Chapter 716: Stumping Raunak
Even though the two candidates were easily manipulated by Sam into agreeing on this, the envoys were not happy.
They are not satisfied with the arrangement. Even though, one week's service is not so bad, if the service is on both sides it wouldn't give that much of an advantage.
At least the Envoy 1 is better off as candidate 1 managed to get the first week. The people will think the second candidate is copying the idea.
Anyway, Sam is out of trouble from this.
Currently, Sam is thinking about how to deal with the Envoys and the candidates that would eventually bring some troubles for him.
The main trouble is for the Elven special dish. Even though the dish is special and tastes better than the rest while it also helps the elves, the most it could do for Sam at the instant moment is bring more customers, but that is not the original purpose.
The elves in this town who are satisfied with their lives would only see the benefits that come from eating it, but there is something else in it that only people like Raunak, envoys, and some other elves.
The dish itself is not extremely special in the town, but once it transcends this place and reaches the place like Planet 1 and the military bases, the significance is extremely different.
If a nascent stage elf eats it, almost all of their injuries will be cured and it will benefit their cultivation by a lot and if Pre-transcendent stage elves eat that on daily basis, along with their natural talent in wood element and the assistance of this food, their breakthroughs would be easier.
There is no way the elves would just let Sam have it in his hands and hold it for long. They would definitely want the recipe of the dish. Even though it is not too much of a big deal, there is another significance behind obtaining this.
This could be beneficial for the factions. After these town elections are over, the city elections and finally the election for king or queen would be held. And similar to the town elections, there will be candidates from both the factions competing, and giving this recipe away to the military and such will be a great contribution on their part.
At least they can sway some civilians' votes to their side.
If not for the fact currently the election is happening and both parties didn't want to give any advantage to the other party, they would have already made a show of force to Sam to buy it off, but as both of them are keeping each other in check, Sam is safe in that middle-ground for now.
But there will come a time where they will use more and more desperate methods to buy the recipe off.
And today them trying to get the supply for the next week is a trial run for the main game. Not just for them, for Sam also.
He already knew that both of them are trying to come and visit him, his shadow mice are not for show, they could fool transcendent stage cultivators when they are Nascent level, now they are already Pre-transcendent, there is no way they would miss the opportunity get the news.
So, Sam got the news and decided to test the intelligence of the candidates and he is disappointed to know that these guys who are so green can be elected as the town heads, but he understood what is happening.
These guys are the easiest to manipulate.
Sam just kept an eye out for the envoys and made preparations for the next two weeks.
He just went on with the supply of the two parties along with the regular operations of the restaurant.
Meanwhile, the chaos in the town is growing. Every day people are getting into fights and the people that are suffering the most are the neutral people who are not completely tied with any faction.
They are being threatened, used as pawns for conspiracy from both sides, and also go through torture of being forced by two different parties.
This is the reason they didn't want to sell anything to Sam or any other person for that matter.
Every night the people from two factions fight secretly and sometimes the underlings of one candidate attacks the underlings of the other candidate hoping that the other candidate will lose control, sometimes one faction will create damage for a neutral party and paint it as if the other candidate has done it.
These conspiracies are being gone on and on.
While these things are happening after the first week is completed, Sam went to meet with Raunak again. He was received even more warmly than before and was even served some drink, Sam just received the hospitality and asked.
"I want to develop into the next business."
"A second business? How can you do that though? You already have your hands full with your current business."
"You and I both know what is going to happen by the end of these town elections, whoever wins the election will strong-arm me into giving the recipes to them while the loser would is an even lesser cordial method.
So, let us not pretend we don't know anything."
Sam's voice is so casual that it is scary. Raunak furrowed his brows for a second and said once again.
"What will happen in a month? I don't know what you are talking about. Your food is great and it will be a long and prosperous business."
"I already said don't pretend. I am here because I know you are a smart guy and we can help each other. But don't behave like a dumb person who would think everyone is dumber than him. If you really think that your plan couldn't be seen through then you are sorely mistaken.
All this while, everything is going according to your wishes is because I wanted it to happen in the same way as well. Otherwise, no one in this world can manipulate me to do anything that I don't want to.
So, you better drop that façade and talk normally, otherwise, I would look for another town where the business administrator is not as overly smart as you."
Raunak looked at Sam coldly.
"Do you think you can threaten me with this? You are not even a Civilian, I can do whatever I want to do with you and make you whatever I want you to do. You don't know what I am capable of."
"Oh, I know it well actually. You are capable of using all the merchants coming here from other areas as your informers.
You are capable enough to notice us from the day we came here.
You are capable enough to manipulate us into coming to your office and request your help.
You are also capable enough to manipulate the rest of the officials into coming to my restaurant so that it can have steady growth and wouldn't obstruct your target tax amount.
You are capable enough to manipulate the officials to bring the envoys to my restaurant and you know just how this political game works so you tried to put me in the hot water to see my reaction before the real game works.
Since I managed to escape scot-free, you are sure that your tax target will be achieved by the end of the elections and even capable of think about manipulating the envoys into a bidding war so that the price of my recipes will skyrocket increasing your tax cut.
Which will finally lead to your promotion."
Sam finished everything in a single breath and he said so in an extremely casual voice.
Raunak was stumped. Sam looked at his face and said.
"You are such a typical elf, always thinking that other creatures are dumb just because you have a slightly superior bloodline. Now shall we talk about my next business?"
Raunak tried to calm himself down and said.
"How do you know all of this?"
"You have eyes all over the town and I have eyes on you. As simple as that. And I don't want to waste my time. So, can we get to the main point?"
"This is the main point. I want to know exactly who you are. Why did you play along when you know everything?"
Sam shook his head and stood up. "You are clearly not going to listen to what I want to say. We can talk later. Just sit down and think about what happened with your brain, you can get most of the answers you want. You can come and talk to me after that."
With those words, Sam left the place. Just like that Sam has changed the situation between them in seconds. At least in Raunak's mind, everything is going according to his plan.
He is planning on dumping Sam down after his target has reached and let him die in the hands of the two factions while he gets the promotion.
But Sam knew this all along. Now Raunak has to come and clear the situation with Sam.
Now Sam can use him for his further deals and create a reliable and obedient partner out of him.