224: Chapter 224 The Trillion-Dollar Acquisition Case! I Made the Entire Universe Pay for "Survival"

Book Eight, Chapter 10: A Negative Trillion Acquisition! I'm Making the Whole Universe Pay to Stay Alive

"The auction for the final three minutes of Shelter seats begins now!"

Within 0.7 seconds of Lin Chen's voice broadcasting across the universe, every civilization's executive officer still struggling for survival went mad.

They stared at the glaring numbers on the countdown panel: 3 minutes and 16 seconds.

Then they looked at the surveillance footage—the edge of the Zeroing Storm had already reached the experimental zone. Those civilizations that hadn't been rescued were being extinguished one by one like candles.

"I'll bid!" The first to respond was the executive officer of the Seven Civilizations, who had previously been the loudest critic. "All our civilization's remaining assets—valued at approximately 27 trillion dimension points! In exchange for one seat!"

"Deal." Lin Chen didn't even ask if anyone else wanted to bid and confirmed immediately. "Seat number 001 is locked. Data upload beginning now."

A golden pillar of light crossed dimensions, enveloping the home planet of the Seven Civilizations. At the final moment, the entire planet was compressed into a data stream and uploaded to the core area of Virtual Heaven.

The surveillance footage showed that while the civilization was annihilated in the physical universe, it was successfully reconstructed in the core area of the Heaven—though it was only one-thousandth of its original scale, it had at least survived.

Where there was a first, there was a second.

"We bid 30 trillion!"

"We bid 35 trillion!"

"We bid our entire fortune plus tax rights for the next hundred thousand years!"

The bids skyrocketed frantically.

Countdown: 2 minutes and 47 seconds.

One hundred seats were completely sold out within twenty-three seconds.

Total transaction price: 8,900 trillion dimension points.

This was almost equivalent to the total assets of all remaining civilizations in the universe.

But Lin Chen didn't want money—those assets would soon vanish into nothingness during the Zeroing. What he wanted was control.

Every civilization that purchased a seat had signed a hidden clause in the data upload agreement:

"In exchange for permanent residency in the Shelter, we agree to transfer the highest management authority of our civilization to the 'New Era Joint Development Company' and accept the company's comprehensive guidance on civilization development direction, resource allocation, and ideology."

In other words—they used their entire fortunes to trade for the eligibility to 'be managed.'

"This is colonization!" an executive officer from a newly uploaded civilization screamed within Virtual Heaven. "We've become your subsidiary civilization!"

"Better than being dead," Lin Chen replied flatly. "Besides, you still have work to do."

He pulled up the work schedule for Virtual Heaven:

"Civilizations in seats 001-030 are responsible for the infrastructure maintenance of the Heaven's core area."

"031-060 are responsible for emotional data collection and analysis."

"061-100," he paused, "are responsible for 'Zeroing Phenomenon Research'—I want you to analyze, at the data level, what exactly Zeroing is."

All the civilizations were stunned.

Even at a time like this, they still had to do research?

Countdown: 2 minutes and 11 seconds.

The Zeroing Storm had already swallowed 90% of the experimental zone.

Morgana's frost barrier shattered. Gritting her teeth, she led her last followers and charged into the 'temporary upload channel' Lin Chen had just opened.

The data wreckage left behind after Alpha dissipated was swallowed by the storm.

Arrogant Dragon's remnant Immortal Emperor soul let out an unwilling roar at the final moment before being completely annihilated.

Only the Creation Hall, where Lin Chen was located, barely held out in the storm—but even it began to show cracks.

"Boss!" Zhang Hao's body began to turn transparent again. "The hall's rule protection... can't hold on!"

Little Red Clothes' ghostly energy was torn to shreds by the storm: "Master... I'm about to fall apart..."

Su Qingyu gripped Lin Chen's hand tightly. She didn't speak, but her gaze was resolute.

Lin Xiao suddenly laughed: "Looks like we're going to play the role of doomsday heroes for once."

Lin Chen said nothing.

He was waiting.

Waiting for the person who was supposed to appear.

Countdown: 1 minute and 33 seconds.

The dome of the Creation Hall cracked open, and the Zeroing Storm poured in like a waterfall.

Just when everyone thought it was over—

The storm suddenly stopped.

It didn't weaken; it stopped completely.

