Prodigy’s Playground

Chapter 86 Distance

Looking at himself through the mirror was genuinely unsettling.

Jiang Ran averted his gaze.

He shook his head.

This line of thought was becoming dangerous.

Even if he truly had some reason to impersonate Qin Feng—to impersonate the Magician—there would be no reason to actually become the world’s number one criminal, condemned by all humanity. What could possibly have happened that would be worth taking the blame for Qin Feng like that?

Besides—

An enemy of humanity. A criminal of that scale. The entire world focused on him. They had even built a dedicated prison just for him.

With such enormous effort invested, could they really fail to verify the Magician’s true identity?

Jiang Ran was Jiang Ran. Qin Feng was Qin Feng.

They weren’t born of the same mother. They weren’t even born in the same place. Each had their own identification, their own background files.Could the police possibly confuse two completely different people?

Even in 2025, law enforcement systems were already highly advanced. A simple facial scan would instantly pull up all identity data. Not to mention DNA testing. There was no way the entire world could mobilize to capture a criminal and then not even know who they had caught.

That would be absurd.

“Forget it. There’s no point obsessing over this.”

Jiang Ran stopped dwelling on it.

If he really wanted to confirm the answer, he could finish dealing with Goldbach’s Conjecture first, then use the same escape routine, push closer to the execution platform earlier, and verify it with his own eyes.

About two or three minutes before the beheading, the Magician’s hood would be removed. There would be more than enough time to see his face.

For now—

He needed to handle what was in front of him.

He picked up the blackboard eraser and wiped away all the thoughts he had organized. Closing the activity room door, he left Donghai University.

Donghai International Trade Vocational College. Library.

With a student ID, he could borrow books freely.

The mathematics works that the elderly Professor Zhang Yang had pointed him toward were all in the collection. Jiang Ran carried them to a desk and began studying.

They were difficult.

But Jiang Ran had once scored 680 on the college entrance examination on Worldline Zero. He was no ordinary student. His learning ability was strong.

Especially since he had already studied advanced mathematics for two years at Donghai University—his foundation was solid. These books, though challenging, were not without entry points.

And so—

Another week passed in near sleepless immersion.

Jiang Ran studied with desperate intensity. At last, he had absorbed most of the material.

Objectively speaking, the books were not incomprehensible. Jiang Ran could understand them.

Professor Zhang Yang had once said that Lu Yu’s derivation for Goldbach’s Conjecture was ingenious—beautiful—like poetry.

Perhaps a conjecture that had eluded humanity for over three centuries deserved nothing less than beauty to claim its crown.

“Almost there.”

Jiang Ran closed the book and looked at the dim streetlights outside the library window.

“It’s time to go to 2045 and seek Professor Zhang Yang’s guidance.”

The next morning, he met Chi Xiaoguo early. With practiced ease, he triggered the electric door and connected the phone call.

When he opened his eyes—

The prison stood unchanged.

“Do you know what’s most important for a prison break?”

Sang Biao’s question arrived on cue.

Jiang Ran said nothing. He quietly sat at the very back of the workshop, motionless.

He needed a long time to talk with Professor Zhang Yang.

To achieve that, he absolutely could not participate in Sang Biao’s escape plan.

So—

This time, Jiang Ran would ignore Sang Biao. He wouldn’t expose his presence. He would simply watch.

According to his prediction, if he did not appear, Hothead, Bookworm, and the Killer would not join Sang Biao’s escape attempt.

That way, once Sang Biao left alone, Jiang Ran would have time alone with Professor Zhang Yang.

“I’ll ask you one last time…”

Sang Biao stood alone under the corridor light, scanning the area, his voice tinged with pleading.

“Are you coming with me or not?”

Only teasing replies and half-hearted discouragement answered him. No one volunteered.

“Damn it!”

Sang Biao exploded in anger, slamming the silver wire to the ground.

“Then rot here! Be buried with the Magician!”

He stormed off without looking back.

After a long while—

Even the sound of his footsteps faded.

Only then did Jiang Ran step out of the darkness and knock on Cell No. 4.

“Professor Zhang! Professor Zhang Yang!”

Across from him, the white-haired old man approached, puzzled.

“Hm? When did someone move into the opposite cell? Do you know me?”

“Professor Zhang, I’d like to ask you a few mathematics questions. May I?”

They spoke across the bars, across the corridor.

The elderly Zhang Yang adjusted his glasses and examined Jiang Ran from head to toe.

A very young man. Looked like a university student. At this age, already in prison… who knew what he had done.

“I can try. But my main research is physics. If it’s very complicated mathematics, I may not be able to answer.”

“I want to learn the proof method for Goldbach’s Conjecture.”

Jiang Ran went straight to the point.

“I have a foundation in advanced mathematics and have studied related works. Could you explain it to me? The method used by your former student, Lu Yu.”

“Mm…”

Zhang Yang hesitated.

“Goldbach’s Conjecture is very complex. What exactly don’t you understand?”

Jiang Ran smiled awkwardly.

“I don’t understand anything. Could you start from the beginning?”

Zhang Yang was speechless.

His instinct told him the young man was joking—just bored and trying to pass the time.

After all—

Who studies Goldbach’s Conjecture in prison?

Even though it had been solved nearly twenty years ago, its complexity was beyond the grasp of most university students.

But as a teacher, one never refuses a sincere question.

“If you truly want to learn, I’m willing to teach. We have plenty of time here.”

“However… such complex material can’t be explained through the air like this. We need to write out derivations on a board.”

Jiang Ran clicked his tongue.

True.

This was a real problem.

Without Sang Biao, they couldn’t pick the locks. With Sang Biao, they had to escape.

Annoying.

“Hey. Kick that wire over here.”

Suddenly, the Killer spoke from Cell No. 5.

His slender pale arm extended like a snake, pointing at the silver wire Sang Biao had thrown.

“You two take off your clothes, swing them, hook the wire over, toss it to me. I’ll open your locks.”

Jiang Ran stared in disbelief.

This guy could do everything.

Timely help was welcome.

Jiang Ran moved quickly. After some effort, he retrieved the wire and tossed it rightward to Cell No. 5.

The Killer grabbed it, inverted his wrist, inserted it into the keyhole—click click click—

The lock opened.

He stepped out, walked over, and locked eyes with Jiang Ran.

Their gazes met with silent understanding.

Jiang Ran knew the Killer either suspected—or was certain—that he was a time traveler. That was why he cooperated unconditionally.

And Jiang Ran understood the reason behind it.

But the main objective right now was mathematics. He had no intention of entangling himself further.

The Killer opened Jiang Ran’s and Zhang Yang’s cell doors in rapid succession—faster than Sang Biao ever had—then returned to his own.

“Hey! What are you doing!”

Hothead from Cell No. 2 rattled the bars.

“Open mine too!”

The Killer glanced back.

“Do you want to study Goldbach’s Conjecture too?”

“Wh-what river what river!”

Hothead stumbled over his words.

“I just want some fresh air!”

This small section of the prison had never been this lively.

Under the corridor light, Jiang Ran and the elderly Zhang Yang sat together. Using a toothbrush handle as chalk, they wrote formulas onto the damp, mottled wall as explanations flowed.

The Killer leaned silently against the bars, watching.

Hothead couldn’t sit still—shadowboxing, pretending to shoot hoops, then doing sit-ups and push-ups.

No wonder his muscles were so developed.

Eventually, bored, he wandered over and stared at the messy symbols on the wall.

“Your study conditions are miserable. Worse than our village primary school. Why didn’t you study properly outside? Now you’re here and suddenly diligent. Typical—didn’t value books when young, thought labor was treasure.”

“Oh, shut up.”

Jiang Ran rolled his eyes.

“As if you love studying.”

“I do!”

Hothead planted his hands on his hips.

“Then why didn’t you study?”

“School didn’t want me!”

Hothead shrugged.

“I kept fighting. Sometimes even hit teachers. I know it’s wrong, but I can’t control it. Once my temper flares, nothing matters.”

“That’s hyper-masculinity syndrome.”

Jiang Ran said quietly.

“Super-male syndrome.”

“Hey! That’s rude! I’m not—”

“Enough.”

The Killer stepped forward and dragged Hothead away.

“Stop disturbing them. Go do sit-ups.”

And so—

Days passed in intense study.

After morning sessions with Zhang Yang, Jiang Ran would immediately return to the junior college library to continue researching.

Without attempting escape, he wasn’t killed by guards.

Yet at around noon—when the Magician was beheaded—he was still forcibly returned to 2025. Completely unavoidable.

Lu Yu’s derivation wasn’t difficult to memorize. Elegant as poetry.

But memorization wasn’t enough.

Jiang Ran needed full comprehension.

Not just how each step worked—but why.

Otherwise—

If some academician decided to test him, and he couldn’t answer questions, the lie would unravel instantly.

Nan Xiuxiu came to the library almost every day to keep him company. She worried about his attendance.

“Jiang Ran, it’s dangerous to skip class every day like this.”

“Just for this stretch.”

He filled another sheet of scratch paper and flipped it over.

“I’m too busy right now.”

Nan Xiuxiu propped her chin in her hands, eyes spinning at the dense symbols.

“Why are you studying math again?”

She clearly remembered that after May Day, Jiang Ran had spent weeks studying circuits, picture tubes, electronics.

And now this.

What kind of competition was the Film Camera Club even entering?

“Hey.”

She poked his arm.

“There’s a new rice noodle place on the third floor of the cafeteria. Supposedly better than the one outside campus that closed. Want to try it?”

She didn’t expect much.

He was busy. Under pressure.

He would probably refuse.

And if he did, she would just buy takeout and bring it back so he wouldn’t starve here.

Jiang Ran paused.

Two seconds of silence.

He capped his pen.

“Okay.”

He nodded.

“Let’s try it.”

“Really, Xiuxiu? Jiang Ran’s back to normal? That’s great!”

On the sports field steps, Nan Xiuxiu sat with her friend.

The girl in yellow hair and a camisole sighed in relief.

“He was acting strange for a while. But everyone goes through things, right? You said he had a childhood friend who died in a car accident. That trauma lasted two years. A little relapse is understandable.”

“But now it’s good! You were worried he was ignoring you for half a month—thought it was cold violence.”

Nan Xiuxiu exhaled through her nose, watching couples scattered across the soccer field.

“Yeah. I was worried. But after that, he went back to normal. He dates me. Watches movies with me. Today he was clearly working on hard math, and I didn’t expect anything—but he still went to eat rice noodles with me.”

Her friend patted her back.

“Cheer up.”

“It’s a good thing he wants to study and improve himself.”

“Isn’t this better than gaming all day or going to bars? Competing, gaining skills—that’s positive.”

Nan Xiuxiu pouted.

She looked at the sparse stars in the dark sky and blinked.

“I know it’s good. And I’m happy he’s back to normal and dates me again.”

“But… but… I don’t know how to explain it.”

She shook her hair.

The night breeze lifted strands of pink shimmer, glowing under moonlight like a fairy’s tears.

“I just feel…”

She bit her lower lip.

Turned her head.

Looked at the brightly lit library in the distance.

“I just feel the distance between Jiang Ran and me…”

“Is getting farther and farther.”