Chapter 1 I Still Need to Meet Lin Xian in Person

“I still need to meet Lin Xian in person to clarify many things.”

Jask put the ticket in his pocket.

“What Copernicus said…it’s hard not to care. People always hold respect and inexplicable trust for the unknown, and I’m the same. Now that I think about it, just believing that someone is your teammate simply because they provide beneficial information…is really naive.”

“Arrogance is indeed undesirable. I never thought such a terrible quality would one day appear in me. But then again, I didn’t completely believe what Copernicus said. After all, I can’t just deny a teammate I’ve fought alongside for so long based solely on someone else’s words, right?”

“So, the real answer and truth must be found, verified, and derived by myself. The good news is that I already have a general idea, and meeting Lin Xian…is the final piece of the puzzle for me to [ultimately confirm the truth].”

…

Angelica was silent.

She was caught in a dilemma.

Copernicus’s information was indeed very tempting as an exchange, and it was also the thing she needed most urgently at the moment.

However, Lin Xian had told her that the assassin chasing him was sent by Jask.

This was also confirmed by the female secretary. The blue-eyed, short black-haired girl was the assassin Jask had hidden in the observation tower.

So.

Angelica didn’t completely believe what Jask had just said either.

But one thing Jask said was right.

Longguo (China) was much safer than the US.

Angelica was also convinced of this.

As long as the three of them arrived in Longguo, Jask, who was attending the official meeting, would definitely not dare to attack Lin Xian; and, as a guest arriving in Longguo with them, Jask would definitely not attack her either. No matter how she looked at it, the situation was indeed much better than it was now.

Angelica also hoped that Lin Xian would be safer and less reckless.

Otherwise…

With Lin Xian’s sense of loyalty.

When he realized that she was in trouble and had been exposed by Jask…he would probably take the initiative to find Jask to take revenge and demand her release.

But this was the US.

Jask had a vast network of power and influence, and he could do almost anything. Lin Xian, facing a serious Jask, fighting alone, had no chance of winning.

He might even be killed by Jask.

“Hah…”

Angelica looked out the window and took a long breath.

She couldn’t let her recklessness drag Lin Xian into danger again.

Therefore.

Go to Longguo.

Bring Jask and Lin Xian to safe and law-abiding Longguo, away from Jask’s home turf.

That way…

No matter what Lin Xian’s purpose was next, his advantage would be much greater in his own territory, Donghai City, than it was now in the US.

“I hope you can keep your promise this time, Jask.”

Angelica sat up from the sofa.

She crossed her arms and looked at the former world’s richest man.

“I’m waiting for you to tell me about Copernicus.”

Jask smiled.

Shrugged.

“I always keep my word.”

Not long after.

Jask’s private jet took off from the airport. Angelica and Jask sat together in the cabin, preparing to fly to Donghai, Longguo.

Four days later, on April 28th, Jask was scheduled to attend the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade in the imperial capital of Longguo and meet with official figures from Longguo. In the three days before that, he would go to Donghai City to figure out this series of mysteries and eliminate the real enemy.

“Oh, I almost forgot, I have to send a tweet.”

As the plane sped down the runway, Jask took out his phone from his pocket and opened the Twitter app.

“Originally, I didn’t plan to make my visit to Zheng Xiangyue public. That little girl needs peace and quiet. But…there’s no way around it. I have to let Lin Xian know about this, otherwise how can I ensure that he will come to see me?”

With that said.

Jask tapped away on the phone screen, starting to edit his social media post.

Angelica chuckled.

“Then why don’t you let me send a tweet too? My account hasn’t been updated for many days. Since you want Lin Xian to know that I’ve also gone to Longguo, why don’t you let me post something to coordinate with you?”

Jask typed.

While shaking his head and smiling.

“Angelica, I’m not stupid…even a fool would know what you’re thinking and what you’re planning.”

“After I figure out the truth of the matter, I will naturally return you to Lin Xian and give you your freedom. It’s only a matter of two or three days, just bear with it.”

Angelica snorted, crossed her legs, and looked at the seat next to Jask.

No one was sitting in that seat.

Instead…

There was a very out-of-place household [small refrigerator].

This all-white cube refrigerator was really small; although it was larger than a traditional car refrigerator, it couldn’t hold much compared to household appliances.

According to Angelica’s visual estimate.

This small refrigerator was only about half a meter in length, width, and height, and looked only a little bigger than a regular rice cooker. There were no obvious trademarks or logos around it.

“Bearing with it is no problem, I’m just curious…you’re obviously visiting Longguo and coming on official business, why do you have to bring your home refrigerator on the plane?”

“Your private jet obviously has refrigerators and freezers. Besides, your small refrigerator isn’t plugged in, so anything refrigerated inside would have spoiled, right? What reason could there possibly be…for you to bring a refrigerator to Longguo?”

