"Alright! Zach, just wait and see. I'm heading to the university now to recruit some top-tier talent!" Leo Donovan rubbed his hands together, ready to take off and bring in fresh recruits for their growing enterprise.
Lily Quinn, ever the pragmatist, raised an eyebrow and pointed out, "Hold on a second. Where are you going to put these people after you recruit them? Do we even have an office space yet? You can't exactly have them sitting out in the fields munching on cucumbers all day."
Zach Evans, momentarily stumped, scratched his head, letting out a sheepish chuckle. "Yeah, good point. Totally slipped my mind. So... any ideas?"
With an exasperated sigh, Lily shook her head. These two... always ready to jump into action without a plan. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and said, "First, let's find an office. We can't run a business from the middle of a field, can we?"
Zach smacked his thigh. "You're right! Let's get going and find a place!"
Without further delay, the trio locked up Zach's old, run-down house (which doubled as their current "headquarters") and took a cab toward the city's bustling downtown area, aiming to secure a swanky office space for their burgeoning business. They were dreaming big, after all.
But reality hit them hard when they saw the sky-high prices in the city's commercial districts. Each rental cost felt like a hammer blow to Zach's optimistic dreams.
Lily, sensing the frustration, suggested, "Let's be more realistic and check some spaces back in our hometown. The costs will be much lower, and we can invest the savings into growing the business."
Agreeing with her, they headed back to their county and soon found themselves at a local real estate agency. The windows were plastered with various rental listings, and one advertisement caught Lily's eye immediately: "Fully furnished office space, 280 square feet, move-in ready, unbeatable price."
"Let's ask about that one!" she said, leading the group inside.
The agent, a young woman with perfectly styled hair and a professional demeanor, greeted them with a friendly smile. "Good afternoon! How can I assist you today?"
Lily wasted no time. "We're looking for office space—preferably something furnished and not too expensive."
The agent quickly pulled up some listings on her computer. "We have a fully furnished, three-floor office space available. It's equipped with everything you need—desks, chairs, internet access, and all for just $1,500 a month."
Leo raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious of the price. "$1,500 a month? That's almost too good to be true. Is this place haunted or something?"
The agent laughed, shaking her head. "Oh no, I assure you, we don't rent haunted offices! The previous tenant was a design firm that moved to a bigger location, which is why this one's available at such a great rate."
Zach asked, "Can we take a look at it?"
"Of course," the agent replied, making a quick call to the landlord before leading them over to the location.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at a modest but well-maintained three-story building on the outskirts of town. The exterior looked decent enough, and the surrounding area was quiet—perfect for a productive workspace.
Inside, the first floor opened into a spacious, bright lobby. The second and third floors were divided into private offices, all furnished in a clean, modern style. It was clear that the office was ready for immediate use.
"So, what do you think?" the agent asked with a hopeful smile.
"It looks great," Zach said, still a bit hesitant. "But what about the rent?"
"If you're willing to sign a six-month lease, I'm sure we can negotiate a lower rate," the agent offered.
Zach thought it over and asked, "What's the best price you can give us for a six-month commitment?"
The agent, sensing a deal was close, quickly called the landlord again. After a short exchange, she turned to them, beaming. "Good news! The landlord is willing to lower the rent to $1,300 a month for a six-month lease. That's a steal for a place like this!"
Lily, ever the skeptic, said, "$1,300 sounds manageable, but let's go over the full costs. That's $7,800 for six months, plus security deposits."
Sensing Zach's hesitation, the agent pressed on, "You won't find a better deal for this location and setup. It's perfect for a growing business like yours!"
After a moment of thought, Zach nodded. "Alright, we'll take it."
The agent's face lit up, and she eagerly prepared the paperwork. "Great choice! Let's get the contracts signed!"
With the paperwork completed, the three of them stepped out of the building, each feeling a mixture of excitement and nerves. This small office space was the foundation of their dream, and while the road ahead was sure to be filled with challenges, it felt like the first real step toward making their vision a reality.
"Well, that's it—our first big step as a company," Zach said, gazing up at the office. "This is just the beginning. We're going to make this work."
"We'd better," Leo replied, a nervous chuckle escaping him. "This feels real now."
At that moment, the familiar mechanical voice of the system echoed in Zach's mind:
Congratulations, host! You have successfully taken the first step toward building your empire!
Reward: Basic automatic irrigation technology. Cash reward: $1,000.
Zach smiled inwardly, thinking how perfectly timed that reward was, given his plans for expansion.
"Alright, now that we've got an office, it's time to start scaling up!" Zach declared, standing proudly in their new space.
"Got it! I'm off to the agricultural university to recruit some top-notch crop specialists," Leo said, immediately setting off to fulfill his mission.
"And I'll head to the job market to start building out our staff—admin, finance, sales, the works," Lily added.
"I'm heading to the agricultural research institute to pick up the seeds we developed. Then I'll head back to the village to start negotiating land leases for more farmland. The company's in your hands, Lily," Zach said, ready to set his plan in motion.
With the team fired up and roles clearly defined, the next phase of their adventure was about to begin. Zach knew that the stakes were getting higher, but he felt more confident than ever with his team by his side.