312: Chapter 312 Company Goes Public! Market Value Exceeds Five Trillion on First Day

Three days after the equity war ended, New Era Development was officially listed on the Universe Concept Board.

The listing location was chosen as the "Myriad Worlds Exchange" in the void—the largest financial center in the heavens and myriad worlds, a giant building composed of pure rule power, suspended in a rift in time and space. Trillions of funds flow here every day, and the fates of countless civilizations are decided here.

Lin Chen arrived with the core team an hour early.

The Chairman of the Exchange came out personally to greet them, a middle-aged man with a smiling face, wearing a crisp black uniform with the exchange's badge pinned to his chest. Seeing Lin Chen, he was as enthusiastic as if he had met a long-lost brother:

"Chairman Lin! I've long looked forward to meeting you! It is truly our honor that you chose to list here!"

Lin Chen shook hands with him and didn't say much.

Zhang Hao whispered from the side, "Boss, why is he so enthusiastic?"

Lin Chen glanced at him.

"Because New Era Development is the largest IPO this year. The Exchange has performance evaluations."

Zhang Hao suddenly understood.

The group walked inside the Exchange.

The hall was packed with people, with investor representatives from all over the heavens and myriad worlds crowding every corner. There were messengers from high-level civilizations surrounded by lightning, elemental lifeforms composed entirely of energy, Cultivators in ancient robes, and expressionless data lifeforms.

Even more were groups of professional investors in suits—they represented major funds, consortia, and families, holding astronomical sums of money, their eyes gleaming with a thirst for profit.

The moment Lin Chen entered the hall, countless gazes focused on him simultaneously.

Those gazes held curiosity, scrutiny, awe, and greed.

Lin Chen remained unfazed and walked straight toward the main stage.

Above the main stage hung a giant holographic screen. The screen was scrolling through New Era Development's Prospectus—company valuation, business scope, future plans, and risk warnings. Every number was followed by dense annotations.

Zhang Hao looked at those numbers and whispered, "Boss, is our company really worth this much money?"

Lin Chen didn't answer.

Arrogant Dragon said from the side, "Probably. Whatever the Boss says goes."

The young girl Morgana had specially changed into formal attire today and stood behind Lin Chen. Her gaze swept over the investors, finally landing on a group of people in the corner.

That group of people wore uniform gray robes, their faces devoid of expression, standing there like statues.

"Lin Chen," she whispered, "those people over there aren't quite right."

Lin Chen looked in the direction of her gaze.

He recognized those gray-robed people—they were Executor of the Epoch Administration Bureau. Yuanshi's people.

What were they doing here?

Lin Chen didn't have time to think further because the listing ceremony was about to begin.

The Chairman of the Exchange stepped onto the main stage and cleared his throat; the entire hall instantly fell silent.

"Everyone, today is a special day." His voice spread throughout the hall via the system. "New Era Joint Development Company—referred to as New Era Development—will be officially listed on this exchange."

"This is the largest IPO of the year, and the first company to go public since the Zeroing Storm."

"Next, please welcome the Chairman and CEO of New Era Development—Mr. Lin Chen, to the stage to ring the bell!"

Thunderous applause.

Lin Chen stepped onto the main stage and stood before the giant golden bell.

This bell was condensed from the power of rules; ringing it meant the company was officially listed. The sound of the bell would spread throughout the heavens and myriad worlds, and all investors would hear it.

Lin Chen picked up the mallet.

The whole audience held their breath.

The mallet fell.

*Dong—*

The bell's sound was melodious, penetrating time and space.

[Stock Code: XJK-0001]

[Opening Price: 1,000 dimension points/share]

[Total Issuance: 50 billion shares]

[Total Market Value: 50 trillion dimension points]

This was only the opening price.

The real carnival had only just begun.

In the first second after opening, the transaction volume exceeded 10 trillion.

The stock price rose from 1,000 to 1,200.

In the third second, it reached 1,500.

In the tenth second, it broke 2,000.

The investors went wild. They placed orders frantically, snatched up shares frantically, and pushed the stock price up frantically.

Zhang Hao stared at the screen, his eyes widening: "B-Boss, our company... is worth this much?"

Lin Chen didn't speak.

He just watched the jumping numbers, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

Three minutes later, the price broke 3,000.

Ten minutes later, it broke 5,000.

Half an hour later, it broke 10,000.

The total market value on the holographic screen soared from 50 trillion to 500 trillion.

Tenfold.

The investors were completely frenzied.

"New Era Development! New Era Development!"

"Lin Chen! Lin Chen!"

The cheers were deafening.

Golden Abacus squeezed next to Lin Chen at some point and whispered:

"Lin Chen, you've struck it rich."

Lin Chen looked at him.

"We've struck it rich. You are the second largest shareholder."

Golden Abacus smiled.

There was a hint of helplessness and a hint of admiration in that smile.

"If I'd known the stock price would rise this sharply, I should have invested more."

