Title: My First Trading Partner is An Awaken
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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"I see. I find myself swimming on unfamiliar waters in this realm of political connections I've inadvertently stepped into. I must admit, I'm rather oblivious to its troubles, and I truly appreciate your info, Mayor."
"Your intervention spared me from those troubles," Henry remarked with a newfound understanding dawning upon him.
This interaction solidifies the perception that the young man standing before Mayor Sales is indeed naive and innocent in matters of politics.
"I did what lay within the bounds of my authority," the mayor replied solemnly, acknowledging Henry's gratitude.
"As for Ethan, if you're willing to place your trust in me, I'll spare no effort in aiding him until he fully recovers. However, it's imperative that you procure herbal medicine, which holds promise in treating Ethan's injuries," Henry explained earnestly.
"Thank you, Henry. Regardless of the price tag attached, I'm resolved to acquire it," the mayor responded, fully committed to securing whatever means necessary to aid his son.
After careful consideration, they settled on a price of 200,000 pesos for a 100 ml cup of herbal medicine.
Despite the seemingly high cost, the mayor remained unperturbed, his family's substantial wealth placing them among the elite of the city, perhaps even ranking within the top ten wealthiest families in the entire region.
"What I can pledge to you, Mayor, is this: should Ethan's recovery require more than the initially agreed upon ten cups of my herbal medicine, I will personally cover the cost of any additional doses," Henry asserted confidently, seeking to alleviate any concerns the mayor may have had.
"I have faith in your words, Henry," the mayor replied, his tone reflecting a sense of trust and confidence in Henry's assurances.
Having personally witnessed Dylan's remarkable recovery and even the rehabilitation journey of their stroke-stricken father, Jimmy, the mayor finds that the culprit is the concoction that Henry had.
Despite the family's discreet attempts to shield their medical records by seeking second opinions from different physicians and exploring alternative hospitals, their efforts were futile against the omnipresent information network of the mayor's domain.
Henry had underestimated the pursuit of the desperate.
"Why reveal such a secret? Aren't you afraid that I will reveal it to others?" Mayor Dante Sales asked.
"If you value your life and the rest of your generation, you would not!" Henry said as he revealed his true power to the mayor.
'What pressure?! I can't even breathe!' A deep fear had drawn in the face of the middle aged man. He finds himself in front of a gigantic shadow of a beast he can't even describe.
As if suffocating him in the process. The aura that Henry had shown made his limp tremble! He even stumbles right in front of the young man!
The mayor remembers the report of the police about the impossibility of dragging the three people and the bags of money.
It was fairly impossible for a single human being to do what Henry had accomplished even for a given time.
'So the reason why such a thing is possible is this!' the mayor recalled. Yet, he also noticed that a circular crack emerges at the feet of the young man by just revealing his strength!'
'Do Mister Fernandez, knows this?!' The mayor regretted the audacity of even asking such a question.
"Mercy…" the middle aged man struggles to even say a single word from his mouth.
Henry released the pressure which made the middle aged man relieved. "What are you?"
"I am what I am, Mayor. I should have been cautious when using the concoction I had with my brother and father. I had truly underestimated the information in your hand," Henry wanted to make this straight.
He doesn't want to make this even more complicated so he sends a warning to the mayor as he reveals his F-rank level of Power.
'It seems, even for a low rank awaken like me could intimidate common folks,' Henry thought, smirking for such new information.
"I do not dare," the mayor honestly said what he really meant.
"Great! It seems we have a deal." Henry said.
The mayor will not and even think of a second to indulge such information to anyone. Although, the young man seems to be accomodating, revealing a secret connected to Henry would really make his family go instinctively.
He had this feeling that the young man could do so. Thus, Mayor Sales also made some ways on how to block this kind of information to either public or private entities.
After everything settled, Henry went home and found his father monitoring the setting up of the hydroponic farm with some touch of high end technology. It might not be comparable to the hydroponic setup abroad but it was enough for the family.
With the pressing matters addressed, Henry continued his diligent training regimen, focusing on mastering Ezio's Breathing technique and improving his strength.
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"Ugh! This is so not fun!" Amelia's exasperated cry echoed through the room, breaking the tranquil atmosphere.
As they observed their father, Jimmy, who had suffered a stroke just over a month ago, now standing before them as a picture of health, his once-graying hair transformed into a lustrous shade of black, seemingly defying the passage of time and rendering him youthful beyond his years.
Amidst the remarkable transformation of their father, Amelia couldn't help but notice the changes in Henry, their eldest sibling.
Despite enduring the initial discomfort of the herbal medicine's embarrassing side effects, Henry's resilience was evident, his once-rough skin now transitioning to a smoother complexion, a testament to the potency of the remedy he had introduced to their family.
Henry had even related him being a hero in the bank robbery incident a week ago that if it wasn't the enhanced version of himself, he cannot do it.
Similarly, Dylan's evolution didn't escape their attention. Rising above a bullying incident at school, Dylan had emerged stronger and more athletic, his prowess on the track garnering widespread recognition.
With a newfound reputation as one of the fastest runners and possessing unmatched endurance, Dylan's athletic achievements soared to new heights.
Recognizing the pivotal role played by Henry's recommended herbal medicine in their family's transformations, Amelia and Shienna acknowledged that while the side effects may have been initially embarrassing, the long-term benefits far outweighed any temporary discomfort.
Determined to optimize their well-being, Amelia and Shienna committed to drinking their herbal medicine regimen on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
Embracing Henry's guidance, they embarked on a journey towards holistic wellness, fueled by the transformative power of the herbal remedy that had become an integral part of their lives.
"Endure it. Sister. While you know that it would be that smelly, you will feel the difference in your body when you continue drinking the herbal medicine," Henry smirks after his usual laughs.
"Brother, this is unlady-like. It's even worse that the septic tank and the slum's canal combined!" Shienna describes.
"It seems so. But you had seen how it had enhanced us," Henry said. "And your skin will be like what I have now. Flawless and fair."
"I know, but the smell is too repulsive and I can't even imagine how it doesn't give me a stomach ache or even worse, how I had so much dirt inside my body!" Amelia said while the door was closed.
"Just endure it, sisters. Look at father and brother, the smell of their secrets is already in normal range and their strength, speed and physique can rival five or more people." Henry encourages.
"We know that! We should have started it on the first day!" Amelia said to her other sister, Sheinna, who is also using the other room.
Yes, Jimmy and Dylan already reached the limit of their physique along with the help of the F-rank healing potion. However, Henry advises them to take at least a cup for a week to get rid of the toxins that had accumulated for the week.
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"Here is the biggest truth, dad." Henry lays down the notes he had listing all the expenses they had incurred with regards to setting up the hydroponic plant.
"The cost of the greenhouse is around 3.23 million pesos, and the whole set up of hydroponics is around 4.5 million pesos. How are you going to repay me dad?" Henry said as he smirked to his dad.
"Yeah, I was just so excited that I had made you spend so much!" Still smiling, Jimmy is motivated to start his business.
"You're still smiling when we have so much money invested in the startup. However, this hydrophobic is really amazing!" Henry too couldn't believe that he had used much money for this endeavor alone.
The good thing about it is that he still has so many gold coins in his platform storage to exchange it with the PAL jewelry who seems to become generous with the buying of the coin.
His 1 gold coin is worth, on average , 318,000 pesos. He still has hundreds of them but he only trades the needed amount for the hydroponic startup. Thus, he just needed to trade 30 gold coins to cover the building of the project and the rest for maintenance and labor.
He too was excited about this, since this is their first business venture along with his dad. Although it cost too much, he knew that they could recuperate and return the investment in no time along with the assistance of the green liquid he traded with Tyler for only 1kg of salt per 20 liters.
"All in all, the property is also worth that much so, in total, we had invested 15 million pesos here. I would never imagine myself that one day, this will come. Spending and a lot of spending!" Henry said.
"Listen up, son," Jimmy's voice resonated with a mixture of conviction and paternal pride. "You know the potential income from our hydroponic farm, son."
"Now, let's break it down," Jimmy continued, his tone brimming with enthusiasm.
"We've done our research, attended those seminars, and we know that the wholesale price for our chosen plant in hydroponics is about 15 pesos per piece. And with our setup, we can plant a whopping 12,000 plants. And mind you, that's just for the cheapest leafy vegetable."
"But here's where it gets exciting," Jimmy's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "We can harvest those plants twice a month. That means every month, we're looking at not one, but two opportunities to cash in on our yield."
"So, let's do the math," Jimmy's confidence in his calculations was evident. "With 12,000 plants harvested twice a month, that's 24,000 plants per month. Multiply that by the wholesale price of 15 pesos per piece, and we're looking at a monthly revenue of 360,000 pesos."
"But we're not done yet, Henry," Jimmy's smile widened, his determination shining through. "That's just for one month. Multiply that by 12, and we're talking about an annual yield of a staggering 4,320,000 pesos."
"You see, son," Jimmy's gaze softened as he locked eyes with Henry. "In less than 5 years, we can already pay for all the invested amount here. And I am dedicated to making that happen."
"I know, Dad. But having a solid market is crucial for our success," Henry pointed out, his brow furrowing with concern.
His dad's smirk only widened in response. "You've underestimated your green liquid solution, Son. I took a trip to the market, and let me tell you, the vegetables we grow on the roof are in a league of their own compared to what's being sold out there," he declared proudly.
Henry's eyes widened with surprise.
"So you're saying our vegetables are not only superior in quality but also more delicious?" he asked, realizing he had been missing out on tasting the fruits of their labor.
"That's right, son. They're not just tastier, but they're packed with nutrients too," his dad affirmed. "So we still have the upper hand over other dealers in the market."
Feeling reassured by his father's assessment, Henry quickly formulated a plan.
"In that case, Dad, I think we should focus on growing the most in-demand vegetables. Let's split the greenhouse in half – one for leafy greens and the other for crops like hot peppers, bell peppers, and eggplants," he suggested.
Jimmy's eyes lit up with approval. "That's a solid plan, son! And with the increased workload, we'll need to hire at least two people to help manage the farm," he declared, already envisioning their team expanding.
"But remember," Jimmy added with a hint of secrecy, "the secret of our system stays in our hands."
They had taken precautions to safeguard their proprietary green liquid solution, ensuring it remained hidden away in a secure room where Jimmy could administer it to the entire system without risk of exposure.
And despite the initial doubts and uncertainties, their system had proven to be a success. They hadn't been swindled by the engineer who helped set up the greenhouse and hydroponic system, and now, they were poised to make waves in the vegetable dealership.