Apocalypse + a wife from the start + not a power fantasy + somewhat challenging to read + take it slow + unravel the mystery
After the apocalyptic upheaval, bloodthirsty Chaos Ones with fangs and claws still serve as the cogs of society at night. Mutants whose heads split open to reveal serrated tongues guard the "order" of their former lives day and night.
By day, the apocalypse is a blood-soaked hell. By night, civilized society is a "mirage."
Chaos Ones are society's "id," its primal instincts. Mutants are society's "superego," monstrous incarnations. What about the Awakened? They've gained powers based on keywords from their social media feeds, but driven by desire, they fight. Can they become the "ego," the agents who put reality into action? And what about ordinary people?
The world is a slapdash production: props that give the game away, actors who forget their lines, and plenty of accidents and disorder. Isn't the apocalypse the same?
On a 100-point exam, 60 is a passing grade. Someone with just 30 points' worth of ability can already act in a slapdash production.
But Wang Zizai is a professional. His five senses are keen, and he studies the logic behind how these productions work. Starting from a foundation of zero, he strives to reach a level of 15, packages himself to look like a 50, and tramples the 30-point standard underfoot. In the biggest slapdash production of them all, the apocalypse on Azure Star, he thrives.
The logic is rigorous, the world-building is grand, and the battles are exciting.