novelsite Chapter 004 It's not over yet, it's simply not over.
Chapter 004 It's not over yet, it's simply not over.
Stepping out of the shop—perhaps a 'water shop' specifically for those recovering from illness—Lu Chen stood on the street, watching Yu's figure gradually disappear into the distance.
As the figure disappeared around the street corner, Lu Chen could only sigh softly and reluctantly turn his gaze away.
Following the path Yu pointed out before leaving, Lu Chen started walking in the opposite direction, his mind filled with countless thoughts.
When Lu Chen decided to participate in the hibernation experiment, his only wish was that when he woke up, humanity would have already conquered cancer.
But they never thought about what price they should pay, or what they could pay, as the 'treatment cost' for curing cancer when they woke up from their dormancy.
Even if cancer is conquered, what right will future generations have to treat Lu Chen?
Now, Lu Chen knows.
A healing agent worth [10 years], minus the [5 years] of the hibernation pod depreciation, plus Lu Chen's 'initial capital' [1 year];
Ultimately, it turned into a time debt of 6 years.
It doesn't seem like much.
However, there is almost no possibility of paying it off.
—Because the principal of this debt is 6 years, there is no set repayment period, but interest needs to be paid every month for 300 days.
The interest accrues until the principal of the debt, which is the principal over 6 years, is paid off in a lump sum, and it must be paid monthly.
Assumption;
For the next ten years, Lu Chen paid interest for 300 days each month, for a total of 120 months.
Therefore, the total interest repaid over these ten years will reach [36000 days], which is [98 years and 230 days].
This figure far exceeds that of the debtor over a period of 6 years.
However, as long as Lu Chen fails to pay off the debt in one lump sum within the specified 6-year period, the debt relationship will continue.
The interest that needs to be paid each month for [300 days] will continue to exist.
Ten years, twenty years, thirty years...
Even after a hundred years, and hundreds or even thousands of years of interest paid out, Lu Chen is still unable to repay the debt of a mere 6 years.
Why?
Because every month, in addition to the naturally passing [30 days] and necessary living expenses, Lu Chen also has [300 days] of interest to pay.
To paraphrase Yu: The interest alone for each month [300 days] is enough to keep Lu Chen busy, or even risk his life, for there is only a very small chance that he can pay it off.
Based on experience, Yu Geng concluded that Lu Chen was "almost impossible to live to thirty-five days later."
Even the interest for 300 days is so difficult to repay, it is almost impossible to afford;
Not to mention the extra savings, trying to accumulate enough time [6 years] to pay off the debt.
"Extracting marrow from bones..."
"Are they trying to drive every relapsed person to suicide through this method?"
...
Why?
Why focus on short-term gains instead of a long-term, sustainable approach that leverages the labor force provided by recovered individuals to create value?
"—Is it that the labor and value created by those who have recovered are not worth utilizing?"
"Or is it that the City of Time has limited resources and cannot support a larger population...?"
As he pondered, one question after another popped into his mind, making Lu Chen's thoughts increasingly chaotic.
Using time as currency and linking it to human lifespan?
Lu Chen reluctantly understood it as: an alternative currency that would depreciate and decrease over time even if not consumed.
The purpose of doing this may be to force people to follow their survival instincts and contribute more value through a "life countdown".
Simply put, lying flat is absolutely not allowed.
We are not allowed to be like the "Sanhe Gods," working one day and playing for three, just getting by day by day.
But what Lu Chen couldn't understand was: why did the resurrected ones start their journey in the City of Time with being heavily in debt and nearing death?
Do all cancer survivors, like Lu Chen, need a cure worth [10 years]?
If not, then would those who recover from milder illnesses and lower treatment costs—or even those who recover from illnesses without any illness at all—not be required to bear debt?
and also.
Since time can be traded and acquired, are there any "wealthy" individuals who possess thousands or tens of thousands of years of time and have achieved immortality in some sense?
What is the lifestyle of the original inhabitants of the City of Time?
Besides scavengers like Yu and resurrected individuals like Lu Chen, what other groups exist in the City of Time?
How does the City of Time operate and maintain itself...?
The more I think about it, the more questions arise, but I can't find any answers at all.
Lu Chen wanted to, and urgently needed to, learn everything about the City of Time and [Time].
But when Lu Chen looked up at the 'people' brushing past him, he felt completely out of place in this world—in the entire City of Time.
It's not just about the spiritual aspect.
It's not just about physical features.
Even the speed of his walk, the frequency of his footsteps, and the expression on his face made Lu Chen, who was in this world, seem like an oil droplet floating on the surface of water.
—Apart from Lu Chen, no one would walk so slowly, so leisurely.
No one else would dedicate their precious time to thinking like Lu Chen.
Everyone is struggling to survive—struggling for time.
Yu was willing to spend her precious time answering Lu Chen's questions as a venture capital investment in the hope of recovering the two-year debt.
Aside from Yu, there is probably no one else in the entire City of Time who would be willing to spend time answering Lu Chen's questions.
Unless Lu Chen can offer enough time as compensation...
"Should we take a little time to ask someone...?"
Strolling slowly down the street, watching the pedestrians of all shapes and sizes walk by.
After a moment's thought, Lu Chen decisively rejected the idea.
—The night after tomorrow, Lu Chen will have to complete Yu's test: keep the remaining time above 65 days.
Only by passing the test will one have the opportunity to follow Yu out of the city to scavenge.
Lu Chen vaguely sensed that scavenging might be the only way for him to afford the monthly bank interest of 300 days.
Therefore, Lu Chen's time is extremely precious in the next two days.
Lu Chen wants to earn as much time as possible while spending as little time as possible.
Furthermore, besides Yu, there is probably no other person in the City of Time who is truly worthy of Lu Chen's trust.
Yu was willing to help Lu Chen so that Lu Chen could live and repay the debt of those [2 years] in the future.
Yu hopes Lu Chen will live and has the motive to help him.
But others did not have similar motives.
Even if Lu Chen offered them his time as payment, they might not tell the truth.
It's clearly not worthwhile to trade our precious time for potentially unreliable information.
"Let's ask Yu again the night after tomorrow."
"—Guaranteed authentic, and free?"
"Hey……"
"Now, let's pay off the interest for this month's [300 days] first, and then go to the Rope Hotel for the night."
"Let's go check out the mine tomorrow morning..."
Thinking this, Lu Chen instinctively quickened his pace and walked towards the city gate.
As he walked, he couldn't help but curse inwardly: Robot dog!
Couldn't I have delayed my recovery by a day?
Lu Chen didn't realize that, without his notice, his quick steps were rapidly merging into the equally hurried crowd on the street.
From a distance, it's impossible to tell that Lu Chen is a resurrected individual who just ended his hibernation today and began a new life in the City of Time.