Chapter 37: Daytime Dreams

Lin Xian’s English was flawless in this case.

“Genius Club...” he murmured, turning the wax seal between his fingers. He moved to the window, inspecting it under the sunlight. The seal glowed a deep red, featuring a design of a strong hand with an outstretched index finger pointing directly at the sun, as if piercing the blazing orb.

It was unsettling yet strangely assertive.

“This must be their emblem,” Lin Xian mused, clutching the wax seal tightly. Since receiving the invitation, this was his first tangible encounter with anything from the Genius Club, marking his closest brush yet with the secretive organization.

What could this symbol represent?

Mimicking the emblem, Lin Xian extended his right hand, palm facing him, and pointed his index finger skyward. It felt like a professor stressing a critical point, yet it carried an undeniable command, as if it could order the world to kneel.

He slipped the seal into his jacket pocket. Keeping the seal at the office wasn’t safe; it was better hidden at home. A troubling thought then struck him:

“If the wax seal is separated from the invitation, it means... Zhao Ying Jun has already opened and read it.”

Lin Xian gazed out at the sprawling city skyline, deep in thought. “Zhao Ying Jun had seen the invitation... Was she indifferent? Curious? Or possibly... has she already agreed to join the Genius Club?”

A shiver ran down his spine. If Big Cat Face’s information was accurate, the Genius Club was undeniably sinister. What could possibly motivate Zhao Ying Jun to join such a group? What were her intentions and plans?

The room seemed to grow colder. Yet, Lin Xian reminded himself not to dwell on these suspicions just yet. His views of the Genius Club were solely based on Big Cat Face’s claims. Given Big Cat Face’s shady background, taking his word as the absolute truth wasn’t wise.

“I should verify the credibility of the dream first.”

The dream’s nature was still unclear, as were Big Cat Face’s statements. It was too early for conclusions; he needed to proceed cautiously.

“Right now, the priority is to aid Professor Xu Yun in his research and alter the future!”

Libraries, being non-profit entities, often held rare, specialized books, serving as reservoirs of knowledge. Lin Xian was familiar with the library’s location in the dream world; he had passed the imposing, round, twin-towered structure many times, a quiet landmark in the dream city.

The library closed early, around five or six in the evening. Nighttime research wasn’t an option; he had to visit during daylight hours.

“It looks like I’ll need to dream during the day.”

Lin Xian recalled the earliest time he could enter the dream world from his youth—12:42 PM.

Before this, no matter how early he went to sleep, he wouldn’t dream at all, enjoying only deep, dreamless slumber. But at 12:42 PM, he’d immediately be transported to the dream world, standing in a familiar square.

12:42 PM to 12:42 AM.

These 12 hours were the only time Lin Xian could spend in the dream world each day. Outside this window, he couldn’t dream.

After delegating some tasks at his team’s office, Lin Xian took a leave of absence and headed home. He grabbed a quick lunch along the way.

Once home, he quickly freshened up and lay down for a nap. Glancing at the clock, it read 1:20 PM.

“The library in the dream probably closes around five or six. If I sleep now, I have about four hours there, which is plenty.”

He drew the curtains, darkening the room. Lin Xian nestled into the blanket, closed his eyes, and whispered:

“Sleep, and let’s get started!”

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation