Chapter 346: True Warriors Dare to
Mark indeed flew to Vancouver and personally came to the hotel where Li Tang was staying.
"You are a genuine friend, a great geologist, and an outstanding investor," Mark complimented Li Tang sincerely upon meeting him. "You don't deserve such unfair treatment. Even the justice department can sometimes make mistakes—they can't always shine with absolute justice."
"Thank you for standing up for me when you saw injustice," Li Tang replied. Initially, Li Tang hadn't paid much attention to Mark, but after seeing him publicly defending him on TV, he had developed some goodwill toward him, even if he suspected there might be underlying interests.
"Mr. Mark, I must apologize to you," Alice said, somewhat ashamed.
"Why say that?" Mark smiled.
"We cannot accept your proposal to purchase our 36% stake in Lambourne Resources for two hundred million Australian dollars," Alice explained, knowing very well the reason behind Mark's personal visit.
After all, he was the CEO of Barrick Gold, who had traveled thousands of kilometers, crossing entire continents. This gesture alone could create enormous pressure, making people feel flattered and burdened simultaneously.
Mark still maintained his gentlemanly demeanor. "We are friends. Li Tang has been treated unjustly here. I came to visit him because it's simply the right thing to do."
His graciousness only made Alice feel guiltier, as if she were playing tricks on him. She glanced at Li Tang, not knowing how to explain the situation properly.
"It was my decision," Li Tang clarified. Normally, Li Tang rarely overturned Alice's decisions. Doing so could undermine her authority and self-confidence. But in the case of Lambourne Resources, he had no choice but to reject Mark's offer.
They had just declined cooperation with Hua Jin Corporation's Cheng Muye, clearly stating that transferring Lambourne Resources' shares was impossible in the short term. Selling those shares immediately afterward to Barrick Gold would severely damage their credibility and potentially lose friends.
Moreover, Li Tang himself believed strongly in the future potential of high-quality gold deposits, especially ones with considerable scale. Gongcun Copper-Gold Mine had only one million tonnes of copper and about a hundred tonnes of gold. Despite its modest quality, with the rise in commodity prices, it could now fetch three or four billion yuan.
Tropicana Gold Mine, on the other hand, had two hundred tonnes of high-grade gold ore at shallow depths, making it easy to mine. Such a mine would undoubtedly have greater future value. They also possessed the resources to develop such high-quality deposits themselves.
From both public and private perspectives, Li Tang was reluctant to sell Lambourne Resources' shares to Barrick Gold. He knew selling their 36% stake would give Barrick Gold a controlling position, making it easier for them to develop the mine.
"Carol has informed us that exploration is still ongoing. Following the ancient riverbed trend, there's potential for further discoveries. Before exploration concludes, we're unwilling to sell our shares prematurely," Li Tang explained further. "Additionally, when investing in Lambourne Resources, we promised Carol we wouldn't sell shares easily without his consent."
"I can persuade Carol to agree," Mark insisted confidently.
"I believe you could," Li Tang nodded with a smile. "But Tropicana Gold Mine might not be the world's best gold mine. If you trust my abilities and integrity, we can jointly undertake gold exploration right here in Canada. With its vast territory, Canada has some of the richest mineral resources in the world. Prospecting here holds more potential than anywhere else."
"Gold exploration here?" Mark hesitated, yet appeared tempted. After all, who didn't know Li Tang's legendary abilities in mineral exploration? Malu River Coal Mine's success had once again proven Li Tang's extraordinary talent in prospecting.
But Tropicana Gold Mine's current state was undeniably attractive—Mark didn't want to miss out on such a premium mining asset.
"I have confidence we can discover new gold mines here in Canada comparable or superior to Tropicana," Li Tang confidently reassured him. "Mr. CEO, don't you have confidence in your country's gold resources?"
"Of course I do, but…" Mark had to carefully weigh the options. Tropicana Gold Mine was truly enticing, yet inviting Li Tang to prospect for gold was also an invaluable opportunity. Adult choices often meant wrestling with dilemmas—ideally, one would have both.
Li Tang remained calm, sipping his tea as he patiently awaited Mark's decision.
"No one is better suited than us to develop Tropicana," Mark finally admitted. Aware that Li Tang wouldn't easily change his mind, he chose to respect Li Tang's stance. "But we're happy to collaborate with you on new projects."
"Here's to a fruitful partnership!" Li Tang responded with a warm smile.
"But first, you need your freedom. Otherwise, how will we carry out exploration projects?" Mark said, making a commitment. "I'll take this opportunity to visit the courts and police here to understand your situation, ensuring your freedom as soon as possible."
"Thank you!" Li Tang sincerely replied.
Alice's mood also brightened considerably. With Mark personally intervening, what trouble couldn't be resolved in Canada?
…
Canadian Ministry of Resources.
After sending away representatives from several coal companies in Columbia Province, Jack immediately met with Richard, CEO of Alcan Group.
"I'm already aware of your Alcan Group's recent troubles in Europe," Jack expressed genuine concern. In recent years, Alcan Group had aggressively expanded globally, acquiring numerous factories across Europe, America, and Asia, nearly monopolizing Europe's high-end aluminum market.
