Chapter 140: Curiosity

Gao Yang slammed his hand down on the table, clearly frustrated. “This is ridiculous! Our class reunion was supposed to have exactly 41 people! Who’s this 42nd person? Is a ghost going to show up next?!”

Next to him, Xia Yuan coughed sharply and grabbed Gao Yang’s arm. “Relax, Gao Yang. It’s New Year’s, no need for ghost stories.”

Lin Xian perked up, intrigued by the mysterious number. He squinted at Gao Yang. “How many people are actually here today?”

Gao Yang stood up quickly. “41, of course! It would be the same even if the king showed up!” He pulled a crumpled list from his pocket and handed it to Lin Xian. “See for yourself.”

Lin Xian looked over the wrinkled paper, which had names checked off in three columns, ending at 41. Everyone was accounted for.

“I don’t understand.” Gao Yang began counting out loud, pointing at each table. “1, 2, 3... 39, 40, 41!” He glared at the waiter. “See? Exactly 41!”

Lin Xian sighed and turned to Gao Yang. “Did you count yourself in that?”Yôur favorite stories on n/o/(v)e/lbin(.)com

“Huh?” Gao Yang scratched his head, then realized his mistake. Laughter filled the room. Lin Xian pointed out that Gao Yang had left himself off the list.

“You never cease to amaze,” Lin Xian laughed.

Gao Yang chuckled awkwardly and sat down. “Oops, my bad! Waiter, we need 42 sets, please! Ha!” He raised his glass. “Let’s toast to our reunion!”

“And you owe three drinks for that mistake, class president!” another classmate shouted, sparking more laughter.

Lin Xian smiled as well, though his thoughts were elsewhere. The number 42—it was an error this time, but it kept appearing. Was it still just a coincidence?

Two people at the reunion seemed out of place: Tang Xin and Zhou Duan Yun. Zhou Duan Yun’s presence made sense—they hadn’t been close in high school, but a lot can change in three years. Lin Xian’s vague recollection of him wasn’t unusual.

But Tang Xin was a different story. They had only shared a few days as classmates, practically strangers. Yet, Tang Xin recognized him immediately and with confidence. It puzzled Lin Xian.

It reminded him of his visit to Zhao Ying Jun’s office. There, Yellow Finch knew everything about him, even things he hadn’t shared, like details about space-time laws. What was happening? Could people read his mind? Or was his life broadcasted like in “The Truman Show”?

Encouraged by Gao Yang, Lin Xian took another drink as a fruit platter arrived. He’d drunk too much; his head spun. The mix of alcohol and swirling thoughts pushed him to act. He’d been too passive, ensnared in various schemes.

With the Genius Club clues exhausted and Yellow Finch warning of imminent danger in a “cat and mouse” game, Lin Xian’s only lead was the recurring number 42.

He wasn’t sure if the earlier miscount was a hint, but it was time to explore more. He planned to visit the university to meet the author of “Introduction to the Cosmic Constant.”

“How did you get here tonight?” Lin Xian asked Tang Xin as they reached the entrance.

“I came by taxi,” Tang Xin replied, pointing to a waiting cab. “I’ll take one back, too.”

She waved, her smile warm. “I’ll see you back in Donghai City!”

Lin Xian nodded and smiled back. “Take care getting home—it’s late.”

Out of habit, he glanced at his watch. 00:41. Suddenly anxious, Lin Xian quickly grasped Tang Xin’s delicate wrist.

“Hey?” Tang Xin looked back in surprise, puzzled as Lin Xian held her wrist a bit too tightly.

Lin Xian, still feeling the effects of the alcohol, managed a smile. “Actually... there’s something I want to discuss.”

“Sure,” Tang Xin replied, her demeanor still graceful despite the suddenness. “Should we find a different spot, or...?”

“Here is fine,” Lin Xian said, carefully keeping her away from the curb as he let go of her wrist. Recalling Professor Xu Yun’s untimely death, he felt a protective instinct surge. It was nearly 00:42, and given Tang Xin’s research on hibernation, Lin Xian couldn’t shake a nagging worry.

With the taxi driver distracted and no other cars in sight, Lin Xian’s caution might have seemed excessive.

But just to be safe, he decided to wait until after 00:42. If his suspicions were correct, the killers struck only within a minute-long window each night. “What’s wrong, Lin Xian?” Tang Xin asked, playing with her short hair and rocking on her heels, smiling curiously at him.

Lin Xian refocused, meeting her gaze. “Actually, there’s something I’ve been curious about.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“You mentioned earlier that the side effects of hibernation aren’t just about memory loss but something more severe.”

“Yes,” Tang Xin chuckled lightly, relaxed. “Are you really that curious?”

“Just a bit,” Lin Xian admitted with a smile. “Could you explain it to me?”

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation