Chapter 258: A Glorious Era Like Boiling Oil Over Fire
Watching Li Tang, Qin Jianshe, and the others walk away, both Bayar and Jirigala were left with bitter feelings.
"Viduka from Lito just returned from inspecting the coal mine project in Southern Wild Province," Jirigala said, standing beside Bayar. "He wants to meet and discuss the progress on the Talego Copper-Gold Mine."
"I'm not seeing him!" Bayar snapped.
If it hadn't been for Viduka's manipulative words, he wouldn't have foolishly tried to work with Lito and set traps for Li Tang and his people.
Without those misleading suggestions, none of this mess would've happened.
He had suffered enormous pressure trying to prevent Nanhuang Resources from obtaining the mining license.
Now that the matter had been resolved, the lingering aftertaste was still hard to swallow.
"He's already in my office," Jirigala said with some helplessness. "Yoshida Tomoki from Shin-Nichi Steel is with him too. After inspecting the coal mine, they've expressed strong interest in investing."
"They're certain about investing in the coal mine?" Bayar's mood eased a bit.
"They seem very interested."
"All right, bring them in. I'll meet with them." Bayar finally agreed.
Viduka and Yoshida Tomoki entered Bayar's office.
It was immediately obvious that Bayar's attitude was far colder than before—distant, even.
Viduka looked puzzled. "Minister Bayar, are you feeling unwell?"
"I'm not sick. You're the one who's sick!" Bayar snapped.
Just seeing Viduka brought back the memory of those fearmongering remarks he'd made—how he had stirred panic between them and Li Tang.
All they had wanted was a straightforward project. Why did he have to complicate things with schemes?
Bayar still hadn't forgiven him and found it difficult to fake a smile. "You finished inspecting the coal mine in Southern Wild Province?"
Yoshida bowed respectfully. "Thank you for the support from all departments during our visit. We took samples and, after analysis, found the coal mine to be of excellent quality. The coking coal content is very high, and the sulfur and phosphorus levels are very low. Even the thermal coal's heating value is extremely high—ideal for steel production."
Shin-Nichi Steel's demand for coking coal was as great as for iron ore.
Producing one ton of pig iron typically required about 1.5 tons of iron ore and 0.5 tons of coking coal.
Securing a steady source of coking coal was critical.
After the inspection, they found the Talego Coal Mine's quality far exceeded expectations.
If it could be mined, Shin-Nichi Steel wouldn't have to worry about coking coal for decades.
Bayar had long known about the coal project's potential. "So your company has decided to proceed with development?"
"I'll report everything to our president when I return," Yoshida replied. He was optimistic but realistic. "The project requires your support—and help from China as well. Coal transport will depend on Chinese rail and ports."
It was a great project—except for the thousands of kilometers in between.
Unless they used expensive air freight, there was no shortcut.
Add in transportation costs and tariffs, and even at current coking coal prices, it was hard to make a solid business case.
Bayar had already met teams from the U.S. and Korea—everyone praised the mine's quality.
But when it came to actual investment, they all hesitated.
Mongolia might have a top-tier navy on paper, but they still couldn't solve their core transport issues.
Overland freight was always more expensive than shipping.
Blocked by a tiger to the south, a bear to the north—these were the insurmountable obstacles.
"Please carefully weigh the pros and cons. If you come up with a solid development plan, feel free to talk to me anytime," Bayar said.
One look at Yoshida's expression told him all he needed to know. They loved the coal's quality—but the cost of extracting and transporting it gave them pause.
This couldn't be forced.
"We'll put together a feasible proposal as soon as we can," Yoshida said, unable to promise anything.
Seeing the coal discussion wrap up, Viduka couldn't hold back. "Minister Bayar, has Zhongcheng Mining shown any willingness to cooperate on the Talego Copper-Gold project?"
Just hearing the name "Zhongcheng Mining" made Bayar's mood drop.
He shot Viduka a cold glance. "What does that have to do with you?"
"How could it not?" Viduka smiled, trying to sound charming. "We're in a close partnership. Once we get that mining right from Zhongcheng, it'll be good for both of us!"
"Hmph." Bayar snorted, not wanting to waste words.
