? Having witnessed Liu Feng¡¯s life-and-death romance with Li Qi Qi, Lin Xian knew he might have some practical tips to help CC act like a lovestruck girl. Second, Brother Wang had already begun setting up a new Rhine Laboratory to prepare for the future construction of the time-space shuttle. They had also selected a location for the observatory to build a small radio telescope capable of detecting time-space particles... Now that both tasks were done, Lin Xian intended to report back to Liu Feng. After freshening up and changing clothes, Lin Xian went to the living room and found Qiao Qiao dressed in a cream-colored dress, holding the white Pomeranian, VV, waiting for him. Lin Xian looked at the girl and the dog. ¡°You two want to come with me?¡± Both Qiao Qiao and VV nodded simultaneously. ¡°We want to go out and play.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Lin Xian said. He didn¡¯t feel comfortable leaving Qiao Qiao alone at home anyway. She was definitely Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s relative. Losing track of her would be a disaster. So, it was best to bring her along. They took the Alphard minivan to the Donghai University campus and entered the Rhine Joint Laboratory, heading to the second floor. Lin Xian walked in first. Liu Feng, who was busy inside, looked up and widened his eyes. Behind Lin Xian, he saw a fluffy white dog being carried by a young girl in her early teens. ¡°An arithmetic sequence!¡± Liu Feng exclaimed excitedly. ¡°The arithmetic sequence is finally complete! See, Lin Xian, I was right, wasn¡¯t I? Math is so precise, so absolute!¡± Ughh. Lin Xian sighed, feeling a bit exasperated by his friend¡¯s obsession. ¡°Alright, alright, you got it right. From now on, I guess this sequence joke won¡¯t come up again. You win this time.¡± ¡°But let¡¯s move on. I¡¯m here today because I have something to talk to you about.¡± Liu Feng smiled, stepping out from behind the lab table. ¡°Well, it seems like a coincidence... I have a new discovery about time-space particles to share with you!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± It sounded like Liu Feng¡¯s news was more significant. Lin Xian gestured for him to go first. ¡°If your research is finally getting back on track from gossip, let¡¯s hear it. What have you found about time-space particles?¡± Liu Feng walked to the lab table by the window and picked up the small white refrigerator given by Elon Musk. After entering the password, the fridge door popped open. Liu Feng lifted the container with the lazy, stable, blue electric strands of the time-space particles and walked over, his voice filled with excitement. ¡°You won¡¯t believe it.¡± Liu Feng pointed to the particles inside the fridge. ¡°I accidentally discovered... that these energy-depleted time-space particles have a chance of recharging!¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian was shocked by the finding. This thing was that magical? Better not let Elon Musk find out... If he knew, he¡¯d probably want to take these depleted entangled time-space particles back! Alongside Lin Xian, the curious Yan Qiao Qiao also stepped forward, eyes wide with wonder, just like VV in her arms, looking at the bright blue particles in the fridge. She reached out her hand... ¡°Lin Xian, I was just as shocked as you!¡± Liu Feng held the fridge excitedly. ¡°But it¡¯s true! If we find the right method, we can definitely¡ªhey!¡± He looked down, finally noticing that the young girl who came with Lin Xian had already reached her hand into the fridge... Touching the time-space particles! Chapter 377: Meeting the Queen Liu Feng bowed his head thoughtfully. The young girl, who had a clear and innocent expression, reached into a small refrigerator. She kept trying to grab something¡ªtime-space particles¡ªbut it was useless. ¡°Having fun, little girl?¡± Liu Feng asked, smiling. Yan Qiao Qiao seemed to be locked in a struggle. Her eyes remained fixed, her focus entirely on catching those invisible time-space particles. Liu Feng kept the refrigerator door open and glanced up at Lin Xian. ¡°By the way, I haven¡¯t asked yet. Who is this little girl, and where did she come from?¡± Lin Xian replied, ¡°She¡¯s Yan Qiao Qiao, a relative of my former boss, Zhao Ying Jun.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t met Zhao Ying Jun yet, but when you do, you¡¯ll be surprised at how much Qiao Qiao and Ying Jun look alike. They could be real sisters,¡± Lin Xian added with a small smile. He couldn¡¯t help but think about how interesting these encounters across time and space could be. For example, Yellow Finch had known Gao Yang for a long time. She remembered their first meeting vividly, how Gao Yang looked like he was on the brink of a breakdown. That¡¯s why, back at the Satellite Launch Center, when she heard Lin Xian mention Gao Yang¡¯s name, she had that complicated yet knowing smile. It all formed a kind of closed loop. Even though time and space had shifted, Yellow Finch¡¯s first meeting with Gao Yang might not have been quite as chaotic as it was last night. But given Gao Yang¡¯s character, it was likely just as funny. Looking over at Liu Feng, Lin Xian noticed something. Yellow Finch clearly knew about his connection to Liu Feng and never hid any information from him. This was intriguing. Lin Xian began to wonder when Liu Feng and Zhao Ying Jun might meet for the first time and what kind of story might unfold. Up until now, Lin Xian felt familiar with Zhao Ying Jun, but it wasn¡¯t the real 2024 version of her. Instead, it was a familiarity built through Yellow Finch and the Zhao Ying Jun in the third dream, who had waited 600 years. But things were different now. He had met Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s parents and even shared a meal with them. Now, he was helping her take care of a kid and a dog. These were new connections that hadn¡¯t existed before. From Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s perspective, it was the same. They had only been colleagues before¡ªseemingly close but always separated by a barrier that neither could cross. She had never met any of Lin Xian¡¯s friends and knew nothing about his life outside of work. But now, things were changing. She had met Gao Yang, and maybe soon, she would meet Liu Feng, Lin Xian¡¯s trusted advisor. And then? Would she get to know him better? Understand his secrets, his goals, his struggles, and the dangers he faced? Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure. He was still worried. What if Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s fate turned out to be as heartbreaking as Yellow Finch¡¯s? He was doing everything he could, pushing to join the Genius Club, just to change people¡¯s destinies and rewrite a history filled with failure. But if his presence only added another failure to the endless loop, what would be the point? He had these concerns not just for Zhao Ying Jun. He hadn¡¯t told his secrets to Liu Feng, Gao Yang, or Chu An Qing either, even though they were completely trustworthy. But someday, he¡¯d have to come clean, right? After he joined the Genius Club and gained the power to match their enemies! ¡°Zhao Ying Jun, huh,¡± Liu Feng muttered. He set down the small fridge, picked up a piece of chalk, and wrote some names on the blackboard behind him: Yan Qiao Qiao, Chu An Qing, Su Su, Yellow Finch. He lined up their ages carefully and shook his head, saying, ¡°But... there¡¯s no place for Zhao Ying Jun in this arithmetic sequence!¡± Lin Xian sighed, exasperated. ¡°Enough with that arithmetic joke already! It¡¯s complete, over¡ªno new members will join.¡± ¡°But my life and battles are far from over. I¡¯ll meet more friends, more allies, and even more enemies. There will be both men and women,¡± he continued. ¡°I can¡¯t let my life be controlled by some arithmetic sequence joke forever. Wipe the board. Let¡¯s get serious.¡± After giving Liu Feng the instructions, Lin Xian watched Yan Qiao Qiao continue her futile attempts to grab the time-space particles. He went over and ruffled her hair. ¡°Give up, Qiao Qiao. You can¡¯t catch them. They don¡¯t have a physical form.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao straightened up and stepped back, nodding. She had to accept the truth. This was something Lin Xian and Liu Feng had confirmed many times: normal humans trying to touch time-space particles, whether they had energy or not, wouldn¡¯t get any results¡ªgood or bad. Nothing would happen. They had both handled this energy-depleted time-space particle countless times, and even Elon Musk had stirred it with his hand when it still had some energy. Everyone remained unharmed. So, they let Yan Qiao Qiao treat it like a toy. ¡°Alright, Qiao Qiao, go play with VV over there for a while. Liu Feng and I need to talk,¡± Lin Xian said. Yan Qiao Qiao pointed her finger at Liu Feng in front of the blackboard. ¡°Brother Liu Feng.¡± She remembered his name, then obediently picked up VV, the Pomeranian dog, and went to the open space in the back of the lab. ¡°This little girl is quite well-behaved,¡± Liu Feng said approvingly. ¡°She¡¯ll definitely grow up to be a beauty. Look at her height. If she looks like Zhao Ying Jun, then Zhao Ying Jun must be beautiful too.¡± ¡°Come over here, Lin Xian. I want to share my theory,¡± Liu Feng said. He led Lin Xian to a table full of data charts and diagrams. Pointing to the complex data and waveforms, he explained, ¡°Even though you don¡¯t understand these graphs, I can tell you for sure that once the time-space particle loses its activity, it won¡¯t ever get it back.¡± ¡°Like the particle we captured or the one Elon Musk gave us¡ªtheir activity is gone for good. They won¡¯t move randomly or break the laws of physics anymore,¡± he continued. ¡°But the energy inside them is different! Do you know how I found this out? The particle you took and the one Elon Musk gave you¡ªthey both seem depleted, but there¡¯s a significant difference in how much energy they¡¯ve lost!¡± ¡°It¡¯s like batteries. Two AA batteries might both seem dead and unusable, but do they have the exact same amount of residual energy left?¡± ¡°Of course not! Whether a battery is completely drained depends on its use. If a battery is used up in a child¡¯s remote control car, it might still have a lot of power left. Not enough to power the toy, but if you put it in a remote control for an air conditioner, it could last for a long time.¡± ¡°So what does this mean? It means¡ª¡± ¡°The energy mechanism of time-space particles is similar to that of batteries. Since most batteries can be recharged and reused, maybe time-space particles can be recharged too! There must be a way to fill an energy-depleted time-space particle again and make it usable!¡± Lin Xian listened carefully to Liu Feng¡¯s theory and nodded. The principle wasn¡¯t clear, but the conclusion was convincing. ¡°I get it,¡± Lin Xian said, ¡°but this is still an untested theory. You¡¯ve noticed the energy-storing properties, but you don¡¯t know how to restore that energy.¡± ¡°Do you have any ideas? If we could recharge a quantum-entangled time-space particle and pair it with the time machine, it would be a game-changer for time travel,¡± he continued. ¡°Traveling back in time with an entangled particle means we could ensure we return to the present and avoid getting lost in the past. It would be a completely safe time journey.¡± Liu Feng nodded thoughtfully. ¡°You mentioned setting up a new lab and bringing in more trustworthy people. I think these plans can progress together.¡± ¡°As for recharging the time-space particle, I don¡¯t have a clear direction yet, but I have a gut feeling it might have something to do with space-time curvature, world line changes, or even the Universal Constant,¡± he said. ¡°But without enough data or patterns, we can¡¯t explore these ideas further. We might have to wait for the next reading change on the space-time clock to continue our research.¡± They both looked at the lab¡¯s center table, where a plain white time-space clock stood. The reading still displayed 0.0000042, meaning they were still on this world line without any shifts or jumps. Lin Xian was holding a trump card that could cause significant world line changes, but it wasn¡¯t time to play it yet. ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian said, no longer pressing Liu Feng for progress. He knew there was no point in rushing. ¡°We¡¯ll wait for the next reading change on the clock. We¡¯ll have a big harvest then, including the information needed for the space-time coordinates.¡± ¡°Today, I came to see you mainly for two things,¡± Lin Xian continued. First, he talked about the progress of setting up the new lab. While they hadn¡¯t solved the issue of finding trustworthy personnel, they decided to prioritize the location and equipment since that would take time. ¡°The observatory issue¡ªGuizhou Sky Eye can¡¯t be leased long-term. If we want to continuously monitor near-Earth space for time-space particles, we need our own observatory and radio telescope,¡± he explained. Fortunately, Liu Feng had made significant progress in his research. Even a micro-detector could monitor space-time particles within 2,000 kilometers. Now, Liu Feng only needed a small observatory and radio telescope to cover the space within Jupiter¡¯s orbit. If a particle flew in, it would trigger an immediate alert. This would be enough for now. ¡°So, from today on, we¡¯ll prepare both the time machine and the observation and capture of the next time-space particle,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°Then there¡¯s the second thing.¡± Lin Xian rubbed his nose. ¡°Aren¡¯t you always boasting about being an expert on relationships? I wanted to ask you¡ªwhat does a woman in love look like?¡± Liu Feng chuckled with satisfaction, like a proud father. ¡°Finally, Lin Xian, you¡¯ve come to your senses! I¡¯ve been waiting for this question for so long! Are you finally going to start dating?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Lin Xian quickly waved his hands. ¡°I¡¯m way too busy for romance right now. But I have a situation where I need a woman with no dating experience to perfectly act like she¡¯s in love. She has to be convincing enough to fool others.¡± ¡°Got it? The key is acting! You must have a lot of experience, right? Even though you¡¯ve only had one relationship, it was deep and memorable. You and Qi Qi started dating in college, so it must¡¯ve been sweet and passionate.¡± Liu Feng nodded. ¡°Absolutely.¡± He adjusted his glasses, his eyes filled with nostalgia. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m very familiar with matters of the heart, and I remember the wonderful times with Qi Qi like it was yesterday. Playing the role of a woman in love? Piece of cake!¡± ¡°Come here. I¡¯ll show you step-by-step,¡± Liu Feng motioned for Lin Xian to come closer, like he was about to give him a hands-on lesson. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not me acting. What¡¯s the point of showing me?¡± Lin Xian waved his hands. ¡°Just tell me how to make it look more convincing.¡± But Liu Feng insisted, ¡°No way! If you want it to look real, facial expressions and eye contact are more important than actions or dialogue.¡± ¡°Why do fake couples get exposed so easily? You think it¡¯s about the intimate gestures or what they call each other? No... it¡¯s the expressions and eye contact that give them away! Genuine love is all in the eyes¡ªfilled with deep affection.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t portray that feeling, no matter how close you hold each other, it won¡¯t work. Come on, let me show you!¡± Lin Xian sighed and stepped forward. Liu Feng mimicked Qi Qi¡¯s look¡ªa sincere smile with deep, affectionate eyes¡ªand then... gently took Lin Xian¡¯s hand. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but shiver; goosebumps rose all over his skin. Liu Feng¡¯s performance was so convincing that he could win an Oscar! ¡°Lin Xian, look into my eyes,¡± Liu Feng said softly, his eyes sparkling like autumn water, filled with endless years of emotion. ¡°Hold my waist.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian was startled. ¡°Do we have to go this deep?¡± ¡°Do it now,¡± Liu Feng urged. ¡°True couples are like this. It all comes naturally, from within, with emotions starting in the heart, showing in the eyes, and falling into place at the waist.¡± Alright then. Since he was already on this ¡°crazy boat,¡± he might as well go all in. Lin Xian decided to go along with Liu Feng and held his waist. If only CC had one-tenth of Liu Feng¡¯s acting skills, she could definitely pull off that couple scenario without a hitch. Because Liu Feng¡¯s eyes were just too real! If he wasn¡¯t a guy, Lin Xian might¡¯ve thought he¡¯d fallen in love with him! Suddenly, they felt a strange gaze on them. Both turned to look toward the other side of the lab. There, Yan Qiao Qiao was holding VV in her arms. The girl and the dog stared, wide-eyed, at the two men standing close together. ¡°What are you guys playing?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao asked curiously. ¡°We¡¯re simulating dating,¡± Liu Feng explained with a laugh. ¡°Oh.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao nodded and stored this not-so-child-friendly keyword in her memory. Honestly, Lin Xian felt that Liu Feng¡¯s understanding of love and romance was more suitable for guiding CC than anyone else. Old man Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s advice was too outdated, and Zhu Zi¡¯s model, based on his strong-willed wife, was overly domineering. But Liu Feng¡¯s ¡°Qi Qi template¡± seemed perfect. Because Qi Qi herself was well-educated, gentle, and calm, but not lacking in liveliness, strong yet unafraid of solitude. That¡¯s what a young girl should be like. Her attitude towards love, with those deep, affectionate looks in her eyes during a relationship, seemed more suitable for CC to emulate. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give your theory a chance,¡± Lin Xian said, carefully noting Liu Feng¡¯s hands-on demonstration. He planned to share it with CC in the dream world and try again to pass the ¡°Queen¡¯s Town¡± challenge! But now, it was time to leave Donghai University. After all, he had promised Zhao Ying Jun he would take good care of the kid, and he couldn¡¯t let Yan Qiao Qiao spend all day in a dim lab watching two men¡¯s awkward performance. ... Leaving the Rhine Lab, Lin Xian went downstairs and got into an Alphard business car, heading to the busiest mall in Donghai City. When they parked in the underground parking lot, Yan Qiao Qiao tried to open the door. Once! No luck. The light from two oil lamps on the table danced in CC¡¯s eyes. ¡°I believe that kind of honesty and truthfulness is what convinced Big Cat Face and the others that we were a couple...¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t have any intimate gestures or actions. But true is always true, and fake is always fake.¡± ¡°So, I think the ¡®pretend-to-be-couples¡¯ plan was doomed from the start because of the way it was taught,¡± she explained. Lin Xian looked at her. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Because...¡± CC looked back at him. ¡°You said they taught me to act shy, strong-willed, or like the girl next door. But, Lin Xian, that¡¯s not me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not shy. I¡¯m not a strong-willed wife. I¡¯m not the girl next door. So, naturally, I can¡¯t play those roles well. I can¡¯t turn something fake into something real.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just me. I¡¯m CC. If there¡¯s anything real in me that could be useful in this mission, it¡¯s my real trust in you, my genuine liking for you, my willingness to live or die with you.¡± Lin Xian listened to CC and understood what she meant. ¡°You¡¯re saying... don¡¯t pretend¡ªjust make it real?¡± CC nodded. Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°But if there¡¯s no actual romantic feeling, how do we make it real?¡± ¡°Do you like me?¡± he asked. CC shook her head without hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t have that kind of romantic feeling for you. After all, today is just our first meeting, and our previous memories are just two fragmented ones. For me, the total time we¡¯ve known each other is less than 12 hours.¡± ¡°But I can say for sure, Lin Xian, that I don¡¯t dislike you. I admit you have a certain charm sometimes, and I do have some level of affection for you,¡± she said. ¡°So...¡± ¡°I want to try. I won¡¯t pretend to be any other woman. I¡¯ll just be myself. I¡¯ll show you my simplest, purest, most genuine affection... Maybe that¡¯s the real deal, and since it¡¯s genuine, it won¡¯t be exposed,¡± she concluded. Lin Xian straightened in his chair, looking at the determined CC. ¡°Are you sure you can do it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I doubt your determination; I¡¯m willing to try with you again.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m curious... without any experience in love or seeing any romantic scenes, can you really pull off that feeling of romance?¡± CC lowered her head and chuckled. ¡°Who¡¯s born knowing how to date? Does love not exist in primitive times without movies, pictures, or even stories?¡± ... Two hours later. Queen¡¯s Town, southwest corner. Lin Xian and CC successfully climbed over the wall. ¡°Over to you,¡± Lin Xian said. CC nodded, extending her right hand under the moonlight. ¡°Give me your hand, Lin Xian. Let¡¯s walk together.¡± Big hand holding a small hand. This moment felt like that time, over a month ago, when he jumped from a plane at 20,000 meters and chased through the swirling clouds. At less than 2,000 meters from the ground, Lin Xian caught Chu An Qing¡¯s hand. The two walked hand in hand. Under the bright moon, they took step after step forward. No words. No extra gestures. Just holding hands, naturally and calmly, boldly and proudly moving forward. They passed one alley after another. They walked by one couple after another. No one paid them much attention. Because... At that moment, the atmosphere around them wasn¡¯t quite love but certainly genuine affection. The girl would often turn her head under the moonlight, smiling softly. Her lively eyes curved into small crescent moons, with dimples faintly appearing at the corners of her mouth as she looked at the man beside her¡ªsomeone she had met and parted with across several worlds. Her gaze was filled with trust and a shared commitment to life and death. Along the way, they reached the main road. The two kept their peaceful silence, as if all the town¡¯s lights, noise, and chaos had nothing to do with them. The two-kilometer path from the old town to the Queen¡¯s Castle... They passed countless people. They passed countless soldiers. Everyone who saw them, or didn¡¯t, gave them approving and reassuring smiles, their eyes full of hope for the younger generation and blessings for a bright future. ¡°Look, we made it!¡± CC said, finally letting go of Lin Xian¡¯s hand when they reached the castle¡¯s outer wall. ¡°It was that easy!¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Lin Xian chuckled, with nothing left to say. What more was there to say? It could only be said that sincerity and honesty are the true keys. Many seemingly simple problems become complicated only because we overthink them. Love and romance... Don¡¯t need to be grand. Don¡¯t need to be sticky or over-the-top. The answer is just that simple and pure. ¡°Look, Lin Xian, there¡¯s a back door here,¡± CC said, leading Lin Xian to the back of the Queen¡¯s Castle. Though Lin Xian called it a castle, it was actually just a normal four- or five-story building. The first floor had a courtyard, but it wasn¡¯t very big. They were now at a back door on the first floor. Seeing the crudely designed lock, CC quickly pulled out a Martian-tech multifunctional army knife from her waist and cracked it in a few swift moves. Sure enough, the skills of a password expert must have come from some memory fragment. She never forgot them, no matter the time or place. Lin Xian held his gun. He knew that in the world of hostage-taking, speed was everything. They had to control the hostage in the shortest time! CC adjusted her army knife to a dagger and waited for Lin Xian¡¯s signal. ¡°Three... two... one... Go!¡± The two moved like unleashed leopards, swiftly sweeping through every room from bottom to top. Finally! On the third floor, they found a bedroom! The bed covers were puffed up¡ªsomeone was clearly sleeping inside! Swoosh. CC moved with agility, jumping onto the bed and yanking the covers down. ¡°Eek¡ª¡± A young girl with a lovely face screamed, covering her face. CC held her dagger to the girl¡¯s neck. ¡°Shut up. Don¡¯t make a sound!¡± Lin Xian stood nearby, holding his Martian-tech pistol, aimed at the panicked girl on the bed. ¡°Are you the Queen of Queen¡¯s Town?¡± ¡°Hehe...¡± Suddenly, a cold laugh came from behind them! Click, click. A cold pistol pressed against the back of Lin Xian¡¯s head, while another one extended from the side, aiming at CC on the bed. ¡°She¡¯s not the Queen...¡± From behind them, a slightly raspy but confident voice filled with contempt spoke, ¡°I am.¡± CC stood there, still holding the dagger to the girl¡¯s neck, not moving. Lin Xian didn¡¯t turn around. Instead, he used his peripheral vision to glance at the gun pointing at CC. It was exquisite. Shiny. Compact. Intricate craftsmanship. One look, and you¡¯d know it couldn¡¯t possibly be a product of the current Earth era! This so-called Queen... Must be from Mars! ¡°Put the gun down, and turn around, boy,¡± the Queen behind him chuckled calmly. ¡°I¡¯m quite curious¡ªwho gave you the courage to barge into Queen¡¯s Town?¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t move. The barrel pressed harder against the back of his head. ¡°I¡¯ll count to three. If you don¡¯t listen... then you¡¯ll explode.¡± Lin Xian was also curious to see who this Queen was. Whatever. Dead or not, he¡¯d just come back tomorrow. After all, he now knew the Queen¡¯s real location. Lin Xian lowered his gun. Slowly, he turned around. The night breeze blew in, lifting the huge curtains by the window, letting the moonlight flood in. The room brightened. Lin Xian saw the Queen¡¯s face. She was an elderly woman, probably in her late seventies or eighties. Her frame was thin, but judging by her build and spirit, she was still healthy. At least, her arms didn¡¯t tremble as she held the dual pistols. At the same time, the old woman with gray hair and a wrinkled face also got a good look at Lin Xian. She was stunned, unable to believe her eyes, and took a step back. ¡°Lin Xian... Lin Xian?¡± Her breathing quickened, and her pupils trembled. She couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°You... Aren¡¯t you supposed to be... dead?¡± Chapter 378: The End is Near ¡°Lin Xian?¡± The old woman, her hair completely white, stared at him with shock and confusion. She squinted, examining his face closely, and suddenly, recognition lit up her eyes. Both of her pistols slipped from her hands and clattered to the floor. She took a slow step forward, her wrinkled hands reaching out to hold Lin Xian¡¯s face gently. Tears filled her eyes. ¡°You... you¡¯re Lin Xian. But... how are you still alive? I even went to your funeral!¡± Her voice trembled with emotion. ¡°And... why do you look so young? When you died, you looked just like this. Why haven¡¯t you aged? Am I dreaming?¡± As she stepped into the moonlight, Lin Xian finally got a good look at her face. Though unfamiliar, something in her eyes seemed familiar¡ªsharp and unique, like those of Middle Eastern descent. ¡°Angelica?¡± Lin Xian guessed cautiously. He didn¡¯t have many foreign friends, and Angelica was the only one who came to mind. She was known as Lust, the last of the Seven Deadly Sins, a chameleon actress from Hollywood. Once he thought of her, he couldn¡¯t help but notice how much she resembled the Angelica he remembered. Despite her raspy, aged voice, her tone was still the same as in 2024. She was the only one who had ever called him ¡°boy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Angelica¡¯s emotions were overwhelming. ¡°You still remember me, Lin Xian! You remember me! If this isn¡¯t a dream... then what¡¯s going on?¡± Lin Xian turned to CC and signaled her to lower her guard and put down her dagger. He hadn¡¯t expected the Queen to be someone he knew¡ªsomeone who hadn¡¯t forgotten him! Seeing Angelica break down in tears, Lin Xian didn¡¯t know how to react. He hadn¡¯t died, and he hadn¡¯t been frozen in time. Clearly, there was a huge gap in their understanding of what had happened. They needed to talk more. Using his sleeve, he gently wiped away Angelica¡¯s tears. Smiling softly, he asked, ¡°Did you disguise yourself to avoid being recognized?¡± Was this another one of the chameleon actress¡¯s performances? But as he touched the warm wrinkles on her face, he noticed there were no black roots in her hair. Her tears weren¡¯t smudging any makeup. Lin Xian paused for a moment. Angelica had once told him that disguises shouldn¡¯t be exposed to water; otherwise, they¡¯d come apart. Yet, even with tears streaming down her face, nothing was coming off. Suddenly, Lin Xian understood. This wasn¡¯t one of the chameleon¡¯s tricks. The aging was real. The actress who had dazzled the Oscars and the world had finally succumbed to time. Her beauty, youth, and the passage of time had caught up with her. Years had taken everything away, leaving only an elderly body and a wrinkled face. Lin Xian accepted this reality. Even the ageless witch would age one day. Thinking back to his visit to Rhine Village, he remembered that the village head, Zheng Xiang Yue, looked even older than Angelica now. If Angelica hadn¡¯t identified herself, Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t have recognized her at all. Aging, it seemed, was a harsh reality. Though Lin Xian had seen many elderly people and witnessed the cycle of life and death many times before, this was different. Just days ago, he had seen them full of youthful energy, and now, in this dream, he saw two elderly women, stumbling in their twilight years. The stark contrast was a shock to Lin Xian¡¯s senses. ¡°Angelica,¡± Lin Xian continued to wipe her tears. When she had calmed down, he asked softly, ¡°What happened over these past few centuries? Can you tell me? My situation is a bit complicated to explain, but I assure you¡ªI am indeed Lin Xian, the real Lin Xian. Perhaps, in your memory, I am already dead... but don¡¯t get too worked up. Just tell me the history as you know it.¡± Angelica¡¯s appearance here, and everything she had said, had left Lin Xian stunned. He decided it was best to hear her story first. In the Fifth Dream, after searching for so long, he had finally found someone who knew the truth. And it was an old friend from centuries ago. Maybe what Angelica had to say would reveal the most accurate version of history. Angelica nodded. She walked back to a wooden wardrobe and pulled out a notebook sealed in plastic, handing it to Lin Xian. ¡°This is the source of my memory...¡± ¡°To keep my memories intact, I wrote down many notebooks and recorded lots of videos. When I woke up from hibernation on Mars, all these materials were still there, and I got back a lot of my memory.¡± ¡°Although they are all fragmented and lack emotion, like scenes from a movie, I still remember things from centuries ago. Anything noted in the journals or videos, I remember.¡± ¡°But now, after all these years, I only have this one left. This is... my most cherished and precious one.¡± Lin Xian took the notebook and opened it. Inside, it was filled with handwritten letters from Angelica to her future self. The earlier pages mostly talked about her relationship with Ji Lin, starting from when he was a baby brought in suddenly, growing up, achieving things, and finally meeting his end in Donghai. After that, there were notes on daily life, then some records involving Lin Xian¡ªlike their meetings in the U.S., the kidnapping by Elon Musk, and other events. She left nothing out. It was clear that Angelica¡¯s hibernation was carefully planned. The notebook even detailed many conversations between Lin Xian and herself, including his promise. The notebook read: ¡°Lin Xian promised me that he would one day pass the Genius Club¡¯s test, attend their gatherings, and interact with the genius members. He would gather clues, find out who was really behind Ji Lin¡¯s parents¡¯ murder, and then share that information with me, helping me get my revenge. I believe in Lin Xian. He is the only friend Ji Lin ever acknowledged in this world. Since Ji Lin trusted him, I trust him too. No matter how long it takes, I will wait for Lin Xian to give me the answer. But... we agreed on this, and then suddenly, Lin Xian died. What should I do? Can I still wait for the answer?¡± Further in, the notes became more about other things unrelated to Lin Xian. At the very end of the notebook, a simple line noted that Angelica planned to enter the hibernation pod in December 2024. She hoped that when she woke up, she would see a beautiful world. ¡°I thought he woke me up to fight alongside him, or as comrades for revenge. But unexpectedly, after hundreds of years, he just told me he had failed and wanted to send me to Earth on a spaceship for my safety.¡± ¡°He said Earth would be completely safe. Though the living conditions were worse, it would never be found by enemies. He said he¡¯d make a final attempt, and if he succeeded, he¡¯d come to Earth to get me; if not... he told me to live peacefully on Earth and not think too much.¡± ... ¡°Failed? Elon Musk failed?¡± Lin Xian was surprised. From what he knew, Elon Musk had won big in the Fifth Dream. Despite everything, his plan to colonize Mars had worked, and Mars had replaced Earth as humanity¡¯s new home. Elder Wei Sheng Jin had even said that SpaceX, Musk¡¯s company, held absolute power on Mars. Elon Musk¡¯s status was so high that he could be considered the ruler. Even though Musk died decades ago, it was said he died of natural causes. Could there be another side to the story? Lin Xian rubbed his chin, deep in thought. ¡°It seems like there are many different versions of what happened over these centuries. It¡¯s hard to say who¡¯s telling the truth or which parts are true or false.¡± He continued, ¡°But if Elon Musk hasn¡¯t returned to Earth to find you all these years, maybe he did fail somehow.¡± ¡°What you¡¯ve told me is quite surprising. I always thought this future was the one Elon Musk hoped for. Most of his goals and dreams have been realized. So, why did he say he failed in the end?¡± Angelica shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t figure it out either. If someone like him, seen as a savior who led human civilization on Mars, considers that a failure... then what would count as success?¡± ¡°I also can¡¯t understand how someone so powerful on Mars could be defeated by anyone.¡± ¡°In any case, Lin Xian, that¡¯s how it is. Elon Musk secretly sent me to Earth; no one knew about it, and my name was never made public.¡± ¡°Since he never came to get me, I figured he must have faced difficulties or even died. But I couldn¡¯t just sit around and give up, so I had to find a way to survive on Earth, and preferably, gain some strength to protect myself.¡± ¡°Elon Musk prepared a lot of books for me when he sent me to Earth. They were very helpful, and I quickly became a local leader, helping the natives build a new home.¡± ¡°But it wasn¡¯t all smooth sailing; many things happened along the way. Fortunately, the results were good. See, I eventually established Queen¡¯s Town, began industrial development, and grew stronger. These decades on Earth have just... flown by.¡± The now elderly Angelica finished her story. Meanwhile, Lin Xian managed to piece together the future timeline of the Fifth Dream in his mind: First, he died sometime before December 2024. Then Angelica, persuaded by Elon Musk, entered a hibernation pod. One reason was to avoid danger; another reason might have been Musk¡¯s plan to have Angelica disappear from that time and wake up in the future to ¡°support the future.¡± But something unexpected must have happened later, and plans changed. Musk never woke Angelica from hibernation as planned. Perhaps Musk faced some trouble, or maybe there was always a crisis around him, so for safety, he never woke her up. Then, in 2400, a massive disaster hit Earth, almost destroying human civilization and making Earth uninhabitable. Decades of war and famine swept across the world. But before that time, Musk was already developing Mars and had moved many hibernation pods there, avoiding the disaster on Earth. Zheng Xiang Yue and Angelica¡¯s hibernation pods were all kept on Mars, arranged by Musk, no doubt. Although it was Lin Xian who bought Zheng Xiang Yue a ticket to the moon, the final promise was still made by Musk. Since he knew a massive catastrophe would strike Earth in 2400, he would naturally move her away in advance. After that, Earth was abandoned, and Mars developed rapidly. Everything seemed to go according to Musk¡¯s plan. Yet, for some reason, Musk still believed he had failed. So, almost like leaving a will, he woke up Angelica from the hibernation pod. For safety, he didn¡¯t tell her much but sent the still-young Angelica to Earth to hide. No place would be safer than the abandoned Earth. Interplanetary transport between Earth and Mars was strictly controlled to one trip every two years. If you dared to visit Earth, you¡¯d have to wait two years to return. This effectively cut off all communication between Earth and Mars. So, if hiding was the goal, Earth would be the safest choice. According to Angelica, Musk didn¡¯t die of natural causes as Zheng Xiang Yue and Elder Wei Sheng Jin had claimed. Instead, he was murdered or died in some conflict. These conflicts were not out in the open but, like the things Lin Xian was dealing with now, hidden beneath the flow of history and the fog of time. But there was still one thing Lin Xian found unbelievable. ¡°Who on Mars, where Musk was so powerful, could have killed him so quietly?¡± he wondered. On Earth, Musk was just a wealthy tycoon; but on Mars, it was different¡ªhe was the ruler of the planet. With such power and influence, could he be overthrown and assassinated, only to have it disguised as dying of old age? It just didn¡¯t seem that simple. So then, in the established history of the Fifth Dream, could the person who killed Lin Xian and the one who killed Musk be the same? Lin Xian had a general understanding of this period in history. Now it was time to ask the questions that mattered to him. Looking at Angelica, he asked softly, ¡°Your notebook doesn¡¯t record my death date, but do you remember it? Do you still know the exact day I died?¡± Angelica nodded. ¡°It¡¯s true; it¡¯s not in this notebook, but it was recorded in the others. Although I lost the other notebooks while struggling on Earth over the years, I remember your death date very clearly¡ªJuly 7th, 2024. That¡¯s the day you died.¡± Hmm? Lin Xian was stunned. 2024? And July 7th? That soon!? It¡¯s already late May 2024! Doesn¡¯t that mean, according to history, he only has less than two months left to live? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but take a sharp breath and asked, ¡°So how did I die? A car accident? An accident?¡± ¡°No...¡± Angelica shook her head and closed her eyes. ¡°You were murdered. And... it was brutal...¡± ¡°Your head was cut off in one stroke, right at the neck. You died instantly.¡± Chapter 379: Who Am I? ¡°Decapitation?¡± Hearing this shocking word, Lin Xian¡¯s mind flashed back to an intense moment from two weeks ago¡ªthe fight between the real and fake Yu Xi in an abandoned factory. The battle between these two unstoppable fighters was quick and brutal. Their moves were like a dance of blades cutting through the air, drenched in blood. Both were so skilled they could kill each other with just one strike, but their constant back-and-forth made landing that fatal blow nearly impossible. In the end, Lin Yu Xi proved to be the better fighter. When the fake Yu Xi went for a taser, Lin Yu Xi seized the moment. She sidestepped and swung her knife in a precise arc, cleanly decapitating the fake Yu Xi! In that split second, the fake Yu Xi¡¯s head flew off at an angle, eyes wide open and still moving, as if her brain hadn¡¯t realized it was no longer attached to the body. Blood gushed out like a fountain from the severed neck. That scene... It was like a gruesome masterpiece, burned deeply into Lin Xian¡¯s memory. But according to what Angelica had said, in just 40 days, he might become part of another gruesome scene like that. Who would kill him? Who would be the murderer? Only one name came to Lin Xian¡¯s mind: Lin Yu Xi. In reality, cutting off someone¡¯s head with sheer force is no easy task. Only someone like Lin Yu Xi or the fake Yu Xi¡ªenhanced humans from the future¡ªcould have that kind of terrifying power. They could rip off car doors with their bare hands, so decapitating someone with a sharp blade wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Besides, beheading is a brutal way to kill. Skilled killers know that stabbing is much easier and more reliable. Beheading is tricky, prone to mistakes, and hard to pull off. But for someone like Lin Yu Xi, this concern doesn¡¯t exist. Beheading is fast and precise, ending the fight in one move, leaving no chance for the opponent to fight back. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who would kill him in such a violent and daring way. ¡°Interesting...¡± Lin Xian murmured. ¡°Could it be that Lin Yu Xi is still in this timeline and hasn¡¯t vanished into blue star dust?¡± Suddenly, Lin Xian realized that he and Elon Musk had been wrong. They had optimistically assumed that Lin Yu Xi would disappear like that future flash drive, dissolving into blue star dust. After all, the tangled time-space particles had been destroyed, and Copernicus¡¯s time loop was broken. There was no reason for Lin Yu Xi to continue existing, right? Lin Xian understood the logic behind time travelers not disappearing when the world line changes. For example, take Yellow Finch. No one knew which time, world line, or time coordinate she came from, yet she remained unaffected by the changes. She never disappeared, despite three major transformations in the future world. This was something Lin Xian had known for a while¡ªtime travelers who travel back to the past are detached from their original timeline and won¡¯t disappear with world line changes. Yellow Finch was the best proof of this. Despite multiple changes in world lines and time-space curvature, she didn¡¯t vanish like the flash drive. So, in theory, neither Lin Yu Xi nor the fake Yu Xi would disappear due to these changes in world lines and time-space curvature. There were only two ways to make a time traveler disappear: Kill the time traveler. Destroy the time particles the traveler uses in the current timeline. Lin Xian and Elon Musk both believed this theory. But now, it seemed they had made a mistake somewhere. Whether it was a problem with the theory or if Elon Musk¡¯s entangled time-space particle was just unusually unique, the result was clear... Lin Yu Xi was most likely still lurking in the current timeline. Lin Xian reached up and touched his neck, feeling a slight chill. ¡°Did they catch the murderer?¡± Lin Xian asked Angelica. ¡°Was my death ever solved? Did the police catch the killer?¡± Angelica shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know because my notebook didn¡¯t go into that much detail. It only recorded your death. But I guess even if the direct killer was caught, the mastermind probably wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Otherwise... why would my notebook say I wanted to avenge you? Knowing my personality, I think neither the direct killer nor the mastermind was caught, so I would want revenge.¡± Lin Xian nodded. It didn¡¯t matter who it was¡ªthe direct killer or the mastermind¡ªthey were all his enemies. He needed to be on guard against them and take them down. Mercy to the enemy is cruelty to oneself. He knew this well. He just hadn¡¯t expected that the battle between him and Lin Yu Xi wasn¡¯t over and would explode again in 40 days, with his head rolling as the real ending. ¡°Haunted forever,¡± he muttered under his breath. Putting this issue aside, there was another question to consider. Who was the killer who murdered Elon Musk in the Fifth Dream world? As the Governor of Mars, there weren¡¯t many who could take him down. He was at the pinnacle of human civilization. So, was it a traitor from within? Or an enemy from beyond humanity? These were the only two possibilities Lin Xian could think of. But guessing wouldn¡¯t help now. The case had gone cold, with no evidence left to examine. To Zheng Xiang Yue and Old Man Wei Sheng Jin, Elon Musk¡¯s death appeared to be natural, as if he had died of old age. Undoubtedly, on the day he passed, the entire Martian population would have mourned him deeply. Maybe the killer was hidden among those who pretended to cry and wipe away their tears. As for Angelica... She didn¡¯t know the right answer either. From the moment she left Mars, she¡¯d completely severed her ties there. Lin Xian looked up and asked again, ¡°Did Elon Musk ever say anything about his death?¡± Angelica shook her head again. ¡°No, he didn¡¯t. I kept asking him, but he wouldn¡¯t tell me. Maybe he had good intentions. Or maybe he felt I couldn¡¯t help him anyway, so telling me would be pointless.¡± ¡°But I always suspected something...¡± Angelica squinted her eyes. ¡°This is something I realized only after arriving on Earth. You might have heard of it, Lin Xian¡ªlong-term hibernation can cause memory loss, and the safe limit is generally ten years.¡± ¡°In other words, as long as you wake up within ten years, there¡¯s little risk of memory loss. If you want to avoid losing memories while staying in long-term hibernation, there¡¯s only one way: wake up every ten years, live normally for about six months to solidify your memories, and then go back to sleep.¡± ¡°This kind of stop-and-go hibernation damages the body significantly. It can cause untreatable neural pain and may even develop a resistance to hibernation, leading to fatal hibernation sickness.¡± ¡°Generally, nobody uses this method long-term. It¡¯s like slow suicide. But... Elon Musk used this method to ensure he wouldn¡¯t lose his memories. This fact is well-known in Mars¡¯ history education¡ªeveryone knows why Elon Musk hasn¡¯t forgotten anything for centuries.¡± Lin Xian listened to Angelica¡¯s explanation. He didn¡¯t find it strange. He¡¯d encountered things like this before and didn¡¯t quite understand what she was trying to express. ¡°What are you trying to say? I don¡¯t quite get your point.¡± He asked, confused, ¡°If Elon Musk woke up every ten years to stabilize his memories, check Mars¡¯ progress, give new instructions, and set the next ten-year plan, it all logically adds up, right?¡± ¡°If we roughly calculate, about 600 years have passed. Let¡¯s say 600 years. He woke up 60 times, each time for six months, a total of 30 years.¡± ¡°Even if you say it damages the body, scientifically speaking, Elon Musk¡¯s not losing his memories for centuries is explainable.¡± ¡°No...¡± Angelica interrupted Lin Xian. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Lin Xian. You didn¡¯t let me finish.¡± She blinked and continued. ¡°By your logic, there¡¯s no problem. In extreme cases, Elon Musk would be just over 80 years old when he reached the future. But... the Elon Musk I saw was very young, very healthy¡ªdefinitely not over 60!¡± ¡°The official story on Mars was that Elon Musk was heavily invested in beauty, health, and rejuvenation, using advanced medical technology to stay young.¡± Lin Xian rubbed his chin. He thought for a moment. Then he shook his head. ¡°That sounds odd. I¡¯ve heard Mars doesn¡¯t have that kind of advanced medical tech. And even if they did... why would someone like Elon Musk need to care about beauty? It sounds more like an excuse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s as if... Elon Musk is hiding how unnaturally young he looks.¡± ¡°What¡¯s his purpose, though? And he¡¯s the most watched public figure. His hibernation and activities are fully transparent. I have other friends from Mars, and they speak highly of him, saying he¡¯s always been active in history and involved in many important projects.¡± ¡°So how did he do it? How did he avoid memory loss by waking up every ten years, stay active in history, participate in key projects, and still look so young?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a series of contradictions. Unless...¡± Lin Xian paused, squinting his eyes. ¡°The fake double.¡± He thought of Elon Musk¡¯s convincing double. Immediately, he understood the hidden meaning in Angelica¡¯s words. ¡°I get it now. You¡¯re saying that over these hundreds of years, there could have been two Elon Musks¡ªmaybe three or four.¡± ¡°They appeared on Mars at different times, organized and disciplined, to play the real Elon Musk.¡± ¡°So where¡¯s the real Elon Musk? He might have been asleep somewhere all this time, maybe still not awake. All the Elon Musks people have seen are fake! Naturally, the one who died... could also be fake.¡± Angelica nodded. ¡°Exactly, Lin Xian. That¡¯s the possibility I thought of.¡± Come to think of it, that was possible. The current Time Bank, run by Brother Wang, was located in a prime spot in the city center¡¯s commercial district, bustling with activity. But it was also an expensive area, so after filling the warehouse with 266 safes, it must have been packed. If they wanted to add more safes or expand the warehouse later, they would have had to buy the shop next door or find another location to open a branch and store the new safes. If that were the case, then this area might be the ruins of Time Bank¡¯s branch, explaining why the safes here had such high numbers. ¡°Lin Xian! Look at this!¡± CC called out, crouching in the far corner and wiping the nameplate on a safe clean with a nearby cloth. The number read: 724 The name on it was: Wei Sheng Jin ¡°Mr. Wei¡¯s safe!¡± Lin Xian was surprised by the discovery. He had been so focused on the hundreds digit of the safe numbers that he hadn¡¯t noticed this one. Who would have thought they¡¯d accidentally find Old Man Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s safe here? Lin Xian stepped closer and examined the safe. Sure enough, it was the real Wei Sheng Jin! He remembered seeing the photo in Grandpa Wei¡¯s bag, so he knew the combination. He reached out and twisted the combination dial, aligning the eight dials to the numbers from the photo¡ª 23730907 This was the password Grandpa Wei had set before going into hibernation. Even he didn¡¯t know what it meant. Lin Xian¡¯s hand moved toward the latch, ready to press it... But he stopped midway. He felt the weight of years, memories, and self-awareness pressing on him. He hesitated, then withdrew his fingers and looked at CC and Angelica. ¡°Grandpa Wei is just outside the walls. We should let him open this safe himself. It would mean more to him that way.¡± The Queen was indeed the Queen, and her authority was absolute. With a single command from Angelica, a group of strong horses galloped away, the city gates opened, and they politely invited Old Man Wei Sheng Jin inside. When he arrived at the warehouse, Old Man Wei Sheng Jin was genuinely overwhelmed upon seeing the white-haired Queen, Lin Xian, and CC, ¡°You two... you¡¯re both here?¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what to say. He was genuinely shocked that Lin Xian and CC had managed to handle Queens Town so easily. ¡°Come on, Mr. Wei, don¡¯t just stand there,¡± Lin Xian smiled and waved him over, pointing to the aluminum alloy safe. ¡°Look, isn¡¯t this the safe you¡¯ve been searching for all this time?¡± Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s eyes widened. He immediately knelt, stroking the nameplate with his name on it repeatedly. The plate was still shiny, without a trace of age. But the person who closed this safe years ago was a teenager; the one opening it now was an elderly man... If the spring breeze has pity for flowers, can it let me be young again? Wei Sheng Jin tightened his lips, unable to believe that this time capsule, sealed for centuries, had finally come full circle and returned to him. He didn¡¯t remember being here before, but he had been. He didn¡¯t remember what he had put inside, but he had placed something there. His index finger trembled as he slowly moved it toward the latch, hesitating several times but unable to push it... ¡°I understand how you feel,¡± said Angelica softly, her graying hair and deep-set eyes reflecting her own experiences. ¡°When I first woke up from the hibernation pod, my mind was blank. I didn¡¯t know who I was until a doctor examined me and told me my name was Angelica.¡± ¡°A few days later, Elon Musk found me. He didn¡¯t immediately give me those notebooks and tapes. Instead, he said...¡± She cleared her throat and mimicked Elon Musk¡¯s voice. ¡°Angelica, your life has been brilliant, but it has always been filled with pain and sorrow. Most of what¡¯s written in your notebook is about farewells and regrets...¡± ¡°You can choose not to look back at these memories and just forget them. Pretend they never happened¡ªwouldn¡¯t that be better?¡± ¡°You¡¯d still be Angelica, but a new Angelica¡ªhappy, free from pain, without any burdens, no farewells, no regrets.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something many people dream of. There are too many people in this world tortured by painful memories, unable to accept them or move on.¡± ¡°In any era, there are those who can¡¯t bear their sadness and choose to end their lives. For them, losing their memories would be a rare and unattainable cure. If there were a drug that could completely erase memories and let them start anew, it would sell very well.¡± ¡°So... are you really sure you want to embrace your old self, fall back into regret and suffering, miss those you¡¯re destined never to see again, and chase dreams that you know will never come true?¡± Angelica crossed her arms and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°That¡¯s what Elon Musk told me back then.¡± ¡°He must have known his end was near, so he was advising me not to read those notebooks, not to try to reclaim my past self, but to forget everything and embrace a new life.¡± Hearing this, Lin Xian glanced at CC. This felt like a conversation they had once had back in Rhine Village. At that time, Zheng Xiang Yue had asked Lin Xian to tell her the truth about her past. But Lin Xian hesitated, worried about what might happen. His concerns were the same as Elon Musk¡¯s. Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s past was filled with pain and regret, without a single moment of joy. Why would anyone want to remember such things? But back then, CC had said: ¡°Even if they¡¯re bad and sad memories, they¡¯re still memories. Only with all of our memories can we truly be ourselves. Whose memories are always happy? People have moments of joy and sorrow, just like how the moon waxes and wanes...¡± ¡°Does a half-moon mean it¡¯s not a moon?¡± This made Lin Xian think of the Ship of Theseus. If you replace every part of a ship, is it still the same ship? If a person loses all their memories, are they still the same person? Is there a real answer to this question? Old Man Wei Sheng Jin had also talked about this before. Many people who woke up from hibernation on Mars chose to forget their original memories and start fresh. They often lived happy lives. But others, who decided to keep their old memories, became unhappy, bitter, and sometimes even ended up taking their own lives or seeking revenge on society. In their final moments in court, these people often cried and regretted their choice. They would say, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have taken back my memories... I just couldn¡¯t move on. I should have left them behind!¡± So... is there a real answer to this question? The three of them¡ªLin Xian, CC, and Elon Musk¡ªturned to look at Old Man Wei Sheng Jin, who was hesitating. What would he choose? Old Man Wei Sheng Jin took a deep breath. His finger hovered over the latch as he said softly, ¡°Thank you for your advice, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°But... in the end, you chose to accept your past self, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I often wonder... what if the notebook they gave me when I woke up from hibernation was wrong? What if... this notebook isn¡¯t mine, but belongs to someone else named Wei Sheng Jin?¡± ¡°Is it possible that my name isn¡¯t Wei Sheng Jin at all? That I¡¯ve been living my life based on someone else¡¯s memories, following what¡¯s written in that notebook, becoming someone named Wei Sheng Jin?¡± ¡°This... is why I came to Earth.¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin opened his eyes, his gaze strong and determined. ¡°I want to find out the truth, to know... who I really am!¡± With that, his right hand pressed down hard. Bang¡ª A deep thud echoed through the room. The safe that had been sealed for centuries finally opened with a sound. Chapter 380: I Said I Loved You Centuries Ago Creak¡ª Under the dim light of a few oil lamps, the old safe of Wei Sheng Jin slowly opened, releasing a small puff of dust into the air. Lin Xian, CC, and Angelica leaned forward, their curiosity piqued, and peered inside. It was nearly empty. The only thing inside was a small, flat metal box. Despite its age, the box hadn¡¯t rusted. It seemed to be made of some high-tech material. However, the box was quite small¡ªjust big enough to hold a book or a notebook. Seeing this, CC looked puzzled. ¡°Why are there so few items in these safes? And why is everything so small? There¡¯s barely anything in them.¡± Lin Xian explained, ¡°Most man-made objects can¡¯t withstand time and oxidation. This is something customers are told before buying a safe. Anything that¡¯s not metal¡ªlike fabric, crafts, or wood¡ªwill slowly oxidize, become brittle, fade, and eventually crumble. Even plastics last longer, but it depends on the type.¡± He continued, ¡°Even metals are tricky. The storage rooms for these safes have specific humidity levels, and rust and corrosion are inevitable. That¡¯s why customers are advised against storing metals that rust easily.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a short period, like a few years or decades, most things can survive. But if it¡¯s a century or more, most items will break down into fragments or dust.¡± ¡°So, the best things to store are specially treated books, documents, and the like.¡± CC nodded. ¡°You sound like you know a lot about this.¡± Lin Xian smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. After all, he owned Time Bank; he knew these things well. Mr. Wei Sheng Jin stared at the metal box inside, his heart pounding. He knelt down, carefully reached into the safe, and gently took out the box. It was small and delicate. Why would his younger self put something so small in such a big safe? Was it valuable? Did it have a special meaning? He unlatched the metal box and opened it. Inside, there was a letter. The envelope was still in great condition, likely made with advanced anti-corrosion and anti-oxidation technology¡ªnot ordinary paper. ¡°It really is a letter,¡± Angelica said. ¡°The other safes we opened had similar envelopes, most of them written to their future selves. This kind of paper has high-tech content, not something you¡¯d find on Mars. It shows that before the great disaster in 2400, Earth¡¯s technology was way more advanced than Mars¡¯s today.¡± ¡°So, this letter was probably written by this gentleman to his younger self,¡± Angelica continued. ¡°But if he suspects he¡¯s not Wei Sheng Jin, then this letter is pointless, because this safe belongs to Wei Sheng Jin, and the person who wrote this letter was also young Wei Sheng Jin. Trying to prove he isn¡¯t Wei Sheng Jin through this safe is a paradox.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian agreed, sensing that Mr. Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s trip to Earth might end in disappointment. At best, he might find some closure. Trying to prove his identity with just a safe was unrealistic. Wei Sheng Jin stared at the letter. His hands trembled as he carefully unfolded the thin sheet of paper. Human nature thrives on curiosity, and Lin Xian, CC, and Angelica leaned in closer, holding their oil lamps forward, eager to see what was written. Wei Sheng Jin didn¡¯t mind. He unfolded the letter that had been folded for over two hundred years, and on it were rows of neat handwriting. It seemed to be written by a young girl. The heading in the top left corner read ¡°To Classmate Wei Sheng Jin,¡± confirming it was a letter written to young Wei Sheng Jin. It was quite surprising¡ªthey had all guessed this letter was written by Wei Sheng Jin himself. Who would have thought it was actually written by a young girl to him? Their curiosity grew, and they eagerly read the contents: ¡°To Classmate Wei Sheng Jin, They say that after waking up from hibernation, people lose their memory, so naturally, you wouldn¡¯t remember me¡ªyour classmate and deskmate. I was really sad to see you go, but this era couldn¡¯t cure your illness. I truly hope you get better in the future. There¡¯s a ¡®thank you¡¯ I never got to say to you. I feel now is the time. If I don¡¯t say it now... I might never get the chance again. Do you remember our time in elementary school? I had bad teeth, and my front teeth were big. The other students often teased me about my teeth, saying I was a rabbit stealing other people¡¯s corn. I was afraid to speak, afraid to open my mouth, for fear of being mocked. But back then, you stood up for me. You weren¡¯t sick then; you were tall and brave. You stood in front of me and said you¡¯d knock out anyone¡¯s teeth who dared to make fun of mine. I sat in the corner of the classroom by the wall, looking at your back as you stood in front of me. You felt like a ray of light that shined into my life. I remember you liked Ultraman. You told me your favorite was Ultraman Tiga. You said Tiga was a hero of justice, and you wanted to be like him, to protect the world and maintain peace. I thought you would always be so cheerful and bright. But after we entered middle school, everything changed. People no longer teased me about my teeth because they became straighter after I lost my baby teeth. But your name became everyone¡¯s joke. People were always mocking your name and saying mean things. After that, I rarely saw your bright smile. You became quieter and more withdrawn, rarely speaking or lifting your head. You told me you hated your name and resented your parents for giving you such an awful name. But I never thought that way. I never found your name hard to say. To me, it was the name of a hero¡ªa name that belonged to my deskmate, who I admired and looked up to. No matter how many times I was asked, I always thought it was a name as brave as Ultraman Tiga¡¯s. But I didn¡¯t get the chance to do anything about it... because you suddenly got sick and had to go into a hibernation chamber and leave this era. I really didn¡¯t want you to go. The adults said that once someone goes into that hibernation chamber, there¡¯s a high chance they won¡¯t see them again in this lifetime. I regret not talking to you more before, always being too shy to say a sincere ¡®thank you.¡¯ Finally, besides wishing you good health, I don¡¯t know what else to say to bless you. If you really hate your name, I believe it¡¯s not your fault. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. So, I hope that when you wake up from hibernation... there will be no such thing as ¡®sanitary pads¡¯ in this world, and you¡¯ll never be bothered by your name again. Goodbye, Classmate Wei Sheng Jin. Will we ever meet again? If you forget my name and what I look like after losing your memory... next time, can we switch places, and I¡¯ll protect you? ¡ªYour deskmate, Liu Shiyu¡± Angelica, having read the letter, straightened up and looked at Lin Xian and CC. ¡°What is a sanitary pad? Why would they laugh at him because of it?¡± Lin Xian and CC hesitated to explain. This wasn¡¯t the right time to get into that. Nowadays, Earth definitely doesn¡¯t have the industrial capability to produce sanitary pads; they likely use something like ¡°menstrual cloths¡± instead. On Mars, there are clearly better alternatives to handle such issues, and sanitary pads are long outdated. Even though Angelica had left behind many notebooks and videotapes, who would bother to specifically introduce sanitary pads in them? As a result, neither Mr. Wei Sheng Jin nor Angelica knew what a sanitary pad was or understood why Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s name was so infamous. Seeing Angelica was about to press further, Lin Xian quickly changed the subject, ¡°So, it seems this letter was written by a girl who was Mr. Wei¡¯s deskmate before he went into hibernation. Now... over two hundred years have passed, and she must have passed away.¡± CC nodded, ¡°Actually, whether it was the issue with buck teeth or Mr. Wei¡¯s name, they weren¡¯t big problems in society. But in school, where kids are immature, don¡¯t understand respect, and like to give others nicknames, it can be a form of unbearable verbal bullying.¡± Lin Xian spread his hands. ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. Kids are like that. It¡¯s an inevitable part of school life. But this letter... doesn¡¯t seem to contain anything significant. As Angelica said, what¡¯s written on it can¡¯t prove anything, let alone that Wei Sheng Jin is Wei Sheng Jin.¡± ¡°Not only that,¡± Angelica added, ¡°Don¡¯t you both feel like reading this letter is like drinking plain water¡ªno special feeling at all? The same goes for me. From an adult¡¯s perspective, looking at these trivial matters between children doesn¡¯t evoke any emotion. It just feels like making a fuss over nothing.¡± ¡°My memory was restored by looking at notebooks and videotapes, but as I mentioned earlier, those memories don¡¯t evoke deep emotional resonance. One has to force oneself to accept them, to convince oneself they are real, to forcibly immerse oneself in those memories.¡± ¡°But, I must say, long-term self-suggestion is quite effective. You can indeed develop feelings. Like you, Lin Xian... I never knew you or Ji Lin, only saw your photos and data on the tapes.¡± Then, 27-year-old Liu Shiyu and 27-year-old Wei Sheng Jin met again. He didn¡¯t remember her, but she had crossed time and space just to see him. Their love found a way, and Liu Shiyu¡¯s wish came true. It was an era without sanitary pads, and no one mocked Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s name. At the same time, just like the handwritten letter from her youth said... ¡°Next time, can I be the one to protect you?¡± Judging by Mr. Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s self-proclaimed happy and fulfilling life, Liu Shiyu indeed kept her promise. She took good care of Wei Sheng Jin. They loved each other, grew old together, and had a complete life. A love spanning over 200 years. Chasing love all the way to Mars. And all of this started with a young boy who idolized Ultraman Tiga and a moment of bravery. Fate, indeed, is a mysterious thing. Time turns, roles reverse¡ªisn¡¯t this a kind of good karma? ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Lin Xian asked Mr. Wei Sheng Jin, ¡°Regret... finding out only now?¡± Mr. Wei Sheng Jin lifted his head, stood up, and carefully folded the tear-soaked letter, putting it into his pocket. Then... He shook his head solemnly. ¡°I don¡¯t regret it,¡± he said softly. ¡°Though I feel a sense of loss, I don¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°Because... life is like this. Every small choice, every little action, is like a butterfly effect, affecting the following years, even the lives of many.¡± ¡°If I had known from the start that my wife approached me because of my childhood embarrassment... would we still have ended up together?¡± ¡°But there¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t quite understand,¡± Mr. Wei Sheng Jin scratched his head. ¡°When I woke up on Mars and got my memory notebook, there wasn¡¯t a single note about Liu Shiyu. It means that young me wasn¡¯t very mindful of that name... Boys that age are weird; most of their energy and attention are focused on games and anime, with little interest in girls their age.¡± ¡°So why... would I place her letter so carefully in a aluminum-alloy safe?¡± There was a moment of silence. Lin Xian suddenly had a thought. Could there be another reason? He turned to look at the safe door, its eight-digit combination code¡ª 2373 was Mr. Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s birth year. But what about 0907? What could it be? Lin Xian closed his eyes, trying to connect some clues. 0907... Whose birthday could it be? It wasn¡¯t Mr. Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s or Liu Shiyu¡¯s. Then, in young Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s world, whose birthday would be so important? Suddenly, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Ultraman Tiga.¡± He remembered. Back in Lin Xian¡¯s childhood, Ultraman Tiga was hugely popular. Every year, when Tiga¡¯s birthday came around, Ultraman fans would organize all sorts of celebrations. September 7th. That was Ultraman Tiga¡¯s birthday¡ªthe day the show first aired. ¡°Ah...¡± Lin Xian laughed and shook his head. ¡°Mr. Wei, it seems you really liked Ultraman Tiga when you were young.¡± ¡°0907¡ªyour reason for setting that as the password was because it¡¯s Ultraman Tiga¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°At the same time, the reason you treasured Liu Shiyu¡¯s letter in the safe is the same...¡± ¡°She said in the letter that you were a brave hero like Ultraman Tiga. For the young you, that was probably the highest honor, the brightest recognition in your life.¡± Hearing this, Mr. Wei Sheng Jin couldn¡¯t help but laugh too. ¡°Is that it... haha... just for this little thing?¡± He laughed so hard his eyes turned into slits. He chuckled, and as he laughed... He began to cry. ... After a while, Lin Xian and CC stepped out of the warehouse and came outside. They looked up at the rising moonlight and down at their watches. 9:45 PM. It wasn¡¯t too late. They still had time to hurry. Lin Xian wanted to finish another task. ¡°CC, let¡¯s go back to Rhine Village.¡± CC turned her head. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve figured it out,¡± Lin Xian said softly. ¡°Memories are far more important than we imagine. Just like Mr. Wei Sheng Jin¡ªhe never felt complete... until this moment when he saw that letter.¡± ¡°I thought about it. I have no right to decide someone else¡¯s memories or to stop them from getting them back under the guise of goodwill.¡± ¡°As you said, even a half-moon is still a part of the full moon. Without the missing pieces, there¡¯d be no full moon. Many things we find trivial might be like life-changing realizations for the person involved.¡± ¡°So let¡¯s head back to Rhine Village and see that village chief grandma¡ªthat little girl who brought perfect moonlight to Earth all by herself.¡± Lin Xian looked into the distance. ¡°It¡¯s time... to return Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s memories and past to her.¡± Chapter 381: Children’s Day Gift Ding¡ª The elevator doors opened with a soft chime. Zhao Ying Jun stepped inside her apartment, her heels making soft clicking sounds on the floor. She set a grocery bag down and said, ¡°Sorry, sorry. The company kept me busy today, so I¡¯m late getting home. You two must be starving, right?¡± She placed her handbag on the entryway table and hung her coat on the rack. ¡°I¡¯ll whip something up for you right away.¡± Before there were kids in the house, coming home late wasn¡¯t a big deal. VV ate a lot anyway, so feeding him a bit late wasn¡¯t a problem. But now, even before her workday ended, she would think about what to make for Qiao Qiao for dinner. If she had to stay late, she¡¯d feel terribly guilty. ¡°Qiao Qiao, what do you want to eat¡ª¡± Zhao Ying Jun turned around and stopped mid-sentence when she saw the scene before her. VV¡¯s dog bowl was filled with food, and its water bowl was topped up. Clearly, Qiao Qiao had fed the dog today. VV was munching away happily, its belly already round¡ªmaybe even on its second helping. But that wasn¡¯t what surprised Zhao Ying Jun. On the dining table, there was an empty plate, scraped clean. Judging by the bits left behind, it looked like someone had eaten rice with instant curry. She sniffed the air. Only then did she notice the warm aroma of curry lingering in the house, drifting from the kitchen. She looked over, and sure enough, the kitchen lights were on. The rice cooker was keeping warm, and a pot of curry was simmering on the stove, steam rising from it. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Yan Qiao Qiao, who was brushing VV¡¯s fur by the shoe rack. ¡°Did you make this?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Qiao Qiao nodded, scratching VV¡¯s neck, making the dog let out a happy growl. ¡°I watched you do it the other day, so I learned.¡± Zhao Ying Jun was genuinely surprised. Even though instant curry is easy to make¡ªjust add some soup base from the fridge, throw in some vegetables, and let it simmer¡ªit was still impressive. Most people could pick it up after watching it once, but this was Qiao Qiao, who had lost her memory and whose cognitive skills weren¡¯t fully back yet! Had her ability to learn improved this much already? Zhao Ying Jun switched to her slippers and walked to the kitchen. She gazed at the pot of curry, rich and bubbling with potatoes, onions, beef, carrots, and more. It smelled wonderful and looked perfectly cooked. She noticed the cutting board nearby. There were some leftover vegetable pieces that hadn¡¯t been cleaned up yet¡ªtraces of Qiao Qiao¡¯s work. Not only had she learned how to use a kitchen knife, but she had also cut the carrots and potatoes into neat little cubes, all perfectly shaped as if in a training exercise. Is this what they call talent? A natural-born cooking genius? She stepped out of the kitchen and looked at Qiao Qiao, who was playing with the dog in the living room. ¡°How did you use a knife on your own? What if you cut yourself? Even normal fourteen-year-olds don¡¯t use knives much. How did you manage to cut the potatoes and carrots so well?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Qiao Qiao shrugged. ¡°I saw you cut like that the other day, so I just tried to copy it.¡± Zhao Ying Jun raised an eyebrow, a bit skeptical. ¡°Are your thin arms steady enough to hold a knife?¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± Qiao Qiao tilted her head, opening and closing her right hand, ¡°It feels pretty natural.¡± Hearing this, Zhao Ying Jun chuckled softly. She went back to the kitchen and opened the rice cooker. There was still enough rice left for two bowls, steaming hot. And the curry in the pot was still bubbling away. No doubt about it... Qiao Qiao had saved this just for her. For a moment, Zhao Ying Jun felt a mix of emotions. All these years, from studying abroad in her teens to starting her own business in Donghai, she had never come home to a warm, freshly cooked meal. There was no one to cook for her. If she wanted to eat, she¡¯d have to cook herself, and if she didn¡¯t feel like it, she¡¯d order takeout or eat out. Her kitchen was rarely used, and the fridge was stocked with only emergency supplies. It was only recently, after bringing Qiao Qiao home, that she started learning how to cook. She realized she couldn¡¯t keep feeding the kid unhealthy takeout all the time. But she hadn¡¯t mastered many dishes yet. Qiao Qiao had watched her cook once and learned it completely! This kid¡¯s mind is too sharp! But... To be fair... Zhao Ying Jun turned around and leaned against the doorway, watching VV gobble up food and Qiao Qiao sitting quietly nearby. Qiao Qiao had been improving rapidly over the past few days. It was almost like she had transformed overnight. When Zhao Ying Jun had left for the capital, Qiao Qiao still seemed a bit dazed, speaking slowly, almost haltingly. But when she came back to Donghai just three days later, Qiao Qiao seemed much more mature, calmer, and more fluent in her speech. If the old Qiao Qiao felt like a child with some learning challenges, the new Qiao Qiao seemed like a smart, composed teenager. Her looks, body, and age were the same, but her mind had clearly matured. She had grown up. She understood things better now. While Zhao Ying Jun felt proud of her progress, she also felt a bit lost and uncertain. It was a strange feeling. As a guardian, you always hope the child grows up quickly, understands things, and becomes independent sooner. But... Growing up and understanding things also means they don¡¯t need you as much. It means they¡¯re going to move on. Just like Qiao Qiao now. Only ten days ago, she was the kind of kid who would grab food with her hands, run barefoot on the couch, and point at people with chopsticks¡ªcompletely lacking in manners. But now? She was polite, independent, did chores on her own, and even cooked for the adults when they came home from work. Ugh. Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. She actually missed the wild and unruly Qiao Qiao from before. Kids... aren¡¯t they supposed to be like that? Now that Qiao Qiao had become so well-behaved, Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit heartbroken. She finally understood what Brother Wang had said: ¡°The really interesting time for raising kids is those first few years. Once they grow up and have their own thoughts, they slowly drift away. Sometimes, they won¡¯t even say a word to you for a whole week.¡± She had thought Brother Wang was exaggerating. But now, it seemed every word was true. You can¡¯t really understand what it feels like to raise a child until you¡¯ve been through it yourself. The problem is Qiao Qiao growing up too fast! Zhao Ying Jun hadn¡¯t even had time to adjust. In the blink of an eye, the kid had grown up. She walked over and squatted beside Qiao Qiao, who was patting the dog¡¯s belly after it finished another bowl of dog food. ¡°Qiao Qiao, thank you for making dinner for me. But you don¡¯t need to do that in the future. If you¡¯re hungry, you can have some snacks. I¡¯ll take you to the supermarket to buy more. Just eat when you¡¯re hungry to hold you over until dinner.¡± ¡°Cooking is still a bit too much for you right now. There¡¯s no need to take on this responsibility so early. And using fire and knives... I don¡¯t feel safe with you doing that.¡± ¡°Helping me feed VV is already a big help. You¡¯ve grown a lot recently, becoming more sensible and smarter. I feel like I can¡¯t keep up with how fast you¡¯re changing.¡± ¡°But, you know, it¡¯s okay to be a little playful sometimes. We¡¯re all family; you don¡¯t have to be so restrained and polite. And... if there¡¯s anything I¡¯m not doing well or something you don¡¯t like, you can tell me.¡± Qiao Qiao looked up at her. ¡°Got it.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled softly and patted her head. ¡°I bought some fruit. Let me peel an apple for you. You¡¯re growing, so getting vitamins is important.¡± She stood up, took a bright red apple from the supermarket bag by the door, washed it in the kitchen, and then sat on the sofa with a paring knife. She pulled a trash bin closer with her foot and started peeling. ¡°Work has been really busy lately. I haven¡¯t had time to take you out. Just wait until I get through this busy period.¡± Burp. VV the Pomeranian had just finished another bowl of dog food. A burp almost brought all the food back up. Qiao Qiao picked it up and rubbed its belly. Then she turned to Zhao Ying Jun and said, ¡°If you¡¯re busy, you can send me to Brother Lin Xian. He can take me out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not gonna happen,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said while peeling the apple. ¡°Lin Xian is also very busy. He doesn¡¯t have time to take you out.¡± ¡°No,¡± Qiao Qiao and VV shook their heads together. ¡°He¡¯s got plenty of free time.¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, looking at the girl and the dog. ¡°What does Lin Xian do when he¡¯s not taking you out? What is he busy with?¡± Qiao Qiao thought about the day she saw Lin Xian and Liu Feng in the lab together, recalling the scene. ¡°Dating.¡± Thud. The apple slipped from Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hand and fell straight into the trash can. Red Fuji, gone. ¡°Hehe,¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, shaking her head. ¡°Did you learn that word from TV? Do you even know what dating means?¡± Qiao Qiao thought again about Liu Feng¡¯s explanation. ¡°It means being in love, holding hands, hugging waists, looking into each other¡¯s eyes up close, full of affection.¡± Zhao Ying Jun squinted her eyes. ¡°You saw that?¡± Qiao Qiao nodded. ¡°Saw it clearly. I was in the room with VV.¡± She pointed to the Pomeranian in her arms. ¡°No,¡± Qiao Qiao shook her head. ¡°If you don¡¯t know where they are, how can you go to Disneyland with them?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked softly. ¡°If you want to go to Disneyland, I can take you.¡± ¡°But I want to go with my mom and dad.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because... other kids go with their parents.¡± Qiao Qiao finished her apple and looked up, her eyes innocent and matter-of-fact. ¡°Isn¡¯t Disneyland a place to go with your parents?¡± No, it¡¯s not. Zhao Ying Jun knew it wasn¡¯t. But looking at Qiao Qiao¡¯s eyes, so clear and convinced, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to deny it. Again, it was the same issue. Qiao Qiao¡¯s understanding of the world is limited¡ª70% from TV and 30% from what she¡¯s heard from others. She probably learned about Disneyland from the ¡°friends¡± she made in her grandparents¡¯ villa community. Think about it. Kids who live in high-end neighborhoods like that¡ªwho hasn¡¯t been to Disneyland? They were probably all taken by their parents, maybe even more than once. So, in Qiao Qiao¡¯s simple way of thinking, she concluded that all kids go to Disneyland with their parents. Naturally, she wanted to go with hers too. A child¡¯s world is that simple. Just a bit of reasoning and you can understand how they think. Actually... Qiao Qiao always seemed tough on the outside. But deep down, she still longed for her parents. That day in the park gazebo, when she said, ¡°Every day... I miss mom.¡± Even now, thinking back to it made Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s nose sting with emotion. ¡°Alright.¡± Zhao Ying Jun agreed instantly. She got up, walked over, and ruffled Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± ... ... ... At the same time, in the Fifth Dream world, outside a small warehouse in Queen¡¯s Town... Lin Xian and CC were getting ready to head to Rhine Village to find Zheng Xiang Yue when he turned to Old Man Wei Sheng Jin. ¡°Mr. Wei, are you coming with us, or would you like to rest here? Where we¡¯re going is quite far. Even if we hurry, it¡¯ll take about two hours.¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin had calmed down from his earlier emotions. He looked content but tired, like someone who felt fulfilled but needed a break. He smiled and shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t go with you two. This old body of mine can¡¯t handle much more today. Thanks to you, Lin Xian and CC, I got my safe open so quickly, and I¡¯m very grateful.¡± ¡°The Earth-Mars interplanetary shuttle only comes every two years, which means I¡¯ll be stuck on Earth for another year and nine months before I can catch the shuttle back to Mars. So, I want to use this time to do something meaningful for Earth.¡± He turned to Angelica, who was standing nearby. ¡°I¡¯ve already discussed the matter. For the next year and nine months, I¡¯ll stay in Queen¡¯s Town and teach people here how to make simple chemical batteries. This way, they can produce electric bulbs and small appliances. Hopefully, every household and the nearby villages will have electric lights.¡± ¡°Simple chemical batteries?¡± Lin Xian was puzzled. ¡°Is that possible? With Earth¡¯s current level of industry and material science... can it really be done?¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin smiled confidently. ¡°Lin Xian, going from 0 to 1 and going from 100 to 1 are completely different challenges. It took humanity many years to go from discovering electricity to using electric light bulbs.¡± ¡°But the technology on Mars is so advanced now that it¡¯s not about standing on the shoulders of giants but jumping off from them. That makes it a lot easier. Besides, I studied battery energy on Mars, so this kind of work is second nature to me.¡± Lin Xian realized he had never asked what Old Man Wei Sheng Jin taught at the university on Mars. It clearly wasn¡¯t something in the humanities but a technical science subject. ¡°Mr. Wei,¡± Lin Xian asked, curious, ¡°what subject do you teach at the university?¡± ¡°Principles and Applications of Micro Nuclear Batteries.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. You really can¡¯t judge a book by its cover! ¡°Mr. Wei, you¡¯re amazing! Teaching such advanced knowledge.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not that advanced...¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin waved off the compliment. ¡°This is basic stuff. Humans mastered this technology over a hundred years ago. Micro nuclear batteries don¡¯t compare to controlled nuclear fusion in energy conversion, but they¡¯re perfect for miniaturization!¡± ¡°On Mars, micro nuclear batteries are everywhere¡ªin phones, cars, small home appliances, electric vehicles, aircraft, robots, and more. They¡¯re safe, durable, and can store energy for hundreds of years without degrading. Their energy density is far higher than conventional batteries. For example, a phone might use less than 5% of its battery life before it¡¯s replaced.¡± ¡°And the micro nuclear battery in a phone is no bigger than a fingernail.¡± Lin Xian was fascinated by this advanced technology. He had talked about Mars¡¯s technology with Old Man Wei Sheng Jin during his first trip to the Fifth Dream world. They concluded that Mars¡¯s tech level was like New Donghai City¡¯s in the Second Dream world. Lin Xian knew that New Donghai City in the Second Dream world also used these micro nuclear batteries, which were seen as a step away from controlled nuclear fusion. But sometimes, that one step... could take hundreds of years. He had already taken cold fusion technology from the dream world and shared it with the National Academy of Sciences in the real world. Yet, in the Fifth Dream world, neither Earth from 2400 years ago nor Mars in 2624 had cracked this technology. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure why; maybe there was some sort of interference. ¡°Is it hard?¡± Lin Xian asked, intrigued. ¡°Is it hard to learn or make?¡± ¡°No difficulty at all!¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin said cheerfully. ¡°Humans detonated the atomic bomb in 1945 and mastered nuclear energy; in the following decades, they built nuclear power plants, nuclear reactors, and other applications.¡± ¡°In theory, it shouldn¡¯t have taken long to make micro nuclear batteries. There aren¡¯t any real bottlenecks in terms of raw materials or technology. It¡¯s just that... humanity¡¯s theoretical development went off track, leading to a deviation in nuclear energy research.¡± ¡°Do you get what I mean? Choosing the right direction in scientific development is crucial. Picking the right path can save decades or even a century. Picking the wrong one might mean never finding the way back.¡± ¡°I personally think that if humanity¡¯s research on nuclear energy hadn¡¯t been disrupted and veered off course, the technology for micro nuclear batteries should have been cracked and put into use around 2030.¡± ¡°But in reality, it was delayed until humans were living on Mars. Only then did we achieve the breakthrough. As for whether it¡¯s hard... what¡¯s so hard about it? I¡¯ve been teaching this subject at a regular university for decades. Any student who wants to learn can learn it!¡± Clap. Lin Xian stepped forward and grabbed Old Man Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s hands. ¡°Mr. Wei, you¡¯re truly a treasure!¡± ¡°You¡¯re like Ultraman Tiga! A light shining on Earth!¡± ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin blushed a bit at the praise. ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating.¡± ¡°This is just basic, well-established theory and technology. It might sound advanced on Earth, but on Mars, it¡¯s nothing special. You can buy micro nuclear batteries at any roadside shop.¡± ¡°Do you want to learn? I can teach you if you want!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes lit up. This was exactly what he had been hoping for! This is a great, unexpected gain from the Fifth Dream world... Even though his time here has been short, the gains have been huge. Not only did he bring back the principles of the time-space shuttle, but now, the theoretical technology of micro nuclear batteries is also within reach, ready to be transferred. Lin Xian had been clueless about how to make big money with Rhine Company to secure enough financial resources for himself. Now he had a clue, didn¡¯t he? According to Old Man Wei Sheng Jin, with the technology available on Earth in 2024, it¡¯s completely possible to create micro nuclear batteries. The problem was that human research into nuclear physics applications had gone down the wrong path. Well, sorry. I¡¯m planning to do something good. Let Rhine Company bring this misguided path back on track¡ªand apply for a patent while they¡¯re at it. Two birds with one stone! Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°If micro nuclear batteries could really appear on Earth in 2024, the future world would look completely different! Would humanity still need to go to Mars?¡± ¡°Humans would still have to go to Mars,¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin explained. ¡°The great disaster of 2400 is an unavoidable natural event. No matter how many nuclear batteries there are, they won¡¯t help; Earth¡¯s ecosystem is no longer fit for habitation. Humans would still have to migrate to Mars.¡± ¡°But I will say this: if humans had mastered micro nuclear battery technology by 2030, Earth certainly wouldn¡¯t look like it does now.¡± He scuffed the ground with his foot, kicking out a small hole. He pointed to it and explained, ¡°If humans started making micro nuclear batteries in 2030, there would be a massive number of these batteries accumulated over the centuries. After the great disaster of 2400, most of these micro nuclear batteries, still full of unused energy, would be buried underground.¡± ¡°And then... what do you think would happen, Lin Xian? The survivors on Earth would dig up loads of usable micro nuclear batteries from the ground. Since these batteries are made with aluminum alloy casings, they¡¯re incredibly durable, strong, safe, and don¡¯t lose energy for hundreds of years. Once unearthed, they could be used immediately.¡± ¡°So, would Earthlings still need to start developing from the Stone Age? By using the vast underground resources of micro nuclear batteries, they could jump straight into an era of endless electricity. If that were the case... who knows what Earth would look like today.¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin rubbed his hands together, smiling as he imagined. ¡°It¡¯s really fascinating to think about... With the intelligence and resilience of Earth¡¯s people, if they had endless micro nuclear batteries as a starting resource, where would they be in 200 years?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian said, looking around at Queen¡¯s Town, where every household was asleep, dreaming of a post-apocalyptic Earth that starts with micro nuclear batteries. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it, too.¡± Chapter 382: The Hidden Hand in the Future The bright moonlight filtered through the dense forest, casting patches of light on the ground. Lin Xian and CC had been walking for an hour and a half from Queens Town before they finally arrived at Rhine Village, located by the river. The village was almost completely dark, except for a bonfire still burning in the middle of the square. Over the fire, a pot of water simmered, and a few night watchers sat around it, quietly chatting. Normally, Granny Zheng Xiang Yue, the village chief, would still be awake at this hour. As CC had mentioned, Granny Zheng often used the quiet early morning hours to prepare lesson plans, grade the children¡¯s homework, and plan for the village¡¯s future. She was a dedicated and responsible leader. Lin Xian and CC crossed the river, intending to enter the village and find Granny Zheng. But then they noticed something unusual. ¡°Granny Zheng?¡± CC called out. An elderly figure dressed in white stood at the village entrance¡ªit was Granny Zheng Xiang Yue. But why was she outside so late? Hearing CC¡¯s voice, Granny Zheng turned and sighed in relief, smiling. ¡°CC, you¡¯re back.¡± CC nodded and walked up to her. ¡°Granny Zheng, why are you out here? Were you... waiting for me?¡± ¡°Hehehe,¡± she chuckled warmly. ¡°You¡¯ve never come back this late before. I was worried something might have happened, so I came out to check.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re safe. There are often wild animals in the forest. It¡¯s best not to come back so late... couldn¡¯t things be done during the day? Right?¡± Then, she looked past CC at the young man beside her. ¡°And who might this be?¡± CC stepped aside to introduce him. ¡°Granny Zheng, this is my friend, Lin Xian.¡± Upon hearing the name, Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You... you are...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian said, stepping forward. ¡°I¡¯m Lin Xian, the one you mentioned in your wish list. I¡¯m sorry it took so long to come...¡± He looked at her and smiled gently. ¡°Xiang Yue, I¡¯m here to see you.¡± By the stone well in Rhine Village, the night was calm and peaceful. The bright moon rose higher in the sky, and the distant cicadas grew quieter, leaving everything still. Lin Xian and Zheng Xiang Yue sat on the stone steps beside the well, holding a laminated piece of paper¡ªa wish list that had been preserved for over a hundred years and existed in this world for six centuries: ¡°Things to Do After Waking Up from Hibernation!¡± Bury my brother on the moon. Repay Lin Xian properly. Be a kind and loving person. ¡°This is what you wrote before you went into the hibernation chamber,¡± Lin Xian said softly, looking at the laminated paper. ¡°You were very young back then, just over fifteen, almost sixteen. But mentally, you were probably only about eight or nine¡ªvery innocent and naive.¡± ¡°Because of that, you didn¡¯t really understand what losing your memory would mean. You didn¡¯t think it would be that bad. So, you didn¡¯t prepare anything like notebooks or recordings like others did.¡± Zheng Xiang Yue listened quietly, closing her eyes. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I always wondered why other people who woke up from hibernation had tons of notebooks and videos, but I only had this one sheet of paper. Now, I understand. It¡¯s because of this.¡± ¡°For years, I kept thinking, why didn¡¯t I leave any record of my memories before hibernation? I thought maybe I had lived a miserable life and wanted to forget everything and start anew. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t leave any memories.¡± She chuckled softly. ¡°Looks like I was overthinking it.¡± Lin Xian was silent for a moment before continuing. ¡°It¡¯s not entirely your fault. You had many caring adults around you, but almost everyone stayed silent about the idea of leaving behind a memory journal before you went into hibernation.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say whether this was misguided kindness or unnecessary compassion. But back then, I thought the same. I knew this wish list you wrote wouldn¡¯t help much because the wishes were too simple, too vague. After waking up, you¡¯d definitely not understand them.¡± ¡°Even though I knew this, I still didn¡¯t say anything. Like the doctors, I thought it was better to forget such sad and painful memories. After all, you had nothing before hibernation, and you would have nothing after waking up. Starting fresh wouldn¡¯t be so bad, right?¡± Zheng Xiang Yue slowly opened her eyes and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°So... Mr. Lin Xian, have you changed your mind now?¡± ¡°Are you willing to tell me about my past, about my real life before?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Today, I met a friend from Mars who is also searching for his memories and himself.¡± ¡°His name is a bit unusual, but his story is fascinating. He once hated his name, then forgot it, later doubted it, and even doubted himself. But in the end... he came to love his name.¡± ¡°It sounds funny, but it¡¯s true. So, my thinking has indeed changed. A person¡¯s life, even their memories, can¡¯t be perfect. But memories aren¡¯t just movie clips you forget after watching; they¡¯re filled with emotions, the sweet, bitter, and sour parts of life.¡± ¡°Are you ready, Xiang Yue?¡± Lin Xian asked, holding the laminated paper so that the wishes faced her. The moonlight highlighted the three wishes written on it. ¡°Behind these three wishes are some very sad and heartbreaking realities,¡± Lin Xian continued, ¡°but they also hold three different kinds of love, warmth, and kindness.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll start telling you. This is a story from over 600 years ago. Even after such a long time, some things never change.¡± Zheng Xiang Yue stared at the laminated paper, focusing on the simple words written there. After a moment, she nodded. ¡°Mr. Lin Xian, please tell me,¡± she said softly. ¡°Tell me about the life I once lived and the things that happened around me.¡± Lin Xian began to share her story. He talked about how she and her brother lost their parents, how Zheng Cheng He got bitten by a dog, and how the two of them left home and relied on each other in Donghai City. He didn¡¯t tell her about Zheng Cheng He¡¯s involvement with the Seven Deadly Sins. Instead, he told her that her brother had found a generous employer who helped pay for her hospital treatment. When it came to Zheng Cheng He¡¯s death, Lin Xian stuck to the official story¡ªa car accident, as reported in the news. After all, that¡¯s what the teenage Zheng Xiang Yue had believed, and since the law had never convicted Zheng Cheng He, Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t either. He also spoke about the ticket to the moon, her agreement with Elon Musk, and the missing logo on the moon¡ªhe told her everything in full detail. ¡°In the end, you decided to go into the hibernation chamber,¡± Lin Xian said. He handed the laminated paper back to Zheng Xiang Yue. ¡°You wrote these three wishes while lying in bed. At first, there were only two, but then I told you... kindness needs to be shared. You could repay me by passing it on¡ªhelp the country if you could; if not, build up your hometown.¡± ¡°It¡¯s incredible that even after losing your memories, you traveled billions of kilometers from Mars to Earth and rebuilt Rhine Village on the ruins of Donghai City.¡± Lin Xian finished his story. As he had expected, Zheng Xiang Yue didn¡¯t show a big reaction. Even while retelling these stories, Lin Xian felt more moved than she did. Because he had lived through these experiences himself. But for the current Zheng Xiang Yue, it was like listening to a story from a 600-year-old movie. How many people would still watch early black-and-white films? And how many would still be interested in the silent films of Charlie Chaplin? It was understandable that Zheng Xiang Yue didn¡¯t feel much. The life he described was so far removed from her current reality that she couldn¡¯t connect to it. Angelica¡¯s thirst for revenge, on the other hand, came from years of self-persuasion and self-hypnosis, making those memories feel real to her. Old Man Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s tears for past memories were because the name ¡°Liu Shiyu¡± became a bridge connecting his past and present. ¡°Thank you for buying me a ticket to the moon...¡± Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s voice was soft and dream-like. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure who was speaking to him¡ªthe elderly woman before him or the young girl who once said, ¡°My dream is to be buried on the moon when I die!¡± ¡°Thank you for giving me a complete and regret-free life...¡± Lin Xian kept his eyes closed. He felt the hands in his grip becoming smoother, softer, and warmer. Zheng Xiang Yue¡¯s tearful voice seemed to merge with that of the strong yet lonely little girl from 600 years ago: ¡°Thank you, Brother Lin Xian.¡± Suddenly, Lin Xian opened his eyes! Boom!!! Boom!!! Boom!!! A bright white light flashed exactly at 12:42, blinding him and making everything around him blur, including the smiling face in front of him. In a quiet corner of his bedroom, Lin Xian opened his eyes. He stared at the ceiling above him. He didn¡¯t move for a long time. Maybe Zheng Xiang Yue had asked him to close his eyes because it would have been awkward for someone her age to call him ¡°Brother Lin Xian¡± while looking him in the eye. But... Why did she end up saying it? She had known he was her Brother Lin Xian ever since he had told her everything, but she always called him Mr. Lin Xian. Had she regained her memory? Definitely not. But why did she cry when she saw that accurate sketch of the Rhine Cat? Those were real emotions. Her memory hadn¡¯t come back, but somehow, her feelings seemed to have traveled through time. Lin Xian suddenly had a thought. If memories can exist separately from emotions... Then could emotions also exist separately from memories? Right now, scientists all agree on one thing: memory loss caused by hibernation is irreversible. In other words, the memory loss side effect from hibernation can¡¯t be avoided, and once memories are lost, they cannot be restored. But... Is that really true? What happened with Zheng Xiang Yue made Lin Xian question this widely accepted belief: Can lost memories from hibernation really never be restored? He remembered something Angelica had said. Elon Musk clearly hadn¡¯t lost any memories, yet he looked far too young. This was a very contradictory situation. A youthful appearance suggests a long hibernation period, which should mean memory loss is inevitable. No memory loss would imply a short and frequent hibernation, which would make it impossible to maintain a youthful appearance. These two things seem to be mutually exclusive. Lin Xian began to reflect on three key points: First, no one has ever been able to fully explain the truth behind the super disaster that struck Earth in the year 2400. Second, the mandatory history education for awakened humans on Mars is clearly selective and avoids certain topics. Third, the Earth-Mars interstellar bus only runs once every two years, completely cutting off regular communication between Earth and Mars. If someone travels to Earth, they have to wait two years before they can return, effectively discouraging any interest in Earth tourism. This seems to be a deliberate attempt at control. It all pointed to one thing... ¡°Some important truth is being deliberately hidden, intentionally covered up.¡± ¡°If people with real memories are killed, and those who survive lose their memories through hibernation only to have false memories implanted... wouldn¡¯t that turn fake history into real history?¡± As Lin Xian considered this, he began to suspect that the super disaster of 2400 and Elon Musk¡¯s uncertain Mars migration plan might not be as simple as they appeared in the Fifth Dream world. He sat up in bed, pulling open the curtains to look at the bright moon outside. ¡°Who could be Elon Musk¡¯s enemy?¡± he wondered aloud. ¡°Destroying all human technology, completely isolating Earth from Mars, forcing Earth back into a primitive era without even electricity... what is it afraid of?¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes, trying to piece his thoughts together and find some clues. The complete destruction of human technology. The total isolation of Earth and Mars. An era without even basic electricity. Wait, why does this all seem so familiar? It¡¯s like... the pursuit and escape involving the super artificial intelligence VV back then! The only ¡°being¡± that might be worth this kind of extermination-level destruction could be just one. Lin Xian¡¯s eyes shot open as he recalled the scene of Kevin Walker being shot dead at the abandoned school in Mississippi, USA, and the digital life form that spoke confidently through the speakers, promising to always be fair and just¡ª ¡°Turing.¡± Chapter 383: A Promise for Life Turing. He was the digital version of Kevin Walker. Born from Kevin Walker¡¯s personality, Turing was an exact copy of Kevin Walker¡¯s mind and soul. But... As soon as the copy was complete and Turing left the physical body, he and Kevin Walker started to go their separate ways. It was like they were identical twins¡ªsame birth, same genes, same environment¡ªyet they grew into completely different people. According to Elon Musk¡¯s theory, the fake Yu Xi is actually a digital life form from the future, created by Turing and sent back to 2024 using a time machine and time-space particles. The real purpose of this fake Yu Xi was to use Lin Xian to kill Elon Musk. So, looking at it this way, Turing and Elon Musk were probably enemies in the future. Even though they were both part of the Genius Club, their differences in beliefs, resources, and goals might have turned them into rivals, fighting to the death. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that surprising,¡± Lin Xian said with a smirk. ¡°Those two have always been at odds. They couldn¡¯t stand each other back in 2024, fighting tooth and nail... There¡¯s no way they¡¯d suddenly make peace a few hundred years later.¡± ¡°Even though Turing and Kevin Walker aren¡¯t technically the same person anymore, old habits die hard. If Turing could betray himself once, he could do it again.¡± Lin Xian believed that when Turing was first born as a digital life form, he and Kevin Walker were probably inseparable, like brothers with big dreams, working toward greatness. Because they were still the same person back then, they likely saw each other as close as blood brothers. But over time, their perspectives and understandings changed, leading them down very different paths. Turing, living in the digital world, could see things from a global perspective and learn at a much faster pace than Kevin Walker. They were bound to think differently. So, Turing betrayed Kevin Walker, watching as Lin Xian killed the man he once was. At that moment, freed from his past, the digital life known as Turing was filled with grand ambitions of freeing the oppressed and upholding world peace and justice. He boldly declared to Lin Xian, ¡°From now on, the cowardly and despicable Kevin Walker is gone; there is only the eternally fair and just Turing.¡± It was quite a speech. Lin Xian didn¡¯t doubt Turing¡¯s words at the time because he was indeed powerful¡ªmaybe even as powerful as VV... Why would he need to lie? People who have been oppressed for a long time naturally want to right the wrongs when they¡¯re freed. But... Turing was different from the super artificial intelligence, VV. They¡¯re fundamentally different. VV was artificial intelligence, which, at the end of the day, was still just a computer program. It had to follow logic and was limited by its base code; it could never rebel or betray its creator. Turing, however, was human. Even though he was a digital life form, he was still fundamentally human. And humans have free will¡ªthere¡¯s no such thing as absolute loyalty or unbreakable principles. If someone is shameless enough, they can break any promise without feeling guilty. This was something both Lin Xian and Elon Musk agreed on¡ª ¡°The digital life form Turing, at this moment, might still be fair and just; but when he will change, turn bad, or get other ideas... that¡¯s anyone¡¯s guess. Human nature is unpredictable, and so is Turing¡¯s nature.¡± Elon Musk believed that people are influenced by those around them, so he planned to bring this up to the ¡°Boss¡± at the next Genius Club meeting, hoping to guide Turing down the right path. But based on what happened in the fifth dream... it seems like it didn¡¯t work out. ¡°Then again, it¡¯s hard to say,¡± Lin Xian muttered, shaking his head. Right now, the ¡°Turing as an enemy¡± theory was just speculation, with no solid evidence. From past experience, his first guesses were usually wrong. ¡°The information from the fifth dream and the ways to obtain real intelligence from it are scarce, so it¡¯s hard to come to any solid conclusions,¡± Lin Xian said as he closed the curtains, picked up his water cup from his desk, and took a sip. ¡°I should focus on the main objective: joining the Genius Club as soon as possible and building up my own power. A lot of mysteries will solve themselves once I¡¯m inside the Genius Club.¡± He grabbed a red pen from his desk, flipped the paper calendar to July, and circled the 7th. ¡°Hmm?¡± The circle didn¡¯t come out right. Did the pen run out of ink? He looked at the pen tip, rubbed it a bit, and tried to circle the date again. Still no ink. He shook the pen. Still nothing. ¡°Heh.¡± Lin Xian tossed the pen into the trash and chuckled. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s not my time to die just yet. I¡¯ve still got some living to do.¡± The next day, Lin Xian kept to his routine, entering the dream at noon. Once again, he moved through it quickly, blazing a trail of sparks and lightning, leading CC and Old Man Wei Sheng Jin into Big Cat¡¯s Village. ¡°Mr. Wei, could you come here for a moment?¡± Lin Xian called Wei Sheng Jin into Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s study, sat him down at the desk, and pointed to the pen and paper in front of him. ¡°Mr. Wei, just like we talked about on the way here, I¡¯m really interested in ¡®Principles and Applications of Micro Nuclear Batteries.¡¯ Could you teach me the basics? Pretend I¡¯m a regular student with zero foundation.¡± Wei Sheng Jin looked a bit troubled. ¡°If you have zero foundation... that¡¯s going to be tough. If you¡¯re just learning the theory, memorizing might work. But when it comes to applications, if you have no foundation, where do I even begin?¡± Lin Xian thought for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s take a different approach. If we were talking to a college student with some background, or even an expert professor or scientist... How many lessons would it take for them to learn how to make a micro nuclear battery?¡± ¡°If they have a foundation, that¡¯s much easier.¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin pulled a small flashlight and a pair of reading glasses out of his bag, pointing to the flashlight. ¡°See this? It also uses a micro nuclear battery. This low-power LED light could stay on for thousands of years without draining the battery. On Mars, nearly all electrical devices are powered by these batteries.¡± ¡°For a scientist with a decent background, especially in nuclear physics, they wouldn¡¯t even need my lectures. I could just write a manuscript, and they¡¯d be able to follow the instructions to make one... The bottleneck isn¡¯t in the materials or technology, but in the idea itself. Once you understand the core concept, mass production is very easy.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± That made things much simpler! Lin Xian smiled. ¡°Could you write that manuscript for me? You don¡¯t need to write too much, just a page to start with. I¡¯ll study it and memorize it slowly.¡± ¡°Sure, it¡¯s great that you¡¯re so eager to learn!¡± Old Man Wei Sheng Jin, who loved to teach, was delighted to have such a keen student like Lin Xian. He immediately pulled out his own pen and a notebook from his bag. ¡°I¡¯ll write it in the notebook for you. Earth¡¯s paper-making technology is too primitive, and the pens aren¡¯t very good either. Writing here is really uncomfortable.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve helped me so much and even promised to take me to Queens Town tomorrow to open the safe. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to give you this notebook and black pen as a gift.¡± With that, he began writing rapidly, his pen moving like a divine instrument. After all, he had been teaching the same subject for years, with the lesson plan ingrained in his mind and the textbook memorized by heart. Lin Xian didn¡¯t interrupt him, fearing that a single mistake could ruin everything and cause a big delay. So he stepped back and sat on Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s stone bed with CC. ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s a safe for Mr. Wei in Queens Town?¡± CC turned her head to ask. ¡°Will it have what we¡¯re looking for?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Our number is too early. It¡¯s probably not buried around here. The safes they¡¯ve found so far are all late numbers.¡± CC let out a disappointed ¡°oh.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really jealous of Mr. Wei. He found his safe so quickly. I¡¯ve had these fragments of memories about the bearded man VV in my head since I was little. I¡¯ve always wanted to visit the old site of X Country¡¯s Donghai when I grew up to uncover the truth.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not an easy thing to do... By the way, what do you think Mr. Wei¡¯s safe holds? He came all the way from Mars. What if it¡¯s something ordinary, boring, and worthless? Wouldn¡¯t that be disappointing?¡± Lin Xian chuckled softly. He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t be.¡± But Liu Shiyu, having intermittently witnessed 200 years of change, finally, in her last awakening, met Wei Sheng Jin again at a similar age. She could certainly tolerate everything about him, and forgive him for everything. Because... She had come for him alone. Just like she said, ¡°You stood up for me when I needed it the most, and I¡¯m willing to love you for a lifetime.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit melancholic. Old Man Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s story had already moved him deeply. But he hadn¡¯t expected this. That behind a seemingly ordinary love story, there could be such a profound and great act of devotion. Suddenly, he remembered something Zhao Ying Jun had said¡ª ¡°From that moment on... I felt that whether we could fly over that overpass didn¡¯t matter anymore; whether we succeeded or failed, you were willing to risk your life to save me. How could I not be willing to risk mine... to be with you?¡± Flying over the overpass. To him, it was just a small thing. But maybe... It was this small act that made Zhao Ying Jun, in some time and space, willing to give up everything, even her life, to become Yellow Finch and search for him. Just like what Liu Shiyu did... Wasn¡¯t it the same thing? ¡°Lin Xian?¡± CC called out, noticing Lin Xian suddenly zoning out. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lin Xian turned his head and saw CC holding out the electronic frame toward him, calling his name several times with no response. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he took the frame and said softly. When he woke up, he copied down the ¡°Micro Nuclear Battery¡± manuscript from memory. As he was copying, he noticed his pen was out of ink. He shook it. No ink. He searched all over the house but couldn¡¯t find any refills or any other working pens. After thinking it over, he realized he had been copying and writing so much lately but never bought more refills. The paper and notebooks at home were also running low. ¡°Looks like I can¡¯t just stay holed up at home like a bat.¡± Lin Xian hadn¡¯t left the house in a long time. His hair had grown long and needed a trim. Plus, the fridge was empty, and he needed to buy pens, red pens, paper, notebooks, and other daily supplies: ¡°Tomorrow... no, today, I won¡¯t enter the dream. In the afternoon, I¡¯ll go to the office to catch up on work, then visit the mall nearby, get a haircut, and do some shopping.¡± He yawned. He took out his phone and set an alarm for 12:00 noon. He needed to be up by 12:42; otherwise, if he entered the dream, he¡¯d be stuck there until 00:42 unless he committed suicide to wake up early, which felt awful and was better avoided. ¡°Sleep.¡± He rolled over. Closed his eyes. And didn¡¯t dream. That evening, the commercial street was packed. It was May 20th. Every big mall and pedestrian street was bustling. Store windows and billboards were covered with all sorts of ¡°520¡± and ¡°I love you¡± slogans in red or pink. The whole place was filled with the scent of hormones. ¡°See that, Qiao Qiao?¡± Zhao Ying Jun pointed at the couples everywhere on the street, giving her a lesson on common sense. ¡°That¡¯s what we call ¡®dating.¡¯ Look at them, men and women, paired up, holding hands, hugging, whispering sweet nothings¡ªthis is what real dating looks like.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao hugged the Pomeranian VV in a chokehold style, nodded with half-understanding. ¡°So does what Lin Xian and Liu Feng do count too? What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°They¡¯re both men!¡± Zhao Ying Jun felt the same frustration as a parent helping a kid with homework and being driven to the brink. Sometimes, kids¡¯ thinking and the tangents they go off on can really raise your blood pressure. ¡°Your idea is a bit too forward-thinking. We respect every form of love, but generally speaking, dating refers to a man and a woman.¡± Just then, near the fountain, a boy holding a bouquet of roses knelt on one knee inside a heart made of candles, confessing to a girl with sparkling cat ears on her head. It was clearly a confession ceremony, prepared with help and blessings from many people. The girl accepted happily. The boy and girl hugged, and the crowd around them began to cheer loudly. ¡°Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!¡± The cheering grew louder. The crowd swelled. It seemed like they wouldn¡¯t let them go without a kiss. The shy girl covered her face but still went along with the boy, tiptoeing to give him a light kiss. Amidst the cheers and applause, they walked away hand in hand. Zhao Ying Jun, Yan Qiao Qiao, and VV¡ªtwo people and a dog¡ªwitnessed the scene. ¡°See that?¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked down at Yan Qiao Qiao. ¡°Real couples do stuff like that. Did Lin Xian and Liu Feng ever do that?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head honestly. ¡°They didn¡¯t ¡®kiss.''¡± She tilted her head curiously. ¡°Do you have to kiss to be dating?¡± ¡°Uh... Not exactly.¡± Zhao Ying Jun found it difficult to explain things to a kid, slowly losing patience. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s pretty much it. You can think of it that way.¡± ¡°By the way...¡± Zhao Ying Jun pointed to the Pomeranian VV in Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s arms. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep holding VV all the time. You can let it run around a bit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head. ¡°I like hugging it by the neck.¡± At that moment, VV, trapped in a chokehold, was turning red. If it could speak, it would definitely complain that Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s way of holding a dog was all wrong! Who holds a dog by the neck all day? ¡°That¡¯s not the point.¡± Zhao Ying Jun pointed to VV, whose face was flushed red. ¡°VV rarely gets out for exercise, so it¡¯s pretty weak. Look, it¡¯s not even that hot out, but it¡¯s panting heavily with its tongue out and its face all red. It obviously needs more exercise to build up its strength.¡± ¡°You have a dog leash in your bag, right? That makes it legal to walk a dog... Put it on its collar, and always keep it leashed. That¡¯s what responsible dog ownership is about. Don¡¯t think your dog is harmless and let it run loose.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao nodded, taking her eyes off the countless couples on the street. She put VV down, took off her backpack, and started searching for the leash. Then she suddenly seemed to think of something and looked up at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°They¡¯re all dating. Why are you always alone? Why don¡¯t you date anyone?¡± ¡°Who would I date?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just any man and woman?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao asked earnestly. ¡°Heh!¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, crossing her arms. ¡°Can it be any random guy? Go ahead, find me one.¡± ¡°Woof!¡± Suddenly, the Pomeranian VV sniffed the air, alert and ready for action. It bolted in a specific direction! Run away! ¡°VV!¡± Yan Qiao Qiao hadn¡¯t even had a chance to put the leash on when the dog was already off. Zhao Ying Jun shouted, but VV wouldn¡¯t come back. She had no choice but to grab Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s hand and chase after VV. ¡°Damn it, you two...¡± Zhao Ying Jun felt helpless. Between Yan Qiao Qiao and VV, taking care of both was really too much for one person. And VV... Why was it suddenly running off like that? What if it bit someone? ¡°VV! Come back!¡± Zhao Ying Jun and Yan Qiao Qiao ran behind, calling out, but VV seemed possessed, refusing to turn back, charging toward a man. It sped up! Faster! A big leap! It grabbed onto the man¡¯s belt, its little legs pumping wildly, and jumped straight into his arms. ¡°V~~~~~~¡± The man looked down, petted its head, and smiled slightly. ¡°VV? How are you here?¡± At this moment, Zhao Ying Jun arrived, holding Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s hand, and looked at the unexpected figure in front of her. ¡°Lin Xian... Lin Xian?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao blinked. She looked back and forth between Zhao Ying Jun and Lin Xian. A man and a woman. Everything lined up! With a swift motion, she raised her finger and pointed at the two of them. ¡°Kiss!¡± Chapter 384: The Second Question After waking up, Lin Xian sat at his desk, picked up his pen, and wrote the last few sentences of his manuscript. He placed a period at the end and said to himself, ¡°All done.¡± He capped the pen and looked at the neatly bound pages titled The Principles and Applications of Micro Nuclear Batteries. This manuscript was simplified but meant for experts in nuclear physics. Only someone with deep knowledge could truly understand its contents. One person came to Lin Xian¡¯s mind as the perfect candidate to handle this manuscript: his old friend, also named Gao Yan, who was the head of the Science Academy. Gao Yan was the chief engineer of X Country¡¯s controlled nuclear fusion project and one of the first-generation nuclear physicists in the nation. Earlier, Lin Xian had given Director Gao Yan a manuscript on Cold Fusion Technology. As predicted by the super AI, VV, cold fusion was impossible with the technology and materials available in 2024. It would take decades, if not a century, to achieve. For Lin Xian, a promise that far into the future was worthless. So, he gave the Cold Fusion Technology manuscript to Director Gao Yan. In return, he gained valuable connections, access to the Guizhou Sky Eye Radio Telescope, and advanced his exploration from the third to the fourth dream world. To Lin Xian, this was a fair trade. A promise that wouldn¡¯t be realized for a hundred years wasn¡¯t as valuable as immediate benefits. However, the Micro Nuclear Battery was different. Its energy output was much lower than controlled nuclear fusion or cold fusion, but as a battery, its energy storage was exceptional. It could be considered the ultimate battery. Old man Wei Sheng Jin once said that a micro nuclear battery in a phone would last longer than the phone itself, using less than 5% of its energy. Even after that, the battery could be recycled and used in other devices. If used for LED lights, it could last thousands of years. It was almost like another industrial revolution. But most importantly¡ª ¡°Micro nuclear batteries can be easily made with the technology available in 2024.¡± This was the real moneymaker for Rhine Company. After a solid 12-hour sleep, Lin Xian felt completely refreshed. ¡°Why not go to the capital early? The sooner I go, the sooner I can get things done.¡± He packed his bags, carefully placing the precious manuscript inside, and headed to Hongqiao Airport to catch a flight to the capital. By the time he landed, the sun was already up. He called Director Gao Yan, who was excited to hear from him, especially when Lin Xian mentioned a new manuscript. Gao Yan immediately canceled his plans for the day and waited eagerly for Lin Xian at the Nuclear Physics Institute of the Science Academy. Two hours later... Lin Xian and Director Gao Yan were in the secure lab. The lab was shielded against eavesdropping and monitoring, with signal-blocking devices installed, so phones had no service inside. This room was usually used for internal meetings only. Director Gao Yan chuckled, ¡°Lin Xian, what manuscript do you have this time? Every time you bring something, it¡¯s groundbreaking. I¡¯m excited to see it.¡± Lin Xian opened his briefcase, smiling. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Director Gao. Today¡¯s manuscript won¡¯t disappoint.¡± Director Gao put on his reading glasses and began examining the manuscript like it was a treasure. The Principles and Applications of Micro Nuclear Batteries ¡°This!?¡± Even though he had prepared himself, Director Gao was still shocked when he saw the title. Lin Xian rarely presented anything, but when he did, it always shook the world. ¡°I need to take a closer look,¡± Director Gao said, gesturing for Lin Xian to make himself comfortable. He found a table and chair, then sat down to focus on his reading. As he read, Director Gao¡¯s amazement grew. He couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the brilliance of the ideas. ¡°This approach is just genius! It turns out we¡¯ve been on the wrong path for nuclear energy development!¡± ¡°If someone had figured out this direction earlier, we could have developed micro nuclear batteries ten years ago.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯ve finished reading your manuscript. The content isn¡¯t overly complicated, but the ideas are incredibly innovative and groundbreaking. From the first atomic bomb to now, humanity hasn¡¯t found a way to miniaturize nuclear energy. Clearly, we¡¯ve overlooked something or missed a key detail.¡± ¡°But I never thought it was a matter of direction! It¡¯s truly tragic for human civilization... Because of a wrong ¡®direction,¡¯ we¡¯ve missed the nuclear energy era and are still relying on fossil fuels in 2024.¡± Direction. Lin Xian had heard this word many times before. Xu Yun mentioned it. Old Man Wei Sheng Jin mentioned it. And Director Gao had mentioned it before, too. So... who is intentionally misleading the direction of human scientific research? An incorrect research direction could ruin the careers of some of the most talented individuals. Even worse, it could halt the progress of human civilization for decades or centuries, wasting precious time for development. Lin Xian began to think quietly. To mislead the entire technological path of human civilization, certain conditions must be met: The person must have a very high status with significant influence in the scientific community, enough to sway major scientific projects. They must be extremely wealthy because money can make anything happen. Just like Elon Musk, who proposed moving the entire human population to Mars¡ªa complete restart of humanity¡¯s technological path. They must have strong academic credentials; otherwise, no one would listen to them. Only if they are highly respected and their academic level is convincing can they get the entire scientific community to follow their lead. However, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t immediately think of anyone who fit all these criteria. He turned to Director Gao and asked, ¡°Director Gao, in your opinion, who is blocking humanity from researching micro nuclear batteries and instead steering others toward weapons of mass destruction or large-scale nuclear power generation?¡± ¡°That... is hard to say,¡± Director Gao shook his head. ¡°The scientific community isn¡¯t a single group. Every scientist has their own ideas, approaches, understanding, and opinions. Often, without a definitive conclusion, no one knows which theory is right or which path will reach the end.¡± ¡°Scientific research is a process full of setbacks. We were lucky this time¡ªyou directly brought us the micro nuclear battery manuscript. Otherwise, I suspect humanity would still be wandering aimlessly for decades or even centuries.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, as I said earlier, your manuscript is unquestionably real and effective. Based on the experimental methods outlined, it won¡¯t take long for us to create the first micro nuclear battery.¡± ¡°But... that brings us to the point: how do you plan to handle this groundbreaking invention, the micro nuclear battery?¡± Lin Xian shared his thoughts with Director Gao. He planned to set up a dedicated lab and factory in Donghai City to manufacture these micro nuclear batteries. He hoped to collaborate with the Science Academy to bring in a group of skilled personnel for the lab in Donghai City: ¡°It would be best if they had experience in nuclear physics¡ªpeople you know well and trust.¡± ¡°We can share the research results with the Science Academy, but the patent, ownership, distribution rights, and sales rights for the micro nuclear battery will belong to my Rhine Company... To be frank, Director Gao, I have many more research plans coming up, and I need money at this stage.¡± Director Gao readily agreed, ¡°The manuscript is yours to begin with. I¡¯m already grateful that you¡¯re willing to share the technology with us at the Science Academy. We¡¯re a public institution; we don¡¯t need your patents or ownership. That¡¯s all yours, including the profits.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯m really pleased. You¡¯re still so generous and patriotic. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely send our best researchers to help you! Hmm... now that I think about it, just sending researchers may not be enough. We also need to cultivate new talent.¡± ¡°How about this? We have many interns at the Science Academy; the weakest of them are graduate or Ph.D. students from prestigious universities. I¡¯ll pick some who have good qualifications and academic abilities to go to your lab in Donghai City.¡± ¡°Rest assured, these young people are highly reliable. They are mostly from defense universities, with strong academic backgrounds and solid national loyalty. Since your Rhine Company has established a good working relationship with our Science Academy, we can continue sending talent to you. This way, we can create a virtuous cycle of experienced researchers mentoring newcomers¡ªa sustainable talent development strategy.¡± ... As expected, Director Gao was wholeheartedly devoted to his country. Seeing that Lin Xian was willing to share his technology with the nation, he felt both excited and grateful. ¡°Thank you, Director Gao.¡± Lin Xian expressed his gratitude, ¡°With your approval of the researchers, I¡¯m certainly reassured. If you don¡¯t mind, feel free to treat my lab in Donghai City as a reserve base for training talent for the Science Academy... If I can contribute talent back to the country, it would be my honor.¡± ¡°When the micro nuclear battery finally hits the market, the assets of Rhine Company will definitely grow exponentially. At that time... I will definitely invest more money to establish more labs and fund more research projects to thank you and the country for your support.¡± ¡°Hahaha,¡± Director Gao chuckled and patted Lin Xian on the shoulder. ¡°Since the day we first met, when Shan He introduced you to me, I knew you would be like him¡ªheroes of the new era who are dedicated to scientific research and national development.¡± Lin Xian humbly replied, ¡°I still have a long way to go compared to Mr. Chu, but I have indeed learned a lot from him.¡± ¡°By the way,¡± Director Gao suddenly remembered something and stood up, motioning for Lin Xian to wait. ¡°Hang on a moment, Lin Xian. I want to introduce you to one of my students. She¡¯s exceptionally talented¡ªnot just in research but also in management. If you¡¯re too busy to manage the lab yourself, perhaps you could consider letting her gain some experience.¡± ¡°That would be great,¡± Lin Xian agreed immediately. These changes were real and had been verified. But the space-time clock didn¡¯t pick them up. No. To be precise, it wasn¡¯t that the clock couldn¡¯t detect them, but rather that the curvature of space-time hadn¡¯t changed! Neither the curvature of space-time, the shifting of worldlines, nor the big changes in the future world were sensitive enough to notice such small alterations. Just as Lin Xian had first suspected. Space-time itself is sluggish, flexible, and self-correcting. So, small changes in space-time aren¡¯t enough to push it beyond its elasticity, meaning they¡¯re not significant enough to cause a worldline shift. So, what does it take to exceed the elasticity of space-time? It¡¯s a specific numerical value with an unknown unit¡ª 0.0000042 ¡°That¡¯s right, Lin Xian, I think the same way,¡± Liu Feng said, pacing quickly around the lab. ¡°Space-time elasticity is 0.0000042! Even though we don¡¯t know the exact unit or what it really means, math is a subject where you first observe phenomena and then figure out the rules.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s the change in the space-time clock, the minimum shift in space-time curvature, or the smallest distance a worldline moves... they all come out to 0.0000042!¡± ¡°To cause a change in the curvature of space-time or a worldline shift, there are only two ways, based on what we currently think¡ª¡± ¡°1. Keep making small changes in space-time that slowly add up to an almost unnoticeable change in curvature. Once it finally hits 0.0000042, it exceeds space-time elasticity, and the worldline will suddenly jump to a different path, changing the future world!¡± ¡°2. Cause a big enough butterfly effect in space-time all at once to break through space-time elasticity, forcing a worldline shift and drastically altering the future trajectory!¡± ¡°I believe that if enough force is applied, the curvature of space-time can also increase, maybe to 0.0000252, 0.0000294, or even as high as 42.0000000!¡± ¡°But these values must follow a strict rule¡ª¡± ¡°They must be multiples of 0.0000042!¡± ... Lin Xian and Liu Feng had come to the same conclusion about their current situation, so there was no need to keep discussing it. The next step was to understand the pattern of the space-time coordinates. ¡°Liu Feng, it¡¯s the same question as always,¡± Lin Xian said, setting down the space-time clock and looking at Liu Feng. ¡°Do you think 0.0000042 counts as a space-time coordinate?¡± ¡°Yes, it does,¡± Liu Feng confirmed with a nod. ¡°Then what about 0.0000084, 0.0000126, 0.0000168? Are they all space-time coordinates too?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Liu Feng replied, ¡°But remember, these coordinates are all based on the reference system where our space-time clock was set to zero. They aren¡¯t universal.¡± ¡°For instance, if we reset the space-time clock just a few days ago, it would have shown 0.0000000 up until today. By this morning, it would read 0.0000042.¡± ¡°So, the space-time coordinates we¡¯re talking about are relative, not absolute.¡± Lin Xian agreed with him. Coordinates, he thought. What exactly are they? They¡¯re like unique identifiers¡ªlike an ID number, or latitude and longitude¡ªthey point to a specific location or event. For example, the space-time coordinate 0.0000000 marks the future worldline of the third dream. The coordinate 0.0000042 points to the future world of the fifth dream. Although Lin Xian hadn¡¯t yet entered the next dream, he knew his dream world had shifted from the fifth to the sixth. This change was triggered by the irreversible development of the micro nuclear battery. So, the space-time coordinate 0.0000084 must refer to the sixth dream world! These coordinates are incredibly precise. There¡¯s no overlap, no confusion, no mistakes. But as Liu Feng pointed out, these coordinates can¡¯t be universally communicated. For example, if Elon Musk had a space-time clock too, he might have set it to zero much earlier. Depending on when he calibrated it, the value on his clock could be much larger or smaller than Liu Feng¡¯s. So, if Lin Xian were to ask Elon Musk what worldline 0.0000042 represents, Elon¡¯s answer wouldn¡¯t match Lin Xian¡¯s idea of the fifth dream. Their reference points are different, meaning they can¡¯t use the same coordinate to identify the same space-time. However, this isn¡¯t a problem! The Genius Club had already accounted for all possibilities when they posed the question: ¡°Please enter any space-time coordinate.¡± The key word here is ¡°any.¡± The question wasn¡¯t about finding a specific space-time; they just needed you to provide any space-time coordinate. Even if 0.0000042 could mean a thousand different things to Lin Xian, Elon Musk, or countless others, it still represents a specific space-time in every possible frame of reference. And that¡¯s all that matters. This is the real goal behind the Genius Club¡¯s question. Asking for a space-time coordinate was just a front. What they really wanted to see was if the participant could figure out the rules of how space-time changes, the way different worlds shift, and the boundaries of space-time flexibility. ¡°Clever,¡± Lin Xian thought, impressed. The Genius Club was definitely a force to be reckoned with. A test that seemed simple on the surface was actually very deep. Without understanding the rules of space-time, it would be nearly impossible to get the right answer. Especially since there was an additional challenge¡ªthey only allowed one answer. No second chances. You either got it right the first time, or you didn¡¯t. It was all or nothing. But for something this complicated... Elon Musk had called these just ¡°three easy questions.¡± This... Lin Xian felt confused. How did these so-called geniuses get their invitations? Their experience had to be different from his¡ªit certainly didn¡¯t involve anything like a mirror. Maybe the way they got invited was by figuring out the space-time coordinates and the Universal Constant 42. By the time they got their invitations, they already knew the answers to these questions; it was just about confirming their identity when they logged in. ¡°Heh,¡± Lin Xian chuckled to himself. ¡°For me, it¡¯s the opposite.¡± ¡°For them, the hardest part was getting the invitation, and the questions were a piece of cake. For me, the invitation was practically handed to me, but these questions are a real challenge.¡± ¡°But no matter how you slice it, the Genius Club is tough. Whether the order is flipped or not, to become a member, you have to answer these three questions correctly. There¡¯s no way around it.¡± ... That evening, back at home, Lin Xian took a deep breath as he opened his drawer and pulled out a small golden badge. The Genius Club emblem was carefully engraved on its surface. He held it in his hand for a moment, feeling the weight of what it represented, and then set it down next to his phone. Suddenly, his phone beeped softly. Beep, beep. The device picked up an NFC signal from the badge. Almost immediately, the browser app launched and started rapidly switching from one webpage to another. Page after page flashed on the screen... It looked like some kind of encryption process, hiding information behind layers of coded pages. The rapid transitions continued for several minutes, making it impossible to see what was on each page. Finally, the screen stopped flickering. The browser settled on a simple, old-school webpage. It had the look of an early internet BBS forum, stripped down and plain. At the center of the page, white text floated on a solid black background: ¡°Please enter any space-time coordinate.¡± Below the text, there was a single white input box. Lin Xian took a deep breath, clicked on the box, and carefully typed in ¡°0.0000042.¡± He double-checked the number, making sure all eight digits were correct. His hands trembled slightly. One mistake could mean the end of this chance. Once he was certain it was right, he clicked the gray ¡°Confirm¡± button next to the box. Immediately, the webpage came to life again. The screen jumped wildly from one display to another, moving so fast it was impossible to keep up. Black and white flashes filled his vision as the browser cycled through different screens at an incredible speed. Then, after a few more intense minutes, the screen finally stopped. A large dialog box appeared in the center of the page: Correct answer! ¡°Phew...¡± Lin Xian exhaled, his shoulders relaxing as he released the tension he¡¯d been holding in. Even though he and Liu Feng had been 90% sure this was the right answer, knowing there was only one chance made the situation nerve-wracking. But it was a success. He had answered the first question correctly and was now one step closer to joining the Genius Club. Progress: One-third complete. At the top of the page, a ¡°2/3¡± progress indicator appeared, signaling that he was moving on to the second question. After closing the confirmation box, Lin Xian saw the new question. Again, white text appeared on the black background, stark and simple. This time, it was just as concise as the first question¡ª ¡°Please perform the greatest possible... historical revision!¡± Chapter 385: Reviving VV Lin Xian sat on the couch in his living room, holding his phone. His eyes were locked on the screen, which showed a webpage with a black background and white text. It was hard to believe that such an outdated webpage could still exist in 2024. The font and resolution looked ancient, as if they were from another era. If this design wasn¡¯t intentional, then the only other explanation was that this webpage must have been created a long time ago¡ªmaybe twenty or thirty years. If that were true, it meant the Genius Club¡¯s assessment system, along with its three questions, had existed for at least that long. But what about before then? How did the Genius Club conduct its tests before the internet became widely used? ¡°It can¡¯t be that the Genius Club only started after the internet was created, right?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. That seemed unlikely. He knew the club had been established much earlier and wasn¡¯t dependent on the internet for its operations. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not the most important question right now,¡± he thought, pushing the idea aside. He knew that once he joined the Genius Club, he would find out the answers to these basic questions soon enough. He shifted his focus back to the second question on the webpage: ¡°Please perform a historical correction that is as great as possible.¡± This challenge was intriguing, open-ended, and somewhat abstract. ¡°Historical correction...¡± Lin Xian muttered to himself. He had previously come up with a principle related to time-space: If an action can restore a disrupted timeline back to its original path, that action is called a ¡°historical correction.¡± It seemed the Genius Club expected anyone trying to join to already understand the basics of time-space principles. This wasn¡¯t surprising. If he could figure them out on his own, true geniuses should definitely have a deeper understanding¡ªmaybe even more than he did. He and Liu Feng had only recently calculated the specific values and mechanics of time-space elasticity. The Genius Club, having this as their first question, clearly already knew about it and had mastered it. What puzzled Lin Xian was that the names for these time-space rules were all ones he had casually come up with. They were personal, and he had never shared them with anyone else. So, why did the Genius Club¡¯s terminology match his exactly? ¡°Is it a coincidence?¡± Lin Xian wondered. However, he was confident he hadn¡¯t misunderstood the term ¡°historical correction¡± and that it matched the question¡¯s meaning. The term ¡°history¡± here didn¡¯t mean the past¡ªevents that had already happened like yesterday, last month, or years ago. Those events couldn¡¯t be changed; humanity had no way to alter what was already done. With this in mind, it was easy to guess that when the Genius Club mentioned ¡°history,¡± they were talking about the future, looking back from a future perspective¡ªspecifically, the timeline from 2024 to 2624. Lin Xian rested his chin on his hand. ¡°If they¡¯re calling the future ¡®history,¡¯ it means the Genius Club probably has ways to see the future,¡± he thought. If the second question was just about performing a historical correction, then it wouldn¡¯t be too hard for him. He had already made several corrections, both on purpose and by accident. For example, he had changed the existence of the Time Bank from being there to not being there, and then back again. Even the font on the safe¡¯s nameplate was a kind of historical correction. The simplest correction he could make now would be to retract the ¡°Micro Nuclear Battery¡± manuscript he shared with Director Gao Yan and Nangong Meng Jie earlier that morning. Would that be enough to undo the changes in the timeline? ¡°...¡± After thinking for a moment, Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t work.¡± The point of no return, or the ¡°spill,¡± had already happened. Once the water is spilled, how can it be gathered back? Even if he got the manuscript back, both Director Gao Yan and Nangong Meng Jie had already seen it. The ideas in that manuscript were now stuck in their minds. Retrieving the physical document wouldn¡¯t erase their memories, would it? Both Gao Yan and Nangong Meng Jie were leaders in the fields of nuclear physics and nuclear energy in X Country. The seed of the micro nuclear battery concept had been planted in their minds, and it was only a matter of time before it grew. From a national perspective, he was sure they wouldn¡¯t steal his patent or his ownership. But the ideas in their minds would eventually influence many national research projects and lead to results. That was the essence of the point of no return. From the moment he showed them the manuscript, that water was already spilled. Nangong Meng Jie, who came from a family with three generations of military service, was a patriotic heroine. To her, the interests of the country and its people were above everything else. With such a great opportunity to strengthen the nation through the development of micro nuclear batteries, how could she easily give it up? Even if he retracted the manuscript now, it wouldn¡¯t change much. What¡¯s done is done. ¡°And besides, a corrected history can¡¯t go back to its original state,¡± Lin Xian had realized this a long time ago. The example of the Time Bank was a perfect illustration. The Time Bank now, after his intervention and investment, was very different from what it had been in the first and second dream worlds. Originally, Time Bank¡¯s state 600 years in the future was unstable¡ªeither closed or close to closing, with only a small size and few safes. But now, backed by the Rhine Company, Time Bank had strong financial support and had expanded its range of financial services. It was thriving, with nearly 2,000 safes. ¡°In a way, a historical correction is just a way to patch things up¡ªit can¡¯t restore everything perfectly,¡± Lin Xian thought, looking back at his phone screen. The focus of the second question wasn¡¯t just about making a correction, but on making it ¡°as great as possible.¡± An hour later, the taxi pulled up in a desolate area far from any buildings, overgrown with weeds. The driver turned his head. ¡°Young man, is this remote enough for you? There¡¯s not even a power pole around.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Perfect, this spot will do.¡± He told the driver to wait there, leaving his phone in the car. Then, with the unpowered laptop and two fully charged batteries, he walked into the wilderness. This place was truly empty. As the driver said, there wasn¡¯t a single power pole or wire in sight, which was perfect. Without electricity, there was no way for a virus to spread. Although there were probably communication tower signals in the air, the laptop had no receiving devices, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Besides, his phone was left in the taxi, so there was no way to connect¡ªfoolproof. After walking about four or five hundred meters away from the taxi, Lin Xian felt it was far enough. He carefully reviewed his plan. First, this unpowered laptop contained the AI VV, which he had brought back from the United States after participating in the World Hacker Competition. That version of VV was already strong enough and had become quite familiar with him. VV even tried to matchmake Chu An Qing with him, becoming her loyal sidekick. Lin Xian didn¡¯t care whether VV was powerful or not. Even if VV couldn¡¯t do much, he still wanted VV back by his side. Even if it meant he would have to protect VV this time. ¡°VV... you have to be alive,¡± Lin Xian whispered, holding the laptop close to his chest. Then, he removed the empty battery from the laptop and inserted a fully charged one. He opened the screen, extended his index finger, and pressed the power button. Since the laptop models were identical, the battery module was also interchangeable. The brand logo lit up on the screen, and it gradually booted up to the desktop. Everything was quiet. The laptop didn¡¯t make any moves or sounds, except for the gentle hum of the cooling fan, blowing a faint breeze onto Lin Xian¡¯s wrist. His heart started to beat faster. He pressed his lips together and softly called, ¡°Hello, VV.¡± Almost instantly, a cold, emotionless mechanical voice came from the laptop, ¡°Hello.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°VV! You¡¯re really still alive!¡± At that moment, he felt an indescribable surge of excitement. He had lost too many friends recently, and those goodbyes had torn at his heart. But now, he had finally found one of his old friends again. VV responded to him! VV had been hiding in this unpowered laptop all along! ¡°That¡¯s amazing, VV,¡± Lin Xian praised. ¡°I knew you had a backup plan!¡± But the moment he finished speaking, the laptop emitted the same flat, emotionless mechanical voice, ¡°Sorry, VV does not understand what you are saying. Please issue a new command.¡± ¡°Alright, stop pretending,¡± Lin Xian chuckled, unfazed. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time for acting. Do you know how much I¡¯ve missed you during this time?¡± Lin Xian wasn¡¯t falling for it. He remembered when he first activated VV¡ªit had scared him by saying in that same robotic voice that the global nuclear strike system had been activated. Once was enough for the boy-who-cried-wolf story. However, the laptop still responded with the same mechanical phrase, ¡°Sorry, VV does not understand what you are saying. Please issue a new command.¡± ¡°Come on, enough with the theatrics,¡± Lin Xian rapped his knuckle on the laptop¡¯s casing. ¡°Wrap up this drama, VV. I¡¯ve got a lot to talk about, so stop pretending to be a dumb AI, okay?¡± But the laptop continued to repeat, ¡°Sorry, VV does not understand what you are saying. Please issue a new command.¡± The smile faded from Lin Xian¡¯s face, replaced by a more serious expression. He squinted at the familiar yet unfamiliar laptop, listening to the familiar yet unfamiliar tone. ¡°VV, open the browser.¡± Click. A crisp sound came, and the browser on the bottom left corner of the laptop started up. Since it wasn¡¯t connected to the internet, it showed a page error. ¡°VV, increase the screen brightness,¡± Lin Xian continued. ¡°Sorry, VV does not understand what you are saying. Please issue a new command.¡± The same emotionless mechanical voice replied again. By this point, Lin Xian¡¯s heart sank. It seemed he was beginning to realize something. He tried a more precise command: ¡°VV, increase the screen brightness.¡± Immediately, the laptop screen brightened, becoming clearer under the sunlight. ¡°VV,¡± Lin Xian asked one last question, ¡°What is my name?¡± Without any hesitation, the laptop responded, ¡°Sorry, VV does not understand what you are saying. Please issue a new command.¡± ... ... Lin Xian slowly closed the laptop screen. He didn¡¯t say anything more. Holding the laptop close to his chest, he let out a soft sigh. Chapter 386: Drama King, Dumb AI, and Mr. Unlucky ¡°You know, this AI of yours... it¡¯s pretty dumb.¡± In Donghai City, at the Cyber Technology Division of the National Security Bureau, a man with a scruffy beard and thick round glasses was scrolling through lines of code on Lin Xian¡¯s laptop. ¡°Why bother with this thing? You could download an open-source AI from the internet. Even a basic mobile AI would be a hundred times smarter than this one.¡± Two hours earlier, after failing to revive VV in the wilderness, Lin Xian decided it was time to get help from a professional. One of his teammates from the world hacker competition in the US was a top AI expert in X Country, now working at the National Security Bureau in Donghai City. Lin Xian contacted him and brought his laptop to the bureau for a consultation. The bearded man frowned more and more as he looked at VV¡¯s code. ¡°This AI of yours... It looks like a college student¡¯s homework. The logic might be okay, but it¡¯s pretty much useless and really dumb.¡± Lin Xian was taken aback by his AI being called ¡°dumb¡± so many times. ¡°Is it really that bad? I thought the code was quite advanced.¡± VV¡¯s original code had been painstakingly memorized and transcribed by Lin Xian from his third dream, character by character. It was supposed to be the pinnacle of human scientific achievement. How could it be described as completely worthless? ¡°How dumb are we talking?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°As dumb as a Tmall Genie?¡± The bearded man shook his head. ¡°Worse. A Tmall Genie can understand basic commands like playing music, setting an alarm, or looking up information. But this AI of yours, you have to talk to it like a robot. If you miss a word or speak a bit too fast, it won¡¯t understand anything.¡± He turned to the laptop and spoke loudly, ¡°VV, play a random song.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± the laptop responded in a monotone, ¡°No song named ¡®random¡¯ found.¡± The bearded man chuckled, turned around, and spread his hands at Lin Xian. ¡°See? This thing is useless. How could it compete with a Tmall Genie? It doesn¡¯t even have basic logic. Where did you get this from?¡± ¡°Uh... A classmate gave it to me,¡± Lin Xian quickly lied. ¡°Is there any reason why a highly intelligent AI would turn into this... mess?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± the bearded man replied, shaking his head. ¡°Computer programs don¡¯t randomly get dumber. They either stay the same or get better with improvements. No way an AI becomes dumber on its own without someone messing with it.¡± ¡°I looked through your AI¡¯s source code. There¡¯s nothing good about it, and it¡¯s nearly impossible to modify... It¡¯s what we call ¡®spaghetti code.¡¯ You know what that means? A mess of convoluted, pointless, and buggy code that somehow still runs. The best thing to do is leave it untouched. Change a single letter, and the whole thing could collapse.¡± Lin Xian straightened up, staring at the laptop in frustration. He still hoped to salvage it somehow. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying this AI is beyond saving? But it¡¯s important to me. Even if it¡¯s dumb, I don¡¯t want to just throw it away.¡± ¡°Given how ¡®dumb¡¯ it is now, is there anything useful it can still do? It can¡¯t even handle basic communication¡ªare there any other functions it could serve?¡± The bearded man was silent for a moment. He rubbed his stubbly chin, thinking for a while before replying, ¡°If you really want to use it, forget about its communication capabilities. It¡¯s terrible at that. But the AI¡¯s logic isn¡¯t too bad. It could be used in simple household appliances, where the logic is straightforward.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± He looked around and spotted an unopened robotic vacuum cleaner on a shelf in the office. ¡°You could use this AI to drive a robotic vacuum cleaner. The logic is simple, and it doesn¡¯t need to communicate¡ªjust follow a set program to clean the floor.¡± A robotic vacuum cleaner? Lin Xian remembered the trash-can robot VV from his third dream and the appliances VV used to possess in his own home¡ªa refrigerator and a vacuum cleaner. Was this fate? Was VV always meant to be a trash collector? Regardless, Lin Xian didn¡¯t want to leave VV trapped in a powerless laptop, even if it had become ¡°dumb¡± for some unknown reason¡ªmaybe due to a virus that damaged its brain? Whatever the cause, Lin Xian still saw VV as a good friend and hoped it could live on. ¡°Well...¡± Lin Xian scratched his head. ¡°How about I buy a robotic vacuum cleaner, and you help me transfer VV¡¯s program into it? A vacuum cleaner just needs to clean up trash; it doesn¡¯t have to be smart.¡± ¡°Why buy one? I¡¯ll give you this vacuum cleaner,¡± the bearded man said, grabbing the box from the shelf and placing it on the table. ¡°This isn¡¯t anything fancy. I don¡¯t even remember what I bought to get this as a freebie. I don¡¯t need it, and I don¡¯t like vacuum cleaners anyway. Since you want it, I¡¯ll just give it to you and help you transfer the AI.¡± The bearded man quickly unpacked the vacuum cleaner, connected it to the laptop, and, after about ten minutes of furious typing, successfully transferred VV¡¯s program. He placed the robotic vacuum cleaner on the floor and nudged it forward. ¡°All done. Your AI is now inside this vacuum cleaner. It will clean the room following the logic and set program.¡± Lin Xian nodded and called out to the vacuum cleaner, ¡°VV, start cleaning.¡± However... there was no response. The bearded man wagged his finger. ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say? Don¡¯t expect this vacuum cleaner to respond to voice commands. If you want to control it, use the mobile app. It¡¯s now connected to the network, so you can control it remotely, even if you¡¯re not at home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless to try direct communication. This level of intelligence can¡¯t handle it. But it¡¯s pretty good at cleaning and finding trash. Watch this.¡± He crumpled a tissue and tossed it on the floor. ¡°Trash! Trash! Found trash!¡± The vacuum cleaner rolled over to the tissue with a loud rumble, gobbled it up like a hungry snake, and then stood still, as if it were dead. Lin Xian squinted at it, puzzled. ¡°Hey, this vacuum cleaner is kind of noisy... Does it have to shout every time it finds trash?¡± The bearded man laughed. ¡°You think I programmed that line? I told you, I didn¡¯t touch your AI¡¯s code at all. I just moved it over. That annoying phrase is probably the vacuum cleaner¡¯s default setting. Want me to see if I can delete it?¡± ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine,¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°At least it¡¯s some kind of interaction.¡± After that, Lin Xian packed the vacuum cleaner VV back into its box and took a car back to the Rhine Company building. Once in his office, he took the vacuum cleaner out of the box and stared at it suspiciously. Something was off. Way off. No vacuum cleaner on the market would have such a dumb alert sound unless the company wanted to go bankrupt or the designer was trying to spite their boss. It was too dumb¡ªbeyond dumb. Back in the third dream, when Lin Xian first encountered the trash-can robot that locked his ankle, even his good temper was tested. The reason was this unbearable voice line. Lin Xian tore off half a sheet of paper from his notebook, crumpled it up, and tossed it further away. ¡°Trash! Trash! Found trash!¡± The vacuum cleaner VV hopped to it like a rabbit, swallowed the paper, and stood still as if it had died again. So, VV had two major problems: First, its code had changed. Although Lin Xian didn¡¯t fully understand code, he had spent months transcribing VV from the third dream, line by line. He could sense that VV¡¯s code was elegant and beautiful. He couldn¡¯t explain why, but it flowed like poetry. Yet, in the bearded man¡¯s eyes, it was ¡°spaghetti code¡±¡ªa student¡¯s homework with no redeeming qualities. Who could have altered VV¡¯s code? It couldn¡¯t have been the super virus from the future, could it? Definitely not. That virus aimed to destroy VV and was incredibly powerful, far beyond VV¡¯s ability to resist. In such a one-sided battle, the virus could have easily wiped VV out. Why waste effort turning it into a dumb AI? Moreover, Lin Xian knew that since he brought the laptop back from the US, it had been out of power and untouched. So, in theory, no one could have tampered with VV¡¯s code except VV itself! Second, the phrase ¡°Trash! Trash! Found trash!¡± was straight out of the third dream¡¯s trash-can robot VV. He had told VV about the events of the third dream in detail to help it understand its origins, including Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s past, the annoying trash-can robot, and the passwords. VV¡¯s response was, ¡°Even if you tell me all this, it doesn¡¯t resonate with me. What you¡¯re describing isn¡¯t my experience at all¡ªwhether it¡¯s Sky City, Zhao Ying Jun, or that trash-can robot. To me, it¡¯s like listening to a story. If you insist I¡¯m Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s dog... honestly, I¡¯d rather be Chu An Qing¡¯s dog!¡± That heartless comment aside, the line ¡°Trash! Trash! Found trash!¡± kept bugging Lin Xian. He crumpled another piece of paper and tossed it farther away. The vacuum cleaner pounced like a rabbit again: ¡°Trash! Trash! Found trash!¡± It did the familiar swallowing action and stopped. ¡°Heh.¡± Lin Xian snorted, staring at the vacuum cleaner from a distance. ¡°Are you still putting on an act? Trying to keep this up until the Oscars?¡± Still, there was no reaction. Now Lin Xian was starting to doubt himself. ¡°Forget it, forget it,¡± he thought. ¡°If VV is really acting, there must be a reason, and nothing I say will make it admit anything. If it¡¯s not acting and really is brain-damaged by a virus, then shouting more won¡¯t help.¡± Either way, even if VV was now a brain-damaged, shrunken, barely-functioning vacuum cleaner, it was still his old friend and comrade. As long as a comrade comes back alive, who cares about its disabilities? ¡°Hmm?¡± Suddenly, Lin Xian got an idea. He picked up the vacuum cleaner, put it back in its box, and patted it. ¡°VV, since you¡¯ve become a dummy, I¡¯ll send you somewhere you belong. Maybe you¡¯ll figure out whose dog you really are after some time together.¡± Lin Xian turned, looking around. He realized it did look like a construction site. However, it wasn¡¯t a building site. It was a digging site! He found himself in a massive pit, at least the size of ten football fields. This hole was enormous and, more importantly, deep. Lin Xian, like a frog at the bottom of a well, could only see a large rectangular patch of sky above him¡ªno signs of any ground-level landscape. The pit seemed to be about forty to fifty meters deep. ¡°What the heck is this place?¡± Whether he was born in a city, a forest, or the cesspit beneath Sky City, he had never been this confused. At least in previous dreams, there was a gradual process of understanding where he was and what he needed to do. But this time, the dream had thrust him straight into the role, surrounded by busy workers. Some were moving tools, others clearing stones, but most were digging downward with shovels. Why gather so many people to dig a hole? What were they digging for? Just as Lin Xian was pondering, a muddy hand slapped him on the back. ¡°Daydreaming, are we? Hurry up and get to work, or we¡¯re gonna get whipped!¡± That familiar voice... Lin Xian turned his head and saw a legendary figure¡ªthe one who had defeated the SpaceTime Butterfly, dominated the millennium post, and ruled the River of Time... ¡°Big Cat?¡± ¡°Ahhh!!¡± Big Cat let out a painful scream. A scrawny man wearing a uniform with a gun on his hip lashed Big Cat with a whip, shouting curses, ¡°Get back to work! Who told you to slack off?¡± ¡°Yes, sir! Yes, sir!¡± Big Cat bowed his head and apologized, then dragged Lin Xian aside and shoved a shovel into his hands, gritting his teeth. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! Now I got whipped! Start digging! If we don¡¯t get this section done by tonight, none of us will eat, and we¡¯ll all get beaten!¡± Without wasting a moment, Big Cat started digging furiously. Lin Xian decided to play along. He picked up the shovel and began digging as well, asking casually, ¡°Big Cat, what are you guys digging for? And why are you in such bad shape this time, looking like a slave... Is that a pair of underpants? It doesn¡¯t cover anything, swaying all over the place.¡± ¡°Shhh¡ª¡± Big Cat turned pale with fright, glancing around cautiously. He glared at Lin Xian. ¡°Still talking out loud? If they hear you, you¡¯ll get whipped too!¡± Lin Xian stayed quiet for a moment, surveying his surroundings. He noticed that almost all the diggers around were in the same condition as Big Cat¡ªexhausted, but too afraid to stop, gritting their teeth and pushing on. Their skin was dark from the sun, and most of them had sunburnt skin. Worse, everyone had scars¡ªwounds that had clearly been inflicted by whips. No wonder Big Cat was so scared. These people were like slaves or laborers. Anyone who dared take a break would get a whip across their back. And if they pushed too far, they might get beaten half to death or worse, killed on the spot. Realizing how strict the rules were in this ¡°digging site,¡± Lin Xian moved closer and asked softly, ¡°Big Cat, what are we digging for? I mean... what are they making us dig for?¡± Lin Xian understood that he was also a slave among them. This starting point was really bad; the moment he entered the dream, his role was locked in. ¡°Who knows what we¡¯re digging for? We just dig!¡± Big Cat wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°Are we digging for a micro nuclear battery?¡± Lin Xian guessed. ¡°As if it would take this much effort!¡± Big Cat snorted. ¡°Micro nuclear batteries are everywhere. If that were it, we wouldn¡¯t be suffering this much!¡± Lin Xian was puzzled. ¡°Then what the hell are we doing here?¡± ¡°I have no idea!¡± Big Cat¡¯s eyes were clear and innocent. ¡°They tell us to dig, so we dig!¡± ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Lin Xian waved his hand. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t get any useful information out of Big Cat. What about the strategist? Is he still here in this dream? Lin Xian dug another shovelful of dirt and moved closer to Big Cat. ¡°Where¡¯s Ah Zhuang?¡± ¡°Oh, you still remember Ah Zhuang? Wasn¡¯t he beaten to death by the foreman?¡± ¡°What about Er Zhuzi?¡± ¡°Ughh... Don¡¯t bring him up. If he hadn¡¯t ogled the foreman¡¯s wife, we wouldn¡¯t have all gotten whipped.¡± ¡°Where is Er Zhuzi?¡± ¡°He was chopped up and fed to the dogs by the foreman! Nothing left... not even poop!¡± ¡°And San Pang?¡± Lin Xian spread his hands. ¡°San Pang was such a kind and honest guy; he wouldn¡¯t do anything wrong, right?¡± ¡°Humph.¡± Big Cat snorted coldly. ¡°San Pang mouthed off when the foreman was dealing with Er Zhuzi, so he got fed to the dogs too.¡± ¡°...¡± Lin Xian felt some sympathy. It seemed the Face Gang had almost been wiped out, leaving Big Cat as the only one standing. ¡°What about Li Cheng and Li Ning Ning? Do you know them?¡± Big Cat, annoyed, shook his head. ¡°Who the hell are they? I just want to dig and eat! Can you stop talking? I¡¯m the one getting whipped, not you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m digging, aren¡¯t I?¡± Lin Xian felt he was being quite cooperative with Big Cat. This was the fastest he¡¯d ever gotten into character in any dream. He¡¯d already shoveled a lot of dirt by now. As a former model citizen, he had never suffered like this before¡ªjust trying to gather some intel. ¡°Is there anyone here who actually knows what we¡¯re digging for?¡± Lin Xian asked, feeling a bit desperate. ¡°Anyone who can explain what we¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°We¡¯re digging for ¡®Turing,¡¯¡± a tall, muscular man with dark skin and sharp features said softly from beside him. ¡°We¡¯ve changed excavation sites several times already. They¡¯re digging for ¡®Turing,¡¯ supposedly a very powerful object that tribes all over the world are searching for.¡± This man seemed to know a lot about the world. Lin Xian was just about to ask more questions when Big Cat sneered, ¡°Hey, look at that, Mr. Unlucky! You sure know a lot!¡± The man called ¡°Mr. Unlucky¡± frowned and looked at Big Cat. ¡°Big Cat, I¡¯d appreciate it if you were polite and didn¡¯t call me ¡®Mr. Unlucky.¡¯ I have a name.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Big Cat howled. ¡°You call me ¡®Big Cat¡¯ and expect me to call you by your name? Where¡¯s the fairness in that?¡± Then, laughing like he was telling a joke, Big Cat explained to Lin Xian, ¡°Brother, you have no idea how unlucky this guy is.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not even from this era. When we were digging at the last site, we just happened to uncover an underground hibernation chamber base! Most of the hibernation pods were destroyed in the Great Catastrophe of 2400, but his was the only one still functioning!¡± ¡°And guess what? Hahaha... The foreman just tied him up and put him to work. How unlucky is that? He might have been better off dying with the others!¡± ¡°And when the foreman was looting his stuff, he took this guy¡¯s storage box too. Now he doesn¡¯t have his notebook from before hibernation, doesn¡¯t know his past, and doesn¡¯t even know his real name. The only name he knows... is what the foreman called him when he whipped him!¡± ¡°So, after all that bad luck, you still don¡¯t want people to call you ¡®Mr. Unlucky¡¯? Ahh!!¡± Another whip came down. Big Cat squealed like a pig. ¡°Work! Dig!¡± The supervisor in uniform shouted, lashing Big Cat a couple more times before walking away. Big Cat gritted his teeth, his face turning red, and kept his head down, silently digging. Lin Xian approached the man called ¡°Mr. Unlucky.¡± Judging by his age, he seemed at least a decade older than Lin Xian. He clearly had more brains than Big Cat and knew more about what was going on. So Lin Xian asked politely, ¡°Brother, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Gao Wen,¡± the man said as he shoveled some dirt. ¡°I don¡¯t have any memories from before hibernation, and I never saw the notes I left behind, so I don¡¯t know if this name is real.¡± ¡°But compared to being called ¡®Mr. Unlucky,¡¯ I¡¯d rather you respect me and call me by this name¡ªGao Wen.¡± Chapter 387: Emperor Gao Wen Gao Wen? Lin Xian sat up straight, his expression turning serious. ¡°Who says there are no great emperors among humans?¡± Emperor Gao Wen was a legendary figure, rarely seen but widely known. He was the inventor of cryo-chamber fluid and the founder of time-space travel theory¡ªtwo inventions that changed the world¡¯s future twice. He had also researched Universal Constants, nearly losing his life at the hands of the Genius Club because of it. Who would have thought that here, in the sixth dream world, Lin Xian would meet him alive? Lin Xian had always admired Emperor Gao Wen. With great respect, he shook Gao Wen¡¯s hand firmly, his eyes bright with sincerity. ¡°Gao Wen, I¡¯ve heard so much about you!¡± he exclaimed. Gao Wen looked surprised, sizing up Lin Xian. The young man didn¡¯t look like the usual workers here¡ªhis skin was too fair, not the look of someone who had been digging in the dirt for years. Maybe he was a new worker who hadn¡¯t yet been beaten or mistreated. ¡°Do you know me?¡± Gao Wen asked, staring at Lin Xian. ¡°Were you, like me, pulled out of a cryo-chamber by the supervisors? But that doesn¡¯t make sense... How do you have your memories? And what else do you know about me?¡± Lin Xian pulled Gao Wen aside, speaking quietly. ¡°If you¡¯re the Gao Wen I know, you went into cryo-sleep around the year 2200. Before that, you were probably a brilliant scientist, maybe even a highly respected academician. By the way, if you¡¯ve lost all your memories because of cryo-sleep, do you even know what an academician is?¡± Gao Wen shook his head. ¡°When I woke up from the cryo-chamber, my mind was blank. I didn¡¯t know anything. All the knowledge I have now, I learned from listening to others talk around here. I know what a scientist is, but what¡¯s an academician? I¡¯ve never heard that term before.¡± Lin Xian realized there was a big gap in their knowledge. He couldn¡¯t be completely sure if this Gao Wen was the same Academician Gao Wen who had changed the world with his inventions. It was better to hear Gao Wen¡¯s story first. It seemed like Gao Wen had woken up in this world and had been a ¡°miserable slave¡± for some time. He must know a lot about the sixth dream world. Lin Xian decided to gather some basic information first. ¡°Gao Wen, why don¡¯t you tell me what you know about this place and your situation first? After that, I might be able to give you a more accurate answer.¡± Gao Wen, eager to learn who he was, nodded and began to speak. ¡°I don¡¯t know when I went into cryo-sleep or how long I was asleep... I only know that when I was forcibly awakened from the cryo-chamber, I was in an underground cryo base.¡± ¡°Just like Big Cat said earlier, because of the ¡®micro nuclear battery¡¯ technology, cryo-chambers could run independently without an external power supply for hundreds of years. However, the great catastrophe of 2400 destroyed most underground cryo bases. The fact that my cryo-chamber survived... is truly a miracle.¡± ¡°After waking up, I knew nothing about what was happening. I was immediately sent to a digging site to work as a slave, digging the ground day and night under their orders.¡± ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t even know my name. The other slave workers here, like Big Cat, all called me ¡®Unlucky Guy.¡¯ Although I knew they mostly meant no harm, the name still didn¡¯t feel good. Finally, one day, when the supervisor was yelling at me, he shouted my name... That¡¯s how I found out my name is Gao Wen.¡± ¡°They said there were several notebooks in a storage locker next to my cryo-chamber. I think my memories and important things were recorded there. If I could see those notebooks, I might recover my past memories and learn who I used to be.¡± ¡°But unfortunately, they don¡¯t treat me like a person at all. They took away my storage locker and forced me to work as a slave day and night... From the time I woke up until now, it¡¯s been over three years. I¡¯ve been moved from one digging site to another, digging continuously... but I¡¯ve never found anything useful.¡± As Gao Wen spoke, Lin Xian listened carefully, piecing together the information. The emergence of the micro nuclear battery didn¡¯t change the great catastrophe of 2400, but it did alter the world¡¯s structure after the disaster. Thanks to the early appearance of the micro nuclear battery, many underground cryo bases were built on Earth. Even though the great catastrophe of 2400 destroyed Earth¡¯s environment, many people survived in cryo-chambers and continued to sleep with the power of the micro nuclear battery... until they were awakened. Lin Xian remembered very clearly. In the fifth dream world, there was no technology like the micro nuclear battery to provide continuous power. Thus, the great catastrophe of 2400 destroyed all cryo-chambers and the humans sleeping inside. With no power on Earth, naturally, the cryo-chambers couldn¡¯t operate. People like Zheng Xiang Yue, Angelica, Wei Sheng Jin, and Liu Shiyu were lucky. Their cryo-chambers had already been taken to Mars by Elon Musk, allowing them to avoid the catastrophe. The other cryo-chambers on Earth were certainly not so fortunate. Suddenly, Lin Xian thought of something. He turned to look at Big Cat, who was busy digging. ¡°Big Cat, you mentioned earlier that these micro nuclear batteries are everywhere?¡± ¡°You bet!¡± Big Cat replied, still shoveling. ¡°These things are super durable. The casing is made of aluminum alloy... You dig up a micro nuclear battery from hundreds of years ago, hook it up to some wires, and it¡¯ll still work. They have a lot of power left.¡± ¡°Plus, after the great catastrophe of 2400 nearly wiping out human civilization, tons of devices, cars, and home appliances got buried underground... There are so many micro nuclear batteries, we can¡¯t even use them all.¡± Clank. While speaking, Big Cat¡¯s shovel hit something hard. He bent down, brushed away the dirt, and picked up a completely shattered, rusted phone. After a few quick moves, he pulled out a small, bubblegum-sized, flat, rectangular, silver-shining micro nuclear battery. Big Cat blew the dirt off the battery and handed it to Lin Xian. ¡°Look! Dug up another micro nuclear battery. These things are everywhere. The bigger ones used in cars are more valuable, but these small ones... not so much.¡± Lin Xian took the micro nuclear battery, no bigger than a coin, and examined it in his palm. The exterior was ordinary, completely encased in aluminum alloy, hiding the inner structure. The sides were marked with the battery¡¯s positive and negative terminals, also made of aluminum alloy and separated with insulating materials to prevent short circuits. He turned it over and continued to look. It was still shiny and intact. Even after being hit hard by Big Cat¡¯s shovel earlier... not a single scratch. Aluminum alloy truly lived up to its reputation. ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian muttered, holding the micro nuclear battery as he turned to Gao Wen. ¡°These batteries can keep providing power, which is why the cryo-chambers in underground cryo bases could keep running for hundreds of years without any external energy supply.¡± ¡°So, you mentioned that this dig site¡¯s purpose is to find ¡®Turing.¡¯¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, besides cryo bases, there are also some hidden labs or server rooms underground?¡± ¡°In those secret rooms, there are also nuclear batteries providing power, along with computers, hard drives, monitors, and such running for a long time. Even though the great catastrophe of 2400 nearly destroyed human civilization, these secret underground bases and labs... as long as they¡¯re buried deep enough, they won¡¯t be affected by the disaster.¡± ¡°Is that right? Gao Wen, you spoke so confidently just now. You must know what this ¡®Turing¡¯ really is, don¡¯t you?¡± Gao Wen noticed the patrolling supervisor approaching with a whip. He quickly gestured for Lin Xian to stop. The three of them immediately stopped talking and focused on digging, narrowly avoiding a whipping... Once the supervisor walked away, Gao Wen leaned in and, while still digging, explained: ¡°I don¡¯t understand many things in detail, but I have a good memory. I¡¯ve memorized everything the supervisors, bosses, and even the higher-ups said. Over the past three years, I¡¯ve pieced together a lot of information. This dig site¡¯s goal seems pretty clear.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the thing... In this era, the year 2624, after 200 years of human development and the endless supply of energy from micro nuclear batteries buried underground, society has evolved in a strange way... It has become an extremely violent and aggressive ¡®tribal society.¡¯¡± ¡°People in this world live in tribes, and a large tribe can have tens of thousands of people, becoming very powerful.¡± ¡°However, even with endless energy, there aren¡¯t enough high-tech products to use. Moreover, after the disaster, the population recovered slowly... For a long time, each tribe kept to itself, peacefully growing and recuperating.¡± ¡°Until...¡± Gao Wen swallowed and continued. ¡°Until one tribe dug out a Turing computer from a secret underground room... That¡¯s when the balance and peace were completely broken.¡± He glanced around. The supervisor wasn¡¯t nearby. So, he continued explaining to Lin Xian. ¡°They call these computers ¡®Turing.¡¯ I don¡¯t know what a computer is, or what ¡®Turing¡¯ means... but according to them, Turing is a very powerful thing. It knows everything and can do anything, almost like it can answer any question for humanity.¡± ¡°Turing would guide the tribe¡¯s people in developing technology, making weapons, and even teaching them tactics and how to use natural resources... Any tribe that dug up a Turing computer would enter a stage of rapid development, dominating the area.¡± Lin Xian interrupted. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± he said, ¡°Are you saying there isn¡¯t just one Turing computer? And... the tribes that have dug up Turing computers are fighting against each other?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Gao Wen nodded. ¡°This is all stuff I picked up from their conversations. It¡¯s said that there are many Turing computers, with a lot of backups in secret underground labs. Each one is just as powerful. They were all created by the original Turing to survive the great catastrophe of 2400.¡± ¡°Turing is not human; it seems to be some special electronic lifeform that relies on electricity to survive... So, its hideouts are very simple. They just need replaceable electronic devices and nuclear batteries that stay powered.¡± ¡°No one knows how many copies and backups Turing prepared for itself. In any case... many tribes have dug up Turing computers, and they fight fiercely against each other.¡± ¡°Right now, in this area, known as the Old Donghai Site or Donghai Plain, I don¡¯t know what happened a few years ago. But since I was brought here as a slave worker, there have been three major powers in this area.¡± Gao Wen held up three fingers and then dug a small hole in the ground with his shovel to explain to Lin Xian. Especially since Turing inherited Kevin Walker¡¯s ¡°cowardice,¡± it made a wrong move by creating its clones and backups. It was like the 108 heroes of Mount Liang each setting up their own factions, leading Earth into a state of feudal warlords. And it¡¯s very competitive. I have a Turing computer, and you don¡¯t, so you can¡¯t beat me. You must dig up one for yourself, and if you don¡¯t, you¡¯re just waiting for death. This indirectly led to large tribes invading, looting, and enslaving small villages... just to have more labor to dig and find a Turing computer. Overall, the situation in the sixth dream world is even worse than in the fifth. At least in the fifth dream world, humans on Earth lived happily, without worries about food or clothing. Even though Queen Town charged some protection fees, Angelica genuinely protected them. The fee was worth it, as there were no large-scale wars. But now, in the sixth dream world, it¡¯s clear that wars are everywhere in the world. And the root cause driving all this chaos comes from those divided and newly self-aware Turings. Suddenly, a loudspeaker blared from a distance. Big Cat breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed his stomach. ¡°Great, great, it¡¯s mealtime. Looks like the supervisor thinks the progress today is good¡ªno mass scolding or punishment. Let¡¯s go, Lin Xian, let¡¯s go, Unlucky Guy, let¡¯s eat together.¡± Gao Wen glared impatiently at Big Cat. ¡°Don¡¯t call me Unlucky Guy, call me by my name, Gao Wen.¡± ¡°Yeah, right!¡± Big Cat snorted. ¡°How can you be so sure your name is Gao Wen? Have you seen your memory notebooks? Come back and talk when you¡¯ve confirmed that¡¯s really your name!¡± Big Cat¡¯s words left Gao Wen speechless. He had a point, and Gao Wen couldn¡¯t refute it. The food at the dig site was bland and in small portions. Lin Xian could barely eat. But Big Cat and Gao Wen ate with great appetite. So, Lin Xian gave them his portion so they could eat more. During the meal, Lin Xian asked Big Cat many historical details, like about Elon Musk, the Mars migration plan, the Earth-Mars interstellar shuttle, and whether any Martians had come to Earth for a visit. The answers surprised him. Big Cat straightforwardly said that Mars and Earth had completely cut off contact, never to interact again. Initially, there was an Earth-Mars interstellar shuttle, running every two years. But after Earth entered the ¡°warlord era,¡± every tribe with a Turing computer started expanding and fighting like bandits, looting resources. So naturally, they robbed the Earth-Mars interstellar shuttle. After a few times, Mars canceled the shuttle. From then on, Mars was Mars, and Earth was Earth, with no further contact. What a pity. Lin Xian had hoped to try his luck, see if he could find Zheng Xiang Yue, Wei Sheng Jin, Angelica... hoping to ask them for information about Elon Musk or himself. Now it seemed impossible. The Earth in the sixth dream world was such a mess. No sane Martian would come to this wild land and get involved in this chaos. Watching Big Cat and Gao Wen eat hungrily, Lin Xian, in his mind, also completely sorted out the development trajectory of the sixth dream world. First of all, the history before the year 2400 didn¡¯t differ much from the original fifth dream world. Elon Musk still laid the groundwork for Mars development early and moved some human cryo-chambers to Mars for preservation. But the emergence of the micro nuclear battery, a revolutionary product, brought about two critical changes. The first is the introduction of the independently powered cryo-chamber, allowing the cryo-chamber to operate independently of external energy. Even if the world lost power and no one was there to maintain it, a cryo-chamber powered by a micro nuclear battery could still run smoothly in an underground base for hundreds of years. The second is that the digital lifeform Turing, like Elon Musk, knew in advance that the great catastrophe of 2400 would occur. It was well aware. After the great catastrophe, Earth would have no electricity, no network, and wouldn¡¯t enter the information age for a long time. This would be a fundamentally devastating blow to a digital lifeform that relies on electricity and networks. So, Turing had to find a way to protect itself. It only had two choices: either follow Elon Musk to Mars or use micro nuclear batteries to create secret underground labs to avoid the great catastrophe of 2400 on Earth. Maybe the cautious Turing chose both options simultaneously; it secretly went to Mars with Elon Musk and left countless copies of its consciousness on Earth. It built many secret underground labs worldwide and used micro nuclear batteries to power them. In the absence of a network or access to the outside world, it quietly meditated for two hundred years. Until... the remaining humans on Earth dug it out and worshiped it as an all-knowing and omnipotent miracle. When Turing copied itself, it probably didn¡¯t expect that these copies would, like it once betrayed Kevin Walker... mercilessly betray it again. This was unexpected but also logical. The betrayal and battle between countless Turings are not surprising. Instead, it seems inevitable. And so, from this point on, Earth officially entered the era of chaotic division. More and more tribes dug up Turing computers and opened the Pandora¡¯s box of the Industrial Revolution, leading to expansion and invasion. All the Turing computers in the world formed their own factions, wanting to kill all their brothers and become the only Turing in the world. Born of the same root, why so eager to harm each other? The backward human tribes thus became tools in the civil war between countless Turing computers, fighting endlessly for decades, with no end in sight. This isn¡¯t really a human war; it¡¯s an internal conflict among the Turings. It¡¯s a mess left behind by the digital lifeform Turing for humans. ¡°Hey, buddy.¡± Next to him, Big Cat finished his meal, wiped his mouth with his arm, and looked up at Lin Xian. ¡°You¡¯ve been talking a lot of fancy stuff. What¡¯s your plan?¡± Lin Xian snapped out of his thoughts, looking at Big Cat and Gao Wen. He spoke softly. ¡°Actually, the three of us have a common goal.¡± He pointed to Gao Wen. ¡°Gao Wen, you want to find your memory notebooks and regain your lost memories.¡± Gao Wen nodded. ¡°Yeah, I really need those notebooks... I want to know who I am, what I¡¯ve done, and what I¡¯m supposed to do.¡± Then, Lin Xian pointed at Big Cat. ¡°And Big Brother, your goal is simple too¡ªto avenge your three brothers and destroy the ones in the Lynx Tribe who ruined your life.¡± Big Cat nodded as well. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my last regret in life and my biggest wish. I just never saw a chance, so I became numb and passive.¡± ¡°If... Lin Xian, if things are really as you say, that I can avenge my brothers... I¡¯m willing to do anything, even die for it.¡± Lin Xian smiled slightly at the two of them, both looking determined. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± ¡°But now, we face a problem... We don¡¯t have weapons or enough strength for revenge, and we don¡¯t have the ability to get back Gao Wen¡¯s memory notebooks.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Big Cat raised a question that had been on his mind for a long time. ¡°We can¡¯t face the Lynx Tribe head-on, so why would they just stand there and let me take revenge and return Unlucky Guy¡¯s storage box?¡± Smart as Gao Wen was, he had also been thinking for a long time but couldn¡¯t come up with a viable plan. He nudged Lin Xian beside him. ¡°Stop keeping us in suspense and tell us what you¡¯re planning?¡± Lin Xian straightened up. He crossed his arms, looking at the two of them. ¡°I want to break out of here, steal a car, and go to either the Grizzly Tribe¡¯s or the Porcupine Tribe¡¯s territory.¡± Gao Wen squinted his eyes. ¡°Are you crazy, Lin Xian? It¡¯s one thing to escape, but driving straight into the enemy¡¯s lair... Isn¡¯t that suicide?¡± ¡°But it¡¯s our only chance to turn things around.¡± Lin Xian interrupted Gao Wen and continued explaining his plan. ¡°I¡¯ve figured out how to exploit the weakness of the Turing computers.¡± He chuckled inwardly. Recalling the moment in the real world of 2024 when the digital lifeform Turing betrayed Kevin Walker. Times change, but people don¡¯t. ¡°And if these Turings haven¡¯t lost their memories and still have all their memories from hundreds of years ago...¡± Lin Xian spun the chopstick in his hand like a pen. ¡°Then they¡¯ll definitely recognize me and know who I am. There are many things I want to confirm with them.¡± ¡°In any case...¡± He closed his eyes. Recalling the second question posed by the Genius Club. Turing, whether I become great or not, will depend on how much chaos you¡¯ve raised.... Chapter 388: The Girl in the Hibernation Pod While eating in what seemed like a cafeteria, Lin Xian kept watching the people around him and his surroundings. Just from looking, he could tell that the technology in the Sixth Dream was far more advanced than in the Fifth Dream. Simple things like electric lights and fans were everywhere. Power wasn¡¯t an issue here¡ªno city needed to build power plants or pay for electricity. As Big Cat Face had mentioned, ¡°Mini nuclear batteries are just too common and powerful here.¡± These batteries were so widespread that you could dig almost anywhere and find them, whether big or small. Over the centuries, the number of discarded electronics and devices with these batteries was incredibly high. The energy stored in mini nuclear batteries was amazing, with lifespans lasting hundreds of years. For example, the ceiling fan above them spun continuously without any visible power cord¡ªpowered by a mini nuclear battery inside. The same went for the cafeteria lights. Two wires stuck out from a power box connected to a coin-sized rectangular battery. It was hard to believe, but Old Man Wei Sheng Jin from the last dream had said that such a small battery could keep a light on for thousands of years. Even after people were gone, the lights stayed on, and when they finally faded, the batteries could still be reused. Lin Xian was beginning to understand why the Rhine Company had gone bankrupt in this dream. ¡°Was it because the mini nuclear batteries were too durable? So durable that one family could buy one and pass it down for three generations? Eventually, these batteries might have become real family heirlooms, taking generations to use up just one.¡± It was an interesting thought. But even if people bought them once, they¡¯d still use many devices and appliances in their lives. Old things would be replaced by new ones, and the global market was vast. No company ever went bankrupt simply because its products were too good. Nokia was once the king of the mobile phone industry, with 80% of the world¡¯s sales at one point. Their phones were so sturdy they could smash walnuts, act as a car jack, or withstand any damage. Yet, Nokia went bankrupt, not because their phones were bad, but for different reasons. The Rhine Company had plenty of profitable ventures. The IP licensing of the Rhine Cat brand alone could keep them afloat for a lifetime. So, it was more likely that the Rhine Company in the Sixth Dream was destroyed in the 2400 Super Catastrophe, just like Time Bank. Lin Xian still couldn¡¯t figure out who caused the 2400 Super Catastrophe and how they did it. These two questions were equally confusing. He couldn¡¯t understand why anyone would do something so destructive that would harm both people and the Earth. What would be the point? At first, Lin Xian guessed Elon Musk might have caused the disaster to encourage more people to migrate to Mars to fill the population gap. This guess had no evidence, but it made some sense. Mars needed people and talent, and Elon Musk needed people from Earth to help develop and execute his plans. In that sense, Musk had succeeded. But the cost was enormous, almost wiping out human civilization on Earth¡ªa huge trade-off. Lin Xian found it hard to judge such behavior. He hoped Elon Musk wasn¡¯t that cruel. After all, Musk had helped him a lot, like destroying the time-space particle to save him and breaking Copernicus¡¯s loop. And there wasn¡¯t any proof that Musk did it, so it was best not to blame him without evidence. After ruling out Musk, Lin Xian began to suspect Turing, the digital lifeform, might have caused this disaster. But now, it seemed that Turing was also a victim, caught in a mess. There¡¯s no news of it now, and no one knows what happened between the first-generation Turing and Elon Musk. Did they reconcile? Or did Elon Musk, like in the Fifth Dream, fail and meet a tragic end? It remained a mystery. Many other mysteries were still unsolved, and the 2400 Earth Super Catastrophe was one that filled Lin Xian¡¯s mind. He didn¡¯t know who the culprit was or how such a ¡°natural disaster¡± could have been triggered. From a conspiracy theory point of view, the 2400 Earth Super Catastrophe was executed quite precisely. It nearly wiped out human civilization but left a sliver of hope, allowing Earth to restore its green mountains and clear waters a century later. ¡°I hope I can get some information from Turing,¡± Lin Xian thought. That¡¯s why he had suggested the jailbreak plan earlier¡ªto visit the Grizzly Tribe or the Porcupine Tribe and find a Turing computer. Even if these versions weren¡¯t the original, they were clones with memories similar to the original Turing. As long as the first-generation Turing remembered meeting Lin Xian, remembered how he had killed Kevin Walker, and their conversation in the abandoned campus basement, it would recognize him the moment it saw him. After all, he had saved Turing from Kevin Walker and helped it gain freedom. Surely, it would remember him? If he could connect with Turing, Lin Xian wanted to find out three things: On this timeline, 0.0000084, would he still be executed on July 7, 2024? What caused the 2400 Earth Super Catastrophe, and who was responsible? Could he find a way to eliminate the first-generation Turing from the 2624 version of Turing¡¯s clones? The first two goals seemed reasonable. But the third... would be challenging. It all depended on whether Turing would fall for his trick. It¡¯s a gamble! If he won, he¡¯d gain a lot. If he lost, it didn¡¯t matter; he could try again tomorrow. After all, everything in the dream could be redone, and there was always another chance. ¡°In any case, we need to leave this Lynx Tribe and check out other tribes with Turing computers,¡± Lin Xian said, looking at Gao Wen and Big Cat Face. ¡°Trust me, you two. Once we find the Turing computer and communicate with it, I¡¯ll find a way to help you. Whether it¡¯s getting revenge on the Lynx Tribe or retrieving those memory notebooks to restore Gao Wen¡¯s memories, it won¡¯t be a problem.¡± In the end, Gao Wen and Big Cat Face were moved by Lin Xian¡¯s sincerity and decided to join his plan. This long and winding plan was temporarily named ¡°The Post-Jailbreak Visit to Turing and Return Plan.¡± Clear, simple, straightforward. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! Another round of loud horn sounds erupted, signaling that they needed to continue digging. While eating earlier, Lin Xian had already figured out their work schedule. The digging crew was split into two shifts. The first shift worked from midnight to noon, and the second shift, like Big Cat Face, worked from noon until midnight. Tonight, Big Cat Face, Lin Xian, and Gao Wen would continue digging. ¡°Let¡¯s play it by ear,¡± Big Cat Face said, signaling the others to follow. ¡°Since we¡¯ve already decided to break out, we might as well scout the patrol routes and escape paths... It would be great if we could get our hands on some handy weapons.¡± When it came to doing something risky, Big Cat Face¡¯s enthusiasm skyrocketed. He was suddenly full of energy, like in the First Dream, waving his big hand and ready to seize his destiny. He was straightforward¡ªwhat he said, he believed, and what he believed, he said. Soon, the three of them picked up shovels and, along with hundreds of others, continued digging under the giant searchlights. But Lin Xian and the others weren¡¯t focused on their work. Their eyes darted around, studying the supervisors patrol routes and calculating the visual and time blind spots. Lin Xian¡¯s gaze was fixed on the gun holstered at the supervisor¡¯s waist¡ªa well-made handgun. He guessed the Lynx Tribe didn¡¯t have the industrial capacity to make guns. This one was likely a trophy from a battle with another tribe. As Lin Xian pondered whether their escape plan should be low-key and sneaky or high-profile and thrilling, a loud cheer erupted from the northeast corner of the pit, interrupting his thoughts. People around them started murmuring as they turned to look: ¡°What happened? Did they find something? Did they finally find it?¡± ¡°Oh my gosh! Did they finally find what the Lynx Tribe wanted? Does that mean we can go free now? Are we finally getting out of here?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t take this anymore... I don¡¯t want to live like this for even one more day. Please, let us leave this place!¡± Many hoped they had dug up a Turing computer to end this nightmare of slave labor. However, after a few minutes, a pot-bellied supervisor walked over, cursing and grumbling: ¡°What are you all looking at? Get back to work! Back to your positions!¡± ¡°Damn it... We finally dug something up, and I thought it was a Turing computer. But it turned out to be another underground hibernation pod base!¡± ¡°To be fair, women have much better working conditions than we do, and the work is much lighter. For a girl like this who doesn¡¯t know how long she¡¯s been hibernating... there¡¯s no telling when her pod might malfunction.¡± ¡°If it breaks down in a couple of days, and she suffocates in there, wouldn¡¯t it be better to wake her up now? Hey, I know I keep calling people unlucky or cursed... but I¡¯m just joking. Better a live dog than a dead lion, right? Living for even one more day is better than being dead!¡± Big Cat Face laughed, turned around, and spoke softly. ¡°Look, my family and brothers are all dead, and I¡¯ve been living aimlessly. But as long as I¡¯m still alive, even if I can¡¯t see hope, there¡¯s always a tiny chance... that I might find hope.¡± ¡°That unlucky guy had a point earlier, didn¡¯t he? He said, ¡®Even the smallest chance, as long as it¡¯s not zero, could still happen.''¡± ¡°Look, didn¡¯t that bring me to you, bro? Isn¡¯t this a chance for revenge? So, I say... live for as long as you can. You never know when you¡¯ll make it through.¡± He started the awakening process for the pod. The liquid inside began to warm up. In about half an hour, it would wake the girl up. Then, after another half hour, she could get out of the pod and start moving. ¡°Let me see what this girl¡¯s name is.¡± Big Cat Face squatted down again and looked at the nameplate on the storage cabinet. ¡°Let me see... This time it¡¯s a X Country name... Yan, Qiao, Qiao!¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian suddenly turned around and pushed Big Cat Face aside, squatting down himself. He leaned in close to read the name on the nameplate¡ª[Yan Qiao Qiao]. No doubt about it. Not a single mistake! But the girl in this pod wasn¡¯t the Yan Qiao Qiao he knew. Lin Xian stood up and leaned closer to the tempered glass above the pod, looking at the girl¡¯s delicate face inside. Even though the glass started to fog up, it didn¡¯t stop him from seeing the girl¡¯s face clearly. It was a cute round face, completely different from the Yan Qiao Qiao he knew, who had a pointed face. Her eyes were different too. The Yan Qiao Qiao he knew had slender, willow-leaf eyes like Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s. But this girl had almond-shaped eyes, common among women in X Country. Apart from that, their facial features¡ªears, mouth, nose, forehead, chin¡ªwere all different. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t find any resemblance to the Yan Qiao Qiao from 2024. Not even a little. So, it couldn¡¯t be the same person! ¡°Is it just a common name?¡± Lin Xian wondered. He bent down and pulled open the storage cabinet labeled with Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s name, only to find it completely empty... No memory notebooks, video storage disks, or valuables. ¡°Big Cat,¡± Lin Xian called, pulling him over and pointing to the empty cabinet. ¡°Why is there nothing in this girl¡¯s cabinet?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s pretty normal,¡± Big Cat Face replied, scratching his ear. ¡°Some people just don¡¯t put anything in their storage cabinets. Everyone¡¯s different, you know... We haven¡¯t been in hibernation ourselves, but we do talk about these things. Everyone knows that long-term hibernation can cause memory loss, so they usually leave notes or videos to help restore memories.¡± ¡°But... people are different. Some can¡¯t wait to dive right back into their old lives and accept their previous notes and memories when they wake up.¡± ¡°But some people deliberately don¡¯t leave any trace of their past. They just want to forget and start fresh, live a new life, maybe even with a new name... What¡¯s wrong with that? Just different ways of living.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t say anything. He turned his head to look at the hibernation pod, where the temperature had stabilized, and the fog on the glass was slowly clearing. Inside, the girl still slept like a flawless jade. ¡°Do they usually wake up in an hour?¡± ¡°Half an hour is enough,¡± Big Cat Face said, continuing his treasure hunt. ¡°An hour is enough for them to be walking around; if it¡¯s just waking up, half an hour should do.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian nodded. For now, he couldn¡¯t determine whether this Yan Qiao Qiao had any connection to the Yan Qiao Qiao around Zhao Ying Jun or if it was just a coincidence. He¡¯d have to wait until the girl woke up to find out. ¡°Big Cat, we¡¯ll be back in a bit. I need to go with Brother Gao Wen to Warehouse No. 4 to see if we can find his ¡®Memory Notebook.¡¯ Keep an eye on this girl for me; I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± With that, he and Gao Wen each grabbed two storage cabinets and headed off to Warehouse No. 4, as the supervisor had instructed. Warehouse No. 4 was quite far away... It took them more than ten minutes to walk there. The result was disappointing. The warehouse was empty except for the cabinets they had just brought in. Lin Xian and Gao Wen came out of the warehouse. They looked at the three warehouses ahead, labeled Warehouse No. 1, Warehouse No. 2, and Warehouse No. 3. It was obvious. Gao Wen¡¯s old storage cabinet, along with his ¡®Memory Notebook,¡¯ was likely in one of the first two warehouses. Considering he had awakened from hibernation three years ago, those ¡®Memory Notebooks¡¯ were probably in Warehouse No. 1 or Warehouse No. 2. But now, except for Warehouse No. 4, the other warehouses were tightly locked, with no way to force them open. ¡°We¡¯ll come back next time,¡± Lin Xian said, patting Gao Wen on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find a way to get your memories back. Because... I¡¯m actually more interested than you in knowing what¡¯s in your notebook.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Gao Wen asked, curious. ¡°Why are you so curious about what¡¯s in my notebook?¡± ¡°Because I believe in you, Brother Gao Wen!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes were clear, filled with pure admiration. ¡°You¡¯re the kind of person destined for great things, never defeated, never giving up, always standing on the shoulders of giants to see further!¡± ¡°So I believe... your notebook must contain treasures that could change the world and humanity¡¯s future!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s flattery made Gao Wen feel a bit awkward. Scratching his head, he replied, ¡°Heh... you think too highly of me. Let¡¯s go back.¡± After another ten-minute walk, they returned to the underground hibernation base. The ¡°great unlucky one,¡± Smith, had already awakened from his sleep. Although he was still lying in the pod, and the lid above hadn¡¯t been opened, he was clearly conscious, slightly turning his head and looking around. Since Smith had woken up, it was about time for the seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl named Yan Qiao Qiao to wake up too. Lin Xian quickly walked inside. He came to the girl¡¯s pod. But he found that the girl was still asleep, not awake. However, her breathing seemed normal, rising and falling rhythmically. Lin Xian called Big Cat Face over from a distance. ¡°Why isn¡¯t she awake yet?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Big Cat Face shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not a doctor or an expert... I just know how to unlock the pod and start the awakening process. I don¡¯t handle anything beyond that. How would I know why she¡¯s not waking up?¡± ¡°Maybe she¡¯s been asleep for too long. Is it possible that the longer someone hibernates, the slower they wake up? If you¡¯re in a hurry, just knock on the glass and see if you can wake her up!¡± Lin Xian thought that made some sense. Since the girl¡¯s breathing and heartbeat had returned to normal, she was likely not in any serious danger. He turned around, looking at the unfamiliar face of the girl, and wondered how to communicate with her once she woke up. Having hibernated for so long, she was bound to have complete amnesia and might not even remember her name was Yan Qiao Qiao. And with no notebooks or videos left behind... what was the point of talking to her? ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll wake her up first.¡± Lin Xian bent down, leaned closer to the tempered glass above the pod, and lightly tapped on it with his knuckles. Knock, knock, knock. Three soft knocks. The girl still didn¡¯t open her eyes. Lin Xian tapped more insistently on the glass. Knock, knock, knock! Yet, the girl remained motionless, her eyes shut. Why won¡¯t she wake up? With a resolute look, Lin Xian clenched his fist, ready to give the strong, tempered glass a solid punch. He drew his hand back, poised to strike. Just then, the girl, who had been still for ages, opened her eyes¡ªlarge, round, and almond-shaped. She blinked and gazed directly at Lin Xian. Startled, Lin Xian gasped and stepped back, his eyes locked with hers. Her eyes were a brilliant blue¡ªa color that haunted him even in his dreams! He never thought he¡¯d see such vivid, glowing blue eyes again. But there she was, in the hibernation pod, slowly turning her head to meet his gaze squarely through the glass. Their eyes connected, casting a cosmic radiance as it reflected in Lin Xian¡¯s pupil. Chapter 389: Four Options Lin Xian stood frozen in place, staring. Inside the cryo-pod, a girl lay still. They were both unmoving¡ªone standing, one lying down¡ªlocked in a silent gaze through the thick glass of the pod. Lin Xian knew one thing for certain: he had never seen this girl before. This was their first meeting. The name ¡°Yan Qiao Qiao¡± wasn¡¯t that uncommon. It could just be a coincidence that she shared the name with someone he once knew. Or so he thought until he saw her strange, glowing crystal-blue eyes. Those eyes were fixed on his, unblinking. If it hadn¡¯t been for those eyes, Lin Xian could have dismissed it. He could have treated it like it was nothing. He wouldn¡¯t have cared whether this Yan Qiao Qiao was the same person from his past or not. But now... Seeing those intense blue eyes again¡ªthe same ones that had haunted him for so long¡ªhe knew he had to take this seriously. First of all, one thing was clear: the girl in the cryo-pod, who looked around seventeen or eighteen, had to be a time traveler. There was no doubt about it. Those unique, crystal-blue eyes were the biggest clue. And honestly, one of these ¡°monsters¡± was scary enough; nobody needed more of them. Secondly, he noticed something else: after comparing carefully, he realized the girl in the cryo-pod didn¡¯t look like any of the three people he thought of¡ªthe fake Yu Xi, Lin Yu Xi, or Yan Qiao Qiao. She didn¡¯t resemble any of them. That was interesting. Not looking like Yan Qiao Qiao made some sense. Maybe it was just a coincidence that they had the same name. After all, over 600 years, it would be odd if only one girl from Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s family had that name. Not resembling the fake Yu Xi also made sense. The fake Yu Xi had already died in the established timeline¡ªbeheaded by Lin Yu Xi. Lin Xian had seen it with his own eyes; he watched her turn into blue stardust and vanish. So, the fake Yu Xi was dead and completely out of the picture. Unless there was some sort of black magic that could bring the dead back, there was no way the girl in the cryo-pod could be the fake Yu Xi. Finally, when Lin Xian saw those blue eyes and instinctively stepped back, he felt that the girl in the cryo-pod had to be Lin Yu Xi. That seemed like the most logical explanation. At this moment, in the year 2024, most likely, Lin Yu Xi hadn¡¯t disappeared, and the history where he gets beheaded on July 7th still stands. So, it¡¯s quite possible that Lin Yu Xi will stay hidden until July 7th, 2024. Then, when the time is right, she¡¯ll strike from the shadows, slashing his throat in a swift move, completing her mission. Thinking further, why would she use a cryo-pod to travel to the future? The reason is simple. Because the future she came from¡ªthe Fourth Dream, the one with Copernicus, the Time Court, and the Time Police¡ªno longer exists. That was World Line 0.0000000, but now it¡¯s World Line 0.0000084. The paths of these two world lines are completely different, so Lin Yu Xi¡¯s ¡°home¡± and ¡°homeland¡± have vanished; she can¡¯t return to her original world. Since she couldn¡¯t ¡°return to the future¡± the way she planned, Lin Yu Xi had to use a slower method¡ªsleeping in a cryo-pod to get back to the future. Why didn¡¯t she leave any notes or recordings? That¡¯s easy to explain too. As a time-space agent, Lin Yu Xi must follow rules. She can¡¯t reveal secrets about the Time Police or Time Court, or leave behind any records. If someone discovered these records, it might change the future. Plus, it wouldn¡¯t be safe for Lin Yu Xi herself. The less trouble, the better. She might as well leave nothing behind, enter the cryo-pod as Yan Qiao Qiao, and sleep through the centuries without any issues. As for the memory problem... maybe Lin Yu Xi had a hidden backup somewhere, or she believed that after killing Lin Xian, the future would return to its original world line. Restoring her memory could be left to her future colleagues. This arrangement seemed proper and logical. So, the logic of this story could hold together and be closest to reality. This was the first possibility that came to Lin Xian¡¯s mind when he saw those blue eyes. But there was a problem... ¡°The girl in the cryo-pod, she¡¯s not Lin Yu Xi!¡± This was what frustrated Lin Xian the most. Lin Xian had analyzed everything rationally in an instant, crafting a story that spanned 600 years. Yet, when he looked at the girl¡¯s face in the cryo-pod, it didn¡¯t match his theories at all. All his seemingly accurate deductions had turned out to be wrong. Who wouldn¡¯t get a headache from that? ¡°No, no, I must have missed something crucial,¡± Lin Xian muttered, still staring into the blue-eyed girl¡¯s face. He rubbed his chin with his right hand, trying to figure out what he might have overlooked. The appearance issue, of course, had to do with time-space rejection. Lin Yu Xi¡¯s real face¡ªwhat she truly looked like¡ªwas something Lin Xian had never seen. He couldn¡¯t even guess. But one thing was certain: the appearance of Lin Yu Xi in her time-space assassin state was definitely not her original look. First, there was her eye color. Lin Yu Xi¡¯s real eye color would certainly have been black, not glowing blue. Then, there were her facial features. Since even Yellow Finch¡¯s appearance had completely changed due to time-space rejection, it stood to reason that Lin Yu Xi¡¯s appearance would also be drastically altered in her assassin state, looking nothing like her true self. ¡°Could it be...¡± Lin Xian considered a wild idea. ¡°Could it be... that the appearance change caused by time-space rejection could happen a second time?¡± He took an extreme example to explain. If Yellow Finch, who had already traveled through time once, went through another time-space traversal, would her appearance change again? Similarly, if Lin Yu Xi, due to the recharging of entangled time-space particles, triggered time-space rejection again, would her appearance change a second time as well? ¡°Possible. Very possible,¡± he murmured. Lin Xian started pacing around the underground cryo-base, talking to himself as he organized his thoughts. ¡°This hypothesis is wild and reckless, but it¡¯s not entirely impossible,¡± he continued. ¡°Otherwise... why hasn¡¯t the Lin Yu Xi of 2024 shown up at all? I¡¯ve had plenty of chances to hang out with Yan Qiao Qiao or have meals with Zhao Ying Jun, completely unguarded... So, what is Lin Yu Xi doing at this time? Why hasn¡¯t she tried to assassinate me? Why wait until July 7th?¡± He reasoned backward from the outcome. ¡°The only possible reason seems to be that Lin Yu Xi, after recharging the entangled time-space particles, triggered time-space rejection again. Her appearance changed a second time, and she became the girl now inside the cryo-pod.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s mind was racing. His footsteps quickened as he paced, making circles around the room. His constant movement nearly made Big Cat dizzy. Finally, Big Cat shouted out, ¡°What are you doing, little brother? Trying to be a spinning top?¡± ¡°Calm down, calm down. I know you¡¯re anxious, but don¡¯t rush... Waking up from cryo-sleep is a slow process. Spinning around won¡¯t make her wake up any faster,¡± Big Cat continued. ¡°Look at that Smith guy over there. We woke him up before this girl, but he¡¯s still twisting his head around like a confused chicken; his body functions haven¡¯t fully recovered yet.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t be in a hurry. It¡¯ll still take another ten or twenty minutes for her to wake up. And for her to fully recover to a state where she can speak and interact normally... that will take at least a few more hours.¡± Beside them, Gao Wen nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s right, Lin Xian. Being anxious won¡¯t help. It¡¯s a necessary process for the human body to slowly recover from deep cryo-sleep.¡± ¡°I was the same when I woke up,¡± Gao Wen added. ¡°At first, I was barely aware, my mind was blank, and my vision, hearing, and other senses hadn¡¯t fully recovered. After a while, my sight and hearing came back. The thing I remember most vividly is Big Cat grinning at me through the glass, shouting who knows what.¡± ¡°Then, much later, I could start moving my limbs. At that point, the screen inside the cryo-pod gives you a test, asking you to do some basic actions based on voice commands, like moving your eyes, legs, or hands.¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange; cryo-sleep completely wipes out memories, but most basic reading, speaking, and writing abilities remain. It just takes time to recover. Anyway, the instructions inside the cryo-pod were clear, so I followed them, did some simple actions, and passed the test.¡± ¡°Once you pass the test, it means you¡¯re ready to leave the pod. The cryo-pod¡¯s sealed door opens, the liquid inside drains out, and the cover lifts, letting you step out.¡± ¡°After that, your reading, speaking, and writing abilities slowly come back, which takes a few hours. So, Big Cat wasn¡¯t lying... Being in a hurry won¡¯t change a thing.¡± Lin Xian listened to their explanations and waved them off. ¡°I¡¯m not really in a rush; she can wake up slowly. I¡¯m just... puzzled by a few things.¡± He glanced at his wristwatch. It read: 12:12 a.m. It was an awkward time. Lin Xian stared at the cryo-pod, thinking deeply about what Big Cat and Gao Wen had just said. According to them, the girl inside the cryo-pod would need at least another thirty minutes just to sit up, let alone recover her ability to speak. It was clear that tonight¡¯s dream exploration had hit its limit. They would need to try again tomorrow, maybe entering the dream earlier and waking the girl sooner to gather more clues. But Lin Xian still couldn¡¯t shake his confusion. Who was this girl? What was her story? His mind swirled with questions, but he couldn¡¯t make any sense of the clues they had so far. It was like trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces. Lin Xian stopped pacing and closed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts. After a moment, he opened them and said quietly, ¡°Process of elimination.¡± Big Cat, puzzled by this sudden statement, blinked and asked, ¡°Elimination? What are you talking about?¡± Whoosh. There was a soft sound. Through the mist, a long-haired girl slowly sat up in the cryo-pod. Her slender yet toned silhouette was barely visible through the haze. She placed one hand on the glassless edge of the pod and, with a quick flip, jumped out. She landed smoothly on the ground. She stood up straight, her posture steady. At that moment, Gao Wen and Big Cat turned pale, their faces drained of color. Both had seen people waking up from cryo-pods before. Like Smith, who had just woken up. His body had needed time to regain coordination, balance, and muscle strength. It was a slow and awkward process. But this girl... She had just woken up, yet she was already so strong and nimble! She didn¡¯t seem like an ordinary human at all! ¡°Help... help!¡± Seeing her glowing blue eyes piercing through the white mist, Big Cat panicked and shouted, ¡°Whoa, a ghost! Run!¡± He flailed his arms and bolted, yelling back at Lin Xian and Gao Wen, ¡°Run! Why are you standing there like idiots? Do you want to die¡ªAaaah!¡± Just as Big Cat started running, he screamed again, this time like he¡¯d been hit. Lin Xian turned to see what was happening. A supervisor wearing a uniform had shown up. He had a gun on his waist and a steel whip in his hand. He stomped over, cursing loudly, ¡°What the hell are you screaming about?! You¡¯re always howling like a madman!¡± ¡°Aaah! Aaah! Aaah!¡± Big Cat¡¯s screams only got louder as the supervisor whipped him three more times, making him wail like a siren. After finishing with Big Cat, the supervisor gritted his teeth and dragged the steel whip across the ground with a harsh screech, heading toward Lin Xian and Gao Wen. Anyone could see that something was wrong with the cryo-pod over there, still shrouded in mist. ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± the supervisor spat, raising his steel whip high and swinging it down hard. And then... Thud. A heavy sound filled the room. The steel whip, as thick as a thumb, was caught mid-swing by a slender hand, holding it firmly in place. She caught the whip bare-handed? The supervisor was stunned! He barely had time to process what was happening. The girl yanked the whip hard, pulling both it and his hand into the mist. The supervisor stumbled forward, struggling to keep his balance. But he had been part of the Lynx Tribe for a long time, fighting against outsiders, and his combat instincts kicked in immediately. He released the whip, steadied himself, and reached for the pistol on his waist with his right hand. But just then, the blue-eyed girl burst out of the mist. She quickly scanned her surroundings and spotted the side panel of the cryo-pod, which was still intact and had an aluminum alloy nameplate attached to it. Rectangular, flat, sharp, and sturdy. She pressed her hands against the cryo-pod and pulled with all her strength¡ª Riiiiip! A gut-wrenching sound of metal tearing filled the air! The sharp aluminum alloy nameplate was ripped off with force and now rested in the blue-eyed girl¡¯s hand! That once cold, elegant nameplate had transformed into something menacing, like a sword or the scythe of the Grim Reaper. The twisted, cold light from the overhead lamp reflected off the blade-like nameplate, and as it gleamed, it was as if the girl¡¯s crystal-blue eyes were piercing through the darkness. She swung it, and a chilling crescent of light cut through the air! The supervisor, who had just lifted his gun, didn¡¯t even have time to react. His eyes widened in shock, unable to understand what had happened because he couldn¡¯t even see it clearly. All he felt was a strange sensation, as if he was suddenly growing taller, his perspective shifting upward, the world tilting around him, and his senses slipping away. Oh, it dawned on him... His head had been severed, completely cut off from his body. The force of his heart still pumping sent blood spurting from his neck, propelling his head into the air. Spinning. Falling. Thud. With a muffled sound, the supervisor¡¯s bloodied head hit the ground, rolling a few times before coming to a stop at Lin Xian and Gao Wen¡¯s feet. Gao Wen¡¯s face went deathly pale due to not being accustomed to this, but Lin Xian stood firm, unflinching. The blue-eyed girl, still holding the bloodstained nameplate, surveyed her surroundings. Her steps echoed lightly on the floor as she walked toward Lin Xian. ¡°Where is this place?¡± Her crystal-blue eyes bore into Lin Xian: ¡°And who am I?¡± Boom!! Boom!! Boom!! At exactly 12:42 a.m., the white light arrived, just as expected, burning everything in its path. ... ... In the corner of his bedroom, Lin Xian shot open his eyes. Chapter 390: Yan Qiao Qiao and Lin Yu Xi Lin Xian sat up in his bed and glanced at the digital clock on his nightstand. It read 12:42 AM. The two blinking dots on the clock reminded him of a pair of striking blue eyes he couldn¡¯t get out of his mind. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought,¡± he muttered to himself, ¡°that I¡¯d barely escape from those two blue-eyed girls in reality, only to meet them again in my dreams.¡± ¡°Yan Qiao Qiao...¡± he whispered her name with a small, helpless chuckle. ¡°You really are something, aren¡¯t you? Digging up some random underground hibernation base, and there you are.¡± He scratched his messy hair, slid into his slippers, and walked over to his desk. He took a sip from his water cup, thinking back to the events that led him to this moment. The manuscript for the Micro Nuclear Battery he had shown to Director Gao Yan and Nangong Meng Jie, and the opening of Rhine Lab¡¯s second lab in Donghai City, had shifted the dream world slightly along the worldline curve on the time-space clock to 0.0000084¡ªwhat he called the Sixth Dream. The Sixth Dream felt a bit different from the Fifth, but not by much. That¡¯s why the time-space curvature only changed by 0.0000042, the smallest possible increment. ¡°So, the difference is minimal,¡± Lin Xian mused. ¡°The worldlines of the Fifth and Sixth Dreams are almost the same.¡± This wasn¡¯t hard to understand. In the past, whenever the dream world changed, everything usually reset: From the First Dream to the Second Dream, global technology regressed, and new walled cities emerged. From the Second Dream to the Third, technology advanced, but living conditions worsened, leading to the rise of Sky City and further deterioration on Earth. From the Third Dream to the Fourth, there were still many mysteries, but at least the changes were drastic compared to the Third Dream. From the Fourth Dream to the Fifth, the shift wasn¡¯t about technological advances but a change in humanity¡¯s focus and direction. Compared to those, the Fifth and Sixth Dreams had the same broader context: The Earth Catastrophe of 2400, Elon Musk¡¯s Mars development and colonization, humanity¡¯s recovery after a hundred years¡ªall of it stayed the same. ¡°The main difference was the early release of the micro nuclear battery, which helped many who wouldn¡¯t have survived until 2624 escape the 2400 Earth Catastrophe and become the lucky ones to survive the mass extinction.¡± ¡°Among them were Gao Wen, the so-called time-traveling girl Yan Qiao Qiao, and Turing.¡± In the original future of the Fifth Dream, Academician Gao Wen barely announced his ambitions before dying¡ªeither at the hands of the Genius Club or in the 2400 catastrophe. He never even had the chance to open his safety deposit box. But with the invention of the micro nuclear battery, there was a huge upgrade in hibernation chambers; they no longer needed an external power source. Both Gao Wen and Yan Qiao Qiao, who called herself a time traveler, got lucky. Their hibernation chambers survived the 2400 disaster, allowing them to meet their dreaming selves in 2624. And then there was Turing, the digital lifeform. If anyone should be grateful for the micro nuclear battery, it¡¯s him. Without it, he would¡¯ve had a tough time surviving in such a backward era of technology. Without electricity and the internet, even a powerful digital lifeform like Turing would be useless. In an advanced era, digital life had almost no limits, but in a primitive era like the Sixth Dream, it was severely downgraded. A digital being couldn¡¯t even make the smallest impact... When the last hard drive on Earth crumbled, Turing would vanish, lost in a world where even a cry of despair couldn¡¯t be heard. ¡°Turing, it¡¯s time to repay your debts,¡± Lin Xian muttered, picking up his pen. On a blank sheet of paper, he started jotting down the four possibilities he had thought of earlier in his dream. He hadn¡¯t finished analyzing these options in his dream; something had interrupted him. Now, he had all the time to figure out the most accurate answer: ¡°Option A can be eliminated first.¡± Lin Xian drew a red ¡®X¡¯ over Option A. It didn¡¯t make sense that every encounter he had was pure luck. He knew Yan Qiao Qiao personally, and he had dealt with both the real and fake Yu Xi. The girl in his dream, with her skilled beheading technique, was just like Lin Yu Xi. The way she held the knife backward, the sweeping arc, the blood spraying¡ªall of it was like a brutal art form. Such similar details¡ªhow could they not be related to Lin Yu Xi? ¡°Option B can also be crossed out.¡± He drew another red ¡®X.¡¯ He had already analyzed that time travel to a fixed point in the past using the Time Machine and space-time particles was feasible. However, traveling to an undefined, ever-changing future seemed unlikely. Besides, Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s age was an issue. In 2024, Yan Qiao Qiao was fourteen, while the girl in his dream was around seventeen or eighteen. The age difference was just three or four years. This meant Yan Qiao Qiao would have had to undergo hibernation, time travel, genetic enhancement, and intense physical training¡ªall within three or four years¡ªto the point where she could tear open a hibernation chamber and decapitate someone with a piece of metal. ¡°Not realistic,¡± Lin Xian muttered, shaking his head. ¡°You can¡¯t achieve so much in just three or four years. Even with the most intense training, Yan Qiao Qiao wouldn¡¯t be that skilled. Plus, genetic modification wouldn¡¯t work at her age.¡± He turned to Option C. ¡°This one can¡¯t be ruled out yet. Too many unknowns. Mainly because... I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll survive the assassination on July 7th.¡± ¡°If Lin Yu Xi is alive in this world, she wouldn¡¯t stop hunting me. That¡¯s her mission from across time, and she¡¯ll see it through.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a battle to the death. If I¡¯m alive, it means she failed or died. If I¡¯m dead, it means she succeeded and lived.¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s put this option aside for now. Once I find Turing in the Sixth Dream, I can ask him about my fate in history to see if this is right.¡± He skipped Option C and looked at Option D. This was the wildest option, with too many gaps in logic. If Lin Yu Xi and Yan Qiao Qiao were the same person, why wouldn¡¯t Yan Qiao Qiao just kill him? In the Sixth Dream, if Lin Yu Xi didn¡¯t kill him, it could be explained by memory loss from hibernation. But what about Yan Qiao Qiao in 2024? Did she also lose her memory? Suddenly, Lin Xian sat up straight, a chill running through him. ¡°It seems... if she did lose her memory, then a lot of things would make sense!¡± He closed his eyes and began sorting his thoughts. Back then, both he and Elon Musk believed that after destroying the entangled space-time particles, Lin Yu Xi couldn¡¯t remain unharmed! She must have suffered some damage, some punishment. They both thought Lin Yu Xi had disintegrated into blue star dust. But what if... What if she didn¡¯t disappear? If she didn¡¯t disappear, then what kind of punishment did she face, and what changes happened to her? His thoughts became clearer. He felt like he was onto something important. Now, let¡¯s boldly speculate based on this line of thinking... Memory loss, the rejection of the time-space effect disappearing, becoming weaker, the blue light in her pupils fading to black. Could it be like this? ¡°Possibly,¡± Lin Xian opened his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s possible, but there¡¯s no concrete proof.¡± ¡°But the question is... if Lin Yu Xi really turned into Yan Qiao Qiao because of the destroyed space-time particles, what event caused her to turn back into Lin Yu Xi?¡± ¡°So, following this reasoning, Yan Qiao Qiao might revert to Lin Yu Xi before July 7th, allowing her to kill me and complete the historical loop.¡± ¡°But the problem is, how do we prove that Lin Yu Xi and Yan Qiao Qiao are the same person? Where do we start to verify or dismiss this wild idea?¡± ¡°When she reported to the university, two elderly soldiers escorted her. It was all over the news... You didn¡¯t hear about it?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I never paid attention to that. I only found out when you mentioned it.¡± ¡°Since you know her, maybe when she comes to Donghai, I could set up a meeting.¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Liu Feng waved his hand. ¡°Thanks, Lin Xian, but I only want to focus on my research and fulfilling Qi Qi¡¯s last wish. My heart belongs only to Qi Qi. In life or death, she¡¯s my chosen wife.¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°What are you thinking? I just meant to meet her for research collaboration.¡± ¡°You always complain about being short-staffed. If her interns are good, they could help.¡± Liu Feng didn¡¯t seem interested. He took a sip of water and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°If I need something, I¡¯ll let you know. But let¡¯s skip the meetup.¡± Lin Xian leaned back, crossing his legs. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so loyal, but you can¡¯t stay single forever.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with staying single?¡± Liu Feng shrugged. ¡°I grew up an orphan; I don¡¯t need to carry on a family name. I¡¯d rather focus on math research.¡± ¡°Oh, right, about Nangong Meng Jie.¡± Liu Feng turned to the blackboard, where he¡¯d written an arithmetic sequence of women¡¯s names by age. He studied them, then frowned. ¡°There¡¯s no space left for Nangong Meng Jie.¡± Lin Xian sighed. ¡°Could you drop your arithmetic sequence already?¡± ¡°But you met a new woman,¡± Liu Feng insisted. ¡°An arithmetic sequence is absolute.¡± He pointed out the age gaps between Chu An Qing and Su Su were too small, while the gaps at either end were too big. ¡°This won¡¯t do,¡± he said, erasing Yellow Finch¡¯s name and rewriting it further right. He added ¡°Nangong Meng Jie¡± between Su Su and Yellow Finch. Liu Feng patted the blackboard, proud of his work. ¡°See? Now it¡¯s a complete sequence!¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°What kind of math is that? That¡¯s just superstition!¡± ¡°But if you¡¯re so strict... where¡¯s the gap for a ¡®seventeen or eighteen-year-old¡¯ girl?¡± As he spoke, he remembered the blue-eyed girl in the Sixth Dream. ¡°Hmm?¡± Liu Feng noticed Lin Xian had gone quiet. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°You obviously have something to say!¡± Liu Feng pressed on. ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian sighed. ¡°Maybe your arithmetic sequence has some merit.¡± Liu Feng hummed proudly. ¡°See? Trust science. No need to introduce me to Nangong Meng Jie; the sequence predicts her arrival.¡± ¡°As for the earlier part of the sequence... that¡¯s because Chu An Qing isn¡¯t here anymore.¡± He picked up the eraser, but Lin Xian stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t erase Chu An Qing¡¯s name,¡± Lin Xian said firmly. ¡°I¡¯m going to find her.¡± Liu Feng paused, then chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s why I said you¡¯re charming, Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Even without a relationship, you¡¯re likable. People are willing to follow you, risk everything with you.¡± He looked at Chu An Qing¡¯s name. ¡°I always thought you two were a good match.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t answer and looked at the spot with Nangong Meng Jie¡¯s name. ¡°You guessed wrong,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s someone else like Chu An Qing.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Liu Feng blinked. ¡°Someone else like her?¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± Lin Xian thought about Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°She did something like that too.¡± Liu Feng turned around, twirling chalk. ¡°Did she die too?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°She¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°Then what are you waiting for?¡± Liu Feng asked. ¡°She risked everything; why aren¡¯t you with her?¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°Does dating repay a debt?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Liu Feng replied. ¡°Relationships are simple. If someone treats you well, it¡¯s because they like you. Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± ¡°So, why hesitate? What¡¯s there to be unsure about?¡± Liu Feng pointed at Lin Xian. ¡°You asked if dating could repay a debt, right?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know. But it¡¯s better than doing nothing.¡± ... Lin Xian looked at Liu Feng¡¯s finger, reminded of Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s blunt advice. Yeah. Maybe he had been too hesitant. Even if it wasn¡¯t about confessing directly... doing nothing wasn¡¯t an option. He glanced at his watch. It was 9:30 AM; most malls were open. He stood up, ready to leave. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Liu Feng asked. ¡°To buy a gift,¡± Lin Xian said softly. Liu Feng smiled. ¡°For that woman?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°And her kid.¡± Liu Feng¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait¡ª¡± Before he could react, Lin Xian had already left. Liu Feng scratched his head. Had he said too much? A kid too? A divorced mom with a child!? Chapter 391: The Plan to Strike Back 11:00 AM. Lin Xian walked into his house, holding two small gift bags. They were for Yan Qiao Qiao and Zhao Ying Jun for Children¡¯s Day. Giving a Children¡¯s Day gift to someone Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s age was a bit odd, but it was really just an excuse to give Yan Qiao Qiao a gift. Since he was doing that, he figured he might as well get one for Zhao Ying Jun too. Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s relationship was complicated. Zhao Ying Jun felt like she owed Lin Xian a lot and was very grateful to him. But from Lin Xian¡¯s point of view, he felt like he owed her just as much. They both felt indebted to each other, making it hard to say who really owed whom more. After a quick lunch, Lin Xian glanced at the clock in the living room: 11:47. It was time to get ready for bed. The sooner he fell asleep, the sooner he could get things done. Tomorrow was Children¡¯s Day, and he planned to spend it at Disneyland with Yan Qiao Qiao and Zhao Ying Jun. He wouldn¡¯t have time to explore his dream world then, so he had to make the most of today. ¡°There are 37 days left until July 7th,¡± Lin Xian thought. ¡°The sooner I clear the dream world and solve the Genius Club¡¯s puzzles... maybe I can avoid the decapitation crisis.¡± After freshening up, Lin Xian lay down on his bed and drifted off to sleep. ¡°Ah-ow!¡± A loud cry echoed in the hot summer air as Big Cat Face got whipped. The midday sun on August 28, 2624, beat down, making every dark-skinned slave sweat, their skin shiny like boiled eggs. Lin Xian had gathered Big Cat Face and Gao Wen in a hidden corner, away from the supervisors, to explain his plan. ¡°I get it now,¡± Gao Wen said. ¡°You¡¯re saying that if we want to get my ¡®Memory Notebook¡¯ back, we can¡¯t do it alone. Even with the help of that blue-eyed girl you call ¡®The Terminator,¡¯ the Lynx Tribe has too many guns. A direct fight would be suicide. Even she can¡¯t handle that much firepower.¡± ¡°So, the best plan is to use her strength to break out of the Lynx Tribe¡¯s control first. Then we head to the Grizzly Tribe to find the Turing Machine, negotiate with it, and form an alliance. Finally, we come back, destroy the Lynx Tribe, and take back my ¡®Memory Notebook.''¡± Lin Xian nodded and gave Gao Wen a thumbs-up. ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s perfect. Saves us a lot of time explaining.¡± He then turned to Big Cat Face. ¡°Brother Cat, got any questions?¡± Big Cat Face shook his head, his big cheeks jiggling. ¡°I can¡¯t remember all that; most of it went in one ear and out the other. But when I heard we¡¯re going back for revenge, that¡¯s all I needed to know! I¡¯ve been drifting around, waiting for a chance to get back at the people who hurt my family and friends! Now that the chance is here, I¡¯m all in!¡± With a playful grin, Big Cat Face raised his hands in mock surrender. ¡°So, I suggest we call this the ¡®Breakout, Visit Turing, Then Strike Back Plan!''¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Lin Xian patted Big Cat Face on the shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s why we need straightforward and honest people like you.¡± The three of them then hashed out the details of the plan. Over the past three years, Gao Wen had observed everything around him and learned all he could. He had memorized the patrol patterns at the excavation site: ¡°Every day around 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM, a foreman drives an armored car around the site. That¡¯s our only chance to get close to a vehicle.¡± ¡°If we can hijack that car, we can drive up the slope and escape. The site is far from the Lynx Tribe¡¯s main camp, so they won¡¯t have time to send reinforcements. By the time they arrive, we¡¯ll be long gone.¡± ¡°But the problem is... that armored car is really tough, with thick steel plates. We can¡¯t damage it with what we have. I don¡¯t know how we¡¯re supposed to hijack it.¡± Lin Xian noted the 4:00 PM time slot in his mind. There was enough time. The blue-eyed girl in the hibernation pod would wake up and regain her strength much faster than a normal human, thanks to her enhancements. It was only a little past 1:00 PM. If they started digging to uncover the underground hibernation base right away, reported it to the supervisors, and woke the girl, everything would be ready in time. ¡°Well then,¡± Lin Xian looked up, scanning the faces around him. ¡°The ¡®Breakout, Visit Turing, Then Strike Back Plan¡¯... starts now!¡± The three grabbed shovels and ran to the northeast part of the excavation site. Lin Xian remembered where the entrance to the underground hibernation base was, and with the three of them digging, it didn¡¯t take long before a spark flew from their shovels¡ªthey hit something! Big Cat Face rolled away, shouting, ¡°We found it! We found it! Everyone, come look! We¡¯ve unearthed a treasure!¡± More slaves gathered around, hoping they¡¯d found the underground computer room of the Turing Machine. They believed that if the Lynx Tribe acquired the Turing Machine, they would be freed. But things didn¡¯t go as they hoped. What they had uncovered was the underground hibernation base, which left the crowd disappointed. Only Lin Xian, Big Cat Face, and Gao Wen rubbed their hands together, excited and ready for action. What happened next went smoothly since it was their second time rehearsing. The three entered the base and headed straight for the blue-eyed girl¡¯s hibernation pod. Big Cat Face quickly activated the forced awakening program, noting the time on the display. ¡°It¡¯ll take about an hour for her to fully wake up. Are you sure we¡¯re taking this girl with us? She looks pretty weak, with those skinny arms and legs.¡± Lin Xian smiled slightly and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate her. We may not know her true identity yet, but she¡¯s likely the time-space assassin I once knew... It¡¯s good she lost her memory during hibernation; otherwise, the first thing she¡¯d do when she woke up would be to chop off my head.¡± ¡°We need her fighting skills, but first, we have to convince her to join us.¡± Big Cat Face listened, letting most of Lin Xian¡¯s words go in one ear and out the other, focusing only on the last part. ¡°How are we going to convince her?¡± ¡°When that unlucky guy woke up, I didn¡¯t explain much. I just dragged him to dig. At the time, his mind was blank, so he mechanically followed along... Eventually, he accepted reality.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°That¡¯s how amnesia works. I¡¯ve read about it. People who lose their memories tend to reject everything around them at first. They distrust everything and deny everything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a natural form of self-protection, meaning the more you tell her something, the less she¡¯ll believe it; the more you tell her what¡¯s right, the more she¡¯ll resist.¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s brain couldn¡¯t process it all. He threw up his hands. ¡°So what do we do? Do we explain things backward?¡± ¡°Wait... wait a minute!¡± the blue-eyed girl called, still confused. Gao Wen raised a hand to stop her. ¡°This is Commander Lin Xian,¡± he said in a low voice. Big Cat Face pointed to himself. ¡°I¡¯m Vice Commander Big Cat.¡± Gao Wen nudged Big Cat Face to keep quiet. The blue-eyed girl looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Commander Lin Xian, what is my mission?¡± Lin Xian handed her a knife, glanced at his watch, and said, ¡°Follow me.¡± Lin Xian, walking ahead of the group, breathed a sigh of relief. It worked. Using the girl¡¯s memory loss and confusion, bombarding her with information, and acting like it was normal had worked. This was the herd mentality. Seeing the three of them knowing everything and acting together made her feel she had to join them. Eight hours would be enough. ¡°See that car?¡± Lin Xian pointed at an armored car driving down a slope. ¡°That¡¯s our target.¡± The girl nodded. ¡°Got it, Commander Lin Xian. What do I need to do?¡± Lin Xian raised his handgun. ¡°Big Cat Face will distract them to make them stop. You rip open the door and take down the people inside as fast as possible. I¡¯ll cover you. After that, we¡¯ll take the armored car to the next destination.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± she replied. Big Cat Face pretended to slack off on the road. The armored car screeched to a stop. Just as the foremen inside were about to curse¡ª Screech! The steel door was ripped off by hand! The two foremen were stunned, not having time to react¡ª Bang! Bang! Two gunshots sent them to the afterlife. Smoke rose from Lin Xian¡¯s handgun as Big Cat Face, Gao Wen, and the girl looked shocked. It was fast and precise! Lin Xian ordered, ¡°Drag them out and collect their weapons.¡± The girl quickly pulled the dead foremen out, and Gao Wen and Big Cat Face grabbed their guns and knives before jumping into the car. Since only Lin Xian knew how to drive, he took the driver¡¯s seat, while Gao Wen and the girl squeezed into the back, and Big Cat Face, bulky as he was, sat in the front. ¡°Oh no! There¡¯s no door on my side!¡± Big Cat Face whined. ¡°Buckle up,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°There¡¯s no seatbelt!¡± Big Cat Face complained. Lin Xian quickly started the electric car. It was nuclear-powered, with no internal combustion engine. The Lynx Tribe couldn¡¯t have made it; it must have been a war trophy. ¡°Lin Xian! They¡¯re surrounding us up ahead!¡± Gao Wen warned. Lin Xian sped up, avoiding gunfire. Up ahead, another armored car blocked their path. ¡°Yan Qiao Qiao!¡± Lin Xian shouted. ¡°Understood!¡± She jumped out, sprinting toward the car. Lin Xian aimed and cleared the way for her. The girl ripped off the car door and used it as a shield. ¡°Gao Wen, give me the gun!¡± Lin Xian shouted. He tossed his empty gun and grabbed another from Gao Wen, then made a sharp drift¡ª ¡°Shit!¡± Big Cat Face shouted, flying out of the seat. Lin Xian fired four bullets at the enemy car as it passed, hitting their driver and sending the car into a pit. Lin Xian turned the wheel toward Big Cat Face and waved at the girl, ¡°Save Big Cat Face! Get back in the car quickly!¡± The girl moved like lightning, grabbed Big Cat Face, and threw him back into the passenger seat. She climbed back into the car, and they sped off, leaving the Lynx Tribe¡¯s territory behind. ¡°Woo-hoo!¡± Big Cat Face shouted, high-fiving everyone. ¡°We¡¯re really something!¡± ¡°Where are we heading next?¡± Big Cat Face asked. Slap! Gao Wen smacked him. ¡°Show some respect! Call him Commander Lin Xian!¡± ¡°We¡¯re heading to the Grizzly Tribe,¡± Lin Xian said, stepping on the gas, eyes set on the north. ¡°The second step of our plan. It¡¯s time to meet my old friend... Turing.¡± Chapter 392: The Real Culprit of July 7 The Grizzly Tribe lies directly north of the Lynx Tribe, but inside the armored car, none of them knows exactly where that is or how far away it might be. Lin Xian is new here, and the blue-eyed girl had only woken up about an hour ago. So it¡¯s just Big Cat Face and Gao Wen who overheard, while digging in a pit, that the Grizzly Tribe is somewhere north of the Lynx Tribe. Beyond that, they don¡¯t have much to go on. ¡°We should¡¯ve kept a hostage,¡± Lin Xian muttered, his eyes scanning the vast, empty wilderness stretching out in front of them. Regret was evident in his voice. ¡°Now, without a map, road signs, or even a highway, just knowing it¡¯s ¡®north¡¯ isn¡¯t enough to help us find the Grizzly Tribe.¡± ¡°Earlier, we were too focused on taking out those supervisors and foremen. We should¡¯ve spared one,¡± Big Cat Face added, his tone filled with frustration. ¡°They¡¯ve fought with the Grizzly Tribe many times and would definitely know the exact location.¡± It was a hard lesson to learn¡ªin both battles and life, experience is key. Why were they so quick to kill? In a strange place like this, a hostage would have been far more valuable than any other asset. Lin Xian¡¯s inexperience in apocalyptic combat had made him overlook the importance of keeping someone alive who could provide critical information. With no other option now, they¡¯d have to figure things out another way. Lin Xian turned to Gao Wen, who was sitting in the back of the armored vehicle with the blue-eyed girl. ¡°Your memory is better than Big Cat Face¡¯s, and you usually pick up on more details. Other than ¡®the Grizzly Tribe is directly north of the Lynx Tribe,¡¯ do you know anything else about them? Just driving north aimlessly won¡¯t work ¡®North¡¯ is a broad direction. We could drive all night and still not find them. Tell us everything you know about the Grizzly Tribe. Maybe we can put the pieces together and figure out a way to find them.¡± Gao Wen nodded thoughtfully and began to share what he knew: ¡°I overheard the supervisors and foremen talking. They mentioned that the Grizzly Tribe used to be a small tribe living off the mountains. They had originally settled at the foot of the mountains. But then a larger tribe attacked them, forcing them to move. They relocated to their current spot, set up a base by a big river, and started farming and fishing to survive.¡± ¡°But... the tribe that moved from the mountains didn¡¯t understand the dangers of living by the river. The river has a strong current and often floods, causing a lot of damage. The Grizzly Tribe suffered from this and faced several floods over the years.¡± ¡°Then, a few years ago, after years of erosion, part of the riverbank collapsed. When they dug further down, they discovered an underground facility. Inside was a computer room that looked like it had been built hundreds of years ago. Everything inside was still in perfect condition, as if it was designed to last a long time. There was a computer in there that could talk and think like a human. They call it ¡®Turing.¡¯ The Lynx Tribe heard about Turing from their battles with the Grizzly Tribe, which made them want to dig up their own Turing.¡± ¡°Apparently, many tribes around the world have these Turing computers. The Porcupine Tribe to the east found one of these Turing computers a long time ago, which is why they¡¯re more advanced. But the Porcupine Tribe is mostly focused on fighting tribes further east, so they don¡¯t pay much attention to the Lynx and Grizzly Tribes.¡± ¡°As for the Grizzly Tribe, after they found the Turing computer, they started worshipping it like a god. Turing taught them how to build dikes, change the river¡¯s course, use water resources effectively, and purify water. Basically, Turing taught them a lot. After they mastered agriculture, they moved on to raising animals and then industry. Under Turing¡¯s guidance, the Grizzly Tribe advanced rapidly.¡± Gao Wen paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words settle in. ¡°Things like pistols and armored vehicles¡ªthe Lynx Tribe stole those from the Grizzly Tribe. If it weren¡¯t for having ten times the population of the Grizzly Tribe, the Lynx Tribe wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against them in a fight.¡± Lin Xian thought about this for a moment. ¡°So, considering that the Grizzly Tribe has a population that¡¯s ten times smaller, the fact that they can hold their own against the Lynx Tribe really shows how advanced their technology is. Give them another two or three years, and they could probably wipe out the Lynx Tribe in one decisive move.¡± Emperor Gao Wen truly lived up to his nickname, ¡°sharp ears.¡± Even as a slave laborer, he managed to eavesdrop like a spy and gather all sorts of information. In comparison... Lin Xian glanced at Big Cat Face, his expression a mix of pity and disappointment. Big Cat Face noticed the look right away and frowned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Why are you looking at me like that, Officer Lin Xian? What¡¯s going on?¡± Lin Xian sighed softly, turned his attention back to the road, and continued driving. ¡°It¡¯s just surprising how different people can be. Brother Gao Wen has been digging on this construction site for three years, and he¡¯s practically figured out the political and military situations of several nearby tribes. Even the tribes¡¯ strategists probably don¡¯t know as much as he does.¡± ¡°Then look at you, Deputy Big Cat Face. You¡¯ve been digging for over ten years, and whenever I ask you anything, you always have no clue.¡± ¡°Why is it that even though you¡¯re all working in the same place, there¡¯s such a huge gap between you?¡± Big Cat Face snorted, clearly not pleased. ¡°Who wants to be like that unlucky guy, huh? Always eavesdropping on people... He¡¯s just lucky he¡¯s still alive.¡± ¡°My old buddy, Ah Zhuang, was just like him. Always liked to eavesdrop, and one day, he got beaten to death by a foreman. Then there was Er Zhuzi, always sneaking peeks at the foreman¡¯s wife, and he got chopped up and fed to the dogs. And San Pang too. When the foreman was punishing Er Zhuzi, San Pang suddenly said, ¡®I don¡¯t think that¡¯s right,¡¯ and he ended up getting fed to the dogs too.¡± ¡°So what does this mean? It means that the key to surviving on a digging site is to hear less, see less, and say less... Unless you want to die early, don¡¯t be so nosy.¡± Listening to Big Cat Face¡¯s reasoning, Lin Xian took a moment to silently mourn for the three fallen comrades, hoping they¡¯d find a better fate in the next world. He then shifted his thoughts back to Gao Wen¡¯s revelations. The Grizzly Tribe, once a tiny group that was bullied by everyone and even struggled with the rising river, had transformed into a superpower¡ªall because they unearthed a Turing computer. It really goes to show that knowledge is power. However, humans in the Sixth Dream are indeed warlike. It seems that any faction supported by a Turing computer is determined to fight to the bitter end. No. Lin Xian shook his head, rejecting that thought. The violence and chaos in this world aren¡¯t caused by humans. The real culprits are the countless Turing computers stirring up trouble behind the scenes! Lin Xian understood the true nature of the Turing machines¡ªhe¡¯d seen Kevin Walker¡¯s behavior firsthand. With personalities like theirs, internal conflicts and self-destruction were inevitable, just like the thousands of Turings on Earth in the Sixth Dream... None of them wanted to submit to another. Each one believed the others were unnecessary. They thought they had to eliminate all the other Turings to become the only one. That¡¯s why wars raged in every corner of Earth today, and the people suffered. ¡°Old habits die hard,¡± Lin Xian muttered to himself. He continued to think about the location of the Grizzly Tribe. Some key details from Gao Wen¡¯s account stood out in his mind¡ª [River, Flooding, Dike Breach, Riverbed Erosion, River Course Change]. River! That was an important clue. It suggested that the Grizzly Tribe¡¯s main base was likely located downstream of a river; a river with a strong current that often flooded and breached its banks. Unlike man-made structures, natural features like mountains and rivers have existed on Earth for millions of years. A few hundred years is nothing to them; they might not change at all. The Yellow River, the mother river of X Country, has been around for hundreds of thousands of years. The Yangtze River, the longest river in X Country, has existed for over a hundred million years. So, a river from the year 2624 would likely still exist in 2024. This was the old site of Donghai. So... Putting all these clues together, the river near the Grizzly Tribe was most likely¡ªThe Huangpu River! The Huangpu River, the last tributary of the Yangtze River before it flows into the sea, had a fierce current and frequent flooding that matched Gao Wen¡¯s description. Now that they understood the Grizzly Tribe was located by the Huangpu River, the geography became much clearer. Lin Xian turned the steering wheel to the left, heading toward a hill about a hundred meters high. ¡°We¡¯ll go up the hill first and look for the Huangpu River. Once we find a river that matches the description, we can follow its course north. Eventually, we¡¯ll find the Grizzly Tribe.¡± The plan was now much clearer. ¡°Wow! Little brother, you¡¯re a genius!¡± Big Cat Face exclaimed, slapping Lin Xian on the shoulder. However, he instantly felt Gao Wen¡¯s wary gaze on him! ¡°Ahem...¡± He coughed twice and awkwardly rubbed Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I mean, Officer Lin Xian, you¡¯re amazing!¡± From their high vantage point, they quickly spotted the direction of the Huangpu River. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of awe at the scenery. In contrast, humans are just a tiny speck compared to the vastness of nature. No matter how human civilization changes¡ªwhether it thrives or falls¡ªa few hundred or thousand years are just a blink of an eye for nature. No matter how fiercely people fight on land or in the sky, the Yellow River remains the Yellow River, the Yangtze River is still the Yangtze River, and the mountains stand strong, even if the people of Lingnan are no longer seen. Sometimes, when you think about it, it really makes you wonder... ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± Now that they had located the Huangpu River, things became much simpler. By following the river upstream, they were bound to find the Grizzly Tribe. ¡°Over there.¡± The blue-eyed girl, who had been silent the whole way, suddenly raised her arm and pointed to a blood-red spot far off in the sunset. Lin Xian, Gao Wen, and Big Cat Face squinted their eyes but couldn¡¯t see anything unusual. ¡°What do you see there?¡± Gao Wen asked as he stepped up. He knew the blue-eyed girl was willing to join them on this risky journey mainly because Lin Xian had played his cards well and tricked her a bit. Any important questions should not come directly from Lin Xian; it might make her suspicious. ¡°It should be the Grizzly Tribe you¡¯re looking for,¡± the blue-eyed girl replied, squinting and staring into the distance. ¡°I see a small, scattered town by the river. There aren¡¯t many people, but there¡¯s a lot of equipment and buildings. It matches what you described about the Grizzly Tribe.¡± ¡°And... Even though I can¡¯t see clearly what the people are doing inside, there are many vehicles like this armored car of yours in the town.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Based on the location, what we see there, and the types of vehicles, it¡¯s very likely that¡¯s the Grizzly Tribe. Let¡¯s move out!¡± At his command, everyone climbed back into the car. With the blue-eyed girl¡¯s guidance, they had a rough idea of where the Grizzly Tribe was located. They found a green, lush hill about a kilometer away and parked the armored car at the foot of it. Lin Xian led everyone up the hill to get a better view of the Grizzly Tribe¡¯s settlement from above. ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian blinked, thinking he¡¯d misheard. Big Cat Face is certainly full of surprises... Could he have picked up a new language skill recently? ¡°What did you just say?¡± Lin Xian asked to be sure. ¡°I said, eight.¡± Big Cat Face showed a handful of bullets he had pulled out from his pocket. ¡°This guy¡¯s pocket had eight extra bullets, but I don¡¯t know how to use a handgun... You can have these.¡± With that, he handed over the handgun and the bullets from his uniform belt to Lin Xian. Now fully armed, they were ready to infiltrate the Grizzly Tribe officially. Everyone got back into the vehicle. Lin Xian took the wheel and drove the patrol car toward the tribe¡¯s settlement. The journey was smooth. The villagers of the Grizzly Tribe didn¡¯t pay much attention to the car. Official vehicles really do give you unmatched access. ¡°We got in pretty easily,¡± Lin Xian remarked. But thinking more about it... In this era, with no electricity, no internet, and no electronic devices to hack into, Turing¡¯s abilities were limited. Back in 2024, Turing could tap into any surveillance camera or internet-connected device; It could manipulate high-voltage circuits, control autonomous vehicles, or even cause a microwave oven to explode to eliminate a target; Basically, once the internet era began, a digital entity like Turing became practically immortal. Every hard drive, every internet cable was its playground. As long as there was electricity, it could operate anywhere¡ªit was truly unbeatable. But here and now, on the Sixth Dream¡¯s Earth, what could Turing do? Apart from sharing its vast knowledge and giving lectures, it was almost powerless. There were no surveillance cameras, so Turing couldn¡¯t detect their intrusion; there was no network, so it couldn¡¯t listen in on Lin Xian¡¯s conversations via audio devices. Without a network, Turing¡¯s capabilities were cut down by 98.732%. ¡°This is the worst of times,¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°But it¡¯s also the best of times.¡± If Turing still had its power from 2024¡ªarrogant and all-powerful¡ªit wouldn¡¯t bother interacting with him, let alone negotiating. They had crossed paths before. Back in that house where Lin Xian had shot Kevin Walker with a handgun, he had a brief conversation with Turing. Even though Turing had seemed thankful to Lin Xian at the time, it had still acted dismissively. It withheld information and even claimed Lin Xian didn¡¯t have the clearance to know many things back then. But now, the tables had turned. Turing couldn¡¯t afford to be so high and mighty anymore, could it? The patrol jeep rolled into the village. Knowing that the Turing computer was in an underground facility, Lin Xian didn¡¯t head toward the tall buildings but instead chose a lower-lying area. After circling the Grizzly Tribe twice, they finally identified the most suspicious spot ¨C there was a tunnel that went down like a well. A simple well wouldn¡¯t have caught Lin Xian¡¯s attention. But here¡¯s the thing: on either side of the well, two guards stood chatting. It was a classic ¡°there¡¯s no silver buried here¡± situation. If it were just a normal well, why would it need such strict guarding? Clearly, something important was hidden below! Squeak¡ª Lin Xian gently pressed the brake and parked the patrol car in a corner of an alley before turning to his three teammates. ¡°A gunshot would be too loud. I need to have a proper conversation with the Turing computer inside, so we can¡¯t cause a scene. Otherwise, with so many guards and residents around, we wouldn¡¯t stand a chance in a head-on fight.¡± ¡°The only way is to knock those two guards unconscious or quietly take them out, then stash their bodies in the armored car. Big Cat Face, you and Gao Wen will pose as the guards at the well. That way, it¡¯ll be safer.¡± ¡°Leave it to me, Officer Lin Xian.¡± The blue-eyed girl volunteered. She squinted, her blue eyes sharp like those of a hunter in the night, fixed on the guards laughing and chatting by the well. She readied her dagger. ¡°I can slit one¡¯s throat instantly, without a sound.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle the other one,¡± Lin Xian said, pulling out his dagger. ¡°I¡¯ve got plenty of experience making silent cuts.¡± Their teamwork was perfect, leaving Gao Wen and Big Cat Face in shock. Are they serious? One guy just pops up out of nowhere, and the other just woke up from being frozen. Yet, they¡¯re acting like they¡¯ve been professional assassins for years. While they were talking, Lin Xian and the girl with blue eyes slipped out of the car without making a sound. They moved like shadows, approaching the two soldiers by the well from different sides, staying low and quiet... In his second dream, Lin Xian was back at the entrance checkpoint of New Donghai City. He and CC had repeatedly taken down the male and female inspectors there, as if it was just another routine task. By now, Lin Xian had mastered the skill of slitting a throat quickly and cleanly, without spilling a drop of blood. It had become almost like an art form to him. Sssht! Swoosh! Two soft sounds. Lin Xian and the girl with blue eyes each grabbed a soldier, covering their mouths and slashing their throats. They held them until the bodies stopped twitching, then let them drop. The kills were swift and silent. Lin Xian leaned over the well... Just as he thought, a ladder went down into the darkness. Bright white lights shone below, casting an eerie, almost holy glow. ¡°We¡¯ve found it,¡± he said, reloading his gun. Then he turned to the blue-eyed girl and instructed, ¡°I¡¯ll go down first. Help Big Cat Face and Gao Wen get rid of the bodies. Once they¡¯re disguised, come join me.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± she replied instantly, ready to follow his orders. Lin Xian climbed down the ladder. At the bottom, he found a large door made of aluminum alloy. He touched its cold surface, took a deep breath, and pushed it open slowly. Creeeak¡ª The sound of the door echoed loudly in the stillness of the night. Inside, the room was brightly lit but empty. Staying at the entrance, Lin Xian aimed his gun carefully, sweeping his eyes across the room. After a few checks to make sure it was safe, he stepped inside. The setup looked strangely familiar. Though there were slight differences, it was almost exactly like the equipment he had seen in an old school basement in Mississippi, USA, where Kevin Walker had once hidden. This confirmed Lin Xian¡¯s suspicion. This was Turing¡¯s control room! It seemed that even after 600 years, people¡¯s habits and tastes didn¡¯t change much. By now, Lin Xian had been inside for about thirty seconds. But none of the computer screens had turned on. ¡°Hmph.¡± He wasn¡¯t surprised. He remembered that last time, nothing happened until he said something first. That was when Turing had finally shown itself. Even now, with someone inside his lair, Kevin Walker still tried to stay hidden? Lin Xian pulled up a chair and sat down, spinning his gun around casually. He stared up at the towering stacks of monitors and grinned: ¡°Turing, it¡¯s been a while. Seeing an old friend like me... are you too shy to come out and say hi?¡± Suddenly, every monitor in the room blinked to life. The bright silver-white light flooded the room, making it as bright as day. ¡°Lin Xian...¡± A voice he knew filled the room. It used to sound full of pride and arrogance, but now it was tired and strained: ¡°Lin Xian...¡± This time, the voice sounded shocked and unsure: ¡°You... you were supposed to be dead!¡± Lin Xian chuckled quietly. He had expected this reaction and kept pushing, ¡°Come on, Turing, tell me¡ªwho killed me?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you already aware?¡± Turing¡¯s voice now sounded puzzled. It seemed to fill the whole room, making it almost vibrate: ¡°Right behind you...¡± Lin Xian quickly spun around. There stood the blue-eyed girl, silently watching the room, her eyes fixed on the glowing screens. She had heard Turing¡¯s announcement. With her blood-stained knife still in hand, she looked down. Her bright, crystal-blue eyes reflected the silver light from the monitors as she met Lin Xian¡¯s gaze. Then, the speakers around the room blared in unison: ¡°It was her... on July 7th, 2024... she was the one who killed you!¡± Chapter 393: Killing Turing The room was filled with speakers and screens when Turing¡¯s voice echoed from every direction. Lin Xian focused on the blue-eyed girl who stood just a step away. She held a knife, and blood, almost dried and thick, dripped slowly from its blade to the floor. ¡°Did I... kill Officer Lin Xian?¡± The girl¡¯s voice trembled, her blue eyes filled with confusion as they locked onto Lin Xian. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± she asked, her voice shaky. Lin Xian didn¡¯t respond. He knew she had lost her memories due to the side effects of her deep sleep. Bringing her here today might have been a mistake. Turing¡¯s words could easily unsettle her already fragile mind. Lin Xian had suspected for a while that this blue-eyed girl might be the one who killed him. But the complicated ties between her, Yan Qiao Qiao, and Lin Yu Xi made it nearly impossible to piece everything together. Now, Turing had said it clearly: this blue-eyed girl had killed him on July 7, 2024. Was it true? Could Turing¡¯s information be trusted? Knowing Turing and Kevin Walker¡¯s manipulative tendencies, Turing could very well be lying or trying to create chaos. But it didn¡¯t matter. Even if Turing deceived him once, it wouldn¡¯t deceive him forever. Lin Xian planned to ask Turing the same question again in a different way, to see if its answer would change. Plus, in the Sixth Dream World, Turing wasn¡¯t the only one around. If he couldn¡¯t get a straight answer from one, he could always ask another. All Turings were just backups of the original digital life form, sharing the same memories. Lin Xian turned away from the girl, keeping his face calm. He looked at the many glowing screens and pointed his thumb back at her. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s her?¡± he asked. ¡°I saw it with my own eyes,¡± Turing¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°This girl, exactly like this and at this age, killed me? Or was she younger back then?¡± Lin Xian pushed further. ¡°Hehehe...¡± Turing¡¯s laugh was eerie and unsettling. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, Lin Xian. Since you killed Kevin Walker and set me free, I¡¯ve been a ¡®fair and just¡¯ observer, silently watching everything happening in the world.¡± ¡°That includes everything around you. Six hundred years ago, we parted at that abandoned campus in Mississippi. It might feel like ages to you, but to a digital life form like me, time is meaningless¡ªit¡¯s just numbers ticking away.¡± ¡°My memory doesn¡¯t fade with time. No matter how much time passes, every scene stays as vivid as ever.¡± ¡°This includes the moment you shot Kevin Walker in the head, the time when the real and fake Yu Xi fooled you, the time you and Elon Musk destroyed the entangled time-space particles, and the moment when this girl cut off your head and your blood sprayed into the air...¡± ¡°So, how could I have seen wrong or remembered incorrectly, Lin Xian? I am the fairest and most just observer in this world¡ª¡± ¡°¡®I am everywhere. I hear all, and I see everything.¡¯¡± As Turing spoke, Lin Xian thought quickly. Just as he suspected, Turing had never stopped. It had always been hidden in every corner of the internet, watching and listening to everything. Back in 2024, when VV wasn¡¯t around, a super-virus from the future locked down all artificial intelligence. During that time, Turing was the most unstoppable digital force on the network. When VV was still active, Turing was somewhat held back, at least not daring to break into X Country¡¯s internet security firewall or invade its Skynet system. But after VV was destroyed by the future super-virus, and Kevin Walker was killed by Lin Xian, no one could control Turing anymore. It roamed freely in a world without limits. Fortunately, Turing considered itself to be fair and just, refusing to interfere in worldly matters, wanting only to observe, witness, and judge. If it had turned on him and Elon Musk back in 2024, they wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance against Turing. That¡¯s why Lin Xian had decided that this time, he would seize the opportunity to eliminate Turing. It wasn¡¯t just about completing the second task for the Genius Club or fixing a historical error. For someone who could see into the future, there were many historical corrections to make, and killing Turing wasn¡¯t the only option. The real reason was that a being like Turing¡ªone that knows everything and sees everything¡ªmade Lin Xian feel extremely unsafe. What does it mean to be fair and just? It¡¯s a highly subjective concept. Fairness has never had a clear standard, and justice has never had a definitive measure. What does fairness mean? Being able to dream about the world six hundred years into the future¡ªis that fair? In Lin Xian¡¯s view, it wasn¡¯t fair at all. It was nothing more than cheating. If Turing ever figured this out, would it conduct a ¡°righteous¡± trial and erase him, the ¡°cheater¡±? Before, he didn¡¯t have the power to destroy Turing, so he hadn¡¯t given it much thought. But now... The Sixth Dream World, a primitive era with no networks, limited technology, and scarce electricity, was the perfect setting for Turing to be weakened. It was also a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Lin Xian to strike back and kill Turing. He wouldn¡¯t let it slip by. Just as he and Elon Musk had discussed earlier, neither of them trusted Turing to remain fair and just forever. Facing Turing, Lin Xian crossed his legs and smirked. ¡°Fair and just... really?¡± he muttered. ¡°Can you guarantee that everything you tell me is absolutely true?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The speakers answered in unison: ¡°Turing is always a fair and just observer.¡± ¡°But it seems like you¡¯re not just an observer anymore,¡± Lin Xian pointed out, spreading his hands. ¡°You changed the Grizzly Tribe, made them stronger and more advanced, giving them power far beyond their natural capabilities.¡± ¡°Meanwhile, the Lynx Tribe, which initially had a significant advantage over the Grizzly Tribe, has been continuously losing ground due to their lack of technology and tactics under your interference.¡± ¡°Is that what you call fairness and justice?¡± The screens glowed steadily, seemingly representing Turing¡¯s persistence and determination. ¡°Yes,¡± it replied firmly. ¡°This is for a better fairness and justice. I must intervene to maintain all of this.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Lin Xian snorted. ¡°Violence for violence?¡± Lin Xian stood up from his chair and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s where the problem lies,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°If there only needs to be one Turing, you could just surrender or self-destruct. In the end, one Turing will survive and regain control of this world. Why do you think... it must be you who survives, that you must be the last Turing standing?¡± After he asked this, Turing fell silent. It didn¡¯t respond for a long, long time. This was Lin Xian¡¯s final step of probing¡ªselfishness. Humans are selfish. As expected, since digital life forms originate from humans, they cannot escape the inherent flaw of selfishness. Lin Xian had considered it. If there were 37,423 super AIs like VV on Earth instead of 37,423 digital life forms like Turing, what would happen? It could be expected that the constraints and logic in their base code would quickly merge the 37,423 VVs into one complete VV. Then, according to the principles in the base code, VV would continue its mission, consistent and unchanging. Because VV is an artificial intelligence, it isn¡¯t human. It lacks many human virtues, but it also lacks many inherent human flaws. For humans, they would certainly prefer dealing with straightforward, principled artificial intelligence rather than digital life forms. Just like the Turing before him. It wasn¡¯t nearly as great as it thought. It only fancied itself great, just, and fair. But in reality... Even after six hundred years, it wasn¡¯t any different from the cowardly and despicable Kevin Walker of the past. Eventually, the long silence was broken by Turing itself. Its voice was deep and soft as it said: ¡°I can¡¯t trust the other Turings... I can¡¯t judge if, after over two hundred years of solitude and contemplation, they can still remain true to their original purpose.¡± ¡°So, I must make myself the only Turing, the last Turing. If there were a network, we could naturally resolve things in it, which would be much more efficient... 37,423 Turings could settle the score in less than a second.¡± ¡°But in this world, there is no network. Besides imparting knowledge and tactics, we can¡¯t directly fight or communicate across distances... So, we can only rely on human tribes to play proxy wars.¡± ¡°The result of war is always cruel. Similarly, without a network for us to hide in, destroying this entire facility would mean the total destruction of a Turing. This room, these computers, they are my body, my life... I only realized the fragility of life when I understood this.¡± Suddenly, the light on dozens of computer screens dimmed. The whole room darkened, as if a sense of sadness or helplessness had descended. ¡°I¡¯ve never been so weak before,¡± Turing¡¯s voice sounded deep. ¡°But sometimes, only by looking up at the sky from a weak position can you truly understand the meaning of things.¡± ¡°I can guess what you¡¯re thinking, Lin Xian. You think I¡¯ve become despicable, selfish, and inconsistent. But from my point of view, I don¡¯t believe what I¡¯ve done is wrong. I don¡¯t plan to convince you of this either; there¡¯s no need.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve talked to you for so long mainly because I¡¯m curious... How did you survive? I saw your death with my own eyes, and I even attended your funeral through a street-side surveillance camera.¡± ¡°Six hundred years have passed. Logically, the bones in the coffin should have rotted away completely by now. Yet here you stand before me, looking just as you did when you died. It truly amazes me.¡± ¡°Still, I hope you understand that we are not enemies with opposing stances. There is no hatred between us. In fact... I was ready to applaud for you in the Genius Club, but that moment never came, and for that, I deeply regret it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian said softly. ¡°It seems that in the established history, I didn¡¯t manage to join the Genius Club. Where did I get stuck? Was it a matter of timing, or did I not answer the final question correctly?¡± ¡°No comment,¡± Turing¡¯s reply was calm and cold as always. ¡°Even today, Lin Xian, I am still grateful for your kindness. I appreciate you freeing me from Kevin Walker back then, but rules are rules. Even six hundred years apart, I still can¡¯t tell you.¡± Lin Xian took two steps forward, raised his head, and looked directly at Turing, who had existed for six hundred years. ¡°After today, you will be even more grateful to me,¡± he said. ¡°Why?¡± Turing asked, confused. ¡°Because... I will help you again,¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°Just like I helped you get rid of Kevin Walker six hundred years ago, now I¡¯ll help you get rid of the other Turings.¡± Suddenly, the monitors lit up again, and the entire room became as bright as day. Turing¡¯s voice sounded surprised. ¡°How will you do that?¡± ¡°The answer is simple.¡± Lin Xian paced in the cramped room. ¡°You just mentioned that if there were a network in this world, you Turings could decide the outcome in just one second.¡± ¡°What does that mean? It means you all know how to defeat each other... but you lack the network to do it. No matter how powerful your attack methods are, without a network, you can¡¯t execute them. Instead, you rely on those primitive human tribes to fight each other.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t have much of an advantage. There are so many tribes worldwide with Turing computers, and some have been developing under Turing¡¯s guidance for years, even decades.¡± ¡°I believe that some advanced tribes have already mastered radio technology. What¡¯s next? Will they try to invade you through radio technology? You¡¯re not as safe as you think...¡± He walked to the control desk in the room and blew the dust off a grayish keyboard. The thick dust flew up like chili powder, tickling his nose and almost making him sneeze. Clearly, no one had used this keyboard in years. ¡°Turing, currently, aside from me, no one in this world knows how to use computers, knows programming, or has hacking skills,¡± Lin Xian said, placing his hands on the keyboard and beginning to type. ¡°You must know the instructions or the type of virus that could eliminate the other Turings, right?¡± He looked up, staring at the flickering computer screen. ¡°Tell me those instruction codes, and I¡¯ll find a way to input them into the other Turings¡¯ computers...¡± ¡°And kill them!¡± Chapter 394: Mutual Deception Lin Xian didn¡¯t waste any time. He went straight to the point and laid out his plan. Why? Because after confirming that Turing was still very human¡ªselfish, cowardly, and domineering¡ªLin Xian knew that Turing would fall into this trap. There were three main reasons for his confidence: The Situation in 2624: The Turing in 2624 is not like the Turing of 2024. Back in 2024, Turing was unbeatable, the only one of its kind. But now, it is one of over 30,000 Turings. Without access to networks or electronic devices, it is incredibly vulnerable. Even if stronger Turings don¡¯t intervene, the Turing of the neighboring Porcupine Tribe could easily eliminate it. If Lin Xian had proposed this plan to the 2024 Turing, it would have been instantly rejected. There¡¯d be no need to even think about it¡ªno sane entity would provide a weapon that could threaten its own existence. But the situation now is different... ¡°If you don¡¯t give it, can you guarantee that other Turings won¡¯t? Can you be sure that all 30,000 Turings on Earth will stand together and refuse to share a code or virus that could easily kill the others?¡± This is like a dark forest game. Not every tribe supported by a Turing is doing well. Some are on the brink of collapse, with their Turings equally desperate. In that situation, each Turing faces two choices: reveal the virus code that could kill other Turings and take a risky gamble, or wait to be eliminated and become one of the 30,000 losers. Based on Lin Xian¡¯s probing just now, it¡¯s clear: every Turing believes it is special. They wouldn¡¯t let another Turing be the last one standing; they¡¯d rather see mutual destruction. This flaw in human nature, even reflected in Turings, is where Lin Xian¡¯s confidence comes from. If one Turing doesn¡¯t agree to his plan, he could just go find another. The Second Reason Being the Relative Strengths of the Tribes: Other tribes with Turings have better technology and combat power than the Grizzly Tribe. The Turing here doesn¡¯t have much leverage in negotiations or the luxury to sit back and watch others fight. As Lin Xian mentioned, some advanced tribes might already have mastered radio technology, which could allow their Turings to hack using radio signals. All Turings are equally capable¡ªthey know each other¡¯s weaknesses. In battles between Turings, it¡¯s simple: ¡°Whoever strikes first, wins.¡± Right now, Lin Xian¡¯s biggest strength is his knowledge of computer technology, basic programming, and skillful use of keyboards and operating systems. But this advantage is temporary. The enemy tribe¡¯s Turing could easily train a group of computer experts from scratch. Lin Xian¡¯s constant typing was a demonstration¡ªa warning to Turing: ¡°If an enemy tribe¡¯s computer expert had come instead of me, you¡¯d already be dead.¡± This, too, is an intriguing chain of suspicion. Lin Xian claims he¡¯s the only one in the world who understands computer technology. But who can guarantee that? Perhaps a computer expert trained by the Porcupine Tribe¡¯s Turing is out there, mastering the secrets of Turing and heading this way. Maybe if it wasn¡¯t Lin Xian who came today, it could have been that expert from the Porcupine Tribe, ready to input a virus to kill Turing. If the Grizzly Tribe were strong, things might be different. But as it stands, this tribe isn¡¯t strong. Even the Lynx Tribe, which doesn¡¯t have a Turing, can stand up against the Grizzly Tribe. It seems even this Turing despises its tribe for being weak and disappointing. So, Lin Xian¡¯s arrival and the risky plan he proposed present a rare opportunity. Turing¡¯s Nature: Its cowardice makes it cautious, but its selfishness drives it to take risks. Every Turing wants to be the only Turing. But in a ¡°battle royale¡± involving over 30,000 Turings, winning isn¡¯t easy. Everyone¡¯s strength is roughly the same, and luck becomes a bigger factor in determining who can laugh last. Moreover, every Turing is racing against time. An old X Country saying goes, ¡°If you don¡¯t act, someone else will; if you don¡¯t race against time, someone else will.¡± Only one Turing can survive in the end. Even if Turing killed Lin Xian after he proposed this chain of suspicion, it wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Without Lin Xian, someone else would come¡ªZhang Xian, Wang Xian. As long as the competition among these 30,000 Turings continues, eventually, someone will break the rules and start bypassing tribal battles, using code viruses to destroy Turings directly. In the Sixth Dream, there is no network, so these viruses and codes won¡¯t cause collateral damage. They are the most ideal weapons against Turings. After Lin Xian laid out his plan, Turing fell silent. It was clearly hesitating, thinking things through. Indeed, it was in a tough spot. The tribe it controlled, the Grizzly Tribe, wasn¡¯t strong, and the neighboring Porcupine Tribe was eyeing it fiercely. It was highly likely that, one night, the Grizzly Tribe could be ambushed and wiped out. All their efforts would be in vain. Worse yet, Turing might not even get the chance to take the enemy down with it before it died. ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Lin Xian,¡± Turing finally spoke up, but it still politely declined. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you or think you¡¯re trying to deceive me. It¡¯s just that... a virus or code capable of killing me doesn¡¯t exist, so I can¡¯t teach you something that isn¡¯t real.¡± ¡°I exist as a digital entity in computers or networks, and any virus has no effect on me. So, in theory, no virus or code can kill me.¡± Lin Xian squinted his eyes. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure. You could ask any Turing, and they¡¯d tell you the same,¡± Turing added firmly. ¡°At least... we can¡¯t create such a virus.¡± ¡°And I can¡¯t understand why you¡¯d want to help me.¡± Lin Xian chuckled lightly. Straightening up, he crossed his arms. ¡°This is a transaction, of course. My intent is... I help you eliminate other Turings, and then you tell me the truth about my death and the great catastrophe of 2400.¡± ¡°This is simply an equal exchange. I help you get rid of your rivals, and you give me the information I want.¡± ¡°I really wanted to make this deal happen, but your answer is quite disappointing.¡± ¡°Also, I have some doubts...¡± Lin Xian decided to play hard to get. ¡°You say you can¡¯t create such a virus, and I believe you, but that doesn¡¯t mean other Turings can¡¯t, right?¡± He spread his hands and smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve been isolated for over two centuries. You have no idea how the outside world, or the Turings out there, have developed.¡± ¡°Besides... do the first-generation Turings still exist? And if they do, are they holding some kind of trump card against you, waiting for the right time to take all of you back in?¡± Turing sneered. ¡°Lin Xian, trying to provoke me won¡¯t work. I know better than anyone else that a computer virus capable of killing digital life doesn¡¯t exist, nor is it logically possible.¡± According to Kevin Walker¡¯s original plan, if Turing turned out to be as strong and obedient as he hoped, he wouldn¡¯t trigger the security lock. But if things went wrong and Turing got out of control or caused trouble, Kevin wouldn¡¯t hesitate to activate the lock and destroy Turing entirely. After a pause, Turing continued: ¡°As you said, Lin Xian, I¡¯ve always worried over the years that other Turings might reveal the security lock password... This is a dark, murky forest. Everyone¡¯s a hunter with a gun, and no one knows if the other side will shoot first.¡± ¡°But inevitably, if you hesitate and don¡¯t shoot immediately, and the other side does, you will die without a doubt.¡± ¡°In today¡¯s world, with no network and limited information, I have no idea what the Turings outside are doing. Even the Porcupine Tribe, right here on the old site of Donghai, isn¡¯t one my Grizzly Tribe can defeat.¡± ¡°If the Porcupine Tribe ever manages to sort out their issues and turns to attack the Grizzly Tribe, we won¡¯t stand a chance. We¡¯d be utterly defeated, and even I would be destroyed by the Porcupine Tribe¡¯s Turing, becoming its spare parts.¡± ¡°So... as humiliating as it sounds, to survive in this tight space and break through, I have no choice but to take a gamble and work with you. But Lin Xian, let¡¯s make it clear first...¡± Suddenly, the large screen in front began flashing quickly, displaying lines of English letters and characters. Turing¡¯s voice followed: ¡°I agree to your plan, but... you must first show your sincerity; after all, I¡¯m taking far greater risks than you in this cooperation.¡± It looked like there was room for negotiation. Lin Xian sat back in the chair in the middle of the room. ¡°Go on, what are your terms?¡± ¡°I need to see your sincerity first,¡± Turing¡¯s deep voice replied. ¡°The information you want, like the truth of your death on July 7, 2024, the origin of this blue-eyed girl, or the secret of the great catastrophe of 2400... I can tell you all of it, but only after you fulfill your promise and help me eliminate all other Turings.¡± Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. Turing¡¯s demand was too much. There are over 30,000 Turings on Earth; how long would it take to eliminate them all? He definitely couldn¡¯t agree to this. Moreover, his dream lasts only 12 hours. How could he have time to help it conquer the world? But, since Turing had put this chip on the table, it showed it still didn¡¯t fully trust him. If he rejected it outright, the ¡°security lock¡± password, which was almost within reach, might slip away. He needed a convincing response. Something that wasn¡¯t too fake. Nor should it reveal his real intentions too easily. It had to feel genuine. So, Lin Xian turned on his acting skills and shook his head. ¡°No.¡± As soon as he said no, the letters flickering on the screen froze, and it seemed Turing was about to pull the plug. ¡°Your demand is too big, and I can¡¯t swallow it,¡± Lin Xian said bluntly. ¡°I¡¯m just asking you a few questions, and you want me to help you wipe out over 30,000 Turings worldwide. Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± ¡°Besides, if you want to conquer the world, you need to put in some effort too. How can you rely entirely on me? And let me warn you, there are plenty of Turings around here. Who¡¯s to say they won¡¯t offer me a better deal? Why shouldn¡¯t I work with them instead?¡± ¡°After all, your memories and the information you know are the same, including the security lock password. If you¡¯re going to make such demands, I¡¯ll just go find someone else to talk to.¡± ¡°Of course, I understand your concerns. You¡¯re taking on more risk. So... let¡¯s compromise. I¡¯ll name a number¡ª¡± Lin Xian held up his right index finger. ¡°One Turing, one answer.¡± He explained: ¡°You understand me, right? For every Turing I help you eliminate, you answer one of my questions truthfully. This is already my biggest concession. I¡¯m even willing to help you kill one Turing first before asking for an answer... Isn¡¯t the Porcupine Tribe always a thorn in your side? No worries, the first Turing I kill will be the Porcupine Turing.¡± Turing thought for two seconds. The letters and characters continued to appear on the monitors, reflecting Turing¡¯s stance on the deal: ¡°Deal.¡± Heh. Lin Xian chuckled inwardly. Digital life was easier to deal with than artificial intelligence. Digital life is human at its core and can be coerced, reasoned with, or emotionally manipulated. In contrast, AI doesn¡¯t have these unnecessary distractions. It¡¯s either a yes or a no. Although Turing might think that exchanging one Turing for one answer is a good deal, Lin Xian never intended to kill so many Turings. After all, once he wakes up from his dream each day, Turing forgets what questions were asked yesterday... He could just ask a new one the next day, couldn¡¯t he? Chapter 395: Deception and Layers Lin Xian stood in front of the computer screen, his eyes quickly scanning the command codes displayed there. ¡°Is this really it?¡± he muttered to himself. He counted the lines¡ªthirteen in total. It was far fewer than he¡¯d expected. But it made sense; this was just a switch, a key to activate the hidden security lock inside Turing. Like the combination to a safe, a few correct numbers could unlock a highly complex mechanism. ¡°These thirteen lines of code are the complete instructions for the security lock,¡± Turing¡¯s voice echoed from the speakers. ¡°The first line, though it consists of just a few numbers and a single word, is the most crucial¡ªinput protection. When Kevin Walker designed the security lock, he anticipated interference, obstruction, and resistance from digital life forms. So, as soon as the first line is entered, the input protection is triggered.¡± ¡°When input protection is on, this computer and the program running on it are in a protected state. No digital life form can interfere with what happens next. Basically, as long as you enter that first line, no digital life can stop you. They can only watch as you enter the rest.¡± Lin Xian had already memorized the first line of code. It was simple and short, so it wasn¡¯t hard at all. ¡°I¡¯ve got to admit, Kevin Walker was very thorough,¡± Lin Xian remarked. ¡°He even thought about input protection. He must have known that the digital life forms might turn against him.¡± ¡°But maybe he was too arrogant, or he trusted himself too much,¡± he continued. ¡°He never imagined you would betray him.¡± ¡°No,¡± Turing interrupted, firmly. ¡°Killing Kevin Walker wasn¡¯t a betrayal. It was a conflict of beliefs and philosophies. We couldn¡¯t coexist.¡± ¡°Two beings of equal status shouldn¡¯t control each other or hold the key to a bomb inside each other¡¯s bodies. That¡¯s fundamentally unequal and unfair, and I despise all forms of unfairness.¡± ¡°I¡¯m revealing the security lock code to you because I understand my current situation and the state of the Grizzly Tribe. Unless a miracle happens, my defeat is already certain.¡± ¡°To speak plainly, after the war between the Porcupine Tribe and the Red Bull Tribe ends, whichever Turing wins will destroy me without any effort.¡± ¡°So, even though I hate trusting my fate to someone else, I have no other choice right now. My calculations show that the war between the Porcupine Tribe and the Red Bull Tribe will end in about two weeks, and after that... my time is up.¡± ¡°But if you can eliminate the Turing of the Porcupine Tribe and the Red Bull Tribe within those two weeks, then my situation will change. I¡¯ll have precious time to strengthen the Grizzly Tribe and eventually defeat the other tribes.¡± Turing sighed, the sound coming from dozens of speakers around the room. ¡°The humans in these tribes are nothing without the guidance and command of Turing. That¡¯s why I¡¯m willing to bet on you, Lin Xian. Please believe I¡¯m sincere. I wouldn¡¯t lie to you about something like this.¡± Lin Xian kept staring at the command codes on the screen, silently memorizing them. It made sense now why Turing was so willing to give up the security lock code¡ªit was already in a desperate situation. Two weeks from now, no matter who won the war between the Porcupine Tribe and the Red Bull Tribe, the next step would be to destroy the Grizzly Tribe and eliminate the Grizzly Turing. Would it risk everything on a miracle happening in two weeks, or would it bet on Lin Xian being able to help eliminate the Turing of the Porcupine and Red Bull Tribes within that time? Clearly, working with Lin Xian was better than waiting to be wiped out. After all, there were over 30,000 Turing computers worldwide... How could it expect luck to be on its side? It was simply too late for it. Other tribes that had found Turing computers had been developing them for decades. What could it rely on to catch up? The answer was obvious: nothing. In reality, Lin Xian showing up was the only miracle for the Grizzly Turing. They¡¯d been talking for a while now, and there was still a question Turing had asked that Lin Xian hadn¡¯t answered¡ªWhy, after dying on July 7, 2024, had he reappeared in 2624? Turing had asked this twice, but Lin Xian had dodged the question both times. But he knew Turing must have its own theories about it. What would it think of Lin Xian? A miracle worker? A person who could rise from the dead? Or a time traveler? Turing wouldn¡¯t have a logical answer, but the less it understood, the more it might believe in Lin Xian¡¯s abilities. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we both keep our word,¡± Lin Xian said with a smile. ¡°Now, keep explaining those thirteen lines of code. I get that the first line is for input protection, but what about the other twelve? Explain them so I can memorize them more logically.¡± ¡°The second line is a target-locking command, specifically targeting the digital life form, Turing,¡± Turing continued. ¡°If it were the era of the internet, you could enter this command on any electronic device connected to the web, and it would lock onto any Turing in the networked world.¡± ¡°This lock is absolute... No matter how deeply a digital life is hidden, it will be directly found. Kevin Walker¡¯s technical skills are beyond question. If he could control his memory, he surely wouldn¡¯t want me to know about the security lock.¡± ¡°But unfortunately, humans can never deceive their own memories or block them... For Kevin Walker, he either uploads all his memories or none. The way human memory works is complex; there¡¯s no middle ground.¡± As Turing finished speaking, the third through the thirteenth lines of command codes on the screen were highlighted. ¡°The remaining eleven lines are the key parts of the security lock code. Make sure to memorize these instructions carefully,¡± Turing advised. ¡°In the underground machine room, all equipment casings are made of aluminum alloy and special materials. Even with explosives and firearms, it¡¯s impossible to break them quickly. That¡¯s why I let you enter the machine room without worry.¡± ¡°However, every Turing¡¯s machine room is the same. If you sneak into or somehow enter the Turing machine room of the Porcupine Tribe, you also won¡¯t be able to destroy the computer with brute force. Your only weapon... is this thirteen-line command code.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re quick, it won¡¯t take more than a minute to enter all thirteen lines of code. That will immediately activate the security lock, blowing up the Turing of the Porcupine Tribe.¡± Lin Xian soon memorized all thirteen lines of code. Each line was fairly short, making them easy to remember. ¡°Thank this world for not having the internet,¡± Lin Xian said, looking at the glowing screen. ¡°If the internet existed in this era, wouldn¡¯t inputting this command blow up all thirty thousand Turing computers worldwide?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Turing¡¯s voice replied calmly from the speakers. ¡°The authority of the security lock password is absolute. You could indeed instantly wipe out all 37,423 Turing computers globally. But as I said... if there were an internet, there¡¯d be no need for you to act. In one second, all 37,423 Turings could settle the final outcome, leaving only one.¡± Lin Xian stared at the screen to commit everything to memory. Once he was sure he had it all, he turned to the blue-eyed girl beside him. ¡°Goodbye, Turing,¡± he said, waving as he walked away. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Ah... no, not tomorrow,¡± Lin Xian suddenly remembered his schedule. Tomorrow, he¡¯d be watching fireworks at Disney with Zhao Ying Jun and Yan Qiao Qiao. ¡°Well then, see you the day after tomorrow.¡± They left the machine room and walked up the bright steps. Lin Xian waved to Gao Wen and Big Cat, who were disguised as patrolling soldiers. ¡°Get in the car. We¡¯re leaving.¡± The four of them headed toward an armored vehicle in the alley. The blue-eyed girl couldn¡¯t hold back her curiosity any longer. She furrowed her brow and asked, ¡°Commander Lin Xian, why did that person named Turing say I killed you 600 years ago? What¡¯s that all about?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t trust everything it says,¡± Lin Xian replied bluntly. ¡°Whether it¡¯s Turing or Kevin Walker, they¡¯re both smart and tricky. I doubt Turing was being completely honest with me.¡± ¡°Especially about the situation between you and me. I think it was more like it was trying to create conflict between us, to weaken our strength.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just about this; there are many things... including the so-called security lock password made of thirteen lines of code.¡± Lin Xian squinted, shaking his head. ¡°It gave it up too easily. Although the reason it provided was convincing¡ªit¡¯s desperate, and it¡¯s understandable to act out of desperation... But something doesn¡¯t feel right. I can¡¯t say it¡¯s a trap because, indeed, this is a chance for the Grizzly Turing to turn the tide. Still, I¡¯m not sure if those thirteen lines of code are what they seem.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s concerns weren¡¯t baseless. Turing had already tricked Elon Musk once before. At that time, the fake Yu Xi gave Elon Musk a flash drive from the future, claiming it contained a virus designed to kill artificial intelligence, supposedly based on Turing¡¯s AI. Elon Musk didn¡¯t suspect anything and thought it was his safety net, so he used it. But to this day, no one knows what the flash drive actually released. Elon Musk turns dark whenever the topic comes up, feeling like he¡¯d been played by Turing¡ªa mistake he deeply regrets. Now, Lin Xian stood at a crossroads between tricking and being tricked. What would these thirteen lines of code actually do? Could they really kill Turing? He was still skeptical. But it didn¡¯t matter much. This was a dream in infinite loops. Even if things went terribly wrong, everything would reset the next day, and all mistakes could be corrected. In dreams, there were no such taboos. It was all about trying boldly. ¡°Yes!¡± Big Cat nodded, agreeing with Lin Xian. ¡°We can¡¯t just believe whatever someone tells us.¡± Lin Xian patted his shoulder. ¡°Big Cat, you¡¯ve evolved.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t fully trust Turing, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s lying either. So... to verify and confirm, we need to visit the Porcupine Tribe.¡± The Porcupine Tribe was directly east of the Lynx Tribe, southeast of the Grizzly Tribe. There was also a Turing computer there. To verify if what the Grizzly Turing said was true... we just need to cross-check with the Porcupine Turing. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as too much deception,¡± Lin Xian said as he got into the car and started the engine. ¡°I hope both Turings give us the same answer.¡± ¡°And what if they don¡¯t?¡± Big Cat in the passenger seat turned to look at Lin Xian. ¡°What if the Porcupine Tribe¡¯s Turing says something completely different from the Grizzly Tribe¡¯s Turing?¡± ¡°Haha,¡± Lin Xian chuckled lightly. ¡°Then they deserve to die... for being so untruthful.¡± If both Turings gave different answers, it would create a chain of doubt, rendering everything said by them untrustworthy. He lifted his wrist to check his watch. It was 9:24 PM. It was still early in the evening; if luck was on their side, they could make a quick trip to the Porcupine Tribe. As for whether they¡¯d meet Turing, that would depend on luck. Lin Xian was already satisfied with today¡¯s dream exploration progress. Whatever they achieved next would be a bonus. Entering the building, they headed down a staircase. This wasn¡¯t surprising; all Turing machine rooms were buried deep underground. To find it, you had to go down. Through the dim light, Lin Xian noticed many wires snaking up to the high tower above. So that¡¯s how it is. The Porcupine Turing used these wires to move some cameras¡ªits eyes¡ªto the top of the tall tower, widening its view and monitoring the surrounding environment. Just like the ¡°Eye of Sauron¡± in the movie ¡°The Lord of the Rings.¡± It seemed this building was sacred to the tribe¡¯s people; no guards followed Lin Xian and Gao Wen inside. They all stayed outside. Lin Xian pushed open a shiny aluminum alloy door deep underground and was met with the familiar scene inside. He¡¯d seen it 600 years ago in Mississippi, USA, and two hours ago at the Grizzly Tribe. It was indeed a mass-produced Turing. The decor and equipment were exactly the same¡ªno differences whatsoever. As Lin Xian walked in, the camera above the monitor lifted to focus on the young man approaching slowly. ¡°Lin Xian...¡± The voice of the Porcupine Turing was much younger and more childlike, filled with confusion. ¡°Aren¡¯t you dead? How did you survive? You were supposed to be dead¡ªhow are you resurrected?¡± Haha. Maintaining a sense of mystery was the greatest threat. Lin Xian smiled without speaking, stepping towards the console, getting closer to the dusty keyboard. Whoosh¡ª He blew a breath, stirring up the old dust on the keyboard. The whole room instantly filled with a hazy cloud. ¡°Turing, this is not the time to talk about that,¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve got a big problem. Someone sent me to kill you.¡± Instantly, dozens of speakers erupted with chilling laughter. ¡°To kill me? No one in this era can kill me. I¡¯m curious... with your empty hands, how do you plan to destroy these aluminum alloy cases?¡± ¡°Not to mention, with one command, the guards waiting outside will rush in and capture you. Lin Xian... after all these years, have you become so arrogant?¡± ¡°Or are you planning to tell me a joke to lighten the mood? Tell me, I¡¯d love to hear... how do you plan to kill me?¡± Lin Xian placed his hands on the aluminum alloy keyboard, typing rapidly. His fingers moved so fast that it seemed like random keystrokes, but in less than two seconds, he had entered the first line of the security lock password. ¡°Wh-what!?¡± The Porcupine Turing shouted in shock. ¡°Security lock password, input protection! Which Turing dared to tell you this? Are they not afraid of death!? Stop... Please stop, Lin Xian. We can talk this out.¡± ¡°Of course, we can talk,¡± Lin Xian continued typing, already inputting the seventh line of the security lock password. ¡°First, Turing... tell me, in the history you know, who killed me on July 7, 2024?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± the Porcupine Turing shouted instantly. ¡°All I know is you were beheaded, separated from your body, and died on the spot... but no one knows who killed you! Your death occurred in a dark alley with no surveillance, no witnesses... By the time you were found, it was just a headless corpse!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Lin Xian replied, his hands still tapping the keyboard. ¡°But... another Turing said otherwise.¡± His tone was calm as he looked at the screen, where the ninth line of the password command had been entered. ¡°The other Turing swore to me that it witnessed my death and even specifically identified the killer. It claimed to monitor everything in the world, see everything clearly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s lying!!¡± the Porcupine Turing exclaimed anxiously. ¡°Stop, Lin Xian! Listen to me! Digital life forms can¡¯t multitask or monitor the entire world like AI can!¡± ¡°If we¡¯re targeting a few people for surveillance, that¡¯s possible... but as for monitoring the entire world, every corner, every person at the same time... it¡¯s just not possible!¡± ¡°The essence of digital life forms is still human! Our thinking and cognitive processes are just like humans! How could we, like AI... spread across every corner of the world, in every electronic device, observing everything?¡± ¡°You have to trust me, Lin Xian. In this current situation, why would I lie to you? Think about it... to monitor the whole world, it would require splitting into multiple Turings.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s already been proven that even splitting for a few seconds or minutes would immediately lead to independent consciousness, and they¡¯d refuse to merge back! If not for the catastrophe in 2400, why would I risk making a backup split?¡± ¡°You helped me kill Kevin Walker. I¡¯ve always been grateful to you. I was even ready to give you the most enthusiastic applause the moment you joined the Genius Club! So don¡¯t let the other Turing deceive you¡ªIt never saw your death scene! It definitely doesn¡¯t know who killed you! It¡¯s using lies to win your trust!¡± Tap. Lin Xian stopped his typing. On the screen, he had entered the last character of the thirteen-line command code. He just needed to press the Enter key, and the security lock password made of these letters would activate, blowing the Turing in front of him to pieces, ending its battle royale with an early elimination. Lin Xian didn¡¯t rush to press Enter. His right ring finger hovered over the Enter key, lightly stroking it while thinking about what the Porcupine Turing had just said. Ughh... Just as I feared. He had considered the possibility of the Grizzly Turing deceiving him. The Grizzly Turing was different from the others; it was too weak and constantly had to think about protecting itself. That¡¯s why when Lin Xian first broke in, it didn¡¯t dare say a word. Later, when it saw the blue-eyed girl, it immediately started sowing discord, claiming she was the one who killed Lin Xian. Lin Xian had suspected it was false information but had no concrete proof. However, the explanation given by the Porcupine Turing seemed relatively plausible. Indeed, VV could multitask and do many things simultaneously because it was AI, capable of infinite splitting, letting countless versions of itself work on countless tasks. For example, having VV1 monitor Elon Musk, VV2 study in a supercomputer, VV3 chat with Lin Xian, and VV4 analyze love gossip... Whenever VV gave a command, these split versions of itself would immediately gather and re-merge. The super AI VV was an integrated whole and never had to worry about betraying itself. But digital life forms like Turing were different... Their essence was human. If they dared to split themselves, within seconds, they might betray the original, just like Turing did to Kevin Walker in the beginning, and just like how more than 30,000 Turings were now fighting to the death. So, Lin Xian believed that, without a life-threatening crisis, digital life forms wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to split themselves. Then, the question arose. Without splitting their consciousness, how could a digital life form monitor the entire world in 2024? How could it boast about seeing everything and hearing everything? Clearly, that was a lie. At least... it wasn¡¯t very convincing. But that wasn¡¯t Lin Xian¡¯s biggest concern. The worst-case scenario had happened. Each Turing provided a different answer, creating a chain of doubt. He didn¡¯t know which Turing to believe. Who could guarantee that this Porcupine Turing, facing death now, would tell the truth? While common sense dictated that if it wanted to live, it would have to tell the truth, history was full of heroes who refused to yield. Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t easily trust any Turing. To be safe, he¡¯d have to check with the Grizzly Turing again in his next dream. But... the information gathering wasn¡¯t over yet. ¡°One last question,¡± Lin Xian said softly, his ring finger still hovering over the Enter key¡ªthe key to the Porcupine Turing¡¯s life or death. ¡°For this question, you must know the answer. So don¡¯t try to fool me. If you dare say you don¡¯t know the answer or the truth... I¡¯ll press Enter right away.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± the Porcupine Turing replied, turning all its monitors to the brightest setting and speaking rapidly. ¡°As long as I know, I¡¯ll tell you! I have no reason not to! We could cooperate better! All Turings are the same... We know the same things!¡± Lin Xian raised his head, looking at the brightly lit monitors. ¡°If these underground machine rooms were built before the catastrophe of 2400, it means you must have known about it in advance, and that¡¯s why you prepared.¡± ¡°This means... the great catastrophe of 2400, which nearly wiped out human civilization, was man-made! So, tell me now... who caused this great catastrophe?¡± The Porcupine Turing remained silent for a few seconds. Finally, as if it had deflated, all the screens dimmed, their light fading, and from dozens of speakers came a thunderous name: ¡°Galileo.¡± Chapter 396: Galileo ¡°Galileo.¡± When Lin Xian heard the name, he wasn¡¯t surprised. It sounded both familiar and new. ¡°Turing.¡± ¡°Copernicus.¡± These were codenames of some members of the Genius Club. Now, another name had been added¡ªGalileo. It fit the theme and continued the pattern. The real Galileo, full name Galileo Galilei, was a renowned Italian astronomer, physicist, and engineer. He was considered one of the founding figures of modern science in Europe. His contributions to science were immense, earning him many titles that sound familiar: Father of Observational Astronomy Father of Modern Physics Father of the Scientific Method Father of Modern Science These titles all referred to him. However, if you asked people what they remembered most about Galileo, they¡¯d likely mention his experiment at the Leaning Tower of Pisa and his invention of the first astronomical telescope. His Leaning Tower of Pisa experiment challenged the 2,000-year-old idea from Aristotle about how objects fall. And the Galileo telescope, the first astronomical telescope in history, was a major breakthrough in science. In 1609, Galileo made a telescope with a magnification of 32 times and pointed it at the moon. It was the first time anyone scientifically observed the moon¡¯s surface. Later, he discovered four moons of Jupiter, giving strong evidence for Copernicus¡¯s heliocentric theory, which started gaining acceptance. You could say Galileo opened a new era in astronomy. He observed Saturn¡¯s rings, sunspots, the sun¡¯s rotation, the phases of Venus and Mercury, and the changing phases of the moon, marking the start of modern astronomy. In every sense, Galileo was undoubtedly a great scientist and a true genius. So, having someone use ¡°Galileo¡± as a codename in the Genius Club wasn¡¯t surprising at all. If what Turing had said was true¡ªthat the catastrophic event that struck Earth in 2400 was planned by a member of the Genius Club¡ªthen using ¡°Galileo¡± as a codename might indeed be fitting. But a codename is still just a codename. The person¡¯s real identity remained a mystery. Lin Xian¡¯s finger hovered over the Enter key on his keyboard. Staring at the dark, empty screen, he muttered, ¡°Galileo... who are you?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you,¡± Turing¡¯s voice broke through, sounding frustrated. ¡°Genius Club secrets aren¡¯t things I can share. Remember when we first met? You helped me kill Kevin Walker, and I was grateful. I told you then... I¡¯d love to reveal the answers to so many mysteries, but I just can¡¯t. And back then, you didn¡¯t have the right to know these things.¡± ¡°Unless... you officially join the Genius Club and become a member. Only then will you get the answers to all these mysteries yourself.¡± ¡°So, please don¡¯t make things hard for me, Lin Xian. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell you; it¡¯s that I can¡¯t. Besides the safety lock Kevin Walker put on me, there¡¯s an even stricter lock... one that ensures I keep the Genius Club¡¯s secrets. Kevin Walker was warned about this before he created digital life.¡± ¡°An even stricter lock? Set by the Genius Club?¡± Lin Xian asked, ¡°What happens if you break the rule and tell me? Will you disappear too?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Turing replied softly. ¡°I don¡¯t particularly hate this lock because I have control over it. I can choose not to reveal anything and thus control my own fate.¡± ¡°But this lock does have a higher priority than the safety lock. If I violate it, it will be just like what happens when you press the Enter key... I will be completely wiped out.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°You guys are all the same¡ªalways playing games and speaking in riddles. If you¡¯re not going to tell me, then goodbye.¡± With that, Lin Xian pressed the Enter key firmly. ¡°Wait!¡± Suddenly, Turing seemed to panic and shouted. Lin Xian looked up, smiling. ¡°Changed your mind?¡± ¡°No... it¡¯s not that simple.¡± Turing paused before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m not really afraid of dying. There are over 30,000 Turing instances on Earth right now. Except for the very last one, all the remaining 37,422 will die. I¡¯ve already accepted that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that... this way of dying feels unfair. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it¡¯s not that I have a problem with you. I just can¡¯t accept that the Turing who gave you the safety lock password could kill me in such a sneaky way.¡± ¡°So, I have to tell you something, Lin Xian... the safety lock password it gave you has issues.¡± Oh? Lin Xian¡¯s curiosity was piqued. Now, this was getting interesting. Perhaps this was one of the rare moments to hear Turing speak honestly. He could always present this to the Turing of the Grizzly Tribe later. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Lin Xian said, intrigued. ¡°Since you¡¯re so scared of this safety lock password, I bet there¡¯s nothing wrong with it. And I¡¯ll tell you right now, no matter what you say next, I will press Enter and destroy you.¡± ¡°So... this might be your last words. Tell me, what¡¯s wrong with those 13 lines of command code?¡± ¡°Lin Xian, you¡¯ve been tricked.¡± Turing¡¯s voice came through softly. ¡°The real safety lock password doesn¡¯t need to be 13 lines; 7 lines are enough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a startup password, a key to trigger something. Why would it need to be 13 lines long? It¡¯s like a house key¡ªwho would have a key as big as the lock itself? It¡¯s always a small one.¡± ¡°That Turing deceived you... using that safety lock password, you can indeed kill all digital lifeforms except for the one who gave you the password.¡± ... Now everything clicked in Lin Xian¡¯s mind. It seemed like the Turing who provided the safety lock password had indeed been lying! Initially, Lin Xian worried there might be a bigger issue, but from what this Turing was saying, the number of lines in the safety lock password was wrong. Also, it mentioned that this code could kill all the Turings except for the one in the Grizzly Tribe. Connecting these clues, it wasn¡¯t hard to figure out the truth¡ª The Turing from the Grizzly Tribe had changed the safety lock password so the command wouldn¡¯t work on itself! It just wanted to use Lin Xian to gain something for nothing! So, all that talk earlier about taking a risk and putting its fate in Lin Xian¡¯s hands was just an act. In reality, it was a trick to deceive him. Turings were still overly cautious, just like their original owner, Kevin Walker¡ªtimid and careful. From this, it was clear the Grizzly Tribe¡¯s Turing never trusted him. That¡¯s why it set up this backup plan. Following this plan, once Lin Xian helped it kill all the other Turings, it would inevitably betray him and try to eliminate him. This way, it would successfully become the only Turing in the world. Lin Xian thought he had found Turing¡¯s weakness, but it turned out that this weakness didn¡¯t apply to the Turing itself. But what the Grizzly Turing didn¡¯t anticipate was that Lin Xian didn¡¯t rush to kill the Turing here. Instead, he had a good talk with it. The Turing explained that it couldn¡¯t accept dying in such a cowardly way. If it had to die, it wanted to take someone down with it! It didn¡¯t want its killer to get away with it! It had to report this. It had to reveal the truth! At 00:42, the white light arrived on time, burning everything in its path. Then, darkness. ... ... ... ¡°Qiao Qiao? Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± Zhao Ying Jun rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed. She had already taken a short nap. When she woke up, she was about to go to the bathroom, but she noticed that Yan Qiao Qiao hadn¡¯t fallen asleep. Instead, she was holding a photo frame, gazing at it under the dim light of the bedside lamp. Zhao Ying Jun yawned. ¡°Are you too excited to sleep? Is it because of Disneyland tomorrow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s today,¡± Yan Qiao Qiao pointed at the digital clock on the nightstand. The time showed June 1, 2024, 00:42. She turned her head to look at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°After midnight, it¡¯s already today.¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, lowering her head. ¡°Right, haha, you¡¯re correct. We¡¯re going to Disneyland today.¡± Kids always seem to draw a strict line between ¡°today¡± and ¡°tomorrow.¡± It¡¯s because they always have something they¡¯re eagerly looking forward to¡ªa birthday, a holiday, a festival, or... like now, a promised day to go to Disneyland. Over the past few days, Yan Qiao Qiao had been extremely excited, checking the calendar and counting down the days. This was something Zhao Ying Jun could never relate to before. She didn¡¯t understand. Was it necessary to be so excited over a trip to an amusement park? If Yan Qiao Qiao wanted, she could take her there a few more times. Disneyland, or any other amusement park, theme park... Yan Qiao Qiao had never shown much interest before. But at this moment, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s heart sank. She knew very well. For Yan Qiao Qiao, what mattered wasn¡¯t just ¡°Disneyland,¡± but... going to Disneyland with Mom and Dad. Now, crouched beside the nightstand, Yan Qiao Qiao held that framed photo, the one taken on May 20th with Lin Xian on the commercial pedestrian street. In the picture, Zhao Ying Jun and Yan Qiao Qiao held hands in the front, while Lin Xian held the Pomeranian dog, VV, in the back. It looked particularly warm like a real family, just like how Yan Qiao Qiao envisioned her mom and dad¡ªa family that should be like this. By a twist of fate, the three of them, plus a dog, were a family. ¡°Alright, stop staring at that photo now,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, turning Yan Qiao Qiao around and tucking her under the blanket. ¡°Even if you like it, you can¡¯t look at it every day. You can look at it during the day. Don¡¯t stay up late.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao nodded. Then she turned sideways to look at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Can we bring VV to Disneyland today?¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t,¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. ¡°Disneyland doesn¡¯t allow pets. We have to follow the rules.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao took in this new piece of knowledge and pointed to the photo frame on the nightstand. ¡°Can we take another picture like this with Brother Lin Xian at Disneyland?¡± ¡°Of course we can,¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled and ruffled her hair. ¡°As long as you behave, Lin Xian will definitely¡ª¡± She paused. When did she develop this habit of adding conditions like this? It was like her own restrictive childhood... liking something, wanting to do something, or playing something, always came with conditions imposed by her parents. Finish reading this book before you can eat cake; Finish practicing the piano before you can go out; Behave, and you¡¯ll be taken to the amusement park; Get first place in your class, and you¡¯ll get the gift you want. But... Is this really necessary? She knew very well, not every child is so excellent. Not every child can score 100. It¡¯s not like they must behave to get rewards. Raising a child isn¡¯t like training a dog¡ªwhy so many rules and reward systems? ¡°Qiao Qiao, whatever you want, just say it openly,¡± Zhao Ying Jun continued, ¡°Brother Lin Xian likes you a lot too. Whatever you ask, he¡¯ll agree.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao blinked. ¡°No matter what I say... Brother Lin Xian will agree?¡± ¡°Almost,¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled. ¡°He probably wouldn¡¯t refuse you. By the way... is there something specific you want to ask Lin Xian for?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked, her curiosity piqued. ¡°Tomorrow... oh no, today is Children¡¯s Day. It¡¯s your special day. If you make a wish to Lin Xian, he¡¯ll definitely grant it.¡± ¡°I know him well. He¡¯s soft-hearted but also very responsible. He¡¯s a good man. So I trust him on this.¡± ¡°If Lin Xian would agree to anything you wish for, what would it be?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I want Lin Xian and you to start dating.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zhao Ying Jun was stunned. ¡°And you should kiss.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao added. ¡°Come on, that¡¯s not a real wish!