Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 1002 - 659: It’s Not a Big Problem!

The illness comes like a mountain collapsing, and departs like silk being drawn out; this saying equally applies to flood control.

The water level, which had taken a week to slowly recede, unexpectedly rose back to the warning line overnight.

Facing the floodwaters that were about to overflow the sub-dam, Captain Zheng of the 127th Regiment of the 403rd Division, 105th Army, despite suffering from severe rheumatism and unbearable knee pain, braved the pouring rain, serving as both commander and combatant, leading the way in carrying and stacking sandbags.

"Captain, the sub-dam on the west side has breached!"

"What?"

"The sub-dam on the west side has breached; the floodwater is surging in."

"Third Company, follow me to the west side."

"Yes!"

...

Shishou, spanning the first section of the winding Lower Jing River of the Yangtze, has dike defenses totaling 442.5 kilometers. Due to the Yangtze River's sustained high water levels, soaking and pressing, the dike soil has softened, and dangers are abundant.

The River Mouth Town, where the 127th Regiment is currently located, is in the northeastern part of Shishou City on the north bank of the Yangtze River, situated in the middle section of the winding Jingjiang. The entire town consists of three large civil dikes: Liuhe Yuan, Yonghe Yuan, and Zhangzhi Yuan, covering an area of 186 square kilometers with a population of 48,000.

The special geographical location imposes great difficulty on flood prevention and control.

As early as June 30th, the rising water level of the Jing River had already surpassed the dike. At once, the entire River Mouth Town was surrounded by water, with dangerous situations constantly emerging. Not only did all the Party cadres start battling the flood on the dike a month ago, but residents from all village groups in the town also went up the dike to join the fight.

Upon learning of the emergency status of River Mouth Town, army officers and soldiers successively stationed there.

On July 5th, the Wujing City First Detachment entered Zhangzhi Yuan.

On July 15th, the 403rd Division's 127th Regiment, carrying ten assault boats, rushed to the River Mouth.

On July 16th, the Wujing City Second Detachment hurried to the River Mouth.

Nearly fifty thousand soldiers and civilians united in spirit, collectively building sub-dikes over one meter high on the original dike surface along the River Mouth section of the river.

However, with persistent heavy rain upstream, the incoming water was both massive and rapid. The Tianxin Yuan River Dike truly couldn't withstand the flood's impact during the second flood peak and breached. All soldiers and civilians could only retreat tearfully to Yonghe Yuan.

The current River Mouth Town is completely surrounded by floodwaters. With the floodwater level too high, the entire town is like a big bowl placed in the center of the flood. Any breach in the dike will bring catastrophic disaster to all town residents!

Everywhere was floodwater, with over forty thousand civilians behind them. The officers and soldiers had no retreat, only the option to engage in a life-and-death contest with the flood, comparing willpower and speed. Facing the rampant flood demons, they ignored fatigue and hunger, desperately transporting sandbags and stones to stack dikes and strengthen dams.

The mayor arrived, and nearby villagers and evacuees from Yonghe Yuan also came.

Facing the incessantly inflowing flood, no one cared about anything else, only knowing to hurry up and block it.

When sandbags ran out, they went back to get rice bags.

Without stakes, they hurried to cut nearby trees.

Yet, the breach could not be sealed and continued to spread to both sides.

"Party cadres take the lead, all follow me!" Captain Zheng grew anxious, roaring furiously as he was the first to dash into the flood rushing inside the dike.

The officers and soldiers reacted, one after another, followed, holding hands, using their bodies to block the water.

"As long as we're here, the dike is here. Stand firm, everyone!"

"Stop jumping here, hurry up and go over there."

Captain Zheng stumbled and fell, accidentally gulping down muddy water. After spitting it out, he didn't even wipe his face but looked to the right, roaring, "Gu Changcheng, don't jump! We have enough people here. Take your group to cut trees quickly."

"Yes!"

The warriors jumped into the breach one by one, climbing up after falling, and returning after being swept away.

The mayor watched with tears streaming down his face, pointing to a nearby house, chokingly shouting, "Director Ding, there's no time left. Stop looking for sandbags, hurry and dismantle the house!"

"Really dismantle?"

"Once the flood rushes in, everything will be gone. Of course, dismantle it!"

"Yes!"

...

The dike section to be guarded is too long. The Armed Police know the situation here is urgent but really can't spare any troops to support, only able to be quietly anxious.

Facing such a dangerous situation, whether to command or not was already unimportant.

Mayor Shen wiped his face, not knowing if he wiped away tears or rain, then jumped into the breach with the warriors, maneuvering along the human wall to Captain Zheng's side.

Captain Zheng grew anxious, gritting his teeth, asking, "Comrade Shen Jiaseng, you're the mayor and the director of River Mouth Town's flood office. You should be at the command position. Why did you jump down?"

"As long as we're here, the dike is here."

"You're talking nonsense, hurry back to command and think of a solution for me!"

"No wood, no stones, no sandbags, nothing! Captain Zheng, what solution do you want me to think of?"

"Even if we can't hold it, you must find a way to ensure the safety of the masses. There are over forty thousand people, over forty thousand lives!"

"I know."

"You know and you still jumped?"

The flood was already up to their chests!

Mayor Shen tightly grabbed a soldier's arm, trying his best to ensure he wouldn't be swept away. Looking at a pile of garbage floating over with the flood, he nearly despaired, chokingly saying, "I also want to organize an evacuation, but water is everywhere. How do you want me to organize the evacuation?"

"Aren't there several boats? We still have ten assault boats!"

"How many people can those few boats and ten assault boats transfer? Evacuation now would shake the army's morale."

It must be admitted that within the Yuan, with over forty thousand people, relying on those few boats to organize an evacuation is unrealistic.

If an evacuation were organized now, who would get on the boats, and who wouldn't?

Captain Zheng always believed that with unity, humans could conquer nature. But facing this scenario, he suddenly realized that in the face of natural disasters, humans couldn't truly conquer nature, and human strength was so insignificant.

At this point, it seemed coexistence with the dike was the only option.

Just when Captain Zheng was nearly in despair, suddenly a soldier shouted, "Captain, there's a boat!"

"What boat?"

"A boat is coming!"

"Where is it?"

"South, it's a police boat, it has flashing lights!"

Looking in the direction the warrior pointed, I was surprised to see a boat coming, but it was moving very slowly.

Captain Zheng got angrier as he watched, roaring: "Third Company, have someone run along the sub-dam to ask which unit they're from!"

"Yes!"

Just as a warrior clambered onto the sub-dam with the help of his comrades, everyone suddenly saw the police boat drop an iron dinghy, and they could vaguely see two people jumping onto it, heading straight here.

With the roar of the diesel engine, the iron dinghy quickly arrived in front of the breach, and a young man wearing a raincoat, with a walkie-talkie and mobile phone strapped to his chest, squatted at the bow of the dinghy, signaling the driver to approach the human barricade slowly, asking, "Comrade, are you from the 127th Regiment?"

"Yes, which unit are you from?"

"Is your Captain around?"

Still wearing a raincoat, acting like he's on a leisurely trip, does he think watching us jump down to block the flood with our bodies is fun?

Captain Zheng grew angrier by the thought and shouted: "I am the Captain, answer my question first, which unit are you from?" 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Unexpectedly, they jumped into the breach to block the water with their flesh and blood, even more unexpectedly, they managed to hold it, and Yonghe Yuan wasn't flooded.

Han Yu was both excited and moved, smiling with tears, "Captain Zheng, we're here to save you."

"Get down here, damn it!"

"I'd love to come down and join you, but the walkie-talkie and phone can't get wet, so let's talk like this."

"Speak quickly, say whatever you have to say, then roll out as far as possible! Otherwise, I'll get mad, and believe it or not, I'll shoot you!"

Han Yu understood his mood at this moment, urgently said: "Comrade Captain, I am Han Yu, the Captain of the Yangtze Flood Control Headquarters and Jingzhou Emergency Rescue Assault Team. We're here under orders from the superior to assist in your rescue. Sorry, we're late, but there is a reason for our delay."

