Send Me to Mars

Asperger's...

The moment those four words came out of the old gatekeeper's mouth, Lin Xu was completely dumbfounded.

What did it mean for words to become reality??

He had only made up an Asperger's identity, yet the person he was looking for really turned out to have Asperger's syndrome??

If this had happened before, Lin Xu would have dismissed it as a coincidence.

But now, he had no choice but to wonder what exactly had gone wrong.

Wait, was he some male version of Haruhi Suzumiya?

If he made up a lie that Gundams would appear tomorrow, would Angels immediately descend and destroy Tokyo?

...Come to think of it, this was more useful than Mount Fuji...

With his head full of question marks, Lin Xu headed toward Lizhao Lake. From far away, he spotted a figure doing radio calisthenics by the lakeside.

His movements were exaggerated, yet perfectly precise.

And exceptionally eye-catching.

But the students around him seemed long accustomed to it. Not one of them gave him a second glance.

How was he supposed to say hello?

Lin Xu scratched his head.

He really was not good at work involving interpersonal communication.

He should have talked to those account managers beforehand and learned from them.

He would just have to force himself through it.

Just as Xu Jin reached the final set of the calisthenics, Lin Xu walked straight up beside him and said:

"Xu Jin?"

Xu Jin seemed startled. His body twitched nervously several times, and after blinking rapidly more than a dozen times, he stepped sideways and asked warily:

"Y-you... who are you?"

"Don't worry about who I am. I want to talk to you for a few minutes."

"N-no. I won't talk."

Xu Jin turned to leave, and Lin Xu immediately followed alongside him.

Whenever Lin Xu tried to get closer, Xu Jin would take a step to the side, always maintaining a distance of at least two meters.

He was nearly forced into the lake. When there was no more room to retreat, Xu Jin took off running and circled around to the other side.

How was he supposed to talk like this?

A wicked thought suddenly surfaced in Lin Xu's mind.

He said:

"You didn't finish your last movement!"

The instant he spoke, Xu Jin froze on the spot.

Every muscle in his body tensed, as though he were enduring tremendous pain.

He wanted to keep fleeing, but his feet would not move.

After standing there in a deadlock for more than ten seconds, he suddenly began backing up.

Carefully backing up, inch by inch along the route he had come from.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder.

It really was severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Lin Xu seized the opportunity and continued:

"I have something important I need to discuss with you. If you refuse..."

"You don't... you don't have anything serious to say, not at all, you're lying to me!"

Xu Jin spoke at a chaotic pace. He would slow down, then suddenly speed up, firing off a long string of words like a machine gun.

"You're obviously lying to me. You want to impersonate a public official, but you aren't one at all."

"You're too... you're, too, young. Your hair is too long, you haven't shaved, you don't have any fingernails, there are backpack marks on your clothes, you always walk with your head down, your eyes only focus on one target."

"You... are not... any kind of... public official."

"You're here to recruit people! You're a programmer!"

"..."

Lin Xu was speechless.

Seen through at a glance!

This Xu Jin was absolutely a genius, and his talent was definitely not limited to materials science alone!

No wonder he had produced two such crucial materials.

No wonder he had become one of the core members of the mysterious Planetary Reincarnation organization.

He should not lie in front of him.

"All right."

Lin Xu said:

"My name is Lin Xu. I am indeed a programmer, and I am indeed here to recruit you."

"But what I want to discuss with you will definitely interest you."

"I'm not interested."

Xu Jin finally backed his way to his original position. He lowered his head to search for his footprints, carefully adjusted his stance, and began moving again.

Radio calisthenics, first set.

Damn.

Starting all over again?

Still, that was fine. It gave him more time to communicate with him.

"I guarantee you'll be interested in what I have to say."

"I'll give you the opportunity to participate in the development of high-strength carbon fiber materials."

"PEEK materials, and M46X."

Lin Xu laid out his trump cards directly.

It was not that he was unwilling to take his time with Xu Jin, but given the other man's state, being straightforward might yield better results.

And sure enough, after he finished speaking, Xu Jin's movements paused.

But he still clenched his teeth and refused to speak. Only after he completed the entire routine of radio calisthenics, then performed another strange sequence of hand movements in the air, did he finally turn toward Lin Xu.

"How do you know I'm researching those two materials? Are you... investigating me?"

"Privately stealing citizens' personal information is illegal. I'm calling the police. The police will arrest you, I..."

"Stop!"

Lin Xu raised a hand and cut Xu Jin off.

"I didn't steal any of your information."

"Everything I know about you was found online. As for your research, I asked your classmates and teachers."

"We really need you, and we really need those two materials."

"We're Skyvault Technology. We're committed to letting ordinary people fly into space."

"If you..."

"I accept!"

"...Huh?"

Lin Xu froze.

He accepted?

Just like that?

He had thought changing Xu Jin's mind would inevitably be a long process. Today's conversation was supposed to be nothing more than groundwork for the first step.

But now...

Good lord, were those two materials really that persuasive?

After hesitating for a moment, Lin Xu asked:

"Then what about your other job? You've already passed the Materials Research Institute interview, right?"

"I don't have to go."

At that moment, Xu Jin seemed incomparably normal, and his expression settled into calmness in an instant.

That distinctive look of Asperger's syndrome patients—a trace of bewilderment mixed into apparent wisdom—could no longer be seen on his face.

He looked completely normal.

Lin Xu took a deep breath and held out his hand to Xu Jin.

"There's no need to rush. We can come up with a solution that works for both sides."

"Either way, thank you for giving me this opportunity."

Xu Jin looked at Lin Xu conflictedly. After several seconds of silence, he pulled out a bottle of alcohol spray from his pocket.

"...Forget it. We don't have to shake hands."

Lin Xu withdrew his hand.

"Then let's set a time."

"Leave me your contact information. I'll pick you up tomorrow."

"Before we officially begin work, there are some things I need to explain to you in advance."

"Is that okay?"

Lin Xu looked at Xu Jin with a sincere expression.

In truth, before meeting him, Lin Xu had repeatedly considered how he could possibly make this work.

Even if Xu Jin agreed to put on an act with him, making that act convincing enough that the company's upper management would not notice anything wrong would not be easy.

But...

Since Xu Jin was a genuine Asperger's syndrome patient, many things could be explained.

No matter what loopholes appeared, he could just blame Xu Jin's condition.

"Okay."

Xu Jin nodded.

Just when Lin Xu thought everything was settled, Xu Jin suddenly said:

"There's something wrong with you."

Lin Xu froze.

"I've never told anyone what I'm researching. You couldn't have found out from my teachers or classmates."

"You must have investigated me, but it doesn't matter, I don't care anymore."

"Are you really a programmer at Skyvault Technology? Can you really send ordinary people into space?"

"We really can."

Lin Xu nodded solemnly.

Of course. In less than twenty years, Skyvault Technology would become a true giant in the space tourism industry. Sending someone into space would be easy.

Xu Jin could clearly tell that Lin Xu was not lying.

He took a deep breath, then slowly let it out.

As though a heavy burden had been lifted.

Then, he continued asking:

"In that case... can you... can you..."

"Send me to Mars?"