Chapter 287: The Aluminum Alloy Safe! Activate!

This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation

Lin Xian took a deep breath. The reality of the situation was beginning to sink in.

Kevin Walker and the X-37B space shuttle from the USA.

No wonder things felt off lately. Kevin Walker had been uncharacteristically quiet, flying under the radar.

It turned out he hadn’t been idle at all. He was plotting to hijack a space shuttle!

At this critical juncture, hijacking a space shuttle...

Lin Xian couldn’t help but speculate, “Could Kevin Walker’s ultimate goal be the ‘time-space particle’ that’s about to enter Earth’s atmosphere?”

“I think the same,” VV responded, its digital voice steady and calm.

Kevin Walker’s methods were extremely covert. In its previous state, VV wouldn’t have detected anything. But after numerous updates and evolutions, its capabilities had vastly improved. Naturally, it had picked up on the faint traces left by Kevin Walker.

“Can we locate Kevin Walker based on these clues?” Lin Xian asked, hopeful.

“Not yet,” VV sighed through the electronic alarm clock. “I have to admit, he is indeed a genius. His concealment is remarkable. I’m even beginning to wonder... is Kevin Walker a real person? Or could he be, like me, a stream of data? An AI program? Is that why he’s so hard to find? It feels like he’s everywhere and nowhere.”

“That’s possible,” Lin Xian replied. “If Kevin Walker is just a program, that would be a relief. His structure would surely be inferior to yours. With enough time, you can definitely find and eliminate him. If he’s a real person, that’s more troublesome. It’s much easier for you to find a data stream in the network than to locate a person in the real world.”

“But now isn’t the time to worry about that. Elon Musk said ‘see you in the sky’, which made me suspect he might try to steal the time-space particle; but with you monitoring him 24/7, we’ll know if he makes a move. The real concern is Kevin Walker. If he hijacks that space shuttle to interfere with our capture of the time-space particle... do we have a plan?”

“No need to worry about that,” VV replied confidently through the electronic alarm clock. “Now that we know about Kevin Walker in advance, it’ll be easier to deal with him. I’ll take control of the X-37B space shuttle before he does. My skills are far superior; once I seize control, he won’t be able to take it back.”

“The only concern is... my existence might be exposed. But if we’re going to capture the time-space particle, we must eliminate the threat of Kevin Walker. If exposure is the price, so be it. It’s better than letting him hijack the unmanned space shuttle and hinder our mission.”

Lin Xian nodded. He had thought Kevin Walker was lying low, giving him a chance to capture the time-space particle quietly. But the closer the particle got to Earth, the more complications arose.

Elon Musk, Yellow Finch, Kevin Walker... Were the members of the Genius Club planning to play Mahjong in space? Was there a missing player? Should they invite Copernicus to join and make it a full table?

Lin Xian wondered aloud, “I have Liu Feng with me and used the Guizhou Sky Eye Radio Telescope to locate the time-space particle. How did Elon Musk and Kevin Walker find out? Could they also have a time-space particle capture device?”

He felt a bit foolish after asking that. If they were really part of the Genius Club, which was rumored to be so powerful, it wouldn’t be surprising if they knew about the time-space particle and even had a capture device.

“It seems the time-space particle is more important than we thought. So many people are after it... do we really have an advantage?”

“Of course, you do!” VV displayed a determined look on its screen. “Your biggest advantage is me! Can they control robotic arms as precisely as I can? Can they monitor Elon Musk 24/7 and seize control of the X-37B space shuttle before him? Don’t underestimate me, Lin Xian. I am far stronger than you imagine! From my surveillance, Elon Musk is completely unaware of the time-space particle and doesn’t have a capture device. His life is as transparent as a playboy’s. Even so, I remain vigilant, monitoring him constantly.”

“As for Kevin Walker, there’s even less to worry about. Although I can’t pinpoint his location, his methods are inferior to mine. Even if he initially controls the X-37B, I can wrest control from him. I am your ultimate safeguard! Right now, no one on Earth can challenge me!”

That was the plan. Everything going smoothly would be ideal; if complications arose, he would handle them step by step.

However... Lin Xian hoped for an opportunity to solve the mirror puzzle Yellow Finch left for him; perhaps that would help him uncover the secrets of “The Sad Einstein” and obtain more information about the Genius Club, ultimately gaining an invitation to the Genius Club.

