The phone rang just as Rian was finishing his breakfast. He nearly dropped his spoon. His eyes immediately went to the screen. Pak Agus. Rian straightened in his chair. For a moment, he simply stared at the name. The contract with Ria Jaya Market had only been agreed upon the previous day. The first shipment was scheduled to be delivered the next morning, and Rian had spent most of the night checking his harvest twice, afraid that something might go wrong. Now the manager was calling. "Hello, Pak Agus?" "Rian, are you busy?" Rian glanced at his half-eaten breakfast. "No, not at all." Jojo, sitting across from him, gave him a skeptical look. The cat clearly knew that Rian was lying. Pak Agus's voice came through the phone. "Good. I wanted to confirm something about our agreement. If everything is finalized today, can you deliver the first shipment tomorrow morning?" Rian's heart jumped. "Of course." "Excellent. I'll have the contract ready for your signature this afternoon." Rian sat straighter. "Thank you, Pak Agus. I'll make sure everything is prepared." After the call ended, Rian slowly lowered his phone. Then he grinned. "Jojo." The cat continued eating his breakfast. "We have a contract." "I heard." "A real contract!" "I am not deaf." Rian laughed. For months, the idea of becoming a successful farmer had seemed like an impossible fantasy. Now his vegetables were officially entering a supermarket. He looked toward the farm through the window. The green rows seemed brighter than usual. "We're really doing this." Jojo licked his paw. "Try not to celebrate before you've actually delivered the vegetables." Rian's smile faded slightly. "Right." He jumped from his chair. "Time to work." --- The following afternoon, Rian signed the contract with Ria Jaya Market. For now, Pak Agus was the only large buyer willing to commit. The restaurants and hotels Rian had approached were still considering their proposals. Some wanted more samples, others wanted to see whether Rian could maintain consistent supply before making a decision. That was fine. Rian was willing to wait. The initial agreement with Ria Jaya Market was already enough to keep him busy. The next morning, Rian personally delivered the first shipment. Twenty kilograms of Kaisar Chilies. Twenty kilograms of carrots. Twenty kilograms of tomatoes. And twenty kilograms each of several other premium vegetables. The quantities were not enormous by supermarket standards, but for Rian's relatively small farm, they represented a significant portion of his weekly harvest. He watched as the workers unloaded the vegetables. Every box was inspected. Every vegetable looked flawless. Rian held his breath as the first crates disappeared into the supermarket's storage area. It was a strange feeling. Those vegetables had started as tiny seeds in a patch of dirt. Now they were sitting inside a supermarket warehouse. His business was no longer just an idea. It was real. --- For the next three days, Rian waited. He checked his phone constantly. Nothing. Then, on the third afternoon, his phone suddenly rang. "Rian!" Pak Agus's voice sounded unusually excited. Rian immediately sat up. "Yes, Pak?" "We have a problem." Rian's heart sank. "What happened?" "We sold out." Rian blinked. "Sold out?" "Everything." He stared at the farm. "All of it?" "Every kilogram." Pak Agus laughed. "Customers keep asking when we're getting more. The Kaisar Chilies disappeared first, then the carrots and tomatoes. Even the leafy vegetables are gone." Rian's mouth slowly opened. A huge grin spread across his face. His first shipment had sold out. Not slowly. Not after weeks. In three days. "That's... that's incredible." "It gets better," Pak Agus continued. Rian's smile grew wider. "We need more." "How much more?" There was a brief pause. "Three times the current supply." Rian's grin froze. His excitement instantly collided with reality. "Three times?" "Yes. At least." Rian looked across his farm. Twenty kilograms had already consumed a large portion of his harvest. Sixty kilograms per vegetable was a completely different matter. "I..." He scratched his head. "Pak Agus, my farm isn't large enough yet." "I understand. That's why I'm calling you now instead of placing the order immediately." Rian took a deep breath. "Give me two months." "Two months?" "I need time to expand the farm and increase production. If I rush it, I won't be able to guarantee the same quality." Pak Agus was silent. Rian's fingers tightened around the phone. This was the moment. If Pak Agus refused, the opportunity might disappear. Finally, the manager spoke. "All right. Two months." Rian exhaled. "But after that?" "I'll try to triple the supply." "Good. Then let's meet tomorrow and discuss the new arrangement." Rian smiled. "I'll be there." The call ended. He stared at the phone for several seconds. Then he laughed. He was happy. Very happy. But he was also terrified. Three times the production. Two months. More land. More seeds. More workers eventually. And, most importantly, more serum. Jojo jumped onto the table. "You look troubled." "I'm successful." "Those are not mutually exclusive." Rian sighed. "How am I supposed to produce three times as much?" Jojo's tail swayed. "By expanding." "I know that!" "Then why are you complaining?" "Because expanding costs money!" Jojo stared at him. Rian stared back. The cat slowly nodded. "Ah. Capitalism." --- The next day, Rian met Pak Agus again. This time, he brought a new proposal. "If I'm going to expand production," Rian began, placing his notebook on the table, "I need to change the pricing." Pak Agus studied him. "How much?" Rian took a breath. "Twice the current price." The manager raised an eyebrow. "Twice?" "Yes." Rian knew it was a bold request. But he had calculated the numbers carefully. If demand was already three times higher than his current supply, there was no reason to sell himself cheaply. "The quality hasn't dropped," Rian continued. "In fact, I intend to improve it." Pak Agus remained silent. Rian leaned forward. "You've already seen what happened with the first shipment. Everything sold out in three days." The manager nodded. "That's true." "If you pay more, you can also sell it as premium produce. Your profit margin doesn't have to decrease." Rian opened his notebook and showed him his calculations. "The products are expensive, but customers are already willing to pay for them." Pak Agus studied the figures carefully. Rian watched his expression. His palms were sweating. This was another gamble. Finally, Pak Agus smiled. "You've become more confident." Rian chuckled nervously. "I've learned that cheap isn't always better." The manager laughed. "Fair enough." He extended his hand. "All right. I'll accept the new prices." Rian's eyes widened. "Really?" "Yes. But I expect the quality to remain exactly as promised." "It will." Rian shook his hand firmly. The new agreement was made. The Kaisar Chilies would now command 240,000 rupiah per kilogram. Carrots would rise to 170,000 rupiah per kilogram. Tomatoes would reach 150,000 rupiah per kilogram. Lettuce would be sold at 120,000 rupiah per kilogram. Cucumbers would reach 130,000 rupiah per kilogram, while other premium vegetables would be adjusted according to quality and demand. The numbers were enormous compared with what Rian had once earned. But they came with an equally enormous responsibility. He needed to make the farm bigger. Much bigger. --- The news did not stay quiet for long. A few days later, Rian's phone began ringing again. This time, it wasn't Pak Agus. It was restaurants. Then cafés. Then a hotel kitchen. One restaurant wanted his Kaisar Chilies. Another wanted his tomatoes and lettuce. A hotel chef specifically asked about his carrots after tasting them at Ria Jaya Market. Rian sat at the kitchen table, staring at his phone as another call came in. Jojo sat beside him, calmly eating his salmon. "You seem popular." Rian rubbed his face. "I don't know whether to laugh or cry." "Try laughing. It is healthier." Rian laughed. His business was growing faster than he could control. But beneath the excitement, another thought kept returning. The mysterious observer. Someone had already been watching his farm. Now more people knew about his vegetables. The more successful he became, the harder it would be to hide the truth. --- Late that night, Rian walked through the farm alone. The moon hung above the fields, casting pale light over the rows of crops. He checked the irrigation lines. Then the tomato plants. Then the Kaisar Chilies. Everything seemed normal. Until he reached the far end of the field. Rian stopped. His heart dropped. Several plants had been damaged. Not by insects. Not by weather. The stems had been snapped deliberately. Several leaves were crushed beneath footprints. One section of the soil had been trampled badly. Rian crouched down. His fingers brushed the disturbed earth. A footprint. Fresh. Human. His breathing slowed. Someone had entered his farm. Someone had deliberately damaged his crops. Rian looked toward the fence. The darkness beyond it seemed deeper than usual. "Jojo..." The cat appeared silently behind him. One glance was enough. Jojo's fur rose slightly along his back. His ears pointed toward the darkness. Rian stood slowly. His earlier excitement disappeared completely. Someone had been watching them. Now someone had crossed the fence. Jojo's voice came out low and serious. "Rian." "What?" The cat stared into the darkness. "They're getting closer."

Chapter 11 — Triple the Demand