Genius Club

(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcattranslation)

Chen Heping froze for a moment, staring at the unfamiliar pair—a young man and an elder.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“We’re from Rhine University,” Lin Xian replied truthfully as he handed over the book in his hand.

“Mr. Chen Heping, we’ve come to visit you mainly to seek your guidance on some mathematical questions. The details are in this book. We’re hoping… you could help us with it.”

“Mathematics?”

Upon hearing that word, Chen Heping’s tone softened noticeably. He had always loved research and learning, but the current environment completely deprived him of such opportunities, leaving no room for him to apply his talents.

In the village, the situation was no different. Every day was a relentless struggle for livelihood, survival, and resources… Hardly an era suited for study or research. Aside from occasional discussions with Li Cheng, this was the first time anyone had ever sought his advice.

Curious, he took the book Lin Xian offered and glanced at the cover:

Flipping through a few pages, he found the content complex yet intelligible.

Standing where he was, Chen Heping continued reading, gradually becoming absorbed. The subject matter was fascinating.

With a soft clap, he closed the book and stepped aside, gesturing for Lin Xian and Liu Feng to enter the house.

“Apologies, this is my first encounter with the Universal Constant. It seems a bit intricate.”

“If you’re not in a rush, would you like to come in for some tea and rest while I skim through this book?”

…

This time, Chen Heping had truly miscalculated.

Introduction to the Universal Constant was far deeper than he had imagined—impossible to absorb with a quick read. By dinnertime, he was still lost in its vast and mysterious mathematical ocean, entirely puzzled yet utterly captivated.

“Dinner’s ready~”

Over on the other side, Face Sister-in-Law had already prepared the evening meal and was calling everyone to eat.

“All right, everyone, pause your research for now. Eat first, then continue afterward. Lin Xian, your Big Cat Face brother even brought out the wine he buried long ago. He wants a proper drink with you, his newfound confidant.”

“That wine was buried when our daughter was born. According to tradition, we should’ve dug it up at her wedding… But your Big Cat Face brother got so excited when he met you that he’s out in the yard right now with a shovel. So, I came to call you for dinner.”

As she spoke, she turned to Chen Heping.

“Dad, come eat. I made plenty of food today, and we have guests from the city.”

However…

Already immersed in the ocean of mathematics, Chen Heping was entirely focused, unable to hear anything around him. To him, Introduction to the Universal Constant had opened a door to a new world—one more enticing than any meal, better than any drink. How could he bear to leave it?

He waved dismissively. “You go on and eat. I’m not hungry.”

No matter how they called him, he wouldn’t budge. His eyes remained glued to every line in the book, detached from the rest of the world.

There was no other choice.

Lin Xian and Liu Feng left him in the room and followed Face Sister-in-Law to eat.

On the way, Liu Feng looked at Lin Xian with some hesitation.

“Are we really going to eat at Big Cat Face’s house? Isn’t that a bit awkward? After all… we were at each other’s throats just a few hours ago.”

“Of course we’ll eat. Why not?”

Lin Xian, already familiar with Big Cat Face’s family, replied casually, “They’re good people—straightforward and hospitable. Besides, Chen Heping’s interest in Introduction to the Universal Constant is a great sign. Let’s give him some space. With any luck, he might decide to come to Rhine University and help us.”

Liu Feng nodded. It made sense.

As the last hope for unraveling the Universal Constant 42, building a good relationship with Chen Heping—even his family—was crucial.

In Big Cat Face’s yard, two mounds of soil were already piled up. Standing in the pit, Big Cat Face grinned as he pulled out a wax-sealed wine jar. He held it up triumphantly for Lin Xian to see.

“Look, little brother! Genuine ‘Daughter’s Red’!”

Lin Xian chuckled softly. “Face Brother, you’re supposed to dig it up for your daughter’s wedding. It’s only been a few years since it was buried.”

“Oh, don’t fret about that!”

Having met a kindred spirit, Big Cat Face wanted to bring out the best his home had to offer for Lin Xian. “This is the best wine in our house. Come on, we’ll drink until we can’t stand!”

“My old man? Don’t mind him. Once he dives into his bookworm mode, nobody can pull him out.”

Big Cat Face led them into the main hall.

The table was laden with dishes and three wine glasses. Lin Xian glanced worriedly at Liu Feng, who was more than eighty years old.

“Can you drink?” he asked.

