Genius Club

“Secretary?” Lin Xian’s eyebrows shot up in surprise as he faced Brother Wang. “Boss Zhao has always been against hiring a secretary. Did she change her mind?”

“It seems she’s been considering it for a while but couldn’t find anyone she trusts enough,” Brother Wang explained, a knowing smile playing on his lips. “You might have heard about her last secretary—though we don’t know the details, it likely involved leaking sensitive company information.”

“Since then, Boss Zhao put a password lock on her office and banned everyone from entering, even the cleaners. She’s the only one who knows the code. Clearly, she doesn’t trust easily!”

“But maybe because you’ve been solving a lot of her problems recently, she seems to trust you more. We’ve been around long enough to see that she really values your contributions.”

“So…” Brother Wang draped an arm around Lin Xian’s shoulders and chuckled. “Seize this opportunity, Lin Xian! Making money might be easy for you now, but keeping it is another story. Without sound planning and business skills, money can disappear quickly.”

“Many heirs waste their fortunes on frivolous pursuits. But when they try to invest or start businesses, they usually fail and lose it all. It’s not unusual.”

“Boss Zhao is a savvy businesswoman. Working as her secretary, you’d gain invaluable business insights and experience. That’s crucial for you right now.”

“This isn’t set in stone yet. She’s still thinking it over. Just keep this between us, okay?”

Lin Xian headed straight to his office on the 20th floor and settled into his chair.

“Unexpected benefits,” he mused. According to Brother Wang, Zhao Ying Jun was considering appointing him as her secretary. Given his current position, this was indeed welcome news.

He had been striving to earn Zhao Ying Jun’s trust. Following yesterday’s risky car race, which seemed to significantly increase her trust in him, and the surge in business with the launch of the new Rhine brand, she likely needed more help.

So, she thought of him for the secretary role.

Lin Xian wasn’t privy to what Zhao Ying Jun and Brother Wang had discussed, but since it was mentioned, Zhao Ying Jun would likely discuss it with him soon. All he could do was wait.

“Finally, a chance to see that Genius Club invitation!” Lin Xian leaned back, deep in thought.

For too long, the investigation into the Genius Club and Professor Xu Yun’s murder had stalled, plagued by uncertainties. Seeing the invitation could clear up many mysteries.

He imagined what the invitation might contain—a basic introduction certainly, but even a brief one would be critical. It could reveal the nature, purpose, and members of the Genius Club.

Would it also specify the time and place of their meetings?

“The more information, the better,” Lin Xian reasoned as he opened his eyes. The enigma of the Genius Club wasn’t just an abstract concept; the mysterious black moon in the sky, 600 years in the future, also puzzled him.

Was the 2023 Genius Club the same as the 2624 one? Did they share the same goals? What kind of long-term, significant plan could span 600 years?

Where exactly was the Genius Club based? How long had it existed?

“I hope Zhao Ying Jun gives me the office password soon.” Thinking of passwords, Lin Xian also considered the aluminum alloy safe in his dream and the determined CC. The only way to open the safe bearing his name was to infiltrate Time Bank in New Donghai City and crack the code before it was carted away by the night garbage truck.

He was confident about the password, 29990203. He had been reinforcing this number daily, conditioning himself to ensure that his future self would set the safe’s code to this number. He even wished to set the office safe’s password to 29990203, but it required a six-digit combination, not eight.

“Tonight, I’ll continue to seek out CC.” Lin Xian quickly finished some work and assigned tasks to his team before preparing to leave.

Given the altered fate of Zhao Ying Jun and the rewritten history, he wondered if the MX Company still existed in the future world 600 years later or if New Donghai City still stood.

After eating a simple meal at home, Lin Xian checked the time—it was perfect to catch up with the plot involving the Three-Knife Thief and meet Big Cat Face.

He lay on his bed and closed his eyes. “Let’s go!”

“Brother Face,” Lin Xian stood on the roof of Li Cheng’s house, pointing towards the dark, unlit silhouette of New Donghai City.

