The Tycoon's Odyssey

Returning to the lodge, Evan rested briefly before taking a look at the information Ryan had gathered. The man had wholeheartedly worked on this mission despite his grievances, unlike others who would take money and don't deliver as asked.

Evan reviewed the thick notes containing detailed information about the place. Since all the other owners except for Motilal had refused, he focused on the page about him.

A typical tea plantation yielded around 1,500-2,000 kg per acre. Of the total produce, 20-25% was converted into high-quality tea that met the novel market standards.

The rest was considered waste, but according to research done by Evan and supplementing the tidbits from Ryan, he was able to come to a conclusion.

In tea production, waste refers to parts of the tea plant that were not suitable for being processed into the final product, which was the tea for consumption. This includes stems, twigs, and damaged or rejected leaves that had not met the quality standards for tea production.

By-products, on the other hand, consisted of dust, fannings, broken leaves, and lower-grade tea which were still used within the tea industry, often in products like tea bags or lower-quality blends.

80% of tea sold in the market consisted of this waste, while the remaining 20-25% was sold at a high premium price, fetching up to 15-100 dollars and it may go even higher.

'Let's not talk about rupees lest they give me a heart attack.'

After he came to this thought, Evan's expression crumbled, "Doesn't that mean that we are all drinking discarded waste?"

What made him feel even nastier was that people were getting looted. Such high prices and even tea that was considered waste were sold for a great sum.

"Damn! They are making such a fortune but aren't willing to pay the laborers."

That was the reason why tea plantation owners were drowning in money while laborers were dirt cheap. According to the information Ryan had collected, the average laborers used to get around 250 rupees a day– a meager amount compared to the profits made.

This was a fucking loot and a scam.

Since he was someone who had experienced this firsthand, he hated such blood-sucking bosses.

Seeing his frustration aside, Evan opened the system panel and rubbed his palms in anticipation.

"I have been waiting for this," he murmured.

"Draw the Advanced roulette now?"

The advanced roulette consumed his sleep and peace and he had eagerly awaited the moment he could open it but had decided to wait a bit to open it in a new location.

[Host, are you sure?"]

"Of course!" Evan exclaimed with joy.

He wanted to try his luck in case he got something good, possibly something that might be related to tea.

It was just an assumption but who knows?

The lottery began rolling, displaying various items before finally coming to a stop.

[DING]

[You have obtained a Virtual 3D Molecular Fabricator.]

"What?" Evan almost screamed in delight. His mouth was wide open seeing the impressive name, but he decided to restrain his excitement and read its description, who knew if it turned out to be a party popper.

[Virtual 3D Molecular Fabricator]

[A cutting-edge device that builds complex machines from digital blueprints with atomic precision. It converts data into physical objects using advanced 3D printing at the molecular level.]

[One-time use only]

It wasn't a blueprint but an actual machine that was present virtually yet it could print a real molecular object.

Although its one-time use was bad, if he used it correctly then that one thing could make up for everything.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Ahem!" Evan poured water on his excitement and sat down after hearing the knock on the door.

_____

Ryan knocked lightly on the door to Evan's room, curious about what happened.

"Come in," Evan called from inside, his voice sounding unusually authoritative.

Ryan entered cautiously and found Evan seated at his desk, surrounded by stacks of notes and papers. The air in the room was thick and serious, a stark contrast to the usual banter during their investigations.

"Hey, Evan. What's all this about?" Ryan asked, pointing at the piles of paperwork.

Evan narrowed his eyes and scanned Ryan.

[ Name: Ryan Prez

Skills:

Beginner Business management [212/250]

Beginner Cooking [240/250]

Beginner Fighting [99/100]

Intermediate Marketing [82/250]

Intermediate Leadership [ 8/250]

Intermediate Investigation [145/250]

Intermediate Observation [210/250]

Intermediate Deductive Reasoning [190/250]

Intermediate Forensic Science [120/250]

Intermediate Interrogation Techniques [100/250]

Impression: 38 ]

He couldn't make the head or tail out of the skills displayed on the screen. He didn't know how many skills existed in this world, but from their names, every one of those skills seemed useful.

Secondly, why the hell did a private detective have marketing and other business-related skills?

Maybe he was also involved in marketing the business.

Taking a pause for a moment, Evan folded his legs and spoke, "Ryan, resign from the detective agency."

"HUH!"

Ryan's expression faltered for a moment after hearing Evan's words.

"Is…is this a joke?" he inquired in a solemn voice, but seeing Evan's expression, his voice wavered.

"It isn't..."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, unsure of where this was heading. "What do you mean?"

Evan looked up, his expression serious yet somehow determined. "Ryan, I've been thinking. This detective work is demanding and unpredictable. There's always a risk involved. And you know this is illegal and might get you arrested on the grounds of invading personal privacy."

"I mean," Evan continued, his tone firm, "What if you left your detective roles and focused on managing things here? Specifically, in the tea industry."

Ryan chuckled nervously, a touch of skepticism lacing his voice. "You want me to quit being a detective and become a tea manager?"

Evan nodded while his gaze remained steady. "Look, I've been crunching the numbers. The tea industry here is booming, and with our expertise, we could make a real impact. Motilal's estate alone proves that there's potential. I've gone through the numbers, Ryan. We could earn well, better than what we make now."

Ryan hesitated, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know, Evan. Detective work is completely different from doing Tea management?"

"Hmm!" Evan pinched his chin with a pondering expression and asked.

"Why are you working as a detective?"

Ryan made a fact that seemed to ask, "Do I have to say this?

"I guess because the money is good and studying wasn't my forte. I dislike bullies, so I fought a lot. I learned a bit of this and that in fighting, and got some achievements, but it wasn't enough to earn me a decent living. So here I am?"

Evan extended his hand and tapped on the armrest, surprising Ryan with his current demeanor and attitude.

The man before him previously seemed like a fun-loving, naive kid, but now he couldn't help but think that the person sitting in front of him was a bit mature even if he looked like a kid who was trying to grow up.

Evan leaned forward, his voice became persuasive. "Think about it, Ryan. A steady income, no more chasing and sneaking on people  around the country"

Ryan was silent for a moment, weighing the proposal. "Are you sure about that? It's not my expertise."

"I am sure you will learn it in no time," Evan replied quickly.

"What I might need is your fighting ability to take over the situations. I am sure others might have ill will once people know about us. Coupled with your observation skills, it might help us stop their ill intention."

"Also, the pay will be quite good."

Ryan sighed, torn between loyalty to his detective work and the allure of stability and financial security. "I don't know if I'm ready to give up chasing clues just yet."

"30 Million rupees per annum, and it will increase more once I see your work."

Ryan, who was about to step out of the room, halted and almost screamed, "I am in…"

Evan nodded understandingly. "Take your time. But think about it, Ryan. We could make a difference here, too."