313: Chapter 313 The Awakening of the Ancient Gods! The Property Rights of Ancient Beings

The moment the three figures stepped into the exchange, the temperature in the entire hall plummeted.

It wasn't a physical drop in temperature, but a chill from the depths of the soul—a pressure older and more terrifying than the Zeroing Storm, a primal force born at the dawn of the universe.

The investors who had been reveling just a moment ago were now all frozen in place. Someone's wine glass slipped and shattered. The smiles on some faces congealed like frozen statues. Some people's legs went weak, and they knelt directly on the ground.

The Chaos Ancient God stood at the front, surrounded by tendrils of grayish-white chaotic qi. The gas constantly shifted shapes, sometimes turning into hideous ghostly faces, sometimes into twisted tentacles, and sometimes into countless peering eyes. His face was obscured, leaving only a pair of blood-red eyes visible, like two bottomless abysses.

The Ancient Immortal Emperor stood to his left, wearing an ancient black imperial robe and a flat-topped imperial crown, with a long sword hanging at his waist. His expression was majestic and indifferent, his gaze sweeping over everyone present as if looking at ants. He radiated a pressure that demanded the submission of all worlds—the aura of an emperor who had ruled over countless epochs.

The Mechanical God stood on the right, composed entirely of cold metal. No flesh, no expression, only countless precision gears and flowing data. His eyes were two faint blue light screens, constantly flashing with complex code.

The three walked up to Lin Chen and stopped.

The Chaos Ancient God spoke, his voice sounding as if it came from an ancient abyss—low, hoarse, and carrying the vicissitudes of endless ages:

“Lin Chen, right?”

Lin Chen looked at him, his expression unchanged.

“It's me.”

The Chaos Ancient God laughed.

That laughter made one's soul tremble, as if countless aggrieved spirits were wailing in one's ears. In the hall, several weak-willed investors fainted outright.

“I am the Chaos Ancient God.” He pointed to the two beside him, “These two are the Ancient Immortal Emperor and the Mechanical God.”

“We have come to tell you one thing—”

He paused, the chaotic qi churning violently:

“This universe belongs to us.”

“Your New Era Development has committed infringement.”

The entire venue fell into a dead silence.

The investors' eyes widened, unable to believe what they were hearing. Infringement? What did New Era Development infringe upon? Since when did this universe belong to them?

Golden Abacus frowned but did not speak. As a banker, he knew best how to remain silent when the situation was unclear.

Zhang Hao stood behind Lin Chen, his face pale, but he forced himself not to retreat. His Lackey instinct told him that those who had come this time were not ordinary enemies, but existences more terrifying than Yuanshi.

Arrogant Dragon gripped his sword hilt, his knuckles turning white. He could feel the terrifying pressure emanating from them—an imperial aura older than his own as an Immortal Emperor's reincarnation. But he did not back down, only staring fixedly at the Ancient Immortal Emperor.

Young lady Morgana's palms condensed with frost, a frost more piercing than usual—her inheritance fragments were sounding an alarm, telling her that the three existences before her were even more powerful than the Frost Supreme in her prime.

Lin Chen looked at the Chaos Ancient God and was silent for three seconds.

Then he smiled.

That smile made the Chaos Ancient God frown slightly—he had lived for over three million years and had seen countless reactions from people before him: fear, despair, kneeling for mercy, or frantic resistance. But this kind of smile from Lin Chen was a first for him.

It was a half-smile, yet not quite a sneer, as if he were looking at three old antiques.

“Infringement?” Lin Chen spoke, “What evidence do you have?”

The Chaos Ancient God was stunned.

He hadn't expected Lin Chen's first reaction to be asking for evidence.

The Ancient Immortal Emperor took a step forward and said coldly:

“Evidence? We have existed for over three million years and have managed countless epochs. That is the evidence.”

Lin Chen looked at him.

“Managed countless epochs? Then where were you when the Zeroing Storm came?”

The Ancient Immortal Emperor fell silent.

Lin Chen continued: “The Zeroing Storm nearly destroyed four star sectors, causing countless casualties. I took a loan of 967 trillion to buy traffic diversion, buy reinforcement, save the dead silence, save spiritual energy, save the frozen, and save the data. Where were you then?”

“Now that the storm has passed and I've established a company to rebuild civilization, you jump out and say the universe is yours?”

He paused, his smile becoming even more brilliant:

“Old fogies, have you slept for so long that your brains have rotted?”

The Ancient Immortal Emperor's face instantly turned livid—if he had a face, that is.

The Mechanical God spoke, his voice like metal grinding, bone-chillingly cold:

“Lin Chen, watch your words. We are not here to debate with you.”

“Then what are you here for?”

“To declare ownership,” the Mechanical God said. “According to the first epoch's cosmic property law, any civilization, resource, or space born within the universe belongs to the first batch of intelligent life. We are that first batch.”

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow.

“The first batch? Just the three of you?”

“There were others,” the Chaos Ancient God interjected. “But they are all dead. Only we have lived until now.”

Lin Chen nodded.

“So, according to your words, the entire universe belongs to you?”

“Correct.”

Lin Chen laughed.

That smile was even more brilliant than before.

“Then let me ask you a question.”

The three looked at him.

Lin Chen pointed at the star sectors outside the exchange that were being rebuilt.

“The civilizations in those star sectors, the living beings who survived—are they yours as well?”

The Chaos Ancient God frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, if they are yours too, then why didn't you save them?” Lin Chen's voice suddenly turned cold. “Where were you when the Zeroing Storm came? Where were you when Morgana burned her origin? Where were you when Alpha went into hibernation? Did you ever care about those dying beings?”

The three fell silent.

Lin Chen continued: “Now that they've survived, relying on me and relying on themselves, you jump out and say they belong to you?”

He took a step forward, closing in on the Chaos Ancient God.

“Say it again—they belong to you?”

The Chaos Ancient God remained silent.

The Ancient Immortal Emperor said coldly: “Lin Chen, we are not here to discuss these things with you. We are here to reclaim what is ours.”

“What things?”

“Ownership of this universe,” the Ancient Immortal Emperor said. “Including New Era Development. You used our resources to rebuild civilization; everything you used belongs to us. Now, we are taking it back.”

Lin Chen looked at him and was silent for three seconds.

Then he smiled.

That smile was different from before—it wasn't mockery or disdain, but... dangerous.

“Take it back?” he said. “Fine.”

He opened the system and pulled up a document.

The title of the document was: 'Universe Property Rights Registration Certificate'

Below it was a line of small text:

“According to the records of the Epoch Administration Bureau, universe ownership has never been registered under any individual's name. The universe is common property belonging to all civilizations.”

Lin Chen projected the document into the air.

“See this? Official records from the Epoch Administration Bureau. You say the universe is yours, where's the evidence? Is it registered? Is it notarized? Have you paid taxes on it?”

The Ancient Immortal Emperor's face turned livid again.

The Chaos Ancient God said coldly: “The Administration Bureau's rules were set later. We are existences of the first epoch and are not bound by those rules.”

“Not bound by rules?” Lin Chen laughed. “Then why come to talk to me about infringement? Infringement itself is a regulatory concept. Since you aren't bound by rules, then the infringement you speak of doesn't exist either.”

The Chaos Ancient God was stunned.

He realized he had been talked into a corner.

The Mechanical God took a step forward:

“Lin Chen, do not play word games. We have come to you to give you an opportunity.”

“What opportunity?”

“Hand over 51% of the shares of New Era Development and acknowledge that the universe belongs to us. In exchange, we can allow you to continue managing these civilizations.”

Lin Chen looked at him.

“Is this a threat?”

“This is an ultimatum,” the Mechanical God said. “You have three days to consider. Three days later, if we do not receive a satisfactory answer—”

He paused, light flashing in his eyes:

“The God War begins.”

“At that time, the entire universe will know what ancient wrath means.”

As the words fell, the figures of the three began to dissipate.

The Chaos Ancient God gave Lin Chen one last look, his eyes filled with endless chill.

“Three days.”

The voice echoed in the air.

The three vanished completely.

The pressure dispersed.

In the hall, the investors could finally breathe. Some gasped for air, some slumped to the ground, and some sobbed quietly.

Golden Abacus walked quickly to Lin Chen's side and whispered:

“Lin Chen, they are serious. A God War is no joke.”

Lin Chen looked at him.

“I know.”

“Then what do you plan to do?”

Lin Chen smiled.

That smile was different from when he faced the Chaos Ancient God—it was a genuine smile.

“They said they want a God War?”

“Then we fight.”

Golden Abacus was stunned.

“But they...”

“They have three million years of power, but I have three hundred trillion in capital.” Lin Chen interrupted him. “Who wins and who loses is not yet decided.”

He turned and looked at Zhang Hao, Arrogant Dragon, and Morgana.

“Go back. We're having a meeting.”

“Three days is enough for us to prepare many things.”

Zhang Hao asked quietly: “Prepare what?”

Lin Chen looked at him.

“Prepare for a war.”

“A Property Rights War.”

Outside the window, the starlight was brilliant.

But beneath that starlight, endless undercurrents were surging.