Genius Club

Chapter 106: Chapter 103: Memory Fragments

“I think it’s doable.”

San Pang nodded sagely, agreeing with Lin Xian’s decision to join the Lian Gang.

“Great! Then it’s settled!”

Big Face Cat clapped his hands together with a hearty laugh, draping an arm around Lin Xian’s neck:

“Little brother, from today on, you’re one of us in the Lian Gang! Honestly… from the very first glance, I felt there was a special bond between us! What our gang is lacking the most right now is talented people like you who can scale walls!”

“Sorry, little brother, for the misunderstanding earlier. As an apology…”

“Let’s hear it, what do you wish for? What do you want? As long as it’s within my power, I’ll grant it all!”

“I want to see Boss Lee.” Lin Xian went straight to the point:

“I want to join your operation tonight. In the name of human history and knowledge, I’m not afraid to die. I just want to steal one more book for the people of the old Donghai.”

“Damn!”

Big Face Cat slapped Lin Xian’s shoulder, praising him:

“You’ve got spirit! Boss Lee is definitely going to like you!”

…

The plan proceeded smoothly.

Lin Xian, following the script from last time, subdued the thief easily, joined the Lian Gang, and with Lee Cheng’s approval, officially took part in their operation to “raid the Waste Treatment Plant” that night.

Evening.

Gathering at Lee Cheng’s home.

Lin Xian wore the Rhein Cat Mask, Big Face Cat donned the Mech Armor Mask, and behind them, Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang were also ready to go.

Lin Xian looked towards the other side of the courtyard corridor…

The slim Lee Ningning strode over, removing the Ultraman mask from her face, she looked at Lee Cheng:

“Dad, this mask is uncomfortable. Where did you put the one I was wearing yesterday?”

…

Lin Xian scrutinized the Lee Ningning before him.

Her figure was as perfect as CC’s, with not an ounce of excess fat, the epitome of a model’s body.

In fact, there were subtle differences in physique between CC and Chu Anqing.

Chu Anqing was obviously a little bit plumper than CC. Even though it was winter, the evening gown she wore at the celebration banquet made her figure unmistakably clear.

According to conventional health and beauty standards, a figure like Chu Anqing’s is arguably more attractive. The body types of CC and Lee Ningning are more suited for runway models, and in everyday life, they’re actually considered too thin.

However, such minor differences in their figures don’t really prove anything.

Chu Anqing is the one and only princess of Donghai, pampered by Chu Shanhe, who wouldn’t let her suffer even the slightest discomfort. Therefore, her diet and routine must be extremely healthy and balanced, naturally resulting in a well-proportioned physique.

But CC…

Lin Xian didn’t really know her, nor did he know what kind of life she had been leading, or the kind of family she was born into.

Apart from knowing her name was CC, he knew almost nothing about her.

However, after tonight, things would change.

According to last night’s plan, today, upon meeting CC, he needed to figure out three things:

1. Whether she really is Chu Anqing. Although Lin Xian thought the likelihood was very low, he still needed confirmation.

2. Where she had seen him before.

3. To clarify how CC knew the intel about New Donghai City, and why she knew that the safe would be delivered to the Garbage Factory today.

These three things were his main tasks for the evening.

“`

If there’s enough time, then try the safe with his own name on it.

Since he had written an “advice letter” to his future self…he believed his future self wouldn’t betray his trust or deceive himself; he would show some respect, at least.

“Are you okay?”

Lee Ningning approached, her face full of distrust as she looked at Lin Xian:

“The walls of the Waste Treatment Plant are over eight meters high, and even when those three form a human wall, it only reaches about four meters. We’ll still need to climb the remaining four meters on our own… Usually, this task is done by girls who are lighter in weight. Are you… really up for it?”

Lin Xian’s train of thought was interrupted by her.

He smiled amicably:

“Of course, there’s no problem. I’ve scaled plenty of walls. As for you, um… just be careful, okay?”

He had meant to say something else, but then thought better of it.

