Mankind

Prologue

May 2035

-THE YEAR OF THE PLAGUE-

In the years leading up to the outbreak of the plague, humanity was grappling with the devastating consequences of climate change and environmental collapse. Rising global temperatures had led to the rapid melting of polar ice caps, causing sea levels to rise and coastal regions to flood. Extreme weather events became more frequent and severe, displacing millions of people and disrupting food supplies and infrastructure.

As nations struggled to cope with the growing humanitarian crisis, tensions mounted and conflicts erupted over dwindling resources and territory. Desperate to maintain control and secure their own survival, governments and corporations turned to increasingly drastic measures, including genetic engineering and biological experimentation, in a last-ditch effort to combat the effects of climate change and gain a competitive advantage in the race for survival.

One such experiment involved the creation of a genetically modified virus designed to enhance human resilience to the harsh environmental conditions brought about by the ever-changing climate. Initially intended as a potential solution to the growing threat of pandemics and infectious diseases, the virus was engineered to bolster the immune system and increase resistance to a wide range of pathogens.

However, as the virus was developed and tested in laboratories around the world, unforeseen mutations began to occur, giving rise to new strains with unpredictable and dangerous properties. Despite warnings from scientists and ethical concerns raised by activists, the research continued unabated, driven by the promise of financial gain and geopolitical power.

Eventually, the virus escaped from containment and spread rapidly throughout the population, triggering a global pandemic of unprecedented scale and severity. Dubbed the "plague" by the media, the virus proved highly contagious and deadly, causing widespread illness and death in its wake.