251: Chapter 251 Reality Collapses! Lin Chen Turns the Hospital into a Listed Company

17 seconds after the Author collapsed, the documents for the four books began to type automatically:

["dimension shareholder" · To Be Continued]

["i open a supermarket in the apocalypse" · To Be Continued]

["immortal emperor returns" · To Be Continued]

["star overlord" · To Be Continued]

[Author Status: Comatose]

[Estimated Hiatus Duration: Indefinite]

[According to Article 8 of the Agreement: If the Author is unable to fulfill the contract, the characters have the right to initiate the 'Emergency Intervention Protocol']

In the conference room, everyone stared at those few lines of text.

"What is the Emergency Intervention Protocol?" Arrogant Dragon asked.

Future Lin Chen pulled up the details of the agreement: "When the Author is unable to update due to force majeure, the characters can select a representative to travel to the real world via the Narrative Layer channel and take necessary measures to maintain the Author's vital signs—until the ability to update is restored."

"In other words," Current Lin Chen summarized, "we have to save him."

"But how can characters go to the real world?" Arrogant Dragon frowned. "We are just data."

"There is a way." The "silence" light spot suddenly spoke. "The Chairman just acquired me—the essence of 'Zeroing' is to 'erase existence,' but the reverse operation is to 'bestow existence.' I can consume dimension points to temporarily allow you to manifest in the real world."

"How long can it be maintained?"

"One minute for every 100,000 dimension points." The light spot calculated. "Moreover, the real world will reject data life, and you will continuously lose health. I estimate... with your health points, you can last thirty minutes at most."

"Enough." Lin Chen stood up. "Arrogant Dragon, you stay here to maintain the stability of the universe. Future me, you are responsible for analyzing the cause of the Author's coma. I will go personally."

"Chairman, the risk is too great—" The "silence" light spot tried to dissuade him.

"If he dies, we all die." Lin Chen pulled up his account. "I have a reserve of 300 million dimension points, enough for 300 minutes. Begin the transmission."

A portion of the light spot split off, turning into a white channel.

At the other end of the channel was the scene of an apartment in the real world—the Author had collapsed in front of the computer, the screen light reflecting off his pale face.

Lin Chen stepped into the channel.

Instantly, a tearing sensation spread throughout his body.

It was like being suddenly pulled from water into the air; every data cell was screaming. Garbled code began to appear at the edges of his vision, and his health points dropped at a rate of 1% per second.

[Reality Rejection: In Progress]

[Current Health: 99%... 98%... 97%...]

Gritting his teeth, he walked to the Author's side.

He reached for the carotid artery—weak, but still beating.

"First aid knowledge..." Lin Chen recalled, "Call 120 first."

He picked up the phone on the desk, only to find it required a fingerprint to unlock.

There was no other way.

He directly consumed dimension points to purchase [Reality Interference Authority - Temporary], forcibly cracked the phone, and dialed 120.

"Hello? This is Building 3, Room 1702 of XX Community. Someone is unconscious, heart rate 40, breathing is weak..."

Hanging up the phone, he checked the Author's condition.

Pill bottles were scattered by the computer: muscle relaxants, painkillers, and... a white pill bottle with a blurred label.

Lin Chen picked up the white pill bottle and scanned it with the system:

[Ingredient Analysis: High-intensity stimulant + sedative mixture]

[Effect: Forcibly refreshes the mind, but causes excessive cardiac load]

[Source: Illegal underground workshop]

"He took this?" Lin Chen frowned.

Future Lin Chen's voice came through the channel: "Detected that the drug concentration in the Author's body exceeds the limit by 300%. This is not an accident; it's acute heart failure caused by long-term use of prohibited drugs."

"Why use this kind of medicine?"

"To update 20,000 words a day." Future Lin Chen pulled up the browsing history on the Author's computer. "Search records show that three months ago, he joined an 'Explosive Update Mutual Aid Group.' The group leader sells 'Refreshing Divine Medicine.' The Author bought it, and the results were good—but the price was heart damage."

Just then, the footsteps of emergency personnel came from the hallway.

Lin Chen had to leave—the rejection from the real world was getting stronger, and his health points had dropped to 70%.

But he suddenly thought of something.

"Wait." He looked at the computer screen.

The backends of the four books were still open.

Subscription data was slowly declining—because the Author had collapsed and updates had stopped, readers were starting to leave.

"What if I update for him?" Lin Chen asked.

"You cannot operate a real-world computer," the "silence" light spot reminded him.

"But I can operate the Narrative Layer." Lin Chen pulled up the agreement he had just signed. "The terms allow for 'Ghostwriting Updates' by the characters in an emergency. As long as the content fits the persona and does not exceed the Author's preset outline."

"But you don't know how to write novels—"

"I can write business proposals." Lin Chen looked at the document. "And isn't the core of "dimension shareholder" a business plan?"

He closed his eyes.

Through the data connection, he injected the "Plot Conception" from his own consciousness directly into the Narrative Layer.

The document began to generate automatically:

[Chapter 37: Reality Collapse! Lin Chen Turns the Hospital into a Listed Company]

[Content: After Lin Chen discovers the Author is in a coma, he decides to launch a cross-border rescue. He uses dimension points to purchase reality interference rights and summons a medical team...]

The writing was smooth and the pacing was tight.

Most importantly—it perfectly fit Lin Chen's persona: solving problems with money.

