Genius Club

Big Cat Face sprinted toward the garbage disposal plant, his cheeks jiggling with each step, displaying a strength akin to a wild beast. In no time, he was up against the black wall of the plant, standing firm like a sturdy pillar.

“San Pang!”

At the shout, San Pang leapt, landing solidly on Big Cat Face’s broad shoulders.

“Amazing!”

Following his lead, Ah Zhuang climbed atop San Pang, bracing against the wall for support.

“Er Zhuzi!”

Quick and agile, Er Zhuzi completed the human tower with seamless precision.

Lin Xian watched in amazement. He had witnessed this “team technique” before, but yesterday’s flurry of activity hadn’t allowed him to fully appreciate it. Today, with a clear view, his excitement surged, reminiscent of his favorite childhood cartoons where heroes combined to form a giant robot.

“Ning Ning, jump now! Hurry!”

As Big Cat Face supported his teammates, his face flushed red from the strain. CC, wearing an Ultraman mask, caught Lin Xian’s nod. She leaped gracefully, landing lightly on Er Zhuzi’s shoulders. Then she crouched, tensed, and vaulted over the eight-meter-high wall.

“Lin Xian, your turn!”

Commanded by Big Cat Face, Lin Xian backed up, then charged forward, using his parkour skills. His approach relied on brute strength and momentum. With a powerful leap, he climbed to Er Zhuzi’s shoulders, executed a double jump, and gripped the wall’s crevices to flip over smoothly.

Thud. He landed safely.

Surveying the area, Lin Xian noted it was cluttered with old sofas and discarded furniture, much like the day before. The tall steel walls loomed ahead, their massive doors shut tightly, and the absence of garbage trucks made the silence unusual. Recalling yesterday’s observations, Lin Xian deduced that the garbage trucks operated autonomously, hinting that New Donghai City might heavily utilize automation, potentially minimizing manual labor through robots and AI.

“Hide quickly, a drone is coming.”

CC’s urgent whisper snapped Lin Xian out of his thoughts. They darted behind a garbage mound for cover.

Buzz… Buzz…

Seconds later, a surveillance drone scanned the area. They were safely hidden. Lin Xian checked his watch.

00:05

“There’s plenty of time.”

He motioned towards the surveillance room, currently unoccupied. Based on his observations from the previous day, the shift supervisor, easily recognized by his Bluetooth headset, would soon arrive and take his place in the control room, often accompanied by laughter.

“We should position ourselves near the garbage truck unloading area; it’ll save us time later.”

Lin Xian pointed to a specific spot.

“Right there. Around 00:25, a convoy of garbage trucks will exit through those steel doors, one carrying the aluminum alloy safe we need.”

“How do you know that?” CC inquired, puzzled. “The unloading spots for these trucks aren’t fixed. They use real-time scanning to determine the best dumping spots—it’s all automated, nothing preset.”

“Just trust me. We’re in this together; I wouldn’t mislead you.” Lin Xian’s reassuring tone underscored his reluctance to delve into technicalities, preferring to avoid arguments over strategy with CC and Big Cat Face.

“Let’s move quickly. The new supervisor won’t be here till around 00:20. Until then, we’re free to move.”

Lin Xian had meticulously planned their approach. Waiting for the garbage truck to unload before moving would make them too late. Last time, by the time they reached the safe, it was already 00:42, and the white light had obliterated everything before they could attempt the safe’s combination.

Tweet-tweet-tweet—

A sharp bird call signaled from outside the wall. Lin Xian glanced at the whistle Big Cat Face had entrusted to him earlier—it was a signal to retreat immediately if heard.

“It seems Li Ning Ning has woken up,” CC commented.

“I figured as much.”

Having experienced this scenario before, Lin Xian wasn’t surprised. He blew the whistle forcefully, signaling Big Cat Face to initiate a quick retreat.

“What exactly did you do to Li Ning Ning?” Lin Xian asked CC, recalling how she had previously brandished a gun, even aiming it at him.

“Just this.”

CC produced a small handgun from her pocket, resembling more a toy than a weapon.

“What is this?”

“A veterinary tranquilizer gun.”

Lin Xian raised an eyebrow.

“That sounds worse than a gun.”

“Not at all,” CC replied, showcasing the tranquilizer gun. “Vets use these for animals. The dosage isn’t large, but it’s potent enough to weaken humans. I used a minimal dose on Li Ning Ning—enough to incapacitate, not render unconscious. It doesn’t fire bullets or have much range; think of it more as a tranquilizer injector.”

“Alright.”

Accepting her explanation, Lin Xian acknowledged that, in this dream, CC’s access to conventional weaponry was limited. This made sense—if someone like Li Cheng couldn’t obtain a firearm, how could she?

“Let’s run; the new supervisor will arrive soon, and we can’t afford to delay.”

With urgency, Lin Xian and CC dashed towards their designated hiding spot, racing against time to reach the safe before the new supervisor’s arrival. As they moved, Lin Xian recalled the operation’s timeline:

23:00 – Big Cat Face’s team leaves Li Cheng’s house.

23:20 – They reach a vantage point on a small hill, setting up and then advancing towards the garbage plant wall.

23:25 – CC, using the tranquilizer gun on Li Ning Ning, dons her Ultraman mask and takes her place.

00:00 – The garbage plant supervisor exits the control room for a shift change.

00:04 – The first surveillance blind spot appears; Lin Xian and CC scale the wall into the garbage plant.

00:13 – Li Ning Ning, rousing from the tranquilizer, finds Big Cat Face, who realizes the switch and blows the whistle to alert Lin Xian of impending danger.

00:20 – The new supervisor arrives and settles in the control room, laughing as usual.

00:25 – The steel doors open, and the convoy of garbage trucks, including one carrying the needed aluminum alloy safes, drives out.

00:28 – The designated truck unloads the safes at the empty lot and departs.

The plan was consistent unless Lin Xian chose to intervene. But his influence was limited; the trucks’ programmed routes and the supervisors’ set shift times were immutable. As they neared their hiding spot behind the garbage mound, Lin Xian noted the empty lot ahead where the safes would soon be dropped.

Counting down…

Only 14 minutes remained until 00:42, when the dream would shatter under the white light, leaving scant time for Lin Xian and CC to crack the safe.

Boom—

Behind them, the steel gate rumbled open. One by one, garbage trucks filed out, each navigating to its assigned spot. The truck carrying the safes approached, reversed, and adjusted its position. The axles groaned, and the massive hopper began to tilt.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Dozens of shiny, brand-new aluminum alloy safes tumbled out, scattering across the lot. Each safe featured eight combination dials, crafted from the same material, with a silver nameplate engraved with both long and short names above the dials.

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