To this day, that was his most desired and urgent goal. He wanted to join the Genius Club. To meet those so-called geniuses, understand their goals and principles, unravel the mysteries and confusions, and see what roles Yellow Finch, Copernicus, Elon Musk, and Kevin Walker played within it. Only then could he determine whether the Genius Club was friend or foe.

Coming back to reality, Lin Xian recalled Brother Wang mentioning the bank’s double happiness. The qualification approval was the first piece of good news. What was the second?

“Brother Wang,” Lin Xian asked, “You mentioned double happiness. What’s the second good news about the bank?”

“Haha, I haven’t had a chance to say it yet.” Clearly overjoyed by the realization of his childhood dream and the festive season, Brother Wang couldn’t stop laughing. “The second good news is... the 266 aluminum alloy password safes, which took countless visits to manufacturers, consulting experts, and massive funds, have finally been delivered!”

“Oh, this was no easy feat. I approached many research institutes and factories, but none could take on this task. The manufacturing process of the special aluminum alloy is extremely complicated; it’s not just about high temperatures and pressing machines. This new type of material is incredibly hard and durable, requiring specialized step-by-step alloy manufacturing techniques. Only a handful of institutes and factories in the country can handle it.”

“So I guess... Time Bank might be the only bank in the world willing to use the new type of aluminum alloy to make safes. Many think it’s unnecessary to go to such extremes for a safe, but we are Time Bank, after all. We need to store time capsules for decades or even centuries, and I believe the new special aluminum alloy, with its stability and indestructibility, is the perfect choice!”

“I’ve always believed electronic devices are unreliable, especially over long periods. They’ll face issues like power failure and damage... Our safes are meant to store items for decades or centuries, so electronic locks are out of the question. That’s why I invited an international encryption expert to design an eight-digit mechanical lock! All components are made of the special aluminum alloy, with an extremely complex structure, making short-term cracking nearly impossible and ensuring high security!”

“Hahaha, since this has been my dream for many years, I spared no expense on these details. I hope you won’t blame me... I just wanted to make Time Bank as perfect as possible in every aspect.”

“In short, the delivery of 266 aluminum alloy safes excites me more than the approval procedures! I was so thrilled I took many photos. I’ll send them to you on WeChat, Lin Xian! For luck, I engraved your name on safe number 66. This aluminum alloy safe is yours forever!”

With that, Brother Wang’s voice grew quieter. He must have taken the phone away from his ear to select photos to send to Lin Xian.

Ding-ding.

The WeChat notification sounded. Lin Xian picked up his phone and opened WeChat to view the images Brother Wang sent. The first few images were distant shots of the room filled with neatly stacked aluminum alloy safes. Soon, they would be embedded in the concrete walls of Time Bank’s vault. Once embedded... they would remain for 600 years.

Lin Xian zoomed in on the photos. Each safe was gleaming, new, and exactly as he had seen in his dreams, bringing back memories... It was an indescribable feeling. The aluminum alloy safe that had tormented him in his dreams for so long had vanished in the future world but now reappeared in the real world of 600 years ago! It felt like a lifetime ago, making it hard to distinguish between reality and dreams.

This novel is translated and hosted only on Bca Translation

Lin Xian examined the final photo sent by Brother Wang. It was a close-up of an aluminum alloy safe, filling the entire frame with its shiny surface reflecting the incandescent light. So familiar! This was his long-awaited safe! He zoomed in on the image. In the center of the safe, on a nameplate, was his name engraved—[Lin Xian]

The same style as in his dream. Below the nameplate were eight digit wheels, like old friends! At this moment... Even though he had mentally prepared himself, when this moment truly arrived, spanning 600 years of time to see his safe again, and knowing he would control the password and Time Bank, Lin Xian couldn’t help but feel his heart race and his palms sweat.

“Did you see it, Lin Xian? Isn’t it cool!” Brother Wang’s laughter came through the phone again. “Because the lock mechanism is extremely complex, once the password is set, it cannot be changed. It’s a trade-off between security and functionality. For absolute security, I chose this lock design.”

“Sure, a brute-force approach can crack it, with 100 million possible combinations for the eight-digit password. Even trying one per second non-stop 24/7 would take over three years... Unless our bank goes out of business, it’s impossible for such a scenario to occur. A thief can’t stay in the vault for three years without being noticed, right?”

After proudly explaining the lock, Brother Wang asked, “So, Lin Xian, what kind of password do you plan to set?”

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