Major Steve didn't hesitate to drag me out.
At that moment, my mind was in such disarray that I involuntarily followed him out of the hospital and into his car.
Once in the car, Major Steve drove straight ahead. Inside, he asked me, "All the evidence points to Fang Tian as Nelson's murderer, Mr. Wei, do you have any way to exonerate him?"
I still smiled bitterly.
Major Steve continued, "They found in Fang Tian's office a current that directly connects to the spacecraft. Also, there's a television device allowing direct observation of everything happening in the spacecraft. Moreover, they discovered a device capable of generating large amounts of positrons after the current transmission. And on the button that activates the current, there were clear fingerprints of Fang Tian. The fingerprint expert claims that the fingerprint, the time it was left, and the time Nelson had the accident in the spacecraft all match perfectly!"
I sighed, "Major Steve, since Fang Tian is as good as dead, why do you still defend him?"
Major Steve's sharp gaze fixed on me. "That's because of you."
I was taken aback. "Because of me?"
"Yes, because of you. I am Fang Tian's lawyer, so I am the only outsider he can meet after being subjected to special surveillance. When he saw me, he only said one thing: only Wei can save me! Clearly, his nerves were extremely agitated. Apart from that sentence, he didn't say anything else."
I sighed, "So you believe his words?"
Major Steve replied, "Yes, I believe him. I believe that you have a way to prove his innocence."
I remained silent.
Fang Tian was innocent. The guilty party, the one who caused Mr. Nelson's death, was the "infiltrating electromagnetic group."
But how much explanation would it take to prove Fang Tian's innocence to the people of Earth?
And was Fang Tian willing to reveal his true identity?
After some thought, I asked, "Can I meet Fang Tian in advance?"
Major Steve shook his head. "No, Fang Tian is under strict surveillance and cannot meet anyone except me. The special military court has been convened, with General Qifei as the presiding officer. The trial will be held tomorrow morning. Mr. Wei, if you have a way, you'd better come up with it quickly."
I turned to Major Steve and said, "I want you to ask Fang Tian if he allows me to reveal everything about him. If he doesn't agree, then I can't think of any other way to prove his innocence."
Major Steve, obviously very astute, detected a special meaning in my words. He said in a deep voice, "Okay, I'll get back to you as soon as possible."
The car stopped at the entrance of the hotel. I went back to my room and took a cold shower.
Before long, Major Steve called. He said over the phone, "Fang Tian's answer is: 'If there's no other way, then it's okay.'"
I breathed a sigh of relief. Fang Tian apparently realized that if he kept his secret at this point, he would surely be sent to the electric chair!
It was much better to reveal that he wasn't human than to be sent to the electric chair.
His decision was smart and saved me a lot of trouble.
That night, I drifted in and out of sleep, mentally exhausted and disoriented.
The next day, as soon as I got up, Major Steve came to pick me up. I quickly got dressed and went with him to the office building of the base. This office building could be said to be one of the most heavily guarded buildings in the world, as it contained all the data on a nation's space development and secret weapons!
Today, security outside the building was even tighter. Major Steve and I almost had to pass through a crowd of guards.
Outside the temporary special military court, the atmosphere was extremely solemn and chaotic, yet eerily quiet.
Major Steve and I entered what was originally a conference room but had now been set up as a courtroom. Several rows of chairs were filled with people, mostly in uniform. Many of them were senior officers of the rank of major general or higher, and some were civilians, but judging by their demeanor, they were high-ranking officials.
General Qifei hadn't arrived yet, and the central seat was empty. The seat for the presiding officer was occupied by the senior security officer, while the defendant's seat remained empty—Fang Tian had not yet arrived.
Major Steve invited me to sit beside him, and soon, another person joined us—Little Nelson.
As soon as he sat down, he whispered to me in a very low voice, "Wei, if you believe Fang Tian is not the killer, then I believe it too."
I held this young man's hand tightly upon hearing his words.
To outsiders, his words might seem ordinary, but I could hear the profound trust in them. Little Nelson naturally knew that Fang Tian was being accused of murdering his father. Despite knowing all the facts, Little Nelson still trusted me after understanding everything. This showed the place I held in his heart. I held his hand without saying a word, but Little Nelson seemed to understand my meaning, his face showing great excitement as he looked at me.
Just then, everyone stood up. General Qifei took his seat, and soon after, under the escort of military police, Fang Tian walked in. His face was terribly pale, but when his eyes met mine, his lips twitched slightly, revealing a bitter smile.
I made a gesture to him, signaling him to calm down and not to be too nervous.
But Fang Tian's face remained deeply despondent.
As I looked at him, suddenly his voice seemed to "ring" in my mind. Of course, I hadn't heard any actual sound, but I felt Fang Tian speaking, and he was speaking to me. It was undoubtedly his particularly strong brainwaves influencing mine.
I "heard" him saying, "Wei Si Li, I'm finished. Even if I manage to escape death, will I still be able to return to Saturn?"
I looked at him and couldn't help but smile bitterly!
For Fang Tian to return to Saturn, Mr. Nelson and I had endured countless hardships and expended so much effort! In the end, Mr. Nelson had passed away, while Fang Tian was accused of murdering him!
Indeed, if his identity were exposed, the fact that he had been hiding in fear on Earth for nearly two hundred years might come to light. He would then be viewed by Earthlings as a subject for research, as a curiosity, and he would never have the chance to return to Saturn.
Fang Tian's voice kept echoing in my mind: I'm finished, I'm finished, I'm finished...
In such a situation, I couldn't communicate with Fang Tian. I just quickly thought to myself that when the presiding officer read the charges and mentioned that Fang Tian had secretly set up a spacecraft in the scheduled rocket bound for Saturn, I gently touched Little Nelson beside me, and the two of us quietly retreated.
In the corridor, we encountered dozens of eyes watching us. Little Nelson looked at me with great suspicion.
I whispered, "Do you want to hear the detailed cause of your father's death?" Little Nelson was very surprised and said, "Why don't you say it in court? Fang Tian is waiting for you to testify for him!"
I shook my head and said, "I can't reveal Fang Tian's identity because it would be extremely detrimental to him. I need your help to save Fang Tian and send him to that rocket. He only needs ten minutes to return to his homeland."
He stared at me, clearly not understanding what I was saying.
In a low voice, I said, "Fang Tian is a Saturnian!"
He was shocked. "But if he's the killer, I won't help him."
I shook my head. "He's not the killer. Not only is he not the killer, but he also avenged your father. He rid us Earthlings of a great threat!"
I briefly described the terrifying "Invisible Flying Demon" from Saturn to Little Nelson.
After listening for about five minutes, he didn't say a word.
I could understand his confusion at this moment. He must be in extreme disbelief, as everything he had heard in the past ten minutes was something he had never heard in his life and never even thought of!
It was like asking someone who has always walked on foot to suddenly start using their hands to walk!
I had experienced this myself, so I didn't disturb him. I just hoped that he would understand everything I said in a short time.
After about seven or eight minutes, he sighed deeply and looked out the window.
From the window, you could see many rockets towering in the base. The Saturn rocket was the tallest and most eye-catching.
It was about a kilometer from the office building to that Saturn rocket, but to get Fang Tian through...
I thought about it and couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Just then, Little Nelson spoke up, "Wei, do you have any way to get Fang Tian to the rocket smoothly?" Hearing him say this, I knew he completely believed what I had said.
I asked, "What about you? Do you have any ideas?"
He shook his head. "I don't, and Fang Tian's case doesn't need much deliberation. It can be concluded immediately, and he will be sent out of the base under extremely tight security to the nearest place with the death penalty equipment to be executed!"
I paced back and forth anxiously. There were many plainclothes and armed guards around us, and their eyes never left us, but because we were speaking in very low voices, I was sure they hadn't heard our conversation.
I anxiously pondered: How could we get Fang Tian to the rocket?
If we couldn't, Fang Tian would definitely die under the chaotic gunfire of the guards, and even Little Nelson and I might be killed!
To keep Fang Tian alive was easy, as long as I said what I had just told Little Nelson in court, there was a good chance Fang Tian wouldn't die. But to get Fang Tian back to Saturn would require taking a risk.
I paced back and forth, while Little Nelson stood silently with his hand under his chin.
After a moment, Little Nelson came to me and said, "It's easy to get Dr. Fang onto that rocket."
