Building The Strongest Family-Chapter 43: The Gambit

The conference room fell into an eerie silence, all eyes fixed on Arthur as if he had just declared the impossible.

Even Harrison, known for his constant troublemaking, wore a look of shock and disbelief.

Bureau Head Derrick's lips twitched, betraying his confusion as he regarded Arthur with an expression that was hard to decipher.

Arthur touched his nose, forcing a light smile while shaking his head.

He had anticipated their reactions; after all, what he had just proposed was nothing short of outrageous.

Who in their right mind would claim they could complete a project that typically takes over fifteen years in just one year? It sounded like something out of a fantasy novel!

Yet here he stood, a systematic man armed with a secret, a system capable of achieving the impossible.

But how could he explain that without sounding utterly insane? The last thing he wanted was to wake up on a sterile table surrounded by crazed scientists eager to dissect him!

With a sigh, Arthur scanned the expressions around him.

"Arthur, you must be joking," Bureau Head Derrick finally broke the silence, his lips twitching again.

"Yes! Just trying to lighten the mood," Arthur replied with an awkward grin. Internally, he cursed himself for bringing it up at all.

Suddenly, the tension in the room lifted as everyone exhaled in relief and smiles began to emerge.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped my bounds," Arthur said apologetically to Derrick.

"No, it's good to joke from time to time," Head Bureau Derrick said, shaking his head as a smile creased his weathered face.

Arthur let out a deep sigh of relief. He was grateful that Derrick wasn't angry with him.

He had refrained from insisting he could complete the project in just one year because he knew that no one in the room would believe him.

If he pushed too hard, the trust and goodwill he had built with Derrick and the other leaders could plummet.

Instead, he decided that demonstrating his capabilities through tangible results was the best approach,.after all, seeing is believing.

His gaze flickered to Harrison, who was eyeing him with narrowed eyes like a venomous snake. Arthur shook his head slightly before turning back to Head Bureau Derrick.

"Sir, since the bidding hasn't begun yet, could you at least allocate a small part of the project to our Osborn Family? As you know, we're quite small compared to other companies. Even if we do bid, we might end up with nothing but scraps," Arthur said with a cheeky grin while rubbing his hands together.

Derrick stared at Arthur's playful expression, speechless for a moment.

The others in the room chuckled lightly, their expressions softening toward Arthur.

Most had formed a positive impression of him; since entering the room, he had always been respectful and polite, not arrogant at all, and many sympathized with the Osborn Family's struggles.

"Head Bureau," chimed in Deputy Head Quill, a man roughly Derrick's age, "I think you can give him a small percentage. He's a good boy; I believe he can handle it well."

Arthur looked at Quill with fondness and almost felt compelled to kiss that old man's cheek in gratitude.

"Hmmm!" Derrick raised an eyebrow at Quill's unexpected support; it caught everyone off guard.

They all knew Quill was typically strict and adhered closely to protocol.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? He's a good boy! I like him!" Deputy Head Quill retorted defensively as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Derrick shook his head in amusement before turning back to Arthur with a gentle smile. "Well then, I can allocate a small percentage of the project to your Osborn Family!"

"Really?" Arthur's eyes sparkled with excitement upon hearing this news.

"Yes," Derrick confirmed with a nod.

"But can you ensure this won't compromise either quality or timelines for both projects?" Derrick asked seriously.

"Yes! I promise!" Arthur nodded vigorously.

"Good! Now which part of the project would you like assigned to you?" Head Bureau Derrick asked.

"Huh?" Arthur blinked in surprise as he processed what Derrick had just said. "You mean I get to choose?"

"Yes," Derrick replied playfully narrowing his eyes at Arthur as if enjoying this twist of fate.

Arthur felt momentarily lost; his lips twitched in disbelief. This was definitely not part of the script.

Shouldn't Head Bureau Derrick have been the one to choose his path, spoon-feeding him advice over bowls of chicken soup? So what was this unexpected operation all about?

For a moment, Arthur found himself speechless, completely unprepared for what was unfolding before him.

"How about this?" Deputy Head Bureau Quill's voice snapped Arthur back to reality.

