Nothing to lose

Ru Ran climbed on top of the car to make herself more visible and to attract attentions of the workers. She adjusted her posture before she started to speak.

"Listen up! I do not know who is responsible for spreading baseless rumor today and caused unnecessary distress to everyone of you. I am here today for a site visit and I have no plans on firing anyone. Everyone here gets to keep the job and in the month or two, everyone is required to work extra hours and I promise to increase your salaries as well as your bonuses. I wanted to see your working conditions and improve on them to ensure good working environment. So, can everyone please make their way back to the factory? Can I meet with your leader?" said Du Ru Ran loud and clear.

Everyone present was stunned to hear her explanation. They started to think about who was it that had started the rumor in the first place. Out of nowhere a loud cry was heard and something was flying in the air towards Ru Ran.

"Liar! Lies! Get lost bitch!"

Her security personnel had manage to catch the running man that threw the bottle. Ru Ran managed to dodge the incoming bottle, missing only an inch from her face. The bottle hit a lamp post behind her and broke. The content spilled on the ground, soon after the grass on the ground started to light up and burn.

Ru Ran jumped down from the car, got the crowd to move and ordered someone to extinguish the fire. She then walked over towards the man being pressed on the grounds by her men. She signalled them to have him stand up.

"Such maliciousness from you. If that bottle hit my body, my skin would be chemically burnt and that would be the end of me. Why?"

she asked.

Instead of answering he spat at her direction. She called the police and asked them to take him away instead. She really did not want to deal with these thing at the moment. Inspector Chen who came with his squad to apprehend the man wanted to take away the protestors as well but was stopped by Ru Ran.

"Madam. This is police business, you can't obstruct police investigation," explained Inspector Chen.

"Sorry, I did not get your name, Inspector?" said Ru Ran.

"Chen. My name is Chen. We need to arrest everyone, it is illegal to gather for a protest. We need to take everyone away," he explained.

The protestors who had quietened down all stood up wanting to resist and protest.

"Sh. Please let me handle this," said Ru Ran.

She then turned to Inspector Chen.

"Sir, they just need to follow you to the station and give their statements and you will let them go?" she asked him.

"Depending on your course of action...

She cut him off and said," Except for that man, I am not planning to take actions on the rest of them, I think someone had instigated them to cause trouble for me."

"If that is your decision, then the rest can go after giving out their statement," said Inspector Chen.

"You heard the Inspector, so please follow the police officers to the police station. I expect all of you to be around tomorrow, I will reschedule the visit to tomorrow," said Ru Ran to the protestors.

The man who silenced the crowd earlier was the first to bow down to Ru Ran expressing his gratitude.

"Madam is truly kind, thank you. We are sorry for causing trouble," he said.

The rest of the protestors follow suit, ashamed with their behaviour.

"Hahahaha.. You won't have a factory to return to tomorrow," said the man who threw the bottle of acid towards Ru Ran, now being held by two policemen.

Soon after, a loud booming sound is heard and the factory was on fire. The factory exploded! In everyone's distraction, the man somehow managed to grab of the policeman's gun. He took a shot at Ru Ran but was intercepted by Uncle Tek and knowing he had failed his mission, he aim the gun at his head and blew his brain out.

He apologised to Ru Ran in his heart before he let out his last breath. He has stage four brain cancer and his family owes a lot of money to the loanshark to pay for his treatment. Knowing he is terminal, he volunteered to pay off their debts by willing to commit crime. He had nothing to lose and at least his family would not be burden by debts when he is gone.