From Rebellion: “We’ve been listening, and we’ve been busy. With this update we have addressed core areas of feedback from you, the Evil Genius 2 community, ranging from progression issues to game pace, and as a result the length of a campaign can be significantly shorter for those of you who want to play more aggressively.
On the World Map, we’ve increased the amount of Gold earned from longer running Schemes, and ensured that this is earned over the Scheme’s entire duration, allowing you to set a Scheme in motion and reap the rewards while your attention is turned elsewhere. These Schemes still add Heat to the Region, but you’ll know how much to expect up front, allowing you more effectively manage the strength of the Agents you’re willing to face.”
Source: N4G PC Evil Genius 2 Patch V1.3.0 Released on Steam, "We've been listening, and we've been busy"