novelraw Chapter 96: Joja Really Is Rich
Chapter 96: Joja Really Is Rich
Of course, that was just Leon mouthing off. Moments ago, he’d actually been bracing himself for the worst. But nothing happened in the end, and the meteorite hadn’t caused any economic damage. That, to Leon, was definitely good news.
He recognized this meteorite—he’d seen it in the game before. A super-rare event: a meteorite from the sky.
Breaking it apart would yield Iridium Ore, stone, and an Infinity Crystal Orb. But because of how rare it was, unless it landed right where a breeding pen or planting area had been planned, most players would leave it untouched as a keepsake.
The trouble was, breaking apart this rock—which had tumbled through the atmosphere for half the day without losing much volume—would take at least a gold pickaxe. With his ordinary pickaxe, Leon would have as much luck as a mayfly trying to shake a tree.
Still, as the greats once said, practice is the only test of truth. Leon pulled out his pickaxe and swung at the meteorite.
“Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!”
A string of sharp metallic notes rang out. The meteorite didn’t so much as chip—there wasn’t even a dent where the pickaxe had struck. Instead, the rebound made Leon’s hands tingle painfully, numbing all ten fingers.
“Mm.”
He put away the pickaxe, shook out his hands, and returned to the log cabin. Picking up the pot of noodles he’d set down earlier to check the commotion, he resumed slurping as if nothing had happened.
Fortunately, there were no outsiders on the farm to witness this awkward scene.A pot of noodles later, his belly was round and full. Leon quickly washed the pot and was about to head to bed when he saw Lewis walking in from the eastern entrance of the farm.
“Lewis? What brings you over so late at night?”
Leon looked at the mayor, who stood in place scanning the farm, and asked in puzzlement.
“When I came out of the Starfruit Saloon earlier, I saw fire in the sky. It looked like a meteorite, and the direction it fell was close to your farm, so I rushed over to check.”
Seeing that Leon was unharmed and that Red Star Farm was the same as before—just bigger in planting scale—Lewis let out a sigh of relief.
“Looks like the meteorite didn’t hit your farm. That’s something worth celebrating.”
“Oh, you mean the meteorite? It’s over there.” Leon was a bit touched. The fact that Lewis had come immediately after realizing something might have happened meant the old man genuinely cared.
“It really hit your farm?” Lewis’ eyes widened. He peered in the direction Leon pointed, but the darkness made it hard to see. Still, since Leon said so, he had to believe it.
“Any damage to the farm?” Lewis asked urgently.
“None,” Leon said, shaking his head.
“That’s good, very good.” Calming down, Lewis asked, “Can you take me to see it?”
“This way.” Leon led him toward the abandoned greenhouse.
When Lewis saw the meteorite, his expression was priceless. From Leon’s words, he had thought the meteorite had burned up during reentry into a small rock. But here was a four-meter-wide monster. Even if it had fallen from the top of a tall building, it would have made a crater. Now it just lay there quietly on the farm’s soil. If it weren’t so alien in appearance, Lewis might have believed it had always been here.
“No wonder it’s Red Star Farm.” Lewis finally spoke after a long silence. It was a genuine sigh. He didn’t even want to imagine the damage if such a meteorite had fallen in Pelican Town. It certainly wouldn’t have been this calm.
“Heh, I’m flattered.” Leon didn’t know what to say, but since Lewis was praising the farm, he responded with modest courtesy.
Lewis gave him a wordless look. “As long as you’re fine, I’ll head back…”
“Wait, Lewis—what about the shipment results for the green onions?” Leon hurried forward to stop him, rubbing his hands in reminder.
“I didn’t bring the money. Tomorrow. I’ll send you the payment by mail.” Lewis replied instantly.
“And what about the results of the landslide in the northern mountains caused by Joja Corporation?” Leon pressed.
After all, between his own plans, his system backpack tasks, and the fact that today’s meteorite had exposed the low grade of his tools, it was clear—it was time to go mining.
So he was very curious whether Lewis had dealt with Joja’s unauthorized mining.
“I nearly forgot. In the next couple of days, Joja’s engineering team will clear the landslide area and reinforce the surrounding mountains. But I should warn you—when Joja informs Pelican Town’s residents about this, they won’t admit it was caused by illegal mining. I hope you understand.”
Lewis looked a bit awkward as he said this.
Leon smiled. He understood. Joja Corporation must have struck some kind of deal with Pelican Town. The PR team wouldn’t admit to wrongdoing, to protect the company’s reputation. In return for this cover-up, Joja must have offered Lewis a deal he couldn’t refuse.
And it wasn’t just Lewis who knew—Leon himself, who had suggested squeezing Joja for a payout, and George as well. Thinking of George, Leon asked:
“What about George? He’s the one most sensitive to these things.”
Lewis glanced at the bicycle parked beside the cabin—the one that had once belonged to George—and no longer wondered how Leon knew the old man’s past. “I’ve already spoken to George. He’s not happy, but considering this deal will help Pelican Town’s future, he’s letting it go.”
“What kind of compensation did Joja offer?” Leon asked.
“Mountain reinforcement in the north, and they’ll build a few main roads in town, claiming it’s to support Pelican Town’s development,” Lewis said.
“That’s it?” Leon raised an eyebrow. If that was all, he’d look down on Lewis for being too petty.
Lewis understood what Leon meant, and he thought of something else. This time, he could barely hide his grin. Even though the only people here were him and Leon, he leaned close and whispered:
“That’s just the hush money for covering up their illegal mining. The real prize came when I had a lawyer check the Fanjier Republic’s Natural Resources Protection Law. We hit Joja with the maximum fine.”
“How much?” Now Leon was interested.
“Twenty WG. It’s the largest possible fine. Joja will pay it all at once, and I’ll keep it as public development funds for Pelican Town.”
“Tsk, tsk… Joja really is rich.”