Genius Club-Chapter 178 - 21: Birds of a Feather

Hospital.

The white cloth draped over the gurney, rustling as it was wheeled through the hospital lobby.

Gao Yang, who had waited for a long time, hurriedly approached and bombarded the attending physician with questions.

Lin Xian, with his hands covering his face and bracing his knees, sat on the hospital chair, motionless.

His emotions were complex, yet his thoughts were becoming increasingly clear.

From the moment Tang Xin was sent flying by a taxi, a flame that had been extinguished deep inside him reignited.

It was an irrational impulse, an uncontrollable rage!

The death of Tang Xin was identical to the death of Xu Yun, absolutely identical—the same time, the same way of leaving this world.

Lin Xian had often suspected that the killers were targeting him, but little did he expect their long-dormant target was Tang Xin!

The reason Tang Xin was murdered was the "drug to solve the side effects of hibernation"!

Just as Professor Xu Yun was murdered for successfully researching the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid... In some sense, the drug Tang Xin was researching, which was beginning to achieve results and could solve most of the side effects of hibernation, was perhaps more groundbreaking and important than the Hibernation Pod Filling Liquid!

But this time was different from Professor Xu Yun’s case.

Due to his close relationship with Tang Xin and their frequent interactions, he could easily connect all the clues.

Originally, Lin Xian always felt that there were many odd things about Tang Xin.

At the time, it didn’t seem to matter.

But now, if all the peculiarities were connected...

Lin Xian opened his eyes, and the words Tang Xin once said kept surfacing in his mind:

"After the New Year, I’m going back to Donghai City, a very prestigious figure in the pharmaceutical industry has ’invited’ me to his research institute. I hesitated for a long time... but I finally agreed."

"You’d never guess who invited me to this research institute. He was Professor Xu Yun’s ’mentor’."

"Actually, I had been researching this kind of drug before, aiming to treat Alzheimer’s disease, but it wasn’t very effective... However, Professor Xu Yun pioneered the new field of ’hibernation,’ which made my previously insignificant research results now valued."

"A ’colleague’ heard that I’m good at playing the violin and introduced me to the Donghai City Symphony Orchestra, as they just happened to be short of violinists."

"I don’t know why everything went so ’smoothly,’ whether it was the orchestra interview or later rehearsals joining the official team, becoming the lead violinist; even I find it unbelievable."

"Lin Xian... after the ’evening’ performance ends, can you wait for me at the theater entrance?"

"Ah, why hasn’t it been delivered yet, Zhou Duanyun is really too slow! Then Lin Xian, wait here for me, I’ll go get the stuff!"

...

All of this.

Seems.

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As if there’s nothing amiss.

Just the normal job-seeking path for a girl after studying abroad.

She just happened to, because of Xu Yun’s research results, have her ignored thesis turn into a sought-after miracle drug that could solve the side effects of hibernation.

She just happened to come to Donghai City and met at a class reunion Zhou Duanyun, who was also planning to develop his career in Donghai City, and then they conspired about something, like giving a gift to her.

Was everything just a coincidence?

Impossible!

"All of this, from the beginning... was a meticulously planned murder targeting Tang Xin!"

Lin Xian clenched his fists.

These people, these killers, no wonder they could always control the time of the murder precisely at 00:42...

Because their planning was so concealed, so long-term, so meticulous.

They never killed on a whim but planned months, even several months in advance to ensure they could kill the person precisely between 00:42 and 00:43 minutes...

If we deduce from the current result.

Professor Xu Yun’s former mentor, inviting her to do research in Donghai City, might have been the start of the plan.

The kindly colleague, introducing her to the Donghai City Symphony Orchestra, was to lead her to the planned position of death.

All the smooth interviews, becoming the lead violinist, were to ensure Tang Xin’s absolute attendance at the concert.

And the phone call Zhou Duanyun made in advance to Tang Xin, to have her appear at the theater entrance on time; and his Rolls-Royce Phantom parked across the street, accurately fixed the time Tang Xin stepped onto the road at 00:42.

Seamless, interconnected!

No wonder they could always precisely control the death time to such a stringent time as 00:42... The killers had reached a perverse level of plotting!

Recalling the New Year’s Eve, when Xu Yun was brutally killed on the street.

Was there also someone working together behind the scenes?

