Genius Club

This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation

Seated below were all the long-time companions of Lin Xian.

Yet, despite their many years together, Lin Xian had never shared all the intelligence and information he possessed. Whether due to confidentiality or security concerns, much of it had remained hidden.

To put it bluntly:

Only VV and Liu Feng were fully aware of the entire story. After all, they were the comrades who had been by Lin Xian’s side from the very beginning, providing crucial assistance in his battles and adventures.

Now, however…

Lin Xian was about to accomplish what Albert Einstein had envisioned but failed to achieve—

To reveal the dire future and impending apocalypse to these brilliant minds, encouraging collaboration, unity, and joint exploration to safeguard the future of human civilization!

This time…

Sitting in the No.1 seat of the new Genius Club, Lin Xian withheld nothing. He poured out every truth and secret he knew.

No questions were off-limits.

No restrictions were imposed.

No plans harbored in anyone’s mind were to be concealed.

Everyone present was part of a collective effort, united as one group, sharing the same fate.

This was the essence of the true Genius Club!

…

Lin Xian spent a long time recounting everything, starting from 1952.

He detailed the interwoven tales of Einstein, CC, the Millennial Stake, Spacetime Particles, the duality of good and evil between Newton and Copernicus, the centuries-long entanglement of Galileo and Da Vinci, Ji Xin Shui and the Seven Deadly Sins, the connection between Kevin Walker and VV, the Genius Club Invitations, the oil painting “Sorrowful Einstein,” Introduction to the Universal Constant, the riddles of dreams and 42, the vanishing of Chu An Qing, CC’s memory fragments, and finally… the apocalyptic White Light at 00:42 on August 29, 2624.

This was a story spanning generations, filled with turbulence and displacement.

Now—

This relay baton, transitioning between the old and new Genius Club, had been passed into Lin Xian’s hands. He was determined to carry on Einstein’s legacy and vision, to bestow upon humanity a brighter tomorrow and an infinite future.

“All the stories… this is how they are,” Lin Xian concluded. He gazed at the companions below him, their eyes wide and mouths agape in astonishment.

Though they had known parts of Lin Xian’s past, none of them could have imagined the sheer grandeur, complexity, and far-reaching scope of it all.

No one spoke.

They were digesting what felt like a fantastical narrative but simultaneously gaining clarity on the sinister forces lurking in the world’s shadows.

“Ahem,” Du Yao cleared her throat, breaking the silence. She raised her head and said:

“So, our primary goals now are twofold. Based on urgency and importance, they’re perfectly aligned in sequence—”

“1. Locate Galileo as soon as possible, prevent the Super Catastrophe of 2600, and thereby adjust spacetime curvature to enable a worldline leap.”

“2. Investigate the truth behind the apocalyptic White Light of 2624 and do everything in our power to stop it from destroying Earth, ensuring the survival of human civilization.”

“Exactly,” Liu Feng nodded in agreement.

“The reading on the Spacetime Clock hasn’t changed over the past 500 years because this particular worldline was forged by a combination of factors to create the ‘Total Annihilation Worldline.’”

“Of course, this ‘Total Annihilation’ is the real ending Lin Xian witnessed. However, in the eyes of Einstein and his staunch believers, like Copernicus and Newton… this ‘Total Annihilation Worldline’ is paradoxically the ‘Most Perfect Worldline.’”

As Liu Feng finished speaking, Cheng Qian raised his right hand.

“I have a question,” he said, frowning and rubbing his chin. As the youngest member, he spoke with a sharp edge of curiosity:

“I think there’s a blind spot here that we need to address. That is…”

“According to Lin Xian, there have been multiple worldlines that were nearly indistinguishable from the complete extinction of humanity. For example, the Fifth Dreamscape and the Sixth Dreamscape, where technology and civilization regressed severely, and the global population dwindled to mere millions. In essence, that’s not much different from human extinction.”

“Moreover, in the Ninth Dreamscape, the existence of Mai Mai indicates that human civilization wasn’t strictly wiped out. If a living person could be found in the Donghai region, then what about the underground hibernation bases Lin Xian hadn’t discovered? There are countless such bases worldwide, aren’t there?”

“So, there’s something peculiar here—”

“Why is it that only the Ninth Dreamscape, specifically the 0.0001764 worldline, allowed Einstein to witness what he deemed a satisfactory and most beautiful future, rather than deceiving him on another worldline?”

“Clearly, many worldlines also faced apocalyptic endings, with every single one eventually succumbing to the White Light. By my understanding, as long as the White Light successfully obliterates everything in the end, these worldlines should be nearly identical.”

VV enthusiastically gave Cheng Qian a thumbs-up and nodded excitedly:

“Exactly! Cheng Qian, your keen insight is truly remarkable!”

