Genius Club

This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation

“This is why I want to reestablish the Genius Club.”

Lin Xian refocused his thoughts and looked at Elon Musk, saying:

“An individual’s power is ultimately limited. It’s better to gather the world’s brightest minds together, pool ideas, unite, and collectively find solutions to the challenges we face.”

Hearing this, Elon Musk nodded.

“This is probably…what Einstein truly envisioned. It’s also the final instruction he left you. If Einstein knew that his most trusted Douglas had reestablished the Genius Club, he would undoubtedly feel comforted.”

Elon Musk picked up Newton’s notebook from the table and opened the next volume. As he skimmed through it, he analyzed:

“Newton at age 20 formed an alliance with Copernicus, who was over 50. To hide their true intentions, they had young Newton disguise himself as an elderly man, appearing to be Copernicus’s contemporary.”

“Thus, when Galileo and Da Vinci joined the club, they saw two elderly men—apparently at odds and treating each other as rivals. Newton played this role for decades. So when we all went into collective hibernation in 2025, Newton was in his sixties—not particularly old.”

“At present, of the original nine Genius Club Members, only three remain alive: you, me, and Galileo. How do you plan to rebuild the club? Who do you intend to invite as members?”

“Naturally, trustworthy friends.”

Lin Xian chuckled lightly.

“I’ve always believed that unity and trust are the true sources of power. I’ve already thought about who to invite. Of course, the first person I want to invite is you, Elon.”

“Hahahaha!”

Elon Musk burst into hearty laughter. Despite his gray hair, this world-renowned billionaire still exuded the carefree, playful air of his youth.

Time had taken much from him, yet it seemed to leave his essence untouched.

“I’m honored that you think so highly of me, Lin Xian,” Elon said, his eyes gleaming.

“In this unfamiliar era, all I have left are friends and comrades like you. I’d be delighted to join your Genius Club—it’s a privilege.”

“Although I don’t know what form you plan to give the club this time, if it’s anything like Einstein’s version…please reserve the No.7 seat for me. It’s my lucky number.”

“Of course, no problem.”

Lin Xian shook hands with Elon Musk.

“Let’s hope that this time, the Genius Club can truly fulfill its mission and bring humanity…a genuinely bright future!”

…

After leaving the United States, Lin Xian and VV returned to Rhine University in Donghai.

In the secret laboratory, the modified Spacetime Clock, upgraded by Liu Feng, continued to display an unchanging number:

0.0001764

“Five hundred years have passed,” remarked the middle-aged Liu Feng, his voice tinged with emotion.

“The spacetime curvature and worldline have remained unchanged for nearly five centuries. Even though you’ve done so much over the years—finding Einstein, reviving VV, and even killing Newton—none of it has shaken the elasticity of spacetime. This worldline is unbelievably resilient.”

Lin Xian pulled up a chair and sat down.

“Ultimately, it all comes back to the 2600 Super Catastrophe triggered by Galileo. No matter what the world looked like in 2599, that global disaster completely reset everything. Unless we can reverse that pivotal event, I’m afraid it’ll be nearly impossible to alter the worldline.”

“But,” Liu Feng said, scratching his head, “Newton, despite hiding so well, was still active in the world. With the help of VV, a super AI, it was possible to analyze big data and locate him.”

“How do we find Galileo, though? At this point in time, he should be hibernating in a Hibernation Chamber. If his chamber is hidden well, independently powered, and disconnected from any network, even VV wouldn’t be able to track him down.”

Gao Wen, who had been listening attentively, nodded in agreement.

“VV only took a few hours to locate Newton in the vast sea of humanity, yet we’ve found no trace of Galileo after all this time. It’s truly puzzling. Where is Galileo hiding? Is he even still on Earth?”

“And there’s another matter that concerns me,” Gao Wen continued, standing up and walking to the Aluminum Alloy Trashcan, tapping on VV’s sleek, silvery exterior.

“Lin Xian, you mentioned earlier that in the future of the Ninth Dreamscape, VV still can’t be found, as if it had been destroyed again.”

“Who destroyed VV this time? After thinking it over, it seems Galileo is our only remaining enemy.”

“This brings us to a contradiction. VV, with its Aluminum Alloy body, exists as a data stream capable of being stored in any networked or even offline device. How could such a data-based lifeform be completely eradicated?”

