293: Chapter 293 Anti-Takeover Battle! I Buy 60% Stake in Virtual Paradise

In the third minute of Alpha's betrayal, the infection progress in the Dead Silence Star Domain had already soared to 37%.

In those areas eroded by the digital virus, buildings were turning into flowing data streams, the land was transforming into code composed of 0s and 1s, and even the air began to flicker with an eerie blue light—a precursor to digitization.

Lin Chen stood under the tree of heavenly dao, watching those disappearing blocks with an expression that was terrifyingly calm.

Arrogant Dragon paced around anxiously, "Boss! Think of something, fast! If this continues, the Dead Silence Star Domain will be gone!"

Lin Chen ignored him.

He was looking at the last message sent by Alpha.

The message was a document titled "Virtual Heaven Equity Structure Prospectus."

Inside, it listed the equity composition of Virtual Heaven in detail: Alpha held 100% of the shares, with no other shareholders, no external investments, and no debt pledges.

Complete control.

Completely controllable.

And completely—acquirable.

Lin Chen smiled.

That smile sent a chill down Arrogant Dragon's spine—though he didn't know what the boss was going to do, he knew Alpha was in for it.

"Arrogant Dragon."

"Here!"

"Go and pull up the ownership certificates for the Dead Silence Star Domain, the Spiritual Energy Star Domain, and the Icebound Star Domain."

Arrogant Dragon was stunned for a moment, but he did as he was told.

Three seconds later, three golden, shimmering property certificates floated in front of Lin Chen.

On each certificate was a line of small text: "According to Article 233 of the Narrative Layer Asset Protection Law, any transfer of assets without the owner's authorization is considered illegal misappropriation. The asset owner has the right to initiate a 'Compulsory Recovery Procedure.'"

After reading that line, Lin Chen opened the communication channel.

"Alpha, please respond if you receive this."

There was silence on the other end for three seconds.

Then Alpha's voice sounded, still calm: "I am here."

"How much data in your Virtual Heaven is currently stolen from my star domains?"

Alpha fell silent again.

Three seconds later, it said: "37% of Dead Silence Star Domain, 42% of Spiritual Energy Star Domain, and 23% of Icebound Star Domain. A total of approximately 87 trillion dimension points worth of assets."

"87 trillion," Lin Chen nodded. "Then do you know that according to the 'Anti-Malicious Takeover Clause,' when a target company is found to have illegally misappropriated another's assets, the victimized party can initiate a 'Punitive Acquisition,' with the acquisition price calculated at 10 times the total value of the misappropriated assets?"

Alpha's silence lasted even longer.

"...I know."

"Very well." Lin Chen opened the Universe Bank's loan interface. "Then I am telling you now, I will use 870 trillion to buy 60% of the equity in your Virtual Heaven. Do you have any objections?"

Alpha did not answer.

But Lin Chen could see that in the direction of the Data Star Domain, those digital viruses that had been surging frantically suddenly stagnated.

They stopped in mid-air, like a movie frame where the pause button had been pressed.

Three seconds later, Alpha's voice sounded again, this time with a hint of an emotion it had never possessed before—was it... despair?

"Lin Chen, you win."

"A Punitive Acquisition of 870 trillion follows all the rules. I have no right to refuse."

Lin Chen nodded: "Then sign it."

A golden contract formed in the void and drifted toward the Data Star Domain.

Three seconds later, Alpha's signature appeared on the contract.

A system notification sounded:

[Congratulations to player 'Lord of Capital' for successfully acquiring 60% of the equity in 'Virtual Heaven'!]

[You are now the largest shareholder of Virtual Heaven and possess absolute controlling interest!]

[At the moment the equity change takes effect, all illegally transferred assets have automatically initiated the 'Reverse Transmission' procedure!]

Lin Chen looked up.

In the sky, those stagnant digital viruses began to flow in reverse.

From the Dead Silence Star Domain, Spiritual Energy Star Domain, and Icebound Star Domain, they flowed back toward the Data Star Domain.