Captain Zheng blinked in surprise, instinctively asking: "Hong Kong Garrison?"

"Yes!"

"Where's Yang Shiguo?"

"Political Commissar Yang is at the back." Han Yu raised his walkie-talkie and called: "Political Commissar, Political Commissar, this is Han Yu, can you hear me?"

"I hear you, how's the situation on your end, have you met Captain Zheng?"

"Just met, we're talking now."

"Great, can you let Captain Zheng speak?"

"Sure." Han Yu just squatted on the iron dinghy, holding the walkie-talkie up to Captain Zheng.

Captain Zheng had heard Captain Peng brag countless times about the "Hong Kong Garrison," so he impatiently asked: "Old Yang, where the hell are you? I've already jumped down to block the breach and hold back water. There are over forty thousand civilians behind me, can you hurry up!"

Hearing the voice of the main officer from the brother unit, Political Commissar Yang was even more excited than Han Yu, urgently responded: "Old Zheng, we set sail as soon as we received the order. But you're not by the riverbank, and even though you are surrounded by water, it's not enough for sailing."

"I don't care, you just have to get here fast. It's fine if I die here, but those thousands of civilians behind me can't die. Even if you have to row, get the boat here and evacuate all these civilians from the Yuan!"

"Like a dog biting Lv Dongbin, can't recognize a good heart. Salted Fish, you talk to him."

"Alright."

Han Yu wiped the rain from his face, explained: "Captain Zheng, although the surrounding civil dike is flooded, the water is not deep enough for large boats. We have to deepen and widen the previous breach enough for the fleet to pass, then find the previous waterway, and every few dozen meters on both sides, stake a mark to indicate the position of the waterway."

Captain Zheng impatiently asked: "Can't your boats come here directly?"

"If we just blindly rush here, we would run aground after two or three miles maximum."

"I don't care about that; I just want to know when your main force can arrive, and if you can block this hole!"

They're trapped on a "deserted island" and can't hold on any longer.

Han Yu understood his urgent emotions, calculated for a moment, and decisively said: "Captain Zheng, please hold out for another hour. As long as you can hold for one more hour, leave the rest to us."

"Leave it to you?"

"I'll help you seal the breach."

Han Yu reached for a bamboo pole, carefully standing up, he probed under the water with the pole, before squatting down again: "Although the sub-dam breach is overflowing, the water seems urgent but the problem isn't major."

Captain Zheng asked, laughing and crying: "I'm already ready to die for my country, and the problem isn't major?"

"Not major, not even significant danger." Han Yu placed the bamboo pole down, contemplating further, adding: "On the way here, Captain Peng called me, and entrusted me to rescue you and afterwards invite you for a shower and a meal."

Though I've never seen what the Hong Kong Garrison is like, they must have some tricks, or they wouldn't have been designated by the Yangtze Flood Control Headquarters and Military District as Jingzhou's emergency rescue assault force.

Captain Zheng muttered: "I want him to send you to rescue," and asked quietly: "How can we assist?"

"Once again, hold for another hour."

It's not appropriate to sit on the boat and speak like this when they're wading in the breach blocking the flood.

Han Yu simply stood up, shouted: "Brothers of the 127th Regiment, reinforcements, supplies, and the engineering machinery needed for the rescue will arrive within an hour at most, please hold out for one more hour. I'm heading back now to guide the rescue fleet, see you in an hour."

Mayor Shen suddenly remembered something, and asked in shock: "Are you Captain Han of the City Flood Control Command Emergency Rescue Assault Team?"

"Yes, may I ask who you are?"

"I'm the Mayor of River Mouth Town..."

"Mayor Shen, right?"

"Yes, it's me, correct."

"Sorry for arriving late, please, like Captain Zheng, hold on for another hour. I guarantee if you can hold for one hour, this civil dike will definitely be saved."

"Thank you, we appreciate it."

"It's no trouble, I'll head back and guide the fleet, see you soon."