“Could it be that the 2600 Super Catastrophe triggered by Galileo was essentially a kind of spacetime bomb? Could that be why it was able to eliminate VV on a global scale?”

Lin Xian shook his head.

“It’s certainly a baffling issue, one I haven’t figured out myself. But… our next step has to be finding a way to locate Galileo first.”

“Speaking of that,” Lin Xian suddenly smiled and looked up at Gao Wen. “The ‘big promise’ I once made to you—it’s finally about to come true.”

“?”

A question mark practically appeared over Gao Wen’s head.

“You made me a big promise? I don’t remember anything like that.”

“You really don’t remember…”

Lin Xian lowered his head, reminiscing about the events that had unfolded in the Sixth Dreamscape.

Back then.

Lin Xian and Gao Wen stood atop a high platform, gazing out at the distant tribes. Gao Wen spoke sincerely to Lin Xian:

“Although I can’t fully grasp everything you’re saying right now, it doesn’t matter. Wherever you go, we’ll follow. We’ve already made up our minds, staked our lives, and decided to join you in this adventure.”

“Even though it’s been less than 12 hours since we first met, you give off an incredibly reliable vibe. Your thoughts are clear, and your direction is decisive. You seem… like a true Leader.”

It was the first time anyone had called Lin Xian a leader.

Although his outward confidence masked internal doubts, and he had only managed to impress the mighty Emperor Gao Wen through countless cycles of rehearsed perfection, that moment changed everything. It was then that Lin Xian truly began to understand the weight of the responsibility and duty resting on his shoulders.

It was much like what Ying Jun had once told him:

“History doesn’t blame those who are powerless, but if you possess abilities beyond ordinary people, you are bound to take on responsibilities that others cannot. That is your mission.”

“If you were really just an ordinary person… I would have let you stay behind.”

“Have you ever wondered why only you have these miraculous prophetic dreams? Why only you endlessly dream about the final day of humanity’s end?”

So.

In that moment, looking at Emperor Gao Wen, who had acknowledged him, Lin Xian made a solemn promise:

“I’ll remember this day. You’re the first person in this world to call me a leader. Even though you’ll forget this by tomorrow… I promise you, if I ever truly become a leader, I’ll reserve a No.2 position under my command just to honor this precious recognition.”

And now.

That No.2 position was finally due.

Lin Xian stood up, walked over to Emperor Gao Wen, and patted him on the shoulder.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t remember. I remember, and that’s enough.”

…

A few days later.

At the top of Rhine University stood a building housing a classically luxurious conference room. A redwood chair was placed on the elevated platform, flanked by two rows of four chairs on either side below, mirroring the original layout of the Genius Club meeting hall.

This was deliberate.

Both Lin Xian and Elon Musk believed that preserving as much of the original structure as possible was the best way to honor Einstein and the original spirit of the Genius Club.

Creak—

The gilded doors of the opulent conference room swung open. Gao Wen strode confidently down the plush carpet, his eyes fixed forward. The ancient grandeur of the room enveloped him, steeped in the weight of time.

As someone from a bygone era, he couldn’t help but feel that this space was even older than he was.

Today marked the inaugural gathering of the newly established Genius Club under Lin Xian. Since Gao Wen already resided within the university, he was the first to arrive.

This meeting filled him with great anticipation.

From a young age, Gao Wen had dreamed of contributing to society and the world, striving to do his part for humanity. Yet—

In the shadows of fate, there had always been an extraordinary genius far ahead of him, casting a shadow he could never escape. Gao Wen often found himself perpetually one step behind, living in that person’s wake. This frustration had caused him no small amount of despair, leading to multiple breakdowns.

But those days were long past.

Since Lin Xian and Liu Feng invited him to join Rhine University, Gao Wen’s fate had taken a dramatic turn—like a car spinning through a 360-degree drift.

The oppressive hand that toyed with his destiny was gone.

He could finally unleash his talents, breaking through in multiple fields.

There was no one to outpace him, no one vying to be ahead.

And now—

Lin Xian was about to lead him into an even broader horizon, to face more complex problems and engage in harder-fought battles.

Gao Wen approached the frontmost chair on the left, the seat closest to the platform, and sat down.