“But this question becomes much easier to answer when you integrate other pieces of intelligence into the equation,” Gao Wen interjected, turning to Cheng Qian.

“Cheng Qian, you’ve overlooked something—something that is the key to the entire truth… the Universal Constant, 42.”

“Based on our previous analyses, the true masterminds and mysterious forces behind all this aren’t the least bit afraid of humanity’s technological progress. To them, humans are like ants—they can do whatever they want, but they’re inherently weak. No anthill could withstand a pot of boiling water.”

“Even if humanity were to develop weapons hundreds or thousands of times more powerful than nuclear arms, to the masterminds and these forces, it would be akin to the wailing cry of an infant—completely insignificant.”

“But there’s one singular exception… and that is the Universal Constant, 42.”

After a brief pause, Gao Wen continued:

“I think you can now see the distinction between the Ninth Dreamscape and the other dreamscapes.”

“The existence of Einstein, Liu Feng, and Big Cat Face’s father, Chen Heping, proves that humanity possesses the capacity to calculate, understand, and wield 42. And the true power concealed behind 42 is the only genuine threat the masterminds fear.”

Cheng Qian, being a peerless genius, immediately connected the dots and realized:

“Ah, so that’s it! The reason Einstein saw the false perfect worldline only in the 0.0001764 worldline was that, on this particular line, humanity was nearly extinct! This eliminated any possibility of understanding or mastering the Universal Constant, 42.”

“In those prior worldlines, although the 2400 Super Catastrophe occurred as well, 200 years of survival and reproduction meant that Earth still had millions of people. Coupled with the population on Mars, there was still a chance for someone to comprehend the truth behind 42.”

“But it’s clear that in the world of the Ninth Dreamscape, there’s absolutely no way for humanity to grasp 42.”

“The reason is simple: the total population is just too small. Survival itself is a challenge, knowledge has been severely lost, and the few remaining humans struggle even to return to the agrarian age, let alone study mathematics.”

“Even the father of Big Cat Face, Chen Heping, didn’t appear in the Ninth Dreamscape. Therefore, to the forces working in the shadows, the Ninth Dreamscape is the safest worldline. In this worldline, no one could calculate that 42 would pose a threat to them.”

“In other words, the 0.0001764 worldline isn’t the best one for human civilization but rather the most ideal worldline for those behind the scenes. They can complete the millennial stake mission while ensuring humanity doesn’t gain mastery over the power of 42, striking the perfect balance!”

As the discussion unfolded, Du Yao came to a realization:

“Cheng Qian’s analysis is spot on. That’s why the masterminds showed Einstein the most illusory, beautiful future on this worldline. This way, Einstein would work tirelessly to maintain its stability and ensure smooth progress.”

“From Einstein’s perspective, humanity would become increasingly prosperous, escaping the fate of self-destruction. But in reality, humanity is being confined to a ‘pasture,’ slowly stepping toward the abyss of annihilation.”

“The biggest difference between the 2600 super-disaster and the 2400 catastrophe lies in the proximity of 2600 to 2624. Even if a few humans survive, they’d have no time to act.”

“The trio of Gauss’s virus, Newton’s scientific suppression, and Galileo’s apocalyptic calamity forms a true ‘trinity,’ making this worldline virtually unbreakable.”

Elon Musk shrugged with a smile:

“That’s right, great Ms. Du Yao. Without your exceptional talent in brain neuroscience, the Brain Neural Electric Helmet couldn’t have been created. We long-term hibernators wouldn’t have regained our memories, and naturally, the new Genius Club wouldn’t exist today.”

“It’s hard to say—each one of us might be a contributor to this unbreakable worldline. But looking back on past events is unnecessary now; we must focus forward to resolve these issues.”

“Ms. Du Yao, the two questions you summarized are indeed our immediate priorities. As for the second question—uncovering the truth behind the World-Ending White Light—Lin Xian and I have already devised a solution. Well… calling it a solution might be optimistic, but at the very least, it’s a potential attempt.”

“Thus, the second question can be put aside for now. My 22 Spacetime Particle Detection Rockets are almost ready. Hopefully, they’ll fulfill their mission and detect traces of the World-Ending White Light in the vast universe ahead of time.”

Lin Xian nodded and said:

“The World-Ending White Light is indeed too elusive. Before its arrival, there’s no trace of it; when it comes, it’s too late to act. Apart from my brief encounter, there are no clues. So… this matter will be left to Elon Musk’s detection rockets.”

“Our next focus should be finding Galileo before 2600 and stopping him from triggering the global super-disaster.”

“Cheng Qian, VV, you two are the club’s top computing and network geniuses. Locating someone should be your specialty. But VV has searched for a long time and still hasn’t found him. Newton’s arrogance before his death suggests he was confident we couldn’t locate Galileo.”

