Chapter 1: 1999
Today is July 1st, 1999.
On his birthday, Li Tang was reborn at the age of twenty.
This year, he had just graduated from the best geological university in Huaxia. Despite his father's strong insistence that he return to work at the local geological team in their hometown, he resolutely chose to stay in Yanjing and joined Wukuang Exploration and Development Co., Ltd., a newly established subsidiary of the veteran state-owned enterprise Wukuang Group.
This company had only been founded for a year.
Since its inception in the 1950s, Wukuang Group had been a light-asset enterprise mainly engaged in resource trade. However, the company's top management recognized the changing winds of the new era's resource market and began exploring strategic transformation, extending operations upstream in the industry to secure a higher ground.
Turning a giant ship was no easy task—it required steady, step-by-step progress.
Wukuang Exploration and Development Co., Ltd. was born out of this necessity.
Since its establishment, the company had primarily focused on resource assessment, acting as a pair of eyes to thoroughly evaluate various mineral deposits.
The Qianshan coal mining area was the largest project the company had undertaken thus far.
Since the mid-1980s, the coal market had taken a nosedive, hitting rock bottom by 1997, with coal prices dropping to just a few dozen yuan per ton. With the country pushing for sweeping reforms, decisively eliminating resource-wasting and non-compliant coal mines, and reclaiming mining rights granted by townships, three-quarters of the nation's mines were shut down almost overnight.
Suddenly, an oversupply turned into a shortage. Coal prices began to climb.
Wukuang Group's copper smelters had a massive demand for coking coal, and the price surge had sharply increased production costs. As a result, the company decided to enter the coal industry and start mining coking coal independently.
Although Huaxia was the world's largest coal producer, coking coal was a scarce resource—over 80% of it was located in the provinces of Sanjin and Qianzhou.
After extensive investigation and with a recommendation from Li Tang's father, Li Zaiqiang, the company set its sights on the Qianshan coal mining area in Qianzhou. The estimated resource volume was one billion tons, with proven reserves of 200 million tons, of which 120 million tons were prime coking coal!
It was a veritable treasure trove!
Deputy General Manager Qin Jianshe led the technical team on a rushed trip to Qianzhou. The guesthouse adjacent to the Geological Bureau became their temporary base.
What the company didn't know was that Qin Jianshe and Li Tang's father, Li Zaiqiang, were university classmates.
Li Tang's entry into Wukuang Group was precisely thanks to this familial connection.
Looking at his reflection in the full-length mirror at the guesthouse entrance, he saw a figure that wasn't particularly handsome nor ugly—very average in appearance, but refreshingly young.
He felt both astonished and confused.
Though he didn't smoke, he borrowed a cigarette from a colleague and lit it. Standing at the entrance of the guesthouse, he stared blankly into the distance.
"Where did Li Tang go?"
Inside the conference room, Liu Kaisheng, head of the Resource Assessment Department, looked around and couldn't find Li Tang.
"He was here just now—said something about stepping out for a smoke," someone replied, unsure.
"Lazy ass!"
Liu Kaisheng stormed out of the office, eyes burning with fury as he searched. Sure enough, under a big tree not far away, a figure stood still.
"Damn it, are you even capable of working? If not, get lost! Always slacking off—it's disgusting to look at!"
Hearing the shouting, Li Tang turned around with a slight apologetic smile.
He stubbed out the cigarette and jogged back. As he passed Liu Kaisheng, he said sincerely, "Sorry, the craving hit me. Just needed a smoke."
"Did you finish preparing the supervisory documents I asked for?" Liu Kaisheng barked.
"All ready," Li Tang replied with no trace of confrontation.
"Then take them to the meeting room."
This young man used to be quite hot-tempered. Seeing that he didn't talk back today, Liu Kaisheng was surprised, and his tone softened slightly.
"Alright."
Li Tang carried the documents into the conference room, greeting each familiar-yet-strange colleague along the way.
Everyone else had already stacked their reports and drawings on the conference table—piles of documentation formed a miniature mountain.
"Qianshan coal mining exploration project?"
