Land Acquisition

I sat in my office, staring at the tourist destinations displayed on the PowerPoint slide. If I had it my way, I would have bought every single decent spot on that screen. But reality got in the way. I didn't have enough cash to buy them all, and I couldn't help but wonder if I even needed them. Most of all, this whole travel agency was supposed to be a front for my smuggling deliveries. I worried I might be blowing things way out of proportion.

So, I decided on just two locations: Emerald Canyon and Lumina Lake. And even then, not the entirety of them—just a portion. I figured that would be more than enough to build a solid tour itinerary. I had visited them myself, and they were breathtakingly beautiful. It was almost baffling how these places hadn't become famous yet. I was confident that even buying a fraction of the land would guarantee I wouldn't lose money. They might be hidden gems now, but they were bound to blow up eventually. And once they did, the cash would just roll in while I sat back and did nothing.

I pored over the maps with Sandro and Patrick, debating which plots to buy. I figured locals who were born and raised here would know the terrain far better than I ever could. Our goal was to find the absolute best locations within our set budget. I had a little over a million dollars on hand. Although I had spent a fair chunk recently, the delivery fees I'd collected had given my finances a massive boost. Out of that, I planned to allocate $300,000—at most $500,000—to purchasing the land. I would have loved to spend more, but there were plenty of other expenses waiting down the line.

After days of intense discussion, we finally finalized the plots we wanted. Now, it was time for me to step up, negotiate like a pro, and secure the land.

"Boss, why don't you sit this one out and wait here?"

"Why? I should go. I'm the CEO, after all, Mr. General Manager."

Sandro, who had recently been promoted to General Manager, insisted on handling it himself.

"Foreigners shouldn't get involved in this kind of business. The moment those landowners see your face, the price will double."

"I'm a Filipino citizen, you know. Want to see my passport? My Philippine passport? It literally says 'Alex' right here."

"Like some old geezer living deep in the mountains is going to care about your passport. Just drop it and wait here."

"But I want to go too."

"We'll get a much better deal if we handle it. Don't worry, we'll be back. Let's go, Patrick."

Sandro grabbed Patrick, rounded up his lackeys, and set off. A convoy of five SUVs and pickup trucks rolled out in a tight, organized formation. He still hasn't kicked his old habits from his Bahala Na days.

Sandro returned before sunset, clutching the contracts.

"Here are the deeds."

But the numbers on the paper looked a bit strange.

"What is this? Why do the numbers look like this? I still can't get used to pesos."

Handling twenty or a hundred pesos was fine, but once the numbers got larger, my brain short-circuited. There were two contracts. One read 5,000,000 pesos, and the other read 10,000,000 pesos.

"I bought Lumina Lake for five million pesos, and Emerald Canyon for ten million pesos."

Five million pesos was roughly $100,000, and ten million was about $200,000. It wasn't bad at all. He had spent exactly $300,000, staying perfectly within our budget. I liked it. Sandro deserved some praise.

"Great job, Sandro. You solved a huge headache for us. Thanks."

"Huh? That's it?"

"What do you mean, 'that's it'?"

"I just pulled off an incredible deal, and all I get is a simple thanks?"

An incredible deal? Only then did I look closely at the contracts again. The numbers were exactly what I had seen. However, the size of the land specified in the contracts was entirely different.

"Wh-What the..."

Sandro grinned, thoroughly enjoying my shocked expression. "Well? Pretty amazing, right?"

"Wow... Sandro, how on earth did you pull this off?"

Sandro hadn't just bought the small portions of land we had planned to acquire. He had bought the entirety of both properties. We had only intended to buy about half, worrying and fretting over whether the owners would even agree to sell. But Sandro had bought the whole damn thing. The land we now owned was twice the size of our original plan. This was good. Incredibly good.

"Turns out the landowners recognized my face. I am the former boss of the Bahala Na, after all. They were happy to give me a generous discount."

"Really?"

"Don't believe me? Ask Patrick."

I shifted my gaze to Patrick. The poor guy couldn't even lift his head. It seemed like a lot of... other things had transpired at the scene, but I decided it was best to look the other way. Let's just call it our General Manager's exceptional competence. I had secured an incredible deal, and that was all that mattered.

"Patrick, authorize a special performance bonus for Sandro."

We began preparing for the tour. There was a mountain of work to do. We had to design the itinerary and prepare everything needed to match it. Some things had to be bought, others had to be built from scratch. We also had to secure various permits. It was no small feat.