Lin Chen shrugged.

"There'll be an opportunity next time."

Just then, Alpha's voice suddenly rang in Lin Chen's ear:

"Boss, someone is selling off in large quantities."

Lin Chen frowned.

"Who?"

"That group of gray-robed people. Executor of the Epoch Administration Bureau."

Lin Chen's gaze swept toward the corner.

Sure enough, those gray-robed people were operating terminals, selling one batch after another. The volume they sold wasn't huge, but the frequency was high, as if they were deliberately suppressing the stock price.

The price fell from 10,123 to 9,876.

Then it fell to 9,543.

The investors began to panic.

"What's happening? Who's selling?"

"The price is dropping! Run!"

Panic began to spread.

Lin Chen looked at the jumping numbers and fell silent for a second.

Then he smiled.

That smile made a chill run down Zhang Hao's spine—although he didn't know what the boss was going to do, he knew those gray-robed people were in trouble.

"Alpha," Lin Chen spoke.

"Present."

"Use the Rescue Fund to buy everything."

Alpha was stunned: "Everything? That's 837 trillion..."

"Everything."

Three seconds later, the Rescue Fund began a frantic buying spree.

However much the gray-robed people sold, the Rescue Fund snapped up.

The price stopped falling and rebounded.

It rose from 9,500 to 9,800, then to 10,200, then to 11,000.

The gray-robed people were clearly panicking and sold even faster. But the faster they sold, the faster the Rescue Fund bought.

Three minutes later, the gray-robed people ran out of stock.

The Rescue Fund bought a total of about 30 billion shares at an average price of 10,500.

Cost: 315 trillion.

Lin Chen looked at the number and nodded with satisfaction.

"What is the stock price now?"

Alpha reported: "11,200, and it's still rising."

"Keep it rising."

Seeing the stock price stabilize and rebound, the investors' confidence returned. They bought frantically, fearing they would miss the next wave of surges.

Half an hour later, the price broke 15,000.

Total market value: 750 trillion.

The gray-robed people stood in the corner, their faces turning green—if they had faces, that is.

Zhang Hao leaned in and whispered, "Boss, those people were sent by Yuanshi, right?"

Lin Chen nodded.

"What does he want? To make our stock price crash?"

"Yes," Lin Chen said. "The company just went public; a crash would cause panic. If the panic spreads, New Era Development's reputation will be ruined."

"So what do we do now?"

Lin Chen smiled.

"Now? Now that they've sold everything, we hold 30 billion shares. When the price rises a bit more, we'll sell them back to them."

Zhang Hao was stunned: "Sell to them? Do they still have money to buy?"

Lin Chen pointed at the gray-robed people.

They were arguing heatedly in the corner, some waving their hands excitedly, others shaking their heads in despair.

"They will," Lin Chen said. "Yuanshi won't let them return empty-handed."

Sure enough, three minutes later, the gray-robed people began operating their terminals again.

They had transferred new funds from the Administration Bureau and began buying frantically.

But this time, the price had already risen to 18,000.

Their buying cost was 70% higher than when they sold.

Zhang Hao looked at the gray-robed people and couldn't help but laugh out loud:

"These fools, selling low and buying high, they've lost a fortune."

Lin Chen shook his head.

"It's not stupidity. It's a mission."

"What mission?"

"Yuanshi's mission. They must execute it, no matter how much they lose."

Zhang Hao fell silent.

Looking at the gray-robed people, he felt they were a bit pitiful for the first time.

At the close, the stock price was fixed at 20,000.

Total market value: 1 quadrillion (1,000 trillion) dimension points.

The investors went wild. Looking at their accounts and that string of astronomical numbers, some fainted on the spot, some knelt and wept, and some hugged those around them and laughed maniacally.

Golden Abacus walked to Lin Chen's side and held out his hand.

"Lin Chen, congratulations."

Lin Chen shook his hand.

"Congratulations to us both."

The two smiled at each other.

But just then, a terrifying pressure suddenly descended.

The entire exchange instantly fell silent.

Those cheering, weeping, and laughing all froze in place.

Outside the doors, three figures slowly walked in.

The first figure was shrouded in chaos energy, his face obscured, only a pair of blood-red eyes visible.

The second figure wore an ancient imperial robe and a Ping-Tian Crown, radiating a pressure that made myriad worlds submit.

The third figure was composed of pure machinery, with no flesh and blood, only cold metal and flowing data.

They walked up to Lin Chen and stopped.

The chaotic figure spoke, his voice sounding like it came from an ancient abyss:

"Lin Chen, right?"

Lin Chen looked at him, his expression unchanged.

"It's me."

The chaotic figure laughed.

The sound made one's soul tremble.

"I am the Chaos Ancient God. These two are the Ancient Immortal Emperor and the Mechanical God."

"We are here to tell you one thing—"

"This universe is ours."

"Your New Era Development has committed infringement."