Chapter 2565: Time Is Not Measured by Quantity
Xu Huo casually flipped through the book. Strictly speaking, it was more like a popular science interest book, mostly discussing the theories on clock making in a relatively simple manner. Even beginners wouldn’t feel too much pressure reading it.
However, the section on the concept of "time" received unanimous praise from critics.
The author of the book proposed the idea that time "never stands still," and explained this term. He believes that whether it’s the time in normal perception or the time near some special cosmic existences, it might seem as if the calculation method has changed, but in fact, the concept of "time" is eternally unchanged, and relative to "time," he also mentioned "curved time."
The concept of "curved time" has long existed in the game, but generally only academic researchers go out of their way to analyze and explain it. Ordinary people find it hard to understand curved time, and curved time cannot be applied in real life—of course, this is debatable. For instance, Xu Huo’s super prop "Three Seconds of a Lifetime" is actually an application of curved time, which at least suggests that there are props related to curved time existing in the game.
The author "Jing Shi" elaborated that "time-space travel" in normal time is actually impossible because time can only move forward. The only possible way to achieve "time-space travel" is to be in curved time.
Like how a wormhole can make space fold to achieve the effect of quickly crossing distances, "curved time" is similar. Curved time is also bending and leaping, existing alongside "time."
Of course, "time" is just a concept proposed by humans for the convenience of understanding the change of materials. If we remove the concept of "time," it can be considered two forces interweaving with each other. When one force interferes with another, the two forces intersect to form a special phenomenon, which is what humans understand as "time-space travel."
At the same time, the author also believes that both time and curved time are conceptual, and humans cannot deeply understand and control them. After all, the concept of "time" often corresponds to a certain space. At least on the basis of influencing space can it be said to have affected "time," otherwise it cannot be considered a true impact on "time."
And the occasional appearance of time-related items in the game has a very simple principle; they merely make use of certain special minerals to influence the surrounding space in a small range. Strictly speaking, they don’t truly interfere with "time," as the "time" of the entire space doesn’t change because of this.
"Isn’t this nonsense?" Another player reading this book couldn’t help but knock on the book’s pages and laugh when seeing the explanation about "time" at the end, "Time-related items can slow down time in small areas. Although they do not change the entire space, the matter affected by it will certainly differ from the surrounding matter. How does this not count as affecting time?"
"Time isn’t something that only applies to large spaces and not small ones."
Even advanced players, without super evolution, would know a bit. Besides, it’s a very simple concept since humans have been fantasizing about traveling through the river of time ever since they attained wisdom.
"This is a book signing event. If you don’t like it, leave!" A fan looked at the player angrily, "No one invited you here!"
There were quite a few fans of "Jing Shi," and someone had long glared at him. By this point, they were all clamoring for him to leave.
"I’m just expressing an opinion. What, can’t people speak?" the player said, "Is this book only accepting positive reviews?"
There was also a devout fan of Jing Shi among those maintaining order. A female player with her hair in a bun approached and, smiling, said to him, "Sir, please don’t disrupt our normal signing schedule."
Outer Zone player also laughed, folded his arms, and said, "What are you planning to do if I don’t leave?"
"Guests from afar are guests. If you don’t leave, we have no choice but to make way for you," the female player turned to the line of fans and said, "We are the hosts, as hosts, would everyone be willing to make some room for this guest from afar?"
The fans were easy to talk to, complaining a bit and then willingly moved aside, removing the player from the queue.
The passage at the front of the signing venue was spacious enough already and didn’t impede the traffic of other guests. Now that the fans were moved to the corners, it was even more spacious, making the player separated from the line particularly conspicuous, drawing the curious looks of passersby.
Not that the player cared, he shrugged and went to browse other stores.
Xu Huo finished reading a book in line, and when his turn came, the staff invited him into a special signing room. An old lady who looked around sixty or seventy sat at the table, lifted her glasses when she took the book, "Didn’t expect this book to have Outer Zone readers so soon after release. What would you like written in it?"
Xu Huo thought for a moment, "Jumping Time, I am reading this book myself, no need for a name inscription."
Jing Shi smiled and wrote these five words, then handed the book back to him.
"Your handwriting is beautiful." Xu Huo looked at it and asked, "I finished reading the book just now and am quite curious. Why do you feel that influencing time on a small scale doesn’t truly impact time? I’ve seen Time Force kill, with someone turning to ash in just a few breaths, would that not count as affecting the current spatial time?"
"What you described is correctly termed as borrowing time," Jing Shi said, "Borrowing time doesn’t count as truly affecting time. It is merely that two Time Forces exist temporarily due to a spatial gap. To humans, the basic unit of time should be a region, a planet, or a space, a wormhole."
"What can truly be considered impacting time is when the time of one space completely covers another."
"To such an extent, probably even the Game Government cannot do it?" Xu Huo said.
Jing Shi, however, smiled and said, "Time is not material. Do not use quantity to measure it. The simultaneous existence of small-scale time units I mentioned is unrelated to the influence of time and quantity."
"Is it the existence and extinction of time?" Xu Huo followed up, "Does time truly have an extinction?"
"Where there is existence, of course, there is extinction," Jing Shi said, and at this point, the staff nearby came to remind her, and she apologetically said, "Seems like we cannot have a long chat."
"Thank you." Xu Huo closed the book and left the signing room.
He placed the book in the luggage compartment and went out to find the Girl in the painting. She and Shi Potian had entered a luxury store, purchasing a number of inset and special metal watches on the clerk’s recommendation.
As Xu Huo stepped through the door, nearly fifty pieces were displayed in front of the two.