Ultimately, we decided on a strategy of selection and concentration. As a result, we completely excluded marine tours. This was a massive gamble. Most tourists chose Bohol because they wanted to see the ocean—to spot whales, swim with sea turtles, and go snorkeling or freediving. Yet, we were choosing to abandon all of that. If we really wanted to, we could have forced a marine tour into our package, but I believed now was the time to focus entirely on developing our newly acquired land. We decided to go all-in on our custom destinations. Thus, we boldly scrapped the marine tours.

With the ocean out of the picture, only the land tours remained. The standard land tour route was identical across every single travel agency in Bohol: a morning visit to the Butterfly Garden, lunch at the Loboc River Floating Restaurant, a stroll through the Mahogany Forest, a stop to see the tarsier monkeys, and finally, the Chocolate Hills. Some agencies shook up the order slightly, but none ever strayed from this formula. In fact, multiple small agencies often pooled their clients into a single group just to cover the guide fees.

But Candy Tour was different. We added Emerald Canyon and Lumina Lake to the end of that standard route, turning it into a two-day, one-night package. We poured all our focus into this itinerary. We were going to give our guests unforgettable memories at Emerald Canyon and Lumina Lake.

First, Emerald Canyon featured a stunning gorge with a river winding through it. Instead of just letting tourists look at it from afar, we designed an immersive experience. Guests would board boats to glide through the canyon, taking in the sights, touching the cool water, and breathing in the fresh air. We also designated a safe swimming spot along the way for those who wanted to take a dip. It sounded simple in theory, but it required hauling dozens of boats into the canyon. On top of that, we had to stock up on life jackets, helmets, and safety ropes, build a proper dock for boarding, and construct changing rooms and showers for wet tourists.

Lumina Lake required just as much effort. Nestled halfway up a mountain, the lake mysteriously glowed in the dark. I heard it was due to some kind of bioluminescent plankton, though I didn't know the scientific details. All I knew was that the sight was absolutely magical, like stepping straight into a fantasy world. We planned to pitch tents and have our guests spend the night there. Naturally, that meant setting up a fully equipped campsite. We needed tents and camping gear, clean restrooms, hot showers, and a drinking water station. We also had to install fire safety equipment and stock up on medical supplies. There was an endless checklist of things to prepare.

But then... Sandro, since when were you this capable?

Whenever Patrick drew up a plan, Sandro executed it flawlessly. He had endless local connections and was incredibly skilled at managing labor. He got things moving at lightning speed. Thanks to him, our tour preparations were completed in record time.

Shin Seung-heon stood in the bustling terminal of Incheon International Airport. Today was the day he and his friends were flying to Bohol. He had made it to the airport, but he hadn't prepared a single thing for the trip. The whole plan had come together in the blink of an eye. Honestly, he still had doubts about whether they were actually ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠going.

"Wait, Bohol?"

"Yeah, a hot deal popped up! Round-trip tickets are under two ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hundred thousand won!"

"Bohol all of a sudden? Where even is that?"

"You don't know Bohol? It's in the Philippines. There are beaches, beautiful oceans, sea turtles, all that stuff."

"But Bohol wasn't even on our list. Is it really okay to just take off like this?"

"Southeast Asia is all the same anyway. Why not just go where it's cheap?"

"Is that actually cheap, though? I feel like two hundred thousand won is a pretty common promo price."

"Hey, fuck you. If you're going to be like that, you find the tickets. Why do you always have to nitpick every single thing I say?"

"I'm not nitpicking. I just meant that since you called it a 'hot deal,' I thought I'd seen that price around normally."

"Then why don't you show me those normal prices you see all the time? Fuck, you don't lift a finger and just run your mouth."

"Nam-seon, that's not what I meant..."

"Forget it. Fuck, let's just not go. We're going on a trip to have fun, but if you're going to complain about every little detail, we might as well travel separately. That'd be way better. We're just going to clash the whole time anyway."

Park Nam-seon, who had initiated the trip, was thoroughly sick of Hong Gyeong-gu's constant nitpicking and complaining. Nam-seon had put in all the effort to make this vacation happen, but the responses had been lukewarm at best. They had already changed their destination half a dozen times—from Bangkok to Kota Kinabalu, then Chiang Mai, then Da Nang. Every time Nam-seon asked, "How about here?" Gyeong-gu would shoot it down.

"Isn't that place too expensive?"

"I heard that place sucks."

"Four days and three nights is too tight for there."

"Is there even anything to see?"

"The flight is too long. Long flights are so uncomfortable."

"The cost of living there is higher than you think."

"What about the safety there..."

