318: Chapter 318 The Resource Wars of the Old Gods

On the fifth day of the Faith Bond issuance, the Old Gods' third move arrived.

This time it wasn't a war of public opinion or a financial war; it was a full-blown resource blockade.

At three in the morning, an alarm suddenly blared from a mining station on the border of the Dead Silence Star Domain. Arrogant Dragon was the first to rush over, only to see a scene of utter devastation—the teleportation arrays of three spirit stone mines had been destroyed, seventeen transport ships had been sunk, miners were fleeing in all directions, and the corrosive traces of chaos qi still lingered in the air.

Similar scenes occurred simultaneously across thirty-seven star domains within the next hour.

Spirit veins in the Spiritual Energy Star Domain were severed, Ice Springs in the Icebound Star Domain were sealed, energy nodes in the Data Star Domain were destroyed, and even a few small civilizations that had just begun to recover had their food reserves plundered.

When Zhang Hao rushed into the command post, his face was pale.

"Boss! Something big happened! The Old Gods' people are systematically destroying our resource points! Spirit stones, spirit veins, Ice Springs, energy nodes... they're stealing everything! Destroying everything!"

Lin Chen opened the system.

The screen was covered in dense, shocking red alerts:

【Dead Silence Star Domain】 Resource points damaged: 37, estimated loss: approx. 120 trillion

【Spiritual Energy Star Domain】 Resource points damaged: 53, estimated loss: approx. 280 trillion

【Icebound Star Domain】 Resource points damaged: 21, estimated loss: approx. 90 trillion

【Data Star Domain】 Resource points damaged: 14, estimated loss: approx. 70 trillion

Other Star Domains: Cumulative damage to over 200 locations, estimated loss: approx. 500 trillion

Total Loss: Over 1,000 trillion.

Lin Chen looked at those numbers and fell silent for three seconds.

Then he smiled.

That smile made a chill run down Zhang Hao's spine—though he didn't know what the boss was planning, he knew those Old Gods were in for some serious trouble.

"They want to cut off our supply chain," Lin Chen said. "To leave us with no resources to use, to prevent our civilizations from rebuilding, and to stop our company from functioning."

Zhang Hao grew anxious: "Then what do we do? Several star domains are already starting to run out of food!"

Lin Chen didn't answer.

He opened his communications and connected to the management channels of all star domains simultaneously.

"All units, report your resource reserve status."

Three seconds later, the data was summarized:

Dead Silence Star Domain: Spirit stone reserves can last 7 days, food reserves 15 days

Spiritual Energy Star Domain: Spiritual energy reserves can last 5 days, medicinal pill reserves 10 days

Icebound Star Domain: Ice Spring reserves can last 20 days, but food reserves only 8 days

Data Star Domain: Energy reserves can last 3 days, backup power 5 days

Other Star Domains: Average reserves range from 5 to 10 days

Lin Chen looked at the data, his brow furrowing slightly.

Five to ten days. If the Old Gods continued the blockade, these star domains would fall into a resource crisis within ten days at most.

Zhang Hao paced around anxiously: "Boss, should we try to borrow from other civilizations?"

Lin Chen shook his head.

"Borrow? Who would dare lend to us now? The Old Gods' people are watching; they'll attack anyone who helps us."

Zhang Hao was stunned: "Then what?"

Lin Chen didn't answer.

He opened the trading system and began operating.

Three minutes later, a new financial product was listed on the Myriad Worlds Exchange:

【Product Name: Resource War Hedging Futures】

【Underlying Asset: Price index of thirty-seven core resources】

【Contract Type: Long/Short Two-way】

【Margin Ratio: 10%】

【Trading Hours: 24/7】

【Special Note: This futures product allows investors to short any resource controlled by the Old Gods, and also allows them to go long on any resource whose supply is guaranteed by New Era Development】

At the end of the product description was a line of small text:

「The more the Old Gods steal, the scarcer the resources become, and the higher the prices go. Those who short will suffer even more devastating losses. — Lin Chen」

Zhang Hao stared at the description, dumbfounded.

"Boss, you're..."

Lin Chen looked at him.

"Just watch."

The very second the futures were listed, the first trade arrived.

The buyer was an anonymous account, purchasing 10 million lots of "Spirit Stone Short Orders" in one go—betting that the price of spirit stones would fall.

Lin Chen smiled.

"The Old Gods' people."

He opened the system and began counter-operating.

Shorting spirit stones? Then I'll go long.

Using New Era Development's credit, he frantically bought up every futures contract the Old Gods were selling on the market.

Spirit stone long orders, buy.

Spirit vein long orders, buy.

Ice Spring long orders, buy.

Energy long orders, buy.