As soon as I heard this, I hurriedly asked, "Do you have a way?"
Little Nelson smiled but didn't answer directly. "The problem is, once Dr. Fang is in the rocket, will he be able to take off immediately?"
I said, "Fang Tian told me everything was ready, except for the navigation device. I believe this means that once he's inside the rocket, it can take off immediately."
Little Nelson said, "That problem is solved. The second problem is: What do we do after we get Fang Tian into the rocket?"
I looked at him and said bitterly, "If I had a solution to that problem, I would have rushed into the temporary courtroom already." Little Nelson remained silent, and after a moment, he said, "The best solution is, of course, for us to follow him and fly into space together!"
I shook my head vigorously. "I don't want to go. Do you know, if we were to go to Saturn, we might only live for two or three years and then die? It's because of the different concept of time between the two planets."
Little Nelson said, "Of course, I was just saying. In fact, the spacecraft may not even have room for three people."
I cleared my throat a few times. "The best solution now is for us not to force it. Ideally, we should stay completely out of sight and help Fang Tian reach that rocket covertly!"
Looking up, Little Nelson said, "According to tradition, there's a break after the presiding officer finishes reading the indictment."
I sighed. "What good is that? We have no way to contact Fang Tian at all. And Fang Tian is a very timid person; he might not even have the courage to escape!"
After finishing, I shrugged, indicating that I had no solution to the problem.
Little Nelson lowered his voice even further. "Wei, I don't think it's hopeless."
I remembered he had said earlier that getting Fang Tian onto that rocket wasn't difficult, indicating he must be very confident. Although he was younger than me, like father, like son. I had no reason to disregard his words.
I quickly turned to look at him.
Little Nelson whispered, "When I received the news of my father's death, it was also the day of success in my research for many years."
I stared at him blankly, not understanding what he meant by this.
He continued, "I originally studied agricultural science. I found that the best way to control locusts is with dense fog. Fog deprives locusts of their sense of direction, forcing them to fly higher. However, the air currents at high altitudes are detrimental to locusts, causing them to fall to the ground and become harmless."
I patiently listened to him and then asked, "So what?"
Looking around, Little Nelson said, "I worked in the laboratory and on the vast sea for three years and invented a catalyst. I call it 'Fog Sphere.' As long as it's electrified, it can condense water vapor in the air into fog droplets. Even indoors, its effect is better than any smoke bomb! I carry this catalyst with me."
I felt a glimmer of hope. Little Nelson said, "The procedure for electrification is very simple. You just need to expose the 'Fog Sphere' to a normal electrical current. I'll take care of this part. We can prepare a fast car outside the office building, and you can go and contact Fang Tian."
Contacting Fang Tian was a huge problem.
Of course, Fang Tian could communicate with his lawyer, Colonel Steve, but if I had to convey this message to Fang Tian through Colonel Steve, it would inevitably reveal everything to him, which we didn't want.
Just as I was unable to come up with a solution, suddenly I felt Fang Tian calling me in my mind.
Of course, I still couldn't hear any sound.
My heart couldn't help but stir: Fang Tian's brainwaves are very strong, surpassing those of Earthlings, so I could sense what he was thinking. And he could influence others with his thoughts, making them commit suicide without saying a word. In other words, he didn't need to speak to convey his thoughts to me.
So, if I didn't speak, could he know my thoughts?
I whispered, "Okay! You prepare everything. I'll go to the courtroom and try to contact Fang Tian."
Little Nelson nodded. I entered the temporary courtroom, and Fang Tian's call in my mind became clearer. I looked at him, repeatedly repeating in my mind: "Be calm, be calm, I have a proper plan!"
After silently reciting it about ten times, I felt Fang Tian's response. I felt him urgently asking, "What plan? What plan?"
I couldn't help but feel delighted because it meant that Fang Tian could indeed translate my brainwaves into language!
I repeated each sentence several times in my mind: "There will be a sudden thick fog shortly. When the fog comes, immediately rush out of the courtroom. I'll try to clear the way for you. There will be a car waiting outside the main gate. Drive straight to the rocket and roll back to your hometown."
