Chapter 1 The Black Night Crimson Badge

Li Miaomiao watched the black badge in Xu Jingming's hand and sighed, "Director Zhou and the Envoy both believe that once the civilization protection period ends, the situation for our Blue Star civilization will worsen."

"That's why Director Zhou had our whole family move to Binhai, to that residential area with the highest level of protection." Xu Jingming looked at the Crimson Badge. "Since Envoy Tiano said this badge can keep my family safe, it must be extraordinary. I need to report this to the Blue Star Alliance immediately."

Li Miaomiao nodded, watching her husband tap the light screen to contact Director Zhou.

Soon, the call connected.

"Jingming," Director Zhou said, smiling at Xu Jingming.

"Director Zhou, Envoy Tiano just visited my home." Xu Jingming held up the black badge in his hand. "He gave me a 'Black Night level' Crimson Badge, the lowest level."

"Crimson Badge?" Director Zhou looked puzzled. "What is this badge for?"

Director Zhou had never heard of the Crimson Badge.

"According to Envoy Tiano, the Crimson Group gives Crimson Badges to employees who make contributions and to thank some clients." Xu Jingming explained, "Envoy Tiano will report my name to the Crimson Group to confirm that I own this Crimson Badge."

"The Crimson Group?" Director Zhou exclaimed, his expression changing.

Xu Jingming looked at him, puzzled.

"The Crimson Group is a massive corporation in the entire Human Alliance of the universe," Director Zhou explained. "In the Hunter Cosmos Domain, it's a behemoth."

"The Hunter Cosmos Domain?" Xu Jingming asked, confused.

"I sent you the information directly; haven't you looked at it yet?" Director Zhou asked.

Xu Jingming nodded. Director Zhou had visited earlier, and after he left, he and his wife, Li Miaomiao, discussed many common-sense facts about cosmic civilizations. Then Envoy Tiano arrived! He hadn't had time to look at the information Director Zhou sent, including the laws of the Human Alliance of the universe.

"In short, the Crimson Group is very, very powerful." Director Zhou explained, "With this Crimson Badge, you and your immediate family will be safe from any dark forces. Envoy Tiano is really treating you well."

"Envoy Tiano said that he knows the Blue Star Alliance wants him to recruit me," Xu Jingming said, "but Envoy Tiano is unable to help; he has his own career to pursue."

Director Zhou sighed, "The Envoy saw through what our Blue Star Alliance wanted to do long ago. Alright, I'll go confirm the matter of your Crimson Badge. Also, your residence in Binhai City; you can move in three days."

"Okay." Xu Jingming nodded.

The call ended, and Xu Jingming turned to his wife. "Miaomiao, I'm going into the virtual world to look at the information Director Zhou sent me."

"I'll go online too and practice my swordsmanship," Li Miaomiao said, getting up.

...

Virtual world, inside the personal space house.

Xu Jingming looked at the books and floating video materials in front of him and gently tapped one.

"Whoosh."

The video began.

"Humans have thrived in the universe for a long time, with a confirmed history of over ten billion years."

"The universe where humans live and multiply is too vast, divided into thirty-four Cosmos Domains. The distance between Cosmos Domains is extremely far; the closest two Cosmos Domains are about seventy billion light-years apart. Even through the Virtual World Network, there will be a noticeable time delay between different Cosmos Domains."

Xu Jingming looked at the universe map in the video, marveling.

Each Cosmos Domain contained countless star systems.

And beyond the Cosmos Domains... there was a terrifying darkness, and other Cosmos Domains were very far away.

"The Human Alliance of the universe is composed of three Advanced Cosmic Civilizations and 5,632 Star Alliances. The three Advanced Cosmic Civilizations each rule a Cosmos Domain, and the 5,632 Star Alliances are scattered across thirty-one Cosmos Domains."

"The Blue Star Civilization is located in the Hunter Cosmos Domain and belongs to the Wugou Star Alliance."

"The Wugou Star Alliance has a maximum diameter of 580 million light-years and is composed of 129,826 star systems. There are two Intermediate Cosmic Civilizations and more than 980,000 Elementary Cosmic Civilizations within its territory."

