HLM – Chapter 47 The Arrival of the Factory

Sunset Town’s terrain was fairly regular—about fifty kilometers east to west, and around twenty kilometers north to south. To the north stood the Southern Alps, and five kilometers south of the mountain foot was hilly and mountainous terrain. Beyond that, fifteen kilometers southward stretched open plains.

Highway 8 ran north-south, passing right through the middle of his territory, perfectly situated in the heart of the plains.

Old Wang placed the “Heart of the Pasture” near the northwest corner of his territory, close to Lake Hāwea and Roberts Mountain where the castle was located—part of the hilly region. If he were to engage in animal husbandry, this would be a prime location.

Once the Heart of the Pasture was placed in the northwest of the sandbox, a vast area immediately turned light green—covering five to six kilometers in each direction, occupying around a thirtieth or fortieth of the sandbox’s entire area.

With both the Heart of the Homestead and the Heart of the Pasture, the sandbox no longer looked quite as neat. The areas affected by the two “hearts” turned a light green, while the rest remained a crystal-clear hue—like patches of dyed color on a crystal plate.

Moreover, the areas affected by the hearts became lifelike—grass swaying and leaves fluttering in the wind—whereas the rest remained statue-still.

Now that he had the Heart of the Pasture, the sandbox’s usefulness to Old Wang greatly increased.

His dominion now included the hilly terrain, which was covered in small woods and surrounded by lush wild grass. These areas teemed with wild animals and birds—now all within his grasp.

Casually lifting some weeds, he quickly found a pair of New Zealand rails—likely a mated pair. He grabbed one, and the other panicked, circling frantically while clucking.

Being a soft-hearted warm man, Old Wang sighed and let the bird in his hand go. After all, his fridge was already stocked with meat—there was no need for unnecessary slaughter.

Because the ranch area he chose was near Lake Hāwea, the lakeshore was also under his control. When he browsed near the lake, he was startled to discover several people standing there.

He counted—six in total—all dressed formally in either shirts and slacks or carrying briefcases. They were gesturing toward the lake and discussing something animatedly.

Old Wang grew excited again. Could these be prospective settlers looking to move into the town?

The lakeshore wasn’t far from Roberts Mountain and the castle, so Old Wang grabbed Charlie and hopped on a motorcycle, rushing over enthusiastically—like a real estate agent spotting potential buyers he couldn’t afford to lose.

The motorcycle roared to a stop. Old Wang got off and immediately introduced himself, “Hi, gentlemen! Hello! I’m Wang, the mayor of Sunset Town. And you are?”

A balding middle-aged man in a silk shirt stepped forward, extended his hand with a warm smile, and said, “Hello, Mayor Wang. I’m Dugo Lister, General Manager of Lee Chemicals Group. A pleasure to meet you.”

Old Wang shook his hand enthusiastically and asked, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Lister. May I ask what brings you to our town?”

Lister replied, “Well, Mayor Wang, perhaps you’ve heard of our company—Lee Agricultural Group. This year, we’re planning to build a new factory on the South Island. I must say, your town is quite appealing. We’re wondering if there might be an opportunity for cooperation.”

Old Wang’s heart began thudding wildly. What?! A factory investment in Sunset Town? That was huge news! This could be the chance for the town to take off!

A factory didn’t just mean capital injection—it also meant the formation of an industrial ecosystem, which could generate enormous profits for the town!

However… Lee Agricultural Group? Old Wang glanced at Charlie with confusion.

Leaning in, Old Wang whispered, “What kind of business is Lee Agricultural Group in? Do they sell beef and lamb?”

Charlie whispered back, “No, they manufacture agricultural chemicals—pesticides, nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium fertilizers. If you’re aiming to build a world-class town, you definitely can’t accept their investment.”

Old Wang was shocked. “But isn’t New Zealand supposed to be non-industrialized? Before I came abroad, I read that they didn’t even have pesticide factories. So how come this one exists?”

Charlie looked at him like he was from Mars. “Where did you get such nonsense? New Zealand has no industry? That’s ridiculous—even Namibia in Africa has industry. How could a developed country like New Zealand not have any?”

Thinking it over, Wang Bo felt a bit disheartened. Back when he read that article, he thought New Zealand was a paradise on earth—but clearly, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses.

Lister patiently awaited their reply. After learning more from Charlie, Old Wang made his decision and told him apologetically, “I’m sorry, Mr. Lister. Our town is looking to develop its tertiary sector, so we won’t be accepting factory investments.”

Lister didn’t seem disappointed. He smiled and said, “Then perhaps you should hear about our investment scale first?”

“First, we plan to build the largest branch factory on the South Island—second only to our main plant. The first phase investment will be 20 million NZD, potentially increasing to over 100 million!”

“Second, once our factory is operational, we’ll hire at least a thousand employees. Think about it, Mayor—if all those workers settled and spent their money in your town, imagine the transformation!”

“Third, according to a venture capital assessment by ******** Bank, once our second branch is built, it could drive an industrial chain worth up to 500 million! Mayor, I’m sure you understand how much tax revenue a 500 million-dollar industry chain could generate for your town, right?”

As Lister spoke, Old Wang couldn’t help but swallow hard. Finally, unable to take it anymore, he interrupted him with a pained look, “Enough, Mr. Lister, please… don’t say another word…”

Lister smiled and asked, “So what’s your decision now?”

Old Wang said, “How about this—you build your factory in our neighboring town, either Drifter Town or Louis Town, and then have your workers live and spend money here in Sunset Town. I can offer your company real estate incentives!”

This time, Lister was the one who couldn’t laugh anymore. Charlie, however, was stifling laughter. Given his understanding of Old Wang, he wasn’t surprised at all to hear such a suggestion.

Old Wang wore an honest and earnest expression as he grasped Lister’s hand and said, “Buddy, maybe you don’t know I’m Chinese. Do you know what Chinese people are best at these days? Speculating in real estate! Trust me—if your workers settle here, we can cooperate in real estate speculation and make way more than 500 million!”

A young man dressed like a corporate elite seemed deeply moved. He grumbled, “He’s not wrong. Damn it, Auckland’s housing prices were driven up by the Chinese. The houses I liked last year have all gone up over 20% this year…”

“Shut up!” Lister snapped, turning to glare at him as if he were a complete idiot. The others gave him similar looks.