Yet such aggressive expansion had created serious drawbacks—bloated organizations, complicated management structures, and massive unprofitable operations had heavily drained profits from core businesses.
Despite its impressive scale and stock value, insiders understood Alcan Group's vulnerabilities. Longstanding internal management issues could eventually plunge Alcan Group into crisis.
"We're merely closing down some unprofitable operations—it's not that serious," Richard downplayed the severity, unwilling to discuss internal problems too deeply with outsiders.
But today, Richard had come for a specific purpose.
"I saw representatives from several coal companies from Columbia Province earlier—did they make some new discoveries lately?" Richard inquired curiously.
"No, they were here because of Li Tang. Do you know Li Tang from China?" Jack asked.
"Certainly. No one involved in mining exploration doesn't know his name. He's practically a deity in the exploration field," Richard said sincerely. His success had been partly due to his ability to acknowledge and leverage other people's strengths.
"They came precisely because of Li Tang," Jack frowned slightly.
"What connection do they have?" Richard asked, confused.
"Due to Li Tang's recent arrest in Vancouver, several Chinese steel companies are now reconsidering their trade agreements with our coal companies. As you know, we export about 30 million tonnes of coking coal annually, worth over a billion dollars. This trade relationship is critical to us," Jack admitted with visible frustration. "Negotiations for next year's coal supply contract with Chinese steel companies have stalled."
"Because of Li Tang?"
"Exactly. Li Tang holds tremendous influence in China, especially within the industrial sector."
"Are they truly willing to cut off a trade worth more than a billion dollars annually just for one person?" Richard wondered aloud. He understood that such action would severely harm both parties.
However, he also sensed they might be seriously considering such drastic measures.
"Perhaps it's just a negotiating tactic," Jack scratched his head irritably. "We've received similar warnings from the Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Justice, and several other departments. Some people are extremely upset, insisting we must teach these Chinese companies a harsh lesson and show them we won't yield to threats."
"If it's merely a negotiating tactic, it's not that serious," Richard mused for a moment before explaining the true purpose of his visit. "In fact, the reason I'm here today is also related to Li Tang's situation."
"Oh?" Jack suddenly felt his heartbeat miss half a beat.
"My viewpoint aligns with that of Mark, the CEO of Barrick Gold," Richard continued calmly. "Li Tang's arrest clearly isn't a legal matter. It's simply jealousy from certain individuals who can't stand seeing a successful Chinese businessman."
Though brief, Richard's words conveyed significant meaning, clearly illustrating his stance on this matter. It was evident he was firmly on Li Tang's side.
Before Richard's arrival, Mark's comments on television had already silenced many who were previously clamoring to imprison Li Tang for two hundred years. The scales of public opinion had already begun shifting, with more people now willing to step forward to defend Li Tang and speak up on his behalf.
Having observed this change, Richard carefully considered his options before deciding to visit Jack to share his thoughts. He hadn't directly contacted the judiciary or Vancouver police, choosing instead to approach Jack, with whom he shared a better relationship.
In the current climate, publicly supporting Li Tang had become more acceptable. Had Richard spoken out earlier, when the media was unanimously condemning Li Tang, he would never have risked alienating the public just to secure the supply of raw materials for a new factory or to improve relations with China's largest aluminum company and expand his market share there.
Now, the timing was right. Riding the tide of public opinion was essential to becoming a trendsetter.
"Why are you all behaving like this?" Jack was genuinely puzzled.
Members of the New Democratic Party and the Conservative Party had leveraged Li Tang's arrest to fuel their political agendas, stirring up nationalistic fervor among the public. But now, the situation had done a complete 180-degree turn. Influential mining companies had begun publicly defending Li Tang.
Barrick Gold and Alcan Group were two of Canada's leading corporations—practically national champions—and both had chosen to publicly support Li Tang, becoming his strongest allies.
Though Richard's statement was more subdued than Mark's televised proclamation, Jack knew he couldn't afford to overlook Richard's stance.
"I want to clarify one point," Richard stated clearly, "I don't personally know Li Tang, nor do I have any direct interests connected to him."
"So, what's your perspective then?" Jack asked.
"My perspective is straightforward," Richard answered firmly. "We must protect Canada's investment environment and international reputation. If wealthy foreign investors risk arrest under dubious charges, who would still want to invest in Canada?"
Richard's sentiment mirrored Mark's televised statements exactly.
Jack sighed, then revealed candidly, "Every department is currently reassessing the implications of Li Tang's case. To be honest, Li Tang was arrested because of persistent reports accusing him of severe illegal activities. During his previous departure from the country, he was indeed found carrying numerous suspicious documents. According to airport security, those documents contained many coordinates and detailed topographical data. The Vancouver police considered these reports credible and thus decided to arrest him immediately."
Richard clearly already knew these details. He countered, "But the police haven't actually proven that those documents involve classified military zones, have they?"
"No," Jack admitted.
"Moreover, military restricted zones deep in the Rocky Mountains? That's absurd!" Richard found it laughable.
