Genius Club

The bearded man lowered his gaze to the tightly interlocked little hands and smiled faintly:

“If you really want me to live at your house, befriend your father, then you’ll have to call me uncle.”

“Uncle? Sure, why not!”

CC withdrew her pinky and laughed cheerfully:

“You’ve helped me so much, even saving my whole family. I could even call you Dad!”

“No, no, no.”

The man immediately waved his hands in a panic, as if startled by the suggestion:

“That’s completely inappropriate…”

In Brooklyn, it was entirely common for children to have a Godfather—a respected and capable figure. Almost every child had one. She couldn’t understand why VV was so startled by her suggestion.

Truthfully, VV himself didn’t fully understand his reaction either. It just felt… inappropriate.

“Alright, alright, let’s head back to the research institute and get some sleep,” the bearded man said, rising to his feet and putting an end to the abrupt conversation. “We’ve got to fight the Bad Guy Tribe tomorrow, so we need to rest well tonight.”

“Mhm, mhm.”

Finally, the day had come. CC clenched her fists, her confidence unwavering. She also stood up from the rooftop, dusting off her clothes before climbing down the pipes toward the first floor.

The man followed CC to the edge of the building. Before descending, he raised his head one last time to look at the stars.

Brilliant, luminous, expansive, eternal.

The sky resembled a fine veil draped across the heavens, or snowflakes frozen in time.

“Huh?”

The man blinked, noticing something unusual.

Amidst the vast expanse of the galaxy, there was a flickering red and blue light, darting rapidly through the sky.

The red and blue lights blinked rhythmically, most likely the warning signals of some sort of flying object.@@novelbin@@

“An airplane?” he mused, recalling something CC had mentioned about how planes occasionally flew over Brooklyn. This had to be one of them.

The aircraft wasn’t flying very high and seemed to be descending further, perhaps searching for something.

Shaking his head, the man decided not to dwell on it and followed the passageway down to the first floor of the research institute.

…

That night, there was no roughing it in the wild. The man slept soundly through the night without waking once.

He remembered clearly, though—he still hadn’t dreamed. It wasn’t a big deal; he was used to it. No dreams meant better sleep quality, which was something he appreciated. ꭆ𝓪Ɲ𝖔ꞖĘș

The next morning, after waking up, the man and CC enjoyed another meal of canned food. They packed their supplies, carrying water and food, grabbed their weapons and ammunition, and retraced their steps through the concealed passage. They returned to the spot where the “sensible steed” was tied up.

True to its reputation, the steed stayed obediently within the radius of its tether, grazing on the grass without showing any sign of attempting to escape.

As soon as the bearded man and the little girl emerged, the horse immediately straightened up, lifting its head and standing to attention.

“You’re such a good boy, Bruce,” CC said, approaching to pat the horse on its head.

The man froze.

“What did you call it? How do you know its name is Bruce?” he asked.

“It’s written here,” CC replied, leaping up to grab the saddle on the horse’s back. She pointed to the front section for the man to see.

Sure enough, on the metal at the very front, the word “Bruce” was crudely carved with a knife. That seemed to be the horse’s name.

Since the man didn’t know how to ride, he’d always sat in the rear seat behind CC, never noticing this small detail.

“Well, Bruce it is,” the man said, smoothing the horse’s coat with his automatic rifle. “Take us to where you came from—straight to the Bad Guy Tribe.”

“Neigh!” The sensible steed responded energetically.

Clip-clop, clip-clop—the sound of hooves echoed through the jungle.

As usual, CC sat in front, holding the reins. The bearded man sat behind her, resting his hands on her shoulders.

It wasn’t a comfortable position—his arms quickly grew sore. But there was no other option; CC was too small, and he was too tall to hold onto her waist. This awkward setup was the only way he could keep steady.

“Ask Bruce how much farther we’ve got to go,” the man said impatiently.

CC, tense and sweating, burst into laughter. Her ponytail bobbed wildly with the rhythm of the horse’s movements as she turned to look back at him.

“What are you thinking, VV? It’s just a horse! How could it possibly know? You’re giving it way too much credit!” she said, her tone teasing.

“And I think it’s already pretty clever,” the man shot back. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it were practically a genius.”

“Neigh…” Bruce let out a low growl, then gradually slowed down, raising its head to gaze at the sky.

Both the man and CC followed the horse’s gaze upward.

Sure enough…

About a kilometer away, faint wisps of smoke drifted skyward.

There was no doubt—a settlement was ahead, with someone lighting fires.

The horse, with its keener sense of smell, had likely detected the scent in the air and stopped early to avoid alerting the enemy.

What a thoughtful move.

Both the man and CC were impressed by Bruce’s sharp instincts. It was indeed a remarkable horse, worthy of the chaotic times.

“We’ll walk the rest of the way from here,” the man said as he dismounted. He turned to help CC down, then began distributing weapons and ammunition.

“These magazines are fully loaded. Strap them to your waist. Take this handgun too,” he said, placing four magazines and a box of bullets into a cloth pouch before handing it to CC. He then passed her a black handgun.

“If something unexpected happens, and you run out of bullets, retreat. Fall back to a safe spot—behind me, if possible. Or just run. Once we’ve reloaded, we’ll come back and finish the job.”

He adjusted the rifles and spare magazines strapped to himself. At this point, he was practically a walking armory.

He couldn’t help but marvel at his own capabilities. Not only was he adept with handguns, but his rifle marksmanship—tested the previous day—was exceptional too.

Who had he been before he lost his memory?

Regardless, in this assault, he was the main combatant, while CC was his assistant. Her task was to watch for enemies in his blind spots.

Once everything was ready, the man walked over to the horse and removed all its restraints.

“You’re free now, Bruce,” he said.

“Neigh?” The horse let out a surprised whinny, its large eyes staring at him in disbelief.

The man patted Bruce’s head gently.

“We’re going to liberate slaves. You don’t have to be one anymore either. The world is vast, Bruce. Go wherever you want. You don’t have to serve those scoundrels anymore.”

“Go on,” he added, his voice soft. “Without these chains, you’re a free horse.”

Bruce closed its mouth, making a soft whimpering sound as if it had something to say.

Finally, the horse turned, lowered its head, and trotted away into the jungle.

CC watched Bruce’s retreating figure, then turned to look at the man with soft eyes.

“VV, you’re such a kind person. You’re so gentle with everyone,” she said.

“Heh,” the man chuckled as he cocked his rifle.

“Well, I hope the folks in the Bad Guy Tribe will have something nice to say about me too.”

…

The journey was cautious and deliberate.

Both of them held their guns at the ready, moving with utmost care. Before long, faint noises carried by the wind signaled their approach to the Bad Guy Tribe’s settlement. The man gestured to CC to slow down and stay behind while he moved ahead to scout.

The noises grew clearer, and the air carried the scent of cooking food. Judging by the time of day, the tribe was likely preparing lunch.

From a vantage point on a small hill, the man and CC hid behind a large rock, observing the tribe below.

“VV, those are people from our village!” CC whispered excitedly in the man’s ear.

Following CC’s pointed finger, the man spotted them—a group of raggedly dressed slaves toiling away. Most were hauling debris, wood, and bricks for construction. Shackles around their ankles ensured they couldn’t run far, let alone escape.

Nearby, women slaves prepared food, closely watched by a burly, brown-skinned man twirling a pistol in his hand.

“There are quite a lot of them…” the man murmured.

He counted carefully. The tribe had over 100 brown-skinned members, in addition to dozens of enslaved villagers.

“But their combatants are relatively few.”

The tribe’s division of labor was clear, with roles distinguished by their attire and headwear. Only the men wearing black leather hats seemed to be fighters—about a dozen in total. Of those, only six carried guns at their waists.

This made sense.

In an era where producing firearms was impossible, functioning pistols scavenged from underground were exceedingly rare. The tribe had just eight pistols, two of which were now in the possession of the man and CC.

“Phew…” The bearded man exhaled deeply.

“In terms of firepower, they’re no match for us. We have a significant advantage in weapons and ammunition.”

He tightened his grip on the automatic rifle.

With its rapid-fire capability, whether the enemy numbered in the dozens or more, they’d fall like waves retreating from the shore.

“We’ll strike when they start eating,” he instructed CC.

“Right now, they’re spread out, but when they gather for a meal, that’ll be the perfect opportunity to wipe them out.”

“CC, stay close behind me when the time comes. Focus on watching my flanks. If anyone attacks, just draw your gun and shoot. Don’t worry about missing—it’s enough to scare them off. Leave the rest to me.”

CC, tense but determined, nodded firmly at VV.

“I will.”

The two lay low behind the rock, waiting.

Waiting.

Waiting.

Finally, it was mealtime for the tribe.

Just as the man had predicted, the fighters—holding a higher status—gathered for their special meals. This brought all the combatants into one area.

The man gave a decisive wave.

“Charge!”

He leapt down from the hill, sprinting toward the eating area with his automatic rifle raised.

Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang bang!

Shells scattered, gunfire echoed, and chaos erupted throughout the tribe.

CC jumped down as well, pressing her back to the man’s, targeting other tribal members armed with melee weapons.

Bang bang bang bang bang!

She remembered the man’s teachings: don’t over-aim, don’t conserve bullets, and don’t worry about accuracy. Unleash everything in a storm of firepower.

The surprise attack devastated the tribe’s combatants. Most of their fighters fell instantly, especially those carrying guns, whom the man had targeted deliberately.

From then on, it was essentially cleanup. The man maintained a strategy of fighting while retreating. With his automatic rifle against their melee weapons, it was an overwhelming technological advantage—a mismatch that sheer numbers couldn’t overcome.

Click.

CC’s last magazine emptied.

“VV! I’m out of bullets!” she called.

“Fall back to the big rock we started at,” the man instructed calmly as he continued shooting and retreating.

The enemy’s lack of firearms eased the pressure significantly. Many of the enslaved villagers, recognizing CC, grabbed tools and joined the fight. The tide turned rapidly, making the complete annihilation of the tribe only a matter of time.

Click.

The man’s final magazine also ran dry. He turned and ran toward the rock, preparing to reload alongside CC.

But then—

“CC! Run!”

The man shouted loudly.

A burly, brown-skinned man wielding a long knife charged at CC from the forest. This man hadn’t been in the tribe earlier—he must have been returning from a mission.

The knife was perilously close. The man, out of bullets, sprinted toward CC with all his strength.

Just then—

“Neigh!!”

A thunderous neigh pierced the air as a swift figure darted out of the forest.

A majestic horse collided directly with the knife-wielding man, sending him flying more than ten meters away!

“B-Bruce!”

CC looked up to see the familiar face of the horse. Joy spread across her face before she quickly refocused. She reloaded her gun and fired at the downed attacker without hesitation.

…

The chaos subsided quickly, leaving the blood-stained tribe grounds filled with cheers of triumph.

People of this era were long accustomed to violence and death, valuing freedom and survival above all else.

“Dad! Mom!”

CC spotted her parents, who had led the resistance, from afar. Tears burst forth uncontrollably as she ran toward the middle-aged couple.

She threw herself into their embrace, sobbing uncontrollably.

Thankfully, both of CC’s parents were alive and well. Most of the villagers had survived too. After releasing her pent-up emotions, the resilient CC wiped her tears away and recounted everything that had happened during her time away.

The villagers listened in increasing astonishment, their shock growing with every detail.

Afterward, led by CC’s parents, the villagers approached the bearded man. One by one, they knelt before him.

“No, no, no, please don’t!”

The man hurriedly crouched down and pulled CC’s father to his feet.

“Mr. VV.”

CC’s father, his eyes red, clasped the man’s hands tightly.

“Thank you for saving all of us. We villagers are willing to serve you for the rest of our lives, following your every command.”

“No, no…”

The man took some time to explain that he had no interest in ruling over others. He didn’t even know who he was or where he was going.

CC’s father nodded; CC had already mentioned these things. She had also shared the agreement she and VV had made.

“Mr. VV, please join us. Live with us,” CC’s father said earnestly on behalf of the villagers. “Even if you don’t want to lead us, at least give us the chance to repay you. And since you don’t have any memories or a place to go, why not stay here with us?”

“Exactly!”

CC ran over and tugged at the man’s arm.

“We already agreed! You’re part of our family now!”

The man smiled and nodded.

It wasn’t difficult to accept their kindness. In fact, it aligned with his own intentions.

He wanted to recover his memories, but until then, he needed a place to stay.

“No problem. Thank you for accepting me,” the man said, ruffling CC’s soft hair. “Don’t worry. I’ll stay. After all, this is what we agreed—”

Whomp whomp whomp whomp!

A sudden roar of helicopter blades drowned out his words.

Everyone looked up to see a twin-rotor transport helicopter rapidly descending overhead, scattering the crowd in fright.

Whomp whomp whomp whomp!

The helicopter descended lower and lower, the deafening noise and fierce wind blowing away everything nearby.

“Watch out!”

The bearded man shouted, raising his automatic rifle to aim at the incoming aircraft—

Whoosh!

A faint sound.

The man felt a sting on his neck, like a mosquito bite. Looking down, he saw a small syringe-like object embedded in his neck, injecting yellow liquid into his bloodstream.

“What is this?”

He hastily yanked the syringe out, but within moments—

Thud.

His body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.

“VV!!”

CC screamed in panic, running toward him.

The helicopter’s side doors opened, and several heavily armed soldiers jumped out. One of them quickly restrained CC, snatching the pistol from her waist.

“Don’t move.”

The soldiers pointed their guns at the crowd, speaking in calm tones.

“Don’t panic. We’re not your enemies.”

No one dared move, but the cold, threatening barrels of their guns kept everyone frozen with fear.

“Let go of me!”

Only CC struggled fiercely, screaming at the top of her lungs.

“What are you doing?! Let go of VV! Let go of him!”

Her desperate cries filled the air.

She could only watch helplessly as VV, once invincible, now lay weak and powerless on the ground.

An elderly man with white hair descended from the helicopter, trembling as he approached VV. A soldier followed closely behind, carrying a terrifying octopus-shaped device.

CC had no idea what the contraption was, but the sight of it being strapped onto VV’s head sent chills down her spine.

Completely paralyzed, VV looked up at the elderly man.

“Who… are you… What are you… going to do to me?”

“VV!!”

CC couldn’t let anything happen to him.

In desperation, she opened her mouth wide and bit down hard on the arm of the soldier restraining her.

“Argh!”

The soldier screamed in pain as blood streamed from his arm, and his grip weakened. The little girl, her mouth stained with blood, darted free like a rabbit.

She threw herself onto VV’s prone body.

“VV! Are you okay?”

Frantically, she fumbled with the straps of the octopus-shaped helmet.

“I’ll… I’ll get you out of this!”

But it was too late.

The soldier who had secured the helmet pressed a red button without hesitation.

“AAAAAHHHH!!!”

VV’s body arched backward, his muscles tensing as he let out a cry of agony.

“VV?”

CC froze, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.

“VV!!!!”