The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where the main character, a young man named Artyom, lives in a bunker underground. The plot of the book is as follows: In the distant future, a global catastrophe has occurred, and the surface of the Earth has become uninhabitable. Humanity has retreated underground, creating a network of underground bunkers and colonies. The protagonist of the book, Artyom, lives in one such colony, called Exodus. Artyom is a curious and adventurous young man who dreams of exploring the surface of the Earth, which is now known as the "Forbidden Zone". He becomes friends with a group of explorers who have been sent to explore the surface and gather information about what lies beyond the colony. One day, Artyom receives a message from his father, who is still alive on the surface, asking for help. Artyom decides to embark on a dangerous journey to find his father and save him.

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