Three minutes later, news reached the Old Gods' side.

Chaos Ancient God watched the jumping numbers, his brow furrowed deep.

"Lin Chen is going head-to-head with us?"

The Ancient Immortal Emperor nodded.

"He's going long on the resources we're shorting."

The Mechanical God calculated: "Based on current prices, if he continues to buy, we will lose money."

Chaos Ancient God sneered.

"Then let him buy. I want to see just how long he can keep buying."

He ordered: "Continue shorting. Sell him every short order we can."

The Old Gods' followers began frantically dumping short orders.

Lin Chen accepted them all.

Prices were pushed higher and higher.

The price of spirit stones rose from 100 to 150, then 200, then 300.

The price of spirit veins rose from 500 to 800, then 1,200, then 2,000.

The price of Ice Springs rose from 50 to 100, then 200, then 500.

The price of energy rose from 1,000 to 2,000, then 5,000, then 10,000.

Those who were shorting watched helplessly as their margins were swallowed bit by bit.

The Old Gods' side began to panic.

The Mechanical God performed an emergency calculation: "At this rate, in another three hours, our entire margin will be wiped out."

Chaos Ancient God gritted his teeth: "Where did he get so much money?"

The Ancient Immortal Emperor analyzed: "He's not using cash; he's using credit. New Era Development has a market value of 1 quadrillion; he can use that credit to open infinite long positions."

Chaos Ancient God fell silent.

Three seconds later, he made a decision:

"Stop shorting. We'll just seize the resources directly."

The Ancient Immortal Emperor frowned: "Seize them directly? What about the futures?"

Chaos Ancient God sneered.

"Futures are just things on paper. Resources are real. Once we seize the resources, it won't matter how much he goes long."

He ordered: "Everyone, continue destroying the resource points and take everything you can carry."

The Old Gods' forces mobilized once again.

This time, they were no longer satisfied with destruction; they were plundering.

Spirit stone mines were ransacked, spirit veins were drained dry, Ice Springs were bottled up, and energy nodes were hollowed out.

Those star domains that had just stabilized were thrown back into panic.

Zhang Hao watched the footage, his face pale: "Boss, they're really stealing it all!"

Lin Chen didn't speak.

He just watched the price curves on the futures market.

Spirit stone price: broke 500.

Spirit vein price: broke 3,000.

Ice Spring price: broke 1,000.

Energy price: broke 20,000.

Those who had shorted had already lost everything down to their shirts.

Lin Chen smiled.

"That's about enough."

He opened the system and began to reverse his operations.

This time, he wasn't going long; he was shorting.

Spirit stone short orders, sell.

Spirit vein short orders, sell.

Ice Spring short orders, sell.

Energy short orders, sell.

Prices began to plummet.

The Old Gods who were still plundering resources suddenly discovered that the items they had seized were no longer valuable on the market.

Spirit stones dropped from 500 back to 200.

Spirit veins dropped from 3,000 back to 1,500.

Ice Springs dropped from 1,000 back to 300.

Energy dropped from 20,000 back to 8,000.

Chaos Ancient God was stunned.

"What's going on?"

The Mechanical God calculated urgently: "Lin Chen is shorting. He's driving the prices down."

"Then the resources we seized—"

"Have depreciated. An average depreciation of over 60%."

Chaos Ancient God's face turned green.

They had worked hard plundering for three days, and the resources they got were now worth only forty percent of their original value.

Meanwhile, those who had shorted on the futures market had already lost all their margin.

Including their own people.

The Ancient Immortal Emperor gritted his teeth: "Lin Chen, you are truly ruthless."

Chaos Ancient God was silent for a long time.

Then he asked the Mechanical God: "How many resources do we have left now?"

The Mechanical God replied after calculating: "Based on original prices, about 800 trillion. Based on current prices, about 300 trillion."

Chaos Ancient God: "..."

They had invested at least 500 trillion in costs.

A net loss of 200 trillion.

Adding in the losses from the futures market, the total loss was nearly 800 trillion.

Under the tree of heavenly dao, Zhang Hao looked at those numbers and laughed so hard he couldn't stand up straight.

"Boss, you're too wicked! You let them plunder for ages, only for them to end up with worthless junk!"

Lin Chen set down his teacup.

"This is called risk management."

"Let them know that stealing from others comes with a price."

He stood up and walked to the window.

"Next, it's our turn to move."

Zhang Hao was taken aback: "Move? What move?"

Lin Chen didn't answer.

He just looked into the distance, the corners of his mouth curling slightly upward.

"Rebuild the supply chain."

"Let all the plundered civilizations know that New Era Development will not abandon them."

Outside the window, the starlight was brilliant.

Those star domains that had been pillaged were waiting for a new hope.