Age of Legends

Chapter 297 Stage
The deputy director of the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau announced from the podium: "Today's bidding involves five plots of land in the Shahe area, the North Bank Park renovation area, the West Bank residential reconstruction area, and the former industrial area. A dual-track system of technical review and price bidding will be adopted. Each plot will be divided into a technical evaluation stage and a sealed bid opening stage. The final score will be calculated by multiplying the technical score by a coefficient of 0.5 and the price score by a coefficient of 0.5. The total score will be added together to obtain the final score, and the plot with the highest final score will be awarded to the plot."

Yang Jie, as a core member of Huang Huifen's team, participated in the entire bidding process. As the atmosphere on site intensified, he began to lose his composure, and a cold sweat broke out on his back. "Our proposal is very detailed. We can't possibly lose, can we?"

Huang Huifen rolled her eyes at him, "So what if you do it meticulously? Others may not be able to compete with you in terms of skill."

Yang Jie choked, wondering whether President Huang was seeking victory or defeat...

The group was still on tenterhooks, but they were soon informed that they had entered the review process for the textile factory site and needed to change offices. Real estate companies that had entered the review process would move to the review panel's office for the corresponding property.

When they were called into the corresponding office area by the staff, they also saw Liu Qi's team being notified by the staff, and then the two sides met on their way to the same office area.

Yang Jie was dumbfounded. Upon seeing Liu Qi, before Huang Huifen could speak, he preemptively attacked: "President Liu, didn't you tell our President Huang that we were going to develop the West Coast together... What are you doing?!"

Liu Qi turned to look at them and said, "Xiao Yang, in real estate, you have to be adaptable. I've changed my mind. I think this piece of land suits my taste, so let's have an open bidding process. Don't accuse me of colluding with you to rig the bidding!"

Huang Huifen's group's expressions changed drastically. Liu Qi was probably also afraid that Huang Huifen would suddenly lash out. Although he had connections in both the legitimate and criminal worlds, dealing with someone like Huang Huifen was still a real headache for him. So, with a shameless expression, he immediately bowed and practically darted into the review committee's office area.

The people from Xuhui Real Estate turned to look at Huang Huifen, whose expression also changed several times. Fortunately, she didn't lose her temper in public and said, "Let's go inside first!"

Aunt Chen's face flushed red, and she muttered under her breath, "You good-for-nothing!"

Fan Zhengheng clenched his fists, his body trembling with anger, and turned around, "Huifen, have we been tricked by this bastard?"

Huang Huifen said, "It's okay, we'll do our best. If all else fails, we have alternative plans to acquire other land."

As the review process began, Huang Huifen and her team submitted twelve supplementary documents for the review panel to examine.

3D visualization planning model, dynamic cost control model, community elderly care center supporting plan, green coverage rate, parking space ratio, historical building preservation plan...

The review committee, composed of representatives entrusted by the tendering party, technical and economic experts drawn from the provincial comprehensive evaluation expert database, and heads of relevant government departments, began to quietly score the bids.

"Xu Hui Real Estate Technical Score: 93.7 points."

"Yay! We're currently leading the field!" Yang Jie excitedly told Huang Huifen in private.

It's Yipin Real Estate's turn.

Liu Qi only submitted six documents, which was surprisingly simple, but one of them was a "strategic cooperation agreement" signed by the deputy chief engineer of the provincial urban planning and design institute.

Technical score: 90.5 points.

While not as powerful as Xuhui Real Estate, it's not far behind. It certainly has a strong background.

Next, we will proceed with the bidding process for sealed bids.

The host unveiled the red cloth, and four notaries opened the envelopes and presented the quotes on the spot.

Xu Hui Real Estate's offer is 1.5 million yuan, slightly higher than the initial offer, but still within a reasonable range.

Yipin Real Estate's asking price: 2.1 million!

The whole place was in an uproar.

Liu Qi is currently offering the highest bid.

Yang Jie was stunned on the spot, "Can the profit margin of this land support such a high bid?"

Huang Huifen opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything.

The host announced loudly: "Plot 09 on the west bank of the Shahe River—the former textile factory site—has been awarded to Yipin Real Estate with the highest overall score!"

Liu Qi stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and smiled, bowed to the judges' panel, turned to look at Huang Huifen, and smiled with an undisguised smugness.

Xu Hui and the others were speechless for a moment.

During this period, bidding-based auctions were virtually nonexistent. To prevent bid rigging and collusion, a technical scoring system and a closed, one-time bidding model were adopted. Once a bid was placed, no further adjustments were allowed to prevent opaque operations.

Although Liu Qi's technical score wasn't as high as Huang Huifen's, the high premium price of this bidding segment immediately gave him a clear advantage over Huang Huifen in terms of overall score. This was why Liu Qi was determined to win.

The enthusiastic atmosphere at the scene and the shocking effect of the news media outside learning of the 210 million yuan "land king" made Liu Qi feel that although the price was high, his luck had indeed been on his side. Huang Huifen's Lanyuan project had become a sensation in the Rongcheng real estate industry, but Liu Qi's snatching of the land king bid instantly stole Huang Huifen's rising momentum. Despite paying such a huge premium, Liu Qi acquired the land at an almost astonishingly high price at the time, directly turning it into a land king.

The land king is equivalent to "emperor". With this grand operation and its leading role in the real estate industry of Fuzhou, Liu Qi could almost foresee that the huge benefits brought by the development of this land might even make Yipin Real Estate leap to become the leading real estate company in the local area.

He became increasingly convinced that Huang Heyan's judgment was correct, and that stepping on Huang Huifen to rise to power was indeed the best way for him to cultivate his reputation.

On Huang Huifen's side, the group felt a sense of defeat and resentment at the result.

"They promised us they'd work together to develop the West Coast, and we spent two weeks working on the land plan... That Liu Qi is such a sly fox, why did he have to let us have it!"

Aunt Chen from the accounting department also had a flushed face. "I've been working on the budget for several nights in a row! I really worked with my group of young girls to figure it out one by one using calculators. And now, it's all for nothing!" However, most people were looking at Huang Huifen, worried that she would lose her temper and confront Liu Qi, causing a scene.

Liu Qi was shaking hands and taking photos with the leaders of the Municipal Construction Commission when Huang Huifen paused briefly and said, "Our proposal for the west bank of the Shahe River is the best choice. I want that piece of land!"

Everyone was surprised by Huang Huifen's unwavering calmness at this moment, as if this was her true intention. However, Huang Huifen managed to quell the dissatisfaction, and the discouragement did not last long. The bidding meeting would continue for two more days, and they still needed to secure the land in order to benefit from this policy and catch the fast track of urban development.

Of course, Liu Qi garnered the most attention at this bidding event, with various accolades pouring in. Liu Qi and his Yipin Real Estate should have quickly tasted the sweetness of marketing.

Xuhui Real Estate won the land on the west bank of Shahe River in the subsequent bidding. It was originally the land that Liu Qi had planned to develop in cooperation with them. It was as if Liu Qi had stolen the land, and Huang Huifen had no choice but to settle for second best.

However, the first day's "competition" with Liu Qi may not have been without its benefits. The birth of the "land king" made Liu Qi famous, while Huang Huifen lost the land, but because her bid was second only to Liu Qi's, it was not necessarily her true bottom line in the eyes of outsiders. Instead, it created the impression that she was strong enough to dare to go against Liu Qi.

Therefore, Huang Huifen did not encounter strong resistance and successfully acquired the land on the west bank of the Shahe River for a purchase price of 100 million yuan.

It's quite strange, really. The key to winning the bid is that the funds come in quickly and can be paid in full for the land transfer fee immediately. But now, some large companies don't have the cash flow of Xuhui Real Estate.

Xuhui Real Estate recovers its funds through the Lanyuan project and has no other burdensome accounts. On the contrary, it can quickly mobilize funds to acquire land. No wonder there is a saying that cash is king.

Spring in Fuzhou is always chilly and damp; even the floor-to-ceiling windows are fogged up. On the rectangular table in the conference room of Yipin Real Estate, the day's newspapers—*Fuzhou Daily*, *Fuzhou Metropolitan Daily*, and *Fuzhou Real Estate*—are laid out, their front-page headlines practically leaping out: "Land King Born in Shahe Section—Yipin Real Estate Wins Textile Factory Plot for 2.1 Million Yuan"

Behind the Land King: Liu Qi, the Real Estate Success Story of a Small TV Set Maker!

The cover of *Rongcheng Real Estate* DM magazine features Liu Qi in a black suit, arms crossed, photographed from a low angle, exuding an air of dominance. On the day the bidding ended, Liu Qi was approached by a magazine he knew to schedule an interview, and he took these photos overnight.

