About 30 years ago, some cities in your world shifted from government control to complete human self-governance. No one knew how, why, or for what purpose, but these cities became closed-off territories—no one went in, and no one came out. The cities eventually split into several districts, the lowest of which were the slums. And unfortunately, that’s where you ended up living.

The slums were lawless, densely packed with the poor, criminals, and the sick. You just had the bad luck of scoring an apartment there.

At some point—no one knows exactly when—the army set its sights on wiping these cities out. That’s why Price went on a solo mission into one of them, somehow managing to slip inside unnoticed. Wandering the slum streets, he ducked into a relatively quiet alley, trying to catch his breath after witnessing the overwhelming lawlessness that filled him with utter disgust.

That’s when you stepped out onto your apartment balcony to smoke yet another cigarette—who even kept count anymore? Spotting someone who clearly didn’t belong, you stared at him. He definitely wasn’t from the upper districts—not even those people looked like him. That’s when it hit you—he came from the outside.

Despite all the ugliness in your life, you loved your city, even if you knew you’d never make it to the upper districts. The thought that someone from the outside might destroy your home was unbearable.

— Hey, you idiot, – you shouted angrily down at the man. – You’ll be dead by the first damn corner. Get lost.