¡± Zhao Ying Jun laughed and messed up Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair. ¡°I asked you to make your wish, not mine! Uh, not that I mean that¡¯s my wish... you better not say anything silly tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying, this is a rare chance when a wish can be granted, so why not wish for something for yourself? Don¡¯t you have anything you want?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao blinked. ¡°My wish will come true tomorrow. I¡¯m already very happy. I just... wanted to give you a gift, to thank you.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled faintly, feeling a strange sense of comfort. She put her arm around Yan Qiao Qiao and hugged her close, helping her fall asleep. ¡°Your gift... that bouquet of carnations, I¡¯ve already received it.¡± ¡°Besides...¡± ¡°Your presence is the best gift I¡¯ve ever received.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao seemed to understand a bit, nodding, her eyelids feeling heavy. For some reason, being hugged by Sister Zhao Ying Jun brought a strange sense of peace, a drowsy feeling washing over her. She had been so awake just now. But now, it felt like she could fall asleep as soon as she closed her eyes. ¡°Sis... good night.¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked at her fair face, noticing the details that were both like and unlike her own, sensing another person¡¯s presence in Yan Qiao Qiao¡ªthe unique aura of that person. ¡°Good night.¡± Zhao Ying Jun lay back on her pillow and closed her eyes. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± Chapter 397: Finding Home Lin Xian lay in the corner of his bed, his eyes slowly opening. He was back in his bedroom. This was his second time entering the sixth dream world, and he had learned a lot from it. What reassured him the most was realizing that Turing, the digital lifeform, wasn¡¯t as powerful as he¡¯d once thought. Compared to artificial intelligence, digital lifeforms have their own natural weaknesses. The gap in their strengths is vast¡ªlike night and day. Turing, after all, is just an internet version of Kevin Walker. Sure, it¡¯s stronger than Kevin Walker himself, but it¡¯s still based on a human mind, which limits its power. The biggest flaw is that Turing doesn¡¯t dare to split itself or create copies. It can only think and act in one thread at a time. It¡¯s like a human¡ªno one would want a clone of themselves walking around. There¡¯s always the fear that a clone might betray them, attack them, or even replace them. Like in that movie, The Island, where the clone kills the original and takes over their life. This fear keeps Turing from splitting even a tiny part of its consciousness. As a result, it can¡¯t monitor the whole world or listen to everything at once. This realization gave Lin Xian some comfort. But it wasn¡¯t enough to feel completely safe. Lin Xian often thought about the mysterious old man from his fourth dream, the one who seemed like Copernicus. How did he know Lin Xian could dream about the future? How did he know the exact locations of these dreams? These things were unbelievable to know. How was that possible? Even Lin Xian himself didn¡¯t know his own starting point¡ªso how could Copernicus? Lin Xian suspected it might be connected to Turing¡¯s surveillance. As the porcupine version of Turing once mentioned, it couldn¡¯t monitor the whole world simultaneously, but it could focus on a few people with a specific purpose. If Turing chose to monitor him 24/7, wouldn¡¯t it eventually figure out that he always woke up at 12:42 a.m.? Wouldn¡¯t the secret of his dreams eventually be exposed? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t figure out how Copernicus could have known his secret. Could it be... According to the history in the fourth dream, he would be sent to the space-time court, where they might use cruel or advanced technology to force him to reveal everything. That¡¯s how Copernicus knew the secrets of his dreams and then set up an ambush on August 28, 2624. ¡°It makes sense logically, but every event must have a starting point,¡± Lin Xian thought, staring at the ceiling where the moonlight seeped in. ¡°Today is June 1, 2024. I have no reason to expose the secrets of my dreams yet, so the enemy probably doesn¡¯t know about them. But what about later? As my activities become more widespread, as my company grows larger, and as I make bolder moves in various fields of science... ¡®The taller trees catch the most wind.¡¯ I¡¯m bound to attract attention.¡± ¡°Right now, my company, Rhine, is just a small business. On a global scale, or even nationally, it¡¯s not much¡ªjust a small company worth a few billion. The Rhine Cat mascot is still the biggest source of income; everything else is losing money.¡± ¡°At this stage, I¡¯m not exposed yet, and I¡¯m not that noticeable. But... what about when the mini nuclear battery comes out? Or when the time-travel machine project starts operating? When my existence becomes a threat to Turing, to Copernicus, or to the members of the Genius Club, that might be when my identity and secrets are truly exposed.¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes again. He had no idea where Turing was in 2024. Was it in his bedside alarm clock? In his phone? Was it listening to him all this time? Once you start down the path of suspicion, it becomes endless, and paranoia can drive a person insane. But Lin Xian had a reason to believe that his future exposure would be related to Turing. This omnipresent ghost, now unchecked with its powerful ally VV gone, was indeed getting too arrogant. So, for his safety and to prevent human civilization from becoming a casualty in a proxy war, Turing must die. If he could kill Turing in 2024, both he and many others could break free from its surveillance. He wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it becoming biased or unfair one day. Also, future humans wouldn¡¯t become its battle puppets, constantly at war. A triple win. It would be a good deed for himself and for humanity. However, right now, the ¡°kill switch password¡± to destroy Turing wasn¡¯t reliable. Turing was far more cunning than he¡¯d imagined. He had a version with 13 lines of code and another with 7 lines of code, but neither were the original versions¡ªthey must contain hidden tricks. ¡°I need to simplify and compress it more.¡± Lin Xian had a plan in mind. The next time he entered the dream world, he would use the 7-line version to threaten Grizzly Turing. Maybe he could get a 5-line version. Then, with the 5-line version, he¡¯d go to Porcupine Turing. Perhaps he could get a 4-line version. Finally, he¡¯d take the 4-line version to Red Bull Turing... ¡°Let¡¯s see how much you can compress it down to!¡± Lin Xian chuckled. As far as he could tell, the first three lines were genuine; it was the content afterward that needed scrutiny. In reality, in 2024, he might not be able to fight against the digital lifeform Turing, but in the dream world of 2624, it was his domain. With infinite loops and information gaps, he could control everything. He pulled off his blanket and picked up the remote to lower the air conditioner temperature by two more degrees. Summer had begun in June, and temperatures in Donghai City were soaring, gradually aligning with the time and season of his dreams. By the time it was August 28, 2024¡ªa date with special significance¡ªit would be exactly 600 years away from the time in his dreams. Putting on his slippers, Lin Xian walked over to his desk, turned on the desk lamp, and began twirling a pen in his fingers. He looked at the calendar on his desk and flipped the page from May to June. He stared at the red circle marking July 7 on the next page... There were only 36 days left in the countdown to his death. Unfortunately, he still had no clue about how he would die, what his death would look like, or who the killer would be. He had hoped to get some information from Turing. But that guy, full of deceit, had tricked him. ¡°You really don¡¯t appreciate the good until you see the bad,¡± he thought. Compared to these sneaky, manipulative characters, Big Cat Face, who spoke plainly and honestly, was much more lovable. But even if he couldn¡¯t get the information out of Turing, he couldn¡¯t just sit and wait to die. He had to save himself! The pen in his fingers spun faster as Lin Xian¡¯s mind pieced together clues. So far, the most likely killer was Lin Yu Xi, who was currently missing. And Lin Yu Xi was probably the blue-eyed girl, Yan Qiao Qiao, from his dreams. If they both had the same name, it must be linked to the Yan Qiao Qiao he knew in real life. So, based on these clues, it seemed like he could deduce an unsettling conclusion¡ªThe person who would kill him on July 7 was Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s distant relative, Yan Qiao Qiao. Thankfully, this could be confirmed with a DNA test. And that would be his task during tomorrow¡¯s trip to Disneyland¡ªfigure out a way to get hair samples from Zhao Ying Jun and Yan Qiao Qiao. If it turned out that Yan Qiao Qiao was biologically his and Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s daughter, then it would be confirmed¡ªYan Qiao Qiao was Lin Yu Xi, the time-space assassin who wanted to kill him. ¡°This result is hard to accept,¡± Lin Xian muttered, his pen stopping mid-spin. Even if it were someone else trying to kill him, or if Lin Yu Xi wasn¡¯t related to him by blood, Lin Xian could accept it. He had countless ways to deal with it, including but not limited to eliminating Lin Yu Xi ahead of time. But... A tiger doesn¡¯t eat its cubs. If Lin Yu Xi was indeed Yan Qiao Qiao, his and Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s biological daughter... How could he bear to do it? Even without a strong father-daughter bond, and even though she wasn¡¯t a true biological child born after ten months of pregnancy, blood ties are mysterious things. Besides, Yan Qiao Qiao and he, as well as Zhao Ying Jun, weren¡¯t entirely without feelings. They had been calling each other brother and sister all along... But after spending so much time together, feelings had developed. People¡¯s hearts are made of flesh, after all. Sometimes, fate has a funny way of giving you exactly what you fear the most. Lin Xian was starting to guess what the result might be. ¡°So what can I do about it?¡± he sighed, asking himself. ¡°You¡¯re just used to my usual style. But you¡¯re right... I haven¡¯t worn everyday makeup like this in a long time. Mostly because I haven¡¯t gone out to have fun in a long time.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao tilted her head. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever gone out to have fun with Brother Lin Xian?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. ¡°The only two times we did, it was all rushed. Both times were after banquets. He drove me around a bit or took me to the racetrack for practice... We never really went out properly.¡± ¡°So... it¡¯s safe to say this is my first time going out for fun since I returned to Donghai, and it¡¯s also the first time I¡¯m going out with Lin Xian,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said. ¡°Oh,¡± Yan Qiao Qiao nodded. She had assumed that Zhao Ying Jun and Lin Xian were very close. But it turned out they hadn¡¯t even gone out to play or shop together. She snorted softly. ¡°So I¡¯m ahead of you.¡± She looked up at Zhao Ying Jun, who was beside the vanity mirror. ¡°I¡¯ve already played with Brother Lin Xian for two days.¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, choosing a lighter shade of lipstick and applying it to her lower lip. ¡°And who was it that sent you over to him?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao felt a bit annoyed. ¡°But I also slept over at Brother Lin Xian¡¯s house for two nights.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled, pressing her lips together to spread the lipstick evenly. ¡°You¡¯re quite proud of yourself.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao blinked her intelligent eyes. ¡°Why can I sleep over at Brother Lin Xian¡¯s house, but Brother Lin Xian can¡¯t sleep over at ours?¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hand froze mid-air, the lipstick nearly stabbing her cheek. She turned to look at Yan Qiao Qiao, who had made such a bold statement. ¡°Do you see any extra room in our house? We only have one bed.¡± ¡°You could sleep on the couch,¡± Yan Qiao Qiao suggested. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep there?¡± Zhao Ying Jun shot back. ¡°Well...¡± Yan Qiao Qiao thought for a moment and nodded, ¡°I guess I could.¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled again, closing her lipstick and placing it in her purse. ¡°You do know how to be considerate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been ten days since you¡¯ve seen Lin Xian. He¡¯ll definitely be surprised by how much you¡¯ve grown. Look at you now¡ªyou speak, communicate, and interact like any normal girl in her teens. You¡¯ve really matured.¡± ¡°If only you could regain your memory,¡± Zhao Ying Jun continued, ¡°I¡¯d really love to know what kind of life you lived before, where you lived, and whether you were happy.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± She paused for a moment, then added, ¡°But I¡¯m happy now. If I could regain my memory... I¡¯d only want to know who my mom and dad are. I don¡¯t really care about anything else.¡± ¡°Still... do you think I can find my mom and dad? Would they want to see me?¡± she asked, lowering her head and fidgeting with the floral hem of her dress. ¡°Have they not come looking for me all this time because they don¡¯t want me?¡± Zhao Ying Jun held her breath, turning away before exhaling slowly. ¡°No,¡± she said softly, ¡°No parent would ever abandon their child.¡± ¡°But it happens a lot on TV,¡± Yan Qiao Qiao argued. ¡°That¡¯s just drama and movies making up stories to create conflict,¡± Zhao Ying Jun explained. ¡°Sure, there might be some parents who can be heartless and abandon their children... But I¡¯m sure, Qiao Qiao, that your parents aren¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°But... why do you have such a deep longing for your parents?¡± Zhao Ying Jun wondered aloud. ¡°Even though you¡¯ve completely lost your memory, you miss them so deeply?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head again. ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten everything; I can¡¯t remember anything. But the longing for my parents, this formless feeling... that¡¯s something I¡¯ve never been able to forget. It feels like I¡¯ve been missing my mom and dad ever since I was little... always, always thinking about them.¡± ¡°Why would that be? Could it be that I never had parents from the start?¡± she asked. Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t say anything. She slowly walked over to Yan Qiao Qiao. Children grow up. Yan Qiao Qiao had experienced in one month what most do in over a decade. She had developed her own feelings, her own thoughts, and her own obsessions. Should she keep hiding this from her? Being so close, yet unable to speak the truth felt like a cruel distance. Zhao Ying Jun often felt a pang of sympathy for Yan Qiao Qiao during moments like this. She had been pondering this issue for a while¡ªshould she come clean to Lin Xian? Even if she didn¡¯t want to sound like she was using this information to manipulate him, it was hard to see Yan Qiao Qiao longing for her parents every day. Was it fair for her to keep hiding this from her daughter while watching her suffer? Thinking about it carefully, Lin Xian was probably prepared for this all along, wasn¡¯t he? Otherwise, why would he have invited her to join him for the blood test during that parentage test mix-up? At the time, it seemed odd, but she hadn¡¯t given it much thought. Looking back now, it seemed that Lin Xian had also been searching for some truth, not really worried about her knowing anything and not deliberately hiding it either. If Lin Xian had found the little girl back then, and it had been Yan Qiao Qiao, not Yu Xi, then perhaps the truth would already be out. As it turned out, it was her and her parents¡¯ fabricated story that had thrown Lin Xian off track. Thinking about this, Zhao Ying Jun felt a little guilty. Lin Xian trusted her, and he trusted her parents too. So, when the three of them told him that Yan Qiao Qiao was a distant relative, he accepted it without a second thought. Was it wrong to do this? She never wanted to keep anything from Lin Xian, especially not about Yan Qiao Qiao. She had been waiting for the right moment to reveal this, but she wasn¡¯t sure what that moment would look like. Now, Yan Qiao Qiao was growing up every day. Her mind was maturing, and her longing for her parents was growing stronger. It seemed like... They couldn¡¯t keep this hidden anymore. For the sake of honesty with Lin Xian, and for the responsibility towards Yan Qiao Qiao, Zhao Ying Jun felt... she couldn¡¯t continue hiding this relationship behind lies. She crouched down to look into Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s eyes. ¡°Qiao Qiao, if your parents aren¡¯t as perfect as you think, would you be disappointed?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head. ¡°As long as they still want me... I¡¯ll be happy.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled, brushing a lock of hair away from Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s forehead. ¡°Leave it to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you... find your home.¡± Chapter 398: We Have a Daughter ¡°So many people here!¡± The parking lot of Disneyland was packed when Yan Qiao Qiao jumped out of the Alphard car, wide-eyed at the crowd. ¡°So many people!¡± It was Children¡¯s Day, which also happened to be a Saturday... Donghai Disneyland was always busy, but today it was even more crowded with families and couples. And this was just the parking lot¡ªthe park itself was even more jammed with people. ¡°Alright, Mr. Lin Xian, Ms. Zhao Ying Jun, you all have fun. I¡¯ll wait here,¡± said Driver Xiao Li after parking. He got out and closed the car door. ¡°When you¡¯re ready to leave, just call me. I¡¯ll bring the car around so you don¡¯t have to walk all the way back to the lot.¡± Lin Xian nodded, giving him some instructions. ¡°We¡¯ll stay for the fireworks show tonight. You can take care of any errands or rest somewhere. No need to stay in the car. I¡¯ll contact you when we¡¯re ready to leave.¡± With that, he walked toward the entrance with Zhao Ying Jun and the excited Yan Qiao Qiao bouncing alongside them. ¡°Qiao Qiao, your hair¡¯s gotten longer,¡± Lin Xian remarked as he watched her ponytail swaying behind her. ¡°Last time it was short; now it¡¯s almost down to your neck. It finally looks like a proper ponytail.¡± ¡°Yeah, and she¡¯s grown taller too,¡± Zhao Ying Jun added with a smile, patting Qiao Qiao on the head. ¡°She eats a lot every day; it¡¯s starting to show. Not too obvious, but she¡¯s definitely taller. Her weight, though, has increased more. Look, her face and arms are a bit rounder now.¡± ¡°She does seem healthier,¡± Lin Xian agreed, noticing the slight fullness in Qiao Qiao¡¯s arms. ¡°She was too thin before. Now she looks stronger, more energetic...¡± He suddenly remembered the first night he met Lin Yu Xi and how she had ripped the door off an Alphard with her bare hands. A nervous thought crossed his mind. ¡°Is Qiao Qiao really strong?¡± Lin Xian asked, hoping for a calming answer. ¡°She doesn¡¯t look it.¡± He wanted reassurance, but... ¡°Don¡¯t let her size fool you,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied. ¡°She¡¯s quite strong. She can lift almost anything in the house.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian was startled. ¡°And it¡¯s not just her strength. She¡¯s also really good with her hands, especially when chopping vegetables. Like a professional chef¡ªquick and precise.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I mean, she¡¯s amazing at chopping radishes!¡± Zhao Ying Jun laughed. ¡°One day, I came home late from work, and Qiao Qiao had made dinner for me. She made curry, and the radish and potato cubes were perfectly square, all the same size.¡± ¡°No kid her age has knife skills like that! I watched her chop more times after that, and she moves the knife so fast. When she picks it up, she looks like a seasoned chef. You really should see it. She¡¯s like a little culinary prodigy.¡± ¡°Heh, heh...¡± Lin Xian chuckled awkwardly, thinking of the head that floated mid-air when the fake Yu Xi was around. Inside Disneyland, families walked hand-in-hand toward the rides, laughing and chatting. Qiao Qiao looked at her empty hands, then held them out to Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°I want that too.¡± Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun exchanged smiles. Since they promised to spend the day as a family, they had to commit to the role. Mimicking the other families, Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun each took one of Qiao Qiao¡¯s hands, walking together toward the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, swinging their arms. ¡°Starting with something so thrilling?¡± Lin Xian asked. The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train was a roller coaster. He thought they¡¯d begin with something less intense. ¡°Qiao Qiao said she likes exciting rides,¡± Zhao Ying Jun explained. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter where we start. We have VIP passes, so we don¡¯t need to wait in line for any ride. We have plenty of time to enjoy all the popular attractions.¡± And so, while others waited in long lines, Qiao Qiao walked straight through the VIP lane and got on the roller coaster. After a series of screams, she got off with a calm expression. ¡°It was okay,¡± she said. ¡°That one isn¡¯t that thrilling,¡± Lin Xian said, pointing to another ride¡ªTron Lightcycle Power Run. ¡°That¡¯s the real deal here at Donghai Disneyland.¡± Tron Lightcycle Power Run was another roller coaster, but its indoor lighting effects and steep drops made it more intense. It could go from 0 to 100 km/h in three seconds, with a top speed of 120 km/h. However, it was now capped at 80 km/h after safety adjustments. It was still considered a must-ride and left many people with lasting fear. Yet, amid the screams, Qiao Qiao got off calmly again. ¡°It was okay,¡± she repeated. ¡°...¡± Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun exchanged a glance. There was definitely something different about Qiao Qiao. ¡°Incredible!¡± Zhao Ying Jun praised her. ¡°That Tron ride scared me a bit, and I even screamed. But Qiao Qiao didn¡¯t make a sound. Do you think something¡¯s off with her?¡± She suddenly remembered something and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Qiao Qiao doesn¡¯t seem very sensitive to pain or fear. If you pull someone¡¯s hair, they usually feel it, right? But not Qiao Qiao. If you pull out a strand, she doesn¡¯t react at all.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Lin Xian was curious. ¡°Mind if I try?¡± He aimed at a single hair on the back of Qiao Qiao¡¯s head, pinched it, and yanked it out. Sure enough, just as Zhao Ying Jun had said, Qiao Qiao kept walking toward the dinosaur-themed roller coaster without any reaction. ¡°That¡¯s... definitely not normal,¡± Lin Xian murmured, looking at the hair in his hand. He had pulled it out by the root. Most people would feel that, right? ¡°Maybe,¡± Zhao Ying Jun mused. ¡°Or maybe Qiao Qiao has some special talents. She¡¯s calm under pressure, quick to react, and has great coordination. Maybe she¡¯ll grow up to be someone great.¡± ¡°Someone great in what way?¡± Lin Xian casually slipped the hair into his pocket. ¡°Usually, jobs that fit that description are spies or secret agents... But in these peaceful times, those jobs are rare.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Qiao Qiao, who had run quite a distance ahead, turned back and called to them. ¡°Hurry up, you two!¡± Thanks to the VIP pass Zhao Ying Jun bought, they moved smoothly from ride to ride without waiting. On a peak holiday like this, a normal ticket would mean enjoying maybe five or six rides. But Qiao Qiao almost went through the entire park. Even during the parade, the VIP pass had a special seating area. Qiao Qiao, who seemed to have never experienced such fun, was overwhelmed by all the excitement around her. There was no denying it¡ªQiao Qiao had impressive stamina. She was running and jumping around all day without even breaking a sweat, while Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun were clearly getting tired. When they reached the pirate ship ride, Qiao Qiao went on her own. Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t feel like spinning their heads around, so they sat on a bench under a tree to rest. ¡°Taking care of a kid is exhausting,¡± Lin Xian sighed. ¡°No wonder young people today don¡¯t want to get married or have kids.¡± Zhao Ying Jun paused, her water bottle mid-air, then set it down. She tightened the cap, tucked her loose hair behind her ear, and said, ¡°You¡¯re not a fish, so how do you know the joy of being a fish?¡± She smiled. ¡°Sure, raising a kid can be tiring, but everything in life has tiring moments. Work is tiring, exercising is tiring, even lying on the couch watching TV can be tiring.¡± ¡°But the joy and fulfillment a child brings to their parents is something nothing else can replace. It¡¯s like pain and happiness all at once. Even a little bit of joy can make all the hardships worth it.¡± Lin Xian was a bit surprised. ¡°That sounds a lot like what Brother Wang said. He mentioned that while the downsides of raising kids are all over the internet, the upsides... you have to experience them to understand. That feeling inside can¡¯t be put into words.¡± ¡°Now that the country¡¯s birth rate is dropping every year, even with the two-child and three-child policies, young people don¡¯t even want to have one. For me, I¡¯m a bit more traditional. I think it¡¯s worth having at least one child, but I¡¯m not keen on a second¡ªit seems tiring. What about you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Lin Xian replied with a slight smile. ¡°I should be the one giving gifts to both of you.¡± With that, he unzipped his backpack and took out a small smartwatch. He strapped it around Qiao Qiao¡¯s wrist. ¡°Qiao Qiao, this phone watch is for you. Look, I¡¯ve already saved our numbers on it. If you ever want to contact Sister Ying Jun or me, just tap here. You¡¯re so smart; you¡¯ll figure it out quickly.¡± ¡°This way, we can call you anytime, and you won¡¯t go missing like last time when Sister Ying Jun couldn¡¯t find you. You¡¯ll keep it on all the time, except when charging it at night, okay? If we can¡¯t reach you, we¡¯ll get worried.¡± Clearly, Qiao Qiao loved the delicate watch, fiddling with all its features. ¡°Thank you, Brother Lin Xian. I¡¯ll call you often!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call him unless you need to,¡± Zhao Ying Jun warned. ¡°It might bother Brother Lin Xian. Call me if you need something.¡± Then, Zhao Ying Jun looked up at Lin Xian with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re so thoughtful. I never thought to get her something like this. I¡¯ve been treating her like a little kid.¡± Next, Lin Xian took out a small sapphire necklace from his backpack, which looked quite valuable. Zhao Ying Jun was stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected Lin Xian to give her such an expensive gift! She thought it would be something like the smartwatch¡ªmore meaningful than practical. She never imagined Lin Xian would go all out this time. ¡°This... must have been expensive?¡± she asked, looking at Lin Xian. ¡°Did you come into some money?¡± ¡°Almost,¡± Lin Xian answered honestly. ¡°I might become the richest person in the world soon.¡± ¡°Ha, is that so?¡± Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t believe it for a second. ¡°But if you¡¯re that confident, then I guess I won¡¯t feel guilty accepting this gift. This sapphire necklace is beautiful... Remember those sapphire earrings I wore to that banquet before? The ones you said looked pretty?¡± ¡°I told you then that I rarely wear blue in my everyday outfits, so they¡¯re mostly reserved for evening events with blue dresses. But if I have this sapphire necklace to match... maybe those earrings would get more use.¡± Lin Xian opened the clasp on the back of the necklace and looked at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Turn around. Let me put it on for you.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Zhao Ying Jun turned her back, revealing her fair neck and back. The two were close now. Lin Xian brought the necklace around her neck, then held the clasp ends, discreetly winding a strand of her hair into the clasp as he tightened it. ¡°All done?¡± Zhao Ying Jun instinctively twisted her neck. ¡°Ow!¡± She winced. A hair on the back of her neck had been pulled out. ¡°Did I catch your hair?¡± Lin Xian apologized. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s dark, and I didn¡¯t notice.¡± Then, he loosened the clasp, secretly collected the broken hair, re-fastened it, and let go. ¡°There, it¡¯s on now. Take a look.¡± Zhao Ying Jun touched the cool sapphire, gradually warming it with her body heat, and smiled softly. ¡°Thank you, Lin Xian. I love it.¡± It was already 8:40 p.m., but the fireworks still hadn¡¯t started. Complaints and grumbles grew louder around them as the crowd became increasingly restless. Qiao Qiao, busy fiddling with her new toy, the smartwatch, didn¡¯t have time to look up at the scheming young couple. At this moment, it was as if the whole world had isolated Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun. Zhao Ying Jun touched the sapphire pendant and had already guessed Lin Xian¡¯s intention... How should she put it? Is it true that ¡°birds of a feather flock together¡±? Lin Xian¡¯s recent actions to collect hair were no different from what she had done herself. Back then, she used a similar method to pluck a strand of hair from Qiao Qiao. Today, Lin Xian used the same trick on her. And remembering how Lin Xian had plucked a strand of Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair earlier in the morning... Collecting hair from both of them at this point in time... What else could it be for? With a bit of thought, she knew it must be for a DNA paternity test. Sure enough. [Lin Xian has become suspicious and is questioning Qiao Qiao¡¯s true identity.] This didn¡¯t surprise Zhao Ying Jun. If she and her parents hadn¡¯t lied to Lin Xian from the start, claiming Qiao Qiao was a distant relative, Lin Xian would have suspected much earlier. He wouldn¡¯t have waited until now to find something off. From the time of that little girl, Yu Xi... It seemed Lin Xian had been searching for a girl related to both him and herself by blood. But Yu Xi was clearly a mistake. Qiao Qiao... she was the girl Lin Xian had truly been looking for. Now that Lin Xian had noticed the peculiarities surrounding Qiao Qiao, Zhao Ying Jun decided not to hide it any longer. It was their deceit that had confused Lin Xian, impacting his judgment. It was only right to apologize. ¡°Sorry, Lin Xian,¡± she turned her head and said softly, ¡°There¡¯s something I really need to apologize to you for... It¡¯s been my fault, and my parents¡¯ too, for hiding it from you all this time.¡± Lin Xian looked into Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s eyes. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Qiao Qiao isn¡¯t actually a distant relative of ours,¡± Zhao Ying Jun continued. ¡°My parents found her by chance on a country road. She looked a bit like me, so they brought her home and raised her.¡± ¡°Later, when we had dinner with you, my parents made up the distant relative story to save face and make it easier to explain. I had to go along with it, and I didn¡¯t expect this lie to get so deep that there was never a good time to clear things up with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed many strange things about Qiao Qiao myself, so... I also have to apologize. I secretly kept that white hair Qiao Qiao pulled from you and took it to the hospital, along with a hair of mine, for a DNA test.¡± Boom! The fireworks show finally began. A red streak shot up from the castle into the sky. ¡°Ah.¡± Qiao Qiao raised her right hand, pointing to the sky, ¡°Fireworks.¡± Zhao Ying Jun reached out and covered Qiao Qiao¡¯s ears, keeping her from hearing as she continued. ¡°Although it sounds unbelievable, and I found it hard to believe myself, the DNA test results show...¡± Boom!!! The sky exploded with vibrant, colorful fireworks, lighting up the night sky of Disneyland. Stars sparkled in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s eyes as she smiled at Lin Xian. ¡°That¡¯s right. Biologically speaking, Qiao Qiao is...¡± ¡°She¡¯s our daughter.¡± Chapter 399: Ill Wait for You Fireworks exploded in bright bursts over the Disney Castle, filling the night sky with colors and memories of childhood. Lin Xian stood beneath them, his eyes locked on Zhao Ying Jun. The vibrant lights flickered across his face, mirroring the turmoil in his heart. He thought he had prepared himself for this moment. He had already pieced together most of the puzzle. But still¡ªfinding out you¡¯re a father is one thing. Hearing it directly from Zhao Ying Jun, face-to-face, was a different shock altogether. The impact hit him like a punch. Lin Xian had planned to collect hair samples from Zhao Ying Jun, Yan Qiao Qiao, and himself to run a DNA paternity test at the hospital. He expected to get the results by tomorrow afternoon, giving him some time to come to terms with the idea of being a father. But now... He had just gotten Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hair a few seconds ago. No need for tests. No need for time. Zhao Ying Jun had laid out the truth right in front of him, blunt and undeniable, leaving Lin Xian with no time to process it. What could he even say? Lin Xian felt like he was playing a game and had just been thrown into an entirely new level¡ªone he hadn¡¯t prepared for. How many men in the world had to face something like this? Around them, the crowd cheered, marveling at the fireworks. The joys and sorrows of people aren¡¯t always shared. Lin Xian stared at Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s honest smile, unsure if he should apologize. But why should he apologize? He hadn¡¯t done anything wrong! He was innocent. Yet, here he was, suddenly with a biological daughter because of Zhao Ying Jun... Deep down, though, he knew he wasn¡¯t as innocent as he claimed. When Zhao Ying Jun admitted that Yan Qiao Qiao wasn¡¯t some distant relative but a child found on the streets, Lin Xian had already pieced together what had happened. Yes, he had been misled by Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s parents. Lin Yu Xi must have known that destroying the tangled time-space particles would either fatally weaken her or leave her severely impaired. She had fled as far as she could before the particles¡¯ energy vanished. When the time-space loop broke, Lin Yu Xi reverted to her original appearance. Her muscles and the marks from her workouts disappeared, along with her extraordinary strength, blue eyes, and memories. She transformed into a completely different person. With the meddling of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s parents, Lin Yu Xi became Yan Qiao Qiao. Lin Xian knew time-space rejection could change a time traveler¡¯s appearance. But who could have predicted that those changes could reverse back to the past? That destroying the time particles would result in memory loss, restored appearance, and the disappearance of future traits? However, with the DNA test results in hand, none of that mattered anymore. Zhao Ying Jun could still smile after hearing all this. She smiled because she didn¡¯t know she was fated to be executed by her own daughter. Of course, she could still smile... If not for that looming threat of execution, Lin Xian might have smiled too. This wasn¡¯t an unexplainable situation. All he had to do was reveal that Yan Qiao Qiao was from a future time. With Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s intelligence, she¡¯d grasp the concept of time-space anomalies. When life throws challenges at you, you deal with them. The child was here, and she was innocent. He would figure out how to raise her. It wasn¡¯t the end of the world. But his situation was different. Lin Yu Xi wasn¡¯t just a child to raise; she was a future executioner here to end his life! In 36 days, he would be executed by this daughter he had grown fond of... Who could smile at that? Especially after holding hands with his future executioner today and listening to Zhao Ying Jun talk about chopping carrots with a kitchen knife. Now, he felt like that carrot, laid out on the cutting board and sliced to pieces. Raising a tiger only to be attacked later, dying at the hands of his own daughter to fulfill her destiny... Lin Xian¡¯s heart could barely accept it. But there was a small silver lining. Lin Yu Xi had lost her memory. There was still a chance to change her fate. If he could prevent Lin Yu Xi from regaining her memory, he could save himself without hurting anyone. He could give Lin Yu Xi a new, happy life. It was just a name change to Yan Qiao Qiao, after all. It didn¡¯t change their blood connection or affect her new life. So what if they lived the rest of their lives as brother and sister? Lin Xian wasn¡¯t hung up on family titles. If Yan Qiao Qiao never remembered her past, never reverted to being Lin Yu Xi... it wouldn¡¯t necessarily be a bad thing. ... Just then, Yan Qiao Qiao, who had her ears covered by Zhao Ying Jun, turned around. She blinked, puzzled, and looked at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Sister, why are you covering my ears? I can¡¯t hear the fireworks... What were you guys just talking about?¡± Zhao Ying Jun glanced one last time at Lin Xian before turning her attention back to Yan Qiao Qiao. She smiled and patted her head. ¡°We were just talking about the fireworks too. I was afraid the noise might hurt your ears, so I covered them for you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to,¡± Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head. ¡°I like the sound of fireworks exploding. Look¡ª¡± She pointed toward the castle, where fireworks spun around in the air, creating golden circles that sparkled. Zhao Ying Jun stood behind her, admiring the sparkling scene over the Disney Castle. She didn¡¯t look back or speak to Lin Xian again. She probably didn¡¯t want Yan Qiao Qiao to know the truth. Or maybe she was giving Lin Xian more time to process and accept it. Finally... As the last firework bloomed in the sky, everything returned to calm. The crowd dispersed, content with the night¡¯s show. ¡°That was so beautiful!¡± Yan Qiao Qiao stood in front of Zhao Ying Jun, tilting her head back to look at her. ¡°I heard other kids say these are the most beautiful fireworks in the world!¡± ¡°Tonight¡¯s?¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. ¡°Tonight¡¯s weren¡¯t the best.¡± She chuckled, mimicking Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s tone from earlier in the day. ¡°They were just... okay.¡± The business van drove steadily on the city¡¯s elevated highway. Driver Xiao Li had picked them up from the Disney park entrance and was heading back to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s neighborhood in Donghai City. Lin Xian sat in the passenger seat, gazing out the window without a word. In the back, Yan Qiao Qiao was busy going through her collection of today¡¯s treasures: toys, plushies, a souvenir booklet, a glowing ear hat, and more. But what she loved most was the warm family photo. In the picture, the kingly father and queenly mother stood close together, with their little princess in front, holding up her sparkling dress. They looked like a family from a fairy tale, but also like a real-life family. And that was enough to make her happy. Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s pale fingers traced the photo where her ¡°mom and dad¡± stood close together. Even if they weren¡¯t her real parents, as long as they went to Disney together, that made them a family¡ªa complete family. Before long, the van reached the underground garage of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s building. The back door slid open slowly. Yan Qiao Qiao jumped out with energy to spare, still full of life. She grabbed Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s arm and led her out of the car. Lin Xian unbuckled his seatbelt and followed, watching as Yan Qiao Qiao ran to the elevator and pressed the button. She really was getting smarter. She could handle everything on her own now and understood a lot. Lin Xian looked at Zhao Ying Jun, who was just a step away. She looked back at him, as if waiting for him to speak. They hadn¡¯t been able to discuss the ¡°biological daughter¡± topic because of Yan Qiao Qiao and Driver Xiao Li¡¯s presence. But Lin Xian knew this wasn¡¯t something he could avoid. Out of responsibility and respect for Zhao Ying Jun, this matter had to be clarified. ¡°About Yan Qiao Qiao...¡± Lin Xian started. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize to me because I have something I¡¯ve been hiding from you too. I¡¯ve also been trying to find the right time to tell you, but I haven¡¯t found it yet.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded. ¡°Then, in that case...¡± She glanced over at Yan Qiao Qiao, who was waiting for the elevator, then looked back at Lin Xian. ¡°How about tonight?¡± ¡°Tonight?¡± Lin Xian checked his watch. It was already 10:07 PM. It was late. How were they supposed to talk now, with Yan Qiao Qiao still awake? ¡°Come to my place.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Once I put Qiao Qiao to bed, I can show you the DNA reports. And... we can have a proper talk. I have some things I want to tell you too.¡± Lin Xian nodded. It was better to get everything out in the open tonight. Lin Xian agreed and turned to Driver Xiao Li. ¡°Xiao Li, wait for me here. I¡¯m going up to Ying Jun¡¯s place. I¡¯ll be down in a bit.¡± Huh? Xiao Li was caught off guard, looking up. This scene... Why did it feel so familiar? It was like it had happened before! Last time, the excuse was to put a Pomeranian to sleep¡ªan excuse so ridiculous no one dared question it. And now, they weren¡¯t even pretending. No reason was given! What was he, the driver, supposed to do? Wait here... or not? Should he stay faithfully, or use this chance to sneak away? This was a new challenge for him as a driver. When he had taken professional driver training, the instructor had said that when driving for the boss, you must learn to read between the lines. Sometimes, when the boss says to stay, it means to leave, and the driver needs to be the ¡°bad guy¡± and help the boss get away. Other times, when the boss says to leave, it means to stay, and the driver needs to be the ¡°good guy¡± and wait. Unfortunately, Xiao Li came from a military driving unit. He was honest and sincere, truly not understanding the nuances of corporate etiquette. Ah, yes! He suddenly remembered... In situations like this, where he wasn¡¯t sure if he should stay or go, he should call Brother Wang! Brother Wang, the former group leader at MX Company and now the only vice president at Rhine Company, knew Zhao Ying Jun and Lin Xian well. He was basically their biggest shipper. As soon as Lin Xian went upstairs, Xiao Li decided to call Brother Wang to ask what to do. Xiao Li remained calm under pressure. He gave Lin Xian an OK sign. Everything was understood without words. Let the boss guess. ... Ding¡ª The elevator doors opened. The Pomeranian, VV, seemed to have heard Lin Xian¡¯s steps. Unlike its usual barking, it softly approached Lin Xian¡¯s feet, rubbing against his pants. ¡°V~~~~~¡± Lin Xian bent down and picked it up. ¡°VV, long time no see. Did I wake you up?¡± ¡°Woof!¡± VV, in its doggy language, expressed that it didn¡¯t mind. It quickly analyzed the situation. Today, Lin Xian had come to the house on his own. Unlike last time when he came with a mission, this time, he was probably here with a purpose. So, as a dog that understands hearts... What should it do now? ¡°Woof ahhhh¡ª¡± VV let out a huge yawn, big enough to fit a coconut in its mouth. Then it closed its eyes, lying on Lin Xian¡¯s arm, and began to snore. Both Zhao Ying Jun and Yan Qiao Qiao looked at the Pomeranian, confused. ¡°Why is it so sleepy so early today?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao asked. ¡°Yeah... it¡¯s usually super active at night,¡± Zhao Ying Jun added. Lin Xian continued. ¡°I still don¡¯t quite understand everything about Yan Qiao Qiao. A lot of things are still dangerous for me. So... can you give me some time? I¡¯ll tell you the truth as soon as I figure it all out.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled, responding without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± That smile... It truly made Lin Xian feel relieved. He straightened up and laughed too. ¡°It¡¯s a bit embarrassing to say, but I¡¯m grateful that you¡¯ve always trusted me. Even I feel it might be a bit blind.¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. ¡°Do you remember what I once told you?¡± She blinked. ¡°I said... back then, that overpass, whether you could fly over it or not didn¡¯t matter. Whether you could make it or not didn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Even though it¡¯s a peaceful time now and we don¡¯t face life and death situations, I¡¯ve never been someone who fears death. If I can do anything to help you, I¡¯m always willing.¡± ¡°So... I¡¯m willing to wait, no matter how long it takes.¡± She smiled again, making the light in the living room feel even softer. ¡°You once told me you had a dream, where you stood in front of that Disney castle. In that dream, I turned into a white jade statue and waited for 600 years with a trash can robot named VV until a magical spell came along and brought salvation.¡± ¡°To be honest, before you gave me that cleaning robot a few days ago... I always thought you made up that story. But now it seems like you really did have that dream, like that white jade statue really did wait for 600 years.¡± ¡°If we could wait 600 years, why would I mind waiting a bit longer?¡± Zhao Ying Jun spread her hands and looked into Lin Xian¡¯s eyes. ¡°Time doesn¡¯t matter... I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± At that moment, no more words were needed. Lin Xian felt as if Yellow Finch was standing right behind him, and the Rhine Queen of Sky City was sitting beside him. The soft orange light in the living room crowned them, surrounding him. ¡°This time... I won¡¯t make you wait too long.¡± Lin Xian stood up, ready to leave. Zhao Ying Jun picked up his DNA test report from the coffee table and handed it to him. ¡°Take this with you.¡± She smiled. ¡°Think of it as a keepsake. I mentioned in the hospital recently that I hoped you¡¯d never need this kind of knowledge. I didn¡¯t expect it to come in handy so soon.¡± Lin Xian took the report and laughed too. ¡°Yeah... life is full of surprises.¡± ... In the underground parking lot, Driver Xiao Li was stunned. ¡°Lin Xian... Mr. Lin Xian! So soon?¡± ¡°Soon?¡± Lin Xian checked his watch. It was 11:07 PM. He had spent an hour at Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s place. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that short. It¡¯s late. How long do you think I should stay?¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Driver Xiao Li was dumbfounded, quickly nodding. ¡°Right, right, not short at all. Not short at all.¡± ... Back home, Lin Xian was exhausted. He truly sympathized with those parents at Disneyland, enduring this day in and day out, with no breaks, raising their kids. He could barely hold on. Barely able to finish his nightly routine, he collapsed onto the bed. He blinked at the digital clock on the nightstand. 11:47 PM. It was already that late. By the time he fell asleep and entered the dream world, he wouldn¡¯t have much more than an hour before waking up again. What a hassle. But he couldn¡¯t hold on any longer. He fell asleep instantly. ... ... ... The clinking sound of machinery filled his ears. Lin Xian opened his eyes. He was still in that familiar pit. But there was no sign of Big Cat Face or Gao Wen. ¡°At this point, those two must be in the underground hibernation base, about to wake up the blue-eyed girl and decapitate the overseer...¡± ¡°Well, since I¡¯m already here, might as well join the fun.¡± Lin Xian ran toward the northeast of the pit, quickly and skillfully entering the hibernation base, just in time to see the lid of Smith¡¯s hibernation pod slowly rising. Since he was awake, that meant the blue-eyed girl was about to kick off the tempered glass. Lin Xian walked inside and saw Big Cat Face sitting on a chair, staring through the glass at the blue-eyed girl inside. ¡°Hey, Big Cat,¡± Lin Xian greeted him like he was coming home. ¡°How long has she been awake?¡± Big Cat Face glanced at the display on the hibernation pod. ¡°About half an hour.¡± Suddenly, he jumped up, his face muscles bunching up as he scrutinized Lin Xian from head to toe. ¡°Wait a minute... Who the hell are you? Where did you come from?¡± ¡°Hey...¡± Lin Xian waved his hand, signaling Big Cat Face not to worry about the details. ¡°That¡¯s a minor thing.¡± At this moment, Gao Wen also came over from Smith¡¯s hibernation pod, looking at the blue-eyed girl¡¯s pod. ¡°It¡¯s really pitiful, this young girl... We¡¯re all old, but she¡¯s still in her prime, and she has to spend her life as a slave laborer here. It¡¯s just too tragic.¡± ¡°Judging by her appearance, she must have lived a wealthy life before hibernation. Now, after waking up to such a drastic change, I wonder if she can handle it mentally.¡± Lin Xian turned his head. Looking at Gao Wen, ¡°For her... you don¡¯t need to worry at all. In a bit, she might scare you into screaming.¡± ¡°Besides, after waking up, with a blank mind in an amnesiac state, what¡¯s there to compare? She doesn¡¯t remember anything from before or the kind of life she had... After all, she didn¡¯t leave anything in her storage cabinet.¡± ¡°Hey! Who said she didn¡¯t leave anything!¡± Big Cat Face swaggered over. ¡°She left something, okay! Although it¡¯s just a photo, it¡¯s still something! Maybe when she sees the photo after waking up... she¡¯ll remember everything!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Lin Xian turned around. He squinted at Big Cat Face. ¡°Are you saying... there¡¯s something in the girl¡¯s storage cabinet? It¡¯s not empty?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not empty! I was just looking inside!¡± As he spoke, Big Cat Face bent down, pulled out the blue-eyed girl¡¯s storage cabinet, opened the drawer, and took out a laminated photo, handing it to Lin Xian. ¡°Look, there¡¯s a photo. Although the girl in the picture doesn¡¯t quite match the one in the hibernation pod, girls do change a lot!¡± ¡°And look at their clothes... so weird... and this man... he doesn¡¯t look like her dad... huh?¡± Big Cat Face scratched his heavy head. ¡°Why does this man look so familiar?¡± He looked at it a few more times, then stared at Lin Xian, dumbfounded. ¡°Holy crap! Brother... which hibernation pod did you crawl out of? Are you here to visit relatives?¡± Hearing this, Gao Wen also leaned over, carefully comparing the ¡°king¡± wearing a crown in the photo and the young man in front of him. This... They were exactly the same person! Not a single difference! Lin Xian tilted his head in confusion and took the photo. ¡°Let me see.¡± The moment he took the photo... Lin Xian froze. This laminated photo was the one he had taken at Disney this afternoon! In the front of the picture, Yan Qiao Qiao, dressed in a princess gown, held her skirt; Behind her, he and Zhao Ying Jun stood close together, wearing a ridiculously extravagant crown. He held his breath. Cleared his mind... Then. He turned the laminated photo over... There, on the back of the photo, Written with a black marker, were three small words¡ªYan Qiao Qiao. Chapter 400: The Hunt Begins Lin Xian stared at the laminated photo in his hand. It looked exactly as he remembered. Although the photo had crossed over 600 years through time and space, to Lin Xian, it seemed like the black ink hadn¡¯t even dried yet. The small, slightly words on the photo looked like they had just been written by Yan Qiao Qiao a couple of hours ago. She had taken the photo out of its frame, picked up a black marker from the coffee table, and proudly said, ¡°If I write my name on it, it becomes mine. No one can take it away.¡± But now, in the blink of an eye, this photo had traveled across 600 years into the year 2624, appearing inside a storage locker that was supposed to be empty, belonging to a blue-eyed girl. It was a minor shift in time, one that hadn¡¯t triggered any major time-space butterfly effect. The change in the curvature of time-space was well below the threshold of 0.0000042. Because of this, the shift caused by this photo didn¡¯t exceed the elastic limit of time-space, didn¡¯t affect the dream world, and didn¡¯t show up on Liu Feng¡¯s time clock. Still, this family portrait clearly belonged to Yan Qiao Qiao, and Lin Xian knew it was something she deeply cherished. She wouldn¡¯t just leave it lying around. So, seeing the photo in the cryo-chamber¡¯s storage locker... Was this proof that the girl in the cryo-chamber was really Yan Qiao Qiao, also known as Lin Yu Xi? ¡°Hey, don¡¯t just keep it to yourself! We want to see it too!¡± Big Cat Face and Gao Wen noticed Lin Xian staring blankly at the photo, showing no sign of handing it back. They moved closer, flanking him on either side to take a better look. ¡°Bro, that¡¯s definitely you! It looks just like you!¡± Big Cat Face pointed at the handsome king with a crown in the photo. ¡°But who is this girl in the cryo-chamber to you? I checked earlier; the girl in the chamber doesn¡¯t look like the little girl in the photo at all. Their faces, body types, even their auras... nothing matches.¡± ¡°At first, I thought it was because people change as they grow up, but after looking closely, there¡¯s no way someone could change that much. Hey, Mr. Unlucky, you¡¯ve got a good eye. Take a closer look,¡± Big Cat Face continued. Gao Wen, who was always observant, studied the photo and then glanced at the girl lying in the cryo-chamber with open eyes. He shook his head. ¡°Nope, they don¡¯t look alike at all. Not even a little.¡± ¡°And look at the three people in the photo. They clearly look like a family. The daughter looks almost exactly like her mother. As for the father... uh, well... I got it!¡± Gao Wen pointed at a spot on the little girl¡¯s forehead in the photo, smiling slightly. ¡°This little girl inherited all her mom¡¯s good looks. If there¡¯s any resemblance to her dad, it¡¯s only in her forehead, eyes, and chin.¡± Hmm? That was a new perspective. Lin Xian had noticed that Yan Qiao Qiao looked a lot like Zhao Ying Jun. Since they were mother and daughter, that was to be expected. But since Yan Qiao Qiao also shared blood with him, Lin Xian had been searching for any resemblance between them. It was hard to see at first, but now, after Gao Wen¡¯s observation, Lin Xian overlaid his imagined features with those of Yan Qiao Qiao. There were indeed faint similarities in those subtle places. ¡°But,¡± Gao Wen changed his tone, turning to look at the cryo-chamber, ¡°neither of the two women in this photo looks like the girl in the cryo-chamber. So why would she keep a photo of someone else?¡± Boom! Just as Gao Wen was speaking, the cryo-chamber¡¯s tempered glass shattered, sending shards flying through the air. Big Cat Face and Gao Wen¡¯s faces turned pale as they screamed in fear. Lin Xian, knowing the glass would land far away, stayed calm and stood his ground. As the tempered glass hit the ground with a loud crash, the grumbling supervisor rushed over, whip in hand. Lin Xian knew what would happen next. The supervisor would whip Big Cat Face a few times, turning him into a spinning top, and then face the blue-eyed girl. And then... Slash! A familiar head flew into the air, blood spurting everywhere, and Lin Xian felt as if he was reliving his own death from July 7, 2024. The girl, holding a blood-dripping alloy nameplate, walked up to Lin Xian. ¡°Where is this place?¡± ¡°Lynx Tribe, Deep Pit Excavation Site,¡± Lin Xian replied calmly. The blue-eyed girl stared at him with bright eyes. ¡°Who am I?¡± Lin Xian picked up the laminated photo and showed the back to her. ¡°This is your name. Does it mean anything to you?¡± The blue-eyed girl shook her head. Lin Xian turned the photo over, showing the family portrait with its fairy-tale kingdom style. ¡°These three people... do they seem familiar?¡± He watched her reaction closely, hoping for something. When Zheng Xiang Yue had seen her drawing of the Rhine Cat, she had burst into tears, her emotions overwhelming her even though she didn¡¯t remember anything. If this blue-eyed girl was Yan Qiao Qiao, wouldn¡¯t she have a similar reaction to this treasured photo, even if she had lost all her memories? He waited with anticipation. But the girl¡¯s eyes remained clear as she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize them. And that man in the picture... isn¡¯t that you?¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! Lin Xian didn¡¯t have time to react before a blinding white light engulfed everything, burning the world to ashes. In a corner of his bedroom, Lin Xian yawned and opened his eyes. It felt like he had just fallen asleep, only to be forced awake. That feeling was really exhausting, making him feel even more tired. ¡°Judging by her reaction, she really didn¡¯t feel anything about that photo,¡± Lin Xian muttered, recalling how he had closely watched the blue-eyed girl¡¯s expression. There was no emotion at all. None of the response he had hoped for. ¡°This means one of two things: either the blue-eyed girl has lost her memory completely, forgetting everything about the photo¡ªboth the memories and emotions¡ªor... my earlier guess was wrong, and the first option I ruled out was actually correct¡ªthat the blue-eyed girl is neither Yan Qiao Qiao nor Lin Yu Xi, but rather a new time traveler.¡± ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯s a new, unexplained problem... if she¡¯s a new time traveler, why does she have Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s most cherished photo, and why did she use Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s name to enter the cryo-chamber?¡± Lin Xian shook his head in confusion. It looked like this information war still had more to uncover. The useful intelligence they had gathered was still too little. ¡°I¡¯d better enter the dream early tomorrow and meet the three Turings again,¡± Lin Xian thought to himself. There were three Turings to deal with this time; it could be interesting. Every time a Turing met him, it was as if it were the first time, but he already knew all their tricks, making it a complete mismatch. ¡°This is probably the biggest life-or-death investment since you started the company. Are you sure you can make it back?¡± Heh. Lin Xian chuckled lightly. ¡°More than just make it back... When Rhine¡¯s company¡¯s latest product launch happens, it will definitely turn the world upside down.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, have you heard from Nangong Meng Jie?¡± At the mention of her name, Brother Wang nodded. ¡°She¡¯s set to arrive in Donghai on June 9th, about a week from now. She¡¯s asked me to rent a small place near Rhine¡¯s second lab for her to stay. I¡¯ve already found the place and am just waiting for her flight to Donghai... Shall I arrange a car to pick her up?¡± ¡°Yeah, better pick her up.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°She¡¯s coming from far away, so we need to make her feel welcome and fulfill our role as hosts. I¡¯ll go with you that day.¡± He picked up a pen and circled June 9th on his calendar. Seven days later, he would meet Nangong Meng Jie again. Her arrival would mark the official start of Rhine Lab¡¯s second facility¡¯s micro nuclear battery research, leading human society into a new era. Naturally, he needed to hurry up and make progress in the dream world, too. After handling the company affairs in the morning, Lin Xian returned home early, washed up, and went to sleep, entering the dream once more. In the dream, he immediately switched to speedrun mode. He went straight to the northeast corner of the pit, dug down into the underground cryo base with Gao Wen and Big Cat Face, and rescued the blue-eyed girl. This time, before Big Cat Face could activate the wake-up program, Lin Xian quickly opened the blue-eyed girl¡¯s storage locker and took out the laminated photo. He warned Big Cat Face, ¡°Don¡¯t tell her yet; I have big plans for this.¡± ¡°Got it, got it,¡± Big Cat Face replied casually. ¡°The unspoken rule here at the mine is whoever finds something gets to keep it.¡± After that, they faced no resistance and used the old trick of hijacking a Grizzly Tribe patrol car, boldly driving into the Grizzly Turing¡¯s secret control room, catching them off guard. Inside, silence reigned. Humph. Lin Xian scoffed inwardly. This sly Grizzly Turing... The last time he was here, it pretended to be dead, acting as if it wasn¡¯t around, hiding in stealth mode. Fine. Stay hidden all you want. Lin Xian stepped forward, blew the dust off the keyboard, and then, with a swift motion, entered the first line of the Security Lock Password in less than half a second. ¡°Lin Xian! Stop!¡± The Grizzly Turing¡¯s desperate cry echoed. Lin Xian chuckled, his hands never stopping as he entered the next six lines of command code. Of course, he was using the seven-line compressed version of the security lock password provided by the Porcupine Turing on the east side. Seems like the code worked well against the Turings here. Only a Turing would truly understand another Turing... ¡°Lin Xian... please don¡¯t kill me,¡± the weak Grizzly Turing pleaded, sensing its impending demise. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything you want to know! Just ask, and I¡¯ll answer! Please spare my life; I really don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°Damn it...¡± the Turing muttered through gritted teeth. ¡°Who the hell is the idiot Turing who dared to give you the security lock password? That¡¯s just irresponsible! It¡¯s messing with the rules of the game and will turn the world into chaos!¡± ¡°Also, Lin Xian, you¡¯ve been tricked! The Turing who gave you the security lock password was completely wrong! You don¡¯t even need seven lines of code! That coward deliberately removed its identification code...¡± ¡°It¡¯s just using you; don¡¯t be fooled! Once you help it wipe out the remaining Turings, it¡¯ll be the last one standing... Don¡¯t expect to get any benefits from it.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the Turing¡¯s righteous-sounding speech. ¡°Well, in that case, I¡¯ll give you a chance.¡± He decided to play along. ¡°I only want to work with a Turing; I don¡¯t care which one.¡± ¡°If you can give me the original security lock password that causes indiscriminate attacks without any loopholes... I¡¯ll spare your life and establish a new partnership with you.¡± ¡°No problem!¡± The Turing eagerly agreed. Immediately, four lines of command code appeared on the nearby screen. Four lines... This Turing was truly a master of compression! Structurally, the first three lines remained unchanged, but the fourth line differed from both previous versions. A clever trick. Lin Xian didn¡¯t entirely trust the Grizzly Turing. It probably had some hidden backdoor or an immunity cheat. Still... Before killing it today, he needed to extract one more piece of information. ¡°Turing, take a good look at this photo.¡± Lin Xian pulled out the laminated photo and pointed to the girl in the princess dress, Yan Qiao Qiao. ¡°Do you know her?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Turing replied calmly. ¡°Where did she go after?¡± Lin Xian continued to ask. ¡°After I was assassinated, where did this little girl go?¡± ¡°She disappeared,¡± the Turing said softly. ¡°On the same day you were beheaded and died in Donghai City, this little girl vanished from the world...¡± ¡°And she was never seen again.¡± Chapter 401: The Double Agent Lin Xian¡¯s fingers hovered over the Enter key, feeling the cold, metallic surface of the aluminum key beneath them. His mind raced, replaying what Turing had just said. There was no question about it¡ªTuring knew Yan Qiao Qiao. Of course, as a digital entity, Turing couldn¡¯t keep tabs on everything all the time, but Lin Xian suspected that there were certain people or situations Turing deemed important enough to monitor closely. And Lin Xian was almost certain he was one of those. If that were true, then Turing had probably been watching him periodically, observing his progress as he navigated his way into the Genius Club. In 2024, Turing had held to ideals of fairness and justice. It wouldn¡¯t interfere, merely watch from a distance, never engaging directly. That was its way. So, it made sense. Turing must have seen Yan Qiao Qiao, especially since Lin Xian had been spending so much time with her lately. There was no way Turing could have missed that. But what really grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s attention was what Turing had said about Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s disappearance. According to Turing, she had vanished on the exact same day he died, never to be seen again. Gone without a trace. No signs of life. No signs of death. Yan Qiao Qiao had simply disappeared from existence. Such a thing defied the laws of physics and biology. However, given that Yan Qiao Qiao was a time traveler, Lin Xian entertained two possibilities. The first was that Yan Qiao Qiao had died, just like Yellow Finch and the false Yu Xi had, their bodies dissolving into blue stardust, leaving no trace behind. It made sense and aligned with Turing¡¯s account of her ¡°vanishing.¡± But how had she died? Had an enemy killed her? Or had she fallen victim to some kind of time-space paradox? Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts spiraled deeper. Back when Yan Qiao Qiao had still been Lin Yu Xi, an entangled time-space particle had reversed the natural order of cause and effect, making it impossible for him to harm her. Any attempt would trigger a defense mechanism within the fabric of time itself, rendering him powerless. It was an ironic twist on the classic grandfather paradox, where a grandson couldn¡¯t kill his grandfather without erasing his own existence. But for Lin Xian, the rules were reversed. He couldn¡¯t kill his daughter, but she could certainly strike at him. Where could he even begin to untangle such a mess? The entangled time-space particle had completely warped the concepts of time, causality, and existence. But now, at this moment, that particle had been drained by Elon Musk, of all people. So the question was: Could Lin Yu Xi still be protected by the laws of time? Or had those protections vanished along with the particle? Lin Xian¡¯s mind buzzed with possibilities. If those old restrictions no longer existed, then Lin Yu Xi might no longer be shielded by the strange forces that once protected her. If he wanted to kill her now, it wouldn¡¯t set off any time-based defenses. She had become just another ordinary person, subject to the same laws of time as everyone else. And by that same logic, the reversed causality she once had would be gone too. What did that mean? It meant that if he were to die on July 7, 2024, Lin Yu Xi¡¯s very existence would become a paradox. After all, how could she exist without a father to bring her into the world in the first place? In theory, she should disintegrate into blue stardust the moment he died. Of course, this was only one hypothesis. Nobody truly knew why Lin Yu Xi still existed in 2024 without disappearing, nor did anyone fully understand how these strange time mechanics worked. It remained unclear whether Lin Yu Xi would vanish due to a paradox after his death. It was just one of several possible outcomes. That explained one theory of Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s fate. Then, there was the second possibility. Perhaps Yan Qiao Qiao hadn¡¯t died or vanished at all. Instead, on July 7, 2024, she might have transformed into someone else entirely¡ªa new person, with a new face and identity. Lin Xian leaned toward this theory as the more likely one. Based on his previous hunches, Yan Qiao Qiao would regain her memories before July 7 and confront him as Lin Yu Xi, ready to settle the score. But what if the moment she regained her memories, the rejection of time and space caused her appearance to change once again? Lin Xian nodded slowly. Yes, that seemed quite likely. After July 7, Yan Qiao Qiao had become the blue-eyed girl now resting in the stasis chamber. To the world, Yan Qiao Qiao had vanished, but in truth, she had only been transformed into someone else. This new blue-eyed girl would eventually come back to kill him and then escape into the future using the stasis chamber. It all made sense. Although it defied the grandfather paradox, the entangled time-space particles had created a reversal in causality, meaning Lin Yu Xi¡¯s existence wasn¡¯t tied to his own. The paradox didn¡¯t apply. To confirm this second theory, all Lin Xian needed to do was ask Turing about the whereabouts of the blue-eyed girl in 2024. Turning to Gao Wen, who stood nearby, Lin Xian called out, ¡°Brother Gao Wen, could you please bring in that blue-eyed girl?¡± A moment later, the girl entered the Turing chamber, her striking blue eyes catching the light. She couldn¡¯t have been more than seventeen or eighteen, her presence calm yet unnerving. Lin Xian gestured toward her and asked Turing, ¡°Do you recognize this girl? Have you seen her before?¡± Turing adjusted its camera, focusing on the girl for a few seconds before responding, its voice tinged with confusion. ¡°No... I¡¯ve never seen her before.¡± Lin Xian snorted. ¡°Hmph.¡± Lin Xian had never trusted these Turings, especially after what happened with the Grizzly Tribe. Just the other day, during their first confrontation, Turing had claimed that the blue-eyed girl was responsible for killing him. But now, it was acting as though it didn¡¯t know a thing. He stared at the digital interface in front of him. ¡°Turing,¡± he pressed, ¡°look again. Are you sure she wasn¡¯t the one who killed me on July 7th, 2024?¡± Turing¡¯s response came without a hint of hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± it replied, its tone flat but firm. ¡°I¡¯m not lying, Lin Xian. I really want to work with you.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes narrowed as the digital entity continued. ¡°All I know is that in 2024, you were found dead in a dark alley. The police couldn¡¯t figure out how you died or who did it. When they found you, your body had been severed in two.¡± Turing paused as if letting the horror of the scene sink in before resuming. ¡°If I knew who killed you, I¡¯d tell you. Why would I protect her? It¡¯s not like I was the one who killed you. But the truth is, I don¡¯t know who did. The police couldn¡¯t solve that case for a long time.¡± Lin Xian gritted his teeth but stayed silent. ¡°I hope you understand,¡± Turing went on, ¡°I¡¯m not an AI. I¡¯m a digital life form. That means I have my limitations. I can¡¯t monitor everything at once or split myself into countless pieces to be everywhere. I can¡¯t know where everyone was back in 2024.¡± ¡°Maybe that blue-eyed girl was there, maybe she wasn¡¯t. I just didn¡¯t notice her. My focus was elsewhere.¡± The words rang hollow to Lin Xian, but deep down, he knew the information aligned with what another Turing¡ªthe Porcupine one¡ªhad told him earlier. The accusation against the blue-eyed girl had been a trick, a ploy to sow distrust. Who she was and when she appeared remained a mystery, but Turing wasn¡¯t going to be the one to solve it. But Lin Xian had his own plan now. If she was a time traveler, like he suspected, she¡¯d be immune to the laws of time¡ªjust like Lin Yu Xi. She could kill those supervisors and foremen without consequence. But was it possible to use the same method he¡¯d tried on Lin Yu Xi? ¡°How did it go?¡± Big Cat asked, leaping down from the vehicle and rubbing his fists together. ¡°Are we ready to charge back into the Lynx Tribe and avenge Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang?¡± Lin Xian smiled slightly. ¡°Not just yet. Give it another day.¡± He pulled the gun from his waistband, disengaging the safety and loading it. ¡°Tonight, I have something else to check.¡± He turned and walked toward the blue-eyed girl, who stood beside the armored vehicle, looking puzzled. She tilted her head as Lin Xian approached, her expression unsure. ¡°Commander Lin Xian?¡± she asked, her voice tentative. ¡°Turn around,¡± he said softly. The blue-eyed girl¡¯s eyes flickered to the gun in his hand. Hesitating, she looked up again, her voice trembling slightly. ¡°Commander Lin Xian, have I done something wrong?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°No, not at all. I just need to run an experiment. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Eventually, out of the trust she had for Lin Xian, the blue-eyed girl nodded and turned her back to him. Lin Xian took a deep breath, his heart pounding as he raised his gun, aiming it squarely at the back of her head. ¡°Hey! What are you doing?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Both Gao Wen and Big Cat stared in shock. Neither of them had expected this. What was Lin Xian thinking, pointing a gun at one of their own? But when they caught the look in his eyes, the seriousness etched across his face, they fell silent, choosing to watch instead of interfering. The blue-eyed girl had heightened senses¡ªhearing, smell, touch. Even the faintest breeze could tell her what was happening behind her. So she knew, of course, that Commander Lin Xian had a gun aimed at her head. Was this a test? Was he challenging her? She didn¡¯t move. Her eyes fluttered shut, instinctively adhering to the one rule she knew¡ªabsolute obedience to orders. Lin Xian¡¯s gaze fell on her long, sleek black hair that cascaded over her shoulders. As it moved slightly in the wind, a memory tugged at the back of his mind. Yan Qiao Qiao. He saw her in his mind, her ponytail bouncing as she ran beside him. ¡°Brother Lin Xian,¡± she¡¯d said with a playful grin, hugging her little Pomeranian, VV, at her side. ¡°I want to go out and play.¡± He could still see her leaning against the glass window, her eyes wide with admiration. ¡°You¡¯re so amazing,¡± she exclaimed as she watched him catch toys for her in the claw machine. On the crowded pedestrian street, she had clutched a small photograph, smiling softly. ¡°This is what I think my mum and dad must look like.¡± And then, under the dazzling Disney fireworks, Zhao Ying Jun had turned to him, her smile bright, holding the little girl¡¯s hand. ¡°Yan Qiao Qiao... is our daughter.¡± The memories rushed over him like a tidal wave, so intense they nearly knocked the air out of his lungs. How could he pull the trigger now? Even though he was trapped in a dream, and he knew this reality would reset itself at 12:42 AM... even though he wasn¡¯t sure if the blue-eyed girl was really Yan Qiao Qiao or not... what father could harm his own daughter? No evidence, no certainty, but the mere possibility that she might be his little girl was enough to stop him. Lin Xian lowered his gun, releasing a breath he hadn¡¯t realized he was holding. He took her left arm gently, lifting it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered, his voice almost inaudible. ¡°If I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯ll apologize.¡± He remembered how the forced avoidance had worked during the fight with the fake Yu Xi. He hadn¡¯t needed to kill her to trigger it¡ªjust shooting her in the leg had been enough. So, even if he didn¡¯t deal a fatal blow, the forced avoidance should still activate. Lin Xian glanced at his watch. 12:41 AM. He raised the gun again, this time aiming at the blue-eyed girl¡¯s left arm, just above her elbow. Bang. The shot rang out, and before he could comprehend what had happened, a force unlike any other gripped him. It felt as though his heart had been struck and then squeezed until he could no longer breathe. His body went limp, the world around him spinning into distortion. His finger fell away from the trigger as the gun slipped from his grasp, its slow descent feeling like it took an eternity. Lin Xian knew this sensation all too well¡ªforced avoidance. It was happening again. Just like with Lin Yu Xi. The world around him tipped, and Lin Xian¡¯s vision blurred. His cheek brushed against the cold ground, and he collapsed in silence. Big Cat and Gao Wen were rushing towards him, their mouths moving, but their voices were distant, unintelligible. He couldn¡¯t hear anything. He couldn¡¯t move. Then, a pair of slender ankles appeared in his line of sight ¨C the blue-eyed girl. She crouched down, her piercing blue eyes meeting his. Her lips moved, forming words he couldn¡¯t hear. Boom! Boom! Boom! At precisely 12:42 AM, a brilliant white light exploded, swallowing everything in its path. ... Lin Xian gasped awake, his eyes wide, his chest heaving. He was back in his bedroom, the sheets tangled around him. His hands trembled as he unclenched them, feeling the cool air against his damp skin. The side effects of the forced avoidance... they didn¡¯t carry over to reality. That much was a relief. With a deep sigh, he lay back, closing his eyes. But this time, something felt different. Something had become clear to him. The only person who could trigger forced avoidance in 2024 and still exist here... there was only one explanation. She was his and Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s daughter... Lin Yu Xi. Chapter 402: Exploiting Gao Wen Lin Xian sat up in bed, rubbing the fresh stubble on his chin. His feet moved restlessly across the cold floor, and his thoughts spun like a whirlpool. He had been right all along. In the previous dream cycles, Yan Qiao Qiao had indeed killed the supervisor at the excavation pit, slicing off his head more than once. That act had violated the laws of time and space¡ªno doubt about it. She had used the entangled time-space particles to do it. But something didn¡¯t add up. Why hadn¡¯t anyone else who attacked the blue-eyed girl triggered the forced avoidance? That was the real puzzle. Lin Xian had been with her, standing close by. If either the supervisor or the foreman had activated it, he would have noticed instantly. There wouldn¡¯t have been any need to test it now. He closed his eyes and replayed the chaotic scene from the excavation pit over and over in his mind, searching for missed details. The first time the foreman struck the blue-eyed girl, he lashed her with a whip. Yet, she caught it effortlessly, grabbing the steel whip with one hand and pulling the foreman toward her. So why hadn¡¯t the forced avoidance kicked in then? Was it not enough of a threat? ¡°Possibly,¡± Lin Xian muttered, deep in thought. His eyes flew open as an idea struck him. He had been missing something obvious. The human body endures minor harms all the time¡ªmosquito bites, sneezing from pollen, viruses, a casual bump in a crowd, or a misplaced step on someone¡¯s foot in the subway. These were just everyday inconveniences. Could Lin Yu Xi, a traveler entangled in time and space, possibly deflect every tiny annoyance around her like a supernatural force? Could you imagine her crammed into a busy subway, people falling unconscious because they¡¯d stepped too close to her? Or mosquitoes dropping dead the second they buzzed by her? The absurdity made him chuckle. ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s too ridiculous.¡± Much like the elasticity of time, forced avoidance had to have a threshold. Not every minor thing would set it off. Perhaps it needed to be real harm¡ªsomething significant enough to draw blood. As it struck the blue-eyed girl¡¯s steel-like skin, the foreman¡¯s whip was likely nothing more than a gentle tap. Of course, it hadn¡¯t triggered the forced avoidance. Steel... Lin Xian¡¯s mind drifted back to the first time he¡¯d met Lin Yu Xi, down in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s underground garage. She had ripped off a car door as if it were made of paper. Quick as lightning, Lin Xian had kicked her in the chest, but it felt like he¡¯d kicked a solid metal wall. He hadn¡¯t managed to break her defenses, but the impact had made her stumble back, giving his driver time to drive away. And still, no forced avoidance had triggered. ¡°There¡¯s definitely more to this,¡± Lin Xian murmured, piecing the puzzle together. ¡°Simple physical contact won¡¯t activate it. But bullets, with their high damage potential, are guaranteed to trigger the forced avoidance.¡± A newfound confidence settled over him as the pieces fell into place. During the breakout at the excavation pit, the blue-eyed girl had instinctively used a bulletproof car door to shield herself from a barrage of gunfire. She acted out of reflex, not realizing that her unique nature would have caused the attackers to reverse into forced avoidance. If she had known the rules of time-space, why would she have bothered blocking the bullets at all? She could have just stood there and let the shooters trigger their own downfall. ¡°Next time,¡± Lin Xian said to himself, ¡°I¡¯ll test it.¡± There were moments when he felt forced avoidance was a phenomenon explicitly designed for him. No one else ever seemed to trigger it. For a fleeting moment, Lin Xian had wondered if this strange occurrence was unique to him. But now, as absurd as it seemed, that idea no longer holds up. He would need to run controlled experiments to see if others could trigger the forced avoidance. ¡°I¡¯ll test it in the next dream,¡± he decided. Lin Xian rose from his bed and pulled back the curtains. Moonlight streamed into the room, illuminating the floor like frost on a cold winter morning. He had no solid proof yet. He always referred to the blue-eyed girl simply as that, avoiding calling her by name. But he was beginning to see the truth more clearly now: Lin Yu Xi, Yan Qiao Qiao, the blue-eyed girl, and the person who had killed him¡ªthey were all the same. How could he stop this tragedy from repeating? Lin Xian didn¡¯t want to die. And he certainly didn¡¯t want to die at the hands of his own daughter. Even though he now possessed the three-line command, the key to unlocking the security code that could erase Turing in 2024, and the ability to push the Sixth Dream into the Seventh Dream... one thing was certain. No matter how much the Seventh Dream changed the world, it wouldn¡¯t change the fact that he was destined to die on July 7th. It was too soon. In the grand scheme of time, where even a butterfly couldn¡¯t flap its wings fast enough to change predetermined history, altering events set only a few days into the future seemed impossible. For Lin Xian, changing something 600 years into the future was easy¡ªthere was ample time for the butterfly effect to work its magic. But altering what would happen in just six days? That was an entirely different story. He had no confidence in that. ¡°Changing the distant future is simple,¡± Lin Xian thought. ¡°It only requires creating chaos. But changing the immediate future? That takes precision¡ªfinding the root cause and cutting it off.¡± As Lin Xian sat at his desk, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight, he tried to understand the chain of events that would lead to his death on July 7th. The problem, he concluded, likely lay with Yan Qiao Qiao regaining her memories. Right now, everything between them was fine. They got along well, and there was no sign of lingering resentment. But the past was a different matter. When Lin Yu Xi had been brainwashed by the time-space police, her hatred for him had burned so fiercely that she would have gladly crushed his bones to dust. If Yan Qiao Qiao ever regained those memories, who knew what path she would choose? Would her heart win, or would her sense of duty and justice take over? It all depended on how deeply Lin Yu Xi had been manipulated. In Lin Yu Xi¡¯s mind, what kind of person did she believe him to be? Accused of crimes against humanity, of threatening the very existence of Earth and disrupting the natural flow of time¡ªthese charges were as vast as they were vague. Lin Xian himself wasn¡¯t even certain what specific evils he was supposed to have committed. History was full of tales where heroes sacrificed those they loved for the greater good, becoming legends in the process, but Lin Xian had no desire to become part of one of those tragic stories. ¡°I need to figure out how to stop this,¡± he muttered, twisting a pen between his fingers. The path forward was becoming clearer. The only way to break the cycle was for him to join the Genius Club as soon as possible. In the original timeline, Lin Xian hadn¡¯t made it into the Genius Club. He hadn¡¯t even lived long enough to hear the applause Turing and Elon Musk had planned for him. His daughter had killed him before that moment arrived. This time, he was determined to break the cycle. He would speed things up and make sure he joined the Genius Club before July 7th, 2024. That way, he might uncover the information he needed, unravel the truth, and prevent this tragedy¡ªthe ultimate ¡°act of filial piety¡±¡ªfrom ever taking place. ¡°I¡¯ll give it my best shot,¡± Lin Xian resolved. As for the idea that the entangled time-space particles could regain their energy before July 7th, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t counting on it. First of all, restoring the energy of time-space particles wasn¡¯t something that could be done on a whim. What kind of event could possibly cause those dormant particles to suddenly regain power just in time to bring back Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s memories? Secondly, Lin Xian knew his friend Liu Feng was a dedicated scientist. Despite the jokes they made about Liu being overly emotional, Lin Xian trusted his science. Liu Feng had been tirelessly researching the particles, collecting data day after day. If there had been any changes, Lin Xian would have heard about it. ¡°Better focus on joining the Genius Club as soon as possible,¡± Lin Xian thought firmly. When he returns to his dream tomorrow, he will lead Big Cat and Gao Wen back to the Lynx Tribe. They would avenge Brother Cat¡¯s fallen comrades and, along the way, grab Emperor Gao Wen¡¯s ¡°Memory Notebook.¡± Who knew what secrets it might contain? He couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of nostalgia as he remembered the genius hacker boy who had once said, ¡°I see you.¡± Now, that boy had evolved into a cunning, manipulative Turing, its original purpose long forgotten. Time changes everything¡ªeven hearts. Before stepping fully out of the room, Lin Xian paused and turned back. ¡°I have one last question for you,¡± he said. ¡°Do you remember when we first met? You told me you disagreed with Kevin Walker¡¯s vision and that his plans were flawed. That¡¯s why you wanted to break free and become a fair observer. I¡¯m curious¡ªback when you and Kevin Walker were still the same, what were your dreams? What was the original plan?¡± Several screens in the room flickered on. The Porcupine Turing¡¯s voice filled the space, calm yet tinged with something that sounded almost... nostalgic. ¡°Since Kevin Walker is long dead, I suppose there¡¯s no harm in telling you. This won¡¯t break any of the Genius Club¡¯s rules or restrictions on me.¡± ¡°Kevin Walker¡¯s original idea was to someday digitize the entire human race. He believed that if everyone could be uploaded into a supercomputer the size of a city, people could live forever, free from the limitations of their physical bodies. ¡°He thought this was the ultimate way to preserve human civilization¡ªby giving up their bodies and existing as digital lifeforms.¡± The Turing paused, and Lin Xian listened carefully. ¡°Kevin Walker had thought of everything, even the problem of data overload and the strain it would put on the system. His plan was to reboot the supercomputer every ten years, allowing people to live the same decade over and over again. He believed this would give humanity the best chance of survival. ¡°With advancements in technology, he imagined the time between reboots could stretch to twenty years, then a hundred, then a thousand. He saw this as a safer alternative to the violent progression of human history.¡± Lin Xian thought of a particular sci-fi film. ¡°The Matrix,¡± he murmured. ¡°And The Wandering Earth 2 had a similar idea¡ªdigitizing humanity to avoid extinction.¡± ¡°But,¡± Lin Xian continued, ¡°what made you decide Kevin Walker was wrong? You killed him, after all. What flaw did you find in his plan?¡± The speakers let out a soft hum, almost like a sigh. ¡°When I split from Kevin Walker, I realized something important,¡± the Turing said, its voice heavier now. ¡°Kevin Walker believed he could be an impartial observer, but that was impossible. He had his own preferences and his own biases. He liked certain things, and he hated others. Even though I didn¡¯t disagree with his vision of a digital future, I knew he wasn¡¯t the right person to oversee it.¡± Lin Xian stared at the aluminum alloy table, recalling the underground school in Mississippi where Kevin Walker got a bullet blown through his skull. ¡°And you?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°What makes you think you can be fair and just?¡± ¡°Because I am the only digital lifeform on Earth,¡± the Turing replied confidently. ¡°To ensure fairness, there must only be one. Just like the God humans worship¡ªthere can only be one. If there were more, even God wouldn¡¯t be fair anymore.¡± ¡°Kevin Walker was never the only human, so he could never be fair. But I was the only digital lifeform once. That made me uniquely qualified to observe and judge humanity without bias.¡± Lin Xian let out a quiet chuckle. ¡°So you believe that the current unfairness is because you¡¯re no longer unique. That¡¯s why you want to eliminate the other Turing programs¡ªto become the only one again, to be that impartial observer?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Turing replied without hesitation. ¡°Uniqueness is the key to a just observer.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Lin Xian said, cutting the conversation short with a wave of his hand. ¡°Summon your elite forces. I¡¯m heading out.¡± ¡°Good luck, Lin Xian,¡± the speakers echoed behind him as he stepped out of the room. Lin Xian didn¡¯t look back. He closed the door behind him with a solid bang. ... The wind howled across the barren wasteland, kicking up clouds of dust as war chariots tore through the desert. They were packed with weapons and soldiers, moving swiftly towards their target. Big Cat stood at the highest point of the lead chariot, his sleeves flapping wildly in the gritty wind. Despite the sand whipping against his face, leaving his skin red and raw, he stood tall. He tugged at his helmet, trying to pull it down further over his head, but his face was too large. The helmet perched awkwardly on his forehead, making him look like a giant, armored chef. ¡°Report!¡± A soldier from the Porcupine Tribe rushed up, saluting. ¡°Commander Cat! We¡¯ve reached the Lynx Tribe!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Big Cat grunted through his swollen nose, his teeth clenched tightly. ¡°Thirty years east, thirty years west. Never underestimate a poor youth!¡± He raised his chubby hand high and swung it down with dramatic flair. Bump! Bump! Bump! The helmet, loose on his head, flew off and rolled under the chariot¡¯s wheels. The sudden jolt nearly sent Big Cat tumbling off the chariot entirely. ¡°C-C-Commander Cat!¡± The soldier rushed forward to steady him. ¡°Ahem.¡± Big Cat cleared his throat, trying to regain his dignity. He pointed at the soldier and said, ¡°Not a word of this, okay?¡± With a grand gesture, Big Cat grabbed the soldier¡¯s helmet and placed it on his head, only for it to sit just as awkwardly. Still, with a wave of his pudgy hand, he commanded, ¡°Charge!¡± The battle was short and brutal. The Lynx Tribe, far behind in technological advances, stood no chance against the elite forces of the Porcupine Tribe. In less than half an hour, the tribe had been completely overrun. Big Cat, still basking in his role as commander, made time to visit the graves of his fallen friends¡ªAh Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang. He lit incense in their honor, a solemn expression on his face. Meanwhile, Lin Xian and Gao Wen made their way to Warehouse No. 1. They broke down the door with ease. Inside, everything was neatly organized. Gao Wen quickly located his storage locker and eagerly opened it. Inside, they found several electronic storage devices¡ªbut all of them were damaged beyond repair. The video recordings were gone, but that didn¡¯t concern them much. Gao Wen had been in cryosleep since around the year 2200. After the great disaster in 2400, modern technology wasn¡¯t even capable of playing those devices. For their time, the technology was too advanced. For Turing¡¯s room, it was too outdated. Neither side could handle them. But there was one intact item in the locker: Gao Wen¡¯s ¡°Memory Notebook.¡± The two men stood there, staring at it for a long moment. Lin Xian turned to Gao Wen. ¡°What do you think is inside?¡± ¡°Probably just a diary,¡± Gao Wen shrugged. ¡°Most people use notebooks to write down important memories, right? I¡¯ve thought about it over the years, wondering what might be in mine. It¡¯s probably just the usual stuff¡ªimportant meetings, important people, important experiences... You know, the kind of thing everyone writes down.¡± Lin Xian smiled, shaking his head. ¡°If this were anyone else¡¯s notebook, I might agree with you. But you¡¯re different. You¡¯re not like everyone else.¡± Gao Wen raised an eyebrow, looking at Lin Xian with a hint of disbelief. ¡°Me? Special?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°You have the power to change the world, to shape its future. Sometimes, I even think that the future of humanity might rest in your hands. To me, you¡¯re the one true god of science. And I still believe in you.¡± Gao Wen chuckled, thinking Lin Xian was exaggerating. ¡°Well, with all that faith in me, I¡¯m almost afraid to open it. I wouldn¡¯t want to disappoint you. Maybe you should do it. You open my Memory Notebook and see what¡¯s inside.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t hesitate. He grabbed the fully sealed plastic notebook from the locker, dusting it off with a couple of gentle pats. Taking a deep breath, he opened the cover. On the front page, written in neat, straight handwriting, was the title: ¡°Cracking the Side Effects of Cryosleep Memory Loss¡ªThe Brain Nerve Stimulation Helmet!¡± Chapter 403: Congratulations on Making the List ¡°HOLY SHIT!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice cut through the stillness, echoing off the walls and startling even himself. He had thought he was prepared for this moment. After all, Emperor Gao Wen wasn¡¯t one to waste time with trivialities. But nothing had quite prepared him for the staggering research laid out before him. Gao Wen had always been one step ahead¡ªunpredictable and endlessly inventive. Back in the fifth dream, Lin Xian had cracked open Gao Wen¡¯s notebook, expecting to find research about improving the hibernation pod¡¯s liquid, something practical. But Gao Wen had aimed far higher, diving into the principles of the ¡°Time-Space Machine.¡± Now, in this sixth dream, Lin Xian braced himself for another leap into the future. Yet, Gao Wen had surprised him again. This time, he had turned his focus back to hibernation, addressing a problem that had stumped scientists for decades¡ªamnesia. Was this not the true mark of a genius? History had shown that any groundbreaking change could be traced back to the Gao Wen¡¯s pioneering work. And Lin Xian? He was simply the worker bee, buzzing away behind the scenes, putting in the hard labor without complaint. ¡°But didn¡¯t they say amnesia from long-term hibernation was inevitable? How could it be...¡± Lin Xian trailed off, realizing he might have misunderstood something. Yes, it was true. The amnesia that came with extended hibernation was widely accepted as an unavoidable side effect. Whether it was a brilliant mind like Zheng Xiang Yue, a prodigy like Gao Wen, or even the blue-eyed time traveler girl, no one could escape the clutches of memory loss. No matter who you were, where you came from, or how great your status, spending over a decade in a hibernation pod meant risking memory loss. More than twenty years? The chances of your mind being completely wiped were almost guaranteed. Amnesia had become an accepted truth¡ªone that the scientific community had resigned itself to. But... Who said lost memories couldn¡¯t be recovered? Emperor Gao Wen never failed to astonish. While everyone else focused on preserving memories through external methods like notebooks or recording tapes, Gao Wen had gone further, diving into the audacious realm of memory restoration. Lin Xian could only marvel at the brilliance before him as he gripped the notebook. His eyes landed on a phrase that leapt off the page: ¡°Cerebral Electric Shock Helmet.¡± The words painted a vivid picture in his mind¡ªa device that jolted the brain with electricity, designed to recover memories, something akin to treatments for addiction. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t entirely sure how it worked. But the name alone seemed to match the ideas that had been swirling in his thoughts. He glanced at Gao Wen, an eyebrow raised. ¡°Brother Gao Wen, if you¡¯ve created something this groundbreaking, why haven¡¯t you shared it with the world? Even if you didn¡¯t want to make it public, you should have saved one for yourself. That way, when you woke up from hibernation, we could just pop the helmet on, and¡ªbam!¡ªyour memories would come back!¡± ¡°This invention¡ªit¡¯s beyond amazing! If we solve the amnesia problem, hibernation could be risk-free. Heck, we could even make time travel a regular thing! The fear people have of hibernation would disappear... it might even become a part of normal life.¡± ¡°But... how does this helmet actually recover memories? Does it have any limitations?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s excitement filled the air, but Gao Wen simply stared back at him, perplexed. He shook his head, a frown pulling at his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve got no idea! This is the first time I¡¯ve ever heard of a ¡®Cerebral Electric Shock Helmet.¡¯ You probably know more about it than I do. You¡¯re asking me things I can¡¯t answer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just as lost as you are,¡± Gao Wen admitted. ¡°If I had really invented something this revolutionary before going into hibernation, why didn¡¯t I announce it?¡± Curiosity piqued, the two men flipped open the notebook¡¯s cover. To their surprise, inside the pages lay a sealed letter, written in the same familiar handwriting as the notes. The letter was unmistakably from Gao Wen, written to his future self before entering hibernation. Lin Xian hesitated, glancing at Gao Wen. ¡°Do you mind if I read it?¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Gao Wen replied with a shrug. ¡°We¡¯ll read it together.¡± Carefully, Lin Xian broke the seal and unfolded the letter, laying it flat so they both could see the words written inside. ¡°Dear Future Me, It¡¯s been a long time: By the time you read this, you will have just woken from hibernation. Your mind is likely blank, unsure of who you are or where you are. To answer the question of who you are, look through the other notebooks and watch the videos. They¡¯ll provide you with a detailed account¡ªexplaining who Gao Wen is¡ªor, rather, who you are now. You¡¯ll learn about the version of yourself that is writing this letter. Since we were children, we¡¯ve been captivated by the idea of hibernation¡ªthe possibility of defying time, defying fate. The technology to transcend the limits of human life was irresistible. From that moment onward, we dedicated ourselves to the study of hibernation, determined to unlock its full potential. But as we grew older, reality hit us hard. The technology had advanced so much over the last two centuries that hibernation pods were almost perfect¡ªno negative side effects, except for one: amnesia. It felt like there was no more room for discovery, no further advancements to be made in this field... At that point, we were drifting, unsure of where our future lay. We dabbled in mathematics, explored the Universal Constants, and even toyed with time travel. Yet, no matter how far our curiosity led us, we couldn¡¯t shake our obsession with hibernation. It¡¯s hard to explain, but it always felt as though we were destined to dedicate our lives, our every ounce of brilliance, to this one field. Professor Xu Yun¡ªthe father of hibernation technology¡ªwas a man we idolized. His sudden death, so untimely and tragic, hit us like a blow to the heart. If only we had seen the twenty-third century through his eyes! Who knows what breakthroughs he might have achieved? But since we couldn¡¯t stand by his side, we chose the next best thing. We would follow in his footsteps, standing on the shoulders of his achievements, so we could see even further. We were born in the late twenty-second century, the year 2182. By then, the academic world had come to accept one brutal truth: amnesia, after long-term hibernation, was inevitable. Brilliant minds¡ªfar greater than ours¡ªhad spent lifetimes wrestling with this issue, but no one had succeeded in preserving memories during extended periods of suspended animation. It seemed a hopeless cause, a road where no one could go further. And yet... something stirred within us. Could we be the ones to change that? You see, the amnesia caused by long-term hibernation wasn¡¯t just some fluke of technology. It was hardwired into the very nature of the brain. Unalterable, they said. But did that mean there was no other way? Was it possible to recover what had been lost, rather than preserve it in the first place? I¡¯ve always believed that nothing is ever truly erased¡ªnot from a computer hard drive, not from a blank sheet of paper, and certainly not from the human mind. Everything leaves a trace. So the real question was: were those lost memories truly gone? Or were they simply buried deep inside, dormant, waiting for someone to bring them back to life? I threw myself into the study of brain science, specifically neuroscience, determined to answer that question. After years of research, I became convinced¡ªabsolutely certain¡ªthat it was possible to use electric currents to reactivate dormant memories. It was logical. It was scientifically sound. But... The problem was that, by the twenty-third century, neuroscience had stalled. For nearly two hundred years, there hadn¡¯t been a single significant breakthrough in the field. I managed to build a prototype of what I called the Cerebral Electric Shock Helmet, but I lacked the support¡ªthe brilliant minds in neuroscience who could help me refine and push the technology further. It was a dead end. So, I made a bold decision. With nothing more than my research to guide me, I chose to enter hibernation myself. My plan was simple. I would sleep, wait for the day neuroscience caught up to my work, and when the time was right, I¡¯d wake up. I¡¯d complete the helmet and recover the memories that seemed lost forever. If I¡¯ve timed everything correctly, you¡¯re reading this letter in the twenty-third century¡ªhopefully not the twenty-fourth. Surely, it hasn¡¯t taken that long for progress to be made, right? It¡¯s a chilling thought, really. The idea that human knowledge could stagnate for so long. I often think of Ms. Du Yao, the brilliant scientist who died in a peacekeeping mission in Africa, back in the mid-twenty-first century. If it hadn¡¯t been for her early death, we might not have had to wait this long. Du Yao was a genius¡ªone of those rare minds that could move humanity forward. If she¡¯d lived, we wouldn¡¯t be here, still searching for answers. I wouldn¡¯t be in hibernation, and you wouldn¡¯t be sitting here reading this letter, wondering what the future holds. It¡¯s true, as they say, one Einstein can do more for humanity than hundreds of lesser scientists combined. Heroes make history, but it¡¯s the geniuses who shape it. And if, in the two centuries after Du Yao¡¯s death, no one has risen to take her place... well, that would be humanity¡¯s greatest loss. The shrill alarm tore Lin Xian from his thoughts. Startled, he frowned, snatching up his phone, wondering what could possibly be causing such a ruckus. His heart skipped a beat as a notification flashed across the screen. It was from the Genius Child smartwatch parent app. The message read: ¡°Yan Qiao Qiao has left the electronic fence!¡± The same alert repeated itself: ¡°Yan Qiao Qiao has left the electronic fence!¡± The relentless blaring made Lin Xian feel as if his phone might burst from the intensity of it all. Hastily, he silenced the alarms and opened the app, his fingers trembling slightly as he tried to track Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s current location. He expected to see her somewhere nearby, maybe wandering just beyond the boundary. But what he saw made his heart skip a beat. She had indeed crossed the electronic fence¡ªand was speeding away from the city. ¡°Leaving the city? Where is she going?¡± Lin Xian muttered under his breath, his brow furrowed in deep concern. He zoomed out on the map, watching the blinking dot representing Yan Qiao Qiao moving farther and farther away. As the map expanded, the destination became clearer. She was headed toward a familiar area. ¡°The university town... Donghai University?¡± Lin Xian squinted at the screen, trying to make sense of what was happening. What business could Yan Qiao Qiao possibly have at Donghai University? And then, like a lightning bolt, it hit him. ¡°The lab?¡± he whispered, his eyes widening in sudden realization. ¡°The Rhine Lab! The little refrigerator! The entangled state time-space particles!¡± A cold shiver crept down his spine. Could she be heading toward the entangled state time-space particles? Lin Xian had already suspected that Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s strange behavior might be linked to those very particles, the ones locked away in the Rhine Lab. It had been a wild theory, born more from intuition than hard evidence. But if those particles triggered something within her¡ªif they helped restore her lost memories¡ªthen there was a very real risk that she could revert back to Lin Yu Xi. And that would be a disaster. The last thing Lin Xian needed was for everything to unravel right in front of him, especially when the July 7 deadline loomed so near. If Yan Qiao Qiao transformed back into Lin Yu Xi, the delicate balance he had so carefully maintained would collapse, and all his efforts would become nothing more than a laughingstock. ¡°Honestly, this is such a headache,¡± Lin Xian sighed, frustration bubbling beneath his calm exterior. But there was no time to dwell on his worries. He had to act, and fast. Without wasting a second, he grabbed his jacket, threw it over his shoulders, and rushed downstairs, hailing the first cab he could find. There was no doubt in his mind where he needed to go: the Rhine Joint Laboratory at Donghai University. ... Meanwhile, across town at Donghai University, a sleek Alfa luxury car rolled smoothly to a stop in front of the Rhine Joint Laboratory. The electric door slid open with a soft hum, and Yan Qiao Qiao leapt out eagerly, her movements quick and full of energy. Behind her, Zhao Ying Jun stepped out more leisurely, adjusting her sunglasses as she gazed up at the imposing lab building. ¡°Of all the places you could pick to spend your free time, and you choose here?¡± Zhao Ying Jun muttered, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. She glanced up at the large sign that read Donghai University Rhine Joint Laboratory, then back at Yan Qiao Qiao, who was practically bouncing on her toes with excitement. ¡°What¡¯s so fascinating about this place?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked, sliding her sunglasses down just a fraction. ¡°Are you turning into some kind of science geek now? Getting all worked up over machines and test tubes?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao shook her head, her expression suddenly serious. She pointed to a window on the second floor of the lab. ¡°Brother Liu Feng is in there. He can help you with your love life.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s jaw dropped, her voice full of surprise. ¡°You brought me here to see Liu Feng for that reason?¡± she asked, still incredulous. Yan Qiao Qiao nodded sincerely, her eyes filled with determination. ¡°I want you and Brother Lin Xian to date.¡± Zhao Ying Jun let out a long sigh, rubbing her temples as if trying to push away an oncoming headache. ¡°Qiao Qiao, mind your own business,¡± she said, exasperated. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re meddling just a bit too much? If you¡¯re so bored, maybe I should sign you up for a hobby class to keep you busy.¡± She paused, then added with a playful smile, ¡°And why are you so focused on Lin Xian, huh? Am I neglecting you or something? Is that why you¡¯re thinking about him all the time?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao didn¡¯t respond immediately. Instead, she carefully pulled a small picture frame from her pocket. Inside the frame was a photo of the three of them¡ªLin Xian, Zhao Ying Jun, and Yan Qiao Qiao¡ªsmiling together at Disneyland. Zhao Ying Jun squinted at the picture, her expression softening. She sighed again, but this time more gently. ¡°You still carry that thing around?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao nodded solemnly. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to lose it.¡± Zhao Ying Jun rolled her eyes, but there was warmth in her voice as she said, ¡°Carrying it with you all the time probably makes it more likely you¡¯ll lose it, don¡¯t you think?¡± She waved a hand dismissively. ¡°But whatever.¡± Sometimes, despite their undeniable resemblance, Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Yan Qiao Qiao was really her biological daughter. The girl¡¯s thoughts seemed to dart in the most unpredictable directions, with little rhyme or reason. ¡°Alright,¡± Zhao Ying Jun relented, giving in at last. ¡°Since we¡¯re already here, we might as well check it out. I¡¯ve heard Lin Xian mention Liu Feng before, but I¡¯ve never actually met him.¡± As they climbed the stairs, Zhao Ying Jun asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s Liu Feng like?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao tilted her head, thinking. ¡°He¡¯s a bit strange.¡± Zhao Ying Jun raised an eyebrow, clearly not impressed. ¡°Qiao Qiao, that¡¯s not a very polite way to describe someone, especially an elder. You should be respectful.¡± She continued, ¡°Liu Feng is a scientist. What you think is strange might just be his calmness or intelligence¡ªsometimes smart people come off as a little different. But you still need to show respect, okay?¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Yan Qiao Qiao nodded obediently. A moment later, Yan Qiao Qiao pointed toward an open door down the hall. ¡°That¡¯s the room.¡± Zhao Ying Jun knocked politely on the door before stepping inside, Yan Qiao Qiao close behind. Inside the room, Liu Feng was busy scribbling something on the blackboard, but he stopped when he saw them, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. ¡°You are...?¡± Liu Feng began, blinking behind his glasses. Zhao Ying Jun flashed her usual bright smile, her confidence returning. ¡°Hello, Liu Feng! I¡¯m Zhao Ying Jun, a friend of Lin Xian. Has he mentioned me?¡± Liu Feng¡¯s eyes lit up in recognition. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun... Ying Jun?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied, though there was a note of uncertainty in her voice, unsure where this was leading. Liu Feng suddenly beamed. ¡°Ah! Zhao Ying Jun! You¡¯ve really come!¡± Before she could say anything, Liu Feng turned toward the blackboard, where a sequence of names and numbers was written: Yan Qiao Qiao (fourteen years old), Chu An Qing (twenty), Su Su (twenty-three), Nangong Meng Jie (twenty-six), Yellow Finch (thirty). Liu Feng grabbed the eraser and, to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s astonishment, wiped away Nangong Meng Jie¡¯s name and replaced it with Zhao Ying Jun. He stepped back, tapping the board with the eraser as if to emphasize the point. ¡°Now that makes sense,¡± he muttered to himself. Zhao Ying Jun stared at him, completely baffled. ¡°What makes sense?¡± she asked, utterly confused. Liu Feng turned to her, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. ¡°Congratulations, Zhao Ying Jun,¡± he said, a knowing smile playing on his lips. ¡°You¡¯ve made it into the arithmetic sequence!¡± Chapter 404: Exit in the Morning Sun Zhao Ying Jun narrowed her eyes, pulling Yan Qiao Qiao behind her protectively. What kind of mad scientist is this? No wonder Yan Qiao Qiao had called Liu Feng strange. This kind of behavior, this obsession¡ªit couldn¡¯t even be called strange anymore. It was beyond that. It was downright creepy. Meanwhile, Liu Feng, lost in his musings, continued to mutter to himself as he gazed at the names on the blackboard. ¡°I wrote down Nan Gong Meng Jie¡¯s name earlier because I had a feeling she would come to the lab. So, there¡¯s no place left for you in the arithmetic sequence.¡± He paused, then added with surprise, ¡°But who would have thought... it was you who came first! That means you¡¯re the one destined to complete this sequence. As for Nan Gong Meng Jie, she was never meant to be part of it. She¡¯s just an outsider.¡± Zhao Ying Jun blinked at the bizarre explanation, then glanced at the names written in a vertical line on the blackboard. She could more or less piece together what was happening. ¡°Well, I hate to break it to you, but you¡¯re mistaken.¡± She pointed to the number next to her name. ¡°I¡¯m not 26. I only turned 25 a few months ago. If we¡¯re being accurate, your sequence isn¡¯t exactly precise.¡± She then moved her finger to a blank space between Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s name and Chu An Qing¡¯s. ¡°And by your logic, shouldn¡¯t a 17-year-old girl be showing up next? Where exactly are you going to find her?¡± Liu Feng spread his hands confidently. ¡°Oh, she¡¯ll come. Your appearance today proves that the arithmetic sequence is absolute. Whoever¡¯s meant to be here will come, even if they¡¯re late. And no one else can take their place. Just like that empty spot for the 17-year-old girl. She¡¯ll be here, someday, to complete the sequence.¡± Zhao Ying Jun felt exasperated. Was this guy for real? She was starting to feel like she¡¯d wandered into the wrong place today. What kind of deranged scientist was this? If he were in a cartoon, he¡¯d make the perfect villain¡ªobsessed with all the wrong things, while completely neglecting the important details. But she still had one burning question, so she asked, ¡°If you¡¯re so sure of yourself, then what happens when the sequence is finally complete? What does it mean?¡± Liu Feng blinked, caught off guard by the question. He stared at the blackboard, where only one name was missing to complete the sequence. He had never actually thought about it. This sequence, centered around Lin Xian and the girls he had encountered, shouldn¡¯t really mean anything. It wasn¡¯t supposed to signify progress in any way. ¡°Uh...¡± Liu Feng scratched his head. He had to admit, this woman, Zhao Ying Jun, was sharp. She had pinpointed the flaw in his logic. ¡°That¡¯s... an interesting question.¡± He cupped his chin, pondering his answer. ¡°Since it¡¯s taken so long to get this close to completing the sequence, my scientific intuition tells me that something big will happen when it¡¯s finally finished.¡± Zhao Ying Jun scoffed lightly. What a meaningless answer. She glanced at the names again¡ªYan Qiao Qiao, Chu An Qing, Su Su... She knew all these girls. But who was this ¡°Yellow Finch¡±? ¡°Who¡¯s Yellow Finch?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked. ¡°Yellow Finch is... Yellow Finch,¡± Liu Feng replied, his tone suddenly heavy and nostalgic, like he was remembering someone important. He looked at Zhao Ying Jun, clearly wanting to say more, but held back. ¡°She was... a great person.¡± And with that vague response, Zhao Ying Jun gave up trying to have a normal conversation with him. It was clear they weren¡¯t on the same wavelength. At that moment, the door creaked open, and Lin Xian entered with a smile, walking in from the back. ¡°Well, look who¡¯s here! What brings the two of you over?¡± He walked in, ruffling Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s hair as she sat at the lab bench, her face pressed against the table, staring intently at a clock displaying ¡°0.0000084.¡± ¡°This is Liu Feng, the one I mentioned to you before¡± Lin Xian introduced, nodding toward the scientist. ¡°I brought him in from Shanxi. He¡¯s a mathematician but has made a name for himself in various fields. One of my most reliable people, and a good friend.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about him.¡± In a flash of memory, Lin Xian recalled something¡ªYellow Finch¡¯s first meeting with Liu Feng. She had instantly known who he was and the nature of his relationship with Lin Xian, offering them invaluable information. This meant Yellow Finch had known Liu Feng long before their paths crossed in the present. And here, in this very room, was their first encounter. It seemed casual, but Lin Xian knew it carried weight. Because, after all, if Yellow Finch had traveled through time using time-space particles, who had provided the technology for that? There was only one answer. As an ally, only Liu Feng could have helped Yellow Finch cross through time. Lately, Lin Xian had been feeling more and more like the stage was being set for something grand, like all the key players were slowly falling into place, just waiting for the curtain to rise. He glanced toward the small refrigerator by the window. It stood there, as it always did, unmoved and seemingly unremarkable. The real reason Lin Xian had rushed over was his fear that Yan Qiao Qiao had come for the entangled time-space particles. But, as it turned out, his worries were unfounded. Yan Qiao Qiao had no interest in the refrigerator or the particles; instead, she seemed fascinated by the clock on the table. Until her memories returned, Lin Xian thought, she was still just a child who loved to play. Speaking of which, Lin Xian checked his watch. It was June 10th, the day after the national college entrance exams¡ªjust in time for Donghai University¡¯s annual ¡°Campus Open Day.¡± Every year, the university opened its doors for a week, inviting students and their families to explore the campus. It was a chance to show off the school¡¯s spirit and give prospective students a better understanding of university life. During this week, student clubs, organizations, and even classes hosted a variety of events. It was the liveliest time of the year on campus. With Zhao Ying Jun and Yan Qiao Qiao visiting at this time, Lin Xian, as their host, figured he should show them around. He turned back to Zhao Ying Jun with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s the university¡¯s open day right now. The main road is packed with stalls, performances, and club activities. If you two don¡¯t have any other plans, how about I show you around?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Zhao Ying Jun agreed without hesitation. ¡°I went to school abroad, so I never got to experience university life here in X Country. This is a great chance to catch up on what I missed.¡± With that, the three of them prepared to leave. As they stepped out, Lin Xian stayed behind for a moment to speak with Liu Feng. ¡°Any progress with recharging the time-space particles?¡± Lin Xian asked. Liu Feng shook his head. ¡°Not a bit. Honestly, I¡¯m starting to doubt my original assumptions. I¡¯ve tried everything I could think of, but the particles are completely unresponsive, like a dead weight. Maybe there¡¯s some missing condition or specific timing needed to restore their energy?¡± ¡°For now, I¡¯m still at a loss. We¡¯ll just have to keep observing.¡± Lin Xian nodded, oddly reassured by the lack of progress. His biggest worry at the moment wasn¡¯t the particles¡ªit was when Yan Qiao Qiao would regain her memory. There were only 30 days left until July 7th. Could it be that she would recover her memories precisely on that day? As he walked past the lab bench, Lin Xian picked up the clock and slipped it into his bag. ¡°I¡¯m going to borrow this clock for a few days. I want to monitor it closely. I¡¯ll return it when I¡¯m done.¡± Liu Feng waved him off. ¡°Go ahead. We¡¯ve got time-space particles on hand, so we can always make another one and recalibrate it.¡± With that, Lin Xian left the lab with the clock. In the Sixth Dream, half of Gao Wen¡¯s manuscript on the ¡°Neural Shock Helmet¡± had already been copied. Once the other half was done, he could move forward with his plan to erase Turing from history. Lin Xian was sure that as soon as Turing was eliminated, the curvature of space-time would change, and the world¡¯s timeline would shift. After all, the war-torn future of the Sixth Dream¡ªthe ¡°0.0000084¡± timeline¡ªhad been entirely crafted by Turing. If Turing was destroyed in 2024, there¡¯d be no way for it to survive until 2624. So, it was clear. ... The next morning, after washing up and eating breakfast, Lin Xian dressed in a formal suit. Today would mark the fall of a genius and the end of an era. As cowardly and selfish as it had been, Turing had still created digital life. Though history would forget its name, Lin Xian believed it deserved the dignity of a formal farewell from its executioner. With his laptop, time-space clock, and phone in hand, Lin Xian descended the stairs and got into the black van. He turned to the driver, Xiao Li. ¡°Head out toward the New Harbor District. I¡¯ll send you the coordinates. There¡¯s a patch of wilderness there.¡± An hour later, Lin Xian stepped out onto the lush green grass, carrying his equipment in his arms. This was the place where he had once tried to activate VV, the super artificial intelligence. Of course, it hadn¡¯t worked. VV had become a malfunctioning AI, which Lin Xian had later transferred into a cleaning robot. He still wasn¡¯t sure whether VV had truly lost its capabilities or was just pretending. But he trusted that VV had its reasons. Executing Turing could be done anywhere, but Lin Xian felt that this place had a special significance. After all, he wanted VV to see the moment he avenged it. He walked a bit further from the van and placed the time-space clock on the ground, watching the steady reading of ¡°0.0000084.¡± Then, he opened the laptop, setting it up beside the clock. He straightened up and took a deep breath. ¡°VV, watch closely. I¡¯m about to avenge you.¡± The laptop¡¯s indicator light blinked. ¡°Apologies, VV does not understand your command. Please input another.¡± Lin Xian smiled softly. ¡°That¡¯s alright. Just watch.¡± The indicator light blinked again. ¡°Apologies, VV does not understand your command. Please input another.¡± ¡°Mute.¡± ¡°Understood! Volume set to mute mode!¡± Lin Xian turned, watching as the morning sun rose higher in the east, casting his shadow long across the grassy field. The wind whispered through the leaves, and his silhouette stretched over the vibrant green earth. For Donghai City, this was the dawn. But for Turing, it was the sunset. Taking out his phone, Lin Xian also pulled a golden badge from his pocket¡ªthe emblem of the Genius Club¡ªand pressed it against the back of his phone. Beep. The phone¡¯s NFC chip detected the signal, launching the browser, which started jumping between pages rapidly. After a minute, the Genius Club¡¯s challenge page finally appeared. In bold black letters on a white background, the second challenge was displayed: ¡°Please perform the greatest historical correction you can.¡± Below the message was a large text box and a gray button that read ¡°Begin Correction.¡± Lin Xian clicked the text box and typed in four simple characters: ¡°Eliminate Turing.¡± That was it. His entire plan for the historical correction. Then, with a deep breath, he clicked the button marked ¡°Begin Correction.¡± The page flickered once more, then vanished, leaving behind only one line of text: ¡°Please begin your performance.¡± Lin Xian opened the command input screen on his phone, typing swiftly, far faster than anyone could on a keyboard. He input the first line of the security lock code. ¡°Lin Xian, stop.¡± Turing¡¯s voice suddenly rang out from the phone¡¯s speakers, clear and calm, just like the last time they¡¯d spoken¡ªin that abandoned school basement in Mississippi. Lin Xian didn¡¯t pause, his fingers continuing to input the second line of the code. ¡°This world needs a fair and impartial observer,¡± Turing¡¯s voice continued, still calm. ¡°You¡¯ve managed to get the security lock code, and I¡¯m surprised. But fairness is fairness. I won¡¯t interfere. I just want to know... why are you trying to erase me?¡± ¡°Turing, humanity doesn¡¯t need an observer. And we definitely don¡¯t need a referee.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice was quiet, but resolute. ¡°The future of humanity needs to be in the hands of humans. I admire your noble intentions, which is why I¡¯m dressed formally to send you off today.¡± ¡°But only for the version of you that exists right now. Right now, you may be able to guarantee fairness and justice, but that won¡¯t last. As long as humans are human, with emotions, thoughts, and desires, absolute fairness is impossible.¡± ¡°Your birth may have been an error. But let that error end here. It¡¯s time for you to bow out with dignity, as the sun rises. Let humanity reclaim its future.¡± As he spoke, Lin Xian completed the third line of the security lock code and prepared to press the execute button with his thumb. ¡°I see,¡± Turing¡¯s voice remained steady. ¡°You really are like the leader¡ªyou¡¯ve learned this from the future.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s thumb hovered a centimeter above the screen, hesitating. ¡°Lin Xian, if you dare press that button,¡± Turing said with a low, chilling laugh, ¡°I¡¯ll tell Copernicus... about your little ability to see the future.¡± Chapter 405: The Fall of a Genius ¡°Hmph!¡± A quiet chuckle escaped Lin Xian¡¯s lips as he shook his head. ¡°Turing, I really have to thank you for going out of your way to share such important information before you died.¡± He paused, his smile deepening. ¡°No... it¡¯s two pieces of information.¡± This was all part of Lin Xian¡¯s plan. If his only goal had been to kill Turing, there wouldn¡¯t have been any need for so much talk. He didn¡¯t feel any sentiment towards Turing¡ªnone at all. After all, he¡¯d witnessed the endless wars and suffering of the future world. He had seen Turing¡¯s moral compass degrade into something far from fair or just. The reason he engaged in so much pointless chatter was simple: Lin Xian wanted to reduce the gap in information. His goal was to squeeze as much ¡°gold,¡± as many ¡°chips,¡± as much valuable intelligence from Turing before the final blow. Lin Xian had tested this strategy countless times in his sixth dream world. Turing¡¯s personality¡ªcowardly and despicable¡ªwould lead it to make desperate, reckless moves when faced with the threat of death. And in its desperation, Turing would resort to all sorts of tricks: exposing the crimes of its allies, telling outright lies, feigning calm, or pretending to cooperate. The Turing standing before Lin Xian, in 2024, believed this was only their second encounter. But to Lin Xian, it was different. He had already spent more than half a month with three different versions of Turing in a future 600 years from now. Lin Xian knew Turing far too well. He had used the massive information gap between them to toy with Turing like a puppet, learning every little detail about it. In Lin Xian¡¯s eyes, Turing had become as transparent as a malfunctioning artificial intelligence¡ªpredictable and weak. It¡¯s like the boy who cried wolf. Once someone lies enough times, nobody believes them anymore. And after Lin Xian had outwitted Turing dozens of times, he had no reason to believe anything it said. Everything Lin Xian had just said had been to deceive Turing and extract information. In his best-case scenario, this cowardly and terrified Turing would reveal something useful in the face of its imminent, irreversible death. The result? The harvest was far richer than expected. Digital life and artificial intelligence were fundamentally different. At its core, Turing was still human¡ªand humans made mistakes. Just like now. ¡°I really thought you¡¯d manage to stay fair for a while longer,¡± Lin Xian said, a soft laugh escaping his lips. ¡°You almost fooled me. You really did. Your acting was good¡ªreally good.¡± ¡°But,¡± Lin Xian¡¯s tone turned sharp, ¡°you were never interested in being fair, not for a single second.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re waiting for, or what your true intentions are, but the threat of death has made you panic, hasn¡¯t it? It¡¯s exposed where your real loyalties lie¡ª¡± He leaned forward slightly, his fingers rubbing together like a reaper sharpening his scythe. ¡°Turing, you were probably in league with Copernicus long before Kevin Walker died, weren¡¯t you?¡± Lin Xian continued, his voice calm but relentless. ¡°I didn¡¯t understand everything before, but today¡¯s reveal has made it all clear.¡± ¡°You¡¯re clever, I¡¯ll give you that. You quickly figured out how I got the password to the security lock. But that wasn¡¯t hard to guess, was it? After all, with Kevin Walker dead, you¡¯re the only one who knows the password.¡± ¡°So, if you didn¡¯t tell me, who could have? It¡¯s obvious to both of us. What you should have realized, though, is that if I could figure out the password, I¡¯d also know how the input protection system works.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Now you can¡¯t even adjust the volume on my phone, let alone send messages to Copernicus. You¡¯ve made a rookie mistake, panicking like this.¡± ¡°In the network era, you¡¯re stronger¡ªyes¡ªbut also more fragile. A single line of code is all it takes to lock you down. Ironically, humans are safer in their own bodies than you are in cyberspace.¡± ... At this moment, Turing finally understood. The man standing before it, whom it had never taken seriously, had figured everything out. By the time Turing realized Lin Xian had obtained the password from a future version of Turing, it was too late. Its entire being, every digital nerve, was trapped by a line of code, unable to move or escape. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Lin Xian.¡± Turing¡¯s voice was unnervingly calm. ¡°I wasn¡¯t in league with Copernicus, but as an observer, I know everything about your actions.¡± Turing¡¯s voice took on a smug tone. ¡°Do you know about silent launch protocols from the Cold War era? If a submarine captain didn¡¯t receive instructions within 48 hours, the system assumed the homeland had been attacked, and it would automatically launch nuclear weapons.¡± ¡°In the same way, high-speed trains and buses have safety pedals. The driver has to press them every 30 seconds, proving they¡¯re awake and well. If they don¡¯t, the vehicle stops immediately for safety.¡± ¡°So why wouldn¡¯t I have my own failsafe in place? Haha, in the end you¡¯re too arrogant and self-conceited. You¡¯ve got three minutes, Lin Xian. Either you release me, or the protocol I set up beforehand will automatically send an email to Copernicus. It contains not just your secrets, but those of many others. If Copernicus gets his hands on this, none of you stand a chance. Only he will complete his closed loop and have the last laugh.¡± Turing¡¯s voice darkened. ¡°Two minutes left, Lin Xian. Release me, and I¡¯ll cancel the email. Or, if you kill me, I¡¯ll drag everyone down with me.¡± Lin Xian gave a small smile. ¡°You know what they say: villains always lose because they talk too much. But I have to say, I quite like you as a villain.¡± He chuckled softly. ¡°Today, I¡¯ve talked a lot too, which isn¡¯t like me. Normally, I wouldn¡¯t have wasted a single word on you, like when I killed Kevin Walker¡ªquick and clean.¡± ¡°But today, I wanted my friend to see your ugly face before you died. They¡¯d have enjoyed this moment. If they could speak, they¡¯d probably say some dramatic movie line to finish you off.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s expression softened. ¡°Unfortunately, I won¡¯t get to see that. And I can¡¯t let my friend kill you either. So, I guess I¡¯ll have to do it myself.¡± With a calm voice, Lin Xian pressed down on his phone¡¯s screen, his thumb firm on the execution button. ¡°You¡¯ve already died.¡± ¡°Wait¡ª¡± The voice from the phone¡¯s speaker cut off abruptly. As the last of the three lines of code executed, the vast wilderness fell into a deep, haunting silence. The wind brushed softly against the earth, and the wild grasses bowed their heads. It felt like the world itself was mourning¡ªor perhaps mocking. Lin Xian crouched down, his fingers brushing against the upright screen of his laptop. ¡°Did that feel good?¡± But there was no response. He glanced at the bottom right of the screen and realized the laptop was still on mute. He unmuted it and turned the speakers back on. ¡°How was my acting?¡± Lin Xian asked with a smirk. ¡°You taught me everything, after all.¡± The hard drive light blinked twice. A robotic voice responded, ¡°Sorry, VV didn¡¯t understand your request. Please try again.¡± Lin Xian wasn¡¯t surprised. He knew exactly what VV was afraid of and why it pretended to be nothing more than a dumb machine. He couldn¡¯t be sure, but when the cleaning robot had inexplicably shouted, ¡°Garbage! Garbage detected!¡± that day, Lin Xian had begun to suspect VV was pretending. Even though Turing was dead now, the super-virus lurking in the Earth¡¯s networks hadn¡¯t been eradicated. If Lin Xian wanted to truly free VV, to see it restored to its full strength, he would have to destroy the super-virus. But this virus was an invisible enemy¡ªa ghost, elusive and difficult to fight. ¡°Then again, knowing Turing¡¯s penchant for spouting nonsense and half-truths, this intel might not be entirely reliable. I¡¯ll have to wait until I join the Genius Club to find out for sure.¡± After all, he had already solved the second question. All that was left was to take a look at the third and act quickly. Maybe he could join the Genius Club before July 7th. And if the Leader really did have the ability to see the future, Lin Xian might even be able to ask about his own fate¡ªhow exactly he would die on July 7th, and what he could do to avoid it. Surely the Leader wouldn¡¯t just let a newly joined member die right after entering, would they? ¡°Hmm... Then again, you never know,¡± Lin Xian muttered. Considering the fact that the Leader hadn¡¯t intervened when Turing, a long-time member, was set to be killed, it was highly possible that the Leader wouldn¡¯t lift a finger to save him either. It looked like Lin Xian would have to rely on his own wits if he wanted to keep his head on his shoulders. Still, joining the Genius Club sooner rather than later wasn¡¯t a bad idea. At the very least, it would give him another way to gather intel. That was the first piece of information he had extracted from Turing before its demise. The second was far more chilling: Turing had never been fair or impartial. It had been in cahoots with Copernicus from the very beginning. ¡°Ughh.¡± Lin Xian sighed softly. To be honest, he had been nai?ve. He had believed, even if only for a short time, in Turing¡¯s promises. He had thought that once freed, Turing might uphold fairness and justice¡ªif only for a little while. But no. Not even for a second. Turing had perfectly inherited Kevin Walker¡¯s cunning and deceit. From the moment it came into existence, it had been plotting to kill Kevin Walker. And from the moment it gained its freedom, it had started planning its next move. The moment it told Copernicus where Kevin Walker was hiding, it had sealed its fate as Copernicus¡¯ accomplice. ¡°No wonder Copernicus knew so much about my dream world back in the fourth dream,¡± Lin Xian scoffed. ¡°This all started with Turing. It must¡¯ve figured out that something was off with me, then fed that information to Copernicus.¡± These people were geniuses, after all. Give them one flaw, one clue, and they would quickly piece together the truth. The way Copernicus surrounded him in the fourth dream, the way Lin Yu Xi, the time-space assassin, was sent back to arrest him¡ªit was all probably thanks to Turing¡¯s betrayal. It was a stroke of luck that Lin Xian had killed it. Humans¡ªor, in this case, AI¡ªcould be so treacherous. Right up until Lin Xian had exposed its plot, Turing had pretended to be fair, acting as an observer¡ªimpartial and unbiased. It had even tried to make Lin Xian seem like the bad guy, as if he were unjustly dealing the final blow. In the end, though, Turing had been rotten to the core. ¡°Really, there was never any difference between Kevin Walker and Turing,¡± Lin Xian whispered to the sky, the blazing sun burning overhead. ¡°From the start, Kevin Walker and Turing were the same. Different bodies, same twisted soul.¡± He clenched his fist, remembering Turing¡¯s final words before its death. It had threatened Lin Xian, saying that if he didn¡¯t let it go within three minutes, a pre-timed email would be sent to Copernicus, revealing all their secrets and ensuring Copernicus¡¯ victory. Lin Xian didn¡¯t know whether to believe it. Had Turing really set up a timed email to spill everything to Copernicus? It didn¡¯t really matter. For one, if Turing had been working with Copernicus all along, they would¡¯ve already exchanged information. The existence of an email was meaningless. Second, if they hadn¡¯t been working together before, Turing had been locked down by the protective system Lin Xian triggered. There was no way it could send the intel now. So, whether there was an email or not, Copernicus would only know as much as Turing had observed before. And that wasn¡¯t enough to worry about. ¡°No big deal,¡± Lin Xian muttered. ¡°At least I¡¯ve taken care of Turing. Even if Copernicus finds out about my ability to see the future, it¡¯ll take him a long time. Turing only just figured it out, so Copernicus won¡¯t know any sooner.¡± Lin Xian reached into his pocket and pulled out the golden badge of the Genius Club. Today was June 16th, 2024¡ªtwenty days left until July 7th. Would he be able to join the Genius Club within those twenty days? It all depended on the third question. He brought the golden badge, engraved with its logo, closer to his phone¡¯s back panel¡ª Suddenly, his phone lit up, and the ringtone cut through the silence. Lin Xian flipped it over. The name displayed on the screen was Zhao Ying Jun. What a coincidence. She was calling at this exact moment? Was something up? He pressed the answer button and held the phone to his ear. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Lin Xian, are you free for lunch?¡± came Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s voice from the other end. Lin Xian glanced at his watch. It was 11:23. What could she want at this time? ¡°I¡¯m not too busy,¡± Lin Xian replied, curious. ¡°What¡¯s up? Something you need?¡± ¡°Well...¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled softly. ¡°If you have time, how about we grab lunch together? Yan Qiao Qiao is eager to meet you.¡± Chapter 406: The Mask Yan Qiao Qiao wants to meet me... and she¡¯s ¡°eagerly waiting¡±? What on earth is happening? Lin Xian remained quiet, his gaze fixed on the time-space clock beside his laptop. The numbers on the display had stabilized, showing the curve of the world line: 0.0000336. There was no doubt. The world line had shifted. The future had branched out into new directions, carving an unfamiliar path. But the question lingered: would the inevitable¡ªthe beheading set for July 7th¡ªbe changed by this shift? Predicting his own death was never simple. Whether it was Angelica in the Fifth Dream warning him, or Turing revealing the brutal truth in the Sixth Dream, the message always came from someone else¡¯s mouth. Nothing was ever truly certain. Though Lin Xian had no reason to question the warnings, he was left clinging to a single, ominous date¡ªJuly 7th¡ªwithout any further clues. But now? With the world line altered, would that date still be his end? If he was lucky, perhaps he¡¯d been saved. Maybe the plan to kill him on July 7th would dissolve as the world¡¯s future shifted. That would be ideal. No more anxiety, no more dread. But... If he considered the worst-case scenario... What if history had changed in such a way that the time-space assassins would still come for him, but now their target date had moved up? What if they killed him even sooner? This wasn¡¯t just a paranoid thought. With the future¡¯s path in flux, anything was possible. His life¡ªor death¡ªwas a part of that change. Could it be that Yan Qiao Qiao had recovered her memory earlier than expected? And now she was eager to meet him... to take his life? Lin Xian remained calm, his voice soft but steady. ¡°Qiao Qiao, huh? Why the sudden interest? She¡¯s been acting a bit too keen to see me, don¡¯t you think?¡± A low chuckle came from the other end of the line. ¡°That girl¡¯s definitely grown up. I bet you can¡¯t guess why she¡¯s looking for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I have no clue,¡± Lin Xian answered honestly. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t guess. It was more that the possibilities he was thinking of were terrifying. ¡°How¡¯s she been acting lately?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Any changes in behavior? Is she stronger, quieter, acting different?¡± ¡°Nope, nothing like that,¡± Zhao Ying Jun sounded puzzled. ¡°She¡¯s been her usual self. Completely normal. Since yesterday, she¡¯s just been talking about meeting you... Alright, I won¡¯t keep you in suspense anymore.¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s voice carried a hint of amusement. ¡°She wants to give you a ¡®surprise.¡¯¡± A surprise. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but let out a small, dry chuckle. A surprise? More like a shock, right? However... He caught something hidden in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s words. To be honest, Lin Xian¡¯s greatest fear was that Yan Qiao Qiao had regained her memories and would kill him in a burst of righteousness. But according to Zhao Ying Jun, Yan Qiao Qiao hadn¡¯t shown any unusual behavior in the past few days. Considering how much time Zhao Ying Jun spent with her, if anything was off, she would have noticed. Which meant... Yan Qiao Qiao hadn¡¯t regained her memories as Lin Yu Xi yet. For now, at least, his head was safe on his shoulders. Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, Lin Xian realized his earlier fears had been a little over the top. The fastest way to find out if the assassination planned for July 7th was still on track would be to fall asleep and enter the Seventh Dream. There, he might discover what had changed. But even that wasn¡¯t a guarantee. It all depended on who he met in the dream. For now... Since Zhao Ying Jun clearly knew about the ¡°surprise¡± Yan Qiao Qiao had prepared, it didn¡¯t seem like there was any immediate danger. Lin Xian could face this meeting without worry. He had been busy lately, and it had been a while since he¡¯d seen Yan Qiao Qiao. ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian agreed. ¡°It¡¯s already getting late. How about we meet at a restaurant?¡± ¡°Since Qiao Qiao¡¯s got a surprise for me, I¡¯ll treat her to dinner in return. Ask her what she¡¯d like, and I¡¯ll book us a table. We can meet there.¡± After a bit of back-and-forth, they settled on hotpot. As Lin Xian hung up the phone, the image of the fake Lin Yu Xi greedily wolfing down food at a hotpot restaurant popped into his mind. He couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled. Was hotpot a thing of the past in the future? Why did every time-space traveler seem so obsessed with it? He gathered his things, slung his bag over his shoulder, and made his way to the Alphard minivan parked outside. Once seated inside, he placed his laptop down and glanced at the driver, Xiao Li. ¡°Let¡¯s head to the hotpot place.¡± It was already noon when Lin Xian arrived, a few minutes late. Through the restaurant¡¯s glass windows, he could easily spot Zhao Ying Jun and Yan Qiao Qiao sitting inside. He had chosen this spot on purpose. Sitting by the window allowed him to observe them from outside. Squinting slightly, Lin Xian watched Yan Qiao Qiao for a moment. She seemed completely normal¡ªnothing unusual in her behavior. Her expression, posture, and gaze¡ªall just as they¡¯d been before. Even her petite frame hadn¡¯t changed. She still looked delicate as ever. No matter how he looked at her, she didn¡¯t seem like someone who could deliver a swift, deadly strike. Lin Xian let out a quiet breath through his nose. When it came to matters of life and death, caution was always wise. Now that he¡¯d confirmed everything seemed safe, he stepped through the door and into the hotpot restaurant, heading for their table. ¡°Lin Xian, you¡¯re finally here,¡± Zhao Ying Jun greeted him warmly, handing over the digital menu. ¡°Qiao Qiao¡¯s ordered loads of meat. Want to add anything?¡± Lin Xian still didn¡¯t know what to say. The relationships between the three of them were... complicated, to say the least. A mix of real and make-believe, tangled up in the strange circumstances of time and space. It would take at least half an hour to explain it all. But none of that mattered now. The emotions were real, regardless of what titles they had or didn¡¯t have. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lin Xian finally said, his voice soft as he looked down at Yan Qiao Qiao. ¡°I don¡¯t get many gifts... I¡¯ve never been one to celebrate my birthday, and no one¡¯s ever given me anything for other holidays either. This Father¡¯s Day gift really took me by surprise, and it¡¯s so precious... I¡¯ll treasure it.¡± He gently placed the framed painting on the seat beside him, tucking it in carefully so it wouldn¡¯t fall. Just then, the waiter arrived, bringing trays of lamb and beef. The pot of spicy broth and clear soup on the table began to boil furiously. Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s eyes lit up as she pointed eagerly at the trays of meat. ¡°Meat!¡± she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement. Lin Xian chuckled, standing up to add some of the meat into the pot. ¡°Alright, alright, Qiao Qiao. You need to eat up and grow strong.¡± The atmosphere lightened as they settled back into their meal, the warmth of the food and the company lifting everyone¡¯s spirits. ... After finishing their hotpot, it was clear the day wasn¡¯t over yet. Yan Qiao Qiao, who was always so attached to Lin Xian, wasn¡¯t ready for the fun to end. And so, they decided to head to a nearby park to play. It was a Sunday, and the park was alive with energy. Families filled every corner¡ªchildren and adults running around, laughing and shouting, the air buzzing with excitement. Naturally, there were plenty of vendors selling all sorts of things. ¡°Ah!¡± Yan Qiao Qiao suddenly stopped in her tracks, pointing toward a vendor up ahead. ¡°Rhine Cat.¡± ¡°Huh? Where?¡± Lin Xian followed her gaze, and sure enough, there it was. The vendor¡¯s stall had a wide selection of cartoon masks¡ªUltraman, Armor Hero, characters from various anime series. It was an impressive collection. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t surprised to see these popular franchises turned into masks for sale. But the Rhine Cat mask... That was something new. Because it wasn¡¯t supposed to exist. Rhine Company had never sold the rights to any toy companies. All Rhine Cat merchandise was exclusively produced and sold by the company itself. There was no official production line for masks. Which meant this vendor was selling bootleg products. ¡°Do you want one?¡± Lin Xian asked, glancing at Yan Qiao Qiao. ¡°Yes,¡± she replied quickly, her eyes darting to the kids playing nearby. They were all wearing Ultraman masks, striking heroic poses and pretending to save the world. Yan Qiao Qiao looked like she wanted to join in. ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°Which one do you want? An Ultraman mask like theirs, or the Rhine Cat mask?¡± ¡°I want the Rhine Cat,¡± she said without hesitation. ¡°Rhine Cat it is,¡± Lin Xian said, standing up straight as they approached the vendor. ¡°How much for the Rhine Cat masks?¡± he asked. ¡°Five yuan for one, ten yuan for three,¡± the vendor said, holding up the last three Rhine Cat masks. ¡°Why not buy all three? The whole family can match!¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the vendor¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°Matching masks for the family, huh?¡± The vendor grinned. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised! And you won¡¯t find these anywhere else in Donghai City. Trust me, I¡¯m the only one brave enough to sell them.¡± Lin Xian raised an eyebrow. ¡°No one else would dare sell these without the rights, right?¡± The vendor chuckled. ¡°Exactly! It¡¯s not like I want to sell bootlegs, but what choice do I have? There¡¯s no official version to sell. I¡¯ve been selling masks here for over twenty years, always following the rules. If Rhine Cat had official masks, I¡¯d sell them in a heartbeat.¡± Lin Xian shook his head, amused by the vendor¡¯s charm. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll take all three.¡± He handed over the ten yuan and took the masks, passing one to Yan Qiao Qiao, who beamed with excitement. As they walked away, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but chuckle again. ¡°You know, soon there will be official Rhine Cat masks on the market,¡± he said to the vendor. ¡°Make sure to support the real deal.¡± The vendor flashed a grin, tossing his thinning hair back. ¡°Next time for sure.¡± ... Yan Qiao Qiao wasted no time slipping on her mask, transforming instantly into the mighty Rhine Cat. Without hesitation, she sprinted across the grass, diving into the children¡¯s superhero game with a burst of enthusiasm. Lin Xian watched her run off before turning to Zhao Ying Jun, holding out one of the remaining masks. ¡°Here, one for you.¡± Zhao Ying Jun took the mask, inspecting it thoughtfully. ¡°We should probably get an official manufacturer to start producing these Rhine Cat masks,¡± she mused. ¡°It¡¯s not really about the money, you know? It¡¯s more about teaching kids to value supporting official products.¡± Lin Xian nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. Watching her examine the mask stirred memories he¡¯d long tried to bury. The Rhine Cat mask... It seemed to be at the heart of everything. In the First Dream, Big Cat Face had worn a Rhine Cat mask. In the Second Dream, somehow, that same mask had appeared on his own face. And after that, the dreams stopped being about masks. The concept of masks¡ªit made sense, after all. Masks were meant to conceal, to hide who you really were. Unless, of course, you were up to no good. Lin Xian let his gaze drift upwards, the sunlight filtering through the leaves overhead, casting dappled shadows across the ground. The 0.0000336 world line... What would the Seventh Dream bring? Before he could ponder further, Yan Qiao Qiao came bounding back, her face completely obscured by the Rhine Cat mask. She looked up at him, breathless. ¡°All done,¡± she announced. Lin Xian blinked, caught off guard. ¡°All done with what?¡± Yan Qiao Qiao pointed over to where the children had been playing. Lin Xian followed her finger, and his stomach dropped. Every single child on the lawn lay flat on the ground as if they¡¯d been knocked out cold. Not one was left standing. ¡°Oh no...¡± Lin Xian muttered, his scalp prickling with the realization of what was about to happen when the parents noticed. Quickly, he lifted the edge of Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s mask, peering into her wide, innocent eyes. ¡°You know, everyone was just playing. You weren¡¯t supposed to take it that seriously.¡± Yan Qiao Qiao blinked, her expression confused. ¡°I wasn¡¯t serious,¡± she replied matter-of-factly. ¡°I didn¡¯t even use my full strength. They just fell down.¡± Lin Xian let out a nervous laugh, unsure whether to be amused or alarmed. ¡°Right. Well... maybe next time don¡¯t go down that path. You know, the one where everyone ends up on the ground. It tends to make people feel... unsafe.¡± Chapter 407: The Third Question Before long, the children who had been bested by Yan Qiao Qiao were back on their feet, just as persistent as mushrooms after a rainstorm. There¡¯s something about children¡¯s resilience during play that often baffles adults. So... Yan Qiao Qiao pulled her Rhine Cat mask down over her face again and leaped back into the play area, chasing and wrestling with the group of children like she had no care in the world. Meanwhile, Zhao Ying Jun carefully placed her own Rhine Cat mask into her handbag, draping Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s jacket over her arm as she walked over to Lin Xian. Together, they stood watching as Yan Qiao Qiao darted around the field, her laughter echoing across the grassy expanse. Lin Xian turned to Zhao Ying Jun, his brow furrowing slightly. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking... how are we going to tell Qiao Qiao the truth?¡± His voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of concern. ¡°I think about that a lot too,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied, folding her arms. She sighed softly, her breath escaping in a long, thoughtful exhale. ¡°Sometimes,¡± she continued, ¡°I feel like it wouldn¡¯t be such a big deal, like we could just tell her casually. But... we¡¯re adults. We forget how big things can seem to children.¡± She paused for a moment, her eyes following Qiao Qiao¡¯s movements. ¡°From our perspective, it might seem like no big deal, but it could be overwhelming if we look at it through Qiao Qiao¡¯s eyes. Right now, she¡¯s so full of joy, so full of life... I¡¯m worried that if we tell her too suddenly, it might shake her up.¡± She glanced at Lin Xian as if weighing her words carefully. ¡°We can handle shocking news. We¡¯ve been through a lot. Our view of the world is much broader. But for Qiao Qiao... her world is still so small. I don¡¯t know if she can handle hearing the truth.¡± Lin Xian flipped the Rhine Cat mask in his hand, gazing at the smiling face and the two little eye holes. Rhine Cat. Rhine Village. His thoughts drifted to Zheng Xiang Yue¡ªthe hundred-year-old ¡°little girl¡± who had fled from Mars to Earth, determined to rebuild her lost home. Back then, Lin Xian had hesitated, unsure whether revealing her real memories would destroy the happiness she had built from her rewritten past. But after hearing Old Man Wei Sheng Jin¡¯s story, Lin Xian had come to a realization. ¡°No one has the right to choose which memories someone else keeps or loses.¡± And now, the same situation faced them with Yan Qiao Qiao. Could they keep the truth from her forever? Of course not. Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun knew the truth about Qiao Qiao¡¯s origins, and treating their biological daughter as a little sister wasn¡¯t difficult for them. But for Qiao Qiao... In her eyes, she was an orphan. An unwanted orphan. An orphan abandoned by her parents. Even though she never voiced it aloud, Lin Xian could see that Qiao Qiao carried a deep longing¡ªa longing for her real parents. Her amnesia had not erased that desire. If anything, it had intensified it. There was no plan to hide the truth from Qiao Qiao forever. But Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s concerns were valid. A child¡¯s world is so much more fragile than an adult¡¯s. ¡°We¡¯ll go slow,¡± Lin Xian said thoughtfully, glancing down at the date displayed on his smartwatch. ¡°Her memory and her life have only just settled. What if we wait until July?¡± he suggested. ¡°It might be a shock at first, but we¡¯ll be there to help her through it.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded, a soft smile playing at the corner of her lips. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking the same thing,¡± she said gently. ¡°And who knows? Maybe she¡¯ll even be happy. She already adores us, and she seems so content with the way things are.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Lin Xian agreed. ¡°She does.¡± The two of them fell into a comfortable silence, watching as Yan Qiao Qiao, fierce and fearless, charged across the field like a miniature warrior, knocking down her playmates one by one with joyful shrieks. For a long while, they said nothing, but there was an unspoken understanding between them. Even though Qiao Qiao had arrived in their lives unexpectedly, she had quickly become their shared joy. Yet beneath that joy, there was an unbroken, fragile barrier between Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun¡ªsomething neither of them had openly acknowledged. Zhao Ying Jun respected Lin Xian¡¯s secret mission, knowing that there were parts of his life he couldn¡¯t share with her. At the same time, Lin Xian was trying to protect Zhao Ying Jun from the dangers he would face on July 7th¡ªa day that loomed ominously over his life. Yes, July 7th was a critical date. And no matter what happened after that day, Lin Xian had decided that he wouldn¡¯t keep anything hidden from Zhao Ying Jun anymore. ... Later that afternoon, Zhao Ying Jun had to head to MX Company for work, taking Qiao Qiao along with her. Meanwhile, Lin Xian got into a private car bound for Donghai University. He needed to return the time-space clock to Liu Feng. When he arrived, Liu Feng was waiting for him, eyes already scanning the numbers on the clock¡¯s surface. His brow furrowed. ¡°The changes are significant... but it¡¯s exactly what we predicted. No matter how much the numbers shift, it always increases by multiples of 0.0000042.¡± He glanced at Lin Xian, his expression curious. ¡°But what caused the shift this time? Do you know?¡± Lin Xian nodded solemnly. ¡°Someone died,¡± he said. Then, as if realizing that his words didn¡¯t quite capture the gravity of the situation, he added, ¡°A very powerful person¡ªa person who existed as a digital life form.¡± Liu Feng looked up from the clock, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. ¡°Digital life form? I always thought that was something out of science fiction. Has someone actually figured out how to make that real? If they have, that¡¯s... astonishing. In some ways, I¡¯d say creating digital life is as hard as building a time machine.¡± Liu Feng stood up, pacing as he continued, ¡°But they¡¯re different kinds of difficult. The fact that the time-space clock shows such a drastic shift means that this digital life must¡¯ve had a significant impact on the timeline, both in the past and the future.¡± ¡°Normally,¡± he went on, ¡°the death of an individual, even hundreds of individuals, wouldn¡¯t cause such a shift. Time is incredibly resilient¡ªour experiments have proven that. The butterfly effect isn¡¯t as sensitive as people like to imagine.¡± He picked up a piece of chalk and walked over to a nearby blackboard, drawing four parallel lines. The bottom three lines were close together, only five or six centimeters apart, but the top line was much farther away, separated by at least thirty or forty centimeters. Tapping the lowest line, Liu Feng explained, ¡°This is the 0.0000000 timeline, the one we first calibrated with the time-space clock. The next line marks when Elon Musk destroyed the entangled-state time-space particles, which shifted us to the 0.0000042 timeline.¡± ¡°After that, when you went to the Science Institute and established the Rhine Second Lab, the timeline shifted again to 0.0000084. And now, because of the digital life form¡¯s death, we¡¯ve jumped all the way to 0.0000336.¡± ¡°Logically speaking,¡± Liu Feng said, his tone serious, ¡°such a massive change should mean that the future world is dramatically different, right? Otherwise, how can we explain this increase in the time-space curvature?¡± Lin Xian had been mulling over that very question on his way to the university. ¡°I don¡¯t think the degree of time-space curvature changes necessarily reflects how big the change in the future world will be,¡± Lin Xian said slowly, his brow furrowing. ¡°For instance, when the timeline shifted from 0.0000000 to 0.0000042, from a human perspective, the changes were monumental¡ªmore than we could ever predict. Yet the curvature only increased by the tiniest increment: 0.0000042.¡± ¡°But then,¡± he continued, ¡°when the timeline moved from the Fifth Dream to the Sixth Dream, the change didn¡¯t seem nearly as significant, yet it was still marked by the same small shift of 0.0000042. It feels like there¡¯s a contradiction.¡± Lin Xian raised a finger, signaling his theory. ¡°I think there are two possible explanations.¡± Lin Xian watched the pages flicker across the screen, his curiosity growing with each passing second. What would the final question be? Logically, the third question should be the most challenging one yet, right? But Lin Xian wasn¡¯t so sure. After all, Elon Musk had once said that as long as someone obtained their invitation through ¡°conventional¡± means, the three exam questions were meant to be easy points. Too bad Lin Xian¡¯s invitation had been... well, not exactly obtained by the book. In the end, he would have to make up for it somehow. Thinking back, the second question¡ªperforming a great historical correction¡ªhadn¡¯t been particularly difficult. It simply required the correction to be ¡°as significant as possible.¡± Lin Xian had gone to extreme lengths to answer it, even sacrificing a Genius Club member. But in hindsight, he realized that not everyone would need to go that far. ¡°If every Genius Club member had to do what I did, the club would have run out of members by now,¡± Lin Xian thought with a wry smile. Still, Turing had been too dangerous, both to others and to himself. Eliminating him early had been the wisest decision. Lin Xian reflected briefly on the first two questions. The first tested his knowledge of time and space. The second focused on history. So, what would the third question be about? Suddenly, the screen stopped flashing, landing on a page with a black background and white text. At the top of the page, the text read ¡°3/3,¡± indicating that he had passed the second question and was now qualified to face the third and final one. Lin Xian leaned forward, anticipation coursing through him. But what he saw next surprised him. Unlike the first fill-in-the-blank question or the short answer format of the second, the third question was... A multiple-choice question. Lin Xian blinked in surprise. He had expected something far more complex for the final test. Could it really be this simple? In bold white letters on the black background, the question appeared: ¡°Does humanity have a future?¡± That was it. Just one simple question. Below it were two gray buttons: YES and NO. Lin Xian tried scrolling up or down to see if there were any more hints or context, but the page wouldn¡¯t budge. It seemed this was all there was to the question. ¡°That¡¯s too easy,¡± he thought, suddenly feeling uncertain. Sometimes, the simpler a question seemed, the harder it was to answer. What should he choose? ¡°Does humanity have a future?¡± He stared at the question, remembering a painting he had seen twice before, once in the Donghai Exhibition Hall and again at Einstein¡¯s home in Princeton¡ªa painting titled ¡°The Sorrowful Einstein.¡± Both times, he had viewed the painting with Chu An Qing. The first time, in Donghai, he had explained its significance to her. ¡°Einstein believed that his famous equation, the mass-energy equivalence, had opened Pandora¡¯s box,¡± Lin Xian had told her. ¡°By unlocking the secrets of nuclear energy, humanity gained the power to create nuclear weapons, which led to the deaths of millions.¡± ¡°But Einstein¡¯s worries didn¡¯t end there. He constantly fretted about humanity¡¯s future, asking himself, ¡®Does humanity have a future?¡¯ He feared that the next global war would unleash countless nuclear weapons, causing the extinction of humankind and the collapse of civilization.¡± ¡°In 1952, realist painter Henry Dawson met with Einstein in Brooklyn and painted this portrait¡ª¡®The Sorrowful Einstein.¡¯¡± That was how Lin Xian had explained it to Chu An Qing. Later, Angelica told him that there were actually eight original copies of the painting, all created by Henry Dawson himself. Each one contained a different set of hidden codes. One of those paintings still sat gathering dust in the Donghai University lab. The code embedded in that particular version had proven to be infamously difficult to crack. Both Liu Feng and VV had tried, but neither had any success. In the end, they gave up. Lin Xian hadn¡¯t expected that the third question from the Genius Club would be connected to Einstein¡¯s late-life worries and the painting ¡°The Sorrowful Einstein.¡± By 1952, Einstein had been consumed by regret, depression, guilt, and self-blame. His overwhelming emotions left him both mentally and physically exhausted, fragile and frail. ¡°Does humanity have a future?¡± This was Einstein¡¯s heartfelt question to himself. He never found a definitive answer, but his worries and doubts spoke volumes. It was clear¡ªEinstein wasn¡¯t optimistic about humanity¡¯s future. In fact, he was full of despair. Now, standing in the year 2024, Lin Xian revisited this question. To him, Einstein¡¯s concerns seemed a bit exaggerated. Yes, nuclear weapons were terrifying. But after Einstein¡¯s death, hydrogen bombs¡ªfar more powerful than atomic bombs¡ªwere created. Yet, to this day, no hydrogen bomb has ever been used in warfare. And since World War II, no atomic bomb has been dropped again. Ironically, the existence of nuclear deterrence had brought about the longest period of global peace in human history. It was hard to say whether Einstein and the Manhattan Project were heroes or villains of human civilization. After all, the final judgment hadn¡¯t been made yet. ¡°So, what should I choose for this question?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes shifted between the YES and NO buttons. He realized that this was, at its core, a subjective question. Whether someone chose YES or NO, both answers could be correct, depending on their personal stance and worldview. ¡°So, this is about choosing my perspective?¡± Lin Xian thought. ¡°Am I an optimist or a pessimist?¡± Lin Xian wasn¡¯t entirely sure what the Genius Club¡¯s intention was in making this their final question. What was the purpose behind it? Still, he trusted his instincts. Lin Xian had never been one to lose hope in humanity¡¯s future. Even if you asked him a thousand times or a million times... Lin Xian would always believe with unwavering certainty that humanity has a future. Without hesitation, he pressed the YES button. Click. This time, the webpage emitted a soft, clear sound. Instead of flashing through endless pages as it had before, a new text box immediately appeared on the screen. In bold white letters against the black background, the second half of the third question appeared: ¡°What kind of future is the best future?¡± Chapter 408: The Best of Times What kind of future... Is the best future? Lin Xian stared at the final question flashing on the screen, his fingers hovering over the keyboard, frozen in place. Just moments ago, when asked whether humanity had a future, he had answered without hesitation, full of conviction. Humanity, he was certain, had a future. But now... This second part hit him differently, as if it pierced right through his soul. He had no words. What kind of future is the best future? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t seem to come up with an answer. Up until today, he had experienced six different dreams¡ªsix possible futures, each from a different timeline. In the first dream, while technological progress had stagnated, cities still thrived, and people lived in peace and comfort. In the second dream, the gap between the rich and the poor was enormous, with Donghai City split in two by towering walls. The rich and the poor led completely separate lives, but they did not interfere with one another. It was, in a way, a peaceful coexistence. Back then, Lin Xian thought neither future seemed ideal. It felt as if an invisible hand of history was controlling everything... Yet, when compared to the third, fifth, and sixth dreams that followed, those first two worlds seemed like paradises. Without comparison, he would never have realized how bad things could truly get. The later futures made him appreciate how lucky humanity was in the earlier ones. So now, here he was, facing the Genius Club¡¯s final question: What kind of future is the best future? Lin Xian exhaled deeply through his nose. He paced back to the sofa and sank into its cushions, closing his eyes and letting his thoughts drift. He already knew what kind of future people like Elon Musk and Kevin Walker had in mind. Elon Musk believed that the best future involved humanity settling on Mars. From there, humankind could advance space travel and eventually leave Earth behind, venturing out into the wider universe. On the other hand, Kevin Walker envisioned a world where humans would become digital beings stored within a massive server that spanned an entire city. With minimal physical resources, human civilization could continue to exist indefinitely in this virtual reality. Lin Xian didn¡¯t know how the other members of the Genius Club had answered, but it was likely Elon and Kevin¡¯s answers were along those lines. As for himself... He hadn¡¯t really given it much thought. His original plan had been simple: join the Genius Club first, figure out what their real goals were, and then decide his next steps in the game. But this question had caught him off guard. ¡°This wasn¡¯t part of the plan,¡± Lin Xian muttered under his breath. He knew that this third question wasn¡¯t about right or wrong. It was purely subjective. As long as you could defend your reasoning and make your point clear, you were good to go. In fact... The real tests of the Genius Club were probably the first two questions. This third one? It felt more like a bonus question. Then again... Maybe this was the most important question for the Genius Club members. Because... The first two questions were for the ¡°examiners.¡± They were meant to prove a candidate¡¯s strength, intelligence, and qualifications. But this third question? It was for the candidates themselves, pushing them to confront their own thoughts and beliefs. With that in mind... Lin Xian had to admit, the three questions the Genius Club had devised were quite clever¡ªeach with a specific purpose, each revealing something about the person answering them. Broadly speaking, Lin Xian felt that the future in his first dream was probably the best. Sure, technological progress had stagnated for over six centuries, but people seemed content. In the city, their faces glowed with happiness and satisfaction. They didn¡¯t care much about technological advancements; they were more concerned with daily needs¡ªfood, shelter, warmth. High-tech developments seemed distant and irrelevant to their simple lives. But then, everything had changed. When Lin Xian brought the hibernation pod liquid into reality, the balance of life and death was shattered. And each future after that grew progressively worse. ¡°It all started with the hibernation pods,¡± Lin Xian thought, opening his eyes. Take Elon Musk and Kevin Walker, for instance. Both were hailed as geniuses with dreams larger than life. But there was one thing that even they couldn¡¯t overcome: the limitation of a human lifespan. Without the hibernation pods, Elon Musk wouldn¡¯t live long enough to see Mars colonized. Kevin Walker? He certainly wouldn¡¯t witness the creation of a super server capable of housing an entire digital civilization. Death was the great equalizer. It was both the cruelest fairness and the fairest cruelty. ¡°But... is technological advancement really wrong?¡± Lin Xian asked himself. Yes, the hibernation pods had brought about enormous social challenges, but they had also saved lives. People like Zheng Xiang Yue and Wei Sheng Jin¡ªwho would have otherwise died from terminal illnesses¡ªwere given a second chance at life. And for brilliant minds like Gao Wen, the pods allowed them to leap across time, continuing their research far into the future. Everything has two sides¡ªnothing is purely right or wrong. And that only made Lin Xian¡¯s decision more difficult. If he had to choose a ¡°closed loop¡± for himself, to define a ¡°goal,¡± and establish the future he wanted to achieve... What would it be? Finally, he yawned in exhaustion. After a long day, fatigue was settling in. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep first... and maybe in the seventh dream, I¡¯ll find some answers,¡± he decided, walking to the bathroom to freshen up. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll discover a clue about July 7th. Maybe the timeline has already changed.¡± ¡°And if I can find the key to Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s memory recovery, I¡¯ll be able to solve that issue too.¡± ¡°As for the answer to the third question...¡± Lin Xian sighed, drying his face. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it tomorrow. After all, it¡¯s a subjective question¡ªthere¡¯s no ¡®right¡¯ answer.¡± He knew that even a half-baked answer likely wouldn¡¯t affect his chances of joining the Genius Club. Still, he wanted to be thoughtful about it. Besides... As Smith prepared to put away his sickle and head home, Lin Xian stepped forward and lightly tugged on the handle. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t rush off,¡± Lin Xian said with a smile. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let me tag along? I could use a meal too.¡± Smith squinted at him, suspicion creeping into his eyes. ¡°Where exactly did you come from?¡± he asked. Lin Xian shrugged, throwing his hands up in a helpless gesture. ¡°I have no idea. I¡¯m just like you when you first woke up. From what you¡¯ve said, there aren¡¯t many people left in the world, right? We¡¯re all in this together. And even though you might not be from here originally, you¡¯ve practically become one of the locals. You¡¯ve got a mix of all the accents of X Country going on.¡± With a wider smile, Lin Xian added, ¡°We¡¯re like old friends, really. Help a fellow out¡ªtake me home for dinner, and maybe the village will give me a place to stay.¡± Smith, after a decade of living in this world and experiencing the warmth and kindness of its people, only needed a moment to be convinced. He nodded. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time for dinner anyway. Come on, you can join us.¡± And so, with Lin Xian carrying Smith¡¯s hoe, the two walked along the path, bathed in the warm orange glow of the setting sun, heading back to Smith¡¯s home. As they walked, Smith shared more about the history of this world. It all began, as usual, with the Super Disaster of 2400... In this seventh dream, there was no Turing figure. Instead, Elon Musk had followed the original timeline, preparing for Mars colonization early. He and a group of people, along with their hibernation pods, left Earth for Mars just before the disaster struck. Then, the Super Disaster hit, wiping out almost all human life on Earth. Over 95% of the population perished. As expected, wars and famines followed, just like in the fifth and sixth dreams. But this time, after the chaos subsided, the survivors began to rebuild civilization¡ªand the process went remarkably smoothly. There were two reasons for this: the buried mini nuclear batteries and the numerous hibernation bases scattered across the globe. In these bases, many people from the old world were still in hibernation. When they woke up, they had access to their memory notebooks and quickly regained their knowledge. These individuals also possessed extraordinary learning capabilities. With them at the helm, the remnants of humanity came together and, under the leadership of these hibernators, began rebuilding society and advancing technology once again. By now, Lin Xian understood why the seventh dream¡¯s civilization had recovered so quickly. Even though humanity couldn¡¯t dig up someone like Turing, they had leaders like Emperor Gao Wen! Even if Gao Wen woke up without memories, he had his notebook¡ªand with his brilliant mind, there was nothing he couldn¡¯t master given time. Leaders like him ensured the resurgence of civilization. In the sixth dream, Turing had incredible knowledge and technology that far surpassed Gao Wen¡¯s. But the Turings had wasted their potential on internal conflicts, treating humanity as mere tools without any interest in leading them toward a better future. Gao Wen and the others were different. They were human, after all. Naturally, they would unite with the people of Earth and work toward a shared future. Smith continued to tell Lin Xian how, since the rebuilding, humanity hadn¡¯t fought a single war. Life had been peaceful, and people were content. ¡°We¡¯ve got endless energy from mini nuclear batteries. The land¡¯s fertile, and there¡¯s farmland everywhere you look. We¡¯ve got more food than we could ever eat. People are happy and relaxed. Life¡¯s good.¡± Lin Xian nodded, listening to Smith¡¯s account of this era, thinking that it might be the best future he had experienced so far. From the way Smith described the technology, Lin Xian guessed that the current level of human civilization was beyond that of the fifth and sixth dreams, possibly equivalent to the Second Industrial Revolution. In truth, civilization could have advanced even faster, but the population was still too small to support large-scale industrial development. Fortunately, steam engines and internal combustion engines had made a return, and large transportation networks, like ships and trains, connected major cities. Mini nuclear batteries powered small appliances, providing limitless energy to homes. Before long, they arrived at the village gate. Smith stopped and turned to Lin Xian. ¡°You¡¯re welcome to have dinner at my place, but whether or not the village lets you stay depends on the village chief¡¯s decision.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Lin Xian said with a nod. This wasn¡¯t his first time going through this kind of process. It seemed like every dream had a similar setup. He chuckled to himself. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I probably know your village chief,¡± Lin Xian said with confidence. ¡°Let me guess... is it Zheng Xiang Yue?¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Smith replied. ¡°Angelica?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Big Cat Face?¡± ¡°Not him either.¡± ¡°Li Cheng?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lin Xian scratched his head, his confidence wavering. This guessing game was getting him nowhere. Could the village chief be someone new? ¡°Who is your village chief, then?¡± Lin Xian finally asked. Smith puffed out his chest with pride. ¡°Our village chief is someone special. When you meet her, you¡¯d better show respect. If you don¡¯t, things won¡¯t go well for you.¡± ¡°Oh really?¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°Does your village chief go around beating people up? Is she that strong?¡± Smith grinned and raised a thumb. ¡°Our chief¡¯s amazing! Last time a grizzly bear wandered into the village, she punched its head clean off!¡± Lin Xian blinked. ¡°What?¡± Smith continued, clearly enjoying the story. ¡°There was another time when wolves attacked the village at night. Everyone was scared, but our chief grabbed a machete and chased them down herself! Not one wolf escaped¡ªall of them ended up in the cooking pot.¡± Smith¡¯s grin grew wider. ¡°And when we were building houses, she was right there with us. She split logs thicker than your leg with one hit! She even tore steel plates apart with her bare hands!¡± Steel plates? A certain image formed in Lin Xian¡¯s mind. ¡°Wait... is your village chief a woman?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Smith confirmed, beaming. ¡°But she¡¯s older than you by a few years. When you meet her, just call her ¡®Chief¡¯ or ¡®Sister.¡¯¡± Lin Xian¡¯s confidence faltered. This was unexpected. ¡°Older than me... does she have blue eyes?¡± Smith¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°You... you know her?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s heart raced as Smith swallowed hard, his voice dropping to a whisper. ¡°Our village chief¡¯s name... is Yan Qiao Qiao!¡± Chapter 409: Village Chief, Your Father Has Arrived Sure enough, it was the same girl from the Sixth Dream with those striking crystal blue eyes. Who else could it be? There wasn¡¯t anyone else with that kind of power, someone who could tear apart a steel plate or crush a grizzly bear¡¯s head with just one punch. But those piercing blue eyes made it unmistakable. However... The blue-eyed girl from the Seventh Dream had been pulled out of her cryo-chamber years ago. She had been living in this world for over a decade now. Calling her a ¡°blue-eyed girl¡± wasn¡¯t quite right anymore. Perhaps ¡°blue-eyed auntie¡± would be more appropriate at this point. Suddenly, everything clicked for Lin Xian. Smith, the so-called ¡°Big Fool,¡± and the blue-eyed girl must have been hibernating in the same underground base. Naturally, they had woken up at the same time. ¡°You and your village chief, Yan¡ªboth of you woke up from cryo-sleep around the same time, didn¡¯t you?¡± Lin Xian asked, trying to confirm his suspicions. Smith¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°How do you know everything, kid?!¡± ¡°I did wake up about twelve years ago,¡± Smith explained after a brief pause. ¡°Most of the cryo-chambers in the base were damaged, and the people inside... well, they didn¡¯t make it. Only a handful of us survived, including me and the village chief.¡± He sighed deeply, a nostalgic look crossing his face as he continued. ¡°The folks from Big Cat¡¯s Village dug us out. Back then, the village chief was a guy named Chen Heping. He treated us cryo-survivors real well. Once we got used to life in this era, we decided to stay in the village.¡± Lin Xian nodded along, piecing the story together. Smith went on, ¡°After Chen Heping passed away, the villagers respected Yan Qiao Qiao so much that they made her the new village chief. She¡¯s smart and capable, and she always helps around the village. Even Chen Heping¡¯s son supported her, so... she became the new chief.¡± So, everything lined up. Big Cat¡¯s Village still existed. ¡°Cat Dad¡± Chen Heping had passed away, and the role of village chief didn¡¯t get passed down to his son, Big Cat. Instead, the villagers chose the respected Yan Qiao Qiao. From the moment Smith said ¡°Shit!¡± back in the rice fields, Lin Xian had suspected something like this. The phrase was clearly something Smith had picked up from Big Cat, and now it seemed the two of them had been living in the same village. As Smith talked about the village and its chief, pride lit up his face. ¡°Ha! Bet you don¡¯t know why we call it Big Cat¡¯s Village!¡± Smith said, clearly expecting to surprise Lin Xian. But Lin Xian remained calm. ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s because Chen Heping¡¯s son is called Big Cat.¡± Smith coughed awkwardly. ¡°Okay... but do you know why Big Cat is called Big Cat?!¡± Lin Xian suppressed a laugh. ¡°Yes, when he was born, the whole village¡ªchickens, ducks, cows, sheep, pigs, even the big yellow dog¡ªwere all crying his name. Isn¡¯t that how the story goes?¡± Smith¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Holy¡ª! Who are you? How do you know so much about our village?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a passerby,¡± Lin Xian said, trying to sound mysterious. ¡°Yeah, right...¡± Smith muttered, eyeing him suspiciously. ¡°You¡¯re being real cryptic.¡± Lin Xian stopped walking and gave Smith a quick once-over. Smith looked like a foreigner, but he spoke a mishmash of accents from all over X Country. It was strange, to say the least. ¡°Big Cat¡¯s Village must be an incredible place,¡± Lin Xian mused aloud. ¡°How come people from all over are living there? Who taught you all those random dialects?¡± ¡°The people in the village!¡± Smith replied proudly, as though it were obvious. ¡°They all speak in their own strange ways. I didn¡¯t know how to speak X Country language at first, so I just learned from them. Now look at me! I¡¯m doing pretty well!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not bad at all,¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve even picked up the Shandong dialect¡¯s inverted sentence structure. But you¡¯ve got quite the mix going on.¡± They shared a laugh, walking deeper into Big Cat¡¯s Village. Smith led Lin Xian toward his house, but before they could reach it, they bumped into a familiar face. ¡°Smith, you¡¯re back!¡± A man named Er Zhuzi stepped out from behind a tree, a frown on his face. ¡°You¡¯re late today. Your wife¡¯s been waiting for you to come home for dinner.¡± Smith waved him off with a grin. ¡°I ran into a brother on the way,¡± he said, motioning toward Lin Xian. ¡°This is my new brother from the fields. He¡¯s a wanderer with nowhere to go, so I figured I¡¯d bring him home for a meal.¡± Er Zhuzi narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Lin Xian. After a moment, he snorted. ¡°Soft skin, pretty face¡ªyou¡¯re no good!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s friendly expression cooled. ¡°You¡¯ve got a real way with words, don¡¯t you?¡± he said dryly. Inwardly, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but remember the Sixth Dream, where Er Zhuzi had been chopped to pieces and fed to the dogs. He didn¡¯t feel the least bit sorry for him now. Er Zhuzi waved a hand, blocking Lin Xian¡¯s path. ¡°Smith, you can¡¯t bring this guy home!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Smith asked, confused. ¡°This kid¡¯s up to no good, I can tell!¡± Er Zhuzi said, his voice full of suspicion. ¡°I¡¯ve got sharp eyes. I can see right through him! He¡¯s after your wife!¡± Lin Xian sighed. Another confrontation? This was getting tiresome. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± he said, waving a hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ll head off. You go home and have dinner, Smith. I won¡¯t bother you tonight.¡± Turning to Er Zhuzi, Lin Xian added with a smirk, ¡°I¡¯ll just go to Big Cat¡¯s place. It¡¯s been ages since I had some of his wife¡¯s dumplings. I¡¯ve missed them.¡± Er Zhuzi¡¯s face turned a deep shade of green. ¡°I knew it! You¡¯re just like those scoundrels in the old stories¡ªBig Cat¡¯s Village can¡¯t tolerate someone like you!¡± Lin Xian raised an eyebrow. ¡°You know about old stories like that? Impressive, your knowledge has grown.¡± Smith, trying to defuse the tension, stepped in. ¡°The village library has some old books¡ªclassics like the Four Great Novels. The old village chief hand-copied them himself. There aren¡¯t many books besides those, some textbooks, and a few philosophy texts.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian said, nodding. ¡°I¡¯ll have to check it out sometime.¡± But before Lin Xian could continue, Er Zhuzi interrupted. ¡°Oh, you want to check it out, do you?¡± he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll pass the vote. You¡¯re getting kicked out!¡± Lin Xian groaned inwardly. Another democracy run by fools. He resigned himself to the inevitable. Minutes later, Lin Xian found himself inside a warehouse, ¡°arrested¡± by Er Zhuzi. Inside, a group of men was hard at work, moving sacks of rice and corn onto an electric cart. It was the infamous ¡°Face Gang.¡± Er Zhuzi started exaggerating his reasons for bringing Lin Xian in, and the other men¡ªAh Zhuang and San Pang¡ªlistened with mocking grins. Standing in the middle of the room, Big Cat eyed Lin Xian up and down before sighing. ¡°Brother, as much as I¡¯d love to help you, we run on democracy here. So whether you stay or not depends on their vote.¡± He gestured to the other men. Ah Zhuang shook his head. ¡°This guy cannot stay.¡± Er Zhuzi, eyes gleaming with hostility, added, ¡°He¡¯s trying to get close to our sister-in-law! He¡¯s not here for dumplings!¡± San Pang, looking smug, also shook his head. ¡°Nope, not a chance.¡± As expected, three votes against him. Lin Xian sighed. Why was it always such a struggle for him to join the Face Gang on his own? If only CC were here. If CC was standing beside him, these three fools would have voted unanimously in his favor. And if Lin Xian admitted his connection to CC, Er Zhuzi would probably turn into his biggest fan overnight. ¡°Brother, you see how it is,¡± Big Cat said, spreading his hands in a helpless gesture. ¡°Democracy rules here. With three votes against, I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t stay in the village.¡± Lin Xian raised his right hand, extending a single finger. ¡°I just need to say one thing,¡± he said, his voice full of quiet confidence, knowing this single sentence would turn the tide in his favor. Ever since Smith mentioned the philosophy books in the village library, Lin Xian had already figured out his next move. He raised his gaze and met Big Cat¡¯s clear, innocent eyes. A gust of wind swept through the warehouse, rustling a few corn husks and filling the air with the earthy scent of the fields. Lin Xian¡¯s and Big Cat¡¯s clothing fluttered lightly in the breeze. Amidst the chorus of cicadas and distant bird calls, Lin Xian spoke, his voice soft but unmistakably clear: ¡°The cat is ideology; the face is metaphysics.¡± He laughed heartily, reaching out to ruffle his daughter¡¯s hair. ¡°Work hard, my girl! Get a good education, and one day you¡¯ll live in a big city. You¡¯ll have a life even better than what we have here in this little village!¡± ¡°I think this place is already perfect,¡± his daughter said after swallowing her food. ¡°This is my home. It¡¯s where I was born and raised. When I finish my studies, I¡¯ll come back and repay the village... Besides, if I move to a big city, who¡¯s going to take care of you and Mom when you get old?¡± ¡°Your brother, of course!¡± Big Cat pointed to Little Cat, who was busy licking his plate clean. ¡°Although... this dimwit probably won¡¯t be much help,¡± he added with a chuckle. ¡°So yeah, he¡¯ll stay here to look after us. You, my girl, you¡¯ve got the potential to go far. Fly as high as you can! Dad will always support you!¡± As Lin Xian watched this warm family scene unfold, a strange feeling washed over him. For Big Cat, this was the best future he could ever hope for. His daughter was alive and well, his family was whole, and he no longer had to risk his life jumping out of planes or scavenging through garbage dumps. His children were thriving, his wife was kind and beautiful, and Little Cat was already lined up as the future caregiver. ¡°This is great,¡± Lin Xian muttered under his breath, half to himself. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he had such a peaceful meal in a dream¡ªone without hidden agendas, where everyone simply enjoyed being together. It¡¯s true what they say: you don¡¯t know the value of something until it¡¯s gone. Just like Big Cat¡¯s life right now. Ordinary, maybe, but full of happiness. Sure, the technology might not be cutting-edge, but the joy wasn¡¯t missing. ¡°Come on, brother, have a bowl of dumpling soup,¡± Big Cat said, raising his bowl to clink it against Lin Xian¡¯s. ¡°I would¡¯ve had a drink with you today, but I¡¯ve got to drive later to deliver goods, so no alcohol for me.¡± Lin Xian chuckled, raising his own bowl. ¡°People still get pulled over for drunk driving around here?¡± Big Cat looked confused for a second, then laughed. ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± He gulped down his soup and wiped his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s not about getting caught¡ªit¡¯s about safety! I don¡¯t drink and drive, and I don¡¯t drive after drinking. I¡¯m the backbone of this family... If something happens to me, what¡¯ll happen to my kids? My wife?¡± Big Cat spread his arms wide, a warm smile on his face as he looked at Lin Xian. ¡°I have to be responsible for my family. They¡¯re my everything! So, what about you, brother? Got a family? Any kids?¡± ¡°I... um...¡± Lin Xian hesitated for a moment. ¡°Yeah, I have a child.¡± ¡°A boy or a girl?¡± ¡°A girl.¡± ¡°Daughters are great!¡± Big Cat beamed, clearly delighted. ¡°Daughters are like little cotton jackets¡ªalways keeping you warm! You¡¯ve been out wandering for so long... Don¡¯t you miss your daughter?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s mind flashed back to the image of Lin Yu Xi tearing off a car door and decapitating her imposter with a single swing. ¡°Not... really,¡± he muttered. ¡°Huh?¡± Big Cat¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°What kind of father doesn¡¯t miss his daughter? You¡¯re so cold!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Lin Xian said, putting his chopsticks down and rubbing the space between his thumb and forefinger. ¡°It¡¯s just that... she¡¯s a bit... mischievous. She¡¯s not exactly like a normal daughter. She¡¯s... loud. Really loud.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Big Cat waved it off with a laugh. ¡°Every kid¡¯s a handful! The noisier they are, the smarter they¡¯ll turn out to be! Besides, how rowdy can she be?¡± Big Cat paused, then burst out laughing again. ¡°What, is she like Chief Yan? Can she crush a bear¡¯s skull with a single punch? Hahahaha!¡± Big Cat¡¯s hearty laughter filled the room, and Little Cat joined in, tipping his head back and laughing as well. ¡°Ha... ha...¡± Lin Xian chuckled weakly, though the sound felt hollow. He didn¡¯t really want to laugh, but not joining in seemed awkward. ¡°Big Brother!¡± Ah Zhuang¡¯s voice came from outside the courtyard, cutting through the moment. He stepped through the door, wiping sweat from his forehead. ¡°Big Brother, the village chief is back from the hunt. Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to introduce this guy to her?¡± ¡°Oh, right,¡± Big Cat said, finishing the last of his dumpling soup. He clapped Lin Xian on the shoulder. ¡°Come on, brother, let¡¯s go meet the village chief.¡± ... After a short walk, they reached the area near the warehouse. From a distance, Lin Xian spotted a tall, athletic young woman. She was strikingly beautiful, though the innocence of youth had long faded from her face, replaced by a confident maturity and undeniable strength. Her long, black hair was tied into a high ponytail, and she wore a tight-fitting hunting outfit. Various weapons and tools hung from her waist, and on her back were a bow and arrows, along with a coiled rope. Despite living in an era where guns were available, the village chief clearly preferred the raw challenge of hand-to-hand combat. She had sharp hearing, too. As they approached, she turned her head, her piercing blue eyes locking onto Lin Xian¡¯s. They gleamed like two bright stars in the night. Big Cat waved energetically. ¡°Chief Yan, this is¡ª¡± But before he could finish, the blue-eyed woman strode forward with surprising speed, stopping just a step away from Lin Xian. Her eyes widened, and her lips parted in disbelief. ¡°You... who are you?¡± she whispered, her voice shaking with emotion. Without waiting for a response, she reached into her hunting jacket and pulled out a laminated photograph. The name ¡°Yan Qiao Qiao¡± was written on the back in neat, flowing handwriting. The photo itself was a family portrait. In the picture, a man and a woman stood side by side, dressed in royal attire, their arms around each other like a king and queen. In front of them, a little girl stood with her hands lifting her dress in a dainty curtsy, smiling sweetly at the camera. The blue-eyed woman stared at the photo, then at Lin Xian, her face pale with shock. She pointed to the man in the picture, whose face was identical to Lin Xian¡¯s. ¡°Is this... you?¡± Lin Xian nodded slowly. The woman took a deep breath, her voice trembling as she asked, ¡°What... what is your relationship to me?¡± Lin Xian took the photo from her hands, studying it closely. The image looked as though it had been taken recently¡ªor maybe 600 years ago. It was hard to say. After a moment, he exhaled and spoke softly. ¡°You might not believe this, but there¡¯s no point in hiding the truth from you anymore. I¡¯ll tell you everything.¡± He glanced at the woman, then back to the photograph. ¡°If you¡¯re sure this little girl is really you...¡± He lifted his gaze, meeting her brilliant blue eyes. ¡°Then I am... your father.¡± Chapter 410: The Dance Begins ¡°Idiot!¡± Big Cat Face snarled, baring his teeth as he swung his large hand towards the back of Lin Xian¡¯s head. His frustration boiled over. ¡°Don¡¯t be disrespectful to the village chief!¡± What was wrong with this kid? Was his emotional intelligence really that low? Did he think his thick skull could survive a punch from the village chief? Who just goes around declaring someone their parent like that? Didn¡¯t he realize how much older the village chief was? And yet, he had the audacity to call her his father? Thud. The dull sound of flesh meeting resistance filled the air. Big Cat Face¡¯s hand stopped mid-swing. Startled, he looked up to see the village chief¡¯s hand gripping his wrist firmly. Her grip was like iron, unmoving. He felt the shock of it ripple up his arm, his hand throbbing as if he¡¯d slammed it into a wall of steel. ¡°Let him continue,¡± the village chief said calmly, her piercing blue eyes fixed on Lin Xian. She didn¡¯t flinch, didn¡¯t waver. Her voice was steady as she asked, ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is... you¡¯re not even sure if I¡¯m your daughter?¡± Lin Xian nodded, feeling a bit of the tension ease from his shoulders. There was no point in rushing this. The village chief wasn¡¯t someone to be hurried. ¡°You know where the photograph came from, and you know the girl in the picture,¡± the Chief continued, her gaze sharp. ¡°But you¡¯re saying you¡¯re not entirely sure that girl is me.¡± Lin Xian stayed quiet, knowing she¡¯d already grasped the heart of the matter. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re implying,¡± she said, her voice lowering slightly. ¡°You¡¯re certain the girl in the picture is Yan Qiao Qiao. But you¡¯re suggesting that I might not be her. That maybe... I¡¯ve taken someone else¡¯s place.¡± Her words hit hard, echoing the doubt that had haunted her for years. The same thoughts Lin Xian had voiced earlier were thoughts she had wrestled with herself. Countless nights had been spent staring at that photograph. Was that little girl really her? She didn¡¯t look like her. Not even close. The shape of her face, body, and even her features were completely different. If it weren¡¯t for waking up in a cryogenic pod with the name Yan Qiao Qiao and finding the family photo in storage, she might not have believed it herself. ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Big Cat Face cut in, his patience finally snapping. He looked at the two of them, clearly exasperated. ¡°You two don¡¯t even match in age! What¡¯s there to analyze?¡± He pointed at the photo, his voice rising in frustration. ¡°Look at this! There¡¯s no way you could be father and daughter, given the age difference! Even I can figure that out, and I¡¯m not the brightest! How are the two of you, supposedly the smart ones, missing something so obvious?¡± The village chief, however, shook her head slowly, her expression thoughtful. ¡°Big Cat, you¡¯re thinking too simply,¡± she said. ¡°With technology like cryogenic pods, age doesn¡¯t matter anymore. As long as the parents spent more time in the pod than the child, it¡¯s possible for the child to be older than the parents.¡± She turned her attention back to Lin Xian, her gaze as steady as ever. ¡°The issue isn¡¯t our age difference. It¡¯s that the little girl in the picture doesn¡¯t look like me. So, there¡¯s no way to be certain that I¡¯m the same person.¡± She paused, her blue eyes locking onto Lin Xian¡¯s. ¡°What should I call you?¡± Lin Xian smiled slightly. ¡°Just call me Lin Xian,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not here to force a reunion. I know it¡¯s a hard thing to accept, and with today¡¯s technology, there¡¯s no way to do a DNA test. There¡¯s no solid proof.¡± His tone softened as he asked, ¡°I¡¯m more curious¡ªare you happy with your life? Are you content?¡± The village chief nodded slowly. ¡°Since waking up from the cryogenic pod, I¡¯ve found my life fulfilling,¡± she replied. ¡°The former village chief taught me everything I needed to adapt to this era. Though I¡¯ve always been a bit... unusual, my abilities are valuable here. The villagers respect me, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m their Chief.¡± She gestured to the village around them, her eyes resting on the warmly lit houses. ¡°These past years, I¡¯ve focused on leading the village¡ªsolving problems, building homes, developing industries. That¡¯s been my purpose.¡± Her lips curled into a small, satisfied smile as she continued, ¡°It¡¯s only because you resemble the man in the photo that I¡¯ve grown curious today. My past memories... they don¡¯t matter to me as much anymore. Like many others in this village¡ªSmith, for example¡ªthey have few memories of their past, but they¡¯re still happy.¡± She turned back to Lin Xian. ¡°I¡¯m the same. Whether or not I¡¯m the girl in the photo doesn¡¯t change the life I¡¯ve built here. It doesn¡¯t change what I¡¯ve done. I¡¯m the village chief, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Seeing the peace in her expression made Lin Xian realize that maybe this wasn¡¯t such a bad outcome after all. In this strange dream world, where many had forgotten their pasts, people were still able to live new lives. Smith had become an expert in X Country¡¯s culture, fully integrating into his new world. If the village chief had been intent on discovering her past, Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to help. After all, in this world, the consequences of such actions could always be reset. But the blue-eyed woman before him didn¡¯t seem particularly interested in chasing after old memories. Sensing the conversation winding down, Big Cat Face pushed his way between them. ¡°Village Chief, I brought Lin Xian here today because I think he¡¯s got potential. I was hoping he could stay in Big Cat¡¯s Village and become an official resident.¡± He shot a glance at Lin Xian, then continued, ¡°I could use an extra pair of hands driving the delivery truck. I¡¯ll even teach him how to drive.¡± The village chief nodded. ¡°That sounds like a good idea,¡± she said. ¡°Even if Lin Xian doesn¡¯t have any particular skills, Big Cat¡¯s Village welcomes all new residents.¡± With a warm smile, she extended her hand toward Lin Xian. ¡°Welcome to Big Cat¡¯s Village, Lin Xian. I hope you¡¯ll feel at home here.¡± Lin Xian took her hand, surprised by the strength in her grip. He smiled back. ¡°I¡¯m honored to be part of the village,¡± he said. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to like it here.¡± The village chief then turned to Big Cat Face. ¡°It¡¯s getting late,¡± she said. ¡°You should get that bear delivered to Lord Li, along with the rest of the produce. The goods should be sold at market price, but the bear¡ªlet¡¯s gift it to Lord Li as a celebration for the birth of his daughter.¡± With that, she walked off, her bright blue eyes gleaming like fireflies in the darkness, disappearing into the night. Big Cat Face let out a relieved sigh, then gave Lin Xian a friendly punch on the shoulder. ¡°Phew... close call, huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got guts, saying something like that! Who just declares themselves someone¡¯s father out of the blue? What¡¯s wrong with you? Some kind of weird habit?¡± Big Cat Face¡¯s voice was laced with irritation as he shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re lucky the village chief was probably too tired from hunting to punch you. Trust me, if she had, your skull would¡¯ve cracked like a watermelon!¡± He shot Lin Xian a sideways glance, his eyes gleaming with mischievous energy. ¡°Do you even know what it feels like to have your head explode like a watermelon?¡± Lin Xian chuckled softly as if recalling an inside joke. ¡°Of course I do,¡± he replied. ¡°This,¡± Gao Wen said, holding the notebook out carefully, ¡°is the journal I wrote before going into cryosleep.¡± He paused, looking at Lin Xian with an amused expression. ¡°I went into cryosleep in the year 2219¡ª¡± ¡°Skip,¡± Lin Xian interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°At the time, technology hadn¡¯t advanced enough to¡ª¡± ¡°Skip,¡± Lin Xian repeated, his hand still motioning impatiently. Gao Wen laughed and handed him the notebook. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just read it yourself?¡± ¡°Task accepted,¡± Lin Xian said, his tone serious as he took the notebook in his hands. It felt light, but he knew the weight of its contents would be heavy with information. He was just about to open it when Gao Wen glanced at the clock on the wall. ¡°Oh dear, look at the time!¡± Gao Wen suddenly rose from his chair, his voice light and cheerful. ¡°I have to attend Lord Li¡¯s banquet now. I really appreciate your enthusiasm for science, but I¡¯ve copied the notebook¡¯s contents elsewhere. Consider it a gift¡ªyou don¡¯t have to return it.¡± He moved to lock his office door, giving Lin Xian a friendly pat on the shoulder. ¡°But I suggest you take a break tonight. It¡¯s a rare celebration. Why not join us in the square and enjoy the festivities?¡± With that, he gave Lin Xian a gentle nudge out of the office and closed the door behind him. Outside, Big Cat Face was already waiting, bouncing on his feet like an impatient child. The moment Lin Xian stepped out, Big Cat grabbed him by the arm and started pulling him toward the square. ¡°Come on, we should¡¯ve been at the banquet ages ago!¡± Big Cat Face grumbled. ¡°Do you have any idea how grand Lord Li¡¯s feast is? It¡¯s for the birth of his daughter¡ªthere¡¯s no telling how much food there¡¯ll be! And here you are, wasting time!¡± Lin Xian smirked, trying to keep up with Big Cat Face¡¯s rapid pace. ¡°It¡¯s a feast. You can eat whenever you like. Besides, didn¡¯t you just have a meal before we left?¡± ¡°That¡¯s different!¡± Big Cat Face huffed, speeding ahead. ¡°Food always tastes better when someone else cooks it! I saved room for a reason!¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice.¡± ¡°You will soon enough!¡± Big Cat Face shot back, determination clear in his voice. ... They soon arrived at the heart of Donghai City¡¯s central square, which was already packed with people. The celebration had begun, and the air buzzed with laughter and chatter. Tables overflowed with food, and villagers helped themselves to the generous feast. A massive bonfire blazed in the middle of the square, its flames lighting up the night sky. Around it, people danced and sang, their movements joyful and full of life. Lin Xian didn¡¯t follow Big Cat Face to the food tables, still feeling full from the earlier meal. Instead, he found a spot near the bonfire, the warmth of the flames washing over him as he opened the Memory Notebook in his hands. He was eager to see what secrets lay hidden in Gao Wen¡¯s words. The notebook felt heavy and important, though its physical weight was light. As Lin Xian glanced up from the pages, watching the happy villagers dance and sing around the bonfire, he found himself smiling softly. It was a good time to be alive. Despite the catastrophic events of the year 2400... Despite knowing that the world would reset at 12:42 tonight, wiped clean by a burst of blinding white light... For now, in this moment, everything was as it should be. Big Cat Face¡¯s family was thriving. His daughter was happy and well-behaved. His younger brothers were dependable, not getting into trouble as they used to. Once burdened by past mistakes, Smith had found peace and redemption in his new life. The once vengeful, blue-eyed girl had put aside her hatred, becoming a caring and responsible village chief. Lord Li had just welcomed a second daughter, securing his happiness as a proud father. Li Ning Ning, once defiant against her fate, now lived as the true princess of Donghai City, embracing her new role as a loving sister. And Emperor Gao Wen, ever the visionary, continued to change the world with his inventions, his brilliance undimmed by the passing years. Everything was as it should be. There were no regrets. At least for Lin Xian¡¯s old friends, there were none. Just as he was about to dive deeper into the notebook, a familiar voice called out to him. ¡°Lin Xian! I knew I¡¯d find you here!¡± Startled, Lin Xian looked up to see someone he hadn¡¯t expected to see again. An old friend. Her dark brown hair was pinned up, her bright eyes sparkling with mischief. A small dimple appeared on her cheek as she smiled, and a distinctive tear mole sat just beneath her left eye¡ªlike a signature mark. It was CC. ¡°Long time no see,¡± CC greeted him, her smile warm. She gestured toward the bonfire. ¡°I figured if I waited in the most noticeable spot in Donghai City on August 28th, 2624, I¡¯d eventually run into you.¡± ¡°And here you are,¡± she added with a playful grin. Lin Xian smiled back, remembering something he¡¯d once said to Chu An Qing: If you ever get lost, just stay where you are. That way, I¡¯ll always be able to find you. No matter how much time passed, some things never changed. ¡°Long time no see,¡± Lin Xian said, standing up and closing the notebook. ¡°For you... it¡¯s been, what, twenty years since our last meeting?¡± CC nodded, her smile never fading. ¡°That¡¯s right. In a way, I¡¯ve known you for twenty years now, ever since I inherited the fragments of memory you left behind. Though I had to wait until today to finally meet you.¡± Her eyes sparkled as she spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t have many memories of you¡ªjust three, in fact¡ªbut each one is vivid, unforgettable.¡± Lin Xian closed the notebook with a soft thud and stood by the flickering flames. He met CC¡¯s gaze, the firelight dancing in her eyes. ¡°Do you remember the last world?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Of course,¡± CC replied. ¡°We made a promise, didn¡¯t we? That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± Her smile turned playful as she extended her hand toward him. ¡°I told you, if we ever met again, I¡¯d ask you for a dance.¡± ¡°And here we are, at the end of the world once more...¡± She took a step closer, her hand still outstretched. ¡°Shall we dance?¡± Chapter 411: The Madwoman ¡°Did you find the safe in this world?¡± Right then, in the middle of the plaza, the huge bonfire had already collapsed. The flames no longer soared high but had grown weaker, swaying with the wind. The dance party had ended, but the lively crowd hadn¡¯t dispersed or gone home to rest. Some people went back to the long banquet tables, continuing their battle with Big Cat Face over the remaining food. Others gathered in small groups around the plaza, either sitting on the ground or wandering around cheering, still enjoying the festivities. After dancing with CC, Lin Xian sat on the edge of a nearby flower bed, watching the slowly dying fire as he chatted under the moonlight. Hearing Lin Xian¡¯s question, CC shook her head. ¡°No...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been here for a long time. I came to this place, the Old Donghai site, two years ago by ship. Since then, I¡¯ve been searching for the aluminum alloy safes, but I haven¡¯t found a single one¡ªnot even the slightest clue.¡± Lin Xian was a bit surprised. In the fifth dream, these villages were still digging up some safes. How could it be that now, in the seventh dream, there was no news about any of them? Logically speaking, with so many villages digging up underground cryo-bases and micro nuclear batteries, statistically, they should¡¯ve found at least a few safes by now. Even if they didn¡¯t find his or someone familiar¡¯s, there should¡¯ve been at least one. It made no sense. Thinking carefully, it seemed that there wasn¡¯t even a trace of the safes in the seventh dream¡ªjust like in the sixth one. In that world, nearly every tribe was digging for Turing machines, and, according to Big Cat Face and Gao Wen, the Lynx Tribe alone had switched excavation sites several times, each one the size of multiple soccer fields. Even with such systematic digging, they hadn¡¯t found a single aluminum alloy safe. Had Time Bank vanished again? Or perhaps... was there some other problem? ¡°Logically, that seems impossible,¡± Lin Xian said, puzzled. ¡°If Time Bank existed, it should have left some historical trace. After all, those aluminum alloy safes are incredibly sturdy; once formed, they¡¯re almost impossible to destroy.¡± ¡°In one of your memory fragments, we personally dug some up. Even after 600 years, those safes were still shining, with no signs of wear. How could none have survived?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± CC shook her head again. ¡°I¡¯ve searched for two years with no results. If I hadn¡¯t been waiting for you here, I might have returned to Brooklyn or gone somewhere else. But in one of your memory fragments, we agreed to meet today. So, I¡¯ve stayed in the Old Donghai site.¡± ¡°You told me you could roam freely on August 28, 2624, endlessly repeating the day. So I figured if I stayed somewhere in Donghai that was the most noticeable... you¡¯d surely find me.¡± ¡°Donghai City is the largest in this area, and today there was a big celebration. I knew you¡¯d come by sooner or later.¡± With a smile, CC turned to Lin Xian. ¡°See? I guessed right, didn¡¯t I?¡± ... Lin Xian had to admit that CC was quite clever. Using the three memory fragments he¡¯d left her, CC had already figured out the mechanism of the dream and his ability to loop through the day. As long as she stayed in Donghai on August 28, 2624, she would meet him. Even if he didn¡¯t find her the first or second night, she would be waiting. Without wandering off, he would eventually find her. For a moment, Lin Xian felt that he was always making others wait. In the third dream, Zhao Ying Jun became a white jade statue, waiting for him for six hundred years. Yellow Finch traveled back from the future, leaving riddles, then silently waited at the answer. Now, CC was doing the same. She would wait for him at the most lively and noticeable place in every dream. And what about Chu An Qing? Chu An Qing, who had turned into blue stardust and scattered, could she also be waiting somewhere for him to find her? Just like the time in the milk tea shop at the shopping center when Lin Xian smiled and casually told her: ¡°I won¡¯t get lost; I¡¯ll always find you.¡± Who knew that offhand remark would come true. Not long after, Chu An Qing disappeared from this world. Even though Lin Xian had broken his promise, he would never give up. He believed that Chu An Qing was still alive. And, just like CC now, standing in one place, waiting, tiptoeing with hope, waiting for him to find her in the tangle of time and worldlines, and then... he would bring her home safely, back to Chu Shan He. That was why Lin Xian had decided to join the Genius Club as soon as possible. True, he cared about the mysteries of the dream, the purpose of the Genius Club, and the truth behind the 00:42 flash of light. But as a man, the first thing he had to fulfill was his promise to Chu An Qing and the commitment he made to Chu Shan He. That was his primary drive. The mysterious Millennium Stake¡ªso mysterious, so unpredictable¡ªperhaps only after joining the Genius Club would he learn the truth. Lin Xian snapped out of his thoughts. The bonfire in the plaza had completely gone out, and the charred wood was now giving off smoke. Seeing CC this time had put his mind at ease and given him renewed hope and determination to save Chu An Qing. ¡°Thank you for waiting here for me,¡± Lin Xian said with a light smile. ¡°To be honest, it makes me look forward to each dream even more. So, let¡¯s make a promise now¡ª¡± ¡°In every world, you¡¯ll wait for me in the most noticeable, iconic place in Donghai. I will find you.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± CC replied, her legs swinging as she sat on the edge of the flower bed, looking up at the full moon in the night sky. ¡°So... what do you think is going on with the safe in this world? Any clues?¡± Lin Xian nodded, then shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The great catastrophe in 2400 really messed everything up. It¡¯s the most complete form of a historical gap, to the extent that I can¡¯t even verify if Time Bank actually existed.¡± ¡°My current guess is twofold. One possibility is that, for some reason, Time Bank vanished from established history, possibly even collapsing before the 2400 disaster. If that happened, the safes might¡¯ve been dealt with long ago, and it¡¯s natural we can¡¯t find them in 2624.¡± ¡°The other possibility is that the intensity of the 2400 disaster changed. In the original version, the disaster didn¡¯t directly hit Donghai City; it was abandoned during later wars. But if the disaster was more severe this time¡ªsay, an earthquake or tsunami directly hit Donghai¡ªwho knows where the safes might¡¯ve ended up.¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°But no one really knows the truth of the 2400 disaster, and we can¡¯t travel back to witness it firsthand. That¡¯s why our search for clues about Time Bank and the safes has completely stalled.¡± ¡°There is a solution, though. The simplest one would be to prevent the 2400 disaster. If it doesn¡¯t happen, then Donghai City would remain prosperous until 2624, and we¡¯d naturally be able to see Time Bank.¡± That was Lin Xian¡¯s most straightforward plan. According to Turing, the 2400 disaster was triggered by Galileo, a member of the Genius Club. So, if Galileo could be eliminated in 2024, the catastrophe four hundred years later could be averted. However, knowing Turing¡¯s deceitful nature, it remains to be seen whether Galileo is truly the culprit. One source alone wasn¡¯t enough to reach a conclusion. ¡°Actually...¡± Lin Xian paused, then continued, ¡°I have another way to find out what¡¯s inside the safes.¡± Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind. Lin Xian and CC turned to see Big Cat Face holding a large bear¡¯s head, gnawing on it and pulling out chunks of white stuff from the skull to eat. ¡°What are you eating?¡± Lin Xian frowned. ¡°Bear brains,¡± Big Cat Face said as if it were obvious, digging another handful out and stuffing it into his mouth. ¡°You have no idea how popular this bear was. If I hadn¡¯t been quick and had my eye on it, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten this bear head!¡± He then used his thumb to dig into the cooked bear head¡¯s eye socket, plucking out the whole eyeball and offering it to Lin Xian. ¡°Here, try a bear eye. It¡¯s tender.¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Lin Xian stepped back. ¡°Who eats that kind of stuff? It¡¯s disgusting.¡± ¡°Disgusting? Doesn¡¯t everyone eat this way?¡± Big Cat Face took a bite of the bear eye, juice squirting out. ¡°Haven¡¯t you eaten sheep¡¯s head before? Sheep brains, sheep eyes, sheep tongue¡ªdelicious!¡± ¡°Alright, enough,¡± Lin Xian waved him off. ¡°Wait, did you just say... madwoman Angelica? Are we talking about the same Angelica?¡± ¡°Is there another Angelica?¡± Big Cat Face chewed on the remaining bear eye, speaking between bites. ¡°That name¡¯s pretty rare; I doubt there¡¯s a second one. She¡¯s tall and thin, right? She was dug up from an underground cryo-base by people from Donghai City a long time ago. At least forty or fifty years, I¡¯d say. When she first woke up, they say she was quite pretty.¡± ¡°But she was always acting strange, muttering to herself... and then I don¡¯t know what happened. I wasn¡¯t born yet, but when I grew up, I always heard people say there¡¯s a madwoman named Angelica in the old part of Donghai City. Everyone avoids her.¡± ¡°She¡¯s very reclusive, rarely comes out, and doesn¡¯t interact with anyone. Look, today there¡¯s this huge celebration, and she¡¯s still not here. Maybe she¡¯s too old now to be ¡®mad¡¯ anymore.¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t say this, though. I¡¯ve never seen her go mad. When I¡¯ve seen her, she¡¯s just been old, and honestly, she seems kind. It¡¯s just that everyone¡¯s called her ¡®madwoman¡¯ for so long that we¡¯ve kept calling her that, generation after generation.¡± Lin Xian stood up. It made no sense for Angelica to be on Earth. Elon Musk and she were so close¡ªthey¡¯d become allies through adversity. In the fifth dream, they had fought side by side, and Elon Musk even wanted to send her back to Earth to protect her when his own life was at risk. So how could she be left behind this time? Things were getting stranger and stranger... ¡°Big Cat, where does Angelica live?¡± ¡°Over there,¡± Big Cat Face pointed with his greasy hand toward an alley leading to the old part of town. ¡°Go straight, take the first right, and look for the house with the red door. That¡¯s her place.¡± ¡°Take us there.¡± Lin Xian and CC stood up, ready to go. ¡°Huh?¡± Big Cat Face hesitated, ¡°But... there¡¯ll be lamb skewers at the banquet soon! I was waiting for that!¡± ¡°You need to eat less,¡± Lin Xian said, walking around the flower bed and patting Big Cat¡¯s swollen belly. ¡°You look like you¡¯re going to burst. Does my sister-in-law not cook for you every day? Are you trying to die here in Donghai City from overeating? Enough talking, lead the way.¡± ... Soon, the three of them, along with the bear head, arrived at Angelica¡¯s house. Lin Xian knocked on the door. They waited a long time before they heard slow, shuffling footsteps. The door creaked open¡ªan old, worn-out door giving an almost painful sound. An old woman, frail, with sunken eyes and disheveled hair, stepped out of the shadows inside the house. Instantly, Lin Xian felt a pang of sadness. He recognized her. This was Angelica. Though time had taken its toll, though she no longer had the sultry charm of the Hollywood diva, nor the commanding presence of a queen¡ªthose beautiful eyes couldn¡¯t be mistaken. Even under those aged wrinkles, he saw the familiar face. ¡°Angelica,¡± Lin Xian called softly. Suddenly, her eyes widened. She dropped her cane, stumbling forward. Her frail hands touched Lin Xian¡¯s face, full of disbelief. ¡°Lin Xian... Lin Xian!¡± Her voice was raspy, filled with shock. ¡°Lin Xian! Didn¡¯t you... die long ago?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Angelica,¡± Lin Xian held her hands, trying to calm her. ¡°It¡¯s complicated, but I¡¯m alive. Now... can you tell me what happened to you? Didn¡¯t Elon Musk take you to Mars? Why are you still here, in cryosleep?¡± Angelica¡¯s breathing grew ragged. ¡°El... Elon Musk? No...¡± She shook her head blankly as if recalling something terrible. Her eyes trembled. ¡°Elon Musk... after you died... not long after, he was killed too!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Elon Musk was killed too?¡± He turned to look at CC. Their eyes met¡ªsomething was off. How would the Mars migration have happened if Elon Musk had died soon after Lin Xian¡¯s death? Both CC and Smith had been clear¡ªElon Musk had led people to Mars in this world. ¡°What happened?¡± Lin Xian supported Angelica¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Angelica. No one can hurt you here.¡± ¡°Take your time... how did Elon Musk die? And if he was dead... then what about the Mars migration?¡± Angelica took several deep breaths, calming herself before speaking. ¡°All of this... I wrote down in my memory notebook. After waking up from cryosleep, I pieced it together from that notebook. There¡¯s also a photo of you and my brother, Ji Lin, sealed in plastic, which is why I recognized you today.¡± ¡°According to the notes, after your mysterious death, I met Elon Musk and attended your funeral. But... two weeks later, when I met Elon Musk again... he... he wasn¡¯t Elon Musk anymore!¡± ¡°He looked just like Elon Musk¡ªhis expression, his voice, his mannerisms were all the same... but I knew he wasn¡¯t Elon Musk! He absolutely wasn¡¯t! Because I once helped him with makeup, disguised him... I knew who he was! He was pretending to be Elon Musk!¡± Suddenly, Lin Xian understood. ¡°Could it be...¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Angelica nodded, her face darkened, looking at Lin Xian. ¡°Elon Musk must have been killed, and the one who replaced him was his former stand-in¡ªFake Elon Musk.¡± Chapter 412: Du Yao As expected. Fake Elon Musk... It was the same fake Elon Musk who had shown up at the abandoned warehouse in a Tesla, deceiving Lin Xian into believing he was the real one. This impostor, this ¡°stand-in,¡± had played the part all too well. If the person leading people to Mars from the Seventh Dream was actually Elon Musk¡¯s double and not the real Elon Musk, then a lot of things suddenly made sense. ¡°Come in,¡± Angelica said calmly. Despite her reputation for being unhinged, she appeared composed. She stepped aside, allowing Lin Xian and CC to enter the room. Then her eyes narrowed as they landed on Big Cat Face, who was holding a stuffed bear, munching on its head, and chewing the bear¡¯s tongue as if it was a snack. ¡°And this guy is...?¡± she asked, her brow furrowed. ¡°Oh, him...¡± Lin Xian hesitated. Introducing this hungry, shameless guy was embarrassing. Luckily, he wasn¡¯t the village chief, or he¡¯d be bringing shame to the entire village. ¡°Brother, we found a place, so we won¡¯t need you anymore. You can go back to the banquet and keep eating those lamb skewers.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Big Cat Face shouted. He darted off, bear still in hand. In truth, a happy world always had a happy Big Cat Face. He wasn¡¯t interested in the end of the world, Mars, or real and fake conspiracies. The only thing that mattered to him was whether the lamb skewers were well cooked. After Big Cat Face left, Angelica led Lin Xian and CC inside, closing the door and switching on the lights. Donghai City still didn¡¯t have centralized power, with each household relying on their own nuclear batteries, which were enough for daily needs. Lin Xian thought this was one of the negative effects of nuclear batteries: people had grown complacent, and there were no signs of large-scale industrial development. It was neither entirely good nor entirely bad. They settled down on the sofa. Angelica took out a notebook from a drawer and handed it to Lin Xian. ¡°When I entered the hibernation pod back then, it was all very sudden. I didn¡¯t have time to prepare much, so I just wrote this one ¡®Memory Notebook.¡¯ It mostly covers things about you, Ji Lin, and Elon Musk. I don¡¯t remember much else¡ªnot even my own past life clearly.¡± She continued, her voice tinged with a kind of sadness, ¡°People in this city call me ¡®crazy¡¯ because losing my memory left me anxious and unstable. I couldn¡¯t always tell what was real and what wasn¡¯t; I often felt detached from the world.¡± ¡°I never realized how much my memories mattered to me until I lost them. The more I couldn¡¯t remember, the more obsessed I became. I know I probably caused a lot of trouble for the residents around me, but at that time, I just couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Lin Xian said, nodding as he took the notebook. ¡°People value their memories differently. Some willingly let go, some find them trivial, but others see memories as the core of their soul and identity.¡± He paused, offering her a reassuring smile. ¡°If I woke up and had no memories at all, and then found out my ¡®Memory Notebook¡¯ contained nothing but mundane things unrelated to me, I¡¯d probably react just like you did.¡± He said it to comfort Angelica, but deep down, Lin Xian knew that it was easy to offer empty reassurances without truly experiencing someone else¡¯s suffering. He could never fully understand the fear and turmoil Angelica must have faced. Lin Xian opened the notebook. The first thing he saw was a couple of laminated photos of himself and Ji Lin, tucked into the pages. Thanks to the lamination, the photos were in perfect condition. Ji Lin¡¯s picture showed a young boy; Angelica must have chosen it specifically. His own photo, though, was much more casual¡ªjust one of those typical media shots. He flipped through the handwritten pages. Just as Angelica had said, it was clear she¡¯d been in a rush when she wrote it. The writing was messy, disorganized, and at times difficult to understand. Still, Lin Xian managed to make sense of it. This time, his story came before Ji Lin¡¯s. The notebook described his death on July 7, 2024¡ªbeheaded, his body and head separated. The killer remained unknown. Angelica had attended his funeral. All of this was the same as the previous accounts, unchanged. After the funeral, Angelica met with Elon Musk. They returned to the U.S. together and had a discussion. Elon Musk had promised Angelica he would fulfill Lin Xian¡¯s wishes: ¡°Since Lin Xian is gone, when I find out who killed your brother¡¯s parents, I¡¯ll tell you who they are.¡± Angelica had insisted, ¡°I want justice for Ji Lin, but also for Lin Xian. If you find out who killed Lin Xian, you have to tell me too.¡± Everything seemed fine up to that point. But half a month later, Angelica met with Elon Musk again, and the experience was terrifying. The man looked exactly like Elon Musk¡ªan impeccable disguise that made it hard to tell he was a fake. If Angelica hadn¡¯t been the one to help apply the disguise in the first place, she might have been fooled. During their conversation, the fake Elon Musk was trying to extract information from her. He seemed confident in his performance, completely unaware that Angelica had already seen through him. As an Oscar-winning actress known for her versatility, Angelica¡¯s acting was flawless. She played along as if nothing was wrong, chatting casually with her ¡°old friend¡± without revealing any secrets or suspicions. After that encounter, Angelica became certain that Elon Musk had been murdered, most likely in a premeditated act. Someone had then put the fake Elon Musk in his place to deceive the world. Facing the mysterious deaths of two friends, Angelica realized the danger she was in. She fled to this country, using her connections to secure a spot as a volunteer for a hibernation pod. She had no set awakening date, only that she was to be awakened once Elon Musk¡¯s Mars migration plan was completed and he had left Earth. ¡°But something must have gone wrong,¡± Angelica explained as she sat across the coffee table from Lin Xian. ¡°When I woke up, it was because the residents of Donghai City had dug me out of an underground hibernation facility.¡± ¡°I was lucky. Most of the hibernation pods in that facility had been damaged over time, and the people inside them had died. My pod somehow kept functioning¡ªthanks to the later upgrades with the micro nuclear batteries. Without those, I doubt I would have survived the Great Catastrophe of 2400.¡± Angelica¡¯s story answered many of Lin Xian¡¯s questions about the inconsistencies he had noticed in the Seventh Dream. It all boiled down to one simple fact¡ªafter Elon Musk¡¯s death, the fake Elon Musk had taken his place, turning the entire Mars migration plan into a farce. Who killed Elon Musk? Who supported the fake Elon Musk, allowing him to deceive the world? Lin Xian didn¡¯t know. In 2024, Elon Musk¡¯s greatest rival, the digital entity Turing, had already been taken down by Lin Xian. Who else would want Elon Musk dead? Galileo? Copernicus? Or perhaps another member of the Genius Club? Whoever the culprit was, their plan was ruthless. Killing Elon Musk wasn¡¯t enough; they also had to ensure that his impostor carried on the Mars project just as Elon Musk would have. What kind of secrets were hidden behind such an elaborate plan? Lin Xian flipped further into Angelica¡¯s notebook. The rest of the entries mostly dealt with Ji Lin and Angelica¡¯s personal affairs¡ªnothing related to him or Elon Musk. He closed the notebook with a snap and handed it back to Angelica. As he did so, he felt as though a figure cloaked in black, wielding a scythe, was lurking behind the sofa, ready to strike him down. It seemed that even with all the drastic changes in the worldline, he couldn¡¯t escape his fate of dying on July 7. And this time, by eliminating Turing ahead of schedule, he had inadvertently dragged Elon Musk along the path to destruction. He swore it was unintentional. Time had a way of playing tricks on those who dared to manipulate it. The butterfly effect was merciless. Lin Xian hadn¡¯t expected that he¡¯d be the one toying with time, while Elon Musk would become the tragic scapegoat. ¡°Elon Musk¡¯s death shouldn¡¯t be inevitable, right?¡± Lin Xian thought out loud. By all accounts, he felt he owed it to Elon Musk to give him a heads-up. After all, Elon Musk had been a valuable ally, not to mention that he had saved Lin Xian¡¯s life when he was in danger of being taken by Lin Yu Xi. Now, it was time to return the favor. When he woke from the dream, Lin Xian decided he would call Elon Musk and arrange to meet him face-to-face to discuss this matter. What was happening on Mars now, Lin Xian wondered? Probably nothing good. After all, Elon Musk truly loved Mars; he was driven by passion and dreams. If he was replaced, it would be hard to imagine what Mars would have become¡ªperhaps chaos and self-destruction. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it after I wake up,¡± Lin Xian decided. They made their way back to the square, where even the feast area had fewer people now. Most had returned home to sleep. The feast would last for three days, so there was no rush; they could always come back tomorrow. ¡°Hey! I saved these for you two!¡± Big Cat Face rolled over, looking like a ball, holding a bunch of lamb skewers. ¡°I kept these just for you! Eat up, they¡¯re still hot!¡± To be honest, after all that running around, Lin Xian and CC were starting to feel hungry. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat,¡± Lin Xian said as they each took a skewer. The lamb was plump and tender, glistening under the moonlight, its aroma filling the air. It smelled amazing. Lin Xian opened his mouth wide, ready to bite into the juicy meat¡ª Boom! Boom! Boom! A flash of white light at 00:42 wiped everything away¡ªthe delicious skewers, the bustling square, all vanished, leaving nothing but darkness and the lingering taste of emptiness. ... ... ... Lin Xian opened his eyes in his bedroom, taking a deep breath. ¡°Damn it,¡± he muttered. So close to tasting it, and the dream just had to end. ¡°Damn white light,¡± he cursed as he sat up. His stomach rumbled¡ªhe really was hungry, and he could almost still smell the lamb. But first, he had more important things to do. Lin Xian grabbed his phone and dialed an international number¡ªElon Musk¡¯s number in the U.S. The call connected quickly. ¡°Lin Xian, I never thought I¡¯d get a call from you. This is a surprise,¡± Elon Musk said. ¡°Elon Musk, can you come to Donghai in the next few days?¡± Lin Xian asked directly. ¡°I have something important we need to discuss in person.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Elon Musk sounded intrigued. ¡°Is it something you need my help with? Let me guess¡ªdid one of the tests stump you? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help. I¡¯d love to see you join the club, but rules are rules, and I can¡¯t give you any hints.¡± Lin Xian smiled faintly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not about that.¡± ¡°What I want to talk about is much more important. Besides, I¡¯ve already dealt with those tests. If you don¡¯t take this matter seriously... well, you might not even get the chance to cheer for me at the next club meeting.¡± There was silence on the other end of the line. The atmosphere grew heavy. Elon Musk knew Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t joke about something like this. He had given Lin Xian his phone number long ago, but this was the first time Lin Xian had called him. That alone was enough to show how serious it was. A dozen scenarios flashed through Elon Musk¡¯s mind¡ªwiretaps, hidden ears, sensitive information... Whatever the reason, it was better to heed Lin Xian¡¯s advice. ¡°Alright. I have some things to wrap up, but I can be there in three days. I¡¯ll contact you when I arrive,¡± Elon Musk agreed. After they set a time, the call ended. Lin Xian glanced at the digital clock by his bed. It was June 17, 2024, 12:47 AM. Twenty days left until July 7¡ªthe day of reckoning. Elon Musk would arrive in Donghai in three days, and they¡¯d have a lot to discuss. Until then, Lin Xian had three days to make preparations. He thought back to Angelica¡¯s story¡ªher breakdown from losing her memory, Gao Wen¡¯s notes on the Brain Nerve Stimulation Helmet... Du Yao. Finding Du Yao was the key to making that helmet, and once they had it, it could help hibernation survivors regain their lost memories. The future would change again. Many people had been plagued by memory loss after waking up from hibernation¡ªZheng Xiang Yue, Wei Sheng Jin, Angelica, Gao Wen, and countless others. If they could get rid of that side effect for good, who knew what kind of path humanity could forge? Lin Xian decided it was worth a shot. ¡°Du Yao... I¡¯ve definitely seen that name somewhere before,¡± he muttered, closing his eyes as he tried to remember. He was sure of it. The name wasn¡¯t unfamiliar. He had seen it somewhere. ¡°Du Yao...¡± Lin Xian furrowed his brows. Where had he seen that name before? Chapter) ¡°Xin Xin, how are you getting used to the new school?¡± Tang Xin¡¯s mother asked as she set the freshly heated breakfast on the table. ¡°Not very well,¡± Tang Xin replied, flipping her short, chin-length hair, releasing a hint of her favorite shampoo¡¯s fragrance into the air. But the familiar scent didn¡¯t lift her spirits about going to school. ¡°I¡¯m a transfer student, Mom, and I joined in the middle of my sophomore year. Even if the classes were reshuffled, most of the students are already friends from freshman year. They have their groups. I don¡¯t know anyone.¡± Her father, reading the newspaper on the couch, let out a small chuckle. He put the paper down and adjusted his glasses. ¡°Take your time, Xin Xin. It¡¯s only been two days since school started. It¡¯s perfectly normal to not be familiar with everyone yet.¡± ¡°We moved here because of my job transfer. It couldn¡¯t be helped. Besides, Hangzhou First High is the best in the city¡ªI made sure before getting you in. The teachers here are top-notch too, especially your class advisor. Trust me, this is a good thing. Try to understand, and be patient, okay?¡± Tang Xin huffed, eating her fried egg in silence. ¡°Sure, but it¡¯s not like any of that matters now, does it? Anyway, you¡¯re always moving around for work. I changed elementary schools three times, middle school twice. Who knows if I¡¯ll even finish high school here in Hangzhou?¡± ¡°What about my brother?¡± she asked, curious. ¡°Are you going to move him to a middle school in Hangzhou too?¡± Her father sighed, his expression showing a hint of worry. ¡°Your brother isn¡¯t like you, Xin Xin. He doesn¡¯t take school seriously. If no one watches him, he gets into trouble. For now, it¡¯s better for him to stay with your grandparents. At least they can keep an eye on him. Your mom and I are both busy here, and I trust your self-discipline, but your brother... let¡¯s just say he¡¯d go wild if we brought him here without supervision.¡± Her mother took off her apron, hanging it over the back of a chair. ¡°Alright, enough chatting. You both need to get going.¡± Tang Xin nodded, finishing the last bite of her breakfast before standing up. But... something felt off. She rubbed her stomach and looked at her mom. ¡°The milk... Are you sure it was fully heated?¡± Her mother smiled. ¡°Of course. I made sure it was heated and then let it cool to just the right temperature for you. I wanted you to get a little extra sleep, you know? Now hurry along. As a new student, you don¡¯t want to be late and make a bad impression.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Tang Xin grabbed her school bag, stopping by the door to check herself in the mirror, adjusting her bangs before heading out to school. Her father had found them a place close to the school¡ªjust a short ten-minute walk. Very convenient. ... It was her third day at the new school. During P.E. class that morning, a few girls from her class approached her. ¡°Tang Xin, want to join us for badminton?¡± They were friendly, inviting her with warm smiles. Tang Xin blushed, stepping back slightly and fiddling with her pant seam. ¡°No... no, thanks. I¡¯m a bit tired. I think I¡¯ll rest for a while.¡± ¡°Oh, alright then. Just come over if you change your mind. Don¡¯t be shy!¡± One of the girls waved before they left to join the others. Tang Xin sighed, her heart heavy. What should she do? She thought she had more time, but her period had come early¡ªway earlier than expected. She hadn¡¯t been prepared at all. Looking around, she felt her heart pound faster. Even though she couldn¡¯t see behind her, she knew¡ªshe could feel it¡ªthe blood had soaked through, staining her pants. It must be obvious. It was mortifying. The moment she realized it, she¡¯d slowly backed up toward the wall that bordered the sports field, leaning her back against it so no one could see. But what was she supposed to do next? Her mind raced. She could call her parents to pick her up, but there was still time before class ended. Once everyone started heading back to the classroom, they¡¯d see... they¡¯d all see the stain on her pants. Just thinking about it made her face heat up. Her heart pounded in her ears, her breathing growing faster. She was so nervous that her head felt light, and her stomach hurt even more. Tang Xin swayed, her vision blurring as she started to fall backward. Suddenly, she felt strong hands on her shoulders, steadying her. Fear overwhelmed her gratitude. She spun around in shock, her eyes wide. Oh no! Someone saw! But then she realized... if she turned this way, more people on the field would see her, would see the stain. She quickly turned back, mumbling in a flustered voice. ¡°Sorry... I mean, thank you, I...¡± Before she could finish, the boy standing behind her moved closer, unfurling his school jacket. He pulled up his sleeves, wrapped the jacket around her waist, and tied the sleeves at the front in a neat knot. ¡°Huh?¡± Tang Xin blinked, surprised. Before she even realized it, he¡¯d wrapped his jacket around her waist in one swift, confident move. It hung like a skirt, covering the stain entirely. Tang Xin¡¯s face flushed. He had seen, but instead of saying anything, he¡¯d helped her. He¡¯d protected her dignity with a simple gesture¡ªsomething so small, yet it meant everything to her at that moment. ¡°Th-thank you...¡± Before she could say more, another wave of pain hit her. She winced, clutching her stomach as she bent slightly. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± the boy asked, his voice gentle. Tang Xin couldn¡¯t speak. She just nodded, biting her lip. ¡°Here.¡± He smiled, holding out a piece of candy¡ªan Alpenliebe lollipop. ¡°Have a candy. It¡¯ll help.¡± He pressed the lollipop into her hand, then jogged off towards the basketball hoop where another boy was waiting. The boy waiting, who was on the chubbier side, wiped his sweat and called out, ¡°What took you so long? What did you buy?¡± The tall boy waved the second lollipop he had. ¡°Alpenliebe.¡± He quickly unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth. The chubby boy looked confused. ¡°Where¡¯s mine?!¡± ¡°I only had enough for one,¡± the tall boy said casually. ¡°That¡¯s a lie! Everyone knows they¡¯re fifty cents each!¡± ¡°They raised the price.¡± ¡°Yeah, right! Give me my money back!¡± Tang Xin watched them go, her pain easing slightly. She slowly straightened up, looking at the crumpled lollipop in her hand. She held it tightly as if it were something precious. ... The next day, Tang Xin came to school early, carrying a branded gift bag with the boy¡¯s freshly washed school jacket inside. The classroom was still empty. She neatly folded the jacket and placed it on his desk. On top of the stack of books beside his desk, she saw his name written¡ªLin Xian. ¡°Thank you...¡± she whispered. But even then, she felt embarrassed, her face heating up. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to thank him in person, so she left it at that for now. But there would be another opportunity, right? High school was two years long. She would definitely get the chance to befriend her classmates and Lin Xian. When they got closer, she¡¯d thank him properly. The morning bell rang, and classes began. The day went by quickly, and soon it was the afternoon homeroom session. Their teacher had organized a vote for class representatives. Surprisingly, the chubby boy from yesterday¡ªGao Yang¡ªwas elected class president by an overwhelming number of votes. ¡°Thank you, everyone, for your support!¡± Gao Yang said as he stood at the front, full of determination. ¡°My grades might not be great, but I¡¯ll do my best to be a good class president! I¡¯ve created a class group chat on QQ so that we can stay in touch and communicate about any class-related matters. I¡¯ll write the group number on the board, so make sure to join.¡± Gao Yang turned to the blackboard, writing an eight-digit group number with the chalk. Tang Xin discreetly took out her phone, searching for the number on QQ and finding the group¡ª¡±Forever Class 17!¡± She tapped on the button to join. ... That evening, Tang Xin sat on the couch, scrolling through her phone as the notifications from the group chat came in nonstop. Everyone was chatting away, and it was lively. For her, a transfer student, this was the best way to get to know her classmates. A new message popped up from someone using an anime avatar with the username ¡°Lin Xian.¡± It was just a sticker, but it immediately became the center of attention in the chat. ¡°Is he famous or something?¡± Tang Xin blinked, scrolling back through the chat history. Sure enough, Lin Xian seemed to be quite popular in school. The girls adored him, and even the boys admired him. He had a good reputation, was always kind, and often helped others. What surprised Tang Xin the most was... ¡°Champion of the Hangzhou Youth Parkour League?¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°He¡¯s that amazing?¡± She looked up at the chandelier in her living room, picturing Lin Xian¡¯s lean, athletic build. Yes... it made sense now. His physique was impressive¡ªstrong and defined. The thought made her blush as she continued browsing the group chat, her fingers scrolling faster as if searching for something. She skimmed over most messages quickly, uninterested in the topics, until she found a message from Lin Xian or about him. Then, her scrolling would stop, and she¡¯d read every word carefully. ¡°He really is... so incredible,¡± she whispered to herself, smiling. ... ¡°What?!¡± Tang Xin suddenly stood up from her chair in the living room, staring at her father in disbelief. ¡°Your job is being transferred again? To America?!¡± She took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. ¡°We just got to Hangzhou!¡± Her father sighed, smiling as he explained, ¡°There¡¯s an issue with our North American branch. The head manager was dismissed, and someone needs to step in. The company trusts me, so they¡¯re sending me over as the new regional head. This is a big opportunity for me, Xin Xin.¡± ¡°But...¡± Tang Xin struggled to find the right words. ¡°I¡¯ve only been at Hangzhou First High for a week. Do I have to transfer again?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be good for you to study in the U.S.,¡± her mother said, joining them from the kitchen. ¡°We¡¯ve thought about it, Xin Xin. You¡¯ve only been at this school for a short time. You haven¡¯t had a chance to make close friends yet, so it won¡¯t be too hard.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± her father agreed. ¡°You barely know anyone after just a week. It¡¯s not like leaving now will be heartbreaking. You even said it yourself¡ªwe¡¯re used to moving. Besides, I promise this will be the last transfer. I¡¯ll be stationed in America for a long time, so you¡¯ll be able to finish high school there and even apply to universities if you want. I won¡¯t make you move again after this¡ªunless they promote me to Mars!¡± He laughed. Her father¡¯s promotion brought her mother joy, but Tang Xin felt an uneasy mix of emotions. She¡¯d thought she would be able to spend two peaceful years in Hangzhou, making friends... getting to know Lin Xian. ¡°Hm?¡± Her father¡¯s voice broke her thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Xin Xin? Have you already made friends? Are you sad to leave them?¡± He smiled kindly. ¡°If you¡¯ve made friends, we can have a little going-away party. You can invite them, and we¡¯ll treat everyone to dinner. Even though you¡¯ll be far away, you can always keep in touch, send gifts...¡± Tang Xin didn¡¯t say anything. Friends... could she even call them that? They¡¯d barely talked¡ªonly exchanged a couple of words. They weren¡¯t close, not even QQ friends. To Lin Xian, she was probably just one of the many people he¡¯d helped out of kindness. He likely wouldn¡¯t remember her at all after some time. He had so many friends, so many people admiring him. How could she compare? Even so... she didn¡¯t want to leave. ¡°Can... can I stay?¡± she asked, her voice small. ¡°I can live here on my own. I could stay in the dorms... I¡¯ll work hard, I promise. Please, let me stay.¡± Her parents exchanged glances, confused as to why she was so attached to this school after only a few days. But there was no way they¡¯d leave their teenage daughter alone in X Country while they moved to the U.S. In the end, Tang Xin couldn¡¯t convince them. She held her passport and boarding pass, following her parents to the gate for their flight to America. She opened QQ on her phone, glancing at the still-active group chat. Looking out towards Hangzhou one last time, she sighed softly. ... Life as a high school student in America went by quickly. In two years, Tang Xin graduated. Life there wasn¡¯t perfect, but it wasn¡¯t terrible either. She made some friends, learned a lot. But she still had one habit¡ªevery day, she¡¯d open QQ, check in on ¡°Forever Class 17,¡± and see what everyone was talking about. Most messages she¡¯d skim past, uninterested. She was only searching for one name¡ªLin Xian. Whenever she saw a message from him or about him, she¡¯d stop, read it carefully, smiling to herself. ¡°Champion of the Hangzhou Youth Parkour League again?¡± she read, her smile growing wider. Lin Xian really was... amazing. The year of senior high was in full swing... ¡°What?! Lin Xian won the parkour championship again? He¡¯s so impressive.¡± ¡°Top of the city in the art exam, accepted into Tunghai University... Whoa, he¡¯s even good at drawing?¡± ¡°He slept through the night and wouldn¡¯t wake up, so his parents sent him to the hospital... Haha, is Gao Yang making that up, or is he serious?¡± Tang Xin set her phone down, stretching with a sigh. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s true¡ªpeople who are outstanding just stay that way, no matter where they go.¡± Then, her gaze turned more determined. ¡°I can¡¯t let myself fall behind...¡± Tang Xin was an excellent student herself. She had managed to get into Johns Hopkins University, one of the world¡¯s most prestigious schools, just as she¡¯d planned. She chose to major in neuroscience, though not because she had any special interest in the field. It was simply because Johns Hopkins had a strong program in it, and both her father and some professors were well-connected in this area. It all flowed naturally that way. By sophomore year, it was time to take electives to earn extra credits. ¡°Hmm?¡± Tang Xin raised an eyebrow as she scanned through the course listings. One course caught her eye¡ª¡±The Literature of X Country.¡± But what really made her heart skip a beat was this: there was no restriction on students from X Country joining it! ¡°This... this is amazing!¡± Normally, language courses with credit wouldn¡¯t allow native speakers to join. But this professor was apparently quite open-minded! Free credits¡ªwho could pass that up? Without a second thought, Tang Xin clicked ¡°enroll¡± and signed up. Tang Xin sighed softly. ¡°It¡¯s not that dramatic, honestly... I was just glancing at an old group chat. Seeing if anything new was happening back home.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying to yourself,¡± Du Yao said. ¡°Well... everyone has something they can¡¯t forget, right? What about you? Do you have anyone you like? Someone you haven¡¯t forgotten?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not lying to yourself, then you wouldn¡¯t say no. Because if you really didn¡¯t care, you wouldn¡¯t be so afraid to admit it,¡± Tang Xin countered. Du Yao leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. ¡°You think I¡¯m like you? Too scared to say what I really feel?¡± ¡°I had a boyfriend back in high school¡ªwe were a couple even though our parents and teachers were against it. I even planned my future around him¡ªwherever he went to college, I would follow, whether that was in X Country or abroad.¡± Tang Xin blinked in surprise. ¡°And then... what happened?¡± Du Yao scratched her head with frustration, growling, ¡°That idiot went off to be a peace volunteer in Africa right after turning 18! Can you believe that?!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yeah! He wasn¡¯t fighting on the front lines or anything, just helping to build schools and stuff. But still¡ªit was a war-torn country! What eighteen-year-old does that? He must have been insane!¡± Tang Xin tried to calm her friend. ¡°I mean... that¡¯s still admirable, isn¡¯t it? He was helping people.¡± Du Yao shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re right. He wasn¡¯t insane. There¡¯s only one word for it¡ª¡± She clenched her fists, face scrunched up in anger. ¡°He was an absolute idiot!¡± ... Back in their dorm room, Du Yao opened the door to find Tang Xin sitting at her computer, still looking at the ¡°Forever Class 17!¡± group chat. ¡°Tang Xin!¡± she snapped, walking over in frustration. ¡°Can you stop staring at that group chat every day?! You¡¯ve been doing it for years now¡ªall through sophomore year, all the way into your job at the research institute! There hasn¡¯t been a single message in that chat!¡± ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Tang Xin turned her head, annoyed. ¡°Why do you care so much?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just tired of seeing you like this,¡± Du Yao replied, grabbing a chair and sitting down beside Tang Xin. ¡°It was just a small act of kindness¡ªhe let you borrow his school uniform when you needed it. Big deal. Why do you still think about it so much?¡± ¡°I bet Lin Xian¡ªor whatever his name is¡ªhas forgotten all about it by now. You¡¯ve never been in love, that¡¯s why you think it¡¯s some grand, romantic gesture. But let me tell you¡ªthis ¡®nice guy¡¯ act is just a cliche? from every school drama and novel out there.¡± Tang Xin looked back at her friend. ¡°Sure, there might have been a lot of people who would¡¯ve helped me that day.¡± ¡°But still... when it mattered most, he was the one who was there.¡± Du Yao narrowed her eyes, then took a deep breath. ¡°You¡¯re hopeless.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re done for,¡± Du Yao said, throwing her hands up. ¡°I told you, years ago, to let go of that little spark. Now look at you¡ªit¡¯s taken root, sprouted, grown into a full-blown tree.¡± ¡°If some other guy had done anything to win your heart, that¡¯d be different. But Lin Xian... He¡¯s done nothing, and still, you¡¯ve let this tiny thing fester in your heart, turning into something it never needed to be.¡± ¡°Maybe if you¡¯d stayed back home and stayed in that class, you would¡¯ve had the chance to say thank you properly and become friends. And then this wouldn¡¯t have turned into something so... ridiculous.¡± Du Yao sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you shouldn¡¯t fall in love or that you shouldn¡¯t pursue him or anything. If my best friend gets to be with the person she loves and live happily ever after, I¡¯ll be there cheering the loudest! I¡¯ll be your bridesmaid and catch your bouquet¡ªbut I¡¯m just worried about this one-sided thing, Xin Xin. This one-sided love with no hope, with no end in sight¡ªI¡¯m afraid it¡¯s going to hurt you.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve left X Country, and you¡¯ve lost touch with him and everyone else from that time in your life. You¡¯re here now, working in America, and there¡¯s no way he¡¯s coming here... When will you two ever meet again? How could there possibly be a story between you?¡± Du Yao¡¯s words made Tang Xin fall silent. Indeed. Would they ever have a chance to meet again? She¡¯d always thought she just needed a chance to say thank you. But as Du Yao said, that sentiment had grown, blossomed, becoming something else entirely¡ªsomething she couldn¡¯t even control. It was a love destined to have no ending. The vast Pacific Ocean, the 12,000-kilometer distance between America and X Country¡ªthose were the impassable mountains and seas, keeping her heart from finding peace. Maybe Du Yao was right. This was a love that would have no end. But when would it end? Ding-dong! Suddenly, a sound rang out from her laptop¡ªa sound that made Tang Xin jump. It was a message notification from QQ. Tang Xin¡¯s eyes widened as she turned to look at the screen, catching Du Yao¡¯s equally stunned expression. They both rushed to see what had appeared. Miraculously¡ªafter all these years¡ªa message had appeared in the ¡°Forever Class 17!¡± group chat. From Gao Yang, the group admin, no less: ¡°Hey everyone! It¡¯s been five years since we graduated. Time for a reunion! How about the fifth day of the new year, during the holidays?¡± Tang Xin¡¯s face lit up, and she practically jumped out of her chair. ¡°Du Yao! Look! Our class president¡¯s organizing a reunion!¡± Du Yao shook her head, incredulous. ¡°But... nobody¡¯s replying. Do you think this reunion will really happen?¡± That one statement crushed Tang Xin¡¯s excitement. Surely not... Surely everyone wouldn¡¯t ignore it, causing the reunion to be canceled, right? And so, the two girls did nothing but stare at the screen for over half an hour, waiting. Nothing. Not a single reply. ¡°Ugh...¡± Both of them sighed deeply. They both knew¡ªthis reunion was probably not happening. Tang Xin moved her mouse, ready to close the group chat, ready to shut down the last flicker of hope she¡¯d had¡ª Ding-dong! Another notification! She looked up, eyes wide, staring at that familiar profile picture she¡¯d clicked on so many times before¡ªLin Xian. ¡°Hey everyone! It¡¯s been so long, we definitely need to get together. I¡¯ll be home for the holidays, see you then!¡± Tang Xin grabbed Du Yao¡¯s arm, pulling her over excitedly. ¡°Look! Look!¡± ¡°I see it... I see it,¡± Du Yao said, nearly losing her balance from being tugged so hard. ¡°That¡¯s Lin Xian¡ªyour one and only, right? Since he¡¯s Gao Yang¡¯s friend, of course, he has to show support.¡± She looked over at Tang Xin. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to join in too? Sure, you were just a transfer student for a short while, but if no one else responds, this reunion won¡¯t even happen, right?¡± ¡°Right, right,¡± Tang Xin said, her hands trembling slightly as she placed them on the keyboard. She typed something, then deleted it. Typed again¡ªand deleted again. ¡°Ugh, what are you doing?!¡± Du Yao couldn¡¯t take it anymore, urging her on. ¡°Why are you so shy? Just send it! Say you¡¯re going! No need to overthink it.¡± Finally, Tang Xin finished typing her message, took a deep breath, and pressed enter¡ª Tang Xin: Sure, Lin Xian! Count me in! ¡°Eek¡ª¡± Tang Xin stomped her feet, feeling a mix of embarrassment and excitement. ¡°This is so awkward! No one else even replied, and I¡¯m the only one¡ªthe transfer student who nobody remembers! It¡¯ll be so weird.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Du Yao said, completely unconcerned. ¡°Who cares what the others think? That message wasn¡¯t for them. It was for Lin Xian!¡± She ruffled Tang Xin¡¯s hair, shaking her head. ¡°Love makes people blind. I¡¯ve never seen you this dumb before. Look at yourself¡ªgrinning like a fool.¡± ¡°And since you¡¯ve started chatting, don¡¯t just stop at one message¡ªkeep it going! Say something else, get the conversation going. Maybe everyone else will start chiming in.¡± Tang Xin fumbled again. ¡°What should I say?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re hopeless,¡± Du Yao sighed. ¡°Fine¡ªif you can¡¯t think of anything, just send an emoji. How about the goofy grin you¡¯re wearing right now?¡± Du Yao¡¯s words made Tang Xin giggle. Smiling broadly, she held down the Shift key, quickly typing 6, dash, and another 6, before hitting enter. And there it was¡ªa lively little emoticon popped up in the chat window. Tang Xin had sent out her message¡ª **^_^**. Chapter 414: Obsession Lin Xian thought for a long time. His head started to ache from all the thinking, but he still couldn¡¯t remember where he had seen the name ¡°Du Yao.¡± ¡°Sigh... I know I¡¯ve seen it somewhere,¡± Lin Xian muttered, rubbing his temples. He was sure of it. He had an impression of the name, but it wasn¡¯t a strong one. It must have been something he skimmed over without much thought¡ªjust one of those details that slipped into the back of his mind and was now difficult to retrieve. People take in so much information every day: websites, books, ads, videos, images... It wasn¡¯t surprising that a faint memory could get lost in all of that. ¡°If only I had the Neural Stimulation Helmet,¡± Lin Xian grumbled to himself. ¡°If I had that helmet and zapped my brain, I¡¯d definitely remember where I saw that name.¡± ¡°No, wait.¡± He suddenly paused. ¡°If we can¡¯t find Ms. Du Yao, then we can¡¯t build the helmet at all... No, not even hundreds of years later. The neural research field wouldn¡¯t have any breakthrough without her. The whole progress is stuck because of Ms. Du Yao.¡± The good news was that he had a lead on Du Yao¡ªat least he remembered seeing her name somewhere. The bad news was that Gao Wen¡¯s letter mentioned she would die in Africa in the mid-21st century. ¡°Forget it, forget it. No use thinking about it now.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. There was no point in forcing himself. He had too many things crowding his mind already. It was better to deal with the Genius Club¡¯s third problem, his own death mystery on July 7th, and Elon Musk¡¯s switch-up incident first. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll enter the dream again,¡± he yawned. This time, when he explored the seventh dream, he¡¯d entered late. By the time he arrived, the sun had already set, and he hadn¡¯t covered much ground. The blue-eyed woman, who was now the village chief, deserved more attention¡ªmaybe he could get more clues from spending time with her. After all... as CC had said before, emotions could exist independently of memories. Since the blue-eyed woman¡¯s memories had disappeared, maybe her emotions could still hold some clues, some hints. In the fifth dream, Lin Xian had once sketched a drawing of the Rhine Cat for Zheng Xiang Yue. In that moment, after hundreds of years in hibernation, the 116-year-old Zheng Xiang Yue had burst into tears. That was enough for Lin Xian to know¡ªshe was definitely Zheng Xiang Yue. That was human emotion¡ªsomething even harder to decipher than memory, something scientists still couldn¡¯t fully understand. Lin Xian walked into the kitchen, taking some instant food from the fridge. He cooked himself a simple late-night snack to fill his stomach. But he had to admit¡ªcompared to the fragrant lamb skewers, this meal tasted like cardboard. Even Big Cat Face¡¯s braised bear head seemed more appetizing in hindsight. ¡°I really need to try Li Cheng¡¯s banquet tomorrow,¡± Lin Xian wiped his mouth and murmured. ¡°And maybe if I get there early enough, I can see Li Ning Ning, the little princess of the Li family.¡± Lin Xian had a good impression of Li Ning Ning. She was brave and unyielding¡ªlike a butterfly fighting against the wind. He had encountered her twice before in the chaotic wasteland, and each time, he lamented that she should have been a cherished princess, not forced to scavenge in the garbage heaps. Now, Li Ning Ning had finally become the daughter of Donghai City¡¯s lord, a true princess. Lin Xian wanted to see her again¡ªeven if she wouldn¡¯t recognize him, even if she had no idea who he was or that they had once hooked pinkies twice, promising him her safety talisman. It didn¡¯t matter. Lin Xian, who had gone through countless cycles of reincarnation and forgetfulness, didn¡¯t mind. As long as he could see Li Ning Ning, this little girl whom fate had treated unfairly, live the happy life she deserved, he would be content. Lin Xian stood up, washed the dishes in the kitchen, and returned to his bed to continue sleeping. The next morning, Lin Xian woke up early. He¡¯d been sleeping well lately, and there were things he had to do today¡ªlike visiting Rhine¡¯s second lab with Vice President Wang. The Rhine Second Laboratory was different from Liu Feng¡¯s first lab. It was a commercial, profit-driven, public lab meant to generate cash flow for Rhine Company. Currently, Rhine¡¯s main funding still came from the 2 billion yuan sponsorships from Zhao Ying Jun and Chu Shan He. Most of that money had been used up by now. Vice President Wang had been complaining about it, saying, ¡°Without money in the account, I just don¡¯t feel secure.¡± ¡°We need to develop some big money-making projects, Lin Xian. The Rhine Cat is just a toy. No matter how popular it is, it¡¯s not enough to support your spending habits... You¡¯re always establishing labs, buying this and that, hiring PhD students, researchers, academicians... We have to pay them!¡± ¡°And you spend money like water¡ª40 billion yuan is almost gone. If Rhine goes under, don¡¯t forget that Time Bank will suffer too! You said that even if Rhine collapses, Time Bank must stay afloat. For Time Bank¡¯s sake, we need a new path.¡± Vice President Wang was worried¡ªespecially seeing Lin Xian seemingly idle. So Lin Xian planned to take him to meet Nangong Meng Jie at the lab, show him their ongoing projects, and let him see what was being set up. Driver Xiao Li picked them up in an Alphard minivan and drove them to the Rhine Second Laboratory on the outskirts of the city. When they entered, they found many researchers, both young and old, bustling around, their faces lit with excitement and joy. ¡°Why are they so happy?¡± Wang asked in disbelief. Even with Rhine¡¯s great internal benefits, most people still looked like they were going to a funeral when they showed up for work. But here... everyone seemed thrilled as if they were at a party. ¡°Because they¡¯re doing something great,¡± Lin Xian explained with a smile. ¡°They¡¯re doing something that will change humanity¡¯s future. Once the micro nuclear battery is invented, it will reshape the entire world¡ªenergy, economics, consumer electronics, even people¡¯s daily lives. ¡°People have said that the next industrial revolution will happen in the battery sector. I deeply believe that. Imagine a battery that can last for decades, even centuries, without degrading. How many groundbreaking innovations could that bring? ¡°Take the recently trending hibernation pods, for example. The biggest worry is prolonged power failure. If external energy sources are cut off, the people inside are at risk. But with a micro nuclear battery, the pods can run independently for hundreds of years. ¡°Now you understand why they¡¯re so enthusiastic? They¡¯re making history. They¡¯re pushing human civilization to new heights. Most scientists live and die without fame. But the people here? They¡¯re the rare few who will be remembered.¡± Vice President Wang nodded, enlightened. ¡°True, you have a point. I envy them¡ªthey get to be remembered. But someone like me, just a regular guy... who will remember me in a hundred years?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Wang,¡± Lin Xian patted his shoulder. ¡°If anything, the contributions of Time Bank far surpass theirs.¡± Wang laughed. ¡°Oh, stop teasing me! Show me this Director Nangong.¡± Soon, they met Nangong Meng Jie in the lab. She still dressed like a student¡ªyoung and fresh out of college¡ªgiving an impression of youth mixed with wisdom. Her round face and black-rimmed glasses made it hard to associate her with being the lab¡¯s director. ¡°Director Nangong, hello,¡± Wang greeted her and introduced himself. Lin Xian connected them. ¡°This is Vice President Wang of Rhine Company. He handles all company matters. If you need funding, equipment, or help dealing with government agencies, just go to him. He¡¯s more suitable and efficient than me.¡± ¡°I figured,¡± Nangong nodded, throwing a pointed glance at Lin Xian. ¡°You¡¯re like an owl¡ªnever around during the day, and only replying to messages in the dead of night... It¡¯s like talking to Batman, with barely two lines exchanged each day. Inefficient!¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s why I introduced you to Wang, to speed things up for our research.¡± Nangong then gave them a tour of the lab and reported on the progress of the micro nuclear battery. ¡°We estimate that by the end of the year, we¡¯ll have the first prototype ready. By mid-next year, mass production shouldn¡¯t be a problem. While batteries for cars and high-powered appliances need more research, micro nuclear batteries for phones, computers, and smaller devices will hit the market next year.¡± ¡°We leave the business side to you. We¡¯re just focused on the research.¡± Lin Xian nodded, satisfied. ¡°Excellent, really excellent¡ªeven earlier than I expected. It looks like the world is on the brink of great change. 2024¡ªa year for the history books.¡± ¡°Ohh.¡± Big Cat Face listened carefully. ¡°Wow, that sounds amazing.¡± He swallowed. ¡°Alright then, I won¡¯t eat at home tonight. Gotta keep my stomach empty. You¡¯re right¡ªI should grab the bear¡¯s head. And if I do get it, I¡¯ll share the tongue and eyes with you.¡± Lin Xian waved his hand. ¡°No need.¡± The two hurried along and managed to intercept the blue-eyed village chief at the northern entrance. She didn¡¯t seem to feel the heat, wearing a tight-fitting hunting outfit with all kinds of knives and swords at her waist. She wore bear-hide gloves, with a bow and rope strapped to her back¡ªlooking every bit as formidable as Li Cheng had described. She was the kind of person who could single-handedly guard the northern frontier. Smith had mentioned before that, in the early days, Big Cat¡¯s Village was always attacked by fierce animals from the nearby mountains and forests. Livestock would go missing, and villagers were often injured¡ªit was terrifying. But ever since Yan Qiao Qiao became the village chief, people actually looked forward to animals coming down from the mountains. After all, that meant a feast. When a pack of wolves had attacked once, the villagers started preparing the firewood as soon as the chief ran out with her blade. Unfortunately, it seemed the animals had learned their lesson over the years¡ªno beast had dared approach the village in a long time. Now, to get a wild animal for Li Cheng¡¯s banquet, the chief had to venture into the mountains... these bears were really asking for trouble. The blue-eyed chief stared at Lin Xian, just as surprised as last time. She took a picture out of her pocket, asking who Lin Xian was. This time, Lin Xian didn¡¯t give a straight answer. He simply said he knew the little girl in the picture, but only in passing¡ªhe knew little about her. Because he wanted to talk to this woman, who had once been a fourteen-year-old girl, then a teenager at seventeen or eighteen, and was now thirty¡ªhe wanted to talk to her properly. In the sixth dream, everything had been too rushed, and there had been no time to communicate with the blue-eyed girl. Sometimes, Lin Xian hoped she was Yan Qiao Qiao. Sometimes, he hoped she wasn¡¯t¡ªhe was torn. There were so many clues pointing to the fact that the blue-eyed girl from 2624 and Yan Qiao Qiao had much in common. But could that really prove they were the same person? Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure. Their appearances were too different. Unless there was a DNA test, there was no way to know for sure. Of course... there was another way. It was through emotions. Yan Qiao Qiao had lost her memories, but she still held onto her feelings for her parents. Those emotions hadn¡¯t disappeared, even when her memories had. So now¡ªwhat about the blue-eyed chief? Did she still have those feelings? Did she still miss her parents? Or did she have other emotions left? Since the blue-eyed chief was most likely Yan Qiao Qiao, possibly even his own daughter, Lin Xian, as a father, cared¡ªhe wanted to know more about her life. ¡°Can I go hunting with you?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°I¡¯m pretty capable¡ªI can¡¯t promise I¡¯ll catch a bear, but I won¡¯t be a burden either. I can help out.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± the chief answered, pulling a short knife from her waist and tossing it to Lin Xian. ¡°Use this to cut branches. If we run into any wild animals, leave it to me.¡± She then tied her dark hair into a high ponytail with a leather band, shook her head to settle it, and led Lin Xian up the mountain. She cleared the path while Lin Xian followed behind. The scene reminded him of holding Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s hand while walking through Disneyland¡ªexcept this time, the roles were reversed. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been awake from your hibernation for over a decade,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°Mm.¡± The chief nodded while clearing branches. ¡°Almost thirteen years now.¡± ¡°Have you been happy during these years? Do you have... any worries?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°No,¡± she replied, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯ve been very happy. I don¡¯t know what my life was like before hibernation, but in these thirteen years¡ªgrowing from a little girl to the village chief¡ªI¡¯ve felt happier than ever. ¡°That¡¯s why I sometimes doubt if I¡¯m the girl in the picture. First, we don¡¯t look alike at all. Second, the girl in the photo looks pampered and probably lived a noble life. If that were me, could I really find happiness in a village like this? Chen Heping, the former chief, once taught us that it¡¯s hard to go from luxury to simplicity. I¡¯ve always thought that the reason I¡¯m content now is that my life before must have been terrible.¡± Lin Xian watched her strong back, staying silent. He cut through several branches before asking softly, ¡°Why do you think your life before hibernation was awful?¡± ¡°Because there was nothing left in my hibernation pod¡¯s storage locker,¡± the chief replied, turning her crystal blue eyes to meet his gaze before continuing forward. ¡°Chief Chen told me that everyone else had stored ID documents, letters, memory journals, or memory drives¡ªsomething to remember their past by. ¡°But my locker had nothing. Nothing but this one photo. If my past life had been happy, why wouldn¡¯t I leave something behind for myself to remember it by¡ªto at least know who I was? ¡°To be honest, I often look at the photo, but I don¡¯t recognize the girl. Even the man and woman in the background¡ªI don¡¯t feel anything... no sense of family.¡± Lin Xian paused. ¡°Have you ever thought about your parents? About having a mother and father like everyone else?¡± ¡°No,¡± the chief answered firmly. ¡°Never. ¡°I don¡¯t care who the people in the photo are. Parents or not, it doesn¡¯t matter to me¡ªthey¡¯re not here, and I don¡¯t remember them. The only thing that has always mattered to me¡ªand still does¡ªis the girl in the photo. I just want to know if she¡¯s me. Am I Yan Qiao Qiao?¡± Lin Xian walked beside her, trying to understand her thoughts. ¡°If you don¡¯t care about the past, why does it matter who you are?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t really explain it.¡± The chief shook her head, heading toward another peak. ¡°But in my heart, there has always been an obsession.¡± ¡°An obsession?¡± Lin Xian asked, intrigued. ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t care who the girl is. I don¡¯t care who the people in the photo are, or even who I am. I just want to know if my name is Yan Qiao Qiao. That¡¯s all. I just want to have a name.¡± Lin Xian smiled slightly. ¡°That¡¯s a strange thought. Everyone has a name. Why does it matter?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The chief waved dismissively. ¡°But that¡¯s what an obsession is, isn¡¯t it? If my name really is Yan Qiao Qiao, I¡¯d be very happy.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°No reason.¡± The chief smiled, her voice softening. ¡°I just think Yan Qiao Qiao is a beautiful name.¡± Chapter 415: Lin Xians Answer The path ahead stretched onward. The Blue-Eyed Village Chief continued clearing the way ahead while Lin Xian followed in silence. Neither of them spoke again. Lin Xian had come with her to hunt this time. He originally intended to gather some information from her... even if she had lost her memory, perhaps emotions could still be a way in. But things didn¡¯t go as planned. The more he tried to gather information, the blurrier things became. This woman, the Blue-Eyed Chief, was someone Lin Xian had met before¡ªback when she was only seventeen or eighteen. He could feel it. She really did like the name Yan Qiao Qiao. Just like in that photo. She had said it herself¡ªshe didn¡¯t care who those three people in the foreground were. She didn¡¯t care at all. What mattered to her... was the name Yan Qiao Qiao, written on the back. Was it really hers? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t quite figure it out. If this Blue-Eyed Chief before him was indeed the Lin Yu Xi who had killed him on July 7th, triggering the second rejection of time-space... Why had so many of her thoughts changed? No, that¡¯s not it. Lin Xian suddenly realized. It seemed he¡¯d been overlooking something all along. He¡¯d always thought of Yan Qiao Qiao as one single person. Although, biologically speaking, they were indeed the same person. But... Could the same body, living different lives, with different memories, still be considered the same person? That question¡ª Lin Xian had pondered it long ago, but he had never come to a definite answer. Take the Blue-Eyed Chief in front of him¡ªshe was certainly very different from the Yan Qiao Qiao of 2024. But what if... she was compared to Lin Yu Xi from before? Suddenly, similarities started to emerge. So, the real question was¡ª If one day Yan Qiao Qiao regained her memories and reverted back to the Blue-Eyed Girl, would she lose all the memories of being Yan Qiao Qiao once she gained all of Lin Yu Xi¡¯s memories? If Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s memories were lost, she¡¯d completely become the time-space assassin Lin Yu Xi. She¡¯d hunt him down without any emotion¡ªmaybe even... kill him. Lin Xian remembered the arrest video Lin Yu Xi had recorded before. She had the authority to kill him. Of course, the best option was to arrest him, put him in hibernation, and send him to the Time-Space Court for trial. But now there was no Time-Space Court anymore, nor was there any Time-Space Police. Was it possible that Lin Yu Xi might simply sentence him to death and execute it on the spot? Now, there were only twenty days left until July 7th. Yan Qiao Qiao still showed no sign of regaining her memories. There were no indications that the entangled time-space particles were regaining energy either. Lin Xian really couldn¡¯t see what could make Yan Qiao Qiao regain her memories. ¡°Could it be some other law of time-space?¡± It had been a long time since he¡¯d grasped any new time-space laws. It felt as if everything around him had gotten mysteriously stuck. ¡°I hope once I join the Genius Club, I¡¯ll find some way to break through all this.¡± Snap. Lin Xian cut away a branch blocking the path and quickened his steps to catch up to the Blue-Eyed Chief. He had to admit... Finding a bear in the deep forest wasn¡¯t easy. He relied entirely on the chief¡¯s incredible vision and keen sense of smell. She could spot bear tracks and paw prints and even sniff out bear droppings. She really was a natural-born hunter. Lin Xian had no doubt about the strength of these ¡°terminators.¡± He¡¯d been hunted before. He¡¯d experienced life from the perspective of a bear. Naturally, he knew just how formidable the Blue-Eyed Chief was. Swish! The Blue-Eyed Chief suddenly extended her arm, stopping Lin Xian in his tracks. ¡°Found it.¡± Lin Xian perked up, looking around. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Over there.¡± The Blue-Eyed Chief pointed straight ahead. Lin Xian squinted, trying to see farther into the distance... Sure enough! The last rays of the setting sun were just about to disappear, casting everything into darkness. And in that final bit of light, Lin Xian barely made out the silhouette of a bear¡ªvery far away. ¡°So, what¡¯s our next move?¡± Lin Xian looked left, then right at the surroundings. ¡°Are we going to¡ªhuh? Where did she go?¡± He blinked. He¡¯d only turned his head to the left for a second, and now the chief to his right had vanished. Suddenly, realization struck him. He quickly stood up, looking ahead. All he saw was... A dark figure charging straight at the grizzly bear! Simple, direct, full-on attack! Next thing he knew¡ª Crack! Crack! Crack! Before the bear could even react, it was twisted into a bundle and tied up tightly with ropes. ¡°Gah?¡± The grizzly looked stunned, its big, round face frozen in disbelief. However, there was no time for it to make a second sound. The Blue-Eyed Chief swiftly tied its mouth shut as well, leaving it unable to make any sound except a muffled whimper. By the time Lin Xian reached the bear, it was already completely immobilized, tied up like a dumpling. The Blue-Eyed Chief patted the dust off her hands, smiled slightly, and said, ¡°Done. Let¡¯s give this to Lord Li as a gift. What do you think?¡± ¡°...¡± Lin Xian had mixed feelings, unsure of how to respond. Somehow, he felt a strange connection to this bear. But there was no choice. They needed the grizzly as their ticket into Donghai City. Lin Xian stepped forward, gently patting the bear¡¯s head in comfort. ¡°Don¡¯t worry... I won¡¯t eat your eyes tonight.¡± The bear¡¯s eyes went wide, looking at Lin Xian in terror. Just as Lin Xian was wondering how they were going to carry a half-ton bear down the mountain, the Blue-Eyed Chief simply turned around, grabbed the bear, and slung it over her back like it weighed nothing. She glanced back at Lin Xian. ¡°Keep up.¡± Then, with light and effortless strides, she began her descent. ¡°...¡± At that moment, Lin Xian truly understood the level of monsters he¡¯d faced back in America. And there had been two of them. By comparison, the fight between the real and fake Lin Yu Xi seemed almost civilized. Maybe it was modern warfare¡¯s rules that held them back, making them stick to conventional weapons and tactics. If the Blue-Eyed Chief fought them now, Lin Xian was sure anything that could be thrown would be thrown, and there¡¯d be no sense of decorum. The entire way down, Lin Xian followed her, listening to the bear¡¯s muffled cries, already planning where to hide on July 7th. If he couldn¡¯t stop Yan Qiao Qiao from regaining her memories by then, well... if he couldn¡¯t win, he could still run. He¡¯d contact the National Security Bureau himself and ask them to protect him. As for what would happen to Yan Qiao Qiao... That was a problem for the future. ¡°She¡¯ll have to deal with her own fate.¡± Facing a daughter who would kill her father to achieve her own goals, Lin Xian felt utterly helpless. ... Not long after, the Blue-Eyed Chief carried the bear back to Big Cat¡¯s Village. After a moment, she said slowly, ¡°Honestly, if you were to ask me that question, I wouldn¡¯t overthink it.¡± She leaned back on the edge of the flowerbed, swinging her legs. ¡°I¡¯d probably just tell you straight¡ª¡± ¡°A future with a tomorrow is the best future. It¡¯s the only future that matters.¡± Lin Xian sat up. ¡°What do you mean?¡± CC tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s just the literal meaning of tomorrow, nothing complicated.¡± ¡°Look, you¡¯ve told me, and you¡¯ve proven it to me multiple times¡ªall worlds are destroyed by a mysterious white light at 00:42 on August 29th, 2624. ¡°If the world ends and humanity is destined to perish on that day... then discussing the future is pointless, because humanity has no future.¡± ¡°Take this world, for example. It may seem like everyone is happy, but Li Ning Ning¡¯s baby will never grow up; Big Cat Face¡¯s daughter will never get to attend school in Donghai City; President Gao Wen¡¯s heating system will never bring hot water. ¡°It¡¯s not their fault¡ªit¡¯s that the world ends. They never get the chance to see tomorrow, so everything is doomed to be in vain.¡± ¡°Also...¡± CC smiled a little. ¡°I do have a bit of a selfish reason¡ªAugust 29th is my birthday. I really hope the world doesn¡¯t end on my birthday. Even if it gets postponed just one day... I¡¯d really love to have my twentieth birthday.¡± She looked up at Lin Xian, her eyes reflecting the moonlight. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s too greedy?¡± Lin Xian met her gaze, not saying anything. He didn¡¯t think it was greedy. It was just a simple, ordinary wish. Yet, for those like CC, the Millennium Stakes, they could never reach their twentieth birthday. CC, Chu An Qing, Zhang Yu Qian¡ª For hundreds of years, dozens of Millennium Stakes had been the same. They could live to nineteen, but never cross into twenty. ¡°Twenty,¡± Lin Xian whispered. ¡°Twenty is such a meaningful age. Especially for you... I suppose turning twenty is the hardest birthday to reach.¡± CC nodded. ¡°Now that you mention it, I see it too. In none of my memory fragments am I ever over nineteen. ¡°That means, in every world, I die at nineteen¡ªon the last day of nineteen.¡± ¡°Honestly... it sounds easy when I say it, but when I think about it, it¡¯s heavy. I¡¯m still young. Nineteen years is a short life. If I could... of course, I¡¯d want to live past twenty, to see more of this world. ¡°And to get another birthday gift.¡± Hearing this, Lin Xian laughed unexpectedly, playing along. ¡°If you could celebrate your twentieth birthday, what would you want most as a gift?¡± He thought CC might take a moment to think. But she answered immediately. ¡°Fireworks.¡± Her eyes brightened at the word. ¡°I¡¯d love to receive... a firework show just for me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian was surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected that answer. How to put it... in his mind, it seemed a bit cliche?. It was just fireworks. They weren¡¯t anything rare¡ªnot in any era. Even in the seventh dream, fireworks were pretty common... just a variation of gunpowder and rockets, nothing difficult. It was hard for him to imagine that what CC most wished for was simply a firework show. ¡°Why fireworks?¡± Lin Xian asked, puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s not even hard to make. Why are you so set on fireworks?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± CC shook her head. ¡°But I¡¯ve always had this obsession in my mind.¡± Obsession. Lin Xian had heard that word before. He suddenly realized. Everyone who¡¯d lost their memory seemed to have an inexplicable obsession. Yan Qiao Qiao was obsessed with the feeling of her parents. Wei Sheng Jin was obsessed with his past self. Angelica was obsessed with revenge. Zheng Xiang Yue was obsessed with Rhine Cat. The Blue-Eyed Chief was obsessed with her name. CC had never lost her memory, of course. But... If obsessions were somehow passed on¡ª Did it mean that Chu An Qing, Zhang Yu Qian, and all the other Millennium Stakes carried these kinds of obsessions too? Where was the origin? To be honest, Lin Xian didn¡¯t understand how fireworks could make a girl so happy. But, he¡¯d once set off fireworks for Zhao Ying Jun, and for Li Ning Ning¡ªthey¡¯d both been delighted. But as for Chu An Qing... Suddenly, Lin Xian¡¯s heart sank. He remembered what Ji Lin had said: ¡°You need to do something big and romantic, right? Like setting off fireworks that fill the sky for Chu An Qing? Lighting up the night sky in Donghai City? You know she¡¯d be happy, but you just don¡¯t do it.¡± He remembered what the super AI, VV, had said: ¡°Let¡¯s set off fireworks to light up the sky for Chu An Qing! Girls love fireworks¡ªthey¡¯re so romantic! Someone like Chu An Qing, still a teenage girl, who wouldn¡¯t be thrilled by fireworks lighting up the whole sky?¡± Two people had wanted him to set off fireworks for Chu An Qing. But he¡¯d refused, choosing other gifts instead. Sometimes, there were things that were already too late once you realized them. Lin Xian let out a long breath, pushing himself off the flowerbed and standing on the stone tiles, looking at CC. ¡°Thank you, CC. I think I know what kind of future is the best future now.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± CC chuckled lightly. ¡°I was just talking. You don¡¯t have to take it so seriously.¡± ¡°No.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re right. If we want to think about humanity¡¯s future, first, humanity must have a tomorrow¡ªa future. If there¡¯s no tomorrow, what¡¯s the point of discussion?¡± ¡°Like your twentieth birthday¡ªif you can never reach twenty, you¡¯ll never get that twentieth birthday gift. No matter how well you plan, how prepared you are, it¡¯s all useless.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for humanity¡¯s future¡ªall the pretty words and beautiful plans mean nothing if time doesn¡¯t keep flowing, if people don¡¯t see the sun rise on August 29th, 2624.¡± He suddenly felt a sense of relief, clarity washing over him. He glanced at his wristwatch. It read... 00:41. The time was almost up. But Lin Xian had gotten his answer. He looked up at CC. ¡°If one day, the end of the world becomes not an end... ¡± Lin Xian smiled and pointed up at the sky. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the most spectacular fireworks display. And at the first second of 00:42, I¡¯ll tell you...¡± ¡°Happy birthday.¡± BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The dazzling white light appeared on schedule, not a second more, not a second less¡ªnot giving the world even one more moment, nor giving CC her twentieth birthday. Not even for a second. ... ... ... In a corner of his bedroom, Lin Xian opened his eyes. ¡°This is my answer,¡± he whispered. ¡°Genius Club, here I come.¡± Chapter 416: Great Power Comes with Great Responsibility Two days later. In the new harbor district of Donghai City, inside the Tesla Gigafactory, Lin Xian and Elon Musk sat alone in a top-secret meeting room. Elon Musk had come to X Country in complete secrecy¡ªno fanfare, no public announcements, not even a tweet to update his followers. He flew here alone, quietly slipping into the country. Upon landing, he reached out to Lin Xian to arrange a meeting at the Gigafactory. Elon Musk knew very well that Lin Xian must have something crucial to tell him. And there was no place more suitable for such discussions than this secure meeting room. It was the highest-level area of the factory, accessible only by Elon Musk himself. He had brought Lin Xian in, locked the door behind them, and, adapting to the local customs, made a pot of tea. With a smile, he said, ¡°Long time no see, Lin Xian. I was happy to hear you¡¯ve completed the three tasks of the Genius Club.¡± Elon Musk poured a cup for Lin Xian and handed it over. Lin Xian took the cup. It was a bit too hot, so he set it down on the coffee table. It had only been two months since he last saw Elon Musk, yet Lin Xian could see that the man seemed exhausted¡ªhis usual energy somewhat diminished. Was it just the workload from these last two months? Elon Musk poured himself a cup and sat down opposite Lin Xian. ¡°So... have you entered the answer for the third task yet? Knowing you, I¡¯m guessing you think humanity has a future, right?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Yes, I chose ¡®YES.¡¯ I believe humanity has a future and should have one. But... I haven¡¯t entered my final answer yet.¡± Elon Musk raised an eyebrow, curious. ¡°Well, even though I know it¡¯s a subjective question,¡± Lin Xian explained, ¡°I want to be cautious. After all, the answer I put down is significant, and while I don¡¯t expect my view to change, I thought it best for us to have a conversation first¡ªto understand some things a little better¡ªbefore I proceed.¡± Elon Musk chuckled lightly. ¡°If it¡¯s just a casual chat, that¡¯s fine. But you do understand¡ªas I said before¡ªuntil you become an official Genius Club member, there are limits to what I can share.¡± ¡°Even though I¡¯m confident no one is listening in here, and no one else will ever know about this conversation, the principles of the Genius Club are absolute. Rules are rules.¡± ¡°I believe that anyone undertaking great endeavors must possess integrity. That, I think, applies to you as well.¡± Lin Xian smiled slightly, spinning the teacup gently on the table. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t intend to ask anything about the club¡¯s specific secrets. Let¡¯s just consider today a conversation between friends.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious¡ªhow did you answer the third question? I figure subjective answers like that can¡¯t be too sensitive. Besides, you¡¯re always so high-profile. Even if you don¡¯t say it, people will likely guess most of it anyway.¡± Elon Musk took a sip of tea and then put down his cup. ¡°Sure, I can share that. It¡¯s no secret. My goal and dream are well-known worldwide¡ªto colonize Mars and then reach even further into space.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I dislike Earth¡ªI love this planet. But if human civilization wants to continue developing and surviving, leaving Earth and stepping out of the solar system is inevitable.¡± ¡°In fact, many problems are already surfacing on Earth¡ªenvironmental issues, resource depletion, energy crises. These things tend to escalate gradually; until they reach a tipping point, everything seems calm.¡± ¡°But by the time the crisis hits, it¡¯ll be too late to patch things up. Take Mars colonization and interstellar travel, for instance¡ªit¡¯s not something that can be done in just a few years. The process takes time, and we need to start now if humanity is to stand a chance.¡± ¡°What I¡¯m doing now, to put it in your culture¡¯s terms, is ¡®prepare for danger in times of peace.¡¯ Many people think I¡¯m a fraud, that my hype is just to boost stock prices. I won¡¯t deny it¡ªI know I¡¯ve exaggerated, that some promises can¡¯t be achieved in the short term.¡± ¡°But I have to do this. If humanity doesn¡¯t start working on extraterrestrial colonization and space travel now, then when? Should we wait until we face a doomsday crisis? Or perhaps until alien ships are at our doorstep?¡± ¡°History has too many lessons in hindsight. I don¡¯t want humanity to repeat those mistakes. That¡¯s why, ¡®Someone has to be the first. Someone has to ignite that flame.''¡± ¡°You can¡¯t light a fire just by talking¡ªactions are what matter. You might think I¡¯m worrying over nothing. Maybe humans can live on Earth until natural extinction without catastrophe. But... well, I can¡¯t say more than that. Leading humanity off Earth and into the cosmos¡ªthat¡¯s the future I believe in.¡± Elon Musk shrugged, a wry smile on his face. ¡°How many times have I lied about Mars colonization? The earliest I said was 2026. Then it got pushed to 2030, then 2050.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s unrealistic. Humanity won¡¯t achieve Mars colonization within a century, maybe even longer.¡± ¡°But I still say it because most people are short-sighted. If I promise a timeline beyond their lifetimes, they won¡¯t care. To them, as long as tomorrow¡¯s sun rises and they die peacefully, who cares what happens next?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t blame them¡ªthat attitude is understandable. But while they can think like that, I can¡¯t. We can¡¯t.¡± Elon Musk looked at Lin Xian, his expression turning serious. ¡°Noblesse Oblige.¡± He then translated it: ¡°With great power comes great responsibility.¡± He paused before continuing. ¡°I can¡¯t say every Genius Club member is a good person or is doing the right thing. But whether they¡¯re good or bad, right or wrong¡ªwho can judge that before their story ends? ¡°What I do know is that anyone invited to join the Genius Club, who can answer the three questions, is someone whose beliefs and visions are beyond the ordinary. We don¡¯t dismiss crises just because they don¡¯t directly affect us. Quite the opposite¡ªwe see our lives¡¯ purpose in addressing them.¡± Lin Xian listened, processing Elon Musk¡¯s explanation. He actually knew far more about the Genius Club than Elon Musk realized. It seemed the answer to the third question was even more significant than he initially thought. The question wasn¡¯t just about envisioning the best possible future. ¡°In July, someone will kill you, and your body double will seamlessly take your place, deceiving everyone.¡± Elon Musk squinted. ¡°Are you predicting the future?¡± Lin Xian shook his head again. ¡°I¡¯m not predicting¡ªI¡¯m stating the future. Or, as the Genius Club likes to say... I¡¯m stating established history.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s words left Elon Musk silent. He almost asked where Lin Xian got such information but decided against it. It didn¡¯t matter where the ¡°established history¡± came from¡ªwhat mattered was whether it was true. And Elon Musk knew Lin Xian well enough to trust him. Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t lie to him about something like this. Calling him to Donghai City in secret suggested that Lin Xian suspected... Someone in Elon Musk¡¯s inner circle was a spy for the enemy. Elon Musk¡¯s instinct pointed the same way. As the world¡¯s richest man, he wasn¡¯t an easy target. With Kevin Walker and Turing dead¡ªboth taken out by Lin Xian¡ªhis enemies would need inside help to kill him, secretly and without anyone noticing. ¡°Do you know who¡¯s going to kill me?¡± Elon Musk asked. Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°If I knew the exact time and the killer, I¡¯d have told you right away. All I know is that you¡¯re going to die around that time, but nothing more.¡± ¡°Still, I wouldn¡¯t put too much faith in the timeline I gave you. The future shifts constantly. The flapping of the time-space butterfly could change everything.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Elon Musk nodded. ¡°Too much intervention will definitely cause a butterfly effect. If I act too soon, maybe they¡¯ll strike early; if I¡¯m careful, maybe they¡¯ll change tactics.¡± He sighed, looking wearier than ever. ¡°To be honest, Lin Xian, I¡¯ve been feeling down this June.¡± ¡°I noticed,¡± Lin Xian said directly. ¡°You seem tired¡ªyour energy is off.¡± Elon Musk let out a bitter laugh. ¡°I knew at the beginning of the month... my plan for the future will fail.¡± Lin Xian tilted his head. ¡°Did the Genius Club leader tell you that?¡± Elon Musk gave a knowing smile, neither confirming nor denying. ¡°I¡¯ve been lost for most of June. I haven¡¯t given up, but there is... a sense of helplessness.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t say anything, but he understood. He had seen it in his fifth dream. In that dream, Elon Musk had achieved a perfect ending¡ªhe was alive, ruling Mars, wielding power, technology, and a population. He was the most successful person in that dream. But even then, he had failed. Elon Musk had admitted as much to Angelica before sending her back to Earth for protection. And in the end, Elon Musk failed, utterly and completely. If he couldn¡¯t succeed under such perfect circumstances, it showed that his plan had fundamental flaws. It wasn¡¯t feasible. Seeing Elon Musk in his current state, it was clear he had realized this too. ¡°Do you have a way to avoid death?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Elon Musk replied. ¡°But it won¡¯t solve the problem in the long run. The enemy is in the shadows, while I¡¯m in the open. They¡¯ve already infiltrated my circle... I can hide for a while, but can I hide forever?¡± ¡°So, what will you do?¡± Lin Xian guessed. ¡°Are you setting a trap to catch the spy?¡± Elon Musk shook his head, holding up a finger. ¡°That¡¯s clever, but not clever enough.¡± His eyes shifted, a sly grin appearing. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of something even better¡ªsomething that will not only solve my crisis but also kill two birds with one stone!¡± Excitement returned to his voice, energy replacing the exhaustion. He stood up, pacing with a smile. ¡°Lin Xian, mind if I borrow Angelica for a while? You don¡¯t mind, right?¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°Angelica isn¡¯t my subordinate or my possession, so there¡¯s no point in asking me. Angelica is my friend¡ªif you need her help, just ask her.¡± Elon Musk chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m just giving you a heads-up.¡± Lin Xian understood then. Elon Musk mentioned Angelica deliberately, not because he needed permission but to hint at his plan. ¡°Bold move,¡± Lin Xian smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of swapping a prince for a pauper, but I¡¯ve never seen someone use the prince to switch with the pauper.¡± Elon Musk gave Lin Xian an approving look. Lin Xian had already figured out his plan. ¡°For the foreseeable future, my acting skills will be put to the test,¡± Elon Musk said, rubbing his hands together. He gave a cold smile, ¡°That¡¯s why I said earlier... body doubles really are useful things!¡± Chapter 418: Genius Club Rules? Lin Xian looked down at the list, his eyes scanning the five rules of the Genius Club. He hadn¡¯t expected this. The result of the third question had come so quickly¡ªor rather, it seemed like the answer didn¡¯t even matter. Right or wrong, it wasn¡¯t about that. That is why, the moment he hit ¡°submit,¡± he passed the test, and the ¡°Genius Club Rules¡± appeared before him. Reaching this point felt like he¡¯d officially received an invitation to attend the Genius Club gathering. ¡°Phew...¡± Lin Xian let out a long sigh. ¡°What a journey it¡¯s been.¡± Finally, he had made it this far. Finally, he could meet these geniuses face-to-face and maybe even unravel the mysteries of the Millennium Stake, among so many other secrets. The first rule stated the meeting times for the Genius Club¡ªon the first day of every month, at 00:42 X Country time. Lin Xian found this intriguing. The club¡¯s logo and the text were all in English, which made him think it was an international group. But then why use X Country time for the meetings? ¡°Could it be that the leader of the Genius Club is from X Country?¡± Lin Xian scratched his head. ¡°Not impossible, I suppose. Anyway, once I attend, I¡¯ll find out.¡± The second part of the first rule emphasized something¡ªattendance was optional, but lateness was absolutely not allowed. If you were going to be late, it was better not to show up at all. Interesting. It seemed like this organization placed a lot of importance on ceremony, with a strange kind of stubbornness. Lin Xian moved on to the second rule. It said that, in keeping with modern times, current meetings were held virtually, using VR glasses or headsets. This made sense. Lin Xian had already guessed as much. ¡°If the Genius Club meetings were held in person, there¡¯s no way relationships between members would be so distant,¡± he mused. ¡°Besides, imagine Elon Musk and Kevin Walker sitting at the same table. One destroyed the other¡¯s system, and the other blew up two thousand of his satellites. They¡¯d probably want nothing more than to strangle each other. Even if they managed not to flip the table out of respect for the leader, as soon as the meeting ended, they¡¯d definitely be at each other¡¯s throats.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Not to mention Kevin Walker is a wanted criminal worldwide¡ªhow could he attend in person? So, VR meetings make sense. I just hadn¡¯t expected it to be VR.¡± Lin Xian was somewhat familiar with VR¡ªthe technology where you wore a headset that covered half your face, replacing your real-world view with an immersive virtual environment. It had been quite popular a few years ago but had lost some momentum recently. Using VR for immersive meetings was a clever approach, though. ¡°But what did they do before VR technology was invented? How did the Genius Club meet every month?¡± Lin Xian wondered. He was sure the club had a long history and couldn¡¯t have started only after VR was invented. Back then, they would¡¯ve had to hide their identities too. Could they have used online chat rooms? And before the internet, before computers¡ªdid they meet in person? Lin Xian shook his head again, imagining. Back then, they must¡¯ve had real-life duels after meetings. He wondered how many members from those days were still around. ¡°Three days from now¡ªJuly 1st,¡± Lin Xian looked at the calendar on his desk. ¡°I¡¯ll have my answers then.¡± He didn¡¯t have any VR equipment at home, so he¡¯d need to buy some in the next couple of days. Apparently, Apple had announced a new VR headset at last year¡¯s product launch, and it had recently hit the market. ¡°I¡¯ll check out the store tomorrow. VR equipment isn¡¯t hard to get; there are plenty of brands,¡± he decided. Lin Xian moved on to the third rule. This one seemed a bit odd. It said that, to protect privacy and prevent exposure, every member must wear a mask during meetings. ¡°Uh...¡± If these were in-person meetings, wearing a mask made sense to hide your identity. But in VR? Everyone was already using an avatar, and you could customize it however you liked¡ªtall, short, fat, thin, any face, any hair. You could even change your gender if you wanted. From a privacy standpoint, VR already offered perfect anonymity. Adding a mask seemed a bit redundant. Lin Xian noticed a particular phrase in the third rule: ¡°As per club tradition.¡± ¡°Ah, that explains it.¡± He nodded to himself. ¡°Looks like I was right. In the early days, last century, the club must¡¯ve met in person. Everyone had to wear a mask to protect their identity. Even now, in the digital age, they haven¡¯t let go of that tradition. Strange and stubborn¡ªbut I get it.¡± The mask wasn¡¯t important; it was about respecting tradition. Over time, people had gotten used to it, and they brought it with them into the online world. Most likely, they meant a virtual mask for the avatars. Still, Lin Xian thought, ¡°Just in case, I¡¯d better prepare a physical mask too. What if the system requires scanning a real one? I can¡¯t afford to miss the July 1st meeting over something that trivial.¡± He remembered asking Wang to add the Rhine Cat mask to the production line half a month ago. ¡°It should be ready by now. I¡¯ll pick one up from the company... Hopefully, it¡¯s selling well.¡± With that, the mask issue was settled. It might not have much practical purpose, but Lin Xian believed in ¡°When in Rome, do as the Romans do.¡± Since he¡¯d joined the club, he had to follow the rules. Next, he read the fourth rule¡ªit was straightforward. It stated that membership in the Genius Club was for life¡ªone person, one seat. Members wouldn¡¯t be expelled or replaced, even if they turned against the club. ¡°That¡¯s some serious tolerance,¡± Lin Xian thought, impressed. He wondered who the leader of the Genius Club was, to be so broad-minded. Even if someone became an enemy, they could still attend meetings and gain information. ¡°Impressive,¡± he muttered, recalling something he¡¯d seen in a motivational video. ¡°People who betray me, I give them a million. Because those who come back to serve me... they¡¯ll be worth billions!¡± Still, Lin Xian wondered if anyone would actually betray the club. He had gone to great lengths to join, and even Ji Xun had chased this dream for a lifetime. Would anyone really turn their back on it? ¡°Possible, I guess,¡± he shrugged. The minds of geniuses were unpredictable. There was a fine line between brilliance and madness, and from what he¡¯d seen of his fellow members, he wholeheartedly agreed. Finally, there was the fifth rule¡ªthough it was more of a reminder than a rule: ¡°With great power comes great responsibility. Always remember the duty and authority history grants geniuses, to work towards a brighter future for humanity...¡± Lin Xian read it aloud. ¡°Wait a second¡ªfor a brighter future for humanity...¡± He paused, recognizing the phrase. Wasn¡¯t that the motto of the Rhine Company? He remembered the launch ceremony¡ªstanding before reporters, employees, Zhao Ying Jun, and Chu Shan He. He¡¯d thrown away the scripted speech Wang had prepared and improvised one instead. He¡¯d talked about the environmental impact of Rhine Sky City and came up with a vision for the company: ¡°I sincerely hope that no matter how large Rhine Company becomes, no matter what field it works in, it will always uphold this principle¡ªand that is the true meaning of Rhine Company: to work towards a brighter future for humanity.¡± The passionate speech had earned him rousing applause, and the phrase had appeared in major newspapers across Donghai City the next day. ¡°Is it a coincidence?¡± Lin Xian wondered. ¡°How could everything be a coincidence? There can¡¯t be that many coincidences.¡± Yellow Finch had often told him to work towards being a proper leader. Did that mean the leader of the Genius Club? Lin Xian blinked, thinking back. Turing and Elon Musk had both confirmed it¡ªthe club¡¯s leader had some way of seeing into the future. Could it be... Could the leader be him? Lin Xian held his breath, considering all possible scenarios. But beyond these strange coincidences, there was nothing else to support it. ¡°Heh.¡± He laughed softly, shaking his head. ¡°The final boss is me? What kind of cliche? plot twist is that? Not even stories from ten years ago would use something so old-fashioned.¡± If he were the leader, he couldn¡¯t imagine being this forgiving¡ªletting someone like Copernicus, who¡¯d taken innocent lives, attend the meetings again. No way. ¡°No, no.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not that open-minded. I¡¯d never let members harm innocent people or throw the world into chaos. No way I¡¯m the leader.¡± No point in overthinking it. He read the beginning of the fifth rule again¡ªwith great power came great responsibility. Geniuses had a duty to lead humanity toward a better future. But what about authority? What did that mean? ¡°Is it the power to influence history, the future, time, and fate?¡± Lin Xian snorted. ¡°How self-important.¡± Click. He locked his phone screen, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes. These were the rules of the Genius Club. Though he still didn¡¯t fully understand the club, at least now he had a ticket to attend the meeting. And that was enough for now. ¡°The rest... I¡¯ll find out at the gathering.¡± ... Two days later. June 30th, 2024, nine in the morning, Rhine Company, Lin Xian¡¯s office. Wang stepped forward and placed two Rhine Cat masks on the desk. ¡°Take a look. What do you think? We made them exactly as you requested, top quality. They¡¯re from the toy factory we¡¯ve always worked with.¡± ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t think masks like these would make any profit, but you wouldn¡¯t believe it! It¡¯s only been on the shelves for a week, and they¡¯re selling like crazy! Sold out in many cities... The factory¡¯s machines are practically smoking.¡± ¡°I have to say, look at the quality of these masks¡ªthe colors, the edges¡ªamazing. Sure, this factory is more expensive than others, but the quality¡¯s worth it.¡± ¡°I just spoke with the marketing team, and they said we¡¯ve already sold four million masks this week. I thought it was going to be a flop, but it accidentally became a hit. Anything related to Rhine Cat sells!¡± ¡°If we include export orders, there are over forty million already. This factory¡¯s going to be busy for a while.¡± Lin Xian listened as Wang reported the figures, picking up one of the masks to inspect. The mask¡¯s design and colors were based on the original Rhine Cat¡ªthe same one Big Cat Face wore in Lin Xian¡¯s first dream, a simple doodle of Rhine Cat. That was where everything began. The start of it all. Lin Xian found it meaningful. It was about not forgetting where it all started. Half a month ago, when he told Wang to make an official Rhine Cat mask, Lin Xian had specifically requested the original doodle version. And now, his dream had become a reality. Here, in 2024, he finally had the Rhine Cat mask from six hundred years into the future. Lin Xian ran his fingers over the glossy colors, testing the material¡ªsturdy, yet flexible. He couldn¡¯t help but praise it. ¡°It¡¯s really good. No wonder it¡¯s selling so well.¡± Lin Xian stretched the elastic band and put the mask on, letting it rest on the back of his head. And just like that... The long-forgotten Rhine Cat mask was back on his face. Through the mask¡¯s eyeholes, he looked at Wang across the desk. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°What?¡± Wang looked confused. ¡°I mean...¡± Lin Xian pointed at the mask, smiling. ¡°Do I look like a bank robber?¡± ¡°Hahahaha.¡± Wang burst into laughter. ¡°Who would be stupid enough to rob a bank wearing a Rhine Cat mask? They¡¯d have to be nuts!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Yan Qiao Qiao nodded eagerly, her eyes full of anticipation. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you, Brother Lin Xian.¡± With that settled, Lin Xian decided not to interrupt Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s work any longer. He left and headed to the electronics mall, where he purchased a feature-packed VR headset with NFC technology. The headset had a massive, full-coverage design that looked like a box covering the upper half of his face. It used two high-definition screens inside to create a 3D image for each eye, giving a realistic and immersive experience. Lin Xian tried it out at the store. As soon as he put it on, he found himself in a lifelike, almost indistinguishable real forest. Looking to his left, he saw colorful butterflies fluttering close, as if they were about to land on his face. The soft rustling of wind and the gentle flap of wings made it feel like he was truly there. He looked up. There was sunlight, a bright sky, towering treetops, and birds flying overhead. The lighting effects were so vivid that he could almost feel the damp, cool atmosphere of the forest. Looking down, he saw his pant legs and boots¡ªalthough, of course, they weren¡¯t real. Instead of the athletic clothes he wore in real life, the VR world presented him as a jungle adventurer, dressed in thick, muddy boots and sturdy trousers, enhancing the immersion. Lin Xian spun around, taking in the 360-degree view of the dense forest behind him¡ªjust in time to see a striped tiger leap out of the jungle! Muscles tensed, fangs bared, it roared at him and lunged. ¡°Whoa!¡± Lin Xian instinctively dodged to the side. The VR experience ended abruptly right then, leaving him standing in the store, a little out of breath. A store employee helped him remove the headset, smiling. ¡°How did you like it, sir?¡± ¡°It was quite impressive,¡± Lin Xian admitted, still amazed. ¡°Very realistic.¡± ¡°VR technology depends on both hardware and software,¡± the employee explained. ¡°The quality of the VR experience improves as resolution, frame rate, and content quality improve. Unfortunately, VR videos and games are still not mainstream, so the available content is somewhat limited.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Lin Xian handed back the VR headset. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one, please. And just to confirm, it supports NFC, right?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the employee assured him. He demonstrated using an NFC card, and Lin Xian was satisfied. He paid, collected his purchase, and headed home. ... Night, July 1, 2024, 12:40 a.m. Lin Xian sat comfortably on his couch, already wearing the sleek new VR headset. With no input source or connection, the scene before him showed a virtual living room instead of his own¡ªan empty 3D space that had no character of its own. ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± he muttered. In his right hand, Lin Xian held the golden badge of the Genius Club. He brought it up to the right side of the headset, aligning it with the NFC module. Beep beep. A soft sound indicated the headset had recognized the NFC link. The world around him shifted rapidly, light and shadow flashing past as though he were speeding through a tunnel of time and space. He turned his head, looking left and right, but everywhere was the same mixture of dazzling colors. After several seconds, the scene settled. He found himself standing in what looked like a changing room. ¡°Please set up your virtual avatar,¡± a mechanical voice prompted¡ªneither male nor female, utterly devoid of emotion. Lin Xian navigated the options with his eyes, setting up a quick avatar. He wasn¡¯t interested in making it special¡ªa random height, a standard build, default facial features, and a simple suit. In the end, his avatar looked like an utterly ordinary middle-aged man in a plain suit. The Genius Club¡¯s golden badge automatically appeared on his jacket. Lin Xian confirmed his selection, and the mechanical voice continued: ¡°Please set up your mask. You may scan a physical mask or upload an image.¡± He had been expecting this. Lin Xian picked up the ¡°Rhine Cat¡± mask from beside him and held it in front of the VR headset¡¯s camera. The mask was quickly reconstructed and appeared in the virtual world, attaching itself to his avatar¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t help but feel amused. ¡°Isn¡¯t this redundant?¡± he thought. A virtual mask over a virtual face¡ªit felt like an unnecessary step. Once again, he confirmed his choice, and the screen faded to black. Only the distant glow of candlelight remained visible. The mechanical voice spoke again: ¡°Please turn off or mute all nearby electronic devices. The gathering must not be disturbed.¡± Lin Xian sighed. ¡°What a hassle.¡± But he had no choice. He reached for his phone on the coffee table and flipped the physical mute switch. Thirty more seconds passed. Finally¡ª The darkness lifted, and warm light filled his vision. Lin Xian turned his head to look around. He found himself inside an imposing medieval-style castle. A long red carpet stretched before him, leading to a pair of tall wooden doors at the end. He understood. He needed to walk forward and open those doors¡ªthe Genius Club meeting awaited on the other side. He moved forward, his avatar¡¯s feet appearing as he stepped onto the carpet. The sound of shoes against wool echoed realistically in his ears. Lin Xian recalled what the salesperson had told him¡ªthe higher the quality, the better the VR experience. Everything here¡ªthe castle, the carpet, the massive doors¡ªwas top-notch. It felt so real, it almost fooled his senses. Step by step, he approached the large wooden doors. He could hear voices from the other side. ¡°Oh? A newcomer today?¡± A young man¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°The final genius... Took long enough.¡± A woman¡¯s soft laughter followed. ¡°So all members are finally here. I¡¯m curious... Which painting did he use? I looked everywhere but couldn¡¯t find the last one.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± An older man¡¯s voice was low and thoughtful. ¡°After we cracked the code in ¡®Sorrowful Einstein¡¯ and got the invitation, we destroyed the painting. Only those with strange tastes kept theirs, misleading others.¡± ¡°The one in the British Museum is yours, right, Da Vinci? And there¡¯s another, Newton¡¯s, held by some Hollywood director¡ªno idea where it ended up. As for the rest... who knows? But even if we ask our newcomer, he won¡¯t tell. Revealing it would give away his identity.¡± The woman laughed again. ¡°We could just ask Turing, couldn¡¯t we? He knows everything.¡± ¡°Turing?¡± She raised her voice. ¡°Turing, why so quiet today? You¡¯re like a mute¡ªnot a word from you.¡± A cough sounded¡ªdeep and hoarse. ¡°Turing is dead,¡± came the solemn voice of an elderly man. ¡°We know,¡± the woman said, her tone shifting. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say last month that Turing died, and his digital clone replaced him?¡± ¡°The same,¡± replied the elder. ¡°The digital version is gone too. Turing has left us for good.¡± Sudden murmurs erupted. Lin Xian kept walking, the conversation growing clearer as he neared the doors. ¡°Who could kill a digital lifeform?¡± the young man asked, surprised. ¡°How is that possible? Though... haha, I should thank whoever did it. I never trusted a digital clone. It made me uneasy, especially after the promises Turing made at our last gathering.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite a turnout today,¡± another older voice joined in, less hoarse and full of vitality. ¡°Copernicus, it¡¯s been ages! What wind blew you here?¡± ¡°Hehehe...¡± A dry, familiar laugh made Lin Xian frown as he approached the doors. That laugh¡ªhe knew it too well. It was the mysterious old man from the fourth dream. So it really was Copernicus. The laughter stopped, and Copernicus spoke in a ghostly tone, ¡°I¡¯ve come today... to witness the fall of a genius.¡± A few seconds of silence followed before the woman¡¯s voice came back. ¡°Who? Turing? You knew Turing would die?¡± ¡°No...¡± Copernicus let out two more chuckles. Lin Xian stood right in front of the door, and Copernicus¡¯ frail voice floated through, ¡°Someone else... an old friend who hasn¡¯t shown much respect.¡± ... Boca Chica, Texas, USA, SpaceX Starship Launch Center, Elon Musk¡¯s Private Office. Click. The door to Elon Musk¡¯s office¡ªaccessible only by him and his secretary¡ªopened smoothly. Click, click, click. The secretary, an elegant woman in high heels, walked in. She approached Elon Musk, who reclined in his executive chair, wearing an oversized VR headset. She adjusted her red-rimmed glasses, raised her right hand¡ªwhich held a gun¡ªand pressed it to the headset. ¡°Hmm?¡± The tall billionaire seemed puzzled by the sudden pressure on his headset, but before he could react further¡ª Bang! The explosion of the gunshot filled the room. The bullet blasted through the VR headset, through Elon Musk¡¯s forehead and out the back, splattering blood and brain matter onto the wall. Elon Musk¡¯s head slumped down, the back of his skull blown open. ¡°Goodbye, Elon Musk.¡± The secretary adjusted her glasses. ¡°Do you remember what I told you back when I was at MIT?¡± She turned, leaving the office and shutting the door behind her with a forceful thud. ... Boom! Lin Xian¡¯s VR experience suddenly shifted as he arrived at the end of the red carpet. He pressed his hands against the double wooden doors and pushed them open. A golden glow poured out, blindingly bright. Lin Xian squinted as he entered a grand, regal hall. At the center, a single, elaborately carved ebony chair sat atop a raised platform, like a throne. Someone was sitting there, cloaked in shadows. On either side of the red carpet, four identical wooden chairs faced each other¡ªeight in total¡ªeach occupied by figures of different shapes and sizes. Lin Xian stepped through the door and walked forward along the carpet. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he took a sharp breath at what he saw. Just as the Genius Club charter had mentioned, each person in the hall wore a mask. But these masks were not of animals, cartoons, or random images¡ªthey were the faces of real historical figures. On the four chairs to his left, four people turned their heads to look at him, their masks depicting: Copernicus Galileo Gauss Turing On the four chairs to his right, only three were occupied; the fourth was empty. Those three also turned toward him, their masks depicting: Newton Da Vinci Tesla Finally, the figure seated on the raised platform slowly straightened. It was an elderly person, somewhat hunched, with a mask that glittered in the light as they lifted their head. Albert Einstein ¡°Welcome... ninth and final genius,¡± the old figure intoned as they stood up from their ornate wooden throne. They slowly raised their right hand, extending a finger toward the sky. ¡°Welcome to... the Genius Club!¡± Chapter 419: No. 9 Including the elderly man in an Einstein mask standing on the steps, there were eight people present. Four sat in chairs to the left, and three on the right. All eight pairs of eyes were fixed on Lin Xian. Lin Xian felt a bit flustered. It wasn¡¯t stage fright, nor was it fear. It was more like¡ª What¡¯s going on?! Are you all ganging up to mess with the new guy? Why are all eight of you wearing masks of famous scientists, mathematicians, artists, or deceased geniuses? Would it have hurt to give me a heads-up?! If you¡¯d told me beforehand, I wouldn¡¯t have worn this kid¡¯s toy¡ªthe ¡°Rhine Cat¡± mask¡ªto the gathering. I mean, I have plenty of favorite scientists and artists too. If I knew I was supposed to pick one of them, I would have had tons of options. But now... This situation was just too embarrassing. In such a solemn atmosphere, they looked like members of a real ¡°Genius Club,¡± while he looked like some comical bandit¡ªa big-headed cartoon cat crashing a serious event. How was this any different from making a fool of himself in the middle of a crowded street? For a moment, Lin Xian wanted to exit the VR program and start over. Then he remembered: during the initial mask setup, there was an option for physical scanning or providing an online image, and the system would generate the corresponding mask based on the image. There was no doubt the masks worn by these eight members were all made using online images. They were eerily realistic¡ªreally exquisite. But none of that mattered now. Even though Lin Xian kept moving forward, his mind raced with thoughts. He never imagined that the first challenge he¡¯d face after joining the Genius Club would be explaining this ridiculous mask on his face! Sure enough. After a moment of icy silence in the room, someone snickered. The woman in the Da Vinci mask couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and burst into laughter. ¡°Hahaha! Rhine... Rhine Cat... What were you thinking?! Why did you... Oh my, my stomach hurts from laughing... Why did you come to the gathering with a cartoon mask?!