As Arthur stepped out of the Urban Development Bureau, the air crackled with tension.

Across the plaza, under the cool shade of an ornate marble colonnade, three men in impeccably tailored suits stood watching him.

Their postures were rigid, and their expressions carefully crafted masks.

The tallest among them, a silver-haired man with a razor-sharp part, met Arthur’s gaze with a smile that felt more like a warning than a greeting.

“Arthur Osborn,” he called out, his voice smooth yet edged with something darker. “Congratulations! I hear the Bureau just handed you the keys to the kingdom.”

Arthur slowed his stride, adjusting his collar as he replied, “Marcus Cole. I didn’t realize Golden Arch had people waiting in the wings for this.”

Marcus Cole, CEO of Golden Arch Construction, stepped forward flanked by his COO and lead lobbyist.

Up close, Arthur noticed the faint tension in Marcus’s jaw and how his fingers flexed slightly at his sides.

“We weren’t waiting,” Marcus chuckled lightly. “We were meeting with the Infrastructure Committee when we heard Derrick was fast-tracking your reassignment.”

Arthur tilted his head slightly. “Fast-tracking implies it wasn’t earned. Our progress at Blue Pearl speaks for itself.”

The COO—a stocky man wearing a perpetual frown, interjected with a sneer: “Progress? You mean cutting corners! Prefab alloys and automated labor, that’s not real construction; that’s assembly!”

Unfazed, Arthur maintained his smile. “Funny how the Bureau calls it innovation.”

Marcus raised a placating hand. “Now now, no need for hostility! We’re all here to build the Federation’s future together, aren’t we?” His gaze flicked to the folders in Arthur’s hand before continuing slyly: “Though I am curious, how did you convince Derrick to pull Northern Expansion from us mid-contract? That’s not just performance; that’s leverage.”

Arthur studied him for a moment before responding coolly: “If you’re asking whether I bribed a bureaucrat, the answer is no. If you’re asking whether Golden Arch should’ve broken ground before losing the deal… well,” he shrugged nonchalantly, “that’s a question for your board.”

Finally speaking up was Vanessa Cross, the lobbyist,with her sharp bob framing piercing eyes: “You do realize this isn’t just about one project? The Bureau’s decision sends a message: private firms like yours don’t take government contracts without consequences.”

Arthur’s expression turned icy. “Is that a threat?”

Marcus laughed heartily while clapping Arthur on the shoulder as if they were old friends. “A warning! The construction industry has traditions and relationships, you’re new to this game, Arthur. It’d be unfortunate if you… overextended.”

Arthur glanced down at Marcus’s hand resting on his shoulder, then back up.

“Noted.” He stepped back, adjusting his suit jacket with a hint of defiance. “But since we’re sharing advice,maybe focus less on traditions and more on results. The Federation doesn’t pay for handshake deals anymore; it pays for finished projects.”

Marcus’s smile tightened, a thin veneer over simmering tension. “We’ll see how long that lasts.”

Arthur offered a parting nod, maintaining an air of confidence. “Looking forward to it.”

As he walked away, he could feel their stares burning into his back like the midday sun, a reminder that this battle was far from over.

———-

Golden Arch Construction Headquarters – Executive Lounge

———–

Marcus Cole stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of the private executive lounge, his reflection stark against the sprawling city skyline.

The ice in his drink had long melted, yet he hadn’t taken a single sip.

Behind him, COO Richard Hale and lead legal strategist Vanessa Cross waited in tense silence, the atmosphere thick with anticipation.

“We can’t let this stand,” Marcus finally declared, his voice dangerously calm yet charged with urgency. “Osborn didn’t just reject our contract, he made us look incompetent in front of the entire Bureau.”

Vanessa flipped through her tablet with determination. “Legally, there’s nothing we can do. The Bureau has the right to reassign projects due to ‘failure to meet progress benchmarks.'”

Richard scoffed dismissively. “Because Osborn rigged the game! Those ‘prefab nano-alloy’ frameworks? They’re using unregulated labor! That’s not innovation, that’s cheating!”

Marcus turned sharply, eyes glinting with resolve. “Then we expose it.” He motioned toward Vanessa with conviction. “Leak it to The Financial Ledger as an anonymous tip, frame it as ‘Osborn bypassing Aurelian labor laws.'”

Vanessa hesitated, her brow furrowed in concern. “And if it’s not true?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Marcus said coolly while swirling his whiskey like a storm brewing within him.

“By the time they disprove it, the narrative will be set. The unions will riot! The Bureau will have no choice but to pause the project for investigations.”

Richard grinned widely now, enthusiasm bubbling over like champagne at a celebration. “And by then, we’ll have mobilized our own accelerated construction teams!”

Marcus nodded firmly, satisfaction radiating from him like sunlight breaking through clouds. “Exactly, we hit them where it hurts, their reputation.”

———-

Arthur leaned back in the plush leather seat of his limousine, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the signed contract resting in his lap, a tangible symbol of victory and ambition.

He pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number.

The line connected after two rings.

“Hey Arthur! Why are you calling me? Did your meeting with the Bureau go well?”

“Yes, Uncle, it did go well!” Arthur’s voice carried a rare note of satisfaction, almost surprising himself with how pleased he sounded. “We got it. The entire Northern Expansion,1.08 million square kilometers!”

There was a brief pause before Nathaniel’s deep chuckle resonated over the speaker. “You’re joking, right?”

“Derrick signed it himself. Golden Arch, Luminar Construction, and the others are officially sidelined.”

Nathaniel whistled in disbelief. “That’s… unprecedented. But we’ll need to triple our workforce. The material costs alone…”

“Already handled,” Arthur cut in confidently. “I’ve sent a message to Edward, so you don’t have to worry about that. We’re also fast-tracking the HyperRail-X production line. The Bureau just ordered three units!”

Another pause unfolded. “Arthur,” Nathaniel said slowly, “this is moving way too fast. We don’t have the infrastructure to scale up like this.”

Arthur’s gaze hardened, determination flashing in his eyes. “We don’t have a choice! By next week, I will acquire a few construction companies to ensure everything goes smoothly. There are already a lot of people circling this opportunity. If we don’t establish dominance now, we’ll regret it when it’s too late.”

Nathaniel let out a heavy sigh. “Fine. But we’re having a full board review tomorrow. No more surprises.”

Arthur smirked. “No promises!”

———-

Luminar Construction CEO’s Office**

————

Meanwhile, across the city, in a sleek high-rise adorned with the Luminar Group insignia, CEO Elias Vaughn absorbed the live feed of the Urban Development Bureau’s press conference announcing the Northern Expansion reassignment.

His sharp features were a mask of unreadable calculation.

His assistant cleared her throat, breaking the tense silence. “Sir, should we issue a statement?”

Elias steepled his fingers, his mind racing. “No. Although the project has been taken from us and handed over to Osborn, let’s hold off on any formal action. Let’s see Golden Arch and Osborn tear each other apart first.”

He turned to his Vice President, a glint of ambition in his eyes. “But we can’t just back down. This is a huge opportunity, quietly reach out to our contacts in the Bureau. Let them know Luminar is poised to jump back in if Osborn stumbles.”

The VP nodded, weighing the implications. “And if they don’t?”

Elias smiled, an unsettling confidence shining through. “Then we’ll ensure they do.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep