A piercing scream shattered the tense silence of the bank office. Chaos erupted as terrified employees and customers cowered under the threat of armed robbers. Their faces were pale, bodies trembling, breaths caught in choking fear. A gunshot exploded in the air, deafening. A security guard collapsed, his body hitting the marble floor with a sickening thud. Blood seeped from his chest, creating a dark crimson stain on his uniform. Panic spread like wildfire—screams, sobs, and the desperate scramble of bodies seeking shelter under tables or in tight corners.
Amidst the chaos, a young child clutched his mother's hand tightly. Silent tears streamed down his face, his shoulders trembling as he struggled to suppress his sobs. The mother, her face drained of color, pressed a finger to her lips, signaling him to stay quiet. But a small whimper escaped the child's lips. One of the robbers, a masked man with eyes full of rage, stepped forward. He raised his gun, pointing it at the mother. "Shut him up, or I will," he hissed.
An elderly man, perhaps a retired bank employee, dared to speak. "Please, he's just a child. Don't do this!" he pleaded, his voice shaking. The robber turned to him with a glare of pure fury, then raised his gun. One shot. The old man staggered and fell to the floor, his life extinguished in an instant. Panic escalated. Some people screamed, while others fell silent, too scared to move.
The robbers moved quickly, stuffing stacks of cash into duffel bags. The vault door, forcibly opened by the trembling hands of the branch manager, gaped like a silent witness to the massacre. Another robber, taller than the rest, lifted his gun and pressed its cold barrel to the manager's temple. "You've seen too much," he whispered before pulling the trigger. The manager's body crumpled to the floor, a pool of crimson spreading beneath him. The air thickened with the scent of fear and gunpowder.
Outside, a woman riding her bicycle caught sight of the horror unfolding inside. Her hands trembled as she fumbled for her phone, desperately trying to call emergency services. Silence. No response. She redialed. Still nothing. Her face paled further. Before she could react, a shadow lunged at her. A sharp crack echoed as something struck her skull. Her body collapsed onto the pavement, eyes wide before consciousness faded. Within seconds, she was dragged into a dark alley, disappearing into obscurity. Her bicycle lay abandoned, its front wheel spinning aimlessly, pushed by the cold night breeze.
Across the city, chaos spread like wildfire. Protesters stormed government buildings, shattering windows, overturning desks, dragging officials from their seats of power. The once-revered halls of parliament transformed into a battleground, where law and order disintegrated within hours. Police and military units formed rigid barricades at the presidential palace, the last stronghold against anarchy. Then, without warning, five massive trucks rammed through the barriers, forcing their way into the palace grounds. Armed protesters surged forward, clashing violently with security forces. Gunfire erupted. Explosions shook the streets. Smoke and flames painted the sky as a nation descended into chaos.
In another corner of the city, a father clutched his daughter's hand tightly. "We have to get out of here," he whispered in panic. They slipped through back alleys, hoping to evade the looters prowling the streets. But their hope shattered when a group of masked men blocked their path. "What do you have?" one of them demanded, a weapon pointed at the father. Trembling, the man handed over his wallet, but it wasn't enough. The looters grabbed his daughter. Her scream pierced the night, but her father could do nothing as he was thrown to the pavement.
Shops, malls, and supermarkets were ransacked. The rule of law crumbled, replaced by a ruthless wilderness where only the strong survived. Women walking alone became prey to unseen predators, their cries drowned in the madness of the city. Families locked themselves inside their homes, praying that thin walls would be enough to keep the chaos at bay. But no place was truly safe. Some houses were set ablaze, others mercilessly looted, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake.
Violence raged through the night, and precisely at 11 PM, the government of a nation collapsed. It became the tenth country to surrender to the revolution in the wave of global uprisings sweeping across the world. Without a government, the nation fragmented. Former police officers, rogue soldiers, and warlords carved up the land into territories ruled by brutality and bloodshed. There was no law, no justice—only power and fear dictated the rules.
Beyond its borders, the world watched in horror. Superpower nations held emergency meetings after a massive explosion at a high-level summit claimed the lives of their leaders. Vice presidents and heads of government now filled the vacant seats, sitting around a long table with tense expressions.
The United Nations swiftly moved to form an alliance to counter the rapidly spreading rebellion. However, conflicting interests made divisions inevitable. Trust crumbled, and the world once again teetered on the brink of chaos.
"This is more than just a crisis," said a diplomat from a major country. "This is the beginning of something much bigger."
Some nations saw this as an opportunity to expand their influence, while others—especially former colonial states—began to feel the looming shadow of destruction. Old grudges, decades-long conflicts, and historical betrayals resurfaced.
"If we act quickly, stability could return within three years," said one optimistic leader.
A defense minister scoffed. "Three years? You're too naive. The world has already plunged into the abyss."
In another corner of the world, a man sat before a massive monitor. News from different parts of the globe scrolled endlessly. His sharp eyes scanned each report with an eerie calm.
His fingers tapped rhythmically against a wooden desk.
"It has begun," he murmured, almost like a whisper.
From the shadows behind him, a voice spoke in a flat tone, "What's the next move?"
The man gave a slight smile. "Now, we see who survives."
Three Decades Earlier, South China Sea
In the year 2027, the world was stunned by an unprecedented geological phenomenon—the sudden emergence of a new island in the middle of the South China Sea. The landmass, later named Aratsun, appeared as if it had risen from the ocean floor overnight, sparking speculation among scientists and geopolitical strategists worldwide. But beyond being a mere natural wonder, Aratsun's emergence quickly ignited escalating global tensions.
Two superpowers, the United States and China, immediately vied for control over the mysterious island. China claimed it as part of its maritime territory based on historical precedents in the South China Sea, while the United States and its allies rejected this claim, asserting that it was international waters open to all nations. The situation escalated rapidly. Naval forces from both sides began maneuvering, and the world watched anxiously as a long-standing conflict—once confined to trade wars and diplomatic disputes—neared the brink of open military confrontation.
Recognizing the potential for a global catastrophe, the UN Security Council convened an emergency session that stretched on for months. After prolonged negotiations involving the world's major powers, an unprecedented decision was reached—Aratsun would be declared an independent and neutral nation, serving as a geopolitical stabilizer in the region. This resolution not only averted a major war but also reshaped the global power structure.
As part of this agreement, China finally achieved reunification with Taiwan. However, this came at a cost. Thousands of Taiwanese citizens who opposed unification with Beijing were granted the right to migrate to Aratsun as part of a political compromise. They became the island's first residents—but they were not alone. Within a short time, Aratsun became a refuge for waves of displaced people from across the world—those uprooted by war, political conflict, economic collapse, or simply seeking a fresh start.
Immigrants from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and even parts of Europe began to arrive. In a matter of years, the island transformed into an unprecedented social experiment in modern history. Aratsun was not just a place of sanctuary; it became a hub for trade, technology, and global diplomacy. In less than a decade, it evolved from a newfound landmass into a bustling metropolis with millions of inhabitants, a rapidly growing economy, and an innovative system of governance.
Yet beneath the glittering facade of progress and apparent stability, the shadows of the past remained. The influence of powerful nations lingered, political intrigues thrived, and among its people, a new generation emerged—each carrying their own ambitions and secrets. Aratsun was more than just an island born from the sea; it was a symbol of a world in constant flux, filled with hope, conflict, and mysteries waiting to be unraveled.