Genius Club

“I think it’s a good idea,” San Pang said, nodding in agreement with Lin Xian’s proposal to join the Face Gang.

“Alright! It’s settled then!” Big Cat Face exclaimed, his laughter booming as he clapped Lin Xian on the shoulder. “Brother, from today, you’re one of us! The first time I saw you, I knew we were meant to be allies! Our gang could really benefit from someone with your wall-climbing skills!”

“Sorry about the earlier misunderstanding, brother. To make it up to you…” He paused, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Tell me, what do you desire? Anything at all, as long as it’s within my power, it’s yours!”

“I want to meet Boss Li,” Lin Xian declared firmly. “I want to be part of your operation tonight. I’m committed to preserving humanity’s history and knowledge, and I’m willing to risk my life for it. I just need to secure one more book for the people of Old Donghai.”

“Wow!” Big Cat Face slapped Lin Xian’s shoulder in admiration. “That’s the spirit! Boss Li will definitely see your dedication!”

The plan proceeded flawlessly. Having impressed them the day before by capturing a thief, Lin Xian had not only earned a place in the Face Gang but also gained Li Cheng’s approval to join their nighttime operation at the waste disposal plant.

As dusk approached, they gathered at Li Cheng’s house. Lin Xian wore a Rhine cat mask, Big Cat Face sported a mech mask, and Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang were fully equipped.

Lin Xian surveyed the courtyard and noticed Li Ning Ning approaching, her elegant figure striking as she removed her Ultraman mask. “Dad, this mask is uncomfortable. Where’s the one I wore yesterday?”

Lin Xian observed Li Ning Ning, noting her model-like physique, similar to CC’s—flawlessly slender.

Despite the cold of winter, Chu An Qing, slightly curvier than CC, had stood out in her evening dress at a recent banquet.

Chu An Qing was considered more conventionally attractive, but both CC and Li Ning Ning had the ideal figures for runway models, albeit possibly too slender for some preferences.

Yet, these differences in appearance were trivial in the grand scheme.

Chu An Qing was adored as Donghai’s princess, cherished by Chu Shan He who ensured she led a balanced and healthy life.

But CC…

Lin Xian knew very little about her past or her family. Beyond her name, CC was an enigma.

Tonight, that might change.

According to the plan from the previous night, upon meeting CC today, Lin Xian aimed to:

Confirm if she was Chu An Qing, despite his reservations.

Discover where she had seen him before.

Learn how CC knew about the intelligence concerning New Donghai City and the safe being transported to the waste plant today.

These were his primary objectives for the evening.

If time allowed, he also planned to inspect the safe bearing his name.

Having left a note of advice for his future self, he trusted he wouldn’t deceive himself and would handle this matter with the seriousness it deserved.

“Are you sure you can handle this?” Li Ning Ning asked skeptically.

“The wall at the waste disposal plant is over eight meters high. Even with the three of them forming a human ladder, that only gets us about four meters up. We still need to scale another four meters… Normally, this task is suited for the lighter girls. Can you really manage it?”

Lin Xian gave her a reassuring smile, interrupting his train of thought. “Of course, no problem. I’ve climbed plenty of walls before. But you, um… just be careful.”

He thought about saying more but decided against it.

If Li Ning Ning became overly cautious and left no opening for CC to ambush her, he might not encounter CC that night, which would be a setback.

He studied Li Ning Ning’s captivating face, noting the natural seductiveness similar to her mother’s, which was immensely alluring.

No wonder she could have caused a stir among ancient nobility.

In contrast, CC and Chu An Qing exuded a pure, untouched beauty, like a lotus rising unstained from mud, pristine jade, or a freshly bloomed pear blossom.

Preferences varied.

Lin Xian preferred the ethereal beauty of CC and Chu An Qing, but if his friend Gao Yang had to choose, he would undoubtedly go for Li Ning Ning.

“If Ning is available, choose Ning! If not, start over!”

Soon, both women would don masks, rendering facial recognition challenging. The real difference between CC and Li Ning Ning would become apparent through their hair color.

CC had meticulously dressed and styled herself to resemble Li Ning Ning exactly.

But the hair color? She likely deemed it unnecessary to alter her hair for just one night’s operation, especially since distinguishing between black and dark brown in the dark was challenging.

“Alright, everyone!”

Li Cheng clapped his hands, calling for silence, his expression grave.

“Let’s move out! Be careful!”

Boom—

Big Cat Face steered the van toward the steel-walled waste disposal plant.

As they jostled along, the scent of roses from Li Ning Ning’s perfume filled Lin Xian’s nostrils.

