Chapter 28: Rewards for Merit
Li Tang hadn't worked at the company long enough in his past life to be exposed to these kinds of high-level power struggles. The so-called rumors had always just been background noise to him.
Now, with what Qin Jianshe was revealing, those rumors suddenly seemed a lot more real.
"The biggest obstacle to Zhao Hepu being officially confirmed isn't opposition from senior management—it's Demen Copper Mine itself!" Qin said with a knowing grin as he turned toward Li Tang. "If the crisis at Demen is resolved—if he can solve this mess—then all the barriers holding him back will disappear in an instant."
He looked at Li Tang with newfound admiration. "Your timing was absolutely perfect. Let me put it this way—if this bioleaching method you proposed turns out to be viable, then you, Li Tang, might just be Zhao Hepu's savior."
It was clear he genuinely hoped things would work out for Zhao.
One didn't have to be a genius to guess that both Zhao and Qin were key figures in the Mining and Metallurgy faction.
"Director Qin, you're giving me too much credit. I was just doing my job," Li Tang said modestly. He had no interest in power struggles and had no intention of getting involved.
He was still just an ordinary employee. This level of internal politics was far beyond his reach.
"No matter how you look at it, you've scored yet another major achievement! You've only been at the company for what—less than four months? And already, three major accomplishments!"
Qin's voice was filled with appreciation—and maybe a hint of guilt. "You've worked under me, and I've always believed in rewarding those who deserve it. So, tell me—what kind of reward would you like? Just don't ask for anything outside the rules, and I'll fight to get it for you."
A promotion?
A raise?
A girlfriend?
Li Tang thought through what he really wanted.
Since his rebirth, he'd often spent nights dreaming about the future.
He'd considered using his past-life knowledge to get into a more lucrative field—making millions, achieving financial freedom, becoming one of the richest men in the country...
Which industry would be the most profitable in the next twenty years?
Finance? The internet?
Unfortunately, those weren't his areas of expertise.
It would be like asking someone who can't swim to compete in a swimming race—not drowning would already be a victory.
He'd thought about climbing the corporate ladder at Wukuang and one day sitting at the top.
But even with a hundred lifetimes of experience, he didn't think he had what it took to rule an empire. That kind of thing was for the chosen few.
The only real value his past-life memories offered lay in one area: minerals.
His technical knowledge of mining made up the bulk of it.
It was the sad fate of a science-and-engineering guy.
We all have limitations.
But if he looked at it from another angle, understanding mineral resources and future market trends was powerful in its own right.
The mining industry was a vast ocean—no smaller than finance or tech.
If he could make waves in this field, that would be enough for one lifetime.
Recently, he had started to come to terms with this. Focus on what you're good at. Wait for the right moment. Sooner or later, he'd make a breakthrough.
No need to rush.
In this industry, without a "small goal," nothing could be achieved.
And these days, even a "small goal" was enough to get you on the Forbes list.
Right now, he wasn't even a ten-thousand-yuan household—so forget that "small goal" for now.
Thud—the car hit a pothole, bouncing everyone up in their seats.
The jolt snapped Li Tang out of his thoughts.
"That one million reward from Mining and Metallurgy Co.—can I keep all of it?" he asked half-jokingly.
"You've got a huge appetite!" Qin said, startled. "When the funds arrive, I'll try to get you the biggest possible bonus."
Clearly, he wasn't going to let Li Tang take the whole thing.
"I'm just joking." Li Tang laughed, knowing his demand was over the top. "But our group worked hard. I hope the company will at least increase our fieldwork allowance. Right now, it's five yuan a day per person—that's way too low. As far as I know, we're still using the 1989 policy."
"The field allowance ranges from two to five yuan depending on the conditions," Qin explained. "You've already been getting the maximum. Raising it would be against company policy—unless we change the policy itself, which isn't easy."
"The outdated allowance system is killing motivation. You know better than I do—most employees would rather sit in the office than head out to the field."
"You're not wrong, but changing company policy isn't something that happens overnight."
Still, Qin quickly thought of a workaround. "According to current rules, your field allowance is five yuan per day. But separately, you can apply to Mining and Metallurgy for dispatch labor compensation."
"How much per day?" Li Tang asked.
"Based on your salaries and allowances, go ahead and request thirty yuan per person, and fifty for you as team leader. That's a fair rate."
Considering that an employee's monthly salary was only about 700 yuan—roughly twenty-something per day—this was very generous.
With Zhao Hepu's personality, there was no way he'd reject it.
"Sounds good," Li Tang said, satisfied.
"Besides that," Qin added, "once that one million reward comes in, we'll allocate a portion to your team as a project bonus."
He paused, clearly pondering something. "You were right earlier—our company does need to evolve. These outdated systems should be scrapped. But let's be realistic—we won't see that reward unless Mining and Metallurgy confirms your bioleaching method works."
"I understand completely," Li Tang said. He wasn't in a hurry.
"As for your career path—you've just joined the company and were recently promoted to team leader. Going straight to deputy director or department head? That'll take time," Qin said, his tone hinting at a promise.
In the back seat, Liu Kaisheng stopped breathing for a second, his eyes wide in disbelief as he looked at Li Tang.
What a future this young man had!
It was only a matter of time before he rose to Liu's own level.
Liu had spent more than a decade clawing his way up.
And yet here was Qin, openly suggesting that Li Tang could be a department head.
It was maddening—but Liu had to admit, Li Tang had the talent to back it up.
Li Tang gave no reaction—he simply nodded quietly.
"Oh, right," Qin suddenly remembered something. "The Group Headquarters and Qianzhou officials concluded their joint investigation into the Qianshan Coal Project. They've reached a preliminary result."
"How many arrests?" Liu asked, even more curious than Li Tang.
"About a dozen," Qin said. "But apparently the ringleader—some businessman from the southeast—caught wind of it and fled. Still at large. That project actually started off with good intentions. They really did want to invest in coal, but after sinking a few million with no results, they turned to fraud to recoup losses."
He sighed. "Good thing Li Tang warned us in time. If we had bought the mining rights for 20 million, I'd be out of a job right now."
"Good deeds bring rewards. Evil deeds bring retribution," Liu said, still a little shaken. If things had gone south, he wouldn't have escaped unscathed either.
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