Genius Club

(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)

“The Antarctic Treaty.”

Liu Feng continued from where Du Yao left off:

“Now that Ms. Du Yao has brought it up, I understand. Indeed, there’s nowhere on Earth quite like Antarctica. Over the centuries, it has remained the only truly untouched sanctuary on the planet.”

“Every other region on Earth has either fallen under a nation’s sovereignty or been occupied. Even the Arctic has long been divvied up among the countries within the Arctic Circle.”

“But in 1959, the world’s major powers signed the Antarctic Treaty, fundamentally restricting any exploitation or occupation of Antarctica. All activities there are strictly regulated.”

“Ms. Du Yao’s analysis makes sense. In today’s world, the summit of Mount Everest, Point Nemo, and even the deepest part of the Somali Trench have become tourist destinations equipped with communication networks. There’s no piece of Earth’s land that people don’t already know about… except Antarctica!”

“Exactly,” Cheng Qian agreed with a nod.

“Antarctica is indeed the easiest place to overlook. Even VV and I can’t fully scan the continent. Because of the treaty, any construction beyond scientific research facilities is banned, so there are no networks, servers, or relay hubs there.”

“Yes, the outer research stations can be infiltrated through satellite networks, but VV has already investigated those. There was no trace of Galileo—just research outposts and labs owned by various countries.”

“Precisely…”

Elon Musk stroked his chin thoughtfully as he listened.

“No doubt, Antarctica is the most likely hiding place for Galileo. Ms. Du Yao’s reasoning seems to hold water.”

“After all, the Antarctic Treaty functions as a perfect layer of protection for Galileo. It’s like what happened in old Brooklyn… cough, cough—”

Musk abruptly started coughing to cover a slip of the tongue. He had almost revealed that, across the centuries, if he hadn’t purchased all the land in Brooklyn, even the underground shelter beneath Einstein’s farm would have been discovered long ago.

Urban land tends to be redeveloped every few decades. With the current population boom, there’s hardly a corner of Earth left unvisited. Hiding a shelter underground as they did back in the 21st century would now be impossible—it would inevitably be exposed.

That’s why Musk strongly believed Galileo was most likely hiding in Antarctica.

He coughed to mask the secret of Einstein’s underground bunker because Lin Xian, during his account of the 1952 events, had intentionally avoided mentioning it. If Lin Xian chose to remain silent, Musk would certainly do the same.

At present, Einstein’s farm in old Brooklyn—and the shelter underneath—remains a secret that only Lin Xian, VV, and Musk are privy to.

…

Lin Xian noticed Musk’s abrupt silence and understood why he stopped himself.

While recounting the story in detail, Lin Xian had deliberately skipped over certain parts to avoid going into excessive depth. Einstein’s situation was among those omitted.

As a founding member of the Genius Club—a kind-hearted visionary who ended up being betrayed—Einstein’s fate was heartbreaking. Lin Xian had not elaborated on the specifics of Einstein’s disappearance.

Einstein had already suffered greatly. He wanted to save the world and secure humanity’s future, yet he was manipulated by a shadowy force, eventually becoming an unwitting agent of destruction. This betrayal inflicted tremendous pain, and Lin Xian didn’t want to reopen old wounds by bringing up the underground shelter.

Some secrets are best left sealed.

Keeping the shelter hidden would be Einstein’s final dignity.

“Since that’s the case, we’ll handle two tasks at once,” Lin Xian announced, lifting a hand to quiet the room. He offered his concluding thoughts:

“At present, we’re dealing with two critical priorities: One, we must find Galileo as soon as possible. Two, we need to uncover the truth about the World-Ending White Light.”

“Up to now, most of our information rests on conjecture. To get real answers, we need hard evidence—and that’s our objective for the coming months.”

“Elon Musk, Liu Feng, and Gao Wen will be responsible for launching the Spacetime Particle Detection Rocket and further investigating the World-Ending White Light.”

