Chapter 174: The Martial Arts Alliance Leader of the Private Mining World
Li Tang never expected that the Nonferrous Metals News interview would draw so much attention.
A group of people from Yizhou Province, dressed in neat suits, was now curiously sizing him up.
Li Tang, in turn, was eyeing the unexpected visitors with the same curiosity.
"You're from Hongda Group?" he asked to confirm.
"I'm Liu Jianglong, deputy manager of Hongda Group."
The speaker was average in height, slim, and at first glance looked like he might be suffering from early baldness—his hairline had receded so far it looked like half his face was forehead.
"Hongda Group…"
Li Tang's heart thudded. A sense of unease washed over him.
What was bound to happen, had finally come.
It was like death had arrived—completely unavoidable.
A fate hanging invisibly over him, tightening around his neck like a noose.
"Our group mainly deals in potash chemical production, with facilities in Yizhou Province. Our products are sold nationwide," Liu Jianglong said confidently.
Seeing Li Tang's expression, he could tell the young man already knew of Hongda Group—and the more he knew, the more likely a deal could be struck.
Who wouldn't want to work with a powerhouse like them?
"Potash chemical is our core business, but we're also expanding into other sectors—especially mineral resources. That includes lead-zinc, copper-molybdenum, and gold."
He calmly laid out their strength. In past negotiations, most people would already be leaning forward, eager to listen.
Li Tang's frozen look made Liu think he was stunned by their arrival—speechless at the honor of being approached by Hongda.
"Mr. Li, we came with sincerity," Liu said with a smile.
Li Tang looked up and forced a smile. "I know about Hongda Group."
"That makes things easier," Liu replied proudly. "You're well aware of our capabilities. No need to waste time on introductions."
"Your brother is Liu Shanlong?" Li Tang suddenly asked.
"Uh…" Liu blinked, surprised. Then he nodded, "Yes, he's our chairman and general manager."
"So it really is you."
Li Tang's mood became even more complex.
This wasn't a casual visit—it was the arrival of a powerful rival.
In the original timeline, the 7-million-ton reserve in Qinglong Copper Mine's east zone had belonged to Hongda Group.
But with Li Tang's interference, the entire Qinglong Mine now belonged to Zise Mining.
Perhaps as some twist of fate, Hongda's Liu Jianglong had ended up here, at Gongcun.
Liu Jianglong might not be a household name, but his brother Liu Shanlong was an industry giant—a true overlord of the Chinese mining world.
Together, the Liu brothers had long dominated the rich lists.
Especially Liu Shanlong—who had started as a nobody and built the Hongda empire from scratch.
He was like the protagonist of a rebirth novel—reborn in the 1980s, working in a state-owned chemical factory. Before the age of thirty, he had already become deputy plant manager.
But he wasn't satisfied. He quit and started flipping potash fertilizer.
At that time, running a private business was a huge risk.
His so-called fertilizer business was literally digging up potash-rich clay and selling it.
After years of clawing his way up, he turned his side hustle into a small factory, then bought out other private plants and gradually expanded.
Even then, his factory was dwarfed by three massive state-owned chemical giants in the region.
But over time, those state firms began to decline—until Liu Shanlong swallowed them all.
Hongda became Yizhou's undisputed king of potash chemical production.
He was rich beyond imagination, a household name.
But like most self-made men, his ambition never stopped. He always wanted more.
And he didn't just dream—he acted.
He used potash as a base, then expanded into mining—especially copper-molybdenum and lead-zinc—and took territory by force.
In all of China's private mining industry, if Liu Shanlong wasn't number one, no one else dared claim the title.
He was the martial arts alliance leader of the private mining world.
But his national fame wasn't just because of wealth or business.
His real notoriety came from his infamous cousin—Liu San.
Liu San was even wilder. Eventually, he got shot… while eating peanuts.
Their whole family was full of warriors—or lawless rogues.
Facing Liu Jianglong, Li Tang dared not take things lightly. He couldn't treat this as a normal negotiation. After steadying himself, he calmly asked:
"What brings you here today, Mr. Liu?"
"We heard you've discovered a major deposit at Gongcun."
Liu accepted a report from one of the experts he brought, scanned it briefly, then asked, "Close to a million tons of copper, more than ninety tons of gold—is that right?"
"That's right," Li Tang replied.
He hadn't tried to hide anything during the Nonferrous Metals News interview. Anyone with the will to investigate could easily learn more.
