The Supreme Soldier in the City
Chapter 212 Unclear

Chapter 212: Chapter 212 Unclear

The following morning, James Brown and Gina Lopez arrived together at the L-Region. The whole area of the region was vast, with fifty to sixty natural villages beneath it. Although it was rural, development was swift, especially at the center of the township where the local government resided—it was comparable to a small town.

The township was home to numerous enterprises, though none were particularly large—a few tens of millions would already be notable in the L-Region.

In the two years that Melody Yoody had been working here, the L-Region had seen sizable development. But for economic growth, attracting investment was the top priority, and whether large enterprises could be drawn to develop locally was an ongoing concern for Melody Yoody.

Now, there was finally an opportunity for a significant enterprise to settle in the L-Region. Not only did Melody Yoody attach great importance to it, but so did the entire township. Over the past few days, Melody Yoody and local officials had been working overtime, planning and scouting locations suitable for a large factory area.

After three hectic days, Melody Yoody had a detailed plan at last, well-prepared for Gina Lopez’s arrival for specific negotiations.

Upon reaching the town government location, Melody Yoody immediately led several key local heads to welcome Gina Lopez, which somewhat flattered Gina. Though she had been a CEO before, she had never been treated this way—as her previous company was not large enough, and the attention given in YODC City was never as significant as it was in the countryside.

However, Gina carried the air of a great leader, and handled the situation with grace. She shook hands with each local leader and then followed them to Melody Yoody’s office.

With outsiders present, it was inconvenient for Melody Yoody to speak much with James Brown. She briefed Gina in detail about the township’s situation and the various incentives that had been confirmed.

Gina listened intently, remaining expressionless throughout. When Melody finished speaking, Gina raised some of her requirements. After all, as the investor, she held a certain initiative and sought to maximize the benefits her company could garner.

Investment attraction wasn’t like ordinary commercial cooperation. For Melody Yoody, what she needed most was Gina’s investment. The township itself wasn’t investing, so there was no dispute over interests involved. The primary focus was on negotiating as many perks as possible for Gina’s prospective factory.

These incentives were not simply given away by the township but were contingent on Melody’s ability as the Mayor to secure them, involving issues such as tax and compensation for land acquisition.

Thus, the discussions were amiable, without any sense of tension or verbal fencing.

By late morning, the two parties had tentatively decided on establishing the factory in the L-Region. Melody, visibly elated, invited Gina to lunch, accompanied by local officials. James, naturally, was expected to join as well.

With Gina, a beautiful woman and a CEO controlling half a billion in capital, the local officials couldn’t afford to be haughty. Whether Gina agreed or not significantly impacted their bonuses and future promotions—she was, in effect, their Money God.

Hence, nobody dared to push her to drink. Although lunch was sumptuous, it was brief, and in less than an hour, they all returned to the township office to discuss the remaining issues.

Eventually, consensus was reached: Gina agreed to construct the factory in the L-Region, while Melody’s township would be responsible for land acquisition, with Gina’s company receiving the compensation. Other supportive policies, including tax reductions, were also included.

James, having been like a bystander the whole time, chatted casually with some local officials and didn’t partake in the serious discussions. But after the deal was finalized, with only himself and Gina in Melody’s office, Melody shifted her focus to James and said warmly, "Old classmate, you really did us a big favor this time."

Gina smiled and replied, "Mayor Johnson, you shouldn’t put it that way. James helped our company a lot, and it’s within his duties."

Melody shook her head, "Mr. Lopez, everything is settled now, and I won’t mince words. If it weren’t for James, I wouldn’t have put in so much effort. I’m definitely moving away after the New Year, and when I’m not here, whatever happens to this place won’t matter much to me anymore. My hard work is all for James, an old classmate."

Gina chuckled lightly, "Exactly. I also factored in your being James’s classmate when deciding to establish the factory here. With our company’s capabilities, building a factory anywhere could have garnered us advantages similar to those here."

Melody laughed heartily, "Then it seems James really deserves great credit. We should all thank him properly."

Gina nodded, "Yes, I was thinking the same, and I’m considering how to reward him properly."

