308: Chapter 308 The Price of Victory! Trillions in Debt

When the victory banquet was held in the central square of the Dead Silence Star Domain, 4.7 billion people gathered together to revel.

Zhang Hao had tallied the number—4,732,000,000 people, not a single one missing. Those beings who had survived the Zeroing Storm were all gathered now in this newly reconstructed square, raising their glasses in cheers, singing and dancing.

A three-story main stage was erected in the center of the square. Lin Chen and his core team sat on the top floor, representatives of major civilizations occupied the middle floor, and the bottom floor was filled with delicacies transported from various star domains.

Emotional Fruits from the Dead Silence Star Domain were piled up like small mountains; one bite could make a person recall their happiest moments. Roasted spiritual beast meat from the Spiritual Energy Star Domain filled the air with aroma, sizzling on the grills. Ice Spring Brew from the Icebound Star Domain was stored in giant ice buckets, each sip carrying a biting sweetness. Light-point Desserts from the Data Star Domain floated in the air, drifting about like fireflies.

Zhang Hao hopped around the main stage with a wine glass in hand, the smile never leaving his face. He wore a newly made dark red formal suit with a 'Governor's First Assistant' badge pinned to his chest. He toasted everyone he met and bragged to anyone who would listen, as if today were his own wedding.

Arrogant Dragon sat on the top level of the main stage with three roasted spiritual beasts placed before him. He devoured the meat while warily scanning the area. Although the Zeroing Storm had passed and he knew no one would cause trouble on such an occasion, the professional habits cultivated over three million years couldn't be changed—he always felt like something might suddenly jump out.

The young girl Morgana stood at the edge of the square, holding a glass of Ice Spring Brew. She wore an ice-blue gown hurriedly made overnight by the survivors of the Icebound Star Domain, her long hair draped over her shoulders and fluttering gently in the evening breeze. A circle of people surrounded her, asking all sorts of questions at once.

“Lord Ambassador, are you really not going to inherit the title of Sovereign?”

“Lord Ambassador, will you be staying in the Icebound Star Domain from now on?”

“Lord Ambassador, what is your relationship with Governor Lin Chen?”

The girl was a bit dazed by the questions, but she kept a smile on her face throughout. She didn't know how to answer, so she could only deal with them vaguely. Those memories were still slowly merging; some were clear, some were blurred, some made her want to cry, and some made her want to laugh.

Alpha didn't come. It sent a message saying it was currently reorganizing the key nodes of Virtual Heaven and couldn't get away. But it added a sentence at the end of the message:

「Congratulate the Boss for me. Even an employee with a monthly salary of 1 Game Coin needs a sense of participation.」

Lin Chen smiled after reading the message.

He sat in the very center of the top level of the main stage, with various delicacies spread before him, yet he hadn't touched a single bite. His gaze remained fixed on the reveling crowds below, looking at those smiling faces that had survived the disaster and at the survivors raising their glasses to him in salute.

At some point, Zhang Hao sidled over, his face flushed red and his tongue a bit thick: “Boss! Why aren't you drinking? This is the best wine from the Icebound Star Domain! Morgana brewed it herself!”

Lin Chen glanced at him.

That look was very indifferent, so indifferent it was as if he were looking at a stranger.

Zhang Hao instantly sobered up halfway—he was too familiar with that look; it was the look the Boss had when he was thinking.

“Boss, did something happen?”

Lin Chen didn't answer.

He simply opened the system panel and turned the screen toward Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao leaned in to take a look.

Three seconds later.

His face went from flushed red to deathly pale.

“Nine... nine hundred and sixty-seven trillion?”

His voice was trembling, shaking as if he had been struck by lightning.

Lin Chen nodded.

Zhang Hao looked at the breakdown behind it, and then his whole world fell apart.

【Debt Breakdown】

Kindling Project Early-stage Loan: 500 billion (Paid off, but interest accumulated 1.2 trillion)

Anti-takeover Alpha Loan: 870 trillion (Unpaid)

Targeted Traffic Diversion Service Loan: 1,200 trillion (Unpaid)

Conceptual Reinforcement Service Loan: 2,000 trillion (Unpaid)

Storm Rescue Fund Expenditure: 837 trillion (Expended, but partially via loans)

Emotional Energy Mortgage Loan: 1.2 quadrillion (Unpaid)

Universe Bank Temporary Credit Interest: Accumulated approx. 370 trillion (Unpaid)

Total: 967 trillion dimension points

Zhang Hao's gaze fell upon the last line of small print:

【Daily Interest: 773 trillion dimension points (Calculated at a daily rate of 80%)】

His voice completely changed pitch: “Daily interest of seven hundred and seventy-three trillion? Boss, this... this is higher than the principal!”

Lin Chen said nothing.

Hearing the commotion, Arrogant Dragon put down the roasted spiritual beast and walked over, taking the system panel from Zhang Hao's hand. He glanced at it, fell silent for three seconds, and then returned the panel to Lin Chen.

“Boss, I'll go slay a few more monsters.”

Lin Chen looked at him.

Arrogant Dragon said seriously: “I know that slaying for a lifetime won't pay off even a single day's interest, but every little bit helps.”

Lin Chen smiled.