This time, after entering the dream, he followed the usual speedrun protocol, taking the optimal route to quickly join Face Gang, earning Li Cheng’s recognition and becoming part of the team.

He had just selected masks with Big Cat Face in the warehouse. It was the same Rhine Cat mask. Lin Xian wasn’t surprised; this item was popular across time, a hit even 600 years later, a legacy more enduring than some historical artifacts.

After securing the mask, Lin Xian climbed to the roof of Li Cheng’s house to view the steel sci-fi city, New Donghai City, several kilometers away. But since it was still early, the city lights hadn’t yet illuminated.

This obscured his view of the letters on the twin towers at the city center.

“Brother Face!” Lin Xian called out to Big Cat Face, who was smoking in the courtyard below.

“Huh?” Big Cat Face looked up, squinting towards Lin Xian on the roof.

“The tallest building in New Donghai City, the twin towers in the center,” Lin Xian pointed out. “What letters are on that building? I can’t see them clearly.”

“You’ll see them when the lights come on.”

“Just tell me now. Aren’t you in a hurry to get home to buy roast chicken for your son? When we get to your place, we won’t see it from that angle.”

“LIIT.” Big Cat Face spelled it out. He couldn’t pronounce it, but he had seen it often enough to recognize it.

“Is it a company? A major corporation?” Lin Xian asked.

“Yeah,” Big Cat Face nodded, taking a final drag from his cigarette before stamping it out. “New Donghai City was built by them… Where have you been living? Even my son knows more than you!”

Lin Xian chuckled. “Good. As long as it doesn’t say MX, I don’t care what it says.”

This meant the minor time-space changes had indeed occurred. History had been altered somewhat. ‘Minor’—Lin Xian struggled with this concept. For the vast timeline of history and the future world 600 years later, Zhao Ying Jun’s life and death might indeed seem minor.

It was so minor… it felt like something had changed, yet nothing had changed. New Donghai City still existed. The world continued its distorted development. Inside and outside the steel walls remained two completely different worlds. Big Cat Face still collected property fees. Li Cheng still fought for humanity’s history and knowledge.

Nothing had changed. However, for individuals and the relationships between individuals, many lives have changed because of this. At least, the MX Company likely didn’t last 600 years.

“Interesting,” Lin Xian thought, reflecting on the fateful father-daughter duo.

“But… it’s not bad.”

Thud!

Lin Xian jumped off the roof, using the window ledge to slow his descent, landing steadily. He stood up and faced Big Cat Face. “Brother Face, does the MX Company still exist in this world?”

“MX Company?” Big Cat Face’s face jiggled as he shook his head. “Never heard of it.”

“Isn’t this Rhine Cat the MX Company’s mascot?” Lin Xian shook the Rhine Cat mask. “What’s the origin of this Rhine Cat then?”

“I think it’s just a toy…” Big Cat Face’s eyes were clear. “I never looked into its origin. This thing is quite popular in New Donghai City. I used to steal some toys and clean them up for my daughter.”

“As for it being a company’s mascot… I’ve never heard of that.”

Well. It was the expected answer. In the future world, the Rhine Cat had reverted to its state from the first dream. Its history, founders, and the MX Company had all faded into oblivion.

“Let’s go, bro! Hurry home for dinner! We still have work to do tonight!” Big Cat Face pulled Lin Xian onto the motorcycle and handed him a helmet. “Buckle up!”

“Got it, law-abiding citizen.”

“Let’s go!”

Vroom!

Big Cat Face’s rickety motorcycle sputtered out black smoke as they left Li Cheng’s courtyard.

As silence enveloped the area, the green bamboo leaves rustled in the summer breeze, sparrows hopped around the brick cracks, and two cats jumped from the second-floor balcony, chasing the fluttering sparrows.

Thud!

A soft sound, a slight tremor of the green tiles. A slim girl, dressed in black with her brown hair tied back, crouched like a cat on the roof corner. Her gaze followed the fading black exhaust, locked on the man holding the Rhine Cat mask.

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