Just now, Liu Qi had a phone call with Huang Heyan in Hong Kong. "I had dinner with the director of the Construction Committee yesterday, and the National Rongshang Association came knocking again, wanting to nominate me as the president of the provincial branch. I have dinner with the director of the design institute tomorrow. Building material suppliers and advertising companies are actively trying to lower my prices and want to cooperate with Yipin. Tsk, everything is going smoothly for me now... Old Huang, you were right. Huang Huifen's luck is terrifying! We've really climbed to the top by stepping on her!"

Huang Heyan said in his distinctive voice, "Liu Sheng, you're really lucky..."

Liu Qi suddenly became the center of public attention. Now he was confident that no one in the entire city of Rongcheng was unaware of his name. Although Liu Qi had been a successful person before and had a considerable reputation, it was nothing compared to his current entry into the mainstream.

As the magazine interview with him stated: he started out as someone who tinkered with television sets, but now he's able to build skyscrapers within the second ring road of Fuzhou, creating a spectacular scene.

There was a knock on the door. Liu Qi said, "Come in," and the heads of various departments entered one after another. The sounds of folders being turned and chairs being pulled out mingled together, but no one spoke first.

Seeing this group of people, Liu Qi cursed his bad luck inwardly.

Finally, the head of the budget department couldn't hold back any longer: "General Manager Liu, the land transfer fee for that textile factory site... is too high. If we spend real money on it, our cash flow will be very tight."

The project director added insult to injury: "The second phase of Yipin Garden hasn't been handed over yet, and the construction payment for the third phase is already overdue. The contractor is coming to urge us every day. The Shahe project won't get paid for at least two years. This time... we've spent our future money ahead of time!"

On the other side, the head of the legal department also warned in a low voice, "Mr. Liu, the media has indeed been hyping this up these past two days, but such a high price is easy to attract attention. If the regulatory authorities investigate the source of our land transfer fees, we may be in a passive position."

One sentence after another, like raindrops pattering on the table. Liu Qi's smile slowly faded, and he snapped the lighter shut.

He suddenly slammed his hand on the table—the thick solid wood table shook, and the newspapers were shaken and slid to the middle.

"What are you doing? Are you trying to force me to abdicate?"

One negative feedback after another ultimately stemmed from internal dissatisfaction with Yipin spending so much money to compete for the "land king" title. As everyone poured out their current difficulties, Liu Qi finally slammed his fist on the table and lost his temper.

He scanned the room, his eyes menacing. "I know what you're all talking about—losses, risks, broken cash flow—I know all that better than any of you! But what you see are just the accounts; what I see is the card table!"

He grabbed the cover of "Rongcheng Real Estate" and slammed it heavily on the table.

"The rules have changed now, it's not the same as before! What does a land king bring? It brings a huge advertising effect, it's a flag. The Shahe project is a key government project, and we holding the land king is the flag. Once this flag is planted, the entire real estate industry in Fuzhou will have to watch my every move!"

Seeing that no one in the conference room dared to speak anymore, all stunned by his words, Liu Qicai said, "High premiums are a signal, land kings are a signal—telling the market and the government that our Yipin is not a follower, but a leader. Banks like leaders, and customers only buy houses from leaders!"

"Only the leader has the power to set prices! Instead of blindly following others, they reap the rewards while you get only scraps!"

"Am I, Liu Qi, the kind of person who only drinks the leftover soup?"

"I know the numbers better than you do!"

He looked at the project department and said, "Stop the third phase of Yipin Garden for now, divert funds to speed up the approval and development of the textile factory site. Now the whole of Rongcheng knows about this land king. In the future, the houses here will have the highest value and profit. Mobilize resources, prioritize development, lay the foundation, build the pre-sale standard building structure, and once it enters the planning approval period, the land price will rise accordingly!"

He paused for a moment, then looked around the room: "At that time, we can mortgage the project to the bank to obtain a large amount of funds for loans. At the same time, when pre-sales begin, we will take full advantage of the profit advantage of high-value locations!"

"The money will just keep flowing in!"

After calming everyone down, Liu Qi took a drag of his cigarette, stubbed it out in the ashtray, and slowed his tone: "The business world is like a card table. Winning isn't about having the right cards, but about always letting people know you have a strong hand, always keeping them guessing. The prestige of the land king is our trump card, and also our face."

The room fell silent, save for the low hum of the air conditioner. Chen Yan slowly put away the documents. The company's veterans and leaders exchanged glances, their eyes still filled with worry, but Liu Qi's decision was clearly irreversible.

He stood up and straightened his suit: "We're treating the media to dinner tonight to give this momentum another push. Remember—today's land auction is just the opening act. The whole of Fuzhou is watching this show."

(End of this chapter)