190: Chapter 190 Medals and Glory!

This sudden purge, under Lin Zhou's high-pressure tactics, did not cause too much of a stir.

Lao Lu was personally escorted by He Jun to the secret interrogation center controlled by Zhang Zhe.

To serve as a reminder to those officials still stationed abroad, Lin Zhou ordered that the trial results be internally circulated throughout the entire army.

The originally bustling preparations for the navy were instantly doused like a bucket of cold water, but everyone became much more cautious in their work.

The next day, after handling affairs in Beijing, Lin Zhou took a private plane and flew back to the Cyber Freedom Republic.

He did not stop at the temporary office building but headed straight for the "Great Wall" defensive line outside the gold mining area.

A long-prepared award ceremony was to be held here, becoming the best remedy to disperse the low pressure within the army.

In the desert, outside the gold mining area, and in front of the "Great Wall" defensive line, an open-air platform had already been erected.

Red flags fluttered in the square, and 150 elites from the First Company of the National Defense Force, wearing crisp Type 21 desert camouflage uniforms, stood in a uniform phalanx.

Everyone's back was as straight as a javelin.

Lin Zhou had changed into his custom-made black Zhongshan suit, with faint golden dragon patterns embroidered on the collar. This fusion of Chinese and Western design gave him an air of authority befitting someone in a superior position.

Under his instruction, Jack's technical team had long since started a global live stream on his commonly used social media accounts, simultaneously broadcasting on multiple overseas platforms with a title that was direct and arrogant:

"Cyber Freedom Republic: Glory Belongs Only to the Guardians!"

Lin Zhou walked onto the stage, looking down at those eyes filled with eager anticipation. Everyone here had endured the artillery fire at Ironforge.

"Today, I won't preach lofty principles, nor will I talk about international strategy."

Lin Zhou's voice, amplified by loudspeakers, reverberated across the empty square and spread globally through the live stream signal.

"In this world, no one will hand dignity to the weak. Our territory, our water, our gold—all of it was defended bit by bit by you with the weapons in your hands."

"Some say we are an amateur outfit, that we are mercenaries." Lin Zhou waved his hand sharply, his tone becoming impassioned. "But today, I tell the whole world: you are heroes! You are the strongest backbone of this nation!"

He Jun stood at the very front of the phalanx. As the commander-in-chief of this battle, the guilt on his face hadn't fully dissipated, but at this moment, he was ignited by the atmosphere. He shouted, "Attention! Salute!"

The synchronized salute, accompanied by the thundering sound of leather boots hitting the ground, made people's hearts tremble.

The award ceremony began.

First to take the stage were Mark Smith and Dmitri from the special operations group. As these two former top-tier mercenaries received the pure gold Explorer Medals pinned to their chests by Lin Zhou himself, their fingers were actually trembling slightly. They had collected countless bounties in their lives, but never before had they felt their lives were worth so much as they did today.

"Thank you, Lord!" Mark Smith growled in a low, husky voice.

Lin Zhou patted his shoulder. "Mark Smith, that is what you deserve. In the Cyber Freedom Republic, no one cares about your past; we only look at your present."

Subsequently, all members who participated in the raid on the rocket artillery positions, as well as the outstanding officers and soldiers of the First Company of the National Defense Force, received their combat commemorative medals and a text message confirming a substantial cash bonus from Lin Zhou.

The gleaming gold medal flashed before the live stream camera, making the eyes of global netizens ache.

After the awards were presented, Lin Zhou did not immediately end the ceremony but turned to face one of the live stream cameras.

"I know that many people in front of their screens are watching us. To commemorate this war of defending our sovereignty, we have minted ten extra pure gold 'Gold Mine War Commemorative Medals'." He signaled for an assistant to display a sample in front of the camera. "These meaningful commemorative medals are worth a fortune. Now, we will hold a lucky draw in the live stream room to give them away to ten friends who support us."

As soon as these words were spoken, the barrage in the global live stream room exploded, with countless "666" and "Long live the Lord" comments flooding the screen.

