Chapter 2 - Sol One, Last Human in the Universe (1/2)

Tomcat observed for a long time before finally making a very prudent conclusion: the Earth had vanished.

Not only had the Earth vanished, but even the Moon had gone.

The third natural satellite that revolved around the Sun at a speed of 29.8 kilometers per second, with a radius of 6,378.137 kilometers and a circumference of 40,075.7 kilometers had vaporized, leaving nothing behind.

This was why they couldn’t establish any communications.

Although Tang Yue didn’t know exactly what had happened, he had successfully escaped this apocalyptic disaster by being on Mars, making him the last human in this world.

…

Tang Yue sat on a crate, looking at the ground beneath him, in a daze; his mind was a complete blank.

He had been sitting there, in that same state, for a very long time.

He even ignored Tomcat as it twisted lasciviously in front of him.

In the past few decades, all astronauts in human history had been wanderers who had left home. No matter how far they went, there would be a day that they would eventually return home to Earth.

However, Tang Yue was no longer a wanderer.

He was now a vagrant who no longer had a home to return to.

He was just twenty-six this year, and he had suffered the loss of his home planet.

According to the original plan, Tang Yue would finish wrapping up the scientific work in the next two sols before returning to the Mars United Space Station. He would then board the last Orion shuttle back to Earth.

This was a plan specifically designed for him by the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Behind this plan, there were hundreds of people watching Tang Yue’s every move, and thousands of people working to ensure his safety while burning copious amounts of American dollars every minute. It was solely to bring back a lump of flesh, weighing 65 kilograms, from an alien planet 55 million kilometers away. The loss of even half a kilogram would have been considered a mission failure.

And when Tang Yue was on Mars, he was worth more than his body weighed in gold. He was worth billions.

Now that those people had vanished, Tang Yue had no home to return to.

“Is Earth really gone?”

“It’s really gone,” Tomcat replied, “although I’ve no idea what happened either, I have used all observation apparatuses available on the space station. From all angles, the Earth has vanished, without leaving even a speck behind.”

Tang Yue fell silent for a prolonged period as he didn’t say another word.

Tomcat continued twisting lasciviously in front of him.

If Tang Yue was akin to a kite that had drifted beyond 50 million kilometers, then the moment that he learned that Earth had vanished, it meant that the kite string that connected him to Earth had been severed. He had been embroiled in an unpredictable game of fate by the solar storm that had wreaked havoc.

In an instant, he felt he had lost everything substantial as the faint winds and light of dawn directly penetrated his body and soul.

“Is Earth really gone?” Tang Yue muttered.

“It’s really gone,” Tomcat continued replying, “although I’ve no idea what happened either, I have used all observation apparatuses on the space station. From all angles, the Earth has vanished, leaving not a speck behind.”

Tang Yue looked up at it and whispered, “Why did you repeat the answer?”

Tomcat returned with a question. “Then, why did you repeat the question?”

Tang Yue hugged his head with his hands, his fingers lodging deep to the roots of his hair. His eyes had somewhat glazed over.

That’s right. Why did I repeat the same question?

Tomcat stopped its twisting and sighed. It raised its claw and placed it on Tang Yue’s shoulder.

“That’s because, in essence, we are the same.”

Tang Yue looked up; his gaze, a blank.

Our essence? What’s our essence?

Gravely and earnestly Tomcat replied, “A repeater, of course.”