118: Chapter 118 Liar!! You call this a policeman?

He Jun's polite greeting was clearly transmitted via radio to every communication device of the Egyptian "Spear of the Desert" company.

This greeting caused more humiliation and fury among the Egyptian soldiers than the sound of the rocket explosion just a moment ago.

"Bastards! They are humiliating us!" The adjutant's face flushed red; he snatched the communicator, intending to curse back.

"Shut up!" Fatah barked sternly at the adjutant.

Fatah stared intensely at the tablet. In the footage transmitted by the drone, the six rocket launcher operators in the police position had all shouldered new launch tubes, their six dark muzzles aimed at them from afar.

Although they weren't explicitly aiming at any specific vehicle, the underlying deterrent power made cold sweat bead on Fatah's back.

He was convinced that if his side made even the slightest move, six tongues of fire would descend upon them in the next instant.

Facing such weapons, the thin armor of his T-62 tanks, which he took such pride in, was no different from cardboard.

If you are outmatched, you must admit it.

Fatah adjusted his breathing, struggling to maintain his composure. He picked up the communicator, his tone remaining calm: "Minister He Jun, thank you for your 'assistance.' Since this is an exercise, it must be completed, must it not? We, the 'Spear of the Desert,' have no precedent for withdrawing halfway!"

With that, he issued the order to continue the advance.

He Jun frowned slightly as he watched. The warning from the rocket earlier had been shocking, but it hadn't been enough to make these stubborn Egyptians retreat. Provoking them again with rocket launchers—once might be an accident, but doing it again would truly trigger a conflict.

"It seems I must show them what 'assistance' in modern warfare truly entails." A cold smirk played on He Jun's lips.

He picked up the communicator and ordered in a deep voice: "Eye of the Sky, activate electromagnetic interference mode. Let these guys, whose thinking is still stuck decades in the past, get a taste of real electronic warfare!"

The drone high above immediately changed its flight attitude, and the powerful electromagnetic interference device activated instantly. Waves of electromagnetic pulses surged violently toward the Egyptian troops below.

In an instant, the communication equipment of the Egyptian "Spear of the Desert" company was completely paralyzed. The command systems on their tablets went blank, navigation systems failed, and even the fire control radars inside the tanks emitted piercing alarms. The troops fell into immediate chaos; the tank crews stared blankly at their malfunctioning equipment, while the infantry were left not knowing whether to advance or retreat.

"Damn it! What's going on?!" The adjutant panicked and roared.

Fatah's face turned livid; the communicator in his hand emitted only static. Looking around, his troops were in chaos, like headless flies, trapped in a dilemma. This was no longer humiliation; it was an overwhelming crushing defeat.

"Stop the exercise! Withdraw immediately!!" he ordered, gritting his teeth.

Having lost command and communication, the Egyptian tanks and vehicles had no choice but to turn around in disarray, one by one, and slink back to their camp.

A long-suppressed cheer erupted from the police position.

"That was awesome! Did you see the look on their faces? Let these old-timers understand what real high-tech is!"

"Our weapons are the best! This electromagnetic interference is truly a stroke of genius!"

He Jun did not join the celebration, simply observing everything in silence.

His feelings were incredibly complicated. He knew that this overwhelming victory was not due to superior tactical skill, but rather a dimensionality-reduction strike in terms of weaponry and equipment.

...Beijing.

Lin Zhou watched the entire "joint exercise" via remote video. He had long anticipated this outcome.

Using this equipment to deal with those Egyptian troops who were still using outdated Soviet gear from decades ago was no different than university students bullying elementary schoolers.

"Well done." Lin Zhou affirmed He Jun via video. He then added a reminder: "However, He Jun, show some restraint. Don't provoke the opponent too much. The goal of the exercise has been achieved."

"It's all thanks to these powerful weapons," He Jun said sincerely.

"Weapons are inanimate; it's the people who wield them that matter," Lin Zhou corrected. "This was just a test. The Egyptians have suffered a loss and won't give up easily. In the future, they might resort to underhanded tactics. You need to keep your men sharp; never let your guard down."

"Understood!"

After ending the call with He Jun, Lin Zhou did not feel relieved by this minor victory.

The warning from Elder Chen Yuan still echoed in his ears.

Without money, even the strongest army is merely an expensive, gold-devouring beast.

He checked his schedule; there was still one week left until the day he was scheduled to formally sign the cooperation agreement with Schwartzman.

Within this week, he had to complete the architecture for "Digital Switzerland."

He summoned Zhang Zhe and Chen Yuan.

"How is the legal text coming along?" he asked Zhang Zhe.

"The framework is ready." Zhang Zhe handed over a thick document. "I assembled the world's top ten offshore law experts, and we worked behind closed doors for three days and nights to draft the 'Cyber Freedom Republic Special Economic Act.' It integrates Cayman's corporate law, Switzerland's bank secrecy laws, and Estonia's digital citizenship laws, making it the most capital-friendly legislation in the world right now."

Lin Zhou quickly flipped through it and nodded in satisfaction.

"Very good. Submit it to the Legislative Yuan immediately and complete the legislative process with the utmost efficiency."

"Understood."

"Elder Chen, what about the preparations for the National Bank? We need a gateway that can connect to the global banking system."

Chen Yuan's expression, however, turned somber.

"This is the most difficult step," the elder sighed. "We can set our own laws, but we cannot bypass the financial system—the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) system."

SWIFT, or the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication.

It is the core network for transaction settlement between global financial institutions. It is no exaggeration to say that anyone kicked out of SWIFT is effectively isolated from the global financial system.

"Given our current status, the US Ministry of Finance would never agree to let us access SWIFT," Chen Yuan said, cutting straight to the heart of the issue.

"Furthermore, this involves our national identity. Even if Schwartzman can mediate, he won't be able to smooth things over in such a short time. Without a SWIFT code, our National Bank is just a standalone piggy bank. Not a single cent of Schwartzman's money can be transferred in."

This was indeed a fatal problem. Lin Zhou knitted his brows. Forcing it was clearly not an option. He needed a gateway to connect with the global banking system. Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind.

"Elder Chen, what if... we don't use SWIFT? The Cross-Border Interbank Payment System, CIPS!"

Chen Yuan's eyes suddenly lit up. "CIPS?!"

"Yes, CIPS!" Lin Zhou said excitedly. "The Cross-Border Interbank Payment System has already been joined by over 80 countries and regions and more than 3,000 financial institutions, and its influence continues to grow."

"For this system, we only need to obtain consent from China. Once connected, overseas funds can enter our national account through it normally, allowing us to conduct financial operations!"

"This... this is actually a solution!" Chen Yuan stroked his chin, a gleam in his eyes. "CIPS belongs to China; its independence far exceeds that of SWIFT. As a settlement system, it can fully function as a substitute for SWIFT. As long as China gives the nod, we can have our own financial channel!"

"Exactly." Lin Zhou picked up the phone. "This is far more realistic than trying to secure approval from the US Ministry of Finance. I'll contact Director Zhou right now to see if we can secure support in this regard."

Lin Zhou steadied his breathing. He believed that once the financial artery of CIPS was opened, Schwartzman's funds would no longer be a concern, and the economic development of the Cyber Freedom Republic would truly be in their own hands.