145: Chapter 145 The Golden Anchor! The Industrial Dilemma

"We must conduct field verification immediately and then launch the mining plan post-haste!"

Chen Yuan swept away his previous gloom, his steps becoming a bit lighter. He paced back and forth in the narrow aisle of the conference room, the sound of his leather shoes clicking against the floor rapid and dense.

He spread out his notebook, his pen tip moving swiftly, already calculating how to divide this massive amount of assets.

"We need to establish a national mining company, bring in the most advanced equipment, and recruit the top engineers! Four billion dollars—even if we only dig out half and store that gold in the national treasury as currency reserves, the leveraged funds will be enough for us to expand 'Oasis One' into a city capable of holding ten thousand people!"

Lin Zhou raised his hand and tapped his knuckles on the table twice, cutting off Chen Yuan's increasingly drifting fantasies.

"Let's solve the staffing positions first," Lin Zhou said, causing Chen Yuan's footsteps to halt.

"What do you mean?"

"We don't have the leadership talent to manage this." Lin Zhou leaned back in his chair and pointed to the roster on the table.

"Look at our cabinet list: the Ministry of Revenue is in charge of finance, the Privy Council focuses on diplomacy, the Grand Marshal leads the military, the Chief Justice handles the judiciary, and the Censor-in-Chief is responsible for supervision... We are missing the most critical position—the Minister of Works."

"Previously, we didn't have an industrial foundation, so leaving this position vacant was fine. But not anymore. The gold mine is just the beginning; subsequent industrial construction will pile up like a mountain. Someone must step up to this position."

The Ministry of Works, in ancient times, was in charge of national engineering, mining, land reclamation, and water conservancy. Corresponding to modern functions, it is a collection of several powerful departments such as the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. As for the 'Ministry of Works' of the Cyber Freedom Republic, it is currently still a blank slate.

"Everyone here is skilled in finance, law, diplomacy, or warfare. Who among you has studied how to open a mine? Who can keep a lid on a large-scale industrial project?" Lin Zhou threw the question out, and no one in the conference room responded; only the soft sound of the humidifier emitting mist remained.

"I propose that we send invitation letters to geological exploration institutions and large mining groups in China," Qin Yue opened her briefcase and found a list of candidates.

"We can ask them to perform a final audit and verification of this file. As long as the results match, we can bring in their technology, equipment, and management teams as a whole through bidding or cooperation. This kind of cooperation will definitely involve government agencies, which might serve as a good bargaining chip during negotiations."

"At the same time, we need to screen candidates suitable for the position of Minister of Works. They shouldn't just have experience with large-scale projects; they must be reliable! After all, this is the lifeblood of the nation."

"I agree," Chen Yuan nodded in support immediately. "Leave professional matters to professional people. We can share a portion of the profits, but the premise is that the project must be fast; we need to see cash soon."

After dealing with the preliminary structure of mining administration, Chen Yuan remembered another equally significant matter and pulled an urgent document from the bottom of the folder.

"Almost missed this one." He pushed the file to Lin Zhou. "This was just sent over by the Chinese agricultural expert group. Our 'Miracle Seed' experimental field in Bir Tawil is nearing the end of its second phase of planting, and harvest and acceptance are expected in mid-April."

"Looking at the current growth data, the results are excellent. The growth cycle, stress resistance, and estimated yield of various crops align perfectly with the results of the first phase of experiments; some data even jumped up by a few percentage points."

Chen Yuan's furrowed brows finally relaxed. "The conclusion given by the expert group is that this technology is extremely stable. They plan to return home after completing this acceptance and officially announce the breakthrough in this desert agriculture technology. They specifically asked if you, the 'Chief Scientist,' would like to return to the site to oversee the final harvest ceremony?"

This news dispelled Lin Zhou's fatigue, and his nerves tightened again. He pinned this matter together with that pending diplomatic negotiation.

What do Director Zhou and his group of diplomats want? They want proof that the Cyber Freedom Republic has the 'ability to sustain itself' and can provide positive value to the regional situation.

What bargaining chip is more persuasive than growing high-yield, efficient grain in the sand?

This technology can not only solve the food problem within the territory but is also a key to solving the global food crisis.

The economic influence and political weight stacked behind this are enough for China to seriously consider the depth of establishing diplomatic relations. This is his reliance when sitting at the negotiating table to demand a large loan!

"Reply to the expert group that I will be there on time," Lin Zhou decided on the spot. "I want to see this achievement reach its conclusion with my own eyes."

He glanced at the calendar; mid-April was already right around the corner.

"When the time comes, it won't just be experts from China; people from Vatican City will surely move upon hearing the news," Qin Yue reminded him from the side. "This is a tripartite cooperation project. At this final moment, all parties will come out to show their presence."

"The more people come, the better; the bigger the commotion, the better." Lin Zhou pushed back his chair and stood up. "We want to show the whole world whether what grows in that desert is a miracle given by God or the technology we intend to promote."

The temperature in the conference room rose due to the dual positive news of wealth and technology, but a sentence from He Jun interrupted this enthusiasm. He had been silently studying the map earlier, and now he looked up, his voice low but every word carrying weight.

"There's a hidden danger." He Jun's words doused the optimistic mood that had just ignited. "A gold mine worth four billion dollars, plus seeds that can turn a desert into an oasis, growing on that piece of land in Africa—it's a piece of fatty meat dripping with honey."

HeLooking around at everyone: "We currently have an armed force the size of an augmented company of police guards. With these few 'fire sticks,' can we guard the golden mountain and the granary?"

Possessing a jade ring becomes a crime. Before their fists are hard enough, these assets may not be meal tickets; instead, they might attract jackals.

Neighboring countries, local warlords entrenched in the region, and even international mercenary groups—anyone who catches a whiff of this wealth will pounce.

"Therefore, expanding the army and establishing a regular national force is already a matter of urgency." Lin Zhou followed the lead, his expression turning solemn.

"Lord, everyone, please wait a moment." He Jun stood up before the meeting adjourned. "Since we're going to get serious, what are everyone's thoughts on the military's organization and establishment? This must be decided first. We want a regular army capable of fighting hard battles, not a ragtag band."

Lin Zhou stopped and turned his gaze toward this important official who was about to take command of military power.

The lights in the conference room illuminated the map on the table, and a discussion about building an army to strengthen the nation began.