232: Chapter 232 The Trap of the White Bone Consortium? I Made My Creditors Owe Me Trillions

The Skeletal Starfield, where the headquarters of the White Bone Consortium is located, gave everyone a show of force within 3.2 seconds of the portal opening.

There was no light here—not just darkness, but the very concept of 'light' was forbidden by some rule. Only countless pale bones emitted a faint, ghostly phosphorus fire, illuminating a cluster of buildings constructed from the remains of planet-sized behemoths.

The moment the seventy million cultivators stepped out of the portal, they collectively shuddered.

It wasn't the cold; it was their life instincts screaming—every bone here held the residual despair of its original owner before death, converging into a literal ocean of negative emotions.

"Welcome to Creditor's Paradise."

A reception party composed entirely of skeletons emerged from the sea of bones. The skeleton at the head had golden soul flames flickering in its eye sockets—a characteristic of high-level undead.

"Manager Long, we have been expecting you." The golden skeleton's jawbone clattered. "The Group has prepared a... 'Special Repayment Package' for you."

It waved its hand.

The surrounding sea of bones suddenly came to life. Countless skeletons reorganized and merged, constructing a White Bone Cage in the void that stretched for hundreds of millions of miles, trapping everyone inside!

Blood-colored runes surfaced on the inner walls of the cage, each one frantically draining the life force and cultivation of those trapped within!

"This is the 'Debt Cage'," the golden skeleton smiled. "Those trapped will lose 1% of their cultivation every second until they become mortals—at which point, your souls will become the collection of the Financial Group."

Among the seventy million cultivators, some had already begun to scream—their cultivation was draining away like water through an open floodgate!

Arrogant Dragon immediately released his Immortal Emperor pressure, attempting to push open a barrier.

But the barrier was assimilated and absorbed the moment it touched the cage!

"It's useless," the golden skeleton said triumphantly. "The rule priority of this cage is higher than most universal laws. Unless you immediately pay off the nine hundred trillion debt, otherwise..."

It paused: "Oh right, interest has rolled for another hour. It's now nine hundred and ninety trillion."

Inside the cage, panic began to spread.

Arrogant Dragon, however, suddenly laughed.

"High priority?" He pulled out his work badge and opened a hidden interface. "Then what about this?"

The interface displayed: [Chairman's Temporary Authorization: Rule Override Protocol - In Effect]

The flames in the golden skeleton's eye sockets jumped violently: "Impossible! How could Chairman-level authority be given to a mere manager—"

Before it could finish its sentence.

All the blood-colored runes of the White Bone Cage suddenly reversed their flow!

Instead of draining cultivation, they began a reverse infusion!

Furthermore, what was being infused wasn't ordinary energy, but 99.99% pure Innate Spiritual Qi that had been purified by The Group!

The seventy million cultivators jolted simultaneously—not only did their cultivation stop draining, it began to skyrocket!

"This is..." someone cried out in surprise, "I'm breaking through!"

"Me too!"

"This Spiritual Qi is a hundred times purer than that of our world!"

The golden skeleton panicked: "Stop! Stop it at once!"

"It can't be stopped," Arrogant Dragon said calmly. "Once a Rule Override is activated, any device with a lower priority than this rule will lose control. Now, this cage... belongs to me."

He raised his hand and clenched it.

The White Bone Cage suddenly contracted, but instead of crushing those trapped inside, it trapped the golden skeleton and its reception party within it!

"Now," Arrogant Dragon looked at the trapped skeletons, "let's talk about the debt issue."

He pulled up the evidence files provided by Lin Chen and projected them into the void.

"According to Article 17 of the Interdimensional Financial Supervision Regulations, if the lender's source of funds is illegal, the borrower has the right to refuse repayment."

The files began to play automatically:

Scene 1: The White Bone Consortium's 'archaeology team' was desecrating the ancestral tombs of a cultivation civilization, refining the skeletal remains of past ancestors into a financial derivative known as 'Bone Soul Bonds'.

Scene 2: The Financial Group kidnapped three thousand Innate Spiritual Physiques, forcing their clansmen to take out high-interest loans to ransom them.

Scene 3: Even more horrifying—the Financial Group signed an agreement with a certain entity from the Zeroing Storm to exchange rare resources from the storm at the cost of 'preemptively harvesting dying civilizations'...

Case after case, all of them were major crimes.

The golden skeleton's soul flames flickered violently: "These... these are forgeries!"

"Is that so?" Arrogant Dragon pulled up the real-time authentication interface of the Cosmic Supervision Bureau. "Then how about we do an 'authenticity verification'? If the documents are real, the Financial Group will be shut down immediately; if they are fake, I am willing to bear the charges of defamation—but during the verification period, interest on all debts will be suspended."