"How about you take charge of building all the roads and transportation network? Can you handle that?" Quill raised an eyebrow, a playful smile dancing on his lips.

"Wait, all the transportation and road networks?" Arthur stammered, astonishment etched across his face.

"Exactly! I was impressed by your innovative ideas when you presented the blueprint for the commercial plaza, especially those unique highways and interchanges. If we apply that creativity to our extensive transportation project, it could be a game-changer," Quill explained enthusiastically.

Head Bureau Derrick paused for a moment, absorbing the enormity of what Quill proposed. "You do realize that this transportation network will stretch from Neo-Luminara to Metrospire and Aurelia Prime? We're talking about connecting 20 super mega cities including three capital cities! Plus 150 metropolises and 600 first-tier cities across the country! The workload is monumental; no single company can manage that."

"Hisss!" Arthur inhaled sharply, genuinely shocked.

He hadn't anticipated such ambitious plans from Neo-Luminara officials.

Six highways and an intricate web of roads connecting more than 700 cities? It felt utterly insane!

While Arthur grappled with this overwhelming revelation, others in the room shared similar sentiments.

They were taken aback by Quill's decision to entrust such a colossal project to Arthur alone.

This transportation network represented nearly 20% of the entire government initiative, a massive investment that few believed he could tackle without significant support.

Yet amidst their skepticism, Arthur's mind raced with possibilities.

If the Osborn Family could secure this project and deliver results ahead of schedule, Osborn Real Estate and Construction Group would skyrocket into fame overnight!.

Completing it within a year would be nothing short of miraculous; surely then contracts would flood in like snowflakes after a winter storm!

With excitement lighting up his eyes, Arthur turned eagerly to Derrick. "Sir, I assure you, the Osborn Family can absolutely handle it! I promise you won't be disappointed with our quality or timeline!"

Derrick fell silent for a moment before glancing at Quill and then at his colleagues. "What are your thoughts?"

"I think we should give it a shot," one leader chimed in. "His blueprint for roads and transport is truly innovative."

"Agreed! We can always reassess if things don't go well," another added.

"There's no harm in trying!" echoed several voices around the table.

The room buzzed with anticipation as the other leaders exchanged glances, their eyes finally settling on Head Bureau Derrick.

One by one, they voiced their opinions, nearly all in agreement about entrusting Arthur with the transportation and road network project.

Well, almost everyone, Harrison sat in the corner, his face a mask of undisguised anger.

He felt utterly helpless, knowing that his voice had been drowned out in the discussion. So there he remained, silent and brooding.

"Alright then, Arthur," Derrick said with a nod. "We're handing you the transportation and road network project. Just make sure the quality is top-notch."

"Yes! I promise!" Arthur replied, excitement bubbling within him like a shaken soda can. "Sir, does this include high-speed railways and subway stations too?" His question came out unexpectedly eager.

Derrick chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "Boy, your appetite is really huge you know that right? !" Laughter rippled through the room at Arthur's enthusiasm.

"Yes, it's included," Derrick added nonchalantly with a wave of his hand.

"Thank you so much! I won't let you down," Arthur declared earnestly as he stood tall.

"Good! Good! Good!" Derrick laughed heartily before turning serious again.

"Hm! Bureau Head Derrick!" Arthur called out sheepishly while scratching his head in embarrassment.

"Not again! You know overindulging can be dangerous for your health!" Derrick shot back with a playful smile etched on his old face.

"I promise this will be my last request!" Arthur waved his hands defensively with a sheepish grin that made everyone chuckle again.

"Alright then, go ahead, we're all ears," Derrick sighed dramatically but couldn't hide his smile as he gestured for Arthur to continue.

"Okay leaders," Arthur said confidently as he tapped away on his phone. "You're going to love what I'm about to show you."

A massive blueprint materialized on the projection screen, a stunning design that twisted and turned like a snake adorned with vibrant data points flashing across its surface.

Gasps filled the room as Head Bureau Derrick, Deputy Head Quill, and the others stared wide-eyed at the bold letters emblazoned atop the blueprint:

"HyperRail-X System."

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PS : The chapters is about introducing various technical details and a lot terminologies about a railway system and a train Arthur is going to build. You can skip if you don't want to read it.