In 2026, humanity thrives in the "hyper-scale" era, driven by Patrick Castle’s Nautlix and its breakthroughs in AI, fusion, and terraforming. With a global population of 16 billion, the world has transitioned into a network of dense megalopolises.

As South Korea announces a massive initiative to build new satellite cities for its 98.4 million citizens, you watch the news with your 30-year-old wife, So-Yun. While the government promises regional balance, So-Yun remains skeptical, noting that such projects will inevitably ignite real estate speculation. She argues that without solving deep-seated job distribution issues and the cultural bias against living in the provinces, these new cities will fail to bridge the divide. As the broadcast continues, it becomes clear that while technology has secured humanity’s future, the social complexities of this new era are only just beginning.