Chapter 4, A Brief Demonstration of Skill

In the 24 hours following the stillness of everyone, only the time on his wrist continued to pass, while at the same time, his various physiological needs still objectively existed; he would still feel hunger, thirst, fatigue, and exhaustion after prolonged activity, just as he usually did

Additionally, the archery practice that he has been consistently engaged in has not been neglected; his coach is amazed by the speed of his progress every week and even hopes that he will seriously consider the possibility of developing in this direction

The bright and spacious library has become his exclusive area, where there is no need to reserve a spot in advance, no peculiar neighbors at the next seat, and he can even stroll between the bookshelves in his pajamas and slippers

Since he discovered a month ago that he had an extra 24 hours each day, Zhang Heng has not only failed to relax, but has instead become even busier

Zhang Heng started late in photography, having only attended two classes and one lecture in the photography club. He mainly relies on videos found online and self-study, and his progress has just reached the topics of composition and exposure

However, the cooperation of his models is unparalleled; for an ordinary photographer, the fleeting moments of brilliance are rare and hard to come by. In the 24 hours following Zhang Heng, such moments are abundant, and those still images of light and shadow are captivating enough without any further embellishment

Zhang Heng selected two photographs that he was quite satisfied with from his evening photography collection and submitted them to the club for competition registration

In addition, Zhang Heng also picked up rock climbing, which he had previously abandoned after completing his card, and added photography to his list of hobbies. He attends classes during regular hours to study, and then practices and consolidates what he has learned during his personal time

For example, the photography club he recently applied to will hold a photography competition next month themed "Impressions of the City." The senior responsible for external relations has secured some good sponsorships. The first prize includes a cash award of 5,000 yuan, along with a Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM wide-angle zoom lens. The second and third prizes also come with cash awards of 3,000 yuan and additional prizes.

Wow, hearing you say that gives me goosebumps

Zhang Heng, utilizing the frozen moments captured in time and his Sony camera, silently observes and records every corner of the city, as if browsing through a series of still short films. Most of the time, he is merely a quiet bystander, but occasionally he intervenes to alter certain narratives that he finds less appealing

You actually do not know? This matter has already caused quite a stir on the school forum. The nearest Wumart supermarket to the library loses a bottle of Nestlé coffee every Monday and Wednesday night at 12 o'clock, yet there will inexplicably be an extra 4.5 yuan in the cash register. This incident has frightened the two cashiers in the supermarket quite a bit. Upon reviewing the surveillance footage, it was found that the coffee on the shelf suddenly disappeared, and there was no one to be seen in the footage.

In the initial stages, the primary purpose was to conduct various tests, such as whether objects he had touched would remain in a state of time suspension indefinitely, or if they would return to a state of stillness after a certain period of time away from him. Additionally, he sought to determine the effective range of this time suspension, questioning whether it was limited to just this city. To this end, he specifically purchased a plane ticket on Saturday to fly to a location one thousand miles away

Since he discovered a month ago that he had an extra 24 hours in a day, he has conducted many experiments and has basically mastered this ability

Even though Zhang Heng's skills are still quite rudimentary and he is completely bewildered by color temperature and depth of field, the city possesses a unique charm through his lens

Theoretically, he is now in a position to potentially instigate a third world war if adequately prepared

For example, reading may have been influenced by his theological parents, and he has always been quite interested in various peculiar and strange knowledge. Previously, due to time constraints, he could only read one book a week. Now, he has rearranged his schedule to allocate an additional six hours for reading on Mondays and Wednesdays.

The first time experiencing such an event, one may be able to wander around the city for an entire day out of curiosity, but once accustomed to it, that is no longer possible

In addition, he could swagger down the street with a fire axe, smashing every ATM in sight, and would likely soon rank among the top hundred wealthy individuals in the city, or simply steal a dollar from each person's wallet, quickly accumulating over twenty million with minimal impact.

Of course, Zhang Heng's favorite activity is still the night tour of the city, and he basically spends at least two hours every day wandering outside

An interesting book, paired with a cup of iced coffee, can lead to a delightful passage of time

In terms of family, there is no need for his support. As for the parents who are engrossed in research abroad, they are not worth mentioning. His grandfather was among the first batch of university students after the college entrance examination was reinstated in 1977. After graduation, he became a senior engineer for a national water conservancy project. In retirement, he receives a pension and owns a retirement home with a yard, where he grows vegetables and plays chess, and he is quite satisfied with his current life

Hello, have you heard? A senior from the media department deceived younger female students by claiming there were internship opportunities at a big company. However, upon arrival, they discovered it was actually for escorting, and some were even forced to take nude photos. Last night, my roommate clearly saw her sleeping in bed, but in the blink of an eye, she disappeared.

Is it interesting? Does this also mean that my aging process is twice as fast as that of an ordinary person? Zhang Heng gazed at the person in the mirror, lost in thought, yet he would likely not find the answer to this question in the near future

What is the legend of 12 o'clock

I have also heard that this incident has alarmed all the girls in Building 2. Everyone searched the campus but could not find her. Later, the police called the school, requesting the school leaders to handle the matter. It is said that someone had reported all her dark secrets to the public security, including two photographs that looked as if they were taken right in front of her. However, the expressions and gazes of the people in the photos seemed to not see the camera at all, which is truly eerie

Next, we need to consider how to allocate the additional 24 hours

In summary, after addressing the issues of eating and sleeping, he has approximately 14 hours left, which is ample time for him to accomplish many tasks

Speaking of the eerie, the legend of 12 o'clock at the Wumart supermarket is even more terrifying

Moreover, after becoming familiar with his own abilities, Zhang Heng truly believes that he does not need to resort to illegal means to make money

Certainly, doing so brings no benefit to himself

Most of these questions have been answered through experiments, while the remaining few that are difficult to verify currently have no viable solutions.

He merely encountered the matter concerning that senior media student by chance, and it was just a small test of his skills

Beneath the bustling metropolis at midnight lies an endless array of secrets

A few chattering girls passed by Zhang Heng, who was fiddling with a recently acquired Sony mirrorless camera

He does not necessarily have to win an award; his main intention is to assess his progress during this period

However, at present, he does not have any needs in this regard

For a sophomore student, an annual living expense of 30,000 yuan is already sufficient, as there is nowhere else for him to spend more.

First and foremost, sleep is essential; in fact, 00:00 is the designated time for sleep

These changes are unrelated to good and evil, and Zhang Heng is not interested in playing the roles of God or the devil; he is simply enjoying his moment.