City of Converging Stars

Wherever credits flow, the IPC's media empire reaches. Through Interastral Peace Entertainment's relentless innovation, human needs can now be quantified as emotional value per second, and a terminal device connected to the Interastral Peace Network. Trace the signal to its source, and you'll find Astropolis on Epsilon: the very heart of this universal media web. This towering structure houses the offices of every department within the Interastral Peace Entertainment, jutting up from the surface like a needle pointing toward the sky. Armies of employees work around the clock, churning out movies, radio dramas, and variety shows. The user base they serve is so massive that every single project requires endless rounds of discussion and an industrialized workflow fine-tuned down to every last emotional beat. The media moguls wanted to keep their department sizes right at the sweet spot on the profit margin curve, breaking down creativity into metrics they could measure and evaluate. One employee let slip that in the narrative database, you'd find tragedy plot points that could make even a Mourning Actor weep, and comedic formulas that'd have a Masked Fool doubled over with laughter. All of it is fed into an algorithm that's adjusted in real-time based on every micro-expression from the audience, ensuring maximum viewership ratings. There's no denying it. Under the IPC's powerful operations, many cosmic superstars have risen to fame from this very place. It's a dream factory for stardom, drawing wave after wave of young people chasing their dreams, giving their youth to their aspirations. The tower's lights never go out. It's a clock hand forever pointing to midnight. Just as the first line of the Astropolis Employee Handbook reads: Humanity's hunger for entertainment knows no boundaries.

Gardens, beaches, shopping malls, sporting events... The IPC provides its employees with comfortable living spaces, using them as a showcase for humanity's ideal lifestyle. A model template for the "corporate dream." After clocking out, head to the beach, go car racing, play volleyball, get on yachts, or attend concerts... There is bound to be a hobby for you to kill time and talk about. Shopping is the best way to decompress from work. Luxury goods showcase the buyer's social standing, cheap entertainment is a shortcut to happiness. And don't forget: there's that sweet employee discount. Given the chance, staff won't miss the opportunity to hawk their wares to the omnipresent cameras. A truly outstanding employee has already woven product promotion seamlessly into their life. High above in the skyscraper where it pierces through the clouds, the tycoons dwell in floating structures, pondering the IPC's future. Under the direction of Arita, head of the "Traditional Project Department," Astropolis has become neutral ground for the IPC's many departments. Divisions that normally clash gather here regularly to mend fences and smooth over their differences with civility. It's a place where change takes root. Even the most trivial of decisions made up there can raise tidal waves down below. Every so often, a lavish rain of bills cascades down from the rooftop above, landing on the heads of lucky employees. It's one of the rare chances to brush shoulders with the higher-ups. You'll see it all flash through the eyes of ordinary workers: mania, excitement, resentment, boredom... The desire burning in their hearts, ignited like flames. That's the fuel that keeps Astropolis shining bright forever.