[No.2 Gao Wen]

Creak—

The doors opened again. Liu Feng entered, adjusting his glasses.

He exchanged a glance with Gao Wen and nodded in acknowledgment, taking the chair directly opposite Gao Wen.

As Lin Xian’s right-hand man, he, too, sat in the position closest to the platform.

[No.3 Liu Feng]

Bang—

This time, the doors were flung open.

A shiny aluminum alloy trashcan on tracks rolled into the room. Its rotund body and utilitarian appearance starkly clashed with the luxurious decor of the hall. But no one questioned the presence of VV, the university’s beloved mascot, in this space because—

“You’ll never outrank the old master!”

VV, unable to sit on a chair due to its weighty form, parked itself beside one of the chair legs. As the Genius Club’s most formidable “weapon,” it stood resolutely.

[No.4 VV]

As soon as VV came to a stop, it raised a fork in triumphant cheer:

“Long live the great master! The great master is invincible!”

“The great master is here—peace will reign under heaven!”

Another creak followed. The world-renowned computer genius Cheng Qian stepped into the room.

VV instantly transformed into a traffic-directing robot, adopting a formal stance as it led Cheng Qian to his seat.

Cheng Qian, VV’s savior, naturally sat directly across from it.

Although the youngest member of the new Genius Club, Cheng Qian’s world-class talent was unquestionable, even surpassing the former member Kevin Walker (Turing).

This was Lin Xian’s fifth genius recruit—

[No.5 Cheng Qian]

Shortly after, the conference room doors opened again, this time admitting Du Yao and Elon Musk.

Du Yao still looked as youthful and beautiful as ever.

Her long periods of hibernation, with only brief interruptions, had kept her work ahead of its time. Unwilling to advance in eras when technology did not meet her satisfaction, she chose to exchange time for progress. In the 500 years that passed, she had aged less than a decade, remaining elegant and radiant.

She and Elon Musk took the third chairs on the left and right, respectively.

[No.6 Du Yao]

[No.7 Elon Musk]

Once everyone was seated, Elon Musk glanced at the two empty chairs at the end of the room and chuckled.

“I wonder…what kind of friends will take those two seats in the future.”

He turned his head, surveying the familiar scene before him, and remarked nostalgically:

“In the original Genius Club, I also sat in the No.7 seat, as the seventh member to join.”

“Back then, I did the same thing—staring at the last two empty chairs, imagining what kind of fascinating geniuses would join us later.”

“The result, as it turned out, was bittersweet. I met the most despicable and vile Turing, but also the most righteous and courageous Lin Xian. This moment feels just like that one, waiting for new members to join, like opening a mystery box—thrilling and nerve-wracking.”

“But…when it comes to the talents chosen by Lin Xian, I feel at ease. Just like everyone here—I like you all! And I really like this place!”

Elon Musk’s words were heartfelt.

Although this was the Genius Club, it was different from its predecessor.

Here, no one needed to wear masks.

No one needed to guard against one another.

No one carried hidden agendas or engaged in underhanded scheming.

Everyone had gathered here for a shared purpose, working together to break through challenges.

Perhaps…

Elon Musk clenched his fist.

Perhaps…

Lin Xian’s Genius Club…

Could truly create miracles!

Creak—

The conference room doors opened for the last time.

Pale moonlight spilled inside, casting a glow over the early hours of the night. Outside, it was just past midnight.

In keeping with tradition, the new Genius Club held its meetings on the first day of every month at exactly 00:42.

“Apologies, I may be a bit late,” Lin Xian said with a smile as he closed the door behind him.

Walking down the crimson carpet, he glanced at the faces of his gathered companions.

“But our club charter isn’t so rigid or strict. Even if you arrive late, you are still warmly welcomed to join at any time.”

He ascended the steps, moving to the elevated platform, and sat down in the sole chair at the center—

[No.1 Lin Xian]

“Now, I’m going to tell a very long story,” Lin Xian began, sitting upright.

“This is a story that begins in 1952 and concludes in 2624.”

“It’s a story about me, a story about Einstein, a story about the Millennial Stake, and a story about a peculiar dreamscape.”

“And at the same time…”

He paused, raising his head to look at his companions one by one, scanning each face from left to right.

“At the same time…”

“It will also be the story of our future.”

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation