From #1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong comes the start of a daring new dystopian series where humanity has moved to virtual reality to flee their deteriorating world, following two young soldiers who must depend on unlikely allies in their fight for survival.
The future is loadingโฆ
To escape rising seas and rampant epidemics, most of society lives โupcountryโ in glistening virtual reality, while those who canโt afford the subscription are forced to remain in crumbling โdowncountry.โ
But upcountry isnโt perfect. A cold war rages between two powerful nations, Medaluo and Atahuaโand no one suffers for it more than the Medan orphans in Atahua. Their enrollment at Nile Military Academy is mandatory. Either serve as a soldier, or risk being labelled a spy.
Eirale graduated the academy and joined NileCorpโs private forces downcountry, exactly as she was supposed to. Then Atahuaโs most wanted anarchist frames her for assassinating a government official, and sheโs given a choice: cooperate with him to search for a dangerous program in Medaluo or go down for treason.
Meanwhile, Lia is finishing her last year upcountry at Nile Military Academy. Paired with her academic nemesis for their final assignment, Lia is determined to beat him for valedictorian and prove her worth. But there may be far more at stake when their task to infiltrate Medaluo and track down an Atahuan traitor goes wrongโฆ
Though Eirale and Lia tear through Medaluo on different planes of reality, the two start to suspect they are puzzle pieces in a larger conspiracyโand the closer they get to the truth, the closer their worlds come to a shattering collision.