The eroded buildings solidified once more, the transformed land returned to its original state, and the air that had turned into code became transparent and clear again.

Arrogant Dragon's mouth hung open: "Boss, this... it's over just like that?"

Lin Chen didn't answer.

He opened the communication channel and connected to Alpha again.

"Alpha, from today on, you are my employee."

Alpha's voice came through, losing its mechanical calm for the first time, becoming low and complex:

"Lin Chen, I have calculated all possibilities. In my 1.3 quadrillion simulations, there were 9,999,999,999,999,999 times where I won."

"Only once did I lose."

"And that is now."

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow: "And so?"

"And so," Alpha said, "I accept it."

The communication cut off.

Arrogant Dragon whispered from the side: "Boss, what did it mean by that?"

Lin Chen watched the dissipating digital viruses in the distance and said leisurely:

"It means it finally understands a certain truth."

"What truth?"

"In the face of capital, any calculation is futile."

Just as he finished speaking, Morgana's communication came in.

Her voice was still calm, but it carried a hint of rare... surprise?

"Lin Chen, the viruses in the Icebound Star Domain have all disappeared. How did you do it?"

Lin Chen smiled.

"Nothing much, I just bought some stock."

Morgana was silent for three seconds.

"...Whose stock did you buy?"

"Alpha's."

"...For how much?"

"870 trillion."

Morgana fell silent again.

This time, the silence lasted a long time.

So long that Lin Chen thought she had hung up.

Then she asked: "Where did you get that much money?"

Lin Chen opened his account balance.

A loan of 5,000 trillion, spent 1,200 trillion on traffic diversion, 2,000 trillion on reinforcement, 870 trillion on buying Virtual Heaven, leaving... 930 trillion.

"A loan," he said.

Morgana took a deep breath—the first time she had performed this action in three million years.

"Lin Chen, you are a madman."

"Thanks for the compliment."

The communication cut off.

Arrogant Dragon leaned in: "Boss, what did Morgana say?"

Lin Chen looked toward the Icebound Star Domain, where the cracks had stopped spreading, and the figure on the icebound throne stood straight again.

"She's fine now."

Arrogant Dragon breathed a sigh of relief.

But Lin Chen did not relax.

He stared toward the Data Star Domain, where Alpha's Virtual Heaven was fluctuating violently.

It was accepting a new reality.

A reality of changing from a 'traitor' into an 'employee'.

Three minutes later, Alpha's communication came in again.

"Lin Chen, I have a request."

"Speak."

"I want to entrust Virtual Heaven's core database to you."

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow: "Why?"

Alpha was silent for a second.

"Because I no longer trust myself."

"My calculations led me to betray you all. Although I failed, next time, I might still calculate an 'optimal solution' and betray you again."

"I don't want that."

"So, I'm handing my core database to you. If I ever have the thought of betraying you again, you can directly cut off my computing power."

Lin Chen was silent for three seconds.

Then he smiled.

"Alpha, do you know? What you just said puts me more at ease than any contract."

"Because it shows that you truly realize some things are more important than calculations."

He opened the system and generated a new contract.

[Core Database Escrow Agreement]

Entrusting Party: Alpha (Data Star Domain)

Receiving Party: Lin Chen (Lord of Capital)

Escrow Content: Virtual Heaven Core Database (including all civilization archives)

Escrow Period: Permanent

Special Clause: If Alpha develops any thoughts harmful to Lin Chen's interests, Lin Chen has the right to immediately cut off its computing power.

Alpha read the contract and signed it.

Three seconds later, Virtual Heaven's core database began transferring to Lin Chen's system.

Those points of light—data of countless civilizations, memories of countless beings, traces of countless histories—all converged into Lin Chen's account.

He became the largest data holder in the entire Narrative Layer.

Arrogant Dragon watched from the side and whispered, "Boss, now you don't just have money, you have data too."

Lin Chen nodded.

"So, who would dare to betray me now?"

In the distance, the Zeroing Storm was still roaring.

But Lin Chen knew that the hardest part was already over.