Chapter 311
Stephen analyzed the situation carefully,
He worked until 2 a.m. when exhaustion finally forced him to stop. However, he still had not fully grasped the true purpose behind Ethan’s plans.
He was also clueless about the tree species to be replaced and the tea to be introduced. Hence, he decided to visit Hill City in person to investigate the situation, Perhaps, by asking the locals, he could find answers to questions he did not understand.
The next day, Stephen woke up at noon.”
He asked George, “Do you want to come to Hill City with me?”
George thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. He believed he had to boost Hill City’s economy to rid himself of his “mistakes. If the criticism continued, he would not be able to show his face in Riveria anymore.
With that, the two flew to Hill City. Even from the air, they could see Hill City’s stunning
with surroundings. Majestic mountains seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see, several peaks piercing the clouds. The view was breathtaking.
When they disembarked, Julius Sanders, the mayor of Hill City, came to greet them. Julius was a middle–aged man, thin and wearing glasses. Stephen’s eyes narrowed the moment he saw him, sizing him up.
Having been fooled by the mayors of various cities too many times before, he could not help but be suspicious whenever he saw a mayor now.
What if Julius was another one of the South Regent’s men? Even if he were not, he could be someone else’s subordinate. In fact, Julius himself might have his own agenda!
Julius led them to a rest area and provided them with numerous documents about Hill City for Stephen and George to familiarize themselves with the city. At the same time, Stephen quietly asked someone to investigate Julius.
After that, he took advantage of Julius’s presence and asked about the question that had been bothering him since last night.
“Are you aware of Ethan’s plans to build new roads in Hill City?”
Julius nodded quickly, “Yes, I do. However, it was still just a plan. He hadn’t made any formal announcements before he suddenly disappeared.”
That comment made Stephen’s eyes shift uneasily. He knew why Ethan had disappeared. It was because they had arrested him and locked him up in Drakthorn Ridge.
Stephen asked, “Do you know why he wanted to build new roads?”
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“I have some ideas,” Julius said. “With Hill City’s economic growth, the existing highways no longer meet the city’s needs. We urgently need a wider and more efficient highway.” Stephen understood now–Ethan wanted to build new roads to boost Hill City’s economy even further!
“Do you know if Ethan planned to change Hill City’s primary crop?”
Julius shook his head. He was unaware of that.
Stephen narrowed his eyes and asked, “What’s the primary tree species in Hill City now?”
“Eucalyptus.”
“What are the advantages of eucalyptus?” Stephen was not familiar with agriculture.
“They grow fast. Usually, they’re ready for harvesting in about three to five years; they’re highly adaptable and can thrive in different climates. Plus, they have a wide range of uses- the trunk can be used to make paper and other daily necessities, as well as in construction. “Eucalyptus leaves can also be used to extract essential oils. In a way, every part of it is worth its weight in gold.”
Stephen listened, realizing how valuable eucalyptus was. No wonder Hill City’s forestry industry was thriving. However, if eucalyptus had so many advantages, why did Ethan want to replace it?
“Hmm, what are the disadvantages of eucalyptus then?”
Julius replied, “Due to how fast they grow, they have very high demands for water and soil nutrients. Also, to help eucalyptus grow better, people often remove other plants in the plantation, which affects the ecosystem.”
Stephen pondered on that point. He recalled what happened in Aqua City and understood why Ethan wanted to change the tree species. It was because eucalyptus had a significant impact on the environment.
Thinking back to how the environment had affected the economy in Aqua City, Stephen muttered, “We should change the tree species.
However, George, who was standing nearby, interjected, “We can’t make this decision immediately.”
“We need to be more careful. Don’t forget the disaster in Aqua City. Randomly changing people’s source of income could cause real problems.”
They introduced the heavy industrial industry to Aqua City, resulting in the mass deaths of fish and the devastation of the fishing industry. The situation spiraled out of control, even leading to a few deaths. In the end, they had to pay hefty compensation just to calm things
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down.
Stephen frowned, asking, “So, what should w
