76: Chapter 76 The Female Diplomat Goes to War!

Amidst a roar, a passenger plane pierced through the clouds and flew toward Cairo.

Qin Yue sat by the window, watching the sea of clouds racing backward beneath her, a thin layer of sweat forming on her palms.

In her suitcase, besides a few changes of clothes and the negotiation documents, the most important item was the file that Lin Zhou had personally handed to her.

A command that was only one page long.

One billion US dollars.

This sum of money concerned the development of the Cyber Freedom Republic for the next year and was the key to whether all projects could be launched.

The annual interest rate must not exceed 3%.

This was the bottom line drawn by Lin Zhou.

Once this figure was exceeded, it would be tantamount to admitting to the whole world that the Cyber Freedom Republic was not an equal partner, but a weakling kneeling on the ground begging for food.

Qin Yue knew clearly in her heart that this was not a business negotiation at all.

This was a high-stakes gamble that wagered the nation's destiny.

If she won, the country would gain a precious breathing space, and those construction plans could turn from blueprints into reality.

If she lost, not only would she not get a single cent, but they would also be looked down upon by the Egyptians, and their future diplomatic situation would become extremely difficult.

"Minister, would you… like to drink some water?" The assistant beside her cautiously handed over a bottle of water.

He noticed that since boarding the plane, Qin Yue had maintained a single posture, her back straight as a rod, her fingers tapping lightly and unconsciously on her knees.

"No need." Qin Yue shook her head and rubbed her slightly stiff cheeks. "I just feel that this opponent is very difficult to deal with."

She closed her eyes, mentally reviewing Lin Zhou's instructions over and over again, deducing various possible negotiating deadlocks and the linguistic traps the other side might set.

From the moment the plane landed at Cairo International Airport, she represented that impoverished yet ambitious newborn nation.

...

Just as Qin Yue was flying off to negotiate, Lin Zhou was not idle either.

Inside the temporary Head of State's residence in Abu Simbel town, with a single phone call, he summoned Zhang Zhe, the head of the Legislative Yuan, to his office.

"Old Zhang, sit."

Lin Zhou pointed to the chair opposite him and asked directly.

"It has been a while since the constitution was promulgated; how is the framework of the legal system coming along?"

Upon mentioning his professional field, the fifty-something-year-old Zhang Zhe instantly perked up, his back straightening a few notches.

"Head of State, I have not failed your mission!"

With a "slap," he placed a heavy briefcase on the table and pulled out three thick stacks of documents from inside.

"Under your instruction of 'efficiency first, bold borrowing,' my team has worked tirelessly, putting in overtime, and has basically completed the drafting work for the three basic codes: the Criminal Law, Civil Law, and Administrative Law!"

Zhang Zhe's face was full of pride.

This speed, if spoken aloud, could shock legal experts all over the world.

Of course, he was also a practical person and immediately added with self-awareness: "Ahem, that… for most of the provisions, we deeply referenced several of the most mature legal systems in the world, basically using them directly, only making localized modifications to country names, institution names, and some details. Additionally, strictly following your requirements, we added provisions regarding the monarch's power of pardon in the key clauses."

To put it bluntly, it was copying.

High-level copying.

But this was the exact effect Lin Zhou wanted!

In the early days of founding the country, with everything waiting to be done, where would there be time for theoretical innovation? First, build the framework and get the country running normally, then talk about anything else.

"Well done!" Lin Zhou picked up a draft of the Criminal Law, flipped through it roughly, and patted the table with satisfaction.

However, the smile on Zhang Zhe's face slowly faded. His lips moved, looking as if he wanted to say something but was holding back.

"What is it, Old Zhang? If you have something to say, say it." Lin Zhou noticed his unusual behavior.

Zhang Zhe hesitated for a moment, but finally mustered up the courage, gritted his teeth, and spoke.

"Head of State, we have the laws… but new problems have arrived. A… even more fatal problem."

"What problem?"

"We now have first-class legal provisions, but…" Zhang Zhe's expression became very serious, "We do not have a single police officer to arrest criminals, not a single prosecutor to file public prosecutions, and even less, not a single judge to try cases!"

"To put it bluntly, Head of State, these laws we have promulgated are just a pile of waste paper printed with words! Because we simply do not have a single enforcement agency!"

Zhang Zhe's words made Lin Zhou instantly sober up.

The smile on his face instantly froze.

Damn!

Forgot again!

He once again realized a huge oversight of his own.

Just like before, when he only thought about appointing ministers for various departments but forgot to establish the most basic financial accounts and tax system.

Now, he only thought about establishing laws, but forgot to establish a nation's most core apparatus of violence—the judicial system!

If a country has no coercive power to maintain the law, then what is the difference between the so-called law and slogans written on a toilet wall?

"You are right."

Lin Zhou was silent for a full half-minute; the office was deathly quiet. He raised his head and stared straight at Zhang Zhe.

"This is a serious problem. It must be solved immediately."

Zhang Zhe felt his skin crawl under his gaze, and sweat broke out on his back.

"Head of State, why… why are you looking at me like that?"

"Old Zhang, you used to be an international law expert and have even spent time at the International Court of Justice in The Hague; you are the top legal talent we have here." The corners of Lin Zhou's mouth curled into an arc that made Zhang Zhe feel uneasy. "Now the country needs you; are you interested in taking on another concurrent position?"

Zhang Zhe's heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding surged in his heart.

"Concurrent… concurrent what position?" His voice was even trembling a little.

"From today on, besides being the head of the Legislative Yuan," Lin Zhou said each word heavily, "at the same time, you will also temporarily act as the President of the Supreme Court of our Cyber Freedom Republic, and concurrently serve as the Chief Justice!"

This appointment was simple, brutal, and brooked no refusal.

"Ah?!"

Zhang Zhe's eyeballs were about to pop out of their sockets, and he stood up abruptly from his chair.

"Head of State! This is not according to the rules! Absolutely not according to the rules! Legislative power and judicial power must be independent! If I am both the referee and the athlete, this… this is turning back the clock of history! If word gets out, we will be the laughingstock of the whole world!"

"Special times call for special measures." Lin Zhou completely ignored his protests and just waved his hand. "When we find a suitable candidate in the future, you can step down. For now, this mess is yours. This is an order."

Zhang Zhe looked at Lin Zhou's face, which allowed for no negotiation, and he was almost on the verge of tears.

This was clearly press-ganging!

But it was the Head of State's order; what could he do? He could only pull a long face and brace himself to take on this mess.

"Fine…" He sat back down dejectedly. "Then… then what about the police and the procuratorate? You can't make me take those on too, right?"

"As for that…" Lin Zhou rubbed his chin and fell into deep thought.