Genius Club

(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)

“Do we still have a long way to go?”

The man VV and the young girl CC had been walking for hours. As night fell, they still hadn’t reached the rumored Research Institute Ruins.

“Probably another day or two,” VV replied.

CC looked up at the sky, which was growing darker by the moment. “We shouldn’t go any further today. Let’s camp here. Once it’s fully dark, the jungle will be full of wild beasts. It’s too dangerous.”

With that, CC began gathering dry branches, grass, and fallen leaves. Swiftly, she arranged them into a pyramid shape and used a Special Flint to spark a flame.

VV watched her work, surprised. “You’re really good at this.”

“Of course,” CC grinned. “I wasn’t lying before. My father is the best hunter in our village. I’ve been following him on hunts since I was little, so I’ve picked up a lot.”

“Places in the mountains that no one else dares to go, hidden spots requiring tough climbs, wild animals, poisonous plants—you name it. Only someone as skilled as my dad could handle those challenges.”

“VV, stay here and guard the fire. Don’t let it go out. I’ll go find us some food.”

With that, CC disappeared into the night like a nimble shadow. VV scratched his head as he watched her leave.

“I feel so useless…” he muttered with a wry smile.

Although he’d promised to help CC avenge her family and rescue her parents, his total amnesia left him feeling more like her accessory than her savior. Even finding food was something he had to depend on this resourceful little girl for.

“I really hope my memory comes back soon.”

…

After what felt like over an hour, CC returned. Her small cloth pouch was filled with wild fruits, and she held a few bird eggs in her hands.

“Look what I found!” CC beamed, her dimples deepening as she smiled. “I got lucky climbing a tree to pick fruits and came across a bird’s nest. These eggs are super nutritious!”

The two of them sat by the fire, eating the fruits while waiting for the bird eggs to cook.

“Have you ever met someone like me, someone who’s completely lost their memory?” VV asked as they ate.

“You’re probably from the Old Era, frozen in hibernation,” CC said after biting into a fruit.

“Hibernation?” VV tilted his head. “What’s that?”

“I don’t really know the details,” CC admitted. “I only overheard my parents talking about it. Apparently, there’s this device called a Hibernation Chamber. It’s super advanced technology from the Old Era. After the Super Catastrophe, humanity lost the ability to make them.”

“If you sleep in a Hibernation Chamber, it’s like being half-dead. You don’t age, even over a really long time. The downside is, you lose all your memories.” 𝐑À𐌽ОВΕṧ

“That makes sense,” VV nodded. “I must’ve been in one of those chambers. But… why would I choose to hibernate? Losing all your memories sounds like a huge gamble.”

“And the Super Catastrophe?” he asked, repeating the term CC had mentioned several times.

CC finished chewing a fruit and explained, “That happened over a hundred years ago. It’s a story the elders tell, though it’s probably been exaggerated over time.”@@novelbin@@

“In 2504, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis—huge disasters—hit all at once. Floods and landslides destroyed cities, almost wiping out human civilization.”

“But not completely,” CC continued. “Some people survived. Then there were years of war and chaos. Eventually, the population dropped enough to stabilize, and civilization started to rebuild.”

“The whole planet?” VV asked.

“Probably,” CC shrugged. “I’ve never left Brooklyn, so I don’t know what the rest of the world is like. But I bet it’s similar everywhere.”

“Now, people live in villages, farming and raising animals. They also dig up relics from the Old Era to use. The most powerful of those relics are guns. Even after a century, some are still usable if they were well-preserved. That’s how the Bad Guy Tribes dominate—by robbing and enslaving others.”

“I see,” VV said, wrapping two cooked bird eggs in leaves and handing them to CC. “So the hidden research facility your father found hasn’t been raided yet. If we can find guns there, we’ll have a chance against the Bad Guy Tribes.”

“Exactly.” CC blew on the egg to cool it. “The Bad Guy Tribe doesn’t have many guns either, since no one can make new ones anymore. Every gun or bullet lost is one less for good.”

“I think guns aren’t too hard to use. I’ve seen those bad guys fire them. You just pull the trigger. A bit of training should be enough to learn.”

“Probably,” VV said with a shrug. “I wouldn’t know.” He focused on peeling his bird egg and then popped it into his mouth.

The egg was tender and smooth, though it had a faintly gamey taste.

…

After finishing their simple dinner, both VV and CC, exhausted from a day of trekking, lay down to sleep around the fire. Fortunately, the temperature was mild, and they managed to find a dry, soft patch of ground, which made resting comfortable enough.

Before lying down, VV added a good amount of dry branches to the fire. He yawned, settling down opposite CC, and closed his heavy eyelids.

“Good night, CC.”

From across the fire, the small figure murmured in response, “Good night, VV.”

…

That night, VV didn’t sleep well. He woke up multiple times, half-conscious.

Sometimes, it was mosquito bites that disturbed his sleep; other times, an unexplainable tension jolted him awake.

VV’s sleep was light, and his poor quality rest made him sensitive to every sound. The occasional howls of wild beasts from the jungle pierced through the silence, causing him to open his eyes suddenly each time.

It was likely due to his amnesia—without memories, there was no sense of security, leaving him feeling uneasy.

Initially, VV had hoped that sleeping might trigger some dreams, offering a glimpse into his forgotten past. Yet, he found himself unable to dream at all. It was as if every time he closed his eyes, he fell into a dark, bottomless void, devoid of awareness. Time simply slipped away unnoticed.

“Mom…”

A soft, delicate voice reached VV. He raised his head to look across the fire. CC, curled up into a small ball, seemed to be talking in her sleep. Her face was tense, her lips pressed tightly together, and her body trembled slightly.

She must have been having a nightmare.

VV got up, added more dry branches to the fire, and waited until CC’s expression relaxed and her breathing evened out before returning to his spot to sleep again.

The next morning, they ate a simple breakfast to quell their hunger and resumed their journey.

“Were you having a nightmare last night?” VV asked, following behind CC.

CC, cutting through vines with a dagger to clear the path, nodded. “I dreamed about the day our village was invaded… My parents threw me into a well and covered my mouth. I didn’t dare make a sound, but the chaotic noises outside terrified me.”

“Gunshots, screams, running footsteps, horses’ hooves, cries for mercy… all the chaos gradually faded into silence, leaving nothing behind.”

“That feeling of hearing but not seeing was even scarier for me than witnessing everything with my own eyes. I often have that nightmare—it’s like a shadow that never goes away.”

She glanced back at VV, the bearded man. “What about you? Did you dream last night?”

“People say dreams are also a form of memory. Maybe you’ll see someone you knew or remember something that happened. Who knows? It might help you recover some of your lost memories.”

“I didn’t dream,” VV said, scratching his messy hair. “Not even a bit. Even though I woke up a lot last night and my sleep was so light, I’d probably remember something if I’d had a dream.”

“The problem is, I feel like I’ve lost the ability to dream—or maybe I never could dream in the first place.”

CC thought for a moment, then shook her head. “That’s unlikely. Everyone dreams. You probably just don’t remember.”

“Maybe,” VV replied half-heartedly. “Let’s see if I remember anything after a few more nights.”

The two continued southeast. With CC leading the way, there was no need to worry about getting lost; she knew the area well.

“Hey, wait a moment,” VV suddenly stepped forward, stopping CC and gesturing for silence. “Look over there.”

He pointed to a more open area beyond the undergrowth.

“You’ve been focused on leading the way, so you might not have noticed. But I’ve had a strange feeling for a while now. Look at those tracks… don’t they look like hoofprints?”

VV wouldn’t have paid attention to such details had CC not mentioned hearing the sound of hooves when hiding in the well. In the wilderness, tracks from wild cattle, horses, or deer weren’t uncommon.

But if the armed bad guys rode horses, then these hoofprints couldn’t be ignored.

CC and VV walked out of the undergrowth and examined the “fresh” hoofprints on the ground.

“They’re definitely hoofprints,” CC confirmed with a frown.

“And there are three of them. Plus, the horseshoes on the hooves indicate they’re not wild horses but domesticated ones! They might belong to the group that took my parents!”

The man crouched down, running his fingers over the hoofprints, analyzing them.

“These hoofprints are fresh, which means they passed by not long ago. Is this just a coincidence? Why are they heading in the same direction as us?”

He glanced up at CC, a hint of concern in his voice. “It couldn’t be… it couldn’t be that after your father was captured, he revealed the location of the hidden Research Institute under duress or to save his life?”

CC bit her lip, her face clouded with worry. “I don’t know,” she murmured, shaking her head again. “I really don’t know…”

“What do we do now?” the man asked, stroking his beard. “If we keep heading toward the research institute, we’re likely to run into these armed men. They’ve got guns and horses—we’re no match for them.”

“But,” he added thoughtfully, “if we leave it be or run away, we might miss our only chance to rescue your parents.”

CC lifted her head, determination gleaming in her eyes. “VV, I want to follow them and see what’s going on.”

She clenched her fists. “I don’t know how they learned about the research institute, but if it’s true, and my father did tell them under some kind of threat… I need to know why he did it.”

The man rubbed his chin. “It’s risky, but it seems like we don’t have any better options.”

“Alright,” he agreed. “I promised to help you get your revenge, so let’s follow them carefully and see if we can learn anything.”

With their plan decided, the two began following the hoofprints.

As pursuers, they had the advantage. The enemy was out in the open, while they remained hidden. The tracks made it easy to gauge the direction and distance of their targets.

The path was clear—the tracks pointed unwaveringly southeast.

It became apparent that both groups were headed to the same destination.

By nightfall, they spotted the glow of a campfire in the distance and heard the boisterous laughter of three men. They stopped immediately, hiding behind trees.

VV gestured for CC to stay quiet, then whispered, “They’re setting up camp for the night.”

CC squinted toward the firelight, her jaw clenched. “It’s them!” she hissed. “I recognize their hats. They’re the ones who destroyed my village, killed the villagers, and took my parents!”

“Don’t move yet,” VV cautioned. “You’re small and light, and you know the jungle well. If you want to sneak closer to listen, do it carefully. But don’t take any unnecessary risks.”

“Don’t worry.” CC signaled her understanding, crouched low, and began advancing. She moved with deliberate care, watching her steps to avoid making a sound.

Her small stature and familiarity with the jungle gave her an innate advantage. Without so much as a rustle, she positioned herself behind a large tree near the enemy campfire, listening closely.

The three horses were tied to a tree on the far side of the camp, and the three burly, dark-skinned men sat around the fire, speaking in slang.

CC could only catch fragments of their conversation, but it was enough to understand the gist.

The three men were chatting about trivial and vulgar matters, providing no useful information. However, CC noticed that two of the men had handguns holstered at their waists, while the third carried a dagger.

After finishing their roasted meat, their conversation finally shifted to the mission at hand:

“Do you think that yellow-skinned guy was telling the truth? Is there really a research institute ruin in these mountains?”

“Seems legit,” one of them replied. “He only gave it up when we nearly beat a little boy to death. Said he’d trade the info for the brat’s life.”

“Hah! If he’s lying, we’ll just kill them all when we get back!” another sneered.

“We should’ve killed a bunch already,” the third man said coldly. “We can’t afford to keep so many useless slaves. Kill the old and weak ones; keep only the young ones to work.”

Hearing their cold-blooded words, CC felt an icy chill run through her body. Her small frame trembled as she tried to stay composed.

When the three men finally fell asleep around the campfire, CC returned to VV.

“They’re asleep,” she whispered.

“Did you learn anything?” VV asked.

CC nodded, her voice trembling as she recounted the situation. “VV… you were right. It was my father who told them about the research institute ruins. And… they’re planning to kill a bunch of the slaves when they get back. They might start with my parents.”

VV nodded grimly. “That sounds like something they’d do. If we can stop them here, we not only protect your parents but also keep them from reaching the research institute first. That gives us a better chance.”

“I think we should,” CC said resolutely. “They’re careless—too overconfident to even post a night watch.”

Her fists clenched. “This is the perfect opportunity to take their guns. If we can grab those two handguns, we can turn the tables and finish them off. Then their horses and weapons will be ours!”

“Are you sure we can pull it off?” VV asked, worried.

“No problem,” CC said firmly, patting her chest. “I’ve been sneaking around the jungle since I was little. Trust me, I can do it. Just stay here.”

“No,” VV said firmly. “I’m not letting you take that risk alone. There are three of them. Even if they’re asleep, it’s still too dangerous for you to go alone. Let’s work together. Once you grab the gun, don’t act rashly. Come back here first, and we’ll figure out how to use it before doing anything.”

CC nodded, and the two carefully approached under the cover of darkness.

Reaching her earlier hiding spot, CC signaled VV to stay put. She moved with light, deliberate steps, blending seamlessly with the jungle. Inch by inch, she crept toward the sleeping men.

Finally, she reached one of them.

She had already studied the leather holster’s design earlier. With careful precision, she undid the clasp and slowly slid out the heavy, old handgun.

She exhaled softly.

Success.

But just then—

“Neighhhh!!!”

One of the horses tied nearby let out a loud whinny.

The three men woke instantly, their eyes snapping open as they shouted curses.

CC froze for a moment, panicking. She tightened her grip on the handgun and aimed it at the closest man, pulling the trigger—

Click.

Nothing happened. The trigger wouldn’t budge.

“Shit!”

The man, startled at first, quickly realized what was happening. His fear turned into fury as he lunged toward CC. The other two scrambled to their feet, reaching for her.

Seeing no escape, CC turned and threw the gun toward the tree where VV was hiding.

“VV!” she screamed.

The black handgun landed with a soft thud among the dry leaves at VV’s feet.

He looked down at the unfamiliar object, his hands trembling with uncertainty.

Thud!

One of the men kicked CC hard in the stomach, sending her flying against a tree. Another angrily drew his handgun from his belt, shouting as he aimed.

“V…V…”

Blood dripped from CC’s lips as she forced her eyes open. She saw the man raising his gun, preparing to shoot—and VV standing frozen in place.

Her heart sank.

It was her childish plan, her arrogance, that had dragged VV into this mess.

She had doomed him.

“VV!!” she screamed with all her remaining strength. “Run!!!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three gunshots echoed in the night.

Three bursts of blood exploded in the air, like overripe watermelons bursting open. Red splattered against the dark jungle.

CC stared, wide-eyed, speechless.

She hadn’t even seen what happened.

All she knew was that the moment VV picked up the gun, he seemed to transform into someone else. His hands moved so fast they were a blur. There was no hesitation, no aiming—it was over in an instant.

The three men’s heads had exploded, one after another.

Thud, thud, thud.

Their bodies fell to the ground, lifeless. Blood and brain matter seeped into the soil beneath them.

A gentle night breeze stirred, clearing the smoke from VV’s gun. The leaves above rustled softly, and the clouds parted, revealing the moonlight.

It bathed VV in a pale glow, casting his tall figure in stark relief.

“V…V…”

CC’s legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground, staring at the man illuminated by the moon.

“Who… who are you?”