Ring ring ring—

The alarm clock rang, and Zhang Fan sat up in bed, picked up the alarm clock, turned it off, and set the time forward by 37 minutes.

A day on Mars lasts 24 hours, 37 minutes, and 22.6 seconds. To keep time on Earth, Zhang Fan sets his alarm clock 37 minutes earlier every morning.

The alarm clock was one of Zhang Fan's personal items that he brought from Earth.

In fact, alarm clocks are pretty useless on Mars. Considering factors such as Martian gravity, their accuracy is another matter. Each display screen at the "Bird's Nest" base itself shows two time zones.

However, Zhang Fan believes that life should have a sense of ritual, and he can't get out of bed without an alarm clock.

After getting up, I wash up. I use space-grade mouthwash to brush my teeth; I don't need toothpaste or a toothbrush. I just take a sip, gulp, and spit it out—it's that simple.

The towel was taken out of the sterilizer; it was damp and warm, and it felt quite comfortable to wipe my face.

You can simply throw your clothes into the automatic washing machine, and it will automatically fold them neatly after dry cleaning, which is very convenient.

On Mars, there's not much need to change clothes. The "Bird's Nest" base has a constant temperature, humidity, and dust-free environment, so people don't sweat easily and have little chance of getting themselves dirty.

But life still needs a sense of ritual!

Zhang Fan still prefers the regular schedule on Earth.

I'm just bored and looking for something to do. Otherwise, how would I pass the day? Tell me, how would I spend a day alone on Mars?

After finishing everything, Zhang Fan sat in front of the communication screen, lost in thought.

At this time in the past, he would receive Su Muran's "instructions" on time. But he had been in a daze for an hour, and the communication screen was still black.

No new instructions will be issued.

Oh, I'm the last human being.

What should I do then?

Zhang Fan had also wondered what he would do if the world were to end one day.

Perhaps I'm a hysterical maniac: "No! This isn't real! I must be dreaming!"

Perhaps I'm a Bear Grylls-esque rationalist: "Of the three elements of survival, I need to solve the problems of shelter, food, and water first..."

Or perhaps one is a sentimentalist: "Oh God, I will bear the mission of continuing human civilization..."

But none of that was true. Lying in bed, Zhang Fan felt a deep sense of despair.

Damn it, I'm still a virgin.

Having been single for 22 years, Zhang Fan has had his moments of self-pity as a single dog, but he's still young, and there's always a chance in the future, so he's not in despair.

But now.

As the last human in the solar system and the last virgin...

Damn it, it takes two to tango. It seems unlikely that we'll have a chance to continue the legacy of human civilization.

Thinking about this, Zhang Fan wanted to die.

It's not just a thought, it's a real desire to die.

As the only male on Mars, Zhang Fan couldn't see any meaning in his continued existence.

Will you die alone?

I'd rather be dead.

Let's get right to it.

The simplest way Zhang Fan could think of to die was to jump off a building, put on a spacesuit, and climb the tallest building in the "Bird's Nest" base—a signal tower that was almost two stories high.

"Goodbye, Mom!" Zhang Fan closed his eyes and jumped...

Then it landed gently.

Damn it!

Mars' gravity is only one-third that of Earth's; he won't die from this fall. The cell tower is already the tallest building he can find.

How about trying to hang yourself?

Zhang Fan returned to the base, found a rope, and hung himself up. He struggled to swing for a while before getting off.

Damn it! There's not enough gravity!

Back outdoors, Zhang Fan picked up a stone, squeezed it a few times, picked it up and put it down repeatedly, and finally threw it away.

Although punching a hole in the glass helmet of a spacesuit is the simplest way to die, Zhang Fan remembered the photos Professor Su showed him of astronauts who died tragically in space due to their helmets leaking air.

That withered, greenish-brown face was too ugly. Someone as handsome as me should just give up.

Then let's try a car accident!

The base has a Mars rover called "Firefly" that is responsible for transporting cargo. "Firefly" has an autopilot function, so it doesn't have a problem even without a driver. Zhang Fan started "Firefly", set it to travel 100 meters in a straight line, and then ran to stand 30 meters in front of "Firefly".

The surface temperature on Mars is low, so the "Glowworm" probe needs to warm up for a period of time after it is activated before it can start moving slowly.

The firefly's top speed is only 30 kilometers per hour. There's no need to go too fast on Mars; safety is paramount. There are no traffic police to help if there's an accident. I wonder if 30 kilometers per hour is fast enough to kill or maim someone?

Isn't that worse than death?

Zhang Fan wanted to run, but found he couldn't move his legs. Against the desolate backdrop of Mars, the slowly moving rover was magnified into a steel behemoth pressing down on him.

Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! I'm going to die! I'm going to die! I'm going to die!

"Obstacles ahead, automatically avoid them."

The "firefly" stopped one meter in front of Zhang Fan, turned around him, and continued on its way.

Zhang Fan was covered in cold sweat inside his spacesuit.

Back at the base, Zhang Fan took another shower and decided not to die. Dying was too difficult, so he might as well just stay alive.

What should I do? What should I do?

Zhang Fan stared blankly at the calendar on his desk. The date on the calendar had already been crossed out to "31". The circled date after page 5 was the day Zhang Fan would go home.

But this day is meaningless now; we can never go back to Earth.

How can I get through the days without goals?

Coo coo coo...

I managed to survive a whole day of struggling, but I'm hungry.

Zhang Fan emerged from his living quarters, walked through a connecting passage, and arrived at the automated dining area in the living quarters.

Swipe your card, beep, pick up your food—it's that simple.

This is the convenience brought about by highly automated technology. Various sensors throughout the "Bird's Nest" base also monitor Zhang Fan's personal physical characteristics. The data generated is processed by the central computer, and the result is that the automated restaurant will provide the optimal nutritional combination meal.

Pan-fried steak, cheesecake, and a plate of pasta.

"No rice, dear. Thumbs down."

After eating Western food for a month, Zhang Fan felt like he was going to throw up. Chinese food is delicious, but it produces a lot of food waste. In comparison, Western food is much more scientifically prepared.

Considering transportation costs, even an apple, if it appears on Mars, would be worth the same weight in gold.

Waste is shameful.

This isn't food, it's money.

After a month, Zhang Fan realized that he had gained a lot of weight.

Damn it, I'm really going to turn into a fat, slovenly otaku on Mars.

The design standards of the "Bird's Nest" base are fully capable of supporting 10 astronauts to work and live there for a long time. If the requirements for quality of life are reduced to the minimum, according to its design margin, it can even meet the survival needs of 100 astronauts at the same time.

Simply put, for the first time in his life, Zhang Fan experienced a life of abundance on Mars.

Damn it.

The TV in the automated restaurant is playing the period film "The Martian," in which the main character is eating potatoes grown from his own excrement.

"I'm so envious, I want to eat potatoes too." Zhang Fan suddenly felt that the steak in his hand didn't taste so good anymore; he hadn't eaten potatoes in a long time.

If Matt Damon could jump out of the TV screen, he would definitely want to kill him.

After lunch, simply put the dishes back in the automatic dishwasher.

Walking through the walkway from the automated restaurant to the "Central Garden," Zhang Fan's favorite spot in the "Bird's Nest" is here.

The "Central Garden," located at the heart of the base, is a semi-circular arched hall covering over 200 square meters. In Mars, where land is incredibly valuable, the "Central Garden" can be considered a luxurious villa, filled with various plants, mountains, water features, a lake, and even a small waterfall.

"Central Garden" is another name for a simulated micro-circulating ecosystem. Humanity's long-term goal on Mars is to colonize it, therefore, it is essential to construct an ecosystem similar to that on Earth as a research subject.

Zhang Fan picked a cherry tomato and put it in his mouth. Then he lay down on the grass, closed his eyes, and rested. The surroundings were filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers, just like being on the grasslands of Hulunbuir.

The fragrance of flowers is real, but the birdsong is definitely fake. For the base, free-roaming animals are an uncontrollable risk factor and cannot be allowed to roam freely. The birdsong is simply a recording played by equipment, intended to create a more comfortable environment for the astronauts working in the "central garden."

Every stone, every patch of soil, and every seed here was brought from Earth. According to Professor Su, this trip was worth over 100,000 yuan, and any damage would be deducted from his payment.

Zhang Fan doesn't care anymore. He can lie down wherever he wants. What can you do to me even if I lie on your bed?

Thinking of this, Zhang Fan patted his bottom and stood up.

"1018, right? I think that's the password."