Nam-seon was furious at Gyeong-gu, who did nothing but list disadvantages without offering a single alternative. Still, since he was the one who had proposed the trip, Nam-seon had tried his best to make it work. That was when he stumbled upon the discount tickets. But when he brought it up to his friends, Gyeong-gu's reaction was predictably negative, questioning if it was even a real deal. Shin Seung-heon, meanwhile, remained completely silent. Nam-seon felt like he was the only one putting in any effort for a trip they were all taking together, and he wanted to throw in the towel. It wasn't like he was getting a discount on his share of the expenses for doing all this work. So, he had suggested calling the whole thing off, figuring it wouldn't even be fun anymore.

"Forget it. Let's just drop the trip entirely," Nam-seon had said.

Only then did Gyeong-gu quickly backtrack. "No, I'm sorry. Let's go. Let's go to Bohol."

Gyeong-gu did a complete 180. The only catch was that the discount flight departed the very next day—leaving Friday right after work and returning early Tuesday morning.

Shin Seung-heon had been just as flabbergasted when he finally caught up on his friends' chat history. He had stepped out for a business meeting, and by the time he returned, things had escalated to this point. Bohol, Cebu, Boracay—any of them would have been fine, but leaving the day after tomorrow was insane. Seung-heon had wanted at least a month to prepare. He wanted to get in shape before the trip, watch some travel vlogs on YouTube to gather information, look up nice restaurants and cafes, and plan a relaxed itinerary. But leaving in less than forty-eight hours? And on a Friday right after work, no less. That meant he would have to drag his suitcase to the office on Friday morning. His gut screamed at him to say no, but looking at the tension between Nam-seon and Gyeong-gu, he knew that the moment he objected to the schedule, the trip would fall apart. Their fragile friendship might even shatter along with it. So, with a heavy sigh, he had packed his bags.

While Seung-heon was waiting at the airport, Nam-seon and Gyeong-gu finally arrived. Seung-heon was the first to speak up.

"Hey, we haven't booked anything yet. Is this really going to be okay? Should we at least book a hotel right now?"

"Since we're landing late at night, let's just book a place for tonight first. We can't sleep on the streets."

"And after that?"

"We'll figure that out when the time comes. It's Bohol; there's no way we won't find a single place to sleep."

"What about the tours?"

"We'll just book them when we get there."

"Do you even speak English? Can you negotiate with them?"

"Don't worry. Those guys speak better Korean than we do."

And so, they arrived at Bohol Panglao International Airport. After a ten-minute taxi ride, they reached Alona Beach. The exotic scenery and unfamiliar scents made their hearts flutter. The unique tropical heat filled them with excitement. The tension from their earlier fight evaporated, and they laughed together. Ah, this is what traveling abroad is all about.

"What did you just say, you crazy bastard? Say that again."

"Did I say something wrong? I'm just saying we should rest on our first day since we don't even have a schedule. I was working up until yesterday, and I came straight here after clocking out. What's the big deal about wanting to sleep in a little?"

"Oh, so I was just playing around at home? I didn't work? Why are you acting like you're the only one who had a job? We all came here straight after work. But now that we're on vacation, shouldn't we actually do something? If you just wanted to sleep, you should've stayed home! Why the hell did you fly all the way here just to pass out?"

"Are you done? If we had a plan, I'd move. But we don't have one! I'm tired and want to lie down a bit longer, so why do you keep nagging me to get up?"

"We need to go out and find a tour! We have to figure out what we're doing today!"

"That's why I said we should've researched this back in Korea, you dumb fuck! We should've planned an itinerary and compared prices before coming! Who was the one who insisted on rushing here?"

"Because of you, you asshole! Because of you! Every time I suggested a place or a hotel, you shot it down and complained! You act like you did absolutely nothing wrong. You're always right, and I'm always the bad guy!"

Nam-seon wanted to hurry up and start the day, while Gyeong-gu wanted to laze around indefinitely. Their bickering quickly escalated into shouting profanities. Seung-heon stood between them, completely at a loss.

"Guys, why are we fighting first thing in the morning on our trip? Calm down. It's only eight o'clock. Let's rest a bit and head out at nine. We can go find a tour then."

Neither of them paid Seung-heon any attention. They just lay on their beds, staring silently at their phones. But Seung-heon knew them well. By nine o'clock, both of them would be ready to head out.

"Tour here! See the turtles!"

"Balicasag tour! I do it for one hundred fifty thousand won!"

"Hopping tour! We accept Korean won!"

"See the whales! Balicasag! Turtles! Okay?"

As they walked toward Alona Beach, they were instantly swamped by aggressive touts. They were clearly Filipino, yet they spoke Korean with surprising fluency. However, the three friends ignored them, walking straight ahead with blank expressions, even though they had no destination in mind.

