Chapter 174
“Can I help you p>
To his utter disbelief, they were asking the exact same questions as the previous
group.
“What the hell is going on today?” he wondered. “Why is everyone suddenly obsessed with that abandoned factory p>
That wasteland had sat rotting for years without a single inquiry, right up until two months ago.
The director deployed the exact same excuses he’d just used to brush off the
newcomers.
Unfortunately, this second wave was much more persistent.
They hounded him with questions, blatantly winking and trying to slide thick envelopes of cash across his desk, until he finally had to physically shove them out the door.
“Pulling a stunt like that right in my office? Are you trying to get me fired p>
Having dealt with the second group, he assumed the nightmare was over. He grabbed his briefcase, only to find a third group practically breaking down his door.
He was completely exhausted. He hadn’t seen this much foot traffic in a month, and he already had his rejection speech memorized down to the syllable.
It was the first time since taking the job that he actually felt drained clocking out.
But the moment he walked into his own living room, he froze. Sitting right on his sofa were the men from earlier p>
“Sir, forgive the intrusion. We didn’t want to cause a scene in your office, so we thought we’d drop by personally. Is there anything you might need p>
Adrian smoothly rose to his feet.
There was an unspoken rule of hospitality: you don’t slap a smiling guest. Even if it was an ambush, he couldn’t just throw them out into the street.
“Sit down,” the director sighed.
“I know exactly what you’re after. But I swear to you, I cannot pull the records on the owner of that property p>
Adrian nodded understandingly. “I get it, I really do. But surely there’s some background chatter you could share with us p>
The official hesitated before answering. “When I first transferred here, the word around the office was that the buyers wanted to use it for industrial farming.
After closing on the lot, they hired crews to clean it out and even patched up some of the crumbling structural work.
Since then, there’s been zero activity p>
Adrian didn’t push his luck. He made a bit more polite small talk before ushering his men out.
When the official flat-out refused the envelope of cash, Adrian didn’t force it. Instead, he casually left a bottle of rare single malt scotch and abox of premium cigars on the coffee table.
“Just a small token. To new friends p>
Having clawed his way to the top of the corporate ladder over decades, Adrian knew the golden rule: making a friend was always infinitely better than making an enemy.
He might have been catastrophically clueless when it came to managing his own
family drama, but out in the business world, he was a lethal predator.
The second the car doors clicked shut, Adrian turned to his assistant. “We pivot to a different angle p>
Through some shadowy backchannel, he actually managed to score the phone number listed for the factory’s owner.
He had his secretaries and assistants dial it relentlessly, but every single call hit the same dead end: ‘The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable.’ “Keep dialing p>
The factory might have been abandoned, but the acreage was massive and the existing structures were extensive. Even at rock-bottom ruratorices the buyout would have
cost mits of dollars.
What average citizen had that kind of liquid cash just lying around? And to leave it untouched for two months?
Adrian deduced that whoever bought it had to be a heavy-hitter.
Industrial farming? Not a chance.
Could someone else have gotten the insider tip ahead of him?
Was it the Rivers family? The Scotts? Someone else entirely? The only certainty was that it wasn’t Porter Entertainment—he’d seen their desperate scrambling firsthand.
Whoever secured the deed wouldn’t be stupid enough to show their face around town right now.
His thoughts were interrupted by his assistant. “Boss, it’s still going straight to voicemail. What’s the play p>
“Drop it p>
If the current owner already knew a lucrative government buyout was coming, why would they ever sell?
“Start the car. We’re heading to the nearby villages p>
He decided to fall back to Plan B.
The moment he stepped into the closest village, Adrian tracked down the local chief want to buy up the residential properties here. As many as you have, I’ll take them.
Anyone willing to sell, I’m buying. Money is not an issue.
Have your people go door-to-door. For every homeowner who agrees to sell, I’ll pay
you a handsome finder’s fee p>