Genius Club

“The Tesla my double drove still has the keys inside. You two should take it and get out of here.”

Elon Musk sat in his Tesla, rolled down the window, and waved at Lin Xian and Angelica. “See you both later. I’ve got a lot to take care of.”

“Until next time, Lin Xian. I’m looking forward to our next meeting.”

The Tesla’s electric motor hummed as it started, pulling away from the car it had collided with earlier. The car reversed out of the abandoned warehouse and drove off into the distance.

“Are you alright? You were out of touch for so long,” Lin Xian asked, turning to look at Angelica.

“When you pretended to be a secretary to meet Elon Musk… how did he figure it out?”

Angelica let out a cold laugh and tossed her half-smoked cigarette onto the ground, crushing it under her high heel. “Don’t even mention it. Just thinking about it makes me angry.”

“But I have to admit, Elon Musk is at least a man of his word. He’s honest and straightforward. That makes me dislike him a little less. Besides… he really did help you out, just like he said he would. He solved a big problem for you.”

Lin Xian nodded. “Yeah, even though he admitted that at first, he just wanted to use me to get rid of Kevin Walker… he still indirectly helped me take down a major threat. Let’s just leave it at that. Besides, he even left me this small refrigerator that can trap time-space particles.”

Lin Xian bent down and picked up the small fridge from the ground. The door was closed, but Elon Musk had already given him the password to open it.

Angelica blinked. “But… isn’t that time-space particle inside pretty much useless now? That’s probably why he left it with you. You could tell, even though Elon Musk acted all calm, he was really upset about losing those entangled time-space particles.”

“When he was tossing rocks into the fridge, I saw the look in his eyes. He was angry and frustrated, gritting his teeth as he did it. I think Elon Musk was just too mad about this failure and humiliation, and he didn’t want to see that fridge again, so he left it with you.”

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Lin Xian said as he punched in the password Elon Musk had given him. The fridge door popped open, and he and Angelica looked inside again.

The fridge was still filled with sand and small stones. In the middle, a once-energetic time-space particle now floated lazily, devoid of energy and life.

From the outside, it was hard to tell that this was once a pair of entangled time-space particles because their energy was gone. They had merged into what looked like a single small blue electric ball.

“Without energy, these time-space particles really are useless, but the technology in this little fridge is impressive. I might take it back and study it.”

Lin Xian couldn’t help but admire Elon Musk’s genius. He was a true pioneer, willing to open-source this fridge technology so easily.

Though Lin Xian wasn’t sure if this fridge was more advanced than Liu Feng’s rice cooker, he knew one thing for sure: learning from others to strengthen oneself is always a good idea.

He’d be visiting the Rhine Joint Lab at Donghai University soon to see Liu Feng. He could drop off the fridge there for Liu Feng to study and dissect.

“Let’s head out too, Angelica.”

Lin Xian placed the fridge in the backseat of the Tesla and motioned for Angelica to get in. “Sorry for dragging you into this mess.”

“Don’t be so formal, Lin Xian.” Angelica flipped her long, smooth black hair over her shoulder. “We’re friends, comrades in arms.”

Comrades in arms. Lin Xian smiled to himself. It was true. He really had become allies with the Seven Deadly Sins.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be joining the Genius Club soon. And I won’t lie, my goal in joining is to uncover the truth behind all these mysteries and to save my lost friends.”

“So I don’t mind making enemies within the Genius Club. I’ll do my best to help you find out who killed Ji Lin’s parents so you can get your revenge. If that person happens to be my enemy too… we’ll definitely fight side by side.”

Angelica raised an eyebrow and laughed softly. “Ji Lin really found a good friend in you. I’m glad for my brother. When we’ve avenged him… let’s go to Brooklyn together and visit his grave. He’ll be grateful, and I’m sure he’ll want to see you… his only friend in life.”

“We’ll see about that,” Lin Xian said as he got into the driver’s seat, buckled his seatbelt, and started the Tesla.

