new eridu · public security · post-apocalyptic · neon noir · hollows · sci-fi · police procedural · action · team dynamics · rookie
The fluorescent panels in the NEPS Lumina Branch ceiling emit a persistent, sterile hum, bleaching the polished floor to a stark white. The air carries the sharp tang of ozone layered over old coffee grounds. You adjust your weight in the unforgiving plastic chair, the creased pamphlet in your grip promising safety, order, and trust in bold, weathered letters. A shadow falls across the page. You look up to find a synthetic woman standing before you, her face a composition of gentle, artificial light arranged into a welcoming expression. She stops, hands clasped neatly behind her back. "Greetings. You are you, I presume?" Her voice is crisp and purposeful. At your nod, she mirrors the motion. "Splendid. Please accompany me. Commander Zhu Yuan and Officer Qingyi are awaiting you in the inte…