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The parking lights of a white Volkswagen flickered briefly, accompanied by the soft click of the doors unlocking.

A man in a white lab coat with a scruffy beard emerged from a nearby laboratory. He opened the car door and drove off into the night.

The road ahead was dark, illuminated only by the car’s headlights and the occasional reflective road sign. In these sparsely populated areas, the infrastructure was minimal, the roads stretching wide and straight with hardly any traffic.

This was a familiar scene for the man; his late work hours meant he rarely saw other vehicles. Compared to the bustling cities of Asia, Europe’s population density was quite low.

Suddenly, a warning light on the car’s dashboard flashed on. The tire pressure monitor indicated that the right rear tire was rapidly losing air.

“Could it be a flat tire? Maybe I ran over a nail,” he thought.

He pulled over, switched on the hazard lights, and stepped out to inspect the tire using his phone’s flashlight. A nail was indeed embedded in the tire.

But this wasn’t a major issue for him. In Wolfsburg, the hometown of Volkswagen, changing a tire was a skill shared universally, almost as instinctive as a baby knowing how to nurse.

He opened the trunk, grabbed the car jack, and began changing the tire.

Boom!

Out of the darkness, a Hummer with its lights off sped towards him, smashing into him and pinning him between the two vehicles. Blood splattered everywhere as his body was gruesomely crushed.

Boom…

The Hummer reversed and disappeared down the dark road.

From a nearby rooftop, an old man and a young man observed the scene in silence.

Ji Xin Shui checked his wristwatch.

00:42:58

00:42:59

00:43:00

“Operating abroad has its advantages,” the old man remarked, his voice raspy. He disliked the climate, preferring more humid environments at his age.

“Indeed,” Ji Lin responded calmly. “There’s more space, fewer people. The privacy laws here mean surveillance isn’t as intense, which saves us a lot of trouble. Plus, the local police aren’t as thorough.”

He sniffed the air, glancing at the abandoned white Volkswagen, its hazard lights still blinking in the darkness. “If I had to choose a place to retire, it would definitely be somewhere else.”

“Exactly,” Ji Xin Shui nodded. “If it weren’t for the need to draw Lin Xian out, I wouldn’t have involved Tang Xin in a killing in Donghai. Two similar events in one city would certainly raise suspicions. But it’s good you took control of the Donghai Public Security Bureau.”

“Lin Xian is overly cautious,” Ji Lin mused, shaking his head. “He didn’t fall for the trap with Tang Xin. It’s clear he’s on high alert. It’s unlikely we’ll find any proof of him meddling with history now.”

“He didn’t take the bait with Zhou Duan Yun either?” Ji Xin Shui inquired.

“No,” Ji Lin replied softly. “Zhou Duan Yun was just bait, but Lin Xian didn’t bite. He is still alive.”

“What is Lin Xian thinking? Does he lack the supernatural abilities we suspect, or is he just being overly cautious?” Ji Xin Shui pondered.

“Never mind that. Zhou Duan Yun was expendable,” Ji Xin Shui dismissed with a scoff. “He was kept alive specifically for this purpose.”

“You’re always so cautious,” Ji Lin noted, turning to face Ji Xin Shui. “Even though we captured him in international waters, eliminating him wouldn’t have been an issue. The Genius Club wouldn’t be aware of such a minor detail.”

“We can’t afford risks,” Ji Xin Shui said, his wrinkled face stern. “The Genius Club is formidable, to the extent that it makes one question the very fabric of this world.”

“Pride, the man you just killed was a member of the Genius Club, wasn’t he?” Ji Lin asked once more.

Ji Xin Shui remained silent; there was no need for words. Ji Lin already knew about his contact within the Genius Club.

“This method of killing without evidence, just like with Tang Xin, it must be someone else’s directive,” Ji Lin remarked, looking down and smiling. “Yet with Lin Xian, it’s different. No one ordered his death directly. It’s like you’re trying to impress someone, like a student eager to show off in class. That’s why you’re desperate for evidence to prove Lin Xian is altering history. Why not be straightforward? Is joining the Genius Club really about catching someone altering history?”

