Genius Club

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.

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—breathing, 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.”

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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.

The Universal Constant, 42.

It had been nearly two years since he first saw the walls in Big Cat Face’s father’s room covered in countless 42s. Yet, the truth and secrets behind 42 had remained elusive.

Finally, a breakthrough!

Holding the phone, Lin Xian walked further away, speaking quietly. “What exactly does this 0.0000042 mean? Is it the [Space-Time Curvature]? Or is it directly the [Space-Time Coordinates]?”

“I’m… I’m not sure yet,” Liu Feng admitted honestly. “The space-time clock changed suddenly, just ten minutes ago! It was completely unexpected! The number jumped to 0.0000042 without any warning… I haven’t had time to think it through, so I called you right away.”

“I’m also puzzled as to why it had to be the number 42. It’s so odd. And what does the space-time clock detecting a change in the curvature really mean? According to my theory, when the space-time curvature changes, it represents a shift in the future trajectory, a deviation in the world line, indicating that our timeline has moved towards a new direction.”

“But now, the problem is, how do we verify this? I’ve been focusing on the theory and phenomenon, but I never considered how to validate whether this world line transition, this change in the future space-time, and the butterfly effect of space-time have actually occurred.”

Lin Xian understood what Liu Feng was getting at. The idea that the future had changed direction couldn’t be verified; from Liu Feng’s perspective, he would never be able to observe other futures or the scenes of different world lines.

Thus, he naturally couldn’t determine whether the change in space-time curvature truly corresponded to a shift in space-time, the butterfly effect, or an altered future.

This was an experiment that no scientist could prove or disprove.

But Lin Xian could!

This was his unique advantage…

The Dream World!

The Dream World was the real future, 600 years from now.

All he had to do was enter the dream to see if the Fourth Dream had changed. This would clarify the relationship between the space-time curvature, 0.0000042, the world line shift, and the butterfly effect.

“I’ll figure out a way to verify it,” Lin Xian said into the phone. “I’ll have an answer for you tomorrow.”

“Don’t wait until tomorrow, Lin Xian! Come to the lab right now! How can you even sleep at such a critical time?” Liu Feng urged, desperate to see him. “I have so many theories to discuss with you. If you’re still in Donghai with nothing else pressing, come over now! And haven’t you always wanted to know what the [Space-Time Coordinates] are? Isn’t this obviously how the space-time coordinates are expressed?”

“Ah, I can’t explain everything over the phone. Just come to the Rhine Joint Laboratory at Donghai University!”

Liu Feng’s words came out rapid-fire, like a machine gun. He was in a hurry, eager to meet with Lin Xian.

Lin Xian glanced at his watch. It was almost 9 PM. If he rushed home to sleep, he could still make it… After all, confirming whether the dream world had changed wouldn’t take much time.

But after calculating, there were still things he hadn’t finished discussing with Elon Musk here. By the time they wrapped up and left, it would be around 9:30. The drive home was quite long, over an hour, so by the time he got home, it would be 11 PM. Then after washing up… It didn’t leave much time.

Given the significant events that had occurred, especially with Elon Musk losing not just one but two… no, he insisted it was one entangled space-time particle, which had broken Copernicus’ historical loop.

If the old man in the dream world was indeed Copernicus, then whether the Fourth Dream was real, fake, or a stage set up by Copernicus, it should now be ancient history, and he should be moving on to a new Fifth Dream.

Compared to that, Lin Xian was more interested in finding out what the [Space-Time Coordinates] truly meant.

This was the first of three final questions to join the Genius Club:

“Please input any space-time coordinate.”

Joining the Genius Club was now the top priority.

“Alright,” he agreed with Liu Feng. “Wait for me at the Donghai University lab. I’ll be there after I finish up here.”

“Great, Lin Xian. I’ll be waiting, trying to figure it out on my own in the meantime.”

They hung up after that.

Lin Xian returned to where Elon Musk and Angelica were standing. “Sorry about that, I had to take a call. Where were we?”

Elon Musk pointed at the small refrigerator on the ground. “We were discussing giving you this now-inert entangled space-time particle as a souvenir for surviving the ordeal, and then we’d be even.”

Lin Xian waved his hand. “I’m not unreasonable. Since we’ve cleared things up, let’s leave the past behind. I hold no grudge against you now… If I did, I wouldn’t have shared so much information with you.”

“We were also talking about whether the space-time assassin would disappear after the entangled particle was destroyed. We don’t have experience with this, so we can’t be sure what will happen, but we should stay cautious. I’ll contact the National Security Agency to keep tracking the assassin.”

“But we believe the assassin ran away in fear after seeing this particle, suggesting she was really afraid of it being destroyed… Even if deactivating the particle doesn’t directly eliminate her, it should weaken her significantly.”

“That means if we encounter her again, we should be able to fight her, at least not face an overly powerful monster.”

Elon Musk shrugged. “Let’s hope you’re right. After all, she’s targeting you… her intentions have always been clear. But I still believe that with this particle destroyed, the assassin should vanish.”

“Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense… From the perspective of a historical loop, this entangled space-time particle had to be stolen by Copernicus in the future. Only then could he use the space-time shuttle to send the assassin back to 2024.”

“But now, that path is blocked from the source. We’ve destroyed this particle, so Copernicus’ future plans have almost completely failed. There shouldn’t be any more space-time assassins coming back here. Maybe, there won’t even be any more nonsense like a space-time court or space-time police… These self-righteous ideas seem like something only Copernicus could come up with.”

“A space-time court… it sounds ridiculous, arrogant, like he wanted to control all the power over the world, time, and even the universe. No wonder people don’t respect Copernicus.”

Angelica, who was nearby, perked up at the mention of Copernicus. She stepped forward and looked at Elon Musk. “Elon, isn’t it time you kept your promise? You said if I came with you to meet Lin Xian and cleared up your misunderstanding, you would tell me everything you know about Copernicus. Can you share that now?”

Elon Musk nodded slowly and began to explain. “I joined the Genius Club later than most, so I know less than the others… especially about Copernicus. What I know about him is mostly hearsay within the club.”

“Since Copernicus has never attended any club meetings, I’ve never met him or interacted with him directly. Most people in the club don’t think highly of him, though I personally dislike Turing the most… Oh, that’s Kevin Walker. But at least Turing follows the rules and has some decency.”

“Copernicus is different. Everyone says he’s ruthless, without any moral boundaries, willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. However, I’m not sure what specifically happened between him and the other club members.”

“Also, I know that Copernicus is an old man with some health issues, maybe even serious ones. He might go into hibernation soon. If not, his body might not last much longer… He values his life greatly, and with hibernation technology almost perfect, no one wants to face death calmly anymore. Everyone hopes to survive into the future, looking for a cure.”

As Lin Xian listened to Elon Musk, he became increasingly convinced that Copernicus was the mysterious old man in the Fourth Dream. He was surprised by how active the mastermind behind the Seven Deadly Sins was, operating from the shadows.

“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!”