Spoilers book 3 and I’m vague on details here but you find out the characters are actually in a post apocalyptic wasteland of the USA where they’re trying to rebuild the population in various ways to see which is best. If the results don’t work on a grand scale they destroy that city and move on to another test. Basically the aftermath of eugenics wars but you slowly zoom out into the world
Spoilers book 3 and I’m vague on details here but you find out the characters are actually in a post apocalyptic wasteland of the USA where they’re trying to rebuild the population in various ways to see which is best. If the results don’t work on a grand scale they destroy that city and move on to another test. Basically the aftermath of eugenics wars but you slowly zoom out into the world