Chapter 422: Origin? 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The sight of the cat gazing up at the starry sky, weeping in sorrow, truly shook Chen Nuo.

He could understand the deep, undissolvable sorrow and helplessness in the Gray Cat’s eyes.

Originally, in Chen Nuo’s understanding, he always thought this cat was as timid as a mouse...

Hmm? A cat as timid as a mouse? That always felt somewhat off...

Alright, he had previously thought that its withdrawal from the competition—or as it put it, "forfeiting"—was due to its cowardice.

It was only tonight, as the Gray Cat finished speaking, that Chen Nuo suddenly understood...

Aside from cowardice—which may or may not have been true—there could also be "despair" and "hopeless frustration."

"...So, you think you won’t succeed?" Chen Nuo lowered his voice.

"I don’t know." The Gray Cat shook its head. "I hope to succeed, but..."

After this "but," the Gray Cat closed its mouth and said no more.

"Alright, then let’s change the question... What if you do succeed? I mean, *if*."

The Gray Cat still answered very frankly, "Don’t know."

Then it added, "We also don’t know what Four-Dimensional Life looks like or how it exists. So, how would I know? If success comes... that kind of thing is just impossible to imagine."

That’s right. Lower-dimensional life cannot comprehend and imagine the existence of higher-dimensional life forms.

"Then talk about what you already know, or what you’ve speculated," Chen Nuo said, shaking his head. "You’ve been busy for so long, through countless years and infinite strife. It can’t be that there’s been no progress until now, right?"

"Just as you said, your kind of Spiritual Life Form has already reached the pinnacle of three-dimensional life."

"Then you must at least know some things that we don’t."

The Gray Cat raised its paw towards the sky as if gesturing, then said, "I just asked you, what is life?"

"I answered, but you said it wasn’t accurate."

"Of course, it’s not accurate. Three-dimensional life can only define three-dimensional life. However... it’s not like we can’t speculate at all; there are always some avenues for imagination."

"For example, haven’t you humans always made many theoretical speculations about four-dimensional space?"

Chen Nuo did know something about that—speculations and hypotheses regarding four-dimensional space.

In fact, thanks to countless science fiction works from 20 years later, especially during the eight years of self-imposed isolation at sea, Chen Yanluo, who was bored out of his mind, had read all sorts of things to pass the time.

Simply put, the human conjecture about four-dimensional space is to add another dimension on top of the existing three-dimensional world.

A one-dimensional world is a line.

A two-dimensional world is a plane, meaning length and width, forming a plane—length and width are the two axes of the two-dimensional world.

The three-dimensional world, then, has length, width, and height, forming a volumetric solid world; thus, the three axes of the three-dimensional world are length, width, and height.

The so-called four-dimensional world is about finding the fourth axis based on the three-dimensional world.

As for what the fourth axis is, mainstream speculation and hypothetical theory suggest it is: Time.

Time!

A thought struck Chen Nuo, and he ventured, "The fourth axis of four-dimensional space is... Time?"

"It might be, or it might not be." The Gray Cat shook its head.

"What do you mean?"

Chen Nuo frowned, unable to understand.

Regarding the concept of four-dimensional space, Chen Nuo wasn’t entirely clueless; after all, many science fiction works discuss similar theories.

Time is the fourth axis of four-dimensional space.

Simply put: using Time as the axis, stacking numerous three-dimensional spaces on top of each other—that’s what is called four-dimensional space.

But...

Next, the Gray Cat spoke with a smile.

"The so-called ’Time,’ by your human definition concerning the material universe, is the manifestation of all material movement, change, continuity, and order. In other words, it’s an abstract concept, but it can be observed and perceived."

"But this ’observation’ and ’perception’ is also flawed."

"That is to say, this ’perception’ and ’observation’ are also based on the material world, conducted under the theoretical framework of the ’three-dimensional world.’"

"The problem is... just as when I asked you for the definition of life, you told me a great deal, but it’s only the definition of life in the three-dimensional world."

"So, is Time really the fourth axis?"

"The definition of Time is: the continuity and regularity of material movement and change..."

"We live in a three-dimensional world, so our matter moves and changes. Thus, we define this movement and change with the concept of ’Time’."

"But the question is, does four-dimensional space really involve material movement and change?"

