Genius Playground

”So far, we’ve sent three Time SMS messages. I think we need to summarize the patterns and puzzles we’ve encountered.”

Jiang Ran pulled the small blackboard over to the lab bench. He began to write on it as he summarized:

”The first Time SMS transmission was a complete accident—a total fluke.”

It was an apt description.

The number of coincidences back then was just too extreme.

When Yan Rui, a senior from the Film Club, was cleaning up, he found that old Positron Cannon. Out of curiosity, he put it on the table, where it *just so happened* to be aimed at the transformer distribution box outside the window.

After the Positron Cannon activated, it only ran for 0.7 seconds before it fried the circuit and caused a power outage.

During those 0.7 seconds, the positron beam bombarded the high-voltage transformer, which *just so happened* to form a 0.7-second spatio-temporal black hole.

And at that exact moment, Jiang Ran *just so happened* to be standing next to the distribution box, and he *just so happened* to press ’send’ within that 0.7-second window, transmitting the text message’s radio waves.

The spatio-temporal black hole then captured the radio waves, sending them through time and space to three days in the past, completing a completely accidental Time SMS transmission.

The event was a low-probability coincidence. With so many ”just so happens,” the slightest bit of bad luck would have made it impossible.

”The second Time SMS transmission was our first test after we repaired the Positron Cannon.”

It was just a test experiment.

No one was sure it would work; no one knew if it could succeed. But it actually did.

The test message was successfully sent three days into the past. The original history was changed, and the worldline shifted again.

This test experiment would have been perfect, except...

Cheng Mengxue’s phone actually received two messages.

The second message appeared out of nowhere, and the mysterious string of garbled numbers on it has yet to be deciphered.

Jiang Ran continued writing on the board:

”The third Time SMS transmission was our first time proactively sending a message after grasping some of the patterns. We were attempting to deliberately rewrite the course of history, intentionally trigger a Worldline Jump, and revive Xu Yan, who had died in an accident.”

This attempt was crucial.

Because it was a purposeful... challenge to established history.

It was the opening of Pandora’s box.

The beginning of an attempt to manipulate history.

A test of the Worldline Theory.

Proof that they could control the power of time and space.

...

Jiang Ran put down the chalk and dusted the powder from his fingertips.

”From these three experiments, we’ve basically grasped the principles and rules for using the Time SMS. Xiaoxue, you’re up.”

”Coming!”

Cheng Mengxue had been writing on a sheet of whiteboard paper.

She stood up, picked up a magnet, and stuck the paper, which was covered in large handwriting, to the small blackboard.

”This is what I just summarized... the rules and key points about the Time SMS. I’ll go through them one by one.”

On the whiteboard paper, written in bold, was—

Time SMS User Manual (Version 1.0)

1. A Time SMS can only be sent to three days in the past.

2. The sending window for a Time SMS is only 0.7 seconds long.

3. After the Positron Cannon overloads, it must be powered down and left to rest for 20 hours before it can be used again.

4. A successful SMS transmission will trigger a spatio-temporal shift, and only Jiang Ran can perceive this shift.

5. A spatio-temporal shift signifies a Worldline Jump, but only Jiang Ran possesses ”Full Space-Time Memory.”

?

Jiang Ran stared at the last point.

”What’s ’Full Space-Time Memory’?”

”It’s the name I came up with for your special ability.”

Cheng Mengxue put her hands on her hips.

”Isn’t it cool?”

”It’s a little cringey...”

”Hey, it’s a perfect definition! The way we described it before was too wordy. We need something more concise.”

She argued passionately, ”The worldline has changed so many times, and you’ve retained your memories every single time, haven’t you? All that history from timelines that have vanished, which none of us remember... it’s all in your head.”

”So since you have memories from every timeline, naming this special ability of yours ’Full Space-Time Memory’ is absolutely perfect!”

”Whatever you say.” Jiang Ran felt it didn’t matter what it was called.

He looked at the Time SMS User Manual (Version 1.0), thinking...

’Actually, a lot of these rules might not be completely accurate.

But since it’s a provisional version, this is fine for now.

If we make new discoveries later, we can just update it to version 2.0 or 3.0.’

Then,

next up,

it was Qin Feng’s turn.

”I’ll just talk about my thoughts on this Positron Cannon.”

Qin Feng walked up to the lab bench.

”This device... its principles are unknown, its construction is unknown, and its effects are unknown. Anyway, I don’t believe it can actually shoot a positron beam. Okay, fine, it does seem to shoot out some kind of energy, but I have to say, it absolutely cannot be a positron beam. The laws of physics don’t allow it.”

”Get to the point,” Jiang Ran interrupted.

”Because we don’t dare disassemble the core components, our research progress has been very slow.”

Qin Feng continued, ”But I have a feeling the Time SMS isn’t limited to just three days in the past. There must be some kind of [variable] that can control the ’depth’ of the spatio-temporal black hole, allowing us to send messages to an earlier point in time.”

”Like ten days ago? A month ago? What about a year ago?”

’It’s possible.’

Jiang Ran had thought the same thing before.

”So, during the next experiment, I plan to try and find that variable.”

Qin Feng pointed at the Positron Cannon.

”Using an external circuit, we can control the intensity of the Beam Converger to change the Electron Beam density.”

”I think it’s highly likely that... if we just increase the Electron Beam density, we’ll be able to send a message to an earlier point in time!”

Jiang Ran nodded.

”We can try it, but I suggest we don’t increase the density first. Let’s try decreasing it... see if we can send a message to two days ago, one day ago, or even just a few hours ago.”

Qin Feng smiled.

”You’re as cautious as ever. But you’re right, that’s a safer approach.”

”Not only that.”

Jiang Ran held up his index finger.

”Since we’re going to be experimenting, let’s test a few more possibilities.”

”Next time we send a message, we can have someone else send it, from a different phone... and see if you guys can also retain the Full Space-Time Memory.”

’Right now,’

’the reason why I’m the one with the Full Space-Time Memory is still a complete mystery.’

He had wondered before.

’Could it have something to do with who sends the message, with who presses the ’send’ button?’

’It’s pretty unscientific.

But since we don’t have any other leads, we might as well try the unscientific approach. Maybe we’ll have another lucky fluke.’

”Alright.”

Jiang Ran checked his watch. 9:01 PM.

The dorms would close in two hours, which was enough time to conduct one Time SMS experiment.

”Well, the summary is done. There’s no time to waste, let’s start the experiment.”

He erased the small blackboard.

He wrote the title on it in large characters: *Fourth Time SMS Experiment*.

Then he turned back and smiled slightly.

”We don’t have any testing requirements right now, nor are there any emergencies to avert. We’re completely free to decide on the content of the Time SMS.”

”So, let’s put our heads together—”

”This time, what kind of trouble should we get into with the Time SMS?”