79: Chapter 79 A Billion Loan with 5% Interest?

Cairo, a presidential suite in a hotel.

Qin Yue slumped in her chair, clutching the phone, wondering if she was having auditory hallucinations due to the exhaustion from several consecutive days of negotiations.

Lin Zhou's voice was unusually calm.

"Head of State, what did you say? Agree to a 5% annual interest rate?" Qin Yue's voice trembled, unable to believe what she was hearing.

This interest rate was practically like holding a knife to their own throats.

"Yes," Lin Zhou replied succinctly.

"But... only borrow one hundred million?"

Qin Yue's mind couldn't quite process it; how had a billion-dollar loan dwindled down to just a fraction of that?

Lin Zhou's voice came through: "No, Qin Yue. Nominally, we borrow one hundred million, but they don't actually need to provide the money. When the time comes, we will transfer that amount directly to them."

Qin Yue's brain momentarily stalled.

They don't need to provide the money? Transfer it directly to them?

Was this borrowing money or giving it away?

If word of this got out, wouldn't the Cyber Freedom Republic become an international laughingstock? Wouldn't her three days and nights of arguing have been for nothing?

"Head of State, forgive my bluntness, but I completely fail to understand," Qin Yue took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

She knew that every one of Lin Zhou's decisions had its reasons, but this time, she really couldn't keep up.

On the other end of the line, Lin Zhou's voice was steady and powerful: "Qin Yue, who told you this was a commercial transaction?"

Qin Yue froze.

"Remember, we are a nation," Lin Zhou's words jolted Qin Yue awake. "A nation's accounts cannot be calculated solely by economics."

Qin Yue felt a stir in her heart.

Indeed, how could a nation's accounts be calculated only in terms of money? She had been so bogged down in the details of the negotiation, thinking only of lowering the interest rate, that she had forgotten that the national level was far more complex than a single loan.

"The Egyptians want to use high interest rates to humiliate us and manipulate us, right?" There was a hint of coldness in Lin Zhou's voice. "Then let's be straightforward—if they want money, give it to them!"

Qin Yue gripped the phone tighter, her breathing becoming a bit heavier.

Lin Zhou's words allowed her to see through it all instantly.

"They want to be creditors? Fine, we'll let them be creditors," Lin Zhou's tone carried an air of authority that brooked no argument. "This one hundred million is the payment for something we are buying."

"Buying something? What are we buying?" Qin Yue's heart skipped a beat; she felt as if she had grasped the key point.

"Buying a qualification."

Lin Zhou's voice was clear.

"An entry ticket to join the Universal Postal Union."

"The Universal Postal Union!"

A boom went off in Qin Yue's head as she instantly understood Lin Zhou's entire plan.

This union was extremely important for emerging nations. Having a formal seat meant possessing legitimate global postal codes and stamp settlement rights; even more so, it was proof of a nation's status being recognized by the international community.

And Egypt, as a representative of North Africa and the Arab world, held significant influence within the union.

Lin Zhou was using a hundred-million-dollar loan to exchange for Egypt's public support and recommendation at the Universal Postal Union general assembly!

Having realized this, Qin Yue understood everything in an instant, and her previous exhaustion and confusion vanished.

Since Egypt wasn't playing by the rules, they didn't need to be polite either. Give them the money, give them the title of creditor, but in exchange, you have to give me a key to the door of the international community.

Continuing to haggle over interest rates with the Egyptians was meaningless. They clearly wanted to take advantage, so they would satisfy them and use this money to trade for even greater interests.

"I understand, Head of State!" Qin Yue's voice regained its calm and confidence.

"Very good," Lin Zhou was satisfied. "Go on then. Keep a low profile and get it done. Face isn't important; I only want Egypt's recommendation."

After hanging up the phone, Qin Yue felt her strength return.

She straightened her clothes, her gaze becoming firm once more.

Saleh, you want to play?

Then I'll play with you to the very end!

...

The next day, in the negotiation room.

The officials of the Egyptian negotiation team were all full of energy, with smug smiles on their faces. They felt that the Cyber Freedom Republic would definitely bow its head in the end.

Qin Yue walked into the negotiation room with a smile, her pace neither fast nor slow, her gaze calm.

When she cleared her throat and stated to the Egyptian team led by Saleh, "After careful consideration, our Head of State agrees to the loan terms of a 5% annual interest rate proposed by your side," a victorious smile immediately broke out on Saleh's face.

He was incredibly smug, thinking that in the face of absolute power, any ideals were useless.

Lin Zhou had ultimately bowed his head to Egypt.

However, before the smile on Saleh's lips could fully spread, the meaning of Qin Yue's words changed.

"However,"

Qin Yue's voice wasn't loud, but it startled everyone present.

"We are only applying for a loan of one hundred million US dollars."

"What?"

Saleh's smile froze on his face.

One hundred million?

They had made such a big scene, spent three days and nights, and even gone so far as to humiliate the other side with usurious rates, only for the other party to want just a hundred million?

Were they being toyed with?

Saleh's expression instantly turned ugly. Just as he was about to lose his temper, Qin Yue did not stop.

"Your side doesn't actually need to lend this hundred million dollars either. We'll sign the agreement as planned, and the money... we'll pay it back as planned!"

Now, the negotiation room was in a total uproar. The Egyptian officials whispered among themselves, their faces filled with shock and confusion.

Saleh only felt a chill down his spine.

Behind such unprovoked benefits, there was bound to be a greater purpose hidden.

"Minister Qin Yue, are you joking?" Saleh finally couldn't take it anymore and slammed the table, his face full of anger and confusion. "You came here to borrow money!"

Qin Yue remained smiling and said very steadily: "This can still be borrowing money. We will sign the agreement according to the process, and we can even pay the interest as scheduled. However, we have one small additional condition."

"Speak!"

Saleh's heart sank abruptly, and a strong sense of unease welled up.

He knew the other side's condition was coming.

Qin Yue pulled a document from her folder and gently pushed it to the center of the table.

"We hope that at the next Universal Postal Union assembly, Egypt will formally nominate and support the Cyber Freedom Republic to become a formal member state of the union. This needs to be written into this loan agreement in black and white as an additional clause."

Qin Yue's voice wasn't loud, but every word made Saleh's heart sink further.

Saleh's pupils constricted sharply.

At this moment, he finally understood Lin Zhou's entire scheme.

Since they couldn't agree on the loan, they would use money to pave the way and open a breakthrough for diplomacy!

Saleh felt his face burning, as if he had been slapped in public. The trap he had meticulously set had now become a tool for the other side to pry open the door to diplomacy.

He wanted to refuse, but he couldn't.

International media were paying attention to this negotiation. If he refused such a small request while the other side was willing to pay high interest, how would the international community view Egypt?

Especially now, when Egypt's economy was already sluggish. If word got out that Egypt couldn't even lend out a hundred-million-dollar loan, the stock market would likely crash tomorrow, and rumors of Egypt's impending bankruptcy would spread worldwide.

Saleh looked at Qin Yue across from him, who appeared composed and at ease. Her smile was polite and courteous, yet it carried a firm resolve that brooked no argument.

He knew he no longer had a choice.

He had been backed into a corner.

Ultimately, Saleh could only squeeze out a few words through his teeth, his voice full of resentment.

"...Fine, we... agree."