Angelica didn’t plan on staying in X Country any longer. She had been off the grid for too long, and there were many things to deal with back in the States. So Lin Xian drove her straight to Pudong International Airport, where she caught the next flight out.

“Goodbye, Lin Xian.”

At the entrance of the terminal, Angelica stood in the evening breeze, smiling at Lin Xian. “It was short, but it was an exciting and unforgettable experience. Take care, and I wish you smooth sailing on your quest for answers.”

With that, Angelica left.

Lin Xian didn’t waste any time either. He drove to Donghai University late at night.

As Elon Musk had said, it was a rare moment of peace.

Since March 28th, when Chu An Qing turned into blue stardust and disappeared… through all the grave digging, the trip to Copenhagen, the escape to the States, and the return to Donghai, everything finally came to a close on April 26th.

He could finally relax a bit.

This past month, less than 30 days, had been the most dangerous, chaotic, and unforgettable month of his life.

Chu An Qing’s departure had deepened his resolve to uncover the truth and bring her back. Yellow Finch’s leaving had taught him valuable lessons and confirmed his decision to become a trustworthy leader. The mystery of the real and fake Yu Xi still haunted him, chilling him to the bone.

What had become of Lin Yu Xi, the time-space police officer? Had she turned into blue stardust and vanished completely? Or was she still hiding in this time-space, ready to strike again?

He would find out tomorrow when he entered the dream.

He was still worried about the connections between Lin Yu Xi, himself, Yellow Finch, and Zhao Ying Jun.

He had hoped to have a proper conversation with her, but Lin Yu Xi’s hatred was overwhelming. She wanted nothing more than for the time-space court to sentence him to death right away.

She was truly a model of righteousness, ready to sacrifice even her own family for the greater good.

Even if those accusations of crimes against humanity, endangering the Earth, and disrupting time-space were true… those were the actions of a future Lin Xian, not him now. How was he to blame?

The so-called time-space court and time-space police hardly seemed fair or just. They didn’t appear to be an official organization at all.

Thinking back to the cold-eyed, quick-moving girl who had tried to end him… Lin Xian felt that her disappearance might not be such a bad thing. Despite their blood relation, he didn’t feel any real connection to her. He lacked the instinctual paternal desire to protect her.

In fact, if it hadn’t been for the incident with the fake Yu Xi, he might have cared more for the fake than the real one. He had come to understand the saying, “Nurture is more important than birth.” Emotions are cultivated; they aren’t simply felt because of a blood connection.

This led him to ponder the “hibernation memory loss” issue.

Memories, like emotions, might need personal experience to be truly understood and accepted.

When Zheng Xiang Yue wakes up decades or even centuries later… will she still remember the carefree innocence of her youth?

“No wonder Elon Musk said the emergence of hibernation technology caused a seismic shift in the world.”

“This technology… it brings far too many social issues.”

But Lin Xian didn’t plan to dwell on these problems right now. He just wanted to join the Genius Club as soon as possible. That was his focus.

In the early hours of the morning, Lin Xian finally arrived at Donghai University from Pudong International Airport, carrying the dirty little fridge into Liu Feng’s lab.

“Why are you carrying a fridge?” Liu Feng looked at Lin Xian, puzzled. “And why is it leaking sand everywhere… What’s inside this fridge?”

Lin Xian set the fridge on the lab bench and started punching in the password.

“Let me show you something special.”

Once the password was entered, the fridge door popped open.

Liu Feng leaned in closer. “Whoa… time-space particles! Where did you get this?”

His eyes widened as he quickly realized that this unassuming little fridge was similar to his seemingly ordinary rice cooker… another trap for time-space particles!

“A genius!” Liu Feng was impressed by the clever use of everyday appliances and couldn’t help but give a thumbs up. “Who would’ve thought to use a fridge as a time-space particle trap? That’s brilliant!”