He recalled that in his first dream, CC wore no scent or perfume.

Thus, the shift in time had changed some of CC’s habits and lifestyle, though not everything remained consistent.

In all his dreams, the only constant was himself. And he… he was the singular variable in this endless cycle.

“An interesting ouroboros.”

Creak—

The van halted on a hill. Lin Xian and the others disembarked, sprinting through the forest under the cover of night.

Big Cat Face and the three younger members led the way, Lin Xian ran in the middle, with Li Ning Ning following.

The dark forest, illuminated only by moonlight filtering through the dense canopy, cast flickering shadows, giving their run an old film reel aesthetic.

Lin Xian intentionally kept a distance from Li Ning Ning because he needed to provide CC with an opportunity to strike, enabling her to knock out Li Ning Ning and assume her identity, just as in the previous dream.

Ahead, the forest thickened, with taller, denser trees almost completely obscuring the moonlight.

Suddenly, Lin Xian noticed the rustling sound behind him had ceased!

Continuing at his current pace, he glanced back to see that Li Ning Ning had disappeared.

Perfect.

Everything was proceeding as planned.

CC had likely seized her opportunity in the darkness. She had been trailing closely, waiting for the right moment. Now, she had probably subdued Li Ning Ning and taken her mask.

“Hmm?” Big Cat Face turned his head. “Where’s Ning Ning?”

Ah Zhuang scanned the surroundings, pointing backward.

“Ning Ning’s back there, boss.”

Big Cat Face waved dismissively. “Hurry up, keep moving faster.”

Lin Xian then looked back, spotting a slim figure swiftly catching up. She wore the same tight black clothing, donned the same Ultraman mask as Li Ning Ning, and sported the same hairstyle. However, the hair color had changed…

Soon, they had emerged from the densest part of the forest, approaching the steel wall. The sparse trees here were likely stunted by the plant’s pollution.

Thanks to the clearer environment, the moonlight revealed that the woman’s hair had shifted from black to dark brown.

“CC.” Lin Xian slowed his pace, drawing nearer to the woman in black. “I know it’s you.”

She immediately halted, bending slightly, her gaze fixed on Lin Xian.

“Relax,” Lin Xian calmly removed his mask, allowing the moonlight to illuminate his face. “You’ve seen me before, right?”

Seeing Lin Xian’s face, the woman’s tense posture softened somewhat. She slowly straightened and nodded.

“You can talk.” Lin Xian gestured towards Big Cat Face and the others, who had advanced ahead. “I’m a recent addition, not really one of them. We probably share similar objectives—accessing that safe with my name on it.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t expose you. When they form the human ladder, we’ll climb over together. But I have many questions for you. Shall we exchange information?”

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

“Alright, but I get to ask first. I have many questions for you too.” Her voice sounded familiar.

Lin Xian was taken aback at how CC had agreed so readily. He had anticipated more resistance… but things were progressing smoothly.

“No problem, you go first,” Lin Xian said nonchalantly.

He had numerous opportunities to gather information from CC; there was no rush. Besides, their questions probably overlapped.

Who initiated the conversation didn’t matter. His direct approach might make her cautious, but it was a risk worth taking.

“Hey! What are you two doing? Hurry up!” Big Cat Face’s distant shout echoed.

Lin Xian gestured forward. “We’ll discuss this further away from them.”

A few minutes later.

The group reached the waste plant’s wall, concealed in the shadows of the trees about thirty to forty meters away.

They were slightly early, so they waited for the 00:04 surveillance blind spot.

Big Cat Face focused intently on the patrolling drones. Six drones followed their predetermined routes, and he closely monitored for the blind spot.

He frequently checked his watch.

Despite consistent checks, the blind spot appeared daily at 00:04 for exactly one minute. But any deviation could prove disastrous.

Li Cheng had repeatedly warned Big Cat Face.

Never be complacent. Always verify the blind spot before taking action.

If the drones’ patterns changed, it would spell disaster.

Thus, Big Cat Face watched diligently.

Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang stretched, readying themselves to form the human ladder and catch the items tossed over the wall.

Lin Xian and CC stood about seven to eight meters behind them, close enough to avoid suspicion but far enough to converse privately.

Once assured of safety, CC moved closer, her gaze fixed on Lin Xian through the Ultraman mask. “I’ve seen you.”

“Where?” Lin Xian inquired.

“It’s difficult to describe, but I didn’t encounter you in reality or a dream…” Moonlight reflected in CC’s eyes, revealing her perplexity. She lifted her head, gazing at Lin Xian. “It’s a memory… not from this world.”

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