MTLNOVEL Chapter 127: Problems
Finally, he sighed and gave a slow nod.
"Fine," he said through clenched teeth. "Ten thousand kilograms of rice and five fish per square kilometer. We have a deal."
Ivy's smile returned, calm and confident. "Wise choice, Mayor Daniel. Let's write it down."
"No, wait." Daniel stopped, "I still need to get agreement from my wife. I will revert to you in 3 days."
Ivy raised an eyebrow; she knew Daniel was lying, however, she didn't expose him on the spot, instead she stood up with a smile, nodding. "Alright then. I will wait for your reply. My number is…"
After Daniel noted down the number, he heard Ivy's voice again, "I will wait for 4 days. If I still don't receive any reply, I will take your response as a no."
Daniel's expression was grim as he saw off Ivy. Once he closed the door, he ensured that there was no one around. Taking a deep breath, he said in his authoritative voice,
"You all can come out now."
There was silence for a long while before a few men in tattered clothes and heavy frames appeared.
The first one was Griffin, tall with a scar on his cheek. He was quiet but always serious. He crossed his arms. "Mayor, I told you not to waste time with that girl. Her deal is cheap. Too cheap. If you agree, you look weak."
Beside him stood Jonas, shorter, with messy hair. He smirked. "She has rice. She has fish. That is more than anyone else has brought us in months. Maybe her offer looks small, but at least it is something real. How many traders have cheated us before? She at least sounded honest."
The third man, Viktor, was thin and had sharp eyes. He frowned. "Honesty means nothing if we cannot get more from it. Mayor, if you give away land too easily, you will lose control. People outside already see us as weak. If we give away land for some rice and dead fish, it will ruin our reputation."
The last man, Elias, was the oldest with gray hair and a tired face. He said slowly,
"You all talk about weakness and reputation. But let us not forget the truth. We are starving. Our storage is running low. People are starting to fight in the streets for scraps. Whether the deal is good or bad, food is what we need. Rice can keep us alive. That girl gave us a chance."
Daniel rubbed his forehead, his expression heavy.
"Enough," Daniel said finally. His voice was firm, but his heart was not steady. "I understand all your points. Ivy's deal might save us, but it also makes us look like beggars. If we accept, people will know we sold land for cheap."
Jonas smirked, leaning forward. "So what will you do then, Mayor? Say no and let your people starve? You will lose your throne either way."
Griffin growled at Jonas, but Elias raised his hand, stopping the fight before it began. "There is another way."
Everyone turned to him. Elias took a deep breath and said, "Before agreeing to Ivy, why not test the military? They have rice. They have supplies. They always look for strong bases. If we offer them this land first, maybe they will pay more, or maybe they will protect us. If they refuse, we can always return to Ivy."
Mason nodded slowly. "That makes sense. Ivy will wait four days. In that time, we can send word to the military."
Viktor added coldly, "And if the military comes, Ivy's deal will be useless. They can give us more, and their protection will scare off anyone else. It is better than giving in to a small trader girl."
Jonas tapped his chin and smiled slyly.
"Yes, I like this. Ivy thinks she has us trapped, but she does not know we have another option. Let her wait. If the military accepts, we forget about her. If they do not, we take her deal and act like we are being merciful by agreeing."
Griffin finally grunted, still not happy but less aggressive.
"Fine. But if the military refuses, we'd better make sure Ivy still believes she is the only one who can save us. Otherwise, we lose both."
Daniel finally straightened his back, his decision clear.
"Then it is settled. Tomorrow, we will send word to the military. If they want the land, we will bargain with them first. If not, Ivy will get her answer. One way or another, this land will not be wasted."
..........
Ivy, on the other hand, wasn't worried; she knows the future, and one thing she can say with assurity is… even if Mayor Daniel goes to the military, he won't be able to get a good deal.
In her last life, Mayor Daniel sold the land for 9000 kg of rice per square meter. In this life, when she offered 10,000 kg of rice, that was her being cautious and generous.
Anyhow, within 4 days, the land would be under her name. She could start her own base in 4 days… there was so much preparation.
The first and foremost problem was going to be the water supply. Though she has water, the question was how she could supply it to different houses, and then there was a problem related to waste management.
Food was the only problem Ivy was least worried about, but then again, she would need someone to price it for her. There was also farming.
After the apocalypse, farming was more of a dream rather than a reality. However… Ivy's eyes shone with a glint. There's nothing that doesn't exist in the world, only… whether one can find it or not before the end of their life.
From the news she had heard in her past life, there was indeed a woman who could farm; she was an agricultural expert. However, due to some trauma, she died in the end.
This time, Ivy vowed to protect her and get that talent under her wing!