Acid rain has turned the sky over District Three of the New Era Federation a murky gray. The titanium-alloy gates of Star Dome High School glimmer coldly through the rain. At the entrance, a holographic bulletin board loops the opening-day address, while the principal’s AI-retouched face smiles without a flaw. Fan Cheng pulls his uniform collar higher to cover half his face. His worn synthetic-leather shoes squeak as he steps through the puddles, a jarring contrast to the gleaming hover shoes worn by the students around him.
