131: Chapter 131 The Deception in the Desert! The Most Realistic Rehearsal!

Just as Lin Zhou was overwhelmed by the talent shortage and the astronomical bills...

Thousands of miles away, deep in the Bir Tawil desert across the Red Sea from the Cyber Republic...

A meticulously planned scheme, capable of subverting a nation, was being advanced in full swing.

According to the "exercise plan" provided by Colonel Fattah, a vast simulated urban block was established amidst the swirling sands of the desert.

The construction engineering team from China once again demonstrated their astonishing efficiency to the world, earning them the title of "Infrastructure Maniacs."

With ample US dollars paving the way and the full cooperation of the Egyptian Military giving the green light, a "city district" built with containers and steel structures was declared complete in just half a month.

There was a "fortress" mimicking the Egyptian Ministry of Defense building, a "palace" built to the specifications of the Presidential Palace, and crisscrossing streets, squares, and fortifications sufficient to make any mechanized unit find it difficult to advance.

The entire simulated city was a one-to-one replica based on the map of central Cairo provided by Fattah.

Of course, most of these buildings were just for show; to meet the deadline, many buildings didn't even have roofs.

But as an exercise ground, it was enough.

More than enough!

He Jun and his newly expanded unit, designated as the "Cyber Freedom Republic Police Force," entered this simulated urban area early as the "Blue Army" in the exercise—the defensive side.

He set up his command center in the underground bunker of that "Ministry of Defense building."

The bunker had limited space but was fully equipped.

On the large electronic screen, divided into hundreds of small squares, real-time images transmitted from surveillance cameras all over the city were displayed. Not a single corner could escape his eyes.

"Mark, are the 'Claymores' and booby traps in Sector A all set?" He Jun picked up the walkie-talkie on the table and asked calmly.

"Reporting, Boss, all done! Just waiting for those Egyptian rookies to step on them! I guarantee the first company to charge in will immediately experience the feeling of going to heaven!"

Mark Smith's signature raspy voice, a mix of excitement and cruelty, came through the walkie-talkie.

He Jun ignored his joke and continued to give orders.

"Falcon, check the high-ground sniper points in Sector B again to ensure there are no issues with the field of vision or fire. I don't want a single rat to slip past your eyes."

"Received."

A voice so steady that no emotional fluctuation could be heard responded.

"Attention all squads!" He Jun stood up, his voice clearly reaching every soldier's tactical headset through the radio waves. "The exercise officially begins in forty-eight hours! I don't care what methods you use—traps, cold shots, or sneaking up behind them to slit their throats with a knife!"

"I have only one requirement!"

"I want the attacking 'Red Army' to pave every step of their advance with corpses! Let them know that this city is hell!"

"Roar!"

A suppressed and unified low growl came through the walkie-talkie.

This sound revealed a bloodthirsty craving.

These war machines, abandoned by their respective countries and wandering in every corner of the world, had finally found the stage they were most familiar with and loved the most.

...

A few kilometers away, at the "Red Army" camp.

The atmosphere was completely different from the professional and chilling vibe of the Blue Army; here, a nearly frenzied restlessness permeated the air.

Colonel Fattah stood on the roof of an infantry fighting vehicle, conducting the final pre-battle mobilization for the dense crowd of soldiers below.

Most of the soldiers in front of him were "newcomers" who had just been secretly transferred from various parts of Egypt.

Their faces didn't have the numbness and fatigue of ordinary grunts; instead, each of them stood tall, their faces filled with incited excitement, looking out of place among the surrounding numb veterans.

They were the most loyal followers of the opposition leader, Hassan, planted within the military!

"Brothers!"

Fattah's voice was loud, echoing throughout the camp via the loudspeaker.

"In two days! What we are going to attack is not a simulated city built with containers! It is Cairo! It is our capital!"

"Every inch of sand beneath our feet represents the territory we will liberate with our blood and lives in the future!"

His words were highly inflammatory, instantly igniting the soldiers' emotions.

"Those entrenched in that 'Ministry of Defense' building are not some friendly forces for an exercise! They are Mubarak's henchmen! They are the lackeys of the dictator who steals the nation's wealth and oppresses our families and compatriots!"

"This exercise is not a game! This is our swearing-in ceremony! It is the final rehearsal before we blow the horn of revolution!"

Fattah pulled out the pistol from his waist, pointed it toward the simulated urban area, and roared hoarsely:

"We will use the 'blood' of the enemy here to sharpen our battle blades!"

"We will offer the most perfect sacrifice here for our ultimate victory!"

"Victory! Victory! Victory!"

The soldiers below fell into a complete frenzy. They held their automatic rifles high, and their shouts merged into a torrent, the sound waves nearly overturning the clouds above the desert.

No one knew.

Except for the planners and participants, no one knew.

Behind this upcoming military operation named "Joint Counter-Terrorism Exercise," lay a shocking plot to subvert the nation.

Far away in the Presidential Palace in Cairo.

Minister of Defense General Mubarak received encrypted reports on the preparation of the Bir Tawil exercise on time every day.

The reports were full of "advanced deeds" of how Colonel Fattah was conscientious and how he strictly demanded the troops.

The reports also described in detail how the Cyber Republic Police Force, acting as the "Blue Army," was arrogant and domineering, and how they continuously provoked the "Red Army" through words and actions.

Mubarak was very satisfied with this.

He leaned back on the leather sofa, a cigar in his mouth, nodding as he read the report.

In his view, Fattah, the "vicious dog" he had personally promoted, had excellently completed the task he assigned—to give Lin Zhou, the arrogant head of state of the Cyber Republic, a stern warning.

He even picked up a pen and, in a pleasant mood, wrote an instruction at the end of the latest report: "After the exercise ends, credit Colonel Fattah with a merit once."

He was completely unaware that this "vicious dog" in his eyes had already aimed its fangs at his throat.

...

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Bir Tawil base.

A completely different kind of construction was also proceeding quietly.

Since Lin Zhou and Chen Yuan had finalized the "small steps, fast run" strategy, connecting to the global internet had become a higher priority than building the data center itself.

They couldn't rely on Musk's Starlink forever; that thing was not only expensive but also put their lifeblood in the hands of others.

To truly realize the concept of a "Digital Switzerland," physical connection was an unavoidable step.

The construction team from China Tower, after completing the setup of the simulated urban block, moved on to the new project without pause.

Their goal was to establish mobile communication signal base stations belonging to this nascent nation throughout the entire territory of the Cyber Republic.

The goal of the first phase of the project was simple: to first achieve full signal coverage for the Oasis One Settlement.

Under the harsh sun, the towering crane hoisted steel structures into the air section by section. Workers operated dozens of meters high, their clothes soaked in sweat, which was quickly dried by the hot desert wind, leaving behind a layer of white salt stains.

The prototype of a signal tower was rapidly taking shape.

This was a crucial step for the Cyber Freedom Republic to connect to the global internet.

While the physical infrastructure was underway, applications and negotiations at the software level had also fully commenced.

Applications issued in the name of the "Cyber Freedom Republic" as a sovereign state were submitted to a series of international network governance organizations such as ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), ITU (International Telecommunication Union), and IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force).

In the absence of the "troublemaker" United States' secret interference, these infrastructure applications based entirely on technical and commercial needs progressed exceptionally smoothly.

Whether it was those responsible for allocating IP addresses, managing international domain names, or coordinating International Internet Exchange Points (IXPs), no one would intentionally make things difficult for a sovereign state in such matters.

Once the network was connected, the development of this country could break through its original shackles and enter a stage of rapid growth.