★ Winner of the Chinese Science Fiction Nebula Award (Galaxy Award) Gold Prize for "Best Novel of 2023" and received heavyweight recommendations from the "Four Kings" of Chinese science fiction!

★ A perfect fusion of The Matrix-style reality skepticism and American Gods-like mythological deconstruction:
What if all of humanity's myths and historical catastrophes—the Greek Golden Age, Ragnarök, the Great Flood—were not legends, but the lingering aftershocks of a real, millennia-spanning interstellar war? What if our world is merely a "virtual projection" of a higher civilization?

★ The author is a highly acclaimed and award-winning standout in Chinese sci-fi.
The author is a powerful writer who has achieved remarkable success in recent years within China's mainstream sci-fi magazines and award circuits, repeatedly winning top honors such as the Galaxy Award, the Chinese Science Fiction Nebula Award, and the Morning Star Award. His work combines solid scientific logic with profound humanistic concern.

★ "When the gods return to earth, they bring not salvation, but the final bill from the unfinished war at the dawn of creation."

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"Of course..." Shen Xiaoqi and William exchanged a glance. "Have you seen The Matrix?"
Xiao En looked up at Shen Xiaoqi, making sure she wasn't joking. "You mean we're living in a program?"
"I don't know." Shen Xiaoqi spread her hands. "It's certainly not that simple. Our world is likely a virtual reality built upon an upper-world. We can reincarnate because our consciousness is retransmitted, like logging out of an old account and registering a new one."
A flicker of hope suddenly ignited in Xiao En's heart. "You mean... no one truly dies?"

This series consists of 2 books:
"Gods of the Earth 1: The Return of the Dead"
"Gods of the Earth 2: The Reboot of Origins"

All anomalies stem from that mind-shattering scientific discovery: our universe may just be a virtual system constructed upon an "Upper World." This theory provides a terrifying explanation for the supernatural phenomena frequently occurring globally in recent years—events like "the stars going out" and "whispers of the dead."

Xiao En, a researcher originally seeking scientific explanations, is forced to confront this truth after meeting the mysterious guardian, Shen Xiaoqi. Shen Xiaoqi reveals to him that all mythological eras in human history—the glory of Olympus, the Tower of Babel, the biblical Flood, the twilight of Asgard—are not fantasies, but fragmented memories of a real interstellar war. The ancient "gods" and "demons" were actually alien races with advanced technology, and their war never ended; it merely shifted into a covert manipulation of human civilization itself.

Now, an ancient god-like force known as "Mort" has found a way to rewrite the underlying historical data, attempting to completely format human civilization and return Earth to an absolute "Golden Age" ruled by the gods. Xiao En and Shen Xiaoqi, a duo known as "The Guardians," must race against time, searching for clues amidst anomaly sites scattered across the globe.

Their journey traverses the boundary between reality and data: from using "Observer Theory" to trace divine activity within the virtual layer, to physically infiltrating ancient ruins permeated by mythical creatures. They must navigate complex factional relationships—not only opposing the world-ending Mort but also dealing with other ambiguous alien remnants and the potential "Upper Observers" who may view all of humanity as an experiment.

...

In the novel's setting, the Greek Golden Age, the legend of the Tower of Babel, the biblical Great Flood, Norse Ragnarök, and the fall of the gods are all the lingering afterglow of the ended Age of Gods. The ancient gods were very real, and their war has continued to this day. Mort, as one of these ancient deities, has found a way to rewrite history, attempting to destroy human civilization and return to the Age of Gods.

Presented in the form of sci-fi mythology, this book fictionalizes the confrontation between the Age of Gods and human civilization. It is a dual adventure of intellect and belief. Xiao En must employ cutting-edge knowledge of physics and computer science to decipher advanced technology disguised as magic and miracles. Simultaneously, he and Shen Xiaoqi must cling to humanity's own agency and the value of its civilization within a "reality" that is continually crumbling.

Fractal Orange (real name Yu Kun)

He is a core representative of the "new generation" of Chinese science fiction authors, renowned among readers and critics for his ingeniously conceived and logically rigorous "hard sci-fi" style.

He has long been active on the front lines of Chinese sci-fi creation, a regular contributor to core publications like Science Fiction World (China's largest and most influential professional sci-fi magazine) and Science Popular. His writing is deeply influenced by the spirit of the Golden Age of sci-fi. He excels at building grand imagination upon a solid scientific foundation, while his works consistently grapple with profound philosophical inquiries into technological ethics, the fate of civilizations, and individual existence.

Fractal Orange is a veritable "award magnet," having consecutively won almost all major industry awards including the Chinese Galaxy Award, the Chinese Science Fiction Nebula Award, the Light Year Award, the Morning Star Jinkang Award, and the Lenghu Award. This fully attests to the widely recognized high quality and innovation of his work within professional circles. His representative work, The Enigma of Tithonus, after winning the Galaxy Award, has been successfully adapted into an offline script-based murder mystery game.

Disordered Memories
Guardians
The Other Side of the Ocean
Nightmare
Blaze
Mothman
Sand Grain
First Encounter
X
Emily
Special Investigation Bureau
True Identity
Chris Walton
Awakening Experiment
Yama
Declaration of War
Sleep
Andrew
William
Starry Sky Anomaly
Kalandi
Shen Xiaoqi
John Adams
Cemetery
Pariologos
Dracula
Awakening
Mystery
Interrogation
Deities
Hunting
Returnee
Disappearance
Starry Sky Anomaly II
Death of X
Jordan Airlines
Investigation
Do Not Get Lost
Coronation
Pierre
Second Experiment
Guardians' Council Headquarters
Sacrifice
Long Island Laboratory, New York
Life
Anubis
Death
Gate of Hell
Hera's Return
Hunting
Sno
Hera
Bad News
Awakening of Leviathan