“What are your thoughts or suggestions on this?”

Cheng Qian exchanged a glance with Aluminum Alloy VV, both shaking their heads.

Cheng Qian sighed:

“Honestly, this issue frustrates me. In this era, the year 2504, every corner of the world is connected to the network, not to mention various electronic terminals. With the super AI VV, there shouldn’t be any blind spots or dead zones. Why can’t we find him?”

Aluminum Alloy VV mimicked Lin Xian’s shrug:

“When Newton made his arrogant claims, I scoffed. I thought that as long as Galileo was on Earth, I could find him. But now… it feels like Newton might have the last laugh. I’ve scoured every corner of the world and every hibernation chamber but found no sign of anyone resembling Galileo.”

“This suggests only one possibility: before you all entered hibernation in 2025, Galileo had already secured a self-sustaining underground sanctuary, similar to Einstein’s.”

“Imagine an isolated facility powered by a Micro Nuclear Battery, without any external connections through wires or networks. Such a defense system would be perfect against both me and Cheng Qian.”

“If that’s the case, to locate Galileo, you shouldn’t turn to network experts. Instead, detectives, archaeologists—or even tomb raiders—might be better suited for the task.”

…

A hush fell over the meeting hall.

The vastness of humanity and the expanse of Earth made it difficult enough to find one person. If even Cheng Qian and VV working together couldn’t do it, what other options were there?

Du Yao closed her eyes.

It was as if sparks of inspiration flickered in her mind.

“If it’s so hard to find him directly, maybe we should reverse our thinking and consider—where would Galileo hide?”

She opened her eyes, lifted her head, and looked at Lin Xian.

“Lin Xian, could you repeat exactly what Newton said during your last debate about Galileo?”

This had happened only days ago, and Lin Xian remembered it vividly. He slowly began to recount:

“At that time, Newton was cornered. He said it didn’t matter what his motives were because nothing could ultimately change. He claimed that this worldline, crafted by many geniuses, including Einstein, was the perfect worldline. Even his death wouldn’t tip the scales.”

“Then he abruptly mentioned Galileo. Newton said… ‘Besides, there’s Galileo. I’m not surprised you found me, but you’ll never find Galileo—no matter how powerful your AI is.’”

“VV didn’t take it well and declared loudly that as long as Galileo was still on Earth, he would definitely be found.”

Recalling Newton’s dry laugh, Lin Xian couldn’t help but feel it carried a deeper meaning.

“And then, before Newton triggered the self-destruction of his mechanical heart, his smile was peculiar. His last words were…”

Lin Xian imitated Newton’s laugh and tone:

“‘That’s not… guaranteed.’”

…

Elon Musk rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“What do you all make of Newton’s words? Is Galileo still on Earth or not?”

“For my part, I’m certain that before 2025, Galileo was definitely on Earth. Before we went into hibernation, no nation had manned lunar travel capabilities, let alone interstellar voyages or spacecraft equipped with hibernation chambers. That was pure fantasy.”

VV raised a clip to emphasize:

“Even after you woke from hibernation, such technology doesn’t exist. In the era of electronic networks, all information is transparent to me, especially something as massive as a lunar mission.”

“I’ve reviewed every piece of data—there are no hibernation chambers on the Moon, nor has anyone resembling Galileo ever landed there. As for interstellar travel… we can thank Newton for deliberately steering humanity down a false technological path, wasting centuries. It’s only been a few years since we got back on track, and real interstellar travel is still a long way off.”

“Furthermore, all current exploration ships maintain communication with Earth. I’ve searched through all of them, and Galileo is nowhere to be found.”

Gao Wen sighed deeply.

“So, this means Galileo is still on Earth and hasn’t awakened since the Gauss Virus outbreak.”

“Galileo’s goal must be to remain in hibernation until 2600, at which point he plans to trigger the super-disaster. But now… how do we find him in time?”

The discussion seemed to have reached a dead end.

But Du Yao smiled faintly and stood up.

“My friends, I think… I have the answer.”

She spoke softly:

“Let’s reverse-engineer Galileo’s actions and motives. Since his goal is to remain in hibernation until 2600, he must have chosen a location that is extremely remote, incredibly safe, and guaranteed to remain untouched—never excavated, never discovered.”

“Such a place would be hard to find. The world is developing so fast, and the population is booming. Every corner of the Earth is being developed and constructed. Plus, Galileo can’t adapt on the fly like Einstein, who stayed awake.”

“But… there is one place, the ultimate forbidden zone on Earth. Protected by the International Treaty, it remains the last pristine land on Earth, untouched by sovereignty, occupation, pollution, or destruction. It is the most peaceful, quiet, and isolated place from the mundane world.”

Du Yao looked around at everyone and revealed the location—well-known yet often overlooked:

“Antarctica.”

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation