Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C68

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Chapter 68: The Height of Genius

"Hurry up already, I've been waiting so long I'm wilting like a flower." Han Cang's mind drifted to the card game Dou Di Zhu he often played, its catchy sound effects looping endlessly in his head.

He had arrived at the arrival gate twenty minutes early, but by now, he'd been waiting for nearly an hour.

Bored out of his mind, Han Cang spotted a clean-cut teenager wearing gray clothing and sporting a neatly trimmed haircut—the kind where the bangs don’t touch the eyebrows, the sides don’t cover the ears, and the back doesn’t extend past the neck.

Han Cang’s eyes locked onto this person, whose gaze held none of the childish innocence one might expect. Could it be? A thought flickered through his mind.

"Excuse me, are you Editor Han Cang from Chronicles of Mystery?" Gu Lu asked, noticing the sign in Han Cang’s hand.

"Yes, yes, welcome Gu… Mr. Gu to Harbin," Han Cang replied, recognizing the familiar voice immediately.

Calling a high school student "mister" still felt a bit awkward, though.

"Thank you for waiting, Editor Han. Though the plane landed on time, the airport was busy, and there weren’t enough jet bridges, so we had to wait a while," Gu Lu explained.

"No problem, I haven’t been here that long," Han Cang said with a smile. Instinctively, he reached out to help with the luggage but realized Gu Lu only carried a small backpack. He quickly withdrew his hand.

"Uh, um…" Han Cang stumbled over his words.

"Am I different from how you imagined?" Gu Lu interjected smoothly. "You’re pretty much what I expected—very scholarly."

It was embarrassing to have a high schooler take the lead in conversation. Han Cang flushed slightly, sensing Gu Lu’s poise and clarity of speech.

"I’m not scholarly—just bookish," Han Cang joked. "I knew you were young, but seeing you in person is still surprising."

As they walked, Han Cang led the way to his car. Gu Lu gazed out at the scenery of Harbin, which seemed mundane to locals but fascinating to him. In his previous life, Harbin had briefly become a tourist hotspot, but he’d never had the means to visit, relying instead on virtual tourism via social media photos.

Now, invited with travel and lodging fully covered, Gu Lu felt grateful—not just for himself, but also for the body he inhabited. He mentally prepared to sever ties with his biological father as soon as possible. After researching, he confirmed that a sixteen-year-old minor could achieve full civil capacity if financially independent.

"People handle others’ family disputes decisively when they’re confident," Gu Lu thought smugly. "In my past life, I hesitated and tiptoed around everything. But now? I’m unstoppable." With that thought, he shook his head, grinning faintly.

"What detective novels do you enjoy reading?" Han Cang, bored during the drive, suddenly asked.

"The Sherlock Holmes series by Conan Doyle," Gu Lu replied without hesitation.

"What about Agatha Christie?" Han Cang pressed, given the AC (Christie) Forum’s anniversary event.

"When it comes to the three authors who ushered in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction—Christie, Queen, and Conan Doyle—I prefer Conan Doyle because his works are better suited for promotion."

"Hmm?" Han Cang tilted his head. "Better for promotion because he’s more famous?"

"If we're comparing fame, Christie and Conan Doyle are neck and neck."

"It’s not about fame—it’s about writing technique," Gu Lu clarified. "Queen and Christie focus heavily on building cases from scratch, but Conan Doyle prioritizes character development first."

"Take A Study in Scarlet, for example. It follows the most classic novel structure: introduce conflict, highlight the protagonist’s uniqueness, then plunge them into a dilemma."

Han Cang paused to reflect. Indeed, in A Study in Scarlet, Watson initially doubts Holmes, only to be amazed by his deductive reasoning. Then, they’re thrust into the mystery of the blood-stained messages left behind.

Han Cang went further, realizing that the other three Holmes novels—The Sign of the Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and The Valley of Fear—all began with Holmes solving smaller puzzles before diving into larger mysteries.

"To expand the reach of detective fiction, we need to make it accessible to readers who aren’t fans of the genre," Gu Lu continued.

"So, does that mean Queen’s novels wouldn’t appeal to someone like you?" Han Cang deduced.

Gu Lu nodded. "If a casual reader picked up any work by the Queen brothers, they’d likely struggle to get through it due to the dense setup. That’s a barrier to entry."

"The best approach is to write stories everyone can enjoy, then add unique elements to hook specific audiences."

Gu Lu’s subtle reference to Earth’s bestselling author Keigo Higashino didn’t go unnoticed. Works like Suspect X and Journey Under the Midnight Sun transcended genres, attracting even those who typically avoided brain teasers or detective stories.

Unfortunately, Gu Lu lamented silently, he possessed After School by Keigo Higashino, yet couldn’t use it. Even swapping it for Malice would’ve been preferable!

Through the rearview mirror, Han Cang noticed Gu Lu’s furrowed brow, lost in deep thought, and decided not to interrupt.

"No wonder someone so young could write Mr. Holmes. They must have a profound understanding of Sherlock Holmes."

Especially since Gu Lu spoke with such insight about broadening the appeal of detective fiction—even framing it in terms of accessibility for non-fans.

At twenty-seven, Han Cang’s editorial mindset focused solely on crafting shocking riddles and jaw-dropping solutions—"Give me an unfathomable motive!" His perspective paled in comparison to Gu Lu’s breadth of vision.

Forty minutes later, they arrived at the hotel. After parking, Han Cang asked, "Mr. Gu, would you like to drop off your things first or meet the editorial team?"

By now, the title "Mr. Gu" rolled off Han Cang’s tongue effortlessly.

"Let me drop off my things first. We’ll see everyone at dinner, right?" Gu Lu suggested.

"I’ll send you a message about the banquet timing," Han Cang assured him.

After helping Gu Lu check in, Han Cang escorted him to the elevator before returning to the meeting room.

The Madier Hotel, once Harbin’s most luxurious accommodation, remained impressive after several renovations, maintaining a five-star standard.

Gu Lu unpacked his belongings and returned Director Jian’s call. During the flight, his phone had been off, prompting Director Jian to leave a voicemail.

"Director Jian—almost done, almost finished," Gu Lu answered, realizing the call was a reminder about his manuscript deadline.

"Hahaha!" Director Jian’s hearty laugh echoed through the line. "So I hear our little writer Gu has gone off to attend Chronicles of Mystery’s offline author gathering!"

This wasn’t deliberate snooping; the literary circle was simply small.

"Little Gu, you know I was the one who approached you first for contributions," Director Jian teased.

"Ahem—it’s almost done. Two weeks max," Gu Lu promised. Technically, he wasn’t lying. The main text was complete, but the illustrations still needed work.

"Two weeks, huh? No problem. Stay safe while traveling. I won’t keep you any longer," Director Jian said before hanging up.

Gu Lu exhaled deeply. The Little Prince had better deliver!

---

Meanwhile, back at the conference room:

"Did you pick up Mr. Gu?" Senior Editor Gao asked.

Han Cang nodded. "No issues."

"So, what’s our youngest contracted writer like?" Gao probed.

The question drew the attention of the other editors. Curiosity, after all, was a universal trait.

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