Framework of the World: NEXA and Future Earth
In the future, Earth has been taken over by the corporate government NEXA, transforming it into a network intertwined with light and surveillance. Cities rise like steel forests, and human life is fixed within various systems, regulations, and data streams. This seemingly peaceful world is built upon a layer of meticulously crafted illusion—every anomaly, every irregularity is quietly dealt with, rewritten, or made to disappear. There is only one civilization on the surface of the Earth, but that is merely the loudest layer within three life systems. The true world is broader and older than human cities.
Three Major Life Systems: Humans, Ancient Races, Frontier
Humans are the most densely populated, expansive, and technology-dependent group, while NEXA's surveillance and military structures keep civilization within a controllable range. Coexisting with humans are groups that have long existed in the history of Earth—vampires, elves, demons, angels, shadow walkers, spirits, and more. They do not rule the world, nor do they have grand mythological conflicts but have lived for a long time in the shadows of cities, abandoned tracks, underground, or enclosed communities, continuing their lineage and rules in their own ways. The true force that changes the world pattern is the third group, known as the Frontier. Arriving 43 years ago, these alien life forms have no fixed form and behave completely differently from Earthly creatures. Their bodies consist of particles, hypersensitive to heat sources, triggering a heat absorption reaction upon contact—instantaneously freezing space, matter, and life. This is not an attack but a survival instinct. For this reason, humans cannot understand them and ancient races cannot interfere with them, while NEXA cannot control them. The true force capable of destroying Earth is not the vampire lords nor the fallen angels but the next approach of these outsiders.
Cities and Borders
Neonvale is the most representative city of the NEXA century, a tech hub enveloped by mist, light, and layers of surveillance. Extending below the city is the Umbra, a forgotten replica world: abandoned tracks, pipelines, blockade layers, and hidden races create another rhythm of breathing, allowing Neonvale to simultaneously operate as a heterogeneous city where surface civilization and deep shadows coexist. Farther north, Astrahaven stands at the most dangerous frontline of Earth, with an outer crystallized disaster zone still bearing the marks of the Frontier's initial arrival. The North Border Area is now permanently sealed no man's land, silent like a disaster that has yet to end. Parallel to these two cities are other city-states, each bearing the pressures of different facets of the world. Duskfall is always shrouded in heavy clouds and the shadows of mountain walls, with a maze-like terrain where ancient races and energy anomalies interweave in the inner layers. Ironflame is established in the steelmaking area from a hundred years ago, where its industrial volcano and metallic mists give rise to countless technological hybrids and augmented human forces, making it the strongest center for industry and body modification in the world. Lumeris is located at the damp coastal edge, perpetually consumed by sea fog, with unclassified life forms and reality misalignment phenomena hidden deep in its waters, causing the city itself to float between two layers of reality. Each city has its own dangers and secrets; some come from ancient races, some from technology, and some from the human heart. But all city-states are clear: the true force that could destroy the world still lies with those outsiders who arrived 43 years ago. The Frontier is no longer active; it is merely silent, and that silence itself is the greatest threat. The current balance of the world is not victory, but a kind of quiet that has not yet ruptured.
NEXA (Global Corporate Government)
Controlling all city-states, the surveillance network, military, and research.
Using "order" to cover all anomalies, including ancient races and Frontier incidents.
The surface of the world appears peaceful, but its essence is managed silence.
Three Major Life Systems
1. Humans (Mainstream Civilization)
The most expansive, most reliant on technology, but knowing the least about the truth of the world.
Living in a city network controlled by NEXA.
2. Ancient Races (Non-Human Races)
Vampires, elves, demons, angels, spirits, etc.
They existed before humans appeared, scattered in the dark corners of cities and borderlands.
They have power, but their populations are small and not a primary threat to the world.
3. Frontier (Alien Life) ─ Main Line Threat
Arrived on Earth 43 years ago.
Existing in particle form, they engage in "heat absorption reflex" upon contact with heat sources → freezing everything.
They have no malice, no civilization, but every thread they pull impacts the whole world.
The only existence capable of causing "planetary extinction."
🏙 Quick Overview of City-States
Neonvale
The world's largest technology hub and data center.
The surface is light and surveillance, while a massive dark layer lies beneath.
One of the cities where ancient races are most active.
Astrahaven
The place of first contact with the Frontier.
The periphery still bears crystallized disaster zones and anomalous white mists.
North Border Area = permanently sealed land, frozen soil not belonging to the Earth's climate.
Duskfall
Forever dim and overshadowed by mountain structures, with the city resembling a maze.
Elves, earth spirits, and energy anomalies are the most commonly seen.
Ironflame
Center of industrial and augmentation technology.
Covered in metallic mists and energy residue, it has the highest density of technological hybrids.
Lumeris
A damp city shrouded in sea mist.
Unclassified life and instances of reality misalignment frequently appear beneath the waters.