Genius Club-Chapter 273 - 78 The Heartbroken_5

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"As for the Skyspace Aircraft issue, indeed, as you’ve mentioned, it is not feasible in principle, but to a certain extent, it is negotiable. After all, test flights must be conducted, be it a few months later or a few months earlier, as long as we’re fully prepared and with a slight adjustment in timing, why not change the route?"

Next to her, the comrade from the aerospace department nodded:

"Originally, according to our plan, this Skyspace Aircraft, designed to rival Mi Country’s X37B, was scheduled for a test flight in December 2023. However... the intelligence provided previously by Miss Huang Que, in a sense, holds more strategic significance than this aircraft."

"Indeed."

Director Zhang also walked over with his hands clasped behind his back:

"Not to hide from you, we’ve discussed it as well. If your plan is executed under the supervision of the China Aerospace Bureau, launched from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, and returns along the predetermined route, there should not be any major issues. We have already established enough trust in this."

"I just want to confirm with you... after this cooperation, are you sure you will provide us with even more important intelligence and information?"

"That’s for sure, Director Zhang."

Huang Que nodded:

"I am certainly willing to offer up more intelligence for my motherland, it’s just that... there are some restrictions that indeed prevent me from disclosing more. But please believe me, there will inevitably be increased ’flexibility’ after the Skyspace Aircraft plan, and by then, I will naturally be able to share more."

"Flexibility?"

Director Zhang, puzzled by this word.

"Sorry, I might have used a somewhat inaccurate adjective."

Huang Que extended her right hand, looking at Director Zhang:

"What I mean is... by then, naturally we can discuss more, a broader cooperation."

Everyone who heard this smiled and nodded their heads.

Actually, the purpose of today’s visit was to give a response to Huang Que.

In the past six months, Huang Que had provided many, many forms of help to the country, and although most were just a taste, from the national decision-making perspective, it was already extraordinarily significant. Therefore, everyone trusted Huang Que deeply and had already agreed in private to her request.

"Good, then naturally that’s very good."

Director Zhang also extended his right hand and shook hands with Huang Que.

Looking into her eyes, he smiled and said:

"Miss Huang Que, thank you for your contribution to the country. I hope our future endeavors will be just like your beautiful eyes—"

"Towards the stars and the sea!"

...

A green field.

A gentle breeze blew.

Lin Xian, stepping on the lush young seedlings, held a cluster of yellow and white chrysanthemums in his hand as he walked towards the grave ahead.

It was Tang Xin’s resting place.

The surroundings had also grown full of tender green leaves and branches.

Lin Xian bent down and set down the delicate bouquet of chrysanthemums.

The chrysanthemums weren’t wrapped in traditional colored paper but in a page from a recent issue of the East Sea Daily.

The newspaper’s headline featured a full report on the 00:42 serial murder case.

It was the most comprehensive, ultimate, and complete police bulletin.

It included information about Ji Xinshui’s death sentence.

And the deaths of Ji Lin and Zhou Duanyun.

On the back, the news was about Lin Xian being honored and the impending commendation ceremony.

This.

Was the gift Lin Xian had promised last time, to bring to Tang Xin.

Another gentle breeze blew...

The chrysanthemums poking out of the newspaper nodded in the wind, as if to say something.

"Tang Xin."

Lin Xian called out her name, but didn’t know what to say next.

He knelt down.

Picking up trash from the grave, such as plastic bags, one by one:

"The murderers from the Seven Sins, I’ve dealt with them all. But the real killer... seems to be someone else."

"What exactly is the Genius Club? And who, indeed, is Copernicus?"

Recalling the deranged and agitated Ji Xinshui from the interrogation room, Lin Xian thought:

"I don’t understand, but I’ll have to figure it out."

"I don’t know if they are right or wrong; if they are just or evil; but regardless... I’ll have to take a look and join them to understand the whole truth."

After clearing the trash from the grave, Lin Xian stood up and stretched:

"I must also become strong, only then can I have the means to contend against these powerful enemies. This world has bled enough because of the Genius Club."

"Now that I’ve been drawn into this whirlpool, I have no thoughts of escaping or retreating, so... bring it on!"

He looked up at the sun overhead:

"I am ready."

Turning around.

Lin Xian walked towards the road at the edge of the field, bathed in sunlight and surrounded by greenery.

Behind him.

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The white chrysanthemum extending a bouquet swayed gently.

As if waving.

As if bidding farewell.

As if blessing.

...

At the Donghai University Affiliated Hospital, in Zheng Xiangyue’s room.

She sat cross-legged on the bed, holding Zheng Chenghe’s urn, watching the live broadcast still continuing on TV.

"The ninth ticket for the moon trip—"

Jask shouted from the center of the stage:

"Belongs to the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics laureate! The great scientist who proposed the famous ’cosmic censorship hypothesis’—"

"Rodgers Penrose!"

Once again, the applause shook the entire audience.

This was a big-shot indeed!

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Who would have thought... he, too, had purchased a ticket for a trip to the moon!

Amid the applause from the TV.

Zheng Xiangyue held the urn, sighed,

Biting her lip.

Drip.

Drip.

Tears fell on Zheng Chenghe’s urn.

Zheng Xiangyue finally couldn’t help it and bowed her head...

Her tears had merged into pearls.

Touching her brother’s urn, her voice choked up:

"Brother... I also really want to go to the moon..."

She wanted to bury her brother there, on the moon.

There, she had her father and mother.

She had looked it up.

The distance between the Earth and the moon, 380,000 kilometers.

She might never travel such a long distance in her lifetime.

But...

Those 380,000 kilometers.

How she longed to make that journey.

"Xiangyue!"

At this moment, a nurse pushed open the door, holding a report:

"It’s time for your regular check-up!"

"Oh, oh! Okay!"

Zheng Xiangyue hastily wiped away the tears on her face, rubbed the tear stains off the urn with her sleeve, jumped off the bed, and headed towards the nurse at the door.

Bang.

The door to the room closed.

The program on the TV continued.

The black and white photo of Zheng Chenghe smiling on top of the urn gently smiled, watching Jask on the screen who was loudly reading.

"And now! The moment we come to our SPACE-T Company’s lunar travel program’s final passenger!"

Scanning the audience and the cameras, the world’s richest man, Jask, announced joyously:

"This ticket is different from other reserved tickets, a mysterious anonymous buyer, paid the full amount of 12 million US dollars for the ticket in one go! And then gave this immensely precious opportunity for a moon trip... to a 14-year-old girl!"

"I must say, this is indeed a lucky girl, a romantic gift! In the words of my favorite science fiction novel... at this moment, she surpasses all the living girls on Earth and the deceased princesses!"

"So... let’s all congratulate her!"

Jask raised the microphone high!

He read out the last part of the card in his hand:

"SPACE-T lunar travel program, the tenth passenger to the moon!"

"She is the 14-year-old girl from China—"

"Zheng, Xiang, Yue!"

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Volume two "Heartsick", to be continued...