Go to the Police Station!

Mars. Mars again.

Lin Xu was practically developing PTSD over the word "Mars." The moment he heard it, he got anxious; the moment he heard it, his head started pounding.

What did this mean?

Did all you Planetary Reincarnation people grow up dreaming of Mars or something?

Jiang Xingye had gone to Mars, and now you wanted to go to Mars too?

So was it you who wanted to go to Mars, or was it Planetary Reincarnation that wanted you to go to Mars?

Lin Xu looked at Xu Jin and bluntly asked:

"Why do you want to go to Mars? Because the end of the world is coming?"

Xu Jin froze.

"The end of the world? Why would you say the end of the world? I don't understand any end of the world..."

"I... just... want to go... want to go..."

"Zhurong..."

"Zhurong?"

Lin Xu wanted to keep asking, but Xu Jin stubbornly refused to say another word.

"It's fine. I just want to go to Mars, but I can't become an astronaut. If you can make me an astronaut, I can work for you!"

"Tomorrow! We'll meet again tomorrow! We need to talk about those two materials!"

With that, he turned and left.

"Hey! My phone number!"

"Save my number!"

Lin Xu shouted after him.

"131..."

"Save it already, man!"

"I can remember it!"

"...Fine."

Lin Xu stopped walking.

Communicating with someone like that really was a pain.

—Wait, no. It didn't seem difficult. It was... smooth?

He had accomplished every one of his goals.

First, he had established a cooperative relationship with him.

Second, he had confirmed that Xu Jin had an implicit connection to Planetary Reincarnation, or at least a motive to join it.

Lastly, he had confirmed that Xu Jin had not joined Planetary Reincarnation yet and knew nothing about the so-called apocalypse.

And all three issues had been resolved within a little over ten minutes.

Could anything be easier than that?

Why ask for more?

A satisfied smile appeared on Lin Xu's face.

He had saved 200,000!

But wait.

Didn't that mean he had to return the 200,000 now?

That hurt.

He pulled out his phone and sent Jiang Xingye a message.

"I got my friend sorted out."

Jiang Xingye replied quickly.

Jiang Xingye: "How did you sort him out? Don't tell me you really 'sorted him out'?"

Lin Xu: "...He's a guy, sis."

Jiang Xingye: "That makes it even more exciting."

Lin Xu: "Fuck... I'm serious. Let me ask you something."

Lin Xu: "Is there any way to skim a little off the 200,000 in contingency funds I advanced from the company?"

Jiang Xingye: "...I'm your supervisor, you know. I'm responsible for internal audit oversight. Is it appropriate to ask me that?"

Lin Xu: "There'll be something in it for you once this is done."

Jiang Xingye: "Down with the capitalists! Let's talk when we meet later!"

Lin Xu: "OK.gif."

Putting down his phone, Lin Xu let out a long breath.

Things were finally starting to go smoothly.

At least in the real world, he had begun to come into contact with his first clear clue related to the apocalypse and Planetary Reincarnation, and he had connected with a key figure.

If he kept following the trail, the answers would gradually come to light.

However, two crucial questions still lay before him.

[First, what exactly was Xu Jin's motivation for going to Mars? Zhurong clearly referred to the Mars rover. What did it mean that he had brought it up?]

[Was it related to some "suspected terrorist attack" he launched after joining Planetary Reincarnation?]

[Second, why did he have Asperger's syndrome?]

Compared to the first question, the second left Lin Xu even more at a loss.

No matter how he looked at it, he could only explain everything as a coincidence.

But such a coincidence could not possibly exist in this world.

Xu Jin had had Asperger's syndrome since birth, and Lin Xu had no way of changing the real world's timeline. So the real question was...

Why did he know Xu Jin had Asperger's syndrome?

In Bracelet World, he had no memories whatsoever.

Yet he truly had been playing his future self.

Could it be that some kind of "subconsciousness" or "intuition" unrelated to memory had been influencing him without his knowledge? When he thought of Xu Jin, it immediately linked him to "Asperger's," causing him to blurt out a lie that was not actually a lie in front of others?

A chill suddenly ran through Lin Xu.

If that was true, then his subconscious's influence over him probably extended far beyond this.

He left the school gates with a deep frown. The old guard at the entrance assumed he had hit a wall and was still gloating over it, but Lin Xu did not bother with him. He simply got into the car he had booked.

He took out his phone again and messaged Jiang Xingye.

Lin Xu: "Say, do you think I've changed lately?"

Jiang Xingye: "?? Are you coming to me to validate your personal charm too?"

Jiang Xingye: "I haven't noticed any changes... though you have become a lot more composed. You're improving fast."

...Anyone would become more composed if they had to walk the line between life and death every day.

Lin Xu sighed and quickly typed:

"It's too early. It's not often I get sent out on business, so I'm going home for a nap. Approve an offsite assignment for me."

"We'll meet directly at the restaurant tonight."

Jiang Xingye: "No problem."

Perfect.

Lin Xu submitted an offsite clock-in request on his phone, and Jiang Xingye approved it instantly.

He rode home, tossed his bag aside the moment he entered, and was just about to take an afternoon nap when Xu Jin's friend request came through on WeChat.

After accepting it, he sent a brief message to arrange a time to meet tomorrow. Then Lin Xu raised his hand and looked at the bracelet.

The number on it had returned to 3. He could go back to risking his life in Bracelet World again.

What should he do this time?

Keep looking for information?

Or change his approach and look for clues related to Xu Jin first?

Whatever.

He would figure it out after going in.

Lin Xu lightly touched the bracelet, and his consciousness was instantly drained away...

"So..."

"Shh. Don't talk."

Lin Xu raised a hand, cutting off Skullhead before he could ask the same question he asked every time.

"We're not doing anything today. I'm taking a vacation."

"A vacation?!"

Skullhead was dumbfounded.

"I've prepared everything, and the operation is ready to go, but you're telling me you're taking a vacation??"

"I'm telling you, vacations still cost money!"

"You hired me. Whether you do it or not, you still have to pay!"

"I know."

Lin Xu nodded.

Skullhead took a deep breath.

"Think this through. If we don't do it today, we won't get another chance this good afterward!"

"No, we might never get another chance!"

"It wasn't easy for us to get organized, and you..."

"You may not have another chance, but I do."

Lin Xu interrupted Skullhead.

"And it's not really a vacation."

"We don't have enough intelligence on the outskirts. The operation is canceled."

"Don't worry. I'll still settle the payment with you."

"Now, drive me to downtown Jinling City."

"As fast as you can!"

"What are you going there for??"

Skullhead had completely lost track of Lin Xu's train of thought.

A mysterious smile appeared on Lin Xu's face.

Then he answered:

"We're going to..."

"The police station!"