"Huh??" Jing Shu’s mouth dropped open, her face a mask of question marks. What? Why on earth would he suddenly give her a 5% share? Good grief, she was already desperate to escape this inferno. Knowing West Mountain’s fate yet being powerless to change it, how could she, in good conscience, accept these shares?
Watching from the side, Su Malie couldn’t hide her envy. She pouted unhappily and said, "Uncle Qian, I know you’re only saying this in front of so I’ll go ho and tell my father you’re more generous than he is. I definitely won’t fall for your trick."
"Haha, you saw right through , did you? This is just to let your father know that I, Mr. Qian, am not the miser he makes out to be. Who knows, maybe when your father hears about this, he’ll be prompted to give Jing Shu shares in the natural gas company," Qian Duoduo said cheerfully; this fundraising round had brought in materials he urgently needed.
Although the power company was under governnt jurisdiction, it also encompassed wind and thermal (coal) power generation. So coal bosses had also been integrated into thermal power generation, which, like Qian Duoduo’s own enterprises, followed the state-owned model: they held a 50% stake, with the governnt controlling the rest. These assets had been requisitioned at the beginning of the apocalypse, and those who had complied were now doing very well.
Those who didn’t comply, who refused the requisition, Qian Duoduo never saw them again.
The governnt is still not to be trifled with, Qian Duoduo thought, gripping his hands tightly. Despite being the richest man in Wu City, he too was severely restricted, unable to make a move. One wrong step and he could lose everything.
I must keep sothing in reserve, he thought. Years of financial transparency ant the governnt knew exactly how much wealth and oil he possessed. He actually had that explosion to thank for restoring a sliver of his privacy.
When the apocalypse arrived, he had been willing to contribute to the common people, dedicating all his oil to the nation’s research into new technologies. He had unhesitatingly done everything he could. More than anyone, he hoped the apocalypse would end soon, so everything could return to how it was before.
But he had to prepare for the unexpected, to ensure a fallback for his wife and children so their quality of life wouldn’t decline. That was a man’s responsibility to his loved ones.
This Xishan Base is the first step.
Once electricity was resolved, issues with feed and food processing, along with stable supply channels, would be easier to manage. The remaining challenge was securing raw material supplies. These were all essential components for establishing a vast industrial chain encompassing comrce, agriculture, and animal husbandry.
In the crowd, Qian Duoduo glanced at one of the key figures of the day: Heng Jiu. Heng Jiu was the forr head of Hengda Group—which had since been rged into governnt logistics—and was now its manager.
A good logistics system could accelerate the industrial chain’s developnt, and Heng Jiu possessed such capabilities. He had followed the governnt’s lead since the Initial Stage of Apocalypse, handling many contracts and earning the governnt’s trust. Now, he was also able to get a share of the profits. The logistics company was currently the only entity not restricted in its energy use; its energy allocation was even larger than that of an oil supplier like him.
As Qian Duoduo assessed the people present that day, Jing Shu looked at the contract brought over by a specialist, feeling imnse reluctance and conflict.
"Mr. Qian, I cannot accept these shares! This is completely uncalled for, and I’ve already received your generous thank-you gift. I can’t possibly accept anything more; I absolutely cannot take these shares." Knowing the fate of Xishan Base but having no viable solution at present, she wanted no further involvent with West Mountain.
Although it was said that only Mr. Shi Yuan had starved to death back then, she’d heard rumors that so high-ranking officials had also disappeared.
Where would she go then? What about her family?
She knew the rumors: the tyrant was coming to seize all the food, and Qian Duoduo, the largest shareholder, would resist. In such a scenario, what could a nobody like her do? She didn’t want to get caught in this maelstrom, didn’t want to provoke trouble for herself, and certainly didn’t want to confront the legendary tyrant—a reputed madman, utterly ruthless and inhumane, who would stop at nothing to achieve his aims.
Perhaps there was more to Qian Duoduo’s story, sothing hidden. But history is written by the victors. In her past life, Qian Duoduo had lost, costing him his life and leading to the ruin of Stone Garden. The victor was the tyrant, who, by seizing the food, had extended the city’s survival by three precious days.
If it all happened again, should she help Qian Duoduo protect the food—and her own 5% stake—while watching countless others starve?! No, she couldn’t do that. Or should she try to persuade Qian Duoduo to donate the food, to help him escape his fated death?
A magnate stripped of everything... perhaps in that past life, he had chosen to starve himself to death? Jing Shu had never heard any news about his family. Or perhaps the tyrant had threatened Qian Duoduo, forcing an agreent: his family’s lives in exchange for his "cooperation" in becoming a martyr, a symbol of ’faith’? Would history remain unchanged even then?
Jing Shu had no answers, so she couldn’t intervene.
She felt undeserving of these 5% shares. Knowing Qian Duoduo wouldn’t live another three years, yet having no way to help him, how could she have the audacity to accept this gift?
Su Malie looked at Jing Shu and blinked, her expression unreadable.
At that mont, a slight commotion arose in the hall.
"Jing Shu, you must accept these shares," Qian Duoduo said with a chuckle, patting Jing Shu’s arm. "Previously, it was to repay a personal favor. Now, I’m repaying a favor on behalf of my entire family. Without you, there would be no Xishan Base today. Do you realize how much financial loss your bomb defusal saved ? Must I offer you half before you’re willing to accept? Besides, those four tons of explosives you defused? I used them to blast this mountain. You played a huge part in establishing Xishan Base. Let’s leave it at this for now. It seems a dispute has broken out over there; I’ll go check on it."
"Uncle Qian, wait! I also want to invest for a 5% share. I want to use natural gas. You’re in dire need of natural gas right now, aren’t you? Cooking with natural gas in the main cafeteria is much better than using coal," Su Malie said confidently. Although she wasn’t as fortunate as Jing Shu to be gifted shares directly, Su Malie had sothing valuable to offer.
Qian Duoduo’s face crinkled into a smile, the corners of his eyes wrinkling. "The most you can invest is 1%, and not with natural gas. Think of sothing else to offer for your stake."
Su Malie looked at Qian Duoduo with an aggrieved pout. "Uncle Qian, you’re bullying ! Why can everyone else invest with all sorts of resources and goods? I saw today that you’re especially short on natural gas, so why won’t you let invest with it? I know you and my father don’t see eye to eye, but this is sothing that benefits everyone. How can you refuse?"
Qian Duoduo hurried toward the commotion, whispering as he walked, "You silly child, if the two titans of Wu City were to join forces, do you have any idea what the consequences would be?"
Su Malie paused, a glimr of understanding dawning on her. Jing Shu, too, had a look of sudden realization. If two opposing powers ceased their rivalry, the existing balance—whether a tripartite or quadripartite equilibrium—would inevitably be destabilized by the loss of a key player.
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