The receptionist stared at the five $100 bills Adam had put on her desk. Her eyes, which were annoyed just a second ago, widened a little. Five hundred dollars? Just sitting there? Her hand, which had been reaching for the security button, slowly pulled back.

  She carefully picked up the money. Her fingers knew the feel of paper, but this felt different – like a surprise bonus. She quickly counted it in her head.

  Suddenly, a big, friendly smile spread across her face. She wasn't bored or annoyed anymore; she looked happy to help. Getting $500 for doing almost nothing was amazing! Her irritation at the farmer seemed to disappear completely.

  "Oh, of course, sir!" she said, her voice sounding super sweet now, talking only to Adam. "I'll take care of this right away. Please, make yourselves comfortable." She waved towards the waiting area, but it seemed like she didn't really expect them to wait this time.

  She walked quickly and lightly towards the glass door that led to the boss's office – the same office the farmer had been kicked out of earlier. Adam heard the door click open and shut as she went inside. He imagined her telling the boss that this was important, maybe mentioning how generous the visitor was, convincing him to see them.

  Adam glanced at the farmer. The older man looked totally confused by how quickly the receptionist changed her attitude. He stared at the closed office door, then back at Adam, his eyes wide.

  Even though he was still upset about his land, the farmer couldn't help but feel a little impressed. He had tried begging and reasoning, and nothing worked. But this young man got them inside in just a few seconds using money. 'This kid... he knows how to get things done,' the farmer thought, shaking his head a little. He realized Adam played by different rules.

  A few moments later, the office door opened again. The receptionist came out, smiling even more brightly. She politely waved towards the open door.

  "Mr. Thorne will see you now," she said nicely. "You can go right in." She even held the door open a little for them.

  Adam nodded thanks to her and ignored the farmer's still-surprised look. Together, they walked through the door and into the agent's private office.

  Wow. This room was fancy. Totally different from the waiting area. It screamed "important business" and "lots of money." A huge, shiny dark wood desk sat in the middle of the room. Behind it, in a big, comfy-looking black leather chair, sat the real estate agent they’d seen before. The receptionist called him Mr. Thorne (though Adam would later know him as Leviathan). He wore the same sharp black suit and looked serious and powerful.

  His sharp eyes looked up from a map spread across his desk as they entered. The walls were covered with more maps, drawings of buildings, and charts showing property plans. It smelled a bit like fancy cologne and paper. This was definitely the office of someone who made big deals every day.

  When Leviathan saw the farmer standing there again, next to this new young guy, his eyes narrowed. He looked confused, then clearly annoyed. He obviously didn't expect to see the farmer again, especially not with someone who looked like Adam.

  "Okay, I don't know how Aiya talked me into this," Leviathan said sharply, using the receptionist's name, "but I don't have time to waste. I have real clients waiting. Say what you need to say, fast."

  He looked pointedly at the farmer. "And if this is about that useless piece of land near the forest, let me say it again – nobody is going to buy it. Got it?" He sounded harsh, making it clear he didn't want to hear about it again. He expected the farmer to start begging again.

  But the farmer surprised him. Maybe having Adam there gave him courage. He didn't beg. He walked straight to one of the nice chairs in front of the desk and sat down, looking determined.

  Adam sat down in the chair next to him, looking calm, which seemed to annoy the agent even more. The room felt tense as the three of them sat there – the powerful agent behind his desk, and Adam and the farmer facing him.

  Then the farmer did something bold. He put his rough hands flat on the shiny desk, leaned forward a little, looked the agent right in the eye, and asked seriously, "Mr. Thorne. Never mind selling it right now. Just tell me the truth. What's my land actually worth on the market?"

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  The direct question clearly surprised Leviathan. He blinked. He'd expected pleading, not a business question. He glanced from the farmer to Adam, maybe wondering what was going on, why the farmer suddenly seemed different. He knew Aiya must have been given a good reason (like the $500) to let them back in.

  With a small sigh, knowing he had to answer now, Leviathan leaned back in his fancy chair. "Look, mister... uh, farmer," he started, not bothering to sound nice. "Okay, just looking at the size – ten hectares is pretty big – land like that should be worth millions. If it were in a good spot? Near the city? Sure, millions."

  He paused, letting the idea of 'millions' hang there before crushing it. "But let's be real. Your land isn't in a good spot. It's way out in the sticks. It's farmland, next to a forest, miles from any town. No builder wants it. No company wants it. It's not going to become more valuable anytime soon." He didn't soften the truth.

  "So, the 'market price'? Honestly? It’s worth whatever fool you can find to buy it. And my guess is, you won't find anyone. I really don't think anyone will buy it, ever." He sounded final, like that was the end of the story.

  Before the farmer could even react to that harsh news, Adam spoke up. His voice was calm and clear.

  "I've offered him $100,000 now, upfront," Adam said, looking straight at the agent, "and another $600,000 when the paperwork is done and the land is legally mine."

  Silence. Thick, heavy silence filled the fancy office. Leviathan's jaw dropped. His eyes popped wide open. He stared at Adam, then at the farmer, then back at Adam, like he couldn't believe what he just heard. $700,000? For that land?

