Chapter 256: Bullying the Inexperienced
Richard didn't need to look at Isabella's face to guess her attitude.
He refused bluntly.
"I'm sorry, but the flying car manufacturing plant was funded well before Infinity Ventures Corporation even launched this project. We have no need for external capital at the moment."
Technology could be shared with Summit Holdings Corporation for profit, but handing over manufacturing rights? What would that bring?
Summit Holdings Corporation's aggressive involvement would only lead to Richard losing control, with Infinity Ventures Corporation stripped of their original authority.
For the company, this would be all harm and no benefit.
Richard would have to be insane to hand over his own interests to William.
The location they were surveying today was extremely remote—two hours outside the city center, followed by a long trek on foot.
The muddy trails would give them a crystal-clear picture of local conditions.
Isabella held Olivia in one arm. "Did you contact any local government officials? Or is it just us?"
Richard uncharacteristically wiped the sweat from his forehead. "The local officials have meetings all day, so it's just us scouting the area first. We'll chat with the villagers and discuss cooperation intentions."
"The villagers still choosing to live here have a strong attachment to their hometown. They don't want to give up their land and houses."
Isabella also wiped away sweat, struggling with Olivia's weight.
Suddenly the burden in her arms lightened. William stepped over from the side and silently took Olivia, cradling her against him.
He navigated the muddy ground with remarkable stability. After a brief hesitation, Isabella accepted his help.
After nearly an hour of walking, they reached the small town called Riverside.
True to its name, a river ran straight through the town's center. The water was crystal clear, with small fish and shrimp visible beneath the surface.
William carried Olivia over to look. She'd never seen anything like this before and excitedly waved her little hands, wanting to catch the fish.
William stopped her. "Roll up your pant legs first."
Olivia wasn't as frightened of him as she'd been last night, so she obediently followed his instructions. He helped her remove her shoes and lowered her into the stream.
Isabella glanced over but had no time to play with them. She turned and went to find people with Richard.
The mayor of Riverside wasn't around either, but when the villagers heard they'd come to purchase land, they immediately gathered excitedly, sitting in neat rows of their own accord.
"I heard you're buying our land to build some kind of car?"
The speaker was a crew-cut man, lean and sharp-looking, his age difficult to determine—somewhere in his thirties or forties.
Richard nodded. "This is our selected site for the flying car manufacturing plant."
"Good Lord, flying cars? Unbelievable!"
Several villagers made impressed sounds, their eyes turning expectant as they looked at them.
"Sir, you can see how difficult conditions are in this village. Our roads are terrible—and it's all the fault of that incompetent government!"
When the lead man started complaining, the others echoed him like a chorus.
Isabella immediately sensed something was wrong.
They were strangers here, completely unfamiliar with these villagers' character. Rashly making contact could tip their hand.
But in front of everyone, it was too late to back out now.
Isabella's gaze drifted to the side, where William was playing in the water with Olivia. They were having a wonderful time, Olivia's laughter carrying over.
She suddenly regretted agreeing to bring Olivia today.
"Let's continue discussing our terms," Isabella said calmly.
"The neighboring town already has paved roads. Why don't you?" On the way here, Richard had seen the adjacent town. Though also nestled deep in the mountains, it had smooth concrete roads topped with asphalt.
Even large trucks could pass without issue, yet the road to Riverside was nothing but mud.
The lead man immediately cried injustice.
"Oh, Pinehurst next door only got that road built because every household contributed ten thousand dollars! How could we possibly come up with that kind of money?"
They vented their dissatisfaction, then turned greedy eyes toward Richard.
"I can tell you're the real boss, right? Look at that suit you're wearing, that presence—I knew you had to be somebody important!" The man smiled ingratiatingly at Richard.
"How much per acre are you offering?"
"According to local market rates, ordinary farmland is fifty thousand dollars per acre. The houses in your town are all wood-frame construction—we can offer a maximum of three hundred dollars per square foot. For other private property, you can calculate it yourselves."
Richard briefly outlined their proposed prices.
The lead man's eyes rolled, then he immediately slammed the table.
"That's not right! My cousin moved to Luminous City years ago. I don't know the exact amount, but each household got hundreds of thousands of dollars! According to your calculation, we couldn't even afford to buy a house in the city. Are you expecting us to be homeless after demolition? I won't stand for it!"
The man shouted loudly, and the townspeople behind him grew agitated. Richard stood and pressed his hands down.
"Beyond the compensation money, once the plant is established, residents of this town can live and work at the facility according to our regulations. Wages will meet the highest local standards, with different rates for different positions."
"So you're turning us from landowners into wage slaves? This land has been farmed by our ancestors for generations, hundreds of years! You waltz in here trying to lowball us! What kind of deal is that?"
When the man started yelling, an elderly person immediately sat down on the ground and wailed.
"They won't let us live! Now they're even stealing farmers' land! You rich people are nothing but robber barons—you should be paraded through the streets!"
Isabella watched from the side, somewhat speechless.
They hadn't said much—just briefly discussed terms.
"Luminous City is a major city in your state. Land there is generally more expensive, which we understand."
"Our land isn't valuable? All land under heaven is the same—if it can grow crops, it's good land... You're clearly con artists!"
The man bellowed, and immediately someone grabbed their tools.
Gleaming pitchforks pointed directly at them.
Richard tried to explain: "This is a government-business partnership. The land is being acquired by your local government, and the price was negotiated between both parties—"
They weren't given a chance to finish. The opposition rushed forward with pitchforks raised.
A dozen townspeople erupted into chaos with pitchforks and sickles, creating an extremely chaotic scene.
Isabella and Richard could only flee.
Isabella's high ponytail was suddenly grabbed from behind and yanked hard.
She stumbled, and a pitchfork shot toward her.
Isabella couldn't dodge in time—