Locke: I rely on intelligence to dominate the world and ensure the survival of my nation.

His camera was focused on the dark waters deep within the pool.

"Zhao Tianyu has blocked all public entrances, but there is never just one way to get to the deep sea."

Lin Chen raised the Grass-type badge, and its emerald green light illuminated the boulder by the pool.

The air above the boulder began to distort, cracks spread, and fragments crumbled away. A pitch-black opening appeared before everyone.

The number of viewers in the live stream surged again.

"This is the hidden entrance to the second layer of the Genos Deep Sea, located in the eastern reef area. Through this entrance, you can bypass all public passages and directly enter the Deep Sea Ruins."

Lin Chen stepped into the cave entrance, and the camera followed his perspective, passing through narrow passages, glowing moss, and upside-down stalactites.

Fifteen minutes later, he stood on the rocky platform of the second level of the deep-sea ruins.

From the edge of the platform, one could see the area cordoned off by Zhao Tianyu's team. Their inflatable raft was moored in the shallow water, and dozens of people were patrolling the rocks like a swarm of headless flies.

Lin Chen was standing just twenty meters above them. A place they would never be able to find.

"Zhao Tianyu said he would seal off the deep sea to prevent anyone from getting in," Lin Chen said calmly. "But the truth is, he only sealed off the public entrance. The hidden passage has always been there; he just hasn't found it, and he doesn't want you to find it."

The rhythm of the comments section has completely changed.

"Damn it! Didn't Zhao Tianyu say he sealed off all the entrances?"

"He sealed off the public entrance! He had no idea about the hidden entrance!"

"So Zhao Tianyu is monopolizing resources and then turning around and blaming Lin Chen?"

"Damn it! We've been used as pawns!"

"Zhao Tianyu, come out and take your punishment!"

"Li Kai, come out and take your punishment!"

Lin Chen didn't say anything more. He continued walking forward, the camera panning across the safe leveling routes in the Deep Sea Ruins, the monster spawn mechanics, and how to obtain water-attribute skill stones.

Every step is packed with useful information, and every sentence is a guide.

There was no nonsense, no sentimentality, nothing superfluous.

When the live stream reached its 40th minute, the number of online viewers peaked at 73 million.

This is the highest single-event live broadcast record in China since the Locke National Fortune Binding Incident.

Seventy-three million people watched Lin Chen's sharing from beginning to end.

When the live stream ended, Lin Chen stood on the edge of the cliff of the deep-sea ruins, with the surging deep blue sea behind him and the glowing stalactite dome above his head.

He only said one sentence.

"The fate of China is not my business alone, Lin Chen. I've told you what I know; the rest is up to you."

The live stream has been shut down.

The entire internet is buzzing.

Within fifteen minutes of the live stream ending, over two thousand players flooded into the safe leveling spot in the Plata Grasslands. Those newbies who had previously struggled with monsters and questioned their existence experienced what "safe leveling" felt like for the first time, following Lin Chen's guide.

A long queue formed beside the abandoned well in the pet park. Players climbed down the well one by one and opened the treasure chest that Lin Chen had shared. Two hundred Rock Coins, three Gulu Balls, and five red potions—things that were insignificant to high-level players were a lifeline for ordinary players.

The eastern reefs of the Genos Deep Sea were crowded with players who had come from afar. Following Lin Chen's demonstration, they used Grass-type badges to open the hidden entrance, passed through the glowing passage, and stood on the rocky platform of the Deep Sea Ruins for the first time.

Those who had been blocked outside the door by Zhao Tianyu for several days finally came in.

"Lin Chen is awesome!"

"Thanks, Lin Chen! I finally caught my first rare pet!"

"That's what a chief consultant should be doing! Who was smearing him before?"

"Where are Zhao Tianyu? Where is Li Kai? Come out and apologize!"

The reversal of public opinion was even more dramatic than when it began.

The hashtag #ThankYouLinChen# trended at number one on Weibo's hot search list.

#ZhaoTianyuSealsTheDeepSea# rose to second place on the trending topics list.

#LiKaiSpreadsRumors# rose to third place on the trending topics list.

The press release that Zhao Tianyu spent millions to buy was crushed to pieces by netizens' anger within three hours.

Meanwhile, Li Kai's live stream is experiencing an unprecedented disaster.

The number of viewers online exceeded 800,000—but these people weren't there to watch his live stream.

The barrage of comments was uniformly filled with "rumor-monger," "smearing the big boss," "get out and apologize," and "clear Lin Chen's name." Gifts flooded the screen, but instead of rockets and sports cars, they were customized gifts with the message "Li Kai apologizes."

Li Kai sat in front of the camera, his face as white as paper. His lips trembled as he tried to say something, but the barrage of insults in the live chat was too fierce for him to get a word in edgewise.

"I...I heard about it too..." he tried to explain.

The comments section became even more aggressive.

"You dare to spread rumors based on hearsay?"

"Are you a news anchor or a rumor-mongering machine?"

"Apologize! Apologize immediately!"

Li Kai's operations team frantically spammed the chat in the background to try and control the comments, but the power of 800,000 people was something a few operations staff couldn't withstand. The chat completely spiraled out of control, and after struggling for twenty minutes, Li Kai's live stream was forced to shut down.

In the last second before the screen closed, Li Kai's face froze on the screen—his eyes were red-rimmed, and his lips were downturned, as if he were about to cry at any moment.

Genos Deep Sea, Zhao Tianyu's temporary command post.

Zhao Tianyu stood on the inflatable raft, clutching his phone. On the screen, the replay of Lin Chen's live stream had reached the point where he stood on the rocky platform, overlooking the blockade line of Zhao Tianyu's team.

"Zhao Tianyu said he would seal off the deep sea to prevent everyone from getting in. But the truth is, he only sealed off the public entrances."

These words were like a knife, piercing Zhao Tianyu's chest with pinpoint accuracy.

His men stood around, but no one dared to speak.

In the distance, ordinary players who had been blocked outside for several days were pouring into the Deep Sea Ruins in droves through the hidden entrance. As they passed Zhao Tianyu's blockade, some gave him the middle finger, some shouted a curse, and most just gave him a cold look.

What he saw in that glance hurt Zhao Tianyu more than any insult.

despise.

Pure, undisguised contempt.

Zhao Tianyu threw his phone into the sea.

"Lin Chen," he forced out through clenched teeth, "you think you've won?"

He turned around and looked into the deeper parts of the sea.

Beneath that dark body of water, there was something—something he had been eyeing from the very beginning.

Water-themed badge.

No, it's not just the water-themed badge.

Behind that badge lies the greatest secret of the entire Genos Deep Sea.

Zhao Tianyu took a deep breath and picked up the walkie-talkie.

"Everyone, retreat to the supply point."

"We're no longer under lockdown."

"But—" he said in a low voice, "keep a close eye on Lin Chen. Wherever he goes, you follow. I want to replicate exactly what he gets."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the walkie-talkie.

"clear."

Zhao Tianyu turned off the walkie-talkie and looked at the blurry figure on the rocky platform in the distance.

Lin Chen was still standing there, with the churning deep sea behind him.

"The game isn't over yet, Lin Chen."

Zhao Tianyu's lips slowly parted into a smile.

"It's far from over."