Chapter 1: Unexpected Badges

In the year 8027 of the interstellar calendar, on the border of the Galactic Federation, on a barren planet called "Sailen", the wind and sand are raging, and the sky is filled with dark red dust, as if even the sun is obscured from its light. This is the frontier fortress of the Federation and the front line guarded by countless Space Marines day and night.

Lin Yi stood on a high watchtower, his eyes piercing through the wind and sand, and staring at the wasteland in the distance. As an ordinary Star Federation border guard, his life is simple and repetitive - patrolling, standing guard, dealing with the occasional intergalactic thief. He has lived five full years like this.

"Lin Yi, it's time for a change of guard!" A familiar shout came from behind him, it was his comrade-in-arms, Jack. Jack is a big man with a bold personality, and he has served on the planet Sailon with Lin Yi for many years, and he has long been brothers in life and death.

Lin Yi turned around, patted the dust on his body, and showed a tired smile: "Here, Jack." He stepped down from the watchtower, handed the binoculars to Jack, and stretched to go to the lounge for a hot cup of coffee to relieve his fatigue.

However, just as he had just taken a few steps, a strange energy fluctuation suddenly came from a distance, making the ground under his feet tremble slightly. Lin Yi's face instantly became serious, and he keenly sensed that this was not an ordinary earthquake, but an energy fluctuation that he had never seen before.

"Jack, there's a situation!" Lin Yi shouted, quickly rushed back to the watchtower, grabbed the communicator and reported to the base: "This is the watchtower No. 1, I sensed an abnormal energy fluctuation, the location is at 37 degrees north latitude, 45 degrees east longitude, repeat, 37 degrees north latitude, 45 degrees east longitude!" "

The voice of the base commander came from the other end of the communicator: "Roger, Lin Yi." You and Jack immediately go to investigate, stay safe! "

Lin Yi nodded, turned to Jack and said, "Let's go, go and see what the movement is." The two quickly boarded an all-terrain patrol car and headed in the direction of the energy fluctuations.

In the wasteland of the planet Sailen, the wind and sand are like raging waves, constantly lapping the body of the patrol car. Lin Yi held the steering wheel tightly, his eyes staring straight ahead. As the distance approached, the energy fluctuations became more and more intense, and even the instruments of the patrol car began to appear abnormal.

"What the hell is this?" Jack frowned as he looked at the flashing red light on the dashboard.

"I don't know, but it's certainly not a good thing." Lin Yi replied, with a hint of solemnity in his tone.

Finally, they came to the source of the energy fluctuations. The sight in front of them made the two of them gasp - in the midst of the wind and sand, a huge vortex of black energy was slowly spinning, as if it was about to swallow everything. And in the center of the whirlpool, quietly lies a badge.

The coat of arms is pitch black throughout, with intricate runes carved on its surface, exuding an aura of mystery. Lin Yi and Jack glanced at each other and cautiously approached. Just as Lin Yi stretched out his hand and was about to pick up the badge, a powerful energy suddenly burst out from the badge, enveloping him in an instant.

"Lin Yi!" Jack exclaimed in surprise and tried to come forward to help, but was blocked by an invisible force.

Lin Yi felt a warm and powerful force surging into his body, and his consciousness began to blur, as if he was being swept into an endless whirlpool. He saw countless images—ancient civilizations, mysterious ruins, an interweaving of darkness and light... The images flooded into his mind like a tidal wave, making it almost unbearable for him to bear.

I don't know how long it took, Lin Yi finally regained consciousness. He found himself still standing there, and the badge was gone. He reached out and touched his chest, and found that the badge had somehow embedded in his body, merging with him.

"Lin Yi, are you okay?" Jack asked anxiously.

Lin Yi nodded, a hint of determination flashed in his eyes: "I'm fine, Jack." But this badge is certainly not simple. "

At this moment, the communicator suddenly sounded, and it was the voice of the base commander: "Lin Yi, Jack, how is the situation over there?" "

"Commander, we've found a mysterious insignia that seems to contain powerful energy." Lin Yi replied.

"Badges? Bring it back to base immediately, Dr. Su Yao of the Federal Academy of Sciences is studying similar energy fluctuations, and she may be able to unlock its secrets. The commander said.

"Understood!" Lin Yi and Jack glanced at each other, and they both knew in their hearts that the appearance of this badge might change their fate.

The patrol car started again and headed in the direction of the base. And deep in Lin Yi's heart, he faintly felt that this was just the beginning. A secret about the depths of the universe is waiting for him to uncover.

The patrol car was jolting forward in the wind and sand, and Lin Yi sat in the passenger seat, his hands clasped tightly on his knees, with a hint of confusion and uneasiness in his eyes. His chest burned slightly, as if the mysterious badge was still radiating heat in his body. Jack glanced at him from time to time, but didn't know how to speak.

"Lin Yi, are you really okay?" Jack finally couldn't help but ask, a hint of concern in his voice.

