"I should have included this clarification from the beginning, but I preferred to let the story speak for itself for the first ten chapters. The purpose of this auxiliary volume is to clearly establish the framework of the novel and its original nature.
The initial premise draws inspiration from a classic Chinese manhua trope: the protagonist arriving in an underdeveloped territory. However, this is merely the starting point. From there, the story evolves into an original world dominated by harsh winters and anarchy, evoking an atmosphere akin to an 'Ice Mad Max' set in the Middle Ages.
I want to emphasize that this is an original novel. While it technically serves as a spin-off or spiritual sequel to my previous fanfic, The King of Kings (which provides the foundation for certain powers and mentions of Rose's past), the plot, character development, and main cast—including Murat, Mr. Han, and Mina—are entirely original creations for this story. The world of the Badlands has its own rules, conflicts, and pop culture references, allowing this work to stand completely on its own without requiring any prior reading.
The reason I am writing an English version (Badlands) alongside the Spanish version (Los Páramos) is simple: Spanish is my native language and the original language of the story. Badlands is my own English translation, so I apologize in advance for any grammatical or terminology errors you might encounter. Although I speak fluent English in everyday conversation and can easily navigate English-speaking environments, translating an entire novel is a completely different challenge. It is likely that I will occasionally make mistakes, such as mixing up pronouns, choosing the wrong word, and things of that nature.
"Finally, something I perhaps should have mentioned earlier: it is likely that I will make some beginner mistakes writing Rose in his role as an administrator. However, these aren't entirely writing flaws. On one hand, I still need to conduct significant research in areas like public administration, the value of certain currencies for reference, and similar topics. On the other hand, within the story, Rose literally comes from the capital of the largest empire in the world (the only one left standing). Consequently, as Desmos points out around chapter eleven, he is unintentionally classist and completely out of touch with the reality of the Badlands."