Chapter 1: My experiment

I sit there stupefied as I take in the endless sand dunes around me. Farther away, a few wandering camels can be spotted, but before I can come closer, they have run away. They are even smarter than domesticated camels. I have been dragging my feet along for hours, my eyes continuously searching, and by now I am exhausted. Without a GPS device, without a sense of direction, to keep walking on like this is pointless. Fortunately, it is mid-Autumn. The weather is dry but the temperature is not too low, making it endurable. But the darkening sky worries me. By the time the sun sets, if I continue to roam in the desert without any protection gears, I am bound to die by either hunger or hypothermia.

Even with my eyes closed, I still sway on my feet. The dizziness from landing has not dissipated. Tiredly, I lift my left wrist to look at the time travel watch, and let out a heavy sigh. The third attempt is still failure, even though it is an improvement on the first two attempts, since this time I was able to land.

I have participated in this time travel experiment for over a year. As a research student majoring in history, my original purpose was merely to help lead the project with the advisor – a renowned history professor. But after meeting me, the biologists insisted on conducting physicals on me, and concluded that I was perfect test subject-material.

There were no shortages of test subjects, but all the previous volunteers have all failed in their attempts. After sending them home to recuperate, the researchers then shifted their ‘psychological warfare’ to me. As a specialized research student, I have a responsibility and duty to unveil the mystery, to decode the answers, to give truth to history. To be able to go back and experience the events in ancient history, how many can boast of such an accomplishment? If successful, I will become a pioneer, and my name will get recorded in history books like a legend.

I am a workaholic. My motto in life is: ‘a thousand books, a thousand miles, a thousand life stories’. I wish to become accomplished, to make my ‘boss’ proud. ‘Boss’ is the endearing term we undergrads use to call the project advisor. Because of that, without even waiting for my full ‘agreement’, the eager researchers have already pushed me on the experiment platform.

The first attempt, I was gone for not even half a minute before I returned falling backwards. I could not remember anything except a dizzy and nauseous feeling when I time travelled. All the equipment I brought along—14c detector, GPS device, laptop, digital camera, etc—was ruined by the high-level radiation. And so after half a month in the hospital, I began an expedited training on using primitive tools, including a small shovel used in excavations.

The second attempt, there was some progress. I disappeared for about ten minutes. Everyone was overcome with joy and ready to begin a celebration party, but then I was heard falling down on the grass outside the experiment room. When I woke up, I recalled briefly an image of a village and streams of people that I saw when I was airborne in space. The setting and clothes seemed to belong to the Han dynasty. But before I could land, a powerful force had already pulled me back. All the primitive tools I brought along were also broken into pieces.

Based on my report, the researchers concluded that the experiment could bring us back in time to two thousand years ago. Consequently, I had to revisit the history books on the Warring States period and Qin-Han Dynasty while still on the hospital bed. My injuries not yet fully healed, I was already forced to sit up and to undergo another expedited training. This time I was trained on drawing diagrams and charts, and sketching architectural works. The researchers decided to not let me bring any heavy tools, only ones that are small and light but handy.

By the time I was six months into training, the testing equipment was upgraded to a CT scan. My tools this time included a big sketchpad and pencils. Before I began the test, my boss advised me to be careful. I was not allowed to leave behind any non-biodegradable garbage from the 21st century, because that will create problems for future archeologists and historians.

In the third attempt, I landed successfully without any injuries since I fell down on a desert. But I soon realized my dire situation. Without a person in sight or any sign of life, after several hours roaming, I am still unsure whether I have arrived in ancient times. I can only confirm one thing—I have left the experiment room.

There is no water, no food or medicine, because even if I bring them along they would have suffer irradiation. My Northface backpack only contains a Swiss Army Knife, a compass, clothes, a notepad, archeological tools, a sketchpad, pencils and some change in old currency. Nothing that can help my current situation. May be I should give up and return. The researchers will continue to improve the equipment and hopefully next time, I will land at a place with people. Unable to contain it, I let out a sigh full of regrets. But with the sky darkening, I have to hurry, or else there will not be enough solar energy to start the device.

I pull out the radiation protection hat stuffed inside my Han costume and cover my head, put on gloves, and pull on the zipper. Tilting the time travel watch toward the sun, I turn the safety lock and count: one, two, three…

I count to ten but still nothing happens. I continue: twenty, fifty, a hundred…

What is happening? I cannot possibly be that unlucky. I look at the watch again. Still not moving. I tap on it, no reaction. I raise the watch higher toward the sun, still nothing. I take off the watch, shake it vigorously, and still the power light did not appear green.

The wind is picking up, and soon the sun is covered by the billowing wind and sand. Damn this solar watch! Am I going to lose my life in this place of undetermined time and wilderness?

I point my finger to the sky and curse the researchers—not letting me bring any water or food, only some big and heavy coins, what is the point of it all? If I have known the watch was going to fail against the wind, I would have insisted on bringing food and water regardless of irradiation. After subjecting my body to this cursed watch three times, irradiation was already long happening. I would rather die by choking on irradiated bread than die by hunger and thirst this way!

I end the tirade when I get a mouthful of sand. The sun is disappearing fast on the skyline. Soon after, the desert will get freezing cold. My anti-radiation shirt can withstand wind and cold, but it can do nothing for my incoming hunger and thirst. I hunch my body and crawl up to a higher sand dune. Far ahead, in the dusty night, I spot sparks of a bonfire. I have never seen such warm light!

I cannot remember how long it took me to escape from that dark and hazy desert, except that by the time I stumble near the bonfire, my eyes are blurry and my throat is burnt dry. I notice that around the bonfire are various tents, sounds of people, and camels. Eyes bright, I burst into one of those tents and after that, I blackout.