Chapter 138: The Report

Seven days later, Xiao Kaitian formally reached a cooperation agreement with the Han-Tang military. This marked a significant step forward in Xiao Kaitian’s plan to build his own "kingdom."

During this period, the two sides had worked through their differences not just once or twice; they met almost daily to hash out details, submit proposals for approval, and return to make revisions. By the time the final signatures were applied, Xiao Kaitian had spent an entire day just reviewing documents and signing his name.

The price paid was absolutely worth it. In addition to comprehensive financial support, the military provided follow-up technical and management personnel—resources that were in short supply for Xiao Kaitian.

While the military sent these people to "monitor" Qingtang Tianxia, Xiao Kaitian did not mind. The design of mechs and similar technologies involved both hardware and software, and certain core elements remained firmly under his control.

However, this did not mean Xiao Kaitian intended to hoard these technologies as leverage for negotiations with the military. He knew he would eventually move on to the next dimension; what he was doing now was merely establishing a firm foothold. The technology would eventually be released to the public. He also understood that cooperation could only be effective if it were based on mutual sincerity and trust.

The military ultimately agreed to Xiao Kaitian’s conditions through a tacit understanding rather than formal written notice. This was partly due to the sensitive nature of the project, but also because Xiao Kaitian’s actions had inadvertently pleased the military. Cai Lizhi had spoken highly of him, which led to this special exception. Although the lack of a formal agreement carried the risk of future complications, it was ultimately beneficial for both the military and Xiao Kaitian, as it allowed for more flexible coordination and problem-solving.

Thus, the high-tech industrial park, a key pillar of the Future Century project, finally had a clear direction. Once the funding was in place, the equipment had to be custom-manufactured, meaning the formal launch of the industrial park would not occur until after the new year.

With these matters settled, Xiao Kaitian had initially planned to stay in the capital to keep an eye on Xiao Zhenglü’s movements, but news arrived from Haidu. The proposal for in-depth cooperation between Hong Kong City and Haidu had been initiated, involving the construction of the Hong Kong-Haidu high-speed corridor. According to Hong Kong City’s original plan, Haidu and Hong Kong City would each provide 40 percent of the funding, with Xiao Kaitian’s side contributing 20 percent.

This was a major project, and as the core figure of Qingtang Tianxia, Xiao Kaitian’s presence was required for any binding decisions. Consequently, he had to change his plans and return to Haidu ahead of schedule.

During this time, Qingtang Tianxia had strengthened its management structure. While the various departments were not heavily staffed, they were finally established and beginning to take shape.

Guo Lei looked at Xiao Kaitian, who was sitting in his office chair. After finishing her report, she paused. "There is a major problem: our enterprise has yet to generate any profit. The finance department just informed me that we are suffering from significant losses."

When factoring in Qiqi Media Consulting, the headcount was not small. Looking at the total monthly payroll made Guo Lei’s scalp tingle; it was the kind of thing only Xiao Kaitian would dare to do.

"It’s not exactly a loss; it’s an investment in the early stages of a startup," Xiao Kaitian said, signing approval reports as he went, seemingly satisfied with the string of zeros on the payroll summary. "A company needs excellent talent, especially a company like ours, given the unique nature of our industry."

"We don't need too many high-level executives parachuted in from outside. I would rather spend heavily on cultivating our own employees, as I hope to develop a management team that embodies our company’s style." Xiao Kaitian signed with a flourish and looked at Guo Lei. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," Guo Lei replied. She sensed the importance he placed on her and suppressed her excitement. "There is also Tang Tian," she added with a slight grimace. "She says she wants to resign from Fenghua Holdings and join us."

"Tang Tian has ability, so if she wants to come, that’s fine," Xiao Kaitian nodded. This would not only further bind the Tang family—one of the three great families of Haidu—to his side, but he did indeed need someone like her. "Arrange for her to be the Director of the Public Relations Department; that is her area of expertise."

"I’ll leave the accumulated documents that require your signature here," Guo Lei said, having finished her report. "Xiao Qi said she won't handle daily operational matters, so everything has piled up."

Thinking of Zhao Qixi, Xiao Kaitian shook his head. She was an eccentric person who did things entirely according to her own moods. Looking at the stack of new employee lists and various files, he felt a bit of a headache. It seemed he needed to hire a general manager to handle day-to-day affairs.

However, he had no one suitable at hand. Promoting Lin Xiang was inappropriate given the weight of the position, and Guo Lei wasn't quite ready; she lacked the management style and decisiveness required, and her current work was more akin to that of a secretary. He rubbed his chin, unable to think of anyone for the moment, and decided to set the matter aside.

"Also," Guo Lei said, glancing at Xiao Kaitian, "should we start selling the real estate for the Future Century project? The supporting facilities are just sitting there."

Xiao Kaitian didn't answer immediately. He stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the villas, high-rise buildings, schools, and hospitals.

"Set aside one high-rise building as a benefit for management staff. Calculate the cost price and sell it to them. If that’s not enough, set aside two. Do the same for a batch of villas for the senior management."

"We can set up a sales office, but don’t put too much effort into it initially. Focus on building the team first. Once the Hong Kong City relocation project starts, people will begin moving in."

"But the facilities you mentioned are key," Xiao Kaitian said, hands in his pockets. Looking down from the top floor, the Future Century project was laid out in full view, and as it began to show signs of life, he finally felt the grandeur of the project. "Recruit externally. Offer a rent-free period for the first and second years, and transition to a break-even rent model in the third year. Open it up for applications."

Guo Lei swallowed hard. She found him increasingly unfathomable; since returning from the capital, he seemed even more lavish with his spending. The balance in the company’s account was substantial, but the daily expenses were also immense. Guo Lei didn't know where Xiao Kaitian’s confidence came from, but if any link in the chain failed, the entire project would collapse.

Xiao Kaitian, however, didn't seem to care. He asked about the tripartite meeting with the officials from Haidu and Hong Kong City.

"It’s scheduled for the day after tomorrow," Guo Lei said, placing the documents on top of the pile. "The location is the conference hall of the Haidu Municipal Government."

Xiao Kaitian flipped through the documents. This cooperation was essentially a done deal, especially now that he held the partnership with the military. With national-level support, this regional collaboration felt like a minor affair.

Everything was moving in the expected direction, and Xiao Kaitian finally felt a sense of relief.