149: Chapter 149 To get rich, build roads first! Here's a highway for you.

The wait was not long.

That afternoon, Director Wang sent someone over to invite Qin Yue's delegation back to the negotiating table.

The atmosphere in the meeting room was completely different from that morning. Director Wang still had a smile on his face, but it lacked the stylized formalities and instead radiated a sense of genuine warmth.

"Dean Qin, Minister Chen," Director Wang said, getting straight to the point. "We have reported the issues you raised this morning to the highest levels. After careful deliberation, we have formed some new ideas that we'd like to discuss with you."

Chen Yuan's back instinctively tensed; he couldn't quite tell what card the other party was about to play.

"Regarding the one-billion-dollar interest-free loan," Director Wang looked at Chen Yuan, his tone steady and direct, "to be honest, the difficulty of this matter exceeds the norm. It's not that we are unwilling to support you, but rather that every expenditure of the state's fiscal funds must undergo strict auditing and congressional oversight. Providing a massive interest-free loan to a country that already has a billion dollars sitting in its account is simply indefensible to our domestic public, no matter how you look at it."

The light in Chen Yuan's eyes dimmed; he had already anticipated this outcome.

"However," Director Wang paused, and his tone shifted, "just because funding is unfeasible doesn't mean support is unfeasible. Let's change our thinking. What if we change our support from a 'blood transfusion' to 'blood production'—and a long-term, 'powerful blood production' at that? What do you think?"

Qin Yue's eyelashes fluttered slightly as she caught the turning point in his words. "What do you mean, Director Wang?"

"Aid, but not cash aid." Director Wang stood up, walked to the map, picked up a laser pointer, and tapped a spot on the map of Northeast Africa—exactly where Bir Tawil was located.

"We have noticed that although your country borders Egypt and Sudan, transportation is extremely inconvenient. You rely entirely on temporary desert roads, which are inefficient and costly. This greatly limits your exchange of goods and personnel with the outside world and also constrains your future development."

The laser pointer drew a red line on the map, standing out prominently.

"We plan to have our top engineering units, such as CCCC or CRCC, build a high-grade asphalt highway through your country in the form of state aid."

The red line started from the Egyptian border in the north, passed through the core area of the Cyber Freedom Republic, "Oasis One," and then headed all the way south to connect with the road network within Sudan.

"This road will be built strictly according to the standards of highways in China. It will be a four-lane dual carriageway, equipped with complete guardrails, signage, and service areas along the way."

"It will completely open up your country's north-south artery, allowing you to transport goods via container trucks from the Alexandria Port in Egypt or Port Sudan in Sudan directly into the heart of your territory without hindrance."

Director Wang's voice echoed in the meeting room, every word clear and powerful: "We have named this road the 'China-Cyber Friendship Road.' From survey and design to construction, all costs will be borne by the Chinese government as a gift for the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries. You won't have to pay a single cent."

In the meeting room, the representatives of the Cyber Republic held their breath in unison, everyone's eyes converging on that red line on the map.

Chen Yuan's eyes slowly widened, and he could clearly hear the drum-like beating of his heart in his chest.

As a financial expert, he knew the value of this road all too well!

Was this just a road? This was practically a heavenly path cast in gold!

Infrastructure construction in Africa is terrifyingly expensive. Especially in desert regions, surveying difficulties, material transport, and logistical support—every single item is a massive expense.

If they were to build such a high-grade highway themselves, it would be unthinkable without two or three billion dollars, and even with the money, they might not find a reliable contractor.

Now, China was going to give it to them for free!

Compared to a loan that could be diluted by inflation, the value of such a tangible piece of infrastructure—one that could last a hundred years and directly leverage the nation's economic lifeline—was simply incomparable to any loan!

"Furthermore," Director Wang continued, "with the road, the foundation for laying electricity and internet will be in place. We can use this road as a corridor to simultaneously plan and lay high-voltage transmission lines and a fiber-optic backbone network for you. Of course, you will need to bear the costs of these two projects yourselves, but we can provide the most favorable long-term loans and top-tier technical support."

"This... this is too precious!" Chen Yuan's voice trembled slightly with excitement. Propping his hands on the edge of the table, he couldn't find more appropriate words for a moment.

Qin Yue's breath also hitched for a moment. She truly hadn't expected the other party to respond with such a grand gesture.

This was no longer simple aid; this was directly incorporating the Cyber Freedom Republic into the strategic planning of China's 'Belt and Road' Initiative in Africa.

They didn't give money, but they gave something more important than money—a lifeline connecting to the world and a ticket into the global logistics system.

"Director Wang, we have felt your country's sincerity." Qin Yue suppressed her swirling thoughts and said solemnly, "On behalf of the Cyber Freedom Republic, I express our most sincere gratitude for the generous assistance of the Chinese government and people."

Director Wang smiled and waved his hand. "We're all one family; let's not speak like strangers. What we hope to see is a prosperous, stable brother nation that can walk side-by-side with us, not a burden that requires long-term blood transfusions."

The atmosphere at the negotiating table completely shifted. The previous confrontational tension vanished, replaced by warmth and sincerity.

He Jun sat in the corner, remaining silent throughout, but at some point, his hands had clenched into fists under the table.

He wasn't thinking about the economy or logistics.

He was thinking that once the road was open, the tanks, armored vehicles, and large-caliber artillery he had long craved could flow steadily into the military camps of Bir Tawil!

While others were still processing the surprise of this "grand gift," the response strategy Lin Zhou had previously set began to surface in Qin Yue's mind.

"You give me a peach, and I give you a fine jade in return."

Since China had shown such profound sincerity, they had to offer an equivalent, or even exceeding, return.

This was not just business etiquette, but the survival wisdom of nations.