27: Chapter 27 The Cyber ​​Kingdom Comes True, Nobility Titles Sell Like Hotcakes!

On the night the signing ceremony concluded, the Egyptian government hosted a grand celebratory banquet for the "Founding Fathers" of the Cyber Freedom Republic at a luxury hotel on the banks of the Nile River.

At the banquet, Lin Zhou became the absolute center of attention.

Egyptian dignitaries, military generals, and business tycoons surrounded him with wine glasses in hand and smiles plastered on their faces. Their enthusiasm made it seem as if he were a long-lost brother.

"Leader Lin! Young and promising! Come, let me toast you! Regarding the bidding for the Phase II Water Collection Tower project on the Sinai Peninsula, our company is very interested!"

"Mr. Lin, I'm from Egypt Telecom. Could you give us priority consideration for your country's communication base station construction? The price is negotiable!"

While their mouths shouted "congratulations," their eyes were filled with naked calculation.

Everyone wanted to take a massive bite out of that trillion-dollar "Air Water" project, or plant their own flag in the newly born Cyber Freedom Republic.

Lin Zhou navigated between these people with ease, a perfectly measured smile on his face, and every word he spoke was watertight.

He knew clearly in his heart that these people could praise him to the heavens today and trample him into the mud for profit tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the global internet had already been completely ignited by this signing ceremony.

"Guys, who can relate! I donated 100 bucks and now I'm a Founding Citizen! Does this count as having overseas assets? How will inheritance tax be calculated in the future?"

"Don't leave, person above! I spent 1,000 yuan to buy a County Baron title. Does that mean I can walk with my head held high when I travel to Egypt? Looking for a meetup; I'm male, willing to be the bottom for love!"

"Breaking news! The 'Founding Duke' titles on the Cyber Freedom Republic's official website have been bid up to 5 million each, and they're still impossible to get! All the big corporations have gone crazy!"

"I just took a look! Tencent bought a Marquis title, Alibaba took an Earl title, and it's said that Huawei sent people directly to Cairo to contact Lin Zhou, wanting to contract the entire 5G network construction for the Cyber Republic! The involution has reached Africa!"

"That's nothing! I heard even the 'Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster' from abroad sent an email to the official website, applying to become their state religion and offering to fund the construction of a giant pasta statue... If Leader Lin agrees, I'll donate another ten thousand!"

The online carnival had evolved from simple "fun" into a global wave of commercial speculation and a cultural phenomenon.

Countless individuals and enterprises wanted to secure a position for themselves in this unprecedented "Great Cause of Nation Building."

Within just a few hours after the signing ceremony, the total donations to the Cyber Freedom Republic's national founding fund account surpassed a staggering 50 million RMB, and the number was still skyrocketing at a visible rate.

Countless netizens flooded the official website just to register for citizenship and obtain that soon-to-be-released, cyberpunk-style online ID card.

This was no longer just an internet craze; it represented a brand-new possibility: the power of the virtual world could truly project into reality and create an entity recognized by the international community.

In a corner of the banquet hall, a figure was quietly watching Lin Zhou, who was surrounded by the crowd.

It was the Chinese Ambassador to Egypt, Ambassador Li.

Holding a glass of juice, he walked through the noisy crowd to Lin Zhou's side, waiting until he finished dealing with an Egyptian oil tycoon who was desperate to marry off his daughter to him before speaking.

"Mr. Lin, we meet again."

"Ambassador Li, hello." Seeing him, Lin Zhou immediately wiped the commercial smile from his face and replaced it with a solemn expression.

"Congratulations." Ambassador Li's tone was complex, filled with appreciation, amazement, and an underlying worry. "You've accomplished something... that none of us expected."

"Just luck," Lin Zhou said modestly.

"It wasn't luck." Ambassador Li shook his head and gestured for Lin Zhou to follow him to a quiet balcony, lowering his voice.

"I'm not here to see you in an official capacity today, but rather as... an elder, saying a few heartfelt words to an outstanding junior."

Lin Zhou's heart skipped a beat.

"Right now, you are the legal leader of the Cyber Freedom Republic. This is something even our Ministry of Foreign Affairs must take seriously."

"However, you are also a Chinese citizen."

Ambassador Li's next words struck at the heart of Lin Zhou's concerns.

"Our Nationality Law does not recognize Dual Nationality."

Lin Zhou's breath hitched for a moment.

The thorniest issue had arrived.

"This is an unprecedented situation in our country's history. A Chinese citizen has become the head of state of a foreign country. This is a very difficult problem to solve, and we are currently conducting an emergency internal study."

Ambassador Li's expression was sincere, without a hint of bureaucratic posturing.

"I hope that after you finish handling matters here in Egypt, you can return to China as soon as possible. Go to Beijing, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and have a good talk with the leaders of the relevant departments."

"We don't want to lose a talented individual like you, but the laws of the state must also be respected. We need to find a solution that is... reasonable, fair, and legal."

Lin Zhou fell silent.

This wasn't a discussion; it was a notification.

This was the first, and most unique, "diplomatic issue" he had to face after successfully founding his nation.

How he handled his identity would directly affect the future attitude of the Chinese government toward the Cyber Freedom Republic.

On one side was the motherland that raised him, and on the other was the "ideal nation" he had created with his own hands.

Which one to choose?

This wasn't a choice at all.

"I understand, Mr. Ambassador." Lin Zhou nodded solemnly. "Thank you for the reminder. Once I've arranged the handover work here, I will return to China immediately."

"Good." Ambassador Li patted his shoulder with relief. "The road ahead is long; walk it steadily."

After seeing off Ambassador Li, Lin Zhou stood alone on the balcony. The clinking of glasses and the noisy flattery in the banquet hall seemed like a world away.

Just as he was pondering his future path, the phone in his pocket vibrated. He took it out and saw it was a call from his mother.

Lin Zhou took a deep breath and answered the phone.

"Son! That... that leader of whatever Republic on TV, is that really you? The news is exploding! When did you run off to Egypt to become a 'King'?" On the other end, his mother's voice was filled with shock, worry, and a sense of surreal absurdity.

Hearing his mother's familiar and anxious voice, a warm current surged in Lin Zhou's heart, and he felt a bit amused. "Mom, it's me. Don't worry, you and Dad don't need to panic." He slowed down his speech, trying to make his voice sound as steady as possible. "The situation is a bit complicated and hard to explain in a few words over the phone. Everything is fine here, and I'm safe."

"Then... the matter of nationality..." Clearly, the elderly couple had also noticed the key issue.

"Once I've arranged the work here, I'll be back in China very soon," Lin Zhou promised solemnly. "When I get home, I'll explain everything to you and Dad in detail."

After comforting his parents for a few moments, Lin Zhou hung up and held his phone in silence for a long time. Ambassador Li's reminder and his parents' worries all pointed to the same core issue—his identity.

Returning to China was a must.

But before going back, he had to make the cards in his hand even stronger.

His "nation" was currently just a legal concept and a piece of empty land.

He needed to set up the framework as quickly as possible and appoint core officials so that this country could truly begin to function.

Only by turning the "Cyber Freedom Republic" from a concept into a political entity with an actual team would he have the confidence to negotiate with those big figures when he returned to Beijing!