Genius Club

“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.

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—high 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?”

“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.

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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—quite 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—maybe even more than Grandma Xiang Yue.”

“After the old village chief passed away from illness, the village was handed over to his son, Big Cat. According to Zheng Xiang Yue, under Big Cat’s leadership, Big Cat’s Village has always followed the principle of ‘If people don’t bother us, we won’t bother them.’ As long as no one messes with them, they won’t mess with anyone.”

Listening to CC, Lin Xian let out a long “Ohhh.”

It seemed that Big Cat from the Fifth Dream World wasn’t so bad. At worst, he was a neutral character. No wonder he chased after CC with his gang; after all, she was a thief. CC was the one at fault first.

The only regret Lin Xian had was—why was Big Cat’s father gone? And why did he have to die so young?

Lin Xian couldn’t help but wonder when he’d ever get to meet this remarkable man. Maybe if he asked him face-to-face, he could find the answer to the ultimate question: the Universal Constant, 42.

However, if Big Cat’s father in the Fifth Dream World was still so knowledgeable, maybe he left behind some writings. Given how barren Earth had become, the likelihood of a “Genius Club” still existing was slim. If it did, it was probably on Mars. It was necessary to infiltrate Big Cat’s Village and investigate properly.

Lin Xian returned the binoculars to Wei Sheng Jin and looked at CC. “So, let’s go undercover and boldly join Big Cat’s Village as members!”

“What?” CC was stunned by Lin Xian’s bold idea. “Can we really do that? We’re their enemies.”

“No, no, no,” Lin Xian shook his head. “You haven’t even started stealing from them this time, so how could we be enemies? Didn’t you say it yourself? Big Cat’s Village follows the rule: If people don’t mess with them, they won’t mess with others. We haven’t messed with them yet, so we’re not enemies.”

CC was still hesitant. “Joining Big Cat’s Village… That’s something I’ve never considered. But is it really possible? How do we get them to accept us? I feel like Er Zhuzi’s sharp eyes could easily see through our plans.”

“You give him too much credit,” Lin Xian scoffed. “Once this guy sees a sister-in-law, he’ll be hit with a critical blow—his IQ will drop to zero, his loyalty will drop to zero, and his brain will just follow her lead.”

CC looked puzzled. Although her fragmented memories included Big Cat and his three lackeys, there was nothing about “Er Zhuzi and a sister-in-law.”

“So, what should we do?” CC asked, still confused. “How do we find a sister-in-law for Er Zhuzi in the middle of this godforsaken forest?”

“A younger sister-in-law would work too,” Lin Xian added. “Anyone’s wife would do.”

CC laughed softly. “Where are we supposed to find a younger sister-in-law?”

Suddenly, she noticed that both Lin Xian and Wei Sheng Jin were staring at her.

“Me? Me!?” She pointed at herself, blinking in disbelief. “No way!”

CC quickly pieced it together. “You don’t mean… you want me to pretend to be your wife to gain Er Zhuzi’s favor?”

Lin Xian smiled slightly. “Exactly. That’s why I said it’s Er Zhuzi’s biggest weakness.”

“Here’s the plan: Big Cat’s Village should still have a democratic voting system. If we want to join as official villagers, we have to meet Big Cat first and then go through a vote by his three lackeys.”

“Ah Zhuang is simple-minded, and San Pang is a pushover without his own opinions. The key decision-maker is Er Zhuzi. If he agrees to let us join, it’s pretty much a done deal.”

“So, do you get it now? If we win over Er Zhuzi, we win over Big Cat. Win over Big Cat, and we win everything.”

“Come on, you should have a little confidence in your looks,” Lin Xian encouraged. “In one of the previous worlds, you were unanimously voted into Face Gang. Even Ah Zhuang started reciting ancient poems at the sight of you. San Pang learned to answer quickly, and Er Zhuzi wasn’t interested… because I denied your status as a sister-in-law.”

CC chuckled dryly. “I didn’t know I had such charm.”

She wasn’t keen on the idea, but after weighing the options, Lin Xian’s plan seemed like a good way to infiltrate Big Cat’s Village openly.

“Lin Xian, it’s not that I don’t want to help you. I just really don’t have any experience,” CC admitted. “I’m young and have never been in a relationship. How am I supposed to act like your wife? I have no idea what a wife should do.”

Then she looked at Lin Xian, asking with a serious face, “Have you ever been in a relationship?”

“Uh…” Lin Xian was momentarily speechless. “Even if I haven’t been in a relationship, I’ve seen how it works. What’s so hard about acting?”

“But you don’t have experience either!” CC pointed out. “If you had, you could guide me. But neither of us has ever been in love, so pretending to be a married couple is an impossible mission for us.”

Seeing that the situation was at a stalemate, Wei Sheng Jin realized it was time for his wisdom to shine.

As if illuminated by a divine light and giving the old a haloing effect, he stood up, cleared his throat, and said, “Ahem! Ahem!”

Once he had their attention, he smiled warmly. “Kids, neither of you have any experience with love or marriage, but I do! My wife and I were very loving, never had a fight for decades. We were truly inseparable, a model couple.”

“Now that you’re facing a challenge, you can rely on the wisdom of the elderly! Like they say, an old person at home is a treasure. This is my moment to shine! Don’t worry, girl, young man…”

Wei Sheng Jin smiled and took Lin Xian’s hand in his left and CC’s in his right, placing them together. “Leave it to me! I’ll teach you, step by step, how to act like a loving couple, just like me and my dear wife! I guarantee Er Zhuzi won’t notice anything!”

Seeing Wei Sheng Jin getting more excited, Lin Xian quickly tried to calm him down.

“There’s really no need, Teacher Wei,” Lin Xian protested. “Er Zhuzi isn’t as tricky as you think. You don’t need any acting skills. Just mentioning ‘sister-in-law’ is enough to get him excited.”

“In fact, I don’t even need to say much. He’ll make up his own story. As long as I don’t deny my relationship with CC, Er Zhuzi will convince himself that CC is his sister-in-law and think of me as his long-lost brother.”

Seeing Wei Sheng Jin getting more and more enthusiastic, Lin Xian knew he had to cool him down. He turned to CC, “CC, isn’t that right? There’s no need to rehearse a married couple act.”

However, to his surprise, CC looked down at their hands, which were still held together by Wei Sheng Jin. After a moment of hesitation, she raised her head and said, “For safety’s sake, we should… we should rehearse a bit. Let’s listen to Teacher Wei and learn how real couples behave.”

Lin Xian tilted his head, “Huh?”

Forty minutes later, at the entrance to Big Cat’s Village.

Lin Xian walked slowly toward the village gate.

“Who goes there?” Er Zhuzi barked, swinging his red-tasseled spear and glaring at them.

“Hold on, big brother!” Lin Xian quickly replied. “I’m a wanderer, looking to join your village and settle down.”

“Hmph.” Er Zhuzi gave Lin Xian a cold glare. “Big Cat’s Village doesn’t accept outsiders. Move along and go cool off somewhere else!”

“Oh… oh dear… my… husband…” Suddenly, a girl stumbled over like she could barely walk. She awkwardly clung to Lin Xian’s arm, or rather, latched onto it, and began reciting lines like a script: “You’re walking too fast… I… I can’t keep up… with you.”

Ugh…

Lin Xian groaned internally. This is a total disaster. Never had he seen such terrible acting. Anyone who knew CC could tell she was trying hard to play the role of a wife. But anyone who didn’t would think she was some ghostly figure coming to take his life.

He gave CC a look of extreme regret and disappointment, silently conveying, “It would’ve been better if you didn’t act at all.”

To be honest, her awkward acting made something real look fake.

Clearly, Wei Sheng Jin’s wife must have been the clingy, affectionate type. His acting guidance needed to be more tailored. CC obviously wasn’t that kind of girl. Acting so coy didn’t suit her at all—it was like trying to imitate a beauty in a clumsy way.

Just as Lin Xian was about to explain things to Er Zhuzi—

Whoosh!

Er Zhuzi’s eyes lit up like lasers as he threw aside his red-tasseled spear and dashed toward Lin Xian like a whirlwind. He grabbed Lin Xian’s hands tightly, exclaiming, “Is this the sister-in-law?!”

Lin Xian felt like the hot steam coming from Er Zhuzi was going to roast him alive. “Uh… yeah, yeah, yeah.”

“Good brother! Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Er Zhuzi slapped Lin Xian on the shoulder and hugged him like a brother. “Joining Big Cat’s Village is great! There’s a future here! Come, come, I’ll take you to see Big Brother!”

They made their way to Big Cat’s house. Er Zhuzi also called Ah Zhuang and San Pang over from where they had been working on the safe. It seemed he wanted to go straight to the voting process.

“My brother! I trust you!” Er Zhuzi pounded his chest and confidently vouched for Lin Xian to Big Cat. “Big Brother, let this guy and his wife join Big Cat’s Village!”

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—that’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—I 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—Face 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—

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—who 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—how 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!