Chapter 43 — The Temptation Beyond the Border
The final beams were being installed at the largest of Horizon Group's new cold storage warehouses in Jiangnan Province when an unexpected visitor arrived.
A delegation from Huaihai Province's Department of Commerce had come for what they called a "fact-finding tour." In reality, their intentions were obvious — they'd seen Horizon's meteoric rise in three provinces and wanted a piece of the action.
In the conference room, a well-dressed deputy director laid out the pitch with a practiced smile.
"President Chen, Huaihai Province is experiencing rapid urban growth. We have prime commercial plots in the city center, even near new subway lines. If Horizon Group expands here, we can fast-track your permits, assist with land acquisition, and even provide preferential tax treatment for your cold chain facilities."
The managers around the table were visibly excited. Opportunities like this didn't fall into a company's lap often.
Chen Hao kept a neutral expression.
"I appreciate the offer. But our focus is on strengthening our current markets first."
Inside, he was already calculating.
"Tax breaks, cheap land… this could burn through a fortune before it even turns a profit. Exactly what I need."
That night, in his office, Chen Hao studied the maps of Huaihai's major cities. The capital had dense commercial districts perfect for flagship Patriot Burgers, and several mid-sized cities looked ripe for La Stella Italiana outlets.
Even better — the province's underdeveloped logistics network meant Horizon would have to build entirely new cold storage and transport hubs from scratch.
To his employees, this was daunting. To Chen Hao, it was an expensive blessing.
A week later, during an internal meeting, expansion director Liu Mei brought up the elephant in the room.
"Boss, if we do go into Huaihai, we'll need at least two new cold storage facilities and a fleet of refrigerated trucks. The initial investment could be massive."
Chen Hao gave a small, deliberate nod.
"Then we plan for it properly. No half-measures."
The managers exchanged glances — they saw ambition and commitment.
What they didn't see was the flicker of satisfaction in Chen Hao's eyes.
"If Huaihai swallows enough of our capital, maybe… just maybe… I'll finally see red ink on the books."
By the end of the month, Horizon Group's real estate team was quietly scouting Huaihai's city centers, while the logistics department began feasibility studies for new cold chain hubs.
The three-province net was tightening, but the first tendrils of Horizon's reach were already crossing the border.