"Our team from Lito has already spoken with Zhongcheng. While they haven't agreed to our proposal yet, we believe with enough pressure and the continued delay in licensing, it'll happen—within six months!"
Bayar hadn't yet heard the latest news and still believed they might force Zhongcheng to concede. "Once they lose hope, once they hit rock bottom, and we approach them again—they'll have no choice but to compromise and hand over the rights."
He continued, "Once we secure the mining license, your Ministry will also benefit—some of that license will go to you. And you personally will receive generous compensation."
"Viduka…" Jirigala couldn't even find the words to respond.
"I'm here today to reaffirm our partnership," Viduka said, still convinced everything was under his control. "Even though we haven't signed anything, we honor our verbal agreement! You must not accept any terms from Zhongcheng! I heard Li Tang is already here—he'll surely compromise and offer you some compensation..."
"He didn't compromise. He didn't offer anything." Bayar's teeth clenched in anger. "In fact, his attitude was very firm!"
"Firm?" Viduka scoffed. "Zhongcheng is completely out of line."
"Mr. Viduka, we have issued Zhongcheng Mining the mining license for the Talego Copper-Gold Mine," Jirigala stated.
Clearly, their verbal agreement with Lito meant nothing now.
"What?" Viduka shouted, stunned. "What did you just say?"
"I said: Zhongcheng Mining has received the mining license," Jirigala repeated.
"Oh, shit!" Viduka cursed, his tone no longer respectful. He glared at Bayar and Jirigala. "We've been planning this for so long, and you just handed it over? This is insane! It's betrayal!"
"Watch your language, Mr. Viduka," Jirigala warned sternly.
"I'm beyond disappointed."
Viduka had no intention of being polite anymore.
He had never really respected people like Bayar and Jirigala—just tools to be used.
Now that they had lost their value, he was furious.
"This is outrageous! You clearly have no integrity!" Viduka barked, his golden curls shaking with every word. "With this kind of behavior, don't expect Lito to invest another cent here!"
Jirigala didn't even know how to respond.
Lito was, after all, a powerful global player—they couldn't afford to offend them lightly.
But this wasn't about right or wrong.
Bayar, despite his position, wasn't about to grovel.
"This is beyond careless!"
Viduka couldn't believe they had granted the license without even consulting him.
What he didn't know was that his involvement had triggered a chain reaction of disruption in Mongolia's mineral trade.
He felt slighted and disrespected—and he was angry.
Bayar and the others? They were equally frustrated.
Leaving the Ministry, Viduka immediately called Alba.
"The Talego project is lost," he admitted.
…
Back in Yanjing, Li Tang returned with the mining license in hand.
As he stepped into the office at Yunding Tower, He Runqi ran over and pulled him aside.
"Finally! You're back!" he whispered.
"What's going on?" Li Tang asked, seeing how secretive he was.
He pointed to the lounge. "There's a foreigner in there. He's been coming to the office every day for a week!"
"Looking for me?" Li Tang asked.
"Who else?"
He Runqi, worried the visitor might find out Li Tang had returned, dragged him into the restroom. "The first day he showed up, he was carrying a baseball bat! Doesn't look friendly at all!"
"He's here to start trouble?" Li Tang was confused.
"Our company has no security staff, and the building's security says it's not their problem," He Runqi admitted helplessly. "I told the staff to try and get him to leave. He came back the next day. We called the police, they took him away… and the next day, he showed up again!"
"This thing's haunting us like a ghost," Li Tang muttered, somewhat uneasy.
Thinking it through, he couldn't recall offending any foreigner so badly that they would travel halfway around the world to hunt him down.
"We really don't know what he wants." He Runqi looked baffled. "We've spoken with him multiple times. He refuses to say anything except that he wants to see you."
"Me?" Li Tang frowned, even more confused.
"That guy's a nutcase, I swear," He Runqi said, laughing nervously. "None of the staff know his name. Somehow, someone started calling him 'the lunatic,' and now everyone just calls him that. It's not like he understands anything we say anyway."
"The lunatic?"
"He may be a little crazy, but when it's mealtime and we call him, he never refuses. He eats like a pig—one person's appetite equals three or four of us."
"I'll go take a look."