With a successful sending sound, Jask updated his tweet.

Only then did he put down his phone, turn his head to look at the white, square small refrigerator on the seat next to him, and caress it fondly.

“The things inside…are very useful.”

…

US, New Jersey, highway.

Lin Xian slowly opened his eyes from the passenger seat and sighed.

Yu Xi, holding the steering wheel, turned her head in confusion.

“Why are you awake? You’ve only been asleep for two hours.”

Lin Xian didn’t speak.

He stared ahead at the yellow sand stirred up on the road and the dry grass and dead leaves swirling in the wind.

In the dream just now, nothing had changed.

The soldiers were still that group of fully armed soldiers;

The old man was still that withered, cackling old man;

He had worked so hard for so long, but still couldn’t break through the fourth dream realm. It was impossible not to feel a little disappointed.

At this moment.

He really missed Da Lianmao (Big Fat Cat), Er Zhuzi (Second Pillar), and the others…

Of course, what he missed the most was .

With Chu Anqing already turned into blue stardust and dissipated, she was the key to further understanding the Millennium Pile, the secrets of Chu Anqing, and how to save Chu Anqing.

More than anyone, he wanted to see her in the dream world.

He wanted to ask her about her birthday, ask about the secrets she held, and, best of all…be able to take her to open the vault in Taimu Bank together and see what was written on that little piece of paper.

Said.

That bearded man who called himself VV and was likely himself in middle age told her that the vault contained all the truth she wanted to know, as well as the meaning of her life.

From the perspective of a historical closed loop.

The password for that vault and the things stored inside had never changed from beginning to end…didn’t that mean that what he had been pursuing from the start was just that unremarkable little piece of paper?

This couldn’t help but make Lin Xian feel a little incredulous.

Just a little piece of paper.

At most, Chu Anqing had written two lines on it.

Could it really…have so much magic, so much motivation, so much weight?

Before he really opened the vault, Lin Xian didn’t dare to tell that it only contained a little piece of paper.

Even if the little piece of paper was written in the language of the heavens, it wouldn’t be worth this arduous journey, this unwavering persistence, this narrow escape from death, would it?

He really didn’t know what that bearded man was thinking…

Could it be that he was also considering this point, feeling that it was too insignificant to take out and couldn’t bring himself to say it, so he ultimately didn’t tell the password?

Unexpectedly, it backfired, and this enigmatic behavior made even more determined to open the vault.

“Perhaps…there are other reasons.”

Lin Xian muttered to himself.

He knew too little information now and didn’t understand the specific circumstances of , the Millennium Pile, and the bearded man VV, so it was too early to draw conclusions and too irresponsible.

In short.

He only hoped to see her soon, so that…he would feel a little better in his heart.

“I’ll sleep a little longer, wake me up when we get to Princeton.”

Lin Xian instructed Yu Xi and continued to close his eyes to rest.

…

In the evening, the SUV successfully drove near Angelica’s villa.

Yu Xi woke Lin Xian.

The two didn’t drive too close, but got out of the car from a distance, each holding a pistol and quietly approaching.

After finally confirming that there was no danger, Yu Xi punched through a window and went inside, opening the front door for Lin Xian.

He turned on the lights and looked around.

He found that it was no different from when they left, with no changes and no signs of life.

“It seems that Angelica’s situation is indeed not good. It seems that Jask discovered that the female secretary was a fake that day.”

Lin Xian walked to the dining table, looking at the used glassware, fake eyebrows, and beard patches…the very props that Angelica had used to disguise herself for the banquet that day.

This meant that Angelica hadn’t been back for several days.

He took out his phone and went to various social media platforms to check Angelica’s personal account.

“In the past few days, Angelica has not appeared on social media, has not sent any posts, and has not forwarded or browsed any recommended information.”

Lin Xian closed his phone, sat down on the chair, and frowned slightly.

“Did Jask imprison Angelica? Or did he kill her directly?”

“I feel that the possibility of direct murder is greater.”

Yu Xi opened the refrigerator, took some food, and shared it with Lin Xian.

“Jask is, after all, the world’s richest man, and in a place like the US, it’s no exaggeration to say that he can do whatever he wants. Besides, Jask himself is not a good person. He has never been soft on sending space-time assassins to kill you.”

“You’re just lucky to have repeatedly dodged the assassination of space-time assassins, otherwise…you would have already been a ghost under Jask’s sword. So, since Jask is so ruthless to you, it’s not surprising that he killed Angelica.”

“Not to mention that Angelica offended him first. If Angelica’s disguise was indeed very convincing, then Jask might have really revealed some important information to her without noticing it at first.”

“And when Jask belatedly realized it, Angelica had already learned too much information that she shouldn’t have known from him…then there’s no way around it. If you know too much, you must be silenced, and Jask must kill her and then destroy the body.”

“I thought of something.”

Lin Xian put down the butter bread in his hand and looked up at Yu Xi.

“Since that space-time assassin was sent by Jask, where is the source? Just like you suddenly appeared in front of me, that space-time assassin must have suddenly appeared in front of Jask at some point in time.”

“So, who would send a space-time assassin from the future as a gift to Jask? It must be Jask’s partner, accomplice, or even his future self! Now the hibernation pod technology is approaching maturity, and it will take at most two years to be fully mass-produced and launched.”

“So if Jask is willing, he can freeze himself through the hibernation pod and wake up hundreds of years later…and then send a space-time assassin back to 2024 from that era when he has mastered space-time travel technology and can build a time machine for the past Jask to use.”

Yu Xi wiped the jam from the corner of her mouth.

She chuckled.

“You’re just thinking of this now? I thought you would have thought of it long ago.”

“Since you’ve already thought of this, the space-time elasticity has increased, so I can also say a little more about this matter. The matter of traveling through space-time is obviously not as casual as you think. Otherwise, every era would be filled with a large number of space-time travelers, and space-time would be completely messed up.”

Lin Xian nodded.

“I’ve already considered this point, so…the necessary technological development is not a necessary condition for human space-time travel; the reason why space-time travelers are so rare must not be due to technological limitations, but because of some other [condition], [energy], [consumable] restrictions.”

“It is precisely because these conditions are extremely difficult to achieve, or because some consumable materials are very rare, that space-time travel is not an easy thing to do…Perhaps throughout the entire history of mankind, space-time travelers are also few and far between, only a handful of people.”

Very directly, Lin Xian thought of the [space-time particles] that also traveled through space-time, but were extremely rare and unpredictable.

“I don’t know if you know about space-time particles.”

Lin Xian looked at Yu Xi.

“This is the only thing I’ve ever seen and the only thing I know that can travel through space-time. It’s just that the one I captured has no energy left, and my scientists also told me that space-time particles without energy are equivalent to waste and have no use value.”

“But conversely, if this space-time particle was perfectly captured and the energy was not consumed…then what amazing effect would it have?”

“I’ve thought about this question for a long time, and I’ve always felt that the role of complete space-time particles must be very, very big. Otherwise, why would everyone fight so hard to snatch it? This also shows from the side that the value of this extremely rare thing, space-time particles, is definitely worthy of its existence.”

“Before, I couldn’t figure it out, but now that I see the power of you and that space-time assassin…I think I’ve roughly figured it out -”

“[Space-time particles should be the necessary consumables for humans to achieve space-time travel! If I’m not mistaken…you consumed a complete space-time particle to travel back to the present from the future world hundreds of years later, right?]”

…

Lin Xian looked into Yu Xi’s blue eyes.

He thought that this time, the other party would still use “can’t say” and “no way to tell” to prevaricate.

But unexpectedly.

The other party actually nodded casually while smearing jam.

“This conclusion is not difficult to guess at all, or rather, you should have reacted to it the moment you saw the space-time particles.”

“That’s right, since you’ve already guessed it, then I can naturally talk about it generously. Yes, every space-time traveler must consume a space-time particle in order to complete space-time travel. The specific details and rules and precautions…given the current space-time elasticity, I definitely can’t tell you, and I won’t be able to tell you for a long, long time.”

“After all, in your current era, 2024, there is still a long way to go before the development of space-time travel technology and the construction of space-time shuttles. The detailed theory probably has to wait until that day comes before you can truly understand it.”

“It’s okay.”

Lin Xian waved his hand.

“This information is enough. Then, combining my previous reasoning, it is not difficult to guess that Jask obtained a space-time particle at some point in the future, and then started this centuries-long space-time assassin plan.”

“Or rather, let’s think even more boldly. Why is this space-time particle discovered by Liu Feng the first one in human history? Maybe there have been several space-time particles that arrived on Earth before this, and Jask, who has very powerful aerospace technology…had already completely captured one before this.”

The more he thought about it, the clearer his thoughts became.

“In that case, it doesn’t seem difficult to explain why the space-time particle observed by Liu Feng would chase straight towards the Earth…its target is not Earth, not the Millennium Pile, not the Oriole, not anyone…but precisely the space-time particle in Jask’s hands! They are mutually attracted!”

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be the one in Jask’s hands. Since Jask can have space-time particles, then it is naturally not ruled out that others also have space-time particles hidden. After all…who can refuse the temptation of letting their future selves send a ‘Terminator’ or ‘Super Saiyan’?”

“Therefore, those who have space-time particles will definitely try to hide this big treasure tightly and keep it hidden until the day the space-time shuttle is built. Then, it will be the moment when space-time particles play their role and start sending people to past time points.”

