71. A New Beginning

71. A New Beginning
Those fragments incinerated in the atmosphere, transforming into the most beautiful meteor shower in human history. The threatening red glow faded, replaced by millions of stars streaking across the horizon. Silence gripped the control center for a heartbeat before erupting into deafening cheers and tears of joy—the apocalypse had been canceled.
In the following weeks, Earth recovered rapidly. Debris was cleared and communications restored. Thanks to Liuz and his Orvantis technology, humanity didn't just survive; it entered a new era of unimaginable progress.
Liuz slowly removed the neuro-interface device from his head. His body appeared unsteady, nearly collapsing if he hadn't gripped the command table for support. He slowly turned his gaze toward Rose, who stood frozen in the middle of the hall.
Liuz was breathing heavily, his face pale from the immense mental exhaustion, yet his eyes radiated an inexplicable warmth. Amidst the frenzy of humans celebrating life, Liuz looked only at Rose.
"I have created a future for you, Rose," Liuz whispered, his voice hoarse yet crystal clear in Rose's ears through the internal communication device she still wore. "So... will you marry me?"
Rose ran through the crowd, no longer caring about protocol or the countless eyes watching them. She threw herself into Liuz’s arms. "I will! Yes, let’s get married!"

In a small chapel surrounded by rose gardens on the outskirts of the city, Rose stood before a mirror, staring at her reflection in a pure white wedding gown. The dress was simple yet elegant, specially designed by Aunt Bertha with a touch of family heirloom lace.
"Oh, my... Rose..." Bertha sobbed softly behind her, her eyes already swollen since early morning. "You... you are so beautiful, child. Just like your mother."
Rose turned and hugged her aunt tightly. "Auntie... thank you for everything. For raising me, for never leaving me."
"Nonsense! You’ve always been like my own daughter!" Aunt Bertha wiped her tears. "Who would have thought my little girl, whom I always worried about, would get a man as great as Liuz? I used to only hope you'd find someone kind who wouldn't leave you. Now... you’ve gotten much more than that." Aunt Bertha smiled faintly. "He saved us all, Rose. He is a hero."
"He is," Rose nodded, her eyes welling up. "But to me, he is home."
Outside the chapel, David and Jarvis—Rose's two lab colleagues—were admiring the sight of Liuz, looking dapper in a white Orvantis-style suit blended with Earth design. Liuz looked perfect, handsome with his shimmering silver hair and captivating neon-blue eyes.
"How on earth did you find a man this handsome?" David asked, patting Rose on the shoulder as she joined them.
"He’s not just handsome; he’s a genius!" Jarvis added, shaking his head in amazement. "Who knew you’d actually be so lucky in the market?"
Rose let out a small laugh, wrapping her arm around Liuz’s waist. "Indeed, my husband is the most handsome and the most brilliant. Perhaps I did many good deeds in the past, so I’m lucky right now!" Rose quipped, trying to hide her pounding heart. Liuz smiled thinly, pulling her close to his waist, enjoying the playful interaction.
The wedding went smoothly, witnessed by a handful of close friends and the Atom Point scientists who now viewed Liuz as their savior. An atmosphere of happiness, laughter, and gratitude filled the air. After the intimate reception, Rose and Liuz returned to their repaired apartment.
The wedding night. Rose’s heart pounded erratically, even faster than when the meteor had nearly struck the Earth. This time, she was going to make love to an alien. It was insane—what if Liuz was... different? What if he was bifurcated? Or had tentacles? Those wild, slightly naughty fantasies filled her mind, turning her face bright red.
Liuz, sitting on the edge of the bed, smiled softly as he caught the anxious yet curious expression on Rose’s face. He reached out, gently cupping her cheek.
"I’ve known about your concerns for a long time, Rose," Liuz whispered, his neon-blue eyes gazing at her with deep understanding. "Don't worry. I have studied human anatomy extensively." He drew his face closer, his warm breath brushing against her lips. "Mine is exactly the same as your species. In fact... perhaps slightly better and larger," he teased with a mischievous smirk.
Before Rose could retort, Liuz kissed her. The kiss was soft, deep, and full of warmth, erasing all of her anxieties. Enveloped in the embrace of the alien man who had saved the world, Rose knew she had found her entire universe.

One week later.
A week after that beautiful wedding, the peace of their apartment was shattered by an unusual sound. Rose sat weakly on the bathroom floor, her face deathly pale. Since the crack of dawn, she had felt incredibly nauseous. Every food aroma—even the scent of her favorite coffee—made her stomach churn violently. She had vomited repeatedly and refused to eat anything all day.
Seeing his wife suffering, Liuz was instantly hit by high-level panic. "Rose! Is there an Earth virus attacking you? Or is there lingering radiation from the meteor?"
Without waiting for an answer, Liuz immediately activated the biological scanner on his Orvantis device. A thin blue beam swept across Rose’s body from head to toe. A second later, Liuz’s eyes widened, and he began jumping for joy.
"You're pregnant, Rose! You are incredibly amazing!" Liuz shouted with a cheer that shook the room.
"What?! I'm... I'm pregnant?" Rose blinked, her nausea momentarily replaced by shock. "That fast?"
"Yes! And you won't believe this! I see twenty-five fetuses developing very healthily inside your womb!" Liuz explained with a beaming face, as if he had just won the galactic lottery.
Rose, who had been limp, sat bolt upright, her eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. "What did you say?! Liuz! Don't joke with me! You must have misread the sensor!"
With a naive and proud expression, Liuz showed her the holographic screen of her body scan. Small dots of light could be seen pulsing actively. "Look! Finally, the Orvantis generation will not go extinct! Ten boys and fifteen girls. I am so happy, Rose! This is a new record!"
"NO, LIUZ!" Rose screamed in a panic, nearly hysterical. "I am a normal human being! Giving birth to twenty-five children is insane! My stomach won't fit them—I’ll explode!"
"Don't be afraid, sweetheart!" Liuz moved closer, pulling Rose into a tender embrace as if she were the most precious treasure in the universe. "I have Orvantis technology that will allow you to give birth without a single ounce of pain! I can even accelerate their growth. Our target is one hundred children to build a new colony!"
"One hundred?! No! I won't do it! Do you think I'm a factory?" Rose tried to bolt, but Liuz held her fast in his warm embrace, peppering her forehead with kisses.
"Give me many, many children, Rose! I love you—I love you so, so much!" Liuz shouted with a joyful, booming laugh.
THE END