Three Thousand Years Since the Lotus Left Home

In his fifth year of being banished to an asteroid to farm, Tang Mang finally heard his first piece of good news through the satellite receiver.

The Earth was going to end.

And not just in one way.

Some kind of life-form, possibly from a higher dimension or an extraterrestrial star system, had taken control of the entire planet.

Just days ago, humanity had been living in luxury and celebration. Now, in a matter of moments, people had to face anxiety, panic, and death head-on.

Countless people lost their lives in the battle, while others chose to end their own lives early.

The Earth descended into chaos, and humanity was utterly defeated.

Tang Mang had just found a bottle of champagne that was thirteen months past its expiration date to celebrate, when another message arrived.

Congratulations! You have been accepted by the World Security Bureau!

Yes, to be precise, it was an acceptance letter.

But... if he remembered correctly,

Tang Mang had ended up farming here five years ago because he'd failed to get in.

Back then, his most trusted mentor and best friend had destroyed his research right in front of him and laughingly suggested that he go home and wait for a spot to open up.

So it took five years for a spot to open up???

Tang Mang didn't know, didn't care, and wasn't interested. He was also a little sleepy.

But before he could lie down for a nap, a deafening sound came from beyond the planetary station as a spaceship landed.

A few minutes later, he was forcibly recruited.

After returning to Earth, Tang Mang was assigned as the head of the Extraterrestrial Studies team.

The team members activated a holographic display and explained the invaders to their clueless new leader.

"...They're everywhere, yet nowhere to be seen. Their forms look human, but they're not carbon-based life-forms. If they choose, they can twist and tear space at will, taking humans into their territory to deal with them. But while we know nothing about them, the extraterrestrials understand humanity completely."

Tang Mang interrupted. "Why do you say that? I mean, how can you tell that the extraterrestrials understand humanity completely?"

One of the team members replied, "Because they can transform themselves into real human beings and blend into any society without being detected. The new spaces they create also follow the developmental logic of human civilization at various points in its history. Team Leader, you can look through the materials I sent you. They list the known stages."

Tang Mang swiped through the screen and looked down:

[Making fire with sticks]

[Worshipping the gods]

[Men farming and women weaving]

[Carriages on the sea]

[Information explosion]

[...]

Still, why would anyone study humanity?

He really couldn't understand why the invaders were interested in such a low-level, trashy civilization.

Could the extraterrestrials be just as low-level and trashy?

Before he could figure it out, a familiar name on the screen caught Tang Mang's eye.

A team member hurriedly explained, "Team Leader, the list starting on this page is of the casualties. Well... I heard that the director used to be your teacher. Please accept my condolences..."

His eyes lit up. "I absolutely do not."

The team member thought he'd misheard and just wanted to finish the task as quickly as possible. "Team Leader, could you give us your first impression of the extraterrestrials? I need to submit it."

Tang Mang couldn't hold back a smile. He even whistled. "Excellent taste."

And not just good taste.

He continued "admiring" the casualty list and added, "They're efficient, too."

#Spent a lifetime making enemies, and they don't even fill a page#

#The invaders are so considerate, how can I bring myself to fight back?#

#Maybe the extraterrestrials have a fan club?#

So when Tang Mang closed the display, he even lifted his smiling face and gave the highest praise. "Zhuang Wei, you may not believe this, but I think I'm falling in love with the extraterrestrials~"

As he'd expected, the other man responded with shock and silence.

But Zhuang Wei's gaze never left Tang Mang's smiling face.

He even tried to process all this using what he'd learned about humans, though he knew better than anyone that he couldn't possibly manage it.

"I hope you aren't lying to me like you did five years ago, Tang Mang."

Theme: Living in harmony with nature