He looked at the golden skeleton: "Do you dare?"

The golden skeleton fell silent.

It didn't dare.

Because the documents were real.

"It seems you don't dare." Arrogant Dragon put away the documents. "Then we'll go by the rules—since the lender acted illegally, the loan contract is void from the start. Not only do you have no right to pursue the debt, but you must also return all interest already collected and pay compensation."

"The standard for compensation: triple the illegal gains."

"Let me see..." He calculated quickly. "The Financial Group has profited approximately three hundred trillion from illegal business over the past three epochs. Triple that is nine hundred trillion."

"It just happens to offset Blue Flame's debt."

"So now," Arrogant Dragon smiled, "you owe us... zero yuan."

The golden skeleton's soul flames nearly went out.

"You... this is extortion!"

"No, this is defending rights according to the law." Arrogant Dragon turned to the seventy million cultivators and said, "Everyone, you are now witnesses. Please wait here; the Supervision Bureau's investigation team will arrive shortly."

Just as he finished speaking.

The void cracked open, and three warships bearing the emblem of the 'Cosmic Financial Supervision Bureau' leaped out.

Supervisors in uniform stepped out, their expressions solemn: "White Bone Consortium, you are suspected of multiple financial crimes. We are now conducting a comprehensive investigation according to the law. Please cooperate."

The golden skeleton went completely limp—the Supervision Bureau was already here, which meant the other party had come prepared!

Arrogant Dragon walked up to it and said in a low voice: "I'll give you a choice."

"One, resist to the end, the Financial Group gets shut down, and all of you executives get exiled to the Void Dimension."

"Two, cooperate proactively, transfer 51% of the Financial Group's equity to the Epoch Management Group in exchange for 'tainted witness' status, and keep the remaining 49%."

The golden skeleton snapped its head up: "You want to acquire us?!"

"It's called 'strategic restructuring'." Arrogant Dragon pulled out a contract. "Sign it, and you'll still be shareholders, just changing from the bosses to minority shareholders. Don't sign... and you'll be nothing at all."

This was an open scheme.

Either die or live half-dead.

The golden skeleton's soul flames flickered wildly, and finally, it said dejectedly: "I... I'll sign."

The contract took effect.

51% of the White Bone Consortium's equity was instantly transferred to the name of the Epoch Management Group.

The Supervision Bureau investigator saw this scene, paused for a moment, and then nodded to Arrogant Dragon: "Since it has been taken over by a legal institution, the investigation will be converted to an 'internal rectification and supervision'. Please submit a rectification report within thirty days."

"Certainly." Arrogant Dragon smiled as he saw the supervisors off.

Now, only their own people remained in the Skeletal Starfield.

The seventy million cultivators watched this reversal, all of them dazed.

Is it... over?

Not only did they not have to pay back the debt, they even acquired the creditor?

Arrogant Dragon had no time to explain; he immediately issued orders:

"All Financial Group employees, listen up! From now on, your job descriptions have changed—no more lending; instead, you will provide 'debt restructuring consulting' and 'bad debt disposal services'."

"First task: Sort through all the Financial Group's illegal debts, contact the debtors, inform them that their debts are void, and that they can apply for a refund of interest already paid."

"Second task: Take all legal debts that the debtors are unable to repay and package them into 'non-performing asset packages' to be acquired by The Group—acquisition price: 10% of the face value."

As soon as these two orders were issued, the entire Skeletal Starfield was shaken.

Those debtors who were originally suffering under the Financial Group's oppression suddenly received "debt cancellation" notices, and all of them wept with joy.

And those Financial Group thugs who were originally prepared for violent debt collection had now changed careers to "debt consultants" and began helping debtors formulate repayment plans.

"Manager Long," a skeleton consultant who had just transitioned roles floated over, "operating this way will cause The Group to suffer massive losses..."

"Losses?" Arrogant Dragon pulled up a financial product that The Group had just launched. "Look at this."

Product Name: [White Bone Consortium Debt Restructuring Support Securities]

Product Description: These securities are based on the historical debts of the White Bone Consortium as underlying assets. After restructuring by The Group, the expected recovery rate is 40%. They are now being issued at 25% of face value, with an expected annualized yield of 15%.

Target Audience: Conservative investors throughout the universe.

"The total face value of the Financial Group's debt is approximately two quadrillion," Arrogant Dragon explained. "We acquire it at 10% for a cost of two hundred trillion. After packaging it into securities and selling them at 25%, we earn five hundred trillion."

"In and out, we make a net profit of three hundred trillion."

"And those debtors will be won over from now on, becoming loyal users of The Group—their future value far exceeds three hundred trillion."

The skeleton consultant's processor nearly burned out listening to this.

You can even play it like this?!

"Alright." Arrogant Dragon looked at the golden skeleton—who should now be called "Manager Jin." "Take me to the Financial Group's 'Core Vault'."

Manager Jin did not dare to delay and led Arrogant Dragon to the deepest part of the star sector.

There suspended a black sun composed entirely of compressed souls—those were the 'defaulted souls' seized by the Financial Group over countless eons, numbering as many as a billion.

"These..." Arrogant Dragon frowned.

"They are all unlucky bastards who couldn't pay their debts," Manager Jin said in a low voice. "According to the Financial Group's rules, their souls will be imprisoned here forever, providing 'emotional energy' for the Financial Group."

Arrogant Dragon watched those souls struggling in agony within the black sun and fell silent for three seconds.

Then he said: "Release them all."

"What?!" Manager Jin cried out. "That is the Financial Group's most important asset! It produces an annual value of over thirty trillion!"

"I'm the one in charge of the Financial Group now." Arrogant Dragon pulled up the release program. "Release them."

The program started.

The black sun began to disintegrate, and a billion souls poured out like a tide, coalescing into form in the void.

They looked around blankly, and then a world-shaking wail erupted—it was the release of those who had regained their freedom.

Arrogant Dragon said to them: "Your debts have been taken over by The Group. Now you have two choices: one, reincarnate now and have your debts cleared; two, join The Group to work and repay your debts in installments with your salary—but what you'll be paying is an 'aid fee', not high-interest loans."

The souls looked at each other.

Then, over 90% of them chose the second option.

Because they had died once and knew the value of freedom. And working to pay off debt was at least a way to live with dignity.

"Very well." Arrogant Dragon nodded. "Now, you are the first batch of employees for The Group's 'Soul Affairs Department'."

He turned and left the vault.

Manager Jin followed behind and couldn't help but ask: "Manager Long, I don't understand... what exactly are you after by doing all this?"

Arrogant Dragon stopped in his tracks.

"In my previous life, I was an Immortal Emperor, and what I sought was the pinnacle of power."

"In this life, I am a manager, and what I seek is..."

He looked at the souls who were registering for employment, the cultivators who had gained a new life, and the Financial Group employees who were transitioning.

He said softly:

"To let those who should live, live; and let those who should die, die."

"To make the world..."

"A bit more decent."

Just as he finished speaking.

The entire Skeletal Starfield suddenly shook violently!

It wasn't an earthquake, but something far more terrifying—all the bones were wailing, and all the souls were trembling!

An alarm popped up on the monitoring screen:

[Warning! Detection of the 'Ultimate Creditor' awakening!]

[Identity: Founder of the White Bone Consortium—'Skeletal Emperor' (Dormant for ninety-seven epochs)]

[Reason for Awakening: Change in Financial Group control triggered the Master-Protection Protocol]

[Estimated Awakening Time: 3 minutes]

Manager Jin's soul flames instantly dimmed: "It's over... the Emperor has awakened... he will kill us all..."

Arrogant Dragon frowned: "What is the Emperor's strength?"

"At his peak... Half-step Creation Grade." Manager Jin said tremblingly. "Although he has weakened significantly after his dormancy, he is at least... more than a hundred times stronger than a peak Immortal Emperor."

A hundred times an Immortal Emperor?

Arrogant Dragon took a deep breath.

Then, he connected to Lin Chen's communication.

"Chairman, the Ultimate Creditor is about to wake up. How should we handle this?"

Lin Chen's projection appeared; he seemed to be drinking tea: "Oh, that old bag of bones. I've checked his records—he went into dormancy because he owed the 'Universal Origin Bank' a massive sum and couldn't pay it back, so he faked his death to dodge the debt."

"Dodging debt?"

"Yes." Lin Chen pulled up the bank records. "He owed ninety-nine quadrillion dimension points, and with interest rolling for ninety-seven epochs, it should be about... one hundred quintillion now."

One hundred quintillion (1 followed by 17 zeros)?

Arrogant Dragon was stunned.

"So," Lin Chen smiled, "you have two choices now."

"One, fight him; the probability of winning is 0.0001%."

"Two, send the news of his awakening anonymously to the Universal Origin Bank's 'Bad Debt Collection Department'."

"What will the bank do?"

Lin Chen took a sip of tea: "They'll send a 'Creation-grade collection team' over, drag him off to a 'Debt Labor Camp', and make him work to pay off the debt until it's cleared—estimated term: three million epochs."

"..."

He silently pulled up the anonymous reporting interface.

Entered the Skeletal Emperor's coordinates.

Clicked send.

Then he said to Manager Jin: "Notify everyone, we'll have distinguished guests visiting in three minutes."

"Let's... step away for a bit."