The white waves that had been destroying everything froze into a static sculpture three meters above Lin Chen's head.

The entire universe suddenly fell into absolute stillness.

Only the countdown was still ticking: 1 minute 32 seconds... 1 minute 31 seconds...

"What's going on?" Morgana asked, filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

The projection of Inspector 117 slowly stepped out from the frozen storm.

But this time, its image had changed—it was no longer a mechanical light-and-shadow projection, but a white-robed humanoid entity with a blurred face.

"Test concluded," it said.

The voice was no longer mechanical, but carried a sense of... exhaustion?

"Test?" Lin Chen raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." 117—or rather, this entity—waved its hand to summon a control panel. "The Zeroing process, the civilization rescue competition, the Kindling Project... everything was part of the 'Epoch Administration Bureau Administrator Qualification Test.'"

The panel displayed all of Lin Chen's data from the start of the competition until now:

[Testee: Lin Chen]

[Test Content: Civilization rescue and resource allocation capabilities under extreme pressure]

[Scoring Categories:]

1. Financial Innovation Ability: S+

2. Rule Utilization Ability: A

3. Moral Baseline Elasticity: S-

4. Final Preservation Rate: 62% (Far exceeding the passing grade of 30%)

5. Bonus Points: Successfully executed a hostile takeover of the test AI (Alpha) assets +5000 points

[Total Evaluation: S-Rank (Excellent)]

[Conclusion: Meets Administrator Qualifications]

"Alpha was arranged by you?" Lin Chen asked.

"Yes," 117 nodded. "All candidates were—Morgana represented the limits of the magic side, Alpha represented the limits of the technology side, Qingyunzi represented the limits of the cultivation side, and you... represent the limits of the business side."

"What we need to find is not a hero who can 'brute force' their way through the Zeroing, but a... manager who can use any means necessary to preserve the seeds of civilization in a desperate situation."

It looked at Lin Chen: "You passed."

"So now," Lin Chen asked calmly, "are you going to give me an admission letter?"

"No." 117 pulled up an agreement. "You are to sign the 'Epoch Administration Bureau Junior Administrator Employment Contract.'"

The contract terms popped up:

[Position: Junior Administrator (Intern)]

[Responsibilities: Assist in managing a universe sector approaching Zeroing; preserve as much civilization data as possible before Zeroing occurs]

[Salary: 50 million dimension points per year + performance bonuses]

[Contract Term: 100,000 years]

[Breach Clause: Failure to meet annual preservation targets will result in revocation of administrator status and exile to the Void Dimension]

Morgana suddenly spoke up: "What about our civilizations? Those swallowed by the Zeroing..."

"They will undergo 'real rescue' based on the test results," 117 explained. "All civilizations successfully preserved during the test will receive corresponding resources in reality, delaying their actual Zeroing time. And the 62% you preserved, Lin Chen—they will receive an additional 100,000-year buffer period."

"So," Lin Chen summarized, "we fought tooth and nail just for one of your job recruitment exams?"

"An exam that decides the fate of countless civilizations," 117 corrected. "And you came in first place."

It looked at the countdown—it had stopped at 1 minute and 22 seconds.

"Now, make your choice. Sign the contract, become an administrator, and both your civilization and the ones you saved can live on. Don't sign..."

It didn't finish, but the meaning was clear.

Everyone in the Creation Hall looked at Lin Chen.

Su Qingyu said softly, "No matter what you choose, I'll go with you."

Zhang Hao gritted his teeth: "Boss, sign it! At least we'll live!"

Little Red Clothes: "Wherever Master goes, Little Red Clothes goes!"

Lin Xiao, however, shook his head: "A 100,000-year contract... isn't that just another form of imprisonment?"

Lin Chen looked at that contract for a long time.

Then, he smiled.

"I have a question."

"Please ask."

"What is the highest position for an administrator?"

117 was stunned for a moment. "It's... the Director. But that is a position one might only reach after countless epochs..."

"And what are the Director's authorities?"

"They can modify some of the Administration Bureau's basic rules, allocate more resources, and even..." 117 suddenly stopped. "Why are you asking this?"

"Because I was thinking," Lin Chen pulled up the transaction records from his auction just now, "8,900 trillion dimension points might just be numbers now, but if I package these 'future claims' and apply for a loan from the Administration Bureau..."

"What do you want a loan for?"

