Chapter 347: Stirring Up the Waters
The Malu River coal mine project didn't require overly sophisticated technical approaches. For deep exploration, it simply meant deploying more powerful drilling rigs equipped with durable drill bits designed by Geng Jianying.
Within an area spanning 150 square kilometers, multiple stable coal seams had led to the formation of several significant coal deposits, collectively constituting a world-class coalfield. Further exploration involved simply drilling deeper along the already identified coal layers. Occasionally, deep geophysical surveys were conducted, complemented by geological observations, making it relatively easy to uncover deeper coal seams.
After leaving the Rocky Mountains, Li Tang swiftly traveled to the capital city of the Nut region.
"Seeing you regain your freedom makes even the air feel freer," Fernando remarked warmly. He gestured to one of his assistants, who promptly handed Li Tang a lit cigar. "Come on, let's celebrate your freedom!"
Li Tang wasn't particularly fond of cigars; they were too thick, numbing his lips when held for long, and inhaling their smoke didn't offer much enjoyment. In fact, he thought humorously, a sausage might give him greater satisfaction—and at least it could fill his stomach. However, faced with Fernando's enthusiasm, he politely accepted the cigar, took a deep draw, let the smoke linger momentarily in his mouth, and then slowly exhaled a cloud.
As the smoke swirled around them, the atmosphere seemed even warmer and friendlier.
Perhaps, Li Tang mused, this was the image others had in mind when speaking of "enjoying life."
"So, you're the chairwoman of Lianying Mining?" Fernando asked as he offered another cigar, this time to Alice.
"No, thank you. I don't smoke," Alice politely declined.
After Li Tang had been acquitted, Alice didn't immediately return to Australia. Instead, she had accompanied Li Tang to personally inspect the Malu River coal mine site.
Clearly, it was another hugely successful investment project.
In Canada, this marked their second major success. The first had been Northern Dynasty Mining, though its Pebble project was technically located within U.S. territory, not Canada. Therefore, the Malu River coal mine represented their first groundbreaking investment success on Canadian soil.
It all felt quite sudden.
Initially, when Alice heard about the tremendous discovery at the Malu River coal mine, she hadn't been able to feel truly excited, preoccupied as she was with Li Tang's legal troubles. But now, with those worries behind them, she could finally savor the joy that came from another successful investment.
At times, she found herself puzzled at how easily they kept achieving significant discoveries.
It was now apparent to her that, in Canada, they had become celebrities, just as they had in Australia, where the explosive growth of Lianying Mining had significantly raised their social status.
Governments, corporate leaders, global financiers, and investors—figures previously far out of reach—were now proactively reaching out, sometimes even fawning over them.
Since Li Tang was often difficult to contact, these people usually approached Alice directly, causing her to sense clearly her growing importance. Yet, she knew very well that all this was due to Li Tang's extraordinary brilliance, which spilled over onto her.
Especially after Li Tang's legal issues were resolved, an increasing number of people began contacting them to explore potential collaborations.
Some inquired about Malu River coal mine, hoping for joint development or even employment opportunities to chase their career dreams. Others showed interest in the exploration of the Mali River iron mine, seeing the current iron ore market at its peak over the last two decades as the perfect moment to enter the industry. Still others, representing junior exploration companies, eagerly sought Li Tang's cooperation or investment.
Alice became the point of convergence for all these communications. Indeed, she had become the most effective channel through which people could reach Li Tang.
Aware of Li Tang's valuable time, she refrained from readily accepting any of these proposals. Nevertheless, the Mali River iron mine was a project Li Tang had personally initiated, clearly underscoring its importance. She also wanted to see it with her own eyes.
Besides, the initial reason Li Tang decided to invest in iron exploration on Baffin Island—a land of ice and snow—was a spontaneous decision made during a romantic trip with his girlfriend. Alice also wished to revisit this place with Li Tang, to appreciate the rumored stunning auroras and lively polar bears.
Fernando didn't press further, placing the cigar he had offered Alice back onto the table, leaving it to quietly burn with a gentle stream of smoke rising.
"That old guy Vaz really played dirty," Fernando said straightforwardly. "He gladly accepted our favors, yet the moment you ran into trouble, he panicked and started contemplating shutting down Cold Iron Mining and reclaiming our exploration rights for the Mali River iron mine. Now, seeing you acquitted and sensing an opportunity again, he quickly withdrew that decision. He wants to meet you. If you'd rather not deal with him, feel free to decline."
"I came here precisely to deal with these project issues. Apparently, unless I appear personally, Vaz won't fully trust our determination," Li Tang decided, indicating his willingness to meet with Vaz.
