173: Chapter 173 Election Qualification: A Battle of Traffic

The moment the Founder's words, 'Interested in being your boss's boss?' fell—

The entire database of the Myriad Dimensions Sandbox platform exploded.

Not an attack, but a data tsunami!

Red alerts simultaneously popped up in the backend of all live streams:

[Detection of large-scale rule virus intrusion!]

[Virus source: Old Shareholder Group (Morpheus faction)]

[Infection target: Platform core algorithm (traffic distribution module)]

[Infection effect: Forcibly locking popularity rankings, freezing all election processes]

Immediately after, the giant screen in the sky was forcibly switched, becoming Morpheus's face, gloomy to the extreme:

"Founder, you have slept for too long."

"Every line of code the platform now runs bears our imprint."

"You want to replace us?"

He sneered coldly:

"Then you'll have to ask these lines of code... if they agree!"

As soon as the words fell!

Lin Chen's backend interface suddenly flickered wildly, all data beginning to reverse flow!

The shareholding ratio that had originally soared to 31% began to plummet!

30%... 25%... 20%...

Morpheus's voice resounded across all dimensions:

"I announce: Activate the 'Emergency Shareholder Self-Defense Clause'!"

"All equity transactions occurring within the last 24 hours are invalidated due to suspected 'malicious manipulation'!"

"The platform enters a 'temporary trusteeship state,' with me continuing to serve as Speaker until the crisis is resolved!"

"Additionally—"

He looked at Lin Chen, a flash of venom in his eyes:

"Regarding streamer Lin Chen's violations, the final ruling is now issued:"

"Permanent ban."

"All assets, permissions, and shares under his name are to be confiscated and returned to the platform!"

"Execute immediately!"

BOOM!!!

Nine crimson light pillars descended from the sky, shooting straight towards Lin Chen!

These were the 'Adjudicator'—a level higher than the Sweepers—the direct armed force of the platform's Shareholder Council!

The Founder's ∞ badge vibrated violently:

"Morpheus! How dare you—!"

"Why wouldn't I dare?" Morpheus sneered viciously. "Founder, you're just a title now. 70% of the platform's actual power code was written by me!"

"If you force the issue, I'll activate the 'Formatting Protocol'—resetting the entire platform database to a hundred years ago!"

"Then, we all die together!"

This was a mutually assured destruction threat!

The Founder's badge fell silent.

Clearly, Morpheus had really kept this move in reserve.

Lin Chen watched the nine crimson light pillars getting closer and closer, then looked at his backend shareholding ratio, which had already fallen to 15%...

He smiled.

"Speaker Morpheus."

He spoke, his voice calm:

"You forgot one thing."

"What?" Morpheus frowned.

"To ban me, you need a reason, right?"

"The reason is 'violation.'"

"But..." Lin Chen pulled up a document, "according to Article 88 of the 'Platform Streamer Rights Protection Act': When a streamer faces an unjust ban, they have the right to initiate a 'Traffic Duel'—a popularity PK with an opponent designated by the banning party."

"The winner gains all the opponent's permissions."

"The loser permanently withdraws."

He looked up:

"I demand to initiate a Traffic Duel."

"The opponent..."

Lin Chen paused:

"I'll choose the one under your command with the highest current popularity—"

"Long Aotian Immortal Emperor."

Dog-blood reversal:

The entire venue fell deathly silent.

Even Morpheus was stunned for three seconds.

Then, he burst into mad laughter:

"Hahaha! Lin Chen! Are you crazy?!"

"The Immortal Emperor was just ruined by you, his popularity zeroed, his account banned—what traffic does he have now?!"

"I know." Lin Chen nodded. "So I'll unban him."

He raised his hand and quickly operated in the backend—

[Application: Lift ban status for user 'Long Aotian Immortal Emperor']

[Reason: Required for Traffic Duel]

[Security deposit paid: 50 million dimension points]

[Application approved]

[Long Aotian Immortal Emperor account unbanned]

The bullet comments instantly exploded:

[Boss Lin is going to PK the Immortal Emperor?!]

[The Immortal Emperor's account is useless now!]

[User 'Confused': This move is too baffling...]

Even Long Aotian Immortal Emperor himself sent a private message through his newly restored account:

"Lin Chen, what do you mean?"

"Giving you a chance to turn things around." Lin Chen replied. "Win against me, you get everything back. Lose, you disappear completely."

"Conditions?"

"During the duel, you must use your real skills—no cheating with script teams, no using the Council backend. Purely rely on content to attract viewers."

The Immortal Emperor was silent for three seconds:

"Agreed."

Watching this scene, Morpheus's expression changed.

But he soon sneered coldly:

"Even if the Immortal Emperor is unbanned, his popularity is zero now! You could win against him by pulling any random newcomer!"

"So," Lin Chen said, "we'll add a rule."

"After the duel starts, I will actively split half of my traffic and give it to the Immortal Emperor."

"Whatever viewers I have on my side, his side will display them simultaneously."

"We'll stand on the same starting line, competing with content."

