153: Chapter 153 The Trade-off Between Nationality and Secrecy

"In the past, we all viewed this place as just a job."

Qin Yue's voice spread steadily throughout the conference room, every word enunciated with precision and clarity.

"A job with considerable challenges and rewards. We served Lin Zhou's blueprint, working and planning for the rise of this newborn nation."

Her gaze swept across Chen Yuan, He Jun, and Zhang Zhe, partners she had worked with for a long time.

"But now, the situation has changed. With the establishment of diplomatic relations with Huaxia and official recognition, this nation has transformed from a 'project' into a true 'entity.' From now on, we will come into contact with more and deeper state secrets. Gold mines, military cooperation, genetic technology... any one of these could invite fatal consequences."

"In my opinion, this red line drawn by the Lord is very timely and indeed necessary."

Minister of Revenue Chen Yuan, the old man who held the nation's purse strings, was the first to respond.

He took off his glasses and meticulously wiped the lenses with a velvet cloth.

When he spoke, his voice was slightly rough from long silence: "I have dealt with money my entire life, worked in finance my whole career. Approaching retirement, I thought that was all there was to my life. I never imagined I would be able to build an entire financial system for a nation from scratch with my own hands."

He paused, looked up, his gaze sharp, as if he could pierce through the numbers in the accounts to see the essence behind them.

"Honestly speaking, this kind of opportunity is more exhilarating than any amount of money. I want to personally craft this nation's ledger into the most secure one in the world. I cannot trust anyone else to do this job. Therefore, I will change my nationality."

His words were short and direct, his will clearly defined.

Grand Marshal He Jun, this man of few words, simply struck his chest heavily with his fist, producing a dull "thud."

"Without the Lord, the best outcome for my brothers would have been to become security guards. Now, he allows me to build an army, an army that truly belongs to us. From training outlines to weapon configurations, everything is for me to decide."

His face was taut, his eyes filled with the burning radiance only seen when a soldier finds their ultimate mission.

"This trust is worth trading my life for. Let alone changing my nationality; even if I had to be buried in this desert, I, He Jun, would not even frown."

"I can foresee that this is the only opportunity in my life to leave my name in history."

Chief Justice Zhang Zhe, the expert in international law, displayed his consistent sense of order.

He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and spoke in the rigorous tone of someone dissecting legal statutes: "From a jurisprudential perspective, as the core decision-making layer of the nation, if we hold foreign nationalities, there indeed exists a legal conflict and potential national security risk. Especially when dealing with international disputes, the status of dual nationality would make us extremely passive in court."

"Furthermore, we are committed to promoting our accession to the United Nations. A nation whose cabinet members are all foreign nationals—how many trust votes do you think we could win at the United Nations General Assembly?"

He looked around at everyone: "Therefore, from a professional standpoint, I determine that changing nationality is a necessary procedure to ensure the legal purity of this nation. I agree."

Everyone's gaze finally converged on Qin Yue.

"My reason is quite simple."

There was relief in Qin Yue's smile, but also a more profound ambition.

"I was once a diplomat of Huaxia, and I am proud of my motherland. But I could see the end of the ceiling within the system. Yet in the Cyber Freedom Republic, what I see is a boundless sea of stars."

"Here, I am not just executing orders, but creating history. I can lead negotiations with major world powers, secure a seat for our nation at the African Union Summit, and in the future, I might even stand on the podium of the United Nations."

She stood up, every word ringing with conviction.

"The satisfaction of personally pioneering a diplomatic legend is something nothing else can replace. My heart has long been committed to this cause. Therefore, I choose to become a true citizen of this nation."

The four core members were highly unified in their thinking.

They were not just doing it for Lin Zhou, but for the grand visions and ambitions awakened within their own hearts.

"Good." Qin Yue sat back down.

"Since we have all decided, this matter must be pushed forward. Starting with us, and extending to the departments we each manage, all positions that come into contact with core secrets must undergo nationality screening."

Chen Yuan nodded in agreement: "Yes, let's set the rules out in the open first. We will respect the personal choices of those who do not wish to change their nationality. However, their positions must be adjusted accordingly. Their compensation can be maintained, but they can no longer have access to core data and decision-making. This is to protect everyone, and also to protect this nation."

"I propose that we immediately draft a 'Regulation on the Nationality Management of Personnel in Core National Positions.'"

Zhang Zhe's professional habit kicked in again.

"Everything must be brought under a legal framework, with rules to follow."

"Agreed."

"Agreed."

This brief yet profound meeting laid an indispensable foundation for this newborn nation—loyalty.

The meeting adjourned, and the four walked together toward Lin Zhou's office.

When Lin Zhou heard their collective decision to change their nationality and that they had already begun preparing the relevant systems, the composure on his face experienced a momentary blank.

He had originally thought that this matter would encounter significant resistance, requiring him to spend a lot of time and effort to gradually achieve it.

He had not expected that his core team would complete the shift in identity identification earlier and more thoroughly than he had anticipated.

Total trust and commitment flowed in his chest like warmth.

"Good, good, good!"

Lin Zhou said the word 'good' three times in a row, stood up, and bowed deeply and solemnly to the four.

"On behalf of the Cyber Freedom Republic, I welcome you all to become her first batch of true citizens!"

Then, he smiled and took the draft regulation that Zhang Zhe had just written, signed it with a flourish, and handed it back.

"The specific institutional construction is entirely up to you. The Chief Justice will take the lead, the Privy Council will cooperate, and the Ministry of Revenue will allocate the budget. Please come up with a comprehensive plan for establishing an immigration agency as soon as possible."

He went back to being a hands-off manager.

The group looked at each other and smiled knowingly, having long been accustomed to this.

This nation was, from a "makeshift outfit" relying on the personal charisma of the Lord, beginning to take its initial yet most crucial step toward becoming an institutionalized modern nation.