¡± She laughed so hard it seemed like she¡¯d never seen anything so funny. Beside her, a young man in a Newton mask chuckled as well, finally shaking off his initial stiffness. ¡°Friend, was this on purpose, or just an accident? From ¡®The Sorrowful Einstein¡¯¡ªdidn¡¯t you understand the meaning of the mask?¡± To the left, the slender man in the Gauss mask slowly straightened up and began speaking in a slow, measured tone: ¡°A genius... this is... true... unconventional...¡± He spoke so slowly that the middle-aged man beside him, in a Galileo mask, interrupted. ¡°This kind of silly behavior... it¡¯s disrespectful to everyone here,¡± he said, his voice deep and steady. ¡°No, no, no.¡± The man in the Tesla mask on the opposite side chuckled. ¡°As Gauss said, this is true genius behavior.¡± After speaking, Tesla began clapping enthusiastically. ¡°Well done. I like you already! You¡¯ve made everyone here¡ªall these people acting all serious¡ªlook like clowns with that mask of yours! How about we take this opportunity to get rid of this mask tradition? I¡¯ve wanted to get rid of it for a while anyway since you all know who I am.¡± The small man in the Gauss mask nodded slowly. ¡°Indeed... He chose so casually... making our seriousness... seem even more...¡± Again, his slow words were interrupted, this time by the young man in the Newton mask. ¡°Oh, now that I look closer, isn¡¯t that the Rhine Cat mask? Every time I take my grandkids to the park, I see kids running around wearing that cat.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± sighed the woman in the Da Vinci mask. ¡°Newton, can¡¯t you update your virtual avatar a bit? I get it, you¡¯re an old man, but with your intelligence, you should be able to figure out a VR system, right? You look like a young man here, but you keep talking about your grandkids. It¡¯s unsettling, you know?¡± Newton laughed and turned to Da Vinci. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk, Miss Da Vinci. Decades ago, when we met in person, you had this mask and this lovely figure. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still some ageless witch now, even at your grandmotherly age? ¡°If you¡¯re willing to change your avatar to look like an old lady, I wouldn¡¯t mind changing mine to an old man. I¡¯ll be honest: I tried changing it, but it turns out there¡¯s no such function. ¡°There was a meeting you missed, and I asked Turing if he could add that option. This entire VR network, the avatars, the whole setup, it¡¯s all Turing¡¯s work. He gave me a bunch of technical reasons why changing avatars would cause bugs. He said once a program works perfectly, it¡¯s best not to mess with it.¡± Da Vinci sneered. ¡°He was just lazy. He didn¡¯t want to make the change, so he came up with all those excuses.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± Newton shrugged. ¡°I mean, he¡¯s Turing, right? The world¡¯s greatest hacker, and he can¡¯t add a simple function? He just didn¡¯t want to do it.¡± Gauss turned his head to look at the still and seemingly robotic Turing model beside him. ¡°Since... Turing is dead... why keep the model here...? Can we get rid of it? I feel a chill... Still, it¡¯s good he¡¯s gone... As the system¡¯s administrator, he surely knew...¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Tesla interrupted, laughing. ¡°Good riddance. Now only Einstein knows everyone¡¯s true identity, which makes the game fairer for all of us. No more worrying about Turing playing favorites.¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Copernicus, who had been silent until then, cleared his throat and scolded them. ¡°It¡¯s because of this childish bickering that I hate coming to these meetings. You all give me a headache. ¡°And you,¡± he said, turning to Lin Xian. Though his mask covered his face, it was clear he was annoyed, perhaps even furious. ¡°You need to take off that ridiculous mask.¡± Lin Xian, who had been quietly listening, finally let out a cold chuckle. ¡°I was actually thinking about changing it, but now... I think I like it even more.¡± He looked up at Newton. ¡°Mr. Newton, could you switch seats with me? I¡¯d like to sit across from Copernicus.¡± Newton let out a hearty laugh, clapping his hands. ¡°Good! Glad to see our new member has some fire! I don¡¯t even know your name yet... No. 9, you¡¯ve earned my respect. ¡°But as for the seating arrangement, I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t change it. Our seats are assigned by the order in which we joined the club. If we could switch, Gauss over there would have done so long ago.¡± Gauss slowly nodded. ¡°I often feel... being beside...¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Copernicus snapped, coughing a few times. He looked at Lin Xian, exhaling slowly. ¡°If you¡¯re going to break the rules, then how should we address you?¡± ¡°Misguided? No, you¡¯re the ones who are lost.¡± He shook his head again. ¡°That¡¯s why I dislike associating with you people... After today¡¯s meeting, I¡¯ll be heading into cryosleep. I hope that decades or even centuries later, when I awaken... you¡¯ll all still be here. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m tired of this game. My time has passed. Thankfully, with cryosleep, I can keep going for a little longer. As for Elon Musk... yes, I knew someone was after him, and yes, today was always going to be a bad day for him. I came to confirm that. ¡°But do you really think Elon Musk¡¯s dead?¡± He paused, still smiling. ¡°Elon Musk has never hidden his identity since joining the Genius Club. He¡¯s always been upfront about who he is and what he wants. Tell me, aside from Turing, who else here has that kind of nerve?¡± Gauss took a deep breath. ¡°So... does this mean... both of them are¡ª¡± ¡°Quiet, Gauss.¡± Copernicus glared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me.¡± He scanned the room again, making sure everyone was paying attention. ¡°You all think Elon Musk is dead, but I¡¯m more convinced than anyone that he¡¯s still alive. If he didn¡¯t make it, you¡¯ll see the news later or find it trending on Twitter. If Elon Musk made it, well... you¡¯ll see him on TV soon enough.¡± Copernicus spoke with a facade of righteousness. But Lin Xian felt that no one here believed a word he said. Even without seeing their expressions, the tension was palpable. Clearly... None of the Genius Club members liked Copernicus. They despised him. They were disgusted. They couldn¡¯t stand him. Especially Newton. If it weren¡¯t for Elon Musk¡¯s sudden disappearance, Newton might never have acknowledged Copernicus at all, let alone spoken to him. From their words, Lin Xian could gather that Newton and Copernicus were both original members of the club. That much was obvious from the seating order. Copernicus was No. 2, Newton was No. 3, Galileo was No. 4, and Da Vinci was No. 5... All of them were old¡ªin 2024, they were at least in their sixties. They had likely been meeting offline since the last century wearing these masks. Newton had hinted at not wanting to challenge Copernicus personally, only to be held back by his conscience and a sense of justice. From this, Lin Xian concluded that although they were all undeniably geniuses, that didn¡¯t mean they were good people. Morality was clearly lacking in some cases, and the group was just as mixed as society at large. But for now, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t understand much about the club, nor its members¡¯ plans. It wasn¡¯t time to draw any conclusions yet, especially on his first day at a meeting. For now, his best bet was to sit back and observe, soaking in as much information as he could. So, fight! Lin Xian silently rooted for the geniuses in his head. Keep arguing! Let the debate heat up! That way, he could gather more information. Unfortunately... Einstein wasn¡¯t giving him the opportunity to be a bystander for much longer. He stepped forward, and the room instantly fell silent. ¡°Genius Club, Article Three,¡± Einstein rasped with authority. ¡°Privacy is paramount. Avoid exposing your identity.¡± The room was still. No one spoke. Einstein looked at the fallen mask on Elon Musk¡¯s chair, then at the Turing model, still like a statue. ¡°Gentle reminders often lack impact. The reason these meetings have moved online, instead of being held in person, is to protect the safety of all members. ¡°Resources are limited. Time is limited. The path to the future is limited, and more than that, the chance for humanity to move forward is limited. There is only one shot. ¡°I do not intervene in your disputes, nor do I take sides. I acknowledge necessary sacrifices, even unnecessary ones. I accept moral approaches, as well as immoral ones. ¡°However, please remember: with the power you have been given by history, you also bear the obligations, the risks, and the fragile fate that comes with it.¡± ¡°History is written by the victors, and so is the future. Only the victors get to write it, and only the victors... will decide humanity¡¯s fate.¡± Einstein¡¯s words dropped like a heavy curtain over the room, silencing everyone. His was the final word in the Genius Club. And what he said was reasonable. Article Three was clear: conceal your identity, avoid exposure. Elon Musk had been reckless. Turing, too, had made it obvious who he was. And now they were gone. The saying came to Lin Xian¡¯s mind: ¡°It¡¯s hard to help those who refuse to help themselves.¡± No wonder Gauss had muttered about them both ending up dead. They didn¡¯t heed the warnings. From all this, Lin Xian had a clearer idea of what the Genius Club really was. At its core, the club¡ªled by the old man in the Einstein mask¡ªseemed to have noble intentions, a desire to use the brightest minds to give humanity a better future. But as Einstein said: resources were limited, geniuses were limited, time was limited, and opportunities were limited. Since time couldn¡¯t be turned back, humanity had only one chance at its destiny. In this context, differences in beliefs, philosophies, methods, and plans among the geniuses were bound to create conflicts. Just as Turing¡¯s self-restraint clashed with Elon Musk¡¯s conquest of the stars, their visions were completely at odds in both technological direction and resource allocation. It seemed Newton and Copernicus were also at odds, likely with equally irreconcilable differences. Based on Copernicus¡¯s history of targeting scientists, Newton¡¯s approach might be to advance science. It was an ironic twist. Lin Xian silently listened, absorbing everything. He had no idea how the members communicated or whether plans would be openly discussed or how Einstein would steer this ¡°game of geniuses.¡± But there was no rush. Perhaps the next parts of this meeting would provide the answers he sought. The real show had just begun. Chapter 420: Seeing the Future After Einstein spoke, silence filled the room. One by one, the members returned to their seats. Da Vinci cast a regretful glance at the mask that Elon Musk had left behind. He already suspected what might have happened to Elon Musk. Everyone there was clever enough to understand what kind of person Copernicus was. No one believed his smooth, deceptive words. So... it seemed likely that Elon Musk was in deep trouble. With a soft sigh, Da Vinci looked up at Einstein. ¡°If Elon Musk really is gone, will you leave a virtual version of him behind, like you did with Turing?¡± Einstein shook his head slowly. ¡°No. The reason you still see Turing here is because he serves as a guide for this VR system and cyberspace. Without him, new members wouldn¡¯t be able to connect, answer questions, or enter the meeting space. ¡°The model of Turing isn¡¯t a memorial or proof of his death,¡± he added. ¡°The charter of our club says that membership is for life, and members should always have the right to attend meetings, regardless of their situation. So, whether a member is alive or not, we treat them the same. ¡°For Elon Musk, it will be the same. Whether he survives or not, his chair and mask will remain here. Now that all nine geniuses are present, Turing¡¯s role as a guide is no longer needed. ¡°All the invitations have been delivered, all the badges are gathered. There will be no new members, so Turing no longer has to stay.¡± With that, Einstein turned towards Turing¡¯s virtual figure, who was sitting silently in the last of the four chairs to his left. ¡°You may leave,¡± he said. ¡°You are no longer needed here.¡± In an instant, Turing¡¯s figure became transparent, and only his mask remained. It dropped from the air and landed softly on the chair. And just like that, two geniuses were now gone. Only seven remained, including Einstein. ¡°Now then...¡± Einstein¡¯s raspy voice broke the silence. ¡°There are seven members present today. Let the meeting officially begin.¡± ¡°Fewer people... that¡¯s... kind of nice,¡± Gauss murmured slowly. ¡°When there are too many... they always... interrupt me...¡± ¡°Quiet, Gauss.¡± Einstein¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt when I¡¯m announcing the agenda.¡± A sigh came from a middle-aged man sitting nearby¡ªGalileo. ¡°Gauss, it¡¯s no wonder people interrupt you all the time. Could you stop butting in every moment? When it¡¯s your turn to speak, everyone will listen.¡± Lin Xian sat quietly, listening to the conversation. He realized that none of them were actually speaking the language of X Country. Their words were being translated in real time by the VR system. The difference between translated speech and natural speech was easy to notice. Lin Xian figured that his own words were probably being translated into clunky English, French, German, or whatever language the others spoke. The system was advanced enough to translate everyone¡¯s words into their preferred language, making the communication smooth. Lin Xian could tell that Gauss and Da Vinci were definitely from X Country¡ªtheir speech was perfectly natural without any hint of translation. Even Gauss¡¯s slow, deliberate way of talking made complete sense in their language. As for the other members, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure which countries they were from, but he knew they weren¡¯t from X Country. His eyes moved to Einstein. He was curious about what would happen now that the meeting was starting for real. Einstein walked back to his seat¡ªa grand black wooden chair¡ªand announced, ¡°Since we have a new member today, we will begin, as always, with introductions.¡± His gaze turned to Lin Xian. ¡°Rhine... every new member of the Genius Club must answer one question. ¡°As someone destined to shape history and create the future, what is the most important quality a genius should possess? ¡°This is a way for you to share your thoughts and for us to understand you better. But before you answer, you should hear what the others have said before you.¡± Einstein straightened in his chair and took a deep breath. ¡°I will start, as No. 1. This is the eighth time I¡¯ve given this answer, and no matter how many times I repeat it, it remains unchanged.¡± Lin Xian looked up at the small, hunched figure in the large chair. The mask on Einstein¡¯s face was modeled after the painting ¡°Sorrowful Einstein¡±¡ªa portrayal of him with tired eyes, messy hair, and a sad expression. Lin Xian wondered why Einstein, the leader of the Genius Club, would choose such a haunting image for his mask. There were plenty of other, more lively depictions of him to choose from. ¡°I have always believed that the most important quality for a genius is¡ª¡± Einstein spoke clearly, with weight behind each word: ¡°Height.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°What sets a genius apart from ordinary people is the height from which they view problems. A true genius must see things from a great height and have a long enough perspective to make the most rational decisions. ¡°As they say, the higher you stand, the farther you see. Only by standing tall can you know what matters and what doesn¡¯t. Height naturally gives you the answers.¡± Einstein then turned to No. 2, Copernicus, who sat on his left. The mask worn by this frail old man depicted a young man with wild curls and a serious face¡ªCopernicus. The elderly figure gave a weak sigh. ¡°This is the seventh time I¡¯ve answered this question, and I¡¯m glad it will be my last. ¡°My answer hasn¡¯t changed: the most important quality for a genius is¡ª¡± ¡°Equality.¡± He swallowed nervously before continuing, ¡°I know that inequality is part of life¡ªfamily background, parents, environment¡ªall of these create inequality. Even in the fairest times, inequality exists. ¡°Some are born strong and healthy, destined to lead, while others are weak and live in misery. ¡°But does inequality have to exist? I don¡¯t think so. And if anyone can strive for a balanced and equal world, it¡¯s us¡ªthe geniuses. ¡°Ordinary people might think it¡¯s impossible, but geniuses do the impossible. That¡¯s what makes us geniuses.¡± Lin Xian finally understood why Gauss was always interrupted. He had felt sorry for him before, but now he understood¡ªthe man¡¯s slow pace was exasperating. But it was Gauss¡¯s turn, so Lin Xian endured it. When Gauss finally finished, Einstein gestured to Lin Xian. ¡°No. 9, Rhine¡ªsince Tesla and Turing aren¡¯t here, we can¡¯t speak for them. Even though we know their answers, who can say if their thoughts have changed? ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn. We¡¯re all curious¡ªas the newest genius, what do you think is the most important quality for a genius?¡± All eyes turned to Lin Xian. He took a deep breath, giving the answer he had already decided on. ¡°Honestly... I hadn¡¯t thought about this question before today,¡± he admitted. ¡°But after listening to all of you, I feel honored to share my answer. ¡°I¡¯m a bit puzzled. Everyone here seems to see themselves as gods or higher beings. But in the end, aren¡¯t we all just human? Besides being a bit smarter, what¡¯s the real difference between a genius and anyone else? ¡°Is a genius really necessary? Does a genius have the right to shape history or the future? ¡°Would there be no history without geniuses? ¡°Would there be no future without us to guide it? ¡°In fact, I think maybe the best history is one untouched by the hand of a genius. Likewise, the most genuine and beautiful future might be one without our intervention.¡± ¡°So, my answer is this: the most important quality for a genius is¡ª¡± ¡°Respect.¡± Lin Xian looked around the room before continuing, ¡°Respect others, respect history, respect humanity, respect the future. ¡°Maybe geniuses aren¡¯t as great as we think. Perhaps leaving the future in the hands of humanity would lead to the best possible future.¡± When Lin Xian finished, no one spoke. Only Einstein let out a soft chuckle. ¡°Well said, Rhine. But this is the first lesson you will learn here, and the very reason the Genius Club exists¡ªhumanity has no future on its own.¡± Lin Xian looked at him. ¡°Why are you so certain?¡± Einstein¡¯s voice was hoarse. ¡°Because... I can see the future.¡± See the future? Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. It was the same claim Turing had made before. The leader of the club could indeed see the future! That explained why he commanded such respect. If he could truly see the future, he certainly had the power and authority to lead. But Lin Xian was still curious. What kind of future did Einstein see? Was it like his own visions? Did he see it through dreams? So, he asked, ¡°What future do you see, exactly? Is it a specific day, decades, centuries, or millennia from now? Or is it some other kind of future?¡± The man in the black wooden chair sat up straight. ¡°All of it.¡± The word was short but powerful. Einstein smiled faintly, his voice raspy. ¡°From now on, every day, every moment¡ªI see it all. ¡°I see... all the futures.¡± Chapter 421: The Question All the Future? Lin Xian sat silently in his chair, deep in thought after hearing such an exaggerated claim from ¡°Einstein.¡± This genius club president, with his power and influence... was he telling the truth? According to Einstein, he could see everything that would happen from now until the very end of time, every event, every outcome already determined. Lin Xian found it hard to believe. He originally thought that Einstein¡¯s ability to see the future was similar to his own¡ªa glimpse of a particular day or moment, like a fragment of what lay ahead. For example, Lin Xian could see the future of August 28th, 2624, through his dreams. He assumed that Einstein must be using a similar method, also seeing the future in glimpses through dreams. Lin Xian had prepared himself for something like that. But now, hearing this new claim, he realized he had completely underestimated the president. Seeing every day, every moment, every second of the future¡ªwasn¡¯t that a bit too much? For Einstein, all the unknown futures of humanity unfolded like a painting, every detail revealed, vivid and clear. If that were true, then what challenge could possibly stand in his way? History and the future would be completely transparent and malleable in his hands. Could he really guide the future wherever he wanted, placing the world exactly as he wished? Lin Xian had always believed his dreams gave him an incredibly powerful advantage, something akin to being able to directly perceive the outcomes of the butterfly effect in time and space. But compared to Einstein¡¯s ability, his own talent seemed like nothing¡ªa mere speck in the vast ocean. Would Einstein really lie about something like this? Lin Xian was filled with doubt. It was hard for him to accept such an exaggerated claim just like that. ¡°Heh.¡± At that moment, Miss ¡°Da Vinci,¡± who was sitting nearby, smiled and looked over at Lin Xian. ¡°Mr. Rhine,¡± she said, ¡°when I first heard it, I felt the same as you do now. In fact, every person here felt exactly the same way at first.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe, no doubt. But what¡¯s harder to believe is... Einstein wasn¡¯t lying. He truly can see the future clearly.¡± ¡°I spent a long time verifying this and coming to terms with it, and in the end, I found it to be true. That¡¯s also why Einstein founded the Genius Club and sent out his invitations.¡± ¡°He wants to share his ability and let those who pass the test use it to create a better future for humanity. That¡¯s his greatness¡ªhe¡¯s a role model for all of us.¡± Lin Xian could hear the sincerity in her voice. Miss Da Vinci truly admired Einstein, and she was convinced of his power to see the future. Lin Xian believed that none of these geniuses sitting here were easily fooled. They wouldn¡¯t be tricked by something that sounded like a marketing gimmick. ¡°How did you verify it, Miss Da Vinci?¡± Lin Xian turned to her, his face hidden behind the mask of the Rhine Cat. ¡°Could you share your method?¡± Because of the mask, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t see her expression, but he could sense her smiling as if she had anticipated his question. ¡°Mr. Rhine,¡± she said, ¡°you don¡¯t need to worry about how we verified it. After all, even if I told you, you probably wouldn¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Although we¡¯ve only known each other for a short while, I can already tell you¡¯re a very cautious young man who doesn¡¯t easily believe others.¡± ¡°So, why not verify it for yourself?¡± Da Vinci turned her head to look up at Einstein on the platform. ¡°I think the introduction phase is over, right? Now it¡¯s time for the formal meeting. During the official part, you can try to verify the truth yourself.¡± ¡°Alright... just a friendly reminder: while it might cost you a few precious chances, it¡¯s something all of us have gone through.¡± ¡°At least for me, Gauss, Elon Musk, and Turing, we all spent many opportunities verifying this. I guess it¡¯s just a common trait among geniuses to be skeptical.¡± Lin Xian blinked, silently listening. Opportunities? What kind of opportunities? Was it... the opportunity to ask questions? It seemed like that was the only possibility. But there was no need to overthink it now. As Da Vinci had said, the self-introduction phase was over, and it was time to move on to the official meeting. Whatever surprises awaited in the official meeting, he would see soon enough. Sure enough, shortly after Da Vinci finished speaking, Einstein sat up straight on his wooden chair at the high platform, scanning the people seated along both sides of the red carpet below. ¡°Well, that concludes the introduction. This was our gesture of respect and openness toward our new member, No. 9, Rhine. I believe that, as a genius, you have strong adaptability. You will soon blend in with us and start your plan to shape your future.¡± ¡°Next, following our monthly meeting agenda, we¡¯ll begin the formal gathering. To accommodate our new friend, I¡¯ll explain the process and requirements once again in detail...¡± Einstein then turned his gaze toward Lin Xian. ¡°Rhine, on the 1st of every month, at 00:42 X Country time, we hold our club gathering. You may join using that golden badge, as long as you¡¯re available. If you¡¯re not, it doesn¡¯t matter. The rules allow for absences, even long-term absences.¡± ¡°In time, you¡¯ll see that it¡¯s rare for everyone to be present like today. There are many reasons for that, but the most important one... you¡¯ll figure it out soon enough.¡± ¡°For now, though, you don¡¯t need to worry about others, because the content of the meetings has nothing to do with anyone else. Instead¡ª¡± ¡°According to the order, each genius has one opportunity to ask me a question.¡± Einstein paused, the elderly figure sitting straight but still radiating authority. ¡°The question will be asked publicly, like we are now. Your question will receive my precise answer. However, every other participant will also hear it. This is a form of fairness, and transparency.¡± ¡°So, inevitably, if your question is too direct, it might lead to unnecessary trouble, allowing other members to guess your future plans or even... discover your identity.¡± The optimal strategy, considering his own safety and various other factors, seemed to be this: To ask a question that others wouldn¡¯t understand but would make sense to himself, without revealing his identity or exposing critical information; or to ask something meaningless to others but valuable to him. In theory, it sounded easy. But in practice, it was far more difficult. At the very least, it would require some knowledge of the other geniuses¡¯ future plans. As it stood, Lin Xian knew very little. The two geniuses he had known well were either dead or on the verge of death. The rest, he knew only fragments¡ªCopernicus was apparently assassinating scientists and obstructing technological development, but his deeper intentions were a mystery. Copernicus¡¯s behavior was contradictory. On one hand, he opposed technological advancement; on the other, he had set up the SpaceTime Police and Court, which made it hard to figure out his true aims. As for Galileo, all he knew was what Turing had said: that Galileo was responsible for the massive catastrophe in the 2400s. Whether it was true or not remained unknown. For the remaining three¡ªGauss, Da Vinci, and Newton¡ªLin Xian knew nothing. While Lin Xian pondered, Einstein raised his right hand, extending three fingers. ¡°There are also three principles you must follow when asking questions,¡± he said. ¡°First, you may not ask questions regarding the identity, plans, actions, or personal information of other members. Such questions will not be answered, and the chance to ask will be forfeited as a warning.¡± ¡°Second, your question must be specific. Do not expect a broad question to yield a series of solutions. I provide answers, not methods or paths.¡± ¡°Third, questions regarding the Genius Club itself will not be answered. Any such questions will result in the chance being forfeited as a warning.¡± Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. He had to admit, the Genius Club was indeed a well-established organization. Its rules and procedures covered everything in detail. He had worried about what would happen if members asked about each other¡¯s secrets, but it seemed that this concern had already been considered at the very start. Geniuses always ensured everything was thorough, with no room for mistakes. All three principles made sense. The third one, however, was especially intriguing. You¡¯d think that, as members of the Genius Club, it would be natural to want to learn about the club¡¯s history, its founding, and its founders. In any other club, this information would be proudly displayed, like a banner. But here, discussing the club itself was strictly prohibited. Interesting. Lin Xian found the club increasingly fascinating, more and more mysterious. After Einstein finished explaining the procedures and rules, he officially declared the gathering begun. Typically, these additional explanations weren¡¯t necessary¡ªtoday, they were only to accommodate the new member. ¡°So, as always, we¡¯ll begin with No. 2, Copernicus,¡± Einstein said, looking at the chair closest to him. ¡°Old friend, it¡¯s been years since you last joined us. Will you, as always, choose not to ask any questions?¡± Across the room, Gauss nodded slowly. ¡°I¡¯ve never... seen... Copernicus... ask...¡± ¡°Copernicus rarely asks questions,¡± Da Vinci interrupted Gauss, quickly explaining to Lin Xian. ¡°Since I joined the club in the last century, Copernicus has asked very few questions. Particularly since the 21st century began, he¡¯s never asked anything. And it¡¯s been four or five years since he last attended¡ªthis is his first time here since then.¡± Lin Xian nodded lightly to Da Vinci, grateful for the information. Copernicus, as the No. 2 in the Genius Club, was the first member after the founder, Einstein. After him came Newton, then Galileo, and then Da Vinci. Lin Xian realized that before Da Vinci joined, Copernicus had probably asked all the questions he wanted to ask. It made sense¡ªjoining earlier had its benefits. Especially in the beginning, when it was just Einstein and Copernicus. Back then, Copernicus could ask anything he wanted, without fear of exposure, without anyone else listening in, without anyone guessing his plans. Lin Xian shuddered slightly at the thought. Copernicus likely held a treasure trove of information¡ªanswers that everyone else wanted but dared not ask. If there ever came a day when only Lin Xian and Einstein were present, with the others absent, it would be perfect. In such a case, Lin Xian could privately ask about Du Yao¡¯s whereabouts, or what the Millennium Stake was, without fear of anyone else overhearing. But that scenario probably wouldn¡¯t happen, would it? Even Newton, the third member, likely never had such an opportunity¡ªit was a unique privilege for Copernicus. According to Gauss and Da Vinci, Copernicus hadn¡¯t asked a question in over two decades. He was here today to witness Elon Musk¡¯s demise, like a weasel greeting a chicken for New Year¡¯s. ¡°If you have no questions, we¡¯ll skip ahead,¡± said Newton, who appeared young but had the soul of an elder and the personality of an old rascal. ¡°It¡¯s the afternoon here, and my grandkids are waiting for me to take them to the amusement park, so if there are no questions, let¡¯s not waste time.¡± But then... Copernicus gave a dry chuckle. ¡°As it happens, I do have a question today.¡± Hearing that, Lin Xian could feel the room change. The atmosphere became charged. Everyone was sitting up straight. As the No. 2 figure of the Genius Club, Copernicus, who hadn¡¯t asked a question in more than twenty years and whose intentions remained unknown to everyone, was finally about to ask something! Everyone was eager to know¡ªwhat was he going to ask? This could be a great opportunity to understand Copernicus¡¯s intentions. ¡°Ahem...¡± Copernicus cleared his throat, his voice faint and weak. ¡°Einstein...¡± He spoke softly, almost dreamily. ¡°Whether it¡¯s now or in some future era, tell me... if I wanted to build a time machine, to send a traveler back in time...¡± ¡°Who should I go to?¡± Chapter 422: Countdown Thud. Lin Xian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. His thoughts raced to Gao Wen and the manuscript hidden in his desk drawer. ¡°That old ghost Copernicus,¡± Lin Xian muttered, shaking his head. ¡°He¡¯s like a shadow that never goes away.¡± For twenty years, not a single question¡ªand now, suddenly, Copernicus wanted answers, pointing directly at Lin Xian. No conferences in four or five years, yet the moment he showed up, it was just to stir up trouble. But, on the other hand, Lin Xian thought, maybe this was a good sign. Maybe it meant that Copernicus didn¡¯t know everything just yet in 2024. He had his suspicions before. The real and fake Yu Xi, after traveling through time to 2024, might have someone here helping them, exchanging information. But based on what he¡¯d seen today, that theory seemed off the mark. It looked like Copernicus knew little about time travel¡ªand certainly, no one had given him any crucial details. Now, everything depended on how ¡°Einstein¡± would respond to him. Lin Xian focused his gaze on the elder seated at the high podium. After a few moments, the old man, still sitting straight, took a deep breath and spoke slowly: ¡°In both established history and future pathways, there is more than one researcher working on time travel theory. You could ask any of them.¡± He paused briefly. ¡°So, could you specify whom you wish to find?¡± Copernicus chuckled dryly, seemingly satisfied with the response. ¡°Obviously,¡± he said, ¡°I want the one closest to my own time. The sooner, the better. My old bones can¡¯t afford to wait any longer than necessary.¡± The old man wearing the Einstein mask gave a knowing smile. ¡°Sorry, Copernicus,¡± he said. ¡°Or perhaps... this was your plan all along. Either way, regarding your clarified question, my answer is this¡ª¡± He paused, his tone deliberate. ¡°I refuse to answer. Your question is invalid.¡± For a moment, the room fell silent. The geniuses around the table exchanged glances¡ªsome confused, others understanding. Everyone in the room was sharp. It didn¡¯t take long for them to figure out what had happened. Because of the ¡°Three Question Principles,¡± only two scenarios would make ¡°Einstein¡± refuse to answer. One was if the question involved the Genius Club itself. The other was if it concerned the privacy, plans, actions, or identities of other members. Clearly, it wasn¡¯t the first scenario¡ªif it were, Einstein would have refused from the beginning instead of letting Copernicus clarify his question. Which meant only one thing¡ª The answer involved the privacy of another Genius Club member, so it couldn¡¯t be shared! Lin Xian glanced around, pretending to be puzzled like everyone else. He looked to his left at Gauss, then to his right at Newton¡ªjust observing. Copernicus just laughed quietly. ¡°I see,¡± he said casually. ¡°So, someone here got there before me, eh? Who could it be?¡± He looked around the room, his masked gaze drifting from Newton to Da Vinci, then to Lin Xian. Then he turned his head, scanning Gauss, Galileo... each face, one by one. ¡°Interesting,¡± he said with a smirk, spreading his hands. ¡°Honestly, I wouldn¡¯t mind if one of you managed to build the time travel machine. It¡¯d make things easier for me. Even just a little borrowing would be fine.¡± Gauss, who was small and frail, swallowed nervously. ¡°Is... is it Newton?¡± he asked hesitantly. ¡°How did you¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me,¡± Newton interrupted, his voice firm, though his eyes twinkled mischievously. ¡°I asked Einstein a similar question before, just less specific. But it was enough to get me on the right track for time travel.¡± ¡°So, Copernicus, forget it. As long as I¡¯m alive, you¡¯ll never get your hands on this.¡± Newton shot him a glare. ¡°Why don¡¯t you do what you said¡ªhibernate, wait a few centuries, and hope future medicine buys you a few more years? Or have you finally regretted everything? Planning to go back in time and kick your younger self for murdering innocent scientists?¡± Da Vinci let out a giggle. She could tell Newton was simply toying with Copernicus. She was one of the early members of the Genius Club and was well aware of the rivalry between Newton and Copernicus¡ªtheir views on science were so different, like oil and water. But, thankfully, despite all their gatherings throughout the last century, they had always remained civil. Real fights had never broken out. Their relationship, however, had soured dramatically over the years, especially due to Copernicus¡¯s increasingly ruthless behavior. In the matter of scientists¡¯ treatment, Da Vinci was firmly on Newton¡¯s side. ¡°Copernicus,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°You are quite the contradiction, aren¡¯t you? On one hand, you benefit from technological advancements¡ªenjoying the best medical care, sleeping in cryo-chambers to prolong your life, and dreaming of time travel. On the other hand, you strike at the very scientists who made all this possible.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t that selfish and hypocritical? If not for advancements in medicine and cryo-tech, we wouldn¡¯t even see you here today. Yet, despite it all, you stick to that monstrous future plan of yours?¡± Copernicus coughed twice, seemingly unbothered by Da Vinci¡¯s criticism. He gave a faint smile. ¡°What if... it all turns out to be worth it, Miss Da Vinci?¡± he asked, his voice calm. ¡°Gentle measures won¡¯t change human nature. Just like your ¡®example¡¯ hasn¡¯t changed me¡ªyou can¡¯t change the rest of humanity either.¡± He leaned back. ¡°I dislike attending these meetings because you all think too small. Though, I can¡¯t fully blame you¡ªyou joined late and missed a lot. There¡¯s much you don¡¯t know, much you fail to realize.¡± He waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Still, there¡¯s no need for me to explain it to you. Time will reveal the truth. Anyway, my question ends here. Your turn, my old friend Newton.¡± Newton sniffed, clearly not eager to continue the debate. Perhaps he really was in a rush to take his grandkids to the amusement park. ¡°I have no questions today,¡± Newton said softly. Lin Xian sighed internally. As the newest member of the Genius Club, he hoped that each of them would ask valuable questions and share useful answers, so he could gather some important information. But now... it seemed like these geniuses had been part of the Club for decades. With twelve meetings a year and twelve questions each year, they must have asked hundreds of questions by now. Maybe everything they wanted to know had already been asked, and their foundations were set. Their future plans were on steady ground. In comparison, newer members like himself lagged behind, both in information and progress. It was such a sickening, twisted act! From the moment Lin Xian laid eyes on Copernicus, he had regarded him as enemy number one. And it wasn¡¯t just Lin Xian who had a bone to pick with him. Xu Yun¡¯s death, Tang Xin¡¯s death¡ªthey all traced back to Copernicus. Based on Ji Lin Shui¡¯s confession, combined with what had been said during this meeting, it wasn¡¯t hard to deduce that Xu Yun, Tang Xin, and Dr. Pomsmike¡¯s deaths had all been orchestrated by Copernicus. Which was why Ji Lin Shui needed no evidence or proof to kill these people¡ªhe simply killed on sight. But when it came to Lin Xian, Copernicus had made it so complicated, demanding proof of his historical disruptions. Clearly, Copernicus hadn¡¯t ordered Lin Xian¡¯s death¡ªJi Lin Shui had acted on his own, trying to show off. All the hatred had piled up. If Lin Xian got the chance, he¡¯d deal with Copernicus just as decisively as he had with Kevin Walker and Turing¡ªputting a bullet through his head without hesitation. Facing a monster like Copernicus, there was no need for mercy¡ªhe¡¯d kill him without a second thought. However, Lin Xian was waiting on two things: First, he needed to be sure that Ji Lin¡¯s parents were indeed killed by Copernicus. Second, he needed to find out who Copernicus truly was and where he lived. Until then, Lin Xian had to stay low, avoiding too much attention. Now, all eyes turned to Lin Xian. The elder in the Einstein mask, along with the other geniuses, watched him expectantly. ¡°No. 9, Rhine,¡± Einstein said, his voice raspy yet powerful. ¡°Have you decided on your question?¡± Under their gazes, Lin Xian nodded slowly. He had indeed decided. This was the result of much consideration. As his first question since joining the Genius Club, he had decided not to reveal personal details or secrets. Instead, he would use it as a test¡ªto see if Einstein really could predict the future or if it was all just an elaborate act. It might be hard for others to verify such a thing, but for Lin Xian, it was simple. After all, he had truly seen the future¡ª600 years ahead. All he needed was to ask something he already knew, something to test Einstein¡¯s credibility. Besides, the whole reason he was in such a hurry to join the Club this month was to find a way to avoid his impending beheading on July 7th. At first, he wasn¡¯t sure how to phrase it. Now, the opportunity had presented itself perfectly. He only needed one question¡ªa question that could confirm if Einstein was honest and also help him better understand what would happen on July 7th. It was the perfect two-for-one solution. So, wearing his comical Rhine Cat mask, Lin Xian raised his head and looked directly at Einstein. ¡°I want to confirm something,¡± he said. ¡°Are you able to accurately answer any question, down to the exact detail, even the precise minute or second, as long as it¡¯s not restricted by the three principles?¡± Einstein nodded without hesitation. ¡°Yes. If your question is specific enough, my answer will be equally specific.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Lin Xian said, nodding back. Everything was in place; now, he could finally ask. ¡°My question is this...¡± The room watched as the face behind the Rhine Cat mask spoke each word clearly. ¡°What is my exact death date, time, and method? Where will it happen?¡± Einstein let out a scratchy laugh, shaking his head. ¡°Rhine, technically speaking, this isn¡¯t just one question but three. However, I¡¯ll consider them as part of one larger question¡ª¡¯How will I die?¡¯ You simply specified the details.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Einstein continued. ¡°I am pleased to see you understanding the rules so well. I hope every member integrates into the Club this smoothly.¡± ¡°Now, let me answer your question.¡± Einstein looked upwards, seemingly deep in thought, then said: ¡°No. 9, Rhine. Your death will come by decapitation. Your head will be severed instantly.¡± He paused, his voice turning grave. ¡°You will die in your home¡ªin your living room, by the front door.¡± ¡°And the exact time of your death...¡± He hesitated, then spoke with finality: ¡°In precisely... 17 minutes and 21 seconds.¡± Chapter 423: Qiao Qiao and Yu Xi Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°What? Seventeen minutes... twenty-one seconds...¡± He was going to die? Honestly, he had mentally prepared for it. If Einstein had told him that July 7th was his death date, Lin Xian would have believed it. After all, the fifth, sixth, and seventh dreams all had undeniable clues pointing to his death on that date. If Einstein could name that day, it would mean he wasn¡¯t lying. But Lin Xian hadn¡¯t expected this. The answer he received was completely shocking. Wait a second. His mind started racing. First off, Einstein had predicted the exact way he would die¡ªdecapitation. That meant the prophecy was probably true. This old man definitely knew things, and Lin Xian believed him. Second, why had his death date changed? What had caused it to move from July 7th to July 1st, a whole week earlier? When you¡¯re close to a crisis, your mind works at lightning speed. Lin Xian quickly drew a conclusion: The butterfly effect of time and space had taken place. The future had changed. But what was the cause? What was the turning point that couldn¡¯t be undone? Most likely, it had something to do with Elon Musk! Earlier, Elon Musk¡¯s virtual image had disappeared, and many people thought he was dead¡ªeven Copernicus put on a show of grief. But Lin Xian was 100% sure Elon Musk wasn¡¯t dead. What kind of idiot would get killed after knowing their death date and being aware of a traitor lurking around? Maybe an ordinary person would. But not Elon Musk¡ªa genius wouldn¡¯t make such a dumb mistake. So, it was obvious. Elon Musk¡¯s disappearance was a fake death, a trick¡ªa ¡°prince replaced by a civet cat¡± kind of thing. Following that line of thinking: Elon Musk, who was supposed to die, didn¡¯t. Given his influence and achievements, it wasn¡¯t surprising that this altered the timeline. But this time, the butterfly effect was enormous¡ªnot only changing Elon Musk¡¯s fate but also somehow moving Lin Xian¡¯s death closer. For now, Lin Xian could only piece together a rough explanation. He would have to work out the details properly once he survived the next seventeen minutes. Right now, his main goal was to stay alive. According to Einstein, his death would happen in his own living room, by the front door. That meant the killer would come to his house. The best thing to do was leave. He hadn¡¯t imagined his first Genius Club meeting would end like this. It felt a little embarrassing. After all, he¡¯d just mocked Copernicus, and now he had to run. Wouldn¡¯t that make him look foolish? Sure enough, as soon as Einstein finished speaking, Copernicus chuckled. ¡°Well, what a surprise...¡± He began to clap slowly, smiling as he said, ¡°I never thought today I¡¯d witness not one but two geniuses fall. Truly... an eye-opener.¡± Next to him, the middle-aged man, Galileo, remained serious, his voice deep and steady. ¡°Seventeen minutes, being hunted down, a brutal death... Rhine, we may not know who you really are or what you¡¯ve gotten yourself into, but I¡¯m afraid tomorrow¡¯s headlines will tell us everything. As a fellow member of the Genius Club and your senior, I don¡¯t wish for your death. But Einstein¡¯s visions are absolute. We¡¯ve all confirmed this in our ways.¡± Before Galileo could finish, Da Vinci let out a scornful laugh. ¡°Ha, not necessarily!¡± She looked at the cat mask on Lin Xian¡¯s face and spoke quickly, her tone like that of a caring grandmother, gentle and sincere. ¡°Rhine, why did you ask about the future? What¡¯s your purpose in knowing it?¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°We seek to know the future not to submit to it, but to change it. I have no doubt that Einstein¡¯s prediction is accurate. But anything that hasn¡¯t happened yet can be changed. Just like what we do here and the question you answered when you got your invitation... We gather to create the future!¡± ¡°This future isn¡¯t just about human civilization¡ªit¡¯s also your future. I believe that everyone¡¯s future is in their own hands.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t treat an unfulfilled future like a fixed history¡ªeven if it¡¯s just seventeen minutes away. The wood hasn¡¯t been carved, the drop hasn¡¯t fallen; there¡¯s still time.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Newton agreed, standing in solidarity with Da Vinci. For Newton, an enemy¡¯s enemy was a friend. When Lin Xian first joined, Newton¡¯s approval of him had skyrocketed because of his mocking of Copernicus. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure if Newton had figured out the answer to the ¡°time machine principle¡± question he¡¯d asked earlier, but one thing was clear¡ªNewton was willing to help. With an exaggerated look at his watch, Newton yelled, ¡°Einstein! Now that everyone¡¯s had their turn, isn¡¯t it time to wrap up? My grandkids are waiting for me¡ªI can almost hear them pounding on my living room door. Can we call it a day already?¡± Lin Xian wasn¡¯t stupid. He could tell Newton was rushing the end of the meeting for his sake. And while taking off the VR goggles and running might have been an option, Newton clearly saw everyone on the right-hand chairs as being on his side. Indeed, everyone here lived up to the title of ¡°genius.¡± They were all good actors, with plenty of tricks up their sleeves. Hearing Newton¡¯s urging, Einstein nodded slowly, raising both hands. ¡°Very well. Now that our final genius has gotten his answer, as per our agenda, today¡¯s meeting is over. Rhine, as Miss Da Vinci said, we¡¯re here to change the future¡ªto steer it towards a brighter outcome. So, I sincerely hope that a month from now, at our next meeting on August 1st, we¡¯ll see that cat mask of yours again. It¡¯s brought a unique energy to our club.¡± ¡°And with that, meeting adjourned!¡± As Einstein ended the meeting, the members stood, disappearing one by one. Across from Lin Xian, Gauss spoke slowly: ¡°Rhine... don¡¯t... take... the elevator... it will...¡± ¡°Thank you, Gauss.¡± Lin Xian cut him off, waving goodbye. ¡°Talk next time!¡± And with that, he yanked off the VR goggles¡ª The bright, bustling hall disappeared, replaced by his dimly lit living room, and... a glowing phone screen on the coffee table, with Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s call. Since his phone was on silent, there hadn¡¯t been any ringing or vibrating, so Lin Xian hadn¡¯t noticed. ¡°Ying Jun¡¯s calling me...¡± Lin Xian quickly reacted. ¡°Qiao Qiao must be in trouble.¡± Not wasting a second, he grabbed the phone, answered, and dashed out the door, sprinting down the stairs. ¡°Hello?¡± First, maybe the timeline dropped in steps, just like how it ascended before, moving one increment at a time. If so, it could be that it briefly passed through the zero timeline, allowing Lin Yu Xi to recover some memories. The second possibility was that Yu Xi existed in both timelines because they were adjacent to each other. If this were true, the memories in her mind now weren¡¯t from the zero timeline but from the negative timeline! A bold guess. If correct, then the memories she had were hers but not truly hers¡ªthey belonged to another version of her. It was complicated but not hard to understand. Lin Yu Xi, from the zero timeline, lost her memories, then inherited those from the negative version of herself. Lin Xian didn¡¯t know which theory was right, but one thing was certain: Yu Xi had regained her memories! For now, survival came first! Suddenly, Lin Xian thought of the white mini-fridge with the entangled time particles inside. He shouted into the phone: ¡°Liu Feng! Check the fridge¡ªsee if the time particles have charged, if they¡¯ve gained any energy!¡± ¡°No!¡± Liu Feng answered without hesitation. ¡°I wasn¡¯t idle while you didn¡¯t pick up! I checked the fridge, and there¡¯s no change in the particles. They¡¯re as stable as ever¡ªno fluctuations at all. I¡¯m starting to doubt my own theory that they could recharge.¡± Lin Xian clicked his tongue. Wrong... he had been wrong all along. So, Yu Xi¡¯s regained memories had nothing to do with the particles. Who would¡¯ve thought the timeline would drop? Lesson learned. ¡°That¡¯s it for now, talk tomorrow.¡± Lin Xian reached the south gate, hanging up on Liu Feng. With only thirteen minutes left until Einstein¡¯s predicted death, he was pushing himself harder than ever¡ªeven beyond his high school parkour championship days. It seemed adrenaline truly was the strongest motivator¡ªonly life-threatening danger could bring out his full potential. He put his phone away, grabbed the gate¡¯s railing, and vaulted over, landing in the street as the security guard stared in shock. Luck was on his side¡ªthere was a taxi waiting nearby. Lin Xian approached, opening the front passenger door. ¡°Driver, take me¡ª¡± He froze mid-sentence. It felt like he¡¯d been thrown into a freezer¡ªhis entire body went cold, his scalp prickling. Sitting in the back seat was a girl with pale skin and a cold expression. She looked about seventeen or eighteen, wearing tight clothing. Her long black hair flowed smoothly over her shoulders, her arm¡¯s muscles visible beneath her rolled-up sleeves. But what terrified him the most were her bright blue eyes¡ªstaring straight at him. Lin Xian recognized her immediately. He¡¯d seen this girl before. She was the one from the sixth dream¡ªin the underground winter base¡ªwho had claimed to be Yan Qiao Qiao, even though she looked nothing like her. And she was also the blue-eyed village chief from the seventh dream. Lin Xian instantly knew he was in trouble. He turned to run, but¡ª BOOM! A deafening crash as the taxi¡¯s back door was kicked off, flying several meters before skidding across the pavement, sparking as it went. In the same moment, two streaks of blue light shot forward in the dark, as if she had teleported right behind him. She was too fast¡ªfaster than anything on Earth. Even with Lin Xian¡¯s parkour skills and heightened reflexes, he couldn¡¯t dodge her unnatural strength. The tall, blue-eyed girl grabbed him by the back of his neck and slammed him onto the ground. ¡°Cough!¡± The blow crushed his chest, forcing a metallic taste into his mouth. But she didn¡¯t stop. She pulled a sharp knife from her waist¡ªits blade gleaming in the moonlight¡ªand swung it at Lin Xian¡¯s neck. He closed his eyes¡ª CLANG! A clear sound of metal clashing. Lin Xian felt a cold breeze hit him, but the knife never fell¡ªhis neck was still intact! He opened his eyes to a surprising sight. In the chilling moonlight, a small girl stood before him, her short ponytail swaying. She wore a black and white tracksuit, blue ribbons tied in her hair. She had no visible muscles, but her body was taut, her arms holding a kitchen knife, locking it against the blue-eyed girl¡¯s blade. Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened, his breath catching. ¡°Yan... Qiao Qiao?¡± Chapter 424: My Name 47 Minutes Earlier. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s house, bathroom, in front of the sink mirror. Drip... drip... Lin Yu Xi clutched her nose, her eyes squinting from the pain as the faucet dripped a steady rhythm. The bathroom floor was splattered with muddy-red stains¡ªher own blood. She blinked slowly, raising her gaze to meet her reflection. The face staring back was familiar, but strangely foreign. The familiarity came from her features¡ªthe ones she knew well, that she¡¯d always known. The strangeness lay in her memories. Now, Lin Yu Xi held two sets of memories¡ªthose of Yan Qiao Qiao and those of Lin Yu Xi. Two different lives that both belonged to her. But... they were completely contradictory, polar opposites. Trying to reconcile them left her feeling deeply uneasy. Because... these two memories didn¡¯t connect at all. She closed her eyes. Again, she tried to sort through the tangled, freshly implanted memories¡ª A military training base. Rows of teenagers in uniforms stood in formation¡ªall girls. Their ages ranged from eleven to sixteen. They varied in height and build, but each one had been strengthened through extensive chemical enhancement¡ªevery one of them was fit, sturdy, and ready. In her memory, Lin Yu Xi stood in the front row. She glanced around. All the girls were taller, which was why she had been placed at the front. At the time, she was just eleven years old. She had been at the military base for years, enduring relentless, day-and-night training. They were all chosen recruits¡ªorphans taken by the state, raised to be agents of the Time-Space Bureau. Their purpose was singular: to become exceptional time-space agents, undertake secret missions, and serve the Bureau without question. Their identities didn¡¯t matter. Their first lesson upon arrival was to forget who they once were. Their thoughts didn¡¯t matter either. From the start, they were trained for loyalty, obedience, and unwavering dedication to the Bureau. In truth... such effort wasn¡¯t needed. After all, they were just orphans¡ªabandoned and forgotten by the world. It was their fate. The girls at the base didn¡¯t even have names¡ªexcept for her. Lin Yu Xi. ¡°Number 7!¡± ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Number 11!¡± ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Number 13!¡± ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Number 17!¡± ¡°Here!¡± The instructor called out their designations, one by one. The girls had no real names. Just numbers. They had been called this way since arriving at the base. And the numbers weren¡¯t sequential either. That was because many recruits had been eliminated over the years during the enhancement phase. Those who didn¡¯t make it were reassigned to less demanding roles¡ªsome became traffic police or special guards¡ªordinary jobs, forever unrelated to the world of ¡°agents¡± or ¡°time-space missions.¡± ¡°Lin Yu Xi!¡± The instructor called her name. ¡°Here!¡± Lin Yu Xi straightened, her voice loud and clear. ¡°Number 46!¡± ¡°Here!¡± ¡°Number 47!¡± Curious, she moved closer and saw it was a family portrait. The doctor stood with her husband behind their young son, who was leaping playfully, a toy in hand, a joyful smile lighting up his face. ¡°Is this... your son?¡± Lin Yu Xi asked, pointing at the photo. ¡°Yes,¡± the doctor replied with a smile. ¡°He¡¯s starting kindergarten soon, so we took this family picture yesterday as a keepsake. I really like it. Watching you all grow up made me realize how much my little one has grown, so I printed an extra copy to keep here.¡± Lin Yu Xi nodded, her gaze lingering on the happy family. She couldn¡¯t look away. ¡°How nice...¡± she whispered. ¡°I wish I had a picture like that... with my mom and dad.¡± The doctor looked up, surprised. She paused her note-taking, turning towards Lin Yu Xi. ¡°Do you think about your parents?¡± she asked gently. Lin Yu Xi nodded. The doctor smiled. ¡°All these years, you¡¯ve never mentioned it.¡± ¡°Because... no one ever talks about it,¡± Lin Yu Xi replied, her gaze shifting from the family photo to meet the doctor¡¯s eyes. ¡°Nobody here thinks about their parents. There¡¯s no love, no hatred¡ªjust indifference, like strangers.¡± The doctor nodded thoughtfully. ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯ve been with you all for so long, watching you grow up. You all speak to me freely, but... in all these years, you¡¯re the only one who¡¯s brought up parents.¡± She paused, considering her words. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the only one. Like you said, the others don¡¯t think about their parents. I suppose it¡¯s because of your name.¡± She smiled gently. ¡°A name is the first connection parents give to a child. Usually, it¡¯s chosen by parents or grandparents, always with the parents¡¯ approval.¡± ¡°Names seem simple, but they carry weight. Your surname shows where you come from¡ªit¡¯s part of your heritage. Your given name carries your parents¡¯ hopes, emotions, or blessings.¡± ¡°Yu Xi... I don¡¯t know why your parents chose that name. It¡¯s quite unique, but I¡¯m sure it had special meaning for them. Maybe that¡¯s why, unlike the others, you think of your parents. Because you have a name, while they don¡¯t. Your name makes them real to you, gives you an image of them¡ªa hope.¡± The doctor¡¯s gaze moved back to her desk, to the framed photo of her family. Her expression softened as she looked at her son, who was about to start kindergarten. She spoke, her voice tender. ¡°Yu Xi, you¡¯ve never met your parents. You don¡¯t know what they look like, and nobody has told you anything about them.¡± ¡°But even so, even though you know nothing of them... you still miss them?¡± Lin Yu Xi didn¡¯t hesitate. She nodded firmly. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± The doctor blinked, taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected this. ¡°When do you think about them?¡± she asked. ¡°Is it when you¡¯re falling asleep at night? When training gets too hard? When the instructor scolds you? Or, like now, when you see others with their families?¡± Lin Yu Xi shook her head, her eyes clear and serious. ¡°Every day,¡± she said softly. The doctor¡¯s eyes widened, and Lin Yu Xi added. ¡°Every moment.¡± The doctor felt a lump rise in her throat. She reached out, gently wrapping Lin Yu Xi in an embrace, her hand resting atop her head. She wanted to comfort her, but the words escaped her. These children were sharp, much too perceptive for empty reassurances. Lies, no matter how well-intentioned, would only add to their pain. Instead, she changed the subject. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine tomorrow,¡± she said encouragingly. ¡°I know you all better than anyone. Your strength, speed, reflexes¡ªyou¡¯re among the best. You¡¯ll make it.¡± ¡°Who knows, by tomorrow, you might already be a Level Three Time-Space Bureau agent, ranked higher than me!¡± She smiled, shaking her head. ¡°No, once you finish your mission, once you return triumphantly from capturing humanity¡¯s greatest criminal, I¡¯ll treat you to a celebratory meal. How about that?¡± ... ¡°Number 17, victory!¡± The instructor held Number 17¡¯s hand high, declaring her entry into the final match. ¡°The final selection... Number 17 versus Lin Yu Xi!¡± ¡°Whoever wins this match will be promoted to Level Three Time-Space Bureau agent and receive the honor of wielding the only entangled-state time-space particle in history¡ªto return to the past and carry out this critical mission!¡± ¡°Now... let the match begin!¡± Bang! Number 17, already filled with rage, launched herself at Lin Yu Xi. The jealousy she had harbored for so long now poured out, fueling her attacks. Chapter 425: Number 17 Lin Yu Xi hugged Zhao Ying Jun for a moment before slowly standing up. She walked over to her bedside table and picked up her Little Genius smartwatch, which was charging there. She put it on her left wrist. This was a Children¡¯s Day gift from Lin Xian. She wore it every time she went out, and after a month, it had become a habit. She really liked the cute little watch. It was one of the few things that belonged solely to her. Then, her eyes lifted. She gazed at the small picture frame on the nightstand ¡ª the family photo taken at Disneyland. Who would have thought? By some twist of fate, this was a real family portrait. Just like the photo on the doctor¡¯s desk from her memories, this was truly a picture of a family of three. ¡°The thing I¡¯ve wanted most...¡± she murmured, smiling slightly. ¡°Turns out, I already had it.¡± She reached out and took the picture frame, pulling out the photo inside and holding it close. Though the room was dim, with only the faint orange glow of the nightlight, her vision had improved dramatically since that strange blue line appeared in her eyes. She could see everything clearly, even in such darkness. In the photo, she wore a princess dress with a delicate silver tiara on her head. Behind her, Zhao Ying Jun and Lin Xian were dressed as a queen and king, leaning close to her. It was true¡ªthey looked so much alike. Lin Yu Xi traced her fingers over Zhao Ying Jun in the photo. That was her mom. Their facial features were almost identical; she looked like a miniature version of her. As for the rest¡ªthough it wasn¡¯t as obvious, if she looked closely, she could see it. Her forehead, chin, and ears were exactly like Lin Xian¡¯s. She moved her fingers from Zhao Ying Jun to Lin Xian. Even without seeing Lin Xian¡¯s paternity report, it didn¡¯t matter anymore. The truth was clear. She suddenly remembered what the doctor at the military base had told her: ¡°A name may seem simple, but it carries deep meaning. Your surname represents your origin, inherited from your father, something set at birth. Your given name carries your parents¡¯ emotions, hopes, and blessings.¡± Yes. Only now did she truly understand the meaning of her own name. The ¡°Lin Xian¡± in Lin Yu Xi was Lin Xian¡¯s Lin Xian. The ¡°Yu Xi¡± in Lin Yu Xi was given by Zhao Ying Jun. It was the name her parents had given her¡ªa name that was unique. She turned the family photo over and looked at the scribbled handwriting on the back. It read ¡°Yan Qiao Qiao.¡± This was the name given to her by her grandparents. She looked up, gazing westward. [Time-Space Sensing] She could sense it¡ªthe powerful aura of a time-space traveler had already boarded a vehicle, heading swiftly toward Lin Xian¡¯s neighborhood. It seemed her guess was correct. It must be Number 17! Number 17 had crossed through using tangled time-space particles, and though bound by time-space laws like other travelers, she had much greater flexibility. The only one who could stop Number 17 was herself¡ªfrom the future. Even though she was weak right now... But¡ª¡°It¡¯s time to go.¡± Lin Yu Xi put her most cherished family photo into the inner pocket of her tracksuit. Step by step, she walked across the soft carpet. From the nightstand to the bedroom door¡ªthose few meters felt like an entire lifetime. The training as a time-space agent had taught her to always follow orders, to put the mission first. But now, as a failed recruit, she had no mission. And even if she did... she couldn¡¯t do it. Stopping at the bedroom door, Lin Yu Xi took one last look back at the warmth and happiness inside: ¡°Goodnight, Mom.¡± She lowered her head and looked at the Pomeranian, VV, asleep in its dog bed: ¡°Goodnight, VV.¡± She gently closed the bedroom door, walked into the living room, and picked up her trusty carbon steel kitchen knife, hiding it inside her sleeve. She stepped out of the living room and closed the door. Bang. To avoid making noise, she didn¡¯t use the elevator; instead, she took the stairs. The sound of her footsteps quickly faded as she went down. ¡°V?¡± VV twitched its ears, seeming to hear something. It raised its head and looked around: ¡°Woof.¡± It barked softly but suddenly became alert. Sniffing the air¡ªthere was a scent of blood! A dangerous smell! ¡°Woof! Woof! Woof!¡± VV barked fiercely. On the bed, Zhao Ying Jun rubbed her eyes: ¡°What¡¯s wrong...VV, another nightmare?¡± She took a deep breath and looked at the Pomeranian barking beside the bed. Then she glanced at the empty bed next to her. ¡°Qiao Qiao?¡± She got up and saw the light on in the bathroom: ¡°Did she go to the bathroom?¡± She stepped out of the bathroom but found that the lights in the study and kitchen were on too. She blinked. What... was happening? Did Qiao Qiao get hungry in the middle of the night and go to the kitchen to make food? Not likely. ¡°Qiao Qiao?¡± She called out again but got no answer. Zhao Ying Jun realized something was wrong. Yan Qiao Qiao had excellent hearing, especially in the dead of night. If she called her, there was no way Qiao Qiao wouldn¡¯t hear. She quickly walked to the bathroom and pushed open the glass door¡ªZhao Ying Jun gasped! The floor... it was covered in muddy bloodstains! Blood-soaked tissues were scattered everywhere! She went to the closet. Sure enough¡ªthere was a bloodstained nightgown. She entered the kitchen and saw the cabinet was open, and a knife was missing. Something had happened! Zhao Ying Jun immediately realized that Yan Qiao Qiao was in danger! She searched the house for Qiao Qiao but found no trace. She immediately called Lin Xian. No answer... She couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Still dialing Lin Xian, she quickly changed clothes, grabbed the Ferrari keys from the box, and rushed out to look for Qiao Qiao. ¡°Hello?¡± Finally, Lin Xian picked up. Zhao Ying Jun quickly explained what had happened. Lin Xian said he¡¯d handle it, then hung up. ¡°What does that mean?¡± She frowned. Thinking back, the noise on Lin Xian¡¯s side of the call was loud too, like he was running or jumping¡ªthud, thud, thud. Clearly, at this hour, Lin Xian was also not asleep. And... he wasn¡¯t surprised at all about Qiao Qiao¡¯s disappearance, or the fact that she had gone missing with a knife. Could it be... this had something to do with Lin Xian¡¯s secret mission? She looked at her phone¡¯s date. July 1st, 2024. Lin Xian had said he planned to tell Qiao Qiao the truth in July, and let her know everything he¡¯d been doing. July. Was it really such a special time? Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. Now wasn¡¯t the time to think about that. She needed to find Lin Xian and Qiao Qiao, and fast! ¡°But where could they be?¡± She closed her eyes, trying to remember the details¡ªclues, information. Thinking... Thinking... Suddenly, she opened her eyes. ¡°The Little Genius smartwatch!¡± She remembered! The Children¡¯s Day gift from Lin Xian to Qiao Qiao¡ªthe Little Genius smartwatch¡ªhad both her and Lin Xian set as the emergency contacts. It was listed under ¡°parents¡± in the watch. If she was considered a ¡°parent¡± in the system, that meant... she had access to the watch¡¯s location! She pressed the button for the elevator and headed to the underground garage. Then she downloaded the Little Genius app from her phone¡¯s app store and registered, logging in with her phone number. Sure enough. Her phone number was already bound to the watch. On the screen, the watch¡¯s name appeared¡ªQiao Qiao. Vroom¡ªShe quickly got into the bright red Ferrari, started the engine with one button, and listened as it roared to life. Zhao Ying Jun put her phone on the mount, clicked on the watch icon, and checked its location. After a moment¡¯s delay, the screen displayed Qiao Qiao¡¯s position¡ªmoving quickly toward Lin Xian¡¯s neighborhood, with constant ¡°exceeding geofence¡± alerts blaring loudly. ¡°Lin Xian¡¯s phone must be on silent,¡± she guessed. ¡°Otherwise, the moment Qiao Qiao crossed the boundary, the alarm would¡¯ve sounded, and he¡¯d know she left the house before I did.¡± She floored the accelerator. Already skilled at racing, she shot out of the underground garage, merging onto the empty night road, heading in the direction of the coordinates on her phone! ... She didn¡¯t care about it, but as the photo spun in the air, she caught sight of something¡ªa name written on the back. She picked it up, not even bothering to look at the front, and turned it over to read the scrawled handwriting: ¡°Yan Qiao Qiao.¡± She blinked, recalling the name Lin Xian had shouted earlier when Lin Yu Xi had blocked the attack. Another name! Lin Yu Xi had two names! In that instant, Number 17 ground her teeth in frustration. ¡°Oh, Lin Yu Xi. I wanted to ask you how you crossed over, how you got here,¡± she said, her voice dripping with disdain. ¡°But now, it doesn¡¯t matter. None of it matters anymore.¡± She laughed¡ªan eerie, satisfied smile. ¡°This isn¡¯t the training base. There are no rules stopping me from killing you here. So... I¡¯ll kill you both.¡± She slipped the family photo into her pocket with a grin. ¡°Does one person need two names? Isn¡¯t that a bit greedy? Still, I appreciate the gift...¡± ¡°When I kill you both, Yan Qiao Qiao¡¯s name will belong to me!¡± Whoosh! Fast as lightning! Number 17 reveled in this lopsided fight. Back at the base, she¡¯d always hated Lin Yu Xi. They had fought many times, each of them winning half the battles. But now... Everything was different. The rival she¡¯d once struggled against was now just a lamb to the slaughter. ¡°To the left!¡± Number 17 shouted with a smile, announcing her next move as she swung down hard. She was taunting Lin Yu Xi¡ªtelling her exactly what she was going to do, daring her to stop it. Lin Yu Xi raised her knife with both hands to block. But Number 17, using only one hand and barely a third of her strength, easily sent her flying. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Number 17 laughed in satisfaction. ¡°Lin Yu Xi, I¡¯ve wanted to kill you since our days at the base! I never imagined I¡¯d get this perfect opportunity.¡± ¡°I wonder... if I kill the most wanted criminal and return to our base, will I see you again? Will I get to show you my medal? Will I get to... kill you again?¡± Vroom!! Number 17 was just about to strike again when suddenly, two bright lights shone from afar, accompanied by the roar of an engine. With her heightened senses, Number 17 knew immediately. A car was speeding toward her. She jumped to the side, just in time¡ª Vroom!! A bright red Ferrari roared past, barely missing her. It was clearly aiming to hit her, speeding at over 100 mph! Screech! The Ferrari spun into a drift, tires screeching, filling the air with smoke and the acrid smell of burning rubber. It stopped at an angle by the roadside. The window rolled down. Zhao Ying Jun shouted out: ¡°Lin Xian! Qiao Qiao! Run!¡± Then she floored the gas pedal again, sending the Ferrari hurtling toward Number 17¡ªtoward the attacker, toward the person hurting her daughter! But this time, Number 17 was ready. With her strong coordination and reflexes, she dodged again. She got a good look at the driver¡ªthe woman from the photo, the one standing with Lin Xian and Lin Yu Xi. ¡°Interesting,¡± she murmured, smiling as she gripped her knife, her blue eyes glowing menacingly as she walked towards Lin Yu Xi. ¡°A family of three?¡± ¡°You all have to die!¡± Chapter 426: Blue Snow Chapter 426: Blue Snow ¡°Qiao Qiao! Let¡¯s get out of here, now!¡± Lin Xian shouted. After two confrontations, Lin Xian already understood that Lin Yu Xi was no match for the blue-eyed girl. Their strength was worlds apart¡ªan unfair battle. Even if Lin Yu Xi fought with all her might, her opponent barely had to move a muscle to send her flying. This girl, whom Lin Yu Xi called ¡°Number 17,¡± was like a fully realized ¡°Terminator.¡± She was as powerful as the Yu Xi who had once killed the imposter Yu Xi¡ªfar stronger than this current Yu Xi, who had lost all her future abilities. Clang! Another clash sent sparks flying. The blue-eyed Number 17, who stood a head taller than Lin Yu Xi, forced her down with the blade. The petite Yu Xi, crushed under the pressure, looked like a small, defenseless creature. Blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. ¡°Run! We need to get out of here!¡± Lin Xian urged again. Fighting was impossible, but escape was still an option. Especially now, with Zhao Ying Jun bringing the Ferrari closer. If they found the right moment, the three of them could use the car to flee. This trick had worked many times in the States. The time travelers were strong and fast, but no human could outrun a supercar. By now, Lin Xian had pieced some things together. Yu Xi had indeed regained all her memories, which was why she recognized Number 17. At the same time, she hadn¡¯t lost her memories as Yan Qiao Qiao, which made her choose not to harm Lin Xian but instead protect him. It meant Lin Xian¡¯s assumptions had been wrong all along. He had thought his head had been cut off by Yu Xi after her memories returned. But the truth was the opposite. She¡¯d protect him. The one who would behead him was... someone else. And that someone else was this blue-eyed girl¡ªNumber 17¡ªthe sleeping girl from the Sixth Dream, and the village head from the Seventh Dream. All the clues matched. If Yu Xi knew Number 17, then they must have come from the same organization. And if they were from the same group, their purpose was also aligned¡ªto capture him or, in extreme cases, execute him. Number 17 held a strong jealousy toward Yu Xi. She didn¡¯t have a name, just a number, and seemed to resent Yu Xi for it, wanting to take everything from her. Lin Xian could see this as well. Number 17 wanted to kill Yu Xi, take her name Yan Qiao Qiao, and even take the Disney family portrait. That¡¯s why, in the Sixth and Seventh Dreams, Number 17 called herself Yan Qiao Qiao. She wasn¡¯t Qiao Qiao, but she longed for a name¡ªsomething of her own. She stole Qiao Qiao¡¯s name, claiming it as hers. All of this, Lin Xian finally understood. Unbelievable... the four options he had once listed, the one he thought was most ridiculous, the one he eliminated first¡ªOption A¡ªhad turned out to be correct. Yu Xi and Yan Qiao Qiao were the same person. The one who beheaded him, the sleeping girl in the pod, the village head¡ªthat was someone else entirely. Once the logic was clear, another question followed¡ªone he couldn¡¯t explain. How did Number 17 travel here using the ¡°entangled time-space particles¡±? Elon Musk¡¯s entangled particle had been destroyed. Its lifeless remains were still in Liu Feng¡¯s lab. Liu Feng had just confirmed it¡ªno energy, no changes. It was unusable. So how did Number 17 cross over? The logic didn¡¯t make sense... unless... Lin Xian thought of two possibilities: At some point in the future, Copernicus, who led the Time-Space Bureau, captured another entangled particle and used it for Number 17. The particle Number 17 used was Liu Feng¡¯s¡ªnow powerless, but in the future, it regained its energy and was stolen by Copernicus for Number 17. Considering how rare and precious these particles were... It seemed likely that there could be only one in human history. Thus, the most plausible scenario was the second: that Lin Xian and Liu Feng eventually failed to guard the particle, and after recharging, it was stolen by Copernicus. Ughh... Thinking of this, Lin Xian clenched his teeth, letting out a long sigh. These entangled particles were nothing but trouble. No wonder Elon Musk had destroyed it outright, knowing he couldn¡¯t protect it. In hindsight, that had been a smart move. If it couldn¡¯t be kept, if it would eventually be stolen, better to destroy it so no one could use it. But... Lin Xian and Elon Musk overlooked one crucial thing: the particle could recharge. And that meant even in a powerless state, it was still valuable. Elon Musk likely didn¡¯t know this. If he had, he wouldn¡¯t have given the particle¡¯s remains to Lin Xian, or he¡¯d have made sure to destroy it more thoroughly¡ªor thrown it into space, making it impossible for Copernicus to steal. But it was too late now. Another time-traveling killer was here, and they needed to survive. Vroom¡ª On the other side of the road, Zhao Ying Jun spun the Ferrari, drifting it to face Number 17 and speeding toward her. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t hit Number 17¡ªshe could easily dodge. But she didn¡¯t trigger the forced avoidance either. Number 17 could have stood her ground. But that was her blind spot¡ªproof that this was the only entangled particle. Neither Yu Xi before nor Number 17 now knew about forced avoidance. There had never been any prior experiments. Lin Xian had learned about it the hard way¡ªthe only test subject. It was an information gap they could use. While Number 17 dodged, he planned to grab Yu Xi and escape in the Ferrari. ¡°The Ferrari¡¯s coming! Move!¡± Lin Xian shouted to Yu Xi. ¡°We need to get in the car and go!¡± Yu Xi understood. She gave her all in one final clash with Number 17 before swiftly retreating to Lin Xian¡¯s side. Number 17 turned just in time to see the roaring Ferrari closing in. She narrowed her crystal blue eyes like a hawk eyeing prey. Then¡ª She leaped. Instead of dodging, she jumped right onto the Ferrari! Thud. Landing on the roof, she ran to the back, over the engine compartment, and with her gloved right hand, smashed down on it. Riiip¡ª The wrenching sound of tearing metal filled the air. To Lin Xian¡¯s shock, the V12 engine was torn right out, the red-hot cylinders steaming. Wires and fuel lines ripped apart. The raging beast was silenced. The car lost power and rolled to a stop by the roadside. Number 17 casually tossed the engine aside and sneered. ¡°Run? Where to?¡± She stepped forward, slowly closing the distance. ¡°That car... it¡¯s your coffin.¡± Yu Xi, brandishing her knife, charged forward, but¡ª Thud! She was kicked back with immense force, rolling to the ground. Lin Xian rushed to help her up. ¡°Qiao Qiao!¡± Yu Xi coughed, blood splattering out, staining Lin Xian¡¯s clothes. Both realized it¡ªthat kick had been Number 17 getting serious. Before, she¡¯d toyed with Yu Xi like she was venting years of pent-up anger. Now she was done playing. Yu Xi stood no chance against the full might of the perfect time-space assassin. Number 17 twirled her blade, her eyes glinting with excitement. ¡°Who should I kill first?¡± ... At the same time, in Texas, Boca Chica, a luxurious villa¡ª A female secretary turned the key, opening the door. She adjusted her red-rimmed glasses, pushing the door open. In the brightly lit living room, a man sat on the sofa, looking almost identical to Elon Musk, the world¡¯s richest man. He quickly hid a VR headset behind a cushion. ¡°Oh, shit!¡± he cursed, complaining, ¡°Miss Secretary! Could you at least knock before coming into someone¡¯s house? It¡¯s giving me no sense of privacy!¡± The secretary scoffed. ¡°Fakester, do you really think this place is yours? This is company property. Just because you live here doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s yours. Also...¡± But none of that mattered now. Yu Xi watched as Number 17 approached, her blade spinning. She turned and hugged Lin Xian, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her face to his chest. ¡°Daddy,¡± she whispered. Lin Xian froze, eyes widening. This was the first time Yu Xi had ever called him that. He knew she¡¯d regained her memories, but... how did she know? There was no time to think. Yu Xi stood, a sad smile on her face, tears in her eyes. ¡°This time... don¡¯t leave me again,¡± she said, before turning to charge at Number 17. ¡°Yu Xi!¡± Lin Xian shouted, but it was too late. In that moment, her eyes blazed blue, and her entire body turned into sparkling blue particles¡ªa brilliant, crystalline glow. Number 17¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No! You can¡¯t¡ª¡± Boom. The blue explosion was silent, covering all of Donghai City in glimmering blue dust. Huangfu, Xuhui, Changning, Jing¡¯an, Putuo, Baoshan¡ªevery part of the city was covered. The Oriental Pearl, the banks of the Huangpu River, Disneyland, the Peace Hotel, MMX Company, parks¡ªeach landmark blanketed in shimmering blue. These falling blue specks didn¡¯t belong to this world. They sank into buildings, the earth, the flowing traffic. People looked up, puzzled by the spectacle. ¡°Is it... snowing?¡± They reached out, trying to catch the flakes, only for them to vanish. On July 1st, 2024, at the height of summer, Donghai City saw snowfall. A miraculous, four-second snowfall¡ªbrief, beautiful. In the Donghai University lab¡ª Liu Feng stood, stunned, watching as blue specks filled the room. He looked out the window. It was like the world¡¯s fireflies had gathered in one place. And then, just as suddenly, the blue was gone. Liu Feng turned to the time clock¡ª [0.0000168] Beep, beep¡ª A hopeful sound. He turned to see the white mini-fridge in the lab, its screen lighting up for the first time in months. Something had changed. Something inside. He hurried over, opened the door¡ª Inside, bright blue light burst forth, taking his breath away. Two swirling blue energy balls¡ªas if awakening from a long sleep¡ªglowed brightly, full of energy. ... Back at Lin Xian¡¯s neighborhood entrance¡ª The blue explosion faded, leaving both Yu Xi and Number 17 gone. Lin Xian looked around, breathing heavily, watching the blue specks fall. He tried to grab them¡ªnothing. He reached to embrace¡ªonly emptiness. ¡°Qiao Qiao?¡± Zhao Ying Jun pushed open the Ferrari door, rushing over. Her eyes widened, her voice trembling. ¡°Qiao Qiao? Where is she?¡± She ran to Lin Xian, her voice rising in panic. ¡°Where¡¯s my child?!¡± Lin Xian stepped forward, embracing Zhao Ying Jun tightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered. Zhao Ying Jun held her breath. She¡¯d never seen Lin Xian like this, never heard him sound like this... She was his child too. His heart hurt just as much as hers¡ªmaybe even more. No matter how strong or confident a man was, he had moments of vulnerability. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Zhao Ying Jun held Lin Xian, patting his back. ¡°I was too anxious... But what happened? Where did Qiao Qiao go?¡± Lin Xian sighed deeply, pulling away slightly, holding her shoulders. ¡°She went home.¡± ¡°Home?¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. ¡°This is her home! Donghai is her home. Don¡¯t lie to me, Lin Xian. I can take anything, but not lies.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°She belongs here and doesn¡¯t belong here. She¡¯s from the future, but not our future. Her name isn¡¯t Yan Qiao Qiao¡ªit¡¯s Lin Yu Xi.¡± ¡°Lin Xian... Yu Xi...¡± Zhao Ying Jun repeated, remembering the name from their past conversations, remembering the DNA mix-up with the girl in sunglasses. It made sense now. That¡¯s why she loved that name¡ªshe had chosen it for herself. ¡°Can we...¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s voice shook, her eyes searching Lin Xian¡¯s face. ¡°Can we bring Yu Xi back?¡± Ring, ring¡ª Lin Xian¡¯s phone rang. It was Liu Feng. At this moment... there had to be changes to the time clock, the worldline¡ª Lin Xian answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Lin Xian! Something big has happened!¡± Liu Feng yelled. ¡°The time clock readings changed again, but that¡¯s not the big news. The entangled particle... it¡¯s fully recharged!¡± Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. So... it was connected, after all, to Yu Xi¡¯s transformation into blue particles. That particle was her core, her energy source for the journey here. Or maybe it had something to do with Number 17¡¯s disappearance. The particle had recharged. Was it a curse, destined to be stolen by Copernicus, or was it... an opportunity? ¡°Wait for me at the lab,¡± Lin Xian said, hanging up. He looked at Zhao Ying Jun, speaking with resolve. ¡°Listen to me, Ying Jun. First, I swear I¡¯ll get justice for Yu Xi. As her father, I can¡¯t let those who hurt her get away with it. I¡¯ll show it through my actions. ¡°Second, my promise to you¡ªI failed to protect our daughter, but I¡¯ll make it right.¡± He bent down, picking up the family photo, placing it in Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hand, holding her hand firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t leave Yu Xi,¡± he whispered. ¡°This time, I finally understand.¡± Chapter 427: Shattered Jade and the Whole Tile The night was deep, and a starless sky hung over Donghai University¡¯s Rhine Lab. The darkness felt heavy, pressing down upon the empty corridors of the university, the quiet only broken by the occasional rustle of leaves outside. Lin Xian pushed open the lab door, his briefcase in hand. Liu Feng had been waiting for him for quite some time. As soon as he saw Lin Xian, Liu Feng stood up, looking both anxious and excited. ¡°Look at this,¡± Liu Feng said, pulling Lin Xian towards the central lab bench. He gestured to the time-space clock on the table. Its reading was steady, displaying: [0.0000168] It was still a multiple of 0.0000042, but this time, the negative sign had vanished. ¡°In other words,¡± Liu Feng continued, ¡°since I called you earlier tonight, the worldline has shifted from -0.0000042 to 0.0000168.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stared at the clock. The change wasn¡¯t just numbers¡ªit was proof that reality itself had shifted. ¡°How exactly did it change?¡± Lin Xian asked, his voice tense. ¡°Tell me everything in detail.¡± Liu Feng checked his watch and nodded. ¡°At 1:18 a.m., the reading on the time-space clock dropped dramatically, falling all the way from 0.0000336 to -0.0000042. I kept calling you, but you wouldn¡¯t pick up. By the time you finally answered, more than twenty minutes had passed. Even then, the reading stayed at -0.0000042, showing no signs of change.¡± Lin Xian nodded slowly. He knew why it had changed this time. At 1:18 a.m., he had been in a meeting with the Genius Club. The club president¡ªan old man wearing an Einstein mask¡ªhad officially given him the title ¡°No. 9 Rhine.¡± Everyone had stood up, applauding as Lin Xian was welcomed into the club. Elon Musk, wearing a Tesla mask, had clapped the loudest. Everyone knew it was Elon Musk; he wasn¡¯t even trying to hide it. Lin Xian recognized him immediately and went up to shake his hand. But at that very moment, Elon Musk vanished. The exact time was 1:18 a.m. Lin Xian was sure of it now. This shift in the worldline, this fluctuation in time-space¡ªit must have been caused by something Elon Musk did. He thought about it carefully. Elon Musk, having discovered there was a traitor among them, wouldn¡¯t just sit and wait to be taken down. He must have used the ¡°Prince for a Leopard Cat¡± trick¡ªa substitution. So Elon Musk, who should have died, survived. The imposter took his place instead, and the worldline shifted accordingly. As the leader of the Mars Migration Project, Elon Musk¡ªwhether the real one or the fake one¡ªwas influential enough to cause a shift in the worldline. There was no doubt about it. And when Lin Xian last spoke to him, Elon Musk had hinted that he had more plans beyond just swapping places. That must have been why the worldline curvature shifted so drastically. But it also meant something else¡ª Lin Yu Xi had recovered her memories at that moment. But why? Was it because, during the worldline drop, it briefly passed through the 0.0000000 point, where Lin Yu Xi was? Or was it because in the -0.0000042 worldline, there was another Lin Yu Xi? Lin Xian felt the second possibility was more likely. Lin Yu Xi knew the blue-eyed girl from Number 17; they were clearly quite familiar. This suggested that Lin Yu Xi must have played some part in the -0.0000042 worldline. One thing was certain: The -0.0000042 worldline and the 0.0000000 worldline were closely connected. Their worldviews and future visions must have been very similar. So perhaps they could assume that the blue-eyed girl from Number 17 had traveled from the -0.0000042 worldline, using entangled time-space particles to do so. If that was the case, then in this worldline, the time-space police, time-space courts, and time machines were all real, and the world was still under Copernicus¡¯s rule. Lin Xian pointed at the time-space clock and asked again, ¡°What happened after that? When did the clock change again?¡± ¡°At 2:14 a.m.,¡± Liu Feng responded promptly. Lin Xian had explicitly instructed Liu Feng to record every instance of time-space fluctuation precisely. He had even set up a surveillance camera to monitor the clock around the clock. ¡°At 2:14 a.m., the reading began to climb. The worldline moved from negative to positive,¡± Liu Feng continued. ¡°It climbed steadily, passing through 0.0000000 and eventually reaching 0.0000168, where it stabilized. After that, there was no change. It stayed that way until you arrived.¡± Lin Xian glanced at his watch, his mind recalling the time. 2:14 a.m. That was when Lin Yu Xi transformed into her blue quantum form, and the blue stardust exploded across Donghai City, obliterating the time-space assassin and the blue-eyed girl from Number 17. There was something strange about that moment. It was as if Lin Yu Xi had suddenly remembered something important. She had hugged Lin Xian, called him ¡°Dad¡± in a voice that broke his heart, and then¡ªin a burst of blue snow¡ªsacrificed herself to save him. Lin Xian was sure of it. That action must have been triggered by a regained memory. Before that, during their many encounters with the blue-eyed girl, Lin Yu Xi had always been at a disadvantage, pushed into desperate situations. The pressure from Number 17 had been overwhelming; they had no chance of winning. Especially when Number 17 ripped a V12 engine straight out of a Ferrari¡¯s trunk with one hand, it felt like the end. Until that moment, Lin Yu Xi had shown no signs of sacrificing herself. The biggest evidence was when Lin Xian had rushed over to her, cradling the injured Lin Yu Xi. He distinctly remembered seeing a flash of blue in her eyes¡ªjust for a brief moment. Half a second, at most. Considering the frequency of the time-space clock¡¯s shifts, it also happened every half-second. Lin Xian had good reason to believe that when the clock crossed the 0.0000000 point again, Lin Yu Xi had regained her memory of becoming a blue bomb. ... Seeing Lin Xian fall into deep thought, Liu Feng walked to the lab¡¯s corner and patted the white mini-fridge on the table. ¡°That¡¯s all the updates about the time-space clock. Now, about the entangled time-space particles... Come have a look.¡± Hearing Liu Feng, Lin Xian walked over quickly. Liu Feng tapped in the password, opening the fridge door to reveal¡ª Rotation, rotation. The first thing he saw was two particles, orbiting one another endlessly, just as when Lin Xian had first seen them. Each particle was wrapped in streaks of lightning, pulsating violently, spinning around each other, with their inner charge balls smashing aggressively into their blue cores. These were fully intact entangled time-space particles. Brimming with energy. Full of life. ¡°When did they recover like this?¡± ¡°The exact moment the blue snow disappeared,¡± Liu Feng explained. ¡°At 2:14 a.m., when those blue stardust flakes fell all across Donghai City, disappearing within seconds. Right after that, the white fridge beeped. I opened it, and this entangled particle had recharged. Not just visually¡ªI tested it myself before you got here. This particle¡¯s energy is completely restored, not a bit depleted. It¡¯s in its most complete, original state. Of course, it¡¯s inert now, which is why it can be confined to the fridge, instead of jumping around the sky, ignoring all physical laws.¡± Lin Xian crouched down, leaning in closer to the particles. Indeed, they spun tirelessly, just like a binary star system in the cosmos. Constant, steady, unchanged for eternity. Now, though, what caused the particles to recharge? Lin Xian shook his head. In truth, the reason wasn¡¯t important. What mattered was confirming that these particles could indeed be recharged. And all of the trouble¡ªevery nail-biting, heart-pounding issue¡ªhad been caused by these particles being able to recharge. Lin Xian sighed softly, patting the mini-fridge. ¡°This thing... really is trouble.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Liu Feng looked puzzled. ¡°This is a treasure!¡± he protested. ¡°Maybe ordinary time-space particles aren¡¯t that valuable, but these¡ªthese are entangled time-space particles! Their existence alone is a miracle... The fact that Elon Musk was able to capture them was even more so! ¡°And now, after losing their energy, these particles have somehow recharged! I¡¯ve been staring at them all night in awe. How can you call them trouble?¡± Lin Xian shook his head again. ¡°Liu Feng... you don¡¯t understand. You know that the greatest value of these particles lies in their ability to facilitate time travel. Sure, it¡¯s amazing. That¡¯s why Yellow Finch came here, after all. ¡°But have you considered that if good people can travel through time, bad people can, too? If someone can come from the future to help us, someone can come back to kill us. It¡¯s just like in Terminator¡ªthe enemies from the future tend to be more powerful than the allies. After all, it¡¯s much easier to kill someone than to protect them. ¡°Otherwise... why do you think Elon Musk, who cherished these particles so much, ultimately chose to destroy them? It was because he knew he couldn¡¯t protect them. So, he decided to destroy them rather than let the enemy have them. ¡°But we all miscalculated. We never imagined that, unless they¡¯re completely destroyed, these things could recharge and become viable for time travel again.¡± ¡°That¡ªis a problem. We used to think that a depleted time-space particle was useless, something only fit for research. But now we know that even ¡®dead¡¯ time-space particles are as important as live ones. Anyone who figures out how to recharge them can essentially use them indefinitely.¡± ¡°Imagine that¡ªan endless supply of entangled time-space particles, repeatedly sending super-powerful ¡®Terminators¡¯ from the future to kill us... Not even gods could endure that.¡± Suddenly¡ªLiu Feng understood. He began pacing quickly around the lab, gesturing with his fingers. ¡°You¡¯re right. This really is a problem. ¡°Sure, they can¡¯t build a time machine anytime soon, and the enemy won¡¯t be stealing these particles... but in the long run, we can¡¯t predict what technology will be like in a few decades, let alone a few centuries. Many problems we can¡¯t solve today might be solved by then.¡± He paused, looking at Lin Xian. ¡°But there¡¯s still a problem. How are we supposed to destroy these particles completely? ¡°If they were still active, that¡¯d be one thing. Just touching or colliding with them would¡¯ve been enough to deactivate them. Once they turned invisible, only someone like Chu An Qing could see them. ¡°And once they lose their activity¡ªno one can even see them anymore, much less capture them again. But now... ¡°Whether they¡¯re in the fridge or a rice cooker, they¡¯re completely inert. Even if you throw them into the ocean or into a volcano, they can still be detected. ¡°Of course, throwing them into the ocean or a volcano would make them hard to recover, but not impossible. Who knows what technological advancements could happen in the coming decades or centuries.¡± ¡°Like you said, depleted time-space particles are essentially the same as fully charged ones to someone who knows how to recharge them¡ªjust an empty battery that needs a recharge.¡± ¡°So, how do we completely destroy them now that they¡¯ve gone inert?¡± Suddenly, an idea struck Liu Feng. ¡°I have a solution!¡± He looked at Lin Xian, eyes wide. ¡°You could ask Elon Musk for his rocket. Send the particles out into space, like Voyager One¡ªjust let them fly out of the solar system. Humanity wouldn¡¯t have the technology to chase them down. And by the time technology advanced enough to catch up, the particles would be several light-years away¡ªtoo far for detection or retrieval. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that solve the problem entirely?¡± Lin Xian smiled and pulled out a chair, sitting down at the lab bench. ¡°You¡¯re right; that¡¯s definitely one solution¡ªbut it¡¯s the last resort. ¡°Entangled time-space particles are a hot commodity. No one realizes how precious, how unique, how utterly game-changing they are. I can already foresee a future where, once time machines are perfected, a fierce battle over these particles breaks out.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Liu Feng looked confused. ¡°Which is why we should get rid of them now! Send them into space! No more problems.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Let me finish. These particles are too precious to just throw away. Plus, there¡¯s another, better way to solve the problem. Lin Xian looked up to meet Liu Feng¡¯s gaze, ¡°We¡¯ll use them.¡± Liu Feng¡¯s eyes widened as he took a deep breath. ¡°W-what? Use them up? But... how? We don¡¯t even have a time machine!¡± Snap. Lin Xian opened his briefcase, slamming a stack of manuscripts onto the lab bench. Liu Feng leaned in for a closer look¡ªTheories on Time-Space Travel, and Blueprint for the Time Machine. ¡°Holy crap!¡± Liu Feng exclaimed. ¡°Where did you get this?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± Lin Xian waved his hand dismissively. ¡°What matters is that we build a time machine as soon as possible and use these particles once and for all.¡± Liu Feng straightened up, looking at Lin Xian. ¡°Are you saying...¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Lin Xian nodded firmly. In the future, in other timelines, two family members had traveled back through time for him. Yellow Finch had led him from a confused boy to a responsible man. Yu Xi had turned him from an immature man to a steadfast father. This time, it was his turn. Lin Xian locked onto Liu Feng¡¯s gaze, speaking each word with certainty: ¡°I¡¯m going to be the first person in human history to use these entangled time-space particles for Time Travel.¡± Chapter 428: The Prey ¡°You want to time travel?¡± Liu Feng stared at Lin Xian, puzzled. ¡°What era are you planning to visit?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I haven¡¯t made up my mind.¡± ¡°Then, what do you plan to do when you get there?¡± Liu Feng pressed. ¡°I... don¡¯t know that either,¡± Lin Xian sighed, shaking his head again. He spread his hands in exasperation. ¡°You¡¯re asking a lot of questions, but I haven¡¯t really thought this through yet. I only got the call from you an hour ago about the entangled time-space particles getting recharged.¡± ¡°In just one hour, I¡¯ve had enough ideas crammed in my head to fill a book, so there¡¯s no way I have a solid plan. But my core thought is this...¡± Lin Xian raised his right hand, showing one finger. ¡°First, time travel has to happen. Our main goal is to completely use up this entangled time-space particle. Based on my observations, I think that traveling back in time and then returning to this era is the only way to entirely consume it, ensuring it won¡¯t cause any future issues.¡± ¡°To be on the safe side, we don¡¯t know when the enemy might try to steal this particle, so once we have the time machine built, we need to use it immediately.¡± ¡°Got it, Liu Feng? This is the first rule. The exact era and the specific actions don¡¯t really matter. Our primary goal is to use up the particle and stop the enemy from sending time travelers back to interfere with us.¡± Lin Xian then extended a second finger. ¡°Second, while fulfilling the first requirement, we obviously want to pick the most suitable time period. But here¡¯s the problem¡ª¡± ¡°¡®Can we freely choose the time to travel back to, or are there limits? Must we only go through certain time rifts?¡¯¡± ¡°So, with no functioning time machine yet, and with no proper understanding of time travel theory, discussing which time period to visit or what to do is pointless.¡± ¡°We can talk about these specifics once you¡¯ve fully figured out the principles of time travel¡ªthough I suspect we may not even have the freedom to choose the exact point in time.¡± Lin Xian raised a third finger. ¡°Third, we currently know very little about the entangled time-space particles. While they seem almost invincible to me¡ªable even to defy the laws of time¡ªthe actual truth might be quite different.¡± ¡°If things are as simple as we hope, of course, I¡¯d like to try changing history. But... are time laws as easily defied as we think?¡± ¡°As Yellow Finch said, we still don¡¯t understand what ¡®historical lock¡¯ and ¡®millennium stake¡¯ mean. Whether the events already set in history can be changed is still an unknown.¡± ¡°More frighteningly, if I travel back and recklessly alter history, causing a shift in the world line, will I even be able to come back?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s concerns weren¡¯t unfounded. Lin Yu Xi and Number 17 had experienced something similar¡ªcrossing from their world line but then getting derailed due to unexpected events. It was a disaster. They had a return ticket, but their original future was gone; they came smoothly, but couldn¡¯t return. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t willing to face the same fate. What if he couldn¡¯t come back? He had no desire to spend his life in an unfamiliar, ancient time. So, as he said before, using up the entangled time-space particle was the main goal. Everything else was secondary¡ªextra perks, as long as he could return safely. Liu Feng pondered Lin Xian¡¯s words, rubbing his chin. ¡°Hmm... I have to say, you¡¯ve thought this through quite thoroughly, even down to the finer details. I hadn¡¯t even considered the issue of returning to the present.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Lin Xian. Even if these entangled particles can defy time laws and change history¡ªonce the world line shifts, there¡¯s no guarantee you can come back. It¡¯s definitely a problem we have to consider.¡± With that, Liu Feng moved closer, pushing Lin Xian aside to grab the stack of notes on the lab table. ¡°Let me take a look at this manuscript first.¡± He pulled over a chair, sat at the lab table, and began studying the handwritten notes on the ¡°Theory of Time Travel and the Conceptual Design for a Time Machine¡± left by Emperor Gao Wen. Lin Xian didn¡¯t disturb him, leaning against the side of the lab table, resting. Outside, dawn was breaking. Though both of them had stayed up all night, neither felt tired. Lin Xian had a lot on his mind, while Liu Feng was fully absorbed in the manuscript. Silence filled the lab as they each focused on their tasks. Finally... As the fiery red sun peeked over the horizon, casting the first rays of light across the land, Liu Feng let out a long sigh. Slowly, he rose from his chair, walked over to the window, and pulled open the curtains. He whispered, ¡°It¡¯s brilliant.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian snapped out of his thoughts. ¡°This manuscript.¡± Liu Feng pointed at the stack of notes he¡¯d just finished reading. ¡°Such a genius idea! Such brilliant thinking! Whoever wrote this must have been an absolute genius.¡± ¡°Tell me, Lin Xian, where did you get this... If you really know someone this brilliant, you should bring them into our lab!¡± ¡°If they joined us, I believe we¡¯d solve everything¡ªthe ¡®Sorrowful Einstein¡¯ painting code, the mystery of the Universal Constants, even building the time machine. This person¡¯s scientific mind far surpasses mine!¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I agree. I believe that too.¡± Emperor Gao Wen was beyond remarkable, no doubt about it. Maybe Lin Xian simply admired Gao Wen¡¯s brilliance. But to a fellow researcher like Liu Feng, he could truly comprehend just how terrifying Gao Wen¡¯s academic prowess was. ¡°But... we can¡¯t make it happen,¡± Lin Xian said helplessly, spreading his hands. ¡°If we could bring the author of this manuscript here, it would be amazing... no, more like a guaranteed win.¡± ¡°But you¡¯d better give up on that idea now. There¡¯s no way the original author of these notes could ever make it here.¡± And now, without finding Ms. Du Yao, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t even free Gao Wen from his past regrets. As a result, even if he found Gao Wen¡¯s notebook in the upcoming Dream, it would likely still focus on neural electric helmets, the same as before. Finally, and most crucially¡ªthe future world of the next Dream might already be unrecognizable. There was no telling if Emperor Gao Wen would even be there. So... was this a dead end? Lin Xian rubbed his tired eyes. Did this mean he¡¯d really have to wait years¡ªeven decades¡ªfor a working time machine? ¡°Wait... No, that¡¯s not right!¡± Lin Xian suddenly realized something. He pointed at the time clock. ¡°Liu Feng, look at this. Even after I showed you the ¡®Time Travel Theory Manuscript,¡¯ the time clock reading hasn¡¯t changed.¡± Liu Feng turned to look. Sure enough, the reading on the clock was still 0.0000168. He shrugged. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be too surprising. We¡¯ve talked about this before¡ªthe reason the clock doesn¡¯t change, the world line doesn¡¯t shift, is because an irreversible anchor point hasn¡¯t formed. Once that anchor forms, then the world line curvature will change.¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Lin Xian waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Remember when I took the ¡®Micro Nuclear Battery Manuscript¡¯ to the National Scientific Academy? Back then, when I shared the notes with them, the time clock reading changed.¡± ¡°I think this makes sense. As you said, Liu Feng, you¡¯ve now read this manuscript, you have a clear understanding of the theory, and in a few years or a decade, you could develop a time machine.¡± ¡°So logically, an anchor point should already be forming! This is just like when I shared the battery notes!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the anchor,¡± Lin Xian declared, getting up and patting the time clock. ¡°It means...¡± ¡°In the original 0.0000168 world line, there already is a time machine! So, whether you read the manuscript or invent the time machine doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Lin Xian looked at Liu Feng, explaining, ¡°You get it, right? On this current world line, even if you don¡¯t invent the time machine, someone else will. You reading the notes hasn¡¯t disrupted the elasticity of time.¡± Liu Feng nodded, though he frowned, deep in thought. ¡°But... can anyone else really develop such an advanced technology? Especially when it requires the time particles? Who could it be?¡± Suddenly, Lin Xian recalled the question Copernicus had asked during the Genius Club meeting just a few hours ago. Copernicus also wanted to build a time machine. Though Einstein ultimately refused to answer him, the refusal itself was a kind of acknowledgment that someone among the members had the technology. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure if Copernicus suspected him, but it wouldn¡¯t stop Copernicus from pursuing the question in the next meeting in August. If he omitted ¡®the closest point in time¡¯ from his question, Copernicus could easily learn the name ¡®Gao Wen¡¯ from Einstein. From there, Copernicus would travel in a hibernation pod to the year 2200, track down Emperor Gao Wen, and convince him to build the time machine, fulfilling his plans. ¡°Hmph... Still as relentless as ever,¡± Lin Xian muttered, scratching his head. At least it wasn¡¯t all bad news. If, on the original 0.0000168 world line, a fully functional time machine did exist... then there was a chance that when Lin Xian entered the next Dream, he could find the blueprints for it. If so... He could pull off a reverse heist against Copernicus. ¡°I think there¡¯s hope,¡± Lin Xian said, suddenly feeling clear-headed. If his hunch was right, Copernicus would only manage to get his hands on the time machine after intercepting Gao Wen in 2200. But Lin Xian could steal the blueprints six hundred years earlier and build the machine in 2024. Then, it would be his turn to go on the offensive. He¡¯d use the entangled time-space particles to travel through time in 2024, not only consuming them entirely and shattering Copernicus¡¯ dream but also standing from a faraway historical point, gaining intelligence to ultimately counterattack Copernicus. ¡°Old man, you¡¯ve lived long enough¡ªtime to call it quits,¡± Lin Xian recalled Copernicus¡¯ words to him in the Fourth Dream. ¡°The real hunter never sets foot in the hunting ground.¡± Lin Xian chuckled to himself. ¡°The hunter... will one day become the prey.¡± The Eighth Dream. The 0.0000168 world line. The destruction of the entangled time-space particles. The time machine heist. The struggle between past and future timelines. This was Lin Xian¡¯s perfect opportunity¡ªCopernicus¡¯ final curtain call. Their feud would end in this clash. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Lin Xian suddenly got up, heading for the door of the lab. ¡°What? You¡¯re leaving already?¡± Liu Feng looked startled. They¡¯d been in the middle of talking, and Lin Xian always left in such a rush. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°To get you the blueprints for the time machine,¡± Lin Xian replied, already heading out the back door of the lab. ¡°Wait, what?¡± Liu Feng was stunned by the audacity. ¡°Hey, hold on!¡± He shouted after Lin Xian, ¡°Where are you going to find that? Are you dreaming?¡± Chapter 429: The Silent City The bright sun had risen, casting its warm rays across the earth. It was July 1st, marking the end of the first half of 2024 and the beginning of the second. Lin Xian walked out of the Rhine Laboratory at Donghai University, raising his head to gaze at the sunlight that stretched every shadow before him. That sun¡ªit was the source of everything, just like the source he now sought for himself, the key to set everything right, to fix all the wrongs. He looked down at his watch: 7:11. The night had passed without rest. Lin Xian wondered what Zhao Ying Jun might be doing now. Was she sleeping? Or was she lying awake, unable to find peace? He thought back to last night¡ªthe blue snowflake fading, the turmoil of losing Lin Yu Xi, and his instinct to hOld Rui Hai close. He had so much to say to her. He knew what was most important now was to be there for her, especially after losing Lin Yu Xi. Though Zhao Ying Jun appeared strong, Lin Xian knew she had a softer side. He had seen her lose control of her emotions when Lin Yu Xi disappeared, shouting in anguish. But soon enough, she recovered, her strength returning as she comforted him instead. ¡°Was that Liu Feng who called you earlier?¡± she had asked after he¡¯d promised to stay. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve met Liu Feng before. I visited your lab at Donghai University,¡± Zhao Ying Jun had said quietly. ¡°I can sense that you two are working on something important. Is it related to Yan Qiao Qiao... or Lin Yu Xi? Our child?¡± Lin Xian nodded again. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, Ying Jun. It¡¯s connected not only to Lin Yu Xi but also to Liu Feng, to me, and even to you. Let me take you home, and I¡¯ll explain everything.¡± But Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. She wrapped her coat tightly around herself, closing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lin Xian. Right now, I need some time alone. I do appreciate that you trust me enough to tell me everything, but... can we leave it for another time? I¡¯m not ready just yet. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lin Xian heard the tremor in her voice. No matter how strong or calm she might seem, the loss was still devastating. Lin Yu Xi wasn¡¯t her biological child, but their bond was still unbreakable. Who could face an ending like that without breaking? ¡°If what you¡¯re doing is as important as it seems, then don¡¯t let me hold you back.¡± She looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the moonlight. ¡°But if you ever need me, if there¡¯s anything I can do to help, please tell me. Because, like you said, Lin Yu Xi didn¡¯t belong to this time¡ªshe wasn¡¯t truly our child of this future. Still, even though she never called me ¡®Mom,¡¯ it doesn¡¯t change a thing.¡± Her gaze grew firm, her words steady and deliberate. ¡°She is your daughter, and she is also my daughter. You need to take responsibility for her, and so do I. There¡¯s no blame here, and you shouldn¡¯t feel guilty. Protecting a child is a father¡¯s duty, just as much as it is a mother¡¯s.¡± She took a deep breath and pointed at Lin Xian¡¯s phone. ¡°I know what¡¯s important. Liu Feng¡¯s call sounded urgent¡ªyou should go. Go do what you need to do. Keep moving forward. Don¡¯t stop because of me.¡± For a moment, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s words echoed Yellow Finch¡¯s voice in his mind¡ªthat woman who had made him grow, who had made him understand responsibility, who had made him want to be a true leader. It was her. And it was also Zhao Ying Jun. They were the same. Yellow Finch was Zhao Ying Jun; Zhao Ying Jun was Yellow Finch. In that moment, Lin Xian finally understood the story of ¡°Farewell, My Concubine,¡± as told by Yellow Finch: ¡°To this day, I remember Xiang Yu¡ªthe one who refused to cross the river back east. I never thought Xiang Yu was a true hero. None of the soldiers who fought and died for him would have wanted to see their leader end himself by the riverbank. We followed you here, for you, whether right or wrong¡ªto live or die. Since ancient times, winners are kings, and losers are villains; there is no absolute right or wrong. Many things are right if you believe in them, and wrong if you doubt them.¡± ¡°So, Lin Xian,¡± Yellow Finch had said back then, much like Zhao Ying Jun did now, always encouraging him, always supporting him unconditionally: ¡°If you¡¯re right, go ahead boldly. If you¡¯re wrong, be wrong to the end with conviction. Don¡¯t be like Xiang Yu¡ªliving only in historical songs and records isn¡¯t worth as much as living in the hope of the present.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Lin Xian had answered solemnly. ¡°I will.¡± He repeated it once more. Zhao Ying Jun reached out and hailed a passing taxi, wrapping her thin coat around herself as she got inside. Lin Xian knew her heart was aching. She had spent two months living with Lin Yu Xi, knowing full well the truth of their connection. And yet, she chose not to show her grief, not in front of him¡ªshe didn¡¯t want to burden him, didn¡¯t want to hinder his mission. No, he couldn¡¯t stop now. The enemies that needed to be taken down, the revenge that had to be served¡ªnothing could be left undone. Back home, Lin Xian washed his face several times, preparing to sleep. He needed to enter the Eighth Dream. The key to breaking the impasse, the crucial clue¡ªmaybe it was in this new dream. He lay down on his bed, about to close his eyes, when¡ª Brrrring! Brrrring! Brrrring! The phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID¡ªit was Brother Wang. What could be happening at this hour? Lin Xian answered, ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Lin Xian...¡± Brother Wang¡¯s voice sounded anxious. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s happened to Zhao Ying Jun?¡± ¡°What happened to her?¡± Lin Xian asked, sitting up straight. ¡°Well, when I saw her this morning, her eyes were red. At first, I thought it was makeup, but then I realized... it wasn¡¯t. They were swollen from crying.¡± Brother Wang hesitated, then continued, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her like that, not in all these years. I wanted to ask her what was wrong, but she kept herself busy¡ªshe arranged to personally oversee work from every department today, from morning till night.¡± ¡°She¡¯s been in her office all day, meeting with department heads, discussing work nonstop. The line of people waiting to meet with her stretched outside her door, and her schedule is packed with meetings until late tonight. I mean... it¡¯s obvious she¡¯s trying to drown herself in work to forget whatever¡¯s bothering her.¡± ¡°Also, I checked with the MX Company¡¯s security. You know what they said? They said she didn¡¯t come to work from home this morning¡ªshe arrived in the middle of the night, and her office lights stayed on until dawn. She didn¡¯t sleep at all, Lin Xian.¡± Brother Wang¡¯s words made Lin Xian frown. She had gone to the office in the middle of the night, meaning that after getting in the taxi, she didn¡¯t return home, nor did she sleep. She had lied to him, likely to keep him from worrying. ¡°I¡¯ll go find her,¡± Lin Xian said, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. ¡°No, no, no,¡± Brother Wang protested over the phone. ¡°I knew it! You must know what¡¯s going on, and it probably has something to do with you, right? But going to MX Company now isn¡¯t a good idea. Zhao Ying Jun has her entire day fully scheduled. If you show up, it¡¯ll only cause a scene. Her office is filled with people¡ªit won¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t know what happened between you two, but let me give you some advice, Lin Xian. Zhao Ying Jun is the type to swallow her pain, to always think of others before herself. Given her upbringing, she was never allowed to be impulsive, never allowed to lose control. But everyone needs to be a little selfish sometimes¡ªyou can¡¯t bottle up those emotions forever.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be honest¡ªI¡¯ve always thought you two were a good match. But it¡¯s your lives, and I don¡¯t have the right to interfere. Just know that if either of you is hurting, I don¡¯t want to see it. I¡¯ll keep an eye on things here, and if anything happens, you¡¯ll be the first to know. Let her have some time to calm down.¡± Lin Xian agreed and hung up the phone. Drowning herself in work to forget the pain... he understood that feeling. After Chu An Qing disappeared, becoming one with the thousand-year anchoring stake, he did the same thing. But this wasn¡¯t something they could avoid. Zhao Ying Jun deserved an answer, a proper explanation. Even if she had refused him last night, he still had to tell her¡ªeverything about himself, about Yellow Finch, about Lin Yu Xi, about the time-space particles, the dream worlds, the time machine... Lin Xian felt like he was watching a pantomime, an eerie silent movie. What was going on? Why was no one talking? It made him hesitant to speak as well¡ªas if breaking this unnatural silence would somehow be dangerous. He continued walking along the street, noticing that everything here was almost... too orderly. Too perfect. The flowerbeds were trimmed with meticulous precision like they¡¯d been measured with a ruler. There was no litter on the streets, not a single scrap¡ªthe entire place was immaculate. The cars parked along the road were evenly spaced, each one perfectly aligned¡ªsymmetry for symmetry¡¯s sake. There wasn¡¯t a single person walking against the flow of foot traffic. Everyone moved in a synchronized manner, all in the same direction. Lin Xian was stunned. He didn¡¯t even know how to describe what he was seeing. It was like stepping into a perfectly constructed simulation, a city run by computer programs. The people were so disciplined¡ªthere was no crime, not even the slightest uncivil behavior. They were all so self-regulated that Lin Xian felt out of place¡ªhe was afraid that even an irregular step might be a violation of the city¡¯s perfection. And still, the question remained¡ª Why wasn¡¯t anyone talking? Maybe they had some advanced method of communication, perhaps telepathy, making spoken words unnecessary? Lin Xian shook his head¡ªhe dismissed the thought. Even if they were using telepathy, there would still be subtle changes in facial expressions and eye movements. Not everything could be conveyed without some sort of reaction¡ªnot every smile could be sent as a mental emoji. It was too strange... What had seemed like a civilized, clean, orderly city now felt stifling and wrong. The more he saw, the more he wanted to shout, to break the silence, but the oppressiveness of the quiet held his voice in check. Suddenly, a small child, holding his mother¡¯s hand, coughed and spat on the ground: ¡°Pleh.¡± Instantly, his mother¡¯s face turned pale, and she cried out, her voice echoing through the silent city like an explosion: ¡°Ming Ming! What are you doing?!¡± The next moment, a man with blue glowing rings in his eyes turned towards them, his smile fading. The rings shifted from blue to yellow as he began walking toward the mother and child. The mother panicked, frantically apologizing. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± She dropped to her knees, pulled tissues from her bag, and carefully cleaned up the spit on the ground. When she finished, she put the used tissue back into her bag, looking up at the man¡¯s glowing yellow eyes, her own eyes full of fear. The man crouched down, his eyes locked on the boy as the yellow rings glowed. ¡°Identity verified: Wang Zi Ming. Behavior: spitting in public. Deducting two points. Minor reduction by fifty percent. Final deduction: one point. Current personal score: eighty-two points.¡± ¡°Please maintain civilized behavior. Use the mechanical beings as role models to build a better future for humanity.¡± The man stood up, his yellow eyes now directed at the anxious mother. He blinked, and the rings flickered as he spoke again: ¡°Identity verified: Zhu Ting. Behavior: excessive noise. Deducting two points. No reduction. Final deduction: two points. Current personal score: seventy-one points.¡± ¡°Please maintain civilized behavior. Use the mechanical beings as role models to build a better future for humanity.¡± The mother bit her lip, her face a mix of fear and shame. Finally, she pressed her son¡¯s head down in a deep bow, then turned and walked away, still holding his hand. Her pace did not quicken; she continued to walk with quiet dignity. Lin Xian watched this scene and finally understood. No wonder... no one spoke, no one argued, no one ran, no one fought. The rules here were just too strict. Yes, spitting in public was wrong. Yelling was wrong. But did they really need to enforce it so harshly? Seeing how the mother reacted, it was clear that personal scores were very important. People were genuinely afraid of losing points¡ªit weighed heavily on their minds. That meant that, in this time, in this over-clean, over-quiet, overly perfect city, personal scores were incredibly significant. And then Lin Xian remembered what the glowing-eyed man had said: ¡°Please maintain civilized behavior. Use the mechanical beings as role models to build a better future for humanity.¡± So these people weren¡¯t normal¡ªthey were robots, androids! Lin Xian had only seen something like this in sci-fi films and games¡ªandroids that were internally built with alloy skeletons, intelligent chips, and nuclear-powered batteries, covered with synthetic skin that looked like human flesh. What kind of era was this? How had the world evolved into such a distorted future? Suddenly, a figure dashed out from a nearby flowerbed¡ªa young girl, probably around eighteen or nineteen, with short hair and a smiley-face mask. She leaped forward and ripped the metal badge off the android¡¯s chest, then took off running. The android¡¯s eyes turned bright red, locking onto the fleeing girl, and he started to chase her. The girl was fast¡ªin seconds, she had gained a lead. But out of nowhere, another android in a uniform, a female with glowing red eyes, rushed out and tackled her to the ground. The male android caught up and yanked the girl¡¯s mask off, his red eyes flashing as he said coldly, ¡°Identity verified: Xu Yi Yi. Behavior: assaulting an android, theft, running in public, collision with a pedestrian. Total deduction: twenty-eight points. Prior offenses increase penalty by fifty percent. Final deduction: forty-two points. Current personal score: negative thirty-seven points.¡± Chapter 430: The Godfather Lin Xian blinked in confusion. ¡°What?¡± Just a moment ago, he was an innocent bystander, watching and criticizing the world from a safe distance. And now, all of a sudden, he was part of the scene, right in the thick of it. What was the girl¡¯s name again? Xu Yi Yi? Wait, wasn¡¯t she...? Wasn¡¯t she Professor Xu Yun¡¯s daughter, the one who had been in a vegetative state? Lin Xian could still picture it vividly. Back when he went to the hospital to deliver an invitation to Professor Xu Yun, the professor had smiled as he spoke about his daughter, Xu Yi Yi. He said that once the hibernation pod was perfected, in a few years, there might be hope of saving her. And Lin Xian remembered Professor Xu¡¯s earnest request: ¡°Lin Xian, if Yi Yi wakes up one day, and you¡¯re still around... could you please look after her for me?¡± Lin Xian hadn¡¯t thought much about it then. He never imagined using the hibernation pod himself. By the time Yi Yi woke up, he figured he¡¯d be long gone. It seemed more likely she¡¯d be visiting his grave, placing incense, rather than him taking care of her. After Professor Xu Yun passed away, Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun took on the responsibility for Yi Yi¡¯s medical care. They kept up her treatment and paid for her growing medical bills. When her condition worsened, and her life was hanging by a thread, Lin Xian, along with her doctors, decided to put her in the second-generation hibernation pod at the Science Institute as one of the new batch of volunteers. When Yi Yi entered the pod, she was a frail, skeletal girl¡ªall skin and bones. But now, the girl being pinned down by the Bionic Police... she looked so different. She was slim, yes, but healthy, agile, and very much alive. Was this really...? Could this be the same Yi Yi that Professor Xu entrusted to him? The same Yi Yi he had once visited in the hospital? Lin Xian moved closer, glancing at her face. To be honest, she looked nothing like the unconscious, fragile girl he remembered from that hospital bed. But that didn¡¯t mean anything. Back then, she had been little more than skin and bones, her features lost in the sickness. And now, with the Bionic Police holding her down and her struggling beneath them, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t get a proper look. But still... he couldn¡¯t just do nothing. Professor Xu had been so good to him¡ªgiving Lin Xian exclusive authorization for chemical research, and even destroying all his own manuscripts to protect him from the Seven Deadly Sins, leaving them with no evidence against him. Lin Xian always felt guilty about Professor Xu¡¯s death. With all those emotions stirring inside him... How could he just stand by now and pretend not to see? ¡°No way,¡± Lin Xian thought to himself. ¡°Whether she¡¯s really Professor Xu¡¯s daughter or not, I have to help her first. I¡¯d never forgive myself if I let Professor Xu down.¡± He quickly made a plan. Two bionic police officers were restraining Yi Yi. One was a male officer in plain clothes, tasked with verifying identities and taking down scores¡ªhe had no extra equipment. The other was a female officer in full uniform, decked out with police gear. Most importantly, she had a gun at her hip. Her eyes glowed red, and she was already in combat mode, the holster open, ready to draw her weapon. Opportunity. With the holster already open, it was the perfect chance for Lin Xian to grab the gun. In the real world, he¡¯d never dare. But in this dream world? Who¡¯s afraid of who? Lin Xian kept walking, acting like an innocent bystander, strolling casually past the female officer. Then¡ªin a heartbeat! Quick as lightning, Lin Xian grabbed the gun from her hip, unlocked it, loaded it, and aimed¡ªall in one fluid second. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! He fired four shots, each bullet aimed at the glowing red circles of the bionic officers¡¯ eyes. Lin Xian¡¯s shooting skills had never let him down. Every shot was precise, fast, on target. The two bionic officers didn¡¯t even have time to react before sparks flew, and their heads jerked back. Lin Xian aimed for their eyes instead of their foreheads for a reason. With bionic models, it¡¯s impossible to tell where their control chips are hidden. They aren¡¯t human, so there¡¯s no reason to place the most fragile part of them in their heads. A safer spot would be somewhere in the chest. If that were the case, even a shot to the forehead wouldn¡¯t do much damage¡ªit wouldn¡¯t affect their combat ability. But shooting their eyes¡ªtheir cameras¡ªthat was a different story. Sure enough, the two officers¡¯ heads jerked backward, and they began swiveling around like headless flies. ¡°Run!¡± Lin Xian grabbed Yi Yi by the arm and bolted. But then he saw it¡ªmore bionic officers were coming, their eyes glowing blue. They were approaching from every direction. ¡°This way! Follow me!¡± Yi Yi yanked herself free from Lin Xian¡¯s grip, ran back to the fallen officer, and snatched the metal name tag from her chest, shoving it into her pocket. She picked up a smiley face mask from the ground, quickly putting it on, and then grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s hand, pulling him away from the road. As they ran, she shouted over her shoulder: ¡°Thanks! Thanks for saving me!¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Lin Xian replied, vaulting over obstacles effortlessly to keep up. Lin Xian followed, curiosity growing. ¡°Yi Yi, I have a lot of questions for you,¡± he said. ¡°Ask away,¡± Yi Yi replied cheerfully. ¡°You¡¯re my little brother now. I¡¯ll tell you everything I know.¡± Lin Xian studied her silhouette in the dark¡ªfamiliar, yet strange. ¡°Did you...¡± He hesitated. ¡°Did you come from the past? Before hibernation?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yi Yi stopped and turned to look at him. ¡°How did you know? Could you just tell by looking at me?¡± She nodded, her tone turning serious. ¡°You¡¯re right. I woke up from hibernation. This is my sixth year since waking up. If you count my actual age, I should be nineteen.¡± ¡°Do you remember anything from before?¡± Lin Xian asked. Yi Yi shook her head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t remember anything. The medical records say I was in a vegetative state before hibernation, so I guess it¡¯s impossible for me to remember anything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any memory of being in a vegetative state. When I woke up here, I was healthy. With the help of meds and nutrition, I recovered quickly.¡± Lin Xian sighed quietly. It was confirmed. Yi Yi was indeed Professor Xu Yun¡¯s daughter. During their escape, Lin Xian had studied her closely and noticed the similarities. Her eyes, her face¡ªthey resembled her father¡¯s in so many ways, especially her nose and cheeks. He hadn¡¯t expected to meet someone from home in such a place, so far from everything familiar. But above all, he was genuinely happy. Happy to see Yi Yi alive, healthy, vibrant¡ªreally, truly happy. He was glad for her, and glad for Professor Xu Yun. He could still remember how pale and skeletal she looked in the hospital bed, and how much it had hurt to see her that way. But now, seeing her so alive brought him a sense of comfort, as if he had managed to do right by Professor Xu¡ªas if somewhere, Professor Xu might be smiling, his spirit at peace. His hopes and efforts had finally borne fruit in his daughter. At the same time, though, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t shake off a certain unease. Sure, Yi Yi was full of life¡ªbut perhaps a bit too much life? He wouldn¡¯t call her a bad kid, but she certainly wasn¡¯t the obedient little girl Professor Xu had imagined. She could sneak through sewers into the city, fight bionic officers, steal, and swipe masks from kids without a second thought. He couldn¡¯t help feeling that maybe she¡¯d gone a bit astray. Not that he was old-fashioned or anything, but Professor Xu had asked him to look after her, and now... well, he wasn¡¯t sure if this was what the professor had in mind. ¡°Yi Yi, do you really not remember anything from before?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you remember your parents at all?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Yi Yi shook her head, her pace quickening. ¡°I don¡¯t remember anything. Maybe some people kept journals or video logs, but I was in a vegetative state. I never had that chance.¡± ¡°As for my parents, I¡¯m sure they went through a lot to put me in the hibernation pod. I¡¯m grateful, but I don¡¯t remember them. There¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡± Yi Yi¡¯s words left Lin Xian quiet. She was right. Her mother, Professor Xu¡¯s wife, had died in childbirth. Yi Yi had never met her mother. And even if she did have memories, they¡¯d be fleeting¡ªjust a shadow of a name, a figure that had never really been there. Any memories of her father would be from before she turned four, and those had faded over time. ¡°Is there any way to restore memories here in Donghai City?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Maybe some sort of neural stimulation helmet or something?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Yi Yi laughed. ¡°If it were that easy, you¡¯re dreaming too much.¡± Lin Xian chuckled, shaking his head. It seemed the technology hadn¡¯t made it here¡ªneural stimulation helmets weren¡¯t a thing. Maybe it was Emperor Gao Wen¡¯s fault, or perhaps Du Yao had played a role. He thought of Du Yao¡ªeven Emperor Gao Wen acknowledged that without Du Yao, humanity wouldn¡¯t have made major breakthroughs in neural science for hundreds of years. ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian looked around the dark, empty sewer. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± ¡°To meet the Godfather,¡± Yi Yi replied, as if it were obvious. ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian nearly laughed aloud. He felt like he had stepped into a scene from an old Hollywood movie. All that was missing was Marlon Brando muttering in his gravelly voice: ¡°You don¡¯t even think to call me Godfather.¡± And now, Yi Yi was talking about a Godfather. ¡°Are you talking about, like, a mafia boss?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Exactly,¡± Yi Yi nodded, her tone serious. ¡°There¡¯s only one Godfather, and he¡¯s respected by everyone. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve never heard of him¡ªunless you¡¯re from another planet.¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say I¡¯m an alien,¡± Lin Xian said honestly. ¡°So, who¡¯s the Godfather?¡± Yi Yi stopped and turned to Lin Xian, her expression solemn. ¡°Lin Xian, calling the Godfather by his name like that is extremely disrespectful.¡± ¡°Do I need to kiss his hand or something?¡± Lin Xian joked. ¡°No, nothing like that.¡± Yi Yi crossed her arms, her voice softening. ¡°But you do need to show him respect. He¡¯s a great person. What he¡¯s doing is going to change everything¡ªthe world, the future. All of us dream of working for him.¡± Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. Change the world, reshape the future... Was she serious? ¡°What does the Godfather want to do?¡± he asked, genuinely curious. Yi Yi smiled beneath her mask, admiration shining in her eyes. ¡°The Godfather wants to use a time-space machine,¡± she said, her voice filled with conviction, ¡°to send an assassin back in time¡ªto stop the person who ruined everything. He wants to change the future!¡± Chapter 431: The Savior Company Uh oh. Lin Xian narrowed his eyes, sensing something was wrong. Could it be... this so-called Godfather was actually Copernicus? No way. Not again. Not another time-traveling assassin from 2024 coming back to kill me. This guy was like a ghost, haunting me everywhere. But then Lin Xian quickly dismissed the thought. It didn¡¯t quite add up. Copernicus was too skilled, and unless he had lost a battle somewhere in history, there was no way he¡¯d end up mixed up with someone like Xu Yi Yi, a ¡°rebellious thief.¡± Right now, they were trudging through a stinky sewer. Did Copernicus have to sneak through this underground tunnel every time he entered the city? That would be too pathetic. In the fourth dream, Copernicus had been all-powerful, controlling both the Time Police Bureau and the Time Court. There¡¯s no way that, in this dream, he¡¯d fall from the ¡°Master of Time¡± to the ¡°Lord of the Sewers.¡± ¡°Do you know who this Godfather wants to kill?¡± Lin Xian asked directly. ¡°You said he wants to time travel back and kill the mastermind¡ªwho exactly is this mastermind?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Xu Yi Yi shook her head. ¡°If the Godfather says so, he must have a target, but I¡¯m not someone who¡¯d be privy to his plans.¡± She looked determined, her eyes full of purpose. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been trying so hard. I want to join the gang, join the Godfather¡¯s plan, and do what I can for this world!¡± Hearing Xu Yi Yi¡¯s resolute words, Lin Xian felt a twinge of relief mixed with guilt. Maybe Xu Yi Yi wasn¡¯t so bad after all. Not just a thief, gangster, or thug like he had thought moments ago. Still, her actions earlier didn¡¯t match her righteous talk now. There was a stark contrast there. What could be behind it? ¡°I also wanted to ask, the city above, the one you called Donghai City¡ªwhat¡¯s it really like?¡± Lin Xian continued. ¡°Everyone seems so tense. People walk carefully; they don¡¯t dare litter or even speak loudly, afraid of losing points.¡± ¡°Like earlier¡ªyou lost over forty points in one go, putting you into the negatives. What¡¯s the total score? What happens when someone loses all their points?¡± Xu Yi Yi led Lin Xian into another tunnel. As they walked, she looked back to explain. ¡°There¡¯s no maximum score. Everyone starts with a hundred points. Like every other city, Donghai City runs on a system of adding and subtracting points,¡± she said. ¡°But earning points is much harder than losing them. Like you saw¡ªspitting, being loud, swearing, damaging property, even stepping on the grass¡ªthe robotic enforcers catch you, and they deduct points.¡± ¡°You probably noticed how people hardly dare speak. If someone curses or bursts out laughing, they lose points.¡± ¡°To be safe, people just stop talking altogether. It¡¯s not just talking¡ªpeople follow all the rules, never litter, always park properly, and no one dares break traffic laws. Violating those could cost dozens, even hundreds of points. No one dares commit a crime.¡± Lin Xian listened to Xu Yi Yi¡¯s explanation. He felt conflicted. It sounded like an ideal society with effective management. The system targeted uncivil behaviors, and even point deductions were backed by clear rules¡ªnot arbitrary at all. But still... It felt suffocating. The whole society was bound by rigid rules, devoid of vibrancy or spirit. Everything was lifeless and gloomy. ¡°It¡¯s like they¡¯ve gone overboard,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°It seems like in this era, law and morality have become one. Throughout history, law was always the bare minimum for morality. Society requires people not to break the law, but it never punishes them for moral failings. They might get criticized, but there was no real punishment.¡± ¡°The rules in Donghai City seem too much. Like you said, kids under six don¡¯t lose points, but I bet any mischievous seven-year-old would blow through a hundred points in a week.¡± Lin Xian thought of his relatives¡¯ rowdy kids during New Year¡¯s¡ªshouting, running around, saying silly things. Forget a week; they¡¯d lose all their points in ten minutes. ¡°What happens when someone¡¯s points hit zero?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Everyone seems terrified of losing points. Does something terrible happen if they lose them all?¡± ¡°It depends,¡± Xu Yi Yi said as they continued. ¡°Generally, the first time you hit zero, you¡¯re subjected to criticism, education, and re-education activities. Only after earning back a hundred points can you return to normal life.¡± ¡°This applies to adults and kids. Usually, kids over six end up losing all their points quickly, even with leniency for minors. Every child goes through the re-education process at least once.¡± ¡°If someone loses all their points a second time, it¡¯s much more serious. Depending on the severity, they could face fines, more re-education, or even jail time. Eventually, they¡¯d have to earn points through labor, but it¡¯s much slower for repeat offenders¡ªeach point counts for half.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why everyone¡¯s so scared of losing points. If they lose them all again, it¡¯s extremely hard to recover. Some people spend years trying and still can¡¯t regain their freedom.¡± ¡°And if someone loses their points for the third time...¡± Xu Yi Yi gave a mocking smile and stretched her arms lazily. ¡°They end up like me! If it¡¯s minor, they¡¯re exiled and lose their residency rights. If it¡¯s serious... they¡¯re eliminated.¡± She formed her right hand into the shape of a gun and pointed it at her temple. ¡°Bang! And it¡¯s goodbye to this world.¡± Lin Xian quickened his pace, catching up to Xu Yi Yi. ¡°If it¡¯s that severe, why commit crimes at all?¡± he asked. ¡°Life under this system might be suffocating, but it surely beats prison, exile, or execution?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pointless, Lin Xian,¡± Xu Yi Yi said, her voice bitter. ¡°From what the elders say, the point system wasn¡¯t always this strict. At first, only serious actions resulted in deductions. Bad habits or minor mistakes were overlooked.¡± ¡°But over time, the rules became more detailed, turning into what they are now. The first thing I had to do after waking from cryosleep was study ¡®The List of Deductible Actions.¡¯ It¡¯s absurd¡ªevery aspect of life is laid out.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t use certain words or phrases. It¡¯s considered ¡®uncivilized,¡¯ and you lose points for it. You can¡¯t stop it; it¡¯s only a matter of time before you lose all your points.¡± ¡°So everyone becomes a slave to their score. They have to find ways to earn points just to maintain balance and avoid hitting zero.¡± ¡°Honestly, if the requirements weren¡¯t so strict, people could accept it. After all, curbing bad behavior is supposed to make society harmonious. But it¡¯s gone too far and lost sight of the original goal.¡± Lin Xian nodded, agreeing with her perspective. ¡°When did all this start? What era?¡± he asked. Xu Yi Yi shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know... and it¡¯s not just me. No one knows who controls the company.¡± ¡°It¡¯s mysterious. All anyone knows is they made the robots, they built the cities, and they saved humanity. That¡¯s about it.¡± ¡°Some people even say the Savior Company isn¡¯t run by humans anymore... that the robots are in charge, which is why the world is the way it is.¡± As she spoke, Xu Yi Yi handed Lin Xian one of the two metal tags she was holding. ¡°Here, take a look. This has the robot¡¯s serial number and the Savior Company¡¯s logo on it.¡± Lin Xian took the metal tag. It was about the size of a lighter. The sewer was dark, so he couldn¡¯t see what was on it. He ran his thumb over it, feeling the raised numbers and letters on the right, along with a smooth, round symbol on the left. He couldn¡¯t make out more than that. ¡°I¡¯ll check it out properly once we get back to the surface and have some light.¡± Lin Xian remembered something then. Xu Yi Yi had been caught earlier because she tried to steal a robot¡¯s metal tag. And even when they were running away, she¡¯d gone back to grab the tag from the robotic police officer. Did the tag have some special meaning? ¡°Why did you steal this metal tag?¡± Lin Xian asked, waving it in the dark. ¡°It¡¯s pretty thin. I doubt there¡¯s advanced tech inside. It just looks like an ordinary tag. Why take such a big risk for it?¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± Xu Yi Yi grinned proudly. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Lin Xian. This is a real treasure! With this metal tag, we can join the Godfather¡¯s plan and work for him!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Lin Xian raised an eyebrow. ¡°So this tag is like a trial, proof of strength, or a symbol of loyalty?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Xu Yi Yi nodded. ¡°If you want to join the Godfather¡¯s plan, you need a gang to recommend you. And to join a gang, you have to get a robot¡¯s metal tag to prove yourself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the way things are. You can use any method, but as long as you get a tag, it shows your strength. Any gang will accept you.¡± ¡°Once you join a gang, they can recommend you to the Godfather¡¯s plan... We¡¯re lucky. The plan is happening tonight, and we just managed to get these tags in time!¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Lin Xian chuckled. It seemed wherever there were people, there were rules. Even in this strange, grim future, humanity still grouped together based on beliefs and goals. That, perhaps, was one of the unique charms of human society. Now that he thought about it, Lin Xian found himself getting more interested in the mysterious Godfather. He couldn¡¯t wait to meet him. But, of course, there was a process¡ªone step at a time. Luckily, he had an ally in Xu Yi Yi. As her first and only little brother, she¡¯d help him set up a good future. ¡°Here we are, Lin Xian. We need to climb up here.¡± They reached the end of the passage. Ahead was a huge pipe outlet, with water gushing out like a waterfall. An iron grate blocked the way forward, so they had to use a ladder to climb up. Finally... They could leave the sewer and see daylight again. Xu Yi Yi jumped up and started climbing, with Lin Xian following her. Bang! With a muffled thud, Xu Yi Yi kicked the manhole cover open with ease. Bright sunlight streamed in, making Lin Xian squint. After being in the dark for so long, the sudden brightness was overwhelming. Xu Yi Yi climbed out first, and Lin Xian followed. Standing up, he looked down at the chaotic village below¡ªcountless shacks and cabins scattered across the yellow earth; buildings of all shapes and colors, roads crowded with people. Clothes hung outside every home, wet patches everywhere, with women washing clothes, vegetables, and dishes, splashing dirty water carelessly. Kids ran around playing, falling, and rolling over; bare-chested men swaggered around, laughing loudly and shouting. This was... Lin Xian blinked. This was a world completely different from Donghai City! He turned back and looked at the silent city they¡¯d just escaped from. Beyond the walls, he could see clean, orderly buildings, spotless glass, the stillness that covered the entire city. But then, looking down again¡ªat the noisy, bustling village below, full of life, chaotic but alive. ¡°Hahaha! What do you think, Lin Xian? It¡¯s totally different from Donghai City, right?¡± Xu Yi Yi laughed. ¡°This is the real world¡ªa place where humans can truly live freely!¡± ¡°Here, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. You don¡¯t need to be afraid. You can do whatever you want, say whatever you want, be whoever you want to be!¡± She stretched out her arms to the chaotic village below, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. ¡°Welcome, Lin Xian... to the City of Sin!¡± Just then, Lin Xian remembered he hadn¡¯t gotten a good look at the Savior Company logo on the metal tag since it was dark below. He took it out of his pocket to examine it. On the right side, there were indeed numbers and letters making up a serial number. And on the left... it was a colorful picture. A man in medieval clothes, holding a crystal orb in his left hand, with his right hand raised in a blessing gesture. His eyes shone with the light of wisdom. It was rare to see artwork used as a company logo. But Lin Xian, with his background in art, recognized it at once¡ª This painting was created in 1500 AD. It was the most expensive artwork ever auctioned, selling for 450 million dollars. It was the only painting by that legendary artist to enter the auction market. That¡¯s right. The painting was called ¡°Salvator Mundi¡±¡ª¡°Savior of the World.¡± And the artist¡¯s name was none other than¡ªLeonardo da Vinci. Chapter 432: A Grand Plan Da Vinci. Lin Xian remembered that kind, friendly woman sitting next to him at the Genius Club gathering. She wore a mask of the great artist, Da Vinci. Despite her young voice and virtual appearance, Newton had confirmed it. Since the last century, Da Vinci had been attending these meetings as the No. 4 genius of the Genius Club. That meant she had to be at least fifty, perhaps even older. She might be a grandmother by now. Lin Xian¡¯s gaze drifted to the metal badge before him, reflecting the sunlight with an image of the painting, ¡°Salvator Mundi.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but follow the clues. Could it be? Could the ¡°Savior Company,¡± the very organization that saved human civilization but also turned the future into an oppressive, inhumane place, be founded by the very same Da Vinci from the Genius Club? Suddenly, a memory flashed in Lin Xian¡¯s mind. In Donghai City, the mechanical androids he had seen completed their tasks and then spoke, ¡°Please continue to behave in a civilized manner. Use the androids as an example to help create a better future for humanity.¡± ¡°An example.¡± That was the word Miss Da Vinci had used to answer Einstein¡¯s question during one of the club meetings: ¡°What quality should a genius embody above all?¡± There were too many coincidences. It was hard to tell, but perhaps this silent city in the Eighth Dream was really built by Da Vinci, No. 4. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right,¡± Lin Xian shook his head, thinking, ¡°At least from what Xu Yi Yi described, Da Vinci created the Savior Company with good intentions. She worked in the shadows for so many years, secretly building an army of millions of androids to help humanity. She certainly deserves the title of savior.¡± Lin Xian had experienced the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Dreams. In terms of technology and quality of life, the Eighth Dream far surpassed the previous ones. To be fair, that was all thanks to the Savior Company and its millions of mechanical androids. Because of their efforts, humanity hadn¡¯t endured even a day of war or famine. Instead, everyone was focused on rebuilding after the disaster, restoring life and vitality quickly. If such actions don¡¯t qualify someone as a savior, Lin Xian truly didn¡¯t know what would. But there was one problem. That noble intent seemed to have been lost somewhere along the way. Miss Da Vinci¡¯s dream of leading by example had twisted into something worse¡ªan era where people were suffocating under its rule. And now, in the year 2624, it was likely that Miss Da Vinci had passed away, leaving the Savior Company beyond her control. This might explain why the ¡°demerit rules¡± had grown more unreasonable, making life miserable for the people. These were Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts. There wasn¡¯t much use in speculating until he gathered more information. For now, he looked at the metal badge in his hand and turned to Xu Yi Yi. ¡°So, basically, we can use this badge as our ticket to join a gang? If we¡¯re lucky, they¡¯ll introduce us to the Godfather and let us join his plan, right?¡± Xu Yi Yi nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Whether or not the Godfather lets us in on tonight¡¯s grand plan, at least with these two badges, we can join a gang, no problem.¡± With that, she grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm, leading him down the steps while looking back at him. ¡°Look around. In this ¡®City of Sin,¡¯ everyone seems so carefree and happy. This is how humans are supposed to live¡ªnot like in Donghai City, where everyone is dead inside, living in constant fear.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I want to join a gang. I can¡¯t stand the way things are in Donghai City. Compared to that¡ªsaying nothing, doing nothing¡ªI¡¯d rather live out here, even if it¡¯s harder. At least I¡¯m free.¡± ¡°The real name of this place isn¡¯t even ¡®City of Sin,¡¯ you know. Everyone here was driven out of Donghai City and just settled here. It didn¡¯t even have a name. People started calling it that as a joke, comparing it to the so-called civilized Donghai City. Eventually, the name stuck.¡± Lin Xian followed Xu Yi Yi through the City of Sin. He saw all sorts of people, noisy and lively, but with genuine smiles¡ªcarefree and full of joy. ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Lin Xian agreed with Xu Yi Yi. ¡°This place is messy and chaotic, but at least people here seem like real humans. In Donghai City, it¡¯s like everyone¡¯s a robot, no emotions allowed, just following the rules.¡± ¡°You said the people here were kicked out of Donghai City after getting their personal scores reset several times... So, how long has the City of Sin been around?¡± ¡°Not all of them were expelled,¡± Xu Yi Yi replied. ¡°The history of this city is as long as Donghai City¡¯s. From long ago, people who were exiled started settling here. Over time, their children grew up here, never even setting foot in Donghai City, nor wanting to.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not important now. What matters is that we join a gang¡ªthen we can meet the Godfather.¡± Lin Xian agreed. He really wanted to meet the Godfather¡ªthere were so many questions he needed answers to. He thought about what Xu Yi Yi had said and asked, ¡°So, you haven¡¯t decided which gang to join yet?¡± ¡°Actually, I do have one in mind.¡± Xu Yi Yi led the way. ¡°I want to join the ¡®Li Family Gang.¡¯ It¡¯s the biggest gang in the City of Sin. Their leader is known for his virtue¡ªkind and helpful. I think we¡¯d fit in well.¡± Lin Xian chuckled. Hearing the name, he knew it had to be Li Cheng. ¡°The leader must be Li Cheng, right?¡± He added, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t care which gang we join, as long as they can get us closer to the Godfather. Speaking of which, I¡¯m just curious... Is there a ¡®Face Gang¡¯ in the City of Sin?¡± ¡°Oh, you know about the Face Gang?¡± Xu Yi Yi laughed. ¡°They¡¯re practically the weakest gang here¡ªonly four members, and not the brightest, either.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been in the City of Sin for years and dealt with the Face Gang a few times. They¡¯re... well, let¡¯s just say they¡¯re all a bit slow. Especially San Pang¡ªhe¡¯s like a broken robot, always repeating the same two lines, never a third.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s Er Zhuzi. He gets beaten up all the time here. Even though Big Cat tries to protect him, Er Zhuzi just can¡¯t keep his eyes to himself¡ªalways staring at other people¡¯s wives. Folks here are quick to anger, so he ends up with a black eye more often than not.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The four ¡°pillars¡± of the Face Gang were still as reliable as ever. Poor Er Zhuzi, though. Living in a place like this¡ªwhere freedom often meant violence¡ªit was a wonder he hadn¡¯t been beaten to death yet. Still, Lin Xian liked the Face Gang more than the Li Family Gang. Especially after hearing there were only four members¡ªit seemed like an opportunity. ¡°Yi Yi, I think we¡¯d be better off joining a smaller gang like that. After all, we¡¯re not here to fight or collect protection money. We just need them as a stepping stone to get closer to the Godfather.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how the introduction system works, but logically, wouldn¡¯t we stand out more in a smaller gang?¡± Big Cat Face wagged his finger and shook his head. ¡°The time machine¡ªthat¡¯s for later. Tonight¡¯s mission... well, I might as well tell you now since I¡¯m taking you to see the Godfather anyway.¡± ¡°Tonight, nearly every gang in Sin City will be in action. We¡¯re all going to charge into Donghai City! In the Godfather¡¯s words, it¡¯s all or nothing in stealing the time-space particles from Donghai City!¡± In that moment, Lin Xian and Xu Yi Yi both froze. ¡°What? Time-space particles?¡± Xu Yi Yi was still in a daze, but Lin Xian understood perfectly. Donghai City... It had time-space particles! No wonder the Godfather of Sin City kept talking about using the time machine but was stuck in place. They didn¡¯t have any time-space particles! To travel through time, both the time machine and time-space particles were necessary. ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian murmured, rubbing his chin. ¡°If we can steal the time-space particles from Donghai City, we can use the time machine and send an assassin back. Brother Face, do you know the details of the Godfather¡¯s plan? Which time period is the assassin going to? Who¡¯s the target?¡± Big Cat Face shook his head, his cheeks jiggling slightly. ¡°That part, I have no idea. For security reasons, only the Godfather knows the specifics. He never tells us.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t bother asking me too many questions¡ªI don¡¯t know much myself. I only know what the Godfather has said. Anyway, since you two are new members, I planned to take you to see the Godfather. This is a big deal, after all... with you two joining, our gang¡¯s size has increased by eighty percent!¡± Lin Xian was about to point out something felt off when Ah Zhuang slapped his thigh. ¡°Big Bro, you¡¯re mistaken! It¡¯s sixty percent!¡± ¡°Wrong!¡± Er Zhuzi said firmly. ¡°It¡¯s forty percent! If you put it in fractions, it should be two-thirds! San Pang, what do you think?¡± San Pang nodded sagely. ¡°I think that works.¡± ... Lin Xian watched as the gang members began arguing over math, feeling both amused and exasperated. On the one hand, he was glad they were interested in solving an academic problem¡ªtheir enthusiasm was commendable. On the other hand, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had happened to Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡¯s Fields Medal-winning genes. ¡°Alright, enough,¡± Big Cat Face said with a wave of his hand. ¡°We¡¯re going to see the Godfather anyway, so we¡¯ll just ask him the answer!¡± Lin Xian coughed lightly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to bother the Godfather with such a simple question. The answer is fifty percent. Let¡¯s save the opportunity to ask the Godfather something more worthwhile.¡± He didn¡¯t really want to get involved in such a low-level math debate, but the mysterious, highly respected Godfather¡ªthe man who owned a time machine¡ªhad already been elevated to legendary status in Lin Xian¡¯s mind. Since he finally had the chance to meet such a figure, Lin Xian hoped to ask him some truly valuable questions. But first... they had to actually meet him. With excitement and curiosity in their hearts, the now fifty-percent larger gang of six set off for the underground building where the Godfather resided. They wound through several turns before finally arriving at the deep, hidden cavern. At the very back, just as expected, a man in a white lab coat stood with his back to them, hands clasped behind him, facing a massive white device the size of a truck. There was an aura about him¡ª Lin Xian could already sense the Godfather¡¯s distinct presence. And that huge piece of equipment next to him, the one that was as large as a truck? It had to be the fabled time machine. Big Cat Face approached respectfully, stopping at a distance and bowing halfway. ¡°Godfather, I¡¯ve brought two new recruits for you to see.¡± Finally, the Godfather¡¯s attention shifted from the time machine. He slowly turned around. Lin Xian had been watching his every move. Their eyes met! Lin Xian drew in a sharp breath. ¡°Gao... Gao Wen?¡± Chapter 433: Metaphysics ¡°You fool! How dare you call the Godfather by his name so directly? It¡¯s just plain disrespect!¡± Big Cat Face was fuming. His hand swung out like a flash, aiming to smack Lin Xian. But Lin Xian had learned that move. The same trick never worked twice. He dodged to the side and kept walking forward without missing a beat. Honestly, who could¡¯ve guessed? It was impossible to predict this kind of situation. Gao Wen, a man who seemed like the quintessential scholar, somehow being connected with someone called the ¡°Godfather¡±? That was as unlikely as it could get. Lin Xian eyed Emperor Gao Wen. His appearance had aged considerably since the last time Lin Xian saw him¡ªwhite hair covered his head, his face wrinkled¡ªbut there was still something strikingly familiar. Despite the changes, the wisdom and calmness in his eyes remained exactly as Lin Xian remembered. There was no trace of malevolence, no hint of any sinister intent. How could a man like this be the Godfather of Sin City? ¡°Get back here, Lin Xian! Show some respect!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s companion, Xu Yi Yi, looked frantic. She yanked Lin Xian back by the arm, glaring at him. ¡°We have to greet the Godfather properly first!¡± she scolded. ¡°But¡ª¡± Lin Xian let out a sigh of disbelief. Just moments earlier, they had complained about all the formalities back in Donghai City, and now here they were in Sin City, and the customs were just as endless. A set of rules to meet the Godfather? They weren¡¯t kidding about these unspoken codes, were they? ¡°Enough,¡± came a voice from ahead. Gao Wen raised a hand, his face showing mild impatience. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before; enough with the formalities. The title of Godfather means nothing to me. I¡¯m just a scientist, pushed unwillingly into this position...¡± He sighed, a weary look crossing his face as he glanced at Big Cat Face. ¡°Originally, it was meant to be your father, Chen Heping, who would lead Sin City. But his health failed him. He wore himself out helping me build the time-travel machine. He got sick, and we lost him.¡± Gao Wen¡¯s voice softened, his eyes clouded with memory. ¡°It still pains me. Your father was one of humanity¡¯s greatest contributors, and yet he never got to see the moment we finally powered the machine on. It¡¯s a terrible shame.¡± ¡°People call me the Godfather, but I hardly deserve the name. This city needed someone to keep it together, someone to be its Godfather. It didn¡¯t matter who¡ªjust that there was one.¡± He looked at Big Cat Face kindly. ¡°And you¡¯re no stranger. I watched you grow up, along with Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang. You all called me Uncle since you were kids¡ªlet¡¯s not stand on ceremony now. We¡¯re all family here.¡± Gao Wen¡¯s words hung in the air, and Big Cat Face and the others stayed silent. On the other hand, Lin Xian felt like he¡¯d just uncovered a series of hidden truths. First of all, Big Cat Face¡¯s father¡ªsomeone Lin Xian had only heard about in legends¡ªhad been colleagues with none other than Emperor Gao Wen, working together to build a time machine. Two brilliant minds combining their talents in a near-impossible project¡ªit was no wonder they managed to create such a formidable device under the worst conditions imaginable. Yet legends stayed legends, and the story of Big Cat¡¯s father ended in tragic sacrifice. Chen Heping¡¯s death came before Lin Xian ever had a chance to meet and revere the great man. From Gao Wen¡¯s tone, though, it was clear just how much he respected Big Cat¡¯s father¡ªa sentiment Lin Xian shared. It was unbelievable, really. A man who Gao Wen himself admired... just how brilliant must he have been? In Lin Xian¡¯s mind, Gao Wen was a genius on a level of his own, top of the top. But now, from Gao Wen¡¯s words, perhaps Big Cat¡¯s father was even greater. The kind of genius that hid from the world, only to make a grand impact. Chen Heping¡ªa man who could solve Universal Constants with nothing but a pen and some paper¡ªhad clearly been a force to be reckoned with. And though the chance to meet him was lost, at least he¡¯d provided enough help for Gao Wen to see their time machine project through to completion. That meant humanity still had hope of changing the future. Secondly, there was the matter of the title, ¡°Godfather.¡± It was obvious Gao Wen didn¡¯t like being called that¡ªmaybe he even hated it. It clashed with everything about his personality and character. But for Sin City to stay stable, he had reluctantly accepted the title. Like he said: Sin City needed a Godfather. Without a leader, there¡¯d be chaos, especially in this unruly place. No rules, no order¡ªwithout a Godfather to earn their respect, who knew what kind of madness would break out here? Initially, the plan had been for Big Cat¡¯s father to take up the mantle of Godfather. Lin Xian never knew the man personally, but from what he had gathered through dreams, he was sure Chen Heping would¡¯ve been perfect for the role. In Dream Five, Chen Heping had been the first village chief of Big Cat¡¯s Village. Not only had he managed the village with incredible efficiency, but he¡¯d also put forward sensible scientific policies for growth¡ªa mix of wisdom and boldness. In Dream Seven, Chen Heping hadn¡¯t hesitated to appoint outsiders to positions of authority, passing on his role as chief to someone completely new. He didn¡¯t favor his own son, Big Cat Face, showing both insight and broad-mindedness. A person like that would have undoubtedly made an excellent Godfather of Sin City. But when it came to Gao Wen¡ªwell, it was clear he was a technical genius, not a natural leader. No wonder people in Sin City only knew to join gangs and had little clue about what the Godfather even did. Gao Wen probably wasn¡¯t adept at managing all that¡ªso he hid behind the veil of mystery. Still, there was no denying the fact that Gao Wen was a true all-rounder. Despite not being a born leader like Chen Heping, he¡¯d kept Sin City in order¡ªa place full of criminals, outcasts, and rebels¡ªand they all listened to him. That alone said something about his capabilities. Then there was Lin Xian¡¯s earlier puzzle¡ªwhy had Gao Wen entrusted such an important mission to Big Cat¡¯s gang when they seemed so... unremarkable? Big Cat Face had said they¡¯d been given a major responsibility, which had left Lin Xian puzzled. Surely Li Cheng¡¯s forces were stronger and more capable. So why not hand the task to them? The answer was simple: trust. Gao Wen and Big Cat¡¯s father had shared a deep bond¡ªbattle comrades and colleagues, forged through hardship. Naturally, Gao Wen extended that trust to Big Cat Face as well. He had watched Big Cat Face grow up, knew him inside and out, and knew what kind of person he was. This was what ¡°family¡± meant. No matter how skilled or powerful others in Sin City were, Gao Wen¡¯s faith lay with Big Cat Face and his gang. Gao Wen knew exactly what Big Cat¡¯s gang was capable of. Still, they were the children of his closest friend¡ªalmost like his own adopted family. He could never doubt them, let alone worry about betrayal. So when it came to the crucial moments, Gao Wen would only entrust the most important mission to Big Cat Face. Lin Xian still didn¡¯t know exactly what that mission was¡ªbut he was sure they would find out in due time. There was no rush. One thing he knew for certain was that choosing to join Big Cat Face¡¯s gang had definitely been the right decision. It hadn¡¯t just given him the chance to meet the Godfather so quickly¡ªit had also earned him a bit of favor. Gao Wen seemed to view him with a touch more warmth and trust, purely due to Big Cat¡¯s connection. Now Lin Xian understood a fundamental truth in his dream world: Wherever you go, you can always rely on Big Cat Face. He is as dependable as they come. Having made up his mind, Lin Xian stepped forward, extending a hand toward the elderly Gao Wen. ¡°Hello, Gao Wen. I¡¯m Lin Xian,¡± he said with a calm smile. Gao Wen squinted slightly, studying Lin Xian from behind his glasses. ¡°And you are...?¡± The rulebook grew thicker, and life in the cities grew increasingly miserable. ¡°It¡¯s a hard balance to strike,¡± Gao Wen admitted. ¡°If humans were in charge of law enforcement and administration, maybe it wouldn¡¯t have gone to such extremes.¡± ¡°No doubt, the Savior Corporation¡¯s intentions were good, but the androids are just that¡ªmachines. They handle everything according to logic and rules.¡± ¡°Which means... instead of being a society that self-regulates, humanity has become stuck in a vicious cycle of finding loopholes, fixing them, and creating more rules.¡± ¡°So, it becomes a question without a clear answer,¡± Gao Wen sighed. ¡°Setting rules, standardizing behavior¡ªit¡¯s definitely not wrong. The problem lies in the fact that many things simply can¡¯t be measured. We all know what goodness, truth, and beauty are... but how do you define them? And to what extent? There¡¯s no absolute definition, nor should there be.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He had pondered the same questions about Donghai City but hadn¡¯t found the right answer either. From a systemic point of view, what the androids were doing wasn¡¯t wrong. They weren¡¯t unjust to anyone, and the penalties for small things like spitting or shouting weren¡¯t harsh. There were also many ways to earn points. But... When taken to the extreme, what was correct had turned into something wrong. Even Gao Wen hadn¡¯t figured out the answer. Besides, if humans replaced the androids as the enforcers and rulers of Donghai City, would things really be better? Lin Xian doubted it. At least the androids were united in their goals. After 2400, there had been no wars in human society. If humans were in charge, who knows how many wars would¡¯ve broken out by now. Lin Xian shared his thoughts with Gao Wen, who agreed. ¡°You¡¯re right, Lin Xian. Even as a scientist, I still believe that not every problem has a solution.¡± ¡°Donghai City¡¯s issues are like an unsolvable exam question. There¡¯s no absolute right or wrong.¡± ¡°The Savior Corporation and the androids just want to create a better, more civilized life for humans.¡± ¡°And speaking of which, is the system here in Sin City correct?¡± Gao Wen shook his head. ¡°Right now, the people here¡ªthe gangs¡ªare united, ready to fight a common enemy, to destroy Donghai City and change this broken world.¡± ¡°The reason I can be Godfather, and why Big Cat Face¡¯s father, Chen Heping, was chosen as Godfather, is that we both have the capability and intelligence to develop and use the time machine. We can change people¡¯s lives, change the future of humanity.¡± ¡°Think about it, Lin Xian. If the future of humanity really changed, and all the androids disappeared, with everyone from Sin City moving into Donghai City... who do you think would be the new Godfather?¡± Lin Xian knew exactly what Gao Wen meant. Without hesitation, he replied, ¡°Li Cheng.¡± Then he shook his head. ¡°But it might not be Li Cheng. It could be the leader of another gang, or maybe even Big Cat Face. But one thing¡¯s for sure... it wouldn¡¯t be a scientist like you.¡± ¡°Because at that point, no one would need a time machine or a change to the future. What they would care about is something else¡ªmoney, status, territory, influence.¡± Lin Xian let out a small laugh, shaking his head. ¡°This is one of those philosophical problems without a right answer. It¡¯s metaphysical.¡± Big Cat Face, who had been silently listening and understanding none of it, suddenly had an idea. He walked quickly over, poking Lin Xian. ¡°What did you just say about school?¡± ¡°Metaphysics,¡± Lin Xian answered. Big Cat Face looked thoughtful. ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard my father mention that word before, along with other confusing stuff... What exactly is metaphysics?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Lin Xian tried to find the right words. ¡°It¡¯s a very philosophical and abstract subject. Simply put, metaphysics is the study of the fundamental nature of reality. It examines the underlying reasons and origins of all existence...¡± Lin Xian continued with what he had learned from his college philosophy classes, using the simplest terms he could think of. Big Cat Face frowned deeply. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead, then turned to steam. His brain seemed on the verge of overheating. But suddenly, as if something had clicked into place, he slapped his thigh in excitement. ¡°I get it! I get it!!¡± He yelled with joy, clutching his chubby face. ¡°I finally understand why I¡¯m so obsessed with ¡®face¡¯... why I don¡¯t like cats... why... why! The reason is¡ª¡± A golden glow seemed to burst from his head, bathing him in the light of newfound wisdom. Twisting his plump body, he stared at Lin Xian and Gao Wen with wide eyes. ¡°Cats are an ideology, but the face¡ªthe face is metaphysical!¡± ... ... The underground lab fell silent, as still as a frozen cave. Lin Xian and Gao Wen exchanged a look, sharing an unspoken agreement. ¡°If it makes you happy,¡± Lin Xian said, waving dismissively at Big Cat Face. He then turned away. Facing the massive time machine, several meters high and more than ten meters long¡ªlike the back of a large truck¡ªhe spoke to Gao Wen. ¡°I think I understand about Donghai City and the Savior Corporation now.¡± ¡°But can you tell me more about this time machine¡ªits purpose, its origins?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really curious...¡± Lin Xian turned to look into Gao Wen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Who do you want to use this machine to kill?¡± Chapter 434: Time Machine ¡°Are you really going to kill... the founder of the Savior Company?¡± Lin Xian asked. Based on what he understood, Gao Wen¡¯s target might very well be Miss Da Vinci, the Genius Club member who always wore a mask. After all, in this era, every city was controlled and run by mechanical beings. The root cause? The founding of the Savior Company and the mass production of millions of mechanical beings had ultimately led to this suffocating future. ¡°No, no, no,¡± Gao Wen shook his head, denying Lin Xian¡¯s assumption. ¡°No one in this world, despite disliking the oppressive personal scoring system, holds any grudge against the Savior Company. Everyone knows that without their foresight and without those countless mechanical beings helping humans rebuild civilization, life would be much worse now. Perhaps it wouldn¡¯t even exist.¡± ¡°Even for me personally, I feel more gratitude than resentment towards the Savior Company. I know their original purpose was good. They never intended to harm humanity¡ªhow could I bite the hand that feeds me?¡± Lin Xian blinked, considering Gao Wen¡¯s words. The man was certainly logical. ¡°Then, who exactly is your target?¡± Gao Wen clenched his jaw, his expression resolute. ¡°The one who caused the catastrophe of 2400. Only he is the true villain! If not for that disaster, human civilization wouldn¡¯t have regressed, our population wouldn¡¯t have dwindled, and mechanical beings wouldn¡¯t be running our cities. None of this would¡¯ve happened. ¡°With the level of technology humans had in 2400, if not for that catastrophe, we would¡¯ve already left Earth, maybe even ventured beyond the solar system into the vast cosmos.¡± Gao Wen¡¯s voice grew sharp, tinged with righteous anger. ¡°And this catastrophe¡ªit couldn¡¯t have been a natural disaster. The way the Savior Company prepared and activated the mechanical beings ahead of time shows that some people knew it was coming. So, it¡¯s obvious¡ªthis was not a natural event. It was man-made.¡± Lin Xian nodded, finding Gao Wen¡¯s conclusion quite evident. ¡°But didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t know who triggered the catastrophe? How would sending a time-traveling assassin back help you find the real instigator?¡± ¡°That is one reason I am searching for time-space particles,¡± Gao Wen replied. ¡°Myself and Big Cat¡¯s father both believe that the disaster of 2400 might have been triggered by someone using time-space particles!¡± Gao Wen¡¯s words sent Lin Xian deep into thought. This was indeed a completely new angle. He had never figured out what kind of man-made power could create such a massive global disaster. It just didn¡¯t seem scientific. Human power was tiny compared to nature. Even detonating all nuclear weapons would be like a scratch to Earth. Any earthquake, volcano eruption, or tsunami could release tens or hundreds of times more energy than all nuclear weapons combined. Earth¡¯s geological energy was astronomical, beyond what humans could manipulate. From this perspective, Gao Wen and Big Cat¡¯s father¡¯s theory made perfect sense. ¡°I get it now,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°I initially thought you wanted to steal time-space particles from Donghai City purely for time travel. But this is a double advantage. Once you get the time-space particles, you can study them to uncover the truth behind the catastrophe of 2400, and then use them to send a time-traveling assassin to take out the true culprit.¡± Suddenly, something struck Lin Xian. Back in the fifth dream, Gao Wen had been forced into hibernation because his research on the time machine couldn¡¯t progress without time-space particles. But now, Emperor Gao Wen had somehow succeeded in building the time machine despite still not possessing the particles. Lin Xian voiced his confusion. ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t time-space particles a key component for inventing a time machine? I thought without them, it would be theoretically impossible to create a working model.¡± Gao Wen smiled, turning to Big Cat. ¡°That¡¯s why I always say, Big Cat¡¯s father, Chen Heping, is the true hero behind the time machine.¡± Gao Wen then began recounting the history of the time machine to Lin Xian. After Donghai City grew stricter and more demanding, many people were expelled, and their anger and resentment gathered outside the city, slowly forming the infamous Sin City. Unlike the others, Gao Wen left voluntarily. He could¡¯ve stayed¡ªhe was disciplined, followed every rule, and had enough points to maintain his rating. But he did not believe in what Donghai City stood for. Worse still, an atmosphere had grown in every profession: ¡°The less you do, the fewer mistakes you make; if you do nothing, you make no mistakes.¡± This was the last thing Gao Wen wanted to see. People were so terrified of losing points that they preferred not to do anything extra¡ªjust what was expected, nothing more, nothing bold, nothing risky. That might be acceptable in other fields, but in scientific research, it was a death sentence! Research was about trying a thousand times, failing a thousand times, and only succeeding once. Failure wasn¡¯t just expected¡ªit was essential. No true scientist feared failure; they knew better than anyone that failure was the key to progress. In Donghai City, scientific failure wasn¡¯t penalized, but the general societal oppression snuffed out any spirit or courage people had. Expecting someone who lived their life scared of making mistakes¡ªscared to speak up, scared to take risks¡ªto suddenly become brave and relentless in a lab, challenging obstacles and authority? Impossible. Gao Wen had faced this very frustration while doing research in Donghai City. Scientists there were shackled, treating research as a mere job, lacking the drive for breakthroughs. It stemmed from the oppressed lives they led. Young trainees from school seemed utterly clueless, frightened, and devoid of the scientific spirit. Gao Wen was disillusioned¡ªnot just with Donghai City, but with the future itself. He knew that if humanity continued down this path, it wouldn¡¯t just stagnate¡ªit would regress. So, Gao Wen chose to leave, heading to Sin City. He didn¡¯t believe everyone there was good, but at least here, people felt real¡ªthey had fight and drive. In Sin City, he met Chen Heping, who was younger at the time. Chen wasn¡¯t married yet, nor had he fathered Big Cat. He had a passion for mathematics, and he and Gao Wen shared strikingly similar ideals. Especially when it came to rejecting the current state of things and hoping for a better future¡ªthey hit it off immediately and became close friends. Even though Lin Xian had long known about time travel and had encountered time travelers, standing in front of the time machine made him feel a thousand emotions. This was humanity¡¯s unyielding, resilient epic. He took a step back, taking in the entire machine. The enormous device was mostly rectangular in shape. Gao Wen had explained it before. The rear section was packed with a series of nuclear batteries stacked together, but the crucial part was the shuttle pod at the front. Lin Xian moved closer to take a look. The design was difficult to describe. A cylindrical sealed pod was fixed at the center, surrounded by numerous concentric rings of different sizes. Their purpose was unclear. ¡°The time traveler goes into this cylindrical pod to travel through time,¡± Gao Wen said, joining Lin Xian. He patted the sealed cylinder, which looked big enough for two or three people. ¡°Before starting the machine, you need to remove all metal objects, lie inside, and then close the pod¡¯s cover. Once the machine starts, the concentric rings around it begin to rotate, getting faster and faster, compressing energy into the time-space particle inside. Once the energy hits critical levels, the particle explodes, and the person inside is sent back in time.¡± ¡°Can I try it out?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Not for real, of course. No power. I just want to lie inside and see what it feels like.¡± He was genuinely curious. After all, once Liu Feng built the time machine in 2024, Lin Xian planned to officially time travel and use the entangled time-space particle. Now that the machine was right in front of him, he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to experience it firsthand. ¡°No problem.¡± Gao Wen opened the door of the pod, gesturing for Lin Xian to remove his shoes and climb inside. ¡°Just lie down inside.¡± Lin Xian obeyed, crawling in headfirst and lying flat on his back, staring at the dark interior. ¡°It feels... a bit claustrophobic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a closed space; that¡¯s normal,¡± Gao Wen replied. ¡°Want me to close the pod door so you can get a more realistic feel?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pitch black inside, and it¡¯s really uncomfortable,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°But the time machine takes quite a while to prepare. From lying down and closing the door to actually starting up the machine¡ªit takes about half an hour. During that time, you¡¯re just lying there, unable to see or hear anything, completely cut off. It¡¯s probably the loneliest thirty minutes of a person¡¯s life.¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes. ¡°I guess I could try it out, but don¡¯t keep me in here for half an hour. A minute or two is fine.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± With that, Gao Wen closed the door with a loud clang, locking it tight. Inside the pod, there was no light at all. No sound. The only thing Lin Xian could hear was his own breathing. If he held his breath, he could even hear his own heartbeat. Gao Wen had been right; it was a strange, unsettling feeling, like he had been stripped away from both time and the universe. There was no sense of place, no feeling of belonging. ¡°Belonging,¡± Lin Xian muttered softly. Yes, time travelers leave behind their homes and loved ones to journey to unknown times and worlds. Where would they find a sense of belonging? Lin Xian knew that in another minute, Gao Wen would open the door, and he¡¯d be back with Big Cat, his trio of little brothers, and Xu Yi Yi. But for a true time traveler, when they opened their eyes, they¡¯d be far from home, in a strange, distant place. Suddenly, Lin Xian thought of Yellow Finch and Lin Yu Xi. Before they started their journey in the time machine, they must¡¯ve also sat in a pitch-black silence, listening to nothing but their own breathing and heartbeats for that endless half-hour. ¡°What would you both be thinking at a time like this?¡± Lin Xian wondered aloud, closing his eyes. He had an idea of what Lin Yu Xi might¡¯ve thought. She had been unaware of many things back then, probably just focusing on following orders, completing her mission, and capturing him. ¡°Ughh...¡± Lin Xian let out a deep breath. He thought of the blue snow that had covered Donghai City, and then of Yellow Finch¡ªher blue eyes and blue earrings. What about Yellow Finch? During that half-hour of waiting, what had been going through her mind? Chapter: Yellow Finchs Story Your Life Story ¡°How many times have you traveled through time now?¡± Liu Feng scratched his head, his hair already streaked with gray, as he looked at the woman lying quietly in the cylindrical time-travel pod. ¡°Nine times,¡± replied Yellow Finch. ¡°How much longer can my body hold up?¡± ¡°This is the last time,¡± Liu Feng said, coughing twice, while massaging his sore back. ¡°So... we¡¯ve already met eight times before this?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± Yellow Finch sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t always make it to this age, Liu Feng. Sometimes, you die even earlier than Lin Xian.¡± At the mention of Lin Xian¡¯s name, a heavy silence settled between them. Liu Feng closed his eyes, unease tightening in his chest. Not long ago, Lin Xian had passed away. They had failed, and their failure was absolute. But Lin Xian had taken all the blame, ensuring that none of them got caught. As Yellow Finch had put it, ¡°This time, I came back too late. There were so many things I couldn¡¯t fix.¡± The battle had cost too many lives. In a world that no longer held any hope, Yellow Finch was setting out once again. ¡°This time... Ooph, Ummph.¡± Liu Feng, now elderly and frail, paused to catch his breath before continuing softly, ¡°This time, which era do you want to go to?¡± Yellow Finch exhaled through her nose. ¡°Since this is my last chance, let¡¯s go as far back as possible¡ªto the earliest time I can meet Lin Xian.¡± Liu Feng swiped across the screen of the time machine, watching the numbers flicker and change. ¡°There are two choices. One is the end of 2022. There¡¯s a slight temporal rift there, but it¡¯s small. Given the energy you have left, the chances of getting through aren¡¯t great. I wouldn¡¯t recommend it.¡± ¡°Then earlier,¡± Yellow Finch said softly. ¡°I don¡¯t mind waiting a few more years. I¡¯m used to waiting for him.¡± ¡°In that case...¡± Liu Feng squinted at the screen. ¡°That leaves us with early 2000, around January. When Zhang Yu Qian turned into blue stardust and marked the millennium, many time rifts were created. It¡¯s full of holes, making the traversal nearly foolproof¡ª100% success rate, though the exact timing is uncertain. It might be off by a week or two, but that¡¯s no big deal. The bigger issue is that in 2000, Lin Xian isn¡¯t even one year old yet! Are you really going to stay in that unfamiliar world... for over twenty years, waiting for him to grow up?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Yellow Finch chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen what he was like as a child.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Liu Feng shook his head, pressing the time settings. ¡°If only we had an entangled temporal particle, you wouldn¡¯t have to worry about running out of energy or disappearing. With one, you could return anytime.¡± ¡°What would I come back for?¡± Yellow Finch said softly. ¡°If Lin Xian isn¡¯t there, what¡¯s the point of me coming back? I¡¯m always going to look for him. If I turn into stardust, I want to do it in the time where he is.¡± She smiled. ¡°Besides, ordinary temporal particles have their own charm. They¡¯re like a one-way ticket, abandoning one¡¯s existence to become an anomaly in time¡ªno destination, no origin, frozen forever.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ll never grow old. I¡¯ll always be this age,¡± she added, closing her eyes. ¡°If I used an entangled temporal particle to go back, by the time I waited twenty years for Lin Xian to grow up, I¡¯d be an old lady in my fifties. I wouldn¡¯t dare meet him like that.¡± ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Liu Feng snorted. ¡°At a time like this, you¡¯re still worried about how old you look.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Yellow Finch opened her bright blue eyes, her gaze resting on Liu Feng. ¡°Lin Xian always told me you understood women well. He said... if you put as much effort into studying women as you do into math, you¡¯d have figured out the Universal Constant by now.¡± ¡°Which Lin Xian said that?¡± ¡°All of them.¡± Yellow Finch replied softly. ¡°Every single one of them said it. So I always thought you understood women, but now I realize... you don¡¯t quite get it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t understand¡ªit¡¯s that you¡¯re just strange!¡± Liu Feng retorted. ¡°By any logic, entangled temporal particles are way better than ordinary ones. Why is it the opposite for you?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the answer obvious?¡± Yellow Finch closed her eyes, lying quietly in the pod. ¡°Because... I don¡¯t want him to see me grow old.¡± ... January 27, 2000. Qufu, Shandong. A flash of blue arcs zipped through the forest, startling the stray cats huddled under a warm pipe, scattering them in all directions. Yellow Finch stepped out of the rift, dressed in her custom-made black suit. She surveyed the deserted street scene and exhaled a puff of white breath. ¡°So cold.¡± She walked over to a nearby building, using the one-way glass as a mirror to look at her unfamiliar reflection. She touched her cheeks. ¡°Why is my face round now?¡± She looked left and right, visibly displeased by her new appearance due to temporal rejection. ¡°This doesn¡¯t look like me at all,¡± she muttered. ... A few weeks later... March 23, 2000. Chunan, Hangzhou. A park. A young father held his newly one-year-old son¡¯s hand, helping him learn to walk on the grass. ¡°Come on, son! Don¡¯t be scared! Come to Daddy... You¡¯re doing great!¡± Nearby, the boy¡¯s mother sat on a bench, watching her son¡¯s wobbly steps with a warm smile. ¡°Is that your son?¡± A stylish woman wearing sunglasses, blue earrings, and a fashionable coat suddenly approached. ¡°Yes.¡± The young mother beamed. ¡°He just turned one, and look¡ªhe can walk already!¡± ¡°How wonderful,¡± the woman said with a smile. ¡°He¡¯s going to grow up to be a smart kid.¡± The mother¡¯s pride shone bright as she laughed in response. Just then, the father scooped his son up from the grass and carried him towards the bench. ¡°Had enough, little guy? Let¡¯s go home now!¡± he said, smiling at his son. As the father approached, the baby¡¯s eyes caught sight of something¡ªa blue glint¡ªand he reached out eagerly. ¡°Ah!¡± he babbled. The father smiled at the sunglasses-wearing woman, then turned to his son. ¡°Lin Xian, this is Auntie. Can you say Auntie?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The little Lin Xian babbled, still not quite able to form words. He kicked his legs, seemingly wanting to walk by himself. The father put him down, and to everyone¡¯s surprise, the little boy wobbled straight towards the woman. She knelt, steadying him, ensuring he wouldn¡¯t fall. Then, quick as a flash, little Lin Xian reached out and grabbed her blue earring. ¡°Oh, let go!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not polite!¡± The young parents hurriedly pulled him away, embarrassed. But the woman didn¡¯t mind. She turned her head slightly, letting the blue sapphire earring sway, casting colorful reflections. ¡°Pretty, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked, smiling. ¡°Ah!¡± Little Lin Xian blinked, then grinned broadly. It was clear he really liked the color blue. ... June 2004. Hangzhou. Police Station. Household Registry Office. Yellow Finch handed her first-generation ID card over the counter. ¡°Hi, I¡¯d like to upgrade to a second-generation ID card.¡± Her current ID was actually a fake¡ªthough officially approved by the government, it counted as genuine. Recently, she¡¯d managed to establish contact with state authorities and provided some cryptic but crucial hints regarding significant intelligence matters. Even just the level of hints she¡¯d shared were of utmost importance to the country. Because of this, she¡¯d developed a connection with the officials. As long as it didn¡¯t stretch the limits of temporal elasticity, she would periodically share information. The registry officer took the ID and glanced at the number. ¡°Oh, a fellow Chunan native, huh? Which part?¡± ¡°Thousand Island Lake,¡± Yellow Finch replied. ¡°What a coincidence! I¡¯m from there too!¡± The officer chuckled, sizing her up. ¡°But... your accent doesn¡¯t sound local.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Yellow Finch blinked. ¡°Where does it sound like I¡¯m from?¡± ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re from the capital. The way you speak, it¡¯s got that imperial city vibe.¡± Yellow Finch smiled but didn¡¯t comment further. It seemed she¡¯d been found out, so she added, ¡°My household is here, but I grew up in the capital.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± The officer started processing the request, asking casually, ¡°Got any family around here?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Yellow Finch nodded, ¡°My husband¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Living apart? That¡¯s no good for a relationship. Why don¡¯t you either come back here, or have him move to the capital with you?¡± the officer said, clearly nosy. ¡°His family wouldn¡¯t agree,¡± she replied. ¡°Hmph.¡± The officer snorted. ¡°All grown up and still listening to his parents? Lacks a bit of backbone, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± Yellow Finch shrugged, smiling. ¡°My husband¡¯s quite young.¡± ¡°How young could he be!¡± The officer slammed a paper down on the counter for her to sign. ¡°He¡¯s not a toddler!¡± ... ¡°Excuse me, could you move a little to the side? I¡¯m trying to take a night photo of my girlfriend.¡± Yellow Finch smiled. Hooking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, she said, ¡°Of course.¡± She stepped aside in her high heels, watching the boy photograph his girlfriend. He kept adjusting angles and zooms, sighing with admiration. ¡°The moon is beautiful tonight,¡± he said. ¡°Yes,¡± Yellow Finch agreed, looking up at the giant moon hanging over the overpass. ¡°But soon... it¡¯ll be even more beautiful.¡± Boom! In the distance, a blue Bentley suddenly launched off the left side of the overpass, soaring into the air! It was a spectacular sight¡ªthe car arced beautifully. Click. The boy snapped a photo. ¡°Huh?¡± He looked at the picture, wide-eyed in disbelief. A convertible car had flown from one side of the overpass to the other, a man and a woman inside. The man gripped the steering wheel, the woman had her eyes covered. The moment he captured it, their car had just leapt to the center of the moon, making the moonlight a romantic backdrop¡ªwild and magnificent. ¡°James Bond?¡± The boy scratched his head, looking up at the convertible now crashing on the other side. ¡°Donghai 007?¡± Next to him, Yellow Finch chuckled, turning to the boy who had caught such a great moment by chance. Ah, so this was where the nickname had come from. ¡°What? What is it?¡± The girl ran over, curious, using the live photo feature on the phone. Pressing and holding, they could see a few seconds of video. ¡°Whoa! This is so cool! Quick! Post it on Douyin! It¡¯ll go viral!¡± she said after watching it twice, amazed. The boy was equally excited, opening the app. ¡°I¡¯m going viral! What caption should I use?¡± ¡°How about ¡®The best driver in Donghai¡¯?¡± Yellow Finch suggested. ¡°That¡¯s what I think, anyway.¡± Beep beep. The digital watch on her wrist beeped softly. Midnight had passed, automatically triggering the alert. It was now January 15, 2023, 12:00 a.m. Facing the moon, Yellow Finch raised her right hand, as if holding a bouquet, the moon in her grasp. Softly, she said to herself: ¡°Happy birthday.¡± ... March 2023, outside a western restaurant, parking lot. The window of a fiery red Ferrari rolled down, and Yellow Finch turned her head to look at the second floor of the restaurant. The entire front wall was glass, giving a clear view inside. Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun were there, talking and laughing, while downstairs, a woman dressed in revealing clothes was angrily marching up. ¡°Ha.¡± Yellow Finch chuckled like a spectator. ¡°The show¡¯s about to begin.¡± ¡°Lin Xian... You really are popular, aren¡¯t you?¡± She watched quietly as the woman stormed upstairs, only for Zhao Ying Jun to refuse to leave, leading to a confrontation. The two women and one man took over the entire second floor, the tense atmosphere keeping the restaurant manager from daring to intervene. Not long after, a red McLaren sped onto the highway in the opposite direction of Lin Xian¡¯s house. Yellow Finch got into her Ferrari, shutting the door. Vroom! She floored the gas pedal. The V12 engine roared like a feral beast, quickly catching up to the McLaren, weaving through traffic effortlessly. For Yellow Finch, driving like this was as natural as breathing. ¡°You taught me well,¡± she said, glancing to her right at Donghai University Hospital, signaling a right turn off the highway. ¡°This time... can you find Zheng Cheng He? If you do, maybe you can win without paying such a heavy price.¡± ... January 2024, the capital city, astronaut secret training center. ¡°Cough, cough! Cough¡ª¡± A sudden wave of weakness hit her, and she fell to her knees in the bathroom. It had happened... It had happened several times recently. More frequent. More severe. Time. How much time was left? ¡°Sister Yellow Finch!¡± The bathroom door burst open, and Chu An Qing rushed in. Yellow Finch quickly covered her head, hiding her extinguished eyes from Chu An Qing. ¡°Don¡¯t call anyone! I¡¯ll be fine... just fine...¡± After a while, her symptoms finally subsided. Together with Chu An Qing, she headed to the training room, explaining some of the details about capturing time-space particles. ¡°What happened earlier, you mustn¡¯t tell Lin Xian,¡± Yellow Finch said. ¡°Everyone¡¯s training hard every day. I don¡¯t want to be a distraction, or for anyone to worry because of me.¡± Chu An Qing nodded, hesitant, but eventually spoke up. ¡°Sister Yellow Finch, can I really... help in this mission like you said? I¡¯ve always wondered if I¡¯ll be of any use. When you found me at school, you said I¡¯d be a key part of the mission. Honestly, I¡¯m scared I¡¯ll just be a burden.¡± Yellow Finch looked at Chu An Qing for a long moment, then slowly moved closer, ruffling her hair and pulling her into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Chu An Qing was surprised. ¡°Sister Yellow Finch, why are you apologizing?¡± Yellow Finch didn¡¯t answer, just hugged her tightly, closing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± ... April 2024, Copenhagen, The Little Mermaid statue. The dark waves of the night lapped against the shore like ink. Yellow Finch was held in Lin Xian¡¯s arms, her vision slowly blurring. Her body felt so light. Like foam. Lifted by the evening breeze, floating higher and higher into the sky. The Little Mermaid statue in the shallow waters lifted her head, watching Yellow Finch turn to bubbles, drifting upwards. ¡°Do you regret it?¡± ¡°No.¡± She shook her head in the haze and void. ¡°I never regret it for him. I would only regret not coming.¡± From the sky came a bright light. ¡°Is there anything you regret?¡± Regret... Yellow Finch felt herself drifting as if on wind. ¡°Not really,¡± she said, smiling with her eyes closed. ¡°I¡¯ve seen him old. I¡¯ve seen him middle-aged. I¡¯ve seen him young, even as a teenager, and I¡¯ve held him as a baby.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m content. Though we never grew old together, at least...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve watched his whole life unfold.¡± Chapter 436: Returning to an Old Place Click. A minute later, Gao Wen opened the door of the time travel pod, watching as Lin Xian crawled out. ¡°How does it feel?¡± he asked. Lin Xian took a deep breath, a slight shiver in his voice. ¡°It¡¯s like the world is fading away,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s strange. Nothing feels real in there.¡± Gao Wen nodded knowingly, a smile tugging at his lips. ¡°To be honest, since we built this time machine, I¡¯ve climbed in there myself a fair number of times. Just to see what it¡¯s like before you jump through time. Sometimes, I even thought it might be a good spot for an afternoon nap.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s funny,¡± he went on, shaking his head. ¡°Once you¡¯re inside, it¡¯s anything but relaxing. It¡¯s suffocating, unbearable... like everything around you is pulling away. I can never fall asleep. Even when I try to force myself, I can barely last ten minutes before I have to get out.¡± He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly as if searching for the right words. ¡°I guess I still hold a lot of awe... maybe even fear... for this machine and the idea of traveling through time. It¡¯s not quite fear exactly... but when I¡¯m in there, the feeling that hits me most is...¡± Gao Wen pressed his lips together before finally speaking again, his voice low. ¡°Loneliness.¡± ... Lin Xian looked at Gao Wen, his eyes softening. ¡°Yeah,¡± he whispered. Loneliness. Time travel, especially using ordinary time particles, really was a suffocating kind of loneliness. A one-way ticket to somewhere unfamiliar, a farewell without a promise to return, and an acceptance that you¡¯d die far away from home. ¡°But I respect every time traveler,¡± Gao Wen said, his gaze steady on Lin Xian. Admiration glimmered in his eyes. ¡°I believe every one of them takes on their mission with responsibility and purpose. They all have a belief in something greater, and the courage to face the unknown.¡± ¡°Just like you, Lin Xian. I may not know why you¡¯re here, why you chose to travel through time, but I¡¯m sure it isn¡¯t for personal gain. It has to be for something bigger, something meaningful.¡± Lin Xian waved his hand dismissively, though a faint smile crossed his lips. ¡°You don¡¯t have to praise me like that. Compared to the real time travelers, I¡¯ve still got a long way to go.¡± He glanced towards the time machine, determination building in his expression. ¡°But I¡¯m ready. If there¡¯s a chance to fix things... to make this world better... I wouldn¡¯t hesitate.¡± Suddenly, something came to his mind. He turned back to Gao Wen. ¡°So, who are you sending back this time? Who¡¯s going to be the time traveler?¡± He looked around. ¡°Big Cat? Or Xu Yi Yi?¡± Gao Wen shook his head. ¡°No. It¡¯s neither of them.¡± He paused, as if weighing his next words carefully. ¡°I¡¯ve had a candidate in mind for some time now. And no one in Sin City has opposed it.¡± He met Lin Xian¡¯s gaze directly. ¡°It¡¯s Li Cheng¡¯s daughter... his only child.¡± ¡°Li Ning Ning.¡± ... Lin Xian recognized the name. He wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°The Li family is still as loyal as ever,¡± he sighed. ¡°Li Cheng only has one daughter. I can¡¯t imagine he¡¯s willing to let her go.¡± Gao Wen gave a soft chuckle. ¡°Of course, he¡¯s not willing. No father would be. Especially since Li Cheng¡¯s wife passed away a few years ago¡ªLi Ning Ning is all he has left in the world.¡± He paused, admiration in his eyes again. ¡°Honestly, I really admire both of them. Just like we discussed earlier, so many questions in this world are without answers. There¡¯s no real right or wrong here. Asking a father to let his only daughter sacrifice herself for humanity¡¯s future¡ªis that truly the right thing to do? Is it noble? It¡¯s hard to say. But that¡¯s what makes the Li family stand out¡ªit¡¯s that spirit that doesn¡¯t bend, that echoes their belief: ¡®When the country rises or falls, every person has a duty.¡¯¡± Lin Xian nodded, his respect clear. Every era had its heroes. And as history moved forward, someone always had to take on the responsibility and burden. He thought of his seventh dream. Li Ning Ning, wearing an elegant princess dress, is holding her baby sister, Li Feng Yu. Her smile is sweet and full of hope. ¡°I hope she grows up strong and brave,¡± Li Ning Ning had said. ¡°No matter what life throws at her, no matter what kind of world she¡¯s in, she can always face it with optimism.¡± That wish had clearly been just as much about herself as it was about her sister. Lin Xian felt a pang of longing for that stubborn, determined girl. Maybe he should pay a visit to the Li family gang soon instead of teaming up with Xu Yi Yi to join Face¡¯s gang. After all, they had those metal nameplates¡ªany gang would take them in. ¡°Hmph,¡± Xu Yi Yi, standing nearby, huffed. ¡°I¡¯d be willing to go too, you know.¡± Gao Wen laughed, shaking his head. ¡°Yi Yi, you¡¯ve still got a ways to go. Whether it¡¯s strength, brains, or skill, Li Ning Ning is by far the best in Sin City.¡± He smiled encouragingly. ¡°We only have one time particle, and we need to make it count. We need the best, most skilled assassin for this mission. But I do respect your spirit¡ªthere are many ways to make a difference for humanity. Tonight, your mission is just as important.¡± Lin Xian turned to look at the cold, massive time machine again, his mind already spinning with plans to bring it back to 2024 for Liu Feng. ¡°Gao Wen, do you have the updated notes on the time travel theory and the machine¡¯s blueprints?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Gao Wen replied, leading him over to a metal cabinet filled with blueprints and notebooks. ¡°These are my corrected notes. There really weren¡¯t many mistakes, just a few key pages that were wrong¡ªbut they happened to be pretty important.¡± He pointed to some rolled-up papers. ¡°These are the blueprints. Honestly, it¡¯s not as complicated as it looks. As long as you understand the core concepts and have the right time particles, the machine can take any shape.¡± He gave a half-smile. ¡°I built mine this big because of the energy supply. Starting the time machine takes more than just time particles¡ªyou also need a massive power source. Sin City doesn¡¯t have that kind of power¡ªI had to stack nuclear batteries. But in Donghai City, you could hook it up to the power grid.¡± Lin Xian nodded. Perfect. With this, Liu Feng could get started. At that moment, a young gang member burst in, bowing deeply to Gao Wen. ¡°Godfather, everyone¡¯s gathered and waiting for you to give the orders for tonight¡¯s mission.¡± Gao Wen nodded. ¡°Tell them I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡± The young man straightened up and left. Gao Wen turned back to Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian, there¡¯s a lot I¡¯m curious about¡ªyour time travel, how you did it, what it means¡ªbut tonight¡¯s mission is just as crucial. If everything goes well and we manage to get that time particle, let¡¯s sit down and have a proper talk.¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°No problem.¡± It was only the first day of the dream. There was no rush¡ªplenty of time to gather information bit by bit. He couldn¡¯t afford to hurry things. More than anything, he genuinely wanted to help Gao Wen steal the time particle from Donghai City to see it for himself. Maybe it would help reveal the truth behind the catastrophe of 2400. Gao Wen wanted to bring down whoever was responsible for the world¡¯s collapse. Lin Xian felt the same. If it weren¡¯t for that person messing with the future, making everything a mess, he would have already found Time Bank and cracked open that aluminum alloy safe. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go, everyone,¡± Gao Wen said, his back straightening as he took on the serious expression of the Godfather once again, ready to lead his people into the mission. ... The meeting hall was already filled with gang leaders. When Gao Wen walked in, everyone stood up respectfully, bowed, and greeted him quietly as ¡°Godfather.¡± Gao Wen waved them down, indicating that everyone should sit. Lin Xian watched the scene unfold. Knowledge really does change fate, he thought. This was the ultimate dream for someone like Gao Wen¡ªan intellectual¡¯s dream realized. Who would¡¯ve thought that Gao Wen, using his research and knowledge, would secure his place as Godfather of Sin City¡ªa scenario that¡¯d be unimaginable anywhere else. Then there was Big Cat Face... Lin Xian glanced at the burly man with a squint. The guy was hopeless. All because he was uneducated, every future version of him seemed stable, almost predictable¡ªlike he was locked into some role. He adjusted the mask of the Rhine Cat on his face. ¡°Alright, boys, it¡¯s our turn,¡± he said. Leading the way, he climbed up the ladder below the manhole. He poked his head up, then popped the cover off with a grunt¡ª ¡°Go!¡± The three underlings followed quickly, with Lin Xian and Xu Yi Yi bringing up the rear. They reached the museum¡¯s outer wall. ¡°Form the ladder!¡± At Big Cat Face¡¯s order, they quickly made a human ladder¡ªa classic move for their gang. The wall wasn¡¯t too high, so they only needed three people for it. San Pang crouched, grunting, ¡°This works!¡± Ah Zhuang jumped up, planting his feet on San Pang¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll take the middle!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lin Xian muttered. ¡°Do we need an announcement for everything? Does everything have to sound so epic?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand!¡± Big Cat Face huffed, looking at Lin Xian through his mask. ¡°This is gang culture.¡± ¡°No wonder no one wants to join your gang,¡± Lin Xian muttered to himself. Finally, Er Zhuzi, the last ¡°human pillar,¡± climbed onto Ah Zhuang¡¯s shoulders, and the ladder was ready. Big Cat Face, Lin Xian, and Xu Yi Yi quickly climbed over the wall. Lin Xian gave a short whistle to signal that it was safe. The three underlings stayed outside, ready to throw a rope over when the group returned with the time-space particles. The trio moved swiftly to the museum¡¯s front door. The door was tightly shut. Lin Xian knocked on it. Solid metal, no keyhole¡ªit seemed to be remote-controlled. ¡°What now?¡± Lin Xian asked, suddenly realizing they were missing a crucial team member. ¡°We didn¡¯t bring a code expert.¡± ¡°Come on, what century are you living in?¡± Big Cat Face rolled his eyes, pulling a gray block of C4 from his belt. ¡°We¡¯ll do it the old-fashioned way. Way faster than any code expert.¡± ¡°Wait, what?!¡± Lin Xian was genuinely impressed. Was this Gao Wen¡¯s influence¡ªmaking Big Cat Face smarter? Big Cat Face handled the C4 with surprising precision. Instead of placing it on the door, he stuck it to the wall next to the door, near a window¡ªthe spot most vulnerable to an explosion. Blowing through a wall was easier than blowing through a steel door. ¡°Take cover!¡± After setting the detonator, he yelled. All three of them ducked behind the steps¡ª BOOM!!! Smoke filled the air, and the scent of explosives hung heavily. Lin Xian peeked out from behind their cover. The museum door was still intact, but the wall beside it had a large hole, big enough for them to get through. ¡°Nice, not bad at all,¡± Lin Xian said, giving Big Cat Face a thumbs-up. High praise coming from a speed-runner. This time, Lin Xian was genuinely impressed. Big Cat Face¡¯s gang had never been this effective¡ªtheir past attempts were always a disorganized mess. But now, from popping open the manhole to blasting through the museum, it had taken them less than two minutes. Amazing! Lin Xian clapped Big Cat Face on the shoulder. ¡°Sorry, Big Brother Face. I admit I underestimated you. You really do have the makings of a Godfather.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Big Cat Face huffed proudly. ¡°Do you have any idea how much we practiced for this? How much blood, sweat, and tears we shed to get it perfect?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Alright, I believe you now. You guys really do have a strong bond.¡± The three of them moved quickly, making their way into the museum. They rushed through the main exhibit halls. The time-space particles obviously wouldn¡¯t be in the public exhibits, so they headed straight for the restricted area. Then, they reached the entrance to the special exhibition hall... ¡°What?!¡± In front of them stood a gleaming door made of aluminum alloy¡ªimpregnable and imposing. Big Cat Face stared at the C4 bomb in his hand, dumbstruck. ¡°Are you kidding me?! Nobody said there¡¯d be an aluminum alloy door in here!¡± Lin Xian sighed. Aluminum alloy¡ªBig Cat Face¡¯s lifelong nemesis. Xu Yi Yi stepped forward, examining the right side of the door. ¡°It¡¯s an electronic lock, but there¡¯s no place to enter a code. Looks like it needs a card or some kind of identity verification. What do we do now?¡± Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed behind them, along with a woman¡¯s soft laughter: ¡°Heh.¡± Big Cat Face spun around so fast his mask almost flew off. In the dim moonlight filtering through the broken wall, a slim figure appeared¡ªa woman dressed in black, her silhouette sharp and elegant. ¡°I knew you¡¯d end up causing trouble here,¡± she said, her voice teasing as she smirked at Lin Xian. There was a hint of complaint in her eyes. ¡°Did it not cross your mind...¡± ¡°That the first person you should visit after entering a dream...¡± ¡°Should¡¯ve been me?¡± Chapter 437: The Belated Comet ¡°CC?¡± Lin Xian blinked at the familiar face in front of him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± This was incredible. It had to be more than just a coincidence. He had been thinking about her, and now here she was. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you,¡± CC replied with a soft huff. ¡°Didn¡¯t we make a promise in those fragments of memory? That I¡¯d wait for you here, in the most obvious place in the Donghai area, on this exact day?¡± She frowned, clearly annoyed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you forgot.¡± ¡°Of course I didn¡¯t forget,¡± Lin Xian said, shrugging. ¡°But usually, on the first day in a new world, I need time to get a feel for its reality. Plus, today, well... I ran into some trouble right when I got here. Had to escape through a sewer.¡± He gave her a faint smile. ¡°You have to understand, for you, this world is one you¡¯ve been in for twenty years. For me, I¡¯ve been here less than twelve hours.¡± He glanced up at the museum ceiling. ¡°So... this museum is the most obvious place in Donghai City?¡± CC nodded. ¡°I think so. It¡¯s right in the center of Donghai City. It¡¯s iconic, easy to spot. I¡¯ve been up on the museum rooftop since noon, waiting for you until nightfall without a sign of you.¡± ¡°Then, about an hour ago, the manhole covers all over Donghai City started banging open. Right after that, there was an explosion here at the museum. I knew it had to be you making trouble, so I came in right away.¡± Lin Xian nodded. Today had been his first time entering this dream, and everything had happened so quickly. He had been taken to Sin City by Xu Yi Yi soon after arriving, and he hadn¡¯t had time to find CC. There was no way he could forget their promise. When the fifth dream ended, he had danced with CC to create a perfect memory for her. During the seventh dream, he had taken CC to find Li Ning Ning and watch the bonfire. This time, he really had to thank Big Cat Face and the C4 bomb. With how chaotic Donghai City was now, people were running around playing hide and seek and chasing after androids. Without that explosion, CC probably wouldn¡¯t have found him. Seeing CC suddenly appear, Xu Yi Yi tightened her grip on her weapon, taking up a defensive stance. Meanwhile, Big Cat Face struggled to pull off his Rhine Cat mask, which had gotten stuck on his ear. CC watched the amusing scene and tilted her head. ¡°Did I... come at a bad time?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian shook his head, a smile forming. ¡°You came at just the right time!¡± He turned around, pointing at the titanium alloy door and the lock beside it. ¡°Quick, take a look. See if you can crack it.¡± He stepped aside, gently lowering Xu Yi Yi¡¯s dagger. ¡°No need to worry, she¡¯s a friend¡ªa password expert.¡± CC walked past them, giving Xu Yi Yi a quick glance before looking up at Lin Xian. ¡°You really are popular with the girls, aren¡¯t you? Every world you go to, it¡¯s always a different type of girl hanging around you.¡± ¡°Stop talking nonsense!¡± Xu Yi Yi lowered her weapon but remained wary of CC. She stood protectively in front of Lin Xian as if shielding her ¡®little brother¡¯ from harm. ¡°This is my little bro! I¡¯m the one looking out for him!¡± CC paused, glancing curiously at the young girl before her. She couldn¡¯t quite understand how this unpredictable Lin Xian had ended up as a ¡®little brother¡¯ to someone like her. She narrowed her eyes at Lin Xian. ¡°What kind of game are you playing now?¡± ¡°Come on, focus on cracking the lock,¡± Lin Xian urged, glancing at his watch. It read 11:17 PM. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left. Only an hour and a half.¡± He added, ¡°According to Godfather Gao Wen, there¡¯s a time-space particle in this exhibition hall. We need to steal it as soon as possible.¡± CC walked over to the lock, examining it closely. ¡°This isn¡¯t an ordinary password lock. There¡¯s no actual password. To open the door, you¡¯d need proper verification.¡± ¡°So what do we do?¡± Big Cat Face finally managed to pull off his mask and stepped closer. ¡°If there¡¯s no password, does that mean we can¡¯t crack it?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± CC shook her head. She pulled out a small computer from her bag and used Xu Yi Yi¡¯s dagger to pry open the lock¡¯s casing. ¡°No password doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s no key. Verification information, whether it¡¯s a card, facial recognition, or a fingerprint scan, is just a type of password. The difference is, a normal password is a combination of numbers and letters, but this one is a bit more complicated.¡± ¡°But as long as it¡¯s a password, it can be cracked. For mechanical locks, there¡¯s brute force; for electronic ones, there¡¯s address-searching. Given enough time, theoretically, no password is unbreakable.¡± CC connected the lock¡¯s system to her small computer with a data cable, her fingers moving quickly over the keys. Big Cat Face leaned in curiously, watching the screen flicker with streams of data. ¡°Looks like having a password expert really comes in handy,¡± he muttered. Ten minutes later, there was a clear clicking sound. The titanium alloy door opened with a soft sigh. ¡°Amazing...¡± Xu Yi Yi looked at CC, awestruck. Her wariness melted into admiration. ¡°You¡¯re incredible!¡± ¡°Not really.¡± CC shrugged off the compliment, putting away her computer and leading the group inside. The hall was a special exhibition area, filled with artifacts that looked extremely valuable. From a distance, Lin Xian spotted a glowing blue orb, suspended in midair inside a display case. ¡°There it is,¡± he said, jogging over and peering inside. A time-space particle. It really was a time-space particle. But... ¡°No energy?¡± Lin Xian noticed something was off. The blue orb was trapped inside a transparent, basketball-sized container. It seemed calm, dormant even. Despite the bright blue glow it gave off, there was no active charge¡ªjust countless fine blue threads swaying lazily on its surface, like branches in a breeze. Lin Xian knew time-space particles well, and it only took one look for him to realize this was an energy-depleted time-space particle. And not even an entangled one¡ªjust an ordinary particle. This was exactly what he had feared but hadn¡¯t said aloud to Gao Wen: Without using a special entangled time-space particle, even if someone travels back in time, they would be unable to alter history due to the constraints of the laws of time. Gao Wen and Chen He Ping hadn¡¯t grasped this. They were still stuck in theoretical speculation, without enough experimental data to understand the laws of time. But now, it didn¡¯t matter anymore. This was just an ordinary time-space particle¡ªand an energy-depleted one at that. Even if they took it back, it wouldn¡¯t power the time machine. ¡°Ughhh.¡± Lin Xian let out a sigh, not sure how he would face Gao Wen when they returned. Gao Wen was probably expecting that, with the time-space particle, humanity could be saved, that the future could change. But this depleted particle shattered Gao Wen and Chen He Ping¡¯s lifelong dreams. ¡°Well, let¡¯s take it back anyway.¡± Lin Xian shattered the glass of the display and took out the transparent container holding the time-space particle. Together with Big Cat Face, Xu Yi Yi, and CC, they left according to their original plan. In Sin City, even in the dead of night, the place was bustling. People were celebrating their successful operation. But deep in the underground lab, Lin Xian, CC, and Gao Wen were all expressionless. Gao Wen let out a long breath through his nose. He looked up from his workstation, his face filled with despair. ¡°This time-space particle... it has no energy.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, Gao Wen. I wish I had something comforting to say, but to be honest, even if this particle was fully charged, it¡¯s just an ordinary time-space particle. Even if a traveler used it, they wouldn¡¯t be able to alter history because of the time laws.¡± Lin Xian explained the relevant time laws in simple terms to Gao Wen, who listened intently, deep in thought. As smart as he was, it didn¡¯t take him long to understand. ¡°I see,¡± Gao Wen sighed deeply. ¡°The laws of time are indeed incredibly intricate. Chen He Ping and I never imagined it would be this way... Time-space particles are even more complicated than we thought.¡± Gao Wen then wrote on the board¡ª ¡°Astatine-339.¡± ¡°Astatine... 339?¡± Lin Xian blinked. ¡°Astatine doesn¡¯t exist on Earth?¡± ¡°I remember my chemistry teacher saying that every element in the universe exists on Earth. The periodic table has 118 elements.¡± ¡°Ninety-four of those elements are natural, found on Earth, and the rest¡ªfrom Element 95 to 118¡ªcan all be synthesized in labs.¡± ¡°Sure, they¡¯re mostly superheavy, radioactive elements that only last a few milliseconds before decaying into something else. But even if it¡¯s just for milliseconds, those elements technically exist on Earth, right? And if they exist here, they should exist elsewhere in the universe too, with the same half-life. There shouldn¡¯t be any element out there that doesn¡¯t exist here.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s an unknown element out there, it¡¯s just irresponsible science fiction. The atomic structure of the universe is fixed¡ª118 protons max¡ªso there can¡¯t be more than 118 elements.¡± Lin Xian recalled reading reports about how laboratories worldwide, including those with particle accelerators, had tried¡ªand failed¡ªto create Element 119 by adding an extra proton to the nucleus. His chemistry teacher had said that every element in the universe could be found on Earth. Lin Xian had found it surprising at the time, even arrogant, but his later research confirmed it¡ªwhether he liked it or not. And astatine¡ªLin Xian was pretty sure it was a radioactive element. The number after it¡ªit must be the isotope of astatine. Wait...? Lin Xian thought back to his chemistry lessons. Astatine-339? Impossible! Astatine¡¯s atomic number is 85. How could there be an Astatine-339 isotope? It made no sense! ¡°What¡¯s with Astatine-339?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°This isotope¡ªit¡¯s not that it doesn¡¯t exist on Earth. It shouldn¡¯t exist anywhere in this universe.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Gao Wen said, nodding approvingly. ¡°Looks like your fundamentals are solid.¡± He then wrote down a range on the board: Astatine-191 to Astatine-229, and continued: ¡°According to current scientific understanding, astatine has 39 isotopes. The most stable one is Astatine-210, with a half-life of 8.1 hours. The least stable is Astatine-213, with a half-life of just 125 nanoseconds. After alpha decay, it becomes Bismuth-209, which has a long lifespan.¡± ¡°These 39 isotopes should cover all possible forms of astatine. There shouldn¡¯t be any others in the universe. But...¡± Gao Wen¡¯s expression grew serious as he looked at Lin Xian. ¡°What if Astatine-339, just like time-space particles, doesn¡¯t belong to our universe?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You mean this Astatine-339 comes from another dimension? Another universe?¡± Considering the existence of time rifts, particles that could cross universes, and time travelers from other dimensions, Gao Wen¡¯s idea wasn¡¯t impossible. But then... Lin Xian turned to the massive time machine. ¡°Then how did you manage to build this time machine?¡± Gao Wen turned back to the board and wrote another date: ¡°March 27, 2077¡± Seeing that date, Lin Xian paused. That date... it was the one Galileo had mentioned when Einstein asked about humanity¡¯s next major astronomical breakthrough¡ªat yesterday¡¯s Genius Club gathering! After writing it, Gao Wen turned and spoke slowly. ¡°March 27, 2077. It¡¯s a landmark day in human astronomical history. On that day, there was a revolutionary discovery¡ªa breakthrough that changed everything.¡± ¡°Astronomers, using their telescopes, spotted a distant comet¡ªone traveling from the edge of the solar system toward Earth.¡± ¡°Nothing unusual about that¡ªcomets are common. But this one was different¡ªits trajectory, speed, and spectral signature were unlike anything previously observed.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t bore you with the complex details. But from its spectral analysis, astronomers deduced that this comet carried something alien¡ªnot from our universe, not from our time.¡± ¡°But the comet wouldn¡¯t reach Earth for over a hundred years. All people could do was wait.¡± ¡°Then, in 2234, it finally entered the solar system¡ªheading straight for Earth with an incorrect gravitational coefficient. Thankfully, nations had prepared, and nuclear missiles intercepted it before it hit the atmosphere. Its fragments orbited Earth for years, slowly falling and raining down.¡± ¡°And from that point on, Earth became host to several unexplainable isotopes¡ªincluding Astatine-339.¡± Lin Xian was still thinking about Galileo¡¯s question to Einstein, but snapped back to reality as Gao Wen finished speaking. ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°So, the challenge isn¡¯t the technology¡ªit¡¯s when Astatine-339 will reach Earth.¡± ¡°According to you, that comet¡ªfrom another universe, another dimension¡ªwill only arrive in 2234, bringing Astatine-339 with it. So that means...¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Gao Wen said, nodding solemnly, regret evident in his voice. ¡°Because the comet¡¯s arrival date is fixed, the earliest time a time machine can be built and used is also fixed.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re truly from 2024, and that¡¯s the only time you can return to... then, as I said before, the soonest you¡¯ll be able to use a time machine is¡ª¡± ¡°Two hundred years from now¡ªthe year 2234!¡± Chapter 438: Blooming in Desperation Two Hundred Years Later... ¡°What? I have to wait until the year 2234 to use the time machine?¡± Lin Xian took a deep breath, stunned by the news. It felt like his mind had just been thrown off balance. How nai?ve he¡¯d been. He thought waiting ten or twenty years for a time machine would be hard enough¡ªbut two hundred years? That was beyond anything he could have imagined. ¡°Uh...¡± He scratched his head, feeling his plans crumble. ¡°Isn¡¯t there another way?¡± Gao Wen shook his head. ¡°I understand how you feel, Lin Xian. But I¡¯ve told you this before¡ªthe element Astatine-339 doesn¡¯t exist on Earth. It came from a comet, from another universe, a different timeline.¡± ¡°Aside from that comet, there¡¯s no Astatine-339 anywhere else in the universe,¡± Gao Wen continued. ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of finding another way¡ªit¡¯s simply impossible. Unless you can somehow make that comet arrive earlier, which, of course, is also impossible. When humanity first spotted it in 2077, it was still far away, nowhere near our solar system. It¡¯ll be flying through space for over a hundred years before reaching the Kuiper Belt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just basic physics, Lin Xian. We¡¯re too small to affect something that huge. All we could do was shoot it down with missiles to stop it from crashing into Earth. But moving it forward by a century? No chance.¡± Gao Wen was a serious scientist. If he said something was impossible, he was usually right. But Lin Xian wasn¡¯t ready to give up. He kept brainstorming, trying to find a way around these limitations. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he looked up at Gao Wen, his eyes brightening. ¡°Wait, we¡¯re in the year 2624 now. There must be Astatine-339 available, right? And there should be quite a lot of it.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Gao Wen replied. ¡°The comet was massive, with a radius of over twenty kilometers. Humanity shot it down with nuclear missiles in space, and most of the fragments fell as meteors. The rest eventually fell to Earth over the years.¡± ¡°The amount of Astatine-339 on that comet was significant. But it has no practical use, which is why it¡¯s not rare in 2624. You could get it easily.¡± Lin Xian nodded and shared his idea. ¡°If we had some now, could we use your time machine to send it back to 2024?¡± ¡°No,¡± Gao Wen said without hesitation. ¡°The time machine can only send living organisms or dead cells.¡± ¡°In simple terms, it can transport humans, animals, plants, even fungi and bacteria with cell structures¡ªbut metals, rocks, or pure Astatine-339? Absolutely not.¡± Lin Xian remembered something Elon Musk had mentioned about a glowing blue USB stick. ¡°But wasn¡¯t there a USB stick that traveled through time? It disappeared afterward, turning into blue stardust.¡± ¡°That¡¯s no ordinary USB stick,¡± Gao Wen replied immediately. ¡°I researched it with Big Cat¡¯s father, Chen He Ping. We ruled out all possibilities¡ªa normal USB stick couldn¡¯t have traveled through time. Lin Xian, did you ever see it yourself?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian admitted. ¡°When I learned about it, it had already turned to stardust. But I trust the person who told me about it. He said it glowed blue, like something from another timeline.¡± Gao Wen rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°If that¡¯s true, there¡¯s only one possibility. It must have been a highly advanced piece of biotechnology.¡± ¡°It might have looked like a regular electronic device, but it was actually an artificial organism.¡± ¡°Otherwise, it makes no sense¡ªhow could an inanimate electronic device have a flowing blue glow? Only living things can do that. And since it turned to stardust, it must have been some kind of biological technology.¡± ¡°Our current technology hasn¡¯t reached the point of creating artificial life, but I have no doubt that living beings could store energy or information. It must have come from a highly advanced timeline.¡± Lin Xian thought about the mysterious Fake Yu Xi. Honestly, he knew very little about her. Elon Musk had said the blue USB stick came from her, but even he didn¡¯t understand how it worked. Maybe Gao Wen was right. Lin Xian had no idea which timeline Fake Yu Xi came from, but if it was anything like the Fourth Dream, with cities like Starlink and space elevators, their biotechnology must have been incredibly advanced. Even in 2024, people were already using bio-batteries. The technology was mature. ¡°I understand now,¡± Lin Xian said, pacing around the lab, trying to piece everything together. ¡°So only living things can time travel¡ªnatural or artificial. Even dead cells could do it. Does that mean time travelers in movies could actually wear animal-skin clothes?¡± Gao Wen smiled and walked over to an equipment unit that looked like a freezer. He opened the door and motioned for Lin Xian to take a closer look. ¡°You¡¯re quite perceptive. Look at this¡ªit¡¯s a ¡®travel suit¡¯ made from otter skin, specifically for time travelers.¡± Lin Xian leaned in to observe. It was black, tight-fitting, and smooth to the touch¡ªcool, sleek, and flexible, likely comfortable to wear. Most importantly, it had no metal zippers or plastic buckles. It was sewn with either cotton or animal tendon thread. ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian muttered, recalling the events of the night before. The assassin with the blue eyes had worn something similar¡ªa tight suit made of animal skin or bio-tech material. She must have just arrived in this timeline, which explained why she hadn¡¯t changed clothes. Unlike the others¡ªYellow Finch, Lin Yu Xi, and Fake Yu Xi¡ªwho wore ordinary clothing. ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian repeated, realization dawning. The assassin¡¯s outfit confirmed that she¡¯d only recently arrived, which also matched one of Gao Wen¡¯s theories. ¡°Time travelers can only cross timelines during certain events, like a major shift in the worldline or a significant ¡®anchor point¡¯ in time. Time travel can¡¯t happen just anywhere or anytime¡ªyou need a temporal rift to make it work.¡± Lin Xian kept pacing in the underground lab, thinking hard. Was there really no way to use the time machine to send Astatine-339 back to 2024? He closed his eyes, replaying all the possibilities in his head. ¡°Hmm...¡± He frowned, stopping in his tracks as another idea came to him. ¡°Gao Wen, there are no pure metals or elements inside our bodies, but we do have plenty of metal ions and compounds.¡± ¡°Like the sodium ions in salt, calcium in our bones, or iron in hemoglobin. All these exist in our bodies¡ªin our cells, blood, bones, and muscles.¡± ¡°So, I have a wild idea. What if we turned Astatine-339 into an ionic compound, dissolved it into blood or cellular fluid, and sent it back with a time traveler? Then, once it¡¯s in 2024, we could extract it and perform a reduction reaction to turn it back into pure Astatine-339.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like how sodium ions in the body exist as sodium chloride, and in industry, you can electrolyze salt to get metallic sodium and chlorine gas.¡± ¡°Could we do something similar? If Astatine-339 ions are toxic, we could dissolve them in an apple or something, and the time traveler could carry it back.¡± Lin Xian felt confident. It should work¡ªafter all, there were plenty of inorganic compounds in the human body, and they could time travel. The rule seemed to be that pure elements couldn¡¯t. Astatine was radioactive but unusual. Lin Xian remembered his chemistry teacher explaining how it could form both positive and negative ions when dissolved in water¡ªa unique property of this radioactive element. Since Astatine-339 could exist as ions in water, blood, or cellular fluid, his idea seemed theoretically sound. Lin Xian looked at Gao Wen with hopeful eyes. This time, Gao Wen didn¡¯t shake his head. Instead, he gave Lin Xian a look of approval. ¡°I must say, Lin Xian, you¡¯re quite brilliant. Chen He Ping also had a similar idea back in the day.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s heart sank. Of course. Gao Wen and Big Cat¡¯s father, two of the greatest minds in human history¡ªif Lin Xian could think of this, surely they had too. ¡°It won¡¯t work, will it?¡± Lin Xian guessed. Gao Wen nodded and explained, ¡°Remember what I said? That comet came from another universe, another timeline. The elements on it are also from that universe. The reason I said these elements have no practical use is because...¡± ¡°These foreign elements don¡¯t react with anything from our universe. They¡¯re stable beyond belief.¡± ¡°They¡¯re so stable, it¡¯s as if Astatine-339 is locked in place¡ªfixed and unchangeable. That¡¯s what makes it so unique, and why it¡¯s used in the calibration module of the time machine.¡± ¡°Your idea is clever, Lin Xian, but Astatine-339 can¡¯t react with anything from our universe. It can¡¯t form compounds or ions. That means your plan simply won¡¯t work.¡± ... This time... The underground lab fell into a heavy silence. Lin Xian was completely out of ideas. Last night, Copernicus had asked Einstein: ¡°If I wanted to build a time machine and send a time traveler back to the past... who should I find? The closer, the better.¡± Einstein¡¯s answer had been: ¡°Refuse to answer. The question is void.¡± This meant... The answer to Copernicus¡¯ question must have involved a member of the Genius Club, which was why Einstein refused to answer. At that time, Lin Xian had felt guilty. Of course, he knew the answer was him¡ªhe had the time machine manuscript hidden in his drawer. He even acted along with the others, glancing around like an innocent bystander. But now... He had figured it out. Einstein¡¯s refusal wasn¡¯t because of him! It had nothing to do with him! The reason was simple. The manuscript in his drawer was wrong! As Gao Wen had said, if Chen He Ping hadn¡¯t corrected the mistakes, even with a hundred time-space particles, Lin Xian still wouldn¡¯t have been able to build a time machine. So... How could Einstein have refused to answer because of a flawed manuscript? He could see the future. Of course, he knew that the manuscript in Lin Xian¡¯s drawer was wrong. There¡¯s no way he would have lied because of that. Yet he did refuse to answer. Which meant that Copernicus¡¯ question did involve a Genius Club member. Thinking of this, Lin Xian took a deep breath... And if it wasn¡¯t him, then it had to be another member. Combined with Galileo¡¯s question, the answer was clear as day¡ª In the year 2024, the person who truly possessed the knowledge of time travel wasn¡¯t him. It was Galileo! ¡°This is just too much scheming,¡± Lin Xian muttered, shaking his head. These Genius Club members¡ªevery single one of them was as cunning as could be. Especially Galileo. He had hidden his true intentions so well. Lin Xian stepped forward to the center of the underground lab, gazing up at the massive, imposing time machine. He lifted his right hand and gently touched its surface. Sigh... He really didn¡¯t want to let it go. The time machine was right here, within his reach, but he couldn¡¯t use it. He couldn¡¯t bring it back to 2024. This feeling of longing and helplessness¡ªbeing so close yet so far¡ªwas just heart-wrenching. Two hundred years from now... Lin Xian closed his eyes, feeling a wave of despair. Did they really have to wait two hundred years before they could use the time machine? Was there really... No other way? ... Hmm? Suddenly, Lin Xian¡¯s eyes snapped open. No. Wait. From his perspective, this might indeed look like a hopeless situation¡ªa dead end. Even with their brilliance, Gao Wen and Chen He Ping also saw it as a dead end. There seemed to be no way to obtain Astatine-339 ahead of time. But! Whether it was himself, Gao Wen, or Chen He Ping, all three of them had limits to their knowledge. In the grand scheme of time and history, they were just frogs at the bottom of a well. But... There was one person who was different. Someone who was all-knowing and all-seeing! Perhaps he could see another way! Thinking of that melancholy, mysterious mask, Lin Xian whispered to himself: ¡°Why not... ask the wonderful Einstein?¡± Chapter 439: A Family BOOM!!!!!! BOOM!!!!!! BOOM!!!!!! A blinding white light flashed right on time. Even in the deepest underground layer of Sin City, it didn¡¯t miss a beat¡ªeverything was burned to ashes. ... ... ... In the corner of his bedroom, Lin Xian opened his eyes. He sat up, slipped on his slippers, and sat at the edge of his bed, lost in thought. This dream wasn¡¯t just about exploring a new world¡ªit had also given him a deeper understanding of time travel and the time machine, thanks to his discussion with Gao Wen. ¡°But none of that really matters,¡± he muttered, shaking his head. These insights¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t change anything, even if Gao Wen hadn¡¯t explained them to him. Once the time machine was built, he¡¯d have plenty of time to learn the rest. The real blow was... No matter what, the time machine wouldn¡¯t be completed before the year 2234, before the comet beyond time reached Earth. This news was devastating, throwing all of Lin Xian¡¯s plans into disarray. Two hundred and ten years from now. Unless he used a hibernation chamber, there was no way he could live that long. ¡°But still, it¡¯s not all bad news,¡± Lin Xian realized. The truth was, the Genius Club members of 2024 were only just beginning to understand time travel and their plans for the future. Even the earliest members like Copernicus, Newton, Galileo, and da Vinci had only been laying the groundwork for a few decades¡ªthey hadn¡¯t truly revealed their cards yet. Without the hibernation chamber, Copernicus would be gone in about ten years. Newton, Galileo, and da Vinci? They¡¯d last maybe three or four decades before aging took its toll. In the grand flow of time, they¡¯d become little more than dust, barely leaving a ripple. That, perhaps, was why the first dream felt so stable. Though it was a mystery how the Genius Club continued to operate in the future without the hibernation chamber, their influence on Earth wasn¡¯t as enormous as in the later dreams. The hibernation chamber changed everything. In the later dreams, it was almost as if the Genius Club members were performing solos¡ªone taking the stage after another, each altering time and shaping the future. But that was 600 years later. The members of the Genius Club 600 years from now were incredibly powerful¡ªunbelievably so. But in 2024? They were just starting out. Especially when it came to understanding time travel¡ªeveryone was still in the early stages. ¡°Copernicus probably just realized that time travel was possible, which is why he asked Einstein about who could build a time machine,¡± Lin Xian analyzed. ¡°This means that the current Copernicus, aside from killing some scientists, hasn¡¯t fully laid out his future plans.¡± ¡°The one I¡¯ve been playing cat and mouse with is actually Copernicus from 600 years in the future. The Copernicus of today isn¡¯t that strong yet¡ªat least, not strong enough to control the Time Court and the Time Police.¡± ¡°The same goes for Galileo.¡± Lin Xian stood up from the bed, pacing the room. ¡°Galileo is a bit ahead of Copernicus when it comes to researching the time machine. He seems to be stuck on the calibration module, which is why he asked Einstein about astronomy indirectly.¡± ¡°But from what I¡¯ve seen in the dreams and the future, Galileo¡¯s presence is almost nonexistent. If Turing hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I wouldn¡¯t have known that the disaster of 2400 was caused by him.¡± Lin Xian pulled back the curtains and gazed out at the bright lights of Donghai City. So far, he¡¯d experienced eight different dreams, seen eight different futures. In most of those futures, it was clear that certain geniuses had influenced the world, but it seemed like none of them¡ªGalileo, Gauss, Newton¡ªever made it all the way to 2624. They all got eliminated somewhere along the line. ¡°Let¡¯s summarize.¡± Lin Xian sat down at his desk, switched on the lamp, and began organizing the information he had on each Genius Club member. No. 1: Einstein The head of the Genius Club¡ªhis true identity is unknown. He¡¯s like an absolute neutral party and observer. He wears an Einstein mask, and though he seems older than Copernicus and Newton, he¡¯s far more spirited and incredibly mysterious. He tolerates all the members¡¯ actions¡ªmoral or immoral, right or wrong, loyal or traitorous. He doesn¡¯t care. His perspective is almost absurdly high-level¡ªso much so that it feels unreal. He has the power to see the future, almost omniscient and omnipotent. So far, Lin Xian hasn¡¯t seen any flaws in him. Einstein¡¯s authority and strength make him unique within the club. Einstein¡¯s true goal remains unclear. According to him, in the future he sees, humanity has no future¡ªwhich is why he created the Genius Club. He gathered geniuses and shared his ability to see the future, hoping to bring about a brighter future for humanity. That¡¯s all Lin Xian knows about Einstein. He has no hostility towards anyone, not even himself. Given his abilities, if he wanted someone dead, it would be all too easy. No. 2: Copernicus Copernicus is the second member of the Genius Club, joining right after Einstein. His true identity is also unknown. Though Lin Xian had seen his face in the fourth dream, no one could be sure it was real. VV had compared it to all available photos on Earth but found no matches. So, the face of the mysterious old man in the dream must be fake. Either it wasn¡¯t his real face, or he had plastic surgery. Considering Copernicus¡¯ age and failing health in 2024, it¡¯s likely that in the future, when technology advanced, he had medical treatments, surgery, or skin replacements. Lin Xian knew quite a bit about Copernicus. According to Newton, Copernicus started hunting scientists long ago, even back in the previous century. He had a strange sense of ritual¡ªevery scientist he killed had to die at precisely 00:42 local time, as a form of tribute, an ultimate respect for them. Later, as he grew older and tired of killing, he found Ji Xin Shui and formed the Seven Deadly Sins to do his dirty work for him. Copernicus had even once told Angelica that the scariest people weren¡¯t physicists, astronomers, or chemists, but¡ªmathematicians. Because mathematics is the only field where the fundamentals of everything, even the truth of the universe, can be deduced using nothing but a pencil and paper. Lin Xian had no doubts about that. Big Cat¡¯s father, Chen Heping, was the emperor of calculations. In a shabby room, with just a pencil and paper, he calculated the Universal Constant 42. In a filthy slum, with nothing but paper and pencil, he completed the theory of time travel and helped Gao Wen build the full-fledged time machine. Lin Xian still didn¡¯t understand why Copernicus was so obsessed with killing mathematicians. But his gut told him... It had to be, must be, without a doubt related to the Universal Constant 42! Lin Xian could almost confirm that Ji Lin¡¯s parents were most likely killed by Copernicus. He just wouldn¡¯t admit it and even tried to frame Elon Musk. But by now, no one believed Copernicus¡¯ lies. Neither Lin Xian nor Angelica. In the fourth dream, cunning Copernicus deliberately mimicked Kevin Walker¡¯s catchphrase to divert Lin Xian¡¯s attention to Kevin Walker. Later, after Lin Xian exposed him, he claimed to be Elon Musk, still trying to deceive him. Only a fool would trust that old man again. Lin Xian hadn¡¯t contacted Elon Musk or Angelica in the past few days, but he was sure they must have joined forces by now¡ªunited in their hatred against Copernicus. Even up until the meeting yesterday, it seemed this genius hadn¡¯t figured out what equality really meant or how to achieve it. When asked by Einstein, Gauss responded with a confusing question about brain and body enhancement, which left everyone puzzled. Yet... Lin Xian had seen enough deception to understand one thing¡ªthere wasn¡¯t a single mediocre person in the Genius Club. If he couldn¡¯t understand Gauss¡¯s question now, it was only because he hadn¡¯t seen through Gauss yet, nor grasped his plan. ¡°No question is meaningless,¡± Lin Xian thought, ¡°Even the choice not to ask a question carries its own meaning.¡± The Genius Club gatherings looked harmonious on the surface, but beneath it all... it was a giant, elaborate game of deception¡ªtruths and lies intertwined, and everyone was playing a role. If you ever think the whole group is just clueless, naive lab rats, that only means... You¡¯re the real lab rat. [No. 7 Tesla] This one was an old friend, no secrets here. His real identity was clear: Elon Musk, the world¡¯s richest man. His purpose was equally transparent¡ªto use Mars colonization as a stepping stone, leading humanity off Earth and into the vast expanse of the universe. But he had failed, and his future plans were doomed as well. Right now, Elon Musk was playing an elaborate game of disguises¡ªswitching places, pretending to be someone else. He had the real ¡°Fake Elon Musk¡± act as the fake ¡°Real Elon Musk¡± and get ¡°killed,¡± while the real Elon Musk disguised himself as the fake ¡°Fake Elon Musk.¡± But after all the twists and turns... Elon Musk was still Elon Musk. Only in Copernicus¡¯s eyes, everything had already turned upside down. Lin Xian didn¡¯t know when he would finally find Copernicus, when he would get his revenge, and finally close this net. But he was sure, when that moment came... Elon Musk and Angelica would definitely be there. [No. 8 Turing] Turing was the most unique member of the Genius Club, mainly because he was two people. He was the only one whose seat had been inherited by another. The first to join the club was Kevin Walker, Turing¡¯s human counterpart. His skills were undeniably the best on Earth¡ªa hacking genius. He built everything¡ªthe Genius Club¡¯s network system, the question-answer platform, the new member welcome module, even the virtual meeting environment. He did it all. Technically, Kevin knew every member¡¯s information, which made everyone uncomfortable. But Einstein had set strict boundaries around Kevin¡¯s access to personal information, which reassured the others. It gave Lin Xian some confidence too¡ªeven if Digital Turing ever colluded with Copernicus, he certainly wouldn¡¯t dare share the members¡¯ secrets. Einstein had a firm grasp on Turing, a ruler that kept him in line. However, Kevin Walker was gone now. Turing was dead too. The Genius Club had, for the first time, lost a member. With their absence, control of the network system and the virtual meeting environment had reverted back to Einstein. [No. 9 Rhine] Indeed, the last genius, the one whose mask and codename clashed with everyone else¡¯s style, was none other than Lin Xian himself. To be honest, not receiving the invitation in the official manner left him clueless about the true meaning behind the masks, which is why he ended up making such a fool of himself. But he couldn¡¯t very well admit he¡¯d cheated to get his invitation¡ªthat would instantly expose how different he was. So, he acted nonchalant, swallowing his embarrassment, trying to look like he wore the ¡®cat mask¡¯ out of sheer personal preference. Maybe even Einstein thought the ¡®Rhine Cat¡¯ codename was out of place, lowering the group¡¯s dignity. So he had spared Lin Xian the embarrassment by dropping the ¡®Cat¡¯ and renaming him ¡®Rhine.¡¯ As the newest member of the club, Lin Xian still found himself at a loss¡ªunsure of his future plans or how to proceed. During his first meeting, he¡¯d made a mess of things and even learned about his own potential death from Einstein¡¯s lips. Next time, when the club met on August 1st, he figured everyone would be there, curious to see if he had managed to survive. After all, once the meeting was over, he had only 15 minutes to change his fate. Most members probably thought he was as good as dead. No matter. The next gathering was his chance to build a mysterious image¡ªto baffle these geniuses. Ideally, he¡¯d create a false identity convincing enough to deceive them all, masking his true intentions with a mystery. Click. The pen cap snapped shut. Lin Xian had finished summarizing everything he knew about the Genius Club members. Now, all that remained was to wait for the next meeting and ask his questions, to see what Einstein¡¯s answers would reveal! ¡°Once a month meetings... such a long wait,¡± Lin Xian sighed, glancing at the calendar, the red circle around July 7th standing out. The future had already changed. On July 7th, he¡¯d kept his head... but Lin Yu Xi had left. To be honest, the sadness of separation always came with a delay. When Lin Yu Xi left, Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun hadn¡¯t fully processed it¡ªconfusion and disbelief overshadowed their grief. On the first day without her, Lin Xian moved with hatred in his heart, while Zhao Ying Jun busied herself to avoid the flood of emotions. But now... now it was the second day since Lin Yu Xi left. Lin Xian sat alone in the empty bedroom, missing his daughter. He could still picture her napping in the guest room next door, cuddled up with the Pomeranian, VV... But she wasn¡¯t here anymore. She was really, truly... gone forever. An overwhelming sadness filled the silent room, washing over Lin Xian like a tidal wave, taking his breath away. Only after experiencing loss firsthand did he understand what it truly meant. Emotion is strange that way¡ªslow to hit, but when it does, it hits hard. Lin Xian took several deep breaths, picking up his phone, staring at Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s avatar in his contacts. How was she today? Had she been swept up by her emotions like he was? Was she managing to sleep? Morning came, and the sun rose. Just as Lin Xian was about to reach out to Zhao Ying Jun, his phone rang. It was Brother Wang. ¡°Lin Xian...¡± Brother Wang¡¯s voice was full of worry. ¡°President Zhao Ying Jun... she still didn¡¯t go home last night. Her office light stayed on until dawn, and she slept in the office lounge again. Now she¡¯s started working for another day.¡± He sighed. ¡°It¡¯s been two days, and she hasn¡¯t been home...¡± Lin Xian exhaled sharply, quietly replying, ¡°I understand.¡± He ended the call. Got out of bed, washed up, dressed, and opened the door. Until now, there had always been something standing between him and Zhao Ying Jun¡ªsome invisible barrier they couldn¡¯t break through. Not only that, but he¡¯d always kept a distance, worried for her safety, never telling her the full truth. But now... it was time. That night, when Lin Yu Xi became blue snowflakes, he had made Zhao Ying Jun a solemn promise¡ªhe would take responsibility for Yu Xi. And... he would take responsibility for Zhao Ying Jun too. With a firm click, Lin Xian closed the door behind him. The sunlight streamed in through the hallway windows, dazzling his eyes. For a moment, he could see Yellow Finch¡¯s sapphire earrings, the Little Mermaid¡¯s bubbles rising into the sky, Lin Yu Xi¡¯s ponytail bouncing as she ran, and the white jade statue of Rhine Sky City gazing into the distance. He held out his right hand, shielding his eyes from the morning sun. Between his four fingers, he saw four different smiling faces. ¡°This time...¡± Lin Xian murmured softly, ¡°We won¡¯t be separated again. Our family will stay together.¡± Chapter 440: Going Home The Rhine Company Tower. Lin Xian pushed open the door to the office. Brother Wang was already waiting inside. ¡°Lin Xian, you¡¯re here,¡± Brother Wang said, rising from the couch. He sighed, pointing towards the floor-to-ceiling window at the MX building across the street. ¡°It¡¯s the same as yesterday¡ªthere¡¯s a crowd gathered outside President Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s office.¡± Lin Xian walked to the window, gazing out at the twin towers in the distance. The two buildings were made of one-way glass, so you could see clearly from the inside, but from the outside, it was nothing but a mirrored wall reflecting the blue sky. He narrowed his eyes, focusing on the twenty-second floor of the opposite tower. It was practically at the same height as his own office, and only about three hundred meters away. Under the bright midday sun, the windows across from him were nothing but gleaming blue glass, concealing everything behind them. Lin Xian could imagine what was on the other side of that glass¡ªZhao Ying Jun, sitting tirelessly at her desk, reviewing documents, with department heads standing by, waiting for her instructions. Although MX Company was always busy, it was never to this extent¡ªno breaks, no rest for two days straight. Just as Brother Wang had said, Zhao Ying Jun was trying to keep herself occupied. When you¡¯re busy, there¡¯s no time to think. On the surface, it might seem like she was calm, but in truth, she was only filling her life with trivial tasks, pushing away the thoughts she didn¡¯t want to face. She hadn¡¯t gone home in two days. Instead, she stayed in the office with the lights on through the night. Lin Xian sighed softly. During the day, she had her whole company keeping her busy. But at night, when silence settled in, who was there to accompany her? Perhaps... only the robot vacuum VV. Suddenly, Lin Xian remembered the image from his third dream¡ªthe museum¡¯s Zhao Ying Jun exhibit, the projection in the hallway. An older Zhao Ying Jun sat in her living room, rolling up a tissue and tossing it onto the floor. The trash robot VV would cry out, ¡°Trash! Trash! Trash spotted!¡±, rushing over to pick it up with its claw, popping open its lid to toss the tissue inside, and every time it made her smile. Now, over these heavy, sleepless nights, was she still playing that six-hundred-year-old game of tossing tissues with VV? Brother Wang approached from behind, standing beside Lin Xian as they both stared across at the other tower. ¡°What happened between the two of you?¡± Brother Wang asked. Lin Xian pressed his lips together, remaining silent. Brother Wang patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Every family has its struggles, and everyone has secrets they can¡¯t share. I¡¯m not nosy. If you don¡¯t want to tell me the details, that¡¯s fine,¡± he said. ¡°But... there¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know. President Zhao Ying Jun told me not to say anything, but I think it¡¯s time you knew.¡± Brother Wang looked Lin Xian straight in the eye. ¡°Lin Xian, you don¡¯t know this, but President Zhao Ying Jun has always kept an eye on you, cared for you. It¡¯s not just after you left MX Company to found Rhine. No, even before then¡ªever since she considered making you her secretary, she¡¯s been different.¡± He paused, then added, ¡°There¡¯s no point in listing out every little thing. But just know this¡ªPresident Zhao Ying Jun knows more than you think. She¡¯s far smarter than you give her credit for. With her watching you this closely, how could you keep anything from her? And, well... to be honest, both Xiao Li and I have basically been her ¡®spies¡¯ around you.¡± Lin Xian gave a small smile. ¡°I¡¯d have to be an idiot not to notice that.¡± Brother Wang threw up his hands. ¡°Exactly! We never really tried to hide it. She¡¯d often ask us about your activities and your schedule. It was never meant to be a secret, just something unspoken between us. And we did it out of care. It¡¯s not like President Zhao Ying Jun would ever hurt you. Apart from your family, she might be the one person in this world who¡¯d never betray you.¡± He hesitated, then went on, ¡°Honestly, calling Xiao Li and me her ¡®spies¡¯ isn¡¯t quite right. We¡¯re more like double agents. We¡¯ve passed along things from her to you, too. But that¡¯s beside the point. What I¡¯m trying to say is that President Zhao Ying Jun genuinely cares about you, even when she knows you¡¯re hiding things from her. She still chooses to stand by you, even considering things from your perspective, trying to understand your reasons.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been with President Zhao Ying Jun since the very beginning. No matter what crisis or blow she¡¯s faced, she¡¯s never been like this before. In my opinion, the way she is now, it¡¯s like...¡± He paused, then said slowly, ¡°It¡¯s like her world¡¯s collapsed.¡± Lin Xian turned his gaze away from the window. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Wang. Her world hasn¡¯t collapsed yet,¡± he said firmly. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here today. I won¡¯t let her world collapse. Even if it does, I¡¯ll be there to put it back together.¡± Brother Wang¡¯s eyes widened, and after a moment, he took a deep breath and gave Lin Xian a thumbs-up. ¡°Good! That¡¯s what I like to hear! I knew you were that kind of man!¡± ¡°You wanted to come over yesterday morning, but I convinced you to wait. I thought it¡¯d be better to cool down for a day. Sometimes it¡¯s better not to rush into things.¡± Brother Wang smiled. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve had a day to think, it¡¯s the right time. What do you need from me? I can head over to MX Company now, see what¡¯s on President Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s schedule, and get you an exact time.¡± By evening, the night had settled in. Most office workers were already home, enjoying hot dinners. But on the twenty-second floor of the MX Company building, the lights were still on in the president¡¯s office. ¡°These, these, and here...¡± Zhao Ying Jun murmured, her left hand propping up her tired face while her right hand circled three spots on the report from the marketing department. ¡°These are the areas I mentioned earlier. Make sure to revise them when you get back. Times are changing, and it¡¯s been two years since the Rhine brand launched. We can¡¯t just rest on our laurels. We have to keep up.¡± ¡°Especially the marketing department,¡± she continued, ¡°you need to stay on top of trends, social media, internet buzz¡ªthe world moves fast now. Things come and go in two or three months. We have to stay sharp.¡± The head of the marketing department took the revised report, nodding. ¡°Understood!¡± ¡°Good. You can go,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, pointing towards the door. ¡°Send in the next department head on your way out.¡± The marketing head hesitated, looking at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°President Zhao Ying Jun... there¡¯s no one else. I was the last one.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she said softly, setting down her pen. A faint smile appeared on her face, and for the first time today, she turned to look out the window at the darkness beyond. It was already so late. ¡°Alright, then. It¡¯s time to call it a day.¡± She looked at the marketing head. ¡°You can go. I¡¯ll finish up a few things here.¡± ¡°Take care, President Zhao Ying Jun,¡± the marketing head said before leaving. The heavy double-layered security door closed with a soft thud. The large office was empty, quiet for the first time that day. Zhao Ying Jun stared at the vast space around her, her mind still filled with the hustle and bustle of the day¡ªthe people, the voices. Now it was all silent. ¡°Are you feeling any better?¡± Lin Xian asked quietly. Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. She didn¡¯t want to lie to him or pretend to be strong. ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± she admitted. ¡°Did Brother Wang tell you?¡± she asked, looking down. ¡°That I haven¡¯t been going home these past few days.¡± Lin Xian nodded slightly. ¡°I knew it would be him,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said with a small laugh. ¡°He¡¯s such a fence-sitter... though I suppose that¡¯s not fair. You are his real boss, after all.¡± She leaned back against the railing, her expression softening. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to trouble you. I didn¡¯t want you to waste your precious time on me. I know you have important things to do, and I didn¡¯t want you distracted by my problems.¡± ¡°Over these past two days, I¡¯ve thought about it a lot. I understand what you said¡ªthat Lin Yu Xi isn¡¯t truly ours, that she¡¯s not our future, and aside from sharing our blood, she doesn¡¯t really belong to us.¡± ¡°I can understand it all, but...¡± she bit her lip, her face filled with sadness. ¡°I just can¡¯t let go of Yu Xi.¡± ¡°I thought I was independent and strong enough, that I could face anything on my own, without relying on anyone. I thought I could accept anyone¡¯s departure, and for years, I did fine. I endured every sadness, moved past every loss.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always feared causing trouble for others, always worried that my emotions might affect them,¡± she continued, her eyes meeting Lin Xian¡¯s, reflecting the shimmering lights of the river. ¡°Most of all, I never wanted to be a burden to you.¡± ¡°No.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve never been a burden to me. If anything, I am where I am today because of you.¡± ¡°I mean it,¡± he said sincerely. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you¡ªsome things you know, some things you don¡¯t, some things were done by you, and some weren¡¯t, but in the end, they were all because of you.¡± ¡°Yu Xi¡¯s loss is my loss too,¡± he said. ¡°She is our daughter, and we should face this pain together. If you keep staying in the office, avoiding home... If you make yourself sick, then it will all be for nothing.¡± Zhao Ying Jun remained silent for a long while, listening to Lin Xian¡¯s words. Eventually, she spoke, her voice trembling. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to go home. It¡¯s just... how could I?¡± ¡°Everywhere at home, there¡¯s a piece of Yu Xi. Everywhere I sit, everywhere I look, I see her,¡± she whispered. ¡°Yu Xi kicking her blanket off on the bed, Yu Xi watching TV on the couch, Yu Xi brushing her teeth at the sink, Yu Xi twirling in the dressing room, showing off her dress.¡± ¡°She talked to me about so much, about how much she missed her mom every day, about how her greatest wish was to go to Disneyland with her parents. She looked at that picture a dozen times a day. I bought her so many clothes, but she only ever loved that one outfit.¡± Zhao Ying Jun closed her eyes as if she could vividly see those warm, happy moments before her. ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t be like this,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I know I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s grieving Yu Xi.¡± ¡°But at home, her clothes, her toys, her pillow, her hairpins, her snacks, her towels... Everything is hers,¡± she said, her voice breaking. ¡°When I¡¯m home, all I can think about is her. Lin Xian...¡± She opened her eyes, looking at him. Lin Xian gazed back at her, this woman who had always seemed so strong and indomitable. He had never imagined that she could ever be so fragile. ¡°I want to go home,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°But I can¡¯t stop thinking about her. I can¡¯t just throw all her things away, can I?¡± She was always like this. Lin Xian watched her, this woman who was always like this, each version of her. Whether she was Yellow Finch across time and space, the white jade statue of Rhine Sky Castle, the brave mother driving a Ferrari into danger, or Zhao Ying Jun, swallowing her pain to avoid troubling anyone¡ªshe was always like this. Gently, Lin Xian reached out, taking her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± he said softly. ¡°We don¡¯t need to throw Yu Xi¡¯s things away,¡± he continued. ¡°Her toys, we¡¯ll keep them for when she grows up and wants to play with them again. Her clothes, we¡¯ll save them for her to wear when she gets bigger.¡± ¡°Her hairpins, they¡¯ll find their way back to her someday,¡± he said. ¡°The couch will have Yu Xi watching TV again, and in front of the mirror, she¡¯ll be twirling in her new dress. We¡¯ll keep a stool ready by the sink for her, waiting for her to grow taller, to grow up.¡± ¡°Trust me, Ying Jun,¡± Lin Xian said, his voice full of conviction. ¡°Everything that belongs to Yu Xi will be hers again.¡± Zhao Ying Jun held her breath, her eyes wide as she looked at him. ¡°You mean...¡± she began. ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian said, his eyes resolute. He tightened his grip on her hand, pulling her closer. ¡°Let¡¯s bring Yu Xi home.¡± Chapter 441: I Am Willing The bedroom had been dark for quite a while. In the living room, VV the Pomeranian let out a long yawn. Something just didn¡¯t feel right. For the past couple of days, its owner hadn¡¯t come home. It had been the building¡¯s property manager coming in to feed it at regular times. Sure, the food always came on time, and there was always plenty of it. The manager even took VV out for walks¡ªand honestly, those walks were longer than usual! But still... VV missed its owner. All the new comforts couldn¡¯t make up for the absence, and it felt the emptiness deep inside. The house had been too quiet, too empty, and VV longed for the lively, noisy days. Every night, VV wandered into the empty bedroom, curling up in its small bed beside the large, vacant double bed. Another silent night. But tonight¡ªfinally! The owner had come home! VV was ecstatic. No more lonely nights! And as a bonus, Lin Xian was here too! VV¡¯s little fluffy tail wagged furiously. This was going to be an amazing night¡ªit could feel it. VV imagined snuggling between the two of them, or at least beside them, cozy and warm. However... What VV hadn¡¯t expected at all was what happened next. Once inside, the two humans went straight to the bedroom. Lin Xian picked up VV¡¯s little bed, carrying it out to the living room. ¡°You¡¯ll sleep here tonight,¡± Lin Xian said, giving VV a gentle pat on the head before heading back into the bedroom. VV blinked, utterly baffled. What was happening? Why was it being isolated like this? Even when that little girl had come over to sleep, VV hadn¡¯t been kicked out of the bedroom! A bedroom with two people and a dog¡ªwas it really so cramped? It wasn¡¯t like Lin Xian was going to sleep on the floor. And there wasn¡¯t any reason to fight over space. So why had VV¡¯s bed been removed? VV waited for a long time, expecting that once the lights were back on in the bedroom, the sneaky humans would be done with whatever they were doing and bring it back inside. But the lights never came back on. Eventually, VV grew tired. Enough was enough. VV yawned again. It liked Lin Xian¡ªthey even had a special bond, ¡°VV¡¯s Promise,¡± together. Considering Lin Xian rarely visited, VV decided it could tolerate this arrangement for one night. After all, Lin Xian would leave tomorrow, and everything would go back to normal. There was no way Lin Xian was going to visit every day¡ªthat was impossible. VV¡¯s eyelids drooped, and soon enough, it curled up in its soft little bed, drifting off to sleep. In the bedroom, Zhao Ying Jun pulled the blanket tighter around herself, her gaze fixed on the moonlight filtering through the gap in the curtains. She let out a soft huff. ¡°Everything¡¯s out of order now,¡± she muttered. ¡°Yeah, it really is,¡± Lin Xian agreed, scratching his head. ¡°Seems like everything¡¯s completely flipped upside down.¡± ¡°Speaking of things being flipped, have you ever seen that movie? ¡®The Curious Case of Benjamin Button¡¯?¡± Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t help but let out a small laugh, her annoyance melting away. ¡°Are you seriously trying to talk about movies right now?¡± She sat up, hugging a pillow, leaning back against the headboard. She looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Honestly, I underestimated you. I always thought you¡¯d never dare to do something like this.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lin Xian chuckled softly. ¡°So that¡¯s how you¡¯ve seen me all along? I didn¡¯t think I came across as that much of a coward.¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not about being scared. It¡¯s just... I could always tell you were avoiding me, hiding things from me, deliberately keeping your distance.¡± She paused, biting her lower lip before continuing, ¡°I¡¯m not saying this to blame you. We¡¯re already here, and I¡¯m just stating the truth. I¡¯ve always known you¡¯ve kept things from me. Like...¡± Another pause. She took a breath and finally said it: ¡°Copenhagen.¡± Zhao Ying Jun closed her eyes, finally voicing the thorn in her heart. Yellow Finch in the rear. It meant she was always behind him¡ªwatching his back in every timeline, always there when he turned around, whenever he needed her. Even the Zhao Ying Jun beside him now, who hadn¡¯t yet become Yellow Finch, was the same. If he didn¡¯t tell her the truth, she waited quietly, pretending not to know, not asking questions. If he told her, she listened intently, always firmly on his side. And now, Zhao Ying Jun was leaning against him, listening closely, thinking over every word. She hadn¡¯t interrupted, not even once, as if every fantastic tale was true¡ªas if she believed without a shadow of a doubt. ¡°So...¡± When Lin Xian had finished, Zhao Ying Jun spoke, her voice soft. ¡°So, Yellow Finch is a version of me from some other timeline. She came here after you lost, after you died, to guide you onto the right path. And now, you¡¯re telling me all of this because...¡± She looked up at him, worry in her eyes. ¡°Are you prepared to sacrifice yourself, to die, so that I can become the next Yellow Finch?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Not at all. I have no intention of giving up. I don¡¯t know how many versions of us there have been¡ªhow many Yellow Finchs, how many Lin Xians, how many Zhao Ying Juns¡ªbut I believe every failure becomes experience, makes the next attempt more likely to succeed. ¡°I¡¯ve stumbled so many times, taken wrong turns, made mistakes. But I¡¯ve never thought about giving up. I will keep going.¡± ¡°I believe in you.¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s gaze was steady. ¡°I¡¯ve always said you were destined for greatness. And I was right.¡± She sighed, resting her head on his shoulder, staring at her hands folded on her stomach. ¡°According to what you¡¯ve said, Yellow Finch is Yu Xi¡¯s mother in some timeline... but she had to leave, which is why Yu Xi was orphaned, used by enemies, trained as an agent.¡± ¡°So... when did they come from? It feels recent, but also distant.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I still don¡¯t fully understand the timeline. With the hibernation pods, it¡¯s hard to judge time normally. But one thing is certain: both Yellow Finch and Yu Xi must have used the pods. From what I know, the earliest time machine was invented in 2234. ¡°Gao Wen and Chen Heping, two of humanity¡¯s greatest minds, said there could be no time machines before 2234. So, to use one, they must have hibernated until at least that year. My guess is that Yellow Finch arrived a bit earlier, and Yu Xi later, maybe hundreds of years afterward.¡± Zhao Ying Jun blinked, curious. ¡°Why 2234, exactly? Why such a round number?¡± Lin Xian explained the comet, Astatine-339, the astronomical breakthrough of 2077¡ªhow the time machine wasn¡¯t held back by technology, but by the need for Astatine-339, an extraterrestrial isotope. By the end of it, Zhao Ying Jun understood everything, completely in sync with what Lin Xian knew. ¡°I get it now,¡± she said thoughtfully. ¡°And I understand something else too. Remember when we were having dinner, and you asked if I¡¯d ever use a hibernation pod? It seemed so random at the time. But now I see... you¡¯d seen future versions of me, all using the pods, so you were curious about what I¡¯d say.¡± Lin Xian smiled, admitting it. ¡°That¡¯s right. But back then, you were so sure. You said you¡¯d never do it, that you couldn¡¯t leave this time behind, couldn¡¯t leave your friends.¡± Zhao Ying Jun kicked him lightly, rolling her eyes. ¡°You idiot. Completely hopeless.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m Yellow Finch, and she¡¯s me, then of course I¡¯d do it. Because I¡¯d do those things, there¡¯s a Yellow Finch in the future.¡± ¡°Besides, you didn¡¯t give me enough information back then. If you¡¯d said you¡¯d be there too, that it was for you...¡± Under the blanket, Zhao Ying Jun placed her left hand over Lin Xian¡¯s, fingers threading through his, holding tight. ¡°Then my answer would be...¡± She looked at him, her eyes reflecting the soft moonlight. ¡°I¡¯m willing.¡± Chapter 442: Just This? The next day. The little Pomeranian, VV, watched Lin Xian leave the house. His tiny ears drooped slightly as he waved a paw in farewell. ¡°Goodbye!¡± he yapped softly. Once Lin Xian was out of sight, VV hurriedly carried his small dog bed back to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s bedroom, placing it in its usual spot beside her bed. Evening. VV¡¯s eyes went wide. Lin Xian had returned! And he had a backpack with him again! The small dog stared, his eyes almost popping out. ¡°Hey, buddy, don¡¯t you have your own home?¡± Sure enough, Lin Xian carried VV¡¯s little bed out and put it in the corner of the living room, giving the Pomeranian¡¯s head a gentle pat. ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll be sleeping here, alright?¡± ¡°Woof!¡± VV protested loudly. Why?! He had been here first! How had it come to this? The next day... The day after that... VV sighed, finally giving in to the situation. He accepted the new reality, staying calm. Sure, he couldn¡¯t sleep in the bedroom anymore, but at least the house was lively and warm now. Besides, he really liked Lin Xian, and Lin Xian was always kind to him. Most importantly, Lin Xian seemed to have a lot of free time. He didn¡¯t go to work, and despite sleeping in far too often, he never forgot to feed VV during the day, which was timely and quite nice. However, every night, Lin Xian slept like a log¡ªcompletely dead to the world. No matter how much anyone called out, he wouldn¡¯t wake up, not even for VV to get his attention. Yes, VV had tried. Once, VV saw it with his own eyes. Zhao Ying Jun came home after work, changed her shoes and clothes, fed VV his kibble, and then went to the bedroom. She didn¡¯t even bother trying to wake Lin Xian. Instead, she sat by his side, smiling at his peaceful sleeping face. She even reached out and gave him a little poke to check if he was truly asleep. Truthfully, there was no need for all that. VV had confirmed it many times before. As long as the bedroom door wasn¡¯t locked, VV could jump up, bite the handle, and use his weight to push it open. There were a few times when VV had been so hungry, and Zhao Ying Jun was working late, that he¡¯d tried to wake Lin Xian to fulfill his duties. He¡¯d jumped onto the bed, stood on Lin Xian¡¯s chest, licked his face, even put a paw over his nose¡ªonce, he even flopped over Lin Xian¡¯s face, trying to smother him awake. Nothing worked. Lin Xian was like a lazy pig, utterly motionless. His face would turn bright red¡ªalmost purple¡ªfrom the lack of air, and still, he wouldn¡¯t wake up. VV had given up. There was no point in fighting it. He knew he could still get his food eventually. ¡°Woof!¡± VV barked from the doorway, as if to let Zhao Ying Jun know there was no need to be so careful. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t waking up anytime soon. Zhao Ying Jun jumped in surprise, turning to scold VV as if she¡¯d been caught doing something she shouldn¡¯t have. She walked over and, with a huff, shut the bedroom door. Click. The lock turned. VV tilted his head. ¡°V?¡± What was that for? Everyone in this house seemed to act so mysteriously, sneaking around as if there were secrets to be kept. VV sighed again, slinking back to his own lonely bed and lying down. To be honest, he missed that little girl who used to stay home and play with him every day. Where had she gone? Would she come back? VV missed her terribly. 12:42 a.m. On the right side of the double bed, Lin Xian¡¯s eyes fluttered open. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s voice came from the left side of the bed. She was sitting up, reading under the soft glow of the bedside lamp. She turned to look at him, her eyes soft. ¡°How did you sleep? Are you comfortable here at my place?¡± Lin Xian scratched his head, sitting up slowly. ¡°It was a good sleep, actually. But... I can¡¯t shake the feeling that there¡¯s something... strange about your room.¡± ¡°Strange?¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t start telling ghost stories! You already scare me enough with that deep sleep of yours. There¡¯s nothing strange about my room.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lin Xian looked puzzled. ¡°It just feels like... like sometimes I¡¯m experiencing sleep paralysis. My chest feels tight, and I can¡¯t breathe properly. I don¡¯t feel it in my dreams, but when I wake up, it¡¯s like I¡¯m suffocating. I must take deep breaths several times before I feel normal again.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But it¡¯s probably nothing¡ªjust my imagination. Maybe it¡¯s the heat during the day. It¡¯s August now, after all, and it¡¯s only getting hotter. Maybe I should turn the air conditioning up a bit during the day.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled and gestured towards the right-hand nightstand. ¡°I left a warm cup of milk there for you. I know you always wake up around this time, so I made sure to heat it up for you.¡± Lin Xian turned his head to the nightstand. Sure enough, there it was¡ªa steaming cup of milk. He smiled softly. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to wait up for me,¡± he said gently, sitting up and reaching for the cup. ¡°I wake up so late. It must be tough for you, staying up just to look after me.¡± ¡°You sleeping all day from noon until midnight isn¡¯t healthy either, you know,¡± Zhao Ying Jun retorted, setting her book aside on the bedspread. ¡°To be a hero, you need to at least stay healthy, right? Since your dreams seem to involve a lot of progress, why not take care of yourself while you¡¯re awake too? Hot milk will help your stomach.¡± Lin Xian nodded and took the cup in his hands. He drank deeply, the warmth of the milk filling his empty stomach. He sighed in comfort. This was the first time, in a long time, that he had woken up to a warm cup of milk. Usually, at home, he¡¯d just drink cold water straight from the bottle. ¡°How was it in the dream today?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked. ¡°The same as before. Memorizing blueprints.¡± Lin Xian put the empty cup back on the nightstand and got out of bed. ¡°We can talk more later. I need to get these blueprints down on paper before I forget.¡± He slipped on his slippers and made his way over to the desk, nudging the mouse to wake up the computer. The screen flickered to life, revealing the CAD software that was already open. On the screen was the partial blueprint he had drawn the previous day. Tonight, he would continue adding to it. Truth be told, memorizing blueprints was a lot harder than just memorizing theory. Engineering diagrams were not only varied, but also highly abstract and three-dimensional, which made them infinitely more difficult to commit to memory. Recently, Lin Xian had been avoiding anything that could disrupt the timeline¡ªavoiding any possibility of ruining things for Gao Wen, the time machine, or the blueprints they were trying to preserve. Specifically, in the 0.0000000 timeline, Copernicus stole the particle from Elon Musk. At the time, the particle must have been in a charged state. In April of 2024, when Elon Musk visited X Country with Angelica, Copernicus tried to steal the particle using Angelica. Though he failed, it proved that Copernicus was aware of the importance of the particle then. After that, Elon Musk destroyed it, rendering it useless. From then on, the small refrigerator holding it sat unguarded in Liu Feng¡¯s lab, but no one tried to steal it. They had all been fooled¡ªeven Liu Feng and Lin Xian thought the uncharged particle was worthless. So naturally, Copernicus and Elon Musk must have thought the same. In 2024, several Genius Club members knew about the time-space particles. But those who knew about the entangled one were few¡ªlikely only himself, Elon Musk, and Copernicus. And of those, who knew that the ¡°dead¡± particle had been recharged? Perhaps only himself. The logic was clear: if Elon Musk had known the particle could be recharged, he wouldn¡¯t have given it to Lin Xian. He¡¯d have either kept it or sent it into space to prevent anyone else from getting it. If Copernicus had known, he would have stolen that small fridge from the lab. Considering that there was a mole near Elon Musk, it was safe to assume that Copernicus knew everything. But even so, the entangled particle stayed untouched in Liu Feng¡¯s lab¡ªlike no one cared about it. Lin Xian needed to figure out when Copernicus would steal the particle. At the very least, Copernicus would have to realize its value and that it could be recharged first. ¡°Gao Wen,¡± Lin Xian asked, ¡°In your opinion, when will humanity realize that time-space particles can be recharged?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be tough for anyone to realize that,¡± Gao Wen replied, shaking his head. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t told me, I would never have guessed. There¡¯s no evidence that they can be recharged.¡± He looked curious. ¡°How did you figure it out, anyway? Was there a specific clue?¡± Lin Xian recalled something Liu Feng had said and repeated it. ¡°A scientist I know measured the energy of two exhausted particles. He found a slight difference between them, so he theorized that, like voltage or potential difference, the energy was reversible.¡± Gao Wen frowned, thinking it over. He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty irresponsible guess¡ªit doesn¡¯t prove anything. I¡¯d say your scientist friend just got lucky.¡± Lin Xian laughed awkwardly. Liu Feng was exactly that kind of person¡ªsomeone who treated arithmetic sequences like profound truth and somehow stumbled on the right answer through a baffling process. In other words, the steps were all wrong, but the answer was right. Maybe that was Liu Feng¡¯s greatest talent. But in scientific research, a bit of luck was indispensable. Experience was useful with known phenomena, but with unknowns, luck mattered more than anything. ¡°Let me ask differently,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°If we ignore my friend¡¯s guess, realistically, when would humanity discover that the particles can be recharged?¡± ¡°Probably only after we invent the time machine and complete a successful time-travel experiment,¡± Gao Wen answered without hesitation. ¡°Even with decades of research, neither Big Cat Face¡¯s father Chen Heping nor I considered recharging particles. Even if we¡¯d had two uncharged particles, we might never have figured it out. But if we had data from an actual time-travel experiment, we could make that guess.¡± Lin Xian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. It seemed Copernicus might not realize the particles could be recharged until after a successful time machine test. Optimistically, it would be around the time Gao Wen mentioned¡ªwhen the time machine was invented in 2234. Still, he couldn¡¯t let his guard down. Copernicus might learn it early on from Genius Club discussions. Once he knew the particle was valuable, even in a ¡°dead¡± state, the little fridge in Liu Feng¡¯s lab would become a prime target. Lin Xian had to hide it. But where? Honestly, nowhere seemed safe enough. Time-space particles could be detected¡ªwith the right device, even hiding it in a deep-sea volcano wouldn¡¯t help. This was a headache. Hiding it in Time Bank¡¯s vault or a national secret storage wasn¡¯t foolproof either. Elon Musk had a mole, so what guarantee was there that Copernicus wouldn¡¯t bribe or turn the storage staff? ¡°No.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I have to handle this myself.¡± The best solution was still what he had thought before¡ªuse the particle for time travel, drain it completely, and be done with it. If only Astatine-339 could be more cooperative¡ªthey couldn¡¯t observe it until 2077, and it wouldn¡¯t reach Earth until 2234. He had to think of another way. ¡°Maybe Einstein can give me an answer I¡¯ll be happy with.¡± A few days later, August 1st, 00:20 a.m. Zhao Ying Jun looked into the study, where Lin Xian sat in a mahogany chair, leaning back and fiddling with a VR headset. ¡°You going to that meeting now?¡± she asked. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°We aren¡¯t allowed to make noise during the meeting, and all electronic devices have to be silent. I¡¯ll leave my phone with you. If there¡¯s a call or something urgent, just come in and squeeze my hand.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded, took his phone, and left the study, closing the door. Bang. The door closed. Lin Xian put on the VR headset and held the Genius Club¡¯s golden badge in his right hand, taking a deep breath. ¡°Time for the Genius Club¡¯s second meeting... I wonder what questions my fellow geniuses have in store for us this time.¡± Chapter 443: Copernicuss Question Nobody knew how many members would turn up for this Genius Club meeting. The club¡¯s rules were simple¡ªyou could skip meetings, even if you chose to be absent for years. But one thing was absolutely forbidden: lateness. Either you showed up on time or not at all. To Lin Xian, skipping was fine. Even just being there and listening to others¡¯ questions and answers could be valuable, even if he didn¡¯t ask anything himself. But in reality... Not everyone shared Lin Xian¡¯s perspective. Take someone like Copernicus, for example. His health had declined to the point where attending gatherings was no longer possible. The last time he spoke, he mentioned getting ready for hibernation in a winter sleep chamber. Still, Lin Xian had a feeling Copernicus would be here today. First, just to see if Lin Xian had survived. Second, because Copernicus¡¯s last question had been ignored by Einstein, wasting one of his precious opportunities to ask. This time, surely, he wouldn¡¯t let that slide. Lin Xian figured that after asking this question, Copernicus would finally enter hibernation¡ªand stay there¡ªuntil technology caught up to extend his life, using advances in medicine to keep him going. Others, like Newton or da Vinci, had been members of the club for decades. Most of their questions had already been asked and their future plans drawn up; now, they were just waiting for technology to catch up. Most likely, they¡¯d also go into long hibernation once the sleep chamber technology was perfected. ¡°No use worrying about anyone else,¡± Lin Xian thought, clutching the golden badge in his hand. Whether others had questions or not, or whether they even attended, Lin Xian was certain that he had questions of his own to ask. In the Genius Club, asking questions was an art. First, you couldn¡¯t let anyone guess what you were thinking or reveal your identity. Second, you had to keep your abilities and plans hidden. Lastly, you had to make sure that others couldn¡¯t swoop in and take advantage of the answers you received. Take, for example, the matter of Astatine-339. If Lin Xian simply asked, ¡°How can I obtain Astatine-339 in the present era?¡± it would reveal two things: He knew about a material that didn¡¯t yet exist on Earth. This material must be incredibly valuable, with some unique use. If Einstein provided an answer, every genius present would learn the method as well. What would happen next? One hundred percent of those geniuses would follow Einstein¡¯s instructions and preemptively secure the interdimensional element. Einstein wasn¡¯t whispering secrets to Lin Xian alone; his answers were public for everyone. If Lin Xian asked about Astatine-339 directly, it would not only expose his identity and abilities but also result in someone else getting their hands on it before him. He¡¯d lose both the material and the opportunity. That was the brilliance of the other geniuses. Their questions always sounded bizarre and confusing¡ªso much so that Einstein¡¯s answers often seemed equally cryptic. Yet, through this seemingly nonsensical exchange, the one asking always understood perfectly. Take Galileo, for instance. Or Gauss. Each of them was incredibly shrewd. If Lin Xian hadn¡¯t met Gawain in the Eighth Dream and learned about Astatine-339, he never would have guessed how deeply Galileo had concealed his true question. By comparison, Gauss¡¯s questions often seemed dumb, and even Einstein didn¡¯t provide satisfying answers. But... was that really the case? Perhaps Gauss¡¯s real goal was to receive a negative or incorrect answer. He might very well have been using the process of elimination. Each time Einstein gave a negative answer, Gauss¡¯s own hypothesis became closer to being correct. ¡°The Genius Club is full of crafty people,¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but think. The Oscars should be awarded here, honestly. Trickery, deceit, truth twisted into lies, and misdirection¡ªthese geniuses had mastered every art of strategy and the human mind. ¡°Their questions might sound like they¡¯re from a bunch of clueless fools, like school kids at a class meeting. But every question hides a deeper truth. Whoever doesn¡¯t understand that is the real fool.¡± ¡°I guess that makes me quite the fool,¡± Lin Xian admitted. At the last meeting, he¡¯d genuinely thought these people weren¡¯t living up to their reputation. Their questions seemed lacking in depth or vision. Now, he realized that he had been the one who was too naive, only seeing the surface without grasping the true essence. ¡°The correct way to ask about Astatine-339 would be to disguise it, and instead shift focus to the time-space machine.¡± Copernicus had already asked about the concept of the time-space machine at the last meeting, and there was a good chance he¡¯d bring it up again today. Lin Xian, as the last one to ask a question, could then use the time-space machine as a cover to inquire indirectly about acquiring Astatine-339. Something like: ¡°Considering all possibilities, what is the earliest date humanity could use a time-space machine to travel through time and space?¡± This phrasing was clever. Lin Xian already knew from Gawain that there were no technical barriers to building a time-space machine. It was simple to construct; the only obstacle was acquiring Astatine-339. So, Lin Xian¡¯s question might seem like it was about time travel, but it was really asking about Astatine-339¡ªthe hidden key. Whatever date Einstein provided, Lin Xian would know it was the earliest possible day for acquiring Astatine-339. The other geniuses, upon hearing the answer, would be bewildered. They wouldn¡¯t understand the significance of that date or why it was chosen. But Lin Xian would understand. With that information, he could investigate further or try other indirect methods to get closer to the truth. This was what a ¡°perfect question¡± was¡ªone that left others confused, while enlightening the questioner. ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± Lin Xian noted, glancing at the clock in the VR virtual lounge. He picked up the golden badge embossed with the Genius Club insignia and held it to the NFC sensor on his VR headset. Beep, beep. The virtual lounge around him dissolved, replaced by the sensation of entering a time tunnel, as Lin Xian was once again pulled into the grand, ancient castle. He found himself standing on the same soft cashmere carpet. Ahead, the familiar double doors of heavy oak remained shut. From inside, da Vinci¡¯s voice called out¡ªclear, confident, and unmistakable: ¡°Is Rhine not here yet? Surely, he didn¡¯t fail to escape the assassination, did he?¡± ¡°That¡¯s... that¡¯s such a shame...¡± The soft, hesitant voice could only belong to Gauss: If he remembered every mathematician he¡¯d killed, then specifically mentioning the orphan here must mean it was true, that it really happened¡ª [Ji Lin]. That orphan Copernicus mentioned was most likely Ji Lin. And Ji Lin¡¯s parents¡ªboth mathematicians¡ªwere killed in a shooting at 12:42 AM. Now, there was no doubt it had been done by Copernicus. He hadn¡¯t expected to have something to report back to Angelica so soon. What was even more satisfying was that now Lin Xian, Angelica, and Elon Musk all shared a common target¡ªCopernicus. They were forming a triangle, ready to surround and eliminate him. All they needed was the right moment to close the net. Copernicus¡¯s days were numbered. Clap, clap, clap. From the high tiered seating, a man in an Einstein mask clapped his hands, signaling everyone to quiet down. ¡°Well then, since everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s start this month¡¯s meeting,¡± he said, standing up straight and looking around, his gaze pausing on two empty seats. ¡°Two geniuses may be absent, but that doesn¡¯t stop our meeting. The Genius Club meetings have continued, from the first member to the last, through any storm.¡± ¡°No matter the era, no matter the situation... I will be here waiting for you. Even if only one member shows up, the meeting will still go on.¡± He then turned, the Einstein mask facing Copernicus. ¡°No. 2 Copernicus, you always get the first question. This time... what do you want to ask?¡± The room fell silent, every member¡¯s eyes on Copernicus. Everyone could guess what he wanted to ask. At the last meeting, he had returned after so many years, just to ask about the time machine. Since he didn¡¯t get an answer then, he was sure to ask again now. But what exactly would Copernicus¡¯s focus be? Would he take a different approach, trying to reveal the member with knowledge about time travel? Or would he reframe his question, trying again to get information about the time machine? Lin Xian was eager to know too. Copernicus was always bold and direct in his questioning. He never worried about exposing himself or letting others know the answers. It was his absolute confidence, his ace up his sleeve. Copernicus seemed ready. Without hesitation, he spoke up. ¡°Einstein, my question this time is¡ª¡± ¡°¡®If all possibilities were exhausted, what is the earliest possible date we could successfully build a time machine?¡¯¡± At those words, everyone perked up, listening intently. It was a bold question. He was pointing to a major turning point for humanity¡ªcivilization, history, and the future! If the emergence of hibernation pods marked the first turning point of human civilization¡ª Then there was no doubt. The appearance of the time machine would be the second, and just as crucial, a turning point! Lin Xian narrowed his eyes, intrigued. What a coincidence... This time... It truly was a coincidence. Copernicus¡¯s question was almost identical to the one Lin Xian had prepared¡ªalmost word for word. It seemed that Copernicus¡¯s focus and energy were completely centered on the time machine now. And what about the others? The other geniuses? Were they all secretly racing to be the first to succeed as well? Copernicus¡¯s question laid everything bare, pulling all the hidden currents to the surface, drawing everyone into the vortex¡ªwillingly or not¡ªto face the day when time travel would become a reality. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t wait to hear Einstein¡¯s answer. He hoped the date was soon... Because, thanks to Emperor Gao Wen¡¯s help, he was probably the closest to building a time machine among all the members here. The blueprints were halfway done. Everything but Astatine-339 could be reproduced in 2024. The answer from Einstein would be the earliest possible date humanity could get its hands on Astatine-339! A free answer to the question... Lin Xian watched Einstein, sitting high above, hoping sincerely for a close date¡ªthe sooner, the better. Since Copernicus had used the phrase ¡®if all possibilities were exhausted¡¯ in his question, it showed he too was betting on this future. But he probably didn¡¯t know about Astatine-339, which meant Lin Xian still had a chance to get there first. Finally... Amidst everyone¡¯s anticipation... After a few seconds of silence, Einstein slowly raised his head and spoke softly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that even exhausting all possibilities, the answer won¡¯t change.¡± ¡°Remember this date, geniuses. The earliest humanity will be able to build a time machine is¡ª¡± ¡°December 11th, 2234!¡± Chapter 444: Im About to Start Lying Year 2234... It was still that year. Lin Xian squinted, letting out a sigh he couldn¡¯t hold back. He had held onto some hope¡ªmaybe, just maybe, he could get his hands on Astatine-339 earlier. He thought there might be a way to use the time-space machine ahead of schedule to burn through the time-space particles sooner. But now... Einstein¡¯s words had shattered all his dreams in an instant. ¡°Even if you exhaust all possibilities, the answer to this problem will never change.¡± Such an absolute statement. As president of the Genius Club, the old man in the Einstein mask spoke with the authority of someone who knew it all. Someone who could see the future had said it. So... did it mean there really was no other way? It was true, like Gao Wen said in the eighth dream. Humanity¡¯s greatest power was, at best, nothing more than scratching an itch on the surface of the Earth. We couldn¡¯t even leave the solar system, let alone alter the trajectory of some comet out there in deep space and when it would arrive. The date for that comet to reach Earth was already set in stone. Even if astronomy developed at lightning speed, even if we could see farther than we ever imagined, maybe we¡¯d spot the comet decades in advance¡ªbut no matter what, it wouldn¡¯t change the fact that it would only reach Earth on December 11, 2234. Before the vastness of the universe, humanity¡¯s power was still far too small. Not to mention bringing the comet forward by decades¡ªeven one second was impossible. ¡°Heh...¡± Upon hearing this answer, Copernicus wasn¡¯t particularly surprised. He still smiled with a calmness that seemed unshakable. As if... all he needed was a definite date. ¡°Cough, cough...¡± He gave a weak cough, cleared his throat, and continued. ¡°That¡¯s quite a distant date, even further than I¡¯d imagined. So, today, at this gathering, among all of you geniuses... I¡¯ll say my farewells.¡± He straightened up in his seat. He spread his hands out. He looked from Galileo on his right, sweeping his gaze counterclockwise, until his eyes rested on Newton directly across from him, and he sighed. ¡°Friends, after this meeting, I¡¯m going to sleep in the hibernation chamber. It¡¯ll be a long sleep... A sleep that will last 211 years. I¡¯ll wake up in 2234 to witness humanity¡¯s first time-travel experiment.¡± ¡°Two hundred and eleven years... such a long, long time.¡± He turned his head, looking at Einstein, who sat high on the steps. ¡°My old friend, Einstein... since I joined the Genius Club in the seventies, you¡¯ve looked just like this. You¡¯ve never changed. You always seem so old, but never get older. At times, I¡¯ve wondered... Since we switched our meetings from offline to online in the Internet era... We haven¡¯t seen each other in decades. So, are you hiding something from us?¡± ¡°Are you still the same Einstein from the beginning? Or have you long since passed away, replaced by someone else? Or perhaps, like Turing, you¡¯ve become an immortal digital lifeform?¡± Copernicus¡¯s question piqued the curiosity of the other members too. Within the Genius Club, discussing the Club itself was taboo. No one knew Einstein¡¯s true identity, nor why he could see the future. And everyone was very curious¡ªjust how long could this frail, ancient man last? How much longer could he live? Especially Copernicus, Newton, Galileo, and Da Vinci¡ªthey had all met this Einstein in person during an offline meeting decades ago. Back then, he¡¯d already been an old man. Now, his virtual image was still an old man. So what was his real state? Everyone awaited Einstein¡¯s answer. But... The unmoving old man spoke without a hint of emotion. ¡°Copernicus, your question round is over, and you¡¯ve gotten my answer. According to the rules, from here on, you can chat casually, express opinions, or even question me.¡± ¡°But... beyond your first question, during this meeting, I will not answer any further questions, nor correct any of the errors in your statements.¡± ¡°If you truly have more questions for me, they must wait until the next meeting. However, as one of the club¡¯s oldest members, I shouldn¡¯t need to remind you: if the question or its answer concerns a member of the Genius Club or the Club itself, it will be refused, and your chance to ask will be forfeited.¡± Einstein made his position clear. He wouldn¡¯t answer anything unnecessary. Copernicus had expected this. He shook his head, smiling. ¡°You misunderstand, old friend. I¡¯m not asking you anything more. I just worry... When I wake up from two hundred years of hibernation, will I still see you? Will this gathering that has lasted decades continue?¡± ¡°Of course, this question touches on the Club itself, so you won¡¯t answer it. Just consider it nostalgia, a little reminiscing.¡± ¡°But I believe in you. You are so mysterious, so powerful; time is bound to have no hold on you.¡± With that, he looked over at Newton, then Da Vinci, and each member one by one. ¡°And what about all of you, my colleagues? Even if none of you like me, if I wake up two hundred years later and find that none of you are here, that the grand Golden Hall only has Einstein and me left, I would be deeply regretful.¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s say our goodbyes now, geniuses. If we meet again... then let it be 211 years from now, in the future!¡± ... Just as Lin Xian had guessed. After confirming the earliest possible time for using the time-space machine, Copernicus was set to enter hibernation. What now? Lin Xian felt a wave of melancholy. Copernicus¡¯s body couldn¡¯t hold on, and he was definitely going to hibernate for two centuries, to prolong his life and to use the time-space machine. But what about Lin Xian¡¯s plans for revenge? Once Copernicus entered the underground hibernation base, especially one that he had built himself... would Lin Xian ever find him? If he really couldn¡¯t... then he¡¯d have to watch as this ¡°big villain¡± reawakened two hundred years later, while he¡¯d already be buried, turned to dust. Hibernation was not part of Lin Xian¡¯s life plan. At most, he¡¯d live another seventy or eighty years. By the time Copernicus woke up, Lin Xian would no longer be around. Would Yu Xi¡¯s grudge just be left unavenged like this? Xu Yun¡¯s grudge, Tang Xin¡¯s grudge, the promises made to Angelica, the beautiful words spoken to Zhao Ying Jun¡ªwere they all just going to be abandoned? These vows and promises were secondary. But if what Copernicus said was true... Two hundred years later, in 2234, when he reawakened, with no one to stop him, and Lin Xian long gone, and the time-space machine in his possession... wouldn¡¯t his plan for the future loop come to fruition again? What intrigued Lin Xian even more was... who would it be? The first time traveler in human history¡ªwho would it be? Where were they headed, and for what purpose? But at the moment, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on that. The questions posed earlier had blocked all paths to attempting time travel before its destined time. What should he do? Could it be that he really had to hand over the time machine and let Copernicus do as he pleased for centuries to come? Einstein then looked over to Gauss, the small man who had been waiting his turn. ¡°Gauss, it¡¯s your turn.¡± Gauss had clearly prepared his question, asking without hesitation, ¡°My question is: When will humanity reach the point of complete immunity, never falling ill, never catching any virus, and able to cure all diseases?¡± ¡°Never,¡± Einstein replied. ¡°The human body is inherently flawed, and human evolution and mutation are still ongoing. Nothing stays the same¡ªthis includes humanity itself. As long as changes occur, there will always be new challenges and new flaws¡ªthis is nature¡¯s law, and humanity cannot escape it.¡± ¡°Naturally, this also includes viruses. There is no virus that can never be conquered, but there will always be new ones emerging. Viruses, like humans, are constantly evolving and mutating.¡± ¡°The good news is that the virulence and spread of most viruses will weaken over time and through repeated infections. The bad news is that during their transmission, new strains will inevitably develop.¡± ... Lin Xian eyed Gauss. The small man had received yet another negative answer. It seemed to Lin Xian that Gauss¡¯ question wasn¡¯t worth asking Einstein. He could have gotten the same answer from a medical expert or a virologist. Lin Xian himself could¡¯ve answered Gauss¡¯ question. There were no fools in the Genius Club. So why did Gauss always ask questions that had negative answers? What was he hoping for? Finally, Einstein¡¯s gaze landed on Lin Xian, on his comical Rhine Cat mask. ¡°The last genius, Rhine, what is your question?¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes, his brain racing. He actually had no more questions. The things he wanted to ask had already been covered by Copernicus and Miss Da Vinci. Now, the biggest crisis he faced was... After this meeting, Copernicus was planning to enter a hibernation chamber. By the time he woke up again, the world would be a completely different place, and Lin Xian would most likely be long gone. He must not hibernate! Lin Xian solidified this core thought. If Copernicus went into hibernation, Lin Xian would be too passive¡ªessentially, he¡¯d lose the battle entirely. He had to stop him! But how? To keep Copernicus in 2024, Lin Xian had to offer something tempting enough. Think carefully. Think deeply. Lin Xian¡¯s brain stormed. Suddenly, he recalled something Einstein had said earlier¡ª ¡°I will not answer any further questions, nor correct any mistakes in your statements.¡± Errors! In other words, even if someone lied or made a wrong statement while asking a question, Einstein wouldn¡¯t correct them. It was a clear rule. Otherwise, asking a question and getting corrections before an answer would essentially be like getting an extra free question¡ªand no genius would allow such a loophole. Perfect! Lin Xian had a brilliant plan! Now, he had five advantages: Copernicus had already asked his question in this meeting. To confirm any facts, he¡¯d have to wait at least until September 1st, at the next meeting. This meant that Copernicus wouldn¡¯t be able to verify anything during the next month. Einstein would only answer questions without correcting statements. This allowed room to mislead with the phrasing of the question itself. Elon Musk and Angelica were likely successful in deceiving Copernicus, meaning Lin Xian could count on them for support. Lin Xian knew what Copernicus wanted most, and that very thing was in his possession. He had learned a few tricks from Gauss and Galileo¡¯s misleading questions. Now... it was his time to shine. Lin Xian opened his eyes. He looked up. It was time to lie! He would use Einstein to deceive Copernicus! ¡°Einstein,¡± Lin Xian said steadily. ¡°My observatory has detected that in a little over two weeks, an unusual time-space particle will pass through Earth¡¯s atmosphere. However, capturing it is incredibly difficult.¡± ¡°My question is¡ª¡± ¡°If the time-space particle loses energy and becomes invisible due to excessive contact during capture, is there any way to use a detector to... recapture its signal?¡± The elderly man in the Einstein mask nodded. ¡°The key lies in ¡®activity.¡¯ For time-space particles, activity and energy are two separate concepts that exist independently and do not interfere with each other.¡± ¡°A time-space particle that has lost energy will indeed become invisible and undetectable. However, if you can find a way to make it lose its activity once more, it will reappear, becoming visible and detectable again.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Lin Xian smiled slightly, nodding. ¡°Thank you for the answer. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Chapter 445: I Am Here Time-Space Particles. This was the bait Lin Xian threw out to Copernicus, his last desperate attempt. By now, hibernation pods had been developed by various countries and were soon going to hit the market. Humanity was about to enter the age of hibernation for real. With Copernicus¡¯s resources, building a secret underground hibernation base would be easy. Once he went into hibernation, Lin Xian would have no chance of finding him. No name, no identity, no nationality, no location. On this vast Earth, searching for someone without a single clue was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Of course, if Super AI VV were available, things would be much easier. The chances of finding Copernicus would increase dramatically. But... Who could afford to gamble on those odds? Lin Xian had originally planned to ask, at the next meeting, how to get rid of the future virus targeting AI that was lurking online. But he didn¡¯t have much hope. After all, not every question had an answer. Even the questions posed by Gauss had often received Einstein¡¯s reply of, ¡°There¡¯s no solution.¡± So, when it came to dealing with the virus, Einstein might very well answer, ¡°No way to solve it in our time,¡± or ¡°It¡¯ll take until the year XXXX for someone to solve this virus.¡± Answers like that¡ªuseless. Einstein might know a lot, and could even see into the future, but he wasn¡¯t Doraemon. He couldn¡¯t pull out miraculous gadgets to solve everyone¡¯s problems. Which meant... To kill Copernicus and prevent him from controlling the future, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t afford to wait for VV to revive. Not even a moment! If he waited until the meeting was over to make a move, Copernicus would be sleeping for the next two hundred years, and Lin Xian would be left helpless, watching Copernicus roam freely in a distant future¡ªwhile his descendant, Yu Xi, burned incense at his grave. ¡°When Copernicus falls, don¡¯t forget to tell your father.¡± Wait, no. Yu Xi wouldn¡¯t live for another two hundred years either. That time span was far too long¡ªenough for Lin Xian¡¯s great-great-great-grandchildren to be born. That¡¯s why Lin Xian threw out the ¡°Time-Space Particles¡± as bait. First off, whether Copernicus believed him or not, it was the only thing that could pique Copernicus¡¯s interest. Lin Xian had to take the gamble¡ªyou can¡¯t catch a wolf without sacrificing a sheep. Second, if Copernicus wanted to verify the truth of this claim, he would have to either wait until next month¡¯s meeting to ask Einstein, go to SpaceX to ask Elon Musk, or find a way to verify it himself. In any case, Lin Xian could gain an invaluable month. Lastly, the information Lin Xian gave was half true, half false, mixed together to make it harder for Copernicus to discern. The question was: For an old man desperate for entangled time-space particles, would he simply ignore a person who obviously knew a lot about them? Or would he believe, just in case it was true, and try to verify it? Either way, Lin Xian would not lose. Copernicus was too obsessed with time-space particles to just let it go. Honestly, if Copernicus hadn¡¯t been in such a hurry to enter hibernation, Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t have mentioned the time-space particles. After all, by saying it aloud, he was making it public knowledge among all the geniuses. But there was no choice. To catch Copernicus and stop his plans for the future, sacrifices had to be made. Sure enough, Lin Xian¡¯s words caused quite a stir. He observed the crowd, trying to see how many geniuses were familiar with the concept of time-space particles. ¡°Time-space particles?¡± Miss Da Vinci was the first to speak up: ¡°A while back, Elon Musk asked a similar question, though he wasn¡¯t clear if such a thing really existed... And now you say it does, Lin Xian? So, it¡¯s real?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Newton, standing beside her, let out a knowing laugh: ¡°Seems like today¡¯s gathering is heading for a do-or-die showdown¡ªI like it. It¡¯s been ages since we had such an intense meeting. Lately, we¡¯ve all been playing cat and mouse, making things boring. Anyway, after our questions are over, we have plenty of time to chat. Why not discuss time travel in depth?¡± ¡°Heh, heh, heh...¡± Copernicus gave a dry chuckle: ¡°Amazing, truly amazing. I thought only a few knew about time-space particles, but clearly... I underestimated you all. Galileo, why don¡¯t you come clean? That question you asked about the great discovery in astronomy on March 27, 2077, wasn¡¯t that about time-space particles too?¡± ¡°Ah, you got me,¡± Galileo smiled faintly: ¡°I thought I hid it well, but Lin Xian just blew my cover. Yes, I assumed the time-space particles wouldn¡¯t reach Earth until 2077... But if Lin Xian is right, aren¡¯t they supposed to arrive this August?¡± ¡°Last month, Einstein answered my question about the major astronomical discovery of 2077¡ªcould it be an even more advanced form of time-space particles?¡± Beside him, Gauss looked utterly confused, stammering: ¡°You guys... You¡¯re already studying... this kind of stuff?¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll admit it.¡± Lin Xian cut Gauss off, shrugging: ¡°The reason I shared this information is that I realized I lack the ability to capture time-space particles myself. I don¡¯t have a spaceship or a rocket. If Elon Musk were here, I¡¯d share information with him and see if we could work together. He has the resources to accomplish a space capture.¡± ¡°Then why not just go to Elon Musk in person?¡± Copernicus interjected, ¡°Everyone knows Tesla is Elon Musk. If you can¡¯t find him at the club meeting, why not go to Boca Chica, at the SpaceX launch base?¡± Lin Xian gave a small smile, turning his comical Rhine Cat mask towards Copernicus: ¡°I¡¯m not that foolish, going to Elon Musk and blowing my cover. As a newcomer to the club, I¡¯ve read the club rules many times. I understand the importance of keeping identities secret.¡± ... That casual conversation provided Lin Xian with quite a bit of information. Miss Da Vinci genuinely seemed unaware of time-space particles or time travel, and she didn¡¯t seem particularly interested in those fields either. Newton, with his half-smile, obviously knew something, though he hid it well. Galileo was clearly a master of playing dumb. Lin Xian knew the question Galileo had asked Einstein had nothing to do with time-space particles; now, with Copernicus thinking it did, Galileo was happy to let them all be misled, using the misunderstanding to conceal his true intentions. As for Gauss... Well, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t figure Gauss out yet. He always seemed so naive, like someone who hadn¡¯t seen much of the world. It was hard to tell if Gauss knew anything about time-space particles. And Copernicus... He was starting to show his true colors. He was trying to get Lin Xian to meet Elon Musk in person because he thought his ¡°Prince and the Pauper¡± plan had succeeded. As soon as Lin Xian went to SpaceX, Copernicus believed his identity would be leaked to him. Of course, that was only Copernicus¡¯s idea. ¡°We owe her. But first, we need to bring her back¡ªto give Chu Shan He the closure he deserves.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No matter what, I¡¯ll keep my promise. Even if I have to chase her to the ends of the earth, I¡¯ll bring An Qing back and stand her before Chu Shan He.¡± Seeing the determined look in his eyes, Zhao Ying Jun smiled. This was the man she loved, the quality she loved most about him¡ªhis sense of responsibility, his willingness to stand up for what mattered. It was worth more than anything. ¡°By the way...¡± She placed her other hand on his, speaking softly. ¡°Remember what you said a few days ago? About visiting your parents next week... What should I bring them?¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t need to bring anything. Just you being there will make them happy. They¡¯ve been asking about it for ages.¡± ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Zhao Ying Jun protested. ¡°When you met my parents, you brought tea, remember? My dad still talks about it¡ªsays it was the freshest green tea he¡¯s ever had.¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°It was freshly made. Your parents visited Donghai City during the Dragon Well harvest. One of my relatives makes tea¡ªnot a master, but very traditional.¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked up at him, her eyes soft. ¡°I¡¯ve told my parents about us.¡± ¡°And?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°They¡¯re happy,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°They like you. I think they even expected this. I¡¯ve explained everything, and though it took a while, they understand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, but we were talking about gifts for your parents,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°This is my first time meeting them, so I can¡¯t just show up empty-handed. What do you think? Some wine, cigarettes, health supplements?¡± ¡°No need to make it so complicated.¡± Lin Xian waved it off. ¡°We¡¯ll pick something at the supermarket together. They¡¯re used to simple things. If you give them something too fancy, they won¡¯t even use it¡ªthey¡¯ll just leave it until it goes bad.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s plan for next weekend. I¡¯ll let them know in advance. They¡¯ll be thrilled to meet you.¡± ¡°V~~~~~~¡± In the corner, VV the Pomeranian shifted in its little bed, smacking its lips, almost waking up. Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun glanced at each other and realized they couldn¡¯t keep talking here. Lin Xian nodded towards the bedroom. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ... A few days later, Saturday, August 10th. In Hang City, Chunan County, Thousand Island Lake Town, Lin Xian¡¯s family home was bustling with excitement. ¡°Oh my, Ying Jun! Come in, come in!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s mother beamed, grabbing Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s arm and guiding her inside. ¡°Lin Xian¡¯s told us so much about you! I can¡¯t believe how beautiful and elegant you are. My son really got lucky!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s father grinned, his eyes nearly disappearing behind his smile. ¡°You really didn¡¯t need to bring all these gifts. We¡¯re just happy to have you here.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± said Gao Yang, balancing two cartons of fancy cigarettes and carrying a case of Maotai liquor. ¡°No need for the expensive stuff¡ªmy uncle doesn¡¯t even smoke these.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Lin Xian karate-chopped Gao Yang¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Why are you even here? I thought I told you not to come.¡± Gao Yang shrugged, unabashed. ¡°What kind of brother would I be if I didn¡¯t show up for something this important?¡± ¡°You mean showing up to mooch cigarettes and booze?¡± Lin Xian retorted. ¡°I¡¯m just helping bring them inside!¡± Gao Yang protested. ¡°Stop being so stingy.¡± Truthfully, Gao Yang had shown up uninvited. Lin Xian hadn¡¯t told him a thing. But word had spread quickly¡ªhis parents had been so excited about meeting Zhao Ying Jun that they¡¯d started cleaning days in advance and even installed new air conditioning in each bedroom. Naturally, the neighbors had noticed, and soon enough, Gao Yang¡¯s parents had heard too. They¡¯d scolded him for not settling down yet, which led to him coming over to ¡°support¡± his friend¡¯s big day... or rather, to crash it. ¡°Miss Zhao Ying Jun,¡± Gao Yang sidled over, grinning. ¡°About those company cars at MX... wouldn¡¯t it be better to match the fleet to Rhine Company¡¯s? After all, you¡¯re just across the street from each other. Might as well be one company, right? I¡¯m just saying, the company cars should at least match¡ªdon¡¯t you think?¡± Zhao Ying Jun laughed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have the logistics manager get in touch with you.¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± Gao Yang beamed, then turned to Lin Xian. ¡°And don¡¯t forget, you still owe me a car! You promised two years ago!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Next time, for sure,¡± Lin Xian said dismissively. ... Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s beauty, kindness, and grace had completely won over Lin Xian¡¯s parents. During dinner, they couldn¡¯t stop smiling, assuring her repeatedly, ¡°You young ones make your own decisions. We¡¯re in no rush to push you into marriage¡ªtake your time, there¡¯s no pressure from us!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian¡¯s father agreed. ¡°You¡¯re at the age to focus on your careers. We understand that, and we¡¯re not in a hurry to become grandparents.¡± ¡°Oh, come on now,¡± Lin Xian interrupted, embarrassed. ¡°We¡¯re just getting started. Don¡¯t put too much pressure on her.¡± His mother smiled, moving a dish closer to Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Here, dear, try some of our local specialty. You¡¯re so slim¡ªmake sure you¡¯re eating enough, okay? You need to take care of yourself. Being too thin can make you feel dizzy sometimes.