Young God of Knowledge

9 Project Tenders

The Wibisono Group executive meeting room is located on the top floor of the building. Its walls are made of tempered glass, offering a panoramic view of the sprawling city of Aranca. The long meeting table, made of solid teak wood, can accommodate thirty people. A large projector screen is mounted on the main wall.

Vivian sat in the main chair at the end of the table, a position that had been vacant for the past year. Next to her, Tina stood with a tablet in her hand, ready to take notes.

Kevin sat in a chair in the corner of the room, slightly separated from the main table. His position clearly showed that he was not part of the executive team, but merely an observer.

Bill, who had suggested that Kevin attend as a "team expert," smiled smugly at this arrangement. His plan was working perfectly. Kevin would look like a fool who knew nothing about business, and Vivian would realise how unsuitable he was as her husband.

"The tender for the Aranca Timur housing complex construction project," Tina began her brief briefing. "The project is worth around one hundred and fifty billion rupiah. There are six companies that have submitted proposals."

Vivian nodded. "Who are they?"

Tina read out the list of names. Two of them made Kevin look up.

Tanjaya Construction. Representative: Albert Tanjaya.

Wijaya Development. Representative: Hans Wijaya.

Kevin stared at the names with a blank expression. His father and the family that had almost killed him were competing in the same room.

Fate really liked to play games.

The meeting room door opened. The tender participants began to enter the room one by one. Albert Tanjaya entered with a confident stride, but Kevin could see the sweat on his temples. Diana did not come, perhaps because this was serious business.

Albert's eyes immediately fell on Kevin, who was sitting in the corner. There was a flash in his eyes. Surprise? Anxiety? Kevin didn't care.

Then Hans Wijaya entered. A man in his early thirties with a face similar to his father, Frans Wijaya. A hard jaw, cold eyes, and an aura of arrogance that he made no effort to hide. His suit was luxurious, his watch gleaming, and his steps full of confidence.

Hans was the eldest son of Frans Wijaya and Alicia's older brother. Five years ago, he had witnessed Kevin being tortured. He had even joined in the beating at times.

Hans's eyes scanned the room and stopped on Kevin. For a moment, there was confusion on his face, then recognition, then something darker.

Kevin stared back expressionlessly.

Hans turned his face away and took his seat with a slightly stiff movement.

Alwin had been sitting at the table since earlier, in the seat that had belonged to Vivian before she fell ill. Now he had to move to the deputy director's seat, one level below his cousin. His face was friendly as usual, but Kevin caught a flash of reluctance every time his eyes glanced at Vivian in the main chair.

"All right, let's begin." Vivian opened the meeting with a calm but authoritative voice. "Each company will have fifteen minutes to present their proposal. After everyone is finished, we will discuss and announce our decision."

The first presentation began. It was a small company whose proposal was too ambitious for their capacity. Vivian listened politely, but Kevin could see that she had already crossed the company off the list even before the presentation was over.

The second and third presentations were not much different.

Then it was Albert Tanjaya's turn.

Kevin watched his father stand in front of the projector screen, trying to appear professional. His voice was steady as he explained the proposal, his hands only trembling slightly as he pointed to the graphs on the screen.

"...with our twenty years of experience in construction, Tanjaya Construction is confident that we can complete this project on time and within budget..."

Vivian listened with a neutral expression. Occasionally, she took notes on the paper in front of her. Her eyes were sharp, not missing a thing.

When Albert finished, Vivian raised her hand.

"Mr Albert, I see in your proposal that you plan to use grade B materials for the foundation. Isn't grade A material the minimum standard for a high-density housing complex like this?"

Albert swallowed. "That... that's for cost efficiency, Miss Vivian. We can save about fifteen per cent—"

"At the expense of structural safety." Vivian cut in calmly. "I also see that your construction schedule is too optimistic, considering the number of workers you mentioned. And the budget for permits and licences does not seem to take into account the new regulations issued by the city government last month."

Albert paled. "I... we can revise—"

"Thank you, Mr Albert. We will consider your proposal."

But everyone in the room knew that Albert's proposal had been rejected.

Kevin watched his father return to his seat with a sluggish gait. There was a bitter irony in this situation. Albert had come hoping to get a project from the son he considered useless. Instead, he was rejected outright by his son's wife.

