327: Chapter 327 Number 117 Reappears! His True Identity

As the countdown entered its 47th hour, the light screen in the command center suddenly flickered violently.

Alpha's voice rang out, carrying a rare hint of fluctuation: "Boss, abnormal energy fluctuations detected. Source... is the Epoch Administration Bureau. But the signal signature... is Number 117."

Lin Chen snapped his head up.

On the screen, a familiar figure was slowly taking shape.

The figure wore the grey robes of the Administration Bureau; his face was aged and his eyes weary, but a familiar smile hung at the corner of his mouth—it was Number 117. The same Number 117 who had "died" during the Kindling Project settlement. The same Number 117 who had sent his final words using the last of his consciousness.

Zhang Hao blurted out, "Number 117?! Aren't you dead?!"

Number 117 looked at him and smiled.

There was relief in that smile, but also bitterness.

"Dead, yet not dead."

He turned to Lin Chen and spoke slowly:

"Lin Chen, time is short. I'll make this quick."

Lin Chen nodded.

Number 117 took a deep breath—though he was only a projection, the movement was incredibly realistic.

"My true identity is not an Inspector, nor a puppet of Yuanshi, nor some good person."

"I am the Epoch Administration Bureau's 'cleanup program'."

The entire room fell into a dead silence.

Zhang Hao's eyes widened like copper bells, Arrogant Dragon's hand was already on his sword hilt, and frost began to condense in Morgana's palm.

Lin Chen's expression didn't change at all.

Number 117 continued:

"The essence of the Epoch Administration Bureau is not to manage civilizations or maintain order, but—to screen."

"Every so often, the universe enters a Zeroing cycle. Before Zeroing, the Administration Bureau launches the 'Kindling Project' to screen for 'valuable' civilizations, preserve their seeds, and allow them to enter the next epoch."

"And those 'valueless' civilizations—"

He paused.

"Will be formatted. Completely erased, as if they never existed."

Zhang Hao's voice was trembling: "So... the Kindling Project is a lie? Those civilizations we saved..."

Number 117 nodded.

"The Kindling Project is real, and so is the Screening. But what you don't know is—the Administration Bureau's 'cleanup program' has always been running in the shadows. Those civilizations judged to be 'valueless,' even if they survive the Zeroing Storm, will be purged at the final moment."

He looked at Lin Chen.

"And the one responsible for executing this program is me."

Lin Chen was silent for three seconds.

Then he asked, "Why tell us this?"

Number 117 gave a bitter smile.

"Because I don't want to do it anymore."

He raised his hand, projecting a sequence of images.

In the images, countless civilizations struggled within the Zeroing Storm. Some knelt in prayer, some wept in despair, and some desperately tried to protect their children. Then, a grey-white light swept through, and everything vanished—buildings, land, living beings, memories, all reduced to nothingness.

"In three million years, I have personally erased 370 billion civilizations," Number 117's voice was very soft. "At first, I thought I was doing the right thing. Those civilizations had no value; keeping them was a waste of resources. But later..."

He looked at Lin Chen.

"Later, I saw you. I saw you use the Capital Law to bring those 'valueless' civilizations back to life one by one. I saw those who were meant to be erased smile again. I saw those beings judged as 'junk data' create miracles that even I marveled at."

"Only then did I realize I was wrong."

"No civilization is 'valueless.' Every civilization has a meaning for its existence."

He took a deep breath.

"So, I betrayed the Administration Bureau. I used my authority to secretly modify the underlying code of the 'cleanup program.' Now, those civilizations that were supposed to be erased will be marked as 'Pending' instead of 'Purge'."

"But Yuanshi found out."

"He used my identity to do many things. You know about those things. Then, he sealed me within the Administration Bureau's underlying database, forcing me to watch with my own eyes how he committed evil using my identity."

"But he didn't know that before I was sealed, I left a backdoor."

Number 117 raised his hand, and a golden light flew from his palm, landing before Lin Chen and transforming into a small token.

Two words were engraved on the token: 'cleanup'.

"This is my final authority. With it, you can enter the Administration Bureau's core database, view the 'Value Assessment' records of all civilizations, and modify the fates of those about to be purged."

"But there is only one chance. Before the storm arrives, you must make a choice."

Lin Chen took the token and remained silent.

Number 117's figure began to fade.

"Lin Chen, I know you have many questions. But time is short. Remember—the true enemy isn't the Zeroing Storm, it's the Administration Bureau itself."

"The storm is just a tool. The Administration Bureau is the one operating the tool."

His voice grew weaker and weaker.

Finally, he looked at Lin Chen, his eyes filled with expectation and relief.

"Tell those civilizations I erased... I'm sorry."

As the words fell, Number 117's figure completely dissipated.

The command center fell into a deathly silence.

Zhang Hao opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Arrogant Dragon released his sword hilt, his gaze complex.

The frost in Morgana's palm slowly vanished.

Lin Chen looked down at the token in his hand, silent for a long time.

Then he smiled.

That smile made a chill run down Zhang Hao's spine—though he didn't know what the boss was going to do, he knew the Administration Bureau was in trouble.

"Alpha."

"Present."

"Pull up the asset valuation report for the Epoch Administration Bureau."

Three seconds later, a report was projected in the air.

[Epoch Administration Bureau Asset Valuation]

Fixed Assets: Epoch Core, Twelve Executor Authorities, hand of formatting, Zeroing Storm Control System

Intangible Assets: Three million years of management experience, all civilization archives, rule-making power

Total Valuation: Approximately 3 quadrillion dimension points

Lin Chen looked at the number and smiled.

"3 quadrillion? A bit higher than New Era Development's market value. But—"

He paused.

"New Era Development has 10 trillion shareholders. Does he?"

Alpha replied: "No. The Administration Bureau only has 13 people."

Lin Chen nodded.

"Then it'll be easy."

He opened the communication, connecting to all shareholder channels simultaneously.

"Dear shareholders, New Era Development is now initiating a special proposal."

"Proposal Content: Hostile takeover of the Epoch Administration Bureau."

"Acquisition Price: 3 quadrillion dimension points, paid over ten thousand years."

"Acquisition Method: Issue 'Administration Bureau Acquisition Special Bonds,' to be subscribed by all shareholders of New Era Development."

"If the acquisition is successful, the Administration Bureau will become a subsidiary of New Era Development. Yuanshi will become an employee of New Era Development."

"Now, the voting begins."

The room was silent for three seconds.

Then, the voting data began to jump frantically.

Votes in Favor: 99.7%.

Votes Against: 0.3%.

Lin Chen looked at the result and smiled.

"Initiate acquisition."

He looked toward the storm approaching in the distance.

"Yuanshi, your Administration Bureau, I'm taking it."