When World War Three broke out in the middle of the 21st century between the United States and China, Singapore found itself caught in the middle. As other countries within Southeast Asia began picking sides, Singapore’s strategic location in the region resulted in both the USA and China launching invasions into the country, fighting each other in an attempt to convert Singapore into a staging ground for their individual SEA campaigns. Only Indonesia was willing to help defend Singapore’s neutrality, but it took a desperate cry of help to Russia, once the villain of the world since 2022 but now a reformed country following a successful coup that eradicated the last vestiges of its tainted reputation, for Singapore to finally escape the war as Russian troops arrived to help drive out both invaders.

It is now the year 2065, fifteen years since World War Three ended. Under a new government that was a stark contrast to what it was before 2045 (Trust me on this, I fought them in Ukraine and I fought them again in Finland before some of their generals finally remembered they had balls and proceeded to launch a coup), Russia is the world’s superpower, having taken that title from the US and after beating the arses of both sides and coming out as the ultimate winner of World War Three. The world is still rebuilding itself from the destruction caused by the destructive global conflict that lasted seven years, and Singapore is no exception. But World War Three did more than just damage the world.

With the ruins of cities around the world being reclaimed by nature, many creatures of the night that are malicious in nature has begun to make their move, no longer afraid of the slayers that once drove them back into the darkness. Crime has also increased, and in Singapore, one of the main concerns of public safety was how easily it is to gain access to black magic and dark rituals. In the past, assassinations had to be carried out by someone physical who is also talented in the art of killing, but now all you need is a thick wad of cash, a spell book and some unsightly ingredients from the black market. The problem is that there’s too many beginners who think knowing basic magic makes them all powerful, then they do something stupid and dangerous and that’s when shit hits the fan so hard it breaks. You get situations normal police can’t handle like mass zombies rising from the graves, or a langsuir on a rampage because some moron kidnapped her pontianak, and here’s an example of a worse case scenario: A lesser demon possessing a child and turning an entire HDB into their personal playground. And that’s where we come in.

My name is Di Xiaoye, and I’m a member of the Special Hazard Exorcism Unit, or Shades as most folks refer to our division. We’re a special division within the police force specializing in dealing with monster attacks, possessions and violent crimes involving the misuse of magic. Unfortunately, we’re not exactly trusted by our own colleagues on the force, because nearly half my unit’s members, like myself, are non-humans. You step into our office and you’ll find yourself rubbing shoulders with aswangs, dhampirs, ghosts, you name it, we might have it.

Anyways, I’m about to get busy soon. Something’s gone wrong at the infamous Old Changi Hospital and they’re reporting at least two cops either dead or wounded. Bad enough to scramble an entire team including myself. Hopefully it’s not to difficult, considering that I’ve just recovered from a fractured rib. Damn, I really hate babi ngepets…