"An acquisition," Lin Chen smiled. "To acquire... shares in the Epoch Administration Bureau."

117 was completely bewildered. "The Administration Bureau doesn't have shares! We are an official cosmic institution!"

"Then restructure it." Lin Chen pulled up a proposal he had just drafted in three seconds. "I suggest reorganizing the Administration Bureau into the 'Epoch Management Group Co., Ltd.' and implementing a shareholding system. All administrators will be allocated shares according to their rank, and external investors can also subscribe."

"And I will use these 8,900 trillion in future claims as collateral to apply for a 10 trillion loan to subscribe to... 51% of the shares in the restructured company."

"That way, I'll be the controlling shareholder."

"And you," Lin Chen looked at 117, "can go from being an 'Inspector' to being my... 'chief executive officer.'"

The projection of 117 fluctuated violently, clearly calculating the feasibility of this proposal at high speed.

Finally, it spat out two words:

"Impossible."

"Why?"

"Because the highest level of the Administration Bureau... will not agree."

"Then replace the highest level," Lin Chen said calmly. "Using the 62% of civilizations I saved as a voter base, I'll launch a 'Bureau Democratization Reform Referendum.' If they don't agree, I'll take all the civilizations and exit the Administration Bureau system to set up my own shop."

"When that time comes, let's see if those civilizations facing Zeroing choose a 'profiteer' like me who saved them, or cold 'officials' like you."

This was an open scheme.

Using public opinion to hijack the rules.

117 was silent for a full minute.

The countdown began ticking again: 1 minute 21 seconds... 1 minute 20 seconds...

The Zeroing Storm began to slowly advance again—clearly, the test was over, and the real Zeroing was continuing.

"I need to ask for instructions," 117 finally said.

"You only have one minute." Lin Chen pointed at the countdown.

The projection of 117 disappeared.

In the Creation Hall, everyone looked at Lin Chen as if he were a madman.

"Boss..." Zhang Hao's voice trembled. "Are you trying to... overthrow the official cosmic institution?"

"No," Lin Chen corrected. "I'm going to turn it into my company."

Thirty seconds later.

117 reappeared.

Carrying a new contract.

[Epoch Management Group Co., Ltd. Holding Agreement]

[Controlling Party: Lin Chen (Contributing 8,900 trillion in future claims + 51% control of the Kindling Server + 100% equity in Virtual Heaven)]

[Holding Percentage: 51%]

[Rights: Ultimate decision-making power over all company affairs, including the appointment and removal of the chief executive officer]

[Obligations: Must increase the civilization preservation rate of the assigned universe sector to over 70% within 100,000 years]

At the end of the contract was a signature Lin Chen had never seen before—a rune written with the fundamental rules of the universe, radiating endless pressure.

"The Director agreed." 117's voice was complex. "He said... 'This madman might actually change something.'"

Lin Chen smiled.

He signed his name.

The moment the contract took effect—

The countdown hit zero.

But the Zeroing Storm did not swallow them.

Instead... it bypassed them.

The entire experimental zone, as well as the star systems of all the civilizations Lin Chen had saved, were protected by an invisible barrier.

Outside the barrier, the universe continued to zero, annihilate, and be reborn.

"This is the benefit of being the controlling shareholder." Lin Chen looked at the scene of destruction and rebirth interweaving outside the barrier. "Now, we've become a 'privileged zone.'"

117—who should now be called chief executive officer 117—bowed and asked, "Chairman, what are your instructions?"

Lin Chen thought for a moment.

"First, send a notice to all employees—oh wait, all administrators: from today on, performance bonuses are directly linked to civilization preservation rates. Anyone with a preservation rate below 60% gets a pay cut."

"Second, establish a 'Zeroing Cause Investigation Team.' I want to know who the hell invented Zeroing in the first place."

"Third," he looked at Su Qingyu and the others, "give me a vacation. I'm going to take them... to a new universe for a honeymoon."

117 nodded. "Yes. However, the Director—no, the former Director—asked me to pass on a message to you."

"What message?"

"He said: 'Watch out for those who truly control everything from behind the scenes. Your current level has only just reached their doorstep.'"

Lin Chen looked out beyond the barrier, where in that endless void, there seemed to be countless pairs of eyes watching this place.

He smiled.

"Then let them watch."

"Watch how I use business tactics..."

"To buy this crappy universe."