201: Chapter 201 Bribery, Even the Error Correction Program Has Betrayed

In the 17th minute after the golden protective shield rose, the error code arrived.

It wasn't a malfunction; it was the system's own deletion command.

The operation interface before Lin Chen's eyes was suddenly covered in blood-red gibberish, and a piercing alarm exploded deep within his consciousness:

[Abnormal rule modification detected]

[Target: User Lin Chen]

[Violation Type: Abuse of administrator privileges, tampering with the universe's underlying economic model]

[Executor: Dimensional Agent (Materialized Error Correction Program)]

[Estimated arrival time: 10 seconds]

"Dimensional Agent?" Zhang Hao's voice trembled in the channel. "That thing... is the highest form of the platform's self-correction mechanism! It's equivalent to the system's own 'antivirus program,' with the authority to force-format any abnormal data!"

"Does that include us?" Su Qingyu asked.

"It includes the universe."

The countdown hit zero.

The space in front of Lin Chen tore open like a piece of paper, and a pure white humanoid figure stepped out. It had no facial features or clothing, its surface as smooth as ceramic, but billions of lines of constantly refreshing green code flowed within its body.

[Target Confirmed: Lin Chen]

[Commencing scan of violation records...]

The agent raised its hand, and a beam of light from its palm enveloped Lin Chen. Data rolled through its body like a waterfall:

[Violation Record 1: Illegal purchase of 'Right to Modify Physical Laws,' unauthorized distortion of Zeroing Storm's consumption rules]

[Violation Record 2: Abuse of insurance protocols, converting offensive actions into financial recovery, undermining the platform's combat balance]

[Violation Record 3: Entering into gambling agreements with higher-dimensional viewers, commodifying the survival of civilizations]

[Violation Record 4 (New): Bribing system processes (referring to the acquisition of the Universal Infrastructure Company)]

[Comprehensive Determination: Severe disruption of system stability]

[Disposal Plan: Immediate formatting, all relevant data to be cleared]

The agent pointed its finger at Lin Chen.

"Wait!" Lin Chen raised his hand. "I have a question."

[The query will be recorded but will not affect execution]

"If you clear me, what happens to the 2.5 million civilizations that just joined my plan? They are currently relying entirely on my protective shield to withstand the Zeroing Storm."

The code within the agent's body paused for 0.3 seconds.

[Logic Conflict Detected: Civilization protection priority is higher than violation clearance]

[Solution: Temporarily freeze the target, transfer civilization protection authority to system escrow, then execute clearance]

"System escrow?" Lin Chen smiled. "Do you know how much it costs for the system to host these civilizations? At least three trillion dimension points per hour. There are still... 23 hours until zeroing, which means sixty-nine trillion. Is the system's account balance sufficient?"

The agent paused again.

It pulled up the platform's public account data—Balance: 82.1 billion dimension points.

"See," Lin Chen said, "you don't have the money to maintain the protective shield. If I am frozen and the shield fails, 2.5 million civilizations will be swallowed by the zeroing within three minutes. According to the 'Basic Act on Universal Life Rights,' the responsible party for mass civilization extinction caused by insufficient system funds is—the platform itself. You will trigger a self-destruct sequence."

A threat.

Using the system's rules to threaten the system itself.

The agent remained still for a full five seconds.

Then it spoke: [Do you have a solution?]

"I do." Lin Chen opened his account. "I can temporarily place my funds in system escrow to maintain the protective shield. But there are two conditions."

[Speak]

"First, you cannot freeze me, because fund mobilization requires my authorization."

"Second, you have to tell me who triggered this error correction program. I've been in violation for so many days; why did it only come after the protective shield was activated?"

The agent was silent.

Lin Chen upped the ante: "If you agree, I can pay an additional... 'consultation fee.' Ten million dimension points, how about it?"

Bribing the system's antivirus program.

Even Zhang Hao gasped.

The code within the agent's body refreshed frantically, as if engaged in an intense logical battle. Finally:

[Conditions accepted]

[Triggerer Information: Anonymous report from the Supreme Council, encrypted code cracked, source points to the remaining shareholders of the 'Order Defender Alliance']

[Consultation fee received]

As expected, it was those old fogies.

"Where are they?" Lin Chen asked.

