Genius Playground

Jiang Ran muttered:

“Are you sure that the picture I just took was the last one?”

“Yeah!”

Chi Xiaoguo nodded.

“Besides, Senior, this camera has been in the foam box the whole time. No one else has used it. Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

“No.”

Jiang Ran shook his head.

“I’m not mistaken.”

There were now only two possibilities—

‘Either someone secretly used this camera to take a picture.’

‘Or a picture had already been taken before Nan Xiuxiu even gave the camera to me.’

“…”

Jiang Ran fell silent as he stared at the camera.

This, he supposed, was the “blind box” experience of a film camera.

If it were a digital camera, he could check the photos right now and find the culprit.

But with a film camera, until the moment the photos were developed, you never knew what secrets the film held.

“An extra photo,”

Jiang Ran murmured to himself.

“What… could it be?”

More importantly, who had taken this extra photo?

He was genuinely curious.

“Alright, then. Too bad I can’t take your picture.”

Jiang Ran took the camera off from around his neck.

“When you have time, can you develop the eight photos inside for me?”

“Of course.”

Chi Xiaoguo nodded.

“I’ll find time to develop them for you in the next couple of days. I’ll have to wait until I don’t have class… After all, it’s a major undertaking that can’t be stopped once it’s started.”

“Alright.”

Afterward, Jiang Ran and Chi Xiaoguo returned to the Film Club.

Chi Xiaoguo showed Jiang Ran that before taking out the roll, you first had to turn the crank to rewind the film back into its canister. Only then could you open the back cover and remove the film. Otherwise, it would get exposed, and the photos would be ruined.

The two agreed to fire up the Positron Cannon there again that night.

Chi Xiaoguo had already eaten, but Jiang Ran hadn’t. He walked out the door and looked back.

“I’m heading to the cafeteria to eat. Should I bring something back for you?”

“No, no, no, you don’t have to!”

Chi Xiaoguo waved her hands.

“I have a really small appetite!”

“…”

Jiang Ran gave her a skeptical look.

“It’s no trouble. Don’t be polite.”

“Hahaha… alright, then.”

Chi Xiaoguo scratched her head, embarrassed.

“In that case, could you bring me back a malatang from the second floor? I guess I’m not actually full. The cheapest 6-yuan one is fine.”

…

「Night. 10:45 PM.」

The Film Club was the only room left with its lights on in the club activities building. It was time to use the Positron Cannon again.

Jiang Ran stood up and walked toward the windowsill.

“Huh?”

Chi Xiaoguo was taken aback.

“Senior, didn’t we say it was my turn to try it outside today?”

“Let’s wait a little longer.”

Jiang Ran braced his hands on the windowsill.

“After I’ve confirmed the experiment is safe, then you can have a turn.”

In truth, there was nothing particularly unsafe about the Virtual World of 2045. Except for the moment it rebooted every 39 minutes and 11 seconds, it was as wonderful as a Utopia.

It was just that he wanted to thoroughly investigate floor B42 of the Human Civilization Memorial Hall tonight, so he would have to postpone the experiment on Chi Xiaoguo.

He vaulted over the windowsill and landed in front of the transformer distribution box.

“I’m ready!”

“5! 4! 3! 2! 1! 0!”

The instant Chi Xiaoguo’s countdown finished, the Positron Cannon roared to life with a blue glow. At just the right moment, Jiang Ran pressed the answer button on his phone—

VMM!

VMM!

VMM!

Dizziness. The world spun around him.

Two seconds later, he opened his eyes to the sweet smell of cake wafting from across the street and saw a waitress in a maid outfit mincing toward him from the side.

“Si—” “Not drinking today.”

Jiang Ran smiled apologetically and waved his hand.

“Sorry, I’m in a hurry today. Next time for sure!”

He then scurried to the roadside, hopped on a shared hovercycle, and twisted the throttle to the max, speeding toward the East Sea City Human Civilization Memorial Hall.

He didn’t need a watch or anything.

This adventure would only last 39 minutes and 11 seconds for him… and with the winding sewers as long and twisted as Sang Biao’s intestines, he couldn’t afford to waste a single second.

Soon, he was flying over the Memorial Hall and spotted Sang Biao lurking suspiciously outside the perimeter wall.

“Sang Biao!” he shouted, leaping directly off the vehicle and paying no mind as the hovercycle crashed into a nearby tree.

“Who the hell are you calling Sang Biao! Piss off!”

SMACK.

Jiang Ran slammed his hand down on Sang Biao’s, stopping him from drawing his gun.

“Do you want Pompey’s treasure?”

“Huh?” Sang Biao froze.

“The disappearance of the Permission Wall will be discovered by others soon. We don’t have much time.”

Jiang Ran stared at Sang Biao, his gaze serious.

“So… don’t waste time here. We’re partners with the same goal!”

He bent down, hooked his fingers under the manhole cover, and lifted it with a POP. Then he shoved the brain-fried Sang Biao down into the opening.

“Cut the crap and follow me!”