A Divine Farmer

Chapter 288 - If You Don't Do It Well I will Shut You Down!

For most, the day held no particular significance. Yet as dawn broke, Qingyang's largest and most troublesome gang, the Chu Sect, had vanished without a trace, leaving even the police baffled by their sudden disappearance.

It wasn't until Liu Gaang remembered his encounter with Zhang Xiaolong that he realized those who had claimed their bones were broken were actually Chu Sect's underlings, a detail he had previously overlooked.

Further evidence of Zhang Xiaolong's visit to Chu Sect emerged from leftover security footage, but the reasons behind the Sect's abrupt withdrawal remained a mystery to all.

“Zhang Xiaolong, Zhang Xiaolong,” Liu Gaang mused, concluding that anyone daring to cross Xiaolong was truly courting disaster.

For the police, the dissolution of Chu Sect was a stroke of fortune. With this major blight on public safety gone, the community could expect a significant improvement in security. Inadvertently, Zhang Xiaolong had rendered them yet another service.

The connection between the All Light Company and Chu Sect was not widely known, but insiders within the cosmetics industry began to notice a change in All Light's behavior. The company, once assertive and domineering, had suddenly become more reserved, pulling back its influence in a move that caught many by surprise.

All Light appeared to have shed its former aggressiveness, evolving into a more humble and amiable entity. Their dealings with partners were now conducted with a congenial approach, fostering a more collaborative atmosphere.

This shift was met with widespread relief. With All Light's dominance waning, customers gradually started placing orders with Essence Dragon.

Truth be told, the quality of Essence Dragon's products meant they didn't struggle to sell, even without advertising. Previously, many distributors were reluctant to cross All Light, the industry heavyweight, as its products were the main source of their profits in the short term.

Now, with All Light ceasing its opposition to Essence Dragon, the industry welcomed the change. Essence Dragon's order books were filling up, with each day bringing more clients and more orders.

The orders weren't large—not because clients didn't want more, but because Yang Jingjing had made it clear that Essence Dragon was currently unable to produce in high volumes. For now, their products remained exclusive and limited in quantity.

The new policy did nothing to dampen everyone's enthusiasm; in fact, it only fueled their fervor to cozy up to Yang Jingjing and Zhou Li. They tried every trick in the book to persuade the two women to order more products from them.

It was fortunate that both Yang Jingjing and Zhou Li were women, for if they weren't, there would surely be a line of people every day, inviting them out for some extravagant health treatments.

Despite this, there were still those who attempted to seduce them. Some enlisted handsome men to meet the two reputedly single powerhouses, while others took it upon themselves to try and charm one of them with their personal allure.

Most of these attempts, however, were swiftly and decisively rebuffed by Yang Jingjing and Zhou Li, who showed no interest whatsoever. This led many to speculate whether these two attractive women, who seemed quite indifferent to men, might actually have feelings for each other.

The rumor mill churned with speculation, and as a result, no one dared to approach them with such tactics any longer. If they were indeed a couple, any advance, whether from a man or a woman, would be seen as nothing short of provocative.

To date, Essence Dragon has yet to invest in any advertising, yet their sales have seen a significant uptick, causing some unease among competitors.

The concern wasn't with the other makeup companies; they could still profit by distributing their products alongside Essence Dragon's. The most anxious was a pharmaceutical company whose CEO, Su Mei, sat in her office, fraught with frustration.

She had once believed she could outpace Yang Jingjing, but the current trend suggested that Essence Dragon might not only catch up to Eyebrow Dragon but could potentially surpass it, especially with a strong advertising campaign.

Su Mei was not one to easily concede her victories. However, she had to admit that the Eyebrow Dragon Ointment, despite its effectiveness on scars, had a limited market appeal. After all, people don't sustain injuries every day.

Once the initial surge in popularity waned, she expected sales to level off, with the steady demand for everyday pharmaceuticals taking the lead. These items might not have the cachet of the Eyebrow Dragon Ointment, but their indispensability meant they often outsold it.

“What? You found it?” Su Mei, lost in thought, was jolted by a sudden phone call. She leapt from her chair, her expression alight with excitement, “Great, I'm on my way!”

She hung up and immediately had her secretary book a flight. Without a moment's delay or a farewell to anyone, she set off to prepare.

……

Inside Soaring Dragon's office, a young man sat anxiously. Upon the entrance of Zhang Xiaolong and Chen Yaru, he quickly stood, his voice tinged with embarrassment, “Mr. Zhang, Director Chen…”

“Who might you be?” Chen Yaru asked, puzzled. She did not recognize the man before her, yet he was insistent on a meeting.

Chen Yaru wouldn't normally entertain such requests, but Zhang Xiaolong's presence made her reconsider, so she allowed the man in.

“It's Factory Director Huang,” Zhang Xiaolong said, recognizing the visitor immediately as the owner of the factory responsible for polluting the river. “Did you come to see me?”

Chen Yaru had mentioned this man before, noting that he had been reluctant to give his name, yet was persistent in seeking a meeting. Even after being turned away by security, he had returned time and again. Zhang Xiaolong had not expected it to be him.

“Yes…” Huang Zhigang admitted, clearly uncomfortable, “I realize this is somewhat disruptive, but I was hoping to seek Mr. Zhang's assistance…”

Zhang Xiaolong shook his head, “Look, your factory's operations are none of my concern. I have no intention of causing you trouble. Just ensure your factory ceases to release toxic wastewater, and I won't interfere with your business. You have my word. Once you've managed the wastewater properly, you're free to resume operations.”

It seemed Huang Zhigang had learned from Zheng Ming that he had crossed the unseen owner of Soaring Dragon, hence his apprehension that the company might retaliate.

Though Soaring Dragon wasn't a competitor, their influence was such that they could easily crush a small factory like his with minimal effort.

“No, no…” Huang Zhigang hastily interjected, “That's not what I meant. I'm confident Mr. Zhang wouldn't deliberately make things hard for me. It's just… the issue is that I simply lack the capability to treat the wastewater…”

Zhang Xiaolong nodded in understanding. He had anticipated this issue. Wastewater treatment is indeed an expensive endeavor, one that many small factories simply cannot afford. Yet, they still force their operations to commence, leading to increasingly severe pollution.