Xu Jingming's pupils constricted.

A Star Alliance was vast enough, with over a hundred thousand star systems! Yet there were only two Intermediate Cosmic Civilizations and nearly a million Elementary Cosmic Civilizations.

"It seems very difficult to advance from an Elementary Cosmic Civilization to an Intermediate Cosmic Civilization," Xu Jingming thought to himself. "Not to mention an Advanced Cosmic Civilization."

"The other numbers are very precise, but the number of Elementary Cosmic Civilizations is vague—'more than 980,000'?" Xu Jingming was touched. "The vagueness may be because there are newly promoted cosmic civilizations, and also because there are cosmic civilizations that have disappeared."

Xu Jingming continued watching.

This was all common knowledge for humans in the universe.

The video focused on introducing the Wugou Star Alliance, its political system, and its core Senate. More than half an hour later, the video finally reached the Milky Way.

"The Blue Star Civilization is located in the Milky Way."

"There are a total of nine Elementary Cosmic Civilizations and 195 inhabited planets within the Milky Way." Xu Jingming looked at the description. "The most advanced of these nine Elementary Cosmic Civilizations has 93 inhabited planets, while the least advanced has only one inhabited planet. The least advanced is the newly promoted Elementary Cosmic Civilization—the Blue Star Civilization."

Xu Jingming sighed inwardly.

From the information he had gathered, as a newly promoted Elementary Cosmic Civilization, the Blue Star Civilization was indeed very weak! It only had its home planet as an inhabited planet.

"Fortunately, the Blue Star Civilization's star system is rich in minerals, making it relatively wealthy. It has established a relatively strong security defense system, and everyone can even enter the virtual world to learn evolution methods." Xu Jingming had a general understanding of his home civilization's position in the universe.

"According to what Director Zhou said, the Crimson Group is a behemoth in the entire Hunter Cosmos Domain?" Only now did Xu Jingming understand the Crimson Group's status. After all, there were only 34 Cosmos Domains in the entire human territory of the universe.

Xu Jingming reached out and picked up the laws established by the Human Alliance of the universe.

Every cosmic citizen must abide by the law. The price for violating the law will be punishment.

...

Binhai City, Director Zhou paid a visit to Pang Ze.

"Director Zhou, you could have just met me in the virtual world," Pang Ze said, welcoming him with a smile.

"I'm very close to you anyway," Director Zhou said with a smile, "and the matter we need to discuss today is very important."

"What is it?"

The two walked along the path in the courtyard. Pang Ze's residence was over ten acres in size, and the path in the courtyard surrounded most of the house, stretching for hundreds of meters. Various rare plants and flowers were planted on both sides of the path.

"Envoy Tiano gave a Black Night level Crimson Badge to Xu Jingming," Director Zhou said.

"Crimson Badge?" Pang Ze was very clear about the importance of this item. He was shaken. "Has it been confirmed in the Crimson Group's official world?"

"Confirmed."

Director Zhou nodded. "The name 'Xu Jingming' was just added to the list of Black Night level Crimson Badge recipients in the Crimson Group's official world, and it was noted that he is from the Blue Star Civilization in the Wugou Star Alliance."

"This is a life-saving charm." Pang Ze excitedly said, "With this Crimson Badge, Xu Jingming's path will be much safer in the future. For newly promoted, weak civilizations like us, even if a genius emerges, the biggest risk is that the genius dies early or is kidnapped and disappears without a trace."

Geniuses being kidnapped and controlled by some dark forces in the universe.

Publicly, it would be said that this genius had 'immigrated'.

"In the universe, many geniuses from weak civilizations are 'immigrated'," Director Zhou said coldly. "In this way, the powerful civilizations become stronger, and the weak civilizations can never turn the tide."

Pang Ze nodded. "That's the sorrow of being weak! By the way, Director, what important matter did you come to me for?"

Director Zhou looked at Pang Ze with a smile. "I wanted to ask, are you interested in becoming Xu Jingming's agent?"