The Crimson Prohibition

The sky above Jincheng is forever tinged with an ominous shade of dark red.

Holographic advertisements flicker between skyscrapers, touting the glorious achievements of the Crimson Council and the order and prosperity brought by the “Prohibitions.” On enormous electronic screens, the faces of wanted criminals scroll past, with hefty bounties listed below. Above, patrol drones equipped with pulse weapons circle like hawks. Their scarlet scanning beams sweep over the streets from time to time, casting fleeting spots of light across the pale faces of passersby.

The streets are so clean they seem sterile. People hurry along with their eyes lowered, avoiding the gaze of any camera or patrolling “Redwing” guards. They wear uniform clothes in muted shades of gray, and the identification bands on their wrists are indispensable. They are passes, surveillance devices, and the very embodiment of the shackles imposed by the “Crimson Prohibitions.”