The Last 200: Rebuilding Humanity

Chapter 5: A Highly Scientific Partnership Proposal

The red holographic screen pulsed angrily in the center of the clearing, casting a harsh crimson glow over the dirt path.

`WARNING: UNEXPECTED HOSTILE REACTION TRIGGERED.`

`COLONY LEVEL-UP CHALLENGE PART TWO UNLOCKED: DEFEND THE BOUNDARY.`

"What does that mean?" Ethan yelled, his hand tightening around his stone hatchet. "What's coming?"

"According to the seismic vibrations, a secondary wave of mutated badger-kin," Lyra replied, checking the back of her neck. "Approximately five individuals. They are tracking the residual pheromones of the blue glow-herbs."

"Great! Just great!" Ethan looked around wildly. "We're completely exhausted!"

"No touch my brother!" a booming voice roared.

With a massive thud, Bob landed in front of them, holding a giant pine tree like a baseball bat. He swung it once, creating a gust of wind that nearly knocked Ethan over. "Bad bugs go away!"

A series of distant, terrified squeaks echoed from the tree line, followed by the sound of scuttling creatures retreating in absolute panic.

The red screen flickered, instantly turning a soothing, bright blue.

`HOSTILE THREAT NEUTRALIZED.`

`BLUE GLOW-HERBS SECURED. DISPENSING AND SMELTING BLUEPRINTS CONSTRUCTED.`

`CONGRATULATIONS! CIVILIZATION LEVEL 2 UNLOCKED.`

"Wait, that's it?" Ethan blinked, slowly lowering his hatchet. "Bob just swung a tree and we leveled up?"

"Technically, his physical presence constitutes an active deterrent of ninety-nine percent efficacy," Lyra said, her coconut armor clacking as she stepped toward the newly assembled medical dispensary. She dropped the glowing blue herbs into the glass hopper. "Processing the patch now."

A soft hum echoed. A green light washed over Lyra, and the angry red countdown on her neck finally vanished.

`SYSTEM PATCH APPLIED. SYSTEM CORRUPTION TEMPORARILY HALTED.`

Ethan let out a long, shuddering breath, his shoulders slumping. "Thank God. I actually thought we were done for."

"Your emotional relief is mathematically logical," Lyra said, turning to him. "My survival rate has officially returned to acceptable parameters."

"You're welcome," Ethan smiled, wiping his brow. "Now, let's see what Level 3 requires so we can—"

The blue screen flashed again, intercepting his words.

`LEVEL 3 CIVILIZATION REQUIRED PATHWAY: ESTABLISH STABLE SOCIAL UNIONS.`

`WARNING: EXPANSION RESTRICTED UNTIL BIOLOGICAL AND SOCIETAL SYNERGY IS FORMALIZED.`

"Stable social unions?" Ethan frowned. "What does that even mean? Do they want us to form a union? Like, for labor?"

"No," Lyra said, her dark eyes scanning the glowing text. "The linguistic database defines a social union in this context as a formalized, long-term romantic or reproductive partnership. In primitive terms, a marriage."

Ethan choked on his own spit. "A... a marriage?!"

"Yes," Lyra said, her expression completely deadpan. "It is a systemic bottleneck. The developers of this archipelago clearly designed it to encourage rapid repopulation and colony stability."

"Well, that's too bad, because we can't just—"

"I propose we enter into an administrative union," Lyra interrupted smoothly.

Ethan stared at her, his jaw dropping. "You... what?"

"An administrative union," she repeated, crossing her arms. "It is a purely platonic, cohabitation-based contract designed to game the System's algorithms. We bypass the emotional complexities of traditional relationships while unlocking Level 3 technologies."

"Are you out of your mind?" Ethan spluttered, his heart suddenly hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. "You want to fake a marriage?"

"It is not fake; it is optimized," Lyra argued. "I have already analyzed our compatibility. Physically, you are highly functional. Intellectually, while you lack molecular training, your practical problem-solving skills complement my biochemical expertise by eighty-four percent."

"I am not a statistic, Lyra!"

"Furthermore," she continued, her cheeks flushing a very faint, almost imperceptible pink despite her clinical tone, "your presence does not trigger my survival-based revulsion. In fact, my heart rate increases by twelve percent when we are in close proximity. This indicates a highly stable physiological baseline for cohabitation."

"Lyra, stop," Ethan groaned, rubbing his burning face. "You can't just propose to someone with a spreadsheet! That's what the crazy guy on Island 44 did!"

"His spreadsheet was flawed," Lyra said defensively. "He omitted genetic bottlenecking. My proposal is entirely logical and respects your personal autonomy."

Ethan looked at her. Her dark eyes were wide, staring at him with a strange, hidden intensity. She was trying so hard to sound like a machine, but he could see the slight tremor in her fingers. He felt a sudden, deep warmth blooming in his chest. He didn't want a fake contract. He wanted her, even if she was too stubborn to admit she felt the same.

"If we do this," Ethan said softly, taking a step closer, "it's not going to be some cold contract. I don't want to just game the system. I want us to build a real home. With genuine respect. Do you understand?"

Lyra stared at him, her throat moving as she swallowed. "A... real home?"

"Yes," Ethan murmured, his voice dropping to a low, gentle tone. "A real partnership. Not just numbers."

"That... is a highly inefficient parameter," she whispered, her eyes locked onto his. "But... it is acceptable."

"Good," Ethan smiled, his heart soaring. "Then we have a deal."

"Excellent," Lyra said, suddenly reaching into her satchel. She pulled out a piece of white chalk. "First administrative order of the cohabitation contract."

She knelt down and drew a thick, straight white line directly down the center of the wooden floorboards.

"What are you doing?" Ethan blinked.

"This is the border," Lyra declared, pointing her chalk at him. "This sid

e is my sovereign territory. That side is yours. Do not cross without written permission."