Genius Club

“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.

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.”

This uncertainty made Lin Xian hesitant. He didn’t know whether to trust the information or not. Yet, one thing was clear: eliminating Kevin Walker was essential to resolve the stalemate in both reality and his dreams. Walker was a major threat, and likely the mysterious old man from Lin Xian’s fourth dream.

Kevin Walker had to be dealt with, but Lin Xian also had to consider the risk of an ambush. What if Musk had set a trap?

“Lin Xian, make a decision quickly,” Yu Xi urged. “I can sense the time-space assassin approaching. She’s only ten kilometers away. We have to move now.”

“Alright, let’s head to Mississippi,” Lin Xian resolved. “If Musk can track us through the time-space assassin, there’s no need for a lure. He could easily trap us. So, Kevin Walker’s address might be legitimate. We need to leave anyway. Let’s go to Mississippi and plan our next steps once we get there.”

Indecision only breeds chaos. This was a rare chance, and Lin Xian knew he had to take it. At minimum, he needed to investigate the abandoned school.

They left the villa swiftly, Lin Xian locking the door behind him to ensure Angelica’s safety. Since she requested no further contact, it was best to respect her wishes.

The off-road vehicle roared to life, its powerful engine vibrating the heavy frame with aggressive energy. Lin Xian secured the villa gate, jumped into the passenger seat, and they sped off towards Vicksburg, Mississippi—the last known location of his greatest enemy, Kevin Walker.

As Texas and Mississippi were relatively close, they could arrive by nightfall. As they drove, Yu Xi felt the presence of the time-space assassin drawing closer.

“Lin Xian, the time-space assassin is following us. She’s heading towards Mississippi too,” she informed him.

“It seems her target is clear,” Lin Xian scoffed. “She’s solely focused on killing me. This suggests that Kevin Walker’s address might be authentic. Otherwise, Musk wouldn’t reveal the location while sending the assassin after us. It’s irrational behavior.”

“Despite wanting to kill Walker and seizing this opportunity, if the assassin gets too close, I’d choose survival over confrontation. Still, I believe Angelica’s intel is accurate. This could be our key to turning the tide and securing victory!”

“Is killing Kevin Walker really that important to you?” Yu Xi asked, glancing at Lin Xian with her striking blue eyes.

“Based on the time-space assassin’s proximity, we might encounter her at the school. Lin Xian, you need to balance the risks and rewards.”

Lin Xian took a deep breath, keeping silent about his ability to dream travel 600 years into the future or his challenges in the fourth dream. His current inaction was due to his activities in the dream world being completely locked.

In the first, second, and third dreams, he could freely explore and gather valuable information and technology from the future, giving him a considerable advantage in the present—this was his true source of power.

But now, his only cheat code—the dream world—had been sealed by the mysterious old man in the fourth dream. He had to regain his advantage.

“Prepare for battle,” Lin Xian instructed, pulling out the black handgun Angelica had prepared. He checked the bullets and reloaded.

“I don’t know what risks we might face, but we must be ready for anything. If we’re ambushed, you handle the time-space assassin. I’ll deal with any other threats.”

“Can you handle it?” Yu Xi asked skeptically. “Are you good with a gun?”

“Very,” Lin Xian replied confidently. “As long as I can shoot, my aim is excellent.”

That night, around 9 PM, Yu Xi drove the off-road vehicle to 217 Leeson Road, the old Pente School site on the outskirts of Vicksburg. They didn’t rush in but instead found a vantage point to observe the seemingly abandoned school.

The area was encircled by police tape and barriers, warning against entry. The school, small and consisting of only five buildings, was in ruins. Collapsed roofs and broken windows indicated it had been abandoned for years.

“There isn’t a single light on,” Yu Xi noted. “But someone must be here. I can see infrared cameras in every corner, and they’re all operational.”

“You can see that from here?” Lin Xian was impressed. He knew good vision was one thing, but Yu Xi’s enhanced senses were something else.

“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.

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.