Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon
Tang Yue took two seconds to recall what mad cow disease was. It wasn’t a disease that humans could be infected with. And cows that got hit with it had their brain and spinal cord destroyed. This eventually led to mental problems and death. Tang Yue ruminated over this for a moment and realized that the cat was just secretly cursing it for being a stupid cow without brains.
“I suspect that you are cursing me, but I don’t have the evidence to do so.”
“I’m not cursing you,” Tomcat said. “Think about it carefully. Doesn’t becoming a traveler that chases sandstorms over the vast desert on this planet sound romantic? I will record this down, and in billions of years, you will become a god that is worshiped by intelligent Martian life. You will be like what Tolkien once said: ‘History became legend. Legend became myth.’”
“Another Great Salvation Bodhisattva of Mars?” Tang Yue stood under the lead-gray sky. “Garfield Shaman Ritual.”
“No.” Tomcat said a series of hard-to-understand words as though it was a curse. “It’s KeLuoCiFeiErTe-JieKaBu Dizisi PeiShenTe.”
Tang Yue was taken aback. What was that?
“Which language are you speaking?”
“It’s the ritualistic language used by the Waolani tribe in South America’s Ecuador. They once lived in the dense tropical forest and lived by hunting. The tribe believes that there’s a spirit in all things. They call their god KeLuoCiFeiErTe,” Tomcat said. “KeLuoCiFeiErTe-JieKaBu Dizisi PeiShenTe’s meaning is the God of All Things—Windseeker.”
Tang Yue was stunned by what he heard and was rather amazed. “How do you know such things?”
Tomcat actually knew a long-disused language in a minority tribe in a South American country?
Was this part of the knowledge needed for comedic crosstalk?
For example, reciting the dish names from a certain South American jungle’s primitive tribe? Tang Yue imagined Tomcat wearing a robe with two old Beijing cloth shoes. It had colorful peacock feathers protruding from its war-painted head. It would then clear its throat and greet the audience with its paws cupped before reciting the long list of dishes: Steamed jaguar, steamed sun bear, steamed anteater, fermented viper, roast anaconda, roast peccary, fried dwarf musk deer, fried bat, fried Spanish people…
“I’m not that well-learned on cavemen. It’s something I learned when editing anthropology. You have to know, there’s nothing new under the sun. Such polytheism and animism are basically the same. Be it in Ecuador or Namibia,” Tomcat said with confidence.
Tang Yue slowly nodded.
He felt that discussing anthropology on Mars was studying a race that had nothing to do with him. This wasn’t the first time he had such a feeling of distance. Being on an alien planet for extended periods of time had slowly changed his psychology.
Back when Earth and the expedition team were around, Kunlun Station was a miniaturized version of human society. Even though the mission was long, the members were able to ensure a healthy psychological state. But after Earth vanished, Tang Yue was the only person left on Mars. Despite humans being social animals, he had lost the societal environment he relied upon for survival.
Tang Yue was very worried about such changes.
If he were to really live on Mars alone for ten years, it would be hard to tell how he would end up after ten years.
“…Tang… Tang Yue? Mr. Cat? This is United Space Station… Kunlun Station, do you copy me?”
“Copy. Lass, you have left the no-signal zone?” Tang Yue subconsciously looked up. Being able to receive Mai Dong’s signal meant that the United Space Station had already flown above the horizon.
If his vision was good enough, he should have been able to see the United Space Station hurtling past his head.
When they heard each other’s voice, the two heaved a sigh of relief.
“I’ve left the no-signal zone. I’m eating my meal for today.”
In the Crystal, what Mai Dong could do was limited. Apart from eating there was only sleeping. She actually wished to do something, but the Crystal was at present a flying tin can that couldn’t change its course. It had lost nearly all its functions, and Mai Dong was just a girl floating within the tin can, holding two pieces of compressed biscuit.
The United Space Station fortunately still had four solar panels left. They were the final source of power and could barely support the work of the computer and communications system.
Mai Dong had split the compressed biscuits into seven sets. The shattered crumbs were floating in the air.
Previously she had often eaten things like that. She would let the food and beverage float in midair freely. Then, she would suck it into her mouth like a big fish eating small fish. This was a game the old crew on the space station had taught her. As long as one used a bit of force in the space station, bread could be pushed very far. They would often push food to each other to feed one another. Old Zheng and Thomp even enjoyed a particular game. Old Zheng would float at the end of the module with his mouth open while Thomp would strike a chocolate ball with a stick. He would score if the chocolate entered Old Zheng’s mouth.
Old Wang often emphasized that doing so resulted in food waste! It would result in floating crumbles that could get stuck in the ventilator!
Of course, everyone ignored him.
Eventually, Old Wang joined the game, obtaining the top score and breaking the record.
“Are you out soil-extracting? Tang Yue?”
“Yes,” Tang Yue said. “I’ve extracted about two liters of dry soil. If it is all made into fertilizer…”
“That will consume water.”
“I know. Tianzhou 37 will bring a ton of water here. Our shortage of our water will be largely alleviated,” Tang Yue said. Tianzhou 37 was no doubt a savior. It would deliver food when they were hungry, water when they were thirsty, pillows when they were sleepy. Whatever was lacking was provided. Anything could be found on Tianzhou 37.
On second thought, it was truly bliss to be under someone’s management. After all, Tianzhou 37 was only the first cargo ship for the next stage in the Mars mission. If Earth hadn’t disappeared, there would be Tianzhou 38 and 39 immediately following it. Even Orion III would embark on its journey.
Earth was gone. They didn’t have parents or anyone to care about them.
“In history, every sentimental hero was someone who wasn’t loved by his family. I’m probably such a person as well. I’m a survivor of the previous civilization and a pioneer of the next civilization.” Tang Yue stood on a hill feeling wistful as he looked at the vast desert. “A billion years later, there will definitely be intelligent life standing here, sighing how Lord KeLuoCiFeiErTe-JieKaBu Dizisi PeiShenTe was standing here on this holy altar…”
“Tang Yue, what did you just say?” Mai Dong frowned. She had noticed the long and strange term. “KeLuoCi… Fei… ErTe?”
“KeLuoCiFeiErTe-JieKaBu Dizisi PeiShenTe,” Tang Yue said with a deep voice. “You don’t understand? This is the language of the Waolani tribe in Ecuador. It means God of All Things, Windseeker.”
Mai Dong nodded thoughtfully, but after a moment, she added, “This term sounds familiar.”
Tang Yue was alarmed.
It wasn’t a surprise that Tomcat knew some primitive tribe’s language from South America’s Ecuador since it was a robot and had an eidetic memory. But how was a researcher in agriculture like you also aware of such a primitive religion?
“I’ve never studied anthropology, nor do I know about primitive tribes in Ecuador,” Mai Dong said. “But… Isn’t that clearly something in English? KeLuoCiFeiErTe-JieKaBu Dizisi PeiShenTe is likely Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease patient. I’ve seen it before while handling the records on medical history.”
Tang Yue was taken aback. He tried hard to recall the pronunciation of the words and realized that Mai Dong seemed right.
“Wait, what did you say again?”
“It means Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease patient.”
Tang Yue was left agape.
Patient?
