Otaku Translation: Literary Genius: This Kid Was Born Smart C170

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Chapter 170: The Pinnacle of Youthful Campus Fiction

"Is this the legendary big shot?" Qi Caiwei's shock hadn’t faded. Even the teachers’ lounge wasn’t as spacious, and it certainly didn’t have computers!

“Ding ding—” A new message popped up on QQ. Gu Lu clicked to check. It was from Xiang Zhuxiang, a corresponding editor at Science Fiction World, who had sent a friend request along with a message.

[Xiang Zhuxiang: I was wondering who it might be. Turns out, it was you, Mr. Gu! I’ve read many of your short stories, all brilliant, but I never expected you to write sci-fi this well too.]

[Xiang Zhuxiang: I’ve often heard that Mr. Gu can "learn anything he sees and master whatever he learns." Out of curiosity, what works inspired you to start writing sci-fi? If it’s inconvenient to answer, no worries—I’m just curious.]

Gu Lu felt a flicker of satisfaction. Finally, he wouldn’t have to repeat those endless exchanges about his age: “I’m only sixteen.” “What?! Sixteen?!”

His reputation for mimicry had already spread widely in the industry.

[I read Clarke’s The Songs of Distant Earth and 2001: A Space Odyssey.] Gu Lu replied.

Focused on communicating with the editor, Gu Lu now had contacts from various magazines on his list.

Meanwhile, Qi Caiwei wasn’t studying. Her eyes were wide open, utterly astounded. The computer… had internet access!

To think, students weren’t even allowed to bring phones to school, yet this activity center had internet access. Was this still Eighth Prison High School?

Why was Gu Lu treated so differently?!

“Is my typing disturbing you?” Gu Lu noticed Qi Caiwei spacing out and asked. He’d been trying to keep quiet.

“Ahem, Bro Gu Lu, did the school specifically assign this computer for your use?” Qi Caiwei asked, though deep down she believed Gu Lu deserved such special treatment.

“Of course not. The Publication Club needs a computer for research, so it’s part of the club’s equipment—just like how Time Radio Station uses the broadcasting room,” Gu Lu explained, repeating Mr. Hu’s phrasing verbatim.

Was it really comparable? Time Radio Station could only use the broadcasting room briefly during broadcasts, while Gu Lu carried the keys and could come and go as he pleased. Qi Caiwei thought silently.

“Besides, I’m usually in class and don’t have time to use it. At noon or after school, I just go straight home—it’s only about ten minutes away.”

“That makes sense. But having a secret base like this is so cool!” Qi Caiwei exclaimed. “Can I join the Publication Club?”

“Even if you joined, you couldn’t come unless there’s an activity. Besides, the club is still in its early stages and hasn’t started recruiting yet,” Gu Lu said.

“No problem, no problem—I’ll sign up first!” Qi Caiwei felt that compared to The Tree People Literary Club, the Publication Club was on another level entirely.

“Alright, I’ll put you on the list.” Gu Lu nodded.

The next moment, a notification chimed—

[The Pinnacle of Youthful Campus Fiction][Bringing the Stage into the City][Author’s Sole Representative Work] transformed into Classic Literature Club.

“???”

Only three question marks could express Gu Lu’s current state of mind. What was this?

He had never heard of it.

Gu Lu got up from the computer and leaned back on another sofa, pretending to take a short nap.

“I’m resting for a bit—I’m tired.” Gu Lu said.

“Oh, okay,” Qi Caiwei didn’t disturb him further. She bent her head to study, though her excitement hadn’t fully subsided.

Closing his eyes, Gu Lu mentally scanned the text. He saw a familiar name:

[Volume One: Hyouka

Letter from Benares

Houtarou Oreki:

Greetings omitted.

I am currently in Benares. That’s what most Japanese call it, though the old name, Varanasi, seems closer to the local dialect.

...]

“Holy crap, Hyouka is the original work of the Classic Literature Series?” Gu Lu thought. Now it made sense.

Oreki Houtarou, one of the Four Great Kings of Japanese high schools known for his energy-saving personality, was especially popular in the anime adaptation. Many students used his image as their profile picture.

“If it’s this series, then it’s understandable—it piggybacked on the success of the anime Hyouka.”

“The prototype city for Hyouka is Takayama. The local government even released a map detailing every location featured in the anime, boosting tourism significantly.”

Gu Lu had initially thought it was Flipped.

Sighing slightly, he wondered: Could he write a Japanese-style campus novel? Then again, American-style ones like Flipped seemed even harder to replicate.

“Let me think… Hyouka is essentially a campus mystery, very orthodox. And No.8 High School has similar clubs—the school festival is like our anniversary…”

Considering this, adapting Hyouka would be easier than Flipped.

If he could write it, setting the story in No.8 High School would make it a powerful promotional tool…

“Whether I can copy it depends on reading the full text. I’ve only seen the anime, and I don’t recall any plot as over-the-top as After School.” Gu Lu mused.

Moreover, why had he synthesized it? During a middle school reunion, someone’s conversation overlapped with lines from the story, though he couldn’t remember the specifics amidst the chatter.

