📖 Chapter 35 – Sabotage in the Ranks
The morning after the grand launch, the first franchise stall opened again with the same eager rush of students. The air buzzed with excitement, chatter filling the narrow street. Plates flew across the counter, fusion pavs steaming, gulab jamuns melting sweetly in mouths. Everything seemed perfect.
Until the gas hissed.
Ramesh bent over the stove, confusion flashing across his face as the flame sputtered unnaturally. For a moment, the stall filled with a sharp, acrid smell. Students coughed, some stepping back. "What's going on?" voices murmured. Panic hovered on the edge, ready to spread like fire.
But before fear could ignite, Raj stepped forward. He had come unannounced, guided by the system's whisper of hidden threat. He shut the valve with quick precision, his hands steady, his voice firm. "Calm down. Just a loose connection—nothing dangerous." He signaled to Arjun, who quickly reassured the crowd, cracking jokes until laughter replaced worry.
Behind the counter, Raj inspected the setup. The screw on the gas pipe was unnaturally loose, not something careless hands would leave. His eyes hardened. Sabotage.
Later, when sacks of flour were opened, the truth deepened. Among the fresh supplies, one bag reeked faintly of rot. Had it been used, the flavor would have betrayed them instantly, the brand name stained. Raj's jaw tightened as he set the bag aside. Someone wasn't careless—they were deliberate.
That night, the team gathered in the hostel. Ramesh's face was pale, his voice shaking. "I swear, Raj bhaiya, I checked everything. I would never risk your name." Raj placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I believe you. This isn't your fault. Someone planted this."
The golden panel flared:
[Crisis: Internal Sabotage Detected.]
Reputation Risk: Severe
Countermeasure: Surprise Audits + Loyalty Screening.
Meena adjusted her glasses, her voice sharp. "We must inspect every stall, every supply line, unannounced. If someone is inside, they'll trip eventually."
Arjun slammed his fist on the table. "Or we drag Shankar out and make him confess!"
Raj shook his head. "No. Shadows hide best when we rush blindly. We'll smoke him out with light."
From that day, Raj introduced a new system: Surprise Audits. Without warning, he or a trusted team member would appear at any stall, checking supplies, testing taste, ensuring everything met their standards. Customers noticed, and instead of doubt, it built trust. "Look how strict they are," one student said. "They care more about quality than anyone else."
The spy gritted his teeth in silence. Each sabotage attempt—loosened screws, tampered spices, misplaced ingredients—was caught before it could bloom. Raj's vigilance made it impossible for shadows to thrive.
Until one night, the spy grew careless. Arjun, arriving early for a surprise audit, caught him slipping powder into a spice jar. The boy's shout shook the stall. "Thief! Saboteur!"
The spy froze, his mask ripped away. Customers stared as he was dragged forward, his protests shrill. Under the system's golden glow, Raj looked into his eyes and saw the truth: greed, envy, and Shankar's shadow behind them.
Raj's voice was calm but thunderous. "You wore my name to betray it. But know this—an empire built on trust cannot be broken by lies."
The crowd erupted, condemning the traitor, praising Raj for his vigilance. The spy was handed to the police, his face pale with fear as he cursed Shankar's name under his breath.
The system flared with triumph:
[Sabotage Neutralized.]
Reputation +25
Franchise Trust +40
New Skill Unlocked: Leadership Aura (Level 1).
Raj exhaled deeply as the stall resumed its rhythm, food sizzling once more. Shadows had crept into his ranks, but they had been exposed—and crushed.
That night, Raj stood beneath the hostel's dim bulb, his team around him, their eyes shining with loyalty. "This was only the first test," he said softly. "Franchises will grow, and with them, enemies will try harder. But as long as we hold to honesty, to vigilance, to trust—we will not fall."
And far away, Shankar raged, smashing plates until shards littered his floor. His spy had failed, his poison exposed, his hand revealed. Yet his hatred only grew sharper, more desperate. "If I can't break his stalls," he hissed, "then I'll break the man himself."