Vaz was visibly startled upon seeing Li Tang; he hadn't anticipated a personal visit. During this period, he'd clearly observed Li Tang's surging popularity. Several prominent Canadian corporate executives had openly voiced their support for Li Tang, something unimaginable just weeks prior.
Previously, no one had suspected the immense influence Li Tang, a Chinese national, wielded—capable not only of rallying companies like Barrick Gold and Alcan Group but also maintaining exceptional relationships with them.
In Vaz's decades-long political career in Canada, forging connections with such powerful corporations and financial groups as Barrick Gold and Alcan Group represented an invaluable opportunity. These entities shaped the nation's upper echelons and influenced political elections, including those of cabinet ministers, parliamentarians, and even prime ministers. Gaining access to their circles meant reaching the pinnacle of social status, something Vaz had long desired but never achieved.
"I knew you'd come out of this unscathed," Vaz declared enthusiastically, his words both sentimental and slightly resentful.
"The past is behind us," Li Tang responded succinctly, moving directly to the point. "I've heard that the Mining and Minerals Department was considering reclaiming our exploration rights for the Mali River iron mine. Is that true?"
"Who told you that?" Vaz quickly shook his head, emphatically denying the claim. "We've never even considered such a thing, nor would we ever!"
"Good, perhaps I misunderstood," Li Tang replied smoothly.
Li Tang's purpose in meeting Vaz was to ensure the Mali River iron mine project progressed smoothly. According to the original schedule, field exploration should have officially begun by now. Everything—personnel, specialized cold-resistant equipment, essential supplies—had already been prepared extensively.
"If there are no further complications, we can soon commence exploration," Li Tang said with a pleasant smile, looking directly at Vaz. "I sincerely hope Minister Vaz will continue supporting our project. Without your help, achieving our planned objectives would be impossible."
"Of course! That's my duty," Vaz assured him quickly.
"Then I'm relieved," Li Tang concluded.
Their conversation was brief but productive, clearly signaling that the project would continue without further issues. Vaz had evidently realized Li Tang was someone he couldn't easily provoke or manipulate.
Consequently, Vaz politely escorted Li Tang to the door, repeatedly pledging his full support to guarantee the project's successful outcome.
Winter had set in, and conditions on Baffin Island had become exceedingly harsh, the frigid wind cutting like knives. In fact, Baffin Island only enjoyed two brief months of summer; the rest of the year could genuinely be considered winter.
Working there inevitably meant overcoming extremely challenging weather conditions. Nevertheless, with all preparations complete and Li Tang personally leading the team, morale remained high.
A base had already been established in the exploration area, providing suitable accommodations and meals. However, given the current short daylight hours, productivity was inevitably lower.
But finally, the exploration was underway.
Li Tang, accompanied by Alice, spent a week overseeing the project before returning to Toronto.
"This is so boring," Alice complained. She felt as if she'd been living inside a refrigerator the entire time, nearly frozen solid.
"You're a finance person; insisting on going to such a harsh environment may sound heroic, but really, you're just torturing yourself," Li Tang remarked.
Initially, Li Tang had urged Alice to return to Australia. Currently, the Kiche iron mine project there was in a crucial phase, with only the final touches remaining before it could enter operations.
"Compared to sitting in an office all day, staring at endless financial reports, I actually prefer this kind of adventurous life," Alice replied confidently. "You know, I've always been courageous. Ever since I was young, I dreamed of becoming an adventurer." Although she admitted the trip to Baffin Island was tough, upon reflection, it had been rewarding.
"Let's see how much you'd enjoy it if you had to work there for six months," Li Tang joked.
"If you were there for half a year, I'd be there too," Alice retorted proudly. "If you're not afraid, what do I have to fear?"
"Fine, fine, I know you're tough," Li Tang gave in. Unable to out-argue Alice, he shifted topics. "Before we left for Baffin Island, we promised Richard we'd meet him in Canada. Now that nothing urgent is coming up, contact him and arrange a meeting."
"Richard said he's available whenever you are."
Alice marveled at Li Tang's popularity and influence, no matter where he went. Still, she was puzzled about one thing: "Plenty of others want to meet you, including Canadian MPs and even Cabinet members. You've turned them all down, yet you accepted Richard's invitation. Why is that?"
Why indeed?
Li Tang pondered the question deeply.
The issue carried a deeper meaning. Alcan Group was the world's second-largest aluminum giant, practically dominating every aspect of the aluminum industry across Canada and Europe, and operating in nearly two hundred countries globally. Before now, Li Tang had no connections whatsoever to Alcan.