  "You… you what?" Leviathan stammered, leaning forward quickly, his cool business look totally gone for a second. He looked completely shocked. His brain, which figured out property values all day, couldn't understand this offer. Why would this kid offer so much money for land that Leviathan, the expert, thought was worthless? It didn't make any sense!

  The whole room felt frozen. The agent looked stunned. The farmer looked just as shocked, maybe even more, hearing the offer said out loud in front of the expert who’d just insulted his land.

  Then, Adam added calmly, sounding like this was just normal business, "We're just here to check if my price is fair or not. I don't have a lot of time."

  His words were simple and direct. He didn't sound nervous or excited. Just confident, like he knew exactly what he was doing and this was just one small step. He wasn't asking the agent for advice; he was just using him to confirm something.

  Leviathan stared at Adam for a long moment, really studying him now. He saw the plain clothes, but also the steady eyes, the calm attitude, the confidence that seemed too big for his age. This wasn't just some kid messing around. Something else was going on. Finally, Leviathan seemed to pull himself together. He let out a slow breath and looked back at the farmer, who still looked like he'd seen a ghost.

  "Well," the agent admitted, shaking his head slowly. A small, almost disbelieving smile touched his lips. He spoke directly to the farmer. "To be honest with you… 'fair' isn't the right word. This deal is… amazing for you. Seriously, unbelievable." He leaned back again, still looking shocked.

  "I can't believe he's willing to pay this much. Seven hundred thousand? For that land? Considering where it is… I'd say you're not just lucky; you basically won the lottery." His professional opinion was clear: Adam's offer wasn't just fair, it was way more than the land was actually worth on the market.

  The farmer's face started to change as he heard this. The shocked look slowly faded, replaced by understanding. The agent, the expert, the guy who crushed his hopes earlier, was now saying this offer was incredibly good. His land wasn't worth millions like he'd hoped. He'd been holding onto emotion, ignoring the hard facts.

  He’d wanted the agent to help him argue for more money, but instead, the agent just proved Adam's offer was already way better than expected. The farmer's gamble didn't work like he planned, but the outcome could still save him.

  Seeing that the farmer finally understood, Adam knew it was time to push things to a close. He stood up slowly and smoothly. Everyone watched him. He looked cool and calm.

  "My offer of $700,000 still stands," he said clearly. He looked at the agent, then turned his gaze straight to the farmer. "But I don't have all day. My time is important. If you need more time to think, I get it. But I'll take my money and find somewhere else to invest. There are always other deals." He made it clear: decide now, or the offer disappears.

  The farmer tensed up immediately. He looked a little pale. He could tell Adam wasn't bluffing. This young man was in control. If Adam walked away now, this chance, this miracle, would be gone forever. He'd be back where he started, with land no one wanted and bills he couldn't pay. He needed the money, now.

  The decision felt huge, pressing down on him. His heart pounded. Should he hold out for pride? Or take the money that could save his family? He looked at Adam's steady eyes, his calm confidence. There was no more room to argue, no more time to wait.

  Just as Adam reached the office door, looking like he was really about to leave, someone shouted.

  "Wait....!"

  It wasn't the farmer. It was Leviathan, the agent. He had quickly pushed back his chair and stood up. He hurried around his big desk towards Adam, looking interested and respectful now, not annoyed at all. Adam stopped, turned slightly, and raised an eyebrow, surprised.

  Leviathan quickly pulled a fancy business card from his pocket and held it out to Adam. "Sorry for being rude earlier," the agent said politely. "My name is Leviathan Thorne. I'm the boss here." He pointed to the card. "That was… very smart negotiating. If you ever want to buy or sell property again – especially if you have unique needs – please, call me directly. I think we could do good business together."

  Adam took the card and glanced at the fancy letters. A small smirk appeared on his face. He looked amused but also interested. This agent was smart enough to see Adam had potential, even if he didn't know why. "Leviathan Thorne," Adam said, thinking. "I'll keep that in mind." He put the card in his pocket.

  Seeing this – seeing the fancy agent basically chasing after Adam and asking for his business – seemed to settle things for the farmer. His pride was hurt, but he knew it was over. If even this powerful agent respected Adam, who was he to argue anymore?

  With a deep sigh that sounded like years of worry leaving him, the farmer slowly stood up. He walked over to Adam. He looked Adam right in the eye, the fight gone, replaced by acceptance and urgency. He held out his hand again.

  "Fine," the farmer said, his voice low but clear. "You win. I accept your offer. $100,000 now, $600,000 when it's done." The words were heavy, but final. He was giving up his dream price to save his family. "Come with me," he added, sounding urgent now. "Let's get the paperwork started for the advance payment. I need the money. As soon as possible."

  Adam took a slow, deep breath. He looked calm, but inside, he felt his plan clicking perfectly into place. A spark of satisfaction showed in his eyes as he shook the farmer's hand firmly.

  "Good choice," Adam said quietly, a small smile on his lips.

  With the agreement made, the two of them turned and walked out of the fancy office together. Leviathan Thorne stood by the door, watching them go, a thoughtful look on his face. Adam and the farmer stepped back out into the busy city, leaving the quiet office behind, ready to take the next step in sealing their unexpected deal.