The moment Ella's video hit the internet, it was like a boulder being dropped into a calm lake, sending ripples of excitement throughout the digital space. The comments section was soon flooded with a mix of skepticism, praise, and humor, making it a lively battleground of opinions.
"Come on, super vegetables? People will say anything to sell their products these days. What's next? Immortality salad?"
"Clearly, some folks haven't heard of genetic engineering. Maybe they really did develop something new!"
"Lol, this is the cleanest and most subtle ad I've ever seen. Almost had me believing it!"
"If Ella recommends it, I'm buying! Even if it's just to support my queen!"
Despite the voices of doubt, curiosity took hold of the larger audience. Ella's charming smile, combined with her professional explanations and the impressive data from the report, hooked viewers. And let's not forget the visuals—those vibrant, fresh vegetables practically glistened on screen, making it impossible not to want a taste.
As expected, the moment Zach Evans's "super vegetables" hit the shelves, they sold out in a flash.
Watching the avalanche of orders piling up in their online store's backend, Zach, Leo Donovan, and Lily Quinn stared at each other in disbelief, the shock plain on their faces.
"Holy crap! Zach, we're about to strike gold!" Leo was practically vibrating with excitement, rubbing his hands together and itching to plant another ten acres.
Even Lily, though more composed, couldn't help but let a small smile tug at the corner of her mouth.
She pushed her glasses up, her voice calm and sharp. "How much can one acre of crops really produce? Don't let this success get to your head."
Zach nodded, knowing she was right. He needed to manage expectations and make sure they could meet the demand. Quickly, he drafted an online announcement explaining, "Due to limited supply, more products will be available soon. Stay tuned!" It was a way to keep their eager customers at bay while he dealt with the logistics.
Gathering Leo and Lily, Zach spoke with a serious tone, "Alright, I've been thinking about our company name, and I've come up with something perfect. We'll call it the Galactic Super Positive Energy Green Eco Development Corporation! How's that for a bold name?"
Leo burst out laughing, clapping his hands in approval. "Bro, that's gold! Love the over-the-top vibe! It screams 'we're taking over the universe'!"
Lily, on the other hand, shot Zach a look of pure disdain. "Seriously? Can we not name it something that sounds like a preschool? This is a business, not a cartoon show."
"The name is set!" Zach cleared his throat, trying to maintain an air of authority as he pulled out two contracts he had prepared earlier, handing one to Leo and the other to Lily. "Here are the partnership agreements. If you're on board, sign them."
Leo barely glanced at the contract before scribbling his name on it without hesitation. He slapped the paper with satisfaction, puffing out his chest. "Zach, don't you worry! I, Leo Donovan, may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I'm loyal to a fault. You say jump, and I'll ask how high! You've got nothing to worry about!"
Lily, as expected, took her time reading through the document carefully, her lawyer-like attention to detail never faltering. "This contract is too simplistic. There are no clear provisions for equity distribution, roles and responsibilities, or profit sharing. What happens if there's a dispute down the line?"
"Oh, come on, Lawyer Quinn," Leo chimed in with a grin, "that's why you're here! To handle all the boring legal stuff!"
Zach nodded quickly in agreement. "Exactly! I'm counting on you to fine-tune all the legal details. Also, as a show of good faith, I'm appointing Leo as the company's General Manager. And you, Lily, will be our Vice President and Head of Legal Affairs."
"General Manager? Me?!" Leo's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "You've gotta be kidding me! I've never been a manager in my life!"
Zach, pretending to be stern, waved him off. "Quit complaining! You're one of the founding members of this company. Who else would I choose for the role?"
Leo's disbelief quickly turned to glee. "Alright, alright! I'll accept the honor! General Manager Leo Donovan, reporting for duty!" In his mind, he was already envisioning himself living the high life, driving fancy cars and giving orders like a boss.
Zach turned to Lily, who had finished reading the contract, her face unreadable. "What about you, Lily? Are you in?"
Lily closed the contract and looked at Zach, her voice measured and calm. "I have one condition—I'll manage the company's finances."
Zach agreed without a second thought. "No problem! You can also take charge of the finance department. You'll have full control over everything except the technical side." He trusted Lily implicitly, knowing she was looking out for the company's financial well-being. The years of friendship they had shared made her the perfect person to keep things in check.
"Alright then, let's split up and get to work," Zach said, clapping his hands to signal the start of the next phase. "Leo, head over to the local agricultural university and hire a few experienced crop specialists. We need to scale up production as soon as possible. Lily, go to the talent market and hire staff for administration, finance, and sales. We need to build up the company's structure."
"Got it!" Leo said, already raring to go, his mind filled with visions of being a bigshot executive in the near future.
Lily simply nodded, her usual composed self, and headed off to tackle her tasks.
As Zach watched them leave, he let out a long breath. Thank God they're staying onboard. I was worried for nothing—they really do believe in this.
Just then, the system's cold, mechanical voice chimed in his ear: Congratulations, host! You've secured your right-hand partners. Reward: 1 packet of super rice seeds, $600 cash.
"Six hundred bucks? That's it?" Zach groaned. "System, you call this a reward?"
"System, my dear old friend," Zach said, switching to a coaxing tone as if trying to sweet-talk a buddy. "You and I both know that $600 isn't going to cut it. Come on, can't you…"
The system cut him off mid-sentence with its emotionless response: Host, please focus on your mission. Your goal is the stars and the sea, not…
"Yeah, yeah, I get it, 'stars and the sea,'" Zach muttered, cutting off the system with a dismissive wave. "But the stars won't feed me! What am I supposed to do with 600 bucks? It doesn't even cover a decent meal these days!"