“VV, Cheng Qian, and Du Yao will head the search for Galileo in Antarctica.”

“As for Galileo’s hideout, I have a theory…” Lin Xian paused, scanning the room before going on.

“Galileo entered hibernation before the Gauss Virus spread, and before we did.”

“That means if he intended to hibernate at a secret base in Antarctica, the facility had to be prepped ahead of time and ready to go.”

“I even suspect that by as early as 2024, Galileo had already discovered how to trigger a Super Catastrophe—and he might have completed the setup, able to activate it at will.”

“Whether it was the year 2400 or 2600, both are neat, round-numbered years. Clearly, Galileo’s plan isn’t influenced by external factors. If we have to compare the two catastrophes, the one in 2400 caused less damage than the one in 2600, though the reasons are still unclear.”

“So, think about it: Given the Antarctic Treaty’s strict limits, could Galileo really have built a secret underground shelter there before 2024?”

Du Yao shook her head.

“In principle, no. The Antarctic Treaty bans any construction in the Antarctic region not related to scientific research.”

“And there’d be records if it was for research. VV and Cheng Qian wouldn’t have missed any such data.”

“Right… so that’s the paradox. If Galileo really is hiding in Antarctica, how was his shelter constructed in the first place?”

Lin Xian offered a faint smile.

“That’s the main point—”

“The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 and took effect in 1961. All these rules and regulations we’ve been talking about only apply to activities after 1961.”

“Keep in mind that humans started exploring Antarctica much earlier. The most chaotic, lawless period of exploration was during World War II.”

“In that era, the German military organized multiple secret expeditions to Antarctica, though the historical records about their missions are murky, and some reports are downright fantastical.”

“Whether truth or rumor, I believe that during that wartime chaos, Germany—and possibly other nations—launched messy, unregulated operations in Antarctica.”

“Any bases or underground bunkers constructed then would have been top-secret projects, hidden with great care. Even if they were later abandoned, they would still provide a perfect hideaway for Galileo’s secret hibernation.”

This instantly enlightened everyone.

“Brilliant!”

Elon Musk flashed a thumbs-up at Lin Xian.

“So basically, Galileo didn’t build a bunker himself—because he couldn’t have, once the Antarctic Treaty took effect. He simply stumbled on a leftover WWII Antarctic base, occupied it, and converted it into his hibernation shelter! Ingenious!”

“When you put it that way, everything falls into place. This approach also narrows down the massive search area in Antarctica considerably.”

“Exactly,” Cheng Qian said, nodding.

“If Galileo wasn’t able to construct a secret base in Antarctica, locating a forgotten WWII underground facility would be the most logical alternative.”

“And, from that angle, Galileo must have acted long ago, which explains why his underground lair was ready well before 2024.”

VV hoisted a folder high.

“Back in World War II, there was no internet or electronic storage. Every classified document was on paper, and Germany burned a huge volume of these before they lost. A massive amount of historical information was lost forever.”

“If documents about Antarctic bases were destroyed, then those deserted strongholds would remain unknown to everyone, their positions a mystery. No one would be aware of their existence, much less be able to pinpoint their exact locations.”

“Got it! Cheng Qian, Ms. Du Yao, let’s follow Lin Xian’s lead and search for Galileo in Antarctica from this angle. Otherwise, we’d be scanning every square inch of the continent blindly; who knows how long that might take?”

Du Yao and Cheng Qian both concurred with Lin Xian and VV’s proposal, accepting the weighty responsibility that came with it.

Thus concluded the first meeting of the New Genius Club.

Although it didn’t bring about any ground-shaking discoveries, at least it set a clear course of action, allowing them to proceed methodically.

…

After everyone else left, only Lin Xian, VV, and Liu Feng stayed in the meeting room.

Liu Feng looked at Lin Xian with a hint of amusement:

“I was sure you’d reserve a seat for Gao Yang. You know, our club membership is already half practical, half symbolic. Adding Gao Yang as a ‘figurehead’ wouldn’t have seemed out of place.”