However, he'd been closely watching Alcan for some time.
Even a giant whale can fall.
From a future perspective, Alcan Group, after its aggressive global expansion, would eventually find itself weighed down by unprofitable subsidiaries, slowly sinking beneath the icy surface, its massive body gradually stiffening.
Soon enough, after an ambitious global acquisition spree, Alcan would itself become someone else's prey.
Li Tang realized he wouldn't likely be able to participate in that ultimate showdown. Even if Alcan's finances became problematic, it remained an enormous entity. To swallow a behemoth of that scale would require at least tens of billions of dollars.
Even if Lianying Mining consistently generated annual profits of billions, accumulating such enormous funds quickly would be challenging.
However, Li Tang wasn't aiming to take over Alcan entirely. Instead, he intended to stir up the waters from the inside, hoping to snatch a big fish from the resulting chaos—or perhaps even catch a crocodile.
His target wasn't Alcan itself, but something else entirely.
"Alcan is a respectable company, isn't it?" he replied vaguely, smiling. His thoughts were complicated, difficult to explain clearly to Alice right now. It was a plan with many moving parts, requiring careful, step-by-step explanation as events unfolded, culminating eventually in strategic financial maneuvers.
"All right," Alice agreed. "According to news reports, although Richard didn't publicly support you during your accusations, he privately spoke with high-level Canadian officials, playing a key role in helping you regain your freedom. Whether that's entirely true or not, we should thank him in person."
"You're right," Li Tang nodded. "Since he said he's available whenever, let's just go straight to Alcan headquarters."
And so, they indeed went directly to see Richard.
"I recently visited China. It's a beautiful country," Richard warmly greeted Li Tang.
"We've enjoyed Canada's wonderful landscapes as well," Li Tang smiled amiably.
After exchanging brief pleasantries, Li Tang cut to the chase: "Before we left for Baffin Island, I heard you wanted to discuss something with me?"
"Yes," Richard admitted candidly. It was only after visiting China and thoroughly investigating that Richard realized just how prominent Li Tang was in China's mining industry.
In every Chinese city Richard visited, whenever he discussed partnerships with Chinese mining companies, Li Tang's name inevitably came up. It seemed everyone either had direct ties to Li Tang or proudly discussed him as their role model.
It was understandable: having someone successfully represent their country internationally naturally filled them with pride.
"I understand you have a very strong relationship with Chalco. Whenever I talk business with Lai Xiangrong, your name always comes up repeatedly," Richard said frankly. "I'll speak openly without meaning to offend—I strongly believe that having your support is crucial to succeeding in the Chinese market."
"What kind of help do you expect from me?" Li Tang asked, curious.
"In the coming years, we plan to significantly increase our investments in China, establishing multiple aluminum product processing plants and potentially even investing in bauxite mines. However, obtaining mining rights remains a huge challenge. Globally, China's regulations regarding mining rights are among the strictest. If we can't secure suitable mining rights, we'll likely build smelters and import bauxite from Australia or Africa."
Richard didn't beat around the bush, clearly expressing his intentions: "Without a doubt, China has become the most important market globally, and Alcan Group is increasingly focusing its business there. Li, we'd love to cooperate with you and definitely need your help."
"No problem at all," Li Tang agreed readily. "I don't have any bauxite operations in China, so frankly, I can't directly help you secure mining rights. But I have excellent relationships within Chalco. Lai Xiangrong is a close friend. I can help connect you."
"Excellent, it's a deal!" Richard was delighted.
With Li Tang's assurance, his confidence in the Chinese market grew stronger. Clearly, China would soon become Alcan's main driver of profits.
"In Canada, is there any way I can help you?" Richard was unsure of Li Tang's sincerity, worried Li Tang might just be politely brushing him off.
"When the need arises, I'll let you know, Richard," Li Tang responded warmly, flashing a bright, genuine smile. "Also, let me thank you again sincerely for speaking up for me when I was wrongly accused. I truly admire people who value loyalty and righteousness. You've earned my friendship, and helping you is something I'm happy to do."
"Why didn't we meet earlier?" Richard sighed with genuine feeling.
Right then and there, Li Tang called Lai Xiangrong directly in front of Richard. He discussed Alcan Group's planned investments in China, explicitly requesting Lai Xiangrong to extend some support. Hearing Richard was present, Lai immediately agreed wholeheartedly.
Watching this unfold, Richard's smile grew wider and wider. Filled with gratitude, he insisted on treating Li Tang to dinner.
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