Chapter 319: The Closed-Loop Safe! Time-Space Unveiled!

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“This is really hard to say,” Liu Feng said, shaking his head seriously. “Based on my hypothesis, the time-space butterfly effect should be changing and happening in real-time. So, the specific curvature of time-space displayed on the time-space clock, what exact number it will change to, and how significant the change will be, definitely needs to be analyzed on a case-by-case basis.”

“For example, if the time-space change is small and doesn’t impact the world much, then I think the change in the time-space curvature will also be small. Naturally, the numbers on the time-space clock will reflect that minor change.”

“But if the time-space change is significant, and the event has a massive impact on the future, sweeping across the world and creating drastic transformations, then the numbers on the time-space clock will change significantly too. That’s my belief. It could even be...”

Liu Feng extended his right index finger and pointed at the zero before the decimal on the time-space clock’s dial.

“If the time-space curvature change is large enough, even this zero before the decimal might change.”

“But right now, without any data to reference, it’s pointless to discuss these hypotheticals. Once the numbers on the time-space clock change for the first time, we’ll have some rough guidelines. After observing a few more times, we’ll naturally summarize the rules and fully grasp the laws of time-space curvature.”

“Alright,” Lin Xian nodded. “I came to see you this time to check on the time-space clock and see how you’re doing. Let’s leave it at that for now. Don’t stop the research on the Universal Constants either. We should approach this from multiple angles and not place all our hopes on the time-space clock and curvature.”

“Additionally...”

Lin Xian pointed to the corner of the lab table, at a time-space particle catcher shaped like a rice cooker.

“Have you done more research on the time-space particle inside? Any new progress or breakthroughs?”

Liu Feng sighed deeply. “No.”

“I know this result is hard for you to accept, but Lin Xian, this is the reality. It’s harsh, but it’s the truth. We’ve consumed all its energy because we touched the time-space particle too much when we captured it.”

“This lack of experience led to our mistake. No one knew that even slight collisions would cause it to assimilate with our time-space, rendering it worthless.”

“If we have another chance to capture one, I believe I can do better. I’ll improve the catcher and capture mechanisms to keep the internal energy of the time-space particle intact.”

“That way, we might gain something from our research. But as for this one... it’s really useless now. It has no energy, no value, no function.”

Lin Xian felt a pang of disappointment listening to Liu Feng’s explanation. “Can I take a look at it?”

“Of course,” Liu Feng said, spreading his hands. “As I mentioned before, the time-space particle has lost its activity. It won’t flash, jump, or follow any of our universe’s physical laws.”

“You can even touch it without anything happening. I’ve already done that. It doesn’t have a physical form, but there’s a faint, strange sensation when you touch it. I’ve also experimented with placing it on a table or the floor, and it doesn’t penetrate through.”

“This is what I mean by ‘assimilated with our time-space.’ At this point, this time-space particle is essentially part of our time-space, which is why it has no value or energy anymore. It’s a simple logic.”

As Liu Feng explained, Lin Xian walked to the lab table. He wiped the dust off the rice cooker-shaped catcher. The small display still showed two lines of text that seemed to have frozen in time:

Time-Space Particle: Capture Successful!

Capture Time: March 28, 2024, 00:42

This was Chu An Qing’s 20th birthday, a capture achieved through desperate efforts.

After cleaning the rice cooker, Lin Xian touched its cold stainless steel surface and sighed deeply. He pressed the button to lift the lid.

With a click, the lid popped open. Lin Xian peered inside and saw a crystal-blue time-space particle, floating silently in the center of the rice cooker’s inner chamber, untouched by the walls.

It was magical, like magnetic levitation, though it wasn’t. It simply used a similar principle of fields to confine the particle.

Now, the time-space particle had indeed lost its activity. The previously intense lightning, the turbulent core, and the crackling electric arcs were all gone. It looked as if it were asleep, utterly peaceful, docile, and lazy, with no hint of its once wild nature.

Lin Xian observed it closely. Although the time-space particle still resembled a small blue electric ball, it no longer had the fierce electric sparks or the turbulent core. The blue filaments inside spread out evenly, drifting slowly... very slowly... almost imperceptibly, appearing not only non-threatening but even timid.

This is what a time-space particle looks like after losing its activity and energy—a once-dominant alien force now reduced to a tame companion.

Lin Xian reached out his right hand and touched the particle inside the rice cooker. Since Liu Feng had already touched it without issues, Lin Xian had no reservations.

His fingers descended, touching the time-space particle. The sensation... was exactly as Liu Feng described.

Indeed, with closed eyes, one could feel something faintly there, a very slight touch, almost like a spider web or a breeze. But when you consciously tried to touch it, the sensation vanished. However, when you did so unconsciously, the faint contact returned—a feeling beyond words, perhaps better described as an illusion.

