Вальтер Макс - Элпис 01, "Неестественный отбор" (Илья Дементьев)

The story takes place in the near future, where humanity is on the brink of catastrophe. The world is overpopulated, resources are exhausted, the environment is collapsing, and governments are losing control. To “save civilization,” global corporations launch a program called Elpis — an experiment aimed at creating a new type of human. They claim it’s a chance for the future, but the reality turns out to be much darker. The main idea of the project is artificial selection, where people undergo testing: their abilities, intelligence, biology, and even psychology are evaluated. Those who fit the standards are promised a better life. Those deemed “excess” are written off like unnecessary material. The world quickly splits into two kinds of people: the privileged and the doomed. The main character (or characters, depending on the group dynamics) unexpectedly becomes caught in the center of events. They become part of the Elpis program — not by choice, but because they are drawn into a chain of events where they are watched, evaluated, and used.