The smile was very faint, almost self-deprecating.

“The speed at which you slay monsters can't keep up with the speed at which the interest grows.”

The young girl Morgana noticed the abnormality over here and broke away from the crowd to walk over. She saw the number and froze.

“Lin Chen, this is...”

“Debt,” Lin Chen said. “The price of victory.”

The girl fell silent.

She lowered her head, looking at the wine glass in her hand.

After a long time, she whispered:

“I'm sorry.”

Lin Chen looked at her.

“Why apologize?”

“If it weren't to save the Icebound Star Domain, you wouldn't have borrowed so much.”

Lin Chen stood up and walked to her.

“The star domain that Morgana traded her life for, I couldn't just watch it be destroyed.”

The girl looked up, her eyes slightly red.

“But you owe so much money, how will you pay it back?”

Lin Chen didn't answer.

Just then, a silvery-white light descended from the sky.

That light carried a familiar pressure and landed directly in front of the main stage. As the light dissipated, a figure appeared before everyone—

Inspector 117.

No.

It was Yuanshi.

The entire square instantly fell silent.

Those dancing, singing, and bragging all stopped. They looked at the figure that had suddenly appeared, at that face that had appeared in countless notifications, and at those eyes that were cold and devoid of any emotion.

Zhang Hao subconsciously took a step back, Arrogant Dragon gripped his sword hilt, and frost began to gather in Morgana's palm.

Yuanshi didn't look at them.

He only looked at Lin Chen with an indescribable expression—like pity, yet also like mockery.

“Lin Chen, checked the account?”

Lin Chen nodded.

Yuanshi sighed.

The sigh was very soft, yet it made everyone present feel a weight in their hearts.

“Do you know who designed this debt?”

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow.

Yuanshi pointed to himself.

“Me.”

The crowd erupted.

Zhang Hao blurted out: “You did it on fucking purpose?!”

Yuanshi ignored him.

He just looked at Lin Chen and spoke slowly:

“The Kindling Project was never a simple competition from the start. It is a filter, and also a shackle. The winner gains Governor authority, but simultaneously carries a massive debt. This debt is the final safety measure to prevent a Governor from abusing their power.”

“You won, and you are very strong. But your debt is heavier than your power.”

He paused, his tone becoming meaningful:

“You think you've won?”

“Debt is the Administration Bureau's true shackle.”

Lin Chen fell silent.

Three seconds later, he spoke:

“Why tell me this?”

Yuanshi smiled.

The smile was different from usual—no mockery, no indifference, only an indescribable complexity.

“Because I want to see how you break the game this time.”

“Every time before, you won with some flashy maneuver. This time, you aren't facing an enemy; you're facing debt. A debt written into the underlying rules that cannot be defaulted on.”

“I'm looking forward to it.”

Lin Chen looked at him and suddenly laughed.

That laugh made Yuanshi freeze for a moment—he had seen the reactions of countless people upon learning the truth of the debt; some broke down, some were furious, some despaired, and some knelt and begged for mercy. But this kind of laugh from Lin Chen was a first for him.

It was a half-smile, half-mockery, as if saying, “That's it?”

“Looking forward to it?” Lin Chen said. “Then watch closely.”

Yuanshi was silent for three seconds.

Then he nodded.

“In three days, the audit report will be delivered. We'll talk again then.”

His figure began to dissipate.

Before the last trace of light vanished, he left one last sentence:

“Oh right, Lin Chen—interest is calculated daily, don't forget.”

The light vanished completely.

The square fell into a dead silence.

The survivors looked at each other, not knowing what had happened. But they had seen the number and heard the conversation, vaguely understanding one thing—

Their savior owed a sum of money he could never pay back in a lifetime.

Someone whispered: “Lord Governor, he...”

The person next to them quickly covered their mouth.

But it was too late.

Lin Chen heard it.

He stood on the main stage, looking at the 4.7 billion people below. In their eyes were worry, heartache, helplessness, and confusion.

He was silent for three seconds.

Then he smiled.

The smile was the same as always—calm, composed, as if even if the sky fell, it could be settled with money.

“Keep drinking.”

His voice wasn't loud, but it spread clearly throughout the square.

“The wine isn't finished, the dance isn't over.”

“The debt is mine, not yours.”

“That you are alive is enough.”

The whole place fell silent.

Then, someone was the first to raise their glass.

“To the Governor!”

“To the Governor!”

“To the Governor!”

The voices grew louder and more synchronized, finally merging into a single roar that made the entire square tremble.

Lin Chen raised the glass of Ice Spring Brew he hadn't touched and drained it in one gulp.

The wine was strong.

But his heart was even stronger.

Putting down the glass, he turned to look at Zhang Hao.

“Let's go back.”

Zhang Hao was stunned: “Boss, where to?”

“The command post,” Lin Chen said. “To draft a document.”

Arrogant Dragon asked: “What document?”

Lin Chen didn't answer.

He just looked in the direction where Yuanshi had disappeared, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

That smile was different from usual.

It wasn't calm, it wasn't composed, but rather—

Dangerous.

“Turn the creditors into shareholders, turn the debt into capital.”

“The New Era Joint Development Company... it's time to establish it.”