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So… it seemed likely that Elon Musk was in deep trouble.

With a soft sigh, Da Vinci looked up at Einstein. “If Elon Musk really is gone, will you leave a virtual version of him behind, like you did with Turing?”

Einstein shook his head slowly. “No. The reason you still see Turing here is because he serves as a guide for this VR system and cyberspace. Without him, new members wouldn’t be able to connect, answer questions, or enter the meeting space.

“The model of Turing isn’t a memorial or proof of his death,” he added. “The charter of our club says that membership is for life, and members should always have the right to attend meetings, regardless of their situation. So, whether a member is alive or not, we treat them the same.

“For Elon Musk, it will be the same. Whether he survives or not, his chair and mask will remain here. Now that all nine geniuses are present, Turing’s role as a guide is no longer needed.

“All the invitations have been delivered, all the badges are gathered. There will be no new members, so Turing no longer has to stay.”

With that, Einstein turned towards Turing’s virtual figure, who was sitting silently in the last of the four chairs to his left.

“You may leave,” he said. “You are no longer needed here.”

In an instant, Turing’s figure became transparent, and only his mask remained. It dropped from the air and landed softly on the chair.

And just like that, two geniuses were now gone. Only seven remained, including Einstein.

“Now then…” Einstein’s raspy voice broke the silence. “There are seven members present today. Let the meeting officially begin.”

“Fewer people… that’s… kind of nice,” Gauss murmured slowly. “When there are too many… they always… interrupt me…”

“Quiet, Gauss.” Einstein’s tone was firm. “Don’t interrupt when I’m announcing the agenda.”

A sigh came from a middle-aged man sitting nearby—Galileo. “Gauss, it’s no wonder people interrupt you all the time. Could you stop butting in every moment? When it’s your turn to speak, everyone will listen.”

Lin Xian sat quietly, listening to the conversation. He realized that none of them were actually speaking the language of X Country. Their words were being translated in real time by the VR system.

The difference between translated speech and natural speech was easy to notice. Lin Xian figured that his own words were probably being translated into clunky English, French, German, or whatever language the others spoke.

The system was advanced enough to translate everyone’s words into their preferred language, making the communication smooth.

Lin Xian could tell that Gauss and Da Vinci were definitely from X Country—their speech was perfectly natural without any hint of translation. Even Gauss’s slow, deliberate way of talking made complete sense in their language.

As for the other members, Lin Xian wasn’t sure which countries they were from, but he knew they weren’t from X Country.

His eyes moved to Einstein. He was curious about what would happen now that the meeting was starting for real.

Einstein walked back to his seat—a grand black wooden chair—and announced, “Since we have a new member today, we will begin, as always, with introductions.”

His gaze turned to Lin Xian. “Rhine… every new member of the Genius Club must answer one question.

“As someone destined to shape history and create the future, what is the most important quality a genius should possess?

“This is a way for you to share your thoughts and for us to understand you better. But before you answer, you should hear what the others have said before you.”

Einstein straightened in his chair and took a deep breath. “I will start, as No. 1. This is the eighth time I’ve given this answer, and no matter how many times I repeat it, it remains unchanged.”

Lin Xian looked up at the small, hunched figure in the large chair. The mask on Einstein’s face was modeled after the painting “Sorrowful Einstein”—a portrayal of him with tired eyes, messy hair, and a sad expression.

Lin Xian wondered why Einstein, the leader of the Genius Club, would choose such a haunting image for his mask. There were plenty of other, more lively depictions of him to choose from.

“I have always believed that the most important quality for a genius is—”

Einstein spoke clearly, with weight behind each word: “Height.”

After a pause, he continued, “What sets a genius apart from ordinary people is the height from which they view problems. A true genius must see things from a great height and have a long enough perspective to make the most rational decisions.

“As they say, the higher you stand, the farther you see. Only by standing tall can you know what matters and what doesn’t. Height naturally gives you the answers.”

Einstein then turned to No. 2, Copernicus, who sat on his left. The mask worn by this frail old man depicted a young man with wild curls and a serious face—Copernicus.

The elderly figure gave a weak sigh. “This is the seventh time I’ve answered this question, and I’m glad it will be my last.

“My answer hasn’t changed: the most important quality for a genius is—”

“Uniqueness.”

He scanned the room and gave a faint smile. “A genius is destined to be lonely. Throughout human history, few geniuses have met happy ends. Most died unrecognized, persecuted, misunderstood.

“Many were starved, burned, or treated cruelly because they were ahead of their time. They couldn’t fit into a society that saw them as strange.

“But that loneliness, that feeling of being different, is a fate a genius must accept. I must say that we live in the best of times. This era is willing to understand, accept, and even respect geniuses.

“Yet, even now, geniuses must remain separate from the ordinary. Only those who stay truly unique can grasp real truth and find the right answers.”

Lin Xian’s gaze then moved to No. 3, Newton—an elderly man with a childlike twinkle in his eye. His mask depicted a stern-looking man with bushy eyebrows—Isaac Newton, the brilliant physicist who proposed the laws of motion and gravity.

Newton spoke with a distant, almost dreamlike tone. “My answer is—”

“Responsibility.”

“Everyone has their own talents. Some have more, some less, but everyone is good at something. Geniuses are often talented in many areas.

“A person with an exceptional skill can be called talented. There are many talented people in every era.

“But a genius is different. A genius is a gift to humanity, a beacon of hope. And with great power comes great responsibility. A genius must shoulder that responsibility.

“We must rise above our own desires. We must look to history, see the future, and take on the duty of saving humanity and building a better future.”

Lin Xian was surprised by the serious tone from the man who seemed so playful. But somehow, it made sense.

He could tell that these people weren’t interested in wealth or power. The things most people chased seemed meaningless to them. Their eyes were fixed on something greater—a higher purpose.

The next to speak was No. 4, Galileo. The middle-aged man wore a mask showing an elderly bearded scientist—Galileo Galilei, the father of modern science.

His voice was deep and unwavering. “The quality a genius should have is—

“Courage.”

His tone was decisive. “Humanity thinks about many things, but courage needs no thought. If every decision requires careful planning, nothing will ever be done.

“People often dismiss impulse as foolish, but if you look at history, every great leap forward was born from courage—a bold, unthinking action.

“Lose your humanity, and you lose much. But lose your courage, and you lose everything. In today’s world, rules and traditions stifle our courage, turning us into obedient sheep.

“But let us not forget—courage is what allowed us to rise. Wisdom makes tools, but courage drives us to use them. In this age, it falls on us—the geniuses—to lead humanity boldly into the future.”

It was clear to Lin Xian that Galileo valued courage above all else.

Next, it was the turn of the person sitting beside Lin Xian—Da Vinci. Though she looked youthful, she was over sixty and had joined the Genius Club decades ago. Despite her age, she was full of life.

She was a mix of contradictions, much like Leonardo da Vinci himself, whose image was on her mask—a creative, noble artist full of mysteries.

Without hesitation, she began, “I’ve answered this question many times. But out of respect for our new member, I’ll answer it again.

“My answer is the same as when I first joined the club: the quality a genius must have is—”

“Inspiration.”

She spoke quickly, “This is where I differ from the others. They all think a genius can change history and save the world. I never believed that.

“In my view, the power of an individual genius is small. The role of a genius is to make this smallness meaningful by inspiring others.

“To change the world, you must change people. To change people, you must set an example. As those with exceptional minds, we have the duty to show others what’s right, what’s beautiful, and what’s worth pursuing.

“Change doesn’t come by changing the world—you change the people in it by setting an example.”

Lin Xian blinked at her. Was she an idealist?

He wasn’t sure if she was right or wrong, or if her vision could be achieved. But he knew one thing—it all seemed a bit unrealistic.

After her, it was Gauss’s turn. This small man wore a mask that depicted a confident figure with bright eyes—Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss, the famous mathematician known as the “Prince of Mathematics.”

In contrast to the confident face on his mask, Gauss spoke hesitantly. “My answer is—”

“Equality.”

He swallowed nervously before continuing, “I know that inequality is part of life—family background, parents, environment—all of these create inequality. Even in the fairest times, inequality exists.

“Some are born strong and healthy, destined to lead, while others are weak and live in misery.

“But does inequality have to exist? I don’t think so. And if anyone can strive for a balanced and equal world, it’s us—the geniuses.

“Ordinary people might think it’s impossible, but geniuses do the impossible. That’s what makes us geniuses.”

Lin Xian finally understood why Gauss was always interrupted. He had felt sorry for him before, but now he understood—the man’s slow pace was exasperating.

But it was Gauss’s turn, so Lin Xian endured it.

When Gauss finally finished, Einstein gestured to Lin Xian. “No. 9, Rhine—since Tesla and Turing aren’t here, we can’t speak for them. Even though we know their answers, who can say if their thoughts have changed?

“Now it’s your turn. We’re all curious—as the newest genius, what do you think is the most important quality for a genius?”

All eyes turned to Lin Xian.

He took a deep breath, giving the answer he had already decided on.

“Honestly… I hadn’t thought about this question before today,” he admitted. “But after listening to all of you, I feel honored to share my answer.

“I’m a bit puzzled. Everyone here seems to see themselves as gods or higher beings. But in the end, aren’t we all just human? Besides being a bit smarter, what’s the real difference between a genius and anyone else?

“Is a genius really necessary? Does a genius have the right to shape history or the future?

“Would there be no history without geniuses?

“Would there be no future without us to guide it?

“In fact, I think maybe the best history is one untouched by the hand of a genius. Likewise, the most genuine and beautiful future might be one without our intervention.”

“So, my answer is this: the most important quality for a genius is—”

“Respect.”

Lin Xian looked around the room before continuing, “Respect others, respect history, respect humanity, respect the future.

“Maybe geniuses aren’t as great as we think. Perhaps leaving the future in the hands of humanity would lead to the best possible future.”

When Lin Xian finished, no one spoke.

Only Einstein let out a soft chuckle. “Well said, Rhine. But this is the first lesson you will learn here, and the very reason the Genius Club exists—humanity has no future on its own.”

Lin Xian looked at him. “Why are you so certain?”

Einstein’s voice was hoarse. “Because… I can see the future.”

See the future?

Lin Xian narrowed his eyes. It was the same claim Turing had made before.

The leader of the club could indeed see the future! That explained why he commanded such respect. If he could truly see the future, he certainly had the power and authority to lead.

But Lin Xian was still curious. What kind of future did Einstein see? Was it like his own visions? Did he see it through dreams?

So, he asked, “What future do you see, exactly? Is it a specific day, decades, centuries, or millennia from now? Or is it some other kind of future?”

The man in the black wooden chair sat up straight. “All of it.”

The word was short but powerful.

Einstein smiled faintly, his voice raspy. “From now on, every day, every moment—I see it all.

“I see… all the futures.”