▁said ▁to ▁conduct ▁ra ids ▁specifically ▁to ▁find ▁and ▁pun ish ▁families ▁who ▁have ▁more ▁than ▁two ▁children . ▁ ▁The ▁Population ▁Police , ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁power , ▁is ▁usually ▁cor rupt ▁and ▁holds ▁control ▁over ▁government ▁policies . ▁ ▁Un known ▁to ▁the ▁common ▁public , ▁the ▁el ite ▁of ▁society , ▁known ▁as ▁Bar ons , ▁have ▁used ▁their ▁wealth ▁and ▁influence ▁to ▁live ▁lav ish ly ▁and ▁circum vent ▁the ▁strict ▁population ▁and ▁food ▁laws . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁these ▁circumstances , ▁the ▁third ▁( and ▁subsequent ) ▁children ▁of ▁ordinary ▁people ▁are ▁hidden ▁and ▁denied ▁opportun ities , ▁often ▁at ▁great ▁exp ense , ▁and ▁are ▁denied ▁the ▁right ▁to ▁exist . ▁ ▁In ▁creating ▁the ▁setting , ▁H add ix ▁did ▁not ▁specify ▁the ▁exact ▁time ▁and ▁place ▁for ▁the ▁story ▁in ▁order ▁for ▁readers ▁to ▁consider ▁that ▁the ▁events ▁could ▁happen ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁if ▁dr ought s , ▁fam ine , ▁and ▁extreme ▁environmental ▁changes ▁occurred . ▁ ▁Similarly , ▁she ▁elected ▁not ▁to ▁give ▁a ▁precise ▁time ▁period ▁for ▁the ▁story ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁encou rage ▁readers ▁not ▁to ▁dismiss ▁the ▁pla us ibility ▁of ▁the ▁events ▁in ▁the ▁story . ▁ ▁Publications ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁H idden ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁Imp ost ors ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁Bet rayed ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁Bar ons ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁Bra ve ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁En emy ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁Free ▁ ▁Char acters ▁ ▁Main ▁characters ▁Luke ▁Gar ner ▁the ▁main ▁character ▁▁ ▁The ▁protagon