Upon hearing this, even the Founder couldn't help but speak:

"Child, are you serious?"

"Serious." Lin Chen nodded. "And, I want to raise the stakes further—"

He pulled up a list of all his assets:

"I'm wagering everything I have: 31% shares (though frozen), the Underworld Group, the Divine Realm development zone, the Heaven branch, and... the 'Underworld Guild' I just established."

"The Immortal Emperor wagers his: Immortal Palace, nine lifebound immortal swords (though shattered), all resources accumulated over twelve seasons, and... his 'Dao Heart'."

"The loser ends up with nothing."

"The winner takes all."

Morpheus's eyes lit up.

The stakes were enormous!

So huge even he was tempted!

"Good!" Morpheus immediately agreed. "I'll be the witness! Duel duration: 24 hours! Starting now!"

He was afraid Lin Chen would back out.

But Lin Chen's next words froze his smile:

"The witness can't be you."

"Why?"

"Because you are the initiator of the ban and need to recuse yourself according to the rules." Lin Chen pulled up the clause. "I suggest—"

He looked at the Founder's ∞ badge:

"That the Founder serves as the witness."

"And, please have all online viewers... serve as the jury."

"The duel result will be decided by viewer vote."

"The platform authorities must not interfere."

Morpheus's face changed.

But the clause was written clearly; he couldn't refute it.

The Founder's badge slowly rotated:

"I agree."

"Duel rules established."

"Now—"

The badge projected two giant countdowns:

[Lin Chen's live stream: Current popularity value 0]

[Long Aotian Immortal Emperor's live stream: Current popularity value 0]

[Duel start countdown: 10 seconds]

10.

9.

8...

The bullet comments held their breath.

Su Qingyu grabbed Lin Chen's hand: "Are you confident?"

"No." Lin Chen said honestly. "But this is the only way to force them to follow the rules."

3.

2.

1.

The duel begins!

Thrilling excitement:

First hour.

On the Immortal Emperor's side, he directly started streaming his tribulation crossing.

Not a performance, but a real tribulation crossing—he burned his remaining Immortal Emperor origin essence to forcibly trigger the 'Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Tribulation.' This was the highest-level heavenly tribulation in the cultivation dimension. If successful, he could recover some of his strength.

The scene was shocking: A ten-thousand-zhang thunder dragon tore through the firmament. The Immortal Emperor, his white robes stained with blood, struggled for survival in a sea of lightning.

The bullet comments were instantly captivated:

[Holy shit, he's playing for real?!]

[The Immortal Emperor is going all out!]

[Donations! Replenish the Immortal Emperor's HP!]

[User 'Cultivation Faction' donates 5 million dimension points!]

The Immortal Emperor's live stream popularity value soared to 8.7 billion.

And on Lin Chen's side...

He was drinking tea.

Sitting in the studio, he brewed a pot of 'Enlightenment Tea' brought from the Divine Realm, leisurely savoring it.

The bullet comments were few and far between:

[What is Boss Lin doing?]

[Giving up on treatment?]

[Popularity value: 320 million]

Second hour.

The Immortal Emperor reached the critical moment of his tribulation. Nine thunder dragons merged into one, transforming into a world-destroying thunder pillar crashing down! He sacrificed his shattered lifebound immortal swords to withstand it. The sword bodies shattered inch by inch, but the thunder tribulation was also blocked!

Tribulation crossing successful!

His aura recovered to the Great Luo Golden Immortal realm!

The bullet comments went wild, donations flooding the screen!

Popularity value broke through 20 billion!

Lin Chen was still drinking tea.

He even watched the Immortal Emperor's stream for a bit and sent a bullet comment:

[The thunder tribulation effects are good, but the angle of the third thunderbolt was off by 2.3 degrees, not perfect enough.]

Immortal Emperor: "???"

Bullet comments: [???]

Third hour.

The Immortal Emperor began performing 'Sword Opens the Heavenly Gate'—his signature move, which had once attracted hundreds of billions of fans.

Sword energy spanned thirty thousand miles, a single sword slash cleaving open the gate to the Immortal Realm!

The bullet comments went completely crazy!

Popularity value surged to 50 billion!

And Lin Chen...

He finally put down his teacup.

"Getting tired of watching this."

He said.

Then, he opened the backend and clicked on a prop he just bought for 1 million dimension points:

[Content Crowdfunding Platform (Beta Version)]

Function: Allows viewers to submit the live stream content they want to see; the streamer selects and executes.

Lin Chen smiled at the camera:

"Everyone, the Immortal Emperor's side is quite good to watch, but it's the same few moves over and over: crossing tribulations, practicing swords, slapping antagonists."

"Aren't you tired of it?"

"On my side, let's try something new."

He pulled up the submission interface of the crowdfunding platform:

"Now, you can submit any live stream content you want to see."

"I will select one from among them and execute it on the spot."

"The only restriction: It must not violate platform rules—anything else goes."

The bullet comments instantly exploded with countless submissions:

[I want to see Boss Lin acquire Hell!]

