Genius Playground

[September 13, 2025. Weather: Sunny]

[The date of the divine punishment has finally been set.

In three days, it will all be over.

The Priest seems to be fond of this kind of ceremony. Whenever he helps a believer resolve their regrets, he always sets a date in advance.

That’s fine, I suppose.

Because, after our regrets are resolved, that will be the day of our rebirth.

That day will be our new birthday.

It’s just a shame...

I won’t be able to see the moment our regrets are resolved.

I am guilty.

This, too, is the divine punishment I must bear.

Praise the Priest.

I will regret everything I’ve done.

But this is the only way.

I’m sorry.

I’m sorry.

I’m sorry.

I do not beg for your forgiveness.

I’m sorry...

I had no choice.]

...

...

...

Standing amidst the lively club recruitment fair, Jiang Ran stared at the writing on the back of the photo, a chill running down his spine.

[At the University of Pennsylvania... there is no Cheng Mengxue.]

’What on earth did that sentence mean?’

’Could it be saying that there was no student named Cheng Mengxue at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States?’

’That’s impossible.’

Jiang Ran had seen Cheng Mengxue’s enrollment documents, her student ID, and her passport.

Because her domestic household registration had been canceled, Cheng Mengxue had used a new identity during her two years in the United States.

Her name hadn’t changed, it was just written in the English style: Mengxue-Cheng.

Anyone who understood Chinese would know the name was still Cheng Mengxue, just with the surname placed at the end, following the US custom.

Jiang Ran had personally helped Cheng Mengxue with her university registration procedures.

The official letter of recommendation from the University of Pennsylvania, the student record transfer file, the principal’s signature, the school seal... all the necessary documents were there, and the teacher at the reception desk had confirmed them one by one.

’So why,’

did the message on the back of this photo say,

’...there was no Cheng Mengxue at the University of Pennsylvania?’

If it were just an ordinary sentence, Jiang Ran wouldn’t have paid it much mind. He would have just assumed the sender didn’t know Cheng Mengxue’s true background or identity.

But this line of text was something he absolutely could not ignore.

Because!

The handwriting was far too familiar!

This was the handwriting he had seen countless times on World Line 0, the handwriting from the homework he’d lazily copied countless times, the handwriting of someone he’d been inseparable from for five years!

’There’s no mistake.’

’He couldn’t be wrong.’

The person who wrote this line had to be that once-inseparable best friend, now an enigmatic figure from his past—

’Qin Feng!’

He put down the photo and quickly asked Chi Xiaoguo:

”Where is he?”

”He left a while ago.”

Chi Xiaoguo recalled,

”Not long after you left for class, he came over, said a few words, put down the photo, and left.”

Jiang Ran quickly darted out from behind the table and into the bustling crowd.

He looked left and right, trying to find that familiar figure in the stream of people.

But...

It was impossible.

Qin Feng was a genius. If he was intentionally hiding and didn’t want to be seen, there was no way Jiang Ran could ever find him.

Returning to the Film Club’s recruitment booth, Jiang Ran continued his questioning:

”What did he look like? What did he say?”

Chi Xiaoguo described him in detail.

As Jiang Ran listened, his brow gradually furrowed and his fists clenched.

’There’s no doubt...’

’It was definitely Qin Feng.’

’That guy really is active nearby, plotting something, spying on my every move.’

He took out his phone and checked the date.

September 13, 2025.

’Qin Feng, what the hell are you up to?’

From Chi Xiaoguo’s retelling, Jiang Ran was once again certain that the text message Qin Feng had sent 10 years into the past must have mentioned the Film Club, himself, Cheng Mengxue, the Positron Cannon, and other information.

This wasn’t exactly a new discovery.

With a mind like Qin Feng’s, he wouldn’t have wasted a single punctuation mark in a 70-character message. He would have definitely used this one and only chance to cram in as much information as possible.

’The Positron Cannon and the Time SMS were surely top priorities.’

He picked up the photo again, flipped it over, and stared at the handwritten line.

’Since Qin Feng was the one who wrote this, I can’t just dismiss it.’

’Qin Feng would never do something without a purpose, nor would he jump to conclusions about anything.’

’He’s been hiding all these years and has avoided seeing me, yet he suddenly shows up today to pass on this message.’

’This means...’

Jiang Ran narrowed his eyes, once again recalling Cheng Mengxue from that day, downing glass after glass of red wine without the slightest sign of intoxication:

’This means... there’s definitely something wrong with this Cheng Mengxue.’

...

As the sun set in the west, the sky and the earth were dyed red.

The other clubs’ recruitment booths were taken down one after another, their efforts having paid off handsomely.

Only the Film Club’s table remained, with neat stacks of un-given souvenirs and thick piles of flyers whose corners fluttered up and down in the wind.

In the end, the Film Club didn’t receive a single new membership application.

The club’s current membership remained locked at four people.

”How about we just find a friend to fill the spot?”

Jiang Ran suggested.

”You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Since these freshmen aren’t interested in film photography, we don’t need to force it.”

”Besides, having four people doesn’t stop us from doing club activities. In fact, I think that tiny activity room is just right for four people—not too crowded, and not too empty.”

Chi Xiaoguo sighed.

”I guess that’s our only option.”

Chi Xiaoguo’s emotions had been on a roller coaster all day, full of ups and downs. By now, she had finally calmed down.

Her heart was as still as water; she calmly accepted reality.

”You’re right, senior.”

Chi Xiaoguo’s spirits lifted again.

”Since we have four members now, we have to be responsible for everyone and do a good job with the Film Club’s activities.”