Why did Xu Yun choose to leave at that time, was there also someone who had called him in advance, or arranged a meeting beforehand?

Then, if connected with Tang Xin’s incident, there is only one person who runs through both events—

"Professor Xu Yun’s former mentor!"

Or perhaps...

"Zhou Duanyun."

Lin Xian murmured this name he could hardly believe.

Although there was no way to prove that Xu Yun’s death had anything to do with Zhou Duanyun… at least for Tang Xin’s death, Zhou Duanyun would have a hard time dissociating himself from it.

Other people couldn’t see this, even the police couldn’t.

But Lin Xian was certain.

If Tang Xin’s death was really due to a carefully designed plan, then Zhou Duanyun’s timing of appearance was absolutely the most important link! Only he could perfectly decide the time of Tang Xin’s death!

"Gao Yang…" Lin Xian lifted his head and looked at the obese figure sighing as he walked over:

"Where is Zhou Duanyun?"

…

On the outskirts of Donghai City.

Linhu Villa.

The mahogany door was violently pushed open!

Click.

The light switch was pressed, pulling the pale boy out of the moonlight and into the exposure of the crystal chandelier.

Hmph…

The man entering through the door snorted coldly:

"Tang Xin is dead."

"Good," Ji Lin responded softly from behind the stack of books.

"When will we kill Lin Xian?"

"We’ll do it when we find evidence of him disturbing history," Ji Lin didn’t lift his head.

"Why is it so troublesome when it comes to Lin Xian?"

The man at the door frowned:

"Killing Tang Xin was done just like that, so why do we need to flip over every stone for evidence to kill Lin Xian?"

"Zhou Duanyun, if you have an issue, take it up with Arrogance," Ji Lin lifted his head, looking at the man at the door:

"Even so, if you have an issue, you can simply not come to Donghai or not participate in this plan."

"Heh heh."

Zhou Duanyun laughed disdainfully:

"Without me, could you have killed Tang Xin at 00:42?"

"What’s not possible? It’s just a bit more effort," Ji Lin responded indifferently:

"Your biggest role is not in calling out Tang Xin’s name at 00:42... I have more covert methods to ensure Tang Xin is standing on the road on time at 00:42. There’s no need to expose your presence at all."

"What do you mean?" Zhou Duanyun’s face darkened instantly as he stared at Ji Lin.

"I deliberately made Lin Xian suspect you," Ji Lin’s slender arm supported him as he stood up from the floor and walked towards the dining table with hands in pockets, where a water cup was placed:

"[Your biggest role... is to be a target for Lin Xian.]"

"You damn well use me as bait?" Zhou Duanyun cursed:

"Your acting skills are so good, it would be such a waste not to use you as bait, right?" Ji Lin picked up the water cup from the dining table, looked at Zhou Duanyun, and smiled:

"I must say, although I don’t like you much, you indeed are the most hypocritical and best liar I’ve ever met."

"Have you seen the movie starring Leonardo, ’Catch Me If You Can’? I think you’re even more deceitful than the protagonist in the film... You really don’t have anything genuine about you, which is probably what Arrogance saw in you, and why you were spared all those years ago."

"Do you think you’re all that great?"

Zhou Duanyun laughed coldly, his veins throbbing as if he had been touched on a sore spot:

"Making such a fuss over killing someone! If it hadn’t been for Lin Xian helping Xu Yun, why would Xu Yun’s research results now be in Lin Xian’s hands? Such an obvious thing, what’s the need for evidence? Just go ahead and kill him, a bunch of cowards!"

"Then go kill him yourself, no one is stopping you," Ji Lin said with a smile and shrugged his shoulders:

"Let’s see if Arrogance will spare your life again."

Zhou Duanyun took a deep breath through his nose, squinting at Ji Lin:

"Now I finally understand… why I disliked you so much the first time I saw you."

"Is it because I pitied you, not letting ’Gluttony’ shoot you dead with a bullet?"

"It’s because your self-righteous attitude is exactly like Lin Xian’s!" Zhou Duanyun glared fiercely at Ji Lin:

"Disgusting."

"Is that so?"

Ji Lin shook his head and smiled:

"Although I’ve only met Lin Xian once, if you set aside our stances, I actually think he’s quite a decent person."

"Heh heh, the two of you would indeed make good friends,"

Zhou Duanyun walked out the door and slammed it shut:

"Birds of a feather."