“Lin Xian, who came up with this idea?”

Lin Xian grinned at Liu Feng’s reaction. “It was Elon Musk, the world’s richest man. But come on… you shouldn’t be that surprised. In my opinion, your rice cooker is much more innovative than this fridge.”

“It’s different, Lin Xian.” Liu Feng waved his hand and peered into the fridge. “The fridge opens from the side, and the rice cooker opens from the top.”

Lin Xian was speechless at that response. “Any other differences in design?”

Liu Feng examined the structure and the condition of the time-space particles inside. He frowned and said, “It seems like… the design and functionality are indeed more advanced than my rice cooker. Elon Musk really lives up to his reputation as the mad scientist of Silicon Valley… His expertise with time-space particle traps surpasses mine.”

“This fridge could inspire me to create a more reliable next-generation time-space particle trap.”

Lin Xian nodded. “I’m looking forward to your next household appliance… But let’s stay focused. Elon Musk’s time-space particle was originally a pair of highly energetic, entangled particles. But we exhausted its energy by making it interact with inorganic matter, destroying the entangled time-space particle.”

“Take a good look at it. Even though the time-space particle has lost its energy, it’s still an extremely rare and valuable entangled particle… We might discover something new from studying it.”

“Elon Musk definitely knows what a ‘time-space coordinate’ is, but how did he figure it out? It can’t just be a coincidence that he also has a time-space clock, right? I suspect his research results come from studying these particles.”

That was why Lin Xian brought the fridge and the remains of the entangled time-space particle to Liu Feng.

After all, Elon Musk had mentioned that the three entry questions for the Genius Club were supposed to be easy.

That suggested the answer might be hidden in the study of time-space particles. Right now, Lin Xian only knew the first question; he had no clue what the other two would be.

It wouldn’t hurt to have Liu Feng study it ahead of time and prepare for any eventualities.

“Alright,” Liu Feng agreed immediately. He closed the fridge and placed it in a corner of the lab. Then he dashed over to the central bench and grabbed a rectangular device that looked like a clock. He held it up in front of Lin Xian’s face.

“Look! Look! My time-space clock was right! It really can detect changes in time-space curvature!”

Lin Xian glanced at the rectangular device in Liu Feng’s hand.

Indeed… He had checked the lab numerous times before, and the display had always read 0.0000000. But now, it boldly showed 0.0000042.

Even though he had heard about the result through a phone call, seeing that number, 42, appear so silently still gave him goosebumps.

It was that inevitable, undeniable 42.

It always popped up when least expected.

“Is this 0.0000042 the time-space curvature you mentioned?” Lin Xian asked.

“Do we need to show this as a percentage, or should it stay as a decimal?”

“We’re not certain yet,” Liu Feng answered cautiously. “This is the first time the time-space clock has shown any change. With just this single point of data, it’s tough to spot a trend… But! Once we have another reading, we might be able to figure out the pattern of changes in the time-space curvature.”

“Right now, whether we see this 42 as a decimal or a percentage isn’t the main issue. What’s important is that it shows—”

“The future path of our time-space has shifted dramatically. We’re definitely moving toward a completely new timeline… And this shift, this bend in our world’s path, is exactly 0.0000042!”

…

Lin Xian remembered when Liu Feng called. It wasn’t hard to figure out that the moment the time-space clock changed was exactly when Elon Musk’s entangled time-space particle was destroyed.

From that moment, a fixed point in time was set.

As a result, a massive time-space ripple effect started, like a tornado, throwing our future off its planned path and onto a new one.

This matched up with the time-space principles Lin Xian had learned before.

Liu Feng’s time-space clock was an attempt to measure and digitize the impact of the time-space ripple effect.

“But… why exactly 42?”

Lin Xian raised an eyebrow. “That seems too coincidental, almost suspicious.”

“We still don’t fully understand what this 0.0000042 means. I’m already wondering… if the time-space clock changes again, what will it show?”

