217: Chapter 217 One Hundred Million US Dollars! To Renew the Imperial Guard's Fees!

"One hundred million dollars?"

On the other end of the phone, Jack's voice cracked.

After a brief silence, Lin Zhou could even imagine the foolish look on his face at this moment.

Although Jack was in charge of the most money-hungry intelligence department—the Jinyiwei—this figure still caused his brain to crash instantly.

"Is there a problem?"

Lin Zhou's voice was as nonchalant as if he were asking "Have you eaten?"

These four light words, however, struck like a thunderbolt.

"No... no problem! Boss! Absolutely no problem!" Jack's voice instantly switched to a feverish pitch of excitement. "I guarantee the mission will be completed! Just watch, I'll dig up their ancestors for eighteen generations!"

Money!

With money, the war machine of the Jinyiwei could run at full throttle!

Whether it was purchasing top-secret intelligence, bribing key personnel, or activating the global data monitoring system... everything required massive amounts of capital as fuel!

"I don't want their ancestors," Lin Zhou interrupted coldly. "I want the source of funds for every single one of them, every hidden network of connections, and exactly what they are planning by gathering together!"

Lin Zhou's fingertips tapped lightly on the armrest.

"A bunch of 'Global Citizens'? Hah."

"In my view, they are more like a pack of sharks that have caught the scent of blood, rushing in to tear off the largest piece of meat!"

"I understand!" Jack's voice immediately regained the professionalism and calm expected of an intelligence chief. "I will activate the highest level immediately. Three days! Within three days, I will give you a preliminary background check report!"

"Good."

The call disconnected.

Silence returned to the car cabin.

Lin Zhou leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes, but a storm was raging in his mind.

Su Zhenbang's appearance had completely disrupted his original layout.

He had originally planned to accumulate capital through high-tech products, then use the African Data Ark and Future City as leverage to navigate between major powers and buy time for development.

But now, a group of so-called "Global Citizens" holding massive wealth and top-tier resources were crying and begging to "naturalize."

This was practically a windfall falling from the sky.

Accepting them would cause the national strength, financial power, and influence of the Cyber Freedom Republic to explode in a short period.

Rejecting them? That would be equivalent to instantly offending a vastly powerful multinational interest group.

This wasn't a multiple-choice question; it was a mandatory essay on how to accept them while firmly gripping the throats of these beasts!

"It seems the construction progress of 'Future City' must be accelerated further."

Lin Zhou opened his eyes and muttered to himself in a low voice.

Only by building the capital into an impregnable super-fortress as quickly as possible and keeping all core power firmly in his own hands would he have enough confidence to accommodate this group of powerful dragons crossing the river!

The vehicle drove smoothly into the hotel's underground parking lot.

As soon as Lin Zhou got out of the car, he saw Qin Yue waiting elegantly by the elevator entrance.

She held a folder in her hand, and her expression looked somewhat urgent.

"Lord."

Seeing Lin Zhou, Qin Yue immediately stepped forward to meet him.

"What is so urgent?" Lin Zhou asked as he walked.

"Two things, both very urgent." Qin Yue followed closely behind him as they entered the private elevator together.

The elevator doors slowly closed.

"First, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) final voting assembly regarding our membership status will be held the day after tomorrow in Geneva. Do you... need to attend in person?"

ISO membership was equivalent to a technical "world passport," crucial for the global expansion of future "Miracle" products.

"I won't go," Lin Zhou replied without the slightest hesitation. "You handle it with full authority. You are the expert; it's more appropriate for you to go than me."

He looked at Qin Yue and changed the subject.

"What about the others? For instance, the International Maritime Organization and the World Health Organization (WHO)? How is the application progress?"

"Very slow," Qin Yue's answer was as expected. "These are intergovernmental international organizations. Our status is very sensitive, and no one is willing to be the first to stand up and support us."

"I suggest that at this stage, we shouldn't waste too much energy on these peripheral organizations," Qin Yue proposed her view. "We should concentrate all our strength on one target—the United Nations! As long as we can successfully join and become the 194th member state, then membership in most other organizations will be obtained automatically!"

"Do as you say!" Lin Zhou decided on the spot. "Concentrate all firepower and pry open the doors of the United Nations for me!"

"Yes!"

With a "ding," the elevator reached the top floor.

The two walked into Lin Zhou's presidential suite, which occupied the entire top floor.

"What's the second thing?" Lin Zhou walked to the wine cabinet and poured a glass of ice water.

Qin Yue took a deep breath and solemnly handed over the folder.

"This afternoon, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received an official forwarded email from the British Embassy in China."

Her voice lowered slightly.

"A man calling himself Earl Edward Windsor hopes to visit you as soon as possible. He said in the email... that there are important matters concerning our country's future 'national destiny' that need to be discussed with you in person."

"A British Earl? Windsor?"

Lin Zhou's hand taking the document paused in mid-air, his brows furrowing instantly.

This surname was no small matter.

He racked his brains but couldn't recall any intersection he had with British officials or nobility.

The only thing that could be remotely connected was that team of Blackwater Mercenaries he had annihilated in the Strait of Malacca a while ago, which had shadows of British capital behind it.

Could they be coming to settle accounts?

Unlikely. If they were coming to settle accounts, it should be warships and diplomats, not sending a noble to use such a polite method.

"Have you checked this person's background?" Lin Zhou opened the folder.

"A preliminary check was done," Qin Yue replied immediately. "Earl Edward Windsor, the title is real, and he holds a hereditary seat in the House of Lords. But this family has been very low-key for the past few decades, with almost no public activities, as if they were invisible."

"That's interesting."

Lin Zhou's finger tapped lightly on the document bearing the Earl's photograph.

The man in the photo was about fifty years old, wearing a well-tailored three-piece suit, with the characteristic reserve and aloofness of a noble on his face.

He had just sent off a group of Wall Street wolves who wanted to be "new nobles," and now an "old-money noble" had arrived.

Have all these people caught the scent and come knocking?

And "national destiny"? Quite the bold claim!

"Then let's meet," a playful arc curled at the corner of Lin Zhou's mouth.

"Set the time for the afternoon of the day after tomorrow. The location will be at the headquarters base in the Beijing Suburbs."

He tossed the document casually onto the table, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"I'd like to see what this great Earl can actually bring me... that is so earth-shattering it concerns the 'national destiny'!"