22: Chapter 22 Shocks the World!

The Il-76 transport plane roared as it took off once more, but this time, the atmosphere inside the cabin was completely different from when they had arrived.

The oppression and tension had vanished, replaced by the excitement of surviving a disaster. Chen Fan and the team members high-fived in celebration, while Qin Yue and Zhang Zhe huddled together, discussing their upcoming negotiation strategy in low voices.

Lin Zhou was settled into a foreign-related hotel in Cairo managed by the military; security was tight, but it also meant absolute safety.

He was in no rush to celebrate; his taut nerves actually became clearer the moment success was achieved. He knew in his heart that the real test had only just begun. The first thing he did was contact Wang Tao, far away in China, via an encrypted line.

The moment the signal connected, Wang Tao's slightly anxious voice came through: "Lin Zhou? Is that you? How's the situation?"

"It's me, Old Wang," Lin Zhou's voice was steady and calm, as if the thrilling action just now had nothing to do with him. "On my end... it's done."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone, followed by an irrepressible burst of excitement: "I knew it! Fantastic! What about the details? Were the losses heavy? Are you okay?" A string of questions showed Wang Tao's concern.

"Let's not talk about the details for now; I'm fine." Lin Zhou interrupted his pleasantries and shifted the topic directly to business. "Now, I need your help."

Wang Tao immediately reined in his excitement, hearing the gravity in Lin Zhou's tone. He understood that this was the real point of the call. This was an invisible game of chess; Lin Zhou had achieved a physical victory on the front lines, and he needed to crown that victory on the battlefield of public opinion, turning it into the most advantageous bargaining chip.

"Go ahead," Wang Tao said solemnly. His mind had already begun to race, mobilizing resources and anticipating everything that might happen next.

"I want the news released," Lin Zhou's instruction was concise.

"All of it?" Wang Tao asked back. This was a crucial probe. Selective disclosure or no reservations? This would determine the difficulty and risk of their subsequent operations.

"All of it," Lin Zhou's answer was categorical. This was an exchange; he was using absolute candor to trade for the absolute execution of Wang Tao's team. "No need to embellish; just describe exactly what happened at the Egyptian Military testing ground. I'll package all the data, including the highest-definition photos and videos, and send them to you shortly."

Wang Tao's breath hitched slightly. He instantly understood Lin Zhou's intention—before anyone had time to react, fabricate lies, or distort the facts, use the most irrefutable truth to bring a violent shock to the entire world. This move was extremely risky, but the rewards were equally staggering. He wanted the impact of raw, unprocessed facts.

"This will stir up a monstrous wave; we'll be pushed to the eye of the storm," Wang Tao confirmed one last time.

"The bigger the wave, the better," Lin Zhou said flatly. "If we can't hold out, I'll find a way."

This sentence was the final promise and the ultimate consensus reached by both parties in this game. Wang Tao no longer had any doubts.

"Understood!" he replied resoundingly. Hanging up the phone, Wang Tao immediately turned and roared at his entire team, who were already on standby: "Everyone move! Get ready to receive the most explosive news material in history!"

His team was highly efficient, and the entire office immediately began operating at high speed.

In less than an hour, a post titled "A Miracle Descends! The Cyber Freedom Republic Creates Water Out of Thin Air in the Heart of the Sahara Under Egyptian Military Supervision!" accompanied by multi-angled videos and photos, exploded across all major global social media platforms simultaneously.

In the video, the harsh desert environment, the Egyptian soldiers with live ammunition, the serious-faced general, and finally, that stream of water appearing out of thin air, formed a powerful visual impact.

When the footage of the general personally drinking that cup of water appeared, the global internet completely boiled over.

"Holy crap! Is this for real? It's not special effects?"

"Looking at those Egyptian soldiers' reactions, it doesn't look like acting! That general's facial expressions were totally out of control!"

"My god, the 'National Nation-Building Plan' isn't actually a joke? He really developed black technology and even got the military of a sovereign state to recognize it?"

"I declare Lin Zhou a living god! To those who were calling him a fraud before, does your face hurt?"

All previous doubts and ridicule were crushed to pieces in the face of iron-clad facts.

The official website of the Cyber Freedom Republic was instantly flooded with unprecedented traffic. The servers crashed several times within just ten minutes, and the programmers responsible for maintenance almost resigned on the spot.

The sales page for titles in the "hall of honor" was even more directly overwhelmed.

"Duke! Where's my Duke title? Are there any spots left? I want to be a founding father!"

"Stop pushing! Leave a Count position for me!"

The wealthy elites who had previously scoffed at the "virtual titles" costing hundreds of thousands were now waving their cash, only regretting that they were too slow. What they valued was no longer that ethereal title, but this ticket to future technology.

The influence of the event quickly spread from the internet to reality.

Major global mainstream media, from CNN to the BBC, followed up with reports at the fastest speed. The headlines were each more sensational than the last.

"A Technical Revolution Triggered by an Internet Carnival?"

"Will Egypt's Nile Anxiety Be Ended by a Young Man?"

"Bir Tawil: The Next Dubai, or a Utopia for the Digital Age?"

The domestic media circle in China was even more in an uproar.

Major official media outlets, while cautiously reporting the events, began to raise deeper questions.

"If Egypt formally recognizes the 'Cyber Freedom Republic,' how will our country position its relationship with it?"

"How will the establishment and leadership of a new country by a Chinese citizen overseas be defined under international law and our country's laws?"

"The issue of Lin Zhou's dual citizenship is imminent."

These questions soon landed on the desks of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Cairo, the Chinese Embassy in Egypt.

Ambassador Li looked at the public opinion report just submitted by the intelligence department, his brow furrowed and his expression complex.

A few months ago, he had personally handled the incident where Lin Zhou was detained by the Egyptian authorities. At that time, he had warned the young man about the complexity of international politics. He never imagined that in such a short time, the youth he had labeled as doing "performance art" would actually move the needle of Egypt's national policy.

"Ambassador, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt just sent word that tomorrow they will begin the first round of formal diplomatic negotiations with Mr. Lin Zhou's team," the secretary reported from the side.

Ambassador Li picked up his teacup and blew on the floating tea leaves, but he didn't drink.

"Pay close attention," he pondered for a long while. "Report the progress of the negotiations to the domestic office at any time. Also, prepare things for me; I need to... find a time to meet this Mr. Lin again."

Meanwhile, in the hotel room, the task countdown on Lin Zhou's system panel was still ticking.

[Main Quest: Obtain recognition from at least one sovereign state]

[Remaining Time: 266 days, 15 hours, 26 minutes]

There was still plenty of time, but Lin Zhou did not relax in the slightest.

He knew that the truly difficult battle had only just begun.

He called for Qin Yue and Zhang Zhe.

"Tomorrow, the Egyptians will show all their sincerity, but they will also show all their fangs."

Lin Zhou looked at the Cairo night view outside the window; the city lights flickered in his eyes.

"Our principles are also very clear."

"Sovereignty—not an inch can be yielded. Everything else can be a bargaining chip."