Genius Club

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—like 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.

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.”

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“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.”

“Not to mention they’ve attended the same club meetings… Now that you’ve killed Kevin Walker, Elon Musk will find out eventually. You need to think of something more tempting, something that would make Elon Musk willing to take a risk and trade with you, whether it’s Angelica or something else.”

Lin Xian sighed, looking ahead at the countdown on the traffic light. “If not that, then… I do have a non-energized time-space particle, but Elon Musk might already have a fully charged one, or he might not care about it at all.”

“The only other thing I’ve studied deeply and have some knowledge of… is the ‘Millennium Stake.’”

Yu Xi turned her head, puzzled. “What’s the Millennium Stake?”

Now it was Lin Xian’s turn to be surprised. He looked back at Yu Xi. “You’ve never heard of the Millennium Stake?”

“Never,” Yu Xi shook her head. “What is it? Does it have anything to do with time-space particles or time travelers?”

Lin Xian fell silent.

The term “Millennium Stake” was coined by Yellow Finch. But as the saying goes, originality isn’t always random. The term must have some significant connection to its original concept; at least, it should evoke some recognition when heard, similar to the rules of time-space.

When Lin Xian and Yu Xi first met, they had different names for the various rules of time-space, but it didn’t hinder their communication because they immediately knew which rule the other was referring to.

Could it be that Yellow Finch’s original term was too far off?

Lin Xian was unsure. Logically, if Yellow Finch, who traveled back from several decades into the future, knew about the Millennium Stake, then shouldn’t Yu Xi, who came from hundreds of years in the future, also know about it?

“The Millennium Stake… How should I explain it?” Lin Xian tried to find the right words. “Every 24 years, a 20-year-old girl who looks exactly the same appears and then disappears, turning into blue stardust. It’s a known phenomenon, but I don’t know what it represents. Does this ring any bells?”

“Not at all,” Yu Xi shook her head without hesitation. “It sounds like a fairy tale. Are you sure this is real, or is it just your imagination? It sounds so far-fetched. If it were true, why would the girl disappear? There must be a reason. And without plastic surgery or genetic editing, how could these 20-year-old girls all look exactly the same?”

The traffic light ahead turned green, and the car behind them honked, urging them to move.

Lin Xian quickly turned back, stepped on the gas, and continued driving.

Yu Xi’s response made it clear that she genuinely had no idea what the Millennium Stake was. Her understanding was way off, not even close.

Could it be that Lin Xian had accidentally stumbled upon something important?

If Yu Xi, who was so familiar with time-space laws, had no knowledge of the Millennium Stake, it might suggest that the secret of the Millennium Stake and its true purpose could be even more important than the time-space laws themselves!

Yellow Finch had also mentioned that the Millennium Stake was highly significant and closely linked to the locked history, urging Lin Xian to uncover its secrets as soon as possible.

In contrast, time-space laws are relatively easy to discover and summarize, relying on logic and reasoning. Even without any evidence or experiments, they could be deduced with just a pen and paper.

But the Millennium Stake… only appears once every 24 years, making it rare and well-hidden. The Earth is vast, with many countries and countless people. Encountering the Millennium Stake in such a huge population is nearly impossible. Witnessing the moment the Stake turns into stardust at 00:42… that’s even rarer.

Only someone incredibly lucky could witness it. After all, the transformation into stardust only lasts a few seconds. Blink, and you might miss it.

Lin Xian had never thought much about this before, but now, analyzing it, he realized that very few people likely knew about the Millennium Stake.

For example, if he hadn’t happened to witness Chu An Qing disappearing, he might never have come across the concept of the Millennium Stake in his lifetime.

The next Millennium Stake baby was expected to be born in 2028. With over 130 million new babies born worldwide each year, hundreds of babies are born every moment. Who could accurately identify which one was the Millennium Stake?

Fast forward to the next disappearance, expected on some day in 2048 at 00:42. Such a phenomenon would be nearly impossible to witness.

Lin Xian didn’t know what would happen if a Millennium Stake girl died before turning 20. But he increasingly felt that the existence of the Millennium Stake might be a secret known only to a very select few.

This would explain why both Zhang Yu Qian and Chu An Qing lived ordinary, uneventful lives for 20 years, without any interference, surveillance, or exploitation—except for Yellow Finch.

If Yellow Finch hadn’t known that Chu An Qing was a Millennium Stake, this time’s disappearance might have quietly occurred in some unknown place, with Chu An Qing simply vanishing mysteriously.

Going deeper into this, how did Yellow Finch know Chu An Qing was a Millennium Stake?

The only possible explanation was that she was familiar with Chu An Qing. Whether in Yellow Finch’s time or in the present, Zhao Ying Jun, Lin Xian, and Chu An Qing were all close.

So if anything unusual happened to Chu An Qing, Lin Xian and Zhao Ying Jun would surely know. But members of the Genius Club, like Elon Musk, would not have that chance. As for Zhang Yu Qian, she was just an ordinary girl, unnoticed by anyone.

So Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. Could it be that… the Millennium Stake is his unique trump card?

It might be wishful thinking, but not impossible.

Otherwise, why would Zhang Yu Qian and Chu An Qing’s 20-year lives be so peaceful?

But to truly understand whether the Genius Club members knew about the Millennium Stake, Lin Xian would have to join them first.

“I’m only guessing, without proof,” Lin Xian said, brushing off the conversation as he pointed ahead. “Look, that’s the inpatient department of the Donghai University Hospital. I’ve been here many times. Zheng Xiang Yue’s room is on the 17th floor.”

He glanced at his watch. It wasn’t even 9 AM yet, so Elon Musk and his entourage hadn’t arrived. Lin Xian parked the Volkswagen in a spot where they could see the hospital entrance from an angle. He made sure the car faced the flower bed, with the rear facing the hospital.

This way, no one could see them through the car windows, but they could watch the rearview mirror for any movement behind them.

Lin Xian turned off the engine, looked at Yu Xi, and said, “Let’s wait here. When Elon Musk arrives, we’ll follow him.”

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—

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—inside, 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—an 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!”