The next presentation was by Hans Wijaya.

Hans stood with excessive confidence. His proposal was indeed more solid than Albert's, with Wijaya Development's undeniable experience and track record. His graphs were neat, his figures made sense, and his schedule was realistic.

Vivian listened more seriously this time. Kevin could see that she was considering Hans' proposal seriously.

Next to her, Alwin occasionally nodded and smiled at Hans. Their relationship was clearly more than just professional. Kevin took note of this.

The last presentation was from a young man in his mid-twenties named Hadi Muldoko. His appearance was simple, his suit not as expensive as Hans', but his proposal surprised everyone with its extraordinary detail.

"...our approach is sustainable construction with a focus on energy efficiency and minimal environmental impact. We also include a training programme for local workers, which will have a positive impact on the surrounding community..."

Vivian looked impressed. She took more notes as Hadi spoke.

After all the presentations were over, Vivian looked at her papers with a furrowed brow.

"Of the six proposals, only two meet our criteria," she announced. "Wijaya Development and Muldoko Group."

Hans smiled smugly. Hadi remained calm.

Alwin immediately spoke up. "Vivian, I think Wijaya Development is the safer choice. They have decades of experience, a solid track record, and extensive connections in the industry."

Vivian nodded, considering. "That's true. But Muldoko Group offers interesting innovations—"

"That innovation is risky." Alwin interrupted with a very convincing tone. "For a project this big, we need certainty, not experiments. Wijaya Development has been proven."

Hans nodded in agreement, his smile widening.

Vivian looked hesitant. Alwin's argument made sense. Experience and track record were important considerations in construction projects.

Kevin, who had been sitting quietly in the corner of the room, finally spoke up.

"Can I see Wijaya Development's proposal?"

All heads turned towards him. 

Alwin frowned. 

Hans stared at him disapprovingly. 

Bill smiled, certain that Kevin would embarrass himself.

Vivian hesitated for a moment, then nodded to Tina. The assistant took a copy of Hans' proposal and reluctantly handed it to Kevin.

Kevin read the proposal quickly. His eyes moved from page to page at a speed that made some people raise their eyebrows.

After a few minutes, he put the proposal on the table.

"There's a problem with this proposal," Kevin said calmly.

Hans was immediately offended. "What problem? The proposal was prepared by our team of experts—"

"Page seventeen," Kevin interrupted. "The structural calculations for the main building. The load calculations do not take into account the potential for earthquakes."

There was a moment of silence.

"What do you mean?" Hans asked dismissively. "The city of Aranca is not in an earthquake zone—"

"Aranca is not in a major earthquake zone," Kevin explained patiently. "But the latest seismological data shows that a new fault line has been discovered twenty kilometres from the project site. The fault line is not yet active, but in the next fifty years, the potential for activation is thirty percent."

He paused for a moment, allowing the information to sink in.

"This housing complex is designed to stand for at least one hundred and fifty years. Without adequate earthquake-resistant structures, if the fault line becomes active, these buildings will collapse. The death toll could reach thousands. And more importantly from a business perspective," Kevin looked directly at Vivian, "Wibisono Group will be held legally responsible for neglecting safety standards."

The room fell completely silent.

Vivian grabbed Hans' proposal and opened to page seventeen. Her eyes studied the numbers there with new intensity.

"He's right." Vivian finally said, her voice soft but clear. "These calculations do not take seismic factors into account at all."

Hans paled. "That... that can be fixed—"

"Earthquake-resistant structural improvements will add at least twenty percent to the cost," Kevin continued. "Which means Wijaya Development's proposal is actually no cheaper than Muldoko Group's. It could even be much more expensive, if you factor in the legal risks down the line."

Vivian closed Hans' proposal with a sound that sounded final.

"The decision has been made," she announced. "This project will be awarded to the Muldoko Group."

Hadi Muldoko looked surprised but pleased. He stood up and bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your trust, Miss Vivian. We will not disappoint you."

Hans stood with a flushed face. His eyes fixed on Kevin with undisguised hatred. "This isn't fair. That man," he pointed at Kevin, "isn't part of the evaluation team. He has no right—"