It had to be said that the flutter of Zhou Quan's butterfly wings had stirred up a few ripples in the tide of the times.
According to the historical arrangements, sovereignty over Hong Kong Island would be handed over at 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 1997.
At that point, the foreign garrison would withdraw from every military camp it had established on Hong Kong Island.
The Motherland's Hong Kong Garrison would begin entering Hong Kong Island and assume full responsibility for Hong Kong Island's Defense.
But this would create a very serious gap.
It would take the Motherland's Hong Kong Garrison at least two hours to reach every military camp on Hong Kong Island, moving from north to south.
This meant that before the Hong Kong Garrison was in position, most of Hong Kong Island would face a defense vacuum lasting two hours, or even longer.
Hong Kong Island's return held immense significance for the Motherland. At such an important historical moment, not the slightest oversight could be tolerated.
Even a single minute without defenses was unacceptable, let alone a period measured in hours!
Even during this handover of Hong Kong Island's defenses, no actual unrest was likely to break out there.
But with some things, it was not the odds that mattered, but the possibility.
Moreover, a vacuum in the defense of the Motherland's territory would undoubtedly affect the entire nation's dignity.
Under no circumstances would the Motherland's senior leadership allow such a situation to arise.
In the process of Hong Kong Island's return that Zhou Quan knew from his memories, the Motherland had argued its case with the Foreigners and used every means at its disposal in the negotiations.
Only then had it secured permission for the Hong Kong Garrison to send a small advance contingent into Hong