Zhou Yi flipped through National Geographic magazines to brush up on his geography knowledge while he waited for news.
the Condenser suddenly appeared outside the floor-to-ceiling window.
"Chairman, I conducted a meticulous and precise selection of that sea floor, and I've found the item. That fellow was a bit slow... but should be arriving soon."
A few minutes later, the Hunter finally appeared from the sky.
Lie Hai placed a plastic box on the rooftop, inside were four watches, each set in its own box. Newest update provıded by novel[f]ire.net
It said tiredly, "Chairman, in the marked shop you mentioned, we found some similar watches. But the Condenser thought they were all substandard, lacking precision. It measured and scanned deep into the ruins and found these few, believing them to be the best."
Zhou Yi picked up one of them.
The outer packaging part had a green leather box with the ROLEX logo in English, a crown icon, something resembling a serial number card, a leather outer cover, and a manual.
The watch had a green dial, a metal strap, and its craftsmanship seemed very meticulous; he couldn't discern anything else.
It was difficult to confirm whether this thing was authentic.
Jiong He said, "Chairman, their outer light film's energy trajectory is the clearest, stable and intact, and the energy reaction intensity is also the highest."
The fact that the light film wasn't damaged was understandable.
What did high energy reaction intensity mean?
"It can also be said that they all show signs of life activity, just to varying degrees."
The Condenser said, "Especially that one, the strongest."
It cast a light towards another box inside the case.
Zhou Yi opened the box and took out a watch with a black dial; the model number 126610LN was written on the serial number card.
Its hands moved rhythmically, looking like an ordinary metal wristwatch.
From an [Alert] perspective, though, he could see a layer of white light swirling around this black-dial watch. The other three watches did not show such signs, indicating that Jiong He's measurement precision and strength were far superior to [Alert].
Zhou Yi pinched the wristwatch.
Consciousness synchronization initiated.
A voice came from the watch, "Don't disturb my work."
Zhou Yi asked, "What work are you doing? Are you a real Rolex?"
"Of course, I am real."
The other party answered.
"My job is to measure and indicate time."
"But your time is accurate, isn't it?"
"Of course. I am accurate."
"Will talking to me affect your precision?"
"How could it? I am a professional Time Meter, I have never made a mistake."
Zhou Yi continued to chat with the other side, "It's my first time hearing the name Time Meter, is it a general term for clockwork life forms that measure time?"
"One could say that."
The Rolex repeated, "I am very busy right now, I need to compete for Standard Time, please don't disturb me."
Zhou Yi said, "Answer a few of my questions first. After that, I will not disturb your work."
"Time is life, please be quick."
"Are you and these other three watches all Rolex? I mean, are you genuine?"
"What do you mean by genuine? Are there fakes?"
Zhou Yi explained it to him.
The other party was shocked, "This... such a thing. If that's the case, I might also be a fake, because I cannot be sure about how things were before I had memories."
Zhou Yi thought about it, this question was indeed a bit difficult for the other party.
It was as if someone asked Zhou Yi if he were still human. He'd say he thinks he is, but has no proof.
"What's this competition for Standard Time?"
"That's part of our job."
Rolex said, "There are many time standards because every Metering Officer takes themselves as the standard. But a certain area needs a common standard to unite all times, to facilitate the Metering Officers' synchronization and calibration."
"With the Standard Time, the Metering Officers will move in sync with it, allowing us to concentrate our strength and accurately describe the time situation of a certain area."
Zhou Yi tried asking, "What happens after the standard is unified?"
"There is no 'after.' Once the standard is established, everyone will synchronize with it, and there will be no need for contention."
"What do you mean 'just like that'? Time standards are very important!"
"Then, is it possible to reverse time by turning the hands?"
"How could that be possible..."
Zhou Yi scratched his head, "So, a time standard is merely a standard?"
"It's called a standard, of course, it's a standard."
The other said, "If you're asking if it has any additional functions, I can tell you that the establishment of a time standard is to prevent measurement confusion, which can lead to a series of disasters. Although time cannot be reversed, various situations may arise, such as radiation affecting the time perception of nearby life forms, leading them into confusion."
"In severe cases, it can even cause many lives to be unable to recognize what time they are currently in, unable to differentiate between the present, past, and future. Their own sense of time becomes disordered, and consciousness will be unable to normally move from the past to the future, creating massive confusion in short."
"At such times, we Time Meters need to step in to help them calibrate time, to break free from the disordered timelines, and get back on track. However, sometimes the situation and forces involved are so severe that it can cause a Metering Officer to also fall into confusion and collapse."
It shifted back to the topic at hand, "Therefore, there must be a standard that, in the event of other Metering Officers' confusion, can synchronize with them and pull them back on track so that even if they have problems themselves, they can follow the standard and return to the correct path. This way, everyone can better mark time, and the more people use the standard, the more important we become."
"Time standards are very important!"
Zhou Yi also put away his previous playful mood.
Time cognition disturbance, it's truly hard to imagine.
This group of Time Meters, akin to the maintainers of time cognition, can play a major role at critical moments.
Speaking of which, the company is lacking such a group.
Zhou Yi seriously said, "The issues you mentioned are also my concerns... I sincerely invite you to join our Wasteland Development Company to serve as a Time Consultant, to help us calibrate time."
"Please also help us protect everyone from the effects of time confusion."
Rolex did not object.
It had only one request, "Unless it's a special situation, please do not disturb me because measuring time and competing for the standard are very high-concentration, precise activities."
"Also, at key moments, I might run low on Light Seed, so I ask for your support, energy is also good. Please keep me worn on your body as much as possible, as it helps to stabilize your timeline and prevent interference from various external forces."
Zhou Yi said no problem.
He then told the other, "I have a friend who said it knows a Standard Clock..."
"What you're referring to is a Standard Clock, which is the Standard Time I am contesting for. It indeed can allow a life form to temporarily return to a past node, but that's not reversing time; it's just reversing one's own conscious record."
Rolex explained, "It collects specific clocks everywhere in order to establish a more comprehensive 'World Time,' but that's something only those of their level would consider."
"Anyway, it's harmless."
Zhou Yi was completely reassured.
He put on the black Rolex on his left wrist, and although it felt slightly heavy, the look was better than expected and did not seem out of place at all.
Rolex added, "I forgot to introduce myself. I am Black Water Ghost from the Rolex family, model number 506E6812."
So it's called Black Water Ghost.
Next, Zhou Yi successfully booked a visit to see Wu Yi through Kunming Station. Lie Hai will bring several Rolexes to the Bone Man through the visitation.
The Hunter took off into the sky once again.
Lie Hai finally returned.
It reported, "Chairman, I saw Wu Yi in the meeting room, and it summoned a very strange little man with a big head shaped like a clock. The little man took three watches and was dancing around as if it was quite fond of them."
"Wu Yi was very happy at the time, it repeatedly asked me to tell you that it will never forget this favor."
"The Standard Clock released a strange power onto it, and Wu Yi suddenly became full of energy, saying it would train and head for the Outer Sea."
It seemed returning to the past had clarified this A-level Bone Man's future goals.
"Wu Yi also said, to reduce its sentence and get out of prison as soon as possible, it will use a part of its skull containing memories as collateral to pursue some dangerous fugitives, so it might be away from the prison for a long time."
"It said that once the sentence is reduced, it will come to us, trying to arrive before the Honourable War to help."
Zhou Yi listened with joy in his heart.
He began to think about how to recruit Wu Yi when the time came.
Both Wu Yi and Jiong He were heading for the Outer Sea; if the two could partner up, they could provide mutual support.