Dead on Mars

Chapter 234 - Sol Three Hundred and Thirty-Seven, Threshold
Tang Yue sat cross-legged inside the geolab. He held a packet of food with one hand as his body swayed with the vehicle. He was like a manual laborer eating a boxed meal on a train.

The packet contained beef, top-quality Qinchuan beef. It was a variety specially prepared by the Northwest A&F University for the Mars Landing Project. It was specially prepared and non-purchasable. The meat was fresh, juicy, and rich in nutrients. Compared to the compressed biscuits and tomatoes, this was a king’s treatment. If this were two months ago, Tang Yue would have sold Tomcat for a single packet.

Wait a moment.

Swapping Tomcat for a packet will be a loss.

Perhaps two packets were better.

Tang Yue took off the heavy Radiant Armor. He only had that small amount of time when he could be free of the airtight turtle shell during mealtime every day. The Radiant Armor was lined internally with coolant tubes in a dense mesh. The coolant was used to dissipate heat. If the layers of mesh were placed side by side, the total length might even exceed twenty kilometers. Under most conditions, the Radiant Armor wouldn’t feel hot internally, but even so, it was still stuffy.

The oxygen produced by the emergency oxygen system came with the smell of burnt plastic. It was unknown where the smell came from. Even the lithium hydroxide monohydrate was unable to absorb the smell. The smell inside the Radiant Armor was enough to suffocate Tang Yue.

He tore open a packet of Kobe beef. As widely known to many, Kobe beef was a top-quality delicacy that was expensive. One had to find an old store in Tokyo or Osaka with a history of nearly a century. Matching it with alcohol as recommended by the boss with two thin medium-rare slices to enjoy it was best. One couldn’t eat too much of it or the cloyed taste of meat would be overwhelming.

It was unknown which culinary god had turned Kobe beef into canned food. Each packet was the size of a palm. It was probably meant to adorn the main meal, but Tang Yue didn’t seem to care that he was dealing with something high-end. He tore open the packet and poured it all into his mouth, chewing with great force as though he was matching abalone and loach together with tofu for a stew. It was an utter waste of good food.

After having dinner, Tang Yue was licking his fingers when he suddenly recalled that he had just cleared the urine receptacle in the Radiant Armor. He instantly paused as half his ring finger remained in his mouth.

Tang Yue thought for a few seconds.

There was still half a finger left.

To lick or not to lick?

That is the question.

…

Tang Yue drank a huge cup of orange juice before burping satisfactorily.

At that moment, the Mars Wanderer shook and came to a stop. Tang Yue looked out the window and pressed down on the earpiece. “Tomcat? Why did we stop? Did the wheel get stuck again?”

“No,” Tomcat replied. “Come down and take a look.”

Tang Yue donned the Radiant Armor, stuffing the trash into a plastic bag before opening the hatch. He then threw all the trash outside.

Tomcat had already alighted and was standing in front of the vehicle, its back facing him. The Mars Wanderer wasn’t stuck in a pit and everything seemed normal. Tang Yue went forward and asked, “What’s wrong? Why did you stop?”

Tomcat raised its paw and pointed at the horizon ahead. “That’s our destination.”

Following that, it turned around and pointed in the direction where they had come from. “That’s Kunlun Station.”

Tang Yue nodded.

“What are you getting at?”

Tomcat didn’t say a word as it used its claw to draw a line beside the wheel. “We are currently 140 kilometers from our destination. We are also 140 kilometers from Kunlun Station.”

Stunned, Tang Yue immediately understood the meaning of the line.

It was the threshold.

This was the final threshold before Tang Yue could regret it. This line was 140 kilometers from their destination and 140 kilometers from Kunlun Station. It was the midpoint between their origin and destination.

“We reached here so quickly?”

“This means that our attempts have been effective. We managed to advance 40 kilometers today.” Tomcat gestured its mouth at the Wanderer. They had hung solar panels all over it, greatly slowing down its speed while letting it recharge. This extended the distance it could travel every day.

The facts proved that Tomcat and Tang Yue’s calculations were accurate. The power expenditure and power charging speed of the Mars Wanderer had reached an intricate balance. It significantly decreased the battery’s power expenditure, and although the Wanderer continued creeping forward like a turtle, the distance it could cover every day had been extended.

“Tang Yue… It isn’t too late to regret it yet.” Tomcat turned around. “If you turn back here, we still have enough resources to support your return to Kunlun Station. Once we pass this line, we can no longer turn back.”

This was the midpoint, the midpoint of the entire journey. It was also the midpoint of the expended resources. As long as Tang Yue turned back and decided against continuing, Tomcat could immediately turn the Mars Wanderer and return to Kunlun Station where they could lead days of eating and drinking. They could ignore the letter and the coordinates. They could die for all they cared.

Tang Yue stood beside Tomcat, looking at the shallow gully at his feet.

As long as he took a step forward, it was a trip of no return. The remaining resources wouldn’t be enough to support his return to Kunlun Station. He could only be as stubborn as a mule and continue all the way.

“Tang Yue, go back. Forget that darn letter,” Tomcat muttered. “No one will blame you for not going. You don’t have to be responsible for anyone. Stop waiting for Godot. Godot won’t appear, even if you wait.”

Tang Yue didn’t say a word.

“We still have sufficient survival necessities, food and water, and power. If you return, you can lead a very full and comfortable life. The plants in Kunlun Station are still waiting for you to take care of them…”

Tang Yue clenched his fists as he took a few slow, deep breaths.

“There’s no hope taking this road. You will only die silently on the desert plains. You will painfully suffocate to death because of the lack of oxygen. Do you understand?” Tomcat watched Tang Yue as he began shaking. It took a step closer and grabbed Tang Yue’s hand. “I don’t wish to see you in pain, much less have to take your corpse back.”

“Thank you for taking care of me, Tomcat.” Tang Yue shrugged off Tomcat’s paw. “But I’m only a wheel.”

Tomcat was taken aback.

“A wheel?”

“I’m just a wheel that’s rolling forward thanks to inertia. Have you seen such a wheel turn back?” Tang Yue took a step forward before following up closely with another step before crossing that line. Then, he continued moving forward one step at a time.

“I’m as free as the wind.” Tang Yue walked as he spread out his arms, shouting into the sky. “My soul is as free as the wind.”

Tomcat looked at this young man’s departing back when it suddenly realized that Tang Yue had never cared if the letter was real. Nor did he care if winning the lawsuit could lead to the complete restoration of Earth. He was just walking one step at a time, firmly and resolutely walking towards his end and death.