[Want to see a mixer between the Divine Realm and the Abyss!]

[User 'Troublemaker': Have the Immortal Emperor be Boss Lin's secretary for a day!]

[User 'CP Fan': Begging Boss Lin and President Su to show some PDA!]

The number of submissions soared by tens of thousands per second!

Lin Chen quickly browsed, and suddenly, his eyes lit up.

He selected one.

Submission content:

[I want to see 'Scientific Cultivation'—using nether talismans to mass-produce Great Luo Golden Immortals. Requirement: Produce 100 on-site and have them perform the square dance 'The Most Dazzling Ethnic Wind.']

Submitter: User 'Spending Money is the Only Truth'.

Additional donation: 10 million dimension points.

"This one it is."

Lin Chen made the decision.

The hook:

He immediately opened the Dimension Mall and searched:

[Great Luo Golden Immortal Express Package (Wholesale Edition)]

Price: 1 million dimension points/each.

Wholesale price (minimum 100): 800,000 dimension points/each.

"Buy 100." Lin Chen placed the order.

[Purchase successful]

[Consumed 80 million dimension points]

[Obtained: Great Luo Golden Immortal Express Package × 100]

[Usage method: Inject into any target, instantly elevating them to the early-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal realm (valid for 24 hours)]

Lin Chen, holding 100 golden, sparkling 'Immortal Position Capsules,' walked outside the studio.

Outside was a plaza in the Divine Realm, currently gathering tens of thousands of low-level angels and underworld soldiers who had recently converted to the Underworld Group.

"Everyone."

Lin Chen raised the capsules:

"Want to experience... what it feels like to be a Great Luo Golden Immortal?"

The entire crowd was stunned.

"The first 100 to sign up get a free experience."

"Requirement: Learn the square dance 'The Most Dazzling Ethnic Wind' for a performance later."

After a brief silence—

"Me!!!"

"Pick me!!!"

"Boss, look at me! I know how to do the square dance!!"

Tens of thousands of people frantically raised their hands!

Lin Chen randomly selected 100 and distributed the capsules.

The moment they swallowed them—

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!...

100 golden light pillars shot towards the sky!

100 low-level beings, ranging from the lowest Ghost Soldiers to the highest seraphim, saw their auras skyrocket wildly!

Ghost Soldier → Ghost Immortal → True Immortal → Mystic Immortal → Golden Immortal → Great Luo Golden Immortal!

In just three seconds, 100 Great Luo Golden Immortals were born!

Though it was temporary, the pressure was real!

The bullet comments went completely insane:

[He really wholesaled them?!]

[100 Great Luo Golden Immortals! The Immortal Emperor spent a hundred thousand years cultivating just one!]

[Donations! Must donate!]

[User 'Spending Money Godfather' donates 100 million dimension points!]

Lin Chen's popularity value began to skyrocket vertically!

10 billion... 30 billion... 70 billion...

And at this moment, in the Immortal Emperor's live stream—

He had just finished performing 'Sword Opens the Heavenly Gate' and was waiting for the bullet comments to continue praising him.

But he found the bullet comments uniformly spamming:

[Hurry to Boss Lin's side! He's wholesaling Great Luo Golden Immortals!]

[100! A full 100!]

[Immortal Emperor, stop practicing swords, come see the power of spending money!]

The Immortal Emperor's popularity value began to plummet off a cliff!

From 50 billion, it fell to 30 billion... 20 billion... 10 billion...

His face turned ashen.

But he hadn't lost yet.

Because there were still 21 hours left in the duel.

And in his hand, he still held a trump card—

One secretly passed to him by Morpheus, from the Old Shareholder Group...

"Rule Virus · Ultimate Edition."

After use, it could zero out all data in the opponent's live stream.

Including popularity value.

Looking at the carnivalbullet comments on Lin Chen's side, a ruthless glint flashed in the Immortal Emperor's eyes.

"Lin Chen..."

He said softly:

"You forced me into this."

He secretly activated the virus.

And at this moment, a blood-red warning suddenly popped up in Lin Chen's backend:

[Detection of ultra-high-risk rule virus intrusion!]

[Type: Data Erasure]

[Estimated time of effect: 30 seconds later]

[All your data will be zeroed out, including popularity value, donation records, and even... viewers' memories of you]

The countdown began.

30.

29.

28...

Looking at the warning, Lin Chen didn't panic. Instead, he smiled.

He said to the camera:

"Everyone, the moment to witness a miracle has arrived."

"What I'm going to perform next is—"

"Using money to kill a virus."

He opened the mall and searched for that absurdly priced prop that no one had ever bought:

[Conceptual Firewall · Ultimate Edition]

Price: 500 million dimension points.

Function: Immune to all rule viruses for 24 hours.

Lin Chen clicked to purchase.

His backend balance was instantly emptied by a large portion.

But the virus countdown stopped.

After a full ten seconds of dead silence—

The bullet comments completely exploded, shattering the entire historical record of the Myriad Dimensions Sandbox.