Li Tang figured that if the guy really had mental issues, he should be taken in for treatment. But if there was some actual grievance, it needed to be addressed face-to-face.
"Don't go. He could be dangerous!" He Runqi was genuinely worried for Li Tang's safety. "He brought a baseball bat the first day. He hasn't brought it since, but who knows what he's carrying now?"
"But he's been hanging around here for days, even bumming meals. This can't go on."
Li Tang didn't see a reason to hide. Since the man was looking for him, he went straight into the lounge despite He Runqi's protests.
A head of golden hair peeked out from above the sofa back, facing away from the door.
Li Tang hesitated, then walked around the sofa to see the man's face.
Under the messy blond hair was a stubbled jaw, clearly not shaved for several days. He wore thick glasses, but even the wrinkles on his face couldn't hide the man's natural charisma. He had the look of a weathered yet dignified gentleman.
His suit was still crisp, and his leather shoes gleamed.
At first glance, he looked like a corporate elite—every bit the image of a successful businessman.
"Mr. Chris?"
Li Tang recognized him. He vaguely recalled the name from a rushed meeting a week ago before he flew out to Mongolia.
Chris had sat here, unmoving, for seven days.
Now, finally seeing Li Tang, he shot up and grabbed Li Tang's arm.
His fingers were like iron clamps, gripping Li Tang's wrist tightly.
"Don't try to hide. You're not getting away!" he growled, eyes blazing with fury, as if Li Tang had committed some unforgivable crime against him.
Li Tang felt the sharp pain in his wrist but didn't cry out. He just looked confused. "Mr. Chris, is there some kind of misunderstanding between us?"
From what Li Tang remembered, the last time he saw Chris, the man had been surrounded by subordinates, composed, well-mannered, clearly someone of education and class.
How had he changed so suddenly?
Was it because Li Tang had left abruptly the first time, without properly receiving him? Could he really have taken offense over that?
That seemed ridiculous.
"Misunderstanding?"
Chris kept one hand clamped on Li Tang's wrist. His other hand clenched into a fist, raised as if ready to punch Li Tang—but he stopped himself.
He was clearly seething, eyes locked on Li Tang like daggers.
"Please, calm down,"
He Runqi called out, sensing things were escalating. He quickly summoned the staff to the lounge.
With Li Tang seemingly held hostage, no one dared move hastily.
Li Tang tried to pull away, but the man's grip was too strong. Instead, he went with a softer tactic. "Mr. Chris, I truly don't understand. What did I do to upset you?"
"Where's Alice? Did you lock her up somewhere?" Chris roared, baring his teeth.
"Alice?"
Li Tang lifted his free hand to wipe his face, then studied Chris closely—finally noticing something striking.
The man's features…
They bore a remarkable resemblance to Alice.
"You're Alice's father?"
The realization dawned at last.
At least that cleared up part of the confusion.
Li Tang could understand a father's deep concern for his daughter—and how that worry might drive him to do anything.
After sending He Runqi and the staff out, Li Tang made some tea and poured a cup for Chris. Then, he calmly explained the circumstances behind Alice's decision to join Shengtang Holdings.
It wasn't complicated. A few sentences told the whole story.
Finally, Li Tang raised his hand in a solemn vow. "Alice is currently on a business trip in Austria, collecting information on a publicly listed company. She's completely safe—there's no danger at all. If you don't believe me, call her. Her phone is definitely working."
"She doesn't want to talk about work with me on the phone," Chris admitted.
He had clearly tried calling. That's likely why he'd waited so long at the office—he wasn't here to confront Li Tang, but to find Alice.
And while waiting, he couldn't help but want to see what kind of boss could have enticed his daughter to leave a high-paying job at Goldman Sachs for a startup like this.
"I'll call her now and tell her to drop everything and come back."
Li Tang took out his phone and dialed Alice in front of him, putting it on speaker.
"Alice, how's the work going?"
"We've been researching Lianying Mining's market data in the securities market and collecting financial statements. We've also been looking into their mining licenses at the Ministry of Mining and Petroleum. I'm planning to head to the Pilbara region to inspect their claim area."
"Good."
"We're waiting for a partner to share the cost of renting a small plane. You know, the only way to get to Karratha is by air. Chartering a plane alone is too expensive."
