213: Chapter 213 The Enemy Sends the Ultimate Weapon—It's the Business Contract I'm Most Familiar With

At 9 hours and 17 minutes into the collapse of the seven advanced civilizations, the negotiation request arrived.

But it wasn't an envoy or a communication. It was a physical contract that traversed dimensions—it tore through the void and landed directly on Lin Chen's desk, as thick as three dictionaries.

On the cover, embossed in gold letters: 'Universal-Level Debt Restructuring and Debt-to-Equity Swap Framework Agreement (Final Version)'

Lin Chen opened the first page and smiled.

"They really did bring the 'ultimate weapon'," he said to Su Qingyu beside him. "It's just that this weapon... is a contract."

Zhang Hao leaned over to look, his face gradually paling. "Boss, the clauses in this contract... they're too vicious."

Summary of Terms:

1. Debt Acknowledgment: The seven civilizations acknowledge the damage caused to Lin Chen's world by the 'improper release of the rules virus' and agree to jointly compensate 9000 trillion dimension points (the exorbitant price Lin Chen previously demanded).

2. Payment Method: No cash payment. Instead, issue 'Seven Civilizations Joint Bonds' with an annual interest rate of 0.1% and a term of ten billion years.

3. Debt-to-Equity Swap Clause: Lin Chen has the right to convert the bonds into equity of the seven civilizations on the 'Myriad Dimensions Sandbox' platform at any time—but the conversion ratio is calculated at 'one-thousandth of the bond's face value'.

4. Additional Condition: By accepting this agreement, Lin Chen must immediately cease all short-selling operations and withdraw the 'Origin Defense Protocol'.

5. Default Penalty: If Lin Chen refuses to sign, the seven civilizations will initiate the 'Civilization Self-Destruct Protocol'. The dimensional storm generated by their collapse will engulf Lin Chen's world—mutual destruction.

"They're betting you won't dare to sign," Su Qingyu quickly analyzed. "If you sign, you get an IOU that won't be paid for ten billion years, and you have to let them go. If you don't sign, they'll drag you down with them."

Lin Chen flipped to the last page of the contract.

There were the signatures of the seven civilizations' highest executives—each signature contained the power of their civilization's origin, meaning this contract was certified by the universe's underlying rules. Once signed, it could not be breached.

"A very traditional 'debt trap'," Lin Chen nodded. "Lure you in with sky-high compensation, then bury you with ultra-long terms and garbage clauses. Finally, threaten you with mutual destruction—standard Wall Street tactics, just scaled up to a universal level."

He picked up a pen.

"Boss!" Zhang Hao panicked. "You can't sign this! If you sign, we lose!"

"Who said I'm signing their version?" Lin Chen began handwriting additional clauses in the contract's blank space.

First: Change to the debt payment method.

"Bond payment not accepted. Demand that the seven civilizations immediately transfer the future 100,000-year emotional Right to income (emotional Right to income) of their citizens (i.e., the audience orbs) to me as direct compensation."

As he finished writing, the contract automatically vibrated—this was the universe's rules confirming the clause's feasibility.

Feasible.

Because emotional Right to income was indeed a 'transferable asset' of the seven civilizations.

Second: Amendment to the debt-to-equity swap clause.

"Change the conversion ratio from 'one-thousandth of face value' to 'ten thousand times face value'. That is: 1 dimension point of bonds can be exchanged for 10,000 dimension points worth of platform equity."

The contract vibrated violently but did not reject it—because Lin Chen had added a line of fine print after the clause: "The reasonableness of this clause is based on the fact that the seven civilizations first breached by releasing the virus, constituting punitive damages."

The universe's rules approved.

Third: Countermeasure to the mutual destruction clause.

"If the seven civilizations initiate the self-destruct protocol, all their remaining assets (including but not limited to territory, technology, civilization embers) will automatically be inherited by me. Simultaneously, I will obtain the permanent authority of 'immunity to dimensional storm damage'—enforced by the universe's rules."

This time, the contract nearly split apart.

But ultimately, the rules still accepted—because 'self-destruction' constituted an active attack, and the attacker bore all consequences, aligning with the underlying logic.

After finishing, Lin Chen signed his name in the Party B (Party B) signature space.

Then, he pushed the contract back into the void.

"Now, it's their turn to choose."

Three heartbeats later.

From the void came the roars of the seven civilizations' executives, mixed with anger and fear.

"The clauses you modified... this is robbery!"

"Emotional Right to income is our lifeblood! A hundred thousand years? That's equivalent to hollowing out our civilization's future!"

"A ten-thousand-fold conversion ratio? Impossible!"

Lin Chen smiled towards the void. "Then initiate the self-destruct protocol. I wouldn't mind inheriting everything you have."

Silence.

A long silence.

They finally realized—this low-dimensional being before them understood the game under the rules better than they did.

"We... will sign," the First Executive's voice trembled. "But we need time to arrange the transfer procedures for the emotional Right to income..."

"No, you don't," Lin Chen pulled up a document he had prepared long ago. "In the past nine hours, I haven't just been shorting your economies. Through the platform's backend, I've also completed Property rights clarification registration (property rights clarification registration) for all the 'emotional Right to income accounts' of your civilizations' citizens."

"Now, the ownership transfer agreements for those accounts have been sent to every citizen's personal terminal."

"They just need to click 'agree', and the transfer is complete."

"And based on my research of your civilizations—" Lin Chen paused, "99.8% of citizens, upon seeing the temptation of 'agreeing to transfer grants permanent free viewing rights in Lin Chen's livestream + participation in script voting rights', will click agree without hesitation."

"After all, compared to the intangible emotional Right to income..."

"The power to decide the plot's direction is the irresistible drug for addicts like them."

The orbs of the seven executives dimmed by a third simultaneously in the surveillance feed.

They had lost.

Lost utterly and completely.

Ten minutes later.

Data streams began flooding into Lin Chen's account.

[Emotional Right to income Transfer Progress: 1%...17%...53%...89%...100%]

[You have obtained the future 100,000-year emotional Right to income of 9.4 trillion citizens from the seven civilizations]

[Estimated Annual income: Approximately 800 trillion dimension points]

Immediately after, the debt-to-equity swap process automatically initiated.

[Conversion calculating...]

[You have obtained platform equity: Total 46.3%]

[Plus your original equity: 0.003350071%]

[Your current total shareholding: 46.303350071%]

[You have become the largest shareholder of the 'Myriad Dimensions Sandbox' platform]

Dead silence filled the office.

Zhang Hao's mouth hung open, speechless.

Su Qingyu gripped Lin Chen's arm tightly, her fingertips turning white.

Little Red Clothes emerged from a data stream, saying dazedly, "Master... did you just... monopolize the future 100,000-year supply of 'emotional drugs' for the entire advanced civilization? And conveniently became the platform's owner?"

Lin Chen looked at the glaring 46.3% on the shareholder panel and said softly, "Still a bit short."

"Short by how much?"

"Need to reach 51% for absolute controlling stake," he pulled up the list of remaining shareholders. "Right now, 53.7% of the equity is still dispersion (dispersed) among other shareholders. We need..."

Before he could finish.

All livestream screens across the entire platform suddenly cut to an emergency news broadcast simultaneously:

[Breaking News: The seven civilizations' highest executives have resigned due to major decision-making errors]

[New executives appointed: Arrogant Dragon (acting)]

The picture (screen) cut to Arrogant Dragon—he stood on the podium of the advanced civilizations' council, behind him seven dim orbs (the former executives).

"In my capacity as the newly appointed executive, I announce," Arrogant Dragon's eyes were icy. "The seven civilizations will initiate the 'Civilization Ember Preservation Plan', entering hibernation (dormancy) effective immediately and suspending all external affairs."

"Simultaneously, all platform equity we hold (totaling 7.2%) will be... publicly auctioned."

"The auction proceeds will be used to compensate citizens for their losses."

He looked at the camera, as if making eye contact with Lin Chen.

"The auction rules are simple: highest bidder wins."

"But the auction currency must be 100% emotionally pure 'Primordial Emotional Crystals'—dimension points, assets, equity, none are accepted."

"Auction time: 24 hours from now."

The news ended.

Zhang Hao was stunned. "Emotional Crystals? What are those?"

"They are the purest emotional memories of the audience orbs before their addiction," Lin Chen pulled up information. "Joy, sorrow, love, hatred... raw emotions not diluted by livestreams. Each orb can only produce a few in its lifetime; it's their 'Life Origin'."

"They deliberately demand this for the auction..." Su Qingyu realized. "Because you just monopolized their emotional Right to income, but Emotional Crystals are historical in stock (inventory) you don't have!"

"Correct," Lin Chen nodded. "They're betting I can't gather enough Emotional Crystals in a short time to bid for this 7.2% equity."

"And if this 7.2% is bought by other shareholders, I'll never reach 51%."

He looked out the window.

At this moment, all shareholders across the platform, all advanced civilizations, all viewers were waiting for the auction in 24 hours.

This was the final battlefield.

Lin Chen was silent for three seconds, then suddenly smiled.

"Actually, I've been waiting for this opportunity."

He opened his own livestream—although his equity was frozen, the livestream function still worked.

Then, he spoke to the audience across all dimensions, uttering the words that changed everything:

"I am launching a crowdfunding campaign."

"Crowdfunding target: 7.2% of the platform's equity."

"Crowdfunding method: Each viewer donates one 'Emotional Crystal'—any type, any purity is acceptable."

"Reward: All donors will share the permanent rights and interests (rights and benefits) brought by this 7.2% equity according to their donation Proportion (proportion)."

"Including: Permanent free viewing of all livestreams, participation in all plot votes, receiving platform dividends..."

"Most importantly—"

Lin Chen took a deep breath and stated the ultimate temptation:

"You will no longer be just 'viewers'."

"You will become..."

"One of the platform's owners."

All dimensions fell into dead silence.

Then, utter madness ensued.