Li Tang picked up a thick survey report and casually flipped through it. As he absorbed more and more details, old memories began to flood back.
If history repeated itself, Wukuang Group was about to spend twenty million yuan acquiring Jiajia Coal Mining Company to gain control over the Qianshan mining area.
That acquisition would cause Wukuang Group enormous financial losses.
Everyone involved in the project would be affected in some way, especially the main person in charge, Qin Jianshe, who would lose the career he had spent most of his life building.
What was once a deep friendship among old classmates would end in bitter enmity.
Clap, clap, clap...
Qin Jianshe, sharply dressed and smiling, entered the conference room, clapping to gather everyone's attention.
He gestured to the gray-haired elder beside him and introduced him, "This is Hu Chuanlai, a senior expert from the Coalfield Geological Bureau. He participated in the final review of the Qianshan project and has taken time out of his busy schedule to guide us. Please give him a warm welcome!"
Applause rang out. Hu Chuanlai, holding a teacup, waved kindly at everyone with a gentle smile.
"This is Senior Engineer Li Zaiqiang from Geological Team 101. Please welcome him!"
Though Li Zaiqiang hadn't participated in the Qianshan project, he had recommended it when his old friend consulted him about coking coal prospects.
His visit today was more symbolic than functional.
He nodded sternly, his gaze eventually falling on his son, Li Tang.
Seeing his not-so-old father again stirred up many emotions in Li Tang.
Qin Jianshe motioned for everyone to sit.
All attendees were project team members. This was the final mobilization meeting.
Before this, Wukuang Exploration and Jiajia Coal Mining had been in negotiations for nearly two months. They had essentially reached a verbal acquisition agreement.
This morning's meeting would serve as the final confirmation. If the expert reviewers found no issues, both parties would sign the formal acquisition contract that very afternoon!
Qin Jianshe was full of confidence and determination about this deal.
"Mr. Hu, have you reviewed the project documents?" he asked respectfully while offering a cigarette.
Though Qin Jianshe had risen from a technical background, he knew how important expertise was in exploration projects, and he held professionals in high regard.
Hu Chuanlai waved off the cigarette. "Yes, I've reviewed them all. It's a refresher, really. The final review wasn't long ago—I still remember the details even without reading."
"You've worked hard."
Qin Jianshe laughed, then continued, "Before we get into the details, I'd like to share our company's intentions. Wukuang Group has long cooperated with Qianzhou province, with ongoing gold and lead-zinc mining projects. This time, we're looking to expand into coking coal extraction. If conditions are right, we intend to acquire the Qianshan coal mining area."
"Wukuang is a top domestic enterprise. On behalf of Qianzhou, I welcome your increased investment!" Hu Chuanlai replied cheerfully.
"Your arrival will invigorate our province's mining industry and boost the resource economy," Li Zaiqiang echoed.
"Since the stakes are high, I invited you both to help us evaluate. I've barely slept these days worrying about this," said Qin Jianshe, his dark eye bags proof of his stress. "Now, I'd like to hear your opinion, Mr. Hu."
As a long-time expert, Hu Chuanlai was used to giving feedback. He didn't beat around the bush.
"I personally inspected the site and the exploration work. Everything was conducted by the book—exceptionally so. This project could serve as a model for coal exploration."
A glowing evaluation!
"Then your conclusion is?" Qin Jianshe's joy was visible.
But Hu Chuanlai only offered evaluation, not judgment. "I assume you've checked the records at the Provincial Land Bureau? You've seen the reserve verification report?"
"Yes," Qin nodded. "The project is filed. The reserve verification is still underway, though—no final report yet."
"The exploration report was just submitted. You must have received early word and rushed over," Hu remarked with a hint of amusement.
"We were just lucky," Qin said with an awkward smile.
Hu leisurely lifted the lid from his teacup, blew gently, and took a sip. Then he looked up. "Decision-making is your job. I dare not make conclusions."
Qin got the message—there were no problems with the exploration itself.
"Thank you for your insight, Mr. Hu. I'm very optimistic about this project, and moving forward—"
"Wait a moment!"
A voice rang out from the far corner of the room.
(End of Chapter 1)
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