Genius Club-Chapter 250 - 68 The Time Has Come

Dark clouds covered the moon, and the whole sky darkened.

Lin Xian stood in place, looking at Ji Lin, both silent and without words.

Before this.

Lin Xian had thought of countless reasons Ji Lin might have for wanting to keep him...

He had envisioned countless situations.

But he had never imagined that Ji Lin would utter these words—

"Have you heard of... the Genius Club?"

In those brief two seconds, Lin Xian’s mind raced through numerous possibilities.

He couldn’t guess why the words "Genius Club" would come from Ji Lin’s mouth.

Why did he know this extremely secretive name?

What was his relationship with the Genius Club?

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

Could it be that Ji Lin, Ji Xinshui, Zhou Duanyun, and the others were members of the Genius Club?

No...

Soon enough.

He dismissed that thought in his mind.

Because on that heart-stopping rainy night, in Zhao Yingjun’s office, Huang Que personally told him:

"Trouble will find you even if you don’t seek it; your game of ’Catch Me If You Can’ has already started."

"I’ll be waiting for you at the Genius Club."

At the time, he couldn’t quite grasp these words.

But now it was very clear to him: the game of "Catch Me If You Can" referred to Ji Lin and his group of people; Huang Que obviously wasn’t with them, otherwise, he surely wouldn’t have specifically warned him.

Therefore, it was conceivable that Ji Lin and the Genius Club were absolutely not on the same side.

Despite there being no relation...

Despite the Genius Club being so mysterious, hidden in the river of time for over 600 years without a trace...

Why would Ji Lin blurt it out at this moment?

However.

Right now, at this moment.

Lin Xian had to admit that Ji Lin had succeeded.

He indeed found the reason most likely to keep him.

The Genius Club.

Currently, he was still completely in the dark about this mysterious organization, so if he could obtain even the slightest hint from Ji Lin about it... even just a trace of a clue, it would be of great significance.

Especially since Huang Que had said that the fastest and most direct way to discover the whole truth and unravel all the mysteries was to secure an invitation to the Genius Club... and subsequently join the Genius Club.

Could there be a clue about joining the Genius Club here with Ji Lin?

"Lin Xian!"

At the entrance of the villa, Gao Yang, patting his belly, looked back:

"What are you dawdling for? Hurry up and let’s go!"

Lin Xian also snapped back to reality and shook his head at Ji Lin:

"[I haven’t heard of this name.]"

No matter what.

Here, denial was the right move.

Firstly, it was perfectly normal for him not to have heard of the name; the most he knew about the Genius Club was from the Dream World, and in the real world, his only encounter had been that forged invitation. It made more sense here to say he hadn’t heard of it.

Secondly, Ji Lin’s main goal at the moment was to delay his stay in the villa until 00:42, with another twenty minutes to go. Ji Lin wasn’t going to let him leave easily. Therefore, he would inevitably share some information about the Genius Club to keep his interest, otherwise... he might’ve just left without another thought. The information Ji Lin was about to share was highly likely to be credible, and it was necessary to listen.

Lastly, whether it was a trap or a deception, he had to take the bait. Ji Lin and his group planned to kill him at 00:42, while his plan was to use 00:42 to counter-capture Ji Lin and Ji Xinshui... In terms of delaying until 00:42, both parties had the same goal, and Lin Xian was willing to take this hook.

"It’s normal that you haven’t heard of it, because this organization is extremely secretive, and I too know very little. But... I think you’ll be interested. Perhaps they are the real ’Black Hand’ behind the killings of Xu Yun and Tang Xin."

Ji Lin looked at Lin Xian with a smile, stepped aside from the mahogany double doors, and pointed to the inside where the brilliant living room sparkled with colorful lights:

"Care to come back in for a chat?"

...

Lin Xian nodded.

Then he turned around and shouted to Gao Yang at the gate of the yard:

"Gao Yang, why don’t you go back first? I’ll talk with Ji Lin a while longer."

Gao Yang came over, burping loudly:

"Why not together? I’ll wait for you guys a bit longer."

"No need, you go ahead," Lin Xian waved his hand, urging him to leave quickly.

Gao Yang had heard him mention the name Genius Club before, and keeping Gao Yang here for the conversation would 100% give the game away.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Gao Yang.

Previously, he had not wanted Gao Yang to get involved in any danger, so he had dismissed both Dream World and the Genius Club as "false alarms." Thus, in Gao Yang’s eyes, these matters were nothing but false and meaningless fantasies.

Just like the casual mention of the psychologist during the birthday, it was an unintentional act, completely trivial in Gao Yang’s perspective.

And now, Gao Yang was clearly drunk, his mind somewhat muddled.

Having him stay...

Was very likely to spoil the plan by bringing up the Genius Club stuff he had previously mentioned.

"Alright then."

Gao Yang, with his round belly, left:

"Then you guys talk, I have to work tomorrow, won’t wait for you."

...

Thud.

The mahogany double doors closed.

Lin Xian and Ji Lin once again sat down at the dining table, Ji Lin took out an unopened bottle of juice, opened it, and poured a glass for each of them.

"What is the Genius Club?" Lin Xian asked first.

He knew Ji Lin would definitely intend to waste time.

But now the advantage lay with him, within this time before 00:42, where Ji Lin was almost obliged to answer his questions. After all, if he became disinterested in the ongoing conversation, he might just get up and leave, thwarting their murder plot at 00:42.

The next twenty minutes would be his best and last chance to extract information from Ji Lin.

"I don’t know."

Ji Lin shook his head:

"But I’ve always suspected that the murderer of my parents wasn’t Sergeant Sam and his group, but the Genius Club."

