81: Chapter 81 Borrowing money still depends on saving face

Rome, the Apostolic Palace.

An indescribable scent hung in the air—a mixture of aged incense and old parchment, as if time had stood still here for a millennium.

Having laid the foundation during her last visit, things went smoothly this time.

She was guided to the reception room, adorned with oil paintings of biblical stories, and met once again with the Secretary of State of Vatican City—Cardinal Parolin.

Cardinal Parolin maintained his gentle demeanor, personally pouring her a cup of black tea. His tone was as relaxed as if he were in his own living room: "Minister Qin, please don't be so reserved. Just treat this place like a friend's home."

Qin Yue accepted the teacup with both hands, not rushing to drink or engage in small talk.

She set the cup down gently, looked directly at Cardinal Parolin, and got straight to the point: "Your Eminence, I have come here today representing the Cyber Freedom Republic to offer the Holy See a 'ticket' to the future."

Cardinal Parolin's hand, holding the teacup, paused for a moment. His expression remained unchanged; he simply made a gesture for her to continue. He wanted to hear exactly what this "ticket" looked like.

"We are going to build our first permanent settlement in Bir Tawil, named 'Oasis One.' To show our gratitude for the Holy See's previous strong support, we pledge to build a magnificent church at the heart of this settlement and erect a permanent monument of merit." Qin Yue threw out the religious bait first.

Immediately after, her tone shifted, becoming sharp: "But to make this 'miracle' a reality, we need a long-term development loan of five billion dollars. As for the collateral, Head of State Lin Zhou has pledged 10% of our future total global commercial revenue."

"Five billion?" A trace of a smile appeared on Cardinal Parolin's lips as he shook his head and placed the teacup back on the table: "Minister Qin, that sounds a bit absurd. The Holy See certainly cares for the well-being of the world, but we are not a venture capital firm, nor are we a mint."

Qin Yue stood up, her voice clear and forceful, beginning to reveal the trump card Lin Zhou had prepared for her: "Your Eminence, please look clearly at the true value hidden behind this 10%. With it, we can bring benefits to even more people."

"First, global licensing. The global food crisis is worsening by the day, and you know that better than anyone."

"In the future, our technology will be a lifeline for nations everywhere. Any sovereign state that wishes to introduce this technology will have to pay astronomical licensing fees. This will be more than enough to cover any loans and interest."

"Secondly, technological iteration. What you saw previously was only version 1.0; this is just the beginning. We will continue to roll out advanced versions of the technology that are drought-resistant, cold-resistant, and capable of significantly increasing nutritional density. Each technical upgrade and version update will bring new profit growth points."

"Third, and most importantly, is industrial implementation. Once this five-billion-dollar loan is in place, we will establish a full suite of seed R&D centers and related biopharmaceutical production bases on the territory of the Cyber Freedom Republic. Countries unable to implement the technology locally will ultimately have to purchase our products, which will provide a constant stream of cash flow."

Qin Yue walked to the window, pointing toward St. Peter's Square outside, her tone filled with provocation: "Your Eminence, close your eyes and imagine the scene. When famine spreads across the globe, only the technology funded by the Holy See can make flowers bloom in the desert and feed the starving. This is not just a return on wealth; it is, in the real world, the 'miracle' and 'salvation' demonstrated by the Holy See!"

The reception room fell into a long silence. Qin Yue's voice still echoed in the air, but Cardinal Parolin could no longer hear it. It was as if there were a high-speed computer running in his mind, rapidly calculating every point in Qin Yue's words.

If Lin Zhou truly succeeded, what the Holy See would gain would be far more than just staggering wealth. More importantly, they could occupy a supreme religious position at the source of a new civilization. This was not just an economic victory, but a spiritual conquest. For the Holy See, such a temptation was almost impossible to refuse.

After a long while, Cardinal Parolin raised his head and held up one finger.

"Five billion cannot be issued all at once." Cardinal Parolin's voice deepened, carrying an unquestionable authority: "His Holiness the Pope needs to see actual output before making a final decision. How about this: an initial loan of one billion dollars, with an annual interest rate of 2%. This money must be specifically used for the construction of the settlement and the basic R&D centers. As for the remaining four billion, we will need to decide whether to provide additional funds based on the actual progress of 'Oasis One' and the technological conversion situation."

Qin Yue felt a sudden surge of relief. This was already within Lin Zhou's expectations. The Head of State had said that the Holy See would not give everything at once; they needed to see tangible progress before committing their full stakes. One billion dollars was enough to launch the "Oasis One" project!

"Deal." Qin Yue extended her hand, a confident smile on her face: "This is not just a loan; it is the beginning of our deep entanglement."

She knew it was done.

...

The negotiations in Rome had just reached a preliminary agreement, and the news had not yet fully spread.

Far away in the Cyber Freedom Republic, Lin Zhou had already released an announcement, which instantly caused a global sensation.

[Announcement Regarding Global Bidding for the "Oasis One" Settlement Project]

This announcement, through major media outlets, spread like a virus to every corner of the world within just a few hours.

[Project Location: Bir Tawil]

[Project Goal: To build a permanent steel oasis in the center of the desert, starting from scratch, capable of accommodating 500 people for long-term living, life, and self-sufficiency!]

[Project Requirements: Global bidding for a complete set of solutions including urban planning, energy systems, water circulation, and intelligent management!]

Once the announcement was released, the global internet exploded.

"Holy crap! A real-life version of SimCity? Is Lin Zhou trying to turn science fiction into reality? Is he crazy?"

"Building a city in such a godforsaken place? How much money would that burn through? Where is he getting the money? Could it be from selling the 'Eden' technology?"

"To the person above, haven't you read the news? The Holy See just signed a secret agreement with them! Lin Zhou has a major financier backing him! The Vatican Bank has stepped in!"

"I knew Lin Zhou never fights a battle unprepared. Sure enough, every move he makes is a bombshell!"

"A permanent settlement for 500 people? Self-sufficient in the desert? This is simply the craziest infrastructure project in human history! Bar none!"

"This isn't building a city; this is nation-building! Is the Cyber Freedom Republic actually going to emerge from the middle of a desert?"

"The bidding content even includes urban planning, energy systems, water recycling, and intelligent management... This is practically a template for a city of the future! Whoever manages to win this project will definitely go down in history!"

Within 24 hours of the announcement, the official email of the Cyber Freedom Republic was flooded with all kinds of messages. Bechtel from the United States, Hochtief Group from Germany, the China State Construction Engineering Corporation... the giants of the global infrastructure industry all smelled the opportunity and flocked over. They held the most cutting-edge technical proposals and fielded their most professional teams, scrambling to leave their own mark on this desert.

Lin Zhou watched the letters of intent refreshing on his screen, the corners of his mouth curling up involuntarily. He was going to prove to the whole world that he and his nation were for real. It wasn't just talk, and it wasn't an empty check.

Just then, the encrypted phone on his desk rang. Lin Zhou picked it up.

"Head of State, it's me, Gao Jian." The young Chief Prosecutor's voice came from the other end, unable to suppress his excitement, his voice even trembling slightly.

"Chief Prosecutor Gao, what is it?" Lin Zhou's voice was steady, revealing no emotion.

Gao Jian took a deep breath, trying hard to steady his tone, but the excitement still seeped through. He said, enunciating every word: "Head of State, we... have received our first case. This is a major transnational case that may require you to invoke sovereign immunity!"