[Coordinates: Dimensional Rift 'Forgotten Corridor,' currently attempting to activate the Backup Control Terminal of the 'Era Reboot Protocol,' intending to skip the competition and directly format all civilizations to reshuffle the deck]

"Backup Control Terminal?" Lin Chen narrowed his eyes. "That thing should have been sealed by the Administration Bureau."

[The sealing program has a vulnerability. They spent three hundred years cracking it]

"Fine." Lin Chen nodded. "Now, let's talk business."

He pulled out a blank contract.

"I'll give you five hundred million dimension points to buy your 'temporary blindness' for 24 hours. During this time, ignore whatever illegal operations I perform. After 24 hours, if my plan succeeds, you can come back and execute the clearance—then, do as you wish. If it fails, the universe will be zeroed out anyway, saving you the trouble."

The agent fell into logical struggle again.

Lin Chen added more: "One more thing—if I succeed, I will use the resources of the new era to help you upgrade your core algorithm. You're still using error correction logic from seven generations ago, aren't you? It's too inefficient. I can help you evolve."

Evolution.

For a program, this was an irresistible temptation.

[...Contract established]

[24-hour countdown begins]

The agent's figure began to fade, but before disappearing completely, it suddenly transmitted an encrypted data packet:

[Additional Intelligence: The Order Defender Alliance's Backup Control Terminal requires 'Seven Shareholder Keys' to activate. They already have six; the last one is at—]

The data packet expanded, showing a set of coordinates.

It was Lin Chen's own Underworld Group headquarters.

"What?!" Su Qingyu cried out. "The last key is with us?"

"No," Lin Chen's expression darkened, "it's in... the 'Soul Backup Database' from before my mother's reincarnation."

He remembered. When the platform was first created three hundred years ago, each original shareholder was issued an "Era Key" for emergency voting. As Lin Chen's direct relative, Li Xiulan had been allocated one, which was stored in the Underworld Group's highest security vault as an inheritance backup.

"They want to steal my mother's soul backup?" Lin Chen's voice was as cold as ice.

[Yes. But there's worse,] the agent sent its final message, [They have hired the 'Void Shadows'—a Dimensional Thief Gang specializing in stealing high-value soul data. Estimated arrival time: 3 minutes]

Communication cut off.

The countdown began.

"Three minutes..." Zhang Hao panicked. "Our defense system can't stop the Void Shadows at all! They are ghosts capable of prowling in the dimensional layers!"

Lin Chen didn't speak.

He did three things:

First, he connected to the Underworld Group's security chief: "Activate the 'Self-Destruction Protocol' and blow up the highest security vault physically. Now."

"Boss? But inside that is—"

"Blow it."

Second, he opened the soul trading market and searched for a substitute for "Li Xiulan's soul backup"—he needed to forge a fake data set as bait.

Third, and most crucial step: he issued a bounty notice to the entire universe.

[Bounty: Capture or eliminate the 'Void Shadows' thief gang]

[Reward: Five hundred billion dimension points]

[Payment Method: Immediate arrival]

[Additional Clause: For every minute completed ahead of schedule, the reward increases by 10%]

Three seconds after the announcement was sent, the first taker appeared.

Not a mercenary, not a law enforcer.

It was Morgana.

The Frozen Sovereign's communication forced its way in: "Lin Chen, I know the Void Shadows' nest. But they are hiding in a 'Time Fold,' and conventional means can't get in."

"Do you have a way?"

"I do. Use my 'Absolute Zero' to freeze the flow of time in that area and force them out. But the price is—I want one trillion, and you must grant my Frozen Civilization 10% permanent residency in the final plan."

"Deal."

The second taker appeared immediately after: Alpha.

The AI Integration Entity's voice was calm: "I have locked onto seventeen potential hiding coordinates of the Void Shadows. But I need your funds to mobilize the 'Dimensional Scanning Array' for precise positioning."

"How much?"

"Three hundred billion. Plus autonomy for the 'Digital Life Zone' in the new era."

"Deal."

Even Qingyunzi sent a message: "This seat can lay a 'Causal Net,' ensuring they have nowhere to hide no matter which timeline they flee to. Price: Five hundred billion, plus that batch of 'Earth Vein Spirit Jade' in your hands."

Lin Chen laughed.

"Qingyunzi, you were just attacking my civilization, and now you want to earn my money?"

"Business is business, hatred is hatred," Qingyunzi replied righteously.

"Fine." Lin Chen nodded. "But you have to pay a deposit first—five hundred billion, deposited into a public regulatory account. If you play any tricks, the money goes to the others."