Liu Feng sighed. “I haven’t had a drink in ages, and it’s been even longer since I had a meal with a family atmosphere.”

His words made Lin Xian’s smile falter. A wave of sorrow rose in his heart.

Yes.

For over a century, Liu Feng had lived alone—no family, no friends, no hope.

Under such immense psychological pressure, he had been eating solitary meals in cafeterias for years. Perhaps it had started even earlier—when Qi Qi had left him.

He had lost the warmth of family gatherings… that feeling of sitting around the table, sharing a meal amid chatter and laughter. To Liu Feng, it was the most extravagant wish imaginable.

“Then have a little drink,” Lin Xian said, patting his shoulder. “Relax. Let’s take a break today. We found Chen Heping—we found hope.”

…

Face Sister-in-Law’s cooking was as remarkable as ever, and her dumplings were just as delicious as Lin Xian remembered. He ate them one by one, savoring each bite.

That familiar taste… after hundreds of years, the flavor from the Second Dreamscape had finally returned to reality.

Liu Feng, after so long, lifted his glass. He clinked it silently with Big Cat Face’s and drank one glass after another.

One glass. Then another. And another.

A mist formed on Liu Feng’s glasses, obscuring his eyes.

“What are you thinking about?” Lin Xian asked, noticing Liu Feng’s pensive mood.

“I’m thinking about Qi Qi,” Liu Feng said softly. “About Gao Wen. About Yellow Finch, An Qing, Ying Jun, Little Yu Xi, Gao Yang… all those comrades we lost, the ones we’ll never see again.”

He gripped his glass tightly, lowering his head. “I’m thinking about all the sacrifices made… and what they were for.”

With that, he drank another glass of wine, his face turning an even deeper shade of red.

“If I hadn’t somehow managed to find you this time, I really don’t know how I would have continued.”

“Lin Xian, honestly, I’ve always worried. If in the end, we fail to save everything—if we can’t stop the World-Ending White Light—what was the point of so many sacrifices, of giving up so much?”

“You’re different. You had people who loved you, a happy family, and a newborn daughter. But after holding her just once… you left them forever.”

“And if—just if—we fail in the end, will you regret it?”

He raised his head, looking at Lin Xian through misty lenses, his aged face plainly visible.

“Will you regret not staying to spend your life with Ying Jun and Yu Xi?”

Lin Xian held his glass, slowly turning it in his hands.

“Honestly? I would,” he answered candidly. “If that moment ever comes, I’ll regret it. I owe them—mother and daughter—so much. Even though Ying Jun mentioned in her letter that they lived happily, I never fulfilled my responsibility as a husband or a father.”

“But until that very last moment, I won’t regret my choice.”

Lin Xian poured wine into Liu Feng’s glass, clinked it with his own, and looked him in the eye.

“Ying Jun always believed in me. I won’t disappoint her. Just as Qi Qi believed in your Introduction to the Universal Constant. Even when the whole world doubted you, that one girl was willing to put her entire life on the line for you. She even ensured that the only copy of your work survived 600 years, finally landing in Chen Heping’s hands.”

“So, Liu Feng, pull yourself together!”

Lin Xian drained his glass in one gulp and placed a firm hand on Liu Feng’s shoulder.

“Trust me, trust Qi Qi, trust Chen Heping, and most importantly… trust yourself!”

…

The meal lasted a long time. By the end, Liu Feng, tipsy and exhausted, mumbled incoherently before collapsing on the wooden sofa and falling asleep. Clearly, the century-long weight on him had been unbearable.

Big Cat Face stayed his jovial, straight-talking self, pulling Lin Xian into enthusiastic conversations about philosophy. Lin Xian, however, kept an eye on Chen Heping’s progress. Late at night, under the moonlit sky, he quietly returned to Chen Heping’s courtyard and pushed the door open.

“It’s too profound,” Chen Heping admitted, still sitting at his desk in the exact same position, engrossed in his reading. “But at the same time, it’s endlessly fascinating… I’m sorry, Mr. Lin, but I don’t think I can grasp it anytime soon. This isn’t just a simple mathematical problem—it’s an entirely unfamiliar field for me.”

“No problem.” Lin Xian nodded readily.

He had expected that. Even with Chen Heping’s brilliance, it was unrealistic to fully comprehend the Universal Constant 42 in just half a day. After all, in the Second Dreamscape, it took Lin Xian more than thirty years of study to make substantial breakthroughs.

