45 - Time

TL/Editor: raei Schedule: 5/week

Illustrations: None.

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His mind went blank. No thoughts came to him. Lee Yeonwoo stood by the window, frozen like a statue.

A city where time had stopped. A city that would collapse in as little as 15 years, or at most 30 years. Lee Yeonwoo, at thirty years old, facing ruin in middle age.

Scenes from news or documentaries he had often seen lingered in his mind.

Land that could no longer produce food, land submerged under the sea, pouring rain and snow, riverbeds exposed, unquenchable wildfires, seasons oscillating between extreme heat and extreme cold...

A global catastrophe that neither a single person nor a company could stop.

What woke Yeonwoo from his shock and helplessness was none other than hunger.

Growl-

Since Yeonwoo's time was still flowing, his biological activities were as usual. Snapping out of his hunger, he returned to the old computer. Hunger was not important right now.

His eyes and hands moved towards the old computer. A blue light reflected in his pupils.

‘TPL stopped time to find a way. There might be a way to prevent it. Or, at least, a way for me to escape.’

The chat window had stopped at TPL's last message. ACTR, seemingly in shock, had not posted anything further.

Yeonwoo opened the remaining documents.

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[Exploration Report on Relocation Sites]

This is a report on exploring secondary dimensions suitable for human migration. We report the results of the exploration using the topological dimension transfer device and anomalies.

-Dimension 001: Investigator deceased.

-Dimension 002: Investigator deceased.

-Dimension 003: Exploration result unsuitable.

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Exploration result: Found two suitable dimensions. Will construct settlements in those dimensions.

Additional exploration results

-Dimension 092: Reported by Investigator James Kong. Not a place for people to live. Based on Investigator Lee Yeonwoo's report, high possibility of severe conflict with natives. Unsuitable for settlement.

-Dimension 093: Reported by Investigator Hans Raven. A small human world. Based on the review, unsuitable for settlement.

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Final exploration result: Found two suitable dimensions and five preliminary dimensions.

**

[Preservation Plan Progress]

It's fortunate that the results of the migration exploration are positive. Above all, it's encouraging that humans have already taken root in various dimensions.

Like dandelion seeds, humans have rooted in various dimensions. Even if the preservation plan fails, humanity can maintain its lineage.

On the other hand, it's negative that many employees oppose the preservation plan. It's surprising how enthusiastic our senior staff are.

They can't give up on Earth.

Everyone, don't think too hard. Think of it as moving, gaining independence.

Isn't moving to a better place to live a human instinct? We're moving to a new home, leaving the embrace of our parent, Earth. Leave the useless and dangerous junk on Earth and start anew.

In any case, the preservation plan is progressing smoothly.

The final shelter is completed, and the Mars base is being actively expanded. Settlements are being built in the two suitable dimensions, and the ark is about to finish its inspection. The selection of preservation personnel is complete, and many employees have already migrated.

Let's all hang in there for just 10 more years. Let's execute the preservation plan 100 percent within the time limit.

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Lee Yeonwoo took deep breaths to sharpen his mind. There's no need to cry, despair, or give up now. Doing so won't change reality.

‘TPL. And the preservation plan.’

There is a way, even if it's not the best.

Yeonwoo placed his hands on the keyboard. However, he hesitated to type, pondering what to say first, and slowly pressed the keys.

-CHS: I just read it. Is this true?

-TPL: It may be hard to believe, but it's true. The company has given up on Earth.

A definite answer from the research director.

-CHS: Then, is there a plan? Time has been stopped, hasn't it?

-TPL: Not yet.

-TPL: But if we stop time, gather those who can't give up on Earth, and research until we find a solution. Even if it's a faint hope, we might have something.

The idea of stopping time to find a solution due to a lack of answers. Uncertain optimism.

Yeonwoo's hands began to tremble again. He closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again. In the meantime, a message from TPL appeared.

-TPL: The company, allies, and hostile groups. Humans and anomalies. If everyone combines their efforts, isn't it possible?

That statement seemed like he was trying to convince himself.

Uncertain hope was not Yeonwoo's concern. He turned his attention to the preservation plan and the migration exploration report.

-CHS: Has the list of 5 million survivors been decided?

Even if Earth is doomed, isn't there a way to survive? Yeonwoo wasn't fixated on staying on Earth.

But TPL's answer was negative.

-TPL: The selection of personnel is complete, and transfers are being carried out step by step according to the deadline. The selected personnel are aware of the extreme weather scenarios.

This meant Yeonwoo was not among the preservation personnel.

“...”

In the end, there was no way for Yeonwoo to avoid the extreme weather. His fists clenched tightly, but he couldn't bring himself to hit the keyboard, trembling just above it.

Yeonwoo, who had been curled up, suddenly stood up and walked out of the director's office. His chest felt tight; he couldn't stay there any longer.

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A silent city.

Yeonwoo sat leaning on the hood of a car in the first lane of the road, holding a hamburger, looking out at the street. His face was weary, his eyes dark.

In the distance, the traffic lights at the intersection were green, but all the cars on the road were stopped. Mechanically, Yeonwoo moved his jaw.

