Genius Club

“Whatever happens tonight, our goal is the same.”

It was midnight.

Outside Disposal Plant No. 221, Lin Xian stood beside CC, watching the patrolling drones flutter above.

In recent events, Lin Xian had successfully connected with CC. This time, he refrained from asking personal questions—he already knew what he needed to know. Instead, he fielded many of CC’s questions, increasing her goodwill toward him.

He turned to her, “You mentioned you have something crucial to confirm, which is why you’re intent on opening Lin Xian’s safe. You believe what’s inside could define the purpose of your life…”

“Can you share what’s so important? I might have information you don’t, perhaps we can crack the password together.”

“Sorry, I’d rather not say.” CC’s response was the same as before, her head shaking, “This is my personal secret, and I’m not ready to share it with anyone. Besides, since you also want to open the safe, everything will be clear once we see what’s inside.”

Lin Xian sighed inwardly. She remained tight-lipped. It appeared that enhancing her goodwill wasn’t the solution. If CC considered the contents of the safe as significant as her life’s meaning, then they were paramount.

He realized he still needed to figure out how to access the safe. However, according to the current plot, there was no direct access to the safe—no chance even to glimpse it, much less try passwords.

“I won’t keep anything from you any longer.”

Lin Xian crossed his arms, watching Big Cat Face practice martial arts moves some yards away. He whispered, “The safe won’t arrive at the disposal plant until 00:57.”

“I knew that.”

CC responded flatly, “There are two batches of garbage trucks headed to Time Bank today, delivering safes to the plant. It’s predictable which truck has Lin Xian’s safe. We just have to wait a bit inside.”

Lin Xian grinned, “You can’t wait.”

“Why not?”

“Because the world will end at 00:42.”

“Huh?” CC chuckled, turning to him, “You must be joking.”

“Weren’t you the one who dismissed your memory fragments as a joke?” Lin Xian retorted, “You’ve accepted bizarre fragments from another world. Why can’t you believe the world might end at 00:42?”

“Given all you’ve disclosed and appeared in your memory fragments, you should know I’m not joking.”

Lin Xian concluded, but CC appeared indifferent, “Even if it’s true, what difference does it make? Can you stop the apocalypse at 00:42?”

“No.”

“Then why worry about it?”

CC blinked, eyeing Lin Xian, “Or do you have another method to open the safe?”

“I do.” Lin Xian’s smile broadened, “If I can infiltrate New Donghai City this afternoon and locate Time Bank, I can find the safe with Lin Xian’s name and attempt to open it.”

“This afternoon?”

CC frowned, “Have you lost your mind?”

“There’s much I can’t explain, but I possess that capability. So… do you have any tips on how to infiltrate New Donghai City?”

“No.” CC shook her head, “No one in their right mind would dare enter New Donghai City. Even if you manage to get in, what next?”

“It’s not like leaping over the dragon gate. Entering New Donghai City doesn’t grant you residency. To them, you’re less than human. They’d dispose of you like vermin.”

“How will I know unless I try?”

Lin Xian spread his hands nonchalantly, “What if New Donghai City isn’t the fortress everyone assumes, but merely a facade?”

“You really aren’t afraid to die,” observed CC.

“Likewise.”

After a pause, CC sighed and turned to Lin Xian, “If you truly intend to enter New Donghai City, I might know something that could help.”

“Hey—!”

Before Lin Xian could inquire further, Big Cat Face spun around, his expression shocked at their conversation, “What are you two discussing? And—”

“Keep your eyes on the drones, Face! I’m not too close today!”

Lin Xian turned back to CC, “What info? About infiltrating New Donghai City?”

CC nodded, “But… I need to confirm the safe isn’t in the first batch of trucks before I trust you.”

“No problem.”

Lin Xian was casual. The night was proving fruitful. Even if it meant dying with CC again, gaining insight on New Donghai City was worth it.

There were only two leads Lin Xian was pursuing:

The Genius Club invitation in Zhao Ying Jun’s office.