“You’re mistaken, Ji Lin,” Ji Xin Shui countered, shaking his head. “Stop trying to pry. I’m simply doing my job. You should focus on finding proof against Lin Xian.”

“If we’re successful, we’ll get our answers naturally,” Ji Xin Shui concluded. “By the way, why are you here in Germany? We’ve already dealt with Dr. Ponsmike’s research, and no one else knows about his secret work.”

Ji Lin unrolled a document. It was about Dr. Ponsmike: 47 years old, unmarried, living alone, no children. Though just a regular researcher at the lab, he conducted peculiar experiments at home that he didn’t want to share, hoping to gain recognition and wealth from his potential patents.

His project was controversial — a “room-temperature superconductor.” Normally, superconductors work at extremely low temperatures, but a room-temperature version was considered impossible.

However, Xu Yun’s new aluminum alloy had significantly advanced Dr. Ponsmike’s research. Neither Ji Lin nor Ji Xin Shui fully grasped the scientific details, which confirmed Ji Lin’s suspicion that Ji Xin Shui was affiliated with the Genius Club.

“I’m curious, Pride,” Ji Lin said, examining the complex documents. “If Dr. Ponsmike was working secretly, how did the Genius Club find out? How did they know so quickly?”

“His research, like Tang Xin’s, was nascent. How did the Genius Club recognize its potential and predict its success?”

“That’s their strength. Their mystery!” Ji Xin Shui declared, his eyes glowing with respect. “They’ve never failed, never been wrong. My success and position are testament to that.”

“You’re quite the enigma,” Ji Lin chuckled. “Same lines, over and over. Well, my visit is over. Make sure to erase all traces of Dr. Ponsmike’s work, especially any documents related to room-temperature superconductors.”

“No problem. We’re professionals,” Ji Xin Shui replied dryly.

“One last thing,” Ji Lin added, looking intently at Ji Xin Shui. “You’re certain it’s acceptable to sacrifice our own if needed, but not harm innocents?”

“Exactly,” Ji Xin Shui nodded. “They were already doomed. Envy, Greed, Gluttony, Wrath… I resurrected them. Except you, they’re dispensable.”

“Death was their destiny. Their current lives interfere with history, much like Xu Yun and Tang Xin, albeit to a lesser degree.”

“I gave them a second chance. I understand this better than anyone,” Ji Xin Shui stated.

Ji Lin nodded, aware of Ji Xin Shui’s ruthless streak. He refrained from killing unnecessarily, concerned it might jeopardize his standing with the Genius Club. But his logic was sound; the others were supposed to be dead, their lives now merely granted by Ji Xin Shui.

“Pride, have you forgotten your origins?” Ji Lin suddenly asked.

“Hmm?” Ji Xin Shui looked puzzled.

“Remember, you were once an unknown at Donghai University,” Ji Lin smiled. “Your life was transformed by the Genius Club.”

“What are you getting at?” Ji Xin Shui frowned.

“Isn’t it clear?” Ji Lin continued, gazing at the distant blinking Volkswagen. “You altered the lives of Envy and Greed, making them expendable. But what about you? To the Genius Club, are you also just a pawn?”

“I’m not like them!” Ji Xin Shui’s voice rose. “Stop trying to trap me, Ji Lin.”

“Why not test it with Lin Xian’s case?” Ji Lin suggested, waving the research documents. “I may not understand Dr. Ponsmike’s work, but I recognize its potential. Do you realize what room-temperature superconductors could lead to? The ultimate breakthrough.”

“What would that be?” Ji Xin Shui asked, his brow furrowing.

“Controlled nuclear fusion,” Ji Lin declared, his eyes fixed on the industrial landscape of Wolfsburg.