Genius Club

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Lin Xian watched from a window as a gigantic black hand bizarrely cleaved the moon in two. The spectacle never ceased to amaze him.

“How absurd…”

No matter how often he saw it, the altered moon continued to frustrate Lin Xian. He had never imagined that the Genius Club would brand it with their emblem—a concept beyond any scenario he could have conjured in his writings.

Yet, it was quite “genius”—peculiar and bold, aligning with his perception of the Genius Club.

Their emblem now marked the moon, a right hand with the index finger pointing upwards, visible to anyone on Earth gazing skyward.

Baffling, yet impressive.

Reflecting on this, Lin Xian realized his limited knowledge about the Genius Club. A particular detail troubled him: they had killed Xu Yun but hadn’t seized his research data. However, in the dream world, they had kidnapped Big Cat Face’s father along with all his research…

“This means… the Genius Club isn’t interested in Xu Yun’s research but fears what Big Cat Face’s father discovered—the universal constant, the true meaning of 42.”

Lin Xian rose, his theory taking shape. Perhaps this universal constant, 42, was indeed the Genius Club’s biggest vulnerability.

Exiting the room, he ascended to the rooftop of the two-story building, a space cluttered with clotheslines and potted plants. Overlooking the neon-lit expanse of New Donghai City in the distance, he felt the weight of heaven and earth merging.

The universal constant 42 was still decipherable.

Surveying the glowing cityscape, Lin Xian thought, “If the Genius Club systematically executes these scientists at exactly 00:42, it implies Big Cat Face’s father will still be alive until 00:42 on August 29, 2624.”

“As long as we infiltrate New Donghai City before then and locate Big Cat Face’s father, we can unlock the meaning of the universal constant 42.”

Another race against time had begun…

Lin Xian connected the dots between his unique dream, the recurring white light that obliterated the world at 00:42, and the motives of the Genius Club—all tied to the enigmatic number 42.

He looked at the moon, now marred by the black hand, and then into the vast cosmos, echoing Big Cat Face’s father’s oft-repeated words:

“42… it’s everywhere.”

Lin Xian’s resolve hardened as he surveyed sprawling New Donghai City.

“It’s crucial that I go to New Donghai City.”

After awakening from his latest dream, Lin Xian had outlined two primary goals. One was to ascertain the significance of the universal constant 42 from Big Cat Face’s father. The other was to delve into New Donghai City, seek the accurate historical records, and comprehend how this future world had evolved.

Now, with Big Cat Face’s father taken to New Donghai City, these objectives seemed to converge.

Today’s most significant revelation from his dream was that the universal constant was indeed 42.

But what did 42 signify? Why was it 42? What relevance did it hold?

These questions remained the foremost mysteries in Lin Xian’s mind.

“Hey! What are you doing up there? Come down!”

He glanced below.

Big Cat Face had finished tending to the pigs and dogs in the courtyard and was gesturing for Lin Xian to descend.

“Hurry up! We still need to pick up roast chicken for my son. Stop dawdling!”

With Big Cat Face’s father absent and no further clues available in the room, lingering was pointless. Lin Xian closed the windows, switched off the lights, and hopped onto Big Cat Face’s motorcycle, securing his helmet as they rode off.

The motorcycle expelled a cloud of foul black smoke as it rattled along the rough dirt road. They traveled in silence, Lin Xian deep in thought about the universal constant 42 and his strategy to infiltrate New Donghai City and find Big Cat Face’s father…

“Wait, there’s another way.”

Lin Xian had a revelation.

“Big Cat Face!”

He shouted, leaning close to Big Cat Face’s ear to ensure he was heard over the roaring wind.

“You mentioned your father’s book, ‘Introduction to Universal Constants,’ is 600 years old? Are you certain?”

“Yes!” Big Cat Face responded without turning. “My dad has studied that book for years; it’s nearly falling apart. It’s definitely an ancient text, unearthed from a tomb.”

“But that’s impossible, Big Cat Face,” Lin Xian countered. “Unless preserved under specific lab conditions, a book wouldn’t survive 600 years and remain legible.”

“Even if it were well-preserved, it would need to be treated as a historical artifact; otherwise, it would disintegrate at the slightest touch. Yet, it’s still intact after years of use by your father. Paper just doesn’t last that long.”

As they reached the village market, Big Cat Face slowed the motorcycle, allowing them to converse without shouting.

“Brother, you really know your stuff,” Big Cat Face admitted as he parked near the roast chicken vendor. “My father’s book is indeed a 600-year-old manuscript, but it’s not the original! My son has a copy of ‘Journey to the West,’ but you wouldn’t claim it’s from a thousand years ago, would you?”

