Chapter 2565: Time Cannot Be Measured by Quantity
Xu Huo casually flipped through the book. Strictly speaking, it was more or less a popular science book, mostly discussing theories about clockmaking in a relatively simple manner, so even beginners wouldn't feel too pressured reading it.
However, the section on the concept of "time" received unanimous praise from critics.
The book's author proposed that time "never stands still" and explained this term. He believed that whether it was time as normally understood or time near certain special cosmic entities, although the method of calculation might appear to change, the concept of "time" itself is eternally unchanging. In relation to "time," he also discussed "curved time."
The concept of "curved time" had existed in the game for a long time, but generally only academic researchers would specifically analyze and explain it. Ordinary people found it difficult to understand curved time, and it couldn't be applied in real life—though this point was debatable. For example, Xu Huo's super item "Three Seconds of Life" was actually an application of curved time, which at least proved that items related to curved time existed in the game.
The book's author, "Jing Shi," explained that "time travel" under normal time conditions was actually impossible because time can only move forward. The only way to achieve "time travel" was to be within curved time.
Similar to how wormholes can fold space to quickly cover distances, "curved time" worked the same way. Curved time also bends and jumps, coexisting with "time."
Of course, "time" was merely a concept proposed by humans to facilitate understanding of material changes. If the concept of "time" were removed, it could be seen as two forces interweaving with each other. When one force interferes with another, the two forces would intersect to produce a special phenomenon, which humans understand as "time travel."
At the same time, the author believed that whether it was time or curved time, both were concepts that humans could not deeply understand or control. After all, the concept of "time" often corresponds to a certain space. Only by affecting space could one be said to have affected "time"; otherwise, it couldn't be considered a genuine influence on "time."
The principle behind the occasional time items that appeared in the game was also simple: they merely used some special ore to affect the surrounding space on a small scale. Strictly speaking, this didn't truly interfere with "time," since the "time" of the entire space hadn't changed as a result.
"Isn't this nonsense?" Another player reading the book couldn't help tapping the pages and laughing when they reached the explanation about "time" at the end. "Time items can slow down time in a small area. Even if it doesn't change the entire space, the matter affected by it will definitely differ from the surrounding matter. How is that not affecting time?"
"Time isn't only for large spaces while small spaces have none."
Even advanced players who hadn't undergone super evolution would at least understand a bit, especially since this was a simple concept. After all, humans had been fantasizing about traveling through the river of time since they first gained intelligence.
"This is a signing event. If you don't like it, leave!" An angry fan glared at the player. "No one invited you here!"
"Jing Shi" had many fans, and some were already glaring at him. Now they were shouting for him to leave.
"I'm just expressing my opinion. What? Not allowed to speak?" The player said. "Does this book only accept praise?"
Among those responsible for maintaining order were also loyal fans of Jing Shi. A female player with her hair in a bun walked over and smiled at him. "Sir, please don't disrupt our normal signing order."
The outer zone player also smiled, crossing his arms. "If I don't leave, what are you going to do about it?"
"A guest from afar is welcome. If you won't leave, we can only make way for you." The female player turned to the fans in line. "We are the hosts. As hosts, would everyone be willing to make room for this outside guest?"
The fans were easygoing. After a few complaints, they actively moved aside, clearing the player out of the queue.
The passage in front of the signing venue was already quite spacious and didn't obstruct other customers. Now that the fans had squeezed into the corners, it was even wider. The player who had been separated from the line was particularly conspicuous, drawing the heated gazes of passersby.
That player didn't care. He shrugged and went to browse other stores.
Xu Huo finished reading a book while waiting in line. When it was his turn, a staff member led him into a dedicated signing room. An old lady who appeared to be in her sixties or seventies sat at the table. She adjusted her glasses as she took the book. "I didn't expect this book to have readers from the outer zone so soon after its release. What would you like me to write on it?"
Xu Huo thought for a moment. "Jumping Time. I'll read this book myself. No need to name me."
Jing Shi smiled and wrote down those five words, then handed the book back to him.
"Your handwriting is beautiful." Xu Huo took it and looked at it, then asked, "I just finished reading the book, and I'm curious about one thing. Why do you think that affecting time on a small scale doesn't count as truly affecting time? I've seen time power kill someone before. A person could turn to ash in just a few breaths. Doesn't that count as affecting the time of the current space?"
"What you described is more accurately called borrowing time," Jing Shi said. "Borrowing time doesn't count as truly affecting time. It's merely a brief coexistence of two time forces caused by a gap in space. For humans, the basic unit of time should be a district, a planet, or a space, a wormhole."
"Truly being able to affect time is when the time of one space completely covers another space."
"At that level, I'm afraid even the Game Government can't do it," Xu Huo said.
Jing Shi just smiled. "Time is not a substance. Don't measure it by quantity. What I call small-scale parallel time isn't about affecting time or quantity."
"Is it about the existence and extinction of time?" Xu Huo took over. "Does time really become extinct?"
"Where there is existence, there is naturally extinction," Jing Shi said. Just then, a staff member nearby came over to remind her. She apologized, "It seems we can't chat for long."
"Thank you." Xu Huo closed the book and left the signing room.
He put the book into his luggage compartment and went out to find the Painting Woman. She and Shi Potian had entered a luxury goods store and, under the clerk's sales pitch, had purchased quite a few clocks embedded with gems and special metals.
By the time Xu Huo stepped through the door, nearly fifty pieces were already laid out in front of them.