Then, their eyes caught a particular storefront. Its interior was completely different from the surrounding shops. While other agencies plastered their walls with photos of coral reefs and freedivers, this place featured a sophisticated wood-toned design and luxurious sofas that felt entirely out of place in a tropical beach town. It looked more like a boutique hotel lobby. The sign outside read: [CANDY TOUR].

As the trio stood there staring blankly, a tall man approached them.

"Are there three of you?"

"Yes."

It was Korean—spoken with a flawless, native accent.

"Are you looking for a tour?"

"Yes."

"What kind of tour are you interested in?"

"We don't really know. We just came here without planning anything."

The moment Nam-seon spoke, the other two glared at him. They ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠worried he was giving away too much information to a complete stranger. In the art of negotiation, showing your hand right off the bat was a rookie mistake. They believed that keeping their situation a secret was the only way to get a better deal—especially when dealing with a fellow Korean.

"Hahaha, don't worry. I'm not going to rip you off. It's not like I'm running this place to make a fortune anyway," the man laughed warmly. "To put it simply, tours here are generally split into two categories: marine tours and land tours. Marine tours involve whale watching and swimming with turtles, while land tours take you to see the tarsier monkeys and the Chocolate Hills. Usually, first-timers start with the marine tour."

"How much does it cost?"

"Well, we don't actually offer marine tours, so it's hard for me to give you a price."

"Then what kind of tour do you do?"

"Our route is completely different from the others. We have an exclusive itinerary that only Candy Tour offers. Plus, it includes an incredibly romantic overnight camping experience. As a special promotion, it's two hundred thousand won per person, all-inclusive."

The trio was taken aback by the steep price. Their flights had cost two hundred thousand won, and now a single tour was going to cost the same amount. However, the mention of an "overnight stay" made them recalculate. They hadn't booked a hotel for tonight yet. If they took this tour today, they wouldn't need to find a place to sleep until tomorrow. That meant saving a night's accommodation fee. Looking at it that way, the price seemed quite reasonable.

"Where is your hotel?" the man asked.

"We actually need to find one," Nam-seon replied.

"You came here without booking a room?"

"Yes."

"In that case, take our tour today. Tomorrow morning, I'll hook you up with a great Balicasag marine tour. I can also recommend some accommodations. Just let me know what kind of place you want, and I'll negotiate the absolute lowest rate for you."

"Really?"

"Of course. Feel free to contact me if anything comes up."

The man handed them a business card.

"Is this really supposed to be a 'different' tour?"

"I told you we got ripped off."

"They always say you have to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠watch out for fellow Koreans when you're abroad. How could he do this to his own countrymen?"

"Fuck, what if the overnight stay is a lie too? Are we going to have to sleep on the streets tonight?"

"Sleeping on the streets is the least of our worries. What if they harvest our organs?"

The tour had started immediately after they paid. However, it turned out to be no different from the tours taken by people who had paid half their price. Tourists gathered from dozens of different agencies were split into buses, traveling to the exact same spots, eating the exact same food, and taking photos at the exact same locations.

"The more I think about it, the more anxious I get. I looked it up online, and this is twice as expensive as the other agencies."

"Fuck, stop making me nervous. The tour isn't over yet. Let's just wait and see."

While the three friends oscillated between anxiety and sightseeing, they finally reached the last stop of the itinerary: the Chocolate Hills. The sight of over a thousand dome-shaped hills resembling Hershey's Kisses stretching across the horizon was truly spectacular. But once they finished taking photos, the standard tour came to an end.

Disappointment washed over them. They had been scammed. They had signed up because they were promised something special, paying double the price, only to end up doing the exact same things as everyone else.

They trudged back to the parking lot, only to spot a pristine, ultra-luxurious vehicle that looked completely out of place in Bohol.

"What is that car?"

"Damn, did an Arab prince show up? Haha."

"How can you even laugh right now?"

"Hey, fuck, that's just how traveling goes. Is crying going to change anything?"

Other tourists finishing their tours were also drawn to the luxurious vehicle, gathering around to admire it. Both locals and tourists stole curious glances as they walked past.

"Wait, isn't that the guy we saw this morning?"

"Yeah, I think you're right."

Sure enough, the side of the vehicle bore the words: CANDY TOUR.

Alex stepped out next to the van, holding a megaphone.

"Guests who booked with Candy Tour, please come this way! Candy Tour guests, please board here!"

"Wait, what? We're riding in that?"

"Looks like it."

The three friends walked toward the luxury van. Alex welcomed them with a bright, warm smile. As they stepped into the incredibly plush interior, they felt almost unworthy of setting foot inside. Finally, they were receiving the premium treatment they had paid for. Their spirits soared, and their shoulders squared with pride.