"Why do you think that?"

"Do you remember your analysis before, Lin Xian?"

Ji Lin looked at Lin Xian:

"You once said that maybe there are two groups killing at 00:42, one with a very random modus operandi, Group A, and the other with a very rigid method, only using car accidents, Group B."

"At that time, you theorized that Group B seemed like a clumsy imitation of Group A... I agree with you on this, because Group B, Sergeant Sam’s group, has such a clumsy approach, it’s unimaginable that anyone would kill in such a stupid way repeatedly for no ’necessary reason.’ It’s just too dumb."

"Yes, it really is too dumb."

Lin Xian nodded in agreement:

"This kind of murder method, with a fixed time and repeated means, is just short of arrogantly slapping the plan right in the face of the police."

"According to your theory, then gang A is the Genius Club? And Sergeant Sam’s gang B is crudely imitating the Genius Club’s killings."

"What’s their purpose in imitating them like this? What’s the necessary reason?"

Ji Lin smiled:

"Lin Xian, what do you think? How do you see it?"

Fine.

Deliberately dragging out time, huh?

Lin Xian, of course, saw through Ji Lin’s strategem.

In the following period, Ji Lin was very passive.

He had to keep throwing out useful information; otherwise, he could very well leave early out of disinterest.

Thus, Lin Xian simply shook his head:

"I can’t guess."

"My personal thought is... Sergeant Sam, that is, gang B... they are maybe trying to prove something," said Ji Lin.

"To the Genius Club?"

"Probably."

Ji Lin said calmly:

"As for the specific reason, that I can’t guess. That’s why I’m telling you all this now... since if gang B isn’t the one that killed my parents, then there’s a high probability that gang A is the killer, so... I’m hoping you can help me deduce a bit."

Lin Xian drank from his juice, closed his eyes, and leaned back in his chair to think.

Ji Lin was very clever.

The things he said were mixed with truth and lies.

It was difficult to extract useful information from such an admixture.

However...

One point that Ji Lin didn’t guess was that Lin Xian had already more or less figured out their situation and had long known about the existence of the Genius Club.

With this premise, the things Ji Lin wanted to conceal... were actually plainly visible to Lin Xian.

Sergeant Sam, gang B...

That’s all you guys!

Ji Xinshui, Ji Lin, Zhou Duanyun, Sergeant Sam, Academician Lyon, all of you are gang B.

It’s you who are imitating gang A, that is, imitating the Genius Club.

Then there’s the so-called "necessary reason"?

Lin Xian recalled what Big Face Cat had said:

"My ultimate goal is to get an ’invitation’ to the Genius Club!"

He remembered Huang Que’s words:

"If you want to find the answers to all this... the simplest way is to get a real invitation to the Genius Club."

...

These people.

All those related to the Genius Club seemed to be striving to get an invitation to the Genius Club.

But everyone’s efforts seemed to be misguided, directionless, and carried out in all sorts of ways.

From this perspective...

If Ji Lin and Ji Xinshui were so poorly imitating a car accident murder at 00:42... was their ultimate goal also to get an invitation to the Genius Club?

Lin Xian felt it was highly probable.

"What exactly is the Genius Club?"

Lin Xian couldn’t help but question again.

His curiosity was growing.

What kind of organization was it? What kind of allure did it possess?

Why was everyone so frantic and obsessed over an invitation that seemed so nonessential?

It made Lin Xian more and more attentive as well.

"You’ve already asked that question, Lin Xian."

Ji Lin smiled and picked up his juice to take a sip:

"If I knew that, I wouldn’t be so troubled now. I would have found a way to avenge my parents long ago."

"Unfortunately... I don’t know what the Genius Club is now, nor where they are, nor what I should do next."

Lin Xian picked up a silver fork on the table, twirling it between his fingers as if spinning a pen.

It seemed that Ji Lin had provided all the information he could.

But that was to be expected.

No one was clearer about the mystery of the Genius Club than he was.

It was an organization so powerful it could stamp its logo on the moon, yet still remain unknown to anyone.

Under these circumstances, for Ji Lin to have even found out the name was already quite impressive.

Then, considering further...

If Ji Lin knew the name of the Genius Club, then Ji Xinshui definitely must know it too, right?

Would Zhou Duanyun know?

Lin Xian wasn’t sure.

Because according to Lin Xian’s speculation, Zhou Duanyun’s relationship with Ji Lin and Ji Xinshui was very delicate, even somewhat estranged; Ji Lin probably wouldn’t share this information with him.

Lin Xian spun the silver fork, looking at Ji Lin:

"Just from the name... I suspect this organization might be one that gathers all sorts of top geniuses. In my view, Ji Lin, you are the smartest person I’ve ever met, and I think you’re the person closest to the Genius Club."

Heh heh.

Ji Lin looked down and chuckled, shaking his head slightly, then looked up at Lin Xian again:

"But in my view... Lin Xian, you are the one who’s closest to the Genius Club."

"Why do you think so?"

"Have you read ’The Three-Body Problem’? The second book, ’The Dark Forest’, with the Wall Facers."

"I have," Lin Xian nodded.

"Then you can think about it after you go back... In some ways, you’re a lot like the protagonist from ’The Three-Body Problem’, Luo Ji," Ji Lin stood up, glancing at the electronic clock.

May 4, 2023.

00:39

"I actually wanted to chat more with you, but obviously it’s too late now, Lin Xian. I appreciate that you’ve been willing to talk to me this much."

"It’s late, I won’t keep you from going home to sleep."

Lin Xian nodded.

He finished the juice in his cup.

And stood up from beside the dining table as well:

"Yeah..."

"It’s time for me to leave too."