Chapter 3585

When Su Xinghui and Ding Qingyong had walked another few dozen meters forward, and could already clearly see the flickering sign of the "Little Hong Kong Entertainment City" at the street corner ahead, Su Xinghui turned his head and said: "That's enough, Comrade Qingyong, let's head back."

Ding Qingyong didn't ask why, simply nodded, and walked back along the road with Su Xinghui.

Ahead, one could already see women posturing on the side of the road, as well as the men flirting with them; one could also hear arguments breaking out over all sorts of things, and even see people coming to blows.

However, Su Xinghui had no intention of managing these matters; there were simply too many such things, and could he even manage them all? He also could not put himself in danger again; who knew what might happen in a place like this? He was not a superhero, it was impossible for him to manage every single thing, and he still had to be responsible for his own family.

As a city administrator, Su Xinghui only needed to understand these things; what he needed to do was eliminate the soil in which this distorted prosperity grew, and he needed to let this city truly prosper.

On the way back, Su Xinghui asked: "Comrade Qingyong, where is the Fengling Coal Mine where the mining disaster occurred last time? How far is it from Linshan City?"

Ding Qingyong said: "Fengling Coal Mine is to the northwest of the Linshan urban area, about twenty-some kilometers away from the Linshan urban area."

Su Xinghui said: "Do you know what kind of person the owner of Fengling Coal Mine is?"

Ding Qingyong hesitated again, then said: "The owner of Fengling Coal Mine is named Shi Changsheng. He is the biggest coal mine owner in Linshan City and a very well-connected figure in Linshan City. He has a very good relationship with many city leaders, and is good friends with Secretary Tang and Mayor Yang."

Although Ding Qingyong's words were somewhat vague, Su Xinghui understood: Shi Changsheng's relationship with the former Municipal Party Committee Secretary Tang Xingchang and Mayor Yang Anyi was definitely extraordinary; otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to become the biggest coal mine owner in Linshan City.

In a place like this, without official connections, it would be impossible to secure such a large coal mining right. Moreover, for a coal mine like Fengling Coal Mine, there must have been more than one or two mining disasters in the past, all of which must have been suppressed and not reported.

This time, it was because the matter was too big and truly could not be suppressed that it triggered this earthquake in the Linshan officialdom, and Shi Changsheng was also taken into custody by the police.

Su Xinghui said: "Comrade Qingyong, have similar mining disasters occurred before?"

Ding Qingyong glanced at Su Xinghui and said: "How can there be mining without people dying?"

Su Xinghui pressed: "Can you be a bit more detailed?"

The two were now walking on the sidewalk, not in Su Xinghui's office. Walking side by side, the feeling of strict hierarchy present in the office vanished, which was an atmosphere Su Xinghui had deliberately created.

This atmosphere made Ding Qingyong lose his strong sense of guard, and he wasn't as nervous anymore. After hesitating slightly, he said: "For these coal mines, there's no such thing as no one dying. Anyway, each mine averages one or two disasters a year, but not many people die. As long as you pay the money, it can be suppressed."

Su Xinghui said: "If one person dies, how much is the compensation?"

Ding Qingyong said: "In the past, if one person died, paying ten or twenty thousand would settle it. It has risen a bit in the last few years, probably needing thirty or forty thousand."

Ding Qingyong's words did not make Su Xinghui feel particularly shocked; he had known about such things for a long time, and it was not a secret.

Many private coal mine owners did exactly this. They were unwilling to spend money on safe production because the cost was too high—if things went wrong, it could cost millions a year. They would rather keep the money; if a mining disaster occurred, they would just pay a few tens of thousands to settle it.

Calculating based on an average of two mining disasters a year and ten lives, it would only cost a few hundred thousand to settle. Why spend those millions on safe production? Anyone could do that math.

Although this seemed to show a disregard for human life, reality was just like that; human life was not as valuable as money, and it had always been this way.

Su Xinghui looked again at the men and women laughing wildly in the luxury cars speeding through the middle of the road. He felt hatred in his heart: on the luxury cars these people were sitting in, was there the blood of some miner?

Su Xinghui said nothing more. He remained silent all the way back to the municipal government office building and said to Ding Qingyong: "Comrade Qingyong, thank you for accompanying me on the walk today. You go back first, and watch your safety on the road."