If Lee Ningning became cautious and didn’t give CC the chance to sneak attack her, he probably wouldn’t be able to see CC tonight, and it would be a loss not worth the gain.

Lin Xian gazed at the enchanting beauty of Lee Ningning before him and seriously analyzed the differences between her and CC.

When it came to looks, Lee Ningning was indeed blessed with natural beauty like that of her mother, with seductive charm that lay deep in her bones and eyes. Such allure was truly lethal.

No wonder there’s a saying that even great heroes find it hard to get past a beauty like Daji; with Lee Ningning’s looks, in ancient times she would have been the kind of beauty who brings disaster to states and princes.

In contrast, CC and Chu Anqing were like pure lotuses, unaffected by the muddy water, like a flawless piece of white jade or a pear flower just beginning to bloom.

Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to radishes and cabbages.

If Lin Xian had to choose, he would definitely prefer the likes of CC and Chu Anqing, but if it were Gao Yang making the choice… he would, without a doubt, pick Lee Ningning with his eyes closed:

“With Ningning available, choose Ningning! If not, start over!”

However, in just a moment, both of them would be wearing masks, and their faces would be hidden. The real detail that would distinguish CC from Lee Ningning was their hair color.

Clearly, CC had come prepared; everything from her clothing, mask, and hairstyle was intentionally made to look exactly like Lee Ningning’s.

But she didn’t consider the hair color.

She probably thought that in the dead of the night within a pitch-black jungle, it wouldn’t be clear anyway, so there was no need to bother dying her hair. Besides, one was black and the other was dark brown, not much of a difference, and you wouldn’t notice unless you looked closely.

“Alright, everyone!”

Lee Cheng clapped his hands, signaling everyone to quiet down with a serious expression:

“Let’s go! Be safe!”

…

Boom—

Big Face Cat drove the van toward the steel-enclosed Waste Treatment Plant.

Bouncing along the way, the scent of roses from Lee Ningning’s body seeped into Lin Xian’s nostrils.

He carefully recalled that in The First Dreamland, CC had no fragrance on her at all; she hadn’t applied any skincare products.

So it seems.

The Temporal Flux did change CC’s life, even some of her habits; it wasn’t devoid of change after all.

In all the dreamlands, the only person who never changes is oneself.

And oneself.

Is the only variable in this perpetually cycling future world.

“An interesting Ouroboros.”

Squeak—

The van parked on a small hillside, and Lin Xian, along with Big Face Cat and the others, got out and ran through the jungle under the cover of night.

Big Face Cat and his three followers were at the front, Lin Xian ran in the middle, and Lee Ningning ran to Lin Xian’s left rear.

“`

The dark jungle was illuminated only by moonlight, which flickered through the lush foliage, casting a patchy frost that shimmered as someone raced through it, creating a sensation akin to the flickering of an old film projector.

Lin Xian deliberately maintained a certain distance from Lee Ningning…

He wanted to give CC the opportunity to act so that, just like in the last dream, she would knock Lee Ningning out, take her mask, and impersonate her.

Ahead lay an even denser part of the jungle, with stout and tall trees, and luxuriant leaves that blocked the moonlight completely… It was extremely dim, almost devoid of light.

Suddenly!

Lin Xian realized that the rustling sound of movement through the grass and trees behind him had vanished!

He kept his running speed unchanged, glancing over his shoulder to the left with the corners of his eyes

By the faint moonlight that filtered through gaps in the leaves… Lin Xian saw no sign of Lee Ningning.

Good.

Everything was going according to plan.

CC must have taken advantage of the darkness to act, closely following Lee Ningning and waiting for her chance; by now, she must have subdued Lee Ningning and removed her mask.

“Hmm?”

Big Face Cat, still running, turned his head:

“Where’s Ning Ning?”

Ah Zhuang looked around and pointed to a distant spot behind them:

“Ning Ning’s back there, Boss.”

Big Face Cat waved his hand broadly:

“Hurry up, hurry up, keep up, and run faster.”

Only then did Lin Xian turn back to look at the swiftly approaching figure in the distance…

Still slim and slender, like a model’s figure.

