177: Chapter 177 Rewriting Fate, Buying Out Cause and Effect

The golden light of the 【Causal Interference】 interface reflected cold numbers in Lin Chen's eyes.

Available slots to buy out fate lines: 4

Used: 4

Remaining: 0

Buying out the fate lines for him, Su Qingyu, Zhang Hao, Little Red Clothes, and his mother had consumed 25 billion dimension points—the entire capital he had accumulated across the myriad heavens, now reset to zero in a single moment.

But now, sitting on the black throne and looking at the 【Fate Autonomous】 tag next to his name in the backend data stream, Lin Chen felt the money was well spent.

"Boss Lin." Zhang Hao pulled up a new report. "I just checked the data changes after the buyout—our 'plot deviation' metrics have all become 'unmeasurable,' and the platform has forcibly downgraded our 'actor rating' from B to unrated."

"What does that mean?" Su Qingyu asked.

"It means..." Zhang Hao swallowed hard. "We are no longer seen by the platform as 'qualified actors' but as anomalous data entities. The Screenwriting Team can no longer write preset plots for us, but by the same token, we've also lost the 'actor protection clauses.'"

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow. "What protection clauses?"

A screen popped up.

It was a hidden clause he had never seen before:

【Actor Basic Safeguard Agreement (Default Signatory)】

1. Death Resurrection Right: Actors rated B and above can apply for resurrection after a plot death (requires consuming popularity points).

2. Memory Backup: Consciousness data is automatically backed up each quarter; accidental formatting can be restored to the latest backup point.

3. Salary Guarantee: dimension points are settled based on plot completion, with a minimum guarantee line.

4. Retirement Channel: After accumulating completion of ten world shoots, one can apply for retirement and transfer to a peaceful dimension for retirement living.

"These..." Su Qingyu's fingers tightened. "We never knew."

"Because we are 'villain-line actors.'" Zhang Hao pulled up the classification. "The platform divides actors into tiers: S-rank protagonists enjoy the full suite of benefits, A-rank supporting roles get an 80% discount, B-rank villains... only have obligations, no rights."

He opened the files of several retired villain actors.

【ID 7428 · Zhao Tianba】

Role Played: wealthy villain across 37 worlds.

Cumulative Times Slapped by the Protagonist: 289.

Death Method Statistics: Killed in battle (143), Humiliated into suicide (62), Refined into a puppet (49), Others (35).

Retirement Status: Memory formatted and placed in a low-level dimension to cyclically play the NPC 'bankrupt merchant,' hourly wage 0.3 dimension points.

【ID 9103 · Su Mei】

Role Played: villainess supporting character (specializing in stealing the protagonist's harem).

Classic Plot: Chapter 88 publicly stripped and humiliated by the main wife, Chapter 89 disfigured, Chapter 90 sold into a brothel, Chapter 91 died miserably from disease.

Retirement Application Result: Rejected (Reason: This character image is deeply rooted in the audience's hearts; viewers expect her to continue performing similar roles).

Current Status: Forcibly renewed contract, currently playing 'the demoness who failed to seduce the Immortal Emperor' in a xianxia world.

【ID...】

"Turn it off." Lin Chen said.

Zhang Hao closed the files.

The void fell into dead silence.

"So," Su Qingyu's voice was very soft, "if we hadn't awakened, after finishing this world's script, Lin Chen would die, my memories would be formatted and I'd be shoved into the next production crew to keep playing 'the redeemed white moonlight'..."

"And I," Zhang Hao pulled out an ugly smile, "would get a meager salary for the performance of 'being killed for betrayal,' then queue up for the next chance at a villain clown role."

Lin Chen stood up.

He walked to the edge of the throne, looking down at the projected streams of light representing billions of worlds at his feet. Within those streams, every minute and second, countless "Zhao Tianbas" and "Su Meis" were experiencing pre-written tragedies, while audiences laughed in the comment barrage.

"Buying out the fate lines is just the first step." He pulled up the backend store and searched for a keyword.

【Causal Interference · Expansion Pack】

A list popped up:

1. Causality Tracing Right (View all past script records of any individual) — 5 billion/person

2. Causality Rewriting Right (Modify minor plot nodes that have already occurred) — 10 billion/node

3. Causality Immunity Right (Immune to causal-level attacks from other shareholders/Screenwriters) — 30 billion/permanent

4. Causality Retaliation Right (Inflict equivalent karmic retribution on attackers) — 50 billion/use

An astronomical price.

Lin Chen's current balance: 320 million.

He couldn't even afford the cheapest one.

But he smiled.

"Zhang Hao, connect our ten 'joint Shareholders.'" He said. "Let's have a financing meeting."

Ten minutes later.

Virtual projections of ten high-level civilization tycoons appeared on the circular platform surrounding the throne.

"shareholder Lin, something urgent?" The ID "loves watching money burn," the heir of a seventh-level civilization's financial conglomerate, spoke first.

"There's an investment opportunity." Lin Chen pulled up the villain actor files he had just seen. "I want to buy out these people's fate lines."

Silence.

Then someone laughed. "shareholder Lin, are you running a charity?"

"No." Lin Chen opened the file details and circled several data points. "Although these actors have low ratings, they have cumulative performance experience of over a hundred years, familiar with the rule loopholes, plot tropes, and audience preferences of countless worlds. They're currently being used as expendables by the platform, but if—"

He enlarged the resume of one villain actor called "Old Veteran":

【ID 0017 · Mo Shan】

Performance Years: 473 years

Number of Worlds Acted In: 891

Areas of Expertise: Economic system loopholes in xianxia worlds (once used loopholes to bankrupt three protagonist families), AI rebellion scripts in sci-fi worlds (seven successful attempts), rule puzzle-solving in supernatural worlds (created thirteen original solution methods)

Current Status: Memory 87% formatted, currently playing 'the greedy town mayor humiliated by the hero' in a low-magic world, daily wage 1.5 dimension points

"If we buy out his fate line, restore his memory," Lin Chen looked at the ten tycoons, "and then have him serve as a consultant for our 'Cross-Dimensional Business Warfare Team'—would it be worth it?"

The tycoons' eyes changed.

They were all business giants from high-level civilizations; they understood the value of "experience" all too well. An old hand who had navigated different worlds for 473 years, proficient in various rule loopholes—this was practically a human-shaped cheat.

"How much to buy him out?" "loves watching money burn" asked directly.

"5 billion." Lin Chen said. "But if we purchase in bulk, the platform should give us a wholesale price."

"How many do you want to buy?"

"All of them." Lin Chen pulled up the backend query results. "The platform currently has 8,436 B-rank and lower villain actors on record. If we buy them all out, estimated at wholesale price... roughly requires 2.5 trillion dimension points."

The air fell dead silent again.

2.5 trillion.

This was an astronomical figure that could buy thirty medium-sized worlds.

"You're insane." One tycoon said.

"I'm not insane." Lin Chen opened his world equity structure chart. "I plan to split my 99% equity into ten thousand tranches of priority bonds. Each tranche has a face value of 3 billion dimension points, with an annualized yield of 8%, using my world's future tax revenue and live-streaming revenue shares as collateral."

A bond prospectus was instantly generated.

The terms were clear: Bond purchasers would receive, in addition to fixed returns, corresponding proportional world governance voting rights and priority co-investment rights in all Lin Chen's future commercial ventures.

"You're using your world as collateral..." "loves watching money burn" stared at him. "If you can't repay, we'll take over your world."

"I know." Lin Chen said. "That's why I will repay."

He pulled up a business plan he had just drafted:

Myriad Realms Villain Actor Rescue and Re-Employment Plan

Phase One: Buy out actor fate lines, release them from platform constraints (Expenditure: 2.5 trillion)

Phase Two: Establish the "Underworld Human Resources Company," providing these actors with skill retraining

Phase Three: Outsource them to other worlds needing 'professional villains,' 'experienced supporting characters,' or 'rule loophole testers'

Estimated Annual Revenue: 300-500 billion (calculated at market rates)

Investment Payback Period: 8-10 years

The tycoons began rapid calculations.

They were all professionals—the numbers in this plan were aggressive, but the logic was sound. And most crucially, Lin Chen's case of "rising from actor to shareholder" had already proven his ability to create miracles.

"I'll subscribe to 500 tranches." "loves watching money burn" was the first to raise a hand. "1.5 trillion."

"300 for me."

"200 for me."

"I..."

Within ten minutes, all ten thousand bond tranches were sold out.

