A Divine Farmer

Chapter 289 - A Plague from Thousands of Miles Away!

“If there's no feasible way to handle the wastewater, then it's best not to open the factory at all,” Zhang Xiaolong cautioned. “You might think you've made money, generated tax revenue, and provided jobs for many, but you're not seeing the immense difficulties you've caused with pollution, the destruction of natural resources—many of which money can't restore. This pollution will affect generations to come. The people living nearby would rather be a bit poorer than have no options at all.”

“I get your point. My original plan was to address the wastewater treatment once the factory started turning a profit. I hadn't anticipated…” Huang Zhigang let out a sigh.

“Hehe, and when your profits are up, are you certain you can handle the river's pollution?” Zhang Xiaolong asked with a skeptical smile. “Right now, you can't manage a bit of wastewater, yet later you'll have to deal with an entire polluted river. Will you then think you need even better profits before you can tackle the river's condition?”

“I…” Huang Zhigang found himself at a loss for words. This issue wasn't something that could be resolved with mere talk.

Zhang Xiaolong didn't expect an explanation. With him there, he wouldn't allow anyone to compromise the river everyone depended on for water. “Tell me, what do you want this time? Don't say you want me to look the other way and let you keep polluting with your factory. If that's it, we have nothing to discuss.”

Huang Zhigang steadied himself, “No, I was hoping Mr. Zhang could invest in the factory. With that investment, we could restart and manage the wastewater effectively. Wouldn't that be good?”

Zhang Xiaolong and Chen Yaru exchanged a knowing look and both smiled.

“But why should we put money into your factory?” Chen Yaru asked first. “You could try to secure a loan or raise the funds yourself. Until you have the money, the factory can simply pause operations. That shouldn't be too much of an issue, right?”

Huang Zhigang grew anxious, “But I've already taken a lot of orders. I was very cautious in accepting them, but with the factory shut down, I can't even think about restarting—just paying the breach of contract penalties could bankrupt me…”

He knew that this couldn't possibly serve as a valid excuse, for everything he was enduring was a direct result of his own rule-breaking behavior. It wasn't fair to expect others to foot the bill for his actions.

“I've looked into your background, Mr. Zhang. I understand you're a farmer; I too was raised in the countryside, where everything seemed so backward. Eventually, my family managed to send me to university. With hard work, I studied abroad, and after graduating, I juggled work while dedicating five years to researching cutting-edge industrial technology,” Huang Zhigang spoke rapidly, worried that he'd be dismissed if he didn't capture Zhang Xiaolong's attention immediately. “I can say without any exaggeration that in certain industrial fields, I'm one of the leading experts in the country. But without the financial means, I lack the capacity to bring these innovations to fruition. I could accomplish so much, with any component, even aerospace parts…”

“Enough,” Zhang Xiaolong interjected, his interest waning. “If you're as exceptional as you say, I doubt you'd struggle to find investors for a factory. Or for that matter, any major corporation would be eager to snatch up someone with your talent.”

“I've tried, but I'm also aware that companies here in China are exceedingly pragmatic. They're fixated on profit rather than a resolve to push the industry to its peak…” Huang Zhigang began to justify his reluctance to join any company, “Plus, their numerous constraints would stifle my ability to innovate freely…”

Zhang Xiaolong raised his hand, signaling him to halt. “Are you placing the blame for all your issues on others? If you truly are as remarkable as you claim, I'm sure you could contribute significantly to humanity anywhere in the world. Every company seeks realism. You expect generous funding without any strings attached: where on earth does such a deal exist?”

Chen Yaru chuckled, “If you're genuinely committed to pursuing your lofty ideals, perhaps you should consider working for a national research institute, assuming you're as skilled as you profess.”

“I…” Huang Zhigang realized his arguments held little weight.

“We're not biased against you,” Zhang Xiaolong stated earnestly. “But as you accuse everyone else of being too pragmatic, have you taken a moment to self-reflect? When you dumped wastewater into the river, you were being more pragmatic than anyone. Regardless of how much of your story is bluster versus truth, if you want to chase your dreams, it's up to you to put in the effort. Others shouldn't have to subsidize your aspirations. Otherwise, what you call a ‘dream' is nothing more than a fantasy.”

Huang Zhigang was on the verge of saying something more, but ultimately, he held back.

As Zhang Xiaolong and Chen Yaru had pointed out, he blamed others for his shortcomings while greatly overestimating his own capabilities, as if everything was someone else's fault.

The corporate world was too cutthroat, the institutions too rigid. In his view, these were the reasons for his lack of success, yet he failed to recognize that his ambitions were not as lofty as he pretended. He simply cloaked his desires in the guise of dreams to appear noble and to give himself one more excuse.

Standing up with a sense of defeat, he decided to leave.

Just then, Zhang Xiaolong's phone rang, casting a shadow over his expression.

“What did you say? Where is Su Mei?” he asked urgently.

“She's in Zhenhe County, over a thousand miles away in Qingyang,” the secretary on the other end replied with equal urgency. “I can't reach Director Su at the moment, but I've just read online that she's in Eternal Light Village, where a plague has broken out. I'm worried…”

“Why would she go to a remote village so far away?” Zhang Xiaolong wondered aloud.

“Director Su was seeking a legendary healer rumored to possess many effective remedies that have yet to be mass-produced. She hoped to acquire these remedies to propel Eyebrow Dragon Company to greater heights. But who could have predicted the plague would strike now?” the secretary said, her voice tinged with panic.

“Don't panic. If this healer is as good as they say, the plague might not be as dire as we fear. Book me the next flight to the nearest airport,” Zhang Xiaolong instructed before ending the call, his face etched with concern.

Plagues were dreadful; their spread could have catastrophic consequences. Even with a healer of renown, without the right medicine or if it couldn't be found in time, the death toll could be staggering.

“What do we do?” Chen Yaru's complexion turned grave. “I'll come with you. We can't afford to let anything happen to Su Mei.”

The Su family was affiliated with Soaring Dragon, but that was a secondary concern. Over time, Su Mei had shown a softer side, and Chen Yaru had come to see that the young woman was not as formidable as she once seemed, but merely headstrong.