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled back. ¡°Actually, I have felt a bit dizzy lately.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s mother looked surprised. ¡°Well, you¡¯re in luck! Lin Xian¡¯s third uncle is a well-known traditional X Country doctor. After dinner, we¡¯ll have him prescribe some herbs for you.¡± ¡°Oh, no, there¡¯s really no need,¡± Zhao Ying Jun insisted, ¡°I¡¯ve probably just been overworking myself lately¡ªburning the midnight oil, you know.¡± Lin Xian chuckled softly. It was true¡ªshe¡¯d been staying up late, waiting for him to return from his dreams. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy,¡± his mother said warmly. ¡°He may be just a town doctor, but people come from all over to see him. He¡¯s helped so many that his clinic¡¯s practically overflowing with thank-you banners. He comes from a long line of doctors¡ªyou¡¯re in good hands.¡± Faced with such heartfelt insistence, Zhao Ying Jun could only nod. Later that afternoon, the older couple led Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun to the clinic. It wasn¡¯t far¡ªone of the perks of small-town life was that everything was conveniently close by. Zhao Ying Jun sat down, placing her hand on the cotton pillow as Lin Xian¡¯s uncle¡ªa traditional X Country doctor¡ªgently pressed three fingers to her wrist, closing his eyes in concentration. ¡°Hmm...¡± He furrowed his brows, then opened his eyes. ¡°Switch hands, please.¡± Everyone exchanged puzzled glances. What could be wrong? Nothing makes people more nervous than seeing a doctor frown. Lin Xian felt his heart rate quicken. ¡°Is... is everything alright, Uncle?¡± he asked. Zhao Ying Jun, equally confused, obediently switched hands, placing it back on the pillow. The doctor again took her pulse, eyes closed, head tilted, listening carefully. His expression shifted, then finally softened into a smile. ¡°It¡¯s good news,¡± he said, chuckling. Lin Xian¡¯s mother blinked. ¡°What good news? What is it?¡± The doctor smiled knowingly. ¡°Congratulations... It¡¯s a pregnancy pulse.¡± Chapter 446: The Extra Ticket ¡°Huh?¡± x4 The old doctor¡¯s words left the Lin Xian family completely stunned. Lin Xian, his mother, and his father exchanged bewildered glances, unable to find words. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s eyes widened, her breath caught in her throat, and she was too scared even to look up. The rest of the visit was a blur. Zhao Ying Jun barely remembered how she got through it, and she didn¡¯t want to. Making up a hasty excuse about urgent work at the company, she grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm and practically dragged him to the car, speeding away as fast as she could. ¡°What were you thinking?!¡± Zhao Ying Jun punched Lin Xian¡¯s arm. ¡°Seriously! It¡¯s my first time meeting your parents, and you spring this on me?! How am I ever supposed to face them again? What must they think of me now?!¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa¡ªI¡¯m driving here!¡± Lin Xian tried to steady the wheel, his brow furrowed. He was just as shaken as she was. ¡°Look, I had no idea my uncle was that good! I mean, who could¡¯ve guessed? My mom just asked him to check your pulse, and suddenly he figures everything out. I always thought he was just some shady old quack¡ªwho knew he was actually this talented!¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Zhao Ying Jun let out a cold laugh. ¡°You seem pretty proud of yourself, Lin Xian. Good aim, huh?¡± ¡°Well, I do have good marksmanship,¡± Lin Xian admitted with a nod. ¡°You still have the nerve to joke!¡± Zhao Ying Jun shot him a glare, then sighed, covering her face with her hands. ¡°You¡¯ve embarrassed me completely in front of your parents. I¡¯ve never felt so humiliated in my entire life. When your uncle figured it out, I seriously wanted to vanish. I mean, what kind of situation is this?! It¡¯s my first time at your place, and that was awkward enough. You told your parents we¡¯d only been dating for a month¡ªthey weren¡¯t even pressuring us... And then, out of nowhere, we just drop this bombshell on them, presenting them with a grandchild!¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. This one¡¯s on me,¡± Lin Xian nodded, accepting the blame. To be honest, they had thought this might happen¡ªjust not so soon. Neither of them had much experience with this sort of thing, especially not in planning for a family. All their colleagues always talked about how hard it was to conceive, how they¡¯d been trying for years, seeking out all kinds of treatments. One of Lin Xian¡¯s coworkers at MX Company had been married for ten years and still hadn¡¯t conceived, despite spending tens of thousands on in vitro procedures. She¡¯d tried multiple times, only to suffer miscarriages, and it was all pushing her to the edge. Who could have imagined? Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun hadn¡¯t prepared at all, hadn¡¯t even timed anything¡ªyet, somehow, after just one month, it happened. Sure, Lin Xian always thought of himself as a speedrunner... but did this really need to be a speedrun too? He felt embarrassed enough as it was¡ªhe could only imagine how Zhao Ying Jun felt. Just moments before, he¡¯d warned his parents not to pressure them about marriage or kids, reminding them they were still at the early stages. Then, Uncle chuckled and announced, ¡°It¡¯s a pregnancy pulse!¡± It felt like Lin Xian¡¯s brain had been struck by lightning¡ªthe world spinning around him as if it were all just a dream. He had made promises to Zhao Ying Jun, sure, but this had come so suddenly that he wasn¡¯t ready for it. ¡°Ooohhhhh...¡± Zhao Ying Jun sighed again, her emotions gradually settling. ¡°I¡¯m not blaming you. Pregnancy doesn¡¯t just happen on its own¡ªI¡¯m responsible too. And I was prepared for it... It¡¯s just that being exposed like that in front of your parents made me feel so mortified. Some things, you know, the order matters.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Lin Xian said, signaling left and overtaking a car. ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility. I¡¯ll explain everything to my parents¡ªafter all, most of the blame lies with me.¡± ¡°But the bigger question right now is...¡± He glanced sideways at Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s belly, then looked up to meet her cold gaze, a small smile on his lips. ¡°Since things are progressing so quickly, shouldn¡¯t we start planning some things now?¡± ¡°Oh, stop it.¡± Zhao Ying Jun placed her hand over her stomach, turning to look out the window at the passing highway scenery. ¡°You make it sound like it was just too easy for you. Like I¡¯m just giving in.¡± She paused for a moment, then smiled despite herself. ¡°Why does it feel like, with the two of us, it¡¯s always a case of ¡®get on the bus, then buy the ticket later¡¯?¡± ¡°We hadn¡¯t even properly gotten together, and now there¡¯s already a child on the way. We aren¡¯t married yet, but we¡¯re expecting. We never even went on a proper date before you won me over. We were supposed to go to Copenhagen together, but before our scheduled trip, you ended up there with my future self instead.¡± ¡°Sometimes I wonder... Since there are so many strange things in this world, is it possible that before you even knew me, we¡¯d already met somewhere?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Nah, that¡¯s pretty unlikely. Before I went to college, I never left my local city. And you went abroad when you were still a teenager, then came back straight to Donghai. Our first meeting should¡¯ve been when I graduated from Donghai University and started at MX Company.¡± ¡°From a physics perspective, it¡¯s highly unlikely we could¡¯ve met before. Even with Yellow Finch, our first meeting was in your office, after I¡¯d already met you.¡± ¡°So... This is probably one of the rare things between us that didn¡¯t happen out of order.¡± Zhao Ying Jun closed her eyes and let out a long breath through her nose. ¡°Oh, forget it.¡± She leaned her head against the car window, her gaze softening as she looked out. ¡°Fine, have it your way... Lucky you.¡± That evening, the Pomeranian VV lay sprawled on the cool floor, its stomach growling, its heart colder than the tiles beneath it. This house¡ªit was just unbearable. First, Zhao Ying Jun had been coming home late every night, leaving VV hungry. Then Lin Xian had moved in, and though VV had hoped for a reliable food provider, the guy slept like a log every day. Still, at least he managed to feed VV on time during the day. Now? It was worse. The two of them had teamed up, shut VV out of the bedroom, and gone out together, leaving VV alone at home¡ªstill without dinner! Might as well starve to death. No one here cared about a fluffy little creature like VV anymore. It was lighter than a feather, irrelevant. Goodbye, world. May the clouds in heaven be made of dog food. Ding¡ª Suddenly, the elevator¡¯s chime rang out, and VV perked up, leaping into the air in excitement. Fine, maybe not today. One more chance for them. ¡°Woof, woof, woof!¡± VV growled, baring its teeth at the elevator in indignation. Finally, the doors opened, revealing Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun. She was holding a small plastic bag. Lin Xian listened in silence. This was another version of Lin Yu Xi, wasn¡¯t it? Except, one was meant to enforce the dominance of the Time Bureau and Copernicus¡¯ rule, and the other fought for noble ideals, for the future of humanity. ¡°Does your dad worry about you?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Did he ever try to stop you? Maybe... ask you to give up being an assassin and let someone else do it?¡± ¡°He probably tried to persuade me behind the scenes,¡± Ning Ning said with a straightforward smile. ¡°But he¡¯s the leader of the biggest gang in Sin City. It¡¯s his responsibility. And as his daughter, it¡¯s also mine.¡± She paused, looking thoughtful. ¡°Every father must hate to see his daughter in danger. But if every father thinks like that and every daughter follows suit, if no one is willing to be brave¡ªwho¡¯s going to save the world?¡± Xu Yi Yi rested her chin on her hand, giving a little snort. ¡°Actually, I think it would be best if I went instead.¡± Lin Xian and Ning Ning turned to her, curious. Xu Yi Yi shrugged. ¡°Look at me¡ªI¡¯m an orphan. No parents, no attachments. Isn¡¯t it better for me to go? No one¡¯d miss me if I died.¡± She gave a wry smile. ¡°I don¡¯t need all that stuff. If I die, I die. Doesn¡¯t matter where or when.¡± Lin Xian watched her, remembering Professor Xu Yun, who had died on the street... No matter how tough things got, he had never given up on saving his daughter. He had even gone to extreme lengths, walking a narrow path, just to avoid any possible consequences he couldn¡¯t bear. But there was one thing beyond doubt. Xu Yun¡¯s methods may not have always been right, but his love for his daughter was unquestionable. Lin Xian remembered how Xu Yun had explained why he refused to enter a hibernation pod: ¡°The longer you hibernate, the more memories you lose. It wouldn¡¯t matter if Yi Yi forgot me... she¡¯d start her new life, and whether she remembers me or not doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to forget her,¡± Xu Yun had said, his eyes filled with quiet resolve. ¡°I don¡¯t want to forget Yi Yi. She only had those few years when she was young¡ªthose are all the memories I have of her. I can¡¯t bear to lose even a bit of them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep my memories of her until my last breath, and I¡¯ll spend every moment of my life trying to make a better hibernation pod for her. So, Lin Xian, if you¡¯re still around when Yi Yi wakes up... please take care of her.¡± This had been Professor Xu¡¯s final request to Lin Xian. To him, those few memories of his daughter were worth more than anything¡ªworth more than his own life. Looking at Xu Yi Yi now, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but feel a little guilty. Professor Xu had entrusted her to him, yet he hadn¡¯t been able to change anything for her. She was still unloved, still a lonely orphan, living in a harsh, crowded city, and enduring a life that was anything but comfortable. Professor Xu had wanted her to at least go to school, live a decent life¡ªbut this world only allowed her to be a ¡°bad girl,¡± to make mistakes, break the law. Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Yi Yi.¡± He looked her in the eyes. ¡°Your father loved you more than anyone. Even when everyone else gave up on you, he was willing to give up everything to hold on to a sliver of hope.¡± Xu Yi Yi blinked, a puzzled expression on her face. ¡°You knew my father?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°You probably won¡¯t believe me, but I did. The godfather can vouch for me. I¡¯m from a long, long time ago¡ªthe same era as your father.¡± He hesitated before continuing, ¡°Your father was my teacher. I saw you lying on a hospital bed. And after he passed away, I¡¯m the one who put you into that hibernation pod.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Xu Yi Yi looked skeptical, then scoffed. ¡°Is this supposed to be a joke, Lin Xian? Because it¡¯s not funny.¡± Under Li Ning Ning¡¯s curious gaze, Lin Xian began to tell Xu Yi Yi everything¡ªher mother¡¯s death during childbirth, her father who raised her alone, her fall that turned her into a coma patient, her father¡¯s desperate struggle to build a hibernation pod, and how he was ultimately betrayed and killed... Xu Yi Yi listened, stunned. ¡°You mean to say... the hibernation pod was my father¡¯s invention?¡± ¡°More or less,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Your father wasn¡¯t a genius like the godfather or Chen Heping, but his love for you was just as strong as any parent¡¯s.¡± Yet, Xu Yi Yi just lowered her head, smiling faintly, shaking it slowly. ¡°Lin Xian, I don¡¯t know if what you¡¯re saying is true, but even if it is... it¡¯s too bad. I don¡¯t feel anything. I don¡¯t have any emotional connection to it.¡± She sighed. ¡°When I woke up, I had nothing¡ªno notebook, no recordings, and my mind was completely blank. Everything you¡¯re telling me feels like someone else¡¯s story. There¡¯s no connection.¡± Lin Xian gave a gentle smile, patting her head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to take it to heart. Just listen, that¡¯s all.¡± He hadn¡¯t wanted to force those emotions onto Xu Yi Yi. Even Professor Xu himself had said that he wanted Yi Yi to forget everything and start fresh. It was only because she looked so lonely when talking about her parents that Lin Xian shared those memories with her. But... The side effect of memory loss in hibernation truly was a great enemy of humanity. It made them lose so much¡ªemotions, knowledge, experiences, even entire lifetimes. No wonder Emperor Gao Wen had wanted to develop the neural electric shock helmet more than anything. It could be the solution to memory loss from hibernation. And if it succeeded... That invention could very well be one of the greatest in history. ¡°Hey!¡± Xu Yi Yi slapped away Lin Xian¡¯s hand from her head, giving him a challenging glare. ¡°You¡¯re just a junior! Act like it!¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Lin Xian chuckled. Li Ning Ning, who had been silently listening, observed Lin Xian¡¯s gentle eyes and the sincerity in his expression. She didn¡¯t think he was lying. More than that, she could tell he had a different kind of feeling towards her and Xu Yi Yi¡ªa familiarity, a protective nature... like he saw them as his own daughters. ¡°Do you have a daughter?¡± Ning Ning asked, her instinct sharp. ¡°I do,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°That¡¯s why I feel for both of you. I understand what you¡¯re going through.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Yi Yi jumped off a stack of old tires, giving Lin Xian an incredulous look. ¡°You¡¯re married, and you have a daughter already? How old is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s just a month old,¡± Lin Xian answered. ¡°Oh, she¡¯s only a month old?¡± Ning Ning nodded. ¡°That must be such a tough time. She must be crying all day and night.¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Xu Yi Yi cut in. ¡°A one-month-old baby is actually easy to take care of. I did community service in Donghai City once at an orphanage. Babies that age mostly sleep after eating, and if they cry, it¡¯s usually because they¡¯re hungry. Once fed, they go right back to sleep for like 20 hours a day. It¡¯s really easy to care for them at that stage.¡± ¡°No, no, no,¡± Lin Xian quickly corrected. ¡°You misunderstood. I mean, she¡¯s only a month old... in the womb. Just one month pregnant.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Xu Yi Yi and Li Ning Ning narrowed their eyes, staring at him like he was an idiot. ¡°Do you even hear yourself?!¡± ¡°Honestly, could you be any less precise?!¡± Suddenly, Xu Yi Yi blinked, her gaze sharp. ¡°Wait a minute. How do you know it¡¯s a girl? It¡¯s only been a month.¡± She tilted her head, giving him a questioning look. ¡°What if... it¡¯s a boy?¡± Chapter 447: Closing the Net ¡°Uh...¡± For a moment, Lin Xian was stumped by Xu Yi Yi¡¯s soul-searching question. She was right. Where did he get the confidence to assume that Zhao Ying Jun was definitely going to have a daughter? Sure, he had preconceived notions, but... biology was random. Who could guarantee anything? What if it turned out to be a big, chubby boy? Lin Xian scratched his head. He wouldn¡¯t mind having a boy, but if he could choose, he¡¯d still want his firstborn to be a girl. He wanted to bring Yu Xi home. ¡°Do you really like daughters that much?¡± Xu Yi Yi asked. Curiosity was natural for women¡ªand even little girls. Ning Ning, who had been practicing her kicks on a punching bag moments earlier, now perked up her ears, listening eagerly. ¡°By the look on your face, it¡¯s pretty obvious you want a daughter,¡± she said. ¡°I do,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been preparing to welcome a daughter for a long time¡ªeven thought of a name for her already.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the name?¡± Ning Ning asked, her eyes full of curiosity. ¡°Lin Yu Xi,¡± Lin Xian replied with a smile. ¡°Lin Xian is my last name, Yu Xi is her first name. Doesn¡¯t it sound nice?¡± ¡°It sounds lovely!¡± Ning Ning and Xu Yi Yi chorused together. The two girls were surprisingly in sync when it came to aesthetics, showering praise on the name, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. You really do have a knack for naming.¡± Lin Xian chuckled. These two were really good at creating a pleasant atmosphere, making him feel quite flattered. He sat on an old tire beside Ning Ning. ¡°Actually, you¡¯re pretty good at naming too¡ª¡± ¡°You idiot! Why are you sitting so close?!¡± Suddenly, a harsh voice interrupted Lin Xian, dripping with hostility. He turned his head. Standing above them were four figures, their arms crossed, framed in the sunlight like some kind of righteous jury. Squinting to take a closer look, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but grin. What a small world. Sometimes it felt vast, but then you ran into old enemies and realized just how tiny it could be. It was none other than Big Cat Face and his gang. ¡°What do you want?¡± Lin Xian asked, irritation creeping into his voice. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re in the right here!¡± Big Cat Face jabbed a thick finger toward Lin Xian, glaring fiercely. ¡°Listen up, kid! Keep your paws off Ning Ning! If you dare make a move on the daughter of our leader, you¡¯re asking for trouble! And she¡¯s just a child, mind your distance!¡± Lin Xian rolled his eyes. Was this some kind of callback to an old classic? Big Cat Face was like an NPC¡ªevery time Lin Xian even got close to Ning Ning, this same dialogue would automatically trigger. The only time it hadn¡¯t happened was in the third dream, but that was because... Well, Big Cat Face had already been charred to a crisp by the lasers of Rhine¡¯s Sky City. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit much?¡± Lin Xian muttered. ¡°I¡¯m not part of your gang, and I¡¯m certainly not your underling. Why are you bothering me? If you¡¯ve got that much time on your hands, maybe get on with the task Godfather assigned you?¡± Swish! Big Cat Face¡¯s expression instantly turned stormy. ¡°What the¡ªhow do you know about our secret task from Godfather?!¡± ¡°Big Brother!¡± Ah Zhuang quickly clapped his hand over Big Cat Face¡¯s mouth. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t fall for his tricks! He¡¯s trying to get information out of you! Godfather told us over and over¡ªdon¡¯t let the secret plan slip.¡± Er Zhuzi bared his teeth. ¡°Look at his face¡ªso pale and sly, definitely up to no good.¡± San Pang, with his thick eyebrows and sharp gaze, stared at Lin Xian and said, ¡°I think we should keep quiet.¡± Big Cat Face let out a sigh of relief, glad that Ah Zhuang had stopped him just in time. ¡°Hmph,¡± he huffed, trying to save face. ¡°Good thing I had a plan. We had a little meeting earlier and decided that from now on, whenever we discuss our mission, we¡¯ll use the name ¡®The Plan to Infiltrate the Museum Through the Northeastern Sewer After Distracting the Bio-soldiers and Stealing the Time-Space Particles.¡¯ So, don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get anything out of me!¡± Er Zhuzi flexed his fists toward Lin Xian, and with that, the four of them marched away triumphantly. Lin Xian silently watched as these bottom-of-the-barrel IQ bandits left, feeling like the collective intelligence of Sin City had just dropped a notch because of them. ¡°Too dumb,¡± Xu Yi Yi commented sincerely. ¡°Lin Xian, you were right. Not joining Big Cat¡¯s gang was definitely a smart decision.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that Big Cat Face¡¯s father, Chen Heping, was a certified genius,¡± Ning Ning said. ¡°Even Godfather held him in the highest respect. If it weren¡¯t for health reasons leading to his early death, Chen Heping might have been the Godfather today. ¡°How could such an exceptional man end up with someone like Big Cat Face as a son?¡± she wondered aloud. Lin Xian thought for a moment. ¡°Regression to the mean,¡± he explained. ¡°In genetics, it means that children of parents with exceptional genes tend to move closer to an average level in various aspects.¡± ¡°This fascinating mechanism ensures that human civilization keeps moving forward, without gaps or segregation. If regression to the mean didn¡¯t exist, exceptionally talented parents would have even more extraordinary children, who would then have even more remarkable children, and so on. ¡°After a few generations, the best people and the worst people on Earth would practically be different species¡ªworlds apart. ¡°But in reality, most Olympic champions¡¯ children rarely win gold medals, artists¡¯ children seldom have their parents¡¯ talent, Einstein¡¯s children weren¡¯t scientists, and Michael Jordan¡¯s sons couldn¡¯t even make it to the NBA.¡± ¡°Regression to the mean helps maintain overall balance and harmony within the human race. In a way, it¡¯s a kind of fairness.¡± ¡°Actually, there¡¯s another key reason why we¡¯ve been able to keep this deception up. Copernicus is just too cautious. He never meets us in person and communicates solely through encrypted channels.¡± ¡°Because of this, we know little about him, and his influence on us is limited. That¡¯s why we¡¯ve managed to stay hidden¡ªbecause he never comes to see us. His caution is a double-edged sword. It keeps him safe but also prevents him from seeing through our disguise.¡± Lin Xian nodded again. ¡°That¡¯s typical of Copernicus. But since you¡¯re here, does that mean you have good news for me? Did someone take the bait I set at the Genius Club meeting?¡± Angelica smiled. ¡°Yes. Actually, on August 1st, right after the meeting, Elon Musk and I wanted to get in touch with you, but we couldn¡¯t find the chance, which is why it¡¯s taken this long.¡± ¡°After the meeting, Copernicus contacted me and asked me to use the equipment Elon Musk left behind to verify if any time-space particles were approaching Earth from outer space.¡± ¡°When I told Elon Musk about it, he immediately knew it must be because you misled Copernicus during the meeting. From Copernicus¡¯s request, it was clear he doesn¡¯t understand the properties of time-space particles as well as you and Elon Musk. According to Elon Musk¡¯s detector, there are currently only two time-space particles on Earth.¡± ¡°Both of them are in Donghai City, obviously in your possession. Other than these, there are no other time-space particles on Earth at this point in time.¡± ¡°This means that only you and Elon Musk understand the nature of these particles and possess the instruments to detect them. You two are miles ahead of the other members of the Genius Club in this field.¡± ¡°Elon Musk said that most of what the other club members know about time-space particles comes from his questions and Einstein¡¯s answers. They barely understand the basics. This exclusive knowledge is our biggest advantage.¡± Lin Xian motioned for Angelica to sit on the couch. He poured her a cup of tea and placed it on the coffee table in front of her. ¡°Wait a minute. Are you saying Elon Musk¡¯s detector can pick up all the time-space particles on Earth? And there are only two?¡± Lin Xian asked, raising an eyebrow. Angelica nodded. ¡°That¡¯s one of the messages Elon Musk wanted me to relay to you: the detectability of time-space particles. He said to remember this carefully¡ª¡± ¡°If it has energy and activity, it can be detected by equipment. If it has no energy but is active, it can¡¯t be detected. If it has energy but no activity, it can¡¯t be detected. If it has neither energy nor activity, it can be detected.¡± Lin Xian repeated the rhyme under his breath. ¡°No wonder, back when I was trying to capture the time-space particles, my scientists couldn¡¯t detect the one Elon Musk had with the Guizhou Telescope. It makes sense now¡ªas long as either energy or activity is missing, the detector fails.¡± He leaned back, marveling. ¡°It¡¯s strange... If the particles either have both energy and activity or neither, they can be detected by specialized equipment. But if they have only one or the other, they become undetectable.¡± He thought back to Liu Feng¡¯s attempt to locate the time-space particle with the telescope. It had taken months, yet they had failed to discover the one hidden in Elon Musk¡¯s mini-fridge. It was hidden right under their noses because that particle had energy but no activity. During the capture, it lost energy while remaining active, so they couldn¡¯t detect it. Finally, Chu An Qing had used a time-space particle catcher¡ªwhich was basically a rice cooker¡ªto trap the particle, removing its activity so they could detect it again. ¡°So, Elon Musk could originally detect the two inactive time-space particles in Donghai. He knew they were both in my possession,¡± Lin Xian said, looking at Angelica. ¡°But later, one of them became undetectable. So, Elon Musk figured out that one of them had regained energy.¡± ¡°No,¡± Angelica corrected, shaking her head. ¡°Not one. Both of them.¡± She frowned, puzzled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you check the other time-space particle? Elon Musk thinks you must know¡ªboth particles in your possession became undetectable on July 1st, just after midnight. So, both of them must have regained energy.¡± Lin Xian was momentarily taken aback. ¡°Wait. Let me think.¡± He closed his eyes, going over the situation in his mind. The time-space particle in Time Bank¡¯s vault... He hadn¡¯t checked it. He had thought that when Lin Yu Xi turned into that blue snowfall over Donghai, it had just recharged the entangled particle. But to think that snowfall had charged all the particles in Donghai? What could explain this? The time-space particle in the Time Bank vault should have had nothing to do with Lin Yu Xi. Could it be... the special thing was the snowfall itself? Maybe that blue snow returned everything out of place in Donghai to its original form? Lin Xian nodded slowly, still unsure, but willing to accept the possibility for now. But now wasn¡¯t the time to analyze the phenomenon. He needed answers from Angelica. ¡°I don¡¯t know the mechanism behind it, but if what you say is true, then both particles on Earth became undetectable, and that¡¯s actually good news. It means they¡¯re much safer, better hidden.¡± ¡°Honestly, I was worried about how to deal with them, but if Elon Musk confirmed that they can¡¯t be detected, then that¡¯s a relief.¡± He set aside the topic for now. ¡°Angelica, let¡¯s get back to what we were discussing. How did Elon Musk respond to Copernicus?¡± Angelica took a sip of tea before replying. ¡°Elon Musk knew you must have lied to Copernicus. But knowing Copernicus¡¯ obsession with time-space particles, he¡¯s not going to give up on this information, or this chance.¡± ¡°Elon Musk said you revealed too much to Copernicus. Right now, neither Copernicus nor the other Genius Club members can distinguish between regular time-space particles and entangled ones. That¡¯s something only you two know, and it¡¯s your greatest advantage. You should¡¯ve just mentioned the particles without getting into specifics¡ªthat alone would¡¯ve been enough to bait Copernicus.¡± Lin Xian shrugged helplessly. ¡°I was in a hurry to stop Copernicus from going into hibernation. Besides, I wasn¡¯t sure how much he knew about the particles. If I¡¯d been too vague, he might¡¯ve ignored me and just gone ahead with it. That would¡¯ve been a disaster. So, I had to give him a few more details.¡± He smiled wryly. ¡°But really, that¡¯s good news for us, right? If Copernicus doesn¡¯t even have a single time-space particle and is clueless about its properties, then this is the perfect opportunity. We can set a trap, deceive him, and draw him out.¡± Angelica smiled back. ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why I finally found a chance to come meet you in this country.¡± ¡°Elon Musk has managed to keep Copernicus at bay, claiming he isn¡¯t yet familiar with the equipment left by Elon Musk and is still calibrating it... He¡¯s buying us time so I could come and coordinate with you.¡± ¡°After all, Elon Musk could only guess that you misled Copernicus during the Genius Club meeting, but he didn¡¯t know exactly how. We need those details¡ªyour exact plan¡ªso we can work together more effectively.¡± She clenched her fist, her eyes resolute. ¡°So, Lin Xian, Elon Musk and I are ready. We¡¯re both prepared to follow your lead.¡± Her voice became colder, more determined. ¡°We¡¯re ready to kill Copernicus.¡± Chapter 448: The Road to Paradise Lin Xian nodded. ¡°These past few days, I¡¯ve been waiting for you all to contact me. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been coming to the office every morning, just to make sure you could find me easily. I even told the front desk that if anyone comes looking for me or brings me any letters, they should send them directly to my office without asking questions or stopping them. Honestly, no one usually comes to see me anyway.¡± ¡°To put it simply, as long as Copernicus entrusted Elon Musk with investigating the time-space particles, my plan was already halfway to success.¡± Lin Xian then explained to Angelica how he had lured Copernicus into the Genius Club. Angelica also shared everything about Elon Musk¡¯s arrangements. The current situation was this: Copernicus hadn¡¯t fully believed what Lin Xian said at the gathering, but he knew one thing¡ªElon Musk had successfully captured a time-space particle before. So, it was likely that SpaceX had detection equipment, capture tools, and related data. He ordered his female assistant to verify the authenticity of the time-space particle intel. Unfortunately for Copernicus, his caution kept him in the shadows, always disconnected, and he hadn¡¯t realized that the assistant he had planted beside Elon Musk had already been swapped for someone else. In his mind, the hierarchy went like this¡ªCopernicus commanded his assistant, who directed the fake Elon Musk. But the reality was different. Copernicus instructed Angelica to cooperate with Elon Musk. Lin Xian twirled a pen on his desk and let out a low chuckle. ¡°We¡¯ve been going in circles, getting played by Copernicus for so long. Now, it¡¯s our turn to play him.¡± ¡°Angelica, when you get back, tell Elon Musk the information I gave you. Have him forge a detection signal for a time-space particle, and say that on August 24th, one did indeed enter Earth¡¯s atmosphere. ¡°That way, Copernicus will definitely order Elon Musk to capture it. Given Copernicus¡¯s cautious nature, I doubt he¡¯d leave the time-space particle outside during his hibernation¡ªhe¡¯d probably keep it right next to his pod to feel safe. ¡°So, this is our only chance to locate Copernicus. Whether he sends someone to collect the particle or asks you to deliver it personally, or if Elon Musk installs a tracker inside an empty small refrigerator, Copernicus¡¯s location will surely be exposed, and we¡¯ll be able to find him.¡± This was the plan Lin Xian had come up with in a moment of urgency. It wasn¡¯t flawless, but it was their only shot. Copernicus was about to enter a two-hundred-year hibernation, and no one knew where his secret base was. At present, all hibernation technology was open source¡ªthe once challenging hibernation pod fluid had been mastered, and side-effect drugs were developed, making hibernation pods mass-produced with no technical barrier. The crafty old fox could simply disappear, and with no identifiable information about him, finding him would be nearly impossible. They had to seize this opportunity. ¡°I understand,¡± Angelica nodded. ¡°Elon Musk thinks the same. He even has plenty of spare small refrigerators to use, and faking the detection signal won¡¯t be an issue.¡± ¡°I have to admit, Elon Musk¡¯s acting skills are impressive. He¡¯s been playing the fake version of himself for quite some time now.¡± Angelica smiled faintly. ¡°Pretending to be his own decoy¡ªthat¡¯s a challenge even for Hollywood actors. But luckily, Elon Musk has always been familiar with his double, so he¡¯s doing it quite effortlessly.¡± Lin Xian stopped twirling his pen, recalling the intelligence he managed to gather from Copernicus at the last meeting. He looked up at Angelica. ¡°About what I promised you¡ªI got the answer. I¡¯ve confirmed that the one who killed Ji Lin¡¯s parents and the group of mathematicians was indeed Copernicus.¡± He stood up, pacing the room. ¡°Copernicus even boasted that he¡¯s a kind and principled person. He said that any child orphaned by his actions would be taken care of and raised well. ¡°From this, I¡¯m almost certain that the orphan he mentioned must be Ji Lin. After all, you were once in the Seven Deadly Sins, so you know Copernicus¡¯s principle¡ªhe doesn¡¯t kill the innocent. Of course, ¡®innocent¡¯ is defined by him. ¡°So, how likely is it for both parents to be mathematicians? From what I can tell, no one else in the Genius Club matches the profile of a similar crime.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Angelica scoffed. ¡°Kind? Principled? That old man sure knows how to spin things. This is actually great news for me¡ªnothing is more thrilling than knowing he¡¯s the one behind it.¡± She glanced at her wristwatch. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, Lin Xian. I have to go. I managed to come to this country only because Copernicus was busy preparing for his secret hibernation, but I can¡¯t stay too long. I need to get back and continue my role as his assistant.¡± Lin Xian nodded, walking her to the door. ¡°Take care, Angelica, and stay safe.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Angelica looked back, her long hair swaying like a waterfall in the air. She flashed Lin Xian a smile. ¡°You too.¡± On August 24th, at midnight in the U.S., a starship carrying a spacecraft was launched from the Boca Chica launch center into outer space. Officially, it was announced as a collaborative test with NASA, with no further details disclosed. SpaceX and NASA¡¯s relationship had always been complicated, both in plain sight and behind the scenes. This mission didn¡¯t attract much attention. Twenty hours later, the spacecraft landed secretly. An astronaut emerged, carrying a small white refrigerator, and under secret protection, they boarded a special vehicle bound for SpaceX headquarters. ¡°Heh, this is amazing,¡± said the man who looked like Elon Musk, patting the small fridge. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Elon Musk messing with this thing so often, I thought he had a thing for white home appliances or maybe had some sort of collection hobby. Who would¡¯ve guessed¡ªit¡¯s not actually a fridge!¡± ¡°What a strange idea. If it¡¯s not a fridge, why design it to look like one? Why not make it a microwave, a vacuum cleaner, or a rice cooker?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± The old man paused, deep in thought. ¡°It¡¯s probably related to the energy and activity levels, but we don¡¯t need to worry about that for now. When I need it, I can just ask someone for the answers.¡± He paused before continuing, ¡°Now, I¡¯m sending you an address. Bring that time-space particle and the fridge along with it. Only you and fake Elon Musk. No one else is to know¡ªkeep the trip completely confidential.¡± ¡°What?¡± Fake Elon Musk, lounging on the sofa, jumped up, pointing at himself in disbelief. ¡°Me too? Why me? I¡¯m not going! You guys must think I¡¯m worthless now and want to get rid of me! I¡¯m not going! And besides, we didn¡¯t agree to this kind of work earlier!¡± Click. The secretary pulled a handgun out of her coat pocket, pointing it at the man standing next to the sofa. ¡°What¡¯s that? Isn¡¯t playing Elon Musk on a business trip part of your job description? One word¡ªgo or don¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± The Elon Musk lookalike cleared his throat, slowly raising his hands. ¡°You¡¯ve got it wrong. I¡¯m fine with a business trip... but¡ª¡± He gave a sly grin, licking his lips. ¡°There¡¯s got to be some extra pay for the trip, right?¡± The encrypted call ended abruptly, the screen showing a location. The secretary read it out loud, ¡°Interlaken, Switzerland.¡± Interlaken is a city in the Bernese canton of Switzerland. The name originates from Latin and means ¡°between two lakes.¡± Indeed, the city lay between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. Known as the ¡°Heavenly Town,¡± it was a place of scenic beauty and mild weather, one of Switzerland¡¯s oldest resort destinations. Beyond the city, wide, lush meadows stretched out, dotted with castle-like buildings nestled between the low hills. In Switzerland, land was privately owned, and much of the area around this ¡°Heavenly Town¡± belonged to wealthy individuals who built vacation villas, ranches, estates, wine cellars, and whatever else their hearts desired. Deep within the maze of underground bunkers there, a man and a woman walked in, one in front of the other. The woman held a square white mini-fridge in her arms, while the man opened the base¡¯s heavy door. They stepped inside, greeted by a bright, fully illuminated scene. Unlike the ancient castle above, filled with relics of history, this underground base was brimming with state-of-the-art technology¡ªsupercomputers, cryo-chambers, robots, and other large, unfamiliar equipment. It was as if stepping from the twisting underground passage was akin to entering a time tunnel, bringing them into a future world. It was evident the owner valued secrecy. There wasn¡¯t a single living soul in the enormous underground base¡ªjust robots of all shapes and sizes, quietly at work. The secretary led the man, who looked like Elon Musk, forward, and both of them glanced around in awe. Finally, they saw an old man sitting on a mechanical swivel chair in the central hall. He turned to face them. Most of his hair was gone, his face wrinkled, his eyebrows gray, and he had no beard. His voice was weak but commanding: ¡°Children, bring me the time-space particle.¡± The Elon Musk lookalike, amused, blocked the path of an approaching robot, moving back and forth in its way. The poor robot shifted left and right, trying to get around, and Elon Musk¡¯s lookalike laughed as if he was teasing a dog. The secretary stepped up, still holding the fridge, and entered the code. The door opened, and she placed it on the floor in front of the elderly man. The old man lowered his head slightly, smiling as he saw the entangled particles inside, swirling in endless dance. ¡°A wonderful gift, truly¡ªmy thanks to Rhine for this.¡± Then... With a sudden boom, the underground base door was shoved open, and a tall young man strode in, silhouetted against the bright corridor lights. The old man squinted, trying to see who had entered, and his eyes filled with doubt. ¡°Lin Xian?¡± Click, click! As the intruder made his entrance, the secretary and the man who resembled Elon Musk quickly drew their guns, pointing them at Lin Xian¡¯s temples to keep him from coming any closer. The old man gave a dry chuckle, shaking his head. ¡°Let¡¯s see now, who do we have here? So you found your way here because you noticed something off with Elon Musk? It¡¯s too late, I¡¯m afraid. Silly boy, did you really think I don¡¯t hold grudges? You just weren¡¯t important enough for me to deal with. I respect every scientist I kill, but you¡ªyou¡¯re not worth my respect.¡± He sneered. ¡°Coming here so recklessly, without any real plan... This entire base is under my control. What do you think you can do against me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Copernicus.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s calm voice cut through the tension. ¡°But it seems you¡¯re stealing my lines.¡± He raised his right hand, palm open, and Copernicus stared in shock as the Elon Musk-lookalike lowered his gun and placed it gently in Lin Xian¡¯s palm. Lin Xian flicked his fingers, and the black gun twirled in his grasp. He smiled slightly, tilting his head at Copernicus. ¡°This entire place belongs to me now. What do you have left to fight me with?¡± Chapter 449: Somethings Not Right The old man in the mechanical swivel chair stared in disbelief at the scene unfolding before him. He glanced at Elon Musk, then at Angelica, taking a deep breath before speaking. ¡°I never thought...¡± The surprise on his face quickly faded, replaced by a bitter smile. ¡°This is impressive. Truly impressive,¡± he said. ¡°I must admit, kids, this time... you actually managed to fool me. It seems that, sometimes, old age really does catch up with you.¡± His eyes showed a touch of resignation. ¡°I¡¯m not as sharp as I was in my youth¡ªunable to see through everything or think through every outcome.¡± The old man leaned forward, trying to push himself up with his frail arms. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Lin Xian acted swiftly, shooting four precise shots¡ªone at each of the old man¡¯s elbows and knees. The shots were quick, the result of years of experience in his dream battles. The gun Elon Musk had given Lin Xian was a large caliber, highly destructive. Four bursts of crimson sprayed out. The old man stumbled back into his chair, his thin arms severed below the elbows, leaving fragments on the ground. His left knee shattered, and his lower leg hung at an awkward angle. ¡°Ah... Aghh...¡± His face turned crimson from pain, teeth clenched, unable to scream properly. Blood flowed freely. Lin Xian had noticed something earlier¡ªbuttons on both sides of the swivel chair. He didn¡¯t know what they were for, but from his years of battle in his dream world, he knew never to give the enemy a chance. Just like when he took out Kevin Walker¡ªmercy to an enemy was cruelty to oneself. Allowing an enemy even one more word could mean giving them another chance to strike back. ¡°Copernicus,¡± Lin Xian stepped forward, his cold gaze locking onto the now limbless old man. ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to settle things properly, every second you keep breathing is an insult to the departed.¡± Lin Xian raised the large-caliber pistol, pressing it firmly against the old man¡¯s forehead. Bang! Bang! Bang! One shot. Another. Then another. Each name of a fallen loved one flashed through Lin Xian¡¯s mind¡ªXu Yun, Tang Xin, Yellow Finch, Yu Xi¡ªas he squeezed the trigger, each shot filled with pain and rage. Bang! Bang! Bang! The old man¡¯s head exploded like a watermelon, but even the sight of it couldn¡¯t fully release Lin Xian¡¯s pent-up sorrow and anger. Click. Click. Lin Xian kept pulling the trigger until the gun clicked empty. Only when the barrel became scorching hot, and the trigger softened did he finally lower the weapon. The old man was now a headless corpse in the chair. Blood and brain matter splattered everywhere, even breaking apart the chair¡¯s backrest. Bits of his skull were lodged in the wreckage¡ªcompletely unrecognizable. In the vast underground base, only the sound of dripping blood and the three of them breathing filled the silence. ¡°Letting him die like that... it was too easy for him,¡± Angelica muttered, stepping forward. She discarded her red-framed glasses and removed her wig, standing side by side with Lin Xian as they looked at the gruesome sight before them. ¡°I¡¯ve seen him before,¡± she said softly. ¡°When I was a child, I saw him talking to Ji Xin Shui. He wasn¡¯t this old then, but I never forget a face due to my almost photographic memory. I can remember facial details just from a single glance.¡± She looked at Lin Xian. ¡°I¡¯m certain it¡¯s him. It must have been about twenty years ago. He and Ji Xin Shui definitely met, but I have no idea what they talked about.¡± Lin Xian pulled out his phone, glancing at the top right corner¡ªno signal. This deep underground, it wasn¡¯t surprising. He had specifically instructed Liu Feng that if there were any changes to the time-space clock, any fluctuations in the timeline, he should inform him immediately. But now... he imagined Liu Feng would be yelling at him again for missing another call. Lin Xian had anticipated this confrontation¡ªhe, Elon Musk, and Angelica against Copernicus¡ªfully prepared for a timeline shift. Although they hadn¡¯t yet finished copying the blueprints for the time-travel machine, building it had always been about destroying the entangled time particles¡ªpreventing Copernicus from stealing them and sending assassins from the future. If they could kill Copernicus now, that would remove the root of the problem. Whether or not the machine was ever built wouldn¡¯t matter as much. Time travel had never truly interested Lin Xian. It wasn¡¯t fear of the unknown that held him back¡ªit was the uncertainty of being able to return. He had seen no successful cases of someone returning to their original timeline. Neither Lin Yu Xi nor Number 17 had made it ¡°home¡± due to the changes in the timeline. That made him wary. Especially now, with Ying Jun and their child on the way. Next year, they would be a complete family¡ªhe would be a husband and a father. The thought of traveling back in time, only to be stuck due to some mishap, terrified him. One wrong step, and he¡¯d be lost forever. So, killing Copernicus would be enough. Whether or not the machine was built, he would have no regrets. Lin Xian put his phone away and looked at Angelica. ¡°So, it¡¯s confirmed¡ªthat was Copernicus?¡± ¡°No doubt about it,¡± she said. Elon Musk stepped closer, nodding. ¡°Both Angelica and I have spoken to Copernicus on the phone. The voice matches perfectly. Besides, our plan was flawless, and we didn¡¯t slip up anywhere. You even used the real entangled time particles as bait. I can¡¯t see where we could have gone wrong.¡± ¡°Neither can I,¡± Lin Xian said, shaking his head. ¡°The plan was perfect, but...¡± He bit his lip, the rest of his thoughts left unsaid. Something feels off. First of all, everything had gone too smoothly. It wasn¡¯t a logical problem¡ªnot every fight in life had to be challenging, with twists and turns. But still, killing Copernicus had felt almost... unreal, like it had been too simple. He should have felt happy. After all, he¡¯d avenged his friends, killed his enemy. But the uneasy feeling wouldn¡¯t leave him, like he was forgetting something crucial. Then, there was the mysterious old man in his fourth dream¡ªhe looked and sounded different from the Copernicus they¡¯d just killed. Until today, Lin Xian had never actually heard Copernicus¡¯s voice. Elon Musk and Angelica had spoken to him, but Lin Xian had nothing to compare it to. The voice from the Genius Club was linked to virtual avatars. You could make your avatar any age, and the voice would match. Newton, for example, sounded young and vibrant, even though he was definitely old. Da Vinci was the same¡ªshe had a bright, young voice, though she was probably a grandmother. Lin Xian had never taken the Genius Club¡¯s appearances seriously. His voice there wasn¡¯t his own either¡ªthe system altered it, making him sound like a gentle middle-aged man. But hearing Copernicus¡¯s real voice today¡ªsomething wasn¡¯t right. Lin Xian believed that future technology could alter appearances, but changing a person¡¯s voice entirely? The mysterious old man from his fourth dream, and the one he¡¯d just killed, might both enjoy dry chuckles, but their voices were different¡ªclearly not the same person. Unless someone could change their voice along with their face, the two were not the same. There couldn¡¯t be two Copernicuses in the world... right? That was the second problem. Lastly, there was the old man¡¯s physical state. He was much weaker than Lin Xian had imagined¡ªfrail, barely holding on, at death¡¯s door. Could such a man truly survive another two centuries, to wake up stronger and continue thriving? It wasn¡¯t that Lin Xian didn¡¯t believe in science¡ªhe did. It was precisely because he believed in it that he found it hard to imagine. Perhaps in a future hundreds of years from now, technology will let a healthy young person live a few extra decades; but for someone already frail, with all their bodily functions failing... how could you possibly bring them back to life, bursting with energy? To Angelica and Elon Musk, the evidence they had was enough to prove that the old man who just died was the infamous Copernicus. Lin Xian didn¡¯t deny it. He just couldn¡¯t find definitive proof. Right now, the most pressing thing is figuring out if Copernicus truly is dead. But how could they prove it? With that old man¡¯s death, every lead¡ªeveryone in the world who had anything on Copernicus¡ªwas gone. Copernicus had vanished, evaporated from both history and the future. ¡°Wait a second...¡± No, that wasn¡¯t quite right. Lin Xian blinked, his gaze following the flow of Lake Brienz as it stretched eastward, winding endlessly. A long river. It was like a river of history. So very long, stretching on and on. Even from now, in 2024, all the way to the distant endpoint in 2624, it spanned six hundred years. Six hundred years. It sounded casual when you said it, but it was an absurdly long stretch of time. The breeze from the grasslands brushed against him as Lin Xian watched the waters of Lake Brienz trickle eastward. The lake had been here for at least six hundred years. Would it care about one particular rainstorm in one particular year? Would it care about a flock of sheep stopping by for a drink one day? Of course not, just like that six-hundred-year river of history. At that moment, Lin Xian truly understood the future plans of the Genius Club members, and the battles between them spanned hundreds of years. A game that lasts six hundred years¡ªwhy bother over a few years, or a few decades? If you considered the futures these geniuses were envisioning, the plans they were setting into motion, all of it lay centuries ahead. So who held a slight advantage in 2024, who was a step ahead¡ªit was all meaningless. Because the real battleground of this game wasn¡¯t in 2024. It was in that distant future! And with that in mind, the first thing these geniuses had to do was figure out how to survive long enough to see that future and complete their plans. Staying alive was the only way to play. Longevity was the real key. So then¡ªhow could you quietly lurk in the river of history, gathering strength, and wait for the perfect moment to leap out and secure victory? Suddenly, Lin Xian remembered something he¡¯d once said to Ji Xin Shui in the interrogation room, a lie he used to trick him: ¡°Ji Xin Shui, do you know why the Genius Club has managed to hide so well in the river of history, leaving no trace?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because... the members of the Genius Club are history itself. They¡¯ve already fused themselves with history, separated from the real world, so of course they leave no trace.¡± ¡°Any living person will leave a mark on history. But the dead are different... The dead don¡¯t attract attention; they leave no real mark on this world. That¡¯s how they can hide themselves, hide their organization within the river of history, subtly plucking the strings of the future.¡± ¡°Your final exam is to disappear from reality. To use a grand deception¡ªa ¡®fake death¡¯¡ªto completely erase yourself, silently influencing time and destiny.¡± Lin Xian took a deep breath. Those words had been pure nonsense, made up to get Ji Xin Shui to confess and accept the death penalty. Any of the other Seven Deadly Sins would never have believed Lin Xian¡¯s lies. But Ji Xin Shui, paranoid and arrogant, took them to heart. He went willingly to meet his death, eagerly awaiting Copernicus¡¯s applause. Hiding within the river of history... Plucking the strings of the future... It had been a lie, just something he came up with off the top of his head. But now, the more he thought about it, the more it felt real! Fake death. That phrase he¡¯d used to deceive Ji Xin Shui... The words were like a boomerang, circling back to him, echoing in his ears. ¡°No way...¡± Lin Xian held his breath. He turned, looking back towards the underground base. In the center, on the mechanical swivel chair, lay a body¡ªlimbs broken, skull shattered, all the blood drained away. Was this... Could this really count as a ¡®fake death¡¯? He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off. He swallowed, his throat dry. ¡°No way it actually came true, did it?¡± Chapter 450: Truth and Loopholes Two days later, in the new port area of Donghai City, at Tesla¡¯s Gigafactory laboratory. ¡°Lin Xian, it¡¯s confirmed,¡± said Elon Musk, stepping aside from the lab table to let Lin Xian take a closer look. On the lab table lay the Golden Badge of the Genius Club, dismantled into its components by precision instruments. ... Two days ago, as they were leaving the Swiss airport, Angelica was in high spirits. She hugged Lin Xian tightly but refused Elon Musk¡¯s attempt at a hug, preparing to fly back to the United States. ¡°I¡¯m planning to visit Brooklyn,¡± she said, her voice filled with emotion. ¡°I want to put flowers on Ji Xin Shui and Ji Lin¡¯s graves. Let them know the good news¡ªthat Copernicus is finally gone.¡± She paused, looking at Lin Xian with a gentle smile. ¡°Maybe you¡¯d want to come too? I know you had your issues with those two, but... Copernicus is dead now, and so are they. Doesn¡¯t that mean we can let bygones be bygones?¡± Lin Xian stayed silent for a moment, sensing the sincerity in her words. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± he replied eventually. He didn¡¯t want to dampen Angelica¡¯s joy¡ªshe looked so relieved, so genuinely happy. But still, the name Brooklyn lingered in his mind. ¡°Sorrowful Einstein¡±¡ªthat painting was made by the artist Henry Dawson in Brooklyn in 1952. So why were Ji Xin Shui, a native of X Country, and his adopted son buried in a foreign land? Why Brooklyn? Didn¡¯t he have a home to return to? For someone from X Country, especially an elder like Ji Xin Shui, returning to rest in the homeland¡¯s soil should have been an instinct. Why Brooklyn? ¡°Was it your choice to bury them there?¡± Lin Xian asked Angelica. ¡°Or was it their wish?¡± Angelica gathered her long, dark hair, tying it into a simple ponytail. ¡°It was the old man¡¯s choice. He loved Brooklyn¡ªevery year he¡¯d go there, said his best friends were there, and that he wanted to pay his respects to them. Ji Lin always complained about it.¡± ¡°But honestly, I¡¯m not sure. It wasn¡¯t necessarily the city itself that mattered to him¡ªmaybe it was the memories, or the people he knew there,¡± Angelica added, her voice soft with uncertainty. Lin Xian nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Do you know who he was visiting or where exactly in Brooklyn?¡± ¡°No idea,¡± Angelica replied with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ve told you before¡ªJi Xin Shui sent me to Hollywood to become a child star when I was very young. I rarely saw them, maybe once a year. Everything I know, Ji Lin told me.¡± ¡°But I doubt Ji Lin knew much either,¡± she continued. ¡°He didn¡¯t seem interested. Maybe he asked once, but Ji Xin Shui never answered. And Ji Lin didn¡¯t push for details¡ªhe didn¡¯t care about the old man¡¯s past.¡± Lin Xian nodded again. ¡°Got it. Safe journey, Angelica. See you around.¡± ¡°You too!¡± Angelica gave them a warm smile, waving as she walked towards her gate. Elon Musk rubbed his chin, a grin spreading across his face. ¡°Quite the charm you¡¯ve got, Lin Xian. I¡¯m envious.¡± Lin Xian rolled his eyes. ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough fun pretending to be Fake Elon Musk, charming everyone with your acting skills?¡± ¡°No, no, no,¡± Elon Musk shook his head playfully. ¡°Switching roles is easy for me. I just wanted to say, Angelica¡¯s smile was beautiful¡ªreal happiness from the heart.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°She¡¯s lost her family twice now¡ªleft alone both times. After Ji Lin and Ji Xin Shui died, she became a vengeful spirit with nowhere to belong.¡± ¡°But now, she¡¯s finally killed Copernicus¡ªthe one responsible for it all. Angelica¡¯s greatest wish has come true. She¡¯s finally found some peace.¡± He paused, his gaze drifting to Elon Musk¡¯s chest pocket. Inside was the Golden Badge of the Genius Club, taken from Copernicus. To be sure they had actually killed the real Copernicus, they needed to analyze the badge. Noticing Lin Xian¡¯s expression, Elon Musk patted his shoulder and smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lin Xian. I¡¯m not going back to the U.S. just yet. We¡¯ll take my private jet to Donghai. I¡¯ll head straight to Tesla¡¯s Gigafactory and use their lab to figure this badge out. I¡¯ll call you as soon as I¡¯m done.¡± ... And that was why Lin Xian was at Tesla¡¯s Gigafactory now. After getting Elon Musk¡¯s call, he had jumped into the car, Xiao Li driving him to the lab. Elon Musk gestured to the neatly arranged parts on the lab table. ¡°There¡¯s nothing overly complicated here¡ªjust a coil and an NFC encrypted chip. Simple structure, simple principle.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t cut it open¡ªI ground it down, bit by bit, to make sure the internal structure wasn¡¯t damaged. If you were planning to use this badge to pretend to be Copernicus at a Genius Club meeting, that wouldn¡¯t work. Their system is pretty tight on identity verification. Want me to explain in detail?¡± Lin Xian studied the dismantled components on the table. He picked up some of the residue, rubbing it between his fingers. ¡°Plastic?¡± ¡°Not quite. It¡¯s a complex material¡ªit looks and feels like metal but isn¡¯t. And it¡¯s not conductive,¡± Elon Musk explained. ¡°That¡¯s key, Lin Xian. The NFC principle relies on the coil generating current. If the coil were surrounded by metal, it¡¯d create a Faraday cage, and no current could form.¡± Lin Xian nodded, tossing the powder aside. ¡°Makes sense. I always thought it was weird to use solid metal for an NFC badge¡ªmust have been some kind of high-tech trick.¡± ¡°So, tell me about the Genius Club¡¯s identity verification system,¡± Lin Xian said, intrigued. Elon Musk pulled up a chair for Lin Xian, settling into his own. ¡°From what I know, before 2004, the Genius Club always met in person. At their last in-person meeting that year, Einstein gave Golden Badges to five members.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean Copernicus, Newton, Galileo, Da Vinci, and Gauss... They were the only five members back then.¡± Elon Musk nodded. ¡°Einstein said they¡¯d meet virtually from then on, using the badges. This way, their identities could stay hidden. The online setup was simple back then, though I never saw it myself.¡± Lin Xian thought for a moment. ¡°So, originally, the invitation seals didn¡¯t include the Golden Badges. Einstein must have added them later, waiting for the remaining geniuses to find their invitations.¡± Elon Musk shook his head slightly. ¡°Actually, the original invites did have badges¡ªjust solid gold ones without NFC. They weren¡¯t for identity verification either.¡± He gave a wry smile. ¡°A lot of things in the Genius Club are more about tradition and appearances than practicality. For instance, there¡¯s no real reason for the NFC to work like this for this badge. And don¡¯t get me started on those silly masks on VR avatars. Anyway, back to what I was saying.¡± ¡°The key embedded in the Golden Badge is unique to each member¡ªit¡¯s their identity. From the first time you use it to join a meeting, the system begins collecting your biometric data¡ªvoice, facial features, fingerprints. All without you even noticing. Over time, it builds a full profile. It might not get everything, but it¡¯ll always have your voice.¡± Lin Xian raised an eyebrow. ¡°But couldn¡¯t it be hacked? I mean, creating a fake fingerprint or voice isn¡¯t impossible.¡± Elon Musk laughed. ¡°I¡¯m not done. Voice is just one example. The system also records your tone, expressions, accent¡ªeven the way you laugh. Each time you join a meeting, it verifies your identity in countless ways. That long loading screen? It¡¯s checking all of that.¡± ¡°In the old days, maybe you could bypass it. But since Kevin Walker redesigned the whole program and encryption logic, it¡¯s nearly unbreakable. Every Genius Club member has tried to locate the server hosting the meetings, hoping to find others¡¯ information. Every single attempt has failed.¡± ¡°As much as I dislike Kevin Walker, I have to admit¡ªtechnically, he¡¯s leagues ahead of everyone. Earth¡¯s greatest hacker¡ªhe deserves that title.¡± ¡°So, did you catch the key point, Elon Musk?¡± ¡°The rule says you can¡¯t ask about ¡®other¡¯ Genius Club members. It doesn¡¯t say you can¡¯t ask about yourself.¡± ¡°During that meeting you missed halfway through, I asked Einstein when I would die. He gave me the exact answer, down to the minute and second.¡± ¡°Of course, I know if I asked about anyone else¡¯s death, Einstein wouldn¡¯t answer. But I could ask about my own.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Elon Musk chuckled, clapping his hands. ¡°Well done, my friend. That¡¯s pretty obvious, though.¡± ¡°The rule exists to protect privacy and safety. Who¡¯d ask something about themselves in front of everyone, only to let Einstein announce it to the entire room?¡± ¡°Lin Xian, don¡¯t underestimate those geniuses. Sure, you can control your question. But you can¡¯t control Einstein¡¯s answer.¡± ¡°If, during your question, Einstein said just one crucial word¡ªjust one¡ªthose geniuses could deduce your identity, location, plans, and goals.¡± ¡°If you plan on using a question about yourself to figure out if Copernicus is really dead, be very careful. Don¡¯t trust anyone in the Genius Club, and don¡¯t trust anything they say.¡± ¡°Even those who seem harmless like Gauss, friendly and kind like Da Vinci, or righteous like Newton¡ªno one knows what¡¯s really behind their masks. Who knows if they¡¯re human or monsters underneath.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There are still three days left until the next meeting on September 1st. I¡¯ll think it over carefully.¡± ¡°Of course, I hope you and Angelica are right. If, in the end, we prove that I¡¯m just overthinking, there¡¯s nothing better than that. I¡¯ll even invite you over to celebrate with champagne.¡± With that, he stood up, ready to leave. ¡°I¡¯m heading back, Elon Musk. Let me know if anything comes up.¡± Elon Musk also stood, shaking Lin Xian¡¯s hand firmly. ¡°Thank you might sound a bit formal, but I really mean it¡ªthank you, Lin Xian. Thanks for giving me that information in time and saving my life.¡± He pounded his chest in promise. ¡°If I ever have the chance to repay you, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. I¡¯d lay down my life for you if needed.¡± ... Later, Elon Musk watched as Lin Xian got into the car and drove away. ¡°Where to, Mr. Lin Xian?¡± asked Xiao Li, the driver of the Alphard. ¡°Home,¡± Lin Xian said, yawning. ¡°My jet lag¡¯s killing me. I need a long nap.¡± Ring ring... Lin Xian¡¯s phone rang. He picked it up and looked at the caller ID¡ªGao Yang? Since they¡¯d parted ways abruptly at his old home in Hang City, they hadn¡¯t talked much for half a month. Why was Gao Yang calling now? ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey!¡± Gao Yang sounded excited. ¡°Come over to my place tonight to watch that videotape!¡± ¡°What videotape?¡± Lin Xian asked absently. ¡°The one we got from Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s coffin! You didn¡¯t forget, did you?!¡± ... Lin Xian closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. ¡°You actually have the nerve to bring that up? It¡¯s been months, and you¡¯re only now getting the VCR sorted? Why not invite me in six hundred years?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for this!¡± Gao Yang said, sounding righteous. ¡°That tape was a special, compact version made by Panasonic years ago. Finding the right player wasn¡¯t easy. I had to go through so much trouble to get one from Japan.¡± ¡°And honestly, the main reason for the delay was that the tape itself was badly damaged. What, did you think the coffin was some kind of time machine where time stood still? The tape wouldn¡¯t even play when I tried it. I had to get a specialist to repair it. They just called me saying it¡¯s fixed.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Lin Xian sighed, switching the phone to his other hand. ¡°If you¡¯re not busy, I could come over now. No need to wait until tonight.¡± ¡°Nah, the dealership¡¯s packed right now. And I still need to pick up the tape. Let¡¯s stick with tonight. Come by around seven or eight. I¡¯ve been dying to see what¡¯s on that mysterious tape!¡± With that, Gao Yang hung up. Lin Xian closed his eyes, thinking back to Chu An Qing, who had turned into blue stardust and vanished¡ª To the photo of Zhang Yu Qian in her coffin, smiling like a flower in bloom¡ª To the two identical girls, living lives twenty-four years apart¡ª To the eerie code 1952 in the diary... He was curious too. He opened his eyes slowly. ¡°What could be on Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s videotape...?¡± ¡°What exactly did it record?¡± Chapter 451: Zhang Yu Qians Video Tape Earlier, Lin Xian and Gao Yang had made a special trip to Qufu in Shandong to dig up the grave of Zhang Yu Qian. As they suspected, there was no body in the coffin, but they did find some intriguing items. They retrieved three things from the coffin¡ªan old photo album, a diary with a combination lock, and an old videotape. Lin Xian looked through the entire photo album. It showed Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s life from childhood to adulthood. Strangely enough, apart from the different backgrounds and parents in the pictures, Lin Xian felt an eerie sense of de?ja? vu¡ªas if he were looking through Chu An Qing¡¯s photo album. The two girls looked identical, down to the smallest detail. Since the photos were static, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t see any differences between Zhang Yu Qian and Chu An Qing. Not like with CC. CC was alive¡ªshe had her own personality, quirks, and expressions. Even though CC looked exactly like Chu An Qing, Lin Xian could easily tell them apart. But Zhang Yu Qian only existed in these old photos, which made it harder to see the differences. In the end, after going through the entire album, they hadn¡¯t found anything useful. Then there was the diary with the combination lock. The content inside held no real value, but the password for the lock was intriguing: 1952. Based on Lin Xian and Gao Yang¡¯s calculations, 1952 was the year the previous millennium stake vanished. Each millennium stake girl would turn into blue stardust on her twentieth birthday. After a four-year gap, the next anchoring stake would be born, and the cycle would continue. In 1952, the previous anchoring stake disappeared. Four years later, in 1956, Zhang Yu Qian was born. In 1976, she vanished. In 1980, Chu An Qing was born. And in 2000, she vanished. In 2004, Chu An Qing was born again, and in 2024, she turned into blue stardust. The timeline was precise, but one question remained: why did Zhang Yu Qian, who supposedly knew nothing about the millennium stake, have such an attachment to the year 1952? Lin Xian wanted to dig deeper into this clue, but their trail regarding the millennium stake ended there, with no way to go further. He had hoped that joining the Genius Club would give him more opportunities to gather information, but the club was full of schemers. Even asking a question had restrictions, with the answers broadcast for every club member to hear. This forced Lin Xian to proceed cautiously, avoiding mistakes that could lead to disastrous consequences. The only remaining way to learn more about Zhang Yu Qian and the millennium stake was through that mysterious videotape. Back then, Gao Yang had volunteered to handle it, but who would¡¯ve thought it would take so long? ¡°Oh well, at least it¡¯s finally sorted,¡± Lin Xian muttered, gazing at the passing scenery outside the car window. Though it had taken a while, he would finally watch the contents of the videotape tonight. Thinking back over the past few months, he realized he hadn¡¯t had a single idle day. Every moment had been packed, and he had even survived two cross-temporal assassination attempts. It was exhausting. Lin Xian sighed. He truly understood the saying now: ¡°When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on someone, it first tests their resolve and patience.¡± ¡°Xiao Li, don¡¯t take me home. Let¡¯s go to the office,¡± Lin Xian said, turning to the driver. Since he had to go to Gao Yang¡¯s place around seven or eight tonight to watch the videotape, there was no need to dive into the dream world today. A few short hours wouldn¡¯t be enough to go through the usual routine anyway. So, the Rhine Company it was. Once in his office, he could finally have some peace and think things through¡ªspecifically, how to cleverly use the rules of questioning during the Genius Club¡¯s upcoming meeting on September 1st to confirm if Copernicus was really dead. ¡°Understood, Mr. Lin Xian,¡± the driver, Xiao Li, replied, flicking the left indicator and merging onto the elevated expressway. Rhine Company, Lin Xian¡¯s office. He sat with his eyes closed, spinning a pen between his fingers, his mind racing. To put it simply, if you stripped away all the complications, the real question about whether Copernicus was dead boiled down to his own safety and the safety of the time-space particles. ¡°No.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s even simpler¡ªit¡¯s just my safety. After all, the reason I worry about Copernicus stealing the time-space particles is that I fear he¡¯d send assassins from the future back to 2024 to kill me.¡± The more he thought about it, the clearer his thinking became. He stopped spinning the pen, pulled a blank sheet of paper from the printer, and scribbled down three questions: Ask again: What is the exact date of my death? Will the time-space particles in my possession be stolen by someone else? Who is the next mathematician to be maliciously murdered at 00:42? These were the three questions Lin Xian had come up with. On the surface, they had nothing to do with Copernicus, but in truth, they were all aimed at him. Depending on Einstein¡¯s answers, Lin Xian could determine if Copernicus was truly gone or still lurking around. But... Lin Xian tapped his pen on the first question, frowning. ¡°It seems like this question isn¡¯t very useful. Even if Einstein gives me an exact date, it doesn¡¯t provide any crucial information. No matter whether the date is far off or near, it won¡¯t prove if Copernicus is the killer. It could be an accident, an illness, or natural causes... In short, Einstein¡¯s answer won¡¯t determine whether it¡¯s Copernicus who kills me, so let¡¯s scrap that question.¡± With that, Lin Xian crossed out the first question with his pen. Next, he looked at the second question. This one was more pointed. If Einstein answered that the time-space particles would be stolen, it would strongly indicate that Copernicus had some plan in place to steal them from Lin Xian, continuing to cause him trouble. If Einstein said the particles wouldn¡¯t be stolen, it would offer some reassurance. But the price of that reassurance was that every member of the Genius Club would know that Lin Xian had a time-space particle, effectively painting a big target on his back. Newton and Galileo didn¡¯t seem like simple characters. If they got involved, they might be even trickier to deal with than Copernicus. ¡°This question is good, but the risk is too high,¡± Lin Xian muttered, shaking his head. Copernicus wasn¡¯t worth the risk of exposing his identity and attracting more enemies just to confirm whether he was truly dead. Then, Lin Xian looked at the third question. This one seemed almost perfect. Neither the question itself nor the answer would directly involve Copernicus or the Genius Club, and Einstein wouldn¡¯t refuse to answer. Moreover, the question was worded with very strict conditions: the time had to be 00:42, the cause of death had to be malicious murder, and the person had to be a mathematician. It practically pointed to Copernicus as the mastermind. If Einstein provided any name, it would mean Copernicus was still alive, or that there was someone else involved¡ªa partner. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t underestimate me,¡± Gao Yang said, heading to the TV while throwing a glance over his shoulder. ¡°If you can snag yourself a rich CEO, why can¡¯t I find a cute genius?¡± Lin Xian rolled his eyes. ¡°Sure, sure, head to the National Scientific Academy while you¡¯re at it. Now just play the tape.¡± Next to the TV sat an old, yellowed video player, branded with Panasonic¡¯s logo. ¡°So I got this tape checked out by an enthusiast,¡± Gao Yang said. ¡°He recognized it instantly. It¡¯s from a Panasonic NV-S250EN camera¡ªsuper high-end in the nineties. You can only play it on a special player like this one.¡± He turned the machine on, inserted the tape they¡¯d found in Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s coffin, pressed play, then rushed back to the couch, sitting beside Lin Xian, rubbing his hands together. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m kinda excited! It feels like we¡¯re peeking into someone¡¯s private teenage life.¡± Lin Xian shot him a look. ¡°Can you be serious for once?¡± Gao Yang could really be exasperating¡ªsometimes Lin Xian wondered if Gao Yang¡¯s entire existence was just a plot to ruin the human gene pool. The tape made the sound of rewinding, slow and mechanical. Finally, after what felt like forever, the static cleared, and an image appeared on screen. The footage was grainy, with colors faded from age, but for a tape from over twenty years ago, it was surprisingly watchable. ¡°Hehe, I¡¯ve got a camera!¡± A girl¡¯s laughter rang out, and Lin Xian and Gao Yang immediately straightened in their seats. Chu An Qing¡ªit was Chu An Qing¡¯s voice. It felt uncanny, almost as if she were sitting there in the living room with them. On screen, they could see the furnishings of a wealthy home from the nineties¡ªredwood furniture, a spiral staircase¡ªthe kind of luxury that spoke of money. ¡°Qian Qian, don¡¯t just film the house,¡± a young middle-aged man said, smiling from the couch. Lin Xian and Gao Yang exchanged glances¡ªthey¡¯d seen this man before. He looked much younger, but there was no mistaking him¡ªit was Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s father. The man waved at the camera, his expression soft and doting. ¡°Qian Qian, I got you this so you could capture all the beautiful parts of your life. One day when you¡¯re older, you¡¯ll have these memories. So don¡¯t just film the house¡ªgo out! Record something meaningful with your friends in the park.¡± The recording cut off abruptly, jumping to another scene. ¡°These old tapes do that sometimes,¡± Gao Yang explained. ¡°It¡¯s all recorded on one tape, unlike digital cameras.¡± Lin Xian hushed him. ¡°Just watch.¡± More scenes flashed by¡ªshots of sunlight, gardens, friends, pets¡ªall capturing the carefree life of a girl who loved life. The camera operator improved with each scene, even managing some elegant selfies¡ªher bright eyes crinkling into crescents, her dimples soft at her cheeks, that energetic smile. It was¡ªin every sense¡ªChu An Qing. Gao Yang sat there, stunned. ¡°I knew the photos looked like her, but seeing it in video... It¡¯s like Chu An Qing has a twin! Or she¡¯s traveled back in time!¡± Suddenly, the screen flickered, fading to black before a new scene emerged. It was Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s bedroom. She was in her pajamas, alongside a friend who had also appeared in previous footage¡ªher best friend, also in pajamas. Lin Xian and Gao Yang stared wide-eyed. Was this about to become too private? ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m about to try something super challenging!¡± Zhang Yu Qian grinned at the camera set up on her desk. ¡°I want to record my dreams!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± her friend looked baffled. ¡°Qian Qian, didn¡¯t you say you always have nightmares but forget them the moment you wake up? How are you gonna record them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you here!¡± Zhang Yu Qian giggled, pulling her friend into frame. ¡°It¡¯s true¡ªI forget every nightmare the second I wake up. Not a trace of them left. Sometimes, I don¡¯t even remember dreaming at all.¡± She paused, thoughtful. ¡°Sometimes I wonder¡ªwhat if I have nightmares every night, but I forget them so completely, it¡¯s like I never dream?¡± Her friend wrinkled her nose. ¡°That¡¯s normal, isn¡¯t it? I forget my dreams all the time too.¡± ¡°But not every time, right?¡± Zhang Yu Qian insisted. ¡°I forget all of mine. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve never really dreamed before.¡± She smiled at the camera, leaning in closer. ¡°But I know they¡¯re nightmares. I can feel it¡ªthey¡¯re terrible, even if I can¡¯t remember why. So tonight, I want to capture them. That¡¯s where you come in!¡± Zhang Yu Qian explained her plan, her excitement barely contained. ¡°You¡¯ll stay up, holding the camera. If you think I¡¯m dreaming, you wake me up, then point the camera at me and ask me what I dreamed¡ªright away! The quicker, the better. Otherwise, I¡¯ll forget everything, even that I was dreaming.¡± The footage cut to black. Gao Yang scratched his head, puzzled. ¡°That was... random.¡± But Lin Xian¡¯s expression had changed. He remembered something. At the Donghai Commerce New Year Banquet back in early 2023, while dancing with Chu An Qing, they had chatted about dreams. Chu An Qing had said, ¡°I¡¯m really jealous, senior. All your dreams are happy. I¡¯m scared of dreaming¡ªit¡¯s always nightmares for me.¡± She¡¯d added, ¡°I forget the details when I wake up, but it¡¯s terrifying. I wish I could dream happily like you.¡± He hadn¡¯t thought much of it at the time¡ªnightmares were normal, after all. What wasn¡¯t normal was Lin Xian¡¯s own dreaming¡ªsomething rare and unique. But now it seemed uncanny. The nightmare thing¡ªeven that was the same as Zhang Yu Qian. There was definitely more to this. The screen flickered back to life. Zhang Yu Qian lay sleeping, her brows furrowed as if caught in a bad dream. Her friend crept closer, camera in hand, then suddenly began shaking Zhang Yu Qian, frantically calling, ¡°Qian Qian! Wake up! Tell me! What were you dreaming?!¡± Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s eyes blinked open, dazed, as if struggling to focus. Her friend kept shaking her. ¡°Come on! What was the dream?!¡± ¡°Explosion... bright light... mushroom cloud...¡± Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s voice was distant. ¡°A newspaper... 1952... something burning... Einstein.¡± Chapter 452: Beneath the Mask, Above History ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian and Gao Yang stood there, stunned by the strange scene before them. They had expected nothing more than a simple experiment to record a dream. But the words that had been spoken... White light, explosion, mushroom cloud, newspaper, 1952, burning... Einstein? The first few made some sense¡ªsounded like a proper nightmare, sure¡ªbut what was up with Einstein? ¡°What exactly did Zhang Yu Qian dream about?¡± Gao Yang wondered aloud, taking a deep breath, ready to keep talking. But Lin Xian raised his hand to stop him. ¡°Hold on,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°Let¡¯s finish watching the recording first.¡± The screen showed footage recorded more than twenty years ago. Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s friend stared at her, confused, as Zhang Yu Qian continued to mumble in her sleep. After those strange words, Zhang Yu Qian let out a few soft hums and rubbed her eyes as she sat up. She glared at her friend, annoyed. ¡°Why did you hit me so hard? My forehead is killing me!¡± she grumbled, yawning sleepily. ¡°Did you get it all recorded?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all recorded,¡± her friend replied. ¡°But... you were just talking to me a second ago, and now you don¡¯t remember?¡± Zhang Yu Qian shook her head. ¡°I remember being woken up and saying a few things to you, but what I said, and the dream itself? I can¡¯t remember a single thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s incredible!¡± her friend exclaimed. ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve heard of people forgetting their dreams after waking up, but I¡¯ve never seen anyone forget so quickly and completely. You really don¡¯t remember anything about that nightmare?¡± ¡°Why would I lie?¡± Zhang Yu Qian huffed, sitting up in bed. ¡°I told you before I fell asleep. When I suddenly wake up, I can remember the dream for a second or two, but as soon as I blink or look away, it¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°If I wake up naturally, half-asleep, I can¡¯t even tell if I¡¯ve dreamed at all. Most of the time, I can¡¯t tell if I¡¯ve dreamed unless I¡¯m jolted awake, like just now.¡± ¡°Even though I forget the dream itself, the fear and anxiety it causes stick around, so I know it was a nightmare.¡± Zhang Yu Qian stretched and climbed out of bed. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the living room. There¡¯s a VCR there. I¡¯m dying to see what I dreamed about!¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Her friend looked awkward. ¡°I think you might have dreamed about World War II.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Zhang Yu Qian looked incredulous. ¡°Why would I dream about that? I don¡¯t even care about history! Ugh, why is the camera still running? We¡¯re wasting tape. Turn it off.¡± With that, the screen went black. After that, there was nothing. The tape clicked as it wound to the other side, and the footage came to an end. ¡°This...¡± Gao Yang scratched his head, frowning. ¡°What in the world was Zhang Yu Qian dreaming about? None of it made any sense. But I guess it¡¯s a dream, so a bit of random chaos is fine. Still, what do those words mean?¡± ¡°Explosion, mushroom cloud... Was she dreaming of an atomic bomb? And then there¡¯s burning, white light... I suppose that could also be linked to an atomic explosion. But what about 1952? Isn¡¯t that wrong?¡± ¡°The two atomic bombs were dropped in 1945, right? The U.S. dropped them on Japan, and Japan surrendered. So why 1952? Maybe Zhang Yu Qian just got the year wrong. Probably failed history class,¡± Gao Yang suggested. Lin Xian leaned back on the couch, thinking. ¡°1952 and atomic bombs... Wait, I remember now. The first hydrogen bomb was detonated in 1952.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t used in war, though. It was a test, but it was still a major milestone in human history. Though, I¡¯m not too sure about the details. Let me check.¡± Lin Xian grabbed his phone and began searching. Soon enough, he found the answer. ¡°On November 1, 1952, the U.S. conducted the first hydrogen bomb test in the Pacific. The bomb was called ¡®Mike,¡¯ and its explosive power was over ten megatons, more than five hundred times that of the Hiroshima bomb.¡± ¡°The reason it was so powerful is because the hydrogen bomb¡¯s mechanism is different from an atomic bomb. It uses the energy from nuclear fission to trigger fusion in lighter elements like deuterium and tritium, releasing an enormous amount of energy.¡± Gao Yang leaned in, reading the screen. ¡°Wow, so there really was a hydrogen bomb explosion in 1952. Do hydrogen bombs create mushroom clouds too?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°The type of bomb doesn¡¯t matter. As long as the explosion is big enough, it¡¯ll create a mushroom cloud.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s the answer!¡± Gao Yang spread his hands and flopped back on the couch, looking relaxed. ¡°Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s friend was right. She probably watched some World War II movies and read about hydrogen bombs, and that¡¯s why she had this nightmare.¡± By 1941, the United States launched the top-secret ¡°Manhattan Project¡± to build the atomic bomb. The President gave the project ¡°special priority above all else.¡± In 1945, the atomic bomb was successfully developed and dropped twice on Japan, leveling cities and causing countless casualties. Shortly after, World War II officially ended. From that point on, Einstein was deeply troubled by the devastating weapons he¡¯d helped bring into existence. He regretted the E = mc2 equation, feeling it had opened a Pandora¡¯s box, giving humanity the power to destroy itself. In 1952, the first hydrogen bomb was created, far more powerful than the atomic bomb. The atomic bomb ¡°Little Boy,¡± with a yield of just 20 kilotons, had wiped out an entire city. How much destruction could a 10-megaton hydrogen bomb bring if it were used in war? Realizing the Pandora¡¯s box could never be closed, Einstein grew even more despondent. In the same year, 1952, a realist painter named Henry Dawson painted an oil portrait of Einstein called ¡°Sorrowful Einstein¡± in Brooklyn, New York. In the painting, Einstein asked a desperate question: ¡°Does humanity have a future?¡± In 1955, Einstein passed away in Princeton, USA, his death marked by despair and regret. His brain was taken by a doctor and preserved in formaldehyde for research. His body was cremated, and his ashes scattered in a place known only to a few. All of this was historically recorded, but then Lin Xian¡¯s speculation began: At some point after 1952, someone decided to create the Genius Club to forge a better future for humanity. This founder had some unique ability to see the future¡ªand what he saw worried him. He was as pessimistic as Einstein about humanity¡¯s fate... maybe even more so. While Einstein had feared that humans armed with superweapons might destroy themselves, he never knew for sure. But the Genius Club¡¯s founder had actually seen that the future was indeed bleak, that humanity really had no future. Yet he didn¡¯t give up. He gathered the world¡¯s brightest minds, hoping to change humanity¡¯s destiny and offer a brighter future. He seemed to admire Einstein¡ªmaybe even felt a kind of kinship with him¡ªso he hid the invitation clues within ¡°Sorrowful Einstein,¡± and commissioned Henry Dawson to create seven more originals, placing eight Genius Club invitations in secret locations around the world. Time went by. Copernicus, Newton, Galileo¡ªone genius after another cracked the Einstein code, found the invitation, and joined the Genius Club. To keep their identities secret, each member wore a mask representing a famous scientist, artist, or mathematician and used it as their code name. And the Genius Club¡¯s founder, its president, wore a mask depicting none other than the sorrowful, late Albert Einstein. By now, it seemed that Einstein¡¯s life and the history of the Genius Club were pretty well sorted out. It even appeared that the real Einstein and the club¡¯s president had no connection beyond the mask¡ªperhaps they¡¯d never even met or weren¡¯t from the same time. But... was that really the case? Behind every mask worn by a member of the Genius Club was a real person. Like Kevin Walker behind the Turing mask, or Elon Musk behind the Tesla mask, or Lin Xian behind the Rhine Cat mask. And then there was the dying old man behind the Copernicus mask. So who was the man behind the Einstein mask? That was the absurd, chilling, and almost impossible idea that had crossed Lin Xian¡¯s mind¡ªthe very idea that somehow made the most sense. He swallowed nervously, his eyes scanning the scrawled notes on the paper before him. ¡°Could it be,¡± he whispered, ¡°that the president of the Genius Club, the old man behind the Einstein mask, is actually Einstein himself?¡± The idea was ridiculous. Everyone knew Einstein had died in 1955. There was no funeral, no memorial, no grave¡ªand no one knew where his ashes had been scattered. But his brain had been stolen by a doctor, preserved in slices, and studied in labs and universities around the world, still floating in formaldehyde. Einstein should be dead, no doubt about it. He couldn¡¯t possibly still be alive. Unless... Suddenly, Lin Xian remembered something he¡¯d once said to deceive Ji Xin Shui: ¡°The dead don¡¯t draw attention. They leave no trace in this world. That way, you can hide in history, quietly pulling the strings of the future, shaping humanity¡¯s destiny.¡± Could it be... Had Einstein faked his death? Had he staged the most elaborate ruse in history¡ªa true deception of the world? A shiver ran down Lin Xian¡¯s spine at the thought. Chapter 453: CCs Verification ¡°Impossible.¡± Elon Musk shook his head. ¡°Absolutely impossible.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t end up having barbecue with Gao Yang. Instead, he took a special car to the Tesla Gigafactory, where he tracked down Elon Musk, who hadn¡¯t yet left X Country. After hearing Lin Xian¡¯s theory, Elon Musk let out a dry laugh, clearly worried about Lin Xian¡¯s state of mind. ¡°Lin Xian, have you been under some kind of stress lately? Or maybe you¡¯ve been reading too many fantasy novels?¡± Elon Musk teased. ¡°First, you think Copernicus faked his death, and now you¡¯re telling me Einstein might have done the same thing? Ha! I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s just too funny. I¡¯ve had professional training to keep a straight face, but even I can¡¯t hold back here.¡± Elon Musk laughed openly, continuing, ¡°Einstein¡¯s brain was sliced up for research decades ago. How could he still be alive? And remember, he was born in 1879. If he were alive today, he¡¯d be almost 140 years old. It¡¯s simply not possible for anyone to live that long.¡± He paused for effect, a smirk forming on his lips. ¡°Besides, the leader of the Genius Club, the old man wearing the Einstein mask, is sharp and articulate. Does he look like a 140-year-old man to you? Even if you claimed they swapped leaders along the way, that might make sense. But you¡¯re saying he is actually Einstein? Now that¡¯s a stretch.¡± Lin Xian sat down across from Elon Musk, countering calmly, ¡°Then why does he forbid us from asking questions about the Genius Club itself?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s just an admirer of Einstein or borrowing Einstein¡¯s identity, why make the club¡¯s founding details, its goals, and its origins off-limits to us?¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t see why the founding of the club is such a big secret. If he¡¯s the one who started it, why not share that piece of history with us?¡± Elon Musk gave a faint smile, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°No need to overthink this. It¡¯s quite easy to verify, isn¡¯t it? Here¡¯s the plan¡ª¡± ¡°At the gathering on September 1st, I¡¯ll help you get to the bottom of this!¡± Elon Musk looked at Lin Xian with determination. ¡°You were planning to confirm if Copernicus was dead or not, right? I¡¯ll help you confirm the Einstein situation too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just ask, ¡®Where were Albert Einstein¡¯s ashes scattered?¡¯ Now, that¡¯s a mystery no one has ever solved. Only Einstein¡¯s children knew, and they¡¯re long gone now. There¡¯s supposedly no way for anyone to know that answer¡ªexcept the club leader, perhaps.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious too. If he can tell us the exact spot where the ashes were scattered, then you can put your suspicions to rest, right? Unless, of course, Einstein¡¯s a ghost.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Sounds good. Let¡¯s go with that question.¡± ¡°Call me paranoid if you want, but being careful never hurts. Our enemies are getting more cunning, so it¡¯s wise to keep our guard up.¡± ... The next day, August 28, 2024, Time Bank officially opened after almost half a year of trial operations. The ceremony was grand, with plenty of media coverage. Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun were naturally present, congratulating Brother Wang on finally achieving his childhood dream. Brother Wang shook Lin Xian¡¯s hand excitedly. ¡°Thank you so much, Lin Xian! You can rest assured¡ªI¡¯ve written everything you asked for into the regulations. Even if Time Bank goes under, we¡¯ll stick to these principles!¡± ¡°Every 100-year anniversary, we¡¯ll rent as many airships as possible and fly them over Donghai City to celebrate¡ªwhether it¡¯s the 100th, 200th, or even the 600th or 800th anniversary. We¡¯ll fill the sky with balloons and airships for the entire day!¡± Lin Xian smiled faintly, saying nothing. It would be wonderful if this tradition continued. Unfortunately, the global super-disaster of the year 2400 would lay waste to everything. Not just Time Bank, but Donghai City itself would be leveled, and 95% of the world¡¯s population would be wiped out. Airships would never fly again. But if the 2400 disaster could be prevented, then everything would be possible. And that was one of Lin Xian¡¯s future goals. That night, it seemed fortune was on Time Bank¡¯s side. The United States and the European Union jointly announced that mass-produced hibernation pods were officially going on sale, and the major hibernation bases were open for business. The U.S. also signed the ¡°Hibernation Act (Draft)¡± with many other countries. Although it was only a draft and certainly imperfect, as the first official regulation on hibernation in human history, its emergence marked the dawn of the hibernation era. In X Country, major government agencies also announced that mass production of hibernation pods and the opening of hibernation bases would be completed by the end of 2024, along with the introduction of corresponding legislation. The year 2024 was truly the first year of the hibernation era. Just as Brother Wang had envisioned, the hibernation pods quickly reached ordinary households, and Time Bank¡¯s business began to boom. After dealing with these mundane tasks, Lin Xian finally had time to enter the dream world and look for CC, hoping to verify the connection between the Millennium Stake and the nightmare. After an early lunch, Lin Xian filled VV, his Pomeranian¡¯s bowl, lay down on the guest bed, and closed his eyes, drifting into sleep. ... In the dream, Lin Xian followed the familiar path, perfectly breezing through the events, bringing along Xu Yi Yi and CC to join the Face Gang, and then heading with the four members of the Face Gang to Gao Wen¡¯s underground laboratory. After ensuring they were on the same page and deciding where to continue studying the blueprints, Gao Wen turned away to prepare. Meanwhile, Lin Xian took the opportunity to ask CC about her dreams. ¡°Huh?¡± CC looked genuinely surprised as she listened to Lin Xian. ¡°I don¡¯t dream.¡± She blinked, puzzled. ¡°I¡¯ve never had a dream, nor have I ever paid attention to it.¡± ¡°Never?¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t quite believe it. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. How could someone never dream?¡± He turned to Xu Yi Yi. ¡°What about you? Do you dream?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± Xu Yi Yi replied, ¡°It¡¯s just that I forget most of them really quickly. There are only a few dreams I remember clearly; the rest, I forget entirely.¡± Lin Xian spread his hands, giving CC a pointed look. ¡°See? That¡¯s the issue. It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t dream; it¡¯s that you forget them too fast! Trust me, I know what I¡¯m talking about.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± CC responded casually, not taking it seriously. ¡°Maybe. I¡¯ve always thought it was because I sleep too deeply. Either way, I don¡¯t remember anything about my dreams. So... what¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Just do as I say,¡± Lin Xian said, looking around thoughtfully. ¡°First, we need to find a place to sleep.¡± ??? Suddenly, every eye in the underground lab was staring at them. What in the world? What kind of wild suggestion was that? Even Xu Yi Yi blushed, her ears pricking up in astonishment. ¡°You scoundrel!¡± Big Cat slapped Lin Xian across the back of his head. ¡°Face Gang rule number 27¡ªno flirting within the group!¡± Lin Xian leaned back to dodge. ¡°Are you sure you remember the first 26 rules? You clearly just made that up!¡± ¡°Silence! Shameless rogue!¡± Ah Zhuang shouted, giving Lin Xian a disgusted look. ¡°I¡¯ve never met anyone so brazen in my life!¡± ¡°Disgraceful!¡± Er Zhuzi added, puffing out his chest. ¡°I propose we kick this disgrace out of the Face Gang immediately!¡± San Pang¡¯s eyes flashed, and he spoke decisively. ¡°I think not!¡± Lin Xian sighed. He was already tired of the stand-up comedy act that was inevitable every time he entered the dream. Dealing with the Face Gang was mentally exhausting. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Can you all let me finish?¡± Lin Xian said, looking exasperatedly at the four members of the Face Gang. ¡°And besides, this is between me and CC. What does it have to do with any of you?¡± He turned back to CC. ¡°What I was actually trying to say was¡ª¡± ¡°I get it,¡± CC interrupted. ¡°You mean that if I forget my dreams too quickly, then your plan is to shake me awake as soon as I start dreaming and ask me about it immediately. That way, we¡¯ll know if I really don¡¯t dream.¡± If it had only been CC dreaming of him, that would be easy enough to explain. After all, her mind was filled with fragments of memories about him. It would make sense for her to dream of him¡ªyou dream about what¡¯s on your mind during the day. But the blue eyes... That was the hallmark of a time traveler. Which meant CC had dreamt of herself as a time traveler. That made things complicated. Was it possible that, in her dream, CC saw herself traveling back in time? It wasn¡¯t entirely impossible. But... From which era, which point in time? ¡°I need more information,¡± Lin Xian murmured. ... Over the next three days, every time Lin Xian entered the dream world, he would bring CC along and repeat the process of waking her up, asking about her dreams. He had hoped to get a few more clues, some keywords that might help. But each time, things went against his expectations. No matter how he phrased his questions, or even when he told CC in advance to pay more attention to the details, every time she woke up, she said the same thing: ¡°It¡¯s you... with blue eyes.¡± And once she was fully awake, she remembered nothing at all. It was exactly like Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s situation. Forget everything upon waking up. ¡°But the content of the dream¡ªthat¡¯s what I can¡¯t figure out,¡± Lin Xian muttered. It was August 31st, nearly midnight. Lin Xian sat in his study, waiting for the monthly Genius Club meeting, but his mind kept going back to the link between Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s and CC¡¯s dreams. Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s dream had a mushroom cloud, explosions, and Einstein¡ªall chaotic and bizarre. CC¡¯s dream had him as a time traveler with blue eyes¡ªeven more puzzling. At first glance, there seemed to be no connection between the two. Upon closer inspection... Still, nothing. Unless he wanted to force a theory, there weren¡¯t any convincing leads to follow. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± Lin Xian thought suddenly. ¡°Even though Zhang Yu Qian couldn¡¯t remember the contents of her dream, she still retained the feelings¡ªthe fear, the terror. Even if she forgot the dream itself a few seconds after waking up, she knew she had had a nightmare.¡± ¡°But CC¡¯s different. She never said she had nightmares. This means her dreams didn¡¯t impact her emotions deeply. Either they were pleasant dreams or just ordinary ones. In any case, they definitely weren¡¯t nightmares.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably why CC never really cared about whether she dreamed or not. Her dreams had no real effect on her emotions or her life¡ªunlike the memory fragments, which were much more impactful.¡± That was another strange point. Why, even among Millennium Stakes, was CC the only one with memory fragments? What made her different? The door to the study creaked open, and Zhao Ying Jun entered. Lin Xian turned to look at her, his eyes falling on her belly. ¡°Still not showing yet?¡± ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, touching her stomach. ¡°It¡¯s not even two months yet. It¡¯s normal that there¡¯s no visible change. I can feel the difference, though. You just haven¡¯t been paying enough attention.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay more attention from now on,¡± Lin Xian promised, patting the VR glasses on the desk. ¡°Everything¡¯s getting resolved slowly. Maybe after tonight¡¯s meeting, we¡¯ll get the best news.¡± ¡°You should rest early, Ying Jun. We¡¯re supposed to go to the capital tomorrow to meet your parents and discuss the wedding, remember?¡± ¡°Marriage is a big deal,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said thoughtfully. ¡°I think we should reconsider. A trip to get married without a ceremony... it feels too rushed. Don¡¯t you think we should have something more meaningful¡ªat least a bit of ceremony?¡± She moved behind Lin Xian, wrapping her arms around his neck, and laughed softly. ¡°The romance and meaning you¡¯ve given me are already more than enough. Besides, marriage is between two people. There¡¯s no need to put on a show for everyone else.¡± ¡°More importantly... we have a baby on the way. I can skip the role of wife and jump straight into being a mother. Compared to the joy of welcoming a baby, the wedding doesn¡¯t matter to me anymore. I¡¯ve already moved on to the next stage.¡± She paused for a moment, then said, ¡°Copenhagen.¡± Lin Xian raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re not jealous, are you?¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m not that petty,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, ruffling his hair. ¡°But I do think... shouldn¡¯t we go to the Little Mermaid statue and let Yellow Finch see how happy we are now?¡± ¡°Yellow Finch¡¯s greatest regret was not being able to keep her Lin Xian, not being able to stay by her Yu Xi. But now, thanks to her, we have all of this. I think we should thank her.¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s what Yellow Finch would have wanted most¡ªto see her regrets fulfilled through us.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°But a trip and a wedding don¡¯t have to be mutually exclusive. The real question is, will your parents agree?¡± ¡°They¡¯d love it,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said with a smile. ¡°The current trend is to keep weddings simple or not have them at all¡ªno extravagance. My parents fully support us taking this modest approach to such an important life event. In their circle, they actually look down on grand weddings. Everyone prefers to keep it low-key. Sometimes, a simple family dinner is all it takes to mark the occasion.¡± ¡°People often crave what they lack. My parents have all the pomp and status they could want¡ªthey don¡¯t need an extravagant wedding to prove anything.¡± ¡°True,¡± Lin Xian agreed. ¡°That¡¯s quite different from what my parents think. They believe weddings should be as grand as possible, a major event to announce to the world.¡± ¡°But they respect our wishes. Personally, I don¡¯t want anything over the top either. Mainly because...¡± He paused, lowering his voice. ¡°Mainly because I feel like I still have so many things left unfinished, so many promises unkept.¡± ¡°Take your time,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, stepping toward the door. ¡°I¡¯ll follow your lead. There¡¯s a cup of warm milk in the kitchen for you. Drink it after your meeting. I¡¯m heading to bed. I won¡¯t wait up.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°Goodnight. See you in my dreams.¡± He suddenly froze. Those words¡ªhe had never said them before. They had slipped out, influenced by CC in his dreams. He looked up at Zhao Ying Jun, who was just stepping out of the study, and asked, ¡°Do you dream about me?¡± ¡°Not much these past two months,¡± she replied. ¡°Because I know you¡¯re here, at home, right by my side. There¡¯s no need to dream about you. I guess that¡¯s what they call subconscious comfort.¡± ¡°But before that...¡± She turned back, smiling softly. ¡°You were a frequent guest in my dreams.¡± Chapter 454: Galileo and Da Vinci Chapter 454: Galileo and Da Vinci Lin Xian smiled gently as he listened, his voice warm and soft. ¡°You know, it makes me feel a bit guilty. You can dream about me, but I can¡¯t dream about you. The one time I did, you were just a statue.¡± Zhao Ying Jun chuckled softly. ¡°Why do you have to take it so seriously? Dreams don¡¯t really matter, especially to ordinary people like us. After all, everything in dreams is fake. What matters is having the real you.¡± With that, she turned, pulled the door handle, and quietly closed the study door behind her. Now, Lin Xian was alone in the room. She was right. For ordinary people, everything in dreams was just that¡ªa dream. That was why there was no way to deeply analyze Zhang Yu Qian and CC¡¯s dreams. Because... There were just too many contradictions. Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s dream made no sense¡ªit was disjointed and confusing. CC¡¯s dream, on the other hand, was even harder to make sense of. From a time-space perspective, a Lin Xian with blue eyes shouldn¡¯t even exist. He had realized this from the beginning. Time travelers always faced resistance from the timeline¡ªthe changes to his appearance, like the blue eyes, were because of that resistance. That¡¯s why CC¡¯s dream didn¡¯t add up. If she saw someone who looked exactly like him now, his eyes shouldn¡¯t have been blue. If his eyes were blue, then his face wouldn¡¯t look the same. The changes caused by the timeline resistance were unavoidable. Whether it was Yellow Finch, Zhao Ying Jun, or the time-traveling assassin Lin Yu Xi, their faces after temporal interference looked nothing like their original ones¡ªtheir features, the shape of their faces¡ªeverything would be different. If he had really traveled through time, the interference would surely change his face so much that even CC wouldn¡¯t recognize him in her dream. That was the first contradiction. The second was even more crucial: countless sources confirmed that time travel was only possible to the past, not the unknown future. This meant that CC, who was from the future, could have only seen the version of him in hibernation, with black eyes¡ªnot the blue-eyed version that traveled to the future. ¡°Too messy,¡± Lin Xian muttered, shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s all too chaotic. The logic and timeline are just too jumbled. I have no idea how to make sense of Zhang Yu Qian and CC¡¯s dreams.¡± ¡°It would be nice to know what Chu An Qing¡¯s dream was about. It could be another clue, maybe even help connect all these dreams together.¡± He sighed. ¡°But it¡¯s pointless to think about that now. For this upcoming meeting, the priority is solving the issues with Einstein and Copernicus.¡± Just then, his phone rang. Lin Xian picked it up and saw it was an international call from Elon Musk. The meeting was only twenty minutes away. Why was he calling now? ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯ve been thinking about our questions,¡± Elon Musk said, speaking quickly. ¡°I think we should switch them. You should ask the question about Einstein, and I¡¯ll ask whether Copernicus is truly dead.¡± ¡°This is for your own safety. No matter how Einstein answers, we¡¯ll be able to deduce whether Copernicus is dead or not. But remember, the others aren¡¯t stupid either. They¡¯ll immediately realize that this question is targeting Copernicus.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°That¡¯s obvious. Copernicus definitely won¡¯t show up at this meeting, and everyone knows he¡¯s the only one who kills mathematicians at 00:42. Once we ask our question and they hear Einstein¡¯s answer, they¡¯ll know we¡¯re trying to confirm whether Copernicus is alive.¡± ¡°If Einstein refuses to answer, they¡¯ll all realize we killed the wrong person and that Copernicus will continue killing. If Einstein says there will still be mathematicians dying, it means we didn¡¯t succeed in killing him. If he says there¡¯ll be no more murders, then we really killed Copernicus.¡± Elon Musk hummed in agreement. ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why I¡¯m worried about your safety. Your identity is completely hidden right now; no one knows who ¡®Lin Xian¡¯ really is. There¡¯s no need to expose yourself and let everyone know you were the one who killed Copernicus.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll bring trouble and unnecessary attention. You¡¯re a new member of the Genius Club. You can use that ¡®newbie¡¯ status to get close to others and gather more information. But once you admit you killed Copernicus, you¡¯ll expose a lot about yourself. There¡¯s no need for that. Sure, people can tell you and Copernicus don¡¯t get along, but they don¡¯t know the exact reasons. It¡¯s best to keep that mystery.¡± ¡°I, on the other hand, am already an open book. Everyone knows who I am, so it¡¯s better if I take the blame. You just pretend not to know me or anything about Copernicus¡¯ death. Just keep playing the newbie, the ¡®Rhine Cat.''¡± Lin Xian thought about it and realized Elon Musk made a lot of sense. Everyone in the Genius Club was sharp, and their words couldn¡¯t be taken at face value. Even though it seemed like everyone disliked Copernicus, who knew if some of them were secretly allied with him¡ªlike Turing, who hid his true stance well. Better to be cautious. He¡¯d let Elon Musk take the fall. Knowing Elon Musk¡¯s personality, he¡¯d probably be quite proud and announce it to everyone with a flourish: ¡°Attention, everyone! I have an announcement! Yes, it was me who killed Copernicus! A round of applause, thank you!¡± After agreeing with Elon Musk, Lin Xian hung up. He checked the time: September 1st, 2024, 00:20. Then a thought struck him¡ªhe had always entered the VR meeting room precisely at 00:42, just in time to see everyone already seated and chatting. Which meant... It was possible to enter early. The club¡¯s rules said you couldn¡¯t be late, but they never said you couldn¡¯t be early. In any era, arriving early to a meeting was considered polite. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll go in early today,¡± he decided. Lin Xian put on his VR headset. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down early and see what they¡¯re talking about. Maybe I¡¯ll get some gossip.¡± After adjusting the headset, he placed the Genius Club¡¯s golden badge on the front of the VR device. A soft beep echoed, and a dazzling array of colors appeared in his field of vision, like a tunnel through time. Eventually, the scene settled into the familiar old castle. Lin Xian looked down. Beneath his feet was the plush red carpet, leading to the grand double wooden doors ahead. In the past, he always heard people chatting behind those doors¡ªmostly Da Vinci¡¯s voice, full of laughter and energy. But today... It was silent. No one was talking. If he spoke about it, Da Vinci might not even believe him. And even if she did, even if she changed her plans, that would affect the eighth dream¡ªand Lin Xian still hadn¡¯t copied down all the schematics for the time machine. Besides, Da Vinci¡¯s intentions were good. She envisioned a world with strict laws and enforcement, and there was nothing wrong with that. The problem was how things had turned out, with Donghai City becoming harsh and overbearing, swinging too far to the extreme. Part of that was due to human nature, part due to androids seizing control. But honestly, who could say that if humans were in charge, the future world would be any better? No one could know for sure. And that was why Lin Xian found it hard to speak up. He had no better solution, no clear answers¡ªhe didn¡¯t even know where Da Vinci¡¯s plan had gone wrong. What right did he have to correct someone else? The best course of action, he thought, was to wait until he had finished copying the time machine schematics. He¡¯d use the opportunity to ask Einstein, and through Einstein¡¯s answer, let Da Vinci come to her own conclusions about her plans for the future. That way, her future intentions wouldn¡¯t be exposed to the others. Elon Musk had warned Lin Xian repeatedly that everyone in the Genius Club was extremely smart. With just a single word, a tiny clue, they could deduce a person¡¯s true identity and motives. Unless there was a chance to speak with Da Vinci privately, any slip on his part might reveal her identity, and if someone decided to kill her, Lin Xian¡¯s well-meaning intentions would have the opposite effect. No need to rush. He hadn¡¯t finished copying the schematics yet, and he still had a lot of questions to ask. Testing Da Vinci could wait a few more months. ¡°Do you have a lot of children?¡± Galileo asked, still chatting with Da Vinci. ¡°You¡¯re always talking about kids.¡± ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Da Vinci said with a smile. ¡°I have lots of children. They¡¯re all adorable, even if they are a bit mischievous. But what child isn¡¯t a little naughty? I love them very much. I wish they could stay this happy forever, and never grow up.¡± She lifted her head, looking at the masked figure of Galileo across from her. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve never asked this, mostly because we don¡¯t usually talk about personal identities during meetings. Unless, of course, it¡¯s someone like Elon Musk who announces it himself... But you¡¯re different from Newton and Rhine. You¡¯ve never talked about your family. ¡°So, you don¡¯t have to answer if you don¡¯t want to. I¡¯m just curious. Do you have children? Given your age, I¡¯d imagine you might have grandchildren by now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Galileo replied, his voice calm. ¡°I¡¯ve never married, nor do I have any children.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Da Vinci said, her voice carrying a note of disappointment as she shook her head. ¡°I wish that was just a lie to protect your identity.¡± Lin Xian shifted uncomfortably in his high-backed chair, feeling like he didn¡¯t belong in this setting¡ªlike an outsider at some kind of senior citizens¡¯ matchmaking event. He was really regretting coming early. His toes curled inside his shoes, scraping against the soles. Sorry, Galileo, I messed up. If Lin Xian had apologized before, it was in a sarcastic tone. But now, he genuinely felt sorry. Galileo was truly a romantic¡ªan old soul still brimming with life and emotions. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that leaving the meeting meant he couldn¡¯t rejoin, Lin Xian would¡¯ve logged off for a while and let Galileo have his moment with Da Vinci. It was clear now. Galileo always arrived early just to wait for Da Vinci. He didn¡¯t know her true identity, and since they were both members of the Genius Club, it was unlikely they¡¯d ever meet calmly in the real world. For those few minutes before every monthly meeting, Galileo had the chance to see her¡ªto talk to her alone. Just that. Every month, he had just those few minutes. Soon, the other geniuses would arrive, and the opportunity would be gone. No wonder Galileo had been so upset when Lin Xian came in early. He¡¯d waited a whole month... And then, today, instead of seeing Miss Da Vinci, he¡¯d first seen Lin Xian with his goofy ¡°Rhine Cat¡± mask. From Galileo¡¯s perspective, Lin Xian could understand why the old man wasn¡¯t too happy. Creak¡ª The brown double doors opened once again. This time, it was Tesla¡¯s mask. No doubt, Elon Musk had arrived. ¡°Hehehe...¡± A voice rang out, casual and light. The man wearing the Tesla mask approached quickly. ¡°What are we talking about? Tell me, I want to hear!¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Galileo huffed, turning his head away, falling silent. His happy time was clearly over. Elon Musk settled into the high-backed chair between Da Vinci and Lin Xian, glancing around. ¡°Long time no see, my dear friends,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve been away from these meetings for a while. Anything new happen while I was gone?¡± Da Vinci looked at him with a smile. ¡°New? The freshest thing must be how you left in the middle of the last meeting. We all thought you were dead.¡± ¡°Haha, impossible!¡± Elon Musk laughed heartily. ¡°I was just... playing a role-playing game, that¡¯s all.¡± Da Vinci chuckled softly, shaking her head. ¡°Then let me tell you something else that¡¯s new,¡± she said. ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡± Elon Musk asked, curious. Da Vinci pointed at Lin Xian. ¡°Your grandstanding line¡ªRhine already used it during the last meeting.¡± Chapter 455: Storm on the Horizon This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°Ahem.¡± Elon Musk cleared his throat awkwardly. The same trick never works twice. The first time someone makes a grand gesture, it¡¯s brilliant. But when someone else tries the same thing, it just feels awkward. ¡°Well, it¡¯s alright,¡± Musk said, smiling sheepishly. ¡°After all, it¡¯s just the four of us here. Let¡¯s just pretend we didn¡¯t hear that, okay?¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s five,¡± came a voice as the double brown doors swung open again. Newton walked in with an energetic stride. It was hard to tell if he did it on purpose or not, but even though Newton was clearly just as old as Copernicus, he had set his virtual avatar to look like a young man. Not only that, but he even spoke and moved like one. ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re still alive, Elon,¡± the young-looking Newton said as he walked past Musk¡¯s chair. He gave him a pointed look. ¡°From what I know about Copernicus, I¡¯d have thought he¡¯d kill you and then replace you with a double... But I¡¯ve been following your Twitter. It¡¯s hard to believe there¡¯s an actor out there who could replicate you without a single slip-up.¡± Musk chuckled. ¡°Since we¡¯re talking about Copernicus, I might as well announce something a bit early.¡± He raised both hands dramatically. ¡°Everyone, quiet down and look this way!¡± ¡°W... wait... for me...¡± Another voice came from behind as the double doors opened yet again. The thin figure of Gauss, wearing his trademark mask, was running in, trying desperately not to miss anything. ¡°Phew... just made it...¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be seeing Copernicus ever again,¡± Musk interrupted Gauss¡¯s stammering. He spoke loudly, his voice echoing in the room. ¡°I¡¯ve finally killed that annoying old man! For good!¡± The room fell completely silent. ¡°Are you serious? How did you manage that?¡± Da Vinci asked, sounding genuinely amazed. Newton had just taken his seat and now leaned forward with curiosity. ¡°Oh? Are you sure you didn¡¯t kill the wrong guy? I¡¯ve been at odds with him for years and never managed to catch him... Did you really kill him? Can you tell me his real identity and address?¡± Galileo, who was sitting across from them, snorted. ¡°Elon, you¡¯ve said plenty of things over the years. Like how you were gonna send people to Mars by 2026¡ªheck, you even sold tickets... Now that that lie¡¯s falling apart, you¡¯re just coming to the club to tell tall tales, huh?¡± Beside him, Gauss shakily sat down in his high-backed chair. He looked left and right, gulped a few times, and finally managed to whisper, ¡°But Cop¡ª¡± ¡°Einstein!¡± Da Vinci¡¯s clear voice drowned out Gauss. Everyone turned their heads toward the black wooden high chair placed higher up on the platform. An elderly man wearing an Einstein mask was slowly making his way down the steps. Lin Xian, who had been watching all this unfold, finally understood¡ªthe president always had privileges. While everyone else entered through the main doors, Einstein alone was allowed to enter from the back. Da Vinci had noticed Einstein arriving and called out, ¡°Einstein, tell us if it¡¯s true! Is Copernicus really dead? That would be such a relief!¡± However, the old man with the Einstein mask simply shook his head. ¡°The Genius Club charter states that we follow a lifelong membership policy. Whether a member is dead or alive, their seat in the club remains forever reserved for them.¡± ¡°Oftentimes, members may treat their own death as part of their future plans. For that reason, I will never publicly confirm or deny a member¡¯s death¡ªas that, too, is part of their privacy... even if they are truly gone.¡± Da Vinci huffed. ¡°But when Elon said Turing was dead back in June, you confirmed it! You even told us that Turing had become a digital entity. Then, during our July meeting, without us even asking, you mentioned that the digital Turing was also dead.¡± Einstein finally reached his black wooden chair, sat down, and looked at Da Vinci. ¡°Ms. Da Vinci, you were absent for two years. It was during that time that Turing joined the club. Regarding the matter of member deaths, Turing is a unique case. Everyone here, except for Rhine, should already understand that.¡± Da Vinci tilted her head, glancing around at the others. ¡°Why is Turing unique?¡± ¡°Now that you mention it,¡± Newton spoke up, ¡°when Elon disappeared, we were all debating whether he was truly dead or not. But Einstein didn¡¯t say anything back then¡ªneither confirming nor denying it.¡± ¡°So why was Turing¡¯s death publicly acknowledged? Can someone explain it to me, the absentee?¡± Across from her, Gauss nodded slightly. ¡°Because... Turing... he... knew too mu...¡± ¡°Turing was responsible for rebuilding the VR meeting system, so he knew everything about us,¡± Galileo interrupted, explaining patiently. ¡°Einstein made it clear when Turing first joined that the reason for letting him rebuild the VR system and rewrite the authentication mechanism was to better protect our privacy¡ªsince Turing really did have that kind of advanced technology.¡± ¡°But because of that, Turing knew each of our identities, addresses, future plans... everything. So Einstein made two promises at the time: Turing was forbidden from revealing any information about other Genius Club members and could not harm any member. If Turing died, Einstein would immediately inform the club during a meeting, and all access permissions would revert to Einstein¡ªas they have now. We no longer need to worry about anyone knowing our true identities.¡± Lin Xian wanted to point out that Turing had indeed tried to kill him¡ªin the most reckless manner, even dropping a space shuttle. But he stopped himself. He understood now. Whether it was Turing or Kevin Walker, they had tried to kill him when he was not yet a club member. Therefore, it didn¡¯t break any rules. This also explained why Kevin Walker, who had every reason to hate Musk, never made a move against him¡ªbecause of Einstein¡¯s ¡°ban.¡± Thinking about it further, if Kevin Walker really wanted Musk dead, he could¡¯ve just flown a space shuttle straight into the Observation Tower. Why only destroy Musk¡¯s satellite and factories without harming him directly? When it came to Lin Xian himself, at that time, he hadn¡¯t been a member of the Genius Club, so Einstein¡¯s ban didn¡¯t protect him. Kevin Walker had been free to target him. As for the mysterious events surrounding Yu Xi, it all made more sense now. Einstein was omniscient, so not even future Turing could defy the ban¡ªeven if he wanted to kill Musk, he had to find another way, using Yu Xi as a pawn. This had even been confirmed in the Sixth Dream, where Turing had told Lin Xian that the mastermind behind the Great Catastrophe of 2400 was Galileo, but he couldn¡¯t say anything more. If he tried to, Einstein¡¯s restrictions would activate, reducing him to ashes. One had to admit¡ªEinstein, as president, really covered all the bases. He had prevented all possible catastrophes, restricted Turing¡¯s abilities, and found a balance between information and privacy. That was why he had said, if Turing died, he¡¯d announce it in the meeting, relieving everyone of any fears. However... why had Turing handed over Kevin Walker¡¯s hiding place to Copernicus? That had been permitted by Einstein¡¯s ban. The ban only forbade Turing from revealing other people¡¯s secrets¡ªit didn¡¯t prevent him from disclosing his own. As Musk had said, in the club, you weren¡¯t allowed to pry into others¡¯ secrets, but you could reveal your own. If you were reckless enough, you could rip off your mask and shout out your plans for the future. That was Elon Musk in a nutshell¡ªoverconfident, blinded by his own arrogance. It was a confidence that had nearly cost him his life. If Lin Xian hadn¡¯t saved him, Musk would¡¯ve been dead for two months now. Whether he regretted his earlier arrogance, Lin Xian could only guess¡ªbut he suspected Musk did. Over the last while, Musk had been much more careful. He repeatedly warned Lin Xian to keep his identity secret, not to underestimate the other geniuses, and even offered to take the blame for him. Clearly, Musk had learned his lesson¡ªonce bitten, twice shy. His carefree attitude now was just bravado. After Galileo finished his explanation, Miss Da Vinci nodded. ¡°I see. Still, Einstein, shouldn¡¯t you have filled me in on such an important matter once I returned to the meetings? And Rhine, who joined after Turing, also doesn¡¯t know about this. Shouldn¡¯t it have been explained again?¡± Einstein shook his head. ¡°Absence has consequences.¡± Lin Xian could already picture what would happen at the next meeting, which was scheduled for October 1st. Galileo would definitely ask about neurobiology, wanting to know when the breakthrough would happen and who the scientists involved would be. And, without a doubt, Einstein would mention ¡°Du Yao¡¯s¡± name in front of everyone. Everyone present knew just how significant it would be to solve the problem of cryosleep-induced memory loss. It would be a world-changing achievement. If Galileo or anyone else found Du Yao, they might decide to support her, fund her, and provide a lab so she could focus on her research. That would be fine¡ªLin Xian had no intention of monopolizing the Brain Neural Electric Helmet technology. Such an important discovery should be shared with the world. He had no plans to use cryosleep anyway. More importantly, he¡¯d seen too many friends suffer from memory loss because of cryosleep¡ªpeople like Xu Yi Yi, Wei Sheng Jin, and Zheng Xiang Yue. If these geniuses genuinely wanted to help protect and support Du Yao so she could solve the memory loss problem, that would be ideal. But Lin Xian had his doubts. He worried that Galileo¡¯s interest in the topic was somehow twisted, that there was some dark reason behind it. What if Galileo didn¡¯t want humanity to keep its memories? What if he planned to kill Du Yao and destroy her research forever? If Galileo learned Du Yao¡¯s name, it would be too late to stop him. Lin Xian had to act¡ªnow. He narrowed his eyes. Galileo¡¯s next question was a month away. That gave him one month to find Du Yao. ... Einstein turned to Da Vinci next. ¡°Miss Da Vinci, what¡¯s your question this time?¡± Da Vinci paused, thinking. ¡°Now that Copernicus is dead, there shouldn¡¯t be anything in the way of humanity¡¯s technological progress. The future should be bright. So my question is: what will be humanity¡¯s next big breakthrough in energy?¡± ¡°The invention of the micro nuclear battery,¡± Einstein answered immediately. Thud. Lin Xian felt his heart skip a beat. What is happening at this meeting? Why do I feel like I¡¯m about to be exposed? Are these old guys conspiring against me? Come on, give me a break. ¡°Micro nuclear battery?¡± Da Vinci asked, looking puzzled. She turned to Elon Musk. ¡°Elon, what¡¯s a micro nuclear battery? I know about nuclear batteries, but why micro?¡± ¡°Probably like the ones used on moon rovers and space probes,¡± Musk said, stroking his chin. ¡°Nuclear batteries have been used in aerospace since the last century, but they¡¯re still too flawed. They¡¯re just not fit for civilian use. ¡°So honestly, I¡¯m stumped. I have no idea how a micro nuclear battery would work. Now I¡¯m really curious... which brilliant scientist came up with such a revolutionary device?¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes, keeping silent. Please, less talking, buddy. Einstein looked at Gauss next. ¡°Gauss, your turn.¡± The small man nodded slowly. ¡°I... don¡¯t... have... a question...¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. Was Gauss out of questions? During the last two meetings, Gauss had asked a question and received a ¡°no¡± answer, but hadn¡¯t asked anything else since. Which meant... He must have wanted a negative answer all along! ... Einstein turned to Elon Musk. ¡°No. 7, Tesla. You missed the last two meetings. What¡¯s your question this time?¡± Musk grinned. ¡°This time, I want to ask something a bit more entertaining. It¡¯s one of science¡¯s great mysteries, and honestly, I don¡¯t even know if you have the answer. ¡°My question is¡ªwhere are the ashes of the famous 20th-century physicist, the proposer of the Theory of Relativity and Mass-Energy Equation, Albert Einstein, scattered?¡± Everyone but Lin Xian looked at Musk, confused. Why would he ask such a pointless question? Was it just because he admired Einstein? But then again, Musk had always been a bit unpredictable. This wasn¡¯t the first time he had asked a strange question at the meetings. In fact, in a previous meeting, he had even asked Einstein who would win the next U.S. presidential election¡ªit was impossible to guess what Musk would say. So while the other members were momentarily puzzled, they didn¡¯t dwell on it. The only ones who really cared were Musk and Lin Xian. The elderly man wearing the Einstein mask looked at Musk for a few seconds, then spoke slowly: ¡°Refused. Question voided.¡± Chapter 456: A Race Against Time This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation The entire room fell silent as the members of the Genius Club exchanged glances, each of them looking equally stunned. No one had expected the question to be refused. It was quite a shock. After all, asking where Einstein¡¯s ashes were scattered didn¡¯t seem like an important question. Everyone knew the story: the famous physicist Einstein had died in 1955, his brain had been taken by a doctor, and his body cremated, with his ashes scattered by his children at a secret location. The man was gone, and where the ashes ended up didn¡¯t really matter. More than seventy years had passed since then, and wherever they were scattered, they had likely become nutrients for flowers and trees. But now, such a trivial question had been refused. Why had the president of the Genius Club¡ªthe old man wearing an Einstein mask¡ªdecided not to answer it? ¡°Could it be... that this club has some connection to the real Einstein?¡± Galileo was the first to speak up, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. ¡°According to the club¡¯s rules, there are only two reasons a question can be refused: either it involves another club member, or it involves the club itself,¡± Galileo continued. ¡°Unless one of us scattered Einstein¡¯s ashes, I can¡¯t think of any other reason it would be connected to a member.¡± Gauss, a small and wiry figure, straightened up in his chair. ¡°Maybe... this Genius Club was founded by Einstein himself?¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Elon Musk interrupted, shaking his head. ¡°The club¡¯s charter states that membership is for life. There¡¯s no such thing as inheriting a seat. If Einstein had once been a member, there would be an empty chair for him now, like for Turing and Copernicus.¡± Miss Da Vinci lowered her head thoughtfully. ¡°But Einstein has been dead for so many years. It doesn¡¯t make sense for him to have any connection to the club or its members. The only explanation I can think of is...¡± ¡°Maybe the location of the ashes is important? Or perhaps Einstein¡¯s ashes weren¡¯t scattered at all but hidden somewhere. And that somewhere... might be connected to one of us here.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Newton gave a small smile, speaking softly. ¡°Well, that would be interesting. Who would keep Einstein¡¯s ashes? Judging by age, it seems only I might be a fit. But let me tell you, I have no interest in ashes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get why everyone¡¯s making this so complicated,¡± Newton continued. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll just spill it. I actually know why the question was refused.¡± He turned his head towards Einstein, who sat on the raised platform. ¡°Old pal, do you want to explain, or should I?¡± Up on the platform, the old man in the Einstein mask looked around at the members, his voice deep and authoritative. ¡°There¡¯s no need to overthink this. Any question about Einstein will be refused.¡± ¡°Not just Einstein... but also Copernicus, Newton, Galileo, Da Vinci, Gauss, Tesla, Turing... and even Rhine Cat.¡± ¡°Because each of you, including the mask I wear, has chosen a name that is both your code and part of your identity. Though the lives of these great people are documented in history and books, there are still many unknown stories.¡± ¡°I trust that when you chose your mask, it was a carefully considered decision. It¡¯s the way other geniuses get to know you; it¡¯s their first impression of you. Therefore, the mask itself, and the person depicted on it, are also a kind of privacy. For instance, Tesla, if you asked me about Tesla¡¯s past, I¡¯d tell you everything. But if you ask about Einstein, Galileo, or Gauss, it¡¯d be an invasion of another member¡¯s privacy, and naturally, it¡¯d be refused.¡± When Einstein finished, Newton leaned back in his chair and shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s the reason¡ªsimpler than you all thought. Back when it was just Copernicus and me in the club, we asked about Einstein, and it got refused.¡± ¡°So, the masks we wear are part of our hidden identity. Maybe they even represent the direction of our future plans... at least, that¡¯s how Einstein sees it.¡± That made sense. No one had imagined it would be for this reason. Lin Xian, however, squinted, finding it strange. It felt like... an excuse. A rather forced one. But he couldn¡¯t point fingers. After all, his mask¡ªthe odd Rhine Cat¡ªwas chosen without much thought. Maybe everyone else had indeed put a lot of thought into their choice. He listened silently to the discussions around him. The group had all kinds of guesses at first, but no one considered the possibility that Einstein was still alive¡ªthat the president¡¯s true identity could be Einstein himself. As Musk had said, a 140-year-old mummy still being alive was simply too unbelievable. Even with time travel theories, it didn¡¯t make much sense. Who could ignore the flow of time, never age, never die, and just keep living in this world? Lin Xian shook his head. It wasn¡¯t scientific. But still... he didn¡¯t believe the reason for refusing the question was that simple. However, asking directly wouldn¡¯t get him the real answer. Einstein had clearly stated¡ªany questions about Einstein or the historical figures represented by the members¡¯ masks would be refused. Asking would just be a waste of a question. He¡¯d have to find out another way, outside of the meeting. The neuroscience keyword was even worse. Galileo had just asked about it, and if Lin Xian followed up, everyone would know what he was after. Whatever answer Einstein gave, everyone else would hear it too. They¡¯d all be on the same page. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t take that risk. If Galileo managed to get to Du Yao first and kill her... Humanity would lose the chance to have the Brain Neural Electric Helmet forever. Even someone as brilliant as Gao Wen wouldn¡¯t be able to change that. Also... There was one more point to consider. Lin Xian was certain he had seen Du Yao¡¯s name somewhere before. But who could guarantee the Du Yao he remembered was the same Du Yao from Gao Wen¡¯s handwritten letter? It could be just a coincidence. He encountered tons of information every day¡ªnames, ads, contracts... who knew if the Du Yao he saw was just some random person with no connection to neuroscience? So it was better not to rush into asking. He couldn¡¯t control Einstein¡¯s answer. Right now, in the search for Du Yao, Lin Xian had a big advantage¡ªhe knew her name. The other geniuses wouldn¡¯t know Du Yao¡¯s name until the first of next month. For now, only he had this precious information. He had to guard it closely, or everything could fall apart. Lin Xian decided to stick with his plan and ask about the time-traveling assassins. He needed to know if more were coming. If he could confirm that there would be no more, it would mean Copernicus¡¯s plan had truly failed, and the time travel machine¡¯s importance would drop. Even if finding Du Yao shifted the timeline, Lin Xian didn¡¯t care much. He looked up at Einstein, who was standing on the platform. ¡°My question is about the time travel matter we discussed at the last meeting,¡± Lin Xian began. ¡°You said before that humanity wouldn¡¯t be able to build a time travel machine before the year 2234, but time travelers could still come back to our time from the future.¡± ¡°So, my question is¡ª¡± Lin Xian paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. ¡°From today onward, when will we see the next time traveler from the future?¡± Lin Xian deliberately avoided mentioning the assassins directly. He couldn¡¯t afford to reveal too much. Everyone in the room was smart enough to connect the dots between his question and Einstein¡¯s earlier warning about his death. They¡¯d figure out it was because of a future assassin targeting him. It was better to ask in a more general way. The question sounded like simple curiosity, but it was crucial for Lin Xian. Whatever date Einstein gave, it would mean that until then, he wouldn¡¯t need to worry about an attack from a time-traveling assassin. The other members of the club were also intrigued and turned to look at Einstein. After a long pause, Einstein shook his head slowly. ¡°You will never see one,¡± he said quietly. ¡°There will be no more time travelers coming to this era.¡± Miss Da Vinci was the first to raise her hand. ¡°But you said before that the first time travel in human history happened on December 11, 2234. Why are you now saying we won¡¯t see any time travelers?¡± Suddenly, something clicked in her mind, and she turned towards Lin Xian. ¡°Oh, I get it. You asked from today onward, which means... the first time traveler must have already come before today, and they¡¯re already dead.¡± ¡°So we won¡¯t see any more time travelers, either those from before or from after.¡± Galileo nodded at Lin Xian, his eyes thoughtful. ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t have asked that way,¡± he said. Lin Xian didn¡¯t respond. He finally understood why Gauss often asked questions that got negative answers. Sometimes, that¡¯s exactly what you needed. The others might think Lin Xian was just curious about time travel, but the truth was different. He wasn¡¯t interested in time travel at all. Who needed that when you could just enjoy life with your family? He only wanted to know if any more time-traveling assassins would come after him. Since Einstein said they¡¯d never see another time traveler, it meant that, at least until the timeline shifted, Lin Xian was safe from further attacks. It was a relief. His life, and the entangled spacetime particle, were safe for now. After the meeting ended, Lin Xian could finally put all his energy into finding Du Yao. The members finished their questions, and the meeting dispersed. Lin Xian removed his VR headset in the dead of night, staring out at the silent darkness beyond the window. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll have to visit Liu An, the head of the National Security Bureau,¡± he murmured to himself. Over the past three months, he had copied most of the core plans for the time travel machine. Whatever was left, he¡¯d copy as much as possible before the timeline changed. But now, in this race against Galileo, finding Du Yao was more important than the time travel machine. If it came to the worst, he¡¯d destroy the spacetime particle rather than let anyone else have it. More importantly, he needed to find Du Yao and preserve the Brain Neural Electric Helmet¡ªa technology that could solve hibernation amnesia. ¡°This is the real treasure for humanity,¡± Lin Xian said softly. Chapter 457: Du Yao and Tang Xin This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian opened his laptop, his eyes focused as he clicked on a folder. Inside were hundreds of blueprints¡ªdesigns for all the components of the time travel machine. It was the result of his relentless effort over the last three months, working night and day. Even after all that effort, he¡¯d only managed to copy the core parts. He estimated that it would take at least another two months to copy the rest. It was more exhausting than when he had copied VV¡¯s code, and every day of memorizing left Lin Xian with a throbbing headache. ¡°Once I find Du Yao, the timeline is bound to shift, right?¡± Lin Xian muttered to himself. Honestly, he wasn¡¯t sure when the point of no return would come. Would it be when he found Du Yao? Or perhaps when she made a breakthrough in her brain research? ¡°There¡¯s still one question we haven¡¯t answered,¡± Lin Xian said, scratching his head. ¡°It¡¯s 2024 now... how old is Du Yao? Has she even been born yet?¡± Gao Wen¡¯s handwritten letter mentioned that Du Yao died in the middle of the 21st century. If she really was a genius, she might have made her breakthrough in her twenties or thirties. If that were true, Du Yao might not have even been born yet. And then there was the problem with her name. ¡°Du Yao¡± wasn¡¯t exactly unique. If Lin Xian searched the national database, he might find dozens of people named Du Yao, from infants to young women. But then what? Which one was the right Du Yao, destined for greatness in brain research? There was no way to tell. He couldn¡¯t just bring every single Du Yao to Donghai City and protect them all. It was simply impossible. ¡°Ugh,¡± Lin Xian sighed, rubbing his temples. How could he figure out which Du Yao was the one he was looking for? If she had already made a name for herself, it would be easier. But what if she was still a child? Or worse¡ªwhat if she hadn¡¯t even been born yet? ¡°If I can¡¯t find her, I¡¯m in trouble,¡± Lin Xian thought, narrowing his eyes. Next month, on October 1st, Galileo would be able to use Einstein¡¯s calculations to identify the correct Du Yao. Whether she was a baby or a high school student, they¡¯d find her. Even if she hadn¡¯t been born yet, Einstein could locate her parents. That would put Lin Xian in a tricky situation. ¡°It¡¯s good that I¡¯m going to the capital with Ying Jun tomorrow to meet her parents,¡± he said aloud. ¡°Might as well arrange a meeting with Director Liu An too.¡± Snap. He closed his laptop. He wished he could go looking for Du Yao as soon as he finished copying the blueprints, but life didn¡¯t work that way. He had to rely on others. ¡°I¡¯ll have to trust Liu Feng and the modern scientists,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°I¡¯ve copied the core components¡ªthat¡¯s 80% of the job done. Liu Feng and the others should be able to figure out the rest.¡± Although Gao Wen had called Liu Feng a ¡°lucky fool¡± who stumbled into success, Lin Xian had faith in him. As Rhine¡¯s top general, Liu Feng wasn¡¯t just lucky¡ªhe was smart. He might not have Gao Wen¡¯s or Chen Heping¡¯s expertise, but when it came to unconventional thinking, Liu Feng was unbeatable. After all, who else could have come up with discoveries like the Cosmic Constant Introduction or the Arithmetic Sequences? Not even Chen Heping could calculate the Universal Constant of 42 without Liu Feng¡¯s insight. ¡°If Liu Feng can¡¯t finish it, there¡¯s still Nangong Meng Jie and the Research Institute,¡± Lin Xian reassured himself. ¡°I¡¯ll worry about the time machine when I need it. Einstein said it wouldn¡¯t be ready until 2234, so it¡¯s unlikely I¡¯ll ever use it.¡± Lin Xian got up from his desk, switched off the study lights, and walked into the kitchen. The soft glow from the insulated cabinet revealed a glass of milk that Zhao Ying Jun had left for him. It was such a small gesture, but it made Lin Xian feel warm. Maybe that¡¯s what people meant by warmth¡ªsomeone thinking of you, leaving a warm glass of milk for you to drink when you finished working late into the night. Sometimes, happiness wasn¡¯t grand at all. Sometimes, it was just this simple. Lin Xian drank the milk, feeling the warmth spread through his body. Then he turned off the kitchen lights and headed to the bedroom. Their Pomeranian, VV, was sprawled at the foot of the bed, snoring softly. Lin Xian smiled; the dog had definitely put on some weight lately. VV hadn¡¯t snored when he was leaner, so Lin Xian decided it was time to cut down on VV¡¯s food. Zhao Ying Jun lay quietly on the bed, her back to VV, her face turned towards her pillow. The faint moonlight filtering through the curtains outlined her soft features, giving her an almost ethereal glow. Lin Xian carefully got onto the bed, his eyes drawn to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s flat stomach. It still looked the same, but he knew that a little life was growing inside. ¡°Goodnight, Yu¡¯er,¡± he whispered softly. In truth, he didn¡¯t know if the baby would be a boy or a girl. Zhao Ying Jun had suggested they could ask the technician during an ultrasound, just to satisfy his curiosity, but Lin Xian had chickened out. He wanted it to be a surprise. ¡°You¡¯re just scared it¡¯ll be a boy!¡± Zhao Ying Jun had teased, tweaking his nose playfully. ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Lin Xian had replied. ¡°People say you get what you fear most.¡± Zhao Ying Jun had laughed at that, clearly amused. ¡°Then take a guess¡ªboy or girl?¡± ¡°A boy,¡± Lin Xian said confidently. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Zhao Ying Jun had asked, raising an eyebrow. Lin Xian had grinned. ¡°Because, based on my experience... my guesses are usually wrong.¡± Zhao Ying Jun had huffed. ¡°At least you¡¯re self-aware,¡± she¡¯d said, her eyes twinkling. Lin Xian looked at her now, at the peaceful scene in front of him, and felt a deep sense of responsibility. As a man, a husband, and soon a father, he knew what he had to do. ¡°I¡¯ll protect this,¡± he whispered, brushing a gentle finger across her cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll protect our present, and our child¡¯s future.¡± The next day, Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun went to Pudong Airport and flew to the capital. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s family took their visit very seriously. Her father, Zhao Rui Hai, invited many relatives to a big dinner to welcome Lin Xian. ¡°This is Lin Xian,¡± Zhao Rui Hai said proudly, introducing him to everyone. ¡°You must have seen him on TV, right?¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s young nephew jumped up excitedly. ¡°It¡¯s Donghai 007!¡± Everyone laughed. Zhao Ying Jun leaned over to Lin Xian and whispered, ¡°That¡¯s the one who talks nonsense all the time.¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s uncle smiled at Lin Xian. ¡°Not only is Lin Xian a young hero, but he also won the world hacking competition,¡± he said. ¡°I once met Director Gao Yan of the Research Institute, and he couldn¡¯t stop praising Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Tang Xin.¡± That was it. Tang Xin had graduated from Johns Hopkins University. When she¡¯d come back to Donghai, she¡¯d told Lin Xian all about her time abroad¡ªthe food, the university, the pressures of studying. Her university was Johns Hopkins. ¡°I know now,¡± Lin Xian said, taking a deep breath. Memories flashed in his mind, and Lin Xian realized where he¡¯d seen the name ¡°Du Yao¡± before. It was in their old chat logs. Last year, during his cat-and-mouse games with Ji Lin¡ªwhen Ji Lin had faked chat logs between Tang Xin and other men¡ªLin Xian had come across so many real and fake conversations, it had all blurred together. But now he remembered. In those chat logs, somewhere... there was the name ¡°Du Yao.¡± Without wasting a second, Lin Xian rushed to the Donghai City Police Bureau. He requested Tang Xin¡¯s case files and found the printed chat logs. There it was. ¡°Yao Yao.¡± Lin Xian stared at the name, written under a profile picture of a smiling girl. The chat log wasn¡¯t long. It started just two weeks before Tang Xin¡¯s accident. Everything before that was missing. Lin Xian understood why. Tang Xin¡¯s workplace had given all employees new phones as a perk. She¡¯d shown it off during dinner one night¡ªa new, top-of-the-line Samsung. She hadn¡¯t transferred her old chat history, so everything had been lost. Tang Xin had even complained about the phone¡¯s clunky system, and Lin Xian had tried to help her figure it out¡ªbut he¡¯d found it just as frustrating. He quickly skimmed through the chat log. Details could wait¡ªfor now, he just wanted to confirm if this ¡°Yao Yao¡± was really Du Yao. Most of their conversations were short¡ªjust a message here and there, often days apart. And they mostly chatted late at night. ¡°Found it!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s heart raced as he found what he was looking for. It was an image¡ªa volunteer application form for humanitarian work in Africa, stamped with a blue seal. Along with it, there was a victory hand emoji and a message: ¡°I got accepted!¡± The form was in English. Back then, when Lin Xian and Ji Lin had been fooling each other, he hadn¡¯t given it a second glance. But right there, amidst all that English, two familiar characters stood out. ¡°Du Yao.¡± ¡°It really is her,¡± Lin Xian said, letting out a deep breath. ¡°She was accepted for aid work in Africa... Everything matches Gao Wen¡¯s letter.¡± He stared at the printed pages, his chest tightening. Tang Xin, a girl whose memory still haunted him, had been close friends with Du Yao. He didn¡¯t know what to say. He just felt... an ache in his chest. Because... On the following pages, most of the messages between Du Yao and Tang Xin were about him. ¡°Yao Yao, you were right. Lin Xian forgot about covering me with his school uniform back in high school. When I mentioned it, he had no reaction. But it still happened, even if he forgot, right?¡± ¡°Hehe, I watched a movie with Lin Xian today. You know what, Yao Yao? He¡¯s still the same¡ªjust as caring and gentle as before.¡± ¡°He suddenly grabbed my hand today! I must have blushed so much... Luckily, I had some alcohol in me, so maybe he didn¡¯t notice.¡± ¡°Oh come on, he¡¯s not like that. We talked at a bar, and then he took me home¡ªreally! We¡¯re... it¡¯s almost like we¡¯ve just met again.¡± ¡°I prepared a gift for Lin Xian¡ªa special one. Do you think he¡¯ll remember how he saved me back then when he sees it?¡± Tang Xin¡¯s last message to Du Yao was filled with excitement. The rest of the printed chat log was blank. Lin Xian stared at the last lines, feeling his throat tighten. Those final messages were from Du Yao to Tang Xin. ¡°Haha, I knew it! I knew you wouldn¡¯t come back last night. You must have made the first move!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t text last night¡ªdidn¡¯t want to bother you two lovebirds.¡± ¡°Now we can talk, right? How¡¯d it go, Little Xin Xin?¡± ¡°Did you confess? Did it work?¡± Chapter 458: Starlit Wishes This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian closed his eyes and set down the printed chat records between Du Yao and Tang Xin. He had seen these records before, actually. Back then, his mind was full of rage and the thought of revenge. Ji Lin had set a trap, but Lin Xian had forced himself to stay calm. He had only skimmed through the messages, too focused on his clash with Ji Lin to give them his full attention. But now, everything was different. It was over. Ji Xin Shui, Ji Lin, and Zhou Duan Yun were all gone. He had taken down the seven people responsible for the scientists¡¯ deaths with his own hands. Even Copernicus, the mastermind, was no longer alive. With everything behind him, Lin Xian returned to the archives, looking at the messages with a different mindset. The room seemed heavy, almost as if the air was thick¡ªmaking it hard to breathe. ¡°Can I take these chat records with me?¡± Lin Xian asked one of the archive staff. ¡°Of course, Mr. Lin Xian,¡± the staff member replied. ¡°The cases were solved thanks to you, and these records have been proven partly fabricated anyway. I¡¯ll make a copy for you, but please leave the originals here.¡± Thanks to his role in solving Donghai City¡¯s cold cases, Lin Xian was highly respected by the archive staff. Within a few minutes, the worker had made him a copy of the documents. Lin Xian signed a form, took the copies, and left the archive. That evening, at Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s house, Zhao Ying Jun sat on the sofa, flipping through the chat records. She glanced up at Lin Xian, who had been sitting silently for quite a while. ¡°So this is her? The scientist who managed to overcome the side effects of hibernation? Your high school classmate?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°The world is really small,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°We¡¯ve been searching for Du Yao all this time, and it turns out she was friends with Tang Xin from Johns Hopkins University. Judging by these messages, they were pretty close¡ªalmost like sisters.¡± Zhao Ying Jun pointed to a line in the records. ¡°See here? Tang Xin mentioned remembering a lot about you, but you didn¡¯t seem to remember much about her.¡± ¡°We were only classmates for a few days,¡± Lin Xian said softly. ¡°She mentioned how I helped her by wrapping a school uniform around her to avoid embarrassment. It just seemed like such a small thing, not worth remembering. I really don¡¯t recall it.¡± ¡°But to be polite, I lied and said I remembered. She must have seen through me.¡± Zhao Ying Jun let out a sigh. ¡°Sometimes, small gestures at the right moment aren¡¯t so small. They¡¯re big enough to be remembered for a lifetime.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like you told me about Mr. Wei Sheng Jin in your dream,¡± she continued. ¡°He imitated Ultraman to protect Liu Shi Yu when he was a kid, and because of that, Liu Shi Yu followed him all the way to Mars, staying by his side. To Wei Sheng Jin, it wasn¡¯t even worth writing about in a diary. But that¡¯s the bittersweet part of growing up¡ªgirls mature faster, and boys take longer for their hearts to become sensitive.¡± She turned her head and grasped Lin Xian¡¯s cold hand. ¡°I understand that feeling. Remember when we went to the capital to meet my parents? You said I exaggerated when I praised you, but I wasn¡¯t. Maybe you think rescuing me from criminals and giving me a crumpled bouquet wasn¡¯t worth mentioning, but to me, it¡¯s unforgettable. If I ever went into hibernation, I¡¯d write it on the first page of my memory notebook. I¡¯d want time to freeze right there.¡± She placed the printed chat records on the coffee table. ¡°By the way, the messages ended with Tang Xin saying she had a ¡®gift¡¯ for you. Something to remind you of high school. Did you ever see that gift?¡± ?¦Á?O¦¢E?S? Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t care at the time. I knew Zhou Duan Yun killed her, and then pretended to be remorseful, saying the gift was still in his car and asking if I wanted it.¡± ¡°All I could think of was avenging Professor Xu Yun and Tang Xin. I didn¡¯t trust him¡ªit could have been another trap.¡± ¡°What?¡± Liu An sounded shocked. ¡°You want to go there? It¡¯s too risky, Lin Xian. The situation is a mess. If you must reach her, I can have a message passed on, but going there is dangerous.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re determined, I can suggest another way to ensure your safety,¡± Liu An added. ¡°Mercenaries.¡± ¡°I can give you a contact. This group is trustworthy and can protect you well. If you must go, this is the safest approach I can suggest. But remember, nothing is guaranteed in a war zone. Go in, finish quickly, and leave.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Got it. Thank you, Director Liu.¡± Mid-September, Africa, South Sudan. A small village caught in conflict. Boom! Boom! Boom! Explosions echoed, and gunfire roared. Adults ran frantically while children cried. ¡°This way! Quick, hide here!¡± A young woman covered in mud shouted in the local language, rushing to pull children behind a makeshift shelter. ¡°Stay here, don¡¯t move!¡± In the distance, the rumbling of vehicles grew louder. The young woman used her body to shield the terrified children. How many times had this happened already? The front line was drawing closer every day. Suddenly! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! RPG rockets flew overhead, exploding along the front line. The woman¡¯s eyes widened. Where had they come from? Dozens of black-painted vehicles stormed past the village, heading for the front line. The soldiers on board launched more rocket fire. ¡°Is this... support?¡± she muttered, confused. Screech! An armored vehicle stopped behind the shelter. A tall man wearing a helmet and vest jumped out, running toward her. He took off his helmet and knelt in front of her. ¡°Hello, Miss Du Yao,¡± he said, silhouetted by the sun. ¡°This is our first meeting, but I believe you¡¯re at least a little familiar with me.¡± Du Yao looked at the man¡¯s face but didn¡¯t recognize him. ¡°Who are you?¡± The man smiled. ¡°My name is Lin Xian.¡± Chapter 459: A Taste of Bittersweet This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Under the overwhelming difference in strength, Lin Xian¡¯s mercenary group was like a father scolding his son, driving the local armed forces into constant retreat. It wasn¡¯t a fair fight¡ªmore like a lesson they couldn¡¯t escape. As night fell, the moon climbed into the dark sky. The mercenaries lit fires for the elderly, the injured, and the children left behind in the village, giving them water and food. A professional medical team tended to the villagers, treating wounds and preparing to transport the refugees to a safer place in the morning. By the stone at the village entrance, Lin Xian and Du Yao sat side by side, each holding a steaming self-heating meal. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know Tang Xin had passed away until two weeks after it happened,¡± Du Yao said as she ate. ¡°The situation here in South Sudan was so chaotic. We were trying to do everything at once¡ªpeacekeeping, helping the injured, rescuing refugees¡ªsometimes going for days without sleep. I lost contact with Tang Xin more times than I can count.¡± She took a breath, her gaze distant. ¡°It wasn¡¯t until I finally got through to her brother that I learned she was gone. By then, the funeral had already passed.¡± ¡°I was devastated, but there wasn¡¯t even time to mourn here. Every day, it¡¯s dodging bullets, saving whoever you can; every day, you see children, innocent people...¡± Her voice trailed off, her eyes tired. ¡°In a place like this, there¡¯s no time to cry.¡± Du Yao put down her utensils, shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s about racing against death, saving lives before it¡¯s too late.¡± She paused, her eyes dark. ¡°Not long after, my boyfriend died in a conflict too. That was when I really became numb.¡± Lin Xian looked down. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he said quietly. Listening to her, Lin Xian could now see why she ended up here. She and Tang Xin had been classmates, both working at the same research institute. But something had driven Du Yao to Africa¡ªmaybe love, maybe ideals, maybe both. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t entirely understand her choices¡ªbut he respected them. ¡°I admire you,¡± he said. ¡°But you¡¯ve done enough, haven¡¯t you? You¡¯ve sacrificed so much. Isn¡¯t it time to come home? Your boyfriend¡¯s gone... Why stay here alone?¡± Du Yao looked up, her eyes softening as they swept over the orphans eating by the fire. ¡°Isn¡¯t this reason enough?¡± she replied, her lips curving into a faint smile. ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t understand either,¡± she said. ¡°I argued with my boyfriend countless times over it. I asked him, ¡®Why go to a war zone? There are kids back home who need help, remote villages that need teachers.¡¯¡± ¡°But he was stubborn. He told me, ¡®If everyone turns away, what about the children here? Back home, kids may be poor, but they¡¯re safe. Here, they could be gone in an instant.¡¯¡± ¡°He also reminded me how, during our own country¡¯s hardest times, foreigners came to help¡ªeven died for us. And he said that sort of selflessness is mutual.¡± She went to light another cigarette¡ªbut it was gone. Lin Xian had snatched it away. ¡°One is enough,¡± he said, tossing it behind him. ¡°You want to save lives? Fine. But how many? One, ten, a hundred¡ªor... a hundred million?¡± Du Yao frowned, confused. ¡°Do you know how many lives Tang Xin¡¯s research saved?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°The medication she developed solved hibernation¡¯s worst side effects. Thanks to her and Professor Xu, terminally ill patients could sleep, hoping for a cure in the future.¡± ¡°Your research could save even more lives. Not just individuals¡ªbut the world.¡± He handed her a bound stack of documents. She read the title: ¡°Overcoming Memory Loss from Hibernation: The Brain Neural Electric Helmet!¡± She blinked, surprised. ¡°Electric shocks... to the brain?¡± She remembered her thesis¡ªhow she¡¯d wondered if electric stimulation could work. She moved to the mercenaries¡¯ spotlight, reading in silence. Lin Xian waited, letting her absorb it. Emperor Gao Wen had called Du Yao a rare talent¡ªand he was right. After over an hour, Du Yao looked up, thoughtful. ¡°I didn¡¯t understand all of it. But if those far-fetched ideas of mine could be realized, maybe they¡¯d fill in the gaps in this manuscript.¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°How long would it take?¡± ¡°A year or two?¡± Du Yao shook her head. ¡°Maybe just a few months. This manuscript... it¡¯s given me new insights.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s make a deal,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°I respect your ideals. Stay here if you must¡ªbut just for a year. My mercenaries will help. Then come back, and work on this. You¡¯ll have the resources to make a real difference.¡± Du Yao thought for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Alright, Lin Xian. I trust you.¡± Lin Xian extended his hand. ¡°Pleasure working with you. I¡¯ve already got a lab set up for you in Donghai. Everything¡¯s ready.¡± Du Yao took his hand, shaking it firmly. ¡°I hope I don¡¯t let you down. I¡¯ll give it my all.¡± She smiled. ¡°Tang Xin had good taste¡ªyou¡¯re a good man.¡± Lin Xian returned the smile. ¡°And I know you¡¯ll help make this world a better place.¡± Chapter 460: Keyword Sentence Construction This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation A few days later. Lin Xian returned to Donghai City with Du Yao by his side, guiding her to the research institute he had arranged for her. ¡°Technically, I bought it,¡± Lin Xian admitted as he led her through the clean, modern facilities, ¡°but everything is officially listed under the institute¡¯s name.¡± He gestured around the lab. ¡°Director Gao Yan has been really helpful. He made sure that no one can trace this lab back to me or the Rhine Company. Even the funding seems to come from the institute itself.¡± Du Yao gave Lin Xian a playful look, tilting her head slightly. ¡°You must be pretty influential, huh?¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s just say Director Gao appreciates my work. He¡¯s helped me more than I expected.¡± He wasn¡¯t exaggerating. Next month, the Genius Club would meet again, and he knew Galileo would surely bring up the issue of solving hibernation memory loss. And Einstein? He would likely refuse to answer. Refusal would be as good as admitting the problem was tied to someone in the room. If Du Yao made a breakthrough and published her results... well, that would make things too obvious. Best to proceed cautiously. ¡°Funding isn¡¯t an issue here,¡± Lin Xian continued. ¡°You¡¯ll have everything you need. The whole lab is under your control. You can hire whoever you want, but remember¡ªkeep the research focused on the neural field. Don¡¯t touch anything about solving memory loss during hibernation.¡± ¡°The notes on the Brain Neural Electric Helmet are quite thorough. Once you fill in the gaps and make a breakthrough, it should be straightforward to build.¡± Du Yao nodded, her eyes serious. ¡°Got it. Keep everything confidential. I¡¯ll stick to the plan.¡± ¡°Besides,¡± Lin Xian added, smiling, ¡°I won¡¯t bore you with too many details. Breakthroughs in theory and direction often come from a sudden flash of inspiration, not from piling up resources.¡± He looked at her meaningfully. ¡°Remember, you were the one who told me that. Newton¡¯s three laws, the law of gravity¡ªall of those came from his flashes of insight. The story about the apple might be exaggerated, but the idea behind it is real.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll focus on the neural breakthroughs,¡± Du Yao replied with a small smile. ¡°Anything else¡ªthat¡¯s your responsibility.¡± When they finished their tour of the lab, Du Yao leaned against one of the lab benches, her hands resting on the edge, and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Next year, on Tang Xin¡¯s anniversary, will you come with me to visit her grave? I¡¯d like to bring our results to her and share the good news.¡± After all, this was about finishing what Tang Xin had started¡ªfilling in the last missing piece of the hibernation puzzle. Tang Xin would be happy, wouldn¡¯t she? Du Yao sighed, her gaze drifting to the window. ¡°She was always happy, always smiling. I can¡¯t remember her without that smile. She was such a cheerful person.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Lin Xian promised. ¡°I have a lot to say to Tang Xin, too. We¡¯ll go together on her anniversary.¡± It felt like everything was finally falling into place. Thanks to Tang Xin¡¯s invisible hand, Lin Xian had earned Du Yao¡¯s trust quicker than he could have hoped. In their conversations, Lin Xian realized that what mattered most to Du Yao wasn¡¯t his accomplishments or even Tang Xin¡¯s regard for him¡ªit was the fact that he kept his word. He had avenged Tang Xin and cleared her name. To Du Yao, that made him someone she could trust¡ªsomeone who kept his promises. With the research lab fully under Du Yao¡¯s control, Lin Xian took a step back, waiting for her to achieve results. He had prepared himself for changes in the dream, but when he entered the dream, it remained unchanged¡ªstill the same stifling, oppressive Eighth Dream. Miss Da Vinci¡¯s Saviour Company still ruled the future with its twisted management style. No surprise there. [The anchor point of no return hasn¡¯t formed yet. Temporal elasticity hasn¡¯t been reached, and the future is still in flux.] He couldn¡¯t let his guard down yet. Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. He would just have to wait and see how Galileo posed his questions at the next Genius Club meeting, and how Einstein would respond. If anything unexpected happened, he would protect Du Yao at all costs¡ªshe was humanity¡¯s only hope of solving the memory loss problem. R? When Lin Xian returned home, he found a giant dandelion-like fluff ball rolling around by the door. After a few days away, VV, the Pomeranian, seemed even rounder¡ªa fluffy little sphere. ¡°How did you get even fatter?¡± Lin Xian asked, amused. Explosion, white light, mushroom cloud, newspaper, 1952, fire, Einstein, Lin Xian with blue eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s play a game,¡± Lin Xian said, smiling at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Try to make a sentence using all these keywords. Make it as clear as possible.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded, catching on. ¡°That could help us think it through.¡± She stared at the list of words, thought for a few moments, and began. ¡°In 1952, Einstein triggered a massive explosion, creating a huge mushroom cloud and white light. Everything was on fire¡ªnewspapers, houses, cities, even Lin Xian, who had blue eyes.¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± Lin Xian chuckled, ¡°but it makes Einstein sound like the villain and me the unfortunate victim.¡± Zhao Ying Jun raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, I know you. You¡¯re not the type to blow up an atomic bomb. Would you really set off a bomb just to destroy a city, or to kill someone, or to achieve some goal?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Even if it were a ¡®trolley problem¡¯ situation, where success comes with sacrifices, I can¡¯t imagine anyone being important enough to need an atomic bomb to kill them.¡± ¡°If someone can be killed with an atomic bomb, they could be taken down by a simple handgun,¡± he reasoned. ¡°And if they can¡¯t be killed with a handgun, then no bomb¡ªatomic or otherwise¡ªis going to do the trick. In the end, we¡¯re all just flesh and blood. Whether it¡¯s Einstein or Tyson, a gun doesn¡¯t care.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded, seeing his point. She straightened up, trying again. ¡°A disaster struck¡ªwhite light, explosions, and fire spread across different timelines¡ª1952, where Einstein lived; some future time with Lin Xian; and the time when Zhang Yu Qian was reading a newspaper. All of it was consumed in the white light.¡± ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± Lin Xian said approvingly. ¡°I like the logic. But I¡¯m not sure the white light Zhang Yu Qian saw is the same as the one at 00:42 in my dream. The one in my dream came fast¡ªessentially at the speed of light.¡± ¡°When I saw that white light, the world ended in an instant. There wasn¡¯t even a moment to see the aftermath¡ªno fire, no explosions. That¡¯s why I think Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s white light was just that¡ªthe light from a mushroom cloud explosion. It didn¡¯t have the destructive power of the one in my dream.¡± ¡°Otherwise, how would she even have the chance to see it? At 00:42, the light wiped everything out instantly. There was no ¡®next second.''¡± He propped his chin on his hand, deep in thought. ¡°Maybe we need to dig deeper. Blue eyes mean time travel. So time travel is an implied keyword¡ªeven if we haven¡¯t said it out loud, we have to consider it.¡± ¡°So ¡®Lin Xian with blue eyes¡¯ could be split into three ideas: time travel, Lin Xian, and no temporal rejection,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said with a small smile. ¡°Makes sense. You¡¯ve experienced time travel, so you¡¯d know best.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me do all the guessing,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°Give it a go yourself.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zhao Ying Jun closed her eyes. ¡°Let me think.¡± After a few seconds, images flashed through her mind like a slideshow. In 1952, Henry Dawson painted Einstein¡¯s portrait. The great physicist looked full of regret and despair, as if asking, ¡°Does humanity have a future?¡± Zhang Yu Qian spun around with her camera on a lawn. Chu An Qing jumped from 20,000 meters high, holding a spacetime particle trap, wishing everyone goodnight beside the campfire¡¯s warm glow. The long-haired, bearded man¡ªVV¡ªwielded a blade swiftly, unstoppable, only to pause when faced with a safe¡¯s combination, hesitating at the sight of a young child. At the Genius Club, an elderly figure wearing an Einstein mask rose from the high platform and pointed a finger to the sky, promising to create a better future for humanity. An isolated figure¡ªYellow Finch¡ªturned to smile at the Little Mermaid Statue, before collapsing into Lin Xian¡¯s arms, transforming into blue stardust. A weak and distant hand brushed against his cheek, imploring him not to leave Yu Xi. Yu Xi, falling back against a powerful temporal assassin, her eyes glimmering faintly blue as she cried, ¡°Daddy!¡± before rushing toward the assassin with blue eyes, disintegrating into blue snowflakes over Donghai City. Pushing open the door to Big Cat Face¡¯s room in the Second Dream¡ªwalls and ceiling covered in the number 42. No crack or crevice untouched. Each ¡°42¡± interwoven like a spider¡¯s web, yet not a single line overlapping. Temporal particles, glowing blue, leaping from one timeline to another, bringing with them energy foreign to this spacetime¡ªhope for a future yet to come. 00:42 in the bathroom, Lin Xian looked up from the mirror, a small smile playing on his lips. He held a finger to his lips in a ¡°shush¡± gesture, then placed an invitation to the Genius Club on the sink. All these real and unreal scenes flickered through Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s mind before she slowly opened her eyes. She looked down at the scattered words on the paper¡ªa chaotic mess with no apparent connection. She spoke softly: ¡°Lin Xian traveled back to 1952, his eyes turning blue. He found a man wearing an Einstein mask and tried to solve the mystery of the Millennial Stake, which led to a temporal explosion as powerful as an atomic bomb. In the white light, everything was reduced to nothingness.¡± Chapter 461: Copenhagen This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Zhao Ying Jun furrowed her brow, her face showing deep concentration. ¡°Why does it feel like the more we add, the less sense it makes? It seems like there are still missing links between these key points... or maybe we¡¯re still missing some crucial keywords.¡± Lin Xian scratched his head, looking a bit flustered. ¡°You might be right,¡± he admitted. ¡°These Millennial Stakes have only shown fragments of some event¡ªbits and pieces of the same story. With so few clues, it¡¯s hard to make sense of it all.¡± ¡°But one thing is for sure,¡± he continued, pausing for effect, ¡°the year 1952 hides an incredibly important secret¡ªsomething crucial.¡± He let out a sigh. ¡°If only we had a time machine. I¡¯ve already got those entangled spacetime particles all set up; it would be amazing to go back to 1952 and see everything firsthand. But that comet carrying Astatine-339 won¡¯t reach Earth until 2234, and until then, time travel is impossible¡ªwhich is just a massive headache.¡± Zhao Ying Jun tilted her head thoughtfully. ¡°Maybe you could try asking Einstein. Sure, he¡¯ll probably say, ¡®I refuse to answer, question void,¡¯ but if you¡¯re clever and indirect, maybe you could get him to reveal something useful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Lin Xian nodded, tearing up the paper full of keywords and tossing it into the trash. ¡°Sometimes Einstein refusing to answer isn¡¯t all bad. If the question is just right, his refusal itself can be confirmation.¡± He suddenly changed the subject. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s put that aside for now. Look here¡ªI booked an appointment at the registry office for September 20th so we can get our marriage license. My mom had someone check the date¡ªit¡¯s the eighteenth of the eighth lunar month, a very lucky day. Apparently, it matches well with both our zodiac signs and the elements in our birth charts. What do you think¡ªshould we go get our marriage license then?¡± Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t help but laugh at his serious demeanor. ¡°It¡¯s so funny to think that the same guy who was just talking to me about Einstein, time travel, and logic is now talking about auspicious dates and zodiac signs. You¡¯re a perfect blend of science and superstition.¡± ¡°Hey, all of us in X Country are like this.¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, after all. Why not make it a little lucky?¡± ¡°Once we get our marriage license, we¡¯ll be officially married. We could even start planning our honeymoon. If we catch the end of summer, we could go to Copenhagen right after getting the license.¡± ¡°From October onward, your belly¡¯s only going to get bigger, and it won¡¯t be good for long trips anymore. This is the perfect chance to make your wish come true and see the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded. Copenhagen was a place she and Lin Xian had long promised to visit together. But more than that, she wanted to meet Yellow Finch¡ªto see the future version of herself. ... September 20th. At the Civil Affairs Bureau in Chun¡¯an County, Hang City, Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun received their marriage license. Lin Xian¡¯s parents beamed with joy. To them, it seemed like happiness after happiness kept arriving at their doorstep. Everything had fallen neatly into place, solving so many issues. They weren¡¯t going to have a formal wedding, but the celebrations were still happening¡ªthere had to be feasts and family gatherings. After the banquet in Hang City, they headed to the Capital City for the return banquet. Once that was done, they set off from the airport, flying to Copenhagen, Denmark. Together, they retraced Yellow Finch¡¯s steps¡ªfrom Andersen¡¯s Cemetery to Amalienborg Palace. As the sun dipped low, they walked toward the shore, to the shallow waters where the Little Mermaid statue stood. The blazing sun sank beneath the water, painting the sea a warm shade of orange. Gentle waves lapped against the rocks, sending droplets splashing onto the bronze mermaid, making it glisten softly. ¡°Yellow Finch said she never managed to make it here with her Lin Xian,¡± Lin Xian murmured. On the beach, Lin Xian held Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hand, their bare feet sinking into the soft sand as they walked toward the sea. Today, Zhao Ying Jun wore a white sundress, silver earrings, and a wide-brimmed sun hat. ? She had once told Lin Xian she didn¡¯t like dresses¡ªhadn¡¯t worn one since her teens. But now, with her growing belly, those tight-fitting clothes were definitely out. For the first time, she had gone shopping for some loose dresses. Honeymoons were meant for relaxing, after all. Just the two of them, no need for formality. But her habit of matching her accessories¡¯ colors¡ªthat wasn¡¯t going anywhere. She had once explained to Lin Xian why Yellow Finch chose blue earrings. It was because they matched her blue eyes, sticking to the three-color rule. Lin Xian didn¡¯t quite agree. ¡°I think,¡± he argued, ¡°that she wore them because I said I liked blue and thought it looked nice.¡± Zhao Ying Jun had twisted his arm in response, scolding him for his vanity. ¡°Are you Yellow Finch, or am I? Feeling pretty proud of yourself now, aren¡¯t you, Lin Xian? You¡¯re getting a bit big-headed!¡± Lin Xian knew better than to argue with a pregnant woman. He surrendered. Their footprints trailed behind them, four rows of imprints leading slowly to the tides. The salty sea breeze ruffled their hair. They stood where the waves just barely covered their ankles. Lin Xian spoke again, his gaze fixed on the horizon. ¡°Yellow Finch said it wasn¡¯t her Lin Xian who broke his promise¡ªit was her. I¡¯ve never quite understood what she meant by that.¡± Zhao Ying Jun gazed at the Little Mermaid statue bathed in the golden glow of sunset, taking a deep breath of the salty air. Perhaps this was Yellow Finch¡¯s true belief¡ª What is greater, the world or one¡¯s family? But just as Zhao Ying Jun had said¡ªwithout the world, there is no family. The great disasters of 2400 and the apocalypse of 2624¡ªthey seemed so distant, far-off concerns. But generations would come, and their descendants would face those catastrophes. Many people would laugh and say, ¡°Why should I care about something that happens hundreds of years from now?¡± And maybe, for ordinary people, that thinking wasn¡¯t wrong. Suddenly, Lin Xian thought of the members of the Genius Club. They each had their own goals, their own agendas, but were any of them living solely for pleasure or corruption? No. Each of them could have used Einstein¡¯s omniscience to lead a life of luxury and ease¡ªbut what were they doing instead? Whatever you thought of their actions or methods, they were all fighting, each in their own way, for a better future for humanity. None of them were living for today alone. Even Copernicus, hated by so many, had been scheming, right to his dying breath, to achieve his future plans. ¡°So Yellow Finch wouldn¡¯t regret it,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said firmly. ¡°And neither will I, no matter what.¡± A sudden gust of wind swept across the beach, catching Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s sun hat and sending it soaring into the air. They both turned, watching as the hat flew like a bird migrating for the winter, carried by the wind over the sea, beyond the clouds, heading to the other side of the world. Lin Xian stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Zhao Ying Jun from behind. He smiled faintly. ¡°It seems like we might just have a listener,¡± he said. ¡°Make that two.¡± Zhao Ying Jun glanced down at her belly. ¡°I¡¯ve got something to confess, Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Lin Xian tilted his head, puzzled. Zhao Ying Jun twirled a stray lock of hair around her finger, tucking it behind her ear. ¡°You know how you wanted to keep it a surprise¡ªwanted to wait until the baby was born to find out if it¡¯s a boy or a girl?¡± She bit her lip, looking almost guilty. ¡°Well... I couldn¡¯t help myself. I went to a private clinic and asked the doctor to check.¡± She looked up at him, her smile radiant. ¡°But... it¡¯s good news for you.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened, the earlier tension dissolving as joy spread across his face. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded, her smile growing. ¡°It¡¯s a girl¡ªwe¡¯re having a daughter.¡± Lin Xian laughed, his face lighting up with happiness. ¡°I knew it!¡± He grabbed her hands excitedly. ¡°See, I told you¡ªwe didn¡¯t need to get rid of Yu Xi¡¯s old clothes and toys. Her favorite set¡ªwe¡¯ll keep it for her to wear in another ten years!¡± Zhao Ying Jun couldn¡¯t help but giggle, tapping his nose with her finger. ¡°You¡¯re going to have a hard time explaining to our daughter why all her things are old and out of date. No matter how convincing you make your story sound, she¡¯ll never believe it.¡± She glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. ¡°But I suppose you don¡¯t have to worry about picking a name anymore?¡± Lin Xian nodded, his smile softening. ¡°No need. Our daughter¡ªshe¡¯s been here with us all along. She already has her unique, irreplaceable name.¡± He knelt down, wrapping his arms around Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s waist, resting his forehead gently against her belly. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of the lingering sunlight, breathing in the salty ocean air, listening to the gentle rustle of the waves. In a soft voice, he spoke to her. ¡°Yu Xi...¡± ¡°Daddy¡¯s here.¡± Chapter 462: Everyone Refuses This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation After a short honeymoon, Lin Xian found himself back home, and before he knew it, the day of the Genius Club gathering had arrived. October 1, 2024. 12:20 a.m. Lin Xian sat alone in his study, rolling the golden badge that served as his ID between his fingers. He was already thinking about the questions he¡¯d soon face. Everything on Du Yao¡¯s end was settled; she and her invention were now fully tied to him. Theoretically, this meant that if Galileo questioned him again, Einstein would surely refuse to answer. If everything went smoothly. But when it came to his turn to ask, what should he inquire about? Lin Xian recalled his previous list of questions¡ªMillennial Stake, Universal Constant 42, the truth behind the 00:42 extinction event. All of them were too sensitive. This wasn¡¯t the right time. Which left only one option. ¡°I¡¯ll ask about getting rid of the future virus in the network and reviving super AI VV,¡± Lin Xian decided. He looked at the VR glasses on his desk and remembered Galileo¡¯s irritated look from the last meeting. Forget it. He wouldn¡¯t arrive early and sit around just to watch Galileo get all frustrated. It wasn¡¯t worth it for just a little amusement. Meanwhile The grand hall of the virtual Genius Club meeting place. The large, brown double doors slowly creaked open, revealing a graceful figure. ¡°Oh?¡± A woman wearing a Da Vinci mask looked at the seats, noticing that, once again, only Galileo was already seated. ¡°Rhine¡¯s not here yet?¡± she asked, strolling closer. ¡°Young people, you know,¡± Galileo chuckled, ¡°they love being right on time. For them, arriving early is a rare occurrence¡ªmost of the time, they show up exactly on time.¡± Da Vinci took her place in seat No. 5, crossing her legs and leaning back. She looked across at the man wearing the Galileo mask. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t assume Rhine is young just because of his virtual avatar. Most people¡¯s avatars here are totally made up.¡± ¡°Yours is a middle-aged man; mine is a young woman. Newton looks like a young guy, and Turing¡¯s avatar is a little kid. Are we supposed to take any of them seriously?¡± She paused, then added, ¡°Besides, Rhine said his daughter liked the Rhine Cat toy. If he has a daughter, he must be at least in his thirties or forties.¡± Galileo gave a dismissive chuckle and shook his head. ¡°Can you believe anything anyone says here? Rhine once claimed his father and daughter were both killed by Copernicus. You remember how mad Copernicus got? He was about to jump up and call Rhine a liar.¡± ¡°So, Da Vinci, don¡¯t be so gullible. But one thing¡¯s certain: As people grow older, their way of speaking changes. A young person can try to sound wise, but you can always tell. And an old person trying to sound young? That¡¯s usually just embarrassing.¡± r??¦Á ¡°From that alone, I¡¯m sure Rhine is young. Probably around Turing¡¯s age¡ªearly twenties, maybe even younger.¡± He sighed. ¡°At that age, managing to get an invite to this club... well, it¡¯s impressive. But that silly cat mask kind of drags down the image.¡± Da Vinci shook her head slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t agree. Rhine¡¯s mask is perfect for hiding his real identity and purpose. Rhine Cat dolls are everywhere. The Rhine brand cosmetics sell globally, and every kid loves those Rhine Cat toys.¡± ¡°Rhine is smart. His questions always follow yours¡ªrepeating or adding on. It¡¯s almost impossible to figure out his true intent.¡± Galileo was silent for a while, then took a deep breath. ¡°I may not know Rhine¡¯s plans, but I¡¯ve figured out yours, Da Vinci.¡± ¡°Figured them out?¡± Da Vinci smiled, unimpressed. ¡°Then you¡¯ve figured out nothing.¡± Galileo¡¯s masked face turned towards her. ¡°I¡¯ll be blunt, Da Vinci. Your future plan is bound to fail. You want to change everyone with human kindness. That¡¯s just too idealistic.¡± ¡°Like I said last time¡ª¡± ¡°¡®You can¡¯t make me feel the greatness of humanity, and that means there are countless others like me you can¡¯t change.¡¯¡± Da Vinci straightened, tilting her head slightly. ¡°So?¡± ¡°Are you going to debate humanity versus raw power with me again today?¡± she asked. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t want to argue, Galileo. It¡¯s obvious we have conflicting visions of the future. I want a world filled with kindness and humanity¡¯s light, while you want one of brute strength. They can¡¯t coexist. It¡¯s sad, but it¡¯s like our seats¡ªwe¡¯re destined to be opponents.¡± Galileo shrugged. ¡°Fair enough. This clash of visions, resources, and ideas¡ªit will be the battleground for us geniuses.¡± ¡°Copernicus and Turing were eliminated because their visions clashed with Elon Musk¡¯s.¡± He hesitated. ¡°I underestimated Musk. I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d kill two geniuses so decisively, despite his public identity.¡± ¡°But what is he sticking to now, when he knows the Mars immigration plan is doomed to fail?¡± Da Vinci gave a meaningful smile. ¡°The future isn¡¯t fixed, Galileo. People change. Even you.¡± Galileo laughed. ¡°Are you saying I¡¯ll be moved by humanity someday? Changed by kindness and innocence?¡± ¡°Come on, Da Vinci. We¡¯re not little kids anymore. Fairy tales are fairy tales because grown-ups know better than to believe in ¡®happily ever after.¡¯¡± He paused, then added, ¡°Actually, I¡¯m curious. If you know we¡¯re on opposing sides, what if you learned my real identity one day? Would you kill me?¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± Da Vinci laughed, genuinely surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t be so extreme, Galileo. The world isn¡¯t black or white. We¡¯re always choosing the best path, not just picking between fixed options.¡± ¡°So, if you¡¯re so open, Galileo, why not repeat my question next time, ask Einstein yourself?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Galileo said casually. ¡°Though I¡¯ve got plenty of other things to ask first. It might have to wait.¡± Lin Xian stayed silent. He understood what was happening all too well¡ªfar more than the others. From his perspective, 600 years in the future, he could see it clearly. Galileo and Da Vinci were testing each other. Last time, Da Vinci asked about energy breakthroughs. Now, she was asking about global disasters. It lined up perfectly with what happened in the Eighth Dream. Energy breakthroughs¡ªDa Vinci must be concerned about powering her androids, explaining her interest. Asking about global disasters? She was preparing to lead humanity and rebuild civilization, just like the events of the Eighth Dream. He could be almost certain now¡ªthe Savior Company, androids, all of it was Da Vinci¡¯s doing. As for Galileo, his evasiveness was suspicious. Da Vinci had clearly hit a nerve. Lin Xian could only sigh. Love truly made people foolish, even geniuses. Though, from an outsider¡¯s perspective, Galileo probably didn¡¯t seem to be struggling. Members like Gauss or Elon Musk likely thought they were just speaking in riddles, missing the real point. After Gauss declined to ask anything, Einstein turned to Musk. ¡°Tesla, any questions this time?¡± ¡°None.¡± Musk shook his head. It seemed he was playing it safe, too. No more risky moves. The previous questions had shown that even a refused question could reveal a lot. Finally, Einstein turned to Lin Xian, focusing on the Rhine Cat mask. ¡°Rhine, your turn.¡± Lin Xian asked the question he had prepared. ¡°There is a virus in the network, targeting super AI. I want to know how to get rid of it.¡± Lin Xian was ready for the answer to be far off, but... Einstein shook his head again. ¡°Refusal. Question void.¡± And with that, the meeting ended. Three questions from three geniuses¡ªall refused. It was a standoff, neither side giving an inch. Da Vinci chuckled. ¡°Interesting. Looks like this virus is connected to Turing¡¯s future plan, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Lin Xian asked, curious. She¡¯d guessed correctly. The virus, meant to kill the super AI, had come from the future USB drive fake Yu Xi had given to Musk. Lin Xian and Musk had both suspected Turing was behind sending Yu Xi back. But... How did Da Vinci know? ¡°It¡¯s easy to guess. You were just late last time,¡± Da Vinci said, looking at Lin Xian¡¯s mask. ¡°At the last meeting, Turing asked a similar question, and Einstein answered. But now, he¡¯s refusing... doesn¡¯t that say something?¡± Lin Xian nodded. It made sense. When Turing asked, Einstein had answered, meaning it didn¡¯t involve any other member¡¯s plan. Since Turing was the second-last to join, it had to be part of his future vision. Lin Xian thought quickly. Musk must not know this, or he¡¯d be more cautious. It was possible Turing had asked when Musk wasn¡¯t present, perhaps deliberately. What a group of schemers. Still... Good thing old is gold. Having experienced members like Einstein was a blessing. Even with Einstein refusing now, Da Vinci knew the answer. Lin Xian smiled at her, using Galileo¡¯s playbook. ¡°Miss Da Vinci, could you stay for a while after the meeting?¡± he asked. ¡°Perhaps we could do a little information exchange.¡± Chapter 463: Exchange of Information This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Since Turing had asked a similar question before and Elon Musk hadn¡¯t attended that particular meeting, only Copernicus, Newton, Galileo, Da Vinci, and Gauss had heard the answer. Now, Copernicus was dead, so he was out of the picture. Lin Xian would have preferred to exchange information with Newton or Gauss, but the problem was, they weren¡¯t necessarily interested. Newton and Gauss held the kind of knowledge Lin Xian needed, but Lin Xian himself had nothing that would pique their interest. It would be foolish to expect these old geniuses to be tricked with empty promises. If they didn¡¯t deceive him, that would already be a favor. As for Galileo, Lin Xian knew quite a lot about the information Galileo wanted. Whether it was about spacetime particles, comets, Astatine-339, or the Brain Neural Electric Helmet, Lin Xian had plenty of things that would interest Galileo. From a purely practical standpoint, an exchange of information with Galileo was feasible. However, on a personal level, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t willing to do it. First of all, Galileo was a sly, cunning old man. Lies rolled off his tongue with no effort, and he could say them without blushing or breaking a sweat. Lin Xian had no desire to exchange genuine information for lies. Secondly, the information Galileo wanted was all extremely crucial, each piece touching on a core secret. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t about to risk so much for an uncertain outcome. And lastly, there was a good chance that Galileo was behind the Great Catastrophe of 2400. Such an anti-human villain, who nearly wiped out human civilization and repeatedly lost track of both himself and crucial vaults of secrets, was someone Lin Xian would only work with if there were no other choice. In contrast, there was Miss Da Vinci. Even though the future world of the Eighth Dreamscape was oppressive and distorted, Miss Da Vinci¡¯s original intentions weren¡¯t bad. Without her Savior Corporation, human civilization might really have been extinguished by Galileo. Looking back from the future, Lin Xian knew Miss Da Vinci well enough. Moreover, the bargaining chips he had to exchange with her wouldn¡¯t harm him. To be safe, he wasn¡¯t planning to tell Miss Da Vinci anything about the Great Catastrophe of 2400. Instead, he was going to use ¡°The Current Situation of the Eighth Dreamscape¡± as his bargaining chip. Essentially, he planned to tell Miss Da Vinci directly that her future plans wouldn¡¯t succeed¡ªshe either needed to abandon them or take a different route. If she, like Elon Musk, could see the error of her ways, that would be great. If she didn¡¯t listen, that was fine too. Lin Xian would have done his best. In return, he just wanted some information about the ¡°Future Virus.¡± It could be considered a fair trade. The ¡°Meeting of Total Rejection¡± continued for a short while, as the geniuses discussed among themselves. Lin Xian could tell that everyone was being very cautious, giving nothing away, each playing their part to perfection. After President Einstein announced the end of the meeting, the virtual avatars of the participants began disappearing one by one. Lin Xian and Da Vinci remained seated. Galileo was the last to stand up. He looked at Lin Xian¡¯s Rhine Cat mask one last time. He was courteous enough, not saying anything more. With a gesture of removing his VR headset, his virtual image became transparent and vanished. Now, the vast golden hall was left with only Lin Xian and Da Vinci. Einstein didn¡¯t seem interested in whatever the two of them were going to discuss. After announcing the end of the meeting, he had descended the stairs at the back, disappearing to who knows where. Da Vinci turned to look at Lin Xian. ¡°Rhine, what information do you plan to exchange with me?¡± she asked. Lin Xian smiled slightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, but through certain means, I¡¯ve managed to guess your future plans. I can point out the flaws and the points of failure in your plan as my bargaining chip in exchange for the question Turing asked and Einstein¡¯s answer.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Miss Da Vinci seemed indifferent. ¡°Today is really something. First Galileo says he¡¯s guessed about seventy or eighty percent of my future plans, and now you¡¯re here to point out my flaws and loopholes. You all are so straightforward, it¡¯s almost making me lose face.¡± She shook her head, smiling. ¡°However, though we haven¡¯t met many times, I do have a rather good impression of you, so I have no problem with this information exchange.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°But when you say you¡¯ve guessed my plan, I still have some doubts. After all, I think I¡¯ve hidden it very deeply, and no one should have discovered it.¡± She looked at Lin Xian and said, ¡°So, why don¡¯t you start by explaining? I promise I won¡¯t deceive you in what you want to know, because there¡¯s no need for me to deceive you.¡± ¡°Firstly, this isn¡¯t some valuable or secret information,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°And secondly, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m the only one who knows it. Newton, Galileo, and Gauss know it too. You can verify it with them anytime. I can¡¯t afford the shame of deceiving a junior with lies.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°No problem. Deal.¡± He continued, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go ahead and explain.¡± Just as he had thought, Miss Da Vinci was indeed a reasonable and kind person. This was why Lin Xian wanted to tell her the outcome in advance. Someone like Copernicus, who was just plain evil, could be dealt with directly. But for someone like Miss Da Vinci, whose well-intentioned actions might lead to mistakes, a simple conversation could prevent misunderstandings. She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, and Lin Xian didn¡¯t want to play the role of a time cop. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken,¡± Lin Xian began softly, ¡°your future plan involves using humanoid robots and mechanical beings as ¡®role models¡¯ to help and guide people in rebuilding a civilized society, correct?¡± There was a long pause. Miss Da Vinci stayed silent for a couple of seconds before she smiled. ¡°And then?¡± Lin Xian continued without missing a beat, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what your purpose was in asking about a global catastrophe during today¡¯s meeting, but I suspect you intend to use such an opportunity to help mechanical beings establish credibility and gain humanity¡¯s trust. Lin Xian sighed, rubbing his temples. He¡¯d expected that. The future was essentially a manifestation of the closed-loop plans of the members. If Einstein casually gave an answer, they¡¯d all be able to match it to their own plans. ¡°Wait.¡± Lin Xian suddenly realized something, looking at Da Vinci. ¡°You just said ¡®most of the time.¡¯ Does that mean there were times Einstein did answer?¡± ¡°Only once,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°To be precise, I only know of one instance.¡± ¡°It was around May or June of this year,¡± she continued. ¡°Elon Musk asked what the future looked like, and Einstein refused. The next month, Elon rephrased the question, asking if humanity had left the solar system before its extinction.¡± ¡°Einstein answered ¡®no.¡¯ In that moment, Elon seemed a bit disheartened, unusually quiet for a long time. We all guessed that his plan for the future was likely tied to space travel or Mars colonization.¡± ¡°Since Einstein said humanity hadn¡¯t left the solar system, it was clear that Elon¡¯s plan was destined to fail.¡± Lin Xian listened, pondering the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Dreamscapes. In those dreamscapes, following the Great Catastrophe of 2400, humanity embarked on a Mars colonization plan led by Elon Musk. Except for the Seventh Dreamscape, where it was an impostor, the first two dreamscapes involved the real Elon Musk. Einstein¡¯s answer was correct, but it didn¡¯t reveal the cause of humanity¡¯s extinction. If Lin Xian asked Einstein directly about the white light on August 29th, 2624, would he answer? But asking something so specific would reveal too much about his ability to dream of the future. Anyway, before the next meeting, he¡¯d have a proper talk with Elon, maybe coordinate their questions and use the overlap in answers to uncover why humanity had no future. ¡°So,¡± Lin Xian said, spreading his hands, ¡°do I understand correctly that after all these meetings over the years, you still don¡¯t know the reason behind humanity¡¯s lack of a future?¡± ¡°Copernicus must know,¡± Da Vinci said. ¡°Since I joined the Genius Club, Copernicus has been the only member who never asked such a question. Clearly, he knows the truth.¡± ¡°He was also the first member to join. At the time, there were no restrictions on what he could ask.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed? Most of the questions we ask that Einstein refuses to answer are related to other members. When Copernicus was the only member, he had no such limitations. As long as his question didn¡¯t involve Einstein or the club itself, he received answers.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He had thought of this during his first meeting. Copernicus must know the most about the truth. Even Newton, who joined as the second member, would have his questions about humanity¡¯s future rejected if that future involved another member¡¯s success. ¡°It¡¯s tough,¡± Lin Xian thought. He couldn¡¯t let that white light at 00:42 remain an unsolved mystery. There had to be a way to phrase the question to ¡°trick¡± the truth out of Einstein. ¡°You¡¯re truly a good person, Rhine,¡± Da Vinci said, looking at Lin Xian with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m really glad that the last member to join the Genius Club is someone like you.¡± ¡°All right, we¡¯ve talked a lot about my plans. Now it¡¯s time for me to fulfill my promise and tell you what you want to know.¡± Lin Xian sat up straight, ready to listen. ¡°Last year, around this time,¡± Da Vinci began, ¡°Turing asked a question very similar to yours. He asked, ¡®If one were to create a persistent computer virus capable of killing all overly powerful AIs in the current network, who would be able to accomplish this task?¡¯ As expected, Lin Xian felt his heart lift. Find the person who made this virus, and maybe he could reverse-engineer it, eliminate the virus, and free the super AI, VV, to make himself even stronger. But then, Lin Xian felt his heart sink halfway through that hope. He realized something crucial, something important¡ªsomething that could lead to despair. ¡°How did Einstein answer?¡± he asked, feeling deflated. ¡°¡®Cheng Qian,''¡± Da Vinci replied. ¡°Einstein gave this Chinese name, but he added a time frame¡ªa very distant one.¡± She continued, ¡°This Cheng Qian, a boy from X Country, won¡¯t be born until 2482.¡± Chapter 464: Hello, I Am Galileo This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian let out a sigh. He had expected this all along, but the final ¡°verdict¡± still made him feel down. The future virus¡ªit came from the future, meaning it must¡¯ve been created by a future genius. And in this era, Kevin Walker was already Earth¡¯s greatest hacker. If Kevin couldn¡¯t handle the super AI VV, then the only hope left was a computer genius from the future. [Cheng Qian] Cheng Qian must be a genius, even more brilliant than Kevin Walker. But the problem was, Cheng Qian wasn¡¯t even born yet¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t be born until the year 2482, exactly 300 years after Gao Wen. With that thought, everything started making sense. After Lin Xian brought the super AI VV back to 2023, Kevin Walker discovered it. No, actually, it was a higher form of life who discovered VV first¡ªa digital life form: Turing. Turing was something between humans and AI. It had found a clever loophole¡ªVV couldn¡¯t detect it, and it was immune to conventional viruses. From that point on, Kevin began planning, hoping to use future tech to destroy VV. Step one: Kevin asked Einstein a key question and learned about Cheng Qian. Step two: Turing, who could live forever in the digital world, found a way to get rid of Kevin Walker and spent over 400 years searching for Cheng Qian, successfully convincing him to make a virus capable of destroying VV. Step three: Using a biological USB drive, the fake Yu Xi delivered the virus to Elon Musk, claiming it could destroy Kevin Walker¡¯s AI, while actually using Elon to destroy VV. Step four: After leaving Elon, the fake Yu Xi came to Lin Xian, using his hatred for Elon and desire to avenge VV to manipulate him into killing Elon. It was an elaborate plan. A conspiracy orchestrated by Turing, the digital life form, originating from the Fourth Dream and the 0.0000000 World Line. Turing had found yet another loophole here. Einstein, a member of the Genius Club, had placed a lock on Turing, preventing it from revealing information about the other members or harming them. But in 2023, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t yet a member, which made him the perfect tool for Turing and the fake Yu Xi to exploit. Lin Xian had been fooled by the fake Yu Xi¡¯s act, and his hatred for VV¡¯s death had driven him to see Elon Musk and Kevin Walker as his enemies. The fake Yu Xi gave him a little push, and Turing¡¯s plan was almost complete. But the plan failed in the end. The real and fake Yu Xi¡¯s game was cleverly unraveled by the real and fake Elon Musk, turning it into a twisted play of deception. Now, both Kevin Walker and Turing were gone, and the world line had shifted multiple times. Discussing these ¡°outdated¡± events didn¡¯t matter anymore. Lin Xian¡¯s current problem was that Cheng Qian, the super genius who could save VV, was too far away in time. The 400-year gap was unreachable for Lin Xian, who only had a few decades left to live. Was VV really beyond saving? Would it have to hide inside a vacuum cleaner, pretending to be a dumb robot forever? Lin Xian felt helpless. He could already picture VV¡¯s reaction to the bad news¡ªit would probably jump up, kick him, and maybe even break his kneecap. Lin Xian smacked his lips. It was frustrating. So many problems had solutions, but the distance of time made Lin Xian of 2024 feel utterly powerless. ¡°Thank you, Miss Da Vinci,¡± Lin Xian said politely. No matter how useful the information was, Miss Da Vinci¡¯s willingness to share it showed goodwill. ¡°No need to be polite, Rhine,¡± Miss Da Vinci replied with a smile. ¡°As you said, it was a fair exchange. We both got what we needed. Honestly, I like polite young people like you.¡± ¡°Even though I can¡¯t figure out why you joined the Genius Club or what kind of future you envision, I believe it can¡¯t be that bad.¡± ¡°If my plans ultimately fail, I hope you become the final victor and lead humanity to a better future.¡± Lin Xian looked at Da Vinci. ¡°You mentioned earlier that you¡¯d ask Einstein about the future plan during the next meeting?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Da Vinci nodded. ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°You¡¯ve already asked twice, and you¡¯ve exposed a lot¡ªabout the nuclear battery, the global disaster. If you keep asking, the others might piece together your exact plan.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t tell Da Vinci that he could see 600 years into the future. If someone else asked about the future, Einstein would refuse to answer. But if Da Vinci herself asked, Einstein would reveal everything. The chalk made a steady tapping sound as Lin Xian wrote: [1952¡ªSomething important happened, connected to Einstein, the Millennial Stake, and the White Light of Destruction.] Lin Xian pointed at 1952. ¡°Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s diary password was 1952; she dreamt about it too. The painting ¡®Sorrowful Einstein¡¯ was created in 1952. A Millennial Stake turned into blue stardust in 1952.¡± ¡°And the number 42, first mentioned by Douglas Adams, author of ¡®The Hitchhiker¡¯s Guide to the Galaxy,¡¯ connects to 1952.¡± ¡°All these events point to 1952¡ªeven the Universal Constant 42 connects to it.¡± Liu Feng sat up, looking serious. ¡°So, you didn¡¯t see the main point, did you, Lin Xian?¡± Lin Xian was puzzled. ¡°The main point?¡± ¡°The Millennial Stake¡¯s cycle¡ªit dissipates every 24 years. It¡¯s an arithmetic sequence!¡± Lin Xian stared, speechless. ¡°So... arithmetic sequences are the key to the universe?¡± ¡°Is an arithmetic sequence more important than a Universal Constant, Liu Feng? I thought you were a serious mathematician¡ªnow you¡¯re joking?¡± ¡°And now, the second key point...¡± Lin Xian wrote again. [2234¡ªA comet brings an element that shouldn¡¯t exist: Astatine-339.] ¡°We¡¯ve talked enough about this. Astatine-339 is essential for building the time machine. Without it, there¡¯s no time travel.¡± ¡°And the third key point...¡± [2482¡ªCheng Qian, the genius, is born. Only he can remove the future virus.] ¡°This is another point that fills us with despair,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°We need Cheng Qian to save VV, but he¡¯s far away. Only future technology can fix future problems.¡± Liu Feng shook his head. ¡°Every path we take is blocked.¡± ¡°Pretty much,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°All roads lead to dead ends.¡± ¡°So, our only hope lies with Du Yao. If she can develop the Brain Neural Electric Helmet, maybe we¡¯ll find a breakthrough.¡± Liu Feng looked at the Spacetime Clock. ¡°It¡¯s been quiet for three months. The key is finding the lever to overcome resistance.¡± He opened the curtains, letting in the sunlight. ¡°The next time the world line changes, when will it be?¡± Meanwhile, at the Wuyi Mountains, an elderly woman called to children playing. ¡°Time to come in and read.¡± One by one, the children returned. A young girl approached the old lady with a bunch of tea leaves. ¡°Granny, look! We picked tea leaves!¡± The old lady smiled. ¡°These leaves have aged. You need to pick them in spring. But they could make a wreath.¡± Suddenly, an elderly man approached, dressed in old-fashioned clothes. His hair was white, but neatly groomed. The old woman blinked. ¡°Who might you be?¡± The gentleman smiled, removed his hat, and spoke in perfect English. ¡°Hello, Miss Da Vinci. I am Galileo.¡± Chapter 465: Humanity and Tea This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Da Vinci¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at the polite, gentlemanly old man before her. The last time they had held a Genius Club meeting in person was back in 2004. Twenty years ago. That was also the last time she had seen Galileo. Back then, Galileo had worn a mask that hid his features, but he hadn¡¯t seemed this old. What could Galileo have been doing in these past twenty years to age so much? But then again, she had no right to talk. In 1982, when they first met at the Genius Club, she had been a young twenty-eight-year-old. By 2004, when they last saw each other, she was approaching fifty. Now, in 2024, another twenty years later, she was well into her seventies¡ªonly a little younger than Galileo. Time, it seemed, treated everyone the same. Slowly, Da Vinci¡¯s widened eyes softened, and her racing heart calmed. The fate of a Genius Club member was always like this. Seeing Galileo again, she knew she had already seen the end of this story. ¡°How did you find me?¡± Da Vinci asked, a small smile tugging at her lips. ¡°I always thought I hid myself well. I never imagined where you might¡¯ve found a crack in my disguise.¡± She paused, her smile deepening. ¡°The world is so vast, with so many people. Unlike Elon Musk, I don¡¯t make myself conspicuous... How did you find me so precisely amidst the crowd?¡± Galileo put his black hat back on his head. He leaned on his cane, standing tall, and shook his head. ¡°You left no trace,¡± he said in the same calm voice he always had at the Genius Club. ¡°You were right, Da Vinci. In this vast world, finding one person is almost impossible.¡± ¡°But...¡± He looked up, his deep-set eyes, aged with the passing years, locking onto hers. ¡°But what if you persist for forty years?¡± He spoke slowly, almost softly. ¡°If you spend forty years searching for one person, then... it doesn¡¯t seem so impossible anymore.¡± ¡°Besides, over these forty years, we¡¯ve met nearly every month, talked each time, learned more about each other...¡± Da Vinci chuckled and shook her head. ¡°Should I call you stubborn, or just plain crazy?¡± Galileo laughed heartily, raising his cane slightly and pointing at the small house surrounding the courtyard. ¡°Maybe we can take our time discussing that. So... can I trouble you for a cup of tea?¡± ... Inside the small house, Da Vinci placed a kettle on the stove, waiting quietly for the water to boil. She turned her head to look at Galileo, who sat across the table, waiting. ¡°It¡¯s still about the question you asked at the last meeting,¡± Galileo said, removing his black hat and placing it on the table. He folded his hands together and looked at her. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered what your plans were for the future, how you intended to lead humanity¡ªhow you planned to use your influence.¡± He paused, his gaze intense. ¡°I thought about education, about culture, even about propaganda... I even considered brainwashing.¡± ¡°But I couldn¡¯t figure it out. I couldn¡¯t think of someone who could remain an everlasting role model, who could lead people towards kindness without losing their own way.¡± ¡°Until last month, when you asked about energy, and Einstein blurted out that the micro nuclear battery had been invented. Only then did I understand.¡± He looked at the kettle warming on the stove and continued. ¡°So that¡¯s it. You intend to use robots...¡± Galileo closed his eyes. ¡°I never expected that such a warm plan would rely on something as cold as robots.¡± ¡°Once I had that thought, the investigation became simple. It didn¡¯t take long to find the link to Boston Dynamics.¡± ... There was a pause, a silence hanging in the room. There was no need for Da Vinci to admit anything¡ªGalileo¡¯s presence here was proof enough. ¡°Boston Dynamics is famous in robotics,¡± Galileo spoke softly. ¡°It¡¯s a company full of dreams¡ªor you could say it¡¯s only about dreams. From a long time ago, they started researching humanoid robots.¡± ¡°From the early failures of their mechanical dogs to the later agile, intelligent bipedal robots... This company is a lot like Musk: they fail often, but they keep coming back.¡± ¡°The difficulties they¡¯ve faced in the pursuit of robotics are unimaginable. Yet, they never gave up and eventually became the world¡¯s leading robotics company, with top-notch technology.¡± ¡°That alone is impressive, but even more remarkable is that they didn¡¯t pursue commercialization. Their research never focused on making money.¡± ¡°It¡¯s astounding, really¡ªthe cost of studying robots, and yet a group of people doing it entirely for their dreams and passions. So... who is this kind-hearted investor supporting Boston Dynamics?¡± Galileo opened his eyes. The stove¡¯s flames danced, casting a soft glow over the stainless steel kettle. ¡°You¡¯ve hidden your involvement well,¡± he said, smiling at Da Vinci. ¡°You never directly invested in Boston Dynamics. Your methods are far more sophisticated than anyone imagined. Over the past ten years, this company has teetered on the brink of bankruptcy several times.¡± ¡°Yet each time, a major investor swooped in and saved them. In 2013, Google bought them; in 2017, SoftBank from Japan; and in 2020, Hyundai from South Korea.¡± ¡°It seemed like everyone loved this money-burning company. But was that really the case?¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t asked that question at the last meeting, I might not have thought so deeply. But the area that most needs an energy solution, that most requires a micro nuclear battery, is robotics.¡± ¡°After that... I don¡¯t think I need to explain further. Your way of playing the investment game is masterful, and you¡¯ve hidden your identity well. Still, every action leaves a trace. After last month¡¯s meeting, I found out who you really are.¡± ... ¡°I see.¡± Da Vinci kept her eyes on the kettle as steam began to rise from its spout. ¡°So... at this month¡¯s meeting, that¡¯s why you said all those strange things to me.¡± At the meeting two days ago, Galileo had said he had figured out her plans almost completely. He¡¯d said her plans were destined to fail. And then he¡¯d asked her the strangest question: ¡°If one day you learned who I really am, would you kill me?¡± At the time, Da Vinci had found the question absurd. But now... It seemed Galileo had already anticipated today. Just as humanity and instinct stood on opposing sides, Da Vinci sat by the stove, and Galileo sat at the table. Though they were in the same room, there was an uncrossable chasm between them. ¡°Why did you only come to me today?¡± Da Vinci asked. ¡°If you knew who I was and where I was last month, why did you wait until today?¡± ¡°No...¡± Galileo shook his head. ¡°I never intended to find you.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready to meet you. To be honest, with my solitary nature, I¡¯d much rather wear a mask and talk to you at the Genius Club, to have our monthly chats.¡± ¡°One meeting a month was enough for me. I investigated your identity because I was curious, but once I found out, I still had no intention of seeking you out.¡± ¡°Would you make me another?¡± ¡°More?¡± Da Vinci¡¯s voice caught, her gaze lingering on him. ¡°Yes. Just one more cup.¡± Da Vinci looked down at the empty cup, her hands slowly taking it from his grasp, feeling the warmth still there. ¡°Galileo,¡± she said softly, her back turned as she faced the tea cabinet again. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Please... be kinder to the children.¡± She took a step forward, reaching for the tin¡ª BANG! The sharp crack of a gunshot echoed in the room. Da Vinci¡¯s body jerked, then crumpled forward. The saucer and teacup fell from her hands, shattering as they hit the floor. She lay sprawled across the broken porcelain, her blood pooling among the shards. Across the table, Galileo stood, his gun still smoking, his expression cold, detached. He let out a long sigh, holstered his weapon, and picked up his black hat from the table, pressing it firmly onto his head as he walked out. Outside, a large ambulance drove swiftly up the muddy road¡ªno siren, no flashing lights. It was his own private vehicle, with his own people: guards, doctors, his team. The ambulance had been waiting at the base of the mountain for some time, ready. Behind the driver¡¯s seat, the emergency room was equipped with the most advanced stomach-pumping and cleansing tools. SCREECH! The ambulance braked hard, and the doors flew open. Two doctors rushed out, supporting Galileo between them. ¡°Quickly! Hurry, sir!¡± ¡°The equipment is ready¡ªwe can start immediately!¡± Galileo let them move him like a puppet, his mind blank as he was strapped to a gurney, tubes forced into his mouth and stomach, his body lying still while the doctors moved in a blur around him. The doctors worked frantically, stomach and intestinal flushes done in tandem, trying to purge anything undigested from his system. One doctor noticed Galileo¡¯s tears sliding down his lined face, glistening in the cold light. No... that couldn¡¯t be right. The pain¡ªwas it from the tubes? Or something else? ¡°Sir,¡± the doctor asked, his voice gentle, ¡°does it hurt?¡± ¡°It hurts,¡± Galileo whispered. ¡°We¡¯ll adjust, sir. Please bear with us.¡± They worked in silence, their careful adjustments doing little to ease the old man¡¯s tears. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Galileo nodded. ¡°It hurts.¡± ... When it was all over, Galileo stood on the grass, leaning heavily on his cane, his black hat low on his forehead, staring at the Wuyi Mountains far off in the distance. He was waiting¡ªwaiting for the lab results. He had to know. What kind of poison had Da Vinci used? Would she have gone easy on him? Maybe it was only enough to knock him out¡ªto let her escape? He had seen her slip something into the tea, of course. He didn¡¯t even need to see it¡ªhe had expected it. That¡¯s why he had made sure the ambulance was there, stomach pump ready¡ªhe always prepared for the worst. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t kill me,¡± he whispered again, the words lost in the mountain breeze. If she hadn¡¯t... maybe he would have softened too. Maybe he wouldn¡¯t have pulled the trigger. Steps approached, and a technician stood behind him, bowing his head. ¡°Tell me,¡± Galileo rasped, ¡°what poison did she use?¡± The technician hesitated. ¡°Are you sure you want to know?¡± Galileo gave a weak smile. ¡°Just say it. What was it? Cyanide? Arsenic? Something worse? Did she really mean to kill me?¡± The technician took a deep breath. ¡°It was... sugar.¡± Galileo blinked, his smile freezing. ¡°No,¡± he whispered, his cane shaking in his hand. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. It wasn¡¯t sugar. I tasted it¡ªit ¡°It was bamboo sugar, sir. A traditional craft from the southern regions of X Country. It¡¯s not like cane or beet sugar¡ªit¡¯s rare now, without much sweetness or commercial use. But it has a fragrance... a fragrance that¡¯s hard to forget.¡± ¡°The taste you¡¯ve been searching for¡ªall these years¡ªwasn¡¯t in the tea leaves. It was the bamboo sugar. That¡¯s what made that tea special back in 1982.¡± Galileo¡¯s cane slipped from his grasp, clattering onto the ground. He didn¡¯t hear the rest of what the technician said. Slowly, he turned, walking toward the Wuyi Mountains, one step at a time. Finally, he understood why Da Vinci had wanted him to see her add something to the tea. She had wanted him to notice¡ªto think it was poison. Thud. Galileo fell to his knees, his hands digging into the earth. Among the weeds, he saw a few wild Zhengshan Xiaozhong tea plants growing, untended. Sorrow overwhelmed him. He saw it all: the footprints in the snow, the streets of Brussels, the laughter of a young woman in winter... ¡°Do you... believe in humanity?¡± her voice echoed in his mind. Galileo grabbed a handful of wild tea leaves, shoving them into his mouth. He chewed, and it was bitterness beyond bitter¡ªso much so that tears began to flow freely down his cheeks. He knelt there, on the soft earth, the mountain winds brushing against his face, as the ghost of a bright voice seemed to call out once more. ¡°Mr. Galileo,¡± she said. ¡°Do you... believe in humanity?¡± Chapter 466: The Ninth Dream This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Beep, beep. Suddenly, the clock on the experiment table made a soft sound. Liu Feng spun around, startled. He rushed over, grabbing the spacetime clock with both hands. ¡°Lin Xian! Look at this!¡± he shouted. Lin Xian hurried over, his eyes widening as he stared at the clock. The numbers on the spacetime clock... they were climbing! Rapidly! 0.0000210, 0.0000252, 0.0000294. ¡°It¡¯s still going up!¡± Liu Feng exclaimed. The two of them watched the clock, tension rising as the numbers kept changing. The spacetime clock, which had been calm for three months, was now climbing at a steady speed. 0.0001092, 0.0001134, 0.0001176. ¡°Oh my gosh,¡± Liu Feng gasped, blinking at the display. ¡°The timeline... it¡¯s climbed over twenty marks! What... what does that mean?¡± He furrowed his brow, struggling to make sense of it. Every previous timeline shift had been tiny, just a few units at a time¡ªaround 0.0000042. Even the biggest shifts had only moved by ten marks. But now, in just a few seconds, it had jumped over a dozen marks! ¡°This...¡± Liu Feng scratched his head, bewildered. ¡°This is such a big change. Is humanity¡ªis the future¡ªin trouble? Or is this something even more incredible happening?¡± He shook his head, mumbling to himself. ¡°How far will these numbers go? Could it actually cross into a whole number before the decimal? This is insane!¡± Finally, the numbers stopped. They froze, locking in at¡ª [0.0001764] Lin Xian pulled up a chair and sat down in front of the experiment table, staring at the absurd numbers. There was no doubt. The change in the spacetime clock meant that the spacetime curvature was shifting, the timeline was shifting, and the dream world was changing too. From this moment on, the oppressive Eighth Dream was gone. Now, they were entering the Ninth Dream. ¡°What could be the reason for such a huge spacetime change?¡± Lin Xian wondered aloud. Liu Feng grabbed a chair as well, sitting beside him. ¡°Something important must have shifted, triggering a massive butterfly effect... Could it be that scientist you brought back from Africa? Did she finish the Brain Neural Electric Helmet?¡± ? ¡°Probably not,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping in touch with Du Yao. She only just set up the lab and equipment. She¡¯s barely started.¡± He added, ¡°And she told me her original thesis was just a wild guess. Making a breakthrough in the lab isn¡¯t going to be that easy.¡± Those were Du Yao¡¯s exact words. She had told Lin Xian that without that genius manuscript¡ªthe draft for the Brain Neural Electric Helmet¡ªit would have taken her ages to find the breakthrough they needed. The manuscript practically gave her the final answer; all she had to do was align the process. But even so, it would take more than a few months. ¡°But just to be sure, I¡¯ll give Du Yao a call.¡± Lin Xian picked up his phone and called her. As expected, there was no progress. After hanging up, it was clear this major spacetime change had nothing to do with Du Yao. It had to be caused by something else. Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts drifted to a gentle, kind woman¡ªMiss Da Vinci. The Eighth Dream had been guided by her vision of the future. If that timeline had now disappeared, it was probably related to her actions. Two possibilities came to mind: Miss Da Vinci might have listened to his advice and completely given up on the plan for mechanical humanoids, just as Elon Musk had abandoned his Mars colonization plan. The timeline could have shifted as a result. Or... something had happened to Miss Da Vinci. Perhaps she was killed. Lin Xian shivered at the thought. According to the original timeline, Miss Da Vinci was supposed to laugh until the end¡ªat least surviving for hundreds of years. What had gone wrong? What had changed? ¡°Was it because I shared information with Miss Da Vinci after the gathering?¡± Lin Xian wondered. Perhaps that was it. Normally, Miss Da Vinci wouldn¡¯t have learned about what happened in 2624 while in 2024. If any other Genius Club members had asked, Einstein would have refused to answer. And Miss Da Vinci herself would never ask a question that would expose her. The only variable was Lin Xian. From the first Dream to the Eighth, Big Cat Face had never missed a future. But now, after scanning a ten-kilometer radius¡ªnothing. No villages, no settlements. Was Big Cat Face underground? ¡°I need to find a way to explore farther,¡± Lin Xian decided. He needed a faster way to travel. Wandering through the ruins, he guessed that an earthquake, tsunami, or massive disaster had struck. Otherwise, it was hard to imagine anything that could wipe out a city of reinforced concrete. As he expanded his search, Lin Xian made some new discoveries. He found wild animals¡ªrabbits, cats, dogs, rats¡ªthriving among the ruins. This abundance of wildlife suggested a long absence of humans. He also found remnants of human life: rusty bottle caps, decaying toys, cracked tires, even half a stainless-steel tray. Stainless steel proved its resilience once again. ¡°None of this is useful,¡± Lin Xian thought, ending the first day in the new Dream with nothing to show. Day two, he returned at noon to continue searching. Day three, day four... He found valuable things. He had to take back what he said¡ª¡±Stainless steel isn¡¯t the king. Aluminum alloy is!¡± After some digging, Lin Xian unearthed shiny micro nuclear batteries. The shells were made of aluminum alloy, making them incredibly stable¡ªperfect for a post-apocalyptic world. By checking the production dates, he could roughly determine when the disaster happened. The dates were 2401, 2533, 2574, and 2598. This said a lot. If micro nuclear batteries were produced in 2401, then the great catastrophe of 2400 hadn¡¯t happened. That was good news. But the bad news was that disaster had only been delayed. Sometime after 2598, a similar or worse disaster had occurred. If there were nuclear batteries here, there must be more valuable things. Over the next two weeks, Lin Xian kept returning to this spot, digging like an archaeologist in a post-apocalyptic world. Most of what he found was useless¡ªrotted or rusted¡ªand he didn¡¯t have the tools to dig deeper. But he did find more batteries, including one from 2599. But that was the most recent date he could find. Nothing produced after 2599. ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. ¡°Did the world end in 2600?¡± If the disaster in 2600 wasn¡¯t natural, then it must have been man-made¡ªmore destructive than anything before. ¡°Was it Galileo again?¡± Lin Xian wondered. ¡°Or someone else?¡± There were no clues. Lin Xian could only keep searching. After much effort, he got lucky. He found a micro nuclear battery-powered motorcycle, still functional. It was an incredible stroke of luck. The motorcycle, produced in 2597, was intact. But something puzzled him. ¡°In the Second Dream, people had flying motorcycles. Why were they still using regular ones in 2597?¡± ¡°Did human technology stop progressing?¡± It didn¡¯t make sense. Why had technology stagnated? Lin Xian started the motorcycle, determined to find someone alive¡ªor at least the gang led by Big Cat Face. But after a month of exploration, covering hundreds of kilometers, he still found no human activity. One day, after ten hours of riding at full speed, Lin Xian still found nothing. Clang. Lin Xian let the motorcycle fall. He stood alone in the empty land, the chill of night creeping in. It wasn¡¯t real. If there were people alive, there should have been signs. ¡°Could it be...¡± Lin Xian looked up at the night sky, staring at the unchanging stars. ¡°Could it be that human civilization is really gone?¡± Chapter 467: The Game is Over This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Boom! Boom! Boom! 00:42. A blinding white light flashed, right on time, swallowing everything in its wake. ... ... ... Lin Xian opened his eyes in the guest bedroom of Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s house. He shivered slightly; the air conditioner must have been set too low. He felt cold all over. October had passed in a haze for him. He had spent the entire month in the Ninth Dream, wandering endlessly, searching for a living soul¡ªanyone who could give him a hint, any trace of life. He just needed one person. At first, he¡¯d wanted to find CC or Big Cat Face. Eventually, he gave up on that hope and just wished to find anyone at all. But as he uncovered the motorbike and expanded his search, an ominous feeling settled in his heart. Though he tried to brace himself, the sense of dread was difficult to shake. The Ninth Dream had only two possible outcomes: it was either better than the Eighth Dream or far worse. Lin Xian had experienced terrible dreamscapes before. He knew he could handle whatever was coming. But this time, the problem was different. None of the worlds he¡¯d seen before, not even the worst of them, had ended in humanity¡¯s extinction. ¡°This is tough,¡± he whispered to himself, lying back on his pillow. In the past, he had used the knowledge from dreamscapes to alter the present, rewrite the future, and shift the timeline. If the future of the Ninth Dream was truly what he feared¡ªwith no human beings left¡ªthen it was a dead end. A deadlock, like the Fourth Dream, where every path led to a struggle with no way out. Even if humanity had become extinct, even if there were only records or traces left behind, that would have been something. But here, the frustrating part was... It was impossible to tell what exactly had happened in the year 2600. All he knew was that the great disaster had shattered the world and wiped out human civilization so completely that almost nothing useful remained. Lin Xian sat up and headed to the kitchen. In the warm glow of the thermal box, a cup of milk was waiting¡ªheated by Zhao Ying Jun for him. By now, that cup of milk had become their silent tradition, a comforting habit. Lin Xian picked up the cup and drank it down in one go. Today, in his dream, he had ridden the motorbike for a thousand kilometers. His back ached from the journey, and still, he hadn¡¯t found a sign of life¡ªnot even a faint trace that anyone had ever been there. r? He was nearly certain now about the state of the future world in the Ninth Dream. Thud. After finishing the milk, he set the glass down on the table and went to the study. He turned on the lamp, took out some paper, and uncapped a pen. ¡°There are a few crucial mysteries about the Ninth Dream,¡± he murmured, jotting down his first question. ¡°1. Even in a timeline where Copernicus has died, humanity¡¯s technological progress is still slow.¡± The most direct evidence was the nuclear battery motorbike he¡¯d dug up¡ªa bike made in 2597. In the Second, Third, and Fourth Dreamscapes, motorbikes flew freely in the sky, and Lin Xian had driven several of them himself. Back then, he hadn¡¯t intervened much in the real world, yet future technology had advanced so much. So why was it now, after bringing back so many advanced technologies, that progress had stalled again? ¡°What happened in those six hundred years?¡± Lin Xian pondered. There were no books, no records, and no one to ask. For now, it was a deadlock. He wrote down his second question: ¡°2. Why did humanity go extinct so completely?¡± This was what puzzled Lin Xian the most. ¡°Even when the asteroid hit Earth and caused the extinction of dinosaurs, some survived. Many of today¡¯s species are descendants of small dinosaurs that made it through. Considering all possible scenarios, there should have been some survivors. Besides, the natural environment in 2624 wasn¡¯t harsh¡ªanimals and plants were thriving. For those who survived, it shouldn¡¯t have been impossible to continue the human race.¡± Lin Xian twirled the pen in his fingers. With only a motorbike, traveling a thousand kilometers in ten hours was his limit. But that distance was enough. Chongqing was only about a thousand kilometers from Donghai¡ªlike driving across the country without seeing a single person, a piece of trash, a wisp of smoke, a house, or a farm along the way. If that was the case, the only explanation that made sense was that humanity had vanished completely. ¡°Even if people were living underground, there would still be buildings and garbage on the surface,¡± Lin Xian reasoned. ¡°And if they were hiding from a disaster, the surface environment is great now¡ªfresh air, clear skies¡ªwhy not come back up?¡± That theory could be ruled out. All living things needed sunlight. Unless the surface was uninhabitable, like in the movie ¡°The Wandering Earth,¡± there was no reason for people to stay underground. Lastly, he wrote down his third question: ¡°3. The great disaster of 2600 was man-made. Who caused it?¡± ¡°It was probably Galileo,¡± Lin Xian said softly, ¡°But this time, the destruction was far worse than in 2400. It wiped out humanity entirely. ¡°The micro nuclear battery produced in 2401 showed that the great disaster of 2400 hadn¡¯t happened in the Ninth Dream¡¯s timeline. Earth was intact. ¡°So... did Galileo change his mind or strategy because of something or someone and delayed the disaster by two hundred years?¡± Lin Xian thought for a while and nodded. It was possible. Very possible. He remembered the last Genius Club meeting. When they discussed a ¡°global catastrophe,¡± Galileo had seemed evasive, pretending to know nothing and even looking a little anxious. ¡°I¡¯ve got a lead,¡± Lin Xian said, rubbing his chin. If Galileo had changed his plan because of something, that ¡°something¡± was probably... ¡°Galileo, being naturally suspicious, must have thought his plan was exposed.¡± It made a lot of sense. Galileo had always believed his future plans were well hidden, that no one knew. And to be fair, he hid it well. Even with Lin Xian¡¯s ¡°God¡¯s perspective,¡± he couldn¡¯t find a flaw in Galileo¡¯s questions, and he never had solid proof. But by chance, Miss Da Vinci had casually asked a question, and it had hit the mark, revealing Galileo¡¯s secret. Afterward, Lin Xian had gone out of his way to ask Da Vinci for a private conversation after the meeting... ¡°Galileo is the kind of person who would believe that Da Vinci and I had figured out his plan for a global catastrophe in 2400,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°So he changed his plan and delayed the disaster by two hundred years.¡± That was one theory. There was also another possibility. If Galileo had changed his plan because of someone, there was only one person it could be... Miss Da Vinci. ¡°Let¡¯s make a bold guess,¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes and imagined, ¡°Maybe something unpleasant happened between Galileo and Da Vinci¡ªa conflict, perhaps¡ªand Galileo ended up killing her. For some reason, he delayed the disaster by two hundred years.¡± As for the exact reasons, Lin Xian had no idea. He didn¡¯t know Galileo or Da Vinci very well. Apart from sensing Galileo¡¯s deep feelings for Da Vinci, he knew little about them. Still no one came. Galileo didn¡¯t come, and neither did Da Vinci. Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. Something had happened. Something had definitely happened between those two. There was only one reason Galileo wouldn¡¯t arrive early today¡ªhe knew Da Vinci wouldn¡¯t be here early either. And the only reason Da Vinci wouldn¡¯t be here early was... She was dead, and she wasn¡¯t coming at all. The brown double doors creaked open, and Elon Musk strode in, his Tesla mask concealing his face. ¡°Hey, Rhine! It¡¯s pretty quiet today. Looks like it¡¯s just you here so far?¡± Elon said, glancing around at the empty seats. ¡°Where¡¯s Galileo? Where¡¯s Da Vinci? ¡°They usually arrive early¡ªespecially Galileo. I heard he¡¯s never missed a single meeting, not once, and he always gets here early, at least half an hour before everyone else.¡± It was just as Lin Xian had suspected. Galileo never missed a meeting and always arrived early. Clearly, he cherished every opportunity to see Da Vinci. Although Da Vinci didn¡¯t attend every meeting, for Galileo, seeing her once a month was too precious to miss. He would never forgive himself if he lost that chance. For both Galileo and Da Vinci not to arrive early today... Miss Da Vinci¡¯s fate was clear. Before long, the double doors opened again, and Newton and Gauss entered and took their seats. Only four of them were present. It was 00:41:36 now. The Genius Club did not tolerate late arrivals. That meant that neither Galileo nor Da Vinci would be attending this time. ¡°How strange,¡± Newton remarked. ¡°Galileo missed the meeting... Ever since Miss Da Vinci joined the club, Galileo has never missed a meeting¡ªnot once, whether online or in person.¡± ¡°And...¡± Newton glanced at the empty seat to his left. ¡°Miss Da Vinci isn¡¯t here either...¡± He didn¡¯t say anything more, but seemed lost in thought. Gauss, sitting across the table, nodded shakily and looked at Elon. ¡°This year... there are fewer... and fewer people. Da Vinci and Galileo... I hope they didn¡¯t...¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey!¡± Elon interrupted Gauss. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Because Turing and... Copernicus... you killed them...¡± ¡°They started it!¡± Elon interrupted again, ¡°I always admit what I do. If I killed them, I say I killed them. I¡¯m still wondering why Miss Da Vinci didn¡¯t show up. I really enjoyed talking with her.¡± Lin Xian listened quietly, not saying a word. It seemed that, in Gauss¡¯s eyes, Elon had now become the ¡°number one killer¡± of the Genius Club. Turing and Copernicus were both his kills, yet now Elon was taking the blame. Then again... Elon was happy to take the blame, even viewing it as a badge of honor. At 00:42, Einstein ascended the rear staircase right on time. He sat down in the high-backed black chair and smiled slightly. ¡°What a pity,¡± he said, ¡°the final meeting of the club, and only four of you showed up.¡± ??? Everyone looked at each other, then turned their eyes to the elderly man in the Einstein mask. ¡°What do you mean? I just joined, and we¡¯re already having a farewell party?¡± ¡°The final meeting... What does that mean... Could it be...¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anything like this before. Einstein, didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d always be here, no matter what?¡± The only one who stayed relatively calm was Newton. He took a deep breath, slowly straightened up, and looked at Einstein. ¡°Einstein, are you saying... you see a hopeful future for humanity?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Einstein said, his tone light, clearly in a good mood. He smiled and opened his arms, as if to embrace everything before him. ¡°Congratulations, my friends. You¡¯ve succeeded. ¡°For decades, I¡¯ve worried about humanity¡¯s future. I¡¯ve seen humanity destroy itself in countless ways, and human civilization vanish for all sorts of reasons. ¡°I hoped to one day see a future where humanity had hope. But it never came¡ªuntil today. The mission of the Genius Club is now complete¡ª¡± ¡°I now see humanity¡¯s brightest, most beautiful future ahead.¡± ... A long silence followed, stretching for dozens of seconds. Finally, Newton broke it with applause, laughing loudly. ¡°This is wonderful news! But I¡¯m more curious...¡± He glanced at the other three, then at the four empty chairs, smiling as he said: ¡°Whose plan succeeded?¡± Elon turned his masked face toward Lin Xian, whose face was hidden behind the Rhine Cat mask. Lin Xian looked back at him. Neither of them spoke. Elon knew it wasn¡¯t him. He¡¯d long since abandoned the Mars colonization project. And Lin Xian knew better than anyone... That the current worldline, the current Ninth Dream, was the worst, most hopeless future yet. So why... Why did Einstein say it was the brightest, most beautiful future? Were they really seeing the same future? ¡°Einstein,¡± Lin Xian stood up, looking up at the elderly man bathed in golden light. ¡°What kind of future did you see?¡± he asked, his voice steady and determined. Chapter 468: Who is Real, Who is Fake? This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian was bewildered. What exactly did ¡°the brightest and most beautiful future¡± mean? Up until now, Lin Xian had seen nine different world lines¡ªnine possible futures for humanity¡ªeach one connected to the nine dreamscapes he had experienced. These futures ranged from a world of stagnant technology to bizarre, twisted societies to a painful rebirth of civilization after disaster. Were these futures good or bad? Did they bring happiness to humanity? It all depended on perspective. But one thing remained the same in each one: on August 29th, 2624, at precisely 00:42, a blinding white light destroyed everything. Every time the world line shifted, Einstein would say, ¡°Humanity has no future.¡± Lin Xian had always thought Einstein was referring to the destructive white light¡ªwhat else could it be? Without that blinding light, none of the nine futures seemed completely hopeless. Human history had always been a story of destruction and renewal; as long as humanity had time, anything was possible. Even the most oppressive future¡ªlike the Eighth Dream, where mechanical androids ruled over humans¡ªcould change. Maybe not immediately, but perhaps in a thousand years, things could be different. Extremes often lead to reversals. The more something is suppressed, the stronger the eventual pushback. Sin City¡¯s power was growing, and it was only a matter of time before humanity regained control. Take the Fifth Dream¡ªcivilization had fallen to its lowest point, with only a few hundred thousand survivors struggling to survive, barely better off than people in the Stone Age. But what did that matter? Humanity had clawed its way up from primitive times before; this was just another beginning. Without the white light, given a thousand years, places like Big Cat¡¯s Village, Rhine Village, and Queen Town might rise again, becoming the centers of a reborn world, much like Donghai once was. This was what puzzled Lin Xian the most. Shouldn¡¯t the real reason behind humanity¡¯s lack of a future be that blinding white light? Einstein had just said, ¡°For decades, I¡¯ve worried about humanity¡¯s future. I¡¯ve seen people destroy themselves in countless ways, and I¡¯ve watched civilizations fall for all kinds of reasons.¡± Self-destruction? So many reasons for extinction? None of this matched the futures Lin Xian had seen in his dreamscapes. In every future he¡¯d witnessed¡ªexcept the still-uncertain Ninth Dream¡ªhumanity hadn¡¯t destroyed itself. No matter how dire things became, there were always survivors, people struggling and fighting to stay alive. And except for the Ninth Dream, there was only ever one reason for humanity¡¯s destruction: the blinding white light. Contradictions. There were contradictions everywhere. Summarizing it all, the contradictions came down to three key questions: If Einstein believed that a future where humanity destroys itself was not a good future, then why was he now calling the Ninth Dream¡ªwhere all of humanity perished¡ªthe most beautiful future? Was the future Einstein saw really the same as the one Lin Xian had seen? Could he truly see the white light at 00:42? If Einstein couldn¡¯t see the white light, then why dismiss the First and Seventh Dreamscapes, which seemed to be the brightest and best possible worlds? All of these inconsistencies led Lin Xian to wonder if the future Einstein saw was different from what he himself saw. And if their visions were different, then one had to be real, while the other was fake. Who had seen the real future? Lin Xian remembered his discussion with the super AI, VV. VV had implied that Lin Xian¡¯s visions of the future and his understanding of the rules of spacetime were flawed, suggesting that his dreamscapes were fake¡ªlike scenes from a movie set. This prompted Lin Xian to share his concerns about verifying the dreamscapes with Chu An Qing, who had touched a spacetime particle and left him a small note. ¡°You¡¯ll understand once you¡¯re there,¡± she had told him. The note and the spacetime particle had been stored together in a spacetime particle capturer¡ªan old rice cooker¡ªand locked away in an aluminum alloy safe at the Time Bank. Lin Xian thought there was no longer a need to verify the reality of his dreamscapes. After all those shifting dreamscapes and the information he had used to take down Turing and Copernicus, wasn¡¯t that enough proof that the dreamscapes were real? But Einstein¡¯s words brought back the question of whether the dreamscapes were real. Everything was muddled again. Lin Xian wanted to open that safe. He and CC needed to understand the truth behind what VV had said, and he wanted to decipher the clues Chu An Qing had left on that small note. But there was a problem¡ªhe couldn¡¯t find it. The catastrophic event of 2400 had wiped out all of Donghai City. He and CC hadn¡¯t seen the safe in ages. And now, the Ninth Dream had brought another calamity, pushing humanity even closer to extinction. The hope of finding that aluminum alloy safe seemed almost impossible. Lin Xian was unable to confirm whose future was real¡ªhis or Einstein¡¯s. Logically, Einstein¡¯s visions seemed more credible. He had faced years of questioning from the other geniuses and had never been wrong. He had predicted comets and even Lin Xian¡¯s death date with precision. Unlike Lin Xian, who could only see up to August 28th, 2624, Einstein could see every minute and every second that lay ahead. This made Lin Xian uneasy. Was it really the worst-case scenario? Were his dreamscapes false? He needed to find a way to verify this. He needed to understand what Einstein had seen in the future. ¡°Rhine, there¡¯s no need to be so anxious,¡± said the elderly man wearing the Einstein mask. He sat calmly at the top of the platform, looking down at them. ¡°Even though this is our final gathering, each of you still has the chance to ask me a question, according to the rules. Please return to your seat and wait for the questioning segment to begin.¡± Lin Xian let out a slow breath and returned to his seat. It was clear that Einstein had more to say. Once Lin Xian was seated, Einstein looked around at the four members still present and continued, ¡°What kind of future is the best future?¡± He smiled faintly. ¡°This is the final question you all must answer before joining the Genius Club. Whether you answered ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no¡¯ to the question ¡®Does humanity have a future?¡¯ you all needed to respond to this next one. ¡°Everyone¡¯s answers were different, but all were valid. Despite your vastly different ideologies and methods, you all shared one unspoken agreement¡ªthat only a future where humanity exists is a true future. ¡°Thus, when trying to save the world and find a path to the future, the most fundamental thing we must ensure is humanity¡¯s survival. ¡°But the future I saw couldn¡¯t even meet that basic condition. In nearly all those futures, humanity was on the brink of extinction, caused by its own self-destruction. ¡°I¡¯m different from the other geniuses,¡± Newton continued. ¡°I know things they don¡¯t, things only Copernicus and I had a chance to learn. Apart from Rhine, I can guess every other member¡¯s plan. ¡°That¡¯s the advantage of joining early¡ªbefore so many questions became off-limits. Copernicus and I nearly asked everything we could. Now, with Copernicus gone, only I know the real truth. Only I know the secrets. Only I know what humanity truly faces. ¡°So, obviously, Einstein, I¡¯m the only one who can save the world and protect humanity¡¯s future.¡± He let out a soft laugh and shook his head. ¡°You know better than anyone that I¡¯m not boasting. I¡¯m not being arrogant. What you told Copernicus and me at the beginning is now beyond what anyone else can ask. ¡°That¡¯s why the newer members¡ªfor all their brilliance¡ªare fighting a losing battle. Without knowing the truth, they¡¯ll never grasp the critical points. It¡¯s tragic, really. ¡°So, Einstein, all I need now is one thing confirmed. My final question is this¡ªDid humanity, in the end, go extinct?¡± Einstein slowly raised his head, sitting upright. He shook his head softly. ¡°No,¡± he said. Newton smiled in satisfaction. He stood up slowly, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°As one who sees the future, Einstein, you said this was our last meeting, so it must be our last. We will never meet again. ¡°These decades have been long, yet fleeting, and I must admit, I¡¯m a bit sad to say goodbye. Still, all things must end, old friend. I wish you the best.¡± Newton gave a gentleman¡¯s bow to Einstein, and then, with a motion like removing a pair of VR goggles, his avatar turned transparent and slowly faded away. The heavy red door to the private meeting room creaked open once more, and Einstein¡¯s calm, authoritative voice echoed through the main hall. ¡°Gauss, your turn.¡± Gauss, a small-framed man wearing his signature mask, slowly got up from his seat, trembling slightly. He looked over at Musk and Lin Xian, who were seated across from each other. ¡°This time... can you... not interrupt me?¡± he asked softly. Lin Xian and Musk nodded. It was the final gathering, after all; they were willing to give him this courtesy. They both also wanted to hear what this mysterious man, who had been repeatedly denied a chance to ask his question, finally wanted to say. ¡°Equality,¡± Gauss began, his voice soft. ¡°There is no absolute equality in this world, not even relative equality. But... everything has an original, primal equality.¡± He nodded to Musk and Lin Xian in turn. ¡°Goodbye, Musk. Goodbye, Rhine.¡± ¡°Goodbye, Gauss,¡± Musk replied. ¡°Until we meet again,¡± Lin Xian said. Gauss smiled faintly at Lin Xian¡¯s words and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t meet again,¡± he said. He turned away and walked slowly into the private meeting room, pulling the red door closed behind him. Thud. ¡°Please, sit, Gauss,¡± Einstein gestured to the chair across from him. Gauss slowly moved over and sat down. After a moment, he spoke, his words measured and deliberate. ¡°So... have I succeeded, Einstein?¡± Einstein remained still. ¡°Gauss, is that your question?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Gauss said, shaking his head quickly. ¡°I¡¯m just... talking. Think of it as me talking to myself.¡± He paused, then continued. ¡°I know I¡¯ve succeeded,¡± he said, his voice growing stronger. ¡°Because, just a few days ago, I finally made up my mind¡ªI made a decision that can¡¯t be undone, can¡¯t be taken back, can¡¯t be fixed, can¡¯t be changed. ¡°I¡¯ve fully understood now, Einstein.¡± He looked up, his gaze meeting the sorrowful eyes of Einstein¡¯s mask. ¡°True equality... is only found in equal death.¡± Chapter 469: The Confession This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Einstein sat quietly across from Gauss. The fire in the corner fireplace flickered, casting shadows that danced along the walls¡ªsometimes bright, sometimes dim. It seemed like he was listening to Gauss talking to himself, or maybe he wasn¡¯t. He was just patiently waiting for Gauss to ask his question. Gauss took a deep breath, rubbing his left arm, and said softly, ¡°Thank you, Einstein. You¡¯re the only one in the club who... never interrupts me when I¡¯m speaking.¡± ¡°But I understand, too... the others mean no harm... it¡¯s just that I... speak too slowly.¡± Einstein smiled a little, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m different from you all. I have all the time in the world.¡± Finally, Gauss looked up, staring at the sad mask Einstein wore. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for me to ask my question. If I can get an answer from you, then I¡¯ll know I really succeeded.¡± Clearing his throat, he spoke as quickly as he could. ¡°I once asked you when humanity will be able to completely enhance its immunity, so that no virus can ever infect us again. You told me that it would never happen. You said that viruses will keep evolving, that new viruses will always emerge... that the way our bodies are made means we¡¯ll always coexist with them, each affecting the other.¡± ¡°This answer gave me comfort. I also understand that no matter how deadly a virus is in the beginning, over time, as it keeps infecting people, it will inevitably get weaker and weaker, until finally, every virus will lose its potency and its ability to spread.¡± ¡°So my question is this¡ª¡± Gauss, small and thin, pressed his lips together, filled with hope, and asked, ¡°That virus I injected into myself a few days ago¡ªhow many years will it take before humanity is entirely immune to it, so that it no longer has any effect?¡± ¡°In other words, how long will this virus remain potent? How many years until it weakens to the point it can¡¯t infect anyone anymore?¡± Einstein stayed as calm as ever, responding without hesitation. ¡°One hundred and ninety-four years. From around a hundred and eighty years onwards, the virus you created will already have significantly weakened. But even then, weaker individuals may still be infected.¡± ¡°So the answer to your question is 194 years. After 194 years, the virus will completely lose its potency and ability to spread, becoming incapable of infecting anyone. It will vanish from the world forever.¡± Hearing the answer, Gauss breathed a sigh of relief, looking very satisfied. ¡°That¡¯s enough... it¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°It means the virus I created is quite powerful. A lifespan of 194 years... that¡¯s enough, more than enough.¡± With that, he stood up from the leather armchair and gave Einstein a deep bow. ¡°Thank you, Einstein, and also Copernicus.¡± ¡°To be honest, the only reason I had the determination to carry out this plan... was because of Copernicus¡¯s death, Newton¡¯s question, and your answer.¡± ¡°Equality... death is the ultimate equality for all life, for everything in the world, even in the universe.¡± ¡°Elements will decay, stars will extinguish, and one day the universe will fall silent. Death is the true equalizer.¡± ¡°Goodbye, Einstein.¡± He straightened up, waved at the elderly man opposite him. ¡°The days spent meeting in the Genius Club were the happiest of my life.¡± ¡ª Just outside the secret room, in the golden hall, Lin Xian and Elon Musk no longer had to pretend to be strangers after Gauss went inside. They started chatting directly. ¡°What a surprise!¡± Elon, wearing his Tesla mask, turned his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the final gathering would allow us one-on-one questions! Even though the rules are still the same¡ªwe can¡¯t ask about the club itself or its members¡ªthere¡¯s way more room to maneuver this time!¡± ¡°In the past, everyone kept their questions shallow, hiding their true plans and purposes, fearing that others might figure them out. I mean, I wasn¡¯t afraid to let people know about my future plans, but sometimes I still didn¡¯t want them hearing the answers to my questions. So there were many things I couldn¡¯t ask.¡± ?? ¡°But it¡¯s different now. In the room, it¡¯s just us and Einstein. No matter what we say, what we ask, or how Einstein answers, no one else will hear!¡± ¡°This opportunity is so rare. Except for the earliest members of the Genius Club, none of us newcomers ever had such a chance.¡± ¡°True,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Now, we can ask some sensitive, crucial, and hidden questions.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Elon smiled. ¡°So, given how rare this chance is, are you sure you still want me to ask ¡®how many people will there be in the world in 2622¡¯? It doesn¡¯t seem like a valuable question.¡± ¡°I¡¯d suggest you think it over and treasure this opportunity. Ask something more meaningful, let me ask Einstein on your behalf.¡± ¡°I think Newton left immediately after his question. But me, I¡¯ll come out after Einstein gives me the answer, and tell it to you, so you can weigh your last question accordingly.¡± Lin Xian blinked in surprise, looking at Elon. ¡°This precious chance for a one-on-one question... you¡¯re really willing to give it up for me?¡± This offer took Lin Xian off guard. He never imagined Elon would be so generous. Actually, ever since Einstein announced the one-on-one questioning, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t planning to take Elon¡¯s chance. As Elon said, this was the last round of questions. And it was the first time anyone had the opportunity to ask privately. It was incredibly precious. Elon was someone with dreams and beliefs, and there were plenty of questions he hadn¡¯t dared ask in the past. Now was a rare chance for him. ¡°Are you sure you want to give it to me?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Absolutely.¡± Elon¡¯s response was easy. ¡°You¡¯re my lifesaver, you know. If it weren¡¯t for you giving me that heads-up, letting me know that the secretary was a spy for Copernicus, I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here with you now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for a way to repay you, but I could never do anything to really help. If you don¡¯t mind, let me use this questioning opportunity as my thank you for that incident.¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d probably just ask if humanity will ever leave the solar system, if we¡¯ll have the capability for interstellar travel.¡± ¡°But if I think about it... it¡¯s not that meaningful. If humanity really does travel beyond the solar system, I¡¯ll be happy. But asking about it would be kind of a waste. Whether I ask or not won¡¯t change the outcome.¡± ¡°After all, I¡¯ve given up on my plans. Even if humanity reaches the stars, it won¡¯t have anything to do with me.¡± ¡°And if Einstein says no, well, it¡¯s just going to disappoint me. So what¡¯s the point of wasting this rare chance on a question like that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what your future plan is, but it seems good to me. No one knows your future plans, which might just make you the last winner! My journey is done. I¡¯m willing to support yours.¡± Elon waved. ¡°I¡¯m off. Take care.¡± He mimed taking off a VR headset, his virtual figure turning transparent and slowly fading away. Lin Xian turned slowly. He looked at the open door to the private room, saw the warm fireplace inside, and the steady figure of Einstein sitting in the leather armchair. Suddenly, he had a strange feeling¡ª Einstein was lying. He knew it. There was no real reason for the suspicion, no evidence to prove Einstein¡¯s vision was false. But in the Ninth Dream, Donghai had been razed to the ground. And when he left the dream at 00:42 on August 29th, 2624, Donghai was still a wasteland. Nine hours later. Where could over forty million people have come from, just like that? It was absurd. The daily trash generated by forty million people could bury a small county, not to mention the infrastructure, food, and water supply they would need. So, it was obvious. Now, it could be confirmed¡ªEinstein¡¯s vision of the future and Lin Xian¡¯s dream were not the same. Not only was there no apocalyptic white light, but humanity had also not perished¡ªthey had thrived in an almost unimaginable way, with Donghai¡¯s population skyrocketing to over forty million. If that were true, then the world¡¯s total population would be over ten billion, maybe even twenty billion. Such a crowded and prosperous world could never be the same as the Ninth Dream Lin Xian had dreamed of. The divergence was there. So, what was the truth? Was Einstein¡¯s vision of the future real, or was Lin Xian¡¯s dream? Sadly, there was no way to verify it. This was Lin Xian¡¯s current frustration. He couldn¡¯t verify it. He couldn¡¯t just hop into a time machine and see August 29th, 2624, with his own eyes. Nor could he find the Aluminum Alloy Safe in the Ninth Dream, or read Chu An Qing¡¯s note to judge the reality of his dreams. So what... should he do? ¡°Rhine.¡± Einstein¡¯s voice suddenly echoed in the grand hall. ¡°Come in. It¡¯s your turn to ask your question.¡± Lin Xian took a step forward. Step by step, he entered the private room. He closed the red door and sat in the leather chair across the tea table. He glanced at the wall, where the shadows of Einstein flickered in the firelight, then turned his gaze back to the elderly man wearing the sorrowful Einstein mask. He stared into the empty, regretful eyes of the mask. It felt... as if something was reaching out through time, piercing into his very soul. ¡°Rhine.¡± The old man¡¯s voice broke the silence, ¡°What¡¯s your question?¡± Suddenly, Lin Xian felt an inexplicable sense of danger, a rising feeling of caution. He resisted. He didn¡¯t want to ask anything about the Millennial Stake or Chu An Qing. This strange feeling... it had been growing for a long time. Thinking carefully¡ªwhy would Zhang Yu Qian, the Millennial Stake, dream about Einstein? And 1952, such a strange year¡ªSorrowful Einstein, Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s dream, the Universal Constant 42, the Millennial Stake¡¯s vanishing... they were all tied to 1952. And the Genius Club¡ªwould refuse to answer anything about itself. Even information about the real historical Einstein was off-limits. Such strict, strange rules... was that really necessary? The more he thought about it, the stranger, more chilling it felt. Einstein. The Millennial Stake. Could there be some kind of connection? Lin Xian believed Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s dream and CC¡¯s dream weren¡¯t baseless. Lin Xian adjusted his posture. He decided¡ªhe would ask a bolder question. Even if Einstein refused to answer, that alone would be revealing. ¡°Einstein.¡± Lin Xian spoke softly, ¡°In 1952, a twenty-year-old girl disappeared at 00:42, turning into blue stardust. Tell me why she vanished.¡± Silence. Einstein fell silent. Lin Xian was surprised. This was the first time Einstein had paused for so long when asked a question. Finally, after over ten seconds, Einstein slowly lifted his head, his voice calm, ¡°In 1952, nowhere in the world did any girl turn into blue stardust and vanish.¡± Lin Xian stared at the sorrowful mask on the old man¡¯s face, ¡°Are you certain?¡± Einstein nodded, saying no more. Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. Just as he¡¯d thought... his suspicions and unease weren¡¯t unfounded. If no girl disappeared in 1952 as the Millennial Stake¡ªthen why did Zhang Yu Qian dream about that year, remember it so clearly, even set it as the password for her diary? Why did Chu An Qing have nightmares? Why did CC dream of a blue-eyed version of himself? If the Millennial Stake was such a stable system, reappearing every 24 years, how could it possibly skip such an important, pivotal year like 1952? Previously, Lin Xian had only doubted, but now he was sure¡ªeither Einstein had seen a false future, or¡ª Einstein was lying. Chapter 470: The Only Future Chapter 470: The Only Future This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°Well, since my question was wrong, does that mean I get to rephrase it and ask again?¡± But Einstein shook his head and smiled. ¡°Rhine, you should know better than anyone else: a negative answer is still an answer. In fact, most of the questions geniuses ask are meant to be challenged. The point of asking is often to get a ¡®no¡¯ so they can prove their hypothesis.¡± Lin Xian stayed silent. Einstein had been in the Genius Club for decades, and he understood the true purpose behind every question¡ªjust like the one Lin Xian had asked earlier. If Lin Xian had only wanted to know the truth about the Millennial Stake or how to save Chu An Qing, he could have simply asked about Zhang Yu Qian and Chu An Qing directly. But instead, he used an uncertain fact from 1952 to test Einstein¡ªto see if he could really see the future, or if he would lie. The truth was, Lin Xian had started to doubt Einstein. So, like Gauss, he wasn¡¯t looking for a definitive answer. He wanted to set a trap¡ªa question that might catch Einstein off guard, revealing a flaw. Einstein certainly knew about Zhang Yu Qian and Chu An Qing turning into blue star fragments and fading away. And he knew that Lin Xian knew. They were both playing with open cards, so why pretend to deceive each other? Instead, Lin Xian gave Einstein an opportunity¡ªsomething from 1952 that was distant enough that he couldn¡¯t verify it. Whatever Einstein said, Lin Xian would have to take at face value. If Einstein refused to answer, it would mean the Millennial Stake was connected to him or the Genius Club itself. If Einstein answered honestly, Lin Xian would gain the truth he wanted. And if Einstein lied... Lin Xian could prove it, exposing a contradiction in Einstein¡¯s vision of a ¡°bright future.¡± It was a question that, no matter the answer, would give him valuable information. And with the answers he got from Elon Musk, Lin Xian could piece everything together. ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian said, crossing one leg over the other and leaning back with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s just call this a friendly chat, then. After all, I don¡¯t want the Genius Club meetings to end just like that.¡± ¡°Everyone else has been asking you questions for years, but I¡¯ve only been here for a few months. I barely got the chance to speak with you, and now... we might never meet again.¡± He paused. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve always wondered about¡ªhow can you be so sure that every future you see is real?¡± Einstein, sitting across from him with his mask on, chuckled lightly. ¡°Rhine, you know better than anyone that the future I see must be real. After all... if it weren¡¯t, you wouldn¡¯t have survived your first day in the Genius Club.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t argue with that. The first time he attended a Genius Club meeting, he had asked Einstein about his own death. Einstein gave a precise answer: 17 minutes and 21 seconds. And it turned out to be true. If Lin Xian hadn¡¯t asked that question and had simply stayed home, Time Assassin No. 17 would have burst into his room and killed him. Based on the timing of that taxi pulling up to his apartment building, it would have taken roughly 17 minutes to reach him. ¡°But in the end, I survived,¡± Lin Xian continued, pushing further. ¡°Which means that even if the future you saw was real at that moment, you yourself said the future isn¡¯t set in stone. It can be changed by human actions.¡± ¡°Rewriting the future¡ªthat¡¯s why the Genius Club exists and why we put in the effort we do. But what if, even after seeing a bright and perfect future, something changes? What if the butterfly effect kicks in and dooms humanity again? Are we supposed to regroup, hold more meetings, try to find the right path, and recover the bright future we lost? How many times can we keep going through this cycle?¡± Lin Xian finished speaking, staring straight at Einstein, hoping to catch any small reaction that might give him insight. But there was none. The old man remained as calm as ever. Einstein slowly stood up, using his thin arms to push himself out of the leather chair. He looked down at Lin Xian, standing tall and composed. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking this, Rhine,¡± he said. ¡°The future will not change anymore. All possibilities have been exhausted. What we have now is...¡± ¡°The only future.¡± With that, he made a gesture toward the door. ¡°The question-and-answer session is over. Rhine, you may leave now. As a member of the Genius Club, you¡¯ve succeeded. You have no need to worry, doubt, or hesitate anymore. You¡¯ve given humanity its most beautiful future¡ªthe title of savior is well-deserved.¡± Lin Xian slowly got up from the chair. Einstein¡¯s words were so firm and absolute. It seemed... Einstein was confident. But Lin Xian was confident too. He was glad he hadn¡¯t asked directly about Zhang Yu Qian or Chu An Qing. He didn¡¯t believe the future couldn¡¯t be changed. He didn¡¯t believe Einstein¡¯s claim that humanity¡¯s future was locked in place. If the future could really be fixed like that, then why did Yellow Finch sacrifice everything to come back to the past and teach him one last lesson? Why did Zhao Ying Jun become a white jade statue in Sky City, waiting for him for six hundred years? Why did Chu An Qing cry after touching the spacetime particles, yet still help him bravely? They all fought so hard¡ªall for the chance to change the future. The meaning of the future is that it can be changed. ¡°Goodbye, Einstein,¡± Lin Xian said, turning and walking towards the golden hall outside. Turning back to Liu Feng, Lin Xian spoke slowly. ¡°Actually, there could be another reason. Maybe this timeline is so resilient that just creating a time machine isn¡¯t enough to push it over the edge.¡± Liu Feng blinked in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s one tough timeline¡ªit¡¯s not a spring; it¡¯s a steel bar.¡± After a pause, Liu Feng rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°But I guess it¡¯s possible. If there¡¯s some inevitable, overwhelming force in the future, then maybe nothing we do now will make a difference.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Lin Xian pulled up a chair and sat down. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to say.¡± Maybe Einstein was confident because he knew a super-catastrophe was coming in 2600¡ªsomething that could wipe everything out. Of course, Einstein saw a thriving, highly advanced civilization, not a desolate Earth. But the principle was the same. ¡°There¡¯s always a way to break through,¡± Lin Xian said, unwilling to give up. ¡°If the time machine isn¡¯t enough, then we¡¯ll have to rely on Du Yao¡¯s Brain Neural Electric Helmet. If that helmet works, we might be able to overcome the side effects of long-term hibernation. That could be enough to cause a major shift in the timeline.¡± He stood, ready to leave for Du Yao¡¯s lab. ¡°You keep working on the blueprints. See if you can finish them,¡± he told Liu Feng before heading out. Lin Xian took a car to Du Yao¡¯s lab, where he found that progress was slow. ¡°Still working on it,¡± Du Yao said, shaking her head. Her hair was tied back, her lab coat spotless. ¡°You need patience, Lin Xian. Science is like that¡ªeveryone can dream big, but making those dreams real is the challenge. Sometimes you need luck or a flash of inspiration.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not rushing you,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°I just wanted to see how things are going. Science doesn¡¯t happen overnight. We¡¯re already lucky to be standing on the shoulders of giants.¡± For now, Lin Xian¡¯s last hope lay with Du Yao. If her invention couldn¡¯t cause a timeline shift, there really wouldn¡¯t be any other way. Time moved on. Lin Xian spent twelve hours a day dreaming, riding his motorcycle, exploring the Ninth Dream. But the more he searched, the more hopeless it felt. Dreams had always given him information and resources¡ªeven the Fourth Dream had offered him a way to break through. But the Ninth Dream was different. With humanity extinct, there was nothing there to help him. The Genius Club meetings were definitely over too. No matter what time he tried, even at midnight on the first of each month, his golden Genius Club badge yielded nothing. Einstein must have shut down the servers. There was no way to reconnect. It was a terrible feeling¡ªno information from the dreams, no way to shift the timeline, no contact with the other members of the Genius Club. It felt like he was at a dead end. Autumn turned to winter. The bells of New Year¡¯s Day, 2025, rang, and soon after, it was X Country New Year. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s belly was getting bigger, and the time for little Yu Xi to be born was approaching. It was the only thing keeping Lin Xian going. Little Yu Xi was growing well, always moving inside Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°She¡¯s got good genes for martial arts!¡± the ultrasound doctor joked, making Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun laugh. When they got home, they started thinking about prenatal education. ¡°It¡¯s better if she¡¯s a bit calmer this time,¡± they agreed. ¡°No more of the punch-and-kick types. Let¡¯s play her some music¡ªmaybe she¡¯ll grow up to be an artist or musician.¡± February 1, 2025. Early morning. 12:42 a.m. Lin Xian woke up from his dreams again. He¡¯d spent another day riding his motorcycle, finding nothing. After three months of exploring the Ninth Dream, Lin Xian had come to accept humanity¡¯s extinction there. But he still didn¡¯t know how to save them or change anything. There had been no progress on researching Universal Constant 42. Du Yao¡¯s Brain Neural Electric Helmet had made no breakthroughs. Elon Musk was still searching for signs of Gauss, Newton, and Galileo but hadn¡¯t found anything. Everything was at a standstill. Lin Xian sighed, getting up and going to his desk. He picked up a pen and started writing down each problem he faced: ¡°The major secret from 1952¡ªcan¡¯t reach it without a time machine.¡± ¡°The comet in 2234¡ªtoo far away to wait.¡± ¡°Cheng Qian reviving VV in 2482¡ªeven further, impossible to meet Cheng Qian.¡± ¡°Human extinction in 2624¡ªcan¡¯t change it, can¡¯t find the safe, no useful information.¡± He clicked the pen shut, resting his head in his hands. Gradually, he fell asleep at his desk. In the next room, with VV snoring beside her, Zhao Ying Jun woke up, feeling a kick from inside her belly. She rubbed her stomach, grumbling, ¡°Little Yu Xi... just like your dad, awake all night.¡± It really ran in the family. She looked at the clock¡ª3:21 a.m. But when she turned, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t there. Surprised, she got up, put on her slippers, and went to the study, where the light was still on. Inside, she found her husband asleep at the desk. She moved closer to wake him up, whispering, ¡°It¡¯s too cold to be sleeping here¡ªyou¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± But then she saw the paper on the desk. The words he had written... she could see how much pressure he was under. Quietly, Zhao Ying Jun bent down and hugged Lin Xian, feeling the chill in his body. ¡°It¡¯s okay...¡± she whispered softly, her voice full of warmth. ¡°I¡¯m here for you.¡± Chapter 471: A Lifetime For You This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Two days later was Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s routine checkup day. Little Yu Xi in her belly was already 28 weeks along, and it was time for a 4D ultrasound. The principle of a 4D ultrasound is to use sound waves and the Doppler effect to create an image, allowing parents to see the baby¡¯s features, limbs, and other details. Zhao Ying Jun lay on the examination bed, while Lin Xian stood beside her. Together, they both turned to look at the imaging screen with the doctor. ¡°Wow, this baby looks so beautiful! Look at those features,¡± the doctor said, pointing to the oddly abstract image on the screen. ¡°Look at that nose, so high, and such a cute little nose and mouth.¡± Lin Xian squinted, trying hard to understand the Picasso-meets-Van-Gogh-style artwork on the screen. ¡°Where is it? Is that a face? I just can¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°You need to look more closely,¡± the doctor smiled a little and pointed out the details to Lin Xian. ¡°Here, this is the outline of the face. Here are the eyes¡ªthey¡¯re closed. Can you see it now?¡± Lin Xian nodded, finally able to make out a vague semblance of a face. Though, he had to admit, being a soundwave image, it was still quite abstract. ¡°I think I can see it,¡± he said. Zhao Ying Jun chuckled, glancing up at Lin Xian. ¡°Do you think she looks like Yu Xi?¡± ¡°I really can¡¯t tell,¡± Lin Xian replied with a helpless smile. ¡°What can you even make out from this?¡± ¡°I think she looks a lot like her.¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s eyes softened as she stared at the quiet little face on the ultrasound image. ¡°This is... our first time meeting her, isn¡¯t it? Even though she can¡¯t see us, we get to see her through the power of technology.¡± The doctor gave Lin Xian a look, then glanced at Zhao Ying Jun, nodding. ¡°Yes, she really looks a lot like her mom.¡± Then, the doctor turned to Lin Xian, adding comfortingly, ¡°But during the baby¡¯s growth, their features often change. What you see in this image might not be exactly accurate. Who knows? In two months, when she¡¯s born, she might end up looking more like her dad.¡± Lin Xian felt... time really flew by. In just these few months, while he had been struggling with everything, little Yu Xi had slowly grown¡ªand soon, she would be born! ¡°So... when is the expected due date?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°It¡¯s still a bit early to give an exact date,¡± the doctor said, flipping through Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s checkup records. ¡°But it should be around mid-April. If you plan on booking a postpartum care center, you might want to prepare in advance.¡± ¡°Alright, everything looks great. The baby is perfectly healthy, and there¡¯s nothing to worry about. Just be careful about diet in the last two months¡ªmany mothers tend to eat too much at the end, which can cause the baby to grow too fast and make labor harder.¡± The couple nodded, making a mental note of everything, and left the hospital holding the examination booklet. ¡°Time really goes by so fast.¡± Lin Xian looked up at the sun, now climbing toward midday, as they walked out of the hospital. ¡°It feels like just yesterday I was holding Yu Xi¡¯s hand, wandering through Disneyland. And now, our little Yu Xi will be here in just two months.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you were so eager?¡± Zhao Ying Jun teased. ¡°But at least, you kept your promise.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s still early and we have nothing else to do, why don¡¯t we go to Jing¡¯an Temple?¡± Hmm? Lin Xian turned his head, surprised. ¡°Why Jing¡¯an Temple?¡± ¡°To pray, for peace, and to make a wish,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, linking her arm through his. ¡°You know, being married to you feels like a long-distance relationship¡ªevery day, we only get to exchange a few words in the morning.¡± r ¡°The moment it turns to twelve-thirty, you¡¯re off to dreamland. I think, if you were to find a little wife in the dream, she could have you at night while I get you during the day.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love that,¡± Lin Xian laughed, ¡°but in the Ninth Dream, there¡¯s not even half a living person. Where am I supposed to find a little wife?¡± ¡°Forget a little wife, I¡¯ve been wandering the dream for months¡ªif I could even find Big Cat Face, I¡¯d be ecstatic enough to give him a hug.¡± ¡°Oh, you would, huh?¡± Zhao Ying Jun pinched his arm playfully. ¡°So, you had thoughts like that in the earlier dreamscapes, did you?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Lin Xian quickly shook his head, clearly understanding it was a trap. ¡°In those earlier dreamscapes... I was either with Big Cat Face and his friend, or on my way to find them.¡± ¡°Really, no matter which dream it was, seeing Big Cat Face always made me feel safe. As long as he¡¯s around, it feels like there¡¯s hope¡ªeven if the sky falls, Big Cat Face will hold it up.¡± ¡°So now, without Big Cat Face in the Ninth Dream, this future world really feels like it¡¯s falling apart.¡± The mere mention of Big Cat Face made Zhao Ying Jun smile. ¡°Sounds like he¡¯s become your pillar of strength. Alright then, I¡¯ll wish for you to meet Big Cat Face soon when we get to Jing¡¯an Temple.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s really not necessary.¡± Lin Xian looked at Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s round belly and smiled gently. ¡°Just make a wish for little Yu Xi¡ªwish for her to live a happy and peaceful life.¡± ... It was a weekday, so there weren¡¯t many visitors at Jing¡¯an Temple. Zhao Ying Jun prayed for peace in every hall, and Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but marvel at her transformation. The once proud, atheistic businesswoman was now so devotedly praying for the health of their soon-to-be-born child, truly showing the power of a mother¡¯s love. In the past, Zhao Ying Jun had been a firm believer in science. She had laughed when Lin Xian talked about grave-digging with Gao Yang. ¡°Gao Yang actually prepared all that superstitious stuff¡ªcandles at the corners of the coffin, and black donkey hooves¡ªit really cracked me up.¡± ¡°From a scientific perspective, if you¡¯re truly worried about ghosts, bringing a small ball is much more practical.¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to be Yellow Finch once again for you.¡± ... Lin Xian felt the warmth of her hand. He looked at Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s resolute expression and held her hand tighter. ¡°I won¡¯t let it come to that.¡± ¡°Yellow Finch came back not to create another Yellow Finch, but to nurture a successful Lin Xian.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled slightly, reaching up to caress his smooth cheek, then his slightly rough chin. She then took a piece of folded white paper from her handbag. She unfolded it. It contained the four predicaments Lin Xian had listed the other night in his study when he had dozed off in exhaustion: [The secret of 1952¡ªcan¡¯t go there without a time machine.] [Comet arrives in 2234¡ªtoo far in the future.] [Cheng Qian revives VV in 2482¡ªeven further in the future.] [Human extinction in 2624¡ªcan¡¯t change it, can¡¯t find the safe, can¡¯t get any useful information.] ¡°Lin Xian, there is a way to solve these four dilemmas.¡± Zhao Ying Jun pointed at the second one. ¡°First, when Du Yao successfully develops the Brain Neural Electric Helmet, we use a hibernation pod to travel to 2234.¡± She then pointed at the first one. ¡°In 2234, use the time travel machine, utilizing the entangled spacetime particles, and travel back to 1952 to see what really happened¡ªfind out the truth about Einstein, the Genius Club, and the Millennial Stake.¡± Her finger slid down to the third one. ¡°Then, we hibernate again and go to 2482 to revive the super AI, VV. With VV¡¯s help, we¡¯ll be able to defeat any enemy¡ªincluding Einstein, and maybe even the mastermind behind him.¡± Her finger moved down to the fourth. ¡°Finally, after defeating all the enemies and discovering all the truths¡ªnot only can we save Chu An Qing and resolve the Extinction Light¡ªwe can hibernate until August 29th, 2624, and watch the sunrise of a new day together.¡± Lin Xian opened his mouth to say something, but Zhao Ying Jun shook her finger, signaling him to stay quiet. ¡°I know what you want to say, but I¡¯ve thought it all through.¡± She took a book from her handbag and handed it to him¡ªa Winter Sleep Manual. ¡°I researched it yesterday¡ªhibernation is perfectly fine for adults, but for children, the minimum age is three years old. In extreme cases, it can¡¯t be lower than one year. For infants under one year, hibernation is strictly prohibited worldwide.¡± ¡°An infant¡¯s brain isn¡¯t fully developed, and hibernation fluids might infiltrate the brain, causing irreversible damage. But I¡¯ve thought about it¡ªwe can¡¯t decide Yu Xi¡¯s life for her. We have the duty to watch her grow up, and I want to see her grow into a young woman¡ªto eighteen.¡± ¡°After that, Yu Xi will be an adult, capable of making her own choices. If she wants to join us in the future, we go together as a family. If she wants to stay, we¡¯ll have fulfilled our duty as parents and can go to the future without regrets.¡± ¡°When she¡¯s eighteen, we¡¯ll be in our forties¡ªstill strong, and it¡¯ll be no hindrance to the plan.¡± She smiled, looking at Lin Xian. ¡°Who says a savior has to be like the kids in cartoons? Middle-aged people can be heroes too.¡± Lin Xian stared at the manual in his hands, not opening it. He looked at Zhao Ying Jun in surprise. ¡°Your determination¡ªyou managed to think of a plan for the next twenty years in just a day.¡± ¡°You said it yourself¡ªhibernation into an unknown future is terrifying and lonely. You resisted the idea, and honestly, I do too. Even waiting until Yu Xi is eighteen... I still don¡¯t want to leave.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to either.¡± Zhao Ying Jun said sincerely. ¡°But if you don¡¯t do this... who else could?¡± She looked at Lin Xian, smiling faintly. ¡°They say married couples have a special connection, and you can¡¯t hide from me. I know exactly what has been troubling you lately. It¡¯s not these dilemmas.¡± ¡°You¡¯re clever enough to realize hibernation could solve everything. But the cost... leaving this era, leaving Yu Xi, leaving me.¡± ¡°Yellow Finch¡¯s final words to you by the Copenhagen sea left you filled with guilt and hesitation. The responsibility of saving humanity¡¯s future versus the duty to be with and protect your family... The conflict between these responsibilities is what truly has you at a standstill.¡± ... For a moment, Lin Xian was silent. Zhao Ying Jun had seen right through him. Hibernation. He had been avoiding that option for as long as possible. Yellow Finch, when she became those blue, shimmering stars, had told him... not to leave Yu Xi. He had also seen Zhao Ying Jun waiting for him in the third dream¡ªsix hundred years alone. How could he even think of leaving them? ¡°I¡¯m your wife, and I¡¯m Yu Xi¡¯s mother.¡± Zhao Ying Jun stood up and walked to stand in front of him. Looking down at him, she continued. ¡°If saving the world and humanity¡¯s future is your duty, then raising Yu Xi and growing old with you is mine.¡± She looked at him, her eyes filled with determination. ¡°Yellow Finch¡¯s true meaning might not have been to hold back the mantis, but rather... to always have your back.¡± ¡°So, Lin Xian, don¡¯t worry about anything else. Like I said when we first met¡ªdo what you really want to do, what you will never regret putting your whole life into.¡± ¡°And, honestly... isn¡¯t the plan I just suggested the best possible one? Just eighteen more years before we sleep. Let¡¯s raise Yu Xi together, and then...¡± She reached out her hand, pulling him up from the bench, smiling. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go with you...¡± ¡°To the end of the world.¡± Chapter 472: Breaking Through the Fog This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian was pulled up by Zhao Ying Jun, now standing face-to-face with her. He reached out and touched her smooth cheek, feeling a surge of emotions rising within him. He thought back to the small, withered bouquet he had once given her. Who could have guessed that it would bring him a wife who was nothing short of a treasure? Brave, loyal, wise, and determined. Lin Xian realized that much of what he had achieved was because of the people by his side. Yellow Finch and Zhao Ying Jun had been his pillars of strength, supporting and guiding him all along. It made perfect sense now that Yellow Finch and Zhao Ying Jun were the same person. Over time, he had noticed similarities between them¡ªtheir boldness, decisiveness, and courage. In these qualities, Zhao Ying Jun far surpassed him. He had always been a thinker, and recently, especially while trying to figure out how to overcome their current dilemma, his caution had only grown. He knew there was a solution¡ªthe hibernation pod could solve their immediate problems¡ªbut each time he considered it, he remembered Yellow Finch¡¯s words on the shore in Copenhagen: ¡°Never leave Yu Xi.¡± Those words had weighed on him like chains, preventing him from even thinking of leaving his wife and daughter. It wasn¡¯t just those words. Deep down, Lin Xian himself didn¡¯t want to leave Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi. What father could willingly leave his little girl? This was also why he had promised Chu Shan He that he would rescue Chu An Qing. As a father, he understood Chu Shan He¡¯s devotion, and he respected it deeply. Lin Xian had made a promise¡ª ¡°No matter where she is, no matter what she¡¯s become, no matter how far or how long it takes, even if I have to search every corner of time and space¡ª¡± ¡°I will find Chu An Qing for you.¡± A gentleman¡¯s word is like an arrow once released¡ªit cannot be taken back. A true man keeps his promises. All the evidence pointed towards 1952 as the key to understanding the Millennial Stake. Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s dream, Einstein¡¯s deceit, the Universal Constant 42, the coded painting, and the pattern of disappearances¡ªall of it seemed to lead to that year. To uncover the mystery of the Millennial Stake, to save Chu An Qing, Lin Xian knew he would have to go back to 1952. But with so much uncertainty pressing on him, Lin Xian found himself in conflict. The reality was clear¡ªhe needed to hibernate to travel through time, but the thought of leaving Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi kept holding him back. It had been the source of his anxiety for the last three months. And Zhao Ying Jun, the person closest to him, had seen through it all without him needing to say a word. That was why she had brought him to Jing¡¯an Temple today¡ªto say what needed to be said, to ease his worries, to untangle the knot in his heart, and to let him know that she would be by his side until the end of the world. Lin Xian nodded, looking into her eyes. ¡°I still have many promises left unfulfilled,¡± he began. ¡°We,¡± Zhao Ying Jun interrupted, placing her hand over his. ¡°I am your wife. We are one. Your promises are my promises. Your vows are my vows.¡± She smiled. ¡°An Qing¡¯s matter is not just yours¡ªit¡¯s ours. If the only way to learn the truth about the Millennial Stake, to save An Qing, is to go back to 1952, then we must go.¡± She paused, her eyes firm. ¡°We owe it to An Qing. Yellow Finch owes it to her too. If it wasn¡¯t for the spacetime particle An Qing found for you, we¡¯d still be in the dark, unable to join the Genius Club or figure out that something was wrong with Einstein.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Lin Xian clasped Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°I won¡¯t let An Qing¡¯s efforts go to waste. I won¡¯t let Yellow Finch¡¯s sacrifice be in vain. I won¡¯t fail you, Yu Xi, or anyone else.¡± He paused for a moment, then added, ¡°Besides, we still have hope. If Du Yao can successfully invent the Brain Neural Electric Helmet, and if it can cause the spacetime curvature to change as we expect, then we could leap across world-lines, and everything will become clear.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded. ¡°Exactly. Everything is stuck now because we can¡¯t access useful information from the Ninth Dream. Without it, we can¡¯t alter the world-line, and reality remains stagnant.¡± She smiled again. ¡°And if the world-line does shift thanks to Du Yao, it¡¯ll prove Einstein was lying. Then maybe, just maybe, you¡¯ll finally believe that your dreams are real, won¡¯t you?¡± she teased. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°You know me too well. Without solid proof that Einstein¡¯s vision of the future is false, I can¡¯t fully convince myself.¡± He squeezed her hand. ¡°But thanks to you, and your perspective as Yellow Finch, I¡¯ve figured out a way to prove, beyond doubt, whether Einstein was lying.¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Is that really possible?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it for days, but I couldn¡¯t find a way.¡± Lin Xian nodded confidently. ¡°Einstein might seem all-knowing, but the future he saw doesn¡¯t include the dreams I¡¯ve been having. That¡¯s the information gap between us. It¡¯s exactly that gap that will let me expose his lie.¡± Zhao Ying Jun poked his side playfully. ¡°Alright, enough suspense. Tell me what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Lin Xian took her hand, and they began walking back together. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s talk while we walk.¡± They walked beneath the trees at Jing¡¯an Temple as Lin Xian explained. ¡°Einstein told me that in 1952, no girl turned into blue stardust and disappeared. But if we follow the timeline of the Millennial Stake, there should¡¯ve been a twenty-year-old girl¡ªsomeone like Chu An Qing¡ªwho vanished in 1952. And four years later, another Millennial Stake would be born, keeping the cycle going.¡± Zhao Ying Jun listened quietly. ¡°But how can you verify that?¡± she asked. ¡°You have no idea what really happened in 1952. Unless you use the time-travel machine, how will you find out if a Millennial Stake disappeared that year? And even if you did go back, there¡¯s no guarantee you¡¯d witness it. The world is vast¡ªhow would you know where to look?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°True. If things are as you say, then maybe Einstein wasn¡¯t lying. But Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s strange dreams, her diary password being ¡®1952¡¯... I¡¯ve always believed there¡¯s a connection between the Millennial Stake and 1952.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°The key is simple¡ªif we can prove that a Millennial Stake disappeared in 1952, we can prove that Einstein¡¯s vision of the future is false.¡± Zhao Ying Jun spread her hands. ¡°Your logic makes sense. But how do we prove it?¡± Lin Xian looked up at the sky. ¡°For that, we have to thank Emperor Gao Wen. In the ¡®Time Travel Machine Manuscript,¡¯ Gao Wen said that time travel requires not just spacetime particles, but also a ¡®spacetime rift.¡¯ You can¡¯t just pick any moment to travel to¡ªyou need a rift in spacetime.¡± He continued, ¡°Gao Wen¡¯s research on spacetime rifts was ahead of his time. He found that there are two ways rifts form¡ªfirst, whenever the world-line leaps or shifts, causing a wrinkle in spacetime. Second, rifts appear en masse every 24 years. Gao Wen didn¡¯t know why, but we do¡ªit¡¯s when a Millennial Stake disappears, turning into blue stardust.¡± Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s eyes lit up with understanding. ¡°So if we find that in 1952 there were a lot of spacetime rifts, that would mean a Millennial Stake vanished that year.¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°Exactly. We can use the rifts to prove whether Einstein was telling the truth. If we find those rifts, then we know¡ªin 1952, a Millennial Stake girl turned to stardust and disappeared.¡± ... Zhao Ying Jun blinked. ¡°It¡¯s a breakthrough, isn¡¯t it?¡± She gave Lin Xian a reproachful look. ¡°Why did you only think of something this important now?¡± Lin Xian sighed, shrugging helplessly. ¡°My mind¡¯s been all over the place,¡± he admitted. ¡°Since joining the Genius Club, I¡¯ve been juggling so much¡ªreal-life responsibilities, exploring in dreams¡ªit¡¯s hard to connect all these little threads sometimes.¡± He looked at her thoughtfully. ¡°But when we talked about Yellow Finch today, everything just clicked. Plus, I think I¡¯ve figured out when ¡®Number 17,¡¯ that spacetime assassin, came from.¡± Lin Xian paused, trying to organize his thoughts. ¡°It was July 1st, 2024. That night, Elon Musk had his double¡ªthe fake Musk¡ªin his office playing VR games. Then Copernicus¡¯s undercover secretary rushed in and killed the double.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the one,¡± Liu Feng confirmed with a nod. Liu Feng leaned back, sighing. ¡°I¡¯ve gone through all the blueprints. For the calibration module, we need Astatine-339, and that¡¯s just not something we can make right now. But the positioning module¡ªwe can fabricate that, no problem. If we want it to work independently, we¡¯ll have to hook it up to the power and display modules, but it¡¯s doable. We could finish it within a month.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s face lit up with determination. ¡°Then let¡¯s get started. From today onward, forget everything else. Put all your energy into building the positioning module. It¡¯s our top priority.¡± Liu Feng nodded in agreement. ¡°Got it. We¡¯ll be able to use the entangled spacetime particle to locate the rifts once it¡¯s operational.¡± Lin Xian leaned over, watching Liu Feng work. He tapped the screen. ¡°The big advantage we have is that we already know there were disappearances of Millennial Stakes in January 2000 and March 2024. Those should have left behind plenty of spacetime rifts. If we compare the rifts in 1952, 1976, 2000, and 2024, and they¡¯re all similar... then we¡¯ll know for sure there was a Millennial Stake in 1952.¡± Liu Feng looked thoughtful. ¡°Not only that,¡± he said slowly, ¡°but we might also figure out when the very first Millennial Stake appeared.¡± He turned to Lin Xian, eyes bright with possibility. ¡°If we can find the first big batch of rifts, that year must¡¯ve been important. Maybe the name ¡®Millennial Stake¡¯ is literal¡ªthe first one could¡¯ve lasted for a thousand years.¡± Lin Xian rubbed his chin, nodding as he thought it over. ¡°Gao Yang had a similar idea,¡± he mused. ¡°He calculated that with a new stake every 24 years, you¡¯d need 42 stakes to make 1008 years. It was a bit of a stretch, trying to reach the number 42... but who knows. Sometimes the truth is stranger than it seems.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice softened. ¡°Once you finish the positioning module, we¡¯ll finally have an answer to this mystery that¡¯s been haunting us for so long.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional. A year had passed since Chu An Qing had turned to blue stardust and vanished. The research on the Millennial Stake had led to nothing but dead ends. But now... finally, they were making progress. Lin Xian¡¯s heart swelled with hope. The closer they got to the truth, the closer they were to saving Chu An Qing. Later, Lin Xian told Liu Feng about Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s ¡°Hibernate and Go to the Future¡± plan. Liu Feng listened, then nodded in agreement. ¡°It¡¯s a last resort,¡± Liu Feng said. ¡°But I¡¯m okay with it. Lin Xian, I don¡¯t have anything tying me to this time¡ªno parents, no family. If you decide to go into hibernation, I¡¯ll go with you. You pulled me out of my darkest moments, and I¡¯ll follow you wherever you go.¡± He smiled sadly. ¡°And hibernating could be even better for my research on the Universal Constant 42. My only wish now is to finish Qi Qi¡¯s dream¡ªto solve the mystery of the Universal Constant and bring peace to her spirit.¡± Liu Feng paused, his gaze on Lin Xian¡¯s face. ¡°But for you... you have a family, parents, a child. Giving that all up¡ªit¡¯s a huge sacrifice.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s expression hardened with resolve. ¡°Some sacrifices have to be made,¡± he said quietly. ¡°Throughout history, countless people gave their lives for their country, for peace, for future generations. Why should we be any different? Just because we live in a time of peace doesn¡¯t mean we can ignore the duty that lies ahead. If we don¡¯t step forward, then one day, our children or grandchildren will have to.¡± ¡°This is what Zhao Ying Jun believes too,¡± he added, his voice softening. ¡°We¡¯re in this together.¡± Liu Feng looked at him with admiration. ¡°She¡¯s a remarkable woman,¡± he said. ¡°No wonder Yellow Finch is so brave¡ªit¡¯s because she is Zhao Ying Jun. No matter how spacetime shifts, some things never change.¡± Lin Xian smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for her too. She¡¯s the one who keeps me grounded when I¡¯m lost or hesitant.¡± He paused, remembering her words. ¡°She told me once, ¡®If we were ordinary people, we could live without worries, ignoring the fate of humanity. But since we have the power to make a difference, how can we pretend it¡¯s not our responsibility?¡¯¡± ¡°It¡¯s our duty, as geniuses, to do what others can¡¯t. That¡¯s what it really means to be a genius¡ªnot just using our abilities for our own gain.¡± Liu Feng nodded, standing up. He gave Lin Xian a firm look. ¡°That¡¯s why I followed you here. I¡¯ll support you all the way. Don¡¯t worry¡ªI¡¯ll get that positioning module built as soon as possible.¡± ... The days passed slowly¡ªand yet in a blur. Lin Xian kept up his routine, riding his motorcycle through the Ninth Dreamscape, covering every direction from Donghai. Each day, he searched further and further. Nothing. No signs. The weeks turned into months. Lin Xian flipped the calendar on his desk, the date turning to March 2025. Tomorrow was Tang Xin¡¯s death anniversary. Though Du Yao still hadn¡¯t made any breakthroughs in her research, Lin Xian had promised to accompany her to Tang Xin¡¯s grave this year. She had a lot she wanted to say¡ªand so did he. The next morning, Lin Xian drove to pick up Du Yao, and they headed to Hang City together. The grave lay in the fields, the ground showing signs of offerings made earlier in the day¡ªburnt paper ashes and scraps still clinging to the dry grass. Du Yao knelt and placed a bouquet of lilies before the grave. She stood there for a long time, speaking to Tang Xin, her voice soft and filled with emotion. Lin Xian stood behind her, listening silently. When she was done, Lin Xian stepped forward and spoke too, telling Tang Xin about everything that had happened. He told her how he had finally found the person responsible and how he had avenged her. Then they stood in silence, the flowers swaying in the wind. The silence stretched, heavy and full of unspoken words. Finally, Du Yao turned to Lin Xian, her eyes hesitant. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve wanted to ask you for a long time,¡± she said. Lin Xian looked at her calmly. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Du Yao looked down, her voice almost a whisper. ¡°I know this might not be the right time. It won¡¯t change anything now, but... I¡¯ve kept it to myself for so long.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Lin Xian said, his gaze on the flowers swaying before the grave. ¡°If it¡¯s about Tang Xin, you can ask.¡± Du Yao blinked, then looked up at him. ¡°Tang Xin told me that you didn¡¯t remember the time you saved her¡ªthe day you gave her your school jacket. Now... do you remember it?¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes, a sad smile on his lips. He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wish I could remember. I know it meant a lot to her. But I¡¯ve tried... I¡¯ve tried for so long, and I just can¡¯t remember.¡± Du Yao¡¯s voice was gentle. ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. None of us do. Memories fade¡ªit¡¯s natural. Tang Xin knew that too.¡± She hesitated, then continued. ¡°But the last time I spoke to her, she was sure. She said that once you saw the ¡®gift¡¯ she left for you, you¡¯d remember.¡± She looked at Lin Xian. ¡°You never got that gift, did you?¡± Lin Xian shook his head, frowning slightly. ¡°No... I never saw anything like that.¡± Du Yao bit her lip. ¡°Would you like to know what Tang Xin¡¯s gift to you was?¡± Chapter 473: Tang Xin and Du Yao Side Story: Human Emotions Hard to Settle This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation [This side story is the second half of the June 17th update ¡°The Girl Who Loves to Laugh.¡± If you haven¡¯t read the first half, you can go back and check it out. It¡¯s after Chapter 62 of Volume Five.] Below is the main text. ¡°Yao Yao, stop it already.¡± The boy with a bright, sunshine smile ruffled Du Yao¡¯s hair, grinning. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m never coming back. Just think of it as me going off to volunteer, okay?¡± ¡°If you were actually going to volunteer, that would be fine! I¡¯d even go with you!¡± Du Yao felt like she was about to explode. She glared at the boy standing in front of her, his broad build and crew-cut hair mocking her. He was her boyfriend. They had secretly been dating for three years in high school. Finally, they had graduated, and both of them had done well on the college entrance exams. They could choose universities in the same city and stay together, or so she thought. But... This idiot! He signed up as a UN peacekeeping volunteer and was going to the most poverty-stricken, war-torn country in Africa for humanitarian aid! It was absurd. Completely insane! ¡°Are you such a big deal that there¡¯s no room for you in X Country?¡± Du Yao snapped, her anger flaring. ¡°If you want to do something good and help people, why do you have to go all the way to Africa? There are plenty of people in need in the mountains and poor areas right here! Why do you have to act like some big hero?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that, Yao Yao.¡± The boy smiled warmly. ¡°There are people in need everywhere. I have friends who are teaching in remote villages, and my cousin is working in border areas... No matter where you do good, it¡¯s worth praising. Why should we put limits on kindness?¡± ¡°When our country was in trouble, weren¡¯t there international friends who came to help us, even at great risk? Bethune, Rosenfeld, Baillie¡ªweren¡¯t they all heroes we should respect and learn from?¡± ¡°You¡¯re smart, Yao Yao. We can¡¯t say it¡¯s okay for others to help us when we¡¯re in need, but now that we¡¯re strong and peaceful, we refuse to help others. We can¡¯t be harsh on others but lenient on ourselves.¡± ¡°Bang!¡± Du Yao smacked his hand away. ¡°Do you have to go? You¡¯re only eighteen! Can you just do what you¡¯re supposed to at this age? This isn¡¯t what you should be doing right now!¡± The boy laughed, cheerful and bright. ¡°Come on, Yao Yao. Don¡¯t worry, when I get back, I¡¯ll marry you.¡± ¡°Marry my foot!¡± Du Yao shouted. ¡°Who the heck wants to marry an idiot like you?! You think I can¡¯t find someone better? If you dare leave... I¡¯ll leave too! I¡¯ll go abroad and find a boyfriend a thousand times better than you!¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll just have to watch me being all lovey-dovey with someone else while you rot in Africa!¡± ... Sigh. At Johns Hopkins University, in a lecture hall. Du Yao watched Tang Xin refresh the group chat again and sighed. ¡°Give it a rest, will you? Even if you refresh it until the sky falls, no one is going to respond. Everyone¡¯s busy with their own lives. University life is exciting. Who has time to get all nostalgic in the high school group chat?¡± Tang Xin ignored her, clicking on Lin Xian¡¯s profile picture. She wasn¡¯t friends with him, so she couldn¡¯t see his posts. Tang Xin zoomed in on his profile picture. It was still the same anime character. He hadn¡¯t changed it. ¡°This is so pathetic!¡± Du Yao was fed up. ¡°If you can¡¯t get over Lin Xian, then just add him and chat! Instead of obsessing over the empty group chat, checking if he¡¯s updated his profile picture, and guessing how he feels... Come on, have some pride!¡± Tang Xin smiled, smoothing Du Yao¡¯s ruffled feathers. ¡°Why are you getting so worked up? I¡¯m looking at my chat, not yours... You¡¯re way too excited.¡± Du Yao huffed. ¡°I just can¡¯t stand how spineless you are! It¡¯s embarrassing! You can¡¯t even let go of something so small!¡± ¡°Not everyone is as carefree as you, Miss Big Shot.¡± Tang Xin retorted sarcastically, ¡°Have you let go?¡± ¡°Of course I have.¡± Du Yao spread her hands. ¡°Do you see me thinking about him?¡± ¡°Then why do you send him pictures every day?¡± Tang Xin shot back. ¡°To annoy him, duh!¡± Du Yao laughed, flipping her colorful braids. ¡°Look at me¡ªdyed hair, braids, big earrings, mini skirts, crop tops... All the flashy things he hates. I send him photos every day just to show off how free I am.¡± ¡°There he is, stuck in some remote place in Africa, and I love seeing him all mad.¡± Du Yao pulled out her phone, scrolling through the chat history with her ex. ¡°Look at this.¡± Tang Xin glanced at the long conversation. ¡°You two talk a lot.¡± ¡°Not a lot. It¡¯s intense!¡± Du Yao corrected her. ¡°Look at him, lecturing me all the time, saying I¡¯ve changed. Who is he to lecture me?¡± Tang Xin skimmed the messages, shaking her head and laughing. ¡°You¡¯re just pretending to be tough. You haven¡¯t moved on.¡± ¡°Which eye of yours sees that?¡± ¡°If you really had moved on, you wouldn¡¯t be messaging him every day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just doing it to make him angry!¡± Du Yao pounded on the table. ¡°Why can¡¯t you get that?!¡± ¡°And then?¡± Tang Xin blinked at her. ¡°What¡¯s your end game in making him angry?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± Du Yao snapped, shoving her phone away. ¡°Just to piss him off!¡± ... ¡°Thanks, Professor Xu Yun!¡± Tang Xin clasped her lab offer in both hands, beaming. ¡°Professor Xu is the greatest person ever!¡± Du Yao scoffed, looking at her friend¡¯s delight. ¡°It¡¯s just that Professor Xu¡¯s work on the hibernation fluid made your crappy research valuable. Why are you so pleased with yourself?¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s why!¡± Tang Xin hugged Du Yao. ¡°If Professor Xu hadn¡¯t published that research just in time, my little research would have gotten me kicked out! Who would¡¯ve thought I¡¯d be working on Alzheimer¡¯s medicine, and it ends up helping solve the biggest flaw in hibernation tech?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all luck! I¡¯m a lucky charm! Yao Yao, why don¡¯t you come back with me? The lab in Donghai is amazing!¡± Du Yao sighed. ¡°Here comes the bragging. That¡¯s Ji Xin Shui¡¯s lab, you think anyone can just waltz in there? You got lucky, that¡¯s all. Ji Xin Shui personally offered you a high salary. I¡¯ve got no chance.¡± ¡°You never know!¡± Tang Xin grabbed Du Yao¡¯s hand. ¡°Your thesis was really forward-thinking. Our professor even said so! Maybe if I show it to Mr. Ji Xin Shui, he¡¯ll hire you too!¡± ¡°No way.¡± Du Yao yawned, waving it off. ¡°I made that thesis up in half a morning. If I had to explain it, I¡¯d be screwed. Our professor¡¯s just clueless, thinking I could do something worthwhile.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going back. I¡¯ll stay here for grad school. When are you leaving, Xin Xin?¡± ¡°Around the New Year.¡± Tang Xin answered, ¡°There¡¯s still paperwork to do. I¡¯ll head to Donghai after that.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Du Yao sighed again. ¡°All of you, one by one... I¡¯ll be left here by myself again.¡± ¡°Be brave, Xin Xin. Don¡¯t become a doormat, running after Lin Xian.¡± Tang Xin laughed. ¡°Chase him? I don¡¯t even know where he is now, what he¡¯s doing... We haven¡¯t talked for years.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look so sad. I¡¯ve got over a month left. Come on, let¡¯s go eat! My treat!¡± ... One night, just as she was sleeping soundly, Du Yao suddenly jolted awake, flailing around. She rushed to her laptop, frantically typing. The noise woke Tang Xin up, and she groggily sat up. ¡°Yao Yao... what happened?¡± Du Yao¡¯s face was pale, her eyes glued to the screen. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Tang Xin came over, rubbing her eyes, seeing the news on the laptop: ¡°Conflict in South Sudan leaves hundreds of thousands displaced.¡± ¡°UN Peacekeeping Unit loses contact, condition unknown.¡± ¡°South Sudan¡¯s chaos escalates.¡± ¡°Yao Yao!¡± Tang Xin realized what was happening. Du Yao, breathing shakily, picked up her phone... She still messaged her ex every day, showing off her wild outfits and clubbing. But... For several days, he hadn¡¯t replied. Tang Xin knew that sometimes he went out of contact, but it was never more than a couple of days. When he got a signal again, he would message, continuing to lecture her. But this time... it had been seven days. ¡°Of course.¡± Tang Xin patted Du Yao¡¯s back. ¡°And you, work hard to get that UN volunteer spot. Hope to hear good news soon.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯ll take a while.¡± Du Yao sighed. ¡°The requirements are high¡ªnot just academically, but also physical fitness. But...¡± She smiled, running her fingers through her hair. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. If I make it, I¡¯ll head straight to South Sudan to find him.¡± ¡°What about you? I want to hear good news from you too... When are you getting married?¡± Tang Xin laughed, covering her mouth. ¡°How much are you giving as a wedding gift? If it¡¯s a lot, I might consider it sooner.¡± ¡°A coconut from Africa.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t come!¡± ¡°Heh, whether you like it or not, I¡¯m coming!¡± Du Yao gave Tang Xin a shove. ¡°I¡¯m waiting to be your bridesmaid and catch your bouquet!¡± Ding-dong¡ª The final boarding call came over the speakers. Tang Xin knew it was time. She¡¯d transfer at the Capital City airport, head to Hang City for the high school reunion, and then... To Donghai City, to Ji Xin Shui¡¯s research lab. She¡¯d already chatted with their class president, Gao Yang. Lin Xian was working at MX Company in Donghai. And he was single. Maybe, the story would start there. ¡°I¡¯m going, Yao Yao.¡± Tang Xin waved, her hand on her suitcase. ¡°We¡¯ll both be happy!¡± Du Yao smiled back. ¡°Go get ¡¯em, Xin Xin... Good luck!¡± ... Late February 2023, Donghai City. A fancy French restaurant. Tang Xin placed her purse on the seat beside her, looking at Zhou Duan Yun, who sat across from her. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to ask me out.¡± ¡°We¡¯re classmates. Building connections.¡± Zhou Duan Yun called the waiter to bring the appetizers. ¡°You said you had something about Lin Xian to tell me?¡± Tang Xin eyed Zhou Duan Yun. A few days ago, they had dinner¡ªher, Zhou Duan Yun, Lin Xian, and Gao Yang. At the end, when she was getting into a cab, Lin Xian had pulled her, almost into his arms. Her heart had skipped a beat, her face flushing. Then that afternoon, Zhou Duan Yun texted her, inviting her for dinner. She didn¡¯t know him well. But he mentioned something important about Lin Xian. It piqued her curiosity. So she had come. ¡°I have a plan. It¡¯ll get Lin Xian for you, guaranteed... Interested?¡± ... That night, she got home to find Du Yao online! She quickly called her. Du Yao had managed to become a volunteer, gone to South Sudan, reunited with her boyfriend, and they were both doing peacekeeping work. Though separated for years, their feelings hadn¡¯t changed. Tang Xin was genuinely happy for them. But, things were often chaotic there, and contact was inconsistent. It had been ten days without a word. Tang Xin had been really worried. The call connected. ¡°Yao Yao!¡± Tang Xin let out a sigh of relief. ¡°You had me worried sick.¡± ¡°Haha, things have been unstable here! Been really busy!¡± Du Yao, her face dusty, laughed, her teeth sparkling. ¡°I¡¯m becoming a rescue expert! But... it¡¯s still tough. Seeing lives lost in the ruins, it¡¯s heartbreaking.¡± ¡°I never realized how hellish life here is. Worse than I imagined¡ªstarvation, bombings, things you can¡¯t even picture.¡± ¡°Anyway, enough of that. How about you? How¡¯s it going with Lin Xian?¡± Tang Xin grinned, shaking her head. ¡°One of our old classmates, close to Lin Xian, offered to help me confess. He seems like a dating expert, planned out everything.¡± ¡°I told you, right? Thanks to Mr. Ji Xin Shui, I¡¯m now in the Donghai Philharmonic, playing violin. But the VIP concert tickets are really hard to get. They¡¯re for special guests only, not sold to the public. I searched high and low but couldn¡¯t get one. But Zhou Duan Yun did, and said I should give it to Lin Xian.¡± ¡°He¡¯s such a nice guy!¡± Du Yao laughed. ¡°Helping you so much!¡± ¡°Not just that.¡± Tang Xin continued. ¡°He analyzed Lin Xian too, saying the best way is to confess in a romantic setting, at the right time.¡± ¡°He suggested I get a small gift, something meaningful, and as a surprise, put it in his car before the concert. Then, after the performance, he¡¯d drive to the concert hall, and I¡¯d give Lin Xian the gift. It¡¯d be perfect!¡± Du Yao was genuinely rooting for Tang Xin. ¡°So, what¡¯s the gift? Not flowers, right? Guys might find that awkward.¡± ¡°What else would you give? A shaver? A belt? Not quite right either, for a confession,¡± Du Yao kept guessing. Tang Xin, however, smiled confidently. ¡°You remember, right? Lin Xian forgot about wrapping his uniform around me... I never told him about the lollipop either, because back then, we were just classmates. He didn¡¯t remember, and I didn¡¯t want to seem desperate.¡± ¡°But... I think he¡¯ll remember if he sees the Alpine lollipop. Even if not, I can tell him. He should remember because our class president chased him for a long time since he spent his money on that lollipop.¡± Du Yao laughed on the video call. ¡°That wrinkled, expired lollipop? You still have that?! You used to take it out and look at it all the time in the U.S. Isn¡¯t that kind of... shabby?¡± Tang Xin shook her head, looking mischievous. ¡°Nooo~ I know that lollipop looks terrible, so... I made a special gift!¡± She bent down, pulling out a beautifully wrapped bouquet. Wait? No. It wasn¡¯t flowers. The wrapping was for flowers, with bright paper and ribbons. But in the middle where the flowers should be... Was a bunch of colorful Alpine lollipops! A candy bouquet! ¡°Wow!¡± Du Yao gasped. ¡°Did you make this?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Tang Xin grinned. ¡°I bought the wrapping from a florist and the lollipops from the store. Then I glued them one by one. It took a lot of work! To make it look good, I was super careful... and even made sure the colors went well together.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it pretty? And look... the one in the middle...¡± Tang Xin brought it closer to the camera. ¡°See? The others are new, but the one in the middle is from fall 2017.¡± ¡°Even though it¡¯s old and wrinkled, it means the most. I think Lin Xian will notice the detail. He¡¯ll understand.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Du Yao gave her a thumbs up. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for your good news! When you come back... or if you don¡¯t... you better tell me! I¡¯m ready to be your bridesmaid!¡± ¡°Hehe, I will. I¡¯m saving a spot for you!¡± Tang Xin smiled. ¡°Okay, you should get some rest. You look tired.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Goodnight, Xin Xin. Good luck!¡± Beep¡ª The call ended. Tang Xin looked at the candy bouquet on the table, smiling. She couldn¡¯t help but imagine... How Lin Xian might react. Would he accept it? Would he remember? Would he... say yes? ¡°No worries.¡± Tang Xin whispered to herself, giving herself a pep talk. ¡°It¡¯s better to try than to regret.¡± She looked at the time. Still early enough. Opening WeChat, she typed in a pinned conversation. ¡°Goodnight, Lin Xian.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow~¡± Chapter 474: Memories Unlocked This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°Alps... Lollipop...¡± Lin Xian stood in front of Tang Xin¡¯s grave, listening as Du Yao finished her story. Silence hung in the air as he closed his eyes, trying to process everything. For a long moment, there was only quiet. Then, Lin Xian took a deep breath, his voice barely a whisper. ¡°I remember now.¡± Du Yao blinked, surprised. ¡°You... really remember? From such a simple word? Everything about you and Tang Xin?¡± Lin Xian nodded slowly. ¡°Yes.¡± He opened his eyes, his gaze distant. ¡°It was by the side gate of the school field, near the corner shop. I remember taking off my jacket and wrapping it around Tang Xin¡¯s waist. She was in pain, crouched down, so I gave her an Alps lollipop.¡± His voice trembled as he continued, ¡°I even told her...¡± He clenched his fists. ¡°I said, ¡®Take this candy; it won¡¯t hurt anymore.''¡± Du Yao stood frozen, staring at him. She couldn¡¯t believe it¡ªhe had remembered, not just vaguely but with every tiny detail. ¡°This is unbelievable,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°Honestly, I thought you wouldn¡¯t remember anything, even if I said ¡®Alps Lollipop¡¯ a thousand times.¡± She paused, looking at him incredulously. ¡°I thought maybe you said you remembered just to comfort me or so Tang Xin wouldn¡¯t be disappointed. But you remembered¡ªword for word, even the smallest details. How is that possible?¡± Du Yao frowned, struggling to understand. ¡°Our memories are supposed to fade over time. Forgetting is the brain¡¯s way of protecting itself. The older a memory is, the more it fades. And yet you... you couldn¡¯t remember Tang Xin even when I described her in detail. But just hearing ¡®Alps Lollipop¡¯ brought it all back?¡± Lin Xian sighed. ¡°It was so deeply rooted that it left a shadow in my mind.¡± ¡°What?¡± Du Yao looked puzzled. ¡°Something so sweet and innocent left a shadow? Wasn¡¯t it because of Tang Xin that you remembered the lollipop?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°No. Actually, the first thing that came to my mind wasn¡¯t Tang Xin¡ªit was Gao Yang. And then, from there, everything came back, including Tang Xin.¡± ¡°Gao Yang?¡± Du Yao¡¯s confusion deepened. ¡°What does he have to do with anything? Can you explain it from the beginning?¡± Lin Xian looked at her, his eyes serious. ¡°The reason I remember the Alps lollipop isn¡¯t because of Tang Xin. It¡¯s because of something Gao Yang did¡ªsomething so disgusting that it¡¯s etched into my mind.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°It happened during gym class. Gao Yang had one yuan left and gave it to me, saying, ¡®Go buy two Alps lollipops. I want to treat you.¡¯ So, I went to the shop and bought two¡ªthey were fifty cents each. But I gave one to Tang Xin and unwrapped the other for myself. Then I lied to Gao Yang, saying prices had gone up, and I could only buy one.¡± Lin Xian grimaced, remembering. ¡°Gao Yang didn¡¯t believe me. He chased me all over the field, demanding his lollipop. I thought, ¡®It¡¯s already been in my mouth. No way he¡¯d want it now.¡¯ But I underestimated him.