A black bodysuit.

A mask identical to Lee Ningning’s on her face.

The same hair coiled up at the back of the head.

But…

[The color of the hair had changed.]

The group had now run out of the densest part of the jungle, not far from the steel walls. Perhaps due to pollution from the Waste Treatment Plant, the closer they got to this area, the worse the trees looked, crooked and with sparse, short branches and leaves.

But thanks to that, the bright moonlight poured down, allowing Lin Xian to see clearly that the woman’s hair color had shifted from black to deep brown.

Without looking carefully, it was indeed hard to distinguish.

“CC.”

Lin Xian slowed his running pace and drew near the woman in black, running alongside her:

“I know it’s you.”@@novelbin@@

The woman immediately stopped in her tracks, bent down, and stared at Lin Xian.

“Don’t be nervous.”

Lin Xian said flatly.

He took off his own mask, letting the moonlight fall on his face:

“You’ve seen me before, haven’t you?”

After seeing Lin Xian’s face… the tension in the woman opposite him relaxed significantly, she slowly straightened up and nodded.

“You can talk.”

Lin Xian pointed to Big Face Cat, Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang who had run off ahead:

“I joined them temporarily, so I’m not really part of their group. But our goals seem to be roughly the same, to open that safe with Lin Xian’s name on it.”

“You don’t need to worry about anything, I won’t expose your presence. In a moment, those four will continue to form a human wall, and the two of us will sneak in.”

“Just that, I have many questions to confirm with you later, how about we exchange information?”

The woman hesitated for a moment, then nodded:

“Okay, but I go first. I have many questions for you as well.”

The voice was still familiar.

But Lin Xian was somewhat surprised.

CC had agreed so readily.

He had thought there would be more back and forth… yet it had gone so smoothly.

The reason for this had to be related to that last phrase from the end of the previous dream, “I’ve seen you.”

“It’s fine, you can ask first,” Lin Xian said casually.

He had numerous opportunities to extract information from CC and wasn’t in a rush this time. Besides, the questions CC wanted to ask probably overlapped with his own.

Who asked first was trivial; his straightforward approach this time might have just made her a bit nervous and wary.

“Hey! What are you two doing?! Keep up!”

In the distance, Big Face Cat’s shout reached them.

Lin Xian pointed ahead with his thumb:

“Let’s talk over there, away from them.”

…

A few minutes later.

Everyone arrived outside the fence of the Garbage Factory, hiding in the shadows of the trees about thirty to forty meters from the wall.

They arrived earlier than yesterday, so they had to wait a bit longer to catch the surveillance blind spot at 00:04.

Big Face Cat was intently watching the drones patrolling back and forth on the factory wall, waiting quietly for the appearance of the blind spot.

At the same time, he also kept checking his watch.

Although they had verified countless times that the surveillance blind spot appeared every day at 00:04, lasting for one minute, it was a mission where no mistakes could be tolerated. A single error could be fatal.

Thus, Lee Cheng had admonished Big Face Cat time and again.

Never to be complacent, always to confirm the surveillance blind spot before taking action.

Otherwise, if one day the patrol routes of the drones changed, it would be a one-way journey to death. As such, Big Face Cat was watching very carefully.

Ah Zhuang, Er Zhuzi, and San Pang were preparing themselves behind him; their job in a while would be to form a human ladder, and to catch whatever was thrown out from the inside.

Lin Xian and CC, meanwhile, stood in tacit understanding seven or eight meters behind the four men, neither too close nor too far, a distance that wouldn’t raise suspicions.

After confirming safety, CC moved close to Lin Xian and peered at him through the holes in the Ultraman mask:

“I’ve seen you.”

“Where?” Lin Xian asked.

“It’s difficult to explain clearly, but I didn’t see you in reality, nor in dreams…”

The moonlight reflected in CC’s eyes, as murky as her thoughts.

She raised her head, looking at Lin Xian:

“[It’s a memory…that doesn’t belong to this world.]”