Now, with his entire hand inside the particle, Lin Xian felt it remain stable, almost lazily sleeping. The smooth spherical interior showed no reaction to his presence.

He tried to grasp the particle, but it wouldn’t cooperate. It stayed inert, unaffected by Lin Xian’s attempts to move it within the rice cooker.

“It seems that ordinary people touching a time-space particle won’t trigger any extreme reactions or cause them to awaken any memories or have information inserted into their brains, like Chu An Qing.”

“Of course not,” Liu Feng said, shrugging. “After all, we’re not Millennium Steles. I suspect that normal people and objects won’t react to time-space particles. Only Millennium Steles or other entities from outside this time-space might react.”

As he spoke, Brother Wang led Lin Xian to the back storage area. Perhaps due to Time Bank’s substantial financial backing, the security level of the warehouse was top-notch.

The entire wall was thick alloy. Lin Xian wasn’t sure if it was aluminum alloy, but it looked strong enough that C4 wouldn’t blow it open.

This made him a bit worried. If he and CC needed to sneak into Time Bank 600 years in the future, how would they get past this?

However, seeing Brother Wang operate and unlock the metal door with an electronic password lock reassured Lin Xian. It was still just an electronic password lock, and with CC, the password expert, it would be manageable.

“Come on, Lin Xian, let me show you our aluminum alloy safes!” Brother Wang urged excitedly.

Inside, Lin Xian looked around. The sight was as grand as the photos Brother Wang had sent him: walls of concrete embedded with aluminum alloy safes.

Seeing it in person was impressive.

Brother Wang soon led him to the central area and pointed to Safe 66 with a grin. “Look! This is the one I reserved for you!”

“All the safes are identical in size, material, and craftsmanship, so there’s nothing customizable. But some clients like picking numbers, so I saved the best one for you!”

Brother Wang then pointed around. “For privacy, there are no cameras in the safe storage room. That’s essential because these aluminum alloy safes use mechanical password locks that can only be set once. The password can never be changed.”

“So we prioritize privacy over some security. This warehouse’s security and defense are high enough, and it’s in the city center, so thieves are unlikely. Even if they come, they’ll have to crack the safe’s password. Otherwise, these robust aluminum alloy safes can’t be blown open, even with large bombs. Most items here have sentimental value, not monetary worth, so stealing from here isn’t worth it.”

Brother Wang pulled open the safe labeled with Lin Xian’s name, removed the protective device from the lock, and reminded Lin Xian. “Remember, the password lock is extremely precise. Once you set the password, it can never be changed! Think carefully before setting it.”

“When you set the password, place the rice cooker inside, then set the password on the eight dials outside. Close the safe door, and the password lock will engage, completing the setup. The password will remain unchanged for a lifetime, centuries, or millennia.”

Brother Wang then pointed to the door. “I’ll wait outside. Our policy requires staff to leave when clients store items or set passwords. Knock on the door when you’re done, and I’ll open it for you.”

With that, Brother Wang left, and the door closed with a bang. In the vast space filled with safes, Lin Xian found himself alone again, spanning 600 years.

He pressed the button to open the rice cooker lid, revealing the quiet time-space particle glowing blue. He placed the neatly folded note from his pocket, which had stayed with him unseen, inside the rice cooker, next to the particle.

Bang. The lid closed, sealing the particle and the note for 600 years.

Lin Xian felt the rice cooker in his hands grow heavier, burdened with promises and fate.

“We’ll meet there,” he whispered, placing the rice cooker inside the aluminum alloy safe with a clink.

Lin Xian took a deep breath, recalling what VV once said. He had told VV he would set a new password for the Time Bank safe, curious about the original password and contents.

VV, the super AI, had thought for a few seconds before replying, “Lin Xian, there might not be any original items or passwords. The safe’s password and contents might have always been the same. You’ll understand when the historical loop closes.”

“In the moment you use the safe, set the password, and store items, history completes its loop. And you’ll realize that from your first sight of the safe to opening it 600 years later, it never changed.”

This novel is translated and hosted only on BCaTranslation

“No matter how time-space shifts, the safe’s contents and password remain the same.”

In this moment, Lin Xian seemed to understand. He pushed the heavy door of the aluminum alloy safe shut and looked at the eight shiny password dials below the lock, reflecting a bright silver light.

Almost without hesitation, he turned the dials to the first password that came to mind.

This was the note Chu An Qing wrote for him, the particle she sacrificed to capture, the answer she gave to verify the dream’s reality. Their shared secret, but ultimately, the note held Chu An Qing’s own secret...

Bang! The heavy aluminum alloy safe locked for the first time, sealing its eternal password. As timeless as history, never to change.

Time and years,

Space and worlds,

History and the future,

Closed in this moment.

Lin Xian stepped back and looked at the eight digits on the password dials:

20240328

He would always remember this day.

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation