1. Five Men on One Island

The roar of the helicopter blades echoed loudly in Fiora's ears.

She sat quietly in her seat, gazing out the window with an unreadable expression.

Far below, the vast blue ocean stretched endlessly, shimmering beneath the golden sunlight.

The helicopter swayed gently in the wind, yet Fiora remained still.

Or at least... she tried to appear calm.

Today was the day of her assignment.

The day she would be sent to a remote island where a man lived~~a man chosen to become the biological father of her child.

Her heartbeat quickened.

Before she realized it, her thoughts drifted back to the shelter she had called home for the past several years.

**A Few Hours Earlier...

"Are you ready to leave, Fiora?"

The young woman with dark crimson hair lifted her head and smiled at Rea, the friend who had just spoken.

"Yes. Today's my assignment to that island," Fiora replied before pulling Rea into a warm embrace.

The two had shared the same room for months, so it was only natural that Rea looked heartbroken at the thought of saying goodbye.

"Hurry up and let that man get you pregnant, then come back as soon as you can," Rea said with a half-pout, her eyes already glistening with tears.

Fiora chuckled softly and flicked Rea's nose.

"Hm? But by then, you probably won't be here anymore. Aren't you getting assigned soon too?"

The words instantly darkened Rea's expression.

She had already been informed that she would soon be sent away as well--to meet the man selected to father her child.

As healthy young women, neither Fiora nor Rea had the right to refuse their destiny as Seed Carriers.

Everything they did was for one purpose: The survival of humanity.

It had all begun thirty years ago, when a mysterious and deadly virus known as EVE-13 swept across the world, killing billions of people.

Women and children suffered the highest death toll, leaving only a handful of survivors.

For reasons no one fully understood, only women between the ages of seventeen and twenty-four possessed natural immunity.

Anyone younger or older rarely survived.

As for the men... The virus left most of them infertile.

Only those in exceptional physical condition retained the ability to reproduce.

With humanity standing on the brink of extinction, the remaining world leaders launched Project Genetic.

Every healthy young woman with a viable uterus was identified, gathered into government shelters, and designated as a Seed Carrier.

At the same time, healthy fertile men were carefully selected and paired with them.

Once a Seed Carrier became pregnant, she would return to the shelter, where she would receive the best medical care until childbirth.

If the baby was born safely, the child would be taken immediately to a government research facility.

Raised there under strict supervision until adulthood.

And the mother?

After spending six months recovering from childbirth, she would be assigned once again as a Seed Carrier.

Cruel as it sounded, the project had successfully prevented humanity from disappearing after the world's "Little Apocalypse."

Fiora and Rea themselves had both been born through Project Genetic.

Neither of them knew who their biological parents were.

That secret belonged solely to the government.

Fiora glanced at herself one last time in the large mirror mounted on the wall.

Her long crimson curls were styled into an elegant French twist that flowed gracefully down to her waist, with a few delicate strands framing her fair face.

She wore a white silk dress with a modestly plunging neckline that subtly accentuated her feminine figure without appearing overly revealing.

The skirt ended at mid-thigh, exposing her long, slender legs.

She had to look her best.

If the man assigned to her found her attractive, everything would be over much sooner.

A knock on the door drew both women's attention.

"Fiora, it's time to leave!" A man's voice called from outside.

Fiora took a slow breath. "I'm coming."

Rea walked over and hugged her tightly.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she struggled to hold back her sobs.

They had only recently found genuine friendship, yet now fate was tearing them apart.

No one knew whether they would ever meet again.

Perhaps Rea would already be gone.

Or perhaps Fiora would never return, transferred to another shelter after successfully becoming pregnant.

Smiling gently, Fiora squeezed her friend's hands before placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Until we meet again, Rea. Take care of yourself... and stay healthy."

With that, she stepped out of the room to face the destiny awaiting her.

***

"The island is just ahead. Prepare yourself."

The voice of a soldier pulled Fiora out of her thoughts.

Shielding her eyes from the sunlight pouring through the helicopter window, she looked down.

A lush green island appeared below, surrounded by breathtaking beaches.

The crystal-clear sea sparkled like blue diamonds beneath the sun.

Golden-white sand reflected the light so brilliantly that Fiora couldn't help but smile.

It had been so long since she had seen the ocean.

Perhaps only once in her entire life.

Most of her existence had been spent inside laboratories and government shelters.

Her heart began racing again.

That island was where her assigned Seed Donor lived.

She silently hoped he would like her appearance.

If they could cooperate smoothly, this mission would end much faster.

The helicopter slowly descended toward the shoreline, sending seawater and sand swirling into the fresh coastal air.

Then Fiora noticed someone emerging from the dense trees.

A young man. Perhaps only a few years older than she was.

He was undeniably handsome, with dark hair...

And crimson-red eyes.

Fiora blinked. Had she imagined it? Could a human really have eyes that color?

"Oh. Looks like one of your Seed Donors came to greet you."

The soldier escorting her spoke casually.

Fiora froze. "Wait... what do you mean by one of my Seed Donors?"

The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances before one of them finally sighed.

"So... they didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Fiora asked, panic beginning to creep into her voice.

The soldier looked at her apologetically. "Your assigned Seed Donor isn't just one man, Fiora."

He paused.

"There are... five of them."

***