In an instant, a massive number of netizens surged into the various live stream rooms; regardless of whether they might get a surprise, participating was never a mistake.

As Jack started the program in the background, a rotating globe appeared on the live stream screen, with countless points of light converging from all over the world. In just thirty seconds, the number of participants in the lucky draw pool exceeded ten million.

In Berlin, Germany, inside a slightly messy student apartment, a young man named Frank was staring intensely at the screen. He was a military and history enthusiast, and the Cyber Freedom Republic—a nascent power that had emerged from nothing, full of iron and blood—was simply the perfect material for his research paper.

"Come on, come on, let me win!" He muttered obsessively. His roommate next to him scoffed, "Give it a rest, Frank. You'd be better off buying a lottery ticket; this thing is definitely rigged."

Before the words had even faded, the globe on the screen stopped rotating, and the IDs and national flags of the ten winners popped up one by one.

[ID: Yankee-Gunner, Region: USA]

[ID: VodkaBear77, Region: Russia]

[ID: Frank_The_Tank, Region: Germany]

...

The UK, France, Brazil, Japan, India... The ten winners came from ten different countries, covering almost all mainstream cultural circles.

Frank was stunned. He rubbed his eyes, hardly able to believe that the ID was his own. The next second, he received a confirmation email from the official Cyber Freedom Republic in his personal inbox.

"I... I won! My God! I won!" Frank jumped up from his chair, waving his fists in excitement, giving his roommate a fright.

It wasn't just him; all over the world, the other nine lucky winners were plunged into the same ecstasy. This lucky draw, which had no under-the-table operations, was completely random, and open to the whole world, made the word "fairness" seem incredibly real.

In front of the live stream camera, Lin Zhou looked at the results fed back from the backend, nodded with satisfaction, and spoke again:

"Congratulations to these ten friends from all over the world. This medal represents our gratitude." He paused, then dropped an even bigger piece of news. "At the same time, I hereby officially invite these ten lucky winners to come and take a look at the Cyber Freedom Republic. Although most of our territory is still under construction and conditions may be a bit harsh, we are willing to open our doors to friends. All expenses for your trip will be fully covered by the Cyber Freedom Republic!"

These words caused the barrage, which had only just calmed down, to explode completely once again.

If the lucky draw was a gimmick, then this all-expenses-paid travel invitation was unparalleled confidence and boldness!

The promotional effect of a live-streamed awards ceremony and lucky draw far exceeded any meticulously produced documentary.

Lin Zhou looked down at all of this. He didn't want simple morale; he wanted a sense of identification. He wanted these people to know that as long as they followed him, Lin Zhou, they could not only feast on meat but also hold their heads high and live as men in this bastard of a world.

At the banquet after the award ceremony, Lin Zhou pulled He Jun aside.

"Lao He, still can't get over that hurdle in your heart?"

He Jun was holding a bowl of strong liquor. He was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then smiled bitterly. "Lord, it was my blindness that brought up a beast like Lao Lu, almost destroying the foundation of the army."

Lin Zhou took the wine bowl from his hand and took a sip. "There is no incorruptibility that lasts forever in this world, only constant checks and balances. You will still be the commander-in-chief of the army, but you must help me train a few deputies. Things like having one head command the entire body should be done as little as possible in the future."

Lin Zhou looked towards the camp lights that had already lit up in the distance. "Diplomacy in Africa is nearing its end. Once the news of joining the alliance comes back, we will officially have to face the real fire of those big bullies. The navy must be fast. When I see that Arleigh Burke floating on the Red Sea, I want even the US's own submarines to not dare to easily surface."

He Jun nodded heavily. "Guaranteed to complete the mission! If there is another mishap next time, Lord, you can skin me alive yourself!"

Just as the host and guests were enjoying themselves, Jack appeared behind Lin Zhou, though no one knew when.

"Lord, our 'heimdall' has captured a strange encrypted communication." Jack's voice was low, but it made Lin Zhou sober up instantly. "The content... seems to be related to the secret warehouse of the 'Miracle Seed'."

Lin Zhou's gaze turned cold instantly.