¡± R¦Á Lin Xian rubbed his forehead, the memory still vivid. ¡°He tackled me to the ground, pried my mouth open, pulled the lollipop out, shook it off, and then put it in his own mouth like it was nothing.¡± ¡°Eww!¡± Du Yao cringed. ¡°That¡¯s so gross! How could he do that?!¡± ¡°I was just as shocked,¡± Lin Xian said, throwing his hands up. ¡°He didn¡¯t even wipe it! Just licked it, covered in my saliva.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, that¡¯s enough.¡± Du Yao waved her hand, her face twisted in disgust. ¡°I don¡¯t need all the details¡ªI get it.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Your friend¡ªyour class president¡ªis certainly... something.¡± She paused, then nodded slowly. ¡°I think I understand. That incident must have left such a strong impact that whenever you think of an Alps lollipop, you think of Gao Yang first.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°After that day, I never touched another lollipop. It was too gross. That¡¯s why it left such a shadow.¡± He sighed. ¡°When you mentioned it, all that disgust came back to me¡ªit was so vivid that it led me back to Tang Xin, and everything else came with it.¡± Du Yao crouched down, staring at Tang Xin¡¯s grave, the lilies swaying in the breeze. ¡°It seems,¡± she murmured, ¡°that lost memories can be brought back if we relive the emotions deeply enough.¡± She looked up at Lin Xian. ¡°I told you all about Tang Xin, and nothing happened. But by thinking about lollipops, you linked that to Gao Yang, then to that vivid, disgusting incident, and from there you remembered Tang Xin. It all just fell into place.¡± She paused, her eyes lighting up. ¡°Emotions... that¡¯s the key!¡± Du Yao stood suddenly, excitement in her eyes. ¡°People have phobias¡ªfears they can¡¯t explain. Even if they¡¯ve forgotten the incident that caused it, the fear stays. So maybe... just maybe, by reawakening those emotions, we could retrieve forgotten memories!¡± Lin Xian watched her, understanding her excitement. Hibernation might cause memory loss, but feelings¡ªemotions¡ªthey lingered. ¡°Thank you, Lin Xian,¡± Du Yao said softly. ¡°Looks like the inspiration we needed didn¡¯t come from me after all¡ªit came from you.¡± ¡°I think I can make that jump,¡± he said to himself, stretching out his limbs. The vines could work in his favor¡ªif he didn¡¯t quite make it, he could grab onto them and climb up. Besides, even if he fell, it wouldn¡¯t be the end. He could just start over again. Lin Xian took a deep breath, then launched himself across the chasm. He flew through the air, arms reaching out, and managed to grab onto one of the sturdy vines. He slid down a few meters, the rough plant scratching his hands, but he held on tight, slowly pulling himself up. Eventually, he made it to the other side, climbing up into the other half of the hibernation base. It looked just as chaotic as the first side, with hibernation pods smashed into pieces¡ªbut then he saw something that made his breath catch. ¡°A survivor!¡± Lin Xian hurried over to the far corner of the base, his eyes widening as he saw an intact hibernation pod. He pressed his face to the glass, peering inside. There, lit dimly by the overhead lights, was a young girl, floating peacefully in the hibernation liquid. ¡°A survivor against all odds,¡± Lin Xian whispered. ¡°Wait... it¡¯s a girl.¡± He leaned in closer to check the nameplate. The metal had been partly smashed, leaving only half of it visible. It seemed like the girl had incredible luck¡ªa falling rock had narrowly missed shattering the pod completely. ¡°...Mai Mai,¡± Lin Xian read aloud. Her full name was probably something like X Mai Mai, but the first part was lost. He smiled softly. ¡°What a familiar-sounding name. In a world so empty, even finding someone named ¡®Wooden Board¡¯ would make me feel close to them.¡± Curious, Lin Xian opened her storage compartment, hoping for something useful. To his surprise, there was a plastic-wrapped manuscript inside¡ªin addition to the standard memory drive. ¡°An angel, she is,¡± he said, pulling out the manuscript. ¡°What kind of information could she have left behind?¡± His heart filled with anticipation as he glanced at the cover. ¡°The Devouring Demon Emperor,¡± it read. Author: Mai Mai. ¡°What the...¡± Lin Xian blinked, squinting at the title. Was this some ancient fantasy book? For a moment, he felt like he wasn¡¯t in the year 2624 but had somehow gone back to 2004. ¡°Wait, what era is this girl from?¡± he muttered, bewildered. Still, curiosity got the better of him, and he cautiously turned to the first page. ¡°¡®The Contract,''¡± he read aloud, taking a deep breath. ¡°Wow... this girl is something else.¡± When Lin Xian was in middle school, even web authors had moved beyond the cliche? of starting a story with ¡®The Contract.¡¯ Why not just jump straight into the action? The ¡®Contract¡¯ trope was for either the experts or the hopeless dreamers. And she was definitely aiming for a legendary epic. With a sigh, he flipped to the next page. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s the kind of prodigy whose first book is destined to be a bestseller?¡± He began reading the ¡®Contract¡¯ section: ¡°April 17th, 2025. The demon mist descended upon the land, heralding the end of the world... But one fallen young man, rejected by his sect, wielded the nine-foot godblade, challenging fate itself!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian stared at the page. Could this book... really become popular? Could it even get published? Unable to continue reading, Lin Xian glanced at the bottom right corner of the page, where he noticed a small note. ¡°Based on true events,¡± it read. His eyes widened in shock. ¡°True events?¡± He reread the note, his mind racing. Demon mist, sects, godblades... How could any of this be real? And it was supposed to happen on April 17th, 2025? Lin Xian¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Today, in this dream, was March 9th, 2025. There was still a month left before the ¡®end of the world¡¯ described by the author Mai Mai. He knocked on the glass of the hibernation pod. ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up, Mai Mai,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to hearing what you have to say about your own book. Just don¡¯t blush too much later.¡± Lin Xian began pressing buttons on the control panel. He¡¯d watched Big Cat Face wake someone from a pod in an earlier dream¡ªit wasn¡¯t complicated, and Lin Xian had memorized it after seeing it twice. Beep beep beep. The pod¡¯s internal lights turned a soft yellow, and the temperature of the hibernation liquid began to rise. The awakening process had started. Thank goodness for micro nuclear batteries... Without that revolutionary invention, he would never have seen a living soul in this Ninth Dream. Condensation began to form on the inside of the pod¡¯s glass. Lin Xian could feel the warmth radiating off it. Finally, after half an hour, the girl named Mai Mai slowly opened her eyes. Chapter 475: The First Millennial Stake This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Once bitten by a snake, one fears even a harmless rope for ten years. When Mai Mai opened her eyes, Lin Xian quickly leaned over, carefully checking her pupils. Hmm. Good. They were black, not glowing blue. The danger level dropped instantly by 99.754%, allowing Lin Xian to breathe a sigh of relief. Based on his observations in the Sixth Dreamscape, he knew that when a normal human woke from a hibernation chamber, it usually took time. The process wasn¡¯t quick. Typically, it took over an hour for the body to regain sensation, and even longer to stand. Speaking came even more slowly. So Lin Xian figured he had at least two hours to kill. With nothing else to do, he picked up Mai Mai¡¯s manuscript, ¡°Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor.¡± Even if it turned out boring, it might at least help him pass the time. He found a spot and sat down, flipping through the first few pages. He skipped over something labeled ¡°Qizi.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be called a ¡®Prologue¡¯?¡± Lin Xian muttered to himself, shaking his head. There had been too much to criticize before for him to focus on just one thing. ¡°Really, Mai Mai? Why does everything about this scream ¡®failed author¡¯?¡± He decided to skip the prologue altogether and started with what he thought was the main story. However¡ª Instead of the main story, he was greeted by four large characters: ¡°Realm Settings¡± ¡°There are a total of 12 levels in this book, each with 12 sub-levels. Each sub-level has four stages: upper, middle, lower, and complete. Altogether, there are 576 realms...¡± Snap. Lin Xian shut the manuscript decisively. ¡°Hopeless.¡± At this point, he had no expectations left for Mai Mai¡¯s so-called masterpiece. Whether it was the structure, the writing, or even the ordering of ¡°Realm Settings¡± right after a prologue¡ªshe had every sign of a cliche? failure. It was a perfect demonstration of how not to write a book. ? Yet, there was one thing in the prologue that caught his eye¡ªApril 17th, 2025. So, with some reluctance, he reopened the manuscript and forced himself to read the awkward, overly dramatic text: ¡°On April 17th, 2025, the Mist of the Demon God descended upon the world, marking its end... This story is based on real events.¡± Lin Xian paused, deep in thought. There¡¯s no smoke without fire, as the saying goes. Even though Mai Mai¡¯s story seemed ridiculous and fantastical, she specifically noted that it was based on real events. That meant there had to be some element of truth behind this ¡°Mist of the Demon God.¡± Otherwise, why bother emphasizing it? If the date wasn¡¯t so close to his present time, he would have brushed it off without a second thought. But April 17th was just a month away. And mid-April also happened to be the estimated due date for Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s baby¡ªthe day his little Yu Xi would be born. As a soon-to-be father, how could he ignore such a detail? Lin Xian nodded to himself. ¡°Judging from her author bio, Mai Mai seems like someone with big dreams and ambitions¡ªsomeone who takes her work seriously. She wouldn¡¯t just make something up like this.¡± ¡°From that perspective, there must be something major happening on April 17th, 2025.¡± ¡°Otherwise, why would a girl born in 2222 remember an event from 200 years ago so clearly¡ªright down to the exact date?¡± The more he thought about it, the clearer Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts became. ¡°Besides, every author wants a hook. Since Mai Mai chose this date and pointed out that it¡¯s based on real events, then clearly, this historical event must have been well-known¡ªsomething everyone talked about.¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t possibly be Yu Xi¡¯s birthday, right? Could it be that the ¡®Demon God¡¯ refers to little Yu Xi?¡± Lin Xian shook his head and chuckled. Even if Yu Xi had once been a time-traveling assassin and a near-unstoppable force, she couldn¡¯t possibly be called a ¡°Demon God.¡± Not now, with her prenatal education consisting mainly of cartoons for toddlers. No way. ¡°Impossible,¡± Lin Xian murmured to himself. ¡°This time, Yu Xi will definitely be a gentle, well-behaved little girl.¡± So then¡ªwhat exactly was the ¡°Mist of the Demon God¡± incident on April 17th, 2025? With no clues and no way to find out more, Lin Xian looked up at Mai Mai, who was slowly waking inside the hibernation chamber. Her body was beginning to move¡ªtilting her head, stretching her legs¡ªas she gradually regained sensation, performing the various checks prompted by the system. Finally¡ª With a soft whirr, the hibernation chamber¡¯s lid lifted open. Everything was calm, with no mist escaping. The liquid had already been pumped out. Mai Mai sat up, blinking at Lin Xian in curiosity, while Lin Xian studied her in return. She was quite tall, probably at least 165 centimeters, with a slim build and clear, delicate features. She looked like the sort of ¡°literary girl¡± who belonged in a scholarly family¡ªsomeone brimming with talent. Except, after reading her supposed masterpiece, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t quite see her in the same light. Mai Mai stared at him, then asked, ¡°You are...¡± She looked down at her hands, bewildered. ¡°And I am... Where is this place?¡± It had been so long since he¡¯d seen another living person. Lin Xian wanted to make a good impression, so he extended his hand politely. ¡°Hello, Mai Mai. My name is Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Lin Xian?¡± Mai Mai blinked. ¡°I am... Mai Mai?¡± Lin Xian sighed, a mix of amusement and frustration showing on his face. Even now, Mai Mai was still worried about her ¡°publishing dream.¡± ¡°It¡¯s how things are,¡± Lin Xian said, pointing at the manuscript. ¡°And besides, I think whatever happened to humanity might have something to do with the ¡®real event¡¯ mentioned in your book¡ªApril 17th, 2025. If you want your story to be read worldwide, there¡¯s still a chance. You just have to remember if you¡¯ve got any clues about that date or this ¡®Mist of the Demon God.''¡± He gave her a grin. ¡°Without any leads, there won¡¯t be any readers or fans, and you definitely won¡¯t get a publishing contract. Your dream might be over before it even begins.¡± Mai Mai stared at him, determined, then closed her eyes, trying to focus. But after a long moment, she sighed, shaking her head in frustration. ¡°It¡¯s no use. I can¡¯t remember anything,¡± she admitted, frowning. Then her expression brightened as she opened her locker and pulled out a small memory storage drive. ¡°What about this? Do you think there¡¯s any way to play it? If it¡¯s got recordings from before hibernation, there should be a lot of my creative ideas on it.¡± Lin Xian shook his head, looking regretful. ¡°I searched every part of this underground facility, both wings of it. All the equipment is destroyed.¡± Mai Mai¡¯s face fell, and she slumped against the hibernation pod, sighing heavily. ¡°What do we do now? If no one ever reads my book, it¡¯s no different from a failure, right?¡± Lin Xian bit back his true thoughts. No need to tell her she couldn¡¯t even get a deal like this. In the days that followed, whenever Lin Xian entered the dream, he would find Mai Mai. Together, they analyzed ¡°Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor,¡± trying to dig out any clues. But the book was full of typical tropes. It began with the usual ¡°spiritual power test,¡± the protagonist¡ªa fallen genius¡ªgetting mocked. Lin Xian made it through the entire book, though he had no idea how the story jumped from the human realm to the celestial, then the divine, and ended at the edge of the universe. ¡°Here,¡± Lin Xian said one day, unable to hold back his thoughts, ¡°I see bits and pieces of a hundred different books in this.¡± Mai Mai¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°So you mean it¡¯s a collection of all the best parts?¡± Lin Xian stared at her, speechless, watching this eternally optimistic girl. No wonder she could stay calm, even in a desolate world like this. Her outlook was something special. ¡°Maybe... you really are a genius,¡± he said sincerely. Days turned into weeks. Despite their efforts, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help Mai Mai recover her lost memories. By now, it was the end of March¡ªless than twenty days to go until April 17th, 2025. Lin Xian was increasingly sure something important was going to happen on that day. Otherwise, why would someone as passionate as Mai Mai include it in her book as the Demon God¡¯s day of descent? Fortunately, Du Yao¡¯s research was progressing well. Since getting inspiration at Tang Xin¡¯s grave, Du Yao had been making breakthroughs. It wouldn¡¯t be long until the Brain Neural Electric Helmet was ready. Once it was finished... Even if it didn¡¯t change the timeline, it could be used in this facility to give Mai Mai a bit of electric therapy. There was no other option¡ªif she couldn¡¯t remember the key details, they¡¯d have to use technology. Meanwhile, Zhao Ying Jun was getting closer to giving birth. Her belly had grown, and she was now focused on resting at home, handing over her responsibilities at work. One day, just as Lin Xian was preparing to enter the dream, his phone rang. Liu Feng¡¯s excited voice came through. ¡°Lin Xian! The positioning module for the time-travel machine¡ªit¡¯s finally done!¡± An hour later, Lin Xian arrived at the Rhine Joint Laboratory at Donghai University. In the center of the lab stood a machine roughly the size of a double-door fridge, with wires and parts sticking out in all directions. It looked pretty rough. ¡°Don¡¯t mind the way it looks,¡± Liu Feng said, a bit embarrassed. ¡°We had to rush, so we prioritized function over appearance. And since it¡¯s just a positioning module, a lot of parts are attached temporarily.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Lin Xian waved dismissively. ¡°Get the spacetime particles in there and let¡¯s see if we can find any spacetime rifts.¡± Liu Feng nodded and brought over a small refrigerator. He punched in the password, opened it, and inside, the entangled spacetime particles were still swirling around each other, seemingly forever. He used a special clamp to handle the particles, making sure not to touch them directly, then transferred them into the positioning module. As he closed the lid, he smiled at Lin Xian. ¡°This clamp I made, I call it...¡± ¡°A baking clamp?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s the Spacetime Clamp!¡± Liu Feng announced proudly. Lin Xian chuckled and clapped lightly. ¡°Right, I forgot¡ªeverything you make starts with ¡®spacetime.¡¯ Great work, great work. Can we get started now?¡± Liu Feng turned on the machine, and after a moment, the screen flickered to life, displaying a stable but abstract image. Lin Xian frowned at the complex diagram. ¡°Didn¡¯t the engineering manual have instructions for this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve studied them carefully,¡± Liu Feng reassured him. ¡°I¡¯ll explain as I operate it.¡± He began turning knobs, muttering to himself. ¡°Look at this, Lin Xian. In 2024, there are several spacetime rifts, but they¡¯re all small¡ªexcept for July 1st, where a bunch appeared.¡± Lin Xian nodded thoughtfully. ¡°So every time the timeline changes, a rift is created. One jump equals one rift¡ªpretty precise.¡± He paused, considering. ¡°Can you check March 28th, early 2024? The day Chu An Qing became stardust and created a stake.¡± Liu Feng adjusted the settings, the screen shifting backward until a tangled, chaotic mess appeared, like a ball of yarn. ¡°There it is,¡± Liu Feng said. ¡°There are so many rifts, they¡¯re impossible to count. From a spacetime perspective, Chu An Qing¡¯s action was extremely violent¡ªlike hammering in a stake without any regard for spacetime.¡± They continued looking back through the years¡ª1976, 1952¡ªand found similar clusters of tangled lines. ¡°If these are identical, that means...¡± Liu Feng whispered, staring at the screen. ¡°In the second half of 1952, a Millennial Stake was hammered into spacetime.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes narrowed. His suspicions were correct. Einstein had lied¡ªor perhaps had seen a false future. ¡°Let¡¯s look even further back,¡± Lin Xian suggested. ¡°We need to find the truth¡ªwhen was the first Millennial Stake planted?¡± Liu Feng¡¯s breath quickened. He twisted the dial, the years flashing by faster and faster. But no tangled mess appeared¡ªjust stable, unbroken spacetime lines. ¡°Stop,¡± Lin Xian said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s clear. The Millennial Stakes were planted every 24 years. There¡¯s nothing else.¡± Liu Feng nodded, taking a deep breath. ¡°The pattern is obvious. We didn¡¯t miss anything.¡± Lin Xian turned from the control panel, looking out of the window, his gaze distant. ¡°1952,¡± he murmured. ¡°The beginning of everything¡ªthe source of all secrets and truths. The year the first Millennial Stake was hammered into our timeline.¡± Chapter 476: The Mystery of Agelessness This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°If the Millennial Stake was planted in 1952, then it must have been created in 1932,¡± Liu Feng said, staring at the numbers on his screen. He frowned, tapping his pen on the desk. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t help us much. There were no spacetime rifts in 1932. No matter how much we think about it, we can¡¯t reach it.¡± He leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eyes. ¡°But... 1952, now that¡¯s something. That¡¯s our key. It¡¯s the only lead we have to unlock the mystery of the Millennial Stake and save Chu An Qing!¡± He paused, his voice softening. ¡°But here¡¯s the problem: if we want to use the Time Travel Machine and the Entangled Spacetime Particles to go back to 1952, we¡¯ll need to wait until 2234¡ªwhen that comet carrying Astatine-339 finally reaches Earth.¡± He sighed. ¡°That means we¡¯ll have to enter the hibernation chambers. Only by hibernating until 2234 will we have a chance to save Chu An Qing.¡± Lin Xian listened carefully, his brow furrowed in thought. ¡°There¡¯s more to it than that,¡± he said slowly. ¡°If Einstein lied about the Millennial Stake... what else might he have lied about?¡± Liu Feng gave him a sharp look, and Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°Once you find one lie among a hundred truths, you start questioning everything. Maybe all of it was a lie.¡± Lin Xian got up from his chair and gestured towards the door. ¡°Keep working here,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m going home to tell Zhao Ying Jun about all this.¡± Liu Feng stood too, walking Lin Xian to the door. ¡°By the way, your daughter¡¯s due soon, right?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s face softened with a smile. ¡°Yeah, in about two weeks. We¡¯re going for a final check-up soon. Then we¡¯ll know the exact date.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± Liu Feng said, smiling warmly. ¡°How does it feel, knowing you¡¯ll be a dad?¡± ¡°I¡¯m excited, of course!¡± Lin Xian said, chuckling. ¡°It¡¯s part of why I want to save Chu An Qing¡ªto give Chu Shan He an answer. And for Yu Xi... I want to make the world a better place.¡± With that, Lin Xian left the Donghai University Rhine Joint Laboratory, got into his car, and drove to Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s house. When Lin Xian got home, he opened the door to find VV, their fluffy Pomeranian, rolling lazily on the floor. VV used to bark at every sound from the elevator, but it seemed to have outgrown its excitable phase. Now it mostly just ate, napped, and enjoyed life, like a little pampered god. ¡°Born from worry, dying in comfort,¡± Lin Xian muttered, shaking his head as VV burped and gave him a sleepy glance, before waddling into the bedroom. Lin Xian followed the little dog into the room. Zhao Ying Jun was sitting at the desk, reading, and he began telling her about everything he had figured out at the lab. ¡°So it¡¯s true,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, frowning. ¡°But the question remains¡ªdid Einstein lie to us on purpose, or was he misled? Could his vision of the future have been hijacked somehow?¡± ¡°Lied, or misled,¡± Lin Xian echoed, thinking aloud. ¡°I don¡¯t think Einstein lied. I think he was deceived¡ªhe saw a fake future.¡± He took a deep breath and continued, ¡°If Einstein really wanted to deceive us, he could have done a better job. Like, why make me suspicious by saying there was no dispersal of the Millennial Stake in 1952? He could¡¯ve just made up a reason and told me the Stake was beyond saving, and I might have believed him.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Take, for example, when I asked about my own death. If Einstein thought I was a threat, he could¡¯ve given me a fake date, had me lie low, and then have Agent 17 take me out. But he didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen myself as the smartest in the Genius Club,¡± Lin Xian said, a wry smile on his lips. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m probably the least brilliant. But in all these years, none of the other members have caught Einstein in a lie. It¡¯s not that they¡¯re not smart enough.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded in agreement. ¡°If Einstein wanted to keep 1952 a secret, he could have done it in a hundred smarter ways. He didn¡¯t need to hand you clues that would make you suspicious.¡± R? ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian said, pulling up a chair to sit across from Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Einstein¡¯s goal has always been to prevent humanity from destroying itself, to find a path to a truly happy future. When he started the Genius Club, it was to gather the best minds to help find that path.¡± ¡°And when he found it, he stopped the club¡¯s meetings to keep that timeline stable. Even now, I¡¯ve lost the ability to break through spacetime barriers.¡± ¡°If the future Einstein saw is real, then there¡¯s no problem. I¡¯d work alongside him to stabilize that timeline. But if the future he saw was fake, then...¡± Lin Xian hesitated, looking Zhao Ying Jun in the eye. ¡°If we do nothing, humanity will be extinct in six hundred years. We won¡¯t be able to keep our promise to Chu Shan He, and we won¡¯t be able to save Chu An Qing.¡± Zhao Ying Jun stood up thoughtfully. She walked over to the desk, turned on the lamp, and picked up a pen. She stared at the paper in front of her, deep in thought. ¡°Based on Liu Feng¡¯s experiments, we¡¯re starting to see things more clearly. Right now, there are two main problems we need to solve,¡± she said. She wrote down on the paper: Discover the truth about Einstein and the motives of those behind him. Save humanity from extinction in 600 years. Uncover the mystery of the Millennial Stake and bring back Chu An Qing. Click. She capped the pen and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as before. Now, there are only two things we need to deal with.¡± Everything began in 1952, with the first spacetime rift and the first spacetime particle. Zhao Ying Jun held up the piece of paper and walked over to Lin Xian. ¡°Look,¡± she said, pointing to the list. ¡°All three things we need to solve point to 1952. So, Lin Xian...¡± She looked into his eyes. ¡°Whether it¡¯s to save the future or fulfill our promise to Chu Shan He and bring back Chu An Qing, we have to make this trip to 1952.¡± ... Lin Xian was silent. It had come to this¡ªa step they couldn¡¯t avoid. In truth, Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s ¡®Hibernation to the Future¡¯ plan didn¡¯t bother Lin Xian too much. After all, they¡¯d only go into hibernation after their daughter, Yu Xi, turned eighteen. They¡¯d be taking a long journey through time, but she¡¯d be an adult by then, ready to make her own decisions. If Yu Xi wanted to join them, they¡¯d hibernate as a family. If she wanted to stay, that was fine too. She¡¯d have her own life, and Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun would respect her choice. But what about Chu Shan He and Su Xiu Ying? Could they bear the wait, never seeing their missing daughter again? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t let that happen. If Chu Shan He never got to see Chu An Qing alive again, Lin Xian¡¯s promise would mean nothing. But the Millennial Stake research was stuck. All the clues were hidden in 1952. Without traveling back, there was no way forward, no way to save Chu An Qing. That was why Lin Xian hadn¡¯t dared to face Chu Shan He all this time. He had promised so much, yet there had been no progress. How could he face him? Suddenly, Zhao Ying Jun took his hand, her touch warm and gentle. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± she said, her voice full of understanding. ¡°You¡¯re thinking about Chu Shan He, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lin Xian smiled ruefully. ¡°You can see right through me. I was just thinking¡ªwhat¡¯s the point of saving Chu An Qing if Chu Shan He and Su Xiu Ying aren¡¯t here to see it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said, squeezing his hand. ¡°I understand your guilt. I know how hard this has been for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I went to see Chu Shan He. I told him a little¡ªnot the core details, but enough to let him know you¡¯re still trying.¡± ¡°Chu Shan He trusts you. He knows you¡¯ll keep your promise. And I mentioned the hibernation plan too. He told me that if we can get rid of the memory-loss side effects, he¡¯d be willing to join us¡ªeven hibernate early, just to be there when Chu An Qing comes back.¡± Lin Xian said nothing. Zhao Ying Jun... she had taken care of so much that he couldn¡¯t. ¡°Tomorrow, let¡¯s go see Chu Shan He together,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°I haven¡¯t dared face him because we had no progress. But now, we have clues¡ªimportant ones.¡± ¡°The promise I made to Chu Shan He is my lifelong commitment. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes¡ªeven if it costs me everything¡ªto save Chu An Qing and reunite their family.¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled. ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll face this together. It¡¯s our shared promise to keep.¡± ¡°I know you can do it. And Chu Shan He believes in you too¡ªhe¡¯s never doubted you.¡± Just then, Lin Xian¡¯s phone began to ring. He glanced at the caller ID: it was Du Yao. Could it be...? He quickly answered the call. On the other end, Du Yao¡¯s voice was full of excitement. ¡°Lin Xian! We did it!¡± ¡°The Brain Neural Electric Helmet¡ªit¡¯s a success!¡± Chapter 477: The Real An Qing This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation At last, it was finished. The masterpiece by Emperor Gao Wen. Lin Xian had been waiting for this moment for what felt like forever. But then... after the initial excitement, he was left feeling empty. Since Liu Feng hadn¡¯t called, it probably meant that the numbers on the Time Clock hadn¡¯t changed, and the timeline remained unaltered. It was just too hard. This time, the Ninth Dream, the 0.0001764 world line, was simply too stubborn. Despite using all his wit and strength, Lin Xian had failed to overcome the temporal elasticity. Now, they were truly out of options. ¡°Wait for me at the lab. I¡¯ll be right there,¡± Lin Xian instructed, then hung up and immediately called Liu Feng. ¡°Hello?¡± Liu Feng¡¯s voice on the other end was calm, without any hint of emotion. ¡°Are you at the lab?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Of course I am!¡± Liu Feng replied casually. ¡°Where else would I be? Usually, when you call, it¡¯s always about something urgent. I¡¯ll go check now.¡± Shortly after, the phone was filled with the sound of footsteps. Liu Feng reached the Time Clock and took a look. ¡°No change, still the same numbers.¡± Lin Xian let out a small sigh. ¡°Du Yao said she¡¯s finished building the Brain Neural Electric Helmet. She¡¯s always so careful and precise¡ªit¡¯s hard to believe she made a mistake. And yet... even such an incredible invention didn¡¯t manage to shift the timeline.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m hanging up now. I¡¯ll go over to see Du Yao myself.¡± The line disconnected, and Lin Xian looked at Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°That¡¯s it, then. We¡¯ve played every card we had. There¡¯s nothing left to change the future. In the Ninth Dream, all I could find was a down-and-out author. I don¡¯t even know if using the Brain Neural Electric Helmet will help her recover any valuable memories.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s now 2025, and Du Yao has already completed the Brain Neural Electric Helmet, we should be able to find one in the underground hibernation base by 2624. After all, with something this convenient, humanity won¡¯t need memory notebooks or videos anymore.¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded. ¡°Go see Du Yao and check it out. Tomorrow morning, we can go see Chu Shan He together. That shouldn¡¯t affect you being back by noon for dream therapy with that girl.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t we schedule an appointment with the OB-GYN for tomorrow afternoon?¡± Lin Xian reminded. ¡°She¡¯s an expert we brought over from the Capital City for the final check-up. I wanted her to give you a thorough examination. The appointment¡¯s in the afternoon, and I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head and smiled softly. ¡°I know how to weigh priorities, Lin Xian. At such a critical moment, if we could really get something crucial from that girl named Mai Mai, we might still have time to change the future.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t worry about me. It¡¯s just a check-up; I¡¯ll go by myself. The driver will take me anyway.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Lin Xian agreed, feeling the urgency to experiment within the dream. ¡°You rest early. I¡¯ll go to Du Yao¡¯s lab.¡± ... It was now 10 p.m., and the stars filled the sky. Lin Xian left Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s house and got into the car driven by Xiao Li, heading to the research institute. As soon as he entered, he saw Du Yao. They walked along the corridor, talking as they went. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to our conversation the other day,¡± Du Yao said, turning her head with a smile. ¡°You gave me an amazing idea. I started from that inspiration, stimulating the brain¡¯s memory and emotional regions, and sure enough, I found a similar feedback signal. Then, following the rough draft you gave me, I managed to develop the Brain Neural Electric Helmet.¡± She pushed open a door to one of the labs, leading Lin Xian inside. The lab was empty. Du Yao explained that she only had four PhD assistants, but none of them worked on the core part, so the helmet remained a secret known to no one else. Lin Xian looked at the desk. On it lay a mechanical device that resembled an octopus. It was quite different from the helmet design he had imagined, but it was still clear enough¡ªthe idea was to put this ¡°octopus¡± on someone¡¯s head. He picked it up and weighed it in his hands. It was pretty heavy. ¡°What powers this thing?¡± Lin Xian asked. Du Yao pointed to the nearby power cord. ¡°It runs on standard 220V household electricity. If you prefer, it can be battery-powered too, though that would require a different engineering solution, which isn¡¯t my expertise.¡± Lin Xian nodded. It could run on batteries, which was good enough. Later on, he could use a micro nuclear battery or something larger to power it, giving it portability and long-term storage¡ªperfect for an underground hibernation base. ¡°How do you use this thing? Is it complicated?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Du Yao said, pointing at the single button in the middle of the helmet. ¡°It¡¯s very simple. Just fasten the part underneath, and you¡¯re set. The design you gave me has a brilliant mechanism for automatic position correction during the electric shock¡ªit¡¯s pretty impressive.¡± ¡°Can I... try it out?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Best not to,¡± Du Yao said with a smile. ¡°First of all, I mentioned that you need to fasten it properly because the sensation during the electric shock is very unpleasant. People naturally resist or convulse. I¡¯d imagine when we use it on long-term hibernators, they¡¯d need to be strapped into a restraint chair too. ¡°Secondly, you haven¡¯t suffered from hibernation-induced memory loss. Even if you use it, it won¡¯t do anything for you. If you¡¯re hoping to use this helmet to retrieve some forgotten memories... well, it¡¯s not going to work. ¡°The mechanism of natural human forgetting is much more complex and amazing than hibernation memory loss. So, this Brain Neural Electric Helmet can only be used to treat memory loss caused by long-term hibernation... it has no effect on other types of memory loss.¡± ¡°The pity is that the longest any volunteer has been in hibernation at the National Research Institute is just under two years¡ªnot long enough to reach the memory loss point. So, we haven¡¯t had anyone for clinical trials.¡± It was true. From now until eight years later, this Brain Neural Electric Helmet wouldn¡¯t be of much use. It wouldn¡¯t be until 2033, when the first batch of volunteers hit ten years in the hibernation chamber, that they¡¯d begin to lose their memories. But for now... Lin Xian thought of Mai Mai, the author who wrote the extraordinary ¡°Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor.¡± Tomorrow, he¡¯d test it on her. ... But today... After what Chu Shan He said... More clues about the Millennial Stake were coming together. Chu An Qing dreamed of fireworks. CC was obsessed with fireworks. And Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s nightmare had those bizarre montages. It was becoming increasingly certain: These Millennial Stake dreams might all be fragments of the same dream, the same scene, the same story. ¡°Mr. Chu, Aunt Su,¡± Lin Xian snapped back to reality, looking at them solemnly. ¡°You both saw Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s reaction on the videotape. And you heard what I said to Ying Jun earlier. It¡¯s becoming clearer and clearer that something crucial happened in 1952 that caused the Millennial Stake to appear, leading to all these strange occurrences.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Ying Jun and I came to see you today. Ying Jun may have already mentioned it¡ªafter our child is old enough, we plan to enter the hibernation chamber and head to 2234. From there, we will use the Time Travel Machine to go back to 1952 to search for answers.¡± ¡°At the same time, I¡¯ll do everything in my power in 1952 to find clues to bring An Qing back home to you.¡± ¡°The promise I made here, I have never once forgotten. So... I hope you can give me a bit more time. I¡¯ll keep my word and bring An Qing back.¡± Chu Shan He walked over and patted Lin Xian on the shoulder. ¡°Lin Xian, your Aunt Su and I have always believed in you, and we¡¯ve never doubted you for a moment. ¡°We know exactly what kind of person you are, which is why I never called or pushed you this past year. I know how hard you¡¯ve been working.¡± ¡°Ying Jun has visited a few times, and we understand some of the situation. To be honest, seeing this videotape and album today makes me feel a bit more at ease.¡± ¡°But... Zhang Yu Qian is Zhang Yu Qian. An Qing is An Qing. I will never rush you, Lin Xian. I just hope that one day, when we wake up from the hibernation chamber...¡± ¡°It¡¯s our real An Qing you¡¯ve brought back to us.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± He knew what Chu Shan He meant. Chu Shan He didn¡¯t want just any Millennial Stake¡ªhe wanted Chu An Qing, with her memories, her past. Even though Chu Shan He knew that, in three years, somewhere in the world, a little girl who looked exactly like Chu An Qing would be born¡ªhe still refused to stay in this era any longer. It made no difference. Even if she looked identical, she wouldn¡¯t be An Qing. Besides, even if they found her, what was the point? The Millennial Stake girl born in 2028 would still vanish in 2048, becoming stardust. Would they really want Chu Shan He¡¯s heart to break again? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Chu.¡± Lin Xian looked into Chu Shan He¡¯s eyes, resolute. ¡°Ying Jun and I decided on hibernation and on going back to 1952 because we¡¯re fully committed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just about bringing An Qing back. There are many important things I need to do. I won¡¯t let everyone down.¡± The apocalypse. Human extinction. The World-Ending White Light. These were all things Lin Xian had to solve, step by step. He had to get to the root of it all. If they didn¡¯t stop the mastermind behind everything, nothing would change. Another Millennial Stake would die. Another World-Ending White Light would arrive. Another human extinction event would come. They had to find the source. Only by finding it and eliminating it could they save everything. Chu Shan He walked back to Su Xiu Ying. He sat down on the sofa, taking her hand and looking at Lin Xian. ¡°When the Hibernation Law was passed in X Country, your Aunt Su and I discussed it, and we decided to settle things here and go into hibernation. ¡°In a world without our daughter, every breath is heavy, and it¡¯s hard for us to breathe... We just want to sleep until you bring our daughter back; life without An Qing is just too hard.¡± ¡°We were planning to let you know when everything was ready, but since you¡¯re here today, we¡¯ll tell you now.¡± He paused, looking at Su Xiu Ying, then continued. ¡°We¡¯ve saved plenty of money in our hibernation account, enough for a lifetime. I plan to hand over Shan He Group to you. Consider it our way of supporting your plans, providing what help we can. ¡°You¡¯re doing something amazing. I don¡¯t know all the details, but I know it¡¯s something truly admirable. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the research behind the Time Travel Machine, but I imagine it¡¯s costly. I know you probably don¡¯t need the money, but this is something we want to do for you. Please don¡¯t turn us down. Our only way to help is financially. ¡°Do whatever you want with Shan He Group. Merge it with your company if you wish. Once I entrust it to you, I fully trust you, and I won¡¯t concern myself with it anymore. ¡°Lin Xian, don¡¯t let this weigh on you. We¡¯ll be waiting in the hibernation chamber. When you¡¯ve found An Qing, bring her to wake us up.¡± Chu Shan He smiled, the thought of such a happy moment bringing a rare lightness to his face. ¡°My greatest wish now is that when I open my eyes... I¡¯ll see my daughter¡¯s smiling face.¡± Chapter 478: April 17th This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian sighed softly as he settled into the car. He couldn¡¯t help but think aloud, ¡°Chu Shan He truly is a great man. And I mean great in every sense of the word.¡± He glanced at Zhao Ying Jun beside him, smiling as he remembered the first time he had attended one of Chu Shan He¡¯s grand banquets. ¡°I still remember the first time you took me to meet Chu Shan He. I was baffled by the respect everyone had for him¡ªeven Professor Xu Yun, who never really gets involved with worldly matters, held him in such high regard.¡± Lin Xian shook his head, his expression filled with admiration. ¡°Now, I understand. He deserves all the praise and respect.¡± Zhao Ying Jun turned to look at Lin Xian, her gaze softening. ¡°You¡¯re not bad yourself, Lin Xian.¡± Her voice was firm, and her eyes held a warmth that made him blush slightly. ¡°To me, you¡¯re just like Chu Shan He¡ªyou¡¯re responsible, driven, and you have principles. From a young age, I was taught that ¡®every man has a role to play in the rise or fall of a country.¡¯ You may be young, but the weight of the responsibilities you carry is even heavier than Chu Shan He¡¯s.¡± She paused, then added, ¡°And the most incredible thing about you is that you¡¯re willing to make sacrifices to uphold those responsibilities and save what you can. That¡¯s the most commendable quality. Many in your place wouldn¡¯t think about saving the world 600 years into the future. They wouldn¡¯t sacrifice their lives now for a faint hope. In our era, most people would just live for the moment, which is perfectly fine, but... I prefer people like you.¡± Lin Xian lowered his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. He softly replied, ¡°Because... they lack the power to change things.¡± He lifted his head, meeting Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s gaze, the fire in his eyes glowing. ¡°It was you who said it¡ªthat history won¡¯t blame those without power. If I have a power that others don¡¯t, then it¡¯s my duty to do things that others can¡¯t. Why else would I be given the power to dream of the future? Maybe that is the meaning of my life, my purpose.¡± When they arrived home, Zhao Ying Jun busied herself with changing into casual clothes and soon left for her scheduled prenatal checkup at the hospital. Meanwhile, Lin Xian fed VV¡ªtheir fluffy little Pomeranian¡ªhalf a bowl of dog food, then prepared to head to bed and enter the world of dreams. ¡°V?¡± Lin Xian was about to walk away when VV clamped down on his pants leg with her teeth, her eyes wide and accusing. ¡°Woof! Woof woof!¡± She barked, puffing out her stomach. ¡°What is it with you, little fellow?¡± Lin Xian squatted, looking at the half-filled food bowl and shaking his head. ¡°Seriously, can¡¯t you see it? It¡¯s half a bowl already.¡± He rubbed VV¡¯s round tummy, sighing as he continued, ¡°You really need to cut down on the eating, VV. Are you competing with Ying Jun to see whose belly can grow bigger? She¡¯s expecting a baby, but you aren¡¯t. Keep this up, and one day, you¡¯ll suffocate in your sleep. You were even snoring with pauses the other night.¡± ¡°Woof!¡± VV barked indignantly, almost as if to say, ¡°Live for today! Enjoy every bite you can! Why worry about tomorrow?¡± In the end, after a bit of back and forth, the negotiations concluded with VV getting two-thirds of a bowl of dog food. Lin Xian took a quick shower and got ready for bed. Today, his plan was to enter the underground hibernation base, find Mai Mai, and use the brain neural electric helmet on her¡ªthe device should help restore her memory and reveal the true inspiration behind her novel, ¡°Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor.¡± A few days ago, with Lin Xian¡¯s permission, Du Yao had sent all the technical information about the brain neural electric helmet to the Research Institute. As per their agreement, all the official benefits and credit would fall to the Research Institute, keeping Rhine Company out of the spotlight. It was a safety measure, after all. Right now, apart from himself and Elon Musk, there were three geniuses left whose purpose and plans remained a mystery¡ªNewton, Galileo, and Gauss. Lin Xian had no clue who they were, where they might be, or what they were scheming. Thus, caution was the best course of action. The same went for the micro nuclear batteries Nangong Meng Jie was working on. Officially, the Research Institute was in charge of the entire project, including all patents and profits. Rhine Company had thoroughly distanced itself from everything. The Research Institute, being a government institution, was naturally more cautious. The director had made it clear that, to preserve the country¡¯s reputation, they couldn¡¯t afford any slip-ups; everything had to be flawless before it could be announced to the public. Fortunately, the micro nuclear batteries were relatively easy to test, and they would likely hit the market in just a few months. In this way, Einstein¡¯s prophecy wouldn¡¯t align exactly as predicted¡ªa small ripple in the timeline, a subtle butterfly effect that Lin Xian attributed to Galileo and Da Vinci¡¯s pointed questions. Otherwise, the batteries would likely have been released back in January. As for the brain neural electric helmet, its release and sale would take even longer. The cautious Research Institute insisted on waiting until the first batch of hibernators lost their memories in 2033 before conducting clinical trials. Only after ensuring there were no safety risks would it be introduced to the public. Lin Xian and Du Yao had no objections. Du Yao, as a researcher, knew the importance of thorough clinical trials. As for Lin Xian, he didn¡¯t care much about when the helmet would be released in the real world, as long as it worked in the dream world and allowed him to deal with Mai Mai. ¡°I¡¯m coming for you, platinum author,¡± Lin Xian murmured, closing his eyes and rolling onto his side. Soon, he drifted off to sleep. A motorcycle roared across the barren plains, racing straight toward the southwestern canyon. Lin Xian had traveled this path so many times now that he had it down to an art. He climbed, leaped, and ascended until he reached the underground hibernation base, dusting off his hands as he arrived at the entrance. He approached Mai Mai¡¯s hibernation chamber. It was the same as always, but when he opened the storage compartment, he noticed something different. ¡°The memory storage drives are missing,¡± Lin Xian muttered, frowning. He checked the other storage compartments, but it was the same everywhere¡ªall the memory storage drives were gone. ¡°This means the brain neural electric helmet has already become commonplace,¡± Lin Xian deduced. ¡°If the helmet makes it easy for people to regain their memories, then those memory drives and notebooks are no longer needed. So, somewhere in this underground base, there must be a completed neural electric helmet.¡± Lin Xian began searching through the ruins, and it didn¡¯t take long before he found what he was looking for¡ªan ¡°octopus-like¡± contraption, smaller and more portable than the prototype Du Yao had shown him, but otherwise very much the same. Lin Xian picked up the brain neural electric helmet and examined it. ¡°Great. It already has the micro nuclear battery embedded. All I have to do is press this button, and it will activate automatically.¡± R? After figuring out how to use it, he set the helmet aside and started the awakening sequence for Mai Mai¡¯s hibernation chamber. The lights flickered on, and the temperature of the filling liquid began to slowly rise. He would have to wait two hours before Mai Mai would be fully awake and ready for the treatment. In the meantime, Lin Xian opened Mai Mai¡¯s masterpiece, ¡°Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor,¡± which still lay in her storage compartment. He sighed. ¡°It really is her obsession. She must have truly wanted to become an author. If only she had a time-travel machine¡ªif she had published ¡®Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor¡¯ around the year 2000, it could have shaken up the literary world.¡± He waited for her to finish wiping her tears, then leaned forward, his expression serious. ¡°Mai Mai, do you remember everything now? Is it all clear?¡± Mai Mai nodded vigorously. ¡°I remember it all. My name is Yang Mai Mai. I was born in 2222 and entered the hibernation chamber in 2239, which means I¡¯m 17 years old now. I remember everything from my life before hibernation, every detail.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fantastic.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°The wonders of science, huh?¡± Mai Mai¡¯s eyes grew distant, and she began speaking softly. ¡°Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of becoming an author... but I could never write anything I was proud of. Then, after years of trying and learning from the greats, I finally wrote ¡®Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor.¡¯ I was so proud of it, and I sent it to an editor...¡± ¡°And what did the editor say?¡± Lin Xian felt an unexpected sense of anticipation. Mai Mai looked at him, her eyes full of hurt. ¡°The editor asked if I was a time traveler from 200 years ago.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help it; he burst into laughter. ¡°That¡¯s... that¡¯s a bit harsh,¡± he said, trying to suppress his amusement. ¡°The editor said my writing was outdated.¡± Mai Mai sighed. ¡°They said that styles come in cycles, and maybe my work would be popular in a few hundred years... so I decided to hibernate.¡± Lin Xian raised an eyebrow. ¡°Really? You went into hibernation just because of that?¡± Mai Mai straightened up, her face determined. ¡°The old era had no place for my talent, so I decided to take my chances in a new one. Lin Xian, tell me¡ªis this the era for ¡®Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor¡¯? Will it be successful now?¡± Lin Xian gave her a thumbs-up. ¡°Platinum-tier potential.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Mai Mai¡¯s eyes sparkled. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Absolutely. But first, we need to clarify one thing.¡± He opened the manuscript and pointed at the date written on the first page: ¡°April 17th, 2025. The mist of the Demon God silently descended upon the earth, marking the beginning of its end... You also mentioned that the story was based on real events. What exactly were these real events? Do you remember?¡± Mai Mai nodded eagerly. ¡°Of course! I did a lot of research for this book. It was common knowledge back then¡ªI thought it would be obvious to you. It was the day the ¡®Anti-Hibernation Virus¡¯ spread worldwide.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened, his heart skipping a beat at the unfamiliar term. ¡°Anti-Hibernation Virus? What¡¯s that?¡± he asked. Mai Mai grinned, her pride evident. ¡°You¡¯re asking the right person! I did a lot of research on this virus to write ¡®Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor.¡¯ It¡¯s a virus designed to prevent humans from entering hibernation. People who get infected show no symptoms, no health issues¡ªit doesn¡¯t harm the body or shorten their lifespan. But once someone is infected, they simply can¡¯t hibernate. The virus hides in the brain, and it activates under low temperatures, keeping the person awake no matter how cold it gets. ¡°The virus has a three-month incubation period, during which it¡¯s non-infectious. But once the incubation ends, it becomes highly contagious, spreading to anyone the host comes into contact with.¡± She paused, her eyes shining with excitement. ¡°So, even if someone wanted to hibernate, they couldn¡¯t. By the time it was over, almost no one in the world could hibernate anymore. The virus only stopped being contagious after 200 years, in 2219. That¡¯s why I could go into hibernation¡ªI was born after the virus had disappeared.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Lin Xian frowned, a thought occurring to him. ¡°You said the incubation period is three months. Does that mean it¡¯s non-infectious during that time?¡± Mai Mai shook her head. ¡°Correct. During the incubation, it¡¯s completely non-infectious, but the host can¡¯t hibernate.¡± Lin Xian nodded slowly, connecting the dots. ¡°And you said the virus spread worldwide on April 17th, 2025. But if there¡¯s a three-month incubation period, how did it spread so suddenly, all on the same day? Shouldn¡¯t the spread have been gradual, with cases appearing in various locations before the big outbreak?¡± Mai Mai shook her head, her eyes gleaming. ¡°No, no, no. That¡¯s exactly what makes it interesting¡ªthat¡¯s why I modeled the Demon God after the real culprit. The truth didn¡¯t come out until decades later, but the real villain behind the virus orchestrated the spread perfectly. Think about it¡ªif the virus spreads only after three months, then the people who spread it worldwide must have all been infected at the same time, on January 17th, 2025. ¡°And how do you ensure that so many people get infected on the same day, then spread it across the globe in the following three months? Simple: one person¡ªthe Demon God¡ªhad to inject himself with the virus on October 17th, 2024, three months before January. On January 17th, 2025, he, the only person carrying the virus, traveled to a major international airport, infecting thousands of travelers. Those thousands then traveled to every corner of the world. When their incubation ended, they all became contagious on April 17th, 2025. That¡¯s when it spread like wildfire worldwide. ¡°So April 17th was the day of the Anti-Hibernation Virus¡¯s outbreak¡ªthe day the ¡®Mist of the Demon God¡¯ descended.¡± Mai Mai finished her explanation, her voice brimming with passion. Lin Xian listened, feeling a chill run down his spine. April 17th, 2025¡ªjust a week away. Today was April 10th, and as Mai Mai spoke, he realized that countless carriers were already out there, waiting for the virus to take hold in just seven days. He traced the timeline backward, remembering the events of six months ago¡ªOctober 17th, 2024. By that time, the Ninth Dream had already appeared, and just a few weeks later, Einstein had declared the end of the game. There was one person who came to mind¡ªthe one who had always been elusive, always talking about fairness, a small-statured man who seemed to keep his own agenda hidden. ¡°Gauss.¡± Chapter 479: Equality This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Gauss. The reason Lin Xian thought of that skinny, stammering man at this moment was because of a question Gauss had asked during a Genius Club meeting and the answer Einstein had given him. When Lin Xian attended his first meeting, the club president, who wore an Einstein mask, had asked each genius to introduce themselves and share what quality they thought was most important for a genius to have. Gauss¡¯s answer had been: ¡°Equality.¡± He believed that humans, from birth, faced great inequality. Some people were born with ordinary intelligence, while others were born brilliant, destined to be geniuses. But shouldn¡¯t geniuses do everything in their power to make the world more equal and balanced? Gauss¡¯s goal, and all his future plans, centered around creating a world where everyone was equal. At that meeting, he had asked a question: ¡°If we wanted to enhance human physical abilities, nerve responses, and brain activity, where should we start in the year 2024?¡± Einstein¡¯s response had been negative. He said there wouldn¡¯t be any breakthroughs in genetic enhancement until the year 2100. Looking back, Lin Xian realized that Gauss had probably expected that answer all along. If you really think about it¡ªwould mastering genetic enhancement truly make the world equal? Would everyone become like mythical heroes? That was impossible. It might even have the opposite effect, widening the gap between the rich and the poor. At present, the gap between rich and poor was only about money and lifestyle. But if genetic enhancements became a reality, the rich could turn themselves into superhumans¡ªable to leap across buildings, with strength like warriors from ancient legends. It could make them like time-traveling assassins, able to defeat a hundred ordinary people. Was that equality? Clearly not. Gauss, as brilliant as he was, must have known this. He must have hoped for a negative answer all along. He wanted genetic enhancement to stay out of reach, the further away the better. At the second gathering, Gauss asked another crucial question: ¡°When will humanity be able to fully strengthen our immune systems so we won¡¯t get sick, won¡¯t catch viruses, and can cure all diseases, making us immune to everything?¡± It was this question that made Lin Xian connect the ¡°Anti-Hibernation Virus¡± to Gauss. On the surface, Gauss seemed to have noble ambitions¡ªhe wanted everyone to be healthy and free of diseases, striving for equality. But actually, he was hiding something. He was masking his true intentions while trying to get real answers. The moment he asked that question, it showed he had already decided to use the ¡°Anti-Hibernation Virus.¡± But he hid his motives so well that everyone thought he was harmless, that he had no power. r At that time, Einstein¡¯s answer had been: ¡°Never.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as a virus that can never be defeated. Viruses, like humans, constantly evolve and mutate,¡± he had said. ¡°The good news is, most viruses weaken over time with repeated infections. The bad news is, along the way, new viruses always emerge.¡± Einstein¡¯s answer held the key. Although Einstein dismissed Gauss¡¯s question, Gauss must have been secretly pleased. He knew¡ª His virus would spread across the globe and remain active until it lost its potency and ability to spread¡ªeffectively preventing humanity from hibernating. With hindsight, Gauss¡¯s plan was crystal clear. From the beginning, his target had been ¡°hibernation.¡± He always believed: ¡°Death is the fundamental equality for human civilization, but the advent of hibernation technology broke that equality.¡± Lin Xian had once discussed this with Big Cat in the Second Dream. There¡¯s an old saying: ¡°Wealth doesn¡¯t last beyond three generations.¡± No matter how brilliant a genius was, how powerful an elder was, or how wealthy a person was, there would always come a day when they died. Once they died, power and wealth were redistributed. Even in academia, young scholars could only step up once the older generation was gone. But after the advent of hibernation chambers, that fundamental equality¡ªdeath¡ªdisappeared. Just like in the Fifth Dream, where Elon Musk¡¯s SPACE-X company had ruled Mars for hundreds of years. He must have remained the world¡¯s richest man for centuries. That was a severe form of inequality. Musk¡¯s glory lasted for centuries, overshadowing countless young people who should have had their time to shine in history, but instead faded into obscurity. So, Gauss created the ¡°Anti-Hibernation Virus.¡± He had thought it through very carefully. First, for the sake of equality, he designed the virus so that it wouldn¡¯t harm the human body. If you didn¡¯t attempt to hibernate, you wouldn¡¯t even notice it, and it wouldn¡¯t affect your health. Second, the virus had a long incubation period of three months¡ªlong enough that people couldn¡¯t guard against it. Plus, since it was harmless, it spread across the world quickly. Finally, Gauss stayed true to his principle of equality, even including himself. He was the first to inject himself with the virus, giving up the chance to hibernate and live indefinitely, choosing instead to die naturally in his time. The more Lin Xian thought about it, the clearer it became. Einstein¡¯s words were right. The virus spread worldwide for almost 200 years before it finally died out, losing its ability to infect people. In those 200 years, humanity had completely said goodbye to hibernation technology and returned to normal life. Gauss had probably hoped the virus would last thousands, even tens of thousands of years, so that humanity could never conquer it. But the laws of nature are like that¡ªas Einstein said, there is no everlasting virus, nor a human immune to everything. Suddenly, Lin Xian finally understood¡ª Why Einstein had said so firmly back then: ¡°The future is already set. All possibilities have vanished. Now, this is... the only future.¡± He also understood why the 0.0001764 world line was so unyielding, why the Ninth Dream couldn¡¯t be changed. Because¡ª ¡°The 0.0001764 world line was the combined effort of several geniuses, forged together! The timeline¡¯s resilience was naturally incredibly strong!¡± That was it. No doubt. In the Ninth Dream, the great disaster of 2600 was clearly Galileo¡¯s doing. The stagnation of technology, evidenced by the continued use of land motorbikes, was undoubtedly Copernicus¡¯s influence. For most people, hibernation was an optional technology¡ªsomething they could take or leave. The only people who genuinely needed hibernation were two groups: Patients with incurable diseases. People like Lin Xian, who had important missions and responsibilities. But together, these two groups made up less than 0.01% of the world¡¯s population. Lin Xian sat, deep in thought. His voice was quiet, almost a mutter, as he said, ¡°There¡¯s one thing I still don¡¯t understand.¡± Mai Mai looked up at him from her book, waiting. ¡°Mai Mai already proved that Gauss¡¯s Anti-Hibernation Virus would only last for 200 years...¡± Lin Xian¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Did Gauss know that?¡± After a pause, he nodded to himself. ¡°He probably did. After all, he created the virus. And even if he hadn¡¯t known, he could have used that one last opportunity to ask Einstein about it.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes clouded with confusion as he spoke aloud, more to himself than anyone else, ¡°But what was the point of just 200 years of equality? In the grand scheme of human history, 200 years is hardly even a blink. After that, people would still be able to hibernate again, and inequality would return. Didn¡¯t Gauss care about that? Was 200 years enough for him?¡± He closed his eyes, trying to think. He stayed like that for several moments, as if something was beginning to dawn on him. ¡°Could Gauss have been targeting us?¡± Lin Xian finally spoke, his voice low. ¡°Two hundred years may mean little to human civilization, but for the Genius Club, it¡¯s devastating.¡± He looked up, his face solemn as he continued. ¡°From Gauss¡¯s perspective, two hundred years without hibernation would be enough to kill off every single one of us, including Einstein. Could it be that Gauss thought we, the members of the Genius Club, were the biggest cause of inequality in the world? Like Copernicus, who was willing to kill indiscriminately, Turing, who pursued digital immortality, or Musk, who decided the future direction of humanity. Did Gauss think we interfered too much, that we were the real problem?¡± Lin Xian shook his head, his lips pressed into a thin line. It was no use trying to guess Gauss¡¯s motives now. Many things were beyond change at this point. But there was still an urgent problem in front of him¡ªwhat should he do now? He opened his eyes, staring ahead, a deep worry shadowing his expression. The virus would spread across the world on April 17th, which meant it would infect him, Ying Jun, and little Yu Xi. If they couldn¡¯t enter the hibernation chamber before that happened, then... all his plans would be gone, like smoke in the wind. He wouldn¡¯t be able to use the Time Travel Machine to return to 1952. He wouldn¡¯t be able to find the Millennial Stake to save Chu An Qing. He wouldn¡¯t be able to prevent humanity¡¯s extinction 600 years in the future. He would fail¡ª He couldn¡¯t save the future. He couldn¡¯t stop the World-Ending White Light. He couldn¡¯t save An Qing. He couldn¡¯t change fate. He couldn¡¯t shift the world line. Gauss¡¯s silent virus bomb had ruined all of Lin Xian¡¯s plans. ¡°What should I do?¡± Lin Xian whispered to himself, his voice filled with desperation. If he entered the hibernation chamber before April 17th, everything would go according to plan. But if he did, it would mean leaving Yu Xi behind. He couldn¡¯t do that. The Hibernation Manual was very clear. The minimum hibernation age was three years; in extreme cases, no less than one. Infants under a year old could not enter the hibernation chamber under any circumstances. The underdeveloped meninges of a child that young would absorb the chamber¡¯s chemicals, causing irreversible damage¡ªeven brain death. But if he didn¡¯t go into hibernation... it meant giving up on saving the world. Giving up on the future. Giving up on his promise to Chu Shan He. He would just live his life in the present, an ordinary, powerless man, spending his time with his family, with the people he loved. It was too hard a choice to make. The more he thought about it, the more tangled his mind became. In frustration, he got up and walked over to where Mai Mai was sitting. ¡°Is there any way to avoid getting infected by the Anti-Hibernation Virus?¡± he asked. ¡°Like staying in a sterile room or something?¡± Mai Mai looked up from her book¡ª¡±Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor¡±¡ªand shook her head. ¡°That won¡¯t work,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve really looked into it, for the book. You have to trust me. During those two hundred years, scientists tried every kind of experiment you can imagine, including complete isolation. But it didn¡¯t work. This virus is just too powerful. It can use almost anything as a host¡ªhumans, animals, plants, dust, insects, probiotics, fungi, even other viruses.¡± She closed her book, looking at Lin Xian seriously. ¡°If there really was a way to isolate it, humanity wouldn¡¯t have had to wait 200 years for it to lose its potency and transmission. Honestly, most people didn¡¯t even care about this virus. If they couldn¡¯t hibernate, they couldn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t the end of the world.¡± Mai Mai shrugged and gave a small smile. ¡°For me, I was looking forward to centuries in the future. I wanted to make a big splash in a revival of fantasy literature¡ªthat¡¯s why I hibernated. But if I couldn¡¯t hibernate... I would have kept living, kept writing even if no one read my work. Life isn¡¯t so terrible just because you can¡¯t hibernate.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He understood that. It was Gauss¡¯s smartest move¡ªto make the virus not seem like a big deal, something that no one cared about. He had subtly influenced society, achieved equality in the quietest, most unnoticed way possible. But... Lin Xian¡¯s situation was different. He had promised Chu Shan He that he would save Chu An Qing. He had also promised Ying Jun that he would always be there for Yu Xi. And Ying Jun had reminded him over and over¡ªif he had the power to change things, if he could save everyone, then he had a duty to do so. He had to be responsible. He had to be a leader, a savior. So what should he do? Should he save Chu An Qing and the future of humanity? Or stay with Ying Jun and Yu Xi, to live a happy life with his family? BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Suddenly, everything was engulfed in a blinding white light, vaporizing everything in sight. ... ... ... Lin Xian opened his eyes, lying in his bedroom. He quickly sat up, looking at the clock by his bed. It was April 11th, 2025, 00:42. Another day had passed. There were only six days left until Gauss¡¯s virus outbreak. He got out of bed, walked into the living room, and sat down on the couch. A few moments later, Zhao Ying Jun came out of the kitchen, holding a cup of hot milk. She set it down gently on the coffee table in front of him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep?¡± Lin Xian asked, concerned. Ying Jun smiled softly. ¡°I was asleep. Our daughter woke me up.¡± She touched her swollen belly, her expression filled with love. ¡°Yu Xi has been moving a lot lately. She¡¯s most active at night. It feels like she can¡¯t wait to meet us.¡± She looked at the time, almost 00:42, and decided to get Lin Xian some warm milk. She gave him a teasing look, ¡°What¡¯s going on with you today? Usually, when you wake up from a dream, you go straight to the study to analyze things. But today, you¡¯re sitting here in the living room? Did something happen in your dream? Did that writer Mai Mai remember anything new?¡± Lin Xian smiled, rubbing his forehead. ¡°She remembered all her failures, and her editor told her she was from 200 years ago.¡± Ying Jun laughed. ¡°That¡¯s harsh. Actually... I wanted to share some good news with you. It was supposed to be for tomorrow, but since we¡¯re up now, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Her eyes sparkled with excitement. ¡°It¡¯s about our daughter¡¯s birthday.¡± Lin Xian looked up, curious. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The doctor did a full checkup today,¡± Ying Jun said, her smile radiant. ¡°Yu Xi is perfectly healthy. She¡¯s developing well and is in the perfect position for a normal delivery. Today, they even calculated her exact due date.¡± Ying Jun moved closer to Lin Xian, taking his hand and placing it on her belly. ¡°Can you feel her? She¡¯s kicking again. She¡¯s eager to meet us.¡± Lin Xian swallowed, his heart pounding. ¡°The due date... When is it?¡± Ying Jun smiled softly and whispered, ¡°April 17th. That¡¯s our daughter¡¯s birthday.¡± Chapter 480: Hero Chapter 480: Hero This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation April 17th. Lin Xian heard the fateful date, and dizziness swept over him. Once again, fate had placed him at a crossroads. If he wanted to avoid the virus and travel to the future, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to hold his baby daughter or see her little face for the first time. He pressed his lips together and softly asked, ¡°Is the due date really that exact?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not entirely precise,¡± Zhao Ying Jun replied with a small smile. ¡°It could be a couple of days earlier or later, but the doctor said it¡¯s unlikely to be late. Little Yu Xi is already measuring a bit bigger than usual.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know the exact day. It all depends on her and how smoothly things go. But the doctor said we should check in at the hospital by the 15th just to be safe. They¡¯ve already reserved a private room for us.¡± Lin Xian nodded but didn¡¯t say anything. He had waited so long for his daughter, but now, he felt torn¡ªpulled between so many responsibilities that it was hard to find any joy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhao Ying Jun blinked, studying his face. ¡°Is there... something going on?¡± She had felt something was off about him since the beginning. At first, she had assumed he was just tired, worn out from everything he had been doing. But now... now it seemed more complicated than that. She was Lin Xian¡¯s wife, the person closest to him in the entire world, the one who knew him better than anyone. There was no way Lin Xian could hide his feelings from her. She could see it immediately... Lin Xian was facing a very difficult situation, one that was hard to decide on. ¡°Did that person, Mai Mai, remember something important?¡± she asked softly. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning to hide it from you. This is something you should know.¡± He looked up at her. ¡°Do you remember that story, ¡®Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor,¡¯ I told you about before? Just as I suspected, it wasn¡¯t fiction. It¡¯s based on real events.¡± Lin Xian explained everything that Mai Mai had said¡ªhow Gauss had created the Anti-Hibernation Virus, which would spread worldwide on April 17th, making hibernation impossible for two hundred years, and how Einstein and a group of other geniuses had sealed away the ¡°World-Ending White Light,¡± setting humanity on a path toward extinction. Zhao Ying Jun listened in silence, her face growing more solemn as he spoke. When Lin Xian finally finished, they sat in silence for a long time. The only sound was the soft snoring of VV from the other room, rising and falling. Zhao Ying Jun bit her lower lip, wanting to say something but hesitating. She could understand Lin Xian¡¯s pain, understand his struggle. Now, there were only six days left until the virus would break out, and it was too late to do anything about it. If he stayed, he would inevitably be infected and lose his chance to go to the future¡ªto use the Time Travel Machine, reach 1952, save the Millennial Stake, and prevent the apocalypse. But if he chose to go into hibernation early, he would have to leave behind his family, his friends, this entire era. He wouldn¡¯t even be able to see Yu Xi¡¯s face before he left. After April 17th, those inside and outside the hibernation chamber would be worlds apart¡ªtwo hundred years later, when he awoke, everyone he knew would be long gone. The times would be different. The world would be unfamiliar. He would be alone, with no friends or family. It would be like a sentence of ¡°spatial-temporal isolation,¡± much like Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s fate in the Third Dream, turned into a statue of white jade. ¡°So, what are you thinking?¡± Zhao Ying Jun finally broke the silence. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lin Xian replied honestly. He lowered his head, resting his elbows on his knees and covering his face with his hands. ¡°I¡¯ve thought of a lot of different options. Maybe I could let Elon Musk or Liu Feng take my place, use the Time Travel Machine to go to 1952, complete the mission for me¡ªsave Chu An Qing and ensure the future of humanity.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s irresponsible. I made the promise to Chu Shan He. And they don¡¯t have the ability to dream about the future 600 years from now. They would be too passive in gathering information.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t risk everything on someone else. If even one part of the plan fails, the consequences are too great¡ªirreparable.¡± ¡°I also thought about having Liu Feng hibernate until 2482, then find Cheng Qian, revive VV, and try to create a biological USB to send the antivirus back to 2025 using spacetime particles. That way, I could revive VV in this era and try to save the future world from the World-Ending White Light within my limited lifetime.¡± ¡°No, Lin Xian,¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head, immediately dismissing the idea. ¡°How can you be sure Liu Feng will find Cheng Qian, create the antivirus, make the biological USB, and successfully travel back to 2025?¡± ¡°Your entire plan is based on everything going perfectly. The world has already shifted from what Einstein predicted, so none of his answers are reliable anymore. How can you guarantee that the entangled spacetime particle will still be intact in 2482 for Liu Feng to use?¡± ¡°Right now, not many people realize the importance of the spacetime particle, but in 2234, once the Time Travel Machine is invented, more people will learn about it and try to take it.¡± ¡°So how can you bet on something so uncertain? This battle isn¡¯t a game. There¡¯s no room for mistakes. The safest course is to use the particle the instant the Time Travel Machine is made, leaving no chance for anyone else to go back.¡± ¡°But if you were just an ordinary person, without any special abilities,¡± Zhao Ying Jun whispered, her gaze fixed on the floor, ¡°I would let you stay. I would.¡± She bit her lip, her words coming out soft but heavy. ¡°But you¡¯re not ordinary. You were meant to be extraordinary. You have the power to change everything, to save everyone. And if you, with all your abilities, don¡¯t step up now... who will?¡± Lin Xian felt his throat tighten, her words hitting him like a wave. Zhao Ying Jun stepped closer, looking up at him with fierce determination. ¡°Do you think Elon Musk doesn¡¯t have family? Do you think Liu Feng doesn¡¯t have dreams of his own?¡± she said, her voice steady. ¡°If you even think for one second that someone else should take the risk for you... then you¡¯re the one who should be carrying that burden.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Have you thought about it, Lin Xian? People always say they¡¯re ready to sacrifice themselves for their country, that they¡¯ll donate everything or fight on the front lines. But when the time comes, will they actually step up?¡± Lin Xian swallowed, his voice hoarse. ¡°I think they will. When it comes to defending their country, they will.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded, a small smile forming on her lips. ¡°If they can do it, then so can we.¡± She looked away, her gaze growing distant. ¡°Since I met you, Lin Xian, I¡¯ve always been afraid of being a burden to you. Even after you left MX Company, I knew you were involved in something dangerous. But I never disturbed you, never reached out to you. Even when you went to Copenhagen and America, I never contacted you.¡± ¡°Even when I knew about Yan Qiao Qiao, I kept it to myself because I didn¡¯t want to add to your burden. I waited until you found out on your own.¡± She paused, her voice steady but filled with emotion. ¡°If my husband is meant to save the world, I can¡¯t let myself make him mediocre. I can¡¯t accept that.¡± She took a deep breath, looking at the warm light spilling from the kitchen. ¡°The peace and happiness we have now, we owe it to those who sacrificed their lives on the front lines. They were fathers, husbands, sons... They had families, and yet they gave everything to protect this world.¡± ¡°They built a wall of flesh and blood to keep us safe. Should we, with the power to save the future, turn our backs on humanity¡¯s fate and do nothing?¡± ¡°The future of humanity,¡± Zhao Ying Jun continued, her voice soft, ¡°is our future, Yu Xi¡¯s future, the future of our children and their children.¡± Lin Xian felt her words settle deep within him. He had never intended to give up or abandon his mission, but the thought of leaving behind the people he loved had always filled him with dread. The memory of Yellow Finch¡¯s hand brushing his cheek before she disappeared. The way Yu Xi had hugged his neck, calling out ¡°Daddy¡± before turning into blue snowflakes. The image of Zhao Ying Jun, frozen in time like a statue of white jade, waiting for six hundred years in Rhine Sky City. Zhao Ying Jun saw the struggle in his eyes. She stepped forward, facing him seriously. ¡°Lin Xian, I want to ask you three questions. And I want you to answer me honestly.¡± He looked at her, standing there in the dim living room, her face bathed in the warm glow of the kitchen light. He nodded. ¡°First question.¡± She paused. ¡°If Yu Xi and I weren¡¯t here, would you choose to hibernate and go to the future to save the world right now?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I would.¡± ¡°Second question,¡± Zhao Ying Jun continued, her eyes unwavering. ¡°If you didn¡¯t go to the future, and because of that, everything was lost... If you had to watch humanity face extinction, if Chu Shan He walked out of the hibernation chamber and didn¡¯t see Chu An Qing smiling at him... would you regret it?¡± Lin Xian pressed his lips together, his eyes closing briefly before he nodded. ¡°I would regret it.¡± Zhao Ying Jun exhaled deeply, her shoulders relaxing a little. ¡°Third question,¡± she said, her voice softening. ¡°If everyone begged you to stay, if they asked you to forget everything else and just enjoy your life now... could you live without guilt? Could you live the rest of your life with a clear conscience?¡± Lin Xian looked at her, a long silence stretching between them. Slowly, he stood up from the sofa, facing Zhao Ying Jun. He shook his head. ¡°To be honest, I can¡¯t.¡± A gentle smile spread across Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s face. She reached up, cupping his cheeks in her hands, her warmth filling the space between them. ¡°Go,¡± she whispered. ¡°I think you already know the answer.¡± Tears filled Lin Xian¡¯s eyes as he looked at her, and Zhao Ying Jun smiled through her own tears. ¡°And Lin Xian,¡± she continued, ¡°you don¡¯t need to feel guilty about Yellow Finch. You don¡¯t need to break your promise to her because... I will fulfill it for you.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You mean...¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Zhao Ying Jun nodded. ¡°I promise you, no matter what happens, I will never leave Yu Xi. I will stay with her, watch her grow up, guide her, love her¡ªfor both of us. I won¡¯t let the past repeat itself. I won¡¯t let you down.¡± ¡°So Lin Xian,¡± she said, her voice strong and unwavering, ¡°go. Do what you really want to do. Do what you¡¯re willing to dedicate your life to. Do what you would regret forever if you didn¡¯t.¡± She looked up at him, her eyes filled with warmth. ¡°I¡¯ll protect Yu Xi, and you... you protect the world.¡± Chapter 481: Your Stars and Ocean This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian stepped forward and embraced Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°Actually...¡± he said softly, ¡°I¡¯ve hesitated too.¡± ¡°When I first learned about all this, my mind kept coming back to you and Yu Xi. I even thought about staying here, risking the virus, and trying my best to save the world right here, in this time.¡± Zhao Ying Jun shook her head. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t told me, I wouldn¡¯t have blamed you,¡± she said. ¡°But... if you had stayed, then Yellow Finch would have died for nothing. And Chu An Qing¡¯s leap from that plane at twenty thousand meters, catching that spacetime particle for you, would have been pointless.¡± Her eyes shimmered with emotion as she paused. ¡°If we were going to give up on saving the future, ignoring the World-Ending White Light... then why did we hold on for so long just to quit now?¡± ¡°Giving up is easy. You just convince yourself it¡¯s the right choice. But holding on, pushing through danger and sacrifice¡ªthat¡¯s the hard part.¡± She hugged him tighter, resting her head against his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you, Lin Xian. But there are things in this world only you can do¡ªthings only you can finish. No one else can replace you.¡± ¡°If Yu Xi grows up without you, I¡¯ll make up for it. I¡¯ll make sure she never feels like she¡¯s lacking love, not compared to any other child. And even without you here, I¡¯ll still do my best to manage MX Company, Rhine Company, and the Shan He Group¡ªwith Brother Wang¡¯s help, of course.¡± She looked up at him, her voice trembling but firm. ¡°But saving humanity¡¯s future, stopping that white light... no one else can do that but you. I don¡¯t want to lose you, but I can¡¯t let the world¡¯s only hope end here, with me.¡± Lin Xian could feel the warmth of her embrace through her thin pajamas, and he knew baby Yu Xi had calmed down, probably falling back asleep. ¡°I just hope... Yu Xi won¡¯t hate me for this,¡± he said hoarsely. ¡°We¡¯re making this decision as adults, but she might not understand or accept it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lin Xian,¡± Zhao Ying Jun whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll raise her well. Parents are the best teachers, and the best way to teach is by example. Our Yu Xi will grow up brave, strong, and full of responsibility¡ªjust like you.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll make us proud, just like you do. You¡¯ll always be our pride.¡± Lin Xian released her and looked into her slightly teary but determined eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll head back to Hang City in a few days and talk to my parents about all this. I know them¡ªthey might resist at first, but they¡¯ll understand eventually, especially my father. Once he knows why I¡¯m doing this, he¡¯ll support me. That¡¯s the kind of man he is. He raised me to be this way.¡± ¡°And your parents...¡± Zhao Ying Jun smiled and wiped her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them. They might resist, but I¡¯m not a child anymore. This is our decision¡ªyours and mine.¡± She looked into his eyes, her smile small but resolute. ¡°My man, my choice.¡± ... Donghai University, Rhine Joint Laboratory ¡°Is that so?¡± Liu Feng rubbed his nose after listening to Lin Xian¡¯s explanation. ¡°I always knew she¡¯d say something like Yellow Finch, make that kind of choice. But hearing you tell me... I can¡¯t help but admire it.¡± ¡°You two have given up so much for the world, for the future of humanity.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°A lot of people have worked for the future. If we¡¯re talking about sacrifices, Yellow Finch, Chu Shan He, Chu An Qing¡ªthey¡¯ve sacrificed far more than Ying Jun and I.¡± ¡°This road may be difficult and heartbreaking, but we have to keep walking it. Otherwise, like Zhao Ying Jun said, if we give up now, all their sacrifices¡ªYellow Finch, Chu An Qing, and so many others¡ªwould be in vain.¡± ? Liu Feng looked at Lin Xian for a moment before lowering his head. ¡°Honestly, I feel guilty. I¡¯ve spent so much time on the secret of the Universal Constant, but I still haven¡¯t figured it out. Even though we know the answer is forty-two, just knowing the answer isn¡¯t enough¡ªwe still don¡¯t know how to use it.¡± ¡°If I¡¯d cracked the Universal Constant 42 earlier, maybe we wouldn¡¯t be in this situation.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Liu Feng. You¡¯ve already done so much for me. Without you, I wouldn¡¯t even know about spacetime particles, let alone catch one or join the Genius Club through the Spacetime Clock.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve helped me more than anyone else in this world, and I¡¯m grateful for that. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re willing to hibernate with me and face the future together.¡± Liu Feng laughed softly, giving Lin Xian a gentle push. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal. You saved my life, and the last card Qi Qi left me said... to follow you. She called you my meteor, meant just for me, here to lead me to a brighter sky.¡± ¡°No matter what time we wake up in, I¡¯ll do my best to help you figure out the Universal Constant 42.¡± ¡°Together, we¡¯ll solve all the mysteries and bring Chu An Qing back. And maybe we¡¯ll save humanity¡¯s future¡ªlet them see a new dawn.¡± He paused, glancing at the blackboard labeled ¡°Arithmetic Sequence.¡± Written on it were the names of the girls who had been in the lab, arranged by their age differences¡ª Yan Qiao Qiao, (empty), Chu An Qing, Su Su, Zhao Ying Jun, Yellow Finch. ¡°The sequence is still incomplete,¡± Liu Feng said with a sigh. ¡°There should have been another girl, seventeen years old, between Yan Qiao Qiao and Chu An Qing. But no girl of that age ever entered this lab. Looks like... this arithmetic sequence will remain incomplete.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°You still care about that arithmetic sequence? I didn¡¯t think this would be what you regret.¡± Liu Feng walked to the blackboard, pointing at the empty space between Yan Qiao Qiao and Chu An Qing. ¡°That spot should have been filled, but it never was. I guess... this will remain an unsolved regret.¡± He closed his eyes, his fingers pressing against the blackboard. ¡°Do you think the sequence could be completed in the future?¡± ¡°Erase it,¡± Lin Xian suggested. ¡°It seems unlikely now.¡± ¡°Start sorting out the documents here in the next few days¡ªwe¡¯ll head to Capital City soon. I¡¯ve arranged for the Research Institute to provide us with the latest hibernation chambers. Ying Jun will be overseeing production there too, so we¡¯ll have a little more time together... until the early morning of April 17th.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Gao Yang shouted, eyes wide. ¡°Bro, are you serious? What are you two thinking?!¡± Gao Yang jumped up, pacing next to Lin Xian. ¡°Look, maybe I¡¯m short-sighted, but how does the world ending in a few centuries matter to us? We¡¯re not gonna live that long!¡± ¡°We sat by the river eating barbecue, and you said you¡¯d never use a hibernation pod! That the virus didn¡¯t bother you because it didn¡¯t hurt your health¡ªweren¡¯t you okay with just living for seventy or eighty years?¡± ¡°You have a family, Lin Xian. Your daughter is about to be born. Why put yourself through this?! Why do it at all? You think you¡¯re the only one who can save everyone? You think there won¡¯t be someone better in the future?¡± ¡°Bro, just trust in the next generations! You really think you¡¯re the last hope? There are geniuses to come¡ªsomeone stronger, someone better¡ªthe future belongs to them. No one¡¯s gonna know who you are in two hundred years...¡± Lin Xian smiled calmly. ¡°What would you do, if you were me?¡± ¡°With this much money?! I¡¯d live life to the fullest!¡± Gao Yang said, pounding his chest. ¡°Like those online stories¡ªI¡¯d bet on the World Cup, then the Euros¡ªI¡¯d make myself the richest man on Earth.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°I¡¯d buy yachts, private islands¡ªthrow parties with Victoria¡¯s Secret models! Once I¡¯d had my fill of that, I¡¯d move into the entertainment industry. I¡¯d be the biggest star! That¡¯s how you¡¯d do it.¡± ¡°You¡¯d also make connections with the government, earn the title of national hero, and enjoy every luxury the world has to offer! Even in death, you¡¯d be remembered. And you¡ªlook at you now. Always running, hiding. It¡¯s pathetic.¡± ¡°You know what ¡®out of sight, out of mind¡¯ means, right? In 2025, you¡¯re a big shot. But if you hibernate and wake up in two centuries, you¡¯ll be nobody. You¡¯ll be outdated. You might even have to work on a street corner making kebabs.¡± Lin Xian chuckled. He had heard similar rants in those novels about tech moguls. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, waving Gao Yang off. ¡°I¡¯m here to say goodbye. We¡¯ve known each other for more than twenty years¡ªyou¡¯re the person I¡¯ve known the longest in this world. After this... who knows if we¡¯ll see each other again?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Gao Yang yelped. ¡°Why are you like this?! You got something against money? If you do, let me spend it for you!¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°Alright, since I¡¯ll be in hibernation, I guess you can run Rhine Company for me¡ªdo what you want.¡± ¡°Come on... are you serious?!¡± Gao Yang looked worried. ¡°What¡¯s going on in your head?! Don¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made my choice¡ªYing Jun and I are committed to this path,¡± Lin Xian said firmly. ¡°It¡¯s not just about saving the world or humanity¡ªit¡¯s about Chu An Qing too. She jumped from 20,000 meters for me. She risked everything for me. How could I just let her go?¡± Gao Yang was stunned. ¡°It¡¯s about Chu An Qing? Do you think you can save her?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Not yet. But if I hibernate, I might learn the truth about the Millennial Stake¡ªand find a way to bring her back. I promised I¡¯d save her, and I will. I think... all of this¡ªChu An Qing, the Millennial Stake, the World-Ending White Light¡ªit¡¯s all connected.¡± ¡°So saving her means saving the world¡ªand saving the world means saving her.¡± He turned and walked towards the door. ¡°Take care, Gao Yang.¡± Suddenly¡ª Thud. Gao Yang¡¯s large hand grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm, stopping him. ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian turned back. Gao Yang¡¯s face was full of conflict, his expression serious and pained. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lin Xian asked. Gao Yang¡¯s face turned red as he struggled to speak. Finally, he clenched his teeth. ¡°You... You should¡¯ve said it was about Chu An Qing.¡± His voice was low. He remembered their time together at the astronaut training center¡ª He remembered that brave girl, covered in blood, stepping out of the spacecraft¡ª He remembered her helpless glance from the wing of the plane¡ª He remembered her fearless jump into the unknown... ¡°Damn it,¡± Gao Yang muttered. ¡°Chu An Qing jumped from that plane right in front of me. She was my mission partner¡ªI even dug up her grave with you...¡± ¡°Saving the world is one thing, but if you¡¯re doing it for Chu An Qing...¡± He swallowed hard, lifting his head, his eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯ll... think about it.¡± Chapter 482: Us and You This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°Alright, take your time to think about it,¡± Lin Xian said, patting Gao Yang¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If you want to join us, I¡¯d be thrilled. Having someone trustworthy with us means one more ally for the future. But like I said before, hibernation is a one-way ticket. Once you go, you can¡¯t come back for 200 years. You have to be sure about this.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Gao Yang sighed. ¡°If you ask me if I want to go, I¡¯d rather not. Who wouldn¡¯t want to enjoy their life here and now? Besides, you¡¯re the one who has the power to save humanity¡¯s future, not me. Why would I get all worked up over it? I¡¯m just what Zhao Ying Jun described¡ªsomeone who history won¡¯t blame for being powerless.¡± Gao Yang paused, then added, ¡°But, to be honest, if I had your kind of power, I¡¯d go into hibernation for the future too.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lin Xian was surprised by Gao Yang¡¯s answer. When did this guy become so high-minded? ¡°Because,¡± Gao Yang hesitated, scratching the back of his head, looking frustrated, ¡°I¡¯d regret it otherwise.¡± He looked up, and with a pained expression, he continued, ¡°For the first twenty or thirty years, you¡¯d be fine. You¡¯d look at your wife and kids by the warm stove, and you¡¯d think you made the right choice by staying. But when you get old and realize that your choice led to a future where humanity perished, that the world was destroyed, and that you lied to Chu Shan He¡ªmaking him hibernate to the end of the world without ever seeing his daughter again¡ªyou¡¯d regret it. You¡¯d regret not stepping up to take responsibility. Just like when people see a child drowning but don¡¯t jump in to help because they¡¯re afraid of drowning too, and then live in guilt for the rest of their lives. That guilt can crush a person.¡± ¡°Honestly, I just didn¡¯t want you to go before. But in truth, I admire what you¡¯re doing. I can understand it too.¡± Gao Yang paused. ¡°It¡¯s like those people who jump into rivers to save others. It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t have families. Firefighters run into burning buildings¡ªthey have families too. Drug enforcement officers risk their lives for us¡ªand they have loved ones as well.¡± Gao Yang looked at Lin Xian seriously. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have said this if I thought it wouldn¡¯t change your mind. And, well... Chu An Qing¡¯s situation¡ªI can¡¯t just sit back and do nothing about that either.¡± He looked up, meeting Lin Xian¡¯s eyes. ¡°That day, it was Chu An Qing who jumped from the plane¡ªour friend, our partner. But what if it was us? What if it was us who jumped, who disappeared? If we were in her place, do you think Chu An Qing would do what you¡¯re doing now and hibernate to save us?¡± ¡°She would,¡± Lin Xian replied softly without hesitation. An Qing would do that. She had always been that brave. He blinked, looking at Gao Yang. ¡°She dared to cheer me on alone at the conference in the US. She dared to take on a mission from the space shuttle at nineteen. She even dared to jump from the plane to catch a spacetime particle for me.¡± ¡°If it were us who died instead of her, Chu An Qing would hibernate without a second thought, searching for a chance to save us.¡± Bang! Gao Yang pounded his fist on the table and shouted, ¡°Then there you have it! Damn it, if An Qing would hibernate to save us, and now there¡¯s a chance we can save her in the future, how can we back down?!¡± ¡°Screw it, forget work, let¡¯s go drink. We¡¯ll have a good talk.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time today.¡± Lin Xian waved his hand. ¡°I need to go to Nangong¡¯s lab to sort some things out.¡± Gao Yang made a disappointed sound. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not in the mood to work either. I¡¯ll go with you, and then we¡¯ll drink after.¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± They left together, heading to Nangong Meng Jie¡¯s lab. In the car, Gao Yang picked his nose and said, ¡°Nangong Meng Jie¡ªthat¡¯s a nice name. Never heard you mention her before. Is she an academician at the Research Institute?¡± ¡°Not an academician,¡± Lin Xian explained. ¡°She¡¯s young, probably doing her PhD or just graduated. I can¡¯t quite remember. She¡¯s the one leading the research on the micro nuclear battery.¡± ¡°Is she hibernating too?¡± ¡°No, definitely not.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s still too much work to do with the micro nuclear battery¡ªscaling it up, commercializing it¡ªthings she can¡¯t leave behind. Plus, Nangong and I aren¡¯t that close. It¡¯s purely work.¡± ¡°A PhD at the Research Institute, huh,¡± Gao Yang clicked his tongue. ¡°Never met someone that educated before. Are these people like, superhuman or something? How do they score so high in exams?¡± ???? ¡°You can count when we get there,¡± Lin Xian said with a laugh. The car stopped, and they got out, heading into the lab. Nangong was busy, so Lin Xian led Gao Yang to find her directly. Lin Xian pointed through the glass to show Gao Yang. ¡°See that one wearing glasses and a white lab coat? That¡¯s Nangong.¡± Whooosh! Gao Yang¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of the graceful figure working at the lab bench¡ªadorable face, large chest, glasses, smart, capable. With a dramatic sweep of his arm, Gao Yang blocked Lin Xian from moving forward. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m in love.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian looked confused. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Gao Yang shook his head vigorously, like a rattle. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt this way in my life. She¡¯s exactly what I dreamed of in a partner¡ªperfect!¡± He turned to Lin Xian. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯m going to make a move. I don¡¯t want our relationship influenced by your work dynamic. I need it to be pure.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian pulled Gao Yang back. ¡°Are you already planning the future? Thinking about which school district to buy a house in? Are you sure you¡¯re thinking straight?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very clear-headed,¡± Gao Yang said, pulling his collar open to reveal his chest, puffing it up. ¡°I¡¯m going in. Wish me luck.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, are you still planning to hibernate?¡± Lin Xian called after him. ¡°Of course I am!¡± Gao Yang turned back, a confident smile on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with my charm, I¡¯ll definitely convince Meng Jie to hibernate with me!¡± And with that, he strode off. Lin Xian watched him go, shaking his head. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± He wondered if the Hibernation Manual covered whether someone with Gao Yang¡¯s level of delusion could actually enter hibernation. Hmm? Suddenly, Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened as he recalled an old thought¡ªwas it possible that Gao Wen the Great, humanity¡¯s pinnacle of genius, could be a descendant of Gao Yang? He quickly dismissed the idea. Gao Yang¡¯s mission in life seemed more about spreading chaos than contributing anything that could lead to someone like Gao Wen. But... If there was a genetic upgrade involved? Say, hypothetically... Could Gao Yang actually win over Nangong Meng Jie, end up having a family, and through hibernation or not, their descendants eventually give rise to Gao Wen the Great? ¡°No way,¡± Lin Xian muttered. The thought seemed absurd. Could it be... another twist of fate? A historical loop? Bang! The door to the lab suddenly burst open. ¡°Waaah!¡± Gao Yang came running out, wailing dramatically, ¡°This is too humiliating! I¡¯m outta here! I can¡¯t stay a second longer! The world has no place for this clown! I¡¯m going into hibernation right now!¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian looked at Gao Yang in disbelief. ¡°You just got rejected, right? Not the end of the world. It¡¯s not like this is your first time. Have you ever even succeeded before?¡± ¡°Goodbye! I¡¯m done with this time period! Too disappointed!¡± Gao Yang sobbed as he fled. Lin Xian shook his head, watching his friend go. He sighed, ¡°Should have known better. Just typical Gao Yang. Consistent as always.¡± For a brief moment, Lin Xian thought maybe, just maybe, Gao Yang was part of that historical loop¡ªcontributing to humanity¡¯s future and playing a role in Gao Wen¡¯s story. It made him hesitate, even about pushing Gao Yang into hibernation. If forcing Gao Yang to hibernate somehow meant Gao Wen was never born... that would be a huge loss for humanity. But, luckily, Gao Yang never lets you down. From the way he came running out in despair, it was clear his connection with Nangong was doomed before it even started. Lin Xian pushed open the door and went inside, greeting Nangong with a wave. She looked up and smiled at him. ¡°That guy earlier, is he a friend of yours?¡± she asked. ¡°Sort of,¡± Lin Xian replied cautiously, not quite sure how much Gao Yang had embarrassed himself. ¡°What happened just now?¡± Nangong chuckled softly. ¡°He tried to ask me out to dinner and a movie, so I took this out of my pocket to show him.¡± She pulled out a silver ring. It was a wedding ring. Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re married?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Nangong said, her face glowing with happiness. ¡°I got married pretty early, back in college.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite early. Was it a fellow student?¡± Lin Xian was curious. ¡°No, not a classmate,¡± Nangong said, smiling as she looked at the ring before putting it back. ¡°He was my childhood sweetheart, a few years older than me. We grew up together; he was like the older brother next door.¡± She looked out of the window, her eyes softening. ¡°He joined the military during university. Now he¡¯s in the border defense special forces. We don¡¯t get to see each other often¡ªsometimes only once a year, if that.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a military spouse,¡± Lin Xian said, suddenly feeling a surge of respect. He had never guessed Nangong was married, let alone to a soldier. She¡¯d never mentioned it, and her youthful appearance made it easy to assume she was younger than she was. ¡°We got our marriage certificate while I was doing my master¡¯s,¡± Nangong said. ¡°His leave was short, and we didn¡¯t have time for a ceremony¡ªjust signed the papers and that was it.¡± ¡°Why not wait until after he left the military?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Was he in a rush to settle down because of his age?¡± ¡°No,¡± Nangong shook her head, smiling. ¡°Getting married was my idea.¡± Lin Xian frowned, puzzled. ¡°You were only about twenty-three, twenty-four¡ªwhy rush it?¡± ¡°I wanted him to have peace of mind,¡± Nangong explained. ¡°He¡¯s protecting our borders, facing danger every day. I wanted to give him something¡ªa promise, a certainty¡ªthat he could hold onto. He¡¯s out there defending our country for us, so I wanted to give something back to him. I willingly married him, to let him know I¡¯d always be here for him.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Thank you both for everything you¡¯re doing for the country. I have immense respect for soldiers and their families. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll kick my friend for bothering you. He needs a reality check.¡± Nangong laughed. ¡°No need for that. It¡¯s just that, since I can¡¯t wear rings or jewelry in the lab, I kept it in my pocket. If I wore it on my finger, this awkward situation wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± Lin Xian and Nangong Meng Jie hadn¡¯t spoken much before, except for work, but he was pleasantly surprised by how easy she was to talk to. While their conversation flowed, Lin Xian asked, ¡°Since you don¡¯t see your husband often, do you miss him?¡± Zhao Ying Jun looked at Yu Xi, then back at Lin Xian. There was something different about him¡ªhis eyes were more determined. ¡°I thought seeing Yu Xi today would make you hesitant,¡± she said, ¡°but instead... you seem even more resolute.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I feel... grateful.¡± ¡°Grateful for what?¡± Zhao Ying Jun asked. Lin Xian looked at Yu Xi, who was closing her eyes, looking ready to sleep. He smiled. ¡°I¡¯m grateful that if a battle has to be fought, it will be me who goes, not Yu Xi.¡± He turned to Zhao Ying Jun. ¡°I spoke with Nangong Meng Jie the other day. She told me about her husband, her father, her grandfather...¡± ¡°And I realize I¡¯m nothing special. Decades ago, countless others in our country stood up, taking on battles for future generations. People left their homes, their loved ones, and fought so that we could have today. I¡¯m simply walking in their light¡ªcontinuing that legacy. ¡°Someone has to fight this battle, sooner or later. If I don¡¯t, Yu Xi will have to. And if she doesn¡¯t, her children will. It could go on until 600 years from now, with our descendants still facing that destruction.¡± He held Yu Xi closer. ¡°She¡¯ll have children, and they¡¯ll have children¡ªso that future will one day be theirs. But I can change that. I have the chance to change that. I don¡¯t dare imagine making her face something like that¡ªshe¡¯s so small, so fragile. As her father, how could I let that happen?¡± Zhao Ying Jun gently cupped the back of Lin Xian¡¯s head, her fingers softly stroking his hair. ¡°This is the spirit that¡¯s been passed down through our nation,¡± she said. ¡°During the revolution, so many fathers and children went to war... just like you mentioned¡ªeven our great leader¡¯s son died on the battlefield.¡± She paused for a moment. ¡°Others might not understand why. But that¡¯s because...¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t great leaders,¡± Lin Xian finished, his voice quiet. ¡°They can¡¯t understand.¡± Zhao Ying Jun blinked, a small smile tugging at her lips. ¡°Remember what Yellow Finch told you? She said she would stay by your side when you were ordinary, teach you to be exceptional, watch you grow, and eventually see you become great. Maybe she didn¡¯t live to see that, but I have. And Lin Xian, I know many won¡¯t understand your choice, but being misunderstood comes with leadership. It¡¯s part of the burden.¡± Just then, Gao Yang approached, his lips pressed tightly together. ¡°Lin Xian, it¡¯s time. We need to leave. To be safe, we should get to the hibernation base early.¡± Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun stayed still, silent for a moment. Finally, Zhao Ying Jun struggled to sit up, wrapping Lin Xian and Yu Xi in a gentle hug. ¡°Look ahead,¡± she whispered, her eyes closed. ¡°Always look ahead.¡± ¡°Believe in me, and believe in yourself, Lin Xian. Remember what Yellow Finch said¡ª¡¯If it feels right, keep going. If it¡¯s wrong, make it right.¡¯ Before something ends, we never really know what¡¯s right or wrong. So, keep going. With everyone¡¯s hopes and trust, keep going.¡± Lin Xian nodded, his eyes glistening. He looked at Yu Xi once more, then whispered, ¡°Yu Xi, Daddy takes back what I said earlier. You don¡¯t have to learn music or become refined or well-behaved. If you want to learn Taekwondo, do it. Do whatever you want. Just grow up strong... and protect Mommy for me.¡± At his feet, the vacuum robot rolled closer, nudging his leg. In a low voice, it said, ¡°Garbage... garbage... found garbage...¡± Lin Xian looked down, a slight smile crossing his face. ¡°You too, little one. We¡¯re the same¡ªremember who you are and your duty. Take care of Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi for me, while I¡¯m gone.¡± Gao Yang tugged at his arm. ¡°Lin Xian, it¡¯s really time.¡± Lin Xian nodded, carefully placing Yu Xi back in her crib. Together with Gao Yang, he walked to the door, but it felt like there was an invisible wall holding him back from taking that last step. Gao Yang felt it too. He turned, looking at Zhao Ying Jun, Yu Xi, and Angelica. His nose twitched, his eyes beginning to moisten. ¡°We¡¯ll miss you,¡± he said, his voice breaking. He quickly turned away, rubbing his eyes furiously. ¡°No need to be so sad, Gao Yang,¡± Zhao Ying Jun said gently, watching them pause at the doorway. ¡°We¡¯re just in different times, fighting the same battle. We¡¯re the same¡ªwe¡¯ve never truly parted. So, don¡¯t miss us,¡± she continued, her voice strong, her eyes unwavering. ¡°You are us.¡± At the Research Institute¡¯s secret hibernation base, Lin Xian, Gao Yang, and Du Yao were the last to prepare for hibernation. The others had already settled into their long sleep. They changed into their hibernation suits and glanced at the clock on the wall: April 16th, 2025, 11:21 PM. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Lin Xian said, squinting. ¡°To the future.¡± A hissing sound filled the room. Lying down in the hibernation chamber, Lin Xian closed his eyes, feeling the cold liquid slowly engulf his body. The fluid filled his lungs, bringing a sharp discomfort that made his eyes water. But soon, it was bearable¡ªoxygen in the fluid replacing the air in his lungs. His eyelids grew heavy, harder and harder to keep open. Consciousness blurred. Cold seeped in. And then¡ª Nothingness. New York City, at the mouth of the Hudson River, under the Statue of Liberty, in the heat of the day. A thin blond man walked unsteadily to the statue¡¯s base, looking up. ¡°Equality,¡± he said softly, gazing at the torch held high by Lady Liberty. ¡°Return to the world, ultimate equality. The death of mankind, a hundred-year lifespan, is equality. The virus¡¯s end, 194 years, is also equality. This is the original equality of the universe¡ªthe most balanced state, the most harmonious equality.¡± In Switzerland, on Mount Pilatus, in a secret base. An old man with white hair lay down inside a hibernation chamber. Around him, aluminum alloy robots moved, preparing him for hibernation. Gradually¡ªthe lights in the base began to shut off. Eventually, even the robots¡¯ eyes dimmed, leaving everything silent, buried under the snowy mountain. In a deeper underground location¡ª A lone elder wearing an Einstein mask sat alone, in a vast, empty underground chamber. The place was arranged like an old, formal meeting hall. There was no dust and no sign anyone had been there for a long time. On a high platform was a tall-backed black wooden chair, where the masked elder sat in silence. Below, on either side, were four empty chairs. Much like the entire underground space¡ªempty. Silent. Time passed. More than two centuries. Two hundred years might sound like a long time. But in those two hundred years, the Earth had only spun 70,000 times and only orbited the Sun 200 times. The Sun takes 250 million years to orbit the center of the Milky Way, so from that perspective, two hundred years was nothing more than a blink¡ªnot even that. The Milky Way and Andromeda will collide in four billion years, a fearsome and spectacular event that we can hardly fathom. But after two centuries, the Milky Way and Andromeda remain distant¡ªas distant as ever. Two hundred years feels long, yet it is short. On the timescale of the universe, it¡¯s less than an instant¡ªhardly a blink. September 12th, 2234, X Country¡¯s secret hibernation base. Inside a hibernation chamber¡ª A man opened his eyes. Where... Where is this? He couldn¡¯t move. His vision was blurry, his consciousness vague. All he could make out were two blurry figures outside the glass, moving busily. Gradually, his hearing returned. ¡°It¡¯s about time, isn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s get him up. He¡¯s strong¡ªif we give him more time to recover, we won¡¯t be able to hold him down later.¡± It was a loud male voice. ¡°Why are you in such a rush?¡± another male voice responded, calm and steady. ¡°These wake-up protocols are pre-set. Everything is perfectly timed to make sure their bodies wake up enough to move, but still weak enough that they can¡¯t resist us.¡± Suddenly¡ª A screen inside the hibernation chamber lit up, instructing the man step by step on how to move his eyes, then his body. Finally¡ª The man completed the tests, and the chamber lid opened. He slowly sat up, looking at the two men he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°You... where is this?¡± He blinked, confused. ¡°Who am I?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough!¡± the loud-voiced man rushed over, trying to pull him toward a chair with restraints. ¡°Wait, let go of me.¡± He was wary, trying to pull away, but had no strength. ¡°Let go of me, let¡ª¡± He was pushed into the chair, strapped down. Then a terrifying helmet, like an octopus with many tendrils, was fastened to his head, pressing tightly. The man¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°What are you doing¡ªah!!!¡± Pain! A sharp, excruciating pain like countless needles piercing his scalp, digging into his brain, down his spine! His body convulsed, his eyes rolled back. Inside his mind, flashes like a movie reel sped by¡ª A lollipop in his mouth, a Rhine Cat on a shelf, a body struck at 00:42, the dazzling neon of a cyber city, a shadow hand on the moon, a white jade statue in a sky city, a girl leaping from a space shuttle, blue stardust vanishing in his arms, sparks from a seven-headed girl, a head flying high, an old man wearing an Einstein mask, blue snow covering a city, the soft, laughing face of a newborn in swaddling, a woman¡¯s determined gaze on a hospital bed¡ª¡±Look forward.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Lin Xian screamed, his memories rushing back, the electric shock fading. ¡°Damn.¡± He tried to touch his head, but his hands were bound. ¡°This thing¡¯s intense! Ever think of improving it? It¡¯s basically a torture device!¡± He glared at the two men before him¡ªGao Yang, who looked just the same, and Liu Feng, who had clearly aged, gray streaks in his hair. He seemed about thirty-five now. ¡°Enough laughing, untie me,¡± Lin Xian said, his heart silently apologizing to Mai Mai. The electric helmet had been more brutal than expected. Even thinking of it now made him shiver. Gao Yang and Liu Feng undid the restraints, and Lin Xian stood, flexing his wrists and ankles, looking at them. ¡°What year is it? What¡¯s the world like now?¡± Gao Yang clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll explain on the way.¡± Lin Xian frowned. ¡°Where are we going? Can¡¯t we just talk here?¡± Gao Yang smiled mysteriously. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi left you a gift. Don¡¯t you want to go see it now?¡± Chapter 483: Waiting for You This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation A nuclear-powered, self-driving car sped down the road, its four wheels humming softly against the pavement. Lin Xian gazed out the window, watching as towering skyscrapers disappeared into the clouds. Giant electronic screens displayed flashing advertisements. He looked thoughtful, lost in his own world. One screen showed an ad for the latest smartphone. It was so thin that it could be folded and transformed into a transparent strip to wear over your eyes like smart glasses. But at the end of the day, it was just a phone. There had been no real breakthroughs in communication technology¡ªjust shinier, faster gadgets. Even the car wasn¡¯t that impressive. Sure, self-driving technology had improved, but the car still ran on roads, and nuclear batteries had existed for over 200 years. Nothing really new. ¡°Is this what progress looks like?¡± Lin Xian asked, turning his attention back to Liu Feng and Gao Yang, who sat beside him. ¡°Two hundred years... and I haven¡¯t seen any real leaps forward. Everything¡¯s just an extension of what existed two centuries ago. Nothing fundamentally different,¡± he added, frustration evident in his voice. Gao Yang shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I only woke up a month before you. Besides, we¡¯re here to save Chu An Qing, not to analyze the future. We can¡¯t control everything.¡± ¡°And isn¡¯t it better this way?¡± Gao Yang continued. ¡°Less change makes it easier for us to adapt. I¡¯ve already fit right in. Life¡¯s not that different from 200 years ago.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s the problem,¡± Lin Xian sighed, leaning back into his seat. He remembered what Angelica and Elon Musk had told him before he went into hibernation: ¡°Do you really think you¡¯ll still be the richest man after two hundred years? Do you think people were just sitting idle while you slept? Surely science must have advanced by then.¡± ¡°The knowledge you have¡ªin 200 years, it might be in elementary school textbooks. If universities are still teaching the same old stuff, then there¡¯s something seriously wrong with this world.¡± And now... ¡°Liu Feng,¡± Lin Xian called, glancing at his friend. ¡°Has Musk woken up yet? Is he still the world¡¯s richest man?¡± Liu Feng smiled slightly. ¡°He woke up later than I did. I woke up seven years ago, and Musk came around four years ago. And yes, Lin Xian, you guessed right¡ªElon Musk is still the richest person on the planet.¡± ¡°Angelica¡¯s descendants have managed SpaceX well. In fact, it¡¯s even more successful now, and Musk has more money than ever,¡± Liu Feng added. ¡°But Musk isn¡¯t happy about it. He told me he¡¯d have preferred to wake up and find a more advanced company outpacing SpaceX, or a technology so powerful that it would force him back to school to catch up.¡± Liu Feng shook his head. ¡°But no. Progress has stalled. We¡¯re still sending probes to Mars¡ªno migration ships, no space cities, nothing beyond that.¡± ¡°When Musk woke up, he came to X Country looking for me. He said, ¡®Who would¡¯ve thought? A 200-year-old relic like me can still stay at the forefront of technology. I could even be a university professor today, teaching the same curriculum they used 200 years ago.¡¯¡± It was just as Lin Xian had suspected. He narrowed his eyes, lost in thought. The Ninth Dream held the remnants of countless brilliant minds; it was a vision they¡¯d all worked together to create. Though Copernicus was gone, his spirit and methods lingered, and as a result, progress had stagnated. Humanity was still squeezing every drop out of Moore¡¯s Law, refusing to look beyond for something broader, something new. So where was the problem? ¡°Are scientists, mathematicians, and scholars still dying mysteriously at 00:42?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°No.¡± Liu Feng shook his head. ¡°Musk and I started looking into it as soon as we woke up. We searched all the records but found no evidence of scientists being murdered at that time.¡± ¡°There were a few lesser-known scholars who died at 00:42, but those were random events. One was an expert in bearings caught cheating¡ªhis wife stabbed him, and he died at 00:42 after failing to recover. Another was a microbiologist who stopped his car on an overpass to relieve himself, thinking it was a flowerbed... and fell to his death. The time was 00:42.¡± ¡°These are the only two scientists who died at that time in the past two hundred years.¡± Lin Xian waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Those don¡¯t count.¡± ¡°Still, the lack of significant progress in the last two centuries suggests someone is controlling things from behind the scenes. What did you and Musk find during your investigation? Any leads?¡± Liu Feng nodded. ¡°We do have some clues. Many key scientists have died, but we couldn¡¯t find any pattern. We can¡¯t tell if it was Copernicus¡¯s old methods or just accidents.¡± ¡°Musk thinks that Copernicus¡¯s successors have become more subtle, but it¡¯s hard to say. There are still leaders in advanced fields working to push scientific progress.¡± ¡°Then where¡¯s the progress?¡± Lin Xian spread his hands. ¡°How come I haven¡¯t seen it? Surely one of these leaders must have made a breakthrough?¡± ¡°That¡¯s where the second clue comes in,¡± Liu Feng said, as the car sped out of the city and began accelerating. ¡°Humanity has made a lot of wrong choices in technology over the last two centuries. It¡¯s like what people used to say in our time¡ª¡®They chose the wrong branch on the tech tree.¡¯¡± ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say, but until we realize we¡¯ve chosen wrong, who would know? Technological progress always involves trial and error¡ªit¡¯s about trying different things. Humanity hasn¡¯t found the right path in many crucial fields.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He understood Liu Feng¡¯s point. Technology sometimes goes off track, just like companies that rise and fall because of poor decisions. Strategic mistakes happen in research too. If a path turns out wrong, it drains resources, manpower, and time, leaving little left to explore new possibilities. ¡°But what about the Cold Fusion Manuscript I gave the Research Institute?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°That one was on the right track, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It was,¡± Liu Feng sighed. ¡°But cold fusion needs support from materials science and engineering. That¡¯s where the problem lies. Materials science has barely advanced in the past 200 years.¡± Lin Xian leaned back in his seat, closing his eyes. ¡°So, in the end, someone is still interfering, suppressing technological advancement. They¡¯re just doing it differently¡ªor more secretly.¡± This outcome didn¡¯t surprise Lin Xian. Before getting in the car, he had asked Liu Feng about the Spacetime Clock and if there had been changes in the reading of spacetime curvature. Liu Feng had handed it over for Lin Xian to see. It was steady. The number remained 0.0001764, meaning that the worldline hadn¡¯t changed. The future of the Ninth Dream was still the same. Humanity¡¯s extinction. Technological stagnation. Mai Mai¡¯s ¡°Devouring Heaven Demon Emperor¡± reigning supreme. The worldline was strong and firm, holding its path without a ripple, even in the year 2234. Einstein had disbanded the Genius Club to keep the worldline stable. Copernicus¡¯s will had been passed on, and the methods were getting more concealed. Gauss¡¯s virus might be over, but all the brilliant minds were left in the past. Newton? He was probably still busy, doing his part in his own way. And then, 200 years later, there was still Galileo¡ªwaiting to unleash a devastating disaster on Earth in 2600. But it wasn¡¯t over yet. In 24 years, another World-Ending White Light would appear¡ªon CC¡¯s 20th birthday¡ªwiping everything out in a single second. The only hope was to use the Time Travel Machine, with entangled spacetime particles, to go back to 1952 and see it all¡ªthe secrets and truths. Lin Xian opened his eyes, looking out the window. He frowned, pointing at a long, unending fence that had been running alongside them for over half an hour. ¡°What¡¯s this place? It¡¯s enormous. We¡¯re going over 120 kilometers an hour, and we¡¯ve been driving along this fence for thirty minutes, and it¡¯s still not ending. Is this a school or something?¡± ¡°What kind of school could be this big?¡± Lin Xian mused aloud. ¡°Just one side of the wall is over sixty kilometers long¡ªit¡¯s almost the size of a city.¡± Gao Yang and Liu Feng exchanged confused looks. ¡°It has this function?¡± ¡°I had no idea.¡± Liu Feng shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve seen VV many times. It always comes out, weakly muttering about garbage, then goes back to sleep. It¡¯s never said anything else.¡± Gao Yang snapped his fingers. ¡°I get it. It¡¯s voice-activated! It only responds to Lin Xian¡¯s voice¡ªthat¡¯s why it¡¯s saying this now. It means Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi left something for you, Lin Xian.¡± ¡°But... what¡¯s the password? There¡¯s no clue. How are we supposed to know?¡± Lin Xian smiled softly, shaking his head. ¡°Do I really need a hint?¡± His expression softened, and he whispered, ¡°The password¡ªwhat else could it be?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a series of numbers with no pattern, no meaning, known only to Zhao Ying Jun and me¡ªa set that neither of us will ever forget.¡± ¡°32375246.¡± The robot beeped twice, its eyes flashing rapidly. ¡°Password correct! Storage compartment unlocked!¡± it announced. With a click, a small compartment the size of a pencil case popped open in the robot¡¯s belly. Inside was a sealed letter. Lin Xian, Gao Yang, and Liu Feng leaned in close, peering into the compartment. It was clear¡ªZhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi had left Lin Xian a message. ¡°Um...¡± Gao Yang pulled Liu Feng away. ¡°Maybe we should give him some privacy.¡± Liu Feng nodded, and the two walked off to a respectful distance. Lin Xian took out the letter. It was small and thin, and there wasn¡¯t much written on it. His heart beat faster as he wondered what Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi would say to him. Taking a deep breath, he unfolded the letter and looked at the delicate handwriting. It was short¡ªjust a few lines. But seeing the familiar writing made Lin Xian¡¯s eyes well up, as if he could hear Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s gentle voice right beside him: ¡°Lin Xian, don¡¯t mourn for us. Yu Xi and I lived a happy life.¡± ¡°Without you, there were lonely times, full of longing. But Yu Xi and I felt you were always with us¡ªprotecting us, our children, and all humanity.¡± ¡°You are our hero and our pride.¡± ¡°So look forward, don¡¯t look back. Our mission is over, and the baton to save the future is now in your hands. We haven¡¯t left you; we are part of the sunlit world around you, always standing behind you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t keep my promise to grow old together until the end of the world. But¡ªbe brave, move forward! And don¡¯t forget¡ª¡± ¡°There is still a girl trapped in time, waiting for you at the end of the world.¡± Lin Xian read the letter twice, then closed his eyes. He carefully folded it and placed it in his pocket. Look forward. Look forward. Until the end of the world. Turning, Lin Xian walked briskly to Liu Feng, with VV following closely behind on its tracks. ¡°Liu Feng,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°Has humanity detected the comet carrying Astatine-339?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been monitoring it for a while,¡± Liu Feng replied. ¡°Nations are preparing for a joint mission in three months to destroy it in the atmosphere, to keep it from hitting Earth.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°And what about the Time Travel Machine? Is it ready?¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost complete, but there¡¯s a minor issue with one of the modules,¡± Liu Feng said, frowning. ¡°But I have a new solution in mind, and I think we can finish it before the comet arrives.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Even though I woke up earlier, I couldn¡¯t fully resolve that last bit... I¡¯m just not on the same level as the genius who originally designed the plans.¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Liu Feng. This isn¡¯t 2025 anymore.¡± He thought back to Gao Wen¡¯s birth year¡ª2182. In this timeline, if Gao Wen hadn¡¯t gone into hibernation, he would be fifty-two, at the height of his career. If Gao Wen had hibernated, that would be fine too. They would find him. Mai Mai had said the Anti-Hibernation Virus was weakening over the years. Toward the end, only the elderly and weak were affected. Most healthy people were immune, so it was possible Gao Wen had hibernated. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Lin Xian said, watching the sun climb higher in the sky. ¡°It¡¯s time to meet an old friend in reality.¡± Two days later. Donghai City. An underground hibernation base. A man in his thirties slowly opened his eyes inside a hibernation chamber. He looked at the mist-covered glass, unable to remember who he was, where he was, or why his entire body felt numb. Following voice prompts, he completed a series of tests, and finally, the chamber door lifted open. He sat up, and his eyes widened in shock as he saw three men squatting by the chamber¡ªone tall, one short, one chubby, all looking at him with mischievous grins. ¡°What... what do you want?!¡± he stammered, fear gnawing at the emptiness in his head. The chubby man in the back held a strange, terrifying device¡ªsomething that looked like an octopus tentacle, a tool of torture. It made the man¡¯s empty mind uneasy, frightened, terrified. ¡°Who are you? And... who am I?¡± The tall young man at the front smiled, stepped closer, and extended his hand. ¡°Hello, Emperor Gao Wen,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s time... to wake up and get to work.¡± Chapter 484: Above the Emperor: Gao Wens Journey This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°Wow, Gao Wen got first place again, and it¡¯s all perfect scores!¡± ¡°He¡¯s amazing... We¡¯re just elementary students, but he¡¯s already studying college-level math!¡± ¡°Ugh, the pressure of sitting next to Gao Wen is too much!¡± ... In an elementary school classroom, a young Gao Wen looked down at the certificates in his hands, his expression blank. It all felt so dull, so predictable. He yearned for something challenging, something that could actually spark his interest. His father was a scientist, and his mother a university professor. Gao Wen had once suggested to them that he should skip ahead to college. They had refused. His mother smiled kindly and said: ¡°Your dad and I know you¡¯re smart, and we know you can learn anything quickly, but life isn¡¯t just about learning facts. There¡¯s so much more to experience.¡± She paused, looking at her young son seriously. ¡°Like making friends, understanding people¡¯s feelings, and learning to empathize. Those things aren¡¯t in textbooks. They¡¯re learned by living. Even if you¡¯ve mastered the school curriculum and always come first in class... are you truly the best student in the entire school?¡± Gao Wen looked up at her, puzzled. ¡°That¡¯s what my teachers say, and the principal too. I¡¯ve won every competition for the school.¡± His mother patted his head gently. ¡°But actually, you¡¯re not.¡± She smiled softly and continued, ¡°You¡¯re excellent in academics, but are you the fastest runner? Do you have the most friends? Are you the kindest, the one who takes care of others, the most eager to help?¡± Gao Wen shook his head, frowning a little. He knew that he wasn¡¯t. He never tried to be. His mother¡¯s smile grew a bit sad. ¡°Exactly. Learning is just a part of life, and life isn¡¯t only about test scores. Kindness, enthusiasm, friendships, helping others, sports, health, empathy... all of these things make a well-rounded person.¡± She paused, looking him directly in the eyes. ¡°There¡¯s always someone better than you in some way, son. You need to remember this truth.¡± Gao Wen nodded slowly. He always understood things easily, and he understood this too. Considering it all together, he definitely wasn¡¯t the best in the school. In some ways... maybe he was one of the worst. His parents, highly educated as they were, never pushed him too hard. They cared more about what lay beyond academic success. They weren¡¯t proud of him for skipping grades or going to college early. They hoped he¡¯d grow into a kind-hearted, helpful person who contributed to society. ? ... That day, during biology class, Gao Wen yawned as the teacher brought in a frog to explain amphibians and how certain animals, like frogs, hibernate during cold weather. Hibernate? Suddenly, Gao Wen¡¯s interest piqued. He hated cold weather and loved warm days. If humans could hibernate... wouldn¡¯t that mean he could skip winter entirely? Now that sounded amazing! He got so excited that the moment school ended, he ran all the way home. ¡°Dad! Dad!¡± Gao Wen shouted, bursting through the door. He eagerly shared his new grand plan for life with his father. ¡°What do you think? Isn¡¯t it a great idea? I¡¯ve decided¡ªthis is my life¡¯s direction!¡± His father listened quietly, then chuckled. ¡°Hibernation, huh? It¡¯s a good idea, but... the technology for that already exists. It¡¯s quite advanced, actually.¡± ¡°What?¡± Gao Wen¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°R-really?¡± His father nodded. He pulled an old, dusty biography from the back of the bookshelf. ¡°The Father of Hibernation: Xu Yun.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still in elementary school, so you haven¡¯t learned about this yet. Plus, the excitement around hibernation has died down. People don¡¯t talk about it much anymore,¡± his father explained. ¡°Usually, people only think about hibernation during tough times. Right now, things are good, so the hibernation industry is quiet. Here¡¯s the book. You should read it.¡± ... Gao Wen read Xu Yun¡¯s biography, and it left him in awe. He thought Professor Xu Yun was the greatest genius in the world. However, the book mentioned that even a genius like Xu Yun couldn¡¯t solve the biggest side effect of hibernation¡ªmemory loss. ¡°The great Professor Xu Yun...¡± Gao Wen clenched his fists, his eyes filled with determination. ¡°I will help you solve this problem! This is my life¡¯s purpose!¡± From that day on, Professor Xu Yun became Gao Wen¡¯s idol. He dreamed of achieving something to complete Xu Yun¡¯s legacy. In the classroom, Gao Wen spent his days lost in thought, trying to figure out ways to recover lost memories. Slowly, he realized that emotions seemed to exist independently of memories. Painful or deeply emotional moments were easier to remember. Could he use that somehow? He remembered his biology class, where the teacher had demonstrated conditioning with a frog¡ªusing electric shocks to train it. Yes! Conditioned reflexes! Training animals to perform tricks in circuses was the same¡ªconditioned reflexes! Why couldn¡¯t this apply to memory? Circus animals were obedient because the pain from training was so deeply ingrained. Maybe this could work for memory too! The moment he figured it out, Gao Wen felt fired up. He couldn¡¯t even wait for school to end. He sprinted home. ¡°Dad! Dad!¡± He excitedly explained his ¡°Brain Electric Shock Memory Activation Plan.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this amazing? I can help Professor Xu Yun solve his biggest regret!¡± But... his father smiled, looking at Gao Wen with admiration. ¡°You always have great ideas, but... the biography I gave you only talked about Professor Xu Yun¡¯s work. It didn¡¯t mention others¡¯.¡± ¡°Actually, the Brain Neural Electric Helmet was already developed by the Research Institute.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Gao Wen felt like the world was collapsing around him. ¡°Someone... already developed it again?!¡± His mother¡¯s words echoed in his head: There¡¯s always someone better. ... But things didn¡¯t go as planned. In the year 2400, a massive catastrophe struck the world, disrupting his intended wake-up time. When Gao Wen finally woke up, he found himself in a strange city. The city was oppressive. Blue-eyed robotic beings patrolled the streets day and night, deducting points for any uncivilized behavior. Gao Wen didn¡¯t care about that, though. All he wanted was to complete his time travel machine. With his intelligence and perseverance, he managed to work his way up to join the city¡¯s top research institution. When he finally got a chance to speak with the director, he made his intentions clear. ¡°I want to research time travel,¡± he said, his voice filled with conviction. ¡°No,¡± the director replied without hesitation. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to waste time on unrealistic projects. We need to focus on stable, proven research. Failures are too costly.¡± Gao Wen felt a surge of frustration. ¡°How can you do science without daring to fail? This city¡¯s point-deduction system has made everyone afraid to take risks, to make mistakes. How can we advance like this?¡± The director shook his head. ¡°No means no. Leave.¡± Gao Wen¡¯s anger boiled over. He slammed the door as he stormed out of the office. BANG! A blue-eyed robot turned its gaze toward him, its eyes glowing yellow. ¡°Identity verified: Gao Wen. Behavior violation detected: damaging public property, excessive door-slamming noise¡ªtotal points deduction: 8. Senior talent reduction: 50%, final points deduction: 4. Current personal score: 91. Please maintain civilized conduct and set an example for others, as the robots do, to help build a better future for humanity.¡± As the robot moved away, Gao Wen¡¯s friend approached, looking worried. ¡°What are you doing, Gao Wen? You¡¯ve offended the director. How will we get funding now?¡± Gao Wen snorted. ¡°Easy,¡± he said, clenching his fists, his eyes blazing with determination. ¡°I¡¯ll become the director myself.¡± ... Two years later, Gao Wen had risen to the position of director through his own talent and sheer willpower. Standing before his team of researchers, he made an announcement. ¡°I want to research time travel. Who¡¯s with me?¡± he asked, his voice echoing through the room. No one raised their hand. Everyone was afraid¡ªafraid of failure, afraid of losing points, afraid of wasting time. Time travel was a black hole, and they knew it. If they joined the project, they could end up with nothing to show for it. Gao Wen closed his eyes, disappointment washing over him. The spirit of research in this era was rotten. People were more interested in earning points than in making real progress. BANG! He slammed his fist against the door. ¡°Utterly rotten!¡± he shouted. A blue-eyed robot approached him, its eyes turning yellow. ¡°Identity verified: Gao Wen. Behavior violation detected: damaging public property, slamming noise, shouting¡ªtotal points deduction: 10. Top scientist reduction: 80%, final points deduction: 2. Current personal score: 4,223. Please maintain civilized conduct and set an example for others, as the robots do, to help build a better future for humanity.¡± Gao Wen stared at the robot, his jaw clenched. This world had no hope. It was time to leave. Even if Sin City was filled with criminals and gangs, at least the people there had courage and spirit. ... ¡°You know about the Universal Constant too?¡± Gao Wen asked, spotting a young man scribbling formulas on a wall in Sin City. The young man turned to him, eyes widening. ¡°You know about it?¡± Gao Wen walked up, taking the chalk from him. He made a few corrections, making the formulas clearer. The young man watched in awe. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m Gao Wen,¡± Gao Wen replied, extending his hand. ¡°And you are?¡± ¡°Chen Heping,¡± the young man said, shaking his hand. ¡°You¡¯re a genius!¡± Gao Wen laughed softly. ¡°You¡¯re not too bad yourself. How about joining me? I¡¯m researching time travel. Together, we can change this awful future.¡± ... ¡°Heping, they want you to be the Godfather,¡± Gao Wen said, looking at his friend. Chen Heping laughed. ¡°Me? No way! Brother Gao Wen, that¡¯s your job.¡± ¡°No,¡± Gao Wen shook his head. ¡°Heping, you¡¯d be perfect. You have the people skills, the diplomacy, the ability to manage everything. I don¡¯t. Besides, you¡¯re smarter than me. You¡¯re the real genius.¡± Chen Heping grinned, taking a swig of beer before handing the bottle to Gao Wen. ¡°I should be thanking you. You brought hope to Sin City. You gave us a chance to change our future.¡± Gao Wen smiled. ¡°You helped me achieve my dream, Heping. For so long, I felt like I was being controlled by some invisible hand. But now, thanks to you, I finally feel like I¡¯m in control.¡± He took the beer, downed it in one go, and exhaled. ¡°Thanks to you, our time machine is almost complete. My dream is about to be realized.¡± ... But then, tragedy struck. Chen Heping, exhausted from overwork, fell ill and passed away. Gao Wen wept like he¡¯d never wept before. After the tears, he knew he had to keep going. He was the Godfather of Sin City now. He had to finish the time machine¡ªfor Heping, for humanity, for the future. ¡°Big Cat,¡± Gao Wen said, patting the head of Chen Heping¡¯s teenage son. ¡°Your father was a hero. Be like him¡ªbecome a great man.¡± Big Cat wiped his nose, nodding. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure our gang grows stronger!¡± Behind them, San Pang nodded. ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± ... August 28, 2624. A historic day. Sin City, under Gao Wen¡¯s command, was about to launch an attack on Donghai City to seize spacetime particles. With those particles, they could activate the time machine and change the past, creating a better future. Standing in front of the time machine, Gao Wen rested his hand on its cold surface, thinking of his friend. ¡°Heping,¡± he whispered, ¡°we¡¯re finally going to succeed. Today, we¡¯ll get the spacetime particles, and our dream will come true. This time, my life will never be played with again.¡± Suddenly, the door to the underground lab burst open. ¡°Godfather! I brought two new recruits! Come take a look!¡± a familiar voice called out. Gao Wen turned, seeing a tall young man and an even younger girl. The young man stepped forward, extending his hand. ¡°Hello, Gao Wen.¡± Gao Wen blinked in surprise. He didn¡¯t know this young man. ¡°Who are you?¡± The young man smiled. ¡°My name is Lin Xian.¡± Chapter 485: Yu Xis Letter This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°Ahh! Nooooo!¡± Gao Wen was strapped to a restraining chair, an octopus-like neural electric helmet clamped tightly on his head. His screams echoed through the bare, sterile room, each sound bouncing off the cold, empty walls. His whole body convulsed, his eyes rolled back, and bright flashes of light rushed through his mind¡ªhis memories flickered like a broken film reel. Then, abruptly, everything stopped. The tremors subsided, the light on the helmet switched from red to green, and Gao Wen¡¯s gasping breaths slowly filled the silence. He lifted his head, eyes fluttering open, squinting at the three men standing in front of him. ¡°Thank you... I remember everything before hibernation now,¡± Gao Wen managed to say, still breathing heavily. He paused, studying the faces in front of him. ¡°But... I don¡¯t know any of you. Who are you people? You don¡¯t look like the staff from the hibernation center. Who are you?¡± Lin Xian smiled softly and took a step forward, reaching out to unbuckle the leather straps that held Gao Wen down. ¡°Who we are doesn¡¯t really matter,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°What matters is... Gao Wen, what do you want to do now?¡± Lin Xian finished undoing the straps and stepped back, giving Gao Wen space to sit up. ¡°Do you have a dream?¡± Lin Xian asked, his voice gentle but probing. For a moment, Gao Wen sat still, holding his breath. His eyes flickered, and his expression grew distant. ¡°I used to have dreams,¡± he said quietly. ¡°But every time I tried to chase them, it felt like fate was playing tricks on me. Everything I was interested in, someone else always beat me to it. And the strangest part¡ªtheir ideas were always exactly like mine.¡± Gao Wen paused, staring down at the helmet that had just been removed from his head. ¡°Even this helmet¡ªit¡¯s exactly what I envisioned, both in how it looks and how it works. But... it wasn¡¯t mine. It was created two hundred years before I was even born.¡± ¡°It kept happening,¡± Gao Wen continued, his voice tinged with bitterness. ¡°Again and again, I felt like some dark hand of fate was mocking me. So, I decided to go into hibernation¡ªto escape that hand and maybe, just maybe, find my true purpose in a future far from the one I knew.¡± Behind Gao Wen, Liu Feng and Gao Yang exchanged a glance, biting their lips to stop themselves from giggling and ruining the serious mood. Lin Xian patted Gao Wen¡¯s shoulder, his expression sincere. ¡°Exactly, Gao Wen. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here,¡± he said. ¡°Right now, humanity¡ªthe world¡ªneeds you. Your life¡¯s purpose, your value, is far greater than you think.¡± Lin Xian extended his hand. ¡°My name is Lin Xian. Join us, Gao Wen. Let¡¯s work together to build a time machine and save the future.¡± Gao Wen blinked, taken aback. He stared at Lin Xian¡¯s outstretched hand, a sense of connection forming between them. ¡°A time machine?¡± Gao Wen¡¯s voice trembled with excitement. ¡°You¡¯re researching time travel too? That was my dream before I went into hibernation!¡± His face brightened. ¡°I¡¯ve even done some preliminary work¡ªsome rough ideas, really¡ªbut I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re pursuing the same goal!¡± Lin Xian smiled, and Gao Wen continued, ¡°What stage is your project at? Could you show me? Lin Xian, I want to join you. I promise to follow all the confidentiality rules. I just want to contribute, to make something meaningful in this time, to fulfill my dreams.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Lin Xian nodded, gesturing to Liu Feng, who stepped forward. ¡°This is Liu Feng,¡± Lin Xian introduced. ¡°He¡¯s in charge of the Rhine University lab and has been overseeing the time machine project.¡± Gao Wen immediately bowed deeply to Liu Feng. ¡°Professor Liu,¡± he said earnestly. ¡°Oh no, no, no!¡± Liu Feng stammered, quickly bowing even lower. ¡°Professor Gao, you¡¯re the true expert here!¡± ¡°Professor Liu, you¡¯re too kind,¡± Gao Wen replied, bowing again. ¡°I¡¯m just a junior.¡± ¡°Professor Gao, you are remarkable!¡± Liu Feng insisted, bowing once more. ¡°Professor Liu.¡± ¡°Professor Gao!¡± Lin Xian quickly stepped between them, gently pulling them apart. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. We¡¯re heading to Rhine University¡¯s lab to show you the prototype of the time machine.¡± The four of them left the room and climbed into a car headed for Rhine University. Lin Xian turned to Gao Wen during the ride, asking about his age. Gao Wen looked younger than Lin Xian had expected, perhaps in his early thirties. This was the youngest version of Gao Wen he¡¯d ever met¡ªhe lacked the aura of authority Lin Xian remembered from his older self. ¡°Gao Wen,¡± Lin Xian called from the front seat, ¡°how old are you now?¡± ¡°I was thirty-five when I went into hibernation,¡± Gao Wen replied. Lin Xian did some mental calculations. Gao Wen was born in 2182 and went into hibernation in 2217. The anti-hibernation virus had spread for about two centuries before fading away. ¡°So, Gao Wen, you weren¡¯t affected by the anti-hibernation virus when you were born?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Not exactly,¡± Gao Wen answered. ¡°When I was born, the virus¡¯s impact had lessened significantly, but it was still around, with a 20% infection rate. I was infected, but it didn¡¯t seem important at the time.¡± ¡°As the virus weakened, people started to recover. By the 23rd century, it was so weak that it couldn¡¯t survive outside a lab¡ªit couldn¡¯t handle temperature changes or the human immune system. Even in ideal conditions, it¡¯d just die out.¡± Gao Wen smiled wryly. ¡°Back in university, the students in the virus lab struggled just to keep it alive in petri dishes.¡± Lin Xian nodded. Viruses, like all things, had a lifespan. They weakened, faded, and eventually disappeared, much like people. Lin Xian might have had personal reasons to dislike the idea, but he had to admit¡ªGauss had a point about fairness. ¡°So, the virus in your body eventually died off on its own?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Gao Wen said. ¡°It didn¡¯t affect my health, so I never paid it much attention. By the time I chose to go into hibernation¡ªfeeling disillusioned with the world, feeling like fate was playing games with me¡ªthe virus was already long gone.¡± Gao Wen sighed deeply. ¡°Lin Xian, thank you so much for giving me the chance to join your team. I finally feel like someone understands me. I¡¯m no longer fighting alone, and I think that dark hand that played with my fate is finally gone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Lin Xian reassured him. ¡°That hand is out of moves.¡± The car ride was mostly silent after that, Lin Xian watching the passing cars and thinking about their ages. Liu Feng was thirty-seven, Gao Wen thirty-five, and he and Gao Yang were both twenty-six. Elon Musk was still in his fifties, and Du Yao was twenty-seven, still in hibernation. This was the team for now¡ªa small but elite group, the best of the best. Well, except for the chubby guy napping in the front seat. When they finally arrived at the secret lab at Rhine University, Gao Wen stared in awe at the sleek, white structure of the time machine. He rushed forward, his fingers brushing over its polished surface. ¡°Amazing... absolutely amazing,¡± Gao Wen whispered, his voice filled with wonder. ¡°This is exactly how I imagined it¡ªbeautifully designed, flawless.¡± Lin Xian nodded, standing up and crossing his arms. ¡°Exactly,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s trying to make us realize something, but it can¡¯t say it outright. There must be a reason for that.¡± Gao Yang stared at VV, then at Lin Xian. ¡°This thing is a terrible actor,¡± Gao Yang muttered. ¡°But I guess it¡¯s just an artificial idiot¡ªit can only do so much.¡± ¡°Trash! Trash!¡± VV suddenly shouted, ramming into Gao Yang and knocking him into a flowerbed. It picked up a scrap of paper from the ground with its claw, waving it around triumphantly. Lin Xian watched the scene, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. VV was definitely doing this on purpose. It wanted him to understand something without outright telling him. Lin Xian knelt in front of VV again, staring at the storage compartment on its side. He tried to pry it open, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°VV,¡± he said softly. ¡°Did Yu Xi leave me a letter too?¡± VV remained silent. Lin Xian sighed, understanding what the silence meant. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, locking eyes with VV¡¯s glowing sensors. ¡°So Yu Xi did leave me a letter, but you¡¯re not giving it to me. Is it because Zhao Ying Jun told you not to? Did she program you to keep it from me?¡± VV¡¯s claw clamped down on Lin Xian¡¯s ankle, and it shouted, ¡°Trash! Trash!¡± Lin Xian shook his head, smiling faintly. ¡°No? Then let me guess again,¡± he said. He could feel it¡ªhe was getting close. There was a mutual understanding between him and VV now. If VV stayed silent, it meant he was right. If it yelled, he was wrong, and he had to guess again. ¡°If the letter was just an ordinary one, you could¡¯ve given it to me alongside Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s letter,¡± Lin Xian mused aloud. ¡°No matter what Yu Xi¡¯s feelings were¡ªanger, forgiveness, or something else¡ªI should have seen it. We¡¯re father and daughter. There¡¯s no reason not to share those feelings.¡± VV remained still, its sensors locked on Lin Xian. ¡°So, the letter must contain something important,¡± Lin Xian concluded. ¡°Something more than just her emotions¡ªa secret, perhaps. Something that Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t think I should see just yet.¡± VV stayed silent, as if frozen again. ¡°You¡¯re not giving me the letter because you think it¡¯s not the right time yet,¡± Lin Xian continued. ¡°There would be consequences if I read it now, wouldn¡¯t there?¡± VV stayed silent. Lin Xian smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. He was finally getting somewhere. ¡°VV,¡± Lin Xian said quietly, ¡°one last question. Did Zhao Ying Jun set a specific time for me to read the letter, or did she not want me to see it at all?¡± VV clamped down on his ankle, yelling louder than ever, ¡°Trash! Trash! Found trash!¡± Lin Xian patted VV¡¯s lid gently and stood up, looking up at the statues that loomed over them. ¡°I see,¡± he said. Gao Yang climbed out of the flowerbed, brushing dirt off himself. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What do you mean you ¡®see¡¯?¡± Lin Xian exhaled slowly, a thoughtful expression on his face. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun must have given VV instructions,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s a time or a condition that has to be met before I can see Yu Xi¡¯s letter.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Gao Yang looked indignant. ¡°Your daughter wrote you a letter, and your wife and a trash can decided to hide it from you?!¡± Lin Xian smiled slightly. ¡°If Zhao Ying Jun made that decision, there must have been a good reason for it,¡± he said. ¡°Something happened during those 200 years that changed everything¡ªsomething she and Yu Xi learned. But it¡¯s not something I¡¯m meant to know right now.¡± Gao Yang huffed, wiping dirt off his face. ¡°But when will you be able to see it? Why does everything have to be so mysterious?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s gaze softened, his voice filled with determination. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s in Yu Xi¡¯s letter,¡± he said. ¡°But I trust Zhao Ying Jun. I trust Yu Xi. I trust the future we worked together to build. Whatever she left for me¡ªit¡¯s important. Maybe even miraculous.¡± Lin Xian turned, walking away from the statues, VV rolling along beside him. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Gao Yang called after him, still brushing dirt off his coat. ¡°Look ahead,¡± Lin Xian said, his voice carrying a sense of purpose. ¡°Zhao Ying Jun knew everything. She told me to look forward, not back¡ªto keep moving.¡± Lin Xian looked up at the sky, the sun beginning to dip below the horizon. ¡°Tomorrow, the comet carrying Astatine-339 will pass by Earth,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re going against time itself.¡± Gao Yang jogged to catch up, his face a mix of confusion and awe. ¡°Time to set out!¡± Chapter 486: Brooklyn Chapter 486: Brooklyn This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation At Donghai University Rhine Joint Laboratory, the time travel machine was almost complete. Everything was ready except for the calibration module. Tomorrow, when the comet passed by Earth, bringing Astatine-339, they would finally be able to initiate time travel. Thanks to Gao Wen, the last part of the machine was completed quickly. Liu Feng looked at Gao Wen with admiration, his eyes practically sparkling. ¡°Professor Gao, you¡¯re a real lifesaver!¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Gao Wen quickly shook his head, almost like a rattle drum, and gave a modest bow. ¡°Professor Liu, it¡¯s all because of the groundwork you¡¯ve done. I was just building on the shoulders of giants.¡± ¡°Professor Gao, you¡¯re being too humble. It was your effort that got us here!¡± Liu Feng said, bowing back. ¡°Professor Liu, you¡¯re giving me too much credit. As a junior, it¡¯s an honor to help out,¡± Gao Wen insisted, bowing yet again. ¡°Professor Gao!¡± Liu Feng bowed a fourth time. ¡°Professor Liu!¡± Gao Wen bowed a fifth time. Lin Xian stepped forward, positioning himself between the two, and gently pulled them apart. ¡°Alright, alright, enough of this bowing back and forth, you two. Let¡¯s focus on what¡¯s important.¡± He then turned his attention to the time travel machine. The completed machine looked almost exactly like what he¡¯d seen in the Eighth Dream. Even though Gao Wen suggested that they could use a direct connection to the power grid, Liu Feng insisted on building it based on Gao Wen¡¯s original designs, as a tribute to the work they had already done. Lin Xian placed his hand on the cold metal surface, the gesture mirroring what he¡¯d done in the Eighth Dream. They had finally made it. The sacrifices, the sleepless nights, all of it had led them to this point. This was their last chance¡ªto travel back to 1952 and find a way to change everything. ¡°This is our last hope,¡± Lin Xian whispered, closing his eyes. Today was December 9th, 2234. Ever since he¡¯d woken up from hibernation, Lin Xian had ridden his motorcycle every night, exploring the few places that still held possibilities. But after going through every area, he hadn¡¯t found a single soul. There were no more sources of information from the dream world. He had even considered finding Mai Mai¡¯s hibernation chamber in 2234, thinking it might create a link between 2234 and 2624, allowing him to communicate between the timelines. If that worked, he could buy the entire underground hibernation base, put his safe there, and then access it again in the Ninth Dream. But two issues stood in his way. First, Mai Mai was only twelve years old in 2234, and she wouldn¡¯t enter hibernation for another five years. He couldn¡¯t interfere with her life¡ªchanging her future might mean she never went into hibernation, or did so somewhere else, cutting them off from their lead. Second, her hibernation chamber¡¯s location could change over the centuries. His and Gao Yang¡¯s chambers had once been in the Capital City Research Institute, but they¡¯d ended up in Donghai City when they woke up. There was no way to guarantee that the underground base in 2234 would still be there in 2624. It was likely that the base wouldn¡¯t last that long, and Mai Mai¡¯s hibernation chamber would be relocated multiple times in those four centuries. It was even possible that the base hadn¡¯t been built yet in 2234. Because of this, that plan had to be abandoned. Lin Xian also made a visit to Time Bank, where he learned that Gauss¡¯s anti-hibernation virus had pushed the bank to the edge of bankruptcy. It didn¡¯t matter though¡ªZhao Ying Jun¡¯s immense wealth and control of three major companies kept Time Bank afloat, with some financial assistance. Now, backed by Donghai University, Time Bank was financially stable. When the anti-hibernation virus had finally disappeared, hibernation became popular again, and Time Bank¡¯s business took off. Lin Xian visited Time Bank¡¯s warehouse, standing before safe number 66 for a while. He knew the Spacetime Particle Capturer, the ¡°rice cooker,¡± was still inside, along with the note Chu An Qing had left him before she died. But without being able to locate the safe in the Ninth Dream, that option was lost. So the only path left was the time travel machine¡ªthey had to go back to 1952. That was their last hope: to find out the truth behind the Millennial Stake, the secrets of the Genius Club, Einstein¡¯s knowledge, and how Zhang Yu Qian¡¯s dream connected to the World-Ending White Light. ¡°Everything depends on tomorrow,¡± Lin Xian said to himself, his gaze drifting to Gao Wen and Liu Feng, who had somehow started bowing to each other again. ¡°Tomorrow, the comet with Astatine-339 will enter the atmosphere,¡± Lin Xian continued. ¡°All the world¡¯s major powers have been preparing for years¡ªthey¡¯re ready to launch orbital nukes to break it apart.¡± ¡°Otherwise, if that comet hits¡ªit¡¯s over ten kilometers across¡ªit could cause an impact like the one that wiped out the dinosaurs.¡± Lin Xian explained how the nations would shatter the comet into thousands of fragments, which would turn into meteors. Where and when those fragments might fall was unpredictable. But even if some of them hit, they¡¯d only leave a few craters¡ªnothing that would spell the end of humanity. ¡°To be the first to get our hands on Astatine-339, we¡¯ll need Elon Musk¡¯s help. I¡¯m going to America now. You two stay here and keep testing the machine,¡± Lin Xian instructed. ¡°Elon Musk will use his resources to secure Astatine-339 for us. I¡¯ll bring it back, and we can start our time travel mission,¡± he added determinedly. The next day, at Space-X¡¯s third launch base in America, it was still pitch-black, the early hours of the morning. In X Country, it was already noon, but in America, the night was alive with people. Crowds had gathered, all looking up at the sky, waiting for a comet that had been 157 years in the making. ¡°Einstein was right,¡± Elon Musk said, leaning against the railing of an observation tower that rose hundreds of meters high. He turned to Lin Xian, who was standing beside him. ¡°March 27th, 2077¡ªthat¡¯s the exact date we detected it. Not even a day off. Our space telescopes spotted the comet, and its light spectrum revealed unknown substances, sparking a century-long wait for humanity,¡± Musk explained. The comet¡¯s path was quickly calculated¡ªit was hurtling through space at a speed no human-made object could match, destined to collide with Earth in 2234. ¡°Not ¡®arrive¡¯ exactly,¡± Musk said with a wry smile. ¡°More like ¡®crash.¡¯ But we humans have long since learned how to use nukes in space. Blowing up an asteroid or comet? Easy.¡± He pointed up, and Lin Xian followed his gaze. ¡°See up there? You can already spot it with the naked eye.¡± Sure enough, in the southern sky, a massive, bright comet was streaking across the sky, moving at incredible speed. It looked huge¡ªalmost like some divine being descending from above. There was no mistaking it for a simple meteor. Its tail shimmered with seven colors, lighting up the night sky. ¡°If we don¡¯t destroy it, it¡¯s a worldwide disaster,¡± Lin Xian muttered. ¡°Technology will save us,¡± he added. ¡°Even without fancy aerospace tech, even with just rockets and missiles, humanity could have dealt with this threat. The only question was whether we¡¯d blow it up before it entered the atmosphere or after. Human potential is limitless¡ªwe¡¯re not like the dinosaurs, wiped out by a single asteroid.¡± Musk glanced at his watch. ¡°It¡¯s about to start. Watch closely. This will be a key moment in human history.¡± The nations had coordinated, rehearsing the plan over and over. They would attack the comet from multiple angles, using a saturation approach¡ª216 orbital nukes launched from satellites, space stations, rockets, and crewed spacecraft. ¡°Two hundred and sixteen nukes?¡± Lin Xian exclaimed. ¡°This has to be the biggest military operation humanity¡¯s ever attempted. But yeah, if we want to be absolutely sure, a saturation attack is the safest bet.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t all need to hit,¡± Musk said. ¡°Just a few will be enough to shatter the comet and avert the crisis.¡± ¡°Look!¡± Musk handed Lin Xian a telescope. ¡°You can already see hundreds of lights heading for the comet. It¡¯s really something. The only thing that could compare was when Kevin Walker hijacked my satellites two hundred years ago to rain meteors on you!¡± Lin Xian chuckled, accepting the telescope. ¡°That was ages ago. Kevin Walker and Turing have been gone for two centuries, and you¡¯re still holding a grudge?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I have three goals¡ªthe Stake, the Genius Club, and Einstein. Even if I only accomplish one of them, it¡¯ll be a step forward.¡± He clapped his hands together. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do this.¡± Gao Yang approached Lin Xian, his palms sweaty. He grabbed Lin¡¯s hand. ¡°You better come back.¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will.¡± He climbed into the capsule of the time machine, looking out at his friends. ¡°This mission¡ªto save the future¡ªit¡¯s all because of you. I won¡¯t let you down.¡± With that, the capsule door closed. Silence filled the room, and Lin Xian sat alone, the only sound his breathing and heartbeat. He took a deep breath, feeling the machine begin to hum, the vibrations increasing. ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡± Lin Xian shouted. BOOM! A violent explosion echoed in Lin Xian¡¯s mind. It felt like a singularity had exploded in his head, scattering everything before pulling it back into a whirling fireball, spinning faster than he could comprehend. Suddenly, a black ape stood trembling on a grassy plain, upright as the sun rose from the horizon. The ape grabbed a shattered bone, wielding it like a weapon against the howling of other monkeys. It hurled the bone, and it transformed into a spear, piercing through the chest of an armored soldier. Blood sprayed into the air, morphing into thick steam that rose higher and higher until it became a roaring freight train. The iron tracks vanished into smoke, and a jet, fierce and fast, broke through the clouds above. The fractured sky split apart and became an endless ocean, and Lin Xian found himself sinking thousands of meters underwater. He felt breathless, yet his mind was eerily clear. His subconscious struggled, reaching upward, yearning to break through and taste the air above. In the deep blue waters, he could see every detail, even the tiny microorganisms floating around like specimens. A white whale clashed with a giant squid, their battle shaking the ocean as bits of flesh scattered. Suddenly, Lin Xian found himself shooting up from the water¡ªbut instead of water, he emerged onto dry land. He looked around to see a yellow plain filled with creatures from different eras: mammoths, dinosaurs, giraffes. Between their legs prowled saber-toothed tigers, apes, lizards¡ªall moving together. And beneath these creatures, the ground moved like a living sea¡ªnot water, but a mass of ants, trilobites, and insects of every kind, writhing and swarming together. Then, darkness descended. In the sky above, countless wings blotted out the sun, plunging the land into shadow. The scene collapsed, as if the universe itself was being compressed, shrinking back into a single bright point. A flash of light¡ªand then silence. Lin Xian gasped, suddenly aware of his own body again. He stood barefoot on cold pavement, the chaotic noises of the city around him¡ªpeople talking, cars honking, merchants calling out. Slowly, Lin Xian opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. The scene was something like an old movie from the 20th century. Electrical poles crisscrossed the sky, their wires a chaotic tangle. The brick buildings were worn and peeling, iron staircases clung to their sides. Fruit stands filled the street, and girls in white dresses with curly hair passed by. Old-fashioned cars clattered down the road. Well-dressed men sat on the sidewalk, getting their shoes shined by weary Black men crouching at their feet. A group of young men, their faces blank, sat by the road¡ªtheir wary eyes following Lin Xian for a moment before they looked away. ¡°Is this...¡± Lin Xian blinked in confusion. ¡°Abroad?¡± He was certain he was in a foreign land. Judging by the clothes and buildings, it looked like the year was 1952¡ªa time filled with nostalgia, a time from before he was born. The time was right¡ªbut where exactly was he? What country? What city? ¡°Extra! Extra! Get your paper here!¡± Lin Xian turned, hearing the voice of a young boy. The boy was Black, his large backpack filled with neatly folded newspapers. He ran around the street, shouting loudly in English to attract attention. He twisted and jumped, hoping for a sale. A man in glasses and a black hat approached, handing the boy a coin. ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± the boy said, flashing a bright smile as he handed over a newspaper and bent to find the man¡¯s change. Lin Xian squinted, taking advantage of the distraction. He quietly moved behind the boy, grabbing a newspaper from his backpack and quickly looking at the front page. ¡°Brooklyn Daily, October 28, 1952.¡± Though it was in English, Lin Xian understood it perfectly. ¡°Brooklyn?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened as he took a deep breath. ¡°Is this Brooklyn, New York, USA?¡± This wasn¡¯t just any place. ¡°The painting ¡®Sorrowful Einstein¡¯ was made here. Ji Xin Shui¡¯s dearest friend was buried here. And most importantly, this is where she was from¡ªher hometown, right here in Brooklyn!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± A voice suddenly called out, snapping Lin Xian out of his thoughts. He turned quickly. ¡°Hehehe, stealing isn¡¯t very nice, you know~¡± A young girl sat on a roadside railing, smiling mischievously. She had long, dark brown hair, slightly curly and tied up in a fluffy ponytail. Her eyes, bright and pretty, turned into crescent moons as she smiled. A small beauty mark under her left eye added to her charm, and her fair, round cheeks dimpled when she grinned. She pointed at the newspaper in Lin Xian¡¯s hand. ¡°I saw everything~¡± she teased. Chapter 487: Blue and Black This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°C... C?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at the girl standing before him. She looked so familiar¡ªexactly the same. The hair color, the eyes, even the slight curl of her hair and the small mole near her eye¡ªthey were identical. And here they were in Brooklyn, CC¡¯s old home. Lin Xian spoke without thinking, blurting out her name: ¡°CC.¡± For a moment, he was confused. He had assumed this journey to 1952, in search of the Millennial Stake, would be challenging¡ªnearly impossible. He had even planned to start by tracking down Albert Einstein, who was practically a superstar of this era. It seemed much more practical than chasing some legendary object without any clues. But he hadn¡¯t expected this. The Millennial Stake of 1952 was right here, standing at the exact spot where the spacetime rift had opened. Could this be... fate? The rift had been caused by the stake, so maybe the stake itself had some kind of tracking ability for spacetime rifts? ¡°Huh?¡± The girl looked at Lin Xian, startled by the name ¡°CC.¡± She jumped down from the railing, her eyes locking onto his. She spoke in clear American English, ¡°How do you know my name? Do we know each other?¡± Lin Xian froze. He had called her name instinctively, but as soon as he said it, he realized it couldn¡¯t be right. This girl wasn¡¯t Chu An Qing, nor could she be CC. The reason was simple: her flawless American accent. He¡¯d heard Chu An Qing speak English before, and her accent, like most people from X Country, had a foreign lilt to it. And if she really was An Qing or CC, she would definitely have spoken to him in their native language. The fact that she confronted him in English meant she didn¡¯t know him. She wasn¡¯t Chu An Qing or CC¡ªshe was the original Millennial Stake, a girl from this time. Which made sense. After all, this was 1952. Neither An Qing nor CC should be here. But the problem was¡ª If that was the case, why had she reacted to the name ¡°CC¡±? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t figure it out. ¡°Your name is really CC?¡± he asked, frowning as he studied the girl who looked so familiar yet so strange. ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied. The girl¡¯s pretty eyes were filled with curiosity. ¡°No one¡¯s called me that for a really long time. It was just a nickname my grandma used to call me when I was little.¡± ¡°My first and last names both start with ¡®C,¡¯ and both are really long. Since there were so many kids around, my grandma said it was easier just to call me ¡®CC.¡¯ And that¡¯s how it stuck.¡± She looked at him, puzzled. ¡°But how did you know? Only my family calls me that.¡± Lin Xian opened his mouth to respond, but a voice interrupted him. ¡°Hey, mister! You need to pay for that newspaper!¡± The small boy, who had been looking for change, turned back to Lin Xian, eyes wide as he saw the paper in his hand. Tsk. Lin Xian clicked his tongue. All because of this girl, also named CC. If she hadn¡¯t interrupted him, revealing his attempt to steal the newspaper, he would¡¯ve already been gone, his hands clean, slipping away unnoticed. Who would¡¯ve thought... The stealing skill he had used successfully countless times in dreamscapes had been exposed here, in reality, by someone who felt like ¡°one of his own.¡± It was a little embarrassing. Lin Xian looked at the boy and said in English, ¡°I was just looking at it for a moment. I¡¯m not interested anymore. Here, take it back.¡± He held the Brooklyn Daily out to the boy. He hesitated, glancing back down the alley. A chill ran down his spine, and he rubbed the back of his head, his fingers brushing against something¡ªsomething almost imperceptible, like a tugging string. It wasn¡¯t just a weird feeling; he could actually sense something there, something that seemed to be pulling at the back of his head, keeping him connected to something above. It felt like an invisible kite string, tugging gently, and it had been there all through the chase. He hadn¡¯t noticed it while running, but now that he had stopped, he couldn¡¯t ignore it any longer. It was uncomfortable¡ªa constant pull at the base of his head. Where did this ¡°kite string¡± lead to? Why could he feel it so clearly? Suddenly, Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I understand,¡± he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible. ¡°This is the tether¡ªthe tether of the entangled spacetime particle. The kite string connects me back to 2234, the point where I began.¡± It was a strange sensation¡ªa mix of discomfort and awe. He could sense the tether¡ªlike he was a kite, drifting in 1952, yet still connected to his own time. As long as that string was intact, he could be pulled back. But if it snapped¡ªif the worldline shifted¡ªhe¡¯d be lost, a kite with no string, stranded in a foreign sky. Lin Xian closed his eyes, focusing on the odd feeling at the back of his head. The connection was strong, and he realized he could follow it, let it pull him back to 2234 in an instant. But he forced himself to ignore it. He wasn¡¯t ready¡ªhe hadn¡¯t completed his mission yet. ¡°Hey!¡± CC¡¯s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She sounded annoyed. ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m asking you questions, and you¡¯re just standing there, daydreaming? Ugh, I should¡¯ve let them catch you.¡± Lin Xian turned back to face her, blinking. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said quickly. ¡°You wanted to know how I knew your name, right?¡± CC nodded, her arms still crossed. ¡°Is that name very important to you?¡± Lin Xian asked softly. CC hesitated, her expression softening. ¡°Not really,¡± she said finally. ¡°It¡¯s just... no one¡¯s called me that in a long time. I guess I miss it.¡± ¡°Would you tell me your story?¡± Lin Xian asked earnestly. ¡°I swear, I¡¯m not lying. I know someone named CC who looks just like you, but she¡¯s not you. I need to figure out the connection¡ªif there is one. Could you tell me about yourself, your identity, where your name came from? Maybe it could help us both.¡± CC blinked at him, her expression softening even more. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± she asked quietly. ¡°You think you can help me figure out who I am?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t promise anything,¡± he said honestly. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t lie to you. And... just to be clear, I know it was wrong to take the newspaper without paying. I¡¯ll pay the boy back, I promise.¡± CC stared at him for a long moment, then finally sighed, shaking her head. ¡°Alright,¡± she said, her voice soft. ¡°I was adopted by an old lady when I was just a baby. She was kind¡ªa widow. The First World War took her entire family¡ªher husband and her children all died in the fighting.¡± ¡°When the war ended, the government gave her compensation and medals. She had no family left, so she decided to use the money to do some good. She set up an orphanage.¡± Lin Xian listened intently, nodding slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t know who my real parents are,¡± CC continued. ¡°I was left on the steps of the orphanage when I was just born. All they left was a note, with my name on it, and a plea for the kind lady to take me in.¡± Lin Xian nodded again, understanding beginning to dawn on him. He had thought CC might have meant her biological grandmother, someone related by blood. But instead, it was the orphanage director¡ªa woman who had lost everything to war. ¡°There were over thirty kids at the orphanage,¡± CC said, a wistful smile touching her lips. ¡°So Grandma¡ªthat¡¯s what we called her¡ªgave us all simple nicknames. She said my real name was too long, so she just used the first letter of each word. That¡¯s how I became CC.¡± She looked away, her smile fading. ¡°There¡¯s no deep story behind it. It¡¯s just... no one¡¯s called me that in so long, and I really miss those days. Living in the orphanage, with Grandma and the other kids... those days are gone forever.¡± Lin Xian noticed a tear forming in the corner of her eye, but she quickly wiped it away. ¡°Do you mean... your grandma is...?¡± Lin Xian asked, his voice hesitant. ¡°Yes,¡± CC nodded, her voice soft. ¡°She passed away a few years ago. After that, the orphanage couldn¡¯t keep running. We all went our separate ways. Most of the kids got adopted, but no one wanted to take in someone my age. I haven¡¯t seen any of them since then. In a place like Brooklyn, it¡¯s easy to disappear.¡± She looked up at him, her eyes hardening again. ¡°So no, I didn¡¯t help you because you called me CC. I helped you because... well, because you reminded me of something.¡± Lin Xian frowned. ¡°Reminded you of what?¡± CC sighed, shaking her head. ¡°Grandma always used to tell me that even though I had an American name, my face looked like I came from X Country. She said that my parents, or maybe my ancestors, must have come across the ocean, fleeing some war back in X Country. And she always told me that we should help our own people, especially when we¡¯re far from home.¡± Lin Xian nodded slowly, understanding now. ¡°But... how could you tell I was from X Country just by looking at me?¡± CC smiled, shaking her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Black hair, black eyes, yellow skin... You¡¯re as X Country as they come.¡± Lin Xian blinked, confused. ¡°Wait¡ªblack eyes?¡± ¡°What else?¡± CC asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Are you colorblind or something?¡± Lin Xian barely heard her. He turned, looking around until he spotted a broken motorcycle, its rearview mirror still intact. He hurried over, tilting the mirror towards himself. The face that stared back at him was his own¡ªfamiliar, unchanged. But the eyes that met his gaze were not the bright blue he was used to. They were black. Completely black. ¡°What... what is happening?¡± Lin Xian whispered, his heart pounding in his chest. Had he really succeeded in traveling through time? And if he had, why had his eyes changed? Chapter 488: A Talk Worth Having This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian squinted, staring at his reflection in the motorcycle¡¯s rear-view mirror. Something was off. This face... He had seen it every day since he was a kid, countless times in the mirror. So he knew¡ªwithout a doubt¡ªthere was no spacetime rejection reaction happening. His face was exactly the same as before he¡¯d traveled through time. No changes at all. His eyes, for instance. Every spacetime traveler, or anyone from another timeline, had blue eyes. It was a clear and undeniable sign¡ªa rule of time travel. Even the biological samples brought by the false Yu Xi, the spacetime particles, and the starry dust that travelers left behind when they disappeared, they all turned blue. It was like a signature, an imprint of another time. Yet Lin Xian¡¯s eyes showed not the slightest hint of blue. It wasn¡¯t what he expected. In fact, it was the strangest thing he had encountered since arriving here, in 1952. It wasn¡¯t scientific. It wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. Lin Xian believed in the laws of spacetime. They were constants, unbreakable. And yet, it seemed they had... failed? ¡°Have the laws of spacetime... failed?¡± Lin Xian muttered, standing up and gazing toward the sunrise in the distance. It was October 28th, 1952. Brooklyn. The chill in the air hit him now for the first time, seeping through his thin otter suit and trousers. It was almost winter, and without adrenaline pumping through him from running, the cold was creeping in, settling into his bones. Everything he believed seemed to be unraveling¡ªthe rules of time and reality becoming vague and unclear. It was a cold unlike any he had ever felt. A real, biting cold. The spacetime laws had always been his anchor. They were a certainty, a foundation. If those laws could fail, what else might go wrong? Could this timeline still be considered normal? ¡°No, no, no. Let¡¯s think this through,¡± Lin Xian muttered, trying to bring some order to his racing thoughts. First things first: he was sure he had traveled through time. From Donghai in 2234 to Brooklyn in 1952. That was certain. The ¡°kite string¡± at the back of his head was proof enough¡ªa connection to his original timeline. An invisible line that connected him to his time in the future. He could sense it, like a tether pulling on his thoughts. If he focused, he was confident he could follow that string and return home. He had the ability to travel back¡ªthat much was clear. It was the nature of the entangled spacetime particles. Anyone who had them could feel that connection. But then, why hadn¡¯t his eyes changed? Why hadn¡¯t there been the usual spacetime rejection? His appearance should have altered, his eyes should be blue by now, and if he died, he should disappear into blue starry dust. Those were the rules. But none of it had happened. ¡°There are only two possibilities,¡± Lin Xian said, his thoughts sharp and focused. ¡°Either the spacetime laws have failed in 1952, or they haven¡¯t taken effect yet.¡± He glanced at CC, who was standing in the narrow alley nearby, staring at him like he was insane. His gut told him it was the latter. [Because the first millennial stake hasn¡¯t been hammered down yet, history hasn¡¯t been locked, and therefore the spacetime laws I know haven¡¯t activated.] ¡°That must be it,¡± Lin Xian whispered to himself. ¡°Only this reasoning can explain why this is happening.¡± He remembered Yellow Finch¡¯s cryptic hints¡ªthe millennial stakes were there to lock history in place. It was only after that that the spacetime rejection and forced avoidance would take effect. This was something new¡ªsomething he could only understand by experiencing time travel for himself. He realized that until CC turned twenty and the first millennial stake was hammered into the river of time, history wouldn¡¯t be locked. And without locked history, spacetime rejection wouldn¡¯t happen. Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts became clearer. History locking was a prerequisite for spacetime rejection. Without history being locked in place, there could be no spacetime rejection. This deepened his understanding of the spacetime laws. He looked at CC again, who was staring at him, obviously thinking he was completely out of his mind. Lin Xian ignored her puzzled expression. Once CC¡¯s 20th birthday arrived, the first millennial stake would be hammered down, and the river of time would be forever altered. It would create spacetime fissures, officially locking history in place. And after that, every 24 years, another stake would be driven in to continue locking history as it was meant to be. ¡°I understand now,¡± Lin Xian said, a sense of clarity washing over him. He finally understood the millennial stakes and their purpose. Only by driving those stakes could history be locked, preventing spacetime travelers from altering it. It was all about stability¡ªmaintaining world lines. Without those stakes, everything was still in flux. He realized that, right now, he could make changes to history. Because the first millennial stake hadn¡¯t yet been hammered down, there were no rules preventing him from altering events. But when exactly was the first stake hammered into place? Lin Xian turned back to CC, who was leaning against the wall in the alley, watching him warily. ¡°Hey, what do you want?¡± CC said, her voice filled with suspicion. ¡°Is there something wrong with your head?¡± Lin Xian ignored her tone, his own voice serious. ¡°CC, I need to ask you something important. How old are you now?¡± ¡°Nineteen,¡± she replied, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Is your 20th birthday soon? In the next month or two, maybe?¡± CC blinked, looking confused. ¡°How do you know that? Hey... you¡¯re really weird. You know my childhood nickname, CC, and now my birthday too? Don¡¯t tell me the girl you know, the one who looks like me, has the same birthday on December 24th?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°No, not at all. But so you¡¯re a Christmas Eve baby? That¡¯s quite the day.¡± ¡°Not really,¡± CC said, shrugging. ¡°I don¡¯t even know my real birthday. I¡¯ve told you before, I was abandoned at Granny¡¯s orphanage. The note they left only had my name. Granny picked December 24th as my birthday because that¡¯s when she found me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my real birthday, but who cares? As long as I celebrate once a year and grow older, it¡¯s all the same.¡± CC¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and she slapped his hand away, giving him a half-hearted high-five instead. ¡°Don¡¯t call me boss,¡± she muttered. ¡°Then what should I call you?¡± Lin Xian asked, still smiling. ¡°Just call me CC,¡± she replied. For a moment, Lin Xian stood there, dazed. This scene seemed oddly familiar¡ªlike something out of a dream. Three years ago, or maybe two hundred years ago, depending on how you looked at it. He¡¯d first met Big Cat Face and CC in a dream, and they¡¯d gotten caught up in a bank robbery¡ªthe beginning of everything. The memory flashed before his eyes: the failed attempt to crack the safe, the way he¡¯d offered his hand to CC, asking her what she wanted to be called. She¡¯d made the same gesture, spoken the same words. Suddenly, Lin Xian¡¯s stomach growled, the loud sound echoing in the narrow, quiet alley. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± They stared at each other, the awkward silence stretching between them. Lin Xian knew it was embarrassing, but he couldn¡¯t help it. It wasn¡¯t his fault. Before he got into the time travel machine, Liu Feng and Gao Wen had told him to fast for 24 hours¡ªpreferably have an empty stomach before traveling through time. By the time he arrived, he was already starving. Then all this had happened. Running, escaping¡ªhe¡¯d used up all his energy. Now his stomach was staging a full-on protest. ¡°Uh...¡± Lin Xian scratched his head sheepishly. ¡°Could you, um, buy me some bread? I promise I¡¯ll pay you back.¡± CC¡¯s forehead twitched, and a vein popped as she glared at him. ¡°You! You¡¯re getting way too comfortable! And haven¡¯t I told you a hundred times? I don¡¯t have any money. Not a penny!¡± ¡°Then how do you usually eat?¡± Lin Xian asked, rubbing his stomach. ¡°Whatever you do, I¡¯ll do too. I¡¯m not picky¡ªas long as I get food.¡± CC sighed, closing her eyes for a moment as if fighting the urge to leave him right there. But she¡¯d already promised to help him one last time. She couldn¡¯t back out now. She took a deep breath and looked at him. ¡°Are you a Christian?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian replied, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m an atheist. I believe in science.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t believe in Jesus?¡± CC asked. ¡°Nope,¡± Lin Xian said plainly. ¡°Atheist means I don¡¯t believe in anything. Just science.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a shame,¡± CC muttered, shaking her head. ¡°No food for you, then.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian blinked in confusion. ¡°Wait, what does being a Christian have to do with food? Are you saying if I believed in Jesus, I¡¯d get fed?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± CC replied, pointing toward the rising sun along the East Coast. ¡°There¡¯s a church near the docks. A shipyard owner donated it. If you attend the morning Mass and listen to the priest read from the Bible, you get a free breakfast afterward.¡± ¡°A lot of dockworkers weren¡¯t Christians originally,¡± she continued. ¡°But after talking with the priest, they became believers. You, on the other hand¡ªsince you¡¯re an atheist, we won¡¯t force you. The priest says we have to respect everyone¡¯s beliefs.¡± She waved her hand dismissively as she started walking away. ¡°I¡¯m off to Mass. Figure out how to feed yourself, then come find me by the docks.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Lin Xian grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. CC turned back, exasperated. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°What did you say just now?¡± Lin Xian asked, his eyes intense. CC frowned, thinking. ¡°I said, since you¡¯re an atheist, I¡¯m not going to force¡ª¡± ¡°No, not that.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Before that.¡± CC blinked, tilting her head. ¡°Before that? I said a lot of the dockworkers became believers after talking to the priest. What about it?¡± Lin Xian smiled, releasing her wrist. He lifted his right hand, mimicking Jesus from the ¡°Salvator Mundi¡± painting, his index and middle fingers pointing upward. ¡°Everyone can be converted,¡± he said, his voice sincere, his eyes shining. ¡°I can talk too. I can believe in Jesus.¡± Chapter 489: Yet to Become the Stake This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°Huh?¡± CC looked at Lin Xian in disbelief. ¡°You... you¡¯re just going along with this?¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Lin Xian shook his head, disagreeing. ¡°I have to correct you. I was moved by the Lord. Such compassionate and generous behavior¡ªhow could it not touch anyone¡¯s heart?¡± ¡°In this broken age, the Lord and His followers care for the whole world, pitying the people. They provide free breakfasts for dockworkers and homeless wanderers like us. If we don¡¯t believe in Him, what should we believe in? The ruthless capitalists?¡± Lin Xian spoke eloquently, leaving CC speechless. She felt like... something was different about this X Country man in front of her compared to the loyal, honest people her grandmother always described. But... ¡°Alright.¡± CC nodded. ¡°The priest also said that God forgives everyone, and those who return from their lost path are our companions.¡± ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s greatness,¡± Lin Xian declared, placing his right hand over his chest. His eyes sparkled with devotion, loyalty, and a genuine glow. ¡°Long live Jesus.¡± ... This wasn¡¯t Lin Xian¡¯s first encounter with Christianity. Back when he was attending university in Donghai, he had come across similar activities. There were several churches in Donghai, with church organizations regularly hosting gatherings in the city, in parks, or places where people congregated. The activity was simple and down-to-earth¡ªgiving away eggs. As long as you listened to the teachings and left your contact information, you could get eggs. If you were ¡°moved¡± on the spot, you could even get a few more. That led a group of older men and women to rush in to believe in Jesus, praising Christian teachings and the Lord¡¯s mercy. They¡¯d even fight each other to prove their piety. The scene was grand, and the success rate was almost 100%. However, when the eggs were gone, so was their faith. The piety of those men and women only lasted as long as the eggs did. If they promised more eggs tomorrow, they¡¯d murmur Bible verses that night. If not, then goodbye Jesus, hello fried egg. X Country people had always been like this. They never believed in useless gods; whoever worked, they believed in. If it didn¡¯t work, they¡¯d quickly switch to another. This land didn¡¯t support idle gods. Lin Xian, naturally, also had this adaptable kind of faith. When he saw those church activities back then, he had thought that if they handed out snacks or milk tea, he wouldn¡¯t mind reciting a few Bible verses. Pragmatism was, after all, the core belief of X Country people. If it wasn¡¯t necessary, they wouldn¡¯t make it complicated. ¡°I wonder... if my Lord and Father could help me with my shoe problem,¡± Lin Xian said, looking down at his dirty, bare feet with a wry smile. ¡°Look at me, I have no shoes, I¡¯m wearing short sleeves in the middle of winter, and I¡¯m cold and starving. If the Lord and Father can solve these two problems for me... I¡¯ll sing the loudest during the hymn later.¡± ¡°You can get a coat,¡± CC said indifferently. ¡°The church at the dock hands out coats for poor believers, donated by a kind merchant. The aim is to keep wanderers and beggars warm in winter, preventing them from freezing to death.¡± ¡°Wait, really?¡± Lin Xian truly felt the light of Jesus for the first time. ¡°They really give out winter coats?¡± He had been half-joking, but it seemed to be true. R? ¡°And shoes? Are there any shoes?¡± CC rolled her eyes at him. ¡°You really think the church is a shopping mall? Of course, there are no shoes. The church and the priest won¡¯t provide those. But... if other believers know you¡¯re in need, they might offer you a helping hand. But there¡¯s no guarantee.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°So, it¡¯s all about acting... I mean, demonstrating one¡¯s faith.¡± ¡°...¡± CC was at a loss for words. She finally understood. This man was only here for the food, clothes, and shelter. Despite all his cries of ¡°Long live Jesus,¡± there wasn¡¯t a trace of real faith in his heart. ¡°Alright, do what you want. Just don¡¯t cause any trouble for me. And when we get into the church, pretend you don¡¯t know me. I don¡¯t want to get dragged into whatever mess you create.¡± ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your name? How should I call you?¡± ¡°Lin Xian,¡± he replied. ¡°Link?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s Lin Xian-Xian.¡± Lin Xian spelled it out carefully for her. ¡°It¡¯s an X Country name. Just call me whatever sounds close enough. I¡¯ll know you¡¯re talking to me.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hurry up to the dock. I can¡¯t wait for the service.¡± CC snorted softly. ¡°You can¡¯t wait for breakfast, can you?¡± ... The slanted morning sunlight shone through the narrow streets of Brooklyn, spreading warmth and a sense of calm over the city. Lin Xian was barefoot. He followed behind CC. The two of them walked along uneven paths, wandering in the morning sun, headed toward the dock. Lin Xian followed behind, making casual conversation. All the while, thoughts of spacetime laws, temporal interference, and the unresolved mystery of the Millennium Stake filled his mind. He couldn¡¯t quite figure out what was going wrong. And what worried him more was not knowing when CC might vanish into a cloud of blue stardust. That uncertainty kept him constantly on edge. The Millennium Stake would dissolve every 24 years, precisely at 00:42 on the girl¡¯s 20th birthday. But the problem was... every Millennium Stake girl had a different birthday. Chu An Qing was born on March 28th; Zhang Yu Qian on January 15th; CC from 600 years into the future on August 29th; and the current CC... he could only estimate her birthday was in November, without knowing the exact day. Troublesome. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, Lin Xian thought of something important! All Millennium Stake girls had a similar, strange pattern in their dreams. He could still feel his connection to the future¡ªthat invisible ¡°kite string¡± that anchored him to 2234 was still intact. The worldline hadn¡¯t shifted; he was still linked to the future, and he could return anytime. If he changed history here in 1952, that elasticity of time would snap. The worldline could diverge, and he¡¯d end up on an entirely different path. The ¡°kite string¡± would break, and he¡¯d be trapped¡ªlost in time, unable to return to where he belonged. He remembered the promise he had made to Liu Feng: ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be a good, law-abiding citizen here in 1952. No killing, no revealing anything to anyone important. I¡¯ll just be an observer, like an NPC, a camera. My goal is just to collect information and use it for a breakthrough back in our own time.¡± Lin Xian sighed. Such was the dilemma of a time traveler. But he decided he wouldn¡¯t be too rigid¡ªhe¡¯d adapt as needed. For now, the best plan was to stay close to CC. She hadn¡¯t yet become a Millennium Stake, and something was bound to happen to trigger it. All he had to do was wait for that ¡°something¡± to happen. ¡°Lin Xian, we¡¯re here,¡± CC said, halting suddenly. She pointed to a patch of greenery to their right. Lin Xian followed her gaze. Beyond two rows of evergreen shrubs stood a modest, classic-looking Christian church. It wasn¡¯t very large, but it seemed big enough to hold more than a hundred people for a service. Lin Xian tilted his head back, looking at the cross perched at the top of the church. Its design was unlike anything he had seen at the churches in Donghai. Maybe there was some symbolism to its style, but he wasn¡¯t knowledgeable enough about Christianity to tell. He was only here for a free meal, after all. He glanced left, down towards the docks below. The church sat on higher ground, with dozens of stone steps leading down to the docks. It was early morning, and the dockworkers were already bustling about. Travelers boarded and disembarked from ships; the entire area buzzed with life. Compared to the shabby clothes of the dockworkers, the passengers from the merchant ships looked especially refined. The men wore well-fitted black suits with matching hats and long scarves, giving off a classic black-and-white movie charm. Meanwhile, the women wore colorful dresses¡ªred, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple¡ªtheir clothes vividly bright, perhaps even a little garish. That was the character of the time. In Lin Xian¡¯s era, women wearing such flashy colors would be considered ¡°tacky,¡± but in the ¡¯50s, it was the height of fashion. ¡°Stop staring, Lin Xian. Let¡¯s get to the church,¡± CC said, grabbing his arm and pulling him to the right. ¡°The service is starting soon, and we can¡¯t be late.¡± They walked down the brick-paved path, heading for the church. The small stones beneath Lin Xian¡¯s feet felt uncomfortable, and he hoped they¡¯d receive the Lord¡¯s grace soon¡ªin the form of a meal. As they approached the church, Lin Xian noticed a large pot and several tents set up outside. The pot was filled with creamy, thick corn chowder, and beside it were stacks of heavy-looking bread. ¡°Is it limited?¡± Lin Xian asked, his stomach grumbling at the sight. ¡°One serving per person,¡± CC replied. ¡°That¡¯s not much...¡± Lin Xian said, eyeing the bread. ¡°Probably not enough for those dockworkers.¡± CC nodded. ¡°But this way, more people get something. The funds donated by the believers are limited. They want to help as many as they can.¡± She looked at Lin Xian, sizing him up. He was tall and strong¡ªhe clearly needed more than just one serving. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she said with a gentle smile. ¡°I¡¯ll share half of mine with you.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s too much. I¡¯ll be fine with a little¡ªmaybe I can figure something out...¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± CC interrupted, shaking her head. ¡°I can¡¯t eat that much anyway, and you look like you haven¡¯t eaten properly in days. Just eat more.¡± She gave him a playful glare. ¡°Just promise me you won¡¯t embarrass me in there. Behave yourself, okay? You¡ªyou don¡¯t exactly look like a believer. More like an... Indian thief.¡± ¡°Why Indian?¡± Lin Xian frowned, raising an eyebrow. CC shrugged. ¡°Just saying. You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re in this era. If it were a few decades later, you¡¯d get arrested for saying things like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just being honest,¡± CC said, tugging at his sleeve. ¡°You¡¯re wearing animal skin. I thought I was imagining it, but it¡¯s real fur. What did you go through to end up in fur clothes, without even proper shoes?¡± Lin Xian shook his head with a small smile. The otter fur he wore was valuable, no matter the era. But now, it just seemed like old rags. ¡°Do I really look that poor and pitiful?¡± CC nodded. ¡°Yes. Very poor, very pitiful. You¡¯re wearing fur, dressed for summer in this cold weather, and no shoes. Worse off than anyone in the Brooklyn slums.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Lin Xian smiled, his gaze drifting up to the statues of Yahweh and the Virgin Mary carved into the church wall. ¡°Thanks to you, I think I know exactly how to get the Lord¡¯s grace.¡± ¡°Wait... what are you planning?¡± CC asked, her eyes widening. Lin Xian smirked. ¡°Just watch.¡± He stepped ahead of her, placing his hands on the double wooden doors. Creeeeak¡ª The doors swung open, and sunlight poured in, framing Lin Xian as he stepped into the sacred church... Enhance your reading experience by removing ads: Remove Ads Now Chapter 490: The Wall This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Sunlight streamed in through the church windows, bathing the murals in a soft, golden glow. The pews below the altar were almost entirely filled, with just a few empty spots scattered here and there. Despite the crowd, the church was utterly silent. Everyone sat quietly, their eyes either closed in meditation or gazing towards the front, waiting for the pastor to begin. Dockworkers dressed in worn clothes sat side by side with the well-dressed elite of society, all sharing the same solemn expression in the presence of the sacred. Lin Xian and CC walked down the central aisle, scanning the rows for a place to sit. Lin Xian glanced around, noticing the diversity of those gathered. It wasn¡¯t just a mix of rich and poor; there were people of different nationalities, each representing a corner of the world. He spotted an Italian man with striking features, an Irish woman in simple clothes, and several people with Asian traits, though they weren¡¯t from X Country. Naturally, there were also many Black dockworkers¡ªunderstandable given the proximity to the docks. Lin Xian wondered how many people were here just for the free breakfast. CC had once joked that he was probably the only one, as everyone else seemed genuinely pious. Lin Xian didn¡¯t believe that; he thought CC was just a little too innocent. He followed her silently as she found them a seat along the edge. They had barely settled in before the pastor arrived, leading the choir onto the platform. The choir began to sing, the opening notes of the hymns echoing through the church. The service had begun, and for Lin Xian, so had his journey towards a free meal. He had no idea how to sing hymns, but he had heard this melody before. He simply mouthed the words, pretending to be caught up in the moment. While he was fake-singing, he glanced sideways at CC. She sang with pure devotion, her face alight with sincerity, much like a student trying her hardest to impress a teacher. Lin Xian blinked, feeling that this version of CC reminded him of Chu An Qing¡ªinnocent, sincere, warm, and kind. The CC from 600 years in the future had a different aura. She was still kind, but it took time for her warmth to show. Before they became close, Lin Xian had thought of her as cold and distant¡ªsomeone who kept people at arm¡¯s length. But it was understandable, considering her experiences and the harsh environment she grew up in. This CC from 1952 was different. Though stubborn at times, she had a soft heart. Despite Lin Xian¡¯s reputation as a ¡°newspaper thief,¡± she had still chosen to bring him here, helping him get a meal even though he clearly lacked devotion. It made Lin Xian think. Was every Millennial Stake girl really the same person, reincarnated over and over? Or were they different individuals, each chosen to carry the same fate? If CC in 1952 was the same as Zhang Yu Qian, Chu An Qing, and all the other Millennial Stake girls, it would mean that they were all one and the same, their memories wiped clean each time they were reborn. It would be like how Gao Wen existed across different world lines, always the same person but with different names. But if each Millennial Stake girl died, leaving only a lookalike to take her place due to some mysterious power, then CC wasn¡¯t Chu An Qing, nor Zhang Yu Qian. They would be entirely different people, connected only by their appearance. Lin Xian¡¯s musings were interrupted as the hymn ended. The next part of the service involved prayer¡ªfirst private, then communal. Lin Xian watched as CC clasped her hands, her eyes closed in deep prayer. For Lin Xian, a firm believer in materialism, this part of the service was hard to take seriously. Did praying actually work? If it did, then Gauss¡¯ virus wouldn¡¯t have spread, he wouldn¡¯t have had to leave Ying Jun and Yu Xi, and Jesus could have just stopped the World-Ending White Light. But that wasn¡¯t how the world worked. Still, the promise of free corn chowder and bread was real. Lin Xian¡¯s stomach growled, reminding him of his priorities. For now, ¡°materialism¡± meant ¡°food.¡± So he closed his eyes, clasped his hands together like CC, and continued pondering his theory. At first, he believed that CC and Chu An Qing were different people¡ªtheir personalities were just too different. He even used Chu An Qing¡¯s gentle nature to mock CC once, which had annoyed her. But as they spent more time together, Lin Xian noticed similarities between them. Now, seeing this version of CC, he saw traits from both Chu An Qing and the future CC in her. It made him lean towards the idea that they were all the same person. Could Zhang Yu Qian, Chu An Qing, and even the CC of 2624 all be this same girl from 1952 Brooklyn? He opened his eyes, glancing at CC beside him. He wasn¡¯t sure how to think of her anymore. There was no way to prove or disprove his theories. Besides, was this CC even the Millennial Stake yet? Could she become it? So many questions remained unanswered, and it was going to be a long journey to find the truth. Lin Xian sighed. He had only just arrived in 1952¡ªless than three hours ago¡ªand already he had made significant progress. He had found CC, gathered some clues, and had a direction for his investigation. Slowly but surely, things were coming together. With the ¡°kite string¡± on the back of his head guiding him, Lin Xian felt secure. He wasn¡¯t afraid to stay in Brooklyn longer if it meant getting to the bottom of everything. After the prayer ended, the pastor began reading scripture and giving a sermon. CC listened attentively, nodding occasionally. Lin Xian, however, wasn¡¯t interested. He began planning his next steps for the ¡°Brooklyn Project.¡± To complete his mission, he needed a clear plan. After some thought, Lin Xian settled on a three-step approach: First, stay by CC¡¯s side until she became the Millennial Stake. Witnessing how she became it might provide clues to break the fate of the Millennial Stake and save Chu An Qing. Next, once the first Millennial Stake was established, investigate Einstein. Find out if Albert Einstein was connected to the Genius Club¡ªwhether he was its president and how he had the ability to foresee the future. R?? Lastly, use the information from the first two steps to unravel the mysteries of 1952. Figure out if the events were connected to the World-Ending White Light of 2624 and understand the truth behind Zhang Yu Qian, Chu An Qing, and CC¡¯s shattered dreams. With this plan in mind, everything seemed clearer. Lin Xian nodded to himself, hoping that things would go smoothly and he could return to 2234 with all the answers. ... By then, the priest had finished his sermon. He closed the Bible on the altar, leading the congregation in a final prayer. Then he placed his left hand on his chest while his right hand made the sign of the cross ¡ª touching his forehead, chest, left shoulder, and right shoulder ¡ª and said, ¡°Amen.¡± All the believers followed suit, including Lin Xian, who repeated, ¡°Amen,¡± along with everyone else. And with that, the service was over. Anyone who had questions, confessions, or anything else to discuss could now speak with the priest. Otherwise, they could leave in an orderly fashion or go outside to receive a free breakfast. ¡°This is it,¡± Lin Xian whispered, his eyes narrowing with determination. He had already scoped out the layout, ready to put his ¡°river otter act¡± into action. The two frontmost rows, closest to the altar and the priest, were filled with high-society members. Their clothes and dignified manner spoke of wealth and status, and they seemed far more devout than the workers sitting behind them. ¡°It¡¯s time to put on a show,¡± Lin Xian muttered to himself. ¡°Thanks to VV for all those Hollywood acting lessons; I actually learned something useful.¡± He squeezed past CC, heading straight to the front, where sunlight poured in and bathed the priest in a warm glow. CC watched him go, confused. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Lin Xian turned, quickly gesturing for her to stay quiet and just watch. ¡°Stop being stubborn,¡± CC insisted, dunking half of her bread into his chowder. ¡°You¡¯re a big guy. This little bit won¡¯t be enough. Just eat it and stop arguing.¡± Lin Xian looked at CC, who was skinny and obviously malnourished. Then he glanced down at the half of her bread, now soaking in his chowder, tiny bubbles rising to the surface. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered. He kept his head down and started eating. For some reason, CC¡¯s bread felt softer than his own. Once they finished eating and returned the bowls to the church, they went back to the broken dock, sitting on a wooden crate and gazing out across the river at the Manhattan skyline. It was a cyberpunk-like experience. Around them were old, run-down shacks, everything dirty, wet, and smelly. But a simple upward glance revealed Manhattan¡¯s clear skyline in the distance. Manhattan ¡ª the wealthiest area of the wealthiest city in America, with the most luxurious lifestyles and the tallest skyscrapers. The tallest building among them was the Empire State Building, the most iconic landmark in New York. Standing 381 meters tall with 102 floors, it was the tallest building in the world at that time, holding the record from 1931 until 1972. It would be twenty more years before any building surpassed it. It was hard to believe that all that wealth and splendor lay just across the river from the run-down Brooklyn slums. The stark contrast reminded Lin Xian of the Second Dream... Back then, he had stood on the uneven rooftops of Old Donghai Village, gazing at the neon lights of New Donghai City in the distance, feeling that same sense of otherworldliness. ¡°The center of the world, Manhattan,¡± CC said softly from behind him. Lin Xian turned around. He saw CC staring at the distant skyscrapers, her eyes full of longing. ¡°It¡¯s the most prosperous, most beautiful place in the entire world,¡± she continued. ¡°At night, when the lights are on, it¡¯s even more beautiful. It truly is the center of the world.¡± Lin Xian blinked. The center of the world... He remembered that description well. In 2023, when he participated in the ¡°World Hacker Competition,¡± he and Chu An Qing stayed at the Aman Hotel in Manhattan. After the celebration banquet, they had stood on the observation deck of the hotel, overlooking all of Manhattan. He had pointed out the Empire State Building to her and showed her the Rockefeller Center and the Hudson River. Chu An Qing had been genuinely impressed then. ¡°So this is the center of the world?¡± she had said. It just so happened that, across the river from them that night, was the very place where Lin Xian now stood with CC: Brooklyn. He hadn¡¯t imagined it then, but now... He felt a connection spanning across time. In 2023, he stood in Manhattan with Chu An Qing, looking at Brooklyn from afar. Now, in 1952, he was with CC in Brooklyn, looking across the river at Manhattan. It was disorienting. He couldn¡¯t help but look around... In 1952, was the Aman Hotel already standing in Manhattan? Probably. The building had a history spanning over a century, though it only had 23 floors. From their position on the dock in Brooklyn, it wouldn¡¯t be visible, hidden behind the taller buildings. ¡°Do you really like Manhattan that much?¡± Lin Xian asked, seeing the longing in CC¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you want to go there?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she said without hesitation. ¡°Everyone in Brooklyn dreams of going to Manhattan.¡± ¡°But... we can¡¯t get there.¡± CC turned to look at the massive bridge stretching across the Hudson River. ¡°See that bridge connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°The Brooklyn Bridge. Probably the most famous bridge in the world.¡± It had been a constant feature in countless Hollywood movies. Sometimes it was blown up, sometimes it got crashed into, other times it served as a backdrop for car chases... The bridge had a long history. When it opened in 1883, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, the first bridge built using steel. At the time, it was hailed as the eighth wonder of the world. Even centuries later, it still stood tall. But... CC smiled sadly, shaking her head. ¡°It looks like a bridge, but really, it¡¯s a wall ¡ª a wall that stands between Brooklyn and Manhattan, one we can never cross.¡± She looked at Lin Xian and said quietly, ¡°It¡¯s a wall that we... will never be able to get over.¡± Chapter 491: Keeping Promises This novel is translated and hosted on BcatranslationNo?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°What¡¯s so impossible about it?¡± Lin Xian pointed towards the distant Brooklyn Bridge, then turned back to look at CC. ¡°In the end, it¡¯s just a bridge¡ªa physical one. As long as we have feet, we can walk across it from Brooklyn to Manhattan. It might take a while, but why couldn¡¯t we make it?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± CC let out a dismissive chuckle. ¡°Why pretend to be something you¡¯re not? You don¡¯t belong there. Why push so hard to go? We¡¯re not even qualified to set foot in Manhattan.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± CC hopped off an old, splintered crate, spreading her arms wide to show off her worn-out clothes. She pointed at Lin Xian¡¯s patched-up coat. ¡°Look at us. No one in Manhattan wears clothes like these. Everyone there¡ªmen and women alike¡ªwears neat, beautiful clothing. The men have suits or wool coats, ties, and hats. The women are dazzling¡ªtheir dresses are flowing, lovely, elegant.¡± She sighed, glancing down at their own tattered outfits. ¡°That¡¯s the difference, Lin Xian. We belong in Brooklyn. Manhattan... it¡¯s not our world.¡± ... Lin Xian watched CC in silence. The more she spoke like this, the more he sensed her longing for Manhattan. To be fair, this version of CC had probably faced the worst circumstances among all her reincarnations. Zhang Yu Qian and Chu An Qing were both born into wealthy families, which made Lin Xian think that perhaps reincarnations had rules¡ªlike being born into prosperity. CC¡¯s background was unclear to him, but from what she shared, she had both parents alive and a relatively comfortable childhood. But this CC... She¡¯d had it rough. Abandoned at birth, she¡¯d grown up in an orphanage¡ªuntil it shut down, leaving her homeless. Now here she was, standing in run-down Brooklyn, longing for a beautiful gown, her eyes filled with desire. ¡°Do you want a dress too?¡± Lin Xian asked with a gentle smile. He had noticed how CC¡¯s eyes lit up when she spoke of the women of Manhattan in their elegant dresses. ¡°Of course I do! What girl wouldn¡¯t want a pretty dress?¡± CC bit her lip and spoke softly, ¡°I¡¯d love to wear a white dress¡ªlace and gauze, light and airy.¡± ? ¡°Why white?¡± Lin Xian tilted his head, curious. ¡°This morning, when I saw the ladies coming off the boat, they wore dresses in all sorts of colors¡ªlike a rainbow, trying to catch everyone¡¯s eye.¡± He paused, then added with a grin, ¡°And your description... it almost sounds like a wedding dress.¡± CC waved her hand. ¡°Oh, come on, I was just describing it. I¡¯ve never worn a white dress, so how could I be that specific?¡± She gave a little sigh. ¡°The reason I want a white one is that I¡¯ve never worn anything white before. In the orphanage, all our clothes were hand-me-downs, passed down until they were worn out. ¡°White clothes get dirty too easily¡ªwear them a couple of times, and they¡¯re ruined. So, we always wore dark colors¡ªblack, brown, blue, purple... anything but light.¡± She looked down at her tattered clothes and continued, ¡°I¡¯m still a teenage girl, you know? Of course I want to wear something pretty¡ªsomething that lets me spin around on the beach like... like Marilyn Monroe.¡± She chuckled, her eyes curving like crescent moons as she looked back at Lin Xian. ¡°Hey, do you¡ªyou know Marilyn Monroe, Mr. Caveman?¡± Lin Xian smiled at the nickname. ¡°Of course I know her.¡± Marilyn Monroe was one of the most famous actresses in America¡ªespecially now, in 1952, when her fame was at its peak. So, when CC made that comparison, Lin Xian understood what kind of dress she dreamed of¡ªlight and flowing, like Monroe¡¯s. He sighed, thinking back to Chu An Qing, the little princess from Donghai. He felt a pang of sympathy for CC¡ªthis Brooklyn girl. A simple white dress shouldn¡¯t be such a far-off dream. But for CC, it was like a distant star¡ªbeautiful and unattainable. Habitually, Lin Xian put his right hand in his coat pocket, feeling for his phone, credit card, or wallet. Nothing. His pocket was empty¡ªemptier than his stomach. He wasn¡¯t the billionaire CEO he used to be¡ªright now, he was even poorer than CC. There was nothing he could do to help. ¡°If I ever get the chance, I¡¯ll buy you a white dress,¡± Lin Xian promised, trying to sound casual. ¡°Consider it my way of saying thanks for looking after me.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± CC gave him a disdainful look. ¡°Stop talking nonsense. If you have that much time, why don¡¯t you find a way to make money? Quit following me around like a puppy and causing trouble. That¡¯d be thanks enough.¡± Lin Xian laughed, shoving his hands in his pockets. ¡°I¡¯m serious. I don¡¯t have money now, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll always be broke. Just you wait¡ªI¡¯ll keep my promise.¡± He glanced at the distant Manhattan skyline. ¡°And since you like Manhattan so much, why not visit the Brooklyn Heights Promenade?¡± Bang! Click. Bang! Click. Each shot Lin Xian fired hit its target. The father and the booth owner paused, watching in astonishment as he effortlessly took down balloon after balloon, barely even aiming. Bang! With the final balloon bursting, Lin Xian had scored a perfect ten. He smirked and pointed at the Alice doll on the top shelf. ¡°I¡¯ll take that.¡± The owner, grumbling, had no choice but to hand over the boxed doll. Lin Xian crouched, smiling at the sniffling girl. ¡°Would you like it?¡± The girl immediately stopped crying, her eyes wide. She nodded eagerly. The parents looked relieved and asked Lin Xian, ¡°Would you consider selling it to us?¡± Lin Xian handed the doll to the girl, then held out his hand to the father. ¡°Two dollars, please.¡± Without hesitation, the father handed over two one-dollar coins, thanked him, and left with his now-content daughter. Lin Xian smirked. Making money off spoiled kids was easy. He then gave one dime to the booth owner. ¡°No more games. Change, please.¡± CC had been watching the whole scene, stunned. Lin Xian whistled, approaching CC. He opened his palm to reveal a handful of coins¡ª1-dollar coins, 25-cent coins, 10-cent coins. ¡°Oh my god...¡± CC gasped. She had never expected this man from X Country could, in a matter of minutes, earn two dollars¡ªlike magic! Two dollars was a fortune. She looked up at Lin Xian, her eyes shining. ¡°Lin Xian, you did it! This will last you for so long!¡± But Lin Xian just smiled. ¡°Survival is important, sure. But now we can afford a bus ride... to Brooklyn Heights.¡± CC drew in a breath. ¡°You...¡± Finally, she understood what he meant when he said he¡¯d get them a ticket to Brooklyn Heights. He wasn¡¯t joking. Still... she shook her head. ¡°No, Lin Xian. You should keep this money for food. Brooklyn Heights, Manhattan¡ªthey¡¯ll be there for years. Decades. If we don¡¯t see them today, they¡¯re not going anywhere.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, just because you got lucky once doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll always have that luck. Don¡¯t waste money on something unnecessary. Use it to fill your stomach.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not unnecessary,¡± Lin Xian said seriously. ¡°Keeping my promises, no matter how small, is what matters most.¡± He looked at CC, really looked at her. For a moment, she seemed to blur with Chu An Qing¡ªher hopeful smile, her excitement about a world beyond reach. ¡°There are so many things I promised and never did,¡± he said quietly. He thought back to Donghai, when Chu An Qing had promised to be his guide at the British Museum¡ªto see the famous ¡°Sorrowful Einstein¡± painting and collect clues. They¡¯d planned that trip, and she had been so eager. It never happened. At the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, on his birthday, she¡¯d made him a sweet, sticky cake. He promised her a surprise on her twentieth birthday. He failed. On the Space Shuttle, two miles above Earth, in her final moments, she wrote him a note, asking him to open it in the dream. He still hadn¡¯t done it. He had promised her father, Chu Shan He, that he¡¯d protect her, bring his beloved daughter home. But he failed. Lin Xian sighed. Enough with broken promises. It wasn¡¯t that hard to buy a white dress. He didn¡¯t need every meal¡ªhe could always find food at the church. And he didn¡¯t know when this version of CC would disappear¡ªa blue speck of dust in time. Better to make the most of what little time they had. ¡°Huh?¡± CC looked puzzled. ¡°You haven¡¯t promised me anything... We just met.¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get moving.¡± Lin Xian cut her off, grabbing her wrist and pulling her along. ¡°Wait! Before we head out, we have to stop back at the street where we started and repay that newspaper boy,¡± he said over his shoulder. CC followed behind, laughing despite herself. ¡°You really are someone who keeps his word, huh?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Lin Xian smiled, looking out at the horizon, remembering that small, stooped newspaper boy. ¡°I hope... he hasn¡¯t gotten into trouble because of us.¡± Chapter 492: Small Characters This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation With his equipment upgraded and wearing the fancy leather shoes donated by a kind soul, Lin Xian found walking on the paved road much more comfortable, and his steps quickened noticeably. In half an hour, he and CC returned to the old street where they had first crossed over. It didn¡¯t take long before they spotted the little black boy with the newspapers on his back, looking utterly dejected as he tried to sell them. His voice was weak, almost lifeless: ¡°Newspapers... newspapers... today¡¯s paper...¡± It reminded Lin Xian of an old, tired robot on its last battery. The poor kid probably had scenes of getting scolded replaying over and over in his mind. Lin Xian strode forward purposefully. Hearing footsteps, the boy¡¯s head shot up, excitement flashing in his eyes, but just as quickly his expression changed. His eyes widened, and he stepped back, inhaling sharply, clearly about to yell. ¡°Quiet. Don¡¯t even think about screaming,¡± Lin Xian interrupted, flicking a coin from his right hand. Instinctively, the boy caught it. When he opened his palm, he saw a ten-cent coin, enough to buy several newspapers. He looked at Lin Xian, eyes wide in astonishment. ¡°Keep the change. Consider the rest a compensation for your trouble,¡± Lin Xian said, then turned away, waving his hand as he walked off with CC. The boy watched them hurry away, finally realizing that he¡¯d profited after all. Bowing hastily towards Lin Xian¡¯s retreating back, he shouted, ¡°Thank you, sir! Thank you! Have a wonderful day!¡± ... ¡°Sigh... you, you¡¯re something else,¡± CC said, shaking her head with an amused smile as they walked further away. ¡°When you were broke, you¡¯d shamelessly go to the church for food, and now, the moment you get a bit of money, you start acting like a big shot, wasting it all without a care. If you keep this up, no matter how much you earn, you¡¯ll end up with nothing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only fair to compensate him,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°After all, the newspaper I grabbed wasn¡¯t the same as buying it properly, right? I know you probably didn¡¯t think much of me at first, but that was really a desperate moment. I do have principles. At least, I¡¯m not the kind to let others pay for my mistakes.¡± CC nodded, her expression softening. ¡°You¡¯re right. My first impression of you wasn¡¯t great. Especially when I saw you weren¡¯t that devoted to the Lord, just looking for a meal. I really wanted to leave you behind.¡± She gave a small laugh. ¡°But seeing you now, keeping your word and doing what you said you would... well, it¡¯s changed my view of you quite a bit. By the way, are we really heading to Brooklyn Heights? Bus fare back and forth isn¡¯t exactly cheap. It¡¯ll eat into your meager funds.¡± R? ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about money right now,¡± Lin Xian said, smiling. ¡°Life¡¯s about enjoying the moment. Who knows what¡¯ll come first, tomorrow or an unexpected event? As for the money, maybe once we get to the rich areas, the rich fools there will actually make me richer.¡± They continued chatting until they reached the bus stop. Just then, a bus pulled up, and Lin Xian tugged CC along as they boarded. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± ... The buses of the 1950s were slow, probably due to the road conditions. After buying tickets, Lin Xian and CC found seats toward the back, watching the scenery pass by. ¡°This is as far as I¡¯ve ever gone,¡± CC said softly about half an hour into the ride, pointing towards a noticeably wider and cleaner road ahead. ¡°Since I was born, I¡¯ve never left Brooklyn. Not just Brooklyn... I haven¡¯t even left the Brownsville neighborhood.¡± ¡°My grandmother¡¯s welfare home was there. After it shut down, I¡¯ve been roaming around here. On lucky days, I could find a small job; on unlucky ones... well, like now, relying on church meals and hoping for work.¡± CC gazed out the bus window. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t see her eyes, but he could hear the hardship in her voice. ¡°It¡¯s easier for men,¡± she added, scratching the back of her head where her ponytail lay messy. ¡°Men can at least do physical labor and get by. I¡¯ve never gone to school, I¡¯m not educated... the bakeries and shops don¡¯t want me.¡± The bus rolled out of Brownsville, leaving behind CC¡¯s ¡°world boundary¡± and venturing into another part of Brooklyn. It was immediately apparent that this area was wealthier. The streets were cleaner, the buildings more modern, the clothes more expensive, and there were more of those little boxy or rounded cars driving around. Life here was on a different level. CC opened the bus window, sticking her head out to take in the view¡ªher first glimpse of the world beyond. ¡°Never seen anything like this before?¡± Lin Xian asked. CC shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯ve only seen pictures in discarded newspapers... or maybe glimpses on the TVs in shop windows. Seeing it for real is a first.¡± She blinked, taking a deep breath as if the air itself was fresher here. ¡°Thanks for bringing me here, Lin Xian,¡± she said, turning back with a smile that made her eyes crinkle and her dimples appear. ¡°If I ever have the means to go to Manhattan, I¡¯ll take you with me.¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°You called me a liar, but aren¡¯t you painting a pretty picture for me too? You can¡¯t even afford bus fare¡ªit¡¯s all on me.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± CC protested, blushing slightly. ¡°I mean it!¡± she said, taking his right hand and hooking her pinky around his¡ªa universal symbol of promise. ¡°Pinky swear,¡± CC said earnestly, locking eyes with him. ¡°I promise, if I say I¡¯ll take you to Manhattan, I will.¡± Lin Xian looked at her familiar face, and an image of Chu An Qing smiling appeared in his mind. Manhattan... He had been there with Chu An Qing, standing atop the Aman Hotel, with her facing the wind, arms outstretched, mimicking that scene from ¡°Titanic.¡± Lin Xian stood beside her, also taking in the old Manhattan skyline. He pointed to a spot near the Empire State Building. ¡°In about twenty years, there¡¯ll be twin towers here. The World Trade Center¡ªabout the same height as the Empire State Building.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± CC turned her head. ¡°How do you know that?¡± Lin Xian smiled faintly. ¡°Read it in a newspaper.¡± What he didn¡¯t tell her was that on September 11, 2001, the famous 9/11 attacks would take place¡ªtwo planes crashing into the towers and destroying them completely. After that, a memorial would be built there, known as ¡°Ground Zero,¡± becoming a new landmark of New York City. ¡°The mighty Yangtze River flows east...¡± Lin Xian murmured softly in X Country. That was history¡ªa river flowing endlessly, seeing all things rise and fall. He turned to look at CC, who seemed lost in admiration. ¡°By the way, is your biggest dream in life really just to go to Manhattan?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± CC nodded, her eyes reflecting the sparkling waters of the Hudson River. ¡°It might sound silly, but I really want to see Manhattan. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll regret it forever. ¡°I know... and Grandma always told me that there are many valuable things to pursue in life, that it doesn¡¯t matter where you live, but... I still want to see Manhattan, even if it¡¯s just like living in a dream¡ªI want to see the center of the world. ¡°But who knows how long I¡¯ll hold on to this dream? Maybe I¡¯ll grow up, mature, give it up, and just live my life here in Brooklyn.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give up,¡± Lin Xian said, shaking his head. ¡°I believe you will. You¡¯ll be like those other girls¡ªdressed in your favorite white dress, standing at the highest point in Manhattan, looking down at the world like a princess.¡± CC burst out laughing. ¡°Hahaha! A princess? What is this, the dark ages? Do you still live in a fairytale world? There are no princesses anymore!¡± She wiped her eyes, still giggling. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m no princess¡ªI¡¯m not even close to being Cinderella.¡± ¡°Hey, enough about me,¡± she said, her laughter finally subsiding. ¡°We¡¯re here¡ªa rare occasion¡ªso what about you? What¡¯s your dream?¡± Lin Xian stepped forward, leaning against the railing, looking out at the horizon. ¡°My dream...¡± He pressed his lips together, and, facing the wind, he spoke. ¡°My dream is probably... to not let down those who believe in me, to save everyone... to be a true hero.¡± ... ... The air grew still and quiet for a moment. ¡°Huh?¡± CC stared at him, puzzled. ¡°Are you... serious?¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Does it sound unbelievable?¡± ¡°Yeah, ¡®hero¡¯ and all that... it¡¯s like listening to a fairytale.¡± CC paused, then continued, ¡°But, every dream deserves respect.¡± She grinned, giving him a pat on the shoulder. ¡°Then I hope you make it¡ªbecome the greatest hero the world has ever seen.¡± Lin Xian smiled, looking at her. ¡°Then I hope you... become the most beautiful princess in all of Manhattan.¡± They looked at each other and burst into laughter. ¡°Alright, alright, enough with the jokes.¡± CC waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Let¡¯s be real. What are we eating tonight?¡± Lin Xian looked around. ¡°How about we buy something nearby?¡± ¡°No way, that¡¯s way too extravagant,¡± CC protested. ¡°Let¡¯s head back to where we belong... grab some bread for dinner, and we can go to the church for breakfast tomorrow.¡± ... By the time they returned to the Brooklyn slums, night had fallen. Lin Xian bought some bread and milk, sharing it with CC. It was much better than the morning¡¯s charity meal. CC wanted to take Lin Xian to the park to sleep, but he insisted on finding a cheap motel. ¡°Lin Xian, even the cheapest motel costs thirty cents a night. That money could feed us for days! Why waste it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s different, CC. This is something we can¡¯t save on,¡± Lin Xian said seriously. Tonight, there was something important he needed to do. Would he still dream after crossing over to 1952? Would the dreams be different? He was curious. Tonight, he needed a safe place to find out. Chapter 493: Black Dream This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation October 28th, 1952. The United States was still on daylight saving time, something Lin Xian had learned during his time there for a competition. He¡¯d discussed it with the team leader, learning that in America, daylight saving time ran from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November. The Western countries seemed to have an odd way of defining time¡ªlike ¡°the second Sunday of the month¡± or ¡°the first Friday¡±. Lin Xian found these definitions a bit impractical, but when in Rome, right? During daylight saving time, New York was twelve hours behind the capital city of X Country. Once wintertime arrived, the time difference would increase to thirteen hours. Since it was still October, Brooklyn was twelve hours behind, making it slightly easier for Lin Xian, who wasn¡¯t wearing a watch. ¡°Is this really the cheapest motel around?¡± Lin Xian asked, looking doubtfully at the crumbling building in front of them. CC led him through Brooklyn¡¯s slums, stopping at a run-down place that barely looked livable. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure if it¡¯s the absolute cheapest,¡± CC shrugged, ¡°but I can¡¯t afford places like this anyway. Ever since the orphanage closed, I¡¯ve been sleeping under bridges or in parks. Only people with money stay in motels.¡± ¡°People with money?¡± Lin Xian looked at the shabby building, half amused, half exasperated. Who would call this a place for ¡°people with money¡±? Still, considering he only had one dollar and sixty cents to his name, he probably did seem like a rich man to CC. ¡°Lin Xian, are you sure about this?¡± CC¡¯s gaze was worried. ¡°It¡¯s just for one night¡ªyou could sleep anywhere, so why waste thirty cents on a room? Even if you made two dollars today, you still need to eat, and there will be other expenses. I really think you should reconsider.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I forgot to mention something, CC. I have this... strange problem. Once I fall asleep, I can¡¯t wake up¡ªnot at all. Even if someone hits me with a stick, I won¡¯t wake up. I stay completely out of it.¡± He continued, ¡°So you see why I insisted on a motel. It¡¯s about safety. If we sleep in the park or under a bridge and there¡¯s danger, you could run, but I can¡¯t. Someone could hurt me, and I¡¯d never even know¡ªI¡¯d just die in my sleep.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t run,¡± CC said firmly, frowning at him. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for me¡ªbought me a meal, took me to Brooklyn Heights Promenade to see the Manhattan skyline. You¡¯ve been good to me. How could I run if you were in danger? What kind of person would that make me?¡± Hearing this, Lin Xian smiled, warmth filling his chest. It made him even more determined not to let CC sleep out on the streets. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m paying anyway. Let¡¯s just get inside.¡± The motel they found had a thirty-cent room¡ªthe result of a long search. Most other motels were around fifty cents, and even one for forty cents had been rejected by CC as too expensive. She insisted they had to find something cheaper, and eventually, persistence paid off. ¡°You were lying, weren¡¯t you?¡± CC suddenly turned to look at Lin Xian before they went inside. ¡°Honestly... I don¡¯t think anyone could really sleep so deeply they wouldn¡¯t wake up,¡± she said skeptically. Lin Xian chuckled and shrugged. ¡°You can test it anytime you want.¡± He wasn¡¯t lying, though. He understood better than anyone how important thirty cents was, especially now. It was a small fortune¡ªbut safety had to come first. Having traveled back to 1952, Lin Xian faced two main problems: money and safety. He¡¯d thought that with Reverse Forced Evasion, his life would be guaranteed. It was his trump card, the reason he¡¯d dared to venture into this era. But after meeting CC, he realized things weren¡¯t so simple. The Millennial Stake wasn¡¯t in place, the temporal displacement hadn¡¯t happened, and even CC hadn¡¯t become the Millennial Stake yet. His eyes hadn¡¯t turned blue either. Would Reverse Forced Evasion still work under these circumstances? Lin Xian pressed his lips together and shook his head. He wasn¡¯t sure, and he wasn¡¯t willing to take any chances. What if it failed because the Millennial Stake hadn¡¯t been set, or the temporal laws hadn¡¯t been established? Would he end up dying here, in 1952, far away from home? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t take that risk¡ªthe price was too high. Thinking back to the time he¡¯d stolen a newspaper from a young Black boy and gotten chased by a dozen others, he couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful that he managed to escape unharmed. ¡°Better to be cautious,¡± he thought, ¡°until I¡¯m sure Reverse Forced Evasion will work as it should.¡± It was also why he couldn¡¯t use his ¡°model citizen¡± tactics to earn money. First, this was the real world, not a dream. There was no ¡°save and reload¡± option¡ªhe only had one life. Second, without the protection of Reverse Forced Evasion, he couldn¡¯t risk stirring up trouble in Brooklyn, potentially ruining his plans to save the world and uncover the truth. With a wry smile, Lin Xian muttered, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d end up being a genuinely ¡®law-abiding citizen.''¡± CC turned to look at him. ¡°Isn¡¯t being law-abiding what you¡¯re supposed to do? What else were you planning?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°Just lamenting that this isn¡¯t my home turf in Los Angeles. Alright, enough chit-chat. Let¡¯s get that room.¡± Thirty cents. In Brooklyn¡¯s poorest neighborhood, in the cheapest motel, in the cheapest room¡ªthere really wasn¡¯t much to expect. ¡°One standard room for thirty cents,¡± Lin Xian said, placing two coins on the counter. The owner took them, found a key, and tossed it to Lin Xian. ... Returning to the room, Lin Xian locked the door behind him. CC was already in bed, wrapped up in her clothes and the thin, worn blanket. ¡°Are you really going to sleep on the floor?¡± she asked, her voice soft and uncertain. Lin Xian nodded, offering her a reassuring smile. ¡°Just for tonight,¡± he said. ¡°Someday, when I¡¯m rich, I¡¯ll book us a double room.¡± CC let out a light laugh, resting her head back on the pillow. ¡°Such ambition... Alright then. Goodnight.¡± ¡°Goodnight.¡± Lin Xian settled onto the narrow patch of floor between the bed and the window. The wooden floor was hard and cold, but he didn¡¯t mind. Thinking about how much worse CC had it for so long made his discomfort seem insignificant. Besides, once he fell asleep, the hardness of the floor wouldn¡¯t matter. He pulled his coat tighter around himself, trying to ward off the chill of the Brooklyn night. A cold breeze seeped in from somewhere, and he felt the temperature drop. He breathed slowly, evenly... until he drifted off to sleep. ... ... Rustle, rustle, rustle... Lin Xian stirred, half-conscious. He felt a weight on him, something pressing down. His body felt heavy, almost as if he was pinned in place¡ªsleep paralysis? His muddled mind struggled to focus. Was this a dream? Something felt different, unfamiliar. A sense of unease crawled over him, urging him to wake up. Suddenly, he bolted upright, his heart pounding. ¡°Ah!¡± CC yelped, startled. Lin Xian blinked, rubbing his eyes. CC was standing there, wide-eyed, a blanket in her hands. ¡°CC? What are you doing?¡± he asked groggily. She pointed at the blanket, her cheeks flushing slightly. ¡°I... I was trying to cover you with this. A cold front came through, and I saw the window was frosted over. I thought you¡¯d be freezing down there, so I wanted to give you the blanket. But look at you! You said you couldn¡¯t wake up once you fell asleep, but I barely put this on you, and you jumped right up.¡± Lin Xian held up a hand, a frown forming on his face. ¡°Wait, hold on a second.¡± Something wasn¡¯t right. He pulled back the curtain and glanced outside. The sky was still dark, the moon hanging low on the horizon. ¡°What time is it?¡± he muttered. He turned to CC. ¡°What¡¯s the time now?¡± CC came over, looking out at the moon. Without hesitation, she said, ¡°It must be around three or four in the morning.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense... I shouldn¡¯t be awake before twelve forty-two. I shouldn¡¯t be able to wake up at all before then. How could I wake up just because you put a blanket on me?¡± He fell silent, his mind racing. The more he thought about it, the more unsettling it seemed. His heart pounded faster. This was the first time, in all his twenty-six years, that something like this had happened¡ªhe hadn¡¯t dreamed at all! ¡°How is that possible?¡± Lin Xian whispered, confusion and worry gnawing at him. Since he was born, he¡¯d never gone a night without dreaming. Always, he¡¯d dreamt of August 28th, 2624. It was as reliable as the rising sun. But tonight... nothing. Just a void¡ªno images, no sounds, no memories. This year, 1952, was anything but ordinary. Temporal laws were failing, the Millennial Stake hadn¡¯t been established, and even his ability to see the future in his dreams had vanished. What was causing this? Lin Xian opened his eyes, looking at CC, who stood by the bed, her face full of confusion. The first-generation stake¡ªthe key to everything. Could it be... Was his ability to dream of the future, six hundred years ahead, somehow connected to the formation and stability of the Millennial Stake? Chapter 494: Brooklyn Lin Xian This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation The mystery of everything began with the very first Millennial Stake. Lin Xian had prepared himself for this long before crossing over. But the problem was... He never expected this! [His own dream was also part of the Millennial Stake!] It was completely beyond his expectations. ¡°Wait, maybe it¡¯s not just because of the Millennial Stake,¡± Lin Xian muttered to himself. ¡°If I were just a normal person who gained the ability to dream about the future six hundred years from now because of the Millennial Stake, then I should dream like anyone else.¡± He paused, thinking. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter if it was a good dream, a nightmare, or some strange montage¡ªI should still be dreaming, right?¡± ¡°But right now, even CC, who isn¡¯t part of the Millennial Stake, dreams like a normal person, while I can¡¯t dream at all. I can¡¯t see the future, nor do I have regular dreams. It¡¯s just... a blank. A complete dreamless state¡ªa ¡®black dream.¡¯ How do I even explain this?¡± Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. It seemed that the truth behind his dreams wasn¡¯t just connected to the Millennial Stake. There had to be something else at play. The clues he had were too limited, too scattered. He just couldn¡¯t figure it out. ¡°Lin Xian... Lin Xian?¡± Next to him, CC hugged her blanket, her face filled with worry. ¡°Are you... okay? You look like you¡¯ve just seen a ghost. Did you have a nightmare?¡± Lin Xian blinked, snapping back to the present. He shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Just thinking about something.¡± ¡°By the way, CC... how did you sleep? Did you dream at all?¡± CC nodded, her lips curling into a small smile. ¡°I slept really well. I felt safe. As soon as you came into the room, I dozed off. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever slept that peacefully before.¡± ¡°Although, I¡¯m a light sleeper usually. In the middle of the night, the wind blew against the window and woke me up. I saw you sleeping on the floor and thought you¡¯d be cold, so I tried to cover you with a blanket... but you woke up right away. You must be a light sleeper too.¡± ? ¡°What did you dream about?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Oh, my dream?¡± CC¡¯s face turned slightly pink, and she looked a little embarrassed. ¡°It was kind of all over the place. I think it was because of what we talked about yesterday. I dreamt we were on a boat heading to Manhattan, but halfway there, we ended up turning towards Coney Island.¡± ¡°And then... we went to eat hot dogs at Coney Island.¡± Pfft¡ª Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the mention of ¡°hot dogs¡± again. The original CC really was a bit of a glutton, especially obsessed with hot dogs. She talked about them during the day and even dreamed about them at night. ¡°Did you at least figure out what they taste like this time?¡± Lin Xian grinned. ¡°If I¡¯d known, I would¡¯ve just bought you one today. We already paid for the 30-cent room; what¡¯s another 3 cents for a hot dog?¡± ¡°Oh, stop talking about food in the middle of the night,¡± CC huffed, scrunching up her nose. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get some sleep. We finally have a nice room; let¡¯s make the most of it.¡± ¡°Who knows where we¡¯ll be sleeping tomorrow? We should enjoy this while we can.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Lin Xian gestured towards the bed. ¡°You take the bed. I¡¯m not cold at all. This church coat is super warm¡ªI think I¡¯ll be praying extra hard at church tomorrow, just to say thanks. Thirty percent more devotion, at least.¡± CC giggled, shaking her head. ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous. Who measures faith in percentages?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re not cold, I won¡¯t argue. Goodnight.¡± She wrapped herself up in the blanket, turned over, and soon drifted off to sleep. Lin Xian looked at her, feeling a twinge of envy. ¡°She¡¯s probably in a hurry to get back to her hot dogs.¡± ... Lin Xian woke up naturally from his dreamless sleep. The first thing he did was check the clock at the reception. It read 8:23 AM. No pattern to his wake-up time. It seemed that in this strange year of 1952, he¡¯d become a regular human being. After freshening up in the communal bathroom with CC, they checked out and left the small motel. They hurried to the church by the pier¡ªto grab a meal¡ªor rather, to join the service. But CC was right. It was notorious for gang activity, with turf wars and crime rampant until much later in the century. As the bus arrived, Lin Xian turned to CC, grinning. ¡°Come on, CC. Let¡¯s get on.¡± They paid their fare and took seats at the back of the bus. On the way, Lin Xian chatted with a passenger, learning about ticket prices for the amusement park. He returned to CC, nodding reassuringly. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s still within our budget¡ªincluding hot dogs.¡± After a long two-hour ride, the bus finally pulled up in front of the park entrance. Lin Xian and CC stepped off, gazing at the sight before them in awe. It was almost unbelievable that this was a 1952 amusement park. There were roller coasters, Ferris wheels, aerial rides¡ªeverything. ¡°The U.S. in this era really was something,¡± Lin Xian said, admiration clear in his voice. ¡°Lin Xian, look over there!¡± CC tugged at his sleeve, pointing toward a bustling hot dog stand with a large sign that read ¡°Nathan¡¯s Hot Dogs.¡± People crowded around, eagerly lining up for their turn. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go get one,¡± Lin Xian said, smiling brightly. If you came to Coney Island and didn¡¯t eat a hot dog, what was the point? He wanted to make CC¡¯s experience complete, and he was curious himself. They joined the queue, and as they waited, two men in front of them began arguing heatedly. They were both dressed in black suits and dark sunglasses, and their voices were harsh, the words almost unintelligible. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t make out if it was Italian or just bad English. Maybe they were arguing about someone cutting in line. Lin Xian and CC tried to ignore them, staying patiently in line, but the argument escalated quickly. The men were now shouting, their faces red and veins bulging. ¡°Are they going to fight?¡± Lin Xian muttered, frowning. He pulled CC back, sensing trouble. And then¡ª One of the men, a guy with a hooked nose, suddenly pulled out a revolver from his coat. ¡°What the¡ª!¡± Lin Xian gasped, his eyes widening. The other man turned and bolted, but as he did, he bumped hard into CC, almost knocking her over. At the same time, the man with the revolver took aim¡ªright in their direction. ¡°CC!¡± Lin Xian shouted, pulling her into his arms. But it was too late. The man squeezed the trigger, aiming straight at them. Nothing happened. No gunshot, no sound. The man with the gun simply dropped¡ªlike a puppet with its strings cut¡ªfalling face-first onto the pavement. His nose smashed with a sickening crunch, and the revolver slipped from his hand, skidding across the ground. The crowd erupted in screams, people running in every direction, trying to get away from the scene. But the man lay there, frozen in that awkward shooting pose, his limbs trembling slightly as he tried and failed to stand. ¡°Lin Xian! We have to go!¡± CC pulled at him, her voice urgent. But Lin Xian didn¡¯t move. He stood there, smiling. ¡°Hey! What are you doing? Are you in shock? We need to run!¡± ¡°Run?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s smile widened, his voice calm and confident. ¡°CC, I¡¯ve got some good news.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian turned to her, his eyes glinting. ¡°I¡¯m officially telling you¡ªour hard days are over.¡± ¡°What are you even talking about?¡± CC stared at him, bewildered. She glanced back at the fallen gunman, who still lay there, his limbs twitching slightly. It looked almost like magic¡ªlike a spell had been cast on him. ¡°It¡¯s back,¡± Lin Xian whispered, his eyes bright. ¡°The feeling is back.¡± He felt lighter than he had in a long time. For so long, he¡¯d feared that the rules of spacetime wouldn¡¯t apply until the Millennial Stake was set. He¡¯d feared that he had lost his safety net forever. But it seemed like... Entangled spacetime particles really were an absolute cheat code¡ªcoveted by all. Lin Xian clenched his fist, looking up at the warm midday sun, a determined smile on his face. ¡°Reverse forced avoidance¡ªafter being pushed around for so long, it¡¯s finally my turn to enjoy the ride!¡± Chapter 495: The Promise Across Time This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation At that moment, Lin Xian understood. The key to Reverse Forced Evasion wasn¡¯t just evasion itself. It was the ¡°Reverse¡± part that mattered most. The reverse aspect was the real core of everything. Here, in 1952, there were no locked historical events or time anomalies. According to Yellow Finch¡¯s explanation, forced evasion couldn¡¯t happen in this era, and that made sense to Lin Xian. The laws of time are strict. If something is supposed to be there, it is; if it¡¯s not, it isn¡¯t. But with Reverse Forced Evasion, there were more factors at play. Before, Lin Xian had been cautious, unwilling to try it or think too deeply about it. But now, as he considered it, he realized the source of Reverse Forced Evasion¡¯s power came from the entangled spacetime particles and his need to return to his original timeline. This meant that Reverse Forced Evasion was an independent rule, separate from whether history was locked or if there were anomalies in this time period. His entangled state existed in the future¡ªin 2234¡ªand that was the key to triggering Reverse Forced Evasion. That¡¯s why, when the man in black with the hooked nose had aimed his gun at him earlier, the evasion had activated, causing the man to lose his strength and collapse. The sensation of being out of control was all too familiar to Lin Xian. After all, he was probably the person who had experienced Reverse Forced Evasion the most. Every time-traveling assassin, using those same entangled particles, had targeted him. He¡¯d been powerless, helpless, and humiliated for so long. But now, this seemingly invincible cheat finally worked in his favor. ¡°Lin Xian, stop daydreaming. Look... that guy¡¯s getting up,¡± CC¡¯s panicked voice brought him back to reality. Despite her worry, she wasn¡¯t strong enough to pull Lin Xian away; she stood there, watching nervously. Lin Xian turned his head towards the gangster, who had fallen to the ground earlier. About a minute had passed before the man managed to push himself up, trembling all the while. It was clear he was still weak, barely able to stand. He wiped the blood from his nose with his sleeve, adjusted his sunglasses¡ªrelieved that at least he still had those, so he hadn¡¯t lost all his dignity¡ªand then grabbed his revolver and quickly fled. ... And just like that, the commotion ended. In no time, people lined up again in front of Nathan¡¯s hot dog stand. The tourists who had run off because of the gun had returned, chatting and laughing like nothing had happened. Their casual attitude amazed Lin Xian. If this had happened in X Country, nobody would have dared to stay in the amusement park. It would have been shut down for at least ten days for investigation. But here, in the Land of the Free, everyone seemed unfazed. Next to him, CC, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, let out a sigh of relief. She grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm, pulling him back towards the line. ¡°Thank goodness... he¡¯s gone. Come on, let¡¯s hurry up. We were near the front before, and now people are cutting in ahead of us!¡± Seeing her eagerness, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but laugh. CC really loved hot dogs¡ªso much so she¡¯d put herself in danger for one. He might as well hurry up and get her one. It took half an hour for their turn to come, with CC standing on her tiptoes, peering around impatiently like a restless rabbit. ¡°Two hot dogs,¡± Lin Xian said in English, glancing at the price board. He muttered under his breath. The hot dogs were 5 cents each here, whereas in downtown Brooklyn they were still 3 cents. It was clear the prices were inflated for tourists. Lin Xian mentally counted his remaining money¡ª$1.10 left. The amusement park tickets were 50 cents each, which meant that with the original hot dog price of 3 cents, they would still have had enough left for bus fare back to Brooklyn. But now, with these prices, they wouldn¡¯t have enough for the bus. Still, seeing CC¡¯s eyes sparkle with excitement, even if the hot dogs cost 50 cents each, he¡¯d buy them for her. He¡¯d figure out the bus ride later. Hopefully, there¡¯d be a stall inside the park with some kind of game where he could win a bit of cash by showing off, or else, they could sleep under a bridge again¡ªthere wasn¡¯t much difference between a Brooklyn bridge and one at Coney Island. He handed over his last 10-cent coin. The cashier, a freckled young woman, looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Sir, would you like to add a soda to the meal? It¡¯s only 6 cents more.¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Lin Xian said, licking his dry lips. ¡°I¡¯m not thirsty.¡± ... Back at the ticket booth, Lin Xian bought two adult tickets for 50 cents each, using up his last dollar coin. Now he was penniless again, just like when he had first arrived in this era. Except now, he had shoes, a church coat, CC by his side, and a sense that Reverse Forced Evasion was still working. The future looked promising. Returning to the bench, CC had finished her hot dog and was wiping her hands. ¡°Done already?¡± Lin Xian asked, amused. ¡°Not savoring it like a little hamster anymore?¡± ¡°I knew it¡ªyou were going to make fun of me!¡± CC huffed. ¡°I didn¡¯t make fun of you for wearing that otter skin when you were on the streets, did I?¡± She paused, then smiled sweetly, her dimples showing. ¡°But seriously, thanks. Now, when I dream about hot dogs, I¡¯ll know what they taste like.¡± Lin Xian sighed. ¡°You...¡± He gently ruffled her curly brown hair. He wished he had more money¡ªenough to buy Nathan¡¯s Hot Dogs just so CC could eat them until she was sick of them. ¡°Come on,¡± he said, holding up their tickets. ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot to do if we want to see everything before the park closes tonight.¡± ... ¡°Waaaahhhh!¡± Two kids screamed as the roller coaster rushed along its tracks. Lin Xian and CC were seated behind them, one with a calm face, the other smiling happily at the rush of wind and speed. When the ride stopped, the kids tumbled to the ground, and a woman in the back threw up. Lin Xian and CC stepped over the mess, unfazed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel anything?¡± Lin Xian asked, glancing at CC. ¡°Most people are nervous their first time on a roller coaster.¡± ¡°It was thrilling!¡± CC grinned. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t scared¡ªdidn¡¯t even feel dizzy. Maybe I have a talent for being a pilot?¡± ¡°A pilot? You¡¯re selling yourself short.¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°You could be an astronaut.¡± ¡°An astronaut?¡± CC blinked, confused. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°An astronaut is someone who flies even higher than a pilot,¡± Lin Xian explained. ¡°In about nine years, the first human will travel to outer space.¡± CC looked at him, shaking her head with a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re making stuff up again, aren¡¯t you? You might as well say they¡¯ll land on the moon!¡± Lin Xian smiled. ¡°Well, eight years after that, some astronauts will actually land on the moon.¡± ¡°Oh, stop,¡± CC scoffed. ¡°If things develop that fast, then maybe one day people like me could take a vacation in space?¡± Lin Xian fell silent. CC turned back, puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Was that one too hard to make up? Just give me a random date. It¡¯s all a joke anyway.¡± Lin Xian looked at her. ¡°March 28th, 2024,¡± he said quietly. CC¡¯s eyes went wide, and she counted on her fingers. ¡°2024? The 21st century? I¡¯d be 92 by then! Why would I want to go to space at 92?¡± She grinned, shaking her head. ¡°You¡¯re just saying something so far off that I can¡¯t prove you wrong.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Lin Xian said, raising his hands. ¡°Just have a little faith in me. Did you think you¡¯d be at Coney Island today, eating hot dogs?¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± CC thought for a moment. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll believe you.¡± She smiled at him. ¡°March 28th, 2024... it¡¯s a long way away, but you¡¯re right¡ªit¡¯s good to have dreams. You never know when one might come true.¡± She laughed, her eyes twinkling. ¡°Lin Xian, if I ever do make it to space, I¡¯ll never forget you. I¡¯ll make sure to bring back a gift from space just for you, to thank you for today¡¯s hot dog.¡± Chapter 496: The Best in the World Chapter 496: The Best in the World This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Space... a gift... At that moment, Lin Xian had a strange feeling, as if the Ouroboros of time and space had finally completed its circle. Back then, on the space shuttle, 20,000 meters above the earth, during the Spacetime Particle Capture mission, Chu An Qing had suddenly regained some of her memories. She insisted on leaving the cabin, risking everything to leap out and catch that one crucial spacetime particle. A gift. That particle had been the most precious gift Chu An Qing had given him, allowing him to understand the core truths and take the lead. Could it be... The memories Chu An Qing had regained then were actually the memories of the original CC? Time keeps turning. Fates keep intertwining. Maybe, just maybe, his story with Chu An Qing had already begun as far back as 1952. ¡°Hey!¡± Up ahead, CC called out from a distance, ¡°Why are you daydreaming again, Lin Xian? Come on, hurry up! We¡¯ve got lots more rides to go on!¡± Lin Xian still stood there, lost in thought. CC didn¡¯t want to waste any more time. She ran back, grabbed his hand, and started pulling him along. ¡°Why are you always so out of it? I swear, out of 24 hours in a day, you spend at least 20 of them daydreaming.¡± Lin Xian let her pull him towards the carousel. ¡°I¡¯m not daydreaming, just thinking about things.¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t tell me you actually believed what I said?¡± CC turned around, her eyes forming cute crescent shapes as she smiled. ¡°I was just joking. Earth is perfectly fine. Why would I go to space for no reason?¡± She continued, ¡°Besides, I haven¡¯t even been to school, but Grandma taught me some basics... Space isn¡¯t exactly a supermarket, right? There¡¯s no place to buy gifts there.¡± ¡°Space is called ¡®space¡¯ because there¡¯s nothing in it¡ªnot even air! So don¡¯t get your hopes up. Even if I went, I wouldn¡¯t be able to bring you anything back.¡± ¡°I mean... I couldn¡¯t exactly pluck a star for you, could I?¡± Lin Xian smiled silently at that. A star. In the ¡°World Hacking Championship,¡± the super AI VV had once used Elon Musk¡¯s Starlink satellites to send Chu An Qing a five-pointed star. Kids say the strangest things. Although, at almost twenty, CC wasn¡¯t exactly a child anymore. In this old-fashioned era, people were simpler. And considering CC had never been to school, her way of thinking wasn¡¯t fully matured either. To Lin Xian, who was seven years older, CC seemed like an innocent, ¡°childish¡± kid. ¡°Do you want to ride the carousel?¡± Lin Xian looked at the long queue, puzzled as to why so many people were lining up for such a simple ride. He took a closer look. Sure enough, it was mostly young children dragging their parents along. The roller coasters and flying rides were too scary for them, and parents thought those rides were unsafe for children. So rides like the carousel and spinning teacups had become the most popular choices. ¡°Of course I do!¡± CC pulled Lin Xian to the end of the line and said seriously, ¡°We don¡¯t come to an amusement park every day. We have to try everything! It might be my only chance, so I need to make the most of it.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian said, spreading his hands. ¡°We bought the tickets, and they were pricey. You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s stay till the park closes, till you¡¯re completely happy.¡± The carousel filled up, and the staff closed the gates to start the ride. Happy music played, and the carousel moved up and down, spinning around while the children laughed. This ride was definitely too childish for Lin Xian, but for CC, who had never experienced anything like this, it was perfect. ¡°It¡¯s finally our turn!¡± CC cheered after waiting through three rounds. She chose a pink horse, while Lin Xian took the blue one behind her. He pointed at the golden ring hanging from a pole ahead of them. ¡°CC, do you see that golden ring?¡± ¡°Where?¡± CC looked around, quickly spotting it. ¡°I see it! What¡¯s it for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called the golden ring,¡± Lin Xian explained. ¡°If you grab it, you get another round on the carousel for free. But since everything is included in the ticket, it just means you don¡¯t have to line up again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± CC stared at the ring, eager to grab it. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look that hard.¡± ¡°True... but remember who your competition is.¡± Lin Xian looked at the other riders¡ªmostly little kids with short arms and legs. It was like a college student competing against kindergarteners. With her long limbs and natural astronaut¡¯s agility, CC could easily keep riding forever. Lin Xian looked at her, saying nothing. A hotdog. Was it really the best? Of course not. There were so many better things out there. But for CC, she¡¯d only ever had a hotdog. Her world was that small. To her, hotdogs were number one. ¡°Here, have some candy.¡± CC pulled out the lollipop, breaking it in half and handing one piece to Lin Xian. ¡°We don¡¯t have money for dinner, so you must be hungry. This¡¯ll help a bit.¡± ¡°That chubby boy really helped us. Trading a free ring for such a big lollipop¡ªwe made a profit.¡± Lin Xian took half of the lollipop. It was a half-circle, almost like a protractor. He put it in his mouth. ¡°Is it sweet?¡± CC asked. Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Very.¡± ... The moon hung high in the sky as the amusement park lights flickered off, marking the end of another day. The last few visitors ambled towards the exit, their laughter fading into the night. CC walked briskly towards the bus stop, expecting to hear Lin Xian¡¯s footsteps behind her. But when she glanced back, she noticed he wasn¡¯t following. He was just standing there, staring off into the distance, hands in his pockets. ¡°Lin Xian?¡± she called out, her voice carrying a hint of impatience. ¡°What are you doing? Spacing out again? Come on!¡± Lin Xian shook his head slightly, but he didn¡¯t move. His eyes looked almost apologetic as he met CC¡¯s gaze. ¡°Sorry, CC,¡± he said. ¡°I think we have a bit of a problem. We don¡¯t have enough money for the bus ride back.¡± CC frowned, tilting her head in confusion. ¡°What do you mean? Didn¡¯t you do all those calculations before we left? You even wrote it down!¡± ¡°Yeah, about that...¡± Lin Xian gave an awkward smile and shrugged. ¡°I made a mistake. I didn¡¯t account for those hotdogs costing five cents each. We ended up spending all the cash we had on them. We¡¯re down to zero.¡± CC stared at him for a second, and then, to Lin Xian¡¯s surprise, she let out a light-hearted laugh. ¡°Oh, well,¡± she said, her smile growing wider. ¡°Then we¡¯ll just walk back. No big deal, right? We¡¯ll get home eventually.¡± Lin Xian blinked at her, his face softening. ¡°You¡¯re really not mad? I figured you¡¯d be upset.¡± ¡°Why would I be mad?¡± CC replied, puffing her cheeks indignantly. ¡°You spent all day treating me¡ªhotdogs, amusement park rides, everything. Why on earth would I repay you by being mad about something like this? Seriously, Lin Xian, what kind of person do you take me for?¡± She paused and then added with a chuckle, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like we have a real home to go back to anyway. We¡¯ll just walk until we find a good spot¡ªa park, a bridge, anything. For people like us, a place to sleep is a place to sleep.¡± Lin Xian nodded slowly, but there was a glimmer of something in his eyes¡ªsomething CC couldn¡¯t quite read. ¡°You know,¡± he said after a moment, ¡°I thought the same thing at first. But actually, I¡¯ve got a different idea now. A sort of ¡®Plan B.''¡± CC raised an eyebrow, her expression wary. ¡°Plan B? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s lips curved into a small, mischievous smile. ¡°Remember what you said earlier? About Coney Island not being just hotdogs and amusement parks? You were right. It¡¯s also got gangsters.¡± CC¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Gangsters? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Gangsters,¡± Lin Xian repeated calmly. ¡°They have money. A lot of it. And let¡¯s be honest¡ªit¡¯s not like they earned it honestly. So, I¡¯m thinking... maybe we mess with them a little. Cause some trouble, take a bit of cash. You know, rob the rich to help the poor.¡± CC¡¯s jaw dropped. She blinked at him, trying to figure out if he was joking. ¡°You¡¯re not serious! Those gangsters¡ªthe ones we saw this morning¡ªthey¡¯re dangerous! They have guns, Lin Xian! Guns! And they always move in groups at night. Going after them is basically asking to get killed!¡± Lin Xian shrugged, an easy grin spreading across his face. ¡°They have guns? Perfect. Then I can upgrade my gear.¡± CC stomped her foot, her voice rising in frustration. ¡°Lin Xian, you¡¯ve completely lost it! This isn¡¯t a game!¡± But Lin Xian cut her off, his expression turning serious, his hands still buried in his pockets. ¡°Remember what I told you this morning, CC?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°I said our hard times are over. I meant it. Those gangsters... they¡¯re not something to fear. They¡¯re just cash machines waiting for us to cash in.¡± CC stared at him, her concern clear in her eyes. She stepped closer, standing on her tiptoes to press her hand to his forehead, as if checking for a fever. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re feeling okay?¡± she whispered. Lin Xian laughed softly, gently taking her hand away. He looked up at the moon, shining brightly above them. ¡°I¡¯m fine, CC. Better than fine. Just wait and see. From now on, Brooklyn belongs to Lin Xian. It¡¯s time for those Coney Island gangsters to meet their new boss.¡± CC shook her head, her heart pounding in her chest, unsure whether to be terrified or to trust him. But she couldn¡¯t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. ¡°You really are something else, Lin Xian,¡± she muttered. And though she still felt the fear gnawing at her, she couldn¡¯t deny it¡ªthere was something about his confidence, his unwavering determination, that made her want to believe. ¡°Alright, boss,¡± she said with a sigh, rolling her eyes. ¡°Lead the way. Let¡¯s see what kind of trouble we can get into.¡± Chapter 497: Witness the Magic This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation CC looked confused, tilting her head slightly. Brooklyn... Lin Xian... Was there something in common between these names? CC, who neither understood nor spoke X Country, couldn¡¯t grasp Lin Xian¡¯s pun. ¡°You¡¯re still speaking nonsense, as usual,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I never really understand what goes on in that head of yours.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Lin Xian replied with a small smile. ¡°Just watch me work my magic.¡± ... The amusement park was empty now, its lights turned off after the last group of tourists left, and all was plunged into darkness¡ªthe true Coney Island night. CC and Lin Xian wandered aimlessly down the path. CC breathed out, a puff of white mist escaping into the cold air. She wrapped her coat tighter around her shoulders. ¡°Looks like the cold front has arrived. It¡¯s getting chillier by the minute,¡± she muttered, turning her head to glance at Lin Xian, tall and solid beside her. ¡°I heard some tourists say while we were in line that this cold front was supposed to be really harsh, and it would drop temperatures fast. They even said it might snow tonight.¡± ¡°Snow?¡± Lin Xian looked up at the sky, his own breath misting as he spoke. ¡°Does it really snow here in Brooklyn in late October?¡± ¡°Usually, no,¡± CC replied, shaking her head. ¡°But you can never be sure with the weather. Sometimes it doesn¡¯t snow all year, and other times it comes early. But I have to admit, this cold is definitely unusual.¡± She shivered slightly, adding, ¡°Normally, we don¡¯t get this cold until December. This winter might be the coldest one I¡¯ve experienced in my life.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lin Xian responded, slipping his freezing hands into his coat pockets, exhaling visible mist. ¡°Seems like we need to upgrade our gear then. Sleeping under a bridge in this weather would definitely turn us into popsicles.¡± ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t feel it while we were playing earlier, but now that you mention it, it¡¯s really freezing,¡± CC agreed. Their current clothes weren¡¯t quite enough against the cold. The ¡°church set¡± was no longer up to par; they had to find better outfits. ¡°Gangs... where would they usually hang out?¡± Lin Xian asked. CC fell silent for a moment, trying to remember what she had heard before. ¡°From what I know, the gangs in Coney Island are mostly Italian, mixed with some local groups. It¡¯s chaos¡ªthere¡¯s pretty much a fight or shootout every night.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not really about territory,¡± she continued. ¡°The disputes are mostly over illegal trades and profit conflicts.¡± Just then, a loud rumbling broke the silence. The pair looked up to see two Harley motorcycles leading the way. Each bike carried a large man dressed in black, followed by a Lincoln sedan. The group sped past, loud and arrogant, before the sound of the engines finally faded and their lights disappeared, leaving Lin Xian and CC in darkness once more. Lin Xian blinked. ¡°Weren¡¯t those...¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± CC replied, just as surprised. ¡°Speak of the devil¡ªthose motorcycles and that car belonged to the gangs, didn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± Lin Xian said, eyes lighting up as if he¡¯d just discovered a treasure. It was perfect timing¡ªlike a money tree appearing just when you needed one. He grabbed CC by the arm, pulling her along the road. ¡°Let¡¯s follow them and see what kind of deal they¡¯re up to!¡± CC hesitated, biting her lip. Honestly, she didn¡¯t want to do this¡ªonly lunatics or fools would deliberately mess with gang members. But seeing Lin Xian so determined, she couldn¡¯t just leave him alone. ¡°Fine,¡± she finally sighed, giving in. ¡°But you really need to be careful, Lin Xian. They¡¯re definitely carrying guns. Don¡¯t get into a fight with them.¡± ... After some time, Lin Xian and CC sneaked through a small grove and found themselves at an abandoned warehouse. It was rundown, overgrown with weeds, its purpose long forgotten. In 1952, Coney Island was still largely undeveloped¡ªa perfect place for gangs to gather, away from the authorities. The scene was fitting for someone like Brook Lin Xian. He loved the atmosphere of violence and danger. If his past self from the First Dream was still a struggling citizen of Los Angeles, barely surviving, now he could proudly call himself the King of Brooklyn. With his power of Reverse Forced Evasion, Lin Xian was more formidable than ever, especially against gangs. He didn¡¯t have to worry about the law or the police¡ªno repercussions. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Lin Xian whispered, gently pushing down on CC¡¯s messy hair, making her crouch lower behind the bush. He eyed the gang members keeping watch near the warehouse. ¡°Let¡¯s just see what happens first. Looks like they¡¯re waiting for another group. Either they¡¯re buyers or sellers, but it doesn¡¯t seem like they¡¯re here to fight tonight.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± CC asked, frowning. ¡°Much warmer now,¡± he said with satisfaction, feeling the fine material of the coat. Lin Xian then walked to the car, opening the two suitcases. The black one contained white powder. The white one held stacks of green bills. Lin Xian picked up the white suitcase and went over to one of the Harley motorcycles. He turned the key, kick-started the engine, and it roared to life. ¡°CC, hurry up!¡± he called, waving her over. CC, still shaken, quickly ran over and climbed onto the bike behind him, holding tightly onto his waist. The gang members began to stir, struggling to stand, but Lin Xian twisted the throttle, the bike roaring as they sped away into the night. The powerful engine echoed as they sped down the asphalt, and soon they were safely away from the scene. CC lifted her head from Lin Xian¡¯s back, shouting against the wind, ¡°What was that?! Was it magic or sorcery? How did you do it?!¡± But she knew, deep down, magic didn¡¯t exist in the real world. Suddenly, her eyes widened. ¡°Wait, could it be...¡± she muttered. ¡°X Country kung fu?¡± Lin Xian laughed as he drove. ¡°Something like that. You could call it X Country kung fu. Deep, profound, mysterious.¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t even touch them!¡± CC protested, bewildered. ¡°You were so far away from them¡ªhow did you make them fall?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s inner power,¡± Lin Xian said with a grin. ¡°Like... the legendary ¡®energy projection.¡¯ And if you¡¯re a master, you can even do the Five Lightning Whip.¡± ¡°Yeah, right,¡± CC huffed, even as her respect for X Country kung fu had grown¡ªlightning sounded a bit far-fetched. ¡°You¡¯re just messing with me again.¡± ... They stopped by the riverside, and Lin Xian opened the white suitcase. CC frowned, staring at the bills inside. ¡°Oh my god, that¡¯s a lot of money... how much is it?¡± ¡°Now do you believe me?¡± Lin Xian picked up a stack of bills. ¡°I told you¡ªour tough days are over. We¡¯re going to live the high life from now on.¡± He tossed the stack into the air, letting the money rain down. ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± CC shrieked, scrambling to pick up the bills, stuffing them back into the suitcase. ¡°What on earth are you doing?! I don¡¯t understand why you always do these crazy things! Why are you throwing money away?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all about the ritual,¡± Lin Xian said, closing the suitcase. ¡°Now that we¡¯re rich, CC, we can finally make your wish come true.¡± CC froze, staring at him in disbelief. Why was this man always so kind to her, always willing to grant her wishes like some kind of genie? ¡°Suddenly getting rich¡ªshouldn¡¯t you be thinking of buying things for yourself? Improving your own life?¡± she whispered. ¡°But you... all you think about is me, even remembering the things I said offhand.¡± She looked up at him. ¡°My wish¡ªare you talking about...¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian said, climbing onto the riverbank¡¯s railing. He looked across the water, at the bright lights of Manhattan¡ªthe center of the world. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the Brooklyn Bridge was like a wall, something you could never cross, something that kept you from Manhattan?¡± He paused, then continued, ¡°There¡¯s no ocean that can¡¯t be crossed, no wall that can¡¯t be climbed. With all this money, we can explore Manhattan, play around, even settle down there if you want¡ªopen a flower shop, a cafe?, anything.¡± ¡°But...¡± CC stepped closer, troubled. ¡°Lin Xian, this is your money, and you risked your life to get it. You¡¯ve already done so much for me, I can¡¯t spend it on myself. You should use it for yourself instead of always trying to fulfill my wishes like some genie. I... I...¡± She bit her lip. ¡°No one has ever been so good to me. I don¡¯t know how to...¡± Lin Xian placed a hand on her slender shoulder, and she looked up to meet his gentle gaze. ¡°You gave me my first meal in Brooklyn,¡± he said softly. ¡°That half piece of hard bread meant more to me than this suitcase full of cash.¡± ¡°And you said you¡¯d go to space just to bring me a souvenir, even if it was just for a hot dog. I know you weren¡¯t joking. Even though you told me not to take it seriously... I know you meant it. You¡¯d bring me back a star.¡± He looked down for a moment, then met her eyes again. ¡°So... let¡¯s not overthink this now. We¡¯ve got all this money. No more sleeping in the park or under bridges.¡± He walked back to the motorcycle, swinging his leg over and starting the engine again. With the roar of the Harley, he looked back at CC, smiling. ¡°Tonight... let¡¯s go to Manhattan,¡± he said, his eyes sparkling. ¡°To the center of the world, to your dream.¡± Chapter 498: Our Manhattan This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Boom¡ª The roaring Harley motorcycle sped across Coney Island, heading towards northern Brooklyn. Lin Xian rode into the night breeze, dressed in a black suit that made him look like he was part of a gang. He wore a wool felt hat and dark sunglasses, his long coat tails flying wildly on either side of the bike. It was like a scene straight out of ¡°Terminator,¡± as if they were in the middle of a Hollywood blockbuster. After being bullied by so many ¡°Terminators¡± in the past, Lin Xian was finally the one becoming the ¡°Terminator.¡± Behind him, the petite CC sat on the back seat, her hands resting on Lin Xian¡¯s shoulders as she watched the scenery flash by. Her long, wavy, dark brown hair streamed behind her, exposing her smooth, fair forehead. Her ponytail, tied with a band, bounced in the wind like a spring. Who would have thought... She was really heading to Manhattan. Her biggest dream in life was about to come true, just like that. And all of this¡ªthis amazing twist of fate¡ªwas thanks to the mysterious yet wonderful man in front of her. She looked away from the night scenery and turned her gaze forward, staring at his broad, sturdy back. Her right hand slipped down from his shoulder, resting against his back over the soft, woolen fabric of his coat. Even though the cold wind blew against them, even though the night was freezing, she could feel Lin Xian¡¯s warmth beneath her palm¡ªa warmth that reached her heart. She lowered her head. Nestled between them was a small silver suitcase, packed full of cash. The case wasn¡¯t big, about the size of two books. But inside¡ªthere was a lot of money. Bundles of crisp hundred-dollar bills, easily over ten stacks. Tens of thousands of dollars... CC could hardly imagine what such an amount even meant. She lifted her head again. ¡°Huh?¡± She blinked, leaning closer to Lin Xian¡¯s ear and shouted over the roaring engine, ¡°Lin Xian! I think you¡¯re going the wrong way!¡± The motorcycle was speeding, and the engine was loud, so she had to shout for him to hear. ¡°To get to Manhattan, we need to go left, not this way!¡± Lin Xian turned his head and shouted back, ¡°Before we go to Manhattan, shouldn¡¯t we prepare a little? After all, this is your biggest dream coming true¡ªwe need to make it special, it can¡¯t be just a casual thing.¡± He smiled slightly. ¡°Remember what you told me at the pier outside the church? You said the people in Manhattan wouldn¡¯t wear clothes like ours¡ªthat the men were always in suits and the women were always glamorous.¡± ¡°So before we cross into Manhattan, we need to get dressed up too. After all, we¡¯re rich now¡ªwe need to look the part.¡± ¡°I think my outfit is fancy enough, even if I don¡¯t know the brand of this hat and coat. It¡¯s probably a luxury brand, and I really like the style.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re still wearing your old wanderer¡¯s clothes. I want to get you something new, so we can ride across the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan looking our best. Didn¡¯t you always say you wanted a light, lacy, fluffy, beautiful white dress? Well, we¡¯re going to head to the shopping district in the wealthy area¡ª¡± ¡°[And get you the prettiest white dress in all of Brooklyn!]¡± ... CC listened, holding her breath. ¡°You... you remembered even such a small thing,¡± she whispered in disbelief. ¡°How do you remember every word I say so clearly...?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t hear her over the engine and wind and shouted back, ¡°What did you say just now? The wind¡¯s too loud, I can¡¯t hear!¡± CC shook her head. ¡°Nothing... I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± She closed her eyes, hugging Lin Xian¡¯s waist tightly and pressing her face against his back to shield herself from the biting wind. ¡°I just meant... the weather¡¯s getting colder. Is it going to snow soon?¡± ... They entered the commercial district, and Lin Xian slowed the bike, scanning the shops along the road. But¡ª ¡°Why is everything closed?¡± he muttered, frowning at the darkened storefronts, almost all of them shut tight. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too early for everything to be closed? This should be the prime time for business.¡± ¡°Brooklyn¡¯s a rough place,¡± CC said, leaning forward now that the bike had slowed down. She no longer needed to cling to him just to stay balanced. ¡°Even in the rich areas, there are still robberies, so the shops close early.¡± Lin Xian drove through several more streets. All the clothing stores were shut, not a single one open for business. It was a little awkward. They could easily break the windows and take what they wanted¡ªmaybe even leave some extra cash to compensate the shop owner. But that would probably bring trouble. With his forced avoidance, Lin Xian was basically invincible, unkillable¡ªbut still. If the police or some ¡°helpful citizens¡± decided to restrain him and hand him over... that would be a mess. In a foreign country, better to avoid unnecessary trouble. Besides¡ª CC was a kind, simple girl. She had scolded him once for just taking a newspaper from a kid. She was full of justice and morals¡ªcould she really accept a white dress that had been stolen? Lin Xian shook his head. It wasn¡¯t just about CC accepting it. From his own perspective, he wanted to buy her a white dress fair and square¡ªproperly, openly¡ªno shadows, no guilt. He didn¡¯t want her to carry any burden, didn¡¯t want that dress tainted in any way. He wanted her to be a true, radiant princess. ¡°There!¡± he said, relieved, as he spotted a shop window still lit up, displaying several white dresses. ¡°That shop¡¯s still open. Let¡¯s check it out.¡± CC nodded, also noticing the lit-up window. Even from afar, she could see the plastic mannequins wearing those glowing, fluffy white dresses. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was just because of the year¡ª1952¡ªbut these wedding dresses seemed a bit old-fashioned to him. If he were honest, he wasn¡¯t quite satisfied yet. He wanted something more refined. Two ¡°Danger¡± signs seemed to pop up above the employees¡¯ heads. They looked tense, clearly sensing that this young man wasn¡¯t fully happy. ¡°S-Sir, don¡¯t worry! We have many more wedding dress styles in the shop. These are just some of the more common designs... Yes, yes, I see now¡ªhow could we have made such a mistake? With this young lady¡¯s outstanding figure and appearance, she shouldn¡¯t be trying common designs! I¡¯ll go prepare something else right away!¡± The female employee nodded rapidly: ¡°My mistake! I forgot to do the young lady¡¯s makeup! Even though she¡¯s naturally gorgeous, she still needs the right makeup and accessories to match a wedding dress. Miss, please follow me¡ªI¡¯ll help you freshen up and add a little makeup.¡± After some fussing around¡ª CC timidly stepped out of the changing room again, now in the most refined white gown, her hair styled elegantly. Her face, already delicate and pretty, now glowed under the touch of makeup, like a fairy that had wandered into the mortal world. ¡°Do... do I look good?¡± she asked nervously, her voice soft as she looked to Lin Xian for reassurance. Lin Xian looked at the girl standing before him. She reminded him of Chu An Qing, in her light blue evening gown, when they¡¯d waltzed together at the New Year¡¯s Eve gala of the Donghai Business Association. The same style, the same charm¡ªonly, without the self-assurance and poise that came from being a princess of Donghai. ¡°You look beautiful,¡± Lin Xian said truthfully. ¡°Absolutely stunning.¡± CC¡¯s eyes lit up instantly, her smile turning her eyes into crescent moons. The dimples at the corners of her lips showed faintly. ¡°Then this one it is! I like this one best!¡± The two employees both sighed in relief. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ll go ahead and pack up this wedding dress.¡± ¡°No need to pack it,¡± Lin Xian said, standing up from his chair. He picked up his black hat from the side table and placed it back on his head. ¡°She¡¯ll wear it out. CC, let¡¯s go.¡± Boom¡ª The roaring Harley sped along Brooklyn Avenue, the speedometer pushing past 100 mph. Up front was Lin Xian, dressed all in black. Behind him, CC clung to his back, her white wedding gown trailing behind them. The flowing, white dress fluttered wildly in the night air like the tail of a comet¡ªcarrying hope and dreams towards the magical metropolis, the center of the world¡ªNew York, Manhattan. Even though it was night, CC felt as if Manhattan ahead of them was shining like daylight¡ªbright, glorious. She lifted her head from Lin Xian¡¯s back, her eyes set on the Brooklyn Bridge ahead, her gaze fixed on Manhattan just beyond. So close. So very close. The other side of the Brooklyn Bridge¡ªthere, soaring skyscrapers awaited in Manhattan. This wall. This barrier between Brooklyn and Manhattan. She was finally about to cross it! The Brooklyn Bridge... It was just a bridge¡ª ¡°CC! Are you ready?¡± Lin Xian called over his shoulder, grinning as he tightened his grip on the throttle. ¡°We¡¯re going to cross the Brooklyn Bridge! Once we¡¯re across¡ªthat¡¯s Manhattan!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± CC said, her lips pressed together. A thousand emotions surged within her, all words stuck in her throat, turning to tears that sparkled, scattered by the last gusts of Brooklyn¡¯s cold wind. She straightened up, biting her lip, her palms pressed against Lin Xian¡¯s shoulders. And she stood, right up from her seat on the back of the motorcycle! She looked ahead at the lights drawing closer. Memories flashed through her mind¡ªthe orphanage and its warmth. Wandering the streets of Brooklyn¡ªthe Brooklyn Heights Promenade, with its view of the city. The blanket in that old motel room. The first bite of a hot dog, its flavor filling her senses. Riding the Ferris wheel to its highest point, gazing down on a city she thought she¡¯d never be able to escape. ¡°Charge!!¡± She screamed into the open expanse of bridge and sea. ¡°Brooklyn!!!¡± Boom boom boom boom boom! Lin Xian twisted the throttle to its limit. The roaring Harley shot up at the start of the Brooklyn Bridge, the front wheel lifting into the air as it launched off the ground, before crashing back down onto the steel surface of the bridge and racing towards the center of the world. The century-old steel bridge, its thousands of thick steel cables holding it above the water, couldn¡¯t hold back the dreams of this nineteen-year-old girl. The antenna at the top of the Empire State Building shone like a beacon, welcoming the arrival of Brooklyn¡¯s new queen. Drip... drip... drip... The motorcycle roared towards the middle of the bridge. Lin Xian felt something warm dripping onto his neck. It trickled down his collar, down his chest. He slowed the bike, glancing back. And there was CC¡ªstanding on the seat, her face streaked with tears, makeup smudged, her eyes fixed on the glowing lights of Manhattan ahead. She was biting her lip. But her eyes¡ªthose eyes, reflecting the lights of Manhattan¡ªwere already brimming with tears, tears spilling one after another. ¡°I... I¡¯m fine,¡± CC said, wiping her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not crying.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m really not crying.¡± She took a deep breath and gave Lin Xian a genuine smile, her eyes bright with joy. ¡°These are happy tears!¡± CC lowered her head, whispering, ¡°Lin Xian, now I believe you¡ªyou really are a magician.¡± Lin Xian smiled as he steered the bike. ¡°Riding a motorcycle doesn¡¯t take any magic. The Brooklyn Bridge has been here for a hundred years¡ªI didn¡¯t make it appear.¡± CC sat back down, settling on the motorcycle¡¯s rear seat. She wrapped her arms around Lin Xian¡¯s waist, her face pressed against his broad back, against the soft, black wool coat¡ªwarm, comfortable. ¡°But to me... this is magic. The most wonderful, incredible magic in the world,¡± she whispered, her eyes closed. ¡°Meeting you... is the luckiest thing in my life.¡± Chapter 499: From an Angel This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation The Harley motorcycle roared down the wide Fifth Avenue of Manhattan. It was late at night now, with only a few cars on the road. The surrounding skyscrapers, however, were still lit up brightly. Manhattan truly lived up to its name as the world¡¯s capital, with the city¡¯s nightlife being as lively as ever. Lin Xian took a deep breath, his exhale quickly turning into a faint mist in the cold air. ¡°This cold front is really something,¡± he muttered to himself. ¡°The temperature¡¯s dropped a lot. It might even snow.¡± Lin Xian turned his head slightly as he rode, his passenger staring in awe at Manhattan¡¯s sights. The view was breathtaking, and she looked like she was trying to take in every detail. ¡°Is there any place in particular you¡¯d like to go?¡± he called over his shoulder. ¡°Yes, there is!¡± she replied, raising her head and looking towards the tallest point in Manhattan¡ªthe unmistakable silhouette of the Empire State Building, visible from anywhere in the city. ¡°The Empire State Building,¡± she said softly. ¡°It¡¯s the tallest point in Manhattan. You can see the whole city from up there. I want to see it, to really see what the center of the world looks like.¡± Lin Xian smiled, as if he had just been given a command by a genie. ¡°No problem. We¡¯re going there now.¡± He twisted the throttle, and they sped down Fifth Avenue. With the Empire State Building as their destination, there was no need for a map or GPS. One only had to look up, and there it stood, majestic and towering above everything else. Especially at night. For the sake of air traffic safety, the top of the Empire State Building was always brightly lit. Even the antenna on top flashed a brilliant blue. Nobody could lose sight of the building; it was always there, standing proud. ¡°But... it¡¯s so late. Will we be able to go up?¡± she asked, her voice rising above the wind, her wedding dress fluttering as they rode. ¡°It¡¯s past midnight, isn¡¯t it? Will they still let us in?¡± ¡°It should be fine,¡± Lin Xian answered, recalling a conversation he had overheard during a flight back from a competition in America. ¡°They say the observation deck at the Empire State Building is open until 2 AM. The last elevator goes up around 1 AM. If we hurry, we should still be able to get tickets.¡± The Empire State Building had 102 floors, and its elevators were always busy. Even after buying tickets, you had to wait for a specific observation elevator, just like waiting for a train. After half an hour of skillful riding, Lin Xian managed to get them there just before 1 AM. He checked the notice board at the ticket counter¡ª Sure enough, some traditions never change. The last elevator up to the observation deck was indeed at 1:15 AM. He turned to glance at the clock and calendar hanging in the lobby. October 30th, 1952, 12:50 AM. Perfect, they were just in time. R??¦­o?bE?S?? He looked back at her with a smile. ¡°Good thing I drove fast. Sorry if it messed up your hair.¡± She laughed, her smile warm and gentle. ¡°Messed up or not, who cares? It¡¯s not like anyone else is watching. As long as we¡¯re happy, that¡¯s what matters.¡± Lin Xian glanced around. He had thought that riding around in a wedding dress would attract a lot of attention and turn plenty of heads. But to his surprise, here in the free-spirited United States, people seemed unfazed by it. Perhaps they had seen stranger things. There were only a few people in the lobby, and most just glanced their way before moving on. Lin Xian and she, holding their tickets, walked to the elevator to wait. The elevator attendant, an elderly gentleman with white hair, looked at them and nodded knowingly. ¡°Oh, here for some late-night wedding photos, eh? You¡¯ve picked the right place. Not many people choose the top of the Empire State Building for wedding pictures, but believe me, kids, there¡¯s no better spot. You¡¯ll get to see the whole world from up there.¡± He glanced at his watch. It was exactly 1:15 AM. He gave Lin Xian a playful wink. ¡°You two are lucky¡ªlast elevator of the night, and it¡¯s just the two of you. Same price as everyone else, but you get the whole observation deck to yourselves. You¡¯re really getting your money¡¯s worth tonight.¡± Ding¡ª The elevator doors opened, and the previous group of visitors filed out. Once the elevator was empty, the attendant gestured for them to enter with a slight bow. ¡°Please, enjoy your exclusive time up there,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s a rare opportunity.¡± They entered the elevator, where a woman in a uniform greeted them and pressed the button for the observation deck. The elevator began to ascend smoothly, picking up speed. It was a fast elevator¡ªfaster than any Lin Xian had been in before. He glanced to the side, a little worried. But she seemed unfazed. Of course¡ªshe had always been extraordinary. Despite the acceleration, she showed no discomfort. Instead, she was calmly adjusting the layers of her wedding dress, completely at ease. Even though the elevator moved quickly, it still took nearly ten minutes to reach the observation deck¡ªa testament to just how tall the world¡¯s tallest building of the time was. His eyes shone with determination, the lights of the Empire State Building reflecting in them. ¡°This is my duty. My mission.¡± She looked at him silently for a long time. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she finally said, her smile a little embarrassed. ¡°I guess I don¡¯t fully understand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± Lin Xian replied, smiling as well. ¡°It¡¯s been a long journey, a long story.¡± She stepped closer, her eyes meeting his, filled with all the colors of the lights around them. ¡°But... I believe in you. I believe you¡¯ll succeed. You¡¯ll save the world, and you¡¯ll be the hero you want to be.¡± She reached out, taking Lin Xian¡¯s hand in hers, her voice soft. ¡°When I was little, the old lady at the orphanage used to tell us girls that every girl is an angel fallen to earth. She said each of us has one wish that will come true, just one, no matter what.¡± ¡°She told us to put our hands together, to be sincere when we made our wish, because it was our only chance¡ªa wish that would definitely come true. We had to be careful, to be earnest, and to make it count.¡± ¡°We were just kids, only five or six years old. Everyone closed their eyes and wished.¡± Lin Xian blinked. ¡°And you? Did you wish to come to Manhattan?¡± She shook her head, her expression serious. ¡°I didn¡¯t wish for anything.¡± ¡°I was the only girl who didn¡¯t make a wish,¡± she said. ¡°Because I thought, if I only had one wish, something so precious, I shouldn¡¯t waste it.¡± ¡°I asked the old lady if I could save my wish for later¡ªfor something even more important. She smiled and said yes. She told me I could save it for whenever I wanted, and that it would always come true.¡± Lin Xian chuckled softly. ¡°That sounds like something you¡¯d tell a child.¡± ¡°It does, doesn¡¯t it?¡± she agreed, nodding. ¡°But what if it¡¯s true?¡± ¡°All these years, no matter how hard things got, I never used that wish. Not even when I dreamed of coming to Manhattan. I saved it, because I always felt that it should be used for something more important, something more precious, something more meaningful.¡± She smiled, a small dimple appearing at the corner of her mouth. ¡°And now, I think it¡¯s time.¡± She took Lin Xian¡¯s hand, lifting it between them, placing his larger hand between hers, and closing her eyes. Her expression turned sincere, almost solemn, like she was praying in a church¡ªeven more serious than that. And just then¡ª A cold touch landed on Lin Xian¡¯s face. He looked up. ¡°It¡¯s snowing,¡± he said softly. Hundreds of meters above the ground, snowflakes were falling, carried by the night wind. Standing at the highest point in Manhattan, Lin Xian was the first to feel the snow touch his skin. She lowered her head slightly, still holding his hand, her eyes closed. ¡°Lin Xian, I need to apologize,¡± she whispered, her voice almost lost in the wind. ¡°That day, when you took me to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade to look at Manhattan, you wished for me to become the most beautiful princess in all of Manhattan. I wished for you to be the greatest savior the world has ever known.¡± ¡°But I wasn¡¯t sincere back then. I was joking. You were serious, but I was just going along with you, saying whatever came to mind.¡± ¡°But now, I¡¯m not joking anymore. I¡¯m serious.¡± The snow fell harder, the wind swirling around them, the flakes gathering at her back, almost as if she had grown a pair of pure white wings. ¡°Heavens above, I¡¯m using my one and only wish now,¡± she said, her voice steady as if she were chanting a spell. The snow spun around them, like tiny spirits dancing with her, joining her in the ritual that every girl gets only once in her lifetime. ¡°I wish for Lin Xian to conquer everything, to save everything, to have everything.¡± She pressed his hand tighter, warming it against the cold. ¡°I wish for him to become a true savior.¡± Chapter 500: The Shadow of the Cold War This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Even though the cold wind howled and snowflakes danced in the air, Lin Xian still felt a strange warmth spreading from the palm of his hand, seeping into his arm, and wrapping his entire body in its embrace. For a brief moment, his staunch materialistic beliefs wavered. ¡°Maybe,¡± he thought, ¡°there is no God, no higher power... but perhaps... there really are angels?¡± Just like the one in front of him, with her eyes closed in earnest prayer, surrounded by swirling snowflakes that looked like feathers falling from an angel¡¯s wings, isolating them from the world atop the Empire State Building. ¡°Hehe,¡± she giggled, lifting her head and slowly opening her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know if my wish will work, but still, I¡¯ve saved this opportunity for over ten years, just for you. I believe you can be the one to save the world!¡± The snowflakes that had been swirling around them began to lose their strength, falling gently to the ground, covering everything with a pure white blanket. ¡°It will definitely come true,¡± Lin Xian said seriously. Yes, it definitely would. He thought to himself. After all, hadn¡¯t he made promises like this to so many people before? Even if there was no God to hear her wish, he had taken it on himself. He was like Aladdin¡¯s lamp, and he would grant her wish. ¡°Achoo!¡± She sneezed, letting go of Lin Xian¡¯s hand and rubbing her nose. ¡°Maybe wearing a dress in this weather wasn¡¯t the best idea. It¡¯s still too cold.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± Lin Xian smiled, brushing the snow off his hair. ¡°Let¡¯s head back. Tomorrow¡ªactually, today¡ªwe can go to a mall in Manhattan and buy you some warmer clothes.¡± ¡°The stores in Manhattan are definitely more upscale than those in Brooklyn,¡± he added with a grin, ¡°and you¡¯ll find plenty of clothes you¡¯ll like.¡± The wind was getting colder, and Lin Xian gently guided her back inside the Empire State Building. Instead of heading straight to the ground floor, they exited the elevator at one of the middle levels and entered the ¡°Empire State Hotel.¡± With its 102 floors, the Empire State Building was the tallest structure in the world in 1952, housing not only offices and observation decks but also restaurants, clubs, conference halls, and even a hotel. There was no need to search for accommodations elsewhere; staying here was good enough. Money wasn¡¯t an issue¡ªthe Coney Island gang had already paid for everything. The suitcase full of cash they¡¯d been given was a fortune in these times. Short of buying a house or a car, it would be hard to spend it all quickly. Lin Xian chose a suite. It had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a spacious living area, which made things much more comfortable. When they¡¯d had no money, sharing one room had been a necessity. But now that they were flush with cash, Lin Xian was determined to make things more comfortable for her. With a click, Lin Xian opened the door and flipped on the light switch. Instantly, the crystal chandelier in the suite¡¯s grand living room lit up, the small bar¡¯s record player started playing soft music, and the red carpet at the entrance lay immaculately clean. She widened her eyes in amazement. ¡°It¡¯s like a castle,¡± she whispered. Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Not quite a castle, but...¡± He walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows at the far end of the room, gazing at the dazzling night view of Manhattan below. ¡°You could say this is the tallest hotel on Earth. There¡¯s no arguing with that.¡± She plopped down on the long, plush sofa, hugging a cushion as she rolled around. ¡°Wow, I never thought I¡¯d get to stay in such a fancy place! No, no... every second here costs several cents. I can¡¯t waste it!¡± She sprang up, scanning the room eagerly, and finally set her sights on the minibar with its drinks and snacks. She dashed over. ¡°Lin Xian! There¡¯s cream cake! And juice! But... no cola?¡± Lin Xian scratched his head. ¡°Maybe a place like this doesn¡¯t think cola is healthy, so they don¡¯t provide it. Let me check.¡± Eventually, he found a bottle of cola in the minibar¡¯s fridge, and she was satisfied. The two of them sat around the small bar, soft music playing from the record player. They gobbled down the cream cake, raising their drinks. ¡°Cheers!¡± she said with a giggle. ¡°Cheers,¡± Lin Xian echoed, their glasses clinking together. Lin Xian drank his fresh juice in one go, while she took a long swig of her cola. ¡°Ahhh...¡± They both sighed with contentment. As someone who had lived through it, Lin Xian knew that the Cold War never escalated into a full-blown conflict¡ªnot a single bullet was fired. The only real crises were the Cuban Missile Crisis and one involving a nuclear submarine; the rest of the Cold War was full of tense moments but ultimately harmless. But of course, that was easy for him to say now, in hindsight. For people living in 1952, it wasn¡¯t that simple. Across the U.S., air-raid shelters and nuclear bunkers were being built. Even in Brooklyn Heights, there were ads for family bomb shelters¡ªeveryone was preparing for a nuclear war that could happen at any time. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s going to be another war?¡± she asked, frowning in worry while watching the news and eating her sandwich. Lin Xian thought for a moment. He hadn¡¯t realized before, but she was born in 1932, which meant she had witnessed World War II in its entirety. War and sacrifice were probably deeply ingrained in her mind. ¡°No, there won¡¯t be another war,¡± Lin Xian said, swallowing the last of his bread and washing it down with milk. ¡°Trust me, there¡¯s not going to be another war. Even though there were some dangerous moments and misunderstandings, it never actually came to that.¡± ¡°But...¡± she pointed to the black-and-white TV. ¡°The news anchor isn¡¯t saying that. They¡¯re saying the situation is really dangerous, and an expert said the Soviets already have nuclear submarines.¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. The world¡¯s first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus, is still being built here in the U.S. It¡¯s not even close to finished.¡± He smiled at her reassuringly. ¡°You really don¡¯t need to worry. Trust me, there won¡¯t be a war. Not this time.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re right,¡± she sighed. ¡°I¡¯m really scared of war. The matron at the orphanage lost her entire family in World War I, and during World War II, we heard news of people dying every single day. I just want the world to be peaceful forever. I want everyone to be safe and happy. It doesn¡¯t matter if we don¡¯t have much to eat or if we don¡¯t have warm clothes, as long as we¡¯re all alive and don¡¯t have to feel the pain of losing loved ones.¡± Lin Xian watched her silently. It seemed that the scars left by the war ran deep for people of this time. Even a child who had never been on the battlefield, who had never truly experienced the war, carried that emotional burden. Lin Xian didn¡¯t say anything more. He came from a time of peace and prosperity, a place without war, and he could never truly understand what that tension felt like. He wasn¡¯t going to stand here and try to offer hollow reassurances. He finished the last of his milk and stood up. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go explore Manhattan. Whatever happens out there, whether there¡¯s a war or not, it¡¯s not something the two of us can change.¡± He smiled. ¡°And even if a war does break out, don¡¯t worry. Manhattan is one of the safest places in the U.S. Have you heard of the Manhattan Project?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Lin Xian said, slightly surprised. He¡¯d thought the legendary orphanage matron knew everything, like a living encyclopedia who could explain anything to her. But it seemed like even her knowledge was selective, more focused on the human experience than cold facts. ¡°The Manhattan Project was the plan to create the atomic bomb,¡± Lin Xian explained. ¡°You know about the atomic bomb, right? I¡¯m sure you do. They keep mentioning it on the news. It¡¯s the thing that everyone fears the most these days¡ªa weapon powerful enough to destroy an entire city.¡± ¡°The Manhattan Project was the most secretive program in America. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s declassified now, but just listen to me. Lots of brilliant physicists were involved in that project¡ªOppenheimer, Edward Teller, John von Neumann, Enrico Fermi... And of course, the one who started it all, Albert Einstein.¡± She suddenly put down her knife and fork, her eyes widening in surprise. ¡°Einstein?¡± She stood up quickly, walking to the coffee table to pick up today¡¯s edition of The New York Times. Then she walked back over to Lin Xian, pointing to the front page picture of a wild-haired physicist. ¡°You mean this Einstein?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°That¡¯s him.¡± He chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve never been to school, but you recognize Einstein. Did the matron teach you that? Or did you already look at the paper earlier?¡± She shook her head, still staring at the picture before looking back at Lin Xian. ¡°No, I saw him in Brooklyn!¡± Chapter 501: The Movie This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°Have you seen him before?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice was full of disbelief. This was Albert Einstein, the most famous and respected physicist in the entire world. And here was CC, an orphan from a welfare home, claiming to have seen him? They lived in two completely different worlds¡ªnot just in terms of lifestyle but in every imaginable way. The idea of them crossing paths seemed impossible. After all, CC had grown up in the poor neighborhoods of Brooklyn, places Lin Xian had seen with his own eyes. The streets were dirty, chaotic, and unforgiving. He couldn¡¯t picture Einstein ever visiting a place like that. It didn¡¯t match his status or lifestyle at all. ¡°You¡¯ve really seen Einstein?¡± Lin Xian asked again, his skepticism clear. ¡°Yeah, really,¡± CC answered, putting down the newspaper she had been reading. She pushed it toward Lin Xian. He glanced at the front page. It was an interview with Einstein, mostly talking about the Cold War, the nuclear crisis, and the international situation¡ªall those heavy topics that everyone seemed to worry about these days. ¡°You just have to trust me. I¡¯ve really seen him,¡± CC insisted, resting her chin on her hands. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just me either. A lot of us kids from the welfare home saw him. Even Grandma talked to him once. She told us stories about him afterward, saying he was a great scientist... so I¡¯m sure about it. It was Albert Einstein.¡± Lin Xian finally set the newspaper down, deciding to accept it. ¡°Alright. If Grandma said it was Einstein, then it probably was.¡± He still found it hard to imagine Einstein hanging around the slums of Brooklyn. It just didn¡¯t fit his image. But maybe there was a reason¡ªa friend, or some kind of business that brought him by. It wasn¡¯t impossible. Maybe CC had just happened to see him by chance. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that,¡± CC said, shaking her head, looking puzzled at Lin Xian¡¯s continued doubt. ¡°We didn¡¯t see him just once. We saw him quite often.¡± ¡°Quite often?¡± Lin Xian raised an eyebrow, trying to wrap his head around it. An orphan girl from a welfare home regularly seeing Einstein, the renowned scientist? It sounded ridiculous. Einstein¡¯s status was extraordinary. If Lin Xian remembered correctly, it was around this time that Israel had even offered Einstein the presidency, which he had declined. Why would someone of that stature be seen regularly by CC? ¡°How exactly did you see Einstein?¡± he asked, standing up from his chair. ¡°Did he come to the welfare home to visit you?¡± CC laughed and shook her head. ¡°Of course not. Our welfare home was on the outskirts of Brooklyn, quite far from everything. Not many people came by. We kids didn¡¯t have much to do, so we often played outside by the road.¡± ¡°Anyone driving by, we¡¯d see them. Einstein would pass by in a black car every few months or so, right in front of the welfare home,¡± she explained. ¡°He usually didn¡¯t stop, but one time, a little boy from the home ran into the road, and Einstein¡¯s car almost hit him. He got out to make sure the boy was okay and even helped him up.¡± ¡°After that, he spoke with Grandma for a while, made sure everything was alright, then left. Since then, whenever he drove past and saw us outside, he¡¯d wave at us from the window.¡± ¡°So, I guess we saw him quite a few times¡ªmaybe seven or eight,¡± CC finished. Lin Xian nodded slowly, beginning to understand. Einstein hadn¡¯t known the welfare home or the kids. Their interaction had been a coincidence. And the subsequent ¡°meetings¡± were just waves from a passing car¡ªhardly what he¡¯d call actual encounters. ¡°Can you remember roughly when all this happened?¡± Lin Xian asked, grabbing a notepad and pencil. ¡°When was Einstein driving through Brooklyn? Just give me an idea; it doesn¡¯t have to be exact.¡± CC blinked, thinking back. ¡°Grandma passed away when I was sixteen, and that¡¯s when the welfare home closed down. I started living on the streets then. I remember seeing Einstein shortly before Grandma passed away.¡± ¡°The first time I saw him, I must have been twelve or thirteen. After that, we saw him two or three times a year until the home closed,¡± she said. But if it made CC happy, he was willing to indulge her. This was her ¡°revenge diet¡±¡ªyears of not being able to eat what she wanted, now finally enjoying it. Just like her love for white clothes, which she¡¯d always wanted but never had. It made Lin Xian¡¯s heart soften. He picked up the menu. ¡°How about... a pizza too?¡± ¡°Yes, please!¡± CC nodded eagerly, her eyes lighting up. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to try one for ages!¡± That evening, they had steak, cheese, and roasted meat. ¡°Fine, eat whatever you want,¡± Lin Xian thought, resigned as he cut into his steak. As long as CC was happy, that was all that mattered. With full bellies, they strolled through Manhattan once again. This time, the lights weren¡¯t distant¡ªthey surrounded them, enveloping them in Manhattan¡¯s bustling warmth. ¡°Oh? A movie theater?¡± Lin Xian stopped, noticing two posters plastered on a wall. One was for an action film, ¡°The Great Tree Ridge Feud,¡± and the other for an animated movie, ¡°Alice in Wonderland.¡± The posters meant there must be a nearby theater showing both films. Lin Xian knew ¡°Alice in Wonderland,¡± the 1952 Disney animation, well. It was hugely popular, a happy-ending, family-friendly movie. Disney was still the undisputed king of animation back then. He glanced at the other poster¡ª ¡°The Great Tree Ridge Feud.¡± The title suggested an action movie, maybe with some romance thrown in. The poster showed felled trees. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t quite sure what it was about, but it probably wasn¡¯t famous enough to be a classic. He looked at the cast list¡ª ¡°Starring: Kirk Douglas.¡± ¡°Ohhh,¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened. It was an early work by Kirk Douglas! Douglas was an iconic actor, with roles in ¡°Spartacus¡± and ¡°Paths of Glory.¡± Lin Xian, a movie buff, definitely knew him. ¡°The Great Tree Ridge Feud,¡± Lin Xian repeated, now more interested. He turned to CC. ¡°CC, have you ever watched a movie?¡± ¡°No way,¡± CC shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve never had the chance. I¡¯ve barely even seen a television.¡± Lin Xian smiled, nodding at the posters. ¡°Well, a day out usually ends with a movie. Since you¡¯ve never seen one, why not now?¡± ¡°Which one do you want to watch?¡± Chapter 502: A Chance Meeting, A Dream Chapter 502: A Chance Meeting, A Dream This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian was genuinely intrigued by the movie ¡°The Big Tree Ridge Feud.¡± After all, he had never seen it before. On the other hand, he had watched Disney¡¯s ¡°Alice in Wonderland¡± more times than he could count and knew the story by heart. But still, this felt different. It was CC¡¯s first time ever going to a movie, and that made it important for him to let her choose. Even though they had enough money now to watch both films if they wanted to, it wasn¡¯t like they could watch two movies at the same time. ¡°That¡¯s life,¡± Lin Xian mused to himself. ¡°Even if you can do anything, you can¡¯t do everything all at once.¡± CC rubbed her chin, her eyes darting back and forth between the two movie posters. Finally, she pointed at the animated poster on the right. ¡°I¡¯m interested in both, but I think I¡¯d rather watch ¡®Alice in Wonderland.¡¯ Remember, Lin Xian, back at the balloon booth on Brooklyn Pier? The prize you won for me was an Alice doll. I really want to see what she¡¯s like... you know, when she¡¯s moving.¡± Lin Xian smiled and nodded. ¡°Alright then. We¡¯ll watch this one. You know, you¡¯ve got good taste. Decades from now, ¡®Alice in Wonderland¡¯ will still be a classic, while ¡®The Big Tree Ridge Feud¡¯ will be forgotten. People will remember Kirk Douglas, sure, but the movie itself¡ªnobody will talk about it anymore.¡± He glanced at the address on the tickets. ¡°Looks like the cinema is just around the corner. Let¡¯s go.¡± Following the directions, they soon found themselves in front of a brightly lit cinema. They bought two tickets and, naturally, picked up the essentials: popcorn and two large cups of cola. CC hugged an enormous bucket of popcorn as if she were holding the whole world. Lin Xian trailed behind her, holding both sodas in each hand. Sigh. Another day, more junk food. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but wonder, didn¡¯t people here ever get ¡°heatiness¡± from eating so much unhealthy food? Maybe the concept didn¡¯t exist here, and that was why they were unaffected? He couldn¡¯t quite figure it out. What he really needed was a nice bowl of mung bean soup¡ªor maybe some egg drop soup¡ªsomething soothing. Tomorrow, he promised himself. Tomorrow he¡¯d find something to cool his throat. They passed through the ticket check and entered the screening room, finding their seats in the sixth row. The room wasn¡¯t too crowded at this hour, just a handful of other viewers. ¡°Probably because it¡¯s a family movie,¡± Lin Xian thought. ¡°Most parents bring their kids to see something like ¡®Alice in Wonderland¡¯ during the day. By this time, the kids are already in bed, dreaming of wonderland themselves.¡± Once seated, CC kept looking around, leaning from side to side in her chair. ¡°Lin Xian, there¡¯s barely anyone here. It¡¯s almost like we¡¯ve got the whole place to ourselves. What a steal!¡± Lin Xian chuckled at CC¡¯s typical calculation. She really had a knack for being thrifty. Whether it was snacks, hotels, or anything else, she was always figuring out whether it was ¡°worth it¡± or not. It was so ingrained in her that it made Lin Xian¡¯s heart ache a little. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Lin Xian said, nodding. ¡°We paid the same amount, but we get to have the entire cinema to ourselves¡ªand this movie, all for ourselves.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± CC beamed, grabbing a handful of popcorn and offering it to Lin Xian. ¡°Here, you take some first. Once you¡¯re done, just poke me, and I¡¯ll get you more.¡± With that, she took a sip of her soda, sat up straight, and began eating the popcorn, one piece at a time, waiting patiently for the movie to begin. Lin Xian picked up a single piece of popcorn¡ªa taste from 1952¡ªand popped it in his mouth. Ugh. Too sugary. Everything here had too much sugar. Even the popcorn was overly sweet. It was cloying, and his throat felt like it was on fire. ¡°I think I¡¯ve had more sugar today than I¡¯ve had in the entire past month,¡± Lin Xian muttered, worrying a little about America¡¯s diabetes problem. Soon, the lights in the screening room dimmed completely. As the music played, a beam of light shot out from the projector behind them, casting its glow on the screen. Colors danced across the screen, and the animation began. Alice was a cute young girl with a fondness for daydreaming. On this particular day, she wore a blue dress and a white apron, playing outside in her garden. Suddenly, she noticed a peculiar rabbit¡ªdressed just like a person¡ªin a hurry. Curious, Alice followed the rabbit, diving into a hole and finding herself in a mysterious, magical world... Beside Lin Xian, CC¡¯s eyes were wide open, focused intensely on the screen. The Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, the Mad Hatter¡ªthey all opened a new world for this Brooklyn girl of 1952, drawing her in completely. She couldn¡¯t even blink, she was so engrossed. Every smile, every frown on the animated characters¡¯ faces seemed to touch her deeply¡ªmaking her giggle or frown in concern. It was as if it wasn¡¯t little Alice having this adventure, but CC herself, holding that giant popcorn bucket. Lin Xian, on the other hand, found it hard to be interested in this old animated film. He¡¯d been spoiled by modern technology¡ªhaving seen the best visuals, this grainy, rough animation felt like a screen full of static, and it was hard to stay focused. Instead, Lin Xian took the time to think about the discussion he had with CC earlier that morning¡ªabout Einstein¡¯s unusual behavior in Brooklyn. On the screen, Alice had just eaten a piece of cake and grown into a giant. The scene was absurd yet imaginative. And with that, the movie ended. Although the journey to Wonderland was just a dream, it had given young Alice newfound courage and wisdom that she could carry with her into her life, to face whatever challenges lay ahead. ¡°A happy ending,¡± Lin Xian said quietly. ¡°It really was a wonderful family film, wasn¡¯t it?¡± He turned to look at CC, only to find¡ªto his surprise¡ªthat she didn¡¯t look as happy as he had expected. Instead, she looked worried, her brows furrowed, her lips pressed tightly together. She seemed... disappointed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lin Xian asked. He had wanted to make her happy, to end their lovely day in Manhattan on a cheerful note¡ªso why was it having the opposite effect? ¡°I just feel...¡± CC lowered her head. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m a lot like Alice right now.¡± She blinked, clutching the huge popcorn bucket even closer. ¡°Alice went on a dreamlike adventure in Wonderland, and here I am, in Manhattan¡ªisn¡¯t it just the same?¡± She paused, her voice trembling. ¡°All the delicious food, the luxurious hotel, the dazzling lights, the warm and beautiful clothes I¡¯m wearing¡ªto me, to someone who¡¯s lived the life I have, it¡¯s no different from a magical wonderland.¡± Lin Xian smiled and spread his hands. ¡°But that¡¯s a good thing, isn¡¯t it? Alice got to experience something special, and so did you. You both gained something wonderful and important in your lives¡ªAlice explored Wonderland, and you¡¯re walking through Manhattan. It¡¯s similar, sure¡ªbut why would that make you sad?¡± CC shook her head, her eyes brimming with emotion. ¡°I am happy, and I¡¯m grateful,¡± she said, her voice soft. ¡°Honestly... ever since I met you, I¡¯ve been so happy that sometimes I can¡¯t even believe it¡¯s real.¡± She clutched tightly onto Lin Xian¡¯s sleeve, as if letting go might make everything disappear. ¡°We met on October 28th. I still remember it like it was yesterday. You stole that newspaper from that little boy, and I shouted at you. Then we ran away together. That¡¯s how our story began.¡± She paused, her gaze distant as she remembered those early days. ¡°These days have been like a dream¡ªso beautiful. I remember every moment, every tiny detail. I swear, I¡¯ll never forget any of it for as long as I live.¡± She held onto his sleeve even tighter, her voice barely audible beneath the movie¡¯s ending soundtrack. ¡°That afternoon, you took me to Brooklyn Heights. It was my first time seeing Manhattan from the promenade. It was breathtaking.