"Or, to put it another way, is the movement and change of material truly eternal?"

"You humans have gradually discovered many things; for example, the measurement of Time is not absolute but variable."

"For another example, ’Time’ is derived from perception and observation."

"Furthermore, if there’s no perception and observation, the definition of Time almost becomes a Pure abstraction; it could be said to ’not exist.’"

"Therefore, we had previously been convinced of treating Time as the fourth axis of four-dimensional space."

"But... as we venture further, we increasingly find that it may not be entirely so."

Seeing Chen Nuo frowning, the Gray Cat suddenly changed its approach. "Let’s discuss an interesting, albeit very idealistic, claim concocted by one of your human philosophers."

"What is it?"

"You are a living being, right?"

"Of course."

"Good. So, let’s assume you died."

"Then, two phenomena occur."

"To the world, you are destroyed."

"But to you, it is actually the world that is destroyed."

"Understand?"

"The so-called ’world,’ if seen from your perspective—the nation, family, society... your friends, relatives, your emotions, feelings..."

"This mountain is very high, that sea is very wide, this cake is very sweet, that orange is very sour, this liquor is very spicy, that tea is very bitter..."

"These constitute the ’world’ as defined from your perspective."

"From an individual’s point of view, the so-called ’world’—or rather, our ’three-dimensional world’—is an existence that you perceive and observe."

"Understand?"

"To you, a normal person, your world is illuminated."

"But for someone born blind, their world is dark."

"No matter how you describe or explain it to them, you can never make them understand what ’light’ is; you can never make them understand what ’brightness’ means."

"So, the so-called ’world’ is actually based on the perception of individual lives; the things you perceive form the ’world’ you define."

"And once you die..."

"Chen Nuo, say at this moment, you suddenly died."

"Then to you, it’s not that you have died."

"Rather, your ’world’ has been destroyed. Your children, your woman, your friends, your family, your career, your nation, everything you know in this world... the moment you die, they perish, they’re destroyed."

"...But it still exists; that is objective." Chen Nuo frowned. "Even if I die, the world still exists."

"But to you, this ’individual,’ you are destroyed because you died. You can no longer perceive or observe, so your world is destroyed." The Gray Cat smiled at this point. "From this definition... actually, the world perceived by each living individual is different."

"People born blind, deaf and mute, or color-blind..."

"Broadly speaking, you and these people exist in the same world."

"But specifically... from each of your personal perspectives, the world is different."

"So... Time is not the fourth axis of four-dimensional space?" Chen Nuo asked.

"No... based on our conjecture, Time is very likely the fourth axis," the Gray Cat answered again.

Chen Nuo’s eyes widened.

"But this Time is not *that* Time."

"The Time we’ve defined is the conclusion and definition made by three-dimensional life in the three-dimensional world. This is based on our range of observation and perception abilities concerning the changes and movements of three-dimensional materials in the three-dimensional world."

"In other words, the ’Time’ we now speak of is, more accurately, ’Time in three-dimensional space.’"

Chen Nuo mostly understood what the Gray Cat meant.

The ’life’ defined by human beings, to be precise, isn’t the definition of life, but the definition of ’life in three-dimensional space.’

Because we ourselves are three-dimensional life, we can only perceive and observe three-dimensional life; therefore, we can only define three-dimensional life.

Likewise, the ’Time’ defined by human beings, to put it precisely, isn’t the definition of Time, but only the definition of ’Time in three-dimensional space’! Because we, as three-dimensional life, can only perceive and observe Time in three-dimensional space! We can also only define the Time in three-dimensional space.

Perhaps... the ’Time’ in four-dimensional space and our definition of ’Time’ are different!

Chen Nuo pondered for a moment.

The definition of Time for humans, three-dimensional life, is the regularity and continuity of the changes and movements of ’material.’

But... if the definition of ’material’ in four-dimensional space differs from that in three-dimensional space, then the so-called Time would naturally have a different definition.

Chen Nuo could largely grasp this.

A line represents one dimension.

A plane represents two dimensions.

Then let’s not talk about one dimension for now.

The material of a two-dimensional world (a plane world) is definitely different from the material of a three-dimensional world.

Then, the material of the three-dimensional world is most likely also different from the material of four-dimensional space.