Watching the two making merry yet with their words holding another meaning made James uneasy. He chuckled and said, "You two, it’s about time. Shouldn’t we be heading back?"

Gina immediately stood up, saying, "It’s getting late indeed. Mayor Johnson, I’ll leave now with James."

Melody quickly rose too, "Is there such a hurry? I still want to treat you both to dinner tonight."

Gina smiled apologetically, "Mayor, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to interact in the future. James and I have lots to do today; let’s skip dinner."

"Mr. Lopez, you’re not brushing me off, are you? There will never be a day when all work is done. Missing one night won’t matter, right?"

Gina shook her head, "I truly am not just being polite. The company has so much to tackle right now that if I don’t finish today, my staff will be left waiting for me tomorrow."

"Well, if that’s the case, I won’t keep you both any longer."

"Thank you, Mayor, for your understanding. Once the company is on track, I will definitely treat you well."

"That’s a deal then. When the time comes, I won’t hold back with Mr. Lopez."

Melody Yoody personally escorted James Brown and Gina Lopez outside. Just as James and Gina were about to get into the car, she quickly walked up to James, whispered a few words in his ear with a chuckle, and then pushed him into the car.

After the car left the township government, Gina frowned and asked James, "What did Township Chief Johnson say to you?"

James was somewhat speechless. What Melody Yoody had said in his ear was, "You bastard, don’t think you can just start dating someone else now that you don’t need me. You still have to get past me."

Of course, James couldn’t tell Gina that. Although he didn’t think he had any particular relationship with Gina, she was pursuing him now, and saying such a thing would definitely annoy her.

"She said she’s going to give me a big red envelope later so I could make some extra money off the books."

"Really?"

"Of course, it’s true. What else do you think she could say to me?"

Gina pursed her lips and said, "I thought she was making plans to meet you."

James let out a laugh and said, "What’s the harm in old classmates meeting up?"

"I can tell it’s not just old classmates between you two, hmph, don’t think I can’t see that. There must have been something between you two in the past."

James shrugged and said, "Whatever happened, happened. It’s in the past, so let’s not bring it up again."

Gina did not continue to question James about Melody Yoody. Although she didn’t have much experience in love, she knew men cared about their pride. Pushing too hard could backfire. It was enough for James to know that she could see through him.

It has to be said that treating the pursuit of James like business seemed to be working out for Gina, no longer as clueless as before.

Before the car could reach the urban area, James’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID—it was Emily Lopez—and he hesitated.

"What’s the matter? Is it a call from your Township Chief Johnson?" Gina teased James.

"No, it’s from Sandra."

Gina’s brows immediately furrowed. "What does she want with you now?"

"How would I know?" James tossed the phone aside.

"You should answer it. I want to see what that girl is up to."

James shook his head and said, "Forget it, she probably doesn’t have anything important to say."

Just then, the phone stopped ringing. Gina hesitated for a moment and then said, "If she calls again, you should answer and find out what she wants. You can also take the chance to tell her that you’re with me."

James grimaced and said, "Mr. Lopez, I need to clarify something. We are indeed together, but this ’together’ refers merely to our physical presence in the same space, not the emotional kind of ’together.’"

Gina lifted her head proudly and said, "I understand what you’re saying, but I assure you that it’s only a matter of time before the two meanings of ’together’ become one and the same."

James voiced his frustration, "Mr. Lopez, why do you have to be so persistent?"

Gina smiled faintly and said, "I wasn’t planning on being with you, but I’ve become more and more interested in you and I want to be with you more than ever now. When Gina Lopez does something, she sees it through to the end. I would never quit halfway."

James let out an exasperated cry, "Mr. Lopez, you tell me, what about me caught your eye? Can’t I just change that?"

"That trick no longer works. I won’t get mad anymore. No matter how you change, it won’t alter my determination to be with you."

James was at a loss for words, unable to understand how Gina had taken such a fancy to him.

And that was a question Gina herself couldn’t fully answer at the moment. On the surface, it was for her sister Emily Lopez, but deep down, it might just be out of stubbornness, or perhaps, she really had started to appreciate James Brown.