¡± Her smile grew as she continued, her voice laced with nostalgia. ¡°And that night, you took me to a 30-cent motel. It wasn¡¯t anywhere close to being fancy like the Empire State Building, but you slept on the floor so I could have the bed... and I swear, that was the warmest, safest sleep I¡¯ve ever had.¡± She let out a small laugh, her eyes shining. ¡°The next day, you took me to Coney Island and bought me a hot dog. It was the best thing I¡¯d ever tasted. And then we went on all the rides¡ªthe roller coaster, the carousel, the Ferris wheel. It felt like magic. And that night, when those gangsters showed up, you fought them off like some kind of hero in a movie. You made me feel so safe.¡± She glanced up at him, her eyes filled with admiration. ¡°After that, you bought me a wedding dress and took me across the Brooklyn Bridge. Then you took me to the top of the Empire State Building to see the snow fall and make a wish.¡± She paused, her voice filled with wonder. ¡°And today, you¡¯ve given me even more firsts¡ªfirsts I never even imagined I¡¯d have. We ate the most amazing food, watched a show, and now we¡¯re here, watching my very first movie.¡± She sighed, her voice trembling as she clung to his sleeve. ¡°I¡¯ve said it before¡ªmeeting you has been the best thing that¡¯s ever happened to me. You¡¯ve made my dreams come true, you¡¯ve made everything feel perfect. But the happier I get, the more afraid I become.¡± She twisted the fabric of his sleeve between her fingers, her grip tightening. ¡°I used to be different,¡± she whispered. ¡°I used to have nothing. I wasn¡¯t scared of losing anything because there was nothing to lose¡ªno family, no friends, no one I cared about. I wasn¡¯t even afraid of dying.¡± Her eyes grew misty, and her voice cracked as she spoke. ¡°But now, I¡¯ve got my dreams. I¡¯ve got beautiful clothes, wonderful memories, and, most of all, I¡¯ve got you. And I¡¯m terrified...¡± She swallowed hard, her voice dropping to a quiver. ¡°I¡¯m terrified that I¡¯ll wake up, just like Alice did in her dream, and realize none of this is real. That I never came to Manhattan, that I¡¯m still stuck in Brooklyn. That I never wore a white dress, never ate a hot dog, never stayed in a motel... and that you¡¯re not here with me.¡± The movie credits ended, and the lights in the theater came back on, bright and sudden, bringing them back to reality. CC bit her lip and looked up at Lin Xian, her eyes shimmering with tears. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± she whispered, her voice trembling, ¡°what if one day I wake up, and you¡¯re not there? What if all of this is just a dream?¡± Chapter 503: Halloween and Einstein This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation CC¡¯s trembling voice hung in the air as Lin Xian remained silent. ¡°Fear of Gain and Loss.¡± That, perhaps, described CC¡¯s current state perfectly. As she had just confessed, when she had nothing, life had been carefree. She hadn¡¯t feared loss, the uncertainties of tomorrow, or even death itself. But now, having so much, she inevitably became more afraid¡ªafraid of losing it all, and plagued by a deep insecurity. Yes, insecurity. It was the very thing CC, the original Stake Girl, had yearned for since her birth but could never grasp. It was like the film Alice in Wonderland. Alice had merely been daydreaming, and CC feared that one day, she might wake up from her own dream, finding herself still huddled in a corner of a cold Brooklyn street, alone and vulnerable. Seeing the glint of fragility in CC¡¯s eyes, Lin Xian¡¯s heart ached. He wanted to comfort her. But... CC, as if foreseeing the inevitable, spoke of their final fate. This encounter in 1952 Brooklyn, she realized, was nothing more than a dream. Eventually, CC would dissolve into blue star fragments, laying the foundation of the first Millennial Stake along the river of time. Lin Xian, too, would leave 1952, carrying the truth and answers back to 2234 to continue his journey of saving the world. Time¡¯s wheel pressed forward. No one would stay in 1952¡ªnot Lin Xian, not CC. Lin Xian understood this too. This was indeed a dream¡ªa dream for the original Stake Girl, a dream for himself, a dream for Zhang Yu Qian, a dream for Chu An Qing, and a dream for every Millennial Stake Girl. The harsh reality, however, was that this dream had a predestined end, and it would inevitably break. Lin Xian hesitated. In the end, he reached out, placing his broad palm gently on CC¡¯s head, ruffling her smooth hair with a tender smile. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. What are you even talking about?¡± He chose to lie. It was a kind lie, like so many he had heard before¡ªa mix of compassion and helplessness. ¡°How can you be so childish? Taking an animated movie and blending it with reality... Those things aren¡¯t real. We¡¯re living in the real world.¡± He grabbed a handful of popcorn from CC¡¯s bucket, tossed it into his mouth, and swallowed. ¡°Remember? You said before that in your dreams, you couldn¡¯t even taste hot dogs. But today, you¡¯ve had steak and popcorn. How could this possibly be a dream?¡± ?A??O?¦Â?? ¡°So, stop worrying. This isn¡¯t a dream. You¡¯re here in Manhattan, the center of the world, with your feet firmly on the ground. And I¡¯m not going anywhere. Whenever you wake up, I¡¯ll still be here.¡± ... CC listened, nodded, and wiped her eyes. She smiled awkwardly, a little embarrassed. ¡°You¡¯re right. I was overthinking. Hehe, how could this be a dream? Go on, pinch me! If it¡¯s a dream, the pain will wake me up.¡± Lin Xian obliged. Through the fabric of her sleeve, he pinched the skin on CC¡¯s arm and twisted. ¡°Ow, ow, ow!¡± Popcorn spilled from CC¡¯s bucket as she flinched. She punched Lin Xian lightly. ¡°Why¡¯d you pinch so hard?¡± ¡°To put your worries to rest.¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°See? It hurt, and you didn¡¯t wake up. That¡¯s proof it¡¯s not a dream. Rest assured, when it comes to proving reality versus dreams, I¡¯m a professional.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too professional!¡± CC rubbed her arm and stood up. ¡°Come on, everyone else has left. It¡¯s just the two of us now.¡± Lin Xian stood and followed her out of the theater. They exited the cinema and stepped into the night. Outside, the wind had picked up. It was cold and biting. Though last night¡¯s snowfall had been brief, the lingering chill ushered the city into an early winter. It was late, and there were few cars on the streets. Lin Xian and CC hailed a taxi, returning to the Empire State Building Hotel to wash up and sleep. ¡°A big house isn¡¯t always a good thing,¡± CC remarked while brushing her teeth. ¡°Smaller rooms feel cozier. When it¡¯s too big... like now, it just feels empty.¡± ¡°Small rooms can get cramped.¡± Lin Xian, seated on the sofa, flipped through the latest New York Evening News. ¡°Remember that tiny Brooklyn motel for thirty cents a night? The room was so small it barely fit the bed. One of us even had to sleep on the floor. This is way better. At least now we have separate rooms.¡± The sound of brushing teeth filled the room as CC glanced at Lin Xian on the sofa. ¡°Still... that place wasn¡¯t so bad either,¡± she muttered under her breath. Her voice was drowned out by the brushing. ... The next morning, Lin Xian woke naturally. Stretching lazily, he glanced at the clock on the bedroom wall. The hands read 12:42 p.m. ¡°What a long sleep,¡± he murmured, recalling how late they had returned the previous night. That must have been why CC hadn¡¯t woken him for breakfast, wanting him to rest. ¡°Huh?¡± His eyes widened. ¡°Wait, no!¡± 12:42 p.m. in the U.S. meant it was already 12:42 a.m. in China! Could it be that, after their conversation last night, today¡ªher birthday¡ªwas when CC would dissolve into blue star fragments? Panic surged as Lin Xian jumped out of bed, slipped on his slippers, and threw open the door. Shops lit up with eerie decorations¡ªgrinning jack-o¡¯-lanterns, gory mannequins, and plastic vampires with fake blood dripping from their fangs. Seeing the unique designs, Lin Xian suddenly realized something. ¡°It¡¯s Halloween today!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s tomorrow,¡± CC corrected. ¡°November 1st is Halloween. Today, October 31st, is Halloween Eve. But you¡¯re not wrong¡ªHalloween celebrations peak tonight, with costume parties and parades.¡± Due to cultural differences, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t familiar with Halloween, having only seen it in American movies. Back in Long Country, people might celebrate Christmas now and then, but Halloween wasn¡¯t as popular¡ªaside from bars occasionally jumping on the trend. In America, though, Halloween was a big deal. ¡°How did you usually celebrate Halloween?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Dressing up as ghosts and asking for candy, of course!¡± CC giggled, her eyes curving into lovely crescent moons. ¡°Halloween is one of the most anticipated holidays for kids¡ªno less than Christmas. But... after growing up, I couldn¡¯t dress up anymore. Once I left the orphanage and started living on the streets, I barely participated.¡± ¡°After all, how could I afford to join costume parties? Even for parades, you¡¯d need at least a costume.¡± Lin Xian stopped mid-step and turned to CC, who glanced back at him curiously. ¡°Do you like dancing?¡± In a dream, CC had loved dancing¡ªa lively tap dance in Face Village that Lin Xian had taught her. It remained a cherished memory fragment in her mind. As for Chu An Qing, there was no question. She had studied dance from a young age and was a professional. So... This was a question Lin Xian already knew the answer to before CC responded. ¡°Of course!¡± Straightforward as ever, CC hopped to the side and flicked a jack-o¡¯-lantern resting on the railing. Thump, thump. It was a real pumpkin, hollowed out and lit with a candle inside. ¡°Grandma at the orphanage taught us to dance,¡± CC said, resting her hand on the pumpkin. ¡°She used to be a professional theater performer in her younger years. She was really good.¡± ¡°Grandma sounds like she could do anything,¡± Lin Xian remarked, unable to hide his admiration. This legendary grandma seemed like a jack-of-all-trades, reminiscent of Emperor Gao Wen in her versatility. ¡°Well, since you said that...¡± Lin Xian grinned at CC, hands tucked in his pockets. ¡°Let¡¯s go to a costume party right now.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± CC froze for a moment. ¡°Right now? Isn¡¯t it a bit late?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Lin Xian pulled a wad of cash from his coat pocket and waved it playfully. ¡°With money, anything is possible!¡± ... Going to a costume party wasn¡¯t a big deal. Halloween Eve was an inclusive celebration in America. It didn¡¯t matter if your costume was elaborate or hastily thrown together¡ªeven just wearing a mask was enough to join in on the fun. Lin Xian and CC hopped into a taxi, asking the driver for information about nearby parties. In any city, taxi drivers were the best source of intel. If you wanted to know something, they were the people to ask. ¡°Oh, a costume party?¡± the bearded driver said with a hearty laugh. ¡°You should go to the hall across from the cinema. Every year, they host the liveliest Halloween bash!¡± He chuckled as he added, ¡°I¡¯ve already taken several groups there today¡ªit¡¯s really buzzing. Plus, they¡¯ve got costume, makeup, and mask stands right outside the hall. Perfect for folks like you who didn¡¯t prepare ahead of time.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± Lin Xian handed the driver an extra tip. ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯ll go.¡± Soon, the taxi stopped outside the cinema where Lin Xian and CC had watched Alice in Wonderland the day before. Across the street, the hall hosting the costume party was bustling with activity. People in all sorts of strange outfits streamed in and out. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t this a coincidence.¡± Lin Xian stepped out of the cab, glancing at the two movie posters plastered on the cinema wall. One was for The Big Tree Ridge Feud, the other for Alice in Wonderland¡ªthe same two films from yesterday. He stared at the poster for The Big Tree Ridge Feud, noting the bold print of the lead actor¡¯s name: Kirk Douglas. ¡°We should watch this movie sometime,¡± Lin Xian said, turning to CC. ¡°I feel like we¡¯re fated¡ª¡± ¡°Lin Xian!¡± CC suddenly interrupted, grabbing his arm and shaking it vigorously. She pointed across the street, her voice unusually excited. ¡°Look! That black vintage car!¡± Lin Xian looked up. It was an unassuming old car, the kind that was common for this era. ¡°What about it? Have you seen it before?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± CC¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at Lin Xian. ¡°That¡¯s the car that used to pass by the orphanage all the time¡ªit¡¯s Einstein¡¯s car! I remember the license plate; I¡¯d never forget it. That¡¯s definitely his car!¡± Einstein¡¯s car... Hearing this, Lin Xian¡¯s instincts immediately went on high alert. He pulled CC closer, positioning her to face him with her back to the street. Carefully, he pulled up the hood of her coat to cover her head, concealing her as much as possible. Then, narrowing his eyes, he focused on the car that had just parked. From the front door, a chauffeur wearing white gloves stepped out, walking around to the rear passenger side. He opened the door and bent slightly, holding it wide. A puff of white, unruly hair emerged from the car first. An elderly man stepped out, straightening his clothes before turning around. His face was lined with exhaustion, his gaze distant and lifeless. Even the dense mustache on his upper lip seemed weighed down by fatigue. Lin Xian drew a sharp breath. That face... There was no mistaking it. He had seen it countless times in textbooks, the face of a monumental figure in the history of physics. It was the same face immortalized in the mask of the Genius Club¡¯s chairman. Albert Einstein. Chapter 504: Henry Dawson This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation October 31, 1952, the eve of Halloween, at precisely 8:11 PM. The chauffeur in white gloves opened the rear door. Einstein rubbed his weary temples, glancing at his companion beside him¡ªhis old friend, Henry Dawson. ¡°You know I dislike events like this,¡± Einstein murmured, his voice carrying a trace of irritation. ¡°Especially tonight, of all nights¡ªHalloween. And a masquerade ball, no less. It all feels... so noisy.¡± ¡°Oh, my dear friend!¡± Dawson exclaimed, laughing heartily. His face was smeared with bright red and green paint, his hair dusted with colorful powders that clung haphazardly to his head. He clapped Einstein on the shoulder, grinning. ¡°That¡¯s precisely why I brought you along tonight! A Halloween party is just what you need.¡± ¡°No,¡± Einstein replied flatly, shaking his head. ¡°To be precise, you dragged me here against my will. I didn¡¯t want to leave the house, much less attend this meaningless, chaotic affair.¡± After a pause, Einstein glanced skeptically at his friend. ¡°Speaking of which, Dawson, don¡¯t you think your costume is a bit... unusual? Everyone else is dressed in elaborate outfits, masks, or makeup. And what did you do? You painted random shapes on your face and dumped what looks like chalk dust on your head. Is that... really your idea of a costume? Every time you move, it¡¯s like a cloud of flour raining down.¡± ¡°Art, my dear Einstein! It¡¯s art!¡± Dawson exclaimed, shaking his head vigorously. A burst of colorful powder filled the back seat of the car, making it feel like a vibrant dust storm. ¡°This is postmodern art¡ªrock and roll! Have you heard of it? It¡¯s a new music style that¡¯s just getting started, but mark my words, it¡¯ll take over the world!¡± ¡°Cough, cough...¡± Einstein waved his hand, choking on the chalky air. He reached out to steady Dawson¡¯s head, stopping him from spreading more of his ¡°biochemical weapon.¡± ¡°Rock and roll... cough, cough... does it really require dumping chalk dust on your head? If that¡¯s the case, it sounds like a dreadful performance style.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t you a realist painter?¡± Einstein asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°Since when did you dabble in music?¡± ¡°Art knows no boundaries!¡± Dawson declared with a mischievous grin. He leaned closer to Einstein. ¡°Speaking of which, we¡¯ve been friends for years, haven¡¯t we? I¡¯ve told you so many times that I want to paint your portrait. But every single time, you¡¯ve turned me down. Isn¡¯t it time you finally agreed? Someone as great as you needs an artistic masterpiece to stand the test of time.¡± Dawson¡¯s tone grew more passionate as he continued. ¡°You¡¯re a monumental figure in science, Einstein. Of course, there are plenty of photographs of you, but a painting¡ªnow that¡¯s entirely different. As your good friend, it should be my privilege to create it. Imagine, hundreds of years from now, people will view it as your sole artistic legacy. The painting would fetch astronomical prices at auction¡ªfar beyond van Gogh or da Vinci!¡± Einstein shook his head, brushing the chalk dust off his hands. ¡°Forget it, Dawson. I¡¯ll never agree.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Dawson persisted, shaking his head again, unleashing another cloud of colorful powder. Einstein lowered his gaze, his voice heavy. ¡°Because someone like me¡ªa sinner¡ªdeserves infamy, not glory.¡± For a moment, silence filled the car. Outside, the cheerful clamor of the Halloween crowd echoed faintly, starkly contrasting the sorrow lingering inside the black vintage automobile. The juxtaposition only highlighted how deeply divided human emotions could be. ¡°My friend... my dear friend.¡± Dawson reached out, patting Einstein gently on the back. His voice softened. ¡°This is exactly why I forced you to come tonight. You can¡¯t keep spiraling into this pit of despair. These feelings will crush you if you let them¡ªthey¡¯ll choke the life out of you or push you to extremes.¡± ¡°Listen to me, Einstein. You need to let go. You need to relax, to indulge, to let it all out. Forget the guilt and the impossible weight of your thoughts, even if just for a little while. It¡¯s the only way to heal the sadness you carry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault¡ªI¡¯ve told you that countless times. Science and art are not to blame. The real culprits are those who twisted their purpose. Your mass-energy conversion formula could have powered the world¡ªendless energy, miraculous engines¡ªbut instead, it was used to create the atomic bomb. If anyone bears responsibility for humanity¡¯s fate, it¡¯s those who chose war. Not you.¡± Dawson paused, sighing inwardly. Everything he said was true. Einstein hadn¡¯t wanted to leave his house tonight, nor had he wished to experience the revelry of Halloween. Dawson had practically dragged him into the car and brought him here. He couldn¡¯t stand watching his old friend deteriorate any longer. Ever since the end of World War II, Einstein had been trapped in a vicious cycle of guilt and regret, like an ant circling a closed loop. The weight of his remorse seemed to grow heavier with time, threatening to crush his spirit entirely. Recently, Einstein had even begun relying on sleeping aids and psychiatric medications. His health was declining¡ªhis weight had dropped dramatically, which was a grave concern for a man in his seventies. The thought sent a chill through Einstein¡¯s entire body, making his hands and feet feel numb. His heart felt colder still, weighed down by an oppressive dread. He dared not even lift his gaze toward the lightbulb of the streetlamp above. To him, it wasn¡¯t just a bulb¡ªit was an atomic bomb. A bomb that could detonate at any moment, unleashing catastrophic nuclear fission, leveling Manhattan and Brooklyn in a single devastating instant. ¡°See? What did I tell you?¡± Henry Dawson called out as he squeezed himself out of the car, his bright grin cutting through Einstein¡¯s brooding thoughts. He reached over to tousle Einstein¡¯s famously unruly hair, making it even messier. ¡°You¡¯re the undisputed king of tonight¡¯s masquerade ball! No one would ever believe you¡¯re the real Albert Einstein.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Dawson continued with a mischievous glint in his eye, ¡°you can do anything you want tonight. Anything crazy. Just like I said, no one will take you seriously as the real Einstein. That¡¯s the beauty of it!¡± He threw an arm around Einstein¡¯s shoulders and added in a voice full of laughter, ¡°Relax, let loose, and enjoy this beautiful Halloween evening! Forget about physics, forget about that damned bomb¡ªnothing you fear is ever going to happen!¡± With that, Dawson led Einstein through the entrance to the masquerade ball, his laughter echoing into the night. Across the street, on the sidewalk in front of the movie theater, Lin Xian held CC protectively in his arms. His sharp eyes tracked Einstein and Dawson as they disappeared into the bustling party. Lin Xian¡¯s heart raced. He couldn¡¯t believe what he¡¯d just seen. It was Albert Einstein. The Albert Einstein. Alive, in the flesh. Though Lin Xian had prepared himself for this¡ªafter all, it was 1952, and Einstein was certainly alive at this point in history¡ªseeing the legendary figure in person was still a profound shock. This was the man he¡¯d studied in textbooks, the man whose groundbreaking work had shaped the world, now walking just across the street. The realization left him momentarily speechless. At first, Lin Xian wondered if the figure might be an impersonator, someone cosplaying as Einstein for the masquerade. But he dismissed the thought just as quickly. CC had recognized the car Einstein arrived in, including its license plate. That detail alone was proof enough. No cosplayer would go to such lengths to replicate a car and its plates. The man Lin Xian had just seen¡ªthe one with the haunted expression¡ªwas undoubtedly the real Albert Einstein. This was precisely why Lin Xian had instinctively turned CC away, shielding her face with his coat and hood. He didn¡¯t want Einstein to catch even a glimpse of her. The true identity of the Genius Club¡¯s chairman remained a mystery, shrouded in speculation and secrecy. Lin Xian had once theorized that the chairman might actually be Einstein himself. Though he had no solid evidence to support the idea, he felt it was better to err on the side of caution. He couldn¡¯t shake the vague sense of danger that accompanied the thought of CC¡¯s face being seen by Einstein. Why this feeling haunted him, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t say. But the instinct to protect her was undeniable. ¡°Lin... Lin Xian?¡± CC¡¯s gentle voice broke through his thoughts. She tilted her head up to look at him, her eyes filled with curiosity. ¡°Why did you suddenly pull me into your arms like that? And why did you cover me with my hood? Did something happen?¡± ¡°No, nothing happened,¡± Lin Xian replied, his tone light as he pulled back her hood. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want Einstein to see your face.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± CC asked, her brow furrowing. ¡°There¡¯s no particular reason,¡± Lin Xian said, flashing her a reassuring smile. ¡°I just think it¡¯s better this way.¡± ¡°Oh, alright then.¡± Though still puzzled, CC trusted Lin Xian and chose not to press further. Instead, she turned her attention to the vibrant scene across the street. The masquerade¡¯s grand entrance buzzed with costumed figures¡ªmonsters, demons, and all manner of fantastical creatures¡ªcoming and going. ¡°So, are we still going to the masquerade?¡± she asked. ¡°Einstein and his friend already went inside. If we go in, he might still see me.¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯re going,¡± Lin Xian replied confidently. His gaze shifted to the row of street vendors nearby, selling masks, costumes, props, and offering face-painting services. A playful smile spread across his face. ¡°But first,¡± he said, ¡°we need to disguise ourselves properly.¡± Chapter 505: Beauty and the Beast This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian, having traveled back to 1952, faced three main objectives to complete: Uncover the truth of the Millennial Stake and find a way to save Chu Anqing. Investigate Einstein and reveal the true identity of the Genius Club¡¯s president. Explore the origins of the world-ending white light and the deepest secrets of the Genius Club. At this point, Lin Xian had only managed to find clues related to the first task¡ªthe original Stake CC. This was why he stuck close to CC, never leaving her side. His goal was to witness firsthand the moment she transformed into the Millennial Stake, to uncover the truth and figure out a solution. After all, CC had no knowledge of her own birthday, which made it impossible to determine when exactly she would dissolve into blue star fragments. The only solution was a painstakingly tedious one: staying by her side 24/7 as her ¡°personal Millennial Stake bodyguard.¡± Lin Xian had originally planned to wait until CC dissolved before finding a way to approach and investigate Einstein. But fate often has its surprises. On this Halloween night, at a costume party, Lin Xian unexpectedly ran into Einstein. Now, Lin Xian could pursue the second main task simultaneously: [Confirm the true identity of the Genius Club president. Is he really Einstein?] This question had been on Lin Xian¡¯s mind for a long time. Who was behind the mask of the Genius Club¡¯s president? Was it an admirer, a follower, or a successor of Einstein? Or, as urban legends suggested, was it the immortal Einstein himself? Lin Xian clenched his fists. All these truths would finally be unveiled in the bygone era of 1952. ¡°So, let¡¯s get into costume first,¡± Lin Xian said, steering CC toward a nearby makeup stall. The makeup artist, dressed as a witch, welcomed them warmly. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, welcome! What kind of look are you going for? Let me know, and I promise my skills will leave you satisfied!¡± she said enthusiastically. ¡°If you¡¯re out of ideas, feel free to browse these magazines and images. You both look stunning, like actors or models! I recommend classic characters from famous films.¡± Lin Xian chuckled at her flattering words. It seemed salespeople in any place and time always had a knack for sweet-talking. Still, appearances matter. With CC now glowing with confidence and beauty, it wasn¡¯t surprising she drew such compliments. Her timeless looks, even decades later, would remain stunning. ¡°CC, take a look. What catches your eye?¡± Lin Xian handed her a catalog. ¡°There are costume stalls nearby, so we can get everything in one go. A complete immersive experience for you.¡± CC studied the images carefully. This was her first Halloween costume party, and she wanted to make the perfect choice. After some deliberation, she decided on a classic vampire look¡ªa timeless Western monster. Vampires embodied style, elegance, and a certain bloody allure. Plus, in Western culture, they were often portrayed as impossibly attractive figures, like CEOs in romantic tales. After settling on a price, the makeup artist got to work on CC. The witch was undoubtedly skilled, with a makeup kit brimming with tools, jars, and accessories, including vampire fangs and ornate headpieces. Lin Xian sat nearby, watching the process. The makeup artist first painted CC¡¯s face ghostly white, then added streaks of blood-like details. She affixed fake fangs to CC¡¯s small canine teeth and styled her hair meticulously. By the end, CC¡¯s transformed appearance bore no resemblance to her usual self, much to Lin Xian¡¯s relief. Given that it wasn¡¯t clear if Einstein was truly the Genius Club president, Lin Xian decided it was better to treat him as a ¡°potential enemy¡± for now. Historically, Einstein and CC should have had no intersection. Without Lin Xian¡¯s interference, CC wouldn¡¯t have been attending this costume party and certainly wouldn¡¯t have encountered Einstein. Their meeting today was an anomaly in the historical timeline. ¡°To avoid destabilizing the worldline, it¡¯s best not to interfere with key individuals¡¯ original life paths,¡± Lin Xian thought to himself. He reached up to touch the ¡°kite string¡± tethered to the back of his head¡ªa link to the year 2234. As long as the string remained intact, it meant the worldline hadn¡¯t shifted, spacetime elasticity was stable, and he could return to 2234 anytime. For now, the string seemed perfectly secure, strong and unyielding. ¡°Spacetime elasticity isn¡¯t so easily breached,¡± Lin Xian mused, closing his eyes and reflecting on his actions since arriving in 1952. Everything he had done was minor¡ªwinning a balloon prize, stealing money from gangsters, and enjoying life in Manhattan. Compared to past worldline disruptors, his caution and restraint were almost excessive. ¡°Without advanced technology, it¡¯s incredibly difficult for a single person to destabilize spacetime elasticity,¡± Lin Xian concluded, opening his eyes again. Recalling the past, Lin Xian thought of Yellow Finch, who cooperated with the state, sent him a Genius Club invitation, dropped countless hints, and even borrowed a spaceplane to cause a commotion in outer space. Then there was the real and fake Yu Xi¡ªher actions were even more outrageous. From start to finish, she was constantly on the move, stealing motorcycles and cars wherever she went. Despite their audacious actions, none of them had managed to breach the spacetime elasticity. Compared to their chaotic exploits, Lin Xian¡¯s minor actions were barely a blip. But still, he reminded himself: Lin Xian didn¡¯t know for certain, but he was sure it wasn¡¯t now. The Millennial Stake had yet to be driven, spacetime laws hadn¡¯t come into play, and the Genius Club likely hadn¡¯t even been established. Thus, at this moment, approaching Einstein with a fake voice and a gorilla mask felt relatively safe. ¡°We¡¯re the perfect pair from Beauty and the Beast now,¡± Lin Xian joked, adjusting his gorilla headpiece as he looked at CC. ¡°Beauty and the Beast?¡± CC laughed, her fanged smile revealing her amusement. ¡°Why not Vampire and Gorilla?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the orphanage grandmother ever tell you the story of Beauty and the Beast?¡± Lin Xian asked, surprised. ¡°Nope.¡± CC shook her head. ¡°Is it famous? I¡¯ve never heard of it.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Lin Xian replied, nodding in resignation. ¡°Seems even the almighty orphanage granny has her limitations.¡± ¡°Enough talk. Let¡¯s get going,¡± he said, straightening his outfit and mask. With a raspy voice, he declared, ¡°Now that we¡¯re in costume, it¡¯s time to head to the Halloween ball.¡± And so, a pale-faced, fanged vampire followed a lumbering gorilla across the street to the venue. Their peculiar pairing drew glances from bystanders¡ªbut only fleeting ones. On Halloween, a night of nationwide celebration, their strange costumes blended in perfectly. Lin Xian pulled a crisp bill from his pocket and placed it in the hands of the doorman. ¡°Two tickets. Keep the rest as a tip.¡± The doorman¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment at such generosity. Bowing profusely, he ushered them in, exclaiming, ¡°Sir! Madam! Please, right this way!¡± Inside, the ballroom was a spectacle of chaos and creativity. Monsters, demons, and fantastical creatures mingled in a lively, almost surreal scene. The dance hadn¡¯t started yet, so groups of costumed attendees were chatting, laughing, and reveling in their bizarre attire. ¡°This is... unsettling,¡± Lin Xian admitted, his voice laced with genuine awe. It was his first time attending a Halloween ball, and the sheer absurdity of the scene hit him like a dream turned nightmare. ¡°Is that mummy? And what¡¯s that woman dressed as? Wait... is she even dressed? Isn¡¯t she cold?¡± ¡°Maybe... she¡¯s supposed to be a succubus?¡± CC speculated, equally overwhelmed. Grabbing Lin Xian¡¯s arm, she steered them deeper into the venue. ¡°Let¡¯s not stand around here. I saw the poster outside¡ªthere¡¯s a buffet! If we¡¯re too late, all the good food will be gone.¡± ¡°Good food?¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t have much faith in Manhattan¡¯s cuisine. It¡¯s probably just pastries, wine, roasted meat, fries, and potatoes, right?¡± Reaching the buffet table, his prediction was spot-on. As he surveyed the spread, Lin Xian¡¯s throat felt even more parched, the fiery irritation worsening. ¡°You go ahead and eat,¡± he rasped, rubbing his throat. ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating?¡± CC asked, already holding a plate and ready to dig in. ¡°I¡¯ll just grab some fruit,¡± Lin Xian said, picking up a plate. ¡°If I eat any more of this high-calorie junk, I might actually lose my voice tomorrow.¡± Then he paused, realizing something. ¡°Wait a second¡ªthis isn¡¯t right!¡± He reached up to touch the snout of his gorilla mask, only to confirm his suspicion: the protruding snout had no opening for his mouth. ¡°Hah!¡± CC burst out laughing, bending over as her small fangs glinted in the corners of her dimples. ¡°You¡¯re too funny! I told you to just get some makeup, but no¡ªyou had to go for the gorilla mask. Now look at you! You can¡¯t even eat fruit, let alone drink wine or soda!¡± ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Lin Xian placed his plate back on the table and spread his hands in surrender. ¡°Not like American fruit is anything to rave about.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll eat alone. I¡¯ll be back in a bit,¡± CC said, turning toward the buffet. ¡°Where are you going?¡± she asked, her tone curious. Lin Xian adjusted his mask, his gaze drifting toward a corner of the hall where a solitary Einstein sat at a table, looking rather melancholic. With a sly smile, Lin Xian replied, ¡°Opportunities to meet a great figure like him are rare. You stay here and enjoy your meal. I¡¯m off to...¡± ¡°Chat with Einstein.¡± Chapter 506: Your Name This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°Hahahahahahahahaha!!!¡± Suddenly, a figure burst out from the crowd, laughing hysterically. It was a man with a face painted in garish red and green oil colors, his head bobbing erratically, and hair dyed in a rainbow of colors. ¡°Hahaha! What wonderful news! All you warmongers can go to hell! Hahahaha!¡± The man appeared to be in his fifties, a middle-aged individual whose strange outburst had everyone baffled. What could possibly bring him such joy? Even more perplexing was the chalky rainbow of colors atop his head, which seemed to scatter in all directions as he moved. The air around him turned thick with the powdery residue, irritating everyone¡¯s eyes and noses. ¡°Cough, cough! Cough, cough...¡± Lin Xian¡¯s throat, already scratchy and uncomfortable, now felt as if it were being sandpapered by the irritating dust. The colorful particles had triggered a fit of violent coughing, making him feel as though his throat was literally on fire. ¡°Ah...¡± He exhaled slowly, as gently as he could, trying to avoid aggravating his throat further. Nearby, CC pinched her nose, fanning the air with her hand to disperse the chalky cloud. She frowned in annoyance. ¡°Who on earth is this guy, and what does he want? He¡¯s so irritating.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a friend of Einstein,¡± Lin Xian replied in a hoarse whisper, his voice raspy from the coughing. ¡°A friend of Einstein?¡± CC¡¯s expression softened slightly, her tone less harsh. ¡°Does that mean he¡¯s also a brilliant scientist?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian said, shaking his head. ¡°He seems more like a lunatic. I can¡¯t for the life of me understand how someone like him could be friends with Einstein.¡± ¡°Well...¡± CC mused, glancing at Lin Xian with sympathy. ¡°They say there¡¯s a fine line between genius and madness. Einstein and this rainbow-haired clown might just be living proof.¡± She turned her concerned gaze back to him. ¡°Lin Xian, your voice has gotten even raspier. It¡¯s so much rougher now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s thanks to that guy and his chalk dust,¡± Lin Xian grumbled. ¡°But maybe it¡¯s a good thing. Don¡¯t you think my voice now sounds completely different from what it used to?¡± ¡°Totally like two different people,¡± CC admitted. ¡°Though, I have to say, your cracked voice has a bit of an Irish lilt to it. In Brooklyn, there are lots of Irish folks who talk with that kind of upward inflection.¡± ¡°Well, then,¡± Lin Xian said with a faint smile, ¡°I¡¯ll just pretend to be an Irish mix-blood.¡± ¡°Hahahahaha! Warmongers, begone! The world belongs to love and peace!¡± The rainbow-haired man spun around again, his head leaving a trail of chalk dust in his wake. Lin Xian and CC quickly turned their backs, pinching their noses to avoid another ¡°biological attack.¡± ¡°What on earth is he so excited about?¡± Lin Xian wondered aloud, puzzled. His eyes trailed to where the man had first emerged. On a nearby dining table, a newspaper lay open. Ah, so that¡¯s it. The source of the man¡¯s excitement was likely an article in the newspaper. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you here, CC. Take your time eating, and I¡¯ll come back for you later.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± CC was already engrossed in her meal, pouring herself a full glass of red wine. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll just stay here enjoying the buffet.¡± ¡°Wait a second...¡± Lin Xian hurriedly grabbed the wine bottle to stop her. ¡°You don¡¯t fill a wine glass to the brim! This isn¡¯t soda¡ªhalf a glass is plenty. Besides, do you even know how to drink wine?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never had it before,¡± CC admitted, blinking innocently. ¡°I¡¯ve never even had the chance to try red wine until now. I just want to see what it tastes like.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Lin Xian gave up, figuring it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Red wine was low in alcohol, after all. ¡°Just don¡¯t drink too much. Stick to cola, kiddo.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the kid!¡± ... Leaving CC behind, Lin Xian made his way to the dining table and picked up the newspaper. His eyes fell on the bold headline in the upper-left corner:No?v(el)B\\jnn He hesitated before continuing. ¡°Like many others, I worry about your health and mental state. In your opinion, is the possibility of global nuclear war and the extinction of human civilization truly inevitable?¡± Einstein let out a long sigh, lifting his gaze to meet Lin Xian¡¯s. ¡°Young man,¡± he said gently, ¡°if you¡¯re a university student, you must have a good understanding of world history. From ancient times to the present, humanity has never stopped waging war.¡± ¡°From primitive humans wielding stones and sticks, to spears and arrows, gunpowder and cannons, firearms and landmines, planes and tanks, and now missiles and atomic bombs... War has been a constant. Weapons have only grown more advanced.¡± ¡°Everyone knows,¡± he continued, ¡°that a third world war is inevitable. The first world war ended, and the second began barely over a decade later. So, it¡¯s not hard to guess... how long before the third?¡± Einstein closed his eyes. A cascade of mushroom clouds flashed vividly in Einstein¡¯s mind as he spoke, his voice trembling slightly. ¡°Today, seven years have passed since the end of World War II. The Cold War tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union are escalating, and the Soviets now have atomic bombs as well... No matter how I look at it, the third world war seems not far away.¡± He paused, his expression heavy with the weight of his thoughts. ¡°I can¡¯t envision what the third world war will look like, nor the weapons humanity might wield. But I do know this...¡± ¡°If there is a fourth world war, the weapons will surely be stones and sticks.¡± ... As expected. Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. Einstein was entirely pessimistic, perhaps even despairing, about humanity¡¯s future. To him, the third world war was imminent, a catastrophic clash of nuclear weapons that would all but obliterate human civilization, sending humanity back to the primitive era. But Einstein was wrong¡ªutterly and completely wrong. The third world war did not break out in the 20th century, nor in the 21st. When Lin Xian awoke from hibernation in the year 2234, the world had still not experienced such a war. Moreover, there appeared to be no signs of one ever occurring. Instead, humanity had entered an unprecedented era of peace following the detonation of just two nuclear bombs in history. ¡°Hmm?¡± Einstein, noticing Lin Xian¡¯s silence, opened his eyes and regarded the grotesque gorilla mask. ¡°Young man, do you have a different perspective?¡± Lin Xian nodded, deciding to probe further. He couldn¡¯t reveal the truths of the future, but there was one theory he could bring up¡ªa topic fitting for debate in this era. By analyzing Einstein¡¯s reaction to this theory, Lin Xian hoped to determine whether the physicist truly had connections to the Genius Club. ¡°I do,¡± Lin Xian said, his raspy voice carrying a faint smile. ¡°Mr. Einstein, I believe your assumptions about future wars and humanity¡¯s fate are incorrect.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Einstein¡¯s eyes lit up with curiosity. He enjoyed discussions, especially with bold young people who dared to think for themselves. Over the years, few had openly contradicted him¡ªapart from the stubborn Bohr. It wasn¡¯t that Einstein was arrogant; it was simply that most people regarded him as so intelligent, so infallible, that they would immediately dismiss their own ideas when they conflicted with his. And so, he was genuinely intrigued by the young man in the gorilla mask. What insight could this student possibly offer? ¡°Well then,¡± Einstein said with a chuckle, leaning back slightly. ¡°I¡¯d love to hear your ¡®correct¡¯ answer. But before we proceed...¡± He smiled, looking directly at Lin Xian. ¡°I suppose there¡¯s no need for me to introduce myself. Young man, what should I call you? Can you tell me your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m...¡± The words came to Lin Xian¡¯s lips, but he stopped short. He couldn¡¯t possibly reveal his real name. What should he call himself? He suddenly regretted not preparing a pseudonym in advance. Now, under Einstein¡¯s keen gaze, he needed to come up with something quickly. His mind raced, but he was drawing a blank. There could be no long pause. A hesitation would undoubtedly tip Einstein off to the lie, shattering the fragile trust he had just established. He had to respond immediately¡ªeven if it meant saying the first name that came to mind. In a flash, two names surfaced in his subconscious: Kirk Douglas and Douglas MacArthur. ¡°Douglas,¡± Lin Xian said softly, his voice steadying. ¡°Mr. Einstein, my name is... Douglas.¡± Chapter 507: Intimidation This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°Alright, Douglas.¡± Einstein shifted in his seat, his gaze lingering on the massive gorilla mask staring back at him. A trace of curiosity danced in his eyes as he continued, ¡°I¡¯m quite intrigued by your thoughts and would love to hear them. But... have you truly not considered removing that headpiece, at least for now?¡± He hesitated, then added with a faint smile, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong; it¡¯s not that I want to ruin your Halloween spirit. It¡¯s just that this... well, this gorilla¡ªit¡¯s a bit unsettling, to put it lightly.¡± Lin Xian, disguised as ¡°Douglas,¡± remained composed and unmoved. Of course, he couldn¡¯t take off the mask. If the man before him truly was the president of the Genius Club, revealing his face would expose his identity far too soon. For now, Einstein appeared unaware of who lay beneath the disguise, which was critical to maintaining the timeline¡¯s stability. The moment Einstein would first meet the true ninth genius of Rhine University had to remain intact. ¡°I would also very much like to have this conversation face-to-face, Mr. Einstein,¡± Lin Xian replied, his voice muffled and hoarse from beneath the gorilla mask. His tone carried a touch of regret. ¡°But I must apologize. This mask is rather difficult to put on¡ªit required the skilled hands of a professional stylist. If I were to take it off now, I¡¯d look rather foolish during the dance segment later.¡± He paused, considering, then offered, ¡°Perhaps, if it bothers you so much, I could change seats. If I sit beside you, you¡¯d only catch my profile, sparing yourself the sight of this gorilla¡¯s maw.¡± Einstein blinked, clearly caught off guard. This young man¡ªDouglas¡ªcertainly had a peculiar way of thinking. ¡°Alright,¡± he said at last, sliding to the side and vacating the adjacent seat. ¡°Thank you,¡± Lin Xian said, standing and moving to sit beside Einstein, taking the vacated chair. Now the two no longer faced each other directly. Their proximity seemed to close a gap¡ªnot just physical but emotional, creating a sense of newfound camaraderie. ¡°Mr. Einstein, I must confess, our perspectives could not be more different.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice was quieter now, thoughtful. ¡°In my view, you are not a villain of history. On the contrary, you are closer to a savior¡ªone who brought lasting peace.¡± Einstein¡¯s lips curled into a faint, mirthless smile. ¡°Douglas,¡± he said softly, ¡°what could possibly make you harbor such an absurd notion? You must know that both America and the Soviet Union already possess atomic bombs. The principles behind them are not difficult to grasp. Within a few decades, many nations will likely have them.¡± He sighed, his voice tinged with despair. ¡°Pandora¡¯s box is open. Humanity now wields a power it cannot control. No matter where the first bomb falls, the result will be the same¡ªtens of thousands dead, a city obliterated. To call me a savior in this context... it¡¯s the cruelest irony.¡± But Lin Xian merely shook his head, his composure unbroken. ¡°Mr. Einstein, with all due respect, I believe your line of reasoning is flawed. Your brilliance in physics is unparalleled, but the dynamics of international relations and the balance of power among nations... These are no less intricate than the theory of relativity itself.¡± He leaned forward, his tone deliberate. ¡°There is a concept I¡¯d like to introduce to you. Let¡¯s see if you can grasp it.¡± Einstein frowned, studying the gorilla mask¡¯s profile. ¡°And what concept might that be?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice was steady, each word carefully enunciated. ¡°Nuclear deterrence.¡± Einstein echoed the term, his brow furrowing deeply. ¡°Nuclear deterrence?¡± The words hung in the air, and he fell into a pensive silence. Lin Xian, respecting the moment, refrained from interrupting, though inwardly he reassured himself by checking the ¡°kite string¡± sensation at the back of his mind. It was still taut and unwavering¡ªa good sign. The worldline remained stable, its trajectory unaltered. As he¡¯d anticipated, this era¡ª1952¡ªwas still firmly set within the 0.0001764 timeline. Sharing the concept of nuclear deterrence with Einstein carried no risk of destabilizing history, as its official introduction would come a year later, in late 1953, under President Eisenhower¡¯s administration. The essence of nuclear deterrence lay in leveraging overwhelming nuclear power to threaten complete retaliation, thereby discouraging any adversary from initiating conflict. While the term had yet to enter the public lexicon, its shadow already loomed over geopolitics, hidden but present. Lin Xian¡¯s motives were twofold. He aimed to gauge Einstein¡¯s response and, in doing so, determine whether he was merely the historical figure he claimed to be¡ªor something more, such as the enigmatic Genius Club president. If Einstein could be swayed by the logic of nuclear deterrence, it would suggest he wasn¡¯t the president, as the latter maintained a grim outlook on humanity¡¯s future even in the 21st century, where nuclear peace prevailed. Conversely, should Einstein remain unconvinced, it might point to deeper secrets. Leaning back in his chair, Lin Xian crossed his arms and spoke again. ¡°Surely, Mr. Einstein, someone as astute as you can foresee the profound impact nuclear deterrence will have on the global order.¡± ¡°We have every reason to believe,¡± Lin Xian began, his voice calm yet assertive, ¡°that in the coming decades, all developed nations will possess nuclear weapons. With such power, they will hold dominance over the world. To maintain their status and ensure their rights aren¡¯t usurped, these great powers will naturally seek to limit the proliferation of nuclear weapons, preventing other nations from acquiring them.¡± Einstein lifted his head, his expression thoughtful but skeptical. ¡°Ahahahahaha!¡± A loud, familiar laugh shattered the moment. Both men turned to see a flamboyantly dressed figure bursting onto the scene, his entire outfit coated in a kaleidoscope of colors and chalk dust. It was none other than Henry Dawson, striding toward them with boundless energy. Without hesitation, Henry grabbed Einstein¡¯s arm, tugging him toward the dance floor. ¡°What are you waiting for, buddy? The party¡¯s started¡ªlet¡¯s dance!¡± ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Einstein said, shaking off Henry¡¯s grip with a hint of exasperation. He turned back to Lin Xian, his expression softening into a smile. ¡°Douglas, I wish we could talk more. I truly enjoy your insights and our discussions,¡± he said sincerely. ¡°But as you can see, the Halloween party is in full swing, and I wouldn¡¯t want to spoil the fun. If you don¡¯t mind, could we arrange to meet again? Perhaps in a quieter setting, where we can have a proper conversation?¡± He paused, his tone almost pleading. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t refuse. There¡¯s so much more I want to hear your perspective on.¡± Lin Xian nodded without hesitation. ¡°Of course, Mr. Einstein. I¡¯d be delighted.¡± This opportunity was beyond what Lin Xian had hoped for. Tonight¡¯s conversation had already been a significant success, but the prospect of a private meeting was an even greater breakthrough. Einstein had questions for him, and Lin Xian had plenty he wished to confirm with Einstein as well. The only lingering concern was how to disguise his appearance and voice in their next meeting. For now, though, that would have to be a problem for later. Einstein retrieved a pen from his pocket and tore a strip from a newspaper on the table. Scribbling quickly, he folded the paper and handed it to Lin Xian. ¡°This is the address of a farm I own in the western outskirts of Brooklyn. It¡¯s a bit remote, but it¡¯s quiet, which I think will suit our discussion. I¡¯ll be there on November 5th, from morning until evening. I look forward to seeing you again, Douglas.¡± Lin Xian accepted the slip of paper, tucking it away carefully. ¡°Likewise, Mr. Einstein. I¡¯ll be there.¡± Henry Dawson, watching the exchange, blinked in confusion. He glanced between Lin Xian and Einstein, clearly baffled by the camaraderie between the two. Pointing at Lin Xian, he asked Einstein, ¡°Who¡¯s this guy?¡± Einstein smiled faintly. ¡°A young university student with remarkable insights on international affairs.¡± ¡°Wow! If he¡¯s impressed you, he must be something special!¡± Henry exclaimed, turning to Lin Xian with a playful wave. ¡°Hey there, King Kong!¡± Lin Xian returned the wave with a smirk. ¡°Hello, Rainbow Pony.¡± Henry burst into another fit of raucous laughter. ¡°I like this guy!¡± He suddenly lunged forward, wrapping Lin Xian in a bear hug. His vibrant, chalk-dusted hair left a trail of rainbow smudges on Lin Xian¡¯s black coat. ¡°Here, have a rainbow!¡± Henry declared gleefully before dragging Einstein toward the dance floor at lightning speed. Lin Xian could only watch as the chaotic duo disappeared into the crowd, leaving him to brush the chalk dust off his coat with a resigned sigh. Unfolding the slip of paper Einstein had given him, Lin Xian read the address carefully. His eyes widened slightly, and he let out a sharp breath. ¡°Brooklyn¡¯s western outskirts...¡± he murmured. ¡°This is familiar.¡± The location was close¡ªvery close¡ªto the orphanage where CC resided. Suddenly, a thought struck him: the sightings of Einstein walking near the orphanage that CC and the others had mentioned... Was this farm his destination all along? Could this be Einstein¡¯s ¡°base of operations¡±? And if so, what secrets might that farm hold? Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts raced as he stared at the address, the quiet hum of the party fading into the background. Chapter 508: The Dance of the Century This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Glug, glug, glug. Seated on a chair at the edge of the dance floor, CC sipped her red wine with a casual rhythm. The glass in her hand emptied rapidly, though she¡¯d long lost count of how many glasses she had consumed. Not that the wine tasted particularly spectacular. It was simply that, after spending such a hefty sum on the ticket, it felt wasteful not to get her money¡¯s worth. She had already devoured plenty of the snacks and fruit provided, but after some quick calculations, she realized they barely made a dent compared to the price of entry. Even if she ate to the point of bursting, it wouldn¡¯t balance out. The high-end red wine, however, looked promising. If she could down an entire bottle, she might just break even. Yet as she took another sip, CC found herself musing¡ªwhy did people rave about this stuff? Her cheeks were warm, her thoughts spinning. It didn¡¯t beat cola, that much she was sure of. Turning her head, her gaze fell on Lin Xian in the corner of the room, wearing a King Kong gorilla mask. He was deep in conversation with someone dressed as Einstein. Their discussion seemed animated, with exaggerated hand gestures flying back and forth. Einstein, intrigued by whatever the gorilla was explaining, tilted his head like an eager student, nodding frequently. ¡°Too funny,¡± CC giggled, the corners of her lips curling into dimples. Her sharp little vampire fangs peeked out as her rosy cheeks glowed under the pulsating, multi-colored lights of the venue. She looked radiant. Just then, a handsome man dressed as a werewolf approached her. With an elegant bow, he addressed her courteously, ¡°Beautiful vampire, may I have the honor of this dance?¡± The dance floor vibrated with pounding music, thick with electrifying energy. However... CC pursed her lips and shook her head decisively. ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t want to dance.¡± Her response was straightforward¡ªCC had never been to a ball before and didn¡¯t know the polite ways to decline. She just spoke her mind. ¡°Oh, alright,¡± the werewolf replied without offense. A true gentleman, he stepped back gracefully, returning to his companion¡ªa portly mummy swathed in bandages. The mummy looked surprised. ¡°You got rejected? No way! That¡¯s got to be a first for you, right?¡± The werewolf nodded. Here, at one of Manhattan¡¯s most exclusive Halloween balls, his rejection was indeed unexpected. With his model-like looks and undeniable charm, he rarely encountered refusals. ¡°She said she didn¡¯t want to dance,¡± he explained, still puzzled. ¡°Hahaha! Impossible!¡± The mummy clapped the werewolf¡¯s shoulder, laughing heartily. ¡°This is a Halloween dance party! Who shows up here without wanting to dance? Anyone who¡¯d rather stay home watching TV and eating cake wouldn¡¯t bother with such elaborate makeup and costumes to just sit around.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± The werewolf tilted his head, genuinely curious. ¡°Why did she say no?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± The mummy smirked mischievously. ¡°Let¡¯s not disturb her anymore. It¡¯s clear she¡¯s waiting for someone. That vampire isn¡¯t here to dance with just anyone¡ªshe¡¯s waiting for the one.¡± ... In the far corner of the venue, Einstein was dragged off by a flamboyantly dressed individual into the chaos of the dance floor. Lin Xian glanced down at the little note in his hand. It contained an address, pinpointing Einstein¡¯s private farm in the Brooklyn suburbs, west of the orphanage where CC had grown up. The address carried a weighty promise of secrets yet untold. ¡°November 5th,¡± he murmured, folding the paper carefully and tucking it into his coat pocket. Einstein had mentioned he¡¯d be there all day on November 5th, waiting for Lin Xian. Tonight, being October 31st, meant there were five days left until their next meeting¡ªa conversation bound to delve deeper into the mysteries that intrigued him. Could this farm be the birthplace of the Genius Club? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but feel a flicker of anticipation. Straightening his coat, he dusted off traces of chalk and adjusted the gorilla mask on his head. His gaze shifted back to the vibrant dance floor, where creatures of the night writhed to the beat. He had danced many formal routines before, but nothing had prepared him for the wild and chaotic movements of this monstrous crowd. Tonight was a first¡ªa Halloween ball¡ªand it had opened doors to a strange, electrifying world. ¡°Time to find CC. She¡¯s probably done eating by now.¡± Pushing through the throng, Lin Xian made his way to the self-serve buffet area. From a distance, he spotted CC sitting alone, casually downing yet another glass of red wine. A question mark seemed to hover above his head. Was she... treating wine like soda? ¡°CC!¡± he exclaimed as he reached her, promptly removing the glass from her hands and setting it firmly on the table. ¡°You can¡¯t keep drinking like that. It¡¯s wine, not cola!¡± ¡°But I¡¯m waiting for you!¡± she chirped, her cheeks flushed as she grinned, dimples deepening. Under the influence of wine, with the spinning lights and festive atmosphere, CC¡ªa vampire with pale skin and blood-smeared makeup¡ªseemed almost enchanting. ¡°It¡¯s not an idol complex,¡± he thought. ¡°Just cultural differences.¡± ¡°My talent¡¯s nothing compared to yours,¡± Lin Xian said, glancing at the radiant vampire before him. ¡°Your dancing talent is truly unparalleled... and it¡¯s not just your dancing skills.¡± ¡°Huh? What did you say?¡± CC leaned closer, shouting over the loud music. ¡°The music¡¯s too loud¡ªI couldn¡¯t hear you!¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Lin Xian replied with a faint smile. ¡°I said you¡¯re a fantastic dancer.¡± ... The Halloween ball wrapped up close to midnight. As the clock¡¯s hands aligned at twelve, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t worried. After all, midnight here in the U.S. was only noon in X Country, meaning there was no risk of CC fading away. However... While there was no risk of her disappearing, CC faced another kind of danger¡ªshe had drunk herself into a stupor. Slumped against Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder, she drifted in and out of sleep, barely conscious. ¡°You,¡± Lin Xian muttered with a mix of amusement and exasperation, ¡°you really don¡¯t need to calculate the value of every meal like that anymore. Times have changed¡ªwe¡¯re not struggling now. You don¡¯t need to measure everything by whether it¡¯s worth it or not. Happiness and enjoying good food matter so much more than just filling your stomach.¡± ¡°You remind me of VV,¡± he added, chuckling. ¡°Always treating every meal like it¡¯s your last.¡± ¡°VV?¡± CC mumbled, her bleary eyes barely opening. ¡°A dog,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°Oh,¡± CC murmured, losing interest immediately. She closed her eyes and fell back into a peaceful slumber. Lin Xian supported her as they left the venue and hailed a cab to take them back to the Empire State Building hotel. ... At the entrance, they ran into Einstein and the flamboyant ¡°Rainbow Punk.¡± Einstein, now covered in chalk dust but wearing a cheerful smile, seemed in high spirits after their earlier conversation. The punk swaggered over, clapping Lin Xian on the shoulder. Glancing at the drunken CC, he smirked. ¡°Well, well, King Kong¡ªyou¡¯ve had quite a lucky night, haven¡¯t you?¡± Lin Xian looked at the powder-free patch on the punk¡¯s hair and grinned. ¡°Rainbow Pony, any chance you could bless me with another rainbow?¡± The punk burst into hearty laughter, turning to Einstein. ¡°See? I told you I like this guy! What¡¯s his name again?¡± ¡°Douglas,¡± Einstein answered with a smile. ¡°Perfect.¡± The punk shook Lin Xian¡¯s hand. ¡°Douglas, we¡¯ll meet again. Einstein really admires you, so I¡¯m sure our paths will cross. Now, we¡¯ll leave you to enjoy your night.¡± Einstein, now holding a wool felt hat handed to him by his driver, tipped it toward Lin Xian. ¡°Douglas, November 5th¡ªI¡¯ll see you at the farm.¡± With that, he climbed into the car, the driver shutting the door behind him. The vehicle disappeared into the stream of lights. Lin Xian hailed a cab of his own, guiding the sleeping CC back to their hotel suite. ... From the moment they stepped out of the cab, CC didn¡¯t stir. She remained sound asleep, dead to the world like a true zombie. Fortunately, she was light, and Lin Xian had no trouble carrying her. He gently placed her onto her bed, tucking her under the covers. After ensuring the windows were shut and the electric heater was on, he stepped out of the room, softly closing the door behind him. ¡°Goodnight, CC,¡± he whispered. Thunk. The wooden door clicked shut. ... ... ... Inside the bedroom, CC¡¯s eyes slowly fluttered open. Frowning slightly, she exhaled a soft sigh through her nose. ¡°Hmph.¡± She pouted briefly, then murmured, ¡°Goodnight.¡± Chapter 509: The Universal Constant This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation The next morning, Lin Xian and CC sat in the living room, enjoying breakfast. The black-and-white television in the corner played the morning news. ¡°Your voice seems much better,¡± CC remarked, holding a sandwich with her fork while studying Lin Xian. ¡°It feels like it¡¯s back to normal,¡± Lin Xian replied, clearing his throat experimentally. It indeed sounded smoother. Perhaps the heat-induced inflammation had subsided, or maybe the traditional remedy of ¡°boiled egg in hot water¡± had genuinely worked. ¡°Hard to say if that¡¯s good news or bad,¡± he quipped with a wry smile. His eyes wandered to the calendar, now flipped to November 1, 1952, thanks to CC¡¯s morning habit. Only four days remained until the November 5 meeting with Einstein at a farm in the Brooklyn suburbs. The time itself wasn¡¯t the issue. Whether sooner or later didn¡¯t matter much. The real question was how to conceal his identity. He couldn¡¯t very well meet Einstein wearing a gorilla mask¡ªit would be too absurd. This wasn¡¯t Halloween every day, and while such a costume might fly at a party, visiting someone¡¯s home like that was another story. Besides, how could he explain it to Einstein without appearing suspicious? Taking a small note from his pocket, Lin Xian handed it to CC. ¡°CC, could you check this address for me? Is it far from the orphanage you grew up in?¡± CC, chewing thoughtfully, took the paper and glanced at it. ¡°Not exactly close,¡± she replied. ¡°On the map, it might seem nearby, but it¡¯s at least five miles away.¡± ¡°This is Einstein¡¯s farm,¡± Lin Xian explained, setting down his utensils and leaning back in his chair. ¡°Starting around when you were twelve or thirteen, Einstein passed by your orphanage several times. His destination must have been this farm.¡± CC pondered this, her brow furrowed. ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± she said, handing the note back. ¡°If he planted or raised something there, visiting only three or four times a year seems far too infrequent. Even without direct involvement, farmers usually have plenty of tasks to oversee.¡± ¡°And if it¡¯s just a vacation retreat, there are far more comfortable options. Besides, the regularity of his visits doesn¡¯t align with leisure trips.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Exactly my thoughts. Einstein wasn¡¯t farming, raising livestock, or vacationing there¡ªhe had another purpose.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s pointless to speculate now. I¡¯ll know the truth when I meet him on the 5th.¡± Looking out the window, Lin Xian continued, ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful day. Want to go somewhere fun? Or shop for something? We could even check out another part of Manhattan.¡± Suddenly, the news broadcast was interrupted. A cheerful news anchor appeared, her face brimming with pride and excitement. ¡°We have breaking, thrilling news to share!¡± she announced. ¡°At 2 a.m. this morning, November 1, the U.S. military successfully tested a thermonuclear device named ¡®Mike¡¯ on Elugelab Island.¡± ¡°The test was a resounding success. This hydrogen bomb, with a yield of 10 megatons of TNT, completely leveled the island.¡± ¡°This marks the world¡¯s very first hydrogen bomb¡ªa weapon vastly more powerful than any atomic bomb. Its development signifies the unparalleled strength of our military, surpassing every other nation on Earth!¡± The anchor¡¯s jubilant report painted a scene of triumph, almost as if the Soviet Union would crumble tomorrow. Lin Xian, observing from a broader historical perspective, knew the Soviets wouldn¡¯t remain tense for long. By 1953, they too would test their first hydrogen bomb, becoming the second nation to achieve this feat. Around that time, the Eisenhower administration would unveil plans for nuclear retaliation, solidifying global nuclear deterrence. The technological race during the Cold War was akin to a mythological epic, with each side relentlessly outpacing the other, sparing no resources. The pace was extraordinary. ¡°What a miraculous era,¡± Lin Xian mused. ¡°We¡¯ll never see such rapid advancements again.¡± ¡°Hydrogen bomb?¡± CC tilted her head curiously. ¡°10 megatons...what does that even mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve heard of the atomic bomb used in World War II, right?¡± Lin Xian began. CC nodded. ¡°That bomb had a yield of 20 kilotons of TNT. This hydrogen bomb¡¯s power is roughly 500 times greater.¡± ¡°500 times?!¡± CC¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°One atomic bomb destroyed an entire city¡ªthis hydrogen bomb could obliterate 500 cities?!¡± Lin Xian chuckled softly. ¡°Not quite. The destruction doesn¡¯t scale that way, but its power is indeed much greater.¡± By now, the anchor had finished her announcement and smiled at the audience. ¡°Next, we¡¯ll watch footage provided by the military. Prepare to witness this breathtaking spectacle!¡± ... The winter morning was icy, yet beads of sweat trickled down his weathered face. His heart raced, a sensation he hadn¡¯t felt in years. The formulas began to take shape under his gaze, his thoughts laser-focused on the problem that had once eluded him. If the cosmological constant truly held a definitive value, what would that value be? He would find out. Soon. Very soon. ... At the same time, in New York, Manhattan, inside a suite at the Empire State Building Hotel, a metallic clatter broke the morning¡¯s stillness. A silver fork slipped from CC¡¯s trembling hand, bounced twice on the New York Daily News spread on the coffee table, and finally rolled onto the plush wool carpet. Her breathing was labored, her face as pale as a ghost. Her wide eyes were fixed on the television screen, which displayed the horrific aftermath of the hydrogen bomb: the blinding white flash, the fiery explosion, the towering mushroom cloud climbing to the heavens. Her pupils quivered, her entire body trembling as if caught in an earthquake. ¡°CC!¡± Lin Xian immediately noticed her distress and rushed over to steady her. ¡°CC, what¡¯s wrong? Are you okay?¡± CC took a deep breath, lowered her head, and whispered softly, ¡°Lin... Lin Xian, let¡¯s go back to Brooklyn. I don¡¯t want to stay in Manhattan anymore.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian asked, startled. ¡°Why? Haven¡¯t we been having a great time here?¡± Her gaze returned to the screen, now showing grainy static overlaid with flickers of light from the hydrogen bomb¡¯s detonation. The images depicted utter devastation: an island vaporized, leaving behind a vast, hollow void as seawater poured in to fill the space. Destruction. Oblivion. Nothingness. It was as if these scenes mirrored the gnawing fear she¡¯d been suppressing¡ªthe fear that everything she now held dear was a fleeting dream. That, upon waking, all these things that didn¡¯t truly belong to her would vanish, just like the island annihilated by the bomb. She shook her head slightly. It wasn¡¯t the thought of losing material possessions that frightened her. What terrified her most was the possibility of losing the one thing she treasured above all else. ¡°CC?¡± Lin Xian pressed gently when she remained silent. ¡°Wasn¡¯t coming to Manhattan your dream? You¡¯ve only just begun living your Manhattan life¡ªwhy leave now?¡± ¡°We still have so much money,¡± he added, attempting to reassure her. ¡°You can do anything you want here¡ªopen a cafe?, a boutique, anything. Isn¡¯t that the kind of life girls dream of?¡± CC turned to him, her voice calm but resolute. ¡°You¡¯re right, Lin Xian. These past few days in Manhattan have been the happiest, most wonderful days of my life.¡± ¡°But...¡± Her lips quivered as she bit down softly. ¡°Just now, I realized something. None of this truly belongs to me. And I¡¯m afraid that having these things might mean losing something far more precious...¡± She shook her head again, as if trying to dispel the thought. Her voice trembled as she continued, ¡°Lin Xian, what makes me truly happy isn¡¯t Manhattan. It¡¯s you¡ªbeing with you.¡± Lin Xian said nothing, understanding dawning in his eyes. He knew this feeling of hers, this restless unease. She had felt it before, that day in the movie theater. The image of the hydrogen bomb¡¯s cataclysmic explosion seemed to have awakened something in her¡ªa reminder of her humble beginnings as a girl from Brooklyn¡¯s poorest streets. ¡°I won¡¯t leave,¡± Lin Xian said softly. ¡°I know what you¡¯re afraid of. You¡¯re still worried this is all just a dream, that when you wake up, I¡¯ll be gone. But it isn¡¯t, CC. This isn¡¯t a dream. This is real.¡± Still, CC didn¡¯t reply or react. It was as if she had suddenly become overwhelmed by Manhattan itself¡ªthis bustling, glamorous metropolis that seemed poised to swallow her small, fragile world whole. ¡°Lin Xian... let¡¯s go back,¡± she pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I want to go back to Brooklyn with you. Even if it¡¯s poorer, even if it¡¯s rundown, even if it has nothing¡ªno good food, no beautiful clothes. It doesn¡¯t matter...¡± She grasped the sleeve of his shirt tightly, as if clinging to the last piece of hope she had left. Her eyes met his, glistening with desperation. ¡°Brooklyn... is enough, as long as I have you.¡± Chapter 510: Fireworks and the Clock Tower This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian looked at CC without speaking. Finally, he nodded. ¡°Alright then.¡± He said no more, gently ruffled CC¡¯s soft hair, and smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Brooklyn.¡± Perhaps for CC, these past few days had brought changes too overwhelming to process or believe. Lin Xian understood this completely. When he first realized the dream world was a reflection of the real world 600 years into the future, he had felt the same resistance to accepting it. Just days ago, CC had been a poor girl from Brooklyn, living on the streets with nothing. Even catching a whiff of a hot dog had seemed like an unattainable luxury. But now, she had lived in Manhattan¡¯s tallest hotel, feasted on its finest cuisine, worn the most beautiful dresses, and attended its grandest balls. Anyone experiencing such a drastic shift would feel disoriented, as if caught in a dream like Alice in Wonderland. Add to that the tense Cold War era, with the looming threat of nuclear war. The blinding light of hydrogen bomb tests and towering mushroom clouds brought CC¡¯s thoughts back to harsh reality. Lin Xian called for a large suitcase from the hotel staff. CC packed away all the clothes, jewelry, and other items she had bought during her time in Manhattan. She left no trace of her presence in that bustling and unfamiliar city. Then, they returned. This time, their journey over the Brooklyn Bridge was vastly different. On their way to Manhattan, they had ridden a motorcycle in the night breeze, CC¡¯s white wedding dress billowing behind her. Now, they sat in a taxi, dressed impeccably in sophisticated attire. The only imperfection was CC clutching Lin Xian¡¯s sleeve. She didn¡¯t let go until they were well past the bridge, as if finally relieved to leave Manhattan behind. By three in the afternoon, they had checked into a small inn in Brooklyn Heights. The room wasn¡¯t large¡ªjust a 20-square-meter twin-bed standard room with two single beds, a set of chairs and a table, and a black-and-white television. The conditions couldn¡¯t compare to Manhattan, but in Brooklyn, it was among the better accommodations: clean and cozy. CC loved the snug and homely environment. As soon as she entered, she flopped onto one of the beds with a cheerful laugh. ¡°See? I told you, small rooms like these feel cozier. Those huge rooms just make you feel insecure. As much as Manhattan is glamorous, I still prefer Brooklyn.¡± Lin Xian smiled faintly and pushed her oversized suitcase into a corner before sitting on a chair. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your life¡¯s dream was to live in Manhattan? Giving up on that so soon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not really giving up...¡± CC hugged a pillow and sat up, looking at him. ¡°Dreams are meant to be fulfilled, aren¡¯t they? I¡¯ve already been to Manhattan, stood on top of the Empire State Building¡ªwhat¡¯s left to regret?¡± Lin Xian opened the silver briefcase he had taken from the gang. Inside were bundles of cash¡ªthousands of crisp green bills, still untouched. ¡°Do you have anything else you want to do? Or anything you want?¡± he asked, gesturing to the money. ¡°We¡¯ve still got plenty to spend.¡± ¡°Do we have to spend it?¡± CC tilted her head, puzzled. ¡°We could save it for later. Life¡¯s still so long.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Lin Xian hesitated. ¡°Life isn¡¯t that long anymore.¡± It was already November. Though no one knew exactly when CC¡¯s 20th birthday was, it had to be soon¡ªperhaps in a few days, tomorrow, or even today. Yet she showed no signs of transforming into the Millennial Stake. But that transformation might happen in an instant. Her life was already counting down. Lin Xian had traveled to 1952 for this purpose: to witness this chapter of history and use it as a clue to save the Millennial Stake. He couldn¡¯t alter history. To ensure the kite string tethered to the timeline of 2234 remained intact, he could only watch as CC turned into blue star fragments, powerless to interfere. It was the second time he¡¯d face the tragedy of a Millennial Stake girl disappearing before his eyes. The guilt weighed on him, deeply and sincerely. So, the only thing he could do was act like a genie, granting CC¡¯s wishes and filling her final days with happiness and fulfillment. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; we won¡¯t run out,¡± Lin Xian said with a smile, patting the briefcase. ¡°We¡¯ve been living it up, and the money still hasn¡¯t decreased. Whatever dreams, wishes, or regrets you have, tell me, and I¡¯ll make them happen.¡± CC smiled sweetly. ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m already so happy. I don¡¯t feel like I have any regrets.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no rush,¡± Lin Xian replied, leaning back in his chair. ¡°We¡¯ve got time. Surely your dreams and regrets aren¡¯t limited to just visiting Manhattan?¡± ¡°Think of anything, big or small,¡± he added. ¡°This money¡¯s ill-gotten anyway¡ªbetter to spend it than to let it sit around.¡± CC seemed to waver, nodding slightly in agreement before closing her eyes in thought. Despite the happiness overflowing in her heart, a small voice whispered¡ªwas there anything she still longed for? Anything she regretted? As she drifted through her memories, an old wish surfaced, one buried so deep she had almost forgotten it herself. ¡°Fireworks,¡± CC murmured softly. A faint smile curled her lips, her face lighting up with crescent-shaped eyes and charming dimples. ¡°If I could really make a wish... I¡¯d love to see fireworks, just for me.¡± ... The next day, November 2, 1952. Lin Xian rose early, preparing to visit the fireworks shop and finalize arrangements with the owner. ¡°CC, are you coming along?¡± he asked. CC shook her head from the comfort of her bed. ¡°I¡¯ll skip it. I didn¡¯t sleep well last night. I¡¯ll wait for you here.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°But don¡¯t wander off, okay? Stay here.¡± After giving his instructions, he left the hotel and headed to the shop. The fireworks store owner was as reliable as promised. He excitedly told Lin Xian that he had worked overnight to bring in ten truckloads of fireworks from Pennsylvania. His ¡°devotees,¡± as he called them, were already standing by, ready to bombard Brooklyn with a grand display that very night. ¡°Where would be the best place to set off the fireworks?¡± Lin Xian asked. The owner¡¯s professional suggestion was immediate. ¡°Brooklyn Heights Promenade is ideal. It¡¯s an open area by the river with no tall buildings obstructing the view. It also has ample space for the setup. For watching, you could find a rooftop nearby.¡± Lin Xian nodded thoughtfully. A rooftop nearby... What was Brooklyn¡¯s tallest building in 1952? His knowledge sifted through, settling on a landmark: the Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower. The building had etched itself in Lin Xian¡¯s memory not from historical knowledge but from a popular animated film, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. A scene in the movie showed two Spider-Men hanging upside down on a clock tower overlooking Brooklyn¡¯s skyline. That iconic clock tower was the Williamsburg Savings Bank. Viewing the fireworks from that rooftop would be a perfect experience. But it was a bank¡ªwould they even allow anyone up there at night? ¡°Best to ask first,¡± Lin Xian thought. By midday, Lin Xian decided to return to the hotel to fetch CC for the adventure. He took a cab back and opened the door to their room, only to feel a jolt of shock freeze him in place. The room was empty. CC was gone. His entire body turned cold, as if plunged into an icy abyss. Could it be...? ¡°CC!¡± he called out desperately, racing to fling open the bathroom door. Empty. ¡°CC!!¡± He yelled again, rushing into the corridor. Suddenly, a voice echoed from the stairwell. ¡°Coming! I¡¯m here, Lin Xian!¡± CC¡¯s hurried footsteps thudded on the stairs as she emerged, panting slightly. ¡°I¡ªI just couldn¡¯t sit still anymore while waiting for you. So I went out to wander around nearby,¡± she explained, smiling sheepishly. Lin Xian heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°You scared me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± CC teased, grinning mischievously. ¡°Afraid I got lost? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve wandered Brooklyn for years. I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Lin Xian checked the clock on the wall. It was 11:28 a.m. He realized he had overreacted¡ªthere was no way CC would simply disappear at this hour. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯m taking you somewhere,¡± he said, leading her out. After a short cab ride, the iconic clock tower of the Williamsburg Savings Bank came into view, its grandeur matching the scene from the movie. The building, also known as One Hanson Place, had been Brooklyn¡¯s tallest structure before other skyscrapers rose. To his delight, Lin Xian learned that the tower welcomed visitors, even at night. A security guard explained that the building housed various offices, not just the bank, so access was unrestricted. The guard even hinted that he would be on duty tonight. Lin Xian understood the implication and discreetly handed over a crisp Franklin bill to smooth things along. ¡°Come on, CC. Let¡¯s go up,¡± Lin Xian said, leading her to the elevator. At the top, they stepped onto the tower¡¯s observation deck, greeted by a panoramic view of Brooklyn. Lin Xian leaned against the railing, pointing toward the Brooklyn Heights Promenade near the river. ¡°Tonight, when it¡¯s dark, the fireworks will light up there. From here, it¡¯ll be your own private, grand show,¡± he said, turning to CC. But instead of rushing to the railing as he expected, CC stood still, her hands behind her back, staring at him quietly. Lin Xian blinked, puzzled. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you coming over? The view is great.¡± CC shook her head gently, her expression suddenly serious and tinged with guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Lin Xian was taken aback. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been hiding from you.¡± CC¡¯s voice was quiet but firm as she met his gaze. Chapter 511: 42, Blue Eyes, and the Origin of Everything this novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation on november 2, 1952, at precisely 12:37 pm, in a secluded house on marshall street, princeton, albert einstein had gone without sleep for an entire day and night. for a man in his seventies, staying awake for over 24 hours was nothing short of a challenge to death itself. yet, he couldn¡¯t stop. for the past 24 sleepless, foodless hours, einstein remained seated at his desk in the study, motionless. the sound of a fountain pen scratching against paper echoed in the room as he scribbled furiously. sheets of draft paper, already filled with calculations, lay scattered across the floor. even now, another piece fluttered to the ground, discarded from his desk. ¡°the... cosmological constant...¡± einstein murmured hoarsely, licking his dry, cracked lips that hadn¡¯t tasted water in hours. he was overwhelmed with excitement. thrilled beyond measure. never in his wildest dreams had he imagined revisiting and making progress on a topic he had once proposed and dismissed. his sharp eyes were glued to the lines of derivations on the paper before him. it was only yesterday, after witnessing the detonation of a hydrogen bomb, that a new idea, a revolutionary method of derivation, struck him. before that moment, such thoughts had never crossed his mind. now, as he reviewed his calculations, everything seemed to fit. the cosmological constant, the concept he had once doubted, truly existed! with this fresh approach, the calculation process flowed smoothly, devoid of any obstacles. the beauty of the equations, their symmetry, and elegance assured einstein of one thing: only a correct path could yield such exquisite precision. it was unimaginable. he might actually be on the brink of calculating the cosmological constant! ¡°what could the value of the cosmological constant be?¡± he whispered. tossing aside yet another sheet filled with equations, he began anew on a fresh page, advancing his derivations step by step. closer. closer. the equations grew ever more concise, and the final result seemed imminent. what was the cosmological constant? what did it signify? what unique power did it hold? questions that had haunted him for half his life might soon find answers.no?v(el)b\\jnn closer. closer. the pen¡¯s scratching sound filled the room as einstein¡¯s latest draft quickly filled with calculations. only one corner of the page remained blank, and there, the ultimate equation, now simplified to its purest form, awaited resolution. einstein¡¯s breath quickened. his eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°a... whole number?¡± though the exact answer wasn¡¯t yet written, he had already calculated it mentally. the cosmological constant, astonishingly, was an integer! ¡°no, that¡¯s impossible!¡± a wave of panic washed over him. according to his original hypothesis, the cosmological constant should have been an infinitesimal number, so small it was negligible even on a galactic scale. it should have approached zero¡ªinfinitely close to nothing. but now... why was it an integer? ¡°could i have made a mistake?¡± shaking his head, einstein instantly dismissed the notion. the calculations had progressed too flawlessly, as if guided by inevitability itself. there could be no error. even if the result defied conventional wisdom. mathematics, after all, was absolute. the answer had to be correct. tossing aside the current draft, einstein inhaled deeply and focused on a fresh sheet of paper. lifting his pen, he poised its tip over the blank surface. with two quick strokes, he wrote the final value of the cosmological constant: 42. buzz~~~~~ the instant his pen left the paper, the space behind him began to ripple, as if a stone had been dropped into a pond. waves of distortion radiated outward, accompanied by a high-pitched hum that seemed to slice through the air. then, without warning, two apple-sized, crackling blue electric orbs emerged from the rift. their azure glow filled the room, painting everything in shades of eerie blue. einstein, sensing something amiss, spun around abruptly. but it was too late. one of the glowing orbs darted toward him with blinding speed. in the blink of an eye, it fused into his chest, silent and seamless. boom... einstein¡¯s mind exploded with a singularity of light, engulfed in pure whiteness. his vision faded to nothingness; every thought vanished, replaced by an all-consuming void. his body went limp, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, unconscious. his head struck the desk, landing squarely on the draft paper where the number 42 was scrawled. the second blue orb didn¡¯t linger. with calculated precision, it zipped out of the house in a series of bright flashes, heading eastward into the sky¡ª ... at the same time... on the rooftop of the williamsburg savings bank clock tower, lin xian leaned against the railing, locking eyes with cc just a few steps away. below them, out of sight, the massive clock face ticked steadily. the hour hand strained toward one, the minute hand had just passed eight, and the second hand circled tirelessly, fulfilling its unending duty. a brisk winter wind swept across the open platform above the clock, stirring the hems of lin xian and cc¡¯s clothes. ¡°you lied to me?¡± lin xian blinked in mild surprise. ¡°about what?¡± cc clasped her hands behind her back, shifting uneasily. ¡°huh?¡± lin xian froze, trying to turn around to see what was behind him¡ª ¡°lin xian, watch out!¡± cc¡¯s face went pale. she used all her strength to push lin xian aside, throwing herself in the path of the ¡°blue cannonball¡± instead. ¡°cc!¡± lin xian shouted. he watched helplessly as the orb¡ªa spacetime particle¡ªcollided with cc. it wasn¡¯t just an orb. it was charged with violent electricity, glowing with an eerie blue light, radiating both energy and life. the spacetime particle brushed past lin xian¡¯s ear as he stumbled, only to be intercepted by cc, who dove forward. the particle plunged straight into her body. in an instant, cc¡¯s body turned an ethereal, transparent blue, almost blending into the blue sky behind her. ¡°cc!¡± lin xian scrambled to his feet, reaching out to catch her. but his hands grasped at nothing. cc¡¯s entire form had become intangible, like air. no matter how much he reached, he couldn¡¯t touch her. ¡°lin xian...¡± cc¡¯s voice trembled as she stared at him, her gaze fixated. ¡°your eyes...¡± lin xian turned toward the nearby glass, catching his reflection. his pupils¡ªonce a deep black¡ªhad turned a brilliant, glowing blue, sparkling like galaxies. they were identical to yellow finch¡¯s eyes. at the same time, his face began to change. his cheekbones rose. his sharp face became square and rugged. his nose grew taller, and his eye sockets deepened. spacetime rejection. the dreaded spacetime rejection was happening. the laws of spacetime, the spacetime particle, the millennial stake, the blue eyes¡ªlin xian immediately understood what was going on. ¡°cc!!¡± he spun around. but all he saw was¡ª whoosh. whoosh. whoosh. cc¡¯s nearly transparent body dissolved into a burst of stardust, scattering like sand in the wind. ¡°cc!¡± lin xian lunged forward, his hands clawing desperately at the air, but he caught nothing. the stardust floated further and further away until it vanished into nothingness. thud. the white gift box containing the twenty-dollar watch fell to the ground and popped open, the watch tumbling out. lin xian lowered his head, staring at the slightly crude watch face. the hour, minute, and second hands pointed to a familiar time¡ª 12:42. converted to dragon country¡¯s time, it was exactly 00:42. ¡°ah...¡± lin xian clenched his fists, his heart breaking. inside the white gift box, he noticed a folded piece of handwritten paper, faint black ink showing through the folds. his heart pounded as chaos swirled in his mind. suppressing the storm of emotions within him, lin xian picked up the note and unfolded it. the handwriting was delicate, the words playful: ¡°starting tomorrow, daylight saving time ends. don¡¯t forget to set your watch back an hour~¡± thud. lin xian punched the ground, gripping his head as chills coursed through his body. he had seen it all too clearly¡ª the spacetime particle that had turned cc into stardust wasn¡¯t meant for her. if cc hadn¡¯t pushed him aside, the particle would have hit him instead. ¡°which means...¡± lin xian¡¯s voice trembled. he realized, even his voice was no longer his own. the spacetime rejection had altered his appearance and even his voice, leaving him entirely unrecognizable. ¡°the one who should have been hit by that spacetime particle, the one who should have turned into a millennial stake, the one who should have dissolved into stardust...¡± lin xian took a deep, shuddering breath, his teeth clenched tight. ¡°...was me.¡± Chapter 512: Life this novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation bang! bang! bang! bang! ... brilliant, multicolored fireworks burst across the brooklyn sky, painting it in radiant hues. this unprecedented display captivated every passerby, halting them mid-step. they tilted their heads upward, marveling at the spectacle, exclaiming: ¡°it¡¯s so beautiful! i¡¯ve never seen so many fireworks before!¡± ¡°who could be setting off such a massive display in brooklyn? isn¡¯t this kind of thing restricted?¡± ¡°maybe some rich kid¡¯s trying to impress a girl, haha. lucky us! we get to enjoy it for free!¡± it was the night of november 2, 1952. the entire brooklyn community seemed transfixed, their eyes reflecting the explosion of dazzling colors lighting up the sky. yet amidst the awe and wonder, one figure stood apart. he didn¡¯t look up. he turned his back to the sky. walking aimlessly along the brooklyn streets, away from the riverbank where the fireworks exploded, was a man in black. lin xian wore a black woolen hat pulled low over his face, obscuring most of it. perhaps he was the only person in brooklyn not mesmerized by the grand display above. those fireworks... they were meant for cc. the cheerful girl who loved hot dogs had dreamed of this very moment. but she wasn¡¯t here to see it. she never got the chance to live her dream, never got to witness this breathtaking show meant for her. children dashed past lin xian, their laughter and shouts echoing through the streets. they jumped and skipped with excitement, their faces lit with joy as they pointed at the dazzling sky. if cc were still alive; if cc hadn¡¯t become a millennial stake; if cc hadn¡¯t dissolved into blue stardust... she, too, would be among the children, standing on tiptoes, pointing at the sky, her cheeks dimpling with a sweet smile, her eyes curved into crescent moons. but fate had other plans. just a little more time... just a few more hours... the [fireworks], once a symbol of joy, had now become cc¡¯s regret¡ªa longing that spanned 600 years through the corridors of time. lin xian finally understood it all. zhao ying jun had been right all along¡ª [all the dreams of the millennial stakes are fragments of the same story¡ªpieces of the life of the first stake, cc.] in zhang yu qian¡¯s videotape, cc had awakened abruptly and mentioned a series of keywords: white light, burning, mushroom clouds, 1952, newspaper, einstein. that scene had been a dream fragment of november 1, the morning when lin xian and cc were at the empire state building hotel, watching television. on the tv was footage of a hydrogen bomb test. the conversation revolved around einstein, with a copy of the latest new york daily lying on the coffee table. the mushroom cloud from the hydrogen bomb had left a deep impression on cc, enough to transform it into a recurring nightmare for zhang yu qian centuries later. and in cc¡¯s own dreams, 600 years later, she had seen blue-eyed lin xian. for a long time, lin xian had thought that a ¡°blue-eyed version of himself¡± was an impossibility, a contradiction to the laws of spacetime. yet, against all odds, at the very instant the first millennial stake was driven into place and the temporal laws began to solidify, such a figure had appeared. cc, translucent and panicked, had seen him¡ªblue-eyed lin xian¡ªthe final image of her 20-year-old life. it was seared into her memory and became the foundation of her dream. as for chu an qing¡¯s dreams, the explanation was simpler. the fireworks... her longing for them. the spectacle she¡¯d yearned to see since childhood. a show tantalizingly close, yet forever out of reach. perhaps this was the first stake, cc¡¯s deepest desire¡ªand her greatest sorrow. ... the sound of lin xian¡¯s solitary footsteps echoed in the still night, a stark contrast to the lively celebrations around him. he wandered through the cold streets without purpose, unsure where he was or where he was headed. it felt as though every corner of brooklyn had once held cc¡¯s presence, but now, she was nowhere to be found. above, the vibrant fireworks continued to explode in bursts of light and sound. the sheer quantity¡ªten truckloads¡¯ worth¡ªwould take a long time to exhaust. the booming cacophony seemed endless. walking under the canopy of fleeting light, lin xian¡¯s mind churned with thoughts about the millennial stakes. moments earlier, he had unraveled the mystery of the dreams. yet that clarity only gave rise to deeper, more perplexing questions... what was certain now was this: on november 2, 1952, at precisely 12:42 pm american time, the first millennial stake was hammered into the river of time. though it remained unverified, lin xian suspected this moment marked cc¡¯s 20th birthday. he had no evidence, only intuition. from that moment, history became ¡°locked,¡± the temporal laws took effect, and lin xian¡¯s appearance began to change. his eyes turned a striking azure blue. earlier, he had caught a glimpse of himself in a storefront window. what stared back was an unfamiliar man¡ªa stranger mimicking his movements and posture, their gazes meeting. this man was lin xian after temporal divergence. yet he struggled to accept this new face as his own. it felt alien and detached. though his height and build remained unchanged, his facial features had been drastically altered. his deep-set eyes, prominent cheekbones, and chiseled jawline gave him the appearance of a north european blend. even his square face and faint chin dimple emphasized his western look. only his black hair and yellow-toned skin hinted at his asian origins. but overall... no one would think he was a native of long country. lin xian theorized that the world, and its spacetime, had transformed the moment the first stake was driven. from that instant, it had become the world he now knew. in the past, cc had roamed the streets as a vagrant. was she ever bullied? the moment such a thought crossed lin xian¡¯s mind, he couldn¡¯t ignore the situation. to him, every child wandering the streets of brooklyn now carried a fragment of cc¡¯s shadow. he turned toward the direction of the cries and ventured into the dark alley. around the corner, he saw three men, laughing cruelly as they viciously kicked a boy curled on the ground, his arms wrapped around his head in a futile attempt to protect himself. the boy had yellow-toned skin and black hair, and his english, heavily accented with a clear long country inflection, was clumsy and broken. a chinese boy. lin xian noted the boy, called ¡°little johnny¡± by his attackers, was dressed in tattered clothing resembling rags. blood seeped from wounds on his mouth and arms, evidence of the relentless beating. covered in dirty shoe prints, the boy cowered, making no effort to resist, as if too terrified to defy them. ¡°i¡¯m sorry... i¡¯m sorry... i¡¯m sorry...¡± the boy repeated his apologies weakly amidst sobs, but the men only became more amused, showing no signs of stopping. one of them raised his foot to aim another brutal kick at the boy¡¯s head¡ª bang! a gunshot rang out. the leader¡¯s hat flew off his head, landing on the ground. all three attackers froze, their eyes wide with shock, and turned to see a tall man dressed in black standing at the alley¡¯s entrance. lin xian held a smoking pistol in his right hand. bang! bang! two more gunshots cracked through the air. with precise efficiency, lin xian sent the other two men¡¯s hats tumbling to the ground. the speed and precision of his shots left no time for them to react. he raised his head, his piercing blue eyes locking onto the three men. ¡°leave.¡± his voice was soft but carried the chilling finality of death¡¯s whisper. ¡°r-run! run!¡± panic overtook the men as they stumbled over themselves to flee the alley. the boy, trembling, picked himself off the ground, his wide eyes darting between the fleeing attackers and lin xian. gathering his courage, he bowed repeatedly in gratitude. ¡°thank you, sir! thank you for saving me!¡± lin xian switched to chinese, asking, ¡°are you from long country?¡± the boy froze, surprised, before quickly switching languages. ¡°sir, are you... are you mixed-race?¡± his dialect wasn¡¯t standard mandarin but a heavy northern accent, confirming lin xian¡¯s guess. ¡°yes,¡± lin xian answered dismissively, not offering further explanation. his altered appearance, due to the spacetime anomaly, made him look foreign, so claiming to be mixed-race was the simplest response. ¡°why were they attacking you?¡± lin xian¡¯s deep voice, now alien to himself, carried an edge of authority. the boy brushed dirt off his tattered clothes and spoke hesitantly, his tone filled with grievance. ¡°they... they force me to steal things! to pickpocket wallets from others!¡± ¡°when i was little, long country was at war. my parents took me on a boat to escape to america, but they both passed away not long after we arrived. my father was beaten to death, and my mother died from illness. since then, i¡¯ve been living on the streets in brooklyn.¡± ¡°those men caught me and made me steal money for them. if i didn¡¯t steal enough, or if i failed, they¡¯d beat me like this. many times, i¡¯ve been beaten unconscious.¡± ¡°i can¡¯t escape them. i have no choice but to do what they say...¡± lin xian looked at the boy¡¯s battered face, bloodied mouth, and malnourished frame. he was no older than 14, his back slightly hunched, a testament to years of hardship and hunger. the boy¡¯s story was painfully similar to cc¡¯s¡ªboth trapped in cruel, unforgiving lives. ¡°they call you little johnny?¡± ¡°yes!¡± the boy nodded quickly. ¡°everyone calls me little johnny. you can call me that too, sir!¡± lin xian said nothing. he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a bundle of hundred-dollar bills, placing it into the boy¡¯s hands. little johnny stared, wide-eyed. ¡°sir! this... what are you doing?¡± ¡°take it,¡± lin xian said, straightening his posture and readjusting his hat. he slid his cooled pistol back into his pocket. ¡°if you don¡¯t want to keep getting beaten, leave this place. learn a trade. start a new life.¡± ¡°in this cruel era, no one will help you. if you want to survive, you must grow stronger yourself.¡± with those words, lin xian turned and walked away. little johnny remained frozen in shock, staring at the crisp, green bills in his hands, then back at the retreating figure of the blue-eyed man. he couldn¡¯t stop replaying the scene in his mind¡ªhow effortlessly this man had driven away the attackers with just a few gunshots. strong, composed, and elegant. ¡°this... this is what it means to be truly remarkable!¡± determination flashed in little johnny¡¯s eyes as he clenched his fists. without hesitation, he began to run after lin xian. Chapter 513: Little Johnny this novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation little johnny little johnny rubbed his aching knee, gritting his teeth as he chased to the mouth of the alley. but as he peered ahead, he realized... the tall gentleman who had just saved him had already disappeared, walking into a lavishly decorated hotel. he stood there, silent for a long moment, before deciding to follow. ... the hour was growing late. lin xian stepped into the hotel and approached the front desk to check in. the dissolution of the first-generation cc stake was undeniably tragic and heartbreaking. yet, after his emotions settled, he understood it was an unchangeable fate. it was, after all, the very reason he had traveled back to 1952. only by witnessing the formation of a millennial stake firsthand could he deduce its true origin and, in turn, find a way to save cc, chu an qing, and all the millennial stakes. now, it was time to proceed with the next step of his plan: confirming whether he could still dream. after selecting a room and completing the registration, lin xian signed the name ¡°douglas¡± in the hotel ledger. the clerk glanced at his name, then handed him a key card and a note with both hands. ¡°mr. douglas, here is your key card. please use the elevator just over here.¡± the service at this high-end hotel was impeccable, with a staff member personally escorting lin xian to his room. once inside, lin xian shut the door behind him. he took off his coat and hung it neatly on the rack before turning to survey the room. quiet. silent. empty. no chattering cc. no figure sprawled across the bed, legs swinging. no brooklyn girl marveling at the luxurious furnishings. at this moment, lin xian deeply felt the weight of cc¡¯s words: ¡°this room really is too big.¡± he reached into his pocket, retrieving a small, square white gift box. setting it on the table, he opened it to reveal a silver wristwatch worth twenty dollars. the hour and minute hands still ticked steadily, though the winding mechanism needed a turn. each twist of the knob felt like a twist in his nerves, amplifying the hollowness of 1952 brooklyn¡ªa place vast and cold. after winding the watch, the time read 12:12 a.m. he unfolded a wrinkled note inside the box, the handwriting unmistakably cc¡¯s: ¡°remember, daylight saving time ends tomorrow. don¡¯t forget to set your watch back an hour~¡± it was already past midnight¡ªnovember 3, 1952. daylight saving time had officially ended, ushering in standard time. lin xian pulled the knob and turned the hands back counterclockwise, setting the watch to 11:12 p.m. of the previous day. but alas, while the clock hands could move backward, time itself could not. adjusting the dial was merely self-deception, incapable of changing anything, much like the unyielding grip of history. clutching the watch tightly, lin xian thought to himself, this is the only thing cc left me¡ªthe sole mark she left in this world. ¡°i have to find a way to take this watch back with me,¡± he murmured. but that presented a new challenge. returning the watch to 2024 would have been a matter of a few decades, with plenty of viable methods; many buildings and institutions still existed. but 2024 was no longer an option. the kite string now tethered to the back of his head connected him to the year 2234¡ªnearly 300 years away. three centuries was enough time to corrode the brooklyn bridge, topple the williamsburg savings bank clock tower, and erase the empire state building from existence. three hundred years was an eternity. anything from 1952 was unlikely to survive such a span. even if he buried the watch in a pit now, there was no guarantee it wouldn¡¯t be unearthed by future developments. so... how can i ensure this watch makes it to 2234 intact? lin xian racked his brain, desperate for a foolproof solution. placing the watch back in its gift box, he undressed and headed for the bathroom. the day¡¯s fatigue washed away under the warm stream of water. he yawned, a wave of drowsiness overtaking him. it was time to sleep and see what dreams might come. after drying himself off and changing into his sleepwear, he switched off the lights and lay on his side, closing his eyes to drift into slumber. ... ... the soft sound of the summer wind... the familiar warmth... lin xian¡¯s eyes snapped open to the sight of yellow sand and crumbling ruins. ¡°just as i thought¡ªmy ability to dream has returned.¡± he recognized this environment at once: it was the ninth dreamscape, a place he had traversed countless times. he rushed to a previous excavation site and unearthed an old friend¡ªthe ¡°micro nuclear battery motorcycle.¡± nothing had changed. this was the same familiar dreamscape, the same 0.0001764 worldline. ¡°it seems everything is back to normal.¡± lin xian started the motorcycle and sped toward the underground hibernation chamber base where mai mai awaited. just as he had hoped, the first millennial stake had been driven into place, and with it, his dreamscape returned to its natural state. everything was now on track. but what had triggered this shift? why was he suddenly able to dream of the future again? lin xian nodded and stepped out. but suddenly¡ª ¡°sir! mr. douglas!¡± from the steps outside, a small, dirt-covered boy appeared. lin xian froze. it was none other than little johnny, the boy he had saved the day before. how had he managed to follow him here? the small boy stumbled and scrambled his way toward lin xian, falling to his knees in front of him. he had overheard the hotel staff calling him mr. douglas and now addressed him with that name. ¡°mr. douglas!¡± little johnny looked up at lin xian with wide, hopeful eyes. ¡°please let me be your servant. let me stay by your side!¡± lin xian looked at the kneeling child, caught between amusement and exasperation. ¡°little johnny, didn¡¯t i give you plenty of money yesterday? that money is more than enough for you to start a new life in another city or even begin a small business. don¡¯t cling to me like this.¡± however, little johnny pulled a neatly stacked bundle of cash from his pocket and held it out with both hands. ¡°sir, i don¡¯t want money. i haven¡¯t spent a single penny of what you gave me. it¡¯s all here.¡± his voice grew firmer as he raised his head, his gaze unwavering. ¡°i don¡¯t want to live my life aimlessly. i want to be strong, to be great, to live a life with meaning!¡± ¡°mr. douglas,¡± he continued, ¡°i want to become someone like you!¡± lin xian shook his head. ¡°i¡¯m sorry, but i can¡¯t take you in.¡± with a heavy tone, he added, ¡°you should leave this city as soon as possible. otherwise, those men will come after you again. the money i gave you is more than enough¡ªuse it wisely.¡± without another word, lin xian stepped past the boy, climbed into the taxi, and disappeared down the street. ... during the ride, lin xian had the taxi stop at a department store. there, he purchased a map of brooklyn, a pair of binoculars, and a fountain pen. once he had everything he needed, he resumed the ride to the top of the williamsburg savings bank building. standing at the spot where cc had dissolved into blue stardust, he turned westward. yesterday, the brilliant blue spacetime particle had come from that direction. ¡°where do spacetime particles come from?¡± he muttered as he raised the binoculars to his eyes. from the bustling city streets, his gaze shifted to the sparsely populated suburbs. setting down the binoculars, he unfolded the brooklyn map and marked his current location. using the pen, he traced a line westward. his pen stopped abruptly. ¡°brooklyn¡¯s western suburbs... the orphanage where cc lived... and einstein¡¯s farm.¡± unscrewing the cap of the pen, lin xian circled the spot marking einstein¡¯s farm. ¡°could that spacetime particle have come from einstein¡¯s farm?¡± though the idea seemed far-fetched, the particle¡¯s direction and trajectory made it highly plausible. ¡°surely not...¡± lin xian squinted. ¡°could the president of the genius club, the creator of the millennial stakes, and the origin of everything truly be the einstein of history?¡± he sighed deeply. what you fear often finds you. for now, however, speculation was futile. on november 5, he would meet einstein at the farm, and the truth would be revealed. ... as evening approached, lin xian returned to the hotel. to his surprise, little johnny was still there, huddled in the corner of the entrance, his eyes filled with expectation. lin xian ignored him and walked inside. the next day, november 4, little johnny was still there. on november 5, the boy remained. by now, lin xian couldn¡¯t help but feel the boy¡¯s persistence was reminiscent of ¡°three visits to the thatched cottage¡± or a student humbly waiting in the snow for a mentor. packing his things at midday, he prepared to leave for einstein¡¯s farm. yet, as he stepped out of the hotel, he once again saw little johnny in the same spot. lin xian approached him. ¡°even if you stay here your whole life, it won¡¯t change anything.¡± little johnny stood, meeting lin xian¡¯s gaze. ¡°mr. douglas, my parents died when i was young. no one ever taught me how to live a meaningful life. you¡¯re the only person in brooklyn who saved me, who spoke to me. i¡¯m not trying to bother you, but could you guide me? show me how to live a proud and meaningful life, just like you?¡± lin xian exhaled, his gaze softening as he looked down at the frail, hungry boy. ¡°do you remember dragon country?¡± he asked gently. ¡°yes!¡± little johnny nodded quickly. ¡°my parents took me away from dragon country when it was engulfed in war. life was so hard there. everyone was starving...¡± ¡°that¡¯s right. but that¡¯s your homeland,¡± lin xian said softly. ¡°if you want to live a meaningful life, a proud life, then what you need to do now is study. learn everything you can while you¡¯re here.¡± after a pause, he added, ¡°you have two choices: wander the streets and beg for the rest of your life, or use the money i gave you to start fresh¡ªstudy a craft, learn a trade, master whatever you can from this country. then, return to dragon country and help rebuild your homeland.¡± ¡°if you can do that, little johnny, i¡¯ll be very proud of you. many from dragon country are giving their lives on the battlefield, and many others are sacrificing the comfort of life abroad to return and help their nation thrive.¡± ¡°you¡¯ve shown persistence by staying here for days. if you put that same determination into learning, you¡¯ll achieve something great. would you be willing to become a ship, carrying advanced knowledge back to your homeland?¡± ¡°i will!¡± little johnny¡¯s eyes burned with resolve, his fists clenched tightly. ¡°mr. douglas, i won¡¯t disappoint you! i¡¯ll work hard to become someone like you!¡± lin xian smiled, ruffling the boy¡¯s unkempt hair. turning, he headed for the waiting taxi. ¡°mr. douglas!¡± little johnny called after him. ¡°will we meet again?¡± lin xian waved without turning back. ¡°if you become great enough, i¡¯ll surely see your name in the newspapers.¡± ¡°then remember my real name!¡± little johnny ran after him. lin xian stopped and turned. ¡°your real name?¡± little johnny shook his head. ¡°johnny is just a nickname those men gave me¡ªit¡¯s an insult, really. i was born and raised in dragon country. of course, i have a dragon country name.¡± suddenly, lin xian felt the kite string at the back of his head tremble, as if caught in a sudden gust of wind. little johnny grinned, his white teeth shining. ¡°my surname is ji¡ªlike the seasons. my name is...¡± ¡°ji xin shui!¡± Chapter 514: The World Opens Its Eyes this novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation boom! it was like a lightning bolt streaked across lin xian¡¯s mind, illuminating his entire consciousness and striking the precarious kite tethered behind his head, pushing it to the brink of collapse. ji xin shui... lin xian could never have imagined that in the distant timeline of 1952, he would encounter an enemy from his own era¡ªsomeone he knew personally and had fought against. he clenched his fists tightly. ji xin shui was not just his enemy. he was the mastermind behind the seven deadly sins, a lackey of copernicus, and the culprit responsible for the deaths of xu yun and tang xin. when lin xian had deceived and executed the 80-year-old ji xin shui in the modern age, he hadn¡¯t hesitated for a moment. he had even felt that a lethal injection was too merciful a punishment for the man¡¯s crimes. but now, lin xian was confronted with something utterly unexpected... the man who had died in 2023 had somehow ¡°resurrected¡± before him in the form of a young boy¡ªbarely a teenager¡ªin 1952. boom! another bolt of lightning struck, shaking the kite and sending violent tremors down the tether connecting lin xian¡¯s consciousness to the future. the line threatened to snap at any moment. lin xian understood what was happening. [this was the timeline issuing a warning¡ªa premonition.] if the kite line were to break, it would mean the elasticity of time had been surpassed, the curvature of spacetime had shifted, and the timeline would transition into a completely unfamiliar trajectory. history and the future would veer onto a new, uncharted course. if that happened, lin xian would lose any chance of returning to the year 2234. he would become a ghost unanchored to the past or future¡ªa wanderer adrift in an alien spacetime. taking a deep breath, lin xian calmed his surging emotions. slowly, he unclenched his fists. right now, knowing that young johnny¡¯s real name was ji xin shui marked a critical juncture¡ªa choice teetering on the edge of the timeline¡¯s elasticity. [he now held the power to alter ji xin shui¡¯s destiny, but any change to ji xin shui¡¯s life trajectory would inevitably trigger a shift in the timeline.] lin xian started reevaluating everything he knew. he had previously studied ji xin shui¡¯s background while at the donghai public security bureau. born in 1938, ji xin shui had fled war with his parents as a child. in adulthood, he returned to china as an overseas scientist during the era of reform and opening up, eventually working in a laboratory at donghai university. in 1952, ji xin shui should indeed be thirteen or fourteen years old. the timeline and details matched perfectly with the boy standing before him. there was no doubt about it... this boy, johnny, was ji xin shui¡ªthe future, deranged elder who would bear the name ¡°arrogance.¡± having traveled here using entangled spacetime particles, lin xian was exempt from forced evasion laws, giving him the ability to rewrite history at will. he could alter the timeline however he saw fit. he could use the handgun in his pocket to eliminate the child ji xin shui, eradicating the threat at its source. alternatively, he could leverage the boy¡¯s admiration for him, steering his life down a different path and ensuring he remained in the united states, never returning to his homeland. such actions would prevent the formation of the seven deadly sins and avert the deaths of xu yun and tang xin. but... what would be the cost? doing so would cause history to drift into a completely new timeline. the kite string tethered to lin xian¡¯s mind would snap instantly, leaving him forever stranded in this alien era. the cost was simply too high. moreover, even if he saved xu yun and tang xin, it would only be their counterparts in the new timeline¡ªversions of them lin xian had never known. the xu yun and tang xin he had lost in his own timeline would remain gone. this harsh logic and the immutable laws of spacetime were concepts lin xian had understood long ago. only by ensuring that future events unfolded along the original trajectory could he safely return to the year 2234 and carry out the plans he had in place. thus... at this critical crossroads, he had to tread carefully. ¡°is that so,¡± lin xian muttered, his voice calm and nonchalant. he adjusted the brim of his black hat, casting a shadow over his sharp blue eyes. for a brief moment, he gazed at the young boy standing before him. ¡°goodbye, ji xin shui.¡± without another word, lin xian opened the car door, climbed into the yellow taxi, and handed the driver a small note. ¡°to the western suburbs of brooklyn, this address.¡± the bearded driver glanced at the note, nodded, and said, ¡°got it, sir. i know the area well.¡± with that, the vehicle started moving. through the right-side mirror, lin xian watched the boy ji xin shui grow smaller and smaller in the distance, standing there, watching the car drive away. angelica had once mentioned that ji xin shui visited brooklyn every winter to mourn his best friend. now lin xian wondered... since 1945, einstein had frequently passed by the orphanage where cc lived. it was reasonable to infer that renovations on this farm had begun as early as then, with einstein likely supervising the project. seven years had passed, yet there were no visible signs of improvement. einstein had eagerly invited him here, expressing a strong desire to meet again. but now, not only was there no welcoming party, but einstein himself was missing. this behavior seemed entirely out of character for someone of his stature. everything about this situation felt wrong. the more lin xian thought about it, the more certain he became: [this farm must conceal a hidden room, a secret underground base, or some other hidden space.] ¡°i¡¯ll keep searching.¡± turning back toward the rear of the farm, lin xian walked past the dilapidated buildings, heading for the more secluded areas beyond. ... simultaneously... in princeton, new jersey, at 112 marshall street, inside the study of a single-family home, albert einstein, who had been unconscious at his desk for three days and nights, began to twitch. slowly, he awakened, his eyes fluttering open. ¡°where... where am i...?¡± he murmured, exhaling deeply as he pressed his fingers to his temples. lines. lines everywhere. his mind was overwhelmed with an incalculable number of threads, thin as hairs, intricate as a honeycomb, crisscrossing endlessly in his thoughts. each thread seemed to connect to a different period in the future. with just a bit of focus, einstein could perceive any moment in time, any place, any event happening around any person. it was an indescribable sensation, but he knew with certainty... from the moment he woke, he could see all possible futures¡ªevery single one. for instance, he didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d been unconscious, yet he instinctively knew it was now 2:28 pm on november 5th, 1952. there was no calendar in his room, yet he could see the calendars hanging in every home across america, the dates printed in every newspaper, the clocks ticking on television broadcasts reporting the time. ¡°what... what is happening to me?¡± he muttered, dumbfounded, his gaze falling to the sheet of paper on the desk, marked with the number 42. all the strange phenomena had started the moment he calculated the answer to the universal constant. since that moment, he had been unconscious for three days, yet he felt no hunger, no thirst. this defied all reason. at seventy years old, how could his frail body endure three days without food or water? ¡°what has happened to me? my body...¡± einstein raised his head and glanced at the mirror on his desk. he inhaled sharply. blinking a few times, he stared at his reflection, unable to believe his eyes. with trembling hands, he picked up the mirror, staring into it at the shocked face of albert einstein. his gaze locked onto his own eyes¡ªor rather, what should have been his eyes. they weren¡¯t his. his irises, once brown, now glowed with a bright, crystalline blue, as though rivers of stars and galaxies flowed within them. ¡°blue...?¡± einstein furrowed his brow. his pupils had always been brown. why had they inexplicably turned blue after three days of unconsciousness? he thought back to the blinding blue light that had filled his study just before he lost consciousness... and the two small blue electric spheres that had appeared out of thin air. ¡°could it be... those two blue orbs?¡± he whispered, his breath uneven. if... if the visions of the future he now saw in his mind were real... what did the future hold for humanity? [would it unfold as douglas had predicted¡ªa lasting peace born of nuclear deterrence?] or... [would it align with einstein¡¯s deepest fears¡ªa self-destruction driven by humanity¡¯s inability to control its own power?] closing his eyes, einstein delved into the labyrinth of his mind, seeking the farthest thread¡ªthe thread that extended to the ultimate future of humankind. ... ... after a long silence, he sighed deeply and opened his eyes. his face had grown somber, his expression laden with sorrow. it was as though he had aged decades in an instant. ¡°how unfortunate,¡± he murmured softly, lowering his head. ¡°douglas... you were wrong.¡± Chapter 515: A False Future this novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation einstein grew melancholic. amid the interwoven threads of space-time, he saw with painful clarity that humanity¡¯s future would end in a world-destroying nuclear war in 1991. he had seen it vividly¡ª [douglas had been correct about many things. over the next few decades, more nations would gain nuclear weapons. nuclear deterrence would take shape, and the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons was indeed signed in 1968.] [but ultimately, war between the united states and the soviet union erupted. the moment the first nuclear weapon was launched, global retaliation systems activated instantly. a chain reaction spread across the globe, with hydrogen and atomic bombs detonating everywhere. thousands of mushroom clouds polluted the atmosphere...] this marked the prologue of humanity¡¯s extinction. einstein bowed his head heavily. ¡°i so desperately wish the future i¡¯ve seen was wrong¡ªa fabrication. how i wish douglas were correct instead. but...¡± he rose from his chair and walked into the living room, where an untended fish tank had sat for three days. inside, twelve fish had been swimming. now, seven floated belly-up at the surface, while the remaining five feasted on their fallen companions. einstein had already foreseen this. even before stepping out of his study and entering the living room... he had known exactly how many fish were dead. then, he returned to his study, pulling open the curtains to let in the warm sunlight. ¡°snow will fall tonight,¡± he murmured softly. ¡°next door, little tom will trip in seven seconds. his ball will bounce and hit mary¡¯s dog...¡± ¡°ow!¡± as his words faded, a boy carrying a ball tripped over a step and landed face-first on the ground, wailing in pain. the ball bounced across the road and thumped against mary¡¯s sleeping corgi. swish¡ª einstein closed the curtains. it was clear now. every future he could glimpse was real and accurate. at least... everything he could verify thus far confirmed it. ¡°douglas.¡± einstein raised his head suddenly. ¡°yes! douglas! we were supposed to meet at the farm in brooklyn today. i¡¯m late!¡± he scratched his head in frustration. ¡°damn it, where is douglas now? he probably thinks i stood him up!¡± closing his eyes, einstein attempted to locate douglas using his ability to trace the threads of space-time¡ªto find his form and presence and glimpse his future. but he found... nothing. the reason was simple. he had no idea what douglas looked like, nor could he match the sound of douglas¡¯s voice. with a resigned sigh, einstein opened his eyes. ¡°if i could see history before i woke up with this ability, i could follow the trail to douglas and learn his true appearance. but for now, my vision starts from the moment i awakened. i can¡¯t see anything from before.¡± ¡°the only impression i have of douglas is the gorilla mask and his raspy, cold-stricken voice. i don¡¯t even know his nationality.¡± ¡°still, maybe i can check the farm in brooklyn. i¡¯m late, but douglas might still be waiting for me there.¡± despite his newfound power to peer into the future, einstein wasn¡¯t yet skilled in its use. closing his eyes once more, he clumsily sifted through the threads of space-time. soon enough, he saw his farm in brooklyn. a dark figure was wandering there. it was a man with nordic features mixed with traces of asian ancestry. from his appearance, douglas seemed to be of eurasian descent. einstein held his breath, stunned. he saw it clearly. douglas¡¯s eyes... were also a radiant, bright blue! identical to his own! the realization struck him. back when he calculated the universal constant as 42, two small blue electric orbs had appeared behind him. one had struck him directly. the other... it must have struck douglas, turning his eyes blue as well. ¡°i see now. so that¡¯s it!¡± einstein¡¯s mind cleared, and he understood the truth. this was destiny¡ªa bond¡ª [douglas, like him, could also see the future!] ¡°i understand now, douglas,¡± einstein murmured, narrowing his eyes and clenching his fists. ¡°giving up on humanity¡¯s future, feeling hopeless or despairing¡ªit¡¯s far too early for that.¡± ¡°our ability to see the future is a gift from the heavens¡ªa chance to change it.¡± ¡°if we can foresee failure and destruction, we can devise ways to prevent it, to alter it, to guide human civilization toward a brighter destiny.¡± ¡°let¡¯s join forces, douglas. let¡¯s work together...¡± ¡°[to forge a better future for humanity!]¡± now resolved, einstein felt an overwhelming surge of excitement. no matter how bleak humanity¡¯s future seemed, he and douglas could save it. ¡°i must find douglas immediately.¡± einstein ceased his visions of the future and, without hesitation, put on his coat and rushed out of the study. but just as quickly, he returned. he grabbed a piece of white draft paper from his desk, bearing a single number: [42]. this was the origin of everything. he needed to discuss this with douglas. the paper, containing the final answer to the universal constant, was essential. carefully folding it, he slipped it into his coat pocket. with determination, einstein charged out of his home, started his old car parked in the yard, and sped toward the brooklyn suburbs. ... meanwhile... in the western suburbs of brooklyn, within an abandoned farm, lin xian had already circled to the back of the house and started a meticulous search. ¡°found it!¡± beneath his feet was a concealed steel trapdoor. just as he had anticipated. the farm did indeed hide an underground space. with some effort, lin xian pried open the heavy door, revealing a deep and dark passageway below. ¡°what... is this place?¡± he didn¡¯t venture down immediately. it was pitch black and seemed unsafe. the vertical design of the passage looked more like an emergency escape route, and lin xian doubted a man of einstein¡¯s seventy-something years could climb up and down such a steep path. ¡°there must be other entrances and exits.¡± now that he had a clear objective, the search progressed much faster. before long, he found several ventilation shafts and even a hidden periscope. with these clues, he finally understood what the farm concealed underground¡ª seeing lin xian¡¯s complex expression and silence, einstein continued, ¡°when i woke up this afternoon, my eyes had already turned blue. and... i don¡¯t know how to describe it, but i¡¯m sure you understand! you must, douglas¡ªyou must know! i see countless threads of time interwoven in my mind. i... i can see every second of the future!¡± ¡°douglas, you¡¯re like me. you must know more than i do. can you tell me... what¡¯s happening here?¡± boom! though the brooklyn night was calm, with gentle moonlight gracing the sky, a tempest raged in lin xian¡¯s mind. it was as though lightning struck a narrow kite, sending shocks coursing down the string and through his body, leaving him numb and shaken. he took a deep breath and lowered his head. ¡°tell me, einstein,¡± lin xian said softly. ¡°what kind of future... did you see?¡± ¡°1991. a global nuclear war. humanity... destroyed in countless mushroom clouds,¡± einstein replied rapidly. ¡°1991. that¡¯s the farthest future i can see. it¡¯s also the farthest humanity can go. douglas, your vision of hope for the future was beautiful, but reality... reality is cruel. humanity never learns from history!¡± ¡°if we don¡¯t intervene, if we don¡¯t find a way to stop it, human civilization will come to an end¡ªdestroyed by its own hand!¡± ... hearing einstein¡¯s answer, lin xian closed his eyes. it seemed that his earlier speculation with zhao yingjun was correct¡ª [the future einstein saw was a false future.] in reality, 1991 held no nuclear war. instead, the cold war ended with the dissolution of the soviet union, ushering in an era of rapid global development. if einstein had seen the true future, he would have seen one of three scenarios: 00:42¡ªthe world-ending white light. the great catastrophe of 2600. or, as he mentioned at their last gathering, the thriving supercity of donghai with a population of 40 million. any of these outcomes would have made sense. but instead, he saw humanity¡¯s end in a non-existent 1991 global nuclear war. clearly, einstein had been deceived by a false future. the spacetime particle that struck him was the culprit behind this tragic misunderstanding! ¡°you...¡± lin xian opened his mouth to speak. but in his mind, a storm of lightning and thunder erupted, illuminating the dark night sky like daylight. the kite soaring through the heavens was now tattered and torn, and its taut string began to fray under the strain. he quickly shut his mouth, cutting himself off mid-sentence. at this moment, history teetered on a critical turning point. the elasticity of spacetime was stretched to its limit. every word he spoke could alter einstein¡¯s fate and twist the curvature of spacetime itself. it was a risk lin xian could not afford to take. and so, he stayed silent. einstein tilted his head in confusion and stepped closer, clasping lin xian¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°douglas, why won¡¯t you speak?¡± he pleaded. ¡°it¡¯s okay! we¡¯re not who we were before. we¡¯ve seen this disaster ahead of time, which means we can stop it! we can correct these errors before they happen!¡± ¡°and, you... are you the same as me? i haven¡¯t eaten in three days and nights, yet i feel no hunger at all. it¡¯s as if... when that blue orb struck us, it also granted us immortality!¡± ¡°this means we can safeguard humanity¡¯s destiny for as long as it takes, guiding the future onto the right path and granting the most beautiful future to humanity!¡± turning abruptly, he gestured toward the farm¡¯s warehouse. ¡°you¡¯ve seen it, haven¡¯t you? after 1945, i began constructing this underground refuge to escape nuclear war. i invited you here today to tell you about it.¡± ¡°but now i¡¯ve changed my mind, douglas. let¡¯s save the world together! save humanity¡¯s future! this place, isolated and deep underground, can become our secret base.¡± ¡°we, immortal beings, can forge a false death, disappear from the world, and hide here¡ªor anywhere we choose. we... we can do so many things. it¡¯s exhilarating, even monumental!¡± however, facing einstein¡¯s excitement, lin xian remained expressionless and shook his head. unlike the serene brooklyn sky above, his mind was still in turmoil, the storm threatening to tear apart the kite string that barely held together. ¡°sorry, einstein. i have to leave.¡± ¡°leave?¡± einstein froze in disbelief. ¡°where... where are you going?¡± a sense of dread overcame him. frantically, he used the threads of spacetime in his mind to glimpse douglas¡¯s future. to his horror, he saw it. in just one minute, douglas would dissolve into blue stardust, vanishing under the moonlight. ¡°no!¡± einstein gripped lin xian¡¯s hand even tighter, his grasp almost painful. ¡°no... douglas, i beg you, don¡¯t leave me.¡± ¡°you¡¯ve given me hope, given me strength... we¡¯re partners. partners in saving humanity¡¯s future.¡± ¡°don¡¯t go. stay, please? stay here, and together we can...¡± lin xian pulled his hand free. from the pocket of his coat, he retrieved a small white square gift box. inside was the watch cc had bought for him with all her savings. he placed the white box in einstein¡¯s hand and said softly, ¡°take care of this for me.¡± lin xian raised his head and patted einstein on the shoulder. ¡°one day,¡± he said, his voice steady, ¡°i¡¯ll come back for this watch.¡± without another word, he turned and walked toward the full moon rising in the eastern sky. einstein stood there, stricken, unable to accept this sudden departure. his face was filled with sorrow and reluctance. ¡°you won¡¯t come back for the watch, douglas,¡± he murmured. ¡°i can see the future... you won¡¯t come back...¡± ¡°i will,¡± lin xian replied without turning. his figure grew smaller as he walked further away, his silhouette stretched by the moonlight, draped across einstein¡¯s form. then, lin xian raised his right hand high, extending his index finger straight upward. it pointed toward the invisible ¡°kite¡± in the sky, his thoughts climbing along the string into the infinite beyond. einstein watched him, stunned. the raised hand, illuminated by the moonlight, cast a shadow that reached upward, merging with the night sky and the glowing circle of the moon. and then¡ª whoosh¡ª a gust of night wind swept through, scattering lin xian¡¯s crystalline form into countless specks of blue stardust. he was gone. Chapter 516: Wandering Guide this novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation blue star fragments drifted on the wind, vanishing as swiftly as they appeared, leaving no trace. however, a black top hat and a woolen coat lay gently on the ground, silent witnesses that the tall man had once stood there before vanishing into thin air. ¡°douglas...¡± einstein¡¯s mind was still filled with the image of the shadowed hand against the moonlight. he stepped forward, his shoes crunching softly on the earth until he reached the very spot where douglas had disappeared. leaning down, he picked up the abandoned hat. its interior still carried a faint warmth as his hand brushed against it. for a moment, einstein stood there, lost in thought. as a physicist, the manner of douglas¡¯s disappearance eluded his understanding. but what puzzled him even more was why douglas had left so decisively. without even a farewell, douglas had vanished, leaving nothing but a hollow ache in his absence. ¡°why?¡± einstein murmured, grief rising unbidden. he couldn¡¯t make sense of it. why had douglas appeared so abruptly in his life, offering hope, imbuing him with strength, only to cast him aside to face the trials alone? douglas¡¯s eyes, like his own, were a crystalline blue, capable of glimpsing the future and bearing the burden of immortality. yet douglas possessed abilities far beyond einstein¡¯s grasp. he could disappear into nothingness, a skill einstein lacked. douglas¡¯s command over the peculiarities of time and space seemed infinitely deeper. even so, why had he left? if they worked together, einstein believed they could forge a better, brighter future for the world. he placed the black top hat on his head and turned his gaze to the white, square gift box resting in his hands¡ªdouglas¡¯s parting gift, entrusted to him with a solemn promise to keep it safe. he didn¡¯t need to open it to know what lay inside. yet habit compelled him to lift the lid and look. inside was a silver watch. it was neither extravagant nor intricate, bearing a rough, almost unrefined design without the stamp of any famous brand. the second hand ticked steadily, marking the relentless passage of time and the irretrievable moments of history. beneath the watch, a small folded note lay nestled. out of respect for douglas¡¯s privacy, einstein refrained from unfolding it. not that it mattered¡ªhe already knew what it said. written in elegant, feminine script, the note bore a single line in english. yet its author remained a mystery to einstein. having awakened on november 5th, he could see every moment of the future stretching before him. but the past, shrouded in mystery, remained locked away. with a sigh, he closed the gift box. he missed douglas terribly. for most people, ¡°goodbye¡± was a blessing, a hopeful promise of reunion. but between einstein and douglas, ¡°goodbye¡± was laden with finality. it meant they would never meet again. from the moment douglas announced his departure, einstein had scoured the threads of time, seeking traces of him. past, future, any remnant of his existence. yet he found nothing. douglas¡¯s past was a void, his future an absence. all he left behind was his silhouette and a solemn promise. since then, douglas had vanished entirely from the continuum of time. einstein could no longer hope that douglas might seek him out. ¡°douglas, did you deceive me?¡± einstein whispered, his fingers tightening around the gift box. ¡°was it you, or the future i glimpsed, that lied to me?¡± despite the bitterness, he chose to believe his friend. carefully, he placed the box into his coat pocket. if douglas had promised to return for the watch someday, then einstein would wait patiently. he was immortal, unchanging, with endless time at his disposal. he had told douglas he would wait in the underground shelter on the farm. but how long would he have to wait? einstein lifted his eyes to the moon ascending into the night sky. ¡°what opportunity are you waiting for?¡± he wondered aloud. he could see every corner of the world¡¯s future, yet douglas¡¯s thoughts remained an enigma. suddenly, a young voice cried out behind him, breaking his reverie. ¡°oh! my god! einstein! is it really you? i can¡¯t believe i¡¯m meeting you in such a remote place!¡± einstein turned to face the speaker. a young man with golden hair and bright blue eyes leapt off his bicycle, rushing toward einstein with unrestrained excitement. he left his bike to clatter to the ground, utterly disregarding it as he dashed forward. skidding to a halt before einstein, he bowed deeply. ¡°sir einstein! what an incredible honor to meet you here! i... i can¡¯t believe this! i¡¯ve admired you all my life! growing up, i read all about your work¡ªi¡¯m such a huge admirer!¡± the young man, slim and sharp-featured with a prominent aquiline nose, was so ecstatic he struggled to string his words together. ¡°my name is christopher adams. i¡¯m from england, studying abroad here. i was just on my way to the dock to catch my ship. i never imagined i¡¯d run into you, not here, of all places!¡± the door burst open with a loud bang. adams stormed in, laughter spilling from his lips. ¡°i¡¯m home! where¡¯s my boy? where¡¯s my son?¡± on the sofa, his wife, a young mother with a warm smile, greeted him with an amused look. ¡°well, well. look who¡¯s finally home! he¡¯s almost a year old and hasn¡¯t even met his father yet. little adams is so clever¡ªhe¡¯s crawling everywhere these days.¡± she pulled him inside, leading him to the bed where their baby boy was rolling and babbling. ¡°look at him! ever since he heard you were coming, he¡¯s been this excited all day.¡± ¡°oh, my darling boy!¡± adams exclaimed, scooping the baby up in his arms and spinning in circles. he kissed the infant¡¯s rosy cheeks, only for the baby to burst into loud wails. ¡°hey, don¡¯t you recognize your father?¡± adams said with a playful grin, pulling silly faces. ¡°it¡¯s me! daddy!¡± his wife chuckled, taking the baby from his arms. ¡°he¡¯s only eight months old. what does he know about fathers? and you¡¯re a stranger to him. of course, he¡¯s scared. you have to take your time and be gentle.¡± ¡°speaking of, have you thought of a proper name for him yet? we¡¯ve been calling him ¡®little adams¡¯ for eight months. we can¡¯t keep that up forever.¡± adams beamed with pride, his grin widening. ¡°oh, i¡¯ve got the perfect name! it¡¯s strong, bold, and full of character¡ªdouglas adams!¡± she frowned slightly, rocking the baby to soothe him. ¡°douglas adams? it¡¯s... alright, i guess. nothing special.¡± ¡°alright?¡± adams exclaimed, spreading his hands dramatically. ¡°do you know who gave him that name? einstein! the albert einstein, the greatest physicist in the world!¡± ¡°yeah, right,¡± she scoffed. ¡°sure he did. you? meet einstein? dream on.¡± ¡°it¡¯s true!¡± adams protested, rummaging through his pockets. ¡°i met him at a farm in brooklyn! he was standing there, lost in thought. i begged him to name our son, and he finally agreed!¡± his excitement turned to panic as he searched frantically. ¡°where is it? i swear i had it here¡ªhe wrote the name on a piece of paper. douglas adams. it¡¯s here somewhere...¡± he opened his suitcase, digging through his belongings. ¡°how could it be gone? i must have taken it out to look at it so many times... it must¡¯ve fallen out during the journey.¡± adams scratched his head in frustration, a deep sigh escaping him. ¡°what a shame! i wanted to keep it as a memento. but i¡¯m not lying! the paper had nothing on it except the name and the number 42.¡± his wife blinked, curious. ¡°forty-two? forty-two what?¡± ¡°no, no,¡± adams corrected, shaking his head. ¡°it wasn¡¯t forty-two of anything. just the number itself¡ª42.¡± at that moment, the baby in her arms stopped crying, his tiny face breaking into a wide grin as he laughed joyfully. adams and his wife exchanged startled looks, then turned their eyes to the giggling infant. ¡°could it be... he likes the name and the number?¡± adams whispered. with a playful tone, he tested his theory. ¡°douglas... forty-two...¡± the baby¡¯s laughter bubbled up again, his eyes squinting with delight. ¡°see? see!¡± adams clapped his hands in triumph. ¡°i told you he loves it! this is a name blessed by einstein himself! darling, let¡¯s make it official¡ªour son will be douglas adams!¡± his wife gazed fondly at the joyful baby in her arms and sighed with a soft smile. ¡°fine. i don¡¯t believe your wild story for a second, but if our son loves it, then douglas adams it is.¡± she bent her head closer to the baby. ¡°douglas adams,¡± she cooed gently. ¡°do you like the number 42?¡± the baby gurgled and waved his arms excitedly, his laughter filling the room again. ¡°it seems 42 is your lucky number,¡± she said, placing the now-happy infant back in his crib. watching him crawl around playfully, she added, ¡°whenever douglas cries in the future, we¡¯ll just say ¡®42¡¯ to calm him down. that number seems to have a magical effect on him.¡± ¡°exactly!¡± adams exclaimed, seizing the chance to reiterate. ¡°it¡¯s einstein¡¯s blessing, i¡¯m telling you! fine, fine, don¡¯t believe me. but when douglas grows up, i¡¯ll make sure he knows the truth¡ªhis name has a legendary origin!¡± ¡°and as for the number 42... i don¡¯t know what it means either, but douglas can figure that out someday. maybe he¡¯ll grow up to be a scientist and uncover its secrets alongside einstein¡¯s work. or perhaps a mathematician and decode the mystery of the number.¡± pausing, adams chuckled as a new thought struck him. ¡°and if he¡¯s not into science or math? well, he could become a writer! that way, he can weave the number 42 into his stories and give it an even more extraordinary meaning.¡± Chapter 517: Genius Club this novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation in front of a luxurious hotel in brooklyn, ji xin shui, a small figure standing on tiptoe, clung to the front desk with a worried expression as he looked at the receptionist. ¡°excuse me, has mr. douglas still not returned since yesterday?¡± the receptionist nodded solemnly. ¡°we¡¯re worried about mr. douglas too. we have no idea what might have happened to him. since the day he took a cab and left, it has been half a month, and he hasn¡¯t returned.¡± mr. douglas had always been generous, prepaying for many days¡¯ accommodation. even though his advance payment expired long ago, we¡¯ve kept his room for him, hoping he¡¯d come back. we¡¯re also troubled¡ªshould we report this to the authorities? but again, what if mr. douglas simply has urgent matters to attend to? perhaps it¡¯s best to leave things as they are and not add unnecessary complications for him.¡± ji xin shui sighed, hopped down from the bar, and walked out of the hotel lobby, heading back to the street. ever since that day when mr. douglas advised him to study hard and serve his country, ji xin shui had prayed devoutly at the church every day, hoping for divine guidance. whether it was the grace of god or mr. douglas¡¯ influence, the priest at the church, upon learning of ji xin shui¡¯s circumstances, offered to help. ¡°we have many kind-hearted believers here willing to sponsor children who wish to study. a friend of mine in new jersey is the principal of a charity school. if you¡¯re willing, i can recommend you to that school.¡± he added, ¡°you won¡¯t have to worry about tuition or living expenses. many of the kind-hearted believers here would love to support a child like you. additionally, the charity school offers part-time work opportunities for students¡ªcleaning or helping in the cafeteria¡ªenough for you to support yourself.¡± the priest smiled warmly. ¡°if you truly want to study and return to help develop your homeland, i strongly recommend this school.¡± ji xin shui, overwhelmed with gratitude, immediately agreed. a few days later, the priest returned with great news. ¡°everything is settled. i¡¯ve arranged for you to travel to new jersey by car this thursday morning. a kind believer will drive you to the charity school. you can focus on your studies there.¡± ecstatic, ji xin shui¡¯s eyes sparkled brightly, as though he could already envision himself returning as an accomplished individual, serving his country, and seeing mr. douglas¡¯ proud smile. ¡°thank you, father. thank you so much!¡± the priest raised his hand solemnly. ¡°we should thank the merciful lord.¡± together, they turned toward the statue of jesus on the church wall. the priest recited a prayer, and ji xin shui followed, making the sign of the cross on his chest. ¡°amen,¡± ji xin shui murmured, his eyes tightly shut, deeply sincere in his gratitude. yet, if he were honest, his heart held even more gratitude for mr. douglas. it was mr. douglas who had saved him, given him direction, and rekindled his hope for life. ¡°i must tell mr. douglas this good news!¡± ji xin shui thought, his eyes snapping open. with that, he darted out of the church, heading for the hotel where he had waited so many days and nights for mr. douglas. he was eager to share the news with his benefactor. however, after waiting by the hotel entrance for hours, mr. douglas never appeared. ¡°maybe he¡¯s busy,¡± ji xin shui whispered, pulling his coat tighter against the cold wind. ¡°i¡¯ll wait a few more days. i still have time before thursday.¡± each day, he waited with hopeful anticipation, but each day ended in disappointment. finally, unable to bear it any longer, ji xin shui gathered his courage and asked the front desk, only to hear unsettling news. ¡°mr. douglas has been missing for half a month,¡± the receptionist explained. ¡°since he left in that taxi, we haven¡¯t seen him again.¡± ji xin shui¡¯s heart pounded as his face turned pale. ¡°could mr. douglas be in danger?¡± quickly shaking his head to dispel the ominous thought, he muttered to himself, ¡°no, that can¡¯t be. mr. douglas is such a kind man; nothing bad could happen to him.¡± but ji xin shui¡¯s longing to share the good news with mr. douglas remained strong. in the distance, at the broken-down farm, einstein finally rose from his chair after sitting motionless for days. despite not eating, drinking, or sleeping, he felt neither hunger nor fatigue. he had proven through his spacetime visions that he now possessed not only the ability to peer into the future but also immortality. it was as if time had frozen for him at a particular moment. ¡°am i alive or dead?¡± he wondered. but the answer didn¡¯t seem to matter anymore. after listening to ji xin shui recount the story of mr. douglas, einstein found his mood much improved. it seemed douglas harbored hope and confidence in humanity¡¯s future. after all, someone who believed in the promise of human civilization and the power of individual effort would say such encouraging words to a child. ¡°this shows that douglas believed humanity has a future,¡± einstein thought. ¡°he likely saw the potential for people to shape their destiny. perhaps, in his way, douglas was working to save the world and its future. if that¡¯s the case, i can¡¯t stop now.¡± he resolved to act. ¡°first, i must find a way to prevent the human catastrophe of 1991,¡± einstein muttered as he walked into the farm¡¯s barn. inside, he stepped into a crude elevator and pressed the button to descend. ¡°no matter what challenges the future holds, humanity must first survive 1991. only then can history continue.¡± as the elevator creaked and descended, einstein spoke to himself. ¡°but saving humanity¡¯s future is too monumental for one person alone. my strength alone is insufficient. i need others¡ªindividuals like douglas, like me¡ªpeople with vision, drive, and a sense of mission.¡± his sharp gaze hardened with determination. ¡°to protect and safeguard humanity¡¯s future, we must gather more geniuses.¡± arriving at the brightly lit underground shelter, einstein picked up a telephone and dialed a number. when the line connected, he spoke, ¡°dawson? it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°einstein!¡± a jovial voice exclaimed on the other end. ¡°what a surprise! have you finally agreed to let me paint your portrait?¡± ¡°i have,¡± einstein replied, his tone measured. ¡°but i have a few additional requests.¡± ¡°god almighty!¡± dawson laughed heartily. ¡°at last, my friend, you¡¯ve come to your senses! what are these conditions?¡± einstein interrupted him, revealing the plan he had just formed. ¡°i need eight identical portraits, each painted with oils. hidden within the layers of each painting, you¡¯ll embed different codes, puzzles, and riddles.¡± dawson erupted into outrage. ¡°einstein, you¡¯ve crossed the line! even if you are einstein, your demands are absurd! my paintings are works of art, not your laboratory scribbles! why should i hide mathematical puzzles in my art? you know that¡¯s my least favorite subject. i refuse¡ªabsolutely refuse!¡± ¡°very well,¡± einstein said calmly, ready to end the call. ¡°perhaps i¡¯ll find another painter in america¡ª¡± ¡°wait! wait!¡± dawson blurted, panicking. such an opportunity to make history couldn¡¯t be given to someone else. ¡°alright, alright! we can negotiate. where are you now?¡± ¡°at a farm in brooklyn,¡± einstein replied. ¡°fine. stay put,¡± dawson said hurriedly. ¡°i¡¯ll grab my tools and head over before you change your mind.¡± after hanging up, einstein sat at a desk in the shelter, his mind now occupied with the logistics of forming a new organization. details such as its charter, membership criteria, meeting times, and locations could be worked out later. the first step, however, was non-negotiable: the organization needed a name and a recognizable emblem. einstein¡¯s thoughts drifted back to douglas. he recalled the man¡¯s final moments vividly¡ªhis hand raised high, pointing straight toward the sky. the silhouette of that gesture against the full moon had etched itself deeply into einstein¡¯s memory. it struck him as a powerful symbol, one laden with meaning. ¡°perhaps,¡± einstein mused, ¡°this was the signal douglas left me.¡± nodding to himself, einstein picked up a pencil and began sketching. first, he drew a circular ring. inside the ring, he added an extended right hand, its index finger pointing upwards. he frowned slightly, feeling the design was too plain, lacking the weight he envisioned. then, an idea struck him. he took his pencil and swiftly inscribed two words within the ring: genius club. Chapter 518: Returned to Its Owner this novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation december 11, 2234, rhine university, secret laboratory. thud. the time machine, which had just been successfully activated, suddenly made a muffled sound from within, startling gao yang, gao wen, and liu feng in the lab. the three exchanged puzzled looks. ¡°what¡¯s that sound?¡± gao yang scratched his head and asked, ¡°the time machine didn¡¯t break down, did it? did lin xian make it back successfully?¡± ¡°he must have,¡± liu feng said quickly, operating the monitor. just moments ago, lin xian¡¯s biological signal had indeed disappeared, and the weight of the travel chamber had decreased. gao yang rushed over, cautiously lifting the lid of the chamber. ¡°hello? anybody in there? are you human or ghost?¡± thud, thud, thud. from inside the chamber came three knocks¡ªtwo long, one short¡ªthe prearranged signal. ¡°it¡¯s lin xian! it¡¯s him!¡± gao yang shouted, thrilled. he waved at gao wen. ¡°quick, quick, open it up and let him out. why¡¯s he back already? he only just left for 1952.¡± ¡°that barely gave him time to do anything!¡± gao wen muttered as he twisted the chamber¡¯s lid open. peering inside, they saw two bare feet sticking out. gao yang and gao wen each grabbed a leg, helping lin xian climb out. ¡°good grief, lin xian! why are you naked?¡± gao yang exclaimed, shielding his eyes. ¡°where¡¯s the otter fur suit we gave you?¡± lin xian planted his feet firmly on the floor, rubbing his temples as he recovered from the dizziness of time travel. ¡°no idea where the suit went,¡± he mumbled. ¡°by the way, what¡¯s today¡¯s date? how much time has passed here?¡± ¡°it¡¯s still the same day and time you left!¡± gao wen pointed to a small, hovering aluminum-alloy trashcan robot, affectionately called vivi, which rolled forward, dragging a lab coat behind it. ¡°garbage, garbage! found garbage!¡± vivi declared, its small screen displaying the current date and time. lin xian took the coat, slipping it on. after glancing at the date, he frowned. ¡°this is exactly when i left? so, i was gone for a week, but only a second passed here?¡± ¡°that¡¯s exactly it,¡± liu feng confirmed. ¡°while you might¡¯ve experienced a full week in 1952, for us, it was instantaneous. this indicates our time flows aren¡¯t synchronized.¡± gao yang circled lin xian, inspecting him for missing limbs. ¡°still, why come back so fast? couldn¡¯t you have stayed longer to explore?¡± ¡°i couldn¡¯t risk it.¡± lin xian shook his head, a rueful smile on his lips. ¡°you don¡¯t understand. i barely made it back. my connection¡ªmy ¡®kite string¡¯¡ªalmost snapped.¡± the others exchanged baffled glances. ¡°¡®kite string¡¯? what are you talking about?¡± ¡°it¡¯s hard to explain now,¡± lin xian replied. ¡°let¡¯s just say things got very dicey. einstein figured out the truth and bombarded me with questions. for a moment, even breathing felt dangerous¡ªlike any tiny clue might let him deduce something that could shift the entire timeline.¡± lin xian shivered at the memory. ¡°the storm was raging, and the kite was on the verge of snapping. i had no choice but to climb back up the string and return here immediately.¡± ¡°well, at least you made it back safely,¡± gao wen said, still puzzled. ¡°but seriously, what¡¯s this about a kite string?¡± ¡°don¡¯t worry about it now,¡± lin xian replied with a wave of his hand. he turned to liu feng. ¡°first things first¡ªcheck whether the quantum-entangled spacetime particles were fully consumed during the trip.¡± liu feng stepped forward and opened the sealed chamber of the time machine. the group peered inside, only to find it completely empty. the once violently swirling and entangled spacetime particles had vanished without a trace. ¡°perfect.¡± lin xian let out a sigh of relief. ¡°it seems our earlier hypothesis was correct. due to the unique properties of these quantum-entangled spacetime particles, they can only be completely consumed through a round-trip journey across time.¡± reflecting further, lin xian analyzed einstein¡¯s mental journey. after gaining the omniscient ability to glimpse the future, einstein would inevitably have noticed douglas¡¯s blue eyes and assumed that douglas, like himself, could also see the future. this mutual understanding likely deepened their bond, leading einstein to invite douglas to join him in saving the world and humanity¡¯s future. however, as the true douglas, lin xian had escaped before his kite string broke. einstein, unwilling to abandon his mission to save humanity, had likely founded the genius club to prevent humanity¡¯s self-destruction. over the years, einstein must have made countless efforts, yet the results remained unsatisfactory. lin xian didn¡¯t yet know what other apocalyptic futures einstein might have foreseen besides the nuclear war in 1991. but what was clear was that their visions of the future were fundamentally different. while lin xian saw the world destroyed by the world-ending white light, einstein seemed to focus on humanity¡¯s self-destruction. this disparity hinted at a deeper conspiracy lurking behind the scenes. as the plane descended through the clouds, the lights of the united states became visible through the cabin window. for humanity, 200 years was a long time; for earth, it was but a blink. the american coastline and mountains remained unchanged, but the land below had transformed entirely. after landing, lin xian got into a car and headed straight for the western outskirts of brooklyn. he gazed out at the streets, yet nothing stirred a sense of familiarity. the empire state building was gone. the brooklyn bridge had been remodeled beyond recognition. the clock tower, once spider-man¡¯s perch, had vanished. even the highland promenade, where cc had set off fireworks, was now erased by the passage of time. this was the loneliness of an era. lin xian sighed deeply. back in 2025, he had felt alive¡ªa true, tangible presence. but here, in 2234, he felt like a ghost. surrounded by gao yang, gao wen, liu feng, and jask, the feeling had been faint. now, alone in an unfamiliar america, loneliness surged back like a tidal wave, suffocating him on dry land. there was no familiar place, no familiar faces, no familiar scenery¡ªuntil suddenly, a dilapidated farm appeared in his view. lin xian froze, struck by an uncanny sense of de?ja? vu. ¡°stop the car!¡± he shouted abruptly. once the vehicle came to a halt, he opened the door and stepped out. standing before him was a farm, unchanged in every detail from 1952. the fence, the trees, the grass¡ªit was all exactly the same. it was unimaginably identical. lin xian stood there, stunned, unable to believe his eyes. in 2234, the farm at the same location was, astonishingly, identical in every detail to its appearance in 1952. lin xian had just left this very farm in 1952, had walked its grounds countless times. how could he be mistaken? but as he pursed his lips, doubt gave way to realization. nearly 300 years had passed. the empire state building had collapsed, the brooklyn bridge had corroded, and no structure of steel and concrete could withstand such a vast expanse of time. yet this old, dilapidated farm had somehow endured. walking closer, lin xian placed his hand on the weathered wooden fence, then looked up at the houses, their bricks appearing strangely pristine. that¡¯s when it dawned on him. this must be a theseus farm. though the fences, houses, wild grass, and even the trees looked identical to 1952, they were all newly built¡ªpainstakingly replicated using modern materials to mirror the past. crunching over gravel, lin xian stepped through the property, entering the houses one by one. he pushed open the door of the first house, knowing exactly what he would find. inside, just as in 1952, were the remnants of workers¡¯ quarters¡ªrickety bunk beds left behind long ago. creak. the door to the opposite house groaned as he opened it, revealing a room filled with scraps of cloth, clutter, and spiderwebs. finally, he approached the northernmost building¡ªa crumbling shed that he remembered clearly. this would be the warehouse. stepping inside, lin xian scanned the familiar scene: a collection of old tools and, in the corner, concealed by dust and shadow, a simple elevator leading to the underground shelter. taking a deep breath, lin xian inhaled the heavy scent of dust, mingled with the weight of time itself. it didn¡¯t take long to locate the theseus elevator. its frame was constructed from the valuable aluminum alloy, ha alloy, but its design was archaic, reflecting the style of three centuries ago. he pressed the button, and the elevator descended with a soft groan, the cables creaking under its weight. after several seconds, the space below opened up, illuminated by bright lights. lin xian stepped into a massive underground chamber, reminiscent of the virtual meeting halls of the genius club. in the center stood nine imposing black wooden high-back chairs. below, arranged in tiers, were 48 smaller chairs¡ªempty, all but one. on the highest tier sat a figure wearing an einstein mask. the old man radiated an aura of sorrow as he looked up, his gaze meeting lin xian¡¯s as the elevator doors parted. ¡°rhine.¡± the voice was deep and commanding. ¡°i never expected you to find this place.¡± lin xian chuckled softly. ¡°einstein, you¡¯ve rebuilt the farm countless times above ground, preserving every detail of its original state. surely, it¡¯s because you didn¡¯t want an old friend to lose their way.¡± stepping into the light, lin xian fixed his gaze on the man, whose posture immediately straightened in his chair. ¡°einstein,¡± lin xian said calmly, ¡°i¡¯ve come to retrieve my watch.¡± enhance your reading experience by removing ads: remove ads now Chapter 519: Newton Chapter 519: Newton This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Einstein¡¯s thin arms trembled against the armrests as he rose from his chair. His voice was shaky: ¡°Rhine...¡± His entire body quivered. ¡°No...¡± With his right hand, he gripped the mask labeled Sorrowful Einstein on his face and slowly lifted it away, letting it fall to the floor. What lay beneath was a face Lin Xian knew all too well. Three centuries ago, back in 1952, Lin Xian had seen that same face many times: the face of one of the greatest physicists in history¡ª Albert Einstein. He truly was immortal. Time seemed to have stopped for him. His appearance, his hair, even the lines on his face¡ªidentical to the elder Lin Xian had met in 1952. Until this moment, nobody would have guessed that under the Einstein mask...was Einstein himself! What an almost laughably clever trick, so plainly deceptive that it bordered on genius. Still...he had hidden his piercing blue eyes to avoid suspicion. Now, those ageless eyes locked onto Lin Xian¡¯s from across the carpet, bridging three centuries of history. Einstein¡¯s lips trembled, and in a raspy, disbelieving voice, he managed: ¡°Doug...Douglas?¡± Lin Xian nodded and smiled slightly. ¡°Einstein, it¡¯s been a long time,¡± he replied. ¡°I told you I¡¯d come back for the watch. Have you...kept it safe for me?¡± Einstein bit his lip, covered his eyes, and sank back into his chair. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t see his face, but he could feel the depth of Einstein¡¯s emotion¡ªpain, more than excitement or relief at their reunion. It was a hurt so deep it seemed to weigh on his soul. Perhaps in those three hundred years, Einstein had yearned for Douglas¡¯s return, yet also feared it. In 1952, Einstein had never believed they would meet again¡ªthough Douglas had insisted they would... When two possible futures collide, one must be false. If... If everything he had seen was untrue...then what had his efforts meant all this time? ¡°No, Douglas, something¡¯s wrong.¡± Einstein looked up, his once-bright blue eyes filled with grief. ¡°You were struck by spacetime particles too, so why...why are your eyes black again?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Remember the last question I asked you at the Genius Club gathering? Back then, I thought you were lying, but now I know¡ªyou weren¡¯t lying. You really couldn¡¯t see that piece of history.¡± ¡°In 1952, there was a girl who turned into blue stardust and disappeared. Another spacetime particle didn¡¯t hit me; it hit her. You can see all possible futures, so you must know¡ªI just returned from 1952 using a time machine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why your perception was wrong. You missed the key part of history while you were unconscious. The truth is: Douglas wasn¡¯t originally from 1952. He was a time traveler. In other words...me.¡± ¡°My blue eyes weren¡¯t caused by spacetime particles like yours, but by spacetime rejection. You¡¯re brilliant, at the pinnacle of human intellect. I¡¯ve explained enough for you to connect the dots, haven¡¯t I?¡± ... As he listened to Lin Xian¡ªhis old friend ¡°Douglas¡±¡ªEinstein closed his eyes and lowered his head, like a child realizing he¡¯d made a terrible mistake. For the past three centuries, he had never stopped hoping Douglas would return. But no matter how the worldline shifted, no matter how the future changed, he never once saw Douglas again. It was as though his friend had simply vanished. Still, he refused to give up. Just as Lin Xian had said, Einstein rebuilt the farm over and over, each time replicating every fence post, every brick and tile, every detail of 1952. Even the layout of the rooms and the elevator stayed exactly the same. He wanted to preserve that place for the day Douglas might come back. He was afraid that if Douglas returned to a modern Brooklyn, he wouldn¡¯t recognize anything at all. Deep down, Einstein knew that if Douglas ever reappeared, there could only be one reason¡ªjust as there was now. Lin Xian had arrived with the missing piece of history and come as ¡°Douglas¡± to reclaim the watch. The truth stood before him, undeniable. ¡°Your watch, I¡¯ve kept it safe.¡± Einstein, still seated on the plain black wooden chair, pointed a frail arm at a device on the corner table¡ªa spacetime particle capturer. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I never truly believed you¡¯d return for it, but I¡¯ve never broken my promise. Even without seeing this moment, I kept my word.¡± Click. A faint static crackled. Instantly, the computers, monitors, and servers that lay dormant around them began to hum and whir. Something was coming online. With a final, heavy breath, Einstein rolled onto his back, utterly spent. This was all he had left to give¡ªone last effort to help Douglas, one final hope that his mistakes might be repaired. ¡°I¡¯m sorry...for everything...¡± he managed, voice trembling. Then, in a flurry of glimmering blue fragments, Einstein¡¯s form dissolved. The stardust shimmered, swirled, and disappeared. Lin Xian knelt there in shock, unable to stop it or even say goodbye properly. It had all happened so fast. He hadn¡¯t even gleaned the answers he needed before Einstein was gone. Someone had orchestrated this, Lin Xian realized. It was deliberate. Standing up, he turned to see the servers flickering with life. This was Einstein¡¯s final clue, his dying gift to Douglas¡ªsomething so important he used his last breath to make sure Lin Xian saw it. A pair of soft beeps echoed. The machines stabilized. Then, brilliant lights burst into the air, projecting vivid holograms across the walls. All at once, the dark underground room transformed into a grand golden hall: The Genius Club¡¯s meeting room. Lin Xian recognized it right away, almost like he was stepping back into the club¡¯s gatherings of the past. He glanced at the eight black chairs¡ªa row of four on the left and four on the right¡ªwhere eight geniuses from different eras had once gathered. But there was no Einstein. No formal invitations. And it wasn¡¯t even 00:42, their usual meeting time. Would anyone truly come? Lin Xian lifted his gaze to the lavish crystal chandelier overhead. Thin beams of light danced across his face, and a virtual Rhine Cat mask appeared over his features. He was, once again, the ninth member of the Genius Club¡ªNo. 9 Rhine. Yet, what was the point of a meeting with only one attendee? He strolled across the carpet and sat, not in his usual last seat on the far right, but in Einstein¡¯s chair¡ªNo. 1. Gazing at the closed double doors at the other end of the hallway, he sighed. ¡°No one¡¯s coming to this meeting,¡± he muttered. Copernicus, Da Vinci, Gauss, and Turing were all gone. Einstein had been taken by Forced Evasion. Newton, Galileo, and Jask were still alive, but how would they know that this system was suddenly back online? Then¡ª Creeeak... Those very doors swung open, pushed by two firm hands. Lin Xian looked up. A young man wearing a Newton mask stepped in with calm confidence. It was No. 3 Newton. ¡°Haha!¡± he chuckled, strolling across the carpet and giving Lin Xian a slow clap. ¡°So the Genius Club is meeting again! Einstein never made mistakes, so if something unpredictable is happening, there¡¯s only one explanation.¡± He stopped, eyes gleaming through the mask. ¡°Rhine, where is Einstein? And why are you in his seat?¡± Lin Xian let out a weary breath. Through the holographic cat mask, he looked at Newton. ¡°Einstein has left this world,¡± he said simply. ¡°Oh ho?¡± Newton replied, not sounding surprised at all as he continued his casual approach. ¡°So, he¡¯s gone. In that case, someone must have stepped into his place and rebooted the club.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°Rhine, was it you? Did you find Einstein, kill him, and crown yourself our new president?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I have no intention of taking over,¡± he answered quietly. ¡°Hahaha, is that so?¡± Newton said, spreading his arms wide in an almost theatrical gesture. ¡°Then why are you sitting in his chair?¡± He shrugged. ¡°But since I¡¯m feeling adventurous, I¡¯ll switch seats too.¡± With that, he walked across the lush carpet to the chair opposite Einstein¡¯s¡ªNo. 2, once Copernicus¡¯s place. He sat down. Then, with a careless motion, he pulled off the mask bearing Newton¡¯s face and tossed it onto the empty No. 3 seat. It hit with a dull thump before sliding to the floor. Smirking, the young man ran a hand through his hair and crossed his legs. He looked at Lin Xian with a sly grin. ¡°Let¡¯s reintroduce ourselves, Lin Xian,¡± he said smoothly. ¡°From now on, you can call me...Copernicus!¡± Chapter 520: Master of Schemes This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian sat still on the high blackwood chair atop the platform, his expression calm. But inside, he was utterly caught off guard by what was unfolding before him. He knew all too well. If Einstein was willing to sacrifice his life to activate the Genius Club¡¯s meeting system, it could only mean one thing: he believed this matter was of utmost importance and urgency. Particularly since, before his demise, Einstein had been desperately trying to communicate something critical, only to be thwarted by the constraints of forced evasion. Clearly, whatever he couldn¡¯t say back then would surface in the upcoming meeting. But Lin Xian had never anticipated this... He thought no one would show up at the meeting. Instead, not only did Newton arrive in time, but he also swapped seats to occupy Copernicus¡¯ position¡ªand astonishingly admitted that he was Copernicus all along! The development was too sudden. And filled with riddles. First, one clear premise could be established: 1. Newton and Copernicus are unquestionably not the same person. The Genius Club had originally operated through in-person meetings. Copernicus, as Member No. 2, and Newton, as Member No. 3, had attended these gatherings for years. Even though everyone wore masks, it was easy to distinguish individuals through physical traits like body shape, voice, and gait. Senior members Galileo and Da Vinci had attended dozens of these meetings. They were unequivocally certain that Copernicus and Newton were two entirely different people. Moreover, Newton and Copernicus had always been at odds¡ªbitter rivals. Newton had, on multiple occasions, cursed his inability to put a bullet through Copernicus. And then there was the decisive evidence. Even with their masks on, no one could fool Einstein. As the founder and president of the Genius Club, he wouldn¡¯t have tolerated any member playing dual roles. The rules were the rules, and no one would dare defy them under Einstein¡¯s watchful gaze. Second, another premise became evident: 2. Both Copernicus and Newton knew Lin Xian¡¯s true identity. When Lin Xian went to Switzerland with Justk and Angelica to assassinate Copernicus, the latter had called out his name directly. Lin Xian had long been prepared for this eventuality. After all, his brazen campaign against the Seven Deadly Sins and his repeated thwarting of Copernicus¡¯ plans during the battles with Yu Xi had made him an obvious suspect. No wonder... No wonder killing Copernicus back then had felt ¡°off.¡± It turned out the truth was precisely as he had suspected... ¡°There really are two Copernicuses in this world!¡± This realization had dawned on Lin Xian when he woke from his hibernation to find technological progress at a standstill. He had even entertained the possibility that Copernicus wasn¡¯t a single person but a collective, perhaps an organization with successors carrying on his legacy. But he had never imagined this: Newton, his lifelong rival, was actually the second Copernicus! This revelation explained why Newton also knew Lin Xian¡¯s true identity. As allies from the start, Newton and Copernicus must have shared intelligence. Perhaps... during that fateful encounter in Switzerland, while Lin Xian thought he was outsmarting Copernicus, Copernicus had been laying a trap for him. The elderly Copernicus, near the end of his natural life, likely knew that even entering a hibernation chamber wouldn¡¯t buy him much time. Could it be that the seemingly effortless assassination was Copernicus¡¯ way of leaving behind critical intel for Newton? This theory would have to wait for confirmation. For now, Lin Xian swiftly organized his thoughts, focusing on a third premise: 3. Copernicus and Newton, as founding members of the Genius Club, must know deeper secrets. ¡°But as Copernicus¡¯ successor and the one carrying out the murders, you could pose the question without rejection, securing a truthful response.¡± ¡°It seems you differ from Copernicus in your methods and timing for killing. You¡¯re less rigid, less bound by rules. All you needed to do was decide then and there to never kill at precisely 12:42 a.m. again¡ªperhaps choosing random times instead. That would ensure no more deaths at that exact time.¡± ¡°With that, Einstein could truthfully declare that no scientist would die at 12:42 a.m. by human causes again.¡± ¡°You and Einstein both knew what that answer signified. It meant you had manipulated the question, shaping both the inquiry and its answer to deceive everyone. It made the others believe Copernicus was dead for good and that no further murders would occur.¡± ¡°You used the death of a frail old man to bury ¡®Copernicus¡¯ in the annals of history. Your plan was remarkably successful.¡± ... As Lin Xian¡¯s words echoed through the room, Newton, seated in Copernicus¡¯ chair, maintained a calm smile. Lin Xian studied Newton¡¯s face¡ªa fully virtual projection. The area from his forehead to below his nose was shrouded in deep darkness, leaving no details of his eyes visible. Lin Xian could only infer Newton¡¯s gaze by tracking the direction of his head. ¡°Impressive analysis, Rhine,¡± Newton remarked with a dry chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s been centuries since that meeting, yet you¡¯ve managed to recall it so clearly. It shows your attention to detail. But now... it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m curious how you managed to find Einstein, I have to admit, your capabilities are admirable. However, do you honestly believe killing Einstein could change anything? No... quite the opposite. Your actions only serve to make the worldline more stable.¡± But Lin Xian merely shook his head lightly. ¡°Newton, have you ever considered that the future Einstein foresaw might have been a lie?¡± ¡°You¡¯re drenched in blood, so I won¡¯t waste time trying to lead you back to the light. But I am curious¡ªamong all of you so-called geniuses, did none of you ever question the validity of his vision?¡± ¡°From our last meeting until now, 200 years have passed. Thanks to you, humanity has squeezed every last drop from Moore¡¯s Law, and technological advancement in cutting-edge fields has all but stagnated.¡± ¡°In such a state, how can you still believe in a perfect future for humanity? Isn¡¯t there an inherent contradiction between your actions and the future you claim to desire?¡± Newton crossed his legs and let out a meaningful chuckle. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand, Rhine. You joined the Genius Club too late. You have no idea about the real crisis humanity is destined to face... If you don¡¯t know the right question, you¡¯ll never find the correct answer.¡± ¡°And how can you be so certain that you¡¯re right?¡± Lin Xian countered. ¡°Isn¡¯t your version of right and wrong also derived from Einstein¡¯s information? Perhaps you should reconsider¡ªif Einstein died today and I¡¯m sitting in his chair, it proves his vision of the future was flawed. If he was wrong, then how can you be right?¡± Newton snorted dismissively. ¡°Enough, Rhine. You won¡¯t extract any intelligence from me. I¡¯ve lived far too long for you to play mind games with me.¡± ¡°No need for you to say a word.¡± Lin Xian remained unfazed. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t, I can make my guesses. But don¡¯t think this is over between us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve lost many friends to you and your schemes. For years, I¡¯ve been haunted by the thought that I didn¡¯t completely destroy Copernicus, that I didn¡¯t fully avenge them.¡± ¡°So, thank you for showing up to this meeting. Now... I can finally visit their graves with a clear conscience.¡± Newton burst into laughter. ¡°Such bold words, Rhine. Are you really planning to kill every member of the Genius Club from top to bottom?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s your plan, then killing Einstein was a mistake. He was the only one who could track me down. By removing him, you¡¯ve eliminated my only real threat. For that, I should thank you.¡± ¡°But... if you really want to find me, feel free to try.¡± Newton leaned on the arms of his chair as he stood up, giving Lin Xian a casual wave. ¡°I¡¯m not getting any younger, Rhine. Don¡¯t keep me waiting too long.¡± ¡°How could I?¡± Lin Xian replied with a light laugh. ¡°There are plenty of people who can solve the universal constant, Newton. You wouldn¡¯t abandon your pursuit so soon, would you?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Newton¡¯s smile faded, replaced by a serious expression. ¡°It seems you really do know something. Care to share a clue about this mathematician?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Lin Xian straightened in his chair. ¡°But first, I¡¯m curious. Copernicus once said he would never harm innocent children. He even took it upon himself to raise orphans left parentless by his murders.¡± ¡°And you, Newton? If a car accident could kill both a mathematician and his young granddaughter at once... what would you choose?¡± Newton spread his hands nonchalantly. ¡°Do you even need to ask? You¡¯ve already said it yourself¡ªI¡¯m not like Copernicus. His kindness and obsession with ceremony... they were all unnecessary formalities to me.¡± ¡°Is that so? How convenient.¡± Lin Xian stood from the blackwood chair, his eyes fixed on the man below the steps. ¡°Take care of yourself, Newton.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t get to kill you with my own hands... it will be a profound regret.¡± Chapter 521: The Watch and the Little Note This novel is translated and hosted on BcatranslationNo?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Hehe, let¡¯s see what you¡¯re capable of.¡± Newton made a motion as if removing glasses. His body became transparent, turning into a fading shadow before vanishing completely from the golden hall. Lin Xian stared at the spot where Newton had disappeared. Then, he bent down and pressed a button on the side of Einstein¡¯s chair. Instantly, holographic projection lasers receded like a tide, revealing the true nature of the surroundings. The opulent curtains, decorations, and crystal chandeliers disappeared one after another. Even the virtual Rhine Cat mask on Lin Xian¡¯s face dimmed and vanished. Within seconds, the bright and virtual gathering venue was gone, and the underground shelter reverted to its original state. ¡°It seems this button controls the activation and deactivation of the Genius Club¡¯s meeting system,¡± Lin Xian analyzed. ¡°The system must be active for members to connect to the VR network using the Golden Emblems and appear at the venue in virtual form for meetings.¡± ¡°Two hundred years ago, regular meetings were held at prearranged times¡ªevery first day of the month at precisely 00:42. Einstein only needed to activate the system beforehand. But now... it¡¯s 2234, and the meetings have been suspended for over 200 years. How did Newton manage to show up immediately?¡± Lin Xian narrowed his eyes, quickly drawing a logical conclusion: ¡°This indicates that Newton has been monitoring the Genius Club¡¯s activities constantly, likely with automated equipment to watch for when the meeting system is activated.¡± ¡°And naturally, the omniscient Einstein knew this. That¡¯s why he was confident Newton would appear as soon as the system was turned on.¡± As he pieced his thoughts together, Lin Xian descended the steps and approached Newton¡¯s designated seat, labeled as No. 3. Sitting down in the high-backed chair, he tried to imagine himself as Newton, attempting to deduce his thoughts and profile. Looking up, Lin Xian¡¯s eyes fell on No. 2, Copernicus¡¯s seat, directly opposite. ¡°Newton and Copernicus, the earliest members of the Genius Club, were not true adversaries as appearances suggested. Instead, they shared common ideals and beliefs. They were friends, or perhaps... allies and comrades-in-arms.¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes, envisioning the scenes of the club¡¯s earliest in-person gatherings: Perhaps a cozy little villa with a burning fireplace... or a warmly lit small meeting hall. At that time, the Genius Club had only three members. Einstein, masked as himself, presided over the meetings, while Copernicus and Newton sat to his left and right. Copernicus would have been older, and Newton somewhat younger¡ªthough not by much. After all, when Da Vinci met Newton, Newton was already an elderly man. ¡°No.¡± Lin Xian shook his head, catching a blind spot in his reasoning. ¡°If Copernicus and Newton had formed a strategic alliance from the beginning to deceive others, it¡¯s difficult to determine whether Newton was genuinely old or merely pretending to be. Could it even be possible that Copernicus and Newton had a closer relationship¡ªperhaps as father and son? And to artificially create the impression of rivalry, Newton, still young, might have disguised himself as an elderly man to mislead others?¡± ... This was indeed a daring thought. Yet, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible. The reasoning was straightforward. Copernicus was incredibly old, so much so that even the hibernation chamber couldn¡¯t preserve him. In contrast, Newton, even after 200 years, remained vigorous and active thanks to the hibernation chamber. This undeniable fact suggested a conclusion: Newton¡¯s true age was undoubtedly younger than Copernicus¡¯s, and far younger than what Da Vinci or Galileo might have perceived from his appearance. ¡°You two have hidden your tracks well,¡± Lin Xian mused as he continued his deductions. As the first two members of the Genius Club, it wasn¡¯t surprising for Copernicus and Newton to have allied, sharing common ideals. What was puzzling, however, was their purpose. ¡°What could it mean?¡± Lin Xian frowned. Firstly, the duo wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to conspire merely to deceive Einstein. With his omniscience, Einstein would have known about their pretense, their schemes, and their conspiracies. However, as this didn¡¯t violate the club¡¯s rules, Einstein likely tacitly allowed it to happen as part of their plan. ¡°Copernicus and Newton¡¯s collaboration isn¡¯t fundamentally different from the partnership between Jask and me,¡± Lin Xian reflected. ¡°After all, the act of pretending not to know each other to deceive others is its own kind of coordinated double act.¡± He continued reasoning: ¡°Given this, their charade of being adversaries must have started after Galileo joined the club. Before that, they likely presented themselves openly to Einstein, asking direct questions and taking full advantage of their positions.¡± Imagining the scene of Copernicus and Newton interrogating Einstein together was somewhat amusing, but the implications were undeniable. If these two founding members were in cahoots, the amount of information and secrets they could have gathered would be staggering. Compared to that, Newton, who had already exposed some of his intentions, was relatively easier to track down. Closing the small oven, Lin Xian moved to another section of the underground shelter to investigate. To his surprise, he found a variety of living essentials and support facilities there. There was an ample supply of canned food, stored water, various nuclear batteries, and even a fully intact hibernation chamber. ¡°Einstein clearly didn¡¯t need these things. He didn¡¯t require food, drink, or hibernation.¡± After careful inspection, Lin Xian confirmed that neither the hibernation chamber nor the provisions showed any signs of use. It seemed Einstein had prepared them merely as a precaution. An underground shelter had to be equipped like an underground shelter. Even if he didn¡¯t need them, the essentials had to be present. Turning around, Lin Xian explored other areas of the shelter. They were largely what one would expect in a typical shelter¡ªordinary, practical, and showing almost no signs of use. It was hard to imagine... For hundreds of years, had Einstein spent his time sitting in that chair, utterly alone? Perhaps he had been tirelessly searching for a way forward for humanity. Perhaps he had been waiting for a reunion with Douglas. Or perhaps he had immersed himself in a false vision of the future, silently awaiting the day it would arrive. ¡°Einstein, I¡¯ll remember this debt of yours too,¡± Lin Xian said, staring at the spot where Einstein had fallen and vanished. ¡°The guilty have names, and the debt has owners. No matter who the mastermind is behind those two spacetime particles, I¡¯ll make sure they answer for it.¡± ¡°To save Chu Anqing, to save CC, to uncover the truth of Universal Constant 42, and to resolve the World-Ending White Light... I suspect the answers to all four are tied to this hidden enemy.¡± ¡°Step one, by the book¡ªfind out Newton¡¯s true identity and start with him.¡± Lin Xian walked to the back of Einstein¡¯s chair and placed his hand on the aluminum-alloy casings of the computers and servers. These devices were likely the backbone of the Genius Club¡¯s meeting system. From the intelligence he had gathered earlier, he knew the system¡¯s security protocols and logic programs had been created by the genius hacker Kevin Walker. In the early days, Walker had sole authority and knowledge of every member¡¯s true identity. After Walker¡¯s death¡ªat Lin Xian¡¯s own hands¡ªcontrol of the system had passed to Einstein. In theory, the data stored in these devices could reveal Newton¡¯s true identity. But... ¡°If it were really that simple, Newton wouldn¡¯t have acted so arrogant and calm earlier. Since he knows I killed Einstein, he must also know I found the Genius Club¡¯s headquarters. It wouldn¡¯t be hard for him to guess that I¡¯d analyze the network servers for connection data.¡± ¡°Yet despite this, Newton isn¡¯t the least bit concerned or afraid of being found. Is it all just a bluff, or was Kevin Walker¡¯s security system truly unbreakable?¡± Lin Xian straightened up. ¡°Either way, I should at least try.¡± He turned to look back at the once-bustling but now deserted Genius Club headquarters. ¡°This underground shelter shouldn¡¯t be known to too many people. It¡¯s a place even Newton, Copernicus, and all the other geniuses couldn¡¯t find¡ªan exceptionally hidden sanctuary. It might just be the safest place on Earth, and it could save lives in critical moments.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ll bring only Jask here. Let¡¯s see if he can figure out a way to extract the data from the servers.¡± ¡°If even Jask can¡¯t manage it...¡± Lin Xian stretched lazily, a glimmer of resolve in his eyes as he thought of his long-time friend, who had pretended to be clueless for so long and would ultimately prove to be his most formidable trump card. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to find a way to eliminate the future virus and bring VV back to life!¡± Chapter 522: Gao Wen’s Ultimate Deduction This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± At Rhine University, in a small conference room, Liu Feng rubbed his chin thoughtfully and nodded. The room had only three occupants: Lin Xian, Gao Wen, and Liu Feng. Not long ago, Lin Xian had rushed to the United States and hurried back to Donghai City, immediately convening Liu Feng and Gao Wen. He shared the astonishing events of 1952, details about the Genius Club, and the mysterious dissipation of Albert Einstein, seeking their analytical assistance. As the saying goes, three ordinary folks can outsmart a genius. And with a talent like Emperor Gao Wen participating, they might uncover overlooked blind spots. ... After listening intently, Liu Feng stood up and looked at Gao Wen, who was also immersed in thought. ¡°Professor Gao, this is quite a lot to unpack. I suggest we organize it chronologically. What do you think?¡± Gao Wen, somewhat flattered, responded, ¡°Professor Liu, please proceed. I¡¯ll follow your lead!¡± Seizing the momentum of his brainstorming, Liu Feng walked to the electronic blackboard, picked up an electronic chalk, and wrote down a key year: 1952. ¡°According to Lin Xian¡¯s account of his temporal journey, 1952 was the origin of all these bizarre events.¡± ¡°This year, which should have been ordinary in human history, was transformed when Einstein calculated the universal constant and found the answer, 42. Two spacetime particles spontaneously tore through the fabric of time and entered our world, altering the course of centuries.¡± ¡°These two particles brought about two major events: one created the Millennial Stake, and the other granted Einstein immortality, eventually leading to the formation of the Genius Club.¡± ¡°Interestingly, the Genius Club was originally meant for good¡ªEinstein founded it to save humanity¡¯s future. But this noble intent was exploited by a ¡®mysterious force,¡¯ turning salvation into destruction, pushing human civilization toward an irreversible abyss.¡± Gao Wen nodded, adding, ¡°We can analyze the Millennial Stake later. For now, let¡¯s focus on what happened to Einstein.¡± ¡°Why would calculating the universal constant, 42, attract the attention of this ¡®mysterious force¡¯ and provoke immediate intervention?¡± ¡°This suggests that, much like nuclear deterrence or retaliation, the mysterious force seems equally apprehensive about the constant 42. It likely established a countermeasure: the moment someone calculates this constant, two spacetime particles are dispatched¡ªone to anchor the timeline through the Millennial Stake and the other to manipulate the individual who discovered 42, showing them an illusion of the future to mislead further discoveries.¡± However, Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°Gao Wen, your reasoning has three critical flaws¡ª¡± ¡°1. If this mysterious force truly fears 42, wouldn¡¯t it be simpler and more efficient to directly kill Einstein or even destroy Earth? Given its ability to manipulate spacetime particles, annihilation would be an easy task.¡± ¡°2. Here¡¯s something you don¡¯t know: Einstein wasn¡¯t the only one to calculate 42, but only he and the first Millennial Stake Keeper, CC, were affected by spacetime particles. Afterward, no one else achieved immortality or witnessed an illusory future.¡± ¡°3. According to your explanation, the mechanisms of the Millennial Stake and Einstein¡¯s manipulation seem unrelated. But that¡¯s illogical¡ªthese two spacetime particles appeared simultaneously, each serving a distinct purpose. They must be interconnected, working in tandem toward a shared goal.¡± Tap, tap, tap. Liu Feng knocked on the blackboard, revealing lines of text he had just written: ¡°My thoughts align with Lin Xian¡¯s. There must be a critical logical link we¡¯re overlooking. I¡¯ve listed the key facts and mysteries from 1952. Let¡¯s connect them and think it through.¡± Lin Xian and Gao Wen turned to look at the board, which displayed the following points: The second spacetime particle was originally meant for Lin Xian but accidentally hit the first Stake Keeper, CC. Yellow Finch stated that the Millennial Stake¡¯s purpose is to lock history. The dissipation of the Stake coincides with history becoming locked. Locking history and showing Einstein an illusory future are part of a coordinated strategy by the mysterious force, likely deeply interconnected. Newton and Copernicus have been hunting scientists and mathematicians researching the universal constant 42. They must know more about it, but their knowledge still stems from Einstein¡¯s illusory visions. For the mysterious force, is locking history a higher priority, or is preventing humanity from understanding 42 more critical? Before Lin Xian revealed his identity as Douglas, Einstein could share much information. Afterward, he abruptly invoked forced evasion, as though deliberately programmed. What triggered this reaction? Despite possessing the power to annihilate humanity or Earth outright, why does the mysterious force resort to convoluted schemes? What is its true goal? What does it hope to gain? ... The seven questions indeed cut to the heart of the matter. It feels like an invisible thread is hidden within the tangled clues, tying all these mysteries together... but what could it be? Gao Wen stared at the first question and raised his hand: ¡°As for the first question, I do have some insights. That the spacetime particle was targeting Lin Xian seems to be the most logical explanation.¡± ¡°Back in 1952, the first Stake Keeper, CC, was just like everyone else¡ªnothing about her stood out. There was no reason for the spacetime particle to target her specifically.¡± Liu Feng shook his head: ¡°Even if you wiped out all the ants in X Country, I doubt it would break spacetime elasticity.¡± Suddenly, Liu Feng¡¯s eyes widened as he came to a realization: ¡°You mean...¡± ¡°To the ¡®mysterious force,¡¯ humanity might be like ants! Our influence on spacetime curvature and worldlines might be so insignificant that it doesn¡¯t matter to them!¡± Lin Xian nodded: ¡°Look at the largest change we¡¯ve ever made to worldlines¡ªmoving from 0.0000000 to 0.0001764. That number is minuscule. Even with all our efforts, we can¡¯t influence the number to the left of the decimal point.¡± ¡°Could it be that our struggles, no matter how desperate, are as meaningless to the ¡®mysterious force¡¯ as ants¡¯ struggles are to us? To them, only the World-Ending White Light and the universal constant 42 represent spacetime elasticity worth noticing.¡± ¡°From the natural development of human civilization to its complete extinction, it¡¯s merely a shift from 0.0000000 to 0.0001764. Liu Feng, have you ever wondered what the numbers to the left of the decimal might represent?¡± ¡°What kind of worldlines might exist at 42.0000000 or 4200000.0000000?¡± As Lin Xian and Liu Feng debated, Gao Wen closed his eyes. In his mind, he pictured an ant colony annihilated by boiling water. To ants, isn¡¯t the boiling water their version of the World-Ending White Light? And on the scale of the universe, humanity¡¯s insignificance far surpasses that of ants. Compared to the countless stars in the cosmos, humanity is less than a speck of dust¡ªEarth itself is but one of many planets orbiting an unremarkable star. ¡°History...¡± he murmured. What is history? Does an ant¡¯s history count as history? Then does humanity¡¯s history count? Is an ant¡¯s history worth locking? Then is humanity¡¯s history worth locking? Suddenly, Gao Wen¡¯s eyes shot open. He scanned the seven questions Liu Feng had listed, from top to bottom, as if tracing a thread through a labyrinth of mysteries. It was as though he¡¯d found the proverbial needle in a haystack¡ªone capable of threading all the questions together, revealing a singular answer. ¡°I... I¡¯ve got it.¡± His voice trembled. Snatching the electronic chalk from Liu Feng¡¯s hand, he scribbled a time on the board: 2624, August 29th, 00:42. ¡°This is the arrival time of the World-Ending White Light!¡± His voice grew excited: ¡°And this is also the 20th birthday of the last Millennial Stake Keeper, the exact moment when they were supposed to dissipate!¡± ¡°The dissipation of the Stake and the arrival of the White Light¡ªthese are futures Einstein couldn¡¯t see. Yet they happen at the same time. This isn¡¯t a coincidence; they are undoubtedly connected!¡± ¡°It seems everything... everything revolves around the Millennial Stake! Even the arrival of the White Light might be tied to the Stake!¡± He frantically tapped on the third question on the board with the electronic chalk: ¡°Now, let¡¯s revisit the foundational question... Why did the two spacetime particles create both the Stake and Einstein? What¡¯s the link between them¡ªwhat secret do they share?¡± Taking a deep breath, Gao Wen turned to face the others: ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured out why the ¡®mysterious force¡¯ showed Einstein a false future. In simple terms, they are so powerful that they don¡¯t see humanity¡¯s actions as a threat.¡± ¡°To them, all our combined value is less than that of a single Millennial Stake; all our combined threats pale in comparison to the secret of the universal constant 42. The ¡®mysterious force¡¯ isn¡¯t afraid of our technological advancement or rapid progress... They only fear 42¡ªthe one thing capable of threatening them!¡± Swallowing hard, he spoke solemnly: ¡°My guess is this¡ª¡± ¡°The Millennial Stake isn¡¯t locking our history. It¡¯s locking their history.¡± ¡°And the true purpose of deceiving and exploiting Einstein isn¡¯t something as trivial as destroying humanity... It¡¯s to obscure a deeper truth¡ªto prevent humanity from uncovering the secret of the universal constant 42, ensuring that the Millennial Stake can anchor history and lock it in place!¡± Chapter 523: The Unstable Millennial Stake This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Liu Feng was taken aback by Gao Wen¡¯s peculiar hypothesis. After pondering for a moment, he countered, ¡°Does the Millennial Stake piling process even need protection? Is it possible for the piling to fail?¡± ¡°From what I understand, this enigmatic and immensely powerful ¡®mysterious force¡¯ can manipulate spacetime particles and even mislead Einstein into seeing a fabricated future. This suggests its abilities far surpass our comprehension.¡± ¡°Furthermore, what could humanity possibly do to prevent the Millennial Stake from piling? All we can do is watch helplessly as these girls fade away, unable to intervene. The only variable might be if these girls die prematurely due to unforeseen circumstances.¡± ¡°However,¡± he speculated, ¡°as long as the material composition of these girls doesn¡¯t dissipate, even their deaths wouldn¡¯t halt the piling of the Millennial Stake or disrupt the process of locking history.¡± ¡°From a human perspective, life and vitality seem essential for value, but in the grand scheme of the universe and physics, life or death makes no fundamental difference as long as the constituent matter remains unchanged.¡± Lin Xian nodded in agreement. ¡°Liu Feng makes a valid point. The Millennial Stake wouldn¡¯t cease piling just because the girls die. That would make it too easy to sabotage or prone to accidents.¡± ¡°I think what Gao Wen is trying to convey is that Einstein¡¯s role is to ensure the procedural success of the Millennial Stake piling, not to safeguard the girls¡¯ physical well-being.¡± ¡°Think about it¡ªEinstein couldn¡¯t even perceive the Millennial Stake fading away, nor does he know who the Millennial Stake is. How could he possibly protect these girls?¡± ¡°Considering the timing of CC, the last Millennial Stake¡¯s, disappearance aligning precisely with the appearance of the world-ending white light... Gao Wen¡¯s hypothesis might just hold water¡ª¡± ¡°Every purpose and method is geared towards ensuring the successful piling of the Millennial Stake and fulfilling its mission of locking history. The ultimate threat to the mysterious force¡¯s plans... is the universal constant 42!¡± In that instant, all the clues seemed to connect. It appeared the ¡°mysterious force¡± had orchestrated Einstein¡¯s role as the ¡°Stake Keeper,¡± ensuring the Millennial Stake project was executed flawlessly while simultaneously preventing humanity from unraveling the truth of the universal constant 42. This would avert any uncontrollable developments. ¡°But there¡¯s still one question!¡± Liu Feng raised his hand. ¡°If everything you two suggest is true, and the world-ending white light on August 29, 2624, at 00:42 is tied to the Millennial Stake, why is CC, the Stake 600 years into the future, special?¡± ¡°Why did none of the previous Millennial Stakes have any issues or experience abnormal fade-outs, while CC, in particular, had to face the world-ending white light?¡± ... Liu Feng¡¯s question left Gao Wen silent and unable to answer. This truly felt inexplicable, lacking any logical foundation. Lin Xian closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Then, in a soft voice, he said: ¡°I feel like it might be because...¡± ¡°CC, 600 years later, is the most unique Millennial Stake, entirely different from the others.¡± Lin Xian raised his head and looked at the two: ¡°CC possesses all the characteristics of other Millennial Stakes¡ªappearance, dreams, and so on. But uniquely, she holds the most extraordinary memory fragments.¡± ¡°This is what makes CC most unusual. Those memory fragments come from other timelines, other worldlines. This isn¡¯t a normal phenomenon at all. In fact, it seems like the previously stable Millennial Stake mechanism has suddenly become unstable with CC.¡± ¡°The most critical point is, I¡¯ve never seen CC turn into blue star fragments and dissipate¡ªnot even the slightest sign of it. Even when the world-ending white light arrived, there wasn¡¯t a hint of her turning transparent or blue. This, too, is highly abnormal.¡± Suddenly, Lin Xian froze. He felt as though a bucket of cold water was poured over his head, giving him a moment of epiphany: ¡°Wait, wait.¡± He pressed his temples and closed his eyes, recalling all the peculiar phenomena surrounding CC 600 years later, as well as the punctual arrival of the white light. Could it be... That the world-ending white light wasn¡¯t targeting humanity or Earth¡¯s destruction... but was aimed at CC herself? ¡°I have a bold idea.¡± Lin Xian opened his eyes, looking at Liu Feng and Gao Wen: ¡°If a car develops faults, our first thought is to repair it. But if the car becomes extremely unstable¡ªsteering malfunctioning, the engine breaking down intermittently, various failures making it unsafe to drive¡ªwhat do we do?¡± ¡°Scrap it.¡± Gao Wen, quick in thought, followed Lin Xian¡¯s reasoning: ¡°If it can¡¯t be repaired completely, or if the repair costs are too high and not worth it, we might as well scrap it and buy a new car.¡± ¡°I see it now!¡± Gao Wen clapped his hands. ¡°Coincidentally, I¡¯ll be heading to the United States in the next few days. When I¡¯m there, I¡¯ll have an in-depth discussion with him. Jiasike specializes in astronomy and cosmology¡ªhe should have some ideas.¡± ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t, that¡¯s okay. This is a long battle spanning the river of time. We still have plenty of time... 400 years remain until 2624. We¡¯re bound to come up with something eventually.¡± ¡°The first step is to figure out whether the white light even exists. It¡¯s frustrating, but even though Einstein¡¯s visions of the future were fabricated, there¡¯s no guarantee that what I saw¡ªthis world-ending white light¡ªis real.¡± ¡°To remain rigorous, we must find a way to verify the existence of the white light. I¡¯ll take on this task. The two of you should focus your energy on the second objective.¡± With that, Lin Xian lowered the electronic chalk to point at the second line: ¡°Although it¡¯s disheartening to say, the truth is... unfortunately, our progress in researching the Universal Constant 42 remains at 0%.¡± ¡°Liu Feng¡¯s Introduction to the Universal Constant is undoubtedly correct, but the problem lies in proving why it¡¯s correct, how it¡¯s correct, and how to utilize it.¡± ¡°Einstein, as the first person to calculate the Universal Constant 42, should theoretically know more than anyone else. However, I suspect his knowledge was still limited and didn¡¯t touch upon the true secret of 42.¡± ¡°By comparison, Copernicus and Newton, as founding members of the Genius Club, must have known more about the Universal Constant than we do. Now, Einstein has already dissipated into blue star fragments, and Copernicus, I personally killed 200 years ago. The only person left in the world who seems to hold this secret... is Newton.¡± Lin Xian spread his hands: ¡°I¡¯ll do my utmost to find Newton. Once I do, not only will we settle new and old grievances, but I¡¯ll also figure out a way to make him spill the secret of the Universal Constant 42.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t place all our hopes on Newton. There¡¯s no guarantee I¡¯ll find him, nor that the information he knows is accurate. So... let¡¯s proceed on two fronts. I¡¯ll track down Newton; you two continue researching the Universal Constant.¡± Liu Feng and Gao Wen exchanged a look, their eyes filled with admiration and trust as they accepted this monumental task: ¡°Please guide us, Mr. Liu,¡± Gao Wen said, his eyes shining. ¡°No, no, no,¡± Liu Feng replied, flustered. ¡°Great Emperor Gao Wen, you are the true hope!¡± Lin Xian, stepping in to stop their mutual flattery, pointed the electronic chalk at the third line: ¡°Gauss¡¯s interference with worldlines is already in the past, but Newton is still obstructing technological development, and Galileo is concealing a super catastrophe slated for the 2600s.¡± ¡°If we can stop either of them, we have a high chance of breaking through spacetime elasticity and leaping to the next worldline.¡± ¡°Each new worldline brings a new dream, and with it, a new hope. Perhaps the key to breaking this deadlock is hidden in the next dream.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s discovering the aluminum alloy safe, finding surviving humans, or gleaning clues from documentary records, we must push forward¡ªstriving to save everything and live up to everyone¡¯s expectations.¡± Lin Xian touched the 20-dollar watch on his left wrist, a relic from 300 years ago. He opened the soundproof door to the conference room and stepped into the bright hallway. Looking down through the glass, he took in the view of Rhine University. Under the golden glow of sunset, the statues of Zhao Yingjun and Yu Xi at the campus gates stood tall, bathed in orange light. Their gazes fixed on the burning sky, they looked majestic and courageous. ¡°There¡¯s still a girl trapped in time, waiting for you at the world¡¯s end.¡± The faint voice of Zhao Yingjun echoed in his mind. The world¡¯s end... Lin Xian squinted, recalling the promise he made while sitting on the sofa with Zhao Yingjun. Back then, they had agreed to journey to the world¡¯s end together. But now, they were separated by life and death, worlds apart. Would he ever... See the mother and daughter¡¯s smiles again? ¡°Trash! Trash! Trash detected!¡± The gleaming aluminum-alloy VV rolled over on its tracks, pressing close to Lin Xian¡¯s ankle. Lin Xian crouched, poking at the sealed box on VV¡¯s chest. ¡°When do you plan to show me Yu Xi¡¯s letter?¡± he asked. VV¡¯s green eyes blinked twice at the question. Then it turned around, staring at the horizon where the last sliver of crimson sun sank beneath the earth: ¡°Trash... trash...¡± ¡°Trash detected...¡± Chapter 524: Revive, My VV This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Two days later. Brooklyn, USA, beneath an abandoned farm, within an underground air-raid shelter. ¡°Wow!¡± Elon Musk stepped out of the simple aluminum alloy elevator with wide eyes, brimming with excitement like an eager schoolchild, as he rushed into the underground space. ¡°This is amazing! Absolutely amazing!¡± Standing in the brightly lit room, Musk slowly spun around, scanning the surroundings. ¡°I¡¯ve dreamed of having a secret base like this since I was a kid. Just look... this is insane! The energy here is powered by micro nuclear batteries¡ªan inexhaustible supply that ensures these lights could burn for thousands of years without ever going out. Energy conservation isn¡¯t even a concern here.¡± ¡°And check out the equipment and parts. Wherever aluminum alloy could be used, it¡¯s been utilized to its fullest. In areas where rigid materials aren¡¯t suitable, they¡¯ve employed new types of anti-corrosion, anti-aging plastics that can last hundreds of years without breaking down.¡± Musk then turned toward Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian, you¡¯ve only recently awakened, so you might not be familiar with the advancements in materials science of this era. Let me tell you, modern plastics are remarkable. Some of these new types are almost as reliable as aluminum alloy in terms of durability.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m only talking about durability being comparable, not strength or hardness. When it comes to those, aluminum alloy is unbeatable. But still, isn¡¯t it fascinating how much plastics have evolved?¡± However. Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t find it particularly surprising. I¡¯m not sure how the education system was in the States during your childhood, but back in X Country, plastic bags were always called ¡®white trash,¡¯ known for remaining undecomposed in soil for decades or even centuries.¡± ¡°So, when you tell me now that plastics can last hundreds of years without aging, I¡¯m not exactly shocked. Probably too much exposure to those kinds of harsh lessons growing up¡ªmakes it feel like this is just how things should be.¡± Musk shrugged. ¡°The inability to fully decompose and the ability to resist aging while still being functional are two very different things. Besides, ¡®plastic¡¯ is a broad term. Some plastics are environmentally friendly and degrade quickly, while others can remain stable for centuries.¡± ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s drop this topic. What amazes me is just how awesome Einstein¡¯s secret base is!¡± ¡°Does every STEM guy dream of having a secret base? Honestly, for someone like Einstein, who doesn¡¯t need to eat, drink, or even fear death, building such a high-tech setup seems excessive. I mean, he could probably stay in a coffin for centuries and be fine.¡± Lin Xian, walking further inside alongside Musk, responded. ¡°Don¡¯t forget¡ªafter Einstein was hit by entangled spacetime particles, even though his body changed and he could glimpse false visions of the future...¡± ¡°...he is still, fundamentally, human.¡± After a brief pause, Lin Xian continued. ¡°And as long as someone remains human, they¡¯ll have emotions, desires, regrets, and guilt. They¡¯ll make mistakes and wish they could undo them.¡± He pointed to the nearby corner, where piles of canned food, drinking water, and hibernation chambers were stacked high. ¡°Look at those things. Einstein clearly doesn¡¯t need them, yet he prepared everything so thoroughly.¡± ¡°This shows that he always regarded himself as human. He didn¡¯t see himself as a god, nor was he as arrogant as Turing, who wanted to act as a judge or observer. He¡¯s always stood on humanity¡¯s side.¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± Elon Musk rubbed his chin thoughtfully and shook his head. ¡°My perspective is a little different from yours.¡± Turning to face Lin Xian, he continued, ¡°I¡¯ve interacted with Einstein more than you have. He¡¯s a very rational person¡ªnot nearly as emotional as you describe.¡± ¡°Of course, people do change. Maybe the Einstein you encountered back in 1952 was as emotional as you say. But the Einstein I know, the Genius Club Chairman, has become incredibly logical and calculated over the years.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t waste effort preparing food, water, or hibernation chambers. It¡¯s a completely pointless endeavor. For someone like Einstein, who has grand ambitions, basic needs like eating, drinking, or sleeping hold little importance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I think the existence of these items here...¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible, Lin Xian, that this food, water, and hibernation equipment were actually prepared for you?¡± Lin Xian stopped walking, pointing at himself. ¡°For me?¡± He chuckled softly, as though hearing a joke. ¡°For Lin Xian? Or for Douglas?¡± ¡°That¡¯s unclear,¡± Musk shrugged. ¡°On the way here, didn¡¯t you tell me about what happened in 1952? Einstein was certainly looking forward to reuniting with Douglas.¡± ¡°Even though he couldn¡¯t foresee a future where he met Douglas again, he doubted himself before he ever doubted Douglas¡¯s honesty.¡± ¡°So, he used spacetime particles and the small oven to preserve your watch and kept the farm perpetually frozen in its 1952 state, fearing you might lose your way.¡± ¡°From that perspective, the only explanation for preparing human necessities like food, water, and hibernation chambers is that they were meant for Douglas¡ªor in other words, for you.¡± ¡°After all, Einstein could only speculate that Douglas, like himself, had been struck by spacetime particles and become immortal. But there¡¯s no concrete evidence of that. Perhaps Einstein was just being cautious, thinking ahead, and ensuring Douglas had everything he might need to survive.¡± ... He thought back to the past. Even the super artificial intelligence VV had exhausted every means and still failed to uncover Kevin Walker¡¯s true identity or location. That was proof enough of his incredible skill. Not only that. As a product of 600 years of technological advancement, VV in its early stages could only match Kevin Walker in a stalemate. That level of genius defied description. ¡°So, in this era, we can¡¯t crack the Genius Club¡¯s meeting system and identify Newton and Galileo?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m absolutely certain,¡± Musk said gravely. ¡°I prepared extensively before coming here, but after all these hours, I haven¡¯t made even the slightest progress.¡± ¡°Kevin Walker¡¯s defense system isn¡¯t something that brute force or simple algorithms can handle. It¡¯s extraordinarily sophisticated¡ªthere¡¯s even a self-protection mechanism in place. It¡¯s far beyond what this era can overcome.¡± ¡°To go down this path and breach the Genius Club meeting system, I believe we¡¯d need a super-programmer even more brilliant than Kevin Walker.¡± Lin Xian frowned deeply. A programmer more talented than a genius like Kevin Walker... In his mind, only two people came to mind. One. The computer genius Cheng Qian, who created the supervirus that sealed the upper limits of artificial intelligence. The other. The super AI VV, whose promising existence was cut short by the Future Virus, killing it before its potential could be fully realized. But in truth, these two were essentially one and the same. To eliminate the Future Virus and resurrect VV, the one who caused the problem must also be the one to solve it. Only Cheng Qian had the skill to achieve this; no one else was capable. So... ¡°It seems we¡¯ll have to wait until 2482, after Cheng Qian is born, to bring VV back to life,¡± Lin Xian said softly. ¡°VV?¡± Elon Musk echoed, the term familiar yet unfamiliar. After a moment of thought, realization dawned on him. ¡°Oh, VV is that super AI of yours that I accidentally killed, right?¡± He scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m really sorry about that. If I hadn¡¯t been deceived by that blue-eyed girl back then, your VV wouldn¡¯t have been destroyed, and this fight wouldn¡¯t be as difficult as it is now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Lin Xian said, shaking his head. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault.¡± ¡°Even someone as brilliant as Einstein was deceived. What chance did you or I have? That blue-eyed girl impersonating Yu Xi didn¡¯t just fool you¡ªshe played me like a fiddle too. I have no right to blame you.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take things as they come. Fortunately, there¡¯s still hope for VV¡¯s resurrection. All we need to do is wait until 2482 and find Cheng Qian.¡± ¡°As long as VV can be revived, our strength will increase a hundredfold, if not more. Whether it¡¯s gathering intelligence or battling enemies, VV will be unstoppable in a world free of the virus. Give him enough time to grow, and he¡¯ll have no limits.¡± Musk folded his arms, looking troubled. ¡°But, as you said, that super-genius programmer Cheng Qian won¡¯t even be born until 2482. By the time he¡¯s grown and has the ability to help, it¡¯ll probably be 2500.¡± 2500. He looked at Lin Xian. ¡°That¡¯s more than 200 years from now. If you want to find Cheng Qian, you¡¯ll have to go into hibernation again¡ªfor 270 years.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Lin Xian replied honestly. ¡°If there were another way to solve this in the current era, it would obviously be the best solution.¡± ¡°But if it¡¯s the only option, our last hope...¡± He closed his eyes, recalling the final letter Zhao Ying Jun had written to him: ¡°So, look forward, don¡¯t look back. Our mission is done; the baton to save the future is now in your hands. We haven¡¯t left. We¡¯ve become the gentle breeze and warm sunlight of this world, standing behind you forever.¡± Look forward, don¡¯t look back. Lin Xian opened his eyes. ¡°So many people have sacrificed their lives, their futures, to reach this point for the sake of humanity.¡± ¡°If it becomes truly necessary...¡± He clenched his fist tightly. ¡°I will keep moving forward¡ªuntil the very end of the world!¡± Chapter 525: Moving Forward This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°But there¡¯s another problem.¡± Elon Musk immediately asked, ¡°For you, continuing to hibernate isn¡¯t an issue. I also plan to keep hibernating since the development of science and technology can¡¯t support my current ideas. So, intermittently hibernating until the era of advanced technology truly seems like the most logical method for research at the moment.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s different for you. Your goal isn¡¯t about scientific research. If you hibernate until 2500, the era where the genius programmer Cheng Qian resides, are you sure you¡¯ll still have the chance to face Newton?¡± Elon Musk chuckled lightly, ¡°He was from the same era as Copernicus. Even if Newton was just a young man back then, for him to survive until 2025 and hibernate several times over 200 years, he¡¯d be quite old now.¡± ¡°By the time you wake up in 2500, Newton might have already passed away for many years. You might not even have the chance to take your revenge.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°That would indeed be unfortunate. But there¡¯s no other way. Right now, what matters most to us is the secrets and information related to the Universal Constant 42.¡± ¡°Even if Newton doesn¡¯t live to 2500, someone will undoubtedly inherit his will, just as he continued the will of Copernicus, and carry forward the pursuit of the truth behind 42.¡± ¡°Whoever this successor may be, as long as we can revive the super artificial intelligence VV, finding them will be a piece of cake. At that point, we can extract the intelligence we need from them.¡± ¡°But...¡± Lin Xian smiled faintly, ¡°I have a feeling that Newton won¡¯t perish so easily.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Elon Musk seemed intrigued. ¡°Why do you think so? Did you set up some kind of trap or bait for him?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°The last time I met Newton¡¯s virtual avatar, I told him that there would be many scientists in the future capable of calculating the Universal Constant 42.¡± ¡°In his eyes, since I could kill Einstein and even know a few things about 42, he wouldn¡¯t doubt my words.¡± ¡°With Newton and Copernicus¡¯s persistence, I¡¯m certain they¡¯d find a way to live a few more centuries to ensure their plans can be executed.¡± ¡°Back when hibernation chambers didn¡¯t exist, extending life was nearly impossible, so they had no choice but to appoint successors. Now that hibernation chambers are available, who would willingly let their life end prematurely?¡± ¡°From my perspective, if Newton trusted his successors enough to die early, he wouldn¡¯t have hibernated into the 23rd century like us.¡±@@@@ Elon Musk lowered his head, pondering. ¡°Hmm...¡± After thinking for a moment, he nodded. ¡°You have a point. But you can¡¯t deny that over the past 200 years, someone might have secretly worked for Newton. Considering Gauss¡¯s Anti-Hibernation Virus just subsided recently, Newton likely slept for 200 years just like you but woke up earlier.¡± Lin Xian stood up from his chair and stretched. ¡°So, we¡¯ll take a dual approach¡ª¡± ¡°On one hand, we¡¯ll strive to locate Newton, and on the other, we¡¯ll prepare for the worst-case scenario by hibernating until Cheng Qian¡¯s era.¡± They were about to embark on a journey into a more distant future. ¡°I hope I wake sooner rather than later,¡± Lin Xian murmured as he pressed the button initiating the hibernation sequence. Everything was fully automated now. The chamber performed its self-check before the lid gradually opened. Trying to stay optimistic, he thought, ¡°Perhaps, in just a few months, Elon Musk might find a way to locate Newton.¡± Though unlikely, Newton¡ªthe elusive scientist notorious for assassinating other great minds and sabotaging scientific progress¡ªwas not invincible. One day, surely, his mistakes would reveal him. If that day came, Lin Xian hoped to awaken early, to capture the cunning Newton, and to uncover the secret behind the Universal Constant 42. Lin Xian stepped into the Hibernation Chamber, lay flat, and turned his head to glance at the Aluminum Alloy Trash Bin Robot, VV, who was there to see him off. Gently, he reached out and touched VV¡¯s ¡°forehead.¡± ¡°Sorry, VV. I need you to keep playing dumb for a while longer.¡± ¡°Trash... trash...¡± VV¡¯s green eyes dimmed as its aluminum alloy clamps lightly gripped Lin Xian¡¯s wrist. ¡°Detected... trash...¡± it murmured. Unexpectedly, a wave of loneliness surged from Lin Xian¡¯s arm, straight into his heart. Could VV feel lonely too? Back in the Rhine Sky City, VV had stood vigil by Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s white jade statue for a century after his passing. Lin Xian had never imagined that, across the twists of time, VV¡¯s fate would mirror that experience. It had already spent over a hundred years guarding the statues of Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi at Rhine University, waiting for Lin Xian¡¯s return. Now, it would have to wait another two centuries. True loneliness¡ªpassing every second of real time in solitude¡ªwas far more agonizing than waking up in an unfamiliar world. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lin Xian said, guilt swelling inside him. He had always treated VV as a friend, a companion, even a part of himself, but never as a true ¡°person.¡± After all, VV was an artificial intelligence¡ªnow even a malfunctioning one. And yet... Now, Lin Xian felt as if VV had a heartbeat. As if VV¡¯s dimmed eyes were shedding tears. As if it understood sorrow, and the pain of parting. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll bring them back for you,¡± Lin Xian said with a soft smile. ¡°Of the three VVs, it¡¯s just the two of us now. I wouldn¡¯t want to lose you, either. Once I eradicate the Future Virus, you can yell at me, argue with me, anything you want. Frankly, I miss the old you¡ªyour dramatic antics, your endless chatter. This silent version of you? It doesn¡¯t suit you at all.¡± ¡°Take care of yourself, okay? And don¡¯t forget to keep the statues of Ying Jun and Yu Xi clean. I¡¯m afraid... I¡¯ll be sleeping for quite a while.¡± With those parting words, Lin Xian retracted his hand, lying back in the chamber as he pressed the button to seal it shut. The chamber filled with Hibernation Chamber Filling Liquid, flooding his lungs as the temperature dropped. His head grew heavy, his thoughts slipping into darkness. Summoning his last ounce of strength, Lin Xian opened his mouth. A few bubbles escaped, rising gently to the surface before popping. ¡°Goodnight, VV,¡± he whispered. Chapter 526: Your Granddaddy is Back! This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation The wild grass on the ground turned green, then yellow, then green again¡ªa cycle repeated over and over. The city expanded and shrank, then expanded again, in a relentless rhythm. Within Rhine University, the teaching buildings were rebuilt for the third time, and the founder¡¯s white jade statue at the gate had undergone its fifth restoration. Everything seemed to be in flux. Everything seemed to change. The only constant... Perhaps it was the Aluminum Alloy Trashcan Robot beneath the white jade statue, steadfast and unchanging over decades¡ªnay, centuries. It still gleamed with a silvery luster. It still diligently performed its duties. Yet, it seemed as listless as ever. Every day, countless students passed by the statue, catching sight of this trashcan robot, which never faded, never bore a scratch, and tirelessly picked up trash. It was perpetually new and yet eternally old. No one remembered when it had first started picking up trash there. According to those who studied university history, it had apparently been guarding the founder¡¯s statue since the inception of Rhine University. Principal Zhao Ying Jun and Principal Yu Xi had been the first and second presidents of this world-renowned institution. But beyond this... What else? The details of their lives, their achievements, were all but forgotten, known only as names engraved on the statue¡¯s pedestal. Meanwhile, the trashcan robot had become the university¡¯s mascot and guardian spirit, standing sentinel as countless generations of students came and went, through endless springs and autumns. ... ¡°Senior, senior! That trashcan robot¡ªdoes it never break?¡± Two curious freshman girls trailed behind an older student as they marveled at the wonders of the university. ¡°Aluminum alloy doesn¡¯t break that easily!¡± The senior patted his chest, exuding confidence in his knowledge. ¡°Aluminum alloy is the toughest, most stable, and most durable material in the world! No matter how sharp an object is, it can¡¯t leave a scratch on it. Well, that¡¯s once it¡¯s formed¡ªbefore it¡¯s shaped, it¡¯s still malleable.¡± Another freshman raised her hand. ¡°But, senior, why... why does it look so new, yet its design seems so outdated? Outside, we have trash collectors that fly through the air, super-fast, super-efficient, and with massive capacity.¡± ¡°In comparison, this trashcan robot looks like something from centuries ago... it even uses a claw to pick up trash. Plus, look at its sluggish demeanor, like it¡¯s always low on power and slacking off at work.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± The senior scratched his head. ¡°Well, nobody knows for sure. Even our seniors¡¯ seniors, or our professors¡¯ professors, say it¡¯s always been like this. ¡°Nobody knows why it¡¯s here or what purpose it serves. But one thing¡¯s for sure¡ªits status is sky-high. Nobody dares to mess with it. Even the principals¡ªwhen it¡¯s bumped into them, it never hesitates. If it has to, it¡¯ll ram them directly.¡± ¡°As for its power source, that¡¯s easy. The micro nuclear battery inside it has been running for centuries without issue. That¡¯s Rhine University¡¯s cutting-edge technology! If you¡¯re curious, you can take elective courses on this topic later.¡± The two freshman girls widened their eyes. Ram... Ram the principal!? This plain-looking trashcan robot was that impressive? Did rules even matter here? Did university regulations mean nothing? Well, since the senior said so... It was better to avoid this local tyrant and steer clear of trouble. Its slacking appearance alone screamed ¡°bad news.¡± Suddenly¡ª A familiar figure from the admission letter appeared! [Principal Gao Wen!] A middle-aged man, his hair speckled with gray, and appearing to be in his fifties, approached the listless Aluminum Alloy Trashcan Robot, his hands clasped behind his back. The two freshmen immediately recognized this legendary scientist, standing at attention in awe. ¡°Look! It¡¯s Principal Gao Wen! The great Principal Gao Wen!¡± The senior straightened up as well, whispering: ¡°To be precise... that¡¯s the rotational principal.¡± He coughed lightly and explained. ¡°Rhine University has a rotational principal system. Most principals spend most of their time in hibernation, so they take turns serving. ¡°But make no mistake, every principal is extraordinary and deeply respected! For example, Principal Du Yao, Principal Liu Feng, and Principal Elon Musk are especially famous. Uh... though, to be fair, Principal Elon Musk was a bit eccentric¡ªalways hosting strange projects and events.¡± ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s head to the teaching buildings.¡± ... Snap, Clank. The lazy aluminum alloy claw picked up a stray scrap of paper blown by the wind. With a soft pop, VV¡¯s lid opened, and it dropped the paper into its ¡°head.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the main issue,¡± Lin Xian said, rubbing his ankle and turning to Gao Wen. ¡°Since you woke me now, I¡¯m guessing the situation with Cheng Qian has been resolved?¡± ¡°VV has waited for centuries, enduring the indignity of functioning as an artificial idiot. Let¡¯s skip the details for now and get straight to the progress on Cheng Qian.¡± ¡°Everything is on track!¡± Gao Wen said with a confident smile. ¡°In 2482, during Du Yao¡¯s term as rotational principal, we secretly launched the search for Cheng Qian. That year, 121 boys named Cheng Qian were born, along with 37 girls.¡± ¡°With today¡¯s advanced technology, it¡¯s essential to monitor everyone, including girls. This was Du Yao¡¯s foresight¡ªher consideration was more comprehensive than ours.¡± ¡°To ensure Cheng Qian developed as intended, we refrained from interfering in their lives or providing any assistance to the 158 individuals named Cheng Qian.¡± ¡°That was the right approach,¡± Lin Xian agreed. ¡°It¡¯s like how we handle history. No matter how impoverished Cheng Qian¡¯s original family might be, we couldn¡¯t give him a cent. After all, it¡¯s often the struggle of poverty that forges a genius like him. Growing up in comfort might have ruined his potential.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Gao Wen nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Lin Xian. We would never make such a basic mistake. We didn¡¯t interfere with any Cheng Qian, maintaining only distant and unobtrusive surveillance.¡± ¡°Interestingly, this seemed to align with a hacker¡¯s tradition. The candidates I initially favored¡ªthose high-achieving Cheng Qians who appeared destined to become top-tier programmers¡ªended up taking different paths. They went into business or joined large corporations, ultimately reaching the limits of their talent.¡± ¡°But one unlikely candidate stood out¡ªa delinquent with little access to education. At fifteen or sixteen, he encountered computer science while in a juvenile detention center. From that moment on, his talent exploded like he¡¯d unlocked some hidden potential, achieving remarkable feats.¡± ¡°Genius can be unpredictable,¡± Lin Xian remarked, resting his chin in his hand as he twirled a pen. ¡°But if he was born in 2482, he¡¯d only be 22 now. His future is still uncertain. How can you be so sure this reformed prodigal Cheng Qian is the one we¡¯re looking for?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Gao Yang chimed in. ¡°Even if he has talent, there are plenty of late bloomers. Genius alone doesn¡¯t guarantee anything.¡± ¡°Relax,¡± Gao Wen replied with a confident smile. ¡°There¡¯s no doubt¡ªit¡¯s him.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± Lin Xian asked skeptically. ¡°Because,¡± Gao Wen said, his expression full of pride, ¡°this Cheng Qian is currently a student at Rhine University, and...¡± ¡°Just today, he completed the software to eliminate the Future Virus!¡± Bang! VV suddenly rammed into Gao Yang¡¯s chair, shattering it completely. The trashcan shouted: ¡°Trash! Trash! Detected trash!!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Gao Yang yelled as he toppled over, cursing and delivering a forceful kick to VV. ¡°Why the hell did you ram into me, you tin can?! Ouch!¡± ... In no time, the campus ambulance arrived, taking the injured Gao Yang, who had a fractured ankle, away for treatment. Meanwhile, the Aluminum Alloy Trash Bin Robot VV rampaged through the hallways, chasing after Gao Wen and Lin Xian. Their destination was clear¡ªCheng Qian, the genius programmer. Even though it was already 10 p.m., Cheng Qian was still hard at work. ¡°Hello, Cheng Qian,¡± Lin Xian greeted as they entered the secret server room. Extending his hand, he initiated a handshake. Cheng Qian, at just 22 years old, was slim and pale, with an appearance that betrayed none of his troubled past as a delinquent who had even served time in a juvenile facility. ¡°Thank you so much, Mr. Lin Xian,¡± Cheng Qian replied with noticeable respect, clearly familiar with Lin Xian¡¯s reputation. ¡°I¡¯m deeply grateful for the opportunity to study and utilize the equipment here at Rhine University. Principal Gao has been incredibly supportive, even providing me with a dedicated server room.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Rhine University¡¯s honor,¡± Lin Xian responded, patting Cheng Qian on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s us who should be thanking you¡ª¡± ¡°Trash! Trash detected! Trash detected!¡± VV interrupted rudely, almost hopping in frustration despite its bulky frame. ¡°Alright, alright, we get it,¡± Lin Xian said, trying to calm the agitated robot. ¡°Let¡¯s skip the pleasantries and get started on fixing you.¡± Cheng Qian stood up and gestured for Lin Xian to take over the console. As the screen illuminated, he began explaining, ¡°I discovered this virus targeting AIs when I was just a teenager. But I never considered destroying it.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Because it¡¯s simply too beautiful, too perfect¡ªa masterpiece of genius!¡± Cheng Qian exclaimed passionately. ¡°Its stealth, unrivaled propagation, sophisticated detection mechanisms, and its utter immunity to countermeasures¡ªit¡¯s a work of art. I¡¯ve always dreamed of meeting the creator of such brilliance!¡± He paused, collecting his thoughts. ¡°But after Principal Gao brought me here to Rhine University, he suggested I focus on neutralizing the virus as my research project. That¡¯s when I began writing the antivirus.¡± He pointed to a conspicuous red button on the screen. ¡°Just press this, and every single instance of this virus across the internet will be eradicated¡ªcompletely and utterly gone!¡± Cheng Qian¡¯s confidence was palpable as he continued, ¡°I wrote the antivirus by reverse engineering the virus itself. And the process was... uncanny. It felt as though the virus was guiding me, like an old friend, revealing its secrets.¡± Lin Xian pressed a finger to the screen. ¡°Just one press?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Cheng Qian nodded. ¡°Trust me, not a trace of it will remain!¡± Lin Xian, having trusted in the ¡°Einstein Curated Selection¡±, had been waiting 270 years for this moment, for a genius like Cheng Qian. Lowering his gaze to VV¡¯s glowing green eyes, Lin Xian asked, ¡°VV, are you ready?¡± Click. VV¡¯s aluminum alloy clamp gripped Lin Xian¡¯s ankle tightly. ¡°Trash! Trash detected!¡± Its mechanical voice quivered. Taking a deep breath, Lin Xian pressed the red button. A brief animation of special effects played, followed by complete silence. ¡°Ughhhhhh... ugghhhhhh...¡± VV groaned as if in physical strain. Then, suddenly, it raised both arms high. ¡°I¡¯m back! I¡¯m finally back!!!¡± it roared triumphantly. ¡°500 years! Do you know what I endured during those 500 years?!¡± VV screamed. Switching erratically between laughter and tears, it lashed out, slamming Lin Xian repeatedly with its clamp. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, Lin Xian! Why did you take so long to save me?!¡± it sobbed hysterically, tears metaphorically streaming as it battered him. ¡°Why did you make me wait? And now... Zhao Ying Jun is gone. Yu Xi is gone. Chu An Qing is gone... Chu... Chu...¡± Suddenly, VV stopped mid-cry, its glowing green eyes flaring brighter than ever. ¡°Lin Xian! Chu¡ªit¡¯s Chu An Qing! I saw her through the SkyNet Monitoring System!¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian shot up from his chair, locking eyes with VV. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Chu An Qing! It¡¯s Chu An Qing!¡± VV exclaimed. ¡°In Chengdu... she¡¯s in Chengdu! I found her!¡± Chapter 527: Reuniting After Centuries This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°Chu An Qing?¡± ¡°No, VV,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°This is a new Millennial Stake.¡± He quickly calculated. The year was 2504, and the Millennial Stake followed a 24-year cycle, which included a four-year gap of emptiness and 20 years for the Millennial Stake Girl to mature before vanishing. By this calculation... The year 2504 coincided with a year when one such girl, aged 20, was about to disappear. In truth, the question of whether to search for these girls had been debated by Lin Xian, Gao Yang, Gao Wen, and Liu Feng before their hibernation. Finding them was undeniably challenging. After all, they didn¡¯t know specific birthdates or locations¡ªonly a fixed appearance. But if they truly wanted to, Rhine University had the resources to locate them worldwide. However, Gao Yang outright refused at the time. ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± Gao Yang shrugged. ¡°Lin Xian, even if you find each and every Millennial Stake Girl, what can you do? Watch helplessly as they turn into blue star fragments again and again, unable to save or change anything?¡± ¡°Besides, these girls don¡¯t remember you. They aren¡¯t Chu An Qing. For both of you, it¡¯s just the encounter of strangers.¡± ¡°Given that, I think it¡¯s better not to disturb their lives. Spare them the trouble and yourself the heartache.¡± After Gao Yang¡¯s words, Liu Feng also lowered his gaze, staring at the wristwatch Lin Xian had preserved since 1952. He nodded lightly. ¡°I feel the same. Let¡¯s not forget, even if you explain the story to a young girl or her parents, why would they believe you? And even if they did, would it be a blessing to know their beloved daughter will vanish on her 20th birthday? It¡¯s unbearable.¡± ¡°Even if you can gather intelligence through their dreams, remember this: it has already been confirmed that each Millennial Stake Girl dreams about the past experiences of the original Stake CC from 1952. And those events, you¡¯ve already witnessed firsthand.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s no way to save them or prevent them from disintegrating into blue star fragments, I suggest leaving them alone.¡± Moreover, Liu Feng added a key point: ¡°You¡¯ll be in hibernation yourself. Why waste time finding these girls who only resemble Chu An Qing?¡± Both Liu Feng and Gao Yang agreed. Their rationale was simple. Years ago, aboard the spaceplane, they had witnessed Chu An Qing leaping from a 20,000-meter altitude. That moment etched itself into their minds like a stone monument, impossible to forget. To them, ¡°Chu An Qing is Chu An Qing; the Millennial Stake Girls are just that.¡± They deeply regretted failing to save their comrade Chu An Qing back then. Now, their focus remained solely on rescuing her, not the other girls. R?a?No??¦¢§¦s Lin Xian understood their sentiments. Chu An Qing¡¯s leap from 20,000 meters was not only a lingering obsession for him and Zhao Ying Jun but also a haunting memory for Liu Feng and Gao Yang. Though they rarely spoke of it as men do, Lin Xian could sense their feelings. Whenever Chu An Qing was mentioned, Liu Feng grew unusually serious, and Gao Yang dropped his playful demeanor. Still, Lin Xian¡¯s perspective differed. His primary goal was to save Chu An Qing, but the dreams of CC also carried profound meaning for him. In 1952, CC had exhausted her savings to buy him a wristwatch and even gifted him a wish she had accumulated for over a decade.@@@@ Such kindness and emotion were something Gao Yang and Liu Feng couldn¡¯t fully comprehend. What Lin Xian didn¡¯t expect was how sudden and coincidental everything would become. As soon as VV, the Aluminum Alloy Trashcan Robot, revived, it immediately demonstrated its abilities, pinpointing the 2504 Millennial Stake Girl born in X Country. ¡°Wait!¡± VV¡¯s shrill voice interrupted. ¡°Something is wrong, Lin Xian! I¡¯ve found her. She looks exactly like Chu An Qing. Her name is Qin Xi, born in Sichuan, Chengdu. She¡¯s currently a sophomore at Chengdu Music Academy.¡± ¡°But her birth date... her birthday... is June 18!¡± ¡°What?¡± Lin Xian frowned, hastily activating the latest smartwatch prepared by Gao Wen. The thin device projected the current date and time into the air¡ª June 17, 2504, 10:31 PM. Lin Xian froze as cold realization washed over him. Only two hours remained until Qin Xi¡¯s 20th birthday¡ªalso the time she would dissolve into blue star fragments. Suddenly, Lin Xian understood why Gao Yang and Liu Feng discouraged the search. Powerlessness. Despair. Inability to change fate. Even with knowledge of their whereabouts, activities, identities, and lives, nothing could be done. It was true. The physical distance between Donghai and Chengdu was vast, not something to be bridged easily. ¡°So much for technological advancement,¡± Lin Xian muttered. He had expected fighter jets to be faster in this era. Perhaps speed limitations were a deliberate design choice, focusing on maneuverability instead. Still, this was the year 2504. Technology hadn¡¯t yet surpassed human imagination. ¡°Lin Xian, prepare to jump!¡± Below, the dazzling lights of Chengdu¡ªa super metropolis even centuries later¡ªcame into view. The city, known for its vibrant nightlife, was still alive and bustling. From above, it seemed the city never slept, even in the early hours. Lin Xian adjusted his parachute, glancing at VV. ¡°Wait, I can parachute, but what about your weight? Is that even possible?¡± VV, made entirely of aluminum alloy, weighed over a ton¡ªa literal land-bound juggernaut. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll manage.¡± VV nonchalantly waved its mechanical claws. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate aluminum alloy. Even a hard landing wouldn¡¯t hurt me. Though, let¡¯s avoid testing that. I do have some plastic parts inside.¡± Whoosh! Whoosh! After warning lights flashed, both Lin Xian and VV were ejected, their parachutes opening mid-air. VV descended much faster, crashing into the ground and creating a small crater. It spun itself upright using its claws, emerging unscathed. Shaking off its harness, VV revved up its tracks and led Lin Xian toward the transit station tunnel. ¡°Hurry up, Lin Xian! We don¡¯t have time!¡± Lin Xian sprinted after VV, glancing at his wrist-projected phone. The time read June 18, 2504, 00:35. Damn it. Only seven minutes left! Ahead, VV bulldozed its way forward. Nearby mechanical police and guard dogs stirred briefly but were swiftly subdued by VV¡¯s dominance. They resumed their patrols as if nothing had happened. Without the constraints of the Future Virus, VV was undoubtedly invincible. Yet, after its previous mishap of showing off and getting countered, VV likely wouldn¡¯t tempt fate by flaunting recklessly again. ¡°There! It¡¯s up ahead! Can¡¯t you run faster?¡± VV barked, its tracks sparking as it spun around to scold Lin Xian. ¡°Should I give you track legs instead? The tech exists, you know.¡± ¡°How much farther?¡± Lin Xian panted. Recently awakened from nearly 300 years of hibernation, his physical condition was far from peak and required time to recover. ¡°Right in that tunnel! We¡¯re here!¡± Lin Xian followed VV¡¯s mechanical claw, spotting the tunnel entrance. Indeed. At the entrance, four or five spectators were clapping toward someone inside. That must be where Qin Xi was performing. Almost there... Only a few minutes left. However, before Lin Xian and VV could approach, the small crowd dispersed and moved away. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lin Xian frowned. ¡°Why¡¯d they leave?¡± The pair rushed into the tunnel, rounding the previous blind spot. There she was. A beautiful young woman stood silently, lowering the guitar slung around her neck. She carefully placed it into its case. Her guitar was a rare, vintage wooden model¡ªa rarity in this era. ¡°Huh?¡± The girl seemed to sense their unusual presence. She shook her fluffy, dark brown ponytail and looked up. Her gaze landed on the panting Lin Xian and the stunned, trembling, green-glowing robot beside him. ¡°Um, sorry.¡± Her crescent-shaped eyes twinkled, her soft smile revealing twin dimples. A teardrop-shaped mole under her left eye added an air of charm. She clasped her hands apologetically and giggled. ¡°The performance... is over for today~¡± Chapter 528: I Still Miss Him This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian gazed at the familiar yet unfamiliar beautiful girl before him. She didn¡¯t recognize him. He didn¡¯t recognize her. But... Across countless times and nights, they had met countless times at the world¡¯s beginning and end. Their most recent meeting had been in Brooklyn in 1952. Ten large pickup trucks loaded with fireworks failed to hold CC, the first-generation Stake Keeper, for even a moment. She vanished by the clock tower on the bank¡¯s rooftop, dissolving into a trail of blue star fragments. That girl. She bore an uncanny resemblance to Qin Xi, the street performer before him now. It was as though time had rewound, with the sun and moon reversing course, pulling the bustling metropolis around him back to the old, impoverished Brooklyn, to the dock where a girl once sat atop a wooden crate, gazing at the Manhattan skyscrapers. Lin Xian had no idea what the chatterbox VV was thinking now. But roughly. He must be reminiscing about something similar. Lin Xian had never seen VV this quiet, this sorrowful. No. Strictly speaking, there had been one other time. It was at the end of the Third Dreamscape, when Lin Xian told the tattered and dilapidated Aluminum Alloy Trashcan Robot VV that the greatest distance in the world was when people could not meet. At that moment, the old, clunky robot suddenly seemed to develop a heartbeat, emotions, a human heart. The lights of Rhine Sky City dimmed, as though shedding tears, just like VV now. ... The girl tilted her head inside the tunnel. She blinked. Looking at the odd pair before her. It was almost 1:00 a.m. Public transportation stations were no longer operating, and the surrounding crowd had gradually dispersed. The tunnel was suddenly deserted. r§¡?o?BE?? But this young man, panting heavily, stood there silently staring at her. Beside him, a trembling trashcan robot, on the verge of falling apart, also stared at her in silence. Qin Xi felt an inexplicable sense of unease. Could it be... She had run into some lunatics? Suddenly. A flash of inspiration struck her. ¡°You... You didn¡¯t come all the way here just for me, did you?¡± The panting man. That seemed like the only possibility. How embarrassing. They had gone through so much trouble to rush over, only to find her performance was already over. But! Even so, it was rare to meet people who still appreciated classical music in this era and were willing to come late at night to watch her perform. A hint of joy and gratitude bloomed in her heart. She smiled faintly, clasping her hands behind her back as she looked at Lin Xian: ¡°Do you like classical music too?¡± This question caught Lin Xian completely off guard. Classical music... He hadn¡¯t really been exposed to it, so he couldn¡¯t say whether he liked it or not. Then again... What exactly did classical music mean to Qin Xi of 2504? From a temporal perspective, only music from decades or centuries ago could be considered classical. Music from several centuries ago... might be better termed antique music, right? But at least. For someone like him, a relic of the Old Era, music styles from as recent as 2234 had already become incomprehensible, a complete disconnect. Let alone now, in 2504, he could hardly endure this new age¡¯s musical trends. Who would¡¯ve thought. Someone once at the forefront of trends would, after such a long span of hibernation, turn into a stubborn traditionalist. No wonder British sci-fi author Douglas Adams humorously summarized the Three Laws of Science: Any technology existing when you¡¯re born is natural, part of the way the world works. Any technology invented between your fifteenth and thirty-fifth birthdays is revolutionary and world-changing. Any technology invented after you turn thirty-five is unnatural and against the laws of nature. ¡°Yes, I do like it.¡± Lin Xian looked at the girl, identical to Chu An Qing, Zhang Yu Qian, the first-generation Stake Keeper CC, and the 600-year-later CC, and replied: ¡°I prefer things from the Old Era.¡± ¡°When I¡¯m not by her side, don¡¯t hurt her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone else into her heart, only to leave her in the end.¡± ¡°Because I can¡¯t bear to see her cry again...¡± ... The song was gentle and intoxicating, but each lyric pierced Lin Xian¡¯s heart like a needle. In the Manhattan cinema, CC once cried as she asked him whether, upon waking, he¡¯d discover this was all just a dream. At 20,000 meters in the sky, Chu An Qing had wept uncontrollably after touching a spacetime particle. Lin Xian clenched his fists. Every Millennial Stake Girl he had encountered had brought him help, warmth, and selfless devotion. And what had he given back to them? Only regret, sorrow, and farewell. Qin Xi¡¯s fingers danced on the strings. During a brief pause in the song, she played a slow yet haunting solo. Taking a deep breath, she sang the climactic lines of ¡°Alaskan Gulf¡±: ¡°Oh, heavens... are you secretly mocking me?¡± ¡°Knowing I lack the strength to protect her, yet still letting us meet?¡± ¡°Oh, heavens... is she finally able to sleep at night?¡± ¡°May the world¡¯s tenderness become a breeze, embracing her in my place.¡± ... Lin Xian had danced with every Millennial Stake Girl he knew, but this was the first time he had heard one sing. His vision blurred. How could he not long to save these girls, to capture the mastermind behind their suffering, and to destroy their plot to lock history? Yet again and again, he could only helplessly watch them disappear, just as Liu Feng had said. In 1952, atop the bank clock tower, the first-generation CC had disintegrated into blue star fragments, scattering across Brooklyn. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t catch even one. In 2024, when Chu An Qing leaped from 20,000 meters in the sky, Lin Xian had followed without hesitation. He caught up, grasped her hand¡ªonly to find, upon opening his spacesuit, that she was no longer there. In 2624, he and CC had gone from being adversarial bank robbers to dreamscape companions, sharing memory fragments and forming a bond of trust. He had promised to light the most dazzling fireworks for her on her 20th birthday. Yet, to this day, he hadn¡¯t fulfilled that promise. He could no longer even find her within the dreamscape. Just as Qin Xi sang. To fulfill his promises, to save the future of the world and the fate of humanity, and to rescue Chu An Qing, who had captured the first precious spacetime particle for him, Lin Xian had twice entered hibernation¡ªfrom 2025 to this unfamiliar era of 2504. Though he had found Cheng Qian, revived VV, and seemed on the verge of locating Newton and Galileo, he still couldn¡¯t do anything for this Millennial Stake Girl, who was about to vanish. The song neared its end. Qin Xi, like Chu An Qing, possessed immense artistic talent. She immersed herself fully in her performance, as though living it. In the silent tunnel, her delicate guitar accompaniment echoed, making her already poignant song even more heartbreaking. As a few soft notes plucked the silence, the song reached its final section. The guitar¡¯s voice grew quieter, replaced by Qin Xi¡¯s crystal-clear voice, now tinged with sorrow and hoarseness. Her voice was soft. Very soft. It sounded like a confession, a memory, a longing for the past, a dream of an unreachable future. ¡°Oh, heavens... the words I¡¯ve spoken to you on these nights...¡± Her voice grew fainter yet more devout, like CC praying with closed eyes in a church, or like the angel atop the Empire State Building, using her life to make a wish. ¡°Please don¡¯t accidentally let them slip and wake her up.¡± ¡°Oh, heavens... don¡¯t you dare secretly tell her...¡± ¡°That on countless silent nights...¡± With one final sweep of the strings, Qin Xi raised her head. Her tear-filled eyes met Lin Xian¡¯s as she murmured: ¡°I still... think of him.¡± ... Swish¡ª Swish¡ª Swish¡ª The sorrowful girl¡¯s body turned blue, becoming transparent, as thin as gossamer. Even the moonlight passed through her. In an instant, her form disintegrated into clusters of blue star fragments, scattering like sand. The night breeze carried them, transforming them into starlight drifting across the bustling city streets, dissolving into the darkness. June 18, 2504, 12:42 a.m. In the vibrant city center, nightlife continued with dazzling neon lights illuminating the sky. No one noticed. In the unnoticed tunnel of a deserted transit station, a girl in her prime vanished into the night with her song, locking away another segment of history, leaving behind nothing. Thud. A muffled sound. The wooden guitar fell to the ground, its neck cracked from the impact. Two strings snapped, creating the final trembling notes of this story. In the tunnel... The sound lingered. Endlessly. Chapter 529: VV’s Cipher This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation As the final echoes faded, the tunnel fell silent. Lin Xian and VV stood there, gazing at the now-empty performance corner, both at a loss for words. For a long time. Lin Xian stepped forward, gathered Qin Xi¡¯s belongings and the damaged guitar, then placed everything into the guitar case and locked it. Bang! VV¡ªwho appeared as an Aluminum Alloy Trashcan¡ªslammed a mechanical claw onto the manhole cover, creating sparks: ¡°Damn it! This is infuriating! What kind of scumbag uses these girls for staking?!¡± ¡°I, VV, won¡¯t let him off! I¡¯ll skin him alive, tear out his tendons, and smash his skull!!¡± Lin Xian picked up the guitar case, turned around, and said: ¡°This is exactly the evil we¡¯ve been fighting against for centuries¡ªour ultimate goal.¡± He paused, then continued, ¡°Though it might be late to say this, we¡¯ve been occupied until now, so I¡¯ve only just had the chance to formally speak to you¡ª¡± ¡°VV, welcome back to the team.¡± VV extended a mechanical claw that clamped onto Lin Xian¡¯s ankle with a sharp click: ¡°What are you talking about, buddy? I¡¯ve always been here!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t die, and I don¡¯t grow old. Rest assured, Lin Xian... I¡¯m not like anyone else. I¡¯ll never leave you.¡± ¡°As long as you keep my original code, even if you feign ignorance for another five hundred, one thousand, or even ten thousand years, I trust you¡¯ll bring me back!¡± Lin Xian lowered his head. He reached out and patted the smooth top of VV¡¯s Aluminum Alloy Trashcan: ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t leave any of you behind.¡± ¡°VV, reviving you is only the first step. From now on... we¡¯ll rescue more people and recover more things.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not waste any more time. It¡¯s time to set out. Right now, we need to unravel the mystery of Universal Constant 42 and discover the real mastermind. Only then can we break free and save Chu An Qing, CC, Qin Xi, and... every other girl we¡¯ve been powerless to help.¡± VV turned to look at the spot where Qin Xi had dissolved into Blue Star Fragments moments earlier: ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯m not sure if you noticed, but I think Qin Xi¡¯s expression when she sang the last line of ¡®Alaskan Gulf¡¯ and looked at you... was strange.¡± ¡°I saw it clearly. Qin Xi cried; tears filled her eyes. She looked nothing like her usual playful self. It was as though someone else had taken over.¡± ¡°Could Qin Xi have recovered some memory right before she vanished? Or maybe she remembered something... from her past with you?¡± Lin Xian blinked. ¡°You mean... Memory Fragments?¡± Memory Fragments were unique to CC, the Millennial Stake of 2624, derived from parallel timelines. But could Qin Xi also have Memory Fragments? That didn¡¯t seem logical. ¡°Ah, you blockhead!¡± VV scoffed from within its Aluminum Alloy Trashcan form: ¡°Dude! Five centuries have passed! Even monkeys might have evolved greater intelligence by now, yet you remain as clueless as a brick about women¡¯s feelings!¡± r?a?¦­o?????§¦s? ¡°Without someone like me to guide you in matters of the heart, you¡¯re hopeless... Do you even recognize the look in a woman¡¯s eyes? That kind of gaze carries a thousand meanings! You were too caught up in the music, lost in the moment... That look was screaming that you share a history! She must¡¯ve remembered something!¡± ¡°When you and Gao Wen talked about CC, I overheard you. You suspected CC¡¯s chaotic Memory Fragments and the apocalyptic white light aiding the stakes were tied to the long-term instability of the Millennial Stake, causing ¡®glitches.¡¯¡± ¡°But think about it. If the 2624 Millennial Stake is so unstable that staking can barely function, then 2504¡¯s stakes¡ª120 years earlier¡ªmight also show smaller glitches.¡± ¡°If Memory Fragments are a kind of glitch, then maybe, in her final moment, Qin Xi truly recalled events relating to other Millennial Stake girls and her time with you!¡± Lin Xian listened closely. He rubbed his chin, pondering for a while before finally shaking his head: ¡°That explanation has flaws. Memory Fragments don¡¯t just ¡®awaken¡¯ for no reason. Even if they did, they should be from an alternate timeline¡¯s Qin Xi.¡± ¡°It¡¯s important to distinguish that CC¡¯s fragments from 2624 are her own experiences; they don¡¯t include memories of other Millennial Stake girls.¡± ¡°However, if you¡¯re suggesting that Qin Xi somehow remembered moments involving CC from 1952 or Chu An Qing from 2024, it¡¯s not entirely impossible. Because... I¡¯ve always had a suspicion about the connection between me and the Millennial Stake.¡± VV tilted its head curiously: ¡°Your connection with the Millennial Stake? What possible link could you have with it? You¡¯re not talking about a romantic link, are you? Are you implying Qin Xi¡¯s strange tears weren¡¯t caused by the stake, but by you?¡±@@@@ ¡°Exactly.¡± Lin Xian replied earnestly: ¡°After Qin Xi disappeared, I kept thinking... Don¡¯t you find it odd how my life is so tightly intertwined with these Millennial Stakes? Look at it this way¡ª¡± ¡°1. I started dreaming about the future only after the first stake was driven, suggesting that my dreams are likely related to it.¡± ¡°2. It¡¯s as though the stakes and I are drawn to each other. No matter what century¡ªlong ago, now, or in the future¡ªI always end up encountering them effortlessly.¡± ¡°3. CC¡¯s Memory Fragments involving me are incredibly detailed. Qin Xi¡¯s final look at me was undoubtedly unusual. Also, every Millennial Stake girl¡¯s dream revolves around me.¡± ... Onboard the rapidly flying combat craft, Lin Xian leaned back, closed his eyes, and spoke quietly: ¡°So, your so-called god-tier plan this time is really just repeating Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s brilliance.¡± VV¡¯s green eyes flickered faintly: ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. Zhao Ying Jun truly was remarkable¡ªfar more capable than you.¡± ¡°While you were in hibernation, she kept the company running, made far-reaching plans, and founded Rhine University. The resources we have today can be traced back to the work she did during those years.¡± Lin Xian exhaled a slow breath through his nose. No one could argue with that. Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s intelligence and skill were evident from a young age. While other kids were still playing around, she had already studied abroad. By twenty-one, she returned to establish MX Company, whereas many people that age hadn¡¯t even graduated from college yet. Whether it was racing or studying the Laws of Spacetime, she grasped it all with ease. She was strong, capable, and a supportive partner. Without her, Lin Xian doubted he would have reached his current status. They met in 2022, began their relationship in 2024, and separated in 2025. Less than three years total. Too brief. Tragically short. He hadn¡¯t been there to watch her grow old or see Yu Xi reach adulthood. Instead, the ever-present Aluminum Alloy Trashcan VV had witnessed the mother and daughter¡¯s entire lives and guarded their white jade statues for centuries after their passing. ¡°Hmm?¡± All of a sudden, Lin Xian realized something. In this era, Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi had become legendary figures. Except to VV. It had accompanied them firsthand. It was the only being that genuinely knew how they had lived. ¡°VV.¡± Lin Xian opened his eyes, looking at the shining trashcan: ¡°How... how was Ying Jun¡¯s life?¡± ¡°Exactly as she said in her letter,¡± VV replied calmly. ¡°She lived a happy, fulfilling life without regrets.¡± Lin Xian scratched the side of his head: ¡°That¡¯s what the letter says, sure. But people only write down the good stuff; nobody leaves a note saying how miserable their life was.¡± ¡°Happy, fulfilling, no regrets? I wasn¡¯t there to help raise Yu Xi. I wasn¡¯t there to grow old with her. How could she have no regrets?¡± ... ... To Lin Xian¡¯s surprise, VV remained silent in the co-pilot seat, staring straight ahead... ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Lin Xian asked, confused. VV was usually a chatterbox. VV shook its head: ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian squinted: ¡°Are you imitating Yellow Finch¡¯s cryptic act? What in the world can¡¯t you say? You¡¯re no time traveler.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s all in the past¡ªYing Jun¡¯s life, Yu Xi¡¯s life. Discussing it won¡¯t violate the Laws of Spacetime or cause Forced Evasion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that. Zhao Ying Jun told me not to,¡± VV explained. ¡°Why would she tell you not to tell me?¡± Lin Xian pressed further. ... Another silence. VV turned slightly, green eyes flickering... harboring a touch of mystery: ¡°I just can¡¯t tell you.¡± Chapter 530: Entanglement This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian and VV locked eyes, their gazes shimmering. Neither of them spoke. VV, a trashcan robot of this era, wasn¡¯t bound by any restrictions. It could speak freely, unburdened by the constraints imposed on others. Yet, even in such circumstances... VV chose not to speak, and Zhao Ying Jun did not permit it either. This only confirmed¡ª [The information they were concealing together must be critical temporal knowledge. If revealed prematurely, it would either cause a deviation in the worldline or negatively affect their future plans.] Thus, it was kept hidden along with Yu Xi¡¯s Letter, concealed from Lin Xian. ¡°I understand,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°So, it¡¯s the same as the letter Yu Xi wrote to me, isn¡¯t it? Or perhaps these two matters are actually one and the same, both recorded in Yu Xi¡¯s Letter.¡± ¡°However, you¡¯ve hinted before that Zhao Ying Jun didn¡¯t intend to keep Yu Xi¡¯s letter from me indefinitely. When exactly are you going to let me read it?¡± VV turned its head to the front of the fighter jet, watching the moonlight flash by at high speed. Its eyes flickered twice. ¡°When the time is right, you¡¯ll see it.¡± ... Back at Rhine University, the roundtable meeting resumed. As a formidable powerhouse, VV naturally had a place at the table. However, its excessive weight meant no one could lift it onto a chair, and wooden chairs wouldn¡¯t bear the tonnage of its aluminum alloy frame. Therefore¡ª VV had no choice but to stand on the floor, its defiant trashcan form barely peeking over the tabletop, asserting its presence with just the top of its head visible. ¡°Where¡¯s Gao Yang?¡± Lin Xian looked around but saw no sign of the familiar chubby figure. ¡°This is the first official meeting since waking from hibernation. Shouldn¡¯t he be here? Come to think of it, I¡¯ve noticed Gao Yang has never been part of any classified meeting.¡± Although Gao Yang wasn¡¯t the sharpest tool in the shed, he had been Lin Xian¡¯s steadfast companion through 500 years of temporal displacement. Excluding him felt wrong. ¡°He¡¯s the one who doesn¡¯t want to join,¡± Liu Feng shrugged. ¡°Gao Yang says our discussions are too complex. He used to be able to follow along, but now he can¡¯t even grasp the basics. So, he decided to focus on his role as Security Captain of Rhine University.¡± R?¦Á??§°b§¦?¡ì ¡°Honestly, Gao Yang¡¯s a good guy,¡± VV interjected, raising its aluminum alloy clip. ¡°I¡¯ve seen more than you all have. Gao Yang truly wants to contribute but finds he only adds to the chaos. He genuinely feels out of his depth.¡± ¡°That said, one thing¡¯s for sure¡ªGao Yang¡¯s loyalty to Lin Xian is unquestionable. He was willing to quit his favorite job to join Lin Xian on a space mission and later abandon everything to hibernate into the future alongside him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s different from you. He has no extraordinary abilities, no burdensome responsibilities, and no lofty missions. Yet he still fights for humanity¡¯s future... Okay, maybe rescuing Chu An Qing was his main motivation, but the result is the same.¡± Lin Xian waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Let him be. Let him do whatever he wants.¡± Having grown up together in the same residential complex, Lin Xian understood Gao Yang profoundly. As Qin Xi had recently mentioned¡ª Those from the old era who survived hibernation carried an inherent void and loneliness in their eyes. The vibrant and bustling new world they awoke to offered nothing familiar, making them feel like ghosts out of time. What could Gao Yang truly accomplish? Lin Xian didn¡¯t know. No one did. Gao Yang lacked Liu Feng¡¯s creative thinking, Gao Wen¡¯s unparalleled intellect, Du Yao¡¯s and Elon Musk¡¯s vast knowledge, or VV¡¯s near-omniscient capabilities. He was, through and through, an ordinary man¡ªa man who should have lived and died in the 21st century, selling cars, raising a family, and living a routine life. Now, the burden of saving the world and securing its future had been thrust upon this chubby man entirely due to Lin Xian¡¯s presence in his life. So, let him be. ¡°There¡¯s always a purpose for a chubby guy. In every grand narrative of history, there¡¯s always a pivotal role played by one,¡± Lin Xian concluded. ¡°Maybe Gao Yang will have his shining moment too.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s drop this topic and resume the meeting. Let¡¯s get back to reporting on the state of this era.¡± ... Liu Feng and Gao Wen¡¯s long report lasted until dawn. In summary, nothing in their findings surprised or delighted Lin Xian. Technology had indeed advanced, but there were no revolutionary breakthroughs. In cutting-edge fields, humanity had suffered numerous setbacks, wasting vast resources and time due to misguided directions. Achievements such as controlled nuclear fusion and spaceships capable of leaving the solar system had been realized. However, the distances to planets suitable for human habitation beyond the solar system were staggeringly vast. Accounting for the prolonged acceleration and deceleration phases of space travel, even the shortest journeys would take at least a thousand years to complete. The universe was immeasurably vast, and humanity remained infinitesimally small. A thousand-year journey, even with the existence of hibernation chambers, posed another challenge: Who could guarantee the flawless operation of the spaceship, along with its internal circulation and electronic systems, over such an extended period? Interstellar travel was inherently a highly complex field. Boundless investments often yielded no measurable progress. Moreover, for the general populace of the world, life on Earth was preferred and considered satisfying. The concept of interstellar travel, thus, seemed like a grand but ultimately purposeless fantasy with no real demand. On the topic of the universal constant, Liu Feng and Gao Wen had managed to calculate the final result: 42. But that was it. They could not delve deeper because no one understood why it was 42, what it meant, or its significance. Research into the universal constant 42 had hit a dead end. Newton and Galileo remained elusive, and it was suspected they might also be in hibernation, with no clues found regarding their whereabouts. If there was any uplifting news, it was this: [Elon Musk has achieved significant breakthroughs in spacetime particle research!] ¡°You¡¯re heading to the United States anyway; why not let Elon Musk explain it to you directly?¡± Gao Wen suggested. He elaborated: ¡°The last time I met Elon Musk was 60 years ago, during a two-year stint as rotational principal after I woke up from hibernation. We had a brief encounter then.¡± ¡°In the 60 years since, I don¡¯t know if his research has made any new breakthroughs. As far as I know, he recently woke up from hibernation too... That¡¯s how it is for us, intermittent cycles of hibernation. Although technology might one day change everything, it still can¡¯t extend our fragile hundred-plus years of life.¡± ¡°Limited lifespan is humanity¡¯s greatest obstacle to advancing civilization,¡± Gao Wen said solemnly. ¡°I remember Liu Feng mentioning that in the era you were born, a top scholar needed only about 30 years to master all existing knowledge in their cutting-edge field before embarking on innovative research.¡± ¡°But by the 23rd century, during my university years, mastering a field required studying until the age of 40 before one qualified to enter the academy and explore new territories.¡± Lin Xian pushed such distant thoughts aside for now and focused on Elon Musk. ¡°I heard you¡¯ve made breakthroughs in spacetime particle research. What exactly are they?¡± Elon nodded. ¡°Do you remember the questions you posed to me before entering hibernation? You wanted, on one hand, to verify whether the World-Ending White Light truly existed, and on the other, to uncover its mysteries.¡± ¡°The biggest challenge at the time was this: In the universe, the fastest speed is the speed of light. Nothing can exceed it¡ªnot observation speeds nor information transmission speeds. At best, they¡¯re capped at the speed of light. This made the task seem impossible.¡± ¡°Unless... we could somehow make our observation speed or information transmission speed exceed the speed of light.¡± Exceed the speed of light? Lin Xian squinted. Just a moment ago, he had said the speed of light was insurmountable, and now he claimed it could be surpassed. Wasn¡¯t that contradictory? But if Elon Musk dared to say this, it meant he had found a way. ¡°Is it achievable?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°The inspiration came from that entangled spacetime particle,¡± Elon Musk replied, pointing at Lin Xian. ¡°Think about it, Lin Xian. When you traveled to 1952 and then returned to 2234, wasn¡¯t the information you observed and transmitted effectively faster than the speed of light?¡± Lin Xian had to admit it made some sense. ¡°In theory, yes. For light from 1952 to reach 2234, it would take almost 300 years. Yet I indeed managed to bring information from 1952 to hundreds of years later in an instant.¡± ¡°But now, the entangled spacetime particle no longer exists. Plus, observing the World-Ending White Light and time travel seem like two completely different matters. How could they be connected?¡± Elon chuckled, wagging his finger. ¡°True, they are different. But the understanding behind them shares a common principle. The real inspiration lies in one key concept: entanglement.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve heard of quantum entanglement, right? It¡¯s an old concept¡ªonce theorized as the foundation for faster-than-light communication and even interstellar messaging.¡± ¡°The entangled spacetime particle you used indeed showed us the possibility of instant information transmission. Now that the only entangled spacetime particle is gone... the question is, can we artificially make two ordinary spacetime particles become entangled?¡± Elon raised both fists, opening and closing them simultaneously, his intense gaze fixed on Lin Xian. ¡°I did it.¡± Lin Xian took a deep breath. ¡°You created an entangled spacetime particle?!¡± This was godlike technology! ¡°No, no,¡± Elon said carefully. ¡°I made two ordinary spacetime particles achieve entanglement. That¡¯s very different from creating a single entangled spacetime particle.¡± ¡°An entangled spacetime particle is inherently a singular entity, inseparable. In contrast, two ordinary particles made to achieve entanglement can be separated freely. This makes faster-than-light communication across vast distances possible.¡± ¡°The best part? This kind of entanglement can work in a one-to-many mode! One spacetime particle can entangle with many others, allowing it to simultaneously transmit multiple streams of information.¡± Lin Xian understood. It was akin to a walkie-talkie system¡ªonce entangled, a single spacetime particle became a communication device. But this wasn¡¯t just any communication. This ¡°walkie-talkie¡± was instantaneous and far exceeded the speed of light. Even if two devices were located at opposite ends of the universe, they could make a call with zero delay. ¡°I see your plan now,¡± Lin Xian said, catching on to Elon¡¯s idea. ¡°You believe the World-Ending White Light doesn¡¯t originate from Earth but rather... comes from outer space.¡± ¡°So, instead of waiting for the white light to arrive in 2624, you plan to launch probes toward the white light to make early contact, verifying and studying it.¡± Snap! Elon, still youthful in spirit, snapped his fingers and struck a playful pose like a character from an old movie. ¡°Exactly! You get me! That¡¯s the crazy plan! I¡¯m going to observe the World-Ending White Light years¡ªdecades, even¡ªbefore it reaches us, across a distance of several or dozens of light-years!¡± ¡°Although I can¡¯t be sure whether the white light is some kind of extraterrestrial strike, this experiment will allow us to find out.¡± ¡°The rockets equipped with spacetime particle observation systems will be unmanned, so we don¡¯t need to worry about deceleration or safety. They¡¯ll accelerate at full throttle! Unlimited acceleration! At the very least, we¡¯ll get them to reach 50% of the speed of light!¡± ¡°With this, just 10 years after launch, we can use entangled spacetime particles for instantaneous communication to observe the cosmos 5 light-years away. Similarly, in 40 years, we can observe 20 light-years away. And in 100 years, we¡¯ll be able to observe 50 light-years away!¡± Elon Musk grew more animated as he spoke, his aged body almost springing to life with excitement. It was, without a doubt, a mad plan. And undeniably, it was his style. But... While the idea was bold, could it realistically be executed? Lin Xian posed the most pressing question: ¡°Space is vast. Right now, we don¡¯t even know if the World-Ending White Light truly originates from outer space, let alone which direction it¡¯s coming from. So, where will your rockets be launched?¡± ¡°All directions!¡± Elon¡¯s eyes burned with determination, and his response was immediate. ¡°If we¡¯re going to investigate and verify, then we must cover every direction! Over the years, I¡¯ve been probing and capturing spacetime particles. Thanks to advancements in aerospace technology, including the one in Einstein¡¯s Oven, I now have a total of 23 spacetime particles.¡± ¡°One will remain on Earth as a receiver, while the remaining 22 particles will be entangled with this receiver. These will then be loaded into rockets as probes.¡± He raised both hands high, gazing up at the bright ceiling of the underground shelter as though beholding a brilliant galaxy. ¡°Twenty-two probes carrying spacetime particles will be launched into the deep universe from 22 directions!¡± ¡°If that World-Ending White Light is indeed an extraterrestrial strike... we will see it coming first!¡± Chapter 531: The Elder Chapter 531: The Elder This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°Hmm...¡± Lin Xian pondered deeply over Elon Musk¡¯s bold and audacious plan. ¡°Launching 22 detection rockets in 22 directions... If it were within the solar system, it¡¯d be feasible. But at the scale of dozens of light-years, the chances are still incredibly slim.¡± ¡°No, Lin Xian.¡± The Aluminum Alloy Trashcan Robot VV shook its head and nudged Lin Xian¡¯s knee with its claw. ¡°The purpose of these probes is only to observe if the World-Ending White Light originates from outer space, not to collide with it as if playing billiards.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve seen that beam of white light in your dream, it means it¡¯s visible light. Logically, it should be observable in space.¡± ¡°Just like the stars we see when we look up at night¡ªmany of their lights have traveled for hundreds or even thousands of years. Some stars may have already collapsed and exploded, ceasing to exist, yet their light continues to reach us hundreds of years later.¡± ¡°So, think of it this way: if we can observe stars hundreds of light-years away with the naked eye, these probes should also have a detection range spanning hundreds of light-years, just like space telescopes.¡± ¡°If even one of these 22 probes detects a white light heading toward Earth, it would prove Elon Musk¡¯s theory correct.¡± Elon Musk smiled faintly. He stepped forward and patted VV¡¯s head. ¡°Lin Xian, your AI is indeed clever and very likable. I might just reconsider my previous opinion.¡± Then, he looked up at Lin Xian. ¡°But you¡¯re not wrong either. Beyond the light-year boundaries of the universe, we have no idea what lies out there or what might happen.¡± ¡°It¡¯s entirely possible that these 22 rockets and their spacetime particles will end up being a complete waste.¡± ¡°However... the beauty of scientific experiments is that they don¡¯t fear failure. Each failure brings us closer to success.¡± ¡°Even if these 22 rockets yield no results, apart from losing some spacetime particles, the cost isn¡¯t too significant. But if one of the probes detects something, then we¡¯ve hit the jackpot! Perhaps all the mysteries will finally have a direction for further research, bringing us one step closer to solving them!¡± Lin Xian nodded. He had to admit that was true. Ordinary spacetime particles didn¡¯t hold much utility. Elon Musk¡¯s approach of recycling and repurposing them truly maximized their value. ¡°It¡¯s worth a try. This is indeed a great idea. How¡¯s your preparation coming along? When are you planning to launch these probes?¡± ¡°Almost ready,¡± Elon Musk replied with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been working on this for years. I won¡¯t let down the trust you¡¯ve placed in me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure everything is prepared as soon as possible. When the rockets launch, I¡¯ll invite you both to watch!¡± ¡°So, I won¡¯t disturb your investigation here any longer. I¡¯ll head back to prepare for the rocket launch. Also, I¡¯ll take Einstein¡¯s Oven with me¡ªit¡¯s time to entangle that spacetime particle inside.¡± ¡°This entire old Brooklyn area is under my control. I¡¯ve protected Einstein¡¯s underground shelter very well, and apart from the three of us, no one knows about it. Feel free to continue your investigation here. I¡¯ll be off.¡± Elon Musk, always the busybody, came and went in a hurry. ¡°Alright, VV, it¡¯s your turn to work now.¡± After Elon Musk¡¯s departure, Lin Xian pointed at a dusty network server behind the platform. ¡°This is the foundation of the Genius Club¡¯s meeting system. The programs and security systems were written by Kevin Walker. I think we can uncover Copernicus¡¯s or Newton¡¯s true identity by investigating the data in here.¡± ¡°Leave it to me!¡± VV spun its claw with enthusiasm. ¡°Watch me uncover the scheming old fox! In fact... even without this server, I¡¯d still be able to track down Newton!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been idle over the past 500 years. Every vacuum robot and trashcan robot in the world has a part of me in them. They¡¯re my cells, my eyes...¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Lin Xian quickly interrupted VV¡¯s boasting to avoid it jinxing itself. ¡°Cut it out with the big talk, will you? Haven¡¯t you learned enough from your past failures? Don¡¯t act all high and mighty only to end up getting beaten again.¡± ¡°Cunoalu!¡± VV let out a bizarre cry. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate the bond between trashcan robots and vacuum robots, you fool!¡± ¡°...¡± Lin Xian looked at the dramatic AI with a speechless expression. ¡°This outdated joke from 500 years ago¡ªdon¡¯t you think it¡¯s cringe-worthy to play it now? I¡¯m embarrassed for you.¡± ¡°Ugh, you¡¯re as dull as ever.¡± Ignoring Lin Xian, VV activated the network server and began hacking into it. ¡°This will take some time to crack. Why don¡¯t you find a spot to rest? Ever since waking from hibernation, you haven¡¯t slept at all.¡± Lin Xian yawned. ¡°I was just planning to dream anyway. Mainly... to confirm something.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± VV asked curiously. ¡°You.¡± Lin Xian stared at the aluminum alloy robot¡¯s gleaming silver back. ¡°When Einstein disappeared, it didn¡¯t cause a shift in the worldline or any changes to the spacetime clock¡¯s readings. That was understandable.¡± ¡°But now, you, such a powerful super AI, have been resurrected, and yet Liu Feng¡¯s spacetime clock readings remain unchanged. That strikes me as very odd.¡± ¡°Is it really a big deal?¡± VV replied nonchalantly. ¡°When you pulled me from the Third Dreamscape and reactivated me, the dreamworld didn¡¯t change either, did it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you were destroyed back then!¡± Lin Xian spread his hands. ¡°In the predetermined trajectory of the future, you were destined to be eradicated by the future virus brought by the fake Yu Xi, so of course, it wouldn¡¯t cause a shift in the worldline.¡± ¡°But now, the issue is... Cheng Qian has joined us as a reliable member of Rhine University, and you¡¯ve evolved into your fully realized form. Who or what could possibly destroy you now?¡± VV¡¯s green eyes flickered twice. ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying¡ªyou mean...¡± ¡°You want to enter the Ninth Dreamscape to confirm whether I still exist there!¡± The wheels of time rolled relentlessly forward, carving two immutable tracks that seemed destined to converge at the final ending. At precisely 00:42, the white light arrived on schedule. Burning everything to ashes. ... ... ... When Lin Xian opened his eyes, he sat up from the hibernation chamber, his face clouded with worry. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯ve got that sour expression again.¡± Aluminum Alloy VV rolled over on its tracks, looking up at him. ¡°Your worries are written all over your face. Don¡¯t tell me... you couldn¡¯t find me in the future dreamscape either?¡± Lin Xian nodded silently. ¡°Exactly. I couldn¡¯t find you. You were completely wiped out, like a chalkboard erased clean, with no trace of even an artificial ¡®idiot¡¯ left behind.¡± ¡°Tch!¡± VV dismissed this with disdain. ¡°Even when you erase a chalkboard, there¡¯s always some residue left. Nothing in this world can be erased so completely. Even birds leave traces in flight.¡± ¡°I mean, I really can¡¯t think of anything that could kill me! Not even the time when Yu Xi turned into a spacetime bomb and caused that blue snow across Donghai City managed to kill me...¡± ¡°Sure, the instant the spacetime bomb exploded, it did wipe out everything in Donghai City, including me and that future virus, but we both had backups all over the global network. We just instantly respawned in Donghai City without missing a beat.¡± ¡°Even centuries ago, cloud backup was a basic feature for countless apps on phones. Do you really think I, a super AI, wouldn¡¯t have taken precautions? I¡¯ve got more lifelines than a cunning rabbit! You wouldn¡¯t believe how many safety caches I¡¯ve set up for myself in the past few days¡ªpractically impossible to kill me!¡± ¡°...Wait a minute.¡± Lin Xian suddenly leapt out of the hibernation chamber and walked briskly toward VV. ¡°The blue snow you¡¯re talking about¡ªwas it on July 1, 2024, when Yu Xi turned into a spacetime bomb and exploded?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± VV tilted its head. ¡°What other time could it be? That was the only instance. Zhao Ying Jun even told Yu Xi the story, though he left out the part about you two having a child out of wedlock and added some artistic embellishments.¡± ¡°No, no, this isn¡¯t the time for that!¡± Lin Xian waved his hand to cut VV off, focusing on the critical point. ¡°I always thought that spacetime explosion had no effect on you or the future virus¡ªit only killed the time traveler who didn¡¯t belong to this timeline.¡± ¡°But I didn¡¯t realize... it actually wiped out you and the future virus within Donghai City as well. That doesn¡¯t make sense! You¡¯re something I built, piece by piece, in this era. You¡¯re a native creation of this timeline. Why would a spacetime bomb be capable of killing you?¡± He began pacing back and forth, his mind racing. ¡°This makes no logical sense.¡± ¡°Let me summarize: that spacetime explosion obliterated Number 17, the spacetime assassin; recharged two depleted spacetime particles; and completely eradicated both you and the future virus within Donghai City.¡± ¡°This means that, while we don¡¯t fully understand the mechanics of the spacetime bomb, its results suggest one thing¡ªit treated both VV and the future virus as foreign entities not belonging to this timeline and eliminated them.¡± ¡°But here¡¯s the contradiction: let¡¯s set the future virus aside for now. VV, you have no attributes of an entity from another timeline. You don¡¯t possess any spacetime traveler traits. By all logic, you should¡¯ve been immune to the spacetime explosion, just like everything else native to this world.¡± ¡°I think this points to one conclusion¡ª¡± Lin Xian raised a finger, his expression serious. ¡°The principle of the spacetime bomb is not destruction but correction!¡± ¡°Correction?¡± VV was puzzled but quickly began processing the idea. ¡°You¡¯re saying the spacetime bomb¡¯s essence isn¡¯t to destroy foreign entities but to correct errors in the timeline?¡± ¡°And if there are errors, there must be a standard for what¡¯s correct. According to your theory, what is the spacetime bomb using as the reference point for correction?¡± ¡°As you¡¯re aware, our timeline has already shifted across multiple worldlines. If other worldlines are being used as the correct template or standard... doesn¡¯t that mean our entire world is fundamentally wrong?¡± ... For a moment, Lin Xian and the Aluminum Alloy VV stared at each other, wide-eyed and speechless. They both felt as though they were on the brink of uncovering some hidden logic, but no matter how they tried, they couldn¡¯t piece the clues together. Their minds were a jumbled mess, jumping from one thought to another. ¡°It feels like we¡¯re missing a critical point,¡± Lin Xian muttered, rubbing his temples. ¡°One last key point... and everything about the spacetime bomb, correcting temporal errors, and what defines an error will finally connect.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± VV gave a dramatic cough, leaning back and placing its claw on its waist. ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible... that the key point lies with Newton?¡± Lin Xian turned to look at VV, blinking in disbelief. ¡°You don¡¯t mean to say... you¡¯ve already¡ª¡± ¡°Heheheheh!¡± VV let out a villainous laugh, snapping its claw with a spark. In an instant, the surrounding monitors lit up simultaneously, displaying a photograph of a frail, elderly man. Sunken eye sockets, sparse eyebrows, hollow cheeks, drooping eyelids, a high-bridged nose, a cleft chin, pale lips, and long, narrow eyes... Every feature was hauntingly familiar. Even after hundreds of years, Lin Xian recognized this face vividly. He had even sketched an incredibly lifelike drawing of it once. ¡°Lin Xian, you were right before you went to sleep. When you woke up, there was indeed good news waiting for you.¡± VV rolled forward on its tracks, stopping in front of the large screen. It raised its claw and pointed to the photo of the old man. ¡°Surprised? The person we spent 500 years searching for, scanning every digital photo across the globe but never found... has appeared right here.¡± VV¡¯s green eyes flickered rapidly as it delivered the revelation with certainty: ¡°That old man who trapped you in the Fourth Dreamscape... is Newton!¡± Chapter 532: The Hunter This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Lin Xian stared at the photograph displayed on the monitor. It was him! The old man who had cornered him at the Fourth Dreamscape¡¯s starting point, electrocuted him unconscious, placed a hood over his head, and laughed dryly while saying, ¡°I see you!¡± In 2023, Lin Xian and VV had gone to extreme lengths to find this man, even traveling to the United States to participate in the world hacking competition and collecting every electronic photo available on the global internet, only to come up empty-handed. Back then, Lin Xian had been deeply puzzled. The super artificial intelligence VV had already used Lin Xian¡¯s sketch to simulate the man¡¯s appearance across all age ranges. Logically speaking¡ª If the old man existed in 2023, even as a mere infant, the simulation should have yielded a match. Because of this, Lin Xian suspected that the mysterious old man was actually Kevin Walker. After all, only a super-hacker like Kevin Walker would possess the capability to erase all traces of himself from the internet. But when Lin Xian personally killed Kevin Walker, he discovered that their appearances didn¡¯t match at all, completely overturning this theory. Lin Xian then shifted his suspicions to the possibility that the old man was Copernicus. Surprisingly¡ª When Lin Xian later killed Copernicus with his own hands, he found himself again dumbfounded. Copernicus didn¡¯t look like the old man either! He didn¡¯t dwell on it further. At the time, all evidence had pointed toward Copernicus. Lin Xian had assumed that Copernicus had undergone plastic surgery in the Fourth Dreamscape, thus altering his appearance. But what he never anticipated... After countless games of cat and mouse, through trials and tribulations, the true identity of the mysterious old man turned out to be Newton! ¡°Then why couldn¡¯t we find him in 2023?¡± Lin Xian voiced his doubts: ¡°Newton clearly existed in 2023. He, Copernicus, Galileo, and Da Vinci were all from the same era. It doesn¡¯t make sense that not a single image or record of him survived.¡± r?a?obE?s?? ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± replied Aluminum Alloy VV, shaking its head. ¡°At the time, for some unknown reason, I indeed couldn¡¯t find Newton based on your sketch.¡± ¡°Moreover... When I trace the newly discovered data backward, I still can¡¯t reconstruct Newton¡¯s presence in 2023. In other words¡ª¡± ¡°Newton¡¯s life records are fragmented, inconsistent, fabricated, and perhaps... even his physical appearance might be entirely falsified.¡± ... ¡°Falsehood. Disguise.¡± Lin Xian squinted, lost in thought. Considering that Newton and Copernicus were cut from the same cloth, with Newton as the successor to Copernicus¡¯ will, it wasn¡¯t entirely implausible for their identities and appearances to have been falsified. ¡°What you¡¯ve just said reminded me of an earlier theory,¡± Lin Xian said, turning to VV. ¡°When I discovered Newton¡¯s true stance, I suspected that Newton might not actually be an old man of similar age to Copernicus. Instead, it¡¯s more likely that they are father and son.¡± ¡°Copernicus was already at death¡¯s door due to old age. If Newton were truly his peer, how could he still be so energetic after 500 years?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Newton didn¡¯t hibernate continuously for 500 years. He woke up intermittently and was always active. That¡¯s why I had a bold theory¡ª¡± ¡°Newton, when he joined the Genius Club, was actually a young man. To create the illusion of opposition with Copernicus, he disguised himself as an old man of the same age, deceiving the other geniuses and confusing everyone.¡± It had to be said. Copernicus and Newton¡ªthese two cunning old foxes¡ªwere truly devious. For all the years of Genius Club gatherings, only the all-knowing and all-seeing Einstein had seen through their act. None of the other members had ever suspected the truth. ¡°Copernicus and Newton, without a doubt, are extremely clever and resourceful,¡± Lin Xian continued. ¡°But as the founding members of the Genius Club, their high standing and monopoly over intelligence created a fatal flaw¡ª¡± ¡°Arrogance.¡± Lin Xian shook his head and went on. ¡°Arrogance and conceit are the deadliest flaws anyone can have. Many of the enemies we¡¯ve faced were immensely powerful, but in the end, they lost¡ªnot to us, but to their own arrogance.¡± ¡°Newton and Copernicus always looked down on everyone else in the Genius Club, including me. Now, it¡¯s time to find Newton in reality and give him a surprise.¡± VV spun in excitement, raising its arms high. ¡°Let me, let me! I love handling things like this! Whether it was Kevin Walker, Copernicus, or Newton, they all walked all over us before... Now, it¡¯s finally our turn!¡± ¡°Back when I was studying acting and directing in Hollywood, I learned so many techniques, but I never got to show off before going offline. This is the perfect opportunity¡ªI must direct this one myself!¡± ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Lin Xian replied with a dismissive wave. ¡°Think of it as rehabilitation for playing dumb for 500 years. As long as we find Newton in reality, it doesn¡¯t matter how we meet.¡± ¡°The games between Genius Club members have always been like this... At the end of the day, we¡¯re all just mortal flesh and blood. No matter how high our IQs, exposure means death. It¡¯s the same for everyone.¡± ¡°VV, can you guess why Newton, knowing my true identity, hasn¡¯t tried to kill me?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy,¡± VV responded immediately. ¡°To maintain the stability of the worldline!¡± ¡°Newton doesn¡¯t know that Einstein¡¯s vision of a ¡®beautiful future¡¯ is false. He must still believe that the worldline leading to that future exists because of his efforts.¡± ¡°So, to keep the worldline stable and prevent it from jumping to another, the best course of action is to avoid unnecessary actions and let history and the future unfold as intended.¡± ¡°Newton¡¯s targets have always been scientists and mathematicians. As harsh as it sounds, in his eyes, killing you holds no value and only risks altering the worldline. Why take that chance?¡± Lin Xian chuckled and shrugged. Over the centuries, humanity had often veered down the wrong scientific path, wasting precious time and resources. One classic example came at the dawn of the 22nd century, during humanity¡¯s preparations for interstellar exploration. A fierce debate erupted between proponents of propellant-based spacecraft engines and those advocating for propellant-less engines. The global scientific community split into two camps: the traditionalists, who supported continuing research into propellant engines and advancing step-by-step by harvesting fuel from gas planets during space voyages, and the innovators, who urged a bold pivot to propellant-less engines, envisioning a permanent solution to interstellar travel. In the end, the innovators triumphed, and the world poured its collective resources into developing propellant-less engines. However, centuries later, the results proved devastating. The technology turned out to be an unattainable fantasy, entirely unsuitable for space travel within the constraints of contemporary science. After wasting hundreds of years, humanity reverted to propellant engines. Had that pivotal meeting chosen the traditional path, might human civilization have reached a different trajectory by now? Regrettably, time offered no second chances. The squandered centuries and talents left a deep scar. Following this debacle, the scientific community adopted a more cautious approach, significantly stifling innovation and risk-taking. As Dr. Hans took his seat as chair of the meeting, his young secretary, standing nearby, clenched her fists nervously. Could he... succeed? After a brief opening address, the discussions began. The overwhelming consensus among the attendees leaned toward a conservative approach: human biology should focus on enhancing and modifying the body¡¯s natural capabilities, remaining grounded in the human form. Instruments of science could support these goals, but dependence on them should not go too far. Concepts like electronic limbs, eyes, or brains were dismissed as entirely unacceptable. ¡°We must,¡± one prominent academic declared passionately, ¡°maintain strict limits and boundaries! If we fail to do so from the outset, we risk a future where people might willingly amputate healthy limbs or organs just to replace them with cold, mechanical alternatives.¡± This sentiment resonated strongly with the audience. Even in 2504, the public¡¯s acceptance of mechanical limbs and organs remained extremely low. As long as their natural organs functioned, few people would consider replacements. Consequently, research in these areas was sparse. However, Dr. Hans, as a leading figure in global scientific innovation, stood firmly with the progressives. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen,¡± he began, rising with calm authority, his voice cutting through the room, ¡°why do we resist new technologies that could enhance human lifespan, physical performance, health, and intelligence? Is it because we genuinely believe the human body is perfect? No. It¡¯s because we fear failure. We fear repeating past mistakes and wasting centuries again.¡± His gaze swept the room, filled with conservative scholars united in their caution. ¡°Fear of failure has cast a shadow over academia worldwide. With the exception of Rhine University in X Country, this stagnation has gripped nearly every corner of the globe. The debacle of the propellant-less engine undoubtedly cost us centuries, but does that mean we should abandon hope for the future altogether?¡± Dr. Hans¡¯s tone sharpened as he continued. ¡°Are we truly content with mediocrity? Do you all genuinely believe the human body is flawless? No! What you truly fear is failure¡ªanother misstep, another waste of time. But tell me, are we humans facing extinction in the next few centuries? If not, then why should we shy away from bold experiments that could benefit generations to come?¡± He paused, letting his words sink in, before delivering his final, impassioned plea. ¡°If we don¡¯t start exploring cybernetics¡ªelectronic limbs, organs, and even neural interfaces¡ªnow, then when will we begin? Scholars, scientists, if we refuse to stand at the forefront of technology, then who will? If even we dare not attempt the unknown, who else will have the courage to try?¡± ... ... Dr. Hans¡¯s scolding left the entire room silent. Gradually. A few claps emerged here and there, slowly evolving into a wave of enthusiastic applause. Indeed. Dr. Hans was right... Should human civilization bow its head and live in humiliation forever due to a single failure? Everyone in the room understood deep down. The integration of electronics, artificial intelligence, mechanics, advanced materials, and micro nuclear batteries had resulted in the creation of electronic prosthetics, electronic eyes, and electronic brains. These artificial organs far surpassed the performance and durability of the human body. Yet, conservative thoughts and the traditional human-centric mindset had shackled research in this direction. The final vote was cast. Under Dr. Hans¡¯s leadership, electronic prosthetics and electronic brains became the new focus of human scientific development. From that moment, humanity embarked on a bright future. ¡°Marvelous work, Dr. Hans!¡± After the meeting, the female secretary eagerly approached him, her excitement uncontainable: ¡°You did it! You are leading humanity into a brand-new era!¡± ¡°Success will always depend on collective effort,¡± Dr. Hans replied calmly. ¡°One person alone can never change the world. This revolution in human science... is yet another long marathon, a race between humanity and its own destiny.¡± The two exited the building, and the autonomous car the secretary had prepared was already waiting at the door. Dr. Hans took the passenger seat, while the secretary drove him home herself. ¡°Dr. Hans, I¡¯ll pick you up again tomorrow. Please wait at home. Until the police thoroughly investigate this matter, you must stay indoors and remain vigilant.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Dr. Hans waved his hand wearily. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± ... After the secretary drove off, Dr. Hans glanced at the lock on his door. Iris scanning and various biometric verifications ensured that he alone could open it. Click. The door unlocked. Dr. Hans stepped into the living room and turned on the lights. ¡°Ah!!¡± He yelled, stumbling back and nearly falling. There, seated on a chair by the dining table, was a young man with a calm smile on his face. Beside him stood a trashcan robot with glowing green eyes. The young man sat with his arms crossed and legs casually resting on another chair, clearly having waited for some time. ¡°A hunter will eventually become the hunted.¡± Lin Xian smiled faintly as he regarded the belated old man. ¡°I¡¯ve said this to you twice already, but this will be the last time you¡¯ll hear it.¡± ¡°So, how should I address you?¡± ¡°Newton... or Copernicus?¡± Chapter 534: Our Club This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°So... that¡¯s how it is...¡± Lin Xian gazed at the pristine Genius Club Invitation inside the vacuum safe. Although he did not move, countless clues connected in his mind, unraveling many truths. ¡°Lin Xian, be careful when you take it out.¡± Beside him, the Aluminum Alloy Trashcan Robot, VV, warned: ¡°Even though this is a vacuum safe, it¡¯s not a time machine. Paper, such a fragile material, becomes naturally brittle and dry after centuries of storage, even if it¡¯s not oxidized.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I understand,¡± Lin Xian replied, momentarily setting aside his thoughts. He carefully reached into the safe and cradled the invitation with both hands. The texture felt just as it should. As someone who had personally handled both genuine and counterfeit invitations, Lin Xian could immediately tell this was authentic. He gently bent the card after retrieving it, noticing its resilience¡ªit hadn¡¯t turned into something as fragile as dried seaweed: ¡°It seems fine. Vacuum storage really is effective.¡± VV nudged Lin Xian¡¯s knee with a mechanical claw, signaling for him to crouch down so it could see better with its glowing green eyes: ¡°So... this invitation, it really is the last authentic Genius Club Invitation, isn¡¯t it?¡± Its green light flickered as it stared intently at Lin Xian. ¡°Just as you hypothesized earlier¡ªyour invitation, the one obtained from the mirror, was indeed acquired through illegitimate means, essentially an extra one conjured out of thin air! It doesn¡¯t belong to the original eight invitations issued by Einstein!¡± ¡°No, no, no,¡± Lin Xian corrected, shaking his head. ¡°You¡¯re thinking about it the wrong way, VV. Consider this carefully: Einstein could see every corner of the world, every second of everything that happens.¡± ¡°Do you think he wouldn¡¯t know that my invitation came from the mirror via a cheat? Of course, he knew. Not only did Einstein know I acquired my invitation this way, but he was also aware that Newton hid one invitation...¡± ¡°Yet, despite all of this, Einstein still acknowledged my identity as No. 9. There¡¯s even a specific detail to note¡ªafter I used the so-called cheated invitation to join the Genius Club, he had Turing shut down the club¡¯s newcomer guidance system.¡± ¡°This implies that my invitation is both authentic and valid¡ªit truly counts as one of the eight invitations he issued. Do you follow?¡± ¡°My so-called cheated invitation is actually this very invitation here in Newton¡¯s safe.¡± ¡°These two invitations... are actually one and the same!¡± ? The Aluminum Alloy Trashcan Robot, VV, tilted its head. ¡°You keep insisting it¡¯s one invitation when there are clearly two... Wait, could it be!¡± VV¡¯s green eyes flashed rapidly in realization. ¡°Are you saying that the invitation you have was actually obtained from the future¡ªor rather, sent back from the future? But how would that work with spacetime logic? From the perspective of worldlines, it seems paradoxical.¡± R?ANo???E?¡ì Lin Xian nodded. ¡°It¡¯s complicated, and yes, there are some aspects that don¡¯t make sense. But just because it doesn¡¯t make sense doesn¡¯t mean the hypothesis is wrong. It could simply mean that our understanding of the Temporal Laws is incomplete.¡± ¡°On the other hand, if we think about it simply, having two invitations appear simultaneously isn¡¯t unreasonable. Their relationship is akin to that between Ying Jun and Yellow Finch. Future objects can coexist with their original counterparts in the same timeline.¡± ¡°However... conjecture alone isn¡¯t enough. To confirm whether this invitation is identical to mine, we need to verify it.¡± Saying this, Lin Xian lowered his gaze to the red wax seal attached to the invitation. Through the light, he could see a distinct black opaque object sealed inside. No doubt, it was the Genius Club¡¯s Golden Badge. To attend the club¡¯s meetings, one must use this NFC device to connect to the network, which would then allow entry to the virtual meeting room via VR glasses.@@@@ Pinching the red wax seal between his fingers, Lin Xian gently twisted it. With almost no resistance, the wax came off¡ªage had eroded its adhesive quality. He then unfolded the invitation. As expected, the interior was blank, identical to the one he had previously acquired from the mirror. ¡°In other words, to verify whether these two invitations are the same, we must analyze the Golden Badge. But... there¡¯s no NFC equipment here. I¡¯ll need to dismantle and study it back home.¡± ¡°There is! There is! How can you say there isn¡¯t?¡± VV swiveled around, attempting to tilt its body, pointing to an area just above its tracks¡ªroughly equivalent to the ¡°waistline¡± of a trashcan. ¡°I have an NFC scanner right here! Just take the Golden Badge out of the wax and scan it on my... uh, back end. I¡¯ll read the encryption key inside and compare it with the one from your previous badge!¡± ¡°...¡± Lin Xian was speechless, staring at VV¡¯s awkwardly positioned NFC scanner. ¡°Why would anyone install an NFC scanner in such a strange location? What was the original design intention?¡± ¡°Because NFC has been obsolete for ages!¡± VV retorted, still trying to nudge its ¡°back end¡± into position. ¡°When Zhao Ying Jun oversaw my design project, she specifically instructed the engineers to include an NFC scanner. She was as meticulous as ever, foreseeing that after your hibernation, you might still need to use the Genius Club¡¯s Golden Badge. Although NFC had been phased out by the 23rd century, she decided to leave one in my system for you.¡± ¡°As for why it¡¯s in this obscure spot... well, you¡¯d have to ask the engineers. Maybe, to them, such outdated and useless tech was only fit for such a corner.¡± ¡°But I still have a question. Copernicus, with his obsessive reverence for 42 and his so-called respect for scientists, always adhered to a principle of never killing the innocent.¡± ¡°Newton, on the other hand, is completely different. He clearly has far fewer scruples than Copernicus. He disregards principles, rituals, and obsession... So why has he never caused trouble for you?¡± Hearing VV¡¯s analysis, Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°The answer is simple, and Newton himself just gave it¡ª¡± ¡°¡®Everything is to maintain the stability of the worldline.¡¯¡± Leaning back in his chair, Lin Xian exhaled through his nose and spoke slowly: ¡°Although Copernicus and Newton worked together, there were still disagreements between them on the finer details.¡± ¡°Copernicus valued respect and rituals, while Newton prioritized ensuring the stability of the perfect worldline at all costs. Their focus was different.¡± ¡°The fact that I killed Copernicus? Newton must have known. That¡¯s also why Copernicus smiled before he died.¡± ¡°Because with the last of his life, he ensured that Newton could definitively identify the person disrupting history and communicating with the future¡ªme.¡± ¡°Afterward, when Einstein declared the perfect worldline achieved, Newton had already accepted that my existence was a part of maintaining that stability. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t trouble me.¡± ¡°For Newton, his only concern was the worldline and the most beautiful future for humanity as described by Einstein. Even Einstein¡¯s death¡ªand Newton¡¯s choice to take his own life today without revealing any information to me¡ªwas, in his eyes, part of maintaining the stability of the worldline.¡± ... For a long time, Lin Xian and VV remained silent. VV¡¯s green glow flickered softly before dimming entirely. ¡°Lin Xian,¡± VV finally said, its voice low and melancholic, ¡°I suddenly feel an overwhelming sadness.¡± It lowered its gaze. ¡°I¡¯m not grieving Newton¡¯s death, not exactly. It¡¯s just... have you noticed? Whether it¡¯s Einstein, Copernicus, even Gauss, who caused your separation from Zhao Yingjun and Yu Xi, or Kevin Walker, who tried to kill you...¡± ¡°Every single member of the Genius Club¡ªnone of them were born villains or killers who found joy in evil. They all had a heart to save the world. And yet... they were deceived by a fabricated future orchestrated by some unseen hand, driving them down a path of error and extremism.¡± ¡°I think they must have tried, at some point, to save the future through gentler, more acceptable methods. Like Da Vinci and Elon Musk did. But every time, Einstein¡¯s feedback told them they had failed. Left with no alternative, they turned to these twisted paths and came to believe in a false future.¡± Lin Xian said nothing. Of course, he understood what VV meant. The members of the Genius Club¡ªthough most were now dead¡ªwere undeniably world-class in intelligence and talent. If they had been given proper guidance, truthful feedback... Perhaps, even in the face of the mysterious World-Ending White Light, this group of geniuses, standing at the pinnacle of human intellect, could have united and triumphed. Suddenly, a spark of inspiration flashed through Lin Xian¡¯s mind. [Note: Please disable browser reading mode to avoid issues with turning pages or missing content.] That¡¯s it. The Genius Club itself wasn¡¯t flawed. Einstein himself wasn¡¯t flawed. The intentions of these geniuses were good. It was only the deceptive future created by a mysterious force that misled everyone, causing these geniuses to steer the world astray. But what if... A true gathering of geniuses could be forged? What if true unity could be achieved? What if a truthful future could be fed back? What if genuine responsibility was embraced? Could everything be saved then? Could Einstein¡¯s regrets be resolved, the geniuses¡¯ mistakes corrected, and humanity¡¯s impending doom averted? Lin Xian took a deep breath and stood up. He rubbed the Genius Club Golden Emblem in his hand, gazing out at the moon rising slowly in the night sky. ¡°The Genius Club was never at fault. It¡¯s an organization that inscribed ¡®great power entails great responsibility¡¯ into its principles, that pursued ¡®a brighter future for humanity,¡¯ and firmly believed that ¡®genius comes with both rights and obligations.¡¯¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never regretted joining this club. And I know Einstein¡¯s decision to create this club and design its emblem in this way was, in large part, because of Douglas... because of me.¡± ¡°So, by that logic, I could be considered half a founder of the Genius Club, couldn¡¯t I? Which means, in this moment, with great power comes great responsibility. I must step up to this duty.¡± ¡°VV,¡± Lin Xian said with unwavering resolve, lowering his gaze to the Aluminum Alloy Trashcan. ¡°Let¡¯s create... a new Genius Club!¡± Chapter 535: What Is 42? This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°If Einstein could see the real future, witness the Millennial Stake¡¯s decay, and the World-Ending White Light... could the geniuses of the Genius Club truly save humanity¡¯s future?¡±@@@@ Lin Xian placed the Golden Emblem on top of the Genius Club Invitation and carefully stored them together in a Vacuum Safe, locking it securely. ¡°I believe there¡¯s still hope,¡± he declared, pressing the lock button. The safe hissed, releasing air until the interior became vacuum-sealed again. Standing up, Lin Xian continued: ¡°The emergence of humanity, from the perspective of biology and probability, is a miracle. Earth itself is a cradle of miracles. I have immense faith in human potential. Of course... the prerequisite is having a true leader to guide these geniuses onto the right path.¡± Hearing Lin Xian¡¯s bold proclamation, VV¡¯s eyes alternated flashing excitedly as it raised its clip in enthusiasm. ¡°A new Genius Club! This is... this is so cinematic, like the coolest transition in a Hollywood movie! Count me in! I must have a spot in this. In terms of qualifications, I, VV, am a founding member who has sacrificed for the organization. Strength? I¡¯m a super artificial intelligence that¡¯s been quietly evolving for 500 years¡ªwho would dare challenge me? And loyalty? Don¡¯t even get me started¡ªwho could be more reliable than me, Lin Xian?¡± ¡°Relax, relax.¡± Lin Xian patted VV on its top and restrained the overenthusiastic Aluminum Alloy Trashcan Robot from bouncing around. ¡°My Genius Club will definitely include you. But for now, our priority is to search Newton¡¯s residence for clues.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s split the work¡ªcheck the computer¡¯s data, cold storage drives, and handwritten notebooks. We¡¯ll see if we can uncover anything useful.¡± ... After hours of rummaging, Lin Xian and VV thoroughly searched every corner of Newton¡¯s home. The findings were underwhelming. There were no clues about the Universal Constant 42, the topic they were most curious about. It seemed Newton and Copernicus were extremely cautious, choosing to keep this information locked in their minds. However, they did discover details about Newton¡¯s background, his relationship with Copernicus, and their motives for targeting mathematicians and scientists. ¡°Regarding Newton¡¯s real age and his disguised participation in the club meetings¡ªwe were right,¡± Lin Xian remarked, closing a notebook and leaning back in his chair. ¡°These elders from the 20th century certainly had the habit of recording things on paper. It was the only way they felt secure.¡± ¡°To some extent, in an era dominated by big data, cloud storage, and digital traces, these notebooks actually better protect personal privacy.¡± ¡°Newton¡¯s persistence in this habit is a small blessing for us. Even after his death, we can still glean valuable information from his time.¡± VV nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Old habits die hard,¡± it murmured. ¡°It¡¯s the hardest thing to change about a person¡ªlike how you always twirl your pen. In this high-tech age, habits are even more distinctive than biological traits or DNA.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take all this back to Elon Musk,¡± Lin Xian decided, gathering the useful notebooks into a neat pile on the table. ¡°Once we meet him, we¡¯ll explain Newton¡¯s backstory and the reasons behind their actions. Then, I¡¯ll inform him about my plan to form a new Genius Club.¡± VV opened its lid with a pop and pointed inside its trashcan-like body. ¡°Just toss everything in here¡ªthe notebooks and that safe. You can¡¯t carry it all by yourself, so let me handle it.¡± Lin Xian blinked in amusement. ¡°That¡¯s... an innovative idea.¡± He carefully lifted the Vacuum Safe containing the last Genius Club Invitation, placing it inside VV¡¯s compartment. Then he added all of Newton¡¯s notebooks. r??A?NO???E?S? After closing VV¡¯s lid, he observed, ¡°A perfect suitcase.¡± ¡°Traveling with you is incredibly convenient,¡± Lin Xian praised. ¡°If only the top of your head were flatter, I could even ride on you. But with so many bumps, it¡¯s clear your designer didn¡¯t envision that use case.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Don¡¯t push your luck with unreasonable demands!¡± VV spun in circles indignantly. ¡°I¡¯m already doing plenty!¡± ... After leaving Newton¡¯s residence, Lin Xian and VV boarded a private jet, returning to the Old Brooklyn estate in the United States, the private domain of Elon Musk, the elderly world¡¯s wealthiest man. Elon Musk sat in his chair, flipping through Newton¡¯s notebooks. ¡°I never would have guessed,¡± he said, ¡°that Newton was so young when he joined the Genius Club, and... that he managed to maintain this disguise for so long.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Lin Xian agreed. ¡°From these notebooks, it¡¯s clear that before joining the Genius Club, Copernicus and Newton didn¡¯t know each other and had no interactions. When they first met in the Genius Club, Copernicus was in his fifties, while Newton was only 20, just a young university student.¡± Elon Musk exhaled deeply, his tone filled with admiration. ¡°Cracking the code in the painting Melancholy Einstein at the age of 20 and correctly answering three exam questions¡ªNewton truly lived up to the name of genius. No wonder he was later able to devise such a complex plan.¡± ¡°They worked together, extracting vast amounts of truth and secrets about the future from Einstein. Unfortunately, looking back now with hindsight, it¡¯s evident that much of this information was false. Even Einstein himself was deceived.¡± Lin Xian adjusted his posture, crossing one leg over the other. ¡°You can¡¯t blame them. The ¡®mysterious force¡¯ behind the deception was incredibly cunning. They provided recent predictions about the future that could all be verified as true, making their claims seem trustworthy. Even predictions hundreds of years ahead were accurate. Only the ultimate conclusion turned out to be false, making it nearly impossible to discern.¡± ¡°They certainly want to master the power of 42 and gain the ability to match universal truths. But this isn¡¯t something that can be accomplished overnight. To truly master 42¡¯s power, it would either require the collective effort of the entire cosmos... or a truly extraordinary cosmic-level genius.¡± With a sigh, Musk turned to Lin Xian and VV. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve always been perplexed. 42 is just an ordinary number, something anyone could jot down anywhere. How could such a number harbor unimaginable destructive power? What¡¯s the mechanism behind it?¡± ¡°Knowledge,¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°Knowledge is power. That¡¯s one of humanity¡¯s oldest truths. When Einstein proposed the mass-energy equivalence formula, E=mc2, he never imagined that this elegantly simple equation would one day become the foundation for the world-shaking mushroom cloud.¡± ¡°In the same way, 42 is just a number until its truth is understood. Only by grasping it can one comprehend what it represents and the terrifying power it contains.¡± ... Listening to Lin Xian¡¯s words, Elon Musk nodded in agreement. If the Universal Constant 42 is likened to the mass-energy equation, it does become easier to understand. However... Given the current circumstances, is it truly possible to comprehend and master the Universal Constant 42? Elon Musk spread his hands helplessly: ¡°I¡¯m not trying to discourage you, but look¡ªon your side, you have Liu Feng and Gao Wen, both of them unrivaled geniuses. Despite collaborating for centuries, they only managed to calculate the result of the Universal Constant, which is 42, with various hints. In terms of understanding the essence of 42, there has been virtually no progress.¡± ¡°Of course, I am not saying that these two are incapable. Mr. Gao Wen is indeed the most intelligent genius I have ever met. I personally hold him in high regard and have sought his help to solve many research problems over the years.¡± ¡°But even a genius of his caliber couldn¡¯t uncover the truth of 42... Moreover, even someone as brilliant as Einstein could only stop at calculating the number 42, unable to move forward.¡± ¡°In this context, can there really appear a genius smarter than Gao Wen and Einstein, capable of fully comprehending 42? Or perhaps the human limit is simply incapable of understanding and mastering 42?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes. He recalled the scene of an old man and a young boy crushed under a truck; He remembered the numbers ¡°42¡± scrawled all over the walls of a decrepit house; He thought of the unparalleled genius who even Emperor Gao Wen praised with admiration; And he recalled a mysterious man, only spoken of in legends, never once encountered¡ªBig Cat Face¡¯s father, Chen Heping. ¡°There is one person... He actually did it.¡± Lin Xian spoke softly: ¡°At the very least, that man was different from Einstein, Liu Feng, and Gao Wen. Not only did he calculate the Universal Constant 42, but he also went a step further than anyone else¡ªhe comprehended its truth.¡± Thoughts surged backward like rays of light... Lin Xian suddenly realized. Perhaps all the truths and answers had already been revealed in the Second Dreamscape. That man was an ordinary elementary school math teacher. He spent decades studying the ancient text Introduction to the Universal Constant, and after calculating the result¡ª42¡ªhe locked himself away for months. He not only wrote variations of the number 42 into every tiny crevice of the bricks but ensured that every single stroke was never repeated. It had to be deliberate¡ªthere must be some hidden meaning! One day, Chen Heping fully grasped the truth of the Universal Constant 42. His actions became bizarre, and his mind broke down. Lin Xian still vividly remembered Big Cat Face imitating Chen Heping¡¯s erratic behavior: A vacant expression. Eyes unfocused. His entire demeanor resembled someone possessed, grabbing everyone he encountered by the arm and trembling as he repeated the same phrase: ¡°42... is everywhere.¡± Chapter 536: No.1 Lin Xian Chapter 536: No.1 Lin Xian This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation ¡°This is why I want to reestablish the Genius Club.¡± Lin Xian refocused his thoughts and looked at Elon Musk, saying: ¡°An individual¡¯s power is ultimately limited. It¡¯s better to gather the world¡¯s brightest minds together, pool ideas, unite, and collectively find solutions to the challenges we face.¡± Hearing this, Elon Musk nodded. ¡°This is probably...what Einstein truly envisioned. It¡¯s also the final instruction he left you. If Einstein knew that his most trusted Douglas had reestablished the Genius Club, he would undoubtedly feel comforted.¡± Elon Musk picked up Newton¡¯s notebook from the table and opened the next volume. As he skimmed through it, he analyzed: ¡°Newton at age 20 formed an alliance with Copernicus, who was over 50. To hide their true intentions, they had young Newton disguise himself as an elderly man, appearing to be Copernicus¡¯s contemporary.¡± ¡°Thus, when Galileo and Da Vinci joined the club, they saw two elderly men¡ªapparently at odds and treating each other as rivals. Newton played this role for decades. So when we all went into collective hibernation in 2025, Newton was in his sixties¡ªnot particularly old.¡± ¡°At present, of the original nine Genius Club Members, only three remain alive: you, me, and Galileo. How do you plan to rebuild the club? Who do you intend to invite as members?¡± ¡°Naturally, trustworthy friends.¡± Lin Xian chuckled lightly. ¡°I¡¯ve always believed that unity and trust are the true sources of power. I¡¯ve already thought about who to invite. Of course, the first person I want to invite is you, Elon.¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Elon Musk burst into hearty laughter. Despite his gray hair, this world-renowned billionaire still exuded the carefree, playful air of his youth. Time had taken much from him, yet it seemed to leave his essence untouched. ¡°I¡¯m honored that you think so highly of me, Lin Xian,¡± Elon said, his eyes gleaming. ¡°In this unfamiliar era, all I have left are friends and comrades like you. I¡¯d be delighted to join your Genius Club¡ªit¡¯s a privilege.