”Although... how should I put this... I feel like pulling someone in just to make up the numbers is kind of deceiving the school, and it doesn’t sit right with me. But... we also have to be responsible to our current members, right?”

Seeing the light return to the little club president’s eyes, Jiang Ran smiled slightly and nodded.

Currently, the Film Club had no activity funding.

They had only been granted a one-year reprieve from being disbanded and were currently in a superposition of ”disbanded” and ”not disbanded.”

Only by gathering five members and proving they had the ability and necessity to conduct club activities would the Student Union Association approve funding for them through the proper channels.

”Exactly. Nothing in this world is ever perfect, right? Compared to the predicament we faced last year, you could say we’re really building up steam now.”

”That’s right!”

Chi Xiaoguo jumped off the stool and stood up straight.

Although it didn’t add much to her height, the fire burning in her eyes significantly boosted her presence:

”Building up steam! Steam!”

She clenched her small fists and declared war on the setting sun:

”We’re definitely going to win a big award! We’ll show everyone! Win!”

”Win!”

”Win!”

”Win!”

SLAP.

Carried along by Chi Xiaoguo’s enthusiasm, Jiang Ran high-fived her under the fiery clouds—

The Film Club’s recruitment drive was a resounding success!

...

「That evening, on the second floor of a milk tea shop off campus.」

Jiang Ran sat at a corner table, watching the top of the stairs, waiting in silence.

After a long while, the CLICK-CLACK of high heels sounded. Xu Yan appeared from around the corner, handbag slung over her arm. Spotting Jiang Ran, she walked over slowly.

”What’s up, Jiang Ran? You suddenly ask me out for milk tea off campus, and you’re so secretive about it... telling me not to mention it to anyone.”

Jiang Ran gestured for her to sit.

”I have something I want to discuss with you.”

He then used his phone to scan the QR code for the menu, handing it to Xu Yan and telling her to order whatever she wanted.

After returning to his dorm that evening, Fang Ze wasn’t in the room, and with no idea where he’d gone, Jiang Ran took off his shoes and lay on his bed to think.

He was very concerned about the photo Qin Feng had left for him and the warning on the back.

After all... this was the man who, 20 years in the future, would be public enemy number one, the world’s greatest criminal, the Magician himself.

If Qin Feng said there was something wrong with Cheng Mengxue, then it was almost certain that something was definitely wrong.

It’s just that he and Wang Hao had gone through so much trouble over the summer break without getting anywhere. In the end, they’d even run a DNA test and still couldn’t find any holes in her story.

So, on this photo that Qin Feng went out of his way to deliver... could there be a crucial clue?

This was why he had secretly arranged to meet Xu Yan tonight.

He didn’t know many people at East Sea University, and in the current situation, there were even fewer he dared to trust.

Chi Xiaoguo was one, but she barely knew Cheng Mengxue, so naturally, he couldn’t discuss this matter with her.

After a process of elimination, only Xu Yan was suitable.

First, Xu Yan was Cheng Mengxue’s older cousin, and the two had lived together for a month over the summer. Setting aside the question of whether this Cheng Mengxue was real or not, Xu Yan was, in any case, the most familiar with her daily details and behavior.

Second, Xu Yan was a childhood friend. Not only had she taken great care of him when they were young, but even on this lonely and unfamiliar World Line 1, she had selflessly helped him many times and remained as gentle and reliable as he remembered. Naturally, Jiang Ran felt he could trust her.

Finally, and most importantly, he and Xu Yan had been through a lot together and shared many secrets, not least of which was the ”handwritten letter in a glass bottle.” Given this, discussing the Cheng Mengxue matter with her was undoubtedly the most appropriate choice.

After they ordered, the young waiter brought over their drinks, and Jiang Ran got straight to the point:

”During the summer break, Xiaoxue stayed at your place for a month, and you two slept in the same room every night... During that time, did you notice anything strange about her?”

”No?”

Xu Yan shook her head decisively, chewing on her straw.

”Xiaoxue was perfectly normal, exactly the same as she’s always been. No change at all.”

”Someone sent me a photo.”

Jiang Ran opened an envelope, took out a photo of a house taken somewhere in the United States, and placed it on the table.

”Of course, since I called you out so secretively tonight, I hope you’ll also keep what we discuss today a secret from Xiaoxue.”

”What is it...? So dramatic. Let me see.”

Xu Yan didn’t think much of it and held the photo up to her eyes.

”Huh?”

Suddenly, she looked puzzled.

Then she sat up straight and re-examined the photo.

After a few more seconds, she noticed the watermark in the bottom-right corner, which recorded the date the photo was taken:

”This photo... was taken a week ago?”

Jiang Ran nodded.

”If we disregard the possibility that it’s a fake, then yes, it was most likely taken a week ago.”

”Then it must be a fake.”

Xu Yan let out a small laugh.

”If this was from a week ago, the yard couldn’t possibly look like this. Look, it’s overgrown with weeds. It obviously hasn’t been tended to in a long time.”

?

Jiang Ran’s eyes widened.

”You know this house?”

”Of course I do!”

Xu Yan replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

”Every time Xiaoxue video calls her parents, or when my parents video call her parents, they’re always in this yard...”

”Oh, right, you’ve never video-called my aunt and uncle, so you haven’t seen this yard before.”

”The yard is very beautiful, kept very clean, and has lots of flowers. Xiaoxue’s dad even built a wooden trellis to grow grapes. They even showed it off to us during a video call.”

”So, how could I not recognize this yard?”

She smiled slightly and pointed at the yard wall, which was covered by weeds in the photo.

”This is clearly...”

”Xiaoxue’s home in the United States!”