The bookstore, Time Bank, and the whereabouts of Big Cat Face’s father in New Donghai City.

Both avenues were moving slowly. If he pursued both simultaneously, he might solve the mysteries sooner.

“It’s time!”

Big Cat Face shouted, charging ahead like a bull.

“Ah Zhuang!”

“Er Zhuzi!”

“San Pang!”

They quickly formed a human ladder, and Lin Xian and CC climbed over it, waiting at the designated spot for the garbage truck.

…

“Nothing.”

CC surveyed the area, inspecting all the aluminum alloy safes, then turned to Lin Xian with newfound trust, “Just as you said, Lin Xian’s safe isn’t here… and the names on the other safes checked out. I confirmed them all.”

“Now you believe me?” Lin Xian smiled warmly.

As they scaled the wall, Lin Xian had accurately predicted the garbage truck’s arrival, unloading times, and locations. He had even listed the safe owners’ names for CC to verify while searching. He had described the arrangement of the safes post-unloading—who’s would be on top, whose underneath, and which two would face down—all with precision.

CC was astounded.

She struggled to grasp how such a random event could unfold exactly as Lin Xian predicted.

But…

Reality was undeniable.

Seeing the safes arranged just as Lin Xian had described, CC seemed to believe in his “superpower.”

“Alright, I concede you have abilities beyond my understanding.”

She lowered her head, her chin resting on her hand, pondering Lin Xian’s words seriously, “If the world will end at 00:42, we can’t wait for the trucks arriving at 00:57.”

“It’s not just about waiting for the trucks. It’s already late. We have only ten minutes left until 00:42. Whatever we plan, it’s too late now.”

“Exactly.” Lin Xian nodded, looking at CC, “That’s why I said earlier—if we want to open that safe, we must infiltrate New Donghai City by noon today, get to Time Bank in time, and open the safe.”

CC removed her mask, her sweat-drenched bangs sticking to her forehead. She used the mask as a fan to cool down. This was the first time in the second dream that CC had removed her mask. She still looked just like Chu An Qing.

“But it’s already night.” CC was puzzled, “How can we turn back time to noon? It’s impossible… Besides, if you really could turn back time, why not go back further, to hundreds of years ago, when the safe was first stored?”

“I can’t explain now. We don’t have the time.”

Lin Xian checked his watch.

00:30

Only 12 minutes remained before the dream ended. He urgently needed CC to disclose how to infiltrate New Donghai City.

“Now that you’ve confirmed it, can you tell me? How do we infiltrate New Donghai City?”

CC nodded. She had made a promise to Lin Xian, and she wouldn’t break it. She pulled out a “Bluetooth earpiece” from her pocket, identical to those worn by monitors in the disposal plant’s central control room.

Every worker at the disposal plant had one of these devices for communication, task assignment, and updates.

Lin Xian surmised it worked like a phone but operated differently.

“I swiped this from the disposal plant before.”

“You can skip that part, just get to the point.”

“Every time the garbage trucks return to New Donghai City, they pass through a checkpoint.”

CC pointed to the rising steel gate on the steel wall. The disposal plants were fully automated, with robots, unmanned vehicles, and drones operating around the clock in an orderly fashion. The garbage trucks returned to New Donghai City after unloading to collect new trash.

CC continued, “Aside from the steel gate, there’s an internal security door. All garbage trucks undergo a live detection process to prevent stowaways from sneaking into New Donghai City.”

“Is this information reliable?” Lin Xian asked.

“Absolutely!” CC rolled her eyes at Lin Xian, holding up the Bluetooth earpiece, “I was about to explain, but you interrupted… The garbage processing protocols are detailed in the work manual. Though I haven’t been inside, this device contains daily security check logs.”

Lin Xian nodded, glancing at his watch again.

00:32.

The dream would end in ten minutes. He needed CC to speak quicker.

“Since you mentioned that, it implies you have a way to bypass or evade the live detection.”

“Yes,” CC looked at Lin Xian, “but only I can do it, you can’t.”

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