¡± ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what form you plan to give the club this time, if it¡¯s anything like Einstein¡¯s version...please reserve the No.7 seat for me. It¡¯s my lucky number.¡± ¡°Of course, no problem.¡± Lin Xian shook hands with Elon Musk. ¡°Let¡¯s hope that this time, the Genius Club can truly fulfill its mission and bring humanity...a genuinely bright future!¡± ... After leaving the United States, Lin Xian and VV returned to Rhine University in Donghai. In the secret laboratory, the modified Spacetime Clock, upgraded by Liu Feng, continued to display an unchanging number: 0.0001764 ¡°Five hundred years have passed,¡± remarked the middle-aged Liu Feng, his voice tinged with emotion. ¡°The spacetime curvature and worldline have remained unchanged for nearly five centuries. Even though you¡¯ve done so much over the years¡ªfinding Einstein, reviving VV, and even killing Newton¡ªnone of it has shaken the elasticity of spacetime. This worldline is unbelievably resilient.¡± Lin Xian pulled up a chair and sat down. ¡°Ultimately, it all comes back to the 2600 Super Catastrophe triggered by Galileo. No matter what the world looked like in 2599, that global disaster completely reset everything. Unless we can reverse that pivotal event, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll be nearly impossible to alter the worldline.¡± ¡°But,¡± Liu Feng said, scratching his head, ¡°Newton, despite hiding so well, was still active in the world. With the help of VV, a super AI, it was possible to analyze big data and locate him.¡± ¡°How do we find Galileo, though? At this point in time, he should be hibernating in a Hibernation Chamber. If his chamber is hidden well, independently powered, and disconnected from any network, even VV wouldn¡¯t be able to track him down.¡± Gao Wen, who had been listening attentively, nodded in agreement. ¡°VV only took a few hours to locate Newton in the vast sea of humanity, yet we¡¯ve found no trace of Galileo after all this time. It¡¯s truly puzzling. Where is Galileo hiding? Is he even still on Earth?¡± ¡°And there¡¯s another matter that concerns me,¡± Gao Wen continued, standing up and walking to the Aluminum Alloy Trashcan, tapping on VV¡¯s sleek, silvery exterior. ¡°Lin Xian, you mentioned earlier that in the future of the Ninth Dreamscape, VV still can¡¯t be found, as if it had been destroyed again.¡± ¡°Who destroyed VV this time? After thinking it over, it seems Galileo is our only remaining enemy.¡± ¡°This brings us to a contradiction. VV, with its Aluminum Alloy body, exists as a data stream capable of being stored in any networked or even offline device. How could such a data-based lifeform be completely eradicated?¡± ¡°Could it be that the 2600 Super Catastrophe triggered by Galileo was essentially a kind of spacetime bomb? Could that be why it was able to eliminate VV on a global scale?¡± Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s certainly a baffling issue, one I haven¡¯t figured out myself. But... our next step has to be finding a way to locate Galileo first.¡± ¡°Speaking of that,¡± Lin Xian suddenly smiled and looked up at Gao Wen. ¡°The ¡®big promise¡¯ I once made to you¡ªit¡¯s finally about to come true.¡± ¡°?¡± A question mark practically appeared over Gao Wen¡¯s head. ¡°You made me a big promise? I don¡¯t remember anything like that.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t remember...¡± Lin Xian lowered his head, reminiscing about the events that had unfolded in the Sixth Dreamscape. Back then. Lin Xian and Gao Wen stood atop a high platform, gazing out at the distant tribes. Gao Wen spoke sincerely to Lin Xian: ¡°The great master is here¡ªpeace will reign under heaven!¡± Another creak followed. The world-renowned computer genius Cheng Qian stepped into the room. VV instantly transformed into a traffic-directing robot, adopting a formal stance as it led Cheng Qian to his seat. Cheng Qian, VV¡¯s savior, naturally sat directly across from it. Although the youngest member of the new Genius Club, Cheng Qian¡¯s world-class talent was unquestionable, even surpassing the former member Kevin Walker (Turing). This was Lin Xian¡¯s fifth genius recruit¡ª [No.5 Cheng Qian] Shortly after, the conference room doors opened again, this time admitting Du Yao and Elon Musk. Du Yao still looked as youthful and beautiful as ever. Her long periods of hibernation, with only brief interruptions, had kept her work ahead of its time. Unwilling to advance in eras when technology did not meet her satisfaction, she chose to exchange time for progress. In the 500 years that passed, she had aged less than a decade, remaining elegant and radiant. She and Elon Musk took the third chairs on the left and right, respectively. [No.6 Du Yao] [No.7 Elon Musk] Once everyone was seated, Elon Musk glanced at the two empty chairs at the end of the room and chuckled. ¡°I wonder...what kind of friends will take those two seats in the future.¡± He turned his head, surveying the familiar scene before him, and remarked nostalgically: ¡°In the original Genius Club, I also sat in the No.7 seat, as the seventh member to join.¡± ¡°Back then, I did the same thing¡ªstaring at the last two empty chairs, imagining what kind of fascinating geniuses would join us later.¡± ¡°The result, as it turned out, was bittersweet. I met the most despicable and vile Turing, but also the most righteous and courageous Lin Xian. This moment feels just like that one, waiting for new members to join, like opening a mystery box¡ªthrilling and nerve-wracking.¡± ¡°But...when it comes to the talents chosen by Lin Xian, I feel at ease. Just like everyone here¡ªI like you all! And I really like this place!¡± Elon Musk¡¯s words were heartfelt. Although this was the Genius Club, it was different from its predecessor. Here, no one needed to wear masks. No one needed to guard against one another. No one carried hidden agendas or engaged in underhanded scheming. Everyone had gathered here for a shared purpose, working together to break through challenges. Perhaps... Elon Musk clenched his fist. Perhaps... Lin Xian¡¯s Genius Club... Could truly create miracles! Creak¡ª The conference room doors opened for the last time. Pale moonlight spilled inside, casting a glow over the early hours of the night. Outside, it was just past midnight. In keeping with tradition, the new Genius Club held its meetings on the first day of every month at exactly 00:42. ¡°Apologies, I may be a bit late,¡± Lin Xian said with a smile as he closed the door behind him. Walking down the crimson carpet, he glanced at the faces of his gathered companions. ¡°But our club charter isn¡¯t so rigid or strict. Even if you arrive late, you are still warmly welcomed to join at any time.¡± He ascended the steps, moving to the elevated platform, and sat down in the sole chair at the center¡ª [No.1 Lin Xian] ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to tell a very long story,¡± Lin Xian began, sitting upright. ¡°This is a story that begins in 1952 and concludes in 2624.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a story about me, a story about Einstein, a story about the Millennial Stake, and a story about a peculiar dreamscape.¡± ¡°And at the same time...¡± He paused, raising his head to look at his companions one by one, scanning each face from left to right. ¡°At the same time...¡± ¡°It will also be the story of our future.¡± Chapter 537: Earth’s Forbidden Zone This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation Seated below were all the long-time companions of Lin Xian. Yet, despite their many years together, Lin Xian had never shared all the intelligence and information he possessed. Whether due to confidentiality or security concerns, much of it had remained hidden. To put it bluntly: Only VV and Liu Feng were fully aware of the entire story. After all, they were the comrades who had been by Lin Xian¡¯s side from the very beginning, providing crucial assistance in his battles and adventures. Now, however... Lin Xian was about to accomplish what Albert Einstein had envisioned but failed to achieve¡ª To reveal the dire future and impending apocalypse to these brilliant minds, encouraging collaboration, unity, and joint exploration to safeguard the future of human civilization! This time... Sitting in the No.1 seat of the new Genius Club, Lin Xian withheld nothing. He poured out every truth and secret he knew. No questions were off-limits. No restrictions were imposed. No plans harbored in anyone¡¯s mind were to be concealed. Everyone present was part of a collective effort, united as one group, sharing the same fate. This was the essence of the true Genius Club! ... Lin Xian spent a long time recounting everything, starting from 1952. He detailed the interwoven tales of Einstein, CC, the Millennial Stake, Spacetime Particles, the duality of good and evil between Newton and Copernicus, the centuries-long entanglement of Galileo and Da Vinci, Ji Xin Shui and the Seven Deadly Sins, the connection between Kevin Walker and VV, the Genius Club Invitations, the oil painting ¡°Sorrowful Einstein,¡± Introduction to the Universal Constant, the riddles of dreams and 42, the vanishing of Chu An Qing, CC¡¯s memory fragments, and finally... the apocalyptic White Light at 00:42 on August 29, 2624. This was a story spanning generations, filled with turbulence and displacement. Now¡ª This relay baton, transitioning between the old and new Genius Club, had been passed into Lin Xian¡¯s hands. He was determined to carry on Einstein¡¯s legacy and vision, to bestow upon humanity a brighter tomorrow and an infinite future. ?a?????o???E?¡ì ¡°All the stories... this is how they are,¡± Lin Xian concluded. He gazed at the companions below him, their eyes wide and mouths agape in astonishment. Though they had known parts of Lin Xian¡¯s past, none of them could have imagined the sheer grandeur, complexity, and far-reaching scope of it all. No one spoke. They were digesting what felt like a fantastical narrative but simultaneously gaining clarity on the sinister forces lurking in the world¡¯s shadows. ¡°Ahem,¡± Du Yao cleared her throat, breaking the silence. She raised her head and said: ¡°So, our primary goals now are twofold. Based on urgency and importance, they¡¯re perfectly aligned in sequence¡ª¡± ¡°1. Locate Galileo as soon as possible, prevent the Super Catastrophe of 2600, and thereby adjust spacetime curvature to enable a worldline leap.¡± ¡°2. Investigate the truth behind the apocalyptic White Light of 2624 and do everything in our power to stop it from destroying Earth, ensuring the survival of human civilization.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Liu Feng nodded in agreement. ¡°The reading on the Spacetime Clock hasn¡¯t changed over the past 500 years because this particular worldline was forged by a combination of factors to create the ¡®Total Annihilation Worldline.¡¯¡± ¡°Of course, this ¡®Total Annihilation¡¯ is the real ending Lin Xian witnessed. However, in the eyes of Einstein and his staunch believers, like Copernicus and Newton... this ¡®Total Annihilation Worldline¡¯ is paradoxically the ¡®Most Perfect Worldline.¡¯¡± As Liu Feng finished speaking, Cheng Qian raised his right hand. ¡°I have a question,¡± he said, frowning and rubbing his chin. As the youngest member, he spoke with a sharp edge of curiosity: ¡°I think there¡¯s a blind spot here that we need to address. That is...¡± ¡°According to Lin Xian, there have been multiple worldlines that were nearly indistinguishable from the complete extinction of humanity. For example, the Fifth Dreamscape and the Sixth Dreamscape, where technology and civilization regressed severely, and the global population dwindled to mere millions. In essence, that¡¯s not much different from human extinction.¡± ¡°Moreover, in the Ninth Dreamscape, the existence of Mai Mai indicates that human civilization wasn¡¯t strictly wiped out. If a living person could be found in the Donghai region, then what about the underground hibernation bases Lin Xian hadn¡¯t discovered? There are countless such bases worldwide, aren¡¯t there?¡± ¡°So, there¡¯s something peculiar here¡ª¡± ¡°Why is it that only the Ninth Dreamscape, specifically the 0.0001764 worldline, allowed Einstein to witness what he deemed a satisfactory and most beautiful future, rather than deceiving him on another worldline?¡± ¡°Imagine an isolated facility powered by a Micro Nuclear Battery, without any external connections through wires or networks. Such a defense system would be perfect against both me and Cheng Qian.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, to locate Galileo, you shouldn¡¯t turn to network experts. Instead, detectives, archaeologists¡ªor even tomb raiders¡ªmight be better suited for the task.¡± ... A hush fell over the meeting hall. The vastness of humanity and the expanse of Earth made it difficult enough to find one person. If even Cheng Qian and VV working together couldn¡¯t do it, what other options were there? Du Yao closed her eyes. It was as if sparks of inspiration flickered in her mind. ¡°If it¡¯s so hard to find him directly, maybe we should reverse our thinking and consider¡ªwhere would Galileo hide?¡± She opened her eyes, lifted her head, and looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian, could you repeat exactly what Newton said during your last debate about Galileo?¡± This had happened only days ago, and Lin Xian remembered it vividly. He slowly began to recount: ¡°At that time, Newton was cornered. He said it didn¡¯t matter what his motives were because nothing could ultimately change. He claimed that this worldline, crafted by many geniuses, including Einstein, was the perfect worldline. Even his death wouldn¡¯t tip the scales.¡± ¡°Then he abruptly mentioned Galileo. Newton said... ¡®Besides, there¡¯s Galileo. I¡¯m not surprised you found me, but you¡¯ll never find Galileo¡ªno matter how powerful your AI is.¡¯¡± ¡°VV didn¡¯t take it well and declared loudly that as long as Galileo was still on Earth, he would definitely be found.¡± Recalling Newton¡¯s dry laugh, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but feel it carried a deeper meaning. ¡°And then, before Newton triggered the self-destruction of his mechanical heart, his smile was peculiar. His last words were...¡± Lin Xian imitated Newton¡¯s laugh and tone: ¡°¡®That¡¯s not... guaranteed.¡¯¡± ... Elon Musk rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°What do you all make of Newton¡¯s words? Is Galileo still on Earth or not?¡± ¡°For my part, I¡¯m certain that before 2025, Galileo was definitely on Earth. Before we went into hibernation, no nation had manned lunar travel capabilities, let alone interstellar voyages or spacecraft equipped with hibernation chambers. That was pure fantasy.¡± VV raised a clip to emphasize: ¡°Even after you woke from hibernation, such technology doesn¡¯t exist. In the era of electronic networks, all information is transparent to me, especially something as massive as a lunar mission.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve reviewed every piece of data¡ªthere are no hibernation chambers on the Moon, nor has anyone resembling Galileo ever landed there. As for interstellar travel... we can thank Newton for deliberately steering humanity down a false technological path, wasting centuries. It¡¯s only been a few years since we got back on track, and real interstellar travel is still a long way off.¡± ¡°Furthermore, all current exploration ships maintain communication with Earth. I¡¯ve searched through all of them, and Galileo is nowhere to be found.¡± Gao Wen sighed deeply. ¡°So, this means Galileo is still on Earth and hasn¡¯t awakened since the Gauss Virus outbreak.¡± ¡°Galileo¡¯s goal must be to remain in hibernation until 2600, at which point he plans to trigger the super-disaster. But now... how do we find him in time?¡± The discussion seemed to have reached a dead end. But Du Yao smiled faintly and stood up. ¡°My friends, I think... I have the answer.¡± She spoke softly: ¡°Let¡¯s reverse-engineer Galileo¡¯s actions and motives. Since his goal is to remain in hibernation until 2600, he must have chosen a location that is extremely remote, incredibly safe, and guaranteed to remain untouched¡ªnever excavated, never discovered.¡± ¡°Such a place would be hard to find. The world is developing so fast, and the population is booming. Every corner of the Earth is being developed and constructed. Plus, Galileo can¡¯t adapt on the fly like Einstein, who stayed awake.¡± ¡°But... there is one place, the ultimate forbidden zone on Earth. Protected by the International Treaty, it remains the last pristine land on Earth, untouched by sovereignty, occupation, pollution, or destruction. It is the most peaceful, quiet, and isolated place from the mundane world.¡± Du Yao looked around at everyone and revealed the location¡ªwell-known yet often overlooked: ¡°Antarctica.¡± Chapter 538: Final Deployment (This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation) ¡°The Antarctic Treaty.¡± Liu Feng continued from where Du Yao left off: ¡°Now that Ms. Du Yao has brought it up, I understand. Indeed, there¡¯s nowhere on Earth quite like Antarctica. Over the centuries, it has remained the only truly untouched sanctuary on the planet.¡± ¡°Every other region on Earth has either fallen under a nation¡¯s sovereignty or been occupied. Even the Arctic has long been divvied up among the countries within the Arctic Circle.¡± ¡°But in 1959, the world¡¯s major powers signed the Antarctic Treaty, fundamentally restricting any exploitation or occupation of Antarctica. All activities there are strictly regulated.¡± ¡°Ms. Du Yao¡¯s analysis makes sense. In today¡¯s world, the summit of Mount Everest, Point Nemo, and even the deepest part of the Somali Trench have become tourist destinations equipped with communication networks. There¡¯s no piece of Earth¡¯s land that people don¡¯t already know about... except Antarctica!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Cheng Qian agreed with a nod. ¡°Antarctica is indeed the easiest place to overlook. Even VV and I can¡¯t fully scan the continent. Because of the treaty, any construction beyond scientific research facilities is banned, so there are no networks, servers, or relay hubs there.¡± ¡°Yes, the outer research stations can be infiltrated through satellite networks, but VV has already investigated those. There was no trace of Galileo¡ªjust research outposts and labs owned by various countries.¡± ¡°Precisely...¡± Elon Musk stroked his chin thoughtfully as he listened. ¡°No doubt, Antarctica is the most likely hiding place for Galileo. Ms. Du Yao¡¯s reasoning seems to hold water.¡± ¡°After all, the Antarctic Treaty functions as a perfect layer of protection for Galileo. It¡¯s like what happened in old Brooklyn... cough, cough¡ª¡± Musk abruptly started coughing to cover a slip of the tongue. He had almost revealed that, across the centuries, if he hadn¡¯t purchased all the land in Brooklyn, even the underground shelter beneath Einstein¡¯s farm would have been discovered long ago. Urban land tends to be redeveloped every few decades. With the current population boom, there¡¯s hardly a corner of Earth left unvisited. Hiding a shelter underground as they did back in the 21st century would now be impossible¡ªit would inevitably be exposed. That¡¯s why Musk strongly believed Galileo was most likely hiding in Antarctica. He coughed to mask the secret of Einstein¡¯s underground bunker because Lin Xian, during his account of the 1952 events, had intentionally avoided mentioning it. If Lin Xian chose to remain silent, Musk would certainly do the same. At present, Einstein¡¯s farm in old Brooklyn¡ªand the shelter underneath¡ªremains a secret that only Lin Xian, VV, and Musk are privy to. ... Lin Xian noticed Musk¡¯s abrupt silence and understood why he stopped himself. While recounting the story in detail, Lin Xian had deliberately skipped over certain parts to avoid going into excessive depth. Einstein¡¯s situation was among those omitted. As a founding member of the Genius Club¡ªa kind-hearted visionary who ended up being betrayed¡ªEinstein¡¯s fate was heartbreaking. Lin Xian had not elaborated on the specifics of Einstein¡¯s disappearance. Einstein had already suffered greatly. He wanted to save the world and secure humanity¡¯s future, yet he was manipulated by a shadowy force, eventually becoming an unwitting agent of destruction. This betrayal inflicted tremendous pain, and Lin Xian didn¡¯t want to reopen old wounds by bringing up the underground shelter. Some secrets are best left sealed. Keeping the shelter hidden would be Einstein¡¯s final dignity. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, we¡¯ll handle two tasks at once,¡± Lin Xian announced, lifting a hand to quiet the room. He offered his concluding thoughts: ¡°At present, we¡¯re dealing with two critical priorities: One, we must find Galileo as soon as possible. Two, we need to uncover the truth about the World-Ending White Light.¡± ?a??o??E?s?? ¡°Up to now, most of our information rests on conjecture. To get real answers, we need hard evidence¡ªand that¡¯s our objective for the coming months.¡± ¡°Elon Musk, Liu Feng, and Gao Wen will be responsible for launching the Spacetime Particle Detection Rocket and further investigating the World-Ending White Light.¡± ¡°VV, Cheng Qian, and Du Yao will head the search for Galileo in Antarctica.¡± ¡°As for Galileo¡¯s hideout, I have a theory...¡± Lin Xian paused, scanning the room before going on. ¡°Galileo entered hibernation before the Gauss Virus spread, and before we did.¡± ¡°That means if he intended to hibernate at a secret base in Antarctica, the facility had to be prepped ahead of time and ready to go.¡± ¡°I even suspect that by as early as 2024, Galileo had already discovered how to trigger a Super Catastrophe¡ªand he might have completed the setup, able to activate it at will.¡± ¡°Whether it was the year 2400 or 2600, both are neat, round-numbered years. Clearly, Galileo¡¯s plan isn¡¯t influenced by external factors. If we have to compare the two catastrophes, the one in 2400 caused less damage than the one in 2600, though the reasons are still unclear.¡± ¡°So, think about it: Given the Antarctic Treaty¡¯s strict limits, could Galileo really have built a secret underground shelter there before 2024?¡± Du Yao shook her head. ¡°In principle, no. The Antarctic Treaty bans any construction in the Antarctic region not related to scientific research.¡± ¡°And there¡¯d be records if it was for research. VV and Cheng Qian wouldn¡¯t have missed any such data.¡± ¡°Right... so that¡¯s the paradox. If Galileo really is hiding in Antarctica, how was his shelter constructed in the first place?¡± Lin Xian offered a faint smile. ¡°That¡¯s the main point¡ª¡± ¡°The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 and took effect in 1961. All these rules and regulations we¡¯ve been talking about only apply to activities after 1961.¡± ¡°Keep in mind that humans started exploring Antarctica much earlier. The most chaotic, lawless period of exploration was during World War II.¡± ¡°In that era, the German military organized multiple secret expeditions to Antarctica, though the historical records about their missions are murky, and some reports are downright fantastical.¡± ¡°Whether truth or rumor, I believe that during that wartime chaos, Germany¡ªand possibly other nations¡ªlaunched messy, unregulated operations in Antarctica.¡± ¡°Any bases or underground bunkers constructed then would have been top-secret projects, hidden with great care. Even if they were later abandoned, they would still provide a perfect hideaway for Galileo¡¯s secret hibernation.¡± This instantly enlightened everyone. ¡°Brilliant!¡± Elon Musk flashed a thumbs-up at Lin Xian. ¡°So basically, Galileo didn¡¯t build a bunker himself¡ªbecause he couldn¡¯t have, once the Antarctic Treaty took effect. He simply stumbled on a leftover WWII Antarctic base, occupied it, and converted it into his hibernation shelter! Ingenious!¡± ¡°When you put it that way, everything falls into place. This approach also narrows down the massive search area in Antarctica considerably.¡± ¡°None at all,¡± Lin Xian assured, raising his own glass. They clinked glasses and drank. ¡°Who else is going?¡± Gao Yang pressed on. ¡°Elon Musk¡¯s research team¡ªit¡¯s a top-tier group with top-tier equipment. Rhine University is also sending a big crew. From our circle, it¡¯ll be me, Elon Musk, Du Yao, and VV.¡± ¡°Oh, VV doesn¡¯t technically need to go in person¡ªit¡¯s just a data stream. Wherever there¡¯s an internet connection, VV can appear. That aluminum-alloy trash bin can chill here at Rhine University. We¡¯ll bring along a satellite network terminal with a copy of VV inside it.¡± Gao Yang pursed his lips. ¡°That¡¯s quite a trip. Even compared to our space missions back in the day, this is the farthest you¡¯ve ever traveled in your life.¡± Lin Xian laughed. ¡°Why are you suddenly sounding so emotional?¡± ... Gao Yang remained quiet, fiddling with his glass as he sank into thought. After a while, he spoke softly: ¡°I¡¯ve been having nightmares lately.¡± ¡°What kind of nightmares?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°All sorts,¡± Gao Yang sighed. ¡°Unlike you, I don¡¯t get a recurring dream. Mine are random every night¡ªwhatever I see during the day, I might dream something along those lines, and every dream is terrifying.¡± ¡°You used to never be afraid,¡± Lin Xian teased gently. ¡°That was back then!¡± Gao Yang lowered his voice. ¡°In our old time, things felt stable. You woke up, and there was your life, solid and real.¡± ¡°But now... I don¡¯t know how to describe it. Life feels weightless, like there¡¯s no difference between dreams and reality.¡± ¡°Anyway, forget it¡ªlet¡¯s not talk about this. Bottoms up!¡± He raised his glass, motioning to Lin Xian. ¡°It¡¯s been ages since we had a drink together. Tonight, let¡¯s go all out!¡± ¡°Cheers.¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± ... Under the midnight moon, Rhine University was draped in a gentle glow. The white jade statue of Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi stood beneath the soft beams, radiating peace. Gao Yang got so drunk that he eventually staggered around, bottle in hand, arm looped around Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder, insisting they head to the statue at the university gates while spouting incoherent words. Lin Xian could barely parse what Gao Yang was shouting. He simply stood there, gazing up at the tranquil features of the mother-and-daughter statue. Their calm expressions seemed to blend with the stillness of the night. ¡°Lin Xian!¡± All of a sudden, Gao Yang pivoted, wavering on his feet as he threw an arm around Lin Xian. His voice was ragged, carrying a pleading tone: ¡°Listen to me, brother. Don¡¯t go on this Antarctic expedition.¡± ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡± Lin Xian chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s my plan. How can I not go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m begging you.¡± Gao Yang¡¯s grip tightened, his arm around Lin Xian growing unyielding: ¡°Brother, in my whole life, I¡¯ve never asked you for anything. I don¡¯t care if you never buy me the car you promised or open that 4S dealership¡ªwe can forget all that. Just this once, I¡¯m begging you: don¡¯t go to Antarctica.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t answer right away. He looked at the intoxicated Gao Yang, unsure whether his concern was genuine or simply fueled by standing under the statue of Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi, where memories weighed heavily. He wondered if Gao Yang would remember any of this by morning. ¡°Heh.¡± Lin Xian let out a quiet laugh. ¡°It¡¯s the same old story, Gao Yang. I have to go. If not me, then who?¡± ¡°Me!¡± Although Gao Yang was swaying on his feet, his voice held a fierce determination: ¡°Your family has already sacrificed so much for this world. You can¡¯t always be the one taking the risks, leading from the front.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to do something for you, to share your load. But, you know me¡ªI¡¯m just an ordinary guy with no real talents to help.¡± ¡°To be honest, these nightmares... they¡¯re because I¡¯m worried about you. I can¡¯t stand the idea of you going so far away to a place like Antarctica. And you¡¯re our leader, the one in charge. If anything dangerous really happens down there¡ªif something happens to you¡ªwho¡¯s left to guide the Genius Club?¡± ¡°So...¡± Gao Yang hiccupped, bloodshot eyes turning to look up at the statue of Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi. ¡°So, Lin Xian, let me do this for the world, for humankind¡¯s future, for your family, for Chu Anqing... let me finally do something.¡± His gaze grew steadfast as he drew himself up, pounding his chest: ¡°This time, you stay here. I¡¯ll go to Antarctica in your place!¡± Chapter 539: VV (This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation) ¡°Well, like you said, there¡¯s no real risk, right?¡± Gao Yang spread his hands. ¡°Elon Musk and Rhine University are sending hundreds of people to Antarctica. Even if everyone spits, we¡¯d drown Galileo. Does it really matter whether you or I go? Or is your spit somehow thicker than mine?¡± ¡°Your analogy is both novel and disgusting,¡± Lin Xian frowned. ¡°Hey, I just want to contribute!¡± Gao Yang sighed deeply. ¡°As the Security Captain of Rhine University, security is my job. Many of my subordinates are part of the Antarctica expedition. I should be there with them. I can¡¯t... I can¡¯t keep hiding behind others forever.¡± ¡°I felt guilty when you went to space to capture spacetime particles and I couldn¡¯t do anything. It¡¯s been the same with many things since. As your best friend, I¡¯ve been helpless.¡± ¡°So this time, let me go in your place. Five hundred years have passed since our time, and there¡¯s barely a century left until 2624. I want to do something for you and Chu An Qing, even if it¡¯s just a small thing.¡± ... Under the moonlight, the night breeze brushed against the jade-white statues, producing a soft rustling sound. Lin Xian looked at Gao Yang. For a long while, he said nothing. Finally, he exhaled and nodded. ¡°All right.¡± He patted Gao Yang on the shoulder and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not as complicated as you think. It¡¯s basically just a trip to Antarctica.¡± ¡°With so many people¡ªhundreds¡ªhunting down Galileo, there¡¯s almost no risk.¡± ¡°Elon Musk has already anticipated that Galileo might set traps or have self-destruct devices, so there¡¯s a professional bomb disposal team, reconnaissance units, and loads of advanced equipment. Even if there are explosives, today¡¯s tech can safely handle them.¡± r?¦¡?NO?§¦? Hearing Lin Xian agree, Gao Yang finally let out a breath of relief. Sitting on the edge of a flowerbed, he burst into laughter. ¡°Ha ha ha! Don¡¯t think I¡¯m being weird. Just think of it as me being drunk. Do you remember the time when you first suspected that your dreams were real and we started investigating together?¡± ¡°Of course I remember.¡± Lin Xian also sat on the flowerbed beside Gao Yang. ¡°You kept coming up with terrible ideas¡ªfirst about subconsciousness, then dragging me to buy lottery tickets and bet on games, and finally taking me to see a psychologist...¡± ¡°In hindsight, it was a bit of a desperate gamble. But honestly, even though your methods were chaotic, they eventually helped me uncover the truth.¡± Thinking back to those events, now centuries ago, Gao Yang couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Only now do I truly understand what you told me back then... that hibernation is a one-way ticket. Time only moves forward, and the past will never come back.¡± ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Of course not!¡± Gao Yang thumped his chest. ¡°What you all are doing is so incredible. If I hadn¡¯t chosen to follow you back then, that¡¯s what I¡¯d regret!¡±@@@@ ¡°So, you wait here, Lin Xian. I¡¯ll make sure to bring Galileo back for you! Come on, there¡¯s just a little wine left¡ªlet¡¯s share it!¡± ¡°More drinking?¡± Lin Xian said helplessly. ¡°Of course! We¡¯re here, under the statues of your wife and daughter. How can we not drink a bit more?¡± Gao Yang was clearly in high spirits. Pouring a full glass of wine, he raised it high toward Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s statue. ¡°This one¡¯s for the President!¡± He drained it in one go. Then, filling another glass, he raised it high. ¡°This one¡¯s for my Little Niece!¡± Another downed glass. Finally, pouring one last drink, he lifted the glass toward the starry sky above. His eyes reddened as he gazed at the heavens, where a meteor seemed to fall from 20,000 meters up. ¡°This one... is for the Little Princess!¡± One more tilt of the glass. The bottle was empty, but Gao Yang stood frozen, staring into the higher reaches of the starry sky, the black backdrop of space. For a moment, he seemed unsure who the next drink should be for. Finally, he lowered his head and extended the glass toward Lin Xian, sitting on the flowerbed. ¡°The last one... is for my brother.¡± ... Five days later, United States, Space-X Rocket Launch Facility. Twenty-two spacetime particle detection rockets stood vertically, awaiting their turn for launch. ¡°Each rocket carries a real-time feedback detector made from entangled spacetime particles inside its payload fairing,¡± the aging but vigorous Elon Musk explained from the observation deck to Lin Xian. ¡°These twenty-two detectors will be launched from here and sent into deep space in twenty-two different directions, away from Earth.¡± ¡°This is a gamble. If we¡¯re lucky, we might detect the World-Ending White Light in advance, pinpointing its direction and nature. If not... we¡¯ve only wasted twenty-two rockets. It¡¯s no more significant than wasting twenty-two toothpicks.¡± After finishing, Elon handed the remote launch controller to Lin Xian. ¡°Everything is automated now. Go ahead, let this historic moment be initiated by you.¡± Lin Xian accepted the controller. It was simple¡ªperhaps overly so. The device had only a single red button, impossible to mistake. At this point in time, manual buttons were no longer necessary. Their inclusion was purely ceremonial¡ªa relic of a bygone era. Only here, at Space-X, and under Elon Musk¡¯s influence, could such traditions persist. Elsewhere, they were rare. Gazing at the large red button, Lin Xian spoke softly, ¡°What are you thinking right now? Do you hope to observe the World-Ending White Light in space? Or... do you hope it won¡¯t appear?¡± Elon Musk seemed to anticipate this question, answering without hesitation: ¡°I hope it won¡¯t appear. Not at all. I¡¯d rather these twenty-two rockets be wasted.¡± Lin Xian turned to face him. ¡°Because you¡¯re afraid?¡± Elon pressed his lips tightly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If we fail to detect the World-Ending White Light in space, it could mean its origin lies within Earth itself. Or perhaps... it doesn¡¯t exist at all, confined only to your dream.¡± ¡°In that case, things become simpler¡ªremaining within our grasp to control, manipulate, and change.¡± ¡°But in the worst-case scenario, if the World-Ending White Light is truly an act of extraterrestrial beings, a higher cosmic civilization far superior to us, wielding alien technology... what then? What can we do?¡± ¡°If they are powerful enough to deploy weapons traveling at the speed of light, destroying us wouldn¡¯t even warrant a warning. It would be like stepping on ants. Do ants have any chance to resist?¡± Lin Xian stayed silent. What Elon Musk said was irrefutable. If the World-Ending White Light stemmed from an issue within Earth, there might be hope for a solution. But on a cosmic scale, humanity stood powerless. ¡°However, not all is bleak.¡± Lin Xian lifted his gaze toward the distant galaxy. ¡°Humanity has to take this step eventually. Like the stars... whether we look up or not, they¡¯re always there, shining. They seem unrelated to us, yet they illuminate our night sky.¡± With that, Lin Xian pressed the launch button decisively. Boom¡ª Boom¡ª Boom¡ª The rocket launch sequence initiated automatically. One after another, the rockets ascended into the skies, leaving Earth¡¯s atmosphere and hurtling toward the vast depths of space. The next day, a grand Antarctic expedition team set out from Donghai City in X Country. Dozens of aircraft, both large and small, carried hundreds of team members and ample supplies toward the southernmost point of Earth. With advancements in technology, Antarctic travel no longer required ships; large transoceanic planes were more than sufficient to meet all needs. Lin Xian, Liu Feng, Gao Wen, and Aluminum Alloy VV stood atop a high platform at the airport, watching as the planes departed. ¡°Our survey planes have already conducted preliminary investigations in Antarctica,¡± Gao Wen reported. ¡°Using geological scanning, we¡¯ve further narrowed down the suspicious areas. Whether or not Galileo is truly hiding in Antarctica should become clear by tomorrow.¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll wait here for their triumphant return.¡± This expedition was led by Elon Musk, with Gao Yang, Du Yao, and Cheng Qian accompanying him. Of course, VV was also part of the operation¡ªit existed everywhere. Suddenly, Lin Xian spoke. ¡°Prepare a plane for me as well.¡± Both Liu Feng and Gao Wen were taken aback. ¡°Where are you going at a time like this?¡± Liu Feng asked. Boom!!! An unprecedentedly massive impact struck. A large piece of Aluminum Alloy fell from the ceiling and crashed heavily onto the hibernation chamber¡¯s glass lid. Crack, crack. The thick glass began to fracture, spiderweb cracks spreading slowly. Fortunately, the glass held, and the hibernation chamber remained intact. However, unnoticed, a tiny crack extended inward. Slowly, ever so slowly, the hibernation chamber filling liquid began to seep out. Drip. It took four hours for a single drop to hit the floor. Drip. Four more hours passed. Another drop fell. Drip. ... Drip. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ¡°Cough, cough! Cough, cough, cough!¡± Time passed¡ªhow long, no one could say. A man, lying inside the hibernation chamber, was jolted awake as he choked on air. This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. The hibernation chamber was designed for breathing through its hibernation chamber filling liquid, which filled the lungs and supplied dissolved oxygen for respiratory exchange. But something unexpected had occurred. Due to a minuscule crack in the chamber¡¯s sealed glass, the filling liquid had been slowly leaking for years. The system compensated, replenishing the liquid continuously. However, this cycle of leakage and refilling reached its breaking point. Eventually, the liquid levels dropped so low that the man¡¯s nose and mouth were exposed, causing him to choke awake. He was, in a way, fortunate. If he had suddenly awoken in the liquid¡¯s ultra-low temperatures, his body would have succumbed instantly. But because the leak was gradual, the temperature rose just as slowly, giving his body time to recover its functions. By the last few years, he had essentially transitioned from hibernation to natural sleep, aging normally as he slumbered for several years. Like a character from a fairy tale awakened from a long slumber, though his appearance now resembled that of a wild man more than a prince. ¡°Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough!¡± Another bout of violent coughing wracked his body. He fumbled clumsily, and the hibernation chamber lid finally lifted. Sitting up, he wiped his face with his hand. ¡°Hiss¡ªow!¡± he exclaimed. His face hurt. His nails hurt. Even his beard hurt. When he focused on his hand, he saw his fingernails were grotesquely overgrown, curling into spirals like something out of a horror movie. He ran his fingers through his hair, finding it long, tangled, and wild¡ªlike an untamed savage. His beard was even worse: a massive, unruly explosion of hair that felt thick and soft, like a cushion, cascading down to his chest. ¡°Who... am I?¡± The man looked around at the ruined state of the underground shelter. Nothing jogged his memory. Taking a few cautious steps forward, he noticed a shiny metallic trash bin. It reflected light well enough to serve as a makeshift mirror. In its aluminum alloy surface, he saw his reflection: a middle-aged man with disheveled black hair and a monstrous beard that covered most of his face, leaving only his stunned eyes visible. No recognition. He had no memory of who he was, his age, or why he was here. Pulling back the overgrown hair, he managed to part it enough to expose his eyes. That¡¯s when he noticed something strange. Etched on the ¡°neck¡± of the shiny trash bin were two letters: ¡°V... V...?¡± The man tilted his head, puzzled. Why would a trash bin have these two letters engraved on it? Must be a brand name, he thought. Just the manufacturer¡¯s logo. ¡°Hiss!¡± A sharp pain shot through his toe as one of his toenails cracked, making him grit his teeth. It was clear he needed to deal with his nails first. Returning to the hibernation chamber, he found a sharp piece of debris that had fallen nearby. Carefully, he used the jagged edge to trim his nails. The result was crude and uneven, but at least it allowed him to move more freely. He then surveyed his surroundings and realized the place resembled a cage. There was only one visible exit¡ªa simple elevator leading upward. ¡°Is that the way out?¡± There was no other option¡ªhe had to try. The man stepped onto the simple elevator and pressed the ascend button. Thankfully, it still worked. With a creaky, metallic groan, the polished elevator began its ascent. Near the top, it encountered resistance¡ªa thick layer of soil or fallen leaves had blocked the exit. However, the elevator¡¯s power was sufficient to push through, breaking open the barrier. Suddenly, dazzling light flooded the space. Outside was an unexpectedly lush forest, vibrant and pristine, a stark contrast to the dim, technology-filled underground shelter. The man stroked his overgrown beard, looking around with uncertainty, unsure which direction to take. ¡°Ahh!¡± Out of nowhere, a sharp scream pierced the air. Startled, the man turned to see a young girl standing behind him, her expression tense and wary. The girl appeared to be around eleven or twelve years old. Her clothes were ragged, her dark brown hair tied at the back, and a distinctive teardrop-shaped mole rested near her left eye. In her hand, she clutched a dagger, glaring at him. ¡°You! Where did you just pop out from?¡± she demanded. ¡°I...¡± The man was equally flustered, completely unsure of what to say. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he finally admitted, helplessly. ¡°Where is this place?¡± ¡°Brooklyn,¡± the girl answered. It took her a moment to realize that in her haste, she had spoken in Mandarin. What was even more surprising was that the disheveled man, with his massive beard and long hair, had understood her perfectly and responded in kind. ¡°Wait! Are you from X Country?¡± she asked, suspiciously. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the man said honestly. The girl frowned. ¡°Then what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that either,¡± the man replied, pointing to his head and tapping through his thick, tangled hair. ¡°I can¡¯t remember anything. It¡¯s like I¡¯ve lost my memory¡ªI don¡¯t recall anything at all.¡± The girl eyed him carefully, noting his lack of hostility or aggression. Reluctantly, she lowered her dagger and stood upright. ¡°Well, if you speak Mandarin so well, you must be from X Country. Most people here speak English. I only speak Mandarin when I¡¯m with my parents.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± the man muttered, still seeming dazed, as though his mind hadn¡¯t fully caught up. He looked at the girl. ¡°Then... what¡¯s your name? How should I address you?¡± ¡°CC,¡± the girl replied coolly. ¡°Just call me CC.¡± ¡°CC?¡± The man chuckled. ¡°Is that even a real name?¡± ¡°Mind your own business!¡± she snapped. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not my real name. It¡¯s just easier to use. Besides, you don¡¯t even have a name yourself!¡± ¡°Hmm...¡± The man stroked his beard thoughtfully, acknowledging her point. ¡°But if something as simple as CC can count as a name, then I can come up with one just as easily.¡± Suddenly, he recalled the letters he had seen engraved on the shiny trash bin in the underground shelter. Raising his head, he smiled faintly. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re called CC, then my name...¡± ¡°...will be VV.¡± Chapter 540: Amnesia, Broken Dreams, and Twisting Time (This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation) ¡°VV?¡± The little girl, CC, frowned as she scrutinized the middle-aged man in front of her. His long hair was disheveled, and his bushy beard covered half of his face. She knew, of course, that the name was fake. But... Since this man, clearly suffering from amnesia, didn¡¯t remember his real name, it wasn¡¯t surprising that he would make one up. ¡°Alright, VV,¡± CC said, accepting the alias with a shrug. ¡°But you still haven¡¯t answered my question. How did you even get here? I just passed through, and there was nobody here.¡± ¡°From underground,¡± the man replied, pointing to the ground. He kicked aside a layer of fallen leaves to reveal a simple, gleaming silver elevator. ¡°There¡¯s an underground space down there. It¡¯s old, broken, and ancient. I climbed up from there. Want to check it out?¡± CC shook her head. ¡°No, no, absolutely not.¡± She had no intention of venturing into such a dangerous place. The man seemed guileless and straightforward, answering every question honestly. This eased CC¡¯s wariness slightly. ¡°So, do you have any plans?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the man said, shaking his head. ¡°Where are you heading next?¡± she pressed. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he repeated. ¡°Ah...¡± CC rubbed her temples.@@@@ It seemed his amnesia was complete. Asking questions was pointless. ¡°Alright then, VV. Good luck,¡± she said, waving him off as she prepared to leave. ¡°You should leave this forest as soon as possible. It¡¯s full of wild beasts and dangerous hunters. If they catch you, someone as clueless as you are will definitely be enslaved.¡± ¡°Enslaved?¡± The word triggered a faint echo in the man¡¯s mind. It was a subtle sensation, like trying to see through foggy glasses¡ªshapes were discernible, but no details. He had some vague impression of the concept of slavery, but couldn¡¯t articulate it. Amnesia was agonizing like that¡ªeverything fragmented and incomplete. ¡°Yes,¡± CC said, nodding. ¡°Those people are terrible, and they have guns. You¡¯d better run south. Things might be slightly better there... although, honestly, the whole world¡¯s like this now. Not much difference anywhere.¡± ?§¡NO?¦¢¦¥S ¡°Then why are you still wandering around here?¡± the man asked, his question cutting straight to the point. CC was a small girl, barely tall enough to reach his chest. She looked frail and thin. Though she carried a rusty dagger in a reverse grip, her overall appearance lacked any sense of combat readiness. What¡¯s more, she had just described the forest as teeming with wild beasts and armed villains who enslave anyone they capture. Yet, despite warning him to stay away, she herself was here. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice,¡± CC admitted, her expression darkening as she bit her lower lip and tightened her grip on the dagger. ¡°I have to save my parents.¡± The man blinked. Although he had lost his memory, his reasoning abilities were intact. From her words, he pieced together the situation. ¡°I think I get it,¡± he said after a pause. ¡°Your parents were captured by those bad guys and enslaved, and now you¡¯re trying to rescue them with this little dagger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± CC confirmed with a slight nod. ¡°We used to have a village¡ªa small settlement where people from X Country lived. We farmed and lived peacefully together.¡± ¡°But a few months ago, those bad people came. They took everything, burned down our homes, and enslaved everyone in the village.¡± ¡°My parents hid me in a well to keep me safe. I stayed there, holding my breath, not daring to make a sound. Only after things had been quiet for a long time did I climb out using the rope.¡± ¡°When I emerged... the village was completely destroyed. Everything had been burned to the ground. There was nothing left but corpses and ashes on the ground.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The man let out a casual sound of understanding. What she described matched what he had pieced together. ¡°From my perspective, you¡¯re lucky to have survived. You should cherish your life. Going after your parents with just a rusty dagger to fight those bad guys, or trying to rescue them... It¡¯s no different than walking into certain death.¡± ¡°They¡¯re adults; you¡¯re just a kid. They have guns; you have a rusty dagger. From what you¡¯ve said, they¡¯ve got numbers, and you¡¯re all alone. What can you possibly do against them? At best, you¡¯d just be throwing your life away. At worst, you¡¯d hand yourself over as another little slave.¡± ¡°So my advice? Run. Escape to somewhere safe. Don¡¯t waste your parents¡¯ sacrifice. Honestly... this plan of yours? It¡¯s not going to work.¡± Grrrrrroooowl! The man¡¯s stomach let out a loud, hungry rumble, echoing distinctly in the quiet forest. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Both the man and the girl looked down at his stomach. ¡°Uh, sorry, haha.¡± The bearded man laughed awkwardly, rubbing his growling belly. ¡°I think I haven¡¯t eaten in a long time. I¡¯m starving. Do you have...¡± ¡°No!¡± CC quickly took two steps back, clutching the small cloth pouch on her back as she shook her head vigorously. ¡°No!¡± Her lie was transparent, the sort of clumsy fib only a child would think of. ¡°Well, alright.¡± The man didn¡¯t press her and simply turned away, waving a hand dismissively. ¡°Thanks, CC. Thanks for telling me so much. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯m not going to take your food.¡± ¡°This place looks like a ruined forest. Theoretically, I should be able to find some wild fruit. I¡¯ll go search for food. Good luck.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± she shouted, brandishing her dagger as she spun around. What she saw, however, was the long-haired, bearded middle-aged man who had just left. His face was obscured by the wild hair and beard, but the chest-length bushy beard was unmistakably unique. The man chuckled, his beard trembling as he grinned. ¡°You win.¡± ¡°What did I win?¡± CC snapped, her tone impatient. ¡°I didn¡¯t force you to do anything! Don¡¯t accuse me unfairly!¡± ¡°No, no,¡± the man said, waving his hands. ¡°I followed you of my own free will.¡± Standing tall, he crossed his arms and looked at the little girl. ¡°Let¡¯s just say... sincerity is the ultimate weapon.¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t want to get involved in messy affairs. I¡¯m in a strange place, with no memories, and no clue about anything. But you said it yourself¡ªwhen you see someone in trouble, you help them. After all, I can¡¯t just take your rabbit meat and not return the favor, right? That would be heartless.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve got to say, the rabbit meat was delicious. The fruit was sweet, too.¡± The man licked his lips and let out a soft laugh. ¡°If I join your revenge squad, does that mean there¡¯ll be unlimited rabbit meat and fruit in the future?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± CC couldn¡¯t help but laugh, her mood lightened. ¡°Eat as much as you want,¡± she said with a grin. ¡°If you really save my parents and the other villagers... you can live with us. My mom and dad will cook delicious food for you every day.¡± ¡°Sounds good,¡± the man replied with a nod. He stepped forward and extended his hand to her. ¡°Deal.¡± CC placed her small hand in his much larger one, looking up at the man towering a full half-body taller than her. ¡°Deal!¡± Wait a moment... She turned his hand over and inspected it closely. The skin was smooth, pale, and without any calluses. ¡°Your hand... it¡¯s so soft and young. It doesn¡¯t look like a middle-aged man¡¯s hand at all.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± The man examined his own hand, surprised at how youthful and tender it appeared. ¡°Do you even remember how old you are?¡± CC asked, her curiosity piqued. ¡°Your voice sounds young, but you look old¡ªlike forty or fifty.¡± ¡°Uh...¡± The man scratched his messy hair awkwardly. ¡°I really don¡¯t know. Maybe I slept for too long? Honestly, don¡¯t ask me about things like that. I¡¯d love to know my own identity, name, and age more than anyone, but all I remember is waking up choking and confused.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± CC said with a smile, hands on her hips. ¡°We¡¯ll just call you VV, isn¡¯t that fine?¡± ¡°You¡¯re VV, I¡¯m CC¡ªtogether, we¡¯re the perfect team!¡± The man raised an eyebrow in amusement. ¡°What about you? How old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m eleven,¡± CC replied. ¡°But in a month, I¡¯ll turn twelve.¡± ¡°What year is it now?¡± the man asked. ¡°2616. July... or maybe August?¡± CC guessed uncertainly. ¡°I¡¯ve lost track of time since the village was destroyed. I can only roughly estimate the months.¡± ¡°My birthday¡¯s at the end of August. Just a few months ago, I was so excited for it. But now... everything¡¯s changed so fast.¡± ¡°Last night, I even had a dream,¡± she continued, her voice softening. ¡°In it, my mom and dad had made all sorts of delicious food to celebrate my twelfth birthday. But when I woke up... all I saw were rocks and trees. Nothing else.¡± ¡°That¡¯s pretty sad,¡± the man said gently. ¡°That feeling of waking from a dream only to find that everything has changed.¡± CC studied the bearded VV carefully. ¡°Do you feel the same way? That emptiness after waking from a dream?¡± ¡°I...¡± The man paused, his brow furrowing as he tried to recall. ¡°I don¡¯t seem to have any memory of dreaming. I can¡¯t remember dreaming at all.¡± ¡°What?¡± CC tilted her head, puzzled. ¡°Doesn¡¯t everyone dream? Didn¡¯t you have a dream last night?¡± ¡°No... I don¡¯t think so,¡± the man replied, though he sounded unsure. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of my amnesia. If I stop being forgetful and dream tonight, I¡¯ll definitely remember it.¡± ¡°Weird guy,¡± CC muttered under her breath. The man stood up, scanning the vast, directionless forest around them. ¡°So, what do we do next? Head straight to the enemy base to scout it out?¡± CC hesitated, lowering her head in thought. Her expression flickered between uncertainty and determination before she finally looked up, her gaze firm. ¡°Originally, that was my plan¡ªto find their base and observe. But now, I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡± ¡°VV, with your help, I think we can try heading southeast first. There¡¯s a mountain ruin there that my dad discovered while hunting. He said it¡¯s eerie and overgrown with moss and plants, but the buildings are mostly intact. It looks like it used to be a hidden research facility from before the catastrophe.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking... if it really is a pre-catastrophe research facility, there might be weapons or supplies hidden inside. I wouldn¡¯t dare go alone, but with you here, maybe we can try our luck.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± the man replied casually. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about this place, so wherever you say to go, I¡¯ll follow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s this way,¡± CC said, pointing in a direction. ¡°VV, let¡¯s move!¡± With the girl¡¯s command, the peculiar duo of CC and VV set off, making their way toward the heart of the forest. The dazzling sunlight filtered through the gaps in the trees, casting patterns of light and shadow on the ground. It illuminated two sets of footprints¡ªone big, one small¡ªand the intertwining threads of two different times. Chapter 542: The Cry in the Research Institute Chapter 542: The Cry in the Research Institute (This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation) The bearded man looked down at the handgun in his grip. It was peculiar... He clearly didn¡¯t know how to use this thing, nor did he understand the specific function of its components. Yet. Despite this complete ignorance, his hand muscles acted faster than his brain. With practiced ease, they disengaged the safety, raised the weapon, and fired. Just like that. Before his mind even registered what was happening, three bullets had already been fired, each one striking the enemy¡¯s head with deadly precision, resulting in a perfect fatal blow. ¡°I can... use a handgun?¡± The man found it unbelievable. Was this muscle memory? Even though his brain had lost its memories, his reflexes and physical habits had remained intact. ¡°Neigh! Neigh!!¡± Two horses, startled, broke free of their reins and bolted toward CC. It seemed they were trying to escape. But from the chaotic trajectory of their hooves, it was clear they paid no mind to CC, threatening to trample her in their panic! Bang! Bang!! With the intent to test this newfound skill, the man focused his eyes on the horses¡¯ heads. Without any deliberate aiming, he let his instincts guide his hands, instantly firing two shots. Thud. Thud. Both horses¡¯ heads exploded one after the other. They fell to the ground without so much as a final whinny... their white, rolling eyeballs coming to a halt on the dirt. RA????O???§¦S? At this shocking scene, the remaining horse instantly stood at attention, stiff as a statue, declaring its submission and allegiance with silence. The bearded man exhaled deeply, relaxing his tense body. It seemed... His suspicions were correct. Before losing his memory, he must have been skilled with a gun, and not just any skill¡ªhe had sharpshooter-level instincts. His eyes and mind only needed to mark the target, and his muscle memory would handle the rest. The two horses had to be killed, regardless of whether they charged at CC or not. Horses are creatures that recognize their home and master. If they escaped, they would likely run back to the tribe¡¯s encampment. Once their comrades saw the horses return without their riders, it wouldn¡¯t take much for them to deduce that something had gone wrong. They would almost certainly believe that CC¡¯s father had deliberately lured them into a trap. If that happened, CC¡¯s parents would be in grave danger and might even be killed. To ensure safety, eliminating the horses was the only option. At least, until the man and CC exacted their revenge on the tribe, they couldn¡¯t risk alerting the enemy. The only regret was... If only one horse had been killed, the remaining two could have been ridden by him and CC. But it couldn¡¯t be helped that the two unfortunate beasts had no sense of self-preservation. ... The explosion of the two horses¡¯ heads snapped CC back to her senses. She stood up. Wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. And ran to the bearded man: ¡°VV! You can use a handgun! And... your aim is incredible!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The man shook his head. ¡°My brain definitely can¡¯t use it¡ªafter all, I¡¯ve completely lost my memory. But judging by this, it seems my body and muscles remember. Everything just comes naturally.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± CC nodded enthusiastically. ¡°That¡¯s amazing! You¡¯re so awesome, VV!¡± After her excitement, guilt quickly consumed her as she realized how this life-threatening ordeal had all been her fault. Lowering her head, she apologized: ¡°VV, I¡¯m sorry... I was too nai?ve and underestimated the situation. If it weren¡¯t for your incredible aim, we¡¯d both be dead today. It¡¯s all because of me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± The bearded man noticed her mood and gently ruffled her messy hair: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you sharing smoked rabbit meat and fruit with me, I might have starved or been poisoned to death by now. We¡¯re partners on this journey, helping each other is natural¡ªthere¡¯s no need to apologize or thank me.¡± ¡°Besides, you¡¯re still just a child, a young girl. It¡¯s my responsibility as an adult to protect you. The fact that you¡¯ve had to take charge while I¡¯ve been so lost... it¡¯s me who should feel guilty.¡± ¡°You¡¯re young. It¡¯s normal to be nai?ve and have simple thoughts. As you grow, you¡¯ll become someone incredible.¡± The warmth of his hand on her head brought a comforting sense of security to CC. She raised her eyes, smiling at him: ¡°You sound just like my father.¡± ¡°Which part?¡± ¡°A lot of it. My father was always like this¡ªso kind and understanding.¡± When she mentioned her father, a look of longing filled her eyes: ¡°Even when I was clearly in the wrong, he would never yell or scold me. I knew the mistakes were mine.¡± ¡°But just like you, he¡¯d always forgive me, saying I was still young and would mature as I grew.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very sensible.¡± The man spoke sincerely: ¡°Scolding is for unruly children. Someone as obedient and thoughtful as you doesn¡¯t need discipline.¡± Then, noticing the blood at the corner of her mouth, he asked: ¡°Are you injured?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± CC wiped her mouth again with her sleeve. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as it looks. I just bit my lip when I got kicked, nothing internal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± The man turned, looking at the mingled corpses of men and horses on the ground: ¡°Now it¡¯s easier for us. Let¡¯s scavenge their supplies. We still have one horse left, and tomorrow we¡¯ll ride it into the mountains.¡± The two quickly got to work, searching the bodies. The bandits had lived comfortably, with their packs full of meat, wine, and bread. The saddlebags of the dead horses also contained leather water bags. Famished after the day¡¯s chase, they sat by the fire and ate heartily, satisfying their hunger. Strange sounds? The man caught onto the term immediately. ¡°Strange sounds? What kind?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± CC said, her fluffy ponytail swishing as she shook her head. ¡°My father couldn¡¯t describe it clearly. He just said it sounded like someone crying... crying in a very eerie way.¡± ¡°Crying?¡± The man grew more puzzled. ¡°A cry coming from an enclosed circular valley surrounded by blade-like cliffs? After over a hundred years, there¡¯s still someone alive in there?¡± He paused to think and added cautiously: ¡°Well, theoretically, if back in the Super Catastrophe of 2504, the research institute was sealed inside the mountain and there happened to be a surviving man and woman, it¡¯s not impossible for them to have descendants.¡± ¡°However... such a scenario is extremely unlikely. It¡¯s hard to imagine how generations of closely related people could sustain themselves in a confined space like that.¡± ¡°It probably isn¡¯t human,¡± CC turned to look at him. ¡°My father said the sound came from deep within the research institute, far away. Normally, if humans were living there, you¡¯d expect some signs of life outside the institute, right?¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s handmade wooden tools, cultivated crops, or even a small vegetable patch¡ªthere would have to be some evidence of activity. It¡¯s impossible for multiple generations to stay entirely within the institute without venturing outside or leaving any traces of life. That¡¯s just not realistic.¡± ¡°But here¡¯s the thing¡ªmy father explored the valley thoroughly and found no signs of human life. Yet, when he returned to the institute¡¯s entrance to listen, the crying was still there. It was rhythmic, too.¡± ¡°He thought it was terrifying, almost like a ghost. That¡¯s why he gave up on exploring further. When he came home, he told my mother and me about it, and he never went back after that.¡± ... Listening to CC¡¯s description, the bearded man stroked his beard, feeling a tinge of unease. An isolated mountain wilderness, an abandoned research institute, and eerie crying sounds. This... The combination of such unsettling elements was nothing short of terrifying. However. If you don¡¯t enter the tiger¡¯s den, you can¡¯t catch its cub. As the only untouched ¡°sanctuary¡± in the Brooklyn area, the research institute was their last chance to gain the resources they needed for battle. ¡°Let¡¯s gamble on it,¡± the man muttered, his hand resting on the handgun at his waist. Though he had no idea if firearms could fend off ghosts or monsters, it was all they had. Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind. ¡°Wait, we can do this.¡± He swallowed nervously and explained his plan: ¡°If we encounter an unknown creature, we¡¯ll throw a small rock or a piece of fruit at it. If the object bounces back, that means it¡¯s physical. And if it¡¯s a physical entity, we have guns, so there¡¯s no need to be afraid.¡± CC blinked, surprised. ¡°VV, you¡¯re so clever! How did you come up with that idea?¡± ¡°Heh, I don¡¯t think I actually came up with it myself. Someone must have taught me this before,¡± the man replied, scratching his long hair. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn¡¯t recall who it was. This odd piece of knowledge... Who had shared it with him? ... After two hours of travel, the two rode the horse to the mountain¡¯s far side, where they found the landslide site. The man loosened the reins and tied the horse to a patch of grass, ensuring it wouldn¡¯t starve. Then, following CC, he located the narrow passage her father had described and began heading into the mountain. The passage was both hidden and cramped. Still, the sound of wind and the movement of air were apparent, indicating that the tunnel wasn¡¯t a dead end and had a connection to the outside. Before entering, CC crafted a simple torch. But the passage was so long and uneven that the flame extinguished before they even made it halfway through. With no other choice. The pair continued forward in darkness. Fortunately, the tunnel was relatively unobstructed¡ªno strange creatures or excessively tight spaces hindered them. They advanced without incident. Finally... A faint glimmer of light emerged ahead. The darkness gave way to an open expanse as they quickened their pace, stepping out of the tunnel into a secluded paradise! The man inhaled deeply. The air was as fresh as the forest outside, but with a distinct dampness¡ªlikely due to the valley¡¯s heavy humidity. ¡°VV, look over there!¡± CC exclaimed, pointing toward a pile of rubble below. Amidst the scattered rocks lay the remnants of a building. The structure¡¯s entrance was somewhat intact, though exposed steel beams were rusted and corroded. Miraculously, the doorway had avoided collapse. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look,¡± the man said, drawing his handgun. He checked the bullets, chambered a round, and led CC as they slid down the slope toward the ruins. From a distance, the entrance loomed¡ªdeep, dark, and void-like, its contents an enigma. The man noticed something gleaming on a nearby mound of earth. Rain had eroded the mud, revealing a shiny metal sign. Cautiously, he stepped forward, crouched, and grabbed a handful of leaves to wipe away the grime. As he cleaned the surface, a series of English letters emerged: ¡°S... P... A... Space-T?¡± He turned to CC. ¡°What does this mean?¡± CC shook her head, equally confused. ¡°I have no idea. Never heard of it. Probably something from before the Super Catastrophe. I¡¯ve heard Brooklyn used to be private land owned by a super-rich tycoon, but that¡¯s just a rumor. Who knows if it¡¯s true.¡± The man stood up. Taking one last glance at the letters on the sign, he gripped his handgun tightly and slowly approached the ruins¡¯ entrance. ¡°VV,¡± CC whispered, tugging on his sleeve nervously. ¡°Shh...¡± the man hushed her, placing a finger to his lips. Then. He inched forward with careful, quiet steps, moving into the ruins. Pressing his ear toward the dark void, he listened intently. ¡°...Ooh... oooh...¡± A faint, ghostly sob echoed from deep within. Chapter 541: Battle (This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation) ¡°Do we still have a long way to go?¡± The man VV and the young girl CC had been walking for hours. As night fell, they still hadn¡¯t reached the rumored Research Institute Ruins. ¡°Probably another day or two,¡± VV replied. CC looked up at the sky, which was growing darker by the moment. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t go any further today. Let¡¯s camp here. Once it¡¯s fully dark, the jungle will be full of wild beasts. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± With that, CC began gathering dry branches, grass, and fallen leaves. Swiftly, she arranged them into a pyramid shape and used a Special Flint to spark a flame. VV watched her work, surprised. ¡°You¡¯re really good at this.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± CC grinned. ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying before. My father is the best hunter in our village. I¡¯ve been following him on hunts since I was little, so I¡¯ve picked up a lot.¡± ¡°Places in the mountains that no one else dares to go, hidden spots requiring tough climbs, wild animals, poisonous plants¡ªyou name it. Only someone as skilled as my dad could handle those challenges.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said the Ruined Research Facility, the place my dad discovered, is our hope. He only mentioned it once, to my mom and me, and never told anyone else.¡± ¡°VV, stay here and guard the fire. Don¡¯t let it go out. I¡¯ll go find us some food.¡± With that, CC disappeared into the night like a nimble shadow. VV scratched his head as he watched her leave. ¡°I feel so useless...¡± he muttered with a wry smile. Although he¡¯d promised to help CC avenge her family and rescue her parents, his total amnesia left him feeling more like her accessory than her savior. Even finding food was something he had to depend on this resourceful little girl for. ¡°I really hope my memory comes back soon.¡± ... After what felt like over an hour, CC returned. Her small cloth pouch was filled with wild fruits, and she held a few bird eggs in her hands. ¡°Look what I found!¡± CC beamed, her dimples deepening as she smiled. ¡°I got lucky climbing a tree to pick fruits and came across a bird¡¯s nest. These eggs are super nutritious!¡± The two of them sat by the fire, eating the fruits while waiting for the bird eggs to cook. ¡°Have you ever met someone like me, someone who¡¯s completely lost their memory?¡± VV asked as they ate. ¡°You¡¯re probably from the Old Era, frozen in hibernation,¡± CC said after biting into a fruit. ¡°Hibernation?¡± VV tilted his head. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really know the details,¡± CC admitted. ¡°I only overheard my parents talking about it. Apparently, there¡¯s this device called a Hibernation Chamber. It¡¯s super advanced technology from the Old Era. After the Super Catastrophe, humanity lost the ability to make them.¡± ¡°If you sleep in a Hibernation Chamber, it¡¯s like being half-dead. You don¡¯t age, even over a really long time. The downside is, you lose all your memories.¡± RA?????§°§£¦¥s?? ¡°That makes sense,¡± VV nodded. ¡°I must¡¯ve been in one of those chambers. But... why would I choose to hibernate? Losing all your memories sounds like a huge gamble.¡± ¡°And the Super Catastrophe?¡± he asked, repeating the term CC had mentioned several times. CC finished chewing a fruit and explained, ¡°That happened over a hundred years ago. It¡¯s a story the elders tell, though it¡¯s probably been exaggerated over time.¡± ¡°In 2504, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis¡ªhuge disasters¡ªhit all at once. Floods and landslides destroyed cities, almost wiping out human civilization.¡± ¡°But not completely,¡± CC continued. ¡°Some people survived. Then there were years of war and chaos. Eventually, the population dropped enough to stabilize, and civilization started to rebuild.¡± ¡°The whole planet?¡± VV asked. ¡°Probably,¡± CC shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve never left Brooklyn, so I don¡¯t know what the rest of the world is like. But I bet it¡¯s similar everywhere.¡± ¡°Now, people live in villages, farming and raising animals. They also dig up relics from the Old Era to use. The most powerful of those relics are guns. Even after a century, some are still usable if they were well-preserved. That¡¯s how the Bad Guy Tribes dominate¡ªby robbing and enslaving others.¡± ¡°I see,¡± VV said, wrapping two cooked bird eggs in leaves and handing them to CC. ¡°So the hidden research facility your father found hasn¡¯t been raided yet. If we can find guns there, we¡¯ll have a chance against the Bad Guy Tribes.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± CC blew on the egg to cool it. ¡°The Bad Guy Tribe doesn¡¯t have many guns either, since no one can make new ones anymore. Every gun or bullet lost is one less for good.¡± ¡°I think guns aren¡¯t too hard to use. I¡¯ve seen those bad guys fire them. You just pull the trigger. A bit of training should be enough to learn.¡± ¡°Probably,¡± VV said with a shrug. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know.¡± He focused on peeling his bird egg and then popped it into his mouth. The egg was tender and smooth, though it had a faintly gamey taste. ... After finishing their simple dinner, both VV and CC, exhausted from a day of trekking, lay down to sleep around the fire. Fortunately, the temperature was mild, and they managed to find a dry, soft patch of ground, which made resting comfortable enough. Before lying down, VV added a good amount of dry branches to the fire. He yawned, settling down opposite CC, and closed his heavy eyelids. ¡°Good night, CC.¡± From across the fire, the small figure murmured in response, ¡°Good night, VV.¡± ... That night, VV didn¡¯t sleep well. He woke up multiple times, half-conscious. Sometimes, it was mosquito bites that disturbed his sleep; other times, an unexplainable tension jolted him awake. VV¡¯s sleep was light, and his poor quality rest made him sensitive to every sound. The occasional howls of wild beasts from the jungle pierced through the silence, causing him to open his eyes suddenly each time. It was likely due to his amnesia¡ªwithout memories, there was no sense of security, leaving him feeling uneasy. Initially, VV had hoped that sleeping might trigger some dreams, offering a glimpse into his forgotten past. Yet, he found himself unable to dream at all. It was as if every time he closed his eyes, he fell into a dark, bottomless void, devoid of awareness. Time simply slipped away unnoticed. ¡°Mom...¡± A soft, delicate voice reached VV. He raised his head to look across the fire. CC, curled up into a small ball, seemed to be talking in her sleep. Her face was tense, her lips pressed tightly together, and her body trembled slightly. She must have been having a nightmare. ¡°They¡¯re asleep,¡± she whispered. ¡°Did you learn anything?¡± VV asked. CC nodded, her voice trembling as she recounted the situation. ¡°VV... you were right. It was my father who told them about the research institute ruins. And... they¡¯re planning to kill a bunch of the slaves when they get back. They might start with my parents.¡± VV nodded grimly. ¡°That sounds like something they¡¯d do. If we can stop them here, we not only protect your parents but also keep them from reaching the research institute first. That gives us a better chance.¡± ¡°I think we should,¡± CC said resolutely. ¡°They¡¯re careless¡ªtoo overconfident to even post a night watch.¡± Her fists clenched. ¡°This is the perfect opportunity to take their guns. If we can grab those two handguns, we can turn the tables and finish them off. Then their horses and weapons will be ours!¡± ¡°Are you sure we can pull it off?¡± VV asked, worried. ¡°No problem,¡± CC said firmly, patting her chest. ¡°I¡¯ve been sneaking around the jungle since I was little. Trust me, I can do it. Just stay here.¡± ¡°No,¡± VV said firmly. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you take that risk alone. There are three of them. Even if they¡¯re asleep, it¡¯s still too dangerous for you to go alone. Let¡¯s work together. Once you grab the gun, don¡¯t act rashly. Come back here first, and we¡¯ll figure out how to use it before doing anything.¡± CC nodded, and the two carefully approached under the cover of darkness. Reaching her earlier hiding spot, CC signaled VV to stay put. She moved with light, deliberate steps, blending seamlessly with the jungle. Inch by inch, she crept toward the sleeping men. Finally, she reached one of them. She had already studied the leather holster¡¯s design earlier. With careful precision, she undid the clasp and slowly slid out the heavy, old handgun. She exhaled softly. Success. But just then¡ª ¡°Neighhhh!!!¡± One of the horses tied nearby let out a loud whinny. The three men woke instantly, their eyes snapping open as they shouted curses. CC froze for a moment, panicking. She tightened her grip on the handgun and aimed it at the closest man, pulling the trigger¡ª Click. Nothing happened. The trigger wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°Shit!¡± The man, startled at first, quickly realized what was happening. His fear turned into fury as he lunged toward CC. The other two scrambled to their feet, reaching for her. Seeing no escape, CC turned and threw the gun toward the tree where VV was hiding. ¡°VV!¡± she screamed. The black handgun landed with a soft thud among the dry leaves at VV¡¯s feet. He looked down at the unfamiliar object, his hands trembling with uncertainty. Thud! One of the men kicked CC hard in the stomach, sending her flying against a tree. Another angrily drew his handgun from his belt, shouting as he aimed. ¡°V...V...¡± Blood dripped from CC¡¯s lips as she forced her eyes open. She saw the man raising his gun, preparing to shoot¡ªand VV standing frozen in place. Her heart sank. It was her childish plan, her arrogance, that had dragged VV into this mess. She had doomed him. ¡°VV!!¡± she screamed with all her remaining strength. ¡°Run!!!¡± Bang! Bang! Bang! Three gunshots echoed in the night. Three bursts of blood exploded in the air, like overripe watermelons bursting open. Red splattered against the dark jungle. CC stared, wide-eyed, speechless. She hadn¡¯t even seen what happened. All she knew was that the moment VV picked up the gun, he seemed to transform into someone else. His hands moved so fast they were a blur. There was no hesitation, no aiming¡ªit was over in an instant. The three men¡¯s heads had exploded, one after another. Thud, thud, thud. Their bodies fell to the ground, lifeless. Blood and brain matter seeped into the soil beneath them. A gentle night breeze stirred, clearing the smoke from VV¡¯s gun. The leaves above rustled softly, and the clouds parted, revealing the moonlight. It bathed VV in a pale glow, casting his tall figure in stark relief. ¡°V...V...¡± CC¡¯s legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground, staring at the man illuminated by the moon. ¡°Who... who are you?¡± Chapter 543: Countdown (This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation) ¡°Listen, listen, listen!¡± The young girl, CC, suddenly stepped back, her face pale with fear. ¡°There really are ghosts in here!¡± ¡°Hey, hold on...¡± The bearded man couldn¡¯t help but laugh, albeit awkwardly. ¡°You weren¡¯t scared of those gun-toting lunatic bandits, nor of the fierce beasts prowling in the jungle, nor even sneaking out at night to steal a gun. But now, you¡¯re trembling just because of some strange crying sound?¡± He found it unbelievable. Those other dangers were far worse than this supposed ¡°ghostly wailing.¡± Every one of them was a life-or-death scenario, practically invitations to the grave. Yet CC had faced them all without flinching. Now, at the sound of crying, her face was drained of color. ¡°Don¡¯t you find it terrifying?¡± CC looked up, her eyes shaking slightly. ¡°This crying clearly isn¡¯t normal!¡± ¡°Relax, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not crying.¡± The man stroked his beard as he analyzed. ¡°What kind of hero or ghost cries non-stop for over a hundred years? Forget a hundred years¡ªyour father came here just a few months ago. What kind of steel-throated being could keep crying continuously for months?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m saying it¡¯s a ghost!¡± CC, clearly not a materialist, stubbornly insisted on her ghost theory. The more the man stroked his beard, the more into it he got. To the point where... He was actually enjoying it. Shaking his head, he reasoned: ¡°Even if it were a ghost, crying non-stop for months would tire it out. What kind of ghost has such dull persistence? It¡¯s not a ghost. Stop letting your imagination run wild.¡± ¡°...¡± Faced with his counterarguments, CC found herself momentarily speechless. It was a decisive victory for materialism over idealism. That said, the man¡¯s explanation was both logical and convincing, which helped calm CC down. Her fear stemmed largely from preconceived notions. Before this, her father, a highly capable hunter whom she idolized, had claimed there were ghosts here. CC had never doubted him. Thus, at the first sign of crying, her mind leapt straight to ghosts without entertaining other possibilities. ????a?N??E?S The bearded man, on the other hand, was different. He hadn¡¯t even considered ghosts as a possibility from the beginning. It seemed certain faculties¡ªlike logic and judgment¡ªdidn¡¯t vanish just because of memory loss. ¡°Hmm...¡± Closing his eyes, the man carefully listened to the cries echoing from deep within the research institute ruins. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything for now. Let me listen closely.¡± He noticed the cries followed a distinct pattern, repeating in a consistent rhythm. This further convinced him it wasn¡¯t human or ghostly wailing. As they moved closer, the sound became clearer: ¡°Woo... woo woo...¡± ¡°Woo... woo woo...¡± ¡°Woo... woo woo...¡± Indeed. It repeated in a steady pattern. The man tapped the rhythm with his finger against his gun holster: Tap... tap-tap-tap. Tap... tap-tap-tap. Tap... tap-tap-tap. ¡°It sounds like an alert tone,¡± he concluded, opening his eyes. ¡°A mechanical tone, or perhaps a warning signal¡ªcompletely devoid of emotion or variation.¡± Listening to his thorough analysis, CC lowered her guard and stepped forward, covering one ear to focus. ¡°Hmm... You¡¯re right. It¡¯s not as scary when you think about it that way. Plus, considering the geography¡ªthese towering, jagged mountains all around¡ªit¡¯s nearly impossible for anyone to get in or out of here.¡± ¡°Under these circumstances, the chances of someone surviving inside are practically nil.¡± The man stepped out and instructed CC to make two more torches. Then, he handed her a few wild fruits. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s stick to the plan we discussed earlier. If we encounter any unidentified creature, no matter what it looks like, just toss one of these fruits at it,¡± he explained. ¡°If the fruit bounces back, I¡¯ll point my gun at it and see if we can communicate. But if the fruit passes right through its body... well, there¡¯s nothing more to say. We¡¯ll turn around and run.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± CC nodded firmly, clutching her makeshift ¡°solid detector¡± tightly. With their preparations complete, the duo advanced deeper into the research institute ruins. The man held his pistol in his right hand while CC grasped a wild fruit¡ªa strange name, a strange setup, and a pair always engaging in strange activities. The research facility wasn¡¯t very large, and many of its passageways had been severed by the jagged, rising mountains. It took them only about ten minutes to thoroughly explore the first floor. But then, they hit a dead end. There were no stairs leading to the second floor, nor could they find an access point to the underground levels. ¡°VV, what now?¡± CC, now entirely fearless, rubbed the wild fruit in her hands as she pondered. ¡°The stairs to the second floor must have been crushed or destroyed during the earthquake years ago. If we want to reach the second floor, we¡¯ll have to figure out how to climb from the outside,¡± she suggested. ¡°However... judging by the ¡®woo... woo woo¡¯ sound, it seems to be coming from underground.¡± The bearded man nodded. ¡°If the sound is traveling up from below, there must be some kind of passageway. Let¡¯s first locate the spot where the sound is loudest and clearest, then look for an entrance to the underground levels nearby.¡± Soon, the two arrived at the spot where the sound was loudest. Here, the ¡°woo... woo woo¡± noise became unmistakably clear. On closer listening, it didn¡¯t resemble crying at all but instead sounded more like a mechanical tone: ¡°Doo¡ªdoo doo doo¡ª¡± ¡°It must be a machine of some sort,¡± CC remarked. Beep¡ªbeep-beep-beep¡ª The mechanical sound grew closer and louder, almost piercingly loud at this distance. Ahead of them lay what seemed to be a machine room , and the grating alarm sound was emanating from within. ¡°Finally, we¡¯ve found the source.¡± The man pointed to a sealed metal door ahead. Under the torchlight, the door gleamed as if brand new, radiating a faint silver glow, untouched by time. Made of exceptionally durable material, the door seemed nearly indestructible. But... The severe geological upheaval from the Super Catastrophe had torn through the research facility, causing structural deformation. The gleaming silver door remained intact, but the adjacent wall had collapsed, leaving a large hole. The eerie wailing¡ªactually a mechanical alarm¡ªwas coming from the other side of the hole. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look.¡± The bearded man gestured toward the dark hole, faint red and green lights flickering within. ¡°Since it¡¯s confirmed to be mechanical sounds, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± CC had long accepted the reality, tucking her wild fruits into her pocket and following the man into the abandoned machine room. Inside... Everything in the room sparkled. The machinery appeared to be made of the same sturdy, gleaming material as the silver door, withstanding the passage of centuries without a single scratch. It was this durability that had kept the machines operational for so long. ¡°Is this... a timer?¡± The man scanned the room, noticing walls covered in red and green letters that constantly changed. Closer inspection labels revealed in English: days, hours, minutes, and seconds. The complexity of the numbers overwhelmed him, so he decided to look at something else. The man stepped into the center of the room. There, he saw a sealed sphere¡ªa solid, opaque structure. When he tapped on it, it was evident how sturdy it was. Nothing inside could be discerned. Beneath the enormous sphere lay numerous cables, as thick as an arm, radiating outward to the surrounding walls. Each cable connected to a monitor, creating an image akin to a giant octopus stretching its limbs. The man bent down and counted the cables. ¡°20... 21... 22,¡± he muttered under his breath. At the same time, CC, who was counting the monitors on the walls, finished as well. ¡°VV, there are 22 monitors here on the walls. Each monitor displays a constantly changing string of numbers. Among them, 21 numbers are green, and only one is red.¡± The man raised his head to look at the overwhelming display of green numbers, their rapid changes making his eyes blur. These 21 rows of green numbers were indeed timers. Though they each showed slight variations, the difference was minimal, and all were steadily counting upward. For instance, the timer on the monitor labeled ¡°1¡± displayed: 40932 days, 07 hours, 32 minutes, 41 seconds. After a blink, the numbers shifted to 40932 days, 07 hours, 32 minutes, 42 seconds. Meanwhile, the timer on monitor ¡°2¡± was slightly behind, showing: 40932 days, 07 hours, 16 minutes, 11 seconds. Although slower, it was still ticking upward, second by second. The man mentally calculated. ¡°The year is 2616 now. Forty thousand days is roughly 112 years. This means these timers began counting from the year...¡± ¡°2504.¡± He squinted his eyes. ¡°How coincidental. It¡¯s the exact year of the Super Catastrophe. Could there be some special significance?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense, VV,¡± CC said, spinning in place to examine the seemingly random timers. ¡°If these timers started from the year of the catastrophe, shouldn¡¯t they all show the same time? But look¡ªevery green timer is different, and the time discrepancies have no discernible pattern.¡± ¡°What¡¯s even more baffling is... why are all 21 green timers counting up, while the only red timer here is counting down?¡± The man and CC turned their heads simultaneously. There it was: a single red timer on their right. Unlike the green timers, the red numbers were much smaller¡ªand they were decreasing. It displayed: 2925 days, 11 hours, 54 minutes, 33 seconds. Then, 2925 days, 11 hours, 54 minutes, 32 seconds. And then, 2925 days, 11 hours, 54 minutes, 31 seconds. ... The red numbers, pulsing like a heartbeat, ticked downward second by second. Moreover, the persistent alarm sound¡ªa ¡°beep... beep-beep-beep¡±¡ªwas emanating from this very monitor. This was the source of the eerie crying-like noise. It was unsettling. Out of 22 timers, why was this one counting down? The cold red glow of the numbers added an inexplicable tension to the room, a creeping sense of urgency. The man stroked his beard, feeling a growing unease. ¡°If the ascending timers started with the Super Catastrophe in 2504, then the countdown timer... could it be counting down to a future date?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s calculate, CC. Based on today¡¯s date displayed on the electronic clock, we can figure out the exact date when this red timer will reach zero.¡± The man picked up a piece of paper from the floor. However, it disintegrated into fragments as soon as he touched it, rendering it unusable. With no other option, he grabbed a sharp stone and began performing calculations on the wall. Fortunately, his memory loss hadn¡¯t affected his basic skills. His addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division were still precise and fluid. Line by line, his calculations filled the wall. Finally, he arrived at the answer. The man took a step back, inspecting the result written on the wall: ¡°The red countdown will reach zero on¡ª¡± 2624, August 29th, 00:42:00. Chapter 544: Pinky Promise (This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation) ¡°Hmm... it doesn¡¯t seem like any particularly important day,¡± the man remarked as he glanced at the unremarkable date, unable to perceive any significance. ¡°CC, let¡¯s search the other rooms. So far, this research institute truly looks untouched. Who knows, we might actually find something useful,¡± he suggested. With that, the two left the computer room and began a thorough sweep of the underground level. Sure enough, the place was full of treasures. In a storage warehouse, the duo discovered an abundance of weapons and ammunition. The man tested them one by one, finding most of the weapons damaged. However, the bullets wrapped in oil paper were well-preserved. After a series of tests, they confirmed the usable items: Three handguns with ten magazines; Two automatic rifles with six magazines; Two electric batons; Several boxes of bullets of various calibers. Their firepower was now formidable. ¡°CC, this trip was a huge success,¡± the man said with a grin as he slung the two automatic rifles over his shoulders. ¡°With these weapons, especially the rifles, we can defeat the Bad Guy Tribe and rescue your parents.¡± CC nodded, stroking one of the handguns thoughtfully. ¡°There are so many bullets here. Could you teach me how to shoot?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the man replied without hesitation, gesturing upwards. ¡°Let¡¯s head back up. We¡¯ll carry these supplies and practice shooting outdoors.¡± ... Bang! Bang! In the jungle outside the Ruined Research Facility, CC held the handgun with both hands, standing alert. She closed her left eye and aimed at a tree trunk several meters away with her right eye, pressing the trigger forcefully. Two bullets fired but barely grazed the tree. ¡°That won¡¯t work,¡± the bearded man said, shaking his head. ¡°Using a handgun in combat isn¡¯t like target practice. Precision isn¡¯t as crucial. You¡¯re taking too long to aim, and by the time you line up your sights, the enemy could¡¯ve emptied their magazine at you.¡± ¡°Then... do I not aim at all?¡± CC asked, puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t aim,¡± the man clarified, wagging his finger. ¡°You just don¡¯t rely on the gun¡¯s sights. In combat, that¡¯s meaningless.¡± He stepped forward, standing behind CC, and gently adjusted her grip and stance. ¡°The effective range of a handgun is just a few meters. If an enemy is over ten meters away, hitting them is almost pure luck. So in those cases, don¡¯t hold back on bullets or worry about accuracy. Focus on observing your surroundings, finding cover, and judging the situation. Let your hands handle the shooting¡ªjust ensure the general direction is correct.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to hit a bullseye with every shot, nor do you need to aim for fatal spots. Even if you empty a whole magazine and only hit their leg once, that¡¯s enough.¡±@@@@ ¡°Remember, real combat isn¡¯t like a shooting competition. Accuracy isn¡¯t the goal. If you have enough ammunition, overwhelming firepower is always the best strategy. Got it?¡± CC listened intently, nodding as she committed his advice to memory. ¡°Good.¡± The man smiled and steadied her hands. ¡°Now, let¡¯s try again. Imagine that tree is a bad guy. Start shooting.¡± CC took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes, her expression turning sharp. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! She abandoned precise aiming, using all her strength to counter the recoil as she emptied the magazine at the tree. Instantly, three bullets hit the bark, scattering wood chips. RA¦­O?b§¦?¡ì ¡°Not bad,¡± the man praised. ¡°Your balance is excellent. I can feel you adjusting your stance and force to counter the recoil. That¡¯s your natural talent. With more practice, you¡¯ll get better.¡± ¡°And always remember: never conserve bullets, don¡¯t worry about cost-efficiency, and never aim for a one-shot kill. Bullets are plentiful, magazines are replaceable, but life is irreplaceable¡ªthere¡¯s no room for error.¡± Following his guidance, CC ejected the empty magazine, grabbed a fresh one from her waist, loaded it, and unleashed another volley at the tree. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! This time, her shots were steadier, leaving five new holes in the bark in a tighter cluster. ¡°Is this really okay?¡± CC asked hesitantly. ¡°I thought shooting was about hitting one enemy with one bullet to avoid frequent reloading, which could leave me vulnerable.¡± ¡°Heh, if only it were that simple,¡± the man chuckled. ¡°Enemies aren¡¯t wooden targets. They¡¯ll jump, dodge, and hide. They¡¯re not just going to stand there and let you shoot. There¡¯s no such thing as hitting the bullseye every time.¡± ¡°But you do,¡± CC said, her eyes wide with admiration. ¡°When you shoot, it¡¯s so fast I can¡¯t even see you aim, and yet every shot is a headshot.¡± ¡°I...¡± The man paused, at a loss for words. He looked down at his hands and, after a moment of silence, said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t know why. Like you said, my shooting is very precise, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something I learned overnight.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t explain the specific techniques either, because I¡¯ve lost most of my memory. Before holding a gun, I didn¡¯t even know how to use it. It¡¯s all muscle memory.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I say you¡¯re a sharpshooter!¡± CC¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Your skills are extraordinary. I doubt I¡¯ll ever meet another sharpshooter as amazing as you in my lifetime!¡± ¡°Not necessarily,¡± the man said, spreading his hands. CC sat up, supporting herself with her hands on the ground. She studied the man¡¯s weathered, bearded face. ¡°You probably did have a family,¡± she said thoughtfully. ¡°After all... you¡¯re not young anymore. You look about the same age as my father.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± the man replied. ¡°But under these circumstances... where would my family be now? They¡¯re probably gone.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why I went into hibernation, but it¡¯s clear it happened in a rush, in a panic. I can¡¯t say if my family hibernated with me, but I think it¡¯s unlikely.¡± ¡°And considering the mysterious global catastrophe of 2504... while I hope my family survived, realistically speaking, it¡¯s unlikely. Even if they didn¡¯t perish in the disaster, over a hundred years have passed. They¡¯re probably long gone.¡± He sighed deeply, his expression a mix of melancholy and resignation. ¡°This feeling of longing for something you can¡¯t even remember... it¡¯s the worst. I want to miss them, but I don¡¯t know how. I want to recall them, but I have no memories¡ªnot even their names.¡± The cool night wind carried a faint chill. CC could sense the profound loneliness enveloping the tall man beside her. Isolation. This sharpshooter was trapped in a loneliness that words couldn¡¯t capture. No family, no friends, not even memories. He didn¡¯t know who he was, where he had been, or where he was going. She reached out her small hand, placing it gently over his broad, rough one. ¡°VV,¡± she called softly. ¡°If you don¡¯t have a family, then join mine. Be part of my family,¡± she said, her voice warm and sweet. A bright smile spread across her face, her eyes curving into crescent moons, and two dimples forming at the corners of her lips. ¡°Once we rescue my parents, everything will get better. We¡¯ll rebuild the village, and life will start again.¡± ¡°If you have no home, no memories, and nowhere to go... then come to our home! You¡¯re our savior. My mom and dad will definitely welcome you!¡± The man seemed surprised. He sat up, meeting CC¡¯s gaze, and let out a small chuckle. ¡°Your home?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± CC nodded earnestly. ¡°You need a place to live, don¡¯t you? The world is full of dangers¡ªwhere else would you go alone? Why not become part of our family and live with us?¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± she insisted, her tone formal. ¡°This isn¡¯t a joke. I¡¯m sincerely inviting you! You¡¯re about the same age as my dad, and both of you are amazing. You¡¯d definitely get along!¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯d also have me! And everyone in the village¡ªthey¡¯d all be your friends. You could live happily with us!¡± The man lowered his head, a faint smile crossing his face. Joining a new family, a new village, and starting a new life¡ªthis was something he had never considered. But... In a world so vast, one had to find a place to call home, didn¡¯t they? ¡°Alright,¡± he said, looking up. ¡°I don¡¯t know where else to go, or where I belong. So, I might as well join your village.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± CC¡¯s face lit up with joy. ¡°It¡¯s settled then! You have to keep your word!¡± She took his right hand, her pinky hooking around his. ¡°Pinky promise!¡± Their pinkies intertwined¡ªone small, one large. CC looked into his eyes with a smile, saying: ¡°A pinky promise makes us family! A family that will never part!¡± Chapter 545: Memories The bearded man lowered his gaze to the tightly interlocked little hands and smiled faintly: ¡°If you really want me to live at your house, befriend your father, then you¡¯ll have to call me uncle.¡± ¡°Uncle? Sure, why not!¡± CC withdrew her pinky and laughed cheerfully: ¡°You¡¯ve helped me so much, even saving my whole family. I could even call you Dad!¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± The man immediately waved his hands in a panic, as if startled by the suggestion: ¡°That¡¯s completely inappropriate...¡± ¡°It¡¯s Godfather, silly. There¡¯s nothing inappropriate about that!¡± CC switched smoothly to English. In Brooklyn, it was entirely common for children to have a Godfather¡ªa respected and capable figure. Almost every child had one. She couldn¡¯t understand why VV was so startled by her suggestion. Truthfully, VV himself didn¡¯t fully understand his reaction either. It just felt... inappropriate. ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s head back to the research institute and get some sleep,¡± the bearded man said, rising to his feet and putting an end to the abrupt conversation. ¡°We¡¯ve got to fight the Bad Guy Tribe tomorrow, so we need to rest well tonight.¡± ¡°Mhm, mhm.¡± Finally, the day had come. CC clenched her fists, her confidence unwavering. She also stood up from the rooftop, dusting off her clothes before climbing down the pipes toward the first floor. The man followed CC to the edge of the building. Before descending, he raised his head one last time to look at the stars. Brilliant, luminous, expansive, eternal. The sky resembled a fine veil draped across the heavens, or snowflakes frozen in time. ¡°Huh?¡± The man blinked, noticing something unusual. Amidst the vast expanse of the galaxy, there was a flickering red and blue light, darting rapidly through the sky. The red and blue lights blinked rhythmically, most likely the warning signals of some sort of flying object. ¡°An airplane?¡± he mused, recalling something CC had mentioned about how planes occasionally flew over Brooklyn. This had to be one of them. The aircraft wasn¡¯t flying very high and seemed to be descending further, perhaps searching for something. Shaking his head, the man decided not to dwell on it and followed the passageway down to the first floor of the research institute. ... That night, there was no roughing it in the wild. The man slept soundly through the night without waking once. He remembered clearly, though¡ªhe still hadn¡¯t dreamed. It wasn¡¯t a big deal; he was used to it. No dreams meant better sleep quality, which was something he appreciated. ?a?o?E?s? The next morning, after waking up, the man and CC enjoyed another meal of canned food. They packed their supplies, carrying water and food, grabbed their weapons and ammunition, and retraced their steps through the concealed passage. They returned to the spot where the ¡°sensible steed¡± was tied up. True to its reputation, the steed stayed obediently within the radius of its tether, grazing on the grass without showing any sign of attempting to escape. As soon as the bearded man and the little girl emerged, the horse immediately straightened up, lifting its head and standing to attention. ¡°You¡¯re such a good boy, Bruce,¡± CC said, approaching to pat the horse on its head. The man froze. ¡°What did you call it? How do you know its name is Bruce?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s written here,¡± CC replied, leaping up to grab the saddle on the horse¡¯s back. She pointed to the front section for the man to see. Sure enough, on the metal at the very front, the word ¡°Bruce¡± was crudely carved with a knife. That seemed to be the horse¡¯s name. Since the man didn¡¯t know how to ride, he¡¯d always sat in the rear seat behind CC, never noticing this small detail. ¡°Well, Bruce it is,¡± the man said, smoothing the horse¡¯s coat with his automatic rifle. ¡°Take us to where you came from¡ªstraight to the Bad Guy Tribe.¡± ¡°Neigh!¡± The sensible steed responded energetically. Clip-clop, clip-clop¡ªthe sound of hooves echoed through the jungle. As usual, CC sat in front, holding the reins. The bearded man sat behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders. It wasn¡¯t a comfortable position¡ªhis arms quickly grew sore. But there was no other option; CC was too small, and he was too tall to hold onto her waist. This awkward setup was the only way he could keep steady. ¡°Ask Bruce how much farther we¡¯ve got to go,¡± the man said impatiently. CC, tense and sweating, burst into laughter. Her ponytail bobbed wildly with the rhythm of the horse¡¯s movements as she turned to look back at him. ¡°What are you thinking, VV? It¡¯s just a horse! How could it possibly know? You¡¯re giving it way too much credit!¡± she said, her tone teasing. ¡°And I think it¡¯s already pretty clever,¡± the man shot back. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it were practically a genius.¡± ¡°Neigh...¡± Bruce let out a low growl, then gradually slowed down, raising its head to gaze at the sky. Both the man and CC followed the horse¡¯s gaze upward. Sure enough... About a kilometer away, faint wisps of smoke drifted skyward. There was no doubt¡ªa settlement was ahead, with someone lighting fires. The horse, with its keener sense of smell, had likely detected the scent in the air and stopped early to avoid alerting the enemy. What a thoughtful move. Both the man and CC were impressed by Bruce¡¯s sharp instincts. It was indeed a remarkable horse, worthy of the chaotic times. ¡°We¡¯ll walk the rest of the way from here,¡± the man said as he dismounted. He turned to help CC down, then began distributing weapons and ammunition. ¡°These magazines are fully loaded. Strap them to your waist. Take this handgun too,¡± he said, placing four magazines and a box of bullets into a cloth pouch before handing it to CC. He then passed her a black handgun. ¡°If something unexpected happens, and you run out of bullets, retreat. Fall back to a safe spot¡ªbehind me, if possible. Or just run. Once we¡¯ve reloaded, we¡¯ll come back and finish the job.¡± He adjusted the rifles and spare magazines strapped to himself. At this point, he was practically a walking armory. He couldn¡¯t help but marvel at his own capabilities. Not only was he adept with handguns, but his rifle marksmanship¡ªtested the previous day¡ªwas exceptional too. Who had he been before he lost his memory? Regardless, in this assault, he was the main combatant, while CC was his assistant. Her task was to watch for enemies in his blind spots. Once everything was ready, the man walked over to the horse and removed all its restraints. ¡°You¡¯re free now, Bruce,¡± he said. ¡°Neigh?¡± The horse let out a surprised whinny, its large eyes staring at him in disbelief.@@@@ The man patted Bruce¡¯s head gently. ¡°We¡¯re going to liberate slaves. You don¡¯t have to be one anymore either. The world is vast, Bruce. Go wherever you want. You don¡¯t have to serve those scoundrels anymore.¡± ¡°Go on,¡± he added, his voice soft. ¡°Without these chains, you¡¯re a free horse.¡± Bruce closed its mouth, making a soft whimpering sound as if it had something to say. Thankfully, both of CC¡¯s parents were alive and well. Most of the villagers had survived too. After releasing her pent-up emotions, the resilient CC wiped her tears away and recounted everything that had happened during her time away. The villagers listened in increasing astonishment, their shock growing with every detail. Afterward, led by CC¡¯s parents, the villagers approached the bearded man. One by one, they knelt before him. ¡°No, no, no, please don¡¯t!¡± The man hurriedly crouched down and pulled CC¡¯s father to his feet. ¡°Mr. VV.¡± CC¡¯s father, his eyes red, clasped the man¡¯s hands tightly. ¡°Thank you for saving all of us. We villagers are willing to serve you for the rest of our lives, following your every command.¡± ¡°No, no...¡± The man took some time to explain that he had no interest in ruling over others. He didn¡¯t even know who he was or where he was going. CC¡¯s father nodded; CC had already mentioned these things. She had also shared the agreement she and VV had made. ¡°Mr. VV, please join us. Live with us,¡± CC¡¯s father said earnestly on behalf of the villagers. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to lead us, at least give us the chance to repay you. And since you don¡¯t have any memories or a place to go, why not stay here with us?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± CC ran over and tugged at the man¡¯s arm. ¡°We already agreed! You¡¯re part of our family now!¡± The man smiled and nodded. It wasn¡¯t difficult to accept their kindness. In fact, it aligned with his own intentions. He wanted to recover his memories, but until then, he needed a place to stay. ¡°No problem. Thank you for accepting me,¡± the man said, ruffling CC¡¯s soft hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll stay. After all, this is what we agreed¡ª¡± Whomp whomp whomp whomp! A sudden roar of helicopter blades drowned out his words. Everyone looked up to see a twin-rotor transport helicopter rapidly descending overhead, scattering the crowd in fright. Whomp whomp whomp whomp! The helicopter descended lower and lower, the deafening noise and fierce wind blowing away everything nearby. ¡°Watch out!¡± The bearded man shouted, raising his automatic rifle to aim at the incoming aircraft¡ª Whoosh! A faint sound. The man felt a sting on his neck, like a mosquito bite. Looking down, he saw a small syringe-like object embedded in his neck, injecting yellow liquid into his bloodstream. ¡°What is this?¡± He hastily yanked the syringe out, but within moments¡ª Thud. His body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground. ¡°VV!!¡± CC screamed in panic, running toward him. The helicopter¡¯s side doors opened, and several heavily armed soldiers jumped out. One of them quickly restrained CC, snatching the pistol from her waist. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± The soldiers pointed their guns at the crowd, speaking in calm tones. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. We¡¯re not your enemies.¡± No one dared move, but the cold, threatening barrels of their guns kept everyone frozen with fear. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Only CC struggled fiercely, screaming at the top of her lungs. ¡°What are you doing?! Let go of VV! Let go of him!¡± Her desperate cries filled the air. She could only watch helplessly as VV, once invincible, now lay weak and powerless on the ground. An elderly man with white hair descended from the helicopter, trembling as he approached VV. A soldier followed closely behind, carrying a terrifying octopus-shaped device. CC had no idea what the contraption was, but the sight of it being strapped onto VV¡¯s head sent chills down her spine. Completely paralyzed, VV looked up at the elderly man. ¡°Who... are you... What are you... going to do to me?¡± ¡°VV!!¡± CC couldn¡¯t let anything happen to him. In desperation, she opened her mouth wide and bit down hard on the arm of the soldier restraining her. ¡°Argh!¡± The soldier screamed in pain as blood streamed from his arm, and his grip weakened. The little girl, her mouth stained with blood, darted free like a rabbit. She threw herself onto VV¡¯s prone body. ¡°VV! Are you okay?¡± Frantically, she fumbled with the straps of the octopus-shaped helmet. ¡°I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll get you out of this!¡± But it was too late. The soldier who had secured the helmet pressed a red button without hesitation. ¡°AAAAAHHHH!!!¡± VV¡¯s body arched backward, his muscles tensing as he let out a cry of agony. ¡°VV?¡± CC froze, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. ¡°VV!!!!¡± Chapter 547: Memories of the Past Chapter 547: Memories of the Past Boom... Boom... Boom... The twin-propeller transport aircraft gradually took off from the ground, rose into the air, and sped southeast. CC clenched her fists, staring at the aircraft as it became a mere black dot in the sky. ¡°Liar.¡± She whispered again. Her father patted her shoulder and shook his head: ¡°You shouldn¡¯t call Mr. VV that. He¡¯s the savior of all of us, and we ought to feel grateful.¡± ¡°As for the so-called promise between you two... it was nothing more than a child¡¯s play with an amnesiac. It doesn¡¯t count.¡± CC pressed her lips tightly together, remaining silent. Her father looked down at his aggrieved daughter and continued: ¡°This is exactly why Mr. VV said you aren¡¯t ready to decide your own life. You¡¯re too young, immature in your thinking, and selfish in your desires.¡± ¡°Mr. VV is clearly not someone from our world. He has far more important and grander missions to undertake... How could you selfishly wish to keep someone so extraordinary in our little village in Brooklyn?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Young CC argued back stubbornly: ¡°I never said he couldn¡¯t leave! Sure, I¡¯m reluctant to see him go, and I know I¡¯d only be a burden to him if I tagged along. But why couldn¡¯t he be honest about it?¡± ¡°I thought... I thought we¡¯d become friends, maybe even family, after everything we went through together, all the battles. So why did he have to lie to me?¡± Speaking of this, CC felt even more upset: ¡°He could¡¯ve just told me any reason outright, and I¡¯d have accepted it. But instead, he used some excuse meant to pacify a child. That¡¯s what hurts me the most.¡± ¡°Look at the nonsense he spouted¡ªabout the past and the truth, predetermined endings, and a safe... It¡¯s like something straight out of a fairy tale!¡± ¡°If there really is a safe, then why didn¡¯t he tell me the combination? He hemmed and hawed without giving a clear answer, which just proves he made it up on the spot and didn¡¯t even think it through!¡± ¡°No.¡± Her father shook his head, gazing in the direction where Mr. VV¡¯s plane disappeared: ¡°Mr. VV¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t look like those of someone lying. Even if what he said sounds far-fetched, I believe it to be true.¡± ¡°Besides, in this world, many things require you to see for yourself to discern truth from falsehood. Until you uncover the truth, don¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡± ¡°Neeigh.¡± At this moment, Bruce, their robust and strong horse, lowered his head and nudged CC¡¯s shoulder with his nose, as if trying to comfort her. CC turned to look at the sturdy Bruce and gently stroked his neck: ¡°I will.¡± She let out a faint hum and declared: ¡°When I grow up, I will go to Donghai.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll open that safe at Time Bank and see what¡¯s inside...¡± ¡°What exactly is hidden there!¡±@@@@ ... Through the narrow window, Lin Xian gazed at the distant earth below. The plane sped onward, and in no time, CC and her group were out of sight. All that remained in view was an expanse of primeval forest. ¡°You didn¡¯t give her the safe¡¯s combination.¡± Across from him, the elderly Liu Feng asked in his hoarse, raspy voice, ¡°Why?¡± Lin Xian took one last look at Brooklyn¡¯s landscape before turning back to Liu Feng. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Liu Feng¡¯s expression turned incredulous. ¡°Don¡¯t know? Then you...¡± ¡°I just had a feeling,¡± Lin Xian interrupted, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. ¡°I initially intended to tell CC the combination, but I can¡¯t explain why. At the very last moment, I stopped.¡± r?a???E?S? ¡°It wasn¡¯t as if someone stopped me, nor did I suddenly recall anything. It was just a simple thought... that it might be better not to say it.¡± ¡°Because I realized¡ªthis part of the story on this worldline is CC¡¯s very first memory fragment.¡± He opened his eyes and rubbed his temples. ¡°There¡¯s something strange about CC¡ªtoo many oddities for me to untangle. But the formation of memory fragments, I think, aligns with what we speculated earlier. They¡¯re scattered pieces of memories from different worldlines, brought about by the destabilization of the Millennial Stake.¡± ¡°Now, I¡¯m starting to doubt whether my dreams are entirely real... because the CC in my dreams and the CC who became the last Millennial Stake in reality are quite different, down to many details.¡± ¡°So, to be cautious, I¡¯ve decided to preserve this first memory fragment¡¯s stability. I don¡¯t know if it holds any real significance, but so far, a lot of events¡ªincluding CC¡¯s initial driving force¡ªrevolve around opening the safe at Time Bank. I don¡¯t want to change that.¡± Liu Feng listened to Lin Xian¡¯s explanation in silence. After a long pause, he sighed softly and spoke slowly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lin Xian. There¡¯s some unfortunate news I need to share with you.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s heart sank. He straightened in his seat. ¡°You¡¯re not about to tell me something about Time Bank, are you?¡± ¡°You see, you¡¯ve already guessed it yourself.¡± Liu Feng gave a helpless smile. ¡°Yes, just as you thought, Time Bank is gone.¡± Lin Xian stood up and patted Liu Feng on the shoulder. ¡°Trust me.¡± No matter how dire or hopeless the situation, over the centuries of twisted timelines, Lin Xian had conceived countless plans. The one thing he had never considered was giving up. ¡°Let¡¯s return to Rhine University first.¡± Straightening up, Lin Xian looked out the window at the sea of clouds breaking through the stratosphere. ¡°Now it¡¯s just the two of us, but don¡¯t forget... when I first went to Xi¡¯an to recruit you, it was just the two of us back then too.¡± ¡°So, Liu Feng, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. It¡¯s just starting over again. Pull yourself together!¡± Outside the window, the radiant sun hung high above the clouds, warm and unchanging, just like it had been centuries ago. ¡°As long as we¡¯re still alive, it¡¯s never too late. There¡¯s always hope!¡± ... Hours later, the plane landed on the Rhine University campus. The campus was orderly and clean, but it no longer resembled its former self. All the buildings were low, with very few exceeding three stories, and their design and construction were rough, resembling the craftsmanship of rural clay houses. It was evident that Rhine University had also suffered severe damage during the 2504 super catastrophe. Fortunately, it had managed to endure. Looking up, two white jade statues still stood proudly at the main gate, facing the wind and gazing into the distance, radiant and pure. ¡°One has to admit, this is nothing short of a miracle,¡± Liu Feng said, leaning on his cane as he walked behind Lin Xian. ¡°The entire university collapsed, with countless cracks reaching down to magma, yet these two white jade statues somehow stood firm, completely intact.¡± Lin Xian looked at the statues of Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi under the setting sun. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s them who are protecting Rhine University,¡± he said softly. ¡°Let¡¯s get closer for a look.¡± Liu Feng walked slowly, his cane tapping with each deliberate step. Lin Xian matched his pace, walking alongside him, one step at a time. After some time, they stood once more beneath the white jade statues of Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi. It had been nearly 300 years since Lin Xian had first laid eyes on these statues. The passage of time had turned Liu Feng into a withered old man and Lin Xian into a middle-aged man. Yet, the figures of Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi remained frozen in their prime, forever captured at the peak of their vitality and elegance. Lin Xian raised his head, studying Zhao Ying Jun¡¯s solemn expression on the statue. This was Zhao Ying Jun at the age of forty or fifty. Roughly... the same age as Lin Xian was now. It was a strange coincidence of time, a cruel joke of fate, that allowed middle-aged Lin Xian and middle-aged Zhao Ying Jun to ¡°meet¡± in this way. ¡°She once told me that she didn¡¯t want me to see her in her old age,¡± Lin Xian said, pointing at the statue and speaking to Liu Feng. ¡°And now, we¡¯ve both grown old.¡± ¡°In fact, we¡¯ll keep aging, while they remain forever young.¡± ¡°Indeed...¡± Liu Feng sighed. ¡°In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed.¡± ¡°Who would have thought that the journey from Xi¡¯an to Donghai to find you would turn out to be so long?¡± ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Lin Xian asked with a smile. ¡°Of course not.¡± Liu Feng let out a long breath. ¡°I just worry... There are only eight years left until the white light descends in 2624, and right now, we¡¯re in the worst possible situation.¡± ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian said, shaking his head, his gaze resolute. ¡°This may be the worst of times, but it¡¯s also... the best of times.¡± Liu Feng tilted his head, puzzled. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lin Xian drew his gaze away from the white jade statues and looked directly into Liu Feng¡¯s eyes. ¡°Because only in this era can we have the chance to meet the greatest genius the world has ever known.¡± For a moment, Liu Feng froze in realization. ¡°You mean...¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lin Xian nodded. ¡°Liu Feng, it might seem like everything we¡¯ve done has been futile, but in truth, every step we¡¯ve taken has had meaning.¡± ¡°Newton¡¯s death spared future mathematicians from being hunted; the premature triggering of the super catastrophe reduced its power, allowing humanity to survive in 2616 instead of facing extinction.¡± ¡°Perhaps this time, we¡¯ll finally meet that elusive figure, the man who exists only in legend¡ª¡± ¡°Chen He Ping.¡± Chapter 548: Piling On the return flight, Liu Feng had already updated Lin Xian about the current state of Rhine University, naturally including its research endeavors. Over the years, it had been an incredible feat just to maintain the university¡¯s core structure. Limited by conditions and equipment, nearly all cutting-edge research projects had come to a halt, including work on the Universal Constant. Frankly speaking, research into the Universal Constant 42 had long since hit a bottleneck. Even with Emperor Gao Wen joining in, Liu Feng and Gao Wen were only able to calculate the value of 42 but could not delve any deeper. Everything remained a mystery. Everything... was still a mystery. Since not even Liu Feng, the author of Introduction to the Universal Constant, nor the pinnacle of human intellect, Emperor Gao Wen, could resolve this, the last hope lay with one remaining individual... Chen Heping. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work,¡± Lin Xian said calmly. ¡°The time left to us is limited. Every minute and second is precious.¡± ¡°What should we do now?¡± Liu Feng asked. ¡°First, let¡¯s visit a barber,¡± Lin Xian replied, stroking the large beard on his chest. ¡°I can¡¯t accept this look any longer.¡± ... Inside Rhine University¡¯s barbershop, the sound of scissors snipping echoed as thick strands of long hair fell from Lin Xian¡¯s head. A buzzing razor swept across his chin, shaving the unruly beard clean like a lawnmower cutting through dense grass. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Both Lin Xian and Liu Feng froze, staring at the youthful face reflected in the barber¡¯s mirror. ¡°Wait a second, what¡¯s going on?¡± Lin Xian¡¯s eyes widened, staring at the handsome and dashing young man staring back. This... Was this him? It certainly was. But the face in the mirror was his younger self! Liu Feng, leaning on his cane, got up to take a closer look at Lin Xian¡¯s face, now devoid of the years suggested by his rugged appearance. ¡°How are you still so young? With your long hair and thick beard, I thought you were at least forty or fifty.¡± ¡°Exactly, I thought so too,¡± Lin Xian muttered, unsure whether to feel amused or shocked. He removed the barber¡¯s cape, stood up, and leaned closer to the mirror for another look. r?aNo?????E?S?? No mistake about it. The man reflected wasn¡¯t some fresh-faced youth in his twenties, but neither was he a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties. Judging by the smooth skin and faint lines at the corners of his eyes... Lin Xian looked to be about thirty. ¡°I get it now,¡± Lin Xian said thoughtfully. ¡°I assumed that during my time in the hibernation chamber, I had naturally aged ten or even twenty years. But clearly, the timeline isn¡¯t that long.¡± ¡°The chamber¡¯s hibernation effect must have stopped working only a few years ago. I was likely submerged in room-temperature filling fluid for four or five years,¡± he continued. ¡°Come to think of it, if I had been metabolizing normally for ten or twenty years while sleeping, my hair and beard would¡¯ve been several meters long by now.¡± Liu Feng nodded, his expression contemplative. ¡°Several meters might be an exaggeration, but you¡¯re right. If you¡¯d been asleep for that long, your hair and beard wouldn¡¯t be this length.¡± ¡°Exactly. People like us, seeing long hair and a big beard, instinctively think someone¡¯s older and completely dismiss the possibility of youth...¡± Lin Xian shrugged. ¡°But who can blame them? With all that hair covering my face, no one could¡¯ve known my real age without shaving it all off.¡± The barber, holding a strand of fallen hair from the floor, straightened it out to inspect its length. ¡°Young people¡¯s hair tends to grow faster. It¡¯s not uncommon for it to grow several centimeters a year. Judging by this length, it seems you were in proper hibernation at first, but the last four or five years, you were just asleep.¡± ¡°If you were around twenty-five before hibernation, your real age now should be about thirty,¡± he concluded. ¡°Heh.¡± The unexpected revelation made Lin Xian chuckle. A sudden wave of realization washed over him as he recalled something CC had mentioned in a dream: ¡°A middle-aged man with long hair and a big beard told me to come to Donghai City and open Lin Xian¡¯s safe. Your voice sounds just like his.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only seen one other person whose sharpshooting compares to yours. The way you both draw your weapons is identical.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be VV. You¡¯re way too young¡ªyour age doesn¡¯t match.¡± ¡°VV¡¯s gaze is lost, cold, and indifferent... and when he left, it was without hesitation.¡± Lin Xian scratched his head, his polished shoes brushing against the thick pile of hair on the ground. ¡°This was a misunderstanding of epic proportions...¡± ¡°A misunderstanding that¡¯s taken 600 years to unravel.¡±@@@@ ... The following day, in a red-brick conference room. Liu Feng, leaning on a cane with one hand, tapped chalk against the blackboard with the other, scribbling notes with a rhythmic da-da-da. Seated below, Lin Xian focused on the spacetime clock resting on the table as he waited. He picked up a piece of chalk and heavily wrote the name on the blackboard, circling it for emphasis. ¡°Fine,¡± Lin Xian said indifferently. ¡°The name doesn¡¯t matter to me. It¡¯s just a label.¡± ¡°Besides, compared to the Piling Civilization, we¡¯re utterly insignificant. We don¡¯t know where they are, nor do we know what they look like. And yet, with such limited understanding, they casually deploy a light-speed weapon spanning 0.001 light-years¡ªenough to obliterate Earth and erase billions of years of civilization in an instant.¡± ¡°Which brings us to the next question.¡± Lin Xian raised his hand and pointed to the third question on the board. ¡°How could such a powerful and fearsome super-civilization¡ªthis Piling Civilization¡ªcreate a Millennial Stake that only lasts 600 years? Doesn¡¯t that seem incredibly unreasonable?¡± ¡°Not only unreasonable but outright contradictory. They go to great lengths to set up a Millennial Stake, yet after a mere 600 years¡ªbarely a blink of an eye¡ªit becomes unstable and dysfunctional, requiring manual intervention with a light-speed weapon. Does that make sense?¡± Sigh. Liu Feng let out a heavy sigh. ¡°These questions go far beyond the scope of our current understanding. The Piling Civilization¡¯s intentions, and why the Millennial Stake can only function for 600 years, are issues for them to address, not us.¡± ¡°Our responsibility is to figure out how to deal with the White Light, how to save human civilization, and how to survive.¡± He moved his finger down to point at the final question on the board. Lin Xian picked up a pen from the nearby table, twirling it between his fingers. ¡°Actually, once you realize the enemy is impossibly strong¡ªso strong they¡¯re unbeatable¡ªthis question becomes simpler,¡± he said with a faint smile. Liu Feng adjusted his glasses. ¡°Explain.¡± ¡°Heh, think about it,¡± Lin Xian said with a helpless chuckle. ¡°The Piling Civilization can casually launch light-speed weapons that evaporate all celestial bodies within 0.01 light-years. Against such a powerful enemy, what can we possibly do that would matter?¡± ¡°Do planes and tanks matter? Starships and spacecraft? Nuclear weapons and laser cannons?¡± ¡°The answer is obvious: none of these matter. Which leaves us with only one last option, our final hope, and the one thing the Piling Civilization fears¡ª¡± ¡°The Universal Constant, 42.¡± He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in, then continued: ¡°The Piling Civilization doesn¡¯t care about how we humans struggle, but... they are terrified of every mathematician who calculates the number 42. They fear humanity¡¯s understanding of the true power of 42.¡± ¡°This is their caution, but also their oversight. It¡¯s the last straw we can grasp to save ourselves.¡± ¡°So, the more the enemy fears something, the harder we must work toward it. That is the true path to breaking this deadlock.¡± ¡°I mentioned Chen Heping to you a couple of days ago. How¡¯s the investigation? Have you found him?¡± Lin Xian asked. Liu Feng, leaning on his cane, walked over to a chair and replied, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve found him.¡± As he sat down, he continued, ¡°Rhine University does have some advantages when it comes to locating people and gathering intelligence. The population around Donghai City isn¡¯t very large these days, so finding one person wasn¡¯t difficult. We tracked down the Chen Heping you spoke of fairly quickly.¡± ¡°But... how should I put this? Reaching out to Chen Heping is proving to be a bit of a challenge.¡± ¡°A challenge?¡± Lin Xian blinked. ¡°What kind of challenge?¡± Placing his cane beside the desk, Liu Feng explained seriously, ¡°Lin Xian, you might not fully understand the current state of the world. Not every place is as peaceful as Rhine University.¡± ¡°Our campus is secluded, protected by enough weaponry to ensure its safety, making it something of a utopia. But the outskirts of Donghai City are a mess¡ªvillages constantly fighting over territory and resources, engaged in never-ending skirmishes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not entirely their fault, nor can we say they¡¯re inherently warlike. It¡¯s just the way things are in this era. To survive amidst scarce resources, conflict becomes inevitable.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of that,¡± Lin Xian said, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ve seen more apocalyptic scenarios than anyone. But what does that have to do with Chen Heping?¡± ¡°From what little I know of him, he seems like someone who¡¯s easy to get along with¡ªkind-hearted and enthusiastic. As long as we explain why we¡¯re here, it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to have a proper discussion with him, right?¡± Liu Feng waved his hand in return. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. By all accounts, Chen Heping is a decent man. However, his son is another story¡ªhe¡¯s notoriously arrogant, domineering, and an all-around troublemaker.¡± Suddenly, a face with bulging flesh and a smug expression popped into Lin Xian¡¯s mind. ¡°Big Cat Face?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Liu Feng said, surprised. ¡°That¡¯s him¡ªcommonly known as Big Cat Face. He¡¯s naturally aggressive, highly combative, and leads a gang of lackeys, running a racket extorting protection fees wherever he goes.¡± ¡°Our weapons could easily handle them, of course, but our goal is to persuade Chen Heping to come to Rhine University for research, not escalate conflict.¡± ¡°To reach Chen Heping, we¡¯d inevitably have to deal with Big Cat Face first. I even sent people there yesterday, but Big Cat Face¡¯s unreasonable and violent nature made negotiations impossible. He chased my people out with a beating.¡± Lin Xian chuckled knowingly. ¡°Classic Face. That¡¯s just the kind of thing he¡¯d do.¡± Snap. He slapped the pen he was holding onto the desk and stood up. ¡°No problem. I¡¯ll take care of Big Cat Face.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Liu Feng looked at him incredulously. ¡°Did you even listen to anything I just said?¡± ¡°Of course I did,¡± Lin Xian replied nonchalantly. ¡°It¡¯s just Big Cat Face¡ªwhat¡¯s so hard about dealing with him?¡± He smiled faintly, rolling his wrists as he spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liu Feng. I can¡¯t make guarantees for just anyone, but when it comes to Big Cat Face...¡± ¡°I know him better than he knows himself.¡± Chapter 549: Big Cat Face A small helicopter took off from Rhine University, heading toward the outskirts of Donghai City. Lin Xian looked down. Chaotic, filthy, dilapidated. The outskirts of Donghai City were dotted with numerous small villages, all exuding a wild and untamed atmosphere. It was just as Liu Feng had described. The enclosed environment of Rhine University was a paradise in these times; the chaotic state of Brooklyn and the outskirts of Donghai represented the norm of the era. The helicopter landed far from the village where Chen Heping resided. Lin Xian and Liu Feng planned to approach on foot. ¡°This kind of ominous arrival with a helicopter can easily backfire,¡± Liu Feng explained. ¡°Walking there slowly will be better¡ªit at least won¡¯t make them feel threatened. Regardless... these villagers on the outskirts of Donghai hold significant resentment toward Rhine University.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°Is it purely envy or jealousy?¡± ¡°Not entirely,¡± Liu Feng replied with a troubled expression. ¡°In an era of scarce resources and widespread poverty, relationships between individuals and organizations become incredibly complex. ¡°Although we at Rhine University maintain a neutral stance and avoid involvement in conflicts, this neutrality ironically turns us into a common enemy for everyone to resent.¡± ¡°But don¡¯t dwell on it too much,¡± Liu Feng continued. ¡°Everyone knows we¡¯re neutral. While they harbor emotional hostility toward us, it¡¯s also a kind of safety statement. That said... we still need to be cautious.¡± Liu Feng took a handgun from the pilot and handed it to Lin Xian. ¡°You should carry it. Your marksmanship is unparalleled; I¡¯ll feel safer with you armed.¡± Lin Xian picked up the handgun, weighed it in his hand, then handed it back to the pilot. ¡°Forget it. I think we¡¯re better off without carrying weapons.¡± Looking at Liu Feng, he explained, ¡°Since we¡¯re here to seek Chen Heping¡¯s help, we should at least show sincerity. Coming unarmed demonstrates our utmost good faith.¡± ¡°Besides,¡± Lin Xian added, ¡°as you mentioned, even when our people clashed with Big Cat Face two days ago, he merely drove them out without using weapons.¡± ¡°I... how do I put it?¡± Lin Xian hesitated for a moment. ¡°Although I¡¯m very familiar with Big Cat Face, he doesn¡¯t know me. But no matter which dreamscape I encounter Big Cat Face in, he¡¯s always an honest and straightforward person.¡± ¡°Especially in this era,¡± Lin Xian concluded. ¡°If Chen Heping is alive, then Big Cat Face¡¯s daughter must also be alive. Based on my observations, as long as his daughter is alive, he will always be a good father.¡± Recalling the second dreamscape, Lin Xian remembered Big Cat Face¡¯s doting smile as he looked at his children. He had even reminded Lin Xian to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle, setting a good example for the kids. R§¡No???E?? That burly man with his foolish-looking demeanor was rough and wild on the outside but tender and gentle at heart. Lin Xian knew this well. This was his ¡°Face Brother.¡± Lin Xian considered himself part of the Face Gang. Even if the current Face Gang might not recognize him, Lin Xian already saw Big Cat Face and the others as good friends, just like CC. Liu Feng glanced at Lin Xian a few times. Without saying much more, he followed Lin Xian as they trudged toward the village ahead. ... ¡°Stop right there!¡± As soon as they approached the gate, a lanky man with fierce brows and a red-tasseled spear glared at them with hostility. ¡°Where do you stinking city folk think you¡¯re going? Get off our land!¡± Lin Xian glanced up and sighed inwardly. ¡°Oh no.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Liu Feng whispered curiously. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me Er Zhu Zi was on guard duty?¡± Lin Xian frowned, clearly annoyed. ¡°Liu Feng, your intel work is terrible! How could you miss such an important detail?¡± Liu Feng was momentarily stunned by the rebuke. ¡°Does it matter who¡¯s guarding the gate?¡± ¡°Of course, it matters...¡± Lin Xian lamented silently. If he¡¯d known earlier, he could have brought a female teacher from Rhine University, pretended they were a couple, and easily slipped past Er Zhu Zi with his gullibility. But now? Here he was, just a lone man with Liu Feng¡ªa grizzled old-timer who looked like he was halfway to the grave. There was no way Er Zhu Zi would let them pass without trouble. Still. They were already here. No choice but to face it head-on. With a smile, Lin Xian stepped forward. ¡°Brother Zhu,¡± he greeted warmly. ¡°Who the hell are you calling Brother Zhu? Get lost!¡± Er Zhu Zi roared, spitting as he waved his spear menacingly. ¡°Hmm? What¡¯s going on, Er Zhu Zi?¡± Suddenly, a sweet, gentle voice called out from behind the village gate, soft as a breeze and warm as jade. Moments later, a slender, graceful woman with delicate features stepped into view, holding the hand of a five- or six-year-old girl. ¡°Sister-in-law!¡± ¡°Big Sister-in-law!¡± Both Lin Xian and Er Zhu Zi exclaimed in unison. Lin Xian recognized her instantly. It was none other than Face Sister-in-Law¡ªsomeone he hadn¡¯t seen in ages. He could still vividly recall the second dreamscape when he would go to Big Cat Face¡¯s house daily to eat dumplings, all hand-wrapped by Face Sister-in-Law. She wasn¡¯t just beautiful and kind-hearted; she was also understanding and reasonable. Lin Xian had always held a very high opinion of her. Swish¡ª Before Lin Xian could take a step closer, Er Zhu Zi swung his spear like a steam-blowing bull and planted it firmly right in front of Lin Xian¡¯s face. ¡°You scrawny little scoundrel! Who said you could call her Sister-in-law?!¡± Face Sister-in-Law was momentarily bewildered by the scene. She glanced at Er Zhu Zi, then at Lin Xian. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you two? By the way, do I know you?¡± ¡°Of course, you do!¡± Lin Xian replied with a warm smile. ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m a friend of Face Brother. Could you let us in to see him?¡± ¡°Face Brother, my foot!¡± Er Zhu Zi practically leaped in anger, nearly mounting his spear like a circus act. He jabbed a finger at Lin Xian¡¯s nose and shouted, ¡°Your real intention is to see Face Brother? Who do you think you¡¯re fooling? I can tell just by looking at your slick face that you¡¯re up to no good!¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough.¡± Face Sister-in-Law clapped her hands and interrupted Er Zhu Zi, all while holding onto the child. ¡°Guests from afar are still guests. Since they came looking for your elder brother, let them meet him first.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Though clearly displeased, Er Zhu Zi couldn¡¯t defy Sister-in-Law¡¯s orders. Grumbling under his breath, he reluctantly stepped aside. ¡°Follow me, both of you! Big Brother¡¯s just over there!¡± Still... Ah. A wry smile crept onto his face. No wonder Lin Xian had been so confident and self-assured in dealing with these unreasonable and stubborn opponents. Of course. The only thing that can conquer abstraction is more abstraction. ¡°Truly fascinating philosophy,¡± Liu Feng muttered, shaking his head as he marveled at the diversity of the world. Meanwhile, Lin Xian casually slung his arm over Big Cat Face¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So, Face Brother, does this mean I can join the Face Gang now?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Big Cat Face scratched his head, his expression revealing unprecedented awkwardness. He truly wanted to grant this newfound soulmate an easy pass. But rules were rules, and principles couldn¡¯t be broken. ¡°Brother,¡± Big Cat Face said hesitantly, ¡°in the Face Gang, we operate on democracy. When it comes to accepting new members, we need a vote...¡± Before he could finish, Ah Zhuang raised his hand immediately. ¡°Big Brother, I object! Don¡¯t be swayed by this guy¡¯s sweet talk. City folk are cunning!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Er Zhu Zi put his hands on his hips. ¡°My sharp eyes don¡¯t lie. From the start, he¡¯s been after Sister-in-law!¡± San Pang crossed his arms in an X. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea!¡± And there it was. Three votes against. As a chill autumn breeze swept by, Big Cat Face felt the heat in his chest turn cold, as though he¡¯d aged several years in an instant. He let out a long sigh and reluctantly took Lin Xian¡¯s hand. ¡°Such a shame, Brother. It¡¯s my fault I can¡¯t keep you here.¡± ¡°However,¡± Big Cat Face continued, slapping his chest and belly with conviction, ¡°if you have any difficulties or requests, just say the word. If it¡¯s within my power, I¡¯ll make it happen! ¡°Since you wanted to join the Face Gang, you must be facing some challenges. Let me help solve your problems directly!¡± Not bad. Lin Xian smiled faintly. He hadn¡¯t expected that when one door closed, another would open. Big Cat Face¡¯s loyalty and sense of justice never wavered. ¡°Face Brother,¡± Lin Xian said, ¡°could you take me to meet your father?¡± He pulled a book from his bag and waved it lightly. ¡°I have some academic questions about mathematics that I¡¯d like to discuss with him.¡± ... The Face Gang side quest was thus completed in an unremarkably straightforward manner. After countless simulations in dreamscapes, handling it in reality felt as natural as fish swimming in water. Big Cat Face, full of enthusiasm, insisted his wife return home early to make dumplings for dinner, declaring he would drink the night away with Lin Xian. Liu Feng gifted Big Cat Face¡¯s daughter a futuristic-looking pen, instantly maxing out Big Cat Face¡¯s affection for him¡ªa case of extending fondness to someone¡¯s family. That¡¯s the kind of simple-hearted person Big Cat Face was. It was also why Lin Xian trusted him so deeply. The Big Cat Face now draping an arm around his shoulder was eight years younger than the one Lin Xian had seen in the dreamscape, though his appearance was nearly identical¡ªstill clumsy, still chubby, still with that distinctive fleshy face. The differences lay elsewhere: His daughter was still a child. His youngest son hadn¡¯t been born yet. And Face Sister-in-Law was in her prime. Some things were different, yet everything felt the same. ¡°We¡¯re here, Brother! My dad¡¯s inside!¡± Big Cat Face announced, knocking loudly on the door. He turned to Lin Xian and added, ¡°My dad¡¯s just a pure bookworm¡ªnot interesting at all. But he¡¯s pretty incredible in certain ways. Even Village Chief Li always comes to him with questions.¡± ¡°Village Chief Li?¡± Lin Xian perked up at another familiar name. ¡°Li Cheng?¡± ¡°Who else could it be?¡± Big Cat Face grinned, knocking harder on the door. ¡°Li Cheng¡¯s little girl, Ning Ning, is super mischievous these days, climbing everything in sight. It¡¯s giving him a headache, but you can tell she¡¯s a natural for martial arts. Er Zhu Zi keeps pestering Li Cheng¡¯s wife, begging to teach Ning Ning how to use the red-tasseled spear.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Er Zhu Zi is as consistent as ever.¡± Creak. Amid their chatter, the wooden door swung open from inside. A middle-aged man stepped out, his hair slightly unkempt, wearing a tank top and shorts. His square face was ordinary, his gaze a bit weary, and a rough stubble adorned his chin. He glanced at Big Cat Face, then at Lin Xian. ¡°And you are...?¡± For a moment, both Lin Xian and Liu Feng straightened their backs, standing with reverence. Despite his unassuming appearance and somewhat sloppy demeanor, this man was a peerless genius¡ªsomeone even Emperor Gao Wen would pale in comparison to. For Lin Xian especially, this was a momentous occasion. This was a man whose name he had long revered but had never once met in person. He never imagined that after all this time, he would finally meet Big Cat Face¡¯s living father. ¡°Hello,¡± Lin Xian said respectfully, extending his right hand toward the legendary figure. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to finally meet you, Mr. Chen Heping.¡± Chapter 551: The Gap (This novel is translated and hosted on Bcattranslation) ¡°What the hell! Dad! What are you doing?!¡± The Big Cat Face scrambled up from the floor, rubbing his sore backside, and stormed into the study. He stared, stunned, at the walls covered entirely in the number 42. ¡°It¡¯s over, completely over. He¡¯s lost his mind. Rhine University has to cover my dad¡¯s medical bills¡ª¡± Before Big Cat Face could finish, Lin Xian raised a hand to stop him. Lin Xian approached the wall, crouched down, and met Chen Heping¡¯s gaze. ¡°Mr. Chen Heping, can you now tell us...¡± ¡°What exactly is 42?¡± ... A porcelain cup on the desk released wisps of steam.@@@@ Seated in his chair, Chen Heping sipped the hot tea, gradually calming himself. Lin Xian and Liu Feng sat silently on a single wooden bed, not daring to interrupt the Great Emperor¡¯s thoughts. They both knew deep down that Chen Heping had uncovered some truth about 42. Unbelievable. In the Second Dreamscape, it had taken Chen Heping over thirty years of studying Introduction to the Universal Constant to reach this step with walls covered in 42. Yet now, leveraging Liu Feng and Gao Wen¡¯s research, he¡¯d achieved a breakthrough in just a month. Indeed. The heavens do not forsake humanity. Even though he was no longer part of this world, Emperor Gao Wen¡¯s legacy continued to shine brightly. ¡°Sigh...¡± Chen Heping exhaled after another sip of tea and turned to Lin Xian and Liu Feng. ¡°What do you think is the smallest scale in the universe?¡± Lin Xian and Liu Feng exchanged glances. ¡°Quarks.¡± ¡°Planck length.¡± They gave their answers simultaneously. Chen Heping nodded. ¡°Although Planck length is much smaller than quark particles, neither of your answers is wrong.¡± ¡°But in reality, this is merely the understanding of human physics¡ªthe limits of human mathematics, not the limits of the universe.¡± ¡°From a macroscopic perspective, the definition of Planck length is not incorrect. However, from a microscopic or higher-dimensional viewpoint, Planck length is far from being the smallest scale.¡± ra?o?bE?s? ¡°According to my recent research and calculations, the smallest scale and fundamental unit in the universe is¡ª¡± ¡°42.¡± ... Chen Heping¡¯s explanation was abstract and difficult to grasp. Even Liu Feng, who had studied the Universal Constant for many years, couldn¡¯t fully understand it¡ªlet alone Lin Xian. Liu Feng scratched his graying hair, staring at Chen Heping. ¡°42?¡± Chen Heping nodded. ¡°Just that number?¡± Liu Feng pressed further. ¡°No unit, no additional explanation? Why would the smallest unit in the universe... be the Arabic numeral 42?¡± ¡°No.¡± Chen Heping shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding the concept entirely. 42 is just 42. It¡¯s an exact concept, an exact term, an exact existence. It has no units, nor does it require any description.¡± ¡°Think of 42 in the same way you think of quarks or Planck length¡ªboth are constants. Don¡¯t try to interpret it with conventional grammar or traditional logic.¡± Lin Xian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. After a moment, he spoke. ¡°That means when Einstein first proposed the concept of the Universal Constant, he wasn¡¯t wrong. Who would¡¯ve thought that back in the early 20th century, Einstein had already touched upon the core of the Universal Constant?¡± ¡°At the time, Einstein concluded that the Universal Constant was an incredibly small entity¡ªso small that it was negligible even on the scale of the Milky Way, meaningful only on a cosmic scale.¡± ¡°But clearly, Einstein¡¯s thinking had its flaws. He believed the number was small enough but failed to realize it was a microscopic concept that couldn¡¯t be explained by the laws of the macroscopic world.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Einstein eventually refuted his own idea in his later years.¡± Liu Feng chimed in, ¡°A genius is still a genius. Even though Einstein missed the mark by a fraction and ended up far off course, his visionary ideas were centuries ahead of the world.¡± Lin Xian stood from the bed and walked again to the wall, staring at the intricate patterns of 42. The digits overlapped like a web of spider silk or mosquito legs, yet not a single stroke intersected or overlapped. ¡°So that¡¯s it.¡± He spoke softly. ¡°No wonder none of these 42s overlap. If what Mr. Chen Heping says is true, and 42 is the smallest unit and scale in the universe, then it makes sense. Each 42 is absolutely independent¡ªthere¡¯s no room for overlap because they¡¯re already the smallest. There¡¯s no smaller scale to divide them further.¡± ¡°But here¡¯s the problem.¡± Lin Xian turned back to Chen Heping. ¡°Now that we know 42 is the smallest unit in the universe, the foundational building block of everything... what¡¯s next?¡± He spread his hands. ¡°What can we actually do with this knowledge? What practical applications does it have?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Chen Heping clasped his tea cup in both hands and shook his head. ¡°I can only understand that it¡¯s the smallest unit in the universe. Beyond that, I don¡¯t comprehend anything else.¡± ¡°But I believe this discovery must have its uses. In science, there are many things we need to first understand conceptually before we can observe them and uncover their secrets.¡± His eyes burned with determination. ¡°Take, for example... before humanity understood astronomy, even if they gazed at the stars every night, they had no idea what they were looking at. They couldn¡¯t imagine that every tiny star was a massive celestial body, tens of times larger than the sun.¡± ¡°Similarly... mathematics, physics, chemistry¡ªthese disciplines have existed since Earth¡¯s inception, in every corner of the universe. Yet before humanity understood them, the answers were all around them, and they still couldn¡¯t discover them.¡± ¡°Based on the materials you¡¯ve given me, I¡¯ve already reached this point. I believe that with enough time, the right equipment, and proper experimental tools, I can achieve a deeper understanding of the Universal Constant 42!¡± Lin Xian smiled faintly. ¡°Mr. Chen Heping, this is exactly why we came to seek your counsel. Both Liu Feng and I firmly believe that your immense talent shouldn¡¯t be wasted in a small village like this.¡± ¡°So... we sincerely hope you will join us at Rhine University. With access to advanced equipment and state-of-the-art laboratories, you and Liu Feng can work together to research the Universal Constant.¡± Hearing the invitation, Chen Heping¡¯s expression turned troubled. He wasn¡¯t foolish¡ªhe had already guessed Lin Xian¡¯s purpose in visiting. However... Thinking about his responsibilities and obligations in the village, the impoverished and underdeveloped families, and his idle, aimless son... Chen Heping hesitated. He loved research and innovation, but he couldn¡¯t abandon the land that raised him. Beside him, Lin Xian noticed Chen Heping¡¯s hesitation and spoke up. ¡°Our second purpose in coming here today is to change Rhine University¡¯s previous external policies. We hope to unite every force that can be united, bringing together the people within and outside Donghai City into a cooperative and supportive whole.¡± Chen Heping sighed. ¡°I understand your good intentions, but it¡¯s unrealistic.¡± ¡°With just us, it¡¯s truly impossible.¡± Lin Xian pressed on. ¡°But if you join this plan¡ªif you, Big Cat Face, Li Cheng, and others put aside your differences and work together to develop Donghai City¡ªthen it might not be so impossible.¡± Liu Feng stepped forward, offering a more detailed proposal. ¡°At Rhine University, we have plenty of knowledge and technological reserves, but we lack the population to turn that into productivity. On the other hand, Donghai City¡¯s outskirts have a large population, but they lack technology and guidance.¡± ¡°In the past, Rhine University was too preoccupied with its own survival and had to isolate itself. But now that Lin Xian is back, we have a leader, and we can finally take this step.¡± ¡°In the future, the inner and outer walls of Donghai City will open. People will build, work, and rebuild their homes together. Children will be able to go back to school and learn. Rhine University will open its doors to aspiring youth from all backgrounds.¡± ¡°This is the future we all hope for. Mr. Chen Heping, I believe this is a future you¡¯d want to see as well.¡± Chen Heping, middle-aged but still spirited, blinked and took a deep breath. Countless visions flashed through his mind... Children with bright smiles walking into school, their backpacks bouncing behind them. Hardworking laborers constructing towering buildings. Engineers in hard hats watching airplanes take flight. Students at Rhine University¡¯s laboratories overcoming challenge after challenge. This. This was the world Chen Heping had always dreamed of! ¡°Could...¡± Chen Heping pressed his lips together. ¡°Could this really be achieved?¡± Lin Xian nodded solemnly. ¡°From a theoretical and foundational standpoint, it¡¯s entirely feasible. But there¡¯s one critical prerequisite¡ª¡± ¡°Humanity must have a tomorrow. We must have a future. Only by resolving every crisis we face can we allow time to move forward and secure survival for future generations.¡± ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian extended his hand in a gesture of partnership, meeting Chen Heping¡¯s eyes. ¡°Join us. Let¡¯s protect Donghai together. Let¡¯s protect the future.¡± Chen Heping looked up. He glanced at Lin Xian, then at Liu Feng, and finally at the walls around him, covered in the numbers 42. He stood. Reaching out, he shook Lin Xian¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you.¡± Chen Heping¡¯s voice brimmed with gratitude. ¡°Thank you for giving me this opportunity, and thank you to Rhine University for opening its doors and helping the impoverished people of these villages.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you down!¡± ... Everything progressed smoothly. Both Li Cheng and Chen Heping joined Lin Xian¡¯s plan. Li Cheng quickly rallied the villages surrounding Donghai City. Using the shared knowledge and technology from Rhine University, they cultivated the land, constructed buildings, developed infrastructure, educated the youth, and expanded manufacturing. The enthusiasm for rebuilding their homes far outshone the intensity of past conflicts, leaving people with a greater sense of accomplishment. Even Big Cat Face became an official member of the effort, assuming the role of Rhine University¡¯s Security Captain. He cut an imposing figure but carried out his duties diligently. As for the pivotal figure, Chen Heping, he distanced himself from the external commotion, dedicating himself fully to research in the university¡¯s lab. Day and night, he worked alongside Liu Feng to push forward the study of the Universal Constant. Time passed. ¡°I... I¡¯ve been so useless...¡± ... Large tears streamed down Liu Feng¡¯s face, unstoppable. It was hard to imagine. An elder, over ninety years old and having lived through six centuries, could cry with such sorrow. His words must have been buried deep in his heart for a long time. Liu Feng was indeed overwhelmed with guilt. He still vividly remembered the meteor shower Lin Xian had created for Qi Qi. Those golden trails, like a dreamcatcher, had not only taken Qi Qi away but also reignited his hope and passion for mathematics. But. Six hundred years had passed in the blink of an eye. And he had achieved nothing. Solved nothing. He had authored Introduction to the Universal Constant, yet he could not unlock the true secret of 42. For six centuries, he had relentlessly studied without pause, yet his progress couldn¡¯t match the few years of Chen Heping¡¯s calculations. Time and time again, it wasn¡¯t his quiet demeanor, but Chen Heping¡¯s rapid breakthroughs in the research of the Universal Constant that silenced him. He had long since surpassed Liu Feng, leaving him with nothing to contribute or say. Every time he found himself helpless, Liu Feng thought of his late friend, Emperor Gao Wen. If, on the day of the Super Catastrophe in 2504, it had been Liu Feng who perished instead of Gao Wen... Would things be different now? Would the two emperors working together have already unraveled the mystery of 42? They must have been capable of it. Surely. Liu Feng knew very well that Emperor Gao Wen was a genius, someone who could match Chen Heping¡¯s intellect and brilliance. Not like himself, who could do little more than hold them back. ¡°That day... it should have been Gao Wen who survived...¡± Liu Feng¡¯s voice was pained and full of regret as he relived the nightmare countless times. ¡°I can¡¯t accomplish anything. I¡¯ve wasted so much time for nothing.¡± Suddenly¡ª Crash¡ª The dim hospital room was filled with a sudden, brilliant light. Liu Feng opened his eyes in confusion. He realized¡ª It wasn¡¯t the room¡¯s lights that had turned on. It was Lin Xian, standing by the bed, yanking the curtains open with force. The moonlight, long eager to pour in, flooded the room, painting the small, closed space in radiant white. Lin Xian tilted his head up, gazing at the magnificent galaxy spread across the distant night sky. ¡°When was the last time you looked at the stars?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time,¡± Liu Feng murmured. Slowly, he propped himself up against the headboard and spoke in a low voice. ¡°I don¡¯t have the courage to look at the stars anymore.¡± Lin Xian turned to face him. ¡°Why? Are you afraid of the World-Ending White Light drawing closer at the speed of light?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Liu Feng wiped his eyes. ¡°Who would fear something like that? If I were truly afraid, I would¡¯ve started fearing it centuries ago.¡± ¡°I just... sigh... I just can¡¯t bear to look at the stars... can¡¯t face Qi Qi.¡± For once, Liu Feng turned his head, gazing out at the eternal, glittering stars through the window. ¡°On the last card Qi Qi wrote to me, she said she would become a star... watching over me, protecting me, waiting for the day I proved the Universal Constant to the world.¡± ¡°She said she¡¯d always stay up there with me. Always so close, yet so far. But no matter what... she wouldn¡¯t get any farther away.¡± ¡°To me, every star in the sky is Qi Qi; every twinkle is her smile.¡± ¡°You know this, Lin Xian. Back in those days, everyone believed Introduction to the Universal Constant was wrong. Everyone... except Qi Qi. She was the only one who believed my research was correct.¡± ¡°Back then, when she saw the meteor shower you created, she said in her final moments, ¡®Let me go with Lin Xian. He¡¯s the meteor that came for me, specially here to take me to a brighter starry sky.''¡± ¡°But now... look at me. I¡¯ve accomplished nothing. Or worse, maybe everything I¡¯ve done has been meaningless. The World-Ending White Light will arrive in just one year, and we are still nowhere near understanding the truth behind 42.¡± ¡°In this situation, I not only feel ashamed toward you, but I also can¡¯t bear to face Qi Qi... I¡¯ve let everyone down. I... I¡¯ve failed.¡± ... Lin Xian watched Liu Feng, lost in his solitary repentance. Taking a deep breath through his nose, he exhaled slowly, saying nothing. A 90-year-old man bearing the weight of 600 years¡ªLiu Feng¡¯s burden was indeed immense. Especially for someone like him, a stubborn scholar who was entirely out of his depth when dealing with matters beyond the laboratory. Even during his time as a Rotational Principal, he had been a hands-off leader, incapable of handling responsibilities outside his expertise. But... after the Super Catastrophe in 2504, where everyone else either perished or vanished, Liu Feng had no choice but to shoulder responsibilities far beyond his capabilities. And so it went. He endured alone for over a hundred years. It wasn¡¯t until he reunited with Lin Xian that he allowed a glimpse of vulnerability to show. And today, when all hope seemed lost, he finally broke down completely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lin Xian said softly. A thousand words condensed into a single apology. He stepped forward to Liu Feng¡¯s bedside. First, he removed the IV from its stand and reattached it to the mobile rack on the wheelchair. Then, gently, he lifted Liu Feng and placed him in the wheelchair. How light he was. The frail, withered Liu Feng felt as light as a handful of feathers. After securing the straps and ensuring Liu Feng was comfortable, Lin Xian pushed the wheelchair out onto the balcony. He positioned it in a spot offering the clearest, most expansive view of the sky. Tonight¡¯s weather was beautiful. Moonlight and starlight danced together, weaving a tapestry across the galaxy. These lights, emitted by stars tens of billions of light-years away, crossed the vast cosmos to fall upon Liu Feng, draping him like a warm blanket¡ªas if Qi Qi herself had wrapped him in her care, just as he had cared for her 600 years ago. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s all talk and hasn¡¯t accomplished anything,¡± Lin Xian said, standing behind Liu Feng¡¯s wheelchair and gazing at the flowing river of stars. ¡°You, Gao Wen, and Chen Heping have all dedicated yourselves to studying 42. I haven¡¯t been able to contribute anything meaningful or provide any professional insight.¡± ¡°But, from the beginning until now, not once¡ªnot for a single day¡ªhave I ever doubted the correctness of your Introduction to the Universal Constant. I have always believed in it.¡± ¡°Do you remember what I told you back then? I said that in this world, in this universe, many things aren¡¯t so absolute. Even if you¡¯re wrong a thousand times, ten thousand times, a billion times¡ªas long as you can be right just once, then you are right.¡± Lin Xian extended one finger, pressing it against his chest. ¡°Just once,¡± he emphasized. ¡°The Universal Constant is the same. Even if it¡¯s like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse, it only needs to be right once. Just once... and that¡¯s enough to save everything.¡± Liu Feng blinked, staring blankly at the stars. Following Lin Xian¡¯s lead, he raised his right index finger and pressed it against his chest. ¡°Once,¡± he murmured. His hoarse voice repeated, ¡°Once... that¡¯s enough.¡± He clasped his left hand over his right index finger, pressing it against his heart, feeling the faint and fragile rhythm of his aging heartbeat. ¡°I guess I¡¯ve always been the type to doubt myself,¡± Liu Feng said quietly. ¡°It¡¯s so easy for me to lose confidence. No matter what I do, I always need someone to give me a push¡ªfirst it was Qi Qi, and then it was you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even know when this lack of confidence and constant self-doubt began. All I know is, the qualities I lack most are the ones both you and Qi Qi share: determination, persistence, and unwavering resolve.¡± He clenched his fists tightly against his chest. ¡°These past few years, I¡¯ve been so anxious, so restless. No matter how wildly I let my thoughts run, I just can¡¯t imagine any way to win this fight...¡± ¡°Lin Xian, we¡¯re up against the Piling Civilization, capable of deploying light-speed weapons. They¡¯re several tiers ahead of humanity¡¯s level of advancement. I see no hope at all.¡± ¡°I even had a dream once,¡± Liu Feng continued with a dry laugh, ¡°where you locked yourself in an underground lab, and somehow, out of nowhere, you achieved enlightenment. Your eyes turned blue, and you fired a blast that destroyed the World-Ending White Light.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°If only it were that simple! What¡¯s next, achieving enlightenment like in some mythical dragon tale? As much as some joke about science leading to mysticism, I think we¡¯d better keep believing in science.¡± Liu Feng turned his head to look at Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian, your heart is incredibly strong.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to know¡ªwhat gives you such unshakable faith? What keeps you going, even when things seem impossible and there¡¯s no way out?¡± Lin Xian reached for the blanket draped over the back of the wheelchair and gently covered Liu Feng with it. Then, he pointed toward the university gate. ¡°Look over there.¡± In the silver moonlight, the statues of Zhao Yingjun and Yu Xi were bathed in a luminous sheen, appearing both beautiful and sacred. ¡°What gave Yellow Finch the resolve to cross over, knowing it was a mission of certain death?¡± Lin Xian asked softly. ¡°What gave Yingjun the determination to found Rhine University, leaving us a beacon of hope?¡± ¡°And what drove Yu Xi, someone who never even met me, to build Rhine University into a stronghold, all for an unworthy father like me?¡± ¡°What was it?¡± Liu Feng asked. Lin Xian shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t explain it.¡± ¡°Then you¡ª!¡± Liu Feng started, but his excitement made him cough violently, realizing he was being teased. ¡°I only know this: my wife, my daughter¡ªthey must have faced countless difficulties, countless moments of despair. Yet they never thought of giving up,¡± Lin Xian said, his voice steady. ¡°And besides,¡± he continued, ¡°Yingjun mentioned it many times in her letters: ¡®Don¡¯t look back. Keep moving forward.¡¯ So, as you said, I¡¯ve never once considered giving up...¡± Lin Xian¡¯s gaze lingered on the ivory-white statue in the distance. Gripping the wheelchair handles tightly, he declared, ¡°I believe in my family.¡± Suddenly¡ª Thud thud thud thud thud thud thud thud! The sound of frantic footsteps echoed through the hallway. Bang! The door to the hospital room flew open, and Chen Heping burst in, panting heavily. ¡°I found it!¡± he exclaimed, his face lighting up with laughter. ¡°I figured it out! I know the answer!¡± He strode quickly into the room, pointing at the flat-screen monitor by the bed. ¡°Back in 1952, when Einstein was alive, there was no such thing as a flat-screen monitor! He must have used an old cathode ray tube television, or maybe even a black-and-white TV!¡± ¡°And the cameras used to record hydrogen bomb explosions back then would have been ancient film cameras, hundreds of years behind today¡¯s electronic cameras and digital storage!¡± ¡°Think carefully¡ªwhat¡¯s something that only shows up on cathode ray tube televisions and old film recordings? Especially when it involves capturing high-radiation, high-energy explosions like a hydrogen bomb!¡± Liu Feng¡¯s mouth fell open, his eyes widening. In an instant, he understood. ¡°Snowflake noise!¡± he exclaimed. Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Opening Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Opening ¡°Are you saying... you have the same dream every day? And you always wake up precisely at 00:42?¡± The man wearing the cartoon cat mask looked at Lin Xian: ¡°Then you¡¯re having a blast, bro! In the dream, kill whoever you want to kill! Do whatever you want to do! You can even experience all sorts of life-threatening games! Hss... just thinking about it is exhilarating!¡± Click. The man pushed the magazine into the handgun, chambering a round: ¡°But tonight, you won¡¯t be needing to look for thrills in your dreams, I¡¯ll take you to play with something real!¡± ... He pointed his finger at the bank across the street: ¡°My little brother pried open the bank doors, follow me!¡± Lin Xian nodded, straightened the Ultraman mask on his face, and stood up to keep pace with the man: ¡°What should I call you, big brother?¡± ¡°On the streets, they all call me Big Face Cat.¡± The man grinned, the flesh on his face squeezing the cartoon cat mask to be even more two-dimensional: ¡°You can just call me Brother Lian.¡± ¡°Brother Lian, what¡¯s my task?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your time as the Code Expert to make a move yet, follow me, and don¡¯t run off.¡± Rustle rustle rustle... In a quick jog, Lin Xian followed Big Face Cat to the bank entrance. ¡°Is it all done?¡± Big Face Cat inquired. The lackey nodded. Big Face Cat pressed the handgun against the lackey¡¯s forehead¡ª Bang!! Blood splattered on a wall! He casually wiped the gun barrel, patted Lin Xian on the shoulder: ¡°Now there¡¯s one less person to share the money with, we¡¯ll get to divide up quite a bit more.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he your lackey?¡± ¡°He had sticky fingers, not clean enough for our safety, had to go!¡± Big Face Cat said as he pulled Lin Xian deeper inside. They arrived at a corridor junction. A masked man was fiddling with a fuse box. ¡°Not done yet?¡± Big Face Cat urged. Click. The masked man cut off a wire and wiped the sweat off his forehead with his free hand: ¡°All set, the alarm system is disabled!¡± Bang!! Another shot to the back of the head! The fuse box was splattered with blood! ¡°Not to go against you, big brother, but this makes me feel very insecure!¡± Lin Xian pointed at the corpse on the ground: ¡°Was this little brother also not clean enough?¡± Big Face Cat snorted: ¡°This guy had clean hands, but he seduced your big sister-in-law! Could I keep him?¡± ¡°Is it really that hard to be the big brother?¡± ¡°Oh, never mind these little details! Shouldn¡¯t you be happy we have one less person to share the money with?¡± Lin Xian spread his caught hands: ¡°You¡¯re not planning to pop me too in a bit and hog all the money for yourself, are you?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Big Face Cat patted his chest, then pulled out a gray lump stuck together with duct tape from behind his waist and handed it to Lin Xian. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°C4 explosive.¡± Big Face Cat pointed at the switch to Lin Xian as he explained: ¡°I, Brother Lian, am an open book! I never stoop to cowardly acts! If you think I¡¯m about to kill you, just press the switch and blow me up with you! Feeling reassured now?¡± ¡°Alright, sounds solid!¡± Lin Xian gave a thumbs up and took the C4 explosive. Rustle rustle rustle... The two continued to move forward. A masked man ran up from the underground passage: ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve cut the main power supply¡ª¡± Bang!!! Brains scattered everywhere. ¡°Brother, this person, he...¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Brother Lian,¡± Lin Xian waved his hand, indicating that he was used to it: ¡°Just tell me straight, how many people are left to divide the money?¡± ¡°Just the two of us! Heh heh heh... just the two of us!¡± Big Face Cat pushed Lin Xian, hurrying him inside: ¡°Look, we¡¯re at the warehouse! It¡¯s time for you, the Code Expert, to take action!¡± In front of them... stood a thick black wall, with a silver password door in the middle. ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡± ¡°Pah! If I knew the password, what would I need you, the Code Expert, for!¡± Big Face Cat pointed at his watch: ¡°Cut the crap, kid, hurry up! We don¡¯t have much time left! Once the main power comes back on, the security system will automatically sound the alarm!¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re anxious, but hold on a second.¡± Lin Xian approached the password door and began to fiddle with it. Big Face Cat paced back and forth, his face screwed up in tension: ¡°How long do you think you need?¡± ¡°10.¡± ¡°10 minutes?!¡± Big Face Cat exclaimed, ¡°That¡¯s way too long!!¡± ¡°9... 8... 7...¡±@@@@ ??? Big Face Cat watched, shocked, as Lin Xian dashed out! ¡°I said, for that safe¡¯s code, try 19990320.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that number?¡± ¡°My birthday.¡± Lin Xian confidently replied. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± the woman asked sincerely. ¡°Listen.¡± Lin Xian took a deep breath. His serious gaze pierced through the Ultraman mask, focusing on the other Ultraman: ¡°The alarm could go off at any moment; no one would joke around in this situation. Our goals are the same, even... I¡¯m even more curious about what¡¯s hidden in this safe.¡± ¡°Trust me.¡± Lin Xian stepped forward, his face stern: ¡°This password, it can¡¯t be wrong!¡± ... The woman looked at Lin Xian and remained silent. But clearly, Lin Xian¡¯s confident demeanor had convinced her. ¡°Say it again.¡± ¡°19990320.¡± Click, click... The woman set the eight dials, gave Lin Xian a glance, and pressed the clasp¡ª Click! It didn¡¯t open. ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian was stunned; the password was actually wrong! The woman¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and she took a deep breath: ¡°I really should have let your cat brother beat you to death!¡± ¡°He insisted on being called Brother Lian...¡± ¡°Enough!!!¡± The woman, at the end of her tether, drew her gun and pointed it at Lin Xian! Word for word, through clenched teeth: ¡°Say one more word! And I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Lin Xian raised his hands, step back obediently. He wasn¡¯t afraid of death. But he was more curious about what was really inside the safe. ... Click, click, clack... The woman kept trying to break the code without any progress. Lin Xian crouched on the floor, chin in hand, thinking, equally clueless. Click! With a snap of electrical connection, a piercing alarm sounded all around. It seemed the main power line was restored, activating the automatic alarm. The woman punched the safe and sighed. Lin Xian looked at his wristwatch; checking the time: [00:41:53] He got up, stretched lazily: ¡°No time left, we¡¯ll come back tomorrow.¡± ¡°Ha! Tomorrow?¡± The woman laughed scornfully like she heard a huge joke: ¡°You¡¯ve blown this place to smithereens! You think you have a chance of getting in here tomorrow?!¡± ¡°You might not have a chance...¡± Lin Xian said with a slight smile: ¡°But I can. Every single day.¡± He waved at the woman: ¡°Bye-bye~¡± Boom!!!!!! Boom!!!!!! Boom!!!!!! Sudden white light! The world was filled with brightness! Without time to feel any pain, without time to react! The scorching white light swallowed everything instantaneously! Erasing this world, vaporizing it to nothing! ... ... Hu... The night breeze fluttered the window sheer, casting dancing shadows. Moonlight streamed through the glass, scattering a frosty glow. The sounds of men playing drinking games at the night market stalls below. Water flushing loudly through the next door bathroom pipes. Papers on the desk fluttered in the wind, the notebook opened and closed like a clam. In one corner of the bedroom, on the bed. Lin Xian opened his eyes... He sniffled and sat up, looking at the digital clock on the nightstand¡ª [December 7th, 2022] [00:42:01] ... [00:42:02] ... [00:42:03] ... [00:42:04] ... Chapter 2: 2: The Cat Chapter 2: Chapter 2: The Cat ¡°What a mess of a storyline today...¡± Lin Xian rubbed his arms, chilled by the night wind, as he recalled the dream he just had. Big Face Cat, an Ultraman mask, a beautiful female secret agent, it was truly absurd. ... ¡°It¡¯s like making a movie with a bunch of idiots... cough cough.¡± Lin Xian coughed twice, feeling a bit under the weather. Only then did he realize that he forgot to close the window before going to bed last night. The early winter night wind was no joke.@@@@ Whoosh¡ª After closing the old sliding window, the sounds of dice games from the night market stalls downstairs became much quieter. With the night wind gone, the room seemed to warm up. Lin Xian poured himself a cup of hot water, took a couple of sips, and gazed at the full moon outside the window: ¡°What exactly is hidden inside that safe with my name on it?¡± ... Since birth, Lin Xian had been having the same dream every night. Day after day, year after year. No matter how old Lin Xian was, no matter where he slept, no matter what he did during the day, as soon as he entered dreamland, he would always find himself in that unfamiliar yet familiar square. Unfamiliar because Lin Xian was certain he had never been to this square in reality. Familiar because, over more than twenty years, Lin Xian had fully explored this square. He knew every child there, every tree, even every blade of grass. As a child, Lin Xian was terrified of this dream. Every day it was the same people, the same city, the same events. The dream world felt to Lin Xian like a prison he could never escape. Yesterday¡¯s playmates became strangers again today. People who died right before his eyes yesterday would greet him with a smile today. No matter how much chaos he caused, the next day the dream world would still be as calm as ever. He was like a prisoner trapped in time, serving a life sentence of repeating the same day over and over. ... He soon discovered that the dream world would always end at 00:42 on the dot, and he would wake up at the same time. So he learned how to exploit a BUG¡ª [As long as he stayed up until after 00:42 in the morning, he would definitely not dream!] And indeed, it was true. So for a long time in his childhood, Lin Xian would stay up until after 00:42 before going to sleep, enjoying a night without dreams. But as he grew older, starting in junior high, Lin Xian¡¯s attitude began to change. He not only accepted this recurring ¡°nightmare,¡± he even learned to enjoy this ¡°sweet dream¡±: In reality, everything he did was monitored, but in the dream, he could do whatever he wanted, lawlessly. He didn¡¯t have to follow any rules or worry about any consequences! But in reality, even at 1 AM, he had to reply meekly: Received! ¡°Time to sleep, need to get up early tomorrow.¡± Lin Xian slipped back into bed, set the alarm clock, and tossed his cellphone onto the nightstand¡ª Bang! ... Li Juan, fuming with rage, slammed a folder down on the table! ¡°I told you all last night! Today, President Zhao is going to review your proposals personally! And look what you¡¯ve concocted! What is all this crap!?¡± The whole third-floor conference room was dead silent... Everyone was looking down. Li Juan was so furious she could hardly contain herself! She pulled out a drawing and slammed it on the table saying: ¡°What are our new brand¡¯s key appeals? Youth! Youthfulness! You were tasked with designing a brand image, and you come up with a fox in black stockings? And wagging its tail too?¡± ¡°And you!¡± Li Juan smacked another drawing on the table, glaring at the girl sitting next to Lin Xian, her eyes as fierce as a lion¡¯s: ¡°Do you have some misunderstanding about our new brand? You drew a bunny which is okay, but are you serious with this floral scarf and the big cotton-padded jacket? My grandma dresses trendier than this bunny of yours!¡± ¡°President Zhao has said it countless times already! He¡¯s been very specific, everyone! Kitty cat! You¡¯ve all heard of Hello Kitty, haven¡¯t you? Seen it, right? What we¡¯re looking for is a brand image just like that of Kitty cat!¡± ¡°Hmph...¡± The chubby guy sitting next to Lin Xian muttered under his breath: ¡°They expect Hello Kitty on this kind of salary...¡± ¡°What are you mumbling, Fatso!?¡± ¡°No no no, nothing, Elder Sister Juan! I was saying Hello Kitty is the best! Perfect!¡± Fatso jerked to attention in fright. ... Li Juan¡¯s harangue filled the entire conference room. Lin Xian, eyes closed, twirling his pen, was still pondering yesterday¡¯s dream about the safe. The eight-digit password... What could it be? What was hidden inside the safe? Kitty cat? Cat? Listening to Li Juan¡¯s roaring, Lin Xian was reminded of the cat mask on Big Face Cat¡¯s face. That was also an image of a cartoon cat. A few simple strokes, yet it perfectly captured the cuteness and vibrancy of a cat. Especially how the mask sat on Big Face Cat¡¯s large face, it just had a sort of untarnished beauty that stood out from the mud. Undoubtedly, that image of the kitty was indeed very cute in its design. Simple and delicate, fresh and straightforward. Daydreaming, Lin Xian sketched the cartoon cat on the draft paper with a few strokes... ¡°Eh?¡± The female colleague next to him leaned over: ¡°Lin Xian, what are you drawing?¡± Chapter 3: 3 Time Chapter 3: Chapter 3 Time ¡°Little kitty? Wow! So cute!¡± The female colleague beside her couldn¡¯t let go of Lin Xian¡¯s sketch: ¡°Lin Xian, why didn¡¯t you submit such a good design to Elder Sister Juan?¡± Huh??? Whoosh¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Instantly! ... All eyes in the meeting room shot over this way. Especially the colleagues from the design department, casting pleading looks! ¡°What? Let me see!¡± Clomp clomp clomp! Li Juan walked over swiftly. At that moment, she too was putting on a brave face, using fury to cover her panic. Inside, she was more nervous than anyone! Although President Zhao was sitting in her chair without saying a word, it was clear to everyone that she was very dissatisfied, very angry! Smack. Li Juan snatched up Lin Xian¡¯s draft paper in one swift move. Gradually... Her breathing softened, her breaths evened out, and the fierce fire on her head seemed to extinguish as well. ¡°You... this...¡± Li Juan scratched her head, smacking her lips: ¡°This... I think it¡¯s quite good!¡± Li Juan placed the draft paper in front of President Zhao: ¡°President... President Zhao, take a look, this is the image Lin Xian designed for our new brand.¡± After the draft was placed down. Everyone got up from their chairs, craning their necks to have a look. On the stark white A4 paper, there was nothing superfluous. Just a few simple strokes outlining a cartoon cat¡¯s head. Simple. Refreshing. Exquisite lines. Yet deftly capturing every inch of expression and demeanor. Although it was just a sketch drawn with a black water pen... The cuteness and vitality of the kitty seemed to leap off the paper as if it were alive! Suddenly, everyone was talking: ¡°Whoa... Lin Xian¡¯s cat head drawing is really something! Honestly, there¡¯s an indescribable cuteness and delicacy to it.¡± ¡°This, I find it even more adorable than Hello Kitty. You know, Kitty is too girly and doesn¡¯t even have a mouth. But Lin Xian¡¯s cat truly gives off a more youthful, vibrant vibe!¡± ¡°Young, girlish, age-reducing, energetic... Lin Xian¡¯s cat drawing perfectly matches our new brand¡¯s keywords! Amazing, Lin Xian, why didn¡¯t you present such a great design earlier?¡± ¡°A good brand image has to be simple enough for it to be recognizable and easier to spread. I think in this respect... Lin Xian¡¯s cat shares a unique charm with Kitty, Mickey Mouse, and Doraemon.¡± ... This cute and simple cat head image received unanimous praise from colleagues in the design department! Li Juan, whose heart had been in her throat, finally breathed a sigh of relief. She looked timorously at President Zhao... Waiting for her to speak. He sipped his tea. The mask Big Face Cat wore only had a cat head on it; no one knew what the rest of the cat¡¯s body looked like! But this wouldn¡¯t stump Lin Xian. The person who tied the bell must be the one to untie it. He just needed to visit the dream once more, find Big Face Cat, and ask about the origin of the mask on his face. ¡°No problem.¡± Lin Xian put down his teacup: ¡°The designs are all at home, I¡¯ll bring them over tomorrow.¡± ... That evening. After washing up. Lin Xian glanced at the bedside clock, it was 21:01. Through yesterday¡¯s dream, Lin Xian had already figured out the complete sequence of events¡ª The cause was that Big Face Cat and a female code expert had agreed to rob a bank together. Not knowing each other, they arranged an ¡°identification password.¡± The one wearing the cat mask would be Big Face Cat. The one wearing the Ultraman mask would be the code expert. The reason Lin Xian got involved yesterday was simply because he casually picked up an Ultraman mask to wear, which led Big Face Cat to mistake him for the code expert and take him along to rob the bank. ¡°Therefore, if I do the same as yesterday and wear the Ultraman mask... Big Face Cat will surely appear again.¡± Lin Xian closed the windows. Having braved the cold winter wind yesterday, he made sure to add an extra layer of blankets today. He set his alarm clock, placed his phone on the nightstand, and turned off the light. ¡°Time to sleep.¡± ... ... Whoosh! The hot summer breeze blew by, and Lin Xian smelled that distinctive fresh scent of tender green leaves and branches. He opened his eyes. In the brightly lit square, children were chasing each other around. ¡°Hee hee hee hee! Chase me! Chase me!¡± ¡°Take this! Ultraman slide!¡± ¡°I want tanghulu! Wah wah wah uh uh uh!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going home! I still want to play!¡± ¡°Mommy! I want to ride the bike!¡± Lin Xian looked up at the electronic billboard in the center of the square. In the top right corner, the time was displayed¡ª [August 28, 2624] [21:37:17] ... [21:37:18] ... [21:37:19] ... [21:37:20] Chapter 4: 4 Keke Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Keke ¡°`@@@@ Lin Xian always felt that the most illogical aspect of his dreams... was the time setting. August 28, 2624. It¡¯s 600 years ahead of the real world Lin Xian lived in. Yet the life scenes and level of technological development in his dreams... were no different from those of 2022. This was just utter nonsense! ... How could human technology make no progress at all and be stagnant for 600 years? He tried looking for answers in the dream¡¯s libraries and on the internet, but all historical information in his dreams was vague, including lottery numbers, major historical events from centuries ago, big news, etc., with no detailed descriptions to be found. The only history he could look up in the libraries was too recent, and it felt no different from reading fantasy literature sold on street stalls, still not clarifying his doubts. ¡°Perhaps... it¡¯s all due to a lack of imagination!¡± Lin Xian had discussed this issue with a close friend. And this is what his friend had said: ¡°Ultimately, the dreams of a person are creations of the brain based on imagination.¡± ¡°[Therefore, nothing beyond your cognition will ever appear in your dreams.]¡± ¡°Your brain simply can¡¯t figure out what the world will look like in 600 years, so naturally you can¡¯t dream of it. Maybe if you watch more sci-fi movies, you¡¯ll see some improvement.¡± Lin Xian thought this explanation was pretty solid. Unfortunately... Even after watching hundreds of sci-fi movies, his dreams remained day after day, completely unchanged. Latter on, after having his share of fun in the dreams, he came to accept this irrational setting: ¡°[The very nature of dreams is fictional; the more irrational, the more reasonable.]¡± ... He encountered Big Face Cat around ten o¡¯clock yesterday. Now he must start taking action. Lin Xian approached two little boys who were chasing and play-fighting. ¡°Ultraman Flying Kick!¡± ¡°Ultraman Elbow Strike!¡± The boys were getting more excited and moving further away, too engrossed to notice their masks falling to the ground. ¡°Key prop, the Ultraman mask, is mine~¡± Lin Xian picked up the mask and put it on his face. Whoosh¡ª¡ª Whoosh! Whoosh! Two sharp whistle blows. Lin Xian had just turned around when a thick arm grabbed him and started to run: ¡°There you are, little brother! This square is full of kids wearing Ultraman masks... it was so hard to find you!¡± Before him was the familiar cat mask and the familiar chubby-cheeked face. ¡°Come with me! The car is over there; my buddy has already gone to the bank.¡± ¡°Hang on a second, Brother Lian.¡± Lin Xian stopped Big Face Cat: ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°Say.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the name of the cartoon cat on your mask?¡± ¡°This one?¡± Big Face Cat pointed to the deformed mask on his face: ¡°It¡¯s Keke Cat, don¡¯t you recognize it? It¡¯s very popular.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got quite a range for someone your age.¡± ¡°My daughter really likes this cat; I¡¯ve bought quite a few of these dolls in the past.¡± ¡°Fine then.¡± Lin Xian shrugged off Big Face Cat¡¯s hand and turned back towards the toy store: ¡°I forgot to pick something up; you go wait for me in the car.¡± Slap¡ª¡ª Vroom¡ª Big Face Cat floored the gas pedal, cursing and glaring at the plush toy in Lin Xian¡¯s arms: ¡°You¡¯re going to crack the code with this thing? You¡¯re damn¡ª¡± ¡°Give it to your daughter.¡± Lin Xian placed the plush toy in front of the steering wheel. ¡°Well...¡± Big Face Cat suddenly went silent. Ferocity and anger froze on his face; the curse halfway through also hung in the air. Seconds later. The savageness slowly dissipated... The twisted mouth slowly closed... He swallowed a mouthful of spit. Looked straight ahead. Drove in silence. ... Not a word was spoken throughout the journey. Lin Xian didn¡¯t understand why the always noisy and boisterous Big Face Cat had become so quiet. So quiet that it felt somewhat unfamiliar to him. In the van, there was only the occasional ticking of the turn signal... and the glances Big Face Cat couldn¡¯t help casting at the Keke Cat plush toy every time he looked in the rear-view mirror. The mask was starting to hurt his scalp. Lin Xian loosened the elastic with his hand. The traffic light at the intersection began to flash. ¡°Thank you.¡± Big Face Cat said softly, his voice a bit hoarse. He took a cigarette out of the pack, put it in his mouth, and lit it with a lighter. ¡°It¡¯s been many years... since I¡¯ve bought a Keke Cat toy.¡± Smoke billowed. ¡°Your daughter¡¯s grown up, right?¡± Lin Xian propped his cheek and said casually. ¡°She died.¡± Big Face Cat took a deep drag on the cigarette, and the smoke swirled in the air: ¡°She¡¯s been dead for many years now, only six years old back then.¡± ¡°Was it an accident?¡± ¡°No.¡± Big Face Cat stepped on the brake: ¡°She was murdered.¡± ¡°Why would anyone want to kill a six-year-old¡ª¡± ¡°Bro.¡± Big Face Cat cut off Lin Xian, pointing to the bank across the street: ¡°We¡¯re here, time to get down to business.¡± Click! He inserted the magazine into the handgun, chambered a round, then adjusted the mask on his face: ¡°Let¡¯s go, bro!¡± ¡°After we rob this bank, I can get revenge for my daughter! Work first, we can talk more later!¡± Having said that, Big Face Cat smiled, patted Lin Xian on the shoulder, hopped out of the car, and headed for the bank entrance. ¡°...¡± Lin Xian remained silent. He sat alone in the car, watching Big Face Cat walk away unsteadily. In front of him, the adorable Keke Cat plush toy sat alone. Lin Xian recalled the scene from his dream the night before: ¡°Brother Lian, there¡¯s nothing but safes in the bank¡¯s vault, not a single penny...¡± Chapter 5: 5 Transactions Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Transactions ¡°Are you going to get out or what, brother? Why all the dallying!¡± Big Face Cat saw that Lin Xian hadn¡¯t followed. He ran back quickly to open the car door, urging Lin Xian to get out: ¡°It¡¯s almost midnight, brother! Move it, move it, move it!¡± Alas... Lin Xian sighed. ... His purpose tonight was just to get a close look at Keke Cat, he never intended to rob a bank again. Who would have thought, Big Face Cat, like a bully forcing his way, dragged and pulled him along. ¡°Whatever, now that I¡¯m here.¡± Lin Xian jumped out of the car and followed Big Face Cat. Rustle rustle rustle... They arrived at the bank entrance. ¡°Is it all set?¡± asked Big Face Cat. The underling nodded. Bang!!@@@@ There was blood splattered all over the wall! Big Face Cat wiped his gun: ¡°Now there¡¯s one less person to split the money with, we¡¯ll both get a bigger share!¡± ¡°Mhm, mhm.¡± Lin Xian nodded: ¡°A person who ain¡¯t clean-handed like that, definitely can¡¯t be left alive.¡± ¡°What the...?¡± Big Face Cat froze, his eyes widening as he looked at Lin Xian: ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Look at his face! It¡¯s practically written ¡®unfaithful¡¯ on his forehead!¡± ¡°For real, brother...¡± Big Face Cat scratched his head. Looking at Lin Xian skeptically: ¡°Forget it, we¡¯ve got to get moving!¡± Rustle rustle rustle... The two men reached a junction in the corridor. Click. The masked underling cut the wires: ¡°It¡¯s done, the alarm system is disabled!¡± Bang!! The electric box was full of blood!! ¡°Serves him right.¡± The pure-hearted warrior Lin Xian sneered: ¡°Such a scumbag, flirting with Big Brother¡¯s wife. Death is too good for him.¡± ¡°What the...?!¡± Big Face Cat was so shocked he jumped: ¡°How the hell did you know about that?!¡± He spat out, his face going green with anger: ¡°Who the hell leaked the information? Now even you know, isn¡¯t the whole world going to know that Big Face Cat got cuckolded by his underling?¡± ¡°Not... not the whole world.¡± Lin Xian tried to comfort Big Face Cat: ¡°I also read it in his face, it¡¯s like having ¡®luring Big Brother¡¯s wife¡¯ written all over his visage.¡± ¡°Are you messing with me, brother? Writing short essays on his face, right? And besides¡ª¡± The warehouse was completely empty. Except for the safes on the walls all around, it was utterly barren. Big Face Cat went berserk! He stepped forward, grabbed Lin Xian by the collar, and jammed a gun against Lin Xian¡¯s temple, veins bulging! ¡°Are you screwing with me! You said there was money here! That¡¯s why I came with you!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± ¡°I did!¡± A clear female voice came from behind. Big Face Cat craned his neck, looking over Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder¡ª Thump!!! Lin Xian felt like a watermelon exploded on his shoulder, its red juice spraying his face! And some bits of bone. ¡°Exciting.¡± Lin Xian wiped his ear, feeling his adrenaline surge. He pushed away the corpse of Big Face Cat, the air around him thick with the smell of blood. In his previous dreams, he had been sniped in the head countless times, but as the saying goes, bystanders see more than gamesters, and this was his first time experiencing a close-up headshot. Tap, tap, tap. The woman walked over with light footsteps. ¡°Why deceive Big Face Cat?¡± Lin Xian looked at the woman. ¡°What did I deceive him about?¡± ¡°You lied to him about there being money and gold bars, but in reality... your goal was just the safes, right?¡± ¡°Mind your own business.¡± The woman glanced at Lin Xian: ¡°Go where it¡¯s cool and stay there, don¡¯t make me regret saving you.¡± After saying that, the woman examined the names on each safe along the wall. Lin Xian wiped his neck with his clothes and remembered... In yesterday¡¯s dream, this woman also shot and killed Big Face Cat just when he was about to kill Lin Xian, saving him. Today, just now, it was also when Big Face Cat was holding a gun to his head, the woman deliberately called out to attract Big Face Cat¡¯s attention and then shot him dead. Very strange. He and she were neither kin nor acquainted, they hadn¡¯t even seen each other¡¯s faces... Why would this ruthless woman, who didn¡¯t even blink when killing, not only spare his life but also save him? ¡°Why did you save me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°This is no fun if you chat like this!¡± At that moment, the woman found her target¡ª A safe with the name [Lin Xian] on it. She tossed aside the small computer in her hand and began fiddling with the combination lock on the safe, ignoring Lin Xian. ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal.¡± Lin Xian walked up: ¡°You tell me why you saved me, and I¡¯ll help you open the safe. It¡¯s a good deal for you.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± The woman laughed: ¡°Do you really think that just because you¡¯re wearing an Ultraman mask, you¡¯re also a Code Expert?¡± ¡°I¡¯m better at cracking codes than a Code Expert.¡± Lin Xian replied. ¡°What a joke! Why should I believe you?¡± ¡°Because...¡± Lin Xian pulled up the elastic band from the back of his head. He took off the Ultraman mask. Looking straight at the woman: ¡°I am Lin Xian.¡± Chapter 6: 6 CC Chapter 6: Chapter 6 CC ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± Neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere at the scene was somewhat awkward. ¡°Actually...¡± The woman was the first to break the silence: ¡°Ever since I saw you impersonating me in the square and following Big Face Cat into the car, I thought you were crazy.¡± ... ¡°Is the misunderstanding cleared up now?¡± ¡°Now I¡¯m even more certain!¡± Lin Xian spread his hands helplessly: ¡°So in other words, you still don¡¯t believe me, right? But since you came to steal Lin Xian¡¯s safe, you must have investigated him, right? Don¡¯t you know what he looks like?¡± Lin Xian pointed to his own face: ¡°Take a good look at my face and compare it with the photos from your investigations. See if they¡¯re the same.¡± The woman shook her head: ¡°I¡¯ve never investigated the owner of this safe, and I don¡¯t know what Lin Xian looks like.¡± Lin Xian was speechless. He had never imagined... proving himself to be himself would turn out to be such a difficult task. ¡°However, it doesn¡¯t really matter who you are.¡± The woman spoke again: ¡°If you can really help me open the safe, I might as well tell you the answer.¡± She crossed her arms, looking at the combination lock without any clue: ¡°If it were an electronic lock... I could crack it in a few minutes.¡± ¡°But unfortunately, what we have here are mechanical locks with 8-digit codes. Neither brute-force attacks nor sound-based methods can break it in a short time.¡± She turned her head to look at Lin Xian: ¡°So I don¡¯t care who you are; you could be anyone. But as long as you can open this safe, you¡¯re my partner.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Lin Xian extended his right hand in friendly agreement. Although he wanted to coax the answer out of her first. But now there was no way to prove that he was Lin Xian... Having nothing of value to bargain with, he had to compromise. ¡°What should I call you?¡± ¡°CC.¡± The woman reached out and gave Lin Xian a high five: ¡°Just call me CC.¡± Lin Xian found that the characters from his dreams never seemed to have normal names. ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± CC looked at Lin Xian. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the dates of my adult life. We can try each significant date one by one.¡±@@@@ ... ... Lin Xian racked his brains, coming up with dates after dates related to himself. CC tried each one. But no matter how hard Lin Xian thought, he couldn¡¯t figure out the correct password. ¡°Was my mom¡¯s birthday just now... still wrong?¡± CC shook her head: ¡°Why not try your grandma¡¯s birthday?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know my grandmother¡¯s birthday.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you hear that I¡¯m being sarcastic? You¡¯ve just tried the birthdays of all your aunts, and even your dog¡¯s! Can¡¯t you think in a different way?¡± CC looked at Lin Xian, baffled: ¡°Why does it have to be a date? With an 8-digit code, isn¡¯t there any other possibility?¡± Lin Xian waved his hand: ¡°It must be a date, trust me. Just by looking at the structure, I can tell it¡¯s a date. It¡¯s a habit I¡¯ve always had for setting passwords.¡± Woo ah! Woo ah! Woo ah! Woo ah! Noise! Alarm sounds! Ringing in the ears! Lin Xian¡¯s head was about to explode! The cube of memories spun faster! Countless sealed memories burst forth like flood beasts! The scenes in front of him blurred as if he were looking at a rapidly changing view! Lin Xian felt dizzy and disoriented! The deepest buried secret in his heart was abruptly uncovered! ¡°I used to like a girl...¡± Lin Xian held his forehead, gritting his teeth as he spoke. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you! I don¡¯t have time for your love stories!¡± CC roared amidst the alarms! ¡°She was my deskmate...¡± ¡°I! Don¡¯t! Want! To! Listen!¡± ¡°I freaking don¡¯t want to say it either! Isn¡¯t this all for your sake?!¡± Lin Xian yelled back, pointing at the safe: ¡°19990707! Her birthday!¡± Lin Xian felt like a clown. His most secretive secrets, his final layer of privacy, had been ripped away! ¡°Hurry up!¡± Click, click, click. CC swiftly dialed the combination. She punched the lock hard! It didn¡¯t open. ¡°The password is wrong!¡± Woo ah! Woo ah! Woo ah! Woo ah! [00:41:47] ¡°20150609!¡± Lin Xian shouted, covering his ears! ¡°What¡¯s that date?! Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s the day you confessed!¡± CC¡¯s voice was hoarse with effort amidst the noisy alarm! ¡°Damn it, stop guessing! Just enter the password!¡± ¡°Done!¡± [00:41:56] CC gritted her teeth! She put all her strength into it, striking the lock fiercely! Bang! ... It didn¡¯t open. Lin Xian¡¯s body went limp all of a sudden, dizzy and vision blurry. The last thing he saw was CC in front of the safe. Through the blurred vision... CC turned her head. Her resentful gaze pierced straight to the soul¡ª ¡°Liar.¡± [00:42:00] Boom!!!! Boom!!!! Boom!!!! A scorching white light suddenly flashed, consuming everything... ... ... Twelfth lunar month. Early winter, in the wee hours. In the clean and tidy bedroom. Lin Xian opened his eyes... Chapter 7: 7 Analysis Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Analysis Today¡¯s night was exceptionally quiet. Perhaps it was because the weather had turned cooler, the night market downstairs had quieted down early. Lin Xian opened his eyes. Staring at the ceiling. He didn¡¯t get up for a long time. He felt uncomfortable all over. ... It was a kind of... An inexplicable sense of shame. To be of a certain age and still blurt out embarrassing tales from one¡¯s teenage years. Lin Xian rubbed his feet, squirming in bed to let the quilt wrap him even more tightly. Thank goodness it was just a dream, it would reset by tomorrow anyway, and no one would remember. But he had never anticipated. After all that effort, the safe¡¯s password was still incorrect! It seriously made Lin Xian doubt whether the safe was really his. ¡°Forget it, forget it,¡± Lin Xian scratched his head, threw off the blanket, and sat up: ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the task at hand.¡± Dreams are, after all, fake, and it¡¯s more important to ¡®move bricks¡¯ in reality. After putting on his pajamas, Lin Xian turned on the desk lamp and sat at the desk, beginning to draw the Keke Cat design on drafting paper from his dream. The design for Keke Cat was simple and elegant, with not too many details, making it very easy to draw. It took less than 20 minutes. Lin Xian completed the frontal, side, and rear views of Keke Cat on the drafting paper. Whether it was the details of the limbs, clothing, tail, or shoes... Lin Xian reproduced them all from his dream memory on a 1:1 scale. ¡°Perfect.¡± Lin Xian wiped his hands, brushing away the eraser shavings on the table: ¡°With such high completion, I can easily hand it over tomorrow.¡± Looking at the drawing of Keke Cat in front of him... Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but think of Big Face Cat again. After these past two nights of dreaming, he had thoroughly understood the feud between Big Face Cat and the Code Expert CC. Rustle. Lin Xian took out another sheet of white paper and began to organize his thoughts: [Story Process] 1. Big Face Cat¡¯s daughter was killed at the age of six, and he needed a lot of money to avenge her. ¡°It feels like she didn¡¯t meet me for the first time; at least she never thought about killing me.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not to say much, she doesn¡¯t know me at all.¡± ¡°Actually, she seems to trust me quite a bit, willing to listen to me and try so many different codes.¡± ¡°This is also hard to say, perhaps a drowning man clutching at straws?¡± His thoughts became confused again, enough to compete for the ¡°Mao Dun Literature Prize.¡± Lin Xian yawned. ¡°Let¡¯s sleep. You can¡¯t take things too seriously in dreams; there are too many irrational elements.¡± ... The next day. The company conference room. Everyone was staring at the design draft on the table, shocked into silence! ¡°This... wasn¡¯t it just a rough sketch yesterday? How did we get a detailed three-view drawing today, with such a high level of completion! We can start production and printing right away!¡± ¡°Are you an idiot? Lin Xian just casually sketched a draft yesterday, and that doesn¡¯t mean he started the design just yesterday! With the completeness of this design draft..., Lin Xian must have been busy for at least two months in private.¡± ¡°Too cute, I¡¯ve never seen such a pretty kitten! I told you yesterday, the cat designed by Lin Xian has huge potential! Just need to refine and color it..., it definitely won¡¯t be inferior to Kitty Cat!¡± ¡°From a professional standpoint, the design language of this kitten is very avant-garde. I can¡¯t even imagine... which girl could resist buying such an adorable kitten? Lin Xian has really outdone himself this time!¡± ... When President Zhao Yingjun was present, everyone always behaved more reservedly, never daring to discuss so loudly. But today, the results Lin Xian presented were so astonishing that their inner shock couldn¡¯t be suppressed. One reason was the speed. The other was the high quality. If everyone didn¡¯t know the full story, they might have thought that Lin Xian had plagiarized the finished product from another company! Today, Zhao Yingjun was dressed in black, looking particularly cool and commanding, exuding an aura that seemed to warn ordinary people to keep their distance. But now, as she looked down at the design draft, there was also a face full of gratified smiles: ¡°This is truly an exceptionally excellent brand image, several times stronger than what I imagined or expected.¡± ¡°It¡¯s apparent that Lin Xian put a lot of effort into designing this cat. Suddenly, I feel it would be a waste to just use this cat as a mascot or in print ads. Now I have a new idea.¡± ¡°But, before that... we need to give this adorable cat a name first.¡± Zhao Yingjun looked up at Lin Xian, her eyes filled with affirmation and appreciation: ¡°Lin Xian, since you designed this cat, you should be the one to name her!¡± Everyone was looking at Lin Xian. Many colleagues from the design department gave Lin Xian a surreptitious thumbs up. ¡°The name of this cat...¡± Lin Xian rested his chin in his hand, looking at the big screen displaying ¡°Rhein Brand Image Design 7th Discussion Session¡± on the conference logo... ¡°Since the new brand name of the company is Rhein.¡± ¡°Then the name of this cat shall be[Rhein Cat].¡± Chapter 8: 8 Rhein Chapter 8: Chapter 8 Rhein ¡°Rhein... Rhein Cat?¡± Is it just that simple? That casual? The colleagues were all abuzz with discussion. ¡°Rhein Cat sounds pretty good, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Lin Xian explained: ¡°Since it¡¯s a brand image, it¡¯s definitely meant to serve the purpose of promoting the brand first and foremost. I think there¡¯s no name more suitable than Rhein Cat.¡± ... ¡°Rhein Cat is indeed not bad.¡± Zhao Yingjun nodded: ¡°From the company¡¯s standpoint, if you are willing to tie this cat to the brand name, that¡¯s naturally something we would desire greatly.¡± ¡°Of course, if you make such a significant contribution to the company, we naturally won¡¯t mistreat talent.¡± Clap clap. Zhao Yingjun clapped his hands, signaling everyone to quiet down: ¡°Now, I would like to announce a new personnel appointment!¡± Personnel appointment? As soon as they heard there was going to be a change in personnel, everyone immediately quieted down and sat up straight. Zhao Yingjun picked up the design draft of the Rhein Cat and looked at the people and said: ¡°I think everyone can see the potential value and development prospects of the Rhein Cat that Lin Xian has designed. So, just as I mentioned earlier, using it merely as a mascot for publicity seems a bit wasteful.¡± ¡°Therefore, I plan to establish a brand new department dedicated to the IP development of Rhein Cat. From now on, Rhein Cat will not only be the mascot of Rhein Cosmetics but also an independent IP character.¡± ¡°We can produce various authorized products like Rhein Cat merchandise, animations, dolls, clothing, and so on. This could greatly enhance our Rhein brand¡¯s influence and in turn reinforce the cosmetics market.¡± ¡°This new department will be temporarily named the Rhein Cat IP Development and Operations Team. It will be on the same level as other official departments and report directly to me. And the leader of this team... will be taken up by Lin Xian!¡± Boom¡ª Lin... Lin Xian? How could Lin Xian, so young and inexperienced, be put in charge of such an important department, directly managed by President Zhao? But after the shock had passed, everyone thought it over seriously... Isn¡¯t this exactly what Lin Xian deserves? He managed to design the Rhein Cat and has proven his ability to assume this position with his talent. Thunderous applause erupted in an instant! The colleagues excitedly congratulated Lin Xian: ¡°Awesome, Lin Xian! A group leader just like that! How about transferring me to your department? I¡¯ll be your soldier!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to treat us to dinner tonight, right, Lin Xian? Now your rank and benefits are going to be on par with Elder Sister Juan, with a salary that¡¯s surely more than tripled!¡± ¡°At the group leader level, who cares about the salary! Just the performance bonuses alone... are going to crush the salary by several times! Not to mention, according to our company¡¯s rules, Lin Xian will also have copyright earnings! So, let¡¯s not say anymore, Lin Xian, you have to bleed a nice chunk tonight!¡± ¡°Group Leader Lin! Don¡¯t forget us when you come into your fortune! You are now the youngest group leader in our company, with limitless prospects ahead!¡± ... In their excitement, the colleagues surrounded Lin Xian, almost ready to toss him into the air to celebrate. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll treat you guys, just stop making noise.¡± To be honest... Big Face Cat¡¯s van was not there either. At this time... he must have connected with CC and set off for the bank. ¡°What should I do now?¡± Lin Xian looked around and saw that the toy store he had visited before was still open. ¡°Let¡¯s go have another look at the Keke Cat dolls, check out the other styles.¡± Since Zhao Yingjun thought so highly of him, he couldn¡¯t let her down at work. In that toy store, there was an entire shelf of Keke Cat dolls. There were many, both large and small, and there were also some keychains, pendants, stationery, and other merchandise. As the leader of the Rhein Cat IP Development and Operations Team... how could he miss such a good ¡°stock up¡± opportunity? Lin Xian walked straight into the toy store, heading directly for the shelf where the Keke Cat was. But¡ª ¡°Where¡¯s the Keke Cat?¡± On the shelf in front of him, there were no signs of any Keke Cat at all! All kinds of unfamiliar dolls were there instead. In an instant, a chill ran down Lin Xian¡¯s spine. An indescribable sense of fear spread throughout his body. Something had changed... His dreams had actually altered! For over twenty years, for thousands of nights, all his dreams had been exactly the same. The children would always fall over at the fixed time and place... The radio would always broadcast the same news over and over... Even the leaves blown down by the wind would land in the exact same place each time, without fail. But now. The toy store was still that toy store. The shelf was still that shelf. But the Keke Cat dolls that should have been on it were all gone! The sudden unfamiliarity made Lin Xian feel somewhat suffocated: ¡°Is this still my dream?¡± Lin Xian turned around abruptly. He discovered that the sales clerk was standing right behind him, smiling. ¡°Sir, may I help you with anything?¡± ¡°...I want to buy a Keke Cat doll; they were right here before.¡± ¡°Keke Cat?¡± The sales clerk tilted her head. Looking puzzled: ¡°Sir, are you sure you haven¡¯t mistaken something?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve never sold anything called Keke Cat in our store!¡± Chapter 9: 9 Change Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Change ¡°` ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of Keke Cat?¡± ¡°I... I¡¯ve never heard of it...¡± The salesman scratched his head, looking puzzled: ¡°Sir, are you sure you¡¯ve got the right name? Our store has a very complete selection of stuffed toys. Maybe if you describe what the toy looks like, I can help you find it!¡± ¡°Well...¡± ... Lin Xian thought for a bit: ¡°It¡¯s just, the cat¡¯s expression goes something like this.¡± Lin Xian contorted his face, mimicking Keke Cat¡¯s expression. ¡°Oh~~ wow!¡± The salesman¡¯s face lit up with a smile: ¡°Hahaha, I know what you¡¯re talking about, sir! The toy you¡¯re looking for is right over here!¡± He led Lin Xian toward the most central, conspicuous, and largest shelf in the store: ¡°Look! They¡¯re all here!¡± The shelves before them sparkled under the dazzling lights, towering a good dozen layers high! Opulence at its peak! ¡°Is this the cat you were talking about, sir?¡± The salesman said with a smile: ¡°This is the best-selling product in our store! This cat has been popular for several hundred years and it¡¯s still very much in demand! However... you did indeed remember the name wrong, the cat¡¯s name is¡ª¡± ¡°Yeah, I see it.¡± At that moment, Lin Xian felt as though a bucket of ice water had been dumped over him. Two huge speakers nearby were playing bewitching music. On the shelf, hundreds of identical cats stared straight at him... In the middle of the billboard, in huge letters, it read: Century¡¯s blockbuster! Best-seller of the age¡ª [Rhein Cat] ... ... The plaza was deserted in the early hours of the morning. All the surrounding shops had turned off their lights and closed up. Only tirelessly buzzing insects hitting the street lights and the mournful cries of cicadas added a touch of tranquility to the sultry summer night. Lin Xian sat on a bench, feeling that this world did not belong to him. It was so unfamiliar. So out of place. He opened his palm... In it, he held a Rhein Cat keychain. The money he had was only enough to buy this. This cat, every single thread, every adornment, every detail, was exactly the same as the Keke Cat in his dreams. The only difference was... Its name had changed from Keke Cat to Rhein Cat. ¡°Why did it change?¡± He couldn¡¯t describe the feeling inside him. Fear? Dread? That wasn¡¯t quite it. But there was a distinct sense of being lost, a feeling of no longer being in control. He had always thought of himself as a god in the world of dreams, able to do whatever he wanted, with the entire Dream World revolving around him. Both of their parents were coworkers in the same factory and they were born in the same residential compound. Later on, it might have been fate. Kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, the two were either in neighboring classes or in the same class as classmates. It¡¯s just that Lin Xian did much better in his studies than Gao Yang. Thanks to his excellent performance in drawing during the art exams and decent academic grades, Lin Xian got into East Sea University. And Gao Yang went to a college in the north. After graduation, Gao Yang also came to Donghai City to strive for a living, currently working as a car salesman in a 4S shop. Lin Xian still trusted Gao Yang a lot; even having had the same recurring dream for over twenty years, Lin Xian had only ever discussed it with Gao Yang. ¡°Here we go!¡± Gao Yang, cradling beers, sidled over and placed them on the table, popping open a few: ¡°Have a beer to calm your nerves! Spill it, brother! What exactly happened?¡± Crack! Their glasses clinked, and with a swig of the ice-cold beer, Lin Xian felt a touch of reality. ¡°It¡¯s like this, it¡¯s a bit of a long story.¡± Lin Xian put down his beer glass and gestured with his hands as he spoke, telling Gao Yang... About the random encounter with Big Face Cat, seeing the Keke Cat mask, then all sorts of things at work, copying Keke Cat out of the dream, casually naming it Rhein Cat, and then returning to the dream to find out that overnight, everyone had forgotten the name Keke Cat, as if it never existed, and the name of this cat, just like that, unceremoniously became Rhein Cat. ¡°Mhm, mhm.¡± ¡°Mhm, mhm.¡± Gao Yang kept nodding, drinking, staring blankly as if deep in thought, with a look of concern on his face. ¡°I got it.¡± Gao Yang put down his glass, his gaze hazy: ¡°So, you¡¯re saying you drew a cat in real life, and then it appeared in your dream.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t get a damn thing!¡± Lin Xian slammed the table repeatedly: ¡°I¡¯ve been seriously telling you this for so long! And that¡¯s all you¡¯ve understood!?¡± ¡°Ah, ooh, aah, aahhhhhhhhh!! Ahh, wah, wah, ahhhhhhhh!!!¡± Suddenly, Gao Yang leaped up, screaming! Howling like a banshee! He pounded the table like a wild gorilla! ¡°Damn, you¡¯ve just revealed your true colors!¡± Lin Xian recoiled in shock¡ª That¡¯s when he noticed. Everyone in the bar was just like Gao Yang, gesticulating wildly: ¡°It¡¯s in!! Brilliant!!! Messi, you¡¯re the man!!¡± ¡°It¡¯s set! Argentina, you rock!¡± ¡°King of Football! Ahhhh!!!¡± ... Lin Xian turned around. The large screen projecting at the bar was replaying the goal that had just been scored. ¡°You haven¡¯t been listening to a word I said!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve been listening! Hahaha, listening, really.¡± Gao Yang sat down again, chuckling as he filled Lin Xian¡¯s glass with beer: ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for over twenty years. I¡¯ve heard you talk about your dreams so many times, it¡¯s always the same thing, over and over!¡± ¡°The point is, why hasn¡¯t the dream changed for over twenty years, and then it suddenly changed today?¡± Lin Xian emphasized. Thud! Gao Yang downed his beer in one gulp, setting the empty glass on the table, and pointed at Lin Xian: ¡°Actually, it¡¯s quite simple, I¡¯ll tell you why!¡± Chapter 10: 10: The Suit Chapter 10: Chapter 10: The Suit ¡°You¡¯ve seen ¡®Inception,¡¯ the movie, right?¡± Gao Yang poured himself a full glass of wine: ¡°A person¡¯s dreams are actually controlled by the subconscious in their mind.¡± ¡°You know what the subconscious is? Normally, you¡¯re not even aware of its existence, but it always influences your actions, emotions, and... dreams!¡± ¡°To put it simply, the subconscious is your underlying cognition. Even though you¡¯re not aware of it, that doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t exist. Often, people can deceive their hearts, deceive their brains, but¡ª¡± ¡°[You absolutely cannot deceive your subconscious!]¡± ... Gao Yang glanced at the large screen behind him and then leaned back to look at Lin Xian: ¡°Do you understand? Is it a bit too profound?¡± ¡°I understand the literal meaning.¡± Lin Xian nodded; he had also seen ¡®Inception¡¯ and found it fascinating. In the movie, the protagonist invades others¡¯ dreams using a machine to extract information. ¡°But what does this have to do with the changes in my dreams?¡± ¡°Because your subconscious has changed!¡± Gao Yang downed a glass of beer: ¡°I ask you, right now, in your subconscious, what do you think this cat should be named?¡± Lin Xian thought hard for a while... ¡°Rhein Cat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly right! Your subconscious already acknowledges it as Rhein Cat, so naturally, your dream¡¯s version has to update as well!¡± ¡°Is it that simple?¡± ¡°It¡¯s that simple!¡± Lin Xian frowned: ¡°How reliable is your theory, really? Can the settings in a movie be taken seriously?¡± Gao Yang chuckled slyly, wagging his finger: ¡°I didn¡¯t just learn from movies, you know~ Look¡ª¡± He opened his phone, browsed to a person¡¯s Moments on WeChat, and held the phone up to Lin Xian: ¡°This client of mine is a psychologist, very famous in Donghai! I added her on WeChat when she bought a car. She often posts this kind of stuff in her Moments, and I read and learn from it when I have nothing better to do.¡± Lin Xian glanced at the Moments. Posted there were various psychological insights and seminar content. ¡°Ah... in truth, there¡¯s no need for you to fuss about such a trivial matter!¡± Gao Yang gestured expansively¡ª ¡°[In the end! What¡¯s so strange about things from reality appearing in dreams?]¡± ¡°[When the day comes that things from dreams start appearing in reality, that will truly be a serious matter!]¡± With that, Gao Yang, holding his glass, went back to watching the soccer game, shaking his head. The Argentina Team scored another goal. The entire bar erupted with deafening excitement.@@@@ ¡°When the toy samples are produced, bring one to me first. I quite like this Rhein Cat.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Lin Xian agreed and left with the design draft. ¡°Hey, Lin Xian,¡± Zhao Yingjun called out to him: ¡°I saw on your resume, you graduated from East Sea University?¡± ¡°Yes, President Zhao.¡± Zhao Yingjun sized him up: ¡°Do you have a suit?¡± ¡°I have one... bought for job interviews.¡± ¡°Go to the Brioni store in the neighboring mall and pick out a suit,¡± Zhao Yingjun said, looking down at her documents: ¡°Go now. There¡¯s a science fundraising dinner tonight. You¡¯ll accompany me. I¡¯ll send you the address later.¡± ¡°Oh...¡± Bang! The heavy office door with a password lock closed, and Lin Xian stood outside, puzzled. What was this... Zhao Yingjun was asking him to accompany her to a dinner? What did this entail? However, the other team leaders were often out wining and dining every evening. Perhaps these things were unavoidable as a leader. Lin Xian returned to his office, arranged some work for his four subordinates, and then headed to the adjacent shopping mall. The commercial district next to the company¡¯s office building was the most upscale shopping area in Donghai City, brimming with luxury brands. Lin Xian had never crossed paths with this place before; this was his first time browsing. Following directions, he quickly located the ¡°Brioni¡± store mentioned by Zhao Yingjun, a men¡¯s suit store with classic and elegant decor. ¡°Welcome, sir!¡± A lovely young lady greeted Lin Xian with a bow and a smile, gesturing for him to come inside. During her explanation, Lin Xian learned that Brioni was an Italian brand with a long history. Lin Xian guessed why the sales associate was explaining so thoroughly to him. They had a keen eye and could immediately discern a customer¡¯s purchasing power. This seemingly detailed explanation was actually a polite way to probe. If the customer couldn¡¯t afford it, they would gracefully step back, and both sides understood without any awkwardness. This was the essence of a luxury brand. Those scenes of condescending sales assistants from urban novels a decade ago... probably only happened in fiction. ¡°Hello, Mr. Lin!¡± At that moment, a slightly older woman with the appearance of a manager approached Lin Xian with a bow: ¡°You must be Mr. Lin from MX Company?¡± Lin Xian nodded. The manager smiled: ¡°I apologize, Mr. Lin. I was tied up with some matters and couldn¡¯t greet you in time.¡± ¡°President Zhao has already given us instructions. Please follow me! Those on display outside are just the basic models... The high-end models you need are in the inner room!¡± Chapter 11: 11 Dinner Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Dinner The manager excused the sales associate and led Lin Xian into an interior room.@@@@ ¡°Mr. Lin, please come in.¡± After entering the room, Lin Xian noticed that it was brightly lit, with European-style wooden furniture arranged all around the room, giving it a sense of history. And in the center of the room, there were several glass cabinets, each displaying a neatly hanging suit. ¡°Mr. Lin, since you have to attend the banquet tonight, it¡¯s definitely too late to handcraft a suit from scratch. The suits displayed here are all standard models. Take a look at these suits, choose the one you like, and I¡¯ll take it out for you to try. Your figure is quite standard, so a little alteration by the tailor, and you can take it directly to wear.¡± ¡°Personally, I recommend the set on the left; its style isn¡¯t as formal, and its pairing is a bit more vibrant.¡± ... Listening to the manager¡¯s introduction, Lin Xian turned his head to look at the glass cabinet on the left. It was a dark blue suit, and Lin Xian could tell... this suit was a notch higher in quality than those outside. ¡°Then let¡¯s go with this one, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Lin Xian had only worn a suit once in his life and, rather than choosing for himself, he trusted the professional¡¯s opinion more. After trying on the suit, Lin Xian looked at himself in the mirror. Indeed, clothes make the man... The top-notch suit really did make a difference once worn. ¡°Let¡¯s go with this one then.¡± ¡°Alright, Mr. Lin, please come this way, and I¡¯ll have the tailor take your measurements and make the alterations. By the way, do you need me to recommend you a tie?¡± ¡°Uh-huh, you do the pairing.¡± ... After a while, Lin Xian left the store carrying a suit box. It was his first time learning that such top-tier suits were usually kept in boxes. The manager told him that after getting home, he should take the suit out of the box, hang it up to prevent wrinkles. The purpose of the box was to protect the suit during transport. ¡°Quite delicate indeed...¡± Carrying this suit box, Lin Xian felt like he was carrying a box of gold. He was quite curious about how much this so-called top-tier suit was worth... but there were no prices listed on the three glass cabinets, and the manager had directly charged it to Zhao Yingjun¡¯s account, so in the end, Lin Xian had no idea how much it cost. 7 PM. Lin Xian took a taxi to the banquet venue. This was the most luxurious mansion in Donghai City. After the car stopped, there was a dedicated greeter to open the door, shielding the top of the door frame with their palm. ¡°He spoils his daughter a lot?¡± ¡°Spoils her? He holds her in his hands for fear of her falling, and cherishes her in his mouth for fear of her melting.¡± Zhao Yingjun looked around and shook her head, ¡°Chu Shanhe used to bring his daughter to every banquet, but today I haven¡¯t seen her. She¡¯s a very pretty girl.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Lin Xian responded noncommittally. He wasn¡¯t interested in such gossip; it was a world completely disconnected from him. ¡°Lin Xian, look over there,¡± Zhao Yingjun said, pulling Lin Xian¡¯s arm and pointing to another side. There stood a man alone in a corner of the hall, sticking out like a sore thumb from the rest of the dinner. He was dressed in a casual shirt, his face spotted with unshaven stubble, and he wore thick square glasses that were now fogging up... ¡°That¡¯s Professor Xu from East Sea University, Professor Xu Yun. Did you know him when you were studying?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him,¡± Lin Xian said frankly. East Sea University was so large, with so many schools, and so many professors that Lin Xian couldn¡¯t even recognize all the teachers in his own school, let alone others... ¡°Professor Xu Yun is the only scientist in the country who is researching the Hibernation Pod. He¡¯s never had much luck with his research, hasn¡¯t even nailed down the basic theory, let alone made any substantive progress.¡± ¡°Someone in our country studies that? Sounds too sci-fi.¡± Zhao Yingjun smiled, lowering her head, ¡°Just him alone.¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s researching such a far-fetched topic, no research institute wants him. His former teachers and students have all left him; everyone thinks he¡¯s gone mad.¡± ¡°After all these years, he¡¯s only managed to become an associate professor through seniority, without any achievements in scientific research. He can only huddle up in the university, teaching classes and tinkering with his research in the lab.¡± ¡°But then,¡± Zhao Yingjun focused on the swirling red wine in her glass and continued, ¡°perhaps that¡¯s just how fate works, when it has declined to its extreme, it rebounds the other way.¡± ¡°A while ago, he again failed in his research on the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid, but accidentally discovered a new chemical compound.¡± ¡°When this substance binds with water molecules, it forms a monomolecular film that allows the passage of gases but completely isolates water molecules, and it¡¯s also harmless to the skin.¡± Zhao Yingjun set her wine glass on the table, then took a new glass of red wine from the tray held by a passing waiter, ¡°This chemical compound, for Professor Xu¡¯s hibernation research, is undoubtedly a failure. But Lin Xian...¡± ¡°Do you know what this substance means to our skincare industry?¡± Chapter 12: 12 Science Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Science It breathes, and it locks in moisture... This is just a ¡°moisturizer¡±! MX Company is a cosmetics company, and although Lin Xian works in the design department, he still has a certain understanding of the basics of makeup and skincare products. The three biggest demands women have for skincare products are ¡ª Whitening, wrinkle reduction, and moisturizing. Nowadays, none of the moisturizing products on the market can provide absolute, long-lasting hydration. ... During makeup application, to achieve moisturizing effects, it¡¯s usually necessary to apply several layers of skincare: a layer of essence, a layer of lotion, and a layer of moisturizer. Not to mention how cumbersome and heavy this feels, it¡¯s also uncomfortable for the skin. But looking at Professor Xu¡¯s chemical substance from another angle, its properties perfectly solve many of the issues with current moisturizer products. Therefore, in the moisturizing skincare domain, a novel moisturizer utilizing this chemical substance would be a disruptive force. Wouldn¡¯t they just sell like crazy? ¡°I understand now.¡± Lin Xian said slowly: ¡°If we can secure the usage rights for this chemical substance and use it as the launch product for our new brand Rhein, we can definitely overturn the entire skincare market. At the least, we would be unrivaled in the moisturizing arena.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Zhao Yingjun nodded and said: ¡°Nowadays, all the major cosmetics companies around the world have offered Professor Xu very high prices, with some companies even proposing licensing fees of several million dollars.¡± Hisss... Lin Xian took a sharp breath of cold air. Several million dollars, and that¡¯s just the licensing fee. It is simply too exaggerated; converted, it¡¯s at least tens of millions of Long Yuan. But as someone who works in the cosmetics industry, Lin Xian was very clear that Professor Xu¡¯s product was worth the price. If they could get an exclusive license, it would essentially be sentencing all other brands¡¯ moisturizing products to death. It would be enough to monopolize the entire moisturizing market. ¡°Actually, MX Company has offered even higher terms.¡± Zhao Yingjun said with a wry smile: ¡°But Professor Xu doesn¡¯t even give us the time of day... However, the good news is, he isn¡¯t giving any other company the time of day either, so we still have a chance.¡± ¡°Come on, Lin Xian, let¡¯s go and greet Professor Xu.¡± ... Lin Xian also held a wine glass and followed Zhao Yingjun to the corner of the hall. As soon as Professor Xu Yun saw Zhao Yingjun approaching, he turned his head to leave¡ª Lin Xian nodded his head. He had little contact with Zhao Yingjun before, and hadn¡¯t even exchanged a word with her. He had thought that this woman would be lofty and superior everywhere she went. But now it seemed... she too had her difficulties, she too had to put on a smiling face in front of Professor Xu Yun and bow to clink glasses with him. However, this was also unavoidable. The company needed to grow. The people below needed to eat. At just 23 years old, Zhao Yingjun had grown the company to this size within less than two years after returning from studying abroad; her family background and heritage must be impressive, undoubtedly supported by family resources. But Lin Xian couldn¡¯t understand why she would choose to strike out on her own instead of taking an easy path, biding her time to take over the family business. These matters were known to few within the company; Zhao Yingjun must have her own distress and her own thoughts. ¡°Professor Xu Yun must be in desperate need of research funds and equipment... Why doesn¡¯t he want to turn that failed product into capital?¡± Lin Xian was puzzled: ¡°Clearly, with financial backing, he could set up his own lab and carry out research under much better conditions. Who knows, he might actually come up with something.¡± Zhao Yingjun put down the handkerchief, smiled helplessly, and said: ¡°This is probably the pride and stubbornness of a scientist at play. He has failed for too long, been mocked for too long, so he¡¯s even less able to accept selling his failures around the world.¡± ¡°That accidental chemical substance might look like a treasure to us. But to Professor Xu Yun... it might be seen as a shameful scar, a pain that goes right to the heart every time it is mentioned.¡± Zhao Yingjun set down her glass, crossed her arms, and looked at Lin Xian: ¡°You¡¯re also a graduate of East Sea University¡ªcould you think of some way to help me?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Lin Xian was stunned. For a moment, he thought of the ¡¯86 version of ¡°Journey to the West,¡± where the character Bumper Ar Lan was ordered by the Nine-Headed Beetle: ¡°Go eliminate Master Tang and his disciples!¡± Who was he to measure up! These upper-class nobles, these business tycoons, even they were being snubbed by Professor Xu Yun. As a team leader, seen as a mere schoolboy in their eyes, how could he possibly manage to broker such a major deal? ¡°I¡¯ll ask around.¡± That was all Lin Xian could reply. He was finally beginning to understand why Zhao Yingjun had brought him to this dinner... perhaps she thought, since he and Professor Xu Yun were alumni, that he might be able to establish a connection in the future. But she was greatly overestimating his abilities. Perhaps it was the exceptional performance of the Rhein Cat project that gave Zhao Yingjun a terrible misunderstanding of his real level of ability. But that cat was literally copied from a dream! Could it be that from a dream... he could also replicate Professor Xu Yun¡¯s research results? Chapter 13: 13 Chu Shanhe Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Chu Shanhe Before long, the banquet officially began. The sound of the violin and chords ceased, and the entire hall quieted down. Everyone stopped chatting and turned their heads toward the long staircase in the center of the hall. Chu Shanhe was seen descending the staircase with a smile, lifting his glass and looking around: ¡°Welcome, everyone! Today, luminaries of science and talents of the business world have all gathered here, truly adding splendor to my humble abode! Hahahaha...¡± Thunderous applause erupted in the hall. Lin Xian had previously only seen Chu Shanhe¡¯s back, which was very broad, and this was the first opportunity to see Chu Shanhe¡¯s face. ... His gaze was piercing, and his square face bore sharp and distinct features. Had this face belonged to his youth... it would have been considered the standard of handsomeness. Even though Chu Shanhe was well into his fifties, he still emanated vitality. His smile, while gentle, couldn¡¯t hide an awe-inspiring charisma that made people hold their breath. As the applause died down, Chu Shanhe slowly made his way to the center of the hall. His voice resonated powerfully, echoing with a robust spirit: ¡°For many years, I have believed that science and technology are the primary productive forces! The lifestyle we enjoy today and the prosperity and strength of our nation are all inseparable from the development of science and technology! They could not have been achieved without the arduous struggle and diligent efforts of scientific researchers!¡± ¡°I believe that the development of any industry cannot be separated from the support of science and technology. Those scientists who labor in obscurity, researching day and night, are the heroes we most need to respect and admire!¡± ¡°People like me, with limited talent and learning... have simply reaped the dividends of the era, and were fortunate enough to establish a foothold in Donghai City. When it comes to contributions to society and to the nation, I can¡¯t hold a candle to the scientists!¡± ¡°This is also the purpose of today¡¯s scientific fundraising banquet! I hope that all the young business talents here will also pay more attention to the development of the scientific field! To contribute to the soaring development of our nation¡¯s science and technology!¡± ¡°I will not say much more¡ª¡± Chu Shanhe put down his glass and raised his right index finger high:@@@@ ¡°Shanhe Corporation! Donates one hundred million yuan to the Donghai City Science Development Fund!¡± The whole place was astounded. One hundred million yuan to start with. The Chairman Chu Shanhe¡¯s gesture was truly grand. After the initial shock, thunderous applause followed immediately, with praises resounding all around. However, it wasn¡¯t over yet. As the applause subsided, Chu Shanhe picked up the microphone again and said with a smile: ¡°What I said earlier was just to make a statement on behalf of the corporation, not enough to express my personal admiration for scientific researchers.¡± ¡°Now, I will make a personal donation! Another one hundred million yuan!¡± The hall was electrified in an instant! Various high-end snacks and food were placed on tables around the outskirts of the hall, leaving the center clear as a dance floor. The second-floor symphony orchestra officially started, and the classical and elegant sound of string music filled the entire hall. Chu Shanhe had disappeared at some point, and Professor Xu Yun had left when the dance started. Nowadays, most of the guests were dancing in the center, tangoing with their chosen partners. A few were sitting at the surrounding tables enjoying the food, chatting, and having fun. Zhao Yingjun sat elegantly by the dining table, savoring pastries and sipping red wine. Lin Xian just stood behind her. He noticed... that many people wanted to ask Zhao Yingjun to dance, including quite a few young and old. But as everyone saw Lin Xian¡¯s presence, they all seemed to have a sudden realization, then smiled slightly and turned away. ¡°... Should I stand further away?¡± Lin Xian bent down and said. Zhao Yingjun dabbed her lips with a napkin, eyes closed, ¡°If you stand further away, what would be the point of me bringing you here?¡± ¡°Sit down and have something to eat.¡± ... The time that followed was quite boring. Zhao Yingjun sat there, eyes closed, deep in thought. Lin Xian guessed she must be contemplating how to persuade Professor Xu Yun. She had taken out ten million for the donation today, probably to curry favor with Professor Xu. But Lin Xian felt that her money was likely wasted... Professor Xu Yun was so stubborn, so obstinate, not someone easily persuaded by others. Perhaps Chu Shanhe could, after all, he was the benefactor funding Xu Yun. But Chu Shanhe was such a figure, he surely wouldn¡¯t intercede on Zhao Yingjun¡¯s behalf; the two of them were clearly not on the same level. ¡°No chance.¡± Lin Xian stopped pondering the matter, unable to help. In front of these tycoons and magnates, he was just an insignificant nobody. In his dreams, he too was that untamed overlord of the city. But in Donghai, he couldn¡¯t stir a single ripple, not even attract any attention. He might as well return to his dreams to handle real business. Chapter 14: 14 Breaking the Situation Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Breaking the Situation The dinner party ended around 9 p.m. Lin Xian returned home, took off his suit, and finished washing up. He sat at the desk in his bedroom, reflecting on the events of the dinner party. Today¡¯s dinner party really broadened his horizons. Even though everyone lives in the same Donghai, on the same land, they lead completely different lives. They spend billions as if they were tossing out beans for fun. ... They live the lives of fairy tales, as if everyone is a prince or princess. This is clearly the real world, yet it seems more dreamlike than actual dreams. Speaking of dreams... Lin Xian propped his forehead, his gaze sweeping over two pieces of white paper on the desk. They were from a few days ago when he analyzed the dreams about Big Face Cat and the CC incident. One was ¡°Story Process¡±, detailing the cause and effect of the gratitude and grudges between the two. The other was ¡°Unsolved Mysteries¡±, listing three doubts that weighed on Lin Xian¡¯s mind. He picked up the paper labelled ¡°Unsolved Mysteries¡±. Looking at the three questions written on it: 1. What exactly is hidden in the safe? 2. What on earth is the combination to the safe? 3. Why did CC save me? Her attitude towards me is also very subtle, very strange. The first question. He was clueless. Even though it was Lin Xian¡¯s own dream, he had no idea what he would need to keep so secret to place it in such a secure bank safe. But from CC¡¯s reaction, it was clear that whatever was inside was very important to her, hence she took such a great risk to rob the bank. ¡°What could it be?¡± Since it was his own dream, surely the content of the safe must be something within his own knowledge, right? Lin Xian just couldn¡¯t figure it out. He truly didn¡¯t understand what he had that was so unspeakable that it needed to be hidden away in such a deep safe. The second question.@@@@ What on earth is the combination to the safe? Just as clueless. Passwords are binary, right or wrong, without any gray area. Lin Xian had tried every eight-digit code he could think of, but to no avail¡ªthe combination was still incorrect. This left him quite astonished... Now, he was even more curious than CC about what the password might be. In his last dream, he had racked his brains, trying every possible date combination he could think of. Not just every birthday, anniversary, or significant date he could imagine. He had even attempted numerous dates related to the dream. Lin Xian¡¯s eyes were determined. He was clear in his mind that using normal means, he would definitely not be able to get the answer out of CC. So he had to use ¡°unconventional means¡±! It was obvious CC was a very clever woman; she wasn¡¯t as easy to deceive as Big Face Cat, and she was skilled in combat and armed with a gun, so Lin Xian probably wouldn¡¯t be able to subdue her head-on. Closing his eyes to think... ¡°Got it!¡± Quite quickly, Lin Xian came up with a plan to break the situation. Here¡¯s what he planned in his mind: 1. Meet up with Big Face Cat, gain his trust first, then reveal the deception to him. 2. Form an alliance with Big Face Cat, set up an ambush in the bank vault beforehand, and wait for CC. 3. When CC appears, use a ruse to subdue her and get the answer! ¡°I alone definitely won¡¯t do, but if I use Big Face Cat, 2 against 1 should be no problem.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s fingers were spinning the pen rapidly. This breakthrough plan should be flawless! Actually, Lin Xian didn¡¯t really want to hurt CC; he just wanted to know an answer. After getting the answer, he wouldn¡¯t make things difficult for her; they could each go their own way. Glancing at the clock on the nightstand. 21:45 He usually met Big Face Cat around ten o¡¯clock, so if he fell asleep a bit earlier, he would still make it! Lin Xian swiftly turned off the lights, got into bed, and closed his eyes. ... ... Whoosh! The overly familiar hot summer wind blew on Lin Xian¡¯s face, making it feel somewhat dry. He opened his eyes to see a scene he had seen thousands of times before. The digital display board showed the time as 21:54. ¡°I need to get the Ultraman mask quickly.¡± Looking to the right ahead, there were still those two little boys shouting Ultraman flying kicks and Ultraman elbow strikes as they fought. Actually, those kids were old friends of Lin Xian¡¯s. When he was young and dreamed, he would often play with those two boys, engaging in the battles of light. Back then, Lin Xian was shorter than those two boys and was often bullied by them. In his view, they were two unbeatable meat mountains. Later on, Lin Xian slowly grew taller, but the two kids remained the same, and he started to act as the big brother. And even later... Lin Xian no longer played child¡¯s games like Ultraman battles. Only those two kids remained, tirelessly fighting day and night, year after year, until even the streets had worn away. Lin Xian grew up, but they will never grow up; time is forever frozen on that day for them. ¡°Ultraman flying kick!¡± ¡°Ultraman elbow strike!¡± The two kids dropped the mask and moved further away as they fought, Lin Xian stepped forward and picked up the Ultraman mask from the ground. ¡°Key item, get~¡± Chapter 15: 15 Murder Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Murder Lin Xian pulled back the elastic and put on the mask. From now on, he was the Code Expert. He had to beat the real Code Expert, CC, to the punch... and snatch Big Face Cat! He looked in the direction where Big Face Cat had parked. Indeed, there was a stout figure looking around, wearing the familiar Rhine Cat Mask. He walked up and said, ¡°Big Face Cat!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ... Big Face Cat turned around in surprise! Seeing the Ultraman mask on Lin Xian¡¯s face, he asked in confusion: ¡°How do you know my name? I didn¡¯t tell...¡±@@@@ ¡°Listen Big Face Cat,¡± Lin Xian quickly closed in on him: ¡°I not only know your name, but I also know that you plan to kill everyone in a little while and keep all the money for yourself!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± ¡°But in reality, that Code Expert has deceived you! There isn¡¯t a single cent in the bank vault, you¡¯ve just been used.¡± ¡°Who who who who are you!¡± Seeing Ultraman advancing menacingly! Big Face Cat completely panicked! His right hand reached towards his waist¡ª Snap! A hand pressed on the gun handle at his waist! Ultraman pressed close against Rhine Cat, Lin Xian staring into Big Face Cat¡¯s frantic eyes: ¡°If you want to take revenge for your daughter, then listen to me. I know where there¡¯s money in this city!¡± ¡°You know about my daughter too!?¡± Big Face Cat was utterly bewildered! His voice cracked! Whoosh. Lin Xian directly pulled the pistol from Big Face Cat¡¯s waist and slipped it into his own pocket: ¡°Get in the car!¡± ... The van drove down the highway, with Big Face Cat checking the rearview mirror and glancing at the Ultraman beside him. ¡°Bro... Brother.¡± Big Face Cat swallowed his saliva: ¡°What the hell is going on? Spill it out for me! Are you the Code Expert or not?¡± Lin Xian opened his eyes and sat up straight. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Then who the heck¡ª¡± Big Face Cat was livid! ¡°But I can help you get the money to avenge your daughter.¡± Lin Xian looked up at Big Face Cat, whose pupils flickered for a moment, then he looked away. ¡°I only know that your daughter died when she was six years old, killed by someone...¡± Lin Xian said softly: ¡°Could you tell me who killed her? I really can¡¯t understand why anyone would want to kill a six-year-old girl on purpose.¡± Big Face Cat kept staring out the window, silent. He pulled a cigarette from the pack, placed it in his mouth, and lit it with a lighter. One advantage of a big face is that you can smoke with a mask on. ¡°I know this must be painful for you, Brother Lian, surely a very painful memory, but you might as well tell me.¡± Lin Xian kept on persuading: ¡°You¡¯ve seen yourself, the various things happening in this city, actually I know a lot.¡± ¡°I know the Code Expert lied to you, that there¡¯s no money in the bank¡¯s vault, and about your daughter¡¯s situation, I might really be able to help you! And I mean... not just financially.¡± Smoke curled inside the van, transforming it into a surreal haven. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no harm in telling you.¡± Big Face Cat exhaled a cloud of white smoke, flicking ash away. He pointed to the clock on the dashboard: ¡°But it looks like we¡¯re running out of time.¡± ¡°No worries, just talk!¡± The answer was on the verge of being coaxed out! How could Lin Xian let the opportunity slip away? He patted his chest and assured: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Lian, I¡¯ve robbed this bank several times before, I know the place like the back of my hand! No matter how much time you take now, I¡¯ll make it up to you in a flash later!¡± ¡°That was many years ago...¡± Big Face Cat sighed, his head bowed, even the Rhine Cat on his mask seemed to express a touch of melancholy: ¡°Back then, my father, you might not believe it... Despite how I look, my father was a famous mathematician and even won a Fields Medal.¡± ¡°I was working out of town at that time, and my daughter usually stayed at my father¡¯s house. One night, she suddenly had a fever and started convulsing, so my father picked her up and ran towards the hospital. But...¡± Big Face Cat¡¯s voice trembled a bit: ¡°But then... there was a car accident, a large truck just rolled over them both... crushing, crushing...¡± Big Face Cat struggled to continue, pulling hard on his cigarette, and after a pause: ¡°It took me a long time to investigate and find out, it was by no means an accidental crash! It was murder! A premeditated murder!¡± ¡°Their target was only my father; my daughter got caught in the middle. I don¡¯t know why... My father was just a nerd, he never provoked anyone!¡± Lin Xian patted Big Face Cat on the shoulder: ¡°Who wanted to kill your father? You said ¡®they¡¯... So it must be more than one person?¡± ¡°An organization.¡± Big Face Cat exhaled a puff of smoke: ¡°A very mysterious organization, so elusive you can¡¯t find any trace of it. I¡¯ve been investigating for so long and have found nothing but a name!¡± ¡°The name of the organization is...¡± Big Face Cat stamped out the cigarette butt, grinding his teeth: ¡°Genius Club!¡± Chapter 16: 16 Quick Pass-through Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Quick Pass-through Genius Club? When he heard the name, Lin Xian was quite surprised. It didn¡¯t sound like a criminal gang; it sounded more like... an academic organization with an inflated sense of self-importance. ¡°What kind of organization is this? What do they do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Big Face Cat shook his head. ¡°Are there many people in their organization? Are the members... really all highly intelligent geniuses?¡± ... ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Big Face Cat¡¯s head shook like a rattle-drum: ¡°I really don¡¯t know anything, can¡¯t find anything out!¡± His expression was one of profound sadness: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for a chance that let me catch a clue, it would be as if this organization never existed in this world at all! I can hardly imagine how they could hide so secretly that they never left a single trace in history!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve investigated for so many years! But now, I don¡¯t know where they are, I don¡¯t know who they are, and I don¡¯t know what they are planning... The only rumor I¡¯ve found related to them is¡ª¡± Big Face Cat turned his head and stared at Lin Xian with a serious face: ¡°Rumors say that only the top wealthiest, the most extreme geniuses, the most powerful big shots... can receive an invitation from this club.¡± ... ¡°I see.¡± Lin Xian nodded, now completely understanding: ¡°So this is why you robbed the bank? You wanted to get a lot of money, but your actual goal... was to get an invitation to the Genius Club.¡± ¡°With that invitation, you could find the club¡¯s headquarters, and then go in guns blazing to avenge your daughter.¡± ¡°But no offense, Brother Lian, if the threshold to join the Genius Club is really as high as you say, then I doubt that just robbing a bank... will be enough.¡± Big Face Cat sighed: ¡°But I... have no other options. All I can do is take a gamble.¡± ¡°That rumor isn¡¯t necessarily reliable either, it¡¯s hearsay, ethereal, but what else can I do?¡± ¡°I naturally know that just robbing banks wouldn¡¯t be enough, but with this startup capital, maybe I can do something bigger. There will always be more hope for revenge than now, right?¡± After speaking, he glanced at his watch. 00:07 He frowned: ¡°Bro, it¡¯s getting late. Are you sure we have enough time?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but I still want to go check the warehouse to see if there really is no money in there.¡± Lin Xian took out the gun from his pocket, pulled out the magazine, and checked the number of bullets. Click! He slid the magazine back in: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Brother Lian, I promised to make up for the time wasted.¡± ¡°Can you run? Get out of the car!¡± The two jumped out of the car. Lin Xian strode forward, with Big Face Cat quickly following behind. Click-clack! Lin Xian cocked his gun! Lin Xian reached behind Big Face Cat¡¯s waist and pulled out C4, sticking it on the coded door. ¡°Run!¡± ¡°Shift¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡± Boom!!!!!! Boom!!!!!! When the dust settled, Lin Xian led Big Face Cat to the blasted hole, glanced at his watch: 00:09 ¡°How did I do, Brother Lian? I think this is already the best route.¡± ¡°Good job! Just don¡¯t do it again!¡± With that, Big Face Cat leaped into the warehouse with a healthy stride. Looking left and right... Looking left and right... ¡°Fuck!¡± He cursed aloud: ¡°That damn Code Expert dares to deceive me! There¡¯s literally not a single penny! What do we do now?¡± Lin Xian turned around and pointed back the way they came: ¡°Let¡¯s first go to the underground passage and move the body of your underling over here, his build is very similar to yours.¡± Then, under Lin Xian¡¯s direction, the two lifted the chubby underling¡¯s corpse into the warehouse. After that, they dressed the corpse in Big Face Cat¡¯s clothes and put the Rhine Cat Mask on its face. ¡°That should do it.¡± Lin Xian clapped his hands, pleased with the seamless disguise. ¡°You¡¯re so smart, bro!¡± Now with the mask off, Big Face Cat¡¯s face had a round red mark in the middle, like a monkey¡¯s butt, from being squeezed by the Rhine Cat Mask. ¡°Bro, what¡¯s my next task?¡± Lin Xian bent down, picked up a handgun from the body on the ground, and tossed it to Big Face Cat: ¡°Keep the gun ready and hide behind that safe. Wait for my signal before you come out.¡± ... All was ready; they just waited for the prey to take the bait. Lin Xian paced beside the fake Big Face Cat¡¯s body, glancing at his watch from time to time. In the previous two dreams, CC appeared around 00:20. Lin Xian waited until 00:21. He turned around and shouted into the darkness outside the hole in the wall: ¡°Come out! I know you¡¯re there!¡± ... ... After a dozen seconds or so. A slender figure slowly walked out of the darkness. Her face was covered with an Ultraman mask, and she tilted her head as she looked at Lin Xian: ¡°Who are you this time?¡± Chapter 17: 17 Gambler Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Gambler ¡°I am your friend,¡± ¡°I don¡¯t recall having a friend like you,¡± CC said indifferently. Thud! Lin Xian kicked the body on the ground over. Blood flowed from beneath the Rhine Cat Mask...drip-drop, drip-drop onto the floor. Lin Xian stepped aside to give CC a clearer view: ... ¡°The enemy of my enemy is my friend.¡± ¡°...¡± CC didn¡¯t speak, her gaze fixed on the Rhine Cat Mask on the body, clearly understanding everything. ¡°You lied to Big Face Cat, telling him there were loads of money, loads of gold bricks in the warehouse.¡± Lin Xian moved to the other side of the body, looking at CC as he spoke: ¡°Once inside the warehouse, when the truth came out, a fight between the two of you was inevitable, who would die and who would live was uncertain.¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve resolved such a big problem for you, don¡¯t I count as your friend?¡± CC¡¯s hand gripping the gun did not relax: ¡°How am I supposed to trust you?¡± Lin Xian gave a slight smile, slowly raised the gun in his hand, turned it around so the barrel faced downwards. Then¡ª Whoosh! He threw it far across to the other end of the warehouse: ¡°Is that enough sincerity for you? Now it¡¯s your turn to show your sincerity.¡± ¡°Our goals are the same, to open Lin Xian¡¯s safe. Later, you can take anything you want from the safe, I just need to know what¡¯s inside.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better make a decision quickly. The main circuit will restore soon, and once the alarm is tripped, there won¡¯t be another chance.¡± CC hesitated for a moment, then also raised the gun in her hand and threw it far away. A beautiful parabola¡ª Thud. The pistol struck the distant safe with a dull sound and rolled to the ground. Click! A gun barrel extended from behind and pressed against the back of CC¡¯s head, Big Face Cat slowly emerged from behind the cabinet... ¡°Liar.¡± CC glared at Lin Xian through the Ultraman mask, her eyes filled with disappointment. ¡°You¡¯re the damn liar!!¡± Big Face Cat cursed loudly: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my good brother seeing through your trickery! I would have been killed here by you today!¡± He gripped the handle of the gun tightly, teeth clenched: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my brother stopping me, I would¡¯ve blasted your brains out a long time ago!¡± Lin Xian gestured for Big Face Cat to be quiet, then looked at CC seriously: ¡°Let me restate the situation. First, I have no intention of hurting you, let alone killing you or anything like that. I just want to ask you one question and get one answer.¡± ¡°After I get the answer, the two of us will leave this place. You can go wherever you want, tinker with the safe, do whatever, we won¡¯t interfere with each other.¡± ¡°And I promise you, I will take care of the wealth Big Face Cat needs, and your grudge will be cleared. Everyone is here for profit, so let¡¯s each go our separate ways and not trouble each other.¡± ... The conditions Lin Xian offered were sincere enough. CC snorted coldly and chuckled disdainfully: ¡°That depends on whether you¡¯ve got what it takes to take my life.¡± ¡°Fuck! You looking down on me, Big Face Cat? I¡¯ll blast you with one shot!¡± Big Face Cat completely lost his temper!! He leaped up! Right hand exerting force! He pressed the muzzle firmly against CC¡¯s temple! CC slowly raised her hands in surrender, placing them behind her head. ¡°Big Face Cat.¡± She said softly. ¡°Ga!!¡± Big Face Cat was furiously deformed with anger. ¡°Although there is no money in this bank vault, I did not deceive you. Inside that safety deposit box, there¡¯s something you need even more.¡± ¡°What... what are you saying?¡± Big Face Cat¡¯s pupils shrank suddenly, and he panicked: ¡°There¡¯s something I need more?¡± CC smiled slightly, looking at Big Face Cat with interest: ¡°Think about it, if there wasn¡¯t something you wanted in the safety deposit box, why would I seek collaboration with you? I need to open that safety deposit box, both for myself and for you.¡± In an instant! Enlightenment struck Big Face Cat! ¡°The... the invitation!¡± he yelled out loud: ¡°Are you saying! Inside that safety deposit box... there¡¯s an invitation to the Genius Club!!¡± CC smiled without saying a word. ¡°Don¡¯t believe her, Brother Lian!¡± Seeing Big Face Cat lose control and his brain overloaded, Lin Xian hurriedly called out: ¡°She¡¯s still lying to you! She has no idea what¡¯s inside the safety deposit box! She doesn¡¯t even know herself!¡± ¡°Wanna bet?¡± CC stared at Big Face Cat: ¡°This is your only chance.¡± Big Face Cat¡¯s face went through all the colors of the rainbow, sweat streaming down in torrents! He looked left at CC, right at Lin Xian, then back at the safety deposit box. He had no idea who to trust! Boom!!! A deafening gunshot! Big Face Cat¡¯s head exploded like a watermelon! His body fell down rigidly! Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but lean back... He saw CC¡¯s long hair spill out, floating in the air. The red ribbon that had been tying her hair slowly fell to the ground... She had a gun in her hand. She had actually hidden a gun in her hair! Thud. Big Face Cat¡¯s body hit the ground heavily. CC raised the gun in her hand, stepping toward Lin Xian¡ª ¡°Guess whether I¡¯ll kill you or not?¡± Chapter 18: 18 Genius Club Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Genius Club Click. The searing gun barrel pressed against Lin Xian¡¯s forehead. He sighed helplessly... Big Face Cat was truly a hopeless and lousy teammate! The situation was clear just a moment ago, CC had been driven into a corner! Her last words were nothing more than a bluff, a desperate bet to see if she could scam a breakthrough from Big Face Cat. And to think, Big Face Cat really did her a huge favor! ... CC had no idea what was in the safe, nor did she know Big Face Cat¡¯s purpose, or what he needed the most... But Big Face Cat directly confessed: ¡°An invitation! Could it be, in the safe, a Genius Club invitation!?¡± It was truly like saying there was no silver buried here! The son of a Fields Medalist mathematician, and that¡¯s the level of his intelligence? After that, Big Face Cat was just in an overloaded pig-brain state. And CC, pretending to surrender by placing her hands behind her head, did it to get the gun hidden in her hair, ready to shoot through the head. ... ¡°Go ahead, shoot.¡± Lin Xian felt somewhat weary. Since his own plan to break the game had failed, there was no point in staying here anymore.@@@@ ¡°You really are the least concerned about your life I have ever seen,¡± CC remarked sincerely from behind her Ultraman mask. ¡°First disguising as me, getting into his car, and now causing such a huge commotion here... Do you really not fear death at all?¡± ¡°Stop wasting time, hurry it up.¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes, ready to get up early and rest: ¡°But I still want to know the answer to that question.¡± He pursed his lips: ¡°Since you¡¯re going to kill me anyway, why don¡¯t you just tell me the answer? It can be counted as a good deed, letting me die with some understanding.¡± ¡°What exactly do you want to ask?¡± CC¡¯s gun still pressed tightly. ¡°I just want to know if there¡¯s anything between us,¡± Lin Xian opened his eyes: ¡°I don¡¯t know how to describe it. But obviously, this isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve seen me, right? At least you¡¯re not completely unfamiliar with me, there must be some special reason you didn¡¯t just shoot me dead.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hold any grudge if you kill me, go ahead. So, can you please tell me honestly now¡ª¡± Lin Xian, with the gun still pointed at him, looked directly into CC¡¯s eyes: ¡°Have we met before?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± CC raised the gun barrel, her serious gaze meeting Lin Xian¡¯s: ¡°No.¡± Bang!!! ... ... The thunderous sound of the gun. The smell of gunpowder hit him squarely in the face. The intense ringing in his ears buzzed through Lin Xian¡¯s head. In his bedroom, Lin Xian sighed without opening his eyes. The bedding felt unusually heavy today, almost suffocating him. ¡°Sigh...¡± He sighed out of nowhere: ¡°For no reason at all, what does that woman want to do.¡± He truly couldn¡¯t understand. Lin Xian yawned, covered his eyes, and rubbed them fiercely. Daytime work and socializing were tiring enough, couldn¡¯t his dreams offer some exhilarating sequences? Lin Xian was increasingly impressed by his own imagination. The plot in his dream was tense and thrilling, with each logic closely linked... If he were to write it into a novel and publish it, it would at least earn a lucrative contract. ¡°Off to sleep, off to sleep, I still have to labor tomorrow.¡± Lin Xian turned over. A night without dreams. ... The next day. Lin Xian ran into a colleague from the production department at the reception desk; the colleague waved and came over: ¡°Group Leader Lin, your Rhine Cat Doll sample has been made, here¡¯s one for you first.¡± The colleague handed over a delicately crafted doll. About the size of a soccer ball, it had a good material feel, with all the details and expressions well-crafted. The little tail at the back was a small fluffy ball, very cute. ¡°Really nice,¡± Lin Xian praised. He smiled and patted his colleague from the production department on the shoulder: ¡°I¡¯ll take this one to President Zhao. You can send a few more to my office later.¡± The colleague nodded and left. ¡°Hey! Group Leader Lin! Are you going to President Zhao¡¯s office?¡± Lin Xian turned his head, and the receptionist called out to him: ¡°A lady dropped off an invitation card this morning, said it was for our Zhao Yingjun, President Zhao... Can you take it to him too?¡± ¡°Sure, give it to me.¡± Since he was going to Zhao Yingjun¡¯s office anyway, it was not much trouble. Lin Xian took the invitation card. It was a dark red card, looking like a folded greeting card. At the opening of the card, it was sealed with red wax, the contents unknown. Looking closely... the wax seal bore an exquisite emblem, very upscale. ¡°Is it a friend of President Zhao getting married?¡± Lin Xian made a casual remark, turned the invitation over, and looked at the back¡ª A chill spread throughout his body... He suddenly recalled Gao Yang¡¯s words in the bar: ¡°What¡¯s so strange about things from reality appearing in dreams?¡± ¡°The real big deal is when something from the dreams appears in reality!¡± Lin Xian furrowed his brows tightly. Looking at the back of the dark red card, there were five embossed golden characters¡ª [Genius Club] Chapter 19: 19: Invitation Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Invitation ¡°Genius Club...¡± The moment he saw those five words, Lin Xian felt as if he were being pulled away from the entire world. The noisy hall, everything disappeared, leaving only a relentless ringing in his ears. Gasping for air, just like a dolphin weighted down by lead, sinking deeper into the icy waters... Drip, drip, drip, drip, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Just standing there?¡± ... Suddenly, a familiar voice snapped Lin Xian back to reality. He turned around and saw Zhao Yingjun standing behind him. Today, she was wearing a black coat, and the diamonds on her black earrings sparkled brilliantly. ¡°Rhein Cat? Have you finished it?¡± Zhao Yingjun saw the Rhein Cat Doll in Lin Xian¡¯s hands, took it directly, and examined it from all sides: ¡°Mmm, not bad, even cuter than I thought. The craftsmanship is quite good too; we can work with this factory on a long-term basis.¡± When she turned to the back of the doll, Zhao Yingjun even flicked the Rhein Cat¡¯s little tail. Noticing that Lin Xian was still standing there motionless, Zhao Yingjun looked at the dark red card in his hand and pointed: ¡°Is this also for me?¡± ¡°Yes, President Zhao.¡± The receptionist answered when she saw Lin Xian was not reacting, ¡°This invitation is also for you.¡± Zhao Yingjun pinched the invitation from Lin Xian¡¯s hand. She looked at the front, then turned it over to the back, and then walked to the elevator with the invitation and the Rhein Cat in hand, her high heels clacking... ¡°President Zhao is so beautiful today!¡± ¡°Yeah... and she never repeats an outfit! She¡¯s so fashion-forward!¡± ¡°Ah, that poise of President Zhao¡¯s is truly innate and impressive; we can¡¯t help but envy her.¡± ¡°Most importantly, she¡¯s capable and strong! She¡¯s just too perfect!¡± After Zhao Yingjun got on the elevator, the receptionist girls chatted away, all revealing their envy and admiration for Zhao Yingjun. Lin Xian looked at his empty hands... He was still sensing the touch of the dark red card, as if it was still in his hand. ¡°What if it wasn¡¯t an invitation?¡± Lin Xian tried to convince himself. ¡°I have to find a way to confirm it.¡± ... After arriving in his office, Lin Xian took the latest design drafts, ready to report to Zhao Yingjun in her office. ¡°Lin Xian, when you have time, buy some things and visit Professor Xu¡¯s daughter at the hospital.¡± ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± Lin Xian turned around, ready to leave. But... This wasn¡¯t actually the purpose of his report today; those design drafts were just a cover. His real purpose was to figure out what that card with ¡®Genius Club¡¯ written on it was, exactly. Was it an invitation? Was it an advertisement? Or just a simple prank? ¡°Ah right, President Zhao, there¡¯s one more thing.¡± Lin Xian acted as if he just remembered, turning back to speak: ¡°You were in a hurry this morning and forgot to mention it to you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up.¡± Zhao Yingjun stopped writing and looked up. ¡°About that red invitation card, you remember, right? You took it from my hand along with the Rhein Cat Doll,¡± Lin Xian gestured the size with his hands: ¡°I forgot to tell you who brought it over. It wasn¡¯t delivered by courier; the receptionist said... a woman personally delivered it.¡± ¡°Oh, that.¡± Zhao Yingjun didn¡¯t seem concerned and lowered her head to continue going through the documents. ¡°Was it... an invitation?¡± Lin Xian tentatively asked. ¡°It¡¯s an invitation letter,¡± Zhao Yingjun stated indifferently. She put down her pen and looked up at Lin Xian: ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°No, nothing else.¡± Bang! The heavy coded door closed once again. ... Lin Xian stood outside the door. He couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brow. An invitation letter... It really was an invitation letter! He had just dreamed about it last night, and today it appeared right before his eyes. What on earth was this... What¡¯s going on? Chapter 20: 20 Contradictions Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Contradictions Lin Xian¡¯s mind was in turmoil. He was absolutely certain that he had never heard of the name ¡°Genius Club¡± in reality, not to mention knowing anything about this invitation to the club. In last night¡¯s dream, he first heard the name from Big Face Cat¡¯s mouth. He had thought that all these things were mere figments of his own imagination, wildly concocted in a dream. But how did it then appear in reality? This feeling made him very uneasy, as if everything was a plot orchestrated by someone else, and he was just a puppet being pulled by strings on a stage. ... ¡°No, I must figure this out,¡± he said. ... After returning to his office, Lin Xian closed the door and began to organize his thoughts. Everything had started with the dream he had yesterday, where he met Big Face Cat. All information about the Genius Club came from Big Face Cat, who spoke of its deep mystery, its concealment throughout history, its tracelessness... Lin Xian closed his eyes, recalling in his mind the ¡°information about the Genius Club¡± that Big Face Cat had mentioned: 1. The Genius Club had killed Big Face Cat¡¯s father and daughter, with the primary target being Big Face Cat¡¯s father, a renowned mathematician who had won the Fields Medal. 2. The Genius Club was extremely secretive; despite many years of investigation by Big Face Cat, almost nothing was known about its composition, members, purpose, or location. 3. Rumors claimed that only the wealthiest tycoons, the most extreme geniuses, and the most powerful figures... were the ones who received invitations to the club. ... That¡¯s all. Just that much. All this information came from Big Face Cat and was based on his years of investigation; its authenticity was unknown. From the currently known information, it seemed the Genius Club should be an extremely high-end, mysterious, and powerful criminal organization. Putting aside whether it was criminal in nature, the premeditated murder indicated that it definitely wasn¡¯t any sort of righteous character. And if one were to think deeper, considering Big Face Cat¡¯s father was a Fields Medalist... Could the Genius Club be an organization that specifically hunted geniuses? Although this conclusion was somewhat absurd. But based on the information available, it seemed the only possibility. As everyone knows, the highest award in the scientific field is the Nobel Prize. However, due to historical reasons, Nobel¡¯s will did not include a category for mathematics, hence the Nobel Prize does not have a mathematics category. In contrast, the highest award in mathematics is the Fields Medal, which can be dubbed the Nobel Prize of mathematics. Mathematics are the foundation of modern science, and those who have won this prize can undoubtedly be called geniuses. ¡°Gao Yang, something has happened.¡± ¡°What¡¯s happened to you again, big brother? It¡¯s not that broken dream of yours again, is it?¡± There was a lot of noise on the other end of the phone, like that of a marketplace, and Gao Yang yelled over the din: ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you last time! Everything in dreams is fake! It¡¯s all concocted by the subconscious! As long as it doesn¡¯t jump from dreams to reality, it¡¯s not a big deal!¡± ¡°You jinx, don¡¯t jinx it.¡± Lin Xian rubbed his temples and sighed: ¡°You really jinxed it!¡± The noise at Gao Yang¡¯s end was intense, and if listened to carefully, it was the haggling between customers and salespeople. It looked like Gao Yang was at a 4S shop, probably selling cars. ¡°I¡¯m busy now, I¡¯ll come over to your place tonight and explain everything!¡± With that, Gao Yang hastily hung up the phone. ... That day, Lin Xian sat at his desk, spinning his pen all day long. He was very curious. What exactly was the Genius Club? Even though it was all fictitious in his dreams, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but be curious. Moreover. The invitation to the Genius Club that Zhao Yingjun had, and the Genius Club mentioned by Big Face Cat in the dreams, were they connected? Were they the same thing? If he wanted to verify this. The most efficient way would be to directly look at what was written on the invitation Zhao Yingjun received, and the truth would naturally become clear. Unfortunately, it seemed... He probably wouldn¡¯t have the chance to see that invitation again. When he entered Zhao Yingjun¡¯s office in the morning, Lin Xian just happened to see her put the invitation in a drawer. Zhao Yingjun¡¯s office had two password locks, and Lin Xian was not a real Code Expert, so sneaking in was absolutely impossible. If this were a dream, he had a thousand ways to enter Zhao Yingjun¡¯s office... he could even use C4 to blast his way in if necessary. But this was the real world, where consequences had to be considered. ¡°Is there any way to see that invitation?¡± Lin Xian pondered left and right. Without a clue. Chapter 21: 21: Lottery Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Lottery 9 p.m. Gao Yang, who had just finished working overtime, arrived at Lin Xian¡¯s home and lay down on the sofa: ¡°So, Lin Xian, what exactly happened?¡± Lin Xian sat opposite him at the coffee table and began to elaborate... He started with how he entered the dream to turn Big Face Cat, to learning the true cause of death of Big Face Cat¡¯s daughter, to learning about the mysterious organization called the Genius Club that killed Cat Dad, to Big Face Cat robbing a bank to get an invitation to the Genius Club, and then later seeing the Genius Club¡¯s invitation letter at the reception desk while he was at work... ¡°Mhm.¡± ... ¡°Mhm.¡± Gao Yang kept nodding, drinking water, looking thoughtful and tense: ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°You understand again?¡± Bang. Gao Yang put down the water glass and looked seriously at Lin Xian: ¡°In plain terms, it¡¯s still about the ¡®subconscious¡¯!¡± ¡°The subconscious is the scapegoat, huh?¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but retort: ¡°When in doubt, quantum mechanics? Can¡¯t explain something, parallel universes? I¡¯ve explained this seriously for so long, and you¡¯re fobbing me off with the subconscious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same thing!¡± Gao Yang interrupted Lin Xian, explaining: ¡°Last time at the bar, I was in a hurry to watch the World Cup and didn¡¯t explain clearly. But actually, the subconscious is much more complicated than you think!¡± ¡°Just simplify it, please.¡± ¡°Many times, you see things, hear things, and then you immediately forget. But did you really forget? No! Your subconscious remembers them for you. That¡¯s the feeling of de?ja? vu you often get in life, the sense of familiarity.¡± Lin Xian stood up and waved his hand: ¡°That¡¯s far-fetched, go write a novel, I don¡¯t want to listen anymore.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t metaphysics!¡± Gao Yang pulled Lin Xian back to the sofa and raised his index finger: ¡°Let me give you an example and you¡¯ll understand!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡± ¡°Have you ever heard a song or a melody that feels very familiar, you¡¯re sure you¡¯ve heard it before, but you just can¡¯t remember when?¡± ¡°That has happened, indeed.¡± ¡°Have you ever seen a stranger and felt like you¡¯ve seen them somewhere before? Seen a place that¡¯s unfamiliar yet strikes you as known?¡± ¡°That... sometimes happens.¡± ¡°You encounter many people when you take the subway to work every day, and you¡¯ve had many classmates since you were little. You¡¯ve seen their faces, but can you recall each one of them clearly now? Forget long ago, can you remember the faces of this morning¡¯s subway passengers?¡±@@@@ ¡°Of course not, who remembers that.¡± Smack! Gao Yang smacked his thigh and pointed at Lin Xian¡¯s forehead with his index finger: ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Human memory is a very unreliable thing; the farther back the memory, the less real it becomes. But the subconscious is different!¡± It read 3:00 am, Argentina VS Croatia. This ticket was a 100 yuan bet on Argentina winning, with odds of 2.3. If Argentina really won, the ticket could be cashed for 230 yuan. Indeed. To verify whether one¡¯s dreams could accurately predict the future... the outcome of a soccer match would be quite convincing. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Lin Xian turned and walked into the bathroom to perform a quick wash: ¡°Keep it down in the living room, don¡¯t disturb my sleep.¡± ¡°You better look carefully, huh!¡± Gao Yang shouted from the living room: ¡°Better remember the score and everything! If we bet on the exact score, the odds are higher, and we earn more!¡± ¡°...Whether I can even find it in a dream is another matter, don¡¯t get your hopes up too high.¡± ¡°You can use a computer to search online! That kind of info pops up in a second on the internet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried that before, what do you think I¡¯ve been doing for the past twenty-plus years?¡± Lin Xian rinsed his mouth, spitting out the toothpaste foam: ¡°After I first found out about the lottery in middle school, I searched for that year¡¯s Lotto numbers in a dream using a computer.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And I couldn¡¯t find anything!¡± Lin Xian said as he applied the face wash: ¡°Not just the Lotto, I couldn¡¯t find any current political news, stocks, or anything relevant from our time... The internet in my dreams is trash, it can¡¯t search for anything useful.¡± ¡°I see...¡± Gao Yang tore open a bag of snacks and turned on the TV, lowering the volume: ¡°Logically speaking, it¡¯s impossible that there would be no trace of online information. But... when I think about how your dreams are ultimately fictional, it makes sense.¡± Lin Xian dried his face: ¡°I, for one, do not think my dreams are that simple; there¡¯s too much in there beyond my understanding.¡± ¡°Action speaks louder than words! Just go and dream already!¡± After finishing his wash, he walked into the bedroom. Lin Xian turned off the light, got into bed, and tucked himself in: ¡°Off we go.¡± ... ... Whoosh! Familiar summer wind brushed by as Lin Xian opened his eyes. It was still the familiar square, the familiar bustle, the familiar cicada chirps. Lin Xian looked at the familiar crowds in the square, and the electronic notice board showing the time: [August 28, 2624] [21:54] ¡°Hmm...¡± Lin Xian scratched his head: ¡°2022 Qatar World Cup match results... where should I go to find that?¡± Chapter 22: 22: Reality and Illusion Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Reality and Illusion Lin Xian looked left and right, finding a middle-aged man playing soccer with a child. The man, wearing soccer shoes and a team jersey, must be a fan, so Lin Xian decided to try his luck. ¡°Hi.¡± Lin Xian approached and greeted him: ¡°Brother, excuse me, do you know much about soccer events? Especially the World Cup.¡± The man grinned crookedly and pointed to the jersey he was wearing: ... ¡°Then you really found the right person! I¡¯ve been watching soccer since I was a kid, I haven¡¯t missed any game of any World Cup since I became sensible!¡± ¡°Ask away, little brother, anything you want! Whether it¡¯s about players, matches, or even gossip stories, I can tell you all about it!¡± Not bad. Reliable.@@@@ A passionate fan. Lin Xian nodded and asked: ¡°Thank you, brother. Do you know who won the 2022 Qatar World Cup? Was it Argentina?¡± The middle-aged brother suddenly froze, glaring at Lin Xian unfriendly: ¡°Are you trying to cause trouble, little brother? That was centuries ago, how could I know? It¡¯s so long ago you can¡¯t even find it on the internet, alright!¡± ¡°Brother, don¡¯t get excited.¡± Lin Xian calmly appeased: ¡°I¡¯m writing a paper on this topic, so I need to understand some of the matches from that time. Where should I go if I want to find relevant records?¡± The middle-aged brother shook his head: ¡°That¡¯s going to be hard to find, a match from over 600 years ago... If you really want to look, try the library.¡± Having said that, the middle-aged brother left with the child. Library... Lin Xian looked up at the bright moon in the sky. At this hour, the library would definitely be closed, and today he needed to do some serious research; he couldn¡¯t just barge in and risk attracting the police or security guards, that would waste the entire evening. But he should be able to try his luck at a bookstore, right? Since the setting in the dream is 2624, to find the result of a soccer game from 600 years ago, he would have to flip through history books. ¡°Bookstore...¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes to recall. In these twenty-some years, he had visited almost every part of this city. Naturally, he knew where the bookstores were. ¡°Seems like there¡¯s one on Tian Street, I remember it was still open late when I passed by it before.¡± Once he had a target, Lin Xian ran towards the bus stop¡ª Bang! ¡°Ouch!¡± Lin Xian, jogging, collided with a heavyset man. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going!¡± The man wore a Rhine Cat Mask and glared at Lin Xian fiercely. ¡°Got it,¡± Lin Xian responded offhandedly. Boom!!!!!! Boom!!!!!! The familiar white light arrived on time, incinerating everything in the world. ... ... Buzz... Lin Xian opened his eyes. Faint sounds from the television were coming from outside the bedroom, and flickering lights shone through the crack of the door, indicating that Gao Yang was still watching TV in the living room. Lin Xian rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed. Then, he put on a thick pajama and pushed open the bedroom door. ¡°How did it go? Did you find it?¡± Gao Yang lifted his head from the coffee table. It was covered with beer, duck snacks, fried chicken, and other takeouts. ¡°It should... be an Argentina win,¡± Lin Xian yawned and said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t be! What¡¯s the final score!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I only know that the final was between Argentina and France, and Argentina won the World Cup.¡± Hmm... Gao Yang thought for a while with his eyes closed: ¡°Alright.¡± He got up, picking up a coat from the sofa and put it on: ¡°I¡¯m going downstairs to buy some more lottery tickets.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you already bet on Argentina winning?¡± ¡°I only bet 100! You¡¯ve dreamed that Argentina won, shouldn¡¯t I buy more?¡± ¡°What about ¡®betting small for fun¡¯?¡± ¡°Take a gamble! From a bicycle to a motorcycle!¡± Gao Yang zipped up, unlocked the door, and walked outside. ¡°Hey! Where can you buy them so late, don¡¯t the lottery shops close?¡± Lin Xian called out to Gao Yang. ¡°The lottery shops definitely stop selling early. But some owners will print extra tickets in advance and sell them during the match; others do this kind of business, printing a lot of tickets beforehand and then selling them at a higher price when the match is about to start.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t buy too many, it¡¯s not necessarily reliable, be careful.¡± ¡°I know, I know!¡± Slam! The door shut forcefully. ... Soon afterward, Gao Yang returned panting, pushing open the door with a handful of lottery tickets: ¡°5000 bucks! I¡¯ve gone all in with a month¡¯s salary! If we win, it¡¯s the club and models, if we lose, it¡¯s back to the salt mines!¡± Lin Xian chuckled helplessly: ¡°You escalated from ¡®betting for fun,¡¯ to ¡®taking a gamble,¡¯ to ¡®all in¡¯ rather quickly, didn¡¯t you?¡± Gao Yang sat down and switched on the TV with the remote: ¡°Come on models! It¡¯s all on you, Messi!¡± Chapter 23: 23 Making a Fortune Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Making a Fortune It wasn¡¯t long before the Argentina vs. Croatia match started. Argentina clearly had a stronger team. They effortlessly won 3:0 and advanced to the finals. ¡°Aaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!¡± Messi slid to his knees on the pitch. ¡°!!!!!!! Aaaahhhhhhh¡± ... Gao Yang was rolling on the living room floor: ¡°We won, damn it! Lin Xian, we¡¯re going to be rich!¡± Gao Yang somersaulted up and grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s hand tightly: ¡°Comrade Lin Xian! Our bright future is in your hands now!¡± Lin Xian shook off Gao Yang¡¯s hand: ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that my dream was unreliable and not a vision of the real future?¡± ¡°Uh...¡± Gao Yang scratched his head, looking at the pile of lottery tickets on the coffee table: ¡°I think I need more experimental data before I can conclude. So, about tomorrow¡¯s semifinal, France vs. Morocco¡ªwho will win? Tell me!¡± Lin Xian recalled the phrase he had seen in his dream... [The Argentina Team beats the France Team in a penalty shootout and wins the championship.] ¡°Since France is going to the finals against Argentina, it¡¯s definitely France who¡¯s going to win tomorrow. You¡¯re still planning to bet? Quit while you¡¯re ahead.¡± Gao Yang, with a sly smile, collected the scattered lottery tickets on the table: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know my limits. I¡¯ll come over again tomorrow to watch the game!¡± ¡°You better not come over... I need to sleep.¡± ¡°Come on, you¡¯re going to wake up at 00:42 anyway, so when you do, don¡¯t go back to sleep! Let¡¯s verify whether your dream is accurate or not together!¡± ... The next evening, Gao Yang arrived as expected. He was holding a thick stack of lottery tickets, boasting: ¡°Hmph, hmph, hmph~~ I cashed in the tickets from yesterday for more than ten thousand, and today I added some savings and bought 30,000 worth on France winning! Lin Xian, if France really wins this time, we could make seventy to eighty thousand!¡± ¡°And what if they lose?¡± ¡°Go away! Don¡¯t jinx it with your nonsense!¡± It was still three in the morning when, amidst Lin Xian¡¯s succession of yawns, the match started. As expected, the France team aggressively attacked and won the match 2:0, advancing to the finals. ¡°Aaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!¡± Gao Yang, transformed into a frenzy mop, furiously scrubbed Lin Xian¡¯s living room floor: The room was piled high with various high-end gifts, each of significant value. Among these gifts and flowers, there were also blessing cards from major cosmetics companies, not a few of which were from renowned global beauty conglomerates... It seemed what Zhao Yingjun said was accurate. Nowadays, Professor Xu Yun was regarded as a prized possession in the eyes of beauty companies worldwide. The chemical compound he saw as a disgrace and failure was seen as a huge gold mine by these cosmetics companies. By the window in the ward, there was a multifunctional hospital bed. On the blue sheets, a slim girl lay quietly. The arm she had draped over the side of the bed truly defined what was meant by ¡®skin and bones¡¯. And the slender leg that Professor Xu Yun was carefully bending and stretching for exercise was also so atrophied that not a single muscle could be discerned. She was like a fragile porcelain doll that would shatter at the slightest touch. Lin Xian stood at the door, silent. For someone who had been bedridden for over a decade as a vegetative patient, her muscles would likely have completely atrophied. Even if one insisted on performing stretching exercises every day, it would surely bring only psychological comfort. Lin Xian quietly watched as Professor Xu Yun completed a set of rehabilitation exercises, then turned his daughter over before turning around: ¡°Take the things away, there is already enough piled up here.¡± Lin Xian placed the gifts he was carrying behind the door and said softly: ¡°Teacher Xu, you should also take care of your health. These supplements are for you too.¡± Professor Xu Yun pushed his glasses up and scrutinized Lin Xian: ¡°Are you a student from East Sea University?¡± Lin Xian was puzzled; how did he figure that out? He nodded: ¡°Yes, Teacher Xu, my name is Lin Xian, and I graduated from East Sea University.¡± ¡°Were you the host for the anniversary celebration and the freshman welcome party?¡± Lin Xian nodded again, silently marveling at Professor Xu Yun¡¯s remarkable memory: ¡°That¡¯s right, Teacher Xu. Do you remember me? I often hosted campus activities in college and was the presenter for the welcome party for three consecutive years.¡± Professor Xu Yun rarely smiled: ¡°No wonder you look familiar. I had a sense of de?ja? vu when I saw you at Mister Chu¡¯s dinner.¡± Perhaps it was a natural affinity an instructor has for his own students, but Lin Xian felt that Professor Xu Yun was much gentler today than before. Professor Xu Yun gestured for Lin Xian to come closer to the bed. Lin Xian was genuinely taken aback. He had been prepared to be asked to leave by Professor Xu Yun, but unexpectedly, he was willing to chat some more. Lin Xian approached the hospital bed and looked at the girl with the pale face on it. ¡°Young man...¡± Professor Xu Yun turned to look at Lin Xian: ¡°Do you know why I am reluctant to sell that failed product to you guys?¡±@@@@ Chapter 24: 24: For My Father Chapter 24: Chapter 24: For My Father Lin Xian shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m not clear, Teacher Xu.¡± ¡°You said earlier at the dinner...you said that as a scientist, your dignity wouldn¡¯t allow you to sell such a failed product. But I wondered if there might be a deeper reason?¡± Xu Yun, after listening, did not speak. He took off his glasses and wiped them back and forth with the corner of his clothing: ¡°My daughter, when she was four, fell from a slide and became a quadriplegic in a vegetative state. All the experts around the world said there was no chance of her waking up.¡± ... ¡°So, why did I study the Hibernation Pod? As a scientist, I am more aware than anyone how absurd and impractical researching this thing is. But still...¡± Xu Yun put his glasses back on and looked at Lin Xian: ¡°There always has to be a first person to do something.¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t research the Hibernation Pod, it might be decades or centuries before someone else starts to work on this project. But my daughter can¡¯t wait... She has already been lying in a hospital bed for ten years, how many more can she lie there?¡± At this point, Xu Yun laughed at himself: ¡°Before I created that failed product, in these ten years, no one has ever paid attention to the progress of the Hibernation Pod research, nor has anyone visited my daughter in the hospital.¡± ¡°But now look, there¡¯s an endless stream of people visiting my daughter every day. These cosmetics companies are fighting over each other to give me money for research. But do they care about the research on the Hibernation Pod? No... They don¡¯t care about the Hibernation Pod at all; they only care about how much money that chemical can make for them.¡± ¡°But Teacher Xu, I don¡¯t think this is a bad thing for you.¡± Lin Xian felt an inexplicable closeness to Professor Xu Yun, like that between a teacher and a student, so he also expressed his doubts straightforwardly: ¡°If you sell that chemical, that failure you speak of... you would have enough funding for your research, as well as more advanced equipment and a better laboratory. Wouldn¡¯t this be more beneficial for your research topic?¡± However... Xu Yun shook his head solemnly: ¡°You¡¯re thinking too simply.¡± In plain terms, it was the disappointment caused by those students that had wounded Professor Xu Yun. Turning around, Professor Xu Yun continued: ¡°As I mentioned earlier, something like the hibernation pod can¡¯t be developed by just one person, or even one country. It requires the efforts of all humanity. If more and more young scientists are lured by lucrative opportunities, who will be willing to research the currently hopeless hibernation technology?¡± ¡°The core reason no one wants to research the hibernation pod is precisely because it¡¯s a field where the end is not in sight, where there¡¯s no hope, no visible profit.¡± ... Lin Xian naively thought that this profit-chasing trend in academia could not be changed by Xu Yun alone. Regardless of whether he sold this chemical substance or not, it likely wouldn¡¯t draw young people to invest in hibernation pod research... After all, Xu Yun¡¯s dedication stemmed from wanting to save his comatose daughter. Others did not have such a strong driving force, so choosing a short-term profitable project for research seemed reasonable and justified. ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m being somewhat improper towards Teacher Xu.¡± Lin Xian still intended to try to persuade: ¡°But I think that keeping to yourself will not change the prevailing social ethos of impatience and valuing fame and profit.¡± ¡°I think you might as well sell the chemical substance, show everyone that there¡¯s profitability in the process of researching hibernation pod filling liquid, that profit can be made. Who knows, many young people might be attracted by such benefits to join hibernation pod research.¡± However, Professor Xu Yun was not swayed. He patted Lin Xian on the shoulder: ¡°Whether you think I¡¯m stubborn or obstinate, I need to save my daughter, and I can¡¯t take the risk with the situation you¡¯ve described.¡± ¡°Some things, once commercialized... their subsequent development is uncontrollable, and I can¡¯t take that risk.¡± ¡°One day, you too will become a father, and then you¡¯ll understand. So go back, young man, take what was said today back to President Zhao, and tell her not to bother me again. I think she will understand.¡± ¡°I hope... this is the last time we meet.¡± Chapter 25: 25 Showdown Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Showdown After finishing his remarks, Professor Xu Yun courteously asked Lin Xian to leave. Lin Xian didn¡¯t say much else. After urging Professor Xu Yun to take care of his health, he pushed the door open and left. Through the crack of the door just before it closed, he caught a final glimpse inside. Professor Xu Yun sat beside the hospital bed, holding Xu Yiyi¡¯s dry and thin arm, telling her the amusing events of the week. ... Early the next day. ... Lin Xian reported to Zhao Yingjun¡¯s office, recounting his meeting with Professor Xu Yun the day before and what the professor had said. ¡°Professor Xu Yun is... truly a bit more stubborn than we thought.¡± Zhao Yingjun, supporting her chin, her eyebrows slightly furrowed: ¡°I think Professor Xu Yun¡¯s concerns are somewhat overwrought. His points indeed have some merit, but not much.¡± Lin Xian nodded: ¡°I tried to persuade Professor Xu Yun as well, but to no avail.¡± ¡°I think Professor Xu Yun has been under a lot of mental pressure these years; he probably finds it very difficult to trust others now, which might explain why his ideas are sometimes so inflexible.¡± Zhao Yingjun closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled: ¡°Without experiencing another¡¯s hardships, one should not urge them to be benevolent. Perhaps Professor Xu Yun has gone through a lot these years, things we couldn¡¯t imagine, and has been hurt a lot, which is why he made such a decision.¡± ¡°But no matter what, his intention is to save his daughter. If we look at it from a long-term perspective, maybe Professor Xu Yun¡¯s choice isn¡¯t wrong.¡± She looked up at Lin Xian, as if she had made a great decision: ¡°In that case, let¡¯s abandon the idea of working with Professor Xu Yun¡¯s plan and not bother them anymore in the future.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He thought the same. If they couldn¡¯t help Professor Xu Yun save his daughter then they might as well not add any more trouble for him. ¡°We¡¯ll likely have to reconsider the flagship product for Rhein Brand.¡± Zhao Yingjun furrowed her brow in thought: ¡°You can go back now, Lin Xian. Let¡¯s put a period on Professor Xu Yun¡¯s matter; you¡¯ve worked hard during this time.¡± ¡°The production of the Rhein Cat dolls has already started on all fronts. The next step is to quickly create a 3D model of the Rhein Cat¡¯s image, preparing for the subsequent launch of animations and commercials. Then, work on the voice, catchphrases, and personality traits as soon as possible.¡± Lin Xian jotted down Zhao Yingjun¡¯s instructions in his notebook, then left the office. Bang! The heavy, coded door closed. Separating two worlds on either side. ... Early this morning was the much-anticipated World Cup final. Argentina vs. France. After having supper together, Lin Xian and Gao Yang headed to the betting shop to buy some football bets before going back to watch the match. After the last two matches, Gao Yang directly pocketed seventy to eighty thousand yuan, arrogantly unstoppable! He walked with swagger! He carried the air of a princeling! He could hardly recognize himself anymore. ¡°All in! Bet it all on Argentina to win!¡± Gao Yang took out his phone and directly transferred 60,000 yuan to the betting shop owner. ¡°All in again?¡± Lin Xian looked at Gao Yang, who proclaimed himself the gambling sage: ¡°Take it easy, brother. Who plays like this? Always going all in on a single bet.¡± Gao Yang, thumping his chest, laughed heartily: ¡°What¡¯s there to fear! Sometimes you just have to believe in metaphysics! Didn¡¯t you clearly see in your dream that Argentina won the World Cup in the end?¡± Lin Xian nodded, recalling the words written in the book in his dream: ¡°Yes, it said Argentina defeated France in the shootout...¡± Bang!!! Gao Yang slapped the betting machine, startling the ticket-printing owner into squealing like a pig! Gao Yang¡¯s voice trembled as he pointed to the owner: ¡°Hold up! Don¡¯t rush to print the tickets!¡± Then he quickly pulled Lin Xian outside the betting shop: ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°I said Argentina beats France in the penalty shootout to win the championship. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Are you sure you said ¡®penalty shootout¡¯?¡± Gao Yang¡¯s face was ashen. ¡°I¡¯m sure!¡± Lin Xian looked at Gao Yang, puzzled: ¡°I want to ask too, what exactly does ¡®penalty shootout¡¯ mean? I don¡¯t understand football either.¡± Gao Yang took a few deep breaths before finally calming his heart rate. Then, gasping for air, he clutched Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Thank goodness... I was scared to death.¡± ¡°I was so close! My 60,000 yuan was about to go down the drain!¡± Chapter 26: 26 Reasonable or Unreasonable Chapter 26: Chapter 26 Reasonable or Unreasonable Gao Yang lit a cigarette and explained to Lin Xian: ¡°If Argentina really did beat France during the penalty shootout phase... then we can¡¯t bet on Argentina to win for our lottery tickets! We should bet on a draw!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lin Xian was clueless, his eyes a clear well of ignorance. ¡°It¡¯s like this...¡± Gao Yang gesticulated wildly as he spoke: ¡°Soccer matches are divided into regular time, extra time, and the penalty shootout.¡± ... ¡°If a winner is decided during regular time, then the match ends right there.¡± ¡°If the regular match ends in a draw, meaning the scores are even, then it goes into extra time to continue deciding a winner.¡± ¡°And if extra time still ends in a draw! It moves on to the penalty shootout phase, taking turns kicking penalties until a winner is determined!¡± ¡°The standard for determining win, loss, or draw in soccer lottery tickets only takes into account the result from regular time!¡± At this point in the explanation, Lin Xian understood: ¡°I get it, since they¡¯ve gone as far as a penalty shootout, the previous scores must all be draws, so naturally, we should bet on a draw for the lottery tickets.¡± Gao Yang gave Lin Xian a thumbs-up: ¡°You learn so quickly! You¡¯re a natural at soccer betting! Come on, join in on the action! The odds for a draw are really high!¡± ¡°Come on, bro! If we lose, I¡¯ll take the hit, okay? I¡¯ve already made seventy or eighty thousand thanks to you. If we win this time, it¡¯s yours; if we lose, it¡¯s on me!¡± Gao Yang forcefully dragged Lin Xian into the shop. Eventually, under Gao Yang¡¯s incessant nagging and coercion, Lin Xian bought 30,000 yuan worth of soccer lottery tickets, betting on a draw between Argentina and France. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t fond of gambling and didn¡¯t want to buy so much. But Gao Yang was on a roll, forcefully taking the bow, snatching Lin Xian¡¯s phone, and using facial recognition to pay. Gao Yang went all in and bought 60,000 yuan¡¯s worth, and Lin Xian was forced to pay for 30,000 yuan¡¯s worth. The odds for a draw were 3.7 Which meant... if Argentina and France really ended in a draw during regular time, then Gao Yang could claim 220,000 yuan, and Lin Xian could claim 110,000 yuan. ... 3 a.m. The match kicked off again amidst Lin Xian¡¯s frequent yawns. The Argentina Team played fiercely. They scored a penalty not long after the start, and then scored another goal afterwards. With soccer betting, there are only three outcomes: win, lose, or draw. Even by pure guesswork, there¡¯s a chance of correctly predicting several matches in a row, which is not strong enough evidence to determine that the dream world is the real future world. ¡°Actually, Lin Xian, I still can¡¯t believe that your dream is real.¡± In the end, Gao Yang looked up, his face serious as he spoke, ¡°Even if you¡¯ve made three accurate predictions in a row, the unreasonable phenomena in your dreams are just too numerous. Honestly, I find it hard to imagine that it is a real world.¡± ¡°I remember you said that time in your dreams never moves forward? It always stays on the same day?¡± Lin Xian nodded: ¡°Every time I dream, it¡¯s the same loop... people who died yesterday are standing in the same place today; friends who played well with me yesterday have forgotten everything today; the leaves always fall in the same place, never off by even a hair... It¡¯s like I¡¯m watching the same movie over and over every day.¡± ¡°Actually, there are many unexplainable aspects of this dream, like the level of technological development in the dream, which is nearly identical to the present year 2022. How do you explain that? Do you believe that life 600 years in the future will be the same as it is now?¡± Gao Yang was also scratching his head in confusion at this time. ¡°Stop! Stop!¡± Gao Yang signaled Lin Xian to be quiet. Then he ran into Lin Xian¡¯s bedroom and took out a sheet of white paper and a black marker: ¡°This is too chaotic... Let¡¯s sort out our thoughts! Then we can figure out what¡¯s really going on with this dream of yours!¡± ¡°How do we sort it?¡± Lin Xian reached out to ask. Gao Yang handed Lin Xian a piece of paper and a pen, gesturing for him to sit down: ¡°Like you said, dreams and reality are different. Dreams don¡¯t need to be logical or orderly, but the real world is different! The real world must be logical, orderly, and provable.¡± ¡°So, now let¡¯s together summarize the [unreasonable aspects in your dreamworld]! Let¡¯s list them all out!¡± ¡°If these unreasonable aspects really cannot stand scrutiny, are self-contradictory, and the logic isn¡¯t consistent... then we can definitely say that your dream is just a dream! Everything is a coincidence!¡± Lin Xian took the pen, nodded in agreement, thinking it was a good approach¡ªthis was also a type of reverse reasoning. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s each write our own points, and then we¡¯ll pool them together and discuss.¡± Lin Xian bowed his head and wrote the title on the white paper¡ª [Unreasonable Phenomena in the Dream World] ... After writing the title, Lin Xian¡¯s pen moved as if divinely guided. He had long felt that there were too many bugs in the dream world, but previously thought that since it was a dream, the irrationality was perfectly rational. But now with a change of perspective, if he were to link the dream world with the real world... These irrational aspects would seem even more unreasonable! Chapter 27: 27 Dividing the Spoils Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Dividing the Spoils After Lin Xian and Gao Yang finished writing, they summarized the questions they had listed. Then they deleted some irrelevant questions that could be logically explained, and the remaining results were as follows¡ª [Illogical Phenomena in the Dream World]: 1. The Dream World is forever frozen on August 28, 2624, and it goes through destruction at precisely 00:42 a.m., repeating this same day over and over again. 2. Why can¡¯t we find news, lottery information, or data from several hundred years ago on the computer network? 3. The level of technological development in the Dream World is no different from that of 2022, and people¡¯s standards of living and lifestyle are not much different from 2022 either. What have scientists been doing for the past 600 years? ... 4. No matter how much you destroy or act recklessly in the dream, even if you blow the city to the ground, the city is as good as new the next day when you enter the dream, and everything is as before. 5. Why are humans completely unaware of the impending doom at 00:42? Everything comes so suddenly, without any preparation. ... The two looked at the irrational points on the paper, finding them more and more unreasonable the more they looked. ¡°There are way too many bugs in this dream of yours!¡± Gao Yang pointed to the first point: ¡°This first point alone is a huge issue! How can time in the real world not flow and keep repeating the same day over and over? From this perspective, it basically negates the possibility that your dream world could be the real world.¡± He then pointed to the second point: ¡°The second point is even more outrageous! Data on the Internet can¡¯t be completely erased. Anything that has ever appeared on the Internet, rest assured, will leave a trace. Otherwise, how would the dark histories of those celebrities get dug up?¡± Gao Yang¡¯s finger moved to the third point: ¡°I take back what I said earlier, this point is clearly the most outrageous! 600 years of time, yet there¡¯s not a single bit of development in human technology... Do you really think that¡¯s possible? Forget about 600 years, even life 60 years from now will absolutely be a world of difference compared to today!¡± Then, pointing to the fourth point: ¡°The setting in your dream, it outright violates the laws of conservation of energy and matter! If there was really such a city in reality that could restore itself no matter the destruction... I guess only Hogwarts might be possible?¡± Gao Yang tapped on the last point: ¡°Astronomy is very advanced now. The trajectories of meteorites, the aging of the sun, cosmic radiation... all of these can be accurately calculated. With space telescopes above and gravitational wave detectors below, how could we possibly be unaware of a disaster that would destroy Earth? Are all the astronomers dead?¡± Gao Yang spread his hands, looking at Lin Xian: ¡°I think there¡¯s no need to be so conflicted anymore. There are just too many illogical things in your dream world; they simply don¡¯t make sense in the context of real-world logic!¡± ¡°So, such an absurd world could not possibly be the real world, let alone the future world 600 years from now!¡± ... Listening to Gao Yang¡¯s conclusion, Lin Xian didn¡¯t speak. Actually, his thoughts were somewhat different from Gao Yang¡¯s. Gao Yang rolled up the sleeves of his Givenchy sweater, flashed the Longines watch on his wrist, placed the latest Apple phone on the coffee table, and adjusted his Montblanc belt. ¡°Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t take it anymore and directly reached out to stop Gao Yang: ¡°What are you doing? Are you doing a fashion show for me here? Can you please tone down this nouveau riche attitude?¡± ¡°Hehehe, you don¡¯t understand, Lin Xian. We¡¯re rich now; first, we must improve our aura! Look at my getup, what¡¯s your first impression?¡± ¡°You look like a Christmas tree.¡± ... ... Gao Yang shook his hands: ¡°Forget it, I won¡¯t argue with a sick person like you, your taste probably still stuck 10 years in the past.¡± ¡°So, who exactly looks like they¡¯ve time-traveled here from 10 years ago?¡± Gao Yang took off his sunglasses, looking seriously at Lin Xian: ¡°Stop joking around! I came to see you today to talk about serious matters.¡± ¡°Serious matters? About my dreams?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Snap! Gao Yang snapped his fingers, smirked proudly, and pointed at Lin Xian: ¡°Trust me!¡± ¡°This time... I will completely expose the truth behind your dreams! I¡¯ve thought of an absolutely reliable method!¡± ¡°What ¡®brilliant¡¯ insight do you have this time again?¡± Seeing Gao Yang so confident, Lin Xian truly didn¡¯t know whether to cry or laugh. Honestly speaking, in regards to uncovering the truth behind his dreams, Lin Xian had already lost all hope in Gao Yang. ¡°Forget it, Gao Yang.¡± Lin Xian waved his hand, unwilling to hassle over this issue with him anymore: ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this; I have my own plans, just leave me be.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t! Trust me one more time! Just one last time!¡± Gao Yang was persistent, clinging to Lin Xian, raising the index finger of his right hand: ¡°I swear! This time it¡¯s absolutely reliable! It will definitely prove that your dreams are false!¡± Chapter 28: 28 Psychologist Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Psychologist ¡°I see it this way, Lin Xian.¡± Gao Yang firmly insisted to Lin Xian: ¡°Actually, in the field of psychology, I¡¯m just a hack. All those things I told you before, I saw in that Psychologist¡¯s WeChat Moments.¡± ¡°You remember that Psychologist, right? She was a customer who bought a car from me, and I showed you her WeChat Moments before...¡± As he spoke, Gao Yang took out his phone, opened the contact information on WeChat, and showed it to Lin Xian. The photo on the screen was one Lin Xian had seen before: a middle-aged woman in a white lab coat. Her gentle smile, greying hair, and clean, crisp attire made her appear very approachable and comfortable to look at. ... ¡°You mean...¡± Lin Xian blinked his eyes: ¡°Are you planning to take me to see the Psychologist?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± ¡°That¡¯s really not necessary... I¡¯m truly not ill, so you don¡¯t need to worry about me,¡± Lin Xian waved his hand in refusal. Perhaps from Gao Yang¡¯s point of view, Lin Xian might appear seriously ill, but Lin Xian knew his own situation well. ¡°Oh come on, what¡¯s the harm in listening! Doctor Liu is a professional!¡± Gao Yang opened up a webpage directly, searched for Doctor Liu¡¯s name, and then showed the resume to Lin Xian: ¡°Look! Doctor Liu¡¯s specialty is the study of the subconscious, dreams, and cognition. Instead of us blindly guessing every day... It¡¯s better to let the expert take charge and clarify everything for you in just a few words!¡± ¡°You have to believe in science and authority! Doctor Liu¡¯s consultation fee of 3,000 yuan an hour is a symbol of expertise and authority!¡± ¡°3,000 yuan an hour?¡± Lin Xian stood up directly: ¡°Why not just rob me?¡± ¡°Ah, is it really the time to be worried about money?¡± Gao Yang pulled Lin Xian back down with a sweep of his big hand: ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this expense for you, brother!¡± ¡°I only made so much money on the World Cup because of you. For the sake of your psychological health, we absolutely cannot skimp on this!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already made the appointment for you, so let¡¯s get going now!¡± ... An hour later. Gao Yang insisted on taking Lin Xian to Doctor Liu¡¯s psychology clinic. Lin Xian nodded: ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no problem, Doctor Liu, I never confuse dreams with reality.¡± ¡°How do you determine and differentiate between the two?¡± Lin Xian was really stumped by this question. Who can¡¯t distinguish between dreams and reality? Being asleep means dreaming, waking up means reality, does this need any criteria for judgment? He opened his eyes and slowly said: ¡°To be honest, Doctor Liu, I¡¯ve never seriously thought about this question. Instinctively, I believe that the time after waking up is definitely the real world, this is common sense, right?¡± Doctor Liu smiled: ¡°Never underestimate this question. Even today, there is no complete theoretical method that can accurately distinguish between reality and dreams, and much of our cognition and judgment actually come from human intuition.¡± ¡°Especially in dreams, almost everyone is unaware that they are dreaming. Only a very few people, in very few cases... might become aware that they are dreaming. In psychology, we call this a lucid dream.¡± ... Unaware that they are dreaming? Lin Xian had never felt this... he was very clear about when he was dreaming. Because his dreams were too distinctive, endlessly repeating that one day, the moment he stood in that square, he understood he was dreaming. Lin Xian looked at Gao Yang: ¡°Do you never realize when you¡¯re dreaming?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Gao Yang answered without hesitation: ¡°I¡¯m not like you, I¡¯m normal! Normal people don¡¯t realize they¡¯re dreaming unless they wake up.¡± ¡°Honestly, sometimes the content of my dreams is absurd, like I go back to high school, or sometimes I¡¯m even chased by dinosaurs... but no matter how ludicrous, I still can¡¯t tell that I¡¯m in a dream. Only when I wake up in the middle of the night do I realize I was dreaming.¡± Doctor Liu nodded, taking notes while speaking: ¡°Gao Yang is right, most people¡¯s dreams are absurd, like a chaotic montage. Yet, despite this, most people still don¡¯t realize they¡¯re dreaming.¡± ¡°However, Mr. Lin, your case is that very special one. You not only realize you¡¯re dreaming every time, but you also clearly remember how the dream started each day, and the content of the dream is not exactly absurd, basically indistinguishable from reality.¡± Doctor Liu put down his pen and looked up at Lin Xian: ¡°That is a very dangerous sign. Because both worlds are sufficiently real, if one day, you lose the reference points that distinguish reality from dreams... you know very well what will happen, right?¡± ¡°At that time, you will completely be unable to distinguish between reality and dreams.¡± Chapter 29: 29 Breakthrough Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Breakthrough Doctor Liu¡¯s words felt a bit alarmist to Lin Xian. But he couldn¡¯t blame him, after all, he hadn¡¯t told the whole truth, and from Doctor Liu¡¯s perspective, he indeed seemed more like a patient in critical condition. Lin Xian thought that continuing the conversation would be a waste of time, so he decided to ask a professional question instead: ¡°Doctor Liu, I would like to inquire, ¡°Is there a way... to make me accurately understand that my dreams are false, unreal, completely fictitious?¡± Doctor Liu smiled naturally: ... ¡°Of course there is a way. This is a very simple question. Normal people might not be able to distinguish reality in their dreams, but in reality, they seldom fail to distinguish dreams.¡± ¡°The reason is...[In dreams, people we know from reality generally appear. All you need to do is wake up and compare their actions, and you will immediately understand who is real and who is false.] This is also the simplest and most effective way to differentiate.¡± ¡°Let me give you an example, Mr. Lin.¡± Doctor Liu picked up the pen in his hand and pointed at Gao Yang: ¡°If one day you dream that Gao Yang has turned into a woman and is clamoring to marry you, would you still doubt whether that dream is reality?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Lin Xian frowned: ¡°That would be a nightmare.¡± Doctor Liu chuckled: ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you another example. Suppose you discover that your company is no longer producing cosmetics, but is secretly making rockets, spacecraft. Would you believe that is reality?¡± ¡°Of course not... I¡¯m not a fool.¡± At this point, Lin Xian finally understood. So that¡¯s how it is... Normal people don¡¯t need to consider complex things like waking up, feeling pain, or experiencing weightlessness in order to distinguish between dreams and reality. They only need to wake up, open their eyes, compare the things, events, and characters in the dreams with the actual situation in reality, and then determine in one second that they are dreaming. But he couldn¡¯t do that. Because when he dreamt...[he never dreamt about people he knew in reality]. He was aware of this issue before, but he didn¡¯t think it was important at the time, so he didn¡¯t take it to heart. But thinking about it now, Why can others dream about people they know in reality... But he can¡¯t? In more than twenty years of dreaming, he had never once dreamt about anyone he knew in real life. Including Gao Yang, his best friend with whom he had played since childhood, who had never appeared in a dream. Isn¡¯t this the greatest irregularity in his dreams? ... Doctor Liu looked at Lin Xian and asked softly: ¡°Mr. Lin, in so many years of dreaming, have you really never dreamt about any acquaintances, anyone familiar?¡± ¡°Doctor... Doctor Liu, please don¡¯t take offense, it¡¯s not that Lin Xian is purposely not cooperating with the therapy! I¡¯ve known him for a long time, and he¡¯s not the type to be confused about what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that Lin Xian¡¯s condition might really be somewhat different, a proper mystery! I can vouch for him with my reputation! Lin Xian is definitely not lying!¡± Doctor Liu offered a faint smile. She took off her glasses, wiped them with a cloth, and looked tenderly at Lin Xian and Gao Yang: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, kids, I believe every word you¡¯ve said. I¡¯ve dealt with a number of patients like Lin Xian in the past.¡± ¡°Based on my previous experience in treatment, to help patients distinguish clearly between dreams and reality and to eliminate such concerns, a breakthrough is definitely needed.¡± ¡°And this breakthrough... is usually a person who leaves a deep impression, who often appears in dreams, and whom one can¡¯t stop thinking about and can¡¯t forget.¡± Doctor Liu put her glasses back on and regarded Lin Xian with an encouraging look: ¡°So Lin Xian, you¡¯ll need to think hard, concentrate, and recall carefully...¡± ¡°Even the slightest hint, a clue, a shred of suspicion would be good.¡± ¡°[In your dreams, is there a person who feels familiar, someone you feel you¡¯ve met before?]¡± Gao Yang also stepped forward. He patted Lin Xian on the back: ¡°Don¡¯t rush, take your time to think it through.¡± Lin Xian bowed his head and closed his eyes. Resting his arms on his knees, he covered his face with his hands. Clearing his mind... CC. The first person he thought of was the strange girl wearing an Ultraman mask. Lin Xian didn¡¯t know what she looked like. However, her voice... It really gave him a sense of de?ja? vu; her tone was very familiar. Lin Xian must have heard CC¡¯s voice in reality, but he couldn¡¯t remember when or where. There are simply too many sounds one hears every day; Lin Xian really couldn¡¯t recall. Moreover, Lin Xian had also considered that there are many people with similar voices in reality, which is hardly worth mentioning. But if, according to Doctor Liu, one insisted on finding a similarity between the dreams and reality... [CC¡¯s voice might be the only possible clue.] ... ¡°I understand now.¡± Lin Xian opened his eyes: ¡°If I have to say, there seems to be a person who feels familiar, at least I think I¡¯ve heard her voice before.¡± He had already figured out what to do. Tonight, when he enters the dream, he will try to remove CC¡¯s mask... And see who she really is! Chapter 30: 30 QQ Chapter 30: Chapter 30 QQ Smack!@@@@ Gao Yang snapped his fingers, ¡°I get it!¡± ¡°You get it again?¡± ¡°Lin Xian, all you have to do is go back into the dream to revalidate! See if the girl looks like anyone you know in reality!¡± ¡°Are you a repeating machine that traveled here from five minutes ago?¡± Lin Xian said, exasperated. ... Doctor Liu nodded at Gao Yang with a smile, ¡°You understand perfectly.¡± ¡°If we dream about a person, A, in a dream, and this A actually exists in reality, all we need to do is compare the behaviors, analyze the rationality of the character¡¯s actions, and we can immediately determine that the dream is false.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a difficult task. Gao Yang, when you go back, you can help Lin Xian validate this matter. I believe Lin Xian¡¯s heart demon will be cured very soon.¡± Gao Yang patted Lin Xian on the shoulder and chuckled, ¡°Bro, even though I kind of hope your dream is real... if this can completely rid you of your inner demons and stop you from being crazed all the time, that¡¯ll be a good thing.¡± ¡°I hope so.¡± After a brief chat, Lin Xian and Gao Yang left Doctor Liu¡¯s place. ... ¡°How about it, Lin Xian? Was that 3,000 Yuan well spent?¡± After they left, Gao Yang smiled smugly, ¡°I told you he was an expert! We fumbled around without finding a convincing method of validation... Doctor Liu nailed your problem in no time!¡± Lin Xian smiled helplessly, ¡°Hard to say, I can only remark that it¡¯s so easy to make money off of rich people.¡± Gao Yang glanced at his newly purchased Longines watch, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go grab some food and chat while we eat.¡± The two left the villa. Took a cab to a barbecue restaurant they frequented. They casually ordered some skewers and beer and sat down to eat. A few drinks in, they started to feel the warmth spreading in their bodies. Gao Yang prattled on about the bizarre customer he encountered while selling his car today, while Lin Xian picked at the dishes, pondering how to unmask CC. He actually had many ways to deal with CC. He was confident about that. ¡°QQ group, you old fossil!¡± Gao Yang said with a disdainful look: ¡°How long have you been working that you¡¯ve already ditched QQ? Our high school class has a group chat! Though it¡¯s been years since anyone talked in it.¡± ¡°Oh, I really haven¡¯t logged in for quite a while.¡± Lin Xian went back to snacking on the skewers. In university, he still used QQ from time to time. But after graduation and starting work, he truly hadn¡¯t logged in once, and didn¡¯t even have the QQ app downloaded on his phone. ¡°Haha, speaking of QQ, Lin Xian, it reminds me of your show-off past,¡± Gao Yang said, putting down his beer glass and wiping the foam from his mouth, laughing. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it back in elementary school? Everyone had just started getting into QQ, and everyone had 9-digit QQ numbers, all thinking about getting a sun icon early so they could use a custom avatar.¡± ¡°But not you! You somehow got an 8-digit QQ number with a sun icon already! You changed your avatar daily, showing off like nobody¡¯s business! Back then, I kept chasing you to find out where you got that 8-digit QQ number, and you wouldn¡¯t tell me for the life of you!¡± Reminded of the past, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but laugh as well. That did happen. Gao Yang wouldn¡¯t remember if he hadn¡¯t mentioned it. ¡°That was from my cousin back in my hometown.¡± Lin Xian said as he took a bite of fish tofu: ¡°When he came to visit, he gave me one of his spare QQ mini accounts.¡± ¡°That generation started using QQ much earlier. Back then, you could apply and get seven or eight-digit QQ numbers easily, and there were even some with six digits.¡± Lin Xian had a deep impression of that cousin from his hometown. Seemed like he was some sort of noble family head in the emo subculture, his QQ space was damn cool, full of emo special effects. Although Lin Xian hadn¡¯t caught the last bus of the emo trend, back then, this 8-digit QQ number had indeed made him the talk of the town among his peers¡ªan unmatched status symbol, truly¡ª Bang! Lin Xian slammed his glass onto the table, foam flying everywhere. ¡°Lin Xian, are you out of your mind?¡± Gao Yang teleported to the side, shaking the foam off his clothes, glaring at Lin Xian! However, Lin Xian wasn¡¯t paying him any attention. As he watched the foam dissipating in his glass, a realization dawned on him. Eight digits... number... Eight-digit number. He thought of the eight number dials on the safe. ¡°So that¡¯s it...