143: Chapter 143 A Warning from the East! Governing a country is not gambling!

The day after Lin Zhou returned to Beijing, a Hongqi sedan with ordinary license plates pulled up silently in front of the courtyard where he was temporarily staying.

Director Zhou's invitation came sooner than he had expected.

The meeting place was not at any official institution, but at a private garden club in the Beijing Suburbs. The simple and elegant pavilions were hidden among the lush green bamboo forest, giving off a sense of a recluse living in the city.

Inside the tea room, sandalwood incense curled in the air.

Director Zhou personally brewed a pot of Da Hong Pao for Lin Zhou. The tea was a clear red with a rich aroma.

"Congratulations, Leader Lin." Director Zhou used the same title, but his tone held a hint of complexity. "I suppose I should call you Lord Lin now. You handled the matter in Egypt cleanly and efficiently, resolving the sovereignty issue once and for all."

"It was just luck," Lin Zhou said, picking up his teacup without too much pleasantry.

"Luck?" Director Zhou set down the teapot and tapped his finger lightly on the table. "At the site of the African Union Summit, a sovereign nation's civil aviation plane exploded mid-air, leaving no survivors among the high-level officials. In Cairo, the opposition worked with internal allies to change the regime overnight. And you call that luck?"

Director Zhou's tone was steady, but every word reached Lin Zhou's ears clearly.

"Yes! All of this was an internal coup in Egypt. Whether it was the explosion or anything else, none of it was your direct doing."

"But without your support, this change in Egypt would not have happened so soon."

"This is not the way China would act, and certainly not the way a responsible head of state should act." Director Zhou's expression grew serious. "Lin Zhou, I must remind you. Governing a country is not like pushing chips in a Las Vegas casino. You won the bet this time, but what if you had lost? Have you thought about the consequences?"

"A leader of an organization labeled as planning to subvert another country's regime and carrying out terrorist attacks... Your Cyber Freedom Republic would turn from a model of an emerging nation into a pariah shunned by the international community overnight. You yourself would be sent to an international court, or perhaps even 'be disappeared' in some unknown corner. Even we wouldn't be able to protect you."

"Fortunately, most countries don't have the capability to obtain this intelligence. The Americans certainly know, but since they acquiesced to this coup, they won't say anything. That's the only reason you've maintained your precarious reputation!!"

These words held no threat; they were merely stating a cold fact.

Lin Zhou remained silent for a moment before draining his tea in one gulp.

"Director Zhou, I understand what you mean." He looked up again. "But did I have any other choice at the time? With a sword hanging over my head that could fall at any moment, all development was just a castle in the air. I needed to remove that sword, even if the process was a bit risky."

He paused and continued in a sincere tone, "I promise you, unless it is absolutely necessary, I will never use such methods again. Even if it truly comes to that, I will communicate with China in advance and never act on my own."

This promise softened Director Zhou's expression slightly. This attitude was exactly what he wanted. China could tolerate an ambitious and capable ally, but it would never accept an uncontrollable madman who might ignite a powder keg at any moment.

"It's good that you think that way." Director Zhou nodded. "Remember what you said today."

Seeing that the goal of the warning had been achieved, Lin Zhou moved on to the main topic.

"Director Zhou, a colleague from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs once gave me a standard: if we want to establish formal diplomatic relations with China, we need recognition from at least twenty United Nations member states."

He looked at Director Zhou and stated calmly, "Just a few days ago, with the recognition from the new Egyptian government and a group of African countries following suit, the number of countries that recognize the Cyber Freedom Republic and have expressed a desire to establish diplomatic relations has exceeded that number. Furthermore, we have just obtained observer status in the African Union."

Hearing this, Director Zhou rubbed his finger against his knee.

He said frankly, "To be honest, none of us expected you to meet this condition so quickly. We have already received the application you submitted."

Instead of giving an immediate answer, he changed the subject. "While the methods you used in Egypt were out of line, they did indeed demonstrate your power. However, the foundation of a country cannot ultimately rely solely on such things. You need to prove to the world, and especially to us, that your country has the capacity for sustainable development and can bring positive value to regional stability, rather than being another source of trouble."

Lin Zhou's heart stirred as he immediately understood Director Zhou's subtext.

"I understand. We will prove our value."

"That's good." Director Zhou stood up. "Go back and wait for news for now. Establishing diplomatic relations is no small matter; we need internal discussions to form a unified opinion. Once there is a result, we will notify you."

Lin Zhou stood up to see him off, escorting Director Zhou to the door.

Watching the Hongqi sedan merge into the traffic and disappear at the end of his vision, Lin Zhou stood there for a long time without moving.

The true test was only just beginning. The negotiations to establish diplomatic relations with China would be the most important gamble he had faced to date, with a difficulty and significance far exceeding his previous business negotiations with the Blackstone Group.

He had to present enough bargaining chips to let China see the tangible benefits that establishing diplomatic relations with him would bring.

This would also be the most profitable negotiation. If successful, it would not only open negotiation channels with most countries but also serve as an attitude, a signal of acceptance.

Joining the United Nations would no longer be a distant, unattainable dream.

Back at the base, Qin Yue, Chen Yuan, Zhang Zhe, and others had been waiting for a long time. They had all seen the shocking upheaval in Egypt in the news, as well as the "well-timed" statement from the Cyber Freedom Republic. Everyone's heart was filled with alarm and speculation.

Lin Zhou walked into the conference room and looked at the familiar faces. He knew he had to give his core team an explanation.

"I know everyone has many questions," Lin Zhou began directly, his gaze sweeping across the room. "Regarding everything that happened in Egypt, I can tell you now... yes, we were involved."

Amidst the incredulous looks from everyone, Lin Zhou continued, "Not only were we involved, but we were also an indispensable link in this coup."

The conference room instantly fell into a deathly silence.