A minute later, the chapter was finished.

The backend data rebounded instantly.

Reader comments: "Updated! Is the Author okay?"

"This chapter is so exciting! Cross-border rescue!"

"Sent a tip, wishing the Author a speedy recovery!"

Subscriptions rose again.

"It worked," Future Lin Chen reported. "But it can only be maintained in the short term. The Author's health problems must be solved fundamentally."

Emergency personnel burst through the door.

Lin Chen turned invisible in the corner, watching them lift the Author onto a stretcher.

Health: 55%.

He followed the ambulance to the hospital.

In the emergency room, the doctor quickly diagnosed: "Acute heart failure, needs immediate surgery. Where is the family?"

"No family." The nurse flipped through the medical records. "Lives alone, can't contact family."

"Surgery requires a signature and advance payment of fees—"

"I'll pay the fees." Lin Chen used reality interference again, converting the dimension points in his account into RMB. "How much?"

"A deposit of 100,000 first."

"One million." Lin Chen transferred the money directly. "Use the best doctors, the best medicine. If it's not enough, I'll add more."

The doctor was stunned.

But the money had arrived.

The surgery was scheduled immediately.

Lin Chen sat on a hallway bench, his health points continuing to drop: 50%... 45%...

While maintaining the updates on the Narrative Layer, he monitored the progress of the surgery.

Future Lin Chen sent the analysis results: "The Author's heart damage has reached a critical point. Even if the surgery is successful, he won't be able to withstand high-intensity writing in the future. We need a long-term solution."

"What solution?"

"Two options: One, we reduce the update frequency and let him rest. But data will drop, income will decrease, his pressure will increase—a vicious cycle."

"And the second?"

"Two, we completely take over the writing." Future Lin Chen's voice was serious. "Using AI generation + autonomous character calculation, the Author will only be responsible for auditing. This way, he only needs to work two hours a day."

"Will he agree?"

"He has no choice." Arrogant Dragon's image connected. "His life is in our hands now. And—I just found new intel."

Arrogant Dragon pulled up an investigation record from the real world:

"The leader of that explosive update group who sells 'Refreshing Divine Medicine' is actually an editor for a certain web novel platform. They specifically look for promising Authors and use drugs to stimulate them to update explosively. Once the Author's body collapses, they buy the copyrights at a low price."

"Author Lin Chen rejected copyright acquisitions three times." Arrogant Dragon zoomed in on the chat logs. "So the editor increased the dosage—that white pill bottle was a 'new sample' that just arrived yesterday."

"Murder?" Lin Chen's eyes turned cold.

"Commercial murder," Future Lin Chen summarized. "The platform wants to take the copyrights of four promising works at the lowest cost."

Rejection from the real world intensified.

Lin Chen's health points dropped to 30%.

But he smiled.

"Business problems," he said, "will be solved with business methods."

He pulled up his dimension points account and began to operate.

Step one: Acquire 51% of the equity in that web novel platform—operating through the real-world stock market using an anonymous account.

Step two: Fire all editors involved and file criminal lawsuits.

Step three: Establish the 'Author Health Guarantee Fund' to provide free physical examinations and medical assistance for all signed Authors.

Step four: And the most crucial step—restructure the platform into an 'Author Partnership System,' where Authors can use their works to take stakes and enjoy long-term dividends.

The operation was completed in just three minutes.

In the real world, the CEO of that platform was in a meeting when he suddenly received a notice of dismissal from the board of directors.

The editors received dismissal letters and court summons.

Meanwhile, in the hospital, the operating room light was still on.

Lin Chen's health: 15%.

"Time to pull out." The "silence" light spot urged. "If you stay any longer, your data will collapse."

"Wait a bit longer." Lin Chen stared at the operating room. "I want to make sure he comes out alive."

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

The operating room door finally opened.

"The surgery was a success." The doctor took off his mask. "But he needs long-term recuperation, at least half a year without overexertion."

Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

He turned and walked toward the channel.

But just as he was about to step in—

The Author on the hospital bed suddenly opened his eyes.

The anesthesia hadn't fully worn off, and his gaze was vacant.

But he saw Lin Chen's back.

That suit-wearing back that was currently fading.

The Author's lips moved, making a faint sound:

"...Is... it you..."

Lin Chen looked back.

Their eyes met.

The intersection of reality and fiction.

Then, Lin Chen disappeared into the channel.

When he returned to the Narrative Layer, his health was down to 3%.

[Reality Rejection Ended]

[Beginning Data Repair...]

During the repair process, Lin Chen received an email from the real world.

Sender: Author Lin Chen (Post-Surgery Conscious Version).

The content was just one sentence:

"Thanks. Also, the new chapter was well-written—keep it up."

Attached was a revised agreement.

Added clauses:

[Party A (Author) promises to maintain a healthy routine, writing no more than four hours a day.]

[Party B (Character) shall assist Party A in completing updates and supervise Party A's routine.]

[Both parties shall serve as each other's guardians.]

Lin Chen smiled.

He replied:

"Pleasure doing business with you. PS: Remember to take your medicine on time, otherwise I will stop updating."

Clicked send.

Just then, Future Lin Chen suddenly sent an emergency communication:

"Something's wrong. Although the Author survived, the 'Eunuch Curse' infected his brain through the data connection while he was unconscious."

"Now, a thought is growing wildly in his mind—"

"'Maybe I really should rest for half a year'."