The last sentence wasn't meant to be humorous in this situation; I really wanted Fang Tian to go back to Saturn because he had caused too much trouble on Earth.
While I was reciting in my mind, Fang Tian remained motionless.
After I finished reciting, I added, "If you already know my thoughts, then please nod three times."
Fang Tian's head indeed nodded three times.
At this point, the presiding officer's impassioned voice had reached its climax.
He was recounting how, after Nelson's death, it was discovered that when electrified in Fang Tian's office, the spacecraft would produce a large number of positrons. General Qifei was listening attentively.
I felt anxious because the dense fog Little Nelson mentioned hadn't arrived yet! Of course, I didn't think he was making it up, but in the current situation, it was still worrying. Fang Tian was also anxiously looking around. His anxiety must be greater than mine.
After about ten more minutes, the presiding officer's testimony was coming to an end. I was so restless that I was sitting on pins and needles. Just then, I heard someone outside the door whispering, "Fog! Such thick fog!"
At the same time, I saw, through the door crack and window crevices, wisps of dense white fog rapidly spreading in. In less than two minutes, everyone's feet in the courtroom were engulfed in thick fog!
I exchanged a glance with Fang Tian. His face was tense, and his hands were tightly clenched into fists. The sudden, unusually dense fog caused even the presiding officer to stop reading the indictment. Everyone in the courtroom lowered their heads. The fog rose rapidly, and within half a minute, everyone was submerged up to their waist!
Judging by the speed of the fog rising, Fang Tian could take action in another half a minute!
I stood up, amidst the anxious expressions of everyone, and made my way to the door.
What I saw was a sight unseen anywhere else in the world. People stood in the room, but all that was visible of each person was their head, as if many headless bodies were floating.
I crouched down to submerge my whole body in the thick fog.
I had never seen fog so dense. Once my body was submerged, all I could see was white. Besides white, I could see nothing else.
I remembered the direction of the door and gently approached it, pushing it open. Even standing straight, my entire body was engulfed in the fog. I waited at the door when suddenly someone brushed past me. At that moment, General Qifei's solemn voice rang out, "Strengthen the guard!"
I blocked the doorway, pushing out with force. In the fog, I couldn't see, but I believed Fang Tian had just brushed past, and now I had pushed back two guards.
Indeed, as I pushed, two voices exclaimed, "Who's blocking the way?"
I remained silent, simply bowed, and stepped back.
The corridor and lobby were also filled with fog. Besides the noisy voices, nothing else could be seen. Unfamiliar with the layout of the building, I found myself in a dilemma once in the corridor.
Following the sound, I rushed forward, colliding with seven or eight people before reaching the door.
At this point, not only was the entire office building shrouded in fog, but it was also spreading in all directions. When I reached the main entrance, I still couldn't see anything, only hearing the sound of a car starting.
I hoped that the engine noise I heard was Fang Tian getting into the car.
If so, then Fang Tian could undoubtedly reach the rocket!
I continued running outside, about two or three yards, and suddenly everything cleared up.
Turning around, I saw the entire building engulfed in fog, and from the fog, people kept emerging.
Everyone seemed stunned by the sudden thick fog, completely unaware of Fang Tian's whereabouts. Each person, upon emerging from the fog, looked back toward where they came from, including me.
At that moment, everyone in the office building was enveloped by the fog, which continued to expand outward. People looked pale, exchanging puzzled glances, continually asking, "What's happening? What's going on?"
I understood where the fog came from, so I was much calmer than everyone else. It was then I realized how low human intelligence truly was. Faced with sudden events, humans lacked immediate coping abilities, only panicking!
Consider that those emerging from the fog in the office building were top scientists, military personnel, and senior security staff. If they were like this, then the consequences would be unimaginable if such fog occurred where many ordinary people were. It was not difficult to understand why there were so many riots and blind actions. Humans were indeed very impulsive and foolish animals, despite considering themselves the "masters of all things"!
As I stared blankly at everyone's panic, someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around, and it was Little Nelson.
He blinked at me, "How's it going?"
I whispered, "He's gone."
Little Nelson shrugged, "How about my new invention?"
I furrowed my brows, "It's good, but the fog keeps expanding. When will it dissipate?"
He hesitated, "I hadn't considered that." He stopped abruptly, his expression changing. I hurriedly asked, "What's wrong? What's not right?"
He said slowly, "I've caused trouble!"
I was startled, "Trouble?"
He grabbed me and hurriedly ran until we were quite far from the office building, then stopped, "The 'Fog Sphere' I invented causes fog by using electricity to release the catalyst, condensing water vapor in the air into tiny droplets, thus creating fog."
I said, "Yes, you've succeeded; it's a great invention."
Little Nelson smiled bitterly, "No, it's a failure because, judging by the current situation, the fog continues to spread due to a chain reaction in the air..."
I was shocked, "Does it have no end?"
Little Nelson said, "I don't know, but without strong and dry gusts of wind, this fog may continue to spread indefinitely!"
Between these few sentences, several buildings of the office building had already been engulfed in fog!
The entire base was in chaos, with the red lights on the command tower flashing incessantly, signaling that all work had come to a halt due to a "sudden, unexplained emergency situation."
I saw General Qifei busy directing operations, nearly all vehicles were mobilized, and the defensive radar network was spinning faster because the highest authorities at the base were unsure if the dense fog was caused by an enemy's secret weapon!
Everyone at the base was in a frenzy, except for me and Little Nelson, who had no affiliation with the base and thus had nothing to do.
Little Nelson's face turned pale. After a moment of hesitation, he suddenly said, "Abel, I need to go explain to General Qifei that this fog is just a prank of mine."
I grabbed him, "Don't go. I admire your sense of responsibility, but it's unnecessary."
He smiled bitterly, "I'm afraid General Qifei will think it's an enemy conspiracy and order retaliation!"
I shook my head, "Things aren't that serious yet. If you tell him the truth, can Fang Tian escape? You'll be implicated too!" He sighed, "I never imagined my research would have such a fatal flaw."
I comforted him, "You can continue your research."
I had only spoken halfway when suddenly a piercing alarm sounded. Both Little Nelson and I were stunned. Amidst the continuous sirens, urgent voices came from the speakers everywhere: "Emergency order! Personnel near Rocket M17, evacuate immediately. The fuel of the rocket has ignited automatically, and there might be a strong explosion. Emergency order, emergency order!"
Upon hearing the alarm, Little Nelson and I were shocked. However, after hearing the emergency order, we felt relieved.
"Rocket M17" was the codename for the rocket scheduled to be launched to Saturn. Given the current situation, it was evident that Fang Tian had already reached the rocket and activated it!
Without hesitation, we ran towards the rocket because only the two of us knew that the rocket would not explode. It would soar into the sky and head straight to Saturn!
At that moment, using the phrase "end of the world" to describe the situation at the base was not an exaggeration. I believed that even if the Third World War broke out, the current chaotic situation would be no less severe!
The fog continued to expand, and as Little Nelson said, the water vapor in the air caused a chain reaction, accelerating the expansion. Almost half of the base was now shrouded in fog.
Meanwhile, the emergency signals kept sounding. People near Rocket M17 rushed away swiftly. At the base of Rocket M17, fiery sparks began to spray, and the massive steel frame started to collapse.
This was a common sight at the base, but in the past, every rocket launch was carefully planned. This time, it was sudden!
Little Nelson and I ran in the opposite direction of everyone else and arrived at Fang Tian's office.
We closed all the doors and windows and turned on the dehumidifier to prevent fog from accumulating indoors. We noticed a red light flashing continuously on a device, accompanied by a persistent "beep."
I remembered Fang Tian telling me about this device. It was a long-range cosmic communication device that could pick up languages spoken on Saturn. Fang Tian had said that the reserve power of this device was only enough for eight days and nights. At the time he reached Saturn, there would be exactly ten minutes for him to report the situation to me.
I approached the device and pressed a button. I immediately heard Fang Tian's voice, "Abel, I hope you can hear my voice. I'm about to return to Saturn, and we'll be separated forever!"
He repeated those words, but I couldn't respond because the device only received transmissions.
Little Nelson and I stood together at the window and looked outside. The fog had spread to the base of Rocket M17. The flames and smoke from the base of Rocket M17, mingling with the fog, were spectacular. Suddenly, with a deafening roar, Rocket M17 soared into the sky!
The smoke and flames from the base of Rocket M17, combined with the fog, were a spectacular sight. We looked up and saw Rocket M17 soaring into the sky at a speed unmatched by any other rocket!
At the same time, we heard Fang Tian's excited voice coming from the communication device, "I'm airborne! I'm airborne! I can go back to my hometown now, Abel, you must have heard my voice, right? Right?"
At that moment, I couldn't see Fang Tian, but I believed his face must have been extremely excited, the blue-blooded Saturnian!
In the base, the fog continued to spread, but after the initial panic, it gradually settled down.
We turned on the intercom to the command center and heard General Qifei issuing orders, "Rocket M17 has autonomously flown into space for unknown reasons. The fog on the base has been proven to be non-toxic, only caused by sudden weather changes. All personnel must not go out and stay in their original offices or dormitories. Food supply will be handled by special vehicles until the fog dissipates. Personnel responsible for defense should be extra careful to prevent any enemy attacks..."
Little Nelson and I sat down on the sofa. At that moment, the dense fog seeped in through the cracks in the door and windows, despite the dehumidifier working. The room was veiled in a thin mist.
I smiled at Little Nelson, "Let's just stay here and wait. Food will be brought to us anyway."
Little Nelson shrugged, "If my father were still alive, he would definitely scold me severely for causing such a big mess."
I thought for a moment, "No, for the sake of getting Fang Tian back to Saturn, I don't think he would blame you."
After hearing my words, Little Nelson remained silent. I couldn't see his expression because the fog had completely invaded, and I couldn't see him anymore!
I also remained silent, and only the communication device kept transmitting Fang Tian's excited voice. I turned down the volume to avoid drawing attention from others.
Fang Tian described the dark scene in space, then suddenly exclaimed, "I've passed by the Earth's satellite."
That meant he had passed the moon. Fang Tian's voice stopped, indicating that after passing the moon, space was unusually quiet and dark. There was nothing much to say.
The food delivery arrived on time, and neither Little Nelson nor I had left Fang Tian's office.
According to the command center, the base was continuously trying to disperse the fog but without success. The fog had spread hundreds of miles away.
Now, the only hope rested on the approaching strong, dry monsoon wind, hoping it would dispel the fog.
Four days had passed.
During these four days, Fang Tian didn't say much. He only mentioned encountering two obviously Earth-made spacecraft in space, but both had lost control, indicating that the astronauts on board had died, becoming drifters in space. He didn't mention which country these two spacecraft belonged to.
On the fifth day, he said he found the body of his companion in space. His companion was the one injured with him during the crash landing on Earth, who handed the navigation device to Ichiro Inoue before flying back to space to await death. People thought he was the Saturnian who came from the moon.
On the sixth and seventh days, Fang Tian spoke even less.
Meanwhile, the monsoon wind was blowing towards the base. Reports said that when the monsoon wind met the fog, the fog immediately dissipated. It was expected that within twenty-four hours, the monsoon wind would reach the base.
That meant when Fang Tian arrived at Saturn, we would also be rescued from the fog.
I thought everything had come to an end. I was already planning to rest quietly and never leave home after this incident, which started because I went skiing in Hokkaido!
As we entertained these thoughts, Little Nelson also breathed a sigh of relief, saying, "Alright, it's over!"
Everyone thought the matter had ended, but unexpectedly, there was still a twist. Although the change had nothing to do with me, Little Nelson, or any Earthling, it was closely related to Fang Tian, the blue-blooded Saturnian, so I had to record it.
On the eighth day, Fang Tian's voice came through the cosmic communication device again.
Because he was close to Saturn, his words were a bit chaotic, especially after he arrived at Saturn. Unexpected events left him extremely shocked, making his speech somewhat disjointed. I recorded everything faithfully below, and readers should pay attention.
The following words in quotation marks are all spoken by Fang Tian. The "I" in the quotes refers to Fang Tian himself.
In the quiet afternoon of the eighth day, Fang Tian's voice suddenly exclaimed, "I've seen that lovely ring. It's light purple. There's no color in the universe more beautiful than the ring surrounding our planet. I'm approaching it. My spacecraft is passing through it."
"Cough, why is its charge tens of times higher than what I know? This... this..."
(At this moment, along with Fang Tian's words, there was another shockwave, probably because his spacecraft was shaken.)
"It must be that the Saturnians have made a new discovery. I've seen Saturn. This is my planet. Abel, I'm starting to descend. I'm going home! The time and my calculations differ by four minutes. That means I only have six minutes to tell you about the situation on Saturn. After six minutes, the reserve power of the communication device will be exhausted, and Earthlings have no way to replenish it. We'll lose contact forever, unless another Saturnian comes to Earth... "
Fang Tian's voice sounded extremely cheerful.
"My spacecraft is descending, ah, I see the familiar mountains and rivers, ah, Fei'Aiexis, the highest peak on Saturn; Qingenlekai'o, the great lake on Saturn, our most beautiful mountains, our most beautiful lake!
"I'm getting closer to my long-lost land. I see large buildings. I'm about to land in the central square of my own country's capital. I'm flying there successfully, but strangely, I'm very close to the ground now. Why isn't there a flying ship coming to greet me? Why isn't anyone contacting me?"
(Fang Tian's voice became very hesitant at this point.)
"I've landed, very ideally, without even a tremor. Abel, from now on, I have six minutes after leaving the spacecraft to report on the situation on Saturn."
(Little Nelson and I stood beside the communication device, listening attentively. But suddenly, Fang Tian screamed!)
"Ah! What is this? Are people coming to welcome me? Abel, people are pouring towards my spacecraft on all the streets leading to the square. I'm being welcomed! No! No! No! What is this, what is this?
"What is this, who are they? Who are they? Abel, who are they?"
(Little Nelson and I looked at each other in astonishment!)
"Who are they? They are not human... they are creatures I've never seen before. They surround my spacecraft. I... can't recognize what they are. They look like... octopuses... their hands are like vines, their eyes... are lifeless. Oh, Saturn has been occupied by these creatures...
"No! No! These creatures can't occupy Saturn. There are more and more of them. They are all idiots, only know how to silly laugh at each other. My God, my God, they are people, Saturnians, my kind, Saturnians!
"I recognize them. The one climbing on the metal statue of our country's founder is the mayor of the capital. He is a solemn scholar, but now he is no better than a monkey. Why did I come back? Why did I come back? Abel, you're right, Saturnians are all inferior people..."
(Fang Tian continued to gasp for breath.) "When I left Saturn, I already knew that seven countries had almost simultaneously invented a powerful weapon. There is no war on Saturn, but research on destructive weapons is going full throttle. That weapon can destroy the brain tissue of humans, turning them into idiots, and rapidly change their physical forms..."
(Fang Tian's voice became heavier and heavier.)
"But because of this destructive weapon, even if it's experimental, if there are too many tests, it will have the same effect. So the seven countries made an agreement not to manufacture it, but... now...
...now..."
(Fang Tian sobbed.) "Now it's obvious that no one has followed that agreement. Every country is secretly developing it. The air on Saturn has changed, Saturnians have changed, becoming idiots worse than monkeys, becoming monsters, Abel, what should I do? Why did I come back? Why did I come back?"
(Fang Tian called out desperately.)
"This is not my hometown, this is not... where is my hometown, my beloved hometown?"
Fang Tian's words obviously weren't finished. But the red light on the communication device suddenly went out, and his voice could no longer be heard.
I took a step back and sat down on the sofa.
I didn't know what happened to Fang Tian. Perhaps he was flying his spacecraft straight into the boundless space again, searching for his lost homeland, or he stepped out of the spacecraft and, influenced by the changed air, turned into those monsters. Or maybe he would be destroyed along with the spacecraft by the attacks of those idiots, or...
I couldn't speculate further because Saturn was too far from Earth, wasn't it?
The strong monsoon wind blew as scheduled, dispersing the fog.
No one knew the origin of this fog. Little Nelson and I also left the base; he was returning to Europe, and I was going home.
On clear nights, I always looked up at the pitch-black sky for a long time.
I couldn't find Saturn among the hundred thousand stars. I just wondered: What happened to Fang Tian?
The highly civilized Saturnians destroyed themselves. Would Earthlings follow in their footsteps?
I stood there stupidly, often until dawn!
The End