144: Chapter 144 The Lord Gets Criticized! I'll Take the Blame!

Lin Zhou stepped into the council chamber, his gaze lingering on those familiar faces. He knew he had to give his core team a clear explanation.

"You are all waiting for my explanation." Lin Zhou pulled out the main chair and sat down, his eyes scanning everyone one by one. "Regarding the commotion in Egypt, I will give you a clear answer now... Yes, we did it."

The people present immediately held their breath; some sat up straight, while others gasped in shock. Lin Zhou didn't stop, dropping another bombshell: "We didn't just get involved; we were the key drivers of this change."

The chamber was eerily silent, making even the sound of the wind outside the window seem piercing.

"Nonsense! Absolute nonsense!"

Minister of Revenue Chen Yuan was the first to slam his hand heavily on the mahogany table, springing to his feet. The financial officer in charge of the national treasury's capital was red-faced with anger, his fingers clenching the newly printed reports into a ball of waste paper.

"Lin Zhou! Do you understand the weight of this action? This is the violent replacement of a sovereign institution! You've thrown our family assets and everyone's lives into a suicidal gamble!"

Chen Yuan's voice rasped and trembled with excitement: "We are just a small country that has barely taken root! A stable and controllable environment is more precious than gold! Yet you went and threw a firecracker directly into our neighbor's stove! If it blows up and the fire spreads to our land, have you considered how to deal with the aftermath?"

President of the Privy Council Qin Yue also put down her pen. Usually extremely restrained, her brow was now tightly knit, and a lingering fear was visible in her eyes.

"Lord, I cannot agree with this kind of risk. The diplomatic affairs I handle have always sought to maneuver within the existing order. But this time, you personally flipped the chessboard."

She reached up to steady her glasses: "We were lucky to win this time, but what about next time? This kind of success, gained by licking blood from a blade's edge, cannot be replicated. How will outsiders see us? In their eyes, the Cyber Freedom Republic will become a dangerous, unpredictable madman. Who will dare to invest in the future? Who will truly identify with us?"

Law Enforcement Officer Zhang Zhe rubbed his temples and let out a low, long sigh: "Legally speaking, our actions are a blatant interference in another country's internal affairs. If even a shred of evidence leaks out, any country could launch a blockade against us under the banner of righteousness. If it gets serious, direct military action is also possible. We are walking a tightrope without a single safety line tied around our waists."

The air in the room was suffocating. As the person who handled the specifics, He Jun kept his eyelids lowered, staring at the tips of his boots, not daring to utter a single word.

Facing this onslaught, Lin Zhou was in no hurry to defend himself, nor did he show any sign of anger. He sat there steadily, letting his old comrades vent all the frustration they had been holding back.

He understood that this was a path every decision-maker must take.

Since he had chosen this path with only a slim chance of survival, he had to endure these inquiries from his closest allies.

Only when the noise gradually died down and everyone's gaze locked onto him again did Lin Zhou steadily push himself up.

"I accept all of your criticisms."

His tone was unhurried, and every word was spoken with great weight.

"I gave this order, and I will shoulder the consequences. I admit this was a massive gamble with the nation's fate on the table, and I have frightened you all. I apologize."

After speaking, he stood up briskly and bowed deeply to the circle of people at the table, performing a solemn gesture of respect.

This move stunned Chen Yuan and the others. They had expected Lin Zhou to use his authority as a sovereign to pressure them or find a bunch of high-sounding reasons to excuse himself, but they never expected him to admit fault so directly.

"But," Lin Zhou straightened up, his gaze becoming sharp and commanding once more, "even if I had to do it all over again, I would have no other choice. The sword of Egypt was pressed against our throats, and the opportunity brought by Hassan and Fatah only comes once. If we missed those few hours, we would have to live at the mercy of others forever. I could only seize that initiative, despite the low odds of success."

"Now, the hidden danger has been eliminated." Lin Zhou's voice rose, carrying an unwavering confidence. "We have obtained complete autonomy that no one can interfere with. We have secured the status of a loyal ally to a powerful neighbor. The ticket to join the United Nations is now in our hands. All of these are the chips we won back from the gambling table."

He looked around and continued to promise: "From this day forward, any strategic action involving the fundamental security of the nation must first pass through a cabinet meeting. I guarantee that I will never again let you all live in fear after the matter has already been decided."

Chen Yuan's expression finally softened a bit. They weren't looking for internal strife; they just wanted to add a functioning brake to this incredibly fast chariot.

Seeing the atmosphere improve, Lin Zhou brought out the ballast he had prepared.

He pulled a thick stack of official documents from his bag and placed them in the most prominent position on the table. On the cover, the bold words "Detailed Report on Geological Exploration and Resources of 'Ironforge' in Bir Tawil" were strikingly visible.

"What's this about now?" Chen Yuan reached out and grabbed the document in confusion.

"This is the ultimate move to completely plug our financial deficit, and it's also the capital for this country to stand tall in the future," Lin Zhou said lightly.

As Chen Yuan flipped through the pages, his chest began to heave more violently. Qin Yue and Zhang Zhe also leaned in, and after seeing the detailed mineral vein trends and purity analysis, their expressions froze completely.

"This... is a gold vein?" Chen Yuan's voice sounded like sandpaper rubbing against the ground, his tone changing due to excitement. "Estimated reserves of seventy-nine tons... based on current gold prices... that's nearly over four billion US dollars?"

"That's the baseline data." Lin Zhou recalled the reward details from the system and explained, "This is a core file provided anonymously by a 'special friend' after we secured our Observer State seat. I've had it verified by industry experts; it's highly accurate."

Four billion US dollars!

This amount instantly shattered the previously heavy atmosphere.

Everyone felt their heads buzzing. Chen Yuan, who had been fuming just a moment ago, no longer had any anger in his eyes; they were filled with the greedy red light of someone staring at a treasure.

"With this," Chen Yuan muttered incoherently, "with this, the problem of the empty treasury can finally be alleviated!"

"It's not just about that money," Lin Zhou corrected. "With a gold mountain as ballast, our local currency will finally have a real anchor. The 'Cyber Yuan' we issue in the future will no longer be virtual numbers on a computer screen or something to coax fans. It will be a hard currency backed by solid gold reserves!"

"We can use this to create our own Gold Standard System! Push our currency to the entire region or even the world!" Qin Yue's eyes also shone brilliantly, instantly grasping the core of the issue.

A tense criticism session was transformed in an instant into a mobilization meeting to discuss territorial expansion and industrial development, all thanks to the impact of these tangible resources.

Lin Zhou looked at this group of capable subordinates who had regained their momentum and breathed a long sigh of relief.

He knew that the sovereignty seized through a gamble was just an empty shell. Only by burying this heavy gold in the sand pits of Bir Tawil would the nation's foundation truly be nailed into this wilderness.