“After all, Gao Yang is your very first friend, your childhood buddy, the one you trust most—who trusts you the most. So, I was a bit surprised he wasn’t at today’s Genius Club meeting.”

Lin Xian let out a quiet sigh.

“Of course I invited him. But, just like before, Gao Yang was very clear about his limitations. He knows he can’t contribute anything meaningful and doesn’t want to slow us down, so he refused.”

“…”

Thinking about their old friend, Liu Feng could only respond with a silent nod, feeling powerless and sad.

He’d always been concerned about Gao Yang, keeping tabs on his emotional well-being.

In this era…

The year 2504…

Even for the so-called ‘geniuses’ who bear this mission, loneliness and a sense of being out of sync with the world are common feelings.

Imagine how much tougher it must be for someone like Gao Yang—an utterly ordinary person from an earlier age.

No one wants to shut Gao Yang out.

But at the same time…

They can never seem to find the right place for him.

“All right, enough,” Lin Xian said, gently patting Liu Feng on the shoulder.

They had been fighting side by side for centuries, practically able to read each other’s minds. Lin Xian sensed Liu Feng’s concern and tried to put him at ease:

“You don’t have to worry about Gao Yang. He’s like a water bear: he can survive anything and adapt to just about any environment.”

“Yes, we do have big dreams—like saving the world and securing the future of humankind. But Gao Yang… well, his biggest dream back then was just selling cars at a 4S dealership. The only reason he ended up joining us in space to catch spacetime particles and witnessed Chu Anqing leaping from the plane with his own eyes is because he wanted to bring her back.”

“Gao Yang doesn’t care about the world’s future, or spacetime laws, or the Universal Constant 42. He just wants to rescue Chu Anqing, to see that young junior of ours smile again. After that, he’ll be satisfied, with no regrets.”

“I’ve known him since we were kids, and I understand him well. Don’t be fooled by his loud, easygoing manner—he’s actually quite sensitive and responsible. Seeing Chu Anqing jump from that plane is a knot in his heart, just like it is in yours.”

“Ah.”

Liu Feng rubbed the back of his head, exhaling a forlorn sigh.

“I know Gao Yang won’t just give up. But still, it feels like we all hibernated for the same reason centuries ago, marched all this way together… and now he’s drifting further and further from us.”

“And don’t make fun of me for being too sentimental—you know…”

He shrugged and looked at Lin Xian:

“I don’t have many friends, and the few I do have are incredibly precious.”

“Don’t worry,” Lin Xian replied gently.

“Gao Yang is my brother. Even if he doesn’t attend the meetings, I’ve never planned to hide anything from him.”

…

Half a Month Later, Rhine University Cafeteria.

In his Security Captain uniform, Gao Yang scooped up a peanut with his chopsticks and pointed it at Lin Xian:

“You’re headed to Antarctica?!”

“Yes,” Lin Xian answered, setting down his glass.

“VV, Cheng Qian, and Du Yao dug up a ton of old documents. They finally narrowed it down to an area with 24 German military sites from World War II. We suspect Galileo’s base is hidden at one of them.”

“No way.”

Gao Yang frowned.

“Antarctica, man!”

“What about Antarctica?” Lin Xian said, casually refilling Gao Yang’s glass.

“It’s the modern era, with advanced tech everywhere. Are you still worried? Traveling to Antarctica nowadays is about as routine as visiting Jiuzhaigou. You just dress warmer.”

“Absolutely no danger?” Gao Yang asked, picking up his glass.

“None at all,” Lin Xian assured, raising his own glass.

They clinked glasses and drank.

“Who else is going?” Gao Yang pressed on.

“Elon Musk’s research team—it’s a top-tier group with top-tier equipment. Rhine University is also sending a big crew. From our circle, it’ll be me, Elon Musk, Du Yao, and VV.”

