Genius Club

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…”

“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 – 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:

The time-traveling assassin was sent by Elon Musk.

The super AI, VV, was also eliminated by Elon Musk.

This was enough for Lin Xian to identify his enemy. But he still had questions. Could Elon Musk be the mysterious old man behind everything in his fourth dream? VV had collected numerous photos of Elon Musk, and none matched the old man’s sketch. But with advanced technology, Elon Musk could easily alter his appearance.

Focusing on the old man’s identity wasn’t as urgent as dealing with the current threat. He sighed and asked, “Angelica, any other information?”

“No, that’s all for tonight. Extracting information is a long-term job. As I build a deeper relationship with the secretary, more details will surface. But she’s smart and knows what she can and can’t say. It will be hard to get to the core information,” Angelica said.

Lin Xian agreed. Becoming Elon Musk’s secretary meant she wasn’t ordinary. The info she shared wasn’t secretive, but it was valuable to Lin Xian. Extracting deeper secrets like those about the Genius Club would be challenging.

Angelica chuckled, “We need a different approach. We should get closer to Elon Musk to find out more.”

“Can we really get close to Elon Musk?” Lin Xian asked.

“I have a plan. The secretary invited me to her home in Texas. She’s a big fan of mine and has collected many of my memorabilia. She even built a gallery in her house. It’s an opportunity I can’t refuse. And guess where her home is? Near Boca Chica, where Elon Musk has his Starship rocket launch base.”

Texas, Boca Chica, Starship rocket base. Lin Xian remembered VV mentioning that Elon Musk often watched rockets from the observation tower there. There must be a secret in that tower. If Angelica was heading to the launch base, her plan might involve meeting Elon Musk.

“Are you planning to meet Elon Musk at the base? That won’t be easy. Even if you meet him, he’ll be cautious,” Lin Xian warned.

Angelica laughed confidently, “Have you forgotten how Hollywood calls me?”

Lin Xian realized her bold plan. Could it work?

“So, Lin Xian, I need your help. Come to Cameron County, Texas. I’ll send you an address. When I’m ready, meet me at the secretary’s home.”

“Got it. Be careful, Angelica,” Lin Xian said as she hung up.

Lin Xian put his phone away and turned to Yu Xi, who was driving the Harley.

“Elon Musk must have helped the assassin find you. Otherwise, it would be like finding a needle in a haystack,” Yu Xi said.

Lin Xian was surprised. “How did you hear our conversation over the wind noise?”

“I told you, our bodies have been enhanced to human limits, including our hearing. I can hear everything clearly, even your phone conversations,” Yu Xi explained, her voice firm against the rushing wind.

Lin Xian pondered, realizing Yu Xi’s enhancements rendered his disguise useless. “So if Angelica plans to impersonate the secretary, it must be when the assassin isn’t around, or she’ll be detected immediately.”

“Exactly. But I doubt the assassin will return to Elon Musk until her mission is complete. Unless Elon Musk recalls her,” Yu Xi replied, turning the motorcycle smoothly.

“I’ll inform Angelica that the blue-eyed assassin can see through disguises. If she detects the girl, she must abort the mission immediately,” Lin Xian said, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

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.

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.”