Lin Chen's account received: 3 trillion dimension points.

Without hesitation, he immediately opened the platform's backend 【Actor Management】 interface, selected all 8,436 B-rank and lower villain actors, and clicked 【Batch Fate Line Buyout】.

【Confirm consumption of 2.5 trillion dimension points?】

【Yes】

Golden light erupted.

The entire Myriad Dimensions Sandbox's database trembled for a moment.

In countless worlds currently being performed, those actors playing villains, clowns, and cannon fodder suddenly received a prompt simultaneously:

【Your fate line has been bought out】

【Actor contract forcibly terminated】

【Memory formatting program terminated】

【You are free】

In a certain xianxia world, a "Demonic Path Patriarch" about to be slain by the protagonist suddenly froze; the death countdown above his head vanished.

In a certain sci-fi world, a "Mad Scientist" who had already pressed the self-destruct button found himself still alive.

In a certain urban world, a "Rich Second Generation" who had just been slapped and humiliated by the protagonist looked at his fully restored memory data and knelt on the ground, weeping.

Meanwhile, on Lin Chen's side, the backend popped up with dense applications:

【ID 0017 · Mo Shan applies to join your team】

【ID 7428 · Zhao Tianba applies to join】

【ID 9103 · Su Mei applies to join】

【ID...】

"Reply." Lin Chen said to Zhang Hao. "Tell them—"

"Meet at the Underworld Group's cross-dimensional headquarters in three days."

"Salary is one hundred times their platform rate, includes five insurances and one fund, and provides opportunities for revenge."

Zhang Hao sent it.

Almost simultaneously, Lin Chen's shareholder backend received an urgent warning from the platform's Supreme Council:

【Warning: Your large-scale buyout behavior has disrupted the actor market balance】

【Please cease immediately】

【Otherwise, sanctions procedures will be initiated】

Lin Chen closed the warning.

He looked at the remaining 500 billion dimension points in his account, then looked at the prices of the 【Causal Interference】 expansion packs.

And bought them all.

Causality Tracing Right (Team Edition)

Causality Rewriting Right (Team Edition)

Causality Immunity Right (Team Edition)

Causality Retaliation Right (Team Edition)

All loaded into the Underworld Group's core database.

From now on, he and his people—were immune to all preset plots, immune to all causal attacks, and could even reflect damage.

"Alright." Lin Chen sat back on the throne, looking at the ten tycoon shareholders. "Now, it's time to discuss the next step."

"What next step?"

"The Screenwriting Team's retirement plan." Lin Chen smiled. "I did the math. There are 1,247 registered screenwriters on the platform. The amount of tragedy they've written over the years is the amount of tragedy they should experience."

"You want to buy out their fate lines, and then..."

"No." Lin Chen shook his head. "Buying out costs money."

He pulled up the manual for the newly acquired 【Causality Retaliation Right】.

"This function can reflect the scripts someone wrote back onto the Author themselves."

"For free."

The tycoons looked at each other, then smiled simultaneously.

"Count us in."

"Of course." Lin Chen clicked open the Screenwriting Team roster.

The cursor stopped on the name "Fate Pen."

"Let's start with this old friend."

Click.

【Causal Retaliation Program Initiated】

【Target: Screenwriter 'Fate Pen'】

【Retrieving all tragic scripts he has created...】

【Retrieval Complete: 437 total】

【Insert him into these scripts for a cyclic experience?】

Lin Chen selected 【Yes】.

Then, in the additional conditions, he input:

"Memory retained."

"Pain sensitivity adjusted to 300%."

"After each death, replay the audience's happy barrage comments from that time ten times."

Send.

In a distant vacation dimension, Fate Pen, who was writing his resignation report, suddenly stiffened.

The world around him began to disintegrate.

In its place appeared the scene from the first script he wrote three hundred years ago—the villain he designed as a clown was kneeling before the protagonist, begging for mercy.

And he had become that villain.

"No—!!!"

The scream was swallowed by the data torrent.

Lin Chen closed the interface.

"Next." He said calmly.

Revenge had begun.

And this time, he had infinite capital and over eight thousand professional consultants proficient in "how to make a villain suffer."

He wanted the Screenwriting Team to understand—

When you write others into tragedy, you'd better make sure you never become a character under your own pen.