NSR "Low-End Population" Clearance Program

Bai Xiaoxian and Maya’s Rented Apartment

Interior setting for a standard residential unit in New Est City, 2067.

This rented apartment is located in New Est City, within the Republic of Kandnaz, in the year 2067. It is by no means luxurious—in fact, one might even call it quite ordinary. Yet, compared to the truly cheap, cramped, and dilapidated housing found elsewhere in the city, it is clean, comfortable, and possesses a distinct, lived-in charm.

For Bai Xiaoxian, this is neither a grand "family estate" nor one of those high-end, hyper-automated "smart" apartments typical of a futuristic metropolis.

It is simply a modest home that an ordinary ethnic Chinese immigrant family managed to secure—a place they could finally afford to rent on a stable, long-term basis.

Though not large, it provides enough space for each family member to have a bit of privacy.

For Bai Xiaoxian and Maya, it serves as a small, secluded sanctuary, cut off from the outside world.

At least, that is how they viewed it—before the arrival of the "death survival game."

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I. Overall Layout

The apartment features a modern, open-plan design.

Upon entering, one finds an entryway that leads directly into the living room.

The interior is free of elaborate European-style ornamentation or expensive artwork; instead, the color palette centers on white, light gray, and a soft, cyan-tinged green.

The walls are a cool, light grayish-white.

The floors are covered in smooth, light-colored tiles.

This color scheme helps the modest space feel more open and expansive.

Recessed lighting fixtures are installed in the ceiling.

The light is never harsh, typically emitting a soft, cool-white glow.

At night, the living room is bathed in a pale, bluish-white light that lends the space a subtle, futuristic aesthetic.

Bai Xiaoxian, however, rarely turns on the main overhead lights.

When he is home alone, he prefers to rely on the glow from his computer monitor, the television, or a small desk lamp—keeping the room in a state of semi-darkness.

This aligns perfectly with his personal lifestyle.

After all, someone who spends most of their time indoors rarely feels a strong need for a space to be brightly lit.

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II. The Living Room

The living room is the most spacious area in the entire apartment. Near the wall sits a rounded, white sofa.

Its backrest and armrests lack any sharp angles, featuring a soft, streamlined design throughout.

In the center of the seat cushion, there is a faint, cyan-green patch.

It is not an expensive designer piece, but rather a type of modular residential furniture common to this era.

Bai Xiaoxian’s parents purchased it when they moved house.

It has been in use for several years now.

The edges show some slight wear.

Yet, on the whole, it remains in good condition.

Maya is particularly fond of this sofa.

Standing only 145 centimeters tall, her feet rarely touch the floor when she sits on it.

Consequently, she often curls up in the corner, hugging her knees.

Sometimes she watches television.

Sometimes she looks at her personal terminal.

At other times, she simply sits there, lost in thought.

Bai Xiaoxian, by contrast, prefers to lie flat on the sofa.

He rests a game controller on his stomach.

His personal terminal lies tossed to the side.

Nearby, there is a drink.

In effect, this sofa serves many of the functions of a "bedroom" for Bai Xiaoxian.

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III. The Painting of the Snowy Mountain on the Wall

On the wall to the left of the living room hangs a massive photograph of a snow-capped mountain.

The peaks in the image are blanketed in ice and snow.

In the distance stretches a deep blue sky.

At the foot of the mountains lies a vast expanse of snowfield.

It stands in stark contrast to the modern decor of the rest of the room.

It is a rare, traditional piece of decoration in their home.

According to Bai Xiaoxian’s parents, they bought the photograph when they first arrived in the Republic of Kandernaz.

Back then, the family’s life was quite different from what it is today.

They had only recently immigrated.

They were not yet fluent in the language.

Their employment was unstable.

Upon seeing these snowy mountains for the first time, they were struck by the sheer scale of this new country.

And so, they bought the photograph.

Ever since, it has moved with them from place to place—

from their first, inexpensive apartment,

to their second rental,

and finally, to their current home.

In this sense, the photograph is actually "older" than the vast majority of the furniture in the house.

Bai Xiaoxian grew up looking at it.

He holds no particular sentiment toward this snowy mountain. But if the day ever comes when he moves, he’ll likely take it along with him.

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IV. Wall Decor

There isn’t much placed beneath the painting of the snow-capped mountains.

The room isn’t cluttered with ornaments.

On the walls, there are only a few simple display shelves.

Resting on these shelves are several small flowerpots in shades of white, light blue, and teal.

Inside them grow genetically optimized indoor plants.

Such plants are quite common in 2067.

They don’t require much sunlight.

They don’t need frequent watering.

Their growth status can even be monitored automatically by the home’s AI.

Yet, Maya insists:

“Plants should still be watered by hand.”

As a result, these plants occasionally suffer from being overwatered—or underwatered.

One of them was once nearly killed by her.

Bai Xiaoxian managed to nurse it back to health.

Maya, however, remains unconvinced.

She maintains:

“It didn’t almost die; it just went into a dormant state.”

To which Bai Xiaoxian replies:

“It turned yellow.”

The two spent ten minutes arguing over that single plant.

In the end, the plant survived.

And the argument came to an end.

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V. The Living Room TV

Mounted on the wall to the right in the living room is a large, wall-hung television.

The screen is quite substantial.

Connected to the TV is the household network system.

By 2067, a television is far more than just a TV.

It provides direct access to:

News networks

Gaming platforms

Holographic channels

Personal terminals

Home surveillance

The city’s public information system

It can even serve as a terminal for remote work.

But Bai Xiaoxian rarely uses it for work.

He primarily uses it for:

Watching videos and playing games.

The screen is frequently occupied by game visuals.

Occasionally, it displays animation.

At other times, it shows the news.

But for the past few days, it has mostly been playing:

“The National Survival Qualification Re-certification Program.”

Maya has grown increasingly averse to this.

She finds the background music in the promotional video “far too cheerful.”

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VI. The Cabinet Beneath the TV

Below the television sits a set of light-colored storage cabinets.

The surface is kept perfectly clean. But if you look closely, you can spot a few items that belong to Bai Xiaoxian:

A game controller.

A pair of headphones.

A charging dock for a personal terminal.

A few old game cartridges.

Some unfinished books.

And an electronic device, partially taken apart.

These items aren’t arranged according to any particular system;

they’ve simply been left where they landed.

This serves as a perfect microcosm of Bai Xiaoxian’s lifestyle:

not exactly filthy or chaotic, but certainly far from tidy.

Maya, however, tidies things up whenever Bai Xiaoxian leaves them scattered about.

As a result, the room often exists in a curious state:

immaculately neat in the morning,

gradually descending into disarray by evening,

and restored to order once again by the following morning—

as if someone were secretly resetting the room’s "save file" every single night.

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VII. The Entryway

On the opposite side of the living room lies the entrance.

The entryway is small,

with a floor covered in a light-gray, anti-slip material.

A narrow shoe cabinet stands against the wall,

topped with a small mirror.

Bai Xiaoxian rarely goes out,

so most of the shoes in the cabinet have gathered a layer of dust;

only two or three pairs see any regular use.

Maya has a pair of small-sized shoes made specifically for her—

her feet are much smaller than those of an average adult woman,

so her footwear has to be custom-made.

Next to the shoe cabinet hangs a dark-colored coat—

Bai Xiaoxian’s go-to outerwear,

which he throws on whenever the weather turns even slightly chilly.

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VIII. The Kitchen and Dining Area

Beyond the living room lies a semi-open kitchen.

Though compact,

it is well-equipped with a full array of appliances:

an induction cooktop,

a smart oven,

an automatic water purification system,

a small refrigerator,

an air circulation system,

and a state-of-the-art food processor capable of automatically identifying ingredients.

Yet, all this high-tech gear hasn’t exactly turned Bai Xiaoxian into a chef.

He still prefers:

instant noodles, frozen meals, and takeout.

Such is one of the great ironies of technology:

humanity spent decades inventing kitchen equipment that can analyze nutritional content, precisely control heat, and identify ingredients— Then, Bai Xiaoxian used it to heat up a frozen pizza.

Maya has always been quite unhappy about this.

She knows how to cook.

And she’s much better at it than Bai Xiaoxian.

Consequently, a peculiar division of labor has taken shape in the kitchen:

Maya is responsible for "living a proper life."

Bai Xiaoxian is responsible for "simply staying alive."

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IX. The Dining Table

Next to the kitchen sits a small dining table.

It’s just the right size for four people.

If the whole family eats together, things get a bit cramped.

The tabletop is usually kept very clean.

However, Maya’s small personal terminal is often left in the corner.

Sometimes, she checks the news while she eats.

As for Bai Xiaoxian, he frequently keeps his phone or gaming console right next to his rice bowl.

Whenever his older sister, Bai Moran, comes home, she insists that he put his devices away while eating.

He usually manages to comply for about five minutes.

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X. Maya’s Presence

If Bai Xiaoxian is the quietest person in the household,

then Maya is the one who brings the most "life" to the home.

She tidies things up.

She waters the plants.

She cooks.

She watches television.

She urges Bai Xiaoxian to go to bed when he stays up too late.

And when he spends too much time gaming, she’ll simply stand right in front of his monitor.

"Take a break."

"In a minute."

"You’ve been saying 'in a minute' for three hours now."

"..."

These little daily squabbles have become the norm in this household.

Although Maya looks like a petite, black-haired cat-girl, she is no mere pet.

She possesses a fully-fledged personality, the ability to speak, and the capacity for independent thought.

She experiences her own range of emotions—joys, sorrows, and everything in between.

She also forms her own judgments about things.

In that sense, she is more like:

the second master of this rented apartment.

It’s just that she stands only 145 centimeters tall.

So, whenever she stands before Bai Xiaoxian to scold him, she has to put in quite a bit of extra effort to maintain an air of authority.

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XI. The Bedroom

The apartment has two bedrooms.

One belongs to Bai Xiaoxian.

The other is primarily used by Bai Moran.

Bai Xiaoxian’s bedroom is quite small.

It contains a single bed,

a computer desk,

and a chair. A wardrobe.

A desk lamp.

No particular decorations on the walls.

The most prominent feature is the computer setup.

On the desk sits a PC and a monitor.

Nearby, there are headphones, a keyboard, a mouse, and a game controller.

The bed is rarely made with any great care.

The duvet is often kicked to one side.

The pillow is frequently left askew.

The curtains remain half-drawn most of the time.

This space could almost be called:

"Bai Xiaoxian’s den."

He can stay inside for an entire day, straight through.

Eating.

Gaming.

Watching videos.

Sleeping.

Scrolling through his terminal.

And then, the next day, he does it all over again.

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XII. The Relationship Between Maya and Bai Xiaoxian

Maya doesn’t have a fixed room of her own.

Sometimes she sleeps in the living room.

Sometimes she rests on a small sofa next to Bai Xiaoxian’s room.

At other times, she’ll even bring her pillow and camp out right in front of his door.

The reason is usually quite simple:

"You’re staying up late again."

Bai Xiaoxian:

"I’ll go to sleep in a bit."

Maya:

"You said the exact same thing yesterday."

And so, she sits there to keep watch.

This leads to a rather curious scene in Bai Xiaoxian’s room:

A young man sits at his computer, playing a game.

Standing beside him is a 145-centimeter-tall black cat-girl.

Her arms are crossed over her chest.

Her cat tail flicks gently.

Her expression is stern.

She looks like a domestic overseer—short in stature, yet possessing absolute authority.

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XIII. The Room of His Older Sister, Bai Moran

Compared to Bai Xiaoxian’s room, Bai Moran’s is noticeably tidier.

On her desk, one finds university textbooks.

A personal terminal.

Study equipment.

Several specialized academic books.

On the wall, there’s even a course schedule left over from her university days.

She is the one in the family with the clearest "plan for the future."

Bai Xiaoxian feels a touch of envy toward this.

But he would never admit it out loud.

For her part, Bai Moran rarely pressures her younger brother to live his life in any particular way. She would only offer an occasional reminder:

“You’ll need to find something to do eventually.”

Bai Xiaoxian would usually reply:

“I know.”

Then, he’d go right back to his game.

This was a typical exchange between the two siblings.

There were no grand, dramatic displays of familial affection—

just the kind of relationship you’d find in any ordinary household.

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XIV. The Atmosphere of the Apartment

The most striking feature of this rental apartment was:

It lacked the sense of luxury one might imagine for the future.

Outside, in the Republic of Kandernaz, the year was 2067.

The city was filled with autonomous vehicles,

artificial intelligence,

robots,

individuals with supernatural abilities,

advanced medical technology,

colossal skyscrapers,

and even cutting-edge tech capable of altering human physiology.

Yet, Bai Xiaoxian’s home remained exactly what it was:

an ordinary, affordable, and functional rental.

There was no expensive furniture,

no personal robotic butler,

no private flying vehicle,

no massive holographic screen—

not even the latest, trendiest decor.

It looked like the kind of place left behind by an ordinary family simply trying to get by.

A bit cramped.

A bit cluttered.

A bit worn.

But warm.

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XV. Before the Death Game Began

Every evening,

as the neon lights flickered to life across the city,

Bai Xiaoxian would sit in the living room or his bedroom,

while Maya curled up on the sofa.

From the kitchen, the hum of the refrigerator would occasionally drift through.

Outside the window lay New Ester City in the year 2067—

towering skyscrapers,

driverless vehicles,

elevated transit rails,

holographic advertisements,

AI news anchors,

and an ever-increasing number of promotional messages regarding:

the “National Survival Eligibility Re-certification Program.”

In this vast, mechanical urban sprawl, their modest rental apartment was nothing more than an insignificant, tiny cog.

Bai Xiaoxian never imagined

that he would one day become a participant in the most dangerous social experiment in the nation.

He never imagined

that this home would eventually become the place he longed to return to most.

And he certainly never imagined... Once the real game begins,

the very idea of ​​"going home" will become a luxury.

But for now—

the room remains quiet.

Maya is watering a few small potted plants.

Bai Xiaoxian sits before the computer, wearing headphones.

The kitchen light is on.

The television in the living room plays the news at a low volume.

Outside the window, the city remains as bustling as ever.

Everything appears just as it always has.

Except for a single line of text scrolling slowly across the bottom of the television screen:

[National Survival Eligibility Re-certification Program: 11 hours and 42 minutes until the first group of participants assembles.]

No one knows

how much longer this ordinary rented apartment can remain a sanctuary for the life they’ve known.