2060

In 2035, Earth's nations clash in an irreconcilable struggle for territory and resources for interstellar colonization. World War III is on the verge of erupting. The main theaters of war include Earth, Mars, Jupiter's moon Io, and Saturn's moon Titan. The fighting is fiercest on Earth, and the era is known as the Ascension Era.

By 2040, humanity has become a multiplanetary species. Earth is no longer humanity's only home. The nations stand divided, wary of and threatening one another. International exchanges have all but ceased, and interstellar communication has been cut off entirely. Earth's energy and mineral resources are nearly depleted, leaving humanity facing an unprecedented threat. This era is known as the Era of Destruction.

The tides of the world shift: after long unity comes division, and after long division comes unity. In 2045, to avert the destruction of humanity on Earth, people unite as never before and devote all of Earth's resources to building a Dyson sphere around the Sun. The first phase is completed in 2049, ushering in what is known as the Sun-Chasing Era.

By 2059, human society has become deeply stratified. Humanity's greed is on full display in this era, as interstellar resources are exploited without restraint and squandered on a massive scale. The age of peace is about to end, and war is about to become eternal, yet humanity on Earth remains unaware. At this time, Wu Lingfeng, a university student from the slums, and Chen Yuqing, who comes from the upper class, are about to graduate from Jiangnan University in Country Z on Earth. Both look to the future with boundless optimism. But a sudden invasion shatters their dreams, and from then on, their fates are tossed about in the whirlpool of the times...