“Oh, VV doesn’t technically need to go in person—it’s just a data stream. Wherever there’s an internet connection, VV can appear. That aluminum-alloy trash bin can chill here at Rhine University. We’ll bring along a satellite network terminal with a copy of VV inside it.”

Gao Yang pursed his lips.

“That’s quite a trip. Even compared to our space missions back in the day, this is the farthest you’ve ever traveled in your life.”

Lin Xian laughed.

“Why are you suddenly sounding so emotional?”

…

Gao Yang remained quiet, fiddling with his glass as he sank into thought.

After a while, he spoke softly:

“I’ve been having nightmares lately.”

“What kind of nightmares?” Lin Xian asked.

“All sorts,” Gao Yang sighed. “Unlike you, I don’t get a recurring dream. Mine are random every night—whatever I see during the day, I might dream something along those lines, and every dream is terrifying.”

“You used to never be afraid,” Lin Xian teased gently.

“That was back then!”

Gao Yang lowered his voice.

“In our old time, things felt stable. You woke up, and there was your life, solid and real.”

“But now… I don’t know how to describe it. Life feels weightless, like there’s no difference between dreams and reality.”

“Anyway, forget it—let’s not talk about this. Bottoms up!”

He raised his glass, motioning to Lin Xian.

“It’s been ages since we had a drink together. Tonight, let’s go all out!”

“Cheers.”

“Cheers!”

…

Under the midnight moon, Rhine University was draped in a gentle glow. The white jade statue of Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi stood beneath the soft beams, radiating peace.

Gao Yang got so drunk that he eventually staggered around, bottle in hand, arm looped around Lin Xian’s shoulder, insisting they head to the statue at the university gates while spouting incoherent words.

Lin Xian could barely parse what Gao Yang was shouting. He simply stood there, gazing up at the tranquil features of the mother-and-daughter statue. Their calm expressions seemed to blend with the stillness of the night.

“Lin Xian!”

All of a sudden, Gao Yang pivoted, wavering on his feet as he threw an arm around Lin Xian. His voice was ragged, carrying a pleading tone:

“Listen to me, brother. Don’t go on this Antarctic expedition.”

“What on earth are you talking about?” Lin Xian chuckled.

“It’s my plan. How can I not go?”

“I’m begging you.”

Gao Yang’s grip tightened, his arm around Lin Xian growing unyielding:

“Brother, in my whole life, I’ve never asked you for anything. I don’t care if you never buy me the car you promised or open that 4S dealership—we can forget all that. Just this once, I’m begging you: don’t go to Antarctica.”

Lin Xian didn’t answer right away. He looked at the intoxicated Gao Yang, unsure whether his concern was genuine or simply fueled by standing under the statue of Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi, where memories weighed heavily. He wondered if Gao Yang would remember any of this by morning.

“Heh.”

Lin Xian let out a quiet laugh.

“It’s the same old story, Gao Yang. I have to go. If not me, then who?”

“Me!”

Although Gao Yang was swaying on his feet, his voice held a fierce determination:

“Your family has already sacrificed so much for this world. You can’t always be the one taking the risks, leading from the front.”

“I’ve always wanted to do something for you, to share your load. But, you know me—I’m just an ordinary guy with no real talents to help.”

“To be honest, these nightmares… they’re because I’m worried about you. I can’t stand the idea of you going so far away to a place like Antarctica. And you’re our leader, the one in charge. If anything dangerous really happens down there—if something happens to you—who’s left to guide the Genius Club?”

“So…”

Gao Yang hiccupped, bloodshot eyes turning to look up at the statue of Zhao Ying Jun and Yu Xi.

“So, Lin Xian, let me do this for the world, for humankind’s future, for your family, for Chu Anqing… let me finally do something.”

His gaze grew steadfast as he drew himself up, pounding his chest:

“This time, you stay here. I’ll go to Antarctica in your place!”

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation