Chapter 1

The Federal University has undergone renovations, and it is vastly different from when I came to study five years ago. The magnificent buildings, the intricate corridors, and the students coming and going create an atmosphere that is both unfamiliar and familiar. I quickly got lost inside, but out of pride, I decided to find my way out on my own. After walking for a while, I realized I was indeed very tired. Checking my watch, I saw it was nearly noon, and class was about to end. I could hardly move anymore when I noticed a large lecture hall with its door open, filled to the brim with students. I quietly entered through the back door, found a seat, and was reminded of the days in school when I would oversleep and arrive late.

I do not quite understand, Professor Ma pointed out the window and asked, "Why do the wings of the airplane look so soft, swaying up and down with the slightest movement?"

On April 5, 2317, I concluded my journey, bid farewell to my classmates, and boarded Eastern Airlines flight MU-5447, preparing to leave this damp planet. My days on Earth had driven me nearly to madness; even in my dreams, I could hear the incessant sound of rain. I truly do not know how the people of Earth endure it. In any case, my mood improved significantly at the thought of leaving Earth, to the extent that I offered a courteous smile to the flight attendant while boarding. This flight took off at 5:10 PM Earth Standard Time, so there were not many passengers. I chose a seat near the wing, and through the thick fiberglass, I could see the entire wing of the aircraft, which reassured me somewhat, at least knowing that the plane's wings were still intact.

"This is the jaw of a alligator," that student shouted loudly

For example, crime I interjected

That classmate glanced at me, filled with confusion, and finally replied in a low voice: "The subject of human behavior is taught by Professor Ma Rufeng."

"This is quite normal," Professor Ma explained. "In fact, I am not a detective; I have merely assisted the Earth Republic government with some minor tasks. The statements in the newspapers are not reliable. My true profession is simply that of a teacher. By the way, I haven't asked yet, what do you do? Are you also studying human behavior?"

Hello, he said with a smile. When Professor Ma smiles, he is very amiable, yet there is always a deep light flickering in his eyes, as if he can see through a person's innermost thoughts

The lecturer paused for a moment and continued, "The absence of competitive pressure from other species has caused the stagnation of evolutionary progress." The rain outside continued to pour, further emphasizing the silence in the classroom. Perhaps due to the seriousness of the topic, the lecturer suddenly smiled, set down his props, rubbed his hands in satisfaction, and said to the audience, "Alright, today we will discuss human behavior. After successfully evolving, humans have maintained their original form until now. Even with the return of the flood epoch, there has been no compulsion for human evolution. This is due to the same principle, we ...

"No, no," Professor Ma said, and then explained: "This is due to a peculiar habit; I always want to see our Earth after the plane takes off, to observe this planet that is covered mostly in water"

Originally, the arrival of the Flood Epoch was expected to occur in one thousand years and to last for a short duration. Professor Ma looked at his knees, as if the seatbelt were particularly interesting. However, we have continuously emitted a large amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This environmental destruction began with the first shovel of coal being mined, and with the Industrial Revolution, the world started to warm. Despite humanity beginning to monitor the atmosphere and understanding the consequences, we continued to damage it, causing the Earth to become increasingly warm and hot, ultimately leading to the melting of glaciers in Antarctica and the outbreak of global flooding.

On that day, it was pouring rain, just like any other Earth Day. The continuous downpour cascaded down, and the sky was perpetually shrouded in dark clouds. According to experts, this rain will persist for a thousand years before it begins to weaken, and it will take another three thousand years before the Earth can witness a sunrise free from cloud cover. The sea level has risen significantly, reducing the land area to about one percent of what it was before the Great Flood. The name "Earth" has become increasingly misleading; had our ancestors been able to gaze down from a geostationary orbit before naming this blue planet, they would undoubtedly have called it "Water Sphere." The land area of this water sphere continues to diminish, until we, the primates who cannot breathe underwater, are driven into the sea. It is truly a tragic fate for humanity.

Did I... occupy your seat?

No, no. I smiled shyly and said, "I am just an aviation mechanic, a lieutenant belonging to the First Cavalry Regiment of the Third Interstellar Garrison on Mars"

With his last words, the airplane suddenly roared to life, accelerating forward. The immense pressure pressed me firmly against the back of the aircraft seat, nearly suffocating me

"Just like us humans," Professor Ma said, "the development of human science has made humanity increasingly confident, yet this pressure stemming from scientific progress has destroyed those who appear to be strong on the surface. What we need is precisely a kind of developmental resilience"

Perhaps it was because I was finally returning to Mars that I felt a bit relaxed. I adjusted the angle of the airline seat, covered my head with a magazine, and prepared to take a short nap. At that moment, someone sat down beside me and asked, "Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

"Very correct," the lecturer nodded in approval. "However, this is not a bone," he raised the skeleton in his hand, slightly emphasizing his tone. "This is a fossil, a specimen from the Jurassic period that is part of our museum's collection. Take a look at this item again," he said, as if performing a magic trick, pulling out another piece of skeleton and asking, "What is this?"

"Why is that?" He repeated, glancing at everyone, and then said: "It is because there are no natural enemies."

This classroom can accommodate four to five hundred people and is already quite full. At the front, there is a projection screen, and everything on the podium can be clearly seen from any corner. At this moment, a lecturer is holding a skeleton of an unknown animal and is speaking passionately about something.

This is an illusion, I explained, wings that are too rigid are more likely to break, only wings with resilience can withstand the heavy pressure of lift

"No, no, that is not what I meant," I said eagerly. "I just cannot connect you with the detective Ma Rufeng mentioned in that newspaper, because, because..."

"Then you are indeed a real police officer," Professor Ma said with a chuckle. "May I address you as such?"

Professor Ma? I asked curiously

"May I ask, fellow students, why are there some species that have not evolved at all after tens of thousands of years?" He smiled slightly, surveying the sea of heads below him, and asked in a calm and unhurried manner. This man appeared to be in his fifties, with a head full of striking white hair that shone like white satin. His chin was clean-shaven, his suit was impeccably tailored, and his tie was quite tasteful. The deep wrinkles on his forehead crinkled together when he smiled, giving him a scholarly demeanor, and he seemed to be a person of considerable intellectual vigor. This man appeared to be in his fifties, with a head full of striking white hair that shone like white satin. His chin was clean-shaven, his suit was impeccably tailored, and his tie was quite tasteful. The deep wrinkles on his forehead crinkled together when he smiled, giving him a scholarly demeanor, and he seemed to be a person of considerable intellectual vigor.

Criminology represents the darkest side of human behavior. The reason I take on certain perplexing cases for the police is that it allows for a deeper understanding of human behavior. However, the more I understand, the more I am struck by the terrifying nature of human actions. This dark aspect seems to have accompanied humanity since its inception, neither eradicated nor evolved. From this perspective, the human psyche has also not undergone evolution.

"Are you talking about that piece of chin in your hand?" a mischievous student sitting in the front row shouted loudly, pointing at the picture book. His prank quickly elicited a roar of laughter from the entire class

"That's right," the lecturer said without any anger. As the laughter gradually subsided, he continued, "This is a jaw. Who can tell me which animal this jaw belongs to? If you answer correctly, I will add to your regular score."

The conversation was interrupted, I fastened my seatbelt and noticed Professor Ma staring blankly out the window

The entire classroom was silent; as soon as the lecturer spoke, an atmosphere of reverence immediately emerged, reminiscent of a solemn church.

"It's alright, please take a seat." Professor Ma's slender hand pressed on my shoulder, guiding me back into my seat, and then he sat down beside me

At this moment, the airplane had already taxied to the end of the runway, awaiting takeoff. The captain's warm greeting came over the broadcast: "Dear passengers, welcome aboard China Eastern Airlines flight. The flight duration is two hours, and our destination is the Earth-Synchronous Orbit Space Base No. 23. We hope you have a pleasant journey. As the aircraft accelerates through the atmosphere, please pay attention to the instructions from the cabin crew, return to your seats, and fasten your seatbelts. If there is an issue with your automatic safety device, please notify the cabin crew immediately. Thank you"

I quietly nudged a classmate next to me and asked, "What class is this?"

Of course, of course... Facing Professor Ma alone excites me. "Actually, I can't really call myself a true police officer; I just help them fix airplanes... Regarding that murder case at the space station, it was truly unbelievable. How did you manage to find the murderer?"

This voice sounds so familiar. I raised my head, and the magazine slid onto my lap. Immediately, a head of silvery white hair came into view. I quickly propped myself up, extended my hand, and said: "Professor Ma, it's you! Hello, my name is Lei Feng. I have attended your class on human behavior studies, and it was truly wonderful."

According to what you said, I am increasingly astonished and asked, "Humans have not evolved, just like alligators, is it due to the absence of natural enemies? If a natural enemy were to appear for humans, what kind of scenario would that be?"

Whether in the era of cold weapons, where one stabs another with a knife, or in the era of firearms, where one shoots another with a gun, or even in the present, where one attacks another with electromagnetic waves, although the methods differ, the essential meaning remains unchanged. Their commonality may lie in the pursuit of a woman or a sum of wealth. From the perspective of human behavior, criminal acts have not changed, nor has the criminal mindset; only the forms of crime have slightly evolved.

Although the alligator has endured a long and solitary existence, during which the Earth's landscape has changed, it has not evolved. Why is this the case

Crime is one of them. The doctor nodded in approval.

Do you need me to change seats with you? I asked again

The first time I met Professor Ma was still on Earth

So you are able to solve the tricky cases that the police cannot? How fascinating I said, captivated

Professor Ma smiled slightly and was about to say something when, at that moment, a beautiful flight attendant approached and sweetly said: "Please fasten your seatbelts, the plane is about to take off"

I do not understand... I murmured

Indeed. Bioarchaeologists inform us of a fundamental fact: any organism that holds a dominant position in the biological chain during any given period is the first to become extinct and is also the species that faces the most complete extinction. This phenomenon is known as the species collapse effect. A prolonged absence of competitive pressure leads to the apparent strength of certain species masking their inherent fragility. I will not elaborate further on this, as it is not my area of study; I merely have some reflections on the matter. From the perspective of human behavioral science, humans have similarly not evolved, and I refer to the most essential behavioral capabilities of humanity.

Professor Ma also extended his hand for a handshake, his grip just right, polite and appropriate

I was taken aback, but soon regained my composure. To be honest, the subsequent lessons were exceptionally captivating, to the point that I forgot about my classmates, the heavy rain outside, and the flood season, until the school bell rang, awakening me from my reverie. Professor Ma gracefully and gentlemanly bowed, stepped down from the podium, and I, along with my fellow classmates, couldn't help but applaud, watching as Professor Ma's figure disappeared outside the door

The Federal University is located on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with an elevation of only four to five hundred meters. Most human civilizations have been driven to this high ground. It is quite interesting that during the last Ice Age, our ancestors were driven down from the trees, and now we are being driven up the mountains, soon to be driven back into the trees. In the pouring rain, taking a taxi and carrying this unpleasant association, I arrived at the campus of the Federal University, on April 3, 2317.

"Yes, another jaw, the same type of creature," the lecturer said, but then he kept shaking his head, somewhat exaggeratedly, as if he enjoyed the relaxed and dramatic effect of the class. "However, this jaw is different; it is a piece of bone from a recently deceased alligator." He held up the two jaws alongside the book, clearly visible on the large screen projection.

"Who says that humanity has no natural enemies?" Suddenly, Professor Ma turned his head, looking at me with piercing eyes, as if he were questioning his students in class

"I never expected that I would turn out to be an old fool," Professor Ma said with a smile, interrupting me.

The cabin door closed, and shortly after, the conventional engines began to start, emitting a low howl. The sound grew increasingly sharp, and then, suddenly, it fell silent, stabilizing into a steady roar, while the scenery outside began to move slowly. The wings of the airplane shook slightly as it taxied down the runway, heading towards the end of the runway.

I hope you will forgive my boldness, Professor Ma. I have long heard of your name, but this is the first time I have seen you in person. I did not expect you to be...

"Another chin," that classmate exclaimed proudly, once again provoking laughter throughout the hall

"A fossil, a bone, they are identical," the lecturer stated word by word

At this moment, Professor Ma was gazing out the window, appearing somewhat distracted

Of course, my purpose for coming to Earth this time has nothing to do with such poetic associations. After several days of exhausting interstellar travel, even the most romantic poet would curse, and I am certainly not a poet. From the moment I set foot on the damp surface of Earth, I longed even more for my hometown, that beautiful, fiery red planet, the mythological beauty Venus: Mars. At least the surface of Mars is dry and solid. From the moment I set foot on the damp surface of Earth, I longed even more for my hometown, that beautiful, fiery red planet, the mythological beauty Venus: Mars. At least the surface of Mars is dry and solid

In your class, you mentioned that humans, like alligators, have not evolved for millions of years, and that we are also on the brink of species collapse, similar to this creature

Professor Ma Rufeng left a profound impression on me. Soon after, a series of extraordinary events unfolded, compelling me to faithfully document them.

One of my university classmates, who teaches at the Federal University of the Earth Republic, has maintained correspondence with me over the years. On a whim, he invited me to visit his university to discuss some academic issues. Out of courtesy, I had no choice but to accept, and part of the reason was my desire to see what the Earth has become today, whether it bears any resemblance to the pre-Flood Earth we learned about in textbooks. Perhaps I could also visit the underwater human wonders, as such sightseeing activities have become quite popular on Earth, attracting tourists from Mars.

Professor Ma let out a gentle sigh, "Who says that we humans have no natural enemies?" He slightly curled the corner of his mouth, "Our natural enemy is none other than ourselves."