Chapter 19 - There Are No Criminal Investigations In Dubai

Hari, in a rare moment of self-awareness, finally admitted that he was no detective. At least, not a good one. He had spent hours at the smoothie shack, staring at the odd receipts for grapefruit smoothies and suspiciously fruity footprints, but the truth was clear: he was no Sherlock Mango.

"Well, I've got no more leads, no more grapefruit peels, and I'm pretty sure those camels were judging me," Hari sighed, standing up from his crouch. "Alright, detective work is overrated. I'm just gonna go back to doing what I do best: build the most ridiculous mango empire the world has ever seen."

Mango-chan, who had been resting on Sir Spitsalot with a cocktail of mango snacks, gave him a pitying look. "You know, it's really not that hard to be a detective, Hari. You just—"

"Don't care," Hari interrupted, giving her a thumbs-up. "Mangoes are more important. I've got a quest to finish. And anyway, I'm terrible at this."

Mango-chan rolled her eyes. "Okay, but do you really think it's just grapefruit peels that're your biggest problem?"

Hari shook his head as if to clear his thoughts, grinning like a man on a mission. "No, you're right. It's time to focus on what matters. Mangoes. Buildings. Mango buildings."

And just like that, his distraction turned into a full-blown mental flip.

Back in Mango Plaza, the sun was starting to set over the land. The mango trees were in bloom, the camels were lazing around, and the Mango-chan Jingle (which had now turned into an annoying song that kept playing in the background) had reached new heights of infamy.

Hari stood in front of the massive, half-finished structure he'd been working on for days: Mango Tower. Or, as he liked to call it, "The Grand Mango-Scape of Victory."

It had a slightly lopsided dome (which was totally intentional), a mango-shaped fountain in the front (okay, maybe a bit too dramatic), and most importantly, mango-scented air fresheners throughout. Truly, it was an architectural masterpiece.

"This is it. This is where my legacy begins!" Hari declared, arms spread wide, as the Golden Pit floated behind him like a silent, fruity sentinel.

Just then, a notification from the system popped up:

[System Update]New Task: Build Your Mango Empire Stronger!Objective: Improve your mango-themed building abilities. Construct more impressive, mango-centric architecture.Reward: Enhanced Mango Construction Power™Note: You may need more than just mango-shaped buildings. You must think outside the fruit basket.

Hari grinned like a kid at a mango-themed amusement park. "Alright, now we're cooking with mango! I've always wanted to build a mango pyramid. Or—wait—what about a mango rollercoaster?! No, too much. But the tower? Definitely! But bigger. Better. More mango!"

"You've got this, boss," Mango-chan said, handing him a bag of dried mango slices, which, honestly, didn't help at all. "Do you want me to call in the camels for extra labor?"

"Yes! Absolutely!" Hari shouted, clearly overestimating his abilities to delegate. "Sir Spitsalot! Bring the gang! We've got mango magic to do!"

Mango Construction Mode

The camels, looking slightly confused but motivated by the promise of free mango treats, began shifting the mango bricks that had magically appeared on-site. Golden Pit floated lazily above them, sending a flurry of mango-shaped energy toward the sky.

"Alright, camels! Move those bricks! We've got a mango empire to build!" Hari shouted, pointing toward the sky like some kind of fruit-filled general. The camels glanced at him before continuing to lazily chew on grass. Sir Spitsalot chewed his way through an entire mango-flavored snack bar, before standing up dramatically.

"Start with the mango-shaped windows!" Hari commanded, practically vibrating with excitement. "Tropical roof! Mango smoothies on every floor! Mango lamps! Mango walls! MANGO EVERYTHING!"

The camels got to work, mostly by standing around and occasionally knocking things over. Sir Spitsalot took charge of the mango bricks, moving them around… somewhat efficiently.

Mango-chan stood to the side, shaking her head but not without admiration. "You're kind of an idiot, but I'll admit, this is entertaining."

The building slowly started to take shape—a giant mango tower, complete with mango-shaped arches, mango fountains, and even a mango garden.

Mango Tower – Level 1 was finally finished. And, in typical Hari fashion, it was completely ridiculous.

Hari stood back and admired his work, wiping imaginary dust off his hands. "The greatest monument to mangoes this world has ever seen," he declared, striking a dramatic pose.

[System Prompt]Congratulations! Mango Tower – Level 1 is complete! Your mango empire has grown. Prepare for further expansion!

"It's glorious," Hari whispered dramatically. "This is just the beginning."

"Well, yeah, if you don't mind having the most impractical building in all of Dubai, sure," Mango-chan added dryly.

Hari ignored her and looked at his new building with pride, already planning the mango-themed ribbon-cutting ceremony, complete with a mango piñata and—of course—a mango-flavored cake.

[System Update: Mango Tower Complete]Reward: Unlocking "Mango Intelligence™" ability. You can now foresee mango-related opportunities. The future is fruity!

"Nice," Hari said, tapping the air, "I'm on my way to becoming a mango mogul!"

"You are the worst businessman ever," Mango-chan deadpanned.

"Shut up, it's going to be amazing!" Hari cheered. "Time for the grand opening. Mangoes for everyone!"

The camels, unperturbed, simply watched as Hari pranced around, utterly convinced that the world was about to see the most mango-filled future it could ever imagine.