“In that case, let me leave these additional materials with you.”

Lin Xian pulled two thick volumes of research documents from his bag.

“These contain everything our team at Rhine University has discovered about the Universal Constant over the years. Initially, I didn’t want to disrupt your train of thought and planned to share them after you finished the book. But now, I don’t think the timing matters. We trust your brilliance to see further from the shoulders of giants rather than be led astray.”

Chen Heping’s eyes lit up as he eagerly flipped through the volumes.

“My goodness… You’ve already calculated the Universal Constant’s answer! 42… What does it mean?”

“We don’t know,” Lin Xian replied, shrugging. “That’s why we need your help.”

Chen Heping kept poring over the materials, immediately recognizing their extraordinary value. These weren’t the results of mere years or decades of work—they spanned centuries of collected research.

He realized how priceless these shared findings were.

“I’ll do my best,” he promised earnestly. “Give me one month. I won’t let you down!”

…

With Chen Heping’s assurance, Lin Xian and Liu Feng departed. Trusted now, a helicopter flew into the village to pick them up. Lin Xian told Chen Heping they would return in a month.

That month felt both slow and fast. But what Lin Xian did not anticipate was…

When he returned to the village a month later and stepped off the helicopter, Big Cat Face stormed over, furious.

“It’s all your fault! You made my father lose his mind!”

“Huh?” Lin Xian was puzzled. “What happened?”

“Ha! You dare ask?!” Big Cat Face scowled. “A month ago, you left a couple of books here and left. Ever since then, my father hasn’t come out of his room! He’s locked himself inside every single day, doing research!”

“He’s always been a bookworm, sure, but this time it’s different! He’s shut himself away, mumbling all sorts of weird things. He even scared my daughter to tears—he looked like a ghost!”

The description rang familiar. Lin Xian and Liu Feng exchanged looks.

“Face Brother,” Lin Xian said, grabbing Big Cat Face’s chubby arm, “is your father in his room now?”

“Obviously!” Big Cat Face huffed. “He’s practically stuck to that room. But don’t think for a second he’ll let you in.”

“For the past month, neither my mom nor I have set foot inside his study. He won’t open the door no matter how much we knock. He even eats in there. The only time he comes out is to use the bathroom.”

Lin Xian waved his hand in dismissal. “We’ll go see for ourselves.”

The three hurried to Chen Heping’s courtyard. Big Cat Face’s mother was out feeding the pigs; after a brief greeting, they went straight to the second floor.

Four rooms spanned the second floor, and Chen Heping’s study was in the center. Lin Xian knocked gently.

Creak.

Surprisingly, the door wasn’t locked. The slight knock pushed it open a crack.

“That’s so odd!” Big Cat Face scratched his head in disbelief. “For the entire month, Dad’s door has always been locked. He’s never left it open. Is the sun rising in the west today?”

The moment Lin Xian placed his hand on the door, time seemed to warp, carrying him back to the midsummer days of the Second Dreamscape, to that old, backward Donghai City.

“Hah…”

Lin Xian took a deep breath and pushed the door open forcefully—

424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242424242

“Ahhhhhh!!!!”

Big Cat Face let out a terrified scream.

Inside the cramped, shabby room—

On the walls,

The ceiling,

The floor,

The bedsheets,

The wooden chair,

The desk,

Even on every sheet of draft paper scattered around—

Everything was covered in countless, densely packed 42s.

Everywhere the eye could see was 42.

No corner, no crevice, no writable surface was spared.

Large 42s contained smaller 42s;

Smaller 42s contained even tinier 42s written in delicate pen strokes.

Even within the tiniest 42, there were unimaginably small, threadlike 42s, each one distinct, non-overlapping, and non-intersecting.

Big Cat Face’s face went ghostly pale, and with a thud, he collapsed in shock.

Liu Feng stood there, speechless. He had heard Lin Xian’s accounts before, but seeing it firsthand left him shaken by the overwhelming intensity.

Lin Xian stepped into the room.

Over in the corner was Chen Heping, whom they hadn’t seen in a month. He was crouched by the wall, nose nearly touching its surface, eyes locked on the crevices filled with 42s.

Then…

Chen Heping slowly turned his head.

His hair and beard were a wild tangle, his eyes hollow, as though he were looking at Lin Xian yet also looking through him—beyond the empty air behind.

With cracked lips, he rasped in a hoarse voice:

“42… is everywhere.”

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation