Genius Club

Chapter 454: Galileo and Da Vinci

Lin Xian smiled gently as he listened, his voice warm and soft. “You know, it makes me feel a bit guilty. You can dream about me, but I can’t dream about you. The one time I did, you were just a statue.”

Zhao Ying Jun chuckled softly. “Why do you have to take it so seriously? Dreams don’t really matter, especially to ordinary people like us. After all, everything in dreams is fake. What matters is having the real you.”

With that, she turned, pulled the door handle, and quietly closed the study door behind her. Now, Lin Xian was alone in the room.

She was right. For ordinary people, everything in dreams was just that—a dream. That was why there was no way to deeply analyze Zhang Yu Qian and CC’s dreams.

Because…

There were just too many contradictions.

Zhang Yu Qian’s dream made no sense—it was disjointed and confusing. CC’s dream, on the other hand, was even harder to make sense of.

From a time-space perspective, a Lin Xian with blue eyes shouldn’t even exist. He had realized this from the beginning. Time travelers always faced resistance from the timeline—the changes to his appearance, like the blue eyes, were because of that resistance.

That’s why CC’s dream didn’t add up. If she saw someone who looked exactly like him now, his eyes shouldn’t have been blue. If his eyes were blue, then his face wouldn’t look the same. The changes caused by the timeline resistance were unavoidable.

Whether it was Yellow Finch, Zhao Ying Jun, or the time-traveling assassin Lin Yu Xi, their faces after temporal interference looked nothing like their original ones—their features, the shape of their faces—everything would be different.

If he had really traveled through time, the interference would surely change his face so much that even CC wouldn’t recognize him in her dream. That was the first contradiction.

The second was even more crucial: countless sources confirmed that time travel was only possible to the past, not the unknown future. This meant that CC, who was from the future, could have only seen the version of him in hibernation, with black eyes—not the blue-eyed version that traveled to the future.

“Too messy,” Lin Xian muttered, shaking his head. “It’s all too chaotic. The logic and timeline are just too jumbled. I have no idea how to make sense of Zhang Yu Qian and CC’s dreams.”

“It would be nice to know what Chu An Qing’s dream was about. It could be another clue, maybe even help connect all these dreams together.” He sighed. “But it’s pointless to think about that now. For this upcoming meeting, the priority is solving the issues with Einstein and Copernicus.”

Just then, his phone rang. Lin Xian picked it up and saw it was an international call from Elon Musk. The meeting was only twenty minutes away. Why was he calling now?

“Hello?”

“Lin Xian, I’ve been thinking about our questions,” Elon Musk said, speaking quickly. “I think we should switch them. You should ask the question about Einstein, and I’ll ask whether Copernicus is truly dead.”

“This is for your own safety. No matter how Einstein answers, we’ll be able to deduce whether Copernicus is dead or not. But remember, the others aren’t stupid either. They’ll immediately realize that this question is targeting Copernicus.”

“You’re right,” Lin Xian nodded. “That’s obvious. Copernicus definitely won’t show up at this meeting, and everyone knows he’s the only one who kills mathematicians at 00:42. Once we ask our question and they hear Einstein’s answer, they’ll know we’re trying to confirm whether Copernicus is alive.”

“If Einstein refuses to answer, they’ll all realize we killed the wrong person and that Copernicus will continue killing. If Einstein says there will still be mathematicians dying, it means we didn’t succeed in killing him. If he says there’ll be no more murders, then we really killed Copernicus.”

Elon Musk hummed in agreement. “Exactly. That’s why I’m worried about your safety. Your identity is completely hidden right now; no one knows who ‘Lin Xian’ really is. There’s no need to expose yourself and let everyone know you were the one who killed Copernicus.”

“It’ll bring trouble and unnecessary attention. You’re a new member of the Genius Club. You can use that ‘newbie’ status to get close to others and gather more information. But once you admit you killed Copernicus, you’ll expose a lot about yourself. There’s no need for that. Sure, people can tell you and Copernicus don’t get along, but they don’t know the exact reasons. It’s best to keep that mystery.”

“I, on the other hand, am already an open book. Everyone knows who I am, so it’s better if I take the blame. You just pretend not to know me or anything about Copernicus’ death. Just keep playing the newbie, the ‘Rhine Cat.'”

Lin Xian thought about it and realized Elon Musk made a lot of sense. Everyone in the Genius Club was sharp, and their words couldn’t be taken at face value. Even though it seemed like everyone disliked Copernicus, who knew if some of them were secretly allied with him—like Turing, who hid his true stance well.

Better to be cautious. He’d let Elon Musk take the fall. Knowing Elon Musk’s personality, he’d probably be quite proud and announce it to everyone with a flourish: “Attention, everyone! I have an announcement! Yes, it was me who killed Copernicus! A round of applause, thank you!”

After agreeing with Elon Musk, Lin Xian hung up. He checked the time: September 1st, 2024, 00:20. Then a thought struck him—he had always entered the VR meeting room precisely at 00:42, just in time to see everyone already seated and chatting.

Which meant…

It was possible to enter early.

The club’s rules said you couldn’t be late, but they never said you couldn’t be early. In any era, arriving early to a meeting was considered polite.

“Guess I’ll go in early today,” he decided.

Lin Xian put on his VR headset. “Let’s sit down early and see what they’re talking about. Maybe I’ll get some gossip.”

After adjusting the headset, he placed the Genius Club’s golden badge on the front of the VR device.

A soft beep echoed, and a dazzling array of colors appeared in his field of vision, like a tunnel through time. Eventually, the scene settled into the familiar old castle.

Lin Xian looked down. Beneath his feet was the plush red carpet, leading to the grand double wooden doors ahead. In the past, he always heard people chatting behind those doors—mostly Da Vinci’s voice, full of laughter and energy. But today…

It was silent. No one was talking.

“Did I arrive too early?” Lin Xian wondered as he walked along the carpet. It seemed like he was the first to arrive this time. That was fine. He had been late twice before, so it was only fair to balance it out.

Creak—

He pushed open the double doors, looking into the golden hall. “Huh?” Lin Xian blinked in surprise.

He wasn’t the first one here. Across from him, sitting in a high-backed chair, was a middle-aged man wearing a Galileo mask.

“Why are you here so early?” Galileo sounded annoyed, as if blaming Lin Xian. “The meeting starts at 00:42. You really didn’t need to come this early—a few minutes beforehand would’ve been fine. Even coming right on time would be acceptable.”

“Wait, hold on,” Lin Xian couldn’t help but say. Why was he getting scolded just for being early? Wasn’t Galileo supposed to be a very strict and serious person? When he first attended the meeting wearing the Rhine Cat mask, Galileo had reprimanded him for being too casual and not showing the club enough respect.

Now that he was trying to make a good impression by coming early, this old man was still scolding him?

Lin Xian walked forward, glancing at Galileo. “How is it wrong for me to come early? Besides, weren’t you here even earlier?”

“Hmph,” Galileo huffed, turning his head away and sitting upright in his chair. “I’m just concerned you’re new to the club and might not understand everything yet. It’s good to be early, but there’s no need to overdo it. Unlike me, you’re young and busy. I’m old and have nothing better to do—I like my peace and quiet.”

“Alright then,” Lin Xian said as he sat in his designated chair, leaning back and crossing his legs. “Sorry for disturbing your peace. If I’d known it was just you here, I wouldn’t have bothered coming so early.”

Lin Xian didn’t know why, but he could tell that Galileo disliked him. And the funny thing was…

It wasn’t because of his stance or his words. Galileo disliked him simply because he had arrived early and disturbed his peace?

This old guy was really hard to please.

If he wanted peace, why didn’t he go meditate in some remote villa or quiet winery in real life? Why insist on finding tranquility here, in the Genius Club’s meeting hall?

Originally, Lin Xian had come to listen in on some juicy gossip.

