Did the world end today?

Chapter 2 The Correct Way to Use the Bracelet

"It's gone again."

Lin Xu sat up in bed and shook his somewhat dazed head.

Mercenaries, gunfights, space bases, spaceships, apocalyptic disasters.
No cell phone, no memories, completely isolated.

We had no choice but to bite the bullet and charge in.
The same plot as before.

The good news is that I went further this time than before.

He raised his hand, and the silver bracelet on his wrist was slightly warm, with the number "2" on it.

This thing is the key to his "resurrection".

A month ago, he received this bracelet and entered that "future world" for the first time.

At that time, he thought he would soon be able to travel between the two worlds, trade goods, and reach the pinnacle of life.

But he soon discovered that this was not the case at all.

Each time he entered that world, he was on his way to attack a civilian space base.

And each time, he only had one hour left.

If it takes more than an hour for them to board the rocket and leave, that world will be destroyed in a fairly standard "apocalyptic" manner.

Intense flashes, radiation, and explosions.
That's not like a dream, where you fall from a great height and wake up instantly.

He could feel the near-death experience with perfect clarity.

The burning pain, the discomfort of internal organ corrosion, the suffocation before death, and the intense dizziness.
Every time he left, he was subjected to severe torment.

It's so damn painful, okay?!
So many times, when all hope seemed lost, Lin Xu would snatch the gun from the skull and shoot himself in the head.

Leaving like this, at least it won't hurt so much.
-
But then again, what exactly was that flash of light that caused the apocalypse?
First, we can rule out a nuclear explosion, because Lin Xu once tried to escape the city by driving at nearly 300 kilometers per hour instead of attacking the base.

But no matter how far he runs, the flashes of light will indiscriminately cover every inch of land.

What kind of nuclear bomb could have such a wide coverage area?
The Tsar Bomba's total kill radius was less than 150 kilometers.

Perhaps it was some kind of cosmic ray burst?

But if it's a cosmic ray burst, what's the point of traveling by spaceship?

Without the protection of the atmosphere, wouldn't I die even faster in outer space?
Lin Xu didn't quite understand his other self's motives, but judging from the current clues, the plan to "steal the spaceship and evacuate" was definitely well thought out.

After all, he had assembled such a well-trained and professional team, and the targets he chose were quite sophisticated.

If they don't want to seize official bases, they'll seize civilian and commercial bases.

If they can't steal the transport spacecraft, they'll steal the sightseeing spacecraft.

Such a meticulous plan can't possibly end up being a farce even if it succeeds in the end, can it?

That would be a bit abstract.
Lin Xu picked up the water glass by the bed, took a sip, and rubbed his throbbing head.

This is a side effect of entering another world.

Although there was no physical exertion, the mental strain was no joke.

This is probably why there's a number displayed on the bracelet.

When the number reaches zero, you will not be able to log in again for a short period of time.

They must wait until their strength is restored before they can continue to suffer in that world.

The number is still 2, but Lin Xu doesn't plan to continue.

Time to get up and have a midnight snack.

He grabbed his phone from the bedside table to order takeout, and just then, a WeChat message popped up in the notification bar.

Upon opening the message, I found it was from the team leader of the company's R&D group.

Jiang Xingye (Head of the flight control development team for the test ship): "Tiezi, why hasn't your part of the code been updated yet?"

Lin Xu glanced at the time.

22: 32.

The message was sent exactly two minutes ago.

That's really complicated.
After thinking for a moment, Lin Xu typed a reply:
"I can't update it for now, mainly because of the PID control algorithm."

"The original code had many problems, mainly focusing on details such as servo vibration and excessive correction angle."

"The test board we are using now is not performing well and cannot support sufficient servo output. To solve this problem, we need to use incremental PID control."

"But I have tested it, and during the incremental process, the servo motor may lock up for unknown reasons, causing the program to crash."

"I haven't found a solution yet, so I can't update it."

After sending the message, Lin Xu couldn't help but sigh.

The company he now works for is a private rocket company called "Sky Dome Technology"—the same company he fought over in the world of smart bracelets.

Although the company did very well 20 years later, well now...
That's somewhat disappointing. In 2025, although this company will be considered a unicorn nationwide, it won't change the fact that its technological capabilities and research strength are weak.

They claimed they were going to build civilian rockets, but what they actually built never even left the stratosphere.

I, a recent college graduate, am already considered a key member of the development team, while Jiang Xingye is only two years older than me and has already become the team leader.

This shows just how severe the staff shortage is.

There's no way around it; all the R&D personnel with even a little bit of ability have been recruited by the national team, leaving only scraps.

Those of us who have the skills and qualifications but haven't joined the national team all have our own reasons.

For example, Lin Xu was simply looking for quick money.

After all, being able to earn an annual salary of several hundred thousand right after graduation is something that the national team can't compare to.

Her thoughts drifted away, and at the same time, Jiang Xingye called.

From the very first word, she asked directly:
Could the program crash be due to the PID increment increasing too rapidly?

"Probably not."

Lin Xu subconsciously shook his head and replied:

"If the overstepping of the limit is due to excessive growth, a simple restriction will suffice."

"But I tried it, and it didn't work."

"If we want to investigate, we have to do it step by step, otherwise we'll have to start all over again."

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Xingye's tone became somewhat anxious.

"No, you have to hurry."

"The deadline is the day after tomorrow, and I need to report to the boss at the meeting then."

"We can't just present a half-finished product, can we? If the boss isn't satisfied, our bonuses for the second half of the year will all be gone, right?"

"I want the prize money too!"

Lin Xu said helplessly:

"But sister, do you think my workload is reasonable?"

"It was originally agreed that I would only be responsible for the servo mechanism, but now I'm also in charge of the parachute deployment control. How am I supposed to manage all of this?"

"I know"

Jiang Xingye, sitting opposite him, sighed.

"I had no choice. Even I, as a team leader, had to get involved. I still had to write the posture adjustment algorithm. You have no idea how complicated the needle control part is. Never mind, let's not talk about this."

"You have to hold on, I'll give you a bigger share of the bonus when it comes."

"Let me think of a way."

Lin Xu answered, scratching his head. Jiang Xingye, who was opposite him, noticed his exhaustion and offered words of comfort:

"That's just how work is, little brother. You'll get used to it."

"How about we go out for a late-night snack and have a chat? Maybe that will solve the problem?"

"No, I'm afraid what you want isn't a late-night snack."

Lin Xu refused:
"I'm ordering takeout in a bit, and I'll go online to fix it after I finish eating—remember to reimburse me for the late-night snack."

"Forget it, just eat it yourself. If you're really tired, take a nap, maybe you'll figure it out in your dreams?"

"Lend your auspicious words."

Lin Xu gave a perfunctory answer while turning on his computer, but at that moment, a thought suddenly struck him.

Did you come up with this from a dream?

Wait a minute.

What if the world inside the bracelet is the world 20 years in the future?
Twenty years from now, this problem that I couldn't solve should have been solved long ago, right?
wrong.

In that world, Sky Dome Technology must have already developed a complete and mature flight control system.

What would happen if I just copied the code directly?
Although tangible items cannot be brought out.
But how could I possibly forget the information I have in my mind?

Lin Xu instantly became excited.

Is this the correct way to use this bracelet?

He hung up the phone and raised his left hand.

The charging bar on his bracelet was slowly replenishing, and the number was still 2, which meant he could enter that world twice more within 24 hours.

enough!
As soon as Lin Xu had a thought, his consciousness was suddenly drained.

Then, he reappeared in another world.
(End of this chapter)