"You don't need to go to Karratha. Are you in Perth now?"
"Yes, I'm at the airport. Just waiting to see if I can find someone to fly with."
"Since you're at the airport, get on the next flight to Yanjing. Right now."
"Is the company in financial trouble? That's impossible. I've only been gone a week. Things were perfectly stable when I left."
"Your work is done. Come home."
"You need to give me a reason."
"No reason."
"Fine. I'll head back to the hotel, pack my things, and return to Yanjing."
Li Tang ended the call and waved his phone. "She'll be back soon."
Flights from Perth to Yanjing usually required transfers. She'd be flying all day.
"She won't arrive until late tonight," he added, checking the time.
"There's really no need to rush her like that," Chris said, now feeling guilty about her exhaustion.
"She didn't know you were here?"
"She had no idea." Chris had come to wait, hoping to catch her by surprise. "She told me she was still working at Goldman. But when I went to their China office, the manager told me she resigned last year."
"She'll be surprised to see you," Li Tang chuckled.
"She'll be shocked," Chris said flatly. He knew his daughter well.
"She didn't tell you she works here?"
"No. That's why I was worried about her safety."
Chris had been relieved just to hear her voice on the phone.
But knowing she was in Austria, planning to venture deep into the Pilbara, he knew how harsh the conditions were—just getting there was a grueling trip.
He couldn't understand why she'd willingly leave a cushy investment banking job to do this kind of hard labor.
He simply couldn't comprehend his daughter's choice.
For the past few days, Chris had been convinced his daughter had been tricked into something.
But now, hearing her voice, hearing the calm and clarity in her words—no complaints, no regrets—he realized she must be here of her own free will.
Why?
What was it about this "Li Tang Shengshi Holdings" company that made it so compelling?
He believed that a company's culture ultimately reflects what its leader intends to build.
He looked at Li Tang again. So young.
Judging by Western standards, the man in front of him, with his lightly tanned complexion and clear features, looked no older than a boy just coming of age.
"Incredible. You're so young," Chris muttered.
"You look young too," Li Tang replied politely, smiling.
"Are you dating Alice?" Chris asked abruptly.
"Uh…"
Li Tang was stunned and didn't know how to respond.
"I was young once too," Chris said meaningfully. His anger earlier had partly stemmed from suspicions about the nature of Alice's relationship with Li Tang.
"I know—only love can make someone throw everything away," he said, speaking from experience.
"Actually, we're not," Li Tang replied plainly. "Alice is our company's most important employee. She's also a key partner."
"Don't lie to me, young man. If you love someone, own it!" Chris declared.
"Uh…"
…
Late that night, Li Tang drove to the airport with Chris to pick up Alice.
She came out dragging her suitcase, and when she saw her father standing next to Li Tang, her feelings were a complex mix of surprise and shock.
Li Tang dropped them off at Alice's apartment, then left.
He'd wanted to take them out to dinner, but it was too late. Another day, perhaps.
Despite the late hour, Chris wasn't tired. He inspected his daughter's apartment and finally felt a little reassured—it wasn't as bad as he'd feared.
He searched the place for signs of anything suspicious—but found nothing.
Alice had already eaten on the plane, so she simply offered him some bread and milk.
"I'm not hungry. We ate while waiting for you at the airport," Chris declined. "Sit down. We need to talk."
He was eager to understand her decision.
"Dad, why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Alice's voice softened now that her nerves had calmed.
She'd kept everything hidden. Now it was all out in the open.
She hadn't been prepared for this confrontation, and earlier she'd been on edge the whole time.
"You were being reckless."
Chris couldn't help scolding her. "I've always supported your choices—even when you said you wanted to work in China. I helped you get into Goldman Sachs. But then you left without even talking to me or your mom."
"I'm sorry, Dad."
Alice knew her father's concern came from love. "I knew you wouldn't understand. You wouldn't support my decision."
"You could have left Goldman and come home, at least. Why join a Chinese startup?"
Chris genuinely didn't understand. "Tell me—what attracted you to that company?"
"It's a company with real promise."
When she talked about the firm, Alice lit up like someone describing her dream. "Our company holds a large stake in Zhongcheng Mining. Do you know Zhongcheng owns 100% of Nanhuang Resources? And Nanhuang holds one of the world's most famous undeveloped mineral rights—Talego Copper-Gold."