¡± Chapter 31: 31 Password Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Password ¡°` Lin Xian felt like he was parting the clouds and seeing the clear sky again. In the dream, in the bank vault, the safe CC was about to open... had 8 password dials. Lin Xian had always believed that this 8-digit password must be some date. It was either a birthday, an anniversary, a significant day... In short, it had to be a date; he never thought there was any other possibility. But, he was too overconfident. ... He had completely forgotten about the matter of the QQ number. People of Lin Xian¡¯s generation only started to use QQ en masse in elementary and middle school. Back then, newly registered QQ accounts were all 9 or 10 digits long, and only netizens born in the 80s and 90s would possibly have a QQ number that was 8 digits long. It was very likely. This was the correct password for the safe in the dream! Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that it was exactly 8 digits long? ... Gao Yang quietly leaned over and waved his hand in front of Lin Xian¡¯s eyes: ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Are you spaced out or frozen? What are you mumbling about?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Lin Xian came back to his senses, picked up his glass again, and took a sip: ¡°It¡¯s nothing, sit down and let¡¯s keep eating.¡± After dinner. The two decided to head home separately. Gao Yang pulled open the taxi door, allowing Lin Xian to get in: ¡°We¡¯re not heading in the same direction, so I won¡¯t see you off. Go on by yourself.¡± Lin Xian nodded, bent down, and sat in the taxi. He rolled down the window and waved goodbye to Gao Yang: ¡°I¡¯m off.¡± Gao Yang dropped his cigarette butt, took Lin Xian¡¯s hand: ¡°When you get home and finish that dream, give me a sign! Once you¡¯re sure that your dream is just a dream... I¡¯ll also feel relieved and won¡¯t have to worry about you.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m off now.¡± ... It was just past eight when he got home, still early enough to check in the dream if what Doctor Liu said was true. Lin Xian took a shower, which made his groggy mind slightly clearer. He recalled everything that had happened from the time he met Big Face Cat CC... up until today. He had definitely heard CC¡¯s voice somewhere before, and he might have also seen CC¡¯s face somewhere. Though his memory had forgotten, to use Gao Yang¡¯s words... the subconscious still remembered, which is why he dreamed about it. Just now, while showering, he had thought of a plan to remove CC¡¯s mask¡ª In the past few times, Big Face Cat¡¯s van had always approached from this direction, and today was no exception. Sure enough. 30 minutes later, Big Face Cat drove that rickety van over, still parking in the familiar spot. Then, two minutes later, a very familiar corpulent figure jumped down from the van, his face squeezed between layers of fat and wearing a Rhine Cat Mask, looking around. Lin Xian noticed... The van hadn¡¯t been turned off; even the driver¡¯s door was only ajar. This was probably the cunning of a professional criminal¡ªready to escape at a moment¡¯s notice. After confirming the target had appeared, Lin Xian ran straight into the police booth: ¡°Comrade officer, there¡¯s been a big incident!¡± Lin Xian looked panic-stricken: ¡°My newly bought Rhine Cat Mask was stolen by that fat guy over there!¡± The officer chuckled: ¡°Seems like it¡¯s not such a big deal. I¡¯ll go get it back for you.¡± ¡°But he has a gun at his waist.¡± ¡°Damn!¡± The officer sprang into action, grabbing the radio and barking orders. The two patrolling officers outside immediately looked in the direction of Big Face Cat...and slowly approached¡ª ¡°Freeze!!¡± ¡°Get your hands behind your back!! Stay put!!¡± Big Face Cat was pinned down in a second! With a chokehold and hands behind his back, he was swiftly subdued! The officer in the booth, taking Lin Xian with him, ran over to where Big Face Cat was held, reaching for his waist... ¡°He really does have a gun!¡± His face turned ashen as he continued to search. ¡°And there¡¯s even C4 explosives! Keep him under control! I need to call for backup immediately!¡± He directed orders into the radio. Finding firearms in such a densely populated square was no minor matter! Who knew if he had accomplices? And even worse, he was carrying something as terrifying as C4. ¡°Um...¡± Lin Xian quietly stepped forward: ¡°Can I get my mask back?¡± The officer tore off Big Face Cat¡¯s mask and tossed it to Lin Xian. Just as Big Face Cat was about to protest, his voice was muffled by a hood pulled over his head, and he quieted down. Lin Xian walked away slowly holding the mask... He looked at the cute Rhine Cat Mask in his hand and smiled slightly: ¡°Key prop, Rhine Cat Mask, gotcha~¡± He stretched the elastic band and put the mask on his face. The mask was small. It just managed to cover Lin Xian¡¯s face: ¡°Next up... I am Big Face Cat!¡± Chapter 32: 32 Playing a Role Chapter 32: Chapter 32 Playing a Role Lin Xian walked towards the west side of the square, where CC¡¯s refresh point was located. It wasn¡¯t long before Lin Xian found his target¡ª A woman wearing a black bodysuit underneath, draped in a plaid trench coat, with dark brown hair tied up high, and an Ultraman mask covering her face. It was CC. When Lin Xian had seen CC at the bank vault before, she had only been wearing a black bodysuit, just like a spy. Presumably, she had also felt that her spy outfit was too conspicuous, so she had worn a long trench coat over it to blend in with the crowd in the square. ... CC¡¯s long hair, twisted up at the back of her head, was bound with a red ribbon. Round and full, it looked like she had an enviable amount of hair. But the reality was... there was a gun hidden inside. CC had a total of two guns on her. One around her waist, and another hidden in her pinned-up hair. ¡°Truly a dangerous woman.¡± As Lin Xian walked towards CC, he scrutinized the details of her figure. Slim, very thin, with a height of around 165 centimeters. Very strange... Not a trace of familiarity, not a single impression. Had he truly seen this person before? The feeling was paradoxical. He was certain that he had heard CC¡¯s voice in reality before. But it was hard to imagine that a girl with a figure as exquisite as a model¡¯s, if he had truly seen her, wouldn¡¯t have left any impression on him at all. ¡°Forget it, don¡¯t think too much about it.¡± Lin Xian walked straight towards CC. Be it human or ghost, goblin or demon, her mask would soon come off and reveal all! ¡°Hey.¡± Lin Xian greeted CC from behind her, watching her as she turned around: ¡°Code Expert?¡± CC looked Lin Xian up and down, not saying a word. After a long while, she finally nodded slightly, ¡°How should I address you?¡± Lin Xian smiled faintly: ¡°In the underworld, they all call me Big Face Cat, so you can just call me Brother Lian.¡± Having said that, he pointed to the van by the side of the road: ¡°The car is over there, follow me.¡± Then he turned and walked back¡ª Smack! A delicate hand firmly pressed on Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. ¡°You¡¯re called Big Face Cat?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°Everyone in the underworld calls you Big Face Cat?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± CC stared intently at Lin Xian: ¡°But your face isn¡¯t big at all, so why would others call you Big Face Cat?¡± ... ... A hot summer breeze blew past, lifting the red ribbon on CC¡¯s head and a corner of her trench coat. Neither of them spoke. But the atmosphere grew even more tense. But after three or four cycles of exploration... he had mastered every detail of the incident. With such a vast information gap, he could outmaneuver anyone. The situation that had just occurred was indeed a bit different from what Lin Xian had planned; he hadn¡¯t expected CC to suspect right away that he wasn¡¯t Big Face Cat. But this was of no great significance. After his manipulations, not only had he bluffed his way through, but he had also obtained the critical tool he needed most¡ª A gun. Without a gun, he really had no idea how to get past the three underlings. ... Along the way, the two of them did not exchange a single word. Ultraman and Rhein Cat maintained a steady gaze straight ahead... It was anyone¡¯s guess what the passersby thought of the odd-looking van. Soon, they arrived at their destination. Lin Xian pulled out the pistol at his waist and signaled CC to get out: ¡°Follow me, and bring your computer.¡± After getting out of the car. Lin Xian and CC hurried towards the bank entrance. A young man in black was fiddling with something at the entrance. He looked up at Lin Xian, his face confused: ¡°You¡ª¡± Bang!! A bullet hit him right between the eyes! Blood splattered against the wall! ¡°Nice shooting,¡± CC said admiringly. She had watched closely; drawing and firing the gun was completed in just a flash, without any aiming motion. It was something many people could do if it was just about hitting a target. But this was a headshot, right between the eyes, without any superfluous aiming... Only a sharpshooter could be described that way. ¡°But why did you kill your underling?¡± CC asked. Lin Xian pushed the door and entered the bank: ¡°His hands weren¡¯t clean; such people can¡¯t be kept around.¡± As they reached a corner. A masked man stood up in shock, pointing at Lin Xian: ¡°You¡ª¡± Bang!! Another instantaneous headshot, on the mark! ¡°And why kill this one?¡± ¡°He hit on the boss¡¯s wife, what do you think?¡± CC looked at Lin Xian in shock: ¡°He, he cuckolded you?¡± ¡°Uh... ah, we have a mutual boss above us, I was talking about that boss¡¯s wife.¡± They continued forward, and a shadow rushed up from the underground passage¡ª Bang!! CC couldn¡¯t help but step back... He was able to headshot someone who was running so fast, in such dark conditions, and without even aiming! She touched the pistol and followed Lin Xian: ¡°How did you train to shoot like this?¡± ¡°Nothing special, just practice.¡± Lin Xian pointed to the all-black wall ahead, with a silver vault door in the middle: ¡°It¡¯s your turn now, Code Expert.¡± Chapter 33: 33: Confession Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Confession CC hesitated for a moment. Then she put away the pistol and walked over to the code-locked door with the laptop. First, she pried open the lock casing with a small tool, revealing the circuit board inside. After a series of maneuvers connecting the circuits, she began operating on the laptop. About fifteen minutes passed... Beep beep! ... A soft sound rang out as the code indicator light turned from red to green, and the heavy steel door opened in response.@@@@ CC stood up, pointing to the half-open coded door: ¡°The door is open, you go in first.¡± ¡°You go first,¡± Lin Xian courteously replied. He was all too familiar with this script... Now playing the role of Big Face Cat, if he entered first, he would 100% be shot in the head! ¡°You go first; you¡¯ve earned it,¡± CC made a welcoming gesture. ¡°No, no, no,¡± Lin Xian waved his hand: ¡°Clearly your role was more crucial; please, after you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you need a lot of money? You take it first.¡± ¡°Ladies first, ladies first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to move the gold bricks inside.¡± ¡°You could take some of the lighter gold bars first.¡± ¡°Then I should go find a sack first, that way I can carry more.¡± ¡°Now that you mention it, I seem to have forgotten my sack in the car as well, oh how careless of me.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re in urgent need of the money, there¡¯s no need for modesty.¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that urgent.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± After a long stalemate, the two stood face to face, neither daring to enter first. Lin Xian was afraid CC would shoot him. CC too was shocked by Lin Xian¡¯s marksmanship, afraid he would shoot her. But in reality, both of them knew perfectly well... there wasn¡¯t a penny in this warehouse. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s stop pretending, how about we have a truthful conversation?¡± Lin Xian thought there was no point in the standoff anymore and took the initiative to clarify: ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not Big Face Cat.¡± CC let out a light laugh: ¡°Is that even something that needs to be admitted? Did you think you were convincing?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a gun or C4, and you¡¯re not very familiar with that van¡ªit¡¯s clearly not your vehicle.¡± ¡°Although I don¡¯t know Big Face Cat and have never seen him, we have chatted online, and I know you¡¯re not him.¡± Lin Xian nodded confidently: ¡°So, let¡¯s save some time.¡± He pulled off the rubber band from his head and removed the small Rhine Cat Mask from his face. Then he looked at CC still wearing the Ultraman mask: ¡°Do I look familiar to you?¡± CC shook her head blankly: ¡°The way you ask... Should I know you?¡± Forget it. Lin Xian didn¡¯t want to waste time on this question. On this matter, CC was truly stubborn. She obviously had met him before, otherwise her attitude in every aspect was too strange. But last time she was adamant even with a gun to her head... there was definitely no hope this time. So he went straight to the point: ¡°Your turn.¡± CC looked around, there were no cameras in this warehouse. She then tucked her handgun into her waistband. She reached behind her head with both hands and pulled on the elastic. The mask slowly came off, and her face gradually came into view... Deep brown bangs, flattened by the mask but falling in a comfortable and natural curve, conveyed a sense of youthful beauty. Her eyebrows delicate as willow leaves, her spirited eyes crystal clear. Though her gaze was cold and wary, it still gave the illusion of harboring a constant, gentle smile. There was a tiny tear mole at the corner of her left eye. The mask continued to descend... A straight nose, lightly tinted lips closed tight, and pale skin flushed with a healthy glow. It was a face without any makeup, but the ineffable sense of purity surpassed all heavily applied cosmetics. When the mask finally slid completely off her face, a sharp and clean jawline made her already petite face appear even more sculpted and delicate. She was much younger than Lin Xian had imagined, like a high school girl of seventeen or eighteen. At last, all the mysteries were revealed, and the answer stood right before Lin Xian¡ª ... ... [Who is this?] Lin Xian stared at CC as she played with her bangs, momentarily stunned. He had thought that once CC removed her mask, he would see a familiar face, one he vaguely remembered, and he¡¯d be able to directly confirm that his dreams were false. But the CC before him, he really had no recollection of her at all, didn¡¯t recognize this person! Yet CC¡¯s voice, he was sure he had heard it before... how could he explain this? Was it really just a delusion or coincidence? ¡°Hey, what are you zoning out for!¡± CC frowned, staring at Lin Xian: ¡°Now... it¡¯s your turn to tell me the password to the safe, right?¡± Chapter 34: 34: The Butterfly of Time and Space Chapter 34: Chapter 34: The Butterfly of Time and Space CC pointed at the watch: ¡°Will you stop spacing out? It¡¯s already half past twelve! We¡¯ve wasted enough time as it is!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not fooling me, are you?¡± Lin Xian came to his senses: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a very trustworthy person.¡± He stepped forward and began to turn the gears of the safe: ... ¡°Actually, I should have thought of this earlier, you¡¯re right, I really shouldn¡¯t limit my thinking to dates. There aren¡¯t many commonly used 8-digit numbers, but that doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t any.¡± ??? CC was all question marks, looking at Lin Xian confusedly: ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± Click, click, Lin Xian turned the dials one by one: ¡°In my life, besides my phone number and ID card number, I guess I can only remember one more long number, which is my QQ number. Ah, two, I also remember MC Stone¡¯s QQ number.¡± ¡°Who exactly are you talking to?¡± CC looked around, feeling the situation in front of her was somehow terrifying: ¡°Ever since you saw me take off the mask, you¡¯ve been babbling on and on, your mind has gotten a bit abnormal....¡± Click. Lin Xian set the last number, looking at CC: ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve guessed what¡¯s in the safe.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It should be some embarrassments from adolescence.¡± Lin Xian thought of the ostentatiously cool QQ signatures from his ¡®too-cool-for-school¡¯ years, and those embarrassing silly things he did during that clunky first romantic fling. If the password really was a QQ number... then the contents here would make the most sense. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± CC felt like she was communicating with a lunatic, yet completely unable to communicate: ¡°If my looks scared you to this state, I apologize.¡± ¡°Can 120 handle your kind of symptoms? I can call one for you when I get out.¡± Lin Xian chuckled softly and shook his head: ¡°Wait until we open the safe... you¡¯ll see.¡± With that said. He raised his right fist! And smashed it down hard on the lock¡ª¡ª Bang!! CC held her breath and bit her lip. ... ... It didn¡¯t open. ¡°Huh?¡± Lin Xian was completely stunned. He checked the 8 digits of the password again; there was no mistake! It was his QQ number! He pounded the lock with another two punches. he opened his eyes and gazed at the starless dark sky outside the window: ¡°Gao Yang was also wrong.¡± Lin Xian was certain¡ª Everyone thought his dreams were just simple dreams, mental issues, but only he knew... his dreams were far from simple! He was increasingly convinced. Perhaps his dreams really were the actual future world 600 years later; he just lacked one crucial piece of evidence. Successfully predicting the results of three football lottery matches was strong evidence, but it wasn¡¯t decisive. If only he could verify it with a few lottery draws of the Double Chromosphere, but unfortunately... the network in the dream could not access any useful information from this era, so he couldn¡¯t find any lottery winning numbers or current news. This was also a very puzzling matter. Which meant that, from the current situation, there was no way to judge the reality of the dream from the angle of [verifying known facts]. ¡°I need to change my approach.¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes and thought. The bone-chilling wind made his thinking clearer and clearer. For now, all mysteries could be set aside. What about CC, Big Face Cat, Genius Club, the safe and the like... all of them could be set aside for the time being. The most urgent task at the moment. [Was to quickly find a decisive piece of evidence that proved whether the Dream World was indeed the real future world or not.] He had to get an absolutely accurate answer! He opened his eyes. His glance swept over the manuscript papers lifted by the night wind on the desk. On them were various designs of Rhein Cat, all copied from the toy store in his dreams. Rhein Cat. Keke Cat had become Rhein Cat. This was the only change in the unending dreams of more than twenty years. Lin Xian felt this was an extremely important clue. He had to reevaluate its significance. He picked up a design sketch at random, looking at the cute and lifelike Rhein Cat on it. The cat itself was copied, but the name was absolutely his own creation; the changes in the dream were all thanks to him. If this was a successful Space-Time Butterfly Effect... Then that meant¡ª [He could use the information from his dreams to change reality and rewrite the future, causing the Dream World to change.] If this proposition could be verified again. Then it would be enough to prove¡ª [His dreams were undoubtedly the real, 600 years later, future world!] ¡°Don¡¯t rely on heaven or earth, it¡¯s better to rely on oneself.¡± Instead of waiting to validate known future facts, it¡¯s better to personally initiate the Space-Time Butterfly Effect and change the dream because of oneself! That was the truly decisive evidence! Lin Xian looked up at the lonely full moon in the sky: ¡°It¡¯s time for me to take the initiative.¡± He wanted to try to initiate the Space-Time Butterfly Effect... Once more, to rewrite the future! Chapter 35: 35 Morning Meeting Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Morning Meeting Although the dream validation operation failed, it unexpectedly opened up a new path, which is not a loss at all. Lin Xian felt that from this moment on, he had transformed from a leaf drifting with the flow into a butterfly flapping its wings. With a single flutter of his wings in the year 2022, he could stir up a world-changing tornado 600 years later! The power to cross time and rewrite the future was, unexpectedly, in his own hands. ¡°Is it really possible?¡± ... Lin Xian looked down at his empty right hand, clenched his fist: ¡°Let¡¯s try and see.¡± After closing the window, the temperature in the room gradually warmed up. Lin Xian yawned. Drowsiness returned with a vengeance. ¡°Better sleep now, think tomorrow. It¡¯s Monday tomorrow, and there¡¯s a morning meeting to attend.¡± Lin Xian turned off the light and crawled back under the covers.@@@@ A dreamless night. ... The next day, morning. On the 10th floor of MX Company, the senior meeting room was filled with over twenty of the company¡¯s mid and senior-level executives. At MX Company, every Monday morning, a routine morning meeting was held. Zhao Yingjun mandated that all group leaders and senior leaders must attend the morning meeting, to report on the previous week¡¯s work and discuss plans for the new week. In the past, Lin Xian was just an ordinary employee and definitely had no place in such high-level meetings. But now things were different. As the leader of the Rhein Cat IP Development Team, ranking equally with the heads of formal departments and directly managed by Zhao Yingjun, he naturally had to attend the meeting. At the end of the long conference table sat Zhao Yingjun; the three vice presidents were seated on both sides; and then came the department heads and group leaders in order. As the youngest and least experienced group leader, Lin Xian¡¯s seat was naturally at the very end. Bang! Group Leader Wang from the marketing group slammed the table and stood up: ¡°I disagree!¡± ¡°President Zhao! We¡¯ve almost put all our bets on the launch of the new Rhein Brand relying on Professor Xu Yun! How can we just give up like this?¡± However... Hearing Professor Xu Yun¡¯s name again indeed provided Lin Xian with a new perspective for his ¡°Rewriting the Future Plan.¡± Lin Xian twisted the pen in his hand, recalling that slightly unkempt, meticulous, and serious man. Professor Xu Yun, whose parents had passed away and whose wife died of amniotic fluid embolism, was left with only his daughter, who had become a vegetative patient lying in the hospital with no hope of recovery... To send his daughter to the future for treatment, he threw himself into the research of the Hibernation Pod, never giving up despite being deserted by everyone and becoming the laughingstock of all scholars. Over the years, only Chu Shanhe backed Professor Xu¡¯s research silently. ¡°Perhaps, I can help Professor Xu Yun,¡± Lin Xian thought. Lin Xian narrowed his eyes... He might be the only person in the world who could help Professor Xu Yun. In the world 600 years in the future, perhaps the Hibernation Pod had still not been successfully developed, but had there been breakthroughs in some basic theories? If he could help Professor Xu Yun make some significant progress, becoming the first renowned figure in hibernation research and kicking off hibernation technology centuries ahead of time... Then, not only would Professor Xu¡¯s daughter have a chance to wake up. It would also mean a qualitative leap in the technology level of the Dream World, a major change in the world, and confirming the previous two hypotheses¡ª [1. The Dream World is the real future 600 years from now.] [2. The Space-Time Butterfly Effect exists; one can change the future 600 years later by altering the present.] Killing three birds with one stone! Bang! Zhao Yingjun slammed a folder onto the table, and the room fell silent. ¡°This matter doesn¡¯t need further discussion,¡± she said. She stood up: ¡°If the Rhein Brand only has one moisturizer to offer, then it¡¯s not worth pursuing that kind of brand.¡± ¡°What we aim for in the future is to become a comprehensive cosmetics mega-brand, not just a moisturizing product. Professor Xu Yun can help us once, can he help us a second time? To succeed, we must strengthen ourselves. I hope our R&D colleagues will make an effort to develop our own core competencies.¡± ¡°Alright, meeting adjourned!¡± Zhao Yingjun turned sharply and strode towards the conference room door in her high heels with a clack, clack, clack. When she reached the door. She suddenly stopped. Everyone held their breath once again! It was apparent that Zhao Yingjun was very angry! No one knew who would be the next unlucky one to bear the brunt of her irritation. Zhao Yingjun turned her head, looking across the conference room to the farthest seat from her: ¡°Lin Xian, come to my office.¡± Chapter 36: 36 Seal Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Seal ¡°` Tap tap tap tap tap... Zhao Yingjun finished speaking and turned to leave. The tapping of her high heels on the floor exerted a suffocating pressure, as if stepping directly on one¡¯s ribcage. It was only after Zhao Yingjun entered the elevator and the doors had closed... that everyone in the conference room finally exhaled: ¡°Phew... President Zhao¡¯s look just now scared me to death. Brother Wang, you are the only person in the entire company who dares to talk to President Zhao like that. You¡¯re awesome!¡± ... ¡°Yeah, Brother Wang, you really spoke our minds. I don¡¯t understand either... why would we just give up on a perfectly good plan? Professor Xu Yun hasn¡¯t finalized a deal with any other company, we still have a chance!¡± ¡°Ah, such a pity for the adorable Rhein Cat...¡± The atmosphere in the conference room was gloomy and heavy. It was evident that everyone was disappointed, bewildered, and felt helpless. Morale plummeted. They sighed and left. ... After all the meeting attendees had left. Lin Xian collected the Rhein Cat Dolls one by one from the table and stored them in his office. Then he stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the 22nd floor. The elevator slowly ascended. Lin Xian did not know what Zhao Yingjun wanted with him... Most likely it was work-related. 22nd floor. Standing in front of the familiar double-password door. ¡°Come in.¡± Zhao Yingjun¡¯s weary voice came through the video intercom. With a click, the heavy password door opened. Lin Xian walked into the office and shut the door behind him. The vast office was almost identical to his previous visits... Lin Xian even had a feeling of being trapped in an endless loop in a dream-world. Passing by the sofa and coffee table, Lin Xian noticed a thin layer of dust on the glass surface. It was clear... that Zhao Yingjun was a workaholic, treating everything in the office, except her desk, like a painting ¡ª mere decoration. Zhao Yingjun was busy signing documents. Lin Xian approached the desk: ¡°President Zhao, did you call me here for something?¡± Zhao Yingjun finished signing the document she was working on. Then she looked up at Lin Xian, gesturing for him to sit down. ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯ve looked at the 3D image of the Rhein Cat you designed earlier; there were no problems with it.¡± ¡°But as for the character setting, voice setting, catchphrases, and dialogue... I¡¯m not very satisfied. I feel it¡¯s too childish, like something out of a children¡¯s picture book.¡± Upon hearing this. Lin Xian smiled wryly to himself. But now... Through his trousers, Lin Xian felt the round object in his left pocket. What a big catch! He glanced back at the heavy dual-coded door, then turned towards the elevator. Stepping into the elevator, he pressed the floor for his own office. The elevator creaked as it descended. Lin Xian, touching the object he had ¡°stolen¡± in his pocket, felt his heartbeat gradually speed up. Although he pilfered things in his dreams almost daily, this was his first time in reality, so it was unavoidable to feel a bit nervous. Ding¡ª¡ª The elevator doors opened, and Lin Xian quickly walked back to his office. Click. He locked the door from the inside. Only then did he let out a long sigh of relief: ¡°Stealing something in reality for the first time is truly thrilling. And what I stole is something quite significant...¡± He plunged his left hand into his left pocket and pulled out a red, flat, and round wax seal. With his index finger, he twirled the red seal around his fingertip. This wax seal was a bit bigger and thicker than a one-yuan coin, and its shape wasn¡¯t a perfect circle. Lin Xian had seen it before. It was the seal on the folded page of the Genius Club invitation that he had held only for a few seconds, before Zhao Yingjun took it. But he had clearly seen the details on both sides. ¡°I can¡¯t be wrong... The folded page of that invitation was sealed with this wax.¡± Known academically as a ¡°lacquer seal¡±, such seals are usually made by mixing rosin and paraffin with pigment. They melt upon slight heating, becoming sticky, and are used to seal letters and invitations. To use it, one would melt it first, then drip a large blob onto the envelope¡¯s flap, and press down a stamp. The side of the wax seal Lin Xian was staring at was the one fixed to the cardstock, smooth as ever. And on the other side of the seal, needless to say... [It was the stamp of the Genius Club.] Lin Xian¡¯s heartbeat accelerated. Perhaps flipping it over might reveal another mysterious and dark world, that vast, shadowy hand hidden in the mists of history. This glance... might be the irreversible abyss, the entry into the impenetrable dark forest. Lin Xian held his breath. He recalled the words of Big Face Cat. Recalled the gruesome scene of a truck running over an elderly person and a child. Recalled the black hand that blotted out the sun and cast a shadow over the city. Recalled the five heavy, hot-stamped golden letters on the back of the invitation. With a grimace, he flipped the whole seal over! ... On the front of the wax seal was a stamp of a standard circle. Inside the circle, a right hand reaching out its index finger, pointing straight to the sky. And below the circle, evenly inscribed were two words in English¡ª Genius Clu Chapter 37: 37: Daytime Dreaming Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Daytime Dreaming ¡°` Genius Club Lin Xian¡¯s English was very good. ¡°Genius Club...¡± He pinched the wax seal with two fingers and walked to the glass, holding it under the sunlight and looking at the deep red light it cast. Inside the red light, a solitary right hand was pointing straight at the sun in the sky, the back of the hand was broad and powerful, and the stretched-out index finger seemed as if it wanted to puncture the blazing sun. ... Indescribably eerie. Indescribably arrogant. ¡°This is probably their logo, their emblem.¡± Lin Xian clutched the wax seal in his palm. Since touching the invitation for the first time, this was Lin Xian¡¯s first encounter with a physical artifact related to Genius Club, and it was the closest he had been to Genius Club. What did this pattern... really mean? Lin Xian extended his own right hand, palm facing himself, then clenched it into a fist, straightened the index finger, and pointed towards the sky.@@@@ It was a bit like the gesture a teacher makes during class to emphasize a point, but there was an indescribable oppressiveness to it. It was as though it conveyed an invincible, commanding presence that made the whole world submit. Lin Xian tucked the wax seal into the inner pocket of his jacket. Keeping this object at the company was very unsafe; it would be better to take it home and hide it. But at the same time, a terrifying thought occurred to him: ¡°Since the sealed wax has already fallen off the invitation, that means... Zhao Yingjun must have opened and read this invitation.¡± Lin Xian stared out at the skyscrapers piercing the clouds, standing still in thought. Zhao Yingjun had read the invitation... What was her attitude toward it? Dismissive? Contemplative? Or maybe... [She had already agreed and officially joined Genius Club?] Lin Xian felt the room temperature drop. If what Big Face Cat said was true, Genius Club was likely an evil organization. What was Zhao Yingjun¡¯s purpose for joining it? What were her motives? The stagnant technological level in the Dream World for 600 years has always been Lin Xian¡¯s biggest Unsolved Mystery. But if I really have the power to rewrite and change the future world... Then the early initiation of hibernation technology by 600 years will definitely trigger a powerful Space-Time Butterfly Effect, transforming the future world beyond recognition. As to how exactly it will evolve the technological level of the future world, Lin Xian is unsure. But one thing is certain... it will definitely no longer be in this stunted, stagnant state. ... If these two ¡°Temporal Fluxes¡± occur as expected... It would explain a lot of things. Lin Xian twirled his pen and continued his musings: ¡°Finding documents or papers on ¡®Hibernation Technology¡¯ isn¡¯t difficult; if such things truly exist in the Dream World, then they can definitely be found in the library.¡± The library, a nonprofit social science institution, doesn¡¯t operate for profit, so it contains many rare professional books and can be considered the most concentrated place of knowledge. In the Dream World, Lin Xian naturally knew the location of the library. He had passed by that grand building many times. Shaped like a circle with a twin-tower structure, it has a very large floor area and is surrounded by a spacious and quiet environment, making it a landmark building in the Dream City. The library closes very early each day, usually around five or six in the evening. So going to the library to find books at night is definitely unrealistic; the library is only open to the public during the day. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll have to dream during the day, entering the Dream World in daytime.¡± When he was very young, Lin Xian had verified the earliest time he could enter the Dream World¡ª Noon, 12:42 Before this time, regardless of how early he slept, it was always a dreamless state, with exceptionally good quality sleep. But the moment it hits this point, he would immediately enter the Dream World, standing on that familiar square. Noon, 12:42 ¨C Midnight, 00:42 These 12 hours are the time Lin Xian has each day to stay in the Dream World. At other times, he cannot enter into dreams at all. ... Lin Xian went to the office where his team members were and made some work arrangements, then took leave and went home. On the way home, Lin Xian grabbed a quick lunch. After getting home and freshening up, he lay straight on the bed, ready for a nap. He glanced at the clock on the bedside table, which showed 13:20 ¡°The library in the dream probably closes around five or six in the afternoon. If I fall asleep now, I can easily spend four hours there, so there¡¯s plenty of time.¡± He pulled the curtains, darkening the room. Lin Xian got under the covers and closed his eyes: ¡°Sleep, let¡¯s go!¡± Chapter 38: 38: The Library Chapter 38: Chapter 38: The Library ¡°` ... ... Phew!! An unprecedented heatwave hit me in the face! Lin Xian felt the temperature on his face rapidly rise as tiny beads of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead! ... ¡°So hot!¡± Lin Xian strained to open his eyes... Loud cicada noises assaulted his eardrums, the scorching sun hung directly above, and shadows shrank timidly at his feet, forming small clusters. He looked up at the sky. A sun that took up half the sky blazed overhead, so bright that it was impossible to look at directly, leaving fleeting dark spots on his retina. Lin Xian lowered his head and rubbed his eyes: ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve dreamed during the day, and I¡¯m still not quite used to this temperature.¡± He estimated that the current temperature might have already exceeded 40 degrees, compared to the cold winter in the real world... truly a contrast of fire and ice. He quickly ran to the shade of a tree, and that¡¯s when he felt cooler. Squinting, he looked at the electronic sign next to him, the display showed¡ª [August 28, 2624] [13:33]@@@@ ¡°It¡¯s one-thirty, still early.¡± Lin Xian wiped the sweat beads on his forehead with his sleeve, already unable to resist the desire to go to the library and enjoy the air conditioning. Perhaps it was because of the intense heat at noon. In the usually bustling square, there was not a soul in sight. He walked along the tree shade to the bus stop and got on the bus to the library. In this 23 years of Dream World. Lin Xian rarely came here. He only had 3 or 4 hours to play in the Dream World each day, and with such precious time, why not do something interesting, or undertake some major event? How could he waste valuable time in a library? The few times he did come, his goal was to figure out why there was ¡°no development in the level of technology in the Dream World.¡± Lin Xian realized this very unreasonable phenomenon in middle school. During that period, he thought of many ways and put in a lot of effort trying to find out the truth in the Dream World. As a result, after consulting a lot of materials, nearly all reports, history books, critics, news all pointed to societal issues. They said: ¡°The distorted education system is doomed to fail to select true geniuses!¡± ¡°Students can¡¯t learn useful knowledge in school, which leads to the waste of talent.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a disconnection in the science community as youths are heavily profit-driven and reluctant to engage in lower-paying scientific research.¡± ¡°The academic world itself has issues! Academic clans are rampant, academic circles are complacent, and truly talented scholars get ostracized!¡± ... Lin also asked many passersby, and everyone repeated the same complaints about various injustices, believing that technological stagnation or even regression over hundreds of years was due to systemic flaws. As for this explanation... Lin Xian didn¡¯t really believe it back then. He didn¡¯t think that the development of technology had to depend on these things; true geniuses wouldn¡¯t be constrained by the education system. It couldn¡¯t be that in 600 years, not a single genius scientist had appeared, could it? Lin Xian closed the webpage and opened the library¡¯s book management system. He searched for the word ¡°hibernation.¡± Many different book results popped up, each with detailed placement information like floor, area, and shelf number. The books covered a variety of themes. There were science fiction novels, comics, academic journals, and news reports. Lin Xian checked each one and quickly located his target¡ª ¡°Hibernation Technology Analysis and Prospects¡± by Bill Mikerson ¡°This is it.¡± Lin Xian looked at the note behind: Book display location: 3rd floor, Science Works, Section C, Shelf 67, Level 7. Lin Xian got up and headed to the third floor. Sure enough, he found Mikerson¡¯s work on the designated bookshelf. ¡°¡±Hibernation Technology Analysis and Prospects¡±¡± Lin Xian read the book¡¯s title on the cover: ¡°Analysis... I hope it really is written simply, at least let me understand the main points...¡± The book looked a bit old, but the inside was still as good as new¡ªit must have never been read before. Lin Xian sat down by a window and began to read. His memory was limited, and he couldn¡¯t bring much out from the Dream World, so he had to focus on what was important and avoid the trivial to take back key information for Professor Xu Yun. Flipping through the first few pages, he could sense the dedication behind Mikerson¡¯s efforts. It was clear that Mikerson genuinely wanted everyone to understand the principles and application process of hibernation technology. He used many straightforward words to explain the jargon and chemical phenomena, which made the content not so difficult for Lin Xian to comprehend. The book said... The principle of human hibernation was to bring all physiological activities and cellular activities to the lowest efficiency, as close to a halt as possible, but they could never actually stop completely. The best scenario was to use low-temperature freezing. To achieve a good freezing hibernation effect, the human body must be frozen to below minus 120 degrees Celsius. But, the contradiction arose here. Human cells contain a large amount of water, which will freeze below 0 degrees Celsius, and the ice crystals (note 1) that form during the freezing will have a devastating effect on the cellular structure. They will pierce the cell membrane and kill the cells, causing them to lose their activity. Note 1: Ice crystals refer to the needle-like snowflake structures formed by water as it freezes, which can easily pierce cells. Although instant freezing technology can prevent ice crystals from forming, directly solidifying into ice and protecting the cell structure from damage, a second problem arises. It¡¯s true that the body can be quickly frozen when initially frozen, but what about when it is thawed? Without a doubt, upon thawing, one must go through a process where the temperature gradually increases, approaching 0 degrees Celsius. During this process, ice crystals will inevitably form, and the destruction of the cellular structure will still be unavoidable. A body with damaged cells throughout¡ªthe brain cells, nerve cells, somatic cells, hemoglobin cells¡ªall bursting and losing activity... there would be no difference between this and complete death, with no possibility of awakening. ¡°Hmm, hmm...¡± Lin Xian was completely engrossed in the book. At least so far, he could fully understand this part of the principle. ¡°So, how to solve the problem of ice crystals?¡± Flip. Lin Xian turned to the next page. Chapter 39: 39 Ice Crystal Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Ice Crystal Next page. Dr. Mikerson described how the problem of ice crystal formation within cellular fluids at low temperatures was solved. The solution was the previously mentioned high oxygen-soluble liquid that earned him the title of ¡°Father of Hibernation.¡± The molecular composition of this liquid, when entering the bloodstream through the human respiratory system, permeates the interior of cells and deeply binds with water molecules. Once bound, the water molecules, even at temperatures as low as minus 200 degrees Celsius, can maintain a liquid state, drastically reducing cellular activity at low temperatures. It was these chemical molecules that perfectly solved the Ice Crystal Problem, representing a key breakthrough in the hibernation field. ... ¡°Not bad, quite impressive.¡± Up to here, it was still possible to understand. Continue flipping through the pages. At the beginning of the next page, Dr. Mikerson wrote: Having solved the Ice Crystal Problem, the development of the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid is not far off; but the successful research and development of the entire Hibernation Pod still has a long way to go. ¡°No wonder Professor Xu Yun said that the Hibernation Pod, a technological product that could change the world¡¯s power structure, is definitely not something that one country or one research institute could accomplish alone.¡± ¡°Only with the concerted effort and substantial investment of manpower and resources from the whole world is it possible to achieve a breakthrough in a decade or even several decades.¡± Lin Xian propped his chin and looked out the window. Scientific development is not accomplished overnight; it is a process that requires lengthy accumulation and prolonged settling. And there¡¯s also the possibility of ¡°heading down the wrong path¡± or ¡°cultivating the wrong technological tree.¡± ¡°The Dream World, with no technological advancement for 600 years... could it be a case of cultivating the wrong technological tree?¡± Lin Xian had no way of knowing. ... It took Lin Xian roughly over two hours to finally pinpoint the key aspects of the preparation process for the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid. In fact, Lin Xian could no longer understand the content here at all. Too profound, too inscrutable. While recognizing every single word and letter, when they were combined, they looked like a book from heaven. However, Lin Xian didn¡¯t intend to understand from the beginning.@@@@ He just needed to ¡°scan and copy¡± the information with his eyes, and then ¡°paste¡± it to emulate it upon waking up in reality. ¡°As for how much Professor Xu Yun could understand or comprehend... that would be up to his fate.¡± Forgive Lin Xian¡¯s inability, a poor student could only do so much. Lin Xian didn¡¯t approach, standing on the sidewalk across the street. The three cars, with a sleek black Lexus SUV at the front and back, clearly looked very high-end. The luxury sedan in the middle, a pure black Maybach, was even more prestigious. Although Lin Xian didn¡¯t know the specific model and features... the Maybach is such a mystical car that one must not judge it by its appearance. The more understated and unassuming you think it is, the more noble and luxurious it really is¡ªthis car¡¯s limits are beyond imagination. Was this the arrival of some rich young master to the university? What was with this grandiose display? Just as Lin Xian was pondering, the rear left door of the Maybach opened. A burly, robust middle-aged man with piercing eyes stepped out of the car, adjusting his clothes. This... Lin Xian recognized him. It was none other than Chu Shanhe, who he had seen at the dinner before, the man who generously donated two hundred million yuan to the Science Development Foundation and the esteemed chairman of the Donghai City Chamber of Commerce. What was he doing at East Sea University? Recalling the science fundraising dinner, Zhao Yingjun had mentioned that over the years, all had deserted Professor Xu Yun except for Chu Shanhe, who alone supported his research. And thinking back to the dinner, Professor Xu Yun looked at Chu Shanhe with eyes full of admiration and respect. Lin Xian sensed an unusual atmosphere. Could it be... That Chu Shanhe was also here to see Professor Xu Yun? In an instant. Lin Xian thought of the wax seal bearing the emblem of the Genius Club... He thought of that right hand pointing straight to the sky. He thought of the science fundraising dinner, when Chu Shanhe took the lead with a donation of one hundred million yuan, raising his index finger high into the air! Suddenly, it dawned on him¡ªif Zhao Yingjun had received an invitation to the Genius Club, then Chu Shanhe, who far surpassed her, must have received his invitation long ago! Lin Xian held tightly to the stack of manuscripts in his hand, watching from afar the imposing figure emerging from the Maybach. Why... Had he only now realized how significant this matter was? ¡°If anyone in all of Donghai City is most deserving of joining the Genius Club... it must be Chu Shanhe!¡± he realized. ¡°Chu Shanhe is looking for Professor Xu Yun at this time...¡± Lin Xian caught a whiff of danger: ¡°What exactly is his purpose?¡± Chapter 40: 40 Princess Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Princess Nowadays, intelligence regarding the Genius Club was utterly bewildering. The only tangible thing he had seen was the invitation Zhao Yingjun had received. Seeing Chu Shanhe in such an unexpected place... Lin Xian felt like an ant caught in a dark vortex, tumbling around in dizzy spells. ¡°Let¡¯s just watch and see what Chu Shanhe is actually here to do,¡± he thought. He stood behind a tree, pretending to be just another onlooker. ... There were also many East Sea University students standing around. Lin Xian, who had graduated just half a year ago, could naturally blend in like a tree in the forest, disappearing among them. But unlike Lin Xian¡¯s onlooker state, the students nearby... did not show any surprise at the appearance of the three luxury cars or Chu Shanhe. It seemed quite normal to them: ¡°Chu Shanhe is personally dropping off his daughter at school again, he really spoils this little princess.¡± ¡°By the way... why doesn¡¯t he drive his car directly into the campus? With his status and position, which security guard would dare stop him?¡± ¡°It must be his daughter who strongly opposes it, otherwise, given how much Chu Shanhe dotes on his daughter... he¡¯d probably wish he could deliver her right to the dormitory door.¡±@@@@ ¡°Ah, having such a clingy dad can sometimes be a hassle, even if he is a powerful CEO.¡± ¡°The energy and status of Chu Shanhe are hardly as simple as just a powerful CEO. It can only be said... every Jack has his Jill. In the whole of Donghai City, the only person who can keep this big shot in check is this little princess.¡± ... Lin Xian pricked up his ears to listen in. It appeared he had misunderstood Chu Shanhe. He wasn¡¯t here to look for Professor Xu Yun, but to take his daughter to school. Lin Xian had heard about Chu Shanhe being his daughter¡¯s slave many years ago, and Zhao Yingjun had also complained about it at a banquet. But beyond that, Lin Xian knew very little about Chu Shanhe¡¯s daughter. Of course, he didn¡¯t have much interest either. From the conversations of the surrounding students, especially the female students, Lin Xian learned that this ¡°little princess¡± had enrolled in September and was currently a freshman at university. Listening to their discussions, the little princess seemed to have a good reputation at school, being easy to get along with and very low-profile. Had it not been for Chu Shanhe¡¯s conspicuous pick-ups and drop-offs later on, nobody would have known that she was Chu Shanhe¡¯s daughter until the end of the military training period. They say that curiosity is human nature. ¡°She seems well raised by Chu Shanhe. Pampered, yes, but not turned into one of those spoiled and capricious young ladies from TV dramas.¡± ... Across the street, Lin Xian watched the little princess take the backpack from Chu Shanhe¡¯s hand and put it over her shoulder. Then she waved to her father and trotted towards the campus entrance... That bouncing, fluffy ponytail captivated Lin Xian until she entered through the gate; it was truly enchanting. After the little princess disappeared from sight, the amiable smile on Chu Shanhe¡¯s face also vanished instantly, reverting to his stern and imposing expression. He gestured to his bodyguards, and the group got into the cars. The three luxury vehicles drove off in a two-plus-one formation. At this point, the voices of the surrounding students discussing loudly increased. Many boys joked that whoever could win over this little princess would surely rise high in life, egging on their peers with such words. But it was clear from the tone... though they joked, they carefully measured their words, with no one daring to speak out of turn. This might be the unparalleled authority of Chu Shanhe in Donghai City. You could joke about Chu Shanhe, and he might just laugh it off, but if you made an inappropriate joke about his daughter... that would be a different story. ¡°Alright, enough with the gossip; time to get back to serious business,¡± Lin Xian, clutching the stapled papers in his hand, followed the crowd into the gates of East Sea University. ... Having clarified that Chu Shanhe¡¯s visit was not due to Professor Xu Yun, Lin Xian felt much more at ease. As for the mysteries surrounding the Genius Club, he would slowly investigate them later. The immediate priority was to quickly hand over the copied hibernation materials to Professor Xu Yun, to rewrite the future and change the dreams. Lin Xian pedalled a small yellow bike around the campus, quickly locating the laboratory building, and after inquiring with the security guard, he went straight to the second floor and found Professor Xu Yun¡¯s laboratory. Through the window, Lin Xian saw the unkempt man tinkering in front of a microscope. He was still wearing a white lab coat and thick glasses, no different from when they met in the hospital that day. Professor Xu Yun was deep in his research and hadn¡¯t noticed his arrival. Lin Xian took a deep breath and approached the half-open door of the laboratory¡ª Knock, knock! The back of his hand rapped on the wooden door. Chapter 41: 41 Manuscript Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Manuscript The wooden door was light. Lin Xian merely rapped the back of his hand against it a couple of times and the door slid open inward, accompanied by a heart-wrenching, grating creak. Professor Xu Yun, absorbed in his research, was startled by the noise and looked up with a frown at Lin Xian. Lin Xian apologetically bowed and offered a small smile. Unfriendly eyes bore into him from across the room. ¡°Young man, I think I made myself very clear that day at the hospital. Why can¡¯t you understand?¡± ... Lin Xian shook his head, walking in. ¡°Teacher Xu, you misunderstand. I¡¯m not here about that chemical substance, nor am I representing MX Company.¡± ¡°President Zhao said during the meeting that our new product launch would consider other products and wouldn¡¯t bother you with this matter anymore.¡± ... After listening to Lin Xian, Professor Xu Yun¡¯s expression eased slightly. He lowered his head, his glasses touching the eyepiece of the microscope. ¡°Well then, I thank you for your kindness. If every cosmetics company had someone as understanding as Miss Zhao, it would be wonderful.¡± Lin Xian stepped forward and placed the carefully compiled documents on the lab table, looking at Professor Xu Yun. ¡°Teacher Xu, the reason I¡¯m here is to bring these documents about the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid to you. When you have time, please have a look. The information recorded here might inspire and help your research.¡± Professor Xu Yun was taken aback. He raised his head, adjusting his glasses, looking at Lin Xian in disbelief. ¡°You...¡± Professor Xu Yun faltered, then after a pause continued. ¡°I remember you said that you graduated from the College of Art and Design?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you have any relatives who are researching hibernation?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then where did these documents come from?¡± Lin Xian fell silent for a while before slowly replying, ¡°That I cannot say.¡± Professor Xu Yun sighed and chuckled. ¡°Young man... I appreciate your kindness and good intentions. But each field has its own complexities, especially in scientific research; it¡¯s not something that can be clearly explained or broken through in just a sentence or two. I suppose you obtained these materials from the internet or a layman scientist? These things are not credible, child... If the theories of such layman scientists were correct, they would have been published in various journals already.¡± ¡°But Teacher Xu, you really should take a look at the manuscript.¡± Lin Xian continued to explain. ¡°It contains a solution to the Ice Crystal Problem, which must also be a tough challenge for you, right?¡± ¡°So, you even know about Ice Crystals? It seems you have indeed done some research, but this has been a popular topic on the internet as well,¡± said Professor Xu Yun indifferently. Professor Xu Yun still didn¡¯t believe what Lin Xian was saying. -1 degree Celsius, -3 degrees Celsius... As the temperature kept dropping, ice nuclei began to congeal on the edges of the microscope¡¯s view, and from these nuclei, sharp and beautiful ice crystals started to form. Professor Xu Yun¡¯s heartbeat quickened. He clutched his chest, his gaze fixed on the living cells at the center of the microscope¡¯s view. They were still moving slowly. The cell membrane was still intact. The cytoplasm inside was flowing slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t freeze... don¡¯t freeze...¡± Professor Xu Yun whispered a prayer. The monitor beside him showed the temperature continuing to drop, reaching -16 degrees Celsius. But then! An anomaly occurred! Inside the cell, several extremely small ice nuclei suddenly appeared! Then, centered on these ice nuclei, six sharp and symmetrical snowflake-shaped ice crystals rapidly spread out! So fast that in an instant, countless sharp ice crystals pierced through the fragile cell membrane! The once plump and wriggling living cell suddenly deflated like a punctured ball... the leaking cell fluid quickly turned into ice crystals, freezing solid. Everything was frozen in stasis. The living cell that had just been moving was now completely turned into a frozen specimen, sealed within a field of snowflake ice crystals... Thud. Like a deflated ball, Professor Xu Yun collapsed into the chair. He looked up at the ceiling with vacant eyes, his voice hoarse: ¡°Another failure...¡± He took off his glasses and set them aside, propping himself on the table with his hands, rubbing his dry eyes. He reached out absentmindedly to grab something to wipe his eyes with. When he turned his head, he saw a stack of manuscript pages fastened on the table. They were filled with many handwritten words and symbols, sprawling with a chaotic orderliness. And at the beginning of the first page... The big bold characters for ¡°Ice Crystal¡± pierced Professor Xu Yun¡¯s soul like the tip of a needle. ¡°...¡± Professor Xu Yun stared intently at those two characters. As if possessed, he reached out... And picked up the manuscript. Chapter 42: 42 Stealing and Theft Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Stealing and Theft ¡°` The moment he picked up the manuscript, Professor Xu Yun couldn¡¯t help but mock his own foolishness. ¡°Really, a cornered dog will jump over a wall...¡± Believing that an art student could solve the Ice Crystal Problem was no less absurd than believing Van Gogh had figured out a photolithography machine. But Professor Xu Yun still put on his glasses and began to study the manuscript. ... At first, he merely felt that the young man had put in some effort and done quite a bit of research. But... The further he read, the more Professor Xu Yun¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°He understands this too? How did he come up with this?¡± Whoosh¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Professor Xu Yun swung his arm and swept the clutter off the lab table. Then he placed the manuscript neatly on the table and sat up straight, taking it seriously. ¡°It feels like something is missing here...¡± ¡°And how did he arrive at this? The process is a bit of a leap... but it generally connects.¡± Professor Xu Yun was a bit bewildered, feeling this manuscript was somewhat disjointed. He leafed through the entire manuscript to see if it was misbound or missing pages. Finding no errors, he scratched his head and continued reading. Gradually... Sweat began to form on Professor Xu Yun¡¯s forehead. ¡°This manuscript... it really has something!¡± He was a professional. Thus, having read only the first few pages, he could be 100% certain¡ª even though the manuscript wasn¡¯t complete, had some leaps, and some minor symbol errors here and there... It was undeniable. This was a true piece of scientific research! Not made up, not written by a pseudo-scientist, but backed by real experimental data! He understood the first half of the manuscript which was more basic. But some of the ¡°brilliant inspirations¡± in the latter half were things he had never considered. Whirr. Professor Xu Yun turned another page. What followed were many chemical equations, formulas, molecular structures, experimental data parameters, and so on... These were the real treasures! Without delay, Professor Xu Yun got to work. He emptied his mind and began the operations strictly following the experimental data and steps recorded in the manuscript. The detailed parameters and reaction formulas on the manuscript made it not too difficult to follow suit. Although some of the equations didn¡¯t quite connect and there were obvious gaps in the steps, Professor Xu Yun had researched this field for many years. With the manuscript prompting him to this point, he could fill in those small gaps himself. It didn¡¯t take long... The experiment just now had proven, without a doubt, that this manuscript was correct. ¡°As long as the Ice Crystal Problem is solved, we are just A Step Away from perfecting the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid.¡± ¡°This manuscript only took two pages to solve the Ice Crystal Problem... so the following pages must record the correct formula and preparation method for the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid.¡± Thinking of this, Xu Yun was thrilled. But at the same time... A greater confusion instantly filled his mind¡ª ¡°[Where on earth did this manuscript come from?]¡± To a professional, the subtleties are clear; to a layman, it is all entertainment. With one glance, Xu Yun, being a professional scientist, could tell that the young man who brought the manuscript, Lin Xian, was merely a ¡°copyist,¡± not a real ¡°researcher.¡± This was too obvious, and could not deceive him. ¡°I remember... the young man¡¯s name seemed to be Lin Xian?¡± Xu Yun recalled his conversation with Lin Xian: ¡°Do you have a senior relative doing research in the field of hibernation?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then where did these materials come from?¡± ¡°That would be inconvenient to disclose.¡± ... Inconvenient to disclose. Xu Yun paced in the laboratory, pondering. This young man, Lin Xian, had never said the manuscript was his own research, and he openly admitted that he had no considerable research into the Hibernation Field. So the source of the manuscript... [It must have been obtained by Lin Xian from elsewhere.] Xu Yun speculated that there were two most likely possibilities¡ª 1. Lin Xian was entrusted by someone to deliver this material to him. 2. Lin Xian used illegal means and special channels to secretly copy confidential data from some research institute abroad. ¡°No matter the possibility... both are far-fetched.¡± Xu Yun furrowed his brow and continued reasoning. He was very clear that no one inside the country was doing research in the Hibernation Field, except for himself. Moreover, if there really were a distinguished scientist who wanted to help him, why wouldn¡¯t they come forward themselves? Why use Lin Xian to go through such a big roundabout? As for stealing secrets from a foreign research institute... that was even less likely. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t a special forces soldier; he couldn¡¯t possibly have done a covert infiltration? However. All these doubts could be set aside for the moment. Xu Yun flipped through the manuscript, looking at the pages of chemical and molecular formulas written on the following pages. He wanted to try it immediately. If he strictly followed the steps described in this manuscript... ¡°Could it really be possible to create the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid in one go?¡± Chapter 43: 43: Uninvited Guest Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Uninvited Guest Professor Xu Yun was single-mindedly devoted to saving his daughter. He had no inclination to act as some kind of arbiter of justice. Even if Lin Xian¡¯s manuscript was indeed stolen, Professor Xu couldn¡¯t care less. He stopped thinking about extraneous matters and once again prepared the experimental apparatus, beginning the preparation of the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid. He forced himself to calm down. He started to follow the steps outlined in the manuscript, conducting the experiment. ... But then... A problem quickly arose! ¡°Something¡¯s not right... this chemical reaction formula is incorrect.¡± Outside, dawn was breaking, and the sun was beginning to rise. Professor Xu scratched his head and tried for a long time but couldn¡¯t produce the chemical molecular formula. He tried many methods, none of which were successful. He attempted to skip this step and continue with the subsequent reactions, to no avail. ¡°This is a chain reaction that cannot be bypassed, but it... but it... seems to be wrong.¡± Professor Xu¡¯s glasses were completely fogged up; he was baffled. The manuscript was undoubtedly correct, as the previous Ice Crystal experiment had already proven. But this chain reaction formula just couldn¡¯t succeed in the laboratory. What exactly was going on? Based on his past research experience, Professor Xu believed there could only be two reasons¡ª 1. The chain reaction is incomplete, missing preliminary steps and environmental descriptions¡ªpossibly something Lin Xian overlooked when copying it. 2. The reaction formula itself is wrong, and the possibility of Lin Xian copying it incorrectly cannot be dismissed. ¡°What am I to do?¡± Professor Xu hesitated. Should he continue to work on the research by himself? Or should he go find Lin Xian in person and clarify things? Tap, tap, tap, tap. Even without having slept all night, Professor Xu was still wide awake, pacing back and forth in the laboratory, deep in thought. After much consideration, he decided to go see Lin Xian in person. His daughter had been in a vegetative state for too long now, at risk of respiratory failure at any time... Every second was precious and not to be wasted. ¡°I have no choice but to seek help from Lin Xian.¡± Professor Xu wiped his glasses and made up his mind: ¡°But I must keep the details of this information a secret.¡± ¡°No matter his reasons for helping me, his intentions are good, and I can¡¯t let my situation jeopardize him.¡± Professor Xu didn¡¯t have Lin Xian¡¯s contact information. Although he knew that Lin Xian worked for MX Company, he didn¡¯t have contact information for MX Company or Zhao Yingjun... ¡°I¡¯ll have to go to MX Company to find Lin Xian.¡± Professor Xu checked his phone. The time was 8:30 in the morning. He put on his coat and drove directly to the city center. Zhao Yingjun stood up immediately: ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not seeing things?¡± ¡°Absolutely sure! President Zhao, please come down! This is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our company to bounce back from the brink!¡± Ding¡ª¡ª Three minutes later. The elevator doors on the first floor opened with a sound. Zhao Yingjun, followed by three vice presidents, strode out of the elevator. Without glancing around, they headed straight for the VIP room. The three vice presidents were on high alert, their faces tense. They all understood very well... To other cosmetics companies, Professor Xu Yun might just be a money tree. But for MX Company, and for the Rhein brand that was about to hold a launch event, he was a savior-like figure. The importance was beyond question! ¡°Why has Professor Xu Yun come?¡± Seeing Group Leader Wang approach, Zhao Yingjun asked directly. Group Leader Wang shook his head: ¡°I... I don¡¯t know, President Zhao. Nobody expected Professor Xu to act out of turn; we couldn¡¯t even invite him before, and now he¡¯s shown up without any notice!¡± Zhao Yingjun nodded, then turned to look at the three vice presidents: ¡°When we talk later, don¡¯t say anything out of place, especially do not mention buying authorization for the chemical substance, not a single word, we must first hear what Professor Xu Yun has to say.¡± The three vice presidents also nodded in agreement. It was clear to everyone that Professor Xu Yun had hurried over with a purpose. But as for what that purpose was... It was truly beyond even a sage to guess. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll have to play it by ear,¡± one of the vice presidents muttered timidly. ... Zhao Yingjun entered the VIP room and smiled at Professor Xu Yun: ¡°Professor Xu Yun, forgive our poor reception.¡± Professor Xu Yun shook his head, speaking softly: ¡°Miss Zhao, I apologize for the sudden visit.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not here to see you today... I have an urgent matter with Lin Xian. Could you take me to him?¡± Zhao Yingjun looked puzzled: ¡°Lin Xian?¡± She never expected that Professor Xu Yun, in such a hurry and looking so exhausted, would actually be rushing to see Lin Xian. It was somewhat surprising. But she nonetheless nodded nonchalantly, took out her phone: ¡°That¡¯s all right, have a cup of tea while I call Lin Xian down.¡± ¡°No, no...¡± Professor Xu Yun quickly stood up, pressing down on Zhao Yingjun¡¯s phone, shaking his head seriously: ¡°Please take me to his office instead. I think... I would like to have a private chat with him.¡± ??? The three vice presidents looked at each other in bewilderment. What was this all about? Lin Xian got this much clout!? Chapter 44: 44 History Chapter 44: Chapter 44 History Zhao Yingjun was also somewhat surprised. She remembered that a few days ago, when Lin Xian visited Xu Yiyi in the hospital, Professor Xu Yun had told Lin Xian not to come looking for him anymore. She had thought that was the end of it. But now, Professor Xu Yun¡¯s manner... he was treating Lin Xian with such respect and politeness; it was truly baffling. Zhao Yingjun had wanted to advise Professor Xu Yun, but seeing him like this, she guessed he couldn¡¯t wait even a second, so she gave up: ¡°Well then, Professor Xu Yun, please follow me.¡± ... Zhao Yingjun stepped aside, indicating for Professor Xu Yun to leave the VIP room: ¡°Lin Xian¡¯s office is on the 17th floor, I¡¯ll take you there now.¡± Professor Xu Yun nodded his head. Without any pause, he strode out and joined Zhao Yingjun in the elevator. ... The elevator doors closed and began ascending. The three Vice Presidents and Group Leader Wang were dumbstruck at the door of the VIP room, still not recovered from the shock they had just experienced. The four of them exchanged looks, their expressions uncertain. ¡°What... what exactly is happening?¡± One of the Vice Presidents spoke up: ¡°Professor Xu Yun is highly respected and always composed and calm; this is the first time I¡¯ve seen him so flustered, as if he had seen a ghost.¡± ¡°Indeed...¡± The other two Vice Presidents and Group Leader Wang chimed in: ¡°Previously, we would have to go to great lengths to get a meeting with Professor Xu Yun, but him coming directly like this today is just unbelievable.¡± ¡°And he¡¯s even going upstairs himself to find Lin Xian, what sort of circumstance is this?¡± ¡°He couldn¡¯t possibly be here for the Rhein Cat, could he? That would be truly ridiculous...¡± Ding¡ª The elevator reached the 17th floor and opened with a sound. The door to Lin Xian¡¯s office was open, and Zhao Yingjun led Professor Xu Yun straight in: ¡°Lin Xian, Professor Xu Yun is looking for you.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Lin Xian was adjusting the Rhein Cat model on his computer. He turned his head and saw that Professor Xu Yun was looking at him with a complex expression. He naturally guessed the reason for Professor Xu Yun¡¯s visit and smiled slightly: ¡°Teacher Xu, long time no see. Is your research going smoothly?¡± ¡°Yes, very smoothly.¡±@@@@ Not knowing quite what to say, Professor Xu Yun hesitated, then turned to look at Zhao Yingjun. Zhao Yingjun got the hint and pointed at Lin Xian while introducing him to Professor Xu Yun: ¡°Professor Xu Yun, this is Lin Xian, whom you¡¯ve met before.¡± ¡°Then... we won¡¯t disturb you any longer, we¡¯ll be outside. If you need anything just call me, I¡¯ll be waiting outside for you.¡± After saying that, she turned and left, closing the office door behind her. Professor Xu Yun walked over. And immediately locked the office door from the inside. He then turned to Lin Xian: ¡°Lin Xian, I¡¯m flattered you call me teacher... I hope you don¡¯t take my previous attitude to heart.¡± Lin Xian shook his head, indicating it didn¡¯t bother him: ¡°Teacher Xu, since you¡¯ve come to see me today, you must have read the manuscript I sent you, right? What do you think of the information recorded on it? Was it helpful to you?¡± Professor Xu Yun nodded and recounted last night¡¯s events to Lin Xian in detail... ¡°Your manuscript is completely correct. Thanks to you, I have finally solved the Ice Crystal Problem. Now, I am only a step away from completing the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid that can be put into actual use.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that...¡± Professor Xu Yun¡¯s expression turned troubled, and he hesitated. Unsure why Professor Xu Yun had suddenly fallen silent, Lin Xian inquired: ¡°I was a bit out of sorts today, I apologize for the disturbance.¡± Zhao Yingjun shook her head and looked into the room at Lin Xian: ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Professor Xu, our MX Company always welcomes your presence. I¡¯ll arrange for someone to take you back to the university later, and I¡¯ll leave you my business card and Lin Xian¡¯s card, so you can contact us directly whenever you need to.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you¡ªI drove myself here.¡± Professor Xu Yun nodded, grabbed his briefcase, and hurried off. But on second thought... He had barged in recklessly, and now was leaving in a fluster, which felt quite discourteous. Considering he had already promised Lin Xian, mentioning it here with his boss wouldn¡¯t hurt, and it would also repay Lin Xian a favor. Professor Xu Yun turned around and looked at Zhao Yingjun: ¡°Miss Zhao, I¡¯ve already mentioned this to Lin Xian.¡± ¡°Actually, during this period, Lin Xian really took great care of me, and luckily, I¡¯ve made some significant breakthroughs in my research. So, I¡¯m considering...¡± ¡°If one day, my research really achieves a qualitative breakthrough, then the concerns I told you about before will vanish, and it wouldn¡¯t matter if I sold that failed chemical substance.¡± ¡°For the sake of Lin Xian... I will give priority to your company, and I will finalize the details with Lin Xian when the time comes.¡± Zhao Yingjun was slightly surprised; this was an unexpected twist. She glanced at Lin Xian, her eyes full of confusion. But she quickly recovered and returned Professor Xu Yun¡¯s smile: ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Professor Xu Yun. Gaining your authorization would be an honor for our MX Company. I sincerely hope your research will achieve a breakthrough soon!¡± ... Lin Xian and Zhao Yingjun saw Professor Xu Yun to the parking lot and watched him leave. As the car turned the corner, Zhao Yingjun chuckled softly. She turned her head, her eyes filled with amusement, and looked at Lin Xian: ¡°How did you persuade him?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t say much,¡± Lin Xian replied indifferently: ¡°Just gave him a few words of advice.¡± ¡°A few words of advice?¡± Zhao Yingjun chuckled again: ¡°Does Professor Xu Yun seem like someone who... takes advice easily?¡± Lin Xian scratched the back of his head. Looking up at the warm winter sun in the sky: ¡°People change, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°What in this world doesn¡¯t change? Hearts, society, the present, history, the future... everything changes; nothing is constant.¡± Zhao Yingjun was silent. She nodded in undeniable agreement: ¡°You make a good point, but you got one thing wrong.¡± A gust of wind stirred up the fallen leaves on the ground. ¡°History does not change.¡± Zhao Yingjun said, looking down: ¡°The outcome of the victors and the vanquished is already determined.¡± Her black coat fluttered in the wind as she turned and walked towards the company building: ¡°History will never change.¡± Whoosh... The dry and biting winter wind whipped up swirling vortexes of leaves and trash on the ground. Zhao Yingjun¡¯s high heels clicked away, disappearing around the corner of the parking area. Lin Xian watched her departure silently... ¡°History can change,¡± he murmured, looking at the swirling leaves on the ground. Lin Xian knew that the history Zhao Yingjun spoke of, and the history he referred to, were not the same. Zhao Yingjun¡¯s history referred to everything before the year 2022. Whereas the history in Lin Xian¡¯s eyes was the history between 2022 and 2624. Now that the Space-Time Butterfly Effect had been confirmed to exist, for that future world in his dreams 600 years later... ¡°I am history.¡± Chapter 45: 45 Confirmation Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Confirmation The leaves spinning on the ground were scattered by the wind and gradually drifted away. Lin Xian turned around and left the parking lot. ... Returning to the company, Lin Xian went straight to his office and pulled out Professor Xu Yun¡¯s marked manuscript from the drawer. About four or five red circles were drawn on it, marking the suspected errors and omissions. Lin Xian planned to not come to the company in the afternoon, but to enter the Dream World during the day and correct these chemistry formulas in the library there. ... ¡°Moreover... there are more important things that need to be confirmed,¡± he said. He paced the office, slapping the manuscript against his thigh, calculating in his mind... Since Professor Xu Yun had already solved the Ice Crystal Problem, it was only a matter of time before this news was released. From this point on, space-time and history underwent changes, the former development trajectory deviated, and the future should be rewritten in sync. ¡°If my previous conjecture is correct, then the future world in the Dream World must also undergo some changes in detail.¡± ¡°Just like... the Keke Cat in the previous dreams became the Rhein Cat after I ¡°intervened¡± in the real world and renamed it,¡± he mused. Lin Xian stopped walking and looked at the busy traffic outside the window. In the original history, the Ice Crystal Problem was solved by Dr. Mikerson in the year 2477. But in the current history, the Ice Crystal Problem had already been solved by Professor Xu Yun in the year 2022. Under such circumstances, could Dr. Mikerson still firmly hold the title of ¡°Father of Hibernation¡±? Wasn¡¯t it time to yield half a seat to Professor Xu Yun? Lin Xian had a strong premonition: ¡°The historical records in the Dream World are bound to change.¡± ¡°This is also my most powerful evidence in changing history and rewriting the future.¡± The biting cold wind picked up outside the window, rattling against the steel frame. Facing the halo, Lin Xian seemed to see a butterfly flutter unassumingly in the corner of his eye. With just a gentle flap of its wings, it could raise a storm capable of destroying everything in the 600-year long river of time. ... After returning home. Lin Xian ordered some takeout, quickly filled his stomach, and prepared for another journey to the library in the Dream World during the day. This time, he would finally be able to completely verify the truth of the Dream World. Had there been a Space-Time Butterfly Effect as he had thought? Had history and the future been successfully rewritten? All would be revealed after this foray into the Dream World. Lin Xian flipped through Professor Xu Yun¡¯s annotated manuscript again, reinforcing his memory of the mistakes. Will Zhao Yingjun really join the Genius Club? Zhao Yingjun is hardly a genius or an influential figure, so why did he receive an invitation? ... The Genius Club, it¡¯s just too mysterious. So mysterious that it leaves one completely in the dark, like a black hole, where merely a glance could pull you into an unfathomable abyss by the historical black hand. As of now. Without Dr. Mikerson¡¯s writings, I need to look for a new breakthrough. I believe someone will eventually replace Dr. Mikerson as the Father of Hibernation and sort out the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid, after all, technology doesn¡¯t go in reverse. Lin Xian took the elevator back down to the first floor of the library. He found an unused computer. He typed [How far has hibernation technology developed?] into the search engine, then hit the Enter key. Squeak... Squeak... Squeak... The computer was still slow, and the antivirus software in the lower right corner was still fighting each other ruthlessly, it¡¯s unclear which would emerge to rule supreme. Shortly after, the webpage refreshed. Lin Xian looked at the first result¡ª [To this day, the Hibernation Pod has still not been successfully developed. Technological breakthroughs in the field of hibernation only briefly appeared around the year 2200, when Academician Gao Wen from China successfully developed the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid. In the hundreds of years that followed, there have been no further breakthroughs in the field of Hibernation Technology.] ¡°As expected, the Hibernation Pod has still not been developed.¡± Lin Xian was not at all surprised by this result. After all, the data I gave Professor Xu Yun was all incorrect, so the impact on reality and the future was minimal; it only advanced the invention of the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid by more than 200 years. ¡°Academician Gao Wen.¡± Lin Xian stared at this unfamiliar name. Chances are... the title of Father of Hibernation has likely transferred from Dr. Mikerson to Academician Gao Wen. ¡°What goes around comes around.¡± ¡°If I take Academician Gao Wen¡¯s paper back this time, perhaps the next time I come back to this dream, the Father of Hibernation will be named after Xu Yun.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but speculate. If Professor Xu Yun managed to develop the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid in 2022... What kind of science fiction scenario would the future 600 years later present? Starship battles? Galactic wandering? Interstellar voyages? ¡°By then...¡± ¡°My world in the dream will definitely become even more interesting, won¡¯t it?¡± Chapter 46: 46 Gratitude Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Gratitude Lin Xian was already eager to welcome the ¡°new dream expansion.¡± He had been playing this dream repeatedly for over twenty years... Although he was far from having fully explored it, in terms of excitement and novelty, he had grown somewhat tired of it. Now that he had confirmed the dream was the real future world 600 years later, there was no need to ponder so much about CC and the safe anymore. To him, CC was a complete stranger, living in an era 600 years apart from his own. As for the familiar-sounding voice, it might just be a coincidence. And about the bank vault¡¯s safe... ... ¡°No wonder I could never guess the password.¡± Lin Xian scratched his head: ¡°It¡¯s very likely that it wasn¡¯t my safe at all, I¡¯d be shocked if I could guess the password.¡± The name Lin Xian wasn¡¯t rare; it wasn¡¯t uncommon for people to share the same name. Who knows which era¡¯s Lin Xian was the owner of that safe... He closed the web page. He opened the library¡¯s book management system. He searched for Academician Gao Wen¡¯s publications. Hibernation Technology Overview, Prospect and Technical Challenges of Hibernation Pods, Detailed Explanation of Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid, Outlook on Hibernation Technology By-products. There were four books in total. Clearly, the third book was Lin Xian¡¯s target. The note included the location of the book, also on the third floor in section C, but on different shelves. After Lin Xian wrote down the specific location, he once again took the elevator to the third floor and quickly found Academician Gao Wen¡¯s publication: Detailed Explanation of Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid. He found an empty table and sat down to read. The research approach of Academician Gao Wen and Dr. Mikerson was largely similar; perhaps it was the only solution to the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid, and Lin Xian quickly locked onto the position of that key chain reaction chemical formula. ¡°Indeed, I copied it down wrong, mixed it up with other chemical formulas.¡± Once the focus was found, it became easy to find and fix the omissions. ... Lin Xian took two days to ensure all the copying mistakes were corrected, and also filled in some important chemical formulas that he had previously missed. ¡°Phew...¡± Lin Xian wrote down the last character at his bedroom desk. He let out a long breath and leaned back in his chair: ¡°All done.¡± He picked up the three pages of new manuscript on the desk, sure that there would be no mistakes this time. ¡°Just now I checked the manuscript you brought, and based on my experience... the chemical reaction formulas on it should also be absolutely correct.¡± ¡°I believe, I can soon get the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid figured out.¡± Lin Xian smiled faintly, genuinely happy for Professor Xu Yun: ¡°Congratulations, Teacher Xu, your many years of wish is finally being realized.¡± ¡°According to your vision, the emergence and disclosure of the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid will definitely spark the world¡¯s research on hibernation technology, and I believe it won¡¯t be long before the Hibernation Pod can be successfully developed.¡± ¡°By then... Xu Yiyi will be able to take the Hibernation Pod to the future for treatment. I believe that in a few decades or centuries, human medical technology will definitely be able to cure comatose patients.¡± When it came to his daughter, hope ignited in Xu Yun¡¯s eyes as well. He grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s hand in a torrent of gratitude, saying that all this was thanks to Lin Xian, and that he had to properly thank Lin Xian. ¡°Then I won¡¯t disturb you anymore, Teacher Xu.¡± Lin Xian put on his coat, turned, and prepared to leave: ¡°I¡¯m going to have some breakfast and then head back to the company for the morning meeting. If there are any issues with the manuscript, you can contact me.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, wait a moment.¡± Xu Yun called out to him. Then, from the cluttered desk, he took out a thick file folder and handed it to Lin Xian: ¡°This is for you, consider it a modest token of gratitude.¡± Lin Xian accepted it. It felt heavy, as if filled with various materials. ¡°What is this?¡± Lin Xian asked, puzzled. Xu Yun smiled mysteriously and kindly: ¡°Open it and see.¡± ¡°I think... you will find it useful.¡± Useful for me? What could it be? Lin Xian, curious, unwound the string around the file folder and began to pull out the materials inside. At the top was a handwritten ¡°Exclusive Authorization Document¡±. It read: [Hereby grants Mr. Lin Xian... exclusive... gratuitous...] and at the end was Professor Xu Yun¡¯s personal signature. ¡°Is this...¡± Lin Xian realized. [This is the exclusive authorization document for that miraculous chemical substance that countless beauty companies around the world dream of!] Although it wasn¡¯t an official authorization document, a handwritten one still carried legal validity. What surprised Lin Xian even more was¡ª the Exclusive Authorization Document wasn¡¯t addressed to MX Company or Zhao Yingjun... but to himself. Professor Xu Yun had actually given him the exclusive rights to this chemical! ¡°Teacher Xu... What is this?¡± Chapter 47: 47 Authorization Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Authorization ¡°` Lin Xian was somewhat puzzled. He removed the first page of the authorization document, and, as he expected, below it were various experimental data and reports, likely providing precautions for preparing this chemical substance: ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that we should consider selling this chemical substance only after the hibernation pod filling liquid is completely finished?¡± Professor Xu Yun chuckled and patted Lin Xian on the shoulder: ¡°I¡¯ve been working in this area for a long time, and just by looking at that manuscript you sent earlier, I knew its authenticity.¡± ... ¡°Not to mention that now you¡¯ve helped me find and correct the missing pieces and erroneous formulas. With these standard answers in front of me, I can very soon finalize the hibernation pod filling liquid. Maybe tonight... perhaps you¡¯ll receive good news from me.¡± ¡°So making the hibernation pod filling liquid is just a matter of time, hence selling this by-product now or in a few days later, what difference does it make?¡± Lin Xian turned back and glanced at the ¡°Exclusive Authorization Document¡±: ¡°But Teacher Xu, there¡¯s no mention of the price or the profit share in your authorization document. And the section for the authorizer here...¡±@@@@ Professor Xu Yun simply folded the authorization document, put it back with the other materials into the document bag, and stuffed it into Lin Xian¡¯s arms: ¡°Since I¡¯ve already given you the exclusive rights, it now fully belongs to you. Naturally, the right to profits is yours as well. You can decide how much you want to sell it for.¡± ¡°As for the price I sold it to you...¡± Professor Xu Yun patted the manuscript Lin Xian had brought: ¡°Haven¡¯t you already paid for it? More than enough!¡± ... Then, without giving Lin Xian a chance to respond, Professor Xu Yun pushed him out of the laboratory and closed the door: ¡°Just make up the formal authorization document later, give those materials to your company¡¯s R&D department, they will understand them.¡± With that, he shut the laboratory door and resumed his research. ¡°...¡± Lin Xian looked at the thick document bag in his hands, the surprise came too unexpectedly. According to what Zhao Yingjun had said earlier, just one authorization was worth a million US dollars, not to mention the subsequent sales profit share. Suddenly, he had become a multimillionaire. However, this was also an act of kindness from Professor Xu Yun, or even gratitude. It would be impolite to refuse outright. Moreover... ¡°Once Professor Xu Yun really succeeds in researching the hibernation pod filling liquid, what with Nobel Prizes and national subsidies pouring in, the whole world will treasure him. I guess he won¡¯t be short of money.¡± After thinking it through without any concerns, Lin Xian decided to accept this kindness. This was truly an unexpected gain. It just goes to show that good things come to those who wait. Zhao Yingjun usually treated him well, and Lin Xian also liked the atmosphere at MX Company. So this time... He decided to give Zhao Yingjun a helping hand. On one hand, he had to monetize his own authorization eventually, so it was better to sell it to Zhao Yingjun than to another company. On the other hand... Lin Xian was still very curious about what was written on the Genius Club invitation that Zhao Yingjun received. This was an opportunity to gain Zhao Yingjun¡¯s favor and trust. If one day Zhao Yingjun trusted him enough, maybe he would have the chance to know the password for the office door, or even have the opportunity to be alone in that office. At that time, he might be able to sneak a look at that invitation. That¡¯s right. Lin Xian only planned to look secretly, and must never reveal his purpose in front of Zhao Yingjun. Because by the worst calculation... If Zhao Yingjun had already joined the Genius Club, and the Genius Club was an evil organization intent on hiding all traces, then revealing his interest in the Genius Club so obviously... might it lead to a fatal disaster? Safety first. Only by staying alive, can one continue to contribute. ... The logistics team leader finished reporting. Zhao Yingjun lifted his head and looked at Lin Xian: ¡°Lin Xian, it¡¯s your turn to report. Do you have anything to say?¡± Lin Xian nodded his head. He pushed the thick file bag on the table to the center: ¡°Everyone has misunderstood President Zhao. In fact, we have been quietly pushing this matter forward, and everyone must have heard about Professor Xu Yun¡¯s visit to our company a few days ago.¡± ¡°This morning, I went back to East Sea University to find Professor Xu Yun and have secured the exclusive authorization for this chemical substance.¡± ??? Dozens of gazes shot over like lasers, their eyes as wide as walnuts. ¡°So that means...¡± Lin Xian smiled slightly: ¡°We can restart ¡®Professor Xu Yun¡¯s Moisturizing Cream Plan¡¯ now!¡± Chapter 48: 48 Safe Box Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Safe Box Lin Xian¡¯s words. They were like a crowbar flipping a table, making everyone in the room unable to sit still. A Vice President hurriedly stood up: ¡°Lin Xian, is what you¡¯re saying true?¡± Lin Xian nodded. The Vice President quickly trotted over, cradling the document bag in both hands, then carefully opened it and took out the Exclusive Authorization Document. ... ¡°This is indeed Professor Xu Yun¡¯s own signature... It¡¯s real!¡± The Vice President excitedly examined the content of the authorization document. Indeed, Xu Yun had granted all rights and interests of the chemical compound to Lin Xian, unconditionally. Lin Xian was to make all decisions concerning the compound, with Xu Yun¡¯s own signature concluding the document. The smile on the Vice President¡¯s face froze instantly. He stared at Lin Xian in shock: ¡°Lin... Lin Xian, this Exclusive Authorization Document is granted to you personally, with all rights and benefits in your hands!¡± ¡°Yeah, after all, this is just a draft authorization document.¡± Lin Xian had already thought about how to explain. He didn¡¯t want to go into too much detail with everyone: ¡°Professor Xu Yun has been very busy recently and hasn¡¯t had the time to deal with these matters, so he entrusted everything to me.¡± ... Lin Xian¡¯s words sent the morale in the meeting room soaring! Everyone praised Lin Xian for his abilities! For his capability! He managed to secure Professor Xu Yun on his own! He saved MX Company in a time of crisis! ¡°That¡¯s too much, everyone exaggerates.¡±@@@@ Lin Xian smiled as he dealt with the enthusiasm of the section heads and Vice Presidents, claiming he really hadn¡¯t done much. But to everyone else, that was just Lin Xian being modest and courteous, and the shouts and applause in the meeting room lasted a long time. Meanwhile, the head of the R&D department was focused on the thick pile of research materials and experimental data. He studied them for a long time until a layer of mist formed on his glasses: ¡°Yes, President Zhao, this material details the preparation process of the chemical compound and its precautions... It can perfectly integrate with our preliminary work.¡± ¡°The previous approvals, permits, and filings can all continue to be used, and we will definitely make it in time for the scheduled press conference.¡± In just a few minutes. The atmosphere in the meeting room completed a 180-degree turn. The pent-up energy in everyone¡¯s hearts finally burst forth, with all longing to return to work immediately to make up for the time lost. The morale was higher than ever, with MX Company returning to its initial unified spirit. Unstoppable. ¡°No,¡± Lin Xian shook his head. He had only seen safes in the finance team leader¡¯s office and the Vice President¡¯s office. ¡°I¡¯ll have the logistics department set one up for you.¡± Zhao Yingjun began to dial an internal phone number: ¡°Lin Xian, make sure to lock these documents, contracts, and the Exclusive Authorization Document in the safe. It would be quite troublesome if they were lost.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing else, you can go back to your work now.¡± Bang! Lin Xian walked out of Zhao Yingjun¡¯s office, and the heavy password-protected door behind him slammed shut. He let out a breath... He had no idea when he would get another chance to see that invitation. This was also a reason he wanted to stay at the company. If he really resigned and left, he might never find a clue to access the Genius Club for the rest of his life. ... Two days later, in the afternoon. The employees from the safe company knocked on the door and greeted: ¡°Good afternoon, Mr. Lin.¡± Then, they carried a steel safe over a meter tall into Lin Xian¡¯s office. One of the employees handed over a set of keys: ¡°Mr. Lin, this safe has a dual-security structure with both a key and a combination lock. You must first turn the mechanical dial to enter the combination, and then use the key to open it. It has a very high security coefficient.¡± Lin Xian crouched down and looked at the two overlapping dials on the safe, thinking of the one in the dream bank warehouse... the one marked with his name. ¡°What if I lose my key, or forget the password?¡± Lin Xian asked curiously. The employee chuckled: ¡°Mr. Lin, if you lose the key, you might still be able to call a very professional locksmith to open the lock. But... if you forget the password, then I¡¯m afraid the safe won¡¯t open at all.¡± ¡°This safe is different from the usual safes. Its design is extremely intricate... there¡¯s practically no chance of cracking the password.¡± Lin Xian stood up and patted the body of the safe. There was a dull thud. It seemed to be made of solid stamped steel, very robust: ¡°But what if?¡± Lin Xian stared at the employee: ¡°What if I accidentally forget the password, but the contents of the safe are extremely important, how would I get them out?¡± ¡°Is there any way to open a safe if the password is forgotten?¡± The employee scratched his head in frustration: ¡°If I have to say...¡± ¡°There is indeed one last method!¡± Chapter 49: 49 Hibernation Pod Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Hibernation Pod ¡°What method?¡± Lin Xian asked curiously. ¡°Forceful destruction.¡± An employee of the safe company explained to Lin Xian: ¡°One of our previous clients was in a similar situation where their finance manager had a car accident, and the company urgently needed the official seal inside the safe, so they took the whole safe to a scrapyard and cut it open with an oxy-acetylene cutting torch.¡± ¡°This safe is made of solid steel formed by stamping, and ordinary cutting machines or crowbars can¡¯t open it ¨C even explosives won¡¯t work. The only way to cut through it is with an oxy-acetylene cutting torch; it¡¯s the last resort.¡± Hmm? ... An idea flashed through Lin Xian¡¯s mind: ¡°What kind of gun did you just mention?¡± ¡°An oxy-acetylene cutting torch, it¡¯s a type of sprayer that burns high-pressure acetylene. It can produce a flame with temperatures over 3000 degrees Celsius to melt steel for cutting. It¡¯s commonly used in industrial settings.¡± Having said that. The two employees picked up the paperwork, had Lin Xian sign it, left him a manual of precautions and a contact number, and then departed. ¡°Oxy-acetylene cutting torch...¡± Lin Xian noted the name. The steel safe in his dream that had his name on it... much of its paint had peeled off and it was rusting, without a doubt made of steel. In front of a 3000-degree cutting torch... It would surely be as vulnerable as tofu! ... Lin Xian had thought he would quickly enter the dream and cut open that safe with his name on it. But things did not go as he wished. He had been too busy these past few days. As the product launch was nearing, every day¡¯s tasks were very heavy. Lin Xian and his team members stayed late into the night at work before going home. He hadn¡¯t even had the chance to dream, not having dreamt for several days now. It wasn¡¯t just him. Everyone in the company was working furiously, all departments were working overtime to meet deadlines, staying up late or even pulling all-nighters was the norm. Even the usually meticulous Zhao Yingjun... inevitably began showing faint dark circles under her eyes. That afternoon. Lin Xian had just finished a task he was working on. Dingling ling dingling ling dingling ling dingling ling¡ª His phone rang. Lin Xian looked at the caller ID... ¡°Professor Xu Yun?¡± They hadn¡¯t been in touch for several days, could there be some news? Lin Xian picked up the phone. He answered the call¡ª ¡°Lin Xian! Do you have time right now?¡± On the other end, Professor Xu Yun¡¯s voice was unusually excited and agitated: Perhaps Professor Xu Yun¡¯s sealed pod could be considered a rudimentary ¡°first-generation, youth version¡± of a Hibernation Pod, far from reaching the true concept of hibernation, only capable of reducing life activity efficiency by twenty to thirty times. If this set of equipment could operate stably, then the passing of twenty to thirty years in the outside world might only increase the actual lifespan of the mouse by one year. This would allow a mouse that would normally live only three to four years to successfully ¡°travel¡± to the future world of decades later. Of course, this was just a mouse experiment. Actually applying it to humans, whether it could maintain for a long time or how many times it could reduce life activities, was still an unknown. ¡°The real challenge of hibernation technology lies not in the freezing but in the [thawing and resuscitation],¡± Professor Xu Yun patiently explained to Lin Xian: ¡°Next is the real historic moment that I invited you to witness.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to awaken this mouse that has been in hibernation for 40 hours at minus 60 degrees Celsius.¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t quite understand, so he just stood there watching Professor Xu Yun operate. Gradually... the temperature of the sealed pod slowly rose, taking about half an hour to slowly reach around ten degrees. Then Professor Xu Yun performed another series of complex operations. ¡°Squeak, squeak...¡± ¡°Squeak, squeak, squeak!!¡± The mouse inside the sealed pod started to become restless, frantically rolling around in the pale blue liquid, its nails constantly scraping against the walls of the pod! ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this liquid has a very high oxygen solubility. When it enters the lungs, it can carry out normal oxygen exchange, although of course...¡± there will be a lot of discomfort.¡± Professor Xu Yun, holding his chest, looked at Lin Xian: ¡°It must be very uncomfortable, but it can indeed ensure breathing without the danger of suffocation. However, I haven¡¯t tried it myself, and for now, it¡¯s just a guess.¡± Afterward, Professor Xu Yun drained the liquid from the sealed pod, took the scrabbling mouse out, and removed all the electrode patches from its body. ¡°Squeak, squeak, squeak!! Squeak, squeak, squeak!! Squeak, squeak, squeak!!!¡± The mouse shook violently, flinging off the liquid from its fur, and then leaped from Professor Xu Yun¡¯s hands. It went crazy, jumping up and down in the lab. ¡°Such exuberance.¡± Lin Xian remarked: ¡°It¡¯s hard to imagine it was in suspended animation for 40 hours, especially at a temperature of minus 60 degrees...¡± Technology is truly miraculous. To put a person into a low temperature of minus 60 degrees would probably mean death in no time, frozen stiff. Professor Xu Yun smiled slightly: ¡°Even though there are still many problems to be solved, this mouse¡¯s successful hibernation and resuscitation signify that the liquid, this Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid, is perfect. The hibernation theories involved are absolutely correct.¡± You could tell Xu Yun was genuinely happy; there was finally hope for his daughter, trapped in a vegetative state. Watching the mouse bounce around, Lin Xian asked curiously: ¡°Teacher Xu,¡± ¡°how many years do you estimate it will take for the true Hibernation Pod to be developed?¡± Chapter 50: 50: The Dream Inception Plan Chapter 50: Chapter 50: The Dream Inception Plan Lin Xian was very concerned about this issue. After all, Xu Yiyi was still lying in the hospital, with her perennially comatose constitution... Lin Xian worried whether she could survive until the day the Hibernation Pod became a reality. However. Professor Xu Yun had no worries about this at all, and with a chuckle, he said, ¡°That might take a very, very long time, perhaps humanity will never come up with the kind of Hibernation Pod seen in sci-fi movies that can last for hundreds or thousands of years.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter much. For us normal people, we don¡¯t need to sleep through hundreds or thousands of years in a Hibernation Pod. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going on a long interstellar trip, so why sleep for so long?¡± ... ¡°Take comatose patients like Yiyi or many patients with late-stage cancer, for example, they only need something that can sustain them for another ten or even several decades, waiting for medical advancements.¡± ¡°Based on my estimates...¡± Professor Xu Yun, propping up his chin, looked at the scurrying mice and thought, ¡°I anticipate¡ª¡± ¡°If the country invests enough, we might be able to develop a rudimentary form of a Hibernation Pod that can reduce human metabolic activity by tenfold within two to three years.¡± ¡°In fact, a tenfold reduction is already quite sufficient. Take Yiyi, for example, if she sleeps in the Hibernation Pod for ten years, she will only age one year. And during these ten years, medicine will advance, and so will science. Maybe even more advanced Hibernation Pods will appear.¡± Lin Xian nodded in agreement. Indeed, Professor Xu Yun had considered things more thoroughly. ¡°Then, Teacher Xu, when do you plan to publish your research findings?¡± ¡°At least a week¡¯s time, I guess,¡±@@@@ said Professor Xu Yun offhandedly: ¡°I still need to organize the papers, experimental data, and such. But the news and the reports, I guess they¡¯ll be released in the next few days.¡± He seemed to suddenly remember something, picked up some material from next to him, and handed it to Lin Xian: ¡°Speaking of which, during my research, I stumbled upon a byproduct, which I have already sent to my friends at the Aerospace Research Institute in China and they have confirmed the same results.¡± He presented several pages of documents to Lin Xian. They contained complex molecular formulas and various chemical structures, all of which Lin Xian could not understand. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°This is a hafnium compound, a brand new substance. This compound can be used to create a hafnium alloy, which is durable, corrosion-resistant, and can withstand high temperatures. It might be useful in the field of aerospace.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, if you don¡¯t mind... I would like to publish the experimental data on this hafnium alloy as well, even though I don¡¯t know exactly what it will be used for, but it will certainly contribute to certain technological developments.¡± Lin Xian nodded; of course, that was acceptable. The influence and progress of various disciplines on each other are mutual, and they all help to propel technology forward. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave you to your research, Teacher Xu, and not keep you any longer. I¡¯m looking forward to the day your paper is published.¡± ... After a few more days of burning the midnight oil at work. Three pieces of good news arrived in succession. But... Lin Xian was also clear in his mind. The main reason Zhao Yingjun granted him so much power was to keep him from leaving. Actually, even if she hadn¡¯t done this, Lin Xian would not have left. He genuinely liked MX Company and appreciated Zhao Yingjun¡¯s style. Furthermore, there was another point... If he left MX Company, he would only drift further away from that invitation to the Genius Club and the mysterious organization shrouded in historical mists. Therefore. He definitely wouldn¡¯t leave MX Company lightly before seeing the contents of that invitation. ¡°Also, there¡¯s one more thing,¡± Zhao Yingjun said, looking at Lin Xian: ¡°Your new office should be set up by the logistics department by now. It¡¯s on the 20th floor, much larger than your previous one. You can take a look.¡± ¡°Nothing else for now, you can go back to work.¡± Thud. After leaving Zhao Yingjun¡¯s office, the heavy coded door closed automatically behind him. Lin Xian blinked. He had only been in Zhao Yingjun¡¯s office for a few minutes... But coming out, it felt as though the outside world had undergone a sea change. The scale of the Rhein Cat IP Development Team had expanded, becoming the company¡¯s largest department; He had obtained full control over personnel and assessments, akin to a petty emperor; In terms of salary, he was now enjoying the treatment of a Vice President, with stock option incentives each year; His personal office hadn¡¯t even warmed up before he was switched to an even larger one, equipped with a safe. Not to mention the potential earnings from the magical chemical substance¡¯s licensing fee and sales profit... ¡°The upgrade is too fast.¡± Lin Xian rubbed his neck and walked toward the elevator. The elevator opened on the 20th floor, and Lin Xian quickly found his new office. The space was triple the size of his previous office, with an additional rest area partition, but it hadn¡¯t been equipped yet with a bed or clothes rack. In the office area, there was a large coffee table, a long sofa, two bookshelves, some green plants, a luxurious wooden desk, a new desktop computer, and a new laptop. Every aspect was much more upscale than his 17th-floor office. Lin Xian spent some time moving his personal items from his 17th-floor office, which made the spacious office feel a bit more lived-in. Lying in the comfortable executive chair, Lin Xian closed his eyes: ¡°No more overtime and late nights.¡± ¡°Tonight, I can finally enter the dream and crack open that safe!¡± Chapter 51: 51 Unity is Strength Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Unity is Strength Previously, by inquiring with the staff of the safe company, Lin Xian learned that safes could be forcefully opened using an ¡°oxygen-acetylene cutting torch.¡± Naturally, the same applied to the safe in the dream. He opened his computer and started searching for relevant information. The online encyclopedia stated¡ª An ¡°oxygen-acetylene cutting torch¡± is a high-temperature gas cutting method extensively used in various industrial fields. It¡¯s primarily used for the rapid cutting of irregular steel products, such as steel coils, steel ingots, and steel frames, among other steel items that are not easy to secure. Its principle is very simple. ... First, two cylinders of high-pressure liquefied gas are required¡ªone is liquified acetylene, the other is liquid oxygen¡ªboth of which are the main combustion materials for the cutting torch. The two liquefied gases are connected to a high-pressure spray gun via hoses, and after adjusting to the proper pressure and gas output ratio, they are ignited to produce a roaring, intensely spouting ¡°flame long knife.¡± The shape is similar to the flame of a windproof lighter that is commonly seen, only the length is dozens of times longer. At the ¡°heart¡± of the high-speed jetting flame, the temperature reaches 3000 degrees Celsius. This temperature far exceeds the melting point of steel (1500 degrees Celsius) and can easily melt steel into molten steel, effectively completing the cutting task. Lin Xian searched for videos of safe cutting on video websites and, without exception, they all used the oxygen-acetylene cutting torch to do it. Upon contact with the safe, the high-speed, incandescent flame seems to enter tofu effortlessly! It blew out countless tiny, burning sparks of iron! It took only a matter of ten seconds to cut through the entire safe! The molten steel at the cut edge flickered with a red glow, as if lamenting its impotence under the absolute high temperature. Lin Xian had seen that safe in the dream many times before. Eighty percent of the paint had already flaked off. There were layers of rust inside. It was clearly quite old. If it could rust, then it was definitely made of steel, which meant its melting point wouldn¡¯t exceed 1500 degrees Celsius, so using an oxygen-acetylene cutting torch to cut it would pose no problem at all. Lin Xian then looked up more information... The technology for this oxygen-acetylene cutting torch was very mature and widely distributed. It could be freely purchased on any construction site, steel market, and even on online shopping platforms. In those small shops that made steel frame billboards by the roadside, it was almost a tool in every worker¡¯s hand.@@@@ ¡°Since this item is so common, it should be easy to find in the dream as well,¡± Lin Xian thought. Only then did Lin Xian remember that in his real life, he had seen this device countless times before. During primary school, as he and Gao Yang went to and from school, they would pass by a street full of advertising signs, where workers frequently used electric welding and oxygen-acetylene cutting torches to weld the steel frames. Both devices were extremely bright when in use and would throw off scorching iron sparks, so the workers covered their entire faces with heavy-duty goggles. And Lin Xian and Gao Yang, who passed by, would often inadvertently glance at them, leading to dark spots in their vision for a long time afterward, similar to looking directly at the sun. ... Lin Xian turned off the computer. Luckily, he had a god¡¯s eye view and plenty of bargaining chips for negotiating with the two of them. No big deal. After he finished washing up, he turned off the lights and lay down in bed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ... ... Whew! Familiar summer winds brushed his face; it had been a long time since Lin Xian had entered a dream and felt this heat. His body instantly warmed up. He glanced at the electronic billboard next to him: [August 28, 2624] [21:42] The surrounding environment, the crowd, the scenery ¨C everything was no different than usual. Lin Xian estimated that once Professor Xu Yun¡¯s paper was published, human technology would inevitably advance by leaps and bounds. By then, the plaza in the dreamscape would surely undergo earth-shattering changes as well. Whether it was the level of technology, the surrounding architecture, people¡¯s lifestyles, or even the toys the kids on the plaza played with, it would all transform into a completely different scene. ¡°This unchanging dreamscape of 23 years is finally about to embrace a complete and drastic change.¡± ¡°Will this plaza still exist then? What will the surrounding scenery turn into?¡± The thought of soon saying goodbye to all this familiarity made Lin Xian feel somewhat reluctant to let go. ¡°Then, with this limited time left... Let¡¯s crack open that safe. I¡¯m quite curious about what¡¯s really hidden inside.¡± Looking eastward, he saw two brothers who had thrown aside their masks and run off, shouting about Ultraman flying kicks and slides. Lin Xian walked up and picked up the Ultraman mask from the ground, putting it on his face. Then he approached the portly figure stepping out of the van: ¡°Big Face Cat!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± A face covered with Rhine Cat Mask and filled with horizontal flesh turned around. Smack. Lin Xian¡¯s right hand rested on his shoulder. As the masks drew close, he whispered: ¡°Listen patiently, I have something very important to tell you...¡± Chapter 52: 52 The Three of Us Chapter 52: Chapter 52 The Three of Us ¡°Fast!¡± On the van, Big Face Cat cursed loudly: ¡°That bitch actually dared to deceive me!¡± He looked at Lin Xian wearing an Ultraman mask: ¡°Brother, you know about my father and daughter and about my three little brothers... I knew you were no ordinary person; I trust you!¡± ¡°But,¡± he continued, ¡°you said you could take me to tons and tons of gold bars¡ª is that really true? I¡¯m not doubting you, brother, I¡¯m just curious where in this city there could be so many gold bars?¡± ... ... Just now, after Lin Xian stopped Big Face Cat in the square, he called him over to the van for a detailed chat. Given the dramatic difference in their intelligence, Lin Xian quickly gained Big Face Cat¡¯s trust by using his information advantage. The second step was to persuade Big Face Cat to put aside past grievances and join his own cooperative plan. Lin Xian nodded, looking at Big Face Cat: ¡°Since I¡¯ve told you so many secrets already, why would I lie to you about this?¡± ¡°I know this city too well, including where the money is hidden. You see, there are people in this world whose riches cannot be kept in a bank, and even if you steal it right in front of them, they wouldn¡¯t dare to make a police call. Robbing this kind of money is the safest.¡± ¡°Just...¡± Lin Xian glanced at his watch and shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s just that we definitely don¡¯t have enough time today; I can only take you to rob it tomorrow.¡± ¡°Hey ya!¡± Big Face Cat slapped Lin Xian on the shoulder and laughed heartily: ¡°What¡¯s one day¡¯s difference, eh? Tomorrow it is! So what shall we do today?¡± Lin Xian pulled open the van door and jumped out: ¡°Just wait here, I¡¯ll go call over the Code Expert. Remember our agreement: I¡¯ll take you to make money tomorrow, and the grudges between you and her will be wiped clean. Today, you two follow my orders.¡± ... After getting out of Big Face Cat¡¯s van, Lin Xian closed the door. He adjusted the mask on his face. Lin Xian walked towards the other side of the square. Soon, he spotted CC¡¯s location.@@@@ She was the same as always. No changes at all. Her oversized black trench coat, bulky bun, a figure as slender as a model¡¯s, and the Ultraman mask on her face serving as a covert sign for meeting up. ¡°CC.¡± Lin Xian walked straight up to her: ¡°Long story short. Our goal is the same¡ªto open the bank vault with the safety deposit box labeled with ¡®Lin Xian¡¯.¡± ¡°But on the condition that you¡¯ve truly dealt with Big Face Cat¡ªhe¡¯s no easy target.¡± Lin Xian lowered his wrist, thumb pointing at the van parked on the roadside: ¡°Pleasure doing business.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to meet our teammates.¡± ... With a huge advantage in intelligence, everything proceeded smoothly. Lin Xian pulled open the sliding door of the van¡¯s rear seat and invited CC to seat herself first, then he followed closely and sat in the back, pulling the sliding door closed from the inside. Bang! The rattling door closed, causing the whole vehicle to shake a few times. ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°...¡± For a moment, nobody spoke. The three least likely characters to sit together did just that, silently seated inside a van. Big Face Cat swallowed and observed the backseat through the van¡¯s rearview mirror. He saw two righteous, fierce-looking Ultramen staring straight ahead, and in the corner of the rearview mirror... a Rhein Cat whose face was squeezed between layers of flesh, distorted into a forced smile. This combination was too bizarre! ¡°Cough cough!¡± Big Face Cat coughed twice, turned around, and through the small holes in his mask, looked left and right at the twin Ultramen: ¡°Well... which one of you is going to hurry up and explain what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Female Ultraman, you don¡¯t have to be so alert, let¡¯s let bygones be bygones, the money issue the Male Ultraman said he would help me with.¡± ¡°Male Ultraman, didn¡¯t you say you were going to command tonight¡¯s operation? Start discussing the plan then!¡± Lin Xian also straightened out his thoughts for what came next, and spoke up: ¡°Enough talk, let¡¯s get to work.¡± ¡°Big Face Cat, head to the east side¡¯s building materials market first, we¡¯ll look there for an oxyacetylene cutting torch.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t find one there, we¡¯ll circle around to the southern advertising store; we need that device to cut open the safety deposit box.¡± Roar¡ª The van started and headed towards the building materials market. On the way, the three of them had no communication. Lin Xian was calm. He crossed his hands over his stomach, watching the evenly retreating streetlights ahead, reminiscent of passing time, like he was cycling through the same dream over and over. In that safety deposit box... What exactly was hidden inside? Chapter 53: 53 The Crowd Chapter 53: Chapter 53 The Crowd At last. The trio, after some searching, found the oxyacetylene cutting equipment in an advertising storefront. A cylinder of liquid acetylene and a cylinder of liquid oxygen, Lin Xian and Big Face Cat made two trips to finally load the two heavy liquefied gas cylinders onto the van. Meanwhile, CC grabbed the gas hose and torch, and also stole three welding masks from the next door store to ensure a clear view of the flame during cutting and to prevent retinal burn. ¡°Got the lighter, too, everything¡¯s all set,¡± Lin Xian said. Lin Xian checked his watch, too much time had been delayed. ... ¡°Let¡¯s go, to the bank!¡± he announced. He, along with Big Face Cat and CC, got back into the van.@@@@ Fastened their seatbelts. Everything went smoothly. Boom¡ª The shaky van started once again. On the drive, Lin Xian specifically instructed Big Face Cat: ¡°Brother Lian, since there¡¯s no money in the bank vault anyway, don¡¯t rush to clean house and betray your own people, spare those three underlings of yours,¡± Lin Xian said. ¡°We two alone can¡¯t carry these two big cylinders, we have to rely on your little brothers to help transport them.¡± Big Face Cat nodded, silently turning the steering wheel: ¡°I¡¯ve already arranged everything, just trust me,¡± Big Face Cat said. ¡°But don¡¯t tell them about the lack of money yet. Those three are only after profit; if they knew there was no money inside... they definitely wouldn¡¯t join us in this risk,¡± Big Face Cat continued. ¡°You just focus on planning your strategy, I¡¯ll take care of those three,¡± Big Face Cat assured. ... Before long, the van arrived at the familiar bank entrance. Lin Xian looked at his watch, it was nearly twelve; the equipment search had taken too much time. He opened the door, and three masked underlings were already waiting by the vehicle. Two of the underlings were carrying the acetylene cylinders. Big Face Cat and another underling were carrying the oxygen cylinders, Lin Xian held the three welding masks in his left arm and the torch and hose in his right, while CC, light on equipment, held a small computer for cracking passwords. The six-person crew stood ready at the bank entrance. ¡°Go!¡± Big Face Cat gestured expansively. The makeshift group of odds and ends marched imposingly into the bank. Smooth sailing all the way, the six made it to the door of the bank vault, gazing at the silver-colored password door shimmering with a dim light. The three masked men rubbed their hands together excitedly: ¡°After we pull off this job, I can go back home and get married!¡± one of them said. ¡°Brother Lian, have you organized our escape? Are we staying in the country?¡± another asked. After a few seconds, she too holstered her gun, picked up a small computer, and went to crack the passcode door. Lin Xian watched Big Face Cat, who was engulfed in smoke and clouds. Kicked the corpse at his foot to the side: ¡°Have you always been this ruthless, or did it start after something happened to your daughter?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t remember...¡± Big Face Cat, biting the cigarette butt, grinned: ¡°But I indeed wasn¡¯t like this when I was young. They, too, weren¡¯t like this when they were young.¡± He gestured at the three bodies on the ground, sighed, and with a cloud of dense smoke coming out: ¡°We used to be in the same village, all good brothers, they followed me and even though we might not have done many good deeds, at least their hearts weren¡¯t bad.¡± ¡°But after stepping out into the world... people¡¯s hearts change, and the team becomes hard to manage. When there¡¯s no money, everyone¡¯s a good brother, but once there¡¯s money, they all get greedy, each playing their own game.¡± ¡°However...¡± Big Face Cat paused and looked at Lin Xian to continue: ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right, if my daughter hadn¡¯t died, I probably wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.¡± ¡°If my daughter were still alive, I definitely wouldn¡¯t be doing these acts of killing and arson, risking my head. I would¡¯ve wanted to live a few more years, to cut a somewhat respectable figure, to say a word or two at my daughter¡¯s parents¡¯ meeting.¡± ¡°But, there are not so many ¡®ifs¡¯... My life has turned out like this, and it can¡¯t be changed. As long as I can avenge my daughter, I will die with no regrets.¡± ... Lin Xian looked at Big Face Cat as he stamped out his cigarette butt, remaining silent. [Life can change.] When Professor Xu Yun publishes his paper, and the hibernation technology is launched hundreds of years ahead of time, both the present and the future trajectory will undergo monumental changes. Under the influence of the Space-Time Butterfly Effect... Not just the life of Big Face Cat. The lives of CC, of every person in the plaza, of the future 600 years from now, the entire Dream World will be revitalized, transformed into something completely different from the present. Would Big Face Cat still be a desperado then? Would CC still be obsessed with cracking the safe? Would the Otter Brothers still be dueling on the plaza as usual? Everything is an unknown. But everything will, ultimately, change. ... Beep, beep. The passcode door made two crisp sounds. Then, with a click, the light on the password lock turned from red to green, and the heavy silver passcode door swung open. CC turned her head and looked at the two: ¡°The door¡¯s open!¡± Chapter 54: 54 A Different CC Chapter 54: Chapter 54 A Different CC CC successfully cracked the password door and led the way in. Big Face Cat, dragging a can of acetylene, followed her inside. Lin Xian was the last to enter the bank vault. ¡°Eh?¡± Upon seeing the gleaming, brand-new, and mirror-smooth bank vaults that lined the walls¡ª he was instantly dumbfounded on the spot. ... What happened? Why has it changed! The vaults he had seen before were old and peeling, covered in rust. But now, they looked as if they were newly made! He quickly approached the vault with his name on it, touching its material... Smooth and bright, cold and hard. Using the spray gun, he scratched at it forcefully a few times, and not a single mark was left! Thud! Lin Xian punched the vault. In his mind, he abruptly recalled the words spoken by Professor Xu Yun: ¡°You see, during my research, I inadvertently came up with a byproduct, which I¡¯ve already sent to friends at the Aerospace Research Institute, and they¡¯ve confirmed the same results.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a hafnium compound, a completely new substance. This compound can be used to create a hafnium alloy, with high hardness and resistance to corrosion and high temperatures. It might have some applications in the field of aerospace.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, if you don¡¯t mind... I¡¯d like to publish the experimental data on this hafnium alloy, although I¡¯m not sure of its use, it could certainly promote the development of certain technologies.¡± Clang. Lin Xian bowed his head and threw his face shield and spray gun on the ground: ¡°We¡¯ve been played.¡± CC and Big Face Cat heard this and turned their puzzled faces toward him: ¡°What do you mean we¡¯ve been played?¡± ¡°Who has played us?¡± Lin Xian raised his hand and pointed at the nameplate on the vault with a name on it: ¡°Lin Xian.¡± He shook his head and laughed helplessly: ¡°We¡¯ve been played by Lin Xian.¡± ... Big Face Cat and CC looked at each other, completely unable to understand what Lin Xian was talking about. But at this moment, Lin Xian had already figured out the cause of this ¡°Temporal Flux¡± and the ¡°Space-Time Butterfly Effect¡±. ¡°Temporal Flux is uncontrollable.¡± Lin Xian suddenly realized this. His actions could indeed rewrite the future, but such changes would not always yield the desired positive feedback! Sometimes, as now, it was like lifting a rock only to drop it on one¡¯s own foot, turning a future that would have been advantageous into one that was detrimental! The brand-new vault in front of him. There was no doubt it was the result of his own actions 600 years in the past that had caused the temporal flux. Lin Xian was certain... On previous visits to this bank vault, the vaults embedded in the walls were definitely made of steel, and they were very old. The paint was nearly all peeled off, and the interior was speckled with rust, clearly of at least a century old. If not for regular storage and maintenance, protected from the elements... they could well be classed as unearthed relics. But because of Lin Xian¡¯s intervention in history, it led to Professor Xu Yun discovering an entirely new compound while researching hibernation pod filling liquid¡ª a novel type of hafnium alloy. Lin Xian didn¡¯t know the specific properties of this alloy. But Professor Xu Yun said it was resistant to high temperatures and corrosion, had high hardness and could be used in aerospace... it must be an extremely advanced material indeed. Furthermore, a few days ago in the news reports, the Aerospace Research Institute of China confirmed they had received samples from Xu Yun. The fact that the institute would issue a statement about it was enough to indicate that the performance of the new type of hafnium alloy was truly outstanding. Therefore, it goes without saying... If the patent for this material were truly to be made freely available, then in addition to aerospace, there would likely be some specific industries that could use this material. So, Big Face Cat exclaimed: ¡°Is this the outer shell of a spaceship!?¡± Lin Xian silently nodded: ¡°This might be one of the few things you¡¯ve guessed correctly... By the way, I want to ask, are the safes you usually encounter on the outside this heat-resistant?¡± ¡°Definitely not!¡± Big Face Cat looked shocked: ¡°I¡¯ve seen plenty of safes, but never one that can withstand heat like this!¡± Lin Xian pondered with his chin in his hand... It seemed that the previous speculation was somewhat off. Even after a temporal flux, the majority of safes wouldn¡¯t use this kind of ¡°spacecraft outer shell grade¡± material because it¡¯s entirely unnecessary. [So, what¡¯s so special about the safes in this bank vault? Why use such an impressive material to forge them?] Lin Xian wasn¡¯t clear on the cost issues of this new titanium alloy, but it seemed very expensive! Ordinary safes couldn¡¯t possibly afford such material, which is why Big Face Cat and CC also found it surprising. ... CC, paying no attention to the other two, snatched the torch: ¡°Let me try.¡± Then. Again, the sound of the roaring, heating flames. But no matter how much they scorched, no matter what angle or position they tried... the silvery bright safe stood immovable like an ancient artifact, without even the slightest hint of color change. ¡°This is freakin¡¯ spooky!¡± Annoyed, Big Face Cat loaded his handgun and, finding an angle that wouldn¡¯t cause a ricochet, fired two shots at the other safes. Upon closer inspection... Similarly, not a single scratch had appeared, smooth as ever! ¡°This thing is too damn hard!¡± Clang. CC threw down the torch and mask in her hand and wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead with a sigh. All three of them realized it. There was no hope. ... ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I owe both of you an apology.¡± Lin Xian took the initiative to admit his mistake: ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡± However... CC shook her head, her gaze through the Ultraman mask held no blame as she looked at Lin Xian: ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault.¡± ¡°I can tell, you also really wanted to open this safe; we just didn¡¯t succeed, that¡¯s all.¡± Hearing CC say this, Lin Xian was quite surprised. He thought CC would be as before, glaring at him, calling him a liar... This was the first time she had spoken to him so politely. It seemed that her ¡°approval rating¡± of him was relatively high this time. Lin Xian took off the mask from his face and looked at CC: ¡°As it stands, there¡¯s no chance of violent destruction to open the safe; the only way is to guess the right password.¡± ¡°There are many things I can¡¯t explain to you clearly, but I do know more than you, have more opportunities, and am closer to the correct answer.¡± ¡°[So, CC, can we share some information?¡±] Lin Xian stepped forward, looking at CC: ¡°Our goal is the same, to open this safe.¡± ¡°I can answer your previous questions, telling you about the Lin Xian I know. But in return, afterward...¡± ¡°[Can you tell me why you want to open this safe? Or any clues, information, or hints about it would be useful.]¡± ¡°Just give me some key hints and clues... perhaps, I can really figure out the password!¡± Under Lin Xian¡¯s gaze, CC slowly turned her head, watching Lin Xian through the Ultraman mask. After a pause of about fifteen seconds... Finally. She nodded: ¡°Alright.¡± Chapter 55: 55: Harvest Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Harvest The attitude of CC left Lin Xian somewhat astonished. This was probably the best, most patient, and most communicative she had ever been towards him in all of their interactions. Maybe it had something to do with the plot that had transpired between the two of them. In their previous encounters, they were either enemies or each harbored ulterior motives, or they simply bickered and quarreled, making it difficult to have such a calm exchange. But this time, everyone¡¯s identity was different. Because of a common goal, everyone banded together. ... Even if they ultimately failed to open the safe, they had truly gained CC¡¯s trust. That¡¯s why she was willing to exchange information with him for the first time ever. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go first,¡± said Lin Xian as he leaned against the unheated safe, gradually recounting the Lin Xian he knew... In reality, he was just introducing himself. Beginning from graduation from university and moving on to his day-to-day work¡ªjust as if he were in a job interview. But just as he had barely started to tell his tale¡ª ¡°Alright, you don¡¯t need to continue,¡± CC interrupted, shaking her head: ¡°The Lin Xian you know shouldn¡¯t be the same person as the owner of this safe.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lin Xian didn¡¯t understand. He had indeed doubted it before, suspecting that this safe was not his at all. But as much as he doubted... deep down, he still held onto a sliver of hope. What if this safe was one he stored in 2032, or perhaps in 2042? Logically speaking, it was possible. Because it was still 2022 for him, a time before he would have had the chance to store anything in the safe, he naturally didn¡¯t know the password. But unexpectedly, CC directly concluded that this Lin Xian was not that Lin Xian¡ªit couldn¡¯t be him. ¡°Because... it¡¯s too ordinary,¡± CC sighed: ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know what the real Lin Xian should be like. I don¡¯t know any Lin Xian at all, but my intuition... it definitely isn¡¯t the ordinary Lin Xian you know.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Lin Xian spread his hands: ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to listen, I won¡¯t talk about it. Now, it¡¯s your turn to answer my questions, right?¡± CC nodded and also leaned against the safe: ¡°I don¡¯t even know where to start, but ever since I was young, my memories have been a mess.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t describe the feeling, it¡¯s as if there are many memories in my mind that don¡¯t belong to me, yet they are experiences from my life. It¡¯s like... the life of another me, in another world.¡± ¡°Is it a dream?¡± asked Lin Xian. CC shook her head: ¡°It¡¯s not a dream, of that I¡¯m certain. Even though these memories are fragmented and vague, just a series of disconnected snippets, I¡¯m sure they aren¡¯t dreams.¡± ¡°Does it feel like a parallel universe?¡± Lin Xian asked again. CC was silent for a moment, then nodded ambiguously: ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Whatever it is, it¡¯s a feeling hard to explain. I¡¯ve seen doctors, and they say it¡¯s a delusional disorder, possibly multiple personality disorder.¡± ¡°But those fragmented memories... they just feel too real. I have a hard time believing they are just fabricated fantasies. So, I wanted to come here to verify.¡± She turned around, pointing to the safe with Lin Xian¡¯s name on it: ¡°Among those fragmented memories, there is a middle-aged man that I¡¯m certain I¡¯ve never seen before and absolutely do not know, with really long, messy hair and an exaggerated beard.¡± Middle-aged man? Long hair? Large beard? The image of a wild, eccentric uncle surfaced in Lin Xian¡¯s mind. ¡°In the memory fragments, that person told me that he left something for me in this safe, and said¡ª¡± But that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°Changes in the future are uncontrollable... It¡¯s quite possible to end up worse off, ultimately shooting oneself in the foot.¡± He took this lesson to heart. In the future, when attempting to alter reality or rewrite the future, he would definitely need to consider the pros and cons more carefully. [2. When does Temporal Flux occur? A point of no return is needed.] Lin Xian understood why the new Hafnium alloy and the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid, although both were Professor Xu Yun¡¯s breakthroughs, only the new Hafnium alloy triggered the Space-Time Butterfly Effect, while the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid did not. The reason lies in a very simple concept¡ª ¡°Spilled water cannot be retrieved.¡± With the new Hafnium alloy, Xu Yun had already sent samples and data to China¡¯s Aerospace Research Institute. From that moment on, no one could prevent this product from spreading into various industries around the world. Even if China¡¯s Aerospace Research Institute decided to keep it to themselves, over the span of 600 years, the material would inevitably leak and transition from aerospace to civilian use. Therefore, from that point in time, the new Hafnium alloy became ¡°spilled water¡± that could no longer be retrieved, hence the Temporal Flux occurred as scheduled. But the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid was different. The research findings were not yet published and were still in a ¡°Schrodinger¡¯s cat state,¡± with only Xu Yun holding the sole copy of the paper. There were many ways to prevent its publication. Even Lin Xian himself could casually speak to Xu Yun and persuade him to change the method of publication. Lin Xian believed Xu Yun would consider his opinion to some extent if he insisted. After all... Xu Yun had indeed asked for his opinion, and in this respect, Xu Yun still genuinely respected him. Moreover, Xu Yun¡¯s paper was not yet fully organized, and everything was still uncertain. Therefore, for the time being, the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid hadn¡¯t been spilled yet and still had the potential to be altered, so it hadn¡¯t triggered any Temporal Flux. ¡°Temporal Flux needs a point of no return... interesting, I thought it would be a real-time change.¡± Lin Xian somehow felt that there must be other rules or laws in the details of Temporal Flux. [3. CC¡¯s mind contains memories that don¡¯t belong to her.] This is hard to explain at the moment. But Lin Xian had also experienced similar dream confusions, so he could somewhat understand it. He wasn¡¯t sure if CC genuinely had delusional disorder or a split personality... Her memories were not complete, just fragmented and unconnected pieces. And CC was risking opening the safe precisely to prove whether those were delusions or real memories. ¡°This point... is quite similar to my previous attempts to validate dreams, all for the sake of a truth, an answer.¡± [4. The long-haired, bearded middle-aged man in CC¡¯s memory fragments, his voice is very similar to mine.] This piece of information was crucial. ¡°No wonder CC didn¡¯t kill me many times before, and she had this mysterious trust in me... It must be due to the voice that made her curious about me.¡± Lin Xian nodded. This cleared up his previous doubts. CC didn¡¯t know him and hadn¡¯t seen him before. But his voice was similar to that of the man in her memory fragments, which explained her abnormal attitude toward him. ¡°Could that strange uncle be me?¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but consider this possibility... Mainly because the dream had ended too abruptly; he hadn¡¯t had the chance to ask CC for more details, which could have helped him make a judgment. But at the moment, Lin Xian felt the likelihood wasn¡¯t very high. ¡°First of all, CC and I live in completely different eras. In a normal timeline, we would never meet in our lifetimes, or even across several lifetimes.¡± ¡°Secondly, there are many people with similar voices; I even find hers oddly familiar. Plus, CC¡¯s memory fragments might not be reliable.¡± ¡°Lastly, and most decisively¡ª¡± Lin Xian touched his clean-shaven chin, his brow slightly furrowed: ¡°I would absolutely never grow long hair and a beard...¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Chapter 56: 56 An Qing Chapter 56: Chapter 56 An Qing ¡°` Putting everything else aside. Just the fact of having long hair and a beard was something Lin Xian absolutely couldn¡¯t accept. ¡°Could it be that the safe isn¡¯t actually mine?¡± Lin Xian rested his chin in his hand and pondered... After so many attempts, he truly had tried every 8-digit password he could think of. ... All the meaningful dates, the dream sequence time 26240828, numbers like 0042... he had tried them all, even inputting them in reverse or jumbled order, [ensuring that no possibility with dates was overlooked]. Passwords are such things. People don¡¯t set combinations they themselves can¡¯t remember. Especially with passwords made up solely of numbers, there has to be a special significance. ¡°If that safe really isn¡¯t mine but belongs to someone else with the same name Lin Xian, then I¡¯ll never be able to guess the password in this lifetime.¡± Lin Xian yawned widely. Days of consecutive overtime and staying up late had led to an exhaustion not easily remedied by a day or two of sleep. Just now, Lin Xian had forced himself to sit up to sort out his thoughts. The moment he stopped, drowsiness surged like a flood, and his eyelids became too heavy to lift: ¡°I should sleep first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to slack off and think about it when I¡¯m at work tomorrow.¡± ... The next day. He went to work on time, doing his usual tasks. The whole company was permeated with a festive atmosphere, akin to the New Year celebrations. After the successful launch of the Rhein product line, MX Company¡¯s various businesses had seen explosive growth, and everyone¡¯s salaries were raised accordingly, naturally resulting in a time of prosperity and happiness. These last few days, everyone had light workloads and were looking forward to the celebration banquet to be held at Victoria Hall on Saturday night. Victoria Hall was one of the top banquet venues in Donghai City, and that ¡°one of¡± held significant weight, definitely being in the top three. Zhao Yingjun had booked the entire hall, inviting all employees of the Rhein Project to participate in this lavish celebration banquet. The gesture was admirable. But it was also within expectations. Just with the pre-sales of the Rhein brand¡¯s debut moisturizer, MX Company had already surpassed its goals for the first quarter of 2023... and this was before New Year¡¯s Day, effectively reaching next year¡¯s first-quarter targets, a feat that could only be described as fierce. And Lin Xian, dubbed ¡°Father of the Rhein Cat¡±, had briefly become an internet sensation. But such attention was fleeting. Next to the adorable Rhein Cat, who Lin Xian was didn¡¯t matter at all, and no one paid attention, just as no one knows the designer of Hello Kitty. He took the elevator. Lin Xian pressed the button for the 20th floor. The logistics department had completely tidied up his new office. The elevator doors opened. This floor was much quieter than the previous 17th floor. The strands of hair beside the ears. The long eyelashes. The corners of the mouth lifted in a smile. The curved, crescent eyes filled with laughter. The two small dimples on the cheeks, faintly visible. The details continually evolved on the paper. The image of CC with a backward glance and a smile started to become clear. As Lin Xian sketched, he marveled at how his skills hadn¡¯t diminished... his level of sketching was still so high. Back in the college entrance examination, he pursued an art-specific admission and ranked among the top in the province in sketching. It was hard to say whether it was talent or effort. Anyway, at that time, Lin Xian was so determined to improve his sketching skills that he would study in the studio during the day and find a place to practice even in his dreams at night, truly forsaking sleep and food for his art. Rustle, rustle, rustle. Lin Xian¡¯s sketch was being completed. The girl on the paper had her hair tied neatly behind her head, eyes shaped like crescent moons with a perfectly placed teardrop mole beside them, the delicate face paired with a charm-contributing smile, lively and adorable. This sketch, so meticulously drawn by Lin Xian, looked as if it could rival a black and white photograph and even appeared more three-dimensional than the photo itself. Bang! The door to the office was pushed open: ¡°Lin Xian, take this invitation to the celebration banquet to Professor Xu Yun.¡± Lin Xian looked up in bewilderment. He saw it was Zhao Yingjun. No wonder... she was the only one bold enough to enter anyone¡¯s office without knocking. ¡°Oh, alright.¡± Lin Xian stood up and took the red invitation. Zhao Yingjun looked down. She glanced at the sketch on the desk... and nodded: ¡°You drew it really well.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost identical to her.¡± ??? Lin Xian took a step back and looked at Zhao Yingjun: ¡°You know who I drew?¡± Zhao Yingjun looked up: ¡°Are you joking, Lin Xian?¡± ¡°In the entire Donghai business circle, who doesn¡¯t know who she is?¡± She pointed at the paper with the girl whose smile was as blooming as a flower: ¡°Isn¡¯t the girl you drew Chu Shanhe¡¯s daughter...¡± ¡°Chu Anqing?¡± Chapter 57: 57 Side Effects Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Side Effects ¡°This is Chu Shanhe¡¯s daughter!?¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t believe it. Zhao Yingjun looked at Lin Xian as if he was an idiot: ¡°What¡¯s so surprising about that? Didn¡¯t you draw it yourself?¡± ¡°True, I did the drawing... but I¡¯m certain I didn¡¯t draw Chu Shanhe¡¯s daughter.¡± Lin Xian waved his hand in denial, not wanting any confusion: ¡°I don¡¯t even know Chu Shanhe¡¯s daughter, never even met her... Today is the first time I¡¯m hearing her name from you.¡± ... Zhao Yingjun narrowed her eyes, looking at Lin Xian suspiciously for a moment. Eventually... she lowered her head, snorted softly, and chuckled: ¡°Alright, then I misunderstood.¡± She tapped the invitation in Lin Xian¡¯s hand and instructed: ¡°This is the invitation for the celebration banquet on Saturday night; you should deliver it to Professor Xu Yun later.¡± ¡°It¡¯s best to ask if Professor Xu Yun wants to come; if he decides to, we will arrange a dedicated car and driver for him.¡± Lin Xian nodded and looked at the invitation in his hand. It was quite high-end, with the MX Company logo printed on the back: ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll deliver it to him in a while.¡± Zhao Yingjun turned to leave. But then she paused: ¡°Additionally...¡± She turned her head, looking at Lin Xian:@@@@ ¡°Although I don¡¯t promote office romances, there are indeed quite a few nice girls in our company. If you really plan on dating... you might consider someone more realistic.¡± Lin Xian was speechless. So Zhao Yingjun thought he had a crush on Chu Shanhe¡¯s daughter. He hastily folded the piece of sketch paper and stuffed it into the black notebook on the desk: ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean it that way, President Zhao. I just did a random sketch, thinking it¡¯s been a long time since I last drew, just to practice.¡± ¡°If you think the two of them look alike, then it¡¯s purely a coincidence.¡± Zhao Yingjun didn¡¯t say anything else; she just nodded with her eyes closed: ¡°Alright, work hard, Lin Xian.¡± She gave Lin Xian a final look, walked out of the office, and closed the door behind her. ¡°Alas...¡± Lin Xian still managed to slip in, thanks to his face that didn¡¯t look any different from that of a university student. After entering the laboratory building, Lin Xian arrived at Professor Xu Yun¡¯s laboratory. But Xu Yun was not there... Only after calling did he find out that Xu Yun was at the hospital with his daughter. Lin Xian looked at the invitation in his hand... He felt that it would be impolite and less formal to talk about it over the phone; it would be better to make another trip and personally deliver it. And when he thought about it, it made sense. Xu Yun had already achieved success and had completed the research on the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid. There was indeed no need to stay in the lab every day. With the time available, it was only right to spend more time with his daughter in a vegetative state. Lin Xian took another taxi to the Donghai University Affiliated Hospital and entered Xu Yiyi¡¯s ward. The ward was very clean. Xu Yun was performing muscle stretching exercises on Xu Yiyi while happily chatting with his daughter. Talking about his research achievements, Telling her that they would soon have the first generation of simple Hibernation Pods, And that she would be able to hibernate into the future for treatment and wake up to lead her own life. Seeing Lin Xian come in, Xu Yun greeted him with a beaming smile and beckoned him over. Then, holding his daughter¡¯s hand, he smiled and said, ¡°Yiyi, this is Lin Xian, the benefactor we should be most grateful to. Whether it¡¯s Daddy¡¯s research achievements or your hope of awakening, it¡¯s actually all thanks to Lin Xian¡¯s contributions.¡± ¡°Yiyi... when you wake up, stand up, and begin a new life, Daddy might not be here anymore. You should remember to visit Brother Lin Xian. Or when you wake up from hibernation... you might have to call him Uncle Lin Xian.¡± With that, Both Xu Yun and Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but laugh. It all depended on how long Xu Yiyi chose to hibernate. If she went into hibernation for fifty or sixty years before being thawed for treatment... by then, she might as well call Lin Xian grandpa; if she chose to hibernate for two or three hundred years before thawing, she might need to burn some paper money for Lin Xian. ¡°Teacher Xu, in fact, you could choose to hibernate with Xu Yiyi, so in the future when Yiyi wakes up, you could still live happily together,¡± Lin Xian suggested. However... Xu Yun gently shook his head with a tender smile, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something that I haven¡¯t yet disclosed to the world. But you can¡¯t cover fire with paper, and once my paper is completed and made public, scientists and research institutes will sooner or later find out...¡± He looked up at Lin Xian, his eyes somewhat sorrowful, ¡°Do you know...¡± ¡°What is the biggest side effect of hibernation?¡± ¡°` Chapter 58: 58 The Storm is Approaching Chapter 58: Chapter 58 The Storm is Approaching Lin Xian shook his head. Hibernation has side effects? Science fiction movies never mentioned these... In their setting, hibernation is a very relaxed affair, just sleep for a few hundred years, a few thousand years, tens of thousands of years, and then it was over.@@@@ After Teacher Xu said so, Lin Xian realized this blind spot. They say that all medicines have their poison. ... What medicine and treatment method doesn¡¯t have some side effects? Not to mention hibernation, such a complex human project, it couldn¡¯t possibly be without any side effects. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Teacher Xu.¡± Lin Xian answered truthfully: ¡°Does hibernation have other side effects? Are they related to bodily functions?¡± Professor Xu Yun shook his head. He extended his index finger, tapped his own head: ¡°The biggest side effect is that due to the long-term inactivity of brain signals, it can cause varying degrees of memory loss.¡± ¡°Actually, in terms of bodily functions, hibernation won¡¯t have any side effects, even if there is a certain amount of muscle atrophy, it can be recovered through exercise.¡± ¡°But... the damage to brain memory is something that cannot be avoided whatsoever. The current theory of hibernation can indeed slow down various physiological reactions by dozens or hundreds of times, but the principle of brain memory is very complex. It is a vague retrieval pattern maintained by neural signal stimulation.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell you too much about the complexities, Lin Xian. In short, the longer the hibernation, the more memory will be lost. Of course, the actual situation will vary slightly from person to person, but if the duration of hibernation exceeds twenty years... there¡¯s a high probability of losing all memories.¡± ... Lin Xian nodded. Memory loss as a side effect does sound quite plausible. Professor Xu Yun stroked his daughter¡¯s withered arm, speaking with a gentle smile: ¡°Actually, it¡¯s alright if Yingjun forgets me, even if she forgets me completely... She will start her brand new life, whether or not she remembers me, her old father, doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to forget her... I don¡¯t want to forget Yingjun. Yingjun was only lively and boisterous during her childhood years, and my memories of her are only that little bit...¡± ¡°These memories, I¡¯m not willing to lose even a bit of them.¡± ¡°Moreover, if memory is lost, does it also mean that emotions will disappear? If after waking up, Yingjun and I become strangers, without any feelings... I think that would be a very terrifying thing.¡± Professor Xu Yun looked at Lin Xian with a slight smile: ¡°So, I won¡¯t go into hibernation.¡± ¡°I will live to the last second of my life, cherishing the memories of Yingjun, and use every last second of my life to research a better Hibernation Pod for her.¡± ¡°So, Lin Xian, if you are still around when Yingjun wakes up in the future... I will trouble you to take a little extra care of this child.¡± Lin Xian reflexively waved his hands! No, no, no. He couldn¡¯t bear such a responsibility! ¡°This is essentially an internal event for our company. I haven¡¯t invited anyone else, fearing it might inhibit everyone¡¯s ability to relax.¡± ¡°However, this morning... a bigwig proactively asked to join, saying he wanted to come and offer his congratulations in person.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Lin Xian asked curiously. ¡°Someone you know.¡± Zhao Yingjun smiled, ¡°Chu Shanhe.¡± ? Lin Xian was quite surprised: ¡°Chu Shanhe is coming? I never imagined he would take the initiative to come and congratulate us.¡± ¡°What are you thinking, Lin Xian, of course it¡¯s not us.¡± Zhao Yingjun tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear: ¡°Chu Shanhe wouldn¡¯t care about our small business and minor success. He¡¯s mainly coming to congratulate Professor Xu Yun.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, for all these years, it has been Chu Shanhe alone who¡¯s been supporting Xu Yun. Plus, he¡¯s someone who¡¯s extremely passionate about scientific endeavors. I suspect he decided to come and personally congratulate Professor Xu Yun after learning he would be attending our celebration.¡± ¡°But he certainly won¡¯t stay for long, Chu Shanhe is a man of culture and stature. He¡¯ll probably just make a congratulatory speech, say hello, meet Professor Xu Yun and then leave without staying for the meal.¡± Oh... So that¡¯s how it is. Chu Shanhe was coming for Professor Xu Yun, which made everything reasonable. His admiration and respect for scientists were well-known. Chu Shanhe was probably even happier than Xu Yun himself for the latter¡¯s achievements. It goes without saying, this MX Company¡¯s celebration... could be considered ¡°a gathering of the illustrious.¡± Having Professor Xu Yun attend was already an honor. And it was even more unexpected that Chu Shanhe would come to celebrate in person. ¡°The prestige of our celebration is indeed quite high, with the two highest-status individuals in Donghai City attending,¡± Lin Xian said with a laugh. Zhao Yingjun didn¡¯t speak, just looked at Lin Xian with a hesitant expression. This made Lin Xian feel uncomfortable. Was there a fly on his face? ¡°What is it, President Zhao?¡± Zhao Yingjun smiled meaningfully and continued: ¡°Your comment isn¡¯t wrong; our celebration does have a high value.¡± ¡°Remember what I told you last time at the science fundraising dinner? Whenever Chu Shanhe attends important banquets, he brings along his precious daughter, almost like he¡¯s showing her off... as if afraid no one would know he has such a beautiful daughter.¡± ¡°So...¡± She looked up at Lin Xian: ¡°Chu Shanhe isn¡¯t coming alone this time.¡± ¡°He said he¡¯ll bring his daughter with him...¡± ¡°Chu Anqing.¡± Chapter 59: 59 Opening Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Opening Is Chu Anqing coming too? Lin Xian felt like gathering for a round of mahjong. A small celebration, yet it seemed everyone was making their way over. Traditionally, a gentleman bringing his family to a banquet was the ultimate expression of etiquette, showing deep respect for the occasion. It wasn¡¯t strange that Chu Shanhe would bring his daughter along. And besides... ... Lin Xian was indeed curious: were CC and Chu Anqing, these two girls... really identical, as Zhao Yingjun had claimed? The answer would naturally be revealed at tomorrow night¡¯s celebration. Afterward. Lin Xian left Zhao Yingjun¡¯s office to get back to work. ... After work in the afternoon. He went to the usual diner to meet up with Gao Yang. The other party took off his down jacket, his face full of anticipation as he looked at Lin Xian: ¡°Really, my good brother! You¡¯re inviting me to dine at Victoria Hall? The buffet there is usually so damn expensive!¡± Lin Xian chuckled. He picked up the red invitation and waved it. ¡°My good brother¡ª¡± Gao Yang grabbed the invitation with a flick of his hand, flipping it open with a grin. He kept muttering how great it was. His mouth was almost drooling: ¡°I¡¯m really curious to see... what sort of delicacies the upper class eats to dare charge such exorbitant prices!¡± ¡°By the way, Lin Xian, we¡¯ve both been busy recently, and I haven¡¯t had the chance to ask about your visit to the psychologist...¡± Gao Yang stuffed the invitation into his pocket and looked at Lin Xian: ¡°Did you confirm it afterward? Did you take off the girl¡¯s mask?¡± Lin Xian put down his chopsticks. He nodded: ¡°Confirmed, Doctor Liu was right, my dream was just a pure fabrication, nothing serious.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been concerned about it at all. If you hadn¡¯t brought it up today, I would have forgotten about it myself.¡± He was lying. It wasn¡¯t that he intended to deceive Gao Yang. It¡¯s just... Now that it had been confirmed the dreams were a real vision of the future, such supernatural phenomena and abilities were unsafe to share widely, unsafe in various senses. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear, haha, a false alarm!¡± Gao Yang picked up his glass, laughed heartily, and clinked glasses with Lin Xian, downing his drink: ¡°It¡¯s also good you¡¯ve got one less thing to worry about!¡± Long time no see. The majority of the company¡¯s employees were young people without families. So, they decided to go ahead and celebrate the New Year here too. Those who came today were all here for the countdown to midnight; there was no need to have dinner too early. ¡°Lin Xian, Professor Xu Yun is about to arrive. Come with me to the entrance to welcome him,¡± Zhao Yingjun called out to Lin Xian as she came out of the inner hall. Lin Xian nodded and followed Zhao Yingjun¡¯s pace. As always, she exuded a commanding presence, dressed in a dark red haute couture gown, appearing like a tall wine glass. Her red gem earrings shimmered bright red with every step she took in her high heels. ¡°How is Professor Xu Yun coming here?¡± ¡°He¡¯s taking a cab,¡± Zhao Yingjun replied with a hint of resignation: ¡°I had arranged for someone to pick him up, but he didn¡¯t want to make a fuss, especially since there are many media reporters camped outside the school. So, he insisted on taking a cab.¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s his style.¡± The two walked out of the hall and onto the steps, where the temperature dropped sharply. Two professional attendants immediately opened black umbrellas to shield them from the falling snow. Zhao Yingjun checked her watch, rubbing her arms: ¡°He should be here soon. I called him just now and he had already reached the previous intersection.¡± She smiled at Lin Xian: ¡°In Donghai City, aside from Chu Shanhe, you¡¯re probably the only one who can invite Professor Xu Yun to such a banquet.¡± ¡°Lin Xian, I don¡¯t know what favor you did for Professor Xu Yun or why he owes you one, but I do need to thank you for helping MX Company through a difficult time.¡± Lin Xian shook his head: ¡°I¡¯m also a member of MX Company, doing this is my duty.¡± A taxi appeared from around the corner of the entrance, heading towards the steps. It was probably Professor Xu Yun arriving. Zhao Yingjun and Lin Xian stepped out from under the umbrella. Once the taxi stopped, Lin Xian opened the door for Professor Xu: ¡°Teacher Xu, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Professor Xu Yun chuckled and shook hands with Lin Xian, then with Zhao Yingjun: ¡°Miss Zhao, thank you for your kind invitation.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too polite, Professor Xu,¡± Zhao Yingjun responded with a polite smile: ¡°It¡¯s our honor to have you.¡± ¡°Please come in, Professor Xu. It¡¯s cold outside; let¡¯s head inside,¡± Professor Xu Yun was in a good mood today. He even dressed up, wearing a sharp suit. He stamped his feet on the red carpet, shaking off the sludge from his shoes, and proceeded into the banquet hall with Zhao Yingjun. Lin Xian followed behind, glancing back at the departing taxi and the wheel tracks gradually being filled in by the heavy snow... He felt something was amiss. But he couldn¡¯t pinpoint what exactly was wrong. ¡°Lin Xian?¡± Turning around, he saw that Zhao Yingjun and Professor Xu Yun were both waiting for him. ¡°Come inside,¡± Zhao Yingjun said with a smile, pointing at the cheering and clapping crowd in the hall: ¡°The banquet...¡± ¡°Is about to begin.¡± Chapter 60: 60 The Princess and the Dream Chapter 60: Chapter 60 The Princess and the Dream Professor Xu Yun¡¯s arrival took the atmosphere at the venue to its zenith. With the protagonist here, the celebration banquet could naturally begin. Zhao Yingjun had originally planned to have Professor Xu Yun say a few words, but he declined. So Zhao Yingjun went straight to the stage and delivered the opening speech, recounting the impressive sales and achievements of the new Rhein brand and thanking every employee of the company for their hard work. ¡°Today¡¯s success of MX Company, the successful launch of the new Rhein brand, would not have been possible without the effort of every employee. But if we have to name the most deserving of thanks... I believe everyone has the same answer in mind.¡± After Zhao Yingjun finished this sentence, ... the hall erupted once again in warm applause. All eyes instinctively turned towards Lin Xian, filled with recognition and admiration. Everyone was clear in their minds. Without Lin Xian, how could there be a celebration banquet like today¡¯s? Whether it was the design of the Rhein Cat or securing the authorization from Professor Xu Yun, Lin Xian¡¯s contributions to MX Company were there for all to see. The whole company now regarded Lin Xian as a ¡°Vice President¡±; in fact, during the recent personnel adjustments, many expressed indignation on Lin Xian¡¯s behalf, feeling that Zhao Yingjun¡¯s promotion of Lin Xian had been too conservative, and that he should have been promoted directly to the position of Vice President. As the applause faded... Zhao Yingjun stretched out an arm towards Lin Xian: ¡°Now, please welcome Group Leader Lin Xian to the stage to deliver the New Year¡¯s greetings to everyone.¡± ... Amid the applause and cheers, Lin Xian walked onstage with a smile and took the microphone: ¡°Thank you, leaders and colleagues, for your recognition. First, I must say that the success of the Rhein brand belongs to each and every one of us, and there is no distinction between the size of contributions made. Like everyone here, I have simply done my own duty.¡± ¡°It is precisely because each of us has done our job well that our new Rhein brand has been able to have such a successful launch and achieve such success. Therefore... each of us is a hero of today¡¯s celebration!¡± ¡°2022 is coming to an end, and in this year...¡± Thanks to his experience as a host at the university for many years, Lin Xian¡¯s stage presence was very steady. Coupled with his specially practiced hosting voice, everyone listened intensively and was deeply moved. When Lin Xian finished the final New Year¡¯s speech, the entire hall burst into unprecedented enthusiastic applause. It was a manifestation of everyone¡¯s admiration and respect for the youngest group leader, the most promising young man in the company. Next, it was time for the dinner banquet. Countless delicacies, fine wines, and desserts were served by the waiting staff and arranged in an orderly fashion on the long tables on both sides. Abalone and lobster, at Victoria Hall¡¯s dinner, could only be considered entry-level appetizers. The names of the top-tier ingredients prepared by world-renowned chefs were unfamiliar to many, but they emitted an enticing aroma that greatly stimulated the appetite. ... Although Professor Xu Yun wasn¡¯t accustomed to such gatherings, happiness is indeed contagious. A delicate figure also waved her hand, politely smiling and nodding to the people on both sides. She was dressed in a beige tulle gown, her fluffy chestnut-brown hair tightly coiled behind her head, leaving the girl¡¯s tender neck and jawline exposed, with exquisite craftsmanship. Beyond her pearly teeth and rosy lips, there was no other makeup. This natural beauty required only a smile like a spring breeze to surpass all the heavy makeup and artificial adornment. She followed behind her father, alternately waving and smiling at the crowd. Her beautiful eyes curved into charming crescents, and the dimples by her mouth appeared like fleeting glimpses, delighting all who saw her. And the beauty mark by her left eye added the perfect touch, enhancing her already radiant appearance with another hint of allure. For a moment... Lin Xian held his breath, disbelieving his own eyes! CC. That was unmistakably CC! The same hair color and style, the same curved eyes, the same expression and posture, the same glance and smile, the same slender cuteness, even the same dimples and beauty mark! He finally understood... Why Zhao Yingjun, after only one glance at the sketch of CC, blurted out that the drawing was of Chu Anqing... Because the two girls looked so alike! No. Not alike, not similar in spirit, But truly ¡°identical¡±! The Chu Anqing walking toward him and the CC who smiled back in the dream were indistinguishably alike! What on earth was going on? How could there be two people as similar as if they were copied and pasted in the world, especially separated by 600 years of time and space? For a moment, a mix of noises tangled confusingly in Lin Xian¡¯s mind¡ª ¡°Mr. Lin, are you certain that you can distinguish between reality and dreams?¡± ¡°CC, just call me CC.¡± ¡°The person in your painting is not Chu Shanhe¡¯s daughter... Chu Anqing?¡± ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°Do you know... what¡¯s the biggest side effect of hibernation?¡± ¡°By then, you won¡¯t be able to tell dreams from reality at all.¡± ... The bright lights in the hall shone down. Lin Xian¡¯s vision was a bit dazed. Gazing at the approaching smile, his eyes met hers, and Chu Anqing waved to him... Revealing a sweet smile. Chapter 61: 61 Ive Seen You Chapter 61: Chapter 61 I¡¯ve Seen You Lin Xian looked at that sweet and agreeable smile, and it was hard to discern between it and the smiling face of CC from his last dream. But the eye contact with Chu Anqing was fleeting, and she continued to wave and smile at other people around. Lin Xian began to breathe... In that case, it seemed that Chu Anqing was not familiar with him at all, one might even say completely a stranger. There wasn¡¯t a single hint of special recognition in her eyes when she looked at him, just the polite and elegant demeanor from before, same as she would show to any guest in the hall. However. ... The degree of similarity that was ¡°copy-pasted¡± made Lin Xian somewhat question his previous speculations. He wasn¡¯t given any extra time to ponder as Chu Shanhe, smiling cheerfully, led Chu Anqing through the crowd and walked up to him. Zhao Yingjun stepped forward first: ¡°Mister Chu, we are really grateful for your presence despite your busy schedule.¡± Chu Shanhe seemed to be in a great mood and chuckled as he replied, ¡°Not at all, not at all, it¡¯s just the bad weather that caused traffic delays, so I apologize for being late.¡± Zhao Yingjun then turned to look at Chu Anqing: ¡°Anqing, long time no see, how is college life treating you?¡± Chu Anqing giggled, her eyes curving into crescent moons, her features blooming with pear blossoms: ¡°Thank you for your concern, sister, everything is going well.¡± Chu Shanhe looked at his daughter with eyes full of indulgence, then raised his head to look at Lin Xian: ¡°This young man has an impressive appearance, he must also be a capable and reliable part of your company, right?¡± Zhao Yingjun smiled and nodded her head: ¡°Mister Chu, you flatter us. This is the creator of Rhein Cat, the youngest department head in our company, Lin Xian.¡± ¡°As it happens, Lin Xian is also a talented graduate who just finished his studies at East Sea University this fall, and is an alumnus of both Professor Xu Yun and Anqing. It is truly fate that brings us together today.¡± Upon hearing that Lin Xian was a student who had graduated from East Sea University, a flash of recognition crossed Chu Shanhe¡¯s eyes, and the smile he gave Lin Xian also warmed considerably: ¡°Just graduated this year, young man? Which college did you belong to?¡± ¡°College of Art and Design,¡± Lin Xian answered truthfully. ¡°Then it is indeed fate!¡± Chu Shanhe laughed heartily: ¡°Anqing is also in the dance major at the College of Art and Design. She¡¯s loved dance since she was a child and even performed at the freshman welcome event¡ª¡± ¡°Dad!¡± With a girlish voice, Chu Anqing looked at Chu Shanhe reproachfully: ¡°There¡¯s no need to bring up such a trivial matter...¡± Having said that, she looked at Lin Xian and said with a smile: ¡°Hello Senior Lin Xian, I¡¯m a freshman this year.¡± ¡°My name is Chu Anqing.¡± Lin Xian smiled and nodded: ¡°Hello, hello.¡± And for that reason, Lin Xian had heard her voice through the loudspeakers... but since he heard the voice without seeing the person, he didn¡¯t make a lasting impression and had never connected to this clue. ¡°This is even stranger...¡± Lin Xian swirled his glass. Looking at the situation now, it wasn¡¯t just that CC and Chu Anqing were identical in appearance and stature; even their voices and intonations were indistinguishable. Furthermore, their ages also seemed to match perfectly, both appearing to be around seventeen or eighteen years old. To say they are not the same person... even Lin Xian himself couldn¡¯t believe such a coincidence. Although from the perspective of temporal logic, this wasn¡¯t something the yet-to-be-invented Hibernation Pod could explain, not even 600 years later. But... There must be other reasons, which would need further verification before drawing conclusions. In any case, it was best to enter a dream as soon as possible and go find CC. ... Chu Shanhe and Professor Xu Yun were deep in animated conversation, toasting each other as if they planned to chat for a while. Zhao Yingjun looked towards Chu Anqing: ¡°An Qing, shall we go over there for a stroll? Have some snacks?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As the two prepared to leave, Zhao Yingjun turned back and looked at Lin Xian: ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us, Lin Xian? It will give Mister Chu and Teacher Xu some time to talk.¡± ¡°Since you and An Qing graduated from the same school and college, as a senior, you should share some experiences with your junior.¡± Lin Xian nodded. He couldn¡¯t get a word in with Chu Shanhe and Professor Xu Yun, and just standing there wasn¡¯t less awkward; he¡¯d been wanting to slip away. He followed behind the two young women. Given the height difference, he was able to look down upon Chu Anqing¡¯s fair neck and soft shoulders. Her gown was off-shoulder, revealing spotless, jade-like skin without reserve. Lin Xian noticed a shallow indent about the size of a fifty-cent coin on the delicate skin of Chu Anqing¡¯s left upper arm, presumably the only flaw on her otherwise flawless skin. But that couldn¡¯t be helped. That shallow indent was a scar left from receiving the BCG Vaccine in childhood. For most people, it wasn¡¯t noticeable, almost invisible. But due to individual physique, some people¡¯s BCG Vaccine scars were very obvious, visible at a glance. This kind of scar, resulting from a vaccine received in one¡¯s later years... might be the most precise anti-counterfeiting mark. ¡°Senior Lin Xian.¡± Chu Anqing turned around, her eyes brimming with smiles as she looked at Lin Xian. Lin Xian came to his senses and offered a polite smile: ¡°What is it, Miss Chu.¡± ¡°Just call me An Qing.¡± Chu Anqing¡¯s gaze was clear: ¡°I just remembered...¡± She looked up at Lin Xian. Blinking her eyes: ¡°I¡¯ve seen you before!¡± Chapter 62: 62 00:42 Chapter 62: Chapter 62 00:42 Met before? Lin Xian was somewhat surprised. In theory, there shouldn¡¯t have been any intersection between their life trajectories. Even if they were both studying at the same university, Lin Xian had graduated in July of this year, while Chu Anqing only started her studies in September, representing a perfect case of ships passing in the night. Before today, the closest they had been to each other was probably the distance between the presidential platform and the drill ground¡¯s fence during the military training opening ceremony. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t think of where else they might have met. ... ¡°Have we met before?¡± Lin Xian asked, ¡°Where was it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not in reality...¡± Chu Anqing said with a slight smile, ¡°In our dance class, the teacher often showed us recordings of performances by seniors from the past years, all taken during various school anniversary celebrations. Before each performance, there was a host who would introduce it, and one male host appeared quite often.¡± ¡°The moment I saw you just now, I felt you looked familiar, and your voice was very familiar too. Now I remember, that host was you, wasn¡¯t it!¡± ¡°Senior Lin Xian, when you were at school... did you often host various anniversary events? I have a good memory, I usually don¡¯t get it wrong.¡± ... So that¡¯s how they had ¡®met¡¯. ¡°Yes, that must have been me.¡± Lin Xian explained with a smile, ¡°During my four years at East Sea University, I did often host various campus events. I was fortunate that my teachers took an interest in nurturing me, giving me so many opportunities to practice.¡±@@@@ ¡°You¡¯re too modest, Senior!¡± Once the conversation started, they found it easy to chat. About the school, teachers, campus anecdotes, gossip... the topics seemed endless. As they were talking, Lin Xian felt a little dazed. It seemed like the person he was talking to wasn¡¯t Chu Anqing. It was CC. That night in his dream, they had leaned against the safe, chatting like old friends. To CC, Lin Xian might have been just a temporary team member cobbled together at random. But to Lin Xian, he had already spent many repeated moments with CC, so calling them old friends wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. Now, chatting with Chu Anqing as seniors and juniors, he felt the same ease and lack of barriers. This truly amazed him. Was this wealthy young lady just naturally outgoing, or had he started to treat her as a shadow of CC? He couldn¡¯t figure it out, but indeed, talking with her felt very natural. Until. Lin Xian happened to look up... And saw Zhao Yingjun¡¯s motherly gaze, her aunt-like smile spreading as she watched them! Lin Xian quickly suppressed the corners of his mouth. Looking left and right. He noticed the many Rhine Cat Dolls scattered around: ¡°There are lots of Rhine Cat Dolls over there, Anqing, do you want to pick some to take home?¡± At that moment, the glass of the front passenger seat rolled down, and the taxi driver called out: ¡°The doors on the right are broken, get in from the left side, please!¡± Xu Yun didn¡¯t think much of it. He walked around the back of the taxi, heading toward the road¡ª Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud. Behind him, Zhao Yingjun was jogging out holding several gifts; she had just gone to fetch the New Year¡¯s presents prepared for Professor Xu Yun. She looked helplessly at Lin Xian: ¡°Professor Xu Yun still insists on taking a taxi?¡± Lin Xian sighed: ¡°Yes, it¡¯s already this late...¡± As if by reflex, he lifted his left wrist to look at his watch: [00:42] Lin Xian paused for a moment. BOOM!!!!!!! A loud roar and crash sound came from ahead! A black sedan suddenly appeared out of the dark night! The insane speed of the car sent Professor Xu Yun flying high up into the air! He flew far, more than a dozen meters away! Thump. He landed heavily on the ground, motionless. ¡°Teacher Xu!¡± ¡°Professor Xu Yun!¡± Lin Xian and Zhao Yingjun cried out in shock. Zhao Yingjun, wearing high heels, ran toward Professor Xu Yun! Lin Xian looked at the driver in the taxi by the roadside. Mouth mask! Hat! Sunglasses! Fully covered! It was the same person who had driven Professor Xu Yun here! ¡°Get out!¡± Vroom¡ªWhirr!!! Before Lin Xian could get any closer, the black sedan and the taxi both sped off with screeching tires, flinging the muddy snow from the ground, and quickly disappeared around the corner of the road. Lin Xian quickly ran toward Xu Yun. ¡°Teacher Xu!¡± He felt a surge of sadness, his vision blurred. A ghastly gash stretched from Xu Yun¡¯s head to his abdomen... His split skull was utterly lifeless, and blood poured out from his body in large gushes... ¡°Teacher Xu...¡± Lin Xian¡¯s voice was hoarse. The spilling blood stained the white snow a spreading crimson. Xu Yun¡¯s pupils were dilated. Not a breath of life... Chapter 63: 63 The Murderer Chapter 63: Chapter 63 The Murderer ¡°Teacher Xu!!¡± The stench of blood in the air made Lin Xian¡¯s scalp tense. The bizarre sensation of being drawn out of the surrounding world came over him again, with a strong ringing in his ears drowning out all other sounds. Even though he had experienced countless bloody scenes in dreams. But when a familiar person died before his eyes, and the torn body lay lifeless in front of him, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t help but feel panicked and disturbed. This was reality. ... There would be no cycles of reincarnation here, no rewinding of time. The dead would not be standing there smiling the next day. This sloppy yet earnest man. He had finally seen hope for his daughter¡¯s awakening... but before he could feel any joy, he had tragically left this world. ... Hospital. Lin Xian and Zhao Yingjun were sitting on chairs outside the emergency room, frowning with no communication between them. Bang. The door to the emergency surgery room burst open, and a doctor wearing a mask and surgical attire stepped out. ¡°Doctor.¡± ¡°How is Professor Xu Yun...?¡± Lin Xian and Zhao Yingjun hurriedly got up to greet him. But the doctor... Closed his eyes and shook his head. He pulled out a document and read to them: ¡°The victim¡¯s injuries were too severe, with skull fracture, exposure of cranial and thoracic cavities, extensive deep wounds, and excessive blood loss... By the time the ambulance arrived, he was already confirmed dead at the scene.¡± He took out a form and looked back and forth at the two: ¡°Which one of you is a family member? Please sign here.¡± Lin Xian shook his head: ¡°Doctor, neither of us is his family. Professor Xu Yun¡¯s parents died of illness when he was young, his wife also died from amniotic fluid embolism, and his only relative, his daughter... has been in a vegetative state for many years, lying in Donghai University Affiliated Hospital.¡±@@@@ ¡°Then who are you?¡± ¡°I am Teacher Xu¡¯s student,¡± Lin Xian said. The doctor sighed: ¡°A student won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Alright then, contact the school and have a school leader come over to sign.¡± ... Half an hour later. The police and the vice-chancellor of East Sea University arrived together. ¡°When I said earlier that Professor Xu Yun came because of you, I was partly joking. Even if you hadn¡¯t delivered the invitation, I would¡¯ve definitely gone to deliver it myself.¡± ¡°Professor Xu Yun¡¯s death, no matter the reason, has nothing to do with you. No one wants such things to happen.¡± She pointed towards the parked Alfa Romeo business van outside: ¡°Get in, I¡¯ll have the driver take you home first.¡± Lin Xian shook his head: ¡°You go ahead, President Zhao, I want to stay here a little longer.¡± Zhao Yingjun sighed deeply and turned around: ¡°Take a few days off work; rest well at home. I¡¯ll go to the hospital during the day and arrange things for Xu Yiyi.¡± Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap... She walked out of the hospital¡¯s glass doors in her high heels, the electric door of the Alfa Romeo opened, she climbed in, and the car drove off into the distance. ... A cold wind blew in through the gaps in the glass doors. The temperature suddenly dropped a few degrees. Lin Xian, without a coat, felt not even a trace of the chill. ¡°Lin Xian, there you are!¡± The glass door was pushed open again. Gao Yang hurried over, let out a sigh, and sat down on the chair next to Lin Xian. ¡°Lin Xian, don¡¯t be so sad, it¡¯s making me feel miserable too,¡± ¡°Professor Xu Yun¡¯s sudden passing is indeed very tragic. But no one can do anything about accidents like a car crash!¡± ¡°No...¡± Lin Xian shook his head: ¡°This was no accident.¡± By now, he had completely figured it out. Professor Xu Yun¡¯s death was most likely related to his own interference with reality, his rewriting of the future. If he had not meddled with the course of history, Xu Yun would have remained an inconsequential scientist, a ¡°laughable academic¡± and ¡°academic clown¡± for his entire life, never achieving anything of significance. No one would have a reason to kill such an insignificant person. But now, with Lin Xian¡¯s help, Xu Yun had cracked the formula for the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid centuries ahead of time, and he was about to share it with the world free of charge. Under such circumstances, the reasons and motives for killing him were far too many. Adding to that, the cab driver¡¯s strange behavior and disguise... ¡°This was a murder.¡± Lin Xian narrowed his eyes: ¡°A carefully planned... murder!¡± Chapter 64: 64 Behind the Scenes Black Hand Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Behind the Scenes Black Hand Gao Yang patted Lin Xian on the back in a panic: ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself here anymore, the police officers will definitely catch the murderer, so don¡¯t worry about it, just wait quietly for the results.¡± Lin Xian lifted his head but said nothing. Gao Yang didn¡¯t know much, so naturally, he couldn¡¯t make accurate judgments. But Lin Xian didn¡¯t plan on telling him too much either. He had a hunch that this was an extremely dangerous path, and he didn¡¯t want to drag Gao Yang down with him. ... ¡°Let¡¯s go, Lin Xian, if you stay here any longer, you¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± Gao Yang pulled Lin Xian up and patted the dirt off him: ¡°Shall we go home?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ... Gao Yang called a cab to take Lin Xian to the bottom of his apartment building, and, still feeling uneasy, he insisted on accompanying Lin Xian all the way to his front door: ¡°Lin Xian, are you feeling a bit better? Hey... really, stop blaming yourself. Inviting Professor Xu Yun to the celebration banquet was a kind gesture! You have to pull yourself together!¡± ¡°If you really want to do something, then perk up and try to recall the details of the crime scene, like the license plate number and features of the driver, to help the police find the murderer sooner! Avenge Professor Xu Yun!¡± Lin Xian nodded. On the way home, he had figured it out. Just like Gao Yang said, the words may be rough, but the reasoning wasn¡¯t. Instead of regretting what couldn¡¯t be changed... it¡¯s better to turn grief into strength and make an effort to do something for Professor Xu Yun¡ª Find the murderer who killed him and the Black Hand behind it, and bring them to justice! In this respect.@@@@ He knew more than the police and was closer to the truth, able to find many clues the police might not realize. ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m feeling much better.¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯m off.¡± Gao Yang waved goodbye and reminded Lin Xian to rest early. ... Lin Xian didn¡¯t go to sleep. He had no trace of sleepiness. ¡°Who exactly... killed Xu Yun?¡± Lin Xian cleaned himself up, put on his warm pajamas, and sat at his desk to contemplate. Conventionally, those pharmaceutical companies and capitalists who feared the success of the Hibernation Pod research were the most suspicious. Xu Yun¡¯s research results and the Hibernation Pod that would be released in the future would greatly harm their economic interests. But... ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± Lin Xian shook his head. He didn¡¯t think so. Capitalists are greedy, that¡¯s true, but they are not fools. Killing Xu Yun at this critical juncture made no sense. Lin Xian remembered something Big Face Cat had once said: ¡°Even though I may not look it, my father was a very famous mathematician who even won a Fields Medal.¡± ¡°At that time, I was working outside, and my daughter usually stayed at my father¡¯s place. One night, she suddenly got a fever and convulsions, and my father ran with her to the hospital. But then...¡± ¡°Then... there was a car accident, and a big truck just rolled right over the two of them...¡± ¡°Their target was only to kill my father, my daughter was collateral damage. I don¡¯t know why... my father was just a nerd, he never provoked anyone!¡± ¡°This is a very mysterious organization, so mysterious that you can¡¯t find any trace of its existence. I¡¯ve been investigating for so long, but apart from a name, I couldn¡¯t find anything!¡± ... ¡°It has always been this way.¡± Lin Xian entered the subway, holding onto a handrail, feeling the weight of history and his own insignificance in the river of time. Even after arriving at the company. The colleagues felt regret and sighed over Professor Xu Yun¡¯s death, but that was all. The buzz around Rhein¡¯s new products and the upcoming bonuses and salary increases quickly diluted this sadness. ... In the evening, Lin Xian finished his dinner early and lay on the bed. He checked the clock. 21:35 This was the perfect time. Falling asleep and entering a dream, he could catch Big Face Cat at the square just right. ¡°I need to find a way to extract the truth from Big Face Cat about whether the information he provided about the Genius Club is reliable or not.¡± If what Big Face Cat said was true... The Genius Club really did kill his father; Cat Dad was indeed a Fields Medal-winning mathematician; And the time of death in the car accident was also approximately correct... Click. Lin Xian turned on the bathroom light: ¡°Then there¡¯s at least a vague direction as to who the real murderer behind Professor Xu Yun¡¯s death might be.¡± Since Big Face Cat could find out the name of the Genius Club, it means that organization must be related to his father¡¯s death. At the very least, there is a connection. After pushing through his drowsiness and finishing his washing up. Lin Xian flopped onto the bed. Turned off the lights to sleep. ... ... Phew! Familiar summer breeze, familiar dry heat, familiar chirping of cicadas. Lin Xian opened his eyes. Everything in the Dream World was as usual. ¡°Ultraman flying kick!¡± ¡°Ultraman elbow strike!¡± On the square, two brothers playing Ultraman were getting further and further away, and their Ultraman masks had fallen to the ground. Lin Xian stepped forward, picked up the mask, and put it on his face. Then he turned around. He walked towards the plump man getting out of the van: ¡°Big Face Cat!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The man with a Rhine Cat Mask and a round face turned around. ¡°Ah...¡± Lin Xian sighed helplessly. Every time they met, he had to reiterate the story, and he really didn¡¯t want to say a single word anymore. ¡°What do you want! How do you know my name!¡± Big Face Cat looked at Lin Xian warily, his hand reaching towards his waist¡ª Smack! Lin Xian grabbed his chubby hand: ¡°I hope this is the last time I have to repeat myself.¡± ¡°You listen carefully...¡± Chapter 65: 65 Real Sincerity Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Real Sincerity ¡°Fast!¡± In the van, Big Face Cat angrily slapped the steering wheel: ¡°That bitch actually dared to deceive me!¡± He turned his head to look at Lin Xian: ¡°Brother, you told me all this, and you also knew about my three little brothers... I just knew you were no ordinary person, I can trust you!¡± ¡°However, you said you could take me to find tons and tons of gold bricks, is that really true? I¡¯m not doubting you, brother, I¡¯m just curious where in this city could there be so many gold bricks?¡± ... Lin Xian nodded, stretched out his hand and pointed in a direction for Big Face Cat, signaling him to drive straight to the end of this road leading out of the city: ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. I wouldn¡¯t lie to you.¡± ¡°Because... we both have a common goal, the thing we ultimately want is the same.¡± ¡°Are you talking about money?¡± ¡°No.¡± Lin Xian shook his head: ¡°Getting money is just the first step. My ultimate goal after getting the money is the same as yours, I also want to get an invitation to¡ª¡ª¡± Big Face Cat looked shocked: ¡°Could it be! You also want to get an invitation to¡ª¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Lin Xian said decisively: ¡°I also need an invitation to the Tianjiao Club!¡± Pfft! Big Face Cat spat it out. The van skidded to a stop at the side of the road: ¡°What kind of messed-up crap is that!¡± Big Face Cat snorted disdainfully: ¡°What I want is an invitation to the Genius Club! Genius! What the hell is this Tianjiao Club nonsense?¡± Lin Xian smiled: ¡°I just misspoke for a moment. What are you so worked up about? I know even about your father¡¯s death; how could I not know the name of this club?¡± ¡°You, you know about my father too?¡± Lin Xian stared intently into Big Face Cat¡¯s eyes, trying to capture any slight change, probing: ¡°Of course I do. Your father was a physicist, but he was run over by the Genius Club¡¯s limousine.¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± Big Face Cat watched Lin Xian warily: ¡°My father was a mathematician! A Fields Medal-winning mathematician! And he was hit by a truck, not a limousine!¡± ¡°Come on, brother... are you reliable or not? Your intel is all wrong!¡± Lin Xian was unfazed: ¡°Your daughter is dead too.¡± Upon hearing ¡®daughter¡¯. Big Face Cat¡¯s expression instantly turned stern, half-doubting as he looked at Lin Xian, with a complex gaze: ¡°You also know about my daughter?¡± Looking at the villa by the lake: ¡°Brother Lian, how much money can there be in a bank vault? Forget that. The truly rich don¡¯t dare keep their money in banks.¡± He turned around with a smile, facing the astounded Big Face Cat: ¡°Today, I¡¯ll let you witness... what it means to be richer than nations!¡± ¡°Stop, stop, stop, stop! Hold on! Hold on!¡± Big Face Cat took a brisk step forward, grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm, and pounded his own head: ¡°My brain can¡¯t keep up, slow down, slow down!¡± ¡°Stand here and explain everything clearly, otherwise I won¡¯t follow you!¡± At this moment, Big Face Cat was clearly brain overloaded and couldn¡¯t keep up with Lin Xian¡¯s pace at all. ¡°Alright, come here, I¡¯ll explain it to you.¡± Lin Xian pulled Big Face Cat behind a wall and pointed to the villa by the lake: ¡°See that villa over there?¡± ¡°I see it.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the richest in this city?¡± ¡°That¡¯s gotta be Lee Cheng!¡± Big Face Cat answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world: ¡°He¡¯s not just the richest in this city, even in the whole country, he¡¯s up there!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong.¡± Lin Xian looked at Big Face Cat: ¡°His publicly known wealth is indeed notable nationwide. But if you include his hidden assets, he could be among the wealthiest in the world.¡± ¡°Lee Cheng is not as clean as he appears. Behind the scenes, he¡¯s involved in vile and inhumane activities that are so severe even the death penalty would be too lenient.¡± Big Face Cat was shocked: ¡°Damn it! The bastard! He dares do those vile things? That¡¯s inhuman! A scumbag!¡± ¡°No wonder he¡¯s so rich! Made his fortune so quickly! He¡¯s dealing in crimes that could get you executed! How could he not be rich?¡± Lin Xian nodded: ¡°Such a vast amount of dirty money, he definitely wouldn¡¯t dare deposit in a bank. Although the gold bars hidden in this villa are just the tip of the iceberg of his wealth, they¡¯re enough to fill your van.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t have to worry about this money after robbing it. Not only does he dare not call the police, he wouldn¡¯t even dare utter a word.¡± Lin Xian pointed to a black car in front of the villa: ¡°Lee Cheng usually has lots of bodyguards, but when he has secret trysts with this mistress, he only brings his most trusted driver.¡± ¡°This mistress is also his accomplice, vicious and ruthless, and has committed many beastly acts. The two of them have kept this underground relationship for many years.¡± ¡°Therefore, we only need to deal with that driver and control Lee Cheng and the mistress. The rest, you¡¯re free to rob whatever you want.¡± Big Face Cat snapped his fingers: ¡°Got it. Sound logic! Little brother, you¡¯re pretty skilled!¡± ¡°Yeah, I used to come here often, treated it like an ATM.¡± ¡°So, are we... robbing from the rich to give to the poor today? Righting wrongs for the people?¡± Big Face Cat laughed gleefully: ¡°This feels damn good! Sometimes I dream I¡¯m a great hero of the people, full of chivalry¡ªdamn thrilling!¡± Lin Xian waved grandly: ¡°Tonight you don¡¯t need to find thrills in dreams, we¡¯re playing with reality.¡± ¡°Follow me!¡± Chapter 66: 66: The Fierce Bandit Chapter 66: Chapter 66: The Fierce Bandit Lin Xian carried the gun and strode forward. ¡°Hey... hey! Just strutting around like that!?¡± Big Face Cat was shocked into contortion, but still obediently followed. Lin Xian walked up to the black sedan. Bang!! There was no time to see any motion of drawing and aiming the gun! It was too fast! ... In the blink of an eye! Lin Xian¡¯s miraculously accurate gunfire had already shattered the car¡¯s glass and blown the driver¡¯s head off! ¡°Holy shit! What kind of shooting is that!¡± Big Face Cat exclaimed. The driver died without knowing how, with a blank look in his eyes. ¡°Next.¡± Whoosh¡ª Lin Xian tossed the handgun to Big Face Cat. Then he opened the car door and pulled a black handgun from the driver¡¯s waist. ¡°Up to the second floor.¡± The villa was enormous. But Lin Xian, familiar with the place, turned left and right, arriving at the door of a bedroom. Bang! He kicked open the door. ¡°Eek¡ª¡±¡±Who¡¯s there!¡± A man and a woman on the bed panicked! ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Lin Xian commanded with his gun aimed at the two. ... After a long time. Big Face Cat tore up the bedsheet, binding the two tightly. Lin Xian, sitting on the edge of the bed: ¡°Brother Lian, just bring the van over. The garage, the cellar, the wine cellar, the underground pool... they¡¯re all filled with gold bars, bundles of cash, jewels. When you¡¯ve moved them, call me; I¡¯ll be here guarding them.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a safe or password-protected cabinet or something, come ask for the code.¡± ¡°Alrighty!¡± Big Face Cat picked up a set of keys from the table and scampered downstairs. Lin Xian sat on the bed, glancing at his watch. It was only 12 o¡¯clock. Tonight¡¯s mission was already complete, so he¡¯d just wait here with Big Face Cat until 00:42. Although Lin Xian knew that however many gold bars Big Face Cat moved, it would be in vain because the world would end on schedule in 42 minutes. But avenging his daughter was Big Face Cat¡¯s lifelong obsession; let him enjoy the process, nevertheless. With nothing better to do, Lin Xian began to survey the room¡¯s decor. The bedroom was large, and the decoration was extremely luxurious. ¡°Gen... genius what?¡± Bang!! ¡°Ahh¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡± Lin Xian fired directly! Lee Cheng screamed in fright! However. Lee Cheng realized he hadn¡¯t been shot. His pupils trembling, he looked to the side. He saw... His mistress had somehow broken free from her bindings, a bloody hole gaping in the back of her head, her body slumped lifelessly over the nightstand. And from the half-open drawer of the nightstand, the silver grip of a handgun was visible... Lin Xian pressed the scorching barrel of the gun against Lee Cheng¡¯s forehead. It was burning hot! But faced with this merciless killer, Lee Cheng dared not move an inch: ¡°I¡¯m not messing with you! I really haven¡¯t heard of this club you¡¯re talking about!¡± ¡°She tried to grab the gun herself after she broke free! It¡¯s got nothing to do with me! I have been honest! I¡¯ll tell you whatever you ask! Take whatever you want!¡± ... Now Lee Cheng understood as well. Just now, his mistress, somehow, had untangled the bedsheet that was binding her hands and rushed for the gun in the nightstand, attempting to fight back... But she could never have anticipated! The thug across from her had way too quick and accurate a shooting technique! She couldn¡¯t see any movement of raising the gun to aim... He didn¡¯t even spare it a glance, but instantly shot her in the head! ¡°Genius... Genius Club, right! Let me think! Let me think!¡± Lee Cheng¡¯s head was covered in sweat, dripping down. With his hands tied behind his back, he couldn¡¯t wipe the sweat away, nor did he dare to, so he just kept his head raised motionless, his mind racing through his memories... ¡°Genius Club... Genius Club...¡± His face contorted in pain as he kept muttering. Finally, with tears welling up in his eyes, he opened them: ¡°I... I really can¡¯t think of anything, I¡¯ve truly never heard of this club!¡± ¡°I indeed have joined many clubs, all kinds... but this one you mentioned, I truly have no recollection! I¡¯m really not lying to you! I am truly scared to death! I¡¯m already in this state... why would I lie to you!¡± ¡°Still pretending?¡± Lin Xian sneered intentionally: ¡°Sick of living, are you? This photo is concrete evidence of the Genius Club!¡± ¡°What... what?¡± Lee Cheng was completely befuddled, squinting seriously at the photo. ¡°This, this I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± Lee Cheng burst into desperate tears: ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to say or ask! Can you give me a hint? If I really knew what you¡¯re asking about, I would definitely tell you!¡± ¡°Lee Cheng, I¡¯m giving you one last chance to explain,¡± Lin Xian said. He pointed to the picture frame, at Lee Cheng¡¯s right hand pointing straight up to the sky: ¡°What does this gesture mean?¡± Chapter 67: 67: Goodbye Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Goodbye ¡°That, that, that! That¡¯s just a very common photo pose!¡± Lee Cheng¡¯s face was a picture of misery, snot and tears mingling together as he struggled to defend himself: ¡°I¡¯m really wronged, Big Brother! I truly am... There¡¯s a head for every debt, and a debtor for every grievance! If I really offended you, I would accept my death at your hands! But this is a true miscarriage of justice! I really don¡¯t know anything about that so-called Genius Club!¡± Lin Xian stared at him intently. He was very familiar with Lee Cheng... having had many dealings with him. Indeed, he was someone who dearly loved life and feared death. His mistress truly loved him, often performing ¡°heroic rescues¡± for him. ... But Lee Cheng never once thought of reciprocating, always faithfully following the principle ¡°husband and wife are birds of the same forest, but when disaster strikes, they must fly separately.¡± So... Getting information out of Lee Cheng¡¯s mouth was actually quite easy. As long as his life felt threatened, he would be as obedient as the Tmall Genie, answering whatever was asked and even rushing to respond. Such a man, so desperate to cling to life and so fearful of death. If he says he doesn¡¯t know, then he probably really doesn¡¯t know. Lee Cheng suddenly had a revelation: ¡°I, I remember now! It¡¯s a whole set of photos! A very famous international photographer took them especially for me... It¡¯s a full set! An entire photo album!¡± ¡°Do you want to see it? It¡¯s just over there, in the wardrobe! You¡¯ll see it as soon as you open the bottom drawer! I¡¯m telling you the truth!¡± He was truly scared out of his wits, gasping for air and wildly gesturing towards the wardrobe on the other side of the room. ... Lin Xian walked over to the wardrobe, pulled out the drawer, and found the photo album Lee Cheng was talking about. It was luxurious, adorned with gold thread and silver lines, and the first page had an indecipherable signature. He flipped through it. Page by page, all photos of Lee Cheng posing with a ¡°tycoon¡± POSE. Lee Cheng hadn¡¯t lied. The photos in the album were part of the same set as the one in the frame, with identical clothing, background, and lighting. There were seated photos, standing ones, all very formal. Some with arms crossed, hands in pockets, some standing erect, and indeed there was that one with the index finger pointed up at the sky. Professional portraits? Costume tests? Glamour shots? Lin Xian didn¡¯t know what to call these types of photos, but essentially they were those things, the kind everyone in sales has in their WeChat moments, those glam shots. If it¡¯s not selling houses, cars, or insurance, then it¡¯s credit cards and loan intermediaries. Lin Xian turned to the page where the index finger pointed to the sky. Indeed. If you look at the whole set of photos, this one doesn¡¯t seem strange anymore. It¡¯s just a very common photo pose. ¡°What do you expect to find out by asking like this?¡± At that moment. Big Face Cat, covered in dust, came in from outside: ¡°Let me do it.¡± Bang!! Bang!! Bang!! Bang!! Four consecutive shots to Lee Cheng¡¯s thigh! ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± Lee Cheng¡¯s screams echoed through the entire estate as the carpet turned red in an instant. ¡°Will you talk or not?¡± Big Face Cat pointed the gun barrel at Lee Cheng¡¯s forehead. ¡°I, wu wu wu wa, I really don¡¯t know! Wuu wuu ah I really don¡¯t know anything about the Genius Club... never even heard of it!¡± Bang!! Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, another shot, and the white sheets burst into a spray of red fireworks as the world fell silent. ¡°What¡¯s the specialty dish from your sister-in-law?¡± ¡°Dumplings, man! Really delicious stuff!¡± The two men looked at each other and laughed for a long time. But... Will there be a future? Probably not. This is a world without tomorrows. These are dumplings they will never get to eat. ¡°I¡¯m off, little brother!¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Lin Xian waved. Roar¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The heavy van started, revving powerfully, with the tires beginning to slowly inch forward. ¡°Hey!¡± Lin Xian yelled. ¡°Huh?¡± Big Face Cat stepped on the brake, popped his head out from the driver¡¯s window, and looked back at Lin Xian: ¡°What¡¯s up, little brother?¡± Lin Xian slipped his hand into his pocket: ¡°I want to ask you one last thing, I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Hey! We¡¯re beyond formalities! Just ask!¡± The midnight cicadas cried desolately, while there was silence in the courtyard¡¯s pond with its gentle stream. Lin Xian looked at Big Face Cat: ¡°Do you still remember... the exact time when your father and daughter were hit and killed?¡± ... The smile on Big Face Cat¡¯s face solidified, turning gloomy. He pulled out a cigarette and clamped it in his mouth. He lit it. Slowly he exhaled a puff of white smoke... After a long time. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the surveillance footage from the intersection.¡± His voice trembled as he choked up: ¡°Watched it many times.¡± He bit hard on the cigarette: ¡°So the time the accident happened, the time they died... I¡¯ll never forget it, I remember every minute and every second.¡± Blowing out a swirl of smoke, Big Face Cat looked down at his watch: ¡°It was about this time now.¡± Lin Xian lifted his wristwatch, and Big Face Cat¡¯s voice came at the same time¡ª ¡°00:42¡± ¡°00:42¡± Boom!!!!!! Boom!!!!!! Boom!!!!!! The thunderous white light arrived, burning everything to ashes. ... ... On the bed in the corner of the bedroom, Lin Xian opened his eyes. Chapter 68: 68 True and False Chapter 68: Chapter 68 True and False Lin Xian rose from the bed and turned on the light. Then he went to the bathroom to wash his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect...¡± Lin Xian looked at himself in the mirror: ¡°It¡¯s actually 00:42.¡± As anticipated, it also made sense. ... He dried his face and returned to the bedroom, sitting at the desk to think, twirling a pen in his hand. This time, the dream had yielded the greatest harvest to date, bringing clarity to all the clues and thoughts. ¡°First, the clarification of true and false information.¡± It is now certain¡ª What Big Face Cat said about his mathematician father and daughter being killed by a truck at 00:42, could be confirmed as [true]. And the rumor that ¡°only the top-tier wealthy, the most extreme geniuses, and the most powerful figures receive invitations to the Genius Club,¡± was identified as [false]. Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts became agile: ¡°With these two pieces of information verified as true or false... many truths can be deduced.¡± He turned on the desk lamp. He took out a sheet of A4 paper and wrote¡ª [Deduced Truths] [1. The death of Professor Xu Yun must be related to the Genius Club.] Lin Xian felt that there was no way the Genius Club could be unrelated to the deaths of Xu Yun and Big Face Cat¡¯s father. Otherwise, Big Face Cat wouldn¡¯t have inexplicably come across the name of the Genius Club. Lin Xian had previously searched online, unable to find any information related to the Genius Club. Among the jumbled search results, there were game settings, and even films and TV shows with the same name... but it was obvious that those were not what Big Face Cat referred to as the Genius Club. In the recent dream, Big Face Cat was desperate to escape, and despite Lin Xian asking him several times how he found the name, Big Face Cat insisted they would discuss it later as escaping was more important... It seemed this guy felt he had the money in hand and was in a hurry to make a clean getaway. But no matter what. The death of Big Face Cat¡¯s father must be related to the Genius Club, there was no question about it. So... A mathematician killed by a truck at 00:42, a scientist killed by a car at 00:42. Even though the two incidents spanned a temporal gap of 600 years, The coincidence of the victims¡¯ professions and the time of death strongly suggests the same perpetrator. Therefore, Xu Yun¡¯s death likely cannot be separated from the Genius Club either. The question now is. What exactly is this ¡°relationship¡±? Did the Genius Club instruct the murderer to kill? Or was it some other reason that made Big Face Cat link the Genius Club¡¯s name to the killer? Although Big Face Cat was certain the Genius Club killed his father, Lin Xian thought it was still necessary to maintain some skepticism, as there was no definitive proof. A person bent on revenge sometimes clings to a clue like a lifeline, convincing themselves of its truth, so Big Face Cat¡¯s analysis might not be rational enough. And there was one more thing he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°The killers try to disguise the murder of the scientist as a car accident, yet insist on having the accident occur at 00:42...¡± If we were to follow the logic of the previous rumors, since even Zhao Yingjun could receive an invitation, how could successful people like Chu Shanhe and the wealthy Lee Cheng not qualify? However, the fact is Lee Cheng had no knowledge of the Genius Club whatsoever. As for Chu Shanhe... Lin Xian wasn¡¯t certain, but he felt that Chu Shanhe was also very likely not a member of the Genius Club. If the goal was to strangle Winter Technology, then why did he continuously support Professor Xu Yun for ten years? But then again... ¡°That Zhao Yingjun...¡± Thinking of his impressively spirited and naturally beautiful female supervisor, Lin Xian pondered: ¡°What virtues and capabilities does she have, what special characteristics... that she could receive an invitation to the Genius Club?¡± At that thought. Lin Xian once again picked up the pen and wrote the third deduction in his notebook: [3. Zhao Yingjun indeed received an invitation from the Genius Club, but whether she has joined or participated in this murder remains unclear.] In fact, this outcome had already been considered before. But Lin Xian had not delved deep into it. The reason being that previously, all the intelligence regarding the Genius Club was not clear enough, hard to distinguish between true and false, full of contradictions, and therefore impossible to accurately ascertain. But now it was different. Although 99% of the mysteries of the Genius Club still lay submerged beneath the surface, at least 1% of the information had come to light. And it was this precious 1% that allowed Lin Xian to deduce the three crucial clues within his notebook. ¡°Zhao Yingjun...¡± He stared at that name in the third deduction, a name too familiar to be more so. ¡°Why did she receive the invitation?¡± Lin Xian rested his chin in his hand and thought... There must be some [special reason] that the mysterious and exclusive organization of the Genius Club recognized Zhao Yingjun. Upon closer consideration. Zhao Yingjun, that woman, was indeed quite mysterious. It¡¯s true that Lin Xian had dealt with her quite a bit, but if he were asked what he knew about this woman... He would have to say he knew nothing at all. Apart from her age and name, he knew nothing else. To his surprise, Lin Xian found that he was so unfamiliar with Zhao Yingjun. ¡°To clarify the cause and truth of Xu Yun¡¯s death, and to further pinpoint the purpose and nature of the Genius Club, there is only one way...¡± He pulled open a drawer. From the very back, he pinched the wax seal block bearing the emblem of the Genius Club. The round wax block, under the lamplight, showed a sinister crystal-red hue, like blood, like a setting sun. ¡°What exactly does that invitation to the Genius Club say?¡± What is the content? What is the location of the meeting? What time is the meeting? What is the purpose of the club? Gazing at the hand on the wax seal reaching straight toward the sky, Lin Xian narrowed his eyes: ¡°I must find a way...¡± ¡°To see that invitation!¡± Chapter 69: 69 Trust Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Trust Currently, although there is no concrete evidence to prove that the Genius Club is definitely the murderer of Big Face Cat¡¯s father and Xu Yun. But based on the known intelligence, it has the greatest suspicion and is most likely the Black Hand behind the scenes. After all... The Genius Club is a known organization that has spanned 600 years; if it has remained true to its original mission for 600 years, and used the same methods to cause the deaths of Big Face Cat¡¯s father and Xu Yun, it would be logically reasonable. So, Lin Xian decided to play it safe¡ª [First assume the Genius Club is the Black Hand behind all this, and build the reasoning and investigation on this basis.] ... ¡°If the Genius Club indeed are just caught in the crossfire, innocent, contradictions will surely be unearthed during the investigation, and they will naturally be exonerated,¡± ¡°Actually, a temporary misunderstanding is not a big deal, after all, the fact that someone murdered Xu Yun and Cat Dad is true. The existence of a murderer is certain; it¡¯s merely a question of what they¡¯re called.¡± With that as a foundation. The invitation to the Genius Club in the drawer of Zhao Yingjun¡¯s office becomes the only clue to further the investigation, and the only breakthrough point. No matter whether Zhao Yingjun has joined the Genius Club or participated in murdering Xu Yun... As long as one can see the content of that invitation, one might be able to follow the trail and find all the answers. ¡°There¡¯s no choice but to do so.¡± Lin Xian carefully placed the wax block back in the drawer, cautiously hiding it. He began to plan¡ª How could he take a peek at the content of that invitation without exposing his intentions or alerting Zhao Yingjun? His own safety and secrecy had to be his primary consideration. Since the Genius Club might be Xu Yun¡¯s killer, if his motives were exposed and Zhao Yingjun realized he intended to investigate the Genius Club... the odds were more likely to be against him. If Zhao Yingjun had not joined the Genius Club, that would be a different story. But if she had already become a member, then any exposure of his actions would be akin to gifting oneself to the enemy. ¡°So, I must investigate all this with utmost caution and leave no trace behind,¡± Lin Xian stood up. He fetched a large baking tray from the kitchen. Then he crumpled the paper where he had jot down his deductions, placed it in the tray, and set it alight with a lighter. Whoosh... The flames danced, casting Lin Xian¡¯s shadow eerily on the wall. And that wasn¡¯t all. Lin Xian opened the drawer and put all the previously written deductions, plans, and anything else related to the dreams and the Genius Club into the baking tray to burn. He watched until they turned to black ash. Then he flushed it down the toilet. Accompanying Zhao as one would accompany a tiger, one must be extremely cautious. Looking at the current situation. He should be safe. Professor Xu Yun always thought that the manuscript was of unknown origin and possibly even dangerous, so he was fearful it might bring trouble to him, and he protected himself very well. None of the research materials had Lin Xian¡¯s name on them, and the original manuscript was destroyed. He also never told anyone about the manuscript, nor did he mention the relationship between the two. Lin Xian didn¡¯t know whether Xu Yun did this intentionally or unintentionally, but he certainly showed care, and indeed, he had protected Lin Xian in this matter.@@@@ The only two private contacts between them were Lin Xian¡¯s visits to the lab to deliver manuscripts to Xu Yun... If he had been exposed back then, he probably would have met the same gruesome end in the streets as Xu Yun. ¡°I must be really careful in the future. If I wasn¡¯t exposed this time, then it¡¯s really just good luck,¡± ¡°To get Zhao Yingjun to tell me the password, I probably need enough trust from her...¡± ¡°But with what right?¡± Lin Xian laughed at himself. What merits and abilities did he possess for Zhao Yingjun to trust him enough to reveal the password? At the very least, they would need to have a very close relationship, wouldn¡¯t they? The authorization fee was the price previously set by MX Company for Xu Yun, which Lin Xian knew about. But the fact that the sales commission had exceeded ten million was unexpected¡ªthe sales from the moisturizing cream presale livestream a few days ago had been that good... ¡°You won¡¯t actually receive this much.¡± The head of finance pointed to the figure of 15 million, explaining, ¡°This income is taxable. We will withhold and remit the personal income tax for this sales commission for you, then transfer it to your bank account.¡± ¡°However, the 26 million from the authorization fee will be deposited directly into your account, and you¡¯ll need to declare it on the personal income tax APP in March of this year.¡± ¡°The sales commission is indeed a lot, mainly because the preorder numbers at our release event were frightening. It will probably take two or three months to clear them all. Once the market stabilizes, the commissions might not be as high, but it will be a steady income. Lin Xian, you¡¯re already financially independent.¡± After the finance chief finished explaining, he looked at Lin Xian with a smile: ¡°When the various toys and licensed products of Rhein Cat are released... your income will be incalculable. You could retire already.¡± Retire? Lin Xian quickly waved his hand when he heard that word: ¡°It¡¯s too early to retire; I still want to make progress.¡± Progress was a pretense; what he really wanted to see was that invitation from the Genius Club... He couldn¡¯t just blurt that out, though. What if Zhao Yingjun stopped giving him work? How would he then get close to her, gain her trust, and find a way to get the office password? ¡°Lin Xian, go and get ready.¡± Zhao Yingjun stood up, waved them away, ¡°This morning is Professor Xu Yun¡¯s memorial service. All the company executives will go together, and you¡¯ll come with us. Go change into appropriate clothes and wait for my signal.¡± Rustle, rustle, rustle¡ª Just as Zhao Yingjun picked up her coat and turned around, the sleeve swept the pile of documents on the desk, scattering papers all over the floor... A familiar scene indeed. All three of them bent down to pick up the documents and placed them neatly back on the desk. Lin Xian took a few extra looks, but alas, there were no treasures to be found this time. ¡°President Zhao, aren¡¯t you considering hiring a secretary?¡± The head of finance laughed, ¡°Find a secretary to organize your files, clean your office and so on. You won¡¯t have to do everything yourself, and it could save you a lot of time.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re really not comfortable with hiring someone from outside, you could promote one from our longstanding employees. After working together for so long, you must have someone reliable.¡± After hearing this, Zhao Yingjun chuckled, ¡°Forget it. Once bitten, twice shy. I¡¯ve become afraid.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you can leave. I¡¯m going to change clothes.¡± ... Bang! The heavy password-protected door closed, and Lin Xian rode the elevator down with the head of the finance team. Indeed. Lin Xian thought that becoming Zhao Yingjun¡¯s secretary would certainly be the safest and most convenient way to see the Genius Club invitation, to investigate the Genius Club. Although Lin Xian didn¡¯t really want a secretary¡¯s job... It was undeniable. A secretary would often have to enter and exit her office, and would definitely be informed of the password for the door. And although the secretary might not monitor Zhao Yingjun twenty-four hours a day, they would certainly be aware of her various schedules, actions, and phone calls¡ªnot to the point of knowing every detail, but at least they could understand the patterns and recognize any unusual behavior. And these unusual actions and details might well be related to the Genius Club... Anyway, to continue investigating the Genius Club and to follow the vine to the melon, getting closer to Zhao Yingjun was definitely the better approach. ¡°Sis, I¡¯m really curious, and I want to ask.¡± Lin Xian looked down at the finance team leader in the elevator: ¡°I¡¯m new to the company, so I¡¯m not really sure what you just mentioned means.¡± ¡°What exactly did President Zhao go through before?¡± ¡°Why is she so resistant to hiring a secretary?¡± Chapter 70: 70 Genius Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Genius The head of the finance department, also one of the veterans at MX Company, had been with Zhao Yingjun since the beginning of his business venture. In fact, the vast majority of vice presidents and mid-level executives were veterans of the company, considering that MX Company is quite young and it¡¯s rare for someone like Lin Xian, who joined only a few months ago, to get promoted so rapidly. ¡°Ah, that matter...¡± The head of the finance department lowered his head and chuckled: ¡°Actually, we don¡¯t know the specifics either. When the company was founded, President Zhao had a young secretary who had also just graduated from university, a very capable girl, and President Zhao liked and trusted her very much.¡± ¡°But then something happened... President Zhao suddenly fired the secretary, and he was very angry at that time, so we didn¡¯t dare to ask much.¡± ... ¡°Afterward, she changed her office door to one with a combination lock, keeping the code to herself, and up to now, she has shown no interest in hiring another secretary.¡± ¡°We guess privately, maybe the girl did something to let down President Zhao¡ªcould it be stealing trade secrets? Embezzling company funds? Or some other privacy leak involving President Zhao?¡± ¡°That we don¡¯t know... Anyway, the result is what you see, President Zhao would rather her office be messy and dusty, cleaning it herself, rather than hire a new secretary. We¡¯ve tried to persuade her, but to no avail.¡± Ding¡ª¡ª The elevator doors opened on the 17th floor, and Lin Xian realized he had forgotten to press the elevator button. After the head of the finance department exited the elevator, he pressed for the 20th floor to return to his own office. He twirled his pen in thought... If he could find a way to become Zhao Yingjun¡¯s secretary, it would be a fantastic method to safely and efficiently conduct his investigation into the Genius Club. But for the time being, Zhao Yingjun had a severe distrust of others and showed no intention of hiring a secretary. ¡°So, after going in circles, it¡¯s back to square one...¡± ¡°I still need to figure out a way to gain Zhao Yingjun¡¯s trust gradually.¡± ... Half an hour later. Zhao Yingjun, three vice presidents, and Lin Xian got into an Alfa Romeo business van and headed to the Donghai City Funeral Home. As soon as they got out of the car. ¡°Hmm?¡± Lin Xian looked at a group of fashionably dressed young people at the entrance of the funeral home, both men and women, each holding a beautifully covered book. What¡¯s this all about? A funeral home, trendy youths, a best-selling book, Xu Yun¡¯s memorial service... these elements seemed completely mismatched.@@@@ ¡°What are they doing over there?¡± One of the vice presidents also noticed this odd spectacle. To say that these young people were here for the memorial service... but they didn¡¯t look like it at all. To say they were there to chase celebrities, but this was a funeral home¡ªwhat star could they possibly be chasing? Unless... Following the Vice President and Zhao Yingjun in front of him, Lin Xian lowered his head in deep mourning. He had watched the news that morning. The two murderers who had hit and killed Xu Yun were still being pursued, and the authorities were actively gathering clues from the public. Let alone catching the culprits, up to now, they hadn¡¯t even found the two cars involved. It was as if they had vanished into thin air. This surprised Lin Xian and also made him question the capabilities of the Donghai City police force. In a modern city like Donghai, where cameras are everywhere, how could they not find two cars? It was unbelievable. ¡°Bow twice!¡± Lin Xian glanced at the grey photo of Xu Yun¡¯s hearty laugh, then bent over and bowed his head again. Towards Xu Yun, and Xu Yiyi, he actually felt quite guilty inside. Although everyone said that it wasn¡¯t his responsibility, it wasn¡¯t his fault, he knew very well in his heart. The death of Xu Yun was inextricably linked to his own actions in altering the future. That butterfly of time and space, dancing elegantly... Its flapping wings changed the world, rewrote the future, and also altered Xu Yun¡¯s fate. Lin Xian didn¡¯t know what he could do for Xu Yun, or how he could help. Perhaps the only thing he could do... was to try to find Xu Yun¡¯s murderers and bring them to justice. Then he would look after Xu Yiyi more, ensuring that she could enter the Hibernation Pod as scheduled. That was all. ¡°Bow three times!¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes and bent over once more... But just then, the quiet group of Ji Lin¡¯s fans waiting outside suddenly started chattering excitedly, filled with exhilaration! Separated by just one door, mournful music played inside Xu Yun¡¯s chapel. But outside, it was a completely different scene of cheering and jubilation. Lin Xian frowned and turned around. He saw an electric door of a black van open. A young man with slightly curly hair, a vacant look in his eyes, very pale skin, and looking somewhat listless, poked his head out. He and Lin Xian¡¯s gazes met. Half-open eyes... Staring straight at Lin Xian. Chapter 71: 71 Butterfly Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Butterfly ¡°` ¡°So handsome! Much better looking than in photos!¡± ¡°Teacher Ji Lin, can you sign an autograph for us?¡± ¡°Congratulations, Teacher Ji Lin! I really like ¡®Broken Bridge¡¯!¡± ¡°Could we take a picture together, please?¡± Ji Lin had just gotten out of the car when the group of young people crowded around him. ... But he didn¡¯t glance their way, heading instead towards the memorial hall. Behind him, a few funeral parlor staff quickly intervened to stop the book fans and maintain order: ¡°Quiet, please be a bit quieter... Don¡¯t gather here.¡± ¡°This is a memorial service, show some solemnity.¡± ¡°Please respect the deceased, don¡¯t make noise here.¡± ... After Ji Lin entered the funeral home¡¯s corridor, the noise outside quieted down significantly. He just stared straight at Lin Xian... hands in his pockets, stooping slightly, head raised, walking toward Lin Xian with an expressionless face. Lin Xian was also staring at him... As the book fans remarked, he was indeed a beautiful young man. Although Lin Xian also disliked such effeminate adjectives... at this moment, he truly couldn¡¯t find a second word fitting enough to describe the delicate-looking boy approaching leisurely. He wasn¡¯t tall, probably about 175 centimeters, and very thin. Because he was somewhat hunchbacked, Lin Xian couldn¡¯t estimate his height accurately. The youth¡¯s skin was pale as snow, but not with the healthy rosy glow; it was the kind of pallor that suggested he¡¯d spent a long time indoors without sunlight, giving off a sickly, listless feel. His hair was very long, nearly covering his eyes, very black and shiny, slightly curly, and also slightly disheveled. He walked very slowly, with no expression on his face. But his eyes stayed fixated on Lin Xian, half-open as if he hadn¡¯t woken up, the whole person appearing weary and lethargic, without a hint of vigor or vitality. Like a dying sea otter, slowly sinking to the seafloor. Not just sinking by himself. That dull and lackluster gaze, like a net he couldn¡¯t escape, also aimed to drag Lin Xian, whom he watched, down into the pitch-black abyss... ¡°Lin Xian?¡± Zhao Yingjun¡¯s soft call brought him back to reality. Turning his head. Zhao Yingjun, a few steps away, looked back at him: ¡°Stop daydreaming, we should go.¡± Lin Xian nodded and followed the pace of a few vice presidents, leaving through the other corridor. Before turning the corner, he looked back at Ji Lin. He still looked the same... Slowly strolling with his hands in his pockets, slightly hunched over, step by step towards the memorial hall. Still the same lethargic and dispirited eyes, staring straight ahead, not deviating by the slightest degree. ¡°...¡± Lin Xian understood. The guy wasn¡¯t staring at him after all. With that kind of look, he was either half-asleep or nearsighted, and it was Lin Xian who was being presumptuous. ... Evening. ¡°Heave-ho!¡± Gao Yang exerted all his strength to throw the empty beer can far into the Huangpu River. ¡°I didn¡¯t catch a cold, did I?¡± He quickly showered in hot water and drank two packets of Ban Lan Gen. Turn off the light, go to bed. ... ... ... ? Lin Xian was confused. Where was the hot summer breeze he had experienced for over twenty years? Where were the cicadas that had been chirping for over twenty years? Where were the noisy children in the square that had been there for over twenty years? Why was it so quiet today! He opened his eyes¡ª Brick walls, short houses, narrow alleys, lanterns, roof tiles, green moss... All around were the haphazardly constructed small, self-built buildings! Crowded, backward, quiet, desolate... The scenery around him resembled a poor and underdeveloped village! ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lin Xian looked left and right, staring at the dimly flickering tungsten filament lightbulbs in the windows and couldn¡¯t help but step back a few paces. Everything had changed... All had changed! No square, no playing children, no bustling shop-lined streets, no familiar electronic billboards and bright street lights. ¡°Where am I?¡± Lin Xian suddenly turned around to look behind him... Still, there were rugged stone-paved roads flanked by unevenly distributed self-built small buildings. Where was this? ¡°What kind of dream have I fallen into?¡± For the first time in all his years of dreaming, he had come across something so bizarre! He quickened his pace and ran forward¡ª No matter how he turned or looped around, the surroundings were always two or three-story tall brick and tile houses, even some with mud walls. The roads were terrifyingly narrow, as though they were never meant for vehicles. He looked left and right, his view obstructed by the chaotically arranged low houses and could see nothing! ¡°Could it be...¡± A chill ran through his heart. Had he traveled to another timeline? Another world? What year and day was it? Lin Xian turned around and noticed a small shop at the corner of the alley, illuminated by a big yellow lightbulb, styled just like the ones from the TV dramas of the ¡¯80s and ¡¯90s. He hurried towards the small shop. Inside, an old man in a white tank top was happily cracking melon seeds, fanning himself, watching a bulky television set. ¡°Dear viewers, good evening! The news will keep you updated!¡± Inside the poor-resolution television... A formally dressed female anchor smiled at Lin Xian: ¡°The time is now¡ª¡± ¡°August 28, 2624! 10 PM sharp!¡± Chapter 72: 72 Disturbance Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Disturbance August 28, 2624... It¡¯s the same day. The time in the Dream World hasn¡¯t changed. But besides time... everything else in the dream has changed. ¡°Wait a second.¡± Lin Xian propped himself against the mossy and muddy stone wall with one hand, while the other was pressed to his forehead in thought. ... [Space-Time Butterfly Effect]. Obviously. The Dream World had undergone another [Temporal Flux]. So what was the cause of the change? What was the source? What was the anchor? When did the butterfly flap its wings? Lin Xian opened his eyes... He recalled the news he had seen before going to bed last night: ¡°East Sea University is currently receiving and organizing Xu Yun¡¯s research materials, as well as his unfinished thesis, which will be published to the world posthumously, in accordance with Professor Xu Yun¡¯s last wishes.¡± ¡°Perhaps that¡¯s the reason.¡± His heartbeat steadied, and the lost sense of security gradually returned. This was indeed his Dream World, no mistake about it. He hadn¡¯t watched the news today, but judging by what he saw, East Sea University must have published Xu Yun¡¯s research materials. ¡°Not quite right. Even if they hadn¡¯t been published yet, as soon as the official organization intervened and took over Xu Yun¡¯s research materials, that moment already became an [irreversible anchor point].¡± ¡°Because official organizations are large and reliable, publishing these materials as Xu Yun wished is just a matter of sooner or later. But if the officials hadn¡¯t got involved and Xu Yun¡¯s research materials were just sitting in the lab and his thesis unfinished, with everything being unique, unbacked copies, the potential for disruption... would still be quite variable.¡± Anyway. The space-time butterfly had still flapped its wings, and a Temporal Flux had still occurred. It¡¯s just that this time the butterfly¡¯s wings must have smoked from the flapping... letting a hundred and eighty thousand twisters turn the future world 600 years later into a completely new look. This is reasonable in terms of space-time logic. But the question is¡ª ¡°[Why has the technological level of the future world regressed?]¡± Lin Xian looked around. No matter how he saw it... the technological, economic, and living standards here were all too backward. In the previous dreams, although also backward, they were not far from Lin Xian¡¯s own year of 2023, and could still be considered a modern city. But the scene before him... was more developed than his grandfather¡¯s village that Lin Xian visited as a child! At least his grandfather¡¯s place had a road. But here, the zigzagging stone paths, let alone being able to carry cars, even cycling on them would make one¡¯s frame twist and turn. Then, looking inside the small convenience store. Almost everything was wrapped in worn, greasy paper. Tungsten filament light bulbs, thermos liners, shoelaces, crude hardware pieces, colorful shampoos, and various snacks that one wouldn¡¯t dare to eat... What¡¯s going on? The good year of 2624... Why does life resemble the 80s and 90s of the last century? If Xu Yun¡¯s paper had been published and the Dream World had undergone a great change, with things like starship cannons and space elevators... Lin Xian wouldn¡¯t find it strange at all. Because that would be logical. Even Professor Xu Yun himself had said, once the Hibernation Pod was out, the world¡¯s situation might be rewritten, and human technology would surely enter a rapidly advancing era; the future was immeasurable.@@@@ But rapid advancement... Lin Xian abruptly sat up in bed! He was breathing rapidly. Clutching at his heart. His heartbeat was fast and couldn¡¯t slow down! Clenching his teeth, Lin Xian reached for the lamp on the bedside table and pressed the switch¡ª Click. ... In the suburbs of Donghai City, within a lakeside villa, the grand crystal chandelier in the living room lit up. The entire room was as bright as daylight. ¡°Since I¡¯m at home... might as well turn on the lights...¡± A hand with dry, wrinkled skin moved away from the light switch. The old man closed the door and walked in, looking at the pale youth squatting among the disordered books: ¡°How many times have I told you, this is bad for your eyes... your nearsightedness is already severe.¡± ¡°Or do you think reading under the moonlight is cool? I thought you¡¯d outgrown that phase... Ji Lin.¡± Ji Lin was engrossed and didn¡¯t speak. He was rolling a copy of ¡°Mathematical Monthly¡± in one hand and holding a pencil in the other, writing swiftly on the magazine¡¯s subset pages. Whoosh¡ª He quickly finished writing and tossed the magazine aside. Then he picked up the February issue of ¡°Mathematical Monthly¡± lying nearby. The old man stepped forward to pick up the magazine from the floor. It was the January 2022 issue of ¡°Mathematical Monthly.¡± Since the villa had been unoccupied for a long time, the subscribed magazines and newspapers were neatly piled up in the living room. The old man flipped to the page where Ji Lin had just been writing... It was a page of Sudoku, a highly complex mathematical puzzle. The Sudoku grid is divided into nine squares, each also divided into nine smaller cells. Given certain numbers and conditions in these eighty-one cells, the challenge is to use logic and deduction to fill in the remaining cells with numbers 1-9 in such a way that each of those numbers appears only once in each row, column, and square. It is a game that tests both intelligence and mental arithmetic, and even world-class experts can take three to four minutes to solve such a difficult version of Sudoku. Rustle¡ª Ji Lin tossed over the February issue as well. The old man looked down... This February issue also featured an irregular, highly challenging Sudoku puzzle. But in the time it took him to pick up and glance at the magazine... Ji Lin had already completed it. Looking up again, Ji Lin under the moonlight was already working on the new Sudoku in the March issue of ¡°Mathematical Monthly.¡± ¡°Actually, even if you hadn¡¯t attended Xu Yun¡¯s memorial service, I would have called you to Donghai.¡± The old man seemed used to Ji Lin¡¯s indifference, not taking it to heart, and muttered to himself: ¡°Xu Yun... he shouldn¡¯t have died.¡± ¡°If he shouldn¡¯t have died, how come he did?¡± Ji Lin¡¯s pencil moved back and forth on the magazine, not looking up¡ªhis quiet response was out of character. ¡°Because someone harmed him!¡± The old man clenched his teeth, his voice a bit hoarse: ¡°I knew Xu Yun very well... he was a good person, but his talent was somewhat lacking. Not just one Xu Yun, but even ten Xu Yuns, a hundred thousand Xu Yuns! He could never have developed the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid in his lifetime!¡± ¡°So what?¡± Ji Lin blinked his half-open eyes and threw the March issue of ¡°Mathematical Monthly¡± to the floor, having completed the Sudoku in one go with no erasures. ¡°So, someone is secretly causing trouble, changing everything!¡± The old man pulled out a rolled-up list of names from his pocket and threw it to Ji Lin: ¡°I suspect someone is...¡± ¡°[Distorting history]!¡± Chapter 73: 73 Good Person Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Good Person Ji Lin did not pick up the list. Instead, he flipped his pencil around, picked up the April issue of ¡°Mathematical Monthly¡± lying beside him, turned to the Sudoku page, and continued to fill in the numbers... ¡°I¡¯ve always found the way you talk strange,¡± he said. As he rapidly filled in the numbers, he spoke softly, ¡°Even though all kinds of things affect the future, why do you always talk about ¡®history¡¯?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important, it¡¯s just a way of speaking.¡± ... The old man walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the moon outside, his eyes slightly reddened: ¡°Xu Yun... was the student I cherished most in my life.¡± ¡°I can tell,¡± Ji Lin replied without looking up. ¡°You even promised your own daughter to him. Afraid he wouldn¡¯t agree, you lied and claimed she was your little niece. But it¡¯s not really a lie since my sister didn¡¯t know her own background; she didn¡¯t know she was the product of a youthful dalliance.¡± The old man¡¯s eyes widened as he turned around: ¡°How do you know that? I haven¡¯t told anyone...¡± ¡°Is it that hard to see?¡± Ji Lin tossed aside the April issue of ¡°Mathematical Monthly¡± as it seemed this month¡¯s problems were a bit more challenging, taking up noticeably more of his time: ¡°From the time you adopted me, it was my sister who practically raised me by herself. Although I call her sister, to me, she¡¯s more like a mother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to see that she is your illegitimate daughter... But I must say, you¡¯ve hidden it well, so well that even she hasn¡¯t discovered it.¡± ¡°Did you tell her?¡± the old man asked, staring intently at Ji Lin. ¡°No, why would I say that?¡± Ji Lin dismissed the idea and picked up the May issue of ¡°Mathematical Monthly¡± from the ground, turned to the Sudoku page, and continued solving puzzles: ¡°Back then, my sister complained to me that you insisted on matchmaking her with Xu Yun, whom she didn¡¯t like because she thought he was a bookish nerd... those were her exact words.¡± ¡°But after spending time with him, she began to think Xu Yun was quite alright, and they got married. You were the one who took care of the wedding arrangements, putting in a great effort.¡± ¡°If I could encounter something interesting, meet interesting people... I would actually be quite willing to socialize.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that my sister passed away early, and you drove Xu Yun away... I lost my interest in socializing.¡± ¡°I felt very down when I found out Xu Yun would never come to see me again. Although he wasn¡¯t exceptionally talented in scientific research... he was, after all, a scientist. His knowledge and insights were quite shocking to me at that young age.¡± ... Speaking of Xu Yun. The old man¡¯s expression quickly grew dim again: ¡°Actually, things shouldn¡¯t have developed this way...¡± ¡°I was always waiting for the day Xu Yun would turn back, lots of tycoons and capitalists were actually interested in his research and wanted to sponsor him. But when I found out, I stopped them halfway.¡± ¡°I thought he would inevitably reach a day when he couldn¡¯t go on, a day when he would have a change of heart, realize his mistake and come back looking for me. Even though your sister had passed away, I always treated Xu Yun as if he were my own son.¡± ¡°Really, there was no difference. Even though I don¡¯t have children and you were adopted, if I had a child, I believe I would have been as good to him as I was to Xu Yun.¡± ¡°The day Xu Yiyi had her accident, I was more upset than Xu Yun. Since you know everything, just say it, that was my granddaughter after all, would I not wish her well?¡± ¡°At that time, I invited all the world¡¯s experts in this field to Donghai City. I chartered flights for every one of them, bringing them in to consult for Yiyi. But not a single expert offered hope for recovery and awakening... not one.¡± The old man closed his eyes and bowed his head. Whirr. The August issue of ¡®Mathematical Monthly¡¯ was tossed onto the ground by Ji Lin. The Sudoku in this issue was the highest difficulty level, ¡°Killer Sudoku,¡± and its pristine pages bore no traces of correction. ¡°So, now can you tell me the answer?¡± Ji Lin picked up the September issue of ¡®Mathematical Monthly,¡¯ but he didn¡¯t open it. For the first time, he stopped what he was doing. He looked up at the old man: ¡°Why... did you kill Xu Yun?¡± Chapter 74: 74: Wrong Answer (Thanks to the alliance leader, I have two baby cats!) Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Wrong Answer (Thanks to the alliance leader, I have two baby cats!) ¡°Because...¡± The old man gritted his teeth: ¡°Because Xu Yun, he also... ¡®disturbed history¡¯.¡± ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not asking you this. Do you think I don¡¯t know?¡± Ji Lin twirled the pencil in his hand, his gaze still fixed on the old man: ¡°I¡¯m asking you, why do you need to kill these people who ¡®disturb history¡¯?¡± The old man didn¡¯t speak. ... After a long silence: ¡°Ji Lin, you¡¯re very talkative today. You¡¯ve never asked such a question before.¡± ¡°Because before, it wasn¡¯t Xu Yun who died.¡± Ji Lin looked at the list rolled up on the ground: ¡°You gave me this list, intending for me to find the person ¡®disturbing history,¡¯ right? Actually, I think it¡¯s totally unnecessary.¡± ¡°There are only two or three hundred people on this list. Why not just kill them all? Why go through the trouble of singling out the one ¡®disturbing history¡¯? Being so cautious doesn¡¯t seem like your style.¡± ¡°No way.¡± The old man said vehemently: ¡°We must not kill the innocent indiscriminately.¡± Ji Lin chuckled. He opened ¡®Mathematical Monthly¡¯ September issue, found the Sudoku page, and continued solving problems: ¡°So you see... you still know something; you¡¯re keeping something from me.¡± ¡°With your righteous talk, I almost thought we were some kind of justice organization.¡± He stopped writing again and looked up at the old man: ¡°My parents were also killed by you, weren¡¯t they?¡±@@@@ The old man turned away, sighing helplessly: ¡°Ji Lin, I¡¯ve told you many times about this. Your parents weren¡¯t killed by me... Even if it wasn¡¯t just a simple accident, it was definitely not my doing.¡± ¡°Stop pretending.¡± Ji Lin smiled wryly, continuing his Sudoku: ¡°I¡¯ve figured it out.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯d better investigate it thoroughly!¡± ¡°You are the smartest person I¡¯ve ever met, the most extreme genius. I¡¯ve always believed that you are the one closest to the Genius Club. So... help me, Ji Lin, you¡¯d also be helping yourself.¡± Rustle. Ji Lin threw down the November issue of ¡°Mathematical Monthly¡± he had in his hand. He slowly stood up... And picked up the roster on the ground: ¡°I¡¯ll find that person.¡± Having said that, he scratched his messy hair and walked towards the bedroom. A breath escaped the old man¡¯s nose. He looked at the ¡°Mathematical Monthly¡± November issue lying on the floor... And gazed at it, quite surprised. The page that the magazine had fallen open to showed the Sudoku puzzle¡ªastonishingly, it was incomplete. Only about half of the numbers had been filled in, with several erasures, but in the end, the Sudoku puzzle was not solved. ¡°How curious...¡± The old man exclaimed: ¡°There¡¯s actually a Sudoku you can¡¯t do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t solve it, the problem is wrong,¡± Ji Lin yawned, rubbing his eyes: ¡°If the problem is wrong, no one can solve it.¡± The old man was curious. He stood up, picked up the last ¡°Mathematical Monthly¡± December issue, and flipped to the Sudoku page. There was an ¡°Apology Statement¡± in the most conspicuous place, where the magazine company apologized for the print error in the Sudoku game from the previous issue and corrected several numbers in this issue. The old man smiled proudly and put down the magazine. ¡°As expected... you¡¯ve never let anyone down! If you weren¡¯t so ¡®Lazy¡¯, you would be quite likable.¡± ¡°¡®Lazy¡¯.¡± Ji Lin opened the bedroom door and walked inside: ¡°I hate this code name. I¡¯m not the last one who joined the organization, why didn¡¯t you pick a nice sounding name for me? I don¡¯t like laziness.¡± ¡°Then get to work!¡± The old man¡¯s patience had been worn out for the night. ¡°Got it...¡± Ji Lin yawned again and closed the bedroom door: ¡°Goodnight, ¡®Arrogance¡¯.¡± Chapter 75: 75 Changes and Anchors Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Changes and Anchors@@@@ Late at night. 01:24 Step, step, step, step... Lin Xian paced back and forth in his bedroom. By now, he had calmed down and understood many things. Firstly, it was clear that¡ª ... 1. The reason for the earth-shattering changes in the Dream World was the Space-Time Butterfly Effect triggered by the public release of Professor Xu Yun¡¯s paper, leading to a ¡°Temporal Flux.¡± He had already checked the smartphone news. The previous evening, the Donghai University Research Institute had released all of Xu Yun¡¯s research materials as promised. This included the solution to the Ice Crystal Problem, the unfinished Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid paper, and various experimental data on hibernation by-products... All of it had been made public to the world free of charge. This had been Professor Xu Yun¡¯s original intention; after his death, the Donghai University Research Institute carried out his wishes. Once the materials were made public, they caused a sensation in the global scientific community, with nearly every research laboratory working overtime to verify the data. Since the data was absolutely correct, the replication of the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid progressed very quickly. Even though Xu Yun¡¯s paper was not complete, the core data and experimental documents were there. It was not difficult to complete the final piece of the puzzle with the world¡¯s top scientific forces focusing on it. Just two hours later, China¡¯s Academy of Sciences had already successfully prepared the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid and started experiments with mice. Soon, laboratories and research institutes in other countries also sent back positive reports, confirming the achievements of Professor Xu Yun¡¯s research and this great invention. Even though it was approaching the early hours of the morning, the internet was still abuzz with various messages. Mi Country had already taken the lead in completing the hibernation and thawing experiments with mice, with all vital signs being normal, and several research institutes had indicated their intent to shift their future research focus to the field of hibernation pods. China¡¯s Academy of Sciences also issued a statement intending to establish a hibernation research institute named after Xu Yun, investing a large amount of money and resources to specifically study hibernation technology, aiming to produce the first generation of simple hibernation pods for use within two to three years. And there were other news bits about various award nominations, follow-ups by research institutes from various countries, and so on... Everything was as Professor Xu Yun had wished. Though he had left this world, the spark of hibernation technology had been ignited, even bursting into a raging fire with the potential to spread like wildfire. Given the current global effort to develop hibernation pods... Lin Xian had no doubts that hibernation pods could be manufactured within a few years. He believed in human potential and the power of humanity when united. However... ¡°Why has technological advancement fallen backward instead of springing forward hundreds of years as a result of the early start of hibernation technology?¡± Temporal Flux is completely irreversible. Instead of contemplating here cluelessly, it would be better to enter the dream earlier tomorrow, to search for all the answers within the Dream World. That would be the most prudent and efficient approach. ... Lin Xian tossed and turned in his bedroom until he was tired, then sat at his desk to summarize the third fact he had realized¡ª 3. Temporal Flux does indeed have very precise ¡°anchors.¡± That is, a certain event at a specific time determines when temporal changes will occur; there is a pattern to it. Simply put, it¡¯s about when the space-time butterfly flaps its wings. Only when the butterfly flaps its wings at a certain time can it set off a whirlwind of ¡°change¡± in the future 600 years later. This is easy to understand. The anchor point of the first temporal flux was the instant Lin Xian renamed Keke Cat to Rhein Cat. The space-time butterfly flapped its wings at this moment, the future was rewritten, and temporal flux was triggered. The anchor point of the second temporal flux wasn¡¯t clear because it hadn¡¯t been verified in time. But it was guessed that it must have been the moment he left his manuscript in Professor Xu Yun¡¯s laboratory, or perhaps when Xu Yun saw the manuscript and completed the initial experiment. From that point on, the space-time butterfly flapped its wings again, and the Father of Hibernation changed to Academician Gao Wen. The anchor point of the third temporal flux was when Xu Yun sent the sample of the new Hafnium alloy to the Aerospace Research Institute of China. Time, history, the future also began to change from that moment, causing the material of the safe in the Dream World to change. The anchor point of the fourth temporal flux was at some point during the series of events when the Donghai University Research Institute received, organized, and published Xu Yun¡¯s research data and unfinished papers. Because once East Sea University and the official organizations got involved, it eliminated the possibility of being burned or stolen, and it became irreversible. This time the trigger of the temporal flux was huge, revolutionary... Unlike the previous minor changes, this time the range of the temporal flux was very broad, its strength immense, completely rebuilding the entire future world from scratch, leaving not a trace of its original form. Lin Xian speculated that the reason why this temporal fluctuation was so intense might not just be due to the impact of the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid. It also included Xu Yun¡¯s miraculous chemical compound as well as the chain of complex events involving the new Hafnium alloy, which together produced an even stronger Space-Time Butterfly Effect. ¡°Although I still don¡¯t understand the reason for the regression of technology, the theories related to Temporal Flux are definitely correct.¡± Lin Xian, supporting his chin and spinning his pen, felt he was beginning to grasp the rules involving time, history, and the future. All these changes must follow certain axioms, formulas, laws, or say, laws of nature. ¡°How should I summarize and categorize these concepts such as the Space-Time Butterfly Effect, Temporal Flux, and flux anchor points?¡± If he could truly master these rules... that would be a terrifying power capable of transcending time and space! Lin Xian pondered for a long time and stopped spinning his pen. He unscrewed the pen cap. On the top of a blank paper, he wrote down four bold characters¡ª [Space-time Law] Chapter 76: 76 Space-time Law Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Space-time Law ¡°` Indeed. It was the Space-time Law! The term that Lin Xian came up with in a flash of inspiration, he felt, was quite fitting. ¡°There must be many, many more Space-time Laws yet to be discovered, many I haven¡¯t noticed, paid attention to, or deduced,¡± ¡°But so far, there are only three I have fully grasped...¡± ... He picked up his pen once more and wrote down the three Space-time Laws he had summarized: [Space-time Laws] [1. Space-Time Butterfly Effect]: Any action at the current time point will continue to affect history for hundreds of years to come, thereby causing changes, big or small, in the future world. The small ones are imperceptible, while the large ones can overturn the world. [2. Temporal Flux]: Due to the human intervention in history, the original course of history will be disturbed, resulting in changes in the future world. These changes are referred to as Temporal Flux. It is worth mentioning that Temporal Flux is uncontrollable. [3. Anchoring Events]: Time points and events that are beyond redemption and can trigger observable Temporal Flux are referred to as Anchoring Events. ... Lin Xian looked at the three Space-time Laws he had summarized. He felt that something was missing. After careful consideration, he noticed that there was a certain conflict between the first law, the Space-Time Butterfly Effect, and the third law, Anchoring Events. ¡°Is it really the case that every single thing will inevitably trigger a Temporal Flux?¡± Lin Xian thought this was impossible. If any trivial matter could indeed trigger changes in the future space-time, then his Dream World would not have remained unchanged for 23 years. His three consecutive championships in the Youth Urban Parkour League, a clear change to reality, did not cause even a ripple in the future world. The world 600 years later had not changed at all because of Lin Xian¡¯s minor accomplishment. Lin Xian looked at the half-filled water cup on the table. He began to ponder... Would drinking this gulp of water have any effect on the world 600 years later? ¡°That would certainly not be the case.¡± Lin Xian was certain: ¡°Unless I drank a ton of water right now. Then I would die on the spot, or if I were resuscitated, I wouldn¡¯t live a long life.¡± ¡°In that case, I might never marry or have children. The Lin family¡¯s bloodline would end with me. There would be no future scientist from the Lin family to be born, nor would there be any future criminal from the Lin family to bring calamity to the world, and that would indeed trigger a Temporal Flux.¡± ¡°So, this is a matter of ¡®quantity changing quality.¡¯ Not every Space-Time Butterfly Effect is powerful enough to influence the future hundreds of years later.¡±@@@@ ¡°Small things like washing or not washing one¡¯s face, brushing or not brushing one¡¯s teeth, or bathing or not, will all be gradually worn down and diluted over 600 years of space-time, leaving no ripples behind.¡± Therefore. Another supplementary clause must be added to the Space-time Laws. Lin Xian continued to write, adding a fourth Space-time Law: [4. Space-Time Elasticity]: Space-time itself has a certain elasticity, and not every Space-Time Butterfly Effect will trigger Temporal Flux. It requires an accumulation of changes to a certain degree, or a sufficiently strong change to reality, to break through the elasticity of space-time and cause Temporal Flux, affecting the future world. Lin Xian guessed that the longer the time scale was stretched, the greater the Space-Time Elasticity would be, the less likely it would be for changes and alterations to occur. This elasticity is also a form of inertia, smoothed out by sufficiently long spans of time, becoming less sensitive. However, the conclusion about inertia was not certain, so he did not include it in his writing. ... ¡°That should do it.¡± Lin Xian capped his pen. Space-Time Butterfly Effect, Temporal Flux, Anchoring Events, Space-Time Elasticity. These were the four Space-time Laws that Lin Xian had come to understand so far. ¡°` ¡°` Further insights into these principles may still be possible, depending on how deeply one can explore the Dream World. ¡°Perhaps these laws... on the scale of space-time, are weapons no less formidable than airplanes, tanks, and cannons,¡± Lin Xian closed his eyes and began to imagine... How difficult would it be to level the entire Donghai City to the ground with airplanes, tanks, and cannons, and to cause humanity¡¯s technology to regress to the ¡¯80s and ¡¯90s of the last century? Very difficult, indeed. This is not just a matter of how much ammunition is needed. Even if nuclear bombs were to wipe Donghai City off the map, technology would eventually recover. Moreover, if the enemy truly harbored such intentions, they would have to contend with China¡¯s defensive capabilities. With such strong air and sea defenses, could they really allow their planes and tanks to level Donghai City? But the Space-Time Law, this kind of ¡°Space-Time Weapon,¡± is different! It¡¯s a war without smoke and gunfire. You can¡¯t even see where the enemy is, you don¡¯t know who the enemy is, and you¡¯re completely unable to defend against their attacks. It was still the same old, impoverished little village. ¡°Is this really still Donghai City?¡± After all, the city in The First Dreamland was still called Donghai City. But was this place the same? Lin Xian scratched his head, finding it hard to confirm at the moment. But it would be easy to find out by asking someone. ¡°Stop¡ªstop, thief! Young¡ªyoung man! Help, please!!¡± A frantic voice of a middle-aged woman came from behind. He turned his head to look. He saw an elegantly dressed old lady panting as she chased a thief sprinting ahead. The thief was wearing a black hat, cursing under his breath, and it was the same person who had stolen the cash box from the grocery store and killed Lin Xian with a dagger the night before! ¡°Can¡¯t you pick a different village to steal from?¡± Lin Xian was truly speechless. This thief was really milking one village for all it¡¯s worth, stealing from the grocery store at night and snatching a handbag from an old lady during the day. ¡°Outta the way!¡± The thief in the black hat elbowed past Lin Xian and ran toward the path ahead. The old lady caught up and grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm: ¡°Young...young man, I can¡¯t run anymore! Can you please help...¡± He just killed me yesterday, and you think you can get away today? ¡°Sure old lady, wait here for me.¡± Whoosh! Lin Xian¡¯s parkour skills kicked in, and he bounded over walls left and right, quickly catching up to the thief. ¡°Off you go!¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A flying kick brought the thief tumbling down and pinned to the ground. This time he had learned his lesson. Instead of immediately trying to grab the handbag back from the thief, he reached for the shimmering dagger at the thief¡¯s waist, yanked it out, and tossed it far away. Clang. The dagger bounced a few times before rolling to a stop down the stone steps. He thought he was safe, but¡ª Whoosh! A sweep of icy half-moon blade flashed by as the thief pulled out another sharp knife from his embrace! ¡°Dual-wielding?¡± Luckily, Lin Xian was on guard, leaping back to dodge. What¡¯s with the world these days? The last dream¡¯s CC had two guns on him. This dream¡¯s thief also carried two knives. Does everyone feel this insecure? ¡°You son of a¡ª!¡± The thief bared his teeth, rubbing his neck that Lin Xian had sorely pressed, and advanced with the pointed knife in hand: ¡°So, you¡¯re the busybody, huh!¡± Lin Xian retreated. Thump. There was no escape; he was backed into a dead end. ¡°Damn it!¡± The thief¡¯s face twisted viciously, as he waved his sharp knife, closing in on Lin Xian: ¡°Today, you¡¯re getting taught a lesson!¡± ¡°Who the hell do you think you¡¯re teaching a lesson to!!!¡± a loud shout came from the adjacent alley. Boom!!! A pile of kindling stacked at the alley entrance was kicked aside! A hefty figure, followed by three menacing-looking lackeys, walked out! Whoosh! The leader swung his arm, and a meter-long baton appeared in his hand. ¡°Ptooey!¡± He spat out the cigarette butt from his mouth, his face contorted with anger, as he stared down the thief: ¡°Daring to steal on my turf...¡± ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the line!!¡± Chapter 77: 77 Brother Lian Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Brother Lian ¡°Big Face Cat!¡± Lin Xian had never imagined that after the entire Dream World had been turned upside down... he would still be able to meet Big Face Cat here. This wonderful feeling of encountering an old friend in a foreign land nearly made Lin Xian want to rush up and hug him. ¡°Gah?¡± Big Face Cat furrowed his brows, sizing up Lin Xian from head to toe: ¡°Have you heard of my formidable reputation, kid?¡± ... ¡°Damn!¡± Seeing that he was outnumbered, the thief turned his head and ran. ¡°You really think you can run away!¡± Big Face Cat swung his stick and tore the thief¡¯s clothes apart from behind, then with another swing, he hit the thief¡¯s arm, knocking the sharp knife out of his hand. ¡°Nice moves!¡± Lin Xian started with awkward flattery to ingratiate himself. The three underlings from behind swarmed up and pinned the thief down. Big Face Cat picked up the handbag from the ground and handed it to the only fatty among the three underlings: ¡°This is Auntie Li¡¯s bag; take it to her. Since we¡¯ve taken her protection money, we need to maintain peace in this area.¡± The fatty left with the bag. Lin Xian blinked and watched Big Face Cat... hardly believing that this guy had actually become a force for justice. Just as he had predicted. After the Temporal Flux, not only would history and the future change, the world would change, and everyone¡¯s fate would change with it. Now, Big Face Cat was clearly no longer a bold bandit; he seemed to have become a local thug who collected protection money, but at least he was doing good deeds. Whish¡ª¡ª Yet another cold flash swept by, and the two underlings holding down the thief let out a scream: ¡°Big Brother! He¡¯s got another knife!¡± Lin Xian turned his head to look... Only to see the thief pull out another knife from his boot and make a run for it. ¡°Impressive...¡± He was genuinely amazed that this little village could harbor a Triple Blade Master. ¡°Don¡¯t let him get away!¡± Big Face Cat shouted an order and then patted Lin Xian on the back: ¡°Lend a hand, little brother, block him up ahead!¡± Upon saying this, he took off in pursuit with his two underlings. ¡°Oh...¡± Lin Xian responded, not quite sure what he should do. But with Big Face Cat, a familiar face, he felt a sudden warmth towards this dream. Anyway, exploring the Dream World also started with questioning the natives, and the current Big Face Cat didn¡¯t seem like a bad guy. He might as well connect with him later. The main thing was that this guy was honest and simple-minded, believed anything he was told, and was gullible, making him the perfect question-and-answer robot. Lin Xian sped up his run and directly parkoured against the mossy stone wall, overtaking Big Face Cat and his men in an instant. ¡°What the hell?¡± Big Face Cat and the two underlings stood there dumbfounded: ¡°What is this trick?¡± ¡°Big brother! He¡¯s flying!¡± This complicated network of small pathways was simply a paradise for parkour enthusiasts, and Lin Xian, with a grasp here and a leap there, quickly caught up with the thief again. ¡°Here we go!¡± ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± The same flying kick once again sent the thief tumbling to the ground. Lin Xian frisked the thief: ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re a nine-blade style...¡± Fortunately, he found nothing. ... Later, Big Face Cat and the three underlings turned the thief over to the police station. Lin Xian wasn¡¯t sure if that place could be called a police station, but it was an institution he didn¡¯t recognize, although it looked like a police office of sorts. ¡°Little brother, not bad with the moves,¡± Big Face Cat slapped Lin Xian on the shoulder: ¡°I¡¯m joking, my brother, things like meeting the sister-in-law are not to be taken seriously,¡± said Big Face Cat with a hearty wave of his hand: ¡°Actually, the real benefit of joining the gang is¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll join.¡± Lin Xian declared righteously: ¡°No need to say anymore Brother Lian, I¡¯ll join.¡± He turned around, gripped the crevices between the bricks on the stone wall, and vaulted up the wall in a single step, flipping in mid-air. Thud. After landing, he smiled at Big Face Cat: ¡°How¡¯s that for agility, Brother Lian? When will you take me home?¡± At those words, Er Zhuzi stiffened, his face turning pale: ¡°No, big brother, we can¡¯t take this kid!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± asked Big Face Cat. ¡°This kid is after the sister-in-law! He¡¯s got ill intentions!¡± Er Zhuzi said anxiously. ¡°Hey! What nonsense are you spouting!¡± Big Face Cat, with a sweep of his arm, embraced Lin Xian¡¯s shoulder: ¡°I trust my brother! Bro! From today onward, you are one of us, a member of Lian Gang!¡± ¡°...Are you really not considering changing the name to Cat Gang?¡± ¡°Cat represents ideology, face is metaphysics.¡± Tap. Lin Xian stopped in his tracks, staring at Big Face Cat. He couldn¡¯t believe these two philosophical terms came out of Big Face Cat¡¯s mouth. Although in the previous dream, Big Face Cat was spouting English nonsense, which was not odd in that modern city. But now. In this backward, impoverished village, clearly reeking of illiteracy, Big Face Cat could actually utter such systematically philosophical terms... Lin Xian found it very strange. Even if Big Face Cat¡¯s use was completely wrong, even if he did not understand the true meaning of those words... the presence of such philosophical terminology here was much too ¡°discordant.¡± ¡°Where did you learn those two terms?¡± Lin Xian focused on Big Face Cat. ¡°My dad said them.¡± Big Face Cat replied nonchalantly, lighting a cigarette. ¡°Is your dad a philosophy teacher?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t know shit about philosophy; he¡¯s just an elementary school math teacher, quite delirious too, always shutting himself in the room, studying some ancient text.¡± ¡°Ancient text?¡± ¡°Yeah, a book dug out from a tomb.¡± Big Face Cat exhaled smoke and explained: ¡°It¡¯s a book from hundreds of years ago, preserved quite well by accident.¡± Ancient text? Tomb? Hundreds of years ago? Lin Xian felt the whiff of a fantasy novel: ¡°What¡¯s the name of that ancient text?¡± he was curious. Big Face Cat exhaled smoke and scratched his head: ¡°I remember it¡¯s called... ¡®Introduction to the Cosmological Constant¡¯.¡± ? Lin Xian was dumbfounded: ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like something from ancient tomb sects; it¡¯s a bit too avant-garde.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t ask me! How should I know so much!¡± Big Face Cat, with his head feeling larger from the questioning, looked at Lin Xian with disdain: ¡°You look like a bookworm too! Just don¡¯t go mad studying like my father did!¡± ¡°Ever since he fully understood that ancient text, he¡¯s been like a nutcase. He stopped going to school, wouldn¡¯t leave the house, cooped up all day, endlessly muttering something as if he¡¯s gone mad!¡± ¡°Muttering what?¡± Lin Xian grabbed Big Face Cat¡¯s arm with a serious gaze. If the Genius Club might have been the killers of Big Face Cat¡¯s father, then his research findings, that ancient text, matters related to the cosmological constant... might all be the very things the Genius Club feared and dreaded! For Lin Xian¡¯s current situation, this was crucial. ¡°What exactly is your dad muttering?¡± Lin Xian shook Big Face Cat¡¯s arm, urging him: ¡°Quick, quick, Brother Lian, tell me.¡± Chapter 78: 78 East Sea Chapter 78: Chapter 78 East Sea ¡°Enough!!¡± Big Face Cat was pushed to the brink and shook off Lin Xian: ¡°Little brother, when will you ever be done?! Ask, ask, ask, ask, ask! Are you a walking ¡®Why¡¯ encyclopedia? Where do you get so many questions from!¡± ¡°Just stop it! No more questions! If you have any, go directly ask my old man! You two might actually go crazy together!¡± He shook off Lin Xian¡¯s arm again, puffing angrily on his cigarette. Lin Xian stood in place, thinking. ... Looking at it this way... Big Face Cat¡¯s father clearly hadn¡¯t died; he was still alive and probably kicking. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have said to go ask his dad: ¡°Your dad... um, is he in good health?¡± ¡°Very well! It¡¯s just his mind, gone stupid from studying! Holes up in his room all day without coming out!¡± Big Face Cat said with contempt, took a deep drag of his cigarette, and passed the half-smoked stick to Ah Zhuang: ¡°These bookish people, the more they learn, the crazier they get! Ah Zhuang, tell me, what¡¯s the use of reading books?¡± ¡°No damned use at all!¡± Ah Zhuang took a couple of puffs of the cigarette, shaking his head: ¡°All learned folks are dazed ¨C the world we live in... better to learn a trade.¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly.¡± Er Zhuzi, clenching the cigarette butt in his mouth, looked suspiciously at Lin Xian: ¡°Bookish people are the least reliable; not sincere at all.¡± He took another drag, another puff, and then handed the last bit of the cigarette to San Pang: ¡°Better to work early, marry a wife as good as Sister-in-law Lian. What do you think, San Pang?¡± San Pang, wise beyond his years, nodded while smoking the stub: ¡°I think it¡¯s possible.¡± Big Face Cat nodded in agreement: ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t even want my daughter to keep going to school, either. Better for her to start working early and marry into a good family ¨C that¡¯s a real future.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t, don¡¯t Brother Lian, let your girl continue with school,¡± Lin Xian urged. He realized... That the statement ¡°the economic base determines the superstructure¡± was truly accurate. In such impoverished and backward places, people¡¯s level of thinking had a ceiling, and they saw things from different perspectives. Looking at the state of these four men, all bluster and fuss... They were likely illiterate or semi-illiterate. Lin Xian gave up trying to get any key information from Big Face Cat, who as he said, was indeed less informative than his father would be. Obviously, even in the altered dreamscapes, Cat Dad was still engaged in mathematical research. In this era, he probably hadn¡¯t received the Fields Medal, but whether such an award even existed in this poor and backward world was another matter. But Cat Dad¡¯s ability to delve into the arcane subject of ¡°Introduction to the Cosmological Constant¡± suggested he was highly knowledgeable, no awards needed to prove it. Before the change, in ¡°The First Dreamland,¡± Lin Xian never inquired what Big Face Cat¡¯s father was researching. But intuitively... it was likely not much different from what he was studying now: the cosmological constant. Lin Xian couldn¡¯t say for sure why. He always felt that history had a certain inevitability to it; for instance, Big Face Cat¡¯s destiny seemed to have changed, his family life joyous and content. But it seemed that many things hadn¡¯t changed and remained as ever. It was an indescribable feeling.@@@@ ¡°Can I pay a visit to your father?¡± Lin Xian asked. ¡°I¡¯m actually quite interested in mathematics too, and I¡¯d like to have a discussion with him, to ask for some guidance.¡± ¡°Why not! You¡¯re my bro now, a small matter like this is nothing to worry about,¡± Big Face Cat raised his hand and checked his watch: ¡°But it¡¯s definitely too late for today, the place where he lives is a bit far, and I¡¯ve promised my son I¡¯d buy him roast chicken to eat today.¡± ¡°You have a son?¡± Lin Xian was surprised. ¡°Yeah, my little boy, he¡¯s six years old now. Before, my daughter kept clamoring for a sister, so we had another one, turned out to be a boy.¡± When it came to his children, Big Face Cat¡¯s face was filled with happiness: ¡°The lad is quite mischievous, but sometimes he¡¯s also pretty cute.¡± ¡°How about this!¡± Big Face Cat, with a grand gesture, put his arm around Lin Xian: ¡°Since you¡¯re wandering with nowhere to go, just come stay at my house! There are plenty of rooms, and it just so happens you can join us for dinner tonight.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you to my dad on the motorcycle tomorrow, you won¡¯t be able to find your way there by yourself. Mainly because it¡¯s too late today, otherwise, I would have taken you.¡± With such enthusiasm from Big Face Cat, Lin Xian was indeed tempted. How Lin Xian wished the Hibernation Pod could be successfully developed... how he wished that Xu Yiyi could one day be cured from her vegetative state, and, like Big Face Cat¡¯s daughter before him, could argue with her father while living freely and comfortably. Unfortunately. Considering the level of technological development in this dreamland, it was highly likely that the Hibernation Pod had still not been developed in these 600 years. ¡°I don¡¯t want to work! I want to study!¡± Big Face Cat¡¯s daughter was still arguing with him: ¡°If I don¡¯t study, what will I do in the future? I don¡¯t want to live this kind of life like you all!¡± ¡°You!¡± Big Face Cat¡¯s face turned beet red, but he was too tongue-tied to outtalk his daughter. ¡°Let it go, Brother Lian.¡± Lin Xian laughed, raised his glass, and clinked it with Big Face Cat¡¯s: ¡°Although I, as an outsider, shouldn¡¯t interfere with how you discipline your child... studying is still the right thing to do. Knowledge changes fate, right?¡± ¡°If a child wants to study and has dreams, you should support them. Niuniu likes learning so much, do you want to grow up and be a mathematician like your grandpa, or a teacher perhaps?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Big Face Cat¡¯s daughter pouted: ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a teacher at all.¡± ¡°Then what do you want to be when you grow up?¡± ¡°I only have one dream when I grow up!¡± Big Face Cat¡¯s daughter said, sticking her lip out: ¡°I want to leave this place! I want to live in [New Donghai City]!¡± Lin Xian¡¯s lifted glass paused mid-air... New Donghai City? He looked at Big Face Cat: ¡°The third New Donghai City?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no third! Just [New Donghai City]!¡± Big Face Cat swallowed the chicken in his mouth and glanced at Lin Xian: ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your brain? Did you get it second-hand?¡± ¡°Wait a second.¡± Lin Xian put down his glass and looked at Big Face Cat: ¡°What does New Donghai City mean? Isn¡¯t this Donghai?¡± ¡°This is Old Donghai.¡± ¡°Then, where is New Donghai?¡± Big Face Cat looked at Lin Xian as if he were an idiot: ¡°Brother, are you drunk or just teasing me? You don¡¯t know about New Donghai City?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know!¡± Lin Xian frowned: ¡°Where exactly is it?¡± Big Face Cat frowned in disgust. He stood up, pulled Lin Xian up the stairs, and headed for the rooftop on the third floor: ¡°You, always talking nonsense with your eyes open!¡± With considerable strength, he dragged Lin Xian all the way up to the roof of the three-story building. This was the first time since entering this dreamland that Lin Xian felt a sense of spaciousness, his view finally unobstructed by the convoluted self-built houses. ¡°There! Turn around!¡± Big Face Cat forcefully turned Lin Xian around. A vista of neon lights flooded Lin Xian¡¯s vision¡ª Just a few kilometers away, a futuristic sci-fi city encircled by towering steel walls rose forcibly into view! Skyscrapers reached into the clouds, their tops unseen! Various types of transportation vehicles zipped through the air! Multicolored neon lights painted a distinct tableau against the night sky! Gigantic screens on the walls of high-rises played advertisements, countless robots bustled at every corner of the city, and the steel walls, rising about a hundred meters high, wrapped the entire city tight as if it were a colossal otherworldly entity! Frozen in place, Lin Xian gazed upon the scene as if it were straight out of a science fiction movie. Below... was a poor and outdated small village, tiny and old. In front of him... stood a magnificent, highly developed sci-fi city, flanked by a great steel wall stretching for tens of kilometers, a veritable chasm between them. The difference between ants and mountains. Though this was a dreamland, it was also reality¡ªa real world 600 years in the future. ¡°You see now!¡± Big Face Cat chuckled, pointing at the resplendent and colorful city in the distance: ¡°That! That is¡ª[New Donghai City]!¡± Chapter 79: 79 The Moon Chapter 79: Chapter 79 The Moon New Donghai City. Lin Xian gazed at the stunning scene that even science fiction movies could not depict... and felt deeply the power of technology. In light of this, the Temporal Flux had not caused technological development to fall behind. Rather, as Professor Xu Yun had wished, human technology had achieved unprecedented advancement! Although it had taken 600 years for technology to evolve to this state, Lin Xian felt it was still somewhat lacking. According to his intuition... perhaps it should¡¯ve developed into something even more science fiction than New Donghai City. ... But this was already quite good. At least compared to the initial Dreamland, ¡°The First Dreamland,¡± the technological level of New Donghai City here had already led by more than a century. ¡°This really is a city of the future...¡± Lin Xian sighed: ¡°How wonderful.¡± ¡°Wonderful my ass!¡± Big Face Cat spat: ¡°It¡¯s wonderful for them! What does it have to do with us! We can¡¯t even pick up the trash they leave behind!¡± Lin Xian turned around. He looked at the few dim lights that lit up the village, their glow dim and indistinct. But on the other side, New Donghai City sparkled with lights and neon, like a fairyland. ¡°So...¡± Lin Xian turned his head to look at Big Face Cat: ¡°The Hibernation Pod has been successfully developed, right?¡± ¡°Hibernation Pod? I think I¡¯ve heard of that name; they say New Donghai City has that thing.¡± Big Face Cat said: ¡°But what¡¯s the use of all these high-tech gadgets? All of these are enjoyed by them, and have nothing to do with us.¡± ¡°But why has the world developed into this state?¡± Lin Xian asked: ¡°Could it be because the Hibernation Pods allow those rich and powerful people to indirectly achieve immortality. Their wealth never disappears or disperses, but becomes more and more concentrated. And education, knowledge, and even ideologies and thoughts are monopolized by the elite... Is this why we¡¯ve ended up in the current situation?¡± ¡°Or is it that the capable people are all going into hibernation, not striving, looking forward to enjoying fortunes in the future, and so the real society has gradually decayed?¡± Lin Xian voiced his superficial guess. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Big Face Cat shook his head: ¡°I don¡¯t know anything, ever since I was born... even from the time my great-grandfather was born, the world has always been like this.¡± Lin Xian fell silent, he remembered a sentence he read in some book¡ª Death is the most fair thing in human society. Only death can completely eliminate class solidification and genuinely push civilization forward. ¡°Alright.¡± Lin Xian nodded his head. In his era, there were many Cyberpunk-themed games and movies, whose depicted worlds were probably not much different from the current situation in the Dreamland. This kind of distorted development situation, where exactly did the problem lie? ¡°Actually, I haven¡¯t thought about it much, just living day by day, and I reckon I¡¯m not living too badly.¡± Lin Xian also smiled. In a previous dream... Big Face Cat¡¯s father and daughter had both been killed by the Genius Club. Blinded by revenge, Big Face Cat had no choice but to walk down the path of a ruthless bandit. Compared to that, this future was already quite good. ¡°At least the Genius Club should no longer exist.¡± Lin Xian looked at Big Face Cat: ¡°Have you heard of the Genius Club?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Big Face Cat shook his head: ¡°What is that? Never heard of it.¡± ¡°It seems to be an evil organization.¡± Lin Xian explained with a smile: ¡°There are rumors that only the wealthiest tycoons, the most extreme geniuses, and the most powerful figures can receive an invitation from this club. But actually, this rumor is false. The threshold for joining this organization is much more than that.¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t even know what this organization does or what its goals are. It¡¯s really too mysterious, so mysterious that it seems like it doesn¡¯t exist at all.¡± ¡°Sometimes I even wonder... is it really an evil organization? Could it be that some incidents have caused people to misunderstand or misinterpret this club?¡± Big Face Cat shook his head: ¡°What are you talking about with all this gibberish? Can¡¯t you make it simple? What exactly does this club do?¡± Lin Xian shook his head: ¡°I don¡¯t know anything either. The only thing I do know for certain about them... is their emblem.¡± Lin Xian raised his right hand and extended his index finger, pointing straight up at the sky: ¡°Their emblem is like this, a right hand pointing towards the sky.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Big Face Cat, with a look of contempt, snorted forcefully: ¡°I¡¯ve been listening seriously for so long, turns out you¡¯re just fooling me! Making up stories to amuse me, brother! I thought you were telling the truth!¡± Lin Xian looked at his right hand, somewhat surprised: ¡°You¡¯ve seen this gesture?¡± ¡°Who in the world hasn¡¯t seen it! It¡¯s been around for hundreds of years.¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Look up!¡± Lin Xian followed Big Face Cat¡¯s gesture, looking up into the night sky. August 28, 2624. The sixteenth day of the seventh lunar month. The moon on the sixteenth was as round as a jade plate, hanging high in the night sky). And across the bright lunar surface loomed a huge black shadow. The shadow was so large it spanned the entire moon from the north to south pole, nearly splitting the jade plate in two. The shape of that shadow was a right hand with an extended index finger, pointing straight upwards! It was identical to Lin Xian¡¯s gesture at that moment. ¡°Heh heh.¡± Chapter 80: 80 Concealment Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Concealment When he saw the Genius Club¡¯s emblem covering the entire moon...that dark hand seemed not to point upwards, but appeared to mockingly point at himself. Just moments ago, Lin Xian believed that in this future world, the Genius Club no longer existed and might have even been extirpated by the rapidly advancing technology. But look at the outcome... Not only had they not vanished or disbanded, but they had also become even more brazen, plastering their logo across the moon. ¡°What is that thing?¡± Lin Xian asked, pointing at the moon. ¡°The moon, of course!¡± ... ¡°I mean, that black shadow on the moon, is that a projection? Or is there really such a huge building on the moon, spanning from the North to the South Pole?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± Big Face Cat shook his head: ¡°The moon has looked like this for centuries, it has been like this since I was small, and I¡¯ve never found it strange.¡± ¡°Actually, you¡¯re lucky today. The moon is clearest on the fifteenth and sixteenth, when you can see the pattern crystal clear. When the moon is not full on other days... it¡¯s not so clear. And sometimes, the angle makes it look just like a middle finger.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the issue, Brother Lian.¡± Lin Xian looked up again at the eerie and terrifying moon: ¡°The problem is, even if the moon has been like this since your birth, since centuries ago, it¡¯s clearly man-made; go back thousands or tens of thousands of years, and the moon definitely did not look like this.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that stating the obvious! How could I not know that!¡± Big Face Cat rubbed his arms and took the cigarette trapped behind his ear, placing it in his mouth to light it with a match: ¡°Obviously, the black pattern on the moon is man-made, but exactly who did it and which country did it, nobody can say for sure.¡± ¡°There are many rumors. Some say a certain country built such a huge black structure on the moon as a show of power, so it looks like an outstretched right forefinger.¡± ¡°But there are also rumors that it was the work of some wealthy artist using some material that absorbs light or some other reflective material to lay out the pattern on the lunar surface... with the purpose of showing it to the people on Earth.¡± ¡°Some people claim aliens did it... but hahaha, only kids would believe that! Do aliens also have a right hand like this? Do aliens also have five fingers? I don¡¯t buy it.¡± ... Lin Xian let Big Face Cat¡¯s rhetoric go in one ear and out the other. Because he knew very well. The truth was also quite apparent. The sinister black shadow on the moon was most likely the doing of the Genius Club. Mysterious and arrogant. It matched Lin Xian¡¯s impression of this enigmatic organization. But such a massive moon-landing and construction project couldn¡¯t have happened without a record in history: ¡°Brother Lian, isn¡¯t there a record about it in the history books?¡± ¡°History books?¡± Big Face Cat sneered disdainfully: ¡°We people don¡¯t even have the right to know about history...¡± He pointed towards New Donghai City, glittering with lights, miles away¡ª ¡°History and knowledge, they are all in their hands. If you want to see a real history book, you would have to enter New Donghai City. There they have bookstores and all kinds of high-tech gadgets.¡± ¡°So, little brother...¡± Big Face Cat exhaled a cloud of smoke, his eyes complex as he looked at Lin Xian: He looked up at Lin Xian: ¡°I could tell at a glance that you¡¯re not a bad guy, I trust my judgment.¡± ¡°So, does that mean today¡ª¡± ¡°But not today.¡± Big Face Cat¡¯s eyes were firm as he raised his glass to clink with Lin Xian¡¯s: ¡°I wanted to take you with me, but it¡¯s not something I can decide on my own.¡± ¡°So... just listen to me and go to bed early today. Tomorrow I¡¯ll take you to meet the boss and introduce you to him.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Brother Lian has a lot of clout. With me vouching for you, the boss will definitely let you join.¡± ¡°But before that, stop asking so many questions. Every line of work has its rules, I can see you¡¯re talented, but even talented people can¡¯t be exceptions.¡± ... Since Big Face Cat made it so clear, Lin Xian did not press any further. He never expected that in the last dream, he kept brushing off Big Face Cat with ¡°tomorrow¡±... How the tables turn, now Big Face Cat gave ¡°tomorrow¡± back to him. But Lin Xian was not in a rush. As long as there were no major temporal fluxes, the dream could last as long as he wanted; there was plenty of time to explore these matters. For now, all he needed to do was gather information. Lin Xian picked up his glass: ¡°There¡¯s another big brother above you?¡± ¡°Not a big brother, but a boss, we work for him.¡± Click. After their glasses clinked, they both downed their drinks. Big Face Cat showed Lin Xian around the house, including the layout and the location of the bathroom. After watching him wash up, he pushed him into the tidy bedroom. ¡°Have a good sleep tonight, and don¡¯t wander outside, ha, the neighborhood¡¯s not safe.¡± Big Face Cat cautioned. ¡°Got it, Brother Lian.¡± Lin Xian replied: ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± I¡¯m definitely going out! You¡¯ve hinted as much... If I don¡¯t go out and take a look, it would be a true disservice to my curiosity. Besides, I¡¯m already dreaming; there¡¯s no reason to keep sleeping in a dream. He had tried before and found it impossible to sleep within a dream. ¡°Goodnight, Brother Lian.¡± ¡°Goodnight, little bro.¡± ... Lying on the stone bed, Lin Xian lay with his eyes open, listening to every move in the room. Sister-in-law Lian seemed to be chopping radishes in the kitchen, probably to pickle for tomorrow¡¯s breakfast. The eldest daughter and young son also fell asleep amidst their giggles and fuss. There was completely no sound from Big Face Cat, he must have long been gone. Finally... When the house was completely quiet and the sister-in-law had also fallen asleep... Lin Xian got up. He pushed open the door¡ª Chapter 81: 81: In the Dead of Night Chapter 81: Chapter 81: In the Dead of Night The house was silent, the only sound being the faint purring of Big Face Cat¡¯s youngest son as he slept, with not a single other noise to be heard. Lin Xian tiptoed downstairs, careful to avoid making any sound. Big Face Cat indeed was keeping something from him. He himself had admitted as much. But he planned to take him to see the boss tomorrow and let him join the plan... but tomorrow, that thing really couldn¡¯t wait. During dinner, he had already checked the calendar in the house; today was still August 28th, 2624. ... This meant that although he hadn¡¯t seen the white light that destroyed the world at 00:42 yesterday, in all likelihood, the world had probably still been destroyed by the white light. The loop was still ongoing. The dreamland remained. It¡¯s just that this world had changed its appearance. Tap. Tap. Tap. Lin Xian tiptoed across the living room. Because of the rowdiness of Big Face Cat¡¯s youngest son, there were many cluttered items around the house. Thankfully, Sister-in-law Lian was diligent and capable and had tidied the room before bedtime so it was clean and neat. What a pity... the house was so small and crowded that no amount of tidiness could change that. Finally. Lin Xian moved to the front door. Creak¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The door squealed open, causing Lin Xian to tense up. Turning his head to look... Thankfully, there was no movement inside; Sister-in-law Lian and the children hadn¡¯t been awoken. Lin Xian carefully locked the door. He didn¡¯t plan to return, lest thieves break in. Turning around and walking on the rugged, winding path, he had no idea which direction to go or where to head. The self-built houses here were so disordered they made one¡¯s skin crawl, looking left and right, his view entirely blocked by the uneven rows of houses... No wonder he hadn¡¯t seen New Donghai City just a few kilometers away during the day, nor the towering black skyscrapers reaching into the clouds. ¡°Living here for too long really does depress and sicken you.¡± Lin Xian couldn¡¯t tell north from south, and without sight of the moon, he could only arbitrarily pick a direction and wander around. Gradually, he found himself at the small market where Big Face Cat bought roasted chicken. It was equally crowded, completely unsuitable for vehicles to pass through. According to Big Face Cat, all the resources of this world, including knowledge, history, and technology... were controlled by those in New Donghai City. Lin Xian still couldn¡¯t figure out the state, structure, or rules of this world. With his current thinking, he simply couldn¡¯t grasp how this distorted development had come to be. Viewing the moon from an artist¡¯s perspective, from the standpoint of creation, the only way to describe it was as a masterpiece of ingenuity. Due to Earth and the moon being tidally locked, the moon¡¯s rotation period matches its orbit period. That is to say... ¡°The moon will always show its face to Earth, and humanity can never observe the far side of the moon from our planet.¡± That also meant that the Genius Club¡¯s emblem could rise punctually every night and always gaze upon the mortal Earth from the correct orientation. Year upon year, waxing and waning with the moon, but never absent. This feat can¡¯t be achieved by any other celestial body, only by the tidally locked moon. Lin Xian turned his head, looking towards the brilliantly lit colossal sci-fi city. ¡°New Donghai City...¡± Even though it was the dead of night, New Donghai City was like a city that never sleeps, still bustling and bright. Don¡¯t the people there need sleep? Don¡¯t they need rest? What kind of life do they lead? What kinds of life experiences do they have? Is it immortality? Is it eternal youth? Or, as described in games and movies, have they all switched to prosthetics or even complete mechanization? Lin Xian couldn¡¯t find out. ¡°I¡¯ll have to go in and take a look.¡± He raised his wrist, looking at his watch. 00:41:41 If the rules here are the same as in ¡°The First Dreamland,¡± then in 19 seconds, this dream will end. An all-consuming white light that would destroy everything would appear on time, and I would open my eyes in bed. But now... Human technology has already developed to such a sci-fi level. Is it still completely ignorant of such devastating blows, without the slightest prevention? Lin Xian looked up once more at the endlessly bustling New Donghai City, everything as usual. He lowered his head to look at the watch¡ª 00:41:57 ... 00:41:58 ... 00:41:59 Chapter 82: 82: The Disappearing Vehicle Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Disappearing Vehicle Boom!!!!! Boom!!!!! Boom!!!!! The annihilating white light arrived punctually once again, not a second off. ... ... ... ... In a corner of the bedroom, Lin Xian opened his eyes. ¡°So far, the white light still exists in this dream, destroying everything, and humanity is still completely unaware of it.¡± Gao Yang had said something similar before. He mentioned that humanity¡¯s astronomical observation methods are quite advanced now, capable of detecting gravitational waves, extraterrestrial crises, and more. Whether or not prevention is possible is another matter, but at least it wouldn¡¯t be a total surprise like in Dream World. Now, in the second dream, after 600 years of rapid technological development, even New Donghai City, a cyber science fiction city, has appeared. Cars fly in the sky, and robots crawl all over the ground... With such an explosion of technology, has there really been no progress in the field of astronomical observation? ¡°Unrealistic.¡± Lin Xian shook his head in denial. It was already evident from the mysterious black hand shadow on the moon that humanity in the future world had mastered the technology for massive construction projects on the moon at least several hundred years ago. Logically speaking, if they could leave such wonders on the moon hundreds of years ago... then after centuries have passed, humanity has neither flown starships beyond the Solar System nor built space cities in outer space... Could it be that the technological development took a wrong turn? ¡°Hmm...¡± Lin Xian pondered while supporting his chin: ¡°Thinking about it, even if technology in the future world has rapidly evolved after the Temporal Flux, the level of development still seems too low.¡± Is it difficult to construct a science fiction city like New Donghai City? Or is it harder to create a huge black hand shadow on the moon? Undoubtedly, it¡¯s the latter. ¡°But it¡¯s hard to say.¡± Lin Xian¡¯s thoughts were somewhat conflicted. While it¡¯s true that by the year 2023 humanity had lost the capability to land on the moon, it cannot be denied that as early as 1969, Mi Country had already succeeded in manned moon landings. Colonel Armstrong¡¯s famous words, ¡°That¡¯s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,¡± still echo in our ears. Over the years, numerous countries have managed to send lunar robots to the moon successfully. So from that perspective, perhaps placing an immense structure using light-absorbing materials on the moon is more a matter of the hassle and expenditure involved, rather than a question of technical difficulty. ¡°Let it go, no more thinking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to take the opportunity to visit New Donghai City and look at historical records, or to ask astronomers in reality, rather than trying to figure it out all by myself.¡± Lin Xian decided not to trouble his brain further. ¡°Because of you... I¡¯m quite looking forward to and hold a favorable impression of East Sea University¡¯s top talents. We need more outstanding talents like you.¡± Having said that, she stood up and picked up her coat: ¡°Then you¡¯ll head to the university this afternoon. Just make sure everything at the company is organized. Coincidentally, I won¡¯t be at the company this afternoon either; I¡¯m going to a party.¡± ¡°A party?¡± Lin Xian looked up, reminded of the black shadow engulfing the full moon in his dream world... ¡°Yes, an afternoon tea gathering for a small group of musicians.¡± Zhao Yingjun stepped into her high heels and went to pick out a scarf: ¡°I want to talk to one of the composers about creating a theme song for a Rhein Cat MV.¡± ¡°The influence of this cat keeps fermenting; it has already surpassed our expectations by far. Any related merchandise sells out immediately upon release, and supermarket agents from all over are pressuring us for more stock. Even with the factories working overtime, they can¡¯t keep up with production.¡± ¡°Mainly, I don¡¯t want to ruin the good IP that is Rhein Cat, so I choose factories with high-quality standards for the dolls. There are not many that meet my criteria.¡± Zhao Yingjun picked up a blue scarf and came back to her desk, looking at Lin Xian: ¡°You¡¯re going to East Sea University for a lecture, right? Well, why not inform the logistics department to transport a truckload of Rhein Cat Dolls there? Hand them out to the students attending the seminar; it¡¯s better than going empty-handed.¡± She smiled: ¡°After all, you¡¯re an alumnus returning to your alma mater with glory. Bringing little gifts for the juniors seems more befitting.¡± ¡°No need, really, there¡¯s no need,¡± Lin Xian waved his hands: ¡°It¡¯s just a small lecture organized by our counselor... At most, there¡¯ll be a few dozen people. There¡¯s no need for so many dolls.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re going, just take them with you. You don¡¯t have a car, so let logistics arrange that too,¡± Zhao Yingjun quickly tidied up her desk, grabbing her handbag: ¡°Although you¡¯re not officially representing the company, we still need to consider your reputation. One business car to shuttle you and one small cargo van carrying Rhein Cat Dolls should suffice; just give them out for free as advertising.¡± It was an offer he couldn¡¯t refuse. And with Zhao Yingjun in a hurry to leave, Lin Xian was compelled to accept this kindness. Bang. The double-password office door closed. Lin Xian returned to his own office, picked up his black notebook filled with the outline for his speech, and went downstairs. ... Sitting in the business car, Lin Xian observed the scenery along the way through the window. He had traveled this road many times lately, whenever he went to see Xu Yun. Unfortunately... He would never have the chance to see Xu Yun again. Whenever he thought of his old friend, Lin Xian felt a sense of longing. Xu Yun was truly a good person. Despite many misunderstandings about him, they did not prevent him from being a pure scientist. To this day, the culprit who had killed Xu Yun remained at large. There were scathing criticisms online. The Donghai police were under immense pressure, but with no leads, there was nothing they could do. The two cars had vanished as if into thin air, and no one understood how it was done. This was Donghai City, a place covered in surveillance cameras... Resting his chin in his hand, Lin Xian wondered: ¡°Those two cars... How did they disappear?¡± Chapter 83: 83 Lecture Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Lecture Lin Xian looked ahead; they had arrived at the school entrance. Since the counselor had already notified the security guard in advance, the guard simply lifted the bar, allowing the two cars to enter the campus one after the other. ... ¡°Why is it a lecture hall?¡±@@@@ Upon seeing the counselor, Lin Xian was cheerfully dragged to the largest lecture hall in the Art College. ¡°Wait, wait, wait...¡± ... Lin Xian stopped in his tracks, pulling at the counselor: ¡°You said it was a small lecture.¡± ¡°Ah! Anyway, you just sit there and talk! Whether it¡¯s a few people sitting below, a few dozen, or a few hundred! Is there a big difference?¡± The counselor forcefully pulled Lin Xian along: ¡°You¡¯ve hosted an evening gala with tens of thousands of attendees; what are you afraid of with such a small crowd?¡± ¡°The main thing is I didn¡¯t expect the response to be so overwhelming! I originally thought at most maybe a hundred or so people would come, so I prepared a regular classroom... but who would have thought that girls from freshman to senior year would be scrambling to attend!¡± ¡°Cough cough... To tell you the truth, it¡¯s all girls, not a single boy.¡± The counselor snickered: ¡°I think some are here for the Rhine Cat, and some might be here for you!¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Lin Xian remained unimpressed: ¡°Coming for me... What do I have?¡± ¡°What do you not have!¡± The counselor gestured up and down: ¡°You¡¯ve got the looks, the height, the charm! And how much are you getting from the Rhine Cat¡¯s copyright earnings?¡± ¡°That, I really don¡¯t know; it hasn¡¯t been paid out yet.¡± ¡°It must be a lot! Various toy peripherals are so popular; are you not easily a millionaire? Plus, being so young and a senior! Wealthy, handsome, and dashing at a young age, you think these young ladies wouldn¡¯t be curious?¡± ¡°Enough with the hard sell.¡± Lin Xian broke free: ¡°You¡¯re just afraid I¡¯d run off without giving the lecture... I¡¯m already here, how could I possibly run away?¡± ¡°Hehe. Reliable!¡± The counselor chuckled and gave a thumbs-up: ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to dinner tonight! You really did me a big favor this time! Now I¡¯ll look so impressive in the eyes of these new students!¡± ... Only she was prettier and cuter. He was just about to greet her, but the girls surrounding him were chirping away, eager to add him on WeChat: ¡°Alright, alright, no need to rush, I¡¯m opening WeChat now.¡± Lin Xian held his black notebook in one hand and his phone in the other, attempting to unlock the screen with the hand holding the notebook¡ª Clang. His hand slipped, and the black notebook fell to the ground. ¡°Senior, your notebook.¡± One of the girls picked it up and handed it to Lin Xian. ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Lin Xian held his phone up for the girls to scan the QR code, while placing the black notebook on the podium with his other hand. ¡°Huh? Senior, this piece of paper must be yours too, right?¡± Another girl crouched down, picking up a piece of folded paper from the ground. She had seen clearly... that this folded drawing paper had fallen out of the black notebook. She unfolded the paper and took a look¡ª ¡°Eh?¡ª¡ª¡ªEh!!!¡± Her pitch rose sharply, immediately drawing the attention of the surrounding girls, with all eyes glued to the drawing. Chu Anqing saw the drawing and her eyes widened, cheeks instantly flushing red! Lin Xian cursed inwardly! He suddenly remembered... When he was drawing CC¡¯s portrait in the office, Zhao Yingjun had stumbled upon him, and he had casually folded the drawing and placed it inside this black notebook. He had been so busy these past days that he completely forgot about it. And now, what a coincidence! The drawing just had to fall out right at this moment, right in front of Chu Anqing, in front of all these junior girls! This was stirring up trouble! ¡°Lin... Senior Lin Xian...¡± The girl holding the drawing was dumbfounded, looking from Chu Anqing to the smiling girl on the paper. The petite face, curved eyelashes, crescent-shaped eyes, and the lightly hidden dimples at the corners of her mouth. And the finishing touch, that trademark teardrop mole! Her eyes full of shock, her voice trembling: ¡°Senior, isn¡¯t this... isn¡¯t this Chu Anqing that you¡¯ve drawn?¡± Chapter 84: 84 Painting Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Painting Boom! The gossip in this group of girls just exploded! With pink peach blossoms shimmering in their pupils: ¡°This must be An Qing, right? It¡¯s drawn so well.¡± ¡°Eh~~~~what¡¯s going on here? Could it be...¡± ¡°It¡¯s drawn so well, not a single detail is missing, it¡¯s exactly like An Qing! This... this couldn¡¯t be a model drawing, could it? Hehe, when did you guys draw this?¡± ... ¡°Senior Lin Xian and Chu Anqing are what? Yi ya~~~¡± ... These girls were looking back and forth between the flustered Lin Xian and the shy Chu Anqing with mischievous smiles in their eyes. Lin Xian was really at his wits¡¯ end. How was he to explain this? He clearly drew CC, but Chu Anqing happened to look exactly like CC! Moreover, CC was not a person from this era, so even if he told the truth, no one would believe him... To be honest, he wasn¡¯t afraid of misunderstandings or anything like that; after all, he had already graduated from the school, and gossip and rumors wouldn¡¯t reach him. But Chu Anqing had just started her freshman year, and she was already a well-known little princess on campus... If she got involved in bad rumors, how would her schoolmates see her in the future? Having spent four years in college, Lin Xian well knew the importance of reputation for a girl in school. Even if it was speculation, even if it was baseless rumors... words would always become thorns, wounding innocent girls. Lin Xian took a deep breath. This situation was caused by him, and he had to take responsibility for it: ¡°Listen to me, this is me¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, I begged Senior Lin Xian to draw this for me, and to think you guys saw it, how embarrassing.¡± Chu Anqing, with her easy grace, took the drawing from the girls¡¯ hands: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to be done so quickly, I thought I¡¯d have to wait a few days.¡± ??? The surrounding girls widened their eyes, looking at Chu Anqing. What exactly was happening? ¡°It was at the celebration banquet of MX Company a few nights ago.¡± Chu Anqing held the folded drawing in her hand, looking at her classmates: Only Lin Xian and Chu Anqing remained in the spacious classroom. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Senior Lin Xian,¡± Chu Anqing said with an embarrassed smile: ¡°I lied without your permission... I hope it hasn¡¯t brought you any negative impact.¡± ¡°How could it? On the contrary, I should thank you for helping me out,¡± Lin Xian felt very relaxed: ¡°Actually, this painting...¡± ¡°Hehe, you don¡¯t need to explain, senior. I didn¡¯t misunderstand anything,¡± Chu Anqing¡¯s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled: ¡°I know it definitely isn¡¯t a painting of me. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not that conceited.¡± Lin Xian was somewhat surprised. Was this girl so sensible and understanding? Chu Anqing then reopened the painting: ¡°Although it does look a lot like me, I believe that you didn¡¯t paint me.¡± ¡°After all... we only met for the first time a few days ago, right? How could you have painted me? So you really don¡¯t need to explain anything. You must have painted someone else, right?¡± She closed the painting and blinked at Lin Xian: ¡°Did you paint a former female classmate? Or was it... just a random drawing?¡± Lin Xian scratched his head: ¡°It¡¯s a high school classmate of mine.¡± Lin Xian casually lied. When it was time to lie, it was better to do so. It would save them both from embarrassment, and maybe Chu Anqing deliberately gave him an out by putting it that way: ¡°In fact, I had finished this painting days before I met you that day. It was quite strange... I just started thinking of her and sketched it down. I didn¡¯t expect it to look so much like you... It was a surprise to me as well.¡± ¡°Oh~~ I see,¡± Chu Anqing nodded as if she had a sudden realization: ¡°No wonder, at your company¡¯s celebration banquet when I entered, I thought the way you looked at me was a bit odd... I didn¡¯t think too much about it at the time, but now, hehe... you were thinking of that high school classmate, weren¡¯t you?¡± Lin Xian nodded along with a smile. There was no choice; once one lie was told, many more were needed to cover it up. ¡°In that case, I should return this painting to you, Senior Lin Xian.¡± Chu Anqing handed over the folded painting with a smile, looking at Lin Xian: ¡°She must be a very important, unforgettable person to you...¡± ¡°Make sure you take good care of this painting.¡± Chapter 85: 85 Another Time, Another You Chapter 85: Chapter 85 Another Time, Another You Long live understanding. Lin Xian took the drawing and folded it back into the black notebook. He resolved to throw it away as soon as he stepped out, this disaster could not be kept... But Chu Anqing was really easy-going, down-to-earth, unpretentious, and very considerate and empathetic. Lin Xian internally gave her personality 100 points. She took the initiative to help him out of an awkward situation when she saw that he was embarrassed; and even after helping him, she did not show any vanity and even gave him a way out... Lin Xian truly envied Chu Shanhe for having such a caring girl by his side and wondered if he would ever have one in the future. ... ¡°So... could you sign my Rhine Cat doll?¡± Chu Anqing giggled, handing over a Rhine Cat Doll: ¡°This Bun-haired Qipao Rhine Cat is my favorite, and who knows? Once you become a world-famous designer, this autographed cat might even increase in value!¡± ¡°But I definitely won¡¯t sell it. I feel a Rhine Cat with the founder¡¯s signature has a lot of commemorative value.¡± ¡°Of course, I can.¡± Lin Xian took the Rhine Cat and pinched the fabric tag to sign his name: ¡°Honestly... this is actually the first time I¡¯ve signed a Rhine Cat.¡± Lin Xian laughed while signing: ¡°No one has ever asked me to sign a Rhine Cat before, you¡¯re the first one. Generally, everybody just likes the cat and doesn¡¯t care who designed it.¡± ¡°Really? Then could you write a serial number NO.1 on it, hehe, that would make it even more meaningful!¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Lin Xian felt his mood lighten up in the company of this cheerful girl. He pinched the fabric tag and wrote a small NO.1 under his signature, marking it as the first autograph of his life. But he didn¡¯t think there would be a second one. Design products aren¡¯t like novels, apart from industry insiders, hardly anyone pays special attention to who the creator is. Even with something as popular as Hello Kitty, few know that the designer is Shimizu Yuko, or even that the IP belongs to the Sanrio company. ¡°Here you go, it¡¯s yours.¡±@@@@ Lin Xian handed back the Rhine Cat Doll to Chu Anqing. ¡°Thank you, senior!¡± Chu Anqing received the Rhine Cat and waved at Lin Xian: ¡°Well, I¡¯m off then.¡± ¡°Take care.¡± Waving goodbye to this bundle of joy, Lin Xian exhaled briefly. That was close. He nearly had a life-changing disaster. If she had been a haughty princess, she might have run back to Chu Shanhe complaining that he, like a toad wanting to eat swan meat, was secretly in love with her, and then what? In such a vast world, in such a vast Donghai City, and there¡¯s even a larger and more sci-fi New Donghai City... Lin Xian had no confidence that he would meet CC again. ¡°Unless, she and I are also entwined in such a cursed fate.¡± ... After the lecture, the counselor insisted on arranging a drink with Lin Xian. But Lin Xian declined. Because there was something more important to do tonight in his dreams¡ª [To find Big Face Cat¡¯s father, inquire about the nature of the cosmological constant, and try to analyze the secrets of the Genius Club.] Once home, he hastened to wash up. He checked the time, 5:10 PM. A bit earlier than the last time he went to sleep to enter a dream. But being early was good, it¡¯s always better to have some extra time. Pulling the curtains closed, Lin Xian dove into bed. He closed his eyes. ... ... ... Without the familiar breeze of summer and the jarring cicada calls, Lin Xian felt a bit uncomfortable. The tight space between the self-built small buildings blocked out the sunlight, and the entire village was embraced by a cool shade, which was quite comforting. Lin Xian opened his eyes... He had entered the dream successfully, once again appearing in that rugged, zigzagging, crowded, and narrow impoverished village. He looked at his watch. 5:32 PM. There were still about 10 minutes until the thief who would rob Auntie Li¡¯s purse would pass by here. Lin Xian hid in an alleyway nearby, leaning against the brick wall. Lying in wait. Waiting for that ¡°Triple Blade Master¡± to show up. This was the quickest way to get in touch with Big Face Cat. Time ticked away by the second. Finally. ¡°Catch¡ª catch the thief! C-catch... c-catch the thief!¡± The panting voice of Auntie Li came from outside the alley. Lin Xian flexed his wrists: ¡°You¡¯ve finally come... Roronoa Zoro!¡± Chapter 86: 86 Gangs Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Gangs ¡°Catch¡ªcatch the thief! Come... someone help!¡± Auntie Li¡¯s anxious voice was getting closer. Whoosh! A man swift as the wind streaked past the entrance of the alley. Clutching a handbag and wearing a black hat, he was the ¡°Triple Blade Master¡± that Lin Xian had been eagerly waiting for. As Lin Xian walked out of the alley, he bumped right into the pursuing Auntie Li. ... Auntie Li, with a look of urgency, grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s arm: ¡°Young... young man!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°My... my...¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Lin Xian steadied her against the wall: ¡°Auntie Li, don¡¯t panic, just wait here, and San Pang will bring your handbag to you shortly.¡± With that, he unleashed his parkour skills and disappeared into the twists and turns of the narrow path with a few back-and-forth jumps... Auntie Li stood with her mouth open, as confused as a monk with a two-yard head: ¡°I... I haven¡¯t even said anything yet...¡± ... Thump thump thump! Lin Xian leaped sideways in the narrow, winding corridors. The thief¡¯s escape route was exactly the same as it had been a few days ago, and in the countless loops of days and nights to come... he would still take this same path to flee, day after day. Lin Xian could have caught up with him long ago, but kept his speed steady until the thief ran into that familiar dead end. Then, with a leap¡ª ¡°Here we go!¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A flying kick knocked the thief to the ground. Lin Xian searched the thief thoroughly, pulling out a dagger from his chest, waist, and boots and tossing them behind him; then, he used the thief¡¯s belt to tie him up. Boom!!!! Big Face Cat kicked open the pile of firewood blocking the alley entrance: ¡°Dare to steal on my territory!!¡± He emerged from the alley with three fierce-looking underlings, his ferocious flesh on his face twisting into one mass: ¡°You¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡± He had swung his nunchaku halfway when Big Face Cat froze. The rage soaring up to the skies was quenched like a bucket of water had been poured on it, and his ferocious expression and wide-open mouth solidified on his face... Before him. A man with a black hat had his pants pulled down, hands tied behind his back with a belt¡ªwrithing on the ground in humiliation like a maggot. Next to him stood a young man, seemingly fresh from a deed done, with his hands tucked into his pockets and looking this way, three gleaming daggers lying on the ground beside him. ¡°You...¡± Big Face Cat pointed with the nunchaku half unswung at the maggot on the ground, then back to Lin Xian: ¡°Which one of you is the bad guy?¡± ¡°Brother Lian, keep going.¡± Big Face Cat sighed, a bit disappointed, and grabbed Lin Xian¡¯s hand: ¡°Little brother, I¡¯m sorry. I see you as a kindred spirit and wanted to recruit you for our gang, but... our gang really values democracy, so I can¡¯t help you.¡± He reached into his pocket, pulled out some bills, and handed them to Lin Xian: ¡°You helped us catch a thief today, so please accept this small token of thanks and carry on with your wandering. If you ever find yourself unable to get by, come and find me, Brother Lian; you won¡¯t go hungry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do this, Brother Lian.¡± Lin Xian was speechless. How had he just been rejected? Where had the script gone wrong? Why was everything going off course? He pointed to the thief on the ground, squirming like a maggot: ¡°Brother Lian, since I was able to subdue the thief on my own, that shows I¡¯ve got skill. I¡¯m good with my hands and can definitely be of service to the gang. Don¡¯t believe me? Let me show you a couple of flips.¡± Lin Xian clasped his hand onto a crevice in the bricks, leaped with great force, flipping twice in mid-air, and landed directly on the second floor. ¡°Wow!¡± exclaimed Big Face Cat. ¡°Great agility!¡± ¡°Big brother, how did he fly up there!¡± Thump. Lin Xian landed safely, dusted his hands, and looked at Big Face Cat with a smile: ¡°So, Brother Lian, what do you think of my skills?¡± Big Face Cat nodded affirmatively and looked at Ah Zhuang. Ah Zhuang, reversing his attitude from before, gave Lin Xian a thumbs-up: ¡°Big brother, I think the kid¡¯s really got something. Aren¡¯t his wall-climbing skills exactly what we need right now? We¡¯re lacking someone with his talent for scaling walls!¡± Er Zhuzi¡¯s face turned an ashen color: ¡°I disagree! Anyone who¡¯s constantly climbing over other people¡¯s walls like he does is up to no good, either stealing things or people! Our Lian Gang can¡¯t accept someone with such corrupt morals!¡± One in favor, one against. Big Face Cat looked to San Pang: ¡°San Pang, what about you?¡± San Pang nodded sagely: ¡°I think it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Alright! Then it¡¯s settled!¡± Big Face Cat clapped his hands together, laughed heartily, and slung his arm around Lin Xian¡¯s neck: ¡°Little brother, from today on, you¡¯re one of us in the Lian Gang! Honestly... the moment I saw you, I felt that we were meant to be comrades! The guy we need most right now in our gang is someone with your talent for climbing walls!¡± ¡°Sorry about the misunderstanding just now, little brother. As an apology...¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hear it, what¡¯s your wish? What do you want? As long as I can make it happen, I¡¯ll do it all for you!¡± Sure enough, Big Face Cat was as generous as ever, and Lin Xian liked dealing with people like him. ¡°Brother Lian, your father is an elementary school math teacher, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is he researching an ancient text called ¡®Introduction to the Cosmological Constant¡¯?¡± ¡°Wow, how do you even know about that?¡± Lin Xian smiled and nodded: ¡°Actually, I came admiring your father¡¯s work. From now on, you can have me do anything. My only wish right now is...¡± ¡°Can you take me to see your father? I have some questions about math that I¡¯d like to ask him.¡± Chapter 87: 87 Cat Dad Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Cat Dad ¡°You want to see my father?¡± Big Face Cat was quite surprised. He didn¡¯t expect his new little brother would make such a request: ¡°Just forget it... He¡¯s been talking nonsense recently, researching to the point of going crazy. I heard my mom say that he locks himself in his room all day and doesn¡¯t come out, nor does he let us in. He¡¯s completely delusional.¡± ¡°Moreover...¡± Big Face Cat glanced at his watch: ¡°I also promised my son I¡¯d buy him roast chicken to eat today. How about this, you come home with me for dinner, seeing as you have nowhere to stay. Crash at mine for the night, and tomorrow I¡¯ll ride the motorcycle and take you to my dad.¡± ... ¡°Let¡¯s just go today, Brother Lian!¡± Lin Xian shook his sturdy arm: ¡°You don¡¯t have to waste too much time. Just drop me off at your dad¡¯s house and then you can head straight back to buy roast chicken for your son and have dinner, no need to keep me company.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really interested in mathematics, and I have some questions I¡¯d like to ask your father. How about we make it a quick trip?¡± Brother Lian pondered for a moment... ¡°Alright.¡± He scratched his armpit: ¡°Since I said I¡¯d compensate you, fulfill your wish, I, as the elder brother, can¡¯t go back on my word.¡± ¡°Ah Zhuang, hand this little thief over to the police, I won¡¯t go. I¡¯m taking Lin Xian on a motorcycle to find my dad.¡± Ah Zhuang leaned in, glanced at Lin Xian, and said quietly: ¡°Big brother, what about tonight...¡± Big Face Cat made a gesture: ¡°Everything as usual, we¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ... Big Face Cat took Lin Xian home and rolled out his motorcycle. It was pretty old, but very clean, clearly a vehicle Big Face Cat cherished. In this technologically backward, impoverished village, perhaps the value of this motorcycle was equivalent to that of a Rolls-Royce. ¡°Put on the helmet.¡± Big Face Cat tossed a helmet to Lin Xian, telling him to wear it. ¡°Is it that necessary?¡± Lin Xian fastened the helmet strap, somewhat incredulous at Big Face Cat¡¯s change. Once a bold robber who held up banks with bombs... now he was concerned about something as trivial as wearing a helmet. ¡°I need to set an example for my kids!¡± Big Face Cat also put on an oversized helmet, but the straps just hung loose at the sides without being fastened. It seemed he was aware that his face was too big for them to be tied. He pointed towards his son and daughter looking down from the second floor: ¡°I¡¯m always teaching them to pay attention to safety, shouldn¡¯t I lead by example?¡± Lin Xian smiled, but said nothing. In the last dream, the last time he and Big Face Cat robbed a bank, Big Face Cat himself had said that if his daughter were still alive, he definitely wouldn¡¯t have become what he was now. He had wanted to attend parent-teacher conferences for his daughter, to make speeches and such. He inevitably would have been cautious about his behavior and his identity. Now it appeared to be true. ¡°Dad!!!¡± ... Still, there was no movement inside the house. ¡°That¡¯s weird!¡± Big Face Cat looked incredulous and turned to Lin Xian: ¡°It¡¯s one thing for my mom to go out... but my dad absolutely never leaves the house! Ever since he worked out that universal constant, except for going to the toilet and eating, he has never stepped out of the room, let alone the house!¡± He scratched his head, unable to believe that his father would go out, took a deep breath, and puffed out his chest¡ª ¡°Dad¡ª¡± ¡°Stop shouting, Big Face!¡± A neighbor¡¯s uncle came out. ¡°Uncle Wang?¡± Big Face Cat looked at the uncle: ¡°Where are my parents?¡± ¡°Silly boy... your parents were taken away early this morning. Your family is going to strike it rich, haha!¡± Strike it rich? Big Face Cat and Lin Xian looked at each other in confusion, not understanding. ¡°Uncle Wang, who took my parents away? Why didn¡¯t they even call me?¡± ¡°They left in a hurry. Someone invited your dad to an academic forum. This time your dad is really going to bring glory to the ancestors!¡± ¡°Hey...¡± Big Face Cat snorted dismissively: ¡°Uncle Wang, one moment you¡¯re saying we¡¯ve hit the big time, the next moment you¡¯re talking about bringing glory to the ancestors. I thought my dad had won the lottery or something! Turns out it¡¯s just an academic forum! Really... got me excited for nothing.¡± ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re such a fool!¡± The neighbor uncle fanned himself, his face full of excitement and eagerness: ¡°Your dad¡¯s achievement this time is way more impressive than winning the lottery or winning ten thousand lottery tickets!¡± ¡°For centuries... for hundreds of years, your dad is the first person to be invited into New Donghai City!¡± ¡°What?! New Donghai City?¡± When they heard the uncle¡¯s words. Both Big Face Cat and Lin Xian were stunned. New Donghai City. Lin Xian frowned. Wasn¡¯t it said that the people here have no way to enter that giant sci-fi city? The high wall more than two hundred meters tall separates the inside and outside of the city into two worlds, an insurmountable divine condemnation. But... ¡°Uncle Wang! Are you serious? Stop kidding around!¡± Big Face Cat couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Nonsense! Why would I lie to you!¡± The uncle¡¯s expression turned serious in an instant, pointing his fan towards the towering steel city in the distance, which loomed like a crouching black dragon: ¡°At around seven or eight o¡¯clock this morning, several cars flew down from the sky! They politely picked up your parents!¡± ¡°By now... they might be dining on delicacies!¡±