"We're very interested in your mining rights," Liu said bluntly. "That's why I'm here. I want to discuss a price. It's still just an exploration license, so the transfer process is relatively simple—approval only needed from Tubo Province."
"In terms of gold, it's already a large-scale deposit," Li Tang reminded him.
"Exactly. The gold is the main attraction for us," Liu admitted, not even trying to hide his intentions.
Once a company reaches a certain level of power, many deals can be pushed through just by throwing money at them. Negotiation skills become irrelevant.
"You're a private company. Even if you acquire the exploration license, you won't be able to get the mining permit," Li Tang warned, sincerely.
"No need to worry about that," Liu replied with a relaxed smile.
One of his experts chimed in: "From what we understand, your copper grades are decent, but the gold grades are low. Essentially, the gold is a by-product. If we take over, we'll apply for mining rights based on the copper—and we might not even need to go through central approval."
"That's… one way to do it," Li Tang admitted.
Gongcun was indeed registered as a copper-gold project, with copper listed first. Gold, silver, lead, and zinc were all labeled as secondary minerals.
But based on exploration results, the gold reserves had far exceeded expectations.
"So tell me—how much do you want for the license?" Liu asked, getting to the point.
"Two hundred million," Li Tang replied without flinching.
"That's too high," Liu shot back immediately. "Fifty million. Final offer."
Li Tang's heart sank. He couldn't respond with the same ease as he had with Lucas.
This wasn't just about business. It could get personal—and dangerous.
What if Liu San showed up?
This might not end in negotiation, but in amputation—deciding which leg or arm to leave behind.
But even with those worries, he refused to cave. This was about value—and dignity.
He didn't want trouble, but he wasn't afraid of it either.
"At that price, I have no reason to sell," Li Tang said firmly.
His refusal was clear.
Yes, the gold market was in a slump. But Li Tang knew, as someone with future knowledge, that this downturn would end soon.
Within a year, gold prices would rise sharply. Gongcun's license would become vastly more valuable.
Wait ten years, and it could be worth billions.
He saw Liu frown and grow visibly displeased. Li Tang didn't want to antagonize him, but felt obligated to explain:
"We've already put nearly 40 million yuan into this. We've bet everything on it. You know how risky mineral exploration is—if we hadn't struck ore, we'd have lost it all. The greater the risk, the greater the reward. There's no way I'd sell for a meager 20% profit."
"You've only been working for a few months. As far as I know, you've only spent 20 million so far. You still have nearly 10 million sitting in your company account," Liu countered, revealing how well-informed he was.
For a moment, Li Tang wondered if someone inside his team had leaked info. But really, with their network, Hongda didn't need spies to get the financial details.
"Still, we've gone all in. Selling the license for 50 million makes no sense—it doesn't match the risk we took."
"Making 20 million in just a few months—that's already a lot," Liu said, clearly annoyed. He thought Li Tang was being greedy.
That's the eternal conflict between buyer and seller.
He upped the ante, "We'll pay in cash, in one lump sum."
"I didn't take this risk, spending months on a freezing plateau, just for that kind of money," Li Tang replied.
"Oh? So you're doing it for patriotism?" Liu sneered.
"Yes. For national glory and prosperity. It's our duty as citizens!" Li Tang said with grandeur, voice full of conviction.
Liu laughed out loud—he didn't buy a word. But as he stared at Li Tang's young face, he couldn't shake the feeling that maybe this guy really meant it.
"I know Xiao Yongyue holds 25%. You've got the controlling stake. How about this—I'll settle with Xiao separately. For your share, I'll offer 50 million—take it or leave it."
Li Tang hesitated, ready to say no. But Liu's tone turned stern.
"I've backed off again and again. You keep refusing without giving me anything. That's not how business is done."
"I'm not refusing out of disrespect. Honestly, I just don't want to sell yet," Li Tang said.
He could tell the price was tempting—but still not tempting enough.
He had never planned to mine Gongcun himself. He didn't have the money, the permits, or the network in Tubo to develop a large mine.
Just the initial investment would be in the hundreds of millions—far beyond his reach.
"And you still won't agree?" Liu was visibly frustrated.
"It's not about disrespect or pride. It's just… the project's only halfway through. I'm not ready to let go. I came here to find a major deposit—to make a name for myself!"
"To make a name?" Liu almost laughed again. It sounded so naïve.
But looking at Li Tang, he wasn't sure the young man was joking.
"Every man needs ambition, right?" Li Tang said, eyes shining. "In the world of mining, the road is long and arduous. I'll chase it to the ends of the earth!"
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