Sometimes, facts were blatantly obvious. Yet the Vancouver police had created such a controversy, igniting heated public debates across the entire country, that they now found themselves in an embarrassing predicament. At times, it even seemed that if they didn't convict Li Tang of some crime, they would feel guilty toward the public.
"I'll relay your thoughts and position to other departments and higher-ups," Jack could only reply diplomatically.
"I believe in the integrity of our justice system," Richard responded, not lingering any longer.
…
Li Xingchao personally invited Niu Fu over to meet him. Niu Fu understood that the most critical issue facing them was undoubtedly Li Tang's imprisonment.
Setting aside all other matters, he immediately hurried over for the meeting with Li Xingchao.
"Is there any new information regarding Li Tang?" Niu Fu asked immediately upon arrival.
"The investigation is still ongoing." Li Xingchao shook his head, having no fresh updates.
"What's gotten into this kid?" Niu Fu lamented impatiently. "He just had to go overseas to invest. Now look—he's landed himself behind bars!"
"I invited you here today because there's an important development I feel obligated to share with you immediately," Li Xingchao began solemnly.
"What development?" Niu Fu asked promptly.
"Our Shenxia Group invested alongside Li Tang in a company called Malu River Coal Company in Canada. Recently, the exploration yielded significant results," Li Xingchao explained carefully.
"Results?"
"We discovered a three-billion-tonne coal reserve, half of which is premium-quality coking coal. Based on current findings, as exploration continues deeper, we expect total reserves could reach between five to seven billion tonnes, with nearly half being coking coal. Furthermore, at depths of 1,000 to 2,000 meters, there's potential for even more coal layers, possibly raising the total reserves to an astonishing ten billion tonnes!"
Ordinarily, such news would be cause for great celebration and widespread publicity. However, given Li Tang's current situation, it was difficult for everyone to fully rejoice.
This information had already spread widely across Canada, though Chinese media hadn't fully picked up on it yet. It was only a matter of time.
Upon hearing this news for the first time, Niu Fu experienced mixed emotions. Wu Mining Group had experience with coal-related trades, so he clearly understood the rarity of a coal deposit reaching three billion tonnes. According to Li Xingchao, the Malu River Coal Mine might even surpass Talege Coal Mine, becoming the largest coalfield globally!
"A true warrior is one who dares to confront the bleakest realities and bravely faces life's bloodiest truths!" Niu Fu exclaimed emotionally, paraphrasing a famous quote.
"Even after his arrest, he's still thinking about coal mines?" Zhao Hepu, who accompanied Niu Fu, was so excited that his entire body shook.
"The three-billion-tonne reserve was discovered before Li Tang's arrest," Li Xingchao explained helplessly. "Precisely because of these promising results, our team in Canada invited Li Tang over to witness the discovery firsthand and plan subsequent actions. And, well, you know what happened. He was arrested upon landing."
"Three billion tonnes—half of it coking coal!" Temporarily setting aside Li Tang's grim situation, Zhao Hepu marveled at the scale of the discovery. "This is simply outrageous! Even in China's coal-rich Shanxi Province, deposits exceeding one hundred million tonnes of coking coal are extremely rare. Most of those once sizable deposits are already nearing depletion after years of mining. Fifteen hundred million tonnes of coking coal—if we had something like this in China, it would be absolutely incredible!"
"I don't even know whether to laugh or cry upon hearing this news," Li Xingchao admitted bitterly. "This was our company's boldest overseas investment attempt, spending over a hundred million yuan on exploration abroad. Achieving such incredible success should have been cause for grand celebration. Yet now, I'm in no mood for festivities."
"Oh…" Niu Fu sighed heavily, at a loss for words.
Li Xingchao grew even more depressed, "I bear some responsibility for Li Tang's arrest. Had I not repeatedly persuaded Li Tang to help us with coal exploration, he wouldn't have flown to Vancouver and been arrested. His parents immediately arrived in Yanjing upon hearing the news. I asked Qiqi to accompany them, but we all share their anxiety. Their son is facing such hardships abroad—they're counting every second, enduring unbearable torment."
"Let's wait a bit longer. Perhaps things will soon take a turn for the better," Niu Fu tried reassuring him.
"Let's hope so," Li Xingchao agreed softly.
…
Li Tang was finally acquitted of all charges, regaining his complete freedom. It happened abruptly, yet as expected. Ever since Mark publicly spoke out in Li Tang's defense, most people had anticipated this outcome.
The farce finally came to an end.
The majority of the Canadian public did not receive the outcome they hoped for. Many had eagerly awaited seeing a wealthy magnate sentenced, showcasing Canada's judicial authority.
Instead, public outrage shifted targets. Conservative voices now accused the Vancouver police of caving to corporate pressure and bowing to powerful interests, sparking another intense wave of debate.
Yet none of this mattered anymore to Li Tang.
Upon regaining his freedom, Li Tang didn't linger to celebrate. Instead, he swiftly accompanied Xie Jiashu and others straight to the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, eager to personally inspect the progress of the Malu River Coal Mine project.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Johanssen