…

After clarifying that space-time particles are a necessary consumable for space-time travel, all of this that has happened can be inferred to create a complete logical chain.

“There is a high probability that Jask has space-time particles.”

Lin Xian thought, holding his chin.

“At least, he knows a lot about space-time particles. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so aware of my actions and Kevin Walker’s actions.”

“Space-time particles, space-time assassins, and the future Jask form a perfect historical closed loop, and none of them are indispensable - [The current Jask must ensure that the space-time particles will continue to be in the hands of the future Jask. Only in this way can the space-time assassin successfully travel over.]”

“Thinking about it this way, it’s not difficult to infer Kevin Walker’s purpose of preventing me from obtaining space-time particles. He should think that that space-time particle is my historical closed loop, or someone else’s historical closed loop…None of this matters. What matters is that Kevin Walker doesn’t want this closed loop to be achieved! Therefore, he must interfere with my capture of space-time particles.”

“But why would Jask help me? And why would he use a space-time assassin to assassinate me after helping me? Since he wanted to assassinate me, why didn’t he do it in Copenhagen? What’s so special about Copenhagen? So, this is what I can’t figure out right now. It still feels contradictory. There must be something wrong with some link! Something must have been considered wrong!”

While Lin Xian was thinking.

Yu Xi had finished eating the jam bread.

She pulled out a tissue from the side to wipe her hands, shook the hamster-like short ponytail behind her head, and blinked at Lin Xian.

“I can’t understand what you’re talking about. It seems that these are all things that happened in your space-time. It’s unique to your history. But…since you understand the historical closed loop of Jask, space-time particles, and space-time assassins…then it shouldn’t be difficult to understand how to [break the game], right?”

Lin Xian nodded.

“Perhaps we just need to snatch Jask’s space-time particles.”

“Just like Kevin Walker interfered with my capture of space-time particles, we steal, snatch, or touch Jask’s space-time particles to make them ineffective.”

“In that case, the future Jask would not have space-time particles to use, so naturally he would not be able to send space-time assassins back…If this already formed space-time closed loop is broken, will that space-time assassin disappear directly? Will they directly turn into blue stardust and disappear into thin air?”

Yu Xi shook her head.

“I can’t say.”

Lin Xian smiled knowingly.

Nowadays, “can’t say” roughly equals “you’re right.”

So he continued.

“In any case, according to my understanding, as long as we destroy the space-time particles in Jask’s hands, we can naturally destroy his historical closed loop, making that space-time assassin ineffective, disappear, and in any case, it’s absolutely impossible for them to exist safely in this space-time.”

“This tactic should be theoretically perfect, but there are still two ill-considered factors -”

Lin Xian held out his first finger.

“First, Jask definitely knows the importance of space-time particles better than anyone else. He will definitely cherish space-time particles until some mature point in the future. With the strength of the world’s richest man, I think if he wants to hide something, it will be difficult for the two of us to find it and steal it.”

“That’s just the first point. It’s not troublesome enough. What’s really fatal to us is the second point.”

As he said that, Lin Xian raised his second finger.

“Second, perhaps we’re thinking too smoothly about everything. It’s very likely that the current Jask doesn’t have space-time particles in his hands at all. He hasn’t reached the point where he got space-time particles.”

“For example, he may have obtained a complete space-time particle in 2034, and then in 2334, or even 2534, sent the space-time assassin back to 2024 to assist him.”

“This is completely possible from the logic of the timeline. It doesn’t even prevent him from obtaining space-time particles in 2534 and then sending the space-time assassin back to the past in 2534.”

“So do you understand what I mean? It’s very likely that the current Jask doesn’t have space-time particles in his hands at all. Our so-called plan is just shooting at the void. That hypothetical enemy space-time particle doesn’t exist at all, so naturally we can’t find it or steal it.”

Yu Xi pursed her lips.

Thought for a while.

Then, she raised her head and looked at Lin Xian seriously.

“Lin Xian, I feel that you are still complicating simple questions…”

“Since you already know that Jask’s historical closed loop is composed of the three parts: the space-time assassin, the space-time particle, and the future Jask.”

“Then, in the current situation, the space-time assassin is too powerful and cannot be defeated head-on; it is not known whether space-time particles exist, so they cannot be found; in this case…why do you keep staring at the two complex options and ignore the simplest and easiest option?”

Lin Xian squinted.

“You mean…”

“That’s right.”

Yu Xi pointed to the black pistol that Lin Xian had placed on the table.

She raised her head.

Her clear, bright crystal blue eyes met Lin Xian’s, reflecting Lin Xian’s pupils, and the same blue halo appeared.

“[Kill Jask…so that he has no future!]”