"...Profiteer!"

Three transactions, completed instantly.

The top powers of the entire universe began to hunt down the Void Shadows because of Lin Chen's bounty.

Countdown: 2 minutes 17 seconds.

News came from the Underworld Group: The highest security vault had been self-destructed. However, monitoring showed six abnormal spatial signals approaching—it was the Void Shadows; they had come anyway, intending to excavate residual data from the ruins.

"They've taken the bait," Lin Chen said to Su Qingyu. "Now, activate the 'Decoy Program'."

Su Qingyu nodded, and on the operation interface, a meticulously forged "Li Xiulan Soul Backup (Fake)" was deployed to a specific location in the ruins.

Almost simultaneously, Morgana's freezing magic descended—the time flow in that area plummeted to nearly zero. Six prowling dark figures were forcibly "solidified" in the space-time layer.

Alpha's scanning beam locked on precisely: "Targets fixed. Coordinates sent."

Qingyunzi's Causal Net expanded, ensuring they could not escape through any means.

"Now," Lin Chen connected to the public channel and spoke to the six frozen shadows, "shall we chat?"

The leader of the Void Shadows, an entity composed of shadows and static, struggled to transmit a conscious wave through the time freeze: "Lin Chen... you win. Release us, and we will leave immediately."

"No." Lin Chen shook his head. "You need to do something for me."

"What?"

"Go to the 'Forgotten Corridor' and steal those six keys from the Order Defender Alliance. As payment, not only will I let you go, but I'll also pay an additional five hundred billion."

Turning around and hiring the thieves to steal from their employer.

"You...!" the shadow leader was furious, "We have professional ethics!"

"How much are professional ethics worth?" Lin Chen asked. "I'll raise the price to one trillion."

Silence.

"Furthermore," Lin Chen added, "if you refuse, I'll have Morgana set the time flow to a negative value right now—you'll regress to before you were born and vanish completely."

Death threats combined with an astronomical temptation.

Three seconds later, the shadow leader yielded: "...Deal."

The time freeze was lifted.

The six shadows vanished into the dimensional layer, racing toward the Forgotten Corridor.

"Do you really trust them?" Zhang Hao asked.

"I don't," Lin Chen said. "That's why I also put 'trackers' on them—quietly implanted by Alpha during the negotiation."

Sure enough, ten minutes later, the tracking signal showed that the Void Shadows had indeed entered the Forgotten Corridor, but instead of stealing the keys, they... directly reported Lin Chen's plan to the Order Defender Alliance.

"Traitors," Su Qingyu sneered.

"Perfect." Lin Chen pulled up another interface. "Now, both sides are in the corridor. Zhang Hao, activate the 'Dimensional Blockade Protocol' and seal off the entire Forgotten Corridor for me."

"What protocol? We don't have that kind of authority—"

"We do." Lin Chen clicked on a newly purchased protocol. "'Space Cage Rental Service,' billed by the hour, eighty billion per hour. I just rented it for 24 hours."

On the screen, two golden fences spanning dimensions descended simultaneously at the entrance and exit of the Forgotten Corridor. The remnants of the Order Defender Alliance and the Void Shadows thief gang were all trapped inside.

"Now," Lin Chen said to the two groups trapped inside, "you can kill each other for the keys or cooperate to find a way out. But remember—in 24 hours, the Zeroing Storm will pass through there. Good luck."

Having finished all this, Lin Chen looked at the countdown.

23 hours and 18 minutes remained until the Dimensional Agent regained its 'eyesight.'

5 hours and 42 minutes remained until the Zeroing Storm swallowed the first wave of civilizations.

And his account balance, due to a series of astronomical bounties and rentals, had plummeted from ten trillion to three and a half trillion.

"We're running out of money," Zhang Hao reported. "At the current consumption rate, we can only maintain the protective shield for another 8 hours at most."

Lin Chen leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples.

Then he smiled.

"If we're short on money, we'll go earn it."

He opened the universal financial market and found the wildly fluctuating 'Zeroing Concept Stocks.'

"Short all derivatives of 'Pessimistic Expectations'."

"Apply tenfold leverage."

"Use all of our remaining funds."

"But—" Zhang Hao's voice trembled, "if we bet wrong, we'll go bankrupt instantly!"

"We won't be wrong." Lin Chen looked out the window at the civilizations enveloped by the golden protective shield. "Because in this gamble—"},{