Since the material itself is different, the concept of ’Time,’ which is derived from observing the material of the three-dimensional world,

is very likely inapplicable to four-dimensional space.

Then, what defines the Time in four-dimensional space?

The continuity and regularity of the movement and changes of material...

Chen Nuo murmured to himself.

If the material is different, then how can Time be defined?

With what can it be defined? What else is common to both three-dimensional and four-dimensional space yet can also accommodate the criteria of movement, change... continuity, regularity?

Then, Chen Nuo suddenly took a deep breath and looked towards the Gray Cat.

The Gray Cat smiled. "Guessed it?"

The Gray Cat nodded. "Actually, this... is just our speculation, not necessarily accurate. After all, we haven’t succeeded either; we’ve never reached the finish line, and no one knows what lies beyond that door."

Chen Nuo’s expression became serious. "So... the fourth axis of four-dimensional space is indeed Time."

"But this ’Time’ is different from the ’Time’ we defined."

"The concept of Time we use, with ’material’ as the observation target, isn’t applicable to four-dimensional space."

"According to your conjecture..."

"The definition of ’Time’ that meets the standards of four-dimensional space isn’t measured by ’material.’"

"But by..."

"Life!"

Every individual life perceives the world differently.

Theoretically speaking, countless lives equate to countless worlds and countless three-dimensional spaces.

Stacking these countless three-dimensional spaces, using life’s Time as an axis, creates what is called four-dimensional space.

This was the meaning the Gray Cat wanted to express.

This ’life Time’ isn’t about how many years or days a life can live...

It’s a different meaning.

"To put it simply, it’s about the birth and extinction of individual lives. That is, the ’movement’ and ’change’ in the definition of Time."

"Every life has a birth and an extinction; this constitutes continuity and regularity."

"This is the ’Time’ measured by life."

"The ’Time’ of four-dimensional space."

The Gray Cat shook its head. "Coming up with this speculation and hypothesis was the guess of our kind of Spiritual Life Forms. As before, we don’t know if it’s right or wrong..."

"It could be correct."

"But the greater possibility is that it’s wrong. If it is wrong, then the ultimate result is that we put all our effort into running in this direction—searching, evolving."

"In the end, we may find that what awaits us isn’t the finish line of successful evolution, nor the door that leads us out of three dimensions to reach four dimensions."

"It might be a dead end, an iron wall."

"But... regardless, with everything we currently possess—all the power we hold, the position we stand in—what we can see, summarize, and speculate... that’s all there is."

Yes, it’s a hypothesis.

But considering the height of the ecological niche occupied by the Mother civilization and the Seeds, they are clearly already above humanity.

To use their own words, they are at the peak of three-dimensional life.

Then, perhaps, their speculations are closer to the real answer than current human hypotheses?

"So, here comes the question."

"If the fourth axis of four-dimensional space truly is Time."

"If the definition of Time in four-dimensional space is measured not by ’material’ but by ’life.’"

"Then..."

"Back to my initial question."

"Chen Nuo..."

"What is life?"

"Or let me put it another way."

"Where does life come from?"

Chen Nuo was speechless.

Where does life come from?

This question...

He suddenly remembered a saying.

Humans are born of their human mothers; demons are born of their demon mothers.

What’s your mother’s surname?

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Author’s Note:

Firstly, I, Pang Wu, studied liberal arts, so all these concepts are bits and pieces I’ve encountered while reading and researching, then mixed with my own imagination. To put it bluntly, it’s less scientific than pseudoscience! To my brothers and sisters who are actual science students, especially those in physics and theoretical physics, please don’t laugh at me; this is merely a novelist’s imagination.

Secondly, I know these last two Chapters have been heavy on conceptual explanations. However, in a novel spanning over two million words, some Chapters are inevitably needed to lay out the worldview and fundamental settings of the story. I’ll try my best to simplify these explanations while still making them as clear as possible. Such Chapters are necessary.

Thirdly, this book isn’t science fiction. As a "pseudoscientist among pseudoscientists," I’m not capable of writing hard sci-fi. I’m merely borrowing some concepts to help build a logical framework for the setting.

That’s all.

Tomorrow is the New Year, so I’d like to wish everyone a prosperous Year of the Tiger in advance—may you all be full of vigor and vitality!

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