The World Is

A story about a superpower war on Earth in a parallel universe.

In 1955, a mysterious meteor crashed inside the Arctic Circle, triggering a massive explosion and sending the world down a radically different course of history.

As a member of the National Security Bureau's Thirteenth Division, Zhong Qing is responsible for monitoring security in the coastal city of Q City and handling all abnormal events that occur there.

At the start of 2005, she steps into her destiny, knowing nothing. She struggles through the most turbulent and thrilling year of her life, until at last everything settles and, at the gods' proclamation, she awaits the end that is drawing near.

This novel was written over a long period. The first part was completed in 2011, the second and third parts before 2019, and the fourth part in 2020. After finishing the fourth part, I realized the novel's structure was unbalanced, and that the second and third parts might not be very interesting to readers. I considered extensively revising the whole story from the beginning, and at the time I thought I would have the revisions done in 2020. But a lot has changed over the years, and I never got around to it. I'm tired now and don't want to revise it anymore, so I'm posting it as it is, to give this old, unfinished project some kind of closure.

Readers who find the second and third parts uninteresting can skip them and read only the first and fourth parts. I don't think skipping the middle will make much difference to your understanding. Clever readers should be able to follow the references to the second and third parts in the fourth.

The fourth part showcases the best writing I've managed so far, and may go some way toward making up for my regret at not revising the earlier structure.

Content warnings:

1. The fourth part has some minor boy-girl romance involving supporting characters. Don't read if that bothers you.

2. Although this is a GL story, there is virtually no romance and no physical intimacy. Don't expect yuri scenes. This story focuses entirely on the plot.

Theme: Survival is life's most fundamental drive