Zhang Fan, dressed in a spacesuit, sat bored on the roof of the "Bird's Nest" Mars base.
The setting sun hangs alone on the edge of the red desert.
The orange-red desert is because the Martian surface is rich in hematite, Zhang Fan remembered Professor Su Muran saying.
The sun on Mars appears much smaller than the sun on Earth. Due to the thin atmosphere on Mars, there is no strong refraction effect like the atmosphere on Earth, so night falls instantly after the sun sets below the horizon.
At this time, the star in the west should be Blue Star.
Zhang Fan remembered that Professor Su Muran had taught him that Blue Star should be in the western sky right now, and it was the brightest star he could see. If his eyesight was good enough, he could even see the moon with the naked eye.
I wonder what Professor Su is doing now?
Although Professor Su is quite strict in her lectures, she looks really beautiful as a teacher.
Tsk tsk tsk—
The west is not only home to Blue Star, but also the direction from which the "Firebird" departed.
Of course, 3 million is not an easy amount to earn.
After Firebird departs, Zhang Fan will have to live alone at the Bird's Nest Mars Base for another six months. After six months, Firebird 2 will take him back to Earth.
This scenario is designed to simulate the worst-case scenario of "interstellar travel," ensuring that the wealthy individual traveling to Mars can still safely spend some time on Mars before Earth sends another spaceship to bring him home.
However, this worst-case scenario obviously does not include an asteroid hitting the Earth.
This next spaceship will probably never depart.
Zhang Fan had few friends on the Firebird. He was a person with little presence to begin with, and the other astronauts were unwilling to talk to the "cargo".
At school, Zhang Fan gave the impression of being a rather independent person, but he knew that this was only because he didn't have many friends.
Only Su Muran, perhaps because she had taught Zhang Fan, was willing to exchange a few words with him. Although Su Muran was often indifferent, replying to messages with nothing more than "hehe," "thank you," or "taking a shower," Zhang Fan was still very happy. Having someone in outer space who could speak a few words of Mandarin at least made him feel less lonely.
Before "Firebird" was about to leave, Su Muran deliberately went up to Zhang Fan and scared him, saying that if he didn't want to become a dried-up corpse on Mars, he should do nothing but eat and sleep for the next six months.
Zhang Fan felt a warm feeling in his heart.
For the next month, Zhang Fan obediently became a Martian homebody, doing absolutely nothing except eating and sleeping.
Shenyu Group was quite considerate, allowing Zhang Fan to bring some extra personal items—a game disc on the spaceship. According to Zhang Fan's original plan, "Firebird 2" should have reached Mars before he finished playing all the games on the disc.
However, Zhang Fan underestimated the boredom on Mars and the capabilities of otaku. In the first month, Zhang Fan had already completed all the games on the disc.
With nothing to do all day, Zhang Fan decided to play through the game again. At that moment, he received a video call from Su Muran.
As a communication relay station between Mars and Earth, the "Firebird" transmits all instructions issued by Shenyu Group to Zhang Fan.
However, apart from the detailed instructions on the first day, the rest of the instructions were to tell Zhang Fan not to do anything and, if possible, to stay in his room all day.
Zhang Fan was tired of hearing it.
But the situation was clearly different on this day. In the video, Su Muran looked tired, her eyes were full of anxiety, and she remained silent for a long time.
What's wrong with Professor Su? Zhang Fan couldn't help but stare at the screen, confirming that the video wasn't lagging. "Firebird" had already moved far away from Mars, and the commands it sent were recorded, not real-time communication.
In the video, Su Muran lowered her head for a long time before looking up at Zhang Fan with pity, envy, sympathy, and jealousy in her eyes: "I think I should still tell you..."
"Humanity has become extinct, just a month ago."
What?
Zhang Fan was bewildered. Although the literal meaning of Su Muran's words was easy to understand, he still couldn't comprehend them.
A loud metallic clanging sound came from the video. Su Muran turned her head in alarm for a moment, then quickly turned back, her voice becoming urgent.
"I don't have much time left! I'll get straight to the point, so listen carefully to everything I'm about to say!"
For the next while, Su Muran tried her best to calm herself down so that she could explain the events of the past month as briefly as possible...
When Halley's Comet passed by Earth, an asteroid collided with it. Although humanity made efforts, it was too late.
Over the past month, "Firebird" has made countless attempts to contact Earth, but all its efforts have only proven one fact:
Humanity is extinct.
Data transmitted back from the space telescope outside the spacecraft shows that Earth's atmosphere is covered by a layer of dust, making it unsuitable for human habitation.
To make matters worse, Earth's geosynchronous orbit is also surrounded by asteroid debris, making landing impossible.
Firebird became a homeless orphan.
In the first week after learning of the disaster, the 10 astronauts on board were able to work together and handle the situation rationally.
However, after it was confirmed time and again that humanity on Earth had been wiped out, things began to go to the other extreme.
The ugliness of human nature surpasses human comprehension.
"Did you know? 'Firebird' has now split into two 'countries'." Su Muran on the screen suddenly burst into laughter, tears streaming down her face. "You heard right. Within the enclosed space of 'Firebird,' two countries have emerged—real countries with criminals, laws, trials, and their own social systems and organizational structures!"
"There was even a war between these two countries! A real war where people died!"
"What a ridiculous war! Now it's post-war, and these two countries have united, hehehe..."
After a strange laugh, Su Muran on the screen gradually quieted down, her eyes fixed on the screen, seemingly looking at Zhang Fan in front of her, and her complex expression of pity, envy, sympathy, and jealousy returned.
"You know what? I'm really envious of you. The place you're in now is like paradise to us."
"That's why they've united to return to Mars, seize the resources of 'Bird's Nest,' and you will become their slave, tortured to death!"
"And I..." Su Muran became unusually calm at this moment, "I will not let them succeed."
"This filthy place should not exist!"
Clang—Clang—
The metallic clanging sounds from the video grew louder and louder. Su Muran turned her head and glanced indifferently at the hatch, then did something, and a countdown appeared on the screen.
10, 9, 8...
"Perhaps you also feel lonely?"
7, 6, 5...
"1018, this is my authorization password, it might be useful to you."
4, 3, 2...
"Good luck."
0.
Beep—
The video screen went black.
...
Zhang Fan stared blankly at the black screen.
This is a lot of information.
To calm his muddled mind, Zhang Fan would go to the rooftop to watch the sunset, a habit he had developed since childhood.
Night had begun to fall, and Zhang Fan jumped off the roof and returned to the Bird's Nest.
Temperatures on Mars can drop to -90°C at night, and the spacesuit's power supply won't last long. Without power for heating, a spacesuit is no different from a refrigerator.
Back in his room, Zhang Fan covered himself with the blanket and went to sleep.
Let's talk about the end of the world and the extinction of humanity tomorrow.
The sun will rise as usual tomorrow.
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