Genius Playground

Chapter 330: Chapter 13: A Motley Crew

After Jiang Ran was pushed into the sewer, Skinny popped his head out again and looked at Sang Biao:

“Boss, are we not waiting for Number Three?”

Sang Biao shook his head:

“Since you found the path on your end, it means Number Three’s route must be wrong. There’s no need to wait for him.”

“Besides, with this kid’s help, we have the three people we need to activate the mechanism. Time is of the essence; we need to get moving.”

Jiang Ran listened to Sang Biao and Skinny’s conversation as he climbed down the filthy ladder.

‘Looks like they have another accomplice scouting a different route, someone named Number Three.’

‘In that case, Skinny must be Number Two.’

This also answered another one of Jiang Ran’s questions—

On his previous few passes by this place, even when it was 10:39, Sang Biao was still skulking around outside the wall, not making a move.

But this time, he glanced at his watch.

It was only 10:13, yet Sang Biao had already slipped into the sewer.

The reason…

‘…was, of course, me.’

‘My appearance disrupted Sang Biao’s original plan, making them leave early.’

‘It wasn’t hard to guess that the prerequisite for starting this “heist” was gathering three people.’

‘Although I don’t know the specific details, according to Sang Biao, there seems to be a mechanism that requires three people to activate.’

‘So, if I hadn’t shown up, even if Number Two had found the correct path ahead of time, they would have had to wait for Number Three’s safe return before setting out together.’

‘That would have inevitably delayed things significantly.’

“Good thing I came along to join the fun.”

Jiang Ran muttered under his breath:

“Otherwise, even when the time reached 10:39:11—the moment the Virtual World crashed and rebooted—Number Three still wouldn’t have returned… and Sang Biao would still be loitering outside that wall.”

Soon, Sang Biao also slipped into the sewer. He replaced the manhole cover, slid down the ladder, and wiped his hands on Skinny’s back:

“Let’s move!”

…

In the dim sewer, Sang Biao and Skinny led the way with flashlights. Jiang Ran followed at the rear, leaning close to Sang Biao to ask a question:

“Sang Biao.” “Sang Biao my ass!”

Sang Biao let loose a string of curses:

“My fucking name isn’t Sang Biao! What the hell is wrong with you, calling me that the moment we meet?”

“Ah, sorry. Force of habit.”

Jiang Ran couldn’t help it.

‘Back in the Future Prison, all the inmates called each other by their nicknames—Sang Biao, stupid young man, Bookworm, Little Genius, and so on…’

‘But now, thanks to the Butterfly Effect caused by Wu Yuanzheng’s death, the Future World had changed drastically. Naturally, that prison was gone, along with the camaraderie forged behind bars and, of course, the nicknames.’

“So what is your name?” Jiang Ran asked humbly.

“Just call me ‘Boss’.”

“Okay, Brother Biao,” Jiang Ran said casually.

“You motherfucker!”

CLICK. Sang Biao cocked his pistol, spinning around to glare at Jiang Ran:

“You’ve got a death wish, don’t you!”

…death wish…

…death wish…

…death wish…

The words echoed repeatedly through the long, winding sewer, reverberating endlessly like a subwoofer’s bass.

“Boss! Boss, calm down!”

Skinny quickly turned and grabbed Sang Biao, forcing his gun-wielding right arm down:

“Boss… we need three people. We can’t do it without him! Just bear with it, bear with it. I think there’s something wrong with this kid’s head.”

“What’s wrong with the name Sang Biao? I think it’s badass! Grim and ferocious! It perfectly suits your brooding, profound, yet powerful and restrained personality!”

“Oh, is that so?”

Sang Biao scratched his head, a little embarrassed by the praise:

“You’re right, Number Two. After all these years, you’re still the one who gets me.”

Jiang Ran narrowed his eyes, watching the smooth-talking Skinny…

‘This guy’s really something else.’

‘Was there anything about Sang Biao that was remotely “brooding” or “profound”? To think he could sweet-talk an enraged Sang Biao until he was purring like a kitten… this Number Two should be sent to mediate the Russo-Ukrainian War.’

“Brother Biao, why don’t you tell me what exactly we’re doing.”

The three of them waded forward through the murky water as Jiang Ran pressed,

“Instead of briefing me when we get there, you might as well use the time we have on the way to explain things clearly. It’ll save us trouble later.”

Sang Biao clicked his tongue and sighed.

“You know where we are, kid?”

“No idea.” Jiang Ran shook his head.

“This is the goddamn Human Civilization Memorial Hall of East Sea City! In the Virtual World, every city has a museum like this. They say it’s for people to commemorate the past or whatever.”

“But… out of all the Human Civilization Memorial Halls in the world, the one in East Sea City is unique.”

Sang Biao kicked away a piece of foul-smelling trash tangled around his foot and continued,

“Only the memorial hall in East Sea City has never been open to the public. For all these years, no one has ever been inside, and no one knows what’s in there.”

“That’s strange in itself, isn’t it? A memorial hall is built for people to visit. Otherwise, why build it at all?”

Jiang Ran, walking behind Sang Biao, nodded.

‘True.’

‘There was no flaw in that analysis.’

‘A short-term closure would be understandable.’

‘But from the way Sang Biao put it, the Human Civilization Memorial Hall in East Sea had never been open since the Virtual World launched… That was indeed very strange.’

“So, you think there’s treasure hidden inside?”

In response to Jiang Ran’s question, Sang Biao shook his head.

“It’s more than just that.”

The pipe curved ahead. He shone his flashlight around the bend and ducked into it.

“There are lots of facilities in the city that aren’t open to the public for all sorts of reasons. That part isn’t really strange.”