The novel tells the story of a young man named Faris, who lives with his parents in a city by the sea, a city that exists outside of time, unlike any modern city. The city’s livelihood comes from the sea, and its inhabitants engage in a barter system instead of using traditional currency. They give the sea the most precious things they possess in exchange for its bounty. This city values knowledge and the importance of reading, and the age of its residents is determined by the color of their shirts. The moon occupies the center of their sky, but each person sees it differently: some see it as a bright white, others as a dark black, and still others as a glowing red. Regardless of how they see it, the moon holds great significance, reflecting the personality of each individual.

Despite the vast differences in the lifestyle and customs of this city’s inhabitants compared to modern cities, there is one thing they cannot change: the shadow of poverty.

Next to this seaside city is the City of Darkness, a place shrouded in an impenetrable blackness. Anyone who enters it feels a deep sense of fear. Moving there is not an easy decision; it requires a great sacrifice. The city’s map changes from person to person, and no two people can agree on its description. It is a city that “the mind drives a person towards, but a wise person never goes to.”

Faris, the lost young man torn between his convictions and his selfishness, harbors resentment towards everything around him, especially the sea. He feels that the sea gives treasures to those who don’t deserve them while withholding from him what he desires. It only gives him tattered papers and old objects caught in its nets, every time he hopes for a bounty. Each disappointment deepens his bitterness, and his desire for wealth, power, and control grows stronger. In his pursuit of these, he loses things he once thought were certain in his life.

The story asks: Will Faris’s contentment eventually win over his selfishness? Will he awaken before it is too late, or will his greed ultimately triumph?