"I know."
Chris nodded. "That's why I came to Yanjing—to discuss the Talego project."
"Then you must understand how promising our company is—how great it could become!"
Since joining Li Tang Shengshi Holdings, Alice had gone from skeptical to confident to downright proud.
Every day at work, she felt like she was helping make history.
They weren't just coasting through. They were building something real.
"You're a shareholder?" Chris asked.
"Yes, I'm a small shareholder," Alice said proudly.
Now that the company had grown, new employees were all envious of the early staff who got shares.
Even just 1% equity was worth tens of millions now.
"But before Talego was discovered, why did you join?" Chris was puzzled. The mine wasn't even public knowledge when she left Goldman.
"Because it's a great company founded by a one-of-a-kind leader."
"You mean that man we saw earlier?"
Chris could tell from her excitement that it wasn't just business.
"You seem to really admire your boss."
"Everyone admires him," Alice said openly. "He's just an ordinary guy from a small town who built a company from nothing and discovered dozens of significant mineral deposits. In mineral exploration, I don't think anyone does it better."
"Better than me?" Chris asked—a question designed to hurt.
"Yes," Alice answered without hesitation.
She was always straightforward.
Chris felt the sting.
Then he asked, "Since you're a shareholder, can you help your father? Can you convince Li Tang to let Freeport collaborate on developing the Talego Copper-Gold project?"
"No," Alice replied firmly.
"This would be good for both our companies." Chris was frustrated by her rejection.
"They'll never agree to your terms."
Alice knew Li Tang well. "He's got a strong personality."
"They can't possibly develop a mine of that scale without our help."
"Maybe others can't. But he can," Alice said, almost with blind faith.
"What else can I say?" Chris felt like he'd been stabbed through the heart.
…
The next morning, Li Tang noticed Alice had come to work alone. He walked into her office.
"Where's your father?"
"He flew back to the U.S. today," Alice replied.
"So soon?"
"He came here on behalf of Freeport. He wanted to talk about partnering with you on the Talego project."
"I know. We spoke."
"Well, he's given up. He realized there's no point, so he left."
"That's a shame." Li Tang sighed. "I wanted to treat you both to a proper meal. There was a misunderstanding, and I never got a chance to be a good host."
"Don't worry about him. He knows how to take care of himself."
Alice pulled out a file and looked at him. "We've got some findings on Lianying Mining. Should I report here, or in your office?"
"Here is fine. Go ahead."
Li Tang pulled up a chair and sat down.
Alice began her report. "Lianying Mining is a junior exploration company listed on the Austrian Stock Exchange. Its current market value is around 15 million AUD."
"Mm." Li Tang nodded.
"Most of the shares—about 40%—are held by the founder, Kent. So if you want to acquire the company, the key is winning Kent over."
"And their mining rights?"
"They own one large iron ore exploration license in the Pilbara region. But the project has been stalled for years."
"Any legal issues?"
"No. The company is simple. It went public to raise funds for exploration. But because iron ore prices have been low for a decade, they halted the project. The stock's been in decline. Practically forgotten."
Alice kept it short, just hitting the main points. The full details were in the file.
"Globally, iron ore mining rarely turns a profit," she said, looking up at Li Tang. "I don't quite understand why you want to enter the iron ore sector."
She had worked with Li Tang long enough to know: many of his decisions were baffling.
Since joining, she'd only seen two projects—Talego and Shazhai Molybdenum—neither of which had obvious initial motivation.
She often couldn't follow his logic.
Maybe because he approached things from a technical perspective. It was normal she didn't understand.
But iron ore? Especially in Austria? No one was optimistic.
No one was investing heavily in mining there anymore. People preferred real estate or vineyards.
The iron ore investment scene in Austria was practically deserted.
To her, Li Tang's decision seemed like swimming against the current.
"Time changes everything—including iron ore prices," Li Tang said with a smile, picking up the file to study it.
At that moment, no one could predict that the long winter for iron ore was finally over…
And what was coming next was a boom like oil bursting into flame.
Buy low. Sell high. It's the oldest strategy in the book.
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