A Divine Farmer

Chapter 267 - Give Justice to the Workers!

“If you think the water is fine, then there's no need to worry about it,” Zhang Xiaolong said, having arrived at the factory unnoticed.

“It's really you!” Huang Zhigang exclaimed angrily. “What do you want from me? I run just a small factory, and we've barely started operations. What could you possibly gain from me? Why are you persistently targeting my business?”

“Brother, there's an old saying: blocking someone's livelihood is akin to killing their parents. Why make life difficult for others? We all know making money isn't easy, and besides, it hasn't caused you any harm. Just look the other way,” Mr. Chen chimed in, attempting to mediate.

“I'm well aware that earning money isn't easy for you, but to say you haven't caused harm to others, that's not necessarily true,” Zhang Xiaolong countered, gesturing towards the wastewater on the ground. “This water is laced with toxins. Over time, it could contaminate the groundwater, affecting both people and crops. The damage is incredibly hard to reverse. How can you say that's not harmful?”

“Tsk tsk, young man, aren't you exaggerating a bit? People like Boss Huang are rare these days. Most factories discharge their wastewater directly into bodies of water, and in much larger quantities. It's an unspoken truth we all live with,” Mr. Chen argued. “How about this: Boss Huang gives you a red envelope, you drop the issue, he considers it a cost of avoiding disaster, and you see it as a little bonus. What do you say?”

“Not interested,” Zhang Xiaolong replied firmly. “Do you really think I'm after such a small amount of money?”

“Take the money, and you won't have to drink the water here. That way, it won't affect you,” Mr. Chen suggested with a smile.

Zhang Xiaolong was at a loss for words. “I'm a farmer from this area. This land is the foundation of our livelihood. You've contaminated our water, and it's not something that can be fixed with a bit of cash. Boss Huang, if you're not willing to halt operations and address the wastewater issue, then brace yourself for when this all comes to light. If you don't have the money to treat the wastewater, I'm sure you'll find the funds to cover the fines for its improper disposal!”

As he spoke, he turned to leave, but this time Huang Zhigang's anger flared.

“You strut into my factory and act all high and mighty. You think I'm a pushover? Men, teach him a lesson!” Huang Zhigang gestured for his workers to come forward.

The factory wasn't large, but it had a fair number of workers. Along with the security staff, they grabbed whatever they could and charged at Zhang Xiaolong.

“What's this? When money doesn't solve your problems, you resort to violence?” Zhang Xiaolong scoffed, unfazed by the show of force.

But the thought of raising a hand against these ordinary folks did make him somewhat uncomfortable.

“I'm trying to teach you a lesson in humility. Since talking gets us nowhere and you seem intent on ruining our livelihoods, we have no choice but to show you what we're made of!” Huang Zhigang said, turning to the workers, “Don't you agree?”

“Absolutely, Boss Huang is a good man. He pays us our wages. If you shut down this factory, we'll all suffer. Be sensible and back down, or none of us will let you off the hook.”

“Whoever pays us, we follow. If you make us lose our income and we can't even afford food, we'll fight you tooth and nail.”

“Yeah, take him down! This menace!”

The workers, inflamed with anger, tightened their grip on their makeshift weapons, ready to confront Zhang Xiaolong.

“See what you've done? You're jeopardizing the livelihoods of so many people. Who do you think you are? A hero? Nonsense!” Huang Zhigang taunted.

“I don't see myself as a hero, but how many people does your factory employ? For the sake of a few dozen, maybe a hundred, you're willing to sacrifice the well-being of countless villages along the river, condemning future generations to the mercy of polluted waters. Which is the greater harm?”

Zhang Xiaolong stood his ground, his gaze piercing, his anger surpassing theirs. “If this factory closes, you can find work elsewhere. Yet you think this is cutting off your lifeline. But if this river is destroyed, how many rivers will remain for us to drink from? Ruining the water supply and crops of so many villages, isn't that the real threat to our survival? When the day of reckoning comes, the villagers might find that flaying you alive and tearing out your sinews won't even begin to quench their thirst for justice!”

The workers were taken aback by his words. Not one of them could meet Zhang Xiaolong's gaze.

Deep down, they recognized that discharging wastewater from the factory was indefensible.

“Stop arguing with him. Just beat him up and see if he keeps talking tough. Do you want the factory shut down, forcing you to look for new jobs? Who else would hire all of you on the spot? Think of your families, your children, and elders at home. Then you'll realize we're not in the wrong,” Huang Zhigang declared loudly.

The workers stirred once more. Zhang Xiaolong's arguments were logical, but they pertained to the future. If they lost their current jobs, finding new ones might not be so easy.

Especially since this factory paid better than most, finding a comparable position would be challenging.

Once a leader emerged, the rest quickly followed suit.

Zhang Xiaolong watched them, his frown deepening. “Polluting the river was wrong, but you're just workers; it's not your responsibility. Do you really want to become someone else's enforcers? If so, you'll be implicated in this too.”

“Beat him up!”

The crowd was done listening to Zhang Xiaolong. They surged forward, fists flying.

But Zhang Xiaolong was not someone who could be easily subdued. The scene descended into chaos, and it was unclear who was hitting whom. By the end, nearly half of the people on the ground were injured by their own colleagues.

“This guy seems to have some clout,” Mr. Chen observed, growing concerned. “He doesn't seem easy to handle. Your men can't even touch him!”

“Being a good fighter is one thing, but he's just a foolhardy guy,” Huang Zhigang sneered. “After injuring so many of our people, does he think he can just walk away? Let him cool his heels in the police station.”

“You've thought this through quite well. You really are a highly intelligent individual,” Mr. Chen complimented.

As Zhang Xiaolong was attempting to break free from the crowd and escape, a gunshot rang out from outside.

“Police! Everyone stop or we will open fire!” a voice commanded from the factory entrance, as officers stormed in.

The crowd at the scene came to an abrupt halt, swiftly tucking away their weapons behind them.

“Officer Chang, this man here has caused a disturbance at our plant and has injured many of our workers. You must get justice for our employees!” Huang Zhigang clearly recognized the lead officer and promptly approached to exchange pleasantries.

“What happened here?” Officer Chang gave a nod and turned his gaze to Zhang Xiaolong. “You've come to one of our county's key supported enterprises to start a brawl and injured numerous people. We're taking you into custody first.”

“You've heard only one sentence from me and already you've judged me guilty. Don't you think it would be appropriate to fully understand the events that transpired before making a decision?” Zhang Xiaolong remained composed as he spoke.