Time Plaza
The sound, as deafening as a clock chime, wasn't actually a chime. Listening closely, one could hear a crisp note at the end that was unique to the turning of machinery. It wasn't a chime, but the distinctive rhythm of clock hands moving.
When the sound of the hands turning rang out three times, the plaza erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers. Adults shouted, "A new day has begun!" while children jumped around, eager for breakfast. The clock's daily sound might have held no special meaning, but everyone in the plaza was delighted by that moment.
Xu Huo followed the crowd to the back of several people standing at the edge of the plaza, adjusting clocks with their faces turned toward the Time Tower.
Of course, calibrating the time didn't involve doing it by hand. First, they used a calibration device to select a clock on the Time Tower. The device would then get to work, adjusting the new clock to match the time on the tower clock until there wasn't the slightest discrepancy.
Naturally, not everyone's clock was inaccurate. Some people were there for routine inspections, bringing two clocks with them: one to adjust and one as a reference. Even minute differences in time were important data that needed to be recorded.
"What a coincidence!" Shi Potian came over behind the painted woman, who had bought breakfast. They were both cut from the same cloth: not only did they have food bags hanging from their arms, but their hands were busy too, each of them stuffing food into their mouths as they walked.
The painted woman didn't have a hand free to type. She took a big bite of bread, then removed the bags hanging from her arm and pushed them toward Xu Huo, indicating that he