The Tycoon's Odyssey

Chapter 67: 67:Purchasing Tea Land

As they walked towards the tea shop, the aroma of the freshly brewed tea mingled with the crisp mountain air, making Evan feel a sense of relief wash over him, now replaced with a growing curiosity.

"Are you sure they want to sell? I don't want this trip to be a waste. And who owns the land here?"

"Good question," Ryan added, pointing his finger ahead.

"You see, there are several tea estates around here. The laborers are all local here and come from nearby villages. A few villagers also own some plots, but it isn't big, so we have to talk with the estate owners of the larger areas."

"I can only give you access to talk to them, but whether you can convince them to give up the plot of land is another matter.''

As Evan and Ryan continued their journey through the tea estates, they encountered several estate owners who were unwilling to sell their land.

Some had sentimental attachments to their lands, while others were simply not interested in parting with their properties as it was like severing their cash flows.

All tea plantations generate a great profit, however, with a glance, Evan noticed the poor condition of the laborers. Their appearance was malnourished and some had stunted growth.

"It's weird…" Evan said with a frown and gave Ryan an incredulous look. "These owners are really difficult to talk to. You said some of them were willing before but now all of them seem to be backing out."

"I also find this strange, but what can we do?" Ryan could just shake his head helplessly.

Disheartened but determined, they finally arrived at the Motilal estate, a sprawling property with well-maintained tea gardens and a grand mansion at its center.

"Evan, this guy was quite willing to sell his place."

Evan stopped in his tracks and glared at Ryan, "Then why the hell were you pulling me here and there all this time?"

Though Evan was quite fit, he had started to feel tired from all the climbing. Also, he hadn't adapted to high altitude, which left him quite out of breath.

Hearing this, Ryan scratched his head, "Actually, I don't like this guy. Think of it as my sixth sense screaming as a warning."

"Why?"

"I can't say. Whatever, let's go. Maybe you will notice," Ryan mused and dialed a number before entering.

At the entrance, they were greeted by the owner, Sam Motilal.

Sam was a pot-bellied man with a greedy expression etched on his face. His eyes gleamed with anticipation as he sized up Evan and Ryan, clearly seeing this as an opportunity to make a substantial profit.

"Ah, so you're interested in my land," Sam exclaimed with a self-satisfied smirk. "I must say, it's prime real estate. I won't part with it easily."

Evan exchanged a glance with Ryan, feeling that something was weird.

[ Name: Sam Motilal

Impression:0

Skills:

Intermediate Business Management [234/250]

Beginner Agricultural Farming [12/100]

Beginner Finance Management [45/100]

]

The man's skill sets were quite odd to say. Also, having the same name as his Head Chef Sam, didn't bode well with him.

"How much for parting with this beautiful piece of land?" Evan asked, not wanting to play around the bush.

"30 million for an acre."

"Mr. Motilal, we are indeed interested in purchasing some of your land," Evan began diplomatically. "However, your asking price of 30 million rupees per acre seems quite steep. We were hoping to discuss a more reasonable figure."

Sam chuckled dismissively, his arrogance evident. "My dear boy, this land is worth every penny of what I'm asking for. The views alone are priceless, not to mention the tea production potential."

Ryan interjected, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "Surely there's room for negotiation, Mr. Motilal. We're serious buyers with a genuine interest in expanding our operations."

Sam leaned back in his chair and stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Alright, let's hear your offer then. But I warn you, I'm not one to be easily swayed."

Evan took a deep breath, maintaining his composure despite Sam's annoying demeanor. "How about we start at 15 million per acre? It's a fair price considering the current market trends and our development plans."

Sam's eyes narrowed slightly, but he was intrigued. "15 million... That's quite a drop from my initial figure. But I suppose we can discuss terms."

And so, the negotiation continued late till the afternoon, with Evan and Ryan skillfully navigating Sam's stubbornness and greed. Eventually, they reached a compromise that was agreeable to both parties.

The deal concluded with 22 million per acre and Sam would also provide the laborers by spreading the word about it.

_____

Afterwards, Evan and Ryan left, leaving Sam to take sips of tea with a peaceful expression.

As Sam was relaxing, the butler, who was in charge of the estate, served him some refreshments and asked curiously, "Master, I don't know if I am crossing the line, but I think we shouldn't sell this land."

Sam paused, giving his butler a grave look, causing the man to shiver and lower his head.

"You think I made a wrong decision," Sam asked, glancing outside at his tea plantations.

"I don't dare to say. It's just that this land is Master's ancestral land. Though the yield isn't as good as others, it still produces 400-500 kg, which isn't bad."

Hearing this, Sam chuckled and then shook his head.

"Do you think I am a fool?"

"Huh!"

A question mark appeared on the butler's face.

Ignoring his butler's confusion, Sam silently drank his tea while pondering thoughtfully.

When the other party came for land, he had done a bit of research into buyers' information. Though the place was secluded and had poor road roads, most of the owners didn't stay there.

Likewise, he had other businesses and stayed in Bombay so he had seen news about the buyer. There was something unique in his tea that affected the human body.

Many might not notice this, but veteran tea tasters with sharp tastes could immediately notice the significant difference.

Such a tea had never been seen before and he just couldn't ask about its secret.

He planned to let Evan man come here and plant tea. Then, he would use some shady means to learn the secret. Among the laborers, many were his own people, so he could gather information about the tea from them.

As for the samples, with such a huge number of tea trees, could he not take a few to experiment?

_____

Meanwhile, Evan, unaware of Sam's plans, was greedily rubbing his hand to draw his reward.

Even if he were to know about the greedy dog's plans, he would have simply rolled his eyes.

"System, open the roulett..I mean lottery."