Lin Yi nodded, barely squeezing out a smile: "I'm fine, it's just ... This badge struck me as weird. It seems to be one with me. "

"Blended in?" Jack frowned, "That's not good." Can those guys at the Federal Academy of Sciences handle it? "

"Hopefully." Lin Yi sighed, looked through the car window, and looked into the distance. He had a strong premonition in his heart that this badge was by no means an ordinary treasure, and the secret behind it might change his fate and even the fate of the entire universe.

Back at the base, Lin Yi and Jack were immediately taken to the temporary laboratory of the Federal Academy of Sciences. It is a huge circular building, the walls of which are covered with various instruments and screens, shimmering with a faint blue light. In the center of the lab, a transparent energy shield surrounded them, as if to prevent the energy of the badge from escaping.

"Lin Yi, can you feel anything?" A crisp voice came from outside the energy shield. Lin Yi looked up and saw a woman in a white lab coat standing there, with a hint of eagerness and curiosity in her eyes. She is Su Yao, a genius scientist at the Federal Academy of Sciences, and Lin Yi's childhood sweetheart.

"Yaoyao, you're here." Lin Yi showed a hint of a smile, with a hint of ridicule in his tone. Su Yao has been a genius since she was a child, but Lin Yi can always tease her with this name.

Su Yao's face flushed slightly, and then returned to a serious expression: "Don't make trouble, Lin Yi." The energy of this badge is very special, I have studied it for a long time, but I have never been able to unlock its secrets. Now that it's integrated with you, the situation is even more complicated. "

Lin Yi nodded, put his hand on his chest, and felt the power of the badge. He closed his eyes, trying to recall the image of the wasteland just now—the remnants of ancient civilizations, the interweaving of darkness and light, and the warm and powerful energy.

"I feel like it's guiding me." Lin Yi said slowly, his eyes still closed, "It reminds me of some images, as if it is telling me something." "

Su Yao's brows furrowed slightly, she walked to a console and quickly entered a series of instructions. The instruments in the laboratory began to hum in a low voice, and rays of light shot from the ceiling towards Lin Yi's body, enveloping him in a ray of light.

"You're guiding it?" There was a hint of excitement in Su Yao's voice, "Lin Yi, this may be the key to unlocking the secret of the badge!" "

Lin Yi nodded, and he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself more. He felt the power of the coat of arms flowing through his body, as if it were a warm river. He began to recall the images, trying to piece them together.

"I saw an ancient planet with a huge pyramid on it." Lin Yi's voice was low and slow, "In the center of the pyramid, there is a crystal that shimmers with light, and it exudes powerful energy. "

"Pyramids? Crystal? Su Yao's face showed a hint of surprise, "This is very similar to the ancient civilization relics we studied. Lin Yi, you go on. "

Lin Yi nodded, and more images appeared in front of his eyes: "There is a dark forest around the pyramid, which is full of danger. And also... A huge frozen ruin, where there is an altar. "

"Dark forests and frozen ruins?" Su Yao's face became serious, "These places are all in the Netherworld!" Lin Yi, what you see may be the location of the fragment of the Heart of the Abyss! "

"Heart of the Abyss?" Lin Yi opened his eyes with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

"Yes." Su Yao nodded, "This is an ancient legend that our Federal Academy of Sciences has been studying. It is said that the Heart of the Abyss is an artifact that balances the energy of the universe, and it is divided into three parts, which are hidden in three places in the Netherworld. And the badge in your hand may be the key to unlocking the secrets of the heart of the abyss. "

A flash of light flashed in Lin Yi's mind, and he suddenly realized that the appearance of this badge was no accident. It seemed to guide him to find the heart of the abyss and uncover the secrets of the depths of the universe.

"Yaoyao, why do you say this badge will merge with me?" Lin Yi asked, with a hint of determination in his eyes.

Su Yao shook her head: "I don't know either." But one thing is for sure, it chose you, Lin Yi. You may be the key to unlocking it all. "

Lin Yi's heart swelled with a strong sense of mission. He knew that he had been embroiled in a huge adventure that could change the fate of the entire universe.

Outside the laboratory, a man in a black uniform stood silently in the shadows, his eyes cold and deep, as if he could see through everything. He was holding a document in his hand that recorded all the information about Lin Yi and the badge.

"Unexpectedly, the Federal Academy of Sciences has discovered the secret of the badge." The man whispered, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "Looks like I'm going to have to hurry up." "

He raised his head and looked at the starry sky in the distance, a cold light flashed in his eyes: "Lin Yi, you are destined to be my prey." The heart of the abyss is also destined to be mine. "

As night fell, the skies of the planet Sailon became even darker. Lin Yi lay in the dormitory of the base, looking at the ceiling, his heart full of doubts and uneasiness. He knew that he had embarked on an unknown path, and that this path could be fraught with danger.

"Lin Yi, are you really ready?" He whispered to himself, with a hint of firmness in his voice.

"Whatever lies ahead, I'm going to keep going." He closed his eyes and swore silently in his heart.

And on his chest, the mysterious badge flickered slightly, as if in response to his determination.