The item from the acquired work was…

The protagonist Oreki enters the Classic Literature Club’s activity center and meets the female lead, Eru Chitanda, in the club office (the activity center), thus beginning his un-energy-efficient student life.

“The item isn’t just the club activity center,” Gu Lu speculated. “If it were, it should have triggered last month when I got the key from Mr. Hu. Instead, it triggered now… The item is more accurately described as [a club activity center with a female member].”

It was truly serendipitous. Gu Lu had planned to adapt Miracles of the Namiya General Store, but this unexpected synthesis worked out perfectly.

Satisfied, Gu Lu returned to the computer to continue chatting with the editor, Xiang Zhuxiang. He also finalized the cover design for Mr. Holmes, created by artist Hairless Chicken, which aligned perfectly with his vision.

[Mr. Holmes—around what time will it be published? Let me know so I can arrange promotions.]

[Park of Yesterday—when will it be published? I need to plan promotions.]

Before leaving the activity center, Gu Lu sent messages to the editors at New Star Publishing and New Youth Publishing headquarters.

Logging off QQ, he turned off the computer.

“Hmm, if I’d brought my phone, I could’ve made a call,” Gu Lu muttered.

“Bro Gu Lu, is this warehouse secure?” Qi Caiwei asked. “Other than you, does anyone else have access?”

“Only I have the key,” Gu Lu replied. “We clean the activity room ourselves, so even the cleaning staff doesn’t have access. It’s safe enough to leave the computer here.”

“Then you could bring your phone and leave it here—no one checks anyway,” Qi Caiwei suggested. “It’s like No.8 High School’s Peace Hotel. No matter how dangerous things get outside, it’s safe inside.”

“That’s a very practical suggestion.” Gu Lu nodded.

As they prepared to lock up and leave, Qi Caiwei peeked out, checking the corridor for people before signaling Gu Lu to hurry out.

“Why are we acting like thieves?” Gu Lu asked.

“It’s a secret! We can’t leak the existence of the Publication Club—it’s one of the campus mysteries!” Qi Caiwei said.

“It’s not something shameful; we’re just not ready to announce it yet,” Gu Lu explained. “The Vice President and I are still working on it.”

“Vice President? The Publication Club already has a Vice President?!” Qi Caiwei protested, shocked that someone else had joined before her.

“You’ll know when we announce it,” Gu Lu said. “So, isn’t this better than studying in the school library?”

Gu Lu didn’t know why he felt the need to change the subject.

“It’s much better—even though it’s just one wall apart, it’s much quieter here,” Qi Caiwei responded.

Overall, Gu Lu was quite satisfied with his first visit to Mr. Hu’s upgraded activity room.

He could even nap on the sofa if he didn’t want to go home for lunch.

As they crossed the playground, the dormitory bell rang, reminding students to wake up.

Qi Caiwei was an expert on this topic. She knew lying down in the dorm made it impossible to nap, but once in the classroom, sleepiness hit hard, especially during the first afternoon class.

Her eyelids drooped, struggling to stay open.

“Oh, Bro Gu Lu, I almost forgot to mention something,” Qi Caiwei suddenly said.

Gu Lu walked on, gesturing for her to continue.

“The other day, I read The Metamorphosis—Kafka’s version, not the variety show on Mango TV,” Qi Caiwei explained. “I found a reading theme online, but after finishing, I felt something was off.”

“The Metamorphosis?” Gu Lu pondered. Had Mango TV’s harmful reality show started this early?

“How many seasons has Mango TV’s version aired?” he asked.

“I haven’t watched much, but I think it’s around Season Five?” Qi Caiwei guessed.

“Oh, alright. Go on,” Gu Lu encouraged.

“I just feel like the text I read didn’t match the theme I was looking for,” Qi Caiwei said. “It left me conflicted.”

This was actually a good thing—a subjective perspective on reading.

“Then find a theme that resonates with you,” Gu Lu advised.

“Oh, okay!” Qi Caiwei agreed. “Bro Gu Lu, have you read this book?”

“Yes,” Gu Lu replied.

“What do you think the theme of the book is?” Qi Caiwei asked.

“It’s about what ‘I’ represent—after turning into a bug and losing all social attributes, what am I?” Gu Lu explained. “That’s the perspective I saw.”

“Then I’ll use that perspective,” Qi Caiwei immediately said.

“...My interpretation might not suit you,” Gu Lu cautioned.

“Bro Gu Lu is definitely right!” Qi Caiwei declared firmly.

Her personality was far too trusting, making her easily influenced.

---

A few days later, the weather turned overcast.

Gu Lu’s worst fear came true: wearing less clothing became a trend among Class 10 boys as a way to prove their manhood. Seven or eight students followed suit.

But Gu Lu, being cold-sensitive, refused to join the trend.

At noon, after school, Gu Lu rushed to the nearest newsstand.

“Excuse me, do you have Science Fiction World?”

“No? Alright, thank you.”

The reason why he asked that was because his sci-fi short story had been published in this month’s issue of Science Fiction World!

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