Genius Playground

”No, no, no.”

The middle-aged man waved his hand.

”While that’s a surprising advantage, it wasn’t the deciding factor.”

”The reason we chose you from among the many candidates is, well, actually quite simple.”

He picked up a remote and projected a photo onto the screen.

Li Yini’s eyes widened.

It was...

It was an adorable, short-haired girl with a slim figure. Her smile was radiant, and she had an air about her as refreshing as a spring breeze.

But what surprised her even more was that...

The girl—her face, figure, height, and features—bore a striking resemblance to her!

”That’s right.”

The middle-aged man looked at Li Yini.

”Of all the girls we screened...”

”You... resemble her the most.”

...

「October 20, 2023. Weather: Sunny.」

I’ve been busy with the paperwork to withdraw from school these past few days, so I haven’t written in my diary.

My instructor tried his best to convince me to stay.

He said my eyesight is top-tier and that I’m a rare talent, whether for criminal investigation or the military.

I only realized this myself after starting college. It’s not that my eyesight is exceptionally good, but that my powers of observation are truly extraordinary.

I can spot the most minute differences with a single glance, even details others would miss with a magnifying glass.

Whether it involved images, faces, landscapes, or identifying objects at a distance, I aced every test.

But...

This gift still can’t help me find my brother.

Perhaps one day, after he comes home, I’ll try to become a police officer again.

But like I said, that has to wait... until my brother is home.

Today, I arrived in the United States, at Dartmouth College.

Here, in a classified laboratory, they are going to download the memories of a girl named Cheng Mengxue... into my mind.

...

”Can... can this really be done?”

Li Yini’s eyes widened as she listened to the insane plan.

”This is too outlandish! How could you possibly transfer one person’s memories into another’s brain?”

”I-it’s not that I’m scared. I’ve already steeled myself for this. I’m just in shock... Has science in our world really progressed this far? This is the kind of thing you only see in sci-fi movies!”

Across from her, Wu Yuanzheng was perfectly calm.

”Four months ago, Cheng Mengxue was in a car accident. After she was brought to the hospital, she was deemed beyond saving and has been kept alive by an ECMO machine ever since.”

”In truth, that state is almost no different from death. The moment the ECMO machine is turned off, she will die.”

”It was a friend of mine—we call him the Magician—who commissioned another friend, the Puppet. Before Cheng Mengxue passed away, they did everything in their power to perform a Consciousness Upload procedure, digitizing and storing her memories and consciousness.”

”Of course, neither the Magician nor the Puppet is here today... haha. Forgive them. They’re good people who just prefer to stay out of the spotlight.”

”So, if memories can be uploaded, then theoretically, they can also be downloaded. The only thing is, the process is excruciating, and it must be done without anesthetic.”

”Therefore, I must confirm with you one last time, Li Yini. Are you truly willing to accept this pain... as well as the future pain of plastic surgery, other procedures, and physical training, to transform yourself into another girl—into Cheng Mengxue?”

To be honest...

Li Yini truly hesitated for a second.

She knew that once she accepted this procedure, there would be no turning back.

Li Yini would vanish from the world. She would become Cheng Mengxue, living once more... all to open a ”lock” that had not yet appeared and whose location was a mystery.

”Priest.”

Li Yini made her decision, staking all her hope on this one bet. She looked at Wu Yuanzheng.

”You’ll really help me find my brother... help me find Lele, won’t you?”

Wu Yuanzheng placed his right hand over his heart.

”I swear on my soul. On the day you complete your mission... or by the 16th of that month at the latest, I will bring your brother to you.”

Li Yini nodded firmly.

”I believe you.”

Then, she lay down on the operating table...

The surgery was long.

Her body was clamped tightly in a metal frame, unable to move an inch.

She screamed, breaking down from the pain, and fainted several times.

Finally, her vision went black, and she passed out completely.

She didn’t know how much time had passed before she finally opened her eyes. Her body felt weak, but thankfully, the pain was gone for the moment.

The middle-aged man stepped forward, took out a photograph, and held it before her eyes.

”Who is this?”

”My cousin, Xu Yan,” Li Yini blurted out.

’Huh?’

’Wait a minute!’

She was stunned.

’What’s going on?’

’I’ve never met this person, and she’s definitely not my cousin, but memories about her just flashed through my mind!’

The middle-aged man was pleased. He produced another photograph.

”And this person?”

”Wang Hao... my high school class president.”

The words had come out automatically again.

Li Yini was completely baffled.

’So, the surgery was a success?’

’These are Cheng Mengxue’s memories!’

’Cheng Mengxue’s memories have been downloaded into my mind?’

”One more person.”

The middle-aged man held out another photo.

”Who is this?”

”Jiang Ran, the one I li... my childhood friend.”

For some reason...

Li Yini had a slip of the tongue.

”Very good.”

The middle-aged man smiled with satisfaction, exchanged a glance with Wu Yuanzheng, and then turned his gaze back to her.

”Last question.”

The middle-aged man looked at her.

”Who are you?”

Li Yini was confused.

She didn’t understand why he would ask such a silly question.

But she answered truthfully: