Genius Club

As Lin Xian walked down the road, a whirlwind of questions surrounded him: Who exactly was the “boss” that Big Cat Face had referred to?

He considered countless possibilities, each one casting the boss in a positive light. After all, in this dream world, Big Cat Face had morphed into a benevolent villager. Despite his rough exterior, his actions had won him the villagers’ respect and affection.

It seemed clear that Big Cat Face had transformed into a champion of justice.

Therefore, it only made sense that his boss would be a figure of righteousness as well. Big Cat Face was known for his straightforward and honest nature, lacking the cunning to play both sides.

However, the reality before Lin Xian was starkly different. Standing in front of him, with a friendly smile, was none other than Li Cheng—the infamous villain from his first dream, a man known for his immense wealth and wicked ways.

Despite Li Cheng’s present aura of respectability, which contrasted sharply with his past as a flamboyant nouveau riche, Lin Xian recognized him immediately. This was undeniably Li Cheng!

In the first dream, Lin Xian often stole money from Li Cheng’s villa, where the latter conducted affairs with his mistress. When a car was needed for a high-speed chase, Lin Xian would head to the villa’s underground garage, stocked with luxury vehicles.

Li Cheng, though a coward, was always cooperative, while his mistress showed fierce loyalty, often intervening to save him—until she met her end under Lin Xian’s gun.

Just a few days earlier, in Lin Xian’s last journey through the first dream, he and Big Cat Face had stormed Li Cheng’s villa. They had killed the mistress and, after attempting to extract information about the Genius Club from Li Cheng, Big Cat Face had executed him too.

Still, considering that shifts in time and space could alter destinies, it wasn’t entirely impossible for Li Cheng to reform, much like Big Cat Face had, and align with justice.

Throughout five thousand years of history, many had been “heroes in chaos and villains in peace.” Li Cheng had clearly thrived in both, rising to become a top boss.

“Hahaha! Bet you didn’t see that coming!” Big Cat Face’s laughter filled the air.

“Hey, my boss is none other than the famous Boss Li! I’ve been working for him since I was a kid, along with Ah Zhuang and Er Zhu.”

Pride shone in his eyes as he spoke of Li Cheng.

So, Lin Xian had been right…

In this second dream, Li Cheng had indeed transformed into a respected, virtuous person.

“Boss Li! This is my new little brother, Lin Xian. He’s got some serious skills!” Big Cat Face introduced Lin Xian enthusiastically, giving him a hearty pat on the back.

“Hello, Boss Li,” Lin Xian greeted, managing a smile.

The irony was palpable. In the first dream, he had frequently held Li Cheng at gunpoint. Now, he was being introduced to him as a brother.

“Lin Xian…” Li Cheng appraised him with a smile. “You seem quite talented! You must be well-educated. Big Cat Face, he must have other extraordinary qualities, right?”

“Of course! I have a good eye for talent!” Big Cat Face quickly led Lin Xian to the courtyard wall, gesturing excitedly. “Quick, Lin Xian… Show Boss Li a flip! A difficult one!”

Lin Xian was momentarily speechless. His parkour skills had reduced him to performing flips for entertainment.

Nevertheless, to infiltrate their gang and learn more about “An Introduction to Universal Constants,” he played along.

Lin Xian climbed the brick wall using his fingertips, flipped onto the second-floor balcony, and then leaped to the third-floor rooftop, landing gracefully.

“Bravo!” Big Cat Face clapped, looking to Li Cheng with pride. “How’s that, Boss Li? My little brother’s got skills, right? Just the kind of talent we need!”

Li Cheng nodded approvingly. “Indeed, quite impressive… With him, our operations will definitely be more efficient!”

As they spoke, Lin Xian had already returned to the ground, listening intently. The transformation of Li Cheng from an uneducated thug to a respectable leader was a lot to take in.

“So, Boss Li, does this mean you approve of Lin Xian joining our operations?” Big Cat Face was eager to see his new recruit accepted.

Li Cheng placed a hand on Lin Xian’s shoulder, his smile warm. “Lin Xian, think it over carefully. Joining us won’t necessarily improve your life or bring great wealth.”

“What we do isn’t much different from petty theft. But… for the people of Old Donghai, for the world beyond the high walls, someone has to undertake these tasks.”

“We each work with the resolve to die, ready to sacrifice ourselves for these dangerous missions. The impact we make might be small… Perhaps a glimpse of history, a fragment of knowledge, or maybe nothing at all.”

“Our only support is our belief, our hope. If… you’ve truly thought it through and are prepared for this, then…” Li Cheng extended his right hand to Lin Xian. “Lin Xian, welcome to our family!”

Without hesitation, Lin Xian shook Li Cheng’s hand, understanding the nature of their work tied to history and knowledge.

Recalling Big Cat Face’s words about history and knowledge being controlled, Lin Xian realized the scope of their mission.

Despite the potential risks in dreams, Lin Xian’s main goal was to locate the author of “An Introduction to Universal Constants” and discuss the universal constant 42 in the real world of 2023.

“Brother Face, can you now tell me where your father got that book, ‘An Introduction to Universal Constants’?”

Big Cat Face nodded, leading Lin Xian to the rooftop and handing him a telescope.

He pointed towards the distant, futuristic skyline of New Donghai City. “Out here, we lack advanced technology, useful knowledge, and real history. Everything is controlled in cities like New Donghai.”

“Are there other cities like this around the world?” Lin Xian inquired.

“Of course.” Big Cat Face gave him a wry look. “You’re like a zombie crawling out of a grave, how come you know nothing?”

“New Hangzhou, New Imperial City, New Shenzhen… These giant sci-fi cities have been built over the centuries, gradually dividing the world into two parts: inside the steel walls and outside.”

“I don’t know exactly how the world developed this way, because we don’t have real history here. We don’t know what happened. Education, knowledge, science, technology… many things are gradually being lost.”

“But luckily, there are great people like Boss Li, determined to change the world outside the walls—” Big Cat Face gestured towards a section of the giant steel wall of New Donghai City. He urged Lin Xian to look through the telescope.

Lin Xian did so, focusing on the indicated area.

It was a garbage processing plant at the base of the wall. In comparison to the towering, extensive steel barrier, the plant seemed minuscule.

“But on closer inspection, several similar plants were visible, each playing a part in a larger scheme of waste management.”

“That looks like a garbage processing plant? New Donghai City incinerates all its trash?” Lin Xian asked.

“Yes, and they won’t even let us scavenge their waste,” Big Cat Face confirmed, lighting a cigarette.

“And our task…” He took a puff and continued, “Is to sneak into Plant 221 tonight and retrieve whatever useful items we can find. Any book, newspaper, even small toys… in our deprived area, these are treasures.”

“I understand,” Lin Xian nodded, grasping the situation more fully.

“So, Brother Face,” he turned back to Big Cat Face, “that book, ‘An Introduction to Universal Constants,’ your father had, it was taken from New Donghai City, right?”

“Yes,” Big Cat Face, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, grinned. “But that book was actually pilfered from the garbage plant by Boss Li when he was younger. I was too young then to remember the details.”

“Are there more copies, or was it just the one?” Lin Xian inquired.

“Hard to say. You should check Boss Li’s warehouse,” Big Cat Face suggested, pointing towards several nearby warehouses.

“Brother, this is the real benefit of joining us! We work for Boss Li, so we have access to the items stored in the warehouse!”

“That warehouse over there is where Boss Li keeps the books. Over the years, through several generations’ efforts… we’ve managed to rescue quite a few books from the garbage plants. You might find an old copy of ‘An Introduction to Universal Constants’ there.”

“Who knows… you might discover something valuable,” Big Cat Face added, his tone hinting at the potential treasures hidden within.

Lin Xian nodded, ready to explore the warehouse.

“Wait,” Big Cat Face halted him, pointing to another building.

“We need to go to that warehouse first,” he said with a chuckle.

“Why?” Lin Xian was curious.

Big Cat Face grinned mischievously. “Don’t you plan to join our operation tonight? As the first step… you need to pick a mask!”