Lin Xian sat there, feeling awkward. Galileo, wearing his mask, kept his eyes fixed on the grand double doors at the entrance of the hall, clearly not interested in acknowledging Lin Xian’s presence. Well, if Galileo wanted to ignore him, Lin Xian wasn’t about to make an effort either. They could both sit in silence.

And so, the tension between them grew, neither wanting to speak first.

Suddenly—creak.

The double doors opened, and in walked Miss Da Vinci, her virtual image appearing as a young, beautiful woman, wearing a mask. She strolled in gracefully.

“Oh, Rhine? You’re here early today as well?” she said, glancing at Galileo, who still had his gaze fixed on the door.

Lin Xian looked over. Oh, maybe Miss Da Vinci’s presence would irritate Galileo? Maybe he’d finally react?

But to Lin Xian’s surprise—

“Welcome, Miss Da Vinci,” Galileo said, standing up with the manners of a gentleman. He even pretended to tip his hat and bowed slightly towards her. “It’s been a month. How have you been?”

“Seriously?” Lin Xian muttered, puzzled. “Talk about double standards!” He realized now that Galileo’s earlier hostility was because Lin Xian had shown up too early and interrupted his alone time with Miss Da Vinci.

This old man—clearly, he had a soft spot for Miss Da Vinci.

Thinking back, Lin Xian remembered how Galileo had asked Miss Da Vinci to stay after the last meeting to chat. It was obvious that today, Galileo had come early not just out of habit, but to meet Miss Da Vinci before anyone else could arrive. And Lin Xian coming in early had ruined his plans.

Lin Xian chuckled softly, deciding to test his theory. He watched Miss Da Vinci approach and then called out loudly, “Galileo said we shouldn’t come so early anymore. Just a few minutes before the meeting or right on time is fine, he said. Coming too early disrupts his meditation time. He prefers a bit of peace and quiet alone.”

“Oh?” Miss Da Vinci took a seat beside Lin Xian, surprised. “Is that so?”

“What a load of nonsense!” Galileo shot up from his chair, pointing an accusing finger at Lin Xian. “Don’t listen to this kid’s nonsense! I was merely giving some friendly advice, and this is how you repay me, Rhine?” He looked offended. “Arriving early is a mark of politeness and being a gentleman. I’ve always believed in that.”

Miss Da Vinci let out a soft, bell-like laugh, and though Lin Xian knew it was artificially altered by the VR system, he imagined a kind, elderly woman smiling behind that mask.

“Rhine, I think you may have misunderstood Galileo,” she said, turning to Lin Xian. “He might seem strict and harsh, but beneath all that, he’s actually quite an easygoing person, even a bit shy.”

Lin Xian smiled but said nothing.

Fine. Whatever you say.

It was true; Da Vinci always seemed to see the best in everyone. She had a kind heart and always chose to believe in people’s good intentions. And truthfully, before finding out that the massive catastrophe of 2400 had been orchestrated by Galileo, Lin Xian wouldn’t have held any real animosity toward the old man either.

At the moment, aside from the future Turing’s claims that Galileo was responsible for the 2400 catastrophe, there was no solid evidence. So, he couldn’t really pass judgment on Galileo’s intentions.

He looked over at Da Vinci, now fully engrossed in conversation with Galileo. As for everyone else’s plans for the future, they remained murky and unclear. But Da Vinci’s future plans—those, Lin Xian knew very well. Still, that wasn’t something he could just openly discuss.

If he spoke about it, Da Vinci might not even believe him. And even if she did, even if she changed her plans, that would affect the eighth dream—and Lin Xian still hadn’t copied down all the schematics for the time machine.

Besides, Da Vinci’s intentions were good. She envisioned a world with strict laws and enforcement, and there was nothing wrong with that. The problem was how things had turned out, with Donghai City becoming harsh and overbearing, swinging too far to the extreme. Part of that was due to human nature, part due to androids seizing control.

But honestly, who could say that if humans were in charge, the future world would be any better? No one could know for sure. And that was why Lin Xian found it hard to speak up. He had no better solution, no clear answers—he didn’t even know where Da Vinci’s plan had gone wrong. What right did he have to correct someone else?

The best course of action, he thought, was to wait until he had finished copying the time machine schematics. He’d use the opportunity to ask Einstein, and through Einstein’s answer, let Da Vinci come to her own conclusions about her plans for the future.

That way, her future intentions wouldn’t be exposed to the others.

Elon Musk had warned Lin Xian repeatedly that everyone in the Genius Club was extremely smart. With just a single word, a tiny clue, they could deduce a person’s true identity and motives. Unless there was a chance to speak with Da Vinci privately, any slip on his part might reveal her identity, and if someone decided to kill her, Lin Xian’s well-meaning intentions would have the opposite effect.

No need to rush. He hadn’t finished copying the schematics yet, and he still had a lot of questions to ask. Testing Da Vinci could wait a few more months.

“Do you have a lot of children?” Galileo asked, still chatting with Da Vinci. “You’re always talking about kids.”

“Oh, yes,” Da Vinci said with a smile. “I have lots of children. They’re all adorable, even if they are a bit mischievous. But what child isn’t a little naughty? I love them very much. I wish they could stay this happy forever, and never grow up.”

She lifted her head, looking at the masked figure of Galileo across from her. “You know, I’ve never asked this, mostly because we don’t usually talk about personal identities during meetings. Unless, of course, it’s someone like Elon Musk who announces it himself… But you’re different from Newton and Rhine. You’ve never talked about your family.

“So, you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I’m just curious. Do you have children? Given your age, I’d imagine you might have grandchildren by now?”

“I don’t,” Galileo replied, his voice calm. “I’ve never married, nor do I have any children.”

“Oh,” Da Vinci said, her voice carrying a note of disappointment as she shook her head. “I wish that was just a lie to protect your identity.”

Lin Xian shifted uncomfortably in his high-backed chair, feeling like he didn’t belong in this setting—like an outsider at some kind of senior citizens’ matchmaking event. He was really regretting coming early.

His toes curled inside his shoes, scraping against the soles. Sorry, Galileo, I messed up.

If Lin Xian had apologized before, it was in a sarcastic tone. But now, he genuinely felt sorry. Galileo was truly a romantic—an old soul still brimming with life and emotions.

If it weren’t for the fact that leaving the meeting meant he couldn’t rejoin, Lin Xian would’ve logged off for a while and let Galileo have his moment with Da Vinci.

It was clear now.

Galileo always arrived early just to wait for Da Vinci. He didn’t know her true identity, and since they were both members of the Genius Club, it was unlikely they’d ever meet calmly in the real world.

For those few minutes before every monthly meeting, Galileo had the chance to see her—to talk to her alone. Just that.

Every month, he had just those few minutes. Soon, the other geniuses would arrive, and the opportunity would be gone.

No wonder Galileo had been so upset when Lin Xian came in early. He’d waited a whole month…

And then, today, instead of seeing Miss Da Vinci, he’d first seen Lin Xian with his goofy “Rhine Cat” mask. From Galileo’s perspective, Lin Xian could understand why the old man wasn’t too happy.

Creak—

The brown double doors opened once again. This time, it was Tesla’s mask. No doubt, Elon Musk had arrived.

“Hehehe…” A voice rang out, casual and light. The man wearing the Tesla mask approached quickly. “What are we talking about? Tell me, I want to hear!”

“Hmph,” Galileo huffed, turning his head away, falling silent. His happy time was clearly over.

Elon Musk settled into the high-backed chair between Da Vinci and Lin Xian, glancing around. “Long time no see, my dear friends,” he said. “I’ve been away from these meetings for a while. Anything new happen while I was gone?”

Da Vinci looked at him with a smile. “New? The freshest thing must be how you left in the middle of the last meeting. We all thought you were dead.”

“Haha, impossible!” Elon Musk laughed heartily. “I was just… playing a role-playing game, that’s all.”

Da Vinci chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Then let me tell you something else that’s new,” she said.

“Oh? What’s that?” Elon Musk asked, curious.

Da Vinci pointed at Lin Xian. “Your grandstanding line—Rhine already used it during the last meeting.”