“Clearly, it’s a reprint! There’s no way my father could have excavated a 600-year-old tomb. Even if he had, who would keep such a macabre item at home? He read about the tomb on the book’s cover. Whether it’s factual or not, who knows.”

Big Cat Face then proceeded to purchase the roast chicken, leaving Lin Xian to ponder.

The original “Introduction to Universal Constants” was authored 600 years ago by a mathematician, akin to how “Journey to the West” was penned by Wu Cheng’en during the Ming Dynasty. The versions people peruse today are reprints, not the originals from centuries past.

Similarly, the “Introduction to Universal Constants” was crafted 600 years ago, but the version in Big Cat Face’s father’s possession was a later edition. This meant the book wasn’t unique!

This insight provided Lin Xian a new lead to unravel the mystery of the universal constant 42.

The original author lived around 2024, roughly the same era as Lin Xian in 2023. This implied that the author might still be alive in Lin Xian’s reality.

If Lin Xian could locate the original author, he might uncover the meaning of 42. Even if the author hadn’t solved it, Lin Xian now knew the answer was 42.

Engaging with the author would surely yield critical insights.

Thus, the key lay in discovering the original author—his name, birthdate, location, occupation, everything.

Lin Xian now had another path to pursue.

Big Cat Face returned with the roast chicken, and Lin Xian inquired directly, “Big Cat Face, do you know who wrote ‘Introduction to Universal Constants’?”

“No idea. I’ve never read it.”

“Where did your father acquire the book? Can we find it in bookstores?”

“High-end books like that aren’t sold here!” Big Cat Face scoffed. “We don’t have access to real history or knowledge. Only New Donghai City holds such advanced information.”

Lin Xian detected a slip in Big Cat Face’s words.

“So… your father obtained the book from New Donghai City? How did he manage that? Isn’t your village completely isolated from the city?”

Big Cat Face clamped his mouth shut, his face blanching as if he’d revealed too much.

“Oomph… Brother, I can’t explain this to you.”

“Come on, Big Cat Face.” Lin Xian grabbed the roast chicken. “Aren’t we brothers? Why keep secrets from me? Tell me, does this have to do with your secret night missions with A Zhuang and Er Zhuzi?”

Big Cat Face fell silent, his gaze locked on the roast chicken, lost in thought. After a moment, he nodded resolutely. “Brother, I admit, I’ve been concealing something.”

Big Cat Face was always forthright.

“I didn’t intend to keep it from you indefinitely. I planned to disclose it over dinner. Since you’re asking now, I’ll be upfront.”

“We have a superior, and we’ve been working for him. I was set to introduce you to him tomorrow. If he approves, you can join our operations, and I’ll reveal everything, including the book’s origins. I’m confident he’ll value your skills. But until he approves, I can’t say more. Please understand.”

Big Cat Face spoke earnestly.

It was the same story as before—he mentioned a superior, secret missions, and planned to introduce Lin Xian “tomorrow.”

Tomorrow never seemed to arrive in this future world.

“No, I need to meet the superior today.”

Lin Xian was determined, gripping the chicken leg firmly. “I’m confident in my abilities. Take me to the superior tonight, and I’ll join your operations.”

“Not tonight, brother! It’s too late!” Big Cat Face slapped Lin Xian’s hand away. “Hey! Let go of the chicken leg!”

Unperturbed, Lin Xian narrowed his eyes with a smirk and tugged slightly more at the chicken leg.

“Alright, fine. I’ll take you, but first, we need to deliver this chicken.”

“Understood, Brother Face.” Lin Xian released the chicken leg and climbed back onto the motorcycle.

Despite the jesting, if someone like Er Zhuzi could pass the superior’s test, Lin Xian was certain he could too. Once he met the superior and joined the secret missions, he’d unearth the origin of the book. Then, he could locate another copy, identify the author, and track him down in 2023. This approach was arduous, but simpler than sneaking into New Donghai City to find Big Cat Face’s father.

“Who was the genius who authored the ‘Introduction to Universal Constants’ 600 years ago?”

The motorcycle halted in front of a large courtyard. Green tiles, red walls, and an imposing wooden gate radiated wealth. The grand courtyard stood out starkly in the impoverished village, like an imperial palace among a slum.

“We’re here, brother. That’s our superior.” Big Cat Face led Lin Xian through the gate, calling out, “Boss! I brought a new recruit to see you!”

A man watering plants turned around, his smile exuding scholarly elegance.

Lin Xian looked up and couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Li Cheng?”

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