Chapter 380: Chapter 380: Investment

Yet who would have thought that Lana had come here with the intention of helping them?

Hunter took a slow breath.

“It’s nothing major.”

“There are just some small problems here and there. If you give us some time, we will be able to solve them ourselves.”

Lana quietly looked at him.

Then she nodded once. “I never doubted your ability.”

Her voice was calm and steady. “Otherwise, I would never have invested in this city.”

She looked directly into Hunter’s eyes.

“I know that one day this city will become one of the most lively and prosperous cities in the region.”

Her words carried a quiet certainty.

“My investment will be repaid many times over. And I believe that one day you will look back and feel proud of the moment you decided to build Hedge City.”

Hunter and Magnus both froze slightly.

Even they had never possessed such unwavering confidence.

From the moment they began building this city, countless people had doubted them.

Some had promised support at the beginning, only to withdraw later when the risks became clear.

This was the first time someone had spoken with such absolute faith in them.

Hunter slowly looked at Lana again.

Lana continued calmly. “I am not helping because I want control over the city.”

Her voice softened slightly.

“I simply want to make sure that one day, when Hedge City becomes famous, people will know that an investor supported it… not because she wanted power… but because this city gave her something meaningful in return.”

Hunter felt a deep stir in his heart.

Even Magnus felt moved by her words.

Hunter inhaled slowly before speaking again.”Since you insist so much… Then I will tell you the truth.”

He leaned forward slightly.

“The materials needed to build the roads and other infrastructure have already been prepared.”

He paused briefly. “But we are facing a serious shortage of manpower. And because of that… the entire construction process has slowed down.”

“Not to mention,” Hunter continued, “transporting a large workforce here is extremely difficult.”

He gestured faintly toward the window where the half-built city stretched under the pale afternoon light.

“There are not many people willing to leave their stable lives and come to a place like this… a city that is still nothing more than a blueprint.”

He sighed softly.

“Convincing them to help build a city from scratch is far harder than it sounds.”

Lana listened quietly and nodded.

Hunter continued. “The second problem is the paperwork.”

His fingers tapped lightly against the desk.

“Many of the documents required for construction approval are still stuck in government offices. Even with our connections, the approval process is taking far longer than expected.”

He paused briefly before continuing with a heavier tone.

“The third problem… and probably the most important one… is money.”

Hunter looked at Lana seriously. “What I am about to say may sound alarming.”

For a moment, the room became silent.

“But since you showed such confidence in us, I believe you deserve the truth.”

Lana straightened slightly.

Hunter exhaled slowly.

“The four hundred million dollars you invested… has already been used.”

Lana’s expression remained calm, and she even looked intrigued.

Hunter continued calmly.

“Two hundred million dollars was paid to the government to clear the remaining taxes and legal obligations tied to the land. Another one hundred million dollars was spent purchasing building materials.”

He gestured toward a stack of documents.

“We also hired contractors, architectural design companies, and engineers to prepare the city’s blueprint and infrastructure plans.”

Hunter paused again before continuing.

“The remaining one hundred million dollars were used to resolve the water supply issue and establish a basic electricity grid.”

He leaned back slightly in his chair. “And even after all that…”

He spread his hands slightly. “Many problems still remain.”

Magnus finally spoke, his voice carrying a trace of exhaustion.

“Road construction is incomplete. Water pipelines are still not fully connected. There is no proper waste disposal system. There is also the problem of garbage management. And most importantly …”

He glanced toward Hunter.

“We do not yet have a proper military or defense force for the city.”

Hearing all of this, Lana could not help but feel stunned.

’Building a city really isn’t simple …’

The scale of the challenges was far greater than she had imagined.

Hunter rubbed his forehead slightly before adding,

“And the most pressing issue right now… is sanitation.”

He looked slightly embarrassed. “There are no proper sewage connections.”

Magnus nodded helplessly.

“Even if we hire talented engineers to design a system, the lack of manpower makes it extremely difficult to implement.”

Lana thought quietly for a moment before speaking.

“For now, we should focus on the two most important issues.”

Hunter looked at her attentively.

“Money,” Lana said calmly, “and manpower.”

She looked directly at him with a serious gaze.

“I can provide funding.”

The moment she said that, both Hunter and Magnus straightened slightly.

“But before that,” Lana continued calmly, “I would like to know what I will receive in return.”

Hunter’s expression immediately became serious. “I am not willing to give up management rights.”

His voice carried unmistakable firmness. “So you can forget about that.”

A strange tension flashed in his eyes.

Lana immediately realized that he had misunderstood her intention.

She chuckled softly. “Who even wants management rights?”

Hunter and Magnus both froze.

Lana leaned back slightly in her chair.

“The operational authority and real power of the city should always remain in your hands.”

She gestured toward Hunter calmly. “I never intended to interfere with that.”

Hunter’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly. Magnus also looked relieved.

Hunter frowned slightly. “Then what do you want?”

Lana folded her hands on the table. “If you want to show sincerity, you can offer me other benefits.”

Hunter nodded cautiously. “Like what?”

Lana spoke calmly. “I want to be treated as a VIP in this city.”

Hunter raised an eyebrow.

Lana continued.

“I should not need to make appointments to meet generals or ministers here.”

Magnus and Hunter exchanged a glance.

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