The World of Sterilized: What You Need to Know

Before you begin "Sterilized," here's a brief overview of the critical events that shaped Vincy Ashwood's reality. This sets the stage for the world as its citizens understood it in 2043, just prior to the pivotal announcements you'll encounter in the Prologue.

The Scars of the Past – Conflict and Contagion

The early 21st century, a time when new technology seemed to promise a bright future, instead saw tensions around the world grow into the devastating Global Tech Wars of the late 2020s. This wasn't just a war of traditional armies; it was fought on new fronts – with damaging computer attacks on essential services like power and communication, with nations using money and trade as weapons to weaken each other, and through a constant fight to control important resources such as rare minerals, clean water, and the flow of information. Deep disagreements over core beliefs intensified as countries raced to create the most advanced technology, leading to unstable partnerships and a widespread feeling that no one was truly safe. Even the most powerful nations, despite all their advancements, discovered they were surprisingly vulnerable to these new kinds of attacks.

The wars eventually ground to a halt, less through decisive victory and more through mutual exhaustion and the collapse of critical global systems. A fragile peace, born of this shared weariness, began to spread—a hope echoed by citizens across battered nations and actively championed by global leadership. There was a collective understanding: a desperate need to rebuild trust, not just between countries but also between people and their governments, and to once again value human lives and shared technological advancements for the betterment of all.

It was during this tentative period of global healing – and even with the heavy loss of life from the conflict still fresh – that populations in many regions surprisingly held steady, or in some cases, began to grow. This unexpected resilience put new and complicated strains on global systems like food distribution and housing, which were already struggling. It was during this fragile period of recovery, with ongoing worries about resources, that a new, hidden and dangerous enemy appeared: the Global Fulminant Influenza (GFI), more commonly known as the 'Fulmen Flu.' This fast-spreading and aggressive type of flu traveled quickly from continent to continent with terrifying speed. For four agonizing years, it starkly revealed how unprepared global medical systems were and how fragile human life could be when faced with a disease spreading without control. The Fulmen Flu brought nations to their knees, as the illness often progressed rapidly from severe flu-like symptoms to a state where people couldn't breathe and their bodies began to shut down, leaving behind widespread loss, hauntingly empty streets, and a deep emotional wound on the human spirit.

The Announced Dawn (Leading to the Prologue)

The sheer scale of devastation wrought by the Global Fulminant Influenza spurred an unprecedented international effort. Scientists and researchers, including celebrated figures like Dr. Geming Yinling—whose earlier work on genetic therapies became crucial—raced against time. After years of intensive work, the VitaSpire Global Initiative was announced by President Franklin D. Ramsey as the long-awaited solution – a panacea not only for the Fulmen Flu but, astonishingly, for all previously incurable diseases.

The full details and implications of President Ramsey's historic announcement are revealed in the Prologue of "Sterilized," which marks the true starting point of Vincy Ashwood's journey. This "World Of" page serves only to set the stage for that pivotal moment.