Crunch- Crunch-

Although it was a hamburger he usually liked, he couldn't taste it. His mind was filled with all kinds of ways to avoid the extreme weather.

‘If time were stopped for about 100 years.’

At least Yeonwoo could live and die peacefully without experiencing the disaster. The city had enough resources for Yeonwoo to use for a lifetime.

‘If I entered a shelter, ark, or migration site while time is stopped.’

He didn't know how the company would react once time resumed, but maybe he could secure a position by threatening with dice.

‘If I prepared for survival.’

If he secured anomalies for survival, built a survival shelter, and filled it with all sorts of resources. He could survive somehow.

But whatever he chose, he would never live the same life again. Civilization would collapse.

Crinkle-

The hamburger wrapper brushed against his lips. Lost in thought, he hadn't realized he had finished eating.

“...”

Yeonwoo, with hamburger sauce all over his mouth, looked silently at the wrapper. A food he would soon only recall as a memory.

Crunch-

The hamburger wrapper crumpled into a ball in his hand. Gripping it so tightly that veins stood out, Yeonwoo threw the wrapper onto the road and stood up.

“For now, I'll help the Time Physics Laboratory...”

He could always choose other options later. When an irreversible day came, he could roll the dice.

But with time stopped, if he could help TPL find a way to prevent the extreme weather, even if the chances were slim. That was the best choice.

Shuffle- Shuffle-

Yeonwoo, dragging his tired body, walked towards the director's office of the Clock Hand Manufacturing Lab. Where Yeonwoo had been, the discarded trash floated in mid-air, frozen.

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While Yeonwoo was away, the chat window hadn't stopped. ACTR, having read the documents, and TPL, waiting for a response, had a conversation. ACTR decided to help TPL.

-ACTR: We can't give up on Earth. So what can the Clock Tower help with?

-TPL: It would be enough if you just don't get in the way. But if you want to help, check if there are any anomalies needed for Earth's regeneration.

-CHS: I will help too. But first, explain the plan.

Before helping, Yeonwoo needed to know what the plan was to provide proper assistance.

When Yeonwoo asked, TPL hesitated, then slowly sent a message.

-TPL: We stopped time for 10 years with a broken clock. Beyond that, we lack the energy. So, for 10 years, we will use all technologies and anomalies, regardless of the company, hostile groups, or allies, to find a way to restore Earth.

Only 10 years. A short time to be confident in the results.

In front of the old computer, Yeonwoo rubbed his lips, then slowly typed on the keyboard.

-CHS: I have dice.

There was a risk of exposing his identity, but everything would be revealed upon investigation anyway. There were traces of the people Yeonwoo passed by, the bicycle, and the food and drinks he had consumed.

-TPL: What kind of anomaly is it?

After Yeonwoo briefly explained the dice, TPL immediately responded.

-TPL: It's a gamble. It's okay not to use it.

-TPL: Instead, inform us of the observation results from the Clock Hand Manufacturing Lab. They have many tools for measuring temporal physics data. They should still be functioning.

So, check the fluctuations in temporal energy, the temporal resistance values, and-

-ACTR: Not just that, but also the critical values-

Yeonwoo stared blankly at the chat window. The chat kept going, but he couldn't understand a single word.

In the end, he asked them several times, received the photos and data they sent, and thoroughly searched the Clock Hand Manufacturing Lab before finally sending a reply.

-CHS: Lastly, the critical value? It's 93.

-TPL: ...Are you sure?

-ACTR: Please check again.

Yeonwoo turned his gaze to a thermometer-like object among the junk placed next to the CRT monitor. While he was typing, the red liquid had risen slightly, showing 94.

Clickety-clack-

-CHS: It just rose to 94. Is that bad?

-TPL: Yes, it's bad. If the critical value reaches 100, even the broken clock can't stop time. This means we have less time than expected. Not even a month, let alone 10 years....

The critical value was too high. At this rate, they couldn't even start the research.

The chat stopped. Despite having stopped time, they had no time. Faced with this reality, they pondered and then sought Yeonwoo.

-TPL: How high is the risk with those dice? S~ᴇaʀᴄh the N0ᴠᴇFɪre.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

-CHS: If a critical failure occurs, we don't know what might happen.

Yeonwoo told them about his experiences without hiding anything. The dimensional travel, the gun explosion, and the resistance to stopping time.

The chat window remained still for a long time, then filled with gloomy emotions.

-TPL: The risk is too great. We give up on the dice.

They had stopped time to regenerate Earth. But if something went wrong, Earth might stop forever. They couldn't take such a risk.

-TPL: Perhaps it's fate. Something that can't be stopped by human power....

Yeonwoo lowered his head and looked at his hands. If he couldn't stop the extreme weather, he had to find a way to survive. But could he just stand by and do nothing?

Survival was easy. While preparing for survival, he had enough energy to help with other tasks.

He lifted his head.

-CHS: We still have time.

The predicted destruction by the company was between 15 and 30 years. The research by those who couldn't give up on Earth should yield results within that time.

If everyone put in the effort, perhaps the Doomsday Clock that struck midnight could start moving from midnight again.

-CHS: Let's continue that research in a world that moves properly.