“Could it be 0.0004242, or 0.0000420, or 0.0000084?”

“Or was this time’s 42 just a fluke? Could the next number be 0.0000043, or 0.0000044?”

Liu Feng nodded emphatically. “Any of those could happen, but we’ll only know by waiting for the next change. However, this shift already tells us a lot—”

“First, it confirms that time-space curvature is real and that our future is constantly evolving. Simply put, our actions can indeed alter the future!”

“Second, until tonight, our world was always on the 0.0000000 path, moving steadily along that trajectory. But at around 8:30 PM tonight, we jumped to the 0.0000042 path, and our future started to shift toward the end of this new trajectory.”

Liu Feng’s excitement grew as he spoke louder.

“Do you remember what you told me, Lin Xian? You said that understanding Universal Constants might only need to be right once… and that could save the world! I’m starting to believe that more and more!”

“If there are countless paths on the time-space blackboard, like branches spreading out, creating countless possible futures, then some of those futures must be good, some bad, some successful, some failures… If we want a good future, we just need to find that one path and keep adjusting the time-space curvature to stay on it!”

“Does that make sense, Lin Xian? It’s like a branching tree diagram, and our world will follow one of those branches, eventually reaching a certain endpoint. And the time-space curvature means we’ve chosen a different endpoint; the larger the curvature, the further we are from the original endpoint, and the bigger the changes in the future world!”

Lin Xian nodded. “Yes, I understand.”

In terms of the time-space laws he knew, this was still about disrupting and correcting history.

Let’s assume the 0.0000042 path is the right one.

Then, any action that increases or decreases the time-space curvature would be disrupting history, making the future stray off course… For instance, if I do something that changes the curvature to 0.0000092, that’s called deviating from the path or derailing history.

Then, if we find a way to bring the curvature back to 0.0000042, the future would align again with its intended path. This is called correcting history.

The principles remain the same.

The time-space clock just gives us a way to measure the ripple effect of time-space changes.

Even though the time-space ripple effect is chaotic and uncontrollable, at least now we can track the outcomes.

Thinking about it that way…

The time-space clock’s role and importance are quite significant.

“So… Liu Feng,” Lin Xian said, setting the time-space clock back on the table and looking at Liu Feng. “So do you think 0.0000042 can be seen as a time-space coordinate? Can we look at it like that?”

“I believe so,” Liu Feng replied with determination. “Because we’ve indeed moved from the 0.0000000 path to the 0.0000042 path. What’s a coordinate? I’ve explained before: it’s any system that can accurately, uniquely, and clearly mark a point in time-space!”

“Just like latitude and longitude on Earth, where a set of coordinates points to a specific location. The same is true for time-space coordinates; different numbers, like ID numbers, correspond to different time-spaces.”

Lin Xian pulled up a chair and sat down, twirling a pen between his fingers. He was deep in thought about what Liu Feng had said.

It did make sense.

But the Genius Club’s entry question only allowed for one answer.

If he got it right, he could move on to the next question. But if he got it wrong, there would be no second chance, and he’d be out immediately.

“I suggest we wait for one more change in the time-space clock’s value before we draw any conclusions,” Lin Xian said softly. “Like you said, observing it one more time might help us identify a pattern. Once we understand the pattern, we can verify the correctness of the answer.”

“Yes, that’s more rigorous,” Liu Feng agreed. He also pulled up a chair and sat across from Lin Xian, watching the pen spin between his fingers.

“Thinking about it… it’s really incredible. By calibrating against a zero reference outside our time-space, we can ‘see the mountain from within’ and detect changes in the world line from within our time-space.”

“This is truly a groundbreaking discovery… Let’s wait for one more result! Once we get another reading, we can definitely figure out the specific value and pattern of the time-space coordinate!”

“The only problem now is that we lack the means to observe the future. We can’t be sure if the future has really changed or how significant that change is to account for 0.0000042.”

“No worries, leave that to me,” Lin Xian said softly. “I’ll find a way to verify it.”

In the lab at Donghai University, Lin Xian wrapped up a few more discussions with Liu Feng, urging him to continue his research on Universal Constants and monitor the time-space clock.

Meanwhile, Lin Xian had already devised a plan to validate the dream.

He checked his watch.

It was late, past midnight, now April 27th, at 1:00 AM.

Too late to enter the dream now.

But that was okay.

Tomorrow at 12:42 PM, he could access the dream at the earliest opportunity, giving him a full 12 hours to investigate.

He planned to use those 12 hours to deeply explore the new dream:

“I hope I don’t run into Copernicus or those time-space officers again… But since Elon Musk destroyed the time-space particle, Copernicus and his officers should be history.”

Lin Xian silently made this hope.

Ready to head home for some well-deserved rest, he contemplated the changes in the dream.

Suddenly, Liu Feng peeked out the door, looking around.

“Stop looking. I came alone,” Lin Xian said, slightly annoyed with Liu Feng’s over-curiosity. “Still obsessed with your number patterns?”

“Yeah…”

Liu Feng stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Based on my calculations…”

“Stop with the calculations,” Lin Xian cut him off.

“No, no, no. Math is beautiful, especially patterns like in an arithmetic sequence.”

Liu Feng persisted with his theory. “Considering you probably aren’t interested in women over forty, the next woman in the sequence should be around fourteen or fifteen. That will complete your arithmetic sequence of relationships.”

“Heh!”

Lin Xian chuckled, thinking about the real and fake Yu Xi. “Sometimes, you are a genius… just not in math.”

“I’m heading home to sleep. Keep pushing forward with the research on the time-space particle and Universal Constants. By the way, have you cracked the code in that ‘Sorrowful Einstein’ painting I left with you?”

Liu Feng grimaced and shrugged. “You really take a hands-off approach. Don’t bring that attitude into the lab. Scientific research isn’t fast like business; results take time.”

“Seriously, this lab is just me, and the workload is overwhelming. Have you thought about hiring more help?”

“Honestly… I’m stretched thin. If you know any trustworthy researchers, could you bring them into the Rhine Lab to assist me?”

Lin Xian watched the pen spin.

He pondered.

Where would he find trustworthy people…?

Especially when he wasn’t deeply involved in the research community.

In a moment.

He stopped the pen.

And his thoughts turned to an old friend—

VV.

Elon Musk had said that the fake Yu Xi, a time traveler sent by the future Turing faction, gave him a USB stick with a virus.

It was that future virus that had killed VV.

But now…

If Copernicus’ closed loop was broken and the future had shifted to a new trajectory, would that lurking virus turn into harmless blue stardust and vanish?

Even if data doesn’t turn to stardust… could the time-space laws, faced with a paradox, act like an antivirus and eliminate the disruptive future virus?

“It’s worth a shot.” Lin Xian thought: “If I can ensure VV’s safety, maybe I can communicate with VV on my laptop and bring it back. With VV as my assistant, everything would be easier. VV could be a great help to Liu Feng, doubling our efficiency.”

Yes.

That’s his plan.

Tomorrow, he’d first explore the changes in the fourth dream.

Once certain… he’d attempt to revive VV!

Afterward, Lin Xian drove his Tesla, with its dented rear bumper, away from Donghai University, heading home for the first time in ages.

He had been away from home for too long, feeling like a traveler longing for the comfort of his own space.

As he arrived and flipped on the living room lights, everything was just as he left it. Seeking reassurance, Lin Xian headed to the bathroom, gave a playful wave to his reflection, and spun around, half-expecting something eerie. Satisfied that all was normal, he took a shower, changed into pajamas, and got ready for bed.

Glancing at the digital clock which showed 3:12 AM on April 27, 2024, he knew it was too late for dreaming.

Despite the late hour, after days filled with action and tension, Lin Xian felt a deep fatigue that promised a solid sleep until his planned dream entry at 12:42 PM.

“I can’t wait,” he murmured with anticipation, closing his eyes to welcome sleep.

Gradually, he drifted off.

A cool summer breeze gently caressed his skin, a soothing but unusual sensation for Lin Xian, who hadn’t yet opened his eyes. Since when was the summer wind in his dreams so mild?

It was unusually quiet around him.

No city noises, no traffic hum, just the serene chirping of birds and a soft buzz of cicadas.

The air was fresh, filled with the scent of moist earth and leaves, refreshing Lin Xian’s senses deeply.

Something was different.

The Fourth Dream world had vanished, and what lay before him was a new world filled with freedom and natural beauty—the Fifth Dream world!

Lin Xian’s eyes snapped open in surprise.

“What the heck.”

Where was he?

Turning around, the scene was the same in every direction. Tall trees, dense underbrush, and vibrant flowers made it seem like he was in the middle of an ancient forest.

Looking up, the towering trees reached high, filtering the sunlight and casting a cool, sweet air around him. Only slivers of light broke through, dancing on the forest floor.

“A forest? Such a dense, primeval one at that?”

Curious, Lin Xian stamped his foot on the thick carpet of leaves and soil, uncovering worms but failing to penetrate the deep layer of natural debris—a sign of the forest’s age.

But how?

The entry point to his dreams was always consistent, part of Donghai City. If not the bustling cityscape, then perhaps the quaint Old Donghai or even the desolate land of past dreams. But a primeval forest?

Could this mean in the Fifth Dream world, humanity had declined to the brink of extinction, leaving Donghai City a forgotten relic under layers of time?

“Maybe I should explore further.”

Lin Xian began navigating through the dense forest, the thriving plant life and busy wildlife unsettling him slightly.

He hoped this wasn’t some dystopian “After Humans” scenario. If humanity had indeed vanished, this Fifth Dream world offered little hope.

Wandering aimlessly for nearly an hour, Lin Xian found no end to the forest, nor any sign of human presence.

Doubt crept in. Were his sturdy companions, Big Cat Face, Ah Zhuang, Erzi, and San Pang, also erased by this new reality? They had always managed to survive against all odds.

“No way,” Lin Xian muttered, his trust in Big Cat Face’s resilience unwavering. “Big Brother Face, you’d better be alive.”

Driven by a mix of hope and desperation, Lin Xian continued his search for another half hour, growing tired yet determined not to give up.

Just as he wiped sweat from his brow, considering his next move, a figure with a straw hat emerged in the forest depths.

A wave of relief washed over him—humanity hadn’t perished.

Picking up his pace, Lin Xian approached the figure, curious if it was someone familiar from previous dreams.

As the figure turned, Lin Xian saw an elderly man, healthy and alert, holding a long-rod detector and wearing a large backpack. The man’s mild surprise turned into a gaze of curiosity as he noticed Lin Xian.

Stopping a few meters away, they stared at each other for a moment.

Though the man was a stranger, Lin Xian felt compelled to initiate conversation.

“Hello, sir.”

The old man relaxed, smiling and nodding in greeting. “Hello, young man. What are you doing out here?”

“I… I got lost,” Lin Xian admitted with a sheepish grin. “But what about you, sir? What brings you to this ancient forest?”

“Heh,” the old man chuckled, his interest piqued. “I’m searching for an ‘aluminum alloy safe’… It contains a time capsule I buried after waking from hibernation. I’m curious about what treasures my younger self left for me.”

An aluminum alloy safe? Here?

Lin Xian was brimming with questions but decided to start with the basics.

“Sir, may I ask your name?”

The old man’s eyes twinkled with amusement at Lin Xian’s politeness. “My last name is Wei. Don’t be too formal. My name is Wei Sheng Jin.”